I guess I should have done this before just jumping headlong into my rambling ass posts, but I'm here now!
ABOUT ME
I'm Rhokis (pen-name) and you can call me R or Rhokis, I'm not picky.
29
She/Her/They pronouns. Whatever works best for you.
I've been writing my whole life, went to university for writing but alas the program was changed from Creative Writing to Technical Writing just as I entered so I'm not "formally" trained on the creative side like some are.
Currently working in green tech, for corporate overlords who've ruined my dream of being a part of the solution.
There's gonna be a lot of DnD-related content here as well as fiction writing. I promise to put more of my WIPs here eventually, but right now I'm enjoying the supportive environment of the DnD community here on Tumblr while I work on the campaign I've been running since the summer. Plus, that's still writing too and I'd appreciate having more people to chuckle at the hilarity of our group as we continue our campaigns.
ABOUT MY WRITING + GOAL
I enjoy writing horror, science fiction, speculative fiction, and a dash of fantasy here and there.
I've been featured on The NoSleep Podcast a couple of times, currently working on expanding my portfolio.
I hope to be published in an anthology within the next 5 years (baby-step goals for me).
My writing style is very geared towards voice. The main thing people point out in my stories is that, much like in real life, I have a strong voice which is both a good and bad thing. Working on taming that moving forward.
PROJECTS
"Black Widow" (WT, WIP) - Been working on this story since I was around 14. Started it during the exam season and worked on it throughout a summer. Originally over 150 pages handwritten that have been mushed into someTHING over the last decade and a bit. Thriller/drama. Forever WIP.
"WEYARD : The Novel" - a novelization of our groups current 2.5+ year campaign. Throughout 2024 I'll be posting snips in near chronological order for your enjoyment and for feedback. Fantasy, horror, comedy.
"There Are No Strings on Me" (WIP) - Horror SS
"Under the Bridge" (WIP) - Horror SS
"Dragonlance" (Current DnD campaign, original 1980's v. personally updating to 5e for my group, currently on DL2) - The thing you'll probably hear the most about from me.
I'm not going to lie, been fan-girling about my OC and my friend's Dragonlance campaign OC's lately, so there's a lot of THAT on my blog right now. I will work on putting out more of my original fiction moving forward.
I'm always open to new friends. The first step in writing is having a supportive community to scream into the void with. I appreciate all of you!
Like my DnD ramblings? Check tags #Weyard and #Dragonlance for more content
Hello! I am very intrigued by your WIP and I'd love to request an infodump about the characters or anything else you'd like to talk about! (Literally feel free to give me an essay to read if you want)
You asked for it.
I'm sure I missed a typo or two, please forgive me haha
A Beginners Guide to the Monsters (Sort of) of the Green Sea and a quick introduction to the beings and entities of Kobani
Pictured above: A map of Kobani, The Green Sea is located to the east of the Kronatic Ocean, near the center of the map
What is a monster?
(For the purposes of this text we will be using the terms and classifications used by the Kishite culture.)
The term monster is a rather problematic one. The initial confusion arises from the fact that within the Kishite language there is no singular word which acts as an equivalent to the English word “monster” and which can thus encompass all species and beings which might be considered monstrous by those with an english-speaking vernacular.
A more useful alternative may be “magifauna”, this being any animal or non-sapient humanoid species which is magical in nature or in origin, a catalog consisting of thousands of species and individuals. The Kishite term for this is Babazubalat (pl. -un) (Bab- Magic, Zubala (t) - Animal). This is further divided into Bikazubalat (pl. -un) (Bikab- Wild/Ambient Magic, Zubala (t) - Animal) and Nabikazubalat (Nah - Not/No/Negative), dependant on the origination of that species. Within the broad umbrella term of Bikazubalat there are further classifications which are dependent on a number of factors, however before addressing the question of these more specific classifications it is necessary to address what does not fall under the classification of magifauna. (Going forward the term monster will be used interchangeably with the term magifauna.)
Continues below the cut, drawings and such!
What isn’t a “monster”?
Broadly a species or individual can be determined to be not magifauna or a “monster” if it is
Not magical in nature or origin
A Sapient Humanoid
Mundane Species
When determining what is and isn’t a monster, the easiest place to start is with non-magical animal species. This includes species familiar to Non-Kobanian audiences such as cattle, cats, lions, eagles, fish, etc, as well as non-magical species unique to Kobani including the widely-domesticated Horned-Rabbit (Actually more closely related to the hare rather than any rabbit species) and the Giant Mink (more ecologically and physiologically similar to pine martens rather than the semi-aquatic mink).
These species are not innately magic and are not the direct result of magic influenced mutation and/or selection. Sometimes these species when exposed to magic may either change into or produce offspring which can then be classified as magifauna, this will be addressed further below.
Pictured above: The Giant Mink
Pictured above: The Domesticated Horned Rabbit
The Awakened People’s
The Awakened People is a term used to refer to the five (possibly six) sapient races which stem from a singular primitive species which developed and evolved naturally in the world of Kobani. These primitive beings were exposed to powerful magic by the gods and, in addition, were given mortal souls that could not only continue the process of reincarnation through the mortal worlds as all living things do, but could now permit for the soul to ascend out of the mortal worlds, with soul or 'het', being reincarnated a number of times before coming to inhabit the world of the gods. It is not entirely clear why the gods created the awakened races, though it is believed that mortals in time come to serve the gods with the collective experience of several lifetimes.
Pictured above: A man of the Usmir forestfolk culture (left), a hillfolk woman of the Uteshite culture (center), the spiritblood Mikrab (right)
(Any of the groups below which are exposed to and drastically changed by magic while retaining sapience are referred to as forestfolk.)
Humans (Fieldfolk): The most populous of the awakened, incapable of using magic themselves but capable of communication with spirits, and thus practicing sagecraft. Humans are also unique in their ability to produce offspring with spirits which are known as Spiritbloods, or more inaccurately Demigods (explained further below). Those humans which can communicate with spirits naturally and use/channel spirit magic are known as sages and seers.
Giants: Massive humanoid beings, like humans, they are incapable of using magic themselves; however, much like a Spiritblood, their physical form is supported by magic, allowing for their bodies to reach massive sizes without the biological or physical limits and drawbacks which should affect them. Giants typically move in a quadrupedal fashion, similar to gorilla species, though they are capable of walking on just their legs and have fully dexterous fingers (despite misunderstandings and rumors spread by human explorers confused by the giant’s custom of wearing seal-hide mittens.) Their bodies are covered in a thin, seal-like, layer of water resistant fur as well as a layer of insulating fat, which when combined with vast lung capacities and the ability to shut their nostrils, allows for giants to be submerged in the polar waters of their homeland for up to 30 minutes at a time. Giants can dive as deep as 900 ft before feeling adverse effects, and are highly reliant on sea-life as the main facet of their diet. After the Calamity, giants are rare, limited to six tribes in the northern polar region, and much reduced in size compared to their massive ancestors, though they are still far larger than the typical human. Giants are never born as sages, and are typically unable to commune with spirits except via the use of magical potions and herbs. Giants write in their own secretive language, carving it into the bones of whales, seals, and reindeer. These bones tell the stories of Giant Bloodlines, some extending back thousands of years.
Pictured above: a male giant
The Hillfolk: Fur-covered beings often naturally capable of very minor magic (true magic, not sagecraft, a competent sage is typically capable of far greater magical feats, though with the drawback of physiological and psychological wear and tear).They are genetically and phenotypically most similar to the now extinct Stonefolk, and this can be seen in their typically short and broad physique. They are differentiated by their covering of fur which can vary in color and texture in a similar nature to human head hair and by their sixth digit found on each hand. It is not unusual for Hillfolk living in human settlements to shave their bodies in an attempt to fit in. Across Hillfolk cultures a love of perfume and of combs is almost universal. The largest Hillfolk culture inhabiting the land now called Kishetal, are the Uteshites.
The Stonefolk: About human-sized but broader with larger eyes and powerful arms, well suited to their preferred underground environment. The stonefolk were the only group that regularly interbred with humans, and indeed they were eventually bred out of existence before the Calamity. All modern humans of Kobani have some stonefolk ancestry, as a result the humans of the post-calamity era are typically shorter and broader than their ancient counterparts.
