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- ((At the Pool of Stars.))
- Cheliyi chitters at a cat of black ink with energetic clicks of her mandibles.
- Esei's eyes sweep up and down your form, dark eyes contemplative before they move back to Cheliyi,
- as if dismissing you.
- Cheliyi inclines her head politely to you.
- Avaris's left antenna tilts towards Esei, even as its opposite twitches in
- Cheliyi's direction, though the focus of his compound eyes remains unclear. Dipping his chin, so
- that it drifts into the thick, lustrous fluff of his mane, he says, "Greetings. All is well, I
- trust?"
- The pointed tips of Esei's ears twitch to some errant sound.
- Cheliyi considers a cat of black ink for a moment, and then you, before scooping the inky feline up
- into her arms. "Mm, yes. This is my... um. This is Mixter Esei. From Glomdorings. Are an ally, yes.
- Are things going okays for you, too? Need any helps?"
- Cheliyi pets a cat of black ink ingratiatingly.
- A cat of black ink purrs softly as she butts her head into Cheliyi's hand.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "Auspice is fine as my prefix."
- You think to yourself: A ripple of curiosity at the dropped thread of speech, brushed aside in
- favour of propriety.
- Cheliyi chirrs quietly, glancing away in momentary silence.
- The pointed tips of Esei's ears twitch to some errant sound.
- Esei murmurs softly to themself.
- Clasping his chitinous hands beneath his wings, at his back, Avaris turns his
- smooth face to regard Esei intently. "Auspice. I am unfamiliar with..'Glomdorings', was it?" He
- looks to Cheliyi for confirmation, and then adds, "I am well, yes, merely pausing between hunting,
- to gather supplies."
- Cheliyi opens her mouth as if to say something, but pauses.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "The Glomdoring, aye. Home of the Wyrd."
- Coughing softly, Cheliyi says, "Anyways. Now have met! A.... Ausipice Esei, this is Avaris. New
- novice of Celest. Also a moths person!"
- Avaris tilts his head in a faintly puzzled manner. "Pardon, but why the plural? Are
- there...Multiple territories that bear the name? Forgive me, I have neglected my studies of late,
- and the Portal has taken much from me. I know not of this Wyrd, either."
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "No, merely a speech pattern of Cheliyi
- and her father Gurashi."
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "The Glomdoring is... just one."
- Cheliyi winces, her frilled antennae drooping. "Cannot help it, since I spend so much time around
- them, anyways. Is not that confusing, is it?"
- Celestial notes ring out vibrantly before being carried away by the wind.
- Esei pats Cheliyi in a friendly manner.
- Musingly, Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "As for the Wyrd..."
- Avaris's feathery antenna twitches aside to Cheliyi, then settles into its relaxed,
- upright position once more. His voice formed from a blend of vibrating pitches, he replies with a
- smooth, "Ah. I see. My apologies for interpreting it incorrectly."
- You think to yourself: "It is not so confusing, now that I am aware of it, Cheliyi. Merely a shade
- disorientating, when one is not aware of the quirk, that is all." A light pulse of reassurance, and
- confidence.
- Cheliyi offers you a nod, letting out a soft chirp.
- Esei stretches languidly.
- Avaris inclines his head very slightly in Cheliyi's direction, a low chirring
- emanating from him as he returns to listening to Esei politely.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "The Wyrd is... a bit complex, even for
- those who embody it, such as myself."
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "In the easiest way I can describe it,
- it is a force of nature, a force of change. Something that is inevitable, even if it is distant."
- Cheliyi nods her head at Esei, showing her acceptance.
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi says, "Is a change, evolution. However, is a specific type of
- evolution, yes. Should visit, if you get a chance."
- Disengaging one of his four hands from where they interlock beneath the vast cloak
- of his wings, Avaris gestures to Esei with a slight, sideways tilt of his fingers. "I appreciate the
- difficulty of explaining to one so ignorant as myself. It is benign, then?"
- In a smooth harmony of buzzes, you say to Cheliyi, "Perhaps I shall. It sounds an intriguing
- concept, at the least."
- Dryly amused, Cheliyi says, "Benign is one thing the Wyrd is not, no. Is survivals."
- Esei glances askance.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "Benign, no. Ignorance is something that
- can be fixed."
- Waving one of her hands, Cheliyi says, "But if you means evil or something, no. Is just nature, in
- true form."
