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@oshabloodhunt
Am Halji. Carnomancy has rules. Do not break them. Might not live to learn mistake.
----
Halji works for OSHA in the OSHAverse, specializing in making sure proper caution is taken in all things relating to blood, be it a blood sacrifice, or merely manipulating it. Halji can be regarded with she/her pronouns.
also here's another Halji picrew:
[Similar to what happened a few days ago, there is now a brand new spruce door, perfectly 2x1 meters. It seems to call to anyone passing by it.]
Eh? Halji hasn't seen this door before. She wonders about what's behind it, and opens the door without much thought.
[About a second after she opens the door, a very red catman is proofed in front of her, seemingly against his will.]
Uh. Who are you? Where's my belltower?
"Am Halji. Halji not know of belltower near." Halji sniffs the air, smelling the catguy. "Smell familiar. Halji not know you. What is name?"
uh. I'm Jack. I ring the bells? Don't you hear them? y'know, ringing on the hour, every hour?
Halji stares at Jack for some time, trying to figure out why he smells familiar. Or what he's talking about. one of the two. She hasn't said anything. This is getting awkward.
[Similar to what happened a few days ago, there is now a brand new spruce door, perfectly 2x1 meters. It seems to call to anyone passing by it.]
Eh? Halji hasn't seen this door before. She wonders about what's behind it, and opens the door without much thought.
[About a second after she opens the door, a very red catman is proofed in front of her, seemingly against his will.]
Uh. Who are you? Where's my belltower?
"Am Halji. Halji not know of belltower near." Halji sniffs the air, smelling the catguy. "Smell familiar. Halji not know you. What is name?"
[Similar to what happened a few days ago, there is now a brand new spruce door, perfectly 2x1 meters. It seems to call to anyone passing by it.]
Eh? Halji hasn't seen this door before. She wonders about what's behind it, and opens the door without much thought.
[Jane draws near. She knows not much about herself, and has never seen another with bright red hair, several scars, and animal ears.]
Jane might note the reflectiveness of the other's hair, as the older finishes drinking from her water and notices Jane. "What does kin need from Halji?"
[She thinks for a second. While she is doing this, the older may notice Jane's hair has a similar shininess, albeit more gem rather than viscera.]
are you, uh, related to me? or, um, know me? I recently returned to this place after apparently disappearing for 2 months, and I don't really know who I am or what I'm supposed to be to others, and, uh-
sorry, I'm, um, ranting.
"Halji has not seen red one before. Heard few stories from colleagues. Confusing stories Halji did not understand."
[She's interested in this.]
Could you you tell me one?
"Halji does not remember most of stories. Did not feel important enough. Most were about red one fighting something or another. Or red one dying. Halji did not pay much attention, was not particularly relevant to work."
ah... oh well. At least that tells me that me dying is a common thing?
"Not usually. Most do not die here. Not above basement."
[Jane draws near. She knows not much about herself, and has never seen another with bright red hair, several scars, and animal ears.]
Jane might note the reflectiveness of the other's hair, as the older finishes drinking from her water and notices Jane. "What does kin need from Halji?"
[She thinks for a second. While she is doing this, the older may notice Jane's hair has a similar shininess, albeit more gem rather than viscera.]
are you, uh, related to me? or, um, know me? I recently returned to this place after apparently disappearing for 2 months, and I don't really know who I am or what I'm supposed to be to others, and, uh-
sorry, I'm, um, ranting.
"Halji has not seen red one before. Heard few stories from colleagues. Confusing stories Halji did not understand."
[She's interested in this.]
Could you you tell me one?
"Halji does not remember most of stories. Did not feel important enough. Most were about red one fighting something or another. Or red one dying. Halji did not pay much attention, was not particularly relevant to work."
[Jane draws near. She knows not much about herself, and has never seen another with bright red hair, several scars, and animal ears.]
Jane might note the reflectiveness of the other's hair, as the older finishes drinking from her water and notices Jane. "What does kin need from Halji?"
[She thinks for a second. While she is doing this, the older may notice Jane's hair has a similar shininess, albeit more gem rather than viscera.]
are you, uh, related to me? or, um, know me? I recently returned to this place after apparently disappearing for 2 months, and I don't really know who I am or what I'm supposed to be to others, and, uh-
sorry, I'm, um, ranting.
"Halji has not seen red one before. Heard few stories from colleagues. Confusing stories Halji did not understand."
[Jane draws near. She knows not much about herself, and has never seen another with bright red hair, several scars, and animal ears.]
Jane might note the reflectiveness of the other's hair, as the older finishes drinking from her water and notices Jane. "What does kin need from Halji?"
[@solarosha]
Little Lamplight, who is occasionally not very little, guides Daisy and Halji through Fyr-Nesk, with seeming ease. It takes a while, but nothing of note happens.
It takes a few minutes, before Daisy would catch notice of the extra red lights in the trees, slowly building up until they are very clearly many other Lamplights, lighting the night sky. The plantlife seems much more faded back, and significantly smaller.
There are branches bent and tied together, forming many baskets throughout the settlement. Some of the Lamplights are snooping in and pulling out small bits of meat or fruits.
Probably of most importance, there are some number of Krythin. There's a group of, perhaps surprisingly, young looking Krythin, gathered around an older one, who is wearing what looks like a fanged deer's skull, and maybe telling a story? It is hard to tell with the distance and other noise.
Halji looks around, and smiles to herself. The Lamplight that had led the two here flies off, perhaps grabbing somebody of authority; or at least a friend of Halji's.
Daisy waits to see if anyone would approach her, rather than speaking or walking up to anyone first.
She wanted to observe the krythin's normal way of life a bit first, anyway.
The forest is still dark, and past the collective light of this area of the settlement, there is not much to view, besides the semi-distant light of other plazas.
There's a somewhat frequent flow of moving sillohoutes, mostly accompanied by Lamplights, usually sitting on their heads or backs; it is sometimes hard to tell, due to the fluid nature of the Krythin.
And she hears the teller's story, over the sounds of the Lamplights overhead. It's in the old tongue of Forun Sonok, but sounds familiar. She picks up on a bit of it that she can understand, "Queen's Dark Friend was hounded from North, travelling West to escape Seared Flame."
Halji steps towards a tree, and sits down, with her eyes closed.
Daisy drifts closer to the storyteller, frowning in concentration as she tries to interpret the words. She wouldn't get all of them, but perhaps it would be enough.
She seems to have caught the beginning of the story, at least. From what she can gather, the Queen's Dark Friend had joined the hunt, and then the story teller begins to describe what might have been a bestial god, by the way the storyteller moves their limbs to show the shapes of various things, claws, a tail, and they shift their face into a reconstruction of a wolf's. They mention its name, and the grasp Daisy can get of it is maybe "Blood Drinker" or "Devourer of Memory". The young Krythin seem quite frightened, judging by the way their fur(or is it hair when they appear like humans?) stands on end, and their tails curl around themselves.
The story teller says something about the Dark Friend and a hunt, and a newly found name. The name sounds familiar, but not quite how she remembered its pronunciation. They pronounced it like "Roshina".
Well, such things were bound to drift with enough time... though, she thought that was not supposed to pass, here. Not in the normal way, at any rate.
It seemed that the being Daisy knew as Dust was, while feared somewhat, at least not reviled here. Good for it, she thought with a shrug.
She supposed it was time to do what she came here for... only, it would probably be polite to pay the Queen a visit first. Even if she could not answer Daisy's questions herself.
She walks back towards Halji, who she at least knew she could communicate effectively with.
"So... I would like to drop in on the Queen, if that's alright. Where is she? And, are there any archives or anything like that I could look through?"
Halji opens an eye as she replies, "Blood Queen close. Waiting for Lamplight return with gravetender. Queen can't answer questions, is asleep. Gravetenders very skilled with drawing out blood memory. Might answer something. Things change very little from last time Halji was home, if Daisy has questions about."
"I see." She nods, and decides to sit next to Halji while they wait for the gravetender. "Well, a sickbed visit isn't too bad either. Even if she is asleep."
"That story being told over there - " she gestures towards the storyteller and the krythin children " - is it a common one?"
"Story of Roshina? Yes," Halji nods as she continues, "tales of great pack leaders very common in Fyr-Nesk. Powerful beasts too, both become gods eventually. That story, Roshina's, was for ascension. Hunted terrible beast alone, came back with face as trophy. Gained respect, gained belief. Became god of dark, if Halji recalls."
"Ah, I see." She nods. "What beast was hunted? That seems interesting."
"Stories say beast ate blood and drank memories. Halji wasn't around to know proper name, faded rather quickly. Called now Blood Drinker, or some sort. Once names fade, many titles come up. Halji once heard it called Slurper, but did not stick."
"Really? But slurper is so fun to say! Though, it is probably different in the original language. What is that even called, anyway? Krythian?"
She inspects her nails for a moment, mostly just speaking to pass the time at this point.
"Didn't need name. Was only language, 'sides Kinoc lights."
Halji's ears twitch, and she turns towards the sound of tapping on the dirt. It's a Krythin, with a Lamplight perched on their shoulder, and a walking stick with a leather grip.
They step towards the pair, and nod at them, before sitting down in front of the two, with their legs beneath them and the staff at their side. Halji puts a hand over her heart, and bows slightly to the gravetender; while they do the same.
Daisy nods at the gravetender respectfully, but hesitates a moment too long while deciding whether to bow. And then the moment is gone, so she does not.
But she does fold her wings back, to take up a little less space.
Halji speaks to the gravetender, before the two Krythin link hands, and their arms turn into blood, flowing into each other. Halji's is a notably brighter red. The gravetender speaks, directing their words to Daisy, "Name Renoth. Lone Halji says Daisy not know tongue. Said Daisy is reason for return. Questions?"
"That is all correct," she smiles. "Unfortunately I have only remembered a few words and phrases of your tongue. More will come, I am sure, but I have questions that need answers sooner than waiting for that would allow. Mostly to do with your historical record regarding the fall of the four lords, and what life was like before those events. Truly, I have been so in the dark it is difficult to even know what to ask!"
Renoth nods, and answers, "Beast Mother resigned to hibernation for reason unrelated to Godhunts. Only Old King, East Lord, and Stone Fire fell in Godhunts. Life not change often in Timeless Forest, difference mostly that travelers not come anymore, and pack split."
Halji seems to smirk at the irony of the sun being left in the dark.
The irony was not lost on Daisy either... there was a reason she wanted so badly to fill these gaps in her recollection.
"Of course, that only makes sense," she agrees, "But this timelessness is also why your records may well be the best preserved. Now... Those monikers you used. I have guesses as to whom you mean by them, but if you could explain I would appreciate it. To make sure we are on the same page, so to speak."
Renoth tilts their head slightly as they reply, "Are names?"
It's now that Halji speaks up, as she explains, "Those are Lords' names in Fyr-Nesk. Daisy knows Mother as Blood Queen, Old King as Rolufim, and Stone Fire as Solov."
"Ahh, literal translations. Yes, I thought it would be something like that. Stone Fire in particular seemed a bit familiar," she winks at Halji. "Just didn't want to assume. What would you call Rovos, then? Did you even need one for them, here?"
She addresses these questions to both the gravetender and Halji.
The gravetender looks even more confused now, and looks at Halji. Halji responds simply, "Rovos god in North. Never left, never worshipped outside. Hardly known by non-messenger mortals."
"The Beast Mother herself met them at least once," she says, "But I suppose he never spoke of it enough for you to know." She shrugs. "Would it be alright for me to visit her? I know he sleeps, but it may prompt the return of more of my memories. And who knows, some sunshine may do her good."
Halji looks slightly confused, and then replies, "Mother Queen rarely left the Dun, and never went to Rovos. Mostly sent messengers to other lands."
Gravetender Renoth considers Daisy's request, before whispering to the Lamplight still on their shoulder, which nods and flies off. "Other tenders decide. Will not take long."
"Understood," she nods at the gravetender. "Are you sure, Halji? I could have sworn there was one of those big meetings they were both present at... Hmm. Perhaps I am remembering wrong. These bits and pieces are more fallible than I'm used to." She shrugs.
"Halji never invited to meetings. Can't say for certain. Doubt knew well, even if."
Renoth picks up their staff, and unlink their flowing blood from Halji's; and both solidify once more into arms. Halji's skin is significantly more tanned than Renoth's, who is slightly red, but otherwise almost as pale as snow. They say something to Halji before walking away.
Halji nods, but otherwise doesn't do much physically. She does tell Daisy what's happening though, "Renoth leaves to make candles. Lamplight will guide to Mother Queen if approved."
"Make candles? What's that got to do with anything?"
"Krythin still need to see. Little Lamplight can't do all work."
"Well sure. I just meant, is this a responsibility related to my quest or is it not?"
"It's making candles. Halji doesn't see how candles is especially pertinent to Daisy quest."
"See that's why I was confused!" She smiles, "I thought it might be since it was in a sentence with other information that was, but it didn’t make sense to be."
Halji is also smiling, but doesn't have anything to reply with.
A Lamplight dives off a branch, and lands on Daisy. It chirps, before jumping off and flying off into the slight distance. It lands on the ground and stays still, waiting.
"It seems that duty calls," Daisy says, standing up. "I don't mind if you come, though you'd know better than I if that is appropriate."
She follows after the Lamplight.
"Halji will look for old friends while Daisy does rest of goal in home." Halji waves Daisy off, before wandering into an adjacent dark trail.
The Little Lamplight guides Daisy to a grotto; guarded by a thick fence of thorny vines, not unlike that patch which Daisy had set ablaze earlier, with a small entrance. The entrance is hardly more than a parting between two trunks, framed with low branches making something of an arch. Lamplight does not enter, instead chirping at Daisy from in front of the entrance, and flying back the way they came.
Beyond the thorns, Daisy can see why Renoth had needed to make candles, as they were the only things lighting the Queen's chamber. Scattered around the edges on rocks, there's a myriad of candles, clustered onto each rock to provide as much light as possible.
As for the famed Bestial Queen herself, she is massive; easily three times the size of Daisy, however curled into a ball. Vibrant red fur covers their body, and it is hard to distinguish an end in the sphere of beast. But with Daisy's light, she can find it eventually; a face, with closed eyes, and a shape perhaps like a vulture's, or a wolf's, or maybe a badger's?
There's three gravetenders present, watching over their Mother, and directing the flowing of loose blood; pushing blood through what seems like tiny rivers in the shape of a spider's web within the ground. They are easily stepped over, should Daisy desire to walk towards any of the tenders.
Daisy slowly lets out a breath, and stops holding in her light - as she had been doing since she arrived in this forest. It is not noon-bright, but everything is painted in yellow and gold like in that precious hour before sunset. She smiles, though it is sadly, as she spends time just... taking in this place, and what has become of the Blood Queen.
How wonderful to be so loved, that you are taken care of like this for so long. How terrible to be catatonic and unresponsive, and yet undying.
Daisy realizes that she never did ask what had happened to her, and regrets it somewhat. Perhaps she could ask one of these gravetenders, though the likelihood of them having a language in common with her was low...
To start, she tries to puzzle out what was wrong with him from what she can sense - both magically and with plain sight and smell and such, drawing slightly on her memories as Apollo to aid her.
She often did that. Of all her past selves, he had some of the most and most useful hobbies.
The Gravetenders move their arms in front of their faces and shift away their eyes, as Daisy's glow brightens.
With Daisy's probing, she finds... nothing. Perhaps a lack of faith brought on this hibernation, but it seems like the Queen is very much still worshipped... maybe it just grew tired.
With the brighter light, and a closer look, Daisy can see... traces of bone, or perhaps wood, decorating the head of the Queen. The memory of wood, or maybe it was bones, seems to be slowly dripping blood, into the web.
Daisy carefully steps forwards, and crouches down near its head. "Hello," she says, "I don't know if you can hear me, or understand me for that matter, but I thought I should tell you some things anyway. My name is Daisy, and I'm the current solar deity. I say current because there have been many, though I remember being all of them. Including Solovos who you once knew."
She reaches out a hand to touch the Queen, but instead lets it fall back down.
"I... know you were not on the best terms with me, back when I was him. I cannot fault you for that, but just wanted to say... I have changed considerably since those days. For the better, I hope."
Daisy smiles, and touches one of the rivulets of blood with her forefinger, and sends just a little energy and strength into it. Not with force, but like a lending a shoulder to an injured friend.
"I also hope that you will be able to wake up. The world has changed so much these last few millenia... I don't know if you'd like it, but I'd love to find out."
Daisy expects no response, but stays there for a few moments anyway, as she slowly brings her light back into herself. Just enough for the comfort of these gravetenders.
