I grew leery to change anything of this tale’s presentation, but felt it best to remove audience reaction in order to streamline the story.  It is a wonderful tale, and was presented most eloquently.  I will post the unedited version as well, for those who feel this tale is incomplete without such an element.

V/R.  ~Maelkyth Loarne, esq.

 

The Story of Anangris
Adapted from a story by Lord Bane & Morgann Stormcrowe
by Rayyne Gold

 

Rayyne says:

"Good evening, all! It's good to see you here."

"How often have you come across a marker in the lands - a statue, a burned out building, the skeleton of a child - and thought to yourself, "What happened here?"

"The story I tell tonight is of one such landmark in the lands. One not oft noticed, but found far beneath Wehnimer's - there for ages, its story known to us for about a century."

"Below the peaceful altar, the bridal room, and sparse monks' rooms of the Temple in Wehnimer's, there is a maze of catacombs, a subterranean cemetery with recesses for tombs."

"A narrow landing lit by cracks in the stonework is hidden beneath the Temple and worn steps lead to an ancient crypt below, a small octagonal chamber."

"Large, black oil lamps hang in the center of each wall, freshly filled and burning brightly. "

"From time to time, the lamps sway on their chains and the flames flicker, although there is no movement of air in the oppressively closed chamber."

"Unearthly cries and loud wails of shades are made louder by the close stillness. "

"Shades bear the outline of man and look solid, but faint images of the background can be seen through them. "

"Secreted in this room of unearthly discontent is a monument, a cenotaph."

"The cenotaph bears an inscription in an ancient Elven dialect."

Rayyne recites:

"This tomb was built to house my long-lost body
Now my soul alone must dwell within.
Leave me in peace to lament my fate
Do not disturb the grave of Anangri, the bodiless one."

"This is The Tale of Anangri, Sonya, and Dandis.  Thanks to Lord Bane, who recounted the Tale, Lady Aries who fought to bring together the shades of Anangri and Sonya, and Morgann Stormcrowe, bard, whose work I use tonight to tell you of this event."

Rayyne says:

"Long ago there lived a man by the name of Lord Anangri, eldest son of the Noble Elven House of Ta'Adrenai, a great warrior who lived with his beautiful lady love, and wife, Sonya."

"They were soul mates who had found each other early in life, and shared the kind of love that dreams and ballads are made of."

"But, as is often the case, fate turned her smile away from this couple, and this is their tale."

Tanri sings:

"Fate seldom smiles, but when she does
Count your blessings on the wings of doves
For like a rose that inspires the heart
It lasts only a short season then falls apart"

Rayyne says:

"Long ago there lived a man by the name of Lord Anangri, eldest son of the Noble Elven House of Ta'Adrenai, a great warrior who lived with his beautiful lady love, and wife, Sonya."

"A war came to the lands, an invasion to threaten not only the town but the whole realm. "

”Hordes of vile beasts poured forth to battle the brave folk of the land, and Anangri, being the brave leader that he was and a man of honor, left Sonya's side to defend the land and their home. "

"As the war dragged on Anangri led his men bravely and because of his valor and strength the tide of many a battle was turned."

"In one of the last and greatest battles of this war, amidst the swirl of melee, Anangri became separated from the other troops. "

"Bravely he fought, and the troops tried vainly to reach him, but there were too many of the beasts and the men saw him fall amidst the horde as they were pushed back by the vast numbers that confronted them."

"A young Lord Dandis, Anangri's brother, fought valiantly to get to Anangri and finally had to be dragged away by the remaining troops to keep him from the same fate as his brother."

"When the battle was over they searched for... but did not find the body of Lord Anangri."

Tanri sings:

"In times of trouble, all must be brave
In times of war, just try to save
In times of need, you must do your part
But always remember to follow your heart"

Rayyne says:

"It was brave Dandis that carried the sad news of Anangri's fate to Sonya. "

"As you can well imagine, Sonya did not take the news well, in fact she was devastated by the loss of her love."

"Aye, tis sad."

"During the following days she began to waste away, as she would not eat unless fed, and her will to live seemed to have disappeared with her husband."

"Throughout this Dandis stayed by her side, taking care of and comforting her in her time of mourning. He supported her and gave her a shoulder to cry on. ...And in time he did help her to come out of her depression. "

"As she got better Dandis asked her to consent to be his wife and to bear with him a child of her own. Though reluctant she did agree."

"She was the light of Dandis' life, and he loved her with all his heart! But Sonya still carried her love for Anangri within. "

"She did care for Dandis, but could never love him as she did his brother. "

"The two were married and for a time they were content and at peace."

Tanri sings:

"True love shines like the sun in the sky
Compassion never asks why
It's the finer man who speaks the truth
Even when only he sees it's proof"

Rayyne says:

"Almost a year after their marriage Sonya found herself with child. She would give Dandis that which she had not had the chance to give Anangri. "

"A man appeared at the gates, in tattered scraps of clothing barely more than rags, beaten and bruised. None the less the guards did recognize the disheveled man. "

"I bet you all know who."

