Statuesque

It's a scene. Or more accurately, a tiny bit of a spectacle. There's a sorceress and sorcerer of half-elven make out of breath as they approach the Temple of Eluna. Cor'lana looks a bit exhausted, with her dress all out of sorts, her wavy hair thoroughly thrown about in the bustle and the wind of moving more quickly than people ought to. There are dried tear marks on her face that tell a story all on their own.

But there is a familiar white-feathered friend on her shoulder who is not at all put out in the looks department, and he leans into Cor'lana's face, nuzzling her. "Love you," he murmurs in her voice.

"I love you too, Pothy," Cor'lana murmurs back, giving him a kiss on his beak. "We'll talk about what happened later. Telamon and I need to make sure we get somewhere safe with that... Thing."

It's not the most dignified entrance. Even with magical assistance, Telamon is still a bit winded from racing from the tavern, and his white silk blouse is ripped to hell and back. "It's good to... have you back, Pothy..." Tel says between sucking breaths, pausing to rest his hands on his knees.

He glances at Cor'lana. "You didn't drink anything in there, did you? That whole situation was... it was -off-, Lana. That guy was not what he seemed, and he was way too eager to have us tip a glass with him." He can't help but offer her a cheeky smile. "Though you had him nicely distracted too. To think you spent all that time complaining about not inheriting your mother's... ahem, 'assets'.”

The sorceri are not the only ones concerned for their well-being in regards to The Thing, nor the only ones aware of a certain previously absent, pigment-impaired corvid with a culinarily-inclined disposition. Verna also moves at speed (as much as her sandals allow), sun dress flaring and flapping as she barely slows to scan the vicinity before altering course towards the trio. She does not call out across the square, as if that might be more conspicuous than her running.

The running certainly has gathered some attention. Not only from curious onlookers peering at the threesome as they race through the temple square, but from a certain black and pink haired elvish woman who was on her way home with a few groceries and decided to take a leisurely walk through the district. She starts to wave, but considering the way that they look decides not to and instead makes a slower path toward where they are gathering. The elvish woman - Auranar - looks a bit confused to note Verna's presence, but smiles more widely upon noticing Pothy's.

Cor'lana groans a little as Telamon teases her. "Yes, that man was... Ugh. I may not have inherited all of mother's beauty, but I certainly was thinking, 'What would she do?' back there and... Well, I did what she would have done. Including calling him disgusting at the end. Mother was never above using her feminine wiles to get what she wanted at times."

Pothy makes a coughing noise. Cor'lana looks at him and notices him pointing the direction of Auranar and Verna. "Oh!" she says, a little more happy--especially considering the conversation topic. "Verna, Auranar, hi! Err..."

She looks at Telamon's ruined shirt. She sweats. "It's not what it looks like, Auranar."

Telamon cranes his head, and then straightens up, seeing Verna and Auranar. "Thank the gods. You all right, Verna?" He gives Auranar a smile, though his eyes are still sparking from tension. "That was... a little more excitement than I expected when we were putting up 'have you seen me?' posters..." His eyes slide to Pothy again, who's cuddled up to Cor'lana, and he gives the familiar a gentle smile. "We missed you, my friend."

He notices the wrecked state of his shirt, and his expression sours. "Oh, damn it, this was one I got from Jovani too... well, now I've got another reason to see him. At least it'll be a nice change of pace."

Verna finally slows to a stop and catches her breath. Mostly. Upon seeing Aura, she begins breathing through a smile rather than a frown. "Hello, Love." She is uncertain of Cor'lana's haste to clarify the situation for Auranar, but assists. "We recently departed the Ox-strength tavern, where Cor'lana deceived a man with her .. feminine wiles" (as Cor'lana just mentioned the term) "and I attempted to aid with implication that Telamon was familiar with myself rather than she. It was an oruch that damaged his clothing." There. Situation clarified as to what it is, not what it is not.

Only then does she think to look to Telamon. "Do you still have it in your possession?"

