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IC [Dark Sun] Shattered Lands
feeddannow
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Registered User regular
SHATTERED LANDS
Ahuia tlacochcalco notequioa ayayui nocaquia tlacatl, ya nechyapinauia, ayaca nomati, nitetzauiztli, auia, ayaca nomati niya, yautla, aquitoloc tlacochcalco notequioa, iuexcatlatoa ay nopilchan.
The morning is filled with the sounds of drums and singers lining the promenade from the black gate to the Father Temple. The wild dancing of euphoric warriors and priests seems contagious - and with every new faithful citizen that pours into the Two-Moon City the pulsing mass of humanity seems to grow in intensity if not size.
Ihiya quetl tocuilechcatl quauiquemitl nepapan oc uitzetla.
The drums send you the message without a word needing to be spoken - there will be games today. There will be blood today. There will be glory today. The press of bodies surrounding the Palace of Gladiatorial Combat is electric. There is no place in all of Draj that anyone would want to be…
Huia oholopa telipuchtla, yuiyoc yn nomalli, ye nimauia, ye nimauia, yuiyoc yn nomalli.
Today is a holy day. It is the birthday of the city. And the Two-Moon city is resplendant with flowers of every color, and seem as numerous as the people filling the streets. As the faithful arrive in the plaza, a long procession begins. A small cadre of Moon Priests lead the way - followed by a detachment of guards and templars - dressed in their finest armors, their faces and bodies painted yellow and blue and carrying wicked looking swords and knives of fine obsidian.
Huia uitznauac telepochtla yuiyoc, yn nomalli, ye nimauia, ye nimauia yuiyoc, y nomalli.
The drums signal the arrival of the High Moon Priest and there is one last frenzied moment before the silence settles in. Then, appearing in a display of finery and feathers - adorned in the flayed skin of fallen slaves - and crowned with the head of an elder insectuar - Maxlixoco greets the gathered.
Huia ytzicotla telipochtla, yuiyoc, yn nomalli, ye nimauia, ye nimauia, yuiyoc yn nomalli.
Maxlixoco, the wise, his withered features besepeak a great age - a rarity in this warrior culture - and his features are unmistakable. A son of Tectuktitlay himself - he speaks for the God-King, and others listen or they face a wrath unrivaled in the City of Two Moons. Despite his age - his voice carries over the Plaza like thunder.
"Weep! Lament! You wretched fools… You who call yourself warriors and you who call yourself proud… you have no knowing of glory, you have no knowing of greatness - today you stand in the shadow of your great God-King, Great Divine One, Lord Tectuktitlay, Father of the Jaguar and Keeper of the Feathered Serpent, King of the Two-Moons and the lands of Draj. "
"Today we remember the great deeds of our GOD and the founding of our empire. Today we give thanks and honor to our Divine Leader, GREATEST TECTUKTITLAY…"
Uitznauac teuaqui, machiyotla tetemoya, ahuia oyatonac, yahuia oyatonac, machiyotla tetemoya.
Tocuilitla teuaqui, machiyotla tetemoya, ahuia oyatonac, yahuia oyatonac uia, machiyotla tetemoya.
Below, in pens hidden away beneath the Palace of Gladiatorial Combat, the gladiators make ready for the grisly work ahead of them. The speeches will continue for a while yet, and then there will be the opening sacrifice before the games begin...
Go for it. The situation: It's been declared a holy week in Draj - in memory of the founding of the empire and the birth of Tectuktitlay, the gladiators are being kept in the slave pens made for the purpose in the complex below the arena itself. Feel free to speculate on to what horrors you will no doubt be facing and dip your feet in the IC water. Sheets and a map and some edits to come soon. But don't wait for all that... jump on in!
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As if to an invisible signal, Chet Olmec turns. He catches the eye of Matalihutl, his one loyal retainer, and nods. Then he addresses the assembled dregs:
Audio "I'm Chet Olmec, yeah, Templar of Draj and leader of you in gladiatorial combat. Today we fight for the glory of Tectuktitlay, and we will fight also for our own honor. Remember, no one who stands and fights is a slave, and today we will show the crowd what free people can do."
Chet awaits those that would dare fight with him to join him, and feels the thrill of blood awaken inside him. His circumstances might be low, but his spirits are high. He knows exactly what to do.
Character Sheet
Other:
Spider Frost
Underground is.... uncomfortable.
