Questions on BedlamGreetings,I am looking for an account of the goings on from this weekend. As I was tending to some things on the Western Flank, I have been unable to keep abreast of what transpired this weekend past. And, as I haven't been 'around' for some time, if someone wouldn't mind including how we got to the place we are (ie: how did he get so powerful, anyway?) that would be appreciated. Additionally, I am interested in learning about Bois. What are they? What are their goals? Do they have a 'leader'? What are they affected by? How to their gates 'spread'? Where have their gates been seen? Are there any theories on where they will strike next? Is there any way to prevent a gate from forming in an area, effectively 'warding' it from their influence? What is the safest way to close one of these gates? Feel free to post either publically or privately, I'm sure more knowledge spread is better than being ignorant. Thank you for your time, Rune Knight of the Realms Knight of the Eternal Flame Order of the Magi ----- Rune, Most of what I heard occurred over the weekend has been publicly announced already, but I can grant what knowledge I have about Bedlam and Bois. If one simply wants to know how to fight Bois and their various abilities, skip to the end of this. If one wants to know what they are, continue reading. To understand what a Bois is, one must also understand what bedlam is. Bedlam is a demiplane that is the cross section of the Planes of Hell, Oblivion, and Fae, and thus has qualities from each. It has the destructiveness of Oblivion, the evil that makes hell, and the chaos of Fae. Rel disagrees with me on which plane attribute's what to Bedlam, but that is besides the point. To enter Bedlam is to enter a deprivation of all senses. No sound may be made from within, light does not pierce the plane, and no magic works within. To die in Bedlam is to suffer a true death, with no chance of recovery. Simply seeing it makes one know in ones heart that this is true, and because of this, the only way to enter is completely willingly. Any compulsions would be simply fail to send one into Bedlam unless the person wishes to enter. It is also is where the Fae we know originally came from, but that is a different story. This is the plane that Bois emerged from, and this is the core of the Bois essence. They seek to destroy, corrupt, consume and spread throughout the multiverse. Until recently, there were no known leaders, although the creation of the Bois we call Nega Zula appears to be like a leader to the Bois. How they decide what to attack, we know not. It may be similar to a swarm of bees collecting pollen with a queen or the rumored "Tom of Bedlam", or it may simply just be they are drawn to destruction, and thus when one starts to fight, any near them go to that point. Bedlam was first sealed away Millenia ago by a group called the Wellmen who knew that Bedlam had to be stopped. They worked together, and managed to contain Bedlam. They built a barrier around the plane, and then destroyed all Bedlam that remained in this world and through various means hid them even from the gods.. Unfortunately, the Wellman believed that no mortal work should last forever, so they made it so that if a group were to decide that Bedlam needed to be release for a reason, then there would be a way. And so, Bedlam stayed contained until the Wayland Bomb exploded, killing Bouquet. Thinking she was destroyed, many tried to save her that fateful night, and in doing so, they created a link to her in Bedlam. There was a way for the god's to see into bedlam, and a way to save Fae from the threat of Wayland seemed to be there. Some tried to stop them, but ultimately, the quest to save Fae, succeeded, and Bedlam was opened. A few ventured in that day and pulled out Bouquet, but the threat of Bedlam was unleashed, and for a few years it was relatively quiet, only appearing in small batches, and we thought of it as only a mild threat, but not a threat to the multiverse. Then, the Nexus decided to show us how wrong we were. It showed us the inevitable end should Bedlam not be defeated, where Cecil was trying to end reality in order to prevent it from destroying far parts of the multiverse. Bedlam had finally consumed the Realms, but we did something to help prevent it from doing so again while there. If you would like the full story, ask me in person, I enjoy telling it. Bedlam corrupts however it can. It has corrupted the 5th circle spell for those who pull from Seelie magics, tempting people with power in exchange for turning into a Bois. When Zula tried to pull bedlam off of a cabin, a Bois version of Zula was created, which is nearly indestructible and has Zula's cunning, and in addition, it nearly turned Zula into a Bois himself, with people using a Tear of Aurora. In addition, many have been infected by a dark sickness that can not be cured as of yet which if untreated will turn it's victim's into Bois. It is unknown exactly how Bedlam spreads, but we have encountered what I have heard called a "bedlam" seed, which was destroyed using Northern Light Blades. How a seed is created or planted, I unfortunately do not know. There are many types of Bois, many of whom are similar in appearance, so all should be approached warily. The "common" Bois shall be described, and then powerful types we have encountered and know about will be. The Common Bois: The common bois are an average man size, and completely black. They make no noise, and often it is hard