Definitely among the least friendly welcomes I've ever seen as well..." Nylah said, agreeing with her two other compatriots as they made their way toward what would seem to be the Yaga girl's house.
Though upon making their way inside, the Mothraki felt a certain vague familiarity from it all. Decorative ornate carpets and such sitting on the walls, a crackling firepit, and even a respectfully-placed little shrine of some sort to a deity was all familiar-ish to how her Mother had decorated their own home. Conceptually at least. Minus the weapons and things related to the goddess her mother worshipped, but it was enough at least to get the apprentice herbalist to relax slightly more than she had been able to back during the whole Krysa situation. That much was for sure.
But as the Yaga girl, Jivka, spoke to them-
“She’s still training to be our Elder’s successor, but she still has a lot of pull in the village.”
...Ah.
Well, that did answer one question about how the other girl, Jolča, was able to do what she did. A prominent enough position to be sure, much less learn to eventually take over for one day. It elicited a small but silent expression of surprise from the Mothraki girl when Jivka mentioned it. In truth, though, she had little idea about the Krysa and Yaga save for where they were and what few things she knew from Enli's teachings. Beyond that it had been mostly trying to focus on her own apprenticeship to Miss Calra, learning from her mother, being around her friends in the village, and so forth. In that sense, perhaps it was fascinating to learn more about them in this situation.
But she and the others had a mission, and as much as she was curious about things of the Yaga otherwise she simply nodded in affirmation as Lissa brought up the very questions that came to her own mind as she tried to push her focus back to the matter at hand. Because getting distracted at this venture was not good.
But simultaneously...hmm. Between the shrine and sudden change in mood as Jivka spoke about the Death Goddess, it only seemed to drive the moth girl's own curiosity deeper about the whole matter. And maybe, just maybe, some of this could be pertinent to helping get a better idea of the situation with the Yaga and Krysa as part of the whole mess in turn. Maybe.
It was certainly grim as anything to imagine 'get rid of the problem' in order to appease a deity as well. Somewhat disturbing even. Sent a small shiver up her spine at that. At the same time, however, she had little knowledge of the various deities of the world beyond what she'd learned back home as well. Seemed to be very serious to the Yaga, and enough so for the Krysa to give immediate heed to it all to boot. So indeed, perhaps it could be useful to learn a bit more if it could potentially be of use to their cause.
Yet soon as Lissa was done talking, then, Nylah would give a small yet polite nod to Jivka with intent to right after this introduce herself verbally as well as she took her turn to speak. It was only proper manners, in her mind, since the Yaga girl had introduced herself.
"My name is Nylah. And while I wish to echo Lissa's questions, especially with how this matter concerningly affects merchants such as ourselves, I have a couple questions of my own as well after all of this so far," the Mothraki said, trying to be respectful in tone as she spoke and then continued on, "Not having been here before, what is the Death Goddess like to generate such fear here? What do you know of her? If naught else, so we can perhaps avoid her ire ourselves in these parts.
Secondarily, and with all due respect, may I ask what deity is enshrined here in your home? My mother has enshrined the deity of her people back in the home I was raised in, so I must confess I am somewhat curious about things here."
That last bit stung somewhat to say, but she had to keep up the proper front of a traveling merchant she figured. Still, perhaps the answers would be useful to their cause potentially.
***Kyr Reed acted as a sort of coagulant as well as sedative. Made people calmer…not particularly useful for treating frostbite on its own, but it was useful for staunching bleeding or injuries. Could be crushed into a paste with a variety of other things to achieve various effects. Wind-Leaf acted as more of a stimulant. When properly mixed with Kyr Reed it made salves and healing poultices good for bolstering the immune system and promoting natural healing. Coral Moss and Slug mucus were a bit harder to find, since the slugs only could be found in shallow water during the day, with Coral Moss being found in damp sea caves off the coast near the Goddess Spear. Slug Mucus was good for making topical salves for alleviating pain, while Coral Moss, when exposed to certain other substances actually heated itself to temperatures good for gentle rewarming of frost-bitten areas.
***Making anesthetics and preparing healing potions and salves.
It’d be easy enough to prepare both of those things especially with the things she had on hand. Fresh water for a base, crush the ingredients, then boil it to a broth. Simple enough, they didn’t have time to refine it. The Salves could be made by taking the same ingredients and crushing them into a paste without the water. Better for topical use on flesh wounds.
***
***
-{Enthralling Dust} (Racial): Mothraki produce a potent pollen like dust upon their wings. Merely by existing they spread this where they go, though it's mostly harmless if not inhaled in large quantities. Causes hallucinations and dulls one's senses. As one may expect, people tend to frown upon this sort of thing.
-{Journeyman Light Magic}: A magic encompassing pure light and illumination, ranging from harmless orbs to light up one’s path all the way up to rays/beams of light as attacks to even light barriers and other light constructs such as swords and spears and shields and so forth. A versatile magic that does not call upon the fire of the sun, but does have its myriad uses and capabilities.
-{Novice Herbalist}: Non-magical practices of a healer, ranging from identifying or figuring out the use of new herbs and recognizing familiar ones, to making things like certain poultices and healing-based alchemy/potion-making, to how to handle wounds/injuries and such using these things.
-{Herbalist's Bag}: A simple leather bag with a well-built shoulder strap, that is filled with a good number of many types of herbs, a good amount of bandages, and finally tools to make tonics, poultices, and potions alongside a scare few pre-prepared ones that are within the bag itself. She usually wears it around most of the time. (EDIT: Has refilled her supplies, with three total healing pots remaining now. Also now has four vials of baby-chameleon-thing poison.)
-{Small Knife}: A gift from her mother, made with a smoothed-out bone handle and treated with certain oils, mainly used to help cut things like vines and plants when out collecting herbs and so forth. Also a very niche emergency self-defense tool.
-{Food}: A small pouch sitting on her opposite hip that contains a few strips of preserved game meat and a few dried edible herbs from the local area. Not much in amount, since it was meant to be snacks for heading into the woods to gather herbs before 'that' happened.
-{Wristband}: A simple little bracelet made of pretty stones dyed in various colors, carefully having had a hole made through each, sitting on a band made of twisted and treated leather strips. Worn on her left wrist and given as a gift to her by her mother. How long it took to acquire or even make is unknown.
-{Cuteness}: She is a definitely cute moth girl. This is inherent to her existence. Yes.
“Ha, why would I ever do anything dumb like that. If you disappear I’m gonna dance and then leave.” Yuisa cackeld, not bothering to comment on being told to dress ‘sexier’. Not like she expected other behavior of a demon. While Vammy did whatever she was doing, Yuisa would simply stand, scowling, and watching obviously none to happy to be in her situation still.
“Careful, dumbass. This thing reeks of old, divine magic. Probably has been here since the Fall of the first circle…” The demon harrumphed. As vammy reached out to touch the obelisk, the demons words seemed true in some sense at least. It was ancient, faded, and though she said it reeked it could barely be felt. The smooth, glassy surface of the obelisk was cold to the touch, and not simply from the climate.
As it didn’t immediately react to Vammy’s touch, the demon would proceed to walk around the obelisk a bit more, taking a full circle around it. Moon iconography was carved into its base, and the smooth glass seemed carved with similar motifs. Each of the four points bore a different phase of the moon, with the one facing out towards the sea bearing none and the one facing away bearing a full moon.
As she’d round the corner again, Vammy would almost find herself running into someone. Specifically, almost faceplanting into the womans chest.
Dressed in a simple brown robe with long white, flowing hair and eyes the color of the sky. A headdress upon her head possessed a small crown of gems and two horns, and on her flesh seemed to be several tattoos that glowed with some arcane power. The most striking though, though…was that the little demon and Vammy hadn’t noticed her until they had indeed, almost run into her.
“Gah Where did this broad come from!?”
“...At least after this I won’t owe him any more favors, hmph.” The woman grumpily spoke. Yuisa seemed similarly as shocked as Vammy would likely be. “Here for the prison, are you?” She rose a hand towards the pillar, a spark of blue colored lightning hitting the ruin. It’d hum to life with some long lost magical energy as the base would slowly fill with blue light, slowly climbing up until it reached the apex of the side facing the sea. Seconds later, stone rumbled, a hum filling the air as the base of the obelisk slowly split open, revealing a door big enough for someone to walk through.
The other side seemed like some sort of…building, set far across a field of snow.
“Hurry it up, will you? Don’t worry, getting back is easy. Just head out the same way you came in. Don’t worry about breaking anything. Most things here are old, useless, and were cast away at the start of this Era.”
Current location: Dawn Time: afternoon Current Objective: Find the contraption the God Iva mentioned Potential Events:
“...its not that good…” Maira glanced away from Atzi, quietly bringing her hand up to her mouth making a rather obvious attempt to hide her face as she pretended to adjust her clothes.
“So little trust! No. How do I know you won’t run away with it? But…hmm, fine, fine! What to hm, fine! Fine! Here.” Instead of handing it to Maira though, she’d toss it to Atzi with a surprisingly strong arm. “You. Safekeeping. I don’t trust that shifty one. Now…shall we get going? I’ll even give you a head start! Go on, get going.” The woman would instead of getting started on the race immediately, would instead take a loaf of bread from her dingy robes, proceeding to start eating it as she’d lazily wait for Atzi to get going.
“...do you even know where it is-?”
“No helping.” The woman interjected. “She made the bet, so she’ll be going whether she knows where it is or not! It’ll be a simple thing…its not hard to find! Just keep running east until you can’t any more, ahah!”
