Illuminating, The Will of Nature

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mazeofthorns
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Illuminating, The Will of Nature

Post by mazeofthorns » Fri Sep 07, 2018 7:47 am

ENDS BEGINNING

Contingency plans. Fail-safes. Exit arrangements.

These are the things that I keep always at the ready. One does not go into a game of sava without such things. Thus even in the losing, I may win. Even if it is in some small way. Still I survive.

I will always survive. Of that I am certain. Even now when I could not have anticipated this particular event. When my sava board had been collecting dust from disuse. Here at the ending of things I had prepared for a different ending entirely. Now, I could only watch as it happened. This plan that was not mine would be successful, of that I had no doubt. The question was how was I going to mitigate the damage that it would cause me?

Rumbling laughter interrupted my thoughts. “I am awakened.” Sentinel said and I could picture him stretching and yawning in my mind.

“Ready yourself, great wyrm.” I told him.

The essence of the vain dragon made itself known. There was the obligatory wrestling for control as if this might be the one cycle I would be unprepared. I snorted at him. He rumbled a chuckle. He liked to think that it was a test for me instead of the fact that his will was not stronger than my own. He did not like to concede loss. And I did not mind giving the great beast that little bit of respect.

He was not complete. Just a small portion of what was once a great and powerful red dragon. Essence that I had been gifted by virtue of my wisdom and connection to nature. I knew other Walkers and druids that had dragon essence within them. But they carelessly used it as a tool. A trick for entertainment. Where I had done something different, something more. I had afforded him some sliver of life. I offered him sentience.

He did not remember his name thus gained one from another. And he enjoyed the irony of the name, using it to taunt me. Sentinel was the name of my sire. I did not have much in the way of positive emotions regarding my sire. The great wyrm having gained a name gained some small amount of power for it made him a tiny fraction more real.

“I suggest we leave these little creatures to their own devices and do more exploring of the caverns, Illuminating.” Sentinel rumbled so that I actually felt it in my very bones. He spoke my name as its meaning. Kalyin in my native tongue meant Illuminating.

To everyone else I was Kalyin. Perhaps some knew what it meant yet to them it was simply a name. To Sentinel the Great Red Wyrm, it was a declaration. The adjective made flesh.

There was much going on as I held the conversation with the dragon who resided within me. None were the wiser as I spoke in my mind instead of with my mouth. “That is exactly what we are going to do, right after this.” I lied.

The great red wyrm huffed for he saw no reason to wait one second now that he had issued his desires. No doubt he felt the lie. No doubt he knew it to be a way to buy time. I appreciated that he ignored it instead of calling attention to it. “We do not have the amount of time I would prefer.” I told him. “If you want to continue as you are, Great Sentinel, then you will do something for me.”

I had piqued his interest. I could feel his desire to do this thing I asked just to see what would happen. He understood that he was not like the trapped dragon essences of others before him.

At the speed of thought we recognized this, Sentinel and I. I had no doubt he would do as I asked. If… if he had time.

-------------------------------------------------

Sentinel crouched. Waiting. He was eager and it felt good. Through silver eyes too close to the ground he watched and he waited. Yet he was a predator and he was good at waiting.

He felt the burst of adrenaline course through the drows veins. The man they were watching fell slowly and their arms caught him before his head it the stone floor. There were strong emotions yet the wyrm ignored them in his anticipation of the battle of wills to take control from the drow.

Yet Sentinel met no resistance. None at all.

A great red dragon burst into being in the room. The others there held expressions of surprise and he reveled in that. For a split second he thought about reaching out and snapping his jaws around the closest little biped. Yet he knew her to be an ally thus he turned his attention to the body on the floor.

He scooped it up in his massive jaws and moved it nearer the door. He turned and hid what he was doing from those in the room. He took what the drow told him to then dropped the body back onto the floor and arm missing and chest a gory mess.

He didn’t bother to make sure his ally was clear before he issued forth a huge gout of flames. If she was not fast enough to avoid the fire it was not his concern. He managed two long breaths of fiery flames to bring the body close to ash. Then he suddenly felt odd. So very odd. Before he could roar his displeasure...

Golden Cobra shimmered into existence. The last place he wanted to be was in that room. So, he left.

// My thanks to those with characters that manage to provide the twists and turns that keep me coming back even while real life makes that difficult.
KALYIN -- "Black Cobra will aid your injuries should you stand close.... or he may strike you, depending on mood."

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mazeofthorns
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Re: Illuminating, The Will of Nature

Post by mazeofthorns » Fri Nov 02, 2018 6:05 pm

LOST FOUND


Cool water. Insects symphony. And I was laying half in and half out of a little pool of water.