to tell if a type of weapon effects them, so keen eyes are required when fighting them. Abilities they have shown include immunity to weapons, except for a specific type (silver, magic, unenchanted blades, etc.) Often, multiple weapon blows are required to harm a Bois, regardless of the weapon type one is using. Often in addition to their heartiness, many Bois have the ability to cause wounds with similar effects to poisons, and diseases, or to simply ignore armor. A few Bois who look similar to regular Bois are able to possess a body until it is sufficiently mutilated that it finds a different body to attack from. A sword of light or a Northern Light Blade almost always destroy whatever part of a common Bois it encounters. Wayland blades sometimes work, but simply send the Bois back into Bedlam, and between that and the devastation which could be caused if possessed, one should not be used except as a last ditch scenario. Serpets postramos This is a very peculiar Bois which I have only encountered once. Looking like a large floating catapillar, it does not do anything, but usually predicts death and destruction to come. Black Wakers Should a bois be not affectable by any weapon, perhaps it is a black walker. Only found in dark locations, they are undestroyable until cut off from the darkness and surrounded by light. This light must be weilded and not just thrown, and doing so weakens the Black Walker. Soul Leech Soul leeches are large Bois with a circular mouth of teeth. Should it catch it's pray, it devours it's soul, making it heartier. In order to kill it, one must remove the souls from it. A call the soul should work if one has the body, but done in this manner the person may turn into a Bois by the next full moon. To safely remove a soul, place a piece of Hematite on a silver weapon to draw the soul out of the body. This can only be done once per piece of hematite, and the piece needs to be removed before the next one will work. When all the souls are removed, the Leech can be destroyed by any weapon. Since I have not encountered an eater of memory or dislumina, I will write word for word on what is written on them in the Library of Ivory. " Eaters of Memory Perhaps one of the most horrific of all Bois, Eaters of Memory symbolize the very reason for which the greatest work was undertaken, Bois filling the shell of a man. The Eater of Memories wanders amongst the living destroying neither house nor field nor city castle. Instead the Eater of Memories uses it's human shell to attract others before it consumes the one thing which cannot be rebuilt. Without our memories our civilization will fall. Dislumina A portion of the Bois much denser than others, no luminescence could destroy a disluminus save possible daylight. Large wings would consume all light present, funneling it to the dark center where is would be ultimately destroyed. Neither sword nor spell could harm a disluminus excepting at the very moment when the darkness was weakest. " Nega Zula: an intelligent, powerful Bois unique in his ability to speak. One weapon is known to effect him, which is usable by mages with the ability to cast forth Magic Missiles, turning them into a missile of light. Skin Walkers: We have encountered a creature we have called Skin Walkers while questing in the nexus. It may be an Eater of memories, or something else entirely. Be aware for they may appear at some point. I may have made a few mistakes. If so, please correct me, for our ignorance shall be our death. Should you have any questions, feel free to ask me. ~Apprentice Janus Kil'tra Rua Thar Cinn Order of the Lantern ----- Janus, This is very impressive, thank you! To Janus and the rest, I have one question, that hopefully someone has an answer to. What is the type of Bois that inflicts the Dark Sickness? I was at the event where the disease/taint was being spread, but I can't for the life of me remember if it was done by a specific species, or was simply a contagion carried by some common Bois. Because of the potentially dangerous nature of this as yet unknown illness, I figure we should be aware of what can inflict it so that we can be very certain to avoid being touched by them in the future. Demetria Highwater Petitioner to Clan Rua Thar Cinn Priestess of Luna ----- Janus, Some corrections, as requested. "This is the plane that Bois emerged from" - They didn't emerge from some random plane, by some coincidence. Bedlam was a prison and they were released from it. "Unfortunately, the Wellman believed that no mortal work should last forever, so they made it so that if a group were to decide that Bedlam needed to be release for a reason, then there would be a way." - I'm not sure where you got the impression that the Wellmen created a way to open Bedlam because they felt no mortal work should last forever. That makes little sense. Why would you bottle up concentrated evil "for a while"? The seals of Bedlam were designed to last for eternity. The "way" to open it included a series of atrocities the Wellmen hoped would deter those heroes skilled enough to actually accomplish them. "Some tried to stop them, but ultimately, the quest to save Fae, succeeded, and Bedlam was opened. " - No one really tried to stop them. A few words fell on deaf ears, no more. Faerie was not "saved". The threat of Wayland was not erased, only diminished. And in exchange both the Realms and Faerie have this new and greater threat of obliteration that is Bedlam. The folly of opening Bedlam serves as example