"... And she suffered for it."

[Nocht Appears! But I missed recording that message. It was great n spoopy.]
CITYTELLS FULL
2019/09/16 02:27:34 - Snald: Greetings, Lord Nocht.
2019/09/16 02:27:50 - Esri: Dark Greetings Lord Nocht.
2019/09/16 02:27:51 - Nocht: Greetings, Glomdoring.
2019/09/16 02:27:52 - Kreon: Greetings Lord Nocht!
2019/09/16 02:28:02 - Gurashi: Many greetings, Lord Silence.
2019/09/16 02:28:02 - Evette: Dark Tidings, Lord Nocht!
2019/09/16 02:28:05 - Esei: Tidings, Lord Nocht.
2019/09/16 02:28:21 - Kyalrhin: Greetings, Lord Nocht.
2019/09/16 02:28:37 - Esri: How are you feeling Lord Nocht?

Before the Master Ravenwood Tree.
The dark heart of Glomdoring Forest is almost audibly beating in this, its shadowy centre. Tall, blackened trees surround this clearing, pressing together into an imposing barrier of rotten vegetation. Moulds and fungi are smeared across the plants, their pungent stench suffusing the forest. The branches are coated in dark slime, slick tendrils that hang downwards. Although a variety of trees might actually grow here, the black tar that coats them renders them indistinguishable. A thin black mist creeps between the trees, hanging low across the ground. The floor of the clearing itself is simply bare earth, cracked and dry. Overshadowing all is the Master Ravenwood Tree itself, jutting into the sky like a twisted fist. The sound of laughing crows echoes down from the treetops, a harsh sound for the ears below. The atmosphere vibrates with a palpable power. Brennan Stormcrow paces here, his cadaverous body twitching with sudden jerks. The Master Ravenwood Tree towers over everything here, pulsing with an immeasurable yet dark power.

Esei arrives from the north.

Brennan Stormcrow bows respectfully to Esei.

You click your mandibles together energetically, chittering to yourself.

(Glomdoring): Nocht says, "I've slowed their growth, but more remains to be done to prepare for what comes next. The snapdragons require I move slower than I would otherwise prefer."

Your mandibles twitch slightly as you voice a brief, curious chirr.

(Glomdoring): You say, "Are ready for our help, yet? For next step, mean."

(Glomdoring): Esri says, "Have you found if we can gather anything esle to help?"

(Glomdoring): Nocht says, "Not yet, little ones."

You have emoted: Gurashi stares skyward, then up towards the Master Ravenwood, mandibles clicking.

(Glomdoring): Esri says, "If their is anything we can do to help please let us know!"

(Glomdoring): You say, "O-K... please let know if can -- yes. What Esri said."

(Glomdoring): Esri says, "Indeed, do you have anything that needs assistance for other things Lord Nocht?"

(Glomdoring): You say, "If have hankering for foodstuffs, let know. Or, not foodstuffs. We will do the thing."

You twiddle your thumbs.

Esei tells you, "Would you like to check up on Lord Nocht's fulcrux with me? I left a few paintings there and would like to see if they remain."

You blink.

You tell Proselyte Esei, of the Ascending Dusk, "O-K!"

You begin to follow Esei.

[Walking!]

Faintly buzzing, you ask Esei, "Do think someone would steal them?"

Faintly buzzing, you ask, "...again?"

Proselyte Esei, of the Ascending Dusk says to you, "I doubt it. I found the first painting as well, courtesy of Hani. He said that a thorn beast ate it but..."

Esei ponders the situation.

You blink.

Proselyte Esei, of the Ascending Dusk says to you, "I didn't think that they strayed that far west."

Faintly buzzing, you say to Esei, "Mm."

Faintly buzzing, you say, "Perhaps made way from ooze, to loamadore, to thornbeast, maybe."

You shrug helplessly.

Esei shrugs helplessly.

Faintly buzzing, you say, "Would be funny. Art theft at hands of Glomdoring natives."

Your eyes bug out as you boggle in amazement.