“...Atzi I’m going hunting. I’ll be back here soon. Be careful, okay?”
The goddess adds more pictures to the screen for Atzi. She gets the feeling the goddess is pitying her. Current location: Kyr Forest Time: Morning Current Objective: Retrieve the Orb before the cultists do Potential Events:
“Far as I know.” Jivka replied. “I don't know the details. I just know a lot of us are tired of the Krysa throwing their weight around and sooner rather than later, something is going to happen.” The Yaga snarled, the fur on her ears standing on end. “I’d love to see just how tough those rat midgets are, them living in that cushy city of theirs always thinking we’re lesser than them-” She’d cut herself off, huffing irritably as she’d move towards the firepit.
“They sent someone from their…’peace office’ or whatever here a few days ago. No idea what that is. Jolča knows more than I do since the Krysa don’t talk to anyone but the elders or their apprentices. You’ll probably find her in the building in the center of the village.” She’d respond to Lissa, glancing towards Nylah with a small bit of surprise.
“Curious eh? I can give you a short version, I’m no wise woman or witch. I just hunt things.” The Krysa grabbed the fetish, holding it in her hands and slowly running her thumb across it. “It doesn’t have a name. Our deity, that is. We just know he exists and is the reason we survived the Moonless Era.” She’d pass it to Nylah for her to hold. “As for The Death goddess…” She lowered her voice, briefly glancing over her shoulders despite there being quite obviously no one else in the cabin. “We say the rest of the gods are lesser spirits born from our nameless deity when he fell from the heavens, his body was formed into these lesser Spirits. But the Death Goddess? She existed before him and if you believe the elder, had a direct hand in creating the Moonless Era and seeks to kill our deity once more. That’s all I’m saying.” She’d fall silent, seemingly nervously scratching the back of her head. “Uh, sorry I’m gonna take a walk. Hate talking about this, but one more thing. Do not mention her name here, outsider. That’s a good way to get every Yaga to want you to leave. Say she hears every time her name is spoken and we don’t want to try any attention from her.”
The goddess is playing fetch with a dog Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Current Objective: Gain access to the village Or perhaps you’d like to avoid it entirely and go straight to Mie? Potential Events:
“No? How stingy, comrade…” Marushka pouted lightly, though she’d make no other effort to acquire a drink, instead standing as she’d hear the rest of her men start returning. “A little drink would only improve my work, promise!”
“Lady Marushka, we’ve retrieved the Tsarita’s words.” One of the armored ratmen walked up, voice muffled slightly under his helmet as he was soon joined by the others. He’d hand her the papers and the basket that Ayumi had nicked. The Krysa woman slowly started leafing through the papers as she’d address Novak.
“Prosti, friend. I am not at liberty to say. I would betray the Tsarita’s trust if I divulge that information to an outsider, I’m sure you understand.” Satisfied that everything was present, she’d straighten the papers and lay them back in the basket, tucking them under a pile of blankets and a few other things. “However, I am returning to the nearby settlement. If you’d like to join us, I would be remiss if I were not to show a traveler to it.”
There was a good chance she just wanted to keep an eye on him. The ratmen seemed mostly indifferent, but Novak could tell they were suspicious of him and likely only keeping silent due to Marushka’s presence.
The moon goddess waves hello, a little dialogue box tells you good morning Current location: Northern Snowfields Time: Morning Potential Events:
“Eheh, must be pretty lame being part of a people that can’t even do simple magic stuff.” Raelzeth place her hands on her hips, turning her head slightly up and chuckling smugly at Gideon’s seeming incompetence at magical arts. That smugness quickly fell though, as Gideon made his suggestion of using her stonesinging to locate the missing vein. On one hand, that’s what she was gonna do anyways.
On the other…well, this was just incredibly tiring to even consider. Aside from being a magical art, singing for that long was going to leave her voice a bit hoarse.
“You’re asking me to…” Raelzeth frowned, grumbling lightly and considering her options. If she didn’t come back with success of some sort, dad was gonna well…he wasn’t going to really scold her. He’d just be super disappointed in her. Her stonesinging wasn’t particularly great either, thanks to her elvish blood. On the other hand, this seemed like an awfully lot of work.
“Guh, FINE. Only cuz I don’t want my old man to scold me.” Ignoring the fact she was here to do this anyways to start with, Raelzeth breathed in. It was a single, melodic note that followed. “This way, I think…there’s a lot of little bits of Ore in that direction.” Raelzeth would soon lead Gideon on a bit of a chase.
Deeper into the forest. A few trees overturned. Some soil and rocks too big for most animals to move, moved aside and recently distributed. If it weren’t for the flakes and small iron chunks buried in the ground along with them, it’d be impossible to tell if one didn’t already know what they were looking for. The beast would suddenly turn south, it seemed, towards the mountains where the duo would find themselves faced with a small hill topped with a number of craggy looking rocks.
By now though, Raelzeth was incredibly tired. Even if she hadn’t done it the entire time, Stone Singing took a great deal of both concentration, skill, and also relied on ones voice to function well. Raelzeth was just about out of both, using it even as sporadically as she did on the way here seemed to have quite tired her out.
“I think…the path ends here.” She’d say, panting lightly and deciding to take up residence on a nearby rock, sitting on it. “Seems like it circled the hill some before upping and vanishing…” There was no sight of something that had been disturbed here or vanished, and Raelzeth had just about as much work as she seemingly could handle.
The moon goddess punches an oddly shaped square tree that produces an oddly shaped square block of wood which she then somehow turns into a wooden pickaxe. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
"Yup, happy hunting, Maira. I'll meet you by the bear after this."
A shrine due east. But what was east? Atzi wracked her brain, but while she generally knew the woodlands around Dawn, she never even traveled so far as the Sage's Lake before. The old lady had to be a nice person though, if she kept fit even at her own old age and if she was willing to trust the safekeeping of the key to her competitor!
Well, either that, or, once again, she had some shifty designs.
Regardless of what occult conspiracies mounted up, however, the dark-skinned woman was the type to charge headlong into the fray! And in this case, what did that mean?
"Alright, let's get this started!"
With that proud proclamation, Atzi rolled her shoulders, stretched her legs, hooked her wooden club onto the loop of her belt, took in a breath, and...immediately grabbed the old woman. With a firm, but not forcible grip, she held the hag in a bridal carry, and then took off into a smooth run, uncaring for whatever crumbs scattered onto her.
"Thanks for the headstart," she said, "But I think this is a bit more fair. The woods are still plenty dangerous over here, miss. And calling you miss is awkward too, so what's your name anyhow?"
Was the smile she had on her face fearless? Guileless? Or did Atzi too hold designs, bundled up inside that knotted heart of hers?
Nylah gently yet carefully ran her fingers over the wooden fetish as she listened intently to Jivka, both about the situation and about the fetish and her people's views on Rifelshka. She then looked back down at the fetish again, as if to ingrain the imagine of it into her memory. She then let out a small sigh, before gingerly placing the wooden fetish itself back where it had once been before Jivka pulled it down for her to look at. A nameless god? Other gods and spirits are fragments of it? Rifelshka being around before even this nameless deity, being claimed to be responsible in part for the Moonless Era, and still seeking to kill this nameless deity as well? It was certainly a tale that evoked only greater curiosity from the Mothraki girl...perhaps it would be something to ask Enli about later, compare it to what the village knew and all about any deities she knew for a fact were involved in the village's own history.
Er, but as much as she was curious she did try to force her train of thought to a halt. Indeed, the situation before them was not the best for more than just Mie it seemed.
The Yaga did not seem to like the Krysa, if Jivka and her sister were of any proper indication of the overall general consensus among many of the other Yaga, and that tension was palpable to her when Jivka had spoken of them in the manner she did.
Meanwhile, the Krysa were making their presence known in the Yaga's territory as overlords and via an occupation (for all intents and purspoes) no less. Not to mention the strained-sounding relations if enough Yaga were that potentially vehemently against them already, which itself was combined with this occupation-type situation whilst Mie's people were being cornered.
Stack on top of this perhaps at least somewhat precarious situation between the Krysa and Yaga on top of what brought the Krysa into this in the first place. It was far from a firsthand account, but if a major figure was attacked among their people then they blamed Mie it was not good. Not good for any of them really. She had little sympathy for the Krysa, but if they got Mie and her people out of there somehow then...potentially the Krysa would be after the village next. Unless they dropped Mie as a suspect, but even then the Krysa were on edge about a potential attempted assassination at that and might not be too willing to 'simply talk' as it were. Not that she knew for sure, but it was a risk Nylah calculated in her mind as she thought over the information in the moment.
"Apologies if my question brought some uncomfortable matters, though thank you very much for explaining things for us even so. You and your sister's kindnesses will not be forgotten, Jivka, and for that I wish to express my own thanks as well. We'll do our best to be careful of things here too."
Nylah then looked at her compatriots once more, attempting to silently meet their gazes and impart to them a sense of 'we need to talk about our next move' or something along the lines of a look that said 'we need to talk'. She knew she wasn't the current 'head' of the group officially here either, but all the same she hoped that maybe they could at least take a second before rushing off to where the Elders and apprentices were or anything of the sort.
"Though admittedly we've been on the road a good while today, so perhaps I an my compatriots should rest for a moment before we do anything else. If naught else to warm ourselves by the fire here and rest for a moment after, ah, what happened back there."