of the danger of acting without fully understanding the consequences of one's actions. "Wayland blades sometimes work, but simply send the Bois back into Bedlam, and between that and the devastation which could be caused if possessed, one should not be used except as a last ditch scenario." - Wayland blades should not be used at all. The morality of enslaving and tormenting a soul in order to make a more effective weapon aside, using Wayland magic of any kind strengthens Wayland, which is a Bad Thing(tm). Destroying Wayland blades, items that use his magic, and Wayland himself, would be a positive step towards truly saving Faerie, as well as those lands and those of our friends and loved ones whose fate it tied to it. In Truth, Sir Vawn ----- Sir Vawn, Sometimes, on very rare occasions, we know exactly what we do and what the consequences are. For my part in things; I have no regrets only sorrow. ~Dame Sir Freesia Den'ier of Folkestone~ Ebon Fox Knight of Creathorne Duchess of Chaos Mistress of the Dancers Guild Champion to Queen Nimbus Borealis Bouquet Hand Maiden to Queen Nimbus Borealis Bouquet Knight of the Eternal Flame Captain of the Lord's Guard ----- #$*!ing piles of paper everywhere. As if I didn't have enough #$*@ to deal with. Jane, or whatever the hell your name is... You forgot one kind. Lemme clear that up for you: THE ONES THAT EAT #$*!ING SPELLS. #$*!! TOYCHEST ----- Vawn and Janus, As a girl who arrived in these lands never knowing I had an older brother, let alone an older brother who is a great hero, only to discover that thanks to the magics of Wayland, I would never get to know my brother as others have known him, I agree whole-heartedly that those magics and those blades should never be used or made. However, I believe just as firmly, that as the Wayland, the Undying Mortal as I've heard him called, will need to find a new title that better suits his coming death, the Infinite Dark will also be finding itself to be not nearly so infinite. There is no threat to these Realms, and to Faerie, that we cannot face and, more to the point, defeat. Squire Tara Harkon ----- Sheesus... you sound just like him... Stubborn... I like it... Kids gonna make a good Ka. -Gryfinn DarkWillow ----- Sir Vawn, While I appreciate your rather vocal and pointed declarations. Some times while trying to do the right things, we cause worse evil. This is something that you white light types will ultimately have to accept. However rescuing Bou was the right thing to do. Releasing the Bois (which in my opinion are nothing more than corrupted Fae stuck in that horrible place for nigh Eternity) should be blamed on Wayland and his creations. And was a by product of doing the right thing in the face of doing nothing at all. I do agree that opening Bedlam did perpetrate a greater evil upon not just our own reality but all of creation, and I look forward to correcting this. But what of all those countless fae that were stuck outside the cycle of things due to Wayland? We freed all of them to go back to the cycle as well. This is not, was not, a minor undertaking. It is one that I intend to see through should Fates fickle hand allow me to do so. I know what my responsibilities are. I trust that you will stand with us against the coming tide. Mekrien Foreman of the Rhiassan Brewery Dragoon Officer of Twilight Society ----- Tria and anyone else who was present, I believe the Bois that carried the contaminant known as Black Sickness was a Black Walker, though I'm not entirely sure. If anyone else remembers the day more clearly than I, I would appreciate their correction. Squire Tara Harkon ----- Vawn, A few Responses. "This is the plane that Bois emerged from" - They didn't emerge from some random plane, by some coincidence. Bedlam was a prison and they were released from it. Yes, bedlam was their prison, but it was also where Bois came from before being sealed away. "Unfortunately, the Wellman believed that no mortal work should last forever, so they made it so that if a group were to decide that Bedlam needed to be release for a reason, then there would be a way." - I'm not sure where you got the impression that the Wellmen created a way to open Bedlam because they felt no mortal work should last forever. That makes little sense. Why would you bottle up concentrated evil "for a while"? The seals of Bedlam were designed to last for eternity. The "way" to open it included a series of atrocities the Wellmen hoped would deter those heroes skilled enough to actually accomplish them. Where I got the information is from the document called "on the sealing of bedlam." The section reads "A gate was erected at the node of enchantment, and it was equipped with space for seven keys, each hexagonal and approximately one nail in width. We shall not here delve into the arcane nature of the keys, nor shall we divulge the known locations of said keys. It was the intention of our ancestors taht if such a time occured as the demi plane of Bedlam must rejoin the multiverse, then such action must be possible, but of a cost high enough that such a quest would not be undertaken without extreme prudence." The Wellmen realized they did not know what sealing off the realms from Bedlam would mean, and thus made it so it could be undone if necessary. Now, as Toychest reminded me, I did miss one Bois, which I shall dub the "Devourer of Magics." While roughly as strong as a normal bois, it's weapon will weaken one's ability to weild magic for a decent period of time. They seek