And she thinks. About what to do next, about how to either awaken more of her memory or articulate a question these people might have an answer to.
Daisy thinks that the Bleeding Queen might've shifted slightly, but it might've been the dimming of her light playing tricks in her eyes.
The Gravetenders push Daisy's gifted power throughout the flowing web, dissolving it into the pool of memories. Something tingles at the back of Daisy's mind, something repressed in a life she no longer leads.
She focuses on that tingling, closing her eyes and trying to bring it to the front.
She slowly dislodges a memory, from a now nameless god whom grazed the skies of Siberia.
The memory is that of standard life for the sun, until she noticed something strange in the permafrost; a dark hole, which warded her light. The tunnel intrigued her, and at sunset; she fell below the sky into the hole, instead of into the west.
She had travelled far in the dark tunnel, before emerging somewhere much like Siberia; however lacking light, and centered around an impossible structure, which she might now call instead a grand city.
As she tried to reach the city in the center, the sky flashed a dark malice, and a being pooled into shape from forgotten shadows. Its voice sent fear into the very idea of her existence, as an antithetical and all-power force, as it spoke through its shining face, "You have earned no right to step in this land which rejects you. You have trespassed into my claim. Continue this folly, and you will be shattered into a silent darkness. Leave, and never dare to return."
She had fled, as quickly as her light could carry her, before she could whether its threat held weight. She remembers how the hole simply ceased to be as she fled into a new morning. She never saw it again, but what other lead does she have now, in the present?
She sighs deeply, and then stands. That dark figure of malice which had so frightened her other self seemed much more familiar now, of course.
"Thank you for your time," she says to the room at large. "Coming here has indeed proven useful."
Daisy nods to each of the gravetenders, and gives a small bow to the Queen, and then turns to leave.
The gravetenders nod back to Daisy, and Little Lamplight meets her as she exits. The little bird lands on her shoulder, and chirps at her. Probably asking where she needs guided next.
"Is there anything like a library, or an archive?" She asks, "A place where histories are preserved?"
Lamplight chirps, and flies to... where she just walked out of.
"Hmm. Right, these people store information in blood, of all things..." she sighs again. "I don't think that will work for me. I have only the vaguest sense of what to look for, and no idea how to ask for help finding it, and I've never learned how to really use the blood this way..." Daisy frowns. "Plus it would be awkward, I just did a big exit and everything."
She shakes her head. "Never mind, then. I got something useful already. Anything else would probably only be tangentially related to my area of interest anyway, given the poor relationship between Solov and Her Majesty."
"What do people do for fun around here, actually?" She smiles. "I need a break from all this seriousness. Even if I only watch."
Little Lamplight flies off again, leading Daisy eventually to a small structure kept covered by some branches knotted into each other. There is not much to say of the structure, as it is mostly the roof and collection of hunting tools. There's a few spears, one or two things which look equipped for pushing a beast into the ground. They're on a rack, set onto a small stone platform; which has the word 'Rolukin' scribed into it. Suppose it's a collection of hunting gear various Rolukin never got the chance to pick up.
"What, no sports? No dice games?" she asks. "No dances, nothing like that? I know they at least tell stories, I have seen that..."
Lamplight looks... confused. It does not seem to know what Daisy's trying to get at. And then it flies off again, leading Daisy elsewhere.
After following, Daisy finds that Little Lamplight had led her to Halji.
Halji's hair seems to be unkempt now, but otherwise she's basically the same. "Hello, did meet Queen Mother, yes? How was visit?"
"It was..." Daisy frowns. "Sobering. But, I did manage to remember a potential route to Zinarul, so ultimately useful."
She smiles again. "How was visiting your friends? Everyone was well, I hope?"
"Yes. Though Halji think broke one of friends' things during meeting. Friends had not changed, though Halji expected." Halji smiles back at Daisy, a rough grin with sharp teeth. "Daisy ready to leave?"
"Yes, I think so," she says. "I really don't belong in a place like this, even as nice as it is."
Halji nods and shoos Lamplight away. She turns from Daisy, and draws a circle in the air with her blood. The circle pulses briefly, before opening a portal. It looks like the sun's about to rise through the portal.
[@solarosha]
Little Lamplight, who is occasionally not very little, guides Daisy and Halji through Fyr-Nesk, with seeming ease. It takes a while, but nothing of note happens.
It takes a few minutes, before Daisy would catch notice of the extra red lights in the trees, slowly building up until they are very clearly many other Lamplights, lighting the night sky. The plantlife seems much more faded back, and significantly smaller.
There are branches bent and tied together, forming many baskets throughout the settlement. Some of the Lamplights are snooping in and pulling out small bits of meat or fruits.
Probably of most importance, there are some number of Krythin. There's a group of, perhaps surprisingly, young looking Krythin, gathered around an older one, who is wearing what looks like a fanged deer's skull, and maybe telling a story? It is hard to tell with the distance and other noise.
Halji looks around, and smiles to herself. The Lamplight that had led the two here flies off, perhaps grabbing somebody of authority; or at least a friend of Halji's.
Daisy waits to see if anyone would approach her, rather than speaking or walking up to anyone first.
She wanted to observe the krythin's normal way of life a bit first, anyway.
The forest is still dark, and past the collective light of this area of the settlement, there is not much to view, besides the semi-distant light of other plazas.
There's a somewhat frequent flow of moving sillohoutes, mostly accompanied by Lamplights, usually sitting on their heads or backs; it is sometimes hard to tell, due to the fluid nature of the Krythin.
And she hears the teller's story, over the sounds of the Lamplights overhead. It's in the old tongue of Forun Sonok, but sounds familiar. She picks up on a bit of it that she can understand, "Queen's Dark Friend was hounded from North, travelling West to escape Seared Flame."
Halji steps towards a tree, and sits down, with her eyes closed.
Daisy drifts closer to the storyteller, frowning in concentration as she tries to interpret the words. She wouldn't get all of them, but perhaps it would be enough.
She seems to have caught the beginning of the story, at least. From what she can gather, the Queen's Dark Friend had joined the hunt, and then the story teller begins to describe what might have been a bestial god, by the way the storyteller moves their limbs to show the shapes of various things, claws, a tail, and they shift their face into a reconstruction of a wolf's. They mention its name, and the grasp Daisy can get of it is maybe "Blood Drinker" or "Devourer of Memory". The young Krythin seem quite frightened, judging by the way their fur(or is it hair when they appear like humans?) stands on end, and their tails curl around themselves.
The story teller says something about the Dark Friend and a hunt, and a newly found name. The name sounds familiar, but not quite how she remembered its pronunciation. They pronounced it like "Roshina".
Well, such things were bound to drift with enough time... though, she thought that was not supposed to pass, here. Not in the normal way, at any rate.
It seemed that the being Daisy knew as Dust was, while feared somewhat, at least not reviled here. Good for it, she thought with a shrug.
She supposed it was time to do what she came here for... only, it would probably be polite to pay the Queen a visit first. Even if she could not answer Daisy's questions herself.
She walks back towards Halji, who she at least knew she could communicate effectively with.
"So... I would like to drop in on the Queen, if that's alright. Where is she? And, are there any archives or anything like that I could look through?"
Halji opens an eye as she replies, "Blood Queen close. Waiting for Lamplight return with gravetender. Queen can't answer questions, is asleep. Gravetenders very skilled with drawing out blood memory. Might answer something. Things change very little from last time Halji was home, if Daisy has questions about."
"I see." She nods, and decides to sit next to Halji while they wait for the gravetender. "Well, a sickbed visit isn't too bad either. Even if she is asleep."
"That story being told over there - " she gestures towards the storyteller and the krythin children " - is it a common one?"
"Story of Roshina? Yes," Halji nods as she continues, "tales of great pack leaders very common in Fyr-Nesk. Powerful beasts too, both become gods eventually. That story, Roshina's, was for ascension. Hunted terrible beast alone, came back with face as trophy. Gained respect, gained belief. Became god of dark, if Halji recalls."
"Ah, I see." She nods. "What beast was hunted? That seems interesting."
"Stories say beast ate blood and drank memories. Halji wasn't around to know proper name, faded rather quickly. Called now Blood Drinker, or some sort. Once names fade, many titles come up. Halji once heard it called Slurper, but did not stick."
"Really? But slurper is so fun to say! Though, it is probably different in the original language. What is that even called, anyway? Krythian?"
She inspects her nails for a moment, mostly just speaking to pass the time at this point.
"Didn't need name. Was only language, 'sides Kinoc lights."
Halji's ears twitch, and she turns towards the sound of tapping on the dirt. It's a Krythin, with a Lamplight perched on their shoulder, and a walking stick with a leather grip.
They step towards the pair, and nod at them, before sitting down in front of the two, with their legs beneath them and the staff at their side. Halji puts a hand over her heart, and bows slightly to the gravetender; while they do the same.
Daisy nods at the gravetender respectfully, but hesitates a moment too long while deciding whether to bow. And then the moment is gone, so she does not.
But she does fold her wings back, to take up a little less space.
Halji speaks to the gravetender, before the two Krythin link hands, and their arms turn into blood, flowing into each other. Halji's is a notably brighter red. The gravetender speaks, directing their words to Daisy, "Name Renoth. Lone Halji says Daisy not know tongue. Said Daisy is reason for return. Questions?"
"That is all correct," she smiles. "Unfortunately I have only remembered a few words and phrases of your tongue. More will come, I am sure, but I have questions that need answers sooner than waiting for that would allow. Mostly to do with your historical record regarding the fall of the four lords, and what life was like before those events. Truly, I have been so in the dark it is difficult to even know what to ask!"
Renoth nods, and answers, "Beast Mother resigned to hibernation for reason unrelated to Godhunts. Only Old King, East Lord, and Stone Fire fell in Godhunts. Life not change often in Timeless Forest, difference mostly that travelers not come anymore, and pack split."
Halji seems to smirk at the irony of the sun being left in the dark.
The irony was not lost on Daisy either... there was a reason she wanted so badly to fill these gaps in her recollection.
"Of course, that only makes sense," she agrees, "But this timelessness is also why your records may well be the best preserved. Now... Those monikers you used. I have guesses as to whom you mean by them, but if you could explain I would appreciate it. To make sure we are on the same page, so to speak."
Renoth tilts their head slightly as they reply, "Are names?"
It's now that Halji speaks up, as she explains, "Those are Lords' names in Fyr-Nesk. Daisy knows Mother as Blood Queen, Old King as Rolufim, and Stone Fire as Solov."
"Ahh, literal translations. Yes, I thought it would be something like that. Stone Fire in particular seemed a bit familiar," she winks at Halji. "Just didn't want to assume. What would you call Rovos, then? Did you even need one for them, here?"
She addresses these questions to both the gravetender and Halji.
The gravetender looks even more confused now, and looks at Halji. Halji responds simply, "Rovos god in North. Never left, never worshipped outside. Hardly known by non-messenger mortals."
"The Beast Mother herself met them at least once," she says, "But I suppose he never spoke of it enough for you to know." She shrugs. "Would it be alright for me to visit her? I know he sleeps, but it may prompt the return of more of my memories. And who knows, some sunshine may do her good."
Halji looks slightly confused, and then replies, "Mother Queen rarely left the Dun, and never went to Rovos. Mostly sent messengers to other lands."
Gravetender Renoth considers Daisy's request, before whispering to the Lamplight still on their shoulder, which nods and flies off. "Other tenders decide. Will not take long."
"Understood," she nods at the gravetender. "Are you sure, Halji? I could have sworn there was one of those big meetings they were both present at... Hmm. Perhaps I am remembering wrong. These bits and pieces are more fallible than I'm used to." She shrugs.
"Halji never invited to meetings. Can't say for certain. Doubt knew well, even if."
Renoth picks up their staff, and unlink their flowing blood from Halji's; and both solidify once more into arms. Halji's skin is significantly more tanned than Renoth's, who is slightly red, but otherwise almost as pale as snow. They say something to Halji before walking away.
Halji nods, but otherwise doesn't do much physically. She does tell Daisy what's happening though, "Renoth leaves to make candles. Lamplight will guide to Mother Queen if approved."
"Make candles? What's that got to do with anything?"
"Krythin still need to see. Little Lamplight can't do all work."
"Well sure. I just meant, is this a responsibility related to my quest or is it not?"
"It's making candles. Halji doesn't see how candles is especially pertinent to Daisy quest."
"See that's why I was confused!" She smiles, "I thought it might be since it was in a sentence with other information that was, but it didn’t make sense to be."
Halji is also smiling, but doesn't have anything to reply with.
A Lamplight dives off a branch, and lands on Daisy. It chirps, before jumping off and flying off into the slight distance. It lands on the ground and stays still, waiting.
"It seems that duty calls," Daisy says, standing up. "I don't mind if you come, though you'd know better than I if that is appropriate."
She follows after the Lamplight.
"Halji will look for old friends while Daisy does rest of goal in home." Halji waves Daisy off, before wandering into an adjacent dark trail.
The Little Lamplight guides Daisy to a grotto; guarded by a thick fence of thorny vines, not unlike that patch which Daisy had set ablaze earlier, with a small entrance. The entrance is hardly more than a parting between two trunks, framed with low branches making something of an arch. Lamplight does not enter, instead chirping at Daisy from in front of the entrance, and flying back the way they came.
Beyond the thorns, Daisy can see why Renoth had needed to make candles, as they were the only things lighting the Queen's chamber. Scattered around the edges on rocks, there's a myriad of candles, clustered onto each rock to provide as much light as possible.
As for the famed Bestial Queen herself, she is massive; easily three times the size of Daisy, however curled into a ball. Vibrant red fur covers their body, and it is hard to distinguish an end in the sphere of beast. But with Daisy's light, she can find it eventually; a face, with closed eyes, and a shape perhaps like a vulture's, or a wolf's, or maybe a badger's?
There's three gravetenders present, watching over their Mother, and directing the flowing of loose blood; pushing blood through what seems like tiny rivers in the shape of a spider's web within the ground. They are easily stepped over, should Daisy desire to walk towards any of the tenders.
Daisy slowly lets out a breath, and stops holding in her light - as she had been doing since she arrived in this forest. It is not noon-bright, but everything is painted in yellow and gold like in that precious hour before sunset. She smiles, though it is sadly, as she spends time just... taking in this place, and what has become of the Blood Queen.
How wonderful to be so loved, that you are taken care of like this for so long. How terrible to be catatonic and unresponsive, and yet undying.
Daisy realizes that she never did ask what had happened to her, and regrets it somewhat. Perhaps she could ask one of these gravetenders, though the likelihood of them having a language in common with her was low...
To start, she tries to puzzle out what was wrong with him from what she can sense - both magically and with plain sight and smell and such, drawing slightly on her memories as Apollo to aid her.
She often did that. Of all her past selves, he had some of the most and most useful hobbies.
The Gravetenders move their arms in front of their faces and shift away their eyes, as Daisy's glow brightens.
With Daisy's probing, she finds... nothing. Perhaps a lack of faith brought on this hibernation, but it seems like the Queen is very much still worshipped... maybe it just grew tired.
With the brighter light, and a closer look, Daisy can see... traces of bone, or perhaps wood, decorating the head of the Queen. The memory of wood, or maybe it was bones, seems to be slowly dripping blood, into the web.
Daisy carefully steps forwards, and crouches down near its head. "Hello," she says, "I don't know if you can hear me, or understand me for that matter, but I thought I should tell you some things anyway. My name is Daisy, and I'm the current solar deity. I say current because there have been many, though I remember being all of them. Including Solovos who you once knew."
She reaches out a hand to touch the Queen, but instead lets it fall back down.
"I... know you were not on the best terms with me, back when I was him. I cannot fault you for that, but just wanted to say... I have changed considerably since those days. For the better, I hope."
Daisy smiles, and touches one of the rivulets of blood with her forefinger, and sends just a little energy and strength into it. Not with force, but like a lending a shoulder to an injured friend.
"I also hope that you will be able to wake up. The world has changed so much these last few millenia... I don't know if you'd like it, but I'd love to find out."
Daisy expects no response, but stays there for a few moments anyway, as she slowly brings her light back into herself. Just enough for the comfort of these gravetenders.
And she thinks. About what to do next, about how to either awaken more of her memory or articulate a question these people might have an answer to.
Daisy thinks that the Bleeding Queen might've shifted slightly, but it might've been the dimming of her light playing tricks in her eyes.
The Gravetenders push Daisy's gifted power throughout the flowing web, dissolving it into the pool of memories. Something tingles at the back of Daisy's mind, something repressed in a life she no longer leads.
