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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:38:11 GMT -6
*music slows to a stop, and a faint sound can be heard, like the sound of an old record crackling against the needle of the turn-table. After a minute or two of this near silence, raspy voice speaks in a low and smooth tone*
It starts the new talking. It does, quite humbly, as is asked of it. *you can hear the sound of claws scraping across a surface, and the 'announcer' speaks more*
It will be speaking of many things. Places. Earth. Sky. People. Lost things, far away things. Things close. It has no need to speak of humble beasties, it doesn't. It... it will start with people... people close. Ask it questions, it is here to serve.
*a low and soft growl can be heard as the 'announcer' continues to speak*
It will speak of noble people. Proud people. Ssashirk. They are a strong people. A powerful people. Not all are strong or large, some are nimble, like a gecko, but speaking of ... physical.. is not what it is told to do. Let it begin with where Ssashirk are found, before labs.
Far to the west, across the Sea of Sands, the Ssashirk find their home, where they wander the deserts. Their clothes are loose, and some wear none at all. Desert life does not fit the clothes, and Ssashirk have nothing to hide. This is why a human can never tell gender of Ssashirk, unless Ssashirk tell human.
Ssashirk do not like intruders on their territory, and only Ssashirk know where the oasis lie. They move from oasis to oasis, and follow the small herds of desert-beasts. They hunt with spears, and wear jewels of gold. Gold is not their craft, but is their trade. The humans of the desert, also a proud and deep people, live further west, toward the red canyons and cliffs that seperate desert from forbidden forest of old gods. The desert people built-ed large city of stone, pillars of yellow, red, and white. Trimmed with gold. A wealthy people they, trading only with Ssashirk, who bring them news, meats, and protection. Ssashirk are mighty warriors, happy to be hired by Desert people, the Tumai people. Ssashirk like arena of Tumai, and find much pride in winning against other Ssashirk, which Tumai enjoy to watching.
Many broods of Ssashirk have many different names. Each brood has it's own name and territory, and they kill each other over it. Only time broods get along is times of trade, and usually in Tumai city, where fight outside of arena is forbidden, met with death.
Ssashirk are not a stupid people, but many human... not Tumai, think Ssashirk barbarian. Foolish human people. Ssashirk are keepers of knowledge as well, knowledge told down by mouth to mouth at campfires. Ssashirk who travel far from desert, to labs, are usually Ssashirk who seek more knowledge and solidity than other Ssashirk. Desert life not for everyone.
Some Ssashirk also live in Tumai city, hidden in red cliffs. Mercenaries are common for Ssashirk. Deadly assassin-peoples, Ssashirk can be. Like to fight with sword and spear. Even far Ssashirk of south jungle are a sharp people, travel lots, and hunt and fight.
South Ssashirk, the Ka-tak'ash people they say, live close with what human call Dash-claw. Are ally of Dash-claw, but do not live with. Much less is known of Ka-tak'ash people, guardians of old temples hiding in green rampant growth of jungle. It does not yet know of any South Ssashirk, or Ka-tak'ash that moved up to labs... Correct it if it is wrong, but mostly it is known that the South Ssashirk are more secretive, want nothing outside their paradise of danger in home jungle.
Ssashirk... It cannot think of much more to say on Ssashirk... mayhaps the kind humansis have questions for it. It can answer. It can answer.
*music begins to play again*
*During a commercial break from music, another announcer lets the audiance know that any questions can be directed to X'aroth*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:38:23 GMT -6
Ssashirk are a varied people in looks, but as to the question of ... of environ-ment bio-logical.. ah, um...
*the anouncer clears his ragged throat a bit*
Desert Ssashirk are warm colors, colors of fire and sand. Colors of yellow, gold, brown, red, fire, white, and even grey. Some black Ssashirk there be in desert also. Jungle Ssashirk are cool colors, colors of tree and water. Colors of green, blue, purple even. Splashes of vibrant contrast color of fire sometimes can be found, on Jungle Ssashirk throat, just as splashes of cool can be found on fire's throat. Some Jungle Ssashirk can be also neutral, grey, white, and black - but is more rare for white.
There are a central to northern forest Ssashirk, a people of the forest. But these people are very very rare. Migration families mostly. Families of two to six. No more than that. They are ... settlers? Yes, settlers. But have been for many more years than lab, and are a quiet people, with little culture. They are traders, mostly. Yes, traders.
