[GW2] Welcome Merila! {R}

[PinkRose]

Welcome to Saga guild!

Please be sure to read the posts stickied at the top of these forums and be sure you agree with the rules and charter. This guild has a history, as you will see. It is, well, a Saga.

Saga is also part of a multi-game guild formed when a few wandered off to try other games. Sister guilds have formed, and we all come here to check on each other. This multi-game guild is currently called SagaFamily. We are indeed a family.

To become part of that, please take the time to fill out the attached roster card and post it to this message. This procedure is for the others here so they can get to know you. You do not have to fill the roster card out to be part of Saga in-game. You can do it now or in the future. You can fill one out even if you do not wish to join the larger family. There is no pressure, and no rush. Take your time and look around.

As an Initiate, you should now have access to the private game related forums, such as questing and crafting disciplines.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!

Welcome!

PinkRose
Saga Master of Initiates

[PinkRose]

Roster Card for Saga.

Please write an introduction to your character.
Include name, race, gender, profession, alignment.
If you have any crafting disciplines or have other talents, please include those as well.

Do you have alternate characters on the same server?

How did you hear of us?

Is there anyone you have gotten to know from our family, IC or OOC?

What types of roleplay games have you participated in? (include all types, such as pen/paper or MMORPGs)

What are you looking for as a member of our guild?

Have you read and agree to our Guild Policies and Guidelines?

Please answer the following three questions, IN CHARACTER:

Tell us of your past.

What hobbies and quests do you presently have?

Where do you see yourself in the future?

[Talon]

Welcome indeed! A delight to have you here. Get comfortable, sit and relax.

[Rumze]

Welcome . Glad to have you with us !

[Mixxi]

Yay! So glad to see you guys. From Merila to Ser Darion (which I may have spelled wrong, the sexy beast), I love all your characters and the player behind them.

[Jasyn]

Hi, and welcome, Merila! 

[Merila]

Thank you all for your welcomes! I did not know I needed to write up some things about Merila for this, so I've done it now. I hope you all enjoy it.

Name: Merila Dorne
Race: Human
Age: 28
Height: 5'5"
Gender: Female
Class: Ranger 
Alignment: Neutral Good
Crafting Disciplines: leatherworking, huntsman
Strengths: exploration, map-making, beast-taming, diplomacy
Personality: Diplomatic (45% charisma, 45% dignity, 10% ferocity).

Do you have alternate characters on the same server?
Danae Calderon, a female human elementalist from a noble family in Divinity's Reach; Ser Darrian Ossa, a male human guardian of Elonian and Ascalonian descent; Mavaara, a female Sylvari thief; Tovaryn, a male Sylvari necromancer; Svolja Frostblood, a female Norn guardian; Hjalmar the Red, a male Norn warrior; Naari Delta, a female Asura engineer from the College of Dynamics; Vuula, a female Asura mesmer from the College of Statics.

How did you hear of us?
I was introduced to Saga mainly by Tuppen and Mixxi while I was a member of Destiny's Hammer.

Is there anyone you have gotten to know from our family, IC or OOC?
I've gotten to play extensively with quite a few folks: Mixxi, Tuppen, Talon, and Jasyn especially.

What types of roleplay games have you participated in? (include all types, such as pen/paper or MMORPGs)
I've played quite a few PC and console single-player RPGS and several MMORPGs (WoW, GW2, SWTOR).

What are you looking for as a member of our guild?
A community of friendly and like-minded players to group with in MMORPGs and befriend OOC and IRL.

Have you read and agree to our Guild Policies and Guidelines?
Yes.

--

Three sharp raps sound against the solid wood door. Merila Dorne looks up at the sound, the feather quill in her hand hovering just above a leather-bound journal open on the table. Her mouth twists into a slight frown as she lays the quill down next the book. She blows lightly on the page to dry the ink, then rises from the table, the chair legs scraping loudly against the stone floor. She crosses to the door, stealing a glance at herself in a small polished mirror on the wall. Her light brown hair falls in short, disorderly waves down to her chin, framing her face. Her green eyes are bright and kind, her face smooth and lightly tanned. She's dressed in a loose fitting shirt of moss green silk and snug brown leather pants, her well-worn boots laced half-way up her calves. She puts her hands up to her hair, smoothing it as best she can, and practices a smile. Good enough, she thinks to herself, and nods before putting her hand out to the door knob.

