The Leya Quest

The Leya Quest - A Brief Compilation

"When I was just a wee lass, living carefree and hunting with me circle of friends in the lands, I came of an age where it was time for me to chose which God I would worship. One night, I asked my beloved husband, Lord Zurion, to show me all the shrines in the lands and to tell me the many tales behind them. Intrigued about the Gods, including those without shrines, I ventured to the archives one day and sat with the tomes open, reading the history of the Arkati and the Temples of Lornon and Liabo, transfixed. I turned a page and saw illuminated on the manuscript in the ancient language, the name of 'Laia'. There was little on the yellowing paper, but of what there was, I discovered Leya was the daughter of Kai, a master of the martial arts, the patron of Amazons, and a superior warrior skilled in many weapons. A curious feeling came over me, as though a voice whispered in me ear, welcoming me. It was then that I chose to devote myself to Leya.

"Many years had passed since that day, but still there was the calling deep inside me. Leya's lost tomes needed to be recovered, but how? There was only one answer: I would have to commit myself to a quest. Seeking out Lady Laranna and Lady Kythyn, I told them of my goal, hoping they might be able to provide me with even the tiniest clue. Kythyn suggested that I speak with Lady Kiora, a fellow warrior, who had also foresworn her devotion to Leya. Early one morning, I found her sitting in the common room of House Brigatta, and began to chat with her about Leya. While I had merely desired to find the lost tomes of Leya, to add to the desolate page in the manuscript. Kiora wished to actually find her shrine. We made a pact to bond together and begin our quest, then began talking about how we might arrange it and who we should ask to accompany us. Lady Kythyn was the first to pledge us her sword arm.

"Months passed and both Kiora and I were now apprentices in the warrior order of the Silver Gryphons. It was time for us to proceed, so we announced our plans to our brothers and sisters of the Order, and invited Lady Wanton, Lady Cinabar, Lady Zyanna, and Lady Shadowkatt to join with us. Lord Ruffelin and Lord Kinshack volunteered to serve as sentinels, being worshippers of Kai. Communing at Kai's Shrine seemed to be the first logical step along the path, and sensing the danger in raising the ire of the Gods, we approached clerics Lady Morgaine and Lady Myste to assist us, or at least be there to raise our bodies if we were horribly smited. We agreed that an empath was a necessity on this journey and posted a notice in central Town Square, and that was how we found Lady Sylanae. Others invited others and soon our small group grew into a good-sized quest.

"Late winter was upon us, and sensing it was time to begin, I sent messengers to rally our group in Hearthstone Manor's Rose Garden. There we received some protective spells for our journey from Lady Laranna, and bowed our heads in quiet meditation to our respective deities, asking for their blessings of our journey. Off we traipsed though the woods, following the well worn path to Kai's Shrine: The Shrine of Heroes. Following Myste's cue as she began to commune, we knelt in prayer, cast our offerings, and called on Lord Kai to hear us, some grasping the touchstones of their faith.

"Almost unseen, a strange fog began to seep in, swirling around the temple, even though there was no sign of any wind. Our prayers continued, barely halting as a voice scarcely more than a whisper echoed 'Who calls me from my slumber?' Myste spoke up, 'Lord Kai I have called you on behalf of the warriors traveling with me, we seek to honor your daughter Leya.' Hollow laughter bounced off the stone walls of the chamber. The voice questioned why we called it by that name, seemingly amused at our efforts. The fog grew thicker, darker as more laughter, lightening, and thunder echoed around us. Asking why we had summoned it, we asked the voice for help with our quest. When the now decidedly female voice wondered if we deemed ourselves worthy to kneel at the Shrine of Leya if we had not the resolution to honor her by finding it ourselves, we almost thought we had failed, protesting that our efforts to date had been fruitless and only sought guidance.

"Then the voice softened, and replied to Myste that she was not the one we sought, merely one who serves her. We asked how we may serve our Lady, but the hand servant was unable to reveal more, advising us to remain resolute as a fitting tribute to Leya. And with a clap of thunder shaking the walls of the temple, a flash of lightening illuminated Myste with a blue light, as the voice answered 'What task do you deem worthy of her? The best answer is often found within, gentle Myste.' The fog gathered around Myste, obscuring her from our vision, then rolled around the temple like a restless sea of white. Each of us thought aloud of how we could serve our Lady. The fading whisper affirmed that we had answered our own questions and this was surely a tribute to our courageous Goddess.

"As the fog returned to curl around Myste in a ghostly light, a shining dagger pendant suspended on a crystal chain appeared at her feet. Then the voice cautioned us to not summon her again until we were truly worthy to kneel at her Lady's altar, the fog seeping away into the night, one last clap of thunder resounding in the shrine. As Kinshack winced, the fog enveloped him, leaving him momentarily senseless.