Esei hides a grin behind her hand.

You follow Proselyte Esei, of the Ascending Dusk to the Fulcrux of Nocht.
The Fulcrux of Nocht.
The image of a beautiful nighttime sky has been stretched across the fulcrux. Dim stars struggle futilely to compete with the terrifying beauty of Mother Night. The ethereal image wavers on occasion, the sky rippling like water in a pond. A lonely hill covered in tall grass leads up to a single shrine. Behind the shrine stands a large blackthorn tree. The tree is taller than most of its kind, extending upwards rather than outwards. Delicate blossoms shower down from its branches, creating a flurry of white petals and filling the air with the pungent scent of wyrden foliage. A complex series of stones orbit around a stygian orb here. A rippling image of a beautiful night sky has been magically wrapped around the fulcrux here. Partially hidden in the shadows, a formal pamphlet with a seven-pointed star has been lain aside here. In the shape of an open palm, a metallic sigil lies here. Still warm from the oven, a chocolate spotted leopard cookie sits steaming on the ground. An elegantly piped chocolate pie sits here, glistening in the available light. A painting of Top of the Black Tower has been thrown on the ground here. A painting of Cloying Shadow has been thrown on the ground here. Completely motionless, a slender leothin intently surveys its surroundings. A wiccan broom floats here, vibrating with energy. Nocht, the Silent stands here, completely obscured beneath a cloak as dark as the night. Proselyte Esei, of the Ascending Dusk is riding on a wiccan broom. She wields an athame dagger in her left hand.
You see a single exit leading through an image of the night sky.

Gently, you say, "Ah. Looks like is all still here."

Esei wipes the back of her hand across her forehead in relief.

Keeping his voice low, you say to Esei, "But is good thing."

Proselyte Esei, of the Ascending Dusk says, "That's good. Your sweets are still here as well."

With a nod, you say to Esei, "Means that peoples are being respectful of, and that He can take as needs."

Esei nods her head sagely.

You give the world a smart salute.

The surrounding shadows convulse, grasping outwards in joyous anticipation as Nocht, the Silent suddenly materializes from the aether.

LOOK NOCHT
Were it not for the way darkness itself trails after His form it would not be immediately obvious that He is a radiant immortal. His entire form is concealed beneath a hooded cloak. His only feature visible, His eyes - a brilliant ethereal blue rimmed in golden starburst, intense in their piercing gaze.
He is wearing:
an all-concealing cloak of darkest black
a fractured gem suspended from a thin, metal chain
boots of shifting shadow.

Esei bows respectfully to the master shrine of Nocht.

"Oh?" Esei exclaims quizzically.

You blink.

Nocht, the Silent whispers, "Greetings, little ones."

Esei bows respectfully to Nocht.

You have emoted: Gurashi freezes, then awkwardly bows at the waist.

Still bowing, you say to Nocht, "Many greetings - did not mean to intrude."

Tilting His head, Nocht, the Silent whispers, "That is, more or less, one of the common purposes of this place. Did you require something?"

Still bowing, voice strained from the leaning, you say to Nocht, "Were checking up, since stuffs went missing before, and wanted to make sure were not missing again."

Esei nods her head at Nocht.

You have emoted: Gurashi slowly rises to his full height, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "But... did not require anything, no. Many apologies."

Quickly, you ask Esei, "Unless, needed a thing?"

Esei inclines her head in agreement with you.

Quickly, quietly, and awkwardly, you say to Nocht, "Or even if -You- needed a thing. Though, said did not earlier to commune, so."

Nocht, the Silent whispers, "None that you could assist Me with in the moment."

Esei bows respectfully to Nocht.

Bizirik, the leothin sniffs Nocht, trying to decipher just what that smell emanating from Him is.

Esei nudges you suggestively.

Aghast and whispering loudly, you say to Bizirik, the leothin, "Oh - -no- Bizi, shhbackgoodgirldonotsnifftheDivinepleasemanythankyous."

