[IC] Magic RP (Open to new players)

[Aristocles]

(It's fine. I've been busy for a while too, every so often. Also, if I make an error in describing any of your characters' appearances, I'll fix it. Also, you play Nodiatis? I used to, but I lost interest past the starting village and the docks. That game has some very good artwork.)

"And I'll have backaches soon enough too" Tala replied, giving Bela a little smile. Aerta watched as Bela sat down and put her feet up. Tala sat down as well, also resting her feet. Despite her relatively small size, Tala still had claws much like those of a bird of prey, a fact which Tala had first noticed when she got her first pet bird many years ago.

"Hmm. If you don't mind me saying so, humans have interesting feet. I'm not sure why you have so many toes" Tala said, speaking in a very matter-of-fact tone, born more out of curiosity than anything else. She had hardly ever seen humans apart from this family. "I know that Avera uses footwear at times. Do you?"

Aerta remained standing, turning to Danae. "I have a feeling the three of us will have to clean and comfort them when they are done, especially if they are covered in mud. It might be good practice for Tala as well."

Aura smiled as she and the others walked with Ryland. She patted him on the back, briefly using her claws to gently scratch in a little circle, as a sign of affection.

"Well, if our daughter is anything like you, she'll be a fine child" Caex assured Avera. "Just... be sure to let me know what human-specific things I should be aware of." He looked down and brushed his hand over Auryn. "Hmm. He's developing well. I remember how soft he was after he hatched, now he's starting to firm up a bit. Just a bit. Getting strong already." Caex didn't bother to hide the tone of the proud father which was dripping from his voice.

"It's the life I prefer as well" Adykon assured Adair. "It wasn't always like that. It took a tragedy to make me realize what was important. Did I... did I ever tell you about Kos' mother?"

[MarshiestMallow]

Sasha pondered that for a minute, remembering how she had felt when she and Kis were trying to get gravid, and she grimaced, laying a hand on her belly. "I guess I can understand that" she said frowning. Yet she understood her parents more, she might have been young when her parents had suffered the loss of three eggs, but she could still remember the grief they had suffered, and she guessed that had just been too much for them.

Nyx looked about, "alright, let's go see if we can talk with him then" she said, shifting slightly, feeling the egg securely against her back.

Tran kept his hand in Orna's as they followed Ryland for the tour, looking about and listening Ryland led them up the stairs.

"Okay" hermia said "shall we go for that walk then?" She asked, with a smile, just enjoying being outside with Veax and out in the sun, "we could see if who Evers looking after the kids needs help too"

[Aristocles]

"I'm glad you see that" Iskra replied. "Life exists to make more life, you know. I'm just glad to see so many expectant mothers here. The trick is not to get discouraged or give up. Not every egg will make it, unless you are very lucky or very careful. I remember when I didn't get enough to eat during some dry seasons, the eggshells were too thin. That's how I lost most of the hatchlings who didn't make it. Except for one egg which was a dud for some weird reason. It looked perfectly healthy, but never hatched. Maybe there was never a child inside of it. That happens sometimes. I have no idea why. It still got a decent burial. I still wonder who it might have hatched."

Larek saw Adykon and Adair talking. He made out the words "Kos' mother." "Oh, this is a sad story."

Veax and Hermia saw a large group of dracon and human children playing around. Some were running around in the mud, others were wrestling with each other an play-fighting. Watching them was a female dracon, Tacita one of Veax's sisters. She was seventeen years old and would be looking for a husband in a year or so. She was a decent gardener, but wasn't particularly ambitious or adventurous. While her mother was a bit disappointed with her daughter's plan for a domestic sort of life, she gave Tacita her full support. She wanted to learn how to look after a large number of younglings, but she wasn't doing the best job at the moment, although she was trying quite hard. It would have been hard for anyone to look after so many all by herself.

[MarshiestMallow]

"Sometimes" Jammy said softly "these things just aren't meant to be. Duds generally occur because the child wouldn't survive otherwise...it's natures way, even though it's extremely cruel and hesrtbreaking, of compassion I guess"

Sasha felt sick as she began to wonder, fearful, about her egg. What if it didn't hatch, or something happened? She swallowed and said "I'm going to go rest for a few moments. It was good talking with you, Iskra. She tried to be as polite as possible, before retreating to Kos, just wanting his prescence, and feeling better for it.

