Call to Dinner
Log Info
- Title: Call to Dinner
- Emitter: Faranmidahn
- Characters: Cryosanthia, Faranmidahn
- Place: A10: Temple District
- Time: Sunday, September 27, 2020, 9:33 PM
- Summary: Faran and her mother are travelling through the Temple Districe when Cryosanthia and her foundling catch up with them. Cryo thanks the Waywalkers for watching Lily while she was off adventuring, and gives a brief summary of the mission. Lily has been told part of the tale, as she has a wooden scorpion toy that she's already chewed significantly. Conversation turns to Merek, then Taarans, and the Animus Shard quests. Cryo admits that she can't throw herself in like she did against the Fae Queen, and hopes that passing the torch to some other Sith will be good enough. She'd rather leave, but there is no place safe from those who would change the world and cosmos. They make plans for a day where they'll indulge their interests, jousting, swimming, and also wonder where Kaelyn got too, and contemplate trying to resolve that at the Fernwood.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* A10: Temple District *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
The air of solemn, heavy divinity in the area is often broken by laughter. The dual presence of the deities Althea and Daeus, man and wife, stand towards the center, with their children and their children's temples positioned around them. The presence of the divine is felt not only by their temples, but also by the actions of their worshipers. The great plaza is as a social center, paved in brilliant, white flagstones and covered in benches and sitting areas. Priests, acolytes, and servicefolk of all stripes roam the plaza, going from one task to the other.
At the front of the temples of Daeus and Althea, at the Plaza's centermost point, rests a great fountain, the cheerful waters reflecting the Sun during the day, and the Moon and Stars at night. The fountain is strategically centered, and is oft a place for wisdom and lesson-giving. It is not uncommon for a priest of some stripe or the other to stand there, surrounded by the curious and faithful, delivering messages of hope or contemplation. At other times, it and the plaza become a landscape of celebration of the holy holidays.
Few vendors are seen in the plaza--the nearby temples provide most food or services. Towards the west, the great Bridge stretches across the river, and towards the east, the Redridge mountains. The plaza rests in the midst of it all, the temples massive and grand on the Alexandrian scale.
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-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Appearing, in Order =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Faranmidahn 3'3" 35 Lb Halfling Female Albino Lucht woman in black leather armor with a BIG spider Cryosanthia 6'9" 291 Lb Sith-Makar Female A dashingly tall, elegant white-scaled lizard woman. -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--= -=--=--=--=--=--=-- Noteable NPCS --=--=--=--=--=--=--= Serrendine An older Lucht scholar, Faranmidahn's dame Lily A carnation scaled kobold, Cryo's foundling -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=
Faranmidahn rides along on the back of her big black spider, an elder, rather scholarly Lucht female of more earthy hues hugging her midriff from the back of the saddle. The pair are quiet, but their pace isn't partcularly rapid, perhaps so as to not dislodge the white fluffy spider on the albino's shoulder.
Cryosanthia exits the Temple of Althea, waving back into the interior. She adjusts the straps of her haversack, which is also serving as a saddle for Little Fang, 'Lily', who rides behind her head. The white Sith notices the spider, everyone notices the spider, and recognizing him turns and heads towards her friends. She calls out, "Peace, Faran, Professor!"
Behind her, Lily echoes, "Peassss."
The hail draws attention, and the albino knight's face lights up with a smile to, "Cryo, Lily, hi!" The elder, smaller, though of notable resemblance, smiles in a more subdued manner, but affords a wave and a, "Good evening." as the arachnid is steered via a rein and foot tapping toward them as Faran calls, "How are you, tonight?"
"This one is well," Cryosanthia answers, approaching swiftly but careful to steer around and keep away from Torrent's front.
"Peassss!" Lily repeats, as her own answer.
"I took Lily to see Zak, we played Knights and Something-large-and-Terrible-but-definitely-not-Dragons, because Dragons are lovely, with the other orphans. After we went to see Kira, but were not able to locate her."
Faranmidahn draws Torrent up to a halt as Cryosanthia skirts around to the side and she twists slightly in the saddle to offer her sister a hug, mindful not to smack her mother(?) in the face with an errant elbow or the like, "Shame, I was wondering how she was doing." Meanwhile, the elder's expression sours some on mention of the woman, but says nothing on the matter. Instead, she wonders of Lily, "Have you been a good girl?" with a little smile.
"Yes, Sssa Sseenss!" Lily squeals happily, squirming out of her saddle. She's going to jump. She jumps! She lands lightly on Torrent's back behind Serrendine, then hugs the elder lucht. She has a toy, which she shows off by shaking. It's a small wooden scorpion.
