Inner Mictlan
Tenebrae - Saturday, July 15, 2017, 10:19 PM
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-<* W02: Mictlan *>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
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.
Svarshan comes back after a time, having shared words and received advice. The bosal looks better than when he had cleaned it, and the warrior-caste wears a sheepish look upon his scales.
Overhead, the western clouds turn purple, red, and gold. Beneath them and between bones, Fire burns. Sith-makar gather here, alongside the occasional softskin. They mingle in caste-groups, talking shop, recent occurrences and news. Though this too, is not absolute. In one area, a hunter seeks a blessing from a shaman before the hunt, and in another, younglings jump and leap. That area too, is quite mixed. Un'eth lies there, with younglings crawling over her, and Durrankar tends to a nearby Fire. Yexto too, is there.
Munch flies. It's a new trick for the metal man, and one that doesn't last long. Plus it's really hard to navigate from above. And landing is hard as well. So it's with a small crash the chrome dragon lands outside the meeting grounds, picking himself out and sorting out the too many limbs before making sure just where he is, the magic wearing away as he turns back to his typical humanoid form.
Yexto turned to the sound of the crash looking at Munch when he walking toward the fire. He did not say anything turning to Svarshan welcoming them back to the fire. He then stopped moving for a moment as he stared into the fire. He kept with that for a moment before he turned to Munch "You have come to share words and meat?" He asked curious now.
Some warriors respond, looking towards the crash. A hunter jogs forward to investigate. Munch is noticed, here at Mictlan, by a wary people. Svarshan looks up too, scenting the air; muzzle opening wide and scent-air drawn across tongue, across olfactory sensors. ...and looks towards his kin in the warrior-caste, and back towards the odd chrome golem.
Munch seems unconcerned, either cocky enough to think he's not in danger, or certain once recgonized everyone will relax. Peering, the Golem Who Eats, raises a hand in greeting to the Demon Chomper before shifting his attention to the one who spoke. "I came because I was bored, and the sunset was too nice not to fly in. But words and meat are good. I am Munch TerrorMaw, and i don't think we've met yet."
"I am Yexto of Cahax tribe." Yexto said answering to Munch. Yexto spoke as he had with the others before. He did not raise an alarm yet waiting to see what the others did. It appeared that he did not wish to cause issue with a guest that was known.
Svarshan scents the air again, the tip of his tail twitch, twitch. But, he takes his cues from others in his caste and perhaps... "You are you, but not you," he says, amused. And then the warm smile fades, becomes something more quiet and internally contemplative. "Peasse to your nesst, old friend," he says, when he can collect his thoughts.
Munch shrugs, glancing a moment to the warriors before proceeding forward to take a seat. "May the DragonFather watch over you and yours. I am always me, no one else could manage. But who I am changes. It must, only the dead stay the same, and even then not always." He nods to Yexto. "'Cahax'? I'm not familiar with that clan."
"Most would not be familiar with it. It once was more known but now I travel to gain a name for myself and my tribe." Yexto said proudly. He turned to Svarshan looking slightly confused before he turned back to Munch "You change so much that others do not know you on sight? I have only heard of such things. Is this part of your jounery?"
Svarshan gives Munch another thoughtful look. Another sith-makar might say it was disconcerted. "He hass looked as he doess now, for as long as I have known him. ...but perhapss his body wisshes. To be ssomething elsse." To Munch, he lifts his muzzle. Some light shines there now, but the earlier thoughtfulness does not fade. Not entirely. "Are you happier, now?"
Munch buzzes in amsuement. "Looking like a dragon is new. Looking like me is not." He turns back to Svar and shrugs. "I am content. I learn and grow. I do change, though it's been small. Internal, mostly. Though I think my wings will come in soon."
Yexto nodding now that he understood what was going on "I see thank you for explaining it to me both of you." He said with a nodd of his head. "Learning is good. I have been curious most of my life learning when I can. Helps one to survive and keep others alive."
"..." the other warrior tilts his head to the side. So many thoughts, to jumble a warrior's head. At length he gives a shake, a snort. "Join uss at Fire, warrior-casste. Our sshaman wass just making ssome of the mealss. Tell uss about your wingss?" he asks, and gestures with his tail towards the rock they had been sitting on, he and Yexto, inviting Munch to join them.
