Logaine Noviar

One of our lovely guild artists drew this for me as a reminder that sometimes there are folks in the world that just can’t be reasoned with!  While it’s a bit harsh, it made me giggle.  She’s made me practice saying it in discord, though I suppose for me, it all comes down to ye old Dr. Seuss!

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who matter don’t mind and those who mind, don’t matter!”

Though glittery ‘Go F yourself’ Demy does have a certain appeal, I must admit!

A detailed response to harmful words.  They can’t be unspoken, but they can be addressed and apologized for.

Midsummer Night’s Revelry - 2018 Schedule of Events (July 13-15)

Friday:

5:30 - 6:00 Opening Ceremonies of the Revelry arrivals, first raffle sign-ups. Get there early because this is an amazing show you won’t want to miss as well as information about getting signed up and ready to go!

6:00 - 7:00 Opening Parade, Ceremony & Performances for the Midsummer Night’s Revelry, Summer 2018!

7:00 - 9:00 Opening night social - exotic drinks, performances, raffles and socializing!  Sign-up for all sorts of amazing events and prizes.  

8:30+ After hours sponsored event ‘Dalaran Deal’em’ (Texas Hold’em add on that allows players to play Texas Hold’em right in game, make sure you have it if you want to participate.  Free to play, gold prizes!) - https://www.curseforge.com/wow/addons/holdem

We hope that our dear friends will all come out to the festival and enjoy the festivities that we have planned!  Please bring your guildmates and have fun!

The Scions of Antiquity (formerly Erudition) is a 5 year old guild on both WrA and MG, and if asked, we will tell you that we pride ourselves on the type of community that has been built over those years, both in story and in camaraderie. Like most guilds, we’ve weathered our fair share of bumps in the road and sometimes conflicts that arise along the way. As a long standing community agreement, we’ve had a policy of not responding to online smear campaigns and acts of bullying or malice, mostly with the express belief that doing so exacerbates situations and ultimately gives bullies or ne’er-do-wells what they want.  A ‘rise’. While we believe in most cases this is the correct response, there comes a point where not responding to lies and malicious behaviors do warrant correction, at least in the form of providing context to salacious claims and misinformation.  

Though we’ve generally done so privately and tried to limit interactions regarding this sort of behavior with the perpetrators of it or people acting as their agents, when attacks are made towards our community, its members and its leadership in public forums, we’ve run the risk of our silence being taken as guilt or agreement.  This is not the case, nor has it ever been.

This particular response is to correct that assumption and to address not only a current act of hostility towards Demytrya, Co-GM of Scions, but also the Scions as a larger community, and also to clarify our position towards this incident and others like it, as they pertain to the larger community, especially in the context of extended game tools such as Tumblr, Discord and the forums.

Christabela sat in plush leather chair in the darkened library of the Noviar manor.  The hour was late, but not quite time for sleep.  A cup of warm tea beside her, a good book in her lap, and an enchanted lantern above her head for illumination.  As she was about to turn a page of the book, the light glinted off the new ring on her finger.  She paused, looking at it with a combination of emotions she still had yet to sort through.

Love first and foremost was in her mind.  She deeply and passionately loved the man who’d given her the ring.   Yet, like a cold wind on a sunny day, puzzlement and doubt gnawed at the back of her mind.  She had been given to think that such a commitment would have been farther in the future.  As Magistrix Wintersong noted, it was very fast.   What had made him ask now?

Then she looked around at the grandeur of the library, and in her minds eye the rest of the manor, and the estate.  And perhaps other holdings she’d yet to see.  Could she really pull off being the noble lady of the house?  Would others see her as an imposter, someone ill suited to the role she would find herself having to fill?

Certainly she already sensed some trepidation on the part of her new found family.   Though congratulations were readily made, there was something held back by a few.  They of course did not know what had transpired between her and Logaine.  Not just the usual things that accompany falling in love, but the way they seemed to click.   This was no simple affair.  But how could she make them understand the inner workings of her heart and mind?

She would not solve this puzzle tonight, or even soon for that matter.  She resolved to use the time of the engagement period - not only so she and Logaine would be sure of the match, but to prove to friends and family that she was worthy of the man and of the position.

