Story recorded by bard Michael Davis.
Illustrations by artist Renee Penner. Instagram: @insanitysketches
And suddenly, he was there. You know, Journal, the Traveler. I have told
you about him before, of course. He just appears sometimes and tells me stories, and this one was so cool I wanted to write it down. And so this is mostly sorta what I remember, I think.
“My dear friend, Jester, how are you this evening? Are you in need of another story?”
“Oh Traveler, it’s so good to see you again. Yes please, I would love another tale!”
“You’re getting a bit older now, little sapphire girl, so I’d like to relay to you a story the little deRolo girl told me about, which I found quite intriguing. It’s a dark, creepy story, but don’t worry. It’s only a myth, and it’s a story she learned when she was about your age. I call this story ‘The Tragedy of Delilah the Wise.’
“You see, Delilah was a mage in the Empire’s capital and held an important post with the Cerberus Assembly, which is their fancy name for a Magi Council. One day, her husband (whom she loved so very much indeed, you see) fell ill from an unknown disease.
“Well, Delilah was beside herself with worry of course, and sought the best healing help available in her vast city, and even within her esteemed Assembly. Unfortunately, no one was able to help her husband, and he died. Delilah was very sad, as anyone would be having lost a loved one. But she knew there was a way to save him still; she just didn’t know all the details… yet.”
“That’s so sad, Traveler, so very sad. I hope the story gets better.”
“Yes, Jester, it was sad, but that’s not the end of the story.
“Delilah cried out to no one in particular for help one day, and do you know what happened?”
“Well, no, no I don’t, but please tell me.”
“A voice whispered back and told her that he could help her bring back her dearly beloved husband!”
“This voice actually… had a way to bring someone back to life?”
“The necromantic side of magic is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be… unnatural.
Delilah listened intently to these instructions, still committed to doing anything necessary to bring back her dearly beloved husband. And you know what? It actually worked! After much hard work and sacrifice, her husband was returned to her!”
“Oh Traveler, what a lovely story! But why do you consider that a tragedy?”
“The special magical art of necromancy was not accepted by her peers in the Cerberus Assembly, of which she was an esteemed member, so they forced her out and ostracized her. And so it was, she and her husband fled their homeland and crossed the Lucidian to the far away lands of Tal’Dorei. So the tragedy, dearest Jester, was the cost of getting back her beloved – complete estrangement from the life she had (friends, contacts, relationships), all forfeited to save her husband. While she found the cost to be acceptable, it was biting nonetheless.
“And that, Jester, is the lesson. Magic always has a cost, and you must accept the price should you wish to harness the power, even if you don’t know the price beforehand.”
“What happened to them, Traveler? To Delilah and her beloved?”
“That’s enough for tonight, sweet sapphire girl. Rest easy now, and I can tell more stories another time.”
And with that, he was gone. I drew a picture of Delilah, but it probably isn’t very good. I mean, you know, I don’t really know what an arch mage looks like and stuff, but I know she was in love and that’s really special, you know, so it’s a picture I like because it reminds me of this story.
Ephemera
Pressed Flowers
Two pressed flowers are slightly stuck to the page. Their long petals are white tipped with purple and they have yellow centers.
Jester's Bedtime Tales 