Lingering Wounds

Log Info

• Title:
• Emitter: Cryosanthia
• Characters: Cryosanthia, Morgan, Merek, Braelnoir
• Place: W01: Wayfarer's Inn
• Time: Wednesday, March 30, 2022, 9:05 PM
• Summary: Cryosanthia and Braelnoir are having a long needed, and long delayed conversation. Morgan and Merek arrive, invited since it's been a while. They all catch up a little, and while some sensitive subjects are broached they don't get discussed in depth before everyone has to head out.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* W01: Wayfarer's Inn *>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The inn's main room is large yet cosy, with plaster walls and a low ceiling supported by sturdy oaken beams. The decor is sparse: there's little other furniture save for a few rough-hewn wooden tables and chairs, and the only real object of 'ornamentation' is the large, moth-eaten moose head that's set above the kitchen door at the far end of the room. Still, the inn is pleasant in a simple, rustic way, and the delicious smell of food cooking makes it all the more inviting; the place seems to be more of a restaurant than a tavern, and a bar is nowhere in sight.

The innkeeper's counter sits in the east corner, within a few paces of the main entrance. Behind the counter is a small storeroom where one can purchase traveling supplies. The west corner of the room is occupied by a spiral staircase that leads to the second storey.

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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=  Appearing, in Order  -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cryosanthia  6'9"     291 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman.
Morgan       4'10"    79 Lb      Half-Elf          Female    Short pixy like half elf with fair skin.
Merek        5'10"    215 Lb     Human             Male      A black-haired, dusky male with golden eyes.
Braelnoir    5'11"    146 Lb     Human             Female    A tall, pale Acanian woman, branded in silver.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=

It's been a little while.

Cryosanthia has been nesting. This has kept her in Mictlan and restricted her visitors. Braelnoir, as her egg-watcher, has had contact but the white-scale hasn't seen her friends in a while or even heard the latest news from Alexandria. With the Silver-haired merc traveling back and forth, it's not complete isolation, but some things need the right occasion to discuss.

And also, a distance from little pink tympanums if they're going to be discussed.

So the evening finds her fidgeting and at the Wilderness Pointe Inn. Lily and Hetz are watching her nest, and while she's reassured by that, her tail keeps twitching as it is not far from her mind. She's also got her full regalia, and it fits. She waits, on friends and food.

Morgan comes in to the room with a little pseudo dragon sleeping on her shoulders.

Morgan she looks to the dragon "I know you are awake and I am not your transporter." said as she strokes the spine "oh well that is ok" she adds before it flys off.

Merek walks into the Inn, taking his time to pull the beltcape about his waist, with dark attire on and white-black decoration. He wears his hair in the ponytail that he can be seen wearing to formal things. The man orders a cup of water from the keeper, he doesn't look like he has slept in a long time. He has locs that adjust to the side of his features to frame the face. When he gets the water, he will place a heat stone into it to take a drink from the warm water, "Cryo," the man offers a hug to the sith'makar, while he nods to Brae as well as Morgan.

It's a convenient rendezvous, with Brae across from Cryo at her table, with a sack of goodies along with her travel pack and scythe.

And crossbow, she's loaded for bear, it seems.

There's been some unresolved matters between the sworn sisters, and conversation hasn't been as free flowing as it had been in weeks past.

She looks up from the relatively sedate silence to regard the new arrivals with a somewhat subdued, "Hey Morg, 'ey Mer, been a while. How ya been?"

"Morgan! Merek! Little Dragon!" Cryo risse from the bench and approaches the two, dragging a mug with some cloudly amber liquid in it along, "Join us, Brae's here! It's good to see you!"

She seems cheerful. A little too cheerful and just a bit drunk. A cautious glance at her scale-sister suggesting why. "We should talk. With friends. Thanks for the care packages Merek, I got them. It'll be... just a little longer we can have non-Sith'makar visit. Everyone is still... y'know..."

Morgan smiles as she sees Braelnoir "hello my dear." said as she comes in and kisses her cheek if aloud. Taking a seat "so whats new here?" asked as she waves down a waitress that will bring her her normal drink and meal. Merik gets a hello and a wave.

"Of course," Merek offers to the thanks, "You're welcome. It is good to see you, all of you." The man nods a bit, "Congratulations again Cryo. You are going to be a wonderful mother," he means that, from the way that he smiles to the woman. Then he takes a drink of that water, "I see you are drunk, you all doing alright?" The man smiles to Morgan, while he offers a hug to Brae, "You were right you guys, it's nice to try not to worry about a lot of things going on. It's been relatively pretty nice at home."

Braelnoir doesn't seem to object to the kiss, and her arms enfold the smaller woman for a return, "Lookin' good, girl!" she notes with some more cheer.