"How so?" Nyx asked, looking to Larek, "even if it's sad, all our stories help make us what we are" she said, "but why is it was?" She asked, curious

Hermia saw this scene, and quickly caught a dracon child before they could escape Tacita's gaze. She had absolutely no idea whose child it was. "Hey there, rascal. Go on, go play with the others." She said the child down, nudging them towards the other kids. "You know, when you get down to it, apart from physical attributes, we aren't that different from humans" she said, watching the two races offspring intermingle, "do you need help?" She asked Tacita

[Aristocles]

Iskra looked at Jammy. "Have you dealt much with helping other females lay eggs? I helped since my mother taught me as a teenager, not as a job of course, but as someone who helped my friends and my mother's friends. They got really upset when the eggs they put so much time into laying didn't hatch."

Kos took her hand and gave it a firm squeeze. He looked at her, snout to snout, face to face. "Feeling alright, dear?"

"Well, I suppose he'd want to tell you himself, but I'll just say that my father wasn't always as kind as he is now. He was much more... self-centered" Larek explained.

"Oh yes, if you two can help, go ahead" she looked up at Veax and Hermia. "Oh, hey there, brother."

"Hi, Tacita" Veax replied, giving a little wave back. "They're really going at it, aren't they?"

"Yeah. Too much sugar, I think. Or maybe they haven't had a chance to play for a while. Or both. Either way, I could use the help" Tacita explained.

[MarshiestMallow]

"A few times I've had to help other females with their eggs-particularly if their mates were out, or if they felt something was wrong. Sometimes the mothers just wanted me there, particular if we are friends, or just because. Its understandable that they got upset when the eggs didn't hatch. It is ,I believe, the worst thing in the world when the eggs don't hatch" Jammy said

Sasha nodded, and managed to smile, "I'm always alright with you" She said, "Just my mind trying to make me worry"

Nyx nodded, "Alright" She said, understanding, "Well, shall we go over?" She asked

Hermia smiled, looking over the gathering of kids, "Happy to help" She said, agreeing that they did seem to be energetic, but she thought that was a good sign,

[Aristocles]

"Nice to see a female who sees things the same way on that point" Iskra replied, smiling.

"Worry? About the egg? I'm sure there's little to worry about. If we need help, your mother is a healer, my mother is a mage, and if we needed more help, I'm sure Danae and the others would help to the best of their abilities. Hmm.I won't pretend to understand all of what it's like to carry and egg. It's not an experience a male can share, but you have my support every step of the way." Kos assured her. "Maybe you should relax for now. How about we ask your mother for some help? My grandmother will be happy to help too, I'm sure."

"Alright. Let's see them. I'm sure my father and Adair won't mind" Larek said.

Veax wasn't the best around young dracons and humans. He mostly stood out of the way. "Well, they're gonna need a bath or something later. There's a lot of dirt a mud here." An unusual thing had happened not long ago in these lands: it rained. This created an unusual amount of mud which the younglings were now getting dirty in. At least, some of them.

[MarshiestMallow]

"Sadly through experience" Jammy said, "and not just my own. each time I attend a mother whose egg didn't hatch, it gets harder to assure then that it happens" she sighed softly, "it gets harder to understand each time" she shrugged "but this is a bit of a morbid topic"

"I know, a lot of support for us" Sasha said, nodding. "I can't help but worry. So relaxing sounds good" she said, and managed to smile

Nyx nodded, and went to go over to them, happy to try and talks

"I imagine mud isn't a common thing for them" hermia said, trying to do her best to help look after for the young ones, but feared she wasn't doing much good, mostly getting dirty herself, "of course, mud is slippery" she said with a laugh

[Aristocles]

"Hmm, it is. I suppose I just got used to it, living in the middle of nowhere. One good thing about the cities is that you can always find help when something goes wrong, if you can afford it" Iskra told Jammy.

"You think your mother can take a few minutes to help rub your back, or, whatever is bothering you? I'll help as well, don't worry" Kos suggested.

Adykon turned to Larek and Nyx, excusing himself from Adair for a moment. "Hmm? Oh, Larek. I was just about to talk about my... about Kos's mother."