- Cheliyi nods her head at Esei, showing her acceptance.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "The Wyrd works in very subtle ways. I
- would not be surprised if there were seeking tendrils in your Light, or anywhere else."
- Avaris looks from Esei, to Cheliyi, and once more to Esei. "Pardon me if I am
- failing to grasp the matter, I feel I have little point of reference. What, precisely, makes it the
- true form of nature?"
- Esei shrugs, unaffected, though there is a smile languid on their face. "The Wyrd is the most
- beautiful in all of Creation."
- You think to yourself: A growing sense of concern, at this. A non-benign force, that seeks to
- interfere with the Light?
- Cheliyi's frilled antennae twitch as she glances at you with clear concern, her mandibles clicking
- to begin a protest, only to fall short.
- Cheliyi glances askance.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk asks, "Yes, Cheliyi?"
- Avaris's antennae gradually shift from their upright state, lowering so that they
- bend out and up. Politely, he replies, "I feel that the Light is the most beautiful thing, but I
- will admit that I cannot say with certainty that this Wyrd is not splendid in its own right, without
- seeing it."
- Avaris turns to Cheliyi, the tip of his left antenna twitching faintly.
- Hesitantly, Cheliyi murmurs, "Is not... interfering, per say. Is just natures. Natures spreads where
- it wants, by survival of the strongest. Glomdorings is point of that. The Light is not... in a whole
- lot of dangers. Wyrd is simply its own thing, yes."
- After a moment, Cheliyi says, "At least, is what I see it as."
- You think to yourself: The same concern, growing tauter, as a steel wire drawn gradually tight.
- Cheliyi gives you a friendly squeeze.
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi says to you, "Is fine."
- Unlacing the remaining three hands so that they rest at his sides, Avaris turns to
- regard Esei for a quiet moment, glancing at Cheliyi with an unreadable look, before he asks, "Will
- you take me to see this Wyrd? I would witness it for myself, and have its measure."
- Shadows swirl around Esei's arm as the Fingerblade of dha'Wyrden-cree shifts and turns around their
- hand.
- Cheliyi pulls away, quietly folding her arms.
- You think to yourself: "I do not mean to dissuade your touch, Cheliyi - I appreciate the gesture,
- truly. I am simply...Troubled."
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk asks you, "Are you certain?"
- Aeldra inclines her head politely to those around her.
- Cheliyi's antennae twitch, and she grows quieter by the second, eerily still. Then, as Aeldra
- arrives, she chirrs quietly to the faeling in greeting.
- Aeldra flashes Cheliyi a joyous smile.
- Avaris's faceted eyes are as pools of deepest azure, and yet unreadable as he
- regards Esei. "I ever am." At Aeldra's entrance, he turns slightly, dipping at the waist to bow
- courteously. In a harmonious chorus of buzzes, he responds, "Hail, Lady. Pardon the potential
- departure, I am in the midst of a matter of...Education."
- Cheliyi closes her eyes and inhales deeply, absorbing the scent of her surroundings.
- After a moment, Cheliyi says to Esei, "I would like to come along, if that is alright. If I am
- awake, during this trip."
- Aeldra nods with a smile at you, "Of course, I just woke up myself, gaining my bearings for the day
- still."
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk whispers, "Come, then."
- Esei inclines their head politely to Aeldra.
- Cheliyi visibly straightens, her demeanor much sterner than before.
- You tell Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters, "My apologies, Lady. If you are in the mood for
- questions later, when you are more wakeful, I would be honoured if you would indulge my desire to
- know of Lady Lantra."
- Entering Glomdoring Forest.
- This small trail winds through the outskirts of Glomdoring, only a few feet away from the open
- plains and the highway that runs to the north. The forest here consists of young oaks and chestnuts,
- low branches bending close over the trail. Ivy and other trailing plants create a bed of foliage
- between the trees, only the track providing an area of bare ground between them. To the south, the
- path twists around, moving deeper into the shadowy trees. Casting darkness all around, a shadow
- totem thrusts up from the ground, chilling the air. A hemlock sapling clings tenaciously to the
- ground here. Muginn, the ghost-feathered crow perches here, eyeing the area suspiciously. Cheliyi
- stands quietly here, trickles of water playing across her form. She wields a blackthorn bouquet
- origami in her left hand. Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk floats here,
- suffusing the air with the sickly-sweet scent of blackthorn blossoms. They wield a dark, curved
- silver athame in their left hand.
