A trajic romance in Mictlan

Log Info

• Title: A trajic romance in Mictlan
• Emitter: Cryosanthia
• Characters: Cryosanthia, Sjach, Sabina
• Place: W02: Mictlan
• Time: Friday, December 04, 2020, 7:32 PM
• Summary: Cryosanthia and Sjach have returned to Mictlan, bringing Sabina with them to show her around. Sjach heads off to tend to his young swiftclaw while Cryo practices some of her fighting techniques. Cryo's intent is to interest Lily, who seems somewhat so, but also wanting to pantomime what Speaker interactions look like at a distance. Using the lucht and sith'makar plushees, Lily alternately has them make friends and enemies with each other. Sjach and Cryo talk about a bow he found, and then the he heads off to bathe his young swiftclaw, to loosen her shedding scales. Sabina observes all this, while her familiar, Lord Emp the Peacock goes a'courtin'. His calls attract the attention of a female Swiftclaw, who is confused and attracted. Bird and lizard sing to each other in growing tension until they meet. Lord Emp rejects the Redscale, the swiftclaw, who does not take it well and bites off some of his tailfeathers. Sabina laughs at her familiar while Cryo gets the roaming raptor under control, and Lily continues to work on her diplomacy.

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Located within the Deep Woods, and hours past Wilderness Pointe, in the heart of its northern woods, bones frame this hollowed-out space. Massive and heavy, they reach towards the sky, meeting--almost--in the center like great and worn stalagmites. Or giant teeth. After a few seconds--it's quickly evident that this is a space carved from a dragon's bones. A very, very large...dragon's bones. The air smells of ash, brimstone, and earth. Underneath the apex of the bones lie the workings of a central Fire.

The grounds are run by shamans of the sith-makar, and the sacred space dedicated to the Death Singing Dragon, one of their names for the goddess, Vardama. There are always a number of them about, from a mixture of tribes. Formally, the sith use it to sing the souls of their dead back to the land of Wing and Flame, and celebrate the Memory of Blood. It was here that brave heroes stood, and vanquished the ashen warriors of old, thereby freeing the land from Thul's curse. Informally, it is a gathering place.

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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing, in Order  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia  6'9"     291 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
Sjach        7'0"     268 Lb     Sith-Makar        Male      Lithe emerald and charcoal sith male.
Sabina       5'4"     130 Lb     Human             Female    Tsuran woman of dark hair and green eyes
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The sky is grey-black, moonless and starless. Human eyes can distinguish the snow from everything else, and not much more: every shape that isn't snow-covered is a black shadow. The air is damp and cold. There is little wind.

So, showing Sjach around Alexandria occupied a day and was successful. It did include a stop back by the Tarrace to warm up, and conversation went such a way that Sabina was invited to Mictlan, as she's never seen it.

The sith'makar aren't against visitors, but after the Plaque Ooze refugees, then their hatchlings, they got a little twitchy. It's just better, if there's a reason for a non sith visitor to be on the holy grounds, and there's someone to watch them.

The Tarienite currently has three sets of eyes that might. Although Cryo is currently occupied with some acrobatics and fighting training, and attempting to get Little Fang interested in that.

Sjach has been charicteristically quiet for the journey, bundled up with wool and fur, and sluggish to boot thanks to the cold. He's been hanging onto a bundleed up something-or-another wrapped up in an oil cloth on the way back. When the magical warmth of Mictlan begins to wash over him, his mood visibly improves step after step- and his movements become smoother and more agile, to boot. By the time they arrive in Mictlan proper- and his Swift Claw bounds out of the brush to bite at his ankles for /daring/ to leave her behind, he is quick to wrestle her to the ground and tease her snapping jaws with quick fingers just out of reach.

