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Log: The Forest Manse

Page history last edited by Issthok 14 years, 11 months ago
There is a small forest by a river in the Hundred Kingdoms. The forest is not inhabited, as far as anyone knows, by beastmen or barbarians, and it's pretty quiet. A perfect hideout for bandits, perhaps!? Some might think that. The truth...well, the truth is rather stranger. (It generally is, in Creation. Except sometimes, but those are silly times.)
 
Anyway. Forest. In the geometric center of the forest, the trees grow strangely. They twist into spirals, holding up crystal lenses in their twisting trunks. The lenses focus light inwards...to the ziggurat. Or what might once have been a ziggurat. It is held up by twisting trees, made of crystals. The center has collapses inward, and the new shape focuses light in new ways...
 
There is a still enough, however, that appears to be intact...including a massive gate of crystal, held open by four carved statues - a massive armored lizard, a towering sea monster, a strange beast with long wings, and something like a claw strider with hands.
 
Uninhabited is perfectly fine with someone in Joyous Cacophony's position. He has been running for a very long time, after seeing Malfean demons in the skies... how long ago was it? Days? Weeks? He doesn't even really know anymore, but it hasn't been long enough. He keeps seeing /things/ following him, and he isn't sure if it's his imagination or horrible reality.
 
The robed young man skillfully skirts around several particularly poisonous plants as he wanders the surprisingly quiet forest, looking around for signs of life. He comes nearer and nearer to the center of the forest, following game trails and picking out edible plants and berries as he goes, apparently completely at home here.
 
And then he sees the gate. He gapes at the construct, staring up at it with wide eyes and almost losing his large leaf full of the stuff that will be his dinner. He walks closer, looking around at the crystalline trees, the spirals, the... /everything/. Cacophony is a bit confused, and awed. Who made something like this, here?
 
The forest goes silent - this place seems to radiate power. A familiar, yet strange power. The flow of Essence...well, this is a powerful place. It is foreign - very, very foreign...but there is a core to it that is very like what a Solar would know. There have been no problems in the forest so far - poisonous plants, sure, but no bear attacks or angry monkeys or any of the other problems that might arise in the Eastern forests.
 
Except for a very /warm/ feeling. A sort of damp feeling. It seems almost pulse regularly - a blast of damp warmth, and then about ten seconds to cool...and then another blast of damp warmth. Almost like breath. Except...that would need to be something very large.
 
The tyrant lizard continues to stand behind Joyous Cacophany, waiting for his other shoe to drop.
 
The warm air confuses Cacophony for a few long moments. It could be a side effect of the lenses, and what feels like the flow of Essence through here. It couldn't be a creature, his numbed mind reasons, as something that large, he would have heard. His wits catch up to him, and his survival instinct /insists/ he turn around, /just/ to be sure.
 
Joyous Cacophony turns around.
 
Joyous Cacophony wishes he had not turned around.
 
Joyous Cacophony turns back around, facing the other direction with an absolutely terrified expression on his face. He swallows the scream he can't really let out anyway, and takes a deep, calming breath--
 
--and then runs like hell, straight forward, through the gateway as fast as he possibly can. He is surprisingly quick on his feet, for just being some guy.
 
The tyrant lizard, as Joyous Cacophony turns, seems to smile. It's very hard to tell on something quite that large and reptilian, but it definitely showed a lot of teeth. As he turns back and starts running, it makes a rhythmic 'wumphing' noise that, in a smaller creature, would be called laughter. This is, apparently, a very /cheerful/ tyrant lizard. After a ten second head start, there is the faint rumble of it running after.
 
Inside the crystal bulding, things are...stranger. Plants grow out of odd parts of the walls, but they do not seem to have been put there randomly. Indeed - glowing 'fruit' hangs from their branches, lighting the hallway. The crystal seems opaque, and yet sunlight is focused through it to...somewhere. It's a /very/ strange place.
 
And stranger still when the hallway ends, in a wide room. In the center is a shallow pool, fed by a waterfall from a crack in the crystal. In the center of the waterfall is a table of crystal, grown out of the basin itself. Living plants surround it like chairs, and the table is loaded with food - all meat.
 
Meanwhile, there is the sound of clawed feet walking through a nearby hallway. The tyrant lizard seems to have gotten lost - its footsteps are gone, and these ones are much smaller.
 
Oh, great. He's going to be eaten by an /overly cheerful tyrant lizard/. Joyous Cacophony cannot think of a more horrible way to die.
 
He pauses in thought but not speed. Oh wait; yes he can. But not any that are nearly so imminent.
 
Cacophony runs through the building, only noting the plants and 'fruits' with passing interest because he still thinks he is being /chased/. He slows to a stop as he gets into the room, blinking a few times. Meat? A waterfall? Plant-chairs? If he had a voice, he would ask the room what it was.
 