- You see exits leading north and southwest.
- Cheliyi's cloudy gaze trails the trees, her expression unreadable.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "Mm. Familiar."
- Caressing your ear, the voice of Aeldra whispers, "Most certainly I'll make time to answer any
- questions you might have, just let me know when."
- Esei pauses, dark eyes sweeping southward, observing their home. "Though, the last novice I showed
- the Glomdoring, I quite literally tossed her in."
- Cheliyi chuckles softly, her voice undercut by a faint chirr.
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi asks, "Was that Miss Illyria?"
- The shadow of a crow seeps in from the southwest.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "Mm, yes."
- Avaris's taloned feet pierce deeply into the trail as he comes to a halt, his
- posture upright, his bearing serious. The bloody feathers of his antennae flow and undulate in
- constant motion, though his head remains unusually still. Mildly, he responds, "I do not advise
- doing so in this instance. I dislike the concept."
- Eyes glittering with an unknown emotion, Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk asks
- you, "What, being thrown into the Glomdoring?"
- Cheliyi closes her eyes, momentarily pained. When she opens them, her expression is passive once
- more. "Well, is not very polites, no."
- Avaris's left antenna sweeps towards Esei. "Being tossed, in general. It is most
- rude."
- Cheliyi chuckles softly, her voice undercut by a faint chirr.
- Esei closes their eyes and inhales deeply, absorbing the scent of their surroundings.
- You think to yourself: Wariness, born of caution reinforced with a firm will, undaunted.
- In a smooth harmony of buzzes, you say, "I do not see the difference between this wood, thusfar, and
- nature elsewhere."
- Softly, Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "You will."
- The foliage rustles to the southwest, as a mass of brambles and thorns tumbles into the room.
- Esei pets a thorn beast ingratiatingly.
- -look beast
- This creature appears to have been woven together from the brambles and vines of the forest. It is
- about the size of a big cat, and the weaving of its roots and tendrils give it the impression of
- four legs and a head. Sharp thorns form a serrated maw, whilst longer twigs create the impression of
- sharp claws. Loose tendrils whip above its body, ready to strike and spear its enemies. Where eyes
- should be, a dark, black mist swirls, almost glowing with twisted energy.
- Avaris's head turns to study the thorned creature impassively. "An interesting
- creature. Is much of the foliage here ambulatory?"
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi says, "Mm. Most are... hungry, honestly. But, so are all
- things, I suppose."
- A thorn beast melts softly back into the foliage.
- Esei glances fondly at the Drums of the Dead before moving on.
- You follow Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk west to spiders' larder.
- A bulbous spider scourges Cheliyi with its legs.
- Esei smirks at Cheliyi.
- A bulbous spider scourges Cheliyi with its legs.
- ((The spider really makes a go of trying to eat Cheliyi D: ))
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi says to a bulbous spider, "Good noon to you too, yes."
- Cheliyi chuckles softly, her voice undercut by a faint chirr.
- Cheliyi pats a bulbous spider in a friendly manner.
- A wry smile spreads across Esei's face.
- Cheliyi seems rather unbothered by the spider attempting to eat her legs, instead focusing on Esei.
- Esei pets the corpse of a bulbous spider ingratiatingly.
- Esei hums thoughtfully.
- Avaris stares at the aggressive spider, his hands sliding towards his four
- scabbards, until the creature is dispatched. His stare moves, slowly, to Cheliyi, where it remains,
- his wings shuffling with faint whispering sounds. "Why did you permit that?"
- Esei raises a slender brow.
- The shadow of a crow seeps off to the east.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "It does as it pleases."
- You think to yourself: Alarm, puzzlement, anger.
- Quietly, you say to Esei, "I did not ask you."
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi says to you, "Mm? Oh, well. Yes. Plus, was not actually
- bothering me, that muchly. Have met that spider lots, always tries to eat me. Never succeeds. Should
- not kill that which is not worth attentions."
- You think to yourself: A flattening into grim displeasure, but determination remains.
- ((More movement!))
- Cheliyi pauses, glancing back to the northeast with a longing stare.
- Cheliyi shakes her head.
- Nests in the ash trees.
