Fantasy Righteous Fiends: Arc 1 - Daybreak

[dae mec]

Their eyes flicker to Rahu's cheerful exit and then briefly to Tonzael's masked face, but Raaye's attention returns to Vorkerrigan and Callisto at the question.

"I would be glad, sisters," answers Raaye with a smile. "There is not much I need to procure for myself; I will be quick to join you."

 

[Lunaria Silver]

Callisto offered a slight smile in response. "Of course, I would love for Raaye to join us. I have a few things to prepare as well." Callisto said, nodding towards Raaye. She had nothing that would take too long to prepare, and Raaye said that they would be able to join them quickly.
"If it's agreeable, I suggest we meet at the guard post in an hour." Callisto suggested. Naturally, if either of them required more time she would be happy to oblige. So long as they were able to meet the surgeon on time, she had no objections.

 

[dr xenon]

Bowing out from the group Vorkerrigan made her way back to her chambers. Given the time of night she had little doubt that the rest of the family would be out of the suite. Even her hexa-cat would be out prowling somewhere. It took little time to shrug out of her clothing. In her haste she almost left it on the chamber floor but her mother's voice played in her memory - reminding her of the tolls of sloth on discipline - and she hastened to hang them before bathing. Letting out a shuddering sigh she releases her armor from its pods and it slides across her body, wrapping her in its protective carapace.

A quick stop in the family's small armory and she emerges from the chambers with a hunting knife in a leg sheath, two throwing aces on her hips, and a Taenial rope she's wrapping around her left forearm.

Sparring a quick, thin smile for a moment she heads for the guardhouse to meet her Eclipse-mates.

 

[Spiderheart]

Part of the reason Rahu prioritizes his music over other forms of expression is that he sees it as the most natural analogue to fleshworking – dynamic, curiously caught between fragility and resilience, in need of both technical skill and instinctual awareness. In short, alive. The only difference of real import is that music has no lifespan, and so there's no risk of flaws going unseen and then emerging at a later date. And so Rahu sings as he works, setting the beat by his own heart, infusing his unnatural children with his entire being – the blood that flows through him sings to the unrefined tissue, calling it to the form it was always meant to be.

Beauty is purpose is truth;
I give you your birthright,
I give you completion.

I bear Her love, and share it
with you, for you are
your own finest form.

He makes of me a hammer,
and so I strike you into shape
so that you may serve well.

Your role is writ in your tissue,
for They allow us clear eyes
when we look inward.

Beauty is purpose is truth...

The song – which flows cleanly in Kromsian – is an old Surgeon's hymn, a common tool for keeping time while working. Under Rahu's watchful eye and gentle touch, a scout-signal pairing is subtly modified to his tastes; a small group of mid-sized meatbeasts are converted into weapons of war; and a full complement of invertebrate hemophages are grown to the size of blankets, along with half a dozen metabolic adjustments. In between tasks, he checks his work again to ensure he hasn't left any errors in the creatures' fabric and chats with the others using the vats. A departing apprentice is asked to call a pair of his friends, who are then given responsibility for his mice and his garden; they're welcome to any products of the latter, as long as they follow the harvesting schedule. And when the room is mostly empty, except for a middle-aged Sythse man with a laugh much higher pitched than his speaking voice, reference is made to that unfortunate incident in the courtyard earlier; when the man inquires, Rahu only puts up enough resistance to claim plausible deniability. The problem is out of his hands, now; the girl's relatives will discipline her, or she'll end up in the Shades' line of sight.

 

[Grey]

The guard tower is a squad brick affair, with a tapering tower surmounted by a spherical wicker cage.
Small birds with overlarge eyes circle and chirp with a distinct cadence, one that would rise to a cacophanous shriek if a single member of the flock espies enemies in the distance.

It's quite spartan inside; maps on the walls, a single table with three chairs, a couple of hammocks. The detritus of assigned guard, like a half-read old book, a lewd scroll, or a half-way finished bone carving are the only signs of anythig like a life here. It's a temporary post anyway, rotated often.
A Guard you all recognize from services, but not by name (younger than you, barely an adult) sits at the table, eating from a bowl of figs as he pores over the territory's ink abstraction. Someone has placed fresh marks indicating possible enemy movements, and the young Guard has a little pile of bone tokens from a game board tumbled at the side of the paper.
He's so absorbed he doesn't immediately notice your arrival.

 

[dr xenon]

Her pale blue eyes drink in the disheveled state of the guard house and the edges of Vorkerrigan's mouth twitch down into a slight frown. Certainly she had never been so slovenly on her shifts in the towers.

"Guard!" she snaps. Her voice barely over a conversational tone, but somehow there's an attention grabbing intensity to it. "My captain would have a report on the H'Kaeri incursion in Hannubar's Reach!"

Lunaria Silver , dae mec , Chordling

 

[dae mec]

Raaye leaves a note for their sister and nephew, grabs the supplies they need, and stops briefly by the temple again. They kneel to pray, clearing their mind, reaching for the goddess's presence. Quiet breaths, each exactly three seconds in, three seconds out.

I have noted a curiosity, they pray. Raaye pictures the scene in their mind, murmuring the events that transpired. They describe the Sythse's actions, noting their personal disapproval, but still fully in the trance-like state that proper prayer brought. Once Raaye is satisfied, they stop for an interval of three breaths. Then, they continue: asking for guidance, for strength, for clarity, for both themselves and the siblings joining them on this mission.

Three more breaths. Then, they stand. Onward to the guard post.

Raaye slips in just behind Vokerrigan. They eye the Guard for a moment, and then they make use of his distraction to silently sit at the table, opposite to him. Raaye puts on their pleasant smile as Vokerrigan snaps at the young Guard, idly wondering how long it will take for him to notice them.

 

[Grey]

The young Guard glances up, seems about to stand and salute when he sees Raaye and- almost falls out of his chair, instead he momentarily adopts the Awakened Titan stance.
Vorkerrigan is impressed; you wouldn't expect it to suit his lithe frame, but his poise is excellent.

"El-elders, forgive my laxity!" he collects himself and bows, makes the sign of Her wings.
"I was considering those same reports myself," he picks up a scroll from the table, rolls it, and offers it towards Vorkerrigan and Callisto. "I... I would be honored to summarize my findings if it please you and would better serve your valuable time."

 

[dr xenon]

Nodding with a narrowing of her eyes as if in approval of his Stance, Vorkerrigan gestures to the young guard to hand the report to Callisto.

"I am sure we would also like to hear your summary," she says to him, presuming to speak for her Captain until told otherwise.

dae mec , Chordling , Lunaria Silver , Grey