Munch nods his thanks, taking a seat, before turning to Yexto again. "I tend to learn more of breaking things and hurting people, but I've gotten a lot better about which things and which people." He nods to the BrightBlade, and considers a few moments. "There are... paths... in my... heart, or blood, maybe. The.... direction... is laid out... but the steps that make it, those I have to do myself. The path I've chosen to follow, it leads to wings." The golem buzzes a moment. "No, not to wings, they just happen to be along the path. Wings are a waypoint, not a destination."
"I have a power that calls on something in my blood. It awakens something." Yexto paused now to figure out how to explain what he meant. "You must know of those that call on a strange state to go into battle? Making them stronger and harder to kill? My power is similar but it does not stop there it also changes me. Others say that I look more like a hero from older times, when I do it."
Svarshan scratches at his jaw, the sound of claws rasping over dry scale. Then leans forward, elbow relaxing on knee, to listen to the two of them. Behind, his tail rests against the earth and bone.
Munch looks to Yexto and makes a noise not unlike a buzzsaw going though stone. It's his happy noise. "Yes, I think. My OverDrive System was based on it. A few moments of increased physical power, with a cooldown after. I use alchemy and magic, but the results are similar. I've drifted away from that path, and not mastered the ability yet, but it's very potent."
Yexto nodded "It is like that. I did not understand how it works all the way since I only have myself to use to figure things out. I thought that the weakness I felt after using the power came because I was channecling the power of my blood more then I normally did in that state."
Elian has arrived.
Svarshan shifts again as the two converse. Thoughtful, uncomfortable somehow, but willing to listen. Overhead, the western clouds turn purple, red, and gold. Beneath them and between bones, Fire burns. Sith-makar gather here, alongside the occasional softskin. They mingle in caste-groups, talking shop, recent occurrences and news. Though this too, is not absolute. In one area, a hunter seeks a blessing from a shaman before the hunt, and in another, younglings jump and leap. That area too, is quite mixed. Un'eth lies there, with younglings crawling over her, and Durrankar tends to a nearby Fire. Yexto too, is there, near Munch and Svarshan. The three warriors sit in an almost contemplative conversation.
Durrankar has connected.
Svarshan shifts again as the two converse. Thoughtful, uncomfortable somehow, but willing to listen. Overhead, the western clouds turn purple, red, and gold. Beneath them and between bones, Fire burns. Sith-makar gather here, alongside the occasional softskin. They mingle in caste-groups, talking shop, recent occurrences and news. Though this too, is not absolute. In one area, a hunter seeks a blessing from a shaman before the hunt, and in another, younglings jump and leap. That area too, is quite mixed. Un'eth lies there, with younglings crawling over her, and Durrankar tends to a nearby Fire. Yexto too, is there, near Munch and Svarshan. The three warriors sit in an almost contemplative conversation. (repose)
Munch nods, and shrugs. "I don't know how your works. Mine, the chemicals needed gets used up, and the chemicals created must be purged. I think most bodies run similar, but magic makes for all sorts of complications."
"I see will have to find others to understand it better. If there was one thing I learned from the shamans it was that you should understand the power that you use. If not it might be a danger to others." Yexto said very serious.
Having no tail to thump to declare his presence, Ga'Elian, walking beside his griffon from out of the trees, sounds a pair of short blasts upon his hunting horn as he approaches the seemingly peaceful nest of Un'eth and Durrankar. The smell of two freshly taken deer, precedes the sight of them laying across the griffon's back. Ga'Elian waves, and calls out "Peace on your nests." and "May the gentle beams of the Silver Huntress illuminate your path." <draconic>
Svarshan offers his own thump of the tail in reply, and greeting. He looks up as Elian enters. "Peasse to your nesst, hunter," he says. He pauses after, and looks towards his caste-kin, and towards the unusual war golem. "We were ssharing words of purpose. And change. If you sspeak with sshaman Durrankar, there may be. Food left over."
Munch blinks with a soft click. Blinks again. ".....yes? Danger to others is the point, right? Death, destruction, wanton violence and bloodshed?" He blinks again, looking to Elian, and then to Svar. He likes these Sith, he really does. But as a walking, talking, engine of destruction, all this talk of peace sorta weirds him out.
Nodded to Elian "peace on your nest. I am Yexto of Cahax tribe." Yexto said with dip of his head. He turned to Munch "When you are facing an enemy that is away from those you wish to protect that is what you do. But if you are protecting others that are nearby you have to be much more careful in how you use your powers."
Elian halts his companion, and says, "You offer me victuals, when I have come to repay a debt of gratitude with these deer. Truly the generosity of this company exceeds. After the other day when I lay upon death's very doorstep and was made comfortable in this place whilst my benefactor wove his healing song upon my flesh, I am most grateful for the kindness and hospitality. Will you accept of mine offering?"
