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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2016 17:58:51 GMT -6
The previous day's encounter still bore heavily in her mind as Neamhain walked through the forest, trying to keep her emotions under control. The frustration only mounted the more she thought about it, but she couldn't NOT think about it, so she had given up on flight for the time being and resigned herself to a method of transportation that gave her more time to think while also forcing her to focus somewhat more on her surroundings. It wasn't nearly as fast as aerial scouting for the missing monstrosity, but it would have to do for now.
The rage boiling in her breast had subsided from the moment she had nearly unleashed the storm on the fool of a manchild Locke, but it still seethed inside her as righteous anger. The dragon's idiotic arrogance had nearly cost him his life for no real reason at all. Yes, Anzu could be overbearing, but he had not threatened or attacked the travelers, making a show of NOT doing so in fact. It would have been perfectly reasonable to be offended by her counterpart's actions, and they could have dealt with that, and from there moved on to an exchange of knowledge, or at least an amicable parting. Instead, the damn lizard had felt some immature need to never be outshone or threatened and launched into some long-winded diatribe, declaring the Taguel unfit to protect Vinland - the home they had protected for a thousand years, a millennium of peace between human and Taguel, with the Thousand Scales protecting both in equal part.
And his rant about dragons ruling the world. Big talk for, assuming Elias's words correct, one of the few survivors of an ancient genocide. Dragons had little room to speak of ruling anything in Elibe these days, and she would be damned before surrendering Vinland to the rule of a tyrant based on some delusional concept of racial supremacy. Interesting that her only experiences with humans on Vinland, both natural denizens and the visitors from Elibe, had been universally positive, to the point that she had almost dared to hope that reunification might be painless - only to have the supposedly-extinct dragons show up and try to cause a ruckus.
Perhaps the Scouring had truly been necessary.
Wrapped in her thoughts and bereft of the advantage of a view from above, the raven was surprised to find an encampment of some sort at the river's bank when she finally broke out of the tree cover. Huh. So much for just getting a drink. It took but a moment to realize that it was a small group at most, perhaps a hunting party or even an individual, which did much to quell her immediate fight-or-flight reaction, but Neamhain did not like not knowing things, and given the beast potentially still in the vicinity, she ought to at least warn those here of the danger, if she could not convince them to leave. If they were Taguel it was... unlikely they would accede, but at least they would be forewarned.
Approaching the river and the encampment alike with a stride that looked slightly more confident than she felt - yesterday had shaken her up a bit, the dark winged woman called out with a neutral tone, not raising her voice loudly but pushing it out firmly enough to pierce.
"Hello."
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Aeos
Dragon
A Nabatan Dragon in human guise, with a love of food and traveling.
Posts: 441
Profession: Wandering Dragon
Affinity: Light
Dragon Element: Air
Profile: Aeos Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Aeos on Oct 2, 2016 18:41:41 GMT -6
The black haired dragon in human form had all but abandoned his green haired companion in Aurion. Once Aeos had ensured that the scarred manakete had sought medical treatment for his wounds, he left the city of humans. He returned to the forest in an effort to gain control of his emotions. He was still furious at him. Furious at a lot of things really. He needed this time away before he did something that would be regrettable.
He trecked back through the woods with no sense of time or direction. He merely walked through the woods in some sort of strange daze or stupor. He didn't realize how far he had traveled until he noticed how low the sun had gotten in the sky. He half shifted in order to help expedite the assembly of camp. He used his half shifted form to climb trees and gather fruit he knew was edible. He clawed through several branches and bark and used them to make fire. He found a sturdy sapling to use as a spear to fish with. The fish he caught were small but they would be enough to sustain him for the night. Aeos gutted the creatures farther away from camp then put them to cook. He hung up in the trees his pack and other minor valuables. His shirt was dirtied by fish guts so he removed it and washed it within the river. The plain cloth tunic was hung up to dry. A kettle of water was left by the fire to boil. The camp was small but respectable.
Aeos himself was not at his camp when the taguel came a-calling. He was a fair distance away making use of hole in the ground for a certain function. He was aware of her presence though. He had heard her voice. Before that he had heard her wing beats. The raven from earlier? How.. curious.. He mused to himself. Hurry your A** up. The more impatient half of him chimed in. He sighed. The dragon finished what he needed to do. Buried the offending substances. He washed up with a wet rag and made his way back. As he made his way back he stopped drawing power from his stone so that he appeared to be fully human. He raised his hands up in the air to show the taguel he had nothing on him that could be used as a weapon. He then responded to her call.
