Lost Lambs, Lost Souls @the-wayward-flock - Tumblr Blog

{ @the-wayward-flock }

"Rami!!" *Chesed busted through the doors of the forge, a beaming smile on his face.*

"Make a new bellwether!" *He tells them, barely reining in his excitement.* "Woolhaven has just been graced with a miracle!"

(Rami) Wha-? Wait, what happened!? What miracle happened?

"It's Zainab! She just gave birth!" *Chesed clarified.* "We need a bell for the baby, it's tradition!"

woolhaven-defender

Just a heads up to moots and rp buddies i am going on vacation so stuff will be kept to a minimum

( @sheep-of-horn-avenue )

As the sermon concluded, residents started to gather into small groups as they poured out of the temple. That way they can get things done more efficiently. Levi, Makena, and Thaddeus were going to help rebuild the hospital, Asher, Noya, Ira, and Hava were going to help rebuild buildings.

Zainab, despite feeling fatigued, was getting ready to leave Woolhaven, her hands resting on her lap.

(Yorabba) *He entered the temple once he noticed people leaving, and made his way over to Zainab.*

How are you doing, Zain?

*He asked, holding out his hand to help her up.*

Zainab: I'm doing better then yesterday *she says, taking his hand.* Zainab: But my soul still feels...heavy. It leaves me fatigued...

*Her ghostly figure stands up, and she lets out a sigh*

Zainab: Are the children ready?

(Yorabba) The kids are playing with the others.

*He replied as he began to lead her to the designated clinic area of the temple.*

I want to check on your health, you don't seem fit for travel right now...

Zainab: I see *she lets out a giggle* Zainab: I guess whatever going on with me has me worn to the point I forget things... Zainab: Well, at least they'll have their fun.

*They entered the clinic area and she rests on one of the mats.*

Zainab: I really wished you attended the sermon with me...

(Yorabba) *He sighs, sitting next to her.* You know I'm not interested in offering devotion to her. I hesitated even letting you go to it to begin with..

*He huffed.*

Zainab: It would've done your heart some good...*she murmurs, leaning against his shoulder.* Zainab: Regardless of your lack of faith, The Cold Mother cares for her flock Zainab: The flock we're a part of...

*The air hung thick as the two remained silent, Zainab's train of thought circling around her head, her eyes closing yet not going to sleep.*

Zainab: ... Zainab: What do you think is wrong with me? *she asks, her eyes opening slightly.*

(Yorabba) *He takes her hand, holding it gently.*

I have no interest in hearing about a goddess I no longer worship. I'm no longer part of this flock.

*He lets the silence fall as he watches the other nurses helping other patients.*

My gut says you're pregnant, but surely that's impossible without a living body? I don't know, and it worries me....

*A hum slips out of her lips, thinking for a moment.*

Zainab: Well, sometimes blessings come in diguises...*she smiles briefly, pressing a hand over her abdomen before her lips slightly faltered.*

Zainab: I wouldnt say you're no longer a part of the flock.

Zainab: There's Temi, for starters. Koka and Chazaq you've known for quite some time....

(Yorabba) *He sighed again.*

It's not easy to distance myself, I just can't believe Yngya has the ability to protect us properly. Her failures put you in danger. That's what matters most to me...

Zainab: Abby, Zainab: You knew how desperate the bishops were...they were determined to kill both sheeps and goats in order to preserve their status in fear of their own kin.... Zainab: She won against them the first time, the bishops....and then, as I recall from whispers, they had a weapon made...to smite her specifically....how could any of us known..?

*She grimaced, feeling a harsh twing of pain in her abdomen, her ghostly figure flickering like a lightbulb*

Zainab, slowly regaining her composure: S-so... Zainab: The fault shouldn't be on Yngya, but rather the desperate, power-madded false phophets that killed our kind over selfish reasons...

(Yorabba) *He began to respond before noticing her form flicker, and he got up immediately.* Zain? There's definitely something more serious happening...

*He looks around*

Koka!

*Attention grabbed, she finished up a patient before approaching.*

(Koka) What's wrong? Is her condition worsening?

(Yorabba) She just...flickered during a wave of pain....

*The healer held herself, her body shaking as she could faintly hear a heart beating. It was safe to say…something serious is indeed happening…her ghostly figure flickered and sparked like as she let out a pained, strain yell, her eyes going blank and glowing a faint cyan color.*

AAAH!!!!!

*Her arms shook as she instinctively held them out, strained groans slipping through gritted teeth as ghostly aura floated out of her body and into her arms, forming into something….*

(Yorabba) Zain!

(Koka) What on earth...?

*both clamor to get a look, as well as a few others nearby wondering what the screaming was about.*

(Yorabba) What's happening?

*Chesed hurried over, hearing the commotion and worried something bad might've happened.*

"Everything okay? I just heard Zainab screaming bloody murder!"

*he then notices the bundle of wisps forming in Zainab's hands. He could tell this was not a normal occurrence, even for fellow ghosts.*

"Cold Mother! We need you!" *Chesed called out.* "Zainab is in pain and something is forming from her essence!"

