Hazel and I travel towards the Temple, as I describe to her who the Nocturnal are and what our purpose is. She listens carefully, yet quietly. As we journey I cannot shake the feeling that there is something here with us, something dark and treacherous. If there is, I want to be at the Temple where my fellow Priests will be able to help me deal with the problem.
We approach the hidden glade where the Temple rests, covered in moss and vines. But we are, in fact, not at all alone. There are strange creatures there--two unicorns, and two different types of serpent. I recognize three as Sylvia, Ecio, and Ayearth, Lunee's weaker siblings. But I do not recognize the ebony-colored, youthful foal that is at Sylvia's side.
I land in front of Hazel. "See those four up ahead?" Hazel nods.
"Those are the Powers. Be respectful." Wonder fills Hazel's eyes.
I fly over to the Powers. "Ecio, Sylvia, Ayearth--What brings you here?"
~ ~~
That was short, but at least it advanced the plot. Xaopve, do you think your character will want to spy on them, or attack them?
0
submitted by Sybill, age ????, Kyngdom (February 26, 2020 - 7:27 pm)
As soon as he saw them, he knew he was in trouble. The little toad bundled himself into a hole between the snow and a log, trembling. He had seen mug shots of the Powers, but the sheer scale, the strength, the awe and age of these beings had utterly escaped him. He could believe that these were gods. And if they knew he was here, what could he do against them? Had they sensed his call back to BIG? Were they magically homing in on him to destroy him to in one breath-blast?
He took took hold of himself and pushed these thoughts away. If there was any safety for him, he would have to pay attention to them, to see if they were coming after him. So he breathed deep and strained to hear and see.
Before they had met he realized the Powers were not alone; there was a female unicorn with them, white as snow and modest as the same, and at her flank a black foal, her counterpoint. So innocent did she seem he wondered whether she was a prisoner of this foul crew, and not a correspondent.
Eico spoke first; fortunately his voice was deep and carried far. "It is good to see you, Crystal. Have you gotten any information yet on Jaaws?"
0
submitted by Xa'opve, age 17, Idea Farm (March 5, 2020 - 5:20 pm)
Finally. After these past few days, I have Lunee's instrument in my hands and I stand before the Nocturnal Temple. I look over at my friend and the wolf. "Let's go. We have a Power to wake." I smile.
~
0
submitted by Night Whispers (March 11, 2020 - 3:45 am)
I cannot believe I am here seeing the Powers right now. At long last, I meet the good in Kyngdom. Jaaws and her evils are far from my mind as I behold the vast, powerful life in front of me. I have heard enough about the Powers to know that I am in the presence of Ecio, Ayearth, Sylvia, and...could it be--a foal? A Sideaffect?
Crystal and I are not the only non-Powers here. Still, I feel out of place when Crystal approaches the Powers and asks them what has brought them here. I trail after Crystal at a distance.
"We have come to awaken Lunee," the unicorn replies, voice dripping with light. She indicates a wolf bearing a horn around his neck, and my heart gives a jolt. The Power of Howl!
"It is an honor to meet you all," I say, dipping my head respectfully. "My name is Hazel Coryli. I'm an Elite--I have been searching Kyngdom for a way to defeat Jaaws."
"A human cannot defeat Jaaws, only play into her hands," Ayearth rumbles ominously.
"We played into her hands," Ecio growls. "We still would be doing so if not for our sister."
"Hush. This human has already fallen prey to Jaaws." Sylvia steps up and places her horn on the top of my head. Instantly, I feel my hopelessness fade, and my thoughts return to me with a clarity I didn't realize I had lost. All of a sudden, I feel like I've been living in an eclipse--a permanent dusk. I feel cool, now, as though dawn has arrived. A weight lifts from my shoulders.
"What happened?" Ayearth demands. "Why did you let a possessed human into your temple grounds?"
"Jaaws attacked my team and hypnotized me a couple of weeks ago," I recall before Crystal says anything. I'm stunned and more than a little confused. "An elf cured me, but..."
"Are there any other possessed creatures hiding around that we should know about?" Ayearth says brusquely.
"It's fine, now," Sylvia murmurs, beckoning the foal closer to her side. "Let us continue."
"I would like to request that the human stays outside," Ayearth enjoins. "And everyone else, for that matter. I don't want Jaaws seeing this through anyone's eyes."
"We'll have Lunee with us soon enough," Ecio retorts. "Jaaws can come after us and see what happens."
"Powers or not, you aren't deciding who goes in or out of our Temple. Lest you forget, you've come to us for help. And it's about time you changed your mindset about humans," I interrupt.
Ayearth swirls around to face me. "And who might you be?"
"Queen Kosomi Ramabasa, of the Homo Aquarians, and Priest of the Nocturnal. I'm also one of the ones who sought out Lunee. Which all of you were clearly too useless to do. And Ayearth--weren't you just hypnotized by Jaaws? If you're really so concerned about safety--" I can see Sancta wincing "---Then you should leave." I've never scolded a Power before, but there's something about it that gives me a rush of adrenaline.
