Blackbird Lake:Matilda Shield

Malgant's Shield of Domi Dedication to Matilda's Heroic Last Battle

Posted: Tuesday May 25th, 2010

Malgant solidifies back outside the Inn and trudges up to bed. He places the shield on the armor rack where it belongs and sleeps. In the morning, he finds that the majority of the Cloudprance family has arrived for that day's dedication. He greets them and prepares for the day as he always does. Weapon practice, and prayer being one and the same to the Minotaur, are done more slowly this morning. His forms are now complete as he tests the weight and balance of his labors. Imod has obviously guided him well for he finds no flaw with the shield. Once his prayers are complete he eats breakfast and sets about arranging the tavern to suit the ceremony. Much if the furniture is bolted down so there is little he can do to move it. There is also little need. Next to Matilda's newly mended and cleansed likeness he stands the armor rack upon which the shield will be placed. Before the Centaur he places the Brazier, censer and other objects that he will need for the rite. Before the rite begins, Malgant first consecrates and then Hallows the barroom, as he did the site where Matilda fell the day before. He then waits for the time he had set forth for the ritual to begin.

When that time comes and his friends and guests have all arrived Malgant first addresses them." Good evening. Tonight we gather to pay homage to a Protector of Domi to whom few on this island would give the time of day if asked. We come to honor Matilda. Centaur Protector of Domi, Friend to Daphnella and savior to the Centaur she came here and lost her life to Protect. First, we will start with a meal of foods found on all of the Taur Isles, a meal fit for a hero such as Matilda. With Domi's help I present the foods of the Taur Isles." With a prayer to Imod the tables are filled with foods reminiscent of all of the Taur Isles. (Cast Heroes Feast) The meal takes at least an hour to consume and a plate is set before Matilda as well as each of the others in the room.when the feast is eaten those doing so feel cleansed and renewed, as if they could take on the world, and win.

Malgant continues speaking once everyone has had their fill. "I will dedicate this shield tonight as a monument to Mathilda's faith in Domi. I intend to bear this shield as I travel with my friends to help protect those in the Wold unable to protect themselves. I call upon Imod to bless this shield with all of the things that he stands for. I will recite a prayer signifying each of these virtues into the shield.( cast imbue with spell ability on the shield) For each of the Taur races a prayer. For Minotaurs, Bull's Strength. For Centaurs, Owl's Wisdom and for Liontaurs , Cat's Grace.( Cast Bull's Strength, Owl's Wisdom, Cat's Grace on the shield) I ask him to also imbue the shield with the powers of one of his domains, the Domain of Protection. ( Cast Sanctuary, Shield Other, Protection from Energy, Spell Immunity and Spell Resistance onto the shield.)" When this group of prayers ends Malgant also places a scroll into the brazier burning next to the shield. The magic on the scroll is consumed in the fire and the smoke momentarily wreathes the shield.

" To finish this dedication, I will tell you the story of how Matilda met her end. I have researched extensively this point, asking Imod, asking Mathilda herself, asking a number of bards who knew of the tale, consulting the records of my temple and finally even asking the stones where she died to tell me the tale. In the end, this is what I learned."

" Matilda went forth from Centaur Isle to rescue as many of the war prisoners being held by the Minotaur as she could. She saw it as her duty to try and rescue them and Protect them from harm. She and her war band attacked the encampment where the war prisoners were kept just before dawn. They freed all of the prisoners that the camp held before an alarm was raised. They retreated to their ship, with Mathilda always the last in line, using her bow to keep the Minotaur militia that pursued them at bay. At the ship the prisoners all boarded while Matilda and her war band continued to punish any Minotaur that came within range with their bows. Then the soldiers boarded, and then Matilda. That was when they found that they had freed too many prisoners. The boat, loaded to capacity, was too heavy, and had grounded on the rocky shore."

" Matilda directed them to throw everything that was not needed overboard, while she lightened the boat of another several quivers of arrows, much to the Minotaurs dismay. Finally, when nothing else could be thrown overboard, Matilda leapt overboard herself. The boat was still grounded. Her warriors began to climb to the rail, to follow their leader's example when she told them to remain on the boat, Domi would protect them and help them off of the rocks if they believed in him and channeled that belief through her. With a wave of her hand she sealed off the beach with several walls of stone, gifts from Domi to a Protector of her stature. She then turned her back on the Minotaur horde and screaming Domi's name at the top of her lungs, thrust the boat off of the rocks with his divine help. Her crew clamored for her to swim out and join them, but she knew too well that the Minotaur would catch such a slow and overloaded boat if they were not distracted. Raising her hand to her crew she bid them farewell and galloped up the beach where some of the Minotaur militia had already climbed around her walls." "Challenging them in a clear voice, seemingly amplified by the heavens themselves, she began firing at them once again with her bow. She led the Militia away from the fleeing ship, looking for a place that she could fight so many Minotaur at once. Over a mile away she found the place she sought. A single finger of stone jutted out into the water. from its sides tall pillars stood. These would offer her cover from the Minotaur's javelins and allow her to face only a few Minotaur at a time. Thanking Domi she galloped out onto the peninsula and began saying her last prayers to Domi. The Minotaur, infuriated by her taunts and oblivious to the danger threw themselves at her time and again."

" When she began to lead the militia away from her ship, dawn had just broken over the island. She fought as the sun rose into the sky. Time and again the Militia rushed her position, and time and again she repelled them. During each respite she would pray to Domi to heal the worst of her wounds. Finally, she had no more strength to pray. At high noon she was hit in the shoulder of her shield arm and was unable to heal the wound. For the next hour she fought without her shield and and one wound led to another. Finally, as the tide receded and mid-afternoon rolled on toward evening, Matilda took her final wound. She looked around her at the now blood slicked ramp of stone and knew that she could never wish for a more meaningful death than this. She fought until the last drop of blood in her body was gone, and then she died. "

" I can only hope to show the courage, commitment and resourcefulness that Matilda showed on that day. The official stories all say that she faced forty Minotaur that day. The stones tell of at least two score more. They recounted how they had been battered by many more hooves than the forty Minotaur would have been capable of. I have put a great deal of myself and of Matilda into the creation of this shield. Not to be discounted though is the buckle strap of a Liontaur paladin and the hairs from our own Aztyr, also a follower of Domi that went into this. I have used Domi and Imod as I described which God Matilda and I prayed to during this tale. The truth remains that they are one and the same. The very same God whom Matilda prayed to for healing, was the God that the Minotaur priests in that militia prayed to for healing. His will was served by both sides. A legend was borne when Matilda made that stand. Hopefully someday both of our races will be able to unite the Taur islands again under one banner. Maybe even under one that looks like the face of this shield. I suspect that some of you who knew Matilda in life may wish to speak. If that is the case, please feel free to do so. "