{ @cold-mother-yngya @sheep-of-horn-avenue }

*Yngya appears nearby, and hurriedly approaches.*

What's happened? I feel my own magic. Did my blessing cause this?

Why, Zainab, are you in labor?

*Zainab couldn't answer as as she let's out another pained scream, her figure flickering rapidly before her body hunched over, bringing whatever formed in her arms close to her chest.*

*The air was silent sans for Zainab's panting in a attempt to gasp for air she no longer needed.*

......

*and then, the room started to fill with the sounds of a babys' cries...*

( @cold-mother-yngya @the-wayward-flock )

*Chesed's eyes lit up and grew wide with disbelief, joy, and excitement all at the same time, and he bolted to the forge like there was no tomorrow.*

( @sheep-of-horn-avenue )

As the sermon concluded, residents started to gather into small groups as they poured out of the temple. That way they can get things done more efficiently. Levi, Makena, and Thaddeus were going to help rebuild the hospital, Asher, Noya, Ira, and Hava were going to help rebuild buildings.

Zainab, despite feeling fatigued, was getting ready to leave Woolhaven, her hands resting on her lap.

(Yorabba) *He entered the temple once he noticed people leaving, and made his way over to Zainab.*

How are you doing, Zain?

*He asked, holding out his hand to help her up.*

Zainab: I'm doing better then yesterday *she says, taking his hand.* Zainab: But my soul still feels...heavy. It leaves me fatigued...

*Her ghostly figure stands up, and she lets out a sigh*

Zainab: Are the children ready?

(Yorabba) The kids are playing with the others.

*He replied as he began to lead her to the designated clinic area of the temple.*

I want to check on your health, you don't seem fit for travel right now...

Zainab: I see *she lets out a giggle* Zainab: I guess whatever going on with me has me worn to the point I forget things... Zainab: Well, at least they'll have their fun.

*They entered the clinic area and she rests on one of the mats.*

Zainab: I really wished you attended the sermon with me...

(Yorabba) *He sighs, sitting next to her.* You know I'm not interested in offering devotion to her. I hesitated even letting you go to it to begin with..

*He huffed.*

Zainab: It would've done your heart some good...*she murmurs, leaning against his shoulder.* Zainab: Regardless of your lack of faith, The Cold Mother cares for her flock Zainab: The flock we're a part of...

*The air hung thick as the two remained silent, Zainab's train of thought circling around her head, her eyes closing yet not going to sleep.*

Zainab: ... Zainab: What do you think is wrong with me? *she asks, her eyes opening slightly.*

(Yorabba) *He takes her hand, holding it gently.*

I have no interest in hearing about a goddess I no longer worship. I'm no longer part of this flock.

*He lets the silence fall as he watches the other nurses helping other patients.*

My gut says you're pregnant, but surely that's impossible without a living body? I don't know, and it worries me....

*A hum slips out of her lips, thinking for a moment.*

Zainab: Well, sometimes blessings come in diguises...*she smiles briefly, pressing a hand over her abdomen before her lips slightly faltered.*

Zainab: I wouldnt say you're no longer a part of the flock.

Zainab: There's Temi, for starters. Koka and Chazaq you've known for quite some time....

(Yorabba) *He sighed again.*

It's not easy to distance myself, I just can't believe Yngya has the ability to protect us properly. Her failures put you in danger. That's what matters most to me...

Zainab: Abby, Zainab: You knew how desperate the bishops were...they were determined to kill both sheeps and goats in order to preserve their status in fear of their own kin.... Zainab: She won against them the first time, the bishops....and then, as I recall from whispers, they had a weapon made...to smite her specifically....how could any of us known..?

*She grimaced, feeling a harsh twing of pain in her abdomen, her ghostly figure flickering like a lightbulb*

Zainab, slowly regaining her composure: S-so... Zainab: The fault shouldn't be on Yngya, but rather the desperate, power-madded false phophets that killed our kind over selfish reasons...

(Yorabba) *He began to respond before noticing her form flicker, and he got up immediately.* Zain? There's definitely something more serious happening...

*He looks around*

Koka!

*Attention grabbed, she finished up a patient before approaching.*

(Koka) What's wrong? Is her condition worsening?

(Yorabba) She just...flickered during a wave of pain....

*The healer held herself, her body shaking as she could faintly hear a heart beating. It was safe to say…something serious is indeed happening…her ghostly figure flickered and sparked like as she let out a pained, strain yell, her eyes going blank and glowing a faint cyan color.*

AAAH!!!!!

*Her arms shook as she instinctively held them out, strained groans slipping through gritted teeth as ghostly aura floated out of her body and into her arms, forming into something….*

(Yorabba) Zain!

(Koka) What on earth...?

*both clamor to get a look, as well as a few others nearby wondering what the screaming was about.*

(Yorabba) What's happening?

*Chesed hurried over, hearing the commotion and worried something bad might've happened.*

"Everything okay? I just heard Zainab screaming bloody murder!"