"She has a point, Ayearth. And besides...it's our discrimination of humans that caused all of this anyways," Ecio says. Hazel looks a little...overwhelmed.
"And," I say again--whoa, Ayearth looks like he might kill me, that's a little worrying. "Some of our members are humans. But you need to treat them with respect anyways. I was once a human. Not all humans are evil. Most aren't, actually."
Sylvia nods. "Kosomi is right. Humans aren't any different than animals or mythical beasts."
"Fine," Ayearth finally says. "Let's just...awaken Lunee already." I'm not convinced we've managed to change his viewpoint on humans, but it seems the other two Powers have already learned from their mistakes. The foal next to Sylvia intrigues me. I've never read about her having a child in any of the old books we have at the Temple.
I let the Powers go in first. Sancta stands next to me. "That was...daring. But necessary, I think." She smiles before heading inside.
I notice the girl, Hazel, is sort of staring at me. "You have...four arms? But Homo Aquarians---I didn't think that was part of their--"
"It's not," I interrupt. "Mine were...by accident. Pretty useful though."
"Hey, uh...thanks for standing up for me."
"It's not a problem. Anyone who discriminates against certain speices or people should be shown the error of their ways, Power or not."
"So, I don't really know all the members' names. Mind helping me out a bit? I mean, I know who Crystal is, but--"
"Of course! I'm Kosomi, but you already knew that. The girl who was with me--the one with glowing eyes--is named Sancta. Need anything else, just ask me," I reply.
"Thanks."
~~~
Hazel, I feel like Kosomi and...uh, the other Hazel, could be friends?
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submitted by Kosomi R., age Sybill, Nocturnal Temple (April 8, 2020 - 7:16 am)
The little toad could hear most of what the Powers said, though the unicorn's voice was too gentle. That weird sea creature with the four arms- well, they were all semi-humans, but he had never learned to like Homo Aquarians- was apparently the leader of this place. Apparently, the Powers were no longer so anti-human, which hopefully meant that the Red Paw and White Feather would go down. Most importantly, they were going to awake Luni. He had to get this information back to headquarters. But what if he was intercepted? How could he turn into a human to do it and not be seen? This was a place with invisible eyes. Maybe, if he could get in, he could get more information. At any rate, they hadn't interceped his first message.
He hid behind a large tree and turned himself into a man. He fumbled the transceiver out of his jacket. He typed in "Found Resistance base, [1242, 4865], saw Powers E, A, saw them go in They awaken Luni will. Luni powerful enough to stop jaws. Following into base." He hit Delay and entered "1hr". By that time he would either be back, or would be caught. He buried it in the snow and turned back into a toad again.
The entrance was a cave mouth hung with dead leaves. It looked like a place mystics or magicians would live. It looked wide open, but it would be guarded by some defensive magic, perhaps to stop him dead in thin air or to detect him, or both. Torture crossed his mind. Magical torture is of a particularly horrible sort; they can make you feel like your insides are being torn out. He wished he believed in a god so that he could pray.
He hopped up over the entrance. Clumsily pushing and pulling a button on the side of his neck, he extended the sticky TreeFrog equipment encased within the gloves of his four feet. The fibrils would allow him to cling onto the cieling and walls. He knew they wouldn't be expecting a tiny creature to pass right over top of the arch. He moved slowly, knowing that speed might set off an alarm, and passed over the threshold. Nothing, so far as he could see, happened.
Deep within the cave, an eerie chant began.
0
submitted by Xa'opve, age 17, Idea Farm (April 12, 2020 - 2:37 pm)
*skids into room breathless* Guesses I'm here! Sorry I disappeared again! I'm back now, and I'm hoping to stay that way. I skimmed the thread and I'm pretty much caught up, so I'll try to post something soon.
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submitted by Moonshadow (April 12, 2020 - 8:02 am)
Queen Kosomi insisted it was okay for me to go inside, so I did. She and the Powers have diverged down a separate area of the temple, and I am left with Crystal to show me my parameters within the temple.
The temple is bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside, and that's saying something. The decorations are beautiful and elaborate, but eerie and unfamiliar, and every hall and room has a purpose. It becomes apparent that the Nocturnal worships Lunee, and they hold a wealth of knowledge on the other Powers, too. The place is filled with artifacts, tomes, and legends. It's just like a museum--one that nobody else in Kyngdom has access to. No wonder there's so little knowledge on the Powers in the rest of Kyngdom. Secrets have been protected here for centuries.
I'm given shelter in the outermost quarters of the temple. The dorms here are very interesting--cubicles of sorts with no walls; just the temple's roof for cover and marbled pillars for support. These open rooms sit right on the edge of a lush and delicate garden filled with rare plants. The air is laden with an invigorating, perfumey scent. The lack of privacy is unsettling, but the dorms are spaced carefully enough to preserve the peace and privacy of each occupant. And anyway, I only see one or two Nocturnal members around, and they're both in the garden.
