Kevin's Watch

Jove wrote:I rather like having him around.

Well, that makes one of us.

Come now, Yek. You know darned well the only reason you returned to Eiran was that you missed me.

Bhakti wrote:Come now, Yek. You know darned well the only reason you returned to Eiran was that you missed me.

I missed you with the meteor I hurled down, but rest assured I wont miss a second time.

Nor Yekith wrote:The end is coming for you, my friend. And it wont be by my hand. You will be betrayed by someone close to you.

I am not your friend, Nor. I am you dearest foe.

But I am disappointed that my greatest enemy can come up with nothing but that for a threat. What, your in league with Bhakti now? Even if hidden, your attack will still be by your plan, and THAT is what matters.

That is not funny, Nor.

<OOC edit to add to show that it is funny>

Ismund brushed the last of the diamond dust off of his hands as he finished his study for the morning. Expending power all morning had left him drained and he needed a respite from his examinations. His study of lightning emanating from a single diamond had opened up a whole new world of magic to him.

He was enthusiastic of his discovery and he even felt that the great goddess Jove herself had taken notice of his work. He felt her blessing and was thrilled that she watched over him. Jove was a generous goddess to the followers that pleased her and he had been a recipient of her generosity.

He gathered up the tools of his trade and placed them in the ivory box that he kept on the table in his study among his magic scrolls and manuscripts. He then headed out of the house to his garden.

As Ismund opened the door of his cottage, the late morning air touched his nostrils. The perfume of gardenias rode on the gentle breeze that ruffled Ismund’s blonde hair and beard and he looked over the green, rolling hills of land. The white plaster houses with red clay-tiled roofs dotted the landscape and the crops created a patchwork quilt along the hillsides.

Ismund picked up his box of gardening tools and bent to his garden of herbs and roots – things common to his profession. He was not an old man so the upkeep of a garden was no burden. In fact, gardening was Ismund’s favorite past-time. It was meditative for him after the stress of study. Gardening gave him the opportunity to focus on the simplicity of life and the benefit of the wealth that a garden could bring.

Although Ismund had some flowers and shrubs in his garden, he mostly kept practical plants – herbs and roots that he could use or vegetables and fruit trees that he could eat from. It was not necessary for him to farm. The granaries were always full and the followers of Jove always had a wealth of food, so constant was her blessing on the houses of her followers.

The garden still had the morning shade as Ismund pulled errant weeds and reshaped the citrus trees. He hoed a new patch of dirt and sewed seeds of new vegetation. The day was warm and he broke a sweat with hoeing and digging.

As his mind cleared from his studies, he pulled off his tunic and he placed his hoe against the cottage. He walked to the barrel of rainwater still in the shade by his front door and grabbed his tin cup to drink. He walked back to survey his gardening, taking a deep breath, and sipping the cool water.

Ismund

He heard the soft voice over his shoulder. He turned to look but no one was there.

What greeted his sight was the valley in all its morning splendor. It was a magnificent sight. Green rolling hills that butted up to the edges of the forest Shakari. It was miles away but the forest looked so close, Ismund felt that he could reach out a hand and touch it.

Ismund

Again his name. It was being carried on the wind. The breezed whipped up around him and enveloped him, swirling around and around, cooling him with its gentle force. Then he saw a tender vortex of gold dust approach him. The sounds of small bells reached his ears and within the vortex, Ismund saw a woman with hair of gold and sapphire eyes.

Ismund

Jove. He knew it. He had felt her presence in his laboratory and felt her blessing in his work. He was frozen with awe at his first sight of the goddess.

She stepped out of the vortex, droplets of gold twinkling against the pungent grass where she walked. Not human. She was air and rain; she was gold and pearls, she was sun and warmth. Gold dust was lifted from her shoulders and hair in the wind surrounding them as Jove moved closer to Ismund.

Jove approached Ismund and took his face in her hands. She kissed his lips and looked directly in his eyes.

Not letting go of his face, she said,

Ismund, Angus has been killed and I am without a leader for my people. I need you to lead my people and be my voice to them. You have proven your devotion to me and I am pleased with your work. You will be in communion with me and I will provide for you.