The Forest Tenders: Slender and tall green-skinned beings, reaching an average of 8 feet in height. Long arms and cat-like eyes are additional ways to identify Forest tenders. The Forest Tenders, as their name suggests, prefer the forest and often dedicate themselves to its care. Like Hillfolk, Forest Tenders are capable of true magic, though to a much greater extent. With the exception of Spiritbloods, Forest Tenders are the longest lived of any mortal race, regularly reaching ages of 500. Despite their magical nature and longevity the Forest Tenders are far and away the least numerous of the four surviving Awakened Races, with less than 40 living at the time of Narul. This comes down to 3 primary factors. 1. Forest Tender gestation typically lasts 34 months and each pregnancy will only produce a singular offspring, never multiples. 2. Forest Tenders feel no innate sexual drive, rather reproduction typically only occurs as the result of ritualistic practices. 3. Prior to the Calamity Forest Tenders fell victim to widespread persecution and extermination by the human majority. Most humans assume that Forest Tender’s are extinct. In legends they are often depicted as child-like typically as a result of their lack of interest in both sexual matters and material wealth.
Pictured above: A female forest tender
Kiriki: See Section Below
Other Sapient Humanoids
Forestfolk: These are mortal and physical individuals or groups of the Awakened Races that have been reshaped and changed by wild magic, while still maintaining a notable level of sapience. Most forestfolk populations descend from humans, though all Awakened Races save for the Forest Tenders, have descendant groups. Forestfolk may exhibit supernatural or magical aspects but this is relatively rare, and typically mutations and inherited traits are purely physical. In essence, the soul is unchanged, despite what may be claimed by certain people. Though their bodies and at times their behaviors are different, the forestfolk are privy to the Awakened Cycle of Reincarnation. There are hundreds of distinct cultures and peoples who fall under the category of forestfolk spread across the globe. The forestfolk should not be thought of in any way as a monolithic entity. Non-Sapient and non-humanoid species which have gained sapience and a humanoid form via exposure to wild magic are not included under the categorization of forestfolk.
Spiritbloods: A spiritblood, sometimes called a demigod (though they are not related to the actual deities) is the progeny of a human or human-descended forestfolk and a spirit. Only certain spirits are capable of producing a child with a human. They are almost always born from a human mother, as most spirits detest the physical limits which come from carrying a physically static being. Spiritbloods are innately magical, their stature and strength at least partially possible because of physiologically contained magical energy. It is thus technically possible for Spiritbloods to shed some amount of wild magic. They are typically not able to wield magic and change their form in the same sense as a spirit, as their physical body forbids it, nor are they capable of using sagecraft. Magic rather manifests in the body itself, shaping and warping it beyond the confines of normal humans. Spiritbloods are prone to having an unusually large stature and display incredible physical strength and resilience.
The Kosheki: The classification of Kosheki is a problematic one, as this particular group of twisted former humans show no evidence of abstract thought, though this may ultimately come down to their hive-mind-like relationship with their creator, the Deep Sun. Originally descending from a group of pre-Calamity humans, the Kosheki are the result of thousands of years worth of twisting and manipulation within their subterranean environment. The Deep Sun is mentally linked and present in the minds of every Kosheki, and as such is capable of limiting or suppressing entirely certain emotions and intellectual functions. It is not clear how sapient the Kosheki would be without the influence of the Deep Sun. Though their mutation is similar in nature to that of forestfolk, Kosheki are not classified as such, their change being the result of intentional manipulation by the demon rather than exposure to wild magic.
The Clay Woman of Kulayu: The Clay Woman of the small island nation of Kulayu are even harder to classify, though they are certainly not monsters. Rather it is the subject of debate whether or not they should be considered mortal beings at all. The Clay Women are in actuality a spiritual superorganism, a collection of micro-spirits inhabiting the various clay facets of the Clay Woman body, similar in some ways to the Man-O-War. In this interconnected state these spirits are capable of producing a singular sapient consciousness. These spirits are seemingly incapable of producing this effect without the structure of the clay. For unknown reasons this only works with the clay of that particular island. While the superorganism does not eat, the body will gradually fall victim to wear and tear, and my crack and break. As such regular repairs are necessary. Sometimes the destruction or wear is too severe, and the body is destroyed, the clay pounded down into a powder and mixed back into other clay. This allows for the re-integration of clay into new women. As micro-spirits are re-introduced into new clay bodies, they bring with them bits of past emotions and memories. This reliance on the island clay has served to both limit the spread and population of the Clay women, and to create a culture that is deeply protective of their homeland.
The Clay women originate from Arkodic travelers shortly before the end of the Arkodian Empire. These travelers were likely priestesses from the western isles, and they brought with them Arkodic arts, particularly those surrounding the containment of magic and spirits. Using these arts, these women created a servant class of clay women, made in their images and dressed in their clothing. In time, the Arkodic women died away, leaving their creations behind, to carry on in their place. It is for this reason that the clay women still speak to each other (though their clay mouths do not move) in a dialect of Arkodian now extinct in the rest of the world.
Pictured above: A male kosheki (left), A clay woman (right)
Spirits and other Spectral Entities
Spirits are innately magical beings of a dynamic nature. Their forms are changing, typically in reaction to their mood or their environment. All spirits can use magic to some degree, in essence, using their own magical essence, or fistara, to shape and interact with the world around them. The magic a spirit is able to produce and use in one sitting is largely dependent on the power of the spirit, and thus, like physical strength, it must be rested and replenished. Magic cannot go against the laws of physics and of nature, and there are some magical actions only available to the most powerful of spirits.
Great Spirits/Mountain lords are those spirits considered to be exceptionally powerful by humans. In some cases, they may be worshiped as minor deities. Aside from power and intelligence and their ability to produce viable offspring with humans via sexual reproduction, Great Spirits/Mountain lords are identical to other spirits, vulnerable to the same weaknesses and conditions. It was several of these Great Spirits, which sheltered and cared for humanity in their mountain domain’s for the centuries after the Calamity.
A demon is a great spirit that acts in a way that can be seen as particularly hostile to humans or else other spirits. Demons hide in their lairs, still fearful of what few magical weapons remain, and from there they manipulate and play with humans. Demon is not a species or race, but a title. Demons are particularly cruel, hostile, and powerful spirits. There are many hostile and territorial spirits but a demon is different, a demon wants mortals to enter their territory, like a spider waiting to catch a fly.
Pictured above: Varied Spirits
Monster: Yes or No?
Previously mentioned above, the Kiriki are the subject of great debate. Kiriki are a sapient race of beings, capable not only of advanced abstract thought, speech, and artistic expression, but are also capable of producing sages, with one in six of their race being capable of practicing some level of sagecraft. Their lifespans can be similar to Forest Tenders and their gestation periods are only slightly shorter (23 months) though they do express sexual interest. Additionally they have humanoid features. For some this would be enough to immediately classify Kiriki as not magifauna. However Kiriki are not solely humanoid in their bodily form, only their heads and hands are. Roughly equivalent in size to a large rhinoceros, the average Kiriki is defined by a human-like head; adults grow two keratinous horns which grow throughout the life of the individual, requiring shaving. Their bodies are feline-like, powerful and strong. The wings at their sides are not capable of sustained flight, rather they are used for gliding, similar to some species of flying squirrel, or else for body language and communication.
Those in favor of a monstrous designation point to the less than human traits of the Kiriki as proof of their choice to classify Kiriki as a kind of magifauna. Some have even tried to use the lack of clothing in most Kiriki culture’s as further justification for this.
There is no definitive origin to the Kiriki, they seem to predate the Calamity and are thus not the product of Calamity-based wild-magic. Some have hypothesized that Kiriki may in fact be a sixth member of the Awakened, though this is a fringe opinion. It is not entirely clear whether or not Kiriki reincarnate in a similar manner to humans and other sapient mortals. Others have suggested that Kiriki were the result of some sort of wild-magic mutation before the Calamity, though this has yet to be proven.