She focuses on that tingling, closing her eyes and trying to bring it to the front.
She slowly dislodges a memory, from a now nameless god whom grazed the skies of Siberia.
The memory is that of standard life for the sun, until she noticed something strange in the permafrost; a dark hole, which warded her light. The tunnel intrigued her, and at sunset; she fell below the sky into the hole, instead of into the west.
She had travelled far in the dark tunnel, before emerging somewhere much like Siberia; however lacking light, and centered around an impossible structure, which she might now call instead a grand city.
As she tried to reach the city in the center, the sky flashed a dark malice, and a being pooled into shape from forgotten shadows. Its voice sent fear into the very idea of her existence, as an antithetical and all-power force, as it spoke through its shining face, "You have earned no right to step in this land which rejects you. You have trespassed into my claim. Continue this folly, and you will be shattered into a silent darkness. Leave, and never dare to return."
She had fled, as quickly as her light could carry her, before she could whether its threat held weight. She remembers how the hole simply ceased to be as she fled into a new morning. She never saw it again, but what other lead does she have now, in the present?
She sighs deeply, and then stands. That dark figure of malice which had so frightened her other self seemed much more familiar now, of course.
"Thank you for your time," she says to the room at large. "Coming here has indeed proven useful."
Daisy nods to each of the gravetenders, and gives a small bow to the Queen, and then turns to leave.
The gravetenders nod back to Daisy, and Little Lamplight meets her as she exits. The little bird lands on her shoulder, and chirps at her. Probably asking where she needs guided next.
"Is there anything like a library, or an archive?" She asks, "A place where histories are preserved?"
Lamplight chirps, and flies to... where she just walked out of.
"Hmm. Right, these people store information in blood, of all things..." she sighs again. "I don't think that will work for me. I have only the vaguest sense of what to look for, and no idea how to ask for help finding it, and I've never learned how to really use the blood this way..." Daisy frowns. "Plus it would be awkward, I just did a big exit and everything."
She shakes her head. "Never mind, then. I got something useful already. Anything else would probably only be tangentially related to my area of interest anyway, given the poor relationship between Solov and Her Majesty."
"What do people do for fun around here, actually?" She smiles. "I need a break from all this seriousness. Even if I only watch."
Little Lamplight flies off again, leading Daisy eventually to a small structure kept covered by some branches knotted into each other. There is not much to say of the structure, as it is mostly the roof and collection of hunting tools. There's a few spears, one or two things which look equipped for pushing a beast into the ground. They're on a rack, set onto a small stone platform; which has the word 'Rolukin' scribed into it. Suppose it's a collection of hunting gear various Rolukin never got the chance to pick up.
"What, no sports? No dice games?" she asks. "No dances, nothing like that? I know they at least tell stories, I have seen that..."
Lamplight looks... confused. It does not seem to know what Daisy's trying to get at. And then it flies off again, leading Daisy elsewhere.
After following, Daisy finds that Little Lamplight had led her to Halji.
Halji's hair seems to be unkempt now, but otherwise she's basically the same. "Hello, did meet Queen Mother, yes? How was visit?"
"It was..." Daisy frowns. "Sobering. But, I did manage to remember a potential route to Zinarul, so ultimately useful."
She smiles again. "How was visiting your friends? Everyone was well, I hope?"
"Yes. Though Halji think broke one of friends' things during meeting. Friends had not changed, though Halji expected." Halji smiles back at Daisy, a rough grin with sharp teeth. "Daisy ready to leave?"
[@solarosha]
Little Lamplight, who is occasionally not very little, guides Daisy and Halji through Fyr-Nesk, with seeming ease. It takes a while, but nothing of note happens.
It takes a few minutes, before Daisy would catch notice of the extra red lights in the trees, slowly building up until they are very clearly many other Lamplights, lighting the night sky. The plantlife seems much more faded back, and significantly smaller.
There are branches bent and tied together, forming many baskets throughout the settlement. Some of the Lamplights are snooping in and pulling out small bits of meat or fruits.
Probably of most importance, there are some number of Krythin. There's a group of, perhaps surprisingly, young looking Krythin, gathered around an older one, who is wearing what looks like a fanged deer's skull, and maybe telling a story? It is hard to tell with the distance and other noise.
Halji looks around, and smiles to herself. The Lamplight that had led the two here flies off, perhaps grabbing somebody of authority; or at least a friend of Halji's.
Daisy waits to see if anyone would approach her, rather than speaking or walking up to anyone first.
She wanted to observe the krythin's normal way of life a bit first, anyway.
The forest is still dark, and past the collective light of this area of the settlement, there is not much to view, besides the semi-distant light of other plazas.
There's a somewhat frequent flow of moving sillohoutes, mostly accompanied by Lamplights, usually sitting on their heads or backs; it is sometimes hard to tell, due to the fluid nature of the Krythin.
And she hears the teller's story, over the sounds of the Lamplights overhead. It's in the old tongue of Forun Sonok, but sounds familiar. She picks up on a bit of it that she can understand, "Queen's Dark Friend was hounded from North, travelling West to escape Seared Flame."
Halji steps towards a tree, and sits down, with her eyes closed.
Daisy drifts closer to the storyteller, frowning in concentration as she tries to interpret the words. She wouldn't get all of them, but perhaps it would be enough.
She seems to have caught the beginning of the story, at least. From what she can gather, the Queen's Dark Friend had joined the hunt, and then the story teller begins to describe what might have been a bestial god, by the way the storyteller moves their limbs to show the shapes of various things, claws, a tail, and they shift their face into a reconstruction of a wolf's. They mention its name, and the grasp Daisy can get of it is maybe "Blood Drinker" or "Devourer of Memory". The young Krythin seem quite frightened, judging by the way their fur(or is it hair when they appear like humans?) stands on end, and their tails curl around themselves.
The story teller says something about the Dark Friend and a hunt, and a newly found name. The name sounds familiar, but not quite how she remembered its pronunciation. They pronounced it like "Roshina".
Well, such things were bound to drift with enough time... though, she thought that was not supposed to pass, here. Not in the normal way, at any rate.
It seemed that the being Daisy knew as Dust was, while feared somewhat, at least not reviled here. Good for it, she thought with a shrug.
She supposed it was time to do what she came here for... only, it would probably be polite to pay the Queen a visit first. Even if she could not answer Daisy's questions herself.
She walks back towards Halji, who she at least knew she could communicate effectively with.
"So... I would like to drop in on the Queen, if that's alright. Where is she? And, are there any archives or anything like that I could look through?"
Halji opens an eye as she replies, "Blood Queen close. Waiting for Lamplight return with gravetender. Queen can't answer questions, is asleep. Gravetenders very skilled with drawing out blood memory. Might answer something. Things change very little from last time Halji was home, if Daisy has questions about."
"I see." She nods, and decides to sit next to Halji while they wait for the gravetender. "Well, a sickbed visit isn't too bad either. Even if she is asleep."
"That story being told over there - " she gestures towards the storyteller and the krythin children " - is it a common one?"
"Story of Roshina? Yes," Halji nods as she continues, "tales of great pack leaders very common in Fyr-Nesk. Powerful beasts too, both become gods eventually. That story, Roshina's, was for ascension. Hunted terrible beast alone, came back with face as trophy. Gained respect, gained belief. Became god of dark, if Halji recalls."
"Ah, I see." She nods. "What beast was hunted? That seems interesting."
"Stories say beast ate blood and drank memories. Halji wasn't around to know proper name, faded rather quickly. Called now Blood Drinker, or some sort. Once names fade, many titles come up. Halji once heard it called Slurper, but did not stick."
"Really? But slurper is so fun to say! Though, it is probably different in the original language. What is that even called, anyway? Krythian?"
She inspects her nails for a moment, mostly just speaking to pass the time at this point.
"Didn't need name. Was only language, 'sides Kinoc lights."
Halji's ears twitch, and she turns towards the sound of tapping on the dirt. It's a Krythin, with a Lamplight perched on their shoulder, and a walking stick with a leather grip.
They step towards the pair, and nod at them, before sitting down in front of the two, with their legs beneath them and the staff at their side. Halji puts a hand over her heart, and bows slightly to the gravetender; while they do the same.
Daisy nods at the gravetender respectfully, but hesitates a moment too long while deciding whether to bow. And then the moment is gone, so she does not.
But she does fold her wings back, to take up a little less space.
Halji speaks to the gravetender, before the two Krythin link hands, and their arms turn into blood, flowing into each other. Halji's is a notably brighter red. The gravetender speaks, directing their words to Daisy, "Name Renoth. Lone Halji says Daisy not know tongue. Said Daisy is reason for return. Questions?"
"That is all correct," she smiles. "Unfortunately I have only remembered a few words and phrases of your tongue. More will come, I am sure, but I have questions that need answers sooner than waiting for that would allow. Mostly to do with your historical record regarding the fall of the four lords, and what life was like before those events. Truly, I have been so in the dark it is difficult to even know what to ask!"
Renoth nods, and answers, "Beast Mother resigned to hibernation for reason unrelated to Godhunts. Only Old King, East Lord, and Stone Fire fell in Godhunts. Life not change often in Timeless Forest, difference mostly that travelers not come anymore, and pack split."
Halji seems to smirk at the irony of the sun being left in the dark.
The irony was not lost on Daisy either... there was a reason she wanted so badly to fill these gaps in her recollection.
"Of course, that only makes sense," she agrees, "But this timelessness is also why your records may well be the best preserved. Now... Those monikers you used. I have guesses as to whom you mean by them, but if you could explain I would appreciate it. To make sure we are on the same page, so to speak."
Renoth tilts their head slightly as they reply, "Are names?"
It's now that Halji speaks up, as she explains, "Those are Lords' names in Fyr-Nesk. Daisy knows Mother as Blood Queen, Old King as Rolufim, and Stone Fire as Solov."
"Ahh, literal translations. Yes, I thought it would be something like that. Stone Fire in particular seemed a bit familiar," she winks at Halji. "Just didn't want to assume. What would you call Rovos, then? Did you even need one for them, here?"
She addresses these questions to both the gravetender and Halji.
The gravetender looks even more confused now, and looks at Halji. Halji responds simply, "Rovos god in North. Never left, never worshipped outside. Hardly known by non-messenger mortals."
"The Beast Mother herself met them at least once," she says, "But I suppose he never spoke of it enough for you to know." She shrugs. "Would it be alright for me to visit her? I know he sleeps, but it may prompt the return of more of my memories. And who knows, some sunshine may do her good."
Halji looks slightly confused, and then replies, "Mother Queen rarely left the Dun, and never went to Rovos. Mostly sent messengers to other lands."
Gravetender Renoth considers Daisy's request, before whispering to the Lamplight still on their shoulder, which nods and flies off. "Other tenders decide. Will not take long."
"Understood," she nods at the gravetender. "Are you sure, Halji? I could have sworn there was one of those big meetings they were both present at... Hmm. Perhaps I am remembering wrong. These bits and pieces are more fallible than I'm used to." She shrugs.
"Halji never invited to meetings. Can't say for certain. Doubt knew well, even if."
Renoth picks up their staff, and unlink their flowing blood from Halji's; and both solidify once more into arms. Halji's skin is significantly more tanned than Renoth's, who is slightly red, but otherwise almost as pale as snow. They say something to Halji before walking away.
Halji nods, but otherwise doesn't do much physically. She does tell Daisy what's happening though, "Renoth leaves to make candles. Lamplight will guide to Mother Queen if approved."
"Make candles? What's that got to do with anything?"
"Krythin still need to see. Little Lamplight can't do all work."
"Well sure. I just meant, is this a responsibility related to my quest or is it not?"
"It's making candles. Halji doesn't see how candles is especially pertinent to Daisy quest."
"See that's why I was confused!" She smiles, "I thought it might be since it was in a sentence with other information that was, but it didn’t make sense to be."
Halji is also smiling, but doesn't have anything to reply with.
A Lamplight dives off a branch, and lands on Daisy. It chirps, before jumping off and flying off into the slight distance. It lands on the ground and stays still, waiting.
"It seems that duty calls," Daisy says, standing up. "I don't mind if you come, though you'd know better than I if that is appropriate."
She follows after the Lamplight.
"Halji will look for old friends while Daisy does rest of goal in home." Halji waves Daisy off, before wandering into an adjacent dark trail.
The Little Lamplight guides Daisy to a grotto; guarded by a thick fence of thorny vines, not unlike that patch which Daisy had set ablaze earlier, with a small entrance. The entrance is hardly more than a parting between two trunks, framed with low branches making something of an arch. Lamplight does not enter, instead chirping at Daisy from in front of the entrance, and flying back the way they came.
Beyond the thorns, Daisy can see why Renoth had needed to make candles, as they were the only things lighting the Queen's chamber. Scattered around the edges on rocks, there's a myriad of candles, clustered onto each rock to provide as much light as possible.
As for the famed Bestial Queen herself, she is massive; easily three times the size of Daisy, however curled into a ball. Vibrant red fur covers their body, and it is hard to distinguish an end in the sphere of beast. But with Daisy's light, she can find it eventually; a face, with closed eyes, and a shape perhaps like a vulture's, or a wolf's, or maybe a badger's?
There's three gravetenders present, watching over their Mother, and directing the flowing of loose blood; pushing blood through what seems like tiny rivers in the shape of a spider's web within the ground. They are easily stepped over, should Daisy desire to walk towards any of the tenders.
Daisy slowly lets out a breath, and stops holding in her light - as she had been doing since she arrived in this forest. It is not noon-bright, but everything is painted in yellow and gold like in that precious hour before sunset. She smiles, though it is sadly, as she spends time just... taking in this place, and what has become of the Blood Queen.
How wonderful to be so loved, that you are taken care of like this for so long. How terrible to be catatonic and unresponsive, and yet undying.
Daisy realizes that she never did ask what had happened to her, and regrets it somewhat. Perhaps she could ask one of these gravetenders, though the likelihood of them having a language in common with her was low...
To start, she tries to puzzle out what was wrong with him from what she can sense - both magically and with plain sight and smell and such, drawing slightly on her memories as Apollo to aid her.
She often did that. Of all her past selves, he had some of the most and most useful hobbies.
The Gravetenders move their arms in front of their faces and shift away their eyes, as Daisy's glow brightens.
With Daisy's probing, she finds... nothing. Perhaps a lack of faith brought on this hibernation, but it seems like the Queen is very much still worshipped... maybe it just grew tired.
With the brighter light, and a closer look, Daisy can see... traces of bone, or perhaps wood, decorating the head of the Queen. The memory of wood, or maybe it was bones, seems to be slowly dripping blood, into the web.
Daisy carefully steps forwards, and crouches down near its head. "Hello," she says, "I don't know if you can hear me, or understand me for that matter, but I thought I should tell you some things anyway. My name is Daisy, and I'm the current solar deity. I say current because there have been many, though I remember being all of them. Including Solovos who you once knew."
She reaches out a hand to touch the Queen, but instead lets it fall back down.
"I... know you were not on the best terms with me, back when I was him. I cannot fault you for that, but just wanted to say... I have changed considerably since those days. For the better, I hope."
Daisy smiles, and touches one of the rivulets of blood with her forefinger, and sends just a little energy and strength into it. Not with force, but like a lending a shoulder to an injured friend.
"I also hope that you will be able to wake up. The world has changed so much these last few millenia... I don't know if you'd like it, but I'd love to find out."
Daisy expects no response, but stays there for a few moments anyway, as she slowly brings her light back into herself. Just enough for the comfort of these gravetenders.
And she thinks. About what to do next, about how to either awaken more of her memory or articulate a question these people might have an answer to.
Daisy thinks that the Bleeding Queen might've shifted slightly, but it might've been the dimming of her light playing tricks in her eyes.
The Gravetenders push Daisy's gifted power throughout the flowing web, dissolving it into the pool of memories. Something tingles at the back of Daisy's mind, something repressed in a life she no longer leads.
She focuses on that tingling, closing her eyes and trying to bring it to the front.
She slowly dislodges a memory, from a now nameless god whom grazed the skies of Siberia.
The memory is that of standard life for the sun, until she noticed something strange in the permafrost; a dark hole, which warded her light. The tunnel intrigued her, and at sunset; she fell below the sky into the hole, instead of into the west.
She had travelled far in the dark tunnel, before emerging somewhere much like Siberia; however lacking light, and centered around an impossible structure, which she might now call instead a grand city.