After arriving, Sjach had parted with the other two for a while- but he eventually returns to where he had last seen them, carrying a bow- different from the one he often has. Made of dark wood, and engraved with numerous draconic sylables. Those who know the tongue, and have time to study them, will know them to be descriptors- tall, fat, warty-one, darkhair, lean and the like. Though their meaning is unclear. It seems to have been recently polished and re-strung. His Swiftclaw is in the vicinity, snapping after the tail of a larger swiftclaw, which turns and hisses it's intent /not/ to play along.

If the lack of soft skins nearby affects Sabina, it does not show. Her mask and smile are firmly in place ands she's taken great delight in the warmer temperatures as well as the greenery.

Lord Emp is with her as well. His rightful place apon her shoulder taken as he too enjoys the warmth and fresh new views. Every now and again he lifts his voice in a call, listening for peahen responses.

Bina watches the sparing with some amusement and giving her unneeded two cents worth. "Perhaps a promise of reward for a job well done, Cryosanthia?"

"If she participates? Well, this one was hoping she simply would." Cryosanthia responds. She's down to a loin-cloth again, her magic items packed away so she's working with her natural talents and not enhanced ones. She's had a few too many Anti-Magic-Field experiences to rely on her fancy equipment always working.

Plus, it's a little less standing out and showing off.

Little Fang, for her part is sitting with some of her toys, the stuffed Faran Plush and the sith'makar plush, who are having an imaginary tea-party that breaks out into combat very frequently. Some of the toys' moves match Cryo's, but mostly it's a bunch of head-butting. Actually getting up and jumping around with her mother seems off the menu for now.

Cryo bounces from foot to foot, nodding as Sjach returns, "Silence, you are back! Is your swiftclaw settled?"

Sjach dips his head towards Cryo then as he approaches, his own breastplate has been left somewhere, so he's wearing those knee length sack-cloth breeches of his and nothing else as he wanders up- enjoying the warmth Mictlan offers, "Ass sshe ever iss." he says, and turns his gaze towards her. She seems to be debating going after the larger claws tail again, despite the admonisment. He clicks his tongue and chirips, and beckons her over, and she begrudgingly pads along towards him. Her scales are a bit faded, and look very slightly frayed around the edges. "Sshee is shedding." he says, and the swiftclaw, when it arrives, begins rubbing her head against his leg, forcefully enough that he has to adjust his footing to maintain his balance.

He brings the bow out so that he can show it to Cryo- it looks Sith-made, quite old, and the wood is very distinctive. It's a very dark wood common to the deep swamps of Am'shere. "Thiss one found thiss, in the city." he explains to the others. "The trader knowss not where it wass found, he purchassed it from a caravan. But it iss of the people." he says. He seems quite pleased with his find.

Bina settles herself in a likely spot, altering her clothing by thining out the material and having the sleeves disappear. She then moves Emp from her shoulder to the ground next to her, much to his annoyance which he voices at her, and she pretends not to hear.

The Tarenite can't help but chuckle at Lily's lack of desire to 'play' fighting. But then her attention is given to the bow and the swiftclaws that arrive with Silence.

A somewhat confused Swiftclaw returns Lord Emp's screech. It may not be the answer he's looking for, and it might not be a good idea for them to meet. Still, the impression remains, a peahen is out there!

"Oh, the scale-shedding is itchy." Cryo says, sympathetically. On this level the lizards relate. "That is a magnificent bow. This one recognizes the wood, but not the markings. This one could ask around the Speakers, it may have a tale attached."

Lily has returned to the tea-party portion of her toys' interactions. Possibly because her mother isn't doing rolls and flips any more. Cryo watches her carefully, "This one wonders if that's what diplomacy and parley resemble, at a distance. You are fine Sabina? You do not need a stump to sit on?"

Sjach nods his head solemnly at the comment regarding itchyness, and he drops down to his haunches, resting the bow across his knees, and reaches down to scratch at the swiftclaw with his sharp nails to help her flake off the shedding scales. She seems to enjoy this, pushing her head up into him- which conveniently distracts her from the delicious-looking peahen just across the way. Sjach looks up to Cryo, "Thisss one thinkss it may be a war-bow." he says to her. "But iss not sure."