Clawed feet, but not the tyrant lizard's. Looking around, Cacophony tries to find a good place to hide. Going back isn't really an option, but if he can find something to dive behind, that would be /wonderful/.
 
There is, of course, the table. It's pretty solid, you could hide behind the table. You'd get wet, of course. But hey, it's a place to hide. Other than that, there's...taking your chances down a hallway. Who knows where they might lead?
 
Whatever Joyous Cacophany chooses, the tapping of claws gets louder. A beast emerges from the hallway - a beast like the fourth that was holding the gates in statue form. It is a lithe, scaly creature, much like a claw strider...but with feathery scales along its neck and head. And, of course, clothing. It is wearing a suit of black armor...but it is trimmed with orichalcum, and on the chest is an ancient symbol - a sunburst. At its belt, an orichalcum daiklave - that much is obvious, though its hilt is made of red crystal, and a vine is wrapped around it.
 
Oddly, the creature does not like terrifying, or even foreign, unlike the statues. It is...perfectly normal. Sure, it's a lizard, but you know - it's like that guy next door, if he were a lizard.
 
The table works quite well. Cacophony is used to being wet; he's out in the rain all the time, and lacks some sort of hat or covering. Maybe he should invest in one of those neat, wide-brimmed hats...
 
Hat-thoughts are for another time, he decides, crouches under the table. He holds his breath as the beast emerges, watching, and... being even more confused. He recognizes orichalcum on the spot; it has an inner fire to it that is unmistakeable if you've been around it long enough. He tries to shift his position under the table--it is incredibly uncomfortable, the way he's situated, and he is not very tough at all--and ends up falling over backwards with a quite audible *SPLASH*, flailing around in the water as he suddenly gets soaked unexpectedly.
 
Cacophony reaches up to wipe the water from his eyes, and fully expects the lizard (that he isn't afraid of, oddly) to be glaring at him.
 
While this lizard may be many things, deaf it is not. The sudden splash /definitely/ draws its attention. There are another pair of splashes - just two - and in an instant it is on top of the table, glaring down at Cacophany, just as expected. Its hand is on the daiklave - but the sword remains undrawn. After all, Cacophany is possibly the least threatening intruder there could be.
 
The creature says /something/ - it resembles Old Realm in style, but is not understandable at all. High Holy Speech is very, very rare these days. Then, quite unexpectedly, another splash...as the tyrant lizard appears from nowhere in the water. It looks down at Cacophany...and then turns away. It appears to be pouting.
 
Then, in very clear, understandable Riverspeak - if accented - the smaller lizard says, "Human. What are you doing here? Are you seeking treasure? There is none for you here."
 
Cacophony almost loses it again, with the tyrant lizard appearing out of nowhere. A spirit? He shakes his head slowly up at the 'pouting' lizard, and then more rapidly at the smaller lizard. He gulps, raising his hands and waving them in a manner humans tend to when someone has it wrong.
 
What he does next is a bit odd. Cacophony puts a hand on his stomach and makes an exaggerated hungry expression, followed by 'walking' two fingers over the surface of the water. Then, he points at the tryant lizard, puts his hands next to his face as if terrified, and pantomimes his arms swinging like he would when he ran. He gestures widely at the whole room...
 
...and then looks up at the lizard, wondering if he got /any/ of that.
 
The lizard watches Cacophany closely. Its neck actually bends to bring the head closer to the man. "What?" The head pulls backa s Cacophany begins pantomiming. There is a moment of silence. It's hard to read a face quite so inhuman, but it appears as though the smaller lizard is confused. It turns to the tyrant lizard and barks something in that same sibilant Old-Realm-ish language. The tyrant lizard, amazingly, says something /back/, in the same language.
 
Then the lizard turns back to Cacophany. "So...you got hungry? And..." There is a moment of confusion again. "And...walked on water...and then Telsstathin appeared. And..." There is another pause. The lizard's tail sweeps around in a faintly annoyed manner.
 
"And then...you ran away...down the hall. Because you were scared. But you didn't scream." Another pause. "Because you can't speak. Obviously." The lizard is not a stupid lizard. It is a /confused/ lizard, but not a stupid one. "Why were you looking for food /here/? There are no humans here."
 
Cacophony nods when it is correct, and then shakes his head when there is an error. He nods at the hunger; that was right, and the lizard might notice a trail of foraged food on the way in from the hall. He shakes his head at walking on water, pointing outside and weaving his hand through the halls, making an arch with his arms and tapping the ground with a knuckle. Then, he nods at the scared part, and the 'can't speak' bit.
 
As if to confirm it, Cacophony pulls down his scarf and tilts his head back, showing a thin scar across his throat from a fine-edged weapon. Must be physical damage. He silently sighs and slowly rises, holding his hands open with his palms out, and reaching into his robes just as obviously. He draws out a silver-handled brush and runs it across the table with deft motions, leaving ink behind without having a source of it. Odd.
 