"Hello M'lady. It seems we meet again." He emerged from the trees and shrubbery. He was a half naked rugged mess of a man.
"Uhm.. It's just me. My companion isn't here. Please hold thy fire."
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2016 19:43:45 GMT -6
Oh boy.
It wasn't exactly surprising that Neamhain immediately recognized the second of the dragons - at least she assumed he was given the strange stunt he had pulled on Locke - considering how much the encounter had been weighing on her mind and spirit alike. She wasn't happy about it either. He had been the companion and friend of the intolerable fool, which put him immediately in her worse graces. But... he hadn't shared Locke's actions and had been perhaps even angrier about it than her and Anzu combined. So that was a point in his favor. And she wasn't looking for a fight anyways. At least not one in which her foe had a fair chance. When you were a slow caster in a world of superhuman killing machines, you learned not to pick fights unwisely, or you ended up dead sooner or later. If she was 300 feet in the air above him it might have been a different story.
"...Aeos, was it?" As much a greeting as confirming her own memory, it wasn't an exceptionally warm greeting, but Neamhain managed to keep the acerbic nature of her thoughts out of her voice, lending it an almost flatly neutral tone. She noted the half-nakedness as well, but assumed he had been washing himself... or maybe he just really liked being naked. Not that that was all that strange among Taguel, anyways; her own modesty was a mannerism borrowed almost entirely from the humans she spent so much time amongst, ironically enough almost strange by Taguel standards. So she wasn't in much position to judge him for walking around shirtless.
She would totally judge him for everything else, though. "Asking you to leave for your own safety is clearly pointless, and you seem able to protect yourself. If you do not threaten Vinland, we have no further quarrel." While Neamhain was no stranger to pride or aggressiveness, neither did she care to start fights unnecessarily; she did not shy away from taking another's life, but neither did she do it lightly. If this... Aeos was less of a fool than his friend, they might even be able to talk like civilized beings, rather than animals. So she thought, but only said: "I apologize for intruding in your... camp."
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Aeos
Dragon
A Nabatan Dragon in human guise, with a love of food and traveling.
Posts: 441
Profession: Wandering Dragon
Affinity: Light
Dragon Element: Air
Profile: Aeos Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Aeos on Oct 2, 2016 20:29:24 GMT -6
"Yes, Milady. That be my name." He nodded softly.
"Milady, trust me I wish no harm upon this beautiful island." He ever so slowly lowered his arms. The raven woman was not charging some massive spell to hurl at him. She wasn't changing and flying at him at super human speeds. She wasn't brandishing a weapon at him. This woman wasn't a threat to him presently.
"I.. am sorry for my companion. I had thought him to be more civilized. He really isn't like that. I do not know what had gotten a hold of him.. but his actions do not reflect all of the dragon kin. Please do not think of us all like that." He spoke in a bit of a flustered tone. Aeos even bowed as a form of apology. While he had his head hung low, he found himself staring at his belly. He kinda wanted his shirt back from the branch. It wasn't often he found himself shirtless in front of a lady.
"The.. intrusion is fine.. I don't mind." He was at a loss for words. He really wasn't expecting to re-meet the woman so suddenly. His mind was still fixed on Locke's blunder. No. I need to push past this. Stop thinking about before.. focus on the future... focus on the present. Relax. Breathe in and out.
"I.. actually want to talk more. Do you have a moment or are you still hunting the thing from earlier?" Is it here? Do I need to get ready to fight? It was here he realized he had no idea what this woman's name was. He just assumed she was some sort of raven taguel but he wasn't so sure. Birds were such diverse creatures.
"Pardon, but I did not catch thy name earlier."
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Post by Deleted on Oct 2, 2016 21:11:17 GMT -6
He really isn't like that?
Neamhain found it unusually difficult to hold her tongue at Aeos's claim. People's true selves shone brightest in times of greatest stress. Whether or not Aeos wanted to accept it, his companion had some pretty dangerous ideas of draconic supremacy and lack of true concern for others that she did not particularly care for. Even if this... Locke was normally more civilized, that only spoke for his self-control in hiding his true nature, not any true value in his person.