She rises as Merek steps up for his own hug and she meets it, pecking his cheek, "Glad t'see ya all on this plane, brother." <Merctalk>

Then in Trade, "Ya look good."

As her arms relent on the embrace, she looks to Cryo and, "Yeah, we should.... been far too long fer'it."

"Just a little, have to stay clear on the nest." The whitescale smiles, slipping back onto her bench, rocking herself back into place, "It's orange juice and sparkling wine, an interesting change from beer and mead."

She fixes Merek with an intent stare, "a little lighter than whiskey, by volume, if you want to try that."

Leaning back, she supports herself with her tail and hooks her feet under the table's base-bar, allowing for some extra lean. "I thought we could catch up. And... things." She's looking at Braelnoir once more.

"We've had a lot of long talks... in dreams... which weren't real. I think it's my subconscious' way of making things cool, but... it doesn't actually count." Her claws scratch at the edge of the table, "I've been really selfish, self-centred and preoccupied and let some things go on too long. Sorry I flew at you."

Morgan smiles "I always look good for you luv." said to Brae. "I never put much in to dreams but then I only sleep 2 hours a day. And we all can be selfish from time to time, as I been told that by most of my ex girl/boy friends."

Merek nods a bit to Brae, "Of course." He then chuckles to Cryo, "I'm drinking water. I am trying to not drink as much," he will admit, while he seems to consider it. Then a nod to Morgan, "Well, what have you all been up to? I know things are stressful, that said it is nice to... Relax a while," he will admit. He does seem to be back in reality a lot, like he's a different person, in the good way.

Oh.

Yeah.

Brae's expression withers some as Cryo breaks out the heavy lumber, and she settles almost bonelessly into her chair, which scrapes the floor.

Silence for some seconds, then a grim, almost hollow, "I got'er killed, Cry..." without looking up from her greave.

Speaking of relaxing...

Merek says, "I feel like I missed something."

Morgan says, "This was something we were not part of."

"I know. Brae and I fought after Lily..." Cryosanthia sits forward, taking a long sip from her mug. Finishing it. A lacing of frost appearing on the inside as the remaining bubbles free. "I wanted to die, and I wanted you to do it, and..."

How do you say, 'my world collapsed'. She inhales, exhales.

"You didn't get her killed... there was another, that set her up. That's... I'm still processing that. I've dealt with that one." The whitescale's hands tighten into fists. Her tail lashes. "I should have been there! I should have been in fighting condition. All that nonsense with Asumit cost me her and it was pointless! He's still a threat. The rest of the world is lurching on to the next biggest threat, just like after Her." Her fist slams on the table.

She's silent for a moment, shaking her head, "I... don't want to know the details. Never, please, never let Lily know that she died. I was angry I wasn't there, Brae, not at you. I know you fought. I know you did."

Morgan chaotic nature takes her a moment to notices Brae statement "I know how you are and you fought to defend your self. I have done that before." she trails off in to deep thought as she is remembering the past.

Merek seems to think about it all a moment, then he nods to everyone. "We probably all should try to not worry about the world anymore. There are new people working to protect all. We can't change the past, but let's all change what the priorities are. No one needs to be a hero. It's almost time for Resurrection, and when it comes to that, all will change."
...

...

"Y'know... I -had- t'answer, Cryo." Brae says ruefully, hastily snatching up her beer for an.... unhealthy belt of it's contents.

A quick cough, then she looks between lover and family and sighs, absently wiping her mouth.

"Th'Ressurection happens, there's gonna be chaos like none'v us have ever seen."

"I... wanted you to. I was not in a good place." Cryo admits, lowering her head and staring at the tabletop. Another cool exhale, "Mud was looking for a weak spot, to go after the Silverguard, so he chose to go through the Sunguard, hurting me would hurt him, then hurt him."

"His target, in his bravery, was a Kobold. My Kobold daughter." She looks up, snorting then smirking at Merek, "I guess you broke you-know-who. He wanted a target he could be sure to defeat."

"Anyhow he's done and dusted, his name is Mud, just like Cesran promised. I owe all of them." Her head shakes, "The Ressurection. No one has explained to me what makes the Phalanx Falcis evil, beyond 'it's Kulthian Technology', but even if it is I'm starting to feel it's the lesser of the two options the world insists on hurtling towards.

Morgan is listing to every one talk as she seems to want to know more. "Part of the reason most call me selfish is I keep my past just there.... and in my young life there is a lot of history... and bodys."

