Shamans Blessing for Hatchlings

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Located within the Deep Woods, and hours past Wilderness Pointe, in the heart of its northern woods, bones frame this hollowed-out space. Massive and heavy, they reach towards the sky, meeting--almost--in the center like great and worn stalagmites. Or giant teeth. After a few seconds--it's quickly evident that this is a space carved from a dragon's bones. A very, very large...dragon's bones. The air smells of ash, brimstone, and earth. Underneath the apex of the bones lie the workings of a ceremonial pyre.

The grounds are run by shamans of the sith-makar, and the sacred space dedicated to the Death Singing Dragon, one of their names for the goddess, Vardama. The sith use it to sing the souls of their dead back to the land of Wing and Flame. It was here that brave heroes stood, and vanquished the ashen warriors of old, thereby freeing the land from Thul's curse.

EXTRAS: +view

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Xiuhcoatl Tall, lithe, savage looking blue scaled Sith-Makar ma 2m 1h

Svarshan Demons: BBQ with Spice 0s 1w

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Through Woods <TW>

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GAME: You invite Iuitl to join you. Offer will expire in two minutes.

Iuitl has arrived.

Xiuhcoatl is sitting underneath a protruding bone, his tail coiled around him as he sits on his legs. His hands rest on his knees as his head trails down eyes closed towards the ground in quiet meditation, though it almost looks like a nap.

"Quiet." An older sith-makar nudges the hatchlings as the group makes their way into Mictlan. There are seven in total, a mixture of genders and all of them nearing their first year...which has to be just a week or two away. They stare wide-eyed at the dragonbones. Several move to clutch adult hands or tails. Svarshan and his cihuaa walk with them, the former slow-moving and as content as it is possible for a sith-makar to be.

The older sith-makar, and two others, take the hatchlings in hand, and begin to move them towards one of the Fires.

There is steady breathing from the blue, continued for a moment more before his eyes slowly open. There is a moment, of a sigh, a flurry of activity, as he leaps up from his position and cracks his neck, tail flailing back and forthy suddenly. His eyes rest on the others, and nods. "Peace to you and your nest, elder." he calls, though not loudly enough to disturb anyone.

A gentle tap-tap-tap can be heard following soon after the parents and their children arrive. The sickly-looking sith-makar shamaness with no visible tokens gently coos to a nervous raven that remains perched on her shoulder. The raven complains at the idea of being under the bones at all, but eventually calms with some effort on Iuitl's part. The somber, quiet creature walks around Mictlan, familiarizing herself with the location with her tired eyes. She seems mellow, slow, calm. When she stops before Xiuhcoatl, she speaks in her very gentle voice, "Shaman Iuitl," and then, to punctuate the introduction, "Peace," taking the rest as implied. The taciturn creature nods, and taps her tail against the ground.

Svarshan leans over and nips is cihuaa, Vthria, lightly, before thumping his tail in the blue's direction. Svarshan looks impossibly content. His shoulders are as relaxed as they never are. Hatchlings are quickly swept up by shamans and tribesfolk. One of them in particular, one of the daughters, sticks with Shaman Iuitl. She tries to clutch at the shamaness's robes...then to bury her head in them and hide.

Xiuhcoatl begins an introduction, where before it might have been rehearsed and ingrained, it is more deliberate and genuine. "Xuihcoatl, son of Ferragoratrix, Scourge of Vensaan." he bows slightly. "An honor." a second short bow to the shamaness.

"An honor," Iuitl agrees, managing something of a curtsey, because she has horrible posture anyways. She looks down at the hatchling clinging to her, and carefully crouches down to pick the child up and hold her with her free arm, the most serene of smiles on her face. "Svarshan asked for a blessing for the children," she tells Xiuhcoatl, "Very sudden." She looks brightly amused, yet it still has accents of her subdued emotions.

There is a Fire blazing, its traditional warmth reminiscent of the ancestors and of Memory and Now. The rest of the hatchlings are ushered that way, and asked to sit. This is EXCITING, their looks say. They stare wide-eyed at EVERYTHING.

"The sshaman was kind. To agree," says Svarshan. His voice is warm, and he offers a thump of his tail at the end of it.

"They will be Named soon," the sith at his side says. Vthria eyes Iuitl speculatively for a moment. "I will ssee they are in order for you. Thank you for assisting us, and honoring the Atoyaatl."

There is a nervous stillness when around the children. He looks around his legs, now hyper aware about them and not wanting to move a muscle around them. Even his active tail is deliveratly still as he nods. "Yes, he said." with a slightly amused look. He cracks his neck to the other side. "Have you been to this place?" he carefully motions with his hands.

