The Grimswind Sisters
Our family did not always live near the ruins. The first little home was along the banks of the river just outside of
Minoc, a bit north of the bridge. Our good friend, DebconLady, had a grand L-shaped house, and in front of that
sat our little thatched-roof cottage.
Being the oldest it fell to me to provide for the family, and, truth be told, my sisters were not up to the task of
battling ogres and ettins for the coin they always carried. DevilsOwn was very young and still in training to become
a paladin. She was eager and swift but barely adept and oh so easily distracted. Sis Draper was, and still is, a bit
of a dreamer, spending time in the nearby forests enticing rabbits and hinds to do her bidding. I would spend my
daylight hours tracking beasts and slaughtering those that I could, and by night worked on craftsman skills to
furnish our small house.
We grew stronger and more confident. Dev spent much of her time travelling the lands with Deb and would come
home with tales of new lands and strange beasts. Along the way they met many people who helped them become
better equipped and knowledgeable. One such group was The Fellowship of Skara Brae to which after some time
they pledged their fealty.
The Guild Master was named Lord Maximus Cortair, and he was a striking, profound presence. Strong opinions and
a firm hand were the mark of his leadership. Dev was immediately smitten by his strength and dashing demeanor,
and it was no surprise to me when she came home one evening and announced they were to be wed. Max had built
a beautiful chapel just outside of the Orc Forst in the lands of Malas and word was sent out that all were invited
to the wedding ceremony. Of course, that would not do for Max.... he stationed pack horses across the lands with
communication crystals and broadcast the event to all corners of the realm.
The ghods smiled on the happy couple and a few years went by of adventures and romance. Many good things
were in store for them as they travelled along. Perhaps the most stunning was the castle that we now call
home, here near the Grimswind Ruins. The ghods proclaimed that five new castles were to be built and that all
that need happen is for each chosen recipient to respond, and Max was one of the chosen. He gave the castle
to Dev as an anniversary gift, and now, looking back, I think perhaps it was also a way of saying farewell. Not
long after we moved to the castle Max boarded his ship and sailed for bit of fishing and he never returned. Dev
had spent far too much time awaiting word, mourning the loss of her husband, but I think now she has come to
grips with it, as I see her more often smiling. She has taken the guild, not so much to build an empire as to honor
the memory of Maximus. And she tells me that at times she can still hear his loud, firm voice echoing thru the
halls of the guild house
~ Lady Keeper of the Grimswind Sisters
Today I followed my sister, not showing myself as I could see this journey was her own, but only to be nearby should she need aid of some kind. Dev had spent the morning in her room, soft rustling noises coming from behind the closed curtains, and she emerged with a small neatly tied bundle under her arm, announcing that she and Honesty had an errand to run. We were told not to expect her before supper and that we should continue sorting thru the jumbled armory for items to be donated to our friend tirelessly training the newly discovered skill of imbuing.
I watched as she carefully led Honesty over the tiny rope bridge that connects the Ruins to great land mass of Malas and headed off towards the south. Following at a safe distance, and making myself invisible when necessary, guarded her passage thru the Crystal Fens and saw her enter the city gates of Luna. Following a hunch I went straight to the moongate in the bank courtyard just in time to see her flash of departure and jumped into the moongate with Skara Brae full in my mind. Catching a glimpse of her rounding the Community Center I knew my hunch was right, tho the reason for the journey eluded me.
Dev made no stops at the merchants but headed directly towards the docks and crossed over the channel to the farms and homes on the other side, as did I. She headed southeast to the guild house of The Fellowship of Skara Brae and I slipped off my mount and hid behind the barn. While some misgivings about being covert went thru my heart the curiousity was fairly overwhelming, and I stayed.
She would normally dismount Honesty and go running inside to take care of whatever business needed doing, but today she simply stood there gazing up at the statue of Max and smiling, and after a time I heard her whisper "I knew you would understand, Max". She went into the guild house and shortly I saw her on the small balconey where she knelt down and untied the little bundle she carried. Dev removed from the bundle a rose with Max's name and her wedding ring, placing the rose at the foot of the statue and the ring on the small finger. She then made a motion and the statue disappeared, leaving the rose and the guildstone alone on the balconey.
Our little sister has at last let go of Max.
~Sis Draper