My bed here is a woven pallet filled with moss. It's surprisingly comfortable. Crystal parts with me here to attend to more important matters, and I thank her for giving me shelter here.
I can't help but wonder what the Powers are doing at this moment. I can hardly believe I'm this close to them. Is Lunee already summoned? What will she change? Will she be the force we need to stop Catastrophe from total domination? The Nocturnal seems to believe so.
I lie back on my mossy pallet. The only other furnishings in my "patio" room are what looks like a birdbath--but I assume is a sink--and a pot. Is that a chamber pot? I don't know. I should have asked about the bathrooms. As far as food goes, Crystal informed me that all the fruit in the garden is edible.
I walk among the plants for a few minutes, tasting the winter fruits. First, I try some silver walnut-sized berries that are dry and crunchy, lacking sweetness. More palatable are the large juniper berries sprouting from pots at the corner of my dorm.
I feel so light and restless since Sylvia touched me with her horn. She healed me--not only that, but she cared enough to do it. And from what I heard, she healed the Powers, too. From what? From Jaaws? Had Jaaws figured out how to subdue them?
I don't support the worship of Powers. They are flawed, like any of us; Jaaws is evidence enough of that--she came from them. But I'm not sure how. Do the Powers themselves know? If I could ask them...
I recall Ayearth's murderous eyes and feel a shiver of fear.
Hm...there are centuries-old accounts resting within this temple. It wouldn't hurt to check the books first. I gather my things from my dorm and reenter the temple in search of a library.
I pass very few Nocturnal members in the halls. No doubt the majority of them are preoccupied with the arrival of the Powers. What I would give to be with them! I'll have to content myself with the books. I thought I'd seen a library when Crystal was showing me to my quarters...All I have to do is retrace my steps.
Sure enough, there it is. A dimly-lit room with the door cracked open. It's very long but not very wide, more like a hall than a library. Spanning along the walls is a gigantic mural depicting many different kinds of elves, scenes from history, and of course, Lunee. In some places, the paint glows, which gives the room its light. The designs make the room feel vast and mazelike. In fact, even the ceiling has been decorated in such a way.
There are books everywhere, all of them hand-written. Personal accounts, legends, research, histories, logs. They are stacked upon tables and pouring off of shelves. Where to start?! They're hardly labeled in a language I'm familiar with. In fact, many are entirely written in a different language. Even my Cypher can't help me.
I flip through a few books written in Common, but I find no mention of Jaaws. I might be better served asking Crystal for references; it would take years to go through everything here.
I wander around tables and boxes until I reach the back of the library. There's a door blocked by junk back here, including an open chest spilling with cartography supplies. It's labeled "Property of Koro the Wily, Adventurer." Oh, interesting.
I lift a journal from the bed of maps and compasses. It's made of stiffened leather, and the pages are thin and delicate. On them are good news: Koro the Wily has legible handwriting. Maybe there's something useful in here...
As soon as the others are all distracted with the care of Lunee's instrument, I slip away, feeling grateful to be alone with my thoughts for once. There I things I know I can never tell the other Priests about myself, things I've always kept hidden.
The truth is, I don't really believe Lunee is as great as the other think she is. In all honesty, I don't even worship her. The only real reason I ever joined the Nocturnal was because it was expected of me--all generations of my family to come before me had been members. And even though I've always believed the Powers existed, and that they should be treated with respect, I have never felt they were the perfect beings the Nocturnal believes they are. I suppose I have always been interested in the history of Kyngdom, though I utterly despise how the Nocturnal has hidden that knowledge from the public.
The halls are nearly empty, as most are dealing with the idea of housing multiple Powers in our Temple. I'm not sure how I feel about the Powers. Disappointed is the most fitting. I'd have thought they would have learned from their past mistakes, but evidently, by their prejudices, they have not.
I slip into the library, the quiestest place in the Temple and also my favorite. I long for a day when I can show all of Kyngdom its contents. No doubt our society would be much improved.
The murals covering the walls incude several different images of Lunee, all of which are glowing, several types of elves, and various historical moments, such as the arrival of the Sanukans and the creation of Nobylity. I trace my hands across the tomes and scrolls lined neatly against the walls, within shelves made of expensive wood. Many of the titles are written in Kaania, better known nowadays as Ancient Tongue. A handful are written in Common Tongue, and a very rare few are written in the Northern Tongue, language of the Sanukans and Nanulians.
I begin to pull out a book labeled 'A Study on Fairyfolk', written by T'ibebenaya, when I hear the rustling of paper. I turn to see who else would possibly be here, and spot our guests, Hazel Coryli.