Remus pulls at the neck of his dark leathery armor to release the heat. That large fellow- what did he call himself? Chet? He has stopped his pacing. Remus does not totally register what he is saying about glory and honor. He seems like a good guy, but Remus has seen that drill before. Either naive optimism or a desperate attempt to raise the morale of the team.
He turns around to look at Aureus. And smirks.
Glancing back and forth from Chet to Kabocha, he thinks to himself that these two should provide ample distraction for him to do what he does best... attack enemies unawares.
Chet's rallying speech is well-worded and filled with gusto, but Aureus is not of this place. His concerns lie outside the constraints of Draj. Perhaps the pair of elves he spotted earlier can answer some of his questions about his past. He will do what he can to see they survive the arena.
Turning to regard Remus, Aureus raises an eyebrow and quips, "So, are you happy you came to rescue me? This should be fun."
"Cowards. Foreigners. Outlaws. Death waits at the end of every road that stretches forth before you. We invite you to instead walk with us. We shall show you the path covered in Glory, Honor, Victory, and the BLOOD OF OUR ENEMIES! Let us show you how to fight the Draji way, and we shall all be nourished by the acclaim of the masses!"
The stout Jaguar Knight stomps both feet and then brings both of his forearms together forcefully across his chest, exhaling a sonorous whoop as he does so.
"In the meantime, we must wait for the blood of the sacrifices to be spilled, to prepare the glorious Palace of Gladiatorial Combat. If any of you have any questions or concerns, please voice them now. Once we are on the field of glory, there will be no time for talk . . . only action."
Stretching her long limbs across the damp floor, the warrior turned her attention back to the man in the hood. It would appear the guards had intended for him to be thrown into the arena unawares. He was still bound, which was his own fault really… But he had been cursing, quite colorfully, in elven... and what kind of self-respecting Elf hadn’t yet bit off his own tongue to bleed to death rather than lay in a cell bound? Plus, he was almost as short as Teo… She was soooo curious.....
That was it. She had to know… A quick glance at Teo assured her that the shaman was busy doing .. whatever it was she did when she sat there. Though she had been ordered to sit in the corner and not cause any trouble with the warriors in the cell, if she acted now she could totally get away with it. Rising silently to her feet, the warrior moved to crouch down next to the prone form. Only the sharp click of her wrist razor broke the silence as she cautiously she pulled the thick leather off the prisoner. Expecting a fight or reaction of some kind, Coaxoch was on guard - with Crowley flanking the man for good measure.
Ever so slowly, she moved to free his hands as well. Man, he was a funny looking elf….
It was soooo worth it.
He heard some muffled movement, and felt the brief whisk of a blade cut his bonds. The leather was lifted from his head, and he sat there several moments. His eyes had to adjust to the gloom, and eventually his vision cleared. Despite the removal of the sack, the heat was still insufferable. A new smell also assailed his nostrils as the heavy scent of sweat and fear became heavily apparent. He almost preferred the sack.
Then, he looked to the one who cut his bonds, his eyes still focusing in the gloom. After a moment, his vision cleared, and he saw who released him. He quirked an eyebrow at her expression, and muttered, "What, see something you like?" He smirked, and then, having his bonds cut, slowly rose to his feet. He turned to the elf who released him, and gave a small half-bow, "I do thank you for releasing my bonds. Better than any of these others would do it seems." Mahzz coolly gazed over the crowd in the cell, then he moved to check his gear. He still had his longsword, and his wand was safely tucked out of sight in his shirt. Good thing too; no telling how the other gladiators would react knowing there was a wizard in their midst.
He reached in his shirt, and grabbed a scrap of some hide. He pulled it out, opened it, making sure the mark was undamaged. He would need to ask if anyone had seem warriors with similar marks. He tucked the parchment back safe, and surveyed the other occupants, his eyes coolly gazing over the other gladiators, gauging their reactions and attitudes.
Mahzz knew his objective was close. Not immediate, but not far off either. Perhaps the raiders were intermingled with the other gladiators in the cell, or perhaps they were elsewhere in similar insufferable conditions. At least the desert provided a wind when it was kind. Mahzz's attention snapped to the other warrior as he bolstered his comrade's earlier speech. The type of over-zealous speech made Mahzz grimace, and his stomach churned. He leaned back against the wall, and a thought struck him that made him chuckle. The warrior reminded him of an erdlu posturing for the right to mate. He leaned over and whispered elven to the one who released him, "Do you not think this warrior in all his posturing resembles an erdlu in season?"