*he then notices the bundle of wisps forming in Zainab's hands. He could tell this was not a normal occurrence, even for fellow ghosts.*

"Cold Mother! We need you!" *Chesed called out.* "Zainab is in pain and something is forming from her essence!"

{ @cold-mother-yngya @sheep-of-horn-avenue }

*Malkuth went to see Aniel to check if she needed any assistance with anything, when he noticed the sword Mackenzie had recovered laying across the Flockade table, flanked by historical record books; the miniature decor for the game field currently on the shelves with the game piece statuettes for the moment.*

"Aniel! What's this sword doing here?" *He asked, watching as the historian was checking through the paperwork and examining the details on the sword's hilt.* "Usually Rami is the one who handles weapons, no?"

(Aniel) Oh! Yes! Usually! Frost, so much has been happening I haven't been able to look into it's history yet. Rami's working double time as well melting down building materials. I'm afraid the sword is a bit of a low priority at the moment.

"Ah, I understand." *Malkuth nods, taking another brief glance at the sword and comparing its shape to the swords held by the Flockade statuettes.*

"It does look the part at least." *Malkuth noted.* "Who did you say found this sword? and where did they find it to?"

(Aniel) A little ghost girl, Mackenzie. Lady Imora's kid I think. She got it in Anura, from a mushroom guy I think. I have the notes written somewhere...

*Malkuth's ears perked up at the mention of Anura.* "Anura, you say? There's a decent chance that Tiferet might've seen this 'mushroom guy' in the past." *He told her.* "Too bad she's already left for Anchordeep."

(Aniel) Perhaps. If you want, I'll let you study the sword. I'll take all the help I can get.

*She chuckled, glancing at her workload*

"Well, do you have any resources on the equipment used by Woolhaven's protectors?" *Malkuth asked.* "Without Tiferet here, I can't exactly confirm if this is exactly what she saw back in the day."

(Aniel) I do!

*She hurries over to a shelf.*

A lot of our stockade pieces have the swords, but also there's a rulebook that had little blurbs about the characters. You can try reading the swordsmen's., oh! There's also a blacksmiths ledger from around that time period!

*She hands over the books*

There's a couple scattered journal entries that mention their weapons, but I don't have time to annotate those.

"Thank you." *He picked up the ledger and the rulebook, flipping the latter open to the Swordsmen chapter so he could read about the historical figures the pieces were based upon.*

*He also opened the former and scanned its list of names and their equipment to correlate the two sources.*

*Malkuth went to see Aniel to check if she needed any assistance with anything, when he noticed the sword Mackenzie had recovered laying across the Flockade table, flanked by historical record books; the miniature decor for the game field currently on the shelves with the game piece statuettes for the moment.*

"Aniel! What's this sword doing here?" *He asked, watching as the historian was checking through the paperwork and examining the details on the sword's hilt.* "Usually Rami is the one who handles weapons, no?"

(Aniel) Oh! Yes! Usually! Frost, so much has been happening I haven't been able to look into it's history yet. Rami's working double time as well melting down building materials. I'm afraid the sword is a bit of a low priority at the moment.

"Ah, I understand." *Malkuth nods, taking another brief glance at the sword and comparing its shape to the swords held by the Flockade statuettes.*

"It does look the part at least." *Malkuth noted.* "Who did you say found this sword? and where did they find it to?"

(Aniel) A little ghost girl, Mackenzie. Lady Imora's kid I think. She got it in Anura, from a mushroom guy I think. I have the notes written somewhere...

*Malkuth's ears perked up at the mention of Anura.* "Anura, you say? There's a decent chance that Tiferet might've seen this 'mushroom guy' in the past." *He told her.* "Too bad she's already left for Anchordeep."

(Aniel) Perhaps. If you want, I'll let you study the sword. I'll take all the help I can get.

*She chuckled, glancing at her workload*

"Well, do you have any resources on the equipment used by Woolhaven's protectors?" *Malkuth asked.* "Without Tiferet here, I can't exactly confirm if this is exactly what she saw back in the day."

*Malkuth went to see Aniel to check if she needed any assistance with anything, when he noticed the sword Mackenzie had recovered laying across the Flockade table, flanked by historical record books; the miniature decor for the game field currently on the shelves with the game piece statuettes for the moment.*

"Aniel! What's this sword doing here?" *He asked, watching as the historian was checking through the paperwork and examining the details on the sword's hilt.* "Usually Rami is the one who handles weapons, no?"

(Aniel) Oh! Yes! Usually! Frost, so much has been happening I haven't been able to look into it's history yet. Rami's working double time as well melting down building materials. I'm afraid the sword is a bit of a low priority at the moment.

"Ah, I understand." *Malkuth nods, taking another brief glance at the sword and comparing its shape to the swords held by the Flockade statuettes.*

"It does look the part at least." *Malkuth noted.* "Who did you say found this sword? and where did they find it to?"

(Aniel) A little ghost girl, Mackenzie. Lady Imora's kid I think. She got it in Anura, from a mushroom guy I think. I have the notes written somewhere...