-But she wasn't looking for a fight, and if there was anything the raven had learned in four decades of life, it was that people did not like to hear the truth, about themselves or their friends. It wasn't her job to tell Aeos to get better friends or help him do it. He'd have to realize that on his own. For now, all that mattered was ensuring the safety of Vinland. She wouldn't hunt down Locke for his previous foolishness, but if he threatened the island again, she would not stay her hand. For the time being though, Aeos seemed... civil enough, and willing to talk. She had enjoyed her discussion with Elias and Ventus, so the possibility of another was more compelling to her than perhaps Aeos realized - he'd said just about exactly the right thing to keep her from leaving.
"In the wake of yesterday's - events," Neamhain stated, her voice taking on a hint of sharpness in the pronunciation of events that conveyed a certain level of displeasure and disapproval wielded like a battleaxe, "the creature escaped to parts unknown and appears to lying low. Tracking it is slow work, and - I had intended to rest for a period regardless." She couldn't just say 'sure Aeos I'd like to stay here and talk with you' because that wasn't how Neamhain worked, but it was an... oblique agreement to his proposal. Which was about as much as anyone was likely to get out of her for the time being.
Folding her wings behind her back, the raven relaxed slightly, at least as much as she ever relaxed. It was in some ways a peace sign - that she didn't see the need to be able to immediately take off - and partially just simple practicality; having a large wingspan was nice in the air but less so on the ground in the middle of a forest. She smiled, but only slightly, and very wryly. "I would be surprised if you had. I did not offer it then. I am Neamhain, of the Thousand Scales. My companion yesterday was Anzu. I am glad that we meet under better circumstances now, Aeos."
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Aeos
Dragon
A Nabatan Dragon in human guise, with a love of food and traveling.
Posts: 441
Profession: Wandering Dragon
Affinity: Light
Dragon Element: Air
Profile: Aeos Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Aeos on Oct 3, 2016 9:45:18 GMT -6
“Well met Neamhain. Please extend my apologies and greetings to Anzu when you next see him.” He smiled softly. He was pleased to see that the taguel had decided to stay. He was going to have a guest at his camp.
“Since, ye be staying for a bit.. please permit me to make this camp a bit more hospitable. I hope the creature you be hunting doth.. do not appear. I do not think I have enough tea for two guests.” Aeos took a few steps to a nearby tree. He grabbed his wooden spear and used the flat end to retrieve his shirt. The fabric was still damp and cold but it was tolerable to wear. He breathed a soft sigh and went to his pack. He retrieved two straw mats and gently set them down on the ground.
“Please take a seat.” He motioned over to the straw mat. Aeos took a moment to heat his hands over the fire to dry them. Any impurities on them would be burned off. He rubbed his hands together to flake off the rest. With his hands sufficiently clean he returned towards his pack. He pulled from it a small satchel of dried leaves and cloves. He changed one hand to be half changed. He quickly moved the kettle from the fire. He threw some of tea leaves and cloves into the kettle and covered it with a cloth. He took a seat on the unoccupied mat. He took a moment to sit there and listen to all the sounds of the woods. This helped to calm his mind and think on his words.
“This land is truly something. My homeland is not anywhere near this lush. I am unfamiliar with the term you spoke.. the Thousand Scales.. are they your clan?”
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Post by Deleted on Oct 9, 2016 19:14:22 GMT -6
The raven didn't have much of a ready-made response to Aeos's curious request. Apologizing for him...? She would have understood if he wanted to apologize himself, but she didn't see why he wanted her to do it. Was he afraid that Anzu would attack him this time? Or perhaps it was a cultural thing. She knew from her time in human settlements that human decorum worked a bit, ah, differently from the taguel version, and maybe dragons had a similar tendency to overcomplicate things. Not that it really mattered. She wasn't offended or anything, just taken a bit off guard and a touch confused about it.
But it was better than having some uppity twat tell her that dragons were going to rule Vinland, or being murdered by some overgrown mutt, so Neamhain took it with as much grace as she could muster, a small smile and no outward discontent. She wasn't... exactly... a diplomat, but neither did she particularly WANT to cause issues for her kind. And she DID want to know more about these supposedly mythical creatures, and Elibe in general. So despite her misgivings she accepted Aeos's offer for hospitality, following the dragon quietly as he went about his way to prepare the camp for the both of them, noting his actions. There was a certain practiced air to them that suggested this was not his first time camping, which she could respect. For all the cities and... civilization in Elibe, it was good to see that at least a few people there knew what living in the wild was like.