He turns his attention to Lilly for a moment, watching her play, and his tail pats the ground behind him, "Yess, when the sspeakerss meet, it looks much like thiss." he answers Cryo's question.

Bina opens her mouth to say she's fine but then smirks and gets up to move over next to Lily and takes a seat there. She waits to be invited into the playing tea party but does answer Cryo's question. "I am fine. I was from a wondering family. The ground doesn't bother me unless it's muddy. And I bet that's what your swiftclaw would enjoy right now. A mudbath."

Emp's head perks up and he lets out another call. Peahen? It sort of sounds like one.. oh PEAAAAhen!

Oh virile male! Come to me! The distant and unseen Swiftclaw answers loudly. She sounds like a truly impressive peahen.

Cryo glances in the direction of the pens, then back at Lord Emperor Impressive. She shall let their star-crossed romance play out for now.

The whitescale sith moves over to the emerald and charcoal scale. She crouches, sitting on her tail and heels, seemingly balanced and peers at the bow. "This one might know more, if she examined it, though a Lore-Keeper would be the best bet."

Lily looks up happily as Sabina approaches. "Beanssss!" She chirps. She shakes the lucht plush, hissing an introduction for her, then shakes the sith plush, "Peasss Knees." Thus, Sabina is invited to the tea party conference, which shall determine the fate of the world.

Cryo looks at the juvenile swiftclaw, "Sabina may be right. Soaking is often a good way to loosen the old scales. They may peel off in a whole sheet after. A mud bath might help her."

Sjach nods his had at Cryo and Sabina's suggestions about the mud bath, "Yess... it would be good." he says, "The riverss are too cold for her to bathe in here. Sshe iss not big enough for the cold weather." he says as he continues scritching her, getting around her ear holes which draws a contented trilling from the young swiftclaw- although the repeated cries of the bird are gaining her attention, one eye fixed on it, her jaws parting a touch to reveal needle sharp teeth and an abundance of saliva. He clicks at her, "No eating guessts." he murmurs- talking to her, not something he would have done a few days ago when he first arrived. "Perhapss thiss one will warm ssome water and churn up some mud here, where it iss warm." he murmurs, glancing over at one of the firepits and the large pot held above it.

He hands the bow over fro Cryo to inspect when she squats down nearby- the engravings do not seem expertly done, but they are all over the bow. And they seem to all be describing some kind of unique physical trait, many of which might be associated with people. "Perhapss it is from the Charn invassion." Sjach suggests, though he sounds uncertain. "For a bow to ssurvive so long, though..." he shakes his head, making clear his doubts.

Bina leans in and whispers with Lily, "Peace apon your nest." She tries to assist with the tea party, offering to move a plushie and interact in that way as the language barrier is still in affect.

"I have the ability to create water if you wish, Silence, if that is needed." She says as an aside. There is serrious play going on here. Not to be interupted.

Emp begins to stride toward his answered call and then after ten or so feet calls out again. Not knowing that the asnwering call isn't what he thinks it is. Bina seems oblivious to the bird's soon to be trouble.

Cryosanthia takes the bow, and carefully runs her fingers over some of the markings, "This one suspects, they are kill rememberances, or reminders of ones to pursue." She brings it close to her face sniffs, then peers closely, "Reminders, one would expect a mark, a scratch or hole, if successful. Rememberances, there would be space to add more. This one sees space... cannot see the kill strokes..."

"Peasss ponss kneeess" Lily tries again, offering control of the Lucht Siuil plushee, she will control the sith'makar. Tea, is served. It is a chamomile tea, sweetened with berries, and the proper ettiquette is to blow on it three times before taking a sip. Except! The lucht might not know this. The tension builds!

The call for Emp comes again, loud and confident. Why does this wonderous mate not show himself? She will not be teased. She has defeated all the other challengers.

Cryo examines the bow a little further, "this one... does think it is from the Charnath invasion. There is a weight to it."

