Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
8
Renown
Crescent Isles
ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, BABY CROWS
330 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Rena Brighteyes on Jan 11, 2024 20:27:44 GMT -5
Rena hums softly to herself, holding a smaller crow close. The two aviankin are wearing matching rings tied into their feathers, though the smaller is notably transparent and wisplike, while Rena has a second matching ring tied in next to hers.
This second crow is Tolling Bell, the kind smith who first took Rena in when she was caught out in the rain some years after her banishment from her own clan...the fierce warrior, who wielded weapons of his own craft to defend his clan against any and all threats...the loving husband, who forged bayonets from steel mixed with his own flight feathers, that his wife might never be without him...the spirit, bound to this world by his own will that he might protect his wife and children even in death.
"...mmm...missed you, ka'to'bi1..." the spirit murmurs, letting out a low trill even as he noses into the crook of his wife's neck, blind to the world and uncaring of any who may see. Rena giggles softly, trilling her own affection as she holds her husband's semi-corporeal form closer.
Blinded by love or not, both still spare moments to check on the satchel containing the survivors of their clutch. it's been...a long time by this point, and while the eggs seem healthy enough, and the living crow's sister friend had used her healing magic to bolster them, there was still worry in the couples hearts...
...Rena shakes her head, breaking herself out of her worries for the moment. She and her husband are here on a mission, and they're waiting for their fledgling to join them. a few meters off sits a ring of monochrome flowers encircling a hot spring, the very air within the circle seeming dull and devoid of color...there's something off in there, something strange...
1. my love
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
7
Renown
Female
Moonglade
The Earth remembers everyone that enters its breadth. It is our job to keep that memory safe.
208 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 14, 2024 9:13:32 GMT -5
Elvira hiked up the hill with a strangely nervous demeanor. It was the first time she had decided to leave her robes tucked away in her bags. Yes, she had gone out before with the robes in the bag, but she had always pulled them back over herself when the public eye was present. Today, however, she decided on her favorite white blouse and leather leggings with tall studded leather boots. As she crested over the hill to the sight of her adoptive mother finally cuddling with the love of her life once more, her nervousness completely melted away. Her heart instantly leaps as a wide smile cut across her face. Quickly, she jumps into a sprint towards the two avians.
While she was tempted to pounce on the two, she was worried about the eggs and any complications a high speed elf colliding with a spirit guardian could have on Tolling Bell's form. Instead, she quickly sits next to the two and wraps her arms around Rena, giving the woman a firm squeeze. It was evident that she was still nervous about how to address Bell, not just because she didn't hug him, but also because flush took over her face when she tried to speak. "H-Hello emmë, I see you two went from crows to lovebirds... I-I'll leave after that one, sorry."
With a nervous laugh, she looks over to the proverbial elephant in the room, the gray circle of odd magics. "Do we know anything about this... phenomenon? I can't say I have seen anything like this, myself."
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
8
Renown
Crescent Isles
ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, BABY CROWS
330 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Rena Brighteyes on Jan 14, 2024 11:25:52 GMT -5
Rena giggles softly, happily pressing into her daughter's embrace with a joyous trill as Bell chuckles, leaning back a little to let them have the moment. There's a gentle tapping sound from...somewhere, it's hard to tell where with how quiet it is. sounds almost like a tiny beak on the inside of a tiny shell...the living crow chirps and trills, hugging her daughter tight, "...missed you too, lor'tyrlr'no!"
She shakes herself, reluctantly pulling away from both her husband and her daughter to look over the circle of flowers, "...I...something's messing with the way things move, I know that much; tossed a couple rocks in earlier, and they just...soared straight through, only dropping properly once they passed the opposite side..." Rena frowns, picking up another rock and tossing it into the circle to demonstrate.
As described, the rock sails in an almost perfectly straight line for the hundred or so feet encompassed by the circle before dropping at the expected rate upon exiting the ring.
Bell tilts his head, trilling curiously, "...it...could be any of several things, just from looking at it...I think it's screwing with either gravity or time, but we can't be certain without more comprehensive tests..." the spirit murmurs.