The cute young hatchling was allowed to be urged to the rest of her siblings, Iuitl not going to get in the way of this getting underway, if that's the plan. "No," she admits to Xiuhcoatl, "Durrankar meant to show me this place." She then steps up to Xiuhcoatl to whisper something to him, and steps back, nodding to him, stepping over to keep track of the children soon after. She makes sure to familiarize herself with what they look like and their behavior, very attentive of it with those deceptively tired eyes.

There are seven in all. Not yet Named, not yet recognized. They chirp and talk excitedly. Now and then they forget their 'quiet' missive, and have to be told again. Iuitl has two clutching on her, now. The one in her arms tries giving her a hug. Or gripping an adult for safety. Or a hug. Or--

"I have not sspoken to Durrankar for. Ssome days. I would wissh he could. Have been here," says Svarshan. He lifts one of the hatchlings, and places this one, a young boy, near the Fire. "Whenever you are ready, Sshaman," he says.

Xiuhcoatl lets out a chortling hiss and looks back to the children (nervously). "I....I don't suppose it will be an issue." He carefully steps, making his way through the site, taking up an appropriate place.

Xiuhcoatl looks more comfortable now that there is a bit of distance between him and children. He looks to Svarshan and the family thoughtfully while the preparation begins. He paces somewhat, making a slow, but deliberate figue eight patten in his tracks, tail whipping from side to side at random intervals.

One of the hatchlings stares wide-eyed at the unfamiliar blue. Xiuhcoatl's presented with a frank, curious stare that only a hatchling can give. Whoo arreee yooouu? And, What do you smeeelll liiike? might be two things it asks. The others stay where they are. They're mostly good. ...possibly due to the small treats in their small claws. Possibly.

Alas, the clinging child must be placed down with her siblings, the second gently nudged with the haft of the cloth-bound spear she always carries around. It's then that all of the mirth seems to wash out of Iuitl, as she steps up to the fire.

"We are all Children of the Fire," she says, her voice taking up a power behind it, and as she says that, her posture straightens and there's even a 'pop' of joints and a grunt and growl. The raven even takes a similar grave appearance. She briefly crouches to gather the black charcoal from the fire where it isn't too hot to touch. "Hunter, priest, warrior, no matter, as this is Who we are. And Father Dragon watches over all of us," she says, and kneels down, gently touching the young Sith on the cheek, as carefully as comforting the child. She is, in fact, providing a physical representation of her blessing.

"May our Fire's guidance never lead these children astray," she goes on, "May our gods watch over them, even in life, even in death." Each child receives a charcoal mark, like a sign of the Fire, in turn, on a different spot.

"May the Fire always warm these children and shield them from the Dark."

Iuitl's Raven crows in its harsh tone, "Bless."

Xiuhcoatl looks down, keeping his hands clasped behind his back. "I..." he looks nervous. "what?" confused "That's awefully personal." slightly indignant. He politely ignores the children, though is still nervous, but gives a curt hiss in quiet. He closes his eyes, drinking in the words.

Svarshan and Vthria thump their tails at intervals. So do the other sith present. Thump, thump. Thuff-thump. Svarshan stands up straight. This is one of the best things he has ever done. Ever been part of.

The small hatchling stares at the blue a while longer, before being drawn into the shaman's chant. Then it stares at her, too.

(New BB message (3/141) posted to 'Plot Announcements' by Whirlpool: Adventures in Babysitting Part 3 ()

Xiuhcoatl thumps his tail along with the others. He is keeping his attention on the ceremony, but nervously looks down at intervals to the unblinking eyes of children. The blue has been trained in fear, uses it as weapon and defense, faced horrors of all kinds...and finally met his match. He humphs and looks the ceremony, when the child is distracted.

"Father Dragon, bless these children and shield them with your wings," Iuitl speaks up, as if talking up toward the Father Dragon himself through the bones. "Death Singer, wait for these dear Fires to grow before they must hear their songs," she also says, taking light and dark in equal importance. She holds both of her arms out, the spear held like a ceremonial staff.

She begins to chant in raw Draconic, picking up on the feel of the blessing. She is hardly practiced, but she asks for blessing from all of the common Sith-makar gods, the ones who would care about it at least... And she finally throws the charcoal and charcoal dust back on the fire, creating a puff of smoke and a slight climb in the Fire.