Turning the ring slightly in the light, she again allowed herself to simply feel the love and happiness that she’d felt when he asked her.   That was more than enough for her.

A distant noise outside startled her, and she put the book down to walk to the window and look outside at the dark night.  Nothing would harm her here, she was certain.  But out there, somewhere, was a mad man, determined to murder her and the one she loved.   She thought back to how his eyes looked as he spoke, spewing foul words at her, and she shivered.  

The Scions could offer little assistance in the matter - they were busy enough with larger matters.   Perhaps she would go back to Stormwind with her disguised identity, and see what she could uncover about this strange, murderous warlock.  She would have to be careful, and tell no one.  They would only want to stop her.  But she could not sit idly waiting for the next attack.

Time enough for such adventures.  Tonight she was happy and content.  

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A set of enchanted rings, encircled with runes – one of them a large diamond – sat next to the letter that was abandoned on the table in Doriandrin’s bedroom. It wasn’t the best handwriting, particularly considering that Dori had some expertise in inscription.

“Dearest husband,

I had to leave my rings behind so you wouldn’t find me. I can’t be here right now. Rijiac has promised to help care for Briana and the other children while I’m away. He will be available all of the time. I have no worries for her care or safety. For any of them.

My accounts have been secured. I most likely will not be accessing them while I am gone. There is no point in anyone trying to.

I’m sorry.

If anyone asks about me, tell them   ̴͍͖̖͖̞̠͍̼͖̘͊ͭ̅ͨ͋̀̀ͨͨ̌̈̾ͦ̒̉̎̓̅̈́”

The letter ended in unreadable scribbles with no punctuation, as if Doriandrin did not want anyone to actually read what she wrote.

A separate note was slipped under Marlithine’s door which simply stated,

“I love you all.

Never question that.

Love,

Dori”

“Dear Doriandrin,

  I only wish you had returned sooner and donned the ring I gave you again before the part of my soul I had bound within died.  It was sustained by you because of your love for me and it’s proximity to you.  Unfortunately now it is no longer that potent magic but simply a gem who’s luster is only in the light.  If you find this before we talk, please understand I mean you no ill will, we can see about the proper termination of our marriage should you wish to be free to find love again.  I would not begrudge you that.  Our collective assets the majority that would go to you and the children of course are more than any elf has a right to want.  I hope to see you soon and that you find this well if I do not.

Doriandrin had left the cleaning up of the breakfast dishes to the household staff and had just finished changing into her outfit for the day – a light green, floor-length dress that wrapped her waist and had a lace shawl collar and lace cuffs. Her usually jewelry was joined by jade today to match her dress. 

She turned from the mirror at a knock on her bedroom door.

“Yes?”

The door opened a crack. “You have a visitor calling at the front door – Magistrix Verena Wintour.”

Doriandrin glanced at Briana who was happily kicking in her crib. There was a long pause before she replied. She had not been expecting this visitor, nor was the magistrix one she was prepared to receive openly at the moment.

“Bring Lansael and some of her toys and books to me,” she finally said before addressing the issue of the visitor.

The instruction was followed and within a minute a bright-eyed, cheerful girl with a head of blonde locks, wearing a knee-length white and blue silk dress, came into the room with a doll and book in hand. A maid followed with more distractions for the girl.

Doriandrin guided her daughter to her bed where they settled her. “Lansael, I need you to stay here with Briana while I accept a visitor.” 

Lansael peered at her mother and nodded. “Okay.” Doriandrin’s mysterious practices did not faze her much, nor did she usually question them.

Doriandrin turned to the maid. “I’ll accept our guest in the living room. After you’ve admitted her return here to sit with the girls. I want to make sure they stay in this room.”

The maid nodded in compliance. Doriandrin kissed both of her daughters and they pulled the bedroom door shut to go to their respective destinations within the house.

Doriandrin made sure to preoccupy herself with some random, unimportant mail before the Magistrix was announced. 

“Magistrix Wintour,” the maid offered before disappearing to watch Lansael and Briana.