The herbalist apprentice would nervously rub the back of her own head as she continued speaking, admittedly feeling a tad cold given their trip. Not that her words were a lie either, though, as it all was the truth. Time to rest and maybe talk, warm up at that, it'd be good before they took up a next move perhaps. If they even gave themselves the chance to...
She didn't want to mess things up again, as she at least felt as if she'd done in her actions prior, but she hoped that in this case the others were having a similar mindset of warming up and taking a second to talk amongst themselves.
***Kyr Reed acted as a sort of coagulant as well as sedative. Made people calmer…not particularly useful for treating frostbite on its own, but it was useful for staunching bleeding or injuries. Could be crushed into a paste with a variety of other things to achieve various effects. Wind-Leaf acted as more of a stimulant. When properly mixed with Kyr Reed it made salves and healing poultices good for bolstering the immune system and promoting natural healing. Coral Moss and Slug mucus were a bit harder to find, since the slugs only could be found in shallow water during the day, with Coral Moss being found in damp sea caves off the coast near the Goddess Spear. Slug Mucus was good for making topical salves for alleviating pain, while Coral Moss, when exposed to certain other substances actually heated itself to temperatures good for gentle rewarming of frost-bitten areas.
***Making anesthetics and preparing healing potions and salves.
It’d be easy enough to prepare both of those things especially with the things she had on hand. Fresh water for a base, crush the ingredients, then boil it to a broth. Simple enough, they didn’t have time to refine it. The Salves could be made by taking the same ingredients and crushing them into a paste without the water. Better for topical use on flesh wounds.
***
***
***
-Acquired Lore/World Knowledge:
***Yaga Deity + Yaga Perspective On Rifelshka -
and slowly running her thumb across it. “It doesn’t have a name. Our deity, that is. We just know he exists and is the reason we survived the Moonless Era.” She’d pass it to Nylah for her to hold. “As for The Death goddess…” She lowered her voice, briefly glancing over her shoulders despite there being quite obviously no one else in the cabin. “We say the rest of the gods are lesser spirits born from our nameless deity when he fell from the heavens, his body was formed into these lesser Spirits. But the Death Goddess? She existed before him and if you believe the elder, had a direct hand in creating the Moonless Era and seeks to kill our deity once more. That’s all I’m saying.” She’d fall silent, seemingly nervously scratching the back of her head. “Uh, sorry I’m gonna take a walk. Hate talking about this, but one more thing. Do not mention her name here, outsider. That’s a good way to get every Yaga to want you to leave. Say she hears every time her name is spoken and we don’t want to try any attention from her.”
***Why the Krysa are at the Yaga Village and are attacking Mie -
Something has the Krysa spooked.” A brusque reply the Yaga ignored the snow starting to fall, leading the three towards a small house towards the middle of the village. “Someone trying to attack one of their wisemen or something? I dunno. They blame that merchant that travels through here around this time.”
***
***
***
-{Enthralling Dust} (Racial): Mothraki produce a potent pollen like dust upon their wings. Merely by existing they spread this where they go, though it's mostly harmless if not inhaled in large quantities. Causes hallucinations and dulls one's senses. As one may expect, people tend to frown upon this sort of thing.
-{Journeyman Light Magic}: A magic encompassing pure light and illumination, ranging from harmless orbs to light up one’s path all the way up to rays/beams of light as attacks to even light barriers and other light constructs such as swords and spears and shields and so forth. A versatile magic that does not call upon the fire of the sun, but does have its myriad uses and capabilities.
-{Novice Herbalist}: Non-magical practices of a healer, ranging from identifying or figuring out the use of new herbs and recognizing familiar ones, to making things like certain poultices and healing-based alchemy/potion-making, to how to handle wounds/injuries and such using these things.
-{Herbalist's Bag}: A simple leather bag with a well-built shoulder strap, that is filled with a good number of many types of herbs, a good amount of bandages, and finally tools to make tonics, poultices, and potions alongside a scare few pre-prepared ones that are within the bag itself. She usually wears it around most of the time. (EDIT: Has refilled her supplies, with three total healing pots remaining now. Also now has four vials of baby-chameleon-thing poison.)
-{Small Knife}: A gift from her mother, made with a smoothed-out bone handle and treated with certain oils, mainly used to help cut things like vines and plants when out collecting herbs and so forth. Also a very niche emergency self-defense tool.
-{Food}: A small pouch sitting on her opposite hip that contains a few strips of preserved game meat and a few dried edible herbs from the local area. Not much in amount, since it was meant to be snacks for heading into the woods to gather herbs before 'that' happened.
-{Wristband}: A simple little bracelet made of pretty stones dyed in various colors, carefully having had a hole made through each, sitting on a band made of twisted and treated leather strips. Worn on her left wrist and given as a gift to her by her mother. How long it took to acquire or even make is unknown.
-{Cuteness}: She is a definitely cute moth girl. This is inherent to her existence. Yes.
"Uwawawawawa!" Vammy cried out as she just barely stopped herself from running into this rather beautiful specimen of a woman. Was she a goddess? Or something of the sort. Regardless, she was fairly stunning. And so was that blue lightning she hit the obelisk with! Watching the device hum to life was, something else. The magic student in her was intrigued, though the demon part of her was a bit more intrigued with the portal that opened.
"Ah, so you're here to let us in. Come on, Yuisa." Vammy said, waving the woman over as the woman told them to hurry and gave them a quick mention that it was fine if they broke something. "Well, pretty lady... Goddess? Pretty Goddess. If you're still here when I get back, can I hit on you? Don't wanna get on your bad side if not." Normally, Vammy would just do it anyway but... Well, she worried that it might be about as scary as with Lazhy's dad. As got closer, she grabbed the woman's hand and pulled her through the portal rather swiftly which was, hopefully, after an answer from the divine being opening the portal for them.
"So, you wanna dance in this snow or go to the building?" Vammy teased as she started the two bodies and three minds made their way to the hut? Building? Prison? Whatever it was. During their small trek the demon elf opened her mouth. "Hey, demon, who was that pretty lady? Am I right that she's a divine of some sort or what?" She gave a pause for the demon to start responding but quickly said something else. "And would you stop calling me a dumbass, asshole! Gah! If I could rip your arm off every time you call me that..."
“Throwing their weight around?” Lissa parroted her words, tilting her head slightly to emphasize the point. Even if she hadn’t been a merchant, she liked when people talked. You didn’t really have to say much, but just letting people talk meant that you could learn a lot. Like what the Yaga girl was disclosing casually. Even if she wasn’t snooping around for information, the Raam still very much enjoyed hearing peoples’ stories. “I know it can be a taboo topic in some places, but considering the risk to merchants, knowing what’s going on is fairly important… what’s going on with the Kyrsa?”
Lissa had her theories, especially after she’d born witness to that interesting display between the two just a moment ago, but she still wanted the full picture from the source. Ideally, she’d find someone from the Kyrsa to tell her their side of the story as well, but given the three of them had nearly been detained, she wasn’t about to go around testing the limits of the fragile new protection they had been afforded.
The bit about the Death goddess was interesting. Lissa wasn’t quite so attuned with the divine before recently. She still wasn’t, really. She knew some of the history, sure, but the deep lore… she was no scholar. That wasn’t to say she didn’t have any questions, but their host abruptly left after her small explanation, prompting Lissa to raise an eyebrow towards her companions before catching Nylah’s look.
Lissa spoke as soon as the Yaga girl was out of earshot. “Right… What do you two think? I intend to look for Jolča in the village center, and see what her insights are. Then I’ll just do my usual thing, hang about the village and see what the news is. Never fails.”
Novak considered the rat-woman's offer. On one hand, it would be a good idea to find shelter, as he wasn't exactly dressed for snowy weather. If Novak didn't find shelter when the snow fell, the Krysa may be the least of his problems. On the other hand, this was an intelligence officer of a nation that had attacked Mie's group unprovoked, who had admitted to searching for a person of interest out here. Additionally, a Krysa town might also provide the information he was looking for, such as why they're attacking Mie's caravan and what happened to the Oni that tried to break out.
On the other hand, this woman was clearly quite dangerous and her motives were not entirely clear. She was an intelligence officer, seeking out some person of interest, and Novak couldn't be sure that she wasn't talking about him. There shouldn't be any reason for her to suspect him to be with Mie, but she still might realize that something off about him. She hadn't ordered her bodyguards to arrest him, but perhaps she was just playing it subtle for the time being. Most importantly, why would she be returning now, when she clearly hadn't found anything other than Novak?
At the same time, however, if she did let him go on his way and continue her search, there was a chance she'd follow his footprints back to Mie's encampment, which would prove beyond a doubt that he was with the Krysa's enemy. Not to mention if he insisted on going his own way, that'd incur more suspicion. Yes, he concluded, it'd be best to play along and not give her any opportunity to suspect him of anything.
"Alright, I'll take you up on that," Novak answered her, getting up to his feet. "From the look of those clouds, it will be a good idea to head someplace warm."
Novak would continue to take note of the weather. If he needed to cut and run at any point, the reduced visibility from snowy weather might prove opportune.
Once their kind host was out of hearing range of their conversation, having gone out on her aforementioned walk, the Mothraki met Lissa's eyes and took pause as her ally spoke. To just barge out there and try to find the other sister, then just hang about and listen around the village? Nylah's brows furrowed some as she listened to Lissa's plan, before she would speak up once more whilst keeping her voice low enough that only herself and her two compatriots could hear.
