Mangoes and Bacon
Log Info
- Title: Mangoes and Bacon
- Emitter: Cryosanthia
- Characters: Cryosanthia, Durrankar, Tenoc, Un'eth
- Place: W02: Mictlan
- Time: Saturday, December 26, 2020, 7:22 PM
- Summary: Cryosanthia is paying Little Fang, who is making traps and beads, when Durrankar returns with a boar and starts making bacon. At the same time, Tenoc arrives from Am'shere with some mangoes. The scent of the candy meat draws in Durrankar's Cihuaa, Un'eth, who is in her Dire Wolf form. She stalks Cryo and Lily while the whitescale makes introductions. Durrankar shares the story of how Mictlan was established, under the remains of the great dragon Suf'rigan, who died fighting the Felwood. Tenoc explains how his tribe was lost, and how he delivered the eggs to the Silver Empress. Durrankar suggests they may find their way to Am'shere. Cryo explains how she came to be Little Fang's Clutch-Mother, as Un'eth sets off one of her traps, and the Kobold then rides her away after 'taming' her. Cryo takes some meat and tells Durrankar to keep cooking, as she will fetch the errant ones back.
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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. Durrankar 7'0" 398 Lb Sith-Makar Male Silver Sith-makar with blue eyes Tenoc 7'0" 280 Lb Sith-Makar Male Tall, green-scaled Sith'Makar hunter Un'eth 6'2" 275 Lb Sith-Makar Female An ebon-scaled female Sith-makar -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Outside the weather barrier, a cold wind blows, driving charcoal clouds before across the darkened sky. The stars vanish behind them in isolated patches, making the evening more dark. The air is clear and elsewhere the stars shine through brightly.
Inside, the sacred land is temperate, warm the way the sith'makar like it, even if it does not approach Am'shere temperatures. Unless one sits close to a fire perhaps. The cook-fires are burning and the evening's catch is roasted and being pulled apart.
Cryosanthia is a little distance away from one, with a few logs to sit on. She is dressed down among her people, wearing only a loincloth and showing off her hide. Playing nearby is a small pink youngling, Little Fang, or Lily, whose attention jumps between some small box-like devices she's setting out, and a few half-carved objects that sit near the whitescale.
Durrankar has been back for a little while, but not in Mictlan. This time....he walks into camp...dragging a very large boar behind him. He drops it near the hunters, and walks towards a fire. The hunters, nodding to Durrankar, begin work on skinning and stripping the boar.
It's only then that Durrankar begins to cook his specialty.....candy meat.
The difference is subtle, but more there-- when one's steps were in Am'shere only moments before, Mictlan seems... cooler. Dryer. Not nearly as remotely swampy land as that treasured, cherished domain But Tenoc breathes deep, exhaling with long regard. Fond memories of before. But a new place to call Home.
He rumbles to the Wardens at the Gate, passing through after a few moments discussion. A pack on his back, the Hunter seems more a gatherer for now, though coming from Am'shere proper rather than the cooler, deeper lands arond Mictlan. Directing his steps closer to the fire. Warm, delicikous, magnificent, cherished, delightful--
And cherished friends!
Perhaps word of Durrankar's intentions has spread. Perhaps his hunting garnered the attention of a vicious beast. Perhaps he simply has a stalking admirer?
Whatever the reason is believed to be, a lupine of unusual size lumbers into the vicinity of the cookfires in Durrankar's wake. The deposited boar and those preparing it are noted, but it is not immediately set upon.
Boar is good. Bacon is better.
Un'eth ripples and changes, coming to rest on four paws with white fur and very large lupine jaws.
Familiar scents make the whitescale look around. The candy meat's draws her attention, as does the master of its creation, and one of a friend. She determines the sources, standing and waving to Tenoc, "Tenoc, this one is here."
The lupine is noted, and Cryo holds back her hail for the silverscale. She would not want to ruin any surprise. Silently she meets the wolf's eyes and nods.
Thankfully, Durrankar makes a lot of candy meat. He sniffs once and turns his head. "Good to see you, Cihuaa." he says as he continues to cook. He sniffs a second time and....looks up to the new Sith-Makar. He doesn't say anything, but he does take his meat out from over the fire...and lets it cool for the moment....
Tenoc rumbles in pleasure, nodding to all gathered, scales of all colors-- and great wolf with fur in pristine brightness. "This one greets you," he replies, basking in the warmth of the flames from the fire. He steps forward, kneeling down near Lily. Reaching into his pack, with Mystery-- and withdrawing a small fruit. Mango!