"If the beast was going to stop cowering long enough to make an appearance, it would have done so already," Neamhain stated simply in response to Aeos's comment, though there was a small undercurrent of frustration in her words that might not be difficult to pick up on. Not at Aeos, but because the damn thing had wasted so much of her time already. But there was no value in taking out her frustration on Aeos, so the raven sat sideways on the mat, her partially exposed bronzed legs laying to the side of her body. He asked more questions, but these were more relevant to her knowledge and interests alike, and thus easier to answer.
"The Thousand Scales," she began, pride evident in her voice, "are Taguel who believe in the good of the whole, both human and Taguel, over clan loyalty. We guard Vinland from threats, within and without, to protect the peace." If she had understood Elibe's systems better she might have been able to make a comparison to police or something, but as-is she only had a short discussion with Elias and Ventus to work off of, so Neamhain simply worded it as best she could.
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Aeos
Dragon
A Nabatan Dragon in human guise, with a love of food and traveling.
Posts: 441
Profession: Wandering Dragon
Affinity: Light
Dragon Element: Air
Profile: Aeos Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Aeos on Oct 15, 2016 22:12:50 GMT -6
"You can't blame the beast for wanting to preserve it's own life. Death is a scary concept." He spoke with out really putting much thought into it. He could only imagine the creature they were hunting. Perhaps a doog? Or maybe another Taguel. The language Anzu and Neamhain used to mention it made Aeos doubt the beast was another Taguel.
"So.. The Thousand Scales be peacekeepers." He looked up at the sky for a moment. Just thinking and imagining all sorts of scenarios where the scales had to intervene. He could only imagine the risks of trying to keep a whole island safe from both invaders and civil conflicts.
"That.. is.. pretty amazing actually." His voice had a bit of excitement in it. It was an odd happiness and one that he couldn't quite explain. His expression shifted lightly. He recalled Locke had said that dragons would one day rule the world once more. Aeos didn't share his companion's idea of world rule. He hoped that Locke's words did not accidentally spark some sort of war between the races. Aeos feared that the already limited number of dragons could not handle a war between what could be thousands of powerful beast folk.
"Your Thousand Scales sort of sound like the knights of Elibe. Humans whom have sworn an oath, rallied with a leader, and defend the people within thine own territory." He leaned back a bit. His hands and arms were behind him supporting his weight. The young dragon man found himself rocking his legs side to side in a casual manner. He wanted to ask so many more questions but he didn't want to overwhelm the raven with them.
"You have answered a question oft mine and so I shall answer a question of yours. I don't know how but, you know oft the Scouring and what it did to my ancestors. I am.. not fond of the subject and ask that you keep questions regarding it.. uhm.. limited. Please and thanks." He turned to look at the raven woman.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 17, 2016 1:59:45 GMT -6
She didn't respond to the dragon's comments on the creature she hunted. It would be a waste of time to explain, and while what he said was true enough, it mattered nothing to her work. The beast was a threat to the people of the island, man and beast alike, and it had already taken lives. Its... 'feelings' on the subject were irrelevant. If she found it, she would slay it to spare the lives of those it might claim in the future; there was no room for wishy-washy speak of fear and finality.
Aeos's thoughts on the Thousand Scales were interesting, if a little naive, but neither was Neamhain entirely immune to feeling... slightly more positive to him in the wake of his well meaning comments. She was no more immune to pride than anyone else, perhaps less so than most, and rare was the man or woman who would not be at least a little flattered by one speaking highly of the work they had dedicated their life to. "Peacekeepers, yes, that is a good word for it. We exist outside of tribal power struggles and strive to keep this world safe... and free. These... 'knights' of yours sound like valiant and respectable warriors. It is good to see that not all of Elibe is as dark as-"
The raven paused for a moment, revisiting the conversation with Elias and Ventus for a moment. They had painted a darker picture of Elibe, full of the abuse of power and struggles between kings and men for power with little regard for those beneath them. It had been an alien concept to her then and was little less so now; Vinland was by no means perfect, but if the men and taguel of the island had one thing in common, it was a deep and abiding respect for the principles of freedom and choice. Supposedly this land had once been ruled by kings as well, but they had disappeared long ago, or so the legends said. She... wasn't a huge history buff. Not more than was actually necessary anyways.
