About Tunare's Benevolence
Meeting Places
Myths & Legends
Other Stuff
Gaiah's meeting with Tunare
As some of you know, I reached
my 46th season tonight. Though I did not think it possible, my hair got
whiter still; most likely in the anticipation of seeing Tunare. Ever since
I founded Tunare's Benevolence, she has been my focus and my inspiration.
Seven months it has been now. Seven months of long journies, difficult
battles, bitter tears, great joys, greater friends, and always that seemingly
unattainable goal of seeing Her. Knowing my time on Norrath was slowly
drawing to a close, I pushed forward to reach that magical number 46,
the seemingly arbitrary threshold. Tonight I finally crossed that threshold.
I would see the Mother
that has provided me with so much. To try to list Her blessings upon me
would be in vain.
I made the journey from the Butcherblock Mountains to Velius, made my way through the giants' city of Kael Drakkal, and into the Wakening Lands. I could feel the power of Tunare in the air as I approached the tower which contained the portal to Her realm. After climbing many stairs, I reached the top. All that was left was to touch the portal. If you have not seen portal, it is like a large boulder, a boulder held up in the air by a vine alone.
A few seasons ago I was impatient and tried to fool the portal, hoping it would take me to Her realm. My haste became my mistake. The portal flung me across the land, nearly back into the giant city. I stood before the portal again, now a little older, a little wiser, and with a few more lines in my face. The air seemed to throb. I hesitated. "Would it not accept me," I thought " Would it again, throw me back to the city of the giants? Maybe I have not been a good enough of a steward of her love. Maybe I just do not understand and won't be acceptable in Her eyes." Except for the wind blowing through my hair, I was frozen. I had to know. I had to see Her. I reached out again and touched the portal. Of a sudden, everything went black.
I don't know how long I was unconscious, but I awoke to a snuffling at my ear. I was laying on the hard ground; hard, yet warm. I slowly opened my eyes to find myself in the middle of an ornate druid ring. The cause of the snuffling sound standing in front of me, a beautiful white unicorn. His bright coat seemed to shimmer in the breeze. He was strong creature, strong and wise, yet old beyond count of years. I reached out my hand thinking he would shrink away like the horses that were tended by my grandmother outside of Kelethin when I was young, but he did not. I touched his nose and ran my hand along his noble face when I realized he was talking to me. He spoke not in the common tongue though, or in elvish, but in some language I've not heard before in my travels. Fair, it was; fair like a flower first blooming after the frosts of winter have melted. "Welcome." He said, "She is waiting for you. Leave your weapon and your shield here, you will not need them. Walk on yonder," he motioned with a turn of his head, "until you come to a lake. Bathe yourself there, then follow the stream until you see the great tree." I laid my hammer and shield aside, thanked the Unicorn, and bade him farewell.
Presently I found the lake and bathed in it. As I stood in the water I was overcome with an awareness. My senses seemed to sharpen, my sight, my hearing and sense of smell became sensitive as a wolf's, my eyes like the eyes of an eagle, and I became far more aware of own very being. I then drank of the water and I was filled. I made myself as presentable as I could with the armor I bore and made my way over to the stream. As I followed it I became aware of the crush of life around me, of things great and small. Bears, wolves, horses, sprites, and many other creatures were around me. The forest was like a garden with moss, ferns and innumerable flowers scattered along the forest floor and trees, Oh the trees! But one tree dwarved them all. This mighty tree was like no other I had ever seen. It's girth was immense, and it's height could not be measured. The great trees of Surefall Glade are but saplings to this magnificent tree. I knew that my Goddess would be there. I approached the tree, and found a door cut in the base and so entered.
There stood a fawn. He spoke in
the same language as the
unicorn. "The day has finally come. We have been watching you, Gaiah."
he began. "We have been watching you since you first came down from
the trees in Kelethin on your own all that time ago. We knew you would
come. Before you go to see Her, know this. She does not speak as we do,
but do not let this dishearten you. The Gods operate in their own fashion.
You will see that spoken words are not always needed." He paused
for a moment. "When you see Her, bow and kneel before Her like this."
He then bowed and kneeled before me and slowly rose. "Do this, and
she will bid you to draw near." I then bowed before him as he had
done, but when I raised myself up, he was gone.
I looked about the empty room, and seeing no other exit, left by the door I entered. Upon the left was a stair that spiraled around the outside of the trunk of the mighty tree. The stair continued on and on. I climbed for hours it seemed, until at last I reached a small platform which circled the trunk. This, I followed around to a door carven with many of the old runes. I could not decipher the words, but I knew it to be a blessing. I put my hand to the living wood of the door. It vibrated with energy, this was it. Again the thought I had at the portal on the tower recurred to me, "What if I am not good enough? What if I am not acceptable in her eyes?", but the voice of the fawn came back to me, "The day has finally come. We have been watching you, Gaiah." Indeed, the day had finally come. I could not turn back. Just as I decided to walk in, before I put the slightest pressure on it, the door swung open.
I falterd, then walked in and froze. There She was. Tunare, the one who had provided for me, protected me, and guided me my whole life. Beauty, beauty like none other. Beauty surpassing the Princess Firiona Vie, she had. Her hair fell down upon her shoulders like a golden waterfall. She shone like the sun and illuminated the room, indeed it was difficult to look upon her at first. But my eyes adjusted, and I noticed the age in Her. Endless years, innumerable seasons; the trees in the forests of the Faydark seemed tender and green compared with her, yet the beauty remained. I blinked a couple times and realized what a site I must have been, shoulders limp, arms at my side and my jaw open enough for a small family of birds to nest inside my mouth. I quickly bowed and kneeled before Her and looked up into Her deep eyes. A warmth overcame me and She smiled, but did not move.
After a moment, I got up. Questions raced through my head. What should I say? I mean this is my creator. Do I talk about the weather? Surely I could not just stand there. I stammered, "I wan-" but stopped as She turned Her head and held me in Her intent gaze. Her dark eyes probed me from beneith furrowed brows, they looked through me and into me. I was utterly transparent. A tear rolled down my cheak and I could stay composed no longer. I cried like I had not cried since I was young. It was not of sadness, or of anythingI understood, but I cried nonetheless. I thought that I had failed. I turned to go but was suddenly filled seemingly from within and looked back. Her countenance had changed and though She said nothing, I know She bade me to come closer. Step by weary step I approached until I was within arms length of Her. She extended her right arm, draped in shining green and laid it upon my head. I looked up into her face and she smiled once more. That smile will forever be engraind in my memory, such kindness, such wisdom has never been seen before. I then sat on the floor in front of Her. No words were said, all was silent. Not even the birds which had sung so merrily only moments before could be heard.
I don't know how long I sat there, minutes, days, time had no meaning I had found my home. There was no reason for me to return to Norrath. I would be forever content to sit at the side of my Mother, leaving the strife and struggle of Norrath to those who remained there. Sleep started to wash over me, but just as my eyes closed I could feel Her will in me. It said, "Not yet. You can not stay here yet. You are not finished with your family yet and you must do these things for me." I will not tell of these tasks as they are very personal. She continued, "No, you must return to Norrath. Soon though Gaiah, soon you can come back to me here. Soon."
With that I found myself in Surefall Glade behind the waterfall. One of the young bears nudged me in the side and breathed his hot breath on my face. It was Orayen, the orphan I saved from the poachers only weeks before. "Feed me." her eyes seemed to say, so I pulled out a couple of dried fish from my pack and laid them on the floor in front of her, scratched her on the neck and went on my way.
-Gaiah EnApkallu