Auranar looks at Cor'lana with confusion. "And just what does it look like?" She asks curiously, her eyes flickering to Telamon. His clothes were in some serious disarray not even mentioning the tear. Verna however clarifies the situation quickly, but the explanation only serves to make Auranar blink twice in further confusion. "You flirted with Telamon?"

She suddenly cracks a smile, trying to imagine Verna doing something like that while Cor'lana distracted some other man. She shakes her head. "Sounds as if you were very busy tonight! What was so important that the three of you were flirting with random strangers and one another?"

Cor'lana looks up to the sky for a moment. The beautiful, lovely sky where ravens fly. Including her beloved Pothy. Who has been behaving and hasn't asked for snacks, not once.

She seems to realize this factoid and puts her hand into the pocket on her dress (as an adventurer, she insists on having pockets sewn into her dresses) where she keeps Pothy snacks and pulls out a handful of dried fruits. Pothy bird-blinks a couple of times and then he eats.

"Well, I wasn't flirting with the guy because of his winning personality," Cor'lana says. She drops her voice to a whisper. "He had one a... figurine. Ugly looking thing. Stole it from Dirk. Dirk said it was important and... I knew it couldn't remain in that guy's hands. So..."

Cor'lana clears her throat. "I pulled down my dress a little and I flirted with him like he was the last person in the world."

"And a marvelous job she did, too. It was almost enough to distract me." Telamon's eyes twinkle -- he's got his mojo back, despite the gravity of the situation. "And yes, Verna flirted a bit. That was quick thinking on your part, Verna. I thought Lysos was going to blow it for us there."

He looks faintly disgusted at the mention of the statuette, and reaches into his haversack -- a bit hesitantly, as if expecting it to bite him -- before drawing out the ugly, horrid little totem. "I have it," he says. "Though I feel like I should be handling it with gloves. Or gauntlets. Nice thick armored ones."

It doesn't seem to matter how hot, humid, or nasty the weather is. Seldan walks out from around the side of the Temple of Eluna, entering the main thoroughfare of the plaza quietly and unobtrusively, courteously waiting until he can move behind a gaggle of chattering Tarienite faithful to step out into the light of the plaza, dressed in his usual trousers and shirt beneath an open-front robe, Reunion at his hip. The crowds prove difficult to navigate, but the paladin seems to be navigating them patiently, making little effort to get out of the thick of the crowd, and not minding that it carries him in the group's direction.

In contrast to her prior factual recounting, Verna's cheeks now color. "Not excessively and nowhere on the scale of Cor'lana's efforts nor talents." She glances to RT. "Perhaps some advice or training in the future would prove worthwhile?" Then back to the other topic at hand; literally in Telamon's case. "Your instincts are not misplaced. It is dangerous, and should be handled accordingly."

She now steps firmly to Auranar's side as she recalls, "From the former possessor's tales, it appears that Dirk, yourself, and another recently attempted to retrieve it from the man. A matter of horse lifts and arm wrestling, I believe?"

Auranar smiles at Cor'lana, listening to the story unfold and shaking her head. "Sounds interesting indeed. And he had..." She falls silent as Telamon reveals the totem and her expression turns grim. She licks her lips and wrings her hands together. "Oh no."

She looks at everyone with wide dark eyes and shakes her head. "He didn't steal it from Dirk! Dirk tried to buy it off of him but he didn't want to sell it. So he took it back before Dirk could convince him to give it to us..." She looks uncomfortable now. "We knew it was a totem but we couldn't convince him of the danger of it... I know it's important but he said people died trying to get that thing - friends of his. He must have braved some danger to retrieve it and..." Auranar can't help but feel a little guilty that it's been stolen from the man.

Cor'lana raises a brow, now looking a little thoughtful. "Hmm," she says. "I don't think that man could have been possibly telling you the truth. An idiot, sure. Easily distracted by feytouched women who show off a little chest, yes. But idiots and lechers can /also/ be liars. There was something weird about how he kept wanting people to drink that swill, like Telamon said."