"The--" He pauses, trying and tasting the unfamiliar word. "--drris-kwids. Droodsssks. Dr-flk-udddsssk--!" He glowers, rumbling a rueful snort. Giving up on tongue-tangling Tradespeak words!
"Sssk. The Greenspeakers, they wish to try and grow them. These. The goodfruits, here, in Mictlan." The Hunter releases the pack from his back, letting it slide to the earth with a careful thump; from within comes a subtle, warm scent that carries on the air. Drifting sweetness. He bends before the others, curving body low as his tail thumps behind. "May I ask for the fire, to share?"
"It is good to see you, too, Cihuaa," the white dire rumbles softly. She waits until after he sets down the meat to cool before nudging him with her muzzle. No one wants to cause an accident and the tragedy of boiling fat upon one's snout, or, worse, waste of Durrankar's cooking.
Her head pivots to Tenoc at his question and dips her snout. "All are welcome here, The People most of all. The fire is shared." You paged Tenoc with 'I forget any title you normally use?'
The carnation-scaled youngling stops what she's doing to turn towards Tenoc. Her first word is in tradespeak, a high pitched, "Peasss," then she switches to a sibilitant draconic where she is much more fluent. "Peace on your Nesst." She holds both hands up to take the mango, which is a large fruit for her. She nods at the additional information.
"Peace, also Tenoc. Mind Little Fang's traps." Cryosanthia cautions. The whitescale is relaxed, amused, and her scents reflect that. "She is protecting her Ssassa."
Now that Un'eth and Durrankar have encountered each other she turns their way, gestures at Tenoc and makes introductions for all, "This is Hunter Tenoc. This is Shaman Durrankar, Shaman Un'eth. Both, Shaman of the Tyrranik; Both, Warder of Mictlan and Ea."
The Speaker is being formal.
"If you are new from Am'Shere, then sit and share words with us." Durrankar gestures towards a nearby log. "No need to call us druids. We are Shaman, Hunters, Warriors and Speakers, but we are all sith-makar." Apparently, it is long enough for the meat to cool, and he offers a couple of strips to Un'eth...before allowing much of it to be distributed. Durrankar eats a couple of slices, before offering a pair of slices to tenoc and Cryosanthia.
Candy meat to Sith-makar is bacon.
Tenoc gives Lily a soft hiss of approval, sitting carefully, the greatspear set alongside. "Peace upon your nests, Shaman Durrankar, Shaman Un'eth. This one.. it is pleasure to meet you." He rises again, drawing the pack before him as he reaches into the depths. Rummaging, once and twice, to withdraw several more of the mango fruits from inside. To the distribution of meat he adds the small fruits-- smaller than they should be, but fresh from Am'shere's lands. Cherished!
He exchanges the mango for the candy meat, rumbling contentedly as he tears it into thirds. OIne, eaten- first and fast. Rumble approval. Much tasty! The second, offered to the fire itself. And the last-- passed with sly, surreptitious motion to Lily. Tailthump. "This one has been in Mictlan some seasons," he returns, exhaling a slow, steamy breath. "But it is poleasure to share words. How may one serve, Shaman?"
Dire Wolf utilizes ancient magics, and possibly a large maw, to make the offered bacon vanish. Without trace. Near-instantaneously. "Rest. Share words. Hear those shared. Mind the younglings..." she offers this as a response to Tenoc before she lowers behind Durrankar.
While he doesn't have the silhouette to fully conceal her, she makes some effort; crouched low, bellyfure dragging the ground as she inches her her way around the fire. Towards Cryosanthia and Lily, if more the latter. Stalking. Unseen... at least for any that might mistake her for a slowly moving drift of snow.
Cryo takes her pair of strips. She tail-thumps while staring at her pink foundling. Lily is torn between attaching herself to Tenoc's shin or coming to her clutch-mother. Decisions, decisions! When that is decided she will have to choose whether to eat the mango or the bacon first.
The little youngling runs over to the whitescale. It's clear to any sith'makar she's not one of them, she's a kobold. It's even more clear with her out of the parka and boots, despite the bacon scent doing a good job of covering hers.
"See? Share. Work together." Cryo tells Lily, inclining her head towards the exchange between Tenoc and Durrankar, "Give Ssassa your mango so you can take some bacon."
Lily looks reluctant.
"Your hands aren't big enough. This one will hold it for you. This one has a mango too, you will get yours back."