to destroy any magic, often times chasing down casters through a line, opening themselves to fighters. They are easy to distinguish by the blue markings hanging off of their face. ~Janus ----- Janus, Is the document "On the Sealing of Bedlam" Available somewhere so that people may be able to make informed decisions about the history of the Well man and the gates? Yours in Truth, King Sir Pyr DarkWillow ----- It appears that where I thought i had placed it, it isn't, therefore I shall send it out below. I have a few well trained pidgins that will retrieve a copy for any who wants one. Simply ask the pidgin for it and you shall have a copy you can transcribe. - Janus ----- Mekrien, There's a rather significant difference between unintended and unforeseeable consequences and knowingly committing evil acts. The belief that we sometimes have to commit heinous acts for the greater good or choose between the lesser of two evils is flawed. As was proven this past weekend, there is always another option, one that does not require a compromise of principles. Such paths are usually harder (as was really proven this past weekend) or heartbreaking, but they still exist. Wayland did not create Bedlam, nor the Bois. He is responsible for the all of the Fae he and his magic and his hatred destroyed. But he didn't open Bedlam and release the Bois. There are a great many crimes he should and will answer for, I do not see that as one of them. The countless Fae that Wayland's magic sent to Fae, those who were stuck outside of the Cycle, none of them were freed when Bedlam was opened. None of them returned to the Cycle. They are likely some of the Bois we face now, corrupted by their time in Bedlam. I do not know if there is some way for them to be cleansed or if it is possible to rescue any that may still be in the darkness. As far as those who might suffer Wayland's wrath now the place is no longer closed, I know of a few who have escaped intact. If others are freed to return to the Cycle instead of facing Oblivion, that is obviously a good thing. But my understanding is that one banished there does not escape from Bedlam's clutches without prompt assistance from the outside. And you can trust that I will stand against the Bois. Even if I had the choice not to, I would still be there. Sir Vawn ----- That day acts of unspeakable evil were committed. Most of them were done in full knowledge. The disregard for common sense and consideration of others was mind boggling. Sir Vawn, I will stand with you in battle and in truth, however long it takes. -Kahlenar Swingline ----- Sir Vawn, The Fae that were sent into Bedlam before the gates were opened do not sing any more. There is nothing left of them to save. So yes, the countless millions upon millions destroyed during the first purging and beyond are part of the army you face. Janus, Will a sword of light survive in Bedlam? There is only one real solution to this problem, from what I can see. Find the core corruption at the "center" of the plane and cleanse it. The Bois are just the arms of the body and you can slash at them all you want, and the thing that creates them still breeds more within its walls of Wellmen and Darkness. You fight the symptoms, not the disease. But you cannot do this until you can keep the darkness at bay while in Bedlam. Mekrien, Disrespect the path of a Paladin and you disrespect the good in us all. His path is the absolute of the moral compass. He cannot help but be what he is and will not go against his nature. It is the hardest and loneliest road anyone can travel. Make no mistake; he despises any person who willingly chooses evil because you have chosen the worst that Mortals are capable of. There is no forgiveness and no atonement for accepting evil into yourself, and there is no excuse. He does this job because someone must. So have a care. If you are to survive this world, you must accept the extremes exist. And that there must be a light to fight back the darkness. Yours in Truth, King Sir Pyr DarkWillow ----- Pyr, Bois seek out points of light and points of Light. That could be something as simple as the spark of life to something as complex as the Duchess Ophelia, whom they have sought out in the past while she was in Hell. The dark often seeks out light, which it then tries to consume. There is a reason the bois and Bedlam are called the Infinite Dark. A Sword of Light should not be taken into Bedlam unless you don't want it to come back. In any case, there is only one such sword in mortal hands. ~Faelinn ----- Faelinn, The question is more if you were to step into Bedlam, would its light continue if not attacked by a Bois? Most magic or power will be consumed by the plane itself after a matter of seconds without being attacked; can these swords or like swords sustain their power there? "Should it" is another question. I am interested in "can it"? I agree the answer is "no" if it does not serve the purpose of defeating the darkness at its core. -Pyr ----- Pyr, Over the past few months, I've encountered many instances of "we shouldn't do X or Y" but because we "can" it gives people license to make those poor choices. I am all for free will, but I am not for capitalizing on bad ideas just because it "can" be done. Don't take Swords of Light into Bedlam. I would even say don't take Northern Lights swords into Bedlam. Don't go into Bedlam. Nothing, NOTHING good ever comes out of Bedlam. ~Faelinn ----- All of Fae came out of Bedlam. There is good in Fae, if people choose