Post by laurk on May 7, 2009 2:51:04 GMT -5
The history of Abby Winters was short and tragic. But, much like the phenoix, from the ashes of a her misfortune sprung forth a wellspring of hope.
She was born in Ashbenford to Peter and Gretchen Winters. Peter was a poor cobbler from Damara who came to the Heartlands and there married Gretchen, a farmer's daughter. Years after having birthed 4 healthy sons, the couple unexpectedly gave birth to Abigail Constance Winters on a cold Winter's morning. The young girl showed an early love of reading and growing things. She split her time between the library and her mother's herb garden, and her nights dreaming of one day becoming a famous wizard. It was not to be however.
When Abby turned 9, there came a great plague to Ashbenford, and the village was quaranteened. Ashbenford's resident temple of Helm combated the plague as best they could, bringing healing to those who could afford treatment first. The priests of Helm, following the doctrine of their faith also took in as many small children as they were able from the poor and common folk. So it was that Peter and Gretchen, who were too poor to afford Helm's blessings gave up their dear daughter to the Helmite clergy. It was the last time Abby would ever look upon her family in this world.
One week after the plague had begun, healers of Ilmater from Shadowdale at last arrived in Ashbenford. They went to their work, clensing disease and sickness from everyone, never asking for payment. They worked tirlessly beyond the point of exhaustion, spending every ounce of strength healing others, even at the expense of their own health. Though it was too late for Abby's family when the Ilmateri came, even at her young age, the girl understood the selfless nature of these men and women. They never asked for so much as a copper, and they brought the blessings of Ilmater to everyone... even those who had nothing.
Within another week, the plague was over. Hundreds of lives had been saved that would have been doomed, and there were less Ilmateri to return north than had come. Some had died of exhaustion, some of sickness... taking the suffering of others unto themselves.
When they left, they brought with them a number of Orphans who had nowhere else to go. Abby was among the sad column of weeping children who went north. Unlike the other children however, Abby already felt her calling, clear and strong. It was the strings of fate drawing her toward a life that could no more be denied than the drawing of her next breath.
For the next years of her life, the girl grew to a young woman, cloistered among the libraries and infirmaries of Shadowdale's "House of the Holy Martyr." Her gift for healing, both mundane and divine was quickly realized by the clergy and she was nurtured and guided by the most skilled hands among the cloth.
Besides her skill in healing craft, her bretherin recognised unshakable faith and a passionate devoutness to the Crying Lord's teachings. The young girl took all three of Ilmater's vows upon her frail shoulders. Swearing off the trappings of a normal life, she devoted herself entirley to her cause. She would never know riches, comforts or the love of a husband. She would never hold a weapon or wear fine dreses. Her life was a vessel through which Ilmater's spirit would flow, bringing santuary to those without.
By the age of 18, Sister Abby Winters possessed a knowledge of herblore and healing to rival even the elders. Though her frail body was not yet accustomed to the rigors of channeling divine power, her potential was well known among the bretherin. It was whispered that this young woman would one day be a saint, choosen by Ilmater to walk among the greatest of the Broken Ones.
It was decided that she should go forth and bring the word and compassion of Ilmater to a part of the world which needed it most. Thefore, soon after her 19th birthday, Sister Abby Winters looked for the last time on the shores of her homeland and set sail across the Dragonmere.
In the distance lands of the merchant lords, where the rich rode on palenquens through crowded markets filled with the impoverished multitudes who starved and suffered, a young healer with nothing more than thread-bare robes and a satchel filled with salves and bandages would set foot into the docks of Telflam and there find her destiny.
**************************************
To find out how Abby's life ended in Telflamm, here is the article published in the Thesk Times:
deepingdale.co.uk/thesk/files/The%20Thesk%20Times%20Memorial.pdf
For those who are interested, this is her journal from Thesk:
www.thesk.net/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1843
*****************
For the purposes of moving on however:
For years, Abby worked tirlessly and at last founded the Santuary of Ilmater in the docks of Telflamm. Hard years did she spend in Thesk, accompishing what none had ever dreamed possible. Bringing hope to those who had none. In Telflamm's dismal streets, young Abby was a bright light, beckoning to those lost. But such lights do not go unnoticed by the bitter and jealous creatures who dwell in darkness. Before long, she came to know terrible loss and her spirit was nearly broken. Telflamm had come to be a place haunted by ghosts of lost love for her, and so she left her Santuary in the care of her sisters in faith and moved on.