Either way, she shrugs. "Or I just saved a man from his idiocy and he'll thank me later when the world keeps turning and everything is the way it should be. Hopefully he doesn't thank me at all, though. He's gross."

Telamon looks down at the horrid little totem, and then shakes his head firmly at Auranar. "No. He wasn't blameless, not entirely. That whole situation felt -wrong-, Auranar. And if somehow I misread him..." He shrugs. "I'll apologize later. This thing... is definitely -not- a good luck charm."

He takes a breath, carefully holding the totem close to him so that it's not easily seen. "We've got it. But like the fisherman who's caught a dragon turtle, what do we -do- with it?"

"Indeed, on all counts," Verna concurs with Cor'lana and Telamon about the man, his character, and the item. It is also an attempt at assurance to Aura as she places a hand on her fiancee's shoulder. "Note its appearance. It remains bound to a child of the Red Maw; either whomever the Stormguardian acquired it from, or he, himself."

"We must align it to another, someone trusted," she offers in answer to Telamon's question, "and protect it. I would take it, rather than ask any of you to bear such a burden." She has not yet noted Seldan's presence in the vicinity between focus upon on those present.

The crowd carrying Seldan along in its midst finally dissipates to some degree as various groups go their separate ways, and finally he melts free of it, moving once again quietly and unobtrusively in the direction of the group standing there.

It's Reunion who speaks first, though. "Seldan." The voice is an older woman, rather nasal in timbre.

The man pauses. "What is it, Fallia?"

"I believe those are a few of your friends?"

"Mmmm? Yes, of course. We should not linger here, though."

"Of course not, but you should at least greet them. They're not going to sell you out."

"..."

Auranar looks at the totem closely and then blinks. "Wait! Are you sure that's the right one? That it's real?" She looks at Telamon and then Verna. "Dirk bled on the one that the man had! It turned into a little man. I saw it. So why would it look like that?" She points to the statue and then seems to abruptly notice Seldan and gives him a little wave.

Cor'lana looks between Verna and Auranar, squinting a little. "Okay, so... you can bind these ugly little statues to yourself, and they turn into different appearances..."

"Evil," Pothy murmurs using Cor'lana's voice.

"You're right," Cor'lana says, looking at Pothy. "Her Majesty must have given you some knowledge during your stay, huh?" She cheerfully pats Pothy on the head, not noticing the sudden glassy look in Pothy's blue eyes as she alludes to a certain royal someone. "If the man is lying and he's actually working for you-know-who, and he rebound the statue, it could turn back, right? I /knew/ it! He's a lecher, he's a liar, /and/ he's evil."

Pothy notices Seldan in the middle of Cor'lana's teardown of the man she'd beguiled. He politely taps on Cor'lana's shoulders with a little tapdance.

"Huh! Oh! Hi Sir Seldan," Cor'lana says cheerfully. "How are you doing?"

Telamon furrows his brow. "I remember. Dolan and I spoke about these things. They need someone... good, to bind them." He glances at Auranar, and half-smiles. "You make a good point though. I'll be really irritated if that overgrown cow pawned a fake off on me.."

But then, oh hey, we have the -perfect- person to make sure. Telamon's eyes widen, but then he dips his head in a bow. "Sir Seldan," he says, feeling a bit like a kid who's found himself in something complicated. "We could use your counsel, sir," he finally says, humbly. Carefully he moves his hands, so Seldan can see what he's cradling.

Verna's frown returns at Auranar's further information of the prior events and her nod is small to both her and Cor'lana. "Yes. It takes on some semblance of the bonded, in my experience. If it is the same totem then, yes, it was re-bound. The Stormgardian's choice of words had me suspicious of his allegiances. This could confirm as much..." It is not until now, with the others greeting Seldan, that she turns to note him. "Good day, Silverguard."

Caught red-footed, Seldan bows politely, knowing that he is unable to back out now. "Her light upon your path, Mourner, my ladies, good master," he greets all, taking a step forward. "Even so? How might I-" He stops short as the totem comes into view, recognition clear as day across the even features, features that he quickly schools into polite interest.