It's Old Realm script. He must have recognized the language, somewhat. It reads, 'Was in the forest foraging. No money for city food. Peaceful.' He pauses and glances at the lizard's weapon and armor, and then adds on a seperate space, 'Orichalcum?' and gestures at them, quizzically.
 
The lizard examines the script on the table. It reads...and then speaks in Old Realm. "So...this is the language of these times, then? I had understood that few spoke it. Was I wrong? You...hm. You are human, this place was never meant for you. But..." It pauses, at the last line. "Wait. You are the first to do what /should/ have been done, to recognize the weapons I carry for what they are, rather than just 'magic'."
 
The creature slips off the table, turning and standing. "...you may have some of my food. There is enough for me and several others. Take what you want...but you will tell me things." The Old Realm is less accented than the Riverspeak. It is more natural, as if the lizard spoke it of old. A bit archaic...but then it /is/ Old Realm.
 
"You recognize orichalcum. You must tell me. Where are the Solars? What happened to the Princes of Creation? I have seen no palaces, no emissaries - nothing. In places there should be thriving cities there are simple towns."
 
Joyous Cacophony lets out a held breath. He was right; it /is/ similar to Old Realm! He grins--and then blinks a moment, shaking his head and writing in Riverspeak next to it, 'This is the trade language,' and then in Forest-tongue, 'and this is the local dialect.' He smiles; languages, he likes. Giant killer tyrant lizards that seem a lot smarter than they are, well... not so much. This lizard seems okay, though.
 
Cacophony nods slowly, and steps up to the table, using a wet hand to wash away the ink he's used. He bows in obvious thanks, and then looks quizzically at the lizard. He looks like he might be chewing on his lower lip a little in serious thought for a moment. He wrings the water out of his robe--obviously some kind of incredible silk, as it seems to just slide off--and then... he lights up.
 
More specifically, his forehead does. The caste mark of the Eclipse appears, the disk within a circle of gold as obvious as it ever was. It becomes quite obvious what he is now, but the attitude change must be shocking for the lizard. He stands tall, drawing himself up to look less like a drowned rat and more respectable. It works quite well.
 
He writes again. The words stick out like sore thumbs in angry red ink. 'Rebellion. Usurpation by the Dragon-Blooded. We were all slain.'
 
"...I know both of these languages. It has taken the better part of this year, but I know them." The lizard looks up from the writing...and then - then...there is nothing he can say. A caste mark. This is more than he could ever have expected. And...and far, far less. "You..." The lizard's voice seems to tremble for a moment. "You are..."
 
"But - honored Solar..." A faint touch of obeisance...but not enough. Even as he sees it, the lizard is refusing to quite believe it. His voice is respectful...but with the respect to an equal, not to a superior. This is not how a mortal would speak to an Exalt, in Old Realm. It is how an Exalt would speak to another of equal Essence. "You are no Lord of Creation, not if you fear Telsstathin. I have never known a Solar to fear such a simple guardian. But..."
 
And then his eyes widen further. "They - they...no! No! That is not...that is not how things /are/. They love, they..." But there /was/ resentment. There always was. Even in those who loved the Solars and Lunars - their arrogance ground on you... "But..." A pause, and the lizard looks into Cacophony's eyes. "But wouldn't the Sidereals have stopped them?"
 
Cacophony doesn't nod, this time. The lizard recognizes the languages, and there's no reason to confirm that. The trembling... Joyous Cacophony can recognize the changes in someone's voice quite readily. Maybe all those dreams and memories he had of so many people worshiping the previous 'him' were truer than he thought.
 
He shakes his head slowly, smiling somewhat sadly and demonstrating something. He takes up a sloppy stance known to amateur martial artists and shadow-boxes for a second, and then shrugs, trying to get across that he doesn't really know how to fight. Cacophony sighs... and then that /word/ comes up. He meets the lizard's gaze, staring at him with an expression of faint familiarity, the kind someone gets when they remember, but... don't. A few words come to Cacophony's mind, some of the last his previous incarnation heard.
 
'Once, there was a maiden...'
 
Joyous Cacophony mouths 'Sidereals?' and tilts his head, shaking it slowly. He does not know this word, or of these people.
 
There is a moment of silence. A look of shock and horror that's easy to read, even on that reptilian face. A Solar that does not know of Sidereals. "What has this world /become/? They can't all be dead..." And has jumped to /entirely/ the wrong conclusion, but neither of the people here is to know that. There is another moment of silence...
 
"...it's not important now." A faint light of hope, at least. The Solar didn't know of Sidereals, has not recognized him for a Dragon King...but he is not afraid. But...how could that be, if he was afraid of a Tyrant Lizard? "I am Issthok Mostath Atlaaki, master of this place, the Crystal Fang Biting The Sky...and once, Mayor of Crystal Fang Smile."
 