to see it. But your point is still good: nothing comes out of Bedlam now unless it is immediate and soon upon entering. Which makes me wonder if Cuhcullen has the ability to pull Fae out of Bedlam at this point, as he did in the beginning. "Just because we can does not mean we should" is in the right. My point is still the same however. In order to succeed, you will need at some point to stab at the heart of the monster. I am not saying you should throw things away needlessly. If swords of light can be sustained, then you have a key to the end game because something will survive in Bedlam. I am looking for Hope. So the question is, what is the plan for defeating this foe? We have been told from the beginning it is possible. But as of yet I have not seen viable action or solution. Otherwise, there are only 3 other songs I see being sung. To lay down your arms and die, to seal up Bedlam again by obtaining the ancient knowledge, or to go back in time and stop it from happening to begin with. -Pyr ----- Here are some questions that I've had to lead to a solution. We know that there are Deep Fae, and we know that they are the beings who inhabited the lands now known as Faerie before the Fae were there. Do such beings exist in Oblivion and Hell and, perhaps, in Bedlam? Another thought. In the song about Bedlam that was the path to opening the gate, there are frequent mentions of a Tom o' Bedlam. Is this Tom a real figure or is this just the song writer taking liberties? If Tom is a real person, then a few of the poems I copied out of the Library some time past because I found them interesting make quite a bit more sense. Squire Tara Harkon ----- If these 'Deep Fae' are, in fact, the Fae of my time, then I warn you all. These are not the Fae you have all become used to. These Fae care not for politics, they are fickle, dark beasts, more than happy to take you and yours forever. --Byron, who once ran the cliffs of Darkvale. ----- They sound like my kinda folks. But yes, the deep fae are almost terrible to behold, even in beauty... I have encountered only one who spoke to me in my mind near the ending of the fae war upon Oberon... she was glorious... beautiful, graceful... but terrifying... I still have nightmares... -Gryf ----- Meh. They seem fine to me. -Magnus ----- Thank you all for your contributions to the discussion. Having not been �around� for the past few hundred years, I�m a little foggy on some points that most of you take for granted� For instance, what did �you� do to open Bedlam, and why did you do it? Janus mentions in his dissertation that Bois seek �� to destroy, corrupt, consume and spread throughout the multiverse.� If it is true that the Bois, and through them, Bedlam, �spreads� it stands to reason that it should be possible to �spread� other planes into Bedlam, making Bedlam smaller, and eventually destroying it entirely. How to �spread� another plane I have not idea, but this might be one way to �defeat� Bedlam � reverse the process of �spreading� by spreading other planes into it� However, it Bedlam doesn�t truly �spread� but only �consumes�, that is more problematic. If Bedlam is a �creature� rather than a �plane�, the Bois would in effect be Bedlam�s �fingers�, while the gates to Bedlam would effectively be it�s �mouth�. While hacking at Bedlam�s appendages would damage it some, it is likely far too large to effect in any long term way by destroying Bois. If Bedlam is more a �creature� than a �plane�, then Pyr is correct � we would need to find a way to slay the beast � which means going to its �heart�. While I do appreciate Lady Faelinn�s commentary on Aurora and those �Swords of Light�, I still have outstanding questions relating to other Sources of Light. Surely Aurora isn�t the only source of Light in the Realms? How do the Deep Fae relate to Bedlam? Would these entities help in the fight against Bedlam? What form of communication do we have with these entities? Are these entities of the Light? Or would we be damning ourselves with a �lesser� evil by treating with them? What are �the songs� that are referred to by Pyr? Are these �songs� known ways to deal with Bedlam gifted us by a higher power? If so, what power prescribed them? I do not know who this Gray person is. Would Gray work with Bedlam warning us off a path we should take? How would one go about travelling back in time? And how far back would we need to go to stop Bedlam from ever happening? And how would we go about stopping it in the first place? And what would such an action do to the people and lands of Faerie and those places connected to it? Is Bedlam protected from Seer Magic? Does a light spell hold a Boi back? Thank you for your time, Rune ----- Rune, I myself am still trying to collect all the information that I know about Bedlam, but I can answer several things. Adventurers before my time had to commit acts of great evil to reopen Bedlam, though the acts themselves escape me. You do not want to 'spread' a plane into Bedlam. Bedlam corrupts, destroys, devours...We would lose more than stand to gain. Aurora, from what I understand, is the Goddess of Light. While she may not be the only, she is one, if not the, strongest source. Deep Fae lived in Fae well before Faeries did. They are ancient, powerful, and terrifying, and they can destroy everything if they so much as speak. Masks, one of Queen Mab's Counselors, was/is Deep Fae, and never spoke louder than a whisper. My experience with them starts and ends with Masks, unfortunately. Seers, with