"Lily!" Cryosanthia is too late to stop her. She smiles awkwardly at the others, exhales, "Hopefully she's well." The whitescale is actively avoiding looking at the Temple of Daeus, hopefully he's well too. "I must thank you again for watching her, and I'm ready to assist you again Professor, when you want to pick up with the research."
The spider soaks this new impact under his legs, but doesn't complain. Serrendine, the elder, returns the hug, "Ohh, you're getting quick!" she says, gently stroking the pink scales. Faran, for her part, gives a concerned look to Torrent, gently patting him, "It's alright, Torrent, good boy!" Then, she reaches out to gently stroke the little Kobold's head, "Hi, honey!" she croons, then, "You shouldn't jump on him with both of us on his back, sweetie, okay?" Cryo's offer then draws the Professor's reply, "I would like that very much, thank you, Cryosanthia. Would tomorrow be alright?"
Cryo repeats Faran's warning in draconic, uncertain how much Lily understands of tradespeak. She's getting better with the language, but it's hard to know. Cryo nods to Serrendine, "Yes, this one will be there."
Lily smiles widely at Faran, her mouth full of little teeth. She waves the scorpion at Faran too.
Cryo's tail coils slowly back and forth behind her, she looks about the square, "Were you heading to dinner, home? Do you have time to talk?" Faranmidahn smiles and scritches under Lily's chin, "Ohh, what do you have there, sweetie? A new toy?" before her mother takes to studying the Kobold's new plaything. Cryo's question brings Faran's attenion back her way and, "We could go have dinner somwhere, if you want to? I'd... have to put Torrent up, somewhere, though?"
The little pink lizard stretches out her neck, rubbing her chin into the contact. She explains gleefully, "Yesss. Ssscorrss. Sssassa kill!"
Cryo dips her nose, snuffling a short laugh, "From the expedition I went on, I brought her a toy because I was away and told her what we happened. Sanitized, of course. If a meal is inconvenient, we can walk. I know you don't get to ride Torrent as much as you like, our hunger can keep."
Faranmidahn giggles a little to Lily's antics and strokes her head a little more, "Sssassa strong!" she assures the little one. She looks up to Cryo with some vieled concern, a quick once over for injury, perhaps, then, "I'm glad you're alright, sister." The observation about her freedom to ride warrants a look to her mount, a few fond strokes of chitin, and, "We haven't gotten to talk a lot lately either." Meanwhile, Serrendine asks, "May I see it, Lily?" while little Zephyr crawls over to say 'hi' as well in her way.
Lily clings with little hands, and offers the toy to Serrendine. She holds out her hand towards Zephyr, and is a lot more careful with her. The toy definitely gets the abuse, already it's been chewed a little, a sign of love or perhaps in re-enacting Cryo's tail. The toy is carved from wood, little blocks held together with pegs giving it some mobility, with some shiny stones for eyes and the stinger. It's articulated enough to move the legs and body, and probably realistically.
Cryo shows no injury, her armour and clothes are clean. She wobbles her head, waving her hands assuringly, "I took some hard hits. Sabina was along, I wouldn't risk a mission without a healer." She glances towards Lily, then continues, "There were two of them, MAC Bee One Gee was almost pinched in half. Nels shot it very effectively, and they both exploded. I was covered in a lot of scorpion bits."
The Lucht dame accepts with a soft, "Thank you." and a gentle stroke of the head before she starts to point to little bits of the toy, fingering the damage.
The daughter, in turn, nods, "Oh, how's Sabby doing? I haven't seen her in.... a while." Since everything went so wrong, but, to the conversation at hand, "I hope no one got too badly hurt?"
"Oh, Sabina is doing very well. She has her own place, a combination tavern, stage and bathhouse! It's incredibly relaxing if you have not been. The acoustics are excellent, this one has offered to help her, performing and the more mundane tasks. You should have seen, she could barely stand and her staff were pestering her the moment she walked in for decisions." Cryo sounds very enthusiastic, her steps light and bouncy as she follows beside Torrent. Her voice acquires some serious tones, "Sabina, was poisoned very badly, it took days to wear off. The scorpions were infernal, escaped from rifts nearby, spoke in a language we didn't understand. Probably infernal. They had killed off a bunch of Caravaners."
Lily is watch Cryo as she speaks, though it's not clear how much she understands. Her toy has been chewed, and apparently stabbed in the underbelly a few times. Nothing that a mending cantrip wouldn't fix, although it will need one soon. Lily turns to watch the examination of the damage, and makes happy noises and a poking gesture with one of her fingers. Stab stab!