Nocht glances down at Bizirik, the leothin unfazed, though the shadows around Him seem to grow agitated, twisting in upon themselves.

Bizirik, the leothin lifts its head from near Nocht's feet, staring at Gurashi blankly before returning to look up at the Divine with an equally blank expression. It snorts, taking a cautious step back, tail sweeping the floor behind it as it continues to gaze.

The boughs of the large blackthorn moan loudly as they shake, sending a new shower of petals cascading across the fulcrux.

Reaching out and whispering, panicked, you say to Bizirik, the leothin, "Bizicome-here-please."

You have emoted: Gurashi looks up at Nocht, offering a choked 'aheh'. "S-sorry. Is good girl. Still, ehm, -training-."

Bizirik, the leothin stares implacably at Nocht.

Nocht, the Silent whispers, "All must start from somewhere, little one."

With her eyes lowered, Proselyte Esei, of the Ascending Dusk says to Nocht, "I hope You enjoy the paintings I left You, Lord Nocht."

Nocht turns His gaze upon Bizirik, the leothin and whispers, "I've found pain to be quite useful in teaching lessons that must be tought."

Bizirik, the leothin lets out a soft click, then chirp up at Nocht, thrumming softly as it continues to stare.

Suddenly, you ask, "Pain?"

Nocht, the Silent whispers to Esei, "I did, little one."

Esei bows her head to hide her blush.

Turning His gaze back, Nocht, the Silent whispers, "Yes."

Insinstantly, taking a step forward, you say to Nocht, "No - nono, do not need to hurt. Is O-K, have got her."

Tilting His head to one side, Nocht, the Silent whispers, "The creature is not Mine to teach. Though why does the thought seem to trouble you?"

You have emoted: Gurashi takes a cautious step forward, placing a hand upon the Leothin's back. He looks up at Nocht, bewildered. "Because was already hurting -so much- when found." Bizirik finally lolls its head back at a comical angle to stare at Gurashi, still thrumming softly.

His head still tilted, Nocht, the Silent whispers, "And you wish to prevent more? Why?"

You stare implacably at Nocht.

Quiet once more, you say to Nocht, "Because... did not learn from pain - learned, from patience."

Faintly buzzing, you say, "...mean, until now."

You have emoted: Gurashi gives the Leothin a 'why are you doing this to me' look. The creature's tail lifts and thuds against the ground, seeming delighted and oblivious before looking back up at Nocht.

Esei strokes Bizirik, the leothin's side quietly, simply listening to the conversation.

The image above wavers and ripples gently as a cold breeze howls through the fulcrux.

A new sound joins the thrumming, something akin to a purr as Bizirik, the leothin continues to stare.

Nocht allows His gaze to shift towards Esei, the blue-gold eyes in start contrast to the darkness surrounding Him. "How did you learn, little one? From patience? Tenderness?"

Esei adopts a look of consideration. "Neither pain nor patience." She says, moving to tug at one of her braids. "Observation, mostly."

Nocht, the Silent whispers, "I see..."

You have emoted: Gurashi looks to Esei as she responds, mandibles clicking against his face. Slowly he turns to look back at the divine, resting his secondary left hand next to his first on the Leothin's back. "Does not ... mean that am not firm with her. Because, want her to learn, and help her grow."

Insistently, trying to keep his voice down, you say, "And, do better. And, d-does better. Really. Is very good girl. Serves Glomdoring fearlessly."

Bizirik, the leothin continues to 'purr' up at Nocht, either willfully or obliviously ignorant to the conversation at hand.

Nocht raises a hand towards the glamoured image that wraps around the fulcrux. Slowly, one by one, each of the dim stars winks out of existence, and the fulcrux grows a little darker - the shadows that wrap around His form, a little longer. "You shield those from the lessons all living things need most, little one, when you try to keep pain away."

Bizirik's head begins to droop. It opens its great maw and curls back its lips to allow its forked tongue to unfurl as it yawns before snapping its mouth shut.

(The Shadow Kindred): You say, "BIZI NO."