- A soothing darkness and the scent of Wyrden foliage suffuse the area, indicating a healing shrine of
- Nocht nearby. From the roots to their lofty branches, these tall ashes stand proud and broad. Their
- leaves create a thick layer of green that hides the treetops from view; however, it is possible to
- see platforms of sticks and dead branches woven together between them, higher in the trees. The
- flapping of wings and harsh cries from above suggest some sort of large bird has made their nest
- here. Casting darkness all around, a shadow totem thrusts up from the ground, chilling the air. A
- rowan sapling clings tenaciously to the ground here. Muginn, the ghost-feathered crow perches here,
- eyeing the area suspiciously. Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk floats here,
- suffusing the air with the sickly-sweet scent of blackthorn blossoms. They wield a dark, curved
- silver athame in their left hand. Cheliyi stands quietly here, trickles of water playing across her
- form. She wields a blackthorn bouquet origami in her left hand.
- You see exits leading north, east, and south.
- Cheliyi pats a shadow totem in a friendly manner.
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi says, "Remember growing this one, actuallys..."
- Esei tilts their head towards Cheliyi.
- Cheliyi chirrs quietly to a rowan sapling, her gaze softening.
- You think to yourself: "You are fond of this place, still?"
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi says to Esei, "Miss Afollia had me watch over it, for a time."
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk asks, "One of your tasks for the Lady, no?"
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi says, "No. Just a task."
- Esei tips their head in understanding.
- The melodious voice of Cheliyi resonates in your mind, "**a quiet sigh, followed by a sense of
- apology.** Grew up here. Was raised, by the forest. The peoples? Not so muchly. Do not care for the
- commune, or its tenants, or its ways, anymore. But... will always remember childhoods spent."
- In a smooth harmony of buzzes, you say to Esei, "I remain unclear as to why this Wyrd is superior to
- other natural areas. It simply seems more...Aggressive."
- ((more movement))
- Esei caresses the Ebonglom Wyrdling gently.
- You tell Cheliyi, "[A quiet sense of contemplation, the words being given due attention before he
- seeks to respond.] You seem somewhat fond of the Auspice."
- Glancing away, Cheliyi says, "Mm, takes more time in the Forest to understand, I guess."
- Lair of the Ebonglom Wyrdling.
- The shadowy outline of a twisted forest casts a dark gloom here. The first thing to hit about this
- area is the heavy stench, a smell of decay and excrement that overpowers the senses. The end of the
- path to the east leads into this abhorrent pit. Thick white slime coats the walls, falling from the
- ceiling in bulky globs. The floor itself is thick and slippery, trails of yellow and brown running
- through a pool of clear ooze. Whatever rock structure once existed here is now invisible behind the
- cumulative excretions. Spikes jutting forth from its skin, the massive bulk of the Ebonglom Wyrdling
- pulsates on the floor. The scent of death radiates from a mangled corpse impaled here upon a
- sharpened pole. There are 10 shadowlord widowriders here. There are 10 illithoid scourges here.
- There are 10 dark nighthags here. Muginn, the ghost-feathered crow perches here, eyeing the area
- suspiciously. A giant bat hangs here, wings folded about its body and one beady eye open. Wyrden
- Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk floats here, suffusing the air with the sickly-sweet
- scent of blackthorn blossoms. They wield a dark, curved silver athame in their left hand. Cheliyi
- stands quietly here, trickles of water playing across her form. She wields a blackthorn bouquet
- origami in her left hand.
- You see a single exit leading east.
- The melodious voice of Cheliyi resonates in your mind, "**acknowledgement, like ripples across the
- surface of a crystalline pond** They were my sibling, once."
- Cheliyi narrows her eyes at Esei in an unnerving manner.
- Cheliyi looks visibly displeased, but she just shakes her head and says nothing.
- Esei gives Cheliyi a calm, placid smile.
- This time, Avaris's regard of the area is slow, his head turning about to take in
- the slime and globules, before shifting to fix upon the Wyrdling. In a cool, level voice, he says,
- "Explain."
- You think to yourself: Disgust, thick as the stench in the air, a powerful revulsion.
- Softly, Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "At the beginnings of the Taint
- Wars, a high druid from Ackleberry sought out the help of Rowena and Brennan, who were Tainted and
- under the direct control of Kethuru, at the time."
- You tell Cheliyi, "I apologise - I do not wish to pry at sensitive wounds. This is...What is this
- place, Cheliyi? It is grotesque."
- Avaris says nothing as he listens, attention focused upon Esei, though his antennae
- are ceaseless in their flitting, rapid motions.