For the first few seconds I was appalled, jumping to my feet. What if someone had seen me? What scandal might I have created? I blinked. Something was different. Very different. I was missing my armor, my sword, my piwafi with house insignia clasp, my… wait.

I was not anywhere familiar. Yet it was entirely familiar. I dropped my silvery gaze to the ground. As a drow I have excellent sight in the dim lighting of the depths yet this was a clarity that filled me with wonder. The water seemed to glitter. Tiny jeweled insects alighted on a robust and beautifully formed mushroom. The symmetry and harmony of the scene stole my breath and caused a delighted smile to form on features that rarely held such an expression.

My nature fogged memory began to rebuild. I was no longer a warrior of any noble house. It felt odd as if this was merely an illusion. I waited a few long moments to be returned to House Jess d'l'Orbb. Surely this was another game of my Matron? Yet, as the presence that was Toril pressed upon me I realized I was no longer that warrior. I was something else. I was something /more/.

A curse left me in a groan as I shifted my weight, the water in the little pool shifted as well making little waves that reached out and caressed my bare feet and the stone of the cavern floor. And the cavern floor was moving ever so slightly.

I blinked realizing it was moving in time with my heartbeat. We were one that cavern floor and I. That pool of water and I. The insects, mushroom… all of it. I sat down and pressed my palms down onto the dirt and moss encrusted floor. And mentally, physically - I /connected/.

And that was when nature made itself known in all its amazingly noisy glory. It was as if a lever had been thrown and every living thing in the area directed its attention at me. I slapped my hands over my ears in self defence only to pierce my dirt encrusted fingertips with something resting just under my hairline. Under silky pearlescent hair was… I felt around knowing that I was leaving blood streaks in my hair. It felt like… vines and thorns. They encircled my head like a crown.

“SILENCE!” I shouted as a hiss. My voice. My will. And for a moment all was silent. Yet nature is unable to be anything other than itself thus the sounds returned. Yet, this time it was quieter somehow.

I let out a sigh of relief as something slithered across my wet bare foot. Anyone else would have lept in fright. Perhaps shrieked in surprise. Not I for I knew that silky smooth and cool touch belonged to a rattlesnake. I smiled and sat down half in and half out of that little pool of water to gather up Rattler.

“Greetings my companion.” I told him in tones and touch.

He greeted me back and spoke of recent events. Not in language that people might use. Words were of little use. I listened attentively to the tales of places to find food and water. Tales of places to rest and where to best watch the other denizens in the area. Black Cobra soon joined us and wrapped himself around my offered arm. My fingertips were glistening with blood colored dirt. The wounds had closed.

I am uncertain how long we sat there. It was a perfect place where none of the more dangerous denizens of the depths choose to visit. Slowly I recognized the area as my drow self. Slowly I followed my memory back to events. It was disjointed as if seen through pieces of a broken mirror.

I shifted Rattler so that I could lay back. Somehow that made it easier to think. The sounds of nature had become background music now. As I looked up at the glowing lichen and luminescent mushrooms on the nearby rock formations I realized one other thing. Clarity. This is where I belonged and I had managed to return somehow. The only evidence that I had been taken from Torils Heart was the shiny new silver signet ring upon my right first finger. For the first time in a long time I took a deep breath and felt as if I could really and simply, breathe.

As I allowed my thoughts to roam as they would I was distracted by the stronger memory of a time I had been at this very place. All thoughts of figuring out how I’d ended up here and why fled like the insects on that mushroom when I had sat down. Reverie took hold of the memory and it was relived in vivid brilliance. I grinned.

The footfalls of a small human boy sounded as clear in my memory as they did on the cycle I had brought him here. Restless was written all over the young humans features. And much worse than that was… boredom.

It had taken a fair bit of planning. Yet I am nothing if not cunning. The boys father caught in catatonic slumber. The usual watchers tricked and left behind. Ley Lines utilized.

“Rothe!” He called out in excitement. His footfalls were loud enough to echo.

I was unconcerned for I had made sure the area was free of the dangerous denizens. I was confident that I, Rattler and the other vipers hidden around this area were more than a match for anything that might decide a small human boy might be a nice snack.

The rothe was mine. A simple creature who was all too happy to submit to my will. Thus as Maral attempted to climb up and ride the beast, it sank to its knees to allow the small boy to scramble up its hairy side. Then I guided the beast around to wherever Maral told it to go. It is possible that Maral still believes he has power over rothe in that manner to this cycle. I heard myself give a soft chuckle at the thought.

As I recalled the memory, having catered to the boys every whim. I realize that I do not see him as a human child but a creature of nature. A wild, untamed being that was mine as much as Rattler and the vipers hidden in the shadows were mine.