*Malkuth's ears perked up at the mention of Anura.* "Anura, you say? There's a decent chance that Tiferet might've seen this 'mushroom guy' in the past." *He told her.* "Too bad she's already left for Anchordeep."

@the-wayward-flock

*After Sariel's sermon comes to a close, Tiferet was checking over her missionary spoils satchel to ensure it was in good condition.*

*As a ghost, she didn't really need food or water for sustenance like a typical mortal, and in theory, the Old Faith's heretics, beasts and traps should hold no peril over Tiferet's ghostly form, though the bag might still be at risk of damage.*

*She then turns to face Poyel, ready to say her goodbye.* "This is it; the next time I'm back in Woolhaven, either Tahliah will be back home safely, or I will bring her bones and wool for you to lay to rest. Either way, you'll finally get some closure with your sister." *She then gently tugged on her loop of golden thread twice to make it react as a test.*

(Poyel) *They took Tiferet's hands in theirs.* I believe in you, but don't forget that I'm waiting for you to come home. Don't search forever, especially with how long it's been since... everything. When you come home, your place will be a home again.

*They said, tearing up a bit.*

"I will be home before you know it, Poyel." *She gently strokes Poyel's cheek and wipes away a tear.* "Remember the strength of will you showed to resist your instincts when you were still a rot beast. That self-belief makes you stronger than you know."

*she then turns towards the downward staircase out of Ewefall leading into the lands of the old faith.* "Fare thee well, Poyel." *She then walks up to Yngya's statue for one final prayer before she leaves.*

"Dearest Cold Mother, may you watch over Poyel to soothe their fears and prevent them from falling to despair." *She clasped her hands together, bowing her head at the statue.* "And if she is not one with the ether already, may your bellwether call reach the ear of Tahliah, so she may seek our flock."

*Once the prayer was complete, she continued on her way, and her next stop was Anchordeep...*

(Poyel) *They kissed Tiferet deeply before she left, and they wiped their eyes of the teas as they waved her farewell.*

Please stay safe!

*They called out, already missing her. Once she left Woolhaven proper, they turned to walk towards her house. Time to make her a home worth returning to...*

*Now that Tiferet was away, Poyel could see the extent of the damage left by years of exposure to the elements.*

*A decent amount of the woodwork; tables, chairs, Tiferet's workbench for carving, showed signs of rotting through. The core structure, made out of Yewbark, thankfully seems to have held its strength due to their adaptation to Ewefall's environment.*

*All of Tiferet's cutlery, as well as her carving tools, also seemed to have rusted through from the moist air and cold temperature cycles on the mountain. They probably all need to be replaced, especially the former if Poyel's going to be staying here and eating.*

*Speaking of staying here, the soft goods used for the bedding and seating have all been weathered away to practically nothing, so they too will need replacement.*

(Poyel) The work begins....

*They start by looking over the house, writing down everything that needs fixed and replaced, creating a multi page checklist of everything and the condition it's in. They also note what room is used for. Once they double check the list, they begin sorting everything. Trash, possible repair, and recycle.

*The old metalware could be taken to Rami's to be melted down and remade, though the matter of payment for their services might be a concern given Poyel's own limited wool supply.*

*the wooden furnishings are made out of common timber rather than the rarer Yewbark, so it's relatively easy to source if Poyel can get a logging axe.*

*Bedding, cushions, carpet and other textiles require either Wool, Silk, or both, depending on what is being made. Baraq would most likely have ranch animals for the former, though unless he is tending any Spiderish, sourcing the latter might be complicated.*

(Poyel) *They sighed. They were going to have to do a lot of work to earn the needed resources, but it'll definitely be worth it.

With everything sorted and the unsalvageable ready to be burned, they took a moment to rest, before writing a note and leaving the house, finding a job board to post their note.:

"Looking for work: Poyel of Woolhaven

I need this list of supplies and I'm willing to work for it! Please let me know if you need any help with your own projects!

-Poyel"

They smiled once it's posted, and get started on breaking down the supplies they already have.*

*Not long after Poyel puts their sign up, the loop of golden thread on their finger starts to shimmer with a glow. It seems that Tiferet has just sent her first signal to them that she was okay.*

the-cold-chronicles

{ @the-wayward-flock }

*After the Holy Day celebration and Sariel's morning sermon, Binah went to talk to Bubs while the moles dug out a hole in the mountainside for the hybrid's new permanent home.*

"Bubs? I don't think I got to tell you about my nightmare last night..." *She told him.*

That sounds creepy!

"I think it has something to do with your past." *Binah explained.* "I was back in the Free Pack fortress like I was when we were battling your so-called 'father' Marchosias."

"But in my nightmare, I found this... Laboratory. Bodies of dead lambs, some of which being partially mutated to have wolf-like features similar to yourself." *She described what she saw in her dream.*

"While I was exploring, lamb ghosts showed up in my nightmare. Some were fearful, others aggressive, but all in pain." *Binah shook her head.* "I tried to soothe the souls by covering up the bodies in the dreams in respect, and by praying to Cold Mother so that the souls will find peace. But they attacked me during my prayer and woke me up."

the-cold-chronicles

Did you see mama?!