I have lost two prophets before you - first, my lovely Caroline and now my beloved Angus. You shall be protected because I will not lose you as well.
Jove’s eyes bore into Ismund’s and her hands held his face in an iron grip. Though not eyes looked into his but sapphires; not lips kissed his but rubies; not skin touched his but air. It was a befuddling illusion and Ismund’s mind groped to understand it.

A searing pain briefly touched Ismund’s forehead and then faded. Suddenly, it was as if he could see the entire universe appear before his brain.

Jove released his face and his gaze and stepped away.

I have placed the Eye of Jove in your forehead. Anyone who attempts to harm you, no matter how few or how many in number will be struck with a deadly bolt of lightning. It will also act as a protective field of electricity that will surround you when you command it to. Because it is now of your body, it will also give you limited power over the weather.

Develop it along with your mage skills and use it for the good of my followers.

Jove immediately returned to the vortex of gold dust and disappeared.

Ismund stood breathless and trembling. He had seen the goddess! His hand probed his face and hair. He discovered something hard in the center of his forehead.

He ran inside the cottage to find the looking glass next to his commode. He stared in shock at the size of the oval sapphire that protruded from his forehead. It was part of his very skull as if he had been born with it.

There were other changes in his appearance as well. His eyes – always blue - suddenly appeared to sparkle with a life of their own as if they were the goddess’ eyes. His hair took on the color of gold, much like Jove’s hair. His fingernails appeared almost like diamonds themselves.

He had been positively transformed into a special being and he could not stop looking at the sapphire in his forehead, even when his bodyguards came to collect him……

In the candidates’ dormitory of the weyr, the remaining visiting Hatching candidates spent their time practicing the simple movements they were shown to avoid a ravenous hatchling not looking for them. Those who were skilled in martial arts, or other physical arts, spent time honing those skills as well. After the “excitement” of the past week, life in the grieving weyr struck them as quiet and boring. The past couple of days, even Master Kavi had not come by for further instruction. It was as if the grieving weyr had forgotten they were there.

Aldwin Aquila, a devotee of Jove, flexed his mighty thews uncomfortably on the low stone bench. He had come to the kitchens for some cold leftovers and some warm company. Since the tragedy, he found himself eating more often alone than with his fellow candidates, and he had struck up a friendship with some of the serving women at least partly to gain some inside information. He enjoyed being on the receiving end of some admiring looks of the serving women. Stretching his nearly six-and-a-half foot chiseled frame, he settled down at the table, leaning forward to keep the soup out of his heavy red beard. As he did so a calculating look crept into his otherwise inscrutable blue eyes. Devorah not only made a mean turtle soup, she was proving to be a valuable source of information as well, keeping him abreast of the inmost doings of the weyr, especially the search for the escaped murderous followers of Astavyastastaa Kadna.

The latest rumor held that the only captive, Jonx Seth, was revealing little useful information, despite the best interrogative efforts of L-rd Adormorn’s onsite candidates for the Hatching. Aldwin could not help but think of a few more pointed questioning methods, but his opinion was, regrettably, not sought.

Between spooning steaming soup, Aldwin rumbled a few compliments Devorah’s way. Although he had been referring to her culinary skills, he could tell by the way she half turned, coloring slightly, that she was picking up on his other meaning.

Devorah for her part couldn’t help but be enthralled by the rich sonority of the outlander’s baritone. She knew he was a widower with two sons being raised by his sister while he devoted his life to his G-ddess and country.

“It could any time now,” Devorah said.

Aldwin’s eyebrows raised slightly.

“Them eggs, I mean,” she continued. “If this Hatching is anything like the others in other weyrs, another hot day and they’ll be rocking like mad. You better hope you’re ready.”

“Don’t worry about me. The question is -- will the weyr be ready?” He was referring to the multitude of petty tasks that needed to be complete so that the hatchlings could be fed and bond with their Riders in relative privacy and comfort.

“I’ve got the girls working fourteen hours prepping hooba steaks. And most of the chambers are clean, but if it goes tomorrow it will be a close thing.”