I silently put the book back on the shelf and approach her with soft footsteps, folding all four of my arms behind her back. I see that she's reading Koro the Wily's journals--an interesting read, if I say so myself. Koro the Wily was known for his voyages across not only Kyngdom but other nations as well, and his many run-ins with the law. Or, at least, he would be known for these things, had the Nocturnal not foolishly decided to hide so much information.
"Hello," I say, kindly. "Which journal are you on?"
Hazel looks up, a little startled. "Oh! Um, the second one." She looks a little confused at why I'm here, rather than with the others, but doesn't say anything about it.
"Ah. That's the one about his journeys across Southeastern Kyngdom, correct?"
"Yeah," Hazel replies. "So...you've read these before?"
I nod. "I spend a lot of time here, away from everyone else, so I've read a great deal of the books in here. Except for the ones about the day-to-day lives of Nobyls--they're really quite boring, and I'd rather read their personal diaries."
A small smile appears on Hazel's face. "I'm guessing you can...read the language that most of these books are written in, then?"
"You mean Kaania? I can read it, yes."
"Kaania?" She asks, a little confused.
"The Ancient Tongue. It's mostly fallen into disuse, only used by us and a few groups of orthodox animals," I reply. "Would you like me to teach you? It's quite easy to learn."
~~~
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submitted by Sybill, age ????, Kyngdom (June 15, 2020 - 3:59 pm)
Hm, how do people address Kosomi? Do they say 'your majesty' or...? Hazel's not sure what to call her >.<
----
"Kaania?"
"The Ancient Tongue. It's mostly fallen into disuse, only used by us and a few groups of orthodox animals. Would you like me to teach you? It's quite easy to learn."
"Oh, you could teach me? Thank you."
Kosomi grabs a small book written in the unfamiliar symbols and begins to introduce me to the mechanics of the language. It does remind me, a little bit, of the way the Cypher works. That makes it slightly easier to comprehend. It's a flowing language, relying on the back of the throat to make many of the sounds.
Kosomi said it was easy. Maybe it is for her, but I keep tripping over the words and forgetting what the little squiggles and dots mean. I don't think my talent is in learning languages. Still, Kosomi is patient with me, encouraging me to keep trying.
Once my brain is overwhelmed with symbols and sounds and can't hold anything else, I have to stop and take a break.
"The reason I came here was to look for information on Jaaws," I explain, idly tracing a Kaanian letter with my finger. "Do you have any books on her? We don't know how she came to be, and I think that her origin could help us figure out her downfall."
---
While the Powers know how Jaaws was made, I'm not sure if any mortals were ever told or shown. Hazel knows a little about how SAPs work, i.e. that they are made by the Powers, but she doesn't know the exact circumstances that bring about their existence. I think only the Powers would know the truth about her origin.
The temple was amazing. Most of the trip I felt confused or uncomfortable. I still didn't get it all; why does everyone stare at me all the time? But now that I knew what we were doing and somewhat who everyone is, it got exciting. I am going to awake Lunee with the Power! Not to mention I'm in a new place. I got curious enough to leave Mom's side and go look around. These Nocturnal people must be big fans of the Powers, because there were so many artifacts and statues about them. Excepecially Lunee.
I wondered as I passed through the halls if I was going to like Lunee. I hope she wouldn't be as suspicious of me like Ecio. Sometimes when Ecio looked at me I could still see mistrust. He sounds really awesome in legends, but he's not so awesome in real life. Ayearth is cool though. I hope Lunee turns out to be like my mother or him.
"Be careful with those," Mom warned as I got a bit too close to some of the ancient artifacts.
"Right. Sorry," I said as I bounded back toward her. "When are we going to wake up Lunee?"
"We will very soon. When the Nocturnal are ready, it will begin," answered Ayearth.
"Ok!" I said. I walked with the Powers for a whille then, but still taking in all the sights.
~~~
I have no idea when Jaaws would take control of Cairan. Should it be before or after the awakening of Lunee? If it is after, it probably should be after everything is quieted down some. Cairan won't wander off from something new and exciting.
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submitted by Dusk S., age ????, ???? (June 16, 2020 - 1:27 pm)
Eyy, I might use the magical force known as liquid time to RP as Jaaws here at the same time as I do the Masquerade. These events would take place either before or after the ball. Probably before, and Jaaws will leave Ciaran with Whist while she goes to the ball.
I think Jaaws will capture Ciaran before they summon Lunee, so as to be far away by the time Lunee is awake. However, Jaaws will use Whist's illusions to trick Ciaran into thinking he watches Lunee get summoned, only to see her murder Sylvia and the other Powers. Thoughts?
Sounds good to me! It makes the most sense that all of this would take place prior to the ball--seeing as Jaaws would likely have kidnapping Ciaran as a bigger priority than brainwashing a few Nobyls.