"I..." *Binah sighed.* "I couldn't tell. Perhaps the next time you sleep, the ghosts will find you. Something about those ghosts didn't seem right in my nightmare..."

the-cold-chronicles

{ @the-wayward-flock }

*After the Holy Day celebration and Sariel's morning sermon, Binah went to talk to Bubs while the moles dug out a hole in the mountainside for the hybrid's new permanent home.*

"Bubs? I don't think I got to tell you about my nightmare last night..." *She told him.*

That sounds creepy!

"I think it has something to do with your past." *Binah explained.* "I was back in the Free Pack fortress like I was when we were battling your so-called 'father' Marchosias."

"But in my nightmare, I found this... Laboratory. Bodies of dead lambs, some of which being partially mutated to have wolf-like features similar to yourself." *She described what she saw in her dream.*

"While I was exploring, lamb ghosts showed up in my nightmare. Some were fearful, others aggressive, but all in pain." *Binah shook her head.* "I tried to soothe the souls by covering up the bodies in the dreams in respect, and by praying to Cold Mother so that the souls will find peace. But they attacked me during my prayer and woke me up."

{ @the-wayward-flock }

*Out in the sandbanks, rocky outcrops and kelp fields throughout the former domain of the God of Pestilence, a ghostly blue light slowly traverses the deep waters.*

*three things appear to be bound to this eerie light; a brown satchel bag bearing the snowflake glyph of Woolhaven; the first is a cloud of bubbles floating out as the air inside escapes and the bag sinks in response. The second is a small golden thread that occasionally glints off of the blue glow. The third, a spherical bell; its clapper rendered useless by the surrounding water.*

*The light seems to be moving slowly and deliberately through Anchordeep's waters, but the only way to identify what, or more accurately who, this light was, would be to approach and confront it directly...*

*It was eeriely quiet, fish swim casually in the waters, eyes buldging yet jaded at the same time. Nearby was a coral reef, it's colors dulled and showed signs of being feasted upon.*

*As the light darted by, a pair of eyes glowed in the darkness, but doesn't apporach. It stares, watching, observing...*

*The golden thread within the light moves towards one of the patches of seaweed overgrowth. The observer could then see a cloud of sand floating up.*

*A couple minutes later, and the light had somehow dug a shallow hole just deep enough to see beneath the seaweed's roots. The light stopped for a moment to seemingly observe their handiwork, before moving on, allowing the ocean current to drag sand back in to refill the hole.*

*The light seemed to be searching these lands, but for what exact purpose? And how was it able to manipulate the sand on its own like that?*

*A voice is then heard from the light; their voice was quiet but they spoke with an ethereal echo.* "No signs of a burial here, the roots aren't deep enough." *The glowing light continues on, unaware they were being watched...*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

???: Hmmm... ???: Interesting...

*The voice vibrated against the water, swiftly darting to another part of the reef as it moved closer.*

*The light moved with slightly more pace; the objects within that light turning indicating their changes of direction. Whatever this glowing entity was, they seem to be at least somewhat aware of the dangers of this place.*

*the light soon approached a series of bodies floating above the sea floor, hanging from chains connected to hefty rocks; previous sacrifices to the former Bishop that made Anchordeep his domain, long since drowned from the time they forcibly took the plunge.*

*The glowing light floated closer, examining the bodies for features that indicated they were once sheep. Scraps of wool, exposed skeletons; anything that could mark them as Lamb-Kind.*

*Too pre-occupied with examining the bodies, the entity still fails to notice their observer as they close in...*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

*The observer looms over the entity, their eyes piercing in the pitch black darkness of the water as they stared it down. After taking a few seconds to observe, their lips curled into a toothy grin.*

???: Ah, isn't *this* interesting! *they exclaimed from behind, darting as the entity turn to look at them.* ???: A strange entity...searching for the remains of a sheep...I wonder... ???: Could you be a ghost lamb???

"Ah!"*The ghost lamb jumps at the voice behind her and quickly turns to face who it belonged to.*

*They could now see that the ghost was of a ewe; their form had a lot of burns and scarring all over, all exposed for the observer to see.*

"Wh-Who are you?! What do you want?" *Post-mortal as she may be, the dread of being captured or killed by old faith heretics still scared her and proved extremely hard to ignore.*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

*The observer stays silent as they stayed in the shadowed waters, letting out gargled noises as they darted away each time the ghost ewe turned towards their direction.*

???: Burn scars all over your body...finicky and paniced... ???: Your mind is broken, even as a ghost...

*It paused, thinking for a moment.*

Nergal: You may refer to me as "The Physician", for my true name is disclosed for...'friends' only. *he gives her a toothy grin.* Nergal: Now tell me, what exactly is a ghost lamb doing in these abandoned waters...?