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
7
Renown
Female
Moonglade
The Earth remembers everyone that enters its breadth. It is our job to keep that memory safe.
208 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 15, 2024 15:27:48 GMT -5
When Rena throws the rock and it flies straight, Elvira's face twisted in confusion. She was too distracted by the phenomenon to have heard the tapping emanating from behind the group. As Bell speaks she walks over and carefully places her hand inside the circle. She quickly pulls it back with a soft gasp before taking her bow off her back and holding it in the circle. Releasing it, she backs away and marvels at the fact that it floats in place, rotating ever so slowly.
"I-I would say this is messing with the forces of nature, but that simply underestimates the gravity of the situation!" She snickers softly for a moment before blushing. "Sorry, I'll stop. Anyways, no point in waiting any longer. The phenomenon could shift at any moment and we still don't understand it. I think it's time to investigate."
With this, she leans backwards into the circle, allowing herself to float for a moment. If she was going to risk it all entering she might as well have a bit of fun with it, right? Once she was nearly parallel with the ground, she kicked to do a slow backflip towards the flowers and grabbed the bow from mid-air as she did so. Once she landed, she carefully walked to within a few feet of the flowers and kneeled down to inspect them, letting the bow float once more.
"These don't look like anything I've seen from my travels across Charon. I do have an idea, though. I wonder if atto"1 - she paused, almost frozen in fear by the use of the Elvish word - "I... I wonder if Tolling Bell has seen these. Perhaps in his journey of protecting you from the realm of spirits, he has seen things from different worlds?"
1. "Father"
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
8
Renown
Crescent Isles
ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, BABY CROWS
330 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Rena Brighteyes on Jan 15, 2024 16:46:38 GMT -5
Rena smirks, trilling softly and moving to follow her daughter into the flower circle, shivering a little as she passes into the low gravity area, each gliding step sending her further into the air than expected. “Yeah, it really is quite the weighty situation we’ve found ourselves in, isn’t it?” she snickers at both her and Elvira’s joke, trilling in gentle amusement.
Bell just chuckles indulgently, tilting his head in thought as he glides along behind his wife, seemingly unaffected by the change in gravity, “...I…many of the details from when I was traveling toward s’ka’to’bi1 blades are…fuzzy and…incomplete. I suspect the Hag’s curse has something to do with that, though I’ll admit to being grateful that the wretched creature’s influence has allowed me to stay by your mother’s side even in death…”
He shakes his head to clear his thoughts, trilling softly as he floats down to inspect the flowers encircling the area, "...but these...these feel almost like the wretch that brought disaster to our people with her false bargains..." and isn't that an unsettling feeling. Makes him wonder where he and his little family would be without the hag's influence...he shakes his head again, glancing to their daughter and tilting his head, "...say, lor'tyrlr'no2...ka'to'bi3 and I have been looking into ways that she could go about bringing back the s'lor'tyrlr'no4 that we lost in the snow," he carefully ignores the startled look his wife gives him, more intent on watching their daughter's reaction as he speaks, "...that said, the only viable methods we've found involve...necromancy. We'd have to reanimate corpses for their spirits to inhabit, to put it simply"
1 - my love's 2 - little one 3 - my love 4 - little ones
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
7
Renown
Female
Moonglade
The Earth remembers everyone that enters its breadth. It is our job to keep that memory safe.
208 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 16, 2024 23:33:37 GMT -5
Elvira had her hand against her chin, listening to Tolling Bell speak on the influence of the magic. She flushed slightly thinking about how she too was glad to have had the chance to see him by her mother's side. Unfortunately, that thought was interrupted by the overwhelming fear and the slight touch of anger that was caused by that one singular word. Necromancy
"NO!!!" She had screamed the word, whipping around to reveal her face had been flushed with.... not quite anger? More of a protective frustration. She now felt rather embarrassed, even sorrowful, for having shouted at the ones who have loved and cared for her. She quickly gritted her teeth and looked down, wishing that she had worn the robes. "I... I apologize emmë attoyë.1 I understand the pain, perhaps more than more, just... it's... it's horrifically unethical. After so much time, the body becomes a mindless vessel. Your children would feel no love, they would merely be a vessel of your bidding. I implore you to not seek necromancy as your solution. Breaking the natural order of life and death comes with dire consequences for all involved. Please, heed my warning. You will feel no joy from seeing the hatchlings in the condition they arise."