I watched and marveled at Marals curious nature. He wanted to see everything, touch everything. His questions were like the spray from a waterfall, refreshing, loud and without end. His energy was remarkable and we were there for hours. I had planned the leaving for I knew Maral would want to stay too long. A bribe of a gondola ride with the rothe did the trick. I knew he would want to bring the rothe back to his home. Yet, he was young and easily tricked.

The rothe made the trip on the gondola just fine much to the operators dismay. But when it came time to utilize the ley lines…

“The rothe did not come with you?” I recalled asking, a careful measure of surprise and disapproval in my voice. All the while knowing that I was not about to conjure a rothe through the ley lines. Maral had arrived alone without the Rothe when I called.

Maral, true to the drowish name I had given him - Storm in the common tongue - was furious. It would be taught a lesson. The permanent kind. I heartily agreed then distracted Maral with a game of sea battles. Nothing like battling a kraken to work out ones anger. The battle was one certain to wake up his father. Anytime I could arrange for the other caretakers his father used to be replaced, I did it. Which usually meant I watched after Maral or waking up Marals father in some seemingly accidental way.

I wondered then if he had ever caught on that I arranged for father and son to have that time together on purpose. Unlike many of my kin, my sire had a hand in my training. Perhaps brutal by human standards was that time my sire spent making sure I was properly ready for life in drow society. I recall those times often in reverie. They were not kind nor without pain but cherished just the same.

I regarded the rothe in question as it was standing next to a fence not so very far away. The memory drifted away like the smoke of a dying fire as I realized I was hungry.

The air shimmered. Golden Cobra’s forked tongue tasted the air and headed to the spot Rattler had mentioned. The pit of vipers were a mere hush as they slithered in Golden Cobras wake to accompany him.

// When RL takes us from Arelith what happens to our characters? In what shape are they when we return? My thanks to Maral for inspiration and allowing me to include a well conceived and wonderfully played character in Kalyins story.
KALYIN -- "Black Cobra will aid your injuries should you stand close.... or he may strike you, depending on mood."

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mazeofthorns
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Re: Illuminating, The Will of Nature

Post by mazeofthorns » Fri Nov 09, 2018 5:19 pm

ALONE


“Who would care that you are gone?” Her whisper was as piercing as a shout.

I had not made it easy for them to capture me. I knew they were tracking my movements. I knew they would eventually catch me. All come to Andunor with a past. Some pasts stayed away. I was not so fortunate as that. My past hunted me down. For I was still property as was proper in drow society. I stopped the smug smile from forming as I thought of the state of the House Jess d’l’Orbb warriors returning to their matron. I had managed to leave two of them on the journey back. One poisoned by vipers. One fell to the hidden dagger in my boot they had missed in their search.

This is not to say they were gentle. At the moment I was a bruised and battered heap on the blue marble floor of the matrons throne room. My only method of rebellion was to bleed on that pristine floor. Which I did. I managed some drool as well after the nearest warrior gave a solid kick to my face in an effort to have me answer his matrons question.

Just in case all that time away from the House might have made me soft and lax the Matron allowed the abuse. I didn’t make a noise at the kick. I had to repeat my answer to be understood. “No one.” I hoped it didn’t sound as much as a groan to her than it did to me.

“I do not believe you.” She said her tone bored.

I wanted to say that I did not care if she believed me or not. Instead I amended my answer. “Idil’vas.”

She must have given hand signal since the nearby warriors roughly jerked me to my feet. I knew better than to look her in the face although truth be told I am not certain I could have lifted my head to do such a thing.

“Better. Do not forget I can find out everything from you, Imar’vesz.” She purred using a name only my blood-kin knew was mine.

I had no doubt she could do just that. It did not matter how strong your will. Eventually a breaking point is reached. And drow methods were quicker to reach that point than any others. I needed to redirect her attention. “What…” I choked out rather desperately. “... might I do for you, Dreaded One?”

I had no idea what she wanted nor how long she might decide to keep me. I could not hear nature in this cold building of stone, metal and marble. There were no vipers lurking in walls nor under lavishly woven carpets. I considered those where I had come from and decided they would not search for the missing Walker. No doubt they thought I was just out doing some sort of nature thing, if they thought of me at all.

I stopped that line of thinking. It was not productive. I had not shared by past. I had not mentioned it was not past at all but present. My Matron would never give me up, not after all she had done to set me on this path. As long as I had worth to her she would allow me to live. After all it was on her command I ventured to the isle. She had allowed me to stay as long as I had merely to capture me now and remind me that I would never really escape her. She was a powerful high priestess of Lolth thus she could do nothing other. I, being of her bloodline, was not treated better than others in her house. Instead she expected me to endure more. And because I was spiteful, I endured.

