The Wyrd, In a New Light

((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.