"What was that... language you and your companion spoke in," Neamhain asked instead, curiosity and pragmatism warring in her mind and her voice alike. She had never heard those strange words before, not among men or beasts or even her few interactions with the Lamia. It was natural that another continent would have different languages, but- "The two humans I spoke to previously, Elias and Ventus, told me something of Elibe, and of the existence of dragons, but they did not use that tongue. Is it perhaps related to your kind?" It was an educated guess at best, but while she obviously hadn't heard or understood it well enough to make any factual observations on the structure, it gave her somewhat of a feeling of something not... quite human, in a way she couldn't explain, and so the raven hazarded the guess nonetheless.
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Aeos
Dragon
A Nabatan Dragon in human guise, with a love of food and traveling.
Posts: 441
Profession: Wandering Dragon
Affinity: Light
Dragon Element: Air
Profile: Aeos Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Aeos on Oct 22, 2016 12:16:34 GMT -6
“Lady Neamhain Elibe is like one terrible jigsaw puzzle of strife. One land is trying to conquer the others. The islands are full of bandits and pirates. Another is locked in civil war. A third is being overrun by monsters. And two sections of Elibe are difficult to live in due to the climate.. Humanity does what it can to stay alive. And so do the remnants of my people. We survive on the fringes of human society in hiding.” He shook his head lightly.
“The knights are duty bound to their leader or lord. If he or she commands to do terrible things.. Then they must do it. Otherwise they be branded traitors. I worry what the greed of people will do to this beautiful place.” He sighed.
“But.. it’s not all bad. Elibe has it’s fair share of good too. I’ve met many good humans whom have set aside their personal agendas to do something good for others. Share a meal. Share a home. Save the life of a total stranger.” He nodded. He remembered his friends. He remembered the Saceans who died against the Arum. Then he remembered Bee, the family of farmers, the archer of the mountains… He had met a whole bunch of good people. The dragon man got up and carefully removed the kettle from the fire. He pulled from his bag a wooden mug and carefully poured the contents of the kettle into the mug. The liquid was a light brown color and smelled faintly like cinnamon. He returned to her and gave her the warm mug of tea. He returned to the fire and grabbed his sticks of fish that were cooking. He grabbed a large leaf and used it as a plate. After pouring himself a mug of tea he returned to sit by her side.
“Fish from the stream.” He offered her one of the two fish sticks. Aeos blew on his tea for a bit and took a sip. It was good. Had a light earthy flavor to it.
“The language you heard is dragonic. The Language of Dragons. It comes in two versions.. Low. Which is basically the equivalent of common. It has several dialects but.. The root of it is essentially the same. We spoke in Low Dragonic the whole time.” He paused to take a bite out of the fish. It was cooked to perfection.
“The second.. Is called High Dragonic. It was an incredibly old and ancient language. Supposedly, it was the language we dragons could use while in dragon forms… something entirely separate from low.” He took another sip of tea.
“Talking while fully shifted.. Is hard. The vocal chords are different. The mouth is different. Dragons needed an entirely different set of languages to decipher what every grunt, groan, and growl was. It’s dead language now though. There isn’t a dragon alive who knows how to understand it. My parents told me high dragonic was slowly dying out before the Scouring.. And then the Scouring killed off any whom may have still known it.” He shrugged.
“Dragonic has it’s own form of writing too. Few people can read it though. Some of the human spell books contain traces of it.” He then had a thought.
“You can do magic, from what I saw.. It’s different from the way the humans cast on the mainland. How.. do you do that?”
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Post by Deleted on Oct 26, 2016 13:03:04 GMT -6
Elibe seemed an interesting place, more and more. Neamhain had no experience with 'war' as Elibe knew it, but the constant power struggles and smaller-scale 'wars' of the Tribes were as natural as breathing to her, so she could understand the concept to a solid degree, albeit not entirely comprehend the scale. She wasn't as familiar with the human angle, due to the fact that the men of Vinland were by and large fairly peaceful albeit sometimes not much softer than the Taguel, but she more than most Taguel had spent enough time among the children of man to understand what he was saying. "Humanity is a common trait among races, despite its... racially biased name," she agreed with a wry smile. There wasn't really a word for it that she could think of other than humanity. Oh, there were similar ones, decency and kindness and all that, but none so encompassing as humanity. Not that she really minded. It was just funny, in its own way, that humanity had set the discussion up with itself as the ideal.
