Dream Grottos - User contributions [en]

Birds 01 Thylaxine

2023-06-21T13:36:47Z

TiggerDoll2:

Only a day's hard journey south and west of Alderan, the campsite is almost too small to be referred to as such. Two fine if somewhat small-boned Semphari horses, one a palamino in coloration while the other is a brown and white paint, are staked out and sleeping standing up, at this point. The fire pit is frankly tiny, but well banked and populated now with fresh coals but no actual flame. A small one-person tent of light canvas very convincingly disguised with dried grasses to break up its lines and cause it to disappear from most sight, lies about five feet away from said small firepit.

On the other side of that fire pit a single figure moves almost but not quite silently through a complex and somewhat ritualized dance. Said figure is definitely striking to see, as the male is dressed only in a soft leather loincloth, a necklace with visible black claws dangling from its raw leather thong, impressive scars across the left side of the face and the upper chest. The male is improbably tall and powerfully built, quite likely to stand over six feet, drawing quite the interest in any Shaaren settlement. Yet he moves with smooth confidence and assurance, wielding a massive blade that glints in the moon- and starlight, a straight blade of nearly five feet in length, whistling through the air with the might of the movements.

And then that dance is disrupted when a low keening moan sounds out across the plains.
----
Far off and high above, a pair of broad white wings and a pale body glide through the sky beneath a cloud, flapping morosely to keep itself aloft without the heat of daytime thermals to buoy it. The griffon yawns heavily and blinks into the wind.

Laying on the lion-sized creature of myth and secured by no more than a simple rope and leather saddle, the young woman on his back takes a firm grip on her ropes as a particularly rough flap threatens to bounce her into the air. "I know, I know, I'm tired too. But we're close to those horses I'm tracking. I tell you the trail was fresh; we'll find where they're resting before dawn, then we can take our sleep and catch them before the heat of the day."
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sharp eyes, not ears, hunh? ;)"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "It'd hardly be good manners to spot you and whatever that is in my opening pose."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "You could react to the moan. ^_- <3"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "K:Nature to recognize it, then?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "It's not natural. So being proficient you recognize that fact."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hrm. Welp that's my only Knowledge, so Perception to pinpoint its source and look towards it?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sure."
----
Bird Eyes rolls Perception (Griffon) (1d20+17) and gets 35 (18)

Bird Eyes rolls Perception (Bird Eyes) (1d20+18) and gets 23 (5)
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<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "The griffon has a much better read on direction, but even Bird Eyes is sure the sound came from the southwest, about ten miles away from the flashing reflections on that sword blade."
----
The mounted huntress pauses as a low moan reaches her ears over the night wind and the griffon's head turns to its source. Knotting her brow in concentration, the woman cocks her head at its unnatural timber. Closing her eyes and focusing, her vision goes briefly dark then relights as the sharp, eagle-eyed vision of her mount - his yellow eyes now glowing faintly with a magical connection.

"Far off... that was a howl of something great," Bird Eyes assesses warily as she makes a mental note of the direction before reopening her eyes.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'll add in my next pose a reaction to the sword flashes and likely heading your way. You can have a turn again. :)"
----
Below, near those horses the huntress and her mount have been seeking, the warrior takes just one more pass and then turns in the direction of the sound. Human eyes cannot pierce the night, but instincts that go beyond mere biology send a quiver through his heart, and he has too much experience to just ignore that. The sound was distant enough he is not expecting it to reach their location immediately, so the warrior moves instead to the side of the tent, scraping his fingers over the fabric to alert the occupant within.

A few seconds later the flap opens and a smaller, slighter figure rolls out of the tent and then up to her feet in one smooth motion, unfolding with spear in hand. "What is it?" a voice softly asks in accented Raurhindi.

"A moan across the plains. An unnatural sound. It ... I felt it, as much as heard it." The male warrior responds in the same language, smoothly and fluently.

The woman turns her face towards the direction he points, clutching her spear tightly as she whispers words in Cantare, a murmured prayer. "Wise instincts. Something has been awakened."

That said, the male warrior moves to start packing up the tent, bedroll, pack and other things to get them loaded onto one of the horses.
----
Up on the wind, the glint of massive sword catches two pairs of watchful bird eyes as the griffon and rider scour the terrain back in from the southwest. The woman, Bird Eyes, laughs with a rueful lilt. "I found our horses. And there are the two people with them... my, one of them is big," she murmurs. Then just as quickly she rubs the griffon's massive shoulder reassuringly as a whistle of protest halts in his throat. "Relax, relax, you're the only man for me. I won't find a partner until you do," she placates with an amused smile at the bird's predictable jealousy. "Now, best not to scare the horses or they'll bolt. Just circle until they set off then fly high over to drop me off," Bird Eyes instructs.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes has a jealous bird. It is like inverse-Jhiao situation.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Birb needs pettings."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Fun fact: that long screech you normally hear in bald eagle videos is an over-dubbed hawk cry. Eagles chirp and whistle; they don't at all have an imposing quality to their vocalizations."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I think I had the griffon setup as another species of bird but I can't recall it at the moment."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I did not know that."
----
"Do we have time to ride away?" the male asks even as he continues to pack as quickly as possible.

The female figure sweeps her eyes across the horizon, then turns her head to put her ear to the direction, and back and forth. "Good to get ready, even if not. Keep packing. But keep that overgrown toothpick of yours close to hand."

The male grumbles a bit at this. "You're the one with the toothpick, Guide."
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'll hold my pose until the horses start moving. :)"
----
In just a minute or two the male has the pack horse loaded. Then he saddles the other, grabs the leads of the pack horse, and climbs up into the saddle.

The woman shakes herself a bit; she clearly did not get a night's rest. "We will not make Guilenheim for nearly a tenday. The foothills of Stone Gap are a day away. Our best chance is to head back towards Alderan."

The male grimaces at this. "What I heard ... it will catch us before we reach Alderan, yes?"

The woman sighs, and then nods. "Most likely."

"Then I would rather ride on, to our original path. If it comes, so be it. I choose not to be a coward run down while fleeing."

The guide shakes her head slightly. "That is not the wisest course." Yet her tone implies it is exactly what she expected of him.

"You're welcome to the other horse." he suggests.

The woman shakes her head. "I may know how to ride, as all Cantare do, but my strength is afoot." And so she sets off jogging through the high grass of the plains, moving with a ground-eating pace that the horses will work to keep up with.
----
Spinning around on her leather saddle as the griffon makes wide circles overhead, Bird Eyes checks the bags slung across the beast's frame and then the smaller ones tied to her belt. Shuffling a few small possessions between them and satisfying herself they're all secure, she double-checks the stone axe on her belt and the spears on her back, then lays back down upon Icarus and pats the griffon's shoulder.

On her signal the pair back out of their looping patrol and pass above the group below, casting a racing shadow just to their side. Bird Eyes places a short kiss upon white feathers as she slips a ring from her finger before sliding off and plummeting to the ground below.

Fanning out her arms wide, she beams while basking in the rush of freefall and watches the dark ground come rushing towards her through squinting eyes. Only when it gets close does she push the ring back up her finger and let its magic envelope her. With a sudden lurch the young woman's fatal plummet arrests itself and she tips feet down, falling the rest of the way at a safe if rough speed. A free hand presses her leather skirt down on reflex to keep it from flapping up before landing.

"<Hello travelers,>" she calls plainly in Cantaren as the young woman literally drops in some distance ahead of the group and off to the left. Her sandals land with a hard thump in the low grass before she stands up as the protective magic dissipates from beneath her.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Sorry for the slow pose. My muse was in and out for it, not for lack of interest. Post-dinner slump maybe."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "FYI the griffon's name is Icarus because part of the internet, which I don't trust to be truthful, says it means (roughly) "go to the sky"."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "It's because she met him essentially in captivity and they went on a looong maiden flight together."
----
Before the woman can actually reach the ground the woman loping ahead of the pair of horses and their rider stops in place, one hand reaching to draw up a dark scarf from about her neck, tucking it into place to cover the lower half of her face.

That move, it seems, is sufficient warning for the rider atop the lead of those horses to stop and for that massive blade to ring free, moon- and starlight twinkling across its blade as it comes to hand ready. The blade, seen this close, is most unusual in the Shaar: a blade so big would never be straight, here, as this is. He does not dismount, but he is already prepared.

The now-masked figure whispers words in Cantare, a shimmer coming across her eyes as she watches the other woman. "< You do not glow like an angel, stranger. Yet you fall from the sky like one. >" There is an interesting hint of accent to the masked woman's Cantare speech; not much of one, but it is there. Otherwise, though, her speech is smooth and lilting, natural and natively fluent.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Most of the internet doesn't have an etymology for Icarus predating the myth so it likely a nonsense etymology but the meaning is perfect."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Let me know if you're detecting magic aura with that."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "She's using magic to make herself see better in the dark."

<OOC> Bird Eyes straightens her clothes and adjusts her hair.

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Would I recognize any part of the woman's garb and do either of them wear anything that'd denote an old world tribe to me?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Very good questions! SO PROUD!"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "While the woman's base outfit is not familiar, and does seem ... odd ... she has a good bit of ornamentation. She has a beaded and feathered headband, earrings, and a wide belt/girdle thing. All of them, and the ornamentation hanging from the spear, look very Cantare."

<OOC> Bird Eyes puffs up her chest. ^.^

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Her visible skin tone looks darker than you would expect. Not Chultan dark, but darker than a Shaaren native by a reasonable bit."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "And a hood like in your reference pic or head exposed above the mask?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "By comparison, the male is very, very darkly tanned, and a bit weathered; very sun-browned. But his base coloration is lighter-skinned. Also, there's just enough light that she'd be able to make a guess that he's red haired, and green eyed."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Yay low-light vision! <3"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Hooded. Her hair is mostly tucked away, so no way to get a good bead on her hair coloration. Her eyes seem light, a sort of grey-banded green/hazel."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Who needs magic spells when you're blessed by Gwaeron. :D"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "And Selune. <.< >.>"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Or rather 9.9, it being 1AM."

<OOC> Bird Eyes waves to the moon and mouths 'thank you'.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Also, her spear itself appears to be fire-hardened pale wood, with runes, and a one and a half foot metal blade, runes there too. And some beaded feather thongs draping from it."
----
The fallen rider's large eyes flit to the massive blade and her brow lifts in surprise at its sheer size, as well as that of its wielder, but her own weapons stay holstered. For the moment at least, she's trying to be friendly. "< You are near Roctalon land. There we fly and ride. I am Bird Eyes of the Roctalon clan, >" she explains before cocking her head this way and that at the well-covered woman, so completely opposite from her barely dressed companion. Her brow furrows again as she studies both of them. Under magically aided sight her eyes are as startling as they are piercing, with barely any sclera visible around a massively enlarged pupil and marigold-yellow iris.

"< I don't recognize your dress, sister. Which clan of Cantare are you from? >" she asks first of the woman then the towering man nearby. "< And who do you follow? >"
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<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Question: the Roctalon, as you envisage them, live in the mountains between the Eastern Shaar and the Raurin?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "They live on the plains near those mountains with semi-permanent settlements on the mountains which they return to seasonally. They have to be near mountains to catch new roc eggs but they hunt and live off the plains, either on horseback or flying on rocs above it."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger nods. "OK. That's what I needed to hear. Thank you."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "As such, though Bird Eyes herself has never seen it, she will recall something of stories heard from her people, speaking of 'black-veiled Faithful'. It is said that there is a people that lives deep in the northern reaches of the Raurin, who raid out of that place all across the Punjab (deepest part of the Southern Raurin). Their name, the Aiel, means The Faithful, or at least so it is said. And it is said that when they fight, they always pull up black veils to cover the lower half of their face. The story says basically 'fear the black veil'. It is also said that they seem able to disappear in almost any environment."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Where among the mountains isn't set in stone. Just aesthetically I like the lonely range near the Rolling Stone Gap. They're not a tribe of great account due to their small number and lack of ambition, but among Cantarens they're considered very old-fashioned and traditionalist."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Oh hey, Ignis knows the Aiel! :D"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Punjab like the border-spanning province at India and Pakistan on the west edge of the Indus Valley? Must have been be a lot of rivers up there once upon a time."
----
The woman nods as Bird Eyes introduces herself and makes clear her own affiliation. "< He will not answer you. He is growing more frustrated by the moment, because he understands neither of us. >" she offers in wry amusement. After a long moment's pause, she speaks again, this time in Shaaren, going slowly and being deliberate. Her word choice is perfect, which somewhat implies that her slow and deliberate pacing is more for the male than for her. "She says that she is Bird Eyes of the Roctalon Clan. They are an offshoot, or so it is said, of the Cantare, and long allies. I am Sister Aviendha Markhaab of Lucha, and one of the Cantare. The Tekumseh clan. My companion on the horse is called the Sandtiger, a sword dancer. He has said to me he has passed to the Seventh Circle in the training of Master Alimat. I have heard of Alimat and the Circles, but I know them little."

The male speaks up, his Shaaren halting and showing effort. "What is her intention?"
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<OOC> Bird Eyes says, ""Sister" indicates a priesthood status with Lucha, yes?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Yus."
----
Bird Eyes tilts her head again as she seems to be processing Aviendha's Shaaren Common as much as Sandtiger. Then recognition dawns in her large eyes. "< Sister of Mielikki-as-Lucha. Then we are friends, >" she assures while touching a hand to her to her bare side, indicating the white mark of Kryntheoria tattooed clearly at the top of her stomach. "We - are - friends," she repeats in slow Shaaren to Sandtiger and shows her other hand, empty and unarmed beyond the ring upon one finger. "We will talk later. Now, what was that noise? Why are you going towards it?"
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes still considers her clan a member of Cantare's tribe mind you. They just aren't hip on all the new lingo and bell-bottom fashions.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger hah!

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You may notice some olde deity names. O:)"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "BTW: The Tekumseh clan are pretty well reputed; the current Chieftain of the Cantare is Tekumseh clan."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "My little way of showing the difference in dialect."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Wow, from all the way on the southern edge of the Raurin? They still have a major presence in the Cantaren culture from the other side of the mountains and half the width of the desert?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "That's a long journey just to Council Hills."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "She's very far afield."
----
Aviendha accepts the declaration of friendship, and her empty hand reaches up to lower the veil from around her face. Seeing this, the Sandtiger lowers his blade to rest across his bare thighs as he watches and listens, not interrupting. It is, all told, a rather interesting thing for many women adventurers to see, a male willing to just sit and listen without interrupting or trying to take charge of matters.

"The noise is something very dangerous. But rather than ride away, back to Alderan and the Gates, or heading for the foothills, the Sandtiger said he would rather face the threat and continue along his established path, rather than act the coward." It may be a bit hard to be sure, but it sounds like Aviendha is deprecating Sandtiger a bit, without actually using the words 'foolhardy idiot'.

The Sandtiger exhales a bit, waiting, and then speaks up, again haltingly in Shaaren. "If you know what it was, since we're sitting still, perhaps you could say?"

"Given the hour, the location, and the date, I believe it to be something the ancient legends call a Thylaxine, a creature said to wander across the Veils Between to hunt for souls." the Sister of Lucha answers.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Not a creature I've heard of I'm sure."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Avi wouldn't say this, but it is a fae version of a thylacine."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I had noticed 'thylacine' in the name there. :P"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Makes sense. Almost a friend for Aoife then, and a creature of note and perhaps knowledge of my Romeiran."
----
Bird Eyes takes the new information in and snorts lightly. "Is Sandtiger a Malarite? You hunt for a challenge? Or is a thylaxine good to eat?" she asks brusquely, clearly not sharing the sworddancer's preference.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You are busy tomorrow yes? Game day shifted?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Just had game day last Sunday. Next game day is next Sunday. Tomorrow I'm going out to lunch with Mom, after church. Going to take her to - her choice - either her very first ever experience with Indian food, at a place that has a buffet on Sundays, or to the best Thai place in my city. Then going to a friend's house for a while to visit."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Ah. I do hope you have fun. Do you think you'll want to resume this later in the day or should we plan for traveling cat across Sunday? :)"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "If all goes well I may be RPable in evening time. If not, I'm off all day Monday and we can continue then."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Yay"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You know if we do this whole fight in the dark there will be such suspense for how you'll both react seeing all of me in daylight."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You'll meet the griffon shortly I'm sure and Sandtiger will get to see he's not the only one who likes Big Weapons, but I do think I look better in the sunlight. It brings out my... eyes. @u@"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'm almost sad I'm not ICly very prideful. I /could/ show off pretty well."
----
"May-lar-ite?" Sandtiger questions.

Aviendha snorts softly and shakes her head. "No, though I dare say he has some agreements." She then turns her head to address Sandtiger, speaking quickly in Raurhindi. "< She is asking if you follow Malar, the Shaaren god of hunting and bloodlust, implying your foolhardy desire to charge off towards the thlaxine was a desire to hunt it down for the manhood. >"

The Sandtiger listens to this, and makes a grimace. "No .. Malar." One hand reaches up to brush across the scars scoring his cheek and then along the necklace of curved black claws. "Already hunted ... the beast I needed for a name, and freedom. But I will not run like a coward. And this is the direction her maps say I must go."
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Oh I am going to have so much fun teaching Sandtiger food names..."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Brace yourself for that because the Roctalons have at least six words for 'honey' and so many more words for meat, game animals, and weather."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Cantaren probably contains most of them so Avi's will have it easy enough."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Don't suppose I recognize the beast those claws came from?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I assume that was covered in my earlier inspection check, but just to be sure."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Well, the name he's carrying, given his statement, implies something."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Aye but I've never been to the Raurin Desert myself, I've only glimpsed it from the mountains."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "There is reputed to be a breed of very deadly desert-native big cat called the sandtiger. And they are said to be worst because their claws are poisonous. A paralytic."
----
"< You sound from a strange place... >" Bird-Eyes determines as she lapses accidentally back into Cantaren. "And you do not talk sense," she continues, sounding confused before anything else. "'Coward' abandons their band to danger. Two of us three are okay for it to pass by. Why seek it?"
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "ASDF naming myself "Bird Eyes" makes it really hard to find past comments about eye colors! I did not think this through."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Found it."
----
Sandtiger shakes his head just a bit. "I am not seeking it. I am seeking my destination." He points to Aviendha. "She said it was best to move, rather than keep camp. So, we move."

Aviendha grimaces. "Moving this direction, now, brings us closer to this thing. That makes it more likely it will find us before its time here is done."

The Sandtiger's answer is simple. "If it finds us, I will fight."
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hrm. Now I'm wondering where Gwaeron's 'nature is a good thing' stance lands with fey."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Material plane nature you're supposed to leave alone and live in harmony with. Don't chop down trees, divert rivers, hunt excessively - that sort of thing. And that includes predators like tigers and alligators; it's better to vibe with or avoid them if you aren't hunting for subsistence."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "But all of those things are alignment N. Fey can be truly Evil and living in harmony with "the wild" doesn't necessarily include creatures from other planes of existence."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "All true."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "But but, the First World overlaps wild places frequently and they've been around forever so it's hard to call them unnatural."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hm. Questions to ask my main god tomorrow at dusk."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Funny timing that, dusk is my prayer time so I'm /fresh/ with spells."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "A little annoying though. Dusk is prime hunting time so spending an hour of it praying cuts into actually hunting."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Dawn's best though so I won't complain. Prepping spells before sleeping then going right to hunt isn't a bad way to be."
----
Bird Eyes exhales a pursed sigh that trills her lips and what comes out sounds distinctively like a coo. "Then how is a thylaxine fought? How does it travel and how does it look?"
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger is going to push pause here for the RL evening.

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I do believe it is RL night now. :)"

<OOC> Bird Eyes hugs and switches back to Discord.

<OOC> Bird Eyes adjusts her feathers.
----
Aviendha rolls K: Dungeoneering (1d20+17) and gets 22 (5)
----
Aviendha's eyes crinkle a bit as she is clearly thinking hard. "The myths I recall only mention avoiding them. It was implied they could only cross over into the mortal realm for short periods when the Veils were particularly thin." At this she then turns and glares a bit at the Sandtiger. "Which is why I was recommending we choose a path ''away'' from the sound, to increase the time before an encounter and the chance it would be forced back to its own realms before it could reach us."

Of course Bird Eyes can likely avoid all of this by just riding on her friend, high above. Especially with juicy if stupid bait wandering around at ground level in easy reach.

The male grimaces. "I am not a coward. I do not run from a threat, or a fight. That bravery has seen me this far in my life."

"There is more under the Heavens than you have dreamt of, Sandtiger." Aviendha murmurs, choosing not to raise her voice loud enough to assure he will hear her.
----
The muttered comment seems to catch her fellow Cantaren's ear and the Roctalon glances skyward in agreement. "If we must go, I can stalk it and learn what we can see first," she offers. "Is there any value to killing a thylaxine? Do they stay dead or only return to their home?"
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<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "There we go. Now it works."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Missed anything after my last."
----
Honesty compels Aviendha's unhelpful answer, "I have no idea what value may lie in killing them, or what will happen if one is slain in this realm." The legends were not terribly explicit about that, as she recalls them. "I will warn, Bird Eyes, it is likely to be very difficult to spot. And it will not move in a natural way. The legends speak of its movement bending the eyes and the mind."
----
Something in Avi's answer seems to prick Bird-Eyes and she knits her brow pondering as a free hand fidgets with the mistletoe looped through her belt. "And does it hunt only human, not animals?"
----
Aviendha nods. "So far as I know? Yes. It is drawn to only people." And what those legends say bout she does not recall: they are most attracted to those who are most connected with the spiritual essence of the Shaar.

Those who are witch-touched.
----
"Then with Gwaeron's guidance I may stalk in peace," Bird-Eyes considers hopefully as she takes a cord from her neck and lifts it off her head, showing the tiny carved whistle dangling from it. "I will fly out to it and see what I can see. Call out with this if you need me to return," she instructs as she holds the whistle out. It's not the course of action she had advocated, but the young Roctalon doesn't show any fear at the task before her. Whether it's the confidence of experience or the bliss of ignorance remains to be seen.

"May Lucha guide and protect you in the dark in-between places." Aviendha murmurs fervently as she reaches out her hand, grasping Bird-Eyes' hand and taking the whistle, as the tingle of divine magic flows from her touch and surrounds the huntress.

And so it begins.
----
<OOC> Syval debates an attempt at flashiness, although she is not a swashbuckler.

<OOC> Syval says, "Buh? Why is my name back to Syval?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes fixes.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Because you partially disconnected? I think? I dunno."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That'd do it. Undone by my shiny new adisconnect. That figures. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I'm too out of practice with mushing or I'd have purged those when I sorted out my login problem."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Whoo! I think I can make this check on a take-10. That means I'd default to it and not just try it for showing off! :D"
----
"Thank you, Sister." Bird-Eyes bows her head in recognition of the blessing before she backs away and turns her head towards the night sky. The Roctalon stalker stretches out her arm and beckons downward, then she waits.

"Steady your horses. They're going to spook," the young woman cautions as she smiles expectantly. Silence at first as a small shape descends from high above, streaking fast towards the ground in a tucked dive. It's far, far too large to be a normal bird yet not the mythical proportions of a mature roc. Wide bright wings flare out with a sudden whoosh as they catch air and the beast levels out hugging the ground and gliding towards Bird-Eyes. Watching it come in, the young Cantaren takes a few quick steps in the same direction, paralleling its path before catching the rope of its saddle as the adult griffon flies close enough to shadow her with its wing. Yanking her immediately from her feet, the magical half-lion half-eagle makes a flap of its powerful wings and ascends back into the night sky while Bird-Eyes flips herself onto its back and settles back onto the leather saddle.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Technically I could have done that mount as a move action but mounting Icarus like this felt like a fun way to free action it. I have another variation or two in mind you might get to see later. :)"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "P.S. Sorry to your horses! ^_^"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sorry. Phone."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes pets. "You're fine."
----
The Sandtiger rolls Animal Handling (1d20+13) and gets 25 (12)
----
With the warning given, the Sandtiger does his best to keep both of his animals controlled despite the baseborn instinct of terror awakened within them at the moving presence of a mighty horse-loving predator coming up swiftly from behind. Even with his efforts it is still a challenge with cries and rolling eyes and bucking, but it is minimal, and he is neither unseated nor does the pack horse break away and flee. He is also able to calm them once the thing is gone again.

"What was that?!" the Sandtiger demands of Aviendha. She simply rolls her eyes. "That was a griffon. Far better and smaller than the roc I half-expected from a Roctalon tribe member. If you insist on this madness, let us continue ahead."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes proud smile. "More fodder for our campfire chat. You will likely never find even a Roctalon riding an adult roc."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "But that's hardly common knowledge."
----
As griffon and rider take once more to the night sky, Icarus makes a piping sound, prompting her rider to strokes the back of his head. "Thanks for waiting, boy. Did you miss me? They're a couple of new friends - interesting ones. For now, fly towards that sound we heard. I'll explain on the way."

Bird-Eyes turns around on the saddle and pats the griffon's hind-quarters before working to unfasten her armor from his pack and ready herself for a possible battle. "Yes, I know you want to eat the horses. Don't worry, they're honest folk, they'll trade fairly for our trouble. Maybe have to wait Guilenheim to enjoy it, but there they'll be a horse market from the other Cantarens. They can buy us even better eating horses - and I could make a honey-roast of them."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "AFK for phone."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "When you get back, can you give me a pair of perception checks, pls? Or just tell me what the modifiers are for both of you?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Back. Those are..."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls Perception (Bird Eyes) (1d20+18) and gets 33 (15)

Bird-Eyes rolls Perception (Griffon) (1d20+17) and gets 32 (15)
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "My best skill. ^.^"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "OK. +18. Good to know for the future."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And I believe we both have low-light vision."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Note both of us have Perception bonuses active but you can assume they're on when we're searching for something and not in a rush."
----
In mere minutes the griffon and his rider have crossed many miles and left their new allies far behind. The challenge now becomes managing to spot something like the thylaxine in the night upon the plains.

Another might miss the subtle movements through the grasses, the odd changes in dark and light. But Bird Eyes and Icarus are able to pick it out, and what they see is definitely chilling. The thylaxine moves in a way that is deeply unnatural, literally disappearing from one location and reappearing to continue its movement from another. It moves as much by flickering as by stalking. And it covers distance with incredible speed. There is a cold cruelty to its intensity which bespeaks a feline predator combined with something alien, something from Beyond.

And there is a definite sense that the creature has locked onto something, or someone, and is making a beeline for that target, giving no further warning to anything or anyone as it comes.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I have a bird eyes shapeshift from my skin-walker race, Icarus has Hunter's Animal Focus (Falcon). His stay on except if I replace them for combat or doing something specific out of combat. Mine I turn off for social reasons and sometimes for combat if I can spare the action economy."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Massive bonuses, eh? And there's two of us so it's like rolling with advantage. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I apologize in advance if this messes up your module, because there's probably a lake between us and Sandtiger's Perception checks."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Can I make out any details of its physiology from here? Any weird extra limbs or obvious weapons besides front claws and nasty sharp pointy teeth?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Definitely so. Even Avi doesn't quite reach your levels. THough she comes a good bit closer than Sandtiger does."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "On that note can I K:Nature for thylacine knowledge if the non-magic version are a thing in the Shaar? I can infer physiology that way at least."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls K:Nature (1d20+14) and gets 16 (2)
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "The thylacine is an animal known in ths Shaar, yes. They are very stealthy. They are great cats, on a smaller scale than the really big ones, closer to janguar size, plains-focused, and incredibly stealthy. They are noted for having a particular cry that startles most plains-based prey, causing them to freeze or stutter, which often comes right as they pounce as a setup."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "With a 2, you will miss out on the 'additional info' sections."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "One of these days I'll remember to take-10 when not rushed."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It did help my Perception checks, although with that if I was thinking I'd have taken 20 over 1-2 minutes."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "How fast is it traveling relative to a horse?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Horses are typically 40-50. This thing is moving around 70."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Yikes! We're not circling this thing then. Wow I'm glad griffons are as fast as they are."
----
"There," Bird-Eyes whispers as she leans over the griffon's head and points at the dark shape flickering in and out as it crosses the plain below. The huntress stares from atop Icarus and two pairs of raptor eyes study it from high above. Once she's satisfied, she gives her mount a nudge and the pair accelerate overhead to pass ahead of it, adding a burst of speed to help reach their new party ahead of the other-worldly carnivore.

"What a beast, it's almost as fast as you glide and it's on land," Bird-Eyes whispers by Icarus' ear. "It does look like a thylacine, so it should fight like a medium cat, but with that blinking in and out it's maybe going to like surprises - and be hard to pin down. It's lucky we like a chase..."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I just got a terrible sinking feeling for this thylaxine. This could be very interesting."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes is now hustling to get where she's going, but should be within range of the party before it's fatiguing.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger nods.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes also shifts some hunter magic from strength to stamina for Icarus' comfort even though checks aren't needed yet.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes will switch that back for fight time. She's just being helpful. :)

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Not like I can flap my wings to help him any other way, and he does remind me I'm dead weight."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger grins.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "In other news I think Google's trying to kill me. Just rolled up my 8d8 HD and got (sorted) 1,2,2,3,4,4,5."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Thank goodness first HD is maxed and it's minimum half so almost all of those are 4s."
----
DM rolls Icarus' Hit Dice (8d8+0) and gets 31 (2,6,7,1,2,6,1,6)
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Alas Icarus has less HD. An 8th level animal companion is 7 HD so that'd be 31-6=25 + CON stuff."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Just in case another roll would be helpful. You absolutely do not need to use those."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls Bird Eyes' Hit Dice (new) (7d8+8) and gets 37 (2,7,8,2,2,5,3)
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "How fast is Icarus flying,. then?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That is... exactly the same before applying the minimum. Funny. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "160ft per round, or 3.2 horses. :D"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Thank you."
----
Of course, Icarus is eager to prove himself, and pushes to fly back as quickly as he is able, picking up from Bird-Eyes that this is important. The griffon is able to get back to the riding - but not pell-mell - Sandtiger and his afoot guide while still leaving at least another minute before the thylaxine they saw can reach the group. But it does mean timing is tight when Bird-Eyes launches herself down, cutting things very close with her ring's ability to slow her descent before she arrives.

By the time Bird-Eyes does arrive there has been a bit of a change in the circumstances of the group. Much like the huntress herself, the Sandtiger has changed, putting on a suit of samnite armor. He has also purposefully changed horses, keeping them fresh in so doing.

