#true nightwings

[galaxy-alev]

How spelling errors get in the way of happily ever after

Happy Birthday, Oralech!

(I've just... ahem... been celebrating for a dozen days now, yeah...)

[vonvenerables]

Dreams of the Downside: Update!

Oralech is a doctor and according to type, neglects his own health. Just as well he has friends that will go to any lengths for him.

And by "any lengths", go shopping for him.

[sigillums]

MAKE ME CHOOSE

↳ anonymous asked: Oralech or Volfred

He was a physician. Intolerant of the sight of suffering, of any kind. Not just any physician, mind you. A gifted, highly decorated one. He served on the front.

[galaxy-alev]

WIP of Happy Birthday Oralech story!

[galaxy-alev]

The reference for the bravest and feistiest savage of the Downside is finally ready!

Gareph the Shipwright of the True Nightwings, here he comes!

Bunch of facts:

— His crescent moon-shaped mark (every savage has one) is under his eye, so he can't hide the fact that he's a savage

— It is very difficult for savages to find work, so Gareph ended up on the ship of a cruel and reckless captain

— He constantly felt the dissonance and tried to find the cause. It turned out that an unsuitable sapling had been put into the ship during construction (because of sapling, the ship seems to find its own way to the right shore), and a conflict of wood had arisen

— The others noticed nothing wrong, but felt the ship's disobedience. Gareph was asked several times to stop attracting bad luck with his search, and when he disobeyed, he was whipped so hard that he was left with lifelong scars

— Gareph did not give up and made decorations for the ship out of the right wood. The rowdy sapling calmed down and Gareph was allowed to apprentice as a shipwright

— The owner of the ship decided to get involved in smuggling. Gareph, as the most agile and nimble, climbed down into the crevice leading to the Downside and picked up amulets and stardust

— The messenger on the other side was the impess Iq'sa. Gareph didn't understand the language of imps, but he complimented her every time, and Iq'sa caught his intonation

— When the scam was uncovered, the owner bought off the judges by saying the smuggling was Gareph's personal initiative

— Gareph did not come at the proper time, so Iq'sa sensed something amiss and went to Sandfolds in search of him. There she found her featherless and joined him

— Gareph fell in love with flying blackwagons and wanted to know how they worked. He was told that the owners of the blackwagons always flew to the Mount Alodiel, so Gareph was determined to get there and find out more about them

— But instead of wagons, he found a newly transformed and bewildered demon. In return for the help, he told Gareph about the Triumvirates and the Rites

— Gareph and Oralech made a deal: Gareph would help him get free, and Oralech would send him rare goods from above. They found books, deciphered schematics, and built their own blackwagon

— At first they emphasized in every way possible that they were business partners, but over time this relationship evolved into a close friendship (and even something more)

— And when it was time for the final Rite, they realized that staying together was far more important to them than the deal and freedom

[galaxy-alev]

I love Gareph by @vonvenerables, this vibe of a ruff child who has finally found a strict but very caring big brother

[galaxy-alev]

And some more True Nightwings inspired by @vonvenerables

Gareph was sent to Sandalwood's school

(and they got cell phones in the Downside)

[galaxy-alev]

𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖉𝖚𝖊𝖑 𝖔𝖋 𝖍𝖔𝖓𝖔𝖗 𝖆 𝖑𝖆 𝕯𝖔𝖜𝖓𝖘𝖎𝖉𝖊

Sir Gilman: Sir, forgive this knight for not addressing you more respectfully, but your means of revenge are unacceptable!

Oralech: So what am I supposed to do?

Sir Gilman: You must challenge Master Sandalwood to a duel of honor! Choice of weapon--

Oralech: Great duel. The physician and the historian trying to stab each other! That rotten log doesn't even know which side to hold the sword on!

Sir Gilman: In that case, we must find some brave knights to fight on your behalf!

Oralech: It's all a bunch of hogwash!

Gareph: I like the idea! Let off steam, then do some chit-chat.