half-a-wit among themselves, will never want to try to See into Bedlam, much less try. I hope that my small amount of information has helped in the slightest, Phoenix Rose Dawncry-Nosetti Elder of House Nosetti Master Scribe and Historian of House Nosetti Lady of House Dawncry ----- Phoenix-Rose, As to the opening of Bedlam; you were not there. You do not know what happened, what was faced, nor do you have any inkling the Why of the matter nor what was sacrificed. Do not slander those who did what was necessary at the time. ~Dame Sir Freesia Den'ier of Folkestone~ Ebon Fox Knight of Creathorne Duchess of Chaos to the Mortal Court Mistress of the Dancers Guild Champion to Queen Nimbus Borealis Bouquet Hand Maiden to Queen Nimbus Borealis Bouquet Knight of the Eternal Flame Captain of the Lord's Guard ----- Dame Sir Freesia, Please, do not misunderstand me. How I worded my statement was how it was worded to me when I've asked in the past: "Acts of great evil to save someone from the Infinite Dark." You had to do what was needed to be done to save someone. I've said something to the same extent (to whom I believe was Dalindanna) near a fortnight ago. I mean no harsh words nor harm. Please forgive me if I've come across the wrong way. Phoenix Rose Dawncry-Nosetti Elder of House Nosetti Master Scribe and Historian of House Nosetti Lady of House Dawncry ----- The account of opening Bedlam and other information gathered about Bedlam and the bois is located at the Library in the City of Ivory. Some documents may require you to tell a librarian that you'd like to look at it (OOC: login). Freesia, while I was not there at the opening I did my best to deter people from doing so. Many despicable and vile acts were needed to open the realm in which no god could talk about. The consequences are still being felt years later and they are threatening not only to destroy our world but multitudes of others. I've read the accounts. I've talked to the people who went. I witnessed the aftermath. Hell, I even made a new moon for the star people. I'm still debating the necessity. ~Faelinn For those curious, Nero asked Luna to send him a message of how to rescue Bouquet. Under the bidding and charm of the Moon Goddess, Dahal Devonshire performed the following song. This song was to be taken literally as the tasks needed to open Bedlam. ~Faelinn For to see Mad Tom of Bedlam Ten thousand miles I traveled Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes To save her shoes from gravel. Chorus: Still I sing bonny boys, bonny mad boys, Bedlam boys are bonny For they all go bare and they live by the air, And they want no drink nor money. I know more than Apollo, for when he did lie sleeping The fae doth fade to changeling blade. And the wounded land lay weeping. My staff has murFor to see Mad Tom of Bedlam Ten thousand miles I traveled Mad Maudlin goes on dirty toes To save her shoes from gravel. Chorus: Still I sing bonny boys, bonny mad boys, Bedlam boys are bonny For they all go bare and they live by the air, And they want no drink nor money. dered giants, my bag a long knife carries For to cut mince pies from children's thighs, with which to feed the fairies. I went down to Satan's kitchen, for to get me food one morning There I got souls piping hot, all on the spit a-turning. By a knight of ghosts and shadows I summoned am to tourney Ten leagues beyond the wide world's end- Methink it is no journey. No demon, man nor faerie, shall keep my Mad Tom from me I'll dance all night, with stars I'll fight, the fray shall well become me. The Spirits white as lightning, would on my travels guide me The stars would shake and the moon would quake, whenever they espied me. And then that I'll be murdering, the Man-In-The-Moon to a powder His staff I'll break, his dog I'll shake, and there'll howl no demon louder. From the hag and hungry goblin that into rags would rend ye All the sprites that stand by the naked man in the book of moons, defend ye. With a host of furious faeries, one fae he is commander. With a burning spear and a shield of air, His men he will not squander. That of your five sounds senses you never be forsaken, Nor wander from your selves with Tom, or your soul it will be taken. I now regret that ever Poor Tom I so disdain-ed My wits are lost since him I crossed and now I must go chain-ed. ----- Rune, No it's not. The results aren't worth it. The previous responses to your missive have probably confused you. When they refer to Light. They mean purity and good, not actual light seen. Hold a light spell in front of them and they'll just stab you. Laurante D'Rhian House Kai'Desh of Mezu 'Rhu Taigan Magus of Slaanesh Champion of Min ----- Some of us have, on occasion, crafted a Circle of Light, either by using shifting magics to enhance a Circle of Protection, or by using part of the soul of someone already bound to Aurora as part of a ritual. These circles, although temporary, do hold back Bois as a normal Circle holds back the Enchanted. When we were in Hell on the mission to rescue Ophelia, I felt my circle gradually growing weaker over time as the Bois threw themselves at it. It did last for three or four hours before it was repositioned elsewhere. In futher clarification, there is no such thing as "a Boi" There is only "Bois" the creeping darkness. It is not creatures, as such, and "Bois" refers to the substance. (Unless that has changed recently) Walk in Light, Templar Iacob ----- Rune and everyone else, Good questions all around. Unfortunately, I