"I agree that we must speak with Jolča, and get more information from around here, but perhaps we should think a little more about this than simply going out there immediately.
We should at least look at what we know so far first, and go from there somewhat more carefully now that we're this deep inside of things."
Nylah would run her right hand through her own hair for a moment, gathering her words before looking again to Eirhild and Lissa. Her tone, as it would continue to be, would be kept hushed enough to be heard by only her compatriots.
"We firstly know Krysa are paranoid about something regarding what could have been an attempted assassination among their own, and this was enough for them to accuse and target Mie without any proof as far as we know. This means they are not very negotiable right now, at least being so here of all places.
Secondly, it seems tensions with the Yaga here are building since the sudden occupation of the Krysa here. At least this would seem to be the case if Jivka was of any indication with her words about the matter.
Third, we also now know Krysa leaders are meeting or close by at all with the Yaga Elders and their apprentices, so simply barging in to find Jolča could be dangerous if we run into the General again. Even if a meeting isn't actively going on, then they might be keeping an eye on them.
Fourth, the Death Goddess' taboo locally has bought us a chance to get into the village here, but if we waste this cover or step on the wrong toes or act too out of line we could be grabbed up potentially regardless. Acting in any extra suspicious ways, more so especially since we stand out badly from any locals here, could very well bring us more attention than we need if not bring harmful and frankly undue suspicions on Jivka and her sister."
She didn't want to hurt the duo, especially after their kindnesses to mere travelers such as themselves. If not simple kindness, then, it was a sign of how bad the relations between the Yaga and Krysa were getting that they'd help travelers like them to spite the Krysa. Whatever the case, they were the only two people they had somewhat on their side for the time being. Making a mess for them, then, was not good...nor would it look good. At least in Nylah's mind.
"With all this in mind, I propose that we simply split up for the time being. Act like we are trying to get supplies for our travels, mingle, or whatever we can do to try to blend in and learn what we can about things. We just need to be tactful in what we talk and ask about.
In this way all three of us can be doing something, rather than simply cluster together, and if we happen to overhear anything extra or acquire something important otherwise then all the better.
Then we could all return here later for when Jivka, and her sister since this is their house, returns so we can talk to her more within the privacy of their home here and without perhaps raising any greater suspicions about ourselves by simply approaching her out in public with the Krysa still potentially watching."
Was it the best plan? It was the best she could conjure with what she currently knew, at least, and she hoped she would find ground with her allies in it. Or at least a way they could compromise on things perhaps. The only thing she hard disagreed with was just barging in to find Jolča in the center of town, especially after what they'd just learned and experienced prior.
***Kyr Reed acted as a sort of coagulant as well as sedative. Made people calmer…not particularly useful for treating frostbite on its own, but it was useful for staunching bleeding or injuries. Could be crushed into a paste with a variety of other things to achieve various effects. Wind-Leaf acted as more of a stimulant. When properly mixed with Kyr Reed it made salves and healing poultices good for bolstering the immune system and promoting natural healing. Coral Moss and Slug mucus were a bit harder to find, since the slugs only could be found in shallow water during the day, with Coral Moss being found in damp sea caves off the coast near the Goddess Spear. Slug Mucus was good for making topical salves for alleviating pain, while Coral Moss, when exposed to certain other substances actually heated itself to temperatures good for gentle rewarming of frost-bitten areas.
***Making anesthetics and preparing healing potions and salves.
It’d be easy enough to prepare both of those things especially with the things she had on hand. Fresh water for a base, crush the ingredients, then boil it to a broth. Simple enough, they didn’t have time to refine it. The Salves could be made by taking the same ingredients and crushing them into a paste without the water. Better for topical use on flesh wounds.
***
***
***
-Acquired Lore/World Knowledge:
***Yaga Deity + Yaga Perspective On Rifelshka -
and slowly running her thumb across it. “It doesn’t have a name. Our deity, that is. We just know he exists and is the reason we survived the Moonless Era.” She’d pass it to Nylah for her to hold. “As for The Death goddess…” She lowered her voice, briefly glancing over her shoulders despite there being quite obviously no one else in the cabin. “We say the rest of the gods are lesser spirits born from our nameless deity when he fell from the heavens, his body was formed into these lesser Spirits. But the Death Goddess? She existed before him and if you believe the elder, had a direct hand in creating the Moonless Era and seeks to kill our deity once more. That’s all I’m saying.” She’d fall silent, seemingly nervously scratching the back of her head. “Uh, sorry I’m gonna take a walk. Hate talking about this, but one more thing. Do not mention her name here, outsider. That’s a good way to get every Yaga to want you to leave. Say she hears every time her name is spoken and we don’t want to try any attention from her.”
***Why the Krysa are at the Yaga Village and are attacking Mie -
Something has the Krysa spooked.” A brusque reply the Yaga ignored the snow starting to fall, leading the three towards a small house towards the middle of the village. “Someone trying to attack one of their wisemen or something? I dunno. They blame that merchant that travels through here around this time.”
***
***
***
-{Enthralling Dust} (Racial): Mothraki produce a potent pollen like dust upon their wings. Merely by existing they spread this where they go, though it's mostly harmless if not inhaled in large quantities. Causes hallucinations and dulls one's senses. As one may expect, people tend to frown upon this sort of thing.
-{Journeyman Light Magic}: A magic encompassing pure light and illumination, ranging from harmless orbs to light up one’s path all the way up to rays/beams of light as attacks to even light barriers and other light constructs such as swords and spears and shields and so forth. A versatile magic that does not call upon the fire of the sun, but does have its myriad uses and capabilities.
-{Novice Herbalist}: Non-magical practices of a healer, ranging from identifying or figuring out the use of new herbs and recognizing familiar ones, to making things like certain poultices and healing-based alchemy/potion-making, to how to handle wounds/injuries and such using these things.
-{Herbalist's Bag}: A simple leather bag with a well-built shoulder strap, that is filled with a good number of many types of herbs, a good amount of bandages, and finally tools to make tonics, poultices, and potions alongside a scare few pre-prepared ones that are within the bag itself. She usually wears it around most of the time. (EDIT: Has refilled her supplies, with three total healing pots remaining now. Also now has four vials of baby-chameleon-thing poison.)
-{Small Knife}: A gift from her mother, made with a smoothed-out bone handle and treated with certain oils, mainly used to help cut things like vines and plants when out collecting herbs and so forth. Also a very niche emergency self-defense tool.
-{Food}: A small pouch sitting on her opposite hip that contains a few strips of preserved game meat and a few dried edible herbs from the local area. Not much in amount, since it was meant to be snacks for heading into the woods to gather herbs before 'that' happened.
-{Wristband}: A simple little bracelet made of pretty stones dyed in various colors, carefully having had a hole made through each, sitting on a band made of twisted and treated leather strips. Worn on her left wrist and given as a gift to her by her mother. How long it took to acquire or even make is unknown.
-{Cuteness}: She is a definitely cute moth girl. This is inherent to her existence. Yes.
For a moment, he wondered if the child was so tired, she didn't realize just what she was sitting on. It was the likelier case, all things considered. After all, using that stonesinging of hers to this point was expectedly an exhausting endeavor. He was astonished at just how long she could maintain that song of hers. If the girl would have just applied herself more, he's sure she'd be a formidable stonesinger with that magic of hers.
But now was not the time to think about the future.
"Raelzeth. Stand up and come to me, slowly." Gideon spoke, his breath more paced than normal. The grip on his spear tightened, though he made sure not to make too sudden a move. Gideon's eyes heavily scrutinized the rock Raelzeth was sitting on, his blessing almost practically screaming at him as he laid his eyes it. Any minute movements, hints of exertion, anything he could spot and therefore anticipate.
The Sage felt as if the Living Vein they were searching for was indeed right under their noses... almost literally, in the child's case.
“...I have no intention of sticking around with one who can not listen.” The woman simply replied, though she seemed less hostile and more just slightly wistful, a small, sad smile forming on her lips. “Nor as one as quite so…destined as you. I refuse to give her entertainment unless absolutely necessary. Go on, neither of us has all day and I dislike the cold.” The moment Vammy even blinked her took her eyes off this woman, she’d vanish, completely disappearing in a mere few seconds.
Yuisa said nothing, choosing silence over interacting with Vammy.
“No idea. She definitely is divine related, though.” The demon responded after a few quiet moments. “And I’ll stop calling you a dumbass when you stop being a dumbass, dumbass. Stop complaining and focus on where we are already.”
Out in front of her, stepping through the doorway that had opened into the obelisk Vammy would find herself standing in front of a massive, gargantuan, hole in the ground. In the hole, was a giant, massive, stone golem of some sort overgrown with plants as a mass of thorns, vines and what seemed to be a small tree was growing from it. Behind this pit, she could make out what was some buildings made of the same smooth black stone as the obelisk was.
The demon was for the most part silent and Yuisa was, as expected, quiet.
The goddess sits atop a tower, gazing out over a sea.
Current location: Old prison Time: afternoon Current Objective: Find the contraption the God Iva mentioned Potential Events:
Needless to say, the old woman was not expecting to just be lifted into Atzi’s arms.
“Hmm, I haven’t been carried like this since mum dearest tossed me into the ocean.” She did not, however, seem to fight being picked up and pulled into this princess' carry off into the forest. More amused than anything. “No name. People just call me Hag, or the Old Woman of Mania…used to, anyways. Tsk tsk, where are all the old little ones at? No matter. What matters is that I’m no longer that.”