Aedril character sheet: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=889486
The crowd roars louder, then subsides a little and she feels a sudden, burning impatience to be out in the arena already, to be fighting, running, feeling the heat of the blazing sun on her face. Anything they might face up there would be better than waiting in this dank pit with all these…
A booming voice interrupts her thoughts and her eyes snap open. The large human male, the one she’d heard pacing for some time, is speaking to them. Confident and commanding. A bit overbearing, perhaps. She couldn’t give a damn about this Tektuktitlay, but honor and freedom…those were words that would never offend her ear. She eyes him curiously. Perhaps not all down here are the trash she thought.
She glances to the side just in time to see Coaxoch cut the last of the leather straps away from the wrists of the strange…elf? Hard to be sure, it had been tossed in, hooded and tied. In any case, the guards must have left it bound for a reason. She shoots her companion an irritated look and is about to scold her when another human begins to speak.
His tone is a bit different from the first’s. She narrows her eyes at his choice of words and bares her teeth, a low growl escaping her throat without her noticing. Pompous human, calling her an outlaw…a COWARD. She barely even hears the rest of his speech…or the whispered elven words of the creature Coaxoch released. The encroachment of the walls is forgotten, for now.
The man swaggers amongst the group, sizing up the material he has to work with. The skills gained in his successful military career and the haughtiness only a Templar of Draj earns serve him well in sorting out the warriors from the dregs.
He points at Teo on his way, mistaking her seething for fighting spirit: "You, Elf, you look like you're ready for a fight. Fight with me. These other elves, are they friends of yours?"
He whirls and points at Remus and Aureus, conspiring in their corner. With a laugh, he declares: "Humans, you I would not want behind me. Be behind my enemies! All the better to stab them in the back."
He stops before the massive Kabocha, and speaks as if to an equal: "And you, Giant. I can see the fighting spirit in your eyes, the will to defeat our foes. If you were a warrior of Draj you would surely have a quill of feathers. Will you fight for honor at my side?"
Character Sheet
Other:
Spider Frost
She stared at him for a moment longer than necessary and whispered back in elvish. "One might assume they are courting each other?"
Her attention was torn from her twitchy new friend by a loud booming voice. It seemed the peacock was strutting about again. When he addressed Teo, she tensed slightly - something had made the shaman's temper flare, but she couldn't imagine anything from the peacocks' speech upsetting her... She opted to move closer to her leader and quietly await orders. Who knows, perhaps the shaman would give her a cookie before battle...
"Templar, know that your kind have treated me roughly, though that was my own doing to get myself down here. I have no ill intentions against you or your city. Yet, I find it curious why you yourself are down here fighting as well. You speak, you try to raise our spirits, yet I cannot help but wonder why would a templar of the city Draj be cast in with our lot? Why are you down here, Chet Olmec? Why are any of us down here?"
Mahzz approached the other Templar, his eyes turned a cold blue, "You call us many things, some which I can agree. But cowards? You, who remain within the walls sheltered from the harshness of desert life, sheltered from the horrors that lurk in the desert night....you do not know of what you speak." He turned back to Chet, "I suggest you reign in your comrade's tongue lest some of our less friendly occupants cut it out in his sleep." Mahzz glanced at Teo, sensing the rage building within her from what Mat had said earlier. He hoped his words helped quiet that rage.
Mahzz realized many eyes were on him. His emotions disrupted his logic, and now folks attention was on him. He ran with it. "Look, many of us are here for our own reasons. Many of us would rather be elsewhere. We know we must fight, and I guarantee, fight we shall. It is inevitable, and the masses shall be entertained, surely. What the templar says is partially true, and we must stick together that we survive until we get out of this stinking hole. If he wishes to lead us, I say let him. I shall also do everything in my power to ensure our survival." Mahzz turned to Chet, "But know Chet, alliances forged between strangers in a stinking cell, who have their own objectives, are temporary at best. I think I've said enough." Mahzz returned to his spot on the wall, and sat down, staring at the door. Surely these walls would not keep him longer than his objective required.