"Lord Anangri had returned from the dead and come back to his home and his wife. "

"He had not died in the war, but had been taken captive, and all this while he had been tortured, beaten, and worked nigh unto death, but where other men would have fallen he lived ...to return to the love of his life."

"Anangri's return was immediately announced to house Ta'Adrenai, and Sonya. "

"Not knowing how to take this news, being pregnant with his brother's child, she wept tears of joy for his return even still. "

"Shock, Denial, Love, and Desperation, all were warring within her breast, for she realized that she had given up on her true love and married his brother. "

"In her current state of shock she did commit a most desperate act, she drank a lethal poison. "

“Her death was quick, and in an instant both she and her child became just a memory with her life's passing."

Tanri sings:

"In life's darkest hour, when grief overwhelms
When shadows cover all of the realms
Sometimes the pain is too great to bear
It is then that you know that fate does not care"

Rayyne says:

"When the news of Sonya's death reached Anangri it did what torture could not, it broke his spirit. "

"With his heart broken and his will crushed, he wandered back out the gates of town, never to be seen again."

"Witnesses said he dropped something as he turned to go, his wedding band."

Rayyne says, "You know, I can hear the wail of the shades."
Rayyne shivers.

"Dandis, in his own grief, did blame himself for the whole thing, for Sonya's death and Anangri's grief. He could not forgive himself. "

"Dandis did follow his brother's fate this time, and wandered out the gate, never to be heard from again. "

"Clutched to his breast as he walked away were two things - bands of gold for two lives lost."

Tanri sings:

"When love dies it takes part of your soul
And never again will you feel whole
But far worse it is to never have known
The heights to which you might have flown"


Rayyne says:

"Many trainings ago, a very young Aries was hunting the shades in the Crypt under the Temple in the very same room where we can find the Cenotaph to Anangri. "

"Amidst the unearthly wails and loud moans of the shades, she saw the spectral figure of Sonya crying out for her long lost love.

Rayyne recites:

"Anangri!" she whispered softly
"Anangri!" she spoke louder.
And the small room echoed with her sobs
And the pitiful wailing of the shades."

Rayyne says:

"Now, the figure of Anangri had been reported, showing up soon after Sonya's specter faded, but always too late to see her..."

”... two long departed lovers desperately trying to reach across time and space, to touch the one they continued to hold dear in their hearts."

"Time and again they appeared, but to no avail, missing each other by moments that might as well have been an eternity. "

"Their cries were enough to break all but the hardest of hearts, and their tears were joined by those of the few who had witnessed their arrival. "

"This continued for many days, touching the hearts of many in the lands, and their pain did draw the compassionate forward to lend a hand."

"But it was not until the stranger came to town that all became clear."

"The stranger came to the crypt, and did wait with many whose hearts were touched, and when the figures showed up he did speak with them, and they to him."

"And then he did bring forth the two gold bands to unite them once again."

 "Lord Dandis had come from his restless wandering to put an end to their suffering, an end to the grief that he had played a part in causing.

"And Dandis brought the wedding bands of Anangri and Sonya to them and they renewed their vows of love to each other."

"Reunited at last the lovers did rest once again in each others embrace. "

"The brothers Anangri and Dandis spoke and all was forgiven. "

"And all who were present for the reuniting of the two lovers were awed and their hearts were touched. "
There is a twinkle in a horned frog's eyes.

"Now Dandis, feeling a weight lifted, found his own peace and let his soul follow his body to death."

"Just before leaving, Lord Dandis turned to Aries and said,"

Rayyne recites:

"My advice to you is this:
Always follow your heart."


Rayyne says, "...and then he gave her a box. "

"Accompanied by a peaceful hush, the gathered townsfolk left the crypt filled with a new sense of purpose.

Tanri sings:

"In life there is beauty, and a chance for love still
In death there is peace, once life is fulfilled
But a love that lingers, far beyond death
Is a treasure to be cherished, even with your last breath"

Rayyne says:

"For a time afterward, the shades that haunt the crypt were silent, their own sad wailing forgotten by what they had witnessed."

"Ahh, the box. I have it here somewhere."  Rayyne removes a small engraved box depicting a sun rising over an ice-covered mountain from inside her cloak of Illistim.  "This is the box which Lord Dandis gave to Aries.”  Rayyne taps a small engraved box depicting a sun rising over an ice-covered mountain.

Rayyne just opened a small engraved box depicting a sun rising over an ice-covered mountain.  Rayyne removes a small wedding band of purest gold from inside her engraved box.  Rayyne indicates her small band with a smile.  Rayyne put a small wedding band of purest gold inside her engraved box.

"Aries now bears a treasure of both grief and joy, the wedding rings of Dandis and Sonya. "

"Their joy was short, and their grief was long, but now through great sacrifice they are at rest. "

Rayyne says,

"And that, my friends, is the story of Anangri, Sonya, and Dandis. "

"The shades have returned to the Crypt."

"..and the cenotaph to Anangri can be seen to this day."