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submitted by Sybill, age ????, Kyngdom (June 16, 2020 - 5:41 pm)
Crystal Permafrost ~~
Hazel and I travel towards the Temple, as I describe to her who the Nocturnal are and what our purpose is. She listens carefully, yet quietly. As we journey I cannot shake the feeling that there is something here with us, something dark and treacherous. If there is, I want to be at the Temple where my fellow Priests will be able to help me deal with the problem.
We approach the hidden glade where the Temple rests, covered in moss and vines. But we are, in fact, not at all alone. There are strange creatures there--two unicorns, and two different types of serpent. I recognize three as Sylvia, Ecio, and Ayearth, Lunee's weaker siblings. But I do not recognize the ebony-colored, youthful foal that is at Sylvia's side.
I land in front of Hazel. "See those four up ahead?" Hazel nods.
"Those are the Powers. Be respectful." Wonder fills Hazel's eyes.
I fly over to the Powers. "Ecio, Sylvia, Ayearth--What brings you here?"
~ ~~
That was short, but at least it advanced the plot. Xaopve, do you think your character will want to spy on them, or attack them?
(February 26, 2020 - 7:27 pm)
As soon as he saw them, he knew he was in trouble. The little toad bundled himself into a hole between the snow and a log, trembling. He had seen mug shots of the Powers, but the sheer scale, the strength, the awe and age of these beings had utterly escaped him. He could believe that these were gods. And if they knew he was here, what could he do against them? Had they sensed his call back to BIG? Were they magically homing in on him to destroy him to in one breath-blast?
He took took hold of himself and pushed these thoughts away. If there was any safety for him, he would have to pay attention to them, to see if they were coming after him. So he breathed deep and strained to hear and see.
Before they had met he realized the Powers were not alone; there was a female unicorn with them, white as snow and modest as the same, and at her flank a black foal, her counterpoint. So innocent did she seem he wondered whether she was a prisoner of this foul crew, and not a correspondent.
Eico spoke first; fortunately his voice was deep and carried far. "It is good to see you, Crystal. Have you gotten any information yet on Jaaws?"
(March 5, 2020 - 5:20 pm)
Sancta~
Finally. After these past few days, I have Lunee's instrument in my hands and I stand before the Nocturnal Temple. I look over at my friend and the wolf. "Let's go. We have a Power to wake." I smile.
~
(March 11, 2020 - 3:45 am)
Hazel~
I cannot believe I am here seeing the Powers right now. At long last, I meet the good in Kyngdom. Jaaws and her evils are far from my mind as I behold the vast, powerful life in front of me. I have heard enough about the Powers to know that I am in the presence of Ecio, Ayearth, Sylvia, and...could it be--a foal? A Sideaffect?
Crystal and I are not the only non-Powers here. Still, I feel out of place when Crystal approaches the Powers and asks them what has brought them here. I trail after Crystal at a distance.
"We have come to awaken Lunee," the unicorn replies, voice dripping with light. She indicates a wolf bearing a horn around his neck, and my heart gives a jolt. The Power of Howl!
"It is an honor to meet you all," I say, dipping my head respectfully. "My name is Hazel Coryli. I'm an Elite--I have been searching Kyngdom for a way to defeat Jaaws."
"A human cannot defeat Jaaws, only play into her hands," Ayearth rumbles ominously.
"We played into her hands," Ecio growls. "We still would be doing so if not for our sister."
"Hush. This human has already fallen prey to Jaaws." Sylvia steps up and places her horn on the top of my head. Instantly, I feel my hopelessness fade, and my thoughts return to me with a clarity I didn't realize I had lost. All of a sudden, I feel like I've been living in an eclipse--a permanent dusk. I feel cool, now, as though dawn has arrived. A weight lifts from my shoulders.
"What happened?" Ayearth demands. "Why did you let a possessed human into your temple grounds?"
"Jaaws attacked my team and hypnotized me a couple of weeks ago," I recall before Crystal says anything. I'm stunned and more than a little confused. "An elf cured me, but..."
"Are there any other possessed creatures hiding around that we should know about?" Ayearth says brusquely.
"It's fine, now," Sylvia murmurs, beckoning the foal closer to her side. "Let us continue."
"I would like to request that the human stays outside," Ayearth enjoins. "And everyone else, for that matter. I don't want Jaaws seeing this through anyone's eyes."
"We'll have Lunee with us soon enough," Ecio retorts. "Jaaws can come after us and see what happens."
(April 7, 2020 - 7:17 pm)
"Powers or not, you aren't deciding who goes in or out of our Temple. Lest you forget, you've come to us for help. And it's about time you changed your mindset about humans," I interrupt.
Ayearth swirls around to face me. "And who might you be?"
"Queen Kosomi Ramabasa, of the Homo Aquarians, and Priest of the Nocturnal. I'm also one of the ones who sought out Lunee. Which all of you were clearly too useless to do. And Ayearth--weren't you just hypnotized by Jaaws? If you're really so concerned about safety--" I can see Sancta wincing "---Then you should leave." I've never scolded a Power before, but there's something about it that gives me a rush of adrenaline.