Aedril character sheet: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=889486
"As you are clearly not Draji, I will forgive your offense this time. But whatever odd culture you come from that justifies threatening one who has offered to help you, must truly be horrible. Do not make the mistake of interpreting my kindness with weakness, barbarian. Now let us hug like men and put this behind us."
Matt opens his arms to the angry foreigner.
"HUG ME! To do otherwise is a mortal insult to my people!"
"... Clutchzz... "
This tiny bugman is full of insectoid chirping and whistles. Like a great depressive boulder has been lifted off his shoulders. But still not paying any attention to what is being said.... stands up and hugs the odd man.
"Come on now. You too. This is what, when I played Draji Ball as a youth, we called a Group Huddle."
Carefully she leaned in to address her leader. "Are we seriously considering joining these 'huddlers? What kind of warrior hugs before battle?"
"...Clutchzz.... CLUTCHzzz.... "
Mahzz patted the brute on the shoulder, and walked back towards the two elves. He leaned against the wall, and sighed, glad that he managed to keep his true nature hidden. Then speaking quietly in elvish, he addressed the two elves, "Well, I guess that's what I get for shooting my mouth off. I feel dirty." He chuckled nervously, "By the way, my name is Mahzz. Mahzz Drayzen." He gave a little bow again, "Also, I meant what I said. After the raiders who slaughtered my tribe have answered for the fallen, I intend to leave. But I don't know if I can pull it off alone." Mahzz lowered his voice even more, despite speaking elvish, "After all, there's only so much one such as I can pull off." Mahzz let his lips creep into a smile. A genuine smile at that. He also disregarded the fact that his wand had slipped forward in his shirt, and was visible to the two elves, removing all doubt as to what he was capable of.
Aedril character sheet: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=889486
She feels Coaxhoch edge closer to her, her tension only apparent to one who knows her, and realizes that her anger must have shown. A foolish mistake. Rising, her temper cooled to a slightly lower heat, she approaches the taller of the humans, ignoring the other and his odd attempt at reconcilation with the Strange One. An arm's length away she stares the human in the eye, chin tilted proudly up to compensate for his slightly superior height.
"Your words are bold, but rash. Be careful how you address those you know nothing about."
His eyes seem to confirm what she had sensed before; there is turmoil in this spirit. But there is also bravery...and knowledge.
"What you and the Strange One say is true." She glances toward the odd elf who spoke earlier, giving him an almost imperceptible nod of thanks before turning back. "To stand alone against the unknown is foolish. I am Teoxihuitle of the Xiuhcoatle tribe, and we will fight with you. But we do not fight for you, Templar. Nor for your God-King."
All but spitting this last word, she gives the second human a scathing glare, then whirls around to rejoin Coax, and their seemingly new companion.
Having issues with the "common" language, Cha'ka continues on with his strange happy chirping. Wondering over to everyone trying to Hug them. Cha'Ka is oddly warm and the creepy shriveled hand that he is carrying smells like spices and rose petals from far off lands.
"I am Coaxoch. This is Crowley." She said, motioning to the snake. "Our path will cross for the battles to come. I hope you're magic will be of use to us."
She bowed her head, bringing her fist to her brow in the greeting of her people.
It was then she realized that the Thri-Kreen was motioning to her, to join the 'hug'
Why the insect creature hadn't attacked them by now was unsettling. He didn't act like any of the beasts she had met in the desert... but she still would not allow this 'hug' to occur -there would be no way for her to defend herself in such a position. But.. he was oddly cute with his chirping...most unsettling.
Unsure of how to precede, Coaxoch cast a sideways glance to Teo and tapped her fist to the bug-mans little arm. It was as much a show of commradery that she could muster at the moment.
Muttering to her leader, Coaxoch spoke the odd bug-mans word in question... "clut....clutchez?"
She turns to Coaxoch and is startled to find her guardian...communing..with the Thri-Kreen she had barely taken notice of, in her turmoil. She was aware of when the insectoid initiated the strange 'huddle', but was too heated to take proper notice. Coaxoch mutters a question, obviously perplexed at the creature's behavior.
'Clutch', a word she remembers from deep-burried lessons. She prepares to answer Coax's puzzled inquiry, but the Thri-Kreen's attention is suddenly on her and she freezes, hands raised at his abrupt approach. Startled, she closes her eyes and breathes deeply as she feels his odd, angular limbs wrap around her. Unconsciously, she lays her hand against his hard carapace...a carapace that feels oddly familiar.