"Ah. That is-" This time, he trails off, and narrows his gaze on the item, lips moving soundlessly. The answer is clear in mere moments, the politely schooled features vanishing into the look of someone who has abruptly had the contents of an entire barn's worth of muck dumped over their head. He coughs and shakes his head quickly as if to clear it. "Even so." That is a statement. "One in service to the Light should attune that, as swiftly as they may, and protect it. I am familiar with its nature. Do you know not how this is done, I shall explain, but not in this place."

Auranar glances around at Seldan's words, suddenly aware that they are quite out in the open. "Yes... We shouldn't have that out in the open. Particularly..." With how it was obtained. She looks nervous, taking Verna's hand for comfort and leaning into the other woman. "Mayhap the temple can provide us some privacy? Or the house is close to here." Her's and Verna's.

"Shit. Right." Cor'lana sighs. "Yeah. Sir Seldan knows a quiet place in the Temple. That's where we talked before."

She looks to Telamon and whispers something into his ear, and draws back a moment later. "But," she says, "I won't object to your house either. It's nice and cozy in there, and I'm sure Pothy will be happy to see it again."

Pothy's tail is already wagging up and down.

Telamon nods, and looks to Sir Seldan. "I trust Verna and Auranar," he says calmly, as he puts the statuette firmly back in the haversack. "It might be best to go to their place."

At Lana's whispered words, he reflexively reaches out to take her hand. Squeezing it, and he smiles at her.

Is that a measure of relief that Seldan wears? If it is, he does not mention it, instead settling for a dip of the head in acceptance. "By your preference, my lady, Mourner," he turns to Auranar and Verna. "I, too, think a private residence the better choice, but would not impose on you unwilling."

"It will be certain to be less occupied than the temple," Verna gives Aura's hand a squeeze and gestures across the square to the mountain road in direction and invitation to all. "Not to mention it offers far superior snacks." Which may be why Pothy could be biased. Verna surely is. "No offense to any temple intended." She then steps with Aura to lead the way.

Auranar seems to relax at the direction of the conversation. Now that the totem is safely put away and they are headed to discuss things in private... She squeezes Verna's hand. "It's no problem, really. I was just headed home anyways. I think we'll all be much more comfortable there." She follows Verna; leading everyone to their home.

***

Once settled inside the house, Cor'lana takes a seat that is familiar to her, as she's taken it before. Pothy, too, looks around, perhaps trying to see if there are any snack containers or... maybe there's a pie? Auranar /is/ his best friend forever--they corvid shook on that--and would provide him pie...

But yet he still has not said the familiar word that everyone knows Pothy best for.

"Alright," Cor'lana says with a sigh. "So sorry it seems like we're always here for bad news or because something's going to be awful unless we do something about it."

Pothy bird-blinks at Cor'lana. He's just here for the snacks. He's always just been here for the snacks.

Telamon seats himself next to Lana, before removing the horrible little totem and setting it down before him. He eyes the wretched thing, taking a deep breath before meeting Sir Seldan's eyes.

"I'll bond to it," he says quietly but firmly. "Lana has her own burden to bear, you've already got one, and I won't thrust this off onto Verna and Aura. If I'm going to be the gods' hands, that means I have to get a little dirty doing the work."

A very small smile that attempts to be reassuring touches Seldan's lips, once he, too, has settled down. He does take a moment to take a good look around, and seems to be quite favorably impressed. Only when others are seated does he choose a spot for himself, but instead of sitting down, he remains standing, adopting a parade-rest stance, and seeming somehow to remain tense and watchful.

Reunion has quieted down.

"Fear not, good master. I came into possession of the one I hold quite by accident, and there have been no ill effects. Does one not attune such, I am told that ill effects are likely, and the amount of evil I sensed from that would seem to bear that out. It may make your dreams unusually vivid."

"You are all friends, here," Verna assures and welcomes all. "I shall never rescind your welcome nor regret your presence here, even if the situation is unpleasant." She may be prepared to re-iterate her prior offer when Telamon volunteers. "Be aware you may become a target for the lycanthropes. I am already such, thus it is minimal addition to myself. That said, myself and my Goddess are of Twilight, so I may be of less aid in binding than you."