The white wolf goes completely unnoticed.
"There are clans in Am'shere, but here....we are all one. Assist when you can, do not place Mictlan or it's people in danger. Mictlan is meant to be a sanctuary...that is how Un'eth and I created it. We placed it here underneath the remains of Suf'rigan. Suf'rigan gave it's life fighting the Felwood. After fighting to stay where it is....it answered the song of the Death Singing Dragon. We found the remains and.....made a fire underneath of the skeleton....as the center of Mictlan. Communal fires are built as well here....so any sith-makar will be able to find it by scent."
Durrankar tells the story of how he and Un'eth created Mictlan.
Tenoc listens intently, mesmerized. Fascinated! Reverent, as he rumbles in quiet approval.
"This one...." He trails off, pausing as words tighten within his throat. Stiffness, stillness- he glances to Lily, tail curving slowly as he draws his eyes back to the others as a whole. "From Am'shere. At peace. Isolated. Before Charn came."
He glances to one side, out towards other firepit lights. Reluctant.
"....after. We journeyed from our place, our ancestors. Came to Gathering Portal, and here-- to Mictlan." He rumbles, eyes curving back. "Please to rest. Gathered numbers. Largest tribe. How could-- not come?"
Left unspoken-- small tribe. Charn. Isolated group, suddenly moving after the meeting. 'We' replaced with 'few' and 'one'.
Somber tale, spoken on the wind, on scent, as shared too many times.
Dire Wolf creeps closer to the 'unsuspecting' one(s), taking advantage of (or simply not interrupting) Durrankar's tale. He has always had more ken for words than she. Besides, there is bacon/mango/carnation/whites to stalk. She is even quiet.
Until Some of Tenoc's words draw a low growl out to rumble from deep within.
"This is important Little Fang, listen." Cryosanthia says, crouching down beside her foundling. She gestures up at the bones. It is a testament to juvenile will that Lily manages to concentrate on the story, and not the sweet, sweet, candy meat just in front of her. She manages.
Cryo is also making an effort, because she forgot the name of the dragon. The story was a long time ago for her. "Assisst. Don't bring trouble. Understand?"
"Yess." Lily nods, although Tenoc's story grips her attention better. It's one she understands. She places a small, scaled hand on his knee and presses. She's here.
Unnoticed, the drifting snowbank that is a wolf can drift closer, until double unnoticed, one of the kobold's traps goes off with a 'clack' that launches a small rock up into the air that rises a foot or so before falling back to the ground with a quiet thump. Enough noise to draw attention.
Durrankar tears a piece of the candy meat with his teeth. "you have escaped from Charn then?" he asks Tenoc. But he does sniff...and looks to Cryosanthia. "Where did you find the little one?"
Dire Wolf freezes after having sprung the trap. Yes, this will surely make her invisible! Who could possibly notice a few hundre pounds of fur a few strides away?
Tenoc rumbles, a chuckle as he answers. "Charn came to us," he answers with great care, placing his hand upon the tinier carnation one. Great and small, in shared, quiet things. "As it is remembered... ssk. They came looking for things ours, that the softskin Charns-- Sharrrneese? -- did not have. And did not find gold, or silver, or pretty things. So, angered, sought blood and bone and scale and egg, instead. But Clever One, Wise One hid away true eggs, left only stones for Shar-Magething to find. So much angry, Softskin was."
He rumbles a chuckle, stealing a glance over. White Wolf, fierce Lily-- Mighty Hunter, so oblivious!
"Hunters were not there. Long hunt, good... But were not there when Softones came. And so--"
He bows his head, rumbling quietly. "...our tribe's tale, ended. NO Eggwatchers, no bearers left. But eggs still there-- we found them, gathered them, followed last wisdom of Ancestors. Travelled through swamp lands, across Am'shere. To place of safety, of rest. And some... further on. To other place, other things. And so, here."
The whitescale and the carnation scale listen quietly. There are not interrutions as Tenoc tells his story. Cryo was aware, but did not ask, and now she files away the details. When the greenscale has finished speak, the two of them are silent for a few moments longer.
There was a question asked, so it must get an answer.
"In the woods." Cryosanthia looks to Durrankar. She hands both strips of bacon to Little Fang, to distract her, except it doesn't work. The little kobold holds them, watches as her story is told, "She was brought to this one by Tae, an Oruch Druid. Tae knows the small kobold nests. Tae is finding them destroyed. Tae needed help. To speak with. To watch her. Little Fang is this one's foundling now."
