The Weight of a Feather

(Narathos): You say, "Ah - Pysynne. Are you available, by chance?"

(Order): Pysynne (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "More or less."

(Narathos): Pysynne (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "You heard me."

You have emoted: Lief breathes in, then slowly exhales.

(Narathos): Pysynne (from the Prime Material Plane) says, "I am not used to having this aether, yet."

(Narathos): You say, "I did. Would you meet me in the Garden of Earthly Delights, if you are able to?"

You step into the waters of the pond and a warmth pervades your being, embracing you gently as you feel yourself drawn into the pond and taken swiftly elsewhere.

The Garden of Earthly Delights.
Superimposed over this location, an ethereal forest reaches up to the sky. Fed by a pure, underground spring, a small pond takes up the centre of the gardens. Delicate white fish swim in the crystal waters and around the base of lotus blossoms that float upon the pristine surface. Around the pond, silvery grasses and other white flowers create a space of intricate serenity and beauty. Some paces further on, the grasses become vibrant green and low rosebushes blossom in yellow and orange as colours come into vivid relief. Beyond this multihued boundary, nothing grows at all, leaving only black sand smoldering here and there, or glowing red with some unseen heat. This unsettling vision only serves to augment the protective calm provided by the garden itself. A blood-splattered stone, worn smooth by the flow of a river, lies here. A radiant stag stands here with pride and poise, silver antlers rising in branching fractals.
You see exits leading southeast, southwest, and through a small pond.

Pysynne begins to follow you.

You have emoted: After shaking her antlered head, Lief flashes Pysynne a quiet smile. She cradles something to her chest, and she continues to do so - protectively - as she leads the way.

[movement]
The air stirs briefly, colourful shapes folding and unfolding as the light bends around you, enveloping you in shifting shades of blue, before you suddenly find yourself somewhere else.
[movement]

An arched chamber of lavender.
The more intimate arches and domes give way to this long, pointed chamber - three arches and a series of slender, blue-tiled columns support a vaulted roof from which thin slits admit fingers of light to the chamber. Subtly overlapping patterns of circles and waves line the angled walls of the chamber, rendered in numerous tiles in shades of lavender and ivory. As if to complement and echo the theme, small jugs of lavender plants sit at random throughout the tiled chamber, exuding a faint, sweet smell into the air.
You see exits leading northeast, southeast, and southwest.

The sweet voice of Kavindra rises through the Temple of Maylea, singing of peace and hope, joy and forgiveness.

You have emoted: Lief drifts through the open, airy temple, still holding something close to herself - and by the way she angles her body, she may be hiding it on purpose from Pysynne. Her back turned to him, she is quiet for several moments, breathing slowly.

You have emoted: And then Lief quietly asks, "How have you been, Pysynne?"

Pysynne raises an eyebrow at your obvious intent to hide something, "I am fine. What do you have there?"

You have emoted: Lief sways unsteadily in the air at the question, and the muscles in her shoulders tighten. Slowly, she turns, lifting herself to eye level, and reveals a luminous peacock feather with utmost reverence.

Pysynne lowers his brow once more, his painted face slightly frowning as he gazes at the feather, "Is that...?"

Gazing down at a luminous peacock feather, you say to Pysynne, "This is." Her voice cracks on the present tense; her hands tremble faintly before she steadies them. When she looks up again, she continues, even more quietly, "I...do not know what to do. I wanted your thoughts, as our Lady's Uyod, Her Hand."

You have emoted: Lief swallows around a lump in her throat before making herself continue. "Nocht wants me to give this to Her. But She told me the best way to protect Her - to protect all of us - is not to give Him what He wants. But...this is *Shashi's*..."

You think to yourself: With this, we could mark a grave at last. With this...

You think to yourself: ...it could be a trap, or He could be making me over-think things again...

Pysynne nods slowly, lips pursed as he thinks, "I don't know what to say. If you keep it from Her and She learns of it, it might be more trouble, but if you give it to Her... I think the best course of action is to give it to Her."