As she tried to reach the city in the center, the sky flashed a dark malice, and a being pooled into shape from forgotten shadows. Its voice sent fear into the very idea of her existence, as an antithetical and all-power force, as it spoke through its shining face, "You have earned no right to step in this land which rejects you. You have trespassed into my claim. Continue this folly, and you will be shattered into a silent darkness. Leave, and never dare to return."
She had fled, as quickly as her light could carry her, before she could whether its threat held weight. She remembers how the hole simply ceased to be as she fled into a new morning. She never saw it again, but what other lead does she have now, in the present?
She sighs deeply, and then stands. That dark figure of malice which had so frightened her other self seemed much more familiar now, of course.
"Thank you for your time," she says to the room at large. "Coming here has indeed proven useful."
Daisy nods to each of the gravetenders, and gives a small bow to the Queen, and then turns to leave.
The gravetenders nod back to Daisy, and Little Lamplight meets her as she exits. The little bird lands on her shoulder, and chirps at her. Probably asking where she needs guided next.
"Is there anything like a library, or an archive?" She asks, "A place where histories are preserved?"
Lamplight chirps, and flies to... where she just walked out of.
"Hmm. Right, these people store information in blood, of all things..." she sighs again. "I don't think that will work for me. I have only the vaguest sense of what to look for, and no idea how to ask for help finding it, and I've never learned how to really use the blood this way..." Daisy frowns. "Plus it would be awkward, I just did a big exit and everything."
She shakes her head. "Never mind, then. I got something useful already. Anything else would probably only be tangentially related to my area of interest anyway, given the poor relationship between Solov and Her Majesty."
"What do people do for fun around here, actually?" She smiles. "I need a break from all this seriousness. Even if I only watch."
Little Lamplight flies off again, leading Daisy eventually to a small structure kept covered by some branches knotted into each other. There is not much to say of the structure, as it is mostly the roof and collection of hunting tools. There's a few spears, one or two things which look equipped for pushing a beast into the ground. They're on a rack, set onto a small stone platform; which has the word 'Rolukin' scribed into it. Suppose it's a collection of hunting gear various Rolukin never got the chance to pick up.
"What, no sports? No dice games?" she asks. "No dances, nothing like that? I know they at least tell stories, I have seen that..."
Lamplight looks... confused. It does not seem to know what Daisy's trying to get at. And then it flies off again, leading Daisy elsewhere.
After following, Daisy finds that Little Lamplight had led her to Halji.
Halji's hair seems to be unkempt now, but otherwise she's basically the same. "Hello, did meet Queen Mother, yes? How was visit?"
[@solarosha]
Little Lamplight, who is occasionally not very little, guides Daisy and Halji through Fyr-Nesk, with seeming ease. It takes a while, but nothing of note happens.
It takes a few minutes, before Daisy would catch notice of the extra red lights in the trees, slowly building up until they are very clearly many other Lamplights, lighting the night sky. The plantlife seems much more faded back, and significantly smaller.
There are branches bent and tied together, forming many baskets throughout the settlement. Some of the Lamplights are snooping in and pulling out small bits of meat or fruits.
Probably of most importance, there are some number of Krythin. There's a group of, perhaps surprisingly, young looking Krythin, gathered around an older one, who is wearing what looks like a fanged deer's skull, and maybe telling a story? It is hard to tell with the distance and other noise.
Halji looks around, and smiles to herself. The Lamplight that had led the two here flies off, perhaps grabbing somebody of authority; or at least a friend of Halji's.
Daisy waits to see if anyone would approach her, rather than speaking or walking up to anyone first.
She wanted to observe the krythin's normal way of life a bit first, anyway.
The forest is still dark, and past the collective light of this area of the settlement, there is not much to view, besides the semi-distant light of other plazas.
There's a somewhat frequent flow of moving sillohoutes, mostly accompanied by Lamplights, usually sitting on their heads or backs; it is sometimes hard to tell, due to the fluid nature of the Krythin.
And she hears the teller's story, over the sounds of the Lamplights overhead. It's in the old tongue of Forun Sonok, but sounds familiar. She picks up on a bit of it that she can understand, "Queen's Dark Friend was hounded from North, travelling West to escape Seared Flame."
Halji steps towards a tree, and sits down, with her eyes closed.
Daisy drifts closer to the storyteller, frowning in concentration as she tries to interpret the words. She wouldn't get all of them, but perhaps it would be enough.
She seems to have caught the beginning of the story, at least. From what she can gather, the Queen's Dark Friend had joined the hunt, and then the story teller begins to describe what might have been a bestial god, by the way the storyteller moves their limbs to show the shapes of various things, claws, a tail, and they shift their face into a reconstruction of a wolf's. They mention its name, and the grasp Daisy can get of it is maybe "Blood Drinker" or "Devourer of Memory". The young Krythin seem quite frightened, judging by the way their fur(or is it hair when they appear like humans?) stands on end, and their tails curl around themselves.
The story teller says something about the Dark Friend and a hunt, and a newly found name. The name sounds familiar, but not quite how she remembered its pronunciation. They pronounced it like "Roshina".
Well, such things were bound to drift with enough time... though, she thought that was not supposed to pass, here. Not in the normal way, at any rate.
It seemed that the being Daisy knew as Dust was, while feared somewhat, at least not reviled here. Good for it, she thought with a shrug.
She supposed it was time to do what she came here for... only, it would probably be polite to pay the Queen a visit first. Even if she could not answer Daisy's questions herself.
She walks back towards Halji, who she at least knew she could communicate effectively with.
"So... I would like to drop in on the Queen, if that's alright. Where is she? And, are there any archives or anything like that I could look through?"
Halji opens an eye as she replies, "Blood Queen close. Waiting for Lamplight return with gravetender. Queen can't answer questions, is asleep. Gravetenders very skilled with drawing out blood memory. Might answer something. Things change very little from last time Halji was home, if Daisy has questions about."
"I see." She nods, and decides to sit next to Halji while they wait for the gravetender. "Well, a sickbed visit isn't too bad either. Even if she is asleep."
"That story being told over there - " she gestures towards the storyteller and the krythin children " - is it a common one?"
"Story of Roshina? Yes," Halji nods as she continues, "tales of great pack leaders very common in Fyr-Nesk. Powerful beasts too, both become gods eventually. That story, Roshina's, was for ascension. Hunted terrible beast alone, came back with face as trophy. Gained respect, gained belief. Became god of dark, if Halji recalls."
"Ah, I see." She nods. "What beast was hunted? That seems interesting."
"Stories say beast ate blood and drank memories. Halji wasn't around to know proper name, faded rather quickly. Called now Blood Drinker, or some sort. Once names fade, many titles come up. Halji once heard it called Slurper, but did not stick."
"Really? But slurper is so fun to say! Though, it is probably different in the original language. What is that even called, anyway? Krythian?"
She inspects her nails for a moment, mostly just speaking to pass the time at this point.
"Didn't need name. Was only language, 'sides Kinoc lights."
Halji's ears twitch, and she turns towards the sound of tapping on the dirt. It's a Krythin, with a Lamplight perched on their shoulder, and a walking stick with a leather grip.
They step towards the pair, and nod at them, before sitting down in front of the two, with their legs beneath them and the staff at their side. Halji puts a hand over her heart, and bows slightly to the gravetender; while they do the same.
Daisy nods at the gravetender respectfully, but hesitates a moment too long while deciding whether to bow. And then the moment is gone, so she does not.
But she does fold her wings back, to take up a little less space.
Halji speaks to the gravetender, before the two Krythin link hands, and their arms turn into blood, flowing into each other. Halji's is a notably brighter red. The gravetender speaks, directing their words to Daisy, "Name Renoth. Lone Halji says Daisy not know tongue. Said Daisy is reason for return. Questions?"
"That is all correct," she smiles. "Unfortunately I have only remembered a few words and phrases of your tongue. More will come, I am sure, but I have questions that need answers sooner than waiting for that would allow. Mostly to do with your historical record regarding the fall of the four lords, and what life was like before those events. Truly, I have been so in the dark it is difficult to even know what to ask!"
Renoth nods, and answers, "Beast Mother resigned to hibernation for reason unrelated to Godhunts. Only Old King, East Lord, and Stone Fire fell in Godhunts. Life not change often in Timeless Forest, difference mostly that travelers not come anymore, and pack split."
Halji seems to smirk at the irony of the sun being left in the dark.
The irony was not lost on Daisy either... there was a reason she wanted so badly to fill these gaps in her recollection.
"Of course, that only makes sense," she agrees, "But this timelessness is also why your records may well be the best preserved. Now... Those monikers you used. I have guesses as to whom you mean by them, but if you could explain I would appreciate it. To make sure we are on the same page, so to speak."
Renoth tilts their head slightly as they reply, "Are names?"
It's now that Halji speaks up, as she explains, "Those are Lords' names in Fyr-Nesk. Daisy knows Mother as Blood Queen, Old King as Rolufim, and Stone Fire as Solov."
"Ahh, literal translations. Yes, I thought it would be something like that. Stone Fire in particular seemed a bit familiar," she winks at Halji. "Just didn't want to assume. What would you call Rovos, then? Did you even need one for them, here?"
She addresses these questions to both the gravetender and Halji.
The gravetender looks even more confused now, and looks at Halji. Halji responds simply, "Rovos god in North. Never left, never worshipped outside. Hardly known by non-messenger mortals."
"The Beast Mother herself met them at least once," she says, "But I suppose he never spoke of it enough for you to know." She shrugs. "Would it be alright for me to visit her? I know he sleeps, but it may prompt the return of more of my memories. And who knows, some sunshine may do her good."
Halji looks slightly confused, and then replies, "Mother Queen rarely left the Dun, and never went to Rovos. Mostly sent messengers to other lands."
Gravetender Renoth considers Daisy's request, before whispering to the Lamplight still on their shoulder, which nods and flies off. "Other tenders decide. Will not take long."
"Understood," she nods at the gravetender. "Are you sure, Halji? I could have sworn there was one of those big meetings they were both present at... Hmm. Perhaps I am remembering wrong. These bits and pieces are more fallible than I'm used to." She shrugs.
"Halji never invited to meetings. Can't say for certain. Doubt knew well, even if."
Renoth picks up their staff, and unlink their flowing blood from Halji's; and both solidify once more into arms. Halji's skin is significantly more tanned than Renoth's, who is slightly red, but otherwise almost as pale as snow. They say something to Halji before walking away.
Halji nods, but otherwise doesn't do much physically. She does tell Daisy what's happening though, "Renoth leaves to make candles. Lamplight will guide to Mother Queen if approved."
"Make candles? What's that got to do with anything?"
"Krythin still need to see. Little Lamplight can't do all work."
"Well sure. I just meant, is this a responsibility related to my quest or is it not?"
"It's making candles. Halji doesn't see how candles is especially pertinent to Daisy quest."
"See that's why I was confused!" She smiles, "I thought it might be since it was in a sentence with other information that was, but it didn’t make sense to be."
Halji is also smiling, but doesn't have anything to reply with.
A Lamplight dives off a branch, and lands on Daisy. It chirps, before jumping off and flying off into the slight distance. It lands on the ground and stays still, waiting.
"It seems that duty calls," Daisy says, standing up. "I don't mind if you come, though you'd know better than I if that is appropriate."
She follows after the Lamplight.
"Halji will look for old friends while Daisy does rest of goal in home." Halji waves Daisy off, before wandering into an adjacent dark trail.
The Little Lamplight guides Daisy to a grotto; guarded by a thick fence of thorny vines, not unlike that patch which Daisy had set ablaze earlier, with a small entrance. The entrance is hardly more than a parting between two trunks, framed with low branches making something of an arch. Lamplight does not enter, instead chirping at Daisy from in front of the entrance, and flying back the way they came.
Beyond the thorns, Daisy can see why Renoth had needed to make candles, as they were the only things lighting the Queen's chamber. Scattered around the edges on rocks, there's a myriad of candles, clustered onto each rock to provide as much light as possible.
As for the famed Bestial Queen herself, she is massive; easily three times the size of Daisy, however curled into a ball. Vibrant red fur covers their body, and it is hard to distinguish an end in the sphere of beast. But with Daisy's light, she can find it eventually; a face, with closed eyes, and a shape perhaps like a vulture's, or a wolf's, or maybe a badger's?
There's three gravetenders present, watching over their Mother, and directing the flowing of loose blood; pushing blood through what seems like tiny rivers in the shape of a spider's web within the ground. They are easily stepped over, should Daisy desire to walk towards any of the tenders.
Daisy slowly lets out a breath, and stops holding in her light - as she had been doing since she arrived in this forest. It is not noon-bright, but everything is painted in yellow and gold like in that precious hour before sunset. She smiles, though it is sadly, as she spends time just... taking in this place, and what has become of the Blood Queen.
How wonderful to be so loved, that you are taken care of like this for so long. How terrible to be catatonic and unresponsive, and yet undying.
Daisy realizes that she never did ask what had happened to her, and regrets it somewhat. Perhaps she could ask one of these gravetenders, though the likelihood of them having a language in common with her was low...
To start, she tries to puzzle out what was wrong with him from what she can sense - both magically and with plain sight and smell and such, drawing slightly on her memories as Apollo to aid her.
She often did that. Of all her past selves, he had some of the most and most useful hobbies.
The Gravetenders move their arms in front of their faces and shift away their eyes, as Daisy's glow brightens.
With Daisy's probing, she finds... nothing. Perhaps a lack of faith brought on this hibernation, but it seems like the Queen is very much still worshipped... maybe it just grew tired.
With the brighter light, and a closer look, Daisy can see... traces of bone, or perhaps wood, decorating the head of the Queen. The memory of wood, or maybe it was bones, seems to be slowly dripping blood, into the web.
Daisy carefully steps forwards, and crouches down near its head. "Hello," she says, "I don't know if you can hear me, or understand me for that matter, but I thought I should tell you some things anyway. My name is Daisy, and I'm the current solar deity. I say current because there have been many, though I remember being all of them. Including Solovos who you once knew."
She reaches out a hand to touch the Queen, but instead lets it fall back down.
"I... know you were not on the best terms with me, back when I was him. I cannot fault you for that, but just wanted to say... I have changed considerably since those days. For the better, I hope."
Daisy smiles, and touches one of the rivulets of blood with her forefinger, and sends just a little energy and strength into it. Not with force, but like a lending a shoulder to an injured friend.
"I also hope that you will be able to wake up. The world has changed so much these last few millenia... I don't know if you'd like it, but I'd love to find out."
Daisy expects no response, but stays there for a few moments anyway, as she slowly brings her light back into herself. Just enough for the comfort of these gravetenders.
And she thinks. About what to do next, about how to either awaken more of her memory or articulate a question these people might have an answer to.
Daisy thinks that the Bleeding Queen might've shifted slightly, but it might've been the dimming of her light playing tricks in her eyes.
The Gravetenders push Daisy's gifted power throughout the flowing web, dissolving it into the pool of memories. Something tingles at the back of Daisy's mind, something repressed in a life she no longer leads.
She focuses on that tingling, closing her eyes and trying to bring it to the front.
She slowly dislodges a memory, from a now nameless god whom grazed the skies of Siberia.
The memory is that of standard life for the sun, until she noticed something strange in the permafrost; a dark hole, which warded her light. The tunnel intrigued her, and at sunset; she fell below the sky into the hole, instead of into the west.
She had travelled far in the dark tunnel, before emerging somewhere much like Siberia; however lacking light, and centered around an impossible structure, which she might now call instead a grand city.
As she tried to reach the city in the center, the sky flashed a dark malice, and a being pooled into shape from forgotten shadows. Its voice sent fear into the very idea of her existence, as an antithetical and all-power force, as it spoke through its shining face, "You have earned no right to step in this land which rejects you. You have trespassed into my claim. Continue this folly, and you will be shattered into a silent darkness. Leave, and never dare to return."
She had fled, as quickly as her light could carry her, before she could whether its threat held weight. She remembers how the hole simply ceased to be as she fled into a new morning. She never saw it again, but what other lead does she have now, in the present?
She sighs deeply, and then stands. That dark figure of malice which had so frightened her other self seemed much more familiar now, of course.
"Thank you for your time," she says to the room at large. "Coming here has indeed proven useful."
Daisy nods to each of the gravetenders, and gives a small bow to the Queen, and then turns to leave.
The gravetenders nod back to Daisy, and Little Lamplight meets her as she exits. The little bird lands on her shoulder, and chirps at her. Probably asking where she needs guided next.
"Is there anything like a library, or an archive?" She asks, "A place where histories are preserved?"
Lamplight chirps, and flies to... where she just walked out of.