Comforting feelings surge forward as she strokes the tough casing. She thinks she hears Xipil growl in encouragement and scratches gently at the seam between his ears and head, someting Xipiil always seems to enjoy. All at once, she feels an unfamiliar antennae and reality returns to her. She jerks back, horrified and embarrassed at her lapse.
Matalihutl crossed his arms over his chest, standing boldly, as he spoke to no one in particular ... taking a helpful lecturing tone, with just a hint of arrogant cultural superiority tainting his speech.
"If any of you are interested in legally becoming free in Draj, ask, and I can help direct you to the path to do so. Otherwise, I will leave you to your own designs, and wish you the best of luck."
Looking up, she sees her favored gogga holding onto some of the other kleinetjies.
"So, ons is drukkies?"
Sighing, she rolls to her side and then up to her feet. Taking care not to stretch too much with the beperkte ruimte .
Watching Teoxihuitle carefully, still not certain of her reactions, stooped down to place a hand on Thri-Kreen .
"Jy goed?"
She was slightly concerned about the amount of chittering he was doing and was willing to praat with the others if she thought they might be the cause.
So, ons is drukkies? = So, we're hugging?
Jy goed? = You good?
Whatever the reason, it was slowly dawning on her that this group had an impressive array of skills... together they would be a formidable team. A strange elf that used magic, a Thri-Kreen that wasn't trying to rip their faces off and eat them.. a giantess.. rogues and a pair of peacocks to boot!
"We will ally with these...beings. I have shown my respect for their strange ways. You must do the same. Make peace with the erdlu, as he wants."
She hesitates, then adds, "And be polite about it! I don't want to start our battle by picking the pieces of our 'comrades' out of the walls."
Nearly a minute passed.
She wanted her to do what?!
Clenching her jaw, and adverting her eyes to the ceiling, the warrior swallowed hard as she got to her feet. The smaller erdlu was still standing in the center of the room, just finishing his most recent speech. Casting a quick, loathing glare at Teo, Coaxoch quickly approached the human.
She looked down at him, and hesitated. She was nearly a head taller than he, this was the most ridiculous form of communion she had ever heard of! but then a gain, an order was an order, and worrying about it was far to much trouble.
Awkward as a 6'6 Elf could be, she wrapped her long arms around his shoulders in a 'hug' as he called it. Crowley was baffled, and just as hesitantly looped himself around the erdlu's arm as well. It was a group hug after all....
When the moment past, Coaxoch released him abruptly and sulked back to her corner.
Draji customs were ridiculous..
Aedril character sheet: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=889486
Another man has walked up to Chet and has joined him in his speech. Not that many are listening. That Elf girl with the weird hairdo and a snake is looking funnily at another hooded man. Suddenly, the man who joined Chet- Mat something- he throws up his arm, and the Thri-kreen stands up and hugs him, as Chet addresses everyone one by one.
"Quite a crowd we have here," Remus mutters to Aureus, "I have never been this uncomfortable in my life. You owe me one for this. But if that Thri-kreen tries to hug me...."
Having seen everyone else distributing their "hugs" she decided it may be bad form to be left out.
"You're a vreemd bunch of kleinetjies, aren't you?" She approaches Chet and the others, with what she hopes is an apologetic grin. Bending a bit and reaching out with her empty arm, she makes light contact with two warm bodies. Withdrawing before exerting pressure so as not to injure her bondgenote. At least not before the fighting.
"Ons is nou klaar met hierdie oomblik, ne?? Done?"
vreemd=odd
bongenote=allies
Ons is nou klaar met hierdie oomblik, ne?=Can we be finished with this now?
Although there is but one possible conclusion, Chet Olmec can hardly believe his good fortune. He reviews the incomprehensible conversation from before and is able to pick out the name of the winged reptile. He declares:
Audio "Mr. Crowley, your bewinged magnificence is a delight. I will not ask how you came to be in this pit, nor shall I comment on your choice of...concubine. All I ask is: Will you lend your snakely wisdom to this endeavor?"
Chet contains his pleasure with an effort and instead congratulates himself. Even the youngest child of Draj knows that magical flying snakes will give you magic wishes! Their vast knowledge, derived from a long life, makes them valuable advisors as well. Chet suspects he'll need all the advice he can get in the battle to come.