Faranmidahn frowns and sighs, "I'll make a point to go see her. Thank you for telling me." She keeps the spider at a modest clip so as not to straight anyone's riding, or striding. She blinks, "They spoke?" Hmmm. Zephyr, for her part, eventually returns to her perch and makes her purr, while Serrendine oooh's and ah's at Lily's battle prowess, "You'll be a fine hunter in time." she assures the little one, stroking the kobold gently.
Cryosanthia nods, "She'll like that. She has three master Lucth Siuil chefs in the kitchen. They can prepare anything, one meal was hydra heads. They do argue a bit. Decent meal at any rate." She sighs wistfully, "It reminds me of the Fernwood, but different. It's meant to be a sort of shrine, to Tarien, Ceinara and Rada."
"Anyhow, the scorpions did speak. They were a mated pair, under a bridge. Pop out and grab. We were lucky. I went only because it was related to mining, and I was worried kobolds might be involved somehow. And, good I think, to let Lily experience a few things without me hovering."
Lily leans solidly against Serrendine's side as she is stroked, making high pitched buzzing noises that clearly indicate happiness. She waves at Zephyr.
The coconut spider lifts a foreleg and waves back at Lily, while Torrent continues to chug on ahead. Faran smiles thoughtfully and nods, "Perhaps tomorrow after we finish our training, we can all drop by?" A glance over her shoulder, but the elder Waywalker seems to be content rubbing Lily, so the knight doesn't make the inquiry, now. Instead, to Cryo, "I.. ran into Merek the other night...."
Cryo hears the tone in Faran's voice, she looks directly at her, stays focused and nods slowly. She carefully says, "This one has seen him often, since he was freed. He's... changed. Changing. I'm not sure in good ways. It sounds like it was not a good encounter?"
A frown, "I'm... he was caked in dried...." ahem, "red stuff. Clothes in shambles. He said he was fine, then asked the Sith vendor I was buying food from if he had anything." A shrug, "Apparantly some Taarans attacked him, and he said he was leaving for a while." There's a low shake of her head, "I suggested he try that spell Master Mikilos cast for you, but I couldn't remember the name of it."
Lily squirms around so she's seated 'on Serrendine's lap', effectively jamming herself between Faran and Serren. There's a lot of tail-motion, until she gets it set right. She's watching the older lucht intently.
"Oh, the Mage's Magic Mansion." Cryosanthia provides an answer, then exhales hard as she processes the rest of it, "Taarans attacked him? He was covered... ? He's a healer, he has cleaning magic, why would he... " She sighs, "It's that God-shard business. He's determined to get involved, yet half the time he's wandering about like he isn't on this plane. Why doesn't he ask Mikilos for help? This one warned him about his volunteering for perilious things. Did you know he offered to come along to Salina's as well, when I did? She made both of you forget. The memory of it popped right in my head when he insisted he had to find the shards to protect people."
Faranmidahn blinks with a, "Wha-?" as she is suddenly being squirmed against, arching her back a little and fidgetting to try and get into a somewhat comfortable position, while her mother does similar, though the straps keeping her in place should Torrent go upward limit the amount of play they have. Ahem. Pitched foward a bit to account for the change in passengers, faran sighs and shakes her head, "He mentioned it, but it sounded like he didn't have anything to go on, it doesn't make sense to randomly attack him." Her eyes turn downward at the mention of Salina. The mention of that damned evening, and, "I... didn't. I still don't... I still can't remember trying to go at all... I would have.. you said I did, but I can't.... it's not there."
Cryo reaches out, laying her white scaley hand gently on Faran's arm. She continues to stare, her sapphire eyes glittering, "Sister, you did. This one remembers, the fruit restored all. It was a long time ago but I'd never forget. It's only a little buried. I plan to get a ring, some scrolls of memory sharing, I'll let you see it. You did offer."
The Sith side-steps as she travels beside Torrent, still facing Faran as much as she can. "He doesn't, he told me he was communing, that he had conflicting answers, even the good gods don't seem united. If you haven't heard, a society believes pieces of Animus fell to Ea, and that gathering them they could bring him back. They're determined to find these and try to, without concern of the effects. They even cited Salina, as proof, that it's necessary. All our hard work to defeat her, their conclusion is it's a sign, that the gods were too weak. They're idiots determined to shake the foundations of the world and the cosmos, and convincing enough everyone is looking for these shards now. Even Mikilos believes it is a good idea."