"Hmm. Right, these people store information in blood, of all things..." she sighs again. "I don't think that will work for me. I have only the vaguest sense of what to look for, and no idea how to ask for help finding it, and I've never learned how to really use the blood this way..." Daisy frowns. "Plus it would be awkward, I just did a big exit and everything."
She shakes her head. "Never mind, then. I got something useful already. Anything else would probably only be tangentially related to my area of interest anyway, given the poor relationship between Solov and Her Majesty."
"What do people do for fun around here, actually?" She smiles. "I need a break from all this seriousness. Even if I only watch."
Little Lamplight flies off again, leading Daisy eventually to a small structure kept covered by some branches knotted into each other. There is not much to say of the structure, as it is mostly the roof and collection of hunting tools. There's a few spears, one or two things which look equipped for pushing a beast into the ground. They're on a rack, set onto a small stone platform; which has the word 'Rolukin' scribed into it. Suppose it's a collection of hunting gear various Rolukin never got the chance to pick up.
[@solarosha]
Little Lamplight, who is occasionally not very little, guides Daisy and Halji through Fyr-Nesk, with seeming ease. It takes a while, but nothing of note happens.
It takes a few minutes, before Daisy would catch notice of the extra red lights in the trees, slowly building up until they are very clearly many other Lamplights, lighting the night sky. The plantlife seems much more faded back, and significantly smaller.
There are branches bent and tied together, forming many baskets throughout the settlement. Some of the Lamplights are snooping in and pulling out small bits of meat or fruits.
Probably of most importance, there are some number of Krythin. There's a group of, perhaps surprisingly, young looking Krythin, gathered around an older one, who is wearing what looks like a fanged deer's skull, and maybe telling a story? It is hard to tell with the distance and other noise.
Halji looks around, and smiles to herself. The Lamplight that had led the two here flies off, perhaps grabbing somebody of authority; or at least a friend of Halji's.
Daisy waits to see if anyone would approach her, rather than speaking or walking up to anyone first.
She wanted to observe the krythin's normal way of life a bit first, anyway.
The forest is still dark, and past the collective light of this area of the settlement, there is not much to view, besides the semi-distant light of other plazas.
There's a somewhat frequent flow of moving sillohoutes, mostly accompanied by Lamplights, usually sitting on their heads or backs; it is sometimes hard to tell, due to the fluid nature of the Krythin.
And she hears the teller's story, over the sounds of the Lamplights overhead. It's in the old tongue of Forun Sonok, but sounds familiar. She picks up on a bit of it that she can understand, "Queen's Dark Friend was hounded from North, travelling West to escape Seared Flame."
Halji steps towards a tree, and sits down, with her eyes closed.
Daisy drifts closer to the storyteller, frowning in concentration as she tries to interpret the words. She wouldn't get all of them, but perhaps it would be enough.
She seems to have caught the beginning of the story, at least. From what she can gather, the Queen's Dark Friend had joined the hunt, and then the story teller begins to describe what might have been a bestial god, by the way the storyteller moves their limbs to show the shapes of various things, claws, a tail, and they shift their face into a reconstruction of a wolf's. They mention its name, and the grasp Daisy can get of it is maybe "Blood Drinker" or "Devourer of Memory". The young Krythin seem quite frightened, judging by the way their fur(or is it hair when they appear like humans?) stands on end, and their tails curl around themselves.
The story teller says something about the Dark Friend and a hunt, and a newly found name. The name sounds familiar, but not quite how she remembered its pronunciation. They pronounced it like "Roshina".
Well, such things were bound to drift with enough time... though, she thought that was not supposed to pass, here. Not in the normal way, at any rate.
It seemed that the being Daisy knew as Dust was, while feared somewhat, at least not reviled here. Good for it, she thought with a shrug.
She supposed it was time to do what she came here for... only, it would probably be polite to pay the Queen a visit first. Even if she could not answer Daisy's questions herself.
She walks back towards Halji, who she at least knew she could communicate effectively with.
"So... I would like to drop in on the Queen, if that's alright. Where is she? And, are there any archives or anything like that I could look through?"
Halji opens an eye as she replies, "Blood Queen close. Waiting for Lamplight return with gravetender. Queen can't answer questions, is asleep. Gravetenders very skilled with drawing out blood memory. Might answer something. Things change very little from last time Halji was home, if Daisy has questions about."
"I see." She nods, and decides to sit next to Halji while they wait for the gravetender. "Well, a sickbed visit isn't too bad either. Even if she is asleep."
"That story being told over there - " she gestures towards the storyteller and the krythin children " - is it a common one?"
"Story of Roshina? Yes," Halji nods as she continues, "tales of great pack leaders very common in Fyr-Nesk. Powerful beasts too, both become gods eventually. That story, Roshina's, was for ascension. Hunted terrible beast alone, came back with face as trophy. Gained respect, gained belief. Became god of dark, if Halji recalls."
"Ah, I see." She nods. "What beast was hunted? That seems interesting."
"Stories say beast ate blood and drank memories. Halji wasn't around to know proper name, faded rather quickly. Called now Blood Drinker, or some sort. Once names fade, many titles come up. Halji once heard it called Slurper, but did not stick."
"Really? But slurper is so fun to say! Though, it is probably different in the original language. What is that even called, anyway? Krythian?"
She inspects her nails for a moment, mostly just speaking to pass the time at this point.
"Didn't need name. Was only language, 'sides Kinoc lights."
Halji's ears twitch, and she turns towards the sound of tapping on the dirt. It's a Krythin, with a Lamplight perched on their shoulder, and a walking stick with a leather grip.
They step towards the pair, and nod at them, before sitting down in front of the two, with their legs beneath them and the staff at their side. Halji puts a hand over her heart, and bows slightly to the gravetender; while they do the same.
Daisy nods at the gravetender respectfully, but hesitates a moment too long while deciding whether to bow. And then the moment is gone, so she does not.
But she does fold her wings back, to take up a little less space.
Halji speaks to the gravetender, before the two Krythin link hands, and their arms turn into blood, flowing into each other. Halji's is a notably brighter red. The gravetender speaks, directing their words to Daisy, "Name Renoth. Lone Halji says Daisy not know tongue. Said Daisy is reason for return. Questions?"
"That is all correct," she smiles. "Unfortunately I have only remembered a few words and phrases of your tongue. More will come, I am sure, but I have questions that need answers sooner than waiting for that would allow. Mostly to do with your historical record regarding the fall of the four lords, and what life was like before those events. Truly, I have been so in the dark it is difficult to even know what to ask!"
Renoth nods, and answers, "Beast Mother resigned to hibernation for reason unrelated to Godhunts. Only Old King, East Lord, and Stone Fire fell in Godhunts. Life not change often in Timeless Forest, difference mostly that travelers not come anymore, and pack split."
Halji seems to smirk at the irony of the sun being left in the dark.
The irony was not lost on Daisy either... there was a reason she wanted so badly to fill these gaps in her recollection.
"Of course, that only makes sense," she agrees, "But this timelessness is also why your records may well be the best preserved. Now... Those monikers you used. I have guesses as to whom you mean by them, but if you could explain I would appreciate it. To make sure we are on the same page, so to speak."
Renoth tilts their head slightly as they reply, "Are names?"
It's now that Halji speaks up, as she explains, "Those are Lords' names in Fyr-Nesk. Daisy knows Mother as Blood Queen, Old King as Rolufim, and Stone Fire as Solov."
"Ahh, literal translations. Yes, I thought it would be something like that. Stone Fire in particular seemed a bit familiar," she winks at Halji. "Just didn't want to assume. What would you call Rovos, then? Did you even need one for them, here?"
She addresses these questions to both the gravetender and Halji.
The gravetender looks even more confused now, and looks at Halji. Halji responds simply, "Rovos god in North. Never left, never worshipped outside. Hardly known by non-messenger mortals."
"The Beast Mother herself met them at least once," she says, "But I suppose he never spoke of it enough for you to know." She shrugs. "Would it be alright for me to visit her? I know he sleeps, but it may prompt the return of more of my memories. And who knows, some sunshine may do her good."
Halji looks slightly confused, and then replies, "Mother Queen rarely left the Dun, and never went to Rovos. Mostly sent messengers to other lands."
Gravetender Renoth considers Daisy's request, before whispering to the Lamplight still on their shoulder, which nods and flies off. "Other tenders decide. Will not take long."
"Understood," she nods at the gravetender. "Are you sure, Halji? I could have sworn there was one of those big meetings they were both present at... Hmm. Perhaps I am remembering wrong. These bits and pieces are more fallible than I'm used to." She shrugs.
"Halji never invited to meetings. Can't say for certain. Doubt knew well, even if."
Renoth picks up their staff, and unlink their flowing blood from Halji's; and both solidify once more into arms. Halji's skin is significantly more tanned than Renoth's, who is slightly red, but otherwise almost as pale as snow. They say something to Halji before walking away.
Halji nods, but otherwise doesn't do much physically. She does tell Daisy what's happening though, "Renoth leaves to make candles. Lamplight will guide to Mother Queen if approved."
"Make candles? What's that got to do with anything?"
"Krythin still need to see. Little Lamplight can't do all work."
"Well sure. I just meant, is this a responsibility related to my quest or is it not?"
"It's making candles. Halji doesn't see how candles is especially pertinent to Daisy quest."
"See that's why I was confused!" She smiles, "I thought it might be since it was in a sentence with other information that was, but it didn’t make sense to be."
Halji is also smiling, but doesn't have anything to reply with.
A Lamplight dives off a branch, and lands on Daisy. It chirps, before jumping off and flying off into the slight distance. It lands on the ground and stays still, waiting.
"It seems that duty calls," Daisy says, standing up. "I don't mind if you come, though you'd know better than I if that is appropriate."
She follows after the Lamplight.
"Halji will look for old friends while Daisy does rest of goal in home." Halji waves Daisy off, before wandering into an adjacent dark trail.
The Little Lamplight guides Daisy to a grotto; guarded by a thick fence of thorny vines, not unlike that patch which Daisy had set ablaze earlier, with a small entrance. The entrance is hardly more than a parting between two trunks, framed with low branches making something of an arch. Lamplight does not enter, instead chirping at Daisy from in front of the entrance, and flying back the way they came.
Beyond the thorns, Daisy can see why Renoth had needed to make candles, as they were the only things lighting the Queen's chamber. Scattered around the edges on rocks, there's a myriad of candles, clustered onto each rock to provide as much light as possible.
As for the famed Bestial Queen herself, she is massive; easily three times the size of Daisy, however curled into a ball. Vibrant red fur covers their body, and it is hard to distinguish an end in the sphere of beast. But with Daisy's light, she can find it eventually; a face, with closed eyes, and a shape perhaps like a vulture's, or a wolf's, or maybe a badger's?
There's three gravetenders present, watching over their Mother, and directing the flowing of loose blood; pushing blood through what seems like tiny rivers in the shape of a spider's web within the ground. They are easily stepped over, should Daisy desire to walk towards any of the tenders.
Daisy slowly lets out a breath, and stops holding in her light - as she had been doing since she arrived in this forest. It is not noon-bright, but everything is painted in yellow and gold like in that precious hour before sunset. She smiles, though it is sadly, as she spends time just... taking in this place, and what has become of the Blood Queen.
How wonderful to be so loved, that you are taken care of like this for so long. How terrible to be catatonic and unresponsive, and yet undying.
Daisy realizes that she never did ask what had happened to her, and regrets it somewhat. Perhaps she could ask one of these gravetenders, though the likelihood of them having a language in common with her was low...
To start, she tries to puzzle out what was wrong with him from what she can sense - both magically and with plain sight and smell and such, drawing slightly on her memories as Apollo to aid her.
She often did that. Of all her past selves, he had some of the most and most useful hobbies.
The Gravetenders move their arms in front of their faces and shift away their eyes, as Daisy's glow brightens.
With Daisy's probing, she finds... nothing. Perhaps a lack of faith brought on this hibernation, but it seems like the Queen is very much still worshipped... maybe it just grew tired.
With the brighter light, and a closer look, Daisy can see... traces of bone, or perhaps wood, decorating the head of the Queen. The memory of wood, or maybe it was bones, seems to be slowly dripping blood, into the web.
Daisy carefully steps forwards, and crouches down near its head. "Hello," she says, "I don't know if you can hear me, or understand me for that matter, but I thought I should tell you some things anyway. My name is Daisy, and I'm the current solar deity. I say current because there have been many, though I remember being all of them. Including Solovos who you once knew."
She reaches out a hand to touch the Queen, but instead lets it fall back down.
"I... know you were not on the best terms with me, back when I was him. I cannot fault you for that, but just wanted to say... I have changed considerably since those days. For the better, I hope."
Daisy smiles, and touches one of the rivulets of blood with her forefinger, and sends just a little energy and strength into it. Not with force, but like a lending a shoulder to an injured friend.
"I also hope that you will be able to wake up. The world has changed so much these last few millenia... I don't know if you'd like it, but I'd love to find out."
Daisy expects no response, but stays there for a few moments anyway, as she slowly brings her light back into herself. Just enough for the comfort of these gravetenders.
And she thinks. About what to do next, about how to either awaken more of her memory or articulate a question these people might have an answer to.
Daisy thinks that the Bleeding Queen might've shifted slightly, but it might've been the dimming of her light playing tricks in her eyes.
The Gravetenders push Daisy's gifted power throughout the flowing web, dissolving it into the pool of memories. Something tingles at the back of Daisy's mind, something repressed in a life she no longer leads.
She focuses on that tingling, closing her eyes and trying to bring it to the front.
She slowly dislodges a memory, from a now nameless god whom grazed the skies of Siberia.
The memory is that of standard life for the sun, until she noticed something strange in the permafrost; a dark hole, which warded her light. The tunnel intrigued her, and at sunset; she fell below the sky into the hole, instead of into the west.
She had travelled far in the dark tunnel, before emerging somewhere much like Siberia; however lacking light, and centered around an impossible structure, which she might now call instead a grand city.
As she tried to reach the city in the center, the sky flashed a dark malice, and a being pooled into shape from forgotten shadows. Its voice sent fear into the very idea of her existence, as an antithetical and all-power force, as it spoke through its shining face, "You have earned no right to step in this land which rejects you. You have trespassed into my claim. Continue this folly, and you will be shattered into a silent darkness. Leave, and never dare to return."
She had fled, as quickly as her light could carry her, before she could whether its threat held weight. She remembers how the hole simply ceased to be as she fled into a new morning. She never saw it again, but what other lead does she have now, in the present?
She sighs deeply, and then stands. That dark figure of malice which had so frightened her other self seemed much more familiar now, of course.
"Thank you for your time," she says to the room at large. "Coming here has indeed proven useful."
Daisy nods to each of the gravetenders, and gives a small bow to the Queen, and then turns to leave.
The gravetenders nod back to Daisy, and Little Lamplight meets her as she exits. The little bird lands on her shoulder, and chirps at her. Probably asking where she needs guided next.
"Is there anything like a library, or an archive?" She asks, "A place where histories are preserved?"
Lamplight chirps, and flies to... where she just walked out of.
[@solarosha]
Little Lamplight, who is occasionally not very little, guides Daisy and Halji through Fyr-Nesk, with seeming ease. It takes a while, but nothing of note happens.
It takes a few minutes, before Daisy would catch notice of the extra red lights in the trees, slowly building up until they are very clearly many other Lamplights, lighting the night sky. The plantlife seems much more faded back, and significantly smaller.
There are branches bent and tied together, forming many baskets throughout the settlement. Some of the Lamplights are snooping in and pulling out small bits of meat or fruits.
Probably of most importance, there are some number of Krythin. There's a group of, perhaps surprisingly, young looking Krythin, gathered around an older one, who is wearing what looks like a fanged deer's skull, and maybe telling a story? It is hard to tell with the distance and other noise.
Halji looks around, and smiles to herself. The Lamplight that had led the two here flies off, perhaps grabbing somebody of authority; or at least a friend of Halji's.
Daisy waits to see if anyone would approach her, rather than speaking or walking up to anyone first.
She wanted to observe the krythin's normal way of life a bit first, anyway.
The forest is still dark, and past the collective light of this area of the settlement, there is not much to view, besides the semi-distant light of other plazas.
There's a somewhat frequent flow of moving sillohoutes, mostly accompanied by Lamplights, usually sitting on their heads or backs; it is sometimes hard to tell, due to the fluid nature of the Krythin.
And she hears the teller's story, over the sounds of the Lamplights overhead. It's in the old tongue of Forun Sonok, but sounds familiar. She picks up on a bit of it that she can understand, "Queen's Dark Friend was hounded from North, travelling West to escape Seared Flame."