There is a calm conviction to her as she speaks. Cryosanthia will not fail in this.
Story told, Lily hides behind one of Cryo's legs, hisses at the white wolf that got caught in her trap and puts both strips of bacon in her mouth and chomps them. She is the predator that wins the candy meat today!
Durrankar looks very hard at Lily for a moment...despite her hiding behind Cryosanthia. "You are to watch her then, Cryosanthia." he then looks to Tenoc. "Where are the Eggs now, Hunter Tenoc?" he says simply....
One can almost read the guarded caution on Tenoc's features; Danger, Cautio--- The Greenscale bites down the urge to guard, exhaling with a slow, rumbling breath. "Apologies Shaman," he murmurs, shivering from tip to tail, a brief ripple of scales before he straightens.
"Ssssk. Some, with the Portal Guards. Others, carried by other groups, farther on into Am'shere. One is told that they seek the Silver, to regrow and renew beneath her eyes, her protection. Far from Sharnskins' huntings." He takes a moment to bask in the flames, the closeness of gathered kin. He reaches up beneath the heavy gold collar at his breast, fingers clasping around carved beads of wood and ivory.
"All are safe," he answers with quiet satisfaction. "Tribe's story ended, but will go on. This is as should be." Tailthump.
"This one watches her." Cryosanthia says, her tail curling around Lily as a protective barrier, "She is with this one, always. Except when this one must do dangerous things. She is protected then by my trusted close ones."
The whitescale watches as her foundling chomps down the bacon, then hands back her mango. "There is much trouble in Alexandria. This one cannot avoid involvement, but she will not be left motherless again."
Cryo tilts her head, her scents switching from something unyielding to more pleasant flavours, "This one needs some candy meat, to keep the wolf at bay." She's got her eye on the Dire Wolf also.
"Cihuaa is playful, she will not harm foundling." Durrankar says matter-of-factly. However, he looks to Tenoc. "I ask, so I can send hunters to bring the eggs and their carriers here. We have Egg watchers here....and they can be a very zealous lot."
At the mention of the Egg watchers....a few females heads perk up immediately, butt Durrankar ignores them for the moment.
Whether by her cihuaa's words, or (imitated?) insinct, the white wolf crouches low in front, as if to pounce. Yet her hindquarters are high and tail swishes behind her in a heavy wagging. She inches towards the foundling; no longer stalking but far more obviously playful.
The Greenscaled Hunter rumbles, a soft hissing chuckle of quiet mirth. "This one has seen!" he agrees with Durrankar, grinning with bemusement. "They watch well, and disapprove if this one is poor example for hatchlings." He casts Lily a sly wink, a glance cast to the White Wolf, rumbling in quiet reverence. Contemplation. Long breath, exhaled with brief regret.
"... This one does not know," he admits, voice softer, more subdued. "Almost certain-- some with Portal Guard, in Am'shere. Others-- hope, fierce hope, that they suceeded to finding Silver's place. The Empress-- sssk. Surely she would protect?" He glances towards Lily again, quiet warmth in scent, on features. "Foundlings. Sith." He turns back to the Shaman, shivering briefly. "Sssk. Many turns of the moon, now. Thsis one... unsure. Would they not have hatched now, and-- found new paths to follow?"
"Eggs will give up, if they are alone too long." Cryosanthia answers, without experience, although she's been very attentive in her lessons. She searches for something encouraging, "One hopes. The ones that hatch will be very hardy. They would be welcomed."
Crouching down, she whispers something to Lily, then gives her a little pat on the back. The kobold ventures forth towards the playful looking wolf. She's also been attentive in her lessons, and goes in a circle around the mouth in case there is a biting instinct. Cryo stands, seemingly casual, but a bit of maternal attention is always dragged the youngling's way.
The whitescale looks contemplatively at Tenoc, "A Speaker for the Silver Empress is at the Gate. He might know their fate."
"The empress has many things to do, and would likely send the eggs here, Hunter. Especially if your clan's story has ended. That way, your clan's story will not completely end, but will continue, but as part of Mictlan. As would you, Hunter." He then looks to Cryosanthia. "Yes....talk to the speaker."
Tenoc leans back on his heels, eyes widened as he stares. Starstruck!
"They... travel so far... to come back?" He hisses softly, a quiet whisper of steam fleeing his nostrils. Brought under control, though the scent, the posture remains. Wild mirth!