Character Sheet
Other:
Spider Frost
"Glad to see we're all getting along."
Figuring that being part of a group gives him better odds for surviving, he steps forward flashing a huge smile.
"I am Aureus... Haaku. Aureus Haaku. I do not fight for gods, kings, or god-kings... but freedom I will fight for."
He finishes with a sweeping bow.
The smile now gone from his face, Aureus glances back at Remus and rolls his eyes.
"Two-Smiles, bring our Honored Guests their kits…" Barked the inked one as he stepped aside to reveal…
A half-giant that looks less half, and more Giant. At nearly 8 feet tall, the brute has to stoop just to enter the room - even through the massive doorframe. Two-Smiles is a sight to behold, wearing the tanned hides of what must be several silt runners stitched poorly together. Hard to miss on this behemoth is the singular - yet massive -scar that runs across his throat from ear to ear.
With a lumbering motion the half-giant throws a canvas rucksack to the ground with a heavy clatter. He looks silently at the slaves - pausing to glare at Remus and Aureus.
"Looks like you two have made a friend, Smiles just loves your type… haven't you?" Txauch cackles with ill-humor and slaps the half-giant on the ass. Two-Smiles frowns, and opens his mouth as if to speak…. And then wordlessly closes it again, turning slowly and lumbers back through the doorway. "Mmmhmm … last one of you sneaky types thought to make a run out, we never found out how he slipped out the door and into the guard quarters… never had the chance to pry that from him - found the poor fucker dead. Guess Smiley didn't like having his being woke up like that… ended up crushing his skull in one hand." Txauch mimicks a gruesome, crushing motion - as if crushing a date. He smiles, remembering the incident - then his demeanor changes again - souring.
"Kit up, even Maxlixoco can't give speeches all morning. You'll be ready when Two-Smiles fetches you … or else you'll be the one they sacrifice atop the Pyramid."
With that, Txauch leaves, and the door closes again. Leaving the gladiators alone - again - and faced with the large sack on the floor.
a big, crude headdress, similar to one of a high-priest, but not nearly as nice.
an obsidian mask with only eye and mouth slits on its otherwise smoothe featureless surface, sized for a half-giant.
and
Several bright yellow and blue tunics made from hemp, that look like crude mock-ups of what templars would wear to war - big enough to go over armor ... most of them stained with old blood and show signs of old stabs.
The bag he left was in the center of the room, and it was far too much effort to move all the way over there just to find out what pathetic contents the guards had given them. It wasn't like they'd have gotten anything useful! Prisoners don't get good weapons from their jailers, it was just bad from.
The bag did mean that the battle was drawing closer, which was always good news.
Leaving the bag for someone else to deal with, she opted to harass Teo instead.
"Ne... Teo..." In the back of her mind she realized it might be best to speak in the common tongue to keep the others from suspecting anything, but she pushed the thought away. It was Teo's job to appease the allies, she just had to kill things. "Battle is coming... its time for the communion..."
It had been nearly two days since the last communion - and Coaxoch wanted the reaffirmation of the bond between the warriors and shamans in the Xiuhcoatle tribe.
She could tell by the twitching in her fingers that the communion was overdue....sometimes she dreamed of those little cookies...
Aedril character sheet: http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=889486
Cha'ka's feeble attempts to free himself, only ended in a sigh and all 4 arms being draped over his new happy place. But, thats when he slipped out landing on his ass...
"Squeee..."
Scuddling over to, then into the bag as the "intruders" leave. Oinking the whole time as he throws items out of it. Only grabbing a tunic and running back into a corner. Holding it up to himself like a small girl about to try on a dress.
Crouching down, she sifts through the contents of the large pouch hanging at her waist and reveals one of the small, thin wafers. She murmurs a low, incantation then carefully, solemnly holds out the communion to Coaxoch.
“Use it well,” she says quietly, still speaking elvin. “I think we’re going to need all the spirits on our side we can get, for what’s coming.”
She reaches back into her pouch and pulls out a much smaller object, hidden in her hand, speaks a similar incantation, and swallows it quickly.
That done, she waits quietly for Coax to finish then stands once again. She hears the challenge Mahzz puts to the one called Chet and moves discreetly back to the slightly assembled group.
It didn't take long for the effects to take place - her heart began to pound, her vision cleared - and she began to feel adrenaline course through her body.