In Cantare Aviendha sharply asks, incisive to the most important information: "How far?" She knows the huntress would not be back this soon if she had not found the threat.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Shaar tribes use meters for distance, was it?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I honestly have not considered that, so I have been using Imperial/US measurements."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Makes sense when PF/D&D itself uses that for distances."
----
The huntress drops in more loudly this time, now dressed in a good covering of armor with a split skirt that goes past her knees and carrying throwing spears as well as a good weapon of her own on her back. "A minute at most and at our pace about 1300 feet," which speaks volumes for the creature's speed. Outrunning it with horses would be no easy task. "It looks like a thylacine so it should fight by pouncing and biting, but as you said it fades in and out of place and uses that to move quickly. I think it may try to ambush us many times in battle, if it can control that well."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes study-studies spell list and plans.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Is Bird-Eyes giving this in Shaaren? Or in Cantare?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Cantare on reflex, sorry. Should have <>ed that."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes would use Shaaren for Sandtiger but she heard Cantare so her mouth gave Cantare. She is not used to keeping mixed company.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It has... been a while."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes steels herself after calculating AC. "Oh I am going to get wailed on. Glad there are several of us."
----
With a grimace the Sandtiger objects, "You two are using a language I do not know. What is going on?"

The bare-faced Sister Aviendha makes a sympathetic grimace herself, and then translates for Sandtiger. "It is coming. Form of a medium-large cat, apparently very fast, and it also is incredibly stealthy and seems to flit about, repositioning itself impossibly as it does so. And she says we have at most a minute or so before it reaches us."

Hearing that, Sandtiger dismounts swiftly and then stakes down the two horses about a hundred feet away, then walks over to join the other two. "If it has the advantage in mobility our best chance will be to cover each other's backs and present a united front." He says this, for once, commandingly, even as that huge blade of his whips out, point down slicing into the turf beneath their feet, as he starts ritually cutting a perfect circle thirty feet in diameter. Ten paces across. He doesn't even explain his reasons, he just starts doing it.

Aviendha kneels down, pressing her hand to the turf. "Sandtiger, I know you cannot see in the darkness as well as Bird-Eyes. My own magic is enhancing that for me, but I am afraid I do not have that to offer you. Do I need to create light, so that you can defend yourself, even knowing the creature will likely disappear from sight?"

As the prayer finishes Bird-Eyes will feel a ripple of cool clean divine magic flowing through the circle, licking across her skin as the three are bound together in cause.
----
"I do not fight well standing in place," Bird-Eyes speaks up as she watches the preparations and waves her griffon back down once the horses are safely clear. "It will try to ambush us, but we can trap it in the same way. I can fly above and dive on it when it enters the circle for one of you, then we surround it. I have a magic which can help coordinate our attacks."

So saying, the huntress takes the mingled braid of mistletoe and prairie flowers from her belt and holds it before her mouth as she gives a prayer to Kryntheoria. Then a new and invigorating magic stretches out from her and connects like threads to the other two, imparting a heightened awareness of one another's posture and movements as the light of the magic itself fades.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes debaaaates between 2 choices.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Get Equipped With: Pack Flanking! Threatening the an enemy together now counts as flanking regardless of position."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It's my less powerful choice but I think more likely to matter here if you're trying to keep your back from being taken."
Huh? (Type "help" for help.)

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And it's too mobile to surround and trap for normal flanking."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That's Share Training (2nd level), FYI. The quintessential Hunter spell as far as I'm concerned. :D"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Also I'm good if you want to pause us before the fight proper given the hour."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "BTW, Avi has cast Prayer on the circle. So you have a +1 luck bonus to ALL die rolls. And the thylaxine will suffer a -1 to all of its rolls."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Sweet!"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Luck bonuses are awesome!"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Icarus gets lucky tonight too, right? :D"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger gigglesnorts.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes will always wingwoman that griffin. He deserves it.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I do not know where a female griffon can be found just now, so I'm not sure how lucky he's going to get, I'm afraid."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "If he can get lucky in fighting a thylaxine and being paid in food for it, I think that will suffice."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Of course they aren't an animal so you need Summon Monster 6, which doesn't really work due to duration, and good luck finding a polymorph spell that can support 'magical beast' type."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I can't even hit him with anthropomorphic animal and I doubt that'd help except for letting him speak Cantare."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Also funny realization: griffons speak "common" by RAW but I'm pretty sure for Icarus that's Cantaren."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Probably so."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Really finding Icarus a Mrs. Icarus is a capstone/retirement thing. He has adventuring to do first."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Doesn't stop it from affecting things, however."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That and his appetite for horses."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And cuddles. Imagine if you will 600 pounds of cuddle-cat that wakes up every 2 hours at night."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "He could be worse, but he is definitely a light sleeper."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes digresses.
----
"No light. I will make due." the deeply masculine voice of the Sandtiger comes out of the night as he comes back around finishing the impossibly precise circle he has cut into the turf. "Eye-ush-den-ae, Alimat. Kah-zong-tek-ah, Singlestroke." The words have a truly alien quality to them, and it seems pretty clear neither woman understands them, or even knows what language they are. And then the light reflecting off of those milky green eyes ends as lids cover them ... and remain in place. The male warrior strides quickly to the center of the circle, and then stands waiting.

"Do what you know best, Bird-Eyes. Whatever help you and your friend can offer, we accept gladly." Aviendha offers in Shaaren. And then she dives into a roll, coming up behind the Sandtiger with her spear in both hands, readying for battle.

"It comes." the warrior offers, as a shiver passes through his flesh. Eyes closed, how can he possibly tell? And yet ...
----
Her own magic help given, Bird-Eyes remounts her griffin when he swoops back down and the pair ascend with noisy flaps back into the night sky. Only after gaining a substantial height do they arc back around and begin to circle above the duo on the ground.

A small glint of moonlight catches on the curved weapon drawn from its saddle sheathe before disappearing behind broad wings as the Roctalon lays herself against her mount and focuses in their expectant minute on channeling supporting magic into his feather and furs.
----
And as Bird-Eyes and Icarus continue their loop above, things erupt down below. The tall waving grass parts as the dull golden figure of the tylaxine appears, visible to Bird-Eyes enhanced vision. And then it flickers and disappears, reappearing almost twenty feet away on the opposite side of the two below at the center. And then it leaps from that new position in an impossible instant!

The surprise follows when the Sandtiger, eyes still closed, pivots smoothly and swings that huge sword with incredulous speed, intercepting the attacking great cat with a gout of blood streaming out. Claws still bite into flash, even tearing through leather and chain to reach.

Aviendha twists around swiftly, jabbing with her spear past the Sandtiger as the opening is created. And as more of that impossible blood is spilt the creature disappears again, flickering to elsewhere to stalk around those two central figures. Then the gleaming wetness upon the spear's blade disappears, as if the blood evaporated, and a pulse of light shocks down its length.

And the stalking figure of the thylaxine starts to flicker again ... and instead starts to glow, as flames of green erupt across its body, outlining it quite clearly, a beacon to any perception. The vibration of the feline creature's body subsides, and it does not manage to relocate. It stalks freely, but only on four paws without displacing through dimensions as it has been.
----
Icarus tucks his wings into a dive as the Thylaxine appears within the center of the circle but Bird-Eyes pulls him away with a frustrated growl when it blinks away again just as quickly, leaving them without a target. Banking again until she's behind the creature's new location, the pair try again in their dive. If they can't catch it mid-attack, then they'll attack first and let the others rush in.

Streaking down through the air with the speed of a diving hawk, Icarus flares his wings at the last second and tucks his claws while Bird-Eyes angles her long curved sword over his shoulder to present another layer of attack and defense. From the sides it's also noticeable - if only just in the dim light - that the Roctalon's lower legs have transformed into wickedly hooked bird-like talons, much alike though smaller than her griffon's. Attacking the sides is normally a weakspot of horses; in the case of the aerieborn Roctalon, that may only invite a surprisingly nasty reprisal.
----
With the thylaxine surrounded by the green 'flames' it is a much clearer target to all, impossible for the sharp-eyed pair to miss. And though the creature does twist around and start bounding towards the pair that are truly its target it does not shimmer out of existence to reappear on top of them as it had previously. Clearly frustrated by this the thylaxine remains keenly focused on the Sandtiger and Aviendha, much to the detriment of its defensive choices as the plummeting pair are able to land powerful attacks while the creature is out in the open and not yet at its destination. The griffon's mighty foretalons bury deep, the beak a broadhead spear into the back of the foreshoulder. This opens the neck for the aerieborn Bird-eyes to slice through with her sword.

The thylaxine gives out an echoing (but against what?!) snarl and cry as it is raked and torn into so, then it twists away from the pain, diverted from its intended target as it limps a bit, resettling itself and trying to bite and swipe back at the fast-moving pair that have come down out of the night sky. Given their speed, the attacks do relatively minimal damage to the griffon, which is able to hop to the side and continue to press the attack on the beast whose blood now adorns his beak.

Then the Sandtiger proves that the giant of a man is still quite agile, leaping the distance to land beside the creature behind the reach of its mighty jaws, then bring down that incredulously-sized gleaming straight blade down into the back of the creature's neck, the blow delivered with such force it very nearly severs the thylaxine's head entirely from its neck.

Savaged and very nearly decapitated, the creature slumps down and crawls, trying to get away from its attackers.

Aviendha strides towards the creature and reaches out. Yet rather than stabbing with her spear the Cantare reaches out and touches it gently with the butt of her spear, whispering "< Go in peace. >" in Cantare. At the touch and the phrase, the green flames around the creature fade away, and once they do the thylaxine finally relents, slumping down entirely as its form ripples and fades away, gone.

The Sandtiger turns to the lady monk, a look of confusion and fury on his face. "What did you do? Why did you not attack and finish it off? End its misery?" He is pretty angry, his anger augmented by frustration as he is forced to stumble over his words in Shaaren to be understood. More than once he instead first uses a word or phrase in Raurindhi before he corrects himself again.
----
[[category:rp log]]
[[category:shaar]]
[[category:birdeyes]]
[[category:sandtiger]]
[[category:aviendha]]

Birds 01 Thylaxine

2023-06-18T11:18:57Z

TiggerDoll2:

Only a day's hard journey south and west of Alderan, the campsite is almost too small to be referred to as such. Two fine if somewhat small-boned Semphari horses, one a palamino in coloration while the other is a brown and white paint, are staked out and sleeping standing up, at this point. The fire pit is frankly tiny, but well banked and populated now with fresh coals but no actual flame. A small one-person tent of light canvas very convincingly disguised with dried grasses to break up its lines and cause it to disappear from most sight, lies about five feet away from said small firepit.

On the other side of that fire pit a single figure moves almost but not quite silently through a complex and somewhat ritualized dance. Said figure is definitely striking to see, as the male is dressed only in a soft leather loincloth, a necklace with visible black claws dangling from its raw leather thong, impressive scars across the left side of the face and the upper chest. The male is improbably tall and powerfully built, quite likely to stand over six feet, drawing quite the interest in any Shaaren settlement. Yet he moves with smooth confidence and assurance, wielding a massive blade that glints in the moon- and starlight, a straight blade of nearly five feet in length, whistling through the air with the might of the movements.

And then that dance is disrupted when a low keening moan sounds out across the plains.
----
Far off and high above, a pair of broad white wings and a pale body glide through the sky beneath a cloud, flapping morosely to keep itself aloft without the heat of daytime thermals to buoy it. The griffon yawns heavily and blinks into the wind.

Laying on the lion-sized creature of myth and secured by no more than a simple rope and leather saddle, the young woman on his back takes a firm grip on her ropes as a particularly rough flap threatens to bounce her into the air. "I know, I know, I'm tired too. But we're close to those horses I'm tracking. I tell you the trail was fresh; we'll find where they're resting before dawn, then we can take our sleep and catch them before the heat of the day."
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sharp eyes, not ears, hunh? ;)"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "It'd hardly be good manners to spot you and whatever that is in my opening pose."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "You could react to the moan. ^_- <3"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "K:Nature to recognize it, then?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "It's not natural. So being proficient you recognize that fact."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hrm. Welp that's my only Knowledge, so Perception to pinpoint its source and look towards it?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sure."
----
Bird Eyes rolls Perception (Griffon) (1d20+17) and gets 35 (18)

Bird Eyes rolls Perception (Bird Eyes) (1d20+18) and gets 23 (5)
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "The griffon has a much better read on direction, but even Bird Eyes is sure the sound came from the southwest, about ten miles away from the flashing reflections on that sword blade."
----
The mounted huntress pauses as a low moan reaches her ears over the night wind and the griffon's head turns to its source. Knotting her brow in concentration, the woman cocks her head at its unnatural timber. Closing her eyes and focusing, her vision goes briefly dark then relights as the sharp, eagle-eyed vision of her mount - his yellow eyes now glowing faintly with a magical connection.

"Far off... that was a howl of something great," Bird Eyes assesses warily as she makes a mental note of the direction before reopening her eyes.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'll add in my next pose a reaction to the sword flashes and likely heading your way. You can have a turn again. :)"
----
Below, near those horses the huntress and her mount have been seeking, the warrior takes just one more pass and then turns in the direction of the sound. Human eyes cannot pierce the night, but instincts that go beyond mere biology send a quiver through his heart, and he has too much experience to just ignore that. The sound was distant enough he is not expecting it to reach their location immediately, so the warrior moves instead to the side of the tent, scraping his fingers over the fabric to alert the occupant within.

A few seconds later the flap opens and a smaller, slighter figure rolls out of the tent and then up to her feet in one smooth motion, unfolding with spear in hand. "What is it?" a voice softly asks in accented Raurhindi.

"A moan across the plains. An unnatural sound. It ... I felt it, as much as heard it." The male warrior responds in the same language, smoothly and fluently.

The woman turns her face towards the direction he points, clutching her spear tightly as she whispers words in Cantare, a murmured prayer. "Wise instincts. Something has been awakened."

That said, the male warrior moves to start packing up the tent, bedroll, pack and other things to get them loaded onto one of the horses.
----
Up on the wind, the glint of massive sword catches two pairs of watchful bird eyes as the griffon and rider scour the terrain back in from the southwest. The woman, Bird Eyes, laughs with a rueful lilt. "I found our horses. And there are the two people with them... my, one of them is big," she murmurs. Then just as quickly she rubs the griffon's massive shoulder reassuringly as a whistle of protest halts in his throat. "Relax, relax, you're the only man for me. I won't find a partner until you do," she placates with an amused smile at the bird's predictable jealousy. "Now, best not to scare the horses or they'll bolt. Just circle until they set off then fly high over to drop me off," Bird Eyes instructs.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes has a jealous bird. It is like inverse-Jhiao situation.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Birb needs pettings."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Fun fact: that long screech you normally hear in bald eagle videos is an over-dubbed hawk cry. Eagles chirp and whistle; they don't at all have an imposing quality to their vocalizations."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I think I had the griffon setup as another species of bird but I can't recall it at the moment."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I did not know that."
----
"Do we have time to ride away?" the male asks even as he continues to pack as quickly as possible.

The female figure sweeps her eyes across the horizon, then turns her head to put her ear to the direction, and back and forth. "Good to get ready, even if not. Keep packing. But keep that overgrown toothpick of yours close to hand."

The male grumbles a bit at this. "You're the one with the toothpick, Guide."
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'll hold my pose until the horses start moving. :)"
----
In just a minute or two the male has the pack horse loaded. Then he saddles the other, grabs the leads of the pack horse, and climbs up into the saddle.

The woman shakes herself a bit; she clearly did not get a night's rest. "We will not make Guilenheim for nearly a tenday. The foothills of Stone Gap are a day away. Our best chance is to head back towards Alderan."

The male grimaces at this. "What I heard ... it will catch us before we reach Alderan, yes?"

The woman sighs, and then nods. "Most likely."

"Then I would rather ride on, to our original path. If it comes, so be it. I choose not to be a coward run down while fleeing."

The guide shakes her head slightly. "That is not the wisest course." Yet her tone implies it is exactly what she expected of him.

"You're welcome to the other horse." he suggests.

The woman shakes her head. "I may know how to ride, as all Cantare do, but my strength is afoot." And so she sets off jogging through the high grass of the plains, moving with a ground-eating pace that the horses will work to keep up with.
----
Spinning around on her leather saddle as the griffon makes wide circles overhead, Bird Eyes checks the bags slung across the beast's frame and then the smaller ones tied to her belt. Shuffling a few small possessions between them and satisfying herself they're all secure, she double-checks the stone axe on her belt and the spears on her back, then lays back down upon Icarus and pats the griffon's shoulder.

On her signal the pair back out of their looping patrol and pass above the group below, casting a racing shadow just to their side. Bird Eyes places a short kiss upon white feathers as she slips a ring from her finger before sliding off and plummeting to the ground below.

Fanning out her arms wide, she beams while basking in the rush of freefall and watches the dark ground come rushing towards her through squinting eyes. Only when it gets close does she push the ring back up her finger and let its magic envelope her. With a sudden lurch the young woman's fatal plummet arrests itself and she tips feet down, falling the rest of the way at a safe if rough speed. A free hand presses her leather skirt down on reflex to keep it from flapping up before landing.

"<Hello travelers,>" she calls plainly in Cantaren as the young woman literally drops in some distance ahead of the group and off to the left. Her sandals land with a hard thump in the low grass before she stands up as the protective magic dissipates from beneath her.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Sorry for the slow pose. My muse was in and out for it, not for lack of interest. Post-dinner slump maybe."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "FYI the griffon's name is Icarus because part of the internet, which I don't trust to be truthful, says it means (roughly) "go to the sky"."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "It's because she met him essentially in captivity and they went on a looong maiden flight together."
----
Before the woman can actually reach the ground the woman loping ahead of the pair of horses and their rider stops in place, one hand reaching to draw up a dark scarf from about her neck, tucking it into place to cover the lower half of her face.

That move, it seems, is sufficient warning for the rider atop the lead of those horses to stop and for that massive blade to ring free, moon- and starlight twinkling across its blade as it comes to hand ready. The blade, seen this close, is most unusual in the Shaar: a blade so big would never be straight, here, as this is. He does not dismount, but he is already prepared.

The now-masked figure whispers words in Cantare, a shimmer coming across her eyes as she watches the other woman. "< You do not glow like an angel, stranger. Yet you fall from the sky like one. >" There is an interesting hint of accent to the masked woman's Cantare speech; not much of one, but it is there. Otherwise, though, her speech is smooth and lilting, natural and natively fluent.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Most of the internet doesn't have an etymology for Icarus predating the myth so it likely a nonsense etymology but the meaning is perfect."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Let me know if you're detecting magic aura with that."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "She's using magic to make herself see better in the dark."

<OOC> Bird Eyes straightens her clothes and adjusts her hair.

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Would I recognize any part of the woman's garb and do either of them wear anything that'd denote an old world tribe to me?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Very good questions! SO PROUD!"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "While the woman's base outfit is not familiar, and does seem ... odd ... she has a good bit of ornamentation. She has a beaded and feathered headband, earrings, and a wide belt/girdle thing. All of them, and the ornamentation hanging from the spear, look very Cantare."

<OOC> Bird Eyes puffs up her chest. ^.^

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Her visible skin tone looks darker than you would expect. Not Chultan dark, but darker than a Shaaren native by a reasonable bit."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "And a hood like in your reference pic or head exposed above the mask?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "By comparison, the male is very, very darkly tanned, and a bit weathered; very sun-browned. But his base coloration is lighter-skinned. Also, there's just enough light that she'd be able to make a guess that he's red haired, and green eyed."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Yay low-light vision! <3"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Hooded. Her hair is mostly tucked away, so no way to get a good bead on her hair coloration. Her eyes seem light, a sort of grey-banded green/hazel."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Who needs magic spells when you're blessed by Gwaeron. :D"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "And Selune. <.< >.>"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Or rather 9.9, it being 1AM."

<OOC> Bird Eyes waves to the moon and mouths 'thank you'.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Also, her spear itself appears to be fire-hardened pale wood, with runes, and a one and a half foot metal blade, runes there too. And some beaded feather thongs draping from it."
----
The fallen rider's large eyes flit to the massive blade and her brow lifts in surprise at its sheer size, as well as that of its wielder, but her own weapons stay holstered. For the moment at least, she's trying to be friendly. "< You are near Roctalon land. There we fly and ride. I am Bird Eyes of the Roctalon clan, >" she explains before cocking her head this way and that at the well-covered woman, so completely opposite from her barely dressed companion. Her brow furrows again as she studies both of them. Under magically aided sight her eyes are as startling as they are piercing, with barely any sclera visible around a massively enlarged pupil and marigold-yellow iris.

"< I don't recognize your dress, sister. Which clan of Cantare are you from? >" she asks first of the woman then the towering man nearby. "< And who do you follow? >"
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Question: the Roctalon, as you envisage them, live in the mountains between the Eastern Shaar and the Raurin?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "They live on the plains near those mountains with semi-permanent settlements on the mountains which they return to seasonally. They have to be near mountains to catch new roc eggs but they hunt and live off the plains, either on horseback or flying on rocs above it."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger nods. "OK. That's what I needed to hear. Thank you."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "As such, though Bird Eyes herself has never seen it, she will recall something of stories heard from her people, speaking of 'black-veiled Faithful'. It is said that there is a people that lives deep in the northern reaches of the Raurin, who raid out of that place all across the Punjab (deepest part of the Southern Raurin). Their name, the Aiel, means The Faithful, or at least so it is said. And it is said that when they fight, they always pull up black veils to cover the lower half of their face. The story says basically 'fear the black veil'. It is also said that they seem able to disappear in almost any environment."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Where among the mountains isn't set in stone. Just aesthetically I like the lonely range near the Rolling Stone Gap. They're not a tribe of great account due to their small number and lack of ambition, but among Cantarens they're considered very old-fashioned and traditionalist."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Oh hey, Ignis knows the Aiel! :D"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Punjab like the border-spanning province at India and Pakistan on the west edge of the Indus Valley? Must have been be a lot of rivers up there once upon a time."
----
The woman nods as Bird Eyes introduces herself and makes clear her own affiliation. "< He will not answer you. He is growing more frustrated by the moment, because he understands neither of us. >" she offers in wry amusement. After a long moment's pause, she speaks again, this time in Shaaren, going slowly and being deliberate. Her word choice is perfect, which somewhat implies that her slow and deliberate pacing is more for the male than for her. "She says that she is Bird Eyes of the Roctalon Clan. They are an offshoot, or so it is said, of the Cantare, and long allies. I am Sister Aviendha Markhaab of Lucha, and one of the Cantare. The Tekumseh clan. My companion on the horse is called the Sandtiger, a sword dancer. He has said to me he has passed to the Seventh Circle in the training of Master Alimat. I have heard of Alimat and the Circles, but I know them little."

The male speaks up, his Shaaren halting and showing effort. "What is her intention?"
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, ""Sister" indicates a priesthood status with Lucha, yes?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Yus."
----
Bird Eyes tilts her head again as she seems to be processing Aviendha's Shaaren Common as much as Sandtiger. Then recognition dawns in her large eyes. "< Sister of Mielikki-as-Lucha. Then we are friends, >" she assures while touching a hand to her to her bare side, indicating the white mark of Kryntheoria tattooed clearly at the top of her stomach. "We - are - friends," she repeats in slow Shaaren to Sandtiger and shows her other hand, empty and unarmed beyond the ring upon one finger. "We will talk later. Now, what was that noise? Why are you going towards it?"
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes still considers her clan a member of Cantare's tribe mind you. They just aren't hip on all the new lingo and bell-bottom fashions.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger hah!

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You may notice some olde deity names. O:)"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "BTW: The Tekumseh clan are pretty well reputed; the current Chieftain of the Cantare is Tekumseh clan."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "My little way of showing the difference in dialect."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Wow, from all the way on the southern edge of the Raurin? They still have a major presence in the Cantaren culture from the other side of the mountains and half the width of the desert?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "That's a long journey just to Council Hills."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "She's very far afield."
----
Aviendha accepts the declaration of friendship, and her empty hand reaches up to lower the veil from around her face. Seeing this, the Sandtiger lowers his blade to rest across his bare thighs as he watches and listens, not interrupting. It is, all told, a rather interesting thing for many women adventurers to see, a male willing to just sit and listen without interrupting or trying to take charge of matters.

"The noise is something very dangerous. But rather than ride away, back to Alderan and the Gates, or heading for the foothills, the Sandtiger said he would rather face the threat and continue along his established path, rather than act the coward." It may be a bit hard to be sure, but it sounds like Aviendha is deprecating Sandtiger a bit, without actually using the words 'foolhardy idiot'.

The Sandtiger exhales a bit, waiting, and then speaks up, again haltingly in Shaaren. "If you know what it was, since we're sitting still, perhaps you could say?"

"Given the hour, the location, and the date, I believe it to be something the ancient legends call a Thylaxine, a creature said to wander across the Veils Between to hunt for souls." the Sister of Lucha answers.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Not a creature I've heard of I'm sure."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Avi wouldn't say this, but it is a fae version of a thylacine."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I had noticed 'thylacine' in the name there. :P"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Makes sense. Almost a friend for Aoife then, and a creature of note and perhaps knowledge of my Romeiran."
----
Bird Eyes takes the new information in and snorts lightly. "Is Sandtiger a Malarite? You hunt for a challenge? Or is a thylaxine good to eat?" she asks brusquely, clearly not sharing the sworddancer's preference.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You are busy tomorrow yes? Game day shifted?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Just had game day last Sunday. Next game day is next Sunday. Tomorrow I'm going out to lunch with Mom, after church. Going to take her to - her choice - either her very first ever experience with Indian food, at a place that has a buffet on Sundays, or to the best Thai place in my city. Then going to a friend's house for a while to visit."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Ah. I do hope you have fun. Do you think you'll want to resume this later in the day or should we plan for traveling cat across Sunday? :)"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "If all goes well I may be RPable in evening time. If not, I'm off all day Monday and we can continue then."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Yay"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You know if we do this whole fight in the dark there will be such suspense for how you'll both react seeing all of me in daylight."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You'll meet the griffon shortly I'm sure and Sandtiger will get to see he's not the only one who likes Big Weapons, but I do think I look better in the sunlight. It brings out my... eyes. @u@"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'm almost sad I'm not ICly very prideful. I /could/ show off pretty well."
----
"May-lar-ite?" Sandtiger questions.

Aviendha snorts softly and shakes her head. "No, though I dare say he has some agreements." She then turns her head to address Sandtiger, speaking quickly in Raurhindi. "< She is asking if you follow Malar, the Shaaren god of hunting and bloodlust, implying your foolhardy desire to charge off towards the thlaxine was a desire to hunt it down for the manhood. >"

The Sandtiger listens to this, and makes a grimace. "No .. Malar." One hand reaches up to brush across the scars scoring his cheek and then along the necklace of curved black claws. "Already hunted ... the beast I needed for a name, and freedom. But I will not run like a coward. And this is the direction her maps say I must go."
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Oh I am going to have so much fun teaching Sandtiger food names..."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Brace yourself for that because the Roctalons have at least six words for 'honey' and so many more words for meat, game animals, and weather."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Cantaren probably contains most of them so Avi's will have it easy enough."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Don't suppose I recognize the beast those claws came from?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I assume that was covered in my earlier inspection check, but just to be sure."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Well, the name he's carrying, given his statement, implies something."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Aye but I've never been to the Raurin Desert myself, I've only glimpsed it from the mountains."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "There is reputed to be a breed of very deadly desert-native big cat called the sandtiger. And they are said to be worst because their claws are poisonous. A paralytic."
----
"< You sound from a strange place... >" Bird-Eyes determines as she lapses accidentally back into Cantaren. "And you do not talk sense," she continues, sounding confused before anything else. "'Coward' abandons their band to danger. Two of us three are okay for it to pass by. Why seek it?"
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "ASDF naming myself "Bird Eyes" makes it really hard to find past comments about eye colors! I did not think this through."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Found it."
----
Sandtiger shakes his head just a bit. "I am not seeking it. I am seeking my destination." He points to Aviendha. "She said it was best to move, rather than keep camp. So, we move."

Aviendha grimaces. "Moving this direction, now, brings us closer to this thing. That makes it more likely it will find us before its time here is done."

The Sandtiger's answer is simple. "If it finds us, I will fight."
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hrm. Now I'm wondering where Gwaeron's 'nature is a good thing' stance lands with fey."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Material plane nature you're supposed to leave alone and live in harmony with. Don't chop down trees, divert rivers, hunt excessively - that sort of thing. And that includes predators like tigers and alligators; it's better to vibe with or avoid them if you aren't hunting for subsistence."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "But all of those things are alignment N. Fey can be truly Evil and living in harmony with "the wild" doesn't necessarily include creatures from other planes of existence."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "All true."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "But but, the First World overlaps wild places frequently and they've been around forever so it's hard to call them unnatural."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hm. Questions to ask my main god tomorrow at dusk."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Funny timing that, dusk is my prayer time so I'm /fresh/ with spells."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "A little annoying though. Dusk is prime hunting time so spending an hour of it praying cuts into actually hunting."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Dawn's best though so I won't complain. Prepping spells before sleeping then going right to hunt isn't a bad way to be."
----
Bird Eyes exhales a pursed sigh that trills her lips and what comes out sounds distinctively like a coo. "Then how is a thylaxine fought? How does it travel and how does it look?"
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger is going to push pause here for the RL evening.

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I do believe it is RL night now. :)"

<OOC> Bird Eyes hugs and switches back to Discord.

<OOC> Bird Eyes adjusts her feathers.
----
Aviendha rolls K: Dungeoneering (1d20+17) and gets 22 (5)
----
Aviendha's eyes crinkle a bit as she is clearly thinking hard. "The myths I recall only mention avoiding them. It was implied they could only cross over into the mortal realm for short periods when the Veils were particularly thin." At this she then turns and glares a bit at the Sandtiger. "Which is why I was recommending we choose a path ''away'' from the sound, to increase the time before an encounter and the chance it would be forced back to its own realms before it could reach us."

Of course Bird Eyes can likely avoid all of this by just riding on her friend, high above. Especially with juicy if stupid bait wandering around at ground level in easy reach.

The male grimaces. "I am not a coward. I do not run from a threat, or a fight. That bravery has seen me this far in my life."

"There is more under the Heavens than you have dreamt of, Sandtiger." Aviendha murmurs, choosing not to raise her voice loud enough to assure he will hear her.
----
The muttered comment seems to catch her fellow Cantaren's ear and the Roctalon glances skyward in agreement. "If we must go, I can stalk it and learn what we can see first," she offers. "Is there any value to killing a thylaxine? Do they stay dead or only return to their home?"
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "There we go. Now it works."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Missed anything after my last."
----
Honesty compels Aviendha's unhelpful answer, "I have no idea what value may lie in killing them, or what will happen if one is slain in this realm." The legends were not terribly explicit about that, as she recalls them. "I will warn, Bird Eyes, it is likely to be very difficult to spot. And it will not move in a natural way. The legends speak of its movement bending the eyes and the mind."
----
Something in Avi's answer seems to prick Bird-Eyes and she knits her brow pondering as a free hand fidgets with the mistletoe looped through her belt. "And does it hunt only human, not animals?"
----
Aviendha nods. "So far as I know? Yes. It is drawn to only people." And what those legends say bout she does not recall: they are most attracted to those who are most connected with the spiritual essence of the Shaar.