"Truly," he rumbles, breath a quiet murmur. "Laughing Dragon laughs, and has strange sense of things." He chuffs, a rumble as he nods in quiet thought. "This one will request audience with Speaker of Silver. It.... is wise." Fingers tighten on the beads under collar; thoughts, world, all sent askew!
"...ssk. Should deliver goodfruits to Greenspeakers as well," he adds, half-absently. "Seeds. Growing things here. Yus."
Durrankar holds out his hand. "I shall take your seeds, Tenoc. Un'eth and I shall plant them ourselves...."
Tenoc clicks over with a rumble, bending again in formal bow. Carefully, reverently, he retrieves his pack, lifting the cover briefly to point out the smaller sack within. "This holds seeds," he says, briefly showing one of the palm-sized objects. "The rest... fruits. They said that they travel... like eggs. Better as fruit first, more protected. hen taken out, more... alive. Easier to grow." He folds them closed again, passed on to Durrankar with due reverence. "May they grow for you, Shaman, and for us all. Mictlan will be better with them, yus."
Tenoc sighs as he explains to Lily-- no, too young to be riding fierce battle wolf into combat with things. Or hunting. Or asking to chew on softskin slippers!
Lily has watched goblins a lot during her trips to the city. She has seen them ride wolves. She considers herself at least the equal of one. First the dire wolf is pounced, and vigorously rubbed behind the ears. The kobold's small, clawed fingers are great for slipping deep in the thick neck ruff, and she scratches nicely along her neck. Tenoc's warnings are ignored. She will ride this one. With a sudden leap she is up on her back, hissing happiness.
"They will be in good care," Cryo says as Tenoc and Durrankar discuss seeds, "This one will take you to the Speaker, Tenoc. There is more to tell him. Things have gotten worse."
The whitescale looks at the silverscale, "They hunt the pieces of the dead god, Animus, in Alexandria. They have scried and found nothing."
"I know of one group that found a shard of Animus. I think one wanted to give the shard to the Solar Angel that was in the Temple of Daeus." Durrankar states to Cryosanthia. "I can only hope that this doesn't come back to bite us in the tail."
Tenoc rumbles softly, grateful as he bends to Cryosanthia. Tailthump. And then-- time to watch Lily's adventuresome delight. Great wolf, large as a horse-- he rumbles quiet mirth as he watches Great Rider Lily!
...he reaches into the satchel at his side. Small bead, pine, oak, ivory....
He rumbles, nodding as he pulls the wooden one free. White pine. Soft, strong-- Memory.
He grins contentedly as he takes a small fleck of dark stone from his pouch in turn, quiet carving tools. Primitve, but sharp. Speakerthings, Shamanthings-- time yet to come for his aid with the Shards.
"That is more news than this one heard. This one asked Iuitl to assist." Cryosanthia explains, "There is a Delegate from Charn. A priestess of Taara. She is familiar with Alexandria and the resurrectionists, and has current knowledge about many of Alexandria's adventurers. She has been meeting with the nobility, the city provides her great protections."
"This one is concerned Charn would undermine the treaty between Alexandria and the Empress. This one has not been able to determine much. She gives out Am'shere fruits as easily as we do, which also worries this one."
She watches as Lily rides off with the Dire Wolf, or the Dire Wolf rides off with Lily. "This one feels compelled to chase. Un'eth has pretended to be a Swiftclaw, when this one has taken one to go investigating. Your Cihuaa watches us, and this one is grateful."
"Wise to bring Cihuaa to meet with anyone that says they're a Taaran. You never know when they'll try to murder you in the name of their goddess." He then lets out a bit of steam from his nose. "Charn goes into Am'shere regularly for their slave trade. We had to fight a large group here once from Charn. they released slaves who were living bombs. It would not bother me if an earthquake, either blessing or natural, came onto Charn.....and swallowed it."
"She is more than a Taaran. She is Madah'Chern Akorinil ferch Belvade yun Lithrinil dem Kenduis, a High Priestess of Taara, on a diplomatic mission from Charn. Alexandria bows and scrapes to her." Cryosanthia says, "This one knows the raid regulary. It dismays this one that she can so easily get fruit. It suggests her connections to Charn and Am'Shere are very swift."
She picks up her haversack, gestures at the little boxes in the immediate area, "Watch out for Lily's traps, this one will come back with her for them. They are harmless, now, but she makes them when she is worried for herself or her Ssassa."
The whitescale dips her head towards the silverscale, "this one will bring back your Cihuaa, this one will say there is more candy meat." She grins widely and bounds off, "Back soon!"