Kiriki in the Eastern Green Sea live either in small communities or else roam their own vast territories with only a partners and/or their children. On very rare occasions they may be found in human settlements. Their preferred habitat is mountainous, often inhabiting cliff-sides where their gliding ability proves most valuable. They are primarily carnivorous, feeding on mountain goats, sheep, and other wild fauna, including certain magifauna. They have mastered some level of agriculture, with certain communities growing fruit orchards, with fruits acting as luxury goods within Kiriki culture, eaten at special occasions. Most Kiriki are either monogamous or form groups of three or four, the construction of such unions varies. For those who choose the more solitary option, they will meet with their neighboring kin, typically twice a year, in time with the solstices. Kiriki are capable of learning and speaking in most human and hillfolk languages, though they prefer to speak in their own deep and growling languages.
Picuted above: a kiriki
Bikazubalat : Creatures born from Calamity
These creatures/species are the direct result of wild-magic originating from the Calamity or else from some other source of wild-magic. Not all Bikazubalat represent species, as at times individuals may be affected by wild magic. Although not covered in detail here one of the most common forms of wild-magic mutation is magical gigantism/dwarfism, in which when exposed to magic in utero certain species may grow to unusually large or unusually small sizes.
Jalistekiru (Great Gull)
Pictured above: a Jalistekiru
The Jalistekiru sometimes called Potion-birds, native to the cliffs and rocky isles of northern Green Sea, is a strange beast. Originating from an unknown gull species, exposed to magic in the post-Calamity period, these four-legged horse-sized seabirds are the terror of merchants sailing the seas near western Makora. Flocks of up to sixty nest together and will act in a hostile manner towards anything, including ships that draw too near. Pairs mate for life, producing approximately 4 eggs over the course of a typical 25 year lifespan. Korithian experts estimate that approximately 8 such flocks currently exist in the Green Sea. Aside from territorial attacks, jalistekiru have been known to attack sea-side villages and cities. Aside from their size and their unpleasant tendency of swallowing their prey whole, prey which can at times include livestock and small people including children, they have a strange magical adaptation.
Jalistekiru have a specialized organ in the throat which produces a thick oil which can then be violently expelled from the mouth at distances of up to 40 ft. The beast consumes magical plants and animals, thus transferring the effects of their magical diet into this oil. Depending on the diet of the jalistekiru in question, the exact effect of this ‘potion’ can differ. Jalistekiru in certain locations have been reported to be able to spit fire, others cause potent hallucinations. In rare cases jalistekiru may inadvertently create beneficial compounds, including ones capable of healing certain diseases, or even imparting temporary sage-like abilities.
For this reason brave (or perhaps foolish) plantbrews and scholars travel to nesting sights, dressed in expensive protective suits in hopes of collecting the oil for use in potions. It is a highly dangerous endeavor, and one which only the most skilled survive.
Jalistekiru are preyed upon by aquatic magifauna including tiamawa, gabrisu, and bisku, as well as by certain human populations. Though the flesh supposedly tastes fishy and unpleasant, it can at times provide certain benefits, including a temporary resistance to the effects of wild-magic. For this reason the meat of jalistekiru is often sold to those traveling to dangerous regions, or as a temporary cure to the effects of certain magic-based inflictions.
Hashudiku (Bone Man)
Pictured above: a male hashudiku
These strange hairless and unsettling creatures are the descendants of an unknown group of humanoids twisted by wild-magic, either humans or some have suggested giants. For this reason it is initially tempting to classify this species as forestfolk, however the species is non-sapient, the intellectual capabilities no greater than that of a common jackal.
These nocturnal wanderers are named for their favorite food, corpses. Though despite what their name suggests these creatures prefer the freshly dead, leaving the bones rather than eating them.
Upon finding a corpse, these creatures will emit a vile smelling fluid from glands located near the anus. This fluid serves to scare off all other scavengers.
This particular feeding system is particularly problematic for the Kishite people. Kishite burials are open, exposing the dead to nature, encouraging its eventual degradation at the hands of scavengers, as this is believed to replenish the health of the natural world and to appease spirits. However, by disrupting the natural cycle of scavenging and decomposition, the hashudiku threatens this concept of giving the body back. As a result it is typical for Kishites to hold vigils around the bodies of the dead, watching for hashudiku until the first scavengers, usually birds, arrive.
Hashudiku only attack living humans on occasion and given the chance to prefer corpses, however predation on living populations is not entirely unheard of. At approximately 6ft at the shoulder and armed with powerful hands and hyena-like teeth, bone men have little problem subduing lone humans. In places where carrion is scarce they may make off with livestock or travelers. They have been known to stalk armies, dragging away the dead and wounded in the aftermath of battles. A small population stalks the dark sewage tunnels beneath Labisa, where they live off the waste, and occasionally on unfortunate workers who happen to wander into their path. Efforts to exterminate this species from the lands around major cities has largely proven ineffective. The haunting and screaming cries of the creatures can be heard echoing through the forests of much of the Green Sea when the sky is clear and the moon is high. It is estimated that approximately 5,000 live in Kishetal alone.
Hashudiku mating is a violent affair, females are approximately 20% larger than their male counterparts, and in 68% of cases will kill and subsequently cannibalize their male counterpart after copulation is complete. The hashudiku gives birth to up to four young, though they only have two teats, as a result it is typical for the weakest two young to be abandoned.
One Kishite scholar once attempted to educate an abandoned pup, hoping to rekindle the light of sapience in the species. Well successful in teaching the creature some commands, the scholar was ultimately killed and consumed after missing a feeding session.
While magical in origin, the species has no innate magic qualities.
Hashudiku serve as prey to lions, bears, hyenas, flesh-eating deer, certain draconic species, and kiriki on rare occasions.
Rarakalu (Yap Dog)
Pictured above: a rarakalu
These strange arboreal creatures grow little bigger than the size of a housecat. Despite the translation of their name, Yap Dog, this funny creature actually descends from the striped hyena. This species is capable of perfectly replicating any sound that it hears, regardless of volume or origin, this includes being able to recreate multiple sounds at once. Yap dogs have been known to mimic the sounds of marching armies, roaring dragons, avalanches, and even bards (both vocals and instruments). While this particular ability is magical in nature the exact nature of this magic has not yet been fully identified.
They most often use these sounds to scare off predators. It is not unusual for travelers through Kishetal, particularly in regions where conflict is common, to stumble on trees that seem to scream like dying men when approached, though these are in actuality Yap Dogs.
Yap Dogs live in small family groups, no bigger than 5 individuals. They feed on birds, small mammals, insects, and some fruits. Yap Dogs are accomplished climbers and jumpers, their prehensile tails allowing them to jump and swing from tree to tree, and they rarely if ever descend from their arboreal homes.
Some have tried to keep the species as pets, though without proper enrichment the species does poorly in captivity. Some have successfully used the species for covert purposes, using the creatures as a sort of living tape recorder.
According to legend the Tamelian King, Haman, while wandering in the forest was led to his death after hearing the voice of his dead son deeper in the forest, in actuality a Yap Dog that had heard the young prince during a hunting trip. The king, blinded by grief and excitement, unwittingly ran into the Aratshin river and was carried away by the current to his death.
The species serves as prey to many creatures. It is estimated that 9,000 currently reside in Kishetal.
Olisakarala (Flesh-eating deer)
Pictured above: a female flesh-eating deer
The Flesh-Eating Deer are a monstrous species originally native to Kishetal that have since spread to surrounding regions. Sometimes called the Deer of Lat, this name stems from the semi-historical folk-hero, Lat, who it is said first encountered the creatures near the future site of the Kishite city of Bur. They descend from roe deer exposed to the magical blood of the deer-like monster called Jalluka, killed by Lat.
The deer are quite easy to separate from their plant-eating cousins. They have comparatively bulky bodies and are far larger on average then most other deer. Their eyes are front facing.
The teeth of this species are specifically adapted for the consumption of both meat and bone. The dental structure is best compared to that of a spotted hyena. The largest individuals rival moose in size and may reach weights of half a ton.
Males typically present with long bushy tails. Does and Bucks alike possess antlers, used in some courtship rituals. Unlike other species, antlers are not used in mating rituals. Rather male deer compete by creating caches of food (these meat stores may be composed of hundreds of prey items in some instances). As a result male deer are particularly aggressive during the breeding season and will often actively hunt down humans.