"She has a point, Ayearth. And besides...it's our discrimination of humans that caused all of this anyways," Ecio says. Hazel looks a little...overwhelmed.
"And," I say again--whoa, Ayearth looks like he might kill me, that's a little worrying. "Some of our members are humans. But you need to treat them with respect anyways. I was once a human. Not all humans are evil. Most aren't, actually."
Sylvia nods. "Kosomi is right. Humans aren't any different than animals or mythical beasts."
"Fine," Ayearth finally says. "Let's just...awaken Lunee already." I'm not convinced we've managed to change his viewpoint on humans, but it seems the other two Powers have already learned from their mistakes. The foal next to Sylvia intrigues me. I've never read about her having a child in any of the old books we have at the Temple.
I let the Powers go in first. Sancta stands next to me. "That was...daring. But necessary, I think." She smiles before heading inside.
I notice the girl, Hazel, is sort of staring at me. "You have...four arms? But Homo Aquarians---I didn't think that was part of their--"
"It's not," I interrupt. "Mine were...by accident. Pretty useful though."
"Hey, uh...thanks for standing up for me."
"It's not a problem. Anyone who discriminates against certain speices or people should be shown the error of their ways, Power or not."
"So, I don't really know all the members' names. Mind helping me out a bit? I mean, I know who Crystal is, but--"
"Of course! I'm Kosomi, but you already knew that. The girl who was with me--the one with glowing eyes--is named Sancta. Need anything else, just ask me," I reply.
"Thanks."
~~~
Hazel, I feel like Kosomi and...uh, the other Hazel, could be friends?
(April 8, 2020 - 7:16 am)
The little toad could hear most of what the Powers said, though the unicorn's voice was too gentle. That weird sea creature with the four arms- well, they were all semi-humans, but he had never learned to like Homo Aquarians- was apparently the leader of this place. Apparently, the Powers were no longer so anti-human, which hopefully meant that the Red Paw and White Feather would go down. Most importantly, they were going to awake Luni. He had to get this information back to headquarters. But what if he was intercepted? How could he turn into a human to do it and not be seen? This was a place with invisible eyes. Maybe, if he could get in, he could get more information. At any rate, they hadn't interceped his first message.
He hid behind a large tree and turned himself into a man. He fumbled the transceiver out of his jacket. He typed in "Found Resistance base, [1242, 4865], saw Powers E, A, saw them go in They awaken Luni will. Luni powerful enough to stop jaws. Following into base." He hit Delay and entered "1hr". By that time he would either be back, or would be caught. He buried it in the snow and turned back into a toad again.
The entrance was a cave mouth hung with dead leaves. It looked like a place mystics or magicians would live. It looked wide open, but it would be guarded by some defensive magic, perhaps to stop him dead in thin air or to detect him, or both. Torture crossed his mind. Magical torture is of a particularly horrible sort; they can make you feel like your insides are being torn out. He wished he believed in a god so that he could pray.
He hopped up over the entrance. Clumsily pushing and pulling a button on the side of his neck, he extended the sticky TreeFrog equipment encased within the gloves of his four feet. The fibrils would allow him to cling onto the cieling and walls. He knew they wouldn't be expecting a tiny creature to pass right over top of the arch. He moved slowly, knowing that speed might set off an alarm, and passed over the threshold. Nothing, so far as he could see, happened.
Deep within the cave, an eerie chant began.
(April 12, 2020 - 2:37 pm)
I'll post a new section soon, but right now I have something I need to finish.
(April 8, 2020 - 10:37 pm)
*skids into room breathless* Guesses I'm here! Sorry I disappeared again! I'm back now, and I'm hoping to stay that way. I skimmed the thread and I'm pretty much caught up, so I'll try to post something soon.
(April 12, 2020 - 8:02 am)
Queen Kosomi insisted it was okay for me to go inside, so I did. She and the Powers have diverged down a separate area of the temple, and I am left with Crystal to show me my parameters within the temple.
The temple is bigger on the inside than it looks on the outside, and that's saying something. The decorations are beautiful and elaborate, but eerie and unfamiliar, and every hall and room has a purpose. It becomes apparent that the Nocturnal worships Lunee, and they hold a wealth of knowledge on the other Powers, too. The place is filled with artifacts, tomes, and legends. It's just like a museum--one that nobody else in Kyngdom has access to. No wonder there's so little knowledge on the Powers in the rest of Kyngdom. Secrets have been protected here for centuries.
I'm given shelter in the outermost quarters of the temple. The dorms here are very interesting--cubicles of sorts with no walls; just the temple's roof for cover and marbled pillars for support. These open rooms sit right on the edge of a lush and delicate garden filled with rare plants. The air is laden with an invigorating, perfumey scent. The lack of privacy is unsettling, but the dorms are spaced carefully enough to preserve the peace and privacy of each occupant. And anyway, I only see one or two Nocturnal members around, and they're both in the garden.