"..." *Tiferet stares at this 'physician' for a moment, taking a second to calm down before she spoke. Maybe the Old Faith's following has lost their ferocity without their Bishops' guidance? One can only hope.*

"I am here to recover the remains I can of my kind, and return them to Woolhaven so they may finally be brought to rest." *She answered, truthfully, albeit while witholding the exact specifics*

"My name is Tiferet..." *She added.* "I escaped Woolhaven during its fall, only to be found in Anura and fed to Heket of the Yellow Crown. Hence..." *She gestures to the burn scars shown in her ghostly form.*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

Nergal: Ah so you're from Woolhaven... Nergal: I expected as such....

*He hummed silently, bobbing closer.*

Nergal: You know... Nergal: You do not to rush whatever business your attending to...

*A clawed hand reaches out towards her, meancingly.*

*Fortunately for Tiferet, she was paying attention and she pulled herself back to avoid Nergal's grasp.*

"I'd- rather not;" *Tiferet tells Nergal, worrying what they might try to do to her. "The sooner I can return to Woolhaven with my kin's remains, the less my kind will suffer in their afterlives." *She cautiously backs away.*

"I... Have to keep going; these bodies aren't sheep anyway." *Tiferet's ghost floats further into Anchordeep to continue her search.*

*Negal titled his head, thinking for a few moments as he watched for float away.*

*Perhaps, with their goal in mind, it would be for the best she is left to her devices. Afterall, what is a few more souls to feed the machine...?*

*As Tiferet explored, she heard the clattering of rails as spiked minecarts move about, instinctively backing away to dodge the trap even if it posed no direct harm to her ghostly form.*

"Right...! The Old Faith place all sorts of traps about their lands to stop intruders." *Tiferet shook her head, looking around for any signs of skeletons, dead bodies or shoddy burials. As she does so, Tiferet pulls the loop of golden thread on her finger, causing it to shimmer with a golden glow for a second.*

( @remains-of-the-old-faith }

*Malkuth went to see Aniel to check if she needed any assistance with anything, when he noticed the sword Mackenzie had recovered laying across the Flockade table, flanked by historical record books; the miniature decor for the game field currently on the shelves with the game piece statuettes for the moment.*

"Aniel! What's this sword doing here?" *He asked, watching as the historian was checking through the paperwork and examining the details on the sword's hilt.* "Usually Rami is the one who handles weapons, no?"

(Aniel) Oh! Yes! Usually! Frost, so much has been happening I haven't been able to look into it's history yet. Rami's working double time as well melting down building materials. I'm afraid the sword is a bit of a low priority at the moment.

"Ah, I understand." *Malkuth nods, taking another brief glance at the sword and comparing its shape to the swords held by the Flockade statuettes.*

"It does look the part at least." *Malkuth noted.* "Who did you say found this sword? and where did they find it to?"

{ @the-wayward-flock }

*Out in the sandbanks, rocky outcrops and kelp fields throughout the former domain of the God of Pestilence, a ghostly blue light slowly traverses the deep waters.*

*three things appear to be bound to this eerie light; a brown satchel bag bearing the snowflake glyph of Woolhaven; the first is a cloud of bubbles floating out as the air inside escapes and the bag sinks in response. The second is a small golden thread that occasionally glints off of the blue glow. The third, a spherical bell; its clapper rendered useless by the surrounding water.*

*The light seems to be moving slowly and deliberately through Anchordeep's waters, but the only way to identify what, or more accurately who, this light was, would be to approach and confront it directly...*

*It was eeriely quiet, fish swim casually in the waters, eyes buldging yet jaded at the same time. Nearby was a coral reef, it's colors dulled and showed signs of being feasted upon.*

*As the light darted by, a pair of eyes glowed in the darkness, but doesn't apporach. It stares, watching, observing...*

*The golden thread within the light moves towards one of the patches of seaweed overgrowth. The observer could then see a cloud of sand floating up.*

*A couple minutes later, and the light had somehow dug a shallow hole just deep enough to see beneath the seaweed's roots. The light stopped for a moment to seemingly observe their handiwork, before moving on, allowing the ocean current to drag sand back in to refill the hole.*

*The light seemed to be searching these lands, but for what exact purpose? And how was it able to manipulate the sand on its own like that?*

*A voice is then heard from the light; their voice was quiet but they spoke with an ethereal echo.* "No signs of a burial here, the roots aren't deep enough." *The glowing light continues on, unaware they were being watched...*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

???: Hmmm... ???: Interesting...

*The voice vibrated against the water, swiftly darting to another part of the reef as it moved closer.*

*The light moved with slightly more pace; the objects within that light turning indicating their changes of direction. Whatever this glowing entity was, they seem to be at least somewhat aware of the dangers of this place.*

*the light soon approached a series of bodies floating above the sea floor, hanging from chains connected to hefty rocks; previous sacrifices to the former Bishop that made Anchordeep his domain, long since drowned from the time they forcibly took the plunge.*

*The glowing light floated closer, examining the bodies for features that indicated they were once sheep. Scraps of wool, exposed skeletons; anything that could mark them as Lamb-Kind.*

*Too pre-occupied with examining the bodies, the entity still fails to notice their observer as they close in...*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

*The observer looms over the entity, their eyes piercing in the pitch black darkness of the water as they stared it down. After taking a few seconds to observe, their lips curled into a toothy grin.*

???: Ah, isn't *this* interesting! *they exclaimed from behind, darting as the entity turn to look at them.* ???: A strange entity...searching for the remains of a sheep...I wonder... ???: Could you be a ghost lamb???