Tears had formed in her eyes, but she was holding them back in the hopes none of the two would press about her outburst. With a sigh, she moved to hug the two crows. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have yelled..."
1. "Mummy and daddy"
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
8
Renown
Crescent Isles
ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, BABY CROWS
330 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Rena Brighteyes on Jan 16, 2024 23:51:54 GMT -5
Rena shivers a little, both her and her husband letting out soft trills as they happily hug their daughter, holding her close and sharing a glance from over her shoulders…this aversion is definitely something to look into. Later. For now, their daughter needs comfort, and then this flower circle needs investigating.
“...’s okay, lor’tyrlr’no. We haven’t decided on anything yet. Current plan is to look into all the options as much as we can, then use whichever method - or combination of methods - would work the best. Ne - ah, that magic was just the first thing we found that looks truly viable from a surface glance,” Rena speaks softly, rubbing gentle circles into her daughter’s back, “...my thought was that I could use that magic to animate or summon - the details aren’t exactly clear on that - bodies for their spirits to inhabit, and then use the same magic that lets me summon Bell to grant them the power needed to possess the shells. But I’ll trust you on this. Last resort only, and only if we can conjure their spirits and learn whether they’re even willing"
Bell trills comfortingly, smiling softly as he gives Elvira the best squeeze he can manage - not much, but definitely noticeable - as his wife speaks.
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
7
Renown
Female
Moonglade
The Earth remembers everyone that enters its breadth. It is our job to keep that memory safe.
208 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 20, 2024 22:40:56 GMT -5
With a nod and a shaky breath out, Elvira melts into the crow's touch. "I trust that we'll figure something out, emmë. I... I'll do everything I can to find a more natural approach, one that doesn't disturb the order of life and death. If spirits can travel the mortal plane, then I'm sure we can figure something out." With this, she gently breaks the hug and looks to the two. She was flushed with embarrassment and the emotions that had just burst out violently, but most of all, she looked to be sad that she had just exploded at the two.
"Again... I'm sorry. I took an oath to protect the cycle and stop those who break it. I... I've seen desperate families use necromancy after a great loss. They... they're never happy with what rises from the grave. In fact, most of the time they feel worse than if they had just let the natural order take place. I wished not for that to happen to you, I wouldn't have been able to bare it if I had seen the heartbreak you might have felt seeing your child rise up as a mere vessel of what could have been..." She looks down and takes a deep breath in, steeling herself for the task at hand.
A weak smile crossed her lips as she turned to face the anomaly that had brought them there in the first place. As she walks over, she shakes her head. "It doesn't make any sense, emmë. The only thing that I know of from reading is... is this bloody Fae magic?!?! Stars above, why didn't I think of that? It's even got traces of Fae on there! Now that just begs the question, why are there Fae flora around Charon?"
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
8
Renown
Crescent Isles
ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, BABY CROWS
330 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Rena Brighteyes on Jan 21, 2024 0:59:25 GMT -5
Rena and Bell trill softly, hugging their adopted daughter a little tighter - height difference be damned - before letting her go. Rena lets out a gentle chuckle, smiling wanly up at the fledgling as she chirps, “...I…I know, little one…I guess I can’t help grasping at straws…”
The crows both tilt their heads as their daughter speaks, Rena chirping sadly as she places a dull-taloned hand on Elvira’s arm, “...I…I can only guess…but it I’m sure they were just happy to have had even that much time with you…I’m sure they’ll be proud of the woman you’ve become when it’s finally time for you to be with them again”
She pulls away reluctantly, content to stand guard while her daughter and husband examine the circle of flowers…both she and Bell flinch when Elvira speaks of the fae, the Beast squirming under Rena’s feathers for the first time in a long time, as though discontented by the mention of the otherworldly creatures. Even as the Beast squirms, Rena mutters, "...bloody hag cannae leave well enough alone..." as she steps forward, silver and white eyes glaring at the flowers as though they'd personally shattered her eggs.
