Entry: Sita stalked through the forest of darkness and light, guided by the shadows and the fireflies. It was long after the sun had set in the sky and the proud moon had claimed her place shining above the world, but on this night dreary clouds hung low, blotting out most of the great pearl’s light. It all suited Sita just fine, this dark, almost haunting atmosphere. She was much like the forest on this night. In one moment with her shawl wrapped tight, her hair just so, and her tail all curled, she was ebony black, a shadow - easily missed if you blinked. Then in the next breathe radiating colors, so many colors, when she revealed her true self - a seamless blend of light and darkness, life and death, a rainbow in the night full of fire burning bright. Her steady paws, elegant claws extended, gripping the dirt and the twigs and the rocks with every step - ensured not a sound, not a thing out of place as she stalked the overgrown edges of the garden. The only evidence of her passing, the enigmatic scorch marks. She supposed if a soul was brave enough they could follow those very paw prints right to her, but no one had ever been so bold. Something about an unearthly evil that crawled from the depths of hell. She paid such tales no mind.
In her ember eyes she neither deserved nor appreciated such censure, or perhaps praise if considered in a different light. Sita was a creature of the night and of duty. She revered the dead and would gladly have passed her days reminding those amongst the living world of where they had come from and perhaps where they could go. Singing the old songs, dancing the old dances- she yearned for such a life in the light. However her fearsome appearance made such idle times trying at best. At the end of the day she did not have have the face nor the claws nor the demeanor that would lead the peaceful soquili of the valley to entrust her to tell them a tale of the past. Yet she did have the posture, the claws, and the eyes of a killer and as such she was employed. Perhaps not in so many words. In an effort to form bonds with the locals she occasionally offered her services and skills in the name of protection. Not her talents as an artisan or lore master, but as a fearsome creature of the night. And they had need of such a creature this night. All in the name of celebration, a party to go on uninterrupted. But with all such parties there were party crashers and these ones were particularly nasty. Creatures of dark souls, far darker than her own appearance, who longed to bring misery and death to the celebration.
Typically Sita didn’t worry a great deal about matters of life and death. She knew as their ancestors knew that the life they lived in their world was but a dream and that to commit oneself to death’s embrace was to be born to the true life in the next world. However these revelers did not share her perspective and very much wanted their party to go on unblemished which led them to seek her services. For a paltry amount of valuables she would stalk the forest surrounding their celebration and wait. As always, it was fate that would determine her success that night. What was meant to be would be, that was simply how it worked. Every night before this fate had determined that she should continue in her efforts. Sita knew that some day, if she could prove herself to them, she may yet be able to live the life of a teller of tales. Until then she and fate were joined in her honor bound duty to protect these souls. Fortunately it seemed fate would favor her again.
It came to her slowly, just a faint scent on the wind at first. She lifted her nose up and closed her eyes, focusing on that smell. Carnage. Fresh spilled blood. The signs of the hunt. She blinked open her fiery eyes slowly and adjusted her cloak to cover a little more of her flickering coat. Once secure in the darkness her shawl afforded her, she crouched close to the ground and began edging forward, measuring her steps carefully and testing each footfall to ensure she made no noise. It wouldn’t do to startle her enemy.
She breathed steadily through her nostrils, careful not to make any sudden movements. The only warning the foe would have was the haunting scent of tea flowers, her key adornment that connected her to the world of the living as her glowing coat celebrated the signs of the dead. Safe passage through this world depended upon balance - death and life, dark and light, the sense of duty, a knife’s edge that kept her in her fearsome form from becoming that which she hunted. Speaking of which, she caught sight of her quarry and exhaled slowly as the petals of her flowers suddenly caught in the wind. An auspicious sign. The fates favored her!
The battle, if it could be called such because it was not such, was over quickly. The monster’s struggles ended soon after that. Sita prided herself on her steady paws and her capable talents. Though even she had to admit the sight of her eyes coming upon any soul in the dark of the night was nearly enough to incapacitate them in an instant. The threat to the reveler’s safety had been thwarted. Now there was only one thing left to do.