As for Tumai people, *the announcer's voice starts to get faster, more excited*, Tumai people are proud and strong. And though they do favor the Ssashirk for fight-joy, they do honor the Ssashirk, and consider Ssashirk honorable. They not consider Ssashirk a lesser people, but more equal - and sometimes greater, even if Ssashirk are humbled. Tumai and Ssashirk people fight, live, and die side-by-side, as brother not in blood. Ssashirk rarely live in the city of Tumai, as they are travelers, but it is not un-common for Ssashirk broodlings to live in house of Tumai for work and family. Ssashirk are Tumai people's favorite generals - and in fact, current general of Tumai is Ssashirk Gikashk, female of Sharpest Spear. She is called often by Tumai 'du-nyah', or 'small-snout'.
South Ssashirk are harder to explain - as with the Dash-claw, there are very few times when they are met and one can come back alive... Most are said to be eaten. South Ssashirk are more secretive - or more ambush, we know little. We do know that Ssashirk and Dash-claw both have been living there for thousands of years, and rarely do we hear of anything but them together on friendly terms. As for gods and temples... Bring X'aroth a thing of them, bring X'aroth a dusty thing of them from temple, and X'aroth be most happy, most happy yes indeed - good reward for what X'aroth can learn from it. Much pleased will it be for you.
Ungulates, ah yes. It... She..? Wants to hear of the grass-people. There are other places these people dwell, but mostly in the East - far from the Ssashirk people. Though the two people are not at war, they rarely live close by. Ssashirk leave grassland to the people of the grass, and people of the grass leave the desert and jungle to the Ssashirk. I call them people of the grass, because each tribe considers itself it's own people... but they all live in the great open grass of the East... or mostly all... Family tribes, tribes of 5 to 500 strong these people live. Nimble-striders, Proud-leapers, Strong-Hooves, and even the Reed-Warriors. Usually a peaceful people, but many many tribes. More of this you want to hear?
Or maybe it speaks of fae... fae of near? or fae of far? Fae of far are hard to speak of.. maybe it speaks of fae of near...?
Or maybe it speaks of Siren? Siren are ocean people, strong cities - make labs for shame, it does. Beautiful cities, full of magic they are. Good place to learn magic, Siren city, but dangerous place. Very dangerous. Guarded by magic and warriors of more sharp strikes than Ssashirk wish to confront. Guarded by great beasts, and fear of drowning it is. Have seen Siren people, it has... just once it has. Siren people not like labs so much - hate labs, stay far away from. Siren people are most dangerous, most dangerous people of all world, Draconics respect the most. But dangerous has many treasures... treasures of the mind... Maybe not speak of Siren - might offend them.
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:38:47 GMT -6
It thinks of more things to tell you, it does. *the voice begins, as though if it were already in mid-sentence when it cuts through the music* It thinks of things to tell you as is request – first of the Maw of Hell they do ask. *suddenly, the voice on the radio pauses, and hints of whispering can be heard… more than one voice in the background. After that moment’s pause, the original voice starts up again, loosing a lot of it’s accent – but the voice speaks more slowly, as if deliberate.*
Far to the west of here lies the desert. Farther west lies the red mountains. Most young know of this. But what lies ahead if you should travel north in the desert? Does desert yield to the snowy north? No. Should you travel West to the desert, then head toward the Northern moon, you will eventually come across a great chasm. Great is not a big enough word. This chasm, this… fissure.. It stretches for nearly half of Pethia, a great gouge upon it’s landscape. Miles wide, and many more than ten miles deep. The sheer and jagged black cliffs that go down deep into the earth seem endless, and perhaps they are… The gouge goes well below sea-level, and finally rests in a river of magma, to show how deep it goes. Riddled throughout this Canyon’s walls are caves, like a … like a cheese… ah… the black cheese-rocks? You know them? Like black cheese-rock… *a voice whispers in the background again, and the radio speaker comes back on* Lava-rock, riddled with holes. And these holes, these… caverns… stretch themselves for miles into the earth as well, a labyrinth of caverns. Crossing the Maw of Hell on it’s natural-made onyx colored stone bridges is no easy task… One must first travel deep into this Canyon (the Maw), miles down until you come onto a brittle bridge, and attempt to cross… climbing your way back up the other side. These bridges are known to be like glass – formed from spittings of the magma below, cooled in such a perfect way to form a bridge. The climb down, across the bridge, and back up is perilous indeed, and not suggested for heavy-footed animals, such as equillion. In more than just the danger of crossing… other dangers exist. It is known that there are many foul creatures that prefer the dark and heat of the canyon. Foul, foul things that bite, and snatch away into the caverns. Mortavos claims this wide canyon… this Maw… as his kingdom.
*his voice becomes more hushed now* You know of Mortavos, yes? The Maw is not a place for sane to travel…
*then his voice raises again, and it begins to speak in a more regular tone* Now it asks of Desert things… Desert culture, desert cities, desert dangers, and desert Ssashirk… Does it plan to make a journey to the desert? *it chuckles lightly, then continues to speak after clearing it’s raspy throat* The main city you will ever find in the desert is the city farthest to the West in the red cliff mountains, carved from it’s face. This is the city of the Tumai people, where Ssashirk are most welcome. Asside from this, it has not seen any city… or, if it has… it is un-mentionable. Sacred. So, instead of talking about cities, I will talk more of settlement cultures.