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
7
Renown
Female
Moonglade
The Earth remembers everyone that enters its breadth. It is our job to keep that memory safe.
208 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 21, 2024 7:23:51 GMT -5
The elf winced at the mention of her blood parents, but relaxed in to the touch just a moment later. Any other person might have heard an earful, but the bond she had with Rena was... well. It was just different. Still, she did have quite a bit of pain in her eyes at the thought. "Yeah... I-I hope so, emmë. A lot of what I do is for them but... what if it's just not enough? What if I chose the wrong path? What would th-... You know what? We should talk later about this. There's no telling what could happen if we stay here too long."
While inspecting and giving her thoughts on the flowers, she turned around to see the Beast squirming in her adoptive mother's arms. After freezing for a second, she looked to the two crows with an immense amount of concern. "Wh-What's going on? Why is it... Why is it upset? Did I cause that?" She steps back to the two and reaches to place a hand on the avian's arm. "Is the ring causing this? Let's... let's hurry up in here, emmë. I'm getting some rather uncomfortable feelings frim this anomaly, they only seem to grow with each moment we spend in here."
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
8
Renown
Crescent Isles
ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, BABY CROWS
330 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Rena Brighteyes on Jan 21, 2024 13:45:07 GMT -5
“...alright, little one. Later. In the meantime…” she pulls out a strip of jerky, eyes flashing white as she tears into the smoke-dried meat with a fervor usually seen in starving animals as she does what she can to calm the Beast. She listens to her daughter’s words even as she eats, humming softly and pausing to answer, “...I…no, no you did not. If this is anyone’s fault, it’s mine and that bi’lyrtr hag I was fool enough to make a deal with”
Rena shudders, feeling the thing under her skin calm as she eats, Bell resting a hand on her arm before speaking, “...you weren’t a fool, love. We were desperate. I’m the one who pushed you to make that deal. And it did let you survive with half our clutch…” then his smile turns into a glower directed at the flowers, “...though I will say the wretch could’ve been a wee bit more honest about the terms…”
The living crow chuckles softly, gently pulling her husband into a hug as she trills, "...I know, to'bi...I know...doesnae make me any less eager to shove one o'your blades through 'er rotten 'eart..."
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
7
Renown
Female
Moonglade
The Earth remembers everyone that enters its breadth. It is our job to keep that memory safe.
208 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 23, 2024 2:11:40 GMT -5
Elvira smiles as the crow bites into the jerky and reassures her. Seeing the fervor with which Rena had torn into the small strip of meat, she reaches into her bag and pulls out some spider meat. This time it had been spiced differently, following the notes of their initial encounter in Stargazer's Field, a night she held dearly in her heart. She sits down in the air, allowing the differing gravity to carefully lower her to the ground, and offers the food to the crow. "Here, emmë. I followed your instructions from the last time. Now, for the anomaly in front of us, is it possible that the hag may have something to do with this, or at the very least have some knowledge of what is happening? I met another adventurer who claimed to have been polymorphed into a horse by a similar set of flora."
As she finally lands on the ground, she places her head in her free hand and ponders the situation. "I don't think I know any being that would do create such a display across Charon. Any singular lead might be beneficial. Alternatively, we can wait and see if these anomalies do any manner of thing down the line. Your call, emmë, I rather enjoy following you into situations!"