Accepting the fish stick and taking an experimental nibble out of it, she listened to Aeos's explanation of his... native? tongue. She had never heard of it. Not entirely surprising, Neamhain wasn't a major history buff, and she... didn't get on well with the lamias of the Snake Tribe. At all, really. They lived in entirely different worlds, with very different mindsets; she embodied practicality and they embodied their own ideals. Their society also had such a strong focus on conflict, even within themselves, that it failed entirely to gel with her own idea of peaceful cooperation. "Low Draconic..." The raven rubbed her chin thoughtfully. And a written form. "I suspect that is something the lamias of the coven would know something of." Focusing again more on Aeos than her thoughts, she continued. "Perhaps you may have something in common."
That said, she couldn't really imagine Aeos being that much of a stuck up piece of shi- er, anyways. Magic! She could definitely talk about that. "Amusing that you should bring that up, Aeos. My first exposure to the men of Elibe was with two young mages; we had an interesting discussion on the topic. The fundamental nature is identical - we both commune with spirits to some degree - but humans use strange inventions called 'tomes' and 'staves' to aid them. Taguel are more naturally attuned, but still require similar, perhaps more, effort to master it. There are very few Taguel magi as a result, especially given the strength and versatility of physically-aspected adaptations... Anzu is an example of that." Neamhain wasn't really big on judging one superior to the other, both approaches had their place, but it was definitely true that magic wasn't as widespread or useful among taguel as it apparently was with humans.
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Aeos
Dragon
A Nabatan Dragon in human guise, with a love of food and traveling.
Posts: 441
Profession: Wandering Dragon
Affinity: Light
Dragon Element: Air
Profile: Aeos Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Aeos on Oct 28, 2016 10:44:41 GMT -6
The dragon man continued to munch on his fish and drink his tea. He nodded in agreement with Neamhain's logic of "humanity". The word was horribly biased. Humans weren't the only creatures of the world to show the amalgamation of kindness, consideration, and nobility. Neamhain spoke about another tribe of taguel. She used a word he was sort of familiar with. Lamias. He knew them from mythology. A supposedly famous snake woman who could turn people to stone whenever someone looked into her eyes.
"Lamia.. that be a snake person?" He wondered out loud.
"There is a myth about one.. one that could turn a man or woman to stone by looking at them. Mother tried to use it as cautionary story. How one should be wary of strangers with pretty faces." I don't think it worked. Aeos could feel a faint tint of red on his cheeks. Neamhain was pretty.
"I would like to meet them. Are they friendly?" He asked with a bit of a smile on his face. His curiosity piqued. The bones of his meal were tossed into the fire. They would turn into ash and be returned to the earth as all things do. Neamhain explained how her first encounter with humans from Elibe were mages. And it seemed that things like tomes and staffs were a foreign concept to her. It was funny to him in a way. Aeos knew how tomes and staffs worked. He knew how common they were back home. But her description about taguel magic was rather fascinating.
"This island was spared the wrath oft the Scouring and Ending Winter through distance. The magic oft this place.. be more condensed. It's.. crisp. It feels so.. refreshing. Like how water tastes after you have not had anything to drink in so long." He took a deep breath. He savored the air of this place.
"I do not know if Taguel can feel magic. But Dragons can. Dragons are creatures oft magic. We are tied to the elements of nature. Water, Fire, Earth, Ice, Lightning, and Wind." He counted the elements on his fingers.
"I am a dragon of wind. Locke be one oft the earth." He thought for bit.
"While we are both called dragons we are different. Locke is known as a Manakete. Which are essentially the mages oft the dragon world. And 'Dragons' be those whom are more physically oriented. I be a dragon. In a sense it be similar to you and Anzu. Ye be both bird taguel but are different in thy line of work." He paused for a moment. Aeos stared out into the fire for a bit and used a fish bone to pick the meat out of his teeth.