"Ah!"*The ghost lamb jumps at the voice behind her and quickly turns to face who it belonged to.*

*They could now see that the ghost was of a ewe; their form had a lot of burns and scarring all over, all exposed for the observer to see.*

"Wh-Who are you?! What do you want?" *Post-mortal as she may be, the dread of being captured or killed by old faith heretics still scared her and proved extremely hard to ignore.*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

*The observer stays silent as they stayed in the shadowed waters, letting out gargled noises as they darted away each time the ghost ewe turned towards their direction.*

???: Burn scars all over your body...finicky and paniced... ???: Your mind is broken, even as a ghost...

*It paused, thinking for a moment.*

Nergal: You may refer to me as "The Physician", for my true name is disclosed for...'friends' only. *he gives her a toothy grin.* Nergal: Now tell me, what exactly is a ghost lamb doing in these abandoned waters...?

"..." *Tiferet stares at this 'physician' for a moment, taking a second to calm down before she spoke. Maybe the Old Faith's following has lost their ferocity without their Bishops' guidance? One can only hope.*

"I am here to recover the remains I can of my kind, and return them to Woolhaven so they may finally be brought to rest." *She answered, truthfully, albeit while witholding the exact specifics*

"My name is Tiferet..." *She added.* "I escaped Woolhaven during its fall, only to be found in Anura and fed to Heket of the Yellow Crown. Hence..." *She gestures to the burn scars shown in her ghostly form.*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

Nergal: Ah so you're from Woolhaven... Nergal: I expected as such....

*He hummed silently, bobbing closer.*

Nergal: You know... Nergal: You do not to rush whatever business your attending to...

*A clawed hand reaches out towards her, meancingly.*

*Fortunately for Tiferet, she was paying attention and she pulled herself back to avoid Nergal's grasp.*

"I'd- rather not;" *Tiferet tells Nergal, worrying what they might try to do to her. "The sooner I can return to Woolhaven with my kin's remains, the less my kind will suffer in their afterlives." *She cautiously backs away.*

"I... Have to keep going; these bodies aren't sheep anyway." *Tiferet's ghost floats further into Anchordeep to continue her search.*

{ @the-wayward-flock }

*Out in the sandbanks, rocky outcrops and kelp fields throughout the former domain of the God of Pestilence, a ghostly blue light slowly traverses the deep waters.*

*three things appear to be bound to this eerie light; a brown satchel bag bearing the snowflake glyph of Woolhaven; the first is a cloud of bubbles floating out as the air inside escapes and the bag sinks in response. The second is a small golden thread that occasionally glints off of the blue glow. The third, a spherical bell; its clapper rendered useless by the surrounding water.*

*The light seems to be moving slowly and deliberately through Anchordeep's waters, but the only way to identify what, or more accurately who, this light was, would be to approach and confront it directly...*

*It was eeriely quiet, fish swim casually in the waters, eyes buldging yet jaded at the same time. Nearby was a coral reef, it's colors dulled and showed signs of being feasted upon.*

*As the light darted by, a pair of eyes glowed in the darkness, but doesn't apporach. It stares, watching, observing...*

*The golden thread within the light moves towards one of the patches of seaweed overgrowth. The observer could then see a cloud of sand floating up.*

*A couple minutes later, and the light had somehow dug a shallow hole just deep enough to see beneath the seaweed's roots. The light stopped for a moment to seemingly observe their handiwork, before moving on, allowing the ocean current to drag sand back in to refill the hole.*

*The light seemed to be searching these lands, but for what exact purpose? And how was it able to manipulate the sand on its own like that?*

*A voice is then heard from the light; their voice was quiet but they spoke with an ethereal echo.* "No signs of a burial here, the roots aren't deep enough." *The glowing light continues on, unaware they were being watched...*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

???: Hmmm... ???: Interesting...

*The voice vibrated against the water, swiftly darting to another part of the reef as it moved closer.*

*The light moved with slightly more pace; the objects within that light turning indicating their changes of direction. Whatever this glowing entity was, they seem to be at least somewhat aware of the dangers of this place.*

*the light soon approached a series of bodies floating above the sea floor, hanging from chains connected to hefty rocks; previous sacrifices to the former Bishop that made Anchordeep his domain, long since drowned from the time they forcibly took the plunge.*

*The glowing light floated closer, examining the bodies for features that indicated they were once sheep. Scraps of wool, exposed skeletons; anything that could mark them as Lamb-Kind.*

*Too pre-occupied with examining the bodies, the entity still fails to notice their observer as they close in...*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

*The observer looms over the entity, their eyes piercing in the pitch black darkness of the water as they stared it down. After taking a few seconds to observe, their lips curled into a toothy grin.*

???: Ah, isn't *this* interesting! *they exclaimed from behind, darting as the entity turn to look at them.* ???: A strange entity...searching for the remains of a sheep...I wonder... ???: Could you be a ghost lamb???