Aldwin finished his soup and pushed himself upright, being careful to exaggerate the flex in his strong arms and broad chest. It never hurt, to ‘sell it’ a little, especially when you are fishing for information.

Whatever he had been meaning to say was lost, however. For just then, a buzzing, resonating thrum, pitched so that one’s whole skull vibrated, creating a sensation which could not be ignored, thrilled through the weyr.

“What is that?” Aldwin cried out.

“It’s the Song of Hatching Welcome from the dragons!” Devorah cried. “You must hurry to the Grounds, or you will miss it!”

Aldwin spun on his heel and fled down the corridor.

The last few steps of the narrow stone corridor where almost spiritual in nature; like a near death experience, or some type of birth canal, Aldwin felt like he was emerging into a new world. A world of fresh air, bright light, and overwhelming sound. When he finally emerged on the sands he half expected the roar of a coliseum. Instead the spectacle that lay before was even more foreign to his experience. He stopped in wonder, even as the heat of the sands began to burn its way through his leather soles.

Aldwin looked up, blinking against the harsh daylight. Rising incredible distances the crags of the volcanic crater seemed like some impossible amphitheater or like the pipes of the world’s tallest organ. Everywhere, dragons were settling on to rocky outcroppings, or had already found a perch and were thrumming unabashedly with wings outstretched. The one thing that Aldwin feared he would never get used to was the overpowering aroma of freshly rubbed dragon.

Tearing his eyes away from the shifting many hued panoply, he noticed that other candidates were just beginning to arrive. There was an electric feeling in the air and it affected each candidate in different ways. Some strutted across the sands. Others hung back by the apertures to the corridors whence they had come. Still a third group stood poised calmly, readying themselves for whatever might come next. Among these were several that Aldwin had been proud to train with over the preceeding weeks.

Aldwin took the time to pick out the faces and locations of his fellow devotees of Jove: Wolfgar de Grey – A seasoned adventurer and soldier approximately 30 years old; Giliana Blanchard – 25, very tall for a woman – as tall as a man, blonde, and very athletic; and Phillipa de Monteforte –with jet black hair and eyes so blue that they look purple. She was petite and curvy but Aldwin knew she was deadly with daggers.

Here and there he recognized a few other faces, particularly outstanding candidates that he had trained with. From L-rd Adomorn’s candidates, the diminutive Rishi seemed quiet and not very assertive, but yet exuded a calm confidence that drew Aldwin’s attention. Likewise from Adomorn’s camp, Grane the ectomorph seemed to move as delicately on the sands as he had done in discussions of evenings in the caverns.

Farther across the sands, Aldwin’s sharp blue eyes espied the curly haired fresh face youth, Arion Delphilos, a devotee of Undine, he seemed to be looking at the dragon eggs as though judging whether they were a wave worth surfing. Aldwin bore little respect for an untested and seemingly playful candidate and couldn’t help but wonder why the hand of fate would have spared only such a candidate to represent the broad sea.

The thrumming was increasing now, and more of the eggs were beginning to rock. Close at hand, Aldwin noticed the presence of the non-human contigent. Even though they were devotees of Melirelle, Aldwin gave little credit to the likelihood of fiends, fey, or their friends ever Impressing a dragon. But there was no more time for idle speculation.

With a sharp crack that reminded Aldwin of a piece of marble being struck from a quarry wall, a long tear appeared in one of the shells. An audible gasp arose from the collected candidates, all of whom by this time had found their positions. Soon the bronze tip of a snout could be seen wedging apart the halves of the egg shell as more cracks reverberated over the sands.

The unusual fecundity of this year’s clutch, brought on perhaps by the blessings of Melirelle and Bhakti, would have overwhelmed the class of candidates in any case. But even with the addition of outside candidates, diminished as they were by recent events, they were bound to be unimpressed Hatchlings wobbling everywhere. Aldwin only hoped there was enough meat.

Gradually a change in attitude became noticeable among the draconic observers and the candidates themselves. As each Hatchling struggled to emerge from the shell the drama of the scene became more intense. The candidates nearest to the remarkably soft and wet looking dragonets became rapt with wonder, and not merely at the fact that such a large creature could have been folded so neatly within a three gallon shell.