- The melodious voice of Cheliyi resonates in your mind, "You are fine. Is not like you are thems, no.
- This is the Ebonglom Wyrdling. Not tainted, but instead something new, Wyrden. Is where we- they
- would create shadow essence, to power the Forest. It is not the prettiest, no. But it is true
- survival, true life, in some of the cruelest ways. Some would find that beautiful. Some do. Some
- did."
- Esei's placid smile suddenly seems not placid at all, shadows playing strangely across the planes of
- their face. "Instead, they fed him tainted parts of the Glomdoring. He grew into something similar
- to this," their hands smooth across the strange, oily skin of the Wyrdling, their smile fixated on
- their face. "But when the Lady Viravain came with Lady Isune, they created the Wyrd, and the
- Wyrdling was a part of that."
- Cheliyi shifts her weight, her wings fluttering faintly.
- In a crooning sort of tone, Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk asks, "Is he not
- beautiful?"
- Softly, Cheliyi says, "To some. Is very polite. Good conversationalist. Always liked Mister
- Swampghast betters."
- Cheliyi inclines her head politely to the Ebonglom Wyrdling.
- The myriad markings of deep red that adorn Avaris's folded wings acquire a faint,
- almost imperceptible glow as he stares at Esei, his own smooth features unreadable. "I must be
- misapprehending you. They fed a druid tainted matter, and mutated him?"
- You think to yourself: Low, distant anger, as faintly sensed as the stirrings in the deepest
- portions of the ocean.
- Cheliyi gently places a hand on your shoulder.
- Esei tips their head towards the Wyrdling, face shaded by a curtain of red hair. "Why, of course."
- Softly, Cheliyi says, "It was a sacrifice made for new opportunities. Not a good, or bad thing.
- Simply an event, and the Wyrd began to grow."
- Avaris does not move his faceted eyes from Esei at Cheliyi's touch, though the
- antenna closest to her flicks down in acknowledgement of the contact, and he makes no attempt to
- distance himself. Despite the multi-layered nature of his voice, his tone is flat, as he asks,
- "Why?"
- You tell Cheliyi, "Is this Wyrd a byproduct of the Taint, Cheliyi?"
- The melodious voice of Cheliyi resonates in your mind, "No. To some, it is what they claim. But the
- Wyrd is its own."
- Softly, Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "I am sure, at the time, it was
- due to the wish to expand Kethuru's reach in the Basin."
- You tell Cheliyi, "How?"
- Esei brushes their knuckles across what may have been the Wyrdling's cheek, before dropping their
- hands to their sides.
- Cheliyi stares blandly at Esei, giving them a Look.
- The Drums of the Dead begin to thump, their pounding and erratic beats raising a black mist that
- hangs eerily over the Glomdoring Forest.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "But now? He serves the Wyrd, and that
- is all that matters now."
- The upended droplets of Avaris's azure eyes darken to a deeper hue as he studies
- Esei silently for a time. "Explain to me how this Wyrd of yours differs from the Taint that it
- originated from."
- The melodious voice of Cheliyi resonates in your mind, "It was remade by an Elder Goddess, yes. Lady
- Viravain is the Wyrd, made the Wyrd, and so on. It is Her creation, along with Lady Isunes. It is
- different."
- Shaking her head, Cheliyi says, "Can feel the difference. Have -felt- the difference."
- You tell Cheliyi, "[Firm, and insistent, yet gentle.] Do not be offended if I say that that is a
- poor explanation, Cheliyi. Different, how? Does it warp what it touches? Is all that it leaves its
- mark on so...Vile?"
- Esei turns their head to gaze at you, their own eyes pitch black and seemingly empty. "Aside from
- being natural, as it was partially influenced by the Seal of Nature? Aside from being something
- worthy of being worshipped? Aside from being given a name by the fae themselves...?" Their fingers
- brush gently across their shroud, smiling.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk whispers, "Everything you could possibly
- imagine, and more."
- Cheliyi exhales slowly, allowing a long fluid breath to creep from her lungs.
- Chionati arrives from the east.
- Levelly, you say to Cheliyi, "A wound to the eye feels different to a scald of the arm, yet neither
- are benign."
- Comprehension flashes across Chionati's face.
- Voice coming from within the hollow eye socket, Initiate to the Tah'vrai, Chionati says, "Hello!"