Your eyes raise to the heavens as a look of hope flashes across your face.

You stare implacably at Bizirik, the leothin.

You have emoted: Gurashi covers his face with his free hand. "...know that, but..." He mutters, tracing one hand over the jagged scars across the Leothin's back.

Esei stares at Nocht thoughtfully, then returns her gaze to the floor.

As the fulcrux grows ever darker, Nocht, the Silent whispers, "But?"

Bizirik's head begins to droop. It opens its great maw and curls back its lips to allow its forked tongue to unfurl as it yawns before snapping its mouth shut.

You have emoted: Gurashi rests his hand over the scar, finally raising his gaze to meet Nocht's. Anxiety grips his limbs, the barest hint of trembling visible in his legs, but he stands firm. "Know... that knows pain. Because felt it, when looked in eyes. When saw in cage." He says slowly. "And... do not want - no, will not - be one to add more to."

As stoic as he can muster, you say to Nocht, "Am doing best that can."

The image of the night sky grows terrifyingly dark as an icy breeze cuts across the lonely hill, spiralling patterns dancing across the tall grass.

Nocht exhales softly, His expression unreadable beneath His hooded cloak. He turns, looking up at the now empty sky shown above. "There are many in history who did not want to cause hurt, little ones. That thought to love someone was to shield them from harm. To never raise a hand. You can name some, I'm certain..."

You have emoted: Gurashi watches the Divine carefully, following His gaze to the blank sky.

Nocht waves a hand towards the image and it ripples, and an image takes shape. Beautiful. Radiant. Clearly, an Elder Goddess. Even though it's only an image, it radiates a gentle warmth and love. Other shadowy images fill the fulcrux, all gazing up at Her.

Nocht, the Silent whispers, "You've heard of Amberle, yes?"

Bizirik, the leothin knowingly follows the gaze of both its keeper and the God, snorting up at the ceiling as the image changes.

Esei inclines her head politely to Nocht.

Taking a deep, trembling breath, you say to Nocht, "Have ... heard of name, but ... do not know if... know."

Bizirik, the leothin chirps happily up at the ceiling, rising to stand, tail sweeping back and forth excitedly, causing any lose debris - including desserts - to be scattered.

The image above wavers and ripples gently as a cold breeze howls through the fulcrux.
Suddenly grotesque wounds open up on the image of the goddess, and She screams. A psychic shock whipping around the fulcrux causing an intense pain to blossom in your skull, your limbs, your very spirit. The screams rebound shortly after, deafening in their intensity as bit after bit of the goddess is torn away. First flesh, then bone, and then even pieces of the glimmering bits of Her own spirit. The shadowy figures present turn and start in obvious alarm, but all is muffled by Her screams.

You wince in pain.

Esei grimaces at the visage.

Nocht does not raise His voice as the screams echo throughout the fulcrux, though His words reach you all the same. "Amberle believed in patience. In love. In understanding."

You have emoted: Startled, Gurashi takes a few steps back, narrowly bumping into the walls of the Fulcrux. His hands fly to either side of his head, covering his ears as he watches the Goddess be rendered to pieces. His antennae droop, and sweat visibly breaks out over his carapace as he watches, mortified.

Nocht waves a hand in the image is gone in an instant, replaced with the previous night sky. He turns back towards you, "And she suffered for it."

Esei reaches over and gives your closest hand a squeeze of reassurance.

Nocht, the Silent whispers, "I have existed a long time, little ones."

You have emoted: Gurashi keeps his gaze on the sky long after the image is gone, visibly trembling. Only after spoken to again does he turn his head to stare at Nocht, expression set in fear.

Nocht, the Silent whispers, "And it has taught Me what it is to truly love and care for another. Perhaps if I had come to know this sooner I could have guided Maylea down a path where She could see reason and join the Wyrd."

The image above wavers and ripples gently as a cold breeze howls through the fulcrux.
Nocht, the Silent whispers, "But I had to learn the lesson, Myself, and it seems I was too slow for Her."