Those who are witch-touched.
----
"Then with Gwaeron's guidance I may stalk in peace," Bird-Eyes considers hopefully as she takes a cord from her neck and lifts it off her head, showing the tiny carved whistle dangling from it. "I will fly out to it and see what I can see. Call out with this if you need me to return," she instructs as she holds the whistle out. It's not the course of action she had advocated, but the young Roctalon doesn't show any fear at the task before her. Whether it's the confidence of experience or the bliss of ignorance remains to be seen.

"May Lucha guide and protect you in the dark in-between places." Aviendha murmurs fervently as she reaches out her hand, grasping Bird-Eyes' hand and taking the whistle, as the tingle of divine magic flows from her touch and surrounds the huntress.

And so it begins.
----
<OOC> Syval debates an attempt at flashiness, although she is not a swashbuckler.

<OOC> Syval says, "Buh? Why is my name back to Syval?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes fixes.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Because you partially disconnected? I think? I dunno."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That'd do it. Undone by my shiny new adisconnect. That figures. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I'm too out of practice with mushing or I'd have purged those when I sorted out my login problem."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Whoo! I think I can make this check on a take-10. That means I'd default to it and not just try it for showing off! :D"
----
"Thank you, Sister." Bird-Eyes bows her head in recognition of the blessing before she backs away and turns her head towards the night sky. The Roctalon stalker stretches out her arm and beckons downward, then she waits.

"Steady your horses. They're going to spook," the young woman cautions as she smiles expectantly. Silence at first as a small shape descends from high above, streaking fast towards the ground in a tucked dive. It's far, far too large to be a normal bird yet not the mythical proportions of a mature roc. Wide bright wings flare out with a sudden whoosh as they catch air and the beast levels out hugging the ground and gliding towards Bird-Eyes. Watching it come in, the young Cantaren takes a few quick steps in the same direction, paralleling its path before catching the rope of its saddle as the adult griffon flies close enough to shadow her with its wing. Yanking her immediately from her feet, the magical half-lion half-eagle makes a flap of its powerful wings and ascends back into the night sky while Bird-Eyes flips herself onto its back and settles back onto the leather saddle.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Technically I could have done that mount as a move action but mounting Icarus like this felt like a fun way to free action it. I have another variation or two in mind you might get to see later. :)"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "P.S. Sorry to your horses! ^_^"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sorry. Phone."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes pets. "You're fine."
----
The Sandtiger rolls Animal Handling (1d20+13) and gets 25 (12)
----
With the warning given, the Sandtiger does his best to keep both of his animals controlled despite the baseborn instinct of terror awakened within them at the moving presence of a mighty horse-loving predator coming up swiftly from behind. Even with his efforts it is still a challenge with cries and rolling eyes and bucking, but it is minimal, and he is neither unseated nor does the pack horse break away and flee. He is also able to calm them once the thing is gone again.

"What was that?!" the Sandtiger demands of Aviendha. She simply rolls her eyes. "That was a griffon. Far better and smaller than the roc I half-expected from a Roctalon tribe member. If you insist on this madness, let us continue ahead."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes proud smile. "More fodder for our campfire chat. You will likely never find even a Roctalon riding an adult roc."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "But that's hardly common knowledge."
----
As griffon and rider take once more to the night sky, Icarus makes a piping sound, prompting her rider to strokes the back of his head. "Thanks for waiting, boy. Did you miss me? They're a couple of new friends - interesting ones. For now, fly towards that sound we heard. I'll explain on the way."

Bird-Eyes turns around on the saddle and pats the griffon's hind-quarters before working to unfasten her armor from his pack and ready herself for a possible battle. "Yes, I know you want to eat the horses. Don't worry, they're honest folk, they'll trade fairly for our trouble. Maybe have to wait Guilenheim to enjoy it, but there they'll be a horse market from the other Cantarens. They can buy us even better eating horses - and I could make a honey-roast of them."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "AFK for phone."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "When you get back, can you give me a pair of perception checks, pls? Or just tell me what the modifiers are for both of you?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Back. Those are..."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls Perception (Bird Eyes) (1d20+18) and gets 33 (15)

Bird-Eyes rolls Perception (Griffon) (1d20+17) and gets 32 (15)
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "My best skill. ^.^"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "OK. +18. Good to know for the future."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And I believe we both have low-light vision."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Note both of us have Perception bonuses active but you can assume they're on when we're searching for something and not in a rush."
----
In mere minutes the griffon and his rider have crossed many miles and left their new allies far behind. The challenge now becomes managing to spot something like the thylaxine in the night upon the plains.

Another might miss the subtle movements through the grasses, the odd changes in dark and light. But Bird Eyes and Icarus are able to pick it out, and what they see is definitely chilling. The thylaxine moves in a way that is deeply unnatural, literally disappearing from one location and reappearing to continue its movement from another. It moves as much by flickering as by stalking. And it covers distance with incredible speed. There is a cold cruelty to its intensity which bespeaks a feline predator combined with something alien, something from Beyond.

And there is a definite sense that the creature has locked onto something, or someone, and is making a beeline for that target, giving no further warning to anything or anyone as it comes.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I have a bird eyes shapeshift from my skin-walker race, Icarus has Hunter's Animal Focus (Falcon). His stay on except if I replace them for combat or doing something specific out of combat. Mine I turn off for social reasons and sometimes for combat if I can spare the action economy."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Massive bonuses, eh? And there's two of us so it's like rolling with advantage. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I apologize in advance if this messes up your module, because there's probably a lake between us and Sandtiger's Perception checks."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Can I make out any details of its physiology from here? Any weird extra limbs or obvious weapons besides front claws and nasty sharp pointy teeth?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Definitely so. Even Avi doesn't quite reach your levels. THough she comes a good bit closer than Sandtiger does."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "On that note can I K:Nature for thylacine knowledge if the non-magic version are a thing in the Shaar? I can infer physiology that way at least."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls K:Nature (1d20+14) and gets 16 (2)
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "The thylacine is an animal known in ths Shaar, yes. They are very stealthy. They are great cats, on a smaller scale than the really big ones, closer to janguar size, plains-focused, and incredibly stealthy. They are noted for having a particular cry that startles most plains-based prey, causing them to freeze or stutter, which often comes right as they pounce as a setup."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "With a 2, you will miss out on the 'additional info' sections."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "One of these days I'll remember to take-10 when not rushed."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It did help my Perception checks, although with that if I was thinking I'd have taken 20 over 1-2 minutes."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "How fast is it traveling relative to a horse?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Horses are typically 40-50. This thing is moving around 70."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Yikes! We're not circling this thing then. Wow I'm glad griffons are as fast as they are."
----
"There," Bird-Eyes whispers as she leans over the griffon's head and points at the dark shape flickering in and out as it crosses the plain below. The huntress stares from atop Icarus and two pairs of raptor eyes study it from high above. Once she's satisfied, she gives her mount a nudge and the pair accelerate overhead to pass ahead of it, adding a burst of speed to help reach their new party ahead of the other-worldly carnivore.

"What a beast, it's almost as fast as you glide and it's on land," Bird-Eyes whispers by Icarus' ear. "It does look like a thylacine, so it should fight like a medium cat, but with that blinking in and out it's maybe going to like surprises - and be hard to pin down. It's lucky we like a chase..."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I just got a terrible sinking feeling for this thylaxine. This could be very interesting."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes is now hustling to get where she's going, but should be within range of the party before it's fatiguing.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger nods.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes also shifts some hunter magic from strength to stamina for Icarus' comfort even though checks aren't needed yet.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes will switch that back for fight time. She's just being helpful. :)

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Not like I can flap my wings to help him any other way, and he does remind me I'm dead weight."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger grins.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "In other news I think Google's trying to kill me. Just rolled up my 8d8 HD and got (sorted) 1,2,2,3,4,4,5."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Thank goodness first HD is maxed and it's minimum half so almost all of those are 4s."
----
DM rolls Icarus' Hit Dice (8d8+0) and gets 31 (2,6,7,1,2,6,1,6)
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Alas Icarus has less HD. An 8th level animal companion is 7 HD so that'd be 31-6=25 + CON stuff."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Just in case another roll would be helpful. You absolutely do not need to use those."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls Bird Eyes' Hit Dice (new) (7d8+8) and gets 37 (2,7,8,2,2,5,3)
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "How fast is Icarus flying,. then?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That is... exactly the same before applying the minimum. Funny. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "160ft per round, or 3.2 horses. :D"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Thank you."
----
Of course, Icarus is eager to prove himself, and pushes to fly back as quickly as he is able, picking up from Bird-Eyes that this is important. The griffon is able to get back to the riding - but not pell-mell - Sandtiger and his afoot guide while still leaving at least another minute before the thylaxine they saw can reach the group. But it does mean timing is tight when Bird-Eyes launches herself down, cutting things very close with her ring's ability to slow her descent before she arrives.

By the time Bird-Eyes does arrive there has been a bit of a change in the circumstances of the group. Much like the huntress herself, the Sandtiger has changed, putting on a suit of samnite armor. He has also purposefully changed horses, keeping them fresh in so doing.

In Cantare Aviendha sharply asks, incisive to the most important information: "How far?" She knows the huntress would not be back this soon if she had not found the threat.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Shaar tribes use meters for distance, was it?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I honestly have not considered that, so I have been using Imperial/US measurements."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Makes sense when PF/D&D itself uses that for distances."
----
The huntress drops in more loudly this time, now dressed in a good covering of armor with a split skirt that goes past her knees and carrying throwing spears as well as a good weapon of her own on her back. "A minute at most and at our pace about 1300 feet," which speaks volumes for the creature's speed. Outrunning it with horses would be no easy task. "It looks like a thylacine so it should fight by pouncing and biting, but as you said it fades in and out of place and uses that to move quickly. I think it may try to ambush us many times in battle, if it can control that well."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes study-studies spell list and plans.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Is Bird-Eyes giving this in Shaaren? Or in Cantare?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Cantare on reflex, sorry. Should have <>ed that."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes would use Shaaren for Sandtiger but she heard Cantare so her mouth gave Cantare. She is not used to keeping mixed company.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It has... been a while."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes steels herself after calculating AC. "Oh I am going to get wailed on. Glad there are several of us."
----
With a grimace the Sandtiger objects, "You two are using a language I do not know. What is going on?"

The bare-faced Sister Aviendha makes a sympathetic grimace herself, and then translates for Sandtiger. "It is coming. Form of a medium-large cat, apparently very fast, and it also is incredibly stealthy and seems to flit about, repositioning itself impossibly as it does so. And she says we have at most a minute or so before it reaches us."

Hearing that, Sandtiger dismounts swiftly and then stakes down the two horses about a hundred feet away, then walks over to join the other two. "If it has the advantage in mobility our best chance will be to cover each other's backs and present a united front." He says this, for once, commandingly, even as that huge blade of his whips out, point down slicing into the turf beneath their feet, as he starts ritually cutting a perfect circle thirty feet in diameter. Ten paces across. He doesn't even explain his reasons, he just starts doing it.

Aviendha kneels down, pressing her hand to the turf. "Sandtiger, I know you cannot see in the darkness as well as Bird-Eyes. My own magic is enhancing that for me, but I am afraid I do not have that to offer you. Do I need to create light, so that you can defend yourself, even knowing the creature will likely disappear from sight?"

As the prayer finishes Bird-Eyes will feel a ripple of cool clean divine magic flowing through the circle, licking across her skin as the three are bound together in cause.
----
"I do not fight well standing in place," Bird-Eyes speaks up as she watches the preparations and waves her griffon back down once the horses are safely clear. "It will try to ambush us, but we can trap it in the same way. I can fly above and dive on it when it enters the circle for one of you, then we surround it. I have a magic which can help coordinate our attacks."

So saying, the huntress takes the mingled braid of mistletoe and prairie flowers from her belt and holds it before her mouth as she gives a prayer to Kryntheoria. Then a new and invigorating magic stretches out from her and connects like threads to the other two, imparting a heightened awareness of one another's posture and movements as the light of the magic itself fades.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes debaaaates between 2 choices.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Get Equipped With: Pack Flanking! Threatening the an enemy together now counts as flanking regardless of position."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It's my less powerful choice but I think more likely to matter here if you're trying to keep your back from being taken."
Huh? (Type "help" for help.)

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And it's too mobile to surround and trap for normal flanking."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That's Share Training (2nd level), FYI. The quintessential Hunter spell as far as I'm concerned. :D"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Also I'm good if you want to pause us before the fight proper given the hour."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "BTW, Avi has cast Prayer on the circle. So you have a +1 luck bonus to ALL die rolls. And the thylaxine will suffer a -1 to all of its rolls."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Sweet!"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Luck bonuses are awesome!"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Icarus gets lucky tonight too, right? :D"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger gigglesnorts.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes will always wingwoman that griffin. He deserves it.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I do not know where a female griffon can be found just now, so I'm not sure how lucky he's going to get, I'm afraid."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "If he can get lucky in fighting a thylaxine and being paid in food for it, I think that will suffice."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Of course they aren't an animal so you need Summon Monster 6, which doesn't really work due to duration, and good luck finding a polymorph spell that can support 'magical beast' type."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I can't even hit him with anthropomorphic animal and I doubt that'd help except for letting him speak Cantare."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Also funny realization: griffons speak "common" by RAW but I'm pretty sure for Icarus that's Cantaren."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Probably so."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Really finding Icarus a Mrs. Icarus is a capstone/retirement thing. He has adventuring to do first."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Doesn't stop it from affecting things, however."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That and his appetite for horses."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And cuddles. Imagine if you will 600 pounds of cuddle-cat that wakes up every 2 hours at night."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "He could be worse, but he is definitely a light sleeper."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes digresses.
----
"No light. I will make due." the deeply masculine voice of the Sandtiger comes out of the night as he comes back around finishing the impossibly precise circle he has cut into the turf. "Eye-ush-den-ae, Alimat. Kah-zong-tek-ah, Singlestroke." The words have a truly alien quality to them, and it seems pretty clear neither woman understands them, or even knows what language they are. And then the light reflecting off of those milky green eyes ends as lids cover them ... and remain in place. The male warrior strides quickly to the center of the circle, and then stands waiting.

"Do what you know best, Bird-Eyes. Whatever help you and your friend can offer, we accept gladly." Aviendha offers in Shaaren. And then she dives into a roll, coming up behind the Sandtiger with her spear in both hands, readying for battle.

"It comes." the warrior offers, as a shiver passes through his flesh. Eyes closed, how can he possibly tell? And yet ...
----
Her own magic help given, Bird-Eyes remounts her griffin when he swoops back down and the pair ascend with noisy flaps back into the night sky. Only after gaining a substantial height do they arc back around and begin to circle above the duo on the ground.

A small glint of moonlight catches on the curved weapon drawn from its saddle sheathe before disappearing behind broad wings as the Roctalon lays herself against her mount and focuses in their expectant minute on channeling supporting magic into his feather and furs.
----
And as Bird-Eyes and Icarus continue their loop above, things erupt down below. The tall waving grass parts as the dull golden figure of the tylaxine appears, visible to Bird-Eyes enhanced vision. And then it flickers and disappears, reappearing almost twenty feet away on the opposite side of the two below at the center. And then it leaps from that new position in an impossible instant!

The surprise follows when the Sandtiger, eyes still closed, pivots smoothly and swings that huge sword with incredulous speed, intercepting the attacking great cat with a gout of blood streaming out. Claws still bite into flash, even tearing through leather and chain to reach.

Aviendha twists around swiftly, jabbing with her spear past the Sandtiger as the opening is created. And as more of that impossible blood is spilt the creature disappears again, flickering to elsewhere to stalk around those two central figures. Then the gleaming wetness upon the spear's blade disappears, as if the blood evaporated, and a pulse of light shocks down its length.

And the stalking figure of the thylaxine starts to flicker again ... and instead starts to glow, as flames of green erupt across its body, outlining it quite clearly, a beacon to any perception. The vibration of the feline creature's body subsides, and it does not manage to relocate. It stalks freely, but only on four paws without displacing through dimensions as it has been.
----
Icarus tucks his wings into a dive as the Thylaxine appears within the center of the circle but Bird-Eyes pulls him away with a frustrated growl when it blinks away again just as quickly, leaving them without a target. Banking again until she's behind the creature's new location, the pair try again in their dive. If they can't catch it mid-attack, then they'll attack first and let the others rush in.

Streaking down through the air with the speed of a diving hawk, Icarus flares his wings at the last second and tucks his claws while Bird-Eyes angles her long curved sword over his shoulder to present another layer of attack and defense. From the sides it's also noticeable - if only just in the dim light - that the Roctalon's lower legs have transformed into wickedly hooked bird-like talons, much alike though smaller than her griffon's. Attacking the sides is normally a weakspot of horses; in the case of the aerieborn Roctalon, that may only invite a surprisingly nasty reprisal.
----
[[category:rp log]]
[[category:shaar]]
[[category:birdeyes]]
[[category:sandtiger]]
[[category:aviendha]]

Birds 01 Thylaxine

2023-06-14T01:13:02Z

TiggerDoll2:

Only a day's hard journey south and west of Alderan, the campsite is almost too small to be referred to as such. Two fine if somewhat small-boned Semphari horses, one a palamino in coloration while the other is a brown and white paint, are staked out and sleeping standing up, at this point. The fire pit is frankly tiny, but well banked and populated now with fresh coals but no actual flame. A small one-person tent of light canvas very convincingly disguised with dried grasses to break up its lines and cause it to disappear from most sight, lies about five feet away from said small firepit.

On the other side of that fire pit a single figure moves almost but not quite silently through a complex and somewhat ritualized dance. Said figure is definitely striking to see, as the male is dressed only in a soft leather loincloth, a necklace with visible black claws dangling from its raw leather thong, impressive scars across the left side of the face and the upper chest. The male is improbably tall and powerfully built, quite likely to stand over six feet, drawing quite the interest in any Shaaren settlement. Yet he moves with smooth confidence and assurance, wielding a massive blade that glints in the moon- and starlight, a straight blade of nearly five feet in length, whistling through the air with the might of the movements.

And then that dance is disrupted when a low keening moan sounds out across the plains.
----
Far off and high above, a pair of broad white wings and a pale body glide through the sky beneath a cloud, flapping morosely to keep itself aloft without the heat of daytime thermals to buoy it. The griffon yawns heavily and blinks into the wind.

Laying on the lion-sized creature of myth and secured by no more than a simple rope and leather saddle, the young woman on his back takes a firm grip on her ropes as a particularly rough flap threatens to bounce her into the air. "I know, I know, I'm tired too. But we're close to those horses I'm tracking. I tell you the trail was fresh; we'll find where they're resting before dawn, then we can take our sleep and catch them before the heat of the day."
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sharp eyes, not ears, hunh? ;)"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "It'd hardly be good manners to spot you and whatever that is in my opening pose."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "You could react to the moan. ^_- <3"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "K:Nature to recognize it, then?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "It's not natural. So being proficient you recognize that fact."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hrm. Welp that's my only Knowledge, so Perception to pinpoint its source and look towards it?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sure."
----
Bird Eyes rolls Perception (Griffon) (1d20+17) and gets 35 (18)

Bird Eyes rolls Perception (Bird Eyes) (1d20+18) and gets 23 (5)
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "The griffon has a much better read on direction, but even Bird Eyes is sure the sound came from the southwest, about ten miles away from the flashing reflections on that sword blade."
----
The mounted huntress pauses as a low moan reaches her ears over the night wind and the griffon's head turns to its source. Knotting her brow in concentration, the woman cocks her head at its unnatural timber. Closing her eyes and focusing, her vision goes briefly dark then relights as the sharp, eagle-eyed vision of her mount - his yellow eyes now glowing faintly with a magical connection.

"Far off... that was a howl of something great," Bird Eyes assesses warily as she makes a mental note of the direction before reopening her eyes.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'll add in my next pose a reaction to the sword flashes and likely heading your way. You can have a turn again. :)"
----
Below, near those horses the huntress and her mount have been seeking, the warrior takes just one more pass and then turns in the direction of the sound. Human eyes cannot pierce the night, but instincts that go beyond mere biology send a quiver through his heart, and he has too much experience to just ignore that. The sound was distant enough he is not expecting it to reach their location immediately, so the warrior moves instead to the side of the tent, scraping his fingers over the fabric to alert the occupant within.

A few seconds later the flap opens and a smaller, slighter figure rolls out of the tent and then up to her feet in one smooth motion, unfolding with spear in hand. "What is it?" a voice softly asks in accented Raurhindi.

"A moan across the plains. An unnatural sound. It ... I felt it, as much as heard it." The male warrior responds in the same language, smoothly and fluently.

The woman turns her face towards the direction he points, clutching her spear tightly as she whispers words in Cantare, a murmured prayer. "Wise instincts. Something has been awakened."

That said, the male warrior moves to start packing up the tent, bedroll, pack and other things to get them loaded onto one of the horses.
----
Up on the wind, the glint of massive sword catches two pairs of watchful bird eyes as the griffon and rider scour the terrain back in from the southwest. The woman, Bird Eyes, laughs with a rueful lilt. "I found our horses. And there are the two people with them... my, one of them is big," she murmurs. Then just as quickly she rubs the griffon's massive shoulder reassuringly as a whistle of protest halts in his throat. "Relax, relax, you're the only man for me. I won't find a partner until you do," she placates with an amused smile at the bird's predictable jealousy. "Now, best not to scare the horses or they'll bolt. Just circle until they set off then fly high over to drop me off," Bird Eyes instructs.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes has a jealous bird. It is like inverse-Jhiao situation.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Birb needs pettings."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Fun fact: that long screech you normally hear in bald eagle videos is an over-dubbed hawk cry. Eagles chirp and whistle; they don't at all have an imposing quality to their vocalizations."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I think I had the griffon setup as another species of bird but I can't recall it at the moment."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I did not know that."
----
"Do we have time to ride away?" the male asks even as he continues to pack as quickly as possible.

The female figure sweeps her eyes across the horizon, then turns her head to put her ear to the direction, and back and forth. "Good to get ready, even if not. Keep packing. But keep that overgrown toothpick of yours close to hand."

The male grumbles a bit at this. "You're the one with the toothpick, Guide."
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'll hold my pose until the horses start moving. :)"
----
In just a minute or two the male has the pack horse loaded. Then he saddles the other, grabs the leads of the pack horse, and climbs up into the saddle.

The woman shakes herself a bit; she clearly did not get a night's rest. "We will not make Guilenheim for nearly a tenday. The foothills of Stone Gap are a day away. Our best chance is to head back towards Alderan."

The male grimaces at this. "What I heard ... it will catch us before we reach Alderan, yes?"

The woman sighs, and then nods. "Most likely."

"Then I would rather ride on, to our original path. If it comes, so be it. I choose not to be a coward run down while fleeing."

The guide shakes her head slightly. "That is not the wisest course." Yet her tone implies it is exactly what she expected of him.

"You're welcome to the other horse." he suggests.

The woman shakes her head. "I may know how to ride, as all Cantare do, but my strength is afoot." And so she sets off jogging through the high grass of the plains, moving with a ground-eating pace that the horses will work to keep up with.
----
Spinning around on her leather saddle as the griffon makes wide circles overhead, Bird Eyes checks the bags slung across the beast's frame and then the smaller ones tied to her belt. Shuffling a few small possessions between them and satisfying herself they're all secure, she double-checks the stone axe on her belt and the spears on her back, then lays back down upon Icarus and pats the griffon's shoulder.

On her signal the pair back out of their looping patrol and pass above the group below, casting a racing shadow just to their side. Bird Eyes places a short kiss upon white feathers as she slips a ring from her finger before sliding off and plummeting to the ground below.

Fanning out her arms wide, she beams while basking in the rush of freefall and watches the dark ground come rushing towards her through squinting eyes. Only when it gets close does she push the ring back up her finger and let its magic envelope her. With a sudden lurch the young woman's fatal plummet arrests itself and she tips feet down, falling the rest of the way at a safe if rough speed. A free hand presses her leather skirt down on reflex to keep it from flapping up before landing.

"<Hello travelers,>" she calls plainly in Cantaren as the young woman literally drops in some distance ahead of the group and off to the left. Her sandals land with a hard thump in the low grass before she stands up as the protective magic dissipates from beneath her.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Sorry for the slow pose. My muse was in and out for it, not for lack of interest. Post-dinner slump maybe."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "FYI the griffon's name is Icarus because part of the internet, which I don't trust to be truthful, says it means (roughly) "go to the sky"."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "It's because she met him essentially in captivity and they went on a looong maiden flight together."
----
Before the woman can actually reach the ground the woman loping ahead of the pair of horses and their rider stops in place, one hand reaching to draw up a dark scarf from about her neck, tucking it into place to cover the lower half of her face.

That move, it seems, is sufficient warning for the rider atop the lead of those horses to stop and for that massive blade to ring free, moon- and starlight twinkling across its blade as it comes to hand ready. The blade, seen this close, is most unusual in the Shaar: a blade so big would never be straight, here, as this is. He does not dismount, but he is already prepared.

The now-masked figure whispers words in Cantare, a shimmer coming across her eyes as she watches the other woman. "< You do not glow like an angel, stranger. Yet you fall from the sky like one. >" There is an interesting hint of accent to the masked woman's Cantare speech; not much of one, but it is there. Otherwise, though, her speech is smooth and lilting, natural and natively fluent.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Most of the internet doesn't have an etymology for Icarus predating the myth so it likely a nonsense etymology but the meaning is perfect."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Let me know if you're detecting magic aura with that."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "She's using magic to make herself see better in the dark."

<OOC> Bird Eyes straightens her clothes and adjusts her hair.

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Would I recognize any part of the woman's garb and do either of them wear anything that'd denote an old world tribe to me?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Very good questions! SO PROUD!"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "While the woman's base outfit is not familiar, and does seem ... odd ... she has a good bit of ornamentation. She has a beaded and feathered headband, earrings, and a wide belt/girdle thing. All of them, and the ornamentation hanging from the spear, look very Cantare."

<OOC> Bird Eyes puffs up her chest. ^.^

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Her visible skin tone looks darker than you would expect. Not Chultan dark, but darker than a Shaaren native by a reasonable bit."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "And a hood like in your reference pic or head exposed above the mask?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "By comparison, the male is very, very darkly tanned, and a bit weathered; very sun-browned. But his base coloration is lighter-skinned. Also, there's just enough light that she'd be able to make a guess that he's red haired, and green eyed."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Yay low-light vision! <3"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Hooded. Her hair is mostly tucked away, so no way to get a good bead on her hair coloration. Her eyes seem light, a sort of grey-banded green/hazel."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Who needs magic spells when you're blessed by Gwaeron. :D"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "And Selune. <.< >.>"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Or rather 9.9, it being 1AM."

<OOC> Bird Eyes waves to the moon and mouths 'thank you'.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Also, her spear itself appears to be fire-hardened pale wood, with runes, and a one and a half foot metal blade, runes there too. And some beaded feather thongs draping from it."
----
The fallen rider's large eyes flit to the massive blade and her brow lifts in surprise at its sheer size, as well as that of its wielder, but her own weapons stay holstered. For the moment at least, she's trying to be friendly. "< You are near Roctalon land. There we fly and ride. I am Bird Eyes of the Roctalon clan, >" she explains before cocking her head this way and that at the well-covered woman, so completely opposite from her barely dressed companion. Her brow furrows again as she studies both of them. Under magically aided sight her eyes are as startling as they are piercing, with barely any sclera visible around a massively enlarged pupil and marigold-yellow iris.

"< I don't recognize your dress, sister. Which clan of Cantare are you from? >" she asks first of the woman then the towering man nearby. "< And who do you follow? >"
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Question: the Roctalon, as you envisage them, live in the mountains between the Eastern Shaar and the Raurin?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "They live on the plains near those mountains with semi-permanent settlements on the mountains which they return to seasonally. They have to be near mountains to catch new roc eggs but they hunt and live off the plains, either on horseback or flying on rocs above it."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger nods. "OK. That's what I needed to hear. Thank you."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "As such, though Bird Eyes herself has never seen it, she will recall something of stories heard from her people, speaking of 'black-veiled Faithful'. It is said that there is a people that lives deep in the northern reaches of the Raurin, who raid out of that place all across the Punjab (deepest part of the Southern Raurin). Their name, the Aiel, means The Faithful, or at least so it is said. And it is said that when they fight, they always pull up black veils to cover the lower half of their face. The story says basically 'fear the black veil'. It is also said that they seem able to disappear in almost any environment."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Where among the mountains isn't set in stone. Just aesthetically I like the lonely range near the Rolling Stone Gap. They're not a tribe of great account due to their small number and lack of ambition, but among Cantarens they're considered very old-fashioned and traditionalist."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Oh hey, Ignis knows the Aiel! :D"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Punjab like the border-spanning province at India and Pakistan on the west edge of the Indus Valley? Must have been be a lot of rivers up there once upon a time."
----
The woman nods as Bird Eyes introduces herself and makes clear her own affiliation. "< He will not answer you. He is growing more frustrated by the moment, because he understands neither of us. >" she offers in wry amusement. After a long moment's pause, she speaks again, this time in Shaaren, going slowly and being deliberate. Her word choice is perfect, which somewhat implies that her slow and deliberate pacing is more for the male than for her. "She says that she is Bird Eyes of the Roctalon Clan. They are an offshoot, or so it is said, of the Cantare, and long allies. I am Sister Aviendha Markhaab of Lucha, and one of the Cantare. The Tekumseh clan. My companion on the horse is called the Sandtiger, a sword dancer. He has said to me he has passed to the Seventh Circle in the training of Master Alimat. I have heard of Alimat and the Circles, but I know them little."

The male speaks up, his Shaaren halting and showing effort. "What is her intention?"
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, ""Sister" indicates a priesthood status with Lucha, yes?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Yus."
----
Bird Eyes tilts her head again as she seems to be processing Aviendha's Shaaren Common as much as Sandtiger. Then recognition dawns in her large eyes. "< Sister of Mielikki-as-Lucha. Then we are friends, >" she assures while touching a hand to her to her bare side, indicating the white mark of Kryntheoria tattooed clearly at the top of her stomach. "We - are - friends," she repeats in slow Shaaren to Sandtiger and shows her other hand, empty and unarmed beyond the ring upon one finger. "We will talk later. Now, what was that noise? Why are you going towards it?"
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes still considers her clan a member of Cantare's tribe mind you. They just aren't hip on all the new lingo and bell-bottom fashions.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger hah!

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You may notice some olde deity names. O:)"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "BTW: The Tekumseh clan are pretty well reputed; the current Chieftain of the Cantare is Tekumseh clan."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "My little way of showing the difference in dialect."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Wow, from all the way on the southern edge of the Raurin? They still have a major presence in the Cantaren culture from the other side of the mountains and half the width of the desert?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "That's a long journey just to Council Hills."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "She's very far afield."
----
Aviendha accepts the declaration of friendship, and her empty hand reaches up to lower the veil from around her face. Seeing this, the Sandtiger lowers his blade to rest across his bare thighs as he watches and listens, not interrupting. It is, all told, a rather interesting thing for many women adventurers to see, a male willing to just sit and listen without interrupting or trying to take charge of matters.