As she pulls the door open, she's greeted by the sight of a tallish man, fairly young, with chiseled features and a steady bearing. He's wrapped himself in a warm wool cloak against the cold winter wind, underneath which is visible the simple white linen tunic and roughspun brown pants that are his characteristic attire when in the city. He leans comfortably against the door frame, one supple leather boot crossed in front of the other. His blonde hair is wind-tousled, falling across his forehead just above his sea-blue eyes. He smiles easily at the sight of her, and Merila returns his smile, this time genuinely, reaching out to welcome him.

"Auren Garret, what a surprise! I didn't think you'd be back in Divinity's Reach until spring," she exclaims, pulling him into a quick but warm hug.

Auren squeezes her briefly before releasing her from the hug, grinning, "Well, my time table got moved up a little." He pulls his cloak back slightly to reveal a medium-sized leather satchel, pats it gently, and winks.

Merila's face lights up with excitement, and she gesturs into the house towards the kitchen table and chairs, "Then come in and tell me everything."

--

After Auren finishes his tale, the two friends sit at the kitchen table in the waning light, sipping on warm mugs of mulled wine, a plate of partially eaten bread and cheese sitting on the table between them. Auren leans back casually in his chair, at ease in the small, simple cottage. He stretches and sighs, angling his chair closer to the warmth emanating from the fireplace. Merila eyes the journal still open on the table top as Auren breaks the slience.

"So how have things been here in the Reach? Your letters have been all business since I've been away. Has the Priory been keeping you busy?"

"Yes, I've been spending most of my days in the royal libraries. Steward Gixx thinks that there might be some way to use the bloodstone magic the White Mantle employed to fight against the Elder Dragons. He thinks that the mechanism itself is sound, if we could just find a way to power it with something other than human souls."

Auren nods, "That seems reasonable, and any weapon would be of use."

Merila smiles, "And I've been helping Danae track down the materials she needs for the staff she's designing. With the two of you doing craftwork at the same time, it's a wonder I have any free time at all."

Auren blushes faintly at the mention of the elementalist, clearing his throat, "Yes, she had mentioned that she'd found a description of an especially powerful staff in an old tome she came across in one of the Lethos family libraries. Does she really plan to craft something so powerful from some old sage's cryptic notes?"

Merila shrugs, "If anyone can, she can."

Auren considers this, then nods in agreement, "I suppose that's true. So, have you only been spending your time these past few weeks helping others?" He eyes the open journal on the table, "or do you have other plans in motion?"

Merila smiles nervously, color creeping into her cheeks, "It's really nothing..."

"Come now, don't be shy. It's me we're talking about here. You can tell me anything."

Nodding, she reaches across the table, sliding the book and letting it rest in from of Auren, "It's just... I just thought someone should write down all that's been going on. The Priory has scribes, certainly, but I just thought..." She trails off as Auren takes the journal in his hands, his eyes scanning back and forth across the pages.

A small smile breaks out on his face, spreading across his cheeks as he flipped through the pages. By the time he has scanned every page she'd written on, he is positively beaming.

"It's our story," he said, his voice soft with emotion, "all of our stories." He flips back through the book slowly, mentally cataloguing each time a new section started, each one titled with a name in large, elegant script, "Me, Danae, Venitus... even Logan and Trahearne... our families, our history, how we came together... but where..." He pauses as he stops at the last page of the journal, eyeing the lines left unfinished by his arrival, the short conclusion she had been writing.

"But where is your story, Merila?"

Merila blushes, shaking her head and waving a hand dismissively, "I just hadn't gotten around to it is all."

Auren eyes her, unconvinced, "Alright then. Let's do it now." He picks the journal up, flipping the last few blank pages in front of her, "Look, there's enough left here for your story, I think. If it's so hard for you to write about yourself like you're a part of this history, like you're a hero just like me, and Logan, and Trahearne-"

"I'm not-"

"You are," he continues, undaunted, "no matter what you think, you are just as much a hero of this war as I am. But if you can't see yourself like I do, like the people of Kryta do, then let me write your story."

She blinks at him, surprised, "You?"

Auren straightens up a little, raising his chin, "I may not be a renowned Priory scholar like you, but my ma had a few books that she liked to read to us. Epic tales from Ascalon and Elona and Cantha. I know what heroes stories are supposed to sound like. Come on. You talk, I'll write."

Merila hesitates for a moment, feeling self-conscious and shy. But she reminds herself that there's no arguing with Auren when he's set his mind on something. Sighing, she nods her acquiescence.