Seeing to the burial of her dear knight in Damara, Abby soon requested a new duty on the distant sword coast. In this place, she hoped to leave behind the pain of loss and begin a new life.
She was born in Ashbenford to Peter and Gretchen Winters. Peter was a poor cobbler from Damara who came to the Heartlands and there married Gretchen, a farmer's daughter. Years after having birthed 4 healthy sons, the couple unexpectedly gave birth to Abigail Constance Winters on a cold Winter's morning. The young girl showed an early love of reading and growing things. She split her time between the library and her mother's herb garden, and her nights dreaming of one day becoming a famous wizard. It was not to be however.
When Abby turned 9, there came a great plague to Ashbenford, and the village was quaranteened. Ashbenford's resident temple of Helm combated the plague as best they could, bringing healing to those who could afford treatment first. The priests of Helm, following the doctrine of their faith also took in as many small children as they were able from the poor and common folk. So it was that Peter and Gretchen, who were too poor to afford Helm's blessings gave up their dear daughter to the Helmite clergy. It was the last time Abby would ever look upon her family in this world.
One week after the plague had begun, healers of Ilmater from Shadowdale at last arrived in Ashbenford. They went to their work, clensing disease and sickness from everyone, never asking for payment. They worked tirlessly beyond the point of exhaustion, spending every ounce of strength healing others, even at the expense of their own health. Though it was too late for Abby's family when the Ilmateri came, even at her young age, the girl understood the selfless nature of these men and women. They never asked for so much as a copper, and they brought the blessings of Ilmater to everyone... even those who had nothing.
Within another week, the plague was over. Hundreds of lives had been saved that would have been doomed, and there were less Ilmateri to return north than had come. Some had died of exhaustion, some of sickness... taking the suffering of others unto themselves.
When they left, they brought with them a number of Orphans who had nowhere else to go. Abby was among the sad column of weeping children who went north. Unlike the other children however, Abby already felt her calling, clear and strong. It was the strings of fate drawing her toward a life that could no more be denied than the drawing of her next breath.
For the next years of her life, the girl grew to a young woman, cloistered among the libraries and infirmaries of Shadowdale's "House of the Holy Martyr." Her gift for healing, both mundane and divine was quickly realized by the clergy and she was nurtured and guided by the most skilled hands among the cloth.
Besides her skill in healing craft, her bretherin recognised unshakable faith and a passionate devoutness to the Crying Lord's teachings. The young girl took all three of Ilmater's vows upon her frail shoulders. Swearing off the trappings of a normal life, she devoted herself entirley to her cause. She would never know riches, comforts or the love of a husband. She would never hold a weapon or wear fine dreses. Her life was a vessel through which Ilmater's spirit would flow, bringing santuary to those without.
By the age of 18, Sister Abby Winters possessed a knowledge of herblore and healing to rival even the elders. Though her frail body was not yet accustomed to the rigors of channeling divine power, her potential was well known among the bretherin. It was whispered that this young woman would one day be a saint, choosen by Ilmater to walk among the greatest of the Broken Ones.
It was decided that she should go forth and bring the word and compassion of Ilmater to a part of the world which needed it most. Thefore, soon after her 19th birthday, Sister Abby Winters looked for the last time on the shores of her homeland and set sail across the Dragonmere.
In the distance lands of the merchant lords, where the rich rode on palenquens through crowded markets filled with the impoverished multitudes who starved and suffered, a young healer with nothing more than thread-bare robes and a satchel filled with salves and bandages would set foot into the docks of Telflam and there find her destiny.
**************************************
To find out how Abby's life ended in Telflamm, here is the article published in the Thesk Times:
deepingdale.co.uk/thesk/files/The%20Thesk%20Times%20Memorial.pdf
For those who are interested, this is her journal from Thesk:
www.thesk.net/forum/viewtopic.php?id=1843
*****************
For the purposes of moving on however:
For years, Abby worked tirlessly and at last founded the Santuary of Ilmater in the docks of Telflamm. Hard years did she spend in Thesk, accompishing what none had ever dreamed possible. Bringing hope to those who had none. In Telflamm's dismal streets, young Abby was a bright light, beckoning to those lost. But such lights do not go unnoticed by the bitter and jealous creatures who dwell in darkness. Before long, she came to know terrible loss and her spirit was nearly broken. Telflamm had come to be a place haunted by ghosts of lost love for her, and so she left her Santuary in the care of her sisters in faith and moved on.
Seeing to the burial of her dear knight in Damara, Abby soon requested a new duty on the distant sword coast. In this place, she hoped to leave behind the pain of loss and begin a new life.