Taking note of the tunics strewn about by the purring bug, she sent Crowley to bring her and Teo blue garments while she made final checks on her wrist razors. If they were to be in teams, she didn't want them separated due to a stupid color choice. Perhaps they would be lucky and they would all fight together...tunics vs. the doomed.
The urge to move - to fight - kill - was starting to simmer under her skin. Her eyes were no doubt growing dark with the desire to wage war on whichever beast the shaman pointed her at.
Yes.. she was ready for battle.
After they left, Thri fell. Then started tearing through the sack. Watching the bits of fabric come into view, she wrinkled her nose. She thought this was an important ceremony.
Something black catches her eye in the midst of the all the colors. She moved closer to check it out as the Thri-Kreen wandered over to assess his own findings. Pulling it away from the fabrics and holding it up, she realized,
"'n Kostuum masker."
The thing looked a bit heavy, ek weet dit sal warm wees, but it is far better than that belaglike feather hat. Glancing uncertainly at the fabric, she certainly didn't want to wear that, but she was more concerned that there sal 'n verwagting van kleuredra wees.
Not wanting to be bothered with it for the moment and seeing Cha'ka was having trouble with the mechanics of the whole "shirt" thing, she took the mask and went to him. Raising her voice for the the first time, she boomed (quietly though), "Tell me if they het gepla om 'n tuniek my size te hê."
onrustig = uneasy
bondgenote = allies
'n voorval = an incident
beskerming = protection
'n kostuum masker = a costume mask
weet dit sal warm wees = knows it's going to be hot
belaglike=rediculous
sal 'n verwagting van kleuredra wees = expected to wear it
het gepla om = were bothered
'n tuniek = a tunic
Chet turns to face the assembled group, thoughts of revenge shunted aside by the familiar thrill of command.
Audio"Right, here's the plan, people: I'm dividing you into three squads. You're not warriors of Draj, but we can still use tactics. Allllright."
"Matt, you'll lead Heavy Squad, with Kabocha and Cha'Ka. You'll pin down the enemy and punish him for ignoring you."
"Aureus, Remus: you'll be Light Squad. You'll support Heavy Squad by flanking and hampering the enemy."
"Mr. Crowley will lead Elf Squad, with Teo and Mahzz. I presume you know how to use that sword, Mahzz? While Heavy Squad engages and holds the attention of the strong, Elf Squad will penetrate the enemy lines and destroy the weak."
"I will be the Reserve, directing the battlefield from where I'm most needed. I have a considerable sphere of influence."
Chet Olmec flicks his wrist, bringing the vicious four-hooked weapon that dangles below his arm looping around and into his hand. A long rope wraps around his left arm and shoulder, connecting this head of the cahulaks to the other head that hangs from his belt. He begins to swing the cahulak head around and around his body, building momentum as he dances between the lengths of rope. Any enemy that would attempt to approach the display would be in danger from the rushing hooks and rope before he was in arm's length.
Abruptly, he sends the weapon hurtling across the cell to nick a loose rock, sending it clattering away. The rope coils around his arm in a shimmer of magic as the cahulak returns to his hand.
"Questions? Allright..."
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Spider Frost
A snort escaped her lips at the idea of Crowley leading the 'elf group'. Just what kind of directions did he expect the snake to give during battle?!
Coaxoch had to bite back laughter as an image of Crowley in the feathered headdress hissing orders popped into her mind... With a grin on her face, she peered at Mahzz and Teo to see how they thought of this Chet's orders. She could break through enemy lines with or without Crowley, but sending a shaman and a magic user? He was going to have to be preeeetty handy with those hooks to make up for his apparent stupidity...
She acknowledges, in passing, that the Templar's skill and precision with his weapon is mildly impressive, in spite of his horrible lack of knowledge, but clearly the erdlu's preoccupation with her warrior's companion and his fearsome appearance has dulled his senses somewhat. Still, she thinks his general plan could prove workable, confident, as she is, in Coaxoch abilities in this scenario. But as for herself and the other....she moves closer to the one called Mahzz and addresses him quietly in elvin.
"It seems we'd best stay close to each other for this battle, Mahzz Drayzen. Though, I do not think the human knows our people so well. Nor does he know what we are capable of," she gazes pointedly at his shirt where the wand he'd accidentally shown rested. "As for your previous offer, we will help as we can. We don't want to stay in this stinking human city any longer than we have to."