Svarshan thumps his tail again, and looks towards Yexto, and then towards Munch. "Our warrior-casste are protectors," he says then. Pauses, thinking, for words do not flow as easily to him. "...I sserve the Dragonfather as His brightsscale, and use that to rend the throats of demonss. I alsso sserve our Empress, and protect the ssmall ones. A youngling," he chuffs, warm, "Could sswing from my fangss and find no. Harm. It iss what it meanss to be warrior-casste, among the People."
"It took me ssome time to assept. That. We are more--" words. "Fang, and claw than the outsside world. But in Am'sshere, and among the People. There iss purposse." Words. So many words. He looks exhausted, after a time, he stands and in answer to the sil, moves to help him with the deer. "Then I will carry thesse to our hunter-casste," he says, "And introdusse you to them for a moment, as thesse casste share words."
Munch buzzes softly, and shrugs. "Why I roam. Find trouble before it gets close. Tough control, yeah, still important. Pointing destruction the right direction. Don't breathe acid on the locals... not even Sandy."
Yexto nodded to what Svarshan was saying. Appeared it followed those same thoughts on it or similar enough, "It is as Svarshan has said. That is what it is meant to be warrior caste. It is our duty to protect. Though that can take on different forms when different troubles fall us." He said before he stood up looking exahsuted "I must go rest, I thank you all for sharing words and meat with me. I would like to share words with all of you again when I am able."
Yexto has left.
Durrankar has disconnected.
Elian returns from his business with the deer, and says, "I always love hearing Lord Svarshan talk of trouncing demons, for that is a passion I share. Truly, I suppose that the role I fulfill in terms of Sith'makar casts would as often be warrior as hunter." He draws a cold iron arrow from his quiver and twirls it like a baton, grinning.
GAME: Elian rolls Sleight of Hand: (20)+11: 31
As Yexto heads to rest, Svarshan pauses again. Then laughs, the sound of a hissing teakettle. "Ssa. Then you musst come with uss. It iss the hunter-casste who ssee to the wild's harvesst," he says to them. "A sshaman or crafter may cook or prepare, but it. Iss hunterss who sseek and find."
With familiar roles present and defined--of warrior, hunter, and others, the warrior seems to relax. He lifts the deer easily, sharing the burden as they're delivered to that caste. And then well, it is done and they rest near the rock again. The talk of demons seems an even more welcome diversion, and he straightens. Eyes brightening.
Munch considers, and nods to the eagle-lion rider. "Demons are fun to fight. Strong, tricky, and you don't have to worry about killing someone just trying to hold a job to support their family. Undead are sorta nice like that too, but not typically as much fun. Both troublesome in their own ways, of course, but being able to really let loose on something it nice."
Elian laughs heartily at Munch's articulated views. "Oh, yes. Although, I find that there are a great many creatures that present the same opportunity for unmitigated ferocity in attack. For example, the gargantuan demon-owlbears that a group of us fought not three days past. Although I suspect that they were rather the foul creations of some mad wizard than creatures truly of the lower worlds, yet, they too were unnatural and had no place nor right to exist within the circles of Ea."
Svarshan's muzzle twists in distaste at the mention of mad wizards, and his shoulders roll, the muscles tightening at some deeper, more internal response. "Ssa. Though, the hunt iss fun. Leaping among them, and ssetting them free for Judgment. Cleanssing the earth of them. There iss ssatisfaction in that."
Munch buzzes quietly. "While I take your meaning, I can't say I judge to strongly on natural or unnatural." Says the flesh eating golem of mad alchemy.
Svarshan offers a thump of the tail, and looks towards Munch with that same thoughtfulness. "Ssa. But perhapss, your inner sself iss ssaying ssomething different?" he suggests.
Svarshan has left.
Elian looks at Munch as upon a new thing. He says, "Oh, I see your point, my friend, but while beings of artifice such as yourself are not the products of nature, yet I both believe that you and your kind have found a place in this world, and that the ways of this world have adapted to provide a niche whereby artificial constructs are as much a part of its future as the handiwork of the gods has throughout its past."
Munch buzzes in amsument. "I understood your meaning and take no offense. There is artifical, and there is unnatural. Maybe further levels, if one goes into things like Void-tainted. I am not natural. But non-natural? Eh, the gods seem willing enough to let me be. I'm content with that."
Elian has left.