As he speaks, he focuses. Could this be what he fears? Or is it hopes for? Even Issthok can't tell...
 
There is something he's missing here. Something is up, and Cacophony is out of the loop. He does not like being out of the loop, especially with something that seems so shocking to the lizard. He shrugs slowly, holding his hands up with his palms up. He really has no idea; he has nothing to compare it to.
 
Joyous Cacophony nods once, and then bows, clasping his hands together. He does so to Issthok as if he were an equal, not his inferior in the least. When his hands part, he holds a strip of cloth in it, with script in six different languages across it. Each reads 'Joyous Cacophony.' He gestures at himself when he presents it; it must be his name.
 
Oddly, he doesn't seem to add any titles. Things really /must/ have changed.
 
A Solar, treating Issthok as an equal? This is...new. Very new. And...nice. Very, very nice. "...you are welcome in my manse, Joyous Cacophany. Great Sol Invictus would curse me and my line, should I refuse hospitality to a fellow child of the sun." Pretend that you have /always/ been equal to Solars. It won't work, but...but this man could be a valuable ally.
 
"Do you need any foods but meat? I have never learned the human diet. There is plant food here, but it is...well, it is for feasts, and guests. I do not eat of it often, except when the taste takes me." Issthok's voice is becoming stronger again, resolute. He is sure of his plan now...well, almost sure. "And...tell me. Have you seen others like me? Other Dragon Kings?"
 
As he speaks, he keeps watching Cacaphony - perhaps more closely than is needed. But then, who can tell with a lizard?
 
Cacophony nods deeply in thanks. He cannot speak, so such a common, little gesture to him--and one that is perhaps not so insignificant to Issthok--will be frequent. He gestures inquisitively at the plant-seats that seem to be there, apparently asking if they actually /are/ for sitting on, because it seems like a good idea right now.
 
He looks thoughtful and then nods a little, writing out 'not right now,' and then... focusing, but only for a second. He suddenly /knows/ what the 'Dragon King' wants, and he smiles just a little at it. He may not be very strong, but he is no fool, nor stranger to such manipulations, innocent as it is.
 
Joyous Cacophony shakes his head; he's never seen a Dragon King before now. He pauses for a few seconds and then focuses again, and now, his gestures come to him more fluidly, more naturally, and in a manner much more suited to communicating with a, well... lizard. 'I will help you find them,' he communicates, 'if you promise to be truthful to me.' His gestures are pointed, not skirting around the truth of the matter, looking Issthok in the eyes while he moves.
 
He stops his gesturing with one hand extended. Well, humans /do/ tend to shake on things... and he /is/ an Eclipse...
 
The Dragon King is at least used to the odd looks plant-tech gets. Even in the First Age it was more of an oddity than anything else for many Solars. Certainly not many Twilights ever bothered to learn the secrets - though they certainly never minded a Dragon King able to raise a manse in a week or two, working alone. "Sit, yes. It will hold your weight. It was designed to hold much larger things." Anklok, for example.
 
And then...those movements...few humans have ever truly mastered the movements that are part and parcel with Dragon King body language. This is...bizarre. And therefore a perfectly natural Solar thing. "...mmm..." He cannot deny this - to deny would be /rude/. And a Solar...even a weak Solar...is a valuable ally.
 
Hopefully he will not ask the questions that will make him arrogant, because Issthok knows what an Eclipse can do to an oathbreaker. He holds out his own hand. It is more humanlike than might be expected - there are long claws, but the hand itself is quite dextrous. The claws do not so much as pinch, as he grasps Cacophony's hand.
 
"I will promise that."
 
Joyous Cacophony nods once as he grasps the hand. His grip tightens, only slightly--
 
The room suddenly gets brighter. The glittering gold mark on Joyous Cacophony's forehead burns with an intensity as it flares, a golden glow washing out from it and his body. A coruscant aura surrounds him, white and gold light bright enough that reading what he has written on the table is very easy. It is filmy, fluctuating, but most definitely the anima banner of the Eclipse caste.
 
Cacophony nods again, and releases the Dragon King's clawed hand. He settles on one of the plant things, comfortable now that he won't be deceived. He moves again, shifting and gesturing. The intended question is clear: 'How can I help and what would you like to know?'
 
A good question. Issthok thinks, rubbing the Hearthstone in the socket of his necklace. "I don't know quite how you can help...we need to gather my people. I need to gather them, that is. You could help by...well, by making the local humans amenable. I have a way to make myself look less frightening - that is why you do not fear me. But so many do not. And...I need your help to /find/ them. I do not know where the Dragon Kings are."
 

Issthok's eyes fall. "I don't even know if they remember who they are. It has been...a very, very long time.I need to know where they are, what they know...and how I can fix them." 

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