don't have all the answers, but perhaps I could shed light on some of the areas. I was not around for the opening of Bedlam, and I'm sure others would be better suited to answer, but from the stories I have heard, some people thought that saving Bouquet was worth the consequences, and some say they didn't know what the consequences would be (please note I am not making a generalization of all people involved, just passing on what I've heard from the ones who have told me their story). Again, I will leave it to others to share their tales. For the past while, I have been thinking of Bedlam both as a plane and a creature, if only because of the drive with which it seems to propel the Bois forward. Was it a creature before it was ripped open? I don't know, maybe or maybe not. But it definitely seems to be a...something...now. Theories about hearts and hive minds have been thrown about, and it would nice to get some sort of consensus on it. Aurora is not the only source of light in the world, just a very prominent and powerful one. Other deities have thrown in their lot to help fight this darkness and restore the order of the world. My own goddess, Luna, has been vocal about this in the past. As a lesser goddess of light, as well as a Lady of many other purviews, she is likely to be a potential asset in this war. To what extent She and the others help is a matter for them to decide, but I have spoken to followers and priests of various deities (I will not speak for any but my own right here) and they for the most part believe that their patrons would support us in our efforts. I would not consider the Deep Fae to be evil. I have consorted with some in the past, and while I do agree with those who said earlier that they are both terrifying and beautiful (hopefully I quoted that correctly), I don't think they are out to do us harm. The Infinite Dark is a matter of urgency for the entire universe, possibly the entire multiverse. The Deep Fae are ancient and wise, and I would hope that they know that we must all stand together as allies in this fight. There is no lesser or greater evil. It is everything versus nothingness. (part 2) I will defer the next question to others who may have gained more knowledge on future courses. His Highness may only have been using the term "song" as a descriptor for the possible choices we have. Regardless, we know that we can (and have) closed individual gates to Bedlam before. This seems to not be enough because they just keep popping open again. I would love to see what others think would be a feasible course of action. While I don't believe Bedlam is protected from Seer Magic, it is not something you want to cast divinations about. Phoenix Rose has pretty much pegged the opinion of many of the Seers I know (though not necessarily all, I don't want to speak for others here). Light spells have been successful in holding some Bois back. I believe it was one of the specific species that Janus had mentioned before, but I can't recall which. Surrounding certain ones in light has helped, but if I recall correctly, light spells do not keep back ones that are fighting in the daytime, since they are already in the light and clearly not being affected. My answers are not completely satisfactory, as I know there is knowledge floating around everywhere, and I'm sure we would all appreciate more input. As a note, though, I have seen many letter chains end up in personal attacks and forget the purpose of the original question, so I request that if you have a problem with something I said, please respond privately to me instead of telling everyone that you don't agree with my opinions. I tried to answer as objectively and reasonably as I could, but I can't possibly know what will offend whom. If you are just correcting a fact, go ahead, I just would rather keep this as academic as possible. Standing together and working with each other, not against each other, is the most important thing we can do right now. Without solidarity, there is no question in my mind that we will all be devoured, and the world may very well cease to be. We can all be a light in the darkness, we just need to shine together. With faith and hope, Demetria Highwater Priestess of Luna Petitioner to Clan Rua Thar Cinn ----- I was there. I know what happened. Or to be more accurate, I was there at the start of that quest and continued about half-way. I left when the acts we needed to do to accomplish our goal were not worth completing the goal. I have done a lot of bad things in my lifetime, a lot. When I stop to access the morality of a course of action, people might want to listen. I have always lived my life saying that doing bad things to accomplish a good act is acceptable. However, sometimes the goal is not worth what you have to do. There is a line people should not cross, and that was one of them...at least for me. Apparently some people are more comfortable committing evil acts than I am. For me the error was not in opening Bedlam, the error and wrongness was in allowing yourselves to commit acts no person ever should. There were choices made that night (as opposed to the typical accidental mayhem we adventurers bring with us) and you chose wrong. And as for the sacrifice made; you exchanged one life for another, thus gaining nothing, and opened Bedlam as an extra bonus fail. Now that I've browbeaten a bunch of people, the fact remains that this is a problem we now need to fix. How we got here is irrelevant other than having more