The Elder's Hospitality

[Blackrazor]

The elder seems eager for a reply, as the twins lean against the throne nonchalantly, gauging you.

[Merctime]

"I am of a fishing tribe very far away. We were set upon by men of Jale at a time; These same men pressed us hard for our crafts and foodstuffs. The war was bitter." Sorrows of Vale and Mire slows a bit, finger tapping at chin absent mindedly as his eyes find the roof for a moment, before re-settling his gaze at his hosts and continuing.

"An elder sent myself and three youthes out into the vastness of the round hills north of our village in order to plead for assistance against our Jale assailants, from the great spirit-tamers of that land. But they are not all that live there."

Sorrows leans forward as he sits cross-legged before the table, reaching for and bringing a bit of fruit to his mouth to bite and chew vigorously. Once done, he speaks,

"Great fish of the sky flew out from over the vale-tops. They look as huge slugs, with a unicorns horn, and the eyes, mouth, and tail of a fish, but fly aloft by a row of fins just large enough to carry them about in the air. These beasts are known to us, and feared; For when they finally awaken, they are fierce in hunger. They set upon myself and the two with me. I alone escaped; Hiding as I was able too for a day and a half as the school of these creatures haunted the skies for all things living. I escaped... For a time."

Sorrows takes another bite, and looks to his friends, and smiles at them, the twinkle in his eye showing only they that he is lying to these people through his teeth.

Then he finishes his completely untruthful tale to the Elder and his people here.

"Finally, when I thought myself safe, I emerged from my place of hiding, only to have the sky darkened as if by nightfall. I froze, shuddered, and turned to look upwards. A great fish of the sky was still about, and saw me... Swooping fast and low to grasp me in his huge maw. Why the gods that be have granted mercy upon me, and that I was not swallowed whole that day, I shall never know. But this great beast flew just outside the woods whereupon I met these two fellows I travel with, and deposited me bodily just beyond it. It was then we met; And then we travelled. And met your man, Body, here. The rest you know."

((Sorrows of Vale and Mire has no desire whatsoever to tell any truthful thing to these people, until he himself knows more about them. His trust won't be so easily earned.))

[Blackrazor]

The elder nods knowingly, then says, "Yes you seem quite blessed, Sorrows of Vale and Mire, quite blessed indeed. And these men of Jael, you speak of, a rare folk indeed, I have yet to meet one of thier kind. I would treasure the encounter." One of the twins stifles a chuckle.

He waves his red gloved hand towards Gibbering and Blood Slakd, his gaze inquiring.

[Alethan]

"First came the earth, big and powerful and much loved by the mother and father," Gibbering begins, in a practiced monotone. "The earth was great and mother and father were proud. Then the air blew hard and long. He blew too hard and his brains flittered off; usually lost, seldom found. The mother and father learn to love simple things and are sad. Then the sea rose, quietly and slowly. It was as sneaky as the air was senseless! The mother and father once again are proud. Finally came the sun, loud and full of rage. It burned out the mother and the father was sad."

Then he studies the back of his hand in concentration, as if he has the rest of the story written there.

"Gibbering Wielder of Air hunts. He sees and he hunts. He hunts... and he sees. He sees the window into the sky, flat on the ground, and he looks into the window. The window looks back and he jumps in. Gibbering is now here."

He frowns in thought, as if trying to make sure he hasn't forgotten anything. Finally, he nods in satisfaction and goes back to eating.

[Grognardsw]

Blood Skald of Doom / in strange village

Blood Skald stares at the skinned beast cooking over the fire and listens to his new comrades with as much interest as the strangers. Looking at the elder, he is glad he is not red-skinned. He peers around to see if anyone bears white-skinned coverings.

"My people live in northern lands, where life is hard and sometimes quick. I was battling Vhuurmis outside our village. A flash of light and I was in these forests deep. I know not how or why, though I feel there must be reason that has yet to reveal itself. Where is this village in the regions of the Land?"

Then, after a fruit: "You spoke of sky lords, a scout, a seed - what are these?"

[Blackrazor]

The elder shakes his head slightly after listening to Gibbering's tale as if trying to clear the clutter from his mind, then nods politely turning his attention to Blood Skald's story and questions.