Deer typically in small packs of between 3 and 8 individuals typically led by a dominant pair. Anywhere between 500-1000 currently inhabit the forests and hills of Kishetal. Their behavior is somewhat similar to that of gray wolves.
Unlike other deer, Deer of Lat do not shed their antlers, and antlers will continuously grow over the course of their life unless broken or worn, in similar fashion to the teeth of a rodent. It is not unusual to see deer with small prey items skewered upon the antlers, with the antlers used as a sort of transportation method.
Deer are highly aggressive and will almost certainly prey on humans if given the chance. The Deer are immune to all diseases. Additionally it would seem the deer possess supernatural quietness, as despite their massive size, deer are capable of sneaking up on prey practically silently. The deer’s hide is supernaturally resistant against extreme cold. Despite the dangerous nature of the deer, the antlers are prized for use in weapons and jewelry. The hide with its magical properties is often used in the creation of cold-weather and mountain clothing.
Deer are only preyed upon by draconic species and the occasional kiriki. Humans have eaten the species before, but only for ceremonial purposes.
Aratku (Crocodile Men)
Pictured above: a young aratku
This amphibious species is originally native to Pyritia, particularly the Putla River of Nashawey. It is not entirely clear how the species found its way to Kishetal. Small populations can be found in parts of southern Kishetal alongside limited crocodile populations. At first glance the species appears to be reptilian, with large scale-like plates running down the back and paddle-like tail. However this species actually descended from magically mutated baboons. The scaly structures on the aratku’s body in actuality are keratinous, made of the same material as fingernails though far thicker. Their jaws are powerful, allowing for a varied diet of shellfish, nuts, tubers, and the bones and scraps leftover from crocodile kills. Despite its somewhat alarming appearance the species is relatively small, only about four feet on average from the nose to the tip of the tail. Behaviorally and ecologically the species is similar to otters, though they prefer to live in small communities of 6 to 20 individuals, dependent on local crocodile populations. Intellectually they typically seem to be on the level of a five-year old human.
Sometimes called crocodile herders, these strange creatures have evolved to live alongside crocodiles forming a symbiotic relationship in which the aratku through trickery and their powerful psychic manipulations lure prey towards the water for the crocodiles to feed on, while in turn the crocodiles guard aratku infants and the crude mud dens in which the aratku live.
Aratku are one of the only mortal beings able to initiate telepathy in the style seen by spirits communicating with seers. This allows for the aratku to enter the minds of potential predators or potential prey, including some humans. From there the aratku can, if not detected by the victim, produce visual and auditory hallucinations based on the memories of the individual, and can thus use these to either scare away or draw their target towards them.
Aratku are well-defended by their hard plates and by their crocodile companions, however they do occasionally fall victim to a number of large carnivores, including humans. In Apuna, aratku are viewed as a rare delicacy, their meat served during certain festivals. Around 43,000 live in the Putla River, approximately 52 live on the southern coast of Kishetal.
Nabikazubalat: Ancient Beings
Creatures which fall into the category of Nabikazubalat are those which are naturally magic, or else whose mutation pre-dates the Calamity. These are considerably rarer than their Bikazubalat cousins, at a ratio of about 1:8 for all magifauna species and individuals.
Inyara (Dragon)
Among the most prominent “families' ' within this group are dragons or"Inyara ". Inyara is a loose term used to refer to any large land or air-based reptilian creature of a magical nature that is not the result of wild-magic. Sapience varies among species. Among the inyara are also the Jalinyara, the Great Dragons. These represent specific individuals, unique specimens rather than species. The exact origins of these Great Dragons may differ, some may pre-date the Calamity, thus being some of the longest lived mortal beings on the planet, others may be the result of spirits breeding with magifauna, the resultant creature being the animalistic equivalent of the spiritblood. Below we will explore some of the specific examples of Inyara, starting with two species and then two Jalinyara.
Zinyara (Serpent dragon)
Pictured above: an adult zinyara
These serpentine creatures skirt the line between sea-dragons and true dragons, preferring a largely aquatic lifestyle. These creatures, while among the most common of the dragon species, are also among the smallest, only reaching a length of about 30 feet on average. These creatures inhabit deep rivers such as the Aratshin in Kishetal. This is a non-sapient species, and its origins are pre-Calamity.
Zinyarum spend much of their life sleeping, waking up only to eat and breed. Approximately 89% of this species’s 600 year lifespan will be spent in a deep hibernation like sleep, typically in caves or buried under silt and mud. While in this state these dragons do not need to breathe and may remain asleep for periods of almost 100 years. Upon waking however these dragons are voracious predators, and will gorge themselves, often consuming close to their own bodyweight before returning to their slumber. This species will feed on anything that it can fit in its mouth, a fact which becomes alarming when one considers that this particular species has been known to swallow wild cattle whole. Prey is incapacitated via a venomous bite or else via blows from their powerful paddle-like tail. The scales of these creatures have been compared to bronze, their toughness acting as protection against all but the most determined hunters and warriors.
This particular species breeds in the ocean, upon reaching maturity around the age of 600, males and females will migrate from the rivers and into the ocean where they will locate underwater vents and volcanoes. There they breed. The female of the species will ultimately die, the body sinking to the bottom, her body acting as a makeshift nest for the 1-4 eggs contained within her. Upon initially hatching the young are born with external gills, similar to certain fully aquatic salamander species. In the later stage of this fully-aquatic stage it is easy to confuse the undulating and gilled creatures for sea-serpents, and as with their older forms, these larvae can be voracious hunters, well known for attacking fishermen.
Over the course of twenty years the larvae will grow and develop, moving up through oceanic levels as it ages, eventually losing its gills and migrating to freshwater. It is not entirely what drives this migration.
Larvae and adults in the open ocean are a favorite food of gabrisa and occasionally tiamawa. The flesh is poisonous to humans, creating flu-like symptoms and ultimately respiratory failure. As with most toxins however, spiritbloods are not affected. The spiritblood Lat reported that the creature tasted similar to duck, though considerably more fishy.
An estimated 270 of these live around the Green Sea, with 7 existing in Kishetal.
Bushinyara (Bird dragon)
Pictured above: A male bushinyara
These beaked dragons can be found nesting on the highest peaks of the Green Sea including the Red Cedar Mountains. Intellectually they seem to be on the level of some corvids, capable of some tool use and abstract yet, bordering on though not quite achieving true sapience. They are the largest landlocked species in Kishetal. Including the whip-like tails these beasts can reach lengths of up to 80 ft. Despite this these creatures are surprisingly agile and light, this is primarily due to hollow bones and a system of air sac organs around the internal organs filled with a helium like gas. This not only serves to keep the creature light, but cushions the organs in the likely chance that the creature falls while in pursuit of prey. A bushinyara is capable of expelling this gas from the mouth and lighting it using a flint-like organ in the mouth. The resulting blast is often quite destructive, and it is typically not used for hunting. Rather this comes into play during territorial conflicts. During the mating season when dragons travel to strange peaks in search of suitable pairings, conflicts often erupt. The crack of the curling horns, the roars and screeches, and the crashing booms of gas explosions, echo through mountain valleys, often triggering avalanches.
Bushinyara typically live solitary lives, their territories often encompassing entire mountains. Young are reared by the male of the species which also incubates the eggs.
Bushinyara have a varied diet including humans, ibex, deer, and other creatures. However their favorite meal is another alpine species, the kiriki. As a result of this particularly dietary preference the two species are locked in an almost constant struggle. Kiriki warriors have been known to successfully kill and eat Bushinyara, though to do so is considered a heroic accomplishment indeed.
1 in every 28 Bushinyara are born with functional wings. The exact reason for this is unclear.
14 specimens are currently living in the Red Cedar Mountains, with a total of 77 existing around the Green Sea as a whole.
Jalinyarum (Great Dragons)
As explained previously the Jalinyarum (sg. Jalinyarat) do not represent a singular species but rather extraordinary and unique individuals. These two examples, Yud and Djikit, are quite different in origin, physical makeup, and intellect.