"The noise is something very dangerous. But rather than ride away, back to Alderan and the Gates, or heading for the foothills, the Sandtiger said he would rather face the threat and continue along his established path, rather than act the coward." It may be a bit hard to be sure, but it sounds like Aviendha is deprecating Sandtiger a bit, without actually using the words 'foolhardy idiot'.

The Sandtiger exhales a bit, waiting, and then speaks up, again haltingly in Shaaren. "If you know what it was, since we're sitting still, perhaps you could say?"

"Given the hour, the location, and the date, I believe it to be something the ancient legends call a Thylaxine, a creature said to wander across the Veils Between to hunt for souls." the Sister of Lucha answers.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Not a creature I've heard of I'm sure."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Avi wouldn't say this, but it is a fae version of a thylacine."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I had noticed 'thylacine' in the name there. :P"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Makes sense. Almost a friend for Aoife then, and a creature of note and perhaps knowledge of my Romeiran."
----
Bird Eyes takes the new information in and snorts lightly. "Is Sandtiger a Malarite? You hunt for a challenge? Or is a thylaxine good to eat?" she asks brusquely, clearly not sharing the sworddancer's preference.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You are busy tomorrow yes? Game day shifted?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Just had game day last Sunday. Next game day is next Sunday. Tomorrow I'm going out to lunch with Mom, after church. Going to take her to - her choice - either her very first ever experience with Indian food, at a place that has a buffet on Sundays, or to the best Thai place in my city. Then going to a friend's house for a while to visit."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Ah. I do hope you have fun. Do you think you'll want to resume this later in the day or should we plan for traveling cat across Sunday? :)"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "If all goes well I may be RPable in evening time. If not, I'm off all day Monday and we can continue then."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Yay"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You know if we do this whole fight in the dark there will be such suspense for how you'll both react seeing all of me in daylight."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You'll meet the griffon shortly I'm sure and Sandtiger will get to see he's not the only one who likes Big Weapons, but I do think I look better in the sunlight. It brings out my... eyes. @u@"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'm almost sad I'm not ICly very prideful. I /could/ show off pretty well."
----
"May-lar-ite?" Sandtiger questions.

Aviendha snorts softly and shakes her head. "No, though I dare say he has some agreements." She then turns her head to address Sandtiger, speaking quickly in Raurhindi. "< She is asking if you follow Malar, the Shaaren god of hunting and bloodlust, implying your foolhardy desire to charge off towards the thlaxine was a desire to hunt it down for the manhood. >"

The Sandtiger listens to this, and makes a grimace. "No .. Malar." One hand reaches up to brush across the scars scoring his cheek and then along the necklace of curved black claws. "Already hunted ... the beast I needed for a name, and freedom. But I will not run like a coward. And this is the direction her maps say I must go."
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Oh I am going to have so much fun teaching Sandtiger food names..."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Brace yourself for that because the Roctalons have at least six words for 'honey' and so many more words for meat, game animals, and weather."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Cantaren probably contains most of them so Avi's will have it easy enough."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Don't suppose I recognize the beast those claws came from?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I assume that was covered in my earlier inspection check, but just to be sure."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Well, the name he's carrying, given his statement, implies something."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Aye but I've never been to the Raurin Desert myself, I've only glimpsed it from the mountains."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "There is reputed to be a breed of very deadly desert-native big cat called the sandtiger. And they are said to be worst because their claws are poisonous. A paralytic."
----
"< You sound from a strange place... >" Bird-Eyes determines as she lapses accidentally back into Cantaren. "And you do not talk sense," she continues, sounding confused before anything else. "'Coward' abandons their band to danger. Two of us three are okay for it to pass by. Why seek it?"
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "ASDF naming myself "Bird Eyes" makes it really hard to find past comments about eye colors! I did not think this through."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Found it."
----
Sandtiger shakes his head just a bit. "I am not seeking it. I am seeking my destination." He points to Aviendha. "She said it was best to move, rather than keep camp. So, we move."

Aviendha grimaces. "Moving this direction, now, brings us closer to this thing. That makes it more likely it will find us before its time here is done."

The Sandtiger's answer is simple. "If it finds us, I will fight."
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hrm. Now I'm wondering where Gwaeron's 'nature is a good thing' stance lands with fey."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Material plane nature you're supposed to leave alone and live in harmony with. Don't chop down trees, divert rivers, hunt excessively - that sort of thing. And that includes predators like tigers and alligators; it's better to vibe with or avoid them if you aren't hunting for subsistence."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "But all of those things are alignment N. Fey can be truly Evil and living in harmony with "the wild" doesn't necessarily include creatures from other planes of existence."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "All true."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "But but, the First World overlaps wild places frequently and they've been around forever so it's hard to call them unnatural."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hm. Questions to ask my main god tomorrow at dusk."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Funny timing that, dusk is my prayer time so I'm /fresh/ with spells."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "A little annoying though. Dusk is prime hunting time so spending an hour of it praying cuts into actually hunting."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Dawn's best though so I won't complain. Prepping spells before sleeping then going right to hunt isn't a bad way to be."
----
Bird Eyes exhales a pursed sigh that trills her lips and what comes out sounds distinctively like a coo. "Then how is a thylaxine fought? How does it travel and how does it look?"
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger is going to push pause here for the RL evening.

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I do believe it is RL night now. :)"

<OOC> Bird Eyes hugs and switches back to Discord.

<OOC> Bird Eyes adjusts her feathers.
----
Aviendha rolls K: Dungeoneering (1d20+17) and gets 22 (5)
----
Aviendha's eyes crinkle a bit as she is clearly thinking hard. "The myths I recall only mention avoiding them. It was implied they could only cross over into the mortal realm for short periods when the Veils were particularly thin." At this she then turns and glares a bit at the Sandtiger. "Which is why I was recommending we choose a path ''away'' from the sound, to increase the time before an encounter and the chance it would be forced back to its own realms before it could reach us."

Of course Bird Eyes can likely avoid all of this by just riding on her friend, high above. Especially with juicy if stupid bait wandering around at ground level in easy reach.

The male grimaces. "I am not a coward. I do not run from a threat, or a fight. That bravery has seen me this far in my life."

"There is more under the Heavens than you have dreamt of, Sandtiger." Aviendha murmurs, choosing not to raise her voice loud enough to assure he will hear her.
----
The muttered comment seems to catch her fellow Cantaren's ear and the Roctalon glances skyward in agreement. "If we must go, I can stalk it and learn what we can see first," she offers. "Is there any value to killing a thylaxine? Do they stay dead or only return to their home?"
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "There we go. Now it works."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Missed anything after my last."
----
Honesty compels Aviendha's unhelpful answer, "I have no idea what value may lie in killing them, or what will happen if one is slain in this realm." The legends were not terribly explicit about that, as she recalls them. "I will warn, Bird Eyes, it is likely to be very difficult to spot. And it will not move in a natural way. The legends speak of its movement bending the eyes and the mind."
----
Something in Avi's answer seems to prick Bird-Eyes and she knits her brow pondering as a free hand fidgets with the mistletoe looped through her belt. "And does it hunt only human, not animals?"
----
Aviendha nods. "So far as I know? Yes. It is drawn to only people." And what those legends say bout she does not recall: they are most attracted to those who are most connected with the spiritual essence of the Shaar.

Those who are witch-touched.
----
"Then with Gwaeron's guidance I may stalk in peace," Bird-Eyes considers hopefully as she takes a cord from her neck and lifts it off her head, showing the tiny carved whistle dangling from it. "I will fly out to it and see what I can see. Call out with this if you need me to return," she instructs as she holds the whistle out. It's not the course of action she had advocated, but the young Roctalon doesn't show any fear at the task before her. Whether it's the confidence of experience or the bliss of ignorance remains to be seen.

"May Lucha guide and protect you in the dark in-between places." Aviendha murmurs fervently as she reaches out her hand, grasping Bird-Eyes' hand and taking the whistle, as the tingle of divine magic flows from her touch and surrounds the huntress.

And so it begins.
----
<OOC> Syval debates an attempt at flashiness, although she is not a swashbuckler.

<OOC> Syval says, "Buh? Why is my name back to Syval?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes fixes.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Because you partially disconnected? I think? I dunno."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That'd do it. Undone by my shiny new adisconnect. That figures. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I'm too out of practice with mushing or I'd have purged those when I sorted out my login problem."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Whoo! I think I can make this check on a take-10. That means I'd default to it and not just try it for showing off! :D"
----
"Thank you, Sister." Bird-Eyes bows her head in recognition of the blessing before she backs away and turns her head towards the night sky. The Roctalon stalker stretches out her arm and beckons downward, then she waits.

"Steady your horses. They're going to spook," the young woman cautions as she smiles expectantly. Silence at first as a small shape descends from high above, streaking fast towards the ground in a tucked dive. It's far, far too large to be a normal bird yet not the mythical proportions of a mature roc. Wide bright wings flare out with a sudden whoosh as they catch air and the beast levels out hugging the ground and gliding towards Bird-Eyes. Watching it come in, the young Cantaren takes a few quick steps in the same direction, paralleling its path before catching the rope of its saddle as the adult griffon flies close enough to shadow her with its wing. Yanking her immediately from her feet, the magical half-lion half-eagle makes a flap of its powerful wings and ascends back into the night sky while Bird-Eyes flips herself onto its back and settles back onto the leather saddle.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Technically I could have done that mount as a move action but mounting Icarus like this felt like a fun way to free action it. I have another variation or two in mind you might get to see later. :)"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "P.S. Sorry to your horses! ^_^"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sorry. Phone."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes pets. "You're fine."
----
The Sandtiger rolls Animal Handling (1d20+13) and gets 25 (12)
----
With the warning given, the Sandtiger does his best to keep both of his animals controlled despite the baseborn instinct of terror awakened within them at the moving presence of a mighty horse-loving predator coming up swiftly from behind. Even with his efforts it is still a challenge with cries and rolling eyes and bucking, but it is minimal, and he is neither unseated nor does the pack horse break away and flee. He is also able to calm them once the thing is gone again.

"What was that?!" the Sandtiger demands of Aviendha. She simply rolls her eyes. "That was a griffon. Far better and smaller than the roc I half-expected from a Roctalon tribe member. If you insist on this madness, let us continue ahead."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes proud smile. "More fodder for our campfire chat. You will likely never find even a Roctalon riding an adult roc."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "But that's hardly common knowledge."
----
As griffon and rider take once more to the night sky, Icarus makes a piping sound, prompting her rider to strokes the back of his head. "Thanks for waiting, boy. Did you miss me? They're a couple of new friends - interesting ones. For now, fly towards that sound we heard. I'll explain on the way."

Bird-Eyes turns around on the saddle and pats the griffon's hind-quarters before working to unfasten her armor from his pack and ready herself for a possible battle. "Yes, I know you want to eat the horses. Don't worry, they're honest folk, they'll trade fairly for our trouble. Maybe have to wait Guilenheim to enjoy it, but there they'll be a horse market from the other Cantarens. They can buy us even better eating horses - and I could make a honey-roast of them."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "AFK for phone."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "When you get back, can you give me a pair of perception checks, pls? Or just tell me what the modifiers are for both of you?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Back. Those are..."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls Perception (Bird Eyes) (1d20+18) and gets 33 (15)

Bird-Eyes rolls Perception (Griffon) (1d20+17) and gets 32 (15)
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "My best skill. ^.^"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "OK. +18. Good to know for the future."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And I believe we both have low-light vision."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Note both of us have Perception bonuses active but you can assume they're on when we're searching for something and not in a rush."
----
In mere minutes the griffon and his rider have crossed many miles and left their new allies far behind. The challenge now becomes managing to spot something like the thylaxine in the night upon the plains.

Another might miss the subtle movements through the grasses, the odd changes in dark and light. But Bird Eyes and Icarus are able to pick it out, and what they see is definitely chilling. The thylaxine moves in a way that is deeply unnatural, literally disappearing from one location and reappearing to continue its movement from another. It moves as much by flickering as by stalking. And it covers distance with incredible speed. There is a cold cruelty to its intensity which bespeaks a feline predator combined with something alien, something from Beyond.

And there is a definite sense that the creature has locked onto something, or someone, and is making a beeline for that target, giving no further warning to anything or anyone as it comes.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I have a bird eyes shapeshift from my skin-walker race, Icarus has Hunter's Animal Focus (Falcon). His stay on except if I replace them for combat or doing something specific out of combat. Mine I turn off for social reasons and sometimes for combat if I can spare the action economy."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Massive bonuses, eh? And there's two of us so it's like rolling with advantage. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I apologize in advance if this messes up your module, because there's probably a lake between us and Sandtiger's Perception checks."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Can I make out any details of its physiology from here? Any weird extra limbs or obvious weapons besides front claws and nasty sharp pointy teeth?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Definitely so. Even Avi doesn't quite reach your levels. THough she comes a good bit closer than Sandtiger does."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "On that note can I K:Nature for thylacine knowledge if the non-magic version are a thing in the Shaar? I can infer physiology that way at least."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls K:Nature (1d20+14) and gets 16 (2)
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "The thylacine is an animal known in ths Shaar, yes. They are very stealthy. They are great cats, on a smaller scale than the really big ones, closer to janguar size, plains-focused, and incredibly stealthy. They are noted for having a particular cry that startles most plains-based prey, causing them to freeze or stutter, which often comes right as they pounce as a setup."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "With a 2, you will miss out on the 'additional info' sections."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "One of these days I'll remember to take-10 when not rushed."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It did help my Perception checks, although with that if I was thinking I'd have taken 20 over 1-2 minutes."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "How fast is it traveling relative to a horse?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Horses are typically 40-50. This thing is moving around 70."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Yikes! We're not circling this thing then. Wow I'm glad griffons are as fast as they are."
----
"There," Bird-Eyes whispers as she leans over the griffon's head and points at the dark shape flickering in and out as it crosses the plain below. The huntress stares from atop Icarus and two pairs of raptor eyes study it from high above. Once she's satisfied, she gives her mount a nudge and the pair accelerate overhead to pass ahead of it, adding a burst of speed to help reach their new party ahead of the other-worldly carnivore.

"What a beast, it's almost as fast as you glide and it's on land," Bird-Eyes whispers by Icarus' ear. "It does look like a thylacine, so it should fight like a medium cat, but with that blinking in and out it's maybe going to like surprises - and be hard to pin down. It's lucky we like a chase..."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I just got a terrible sinking feeling for this thylaxine. This could be very interesting."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes is now hustling to get where she's going, but should be within range of the party before it's fatiguing.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger nods.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes also shifts some hunter magic from strength to stamina for Icarus' comfort even though checks aren't needed yet.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes will switch that back for fight time. She's just being helpful. :)

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Not like I can flap my wings to help him any other way, and he does remind me I'm dead weight."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger grins.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "In other news I think Google's trying to kill me. Just rolled up my 8d8 HD and got (sorted) 1,2,2,3,4,4,5."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Thank goodness first HD is maxed and it's minimum half so almost all of those are 4s."
----
DM rolls Icarus' Hit Dice (8d8+0) and gets 31 (2,6,7,1,2,6,1,6)
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Alas Icarus has less HD. An 8th level animal companion is 7 HD so that'd be 31-6=25 + CON stuff."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Just in case another roll would be helpful. You absolutely do not need to use those."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls Bird Eyes' Hit Dice (new) (7d8+8) and gets 37 (2,7,8,2,2,5,3)
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "How fast is Icarus flying,. then?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That is... exactly the same before applying the minimum. Funny. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "160ft per round, or 3.2 horses. :D"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Thank you."
----
Of course, Icarus is eager to prove himself, and pushes to fly back as quickly as he is able, picking up from Bird-Eyes that this is important. The griffon is able to get back to the riding - but not pell-mell - Sandtiger and his afoot guide while still leaving at least another minute before the thylaxine they saw can reach the group. But it does mean timing is tight when Bird-Eyes launches herself down, cutting things very close with her ring's ability to slow her descent before she arrives.

By the time Bird-Eyes does arrive there has been a bit of a change in the circumstances of the group. Much like the huntress herself, the Sandtiger has changed, putting on a suit of samnite armor. He has also purposefully changed horses, keeping them fresh in so doing.

In Cantare Aviendha sharply asks, incisive to the most important information: "How far?" She knows the huntress would not be back this soon if she had not found the threat.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Shaar tribes use meters for distance, was it?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I honestly have not considered that, so I have been using Imperial/US measurements."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Makes sense when PF/D&D itself uses that for distances."
----
The huntress drops in more loudly this time, now dressed in a good covering of armor with a split skirt that goes past her knees and carrying throwing spears as well as a good weapon of her own on her back. "A minute at most and at our pace about 1300 feet," which speaks volumes for the creature's speed. Outrunning it with horses would be no easy task. "It looks like a thylacine so it should fight by pouncing and biting, but as you said it fades in and out of place and uses that to move quickly. I think it may try to ambush us many times in battle, if it can control that well."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes study-studies spell list and plans.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Is Bird-Eyes giving this in Shaaren? Or in Cantare?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Cantare on reflex, sorry. Should have <>ed that."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes would use Shaaren for Sandtiger but she heard Cantare so her mouth gave Cantare. She is not used to keeping mixed company.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It has... been a while."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes steels herself after calculating AC. "Oh I am going to get wailed on. Glad there are several of us."
----
With a grimace the Sandtiger objects, "You two are using a language I do not know. What is going on?"

The bare-faced Sister Aviendha makes a sympathetic grimace herself, and then translates for Sandtiger. "It is coming. Form of a medium-large cat, apparently very fast, and it also is incredibly stealthy and seems to flit about, repositioning itself impossibly as it does so. And she says we have at most a minute or so before it reaches us."

Hearing that, Sandtiger dismounts swiftly and then stakes down the two horses about a hundred feet away, then walks over to join the other two. "If it has the advantage in mobility our best chance will be to cover each other's backs and present a united front." He says this, for once, commandingly, even as that huge blade of his whips out, point down slicing into the turf beneath their feet, as he starts ritually cutting a perfect circle thirty feet in diameter. Ten paces across. He doesn't even explain his reasons, he just starts doing it.

Aviendha kneels down, pressing her hand to the turf. "Sandtiger, I know you cannot see in the darkness as well as Bird-Eyes. My own magic is enhancing that for me, but I am afraid I do not have that to offer you. Do I need to create light, so that you can defend yourself, even knowing the creature will likely disappear from sight?"

As the prayer finishes Bird-Eyes will feel a ripple of cool clean divine magic flowing through the circle, licking across her skin as the three are bound together in cause.
----
"I do not fight well standing in place," Bird-Eyes speaks up as she watches the preparations and waves her griffon back down once the horses are safely clear. "It will try to ambush us, but we can trap it in the same way. I can fly above and dive on it when it enters the circle for one of you, then we surround it. I have a magic which can help coordinate our attacks."

So saying, the huntress takes the mingled braid of mistletoe and prairie flowers from her belt and holds it before her mouth as she gives a prayer to Kryntheoria. Then a new and invigorating magic stretches out from her and connects like threads to the other two, imparting a heightened awareness of one another's posture and movements as the light of the magic itself fades.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes debaaaates between 2 choices.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Get Equipped With: Pack Flanking! Threatening the an enemy together now counts as flanking regardless of position."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It's my less powerful choice but I think more likely to matter here if you're trying to keep your back from being taken."
Huh? (Type "help" for help.)

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And it's too mobile to surround and trap for normal flanking."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That's Share Training (2nd level), FYI. The quintessential Hunter spell as far as I'm concerned. :D"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Also I'm good if you want to pause us before the fight proper given the hour."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "BTW, Avi has cast Prayer on the circle. So you have a +1 luck bonus to ALL die rolls. And the thylaxine will suffer a -1 to all of its rolls."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Sweet!"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Luck bonuses are awesome!"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Icarus gets lucky tonight too, right? :D"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger gigglesnorts.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes will always wingwoman that griffin. He deserves it.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I do not know where a female griffon can be found just now, so I'm not sure how lucky he's going to get, I'm afraid."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "If he can get lucky in fighting a thylaxine and being paid in food for it, I think that will suffice."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Of course they aren't an animal so you need Summon Monster 6, which doesn't really work due to duration, and good luck finding a polymorph spell that can support 'magical beast' type."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I can't even hit him with anthropomorphic animal and I doubt that'd help except for letting him speak Cantare."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Also funny realization: griffons speak "common" by RAW but I'm pretty sure for Icarus that's Cantaren."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Probably so."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Really finding Icarus a Mrs. Icarus is a capstone/retirement thing. He has adventuring to do first."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Doesn't stop it from affecting things, however."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That and his appetite for horses."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And cuddles. Imagine if you will 600 pounds of cuddle-cat that wakes up every 2 hours at night."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "He could be worse, but he is definitely a light sleeper."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes digresses.
----
"No light. I will make due." the deeply masculine voice of the Sandtiger comes out of the night as he comes back around finishing the impossibly precise circle he has cut into the turf. "Eye-ush-den-ae, Alimat. Kah-zong-tek-ah, Singlestroke." The words have a truly alien quality to them, and it seems pretty clear neither woman understands them, or even knows what language they are. And then the light reflecting off of those milky green eyes ends as lids cover them ... and remain in place. The male warrior strides quickly to the center of the circle, and then stands waiting.

"Do what you know best, Bird-Eyes. Whatever help you and your friend can offer, we accept gladly." Aviendha offers in Shaaren. And then she dives into a roll, coming up behind the Sandtiger with her spear in both hands, readying for battle.

"It comes." the warrior offers, as a shiver passes through his flesh. Eyes closed, how can he possibly tell? And yet ...
----
Her own magic help given, Bird-Eyes remonts her griffin when he swoops back down and the pair ascend with noisy flaps back into the night sky. Only after gaining a substantial height do they arc back around and begin to circle above the duo on the ground.

A small glint of moonlight catches on the curved weapon drawn from its saddle sheathe before disappearing behind broad wings as the Roctalon lays herself against her mount and focuses in their expectant minute on channeling supporting magic into his feather and furs.
----
And as Bird-Eyes and Icarus continue their loop above, things erupt down below. The tall waving grass parts as the dull golden figure of the tylaxine appears, visible to Bird-Eyes enhanced vision. And then it flickers and disappears, reappearing almost twenty feet away on the opposite side of the two below at the center. And then it leaps from that new position in an impossible instant!

The surprise follows when the Sandtiger, eyes still closed, pivots smoothly and swings that huge sword with incredulous speed, intercepting the attacking greater with a gout of blood streaming out. Claws still bite into flash, even tearing through leather and chain to reach.

Aviendha twists around swiftly, jabbing with her spear past the Sandtiger as the opening is created. And as more of that impossible blood is spilt the creature disappears again, flickering to elsewhere to stalk around those two central figures. Then the gleaming wetness upon the spear's blade disappears, as if the blood evaporated, and a pulse of light shocks down its length.

And the stalking figure of the thylaxine starts to flicker again ... and instead starts to glow, as flames of green erupt across its body, outlining it quite clearly, a beacon to any perception. The vibration of the feline creature's body subsides, and it does not manage to relocate. It stalks freely, but only on four paws without displacing through dimensions as it has been.
----
[[category:rp log]]
[[category:shaar]]
[[category:birdeyes]]
[[category:sandtiger]]
[[category:aviendha]]

Birds 01 Thylaxine

2023-06-07T13:10:19Z

TiggerDoll2:

Only a day's hard journey south and west of Alderan, the campsite is almost too small to be referred to as such. Two fine if somewhat small-boned Semphari horses, one a palamino in coloration while the other is a brown and white paint, are staked out and sleeping standing up, at this point. The fire pit is frankly tiny, but well banked and populated now with fresh coals but no actual flame. A small one-person tent of light canvas very convincingly disguised with dried grasses to break up its lines and cause it to disappear from most sight, lies about five feet away from said small firepit.

On the other side of that fire pit a single figure moves almost but not quite silently through a complex and somewhat ritualized dance. Said figure is definitely striking to see, as the male is dressed only in a soft leather loincloth, a necklace with visible black claws dangling from its raw leather thong, impressive scars across the left side of the face and the upper chest. The male is improbably tall and powerfully built, quite likely to stand over six feet, drawing quite the interest in any Shaaren settlement. Yet he moves with smooth confidence and assurance, wielding a massive blade that glints in the moon- and starlight, a straight blade of nearly five feet in length, whistling through the air with the might of the movements.

And then that dance is disrupted when a low keening moan sounds out across the plains.
----
Far off and high above, a pair of broad white wings and a pale body glide through the sky beneath a cloud, flapping morosely to keep itself aloft without the heat of daytime thermals to buoy it. The griffon yawns heavily and blinks into the wind.

Laying on the lion-sized creature of myth and secured by no more than a simple rope and leather saddle, the young woman on his back takes a firm grip on her ropes as a particularly rough flap threatens to bounce her into the air. "I know, I know, I'm tired too. But we're close to those horses I'm tracking. I tell you the trail was fresh; we'll find where they're resting before dawn, then we can take our sleep and catch them before the heat of the day."
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<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sharp eyes, not ears, hunh? ;)"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "It'd hardly be good manners to spot you and whatever that is in my opening pose."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "You could react to the moan. ^_- <3"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "K:Nature to recognize it, then?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "It's not natural. So being proficient you recognize that fact."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hrm. Welp that's my only Knowledge, so Perception to pinpoint its source and look towards it?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sure."
----
Bird Eyes rolls Perception (Griffon) (1d20+17) and gets 35 (18)

Bird Eyes rolls Perception (Bird Eyes) (1d20+18) and gets 23 (5)
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<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "The griffon has a much better read on direction, but even Bird Eyes is sure the sound came from the southwest, about ten miles away from the flashing reflections on that sword blade."
----
The mounted huntress pauses as a low moan reaches her ears over the night wind and the griffon's head turns to its source. Knotting her brow in concentration, the woman cocks her head at its unnatural timber. Closing her eyes and focusing, her vision goes briefly dark then relights as the sharp, eagle-eyed vision of her mount - his yellow eyes now glowing faintly with a magical connection.

"Far off... that was a howl of something great," Bird Eyes assesses warily as she makes a mental note of the direction before reopening her eyes.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'll add in my next pose a reaction to the sword flashes and likely heading your way. You can have a turn again. :)"
----
Below, near those horses the huntress and her mount have been seeking, the warrior takes just one more pass and then turns in the direction of the sound. Human eyes cannot pierce the night, but instincts that go beyond mere biology send a quiver through his heart, and he has too much experience to just ignore that. The sound was distant enough he is not expecting it to reach their location immediately, so the warrior moves instead to the side of the tent, scraping his fingers over the fabric to alert the occupant within.

A few seconds later the flap opens and a smaller, slighter figure rolls out of the tent and then up to her feet in one smooth motion, unfolding with spear in hand. "What is it?" a voice softly asks in accented Raurhindi.

"A moan across the plains. An unnatural sound. It ... I felt it, as much as heard it." The male warrior responds in the same language, smoothly and fluently.

The woman turns her face towards the direction he points, clutching her spear tightly as she whispers words in Cantare, a murmured prayer. "Wise instincts. Something has been awakened."

That said, the male warrior moves to start packing up the tent, bedroll, pack and other things to get them loaded onto one of the horses.
----
Up on the wind, the glint of massive sword catches two pairs of watchful bird eyes as the griffon and rider scour the terrain back in from the southwest. The woman, Bird Eyes, laughs with a rueful lilt. "I found our horses. And there are the two people with them... my, one of them is big," she murmurs. Then just as quickly she rubs the griffon's massive shoulder reassuringly as a whistle of protest halts in his throat. "Relax, relax, you're the only man for me. I won't find a partner until you do," she placates with an amused smile at the bird's predictable jealousy. "Now, best not to scare the horses or they'll bolt. Just circle until they set off then fly high over to drop me off," Bird Eyes instructs.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes has a jealous bird. It is like inverse-Jhiao situation.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Birb needs pettings."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Fun fact: that long screech you normally hear in bald eagle videos is an over-dubbed hawk cry. Eagles chirp and whistle; they don't at all have an imposing quality to their vocalizations."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I think I had the griffon setup as another species of bird but I can't recall it at the moment."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I did not know that."
----
"Do we have time to ride away?" the male asks even as he continues to pack as quickly as possible.

The female figure sweeps her eyes across the horizon, then turns her head to put her ear to the direction, and back and forth. "Good to get ready, even if not. Keep packing. But keep that overgrown toothpick of yours close to hand."

The male grumbles a bit at this. "You're the one with the toothpick, Guide."
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'll hold my pose until the horses start moving. :)"
----
In just a minute or two the male has the pack horse loaded. Then he saddles the other, grabs the leads of the pack horse, and climbs up into the saddle.

The woman shakes herself a bit; she clearly did not get a night's rest. "We will not make Guilenheim for nearly a tenday. The foothills of Stone Gap are a day away. Our best chance is to head back towards Alderan."

The male grimaces at this. "What I heard ... it will catch us before we reach Alderan, yes?"

The woman sighs, and then nods. "Most likely."

"Then I would rather ride on, to our original path. If it comes, so be it. I choose not to be a coward run down while fleeing."

The guide shakes her head slightly. "That is not the wisest course." Yet her tone implies it is exactly what she expected of him.

"You're welcome to the other horse." he suggests.

The woman shakes her head. "I may know how to ride, as all Cantare do, but my strength is afoot." And so she sets off jogging through the high grass of the plains, moving with a ground-eating pace that the horses will work to keep up with.
----
Spinning around on her leather saddle as the griffon makes wide circles overhead, Bird Eyes checks the bags slung across the beast's frame and then the smaller ones tied to her belt. Shuffling a few small possessions between them and satisfying herself they're all secure, she double-checks the stone axe on her belt and the spears on her back, then lays back down upon Icarus and pats the griffon's shoulder.

On her signal the pair back out of their looping patrol and pass above the group below, casting a racing shadow just to their side. Bird Eyes places a short kiss upon white feathers as she slips a ring from her finger before sliding off and plummeting to the ground below.

Fanning out her arms wide, she beams while basking in the rush of freefall and watches the dark ground come rushing towards her through squinting eyes. Only when it gets close does she push the ring back up her finger and let its magic envelope her. With a sudden lurch the young woman's fatal plummet arrests itself and she tips feet down, falling the rest of the way at a safe if rough speed. A free hand presses her leather skirt down on reflex to keep it from flapping up before landing.

"<Hello travelers,>" she calls plainly in Cantaren as the young woman literally drops in some distance ahead of the group and off to the left. Her sandals land with a hard thump in the low grass before she stands up as the protective magic dissipates from beneath her.
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Sorry for the slow pose. My muse was in and out for it, not for lack of interest. Post-dinner slump maybe."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "FYI the griffon's name is Icarus because part of the internet, which I don't trust to be truthful, says it means (roughly) "go to the sky"."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "It's because she met him essentially in captivity and they went on a looong maiden flight together."
----
Before the woman can actually reach the ground the woman loping ahead of the pair of horses and their rider stops in place, one hand reaching to draw up a dark scarf from about her neck, tucking it into place to cover the lower half of her face.