Ssashirk are not a single large nation. They are a clan people. Each clan of Ssashirk has anywhere from three to few hundered of Ssashirk. Each clan does not have power over the other, as the human nations tend to do… instead, they interact with one another in their once yearly gather – a sacred time when war is forbidden. Times of trade are during the gather, where trade is not just of goods, but also songs, knowledge, culture, and children. Perhaps that is a poor explination. If you were a Ssashirk, and you were a warrior-driven clan, and you wished your offspring to know of the peaceful beast-keeping trade, you would trade your child away to another tribe (a herding tribe), and they would give you a child of theirs to learn your warrior ways. This trade must always be equal, to ensure that both children are cared for… If you want your child safe, you will treat their child as your own. Treating their child as your own ensures the trust that they will do the same. Most children grow to adults during their time in another tribe, and upon adulthood – usually find a mate within’ their new tribe anyway, thus helping the peace-bond between the two tribes.
When traveling the desert, you may come across towns, villages, and even perhaps whole cities. These places seem to be inhabited by noth’ but ghost and dust. Food may be found preserved in jars, but the wind will easily whip through the resident-free windows. These houses are usually built of stone or paste-sand, hardened like stone… Have respect in these places, for though none may have lived there for years, they are still claimed… The Ssashirk value two things highest of all treasures; water and young. If the water runs out, the entire city will move to where it is – taking the young with them. They will not return to their city until the water has returned before them, even if it takes a hundered years for it to do so. During this time of abandonment, the city is still considered part of the clan. Do not trespass upon these places lightly. When traveling to the water, the Ssashirk make their homes of cloth. I believe it is cloth. It looks like cloth. You may see a clan of Ssashik in cloth homes – this is their time of water-travel (which may also take years). Trade with them when you can. In the morning, they will not be there, nor any trace of them – the desert wind blows away their footprints well.
Water. “Manaah” Let it talk of water now. Water in the desert if precious, and few. If you ever find a source of water in the desert – a well, or an oasis. It is owned. It is owned. *he stressed the word* Do not drink this water without getting the owner’s permission, which may be hard to get. Very hard to get. So hard in fact, that they may not make themselves known to you. Trading for water is equally as difficult… Again, they value water and young. Though most Ssashirk are wise traders, and know the weight of gold – water’s worth is much higher than gold could ever be. Water is life, and life has an eternal value. To trade to you, a complete stranger of a different species, water… which will save your life, and perhaps cost them that of their young… that is a difficult thing to barter for, now isn’t it? *his last sentence was more of a statement, rather than a question*.
You ask of courtesy to desert Ssashirk… Perhaps it is best to start with the water, which I already have… and the cities… which I have.. Hm.. *he paused to think to himself for a moment* If you meet a clan of Ssashirk, it may be best not to approach directly. Stand. Let yourself be seen (for they have already seen you), and wait for one of them to approach you. It is polite, and you’ve likely been travel through their territory for days already anyway. If you are invited to the clan home, speak to only the Ssashirk that speak to you first. If they did not speak to you, then they do not wish to akn-a… aknake-… ah… *an entirely different voice comes onto the radio now, “aknowledge”, it says roughly – then is quiet, and allows the original announcer to speak again* Yessss… ak-nawlledge… your existence. And do not… not speak to young. Only speak to young if an adult invites you to do so, even if the young should speak to you. To have an outsider speak to a young is to taint them with your culture, which the adult may not wish the young to have… and this is one of the highest offenses.
Finding a single or pair of Ssashirk is easy to deal with. Ssashirk traveling alone or in pair are not of clan – or are far enough away from clan that they are not with clan. You have maybe seen such Ssashirk, easy to trade with. Easy to talk to, if they speak your tongue. Pair Ssashirk are usually parent and child, or mates. They tend to travel to trade with outsiders (which a whole clan will not do), or for a banishment. Once there are three Ssashirk in a group, they are considered and respected as a clan, though how small it may be. One or pair is trader. Three or more is clan. A traveling trader Ssashirk will know what a gift is, and happily accept (and give) them. A clan Ssashirk may not know, and it would insult them to receive gifts… there is no gift, only trade.