Yud is a pre-Calamity being, his origins known only to himself, though it is possible that he is a physical manifestation of magic or a spirit. He is fully sapient and fluent in 17 distinct languages. Yud is technically two beings, its first head going by the name Yu and the second going by the name of Ud. At the time of Narul Yud inhabited the ruins of the pre-Calamity city located in the Namutian Desert. Aside from his massive size and intellect, Yud is capable of producing powerful bursts of electricity from its mouth(s).
Yud is omnivorous, feeding on a mixture of plant matter and desert fauna. Despite its massive size, due to Yud’s largely sedentary nature, its diet is relatively limited.
Pictured above: Yud with the hero, Narul
Djikit is a post-Calamity being, born from the union of a mountain spirit and a bushinyara. It is believed that Djikit first appeared approximately 1500 years before the time of Narul, its creation orchestrated by the Shabalan King Naloch, as a weapon against his half-brother, Tamel. While Djikit was ultimately successful in driving Tamel and his followers from Shabala, the dragon then turned her focus on Shabala as a whole, terrorizing the cities and killing hundreds.
This has resulted in a massive and agile being, unmatched in her ferocity. Unlike Yud, Djikit is not sapient, and in fact seems to be less intelligent than her bushinyara ancestors. Djikit gorges itself indiscriminately, known to consume entire villages. Her fiery breath can exceed temperatures of 2000F, melting armor and weapons. Like the zinyara, Djikit hibernates for exceedingly long periods of time, up to 2000 years. Djikit is currently resting beneath the Jankipar Glacier north of Sinria.
Pictured above: Djikit
Lamalagru (Scorpion Badger)
Pictured above: a lamalgaru
These subterranean creatures are among the most valuable in the Green Sea. Possibly the creation of pre-Calamity researchers, these creatures are comparable in size to the common badger, however they may weigh up to 300lbs. This is because of their famed shells, made from various metals and stones. Scorpion Badgers have a supernatural ability to track down ores and stones, and its supernaturally powerful jaws and teeth allow it to consume these things, alongside its more usual diet of insects and rodents. Scorpion Badger teeth are one of the only materials in their world capable of carving through Arkodian Bronze. These inorganic materials are then integrated into the shell plating, accounting for its incredible weight.
Due to this the Scorpion Badger is incredibly slow, aside from its shell it makes up for this seeming advantage in two ways. The first way is fairly straight-forward, Scorpion Badgers are almost entirely subterranean, and may never surface. The second way is more devious, at the tip of the tail is a large venomous barb, capable of delivering an incredibly deadly toxin. The tail is covered in small movement sensing organs which act dependently of the central nervous system. As a result if approached from the back, such as in a tunnel, the tail will strike of its own accord, often without the badger realizing that it happens.
There is no cure for the toxin and death typically occurs within 4-10 minutes. Though not fatal, the toxin is one of the few which can produce adverse effects in spiritbloods.
Despite the dangers of the creature, they are still widely sought after, with all parts of the body being incredibly valuable. Shells, teeth, and the venom may each sell for the price of entire villages. As a result this particular creature is highly endangered, though because of its environment it is hard to make exact calculations as to their numbers. Scholars estimate 5 individuals currently exist in Kishetal.
Tiamawa (Sea Serpent)
Pictured above: a Tiamawa
The most common of the so-called sea dragons, these large marine reptiles hunt in packs of 3-4, feeding on large marine animals as well as unfortunate ships. Tiamawa are similar in shape to earth, plesiosaurs, though with a ridge of spines growing down the back which act as a defense against predation. An adult male Tiamawa will typically reach lengths of 90 feet from the tip of the nose to the tail. Tiamawum give birth to live young and are incredibly protective of their young. Like many bird species, they feed their young via regurgitation. Their favored hunting grounds are the eastern Green Sea, though they have been found as far north as the Polar Region. Individuals may live up to 80 years however a lifespan of 50-60 is more typical.
Much like dolphins Tiamawa move through the water using echolocation. This ability allows them to communicate, locate prey, and navigate the often murky or shadowy depths of their oceanic habitats. Despite being aquatic animals the Tiamawa has a surprisingly low lung capacity, only able to submerge itself for 5 to 10 minutes before needing to resurface. As a result the Tiamawa is primarily the upper layers of the ocean. It is fairly typical for individuals to swim with their heads above the water. This has proven quite useful for ship lookouts searching for signs of danger.
Tiamawum are both feared and revered by sailors and coastal inhabitants. While their presence often indicates a healthy marine ecosystem, their predilection for hunting ships makes them a significant threat to maritime activities, and their voracious appetite may at times threaten whale and porpoise populations. Encounters with Tiamawum are often the subject of harrowing tales among seafarers, and indeed the Tiamawa is amongst the most feared creatures on the open ocean.
Tiamawum are not entirely safe from predation and make up a central part of the diet of larger sea-creatures such as gabrisum. Humans and Bisku have both been known to occasionally kill serpents, typically using a mixture of harpoons and sagecraft.. Their hides are used to make waterproof clothing, or else may be hung as trophies. The meat is oily and unpleasant to taste, best left only for times of emergency.
Bisku (Water Man)
Pictured above: Two Bisku (Biskum) one is partially shifted.
The bisku is a species of sapient and highly magical pinnipeds. In their unaltered effect they appear similar to the non-magical splotchback seal. This has led some scholars to incorrectly assume that they are the result of post-Calamity mutations on this particular species of seal. However the bisku appear in the records of giants, some of which date to before the Calamity, and indeed the Bisku themselves describe their origin as far far in the past, before the Age of Glass and Metal. The easiest way to distinguish a bisku from a true seal, aside from asking it, is to look at the eyes. Bisku eyes present with pronounced whites, and are more similar to human eyes than of pinnipeds. The spoken Bisku language, of which there are 6 regional variations, is composed of grunts, barks, whistles, and clicks sounding almost unrecognizable as a language to those that do not speak it. However they are capable of learning and speaking in human tongues as well, though they rarely do so.
Bisku live in small matriarchal communities called shribaks, usually composed of 7 to 15 families. The largest of these exist near the isles of Dirsia and Ikenii, though 2 shribaks do exist in the isles north of Kishetal, near the city-state of Kirbal. One record indicates a village was made on the back of a gabrisa (see the following section.) Most have two homes, one built above the water on small islands and rocky shores, the other in the water. Bisku farm a number of aquatic and terrestrial plants which act to supplement their diet of fish, marine mammals, and shellfish.
Bisku have been known to domesticate certain species of porpoise as well as sea turtles.
Bisku are capable of metamorphosing, changing certain aspects of their body via the application of magic. This is accomplished by the consumption of magical algaes and bivalves which are farmed in secretive underwater locations. As a rule it seems, a bisku cannot change their parts into something with more mass than it already has, only something of the same mass or less.
One of the most common changes seen is the alteration of the limbs and the creation of opposable thumbs or even entire arms. Bisku can often be heard using their arms to play harps and drums while resting on the rocky outcroppings of the northern Green Sea.
The most skilled bisku are capable of full body transformations, including the adoption of human forms. Though visibly striking, these changes are not perfect. A bisku can change into a fish, however they will not produce functional gills and will still need to breathe air or a bisku that changes into a human will retain the rough and scratchy voice of its natural form. The longer a form is kept, the harder it becomes to change or undo. If a transformation is one in which a bisku loses mass, upon reverting back to its bisku form it will typically appear emaciated, and will need to regain that weight. Bisku legends abound with horror stories of bisku turning into something too small, such as a sardine or other small animal, and thus not being able to change back.
Bisku typically avoid interacting with humans and other terrestrial races as many superstitions surround them. Bisku are thought to bring bad luck to sailors and often fall victim to attacks or may become tangled in nets and lines. Additionally bisku skins have long been considered a luxury in certain parts of the Green Sea.
Despite this there have been instances of bisku in human form entering into relationships with humans. These relationships have produced young, these young are typically impossible to differentiate from humans, though it has been found that the rate of these children being born as sages (capable of sagecraft) is approximately 80% higher than in normal human births.
An estimated 12,000 live around the world.
Gabrisa (Whale Friend)
Pictured above: an adult Gabrisa with a pod of fin whales.