Sir Gilman: You describe the sacred ritual of a duel of honor too vulgarly, but in essence--

Oralech: Gareph, you too?!

Gareph: I'm done with freezing in the swamps! Gonna duff their nomad up and then finally talk!

Sir Gilman: Could this knight interpret your statement as a challenge?

Oralech: No! I did not consent to-- Stop, you undercooked noodle! Stop!

*a few hours later*

Sir Gilman: In the name of establishing justice, we are gathered on a star-blessed... khee... swamp to end years of strife through a glorious duel! Today, the former Master of the Nightwings Order, Volfred Sandalwood...

Sandalwood: I still find this idea highly questionable.

Sir Gilman: ...are fighting with Oralech, acting master of the True Nightwings Order!

Oralech: Idiotic.

Sir Gilman: Their seconds are Hedwyn the Deserter and Gareph the Shipwright. Exchange bows.

Hedwyn: *sharply nods*.

Gareph: *makes a mocking curtsy*

Sir Gilman: And the judges: this knight, who solemnly promises to act only according to the law, and--

Iq'sa: The magnificent and enchanting Lady Iq'sa!

Oralech: *facepalm*.

Sir Gilman: According to the fifty-third verse on chivalry of the Ores Codex, seconds are equal to knights of honor and shall fight among themselves if both duelists are from peaceful professions or have taken vows of nonviolence.

Hedwyn: So how does that apply to a military physician who spit on his vows from the heights of Alodiel?

Oralech: Oh, so you'd rather have your kidneys beat out by me personally?

Sir Gilman: As practice has shown, we have no evidence of a breach of physician's oaths.

Gareph: Are we just gonna keep talking?

Sir Gilman: Must choose the weapons. In a duel of honor, you may use swords, glaives, axes.

Gareph: Can we make allowances for the poor financial situation of the participants and fight with mallets?

Sir Gilman: In special cases it is allowed to fight hand-to-hand.

Hedwyn: Good, now I'm going to smack that desecrator of the Rites in the face!

Gareph: We're desecrators? It's shameful to look at your rabble from the stars, that's why the Scribes lost their nerves!

Hedwyn: You have defrauded the Rite system!

Gareph: And you rammed the blackwagons! You broke over the Tempers' trunk, you knocked down the Dissidents' zodiac, the Fates' blackwagon almost collapsed in mid-air!

Hedwyn: You got the drive-imps to pull the Pyrehearts' blackwagon aground!

Gareph: You put a spell on Lendel just because!

Hedwyn: And your demon got into the blackwagon and scared the Reader half to death!

Gareph: The Reader who gave the order to run him over with the blackwagon!

Hedwyn: So we're the villains and you're the nice and fluffy ones?

Gareph: We never thought we were good. And you sons of bitches are yelling on every corner what kind of good liberators you are! You accuse others of all deadly sins to make yourselves look better and cleaner against them!

Hedwyn: Come here, and I'll show you who is the son of a cur!

Sandalwood: My boy, calm down--

Gareph: I'd love to! Now I'll paint your pretty face in such a way that the Reader will never recognize it!

Oralech: Hey, you two! We agreed that you would fight for me and Sandalwood, not--

Gareph: To hell with your stupid squabbles!

*Hedwyn and Gareph throwing fists at each other*

Sandalwood: It's true what they say, like priest like people.

Oralech: Are you referring to yourself?

Sandalwood: Just thinking out loud. The wise one will understand.

Oralech: Your wisdom is beyond us, you shriveled splinter! Every word of Gareph should be written down and pasted under your agents' leaflets! A bunch of hypocrites!

Sandalwood: You're the one who provoked it.

Oralech: Me?! You think I encouraged Erisa to push me over the waterfall?

*they both lash out menacingly at each other*

Iq'sa: Hey, sir-wyrm, if both duelists and seconds are fighting, what are judges supposed to do?

Sir Gilman (confused): This knight knows of no precedent!

Iq'sa: Well, then the decision is obvious. For the True Nightwi-i-ings!!!