That move, it seems, is sufficient warning for the rider atop the lead of those horses to stop and for that massive blade to ring free, moon- and starlight twinkling across its blade as it comes to hand ready. The blade, seen this close, is most unusual in the Shaar: a blade so big would never be straight, here, as this is. He does not dismount, but he is already prepared.

The now-masked figure whispers words in Cantare, a shimmer coming across her eyes as she watches the other woman. "< You do not glow like an angel, stranger. Yet you fall from the sky like one. >" There is an interesting hint of accent to the masked woman's Cantare speech; not much of one, but it is there. Otherwise, though, her speech is smooth and lilting, natural and natively fluent.
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<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Most of the internet doesn't have an etymology for Icarus predating the myth so it likely a nonsense etymology but the meaning is perfect."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Let me know if you're detecting magic aura with that."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "She's using magic to make herself see better in the dark."

<OOC> Bird Eyes straightens her clothes and adjusts her hair.

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Would I recognize any part of the woman's garb and do either of them wear anything that'd denote an old world tribe to me?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Very good questions! SO PROUD!"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "While the woman's base outfit is not familiar, and does seem ... odd ... she has a good bit of ornamentation. She has a beaded and feathered headband, earrings, and a wide belt/girdle thing. All of them, and the ornamentation hanging from the spear, look very Cantare."

<OOC> Bird Eyes puffs up her chest. ^.^

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Her visible skin tone looks darker than you would expect. Not Chultan dark, but darker than a Shaaren native by a reasonable bit."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "And a hood like in your reference pic or head exposed above the mask?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "By comparison, the male is very, very darkly tanned, and a bit weathered; very sun-browned. But his base coloration is lighter-skinned. Also, there's just enough light that she'd be able to make a guess that he's red haired, and green eyed."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Yay low-light vision! <3"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Hooded. Her hair is mostly tucked away, so no way to get a good bead on her hair coloration. Her eyes seem light, a sort of grey-banded green/hazel."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Who needs magic spells when you're blessed by Gwaeron. :D"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "And Selune. <.< >.>"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Or rather 9.9, it being 1AM."

<OOC> Bird Eyes waves to the moon and mouths 'thank you'.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Also, her spear itself appears to be fire-hardened pale wood, with runes, and a one and a half foot metal blade, runes there too. And some beaded feather thongs draping from it."
----
The fallen rider's large eyes flit to the massive blade and her brow lifts in surprise at its sheer size, as well as that of its wielder, but her own weapons stay holstered. For the moment at least, she's trying to be friendly. "< You are near Roctalon land. There we fly and ride. I am Bird Eyes of the Roctalon clan, >" she explains before cocking her head this way and that at the well-covered woman, so completely opposite from her barely dressed companion. Her brow furrows again as she studies both of them. Under magically aided sight her eyes are as startling as they are piercing, with barely any sclera visible around a massively enlarged pupil and marigold-yellow iris.

"< I don't recognize your dress, sister. Which clan of Cantare are you from? >" she asks first of the woman then the towering man nearby. "< And who do you follow? >"
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<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Question: the Roctalon, as you envisage them, live in the mountains between the Eastern Shaar and the Raurin?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "They live on the plains near those mountains with semi-permanent settlements on the mountains which they return to seasonally. They have to be near mountains to catch new roc eggs but they hunt and live off the plains, either on horseback or flying on rocs above it."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger nods. "OK. That's what I needed to hear. Thank you."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "As such, though Bird Eyes herself has never seen it, she will recall something of stories heard from her people, speaking of 'black-veiled Faithful'. It is said that there is a people that lives deep in the northern reaches of the Raurin, who raid out of that place all across the Punjab (deepest part of the Southern Raurin). Their name, the Aiel, means The Faithful, or at least so it is said. And it is said that when they fight, they always pull up black veils to cover the lower half of their face. The story says basically 'fear the black veil'. It is also said that they seem able to disappear in almost any environment."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Where among the mountains isn't set in stone. Just aesthetically I like the lonely range near the Rolling Stone Gap. They're not a tribe of great account due to their small number and lack of ambition, but among Cantarens they're considered very old-fashioned and traditionalist."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Oh hey, Ignis knows the Aiel! :D"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Punjab like the border-spanning province at India and Pakistan on the west edge of the Indus Valley? Must have been be a lot of rivers up there once upon a time."
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The woman nods as Bird Eyes introduces herself and makes clear her own affiliation. "< He will not answer you. He is growing more frustrated by the moment, because he understands neither of us. >" she offers in wry amusement. After a long moment's pause, she speaks again, this time in Shaaren, going slowly and being deliberate. Her word choice is perfect, which somewhat implies that her slow and deliberate pacing is more for the male than for her. "She says that she is Bird Eyes of the Roctalon Clan. They are an offshoot, or so it is said, of the Cantare, and long allies. I am Sister Aviendha Markhaab of Lucha, and one of the Cantare. The Tekumseh clan. My companion on the horse is called the Sandtiger, a sword dancer. He has said to me he has passed to the Seventh Circle in the training of Master Alimat. I have heard of Alimat and the Circles, but I know them little."

The male speaks up, his Shaaren halting and showing effort. "What is her intention?"
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<OOC> Bird Eyes says, ""Sister" indicates a priesthood status with Lucha, yes?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Yus."
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Bird Eyes tilts her head again as she seems to be processing Aviendha's Shaaren Common as much as Sandtiger. Then recognition dawns in her large eyes. "< Sister of Mielikki-as-Lucha. Then we are friends, >" she assures while touching a hand to her to her bare side, indicating the white mark of Kryntheoria tattooed clearly at the top of her stomach. "We - are - friends," she repeats in slow Shaaren to Sandtiger and shows her other hand, empty and unarmed beyond the ring upon one finger. "We will talk later. Now, what was that noise? Why are you going towards it?"
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<OOC> Bird Eyes still considers her clan a member of Cantare's tribe mind you. They just aren't hip on all the new lingo and bell-bottom fashions.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger hah!

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You may notice some olde deity names. O:)"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "BTW: The Tekumseh clan are pretty well reputed; the current Chieftain of the Cantare is Tekumseh clan."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "My little way of showing the difference in dialect."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Wow, from all the way on the southern edge of the Raurin? They still have a major presence in the Cantaren culture from the other side of the mountains and half the width of the desert?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "That's a long journey just to Council Hills."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "She's very far afield."
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Aviendha accepts the declaration of friendship, and her empty hand reaches up to lower the veil from around her face. Seeing this, the Sandtiger lowers his blade to rest across his bare thighs as he watches and listens, not interrupting. It is, all told, a rather interesting thing for many women adventurers to see, a male willing to just sit and listen without interrupting or trying to take charge of matters.

"The noise is something very dangerous. But rather than ride away, back to Alderan and the Gates, or heading for the foothills, the Sandtiger said he would rather face the threat and continue along his established path, rather than act the coward." It may be a bit hard to be sure, but it sounds like Aviendha is deprecating Sandtiger a bit, without actually using the words 'foolhardy idiot'.

The Sandtiger exhales a bit, waiting, and then speaks up, again haltingly in Shaaren. "If you know what it was, since we're sitting still, perhaps you could say?"

"Given the hour, the location, and the date, I believe it to be something the ancient legends call a Thylaxine, a creature said to wander across the Veils Between to hunt for souls." the Sister of Lucha answers.
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<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Not a creature I've heard of I'm sure."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Avi wouldn't say this, but it is a fae version of a thylacine."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I had noticed 'thylacine' in the name there. :P"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Makes sense. Almost a friend for Aoife then, and a creature of note and perhaps knowledge of my Romeiran."
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Bird Eyes takes the new information in and snorts lightly. "Is Sandtiger a Malarite? You hunt for a challenge? Or is a thylaxine good to eat?" she asks brusquely, clearly not sharing the sworddancer's preference.
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<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You are busy tomorrow yes? Game day shifted?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Just had game day last Sunday. Next game day is next Sunday. Tomorrow I'm going out to lunch with Mom, after church. Going to take her to - her choice - either her very first ever experience with Indian food, at a place that has a buffet on Sundays, or to the best Thai place in my city. Then going to a friend's house for a while to visit."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Ah. I do hope you have fun. Do you think you'll want to resume this later in the day or should we plan for traveling cat across Sunday? :)"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "If all goes well I may be RPable in evening time. If not, I'm off all day Monday and we can continue then."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Yay"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You know if we do this whole fight in the dark there will be such suspense for how you'll both react seeing all of me in daylight."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "You'll meet the griffon shortly I'm sure and Sandtiger will get to see he's not the only one who likes Big Weapons, but I do think I look better in the sunlight. It brings out my... eyes. @u@"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I'm almost sad I'm not ICly very prideful. I /could/ show off pretty well."
----
"May-lar-ite?" Sandtiger questions.

Aviendha snorts softly and shakes her head. "No, though I dare say he has some agreements." She then turns her head to address Sandtiger, speaking quickly in Raurhindi. "< She is asking if you follow Malar, the Shaaren god of hunting and bloodlust, implying your foolhardy desire to charge off towards the thlaxine was a desire to hunt it down for the manhood. >"

The Sandtiger listens to this, and makes a grimace. "No .. Malar." One hand reaches up to brush across the scars scoring his cheek and then along the necklace of curved black claws. "Already hunted ... the beast I needed for a name, and freedom. But I will not run like a coward. And this is the direction her maps say I must go."
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<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Oh I am going to have so much fun teaching Sandtiger food names..."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Brace yourself for that because the Roctalons have at least six words for 'honey' and so many more words for meat, game animals, and weather."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Cantaren probably contains most of them so Avi's will have it easy enough."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Don't suppose I recognize the beast those claws came from?"

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I assume that was covered in my earlier inspection check, but just to be sure."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Well, the name he's carrying, given his statement, implies something."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Aye but I've never been to the Raurin Desert myself, I've only glimpsed it from the mountains."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "There is reputed to be a breed of very deadly desert-native big cat called the sandtiger. And they are said to be worst because their claws are poisonous. A paralytic."
----
"< You sound from a strange place... >" Bird-Eyes determines as she lapses accidentally back into Cantaren. "And you do not talk sense," she continues, sounding confused before anything else. "'Coward' abandons their band to danger. Two of us three are okay for it to pass by. Why seek it?"
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<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "ASDF naming myself "Bird Eyes" makes it really hard to find past comments about eye colors! I did not think this through."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Found it."
----
Sandtiger shakes his head just a bit. "I am not seeking it. I am seeking my destination." He points to Aviendha. "She said it was best to move, rather than keep camp. So, we move."

Aviendha grimaces. "Moving this direction, now, brings us closer to this thing. That makes it more likely it will find us before its time here is done."

The Sandtiger's answer is simple. "If it finds us, I will fight."
----
<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hrm. Now I'm wondering where Gwaeron's 'nature is a good thing' stance lands with fey."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Material plane nature you're supposed to leave alone and live in harmony with. Don't chop down trees, divert rivers, hunt excessively - that sort of thing. And that includes predators like tigers and alligators; it's better to vibe with or avoid them if you aren't hunting for subsistence."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "But all of those things are alignment N. Fey can be truly Evil and living in harmony with "the wild" doesn't necessarily include creatures from other planes of existence."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "All true."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "But but, the First World overlaps wild places frequently and they've been around forever so it's hard to call them unnatural."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Hm. Questions to ask my main god tomorrow at dusk."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Funny timing that, dusk is my prayer time so I'm /fresh/ with spells."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "A little annoying though. Dusk is prime hunting time so spending an hour of it praying cuts into actually hunting."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Dawn's best though so I won't complain. Prepping spells before sleeping then going right to hunt isn't a bad way to be."
----
Bird Eyes exhales a pursed sigh that trills her lips and what comes out sounds distinctively like a coo. "Then how is a thylaxine fought? How does it travel and how does it look?"
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger is going to push pause here for the RL evening.

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "I do believe it is RL night now. :)"

<OOC> Bird Eyes hugs and switches back to Discord.

<OOC> Bird Eyes adjusts her feathers.
----
Aviendha rolls K: Dungeoneering (1d20+17) and gets 22 (5)
----
Aviendha's eyes crinkle a bit as she is clearly thinking hard. "The myths I recall only mention avoiding them. It was implied they could only cross over into the mortal realm for short periods when the Veils were particularly thin." At this she then turns and glares a bit at the Sandtiger. "Which is why I was recommending we choose a path ''away'' from the sound, to increase the time before an encounter and the chance it would be forced back to its own realms before it could reach us."

Of course Bird Eyes can likely avoid all of this by just riding on her friend, high above. Especially with juicy if stupid bait wandering around at ground level in easy reach.

The male grimaces. "I am not a coward. I do not run from a threat, or a fight. That bravery has seen me this far in my life."

"There is more under the Heavens than you have dreamt of, Sandtiger." Aviendha murmurs, choosing not to raise her voice loud enough to assure he will hear her.
----
The muttered comment seems to catch her fellow Cantaren's ear and the Roctalon glances skyward in agreement. "If we must go, I can stalk it and learn what we can see first," she offers. "Is there any value to killing a thylaxine? Do they stay dead or only return to their home?"
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<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "There we go. Now it works."

<OOC> Bird Eyes says, "Missed anything after my last."
----
Honesty compels Aviendha's unhelpful answer, "I have no idea what value may lie in killing them, or what will happen if one is slain in this realm." The legends were not terribly explicit about that, as she recalls them. "I will warn, Bird Eyes, it is likely to be very difficult to spot. And it will not move in a natural way. The legends speak of its movement bending the eyes and the mind."
----
Something in Avi's answer seems to prick Bird-Eyes and she knits her brow pondering as a free hand fidgets with the mistletoe looped through her belt. "And does it hunt only human, not animals?"
----
Aviendha nods. "So far as I know? Yes. It is drawn to only people." And what those legends say bout she does not recall: they are most attracted to those who are most connected with the spiritual essence of the Shaar.

Those who are witch-touched.
----
"Then with Gwaeron's guidance I may stalk in peace," Bird-Eyes considers hopefully as she takes a cord from her neck and lifts it off her head, showing the tiny carved whistle dangling from it. "I will fly out to it and see what I can see. Call out with this if you need me to return," she instructs as she holds the whistle out. It's not the course of action she had advocated, but the young Roctalon doesn't show any fear at the task before her. Whether it's the confidence of experience or the bliss of ignorance remains to be seen.

"May Lucha guide and protect you in the dark in-between places." Aviendha murmurs fervently as she reaches out her hand, grasping Bird-Eyes' hand and taking the whistle, as the tingle of divine magic flows from her touch and surrounds the huntress.

And so it begins.
----
<OOC> Syval debates an attempt at flashiness, although she is not a swashbuckler.

<OOC> Syval says, "Buh? Why is my name back to Syval?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes fixes.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Because you partially disconnected? I think? I dunno."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That'd do it. Undone by my shiny new adisconnect. That figures. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I'm too out of practice with mushing or I'd have purged those when I sorted out my login problem."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Whoo! I think I can make this check on a take-10. That means I'd default to it and not just try it for showing off! :D"
----
"Thank you, Sister." Bird-Eyes bows her head in recognition of the blessing before she backs away and turns her head towards the night sky. The Roctalon stalker stretches out her arm and beckons downward, then she waits.

"Steady your horses. They're going to spook," the young woman cautions as she smiles expectantly. Silence at first as a small shape descends from high above, streaking fast towards the ground in a tucked dive. It's far, far too large to be a normal bird yet not the mythical proportions of a mature roc. Wide bright wings flare out with a sudden whoosh as they catch air and the beast levels out hugging the ground and gliding towards Bird-Eyes. Watching it come in, the young Cantaren takes a few quick steps in the same direction, paralleling its path before catching the rope of its saddle as the adult griffon flies close enough to shadow her with its wing. Yanking her immediately from her feet, the magical half-lion half-eagle makes a flap of its powerful wings and ascends back into the night sky while Bird-Eyes flips herself onto its back and settles back onto the leather saddle.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Technically I could have done that mount as a move action but mounting Icarus like this felt like a fun way to free action it. I have another variation or two in mind you might get to see later. :)"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "P.S. Sorry to your horses! ^_^"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Sorry. Phone."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes pets. "You're fine."
----
The Sandtiger rolls Animal Handling (1d20+13) and gets 25 (12)
----
With the warning given, the Sandtiger does his best to keep both of his animals controlled despite the baseborn instinct of terror awakened within them at the moving presence of a mighty horse-loving predator coming up swiftly from behind. Even with his efforts it is still a challenge with cries and rolling eyes and bucking, but it is minimal, and he is neither unseated nor does the pack horse break away and flee. He is also able to calm them once the thing is gone again.

"What was that?!" the Sandtiger demands of Aviendha. She simply rolls her eyes. "That was a griffon. Far better and smaller than the roc I half-expected from a Roctalon tribe member. If you insist on this madness, let us continue ahead."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes proud smile. "More fodder for our campfire chat. You will likely never find even a Roctalon riding an adult roc."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "But that's hardly common knowledge."
----
As griffon and rider take once more to the night sky, Icarus makes a piping sound, prompting her rider to strokes the back of his head. "Thanks for waiting, boy. Did you miss me? They're a couple of new friends - interesting ones. For now, fly towards that sound we heard. I'll explain on the way."

Bird-Eyes turns around on the saddle and pats the griffon's hind-quarters before working to unfasten her armor from his pack and ready herself for a possible battle. "Yes, I know you want to eat the horses. Don't worry, they're honest folk, they'll trade fairly for our trouble. Maybe have to wait Guilenheim to enjoy it, but there they'll be a horse market from the other Cantarens. They can buy us even better eating horses - and I could make a honey-roast of them."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "AFK for phone."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "When you get back, can you give me a pair of perception checks, pls? Or just tell me what the modifiers are for both of you?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Back. Those are..."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls Perception (Bird Eyes) (1d20+18) and gets 33 (15)

Bird-Eyes rolls Perception (Griffon) (1d20+17) and gets 32 (15)
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "My best skill. ^.^"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "OK. +18. Good to know for the future."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And I believe we both have low-light vision."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Note both of us have Perception bonuses active but you can assume they're on when we're searching for something and not in a rush."
----
In mere minutes the griffon and his rider have crossed many miles and left their new allies far behind. The challenge now becomes managing to spot something like the thylaxine in the night upon the plains.

Another might miss the subtle movements through the grasses, the odd changes in dark and light. But Bird Eyes and Icarus are able to pick it out, and what they see is definitely chilling. The thylaxine moves in a way that is deeply unnatural, literally disappearing from one location and reappearing to continue its movement from another. It moves as much by flickering as by stalking. And it covers distance with incredible speed. There is a cold cruelty to its intensity which bespeaks a feline predator combined with something alien, something from Beyond.

And there is a definite sense that the creature has locked onto something, or someone, and is making a beeline for that target, giving no further warning to anything or anyone as it comes.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I have a bird eyes shapeshift from my skin-walker race, Icarus has Hunter's Animal Focus (Falcon). His stay on except if I replace them for combat or doing something specific out of combat. Mine I turn off for social reasons and sometimes for combat if I can spare the action economy."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Massive bonuses, eh? And there's two of us so it's like rolling with advantage. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I apologize in advance if this messes up your module, because there's probably a lake between us and Sandtiger's Perception checks."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Can I make out any details of its physiology from here? Any weird extra limbs or obvious weapons besides front claws and nasty sharp pointy teeth?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Definitely so. Even Avi doesn't quite reach your levels. THough she comes a good bit closer than Sandtiger does."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "On that note can I K:Nature for thylacine knowledge if the non-magic version are a thing in the Shaar? I can infer physiology that way at least."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls K:Nature (1d20+14) and gets 16 (2)
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "The thylacine is an animal known in ths Shaar, yes. They are very stealthy. They are great cats, on a smaller scale than the really big ones, closer to janguar size, plains-focused, and incredibly stealthy. They are noted for having a particular cry that startles most plains-based prey, causing them to freeze or stutter, which often comes right as they pounce as a setup."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "With a 2, you will miss out on the 'additional info' sections."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "One of these days I'll remember to take-10 when not rushed."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It did help my Perception checks, although with that if I was thinking I'd have taken 20 over 1-2 minutes."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "How fast is it traveling relative to a horse?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Horses are typically 40-50. This thing is moving around 70."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Yikes! We're not circling this thing then. Wow I'm glad griffons are as fast as they are."
----
"There," Bird-Eyes whispers as she leans over the griffon's head and points at the dark shape flickering in and out as it crosses the plain below. The huntress stares from atop Icarus and two pairs of raptor eyes study it from high above. Once she's satisfied, she gives her mount a nudge and the pair accelerate overhead to pass ahead of it, adding a burst of speed to help reach their new party ahead of the other-worldly carnivore.

"What a beast, it's almost as fast as you glide and it's on land," Bird-Eyes whispers by Icarus' ear. "It does look like a thylacine, so it should fight like a medium cat, but with that blinking in and out it's maybe going to like surprises - and be hard to pin down. It's lucky we like a chase..."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I just got a terrible sinking feeling for this thylaxine. This could be very interesting."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes is now hustling to get where she's going, but should be within range of the party before it's fatiguing.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger nods.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes also shifts some hunter magic from strength to stamina for Icarus' comfort even though checks aren't needed yet.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes will switch that back for fight time. She's just being helpful. :)

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Not like I can flap my wings to help him any other way, and he does remind me I'm dead weight."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger grins.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "In other news I think Google's trying to kill me. Just rolled up my 8d8 HD and got (sorted) 1,2,2,3,4,4,5."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Thank goodness first HD is maxed and it's minimum half so almost all of those are 4s."
----
DM rolls Icarus' Hit Dice (8d8+0) and gets 31 (2,6,7,1,2,6,1,6)
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Alas Icarus has less HD. An 8th level animal companion is 7 HD so that'd be 31-6=25 + CON stuff."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Just in case another roll would be helpful. You absolutely do not need to use those."
----
Bird-Eyes rolls Bird Eyes' Hit Dice (new) (7d8+8) and gets 37 (2,7,8,2,2,5,3)
----
<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "How fast is Icarus flying,. then?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That is... exactly the same before applying the minimum. Funny. XD"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "160ft per round, or 3.2 horses. :D"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Thank you."
----
Of course, Icarus is eager to prove himself, and pushes to fly back as quickly as he is able, picking up from Bird-Eyes that this is important. The griffon is able to get back to the riding - but not pell-mell - Sandtiger and his afoot guide while still leaving at least another minute before the thylaxine they saw can reach the group. But it does mean timing is tight when Bird-Eyes launches herself down, cutting things very close with her ring's ability to slow her descent before she arrives.

By the time Bird-Eyes does arrive there has been a bit of a change in the circumstances of the group. Much like the huntress herself, the Sandtiger has changed, putting on a suit of samnite armor. He has also purposefully changed horses, keeping them fresh in so doing.

In Cantare Aviendha sharply asks, incisive to the most important information: "How far?" She knows the huntress would not be back this soon if she had not found the threat.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Shaar tribes use meters for distance, was it?"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I honestly have not considered that, so I have been using Imperial/US measurements."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Makes sense when PF/D&D itself uses that for distances."
----
The huntress drops in more loudly this time, now dressed in a good covering of armor with a split skirt that goes past her knees and carrying throwing spears as well as a good weapon of her own on her back. "A minute at most and at our pace about 1300 feet," which speaks volumes for the creature's speed. Outrunning it with horses would be no easy task. "It looks like a thylacine so it should fight by pouncing and biting, but as you said it fades in and out of place and uses that to move quickly. I think it may try to ambush us many times in battle, if it can control that well."
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes study-studies spell list and plans.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Is Bird-Eyes giving this in Shaaren? Or in Cantare?"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Cantare on reflex, sorry. Should have <>ed that."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes would use Shaaren for Sandtiger but she heard Cantare so her mouth gave Cantare. She is not used to keeping mixed company.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It has... been a while."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes steels herself after calculating AC. "Oh I am going to get wailed on. Glad there are several of us."
----
With a grimace the Sandtiger objects, "You two are using a language I do not know. What is going on?"

The bare-faced Sister Aviendha makes a sympathetic grimace herself, and then translates for Sandtiger. "It is coming. Form of a medium-large cat, apparently very fast, and it also is incredibly stealthy and seems to flit about, repositioning itself impossibly as it does so. And she says we have at most a minute or so before it reaches us."

Hearing that, Sandtiger dismounts swiftly and then stakes down the two horses about a hundred feet away, then walks over to join the other two. "If it has the advantage in mobility our best chance will be to cover each other's backs and present a united front." He says this, for once, commandingly, even as that huge blade of his whips out, point down slicing into the turf beneath their feet, as he starts ritually cutting a perfect circle thirty feet in diameter. Ten paces across. He doesn't even explain his reasons, he just starts doing it.

Aviendha kneels down, pressing her hand to the turf. "Sandtiger, I know you cannot see in the darkness as well as Bird-Eyes. My own magic is enhancing that for me, but I am afraid I do not have that to offer you. Do I need to create light, so that you can defend yourself, even knowing the creature will likely disappear from sight?"

As the prayer finishes Bird-Eyes will feel a ripple of cool clean divine magic flowing through the circle, licking across her skin as the three are bound together in cause.
----
"I do not fight well standing in place," Bird-Eyes speaks up as she watches the preparations and waves her griffon back down once the horses are safely clear. "It will try to ambush us, but we can trap it in the same way. I can fly above and dive on it when it enters the circle for one of you, then we surround it. I have a magic which can help coordinate our attacks."

So saying, the huntress takes the mingled braid of mistletoe and prairie flowers from her belt and holds it before her mouth as she gives a prayer to Kryntheoria. Then a new and invigorating magic stretches out from her and connects like threads to the other two, imparting a heightened awareness of one another's posture and movements as the light of the magic itself fades.
----
<OOC> Bird-Eyes debaaaates between 2 choices.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Get Equipped With: Pack Flanking! Threatening the an enemy together now counts as flanking regardless of position."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "It's my less powerful choice but I think more likely to matter here if you're trying to keep your back from being taken."
Huh? (Type "help" for help.)

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And it's too mobile to surround and trap for normal flanking."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That's Share Training (2nd level), FYI. The quintessential Hunter spell as far as I'm concerned. :D"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Also I'm good if you want to pause us before the fight proper given the hour."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "BTW, Avi has cast Prayer on the circle. So you have a +1 luck bonus to ALL die rolls. And the thylaxine will suffer a -1 to all of its rolls."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Sweet!"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Luck bonuses are awesome!"

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Icarus gets lucky tonight too, right? :D"

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger gigglesnorts.

<OOC> Bird-Eyes will always wingwoman that griffin. He deserves it.

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "I do not know where a female griffon can be found just now, so I'm not sure how lucky he's going to get, I'm afraid."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "If he can get lucky in fighting a thylaxine and being paid in food for it, I think that will suffice."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Of course they aren't an animal so you need Summon Monster 6, which doesn't really work due to duration, and good luck finding a polymorph spell that can support 'magical beast' type."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "I can't even hit him with anthropomorphic animal and I doubt that'd help except for letting him speak Cantare."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Also funny realization: griffons speak "common" by RAW but I'm pretty sure for Icarus that's Cantaren."

<OOC> Mysterious Stranger says, "Probably so."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Really finding Icarus a Mrs. Icarus is a capstone/retirement thing. He has adventuring to do first."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "Doesn't stop it from affecting things, however."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "That and his appetite for horses."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "And cuddles. Imagine if you will 600 pounds of cuddle-cat that wakes up every 2 hours at night."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes says, "He could be worse, but he is definitely a light sleeper."

<OOC> Bird-Eyes digresses.
----
"No light. I will make due." the deeply masculine voice of the Sandtiger comes out of the night as he comes back around finishing the impossibly precise circle he has cut into the turf. "Eye-ush-den-ae, Alimat. Kah-zong-tek-ah, Singlestroke." The words have a truly alien quality to them, and it seems pretty clear neither woman understands them, or even knows what language they are. And then the light reflecting off of those milky green eyes ends as lids cover them ... and remain in place. The male warrior strides quickly to the center of the circle, and then stands waiting.

"Do what you know best, Bird-Eyes. Whatever help you and your friend can offer, we accept gladly." Aviendha offers in Shaaren. And then she dives into a roll, coming up behind the Sandtiger with her spear in both hands, readying for battle.

"It comes." the warrior offers, as a shiver passes through his flesh. Eyes closed, how can he possibly tell? And yet ...
----
[[category:rp log]]
[[category:shaar]]
[[category:birdeyes]]
[[category:sandtiger]]
[[category:aviendha]]

Log 03 Jyslin Andie Syval Journey Day 02

2021-01-06T23:29:11Z

TiggerDoll2: Created page with "<OOC> Vanya says, "She's on the short-list of characters I could easily reprise." <OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "If I knew more TF, I'd try to help with that. I do not." <OOC>..."

<OOC> Vanya says, "She's on the short-list of characters I could easily reprise."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "If I knew more TF, I'd try to help with that. I do not."

<OOC> Vanya says, "Oh it wouldn't be the same off of RiD. There was so much going on."

<OOC> Vanya says, "I appreciate the intent. Thank you. :)"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "I literally know fark-all about TF. I know the G1 cartoon because that was a thing when I was a kid. I know there was a Beast Wars thing, which I saw bits of, and know not at all otherwise, which memes have told me was eventually canonized to be pre-G1. And I know that as a whole the farking set has had dozens of shows AND comics series'. That's all I know."
----
Syval awakens heavily and sits up before his eyes have full opened while bracing a hand against the bardiche beside his bedroll. Nature around their campsite is dead quiet without even insects buzzing. Normally it's a sign of trouble, something interrupting the noisy calm of the night.

Then his eyes open enough to spot the enormous mass of orange and black stripes across the campsite. Syval tightens the grip on his weapon with a start as he moves to stand up, rising in a fluid motion and placing a second hand on the bardiche's haft. But he doesn't scream, shout, or lunge the creature. The tiger has the element of surprise and even still rousing, the sandy-eyed mage has the presence of mind not to pick a fight with something that large unprovoked - at least not when it's close enough to roll across Andie.
----
<OOC> Vanya says, "That's more than I knew when I apped Spectrum. XD"
----
Now that Syval is a tad more awake and aware, he might also notice something else as details slowly filter through his brain from his perceptions: there's no visible sign of Jyslin. And that tiger is laying down on Jylsin's bedroll.

Also: it seems Neosodos is completely unconcerned about this, curled up atop the tiger without a care in his wyrmly world.

The tigress slowly turns her head, ears swiveling towards Syval as he stands, weapon raised. Then she gives another enormous yawn, blinking those big luminescent green eyes at him. Her tail flips lazily behind her. Then she nods towards Syval and lowers her head down to her paws, and lets her eyes close ...