- The melodious voice of Cheliyi resonates in your mind, "I will... explain, later. for now, should
- finish the tour."
- Cheliyi glances askance at you.
- Esei inclines their head politely to Chionati.
- Cheliyi inclines her head politely to Chionati.
- Voice coming from within the hollow eye socket, Initiate to the Tah'vrai, Chionati says, "I won't
- bother you."
- Chionati waves goodbye.
- Chionati leaves to the east.
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi says, "... hm. Have not seen an illithiods fate-touched in a
- while."
- Cheliyi waves her hand dismissively.
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi says, "Anyways. Anything else to show? Or should we goes,
- yes?""
- Avaris's regard flickers not at all at the entrance and subsequent departure of the
- other, unwavering in its intent focus upon Esei. "That is not a satisfying answer. It seems
- deliberately vague."
- Flatly, Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk asks, "And why should I care to give
- an answer to a Celestian who feels like he deserves to have them?"
- Cheliyi gives a pained sigh.
- Cheliyi shakes her head.
- Esei waves their hand dismissively.
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "No matter."
- ((Back at Celest))
- Cheliyi inclines her head politely to Esei.
- In a smooth harmony of buzzes, you say, "If you value this Wyrd as you say you do, you would take
- joy in educating others in its benefits. We are supposedly allies, are we not?"
- Softly chiding, Cheliyi says, "Avaris."
- Esei clasps their hands behind their back, face implacable. They simply raise a brow.
- Voice as flat and unyielding as cold steel, you say, "No, Cheliyi. I will have a clear answer."
- Esei's eyes flick to Cheliyi.
- Cheliyi rubs at her brow, rough chitin scraping in an uncomfortable grating noise. "I can explain
- things, laters. Is not polite to demand answers."
- Smiling, Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "No."
- Wyrden Auspice Esei Shee-Slaugh of the Ascending Dusk says, "Be well, Avower. Sapling."
- Esei inclines their head politely to Cheliyi.
- An archon of Eternal Light says, "Take care while you're in New Celest, Esei."
- Cheliyi visibly deflates, her antennae drooping as she lets out a soft breath.
- Chirring with a faint squeak, Cheliyi mutters, "Did not have to be such and a... about it."
- Cheliyi shakes her head.
- Avaris's right wing flits up and aside in a small, sharp motion, the eyes that
- adorn it flooding with a brief pulse of red, sullen light. He watches the direction in which the
- Auspice departed for some time before he turns slowly to regard Cheliyi, the baleful crimson glow
- bleeding out.
- Straightening with a pained sigh, Cheliyi says, "Let us see if the timequake has time left, to
- participate in combats."
- Cheliyi beckons you to her.
- You think to yourself: A flare of anger, a spike that is quickly crushed, condensed, and placed
- aside. A forced sense of calm.
- In a smooth harmony of buzzes, you say to Cheliyi, "I will not drop this so easily, Cheliyi. I would
- speak with you, after this...Timequake."
- Softly, Cheliyi says to you, "Would not break my promise, I can assure you, yes."
- ((Timequake stuff!))
- In the shade of palm trees.
- This location is flooded with shallow, crystal clear water. Nestled away from the hustle and bustle
- of Dragon's Grave, this shaded park rests beneath a canopy of large palm trees and is a popular
- destination for picnics during the daytime and romantic stargazing at night. Seashell fencing
- separates this grassy knoll from the rest of the city with delicate gates that swing open and shut,
- allowing entrance to the terraces of the west and the nearby streets to the north and the east.
- Within this closed-off retreat, local children can play hide-and-seek behind the giant trees with no
- fear of straying too far from their parents' watchful gaze, while young couples can enjoy a modicum
- of privacy in the more secluded sections of the park. Sea breezes drift through the area, quiet and
- cool, carrying the taste of salt with them. Muginn, the ghost-feathered crow perches here, eyeing
- the area suspiciously. Cheliyi stands quietly here, trickles of water playing across her form. She
- wields a blackthorn bouquet origami in her left hand.
- You see exits leading north, east, west, and northwest.
- Cheliyi exhales quietly, leaning against a nearby palm tree.
- Paying only a cursory glance to the surroundings, Avaris folds his four hands
- together at the small of his back, beneath the thick cover of his wings. He says nothing, giving
- Cheliyi time and space as he waits, patiently.