She does not full excuse herself from the entire conversation, though does urge Aura to a seat while she goes to tend to tea, snacks, and otherwise play hostess.

It is in Auranar's nature to 'play hostess' and she does get out one of the snacks that she had ready-made for Pothy before allowing Verna to press her into a seat. Roasted but unsalted nuts with a bit of fruit to add a little flavor and change things up. She sets the container in front of Pothy with a small ready smile for the bird, but there's worry in her eyes when she looks at him. She says nothing of it at the moment, merely nodding to Verna's words in agreement. "I agree entirely. It fills this place with warmth to have guests within its walls."

She turns her eyes on Telamon. "Are you sure that you want to take on this burden Telamon? We do not know entirely what they _do_. I... I am a poor guardian, and..." In truth she doesn't want to volunteer anyone else. "It is no light decision."

Telamon shakes his head at Aura, and then gives a slightly insouciant grin. "How hard can it be?" he quips, trying to put on a fearless front. "I mean, if Sir Seldan can handle it, surely I can..." His eyes glimmer with distant stars, as he gives Lana's hand a squeeze.

Carefully, he reaches into his haversack, drawing out a sheathed dagger. "Sir Seldan, you mentioned using blood to bind to it. I think Dolan mentioned the same. I assume I have to draw it myself?"

Cor'lana lets out a noise that can be accurately described as a 'snrk', squeezing Telamon's hand back. "Darling, I can't think of a single time where you said that phrase and haven't come to regret it later," she says.

She looks back to Auranar and Seldan, smiling at both of them. "Telamon and I are already used to odd dreams in some sense," she says. "We've both conducted our own sojourns into the dreaming realm. But I also know Telamon is willing to bear a lot if it's for the good of people--especially for someone he loves."

Her eyes soften at that last comment, looking down at the ring on her left hand. "I still don't understand why, at times, but that's the nature of love, I suppose," she says.

Pothy, meanwhile, sets to tucking into the especially-made-for-him snacks made for him by Auranar. His little tail wags up and down as he feeds, clearly enjoying this culinary delight--although he eats... /raven/ously, like he's afraid it'll disappear if he doesn't eat quickly enough.

"Even so, although you need not draw it yourself, if that is preferable." Seldan does not move, and watches with quiet, steady sobriety. "It is in my mind that not much is required. I shall see to any wound you may make."

He turns his gaze, then, to Auranar. "They are of the Dream Realm, and their primary purpose is to serve as the anchors that bind the Hound to the Abyss. When one of the Light attunes such, it strengthens the Hound's chains. Does one of evil find it, attuning it will weaken those chains. It is in my mind that they hold some power over dreams, being of the Dream Realm, but I have researched that but little."

Auranar nods. Still, she seems discomforted. There's a thoughtful expression on her face and then she shakes her head, wholly to herself. "I know that they made Verna's dreams more potent, and when they were not... attuned that they caused grave nightmares. If this man thought it a good luck token, then he either failed to notice the nightmares or... Well I suspect by its shape that he serves Caracoroth." This last bit is a bit firm and she looks irritated briefly.

Verna returns with a tray of tea, cups, and baked tarts. They are set upon the table before she stands behind Auranar, comforting hand upon her shoulder. "They certainly grant more power over the Realm of Dream." A flat statement that is marred by pursed lips. "That is a matter of choice, however. I expect you capable enough to address dreams or even aggressive lycanthropes, Telamon." Her eyes shift from him to Cor'lana. "With the ready support and assistance you have."

Cor'lana looks irritated, too. "Serves Caracoroth and his own idiot self," she mumbles. "I can't believe that guy fell for my act."

"Heartbreaker," Pothy murmurs as he continues to eat.