"Yes. Nyx and I, well... it's not the nicest thing, but there is a time to explain these things. Best to get it out now, I suppose. I know it, but you're the best one to explain."

"Looks like we'll all need to clean up later" Veax replied, smiling a bit. He didn't like getting too dirty himself, but he couldn't help but find a certain kind of fun in the thought of running around like that, rolling around in the soil without a care in the world.

[MarshiestMallow]

"Which is why I don't charge for my services half the time. Because I know what it's like to not have that help" Jammy said, "sometimes I wish I could do more. Or rather all the time I wish I could do more, but I do the best with what I have"

"I'm just happy to sit down for a time" Sasha said, not wanting to disturb her mother, "nothing's bothering me" she added

"You don't have to explain if you don't want to" Nyx said quickly, "there's just a lot of people here and it's easier to talk to people you now for a bit right?"

Hermia examined her claws, knowing that there would probably be mud underneath them, but didn't dwell on ot too long-most likely she'd be more dirty before this was over anyway. She looked to Vaex and smiled, "I still think playing in sand is better" she said, "less dirty"

[Aristocles]

"You know what it's like? Hmm. Tell me, Jammy, where did you grow up, if I may ask?" Iskra inquired.

"Alright. We can take a seat" Kos replied.

"Well... alright, I suppose I can say it." Larek replied. "My father concieved Kos before me or my other siblings. It was out of wedlock with a dancer named Veari."

"Yeah. Much cleaner. Easier to remove sand from your claws" Veax agreed.

[MarshiestMallow]

"In a little town that wasn't really even that" jammy said "when I was 16, we moved to the city" she added, "why?" She asked curiously.

Sasha nodded, and looked about to find somewhere to sit, settling down with a soft sigh, and smiled. She leaned back, letting herself relax

"Oh, right, you told me that before" Nyx said, unphased by it. ""Does it matter?" She asked

Hermia nodded stepping carefully over the mud so she wouldn't slip again, "I can see the appeal of ot though"

[Aristocles]

"Well, I had thought maybe you lived on a farm or something" Iskra replied. "Even a small town would be larger than where I grew up. I was from a farm myself, and lived there until I met Cayosin" she explained. "I would go to a town from time to time, mostly to buy what we couldn't provide for ourselves, things like metal tools and the like."

Kos sat down next to her, letting his tail wrap around her's. Although dracon tails were no prehensile, he could still give her a little squeeze with it. He put a hand on Sasha's belly, gently rubbing it.

"Soon enough, we'll have to take care of the nest, you know."

"I suppose it matters. Did I tell you the part that he left her to raise Kos by herself, and that she died not long after meeting my father again?" Larek replied. "It wasn't his fault she died, but she was killed by Dememoras specifically to get at my father."

"I guess the mud would feel good between one's toes" Veax admitted.

[MarshiestMallow]

"My father wasn't much of a farmer to be honest" Jammy said, "he tried before settling down with my mother, but he didn't have the dedication nor the skill for it really. But he could build anything you asked him, if you have him time to figure it out" she said, smiling in the memory. "In fact, I would never have met Marx if he didn't know how to build things. When we loved to the city, my father quickly gained a reputation for his kind and good services. Marx broke a table in a way I still don't know how, and asked my father for help" she gave Marx hand a squeeze and smiled at him

Sasha leaned into Kos slightly, happy and comfortable with him, and feeling gratefully at ease, as Kos wrapped his tail around hers, and rubbed her growing belly. She felt better,'and knew their egg and subsequent hatchling would be healthy and strong. She nodded, "soon" she agreed, "do you have any ideas for that?"

Nyx tried to remember back, but he didn't think Larek had ever told her that. She knew Kos's mother was no longer alive, but didn't realise it was for something spiteful, to hurt his father. That just made it worse. "That's just...evil"

Hermia nodded then laughed "until you have to clean it off" she said

[Aristocles]

"Hmm. Cayosin's just the opposite. He's a good farmer, but he can't really build much" Iskra replied.

"What about that chicken coop?" Cayosin had overheard them and, hearing his name, decided to contribute his side of the story.

"That lasted all of a month before the hens escaped, dear" Iskra added.

"You see, that's what happens when you ask a goat farmer to take care of chickens" he retorted.