- Cheliyi hands flex and clench into fits in a quiet, synchronous rhythm, the kephera staring quietly
- into the distance. "So... difference betweens Wyrd and Taints has been a very long debate. To
- peoples in Glomdoring, it is different. There -are- beautiful things, in Glomdoring. They are cruel
- and glittering and sharp, but they are beautiful. It is nature, twisted and grown, like a thorn
- thicket, while the Taint is like an oily sludge that does not leave your skin. The Wyrd grows. The
- Wyrd changes. The Taint only burns." She exhales, fists tightening in unison with a deeply
- uncomfortable creak of chitin stressed past normal limits. "The Wyrd is hungry, and angry, but it is
- alive. The Taint is simply undeath."
- Muginn, the ghost-feathered crow stares implacably at Cheliyi.
- Muginn, the ghost-feathered crow nudges Cheliyi suggestively.
- Cheliyi blinks.
- Cheliyi exhales slowly, allowing a long fluid breath to creep from her lungs.
- Cheliyi pets Muginn, the ghost-feathered crow ingratiatingly.
- Muginn clicks his beak, his feathers ruffling as he blinks up at Cheliyi with an
- uncharacteristically fond look in his eye.
- Avaris is quiet as the explanation is given, the weight of his attention shifting
- to the curl of Cheliyi's fists, before returning to Cheliyi's face. Rather than answering
- immediately, he is still for a moment, then steps over to Cheliyi. He lays a hand upon Cheliyi's
- shoulder, the touch both firm and reassuring, despite the lack of softness in the chitinous
- appendage. His voice is much the same, a steady chorus of interwoven buzzes and hums. "Easy, now.
- You need not speak on this if it upsets you. I can find my answers elsewhere easily enough, I assure
- you."
- You think to yourself: A consistent note, a thrum of comforting solidness, a confident sense of
- reassurance and concern.
- Cheliyi glances at you from her crow, her eyes squinting into some approximation of a soft smile.
- She takes another steadying breath, and shakes her head. "It... well. Is not usually this
- upsettings. Just... Frustrated, is all. Have always had an issue with anger, myself. Getting better,
- but slowly." The kephera's cloudy gaze flicks away and she sighs. "Then again, last time I had this
- conversation, it was yelling at Serenwilders. Can be a sore subjects. But, as I was saying, used to
- be wyrden myself. I have also been to Magnagoras, and felt the rot and taint, there. It is very
- different. One is like a rotting corpse, beautified with scents and pretty lights, while the other
- is like a ferocious wolf, scarred and hurt, but very alive. That is the most basic different,
- between the two. Plus, the Wyrd has no real quarrel with the Light. They are like... sort of
- neutrals. Just care of themselves."
- Avaris's touch remains upon Cheliyi's shoulder until the sigh, whereupon he gives a
- brief, reassuring squeeze, and releases her, stepping back to a respectful distance once more.
- Lifting his lower left hand to the luxurious mane that encircles much of his upper form, he twists a
- thick lock of fluff in a slow, thoughtful motion. "Anger is something I am most familiar with. I
- understand that much, at least." He lapses into silence, the plumes of his antennae lowering into a
- gently undulating wave of crimson. "I would like to say something, Cheliyi, but I wish you to know
- that I do not say this with the intent to cause you distress, or harm."
- The white blanket of cloud in the sky above you thickens into a heavy cover.
- Cheliyi glances at you appraisingly, antennae twitching in your direction as she turns her attention
- to you.
- His hands descend to clasp in an interlocking of wrists, settled against the
- lustrous, white armour of his thighs as Avaris looks upon Cheliyi. In a voice that sounds as if it
- has been woven from steel and cotton, such is the blend of gentle delivery and hard, unyielding
- conviction, he says, "I believe you are wrong. I do not know your experiences, but it is clear that
- this Wyrd, and the Auspice, have some hold over you. The place is grotesque, Cheliyi. It may not be
- the Taint, but the bastard son of a tyrant that commits different atrocities, in a subtler, more
- clever manner...Is still a monster, Cheliyi." A faint whispering emanates from his folded wings as
- they shuffle slightly. "They are not neutral. Everything of that encounter veritably screamed of an
- insidious corruption. They even spoke boldly of tendrils of this Wyrd seeking the Light."
- Cheliyi lets out a low, sharp chirp at you, her wings fluttering faintly.
- Avaris looses his upper right hand so that he can lift it, palm-outwards, in a
- pacifying gesture. "Again, I am not trying to upset you. Please, trust in that."