My bed here is a woven pallet filled with moss. It's surprisingly comfortable. Crystal parts with me here to attend to more important matters, and I thank her for giving me shelter here.
I can't help but wonder what the Powers are doing at this moment. I can hardly believe I'm this close to them. Is Lunee already summoned? What will she change? Will she be the force we need to stop Catastrophe from total domination? The Nocturnal seems to believe so.
I lie back on my mossy pallet. The only other furnishings in my "patio" room are what looks like a birdbath--but I assume is a sink--and a pot. Is that a chamber pot? I don't know. I should have asked about the bathrooms. As far as food goes, Crystal informed me that all the fruit in the garden is edible.
I walk among the plants for a few minutes, tasting the winter fruits. First, I try some silver walnut-sized berries that are dry and crunchy, lacking sweetness. More palatable are the large juniper berries sprouting from pots at the corner of my dorm.
I feel so light and restless since Sylvia touched me with her horn. She healed me--not only that, but she cared enough to do it. And from what I heard, she healed the Powers, too. From what? From Jaaws? Had Jaaws figured out how to subdue them?
I don't support the worship of Powers. They are flawed, like any of us; Jaaws is evidence enough of that--she came from them. But I'm not sure how. Do the Powers themselves know? If I could ask them...
I recall Ayearth's murderous eyes and feel a shiver of fear.
Hm...there are centuries-old accounts resting within this temple. It wouldn't hurt to check the books first. I gather my things from my dorm and reenter the temple in search of a library.
I pass very few Nocturnal members in the halls. No doubt the majority of them are preoccupied with the arrival of the Powers. What I would give to be with them! I'll have to content myself with the books. I thought I'd seen a library when Crystal was showing me to my quarters...All I have to do is retrace my steps.
Sure enough, there it is. A dimly-lit room with the door cracked open. It's very long but not very wide, more like a hall than a library. Spanning along the walls is a gigantic mural depicting many different kinds of elves, scenes from history, and of course, Lunee. In some places, the paint glows, which gives the room its light. The designs make the room feel vast and mazelike. In fact, even the ceiling has been decorated in such a way.
There are books everywhere, all of them hand-written. Personal accounts, legends, research, histories, logs. They are stacked upon tables and pouring off of shelves. Where to start?! They're hardly labeled in a language I'm familiar with. In fact, many are entirely written in a different language. Even my Cypher can't help me.
I flip through a few books written in Common, but I find no mention of Jaaws. I might be better served asking Crystal for references; it would take years to go through everything here.
I wander around tables and boxes until I reach the back of the library. There's a door blocked by junk back here, including an open chest spilling with cartography supplies. It's labeled "Property of Koro the Wily, Adventurer." Oh, interesting.
I lift a journal from the bed of maps and compasses. It's made of stiffened leather, and the pages are thin and delicate. On them are good news: Koro the Wily has legible handwriting. Maybe there's something useful in here...
(June 15, 2020 - 2:14 pm)
Kosomi~~
As soon as the others are all distracted with the care of Lunee's instrument, I slip away, feeling grateful to be alone with my thoughts for once. There I things I know I can never tell the other Priests about myself, things I've always kept hidden.
The truth is, I don't really believe Lunee is as great as the other think she is. In all honesty, I don't even worship her. The only real reason I ever joined the Nocturnal was because it was expected of me--all generations of my family to come before me had been members. And even though I've always believed the Powers existed, and that they should be treated with respect, I have never felt they were the perfect beings the Nocturnal believes they are. I suppose I have always been interested in the history of Kyngdom, though I utterly despise how the Nocturnal has hidden that knowledge from the public.
The halls are nearly empty, as most are dealing with the idea of housing multiple Powers in our Temple. I'm not sure how I feel about the Powers. Disappointed is the most fitting. I'd have thought they would have learned from their past mistakes, but evidently, by their prejudices, they have not.
I slip into the library, the quiestest place in the Temple and also my favorite. I long for a day when I can show all of Kyngdom its contents. No doubt our society would be much improved.
The murals covering the walls incude several different images of Lunee, all of which are glowing, several types of elves, and various historical moments, such as the arrival of the Sanukans and the creation of Nobylity. I trace my hands across the tomes and scrolls lined neatly against the walls, within shelves made of expensive wood. Many of the titles are written in Kaania, better known nowadays as Ancient Tongue. A handful are written in Common Tongue, and a very rare few are written in the Northern Tongue, language of the Sanukans and Nanulians.
I begin to pull out a book labeled 'A Study on Fairyfolk', written by T'ibebenaya, when I hear the rustling of paper. I turn to see who else would possibly be here, and spot our guests, Hazel Coryli.