Doriandrin casually looked up from her mail. “Magistrix. I wasn’t expecting you, of all people. And frankly I’m not sure what you could possibly be calling about.”

Verena wore a dark red, low-cut dress with gloves and a long, heavy red travel coat – that no one had offered to take from her – over it. The sentiment that she would not be staying long was not lost on her. In her hands she carried a small, long, thin box. 

She understood Lady Noviar’s game. “I’m sure you know very well why I’m here, but in the interest of moving forward I will humbly present myself to you and offer my sincerest apologies for our former … misunderstanding.”

Doriandrin practically huffed as she dropped the mail on the table and turned to face the magistrix. “Misunderstanding? You removed my daughter from me, without my consent, and against my will.”

“There were circumstances occurring around us that prompted me to try to make your daughter as safe as possible, but I will digress as rekindling that argument is not the purpose of my visit. I’ve come to ask for your forgiveness. Once again, I apologize.” She held the small case in her gloved hand out to Doriandrin.

Doriandrin eyed the gift and was very tempted to reject it. But it looked like it might be jewelry and in the end she felt more curious and brave about it than offended. She stepped across the room and accepted it from the other woman to have a look.

It was a platinum bracelet with three stones. She recognized the significance of them immediately. A large diamond was etched with an embellished “A” which represented the An’daran family – the name she had claimed as her own until she had married Logaine. On the opposite end of the bracelet was a ruby etched with a rose, the symbol of House Wintour. Between them was what appeared to be a matching rose quartz etched with a snowflake. It was quite easy to discern that symbol was meant to represent Lansael.

The expression on Dori’s face betrayed to Verena how impressed she was with the beautiful gift as she quickly inspected it, but she made up her mind almost immediately. “Is this supposed to sway me to forgive you more easily?”

Verena stepped forward and pulled off one of her gloves to reveal the rings on her hand. “It’s enchanted,” she explained, pointing out her jewelry. “If you wear that bracelet, and I wear that ring, you can find me.” She lowered her voice. “And communicate with me.” She stepped back and clasped her glove in her palm. “This is meant to be a gesture of good faith and I hope it will offer you the reassurance you need to allow me to teach Lansael her magic once again. I am completely confident that she is going to be a powerful mage if we lead her that direction. … And this way, you never have to question where I am or where she is when she is with me.”

Doriandrin eyed the magistrix slowly. She did not trust her anymore, but Lady Wintour was right. Lansael needed a powerful teacher, and Verena was the best candidate at present. Her eyes moved back down to the bracelet. “You got my family crest wrong,” she pointed out dryly.

Verena nodded. “I chose that one because it represents the family name you gave to Lansael. It can easily be changed if you feel strongly that it should be.” She watched Doriandrin carefully.

Dori gave it a lot of thought. She understood the gesture. She could even acknowledge that this was a very thoughtful, well-planned gift and insurance that she would not lose her daughter again.

Finally, she looked up. “It isn’t that easy for me to trust you again.”

Verena looked disappointed, perhaps even vexed, but she nodded.

“However,” Doriandrin continued with obvious hesitance. “Lansael … should … continue her lessons.” She laid the bracelet across her wrist to test it. “I have two stipulations.” She looked back up at the magistrix.

“Yes?” Verena questioned.

“Stay in proximity of wherever we are living at the time. Whatever city we’re in, don’t leave it. And don’t ever take off your ring while you are mentoring Lansael.”

Lady Wintour was not used to taking orders, particularly from people like Doriandrin Noviar, but she also understood that children were a particular commodity to their parents, and that she had come here specifically to reassure and make promises to the other lady. She gave a deep nod. “Of course.”

Doriandrin put the bracelet back into its case and closed it. “When do you want to resume Lansael’s lessons then?”

Verena smiled as she pulled her glove back on and tucked it back into the cuff of her coat. “Is the beginning of the week acceptable?”

"So you decided to engage this Wintour woman again without consulting me on the matter?" he shook his head. "and to think she didn't bother to offer me a gift either, and promptly ignored the fact that she is part of our household now, not just the one." he sighed taking a moment to inspect the bracelet for any unforseen effects.