She was surprisingly light, much lighter than Atzi might have figured even for an older woman.
“Nor does it matter to you.”
Running into the forest was well, not the brightest idea perhaps. As Atzi carried herself and the old woman through the thicker parts of the Deep Forest she’d pass by a few deer, a handful of other creatures skittering off through the underbrush. Thankfully most predators didn’t seem interested, most content to just leave Atzi alone.
Most normal predators, anyways.
As she’d find herself moving through a particular grove, she’d find herself running right past two Grove Bears…who didn’t seem pleased with having their territory invaded upon and immediately moved to pursue Atzi.
The goddess adds more pictures to the screen for Atzi. She gets the feeling the goddess is pitying her. Current location: Kyr Forest Time: Morning Current Objective: Retrieve the Orb before the cultists do Potential Events:
“Well, I dunno about you two.” Eirhild finally spoke up after the two had finished speaking and Jivka had headed out. “But I’m gonna sit my arse righ’ here and warm myself by the fire.” The dwarf chuckled, grabbing a nearby chair and dropping her gear next to the fire pit. “I’ll be here if ya’ll need me. I don’t fancy gettin’ on these rat folk or dogs bad side for now so I’ll just keep my head down.”
The two would be free to converse for as long as they’d want too. Didn’t seem like anyone was going to bother them as long as they remained in the sisters house. Whenever they did decide to leave, though, snow had started to fall and the sky had become overcast, though it wasn’t completely coming down yet.
As the two would leave, they’d find the curious sight of a small group of Krysa leaving what seemed to be a traveler of some sort…and Nylah, at least, would be able to instantly recognize a small black fox that was with the traveler. Ayumi. A black furred fox that accompanied Mie wherever she went, often getting up to no good herself.
Jolca was only slightly harder to find. After asking around and being directed towards the village center where a large, wooden house was, she’d hear the bubbly voice of the Yaga from within, accompanied by the unfamiliar voice of a Krysan woman, what she’d realize was General Gershel, and an unfamiliar voice of a Krysan Male. The house itself was painted in reds and blues, seemingly some symbolism of the same deity the Yaga worshipped.
“Oh? We have a delegation from the Underworld here, eh?” A loud, boisterous voice laughed from within the house. “Must be serious if they’re taking an interest here. Maybe you rats should just run along already before you get us all in trouble.”
“You brute! You dare speak to lady Marushka like-”
“That’s enough, Gershel.” The woman, apparently named Marushka, would silence the voice of the rat general. “If I may ask, Dženan since you have yet to give me a straight answer…why have you pulled your men back?”
“Because, death is bad, yes? We seek not to war or fight. We heard of your plight initially but we are now questioning our own involvement here.”
“She did not ask you, whelp!”
“Gershel, I must insist you hold your tongue before I cut it off.” The womans voice was firm. “The young yaga speaks with authority in this matter, lest you forget. I apologize for this subordinates' words.”
“...hmph. If that will be all, Miss Marushka, we’re done here.”
And this would be the tail end of the conversation that Lissa would find herself coming to once she went looking for Jolca.
The goddess is playing fetch with a dog Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Current Objective: Gain access to the village Or perhaps you’d like to avoid it entirely and go straight to Mie? Potential Events:
“Excellent!” Marushka excitedly replied. She’d then, proceed to grab Novak right by the arm, hooking hers around his. “Then we shall travel together!” The ratmen, were now, seemingly glaring at Novak for an entirely different reason as Marushka started pulling and leading Novak away. Just in the treeline, Novak could see Ayumi stalking through the underbrush, the fox making sure he saw her before disappearing off into the distance, no doubt going to follow silently and out of sight just in case something happened.
Thankfully, the gray skies would hold for a time. A gentle snow started falling as the group of five traveled across the snowy plains without much more incident, and after a few moments, the group would finally arrive at the outskirts of a Yaga village. A few smaller kids were playing out in the snow, while a small squad of Krysa were patrolling around and in the distance he could see a camp full of Krysa troops - it seemed as though this was being used as a staging ground for their endeavors.
“Here we are!” Marushka would finally, now release Novak as they’d step into the villages streets. “Lovely, quaint place. Not as lovely as the palace back home, of course, but the Yaga have a certain charm to their buildings…now if you’ll pardon me, comrade, I must be back to General Gershel. Stay warm, stay safe, traveler...and if you see anyone suspicious, do tell. The Tsarita looks out for her own.”
She’d turn to leave, supposing there was nothing Novak wanted to speak with her about just as it began snowing.
A small yip from behind and something rubbing against his leg indicated at least, Ayumi was certainly alright and had rejoined him once they’d leave, too.
The moon goddess waves hello, a little dialogue box tells you good morning Current location: Northern Snowfields Time: Morning Potential Events:
“What’s the matter old man?” She’d speak, sounding just a bit hoarse. “You look like-” Even before she had a moment to finish her words, the rock under her trembled lightly, shifting ever so slightly and causing the earth under her to tremble lightly. Immediately, the elf bolted up from her seat, tripping over her feet while she’d scramble over to where Gideon was.
The rock she was sitting on, began to move. Not upwards, or pulling itself up from the ground, rather it began carving a path through the earth itself. Slowly at first, as though whatever it was, was waking up from a nap as the earth trembled from the sheer amount of it being moved. Like a shark circling in water, the creature circled the area once, before finally -
The earth shook, and it would split itself from the ground, climbing out of the earth and soil and landing on the ground in front of Gideon with a heavy thud.
It looked like some sort of six armed fish made of rock.
It laid on the ground, held up only by six arms. A rocky, rigid maw that was more of a hole filled with numerous sharp teeth meant for grinding, and a flat tail extending some distance behind it. And on its back? A veritable treasure trove of metal. Ores, mostly iron from the looks of it, had completely covered the things back, smoothed mostly to a polish from its underground lifestyle with only a singular one jutting upwards like a horn on top of its head.
The interior of its mouth made a noise of grinding stone and rock, before it lunged forwards towards Gideon.
The moon goddess punches an oddly shaped square tree that produces an oddly shaped square block of wood which she then somehow turns into a wooden pickaxe. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
When herself and Lissa would ultimately leave the home of Jivka and her sister, after having seemed to come to a sort of agreement between them of what to do, the Mothraki would glance a suspiciously familiar figure. Specifically a small furry one she'd snuck treats to on occasion when Mie had come by the village in the past, all before she'd learned the hard way about securing her small bag of treats to herself rather than simply sitting it on the ground and averting her eyes for even a moment. Or in other words: Ayumi. A sure sign of Mie's presence to be sure, but also hanging around the feet and legs of someone...er...someone. Seemed to be a traveler, but if Ayumi was around him like that then it meant he was with Mie somehow.
If he was familiar to her at all, though, then it wasn't strongly enough to bring up any familiarity on the spot at least. However, the fact that someone tied to Mie was inside the village and not being drug about by the Krysa was equally strange yet also somewhat reliving.
As Lissa went her own more distinct way, Nylah stopped simply staring and walked over toward the strange traveler and Ayumi. Not that she knew much of how to approach them like this, but she at least tried to not be intimidating if nothing else? Yeah. She'd try her best in that regard.
Because unless she was an idiot in doing this, this person could have information they sorely needed about Mie and her peoples' status.
Still, as she approached she did reach into her bag and pull out a small scrap of dried meat. A portion of the remining food she had on her, but something she would inherently bend down a little and offer Ayumi with a small, warm smile (before closing her bag up tight out of unconscious habit). She then looked up at the traveler himself, before speaking quietly enough to where only she and the traveler (Novak) could hear.
"You seem to be a fellow traveler here, from the looks of it. I and my compatriots just arrived here as well after our own travels.
Ayumi also seems to like you well enough, and since she's familiar with you then I can take a good guess at where you're from and such. We ran into Haruno some days ago as well. But none of that's for speaking about out here in the cold and such like this. We'll freeze if we try to talk much this far from a fire!
You can come with me if you'd like, get out of the freezing cold and away from any crowds and such in a home here where we were offered refuge from the cold. I can't imagine what a trip you had to take to get here, though, that's for sure..."
Was it subtle? Er, she was attempting to be at least. Attempting to hint enough to this individual that she knew who Ayumi was, and what that could insinuate for him by extension as being involved with Mie's caravan. So maybe her own familiarity and lack of screaming for guards or something would be an indicator she was a potential ally? Ugh.
She had no real idea how to go about this without risking saying more suspicious things, she felt, but she also didn't want to let a potential lead and escapee from the camp. Maybe he'd get the idea? Maybe. Or she'd goof things up again...
If all else failed, she had mentioning Mie and such directly as a measure of desperation. But total bluntness was, er, well being saved as a last resort. She just hoped this guy was properly from among Mie's people and on their side, but if he had been or was a traitor then would Ayumi have been about him like this though? The fox was a troublemaker, but for the animal to become a turncoat against the reliable hands that fed her in the caravan for all these years? Nylah doubted it.
***Kyr Reed acted as a sort of coagulant as well as sedative. Made people calmer…not particularly useful for treating frostbite on its own, but it was useful for staunching bleeding or injuries. Could be crushed into a paste with a variety of other things to achieve various effects. Wind-Leaf acted as more of a stimulant. When properly mixed with Kyr Reed it made salves and healing poultices good for bolstering the immune system and promoting natural healing. Coral Moss and Slug mucus were a bit harder to find, since the slugs only could be found in shallow water during the day, with Coral Moss being found in damp sea caves off the coast near the Goddess Spear. Slug Mucus was good for making topical salves for alleviating pain, while Coral Moss, when exposed to certain other substances actually heated itself to temperatures good for gentle rewarming of frost-bitten areas.