I silently put the book back on the shelf and approach her with soft footsteps, folding all four of my arms behind her back. I see that she's reading Koro the Wily's journals--an interesting read, if I say so myself. Koro the Wily was known for his voyages across not only Kyngdom but other nations as well, and his many run-ins with the law. Or, at least, he would be known for these things, had the Nocturnal not foolishly decided to hide so much information.
"Hello," I say, kindly. "Which journal are you on?"
Hazel looks up, a little startled. "Oh! Um, the second one." She looks a little confused at why I'm here, rather than with the others, but doesn't say anything about it.
"Ah. That's the one about his journeys across Southeastern Kyngdom, correct?"
"Yeah," Hazel replies. "So...you've read these before?"
I nod. "I spend a lot of time here, away from everyone else, so I've read a great deal of the books in here. Except for the ones about the day-to-day lives of Nobyls--they're really quite boring, and I'd rather read their personal diaries."
A small smile appears on Hazel's face. "I'm guessing you can...read the language that most of these books are written in, then?"
"You mean Kaania? I can read it, yes."
"Kaania?" She asks, a little confused.
"The Ancient Tongue. It's mostly fallen into disuse, only used by us and a few groups of orthodox animals," I reply. "Would you like me to teach you? It's quite easy to learn."
~~~
(June 15, 2020 - 3:59 pm)
Hm, how do people address Kosomi? Do they say 'your majesty' or...? Hazel's not sure what to call her >.<
----
"Kaania?"
"The Ancient Tongue. It's mostly fallen into disuse, only used by us and a few groups of orthodox animals. Would you like me to teach you? It's quite easy to learn."
"Oh, you could teach me? Thank you."
Kosomi grabs a small book written in the unfamiliar symbols and begins to introduce me to the mechanics of the language. It does remind me, a little bit, of the way the Cypher works. That makes it slightly easier to comprehend. It's a flowing language, relying on the back of the throat to make many of the sounds.
Kosomi said it was easy. Maybe it is for her, but I keep tripping over the words and forgetting what the little squiggles and dots mean. I don't think my talent is in learning languages. Still, Kosomi is patient with me, encouraging me to keep trying.
Once my brain is overwhelmed with symbols and sounds and can't hold anything else, I have to stop and take a break.
"The reason I came here was to look for information on Jaaws," I explain, idly tracing a Kaanian letter with my finger. "Do you have any books on her? We don't know how she came to be, and I think that her origin could help us figure out her downfall."
---
While the Powers know how Jaaws was made, I'm not sure if any mortals were ever told or shown. Hazel knows a little about how SAPs work, i.e. that they are made by the Powers, but she doesn't know the exact circumstances that bring about their existence. I think only the Powers would know the truth about her origin.
(June 16, 2020 - 9:36 am)
~Cairan~
The temple was amazing. Most of the trip I felt confused or uncomfortable. I still didn't get it all; why does everyone stare at me all the time? But now that I knew what we were doing and somewhat who everyone is, it got exciting. I am going to awake Lunee with the Power! Not to mention I'm in a new place. I got curious enough to leave Mom's side and go look around. These Nocturnal people must be big fans of the Powers, because there were so many artifacts and statues about them. Excepecially Lunee.
I wondered as I passed through the halls if I was going to like Lunee. I hope she wouldn't be as suspicious of me like Ecio. Sometimes when Ecio looked at me I could still see mistrust. He sounds really awesome in legends, but he's not so awesome in real life. Ayearth is cool though. I hope Lunee turns out to be like my mother or him.
"Be careful with those," Mom warned as I got a bit too close to some of the ancient artifacts.
"Right. Sorry," I said as I bounded back toward her. "When are we going to wake up Lunee?"
"We will very soon. When the Nocturnal are ready, it will begin," answered Ayearth.
"Ok!" I said. I walked with the Powers for a whille then, but still taking in all the sights.
~~~
I have no idea when Jaaws would take control of Cairan. Should it be before or after the awakening of Lunee? If it is after, it probably should be after everything is quieted down some. Cairan won't wander off from something new and exciting.
(June 16, 2020 - 1:27 pm)
Eyy, I might use the magical force known as liquid time to RP as Jaaws here at the same time as I do the Masquerade. These events would take place either before or after the ball. Probably before, and Jaaws will leave Ciaran with Whist while she goes to the ball.
I think Jaaws will capture Ciaran before they summon Lunee, so as to be far away by the time Lunee is awake. However, Jaaws will use Whist's illusions to trick Ciaran into thinking he watches Lunee get summoned, only to see her murder Sylvia and the other Powers. Thoughts?
(June 16, 2020 - 4:38 pm)
Sounds good to me! It makes the most sense that all of this would take place prior to the ball--seeing as Jaaws would likely have kidnapping Ciaran as a bigger priority than brainwashing a few Nobyls.
(June 16, 2020 - 5:41 pm)
Sounds good to me! We probably should have it happen as soon as we can then, since Lunee's awakening will happen soon.
(June 16, 2020 - 6:14 pm)