On the early morn of the 28th day of Charlatos, Lady Myste sent her messengers to alert many of us that some had seen visions seen earlier in the day, which meant we might be fortuitous in our attempts to reach Leya. We each made our way to the Shrine of Heroes (Kai's Shrine). Lady Kiora, Lady Grobinal, Lord Ruup, Lady Deepspring, Jorrdan, Lady Bronnwyn, and Lady Myste and I assembled at the shrine. The young Master Matubaa was already engaged in combat with the Lord Kai as we knelt and prayed. Suddenly, the ghostly figure of a young woman stood behind Kai, smiling fondly at him. We gasped at the apparition. Jorrdan exclaimed, "The... the ghost...," as she turned pale, Deepspring crying out, "It is Leya!" I reached up to touch my medallion, blessed by Leya just a few days before and asked outloud "Leya, my Lady... is it you that graces us?" The figure faded away as silently as it appeared. We continued to pray reverently, hoping their Lady would return. A cloud of fog drifted into the room, the deep sound of thunder echoing from outside the shrine. We continued to offer our fealty and devotion. Lightning struck somewhere outside, sending eerie reflections bouncing off the walls... and yet we stayed still and strong in our worship.

The fog deepened from greys to a darker shade of charcoal. A voice whispered, unidentifiable as to gender, "Who do you seek?" Grobinal spoke out, "We seek the Goddess Leya!" with many of us echoing like a chorus. The voice continued, "Why do you seek her?" I replied, "To serve her and to honor her..." Grobinal added, "We wish to help end her suffering." The voice whispered, "That can never be undone." We sighed sadly, distraught. Thunder rumbled again." The soft whisper seemed to emerge from the thunder, "Seek clues to find your goal in the songs of children." Deepspring repeated, "The songs of children...." Puzzled, Ruup's mind raced back to his childhood, trying to unravel the mystery. Thunder rumbled again, then a beam of light broke through the fog as the sunlight re-emerged. Still we prayed as we tried to discern the meaning of those haunting words. The cloud frayed into nothing. A bird began to sing somewhere outside the shrine, its melody filled the shrine. The song lifted us with joy and we stood, renewed and ready to continue our quest. Myste suggested that perhaps it was the songs of the children in Shantytown we needed to seek out, and joining me, the we headed back to Wehnimer's Landing.

As we were rushing through town, Grobinal suggested that we seek the lost child. At South Ring Road, on the outskirts of Shanty Town we found a ragged child cowering, looking lost and forgotten. We knelt and prayed to Leya for a sign, as Grobinal called out:

   "Child who hides and cowers in fear
   Have you a song for us to hear
   Can we help you this starry night
   To make your way and day seem right"

Just then, Lady Miriweather, storyteller extraordinare, arrived. After much greeting and hugging for our old friend, Miriweather wrapped her pudgy arms around the center of her gnarled walking staff and casually leaned forward. We anxiously awaited her wonderous words, when suddenly she headed west. We followed her only to find Miriweather poking at something beside the road with her staff. Looking up at us she exclaimed, "A large bunch 'a ye togethers tonight, I sees." We nodded and chuckled, as Miriweather explained, "Just takin' me health in a stroll," then took a tug on some demon rum.

I said to her, "Aye, we are very excited tonight" then asked, "May we join you?" Miriweather replied, "Joins me? Where ye wants ta go?" Myste explained, "we were told to seek the songs of children." Miriweather furrowed her brow and repeated "Songs 'a youngin's?" "Hmm... songs a youngin's" she said again, as though lost in deep thought, then brightened with "I knows one!" We smiled at her excitedly as she began to sing, "Hi ho, hi ho... the dwarves are nasty folks... That tha one ye means?" We laughed at her witty tune, Deepspring asking, "Would you happen to know of one that involves Leya, Lady Miriweather?" Miriweather said, "Well, lemme sees..." and surrendered to her thoughts and rum again. "Wells, I knows a olde song, but nae knows if tis bout a goddess..." Young Master Geijon joined the group gathered as we crowded around Miriweather, hoping she might be able to help us. Then, looking up at us, Miriweather started, "Lemme see... tis a silly bit a nothin'. Somethin' bout forests.. used ta sings it ta me youngin's. Why I been here longer tha' I kin members! Hmm.. ifs I can jest members it." Expectantly we waited, then she began to sing:

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

Deepspring exclaimed, "We know that area!"

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

then concluded, saying, "That be all I kin member of it." We thanked her gratefully, and offered her some chocolate and more rum. Accepting the rum only, she said, "Wells, I will be offs ta me bed now," then tried to bow, almost falling over, deciding to offer us a smile instead. More hugging and thanks were shared until Miriweather hobbled on down the road.

