View source for 2011-08-06 - The Warband - Akhash's Talk (log)

Warband was currently visiting [[Wehnimer's Landing]] at the time.

{{saved-post
 | category = Cities, Towns and Outposts
 | topic = Wehnimer's Landing
 | messagenum = 1410
 | author = GS4-KHSHATHRA
 | date =  08/06/2011 02:10 PM CDT
 | subject = A young burnt-faced girl delivers a message
}}
Oh yeah, I promised a log, didn't I?

This isn't related solely to the Landing, but since that's where the Warband's currently camped, and it's where they've most recently interacted with folks, I'll put this here (warning, this is long):
_________________

Perivan asks, "What do you search for?"

You say, "We search for the salvation of our people."

Raokh nods to you.

Metadi takes a moment to observe you.

Perivan cocks his head.

Speaking to you, Sovine asks, "Have your kind found the prophecies yet?"

You say, "They are preyed upon by a Nashaitha."

You say, "We seek the signs, yes, although I believe in helping this city, we may have found one at last."

Cryheart asks, "A Nash.i.iwhat?"

Sovine nods.

Cryheart raises an eyebrow.

You say, "Estrion, the heart of Darkstone."

You say, "He may indeed be the Heart that cannot Bleed."

You say, "We shall see if the other signs begin to converge now."

Sovine asks, "And the blade that does not cut?"

Constellous raises an eyebrow.

Sovine peers quizzically at you.

You say, "As it's not the signs themselves we seek, but their convergence."

You say, "We have not yet found the fire, or the blade."

Sovine says, "That would be two."

Speaking to you, Sovine says, "With some more detail they might be found."

You shrug at Sovine.

You say, "The signs are what they are."

Speaking to you, Sovine says, "Yes, but the stories of them are not so small."

You say, "If spirits could speak literally, they would not be spirits."

You say, "They would be us."

Metadi asks, "Sae the knife isnae a candidate for the blade that cannae cut?"

You shake your head.

You say, "The knife could indeed cut, but it could cut only spirit."

You say, "As well, it's more likely that the signs are metaphors, rather than actual blades or flames."

You say, "As for the Nashaitha, they are difficult to explain."

You say, "Easier to explain what they are not."

You say, "We recognize and live among many different types of spirits."

You say, "In the broadest possible categories, we know the Aathrevha, Lailatha, Shaitha, and Vhakshotha."

You say, "The Aathrevha are the Imprisoned, which you know better as the undead."

You say, "The Lailatha, Those Who Mend, are known to you as elementals."

Regyy says, "The fire elementals invaid my rock all the time."

Regyy asks, "They heal?"

Regyy peers quizzically at you.

You say, "They do not heal us."

Evia says, "He said mend."

Metadi nods.

Regyy works his fingers under his imflass circlet and scratches his head.

You say, "The Lailatha maintain the physical forms of the Vhakshotha."

Geijon ponders.

You say, "They heal and mend this world."

You say, "Not those of us who dwell upon it."

Kerl rubs his chin thoughtfully.

Metadi ponders.

Metadi mutters, "Bet that attempt tae restore 'Haven a few years back put them in an uproar."

You say, "The Shaitha are the Incarnate, the spirits of concepts, meanings, ideas."

Cryheart rubs his chin thoughtfully.

Regyy peers quizzically at you.

You say, "It is possible for them to manifest in this world, but briefly."

Regyy says, "But I suppose a trained eye can see their essence often in us."

You say, "The Shaitha are the spirits we most frequently forge pacts with, both individually as spirit-callers, and collectively, as tribes."

You say, "We are all Shaitha in a sense, so we have a close bond with them."

You say, "As we are all spirits born into this world, and will return to spirit when our mortal forms are shed."

You say, "I touch on these very briefly."

You say, "Because I must explain all of them in order to explain the trouble my people face."

You say, "And then there are the Vhakshotha."

You say, "The spirits of the worlds themselves."

You say, "We live upon their bodies, and spirits live upon their souls."

You say, "It is their physical forms that the Lailatha mend and maintain."

You say, "The sun, the stars, this world, all are Vhakshotha."

Evia says, "Spirits of the worlds."

Evia nods.

You say, "Which brings me to the last."

You say, "The Nashaitha."

Raokh frowns.

Roelon nods.

Constellous says, "Sounds rather ominous."

You say, "The Nashaitha bear the name of the Incarnate, negated."

You say, "The Un, the Not, the Never-born."