And somewhere in Syval's subconscious would be the realization that the scent profile of the campsite has not changed. And neither has the magical profile. The composition of the campsite has somehow not changed.
----
Syval's eyes glow a pale green in the pale moonlight as he studies the tiger intently and, after several seconds, matches the tigress against the missing and magical Jyslin. The adventurer lets out a breath and loosens the grip on his bardiche, thumping its weighted pommel into the dirt with a frown. "You could have told me /before/ going to sleep," he grumbles, then straightens his sarong and wanders away to take a walk around the campsite. He'll study his spellbook once he's finished calming down.
----
Chances are the tigress can hear that comment, but she makes no outward sign or reaction. She just lays down quietly and calmly and goes back to sleep.

The surroundings are, as previously noted, quite quiet and calm. There does not appear to be any wildlife anywhere nearby, and none seem to be bothering. There's not much light, other than moonlight - and that is fading. The magically sustained campfire was extinguished, but the fire circle yet remains, likely for a place to summon another come morning for cooking. The benefit of the quiet is that Syval will be uninterrupted while studying and preparing spells; the challenge is that it's pitch dark, which will make it hard to read the tome unless Syval summons some light, or prepares a lantern.
----
<OOC> Vanya says, "Could you repose for me please?"
----
Chances are the tigress can hear that comment, but she makes no outward sign or reaction. She just lays down quietly and calmly and goes back to sleep.

The surroundings are, as previously noted, quite quiet and calm. There does not appear to be any wildlife anywhere nearby, and none seem to be bothering. There's not much light, other than moonlight - and that is fading. The magically sustained campfire was extinguished, but the fire circle yet remains, likely for a place to summon another come morning for cooking. The benefit of the quiet is that Syval will be uninterrupted while studying and preparing spells; the challenge is that it's pitch dark, which will make it hard to read the tome unless Syval summons some light, or prepares a lantern.
----
Returning to the campsite somewhat calmed by the walk, Syval sits down at the edge of his bedroll, leans his bardiche against one shoulder, and tugs his spellbook into his lap. Light from the moon overhead glances off his eyes with a tiger-like shimmer as he opens the cover and flips from memory back to a certain page. Then the young man immerses himself in study without any provisions for a light. If Andie and Jyslin can have their secrets, then Syval can have his too. Besides, they never asked.
----
And a few hours later, just before the first rays of dawn should start peeking over the horizon, Andie and Neosodos stir. It quickly becomes apparent that Neosodos stirs because Andie does; once she has gotten up, seated on her bedroll with the blanket over her lap, the dragonet curls up on said lap, closes his eyes and goes back to sleep as she rests her hands upon him.

Seeing Syval up, and Jyslin transformed, seems not to bother Andie in the slightest. She merely offers the man across the cold campfire circle a nod and then turns her face due east. And as those first fingers of dawn's light peek over the horizon, a golden glow builds around Andie, suffusing her and surrounding Neosodos, suffusing the sleeping dragonet as well.

This is a witch, communing with her familiar. And the aura of palpable magical energies in the camp increases exponentially, in a raw, barely-shaped fashion that both grates against Syval's training and experience, and yet still feels ... oddly 'right', to some instinct buried within him he does not yet understand.
----
Syval is aware enough to notice the stir and nod back once Andie rouses. His spellbook was closed and packed away before the last star faded, leaving the green-haired wizard occupying himself in turns with observing the grasslands around them and amusing himself with minor acts of magic upon his surroundings. Looking closely as light begins to filter into their campsite, some of the up-turned rocks of the fire pit aren't the same color they were the night before.

The sight of a witch in communion well eclipses those passing interests and the young man's eyes are drawn to the Andie before the glow has even fully enveloped Neosodos. The golden aura sets his hairs on end and instinctively, the novice mage replies with a muted gesture of his hand and a softly spoken "Laas" before his eyes glow a verdant green in sympathy, attuning themselves to magic. It only makes the impact stronger. He stares, his brow furrows in rapt attention, and any academy lessons in the danger of raw magicks are brushed away by the captivating golden aura.
----
Andie herself does not look up or regard Syval, and her communion is deep enough she would seem to have little real awareness of the world around her as she does so. One side effect that does occur is that Andie gestures, at some point, towards the fire pit, and the magical fires erupt once more in place, glowing even more gold than the night before. This is so effortless, in fact, that Andie need not even utter a word; only the mere gesture is sufficient.

A good hour later, the glow around Andie fades, until only Neosodos is affected. Finally the dragonet stirs once more, stretching wide, wings outstretched, head and neck high as he gives voice a cry, 'shouting' in his admittedly small voice a single word. And despite never hearing that word before, and knowing no human throat could make it, instinct tells Syval its meaning: Good morning.

And then the glow fades away in twinkling motes. The tigress beside Andie and Neosodos opens her eyes, yawning wide and starting to stretch ... as her body ripples and morphs, leaving Jyslin behind as she stretches more and sits up. "Time for breakfast, I suppose ..." she murmurs as she gets started on that, without even a word about the fact that she was, just moments ago, not even human.

The captivating spell upon Syval breaks by the time the golden glow fades and the young man blinks his eyes hard as if rousing from a dream. Looking from the freshly-communed witch to the dragon in her lap and then to the teenage tigress all casually starting their mornings, all he can do is shake his head. "I see why you normally travel alone..."
----
Standing, Syval follows the group's lead and stretches himself loose as well, realizing with a grunt just how long he was motionless watching Andie's ritual. "Good morning to you too, Neo," he adds. "I can search for game along our route. Or set out a few traps."
----
<OOC> Vanya has plenty of questions about the night but is saving them for breakfast. He's pragmatic. :)

<OOC> Vanya says, "Breakfast or the trail."
----
Jyslin chuckles amusedly at Syval's reaction, but she moves to put up her stand and puts a rack on it. "Give me a few, and I'll have the bread heated and ready." The (very) old-fashioned version of a toaster. They do have some rather delicious honey-herb butter for it, as well. Jyslin also produces goat's milk to top it off. "We can both keep aware. Hopefully we can find something to bring down today. Otherwise, I will go hunting tonight." the priestess explains.

Better the tigress feed on game than on party members, yes?

"I noticed you found my communing very interesting, Syval." Andie observes. "If you have questions, we can discuss as we walk today. I will do what I can to explain."
----
<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas snugs Syval.

<OOC> Vanya surprised but receptive hug back.

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Do you have your backscroll, or do you want me to recap a bit?"

<OOC> Vanya says, "I've got it."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas paws-up!

<OOC> Vanya says, "Heh!"

<OOC> Vanya does also need to occasionally remind himself how young you look thanks to the cat-curse.

<OOC> Vanya says, "And then I have to remind myself that in a Shaar setting, I should mentally add another 2-4 years back for what that'd be in modern American terms."

<OOC> Vanya says, "So it kind of cancels out in the end."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas chuckles.
----
"It was... quite a sight," Syval admits. "Nothing like what I've seen druids do. It felt different."
----
While a druidess of Selune is not entirely unheard-of, it's a rare thing, as the usual suspects are far more common, including Silvanus, Chauntea, the Jade Queen, and powers of other pantheons. The young-seeming moonpriestess with the ancient soul has made no secret of her faith, though her demonstrations have been subtle for the most part.

Jyslin glances up from the cooking fire, her green eyes reflecting some of the fire's light as she does so. "Mmmm? Well, yes. From what I have seen, my transformation is outwardly somewhat like that of a druid's wildshape." Given her own mother followed that path and profession, she would know. "My blessing from Selune as a moonpriestess makes my own transformation more like that than it was, or would have been." There's a hint of tension in the ashen blonde's voice, concern over how her revelation will be received. But she will not lie.

"I am a weretigress. In my case, I was infected, savaged by some years ago when a party I was guiding encroached upon their territory while they were gravid." Jyslin's choice of words is one obliquely applied when speaking of women who are heavily pregnant. "I managed to get them to back off without hurting them, and saved my party members. But not without taking damage myself."

Jyslin falls silent for a bit as she continues toasting breakfast. Syval may notice Neosodos slithering through the grass and rubbing himself against her knee and calf in a reassuring manner. This is clearly a troubling tale for her.

"A month later, while I was on night watch, I transformed. I did not harm anyone in the party, but I had no way of knowing that. When they confronted me in the morning, they sent me away." Jyslin does not mention that one of 'they' was her lover at the time. "I left the Misty Vale and headed to Shiertalar, hoping the priestesses at the Hall of the Heavens could cure me." With a moon-tied curse, it makes sense to look to the cult of the moon for aid, right?

"Instead, Mother Shanna insisted that I remain under their protection and tutelage." Jyslin explains. "They trained me to understand the transformation, and in so doing I found the calling of my heart, and converted as a moonpriestess. After my consecration, I found my transformation no longer destroyed my clothing, nor left me tangled up in armor or gear. Instead, those things transformed with me, much as my mothers' had for her as a druidess."

Once done, Jyslin distributes the toasted breads for breakfast and begins a quick clean-up, packing things away so that the journey of the day can begin without further delay.
----
<OOC> Vanya says, "Interruption. AFK."

<OOC> Vanya says, "Okay I'm back now."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas huggles. "Welcome back. You OK?"

<OOC> Vanya says, "Yup! Just family."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Well, they're entitled. You're you, after all."

<OOC> Vanya says, "Ended up showing more of how to use chess.com, playing a game of rapid chess, going over a donation pile I'd made today, little similar close-out discussions before I leave tomorrow morning."

<OOC> Vanya says, "Could have kind of done with deferring the chess game but it all worked out. Mostly productive time spent."
----
Syval listens through Jyslin's answer though his brow furrows at the mention of weretigers. But once she's done, he simply sits back down with his pack and rummages through it for his bowl and utensils. "That's a long journey you went on. So you're infected with weretiger forever? Have you found any hope for a cure or do you just... live with it now?"
----
Jyslin shares the spreads for the toast, and the walking begins. "No cure, at this point. I've accepted the blessing of Selune, and with it I have become a weretigress, through and through, as if born to it."

Andie does not interrupt for a while, but does eventually pipe up with a bit of something to share. "Therianthropy is a circumstance often misunderstood by most. Even many of the faithful of Selune may not truly understand its power, its origins, its vectors or its many forms." Trust a witch to have some dire pronouncements and secret knowledge, right? "For instance, since the most common varieties encountered are the wererat and the werehyena, much of humanity hates and fears all therianthropes as evil. But while those two breeds are indeed primarily and seemingly almost universally evil, nothing is sure or certain."

Andie turns and smiles at the blonde at her side. "As mighty as the weretigers are, and as fearsome as they can be, they are not universally evil. Most are in fact largely neutral, while some are good and others evil. Sadly, the greatest of them in this age is evil, and rules in Ashai, which does tend to darken their reputation amongst those where Jyslin and I usually make our home."
----
<OOC> Vanya says, "Er, right. Toast with smear. >.<"

<OOC> Vanya says, "I swear I'll get back into the swing of this scene right as it's time for bed at this rate. Sorry."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas kiss forehead. "S'okay. RP is RP. I'll take what I can get."
----
"''Therianthropy''?" Syval sounds out as he drags a generous smear across his breakfast bread. If it is a topic taught at his academy, the green-haired young man probably slept through it. It only takes a moment or two for him to repack his back and shoulder it before he's once again walking with the pair (plus Neos), bardiche in hand and tapping the ground beside him like a walking stick. "Are they related to your witch magic at all?" he asks of Andie. "That wasn't the magic of wizards or nature."
----
"Therianthropy is a clutch of different but very similar circumstances, the blending or melding of animal natures and that of people, most often humans." Other races are not immune, but discussing the different resistances is perhaps more than Andie wants to get into just now. "Also called werecreatures, there are those who are 'natural' or sometimes 'true' therianthropes, born with the might. They are generally stronger, and also better adjusted, better able to control their dual nature. Like Jyslin now." Andie reaches out to squeeze the blonde's hand reassuringly.

"The bite of a therianthrope can carry the power into the blood, as a magical disease, a curse. Those who fall victim become what are called 'afflicted' or 'infected' therianthropes." Andie explains. "Like Jyslin began. It is only through the blessons of Selune during her consecration as a priestess that Jyslin's affliction was transformed into a blessing, becoming natural. The afflicted are often not even consciously aware of their dual nature, transforming in their sleep and acting on animal instincts borne by the curse."

Jyslin speaks up now, not about the in-depth details, but just to relate all of this to herself. "That is why my party sent me away. They were afraid of me for what I had become, and afraid I would attack them, possibly infecting more of them." Still there is a sad bitterness to her words.

Andie gives Jyslin's hand another squeeze, then resumes her tale. "The origins of therianthropy are not widely known, but it is believed that they were created by shaman of great power in dark and ancient times, imbued into others as either a dark mark and punishment for transgressions, or as a dangerous blessing laid upon champions in times of great need." No need for her to panic anyone by explaining she was around for several of those incidents in the 'bad old days'. Witches are creepy enough without being revealed as immortal fonts of eternal knowledge. "It is deep and primordial magic. It is quite possible some of the strains of therianthropy began as the curse or blessing of a witch."
----
"Hmm..." Syval vocalizes thoughtfully and chews over the matter with toast. It's a lot to take in surely. "There is a lot of magic in the world... I've got some of it in me too, but then I'm from the Forest of Amlar. You can't walk five steps in those woods without tripping over a fey or something else. Not sure what kind it is... but I've never had much trouble looking after myself," the young man admits with a respectful glance to his bardiche. "Grasslands like these aren't my favorite, but I'll manage. Less places for things to hide this way."
----
From Andie's shoulder Neosodos turns his head towards Syval and croons a warbling sound. It's at once a bit like laughing, a bit like crying, and a bit just like a cat meowing, all mixed up together. "Poorrrrrr leetle brotherrrrrr." the eldritch wyrm offers in Shaaren.

Andie reaches up absently to stroke the reptilian creature's head as she nods. "It is true, there are many kinds, or flavors of the Art. The oldest, most difficult to control, and arguably most powerful is the primordial. It is that which witches learn to study and embrace, even as they learn to adapt what they can of it to the arcane pathways. Rituals are always best for the primordial, offering the greatest facility for control."

Jyslin picks up, then; this seems to be a conversational path worn smooth for these two. "Just as old is the divine, carried by prayer. But the divine is not shaped by the will of the caster as much as by the will of the Power granting it. It is a sort of cooperative union of wills, the very nature of prayer and communion."

Andie picks up from there. "The youngest path is also the sort with some of the greatest innovation: the path of the arcane, using prescribed rituals of knowledge and pattern to shape the Art to the caster's own will. It is weaker in some ways to the primordial or the divine, and definitely different. But it is the one kind that is uniquely mortal. The greatest of the arcane path are the dragons, whom it is said were the first to discover it, the gift of their goddess through the sacrifice of Aurum, marked by the Cauldron."
----
Neosodos receives a puzzled look before Syval turns back to Andie. "Dragons use the same magic as people? I've never heard of one studying a spell book before..." he asks in clear surprise. "So what you did this morning was primordial magic? That felt... purer than the magick of the academy, more natural. Is that something you can teach?" With a flick of his gaze the question goes as much to the witch as it does to her wyrm familiar.
----
The pseudodragon gives a wheezy sort of chortling hiss, an odd kind of laughter that must be a unique approximation for the little wyrm. Andie smiles, offering a nod at the first question, and again at the second. The third gets a bit of a shrug.

"I would not say dragons use the same magic as people. They are, after all, quite different beings, far more naturally imbued with raw magic than any other race of which I am aware." Yet Andie does not make the assumption that she truly knows of every race. Just that she certainly knows most far better than even most sages. "Dragons were the first to practice the arcane, and their pathways to shape it are different than most. I have heard it said that most can invoke their spells and will with little more than a glance and a word or three in their language."

Of course she's heard it said to be so; from a few dragons she herself has known over the millennia. Including the one riding on her right now.
----
<OOC> Vanya creaks a bit. z.z

<OOC> Vanya says, "I think I'll need to pause here tonight."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas smooch. "OK. Having fun, I hope?"

<OOC> Vanya says, "Yes. I think I need to revisit my Syval sheet a little before we resume, get into his head a little better. I've not been anywhere near parity on the big poses you've been throwing out."

<OOC> Vanya says, "Though apparently my hunch was right on Neri RP. I did lose a solid half hour or so in there."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas nuzzles. "Well, if you wanna brainstorm while working on the character sheet, I'm happy to help."
----
[[category:rp log]]
[[category:shaar]]
[[category:jyslin]]
[[category:andie]]
[[category:syval]]

Log 02 Jyslin Andie Syval Journey Day 01

2021-01-06T23:28:10Z

TiggerDoll2: Created page with "<OOC> Vanya says, "There we go." <OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Hiya. :)" <OOC> Vanya says, "Long time no see." <OOC> Vanya says, "Hmm, so where should we start this next one?..."

<OOC> Vanya says, "There we go."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Hiya. :)"

<OOC> Vanya says, "Long time no see."

<OOC> Vanya says, "Hmm, so where should we start this next one?"
----
With all of that arranged and some rather fun verbal sparring, Jyslin gathers up the backpack in her lap -- wait, wasn't there a small dragon creature there a moment ago? -- and drapes it over her shoulders as she gathers Andie more by gaze than any physical contact. There definitely seems to be a close connection between the two incredibly unusual women, both vibrantly exuding competence and power, with ludicrously long hair for humans and no visible weapons at all.

"Have a good evening, Syval. We will meet you at Eastgate Plaza an hour after dawn on the morrow. Obviously, I recommend you head to the market for any supplies you do not already have, as the market will not open that early." Jyslin offers, even though she has already made it clear she barely knows this city and has not been here. Still, that's just not how things operate.

That arranged, Jyslin and Andie head towards the stairs of the inn, making their way up with no sign of Neosodos at all.

Later that night, upstairs, the two women converse. "So, obviously he's special." Jyslin comments to Andie. "Enough to make your Talent wake up and respond. And Neo likes him."

The Eldritch Wyrm gives an almost purring trill of sound. "Yessss. Lonnnnng time sincccce one like himmmmmm."

Andie continues to run her hairbrush through the ashen blonde locks of her companion. "Yes, he is special. Just as you are. As I am. And none of use the same way. And yes, he is tied to draconic magic, though he clearly does not know that himself. Not yet."

Jyslin sighs contentedly. "Alright. And I assume, given how you spoke to him, that we shouldn't tell him, until he figures more of it out for himself?"

Andie answers, "I believe that would be best. I think he is closer, now, than he has ever been to those answers. And from what I have Seen, I believe he will find those answers - or the beginnings of them in earnest - during our journey."

Jyslin nods only slightly, so as not to get more tugging than she can tolerate to her hair. "Usual rules for what we tell him of us? Or more?"

The witch chuckles. "More. But we will play that by ... ear."

"OK. Clearly this was why you wanted to stop over in the city." Jyslin responds.

Andie shakes her head. "No. Actually, I came into the city to leave a message for my sister, and to consult the locals for information from the South. Because of his nature, I did not know Syval would be here, until he was."

That settled, they sack out contentedly with one another.
----
<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas leaves it there, so that you can put in anything from Syval's perspective that you wish ahead of them meeting up in the morning.

<OOC> Vanya feels like he should consult a +sheet with an inventory now!

<OOC> Vanya @_@

<OOC> Vanya says, "I forgot how large this sheet was oh my god."

<OOC> Vanya says, "I am viewing 4 pages wide and it still took scrolling to reach the bottom wow. XD"

<OOC> Vanya says, "Though I think I understand now why DM screens are a thing. 4 pages wide is a lot more information at a glance."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas just kinda assumes Syval might want like consumables, like rations and filled water bottls and the like.

<OOC> Vanya says, "Doesn't look like I ever finished filling out my inventory section either, so this is appropriate timing."

<OOC> Vanya says, "Oh sure, you're not wrong. I would only be stocking up on what I need for the trip. Supplies are more expensive when they're for a trip."

<OOC> Vanya says, "Dang and this almost sent me down a rabbit hole looking up ways to turn fresh foods into preserves for home cooking, like dehydrating apples in the fall or making pocket soup."

<OOC> Vanya says, "I am pretty sure pocket soup will be among the rations Syval procures, incidentally. Parched corn too if this were the American east coast. Pocket soup is a handy but tedious food stuff."
----
The next morning finds the treelike mercenary walking alone through the dawn streets to the town's eastern gate. Roused by the sun the town is already stirring with the baker preparing bread and other morning chores being attended to, but it's far too early for merchants or other travelers to arrive from the roads. Overnight travel is reserved for the wealthy coaches of nobles and the unscrupulous outlaws after all. Dressed much the same as he was yesterday the brawny young man has added for himself several supplies but the pack on his shoulders has neither the expanse or bulk that would be due a journey of such length. It might perhaps have been intended for shorter journeys of a few days. Then again, to fully provision for the long journey that was proposed last night would take a cart to itself for supplies alone. With this trip, speed will be sacrificed for foraging.

Turning his face to the wisp of a breeze that passes through the gaps of the wooden palisade, Syval pulls his waterskin and takes a sip before looking around - for his traveling companions or a comfortable spot to lean while waiting. Towering in equal height and shining on its freshly sharpened edge, his bardiche is grasped like a walking stick and, given the chance, rested against one of the bark-stripped logs.
----
By this hour, the gates are just beginning to open, and when they do carts are rolling in, being inspected, and then allowed to pass carrying foodstuffs gathered from the outlying farms. Merchants will only have started moving with dawn, and will be hours away from arriving, but the local farmers are closer and more immediate. They make up the bulk of the traffic in the Eastgate Plaza at this hour.

The guards' interest is in those who try to enter, and no real thought is given to those who are queuing up to leave. Nevertheless each is checked out of the city, the guards gathering stamped metallic tags from each for the animals they take with them. When one merchant tries to get an early start and leave, he is held up when he apparently does not have tags for two of his horses. The guards eventually quote him a fee, and he pays it to gain two more metal tags, which are then turned in for those animals so that he can depart.

As Syval watches, his heightened senses will pick up the approach of the two women he is waiting on, as they make their way winding through the crowds rather effortlessly. Neither is all that small, nor appears especially nimble, yet they seem to flow naturally into the gaps between others, almost as if their approach subconsciously beckons for such gaps to be created and some talent of theirs tells them in advance where the gaps will be.

But that couldn't be. Could it?

Andie carries a simple and unadorned ash wood stave in her hands and is wearing a backpack not dissimilar in relative size and stature to Syval's choice, while Jyslin herself carries nothing at all in her hands but does wear a larger backpack, one curiously framed and built out for ease of carrying and long distances. Both women wear those simple, homespun robes they wore the day before and lead no animals. As when they left the night before there is no sign of Neosodos, but Syval's nose is convinced the Eldritch Wyrm is with them.

"Good morning." Andie offers to Syval. "All ready?" she asks, as Jyslin smiles and follows along. With no (apparent) animals, they are allowed to exit without contest. Almost immediately Jyslin moves to take the lead, if not by a great margin, and moves off the road as they move into the grasslands.
----
<OOC> Vanya returns from making a nice mess of her kitchen counter canning dry powders.

<OOC> Vanya says, "Milk powder is easy but the ground flaxseed I buy is all clumpy. It likes to make a mess. >.<"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas yuckies @ mess. Thankfully it's all dry mess so just a few quick wipes to clean.

<OOC> Vanya says, "Miss..."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "I just hate waste."

<OOC> Vanya says, "That's what gets me too more than the cleanup, yes. Not trying to feed my trash can."

<OOC> Vanya says, "And please remind me, Jyslin is the blonde who turns tiger-y and Andie is the raven-haired witchy woman?"

<OOC> Vanya says, "Granted both of you give off a witch vibe as-is."

<OOC> Vanya says, "If I remember Jyslin did mention her tiger nature during out conversation, but I can't remember exactly what she did and didn't reveal now. >.<"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Yes, they both give off witchy vibes. Andie is auburn-haired, green-eyed, which is CLASSIC/stereotypical Shaaren 'witch-colored'."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Jyslin didn't //quite// mention it. She was very oblique. But Syval can smell it, so that helped him put the pieces together."
----
The approach is a curious one by any normal standards but with how peculiar the pair were the night before, and given the rumors of how they arrived, Syval takes the preternatural advance calmly. If he's worried about becoming an internal blood sacrifice for them on the next full moon... well that's what the bardiche is for.

"Well met. At your leave," he greets warmly and seems, despite the hour, just as ready to put the comforts of the city behind them with no last-minute inspections or questions about their packs. It might be a compliment that Syval isn't treating the two women with escorting kid gloves.
----
The trio range ahead on their particular path for quite a few hours without much in the way of interruption, or much need to talk. They may point out this or that thing as they pass: a particular bird on the wing, or sign of animal passage other than horses or the like. Even the two women seem to have no need of conversation; a mere glance at one another seems to be enough for them to decide how they will adjust or respond to any given stimuli.

Those first hours of journeys, of course, are largely moving amongst the outlying farms, which stretch at least a day's journey from the outer walls and gates of the city. The travelers will see signs of those in the fields, perhaps harvesting from one field while planting in another. In other spaces they may see livestock being raised or watched over. And there will be outlying orchards as well, though they do seem to be the furthest out of the farms. But as odd as this trio is, they get little attention from those who see them; unless they do something to demand that attention, they are simply allowed to pass, as their passage does nothing to interrupt the work that must be done.
----
The further the group travels from town the more Syval seems to relax and loosen up. Warmed by the walk even his journeying stride devours land and his sandals fall smoothly through the short brush and dirt wagon trails between farms. Rather than departing civilization, it's more like the young man is retreating into nature. The grasslands that border the Withering Heights will make a welcome change.

Luckily perhaps, the guard doesn't seem much for conversation either and the women receive little more than occasional glances to ensure they're both in good order while walking.
----
<OOC> Vanya stripped out a chunk of pose and saves it for once we leave farmland. He got a little ahead of himself at first.
----
The women move with efficiency and ground-eating pace that would be astounding to most, but given what they told Syval yesterday, he is likely at least less shocked; they are keeping up with him handily despite shorter strides. As such, they manage to actually cover the entire outlying farm region before full nightfall. The Weathering Heights remain days yet in the distance, but they can be clearly seen without interruption from farm outbuildings or trees at this point.

And that means those with truly exceptional sight might be able to pick out the sight of some rather large somethings circling in the heavens above and about those mountainous peaks.

At this range from the city, the group has roved beyond any protection the city guard might be able to offer, and they are wandering into areas that most normal travelers would only attempt in caravan strength. That does not mean they will somehow be instantly beset by the like of gnolls or minotaurs. But that could be the case at any time, as they lope along at such a ground-eating pace through the tall grasslands. Even more interestingly, though of course Syval was aware of this before now, they are veering gradually northward, rather than veering southward to where a road actually skirts those mountains.
----
<OOC> Vanya checks. PER 7, no passive enhancement magic for it anymore. Decent but not exceptional.

<OOC> Vanya says, "Aww cute! Google's roll has a dice graphic now, appropriate to the dice you ask it for."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Neat."
----
With the sun dipping out of sight at their backs, the grassy stalks sway in amber-tinted waves and the beck of the cooling evening breeze. Syval takes another drink from his water skin and weighs this one's contents in his hands. He'll need enough for dinner and so far there's no water source in sight. "This heading leads to Daer-Calt. How wide a berth are you giving the mountains," he cautions gruffly. It's late enough to stop and make camp, too late even with the dwindling sunlight and firewood and water both to be gathered, but again Syval leaves the obvious questions unasked. It is after all only a day's journey from Delzimmer. He could easily turn around if forced to.
----
<OOC> Vanya says, "*at the beck of the cooling..."

<OOC> Vanya says, "*mountains?"
----
"We won't be going anywhere near that far north." Andie answers calmly when Syval speaks up. "We will simply cleave to the edge of the northern foothills, all along the Toadsquats." So, not a lot of a wide berth, but they aren't going expressly into those foothills. Hence the challenge of this journey.

Another hour of travel, and then finally the women seem ready to stop. They do not bother with formally setting up a camp, or a tent. They do pull out and unroll their bedrolls beside one another. But then Andie raps the foot of her stave against the ground, and a campfire circle is instantly created there, the earth upturned, stones erupting from the ground. And with a pass of her hand, a fire simply appears, sans any fuel.

Jyslin kneels down, pulling out a pot from her backpack and then a wire frame that she can implant into the ground to support the pot in the flame. Now, it's time to pour in water and other ingredients, and begin stirring. Here comes a meal, in a bit. And still all of this comes without a word spoken.

As the group doffs their packs and unpacks for the night, the magically summoned campfire illuminates the look of surprise on Syval's face with its suddenly-crackling embers. After getting past a moment's shock, all the bodyguard can do is chuckle softly and turn back to his own supplies. His own bedroll is prepared a short distance away and downwind. "If this is what it's like traveling with witches I could get used to this," he jokes, breaking the silence. Syval's own contributions to the communal stew are bits of meat cut into bits with his knife along with a handful of veal glue and flower greens the pair will likely recognize from the earlier roadside. It's as much as Jyslin and Andie add together, suggesting the man might be hungry enough for half. "Can your staff summon food or water?"
----
<OOC> Vanya is good to pause wherever in here for sleep.

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas smooches. "OK. We can pause here and continue later." :)

<OOC> Vanya says, "Deal. ^_^"

<OOC> Vanya says, "I settled back into this more than I expected. Granted, lots of notes to review so sorry for the slow these first few sessions."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas doesn't mind slow, hon. :)

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas snuggles.

<OOC> Vanya hugs.

<OOC> Vanya says, "Do you have descs for Jyslin and Andie that I could use for reference?"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Uhm. I should have one for Jyslin. Give me a sec."

<OOC> Vanya says, "And I think it's you to pose next. :)"
----
Andie glances towards Syval, a merry twinkle in her eyes reflecting the fire's light. "My staff? No. But spells can do so. Jyslin is better at those than I."

The ash-blonde woman smirks. "For some variation on 'better.' I am much better at hunting for dinner and preparing it traditionally." Jyslin seems to feel no concern whatsoever at playing-down her magical abilities. And she seems happy to do the stirring of the stew as it heats and its parts hydrate together and blend their flavors. "I expect we'll want to take watches. Most wizards I know prefer to study their spells first thing in the morning. You can take last watch, if you like. I prefer to pray for my spells during the dark of night." Moonpriestess, after all.
----
<OOC> Vanya snickers. "Oh right, the burliest wizard in the Shaar. I keep mixing up my build with the original Syval."

<OOC> Vanya says, "Thank goodness for this sheet. I had the other one for years so I guess it imprinted a bit."
----
"Then that's two of us," Syval agrees to the young woman, patting his spellbook as he pulls it from his pack. As full and thickly-bound as that of any novice wizard's, it should be oversized for how many spells it most likely contains, but the spine seems to fit comfortably in the sandy-eyed mage's large hand. Flipping it open as he settles in by the fire, the young man leafs through a few pages, then begins to skim, turning back and forth a few times to look for one in particular.

"I will take the last watch but before that, perhaps we should compare spells?" he suggests.
----
Jyslin glances up from the pot she is stirring towards Andie at Syval's suggestion; she hasn't gone adventuring with anyone but her since really coming into her own as a priestess, so she's not used to discussing her spell selection with anyone. Andie always just knew what needed to be known.