It asks of language it does. Of different Ssashirk language? There is such. Each Ssashirk can speak the Ssashirk’s common tongue – always spoken openly at the once-year-gather. But each clan tends to have their own language, similar to the Ssashirk language, but different enough so that they may have secrecy amongst their own – away from other clans. This aids in war, ambush, and hiding their water… The other clan spies *he tenderly used the word, as though he were not sure it was in fact the right word to use* cannot listen in to where your well is, if they cannot understand what you speak. Luckily, when trading, you need not know these clan-tongues, for when trading, they will always speak the common Ssashirk, as is polite. If you are lucky, there will be one in the clan who can speak the more common tongue of the lab-city-humans.
Then it asks of Ssashirk and animals. Views of. Perhaps it will do it’s best to speak of them now. Ssashirk used to have a sacred animal, a “P’tk’cha”… it does not say it good… This animal is all but gone of the world. They did order from the labs… the entire Desert Ssashirk nation, from the labs… a ah… a tribute to the “P’tk’cha”. Maybe you will be able to see it some day. I would say more of the P’tk’cha, but I don’t know more about it but… but a carving of it, and them talking… It is humble, and does not know of such animals well. The P’tk’cha was sacred because of it’s nature. It was a kind creature that would bond with a young and last through half it’s adult life. It could alert of danger, help the Ssashirk people travel, and could be eaten – but was not harsh in it’s ways. It was a kind creature, and able to fly. It could not fly with it’s adult partner, but it could fly with it’s young partner – keeping them safest from danger. It was a sad day when the P’tk’cha began to die, and the Ssashirk people still mourn them. Should you find a white creature that walks on two long legs, has a thick tail, long horn, wings, and shiny eyes of an insect… You have seen a sacred animal, and consider yourself lucky.
Most other animals are hunted. The herdsman clans have herds of creatures, but.. I did not ask much of them. They are not sacred however, from my understanding. Keh, it has not even mentioned the Kapper cities, which man cannot go.
It would now like to talk about the “Ssha-kaam”, the sand-wind that eats flesh… or the “Tak-kaam”, the great beast that eats flesh, or the-- *his words are cut off with music… apparently, he missed his cue that the show would be running out of time shortly…*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:39:01 GMT -6
Question now about Temple of Shadows, holy place of life and death. Question about feeding animal from Temple of Shadow. This is not question for Thako, but question for X’aroth, as it is not animal question, is pie-us question. Let X’aroth explain…
Things from Temple of Shadows are blessed, blessed by the shadow-thing.. the priest-thing that lives there. Blessing of Shadows. Blessing of Shadows creatures are not as normal creatures – they are spirits returned to a body, body re-crafted by the priest. *it stressed the word, as though it were hesitant to use it* As Blessing-of-Shadow creatures, they do not eat as they had eaten before. Meat, Plants – it does not matter. Blessing-of-Shadow creatures need two things. Illusion of heartbeat, and life. Illusion of heartbeat is deep within’ itself, given as gift of priest. This cannot go away unless spirit is removed – a hard task, as Blessing-of-Shadow creatures are hard to slay… and even harder to release spirit of. As for life… The thing without life is … from my knowing… *he hesitates* Needed to compare. If the Blessing-of-Shadow thing has no life to compare, to ‘feed off of’, then it gets confused, and stops living. This is different from death. This is pause. Sleep.
Within’ places with much life, the Blessing-of-Shadow things survive well. They are happy to be around life, and need not sap from any, as there is plenty to give much small-small lives, none notice or harm by Blessing-of-Shadow thing. But… in place with no life… *he starts to speak more slowly, more carefully* In places like desert, or… The Wasteland… These are places with not much life… and to live, these Blessing-of-Shadow things become mad… starving… rabid. They must have life or they will wither, and sleep. They will take life from somewhere – and as there is not much to be found (if any at all) *he whispers now* it will find and take… Even if it is from those it once loved. It will take life, in spirit, until all around it is drained… Many many shadow-things live in Wasteland, and ghosts of Desert are hungry…
Wastelands… *he begins to stray off in his speaking* Wastelands are North of Maw, just North of Maw. They were once forest, but now… Land of Ash. Snow of Ash, Stone of Bones, land where not lives but shadow-things, ever-hungry shadow-things. Is bad place to be. Lady of Harvest used to live there, but… the Maw opened, and swallowed her garden – and Shadow became mad with grief. Covered the land in his ash-tears, and refused to let his lover’s garden die… made all things once living cling to life, and they do… but it is … wrong. Very wrong.
If it brings a Blessing-of-Shadow thing to a place with little life, bring it tithing… Others think this sacrifice, and it is. Small animals for it to drain, and the animals will die. Luckily, dead-drained animals can be eaten by mans… but be careful, do not let the Blessing-of-Shadow thing go hungry. Again, in place of much-life, such as grass? *he seems to ask the last, rather than state the last* Blessing-of-Shadow thing would have it’s spirit filled with ambient life around it, and should be satisfied with this, filled with life and happy, rather than hunger and sorrow.