***Making anesthetics and preparing healing potions and salves.
It’d be easy enough to prepare both of those things especially with the things she had on hand. Fresh water for a base, crush the ingredients, then boil it to a broth. Simple enough, they didn’t have time to refine it. The Salves could be made by taking the same ingredients and crushing them into a paste without the water. Better for topical use on flesh wounds.
***
***
***
-Acquired Lore/World Knowledge:
***Yaga Deity + Yaga Perspective On Rifelshka -
and slowly running her thumb across it. “It doesn’t have a name. Our deity, that is. We just know he exists and is the reason we survived the Moonless Era.” She’d pass it to Nylah for her to hold. “As for The Death goddess…” She lowered her voice, briefly glancing over her shoulders despite there being quite obviously no one else in the cabin. “We say the rest of the gods are lesser spirits born from our nameless deity when he fell from the heavens, his body was formed into these lesser Spirits. But the Death Goddess? She existed before him and if you believe the elder, had a direct hand in creating the Moonless Era and seeks to kill our deity once more. That’s all I’m saying.” She’d fall silent, seemingly nervously scratching the back of her head. “Uh, sorry I’m gonna take a walk. Hate talking about this, but one more thing. Do not mention her name here, outsider. That’s a good way to get every Yaga to want you to leave. Say she hears every time her name is spoken and we don’t want to try any attention from her.”
***Why the Krysa are at the Yaga Village and are attacking Mie -
Something has the Krysa spooked.” A brusque reply the Yaga ignored the snow starting to fall, leading the three towards a small house towards the middle of the village. “Someone trying to attack one of their wisemen or something? I dunno. They blame that merchant that travels through here around this time.”
***
***
***
-{Enthralling Dust} (Racial): Mothraki produce a potent pollen like dust upon their wings. Merely by existing they spread this where they go, though it's mostly harmless if not inhaled in large quantities. Causes hallucinations and dulls one's senses. As one may expect, people tend to frown upon this sort of thing.
-{Journeyman Light Magic}: A magic encompassing pure light and illumination, ranging from harmless orbs to light up one’s path all the way up to rays/beams of light as attacks to even light barriers and other light constructs such as swords and spears and shields and so forth. A versatile magic that does not call upon the fire of the sun, but does have its myriad uses and capabilities.
-{Novice Herbalist}: Non-magical practices of a healer, ranging from identifying or figuring out the use of new herbs and recognizing familiar ones, to making things like certain poultices and healing-based alchemy/potion-making, to how to handle wounds/injuries and such using these things.
-{Herbalist's Bag}: A simple leather bag with a well-built shoulder strap, that is filled with a good number of many types of herbs, a good amount of bandages, and finally tools to make tonics, poultices, and potions alongside a scare few pre-prepared ones that are within the bag itself. She usually wears it around most of the time. (EDIT: Has refilled her supplies, with three total healing pots remaining now. Also now has four vials of baby-chameleon-thing poison.)
-{Small Knife}: A gift from her mother, made with a smoothed-out bone handle and treated with certain oils, mainly used to help cut things like vines and plants when out collecting herbs and so forth. Also a very niche emergency self-defense tool.
-{Food}: A small pouch sitting on her opposite hip that contains a few strips of preserved game meat and a few dried edible herbs from the local area. Not much in amount, since it was meant to be snacks for heading into the woods to gather herbs before 'that' happened.
-{Wristband}: A simple little bracelet made of pretty stones dyed in various colors, carefully having had a hole made through each, sitting on a band made of twisted and treated leather strips. Worn on her left wrist and given as a gift to her by her mother. How long it took to acquire or even make is unknown.
-{Cuteness}: She is a definitely cute moth girl. This is inherent to her existence. Yes.
The beast had sprung towards Gideon like a charging bull, rapidly aiming to grind the Raam down with its teeth. Those rigid fangs seem perfectly capable of ripping through solid steel, let alone the Sage's metallic bones. He didn't need his supernatural senses to warn him that getting caught in this Living Vein's maw was a good idea.
It is convenient, then, that spears are meant for receiving charges. Quickly planting his feet onto the ground, Gideon used the weight of his steel form to anchor himself quickly. As he did, he would hold his spear outward for the beast to ram itself into his weapon, mouth-first. While Gideon was almost sure its teeth may rip through his old and weathered spear, his true goal was to keep its grinding jaws at bay... at least until Gideon was able to figure a way out of this.
His eyes darted across every crevice of the beast, gathering information at an almost instantaneous speed. Any notable weak-points or bits of flesh he could strike. However, he didn't have another weapon on him, and it seemed as if his spear was about to go. Left without options, Gideon gritted his teeth and held on tight. Hopefully Raelzeth would be able to run back to safety.
... Wait, Raelzeth. That's right!
Gideon's eyes focused themselves once more, filled with his newfound resolve. Rather than allowing the beast to tear apart his spear, he would instead use its maw as an entrance to what he would hope to be a soft and fleshy core.
"Raelzeth! Your magic!" Gideon called, darting his eyes for the Living Vein's iron hide. "Pull it towards me on my signal!"
The sage's eyes narrowed, his focus honed on the spear. He only had one real shot in what he planned, and if this didn't work, he'd at least keep this beast maintained with his much tougher bones while Raelzeth would be able to escape... No. Gideon has a mission, a purpose. He won't let this overgrown iron-cow take it from him. He simply waited for its teeth to be at the right place, before finally-
AS the came to the pit, Vammy just examined everything and marveled. "Well, never expected to see a tree growing from a golem like that. See new things every day I suppose." The demon said to herself as she pondered what to do. There was this inkling desire from the demon to just catch all the plants on the golem on fire but.. Well, she figured that might be a bad idea. For all she knew, the thing might be disabled from it and she really didn't want to have to fight a giant stone construct.
Instead, she decided to make way for the buildings that seemed to be made from the same material as the obelisk did. "Let's hope for no chance encounter with a strong golem today." Vammy commented aloud before she started to walk toward the buildings. "Come now, Yuisa. Maybe you can find some nice toys related to your beloved God of Knowledge. Then you can thank me later by helping keep my bed warm for the chance to come here." She kept glancing at the golem to make sure it didn't activate. Worst case she could grab her human servant and make a run for it.
Novak was a little surprised when Lady Marushka took him by the arm, but it was certainly preferable to any other means that a Krysa state enforcer like her might lead him to the town. Fortunately, there was no trouble, and he caught a glimpse of Ayumi, the fox's brief appearance providing some assurance that she was unharmed. In Novak's mind, the fox had earned herself a snack for this- assuming, of course, she didn't simply take it when he isn't looking.
By the time they made it to the village, it had started to gently snow. Lady Marushka left, presumably to resume her state business and once they were gone, Ayumi returned, making her presence known by brushing against his leg. He had made it to civilization, and while he couldn't be sure of Lady Marushka's intentions for him, the fact that they hadn't arrested or tried to kill him bode well so far. Currently, it'd be a good idea to seek shelter before the temperature got colder or the snowfall picked up. He wasn't going to risk rousing suspicion by snooping around, but there was always the chance that he might overhear something.
Before he could decide on his next move, however, a white-haired Mothraki girl walked up to him. He suspected that she knew Ayumi and Mie when she offered a piece of meat to the fox; when she quickly and tightly closed her bag before the Ayumi had the chance to get into it, he became even more convinced of her familiarity with his companion. He didn't recognize her, however, so she was probably from someplace that Mie had already gone through before meeting Novak last year.
The Mothraki introduced herself as a recent arrival, and made it clear that she did indeed know Ayumi, and correctly guessed that if Novak was traveling with the fox, he must be part of the trade caravan, too. What was also quite important was that she mentioned that she had run into Haruno.
It looks like Haruno has found help. Once I figure out exactly what is going on, I can figure out my next move.
"Yes, let us find somewhere warmer, lead the way. We can discuss our mutual friends there," Novak replied, as he beckoned to Ayumi. The mention of Haruno, and clear familiarity with Ayumi was enough to make him let his guard down somewhat. He never discounted the possibility of trouble, but considering the circumstances, if she wished him ill will, all she really would need to do was alert the Krysa soldiers.
“Eh, well, being bright and bold and just going out there has always tended to work for me. Even if I don’t reflect those attitudes in my speech,” Lissa rebutted with a light chuckle before slightly adjusting her sword belt. “But you’re right. I suppose we do need a little bit of subtlety here…” The Raam-in-disguise sank into a nearby seat as Nylah summarized the situation and what they knew so far. Nodding along, she only spoke up towards the end of her speech.
“Hmm… sounds good to me. Perhaps I’ll check in with what local merchants they have, if they haven’t been strung up and executed,” she replied dryly.
With that, they had their simple plan, although it seemed Eirhild had decided to stay put and avoid sticking her neck out, which was a perfectly rational and safe decision. By the time that she left the house, it had started to lightly snow, although Lissa was bundled well enough to handle the cold. Not that it ever really affected her too much…
Lissa went off in search of the local merchants, and she headed towards the village center. Before she could get any real headway in finding said peddlers, though, she was able to get good directions to Jolca, and she decided to look for her first, where she found her in what seemed to be the town hall, along with some other familiar, but perhaps unwelcome faces.
