...She repeated the word over and over.
'Radiance, radiance, radiance'
At the time I didn't know what she meant, I begged her to tell me more but she vanished into the night without ever saying another word. The old lady had come from the ancient town of Gandrieh. At least that is what the people there had said. No one knew why she had come, or what she was trying to tell us, the only thing that we knew was she was a Druid. Older, it seemed, than many of the trees within our towns. Surely she must have some knowledge of things we know nothing about, I thought to myself.
I began by speaking to a Diviner; perhaps through their powers of divination they could at least give me some clues as to where I might find the town of Gandrieh. With a few mumbled chants and the scattering of some herbs and mystical powders the Diviner gave me few, but very important, hints. My journey began.
It was weeks or perhaps months before I reached my destination.
Thankfully my Druid skills helped me live off the land and survive some of the harshest weather I have ever encountered. I had reach the town, but it was not at all what I had expected. The buildings lay in ruins, time seemed frozen in place. An early mist hung around the town...but there, in the distance I thought I could see the old woman. I ran as fast as I could, but I could not keep up. Once again she had vanished without a trace.
I sat there, on the ground. Frustration and exhaustion overcame me. Without warning the clouds above me began to rumble loudly. I raised the hood of my cloak and continued to sit in the same spot... As the drops of water hit the ground, they began to wash away the covering of ash and dust that covered the ground. I thought I saw something there, under the soil...something shining.
I reached out my hand to grab the item when a streak of lightning jumped from the sky and hit the ground right where I had seen the item. The shock sent me backwards and I landed hard on the stony ground. I scrambled forward, determined to grasp the item I had seen. I brushed dirt and ash aside, hoping to once again uncover the item. I spent hours looking but alas I was not successful. I returned home, miserable and disappointed.
When I arrived home I spoke with Druid Savannah. She has long been known for her historic knowledge and I asked what the item could be. She told me that once, many years ago the Elder of another sect of Druids had visited our town. He had spoken of a vision of an old woman from Gandrieh; she had muttered the same word 'Radiance' over and over. The Elder himself had known little but he had heard that in very ancient times the Druids would sometimes use an item called 'Niamh'... They used this as a sort of window into the Otherworld. A tool that could be used to shine light on troubling times. Could this be the item I had seen? The sacred Niamh?
I knew my old body was not up for a second trip to the town of Gandrieh. I decided to write down what I had learned, what I had seen and the directions I had taken in the hopes that a future Great Druid would be able to follow me where I had gone, but succeed where I had failed. If anyone is able to find this item, I am sure it can only help our fight to protect Nature and keep the lands sacred....
~Takai