Suddenly a pale golden blur could be seen skittering across the sands. The crowd began to murmur, “A Queen, a Queen.” Directly in her path was Rishi, her confidence evaporated and her face rounded in surprise. Aldwin thought to himself, “she had better be communing with that dragon, or they’ll be the devil to pay.” Just when it appeared that Rishi would be trampled underfoot, she fell to her knees and accepted the warm nuzzle of a very obviously elated young Queen. Even though she was less than a day old she already outweighed her Rider, and was likely to double in weight within just a few meals. They made a touching pair, but there was no time to goggle.

The scene was being repeated on every sector of the grounds. Everywhere Hatchlings and new Riders were pairing off, while other Hatchilings zoomed haphazardly about, searching for the perfect mind. Many eggs were still rocking, and many candidates were still holding back, but it was quite clear which species held the upper hand. Soon the handlers would have to come out with baskets of meat for those unlucky enough who failed to Impress. Already the first two or three candidates and their dragonet were searching for quiet places to bond.

Aldwin intently watched all this, suppressing a growing feeling of dread. Of his class of candidates from outside the weyr, just about half Impressed. Among Jove’s devotees, only Giliana Blanchard Impressed, a green! Adomorn’s candidates had one other pairing besides Rishi’s Queen, Grane Impressed a brown! Half of Melirelle’s human candidates each Impressed, the two females, Laran and Tharni, also Impressed greens. But the two male humans candidates were denied. Melirelle’s three non-human candidates did surprisingly well; while the Fey female, Onveia, did not Impress, the two fiend candidates, male Gimânâth and female Agalûnê, both did. Agalûnê was overcome with joy at being found by her beloved green, and Gimânâth did very well by finding his joy in a bronze.

Aldwin had felt sure that he would be among the first to Impress, that his candidacy would go smoothly. But now it seemed even the youth Arion would beat him to the punch. As he mused he noticed that he was far from the only one without a dragonet, but just then a bronze flash streaked across the sands and collided with Arion in a tumble of legs. Aldwin thought he heard a muffled “Dude!” “Oh great, the kid got a bronze. I’ll probably have to wait another year to try again.”

Aldwin decided to take matters into his own hands. He began striding purposely towards the cluster of eggs closest to him. He knew from his training how dangerous this could be if he should suddenly be seen as food, but he trusted to his agility and perception to keep him out of trouble. Somewhere out there was a dragon waiting for him.

It was funny: the eggs kept sliding to the right. No, that wasn’t it: the sands were sloping to the left. But Aldwin had known the grounds were level, so that couldn’t be right either. Confused, he stopped short. The eggs were ahead of him as they always had been, but he felt a disequilibrium. Something was pulling his head to the left. He turned to look in that direction and was stunned to see a rapidly moving brownish blur surmounted by the most intense pair of opalescent eyes he had ever beheld. Very quickly Aldwin was aware of very little else.

“Why do you keep striding away from me, and towards those other eggs? Don’t you like me? Don’t you want to be with me?” a young, confused, plaintive Canth asked.

“Me? Not like you Canth? Impossible!!”

And Aldwin fell to his knees, being enwrapped by the wings of his beloved, who would be with him for always.

O-gon-cho wrote:Suddenly a pale golden blur could be seen skittering across the sands. The crowd began to murmur, “A Queen, a Queen.” Directly in her path was Rishi, her confidence evaporated and her face rounded in surprise. Aldwin thought to himself, “she had better be communing with that dragon, or they’ll be the devil to pay.” Just when it appeared that Rishi would be trampled underfoot, she fell to her knees and accepted the warm nuzzle of a very obviously elated young Queen. Even though she was less than a day old she already outweighed her Rider, and was likely to double in weight within just a few meals. They made a touching pair, but there was no time to goggle.

I am very happy for my loyal Knight, Rishi. I am not sure of the exact importance of her being chosen by a Queen, but am evorjoyed nonetheless.

Thank you for the opprotunity, Sister.

Brother, it is the duty and honor of the weyr to accomodate those who share Eiran with us. Of course the first Hatching at Zandarar would be open to all, despite the betrayal of those who were trusted.