"I suppose we can, if you like?" Jyslin answers. "I do not carry many on a given day. My usual complement includes the usual smattering of blessings and benefiting spells, healing, a few minor divinations, and a pair of largely defensive combat spells."

Andie settles down and is currently petting Neosodos in her lap, feeding him tiny berries. "Given my magicks are those of a witch, I imagine they would largely mean little to a wizard. Nevertheless, I can tell you I have quite a few fire spells, both offensive and defensive. I have a little bit of healing, but not much. Beyond that, I have some divinations." How these two have managed to survive and even thrive across such long journeys in trackless wilderness seems bloody unlikely. But Syval is sure they are not lying.
----
Syval smiles at the reply he gets and a little interest creeps into his eyes even as they reflect the firelight with the parched yellow hue of desert sand dunes. "Fire and defensive magicks are good. I confess the journeymen were never so impressed with my combat magicks, but my bardiche has always made up for that," he assures with what can only be the confidence of experience. "Anything we find along our travel, I'll step in front of." Then closing the book almost shut except for a finger left inside as a page marker, Syval turns to Andie and asks, "Do witches also use a spellbook?"
----
Since Syval seems to be done with questions for her at the moment, Jyslin goes back to stirring the stew.

Andie watches Syval curiously, her interest piqued as he decides to ask her about a witch's magic. "Mmm. Some witches do write down spells or formulas. Scrolls and tomes, like yours, perhaps." she explains. "But for most witches, they get their spells directly from their patrons. It can be a means of meditation, not entirely unlike prayer. Perhaps a focus object assists. Or, like myself, their familiar might be ennobled by their pact, and communing with ones' familiar might serve the same purpose as your perusal of your tomes."

After a few moments, Andie does decide to speak up. "Just in case, Syval, I would recommend that you be prepared to adjust your normal melee tactics. Jyslin does not like to brag, but she was a roamer for several years before she took to the path of the moonpriestess. She has been known to engage our enemies in melee, or to produce a bow and shoot at them." Interesting that Jyslin does not bring it up ... and that there seems no sign of a bow, or ammunition, let alone a melee weapon of any kind save Andie's simple ash wood stave.
----
Armed as he is with a bardiche and a dagger besides, the green-haired young man turns a questioning look to Jyslin's unassuming form by the fire. "A roamer at your age? It must be a sight how you accomplished that. I can't guarantee your safety if you charge ahead of me, but I suspect I can swing over you without great difficulty. My pole is more for cleaving bandits before they get too close, but it should work for that as well. Fire freely with a bow if you're skilled with one."

"Is that something else tapping your staff summons?" he questions back to Andie, perhaps this time in jest.
----
"I grew up a roamer." Jyslin offers by way of explanation, without providing details about things like her father the half-elven ranger, her mother the human druidess, or Wynesboro community. "Then things changed." She doesn't seem defensive, but she's not being very forthcoming with details.

Andie chuckles softly at Syval's comment, apparently catching his intended humor rather than missing it. "Oh, no. Jyslin's bow is tucked away on her person, not my own." Not that she explains where.

The Eldritch Wyrm stretches himself out across Andie's lap, regarding Syval directly. "Sssssyval sssshould rrrrrememberrrr ... the nosssssse knowssssss." Andie chuckles and scritches against his scales. "Ah. Yes. As you have seen, Neo tends to hide very effectively. He has been known to sneak up on even the most devastating physical threats unnoticed, and then stab them with his tail."

The draonnet grins toothily, that barbed tail tip swishing about tauntingly.
----
"Your little tail is that much of a danger?" Syval wonders. A wyrm Neo might be, but he's also a small one. No new question is made back to the women about Jyslin's phantasmal bow o her background. The young man's gotten used to half-answers, or perhaps he's just leaving them for later. They do have a long journey after all.
----
Neosodos' answer is one word, drawn out in his usual fashion. "Poisssssssonnnnnn." And apparently quite a deadly one.

Andie smiles at the question but lets Neo answer for himself. With no further questions forthcoming, she lapses into silence, watching both the young wizard and her priestess companion with interest, awareness and some small amount of pleased amusement.
----
Jyslin speaks up after maybe another fifteen minutes. "I'm ready for bowls." MMmm. What a delicious smell, coming from the fire without apparent fuel.
----
<OOC> Vanya deleted the follow-up "Magick or poison?" too. XD
----
"Enough to handle grassland wildlife," Syval assesses of their little group with a satisfied smile before casting his eyes upwards to the evening stars peeking out of the sky. "I wonder what else we'll encounter..."

The call for bowls pulls the young man back from his thoughts and, after some brief rummaging, he produces a wooden bowl from his pack and gives it a quick wipe before offering it towards Jyslin.
----
The little dragonet purrs quietly as he accepts his due adoration from Andie. No comments at all about what they may encounter, or quite what Neo can kill with that poison stinger of his.

When Jyslin accepts the bowl, she smiles and ladles in plenty, offering it back to Syval. By the time she is done that Andie is handing over her own bowl - wooden as well, and then helpfully Jyslin's. In short order, all three can be eating. And Jyslin clearly knows how to cook well; seems she even added a few spices to the mix just to enhance the flavors without impeding them at all.

The ladies each eat only a single bowl of the stew, leaving three for Syval. Hopefully that will be enough. When done, Jyslin cleans up quite thoroughly, and without using a drop of water. She just waves her hand over the collected bowls and pot, and they are cleansed utterly. Then she hands back the bowls and puts her own and her pot away.

Before long, the ladies are stretched out side by side, nestled close together, while Neosodos lies between them. He seems to be the one on watch, though it should be Andie's turn.

There are no interruptions during the night. When it comes to Syval's turn at watch in the waning hours of the morning before dawn, he is gently awoken by a loud yawn from very close by, just across from the extinguished fire pit.

Where Jyslin's bedroll was, right beside Andie and Neosodos, there is now a very large tiger, yawning big enough to swallow Syval's head and shoulders.
----
<OOC> Vanya hits pause on his side for tonight. More later. :)

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas snugs.

<OOC> Vanya hugs. :)

<OOC> Vanya settles back in and considers an appropriate response.

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas yawns @. :D

<OOC> Vanya also shakes to get OC out of her head a bit.
----
[[category:rp log]]
[[category:shaar]]
[[category:jyslin]]
[[category:andie]]
[[category:syval]]

Log 01 Jyslin Andie Syval Meeting in a Bar

2021-01-06T23:23:42Z

TiggerDoll2: Created page with "The Bronze Tome does not exactly sport a Shaar-wide reputation as a fine drinking establishment; indeed, it is not even incredibly well known in its own Delzimmer, and has lit..."

The Bronze Tome does not exactly sport a Shaar-wide reputation as a fine drinking establishment; indeed, it is not even incredibly well known in its own Delzimmer, and has little reputation at all beyond the confines there. But here in Delzimmer, at least amongst a certain sector of the city's populace, the Bronze Tome is reasonably well known and accounted for as a tavern and inn catering to a particular clientele: students of the arcane arts - those of the Alliance of Art in the City - who find themselves drawn towards at least the thought, if not the acts themselves, of adventure and risk-taking. It is said that the proprietor, Mort, was once an adventurer himself, though the stories conflict on his skills and abilities in that area. Some say he was a rogue, whilst others insist perhaps he was a bard - his roughened voice gives the lie to that one, but the rumors persist - or perhaps he was himself one of the students of the Alliance of Art once upon a time.

Regardless the truth of any of these, it is true that the Bronze Tome is very popular with those who are students of the Alliance, or those who like some of them enjoy stories of adventure and derring do. The Bronze Tome always has at least one, sometimes as many as three bards present, ready to share such tales, and the place also does good business supporting networking amongst those seeking to build parties of such risk-takers and heart-breakers.

So it is that this early evening, as students of the Alliance are set free from their studies for the day, a new batch of stories and rumors run rampant. Many are all atwitter at word that a pair of most unusual ladies have come to call at the Bronze Tome this day. When questioned it seems most find it difficult to quite put solid finger to why they are so enticed by these two; could it be because it is rumored they entered the city alone, without any sign of caravan, compatriots, guards, or even horses? Or could it be because they are visibly two attractive - yet very different - human women, both in robes and with incredibly - indeed, improbably - long hair, each hanging to their hips? An unheard-of extravagance in the sultry heat and humidity of the Shaar amongst humans. That one of said women is demonstrably witch-colored, with hair a brilliant auburn and eyes of dazzling emerald - and with what some purport to be a sleeping miniature dragon upon her shoulders cannot help but contribute to the mystery and interest expressed.
----
The two newcomers aren't the only standouts within the Bronze Tome but judging by how the other patrons are ignoring the almost literal elephant in the room as so much green scenery, he's probably a regular.

Tall, broad-shouldered, and powerfully built, the man's sunbaked skin and earthy tunic combines with his shockingly verdant-green hair to make him resemble a seated tree. It's possible the cloth sack at his side contains a spellbook but the ornate wooden haft of a gleaming bardiche leaning against his chair is anything but a wizard's wand. But then, every adventuring tavern has need of front-line muscle - and wizards especially.

Sitting at first self-absorbed with his thoughts and his beer, a watchful gaze will nonetheless notice his eyes as one of the first upon the two women entering. Beer comes first, but with so much in his wooden tankard, the young man stands with his pint and grasps his polearm loosely before walking over drink and weapon in hand. The bardiche's ornate pommel clunks heavily as it taps against the wooden floor like a walking stick.
----
Rumors imply the women entered some hours ago, before the Alliance students were freed to their own devices and came upon the Tome once more. But, indeed, as things become more populous one of those selfsame women finally comes down the stairs from the rented rooms above. And though she may not be verdant and impossible of color, she is indeed a striking and handsome woman, moving with a powerful grace all at odds with her attire which speaks of a wizardess, surely.

She is a few inches taller than the norm, but is no towering giantess, yet she is quite sun-bronzed and still vibrantly young. Her improbably long, full hair is ashen blonde, and her eyes are nearly the same green as the bariche-carrier's hair. Her robe is ankle length and deceptively simple of cut, a home-spun color of grey-tinted tannish white. Yet those with an eye for such things might identify its material as some of the finest carded cotton to be found, a thin and light, breeze fabric but with a style and cut belying is apparent simplicity. Indeed, the very subtle decorations along the hem, the side-slit of the skirt, and around the elbow-length sleeves' ends harken to both great talent, and a very old sensibility. Far older than the woman herself.

The belt about her waist is similarly simple, but to a keen eye is well-worn and heavy, not mere decoration but one used to supporting multiple implements, such as heavy pouches, a post for a weapon's thong, and perhaps the buckles of a baldric for a scabbard. Her feet, when they peek out, appear to be wearing a thin pair of slippers.

The woman's alert gaze sweeps the room, cataloging many as her nostrils flare subtly. Those emerald orbs lock for a few long moments on the approaching figure with equally emerald hair. Then she steps to the bar and makes a simple gesture, then lays two bronze coins upon the surface and waits for a mug of mead to be served ... even as she watches intently that approach out of the corner of her eye.
----
<OOC> Syval says, "Ah sorry, I misread your set a bit. Thank you for rolling with it."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Happy to do so. :)"
----
The general calm of the students at their tables may be a reassurance as the bardiche's blade glints in the weak rays of sunlight filtering inside before the fall of true night, and indeed the brawny fellow's expression seems to hold no ill intent, instead tinged by an open curiosity. Unlike most, he takes the direct approach to slake his intellectual thirst and the bardiche's pommel comes to a stop some distance beside the bronze-hued woman. Were it anything else, outside of arm's reach might actually mean something.

"Hail, you're a face I haven't seen before," he greets, friendly enough.
----
The woman inclines her head just slightly towards the man, seemingly unperturbed by his potentially martial display. "Likely enough true." she answers, her voice a warm, whiskey tone. "My first time east of far Rethmar, this trip, let alone so far as the Rift and down here to Delzimmer." Finally offered a tankard, she lifts it, offers a slight salute, and then takes a pull from it.

"You move it like you know what to do with that outsized toothpick." the woman teases in wry humor. She cannot help her curiosity about this one; the hair is one thing, but that scent! Oh, but that scent is something else entire. Of course at this range it is likely Syval's own sense of smell has picked up an interesting and curious musk about this blonde in turn, something that speaks of jungle depths and predatory power. But how would a woman like this have any hint of that about her?
----
The young man lifts his tankard in kind and tips it back in tandem to drink over his surprise. "More than most," he coolly replies with a smile that makes his eyes shine with a piercing confidence welled up from somewhere far deeper than the bulk of his frame. There's nothing much to be said for his beer - as weak as it is, he's likely only one step above the house's watered ale, safe but cheap.

"You're from far a-field. You must have had a long journey on Trader's Way," he comments, and his nostrils flare as he pays just a little closer attention to the mysterious woman.
----
The woman shrugs a bit non-challantly. "A bit far, perhaps. We had something to check on, and no way to do it right but to be there. We don't travel often on the roads." she answers with equal mystery, yet she gives no air of intending the same. It is as if she thinks her words convey more than they do. She does not add 'Andie wanted a bath, and so here we are'. But she thinks it very loudly, and hopes Neosodos can hear her. "And how far afield did you come?"

The young man inclines his head past the woman's shoulder with surprising accuracy to true south-west, though in the bar the direction may seem random. "Elveswatch, the Forest of Amlar. You have a touch of the Art about you, or a deity of travel?" he asks with a boredom that betrays why his eyes are hanging so intently - hoping for a third answer.
----
"Both, in fact, though neither is the reason per se." the woman answers. She considers the emerald-haired stranger for a few more moments, and then offers her right hand to him. Held, though not obvious, it shows a well-worn strength better suited to a martial professional than her apparent seeming of wizarding ways. "My friend even moreso. I am Jyslin."
----
<OOC> Syval just realized he has no idea what the greeting norms are in the Shaar. Hand-kissing is a post-Renaissance European thing and handshakes are... she's not sure when.

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Since handshakes were about 'here, see, no weapon in my weapon hand, trust me', I figure it's reasonable they'd ahve come into being in the SHaar, too."

<OOC> Syval says, "That works, and in this context is ironic given what is in my left hand."
----
"Syval," the young man readily answers as he sets down his drink and takes the offered hand in a soft grip. His own hand has the tell-tale wear of being well-accustomed to his "over-sized toothpick" despite its care. No title is given; he needn't bother. The name is rare enough and the appellation 'of Amlar' is now implied.
----
Jyslin honestly wishes Neosodos were here right now; she'd love to consult with the self-titled Eldritch Wyrm about the curious scent she is picking up on this man. He is indeed solidly present, no illusion. And his movements say this is his flesh, his natural shape, not some affectation. But he is a curious one indeed. So thinks the woman who hasn't walked on two feet in over a thousand miles. "Far nearer-by, then, than I. But what brought you from -- Elveswatch, you say? -- here to Delzimmer? Something here? Or something beyond here?"
----
"The Art. There's less here than I'd hoped," Syval answers as he casts his eyes across the wizards of the tavern, recognizing them for what they are with or without the customary clothes of the Alliance. His own could almost pass, in another life. Cut and sewn and hemmed and dyed, if it ever was the same garb the only connection left is its weave - and the peculiar knot used to fasten its sash.

Turning back to Jyslin, the brawny young man taps his bardiche against his shoulder. "If you're looking to hire I know the city, the mountains to the east, and roads for a few days' travel in each direction."
----
<OOC> Syval finishes bedtime prep and hugs goodnight.
----
"Plenty here. Plenty more elsewhere." Jyslin answers with assurance. "Just have to know how and where to look." Her tone strongly implies she knows where and how, or at least believes she does. "I don't know that we're hiring. But I would be willing to pay for your evening meal, and another drink or two, and we can share stories about what we know, and what we don't, of the roads and pathways ahead?"
----
<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas smooches. "Nini, honey."

<OOC> Syval hugs. "Sleep well when you do. We can continue this later."

<OOC> Syval was not expecting such an interest from Jyslin!

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "he smells like freaking dragon and magic!"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Also, I'm a moon priestess. I can //see// you're not normal, bub."

<OOC> Syval should not be surprised, but was still expecting there to be more work on his end. Too many years of first character introductions taking effort to build into plots. XD

<OOC> Syval <.< "Moon princess? I'll have to ask more about that via Discord later."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "In reference to your last question from last night? Moon priestess. A priestess of Selune, the goddess of the Moon, magic, Destiny, Patroness of Sailors and of Good Werebeasts in the Shaar amongst the Human pantheon."

<OOC> Syval says, "And also welcome!"
----
<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas notes: Monies in the Shaar are different, too.
----
Syval's face brightens in surprise at the offer and he chuckles. "You must not hurt for gold pieces. That is generous of you." His eyes briefly sweep the tavern and his former table, still unoccupied. "Would you like to use a table, or somewhere else?"
----
<OOC> Syval says, "Actually... no bronze fits best here."

<OOC> Syval says, "BP would be appropriate for the cost of food and drinks for two."
----
"Could be." Jyslin answers, honestly. "Or maybe I just don't have a great deal of use for the stuff most of the time." The strange ashen-blonde woman doesn't explain further, but gestures right back to the table from whence Syval came when he approached. "Yours'll do." Nope. Didn't follow his eyes. Which rather implies something about her observance of the details of the tavern and memory for those details.

And then Jyslin flicks her left hand down and raps her knuckles across the back of a hand trying to grasp at her belt. "Doesn't belong to you, knave. You want to keep those fingers, you keep them off me without my permission." One of the much younger, neophyte Alliance students retracts his hand, clutching it close and giving a frightened but accusatory glance at the stranger. Jyslin doesn't even pay him further mind, just strolls past Syval towards that table and turns to put her back against the wall.

A couple of bronze coins appear from the tiny purse inside her belt, and are laid at the center of the table in a very calm, subtle 'summoning' for the serving staff. "Another mead, please, and whatever he would like to eat and drink. I'm ... still digesting breakfast."
----
<OOC> Syval says, "Permission to power pose on the neophyte a little?"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Sure. He's an unnamed NPC currently."
----
Syval glares sharply at the interloper and he stays after Jyslin passes, tightly gripping the haft of his bardiche as a mist of arcana seeps out and briefly tints his sandy eyes. The towering young man advances upon the neophyte with heavy, foreboding steps while his free hand beckons his tankard to follow from the bar.

"I am in the middle of something with her. Interrupt like that again and next time this will be acid," Syval threatens in a cold voice, sharp and clipped from subdued anger. Floating to its appointed place far over the young student's head the tankard tips and dumps its contents in one large splash.
----
<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Alcohol abuse!"

<OOC> Syval Discords a relevant pic.
----
The neophyte flees, soggily, rather than confront the so-called Emerald Marauder of the Alliance; Syval has a reputation. Some of the other patrons watch this with some degree of curiosity, but none move to intervene, either because of Syval's rep, or because they just cannot be bothered for someone they aren't invested in.

When Syval arrives at the table, Jyslin arches one ashen blonde eyebrow. "I could protest at paying for a drink on the concern you might waste it." Then she grins rakishly and winks. "But that's fine. You could have done far worse, and you didn't. Hope you do not mind that I chose your seat?" Another clear indication she knew exactly where Syval was seated long before he approached her.
----
<OOC> Syval says, "Why do I feel like I just accidentally surrendered the warm spot that smells like me to a cat?"

<OOC> Syval feels like he just came back from the fridge to find a furball in his chair.

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas chuckles.
----
"I spilled /my/ drink, not yours," Syval rebuts smoothly as he returns with a look of satisfaction and gestures his now-empty tankard in front of another empty chair. "It's yours," he grants with a toss of his head and all the magnanimity of a king bequeathing a fiefdom. Sitting down across from the white-robed woman, his finger pokes forward towards the pile of bronze and one by one, the little metal disks lift and stack themselves into a neat pillar.
----
Jyslin chuckles softly, an indulgent amusement at the use of the Art. She hasn't spent a great deal of time around wizards previously, but she remembers stories from the other priestesses at the Hall of the Heavens; it's not uncommon for new wizards to indulge perhaps a bit much in their Art at first. Nothing like Andie, who only uses hers when there is no other way to accomplish something.

The server takes the coins to cover a fresh drink for each of them, and then asks Syval what he'd like to eat, before disappearing to get the drinks. Once the server is gone Jyslin speaks up again. "So. My friend and I will be going through the Weathering Heights' foothills, according to the map. You said you were familiar with the area?" She does not mention their ultimate destination, however, or their purpose.
----
<OOC> Syval rolls Lore. What kind of hazards or beasties would be common or unique to the area?

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Weathering Heights is home to a colony of hill giants; not something surprising, but dangerous enough to be worth mentioning. There are some rumors of winged humanoids - legends say 'ancient angels' - living at the heights and sometimes coming downward to investigate. Environmentally speaking, theey have tremendous winds in the area, oddly far stronger and more ever-present than anywhere else; things are drier there than normal for the surroundings as well. There's also a noted significant spread of mountain lions."
----
"I know them well," Syval assures confidently. "Bring extra water and be careful of the winds. Hill giants roam the heights, but if you can hunt mountain lions, there's at least plenty of food."
----
Something interesting sparkles in the depths of Jyslin's emerald eyes at Syval's words. Hunt mountain lions? Perhaps, but unlikely. She'll just be competing with them for their preferred prey. "So trying to fly would be crazy. Good to know." She'll want to warn Neosodos, though of course he probably already knows; damned little drake seems to know everything. Earns his title for sure. "I take it the Luirite warders don't come out that far, then?" she asks.

"Not into the hills," the green-haired young man affirms. "Maybe they figure there's nothing out there worth securing, or the Alliance will handle it for them," he guesses with a casual shrug, then grins. "Or that someone brave and well-armed will get hired to do it."
----
The woman nods; her own experience with the smaller folk is limited, so she accepts that idea of their motivations without challenge, despite it being their homeland so nearby. "So ... what have you been hired to do, out there?" He implied more than one such mission, after all, so she's curious what would engender repeated trips.
----
<OOC> Syval rolls again. "Anything occult, arcane-infused, or of interest to the Art that I might seek there as well?"

<OOC> Syval says, "Or just plain loot-able. <.< >.>"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Well, he can definitely smell a few things around there. Though the ... if you'll pardon the expression ... primordial magic 'stink' out of the Toadsquats tends to mask/mute it a bit. There's something 'up there' at the top that smells ... interesting, to say the least. And very old. Not necessarily as old as whatever is in the Toadsquats, but still very old."

<OOC> Syval says, "And the stink out of Toadsquats is a nasty-bad kind of magic smell or just a strong primordial magic smell - not that I'd recognize that for what it is besides 'doesn't smell like Art'."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Strong primordial magic smell."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Also, there are some crystals and unusual root plants that grow in the Weathering Heights that are prized as spell and potion components."

<OOC> Syval <3

<OOC> Syval loves him magic crystals enough that it belongs in his sheet.

<OOC> Syval says, "That is a *direct* reference to my Syval Story. I can't not. Dragons and magic crystals have a thing together there - I'm always wearing one."

<OOC> Syval says, "In my case, it'll be green if I can find one, carved into a draconic pendant. In fact~..."
----
"Small things for the farmers, guide foragers in harvest season, deal with mountain lions," Syval rattles off. "The Art is out there, but it's not all friendly." Folding his arms, the green-haired young man leans back on his chair as he apprises Jyslin in her thin but fine cotton robe, with hair that now might nearly sweep the floor. As he does so, the sheen of a green gem glints from his collar - a glimpse of something precious hanging from a string about his neck.

"And what brings you two out there?"
----
Jyslin nods, listening to what else Syval has to say, all without once getting out any bit of paper, or a map to check things. "Nowhere is 'all friendly.'" she offers with true wisdom, the tone of someone used to wandering the wilderness and dealing with whatever may come about. "I do appreciate the details. I hope your dinner is worth the tales."

There's no way the sharp-eyed ashen blonde fails to notice that hint of something gemmed, but she says nothing about it, and instead pays attention to the question asked. "Andie has something she needs to see to before too long. So we're making our way there. It's a bit of a hike for us." She sounds a mite uncertain about all of this; not doubting, but like she's following her friend's lead, well aware that she isn't being given all of the pertinent details. "We're from a good bit further west than you."
----
Syval nods back, still regarding Jyslin curious as he prods a little further. "So you mentioned. Does everyone from Shaareach keep their hair so long? You two have the look of witches dressed like that." Yup, he said it.
----
<OOC> Syval afks for phone.
----
Jyslin chuckles, but her eyes don't quite carry the humor, instead peering rather incisively at Syval, perhaps wondering how he guessed so close to right. Because he is quite close. "Oh, no. I'd say Andie and I are rather unusual in that regard." she admits. She isn't totally sanguine, here, but she is not about to lie; only a fool would meet Andie and thinks she wasn't a witch, after all.

"You might say there's good reason to come to that conclusion, Syval." Nothing definite is offered, but it's not hard to read between the lines. Jyslin shrugs a little. "You might say there's more to us than meets the eye, both of us." There's a hint in the tone that though both may have secrets, they may not all be the same secrets.
----
<OOC> Syval returns and also shares a late dinner.

<OOC> Syval says, "Sorry that took so long. Thank you for waiting."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas cuddles.
----
The green-haired young man can only shake his head to that, tossing the loose locks back and forth as he huffs out his nose. "Hey now, are we trading answers or puzzles? You've got a touch of Art, something like a travel deity, you're like a witch but not... string a person on like this and he might expect to be eaten the first night away from town."
----
The woman smiles ruefully. "Sorry. Habit picked up from my friend. Andie has a long habit of talking around things, instead of through them." And if that doesn't sound like a witch? What does? "You're right, I do have a touch of the Art. My friend, even moreso." She winks at Syval. Then she brushes her fingers through her hair while looking intently at his. "But we're not the only two keeping some secrets, now are we?"

Jyslin sips her mead for a bit, letting Syval stew in his thoughts for a bit. Eventually, after likely five minutes or more of her own silence, she finally speaks up again. "My friend is the witch. I am ... what you see, and more, but no witch am I. I walk in this skin, and another. That changed my path from one who roams, to one who sings to the heavens, is heard, and hears their song in return."
----
Syval raises a brow at the continued coyness and turns to accept a fresh drink from the server, sipping over the silence while continuing to eye Jyslin over the rim. The most her question seems to have engendered is confusion and an expectant wait for her to explain herself.

The green-haired man furrows his brow at what his patience is rewarded with. "So you're... you mean a priestess? Some kind of transformed one?" he asks, not completely following. "Your witch friend's doing?"
----
Jyslin chuckles and shakes her head. "Andie's doing? No, certainly not. We'd not even met yet." Not actually true, but Jyslin does not know that. Oh well! She can only tell the truth she knows. Or choose not to do so. "I became a moonpriestess, a bit beyond my own original intent. After I changed, and became, I had to leave the life of the roamer behind. The Hall of the Heavens helped me, and that's how I made peace with my change."

"Roaming isn't a bad life," Syval opines, having no doubt met his share. "What were you before your change?"
----
<OOC> Syval says, "And bed time for me."

<OOC> Syval should have made his reaction more significant to hearing Andie is a witch too.

<OOC> Syval says, "That call arrived when we had a really good rhythm going..."

<OOC> Syval says, "Alas."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas smooches.

<OOC> Syval !

<OOC> Syval <3 but still isn't sure he's not talking to a hungry witch.

<OOC> Syval says, "Sleep well when you do. :)"

<OOC> Syval Greenscale should make a second character or at least a second world file so her Syval logs don't get too buried in Vanya things.

<OOC> Syval Greenscale should do that for Neri too probably...

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li could have Blondie @pcreate for Neri and Syval, if you would like?

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Sure! If this is going to be more than just a one-off thing that might help me, and it looks like these might be more than one-off things. :)"

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "For now I can keep using this setup though. That can be for later."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "I believe we were somewhere around here?"

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li nods. "I'm going to ask about that last pose, though. She just said what she was before, didn't she? She was a roamer. Shaaren for 'ranger'."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "One moment while I refresh myself on Syval's thought process here. :)"

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Okay. I mean 'what race were you before you became human?' From the way you referred to your two skins, I'm not ICly convinced you were a /human/ roamer. The way I asked is ambiguous however, so answer as you please."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale is not a bard with +8 DIP, after all.
----
Jyslin tilts her head slightly, considering Syval curiously. "I was just that: a human roamer." Well, mostly human. Being one-quarter elven doesn't really count. "Afterwards, though ... I was something else. Orange and black, splash of white. A preference for raw meat and pouncing." She grins a bit impishly, a glitter in her amber-backed green eyes.
----
"That sounds like the mountain cats to the east sparing their color," the green-haired young man connects as his own eyes flash in a moment's insight. Folding his arms pensively across his chest, there's a regal, almost stately majesty exuded passively by his strong features - something akin to the statues that celebrate Delzimmer's founders, but more primal and rough-edged. Lacking the formal tidiness of high, cultured office, it might perhaps be a pure manifestation of power held under more-than-brute control. His display of minor wizardry may not have been without good reason.

"So you are one of the monsters at night who snatches unwary travelers, and by day repent as a priestess?" he asks, but with a smile that reveals he is joking.
----
Jyslin takes no offense, and just chuckles. "I tend to guide unwary travelers. Or avoid them. I don't do a lot of repenting." But she does not mind the comparison. "I do a bit better in jungles or damp plains than mountains, but I can deal with it all. Spent the last few years almost exclusively in swamps." Those are Andie's preferred terrain, after all.

Of course, Jyslin currently has no idea about the rest of her story; the part that began before she was even born. But that time, that answer, will come.
----
"Yuck," Syval assesses, theatrically sticking out his tongue at the thought. "Foul havens of disease, those. The miasma of swamps doesn't suffer humans very kindly. You must have a hearty constitution, or you are quite the healer priestess."
----
"A bit of both, honestly." Jyslin answers honestly. "And my companion, Andie, is truly gifted with herbs and ointments. She is very good at handling the challenges in swamps, and sharing that with others in need."
----
"Good for both of you then," the stocky wizard replies. "What is Andie seeking in the highlands? There's little there of interest to most, and there's not much beyond it if you're avoiding the peaks."
----
"Going around them, actually." Which means, or implies at least, that she and Andie will ravel the full length of the Toadsquats range and through the Sensions of the Slain, a much-feared section of foothills mixed with ancient mass graves, notorious for being ferociously haunted. "Apparently there's somewhere in White Bog she needs to check out."
----
Syval furrows his brow in puzzlement. "Then you want the wagon path to the village of Wishwell. That passes the White Bog Woods without venturing into the mountains, though it's not as traveled as the southern road to Ulara."
----
<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li applauds. :)

<OOC> Syval Greenscale bookmarked your high-res map because he kept referring to it so much earlier. XD
----
Jyslin tilts her head slightly, regarding Syval carefully. "I suppose you might be right, if there's a road that goes right there." Apparently that wasn't on the map she has seen. But like any good roamer, she's quite happy to learn more about the paths around her and where they may lead. "Another good reason for us to have talked. Sounds like I need a better map of the area."
----
The wizard pats the bag at his side. "Normally my advice would be to wait for a trader in that direction and join on. Some will take passengers for cheaper than a carriage, and a journey that far... you would need quite a lot," Syval considers with a smile, amused at the thought of such a scale of wealth. "But for you and your friend that won't be much concern since you traveled by foot this far."
----
Jyslin shakes her head a bit. No, she is not in favor of taking a carriage, or traveling with a caravan, despite that being the normal way anyone makes such a long journey with any degree of safety. "I think we'll just get a better map and go our own way. We don't mind traveling rough and wild." Clearly not, it would seem. "But I appreciate the advice and the insight."
----
It isn't with any expression of surprise that Syval receives the news. With the rumor surrounding the pair, he expected as much. "Well safe travels to you," he bids, glancing to his opposite side at the masterfully crafted bardiche leaned against his chair. "And be sure to let your friend know I am available for hire if you want added protection on the way."
----
<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "And I believe we have food arriving at some point. Probably whatever's the tavern's fare for the day. Porridge and some sort of fruit perhaps, or a bread."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale makes himself an early dinner on that note. He hunger.s

<OOC> Syval Greenscale *hungers
----
It is at about that time that their meal arrives, with an antelope and mixed vegetables stew, along with refreshes on their drinks. Jyslin covered the price, and does so again gratefully so that they can continue to enjoy one another's company.