The elder bites from the fruit again chewing slowly relishing the taste. Swallowing the mouthful, he asks Blood Slald, "These Vhuurmis you speak of, what are they. Another people? Maybe they are responsible for your apparance here....no that is not the case, for your companions do not mention them. Why are you together at all, you all do not seem willing, nor are you bound by previous kinship or knowledge of each other. You of course could be liars, but there is a veracity about you stranger, and the yellow man's jumbled tale was oddly sincere....you are victims of something...something interesting."

The elder bites again from the fruit, thinking as he chews.

[Grognardsw]

"The Vhuurmis are savage, mongrel ape-men of the north," answers Blood Skald of Doom to the Elder. "While the three of us do not know each other, we are united in wanting to find our way home. Where is this place among the regions of the world?"

The northman chews more fruit. "Yes we are victims of something strange, I know not what or why. You spoke of something strange - of sky lords, a scout, a seed - what are these?"

Blood Skald of Doom recalls his dream and wonders.

[Blackrazor]

The elder looks up at the sky, lost in thought for some time as high, thin clouds move slowly across the daylight face of the great moon. Absently he answers, "The world beyond the trees...we have much to focus on here. The world moves as it should, regardless of desires.". Then becoming more animated he leans forward, taking another bite of the fruit, chewing quickly. "The sky lords claim to rule the air, and all that is below them. They ride upon their air beasts, attack, and kill without mercy. Pillage and burn. Once we were many villages, the body growing and prospering, but they came and rained fire upon us and slaughtered - women children, the old. They do not care. Now we survive here. Avoid them at all costs, and never trust them for they are born liars."
The elder settles back, the twins look at him cautiously.
"Grim talk, for a day of good import....let us prepare entertainments!! Eat my friends, the beast will be ready shortly," the elder claps his hands and the villagers scramble to and fro. Soon odd instruments appear, in the hands and on the laps of smiling village men as many naked women gather, their hair done up in buns held by thin sticks, jars of clay in their hands.
The elder smiles as his eyes gleam. Even the twins seems eager, or is it hungry.

[Grognardsw]

Blood Skald likes the taste of this strange fruit

[Blackrazor]

The women gather in a wide circle placing the jars behind them. The cooks tend to the beast, it skin now crisp and light brown. With long skewers they poke holes in its flanks and fill them with berries. The musicians ready thier instruments. A slight nod from a dancer whose beauty can not be dismissed, most likely the leader of the assembled, and the air is filled with drumming. The women slowly gyrate feeling the rhythm. The beat sharpens and the women jump and land, their bodies pulse provocatively while thier heads go to thier knees. They begin to touch themselves and moan, as the song now begins. Strange reeds groan while odd strings pluck. The dancers fan out, the beat increasing, moving in time..the allure of thier movements visible in the faces of the gathered. The women chant a hiii yah, throwing their arms into the air, the push thier breasts together. Nikki yah. They turn and spin gracefully, the pick up the jars with a mewaaaa ha. They raise then over thier heads, yeee annnn ti. Then pour....blood, red and slick over themselves, wait is it blood?....noo it's a juice of some sort, that stains thier skin red and it flows over thier naked forms. Keannnn nu. They spin as the beat grows louder...more intense. Round and round, the red dancers go, they almost look like a mouth devouring something, chewing, chewing....the crowd cries out yah yah yah. The dancers cry out (to be continued)

[Blackrazor]

The twins sway in time to the beat, thier hips swishing side to side, thier smiles wide thier hungry eyes consume thier surroundings, the dance has the elder tapping his foot to the rhythms. The women cry out as they rush together, pressing against one another, touching, groaning, gyrating....then the beat stops, the odd sounds of the instruments cease. The women line up, the crowd chanting yah yah yah, slapping thier chests and arms with thier hands. The bow before you and the elder, low and graceful.
The elder claps his hands and the women disperse, the din of the excited crowd falls to a few quiet mummers. The elder waves the musicians into action again, and the air is filled with a slow, morose song, notes wilt and wither as they are played, the tune subsides into the background.

The elder, eyes intent on the roast beast, questions offhandedly, "I hope my dancers and musicians, were pleasing..."

[Grognardsw]

"Yah yah nikki yah," Blood Skald of Doom finds himself chanting as the dripping red women undulate before him. He resists taking one of the women right then and there, such is their allure. He shakes his head and buries such thought.

He clutches his cup and stares at one of the girls particularly intently until the performance ends. He speaks to the Elder: "Your women could make goddesses jealous. Their dance stirs the loins."

Blood Skald spreads his arms toward the playing musicians. "I am a skald in my homeland, putting tales heroic and infamous to song."