Halji steps towards a tree, and sits down, with her eyes closed.
Daisy drifts closer to the storyteller, frowning in concentration as she tries to interpret the words. She wouldn't get all of them, but perhaps it would be enough.
She seems to have caught the beginning of the story, at least. From what she can gather, the Queen's Dark Friend had joined the hunt, and then the story teller begins to describe what might have been a bestial god, by the way the storyteller moves their limbs to show the shapes of various things, claws, a tail, and they shift their face into a reconstruction of a wolf's. They mention its name, and the grasp Daisy can get of it is maybe "Blood Drinker" or "Devourer of Memory". The young Krythin seem quite frightened, judging by the way their fur(or is it hair when they appear like humans?) stands on end, and their tails curl around themselves.
The story teller says something about the Dark Friend and a hunt, and a newly found name. The name sounds familiar, but not quite how she remembered its pronunciation. They pronounced it like "Roshina".
Well, such things were bound to drift with enough time... though, she thought that was not supposed to pass, here. Not in the normal way, at any rate.
It seemed that the being Daisy knew as Dust was, while feared somewhat, at least not reviled here. Good for it, she thought with a shrug.
She supposed it was time to do what she came here for... only, it would probably be polite to pay the Queen a visit first. Even if she could not answer Daisy's questions herself.
She walks back towards Halji, who she at least knew she could communicate effectively with.
"So... I would like to drop in on the Queen, if that's alright. Where is she? And, are there any archives or anything like that I could look through?"
Halji opens an eye as she replies, "Blood Queen close. Waiting for Lamplight return with gravetender. Queen can't answer questions, is asleep. Gravetenders very skilled with drawing out blood memory. Might answer something. Things change very little from last time Halji was home, if Daisy has questions about."
"I see." She nods, and decides to sit next to Halji while they wait for the gravetender. "Well, a sickbed visit isn't too bad either. Even if she is asleep."
"That story being told over there - " she gestures towards the storyteller and the krythin children " - is it a common one?"
"Story of Roshina? Yes," Halji nods as she continues, "tales of great pack leaders very common in Fyr-Nesk. Powerful beasts too, both become gods eventually. That story, Roshina's, was for ascension. Hunted terrible beast alone, came back with face as trophy. Gained respect, gained belief. Became god of dark, if Halji recalls."
"Ah, I see." She nods. "What beast was hunted? That seems interesting."
"Stories say beast ate blood and drank memories. Halji wasn't around to know proper name, faded rather quickly. Called now Blood Drinker, or some sort. Once names fade, many titles come up. Halji once heard it called Slurper, but did not stick."
"Really? But slurper is so fun to say! Though, it is probably different in the original language. What is that even called, anyway? Krythian?"
She inspects her nails for a moment, mostly just speaking to pass the time at this point.
"Didn't need name. Was only language, 'sides Kinoc lights."
Halji's ears twitch, and she turns towards the sound of tapping on the dirt. It's a Krythin, with a Lamplight perched on their shoulder, and a walking stick with a leather grip.
They step towards the pair, and nod at them, before sitting down in front of the two, with their legs beneath them and the staff at their side. Halji puts a hand over her heart, and bows slightly to the gravetender; while they do the same.
Daisy nods at the gravetender respectfully, but hesitates a moment too long while deciding whether to bow. And then the moment is gone, so she does not.
But she does fold her wings back, to take up a little less space.
Halji speaks to the gravetender, before the two Krythin link hands, and their arms turn into blood, flowing into each other. Halji's is a notably brighter red. The gravetender speaks, directing their words to Daisy, "Name Renoth. Lone Halji says Daisy not know tongue. Said Daisy is reason for return. Questions?"
"That is all correct," she smiles. "Unfortunately I have only remembered a few words and phrases of your tongue. More will come, I am sure, but I have questions that need answers sooner than waiting for that would allow. Mostly to do with your historical record regarding the fall of the four lords, and what life was like before those events. Truly, I have been so in the dark it is difficult to even know what to ask!"
Renoth nods, and answers, "Beast Mother resigned to hibernation for reason unrelated to Godhunts. Only Old King, East Lord, and Stone Fire fell in Godhunts. Life not change often in Timeless Forest, difference mostly that travelers not come anymore, and pack split."
Halji seems to smirk at the irony of the sun being left in the dark.
The irony was not lost on Daisy either... there was a reason she wanted so badly to fill these gaps in her recollection.
"Of course, that only makes sense," she agrees, "But this timelessness is also why your records may well be the best preserved. Now... Those monikers you used. I have guesses as to whom you mean by them, but if you could explain I would appreciate it. To make sure we are on the same page, so to speak."
Renoth tilts their head slightly as they reply, "Are names?"
It's now that Halji speaks up, as she explains, "Those are Lords' names in Fyr-Nesk. Daisy knows Mother as Blood Queen, Old King as Rolufim, and Stone Fire as Solov."
"Ahh, literal translations. Yes, I thought it would be something like that. Stone Fire in particular seemed a bit familiar," she winks at Halji. "Just didn't want to assume. What would you call Rovos, then? Did you even need one for them, here?"
She addresses these questions to both the gravetender and Halji.
The gravetender looks even more confused now, and looks at Halji. Halji responds simply, "Rovos god in North. Never left, never worshipped outside. Hardly known by non-messenger mortals."
"The Beast Mother herself met them at least once," she says, "But I suppose he never spoke of it enough for you to know." She shrugs. "Would it be alright for me to visit her? I know he sleeps, but it may prompt the return of more of my memories. And who knows, some sunshine may do her good."
Halji looks slightly confused, and then replies, "Mother Queen rarely left the Dun, and never went to Rovos. Mostly sent messengers to other lands."
Gravetender Renoth considers Daisy's request, before whispering to the Lamplight still on their shoulder, which nods and flies off. "Other tenders decide. Will not take long."
"Understood," she nods at the gravetender. "Are you sure, Halji? I could have sworn there was one of those big meetings they were both present at... Hmm. Perhaps I am remembering wrong. These bits and pieces are more fallible than I'm used to." She shrugs.
"Halji never invited to meetings. Can't say for certain. Doubt knew well, even if."
Renoth picks up their staff, and unlink their flowing blood from Halji's; and both solidify once more into arms. Halji's skin is significantly more tanned than Renoth's, who is slightly red, but otherwise almost as pale as snow. They say something to Halji before walking away.
Halji nods, but otherwise doesn't do much physically. She does tell Daisy what's happening though, "Renoth leaves to make candles. Lamplight will guide to Mother Queen if approved."
"Make candles? What's that got to do with anything?"
"Krythin still need to see. Little Lamplight can't do all work."
"Well sure. I just meant, is this a responsibility related to my quest or is it not?"
"It's making candles. Halji doesn't see how candles is especially pertinent to Daisy quest."
"See that's why I was confused!" She smiles, "I thought it might be since it was in a sentence with other information that was, but it didn’t make sense to be."
Halji is also smiling, but doesn't have anything to reply with.
A Lamplight dives off a branch, and lands on Daisy. It chirps, before jumping off and flying off into the slight distance. It lands on the ground and stays still, waiting.
"It seems that duty calls," Daisy says, standing up. "I don't mind if you come, though you'd know better than I if that is appropriate."
She follows after the Lamplight.
"Halji will look for old friends while Daisy does rest of goal in home." Halji waves Daisy off, before wandering into an adjacent dark trail.
The Little Lamplight guides Daisy to a grotto; guarded by a thick fence of thorny vines, not unlike that patch which Daisy had set ablaze earlier, with a small entrance. The entrance is hardly more than a parting between two trunks, framed with low branches making something of an arch. Lamplight does not enter, instead chirping at Daisy from in front of the entrance, and flying back the way they came.
Beyond the thorns, Daisy can see why Renoth had needed to make candles, as they were the only things lighting the Queen's chamber. Scattered around the edges on rocks, there's a myriad of candles, clustered onto each rock to provide as much light as possible.
As for the famed Bestial Queen herself, she is massive; easily three times the size of Daisy, however curled into a ball. Vibrant red fur covers their body, and it is hard to distinguish an end in the sphere of beast. But with Daisy's light, she can find it eventually; a face, with closed eyes, and a shape perhaps like a vulture's, or a wolf's, or maybe a badger's?
There's three gravetenders present, watching over their Mother, and directing the flowing of loose blood; pushing blood through what seems like tiny rivers in the shape of a spider's web within the ground. They are easily stepped over, should Daisy desire to walk towards any of the tenders.
Daisy slowly lets out a breath, and stops holding in her light - as she had been doing since she arrived in this forest. It is not noon-bright, but everything is painted in yellow and gold like in that precious hour before sunset. She smiles, though it is sadly, as she spends time just... taking in this place, and what has become of the Blood Queen.
How wonderful to be so loved, that you are taken care of like this for so long. How terrible to be catatonic and unresponsive, and yet undying.
Daisy realizes that she never did ask what had happened to her, and regrets it somewhat. Perhaps she could ask one of these gravetenders, though the likelihood of them having a language in common with her was low...
To start, she tries to puzzle out what was wrong with him from what she can sense - both magically and with plain sight and smell and such, drawing slightly on her memories as Apollo to aid her.
She often did that. Of all her past selves, he had some of the most and most useful hobbies.
The Gravetenders move their arms in front of their faces and shift away their eyes, as Daisy's glow brightens.
With Daisy's probing, she finds... nothing. Perhaps a lack of faith brought on this hibernation, but it seems like the Queen is very much still worshipped... maybe it just grew tired.
With the brighter light, and a closer look, Daisy can see... traces of bone, or perhaps wood, decorating the head of the Queen. The memory of wood, or maybe it was bones, seems to be slowly dripping blood, into the web.
Daisy carefully steps forwards, and crouches down near its head. "Hello," she says, "I don't know if you can hear me, or understand me for that matter, but I thought I should tell you some things anyway. My name is Daisy, and I'm the current solar deity. I say current because there have been many, though I remember being all of them. Including Solovos who you once knew."
She reaches out a hand to touch the Queen, but instead lets it fall back down.
"I... know you were not on the best terms with me, back when I was him. I cannot fault you for that, but just wanted to say... I have changed considerably since those days. For the better, I hope."
Daisy smiles, and touches one of the rivulets of blood with her forefinger, and sends just a little energy and strength into it. Not with force, but like a lending a shoulder to an injured friend.
"I also hope that you will be able to wake up. The world has changed so much these last few millenia... I don't know if you'd like it, but I'd love to find out."
Daisy expects no response, but stays there for a few moments anyway, as she slowly brings her light back into herself. Just enough for the comfort of these gravetenders.
And she thinks. About what to do next, about how to either awaken more of her memory or articulate a question these people might have an answer to.
Daisy thinks that the Bleeding Queen might've shifted slightly, but it might've been the dimming of her light playing tricks in her eyes.
The Gravetenders push Daisy's gifted power throughout the flowing web, dissolving it into the pool of memories. Something tingles at the back of Daisy's mind, something repressed in a life she no longer leads.
She focuses on that tingling, closing her eyes and trying to bring it to the front.
She slowly dislodges a memory, from a now nameless god whom grazed the skies of Siberia.
The memory is that of standard life for the sun, until she noticed something strange in the permafrost; a dark hole, which warded her light. The tunnel intrigued her, and at sunset; she fell below the sky into the hole, instead of into the west.
She had travelled far in the dark tunnel, before emerging somewhere much like Siberia; however lacking light, and centered around an impossible structure, which she might now call instead a grand city.
As she tried to reach the city in the center, the sky flashed a dark malice, and a being pooled into shape from forgotten shadows. Its voice sent fear into the very idea of her existence, as an antithetical and all-power force, as it spoke through its shining face, "You have earned no right to step in this land which rejects you. You have trespassed into my claim. Continue this folly, and you will be shattered into a silent darkness. Leave, and never dare to return."
She had fled, as quickly as her light could carry her, before she could whether its threat held weight. She remembers how the hole simply ceased to be as she fled into a new morning. She never saw it again, but what other lead does she have now, in the present?
She sighs deeply, and then stands. That dark figure of malice which had so frightened her other self seemed much more familiar now, of course.
"Thank you for your time," she says to the room at large. "Coming here has indeed proven useful."
Daisy nods to each of the gravetenders, and gives a small bow to the Queen, and then turns to leave.
The gravetenders nod back to Daisy, and Little Lamplight meets her as she exits. The little bird lands on her shoulder, and chirps at her. Probably asking where she needs guided next.
[@solarosha]
Little Lamplight, who is occasionally not very little, guides Daisy and Halji through Fyr-Nesk, with seeming ease. It takes a while, but nothing of note happens.
It takes a few minutes, before Daisy would catch notice of the extra red lights in the trees, slowly building up until they are very clearly many other Lamplights, lighting the night sky. The plantlife seems much more faded back, and significantly smaller.
There are branches bent and tied together, forming many baskets throughout the settlement. Some of the Lamplights are snooping in and pulling out small bits of meat or fruits.
Probably of most importance, there are some number of Krythin. There's a group of, perhaps surprisingly, young looking Krythin, gathered around an older one, who is wearing what looks like a fanged deer's skull, and maybe telling a story? It is hard to tell with the distance and other noise.
Halji looks around, and smiles to herself. The Lamplight that had led the two here flies off, perhaps grabbing somebody of authority; or at least a friend of Halji's.
Daisy waits to see if anyone would approach her, rather than speaking or walking up to anyone first.
She wanted to observe the krythin's normal way of life a bit first, anyway.
The forest is still dark, and past the collective light of this area of the settlement, there is not much to view, besides the semi-distant light of other plazas.
There's a somewhat frequent flow of moving sillohoutes, mostly accompanied by Lamplights, usually sitting on their heads or backs; it is sometimes hard to tell, due to the fluid nature of the Krythin.
And she hears the teller's story, over the sounds of the Lamplights overhead. It's in the old tongue of Forun Sonok, but sounds familiar. She picks up on a bit of it that she can understand, "Queen's Dark Friend was hounded from North, travelling West to escape Seared Flame."
Halji steps towards a tree, and sits down, with her eyes closed.
Daisy drifts closer to the storyteller, frowning in concentration as she tries to interpret the words. She wouldn't get all of them, but perhaps it would be enough.
She seems to have caught the beginning of the story, at least. From what she can gather, the Queen's Dark Friend had joined the hunt, and then the story teller begins to describe what might have been a bestial god, by the way the storyteller moves their limbs to show the shapes of various things, claws, a tail, and they shift their face into a reconstruction of a wolf's. They mention its name, and the grasp Daisy can get of it is maybe "Blood Drinker" or "Devourer of Memory". The young Krythin seem quite frightened, judging by the way their fur(or is it hair when they appear like humans?) stands on end, and their tails curl around themselves.
The story teller says something about the Dark Friend and a hunt, and a newly found name. The name sounds familiar, but not quite how she remembered its pronunciation. They pronounced it like "Roshina".
Well, such things were bound to drift with enough time... though, she thought that was not supposed to pass, here. Not in the normal way, at any rate.
It seemed that the being Daisy knew as Dust was, while feared somewhat, at least not reviled here. Good for it, she thought with a shrug.
She supposed it was time to do what she came here for... only, it would probably be polite to pay the Queen a visit first. Even if she could not answer Daisy's questions herself.
She walks back towards Halji, who she at least knew she could communicate effectively with.
"So... I would like to drop in on the Queen, if that's alright. Where is she? And, are there any archives or anything like that I could look through?"
Halji opens an eye as she replies, "Blood Queen close. Waiting for Lamplight return with gravetender. Queen can't answer questions, is asleep. Gravetenders very skilled with drawing out blood memory. Might answer something. Things change very little from last time Halji was home, if Daisy has questions about."
"I see." She nods, and decides to sit next to Halji while they wait for the gravetender. "Well, a sickbed visit isn't too bad either. Even if she is asleep."
"That story being told over there - " she gestures towards the storyteller and the krythin children " - is it a common one?"
"Story of Roshina? Yes," Halji nods as she continues, "tales of great pack leaders very common in Fyr-Nesk. Powerful beasts too, both become gods eventually. That story, Roshina's, was for ascension. Hunted terrible beast alone, came back with face as trophy. Gained respect, gained belief. Became god of dark, if Halji recalls."
"Ah, I see." She nods. "What beast was hunted? That seems interesting."
"Stories say beast ate blood and drank memories. Halji wasn't around to know proper name, faded rather quickly. Called now Blood Drinker, or some sort. Once names fade, many titles come up. Halji once heard it called Slurper, but did not stick."