Maybe it should talk about happier things, like… like forest. Did the things know that there is a forest beyond the red cliffs? A great forest, of whites and pale greens and yellows. Of wide-spaced trees with thick trunks, trunks so thick they take fifty men to form a ring around them. There is little underbrush for deer-things to hide, creatures of twisting horns and beautiful pelts. The locals call the place The Lifewood, only in their tongue; “Laur-hau” it is said. *that word is spoken as smoothly as the ragged voice of X’aroth can muster, as if the word itself is made of butter* Hau (hay-ouh) is life, while Laur (lou-oor) is wood, or forest. Laur is not used to explain a tree to the people, as each tree has it’s own name, as a person does. If traveling to Laur-hau, one must look at it as a grand cathedral, or temple. One must hold each thing in it as sacred, for that is what it’s people likely do. They are children of the Lady Order and Lord Chaos, and torn between the two. Small, lithe, beautiful… and as many consider to be stricken with the madness of a cat. They are a noble people, with high honor – but are difficult to understand, as a cat is difficult to understand. The Enileaf, as it understands it, was based on the favored pet of the Laur-hau people. The Laur-hau people are never seen outside their forest. Also, as it understands it, the Galabex blood and Pure Equillion blood is from that forest, but it has been twisted so that it does no longer closely resemble the original sacred creatures. Be cautious when taking an equillion or galabex through there, as the existence of such twisted versions of the sacred beasts may be seen as an insult.
People of the Laur-hau are demon-slayers, and warriors of a different type than the Ssashirk people. The Ssashirk people are rough, fighters of power and skill, able to cleave a man’s arm off, and survive well a blow to their own. But the people of the Laur-hau are different. While Ssashirk are as fire and earth, Laur-hau are as water and wind. Smooth, and precise with weapons of delicate blades thinner than grass, twisted like the horns of their sacred “Darnae” (daur-nay), and harder than steel. “Laur-dana” this steel is called, for it comes from the wood. Many people wish to trade with the people who live in the Lifewood, but none yet have managed to get Laur-dana.
Each person of the Laur-hau is bound to a single tree, and it to them. If the tree dies, the person dies. If the person dies, the tree may wither. Because of this, trees grow quickly in the Laur-hau, and die just as quickly. On rare times, it is said that the spirit of an elder may become one with his tree, and that his spirit will return to it upon his death – causing the tree immortal life. But to the people of Laur-hau, a tree and a man is not truly separate. You can tell these “man-trees” by their pale bark. But beware, for there are also angry trees… trees where the spirit of the man or woman has been scorned so by the world, that when they returned to their tree, they twisted it. The people of the forest often will tie ribbons around these trees, and provide gifts at it’s roots to help placate it. Avoid these trees, and take not of their things – for they will sing you into a “Dadou” (dah-doh), a forever-sleep.
Some may be confused, as Laur-hau is not Greatwood. They are both in same place… west of west desert. But Laur-hau is resting against the base of the red-wall there. Greatwood bleeds into it, going farther west to the western sea. But, it has talked enough for today, has it not?
*music begins*
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:39:19 GMT -6
First, it asks questions about the not-dead things, it does. It will answer first. One can create life to be destroyed, but it should keep in mind that to create life it takes energy… To make enough life to feed the dead-thing, one must drain equal energy from the life created, which would be as though directly drawing from the living thing that summoned it. Summoning is not without energy of equal standing to the life it summons – and as such, to summon enough life to feed a dead-thing would be very bad for the summoner. Remember, life from a single animal is not equal to the life of many… think of how many trees, how many hundereds of mans, and thousands of beasts… how many bugs and blades of grass surround any dead-thing here at the labs. Millions of life-sources make it so that each life-source is not drained greatly… but take all those away, and it must take enough from an individual (or half-a-dozen) that would cause damage beyond possible repair.
Next it asks more about the desert, or more the desert people. Yes, there are more desert people than the Ssashirk and Tumai; but the Ssashirk and Tumai are the most dominant species found there. Other species are less so – and at the mercy of the greater numbered races. The Kair that live there, for example… their whole species ranges at most perhaps fifty members. Whole species, fifty members. And each tribe is small, of only three to ten members. There are other small species as well, but X’aroth does not know much about them. It has mostly seen the other species as the most humble in the Tumai city.