This gets a rolled eye and groan reaction from Cor'lana. "I'm not...! Okay, what happened in the sewers was /not/ my fault!" she says. "This was--Intentional’s not the word I'd use for it, but I was doing it for the sake of making sure an evil god doesn't break free from his chains. Nobody was getting through to that idiot man, and there were /way/ too many people in that tavern that could have gotten hurt, so...!" Her face flushes.

Telamon is... not exactly spurred on by Lana, but her words, her presence, helps strengthen his resolve. "Alright. Not much, you said," he replies to Seldan. Carefully, he draws the dagger from its sheath; it's an elegant, slightly curved blade of Mythwood design, with elaborate engravings along the blade. Both decorative and functional, judging from the gleam along the edge.

Carefully, Telamon holds the blade in one hand, before placing his other palm along the edge. He takes a deep breath, then with a hiss he draws the blade swiftly across his palm -- blood starting to well up in a thin line. Hurriedly, he puts the dagger down, and starts to reach for the totem.

Seldan is momentarily distracted by the byplay between the bird and Cor'lana, turning his head from Telamon as he begins the process to regard the pair. _Wait, is that the - why is it not begging for snacks? When did it get manners?_ A thousand questions light behind the ice-blue eyes, and not all of them are about the bird, but true to form, the paladin does not ask, merely waits to see if she will explain.

Auranar smiles a little, glad to see that not all of Pothy's spunk has disappeared, then turns her attention fully on Telamon as he reaches out for the totem. Is it entirely her imagination that he seems to hesitate? Or perhaps time slows slightly as he goes to grasp the totem. Either way she finds herself holding her breath. Waiting for something... anything to happen.

As Telamon's hand touches the totem finally, his blood connecting with the wood-like substance of the totem, there's a hesitation in the air. The totem starts to shift but... slowly. This is not the quick change that Seldan might have noticed between one instance and the next - had he been paying attention. Nor the quick change that Verna noted when she touched hers with her blood. Instead the totem seems to be uncertain what image to take on... and then eventually settles into the image of a woman. It looks in fact rather identical in shape to the one that Seldan holds.

Verna remains still for the ...process. She has witnessed such, personally, on more than one occasion (though admittedly she was not paying so much mind during one). Does she expect anything averse? No. This does not mean that she is relaxed, and her still tension may be apparent and/or transferred to or from Auranar. Afterall, it is the unexpected unpleasant matters that tend to be the worst.

Afterwards, she exhales a breath she was unaware was held. "Intriguing." Her own experience made her believe it appeared similar to the bonded, though the bonded's faith or other belief-alignment would also explain what she has witnessed. "It is more pleasing to look upon, at the least."

Cor'lana watches the process with rapt curiosity, violet eyes fixed on the statuette as it's fed blood and seems to struggle with the shifting--and when it turns into a woman, she lets out a breath that she didn't realize she was holding. "Oh... Huh," she says. "Why'd it turn into a woman?"

Pothy looks at Seldan looking at him. Blue eyes meet icy blue eyes. And there's a current in the air, too, but of a different sort.

"Snacks?" Pothy says. No. He asks. He is inviting people to /share/.

Cor'lana blinks, and she quietly looks down at Pothy.

Seldan, too, watches tensely as the statue slowly shifts, but when it is done, he nods satisfaction, and the features even break into a warm, boyish grin. "Eluna," he says when it is done. "Even as the one I hold." He relaxes from his parade rest, then, and steps forward. "Will you permit Her to mend that?" He nods to the bleeding hand that no doubt stings.

Pothy's offer, though, does distract him, and he looks over at the bird, blinking a few times. "I am well, thanks." Something is lost on him.

Telamon lets Seldan tend his hand, while he looks at the statuette. "It's not quite as... refined, I guess? Probably because I'm not dedicated like you are, Sir Seldan. I only started examining the Sky-Singer in more detail after my encounter with her avatar."

He smiles at Pothy, genuinely touched. "My friend, it really is good to have you back. I think we could all use something light to eat, after all this." His eyes flick to Cor'lana's, glinting happily despite the gravity of the situation. Even as hard as things are, there are things that make it worthwhile.

-End