As she bent down over the fallen foe, she deftly pulled a long blade from within her cloak. For the briefest of moments she hesitated and thought such actions were not befitting a simple story teller. Be we are all characters in our own stories, she reminded herself as she began to saw at the neck. At the end of the day she would ensure those that heard her story knew not to cross the black fire of the forest. Besides, this one would look so nice with the others.
Won a soq in another game - still love this girl though - so pretty!
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2015 12:11 am
Follow the Trail...
Username(s): Devil NightShade
Entry: Personalty / Plots and a story
Name: 復讐の念 ( or Desire for vengeance) also called Mika Personality: She is filled with hatred, a burning desire to bring 'justice' to everybody that cost her everything she had so loved. Mika has no morals, she will do anything to get what she wants, and if need be nobody is spared History Mika as she was once called was lovely .. but oh so vain. The mare believed she was perfect, in every way from the tips of her ears to the nails of her paws. Even her tea was perfection in her mind. So great was her hubris ... that her fall was equally great. Her mind has become twisted and dark, eaten alive by the flames of hatred that burn in her. She kills without remorse to feed her 'liege lord' all in the hopes of gaining the power she craves to destroy. Plots: -These will do nicely:Mika has just arrived in the Soquili lands, she comes across some blue roses. The friendly herd of flower tenders tell her to beware .. these are highly poisonous. When they won't turn them over willingly .. Mika must take them by force.
-HAH! You scary?:Mika meets a tiny pawed usdia, quickly she learn the small creature is somewhat messed up in the head. The little thing tries to pretend it's a Skinwalker. Mika has heard the stories of skinwalker ... and this runt is no skinwalker .. she can't even stand the sight of blood!
-Take me with you!:Shea begs, and pleads with the pawed mare to let her be of service .. she would do anything to learn and grow at the cruel one's side.
-Setting up a new home: Mika and Shea find a new cabin, with the perfect soil to start a new farm for tea here in these lands ... only problem it's inhabited by a two legged. Luckily for the previous inhabitants the first sight of Mika send them running. So MIka and Shea get to work, setting up new tea fields and area to grow various flowers and herbs for tea. Mika sets up a special place to grow plenty of her wondrous blue prize.
-First visitor ... or last?:One stormy evening ... a stallion approaches, Mika and Shea are in for the fright of their lives at the very sharp end of a set of deadly teeth.
-What if .. I could help you ..:Thinking fast, Mika offers to help the stallion .. she could be useful to him in getting food ... eventually if he kept being seen others would get the idea and abandon the woods .. but if Mika and Shea could provide him easy meals he wouldn't be found out! And well ... if she can find out how to be a walker too ... all the better!
-Many come ... only some go:Mika has many visitors to her humble abode, at first most get away scott free, but slowly her mind starts to warp .. the more she tells her story to victims .. the more -everybody- becomes a culprit for her life now!
-many more through here-
-Inevitable betrayal: He had never meant to show her how to be strong! She was running through the darkness, and HE was hot on her heels. It's storming again .. like it was the night they meet .. but now SHE is on the dinner menu.
-A fork in the road: Somehow Mika lives through that night maybe she is healed by a kind soul (would be awesome if it was an Angeni/Uni mix)... but now there are two paths she can take.
------------Redemption: Her life has spiraled around, into something she would have never recognized. Mika is badly hurt .. and constantly screaming profanities and threats at the one helping her .. yet still they do. Yet as time passes ... she can feel the fire fading ... it's burning wrath draining out her veins leaving a void of darkness filled with sorrow and regret.. a void she's scared of. Her savior becomes a confidant, a friend, and maybe more. ------------Amends: Mika tries to make amends for the things she's done, she stills values her blue flowers but never again will they touch a soul's lips by her paws! No! Her teas will be a delight to drink once more.