Next, it asks of trade. Yes, there is trade. Tumai city is a great trading city, as it is the only city for trade in the West. Farther west, there is little to no trade, as the people farther west than Tumai city do not favor trade – everything they need is given to them by their ancestors, and their own hard labor. To the South, beyond the bayou, there is a trade-city… But X’aroth would not suggest one to ever go there… they may trade your heart, it is a bad place to be – but much trade. Trade in south is much for shinies and men. Both are traded with equal value. To north Labs is biggest trade city. Farther north than labs is no city. There are small villages, but little nomads, and no city. People of the mountain live farther north, people who trade much in animal parts, which they prize more than gold to keep them warm in snowy nights. To east… East is most trade. East trade rivals West desert trade. Farthest east, past the plains and upon the coast, is a great port-city. Much trade there. Trade in everything it can imagine is traded there. Trade in fish, crops, clothing, livestock, exotic pets, gold… Trade in everything. Farther east than that? It is known that there is an underwater palace, a great city-like place with much danger there. Good trade, trade in things with value not in the physical. Much magic there, but the guardians and residents of the city are… dangerous.
Next, it asks about North. There is much to say about north, but less of it’s people as it’s people are shy. First north you will find the forest of leafy trees, like which surrounds the labs. Little monsters live there, but it is abundant with small animals. Farther north than this, the woods fade away into a great forest with needle-pines and evergreens that tower high into the sky. Slowly monsters emerge, no longer fearful of the aura the surrounds the labs in a bubble of magic-draining energy, for they are out of it’s range. Be careful when traveling through the pines, especially at night and during the winter. Wolves, bears, and great cats live there. It is said that Estharne, cave Vulticus, and Phil are killing those species, taking over… and one should be more fearful, for these are more powerful creatures than their smaller bretheren. There are few to no people living in these pines. Only few small villages of humans and humanish can be found.
Farther north, the pines continue as they climb up the mountain. The mountain is steep and wild, capped with snow, and littered with pines. It is a great mountain with twisting trails and cliffs, and great boulders. It is a beautiful place with valleys filled with lakes, and rivers feeding them. Waterfalls, and other beauties. But with such beauties come equal dangers. Great monsters live there, most of which can fly. Wild Sarane love the mountains, as do wild Wiurn, and wild Alurook. This is the only place where wild Gallor truly live. Many creatures perch on the mountain-peaks, looking down upon you – swooping at the right moment to pluck you from the ground and take you back to their cliff-top nests to feed their young. And that is just the dangers of the up creatures. There are down creatures as well – creatures that live in caves that riddle the mountains. Snow Flurry is one example. Few men know how to live in the mountains, and those that do can do so with great skill. They do not prize gold, but rather items that help them survive. They prefer trade in furs and live animals for things that will aid them… Traps perhaps, or trap parts… new rope, or… It does not know. Asside from these lone mountain travelers, there is the Uthax.
The Uthax are a proud people, but very secluded. It does not know much of the Uthax, for when it met the Uthax, they were friendly – but did not speak to it… as if they had not known words… Or perhaps they felt that actions spoke more than words could. They have good trade, and enjoy beads. They are makers of baskets and spears and beads. Holders of totems and odd magics that the tower does not understand. Magics that do not require nodes, but one cannot easily speak to the Uthax – for the Uthax are hard to make speak. Their villages are homes of wood and stone, and they move with the seasons.
One cannot travel over the mountains without aid of a guide. It suggests a mountain man, or an Uthax, if one is so lucky. Mountain man will likely do this for trade. Uthax are more skilled, but… Why would an Uthax aid it? If it can manage to travel over the mountain peak, which is ever more covered in snow and blizzard and cliff of sheer ice… Then it is greeted with the tundra – a land of snow and short plants, where many many big animals roam on foot. It is a glorious land, and one can see it’s nearly endless glory from the mountaintop. It has not gone down and seen the tundra for itself, as that was too far for it to travel… but it knows that even farther north from tundra is the plains of snow – an unforgiving place. It knows nothing of the people that live in either location. Oh, it got much from the Uthax people, but it may not be of worth for sharing. It wishes to show things, show the carved bowls, and how the homes look… but it cannot show these things, for it does not have them.
Last, it asks of rumors of army coming. Yes… Yes it knows of them. Rumors are true, but it does not know their intentions. Far away off the coast is another continent… Many, in fact. The southern island-continent is Ginevi. It is a place of great castles and a wide kingdom. Many human live in Ginevi, and few other species – for the people of Ginevi do not appreciate the presense of other tall-walkers in their lands. If it speaks, and is not human, they would slay it, for that is the way of the Ginevi. It was a war, a crusade that made it so across their land. A great crusade that bent all others to their thinking, and slayed those that were not human. Those that were not human that submitted before they could be defeated were either slain anyway, or placed into life-long servitude. As the crusade ended, the king decided that the methods were not good – and ordered the knights of Ginevi to stop their slaughter. Some knights agreed. Others were convinced of their own righteousness, and refused to stop. Civil war broke out, and in the end, the Kingdom of Ginevi, and the Knights of Ginevi became separate. The Knights were banished from the land for their crimes, and now it is said they sail north-east… to Pethia.