"I, Shaman Iuitl, possessed of a flame that dances with the dark, have blessed these Nameless children."

"Bless!!" Iuitl's Raven repeats, in its harsh voice. Then she grows silent, and still, returning to her usual posture and closing her eyes. She's almost as still as a statue.

GAME: Whirlpool has awarded you 15750 XP for being in character!

GAME: RPG - Staff gives you 0 copper.

Svarshan lifts his cihuaa and hugs her, a sudden and outright display of affection. It's followed by a roar. ...which gets picked up, because what is more in honor of the ancestors than a full-throated dragon's bellow? The hatchlings try their best.

• Peep* *Peeeeep!*

They are not very good at this yet.

There is a heartfelt silence in the blue, who lets his tail flash back and forth. His hands sit by his side, black claws flexing. He lets go of a shrill bellow that crackles with electricity and the slight smell of ozone.

The mellow Iuitl does not join the bellow, instead remaining as silent and somber as before. Iuitl rarely shows so much energy, despite obviously having the capacity for it. She doesn't seem more tired. As it draws to a close, she smiles at the happy family and looks toward Xiuhcoatl, who joined in... and she beams with silent joy, satisfied beyond measure with her work here.

Even Iuitl's raven remains still and content, somehow okay with all of the loud noises.

With a deliberate movement, the mellow shamaness looks to Svarshan and his cihuaa, and a strange two words are shared with them: "Thank you." It's only then that she steps away from the newly-blessed sith children and over to Xiuh, giving him a questioning gaze, as if asking, 'How did I do?'

Released from adult gazes, the hatchlings begin to bumble about. The daughter heads straight towards the shamaness' robes again, while others begin exploring the logs just a little bit, or clinging to adult legs. Or poking eachother. Svarshan lowers Vthria to the ground, smiling warmly at her before embracing her again.

Xiuhcoatl slowly moves nearby to the shaman as the family celebrates. He places a hand on her shoulder, not enough to put any pressure on her frame. He gives a simple slow nod, but nothing else.

A bump from a nearby playing child is all it takes for Xiuhcoatl to break from a comraderie filled moment to a subtle, chaotic, and nervous. tension.

Just a couple inches taller than five feet, Iuitl is not a very imposing creature. She stands with a hunch, often supporting herself with the large spear she carries around. This sith-makar has mottled black scales and a ratty head of long white feathers. Her eyes are shaped such that her gaze always looks tired, with a pair of eyes that stare out, like pools of green bog. Her teeth are fairly well-maintained, despite this appearance. Her clothing is a set of robes and furs that shield much of her figure from view. The end of her tail, almost always visible and barely kept raised off the ground, has a tuft of ashen grey feathers in much the same style as her head.

Svarshan looks over at the shaman. He thumps his tale--it had taken the slow-moving father a while to register her words. He thumps again, and lifts his chin before beginning to scoop up hatchlings. With luck, they'll be tired soon.

The one that had followed Iuitl over reaches up to grab at the shaman's robes, and attempt to duck underneath, from where she can peer safely at the blue. Hellooooo new persooon...

Iuitl nods back to Xiuhcoatl, though she's quickly distracted by the young one bumping into Xiuhcoatl. And then she lets out a sigh at the young sith girl, and decides to just sit down there on the ground and pull the child over onto her lap. Her spear is left there on the ground next to her, carefully rested there. In contrast to Xiuhcoatl, Iuitl seems... at peace, around the children. Matronly.

"I have always embraced this part of our life," she admits up to Xiuhcoatl, "I was only a shaman for a short time before I had to travel. Much of my duties were healing. I would heal the young ones when they fought each other or got hurt and just... listen."

"No advice. No orders. Just listening. Maybe listening is better than both. Maybe it is only a part of what is needed." She wonders aloud.

"Goodbye, young one. Your parents must leave now," Iuitl tells the clingy one. "I will see you again."

Xiuhcoatl nods, still careful. "I....I was an only child. I knew no other children." he adds, an odd statement for a sith as he looks around to the young ones.

The little one burrows in. She's happy where she is. ...it takes her mother coming to get her, which earns a, "Nuh!" from the girl.

Grabbyclaws.

"We treassure every one that lives. ...welcome home, Xiuhcoatl," Vthria says. She hoists the protesting hatchling, and offers a thump of her tail to them both, before returning to her cihuaa and the other hatchlings.

Xiuhcoatl swallows hard and nods to Vrthria with silence, tail lashing to the right twice in succession. "A proud day, no doubt...." he returns to her finally, nostrils flaring.