"Well, for the nest itself, we could use some straw and blankets. When the egg hatches, we will need a cradle of some sort" Kos said.

"Dememoras tried to kill everyone my father cared about, in hopes that my father would join him. I know that's twisted thinking, but that's how Dememoras thought. It's a rather dated state of mind. He hoped that by killing everyone my father loved, that he would join the dark side in hopes that this would get Dememoras to stop killing people who were close to him" Larek explained.

"Well, I don't mind cleaning my claws. I'll clean yours too if you like, Hermy" Veax responded, using a pet name for Hermia.

[MarshiestMallow]

Jammy laughed, "you have to be able to make fences for the goats, right? Or they would wander too far. So you must have a little skill"

Marx said "you probably just made a small mistake and had a small weak spot that the chickens exploited until it collapsed" he said, "indeed, if you're going to have animals in a coop, it needs to be stronger then normal. Otherwise eventually it will fall"

Sasha nodded "seems easily enough" she said, "easy to get, and easy to do. Maybe my father can help is with a cradle" she said thoughtfully.

Nyx winced, "that's just crazy. Why would he haven joined a monster who killed his loved ones? It's not same that. I would put all my effort into taken the monster down, and finding protection for my family"

Hermia smiled "thanks" she said "later. When we are away from the mud"

[Aristocles]

"Well, yeah, I make little pens for them. Not that there's much for them off the farm. The farm was built on the only patch of vegetation for miles, so the goats have to stay there anyway. I suppose they could wander through the desert looking for more, but I doubt they'd do that. And the coop... I suppose you are right about that. It was odd. It stood up just fine one day, and was broken the next" Cayosin explained.

"Good. I suppose he made those for you and your siblings, so how hard could that be?" Kos replied.

"That's what my father did. Dememoras was beaten and cast into a gem. The gem is in a vault, but he almost got out once. That was a while ago. Over ten years ago, in fact" Larek said.

"Yeah, later. I suppose it will be time for the children to clean up soon. I wonder what Danae will think?" Veax added.

[MarshiestMallow]

Marx nodded "even when things seem stable, it's important to check it over. You could be eating at a table that you have used for years and the next second a leg falls off or something. You need to check every so often that there's no wear and tear" he said, "tran was the only one who showed real interest in carpentry, so I taught him all I knew, and I'm more then sure he has, and will continue to put it to use with Orna and the family they will one day make" there was pride in his tone, and Jammy smiled.

Sasha nodded, "he did" she smiled, and said "he probably already has one made" she said, "knowing him. Always willing to offer help, before help is even asked for"

"Well as long as he can't get out, that's something" Nyx said, wondering how someone could be cast into a gem, and then just chalking it up to magic. It would probably be complicated, she thought.

"Probably be thankful that the Kids will be clean" hermia said with a shrug, glancing over at the kids once more

[Aristocles]

"Hmm. Very interesting. A teacher and a carpenter" Cayosin noted.

"I guess that's one advantage of living in a city: plenty of schools. Tran... that's the one who's married to Orna, right?" Iskra added.

"Heh. I'm sure he's good, but I doubt even your father could make that table you enjoyed so much. The one with the heat and vibration" Kos said. "Still, we need a cradle sooner rather than later, so that is good."

"Not for want of trying" Larek warned. "He's still in there and trying to get out. He likely will remain there until we can find a way to kill him for good. Or destroy him. He was already undead when they sealed him up in the gem, you see."

"Well, who's gonna clean them?" Veax wondered.

[MarshiestMallow]

"The carpentry is easier then the teaching" Marx said wih a chuckle, while Jammy nodded, "That's right" she said, in response to Tran and Orna being married. It didn't seem like it had been so long ago that they were, along with the others, married, but it was probably be nearly a year or so, an that was somewhat shocking, to think that the house had mostly been empty of their children for nearly a year

Sasha laughed, "No, he wouldn't have been able to. It's magic. We can ask him later" She said brightly, with a smile.

:"I'm sure there will be a way to destroy him someday" Nyx said, "Nothing can live forever" She said, "But how can someone be undead and still be in control of themselves? I still remember the job we took in the underground of the city, with the zombies, but the necromancer was controlling them, right?"

"Us?" hermia said, looking down at herself, "Already dirty anyway"