[Blackrazor]

The elder turns his uncomforting masked visage towards the man of white, his dark eyes penetrating. "Is that so...then maybe you will share a tale of your people. I will allow you the use of my musicians if you so choose. I would be interested indeed in a performance." The twin who favors red nods and says, "I do as well." She then glances to her twin who favors blue, with a slightly shocked look on her face. The now embarrassed twin replies, "I do as well," as she quickly casts an apologetic glance to her twin. The look disappears behind a mask of calm, the smile slowly returning. The elder looks to his girls, and seems at a loss for a moment, the returns hs gaze to Blood Skald.

"Yes, impresses us with a performance..,"

[Grognardsw]

Blood Skald of Doom takes up his bagpipes, crafted of albino seal skin and hollow horns of the tri-tusk black forest goat. He sings a dirge, one passed down in his village by a skald of old, Jimiah Payge.

"Mine's a tale that can't be told, my freedom I hold dear.
How years ago in days of old, when magic filled the air.
Queen of Light took her bow, And then she turned to go,
The Prince of Peace embraced the gloom, And walked the night alone.

Oh, dance in the dark of night, Sing to the morning light.
The Sky Lords ride in force tonight, And time will tell us all.
Oh, throw down your plow and hoe, Rest not to lock your homes.
Side by side we wait the might of the darkest of them all.

I hear the horses' thunder down in the valley below,
I'm waiting for the angels and warriors true, waiting for the eastern glow.
The apples of the valley hold, The seeds of happiness,
The ground is rich from tender care, Repay, do not forget, no, no.

Dance in the dark of night, sing to the morning light.
The apples turn to brown and black, The tyrant's face is red.
Oh war is the common cry, Pick up your swords and fly.

The sky is filled with good and bad that mortals never know.
The night is long the beads of time pass slow,
Tired eyes on the sunrise, waiting for the eastern glow.

The pain of war cannot exceed the woe of aftermath,
The drums will shake the castle wall, the sky lords ride in black,
Sing as you raise your bow, shoot straighter than before.
No comfort has the fire at night that lights the face so cold.

Oh dance in the dark of night, Sing to the morning light.
The magic runes are writ in gold to bring the balance back. Bring it back.
At last the sun is shining, The clouds of blue roll by,
And the sunlight blinds our eyes."

[Alethan]

Gibbering watches the dancers with mild interest. He picks at his food, only eating a portion of what is on his plate. He listens quietly to Blood Skald's song.

At the Elder's comment, he replies, "Dancers are good dancers. Food is good eating. Blood Skald is good song singer. All is much pleasing to Gibbering. Much thanks he has. Soon, he rests. Then at next light, we go on our way."

[Blackrazor]

The elder turns his gruesome visage towards Gibbering, as a feeling of unease washes over all of you. "If you leave, we can not uncover the truths of your strange arrival. I am confident that given some time we will uncover those truths, and maybe ways to return you to those you hold dear. Also, I would dare not send you out of our protection if the Sky Lords are back. No. Stay. Rest. Be safe here."

[Grognardsw]

Blood Skald of Doom nods his head to the Elder. He will need to consult his comrades in private. There is strangeness in this village.

He takes another drink, smiles at the dancer who favors red, and motions for her to sit next to him.

[Alethan]

"Gibbering's arrival not strange," he replies sincerely. "We walk up to your village carrying your hunter. We bring him home safe. You give us meal. Now we go on our way."He says this in a very matter-of-fact sort of way.

[Blackrazor]

"The eyes of your companions seem to tell another tale," the elder replies cooly to the yellow hunter. The elder then adjusts his second skin mask slightly. "You have much on your minds and much to consider. Let us for a brief time put stress and worry aside and enjoy the moment, the beast appears ready. Eat and enjoy, gather your strength, you will need it."

The elder claps his hands and up nods to the cooks who bow their heads and carve the roast beast serving thick pieces to all. The village folk talk lively with each other, the children have wide juicy smiles. The meat is savory and slightly sweet, a delight to be sure. For this brief moment things feel good.

[Grognardsw]

Blood Skald ...takes another drink, smiles at the dancer who favors red, and motions for her to sit next to him.

Blood Skald crushes grapes and lets the juice flow into a cup, which he serves to the dancer.

"Tell me woman of your ways," he says. "What does the red on your body signify? Blood of sacrifice?"