Faranmidahn smiles sadly, a little glitter in her eyes at the touch, but she nods, "Thank you, sister." She sighs and glances eleswhere for a moment, "I.... don't know what to think." There's a rueful shake of her head and she continues, "There will be a lot of turmoil over them, a lot of lives to protect." There's a sigh and, "Even... I wondered about why Sally" she still avoids using the fae's name, "was allowed to run so rampant without check. Or Eckles.... I don't know what to do."
"This one doesn't either," Cryosanthia sighs, keeping her hand on Faran's arm. She glances back at Lily, Serrendine, "This one wonders but doesn't see it as proof of anything. Ceinara, doesn't care, that's been made clear to me. She's interested in entertaining things, but has no concern over justice. Her priests have been telling me to let it go, find inspiration somehow, it's just a thing that happened. As this will be, and the next."
"I wonder sometimes if all Merek's talk of planar travel, and the Magic Mansion, if it wouldn't be better to simply find a gate to another plane of existence and wait it out there. This one would go through to Am'shere if I thought that would close permanently. I would not want you left behind."
The Knight shifts the grip on the reins slightly and shakes her head, "I... can't run. Not again..." She lets go of the strap with one hand, crossing over to alight on Cryo's, "I'm... I don't know if Am'shere would be any safer than anywhere else, if things come to a head."
"I doubt it will. I've warned the Silver Empress, she sent an emissary." Cryosanthia replies, and shakes her head, "I don't want to be cut off from home, and... I can't, Faran."
The white sith stares at her sister, "I can't throw myself into a thing and be devoured, to no lasting effect. Who knows what designs Eckles had, kill a god? Well, we've another group fully committed to that. What influence did I have on Salina? What influence will we have on how this plays out. They didn't listen to us before. They'll continue with their plans, brook no dissent. They could turn all magic evil, destroy witches, yet they feel this is fine and all things they'll discover along the way."
She shakes her head, "Some mistakes are only obvious after they've happened. I fear this will be the same."
Faranmidahn gives the hand a squeeze, "I won't ask you to, Cryo..." she says gently, a sad smile on her face, "You have your people, you have Lily." The professor looks to her daughter a moment, but doesn't interupt her amusing the Kobold.
Faran sighs, "I wish you were, but we won't know...."
Lily is staring at Cryo, picking up a lot more perhaps than the luchts, through scents and body language. She makes a wailing sort of cry, which instantly distracts the sith'makar.
"I'm sorry Lily, this one is here," Cryo turns, immediately rubbing her head and making a thrumming noise in her throat. A pained glance is given towards Faran, she keeps talking ot the kobold, "it's okay, we're talking about a story, it's fine."
Lily wriggles in a way that will force Serrendine to hug her, simply to stop her moving.
Cryo shakes her head, exhales, "Shaman Iuitl and Shaman Geir will look into it. This one has heard the call to adventure and passed the torch, may that be all that's needed of me."
Serrendine does, eventually end up hugging the squirmy kobold, with the little spider on Faran's shoulder pivoting to look at her. The Knight looks to her familiar and gives her a little kiss, before nodding. at once, the voiceless rumble begins, the little spider's purr to accompany Cryo's calming thrum. Faran reaches out to touch her sister's hand again, asiding, "We're ok, Lily, it's alright." then, "We... should arrange a late night, soon, sister." she adds quietly.
"Yes," Cryo says, still agitated and forcing herself to be calm, if only for Lily's sake. "Yes," she says again, calmer, "the baths are wonderful, hot. Lily loves to swim, Irshya is good with her. Or another Picnic, where we found Zephyr."
She nudges her nose towards the tiny coconut spider, blows a cool puff of air, "Beautiful eyes."
Lily stops being a bundle of thrashing limbs and tail, and settles, held.
"You are amazing with her, Professor Waywalker. Thank you again, for watching her while I was galavanting."
The little spider dances a little as she's given the chilly caress, and the little knight smiles, "She likes that, I think. My pretty girl."
Serrendine seems vaguely surprised by the appraisal, sparing an.... odd look to her daughter, who doesn't look back to catch it, "She's a good girl." she says simply, then looks down to Lily, "Aren't you?"
Faran thinks about things for a few moments while that conversation proceeds, then, "Maybe a good soak would be nice."
"Yesss!" Lily agrees, with bright eyes and a big snappy smile. She wriggles again, a small scaley bundle.
Cryo, who still has a little height on Faran even while she's mounted, chuckles. "I used to be that small, once, for a very short time." Is she jealous? She's sounding jealous. "We could go to the Fairgrounds too, watch you joust, or do other practice. Whatever you wish. We don't have to do only the things I like."