Constellous asks, "If dey wer never-born, how can ye know dey exist?"

You say, "Unlike all other spirits we can reach, they have never been a part of this world."

You say, "Though, some can reach it."

Metadi quietly muses, "They? As in more than one?"

You nod at Metadi.

You say, "When they touch this Creation, they tear at its very fabric, leaving suppurating wounds upon the physical and spirit realms."

A pained expression crosses Constellous's face.

Roelon shudders.

Constellous asks, "Hmmm... Ur-Daemons?"

Metadi inquires, "Places o'... Unreality?"

You say, "They cannot be summoned or controlled."

Roelon deeply says, "Reminds me of those Vvrael."

Evia says, "Oh."

Speaking to you, Evia asks, "Are they something of...anti-creation?"

You nod at Evia.

You say, "That is an appropriate way to describe them."

Speaking to you, Ubadiah asks, "So the not born aren't exactly friendly?"

You say, "Who can say."

You say, "Our concepts have no meaning when discussing them."

You say, "Those who have attempted to communicate with them, and managed to survive, have had all reason scoured from their minds."

You say, "Every tribe has its own theories as to what they are, but none or all may be true."

Metadi ponders.

You say, "Some say they are the nightmares of the Vhakshotha, some say they are a punishment inflicted on worlds..."

You say, "There are countless notions."

Metadi nods.

You say, "Regardless, the best we can do is avoid them."

Metadi asks, "Is there aught that is known tae attract or repell them?"

You say, "Though they cannot manifest in this world, they can reach into it."

Speaking to you, Evia says, "Perhaps they serve to provide some sort of balance beyond comprehension."

Speaking to Evia, you say, "It is possible."

Evia says, "And..I don't want to ever meet up with them."

You say, "No two Nashaitha encountered have ever been the same."

You say, "What may work to avoid one may not work for another."

Speaking quietly to Evia, Metadi says, "I've stared intae the face o' unreality before... I donnae want tae do sae again."

Roelon deeply asks, "How many Nashaitha hae been encountered?"

You say, "Not many, thankfully. But even those few are too much."

You say, "My people have always been most familiar with the one that dwells in the Fallen City."

Metadi narrows his eyes.

A pained expression crosses Constellous's face.

Irsila tilts her head down.

Sovine peers quizzically at you.

Metadi sits down.

Metadi leans forward.

Soullslayur ponders.

Farseeker inclines his ear, but doesn't hear anything unusual.

You say, "We have given it two different names, for it has two different aspects."

Speaking to you, Drazaa asks, "Bir Mahallah?"

Metadi winces.

(Irsila makes a warding gesture.)

Raokh gazes at Drazaa.

Drazaa glances down.

You casually glance at Drazaa.

The fire in the tent dims briefly before returning to normal.

Roelon leans back.

Raokh glances at the fire.

Roelon shakes his head.

Metadi quietly says, "Names hae power, and e'en the Order steps warily where that place is concerned."

Drazaa says, "I was unaware..."

Roelon deeply says, "A name that should nae be mentioned."

You nod.

You say, "As I was saying."

You say, "We have given it two different names, for it has two different aspects."

You say, "Its passive presence amongst the shattered bones of the Fallen City is known as Aemeha Kane Nakhesren."

You say, "In this tongue, it means The Weeping of the Forgotten Stone."

You say, "When it bursts forth to ravage the surrounding desert, we know it as Shissaha Kamaana, The Flaying of the Soul."

You say, "In this form, it is a vicious storm that tears at both the physical and spirit realms."

You say, "Those caught within are lucky if they die."

Irsila glances away.

Holymoon's face turns slightly pale.

Evia says, "Terribly dire."

Evia frowns.

Drazaa winces.

Metadi nods gravely.

You say, "Often the storm tears those within and...recombines them."

You say, "It leaves these abominations in its wake."

Soullslayur begins to twitch.

Evia's jaw drops.

Roelon's face turns slightly pale.

Metadi softly observes, "Ah."

You say, "My people have become adept at avoiding Shissaha Kamaana, but we must often face its spawn."

Roelon deeply says, "Rippin' apart both its physical and spirit, and recombines them...."

You nod at Roelon.

Speaking to himself, Metadi mutters, "Sae maybe that's what happened tae that one."

Roelon shakes his head.

Roelon deeply says, "The horrors ye must of seen."

You say, "In its passive aspect, it merely warps Creation itself over the Fallen City."

Evia shakes her head.

Irsila fidgets.