What else it knows about Ginevi? Much. It knows much of Ginevi, for the ambassador of Ginevi is favored by the owner of the labs, and as such, X’aroth was asked to learn. And it did, humbly so it did. The Kingdom of Ginevi is plagued by dragons… or was. They requested of labs a solution to their dragon-problem, one that would not cause similar problems by eating their livestock. The labs provided them the Vespa, the dragon-eaters. The Knights of Ginevi; both loyal and crusaders – mastered the Vespa, and the wild dragon-kin of Ginevi are all but extinct, just as the non-humans are as well. There are two mounted knight types, those on horse-beasts, and those on vespa in the sky. There are falconers, and hound-masters… But the Knights have no hounds, they instead have gryphon-like beasts that cannot fly. Vicious lion-like feathered monsters that follow the commands of their masters obediently. Mages are much-rare in Ginevi, but it knows that a three mages are with the Crusader-knights upon the boats that head in this direction… if they in fact survived the ocean-journey. It enjoys the ambassador of Ginevi, though not as much as the lead scientist… Keh, keh, *X’aroth scoffs* the only scientist of the labs. The loyal king, it hears, is also fair – but the Crusader Knights cause X’aroth fear. Maybe it has more specific questions? It runs out of time, it does.
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Post by Ashe on Dec 29, 2017 6:39:35 GMT -6
First, it feels the need to talk about the Altar of Sacrifice, as many man-things did ask it of such. Mayhaps first it should talk about the origin. Far to the south, deep within’ the jungles is a civilization of people which was once great. It is good ally with what they of labs would call “Dash Claw”. The civilization… Had a bad time as of recent. Very bad as of last two hundered years, and many consider the civilization to be lost. But X’aroth knows different. The gods are dead. The southern people know that they could never hope to bring back the gods with so few worshipers left, and so few left to sacrifice – so they moved to the one place they knew that not only civilized life was flourishing, but that their ways may be tolerated… For the Tumai would not accept their presence. Only a small handful arrived – three priests. And they did seek out the help of the labs to build for them a temple. It does not know what it offered the labs in trade, and it is not able to know – for it is humble, and would not dare ask such things.
The people of the south do not believe – as so many others do – that the four prime gods shaped the world. Most believe in the Goddess’ Order and Light, and the Gods’ Chaos and Shadow… And of course, the non-god, Shadow’s lover, Harvest. But the people of this Altar do not believe in those gods. They believe in their own gods – great animal-spirits that take the form upon the land in animal-Avatars. Each god is in charge of a specific task in life… Gods that take messages to other gods, gods that bring rains, gods that use rains to grow plants, gods that put flowers upon the plants, gods that spread seeds… Each god has a specific task.
As it said however, the gods are dead. It is no small task to help the gods come back to the world in an Avatar – one that requires much devotion, and prayer… and sacrifice. Apparently, in order for a god to be born into the world in a strong form, it requires the sacrifice of many strong forms to it’s name – as food, so to speak. Without eating it’s vegetables, it does not grow, yes? Yes? Well… That is the basic purpose of the Altar here; to accept willing sacrifices to the old gods – so that they may be free to walk the land again and do as their wills should be.
Then, it asks about the Scarabs, does it not? It will tell you all it knows. When one frequently sacrifices to the Altar, every once in a while – a creature will crawl out of the heart of one sacrificed. A tiny jeweled scarab. The priests at the temple refuse to keep these scarabs, and insist that the owner of the sacrificed must take them. The scarabs will follow without question. Asside from what a scarab is, or does – or how it materializes – X’aroth does not know the deep answers to such advanced magic of blood… Nor will it ever attempt to… But X’aroth does know that the Scarabs are considered very valuable to Mages, Jewel Collectors, Rune-Hunters, and the people of the South as well. They are very valuable, more so than most things of the Labs could know. It would suggest that it hold onto a scarab if one aquires it – but might not suggest that it go looking to find one, all the same. It is heavy blood-magic that makes a Scarab in such a way.
It may perhaps be wise to talk about the gods of the south – the gods of the altar. It might start with the first god mentioned to the people of the labs. Lady Ysasth, the queen of men. She is a patient goddess, and rules over men with her charm and keen mind. It is said that under her rule, men could prosper, but without her, they would be directionless and fall… It was apparently with her slaughter, that the empire in the south did in fact crumble into near dust and rubble. And they hope that in reviving her, they may once again be sheltered under her good graces, wrapped safely in her rainbow-colored coils.