The gabrisa is the largest of the Sea-Dragons and the largest overall species on Kobani, in terms of both length and weight, though not the largest organism, as it is beaten out by certain Great Dragons. This massive serpent may reach lengths of approximately 700 ft and weigh upwards of 2,000 tons. Gabrisa are exceedingly rare, with only 207 existing across the globe. Gabrisa gestation is the longest of any organism on Kobani, at nearly 50 years, the lifespan of a gabrisa is approximately 300 years, a female is only capable of producing two young over the course of its life. Like the tiamawa, the gabrisa gives birth to live young, however unlike the tiamawa, the gabrisa does not not raise its young, rather it will leave its young in the care of a pod of whales, most often fin or sperm whales, though occasionally with other species. As the gabrisa grows in the company and cares for the whales it becomes the defender, fending off and eating anything which may threaten the pod.
Often the gabrisa acts as guardian of calves while the others feed. The gabrisa will mourn at the loss of those within its pod, and is deeply protective of them. Gabrisa will stay with a pod and its descendants until its death. Its horns and teeth are used in defense of its pod and in battles by mothers over a pod to raise their young. A gabrisa diet includes sea-plants, krill, fish, sharks, and other sea-serpents. Gabrisa are typically slow moving creatures, expending little energy. They communicate in song, able to mimic and understand the calls of their host species. In addition, bioluminescent patches along its body create colorful light shows, both to warn potential predators and to communicate to other gabrisa when the time to mate comes. Due to their relatively small numbers, many gabrisa will never mate or meet another of their species.
Gabrisum are seen as symbols of good luck, as their presence scares away smaller and more dangerous species of serpent. Often they act as living reefs, attracting thousands of species which take shelter amidst its 10 flippers and under its many scales. This makes gabrisum great boons for fishermen who may purposefully cast their nets in the vicinity of these giants. Gabrisum are non-hostile towards humans, and will show some curiosity towards ships and humans in the water, however they will also attack vessels that they perceive to be a threat to their pod. One legend tells of an entire Arkodian fleet being sunk by a vengeful gabrisa after accidentally killing a whale calf.
Gabrisum are highly intelligent, there is some debate as to whether or not they should be considered as a sapient species, they are comparable intellectually to certain dolphins and toothed-whales.
Conclusion
Pictured above: a map of the Green Sea
This is just a small introduction to some of the magical beings of the Green Sea, there are hundreds more inhabiting every biome, ranging in size from the great Gabrisa to microscopic organisms. I hope that you enjoyed this and I welcome any questions that you have!
I forgot how lonely it is to write original fiction.
Where are the kudos? The subscriptions? The comments? The people cheerleading me chapter to chapter? Where are the kind words and compliments and reassurances that what I'm writing isn't complete crap? Where are the unhinged emojis? The asks on Tumblr? Where are my mutuals in my dms apologizing for not reading the latest chapter right away (side note, you know you don't have to apologize at all, right??). Where is the fanart? Where are the recs?
Where is my motivation to keep going?
It's something I've been thinking about a lot, actually, lately. How the experience of writing fanfic is so unique. How you already have an audience, willing and waiting and captive. And that's really it, isn't it? You have an audience. It's almost performative, writing fanfic. It's being on a stage, a one-person show (or two, if you do it with a friend); it's getting live reactions to your performance, it's feeding off the energy of the crowd and informing it back in a feedback loop; it's improvised, sometimes, in almost-real-time. It's building something that you couldn't have built by yourself. A thing that takes on a life of its own.
It's an experience you can't get writing original fiction, and, honestly, not having it is making it hard to write something original at all.
It's where it always was before fanfic, before online support; before recs, before asks, before moots, before fanart.
It's in realizing you're the story's only way out into the world.
In a world full of gatekeeping, this is the gate that only you keep. Turn your back on the responsibility to open the portal to the unborn (original) story and keep it open, and the story dies. And that death is on you.
Yes, it's lonely work, without the constant rush of input we've been trained to be used to. It's been lonely work for a long time: since the first storyteller came up against the silence that wanted to keep the story away from the breath that would make it real in other people's ears. And you could make a case that all the online adornments are just our recent generations' way of keeping both the storytellers and the listeners from being overwhelmed by that loneliness. (Because the listeners have their own version of it: the fear of what happens when the people who can tell stories fall silent. Good storytellers respect that fear, and remember every day their responsibility to do something about it.)
Where do the characters come from? A surprising amount of the time, without warning, they muscle their way into the back of your brain and grab you by the hand (or hair) (or throat) and shout Tell about me! You have to tell them, there's no one else who can do it! ...Sometimes you have to sneak up on them from behind, as you do get the shy ones occasionally whom you have to take by the hand and pull into the light. But give them enough silence—build the space for them—and they'll come.
The silence may be key. One of the smartest pieces of advice I was ever given was that, for half an hour in the morning every day, before starting work, I should sit down and do nothing, and listen. No music, no TV, no news, no reading, no nothing. Sit and listen. It's not meditation; it's not mindfulness. It's listening. Story's voice can be hard to hear, sometimes, until you get better at pushing aside all that relentless rush of situational and sensorial input, and better at waiting to hear the story that's as yet too frail to push its way through the portal without assistance.
To be clear: Fanfic work (or any work in universes not of your making) is a different kind of listening. Working well in already-extant universes requires sharp attention to the tones, concerns and qualities of voices already speaking there; and to a certain extent, to the voices speaking about them. And if you love the characters, too—one of the best reasons for fanfic, really—that's a pleasure.
But when working in your own universes, the listening also requires a selective quality, as the characters find their voices and their proper passions. And as for the love... you're the only one there is to love them, till you get them out into the world. If you've ever been the only one to love somebody, you know how tough that can be.
Then add to that the fillip that those people (or situations) won't be really real until you've worked with them long enough, hard enough, all by yourself? It's a tough row to hoe. And you can't ever be really sure that a summer will come to reveal whether the crop's taken root, and whether it's all been worthwhile.
Nonetheless: it's good work. Some of us don't seem able to stop. Some of us even like it that way.
When you're ready, take that leap and come join us.
This limited series will be my re-write of the hit movie sensation Saltburn. It will be a TRR AU, and include the iconic and infamous bathtub scene, vampire scene, and the cemetery scene. Because it’s me, there will pushing of boundaries. (Chapters will be appropriately tagged with content warnings)
If you are unfamiliar with Saltburn, on the surface it appears to be the story of an unlikely friendship between outsider Oliver/Ollie (Drake Walker) and rich, popular Felix (Liam). However, it quickly devolves into an intricate web of obsession, deceit, depravity, and murder.
Trailer: Saltburn | Official Trailer (youtube.com)
Not saying I will do the original story any justice, but hopefully I achieve my objective of crafting an enjoyable story that is both similar to and vastly different from its inspiration, while still able to toss a few twists and surprises in.
Chapters will be posting soon. (I know I say that alllll the time, but promise I am working on them now) Order of and titles of chapters may change.
Cast of Characters:
Drake Walker: the outsider who infiltrates everyone’s lives
Liam Rhys: rich, popular, living a frantic life at a frenetic pace
Regina Rys: Liam’s stepmother; pompous, prideful, a bit daft
Constantine Rys: Liam’s father, he knows more than he tells
Riley: Liam’s wife; blunt, erratic, and mentally ill … but not stupid
Madeleine: Regina’s cousin (once removed), who has outlived her usefulness in all ways
Maxwell: Childhood friend who has fallen on hard times and found a soft place to land
Leo Rys: Liam’s half-brother, a member of the duchy’s constabulary; Drake looks very familiar to him
Katie: Leo’s wife; her motto is “touch but don’t look”
Savannah Walker: Drake’s estranged sister
Jackson and Bianca Walker: Drake’s parents
Casey Valentine: Drake’s ex-situationship
Bastien & Gladys: Long-time servants at Stormholt; they came with the house
“No, going back means more travel time. We need to get to where the God told us to go. That is logical.” Shenzu spoke with a more pronounced roll to his words, the urgency of what they’d been told echoing in his mind. His kind, reptilian and ancient as the lands they walked on, were known to live for more than a hundred years on a frequent basis, maintaining their limberness throughout their lives. But the prospect of losing even a moment of that time had enraged the man, burning under his scales. The group argued back and forth for a few minutes, weighing the pros and cons of either passage, before Dante spoke. He had said very little since they had escaped the monument, and the rest of the group grew quiet with his words.