OR
-Destruction: Death is coming, she can see him on the horizon and her world is getting cold. Suddenly! Life ... her world is burning red and there is a new fire burning ever hotter in her veins ... SHE must kill .. rip .. shred .. everything .. everything will die. The corpse powder has made her strong ... vengeance will be hers.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also, here is the story I wrote, it's long but I had so much fun!
Characters: Inaya: NPC Shea: I shall be questing for her, she's a deranged Usdia that thinks she / wants to be a skinwalker Unamed Walker: NPC Might quest for him someday too ..
Inaya had been wondering through a break in the trees slightly south east of Big Oak Grove, when a small path neatly trimmed in blue rose like flowers had caught her eye. The path wound its way back into thicker forest, before disappearing into the shadows.
Her antennae twitched, and the part flutter couldn’t help but stare in awe at the flowers. Heart beating wildly in her chest, the tiny half flutter stepped forward.
The sky was a beautiful blue today free of any clouds, and the sound of the rushing river to the west could still be heard, she knew that as long as she kept the water within earshot there was no way that she could get lost! With the decision made, and excitement bubbling deep in her chest Inaya stepped onto the path nearly bursting from the amount of foalish joy and wonder she was trying to contain in her tiny body. A moment’s pause first! Slowly lowering your head you took a gentle sniff of the vibrant blue flowers, they smell divine! But it wasn’t a scent Inaya had ever experienced before, and she had a lot of floral experience! She stood there, though for how long seemed hard to remember, about what the scent reminded her of.
Finally she just gave in, and decided to continue down the path. Her eyes full of wonder and a dreamy smile played on her lips.
OH!Inaya stopped dead, her mind had suddenly jolted back to life as if she’d just woken up suddenly for a deep sleep. She laughed quietly “I must have gotten really lost in that day dream!”
She was at the end of the path now and had no idea where she was, the sound of the river was gone … actually there didn’t seem to be any sound here. She stood at the edge of a large clearing, the soil was muddy and wet. Just to her left was a rundown shack, that looked like it had once belonged to a two-legger, and to her left was a large field of a strange green plant she’d also never seen. She started drifting towards the plant when she heard a sweet voice.
“A visitor! I haven’t had a visitor in so long!”
The mare coming towards Inaya was beautiful with a black coat that seemed alive with glowing markings ... maybe they were tattoos ... she couldn’t tell. The slightly, though it was nominally so, larger mare drifted on dainty paws and a fluffy tail swayed behind her. Most of her face though was covered by a beautiful scarf that Inaya thought must have been made out of a swath of the night sky! The little flutter was entranced.
“Oh ... hi! I-I’m Inaya.”
“Oh please dear come inside and have some tea!” the mare’s words cut off Inaya’s but she was to staggered to notice and meekly followed the mare.
The floor of the shack was dirt, and a small fire blazed with a strange contraption hanging over it by a heavy looking rope. Inaya looked around but found herself drifting towards a small pile of blankets and settling down. The mare called for someone and a small raccoon came running in and dipped a strange bag into the contraption over the fire as the other mare walked over and settled on a bed nearby.
“Why do you wear that fabric? As beautiful as it is … wouldn’t showing you face be better?”
The mare laughed softly “Well, aren’t you just one of the more beautiful and honeyed visitors I’ve had in a long long time!” Inaya tried to thank her, but the mare just continued speaking and so she let her. “I was beautiful like you once ...” a wistful sigh escaped the mare and Inaya tilted her head waiting for her to continue. “My coat was the most magnificent ebony and they all said my eyes sparkled brighter than the stars in the night sky. I was the envy of all mares, and sought after by the stallions.”
Her small laugh was wispy and seemed to float away on the breeze.
“My farm where I grew my tea was the jewel of my homeland! Visitors of all kinds came from far and wide to sample the best teas! The gardens where I served them were lush, all my guests could recline on plush beds in the shade of carefully bred and lovingly cared for tendered Sakura Trees beside softly babbling brooks and ponds filled with the most splendid koi fish a mare can get her paws on! I was a jewel to my homeland they loved me!”