--

"Well," Merila begins, squirming uncomfortably in her chair while Auren dips a quill into an inkpot, "I was born here, in Divinity's Reach. In 1299 AE, in the Season of the Colossus. I didn't know my parents. They were spies for the crown, tasked with infiltrating the White Mantle in the hopes of bringing it down once and for all. They were discovered, though, and killed before they could escape. I now know that they sacrificed their lives for Kryta and died heroes, but while growing up, I thought they had just abandoned me," she says softly.

"Do you know their names?" Auren asks, hesitant with what he knows is a painful subject.

"Yes," she nods, her face drawn as she tries to keep her voice calm, "Cecelia and Frederick. The only things left of them in the house I was born in were their headstones. They had had them inscribed in the hopes that I would know them, what they died for, and how much they loved me." She wipes her eyes and clears her throat before continuing. "But I had to fend for myself as a child. I grew up on the streets of Divinity's Reach, sleeping in alleys, stealing food just to keep from starving. I did what I had to to survive, and sometimes that meant making bad choices. Until I met you, my only friends were street thugs and bullies," she smiles wryly at this.

Auren returns her smile, nodding and remembering the scrawny, quick-tongued and quick-fingered street rat he'd befriended all those years ago. "Yes, I remember. You stole my practice sword, and when I challenged you to win it back, you beat me so badly I had bruises for weeks. An ill-fed little girl of 7, and I a strong boy of 10, and you beat me at swordplay."


Merila laughs, "I did, I beat you bloody. You were too slow and I needed that sword too badly, even if it was only made of wood. But your sister set me straight. She taught me that no amount of arms or strength of body would ever be enough to keep the thugs at bay. There would always be someone stronger, or richer, or more powerful, and what I needed was strength of heart."

He smiles at that, "Yes, that sounds exactly like Ariana. But now we're getting too nostalgic. We'll be at it all night if we keep going at this pace. Tell me about the Battle of Shaemoor. I never did hear how you ended up out there with us against that elemental."

"Oh that! I was in the village because of Jeor! A village woman had caught him stealing honey from her beehives, and I had to pay her to make up for the loss. That ridiculous bear. He mostly keeps to himself, but every now and then he gets hungry for sweets and wanders into the nearest village to make trouble. He was still pretty young then, and really had no idea how frightening he was. Anyway, I was just up the hill when I heard the shouting and saw people running to the Inn for shelter. I caught up with Logan at the garrison and Jeor and I joined in shoulder to shoulder with the Seraph to repel the centaurs."

Auren nods, the quill pen scratching along as he takes down her words, "And that was how the Queen first heard of you, yes?"

"Yes. Logan had been bragging," she says as she rolls her eyes. "It was only a little while after that that she asked me to parley with the orders of Tyria to deal with the escalating threat of the Risen. Eventually I decided to join the Priory to better serve Tyria against the elder dragons. That's how Trahearne found me: I was researching some unusual reports in Lion's Arch when the Risen attacked Claw Island. I became his contact for the Priory, at least until he raised me up to Commander of the Pact. He and I were able to track down the source of the corruption of Orr and perform the ritual to cleanse the land. The process will be slow, but there are already signs that the spell is working."

Auren continues scribbling into the book, "And then you were there for the battle against Zhaitan."

"You know I was. It was probably the most terrifying and exhilarating experience of my life. And I'm still so grateful we had the help of Destiny's Edge. I'm not sure we would have taken the dragon down without them," She says, her eyes far away in memory.

Auren pauses to look down at the book, surveying his work. Satisfied, he grins at Merila, laughter dancing in his eyes, "So what now, Merila Dorne? What does the future have in store for you? More epic battles? Titles and riches? A husband and a dozen fat children?"

Merila laughs, "I'll be with you, of course. Once you find that secret weapon you're searching for, we'll be off again, defending Tyria. You don't honestly think you'll be able to defeat the remaining elder dragons without me, do you?"

Auren smiles warmly, reaching across the table and taking her hand, "Of course not, my dear friend. We're very nearly ready to take the fight to the dragons again, and I would be lost without you by my side."

Merila nods, gentling squeezing Auren's hand. He was right; it was almost time to be heroes again.

[Auren]

Nicely done!

[Corsair]

Very nice read. Thank you and welcome!

[Askari]

Huzzah! Welcome and well met!

[Mixxi]

So wonderful to see Merila and Auren in a quiet, private time. Keyes, Rafe, and I love them both so much. Beautiful, beautiful scene.

*wants to play again even more*

[RavenMiles]

Welcome to the family