As they eat and chat amiably, largely about nothing consequential, Syval will catch whiff of a scene that is distinctly both lizard ... and magic. The scent seems to be doing a masterful job of not being pinned down to any one spot or approach, but it does seem to be getting cloer. And something about the playful sparkle in Jyslin's eyes gives the hint Syval may not be the only one aware of that scent, and that she may know better than he who or what it is and what it portends.
----
Syval spares a glance in their conversation towards the rest of the room, noting the other patrons around them - or rather the patrons' blindness to the new font of Art in their midst. Taking a hearty drink of his mead, the young man wipes his mouth and smiles to Jyslin, pausing their rousing conversation on the healing properties of Amlar's fire root - when administered as a powder in one's tunic. "You sense something too? You /are/ strong with the Art..."
----
"Oh, I sense it. Definitely." Jyslin offers, with real humor, nearly a chuckle, tinting her voice. She continues to eat with one hand, but her other reaches to a tiny pouch at her waist, untying it one-handed and delving a finger inside to extract a tiny black berry. She lays this on the table's surface near her spoon and then ties the pouch closed once more.

Not a minute later a tiny lizard's head pokes its way up from Jyslin's lap, forked tongue flicking out to taste the air, head drawn towards that berry. The priestess chuckles a low, husky sound of pleasure. "Be polite, Neo. Say hello, first." she teases the lizard.

The lizard flicks the tongue around and turns to gaze with wide eyes towards the large male sitting nearby. Then it churrrs out a voice that sounds like one part feline purr, one part lisping South American accent, full of drawn-out vowels and odd rolls to certain consonant sounds. "Hellllooooo." it purrs up at Syval.
----
<OOC> Syval Greenscale XD "By 'sense it' you mean 'it's currently crawling up my leg' don't you?"

<OOC> Syval Greenscale also offers mixed veggies in a light marinara.
----
Syval eyes the berry expectantly until the lizard peeks into view. The peculiar little creature is regarded with due curiosity, especially as it speaks, and he rocks back in his chair while refolding his arms, smiling enough to be polite. "Hello," is the bass reply, even as the wizard's sand-hue eyes study it openly.
----
"Ssssuch interesssting frrriendssss you find, Jyssslin." Neosodos offers teasingly in his singsong voice, still watching Syval carefully. "Sssso ... talented." His tongue flicks out again.

Jyslin pets along the lizard's head and neck, and then smiles. "You can have the berry, now." Yes, she could sense him coming. And then she could feel him climbing her leg.

"Neosodos, the Eldritch Wyrm, be pleased to meet Syval of Amlar, student of the Alliance. Syval, this is my friend, Neosodos. He is Andie's companion and familiar.

The wyrm chuckles raspily and then that tongue snakes out once more, curling around the berry and claiming it, pulling it into his little mouth where he bites into it with gusto, actually churring with pleasure.

"I collect various poisonous buds, berries and bits. Neo is always trying to improve the potentcy of his sting. And he finds their variety exciting." Jyslin explains.
----
<OOC> Syval Greenscale makes a Knowledge: Arcane check to recognize the lil' speaky lizard.

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "There's no +roll here is there?"

<OOC> Syval Greenscale rolls 10, adds +9, result 19.

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Or if that'd be a Knowledge: Occult, that's a ... huh, that's a 0 but I thought I put a point into that like we were discussing so my skill section might be incomplete still."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "And actually that raises a good question that I'll take to Discord."

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li says, "K: Arcana I would say the DC is likely 20. Occult the DC would be like 15. But I can tell you that with that name as given, and his appearance, he is almost certainly - adding poison stinger to it - a pseudodragon. What you haven't put together is the mystery of JUST WHICH ONE."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Hah! So if I had a rank in Occult then either check would have missed by 1. That's amusing."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Well, what color is he? That tells half the story right?"

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li says, "He's a moddled grey-brown with some reddish purple highlights."

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li says, "Sorry. Mottled. But you knew what I meant."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Wooow I forgot that blows up some mushes."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale still has no idea what that is even doing. One moment while he fixes his pose to something this place might accept.
----
"I can't say I've made a habit of eating poison berries for fun, and "student" is a little strong now," Syval notes as he watches the little lizard and discretely frees one hand long enough to weave a subtle sign in the air.
----
"Laas," the wizard hisses sotto voce, and his sandy eyes become hazed in an acrid green arcana. "I've never heard of an 'eldritch wyrm'," he confesses while continuing to study with a focused interest that was wholly absent when regarding the priestess herself. "Andie's familiar is almost a dragon?"
----
<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Ack sorry. I meant to 'think' that until the last one."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale ahems.

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "So what you're saying is... Neo is a Montley Hue?"

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li says, "Motley Hue. :)"

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Thank you I'm not sure where that n came from."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale is FYI using Detect Magic.
----
"A pseudodragon." Jyslin explains, smiling. "Edritch Wyrm is his title, and one he has earned." she praises the little dragon, offering more petting attentions. "Where's Andie?" she questions of Neosodos.

"Sssheee's still luxurrrriating in the bath." the little wyrm offers.

Jyslin chuckles. "Well, I won't disturb her, then." There's a rather adorable familiarity between them, for this not being her familiar. It clearly shows how close she, Andie and Neo must be.

Most interesting, however, to the one examining the magic of the pseudodragon. There is a familiar's bond, there, but it is unlike any Syval has ever examined, much deeper and more complexly interwoven.
----
<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Can I assume Neo's magic itself is something like faint or moderate (our level)?"
----
"Ahh," Syval vocalizes as the glow shifts to the edges of his eyes, lingering quietly at a lessened intensity, like steam wafting from a hot drink. "You hold a strong bond to her. And how did you earn a title like that?"
----
<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li says, "Neo's magic is ... very old. There's a lot more to him. But he's not a spellcaster. He's not an innate arcane caster, like a True Dragon."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "So his aura is very old but not especially strong, fitting of a normal magical creature?"

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li says, "I would say he seems like he's probably around CL 10ish, which seems high for a pseudodragon."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Oh snapski!"

"Ssssstrrrronger than you know, Ssssyvallll." Neosodos responds with a cheeky little grin. "Earrrrn title, perrrrsistance. Deterrrrrmination. Wissssdom." Then he withdraws down to Jyslin's lap and curls up there, allowing her to eat in 'peace'.

Jyslin smiles down at her lap full of lizard and pets him a bit more before resuming her dinner. "Sorry. I know he's being mysterious. It's one of his things. He likes doing that."
----
"Is that where you learned it from?" Syval teases as he unfolds his arms and resumes his meal. After a couple bites, the green-haired wizard hisses out something with a bit of antelope in his mouth, mimicking with surprising fidelity the lizard's growling, hissing accent. To Jyslin's ears it may be so much noise, but to the pseudodragon, "<Tell me more later.>"
----
<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Languages: Common, Draconic O:)"

<OOC> Syval Greenscale is halfway into coming up with a plausible origin for that. "I'm thinking studies with the Alliance where I dove into anything they had on dragons, as the pinnacle of arcana, scraped together a little linguistic knowledge from the scant records of human/dragon interactions and magically-induced language translation that were performed around them."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "The problem is no one has anything remotely like a complete record of draconic as a language and the dragons aren't big on sharing that with humans or other lesser races in general. I'm not sure how to explain Syval's leap of proficiency here to a level beyond all of the sources available to him."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Comprehend Language works on reading/writing but not speech, but... I also have him using draconic words as the verbal component of his spells, since he's an innate caster channeling his spark, which is of draconic nature."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale might have pieced some of it together through meditation and magical study, but if he realizes...

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Sorry I'll take this to Discord. This is getting long."

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li says, "Arguably, it could simply be ancestral knowledge. That thing where it's coded into your genetics (weird theorycrafting stuff)"

<OOC> Syval Greenscale nods. "Oh in actual fact it's something innate to me, but it's not something I'd realize I can speak ex nihilo. I'd need to encounter draconic to realize I can comprehend it where others can't, unless it just wells up out of me naturally like for spell-casting (see Discord)."

<OOC> Syval Greenscale is just trying to piece Syval's own explanation for it, since otherwise it's a big flag like his fast healing is.

<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Much more telling though since it's specific to a species."
----
Jyslin chuckles and shrugs her shoulders. "A bit from him. A bit from Andie. Maybe a bit from the priestesses at the Hall of the Heavens." She tries not to say in any definitive sense who or what she is, because a lot of people don't like it. They're uncomfortable. Creeped out. And she doesn't want any trouble. SHe just wants to visit the city with Andie, and then move on.

Neosodos listens, but does not visibly respond to what Syval has said. But he doesn't say no, either. For now, he adjusts his wings, ruffles a bit beneath the petting from Jyslin, and rests. He can feel his mistress coming; she will be here soon.
----
<OOC> Syval Greenscale says, "Ack."

<OOC> Vanya licks.

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li slurps.

<OOC> Vanya !

<OOC> Vanya, faint blush. ^_^

<OOC> Vanya says, "--Oh right, the chimera not the nymph."

<OOC> Vanya flexes and looks around like she meant to do that.

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "And the tiger, not the leopard."

<OOC> Syval says, "True! And the dragon, not the chimera."

<OOC> Syval says, "Who is maybe not as playful as the chimera or as cute as the nymph but he knows the lands you mean to travel through."

<OOC> Syval says, "Thank you!"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "You're welcome. :)"

<OOC> Syval says, "Oh by the way, do you have any kind of automatic pose separator setup in BeipMU?"

<OOC> Syval gets back into the scene mindset in the meanwhile.

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "No. I mod the log before I repost it, inserting [repeat(-,76)] between each pose."
----
The brawny young man smiles in amusement after swallowing. "Well, I suppose you're entitled to some of that living as you are. How soon do you all plan to head on?"
----
"Tomorrow. The next day at the latest, I assume." Jyslin answers honestly. She does not expect Andie to choose to remain here very long. Her guess is that they stopped largely so that her beloved friend could have a nice, long hot soak of a bath and a meal that neither of them had to hunt, catch, skin, or prepare. It's a nice treat for them all, really. "I am afraid we are not really much for cities and civilization, at least not for any long timeframes."
----
"I've never felt too at home in them either," Syval admits as he looks around the busy tavern. "They're too loud and... hard, like it's all surrounded by dead rocks built to keep out nature," he complains, making a face. "It's a wonder any of these mages can feel the Art from here."

"Maybe that's why some of them hide away in towers..." the green-haired young man considers around a draft of beer.
----
Jyslin considers the young man's words carefully, not responding right away. She mulls it over, lets it flow through her mind and around. Then she nods. "It's true. They are loud and chaotic, full of meaningless sounds." She has incredible senses of sight, sound and smell, and being in a city is hard for her. But to be fair, she has spent a couple years learning to deal with that, and now a couple of years learning to embrace her wild side in the wild. She's at peace with that, now.

"But people put up walls to keep themselves safe. They want nature to stay out, because much of nature wants to eat them. They are not as fast, as strong, as powerful as much of nature. Their one advantage is their brains and what they can do with them, especially together." And hence cities. Jyslin shrugs a little and continues eating, working on finishing her meal. After a bit, she speaks once more. "I think the wizards build towers for their own penultimate expression of the same thing: to rise up to see further; walls to keep out not just dangerous nature, but their own fellow humanity. To rise above them in learning, in power, and in wisdom or so they hope."

OK. So apparently Jyslin has actually thought of this before.
----
"Now you're starting to sound like one of the elder wizards," Syval chuckles, surprised by the scope of the priestess' answer, and it shows on his face. "That's how they would explain it. Still... it feels wrong. Turning away from the Art is wrong. Maybe they're just not living right."
----
Jyslin shakes her head. "I do not think they are turning away from the Art." she answers. "But I would not disagree that they are turning away from Nature. They are often one in the same, together with one another. But not always. They are not synonymous." As much as those like herself often find them to be so.
----
"Well they aren't very good at it," Syval derides brazenly. For anyone else, those might be fighting words in this tavern. "All that study to learn how to fly and turn into a mouse? And I would bet two people in this room would know what Neosodos is and what kind of magic he's attuned to."
----
Jyslin chuckles wryly at Syval's declaration, and does not question him or push at his conclusion. That is not to say she agrees with him. "That may be true. But I doubt any of those in this room have a tower of their own right now." she offers wryly while patting the tiny dragon in her lap.

As the two sit and chat, a murmur passes through the crowd around the tavern. It is not hard at all to zero in on what is causing that murmur and the falling silence: a woman with dusky red hair tumbling down her shoulders and quite literally reaching her rump, dressed in a golden-trimmed jade green simple gown. It is not at all hard to realize that this must be Jyslin's companion, 'Andie'.

Most interestingly, quite possibly, is that Syval cannot detect this woman's magic. She most certainly must have magic; she has a familiar, and Neosodos is far too special to be common at all. But somehow she has blotted herself out of those senses.

And Andie strolls across the room, smiling and offering slight nods towards this or that patron of the tavern, as she approaches Jyslin, her hand lightly resting on her friend's shoulder. "Good evening, Jyslin. Neo. I see you have found someone interesting to share your meal?" And her milky green jade eyes fall upon Syval, boring deeply while making no attempt to do so. It's just ... a natural state, or so it feels.

Jyslin makes introduction. "Andie, this is Syval. Syval, this is my friend and companion, Andie."
----
Syval perks and his head turns wolf-like towards the source of commotion. The magic still lingering at the edge of his vision rises back to haze his eyes and what he sees, or rather what he doesn't, seems to catch the young man's attention even more than her hair and dress.

Meeting her gaze directly, Syval looks up to the woman with one brow raised with interest and nostrils dilated. "Well met," he offers, lifting his drink in salutation. "Your friend and - familiar told me a little about you. Come, sit if you have time. We were just talking."
----
Syval can likely catch Neosodos peeking out and up from Jyslin's lap towards Andie, and she quite naturally - and without looking - extends her hand to scritch the wee dragon's head and around under his chin. "Good evening, Syval." she offers, a warm and rich mezzo-soprano voice, a contrast to Jyslin's alto tones but a close compliment. "Thank you kindly for your welcome." she draws out another of the chairs and sits down between the two, closer to Jyslin than Syval for what must seem obvious reasons.

"I see you decided to find the most subtle companion of the evening that you could." Andie teases Jyslin with comfortable ease, clearly meaning no offense and none being taken. The ashen blonde smiles wryly at that. "To be fair, Andie, he sought me out. But I have found his conversation and company quite acceptable and interesting."

"I am sure that you have." Andie murmurs. The soft leathery rustling indicates that Neosodos has likely resituated himself to Andie's lap rather than Jyslin's now. "Warrior, wizard, wanderer, and marked early on, a firm stamp of the power at the core."
----
"You have good eyes - but most of that is easy to spot, no?" Syval assesses as his hand moves to brush the haft of his ever-subtle bardiche. A mundane wizard he gives little impression of being. His own eyes peer back unflinchingly open, radiating the quiet command of power and confidence, but with the same spark of insight that flavored Jyslin's conversation until now. "What else do you see?"
----
The lady witch - and with that hair, those eyes, that mein, she could be nothing else frankly - watchings young Syval quietly for a bit. Then, at last, she stops looking into him and looks at him, meeting his gaze and curiosity with her own. "I believe, Syval, the first question I must ask would be: are you sure you want to know? Being aware of what I am, who I am, what sets me apart, are you sure that you truly want the answers to that question?"
----
"Yes, absolutely," Syval answers immediately, without hesitation or thought. "But... frankly I don't expect to hear anything I don't already know. Others have tried," he admits before gesturing to the witch's empty space at the table. "At least let me buy you a drink for the reading."
----
<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas chuckles ryly.

<OOC> Syval says, "And yes I'll be paying for that drink. I'm not going to cheat Jyslin's hospitality. ;)"

<OOC> Syval says, "How'd I earn that chuckle?"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "He just challenged a Sister Alvameer, that she wouldn't be able to read anything from him. :)"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "It's amusing."

<OOC> Syval says, "He might have been goading her just a little there, but also tempering things in case she does fail to read more deeply than the others."
----
"I see a lone, squalling child, covered with the afterbirth and mother's blood, lain amid the spring vines and leaves of an ancient forest." Andie answers to start with, just to get things going. She waits for him to recover, and to get her drink, before she continues. Jyslin is visible listening with rapt attention, well aware that something special is happening here, if not all of how or why. "I see a terrible visage in emerald shadow behind and above the squalling child, and a roar that shatters the sky, a gas that melts the lungs and liquifies metal."

Andie falls silent, then, but it seems patently obvious she is simply not saying what she sees, as she accepts her drink and sips slowly.
----
Syval's brow furrows at first in concentration as he turns from speaking and like Jyslin to listening. The sandy-eyed, towering young man imagines the scene, perhaps expecting cryptic imagery before the truth starts to dawn on him. His hair bristles and the sun-baked mage pales when part of the witch's description strikes a chord and his heart pumps an extra pulse.

More alert and attentive now than he's seemed the whole evening, Syval watches and waits for Andie to continue. It's safe to say his own drink is completely forgotten.
----
<OOC> Syval afk for phone and food.
----
Andie gestures towards Syval's vacated seat, and she waits for him to return to it before she dares continue; she can tell she has his attention, and she'll be doling this out at her pace, not sharing it with anyone but her companions, whom she trusts implicitly, and the young man so affected by this news.

When one asks such insights of a Sister Alvameer, even unknowing of her status, one gets answers. They may be dark, terrible, nigh-unfathomable answers. But you get them, along with they wight they press upon.

"I hear a great roar that fills the air and robs the limbs of will. Then I hear what seems almost like a man's voice, making words the like of which no man's mouth could shape, invoking great power not of the Mistress, but out of blood and will itself. A terrible burden, and a great possibility upon the emerald road ahead." Andie continues, then pauses once more to sip her wine and let it all flow past her, through her, without being overwhelmed by it. Few indeed have been those with such a mark upon their souls, but his is not the first she has encountered. Merely the first in quite a long time.
----
<OOC> Syval says, "Back."

<OOC> Syval deep inhale, deep exhale. "Sorry for the long gap there."

<OOC> Syval says, "Vacated seat?"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Nah. I'm still here. Ish."

<OOC> Syval hugs. "I meant the pose, hon, but it's nice you're still around."

<OOC> Syval says, "If you need to zip off for something though don't let me keep you."
----
Syval listens, what else is he going to do? And as he listens, his breath comes a bit faster, puffing through his nose. His eyes narrow again, subtly, as he tries to piece together the second piece of her reading. Most, though perhaps not all of the witch's implications are getting through.
----
<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas had assumed he'd gotten up to get her a drink and was coming back.

<OOC> Syval says, "Oh! Sure let's go with that. :)"
----
"You will come, Syval, to a crossroads of choice, of identity, of path. None can necessarily see which branch you will choose. Both hold great, but very different potentials, either embracing and building upon the identity you have already constructed, or in building something wholly new upon the discoveries that lie ahead." Andie glaces at Jyslin, who is rather enamored of all of this, and smiles ruefully. "The choice will be entirely your own. But when that time draws near there will be others who can advise you, understanding one fraction or another of the challenges ahead." Then Andie finishes her drink and looks back at Syval. "At this time, my friend, that is all I am permitted to share with you. But, once that crossroads has been passed, if you can find me I can grant you further knowledge. Even I have rules that must be obeyed."
----
Less shocking and more prophetic, the green-haired young man sits and ruminates on the witch's next and apparently last revelation. A crossroads and a new life... Syval turns to his beer and stares at it a moment as if having to recall how his limbs work before taking the glass and drinking. The lukewarm refreshment seems to clear his mind and restore a normal pallor to his cheeks, and the wizard wipes his lips on the back of his hand before looking back at Andie. His eyes are calmed - enlivened but once more under control. "So you won't tell me what I am." The statement, not a question, brings the topic fully into the open.
----
"What you are, Syval, is your choice. It is what you make of fate's touch upon your life." Andie answers. "I can tell you that you are far more than you even now suspect. You are everything you have always seen yourself to be. And you are something else. Something more. You were touched deeply, while still in the womb of the woman who bore you and died giving birth to you, by an ancient and powerful magic gone awry. It awakened something within you that has grown as you have grown."

Andie glances at Jyslin, and the ashen blonde woman's darker green eyes brighten, their amber backlighting heightened for a few moments. The priestess then speaks, "What has grown within you has always granted you unique talents and benefits. Health. Vitality. Strength. Heightened senses. Keen awareness. And, as Andie mentioned, a powerful talent for the Art. When that finally comes to fruition, some might view you as a monster. But only you can make the decision of what and who you will be. And the consequences of that choice will lie upon your shoulders in final judgement."

Interesting that the priestess would speak up, there.
----
<OOC> Syval says, "--White Witch."

<OOC> Syval says, "How did I miss that on the map before?"

<OOC> Syval /eyes/ Andie.
----
Interesting and puzzling if Syval's shifting gaze is an indication, but the pair's message is received and the young man nods to it solemnly. He has plenty to ponder on his own time now, reflections towards the future, insights into the past. As pensive as their nature, it would be a good time for a wizard to brood and reflect in solitude, or perhaps merely stun.

"Jyslin said you're traveling to the White Bog Woods on the other side of the Toadsquat Mountains. Would you like to hire a guide?" Syval asks directly, with clarity and focus snapping back to his eyes like the flash of a fire struck and kindled.
----
<OOC> Syval should wind down for bed before her next pose. She just noticed the time.
----
Andie nods to Syval's statement. Yes, indeed we are." she answers, affirming the information he already had. She considers Syval curiously, pondering. Do they need a guide? No. Of course not. But the question is a different one for her: is this a situation into which she can afford to insert themselves, to tilt the balance of the result? Many arguments can be made, to be sure, for a hands-off approach. but a hands-on approach could be interesting.

Andie glances at Jyslin, who appears pretty impassive on the subject. Andie then looks back to Syval and nods. "Certainly. Why not? I assume a gold per day will be sufficient and acceptable? As well as an equal third of any treasure gained from any encounters along the way. Is that acceptable, Syval?"
----
<OOC> Syval yawns. z.z

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas pets. Smooches.

<OOC> Syval <3

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas hopes that's an OK arrangement?

<OOC> Syval might haggle up but is tempted to take it. That seems good.

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "What do you think of Andie? :)"

<OOC> Syval says, "It should be easy money if we keep to the road and 1/3rd of plunder is a nice insurance if anything unexpected does come up. Besides I don't consider being a guide difficult work; this suits my purposes as well as yours."

<OOC> Syval says, "She is as cryptic as Jyslin lead me to believe. :)"

<OOC> Syval says, "I do not fault her for her witchiness."

<OOC> Syval says, "Of course she was clear enough I've got some idea (ICly) of what she was saying."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "She isn't usually cryptic like that; but it's part of the contract for prophetic and visionary powers; you can't just give it all away easy."

<OOC> Syval says, "It was very appropriate."

<OOC> Syval says, "Besides that this gives her a little more control. Why give it all away even if she could?"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Oh, Andie likes people. She'd do it in a heartbeat if it wasn't breaking the rules."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "She's not out for personal power or aggrandizement. Or she'd be using her full name."

<OOC> Syval says, "As evidenced, Jyslin?"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "She and Jyslin are very close. It's a long story I will enjoy doling out tiny bits of over time."

<OOC> Syval smiles.

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas tucks in dragon with a purse of gold to clutch like a plushie.

<OOC> Syval snickerfits.

<OOC> Syval says, "Thanks for the scene. SLeep well when you do, kitty. :)"

<OOC> Syval says, "Try not to stay up too late tonight. ;)"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "You too, sweetie. I will try not to stay up too late."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Is it OK to ask what your weekend looks like?"

<OOC> Syval says, "Always! It's pretty blank, but I've got a couple things I want to slot into it somewhere."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Well, more RPs can happen this weekend and Monday, given I'm not going anywhere. We can stay in touch on Discord and arrange things."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Now shoo. Off to bed, honey."

<OOC> Syval says, "Heh. Yes'm. And thank you I will keep that in mind. :)"

<OOC> Syval says, "And I think we have RESCUE tomorrow afternoon to start with."

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "We do? Great!"

<OOC> Jyslin Brenlas says, "Nini, honey."

<OOC> Syval says, "I assume so at least."

<OOC> Vanya says, "Ahh. It is still a nice feeling to have plenty of food. ~u~"

<OOC> Vanya says, "Thank you for waiting and for the backscroll. :)"

<OOC> Vanya says, "Oh my. And a lot of backscroll it is!"
----
It's not a king's ransom for what the stocky wizard can bring but then to a witch and a priestess, Arts may not be worth what they are to common folk. Syval considers the offer for a few seconds, perhaps weighing it on the balance of faster, local jobs on more familiar trails, then nods his head. "Yes. That's a deal I can make."
----
<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li does some 'back of the napkin math'

<OOC> Vanya says, "Hm?"

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li says, "The trip is roughly 600mi. Trying to figure out what that is in overland travel."

<OOC> Vanya says, "With or without filler episodes? :)"

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li says, "Roughly 24 days."

<OOC> Vanya says, "That's on one of the PSRD pages I think, for movement. Tactical and over-- thank you."

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li says, "30' walking speed translates to 24 miles per day. Easy round to 25. So 4 days per hundred."

<OOC> Vanya nods. "Plus some for dealing with random encounters maybe, but since we'll be using a road there won't be any terrain penalties reducing the 30'."

<OOC> Vanya says, "Around a month in any case... assuming Shaar has a similar calendar to us."

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li says, "Bah! Roads! Where we're going, we don't need roads!"

<OOC> Vanya says, "Or I guess to the romans in general... which I think derived from a lunar month originally so... assuming they have the same moon phase?"
----
Andie simply nods, almost as if the answer were some foregone conclusion. Then again, to a witch perhaps it was? There's just no telling. Beings of mystery they are indeed.

Jyslin smiles at this and offers a little bob of her head, not as if she knew the answer, but as if she is pleased with it. "Good then. We'll leave the inn about an hour before dawn tomorrow." she explains to the stocky wizard. And ain't that early! "We'll stop briefly about a mile outside the city walls. And then be on our way for well and truth. That will amount to likely around three tendays." Jyslin naturally uses the Shaaren - and indeed Realms-wide term for their 'week'. The priestess then looks at Andie, judging for a moment, and then back to Syval. "To be fair, we'll double the rate, since you will eventually need to return."

Andie looks as if she is about to stop Jyslin, but the other woman meets that gaze unflinchingly. "Right is right, Andie." The witch sighs slightly, and then inclines her head.

And that Jyslin then reaches to her hip ... and touches a very cleverly disguised seam in her robe, running her finger along it. The seam opens, and fingers dip inward, extracting a small silken sack, which she then lays down on the table in front of Syval. "We'll pay a quarter of that expected cost now, in advance, so that you can obtain any supplies you do not already have for a journey of such length."

Inside the little pouch, when explored, is a stack of fifteen gold coins, most notable for the fact that Syval has most likely never seen their stampage anywhere before. They appear to be a derivation of Dethek runes (dwarven).
----
Syval smiles in cool gratitude to Jyslin at the instant raise and slides the pouch closer to himself before opening it and brushing the stacks with his fingertips to count them - not quite exposing them fully to the room but also not bothering too greatly to conceal them. A habit learned perhaps from somewhere less safe than an academy pub.

"And you're moving on foot or will there be a pack animal?"
----
Jyslin smiles and shrugs. "We tend to travel afoot. We've nothing against horses, mind you. But sometimes they object a bit to us. Or at least to me." She does not explain further, but Syval has been able to pick up enough of her scent, even with limited experience making such things out, that he should be able to comprehend how that might be true. Horses are at their core rather skittish creatures.

Andie just shakes her head at Jyslin. "I don't mind horses. But I've never been afraid of just walking. I don't much let it bother me." Truth is, she could probably teleport, but she is too naturalistic in her ways. She would only do so in need, and this is not a need that great. "We travel lightly, so the lack of pack animals has never bothered us."
----
"You'll want to forage as we travel then," Syval infers and looks on a guess towards Jyslin. "That suits me fine as well."
----
Andie nods. "Yes. Forage, and hunt." She gestures with a finger away from her mug towards Jyslin. "She finds that rather entertaining."

Jyslin gives a mock pout at Andie, and shrugs. "She's not wrong, of course." Not that she's explaining, but she is at least admitting the truth of the situation. "Neo likes to hunt some, too, though not nearly as much as I do."

The little lizard 'decloaks', his simple camouflage ability relaxing as he lets himself return to a sort of umber-maroon coloring. "Yehzzzzz. Prrrreferrrrr calm. Quiet. Carrrrry."
----
Syval grins at the small dragonoid but doesn't remark, perhaps to avoid the eldritch wyrm's ire for what he's thinking. "I think that's all that is needed then," he concludes while slipping the coins out of sight with a distinctive metallic jingle before offering Jyslin the empty pouch back. "We'll meet at the north gate?"
----
Jyslin glances at Andie, who inclines her head just slightly. The ashen blonde then turns back to Syval, nodding. "Yes. North gate, forty minutes before dawn." It will take them twenty minutes to get through the city, and likely to then clear the queue of those preparing at the gates for exit. They may even have to negotiate to get the gates to open for them before dawn. Many city-states just refuse to open the gates between nightfall and dawn.
----
<OOC> Vanya is good to close here. :)

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li tacks that log shut.

<OOC> Vanya hugs. <3

<OOC> Jhiao Ting Li huggles and smooches.

<OOC> Vanya spins and takes to ground. Kiss, kiss.
----
[[category:rp log]]
[[category:andie]]
[[category:jyslin]]
[[category:syval]]
[[category:shaar]]