The professor hugs her a little tighter, with a, "Shhhh-sh-sh-sh-shhhhh.... easy, Lily." A soft 'hmmmm' issues from the knight, then, "I've.... well a nice joust could be fun." she muses, then, "We could make a day of things... maybe we could do something each of us enjoy?"
"This one would enjoy that," Cryo smiles, her tail high and wagging, "Perhaps something for Lily and the Professor too. We can be in Alexandria at any time, Mictlan is good, but time away helps also."
She blows another cool puff towards Zephyr, laughs, "My haversack is filling up with toys."
Faranmidahn gives a little giggle, then a nod, "I'd love to show you how to couch a lance, someday." There's a little squeeze of her hand, then, "Ooooh, maybe I can take Lily for a ride! Up into the trees, or a nice cliff." A giggle, "I need to get you a shrinking option so I can take -you- for a ride!"
"EEEK!" Cryosanthia squeals and jumps back, then laughs, "I... oh my scales, I can't imagine that! I will try it, yes. This one still wants to get you a potion of Kobold some..."
She glances at Lily, back at Faran, winks, "If you turned into one, she'd for the rest of her life imagine you were in disguise, I'm sure! That she might pop into a softskin without warning. Oh, that could be too funny and too cruel."
Faranmidahn gives a big grin and a wink, "It's fun! A lot of people do things like hang big rings from branches, or make little spinny targets. Oh! I also heard about someone using those big green melon things, you know, the stripey ones?" The musings about the rest warrant a thoughtful glance to her sister's daughter, "Maybe when she gets older, when we're sure she'd understand."
"Sssaaa!" Lily says, hugging Faran from behind, responding to something.
Cryo snorts a short laugh, and nods, "She is clever. This one wants her to understand not to steal or to bite, and then give her many other things she can do. The spinny targets and the stripey melons sound good."
The whitesale shakes her head, "Just thought about Kaeryn and Kaelyn right now, can't imagine why. This one shall try jousting, I can ride. I can even do tricks falling off the horse."
Faranmidahn gives a little giggle and sets her hand lightly on Lily's arms about her waist, "Good Lily!" She beams a warm smile over her shoulder, then, a glance to her mother, before looking to Cryosanthia anew, "I hope Miss Kaelyn is dong alright... it's ben an awfully long time since we heard anything."
"It has..." Cryo says, "I haven't been by the Fernwood in months. It's, well you remember. It doesn't feel right. The Tarrace, feels like moving on, a new relationship instead of an old ruined one. I hope Kaelyn is ok. I miss her too."
She glances at Lily, "I think they'd get along amazingly. They have the same kind of bouncy energy."
Faranmidahn nods and brushes her hair back, "We should try to check in on her, too." she says thoughtfully, arching an eyebrow, "Maybe she's still fluffy?" Ahem, "Though, we might lose Lily in there, if she is."
Hair of course, fascinates Lily. As Faran brushes hers back she attempts to get in it, so that she catches some of it and has hair of her own. For the moment, she's a pink lizardly face peeking out of the poof. She would easily get lost in Kaelyn, if this is any indication.
The whitescale nods, "let's do that soon, then. Tomorrow. I can stay over there and be ready any time you come by. There isn't really, anyplace for me to stay here." Not in the Temple District. Further up the mountain, Mikilos might lend out his room.
Faranmidahn giggles a little as she feels Lily playing with her hair, which is a lot easier while she isn't actively yanking hard on it. "I wish I could see this." she quips lightly, though she sobers a little on hearing Cryo doesn't have a place to stay, and she draws Torrent to a stop, "You... where have you been staying..?"
"In Mictlan. We head back to Mictlan every night. I only come into Alexandria a couple times a week, to work or to take Lily to places. It used to be only once a week, Lily gives me more reasons to be here." Cryosanthia explains, "I'm trying... to learn how to be a Sith'makar again, feel Ea, and not some sterile stone Tower. If I stay over in the city... I find a room somewhere for us. Some days, I'm not carrying everything I own. It's... it's taking time."
Some damage is still there, just well hidden. She changes the subject with a grin, "It's all good, we can talk about it tomorrow."
Faranmidahn nods, as, interestingly enough, does Professor Waywalker as well.
Faran gives Cryo a gentle touch to the arm and nods, "Tomorrow, then... for now, let's have a nice dinner...."
"Yes, lets." Cryo nods.
"Yessssss." Lily chimes in.
And off they go.