"Really? But slurper is so fun to say! Though, it is probably different in the original language. What is that even called, anyway? Krythian?"
She inspects her nails for a moment, mostly just speaking to pass the time at this point.
"Didn't need name. Was only language, 'sides Kinoc lights."
Halji's ears twitch, and she turns towards the sound of tapping on the dirt. It's a Krythin, with a Lamplight perched on their shoulder, and a walking stick with a leather grip.
They step towards the pair, and nod at them, before sitting down in front of the two, with their legs beneath them and the staff at their side. Halji puts a hand over her heart, and bows slightly to the gravetender; while they do the same.
Daisy nods at the gravetender respectfully, but hesitates a moment too long while deciding whether to bow. And then the moment is gone, so she does not.
But she does fold her wings back, to take up a little less space.
Halji speaks to the gravetender, before the two Krythin link hands, and their arms turn into blood, flowing into each other. Halji's is a notably brighter red. The gravetender speaks, directing their words to Daisy, "Name Renoth. Lone Halji says Daisy not know tongue. Said Daisy is reason for return. Questions?"
"That is all correct," she smiles. "Unfortunately I have only remembered a few words and phrases of your tongue. More will come, I am sure, but I have questions that need answers sooner than waiting for that would allow. Mostly to do with your historical record regarding the fall of the four lords, and what life was like before those events. Truly, I have been so in the dark it is difficult to even know what to ask!"
Renoth nods, and answers, "Beast Mother resigned to hibernation for reason unrelated to Godhunts. Only Old King, East Lord, and Stone Fire fell in Godhunts. Life not change often in Timeless Forest, difference mostly that travelers not come anymore, and pack split."
Halji seems to smirk at the irony of the sun being left in the dark.
The irony was not lost on Daisy either... there was a reason she wanted so badly to fill these gaps in her recollection.
"Of course, that only makes sense," she agrees, "But this timelessness is also why your records may well be the best preserved. Now... Those monikers you used. I have guesses as to whom you mean by them, but if you could explain I would appreciate it. To make sure we are on the same page, so to speak."
Renoth tilts their head slightly as they reply, "Are names?"
It's now that Halji speaks up, as she explains, "Those are Lords' names in Fyr-Nesk. Daisy knows Mother as Blood Queen, Old King as Rolufim, and Stone Fire as Solov."
"Ahh, literal translations. Yes, I thought it would be something like that. Stone Fire in particular seemed a bit familiar," she winks at Halji. "Just didn't want to assume. What would you call Rovos, then? Did you even need one for them, here?"
She addresses these questions to both the gravetender and Halji.
The gravetender looks even more confused now, and looks at Halji. Halji responds simply, "Rovos god in North. Never left, never worshipped outside. Hardly known by non-messenger mortals."
"The Beast Mother herself met them at least once," she says, "But I suppose he never spoke of it enough for you to know." She shrugs. "Would it be alright for me to visit her? I know he sleeps, but it may prompt the return of more of my memories. And who knows, some sunshine may do her good."
Halji looks slightly confused, and then replies, "Mother Queen rarely left the Dun, and never went to Rovos. Mostly sent messengers to other lands."
Gravetender Renoth considers Daisy's request, before whispering to the Lamplight still on their shoulder, which nods and flies off. "Other tenders decide. Will not take long."
"Understood," she nods at the gravetender. "Are you sure, Halji? I could have sworn there was one of those big meetings they were both present at... Hmm. Perhaps I am remembering wrong. These bits and pieces are more fallible than I'm used to." She shrugs.
"Halji never invited to meetings. Can't say for certain. Doubt knew well, even if."
Renoth picks up their staff, and unlink their flowing blood from Halji's; and both solidify once more into arms. Halji's skin is significantly more tanned than Renoth's, who is slightly red, but otherwise almost as pale as snow. They say something to Halji before walking away.
Halji nods, but otherwise doesn't do much physically. She does tell Daisy what's happening though, "Renoth leaves to make candles. Lamplight will guide to Mother Queen if approved."
"Make candles? What's that got to do with anything?"
"Krythin still need to see. Little Lamplight can't do all work."
"Well sure. I just meant, is this a responsibility related to my quest or is it not?"
"It's making candles. Halji doesn't see how candles is especially pertinent to Daisy quest."
"See that's why I was confused!" She smiles, "I thought it might be since it was in a sentence with other information that was, but it didn’t make sense to be."
Halji is also smiling, but doesn't have anything to reply with.
A Lamplight dives off a branch, and lands on Daisy. It chirps, before jumping off and flying off into the slight distance. It lands on the ground and stays still, waiting.
"It seems that duty calls," Daisy says, standing up. "I don't mind if you come, though you'd know better than I if that is appropriate."
She follows after the Lamplight.
"Halji will look for old friends while Daisy does rest of goal in home." Halji waves Daisy off, before wandering into an adjacent dark trail.
The Little Lamplight guides Daisy to a grotto; guarded by a thick fence of thorny vines, not unlike that patch which Daisy had set ablaze earlier, with a small entrance. The entrance is hardly more than a parting between two trunks, framed with low branches making something of an arch. Lamplight does not enter, instead chirping at Daisy from in front of the entrance, and flying back the way they came.
Beyond the thorns, Daisy can see why Renoth had needed to make candles, as they were the only things lighting the Queen's chamber. Scattered around the edges on rocks, there's a myriad of candles, clustered onto each rock to provide as much light as possible.
As for the famed Bestial Queen herself, she is massive; easily three times the size of Daisy, however curled into a ball. Vibrant red fur covers their body, and it is hard to distinguish an end in the sphere of beast. But with Daisy's light, she can find it eventually; a face, with closed eyes, and a shape perhaps like a vulture's, or a wolf's, or maybe a badger's?
There's three gravetenders present, watching over their Mother, and directing the flowing of loose blood; pushing blood through what seems like tiny rivers in the shape of a spider's web within the ground. They are easily stepped over, should Daisy desire to walk towards any of the tenders.
Daisy slowly lets out a breath, and stops holding in her light - as she had been doing since she arrived in this forest. It is not noon-bright, but everything is painted in yellow and gold like in that precious hour before sunset. She smiles, though it is sadly, as she spends time just... taking in this place, and what has become of the Blood Queen.
How wonderful to be so loved, that you are taken care of like this for so long. How terrible to be catatonic and unresponsive, and yet undying.
Daisy realizes that she never did ask what had happened to her, and regrets it somewhat. Perhaps she could ask one of these gravetenders, though the likelihood of them having a language in common with her was low...
To start, she tries to puzzle out what was wrong with him from what she can sense - both magically and with plain sight and smell and such, drawing slightly on her memories as Apollo to aid her.
She often did that. Of all her past selves, he had some of the most and most useful hobbies.
The Gravetenders move their arms in front of their faces and shift away their eyes, as Daisy's glow brightens.
With Daisy's probing, she finds... nothing. Perhaps a lack of faith brought on this hibernation, but it seems like the Queen is very much still worshipped... maybe it just grew tired.
With the brighter light, and a closer look, Daisy can see... traces of bone, or perhaps wood, decorating the head of the Queen. The memory of wood, or maybe it was bones, seems to be slowly dripping blood, into the web.
Daisy carefully steps forwards, and crouches down near its head. "Hello," she says, "I don't know if you can hear me, or understand me for that matter, but I thought I should tell you some things anyway. My name is Daisy, and I'm the current solar deity. I say current because there have been many, though I remember being all of them. Including Solovos who you once knew."
She reaches out a hand to touch the Queen, but instead lets it fall back down.
"I... know you were not on the best terms with me, back when I was him. I cannot fault you for that, but just wanted to say... I have changed considerably since those days. For the better, I hope."
Daisy smiles, and touches one of the rivulets of blood with her forefinger, and sends just a little energy and strength into it. Not with force, but like a lending a shoulder to an injured friend.
"I also hope that you will be able to wake up. The world has changed so much these last few millenia... I don't know if you'd like it, but I'd love to find out."
Daisy expects no response, but stays there for a few moments anyway, as she slowly brings her light back into herself. Just enough for the comfort of these gravetenders.
And she thinks. About what to do next, about how to either awaken more of her memory or articulate a question these people might have an answer to.
Daisy thinks that the Bleeding Queen might've shifted slightly, but it might've been the dimming of her light playing tricks in her eyes.
The Gravetenders push Daisy's gifted power throughout the flowing web, dissolving it into the pool of memories. Something tingles at the back of Daisy's mind, something repressed in a life she no longer leads.
She focuses on that tingling, closing her eyes and trying to bring it to the front.
She slowly dislodges a memory, from a now nameless god whom grazed the skies of Siberia.
The memory is that of standard life for the sun, until she noticed something strange in the permafrost; a dark hole, which warded her light. The tunnel intrigued her, and at sunset; she fell below the sky into the hole, instead of into the west.
She had travelled far in the dark tunnel, before emerging somewhere much like Siberia; however lacking light, and centered around an impossible structure, which she might now call instead a grand city.
As she tried to reach the city in the center, the sky flashed a dark malice, and a being pooled into shape from forgotten shadows. Its voice sent fear into the very idea of her existence, as an antithetical and all-power force, as it spoke through its shining face, "You have earned no right to step in this land which rejects you. You have trespassed into my claim. Continue this folly, and you will be shattered into a silent darkness. Leave, and never dare to return."
She had fled, as quickly as her light could carry her, before she could whether its threat held weight. She remembers how the hole simply ceased to be as she fled into a new morning. She never saw it again, but what other lead does she have now, in the present?
[@solarosha]
Little Lamplight, who is occasionally not very little, guides Daisy and Halji through Fyr-Nesk, with seeming ease. It takes a while, but nothing of note happens.
It takes a few minutes, before Daisy would catch notice of the extra red lights in the trees, slowly building up until they are very clearly many other Lamplights, lighting the night sky. The plantlife seems much more faded back, and significantly smaller.
There are branches bent and tied together, forming many baskets throughout the settlement. Some of the Lamplights are snooping in and pulling out small bits of meat or fruits.
Probably of most importance, there are some number of Krythin. There's a group of, perhaps surprisingly, young looking Krythin, gathered around an older one, who is wearing what looks like a fanged deer's skull, and maybe telling a story? It is hard to tell with the distance and other noise.
Halji looks around, and smiles to herself. The Lamplight that had led the two here flies off, perhaps grabbing somebody of authority; or at least a friend of Halji's.
Daisy waits to see if anyone would approach her, rather than speaking or walking up to anyone first.
She wanted to observe the krythin's normal way of life a bit first, anyway.
The forest is still dark, and past the collective light of this area of the settlement, there is not much to view, besides the semi-distant light of other plazas.
There's a somewhat frequent flow of moving sillohoutes, mostly accompanied by Lamplights, usually sitting on their heads or backs; it is sometimes hard to tell, due to the fluid nature of the Krythin.
And she hears the teller's story, over the sounds of the Lamplights overhead. It's in the old tongue of Forun Sonok, but sounds familiar. She picks up on a bit of it that she can understand, "Queen's Dark Friend was hounded from North, travelling West to escape Seared Flame."
Halji steps towards a tree, and sits down, with her eyes closed.
Daisy drifts closer to the storyteller, frowning in concentration as she tries to interpret the words. She wouldn't get all of them, but perhaps it would be enough.
She seems to have caught the beginning of the story, at least. From what she can gather, the Queen's Dark Friend had joined the hunt, and then the story teller begins to describe what might have been a bestial god, by the way the storyteller moves their limbs to show the shapes of various things, claws, a tail, and they shift their face into a reconstruction of a wolf's. They mention its name, and the grasp Daisy can get of it is maybe "Blood Drinker" or "Devourer of Memory". The young Krythin seem quite frightened, judging by the way their fur(or is it hair when they appear like humans?) stands on end, and their tails curl around themselves.
The story teller says something about the Dark Friend and a hunt, and a newly found name. The name sounds familiar, but not quite how she remembered its pronunciation. They pronounced it like "Roshina".
Well, such things were bound to drift with enough time... though, she thought that was not supposed to pass, here. Not in the normal way, at any rate.
It seemed that the being Daisy knew as Dust was, while feared somewhat, at least not reviled here. Good for it, she thought with a shrug.
She supposed it was time to do what she came here for... only, it would probably be polite to pay the Queen a visit first. Even if she could not answer Daisy's questions herself.
She walks back towards Halji, who she at least knew she could communicate effectively with.
"So... I would like to drop in on the Queen, if that's alright. Where is she? And, are there any archives or anything like that I could look through?"
Halji opens an eye as she replies, "Blood Queen close. Waiting for Lamplight return with gravetender. Queen can't answer questions, is asleep. Gravetenders very skilled with drawing out blood memory. Might answer something. Things change very little from last time Halji was home, if Daisy has questions about."
"I see." She nods, and decides to sit next to Halji while they wait for the gravetender. "Well, a sickbed visit isn't too bad either. Even if she is asleep."
"That story being told over there - " she gestures towards the storyteller and the krythin children " - is it a common one?"
"Story of Roshina? Yes," Halji nods as she continues, "tales of great pack leaders very common in Fyr-Nesk. Powerful beasts too, both become gods eventually. That story, Roshina's, was for ascension. Hunted terrible beast alone, came back with face as trophy. Gained respect, gained belief. Became god of dark, if Halji recalls."
"Ah, I see." She nods. "What beast was hunted? That seems interesting."
"Stories say beast ate blood and drank memories. Halji wasn't around to know proper name, faded rather quickly. Called now Blood Drinker, or some sort. Once names fade, many titles come up. Halji once heard it called Slurper, but did not stick."
"Really? But slurper is so fun to say! Though, it is probably different in the original language. What is that even called, anyway? Krythian?"
She inspects her nails for a moment, mostly just speaking to pass the time at this point.
"Didn't need name. Was only language, 'sides Kinoc lights."
Halji's ears twitch, and she turns towards the sound of tapping on the dirt. It's a Krythin, with a Lamplight perched on their shoulder, and a walking stick with a leather grip.
They step towards the pair, and nod at them, before sitting down in front of the two, with their legs beneath them and the staff at their side. Halji puts a hand over her heart, and bows slightly to the gravetender; while they do the same.
Daisy nods at the gravetender respectfully, but hesitates a moment too long while deciding whether to bow. And then the moment is gone, so she does not.
But she does fold her wings back, to take up a little less space.
Halji speaks to the gravetender, before the two Krythin link hands, and their arms turn into blood, flowing into each other. Halji's is a notably brighter red. The gravetender speaks, directing their words to Daisy, "Name Renoth. Lone Halji says Daisy not know tongue. Said Daisy is reason for return. Questions?"
"That is all correct," she smiles. "Unfortunately I have only remembered a few words and phrases of your tongue. More will come, I am sure, but I have questions that need answers sooner than waiting for that would allow. Mostly to do with your historical record regarding the fall of the four lords, and what life was like before those events. Truly, I have been so in the dark it is difficult to even know what to ask!"
Renoth nods, and answers, "Beast Mother resigned to hibernation for reason unrelated to Godhunts. Only Old King, East Lord, and Stone Fire fell in Godhunts. Life not change often in Timeless Forest, difference mostly that travelers not come anymore, and pack split."
Halji seems to smirk at the irony of the sun being left in the dark.
The irony was not lost on Daisy either... there was a reason she wanted so badly to fill these gaps in her recollection.
"Of course, that only makes sense," she agrees, "But this timelessness is also why your records may well be the best preserved. Now... Those monikers you used. I have guesses as to whom you mean by them, but if you could explain I would appreciate it. To make sure we are on the same page, so to speak."
Renoth tilts their head slightly as they reply, "Are names?"
It's now that Halji speaks up, as she explains, "Those are Lords' names in Fyr-Nesk. Daisy knows Mother as Blood Queen, Old King as Rolufim, and Stone Fire as Solov."
"Ahh, literal translations. Yes, I thought it would be something like that. Stone Fire in particular seemed a bit familiar," she winks at Halji. "Just didn't want to assume. What would you call Rovos, then? Did you even need one for them, here?"
She addresses these questions to both the gravetender and Halji.
The gravetender looks even more confused now, and looks at Halji. Halji responds simply, "Rovos god in North. Never left, never worshipped outside. Hardly known by non-messenger mortals."
"The Beast Mother herself met them at least once," she says, "But I suppose he never spoke of it enough for you to know." She shrugs. "Would it be alright for me to visit her? I know he sleeps, but it may prompt the return of more of my memories. And who knows, some sunshine may do her good."
Halji looks slightly confused, and then replies, "Mother Queen rarely left the Dun, and never went to Rovos. Mostly sent messengers to other lands."