You have emoted: Lief stares down at a luminous peacock feather. Her gaze is sorrowful, eyes lined with red, but her cheeks are dry. "Have you seen the visions of the blood-splattered stone just outside here, at the pond?"

You have emoted: "A Mayflower betrayed our Lady once. By giving Him what He wanted." Lief bites the inside of her lip, her gaze growing distant.

Softly, you say, "She said that She trusts me."

Using his tongue and the roof of his mouth, Pysynne makes a quiet clicking noise.

You think to yourself: I do not see anything different. I do not feel anything different...

You have emoted: Lief gently caresses the grain of the plume, its colors shimmering as it moves beneath her touch. She looks up to Pysynne, focusing, studying him.

In a gravelly voice, Pysynne says, "Well I still think we should give it to Her, explain what you just explained to me about not wanting to lose Her trust or betray Her, but that you feel this is to important to not deal with. We can sit here second guessing every course of action, or we can act."

-l pysynne
A figure lean and taut with whipcord muscle, this man stands at a tall six-and-a-half feet, though the antlers atop his head add another half foot or so with their jagged points that scrape against the sky in a display of unbridled savagery. The paint over his body does not detract from the fact that he is a graceful elfen vernal ascendant, though the thorned vines and lightning bolts across his mottled green flesh seem to take on a life of their own with every movement or spasm of muscle that passes through his body. Ritualistic scars and cuts along his arms, torso, and long, bony fingers gleam a pale ivy colour, knotted and swollen as if by repeated incision. White paint has been smeared across his face in the visage of a bleached skull, casting his gaunt face into even harsher contours and highlighting the severity of his murky brown eyes. Hair in thick, bound locs hang down to his abdomen, only a handful gathered into any semblance of order by a simple leather tie that binds them to his back. A lush fragrance dances about him as he stands awash in the wild, prismatic colours of a truefavour from Maylea, Bloom of Serenity.

He is wearing:
a translucent crystal bindi
a tribal hunter's necklace
a mechanical tophat cocked to the side and held in place by his antlers
a primitive leather loincloth
Wings of Wonder
the Jagged Crown of Death
a pair of magnificent peppermint mittens
the Flame of dae'Seren.

You think to yourself: Pysynne faced Him successfully. Pysynne acted.

You have emoted: After a long moment, Lief finally nods her antlered head, and fragrant petals shed from their vines for one brief moment, swirling about her before they vanish into motes of essence. "You are right," she says softly.

Looking down at her charge once more, you say to Pysynne, "She would want to know of this. She would..."

You nod your head affirmatively.

You murmur, "Thank you, Pysynne. Who knew a feather could weigh so much..."

Pysynne nods again, "It's a tough choice no matter how you decide, but it's better to be upfront and open I guess."

[Ironbeaaaaard]

You have emoted: Lief nods her antlered head, quietly agreeing. After a moment, she looks to Pysynne again. "I will post about my impressions of Glomdoring's festival to Serenwilde."

Showing that he understands, Pysynne nods his head slowly.

In a gravelly voice, Pysynne says, "Sorry I could not be more help."

You smile softly at Pysynne.

You say to Pysynne, "You were of immense help. I am so glad you are Her Hand."

Pysynne smiles softly.

You have emoted: Lief wings a quiet circle about Pysynne, nodding. "I will linger here and pray. I am happy to pray with you, but if you'd like to attend to other things, don't feel obligated to stay."

In a gravelly voice, Pysynne says, "I do have to check on other aspects, but thank you for the offer."

You smile softly at Pysynne.

Pysynne inclines his head politely to those around him.

You have emoted: Lief lifts her hand from a luminous peacock feather to wave.

Pysynne has left the area.

The sweet voice of Kavindra rises through the Temple of Maylea, singing of peace and hope, joy and forgiveness.

Kneeling humbly, you press your palms together before you and close your eyes momentarily as you pray devoutly to Maylea, Bloom of Serenity, "My Lady...Nocht has given me something He wishes me to give to You. I do not doubt for one moment His intentions are cruel, but...but...Pysynne and I have spoken together. We think You would rather know than not. I just...do not want to do what He wants me to do. I remember Your words.".