As the season of Hedra Iren approaches again next year, I hope to be able to do so again.

We share in the joy of your followers Grane and Rishi, and will inform you of the status of Raff, Reena, and Drahmin very soon.

O-gon-cho wrote:Brother, it is the duty and honor of the weyr to accomodate those who share Eiran with us. Of course the first Hatching at Zandarar would be open to all, despite the betrayal of those who were trusted.

As the season of Hedra Iren approaches again next year, I hope to be able to do so again.

We share in the joy of your followers Grane and Rishi, and will inform you of the status of Raff, Reena, and Drahmin very soon.

My thanks. *bow*

Who are you, mortal??

Nor Yekith wrote:Bhakti,
On my word, I have ordered my Cult to return the stolen children. They will be sent to Jove's guild in Nor Leviathan.

Ahhhh, Lord of Malice ... your submitted story holds no 'ending' ... it is an excuse to inflict emotional pain on Jove and Bahkti at what you are doing to their children ... and it seems to contravene your promise. What say you god of Malice? Explain what is below!

Nor Yekith wrote:"... The Yekith ... pull one of the levers that flushed a crimson fluid over the Children of Bhakti. The children screamed as the fluid scoured their skin.

...

Houka Fleshlover ... dipped both talons into a jar of boiling tar and then started to scratch the skin of the bound children as it etched the worm-tattoo that wound its way around their bodies.

...

The Yekith slithered closer to the children and motioned for the fleshlover to continue its work. ... The worm's claws touched the chests of the each of the victims... Screaming filled the stomach-shaped dungeon as the Houka returned to its work.

Or do you plan to return the children only after you have had your way with them?!

My thanks, AK, but there are a couple of misunderstandings.

1) The Children in question are not the offspring of Jove and me. They are the children that Yek kidnapped when he invaded my lands soon after we came to Eiran. Long before your return, which is why you may not remember having heard about them.

2) The Children he damaged have been returned already. As he fairly recently said he would, he released them to Jove's Guildsmen in Nor Leviathan.

He promised that they were unharmed, and I promised to mention when he had kept his word by releasing them. Since, by his own admission, they are not unharmed, I saw no need to mention that he had kept his word by releasing them.


One thing occurs to me, my divine siblings... He showed these children a full view of Nor Pupae. This means that we can get a very current picture of Nor Pupae by looking into their minds to see what they saw. I will share what is revealed to any who donate a DRP to the process. The more DRP's, the better the picture we will see.

One thing occurs to me, my divine siblings... He showed these children a full view of Nor Pupae. This means that we can get a very current picture of Nor Pupae by looking into their minds to see what they saw. I will share what is revealed to any who donate a DRP to the process. The more DRP's, the better the picture we will see.

Why don't you just ask the God of Water?

Bhakti wrote:One thing occurs to me, my divine siblings... He showed these children a full view of Nor Pupae. This means that we can get a very current picture of Nor Pupae by looking into their minds to see what they saw. I will share what is revealed to any who donate a DRP to the process. The more DRP's, the better the picture we will see.

I might add that the area has changed greatly since then.

Undine wrote:Why don't you just ask the God of Water?

Might I point out that any vision one gets from the 'god' of water is skewed, since he sees like a fish. I heard a rumour the AllFather keeps Undine in an aquarium.

Aye.

But it's bigger than His worm-farm.

Nor Yekith wrote:

Undine wrote:Why don't you just ask the God of Water?

Might I point out that any vision one gets from the 'god' of water is skewed, since he sees like a fish. I heard a rumour the AllFather keeps Undine in an aquarium.

Stonemaybe wrote:Aye.

But it's bigger than His worm-farm.

O.M.G., that's funny.

Nor Yekith wrote: .... I heard a rumour the AllFather keeps Undine in an aquarium.

LEAVE those aquarium HEAT controlls alone ... or I'll tell AllFather on you!!!

Astavyastataa Kadna wrote:

Nor Yekith wrote: .... I heard a rumour the AllFather keeps Undine in an aquarium.

LEAVE those aquarium HEAT controlls alone ... or I'll tell AllFather on you!!!

Just so long as he doesn't mess with the slugs!!