"We gathered around Myste, excited with the events of the evening, awestruck by the pendant, each of us wishing to touch and examine it. We returned back to town, and to the rose garden to discuss what had happened and what our next step should be. Lady Kerrithan came to sing to the pendant, to see if she could discern it's magical properties. It pulsed once, then whispered to her that she could not know it's powers. It was from this time forward that we learned that when the pendant pulsed, Myste would feel summoned to Kai's shrine. And return she did, many times, until the day the pendant crumbled. On one visit the hand servant told the questors present to look for the shrine in the forest. On other nights after much devotion and prayer, some of Leya's followers were blessed by visions and mystical events.

"Lady Miriweather, Lord Filifor's ex-wife, happened upon some of the questors one night, and thrilled them with her mother's stories about Leya. She was to return again another eve and tell us even more stories as we sat in Helden Hall's Great Hall, enraptured. A few days before we had been dismayed to find that Kai's Shrine had been closed. (Seems a cleric had taken a group there to commune to a God other than Kai, and it offended the God. Angrily smiting all intruders, the shrine was sealed.) Just as Miriweather had bid us farewell and disappeared, we heard a boy shout from the streets below that Kai's Shrine had been reopened. Off we went to give our thanks to Kai and Leya. Hurrying through the woods, we arrived and quickly knelt, again murmuring our prayers and offering tokens of our fealty. After a suitable time, we arose and began to head for home, when I felt an urge to touch the Leya medallion given to me by Lady Kali. It now sparkled and was set with a tear; I thought that odd, since the others so blessed by our Lady bore her symbol, the dagger.

"Several days later I received a messenger from Myste. A few of the questors had received visions during the day... a young woman had appeared to them, beckoning to them as they lay fainted and entranced. Many felt the time was right for us to search for Leya's Shrine. We headed once again to Kai's Shrine, and upon arriving kneeled to pray. Master Matubaa was performing his Voln step with Kai, when all of a sudden, a young woman stood behind the God, smiling at him, then faded away silently. We called out to our Lady not to leave us, and bowed our heads ferverently in our devotion.

"The fog and thunder again returned, the lightening creating eerie reflections as it bounced off the walls. The mist darkened as a whisper asked us who we sought. Of course we answered that we sought our Lady, Leya. The voice queried why and we replied that we desired to end her suffering. Lowering to a whisper we were told'That can never be undone.' Disheartened and about to leave with so many questions unasked, the thunder rumbled and the whisper haunted us, 'Seek clues to find your goal in the songs of children.' Then the thunder sounded again, a beam of light appeared though the fog, as the sunlight emerged. The clouds frayed to nothing and bird song filled the air.

"We headed back to the Landing to find the lost child in Shantytown to see if we could solve the riddle. Once more we stumbled on storyteller Lady Miriweather, out for an evening stroll. Excited and breathless we told her what had just happened and she was able to recall part of a childhood song:

'Forest grows where forest will
Cloaking valleys, mantling hills
Through the thickets run the boar
Hulking bears and manticores.'

'Came a lady, fair and bright
Dwelt in magick forest light
Built a temple on a hill
Dwells among the treetops still.'

We wished her good night, anxious to begin our search.

"Off we went to the forest, past manticores and thraks. We arrived at the circle of trees dominated by an ancient oak marked with symbols. It was there that many of us began receiving messages, nagging feelings inside. 'Something nags at the edge of your thoughts, a feeling like you might be missing something important. Your thoughts return to visions of beautiful forests.' Around and around we searched, venturing further and further into the forest. 'You feel the forest pull at you. You feel the forest around you, like you have come home.'

"As each message reached us, we grew more excited. Suddenly a snowy white owl, which some of us had spotted recently in the Landing and on Teras, appeared overhead winging towards the forest on the far slope. We knew this owl was 'Rigaetha', who had once been Leya's magical steed. Up trails and down paths we climbed, Rigaetha leading us on a merry chase. And finally the at a dead-end, we searched and discovered yet another passage that seemed to hide behind giants ferns. Pushing on through to a clearing and some boulders, we climbed to the crown and before us was stood a black marble portal. At first the group was quiet, then ecstatic. Trembling with joy we entered the shrine for the first time and upon arriving in the central room, fell to our knees in tears and prayer.

"For hours afterwards we examined every niche, every statue, every detail. Exhausted and elated, Myste closed the evening in prayer at the altar upon which Leya's magical sword, Soulingen, lay. A rumble of thunder was heard, a slight wind that quickly calmed was felt, and a trillium blossom drifted down to the shrine floor. At first we placed it on the altar, but fearing it would be lost, we gave it to Master Geijon, who had been the groups' guide that evening. Many of us stayed in the shrine that night, and we often return frequently, sharing the story of Leya with others, continuing to offer our prayers and thanks, leaving gifts of our fealty at the altar's foot. In return, Lady Leya has continued to bless those who follow in her path of kind and merciful deeds. And yet, there is still much more we need to learn and discover about our Lady Leya."

By my hand,
Lady Deavon Laeren

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The Leya Quest content within this section is used by the gracious permission of Dame Deavon Laeren and is © 1997 Marsha H. Levine.Permission to use/reprint must be obtained from Dame Deavon and attributed to the (GemStone III) Leya Quest.