Sjach nods his head a bit as he watches the speaker pour over his bow, "Yess... thiss one makes kill rememberencess..." he says, and he takes his- well worn and decently made, but also rather old, bow that he arrived with to show. His own kill rememberences are less expertly done- rough notches carved with claw, or pieces of bone or scale or horn or claw fixed to the bow in places where they will not interfere with its bend or the flight of arrows loosed by it. Despite being the darkwood bows junior by a wide margin, it shows greater signs of wear- the glue between layers beginning to yellow and become brittle, the horn string-caps showing fractures. Servicable, but definitely worn down.

He continues idly scritching the swiftclaw, pausing to tug her attention back away from the bird she is salivating at and towards the scritches. Scritches good, don't eat the guest. He glances up to Sabina, "Yesss... it would ssave many tripps to the river. Thiss one hass a strong back, but not sso strong ass to fill a trench in one journey." he says to her, dipping his head in thanks for her offer to provide the water.

His attention returns to Cryo, and his new bow. "Thiss one first felt to give it to the pyre... but it felt... wrong." he says then. "If it iss truly sso old, it iss a work of art to sstand the tesst of time sso."

Bina has the lucht plushie follow the lead of the Sith plushie. Once, twice and that critical third blow before the sip is taken. She then has the doll set the cup down and chatter at the other doll. Talking of small things is always needed before focus apon eareth shattering important ones!

Emp flaps his wish and takes to the air briefly, srising up and heading toward the female with another call. 'I am here! Rejoice!'

Bina then distracts Lily by pointing over towards the large pot over the fire. "Watch, Lily." She then lifts her holy symbol and offers a small and simple prayer to Tarien. Just after the last word water pours from the empty air and fills the pot.

"The warrior who had it before would want you to have it. The warrior's battles are done, but this weapon's are not." The whitescale says, with a strange confidence.

Lily meanwhile is enthusiastically happy, the lucht picked up on the sith's actions. The sith plushee completes her blowing, the sip, then also engages in happy hissing. The kobold's mouth drops open as she watches the water appear and fill the pot.

Meanwhile, Lord Emp discovers his erstwhile potential mate. She is truly a peahen of epic proportions! She however, is confused, the glorious Swiftclaw male... is very far away? Tiny? She stares, confused.

Sjach nods his head a bit at Cryo's comment, and he reaches to take the bow back once she is done examining it, "That iss how thiss one felt, when holding it. Thiss one will take good care of it." he agrees. His swiftclaw turns again to watch the- now distant- Emp and her mouth falls open again, openly salivating. He gives her a little tug to redirect her attention again, "Come, it iss time for a bath for you." he tells her. He rises from his haunches, finally, taking both bows and putting them away safely for the time being. He clicks his tongue to call the swiftclaw to follow as he heads over towards the conveniently procided water.R

Bina giggles and hugs the Lily as she is srprised by the magic. Just a quick hug and a smooch to the cheek. "Did you like that? Magic of prayer and arcane spell can be fun. But your foster mother wants you to be able to take care of yorself in a fight as well." Lucht plushie picks her tea back up and blows three times again before sipping.

Emp catches sight of the potential mate. He lets out another cry ..of startlement.. and aborts! ABORT ABORT! He even looses a tail feather in his haste to curve off to one side and land. Tail feathers opening up wide and tall.

The feathers! That impresses the Swiftclaw. Suddenly, Lord Emp appears much larger, and colourful. She leaps the pen and charges after him with a loud screech.

Lily nods to the questions about magic, and what her mother wishes for her, confirming with a "Yesssss." The sith plushee also blows on the tea again, matching sips.

"Good luck with the bathing. This one will ask the Lore Keepers, but that is an excellent find Silence." Cryo confirms. She settles in beside Lily, smiles at Sabina, and then turns her head to look at the bad romance, "Oh. Emp... is in trouble."

Sjach dips his head again, "I am glad I found it. The merchant did not know itss significance." he says then. He offers both a dip of his head, "Peace on your nessts." he offers the pair of them as he heads off to coralle his swiftclaw and prepare the mud bath. There will likely be a great deal of slipping and chasing after unruly swiftclaw. It will not be pretty.