information that may help us fix the situation. However, do not be fooled, this problem will only get worse unless we do something about it. Callin ----- Also, I don't know how many of you are familiar with the term Hamofel Saturation Threshhold, but in brief, it is a gauge, and when it gets to a certain point, a point where once Bedlam reaches a certain "mass", there is no coming back...once the tipping point is reached, we lose. Last I knew, we were dangerously close to that point. Malaki ----- To everyone involved in this topic of convesation. The reason that Bedlam was opened was not to just save Bouquet. Saving her was a bonus, If you want to know the real reason feel free to ask me privately. I was there, I helped open Bedlam. Hell I had my hand on the keys that opened it. I did many things that night, they were not worth doing to save one person. There were worth it to save two worlds. That is all Sir Zula Darkwillow ----- The discussion of a topic that, apparently, "Threatens all" is no longer subject to private conversation. One way or another, the information will get out, so you might as well take this chance to tell "your tale". Before someone else does it for you. --Byron ----- Unto the Hero's, I was there in the beginning, during the trials we all had to face and I was there at the end. I will not try to win your favor by retelling what we faced I have not the interest in quelling your anger. Those of you who oppose can bluster all you want but I did what I felt was the right thing to do and my continence is clear. I have not forgotten anything throughout the trials leading up to the opening of the prison. It was a temporary resolution not a solution if you wish to be rid of the blackness then work to find a solution not talk about past rites and wrongs. That is what I plan to do. Be Well, ~ Rio ----- Malaki, I for one have no idea what a �Hamofel Saturation Threshhold� is and am frankly confused by your post. How does Bedlam gain �mass�? When it reaches this �mass� there is no coming back from where? What is the �tipping point� and how do we �tip� things back into our favor? Horribly confused, but trying to understand, Rune ----- I think the bois are like a sort of contagious cancer. They probably have a source, which will need to be destroyed. A direct attack will be needed against the main body, and attack to the surrounding sources of sickness and portals. We will hopefully be able to cure the sickness and close the portals, but we won't truly win unless we attack the source. As far as the use of light spells, I've seen that they have a similar effect to fae stones on fae. Some bois don't like it and it will be a deterrent, but they may attack anyway. It's not like a protection from undead. Other bois don't seem to be affected at all. Do we have a way to sure dark sickness yet? Do we know if people affected by dark sickness are showing symptoms of illness? Can somebody post a list of the types of known bois, their powers, and what affects them? I would also like a description of the way that bedlam gates are "closed". I heard about the sacrifice of Arivari. Hopefully there are other options besides destroying ourselves utterly... Kyomi ----- Sir Zula Darkwillow and Realms, Is there a reason that the information should be kept private? By my understanding, the Bois don�t �read� and it�s unlikely that they have �spies� that work for it. This public system helps us all understand what is going on, and may get us all working together toward the goal of stopping Bedlam. From my understanding, several people believed heartily that they were just going to save Bouquet � I am curious to know what your reason for doing so was, if that was not the reason. What two worlds were saved? And how did opening Bedlam (a force that may destroy the multiverse) save them? I have heard small scatterings of information at feasts and such, but none of them add up. Tales about Deep Fae that are hugely powerful and helpful, tales of an alternate world where existence was ended here to prevent the Bois from corrupting the universe, tales of Wayland and Furies and Fae � but none of these pieces are gelling together into a cohesive bit of knowledge to help us in this fight. How will stopping Wayland help us defeat Bedlam? What is a Black Star guild, and what does it have to do with all this? Is there a way to contact and communicate with the Deep Fae? How are Twilight Fae linked to this? What is the plane of Oblivion? Still confused and questioning, Rune ----- Rune, We do have methods of contacting the Deep Fae. I'm not sure how much it will help though. They are choosing to retain a position of neutrality at this point. Having been the herald for the fae in twilight, I have been in contact with the Deep Fae. They are currently waiting for all of the fae in Twilight to perish before they move to the next point of their cycle. I have made it a personal crusade to try and save the Twilight fae. Something was poaching them and now all of their males are gone. The Deep Fae feel that they are beyond saving but that doesn't mean that we shouldn't try. I say this based on all the other impossible situations we've turned around. I think that the salvation of the Twilight fae will be key to retaining the balance. Johan of Mythguard ----- (Sent over the month of September) |
Created by Janna Oakfellow-Pushee
at 01-18-14 06:56 PM
Last Modified by Janna Oakfellow-Pushee at 03-08-16 08:49 PM
Last Modified by Janna Oakfellow-Pushee at 03-08-16 08:49 PM