We decided to find the place described in Miriweather's song, stopping to gather Lady Shadowkatt and Mistress Danay along the way out of the Landing. We headed out past the manticores and thraks and into the valley arriving at a circle of trees with an ancient oak marked with symbols at its center. I recited the song again as we gathered our bearings. We had begun to wander around nearby when Ruup said, "I just got a nagging feeling I was missing something..." Danay chimed in, "I had that feeling earlier." We returned to the oak tree and searched around, but nothing. Again we began to head back out when I felt an odd sensation. Something nags at the edge of your thoughts, a feeling like you might be missing something important. "Wait!" I cried out, "Something just nagged at me..." Some knelt to pray beneath the oak tree, others searched around it. Your thoughts return to visions of beautiful forests. Ruup states, "Moments before Deavon got the nagging feeling, I had it too, then the God spoke and told me to share the thoughts playing in my mind." I added, "My thoughts returned to visions of the beautiful forest." As we stood, Danay thought aloud, "There is a place with thick trees and ferns, but I can not remember if it is on the hill..." Off we went, proceeding farther into the valley reaching the forested path in Lysierian Hills. We wandered for a bit and then - You feel the forest pull at you. I gasped again, "The forest just pulled to me!" Bronnwyn murmured, "I seem to recall thoughts of searching a virgin forest, where footsteps were new." Back down the path we wandered and into a vale in Aillidh Brae. You feel the forest around you, like you have come home. "Wait!" I exclaimed excitedly. "What, Deavon?" Myste asked, and I told them. Master Geijon began to lead the group slower through the vale, wondering if they were getting closer. Twas just then that a large owl winged by overhead, heading toward a patch of forest on a far slope. Deepspring exclaimed, "An owl!" recalling Miriweather's stories of Leya's steed-turned-owl, Rigaetha. Geijon lead us over the lava bridge up the slope, up to the canyon rim, trying to follow the path of the owl. In the far distance, the owl could be seen circling over a forested area further down the slope. Geijon led on further. Once more the owl appeared, flying overhead, very low, and proceeded down the ledge, disappearing in some trees. Down to the cliff bottom we descended, arriving at the canyon floor. For a long time we circled around, arriving at a thicket enveloping a rocky forested path. The path back up the slope looked promising as we ambled upon a forested trail.

As the group grew tired, Myste pleaded, "Please show us another sign, oh gracious and merciful Lady Leya!" A long climb to the cliff top, provided us with a view of the forest so clear and visible. Geijon announced, "Now we must be close!" Again the owl flew overhead, very low, and proceeded down the ledge, disappearing in the trees. We followed the owl into the trees, down the trail, where we discovered a wooded path. At the forest's foot, giant ferns cascaded down the trail's embankments in a deep emerald drift of fronds. Geijon smiled knowingly, as he knew this matched Miriweather's song. "Very, very close" he murmured. I made a careful search of the area and discovered an overgrown path. Jorrdan cried out, "This has got to be it!" We wandered down it, deeper into the forest arriving at a large growth of ferns, at the dwindling path's abrupt end. We spotted a clearing and bravely ventured in with anticipation. Tall boulders stood in our way, and we climbed them carefully, arriving at the crown. Delicate mosses covered the rocks strewn about, trillium grew here and there, offering tri-leafed stems crowned with snow-white blossoms. Ferns resumed their rampant play behind the edge of the granite outcrop, sprawling over and around the feet of a beautifully veined, black marble portal. Cries of surprise erupted from the group as they spotted the entryway. Trembling with joy, we walked through the black marble portal and into the marble hallway. Continuing down the hallway, we entered the central room and knew instantly that this was the Shrine of Leya.

Many fell to their knees in prayer, others cried, in awe we tried to take in every detail. The dome with its "tears", the pool, the altar, the niches filled with statuary. After a few moments of repose we decided to explore and enjoy the shrine. The statues surrounding the central room each depicted something or someone important to the tale of Leya - her father Kai, her lover who she had smitted accidentally with her sword Soulingen during battle, Leya herself, and then Leya holding her dying lover in her arms. So much to see, but we wondered, "Where was Soulingen?" Onto the altar we moved, and there it lay, tossed aside casually with grief and disgust. So touched were we to discover the shrine, that Myste asked us to kneel and give thanks to our Lady. We bowed our heads humbly. A rumble of thunder outside made the gentle drop of water into the center pool seem louder still. A slight wind blew through and as it calmed, a blossom feel seemingly from thin air. Kiora touched the trillium blossom, then I picked it up and looked at it, "How wonderful in it's simplicity," I said, then put it on top of the black marble altar.

As we stayed by the altar we discussed our joy, our worry about the safety of Soulingen, what mysteries the shrine might hold. We gave the blossom to Geijon to thank him for guiding the group, a token of Leya. Some of us chose to spend the night in our Lady's presence. As I laid there, my eyes closed and drifting off to sleep, I heard the soft sound of wind chimes drift in on a light breeze.

By my hand,
Dame Deavon Laeren

© 2001 Marsha H. Levine. All information contained within the Shrine of Leya website is copyrighted. Permission to use/reprint must be obtained from me and attributed to the (Simutronics Corp./GemStone III) Leya Quest. Please feel free to link to this site. For more information about this website and the Leya Quest, send an escroll to: Dame Deavon Laeren.

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