I listened as she told me what was expected. Then outlined, in detail, what would happen if I did not do as she commanded. A thought hit me. Would I even choose to return? Did I really belong in Arelith? Was there anything left for me to return to? Now back in the world of Drow supremacy and wicked games at the mercy of this Matron who was my blood kin I could not help but wonder if the Zurkhwood Grove and city of Andunor had just been a cruel joke.

I would not admit the emptiness I felt. A feeling that I would not have if not for those back where the warriors had taken me from. I had known better. I had known better than to care for others. Yet I had found myself making my moves on the game board that allowed for others to be other than the pawns they should be. And one, one I had kept off the game board altogether. High treason in the eyes of my Matron for all were pawns. At the moment I was less than confident she would not find out. If she discovered it...

That was my last thought right before the House mage in red boots flung lightning in my direction.

I came back to myself lying on a cold, dirty floor. My attempts to move, a mistake for the pain in doing so was sharp, were accompanied by the jangling of chains. They made a distinctive sound on the stone floor as I moved. My wrists were tightly clamped in shackles. There was a line drawn across the room in front of me. I pushed myself up to sitting with entirely too much effort needed. The room swam in circles and the pain in my head beat in time with my heart. The druidic ring of vines and thorns that circled my head provided regeneration but it was a slow process. I felt so weak underneath the pain. Not something I was keen to share with anyone watching.

I realized suddenly that the line across the room was made due to my side of the room being more dirty than the side nearest the door. I knew then that if I stood and walked to towards the door, I would only reach to the edge of the dirty patch and not be able to set foot on the clean side. The chains would only allow me to move that far.

I was in the same room as the human druid I had questioned all those years ago. And to prove the Matron recalled the event as well, the door opened and a House Jess d’l’Orbb warrior entered dragging along a chair…

I allowed him to set the chair on the dirty side, my side, of the room. He had a smug look on his face. Maybe he thought I could become a panther and was prepared for that just as I had years ago. I managed to stand, I am not certain how. He just watched. What he wasn’t prepared for was a viper.

Golden Cobra had no wrists nor ankles to be bound. Briefly I wondered what this warrior had done to anger Matron. For Golden Cobra had no sense of humor and had quite enough of us getting beaten. He had my little bit of momentum and height so he flew at the warriors face causing him to throw up his hands. Leaving his sword available for the taking. I flashed back into being with only one task, grab that sword and fling it away from the warrior. I had just enough adrenaline induced strength to do that. Though my toss was so pitiful the sword clanked only a few feet away.

The warrior shoved me away and went to retrieve his blade.

I did not have the power to become Golden Cobra instantly so soon after doing so but I did not need to as the warrior was busy. Instead I sent divine power out into the room and set it flaming. Followed closely by acid rain and wicked lightening. Then I opened a portal and dropped four black cobras on the hapless, swordless soon to be dead warrior.

I heard cold laughter and quiet polite clapping and turned to find an audience standing at the open door. My triumph was dimmed somewhat as I couldn’t manage to remain on my feet. I fell to my knees in my weakened state. I hoped that it simply looked like I was paying respect to the Matron and others. I saw the red booted mage hand the Matron a single gold piece.

Of course they had arranged the entire thing. Of course they had some bet or another on the outcome. Of course it was also meant to make me feel as if I did not have control over anything, not even my victory. And that is exactly how I felt right then.

I am not sure how long I knelt in the shadows behind the mushroom building in the Zurkhwood Grove in reverie, re-living the time away. I fought with myself trying to decide if I would go to Andunor or not. I knew I looked too thin. I had other reminders of being away as well. Ones I did not want to think about.

I was still piecing together memories. They were still fractured like pieces of a shattered mirror. I did not want to admit it was fear that held me on my knees. It was Golden Cobra that took us into the city. He was not troubled by something so mundane as fear.

My first stop was my place. It was once again an odd feeling to have a place that was my own. I returned to drow. I took a slow walk around the rooms. It had the feeling of being only last cycle that I was here. I was marveling how it was such an odd thing that things were the same when the door opened. I froze not wanting to see anyone just yet.

He strode in. His movements like those of a panther, of one who seems quiet and casual but that was a deception for he was deadly. I caught the scent that was uniquely him and the memory of him exploded in my mind. I knew this one. I felt a smile form where none had managed to be for a very long time. My tone sounded polite. It was all I could manage right then. He didn’t notice anything was wrong and for that I was thankful.

“Greetings Dark Hunter.” I said. “I am pleased to see you well.” And I was pleased, it had been too long, so I held onto that feeling for several minutes while we talked.

// How cool is it that players are happy to see you when you return!
KALYIN -- "Black Cobra will aid your injuries should you stand close.... or he may strike you, depending on mood."

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