Gravetender Renoth considers Daisy's request, before whispering to the Lamplight still on their shoulder, which nods and flies off. "Other tenders decide. Will not take long."
"Understood," she nods at the gravetender. "Are you sure, Halji? I could have sworn there was one of those big meetings they were both present at... Hmm. Perhaps I am remembering wrong. These bits and pieces are more fallible than I'm used to." She shrugs.
"Halji never invited to meetings. Can't say for certain. Doubt knew well, even if."
Renoth picks up their staff, and unlink their flowing blood from Halji's; and both solidify once more into arms. Halji's skin is significantly more tanned than Renoth's, who is slightly red, but otherwise almost as pale as snow. They say something to Halji before walking away.
Halji nods, but otherwise doesn't do much physically. She does tell Daisy what's happening though, "Renoth leaves to make candles. Lamplight will guide to Mother Queen if approved."
"Make candles? What's that got to do with anything?"
"Krythin still need to see. Little Lamplight can't do all work."
"Well sure. I just meant, is this a responsibility related to my quest or is it not?"
"It's making candles. Halji doesn't see how candles is especially pertinent to Daisy quest."
"See that's why I was confused!" She smiles, "I thought it might be since it was in a sentence with other information that was, but it didn’t make sense to be."
Halji is also smiling, but doesn't have anything to reply with.
A Lamplight dives off a branch, and lands on Daisy. It chirps, before jumping off and flying off into the slight distance. It lands on the ground and stays still, waiting.
"It seems that duty calls," Daisy says, standing up. "I don't mind if you come, though you'd know better than I if that is appropriate."
She follows after the Lamplight.
"Halji will look for old friends while Daisy does rest of goal in home." Halji waves Daisy off, before wandering into an adjacent dark trail.
The Little Lamplight guides Daisy to a grotto; guarded by a thick fence of thorny vines, not unlike that patch which Daisy had set ablaze earlier, with a small entrance. The entrance is hardly more than a parting between two trunks, framed with low branches making something of an arch. Lamplight does not enter, instead chirping at Daisy from in front of the entrance, and flying back the way they came.
Beyond the thorns, Daisy can see why Renoth had needed to make candles, as they were the only things lighting the Queen's chamber. Scattered around the edges on rocks, there's a myriad of candles, clustered onto each rock to provide as much light as possible.
As for the famed Bestial Queen herself, she is massive; easily three times the size of Daisy, however curled into a ball. Vibrant red fur covers their body, and it is hard to distinguish an end in the sphere of beast. But with Daisy's light, she can find it eventually; a face, with closed eyes, and a shape perhaps like a vulture's, or a wolf's, or maybe a badger's?
There's three gravetenders present, watching over their Mother, and directing the flowing of loose blood; pushing blood through what seems like tiny rivers in the shape of a spider's web within the ground. They are easily stepped over, should Daisy desire to walk towards any of the tenders.
Daisy slowly lets out a breath, and stops holding in her light - as she had been doing since she arrived in this forest. It is not noon-bright, but everything is painted in yellow and gold like in that precious hour before sunset. She smiles, though it is sadly, as she spends time just... taking in this place, and what has become of the Blood Queen.
How wonderful to be so loved, that you are taken care of like this for so long. How terrible to be catatonic and unresponsive, and yet undying.
Daisy realizes that she never did ask what had happened to her, and regrets it somewhat. Perhaps she could ask one of these gravetenders, though the likelihood of them having a language in common with her was low...
To start, she tries to puzzle out what was wrong with him from what she can sense - both magically and with plain sight and smell and such, drawing slightly on her memories as Apollo to aid her.
She often did that. Of all her past selves, he had some of the most and most useful hobbies.
The Gravetenders move their arms in front of their faces and shift away their eyes, as Daisy's glow brightens.
With Daisy's probing, she finds... nothing. Perhaps a lack of faith brought on this hibernation, but it seems like the Queen is very much still worshipped... maybe it just grew tired.
With the brighter light, and a closer look, Daisy can see... traces of bone, or perhaps wood, decorating the head of the Queen. The memory of wood, or maybe it was bones, seems to be slowly dripping blood, into the web.
Daisy carefully steps forwards, and crouches down near its head. "Hello," she says, "I don't know if you can hear me, or understand me for that matter, but I thought I should tell you some things anyway. My name is Daisy, and I'm the current solar deity. I say current because there have been many, though I remember being all of them. Including Solovos who you once knew."
She reaches out a hand to touch the Queen, but instead lets it fall back down.
"I... know you were not on the best terms with me, back when I was him. I cannot fault you for that, but just wanted to say... I have changed considerably since those days. For the better, I hope."
Daisy smiles, and touches one of the rivulets of blood with her forefinger, and sends just a little energy and strength into it. Not with force, but like a lending a shoulder to an injured friend.
"I also hope that you will be able to wake up. The world has changed so much these last few millenia... I don't know if you'd like it, but I'd love to find out."
Daisy expects no response, but stays there for a few moments anyway, as she slowly brings her light back into herself. Just enough for the comfort of these gravetenders.
And she thinks. About what to do next, about how to either awaken more of her memory or articulate a question these people might have an answer to.
Daisy thinks that the Bleeding Queen might've shifted slightly, but it might've been the dimming of her light playing tricks in her eyes.
The Gravetenders push Daisy's gifted power throughout the flowing web, dissolving it into the pool of memories. Something tingles at the back of Daisy's mind, something repressed in a life she no longer leads.
[@solarosha]
Little Lamplight, who is occasionally not very little, guides Daisy and Halji through Fyr-Nesk, with seeming ease. It takes a while, but nothing of note happens.
It takes a few minutes, before Daisy would catch notice of the extra red lights in the trees, slowly building up until they are very clearly many other Lamplights, lighting the night sky. The plantlife seems much more faded back, and significantly smaller.
There are branches bent and tied together, forming many baskets throughout the settlement. Some of the Lamplights are snooping in and pulling out small bits of meat or fruits.
Probably of most importance, there are some number of Krythin. There's a group of, perhaps surprisingly, young looking Krythin, gathered around an older one, who is wearing what looks like a fanged deer's skull, and maybe telling a story? It is hard to tell with the distance and other noise.
Halji looks around, and smiles to herself. The Lamplight that had led the two here flies off, perhaps grabbing somebody of authority; or at least a friend of Halji's.
Daisy waits to see if anyone would approach her, rather than speaking or walking up to anyone first.
She wanted to observe the krythin's normal way of life a bit first, anyway.
The forest is still dark, and past the collective light of this area of the settlement, there is not much to view, besides the semi-distant light of other plazas.
There's a somewhat frequent flow of moving sillohoutes, mostly accompanied by Lamplights, usually sitting on their heads or backs; it is sometimes hard to tell, due to the fluid nature of the Krythin.
And she hears the teller's story, over the sounds of the Lamplights overhead. It's in the old tongue of Forun Sonok, but sounds familiar. She picks up on a bit of it that she can understand, "Queen's Dark Friend was hounded from North, travelling West to escape Seared Flame."
Halji steps towards a tree, and sits down, with her eyes closed.
Daisy drifts closer to the storyteller, frowning in concentration as she tries to interpret the words. She wouldn't get all of them, but perhaps it would be enough.
She seems to have caught the beginning of the story, at least. From what she can gather, the Queen's Dark Friend had joined the hunt, and then the story teller begins to describe what might have been a bestial god, by the way the storyteller moves their limbs to show the shapes of various things, claws, a tail, and they shift their face into a reconstruction of a wolf's. They mention its name, and the grasp Daisy can get of it is maybe "Blood Drinker" or "Devourer of Memory". The young Krythin seem quite frightened, judging by the way their fur(or is it hair when they appear like humans?) stands on end, and their tails curl around themselves.
The story teller says something about the Dark Friend and a hunt, and a newly found name. The name sounds familiar, but not quite how she remembered its pronunciation. They pronounced it like "Roshina".
Well, such things were bound to drift with enough time... though, she thought that was not supposed to pass, here. Not in the normal way, at any rate.
It seemed that the being Daisy knew as Dust was, while feared somewhat, at least not reviled here. Good for it, she thought with a shrug.
She supposed it was time to do what she came here for... only, it would probably be polite to pay the Queen a visit first. Even if she could not answer Daisy's questions herself.
She walks back towards Halji, who she at least knew she could communicate effectively with.
"So... I would like to drop in on the Queen, if that's alright. Where is she? And, are there any archives or anything like that I could look through?"
Halji opens an eye as she replies, "Blood Queen close. Waiting for Lamplight return with gravetender. Queen can't answer questions, is asleep. Gravetenders very skilled with drawing out blood memory. Might answer something. Things change very little from last time Halji was home, if Daisy has questions about."
"I see." She nods, and decides to sit next to Halji while they wait for the gravetender. "Well, a sickbed visit isn't too bad either. Even if she is asleep."
"That story being told over there - " she gestures towards the storyteller and the krythin children " - is it a common one?"
"Story of Roshina? Yes," Halji nods as she continues, "tales of great pack leaders very common in Fyr-Nesk. Powerful beasts too, both become gods eventually. That story, Roshina's, was for ascension. Hunted terrible beast alone, came back with face as trophy. Gained respect, gained belief. Became god of dark, if Halji recalls."
"Ah, I see." She nods. "What beast was hunted? That seems interesting."
"Stories say beast ate blood and drank memories. Halji wasn't around to know proper name, faded rather quickly. Called now Blood Drinker, or some sort. Once names fade, many titles come up. Halji once heard it called Slurper, but did not stick."
"Really? But slurper is so fun to say! Though, it is probably different in the original language. What is that even called, anyway? Krythian?"
She inspects her nails for a moment, mostly just speaking to pass the time at this point.
"Didn't need name. Was only language, 'sides Kinoc lights."
Halji's ears twitch, and she turns towards the sound of tapping on the dirt. It's a Krythin, with a Lamplight perched on their shoulder, and a walking stick with a leather grip.
They step towards the pair, and nod at them, before sitting down in front of the two, with their legs beneath them and the staff at their side. Halji puts a hand over her heart, and bows slightly to the gravetender; while they do the same.
Daisy nods at the gravetender respectfully, but hesitates a moment too long while deciding whether to bow. And then the moment is gone, so she does not.
But she does fold her wings back, to take up a little less space.
Halji speaks to the gravetender, before the two Krythin link hands, and their arms turn into blood, flowing into each other. Halji's is a notably brighter red. The gravetender speaks, directing their words to Daisy, "Name Renoth. Lone Halji says Daisy not know tongue. Said Daisy is reason for return. Questions?"
"That is all correct," she smiles. "Unfortunately I have only remembered a few words and phrases of your tongue. More will come, I am sure, but I have questions that need answers sooner than waiting for that would allow. Mostly to do with your historical record regarding the fall of the four lords, and what life was like before those events. Truly, I have been so in the dark it is difficult to even know what to ask!"
Renoth nods, and answers, "Beast Mother resigned to hibernation for reason unrelated to Godhunts. Only Old King, East Lord, and Stone Fire fell in Godhunts. Life not change often in Timeless Forest, difference mostly that travelers not come anymore, and pack split."
Halji seems to smirk at the irony of the sun being left in the dark.
The irony was not lost on Daisy either... there was a reason she wanted so badly to fill these gaps in her recollection.
"Of course, that only makes sense," she agrees, "But this timelessness is also why your records may well be the best preserved. Now... Those monikers you used. I have guesses as to whom you mean by them, but if you could explain I would appreciate it. To make sure we are on the same page, so to speak."
Renoth tilts their head slightly as they reply, "Are names?"
It's now that Halji speaks up, as she explains, "Those are Lords' names in Fyr-Nesk. Daisy knows Mother as Blood Queen, Old King as Rolufim, and Stone Fire as Solov."
"Ahh, literal translations. Yes, I thought it would be something like that. Stone Fire in particular seemed a bit familiar," she winks at Halji. "Just didn't want to assume. What would you call Rovos, then? Did you even need one for them, here?"
She addresses these questions to both the gravetender and Halji.
The gravetender looks even more confused now, and looks at Halji. Halji responds simply, "Rovos god in North. Never left, never worshipped outside. Hardly known by non-messenger mortals."
"The Beast Mother herself met them at least once," she says, "But I suppose he never spoke of it enough for you to know." She shrugs. "Would it be alright for me to visit her? I know he sleeps, but it may prompt the return of more of my memories. And who knows, some sunshine may do her good."
Halji looks slightly confused, and then replies, "Mother Queen rarely left the Dun, and never went to Rovos. Mostly sent messengers to other lands."
Gravetender Renoth considers Daisy's request, before whispering to the Lamplight still on their shoulder, which nods and flies off. "Other tenders decide. Will not take long."
"Understood," she nods at the gravetender. "Are you sure, Halji? I could have sworn there was one of those big meetings they were both present at... Hmm. Perhaps I am remembering wrong. These bits and pieces are more fallible than I'm used to." She shrugs.
"Halji never invited to meetings. Can't say for certain. Doubt knew well, even if."
Renoth picks up their staff, and unlink their flowing blood from Halji's; and both solidify once more into arms. Halji's skin is significantly more tanned than Renoth's, who is slightly red, but otherwise almost as pale as snow. They say something to Halji before walking away.
Halji nods, but otherwise doesn't do much physically. She does tell Daisy what's happening though, "Renoth leaves to make candles. Lamplight will guide to Mother Queen if approved."
"Make candles? What's that got to do with anything?"
"Krythin still need to see. Little Lamplight can't do all work."
"Well sure. I just meant, is this a responsibility related to my quest or is it not?"
"It's making candles. Halji doesn't see how candles is especially pertinent to Daisy quest."
"See that's why I was confused!" She smiles, "I thought it might be since it was in a sentence with other information that was, but it didn’t make sense to be."
Halji is also smiling, but doesn't have anything to reply with.
A Lamplight dives off a branch, and lands on Daisy. It chirps, before jumping off and flying off into the slight distance. It lands on the ground and stays still, waiting.
"It seems that duty calls," Daisy says, standing up. "I don't mind if you come, though you'd know better than I if that is appropriate."
She follows after the Lamplight.
"Halji will look for old friends while Daisy does rest of goal in home." Halji waves Daisy off, before wandering into an adjacent dark trail.
The Little Lamplight guides Daisy to a grotto; guarded by a thick fence of thorny vines, not unlike that patch which Daisy had set ablaze earlier, with a small entrance. The entrance is hardly more than a parting between two trunks, framed with low branches making something of an arch. Lamplight does not enter, instead chirping at Daisy from in front of the entrance, and flying back the way they came.
Beyond the thorns, Daisy can see why Renoth had needed to make candles, as they were the only things lighting the Queen's chamber. Scattered around the edges on rocks, there's a myriad of candles, clustered onto each rock to provide as much light as possible.
As for the famed Bestial Queen herself, she is massive; easily three times the size of Daisy, however curled into a ball. Vibrant red fur covers their body, and it is hard to distinguish an end in the sphere of beast. But with Daisy's light, she can find it eventually; a face, with closed eyes, and a shape perhaps like a vulture's, or a wolf's, or maybe a badger's?
There's three gravetenders present, watching over their Mother, and directing the flowing of loose blood; pushing blood through what seems like tiny rivers in the shape of a spider's web within the ground. They are easily stepped over, should Daisy desire to walk towards any of the tenders.
Daisy slowly lets out a breath, and stops holding in her light - as she had been doing since she arrived in this forest. It is not noon-bright, but everything is painted in yellow and gold like in that precious hour before sunset. She smiles, though it is sadly, as she spends time just... taking in this place, and what has become of the Blood Queen.
How wonderful to be so loved, that you are taken care of like this for so long. How terrible to be catatonic and unresponsive, and yet undying.
Daisy realizes that she never did ask what had happened to her, and regrets it somewhat. Perhaps she could ask one of these gravetenders, though the likelihood of them having a language in common with her was low...
To start, she tries to puzzle out what was wrong with him from what she can sense - both magically and with plain sight and smell and such, drawing slightly on her memories as Apollo to aid her.
She often did that. Of all her past selves, he had some of the most and most useful hobbies.
The Gravetenders move their arms in front of their faces and shift away their eyes, as Daisy's glow brightens.
With Daisy's probing, she finds... nothing. Perhaps a lack of faith brought on this hibernation, but it seems like the Queen is very much still worshipped... maybe it just grew tired.
With the brighter light, and a closer look, Daisy can see... traces of bone, or perhaps wood, decorating the head of the Queen. The memory of wood, or maybe it was bones, seems to be slowly dripping blood, into the web.