"Kulthian Technology is powered by souls often, that's what makes it Black Tech," Merek mentions then to Cryo, "Although a lot of advancements make things a lot safer these days, it uses different power." With that in mind, he nods a bit to Cryo, "Most things are managed, not all of them. With that in mind, it will be chaos. That's why... When the time comes, if any of you want, I will bring you all, and anyone you want, to a realm that I create. You can keep there and safe while the world changes. I will probably be bringing people that don't want to be changed with the world. I am one of the most powerful Magi in the world at this point, at least outside of the dark forces and some specific folk."

Morgan says, "I been too in and out to keep up on all this."

There's a shrug, and Brae's shoulder brand gleams golden in the torchlight, "Neither'v us was in a good place, luv."

She toasts toward Morgan, "Them days're past... we took our shots, an' things got set t'right. Fuck th'bastard."

Her other hand reaches out to lightly pat Morgan's arm.

She's been pressed into combat since she halfling sized, and she took the scythe she wields from one of her past victims, she understands having bodies to one's name.

She regards Merek, considering his words, but... could she hunker down in another realm while the mother of all wars rages?

Cryo watches her sister with some concern. She leans over, rubbing her wrist. "You... you inspired me, to hold it together, to get back in the fight. You keep going Brae, no matter what hits you."

Her voice crackles, "You're so solid. I owe you, Lily loves you. I'll be there."

She inhales, taking a moment and laughing, grinning at the witch, "Sounds like the bodies you've left behind were in a different state than Brae's, Morgan, or am I mis-reading?"

Suddenly, there is food, a large shareable plate of nachoes. Her drink is re-filled. The whitescale nods at the departing server and looks at Merek, "Okay, so, it may be powered by souls... but... we used it. Did it eat the souls of the Vrocks? I didn't see a battery? I didn't see a wall of screaming faces. It was just a house... and we hopped it a lot."

"Would powering it with an Animus Shard be any less crazy than bringing back a zombie god?"

Morgan smirks and stands as she looks a little sleepy "You know how it is when you are a adventure and the things we do." she gives a wave "But I better get to bed as I have to work on more magic items."

Braelnoir stands when Morgan does, "Luv, I'va thing to add to your list, lemme tell ya about it." She walks out with her, pausing to look back at her brother and sister, "back in a shake."

Merek looks then to Cryo and thinks about it a moment, "I don't think it would be using the souls on every occasion, some just uses mana crystals. With that in mind, if you used a Shard to power tech, you can. They in fact powered the entire of Merkabah with an Animus Shard."

"Wait, what? A shard went back in time? How could a shard be in Merkabah when it fell before Animus died?" The whitescale looks confused, "Besides, didn't the gods destroy all the Kulthian tech they really disliked? Why would they half-ass it and leave a bunch of stuff around? Some plan to sucker in a second age of destruction?"

Another sigh, "I'm sorry Merek, I know you're not a theologian. It just seems crazy. A house that's evil, needing to flee to a magical dimension because everyone is insisting on resurrecting a god before someone else tries it."

"Idiotic brinkmanship, that will destroy everything."

Merek looks then to Cryo, and nods a bit. "It's a good question, that the shard was there. All the same, it seems that it was, there is a lot of time travel which is dealing with this," he will admit. Then he nods to Cryo, "All I want to do really is keep everyone safe."

"It's not possible, Merek." Cryo sighs, shaking her head, "'Everyone' and 'Safe'. Who is everyone, what is safe? Are animal companions people? Life isn't safe, life is to be lived, and with it are accidents and compromises."

She closes her eyes, "Better to say you're going to help as many as you can to survive and endure, and not do stupid things that will get themselves killed."

"Or worse."

She stares into Merek's eyes, "and that means you too." She pats at her front, "My eggs were never more safe than when they were in here, but they had to come out. Every Sith'Makar has to leave their egg too. There is no 'safe' Merek."

Merek looks then to Cryo and nods a bit to the woman, "Well, safe is relative. I only don't want you all to change with the world, I don't know. Either way, with that in mind, I do at least want you all to survive the change. The chaos. I will do what I can to keep safe as well. You know me," he grins.

The whitescale sits back, stretching out her neck, "Yes, swimming in the sea of Mana and touching all the alternate realities. This one has no plans to change the world. I haven't heard from Akoniril or Griva in months; I think they've forgotten about me."

She picks at the food, "I should really get back to the nest. Tell Braelnoir I'm sorry when she gets back. We'll talk later."

Merek nods a bit to Cryo, "Alright, I will do that in that case. You take care," the man offers, while he hugs the woman, then he takes the time to relax a little gently.

Cryosanthia is cool to the touch, as always. There's something a little different in her bearing, a focus and intensity that wasn't there. A maturity. Being a mother has dragged her in directions she wasn't expecting and it's left a mark.

"You be safe too." She gives the man a squeeze, then heads out, departing with a flap of wings.