- You think to yourself: A silver, clarion note of sincerity, pure and clear.
- Cheliyi glances down at the offered palm, her cloudy gaze pained. There is a long beat of silence as
- the kephera remains still, before all of the air seems to woosh out of her at once. "I know you are
- not," she murmurs, her upper, wooden mandibles clacking gently against chitin ones. "They are
- just... I do not know. Is hard, to see from an outside perspective. Am only learning of the Light
- now, of Celest, now. Never knew anywhere else, before." She shifts her weight between both legs,
- secondary limbs gently petting Muginn, the ghost-feathered crow. " It doesn't have a hold on me, not
- really. No more than the Hives would have a hold on surface kepheras. The Glomdorings... does want
- to eat everything, someday. But that does not mean it will. The same could be said of Celest, for a
- time, with their drive to destroy the forests. Is the nature of all great Organizations in the
- Basin. Maybe should be more worried, but I am just not in the right perspective to see. Celest is
- strong, and would not falter."
- The palm lowers to rejoin its brethren, completing the complex knot of chitin as
- Avaris's feathered antennae drift down and forward, the upper halves curling so that they bear more
- than a passing resemblance to horns. "I understand. We both come from places that...Skew the mind."
- The crimson plumes sweep down to cover his eyes demonstratively, as he continues, "They blind us,
- and warp how we see the world, and we do not even know it." The arcs of red flow upwards once more,
- though they return to their frowning, horn-like stance. "The Light does not seek to devour, or to
- twist and mutate. It desires to gather the good and worthy under its aegis, and purify what it can -
- And will destroy that which it cannot." Breathing a peculiarly vibrating sigh, he says, "I think you
- have yet to shake off this warped perspective that the Wyrd has granted you. Your vision is coated
- in shifting shadow, that twists the truth to fit the Wyrd's agenda. It is...Not easy, to separate
- from that, I know. But you cannot do so at all, if you do not first realise that is the case."
- You tell Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters, "My sincere apologies at the delay, good Lady. I
- have been learning of the Wyrd, and speaking with Cheliyi on my concerns."
- Caressing your ear, the voice of Aeldra whispers, "Oh, that is quite alright. I will be awake for a
- while, just let me know when you are free. As for the Wyrd, ... well, I suppose that is a topic that
- is rather, uh. Well, lets just say it is one of the darker topics of the worlds history."
- You tell Lady Aeldra Ladyn, of Cerulean Waters, "So I am beginning to see. It is a grim matter
- indeed."
- Cheliyi glances down at Muginn, the ghost-feathered crow, her gaze considering and silent. Her eyes
- close, and for a long moment, she simply breathes. "Perhaps," she eventually hums, suddenly weary,
- "perhaps. Have always tried to know things with my chest, rather than my eyes. Aren't very good for
- seeing, you see." The kephera gestures at her clouded gaze with a faint squint, almost a smile. "Not
- surprised that the blindness often applies to other things, as well. Will think it over. But, is
- true that they are different. Perhaps not different in goal, not different in way it should be
- viewed, but different in method. Just... do not mention such an opinion to the Glomdorings peoples.
- Is considered an insult."
- Avaris's nod brings his chin into the thick tufts of his mane, which stirs faintly
- in the cool night air. The gently drifting fluff, pale as alabaster, reflects the light of the stars
- so that it seems more a halo than ever, offset by the small marking that glares out from his
- forehead like an eye of judgement, faintly lambent. "I am sorry that you have had to endure such a
- wounding, Cheliyi. I hope it heals, and soon." His armoured shoulders lift in a slow, untroubled
- shrug, the motion shifting his immense wings slightly. "I will speak truly. They have done nothing
- so far to warrant a gentling of my tongue, so I cannot promise you that. The Light shines, whether
- the shadows will it, or not."
- Cheliyi'eyes close as she chirrs with faint amusement. "Mm. Makes sense, yes. Thank you. I think my
- soul is calling me to rest, but I hope I was able to help clarify some things. If not, I apologize
- for the lack of assistance."
- Avaris waves his right set of hands aside in a smoothing gesture. "You have been
- most helpful, fear not. Thank you for your time, and patience. I hope that you rest well, Cheliyi."
- Cheliyi nods her head emphatically.
- Cheliyi inclines her head politely to you.
- You give Cheliyi a respectful salute.
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