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<P>As the party comes up to the injured villagers, he will start to play the balalaika. (casting Sonata-Healing EL 1, effective EL 2 as it is a sound effect). Everyone in area (radius 3, so he will make sure he is standing by the injured warriors) heals 1d3 +2. Not as great as the Heal spell, but it affects everyone in the area of effect with only one expenditure of mana.</P>
<P>Looking to Caladan, "I can use massage to strengthen their bodies, helping them to heal faster. These are your people, you should help give them rest. As I finish with the warriors, I will send them to aid you. And as for the children, I think I can keep them amused with songs and stories." (use eroticist skill on the warriors).</P>
<P>As people return, Strie'bog looks toward the elder, "my I sing in memory of your family?"</P>
<P>"<EM>Is it the wind, over my shoulder? Is it the wind that I hear gently whispering? Are you alone there in the valley? No, not alone for you walk, you walk with me. Is it the wind there over my shoulder? Is it your voice calling quietly? Over the hilltop, down in the valley, never alone for you walk with me. When evening falls, and the air gets colder, when shadows cover the road I am following, will I be alone there in the darkness? No, not alone, not alone, and I'll never be. Never alone, you are walking, you're walking with me. Is it the wind there, over my shoulder? Is it your voice calling quietly? Over the hilltoop, down in the valley? Never alone for you walk with me. Over the hill top, down in the valley. Never alone for you walk with me. Never alone for you walk with me."</EM> </P>
<P>("Walk with Me" from the musical "The Full Monty". I enjoy the song, and it fits here).</P>
<P>Going back to the Wisdom spell from earlier, does Strie'bog remember anything about the burial rites of the Zen'da? </P>
<P>Looking to Cetric, "is there any ceremony we must observe for their burial?"</P>
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<P>After the children go to sleep, suspecting that the warriors of the village who survived may be anxious and guilt ridden...</P>
<P>"During the coming of Winter, as the Summer green drains from the leaves of the Great Forest, my mother speaks to the children of the forest about the coming darkness of the year. She tells of when Cernunnous beathed live upon the barren Earth, and brought fourth the bounty of plants and animals. All life was eternal then, as it still is in the realm of the Spirits and Gods."</P>
<P>"Cernunnous looked down and saw life flourish. His creatures grew strong, and multiplied, but the forests and fields cried out. 'How are we to sustain all life? The land is not infinite as is spirit? Already we are out numbered by those who walk, swim and fly? How my Lord are we to sustain all that are and will be?"</P>
<P>"The great Lord of Life fell to sorrow, for he saw his beloved children suffer the pain of starvation, for the world was indeed limited, and could not support the fruitful life he had breathed onto the world." </P>
<P>"I weep for them too father," said a kind voice. Looking, the Great Lord saw his daughters Herela and Naizin enter the Eternal Garden of Life. They knelt beside the sacred pool, and looked into their father's eyes. "I feel their suffering as keenly as you," said Naizin, the Star of Mercy.</P>
<P>The stern Herela held her father's gaze though, "some must die so that others live. The world is not infinite, as is spirit. You must make room for the young to grow and enjoy the gifts you give."</P>
<P>Naizin touched her father's sleeve, drawing his attention to her. "My heart bleeds at the thought that any of your children should end their life on the goodly Earth, but my sister speaks rightly. Birth without death brings only misery. In this garden, I can make a home for the life of all who part from the flesh you provide."</P>
<P>"And I," said Herela, "will escort them here. When they are ready to return, if they so choose, I will escort them to new flesh." </P>
<P>With a nod from their father, the two sisters went about their work.</P>
<P>With the coming of death, balance was restored to life; but death was as boundless as life. Where once the prey would heal from the wounds of the predator, now the prey died to be reborn in spirit, but so to could man now take the life of man.</P>
<P>The dark serpent used the birth of death to his advantage, for this evil hates the light of life. The Elder Snake slithered into the minds of man, speaking of dreadful deeds. And so did man learn to kill man, causing the Great Lord of Life to weep yet again for his children's pain. </P>
<P>Great Cernunnous summoned his Court, saying, "Those who heed the words of Jealous Spirit are enemies to life. They must be seperated from those who love life, for they have no place in the Eternal Garden."</P>
<P>"Beloved," spoke Ro'beall, "I and my aides will protect the true children of Earth and bar the false from the Eternal Garden." </P>
<P>Taking her hand, the Great Cernunnous looked to his consort, "your love of me show in your action my dear of heart. Treat those who are false to life as you would the servants of the Elder Wyrm." </P>
<P>"My lord," spoke the the white figure of Patera. "Justice in the realm of spirit is one thing. What though of those who suffer from the attacks of these slave of the Eldest Elder?"</P>
<P>"Good avenger, in the realm of spirit is eternal punishment meeted out, but you speak of justice for those left in sorrow and pain from evil acts. You are nemesis, and I leave in your hands the stoking of the flames of righteous vengence. Let the spirits of the fallen aid you in rousing their kin to seek out and bring to eternal justice those that are false to the love of life. So let it be!"</P>
<P>"And thus were the spirits of the faithful given eternal bliss and the foes of life given eternal punishmet." Looking around to the warriors, "And so were are hearts filled with vengence for innocence blood spilt by evil men. Let your hearts be filled by your ancestors and fallen friends, so to have the strength to keep alive the spark of life that remains," he says as he motions to the children, "and to bring to eternal justice the one who so abused the animals of the plains and your families."</P>
<P>(If asked about the story, Strie'bog will tell people that the full story takes three days to tell. That he only pulled out the parts that he thought would help the warriors of the village).</P></BODY><PRE>
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