“General Gershel,” she nodded, with a neutral, if somewhat unamused tone in her voice. As an outsider to the village and this particular conversation, she politely waited for it to end, but of course listened in to the dredges of what remained of it.
“I hope I’m not interrupting,” Lissa said, as she approached Jolca after the little argument drew down, finding herself coming in at an obviously bad moment. “What has everybody so riled up, anyway?”
Moving from the pit, Vammy skirted the edges of the hole and around towards the black colored buildings in the distance. Yuisa merely scowled as she’d follow along. Deep, down, far in the pit they could see a circular platform covered in what seemed to be an old forest or garden, but there was no visible way to get down.
The buildings themselves proved just as enigmatic. The moment the two walked inside, they were met with a sickly sweet smell that assaulted their noses, Yuisa almost retching up whatever she had last eaten the smell was so repulsively intoxicating.
“What…is this smell - urgh.” Strangely, Vammy didn’t find it too offensive.
The room they found themselves now was a long hallway, various doors and rooms on either side. They seemed to be old storage rooms, or perhaps studies or other rooms meant for administrative purposes. Vines covered much of the floor, having seemingly broken through the floors below.
And at the far end, something scurried along the ground, moving deeper into the complex.
The goddess sits atop a tower, gazing out over a sea.
Current location: Old prison Time: afternoon Current Objective: Find the contraption the God Iva mentioned Potential Events:
The interior of the building was grand indeed, and it seemed less of a townhall and more of a throne room. Against the far back wall sat a throne made of ornate carved wood, panted with golds and reds and inlaid with a few gems. Similarly colored tapestries flanked the throne, and its occupant? An equally impressive Yaga beast of a yaga male.
He was easily at least six and a half feet tall, is arms and much of his body was covered in serpentine tattoos and depictions of various other animal motifs. A large made of white hair covered his head, and a single ear was listening intently - the other seemed to have been cut off at some point, nothing more than a furry nub atop his head.
“You…” The general, seemed none to happy to see Lissa but was quickly cut off my Marushka.
“Mhm, are these the envoys you mentioned?” The rat lady smiled softly at Lissa as the Raam approached Jolca.
“Ah, yes yes, these are indeed. What are you doing here? This business is beneath one such as yourself.” The yaga woman tilted her head, still smiling as she’d greet the merchant in her own way.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance too, miss Envoy.” Marushka approached Lissa with her usual affable demeanor. “I do apologize for the difficulties my subordinates gave you. I do hope you understand we meant no offense. I’m sure if you are an Envoy as this one claims, you do understand this is a matter of utmost importance, yes?”
“I do believe you were told to leave. The envoys have important matters to discuss with us.”
“I would hope,” Marushka replied. “That the Yaga do not forget who their comrades are. Gershel, with me.” With that, the Krysa left, and would speak not another word. The Yaga sitting on the throne motioned Lissa over.
“Sorry about that, traveler.” He gruffly replied. “Ever since that assassination attempt on one of their leaders or something, the Krysa have been cracking down on ‘suspicious individuals’. Apparently it was someone in a merchant caravan or something that is the culprit.”
The goddess is playing fetch with a dog Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Current Objective: Gain access to the village Or perhaps you’d like to avoid it entirely and go straight to Mie? Potential Events:
As the mothraki approached, the impish vulpine turned her head towards the moth girl, sniffing the air and giving a happy yip as it bolted over, immediately snatching up the dried meat like the poor thing was starving and immediately made to devour it, all while. If there was ever any doubt about Nylah’s affiliations, the fox made the decision for Novak it seemed.
Heading back to Jolca’s hut wasn’t too difficult, though Novak would get a few odd looks from some passing Krysa and Yaga both, though after the scuffle earlier most Krysa were playing it on the safe side it seemed. Ayumi ran inside ahead of the two, cozying up next to the fire pit that was still going. Jolca wasn’t back yet, so for now the two were likely safe enough to discuss things.
“Back already, eh lass?” Eirhild asked as the fox ran over to where she was still sitting by the fire. “Oi, what is this little vermin doin’ here? And who’s the new friend?”
The moon goddess waves hello, a little dialogue box tells you good morning Current location: Northern Snowfields Time: Morning Potential Events:
“P-pull it towards you!?” Raelzeth shouted, barely getting to her feet as she’d scramble away from Gideon and the rocky beast.
Its carapace was smooth, a natural set of armor formed from the deposits that had grown upon its body. Indeed, calling it a suit of natural plate armor was perhaps apt. The six legs had interlocking joints to allow movement while still having almost full protection. Its tail was similar, smooth and possessed several segments to allow for a more flowing movement.
The only weaknesses in this armor appeared to be two visible eyes on either side of its head, along with the gaps in the aforementioned armor. Its teeth circular maw though, didn’t seem particularly fleshy as far as his eyes themselves could tell…but this thing was organic. It was less rock and stone, and more of a beast that lived for so long that iron ore had formed naturally on its body.
Not knowing what else to do, Raelzeth quickly looked between Gideon and the beast, standing up and with a few warm up notes, and with a shaky voice, she began to sing.
The beast, that was already charging for him, lurched forwards rather jerkily and quickly towards Gideon, its maw large enough to swallow the Raam whole. Whatever he was going to do, he wasn’t going to have much time to do so.
The moon goddess punches an oddly shaped square tree that produces an oddly shaped square block of wood which she then somehow turns into a wooden pickaxe. Current location: Dawn Time: Morning Potential Events:
"My name is Novak, and the fox is Ayumi, we're with Lady Mie's caravan," he replied to the dwarf, greeting her with a small bow. "I presume you and the Mothraki are the help that Haruno and her band managed to obtain."
Novak sat down by the fire pit next to Ayumi. After hiking through the snowfield, it felt good to warm himself by the fire. Between that and managing to avoid getting in trouble with the Krysa, it was of considerable relief to him. He still had an urgent task to take care of, but at least he had a bit of breathing room for now.
"I have a lot of questions for the two of you, but I can start by providing some answers," he spoke to the two women. "First, I know that I don't look the part of one of Mie's people. I originally wasn't- I was just some nobody that her caravan picked up, and she was gracious enough to allow me to earn a living working for her. She sent me to sneak out since I'm neither an Oni nor a Chagawa human, thus they have no reason to suspect that I'm with her." With his introduction out of the way, he could move onto giving more important information to them.
"I presume Haruno already filled you in as to what our situation is. Nothing's changed since she left- we're still holding out, but our food is running low and we need to get this resolved one way or the other. However, I did manage to learn some rather interesting things on my way here. The Krysa woman you saw me with, Lady Marushka, is with the Office of Internal Peace. She's acting on direct orders from the Tsarita herself, hunting some "person of interest" in the snowfields. I also overheard a mention from her guards about the life of someone important being threatened. Sir something...Ost...no...Osh...Ozven, that's it. Sir Ozven, they said."
It was clear that they wouldn't be breaking the siege if this was all that Haruno could rally, but perhaps they could get to the bottom of what was going on. There was no getting around that they'd stick out like a sore thumb in this town, however.
"Now I've told you what I can, might you two fill me in on what's going on?" he asked. "How is Haruno doing? Did anyone else in her band make it to Dawn? Just who are the two of you? And are you all that she's been able to muster, or are there others?"
Perhaps he was asking too much at once, but these questions had been weighing on him for a while now.
“Back already, eh lass?” Eirhild asked as the fox ran over to where she was still sitting by the fire. “Oi, what is this little vermin doin’ here? And who’s the new friend?”
"I wasn't expecting to return so soon either, but this is someone from Mie's Caravan. The fox with him is Ayumi. She'll be fine, just...make sure to secure any food you have. Tightly."
The Mothraki then turned to the new arrival, but was stunned momentarily as the man, named Novak it seemed, would just unload a lot on them all at once. A lot of information, topped with questions. It was dizzying enough to get unloaded on that fast when she hadn't even gotten the chance to ask him anything first, but as the situation for Novak and the others of Mie's caravan was dire she kept her mouth shut and bit her tongue in order to listen to Novak's (for lack of a better word on her part) information dump.
At the end, Nylah would let out an exasperated sigh of her own once Novak was done. She would then speak where only herself and the other two people in the room could hear. This first things she would say, however, would be emphasized rather distinctly.
"Be careful of how loud you speak, just in case. I'm sure we could ask questions all the day long as well, but we must keep this interaction brief before those hosting I and my traveling companions come back from their business. We do not wish to bring them trouble in all of this, but I will answer what I can of your questions in the meantime."
The Mothraki did seem a bit anxious and nervous, as much as she seemed to become rather serious and stern for the most part otherwise, but she would continue to speak at the same carefully-controlled volume so preying ears beyond the walls might not hear them.
"Haruno was the only one to reach us, and she was near death at the time. I was able to stabilize her and with help get her to my mentor in Dawn. She's been doing better since then at least, and did fill us in on the situation as best she could. She still needs to recover before any kind of journeying though.
However, the village itself was hit by the passing of Elder Beast Azral Suralng and its kin passed through the area, and we've been...devastated..."
Her lips drew up grimly as the memories of what she'd seen after that time came to mind, forcing a chill to run down her back before she shook her head to clear it before she continued speaking.
"But even now Dawn is still trying to rebuild, and we've plenty of problems on our plate. Myself, Lissa, and Eirhild here are the only ones who could come to try to figure out the details of what is going on, and likewise we wish to see if we can help yourself and the rest of Mie's Caravan. We are frankly all the village can likely spare for now.