Bina is distracted by Sjach's heading off to take care of his beast that she sort of misses that her own is in trouble. She looks over at Emp and then away and then double-takes! "Emp! FLY!" She shouts at her familiar who, of course, hesitates until the last moment and then flaps into the air and even brushes against the on coming female.

Bina then watches with wide eyes as the troublesome bird finds roost in a low branch. "Silly bird.." she sighs.

The swiftclaw pounds the ground after Lord Emp. He flies! She is hit with feathers! What happened? Her prospective mate is gone? She sniffs the ground, perhaps he has turned tiny. He's too big to see? She calls out again, where are you? Looking up has not occurred to the Swiftclaw, their necks don't bend that easily.

Cryo chuckles, "He is quite the romeo. This one will have to get Redscale back into the pen."

She glances after Sjach, "This one suggested to the elders that we build baths, but they prefer to live closer to the ground. This one does tire a little of digging in it all the time."

Lily's plushee sith'makar meanwhile, has discovered treachery in the negotiations, and the friendly hissing has turned unfriendly. It's fight time. She buffets the toy against Sabina's front with a high pitched, "Rawerr!"

Bina is buffeted! "Oh no! What has happened! I'm under attack! EEEEEeE!" She makes scared noises and she and the lucht doll retreat a few feet from the tea area. "I've not done anything.. what did I do?" She asks in a play voice for the doll and makes it move about.

Meanwhile the Lord Emp is strangely silent and preening his feathers as if this branch was made for him to do so. Female? What female..

Handsome male! Handsome male! Where are you! The Swiftclaw's calls are getting louder, and starting to disturb the other riding beasts. Who dares go into season at this time of year? How rude. Still, she persists. Answer me!

Lily's plushee sith'makar pulls back, hissing a high pitched, "Peasss." A word was mistranslated, obviously, friend as fiend, not as now, a lack as attack. Sounds are hard. Lots of wordy words.

"Peace." Bina says in her lucht voice and even adds in a few soft sounding lucht words. The doll steps back slowly towards Sith doll and then hugs the other doll. "Peace." Darned priestess is teaching diplomacy!

Emp is not hard of heart. And he takes pity apon the infatuated female. He lets his tail hang down a tad and then calls out softly. 'I am here, unfeathered one.' So regal.. and pompass.

Unfeathered! The Swiftclaw does not understand exactly, but knows it to be a rejection. A dismissal of her for some flaw. She has none! She is large. Powerful. Clean of scale and free of bugs. Her teeth are sharp. She has frightened off many other females. The feathery brush in her face is a multi-coloured taunt of the invisible paramour. She snaps at it!

"Peassss." Lily repeats, her sith'doll hugging the fluffy lucht, and then she hugs both of them, and Sabina as well. The carnation scale is tempted to chew on her also, not yet. She's learned to be sneaky about that from a blue goblin.

Cryo meanwhile, has bounced upright and carefully plots an approach to the Swiftclaw, "Redscale, Redscale, be calm." She thrums a loud calming sound as she moves clear.

Bina awws! and leans in to give Lily and dolls a hug as well. "That was very nice. Thank you Lily."

Emp interupts this with a very unregal sqwak and fluttering of wings! he heads up higher but looses a swiftcraft mouthfull of tailfeathers to the angry female. He begins to shriek his anger from a much higher and safer location.

Bina turns and looks at the complaining bird and sighs. "You brought that on yourself, emp!"

Redscale screaches triumphantly at the pretender. He should be ashamed. She has a mouth full of feathers and has been made to look up, so now she sees him. He is a very tiny male. She is frustrated at being deceived.

All this frustration allows the whitescale to sneak up beside her and apply some calming strokes alongside her neck. This does settle the larger lizard, and Cryo carefully gets the feathers out of her mouth. She'll turn them into a headdress later.

Lily meanwhile, continues to cling.