"Ah!"*The ghost lamb jumps at the voice behind her and quickly turns to face who it belonged to.*

*They could now see that the ghost was of a ewe; their form had a lot of burns and scarring all over, all exposed for the observer to see.*

"Wh-Who are you?! What do you want?" *Post-mortal as she may be, the dread of being captured or killed by old faith heretics still scared her and proved extremely hard to ignore.*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

*The observer stays silent as they stayed in the shadowed waters, letting out gargled noises as they darted away each time the ghost ewe turned towards their direction.*

???: Burn scars all over your body...finicky and paniced... ???: Your mind is broken, even as a ghost...

*It paused, thinking for a moment.*

Nergal: You may refer to me as "The Physician", for my true name is disclosed for...'friends' only. *he gives her a toothy grin.* Nergal: Now tell me, what exactly is a ghost lamb doing in these abandoned waters...?

"..." *Tiferet stares at this 'physician' for a moment, taking a second to calm down before she spoke. Maybe the Old Faith's following has lost their ferocity without their Bishops' guidance? One can only hope.*

"I am here to recover the remains I can of my kind, and return them to Woolhaven so they may finally be brought to rest." *She answered, truthfully, albeit while witholding the exact specifics*

"My name is Tiferet..." *She added.* "I escaped Woolhaven during its fall, only to be found in Anura and fed to Heket of the Yellow Crown. Hence..." *She gestures to the burn scars shown in her ghostly form.*

{ @remains-of-the-old-faith }

@the-wayward-flock

*After Sariel's sermon comes to a close, Tiferet was checking over her missionary spoils satchel to ensure it was in good condition.*

*As a ghost, she didn't really need food or water for sustenance like a typical mortal, and in theory, the Old Faith's heretics, beasts and traps should hold no peril over Tiferet's ghostly form, though the bag might still be at risk of damage.*

*She then turns to face Poyel, ready to say her goodbye.* "This is it; the next time I'm back in Woolhaven, either Tahliah will be back home safely, or I will bring her bones and wool for you to lay to rest. Either way, you'll finally get some closure with your sister." *She then gently tugged on her loop of golden thread twice to make it react as a test.*

(Poyel) *They took Tiferet's hands in theirs.* I believe in you, but don't forget that I'm waiting for you to come home. Don't search forever, especially with how long it's been since... everything. When you come home, your place will be a home again.

*They said, tearing up a bit.*

"I will be home before you know it, Poyel." *She gently strokes Poyel's cheek and wipes away a tear.* "Remember the strength of will you showed to resist your instincts when you were still a rot beast. That self-belief makes you stronger than you know."

*she then turns towards the downward staircase out of Ewefall leading into the lands of the old faith.* "Fare thee well, Poyel." *She then walks up to Yngya's statue for one final prayer before she leaves.*

"Dearest Cold Mother, may you watch over Poyel to soothe their fears and prevent them from falling to despair." *She clasped her hands together, bowing her head at the statue.* "And if she is not one with the ether already, may your bellwether call reach the ear of Tahliah, so she may seek our flock."

*Once the prayer was complete, she continued on her way, and her next stop was Anchordeep...*

(Poyel) *They kissed Tiferet deeply before she left, and they wiped their eyes of the teas as they waved her farewell.*

Please stay safe!

*They called out, already missing her. Once she left Woolhaven proper, they turned to walk towards her house. Time to make her a home worth returning to...*

*Now that Tiferet was away, Poyel could see the extent of the damage left by years of exposure to the elements.*

*A decent amount of the woodwork; tables, chairs, Tiferet's workbench for carving, showed signs of rotting through. The core structure, made out of Yewbark, thankfully seems to have held its strength due to their adaptation to Ewefall's environment.*

*All of Tiferet's cutlery, as well as her carving tools, also seemed to have rusted through from the moist air and cold temperature cycles on the mountain. They probably all need to be replaced, especially the former if Poyel's going to be staying here and eating.*

*Speaking of staying here, the soft goods used for the bedding and seating have all been weathered away to practically nothing, so they too will need replacement.*

(Poyel) The work begins....

*They start by looking over the house, writing down everything that needs fixed and replaced, creating a multi page checklist of everything and the condition it's in. They also note what room is used for. Once they double check the list, they begin sorting everything. Trash, possible repair, and recycle.

*The old metalware could be taken to Rami's to be melted down and remade, though the matter of payment for their services might be a concern given Poyel's own limited wool supply.*

*the wooden furnishings are made out of common timber rather than the rarer Yewbark, so it's relatively easy to source if Poyel can get a logging axe.*

*Bedding, cushions, carpet and other textiles require either Wool, Silk, or both, depending on what is being made. Baraq would most likely have ranch animals for the former, though unless he is tending any Spiderish, sourcing the latter might be complicated.*