The third member of our party, Lissa, is currently out to talk to one of the apprentices of the Krysa elders. The same who took us in here alongside her sister after saving us from the Yaga.
Further, we came here posing as merchants. The Yaga who so graciously have given us refuge here gave us a cover story beyond that. So we're in a precarious position of our own here with the Krysa's presence. This is one reason why, after this, it might be well for your to leave and claim you simply came in to 'warm up' somewhere for a second at most. You did draw stares from the locals as we came here..."
She almost regretted bringing him in for a moment, as cruel as it sounded, based on the looks he'd garnered them along the way. She didn't want to endanger Jolca and Jivka with all of this. At the same time, however, this was information they desperately needed to exchange. No gamble was without its risks, she figured...but even so they had to play it safe.
Novak leaving as soon as he warmed up a little would likely be best for safety reasons on all sides.
"Meanwhile, your information on Lady Marushka lines up with what we've learned so far from our hosts. A Krysa official of some kind had an attempted assassination against their life, perhaps this person being this Sir Ozven that you mentioned. It seems they have placed blame on Mie and the caravan seemingly out of the blue, at least since we haven no idea how they came to such a conclusion. If they had reasons or not for this, and in regards to how deep this seeming paranoia of theirs runs, we simply don't currently know.
We also now know Krysa leaders are meeting or close by at all with the Yaga Elders and their apprentices, mostly just them outside of the patrolling Krysa guards being around here from what we've seen so far.
It also seems tensions with the Yaga here are building since the sudden occupation of the Krysa here, and that it's been building for some time."
Nylah would reach into her pack, pulling out two healing potions and one vial of poison to hand over directly to Novak before she continued. Shen then paused for a second, and then handed over a small bit of her own food. Some more dried meat, like she'd fed to Ayumi.
"I wish we could speak longer about things, or wait until Lissa returns, but I worry we must be most cautious all the same. Here is something for the road for you to take back if or use if you need.
The meat is for Ayumi and yourself. Meanwhile the healing potions are simple, as I am no master of medicines by any means, but they should be useful for injuries and wounds.
This vial should be a poison of some kind, in case you can find a use for it, likely mild in nature since it came from a young chameleon from deeper in the woods near Dawn. Even the creatures from the deeper woods have been encroaching on us recently..."
***Kyr Reed acted as a sort of coagulant as well as sedative. Made people calmer…not particularly useful for treating frostbite on its own, but it was useful for staunching bleeding or injuries. Could be crushed into a paste with a variety of other things to achieve various effects. Wind-Leaf acted as more of a stimulant. When properly mixed with Kyr Reed it made salves and healing poultices good for bolstering the immune system and promoting natural healing. Coral Moss and Slug mucus were a bit harder to find, since the slugs only could be found in shallow water during the day, with Coral Moss being found in damp sea caves off the coast near the Goddess Spear. Slug Mucus was good for making topical salves for alleviating pain, while Coral Moss, when exposed to certain other substances actually heated itself to temperatures good for gentle rewarming of frost-bitten areas.
***Making anesthetics and preparing healing potions and salves.
It’d be easy enough to prepare both of those things especially with the things she had on hand. Fresh water for a base, crush the ingredients, then boil it to a broth. Simple enough, they didn’t have time to refine it. The Salves could be made by taking the same ingredients and crushing them into a paste without the water. Better for topical use on flesh wounds.
***
***
***
-Acquired Lore/World Knowledge:
***Yaga Deity + Yaga Perspective On Rifelshka -
and slowly running her thumb across it. “It doesn’t have a name. Our deity, that is. We just know he exists and is the reason we survived the Moonless Era.” She’d pass it to Nylah for her to hold. “As for The Death goddess…” She lowered her voice, briefly glancing over her shoulders despite there being quite obviously no one else in the cabin. “We say the rest of the gods are lesser spirits born from our nameless deity when he fell from the heavens, his body was formed into these lesser Spirits. But the Death Goddess? She existed before him and if you believe the elder, had a direct hand in creating the Moonless Era and seeks to kill our deity once more. That’s all I’m saying.” She’d fall silent, seemingly nervously scratching the back of her head. “Uh, sorry I’m gonna take a walk. Hate talking about this, but one more thing. Do not mention her name here, outsider. That’s a good way to get every Yaga to want you to leave. Say she hears every time her name is spoken and we don’t want to try any attention from her.”
***Why the Krysa are at the Yaga Village and are attacking Mie -
Something has the Krysa spooked.” A brusque reply the Yaga ignored the snow starting to fall, leading the three towards a small house towards the middle of the village. “Someone trying to attack one of their wisemen or something? I dunno. They blame that merchant that travels through here around this time.”
***About Novak:
First, I know that I don't look the part of one of Mie's people. I originally wasn't- I was just some nobody that her caravan picked up, and she was gracious enough to allow me to earn a living working for her. She sent me to sneak out since I'm neither an Oni nor a Chagawa human, thus they have no reason to suspect that I'm with her."
***Mie's Caravan Situation Information As Acquired from Novak:
"I presume Haruno already filled you in as to what our situation is. Nothing's changed since she left- we're still holding out, but our food is running low and we need to get this resolved one way or the other. However, I did manage to learn some rather interesting things on my way here. The Krysa woman you saw me with, Lady Marushka, is with the Office of Internal Peace. She's acting on direct orders from the Tsarita herself, hunting some "person of interest" in the snowfields. I also overheard a mention from her guards about the life of someone important being threatened. Sir something...Ost...no...Osh...Ozven, that's it. Sir Ozven, they said."
***
***
***
-{Enthralling Dust} (Racial): Mothraki produce a potent pollen like dust upon their wings. Merely by existing they spread this where they go, though it's mostly harmless if not inhaled in large quantities. Causes hallucinations and dulls one's senses. As one may expect, people tend to frown upon this sort of thing.
-{Journeyman Light Magic}: A magic encompassing pure light and illumination, ranging from harmless orbs to light up one’s path all the way up to rays/beams of light as attacks to even light barriers and other light constructs such as swords and spears and shields and so forth. A versatile magic that does not call upon the fire of the sun, but does have its myriad uses and capabilities.
-{Novice Herbalist}: Non-magical practices of a healer, ranging from identifying or figuring out the use of new herbs and recognizing familiar ones, to making things like certain poultices and healing-based alchemy/potion-making, to how to handle wounds/injuries and such using these things.
-{Herbalist's Bag}: A simple leather bag with a well-built shoulder strap, that is filled with a good number of many types of herbs, a good amount of bandages, and finally tools to make tonics, poultices, and potions alongside a scare few pre-prepared ones that are within the bag itself. She usually wears it around most of the time. (EDIT: Has refilled her supplies, with three one total healing pots remaining now. Also now has four three vials of baby-chameleon-thing poison.)
-{Small Knife}: A gift from her mother, made with a smoothed-out bone handle and treated with certain oils, mainly used to help cut things like vines and plants when out collecting herbs and so forth. Also a very niche emergency self-defense tool.
-{Food}: A small pouch sitting on her opposite hip that contains a few strips of preserved game meat and a few dried edible herbs from the local area. Not much in amount, since it was meant to be snacks for heading into the woods to gather herbs before 'that' happened.
-{Wristband}: A simple little bracelet made of pretty stones dyed in various colors, carefully having had a hole made through each, sitting on a band made of twisted and treated leather strips. Worn on her left wrist and given as a gift to her by her mother. How long it took to acquire or even make is unknown.
-{Cuteness}: She is a definitely cute moth girl. This is inherent to her existence. Yes.
Patience. One of the first lessons taught to a young Gideon. Patience in battle, to wait for the right opening before striking. It was an important skill to have especially for one versed in the spear, a weapon meant for defensive combat against a larger, charging foe. After all, if a spear was positioned just right, the foe will simply run themselves through for you. All that was needed was that extra push in the right direction. Luckily, through Raelzeth's song, all Gideon had to worry about was getting the spear just right.
As soon as the Living Vein was pulled closer, as soon as Gideon's spear was in its proper place, the Raam would simply let go and jerk to the side, avoiding the brunt of the beast's blow while the spear would jam itself into its maw. If no fleshy bits weren't struck, Gideon was almost confident he'd jam the beast's mouth before it could rip him to shreds.
Just as swiftly, Gideon grabbed one of the vials of dirt, hoping it wasn't a particularly rare sample as he had little time to deliberate. Crushing the vial in his gloved hands through his steely grip, Gideon would hope that the shard produced would be sharp, sharp enough for him to jam it in the Living Vein's eye.
And with a quick stab, Gideon would go for the kill, moving swiftly before the beast ripped his spear to shreds and had its maw free once more.
Vammy raised her brow at her branded servant. "What? It doesn't smell so bad that you need to throw up is it?" The demon said, sniffing at the air. It was... Well, probably not pleasant but it didn't smell offensive did it? The demon shrugged to herself for a second before looking at the human with her, "What do you like, need to wait outside or something?" She asked. "I don't need you to puke your guts all over the floor accidently. I do not want to step in that." The demon mentioned so matter-of-factly.
Whether Yuisa stayed or went, Vammy would curiously look around the place. From how the God of Knowledge and the... Pretty Lady that let them in talked, Vammy assumed that there were plenty of things here that would be interesting to look at and wonder about but... Really, there were just a lot of plants and vines and studies. It was a small bit disappointing. Then, there was something scurrying down the hall. "There!" The demon exclaimed, taking off after the scurrying thing without second thought. Whatever it was, it had to lead them to something, right?