A pained expression crosses Metadi's face.

You say, "So, then. That is one of them."

Roelon's face turns slightly pale.

Evia says, "Bloody awful, to put it simply."

Evia's face turns slightly pale.

You say, "A little more than a year ago, my people encountered a new one."

You say, "And that is why I am here in these lands now."

Evia asks, "Because of this new one?"

You nod at Evia.

You say, "We have no name for it."

You say, "This one devours spirits."

You say, "But that is not all it does."

Metadi blinks.

You say, "When it devours a spirit, it also infects and corrupts what that spirit was bound to."

You say, "In the case of a Shaitha, this is especially dangerous."

You say, "Many Shaitha are ideas, and concepts."

You say, "Imagine a Shaitha born of an old tale, told for generations by one's people."

You say, "Imagine that Shaitha is then devoured."

You say, "Then imagine that the story itself is infected."

You say, "And when you tell it, you are lost to the Naishaitha."

Constellous fidgets.

Evia coughs.

Regyy says, "Akhash what you desribe would quickly cycle to all doom."

You nod at Regyy.

Evia says, "Ideas, and concepts."

Evia furrows her brow.

You say, "It could, yes."

You say, "It certainly means as much to my people."

Drazaa quietly says, "It is difficult to break the bonds of connectedness, even when they become tainted."

You say, "To save ourselves, we had to divest ourselves of all of our spirits."

Metadi blinks at you.

Evia asks, "Oh?"

Metadi cringes.

You say, "My people no longer have their tribal spirits, and our Spirit-Callers are powerless."

Constellous cringes.

Evia blinks.

Evia says, "This is devastating.."

You say, "We will survive for a time, but not forever."

You say, "It is impossible to thrive without the spirits in the Sea."

You say, "It is equal to having no water."

Metadi says, "Aye, bloody dangerous place."

You say, "I have carried all the spirits of my people with me into these lands."

You say, "And many more spirits who were not allied with us, but that wished to flee the region as well."

(Constellous glances at Akhash's tattoos.)

Constellous rubs his chin thoughtfully.

You say, "Each mark upon me is a single spirit I have carried here."

Roelon deeply asks, "Do ye bare a mark for the pact ye made with Estrion?"

You nod at Roelon.

Evia says, "Its almost like the spirit of all of the worlds, carrying all the other spirits."

You say, "Before my warband set out, and before my people severed their last ties to Spirit, our eldest spirit callers, the Talatha Akh Maana, did ask the spirits for help in finding salvation."

Speaking to you, Evia asks, "These spirits you carry, what, or...where are the physical parts of them?"

You say, "Their physical manifestations are these marks."

You say, "This final divination revealed to us these lands, and the three signs."

You say, "It is at their convergence that the spirits sensed something that could save us, but as spirits, this was their only way of communicating it."

Speaking to Evia, Soullslayur says, "If this sign is truly one of the signs... then aye there is hope.."

Metadi smiles slightly.

You say, "Some of the Talatha Akh Maana paid for this information with their lives."

Roelon frowns.

Soullslayur splutters.

You say, "One was mine own father."

Evia buries her face in her hands.

Raokh nods.

Metadi nods gravely to you.

Roelon sighs.

Roelon shakes his head.

You say, "And now we are here."

Drazaa says, "His efforts will not be vain Akhash."

Roelon deeply says, "Ah hope it is worth such a price."

You say, "We will endure because we must."

You take a drink from your chilled mint tea.

Metadi asks, "Hae any o' these nashaitha been successfully fought before?"

You say, "No."

You say, "Only avoided."

You say, "And the method of avoiding this one is death to my people."

You say, "A prolonged one, yes, rather than immediate."

You say, "But death all the same."

You say, "I agreed to face The Jackal himself."

You say, "But I can do nothing against the Nashaitha that preys on us."

You say, "Until we find the convergence of these signs."

You say, "And so now you know why we have come."

You say, "I would have explained sooner, but there has been little time of late."

Speaking to you, Metadi says, "We should discuss at some point, exactly what the Order can do tae aid."

You nod.

You say, "You may approach me, or our Trader, with anything you wish to discuss, of course."

Raokh nods at Metadi.

Metadi nods.

Raokh says, "You could speak to the others as well, but they are more difficult to converse with."

Metadi nods.

Raokh says, "The wolf less so than Sekhula."

Raokh smiles.

Metadi laughs softly, trying to hide his amusement.

Soullslayur snickers.

Constellous appears to be trying hard not to grin.