"Pre-Scouring Elibe.. I imagine was something like this. A place like this island. Full of magic and life. But the War and Ending Winter robbed Elibe of a large portion of it's magic. Magic and the spirits.. they are now a fraction oft what they used to be. At least.. that is what I have been told. I did not live through the Scouring. I was born many centuries after it." He then threw the tooth pick into the fire. He then glanced back at Neamhain. He tilted his head a bit and leaned to get a good look at all of her. He didn't see anything on her that resembled a stone. He wasn't even sure if she could half shift. Or this form of her was her half shifted form. Or her whole human form.
"The taguel can change into thy animal forms. I wonder if it is similar to the dragon's change. Do you have to channel your power through a stone? Or is it something you can do automatically?"
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Post by Deleted on Nov 1, 2016 11:42:11 GMT -6
"Heh." Neamhain snorted reflexively at Aeos's innocent question, remembering all too well when a far more innocent version of herself had asked a similar question - and the unpleasant consequences thereof. "Hahaha!" Struck by a fit of giggling, she covered her mouth with one hand. It wasn't THAT funny of a joke itself, but the unexpected juxtaposition had caught her off guard, bringing a far more genuine smile to her face, if only temporarily before she managed to regain control of herself. "I'm sorry, I just remembered asking that question myself once. I learned very quickly that lamia do not take kindly to that implication." She was still smiling a bit when she continued, rare for her. "The snake tribe is split into Lamia - with the lower body of a snake and the upper body of a beautiful woman - and Naga, similar but far more... snake in the top half. They are similar to the Medusae of legend you speak of, but without the petrifying gaze, and with a violent reaction to any comparison between the two."
Far more taguel than her had wondered if there was a link, but lamias denied it vociferously and violently, so anyone who had spent much time with them learned quickly not to bring it up. Better Aeos learned it now, in a peaceful environment. "And no, they're not very friendly - but they deal in information, and I'm sure you have knowledge they would be willing to trade much for. Just be careful. Nagas are incredible warriors even by Taguel standards, and many Lamia are powerful mages. It's best to avoid conflict."
Recovering from her little fit, she considered Aeos's comments on the island and the nature of dragons... or rather, dragons and manaketes. It seemed vaguely similar to the Snake Tribe's divisions - was there a link there? - and more relevantly, her and Anzu. It made sense. While it was certainly possible to cultivate both mind and body, most warriors focused on one or the other for the most part, even among taguel. She wasn't as sure about what a world with less magic than this could be like, but didn't much like the sound of it on principle. She had always known Vinland as her world - spirits and leylines and life everywhere - so the idea of a dead continent seemed... less than appealing to her.
"I can't... taste magic quite like you describe," she admitted, "but I can feel it in areas of abundance. Near spirits, or by leylines, or when I am charging a major attack. Hm... can you feel other elements as strongly as your own? Say, lightning or fire magic? Or is your ability to 'taste' the magic in the air connected to your wind element?"
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Aeos
Dragon
A Nabatan Dragon in human guise, with a love of food and traveling.
Posts: 441
Profession: Wandering Dragon
Affinity: Light
Dragon Element: Air
Profile: Aeos Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Aeos on Nov 5, 2016 18:34:32 GMT -6
Aeos wasn’t sure what he did or what he asked. But whatever it was it made her laugh. He was happy at that though. It was nice to make others laugh. Helps to take the edge off of the burdens of life. It also meant he was being a good host. Those were all positives. It meant that he was doing some good in mending the gap between taguel and dragon relationships. “Oh.. I see. So Lamia’s and Nagas aren’t friendly. I suppose they be the more serious type of persons.” He thought for a moment. He was reminded of Euphemious at first. When they first met he was leading a small band of rebels in Bern and was immediately suspicious of him. Then again he did land in the middle of the forest in full dragon form and did a bunch of damage. He remembered apologizing to the earth and prayed the trees made a quick recovery.
“Lamias, Naga’s, and Medusae.. I didn’t know the Medusae had a name. I suppose that they are the monster versions oft the snake kin world. And I am not to make mention oft those comparisons. I understand, thank you for the warning.” He was learning a whole lot about all of taguel.