“I know a port town, it’s the closest to here. But we’d have to go through the desert. We could be there in three days; any other route could take upwards of ten. Al-Haffra is the closest to us. We should go there.” A gust of wind kicked up the sands around them as they took a minute to ponder the decision.
“It’s good to know someone knows where we are.” Armand hoisted his war hammer, “Which direction?”
“All this means is that we really do not have time to waste. There’s a chance this can be reversed. If we stop that bastard we can get the orb. Maybe we can get our years back.” Armand looked at the sorry group who sprawled about him. Only Shenzu and Dante remained standing with him, the rest had taken to the comfort of the warm sand that surrounded them.
“What if he died in the collapse?” Shenzu asked in his thick accent, his slitted eyes gazing at the space where the monument used to be.
“I don’t think he would have done what he did if there was a chance he wouldn’t survive it. He could have been the one to bring us out of there. We just don’t know. He spoke like he knew us all. I’d bet what’s rest of my life on him having of made it out just fine.” Armand raised a hand and stepped closer to the disturbed sand that had taken the monuments place. His palm began to glow and his eyes sparkled with a white light that danced across his pupils, “I sense no evil remaining here, but nothing good remains either. Only emptiness. Like the rest of this desert.”
“I don’t want to ruin this moment you’re all having, but I could really go for some stew right now.” Vestare had recovered from her retching and had sat next to Dank, a hand covering her eyes as she gazed up at the tall human before her. Armand rolled his eyes as she continued, “I’m serious, I’m a good cook. We catch a rabbit, I’m sure the weird herb-Orc has something we could use for seasoning, I could make us a mean stew.”
“First, no. Second, we don’t have any of those items, not even a pot; how you would even begin to imagine accomplishing that eludes me. And lastly, and this is the most important: no.” Armand’s tone was one of annoyance and fatigue, as if dealing with the group was a most unsatisfying chore. Vestare grumbled, “If I’m gonna die, I’d prefer doing so with a full stomach.”
Large chunks of rock began to fall from the ceiling, and they all tensed waiting for the end to come.
Then they stood in the desert, unstable on suddenly upright legs as the monument, Air’s Rock, was swallowed into the sands, never to be seen again. Their weapons, which had lain in a pile around where they’d fallen in the monument, were returned to their rightful places on their persons. A hot wind bore down on the group as they stood on the same dune they had crested when they entered the cube.
“What happened?” Vestare leaned forward and emptied her stomach onto the sand in front of her. Dank followed shortly after as the rest held their tongues, forcing their stomachs to settle. Orlogg still gripped Dantes hand in his and began to look about, covering his eyes with his free hand. A wave of vertigo hit the half-Orc and he plopped to the ground, almost bringing Dante with him.
“I didn’t do that.” He muttered to his friend. Dante patted his head, “I know Orli.”
Armand stood straight, flexing his hand, “I feel weaker. Like I’ve lost something. My arms burn and my shoulders ache.”
“Yes, that bastard took a lot from us; from the way he spoke, I imagine it was years off our lives.” Dank spit the last of the bile from his mouth but still stood in a hunched position, one hand resting on Vestare’s back as she continued to heave.
Perhaps they ought not to have eaten the dragon. There had been people objecting to it at the time. Surely such meat was poisonous. Perhaps it was even an affront, an insult to some intangible order of nature they ought to honour.
But the city was starving, the siege had gone on too long, and the king's troops were still a week's march away. The scorched earth would be fertile again in time, but right now it was barren. Right now there were mouths to feed. So they changed their crossbows for butcher knives and got to work.
None of the royal commanders asked any questions that could not be answered. After all, their aid had come shamefully late. The dragon's horned skull made a noble gift, a fitting tribute from a triumphant city to its humbled king. Who would have thought to question them?
And none of the townsfolk spoke up, when the first golden-eyed babes were born. Children who grew up barefoot and fearless, clambering over the city's patched and rebuilt roofs like they had no notion of falling, with a strange glitter to their skin when the sunlight hit it just so. No one breathed a word about dragons.
Because soon enough there were deft, young hands taking loaves straight out of the oven, heedlessly lifting iron from the forge, plunging into boiling laundry water. And some of them more wondrous still, wild, warm-skinned youths, with inexplicable knowledge and peculiar remedies.
A blessing, their families said proudly. A blessing after so much hardship. Which it was, in its way. This city would never fear dragon fire again.
When the man reached the door he turned and spread his arms theatrically, “Now this temple, this monument to divination, can’t remain. If Servance doesn’t want to face me himself, I will continue to destroy all his hiding spots until he can run from me no longer.” A series of dark tendrils began to swirl and climb up the back of the Elf, wrapping themselves around his wrist and combining with the energy growing in his palm. He began to mutter an incantation and Dank groaned.
“Oh shit.” The ground beneath the group began to shudder and rock. There were loud cracks as the ceiling above shattered, sand beginning to pour through the holes from above. The Elf laughed and retreated the way he had come.
“I’m sure we’ll meet again. I haven’t been lucky in years and I won’t begin to count on it now.” He called over his shoulder.
“Asshole.” Vestare coughed, blowing the growing pile of sand away from her face. Orlogg used the last of his strength to reach for his friend, Dante, grasping his hand as he searched his brain for the spell to get them out of the room.
Hera: To Touch the Heavens First Look - Chapter One
The release of Hera: To Touch the Heavens is right around the corner, so as a little thank you for your support I'm releasing the first chapter below the cut!
A tear slid down the old woman’s cheek, illuminated like a drop of sunshine in the light of the lanterns. Her gaze passed from Rynn to Kilderan, and that was when she had begun to weep, otherwise silent in the wooden chair she had seated herself in.
Rynn reached for Kilderan’s soft hand and felt reassured when his brother clutched his hand back.
The four of them bowed low and silent as the high priestess’ gray eyes flooded with tears. Her breathing was faint, and she never removed her gaze from Kilderan.
Rynn did not understand why she was staring so intently at Kilderan, but he felt even more confused watching them; so he instead studied her robe and the string of glinting beads around her wrist.
She muttered something Rynn did not hear, but Kilderan dipped his head further behind the boy.
Velle Deka then spread her arms and looked up at Aome.
“Mother Deka,” Aome murmured, falling into the woman’s outstretched arms.
Though she embraced the young woman, the high priestess’ gaze bore into Rynn. When Aome pulled away, Velle Deka spoke. “Daughter...Aome… We thought your mission went awry. When we didn’t hear word… Ah, well, no use dwelling on what didn’t happen. Have you come all this way with the celestial children?”
The priestess began to nod but then halted. “Well, almost.”
“Wait,” Yojackson said. “You know that Kip’s also a celestial child?”
Velle Deka nodded solemnly, dabbing at her eyes with a cream-colored handkerchief she produced from the folds of her garb. “You have united the two celestial sons.”
Aome’s lips parted. “Kilderan found his brother and brought him away from Arsteine.” She lowered her gaze. “I was the one who told them about you and encouraged them to return.”
Velle nodded in understanding. “Show me the blood,” the old woman muttered, turning to Rynn. “Let me see the luster.”
Rynn swallowed and glanced over his shoulder up at Kilderan, who pressed his lips into a firm line.
“Is that really necessary?” Kilderan asked faintly.
Velle Deka eyed him and then held out her hands towards Rynn.
The boy turned to his brother. After a few heartbeats of morose hesitation, Kilderan bent, brandishing his dagger. He gingerly clasped Rynn’s wrist and pressed the cold blade into his flesh.
“Ow,” Rynn whimpered. He looked up at Kilderan, whose eyes had flashed.
Soon the pale skin was broken, but as little as possible, and a flood of deep crimson blood, faintly glittering, gushed forth from his arm.
Rynn had forgotten that the blood of the stars flowed in excess, and once he remembered, he winced.
Kilderan’s fingers lingered on Rynn’s arm and Rynn continued to look up into the wide, pale blue eyes that stared upon him before turning to Velle Deka.
She sighed contentedly and took his arm in her ancient hands, studying the celestial blood. Her eyelashes were dotted with teardrops, minuscule diamonds twinkling in the light. She looked up at Kilderan again. “After this, never let those veins bleed again.”