Next it speeks of Shoo… Shoo… KEH – Shurai, the messanger, *he spits out the word with a light hiss as though it were a difficult word to speak… really, what’s so hard about it?* Shurai is said to do two things, but both the same. One, Shurai delivers messages between the gods, but that is not Shurai’s main task. Shurai’s main task is to tell mortals of their death. This task is given to it directly by the gods of death. If one receives Shurai’s message, then one’s place in the afterlife can be assured… But if one dies without a message from Shurai, then one can only hope that the passangers of death would find them to take them to the afterlife in peace, or else roam the world forever as a lost soul. To get a visit from Shurai means two things. One, that you will die soon. Two, that your place is guaranteed in the afterlife. Most people see Shurai’s presence as a good thing, but some still fear the presence of Shurai, for they fear their own death… But it is not in fact Shurai that is responsible for slaying men.
If one’s soul is not informed of death by Shurai, and they do become a lost one, then it is The Pale One that is their shepherd. The Pale One is the keeper of the lost, as best as one can keep the lost. It is never considered that The Pale One is a good thing, but many-a-necromancer revere The Pale One, for it is he alone that knows how to walk the thin boundry between life and death.
Next it was asked to talk about Varash the Tidebringer. Varash is not in fact a god of the south or altar. He is instead a creature made a half-god, by will of the four primary deities. Much as Harvest was once made a half-god. Varash was a man, who fell in love with a Siren, and the Sea. He loved them both so much, that the Sirens used their powers to take him home – to twist him, body and mind, to make him a Siren. It was there in the undersea palace that much of the lore is lost, but it does know that in the end, he was given a blessing after he laid his egg… He was given the blessing of the ocean for all eternity, to keep safe his people – yet never be able to touch them again. He took this challenge, knowing that under his care he could keep his child safe, and his child’s children for all time – even if it meant he could never hold them. And so he lives in the sea, riding the currents as invisible as the wind. It is said that he can be seen upon his chariot of valiant steeds, rising to meet the land as it breaks upon the shore. He is the Tidebringer. He keeps safe all those that are meant to dwell in the sea, and dashes those that aim to harm it against the rocks. He is the mother of the ocean.
Many say that the gods and goddesses decided that both land and sea was too much to rule over, and so they appointed Varash as a half-god, so that he could keep track of all the beauty, fury, order, and chaos that happened in the sea. Of life and death within’ it. Of it’s creatures, people, and way of motion. But others believe that Varash’s god-powers were actually a curse. Most ocean-people, like sailors, are wise to offer him prayer and tidings. Many more are much more wise to give his adopted people, the Sirens, a respectfully wide berth… Sirens do not like trespassers… and though it is known fact that Sirens can, and will, fall in love with ‘man’ – it is also known that they sink boats and feast upon the bodies of the drowned. The royal family of the Siren is said to be from the line of Varash – the once was man, once was Siren, is now half-god, felt in the waves – Tidebringer.
Last, it will speaks of Ariesa, the binder. Ariesa is also mystery, but there is legend to the tale. Ariesa is also not of Altar, but is dreams of dragons. It is said that Ariesa still lives, in three parts… But let X’aroth explain. Ariesa was once three creatures. A serpent who could swim in the ocean and devour all that came before it’s great fangs. A unicorn, who’s horns were strong enough to vanquish all foes, but only would vanquish the untrue as it walked upon the land. A bird of fire, who flew through the sky keeping firm watch under it’s eye and wing. These great creatures were named Shaw (the serpent), Aura (the unicorn), and Izer (the fire-bird). It may now notice that name has been used before, in honor of the great Izer that once watched from the skies. It will admit, that it does not know the fullest of the legend… But in the end, Aura, Izer, and Shaw saved the world by binding themselves together in both body and soul – making their three hearts beat as one beneath a single breast. This new heart became known as Ariesa, the Binder. It is with Ariesa’s powers that the Draconics gained their magic – gained their hearts. But their hearts were but half-empty, made of stone and missing flesh. It is also Ariesa’s curse that forces them to seek out a way to fill it. Some Draconics fill it by ever attempting to put more into the void – hoarding away whatever they feel may fill it. Others know the truth, that it can only be filled with a soul similar to their own. And so Ariesa gave them the knowedge to do as it had done – to Bind itself to another… This is how they say soul-binding began, and how Draconics went from the destroyers of the world, to the protectors of it. It… It is missing much of the story. Much much, but… But it tells what it can know. It knows that the Draconics consider Ariesa only a good thing – a creature of pure heart, teacher of the way. Of the how, when, why, and who… X’aroth does not know the details. It will try hard to get them, but… It is said to X’aroth that only Draconics will know – for the story is in their hearts, and will remain there.
It was asked to talk about the shadow god… It… it… it may do this, but.. *he starts to stumble over his own words* Mayhaps the shadow-priest should talk of it…. Maybe… it would ask such a thing, but… not today, no.. not today, it has less time today, it… Not today.
*music begins*
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