“I suppose I shouldn’t call the Medusae monsters either. They might be citizens oft this island like the taguel. Can they change into a full snake like ye change into a full bird?” He didn’t want to accidentally offend anyone with his lack of knowledge. He struck a slight thinking pose. He was kind of eager to know how the taguel could change form. If they needed a stone to channel their energies or not. If they did he wondered how if differed from dragonstones. If they didn’t then he’d like to figure out how. He sat and listened to Neamhain talk about magic. It seemed like she could feel the spirits too but only under certain conditions. Perhaps.. we might be too different after all. The other half of him mused. Neamhain had asked him a question about feeling spirits.
“Possibly.” Is that the best answer we can come up with? His other half spoke. Unamused. He stopped to think on it some more. To be honest he wasn’t quite sure, because he hadn’t really tried. He knew he could sense basic things about other spirits but that was about it. Like a fire spirit felt warm. And thanks to Nayru, lightning sort of smelled like rust and acid. But, he wasn’t quite sure if it was him picking up on the actual element. “The elements smell different. They taste different. I cannot tell the difference between a fire spirit or a water spirit unless they give me some huge clue. Like if the fire spirit smelled like smoke.. or if the water spirit smells like mist. At most.. I’d be able to tell if there is a large concentration oft them or not. I think.. I can get that far in perception oft elements only if they are in the air..” He really wished he could demonstrate.
“Like.. I cannot stick my head in the ground and tell you how the earth spirits are feeling. All that would give me is a head full oft dirt. The same goes for fire, water, ice, and lightning. I think it be unwise if I stick my head in any of those elements.” He tried to think of an example.
“Unless the elements are agitated. But, if they were... then the signs oft them would be much more obvious. I remember going through a ruin where there were hundreds oft trapped wind spirits. When they were freed they were so excited! And I was so happy for them. That joy oft freedom manifested in a large vortex oft wind… a tornado… that could definitely be seen by the naked eye.” He thought some more.
“I hope that made sense. I am not good with explaining how my powers work. Mostly due to me not knowing exactly how all these things work.” He sighed sadly.
"No one made a guide to dragons. So a large amount of what I can do.. has been through centuries oft trial and error. And I am still a young which means that there is more to my strengths that I’ve yet to discover..that has yet to grow.”
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 6, 2016 21:11:50 GMT -6
"The Medusa are mostly creatures of legend for us," Neamhain clarified in response to Aeos's question. "Some scattered sightings here perhaps, but they were know to be creatures of Elibe, and some Taguel believe they and the lamia share a common ancestor, or were even the same species once. I know not the truth of those claims, only that lamia react quite poorly to it." She smiled wryly. Poorly indeed. Nearly clipped her damn wings with that fireball. "And no, they are unique among Taguel in that they cannot transform at will at all; they are permanently stuck in a... half-shifted state, I suppose you could say. You saw how Anzu shifted from man to hawk; the Snake Tribe are forever somewhere in between."
It was strange when she put it that way admittedly. Of course Neamhain wasn't the first taguel to notice that fact, nor the first to wonder if that somehow linked them to Medusae or not. It was a question she had no answer to though, and it was not especially important so long as the lamia of the various covens remembered their role in society. She was a curious type, but only for knowledge that had meaning. Knowledge for its own sake was meaningless. Knowing how to interact with humans and dragons, on the other hand, was invaluable for its practical use.
Aeos's explanation of his ability to... sense spirits was interesting, as was the conjecture attached to it. So he didn't KNOW how all of it worked. It was strange to her - taguel lived their entire lives in close contact with each other, sharing communal knowledge, so of course they would all know how adaptations worked. Fewer understood magic on a level she did, but it wasn't some great secret, just most didn't care to learn about something that wouldn't be useful to them. "How intriguing... I can identify and channel spirits more effectively, though it is rare I have the time to commune with them for long. Outside of combat to a degree." She grimaced, realizing a little belatedly just how little actual relaxation time she had gotten lately. It was just one god damn problem after another, and that was BEFORE the Elibeans had showed up. Not that she blamed them or anything. But it was exhausting, even for her.
Not that she would complain about it.
But his comment about trial and error seemed... inefficient. The age thing didn't surprise her, she did know that dragons could live as long as a thousand years or maybe even more, which certainly made a joke of Taguel lifespans. Hah hah. "Are there not others of your kind to learn from," the raven continued with some poor attempt at phrasing the question well, acutely aware of her lack of education on exactly how many dragons there were left. "I know there are not... as many, but every Elibean I meet seems to know at least one. It is a wonder that it is a secret at all in Elibe."
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