Bizirik, the leothin , meanwhile, barely seems phased by the screaming and rapid destruction of the image above, tilting its head this way and that as the image disappears. Its attention is at last pulled away from Nocht, chittering and thrumming softly as it trots over to Gurashi to headbutt the kephera in his side.

Nocht, the Silent whispers to you, "I hope you are not too slow for those you care about, little one."

You stare implacably at Nocht.

Esei ponders the situation.

Nocht turns His gaze once more to Bizirik, the leothin, staring at him intently.

You have emoted: Gurashi slowly drops his hands, unable to tear his gaze away from Nocht. Bizirik sniffs the kephera's hand, then looks back over at Nocht, snorting, suddenly seeming alert.

Nocht reaches out a hand, wreathed in shimmering, emerald vines. He places a hand forcefully on the creatures head. Several moments pass before He simply lifts His hand, petting the creature gently. "Be well, little ones. I am always watching."

The surrounding shadows wane, falling back in despondent melancholy as the form of Nocht, the Silent dissolves into wisps of shadow.

Esei blinks.

Proselyte Esei, of the Ascending Dusk says to you, "Well, I suppose we can... go back now?"

Nocht, the Silent has bestowed His divine strongfavour upon you. It will last for 2 months. <--mmmmyes

Esei nudges you suggestively.

You have emoted: Gurashi slowly lets his arms drop, hands wringing themselves together, now trembling like a leaf. "....y-yes." He says, nodding once. Bizirik continues to watch the spot where the Divine once stood. It scents the air, then leans its full body weight onto Gurashi, breaking him from his trance as he stumbles. "Yes - let's ... go home."

You let loose a long breath from your lungs, exhaling slowly.

[NYOOM back to master Ravenwood]
Before the Master Ravenwood Tree.

Sunlight billows across the realm, revealing the full glory of the majestic sun's luminous presence as he climbs higher into the sky.

Voice strained, you say to Esei, "Am glad all things were there."

Esei nods her head at you.

Faintly buzzing, you ask Esei, "Am needing to rest. Are... needing anythings?"

Proselyte Esei, of the Ascending Dusk says to you, "No, but thank you."

You nod your head emphatically.

[Then NYOOM HOME to manse]
A quaint bedroom overlooking the garden.
Stepping inside this small, relatively plain bedroom, one might believe it belongs to a youth. Ikon collections have been displayed on thin wall-set shelves, and pretty stones, bug shells and picked flowers decorate various surfaces. A small wooden wind chime has been hung from a hook beside one open window, clunking softly while creating simple melodies. The fragrance of the garden wafts into this room, smelling of rich wet dirt and flowers. On the sill of the other window sits a small terrarium filled with moss and rotting wood, and a tiny death watch beetle ticks happily inside. A wooden board has been hung by the door, pinned with important news bulletins and a few lavender letters. A giant cookie-shaped chair sits here, appearing fresh baked and ready to eat. A four poster bed stands here, invitingly strewn with cushions and blankets. Invitingly deep and made of warmly coloured wood, a rocker is here. Pulled open to let the light shine in, a pair of forestal drapes is here. A large ravenwood chest rests on its side in the corner of the room, its front securely closed. A painting of Gurashi and the Faeling Princess is proudly exhibited on a nearby wall. .

You close the oak door to the northeast.

(Glomdoring): You say, "Walk in all of the shadows, Glomdoring... take care of each other."

Shadows swirl around your arm as the Fingerblade of dha'Wyrden-cree digs itself more painfully into your finger.

You step down off of Bizirik, the leothin.

You lie down on a bed strewn with cushions and blankets and comfortably stretch out.

You have emoted: Gurashi stares up at the ceiling of his room, eyes wide, listening to the occasional soft ticking of his deathwatch beetle. Bizirik lays down at the bedside, resting its narrow head upon the edge of the mattress and shutting its eyes, no longer thrumming. A sense of unease washes over him, and with a bereft sigh he takes hold of the nearest unencumbered blanket and pulls it completely over himself.