Kilderan frowned, which diminished his now-soft expression.
Yojackson shoved past Kilderan and placed his hands on his hips, staring down at the seated priestess. “We need to know where the celestial spring is in order for that to happen.”
“You have the pendant?” Velle Deka asked.
Aome promptly lifted the silver chain from her neck and handed it to the elderly lady.
Rynn studied the ivory pendant that was carved with an image of the galaxy’s three suns. He wondered how the high priestess would be able to use it to disclose the location of the spring that Kilderan so desperately needed to take him to.
The high priestess turned the pendant in her hands, examining it sentimentally and almost lovingly.
“Aren’t you going to, I don’t know, read the necklace or something?” He had meant no offense, and his eyes were round in innocence. “We need to know the spring’s location as soon as possible.”
The woman used her handkerchief again before her eyes brightened and she began to chuckle at Yojackson, the cracked sound filling the small safe room.
The criminal frowned and glanced at Aome.
Velle Deka continued to laugh for a long moment and eventually she said, “The pendant has nothing to do with the location of the spring.”
Yojackson’s mouth fell open. “You mean to tell me that we just risked our necks in that blasted palace to get a worthless piece of junk?”
Aome glared at him and then said, “Mother, there has to be some explanation.”
Velle Deka blinked. “I need that pendant as much as you need me to divulge the location of the celestial spring. That pendant is the only way I can be certain that I will be safe when I reach my next destination.”
Aome’s brow creased. “You’re not staying in the hiding place? What about…about the temple?” She grew somber.
Velle tilted her chin towards the priestess. “This is only a temporary safe place. I cannot stay here forever. But there is somewhere, someone, who will allow me to take refuge with them if I show them that pendant.” She tapped a frail finger to the necklace in her palm.
“Will you tell us where the spring is? We can’t stay here either,” Kilderan said.
Velle Deka brushed her long, silver waves over her shoulder and pulled back the sleeve of her robe, revealing her fair skin.
Rynn squinted. Tattooed on the high priestess’ arm was a curious cluster of stars and planets. Altogether it was a brilliant, intricate masterpiece that was stitched into the old woman’s skin, but he did not comprehend its significance.
The elder ran her finger along the tattoo until she reached a constellation sitting amongst legions of ink specks, fainter than the rest of the design. “This is the constellation, Ormena, over the celestial pool. This is what you’re looking for. Reach Ormena’s lucida and you’ve reached the spring.”
Rynn turned to look upon Kilderan, whose gaze had become distant, pondering.
“The most highly guarded secret in the entire galaxy and it’s tattooed on your arm?” Yojackson asked rather curtly.
Aome made a face at him. “In plain sight,” she mused, “where no one would ever consider. This whole time…”
“How far is it?” Kilderan asked, stepping closer to the priestess, though he limped. “How far from where we’re standing right this instant?”
Velle Deka shook her head. “No one knows where it is, no one has ever been able to locate it.”
“Then how do you know it even exists?” asked Kilderan.
“Because of you and your brother.” Velle Deka’s eyes shone.
“Forgive my ignorance,” Yojackson began, milder after two glowers from Aome, “But what exactly is this spring anyway? I’ve heard the stories, but always sort of believed them to be just that. —Until I met Kip, of course,” he quickly added.
The high priestess folded her hands. “The celestial spring is a mystery I believe not even the goddesses understood. It is the gateway between the world of light and stardust and the world of flesh and blood.” She glanced at Kilderan, and then at Rynn. “It is what allowed the goddesses to assume their mortal forms and rule over the planets in the first place. By delivering Rynn to the spring, you are enabling him to pass into the realm of the stars.”
Yojackson scratched his chin and inhaled, preparing to speak, but Velle Deka silenced him, peering at the criminal as if she knew what he was about to say.
The high priestess stood and began to rummage through the charred satchel sitting against the wall. Soon she turned back to them with a small pot of ink and a slender brush. She beckoned to Kilderan, and he sidled up to her, dragging his injured leg behind him.
Rynn watched as the old woman rolled up the sleeve of Kilderan’s shirt and swirled the brush in the ink. He glimpsed the faint bruises on Kilderan’s wrist, as well as the staining bandage. Velle Deka brushed one of his bruises gingerly with the pad of her finger, and she gazed empathetically into his eyes. “You’re safe now.”
Rynn found himself pinned under the stare of his brother’s cold blue eyes, and so he stepped towards Kilderan and watched as Velle Deka painted the image of the constellation Ormena onto Kilderan’s skin with the dark ink.
After she had finished, Kilderan’s forearm bore the lines and dots of the constellation’s peculiar arrangement. “The constellation, as I said, has never been found in the sky by the priestesses, by anyone. But when you see it, it will be unmistakable. But do not go at this moment. Rest here for the night and in the morning, leave as soon as possible,” the high priestess instructed them.
Aome approached the high priestess and the celestial children. “Thank you, Mother Deka. We’ll never be able to repay you.”
“Honoring the goddesses’ memory is enough, Daughter. What have I been telling you your entire life?” She smiled at the young woman.
Aome lifted her head and a smile came to her lips before she dipped her head to the celestial priestess and joined Rynn, Kilderan, and Yojackson in settling into the small room.
Rynn’s eyes shot open, though he was still half asleep. His ears were filled with a furious pounding overhead that was coming from the world outside the hiding place. He believed it to be torrents of rain, but a dizzying sensation seized his head and his veins pulsed, making it seem otherworldly. Rynn swallowed and gripped the thin blanket Velle Deka’s entourage had provided for him.
The storm continued to assail the roof of the tunnel—which was really the ground—with heavy raindrops and pieces of debris that made an awful clamor when they collided with the hidden tunnel.
Rynn sat up, fearful. His veins seemed to writhe beneath his flesh. He glanced over at where Kilderan was sleeping on the floor, with Yojackson and Aome lying in their respective bedrolls a little ways away—Rynn had been given the cot. He started when a loud clang sounded overhead.
Rynn swung his legs over the edge of the cot before tearing the blanket off of them and slinking to the other side of the small room.
Quietly and carefully, he spread the bedding next to Kilderan, whose face was drowning in his long, mussed-up hair.
Rynn glanced up at the ceiling when the thunder shook the ground above them, but he felt safe sleeping closer to his companions and his brother.
“Rynn,” Kilderan whispered, though his eyes were still closed.
Rynn jumped before rolling onto his side to face Kilderan. “I can’t sleep. It’s too loud out there.” He did not want to tell Kilderan that a storm and the unfamiliar crumbling tunnel frightened him, if only slightly. Because despite the eerie phantasms that sleep twisted the shadows and the rain into, Rynn knew he was undoubtedly safe here.
“All right,” Kilderan muttered. “But try to fall back asleep. We have to leave very soon.”
Hera: To Touch the Heavens releases THIS SPRING! Reblog to spread the word and stay tuned for more updates and pre-release content <3
The orb raised up, leaving the grasp of the Elf whose chanting grew louder. A swirling red mist engulfed the orb as it pulsed above the team. From each of their bodies a glow emanated, similar in colour to what Armand conjured when he healed Vestare and Shenzu. The entire group writhed in agony as the shining light was ripped from their bodies. The golden mist swirled around the orb, lashing out for escape before being sucked in. The skin around the Elf’s eyes grew taut, and his hair grew brighter and blonder. His shoulders straightened, and his eyes brightened. The orb lowered into the Elf’s hands and he held it, walking around the group and to the statue. He searched the base for a moment before finding what he had been looking for. With a soft click, a small drawer opened on the leg of the statue and the Elf retrieved the contents. A small vial, filled with a sickeningly red liquid. He uncorked the vial and emptied the contents onto the orb, which pulsed musically in his hands as it absorbed the liquid entirely. When the last of the liquid was gone, he shuddered before putting the orb back into his cloak.
“That’s better. I don’t think you’ll be going far any time soon. I’d say that was close to two hundred years you all just lost. Sorry. I’ll put them to good use, don’t worry.” He tutted and walked past the group who lay exhausted on the ground, headed for the entrance to the room. Armand reached for his hammer but could do little more than wrap his fingers around the hilt.
