A Retelling

The Final Rest of Thiesekh

As told by Shieldwarden Lasyll Darke

13th of Valnuary, 1002 · Atop the Southern Vashnar Mountains

Narration & Action

Lasyll's Voice

Divine Speech

Manifested Vision

Lasyll Darke "The entity that would later be known as Thiesekh was borne from meddling with the Book of Thoth. Upon gaining consciousness, it flit from city to city, tormenting some and slaying others in a seemingly unstoppable and capricious rampage."

Lasyll Darke "Yet, others communed with the entity and inspired a tiny amount of empathy."

Lasyll Darke "I will admit that I was not privy to most of the interactions, but I was there at the final confrontation, and that is the story I will tell this afternoon."

· · ·

Lasyll clears her throat once more before beginning.

Lasyll Darke "After months of torment punctuated by moments of empathy, the entity known as Thiesekh was finally coerced into a final confrontation atop the northern most peak of the Southern Vashnars. If Sapience could lay it to rest, all manner of life would be spared the capricious wrath born from interfering with the lost works of the departed Lord Thoth."

She focuses in concentration, manifesting an image of a snowy mountain peak before the group.

Lasyll Darke "Cyrene lit pyres to attract the lost spirits comprising the deathless entity. Hashan sketched a ritual circle to bind Thiesekh to the mountain."

Her voice is soft yet unwavering as she continues.

Lasyll Darke "Still more affected by the wraith's malevolence gathered atop the peak, ready to deliver it the death it yearned so fervently for."

The vision shifts, showing a formless void contained in a circle, surrounded by onlookers with weapons drawn.

· · ·

The vision ripples as the entity lets out a grotesque cackle, culminating in a wave of despair, causing all surrounding it to crumple and fall.

Lasyll's voice drops slightly lower, her tone still measured.

Lasyll Darke "But Thiesekh would not go quietly. It unleashed the immense powers of despair it had sustained itself on, the myriad souls making up its form lashing out and striking down all present, then reconstituted itself with a ghastly din of laughter."

The vision blurs once more, showing brave men and women standing shoulder to shoulder as they clashed with the wraith.

Her lips purse in recollection of the ordeal as she speaks.

Lasyll Darke "Despite repeatedly being felled by hopelessness and spite, Sapience resolutely stood in defiance, firmly supporting each other to prevent the revenant from preying upon their isolation."

She pauses, as though still feeling the weight of the memory.

Lasyll Darke "Battered and bruised, the entity finally wavered with a gasp, and the commotion of battle and sighs of relief turned to profound silence."

The blurring finally ends, revealing the entity to be a tattered set of robes with numerous forms writhing beneath as it kneeled in defeat.

· · ·

Lasyll's voice softens as she continues, now gentle in tone.

Lasyll Darke "A solemn, melodic lament emanated across the continent from the mountain's peak as the Lady Valnurana emerged into mortal perceptions. All of Sapience blinked, struggling to stay awake."

Lasyll Darke "Again, Thiesekh wavered as the composition of souls trapped within its malice peeled away one by one."

The scene shifts to show an immortal figure garbed entirely in purest white from head to toe, save her grey wings.

Her voice is full of reverence as she continues.

Lasyll Darke "The Dreamsource advanced, Her voice a soothing lullaby that stripped away the entity's endless rage and misery. Her wings spread outward, no longer feathers of misty grey but rather skeletal nightmare-wreathed pinions."

The Mother of Nightmares' figure distorts further as She strides slowly towards the sobbing entity. Her veil parts to reveal the visage of a withered corpse, pale lips curling into a maternal smile as the sapphire gems inlaid in Her eye sockets glow with ghostly radiance. Pallid, skeletal arms stretch forth to gather Thiesekh's rapidly withering form into Her embrace, rocking it to sleep.

· · ·

Thiesekh "Mo...ther...?"

· · ·

Lasyll pauses for a moment, eyes closed, before continuing.

Lasyll Darke "And the Mother to the Forlorn and Forgotten cooed softly in return, and the stillborn wraith denied death was finally ushered into Sleep eternal. She clutched the worm-eaten and rotted cloak to Her breast, and the nightmarish vision was no more: She returned, clad in Her usual veil and shroud of purest white, the child of dissolution finally still against Her."

The figure clutches the bundle to Her breast, before turning to face the throng of onlookers.

Lady Valnurana — Goddess of Sleep and Dreams "Hearken to Me well, you who invite death among the living. Do not covet what little is left to the dead. It is cold knowledge that cannot bide in you while flesh yet clings to bone."

Upon finishing Her admonishment to Sapience, Her voice returned to its usual murmured and soporific tones, before She and what remained of Thiesekh disappeared from mortal perceptions. Lasyll lets out a soft, wistful sigh before the vision dissolves into nothingness.

· · ·

Lasyll dips her head lightly in reverence.

Lasyll Darke "And this concludes my Retelling. Though the entity is long departed, its scars still linger in our memories and dreams, where the Lady Grey offers solace in the form of blessed Sleep."

Lasyll Darke "Thank you all for attending. If you have questions about the Dream, Sleep, or Her realm, please don't hesitate to reach out."

☽ A Retelling in Honour of the Lady Valnurana · Goddess of Sleep and Dreams · Mother to the Forlorn and Forgotten