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
8
Renown
Crescent Isles
ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, BABY CROWS
330 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Rena Brighteyes on Jan 23, 2024 3:26:17 GMT -5
Rena and Bell both let out low hisses, spitting at the ring of flowers, “...only faerie we’ve come across who could do somethin’ on this scale is the Hag what planted m’curse and cemented the binding of Bell’s spirit t’my blades,” silver eyes burn bone white as the living crow lets out an angry trill, gently taking the seasoned spider meat from her daughter before savagely tearing into it, still glaring at the flowers, “...sometimes I wonder what might’ve ‘appened if’n I ‘adn’t taken the ‘ag’s deal. Maybe Bell an’ I could’ve made it out with all the ‘lor’tyrlr s‘no. P’rhaps not. Doesnae matter, anyhoo. What’s done is done, an’ the only things left t’do for that chapter t’be over an’ done with are t’finish puttin’ me family back t’gether and track down that ‘ag so we can give ‘er the guttin’ she deserves…” there’s a cold calm to the living crow’s voice as she speaks, a certainty and sharpness to her inflection even as her accent comes out.
Bell’s ghostly amber eyes flash with similar cold, sharp anger as his wife speaks, though he lets her finish before adding his own voice to the mix, “...while I don’t particularly regret the end result of my deal with that…creature, the valley would’ve been much better off without her interference. There’s a reason the Clans had never let in anyone beyond traveling merchants, and that’s the simple fact that new blood meant new trouble, and the reward was very rarely worth the cost. I’m glad to see the rest of Charon works differently…even moreso that you, my dear,” the spirit trills softly, nuzzling his wife, “were able to pick up on that so quickly, as elsewise we may never have ended up with our dau-” it’s right then that a loud tapping sounds out, followed by a sharp crack and a soft, frantic cheeping…
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
7
Renown
Female
Moonglade
The Earth remembers everyone that enters its breadth. It is our job to keep that memory safe.
208 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Elvira, Wandering Cleric on Jan 23, 2024 4:20:30 GMT -5
Elvira listened intently, not wishing to miss a word of the crow's backstory. She was just about to lean on Rena when a sharp crack emerged from the satchel carrying the eggs. At first she was horrified. She worried that some beast must have snuck up and damaged an egg. As she raced up to her feet, she began to prepare a deadly spell. A bright light began to emerge from inside her clenched hand, crackling with a pure light energy. No creature that dared to lay a hand on her family would survive, especially if it were one of the eggs that had been-
The chirping froze her. As she stared at the clutch, she spotted a single naked baby bird pipped out of an egg and calling out for its mother. She was speechless. Moving over to the egg, she knelt next to it and smiled softly. Instinctually, she wanted to pick it up. In her mind, however, Rena should have the honors of holding her child first. Elvira would, however, speak in a soft tone to the hatchling as she motioned Rena and Bell over to see. "Welcome, lor’tyrlr’no. It's an honor to have witnessed you first gracing our realm with your beauty. Take it easy, now. Emmë is right here."
|
|
Tradesfolk
IS OFFLINE
8
Renown
Crescent Isles
ring ring ring ring ring ring ring, BABY CROWS
330 POSTS & 0 LIKES
|
Post by Rena Brighteyes on Jan 23, 2024 4:52:19 GMT -5
Rena Blinks over immediately, silver eyes wide and feathers puffed out in alarm before she fully processes what happened…and then she reaches in, trembling hands gently scooping the hatchling from their broken shell, an idly Summoned cloth cleaning off the chick as she slowly, slowly shifts to sit back against the rock, cradling the softly cheeping, slowly calming chick close. The mother lets out low, comforting trills, gently nuzzling the tiny thing and letting out a soft, watery, almost broken laugh, “...ei-eijh’anahr, ‘lor’tyrlr ‘no…’bout time you woke up…my Distant Whistle…”
The newly named hatchling lets out more soft cheeps and chirps, slowly relaxing and settling against their mother’s chest, nuzzling into the warmth and slowly quieting. The freshly minted mother crow smiles softly, trilling happily and holding the little one close…then something occurs to her, and she slowly, carefully shifts to tuck little Whistle into her shirt…there’s more cheeping, then, that quickly quiets as Rena lets out a low cough, blushing a little through her feathers as she cradles the hatchling against her chest through the cloth.
Tolling bell lets out a trill that, for all its quiet is practically bursting with joy, the ghost gently hugging his wife and chirping up a storm, amber eyes bright with happiness as he checks over the other eggs. none of them show any signs of hatching soon, but that doesn't diminish either parent's joy by any margin.
|
|