Inaya was enraptured and replied breathlessly “what happened? Why did you leave?”
The mare’s paws flexed for a second, claws ripping into fabric “They came” her words came out in almost a growl. “I was amazed by them at first, in love … they had two fin sets of wings on their back another on their head and yet another on their hind legs. Oh yes ... astounding creatures to behold!”
The raccoon came scurrying over, and set large bowls near each of them. He explained to the new mare how to carefully sip the hot brewed liquid slowly and scurried off again and disappeared into some dark corner.
“One of them ... he asked for a cup of my prized Shouhaku Matcha …” Inaya drifted out for a moment as the mare spoke and slowly sipped some of the tea before her. She’d never had such a drink, but it was lovely! Though very very hot, she decided letting it cool a bit would be for the best. Strangely the other mare hadn’t drunken any yet “I overheard him tell his companions that it wasn’t good! MY TEA!” Her paws had flexed again tearing into the fabrics but she was continuing to speak. “He told me they would all be back tomorrow ...” a soft snort echoed “so decided I would show them they couldn’t dare talk about my tea like that.”
Inaya tried to listen, and the mare just keep speaking in that beautiful voice.
“I put enough Lily of the valley in that cup that it should have killed that snide mare! With those fake doe eyes and poor excuses for snide remarks!” The mare’s words were almost hissed now and she was rising to her paws. “They cursed me!” Her voice was rising now, not so beautiful and melodious anymore “those holier than though demon’s in disguise! They took everything from me! My beauty! My life! If it takes my last breath they will all pay for what they have done to me!”
The mare tossed back her head and the cloth tumbled down her sleek neck.
Inaya tried to stand in shock and horror, the mare’s eyes seemed to burn like infernos, the hair around her eyes, and any forelock that fell near them looked like they had been singed from the flames. Nor did it appear in that moment that the mare had a mouth! It looked like just rows of sparks, that seemed to have burst their way free of her body.
“I will see to it that you all pay!” When she ‘spoke’ the infernos appeared to blaze hotter, and Inaya swore she could hear them sparking and hissing in the cooler air.
Inaya struggled to her feet, despite her legs feeling like jelly and ran for the door. The sun was going down now, and long shadows seemed to be reaching for Inaya and behind her the raging mare was following at a slow place.
“Shea!”
Out from the nearby woods ran a small pawed Usdia draped in a pelt. “Yes m'lady?”
“Take care of our homestead … we shall have a visitor.”
“As you wish!” The usdia scurried away quickly, she liked to act tough ... but their visitor was never fun.
Mika stood there, silent and stone still until out form the shadows … his glorious white coat stained forever red with blood stepped a stallion whom wore a bear-pelt, but unlike her little usdia Shea … his was far more menacing far more real, he looked like a sumi-e painting come to life and soulless black eyes looked from her to the mare.
“Well done pet! I guess you can live another day,” his laughter was mocking as he grabbed his prize and walked back into the night.
Mika’s fur bristled at his taunts, but she reminded herself that he was her quickest way to vengeance and revenge. She would keep serving him, and in turn he would keep his end of the bargain.
Or so she thought …
Disclaimers: Not sure if anything in my story was un lore-friendly, but here's some disclaimers that could help explain/make it fit better.
- Mika's story likely isn't true. Everytime her story is told it is different. She has no true memory of her past; and the world she paints of a tea garden and fields of growing tea are likely not even truth but lies to ensnare her visitors in a fantastical frame of mind.
-Mika's helpers; the small racoon and Shea both are there to help her for their own gain. Like how MIka provides easy meals for the walker to gain some power, Shea aids Mika to learn and grow.
-Her blue flowers are a sedative in small doses and poisonous in large (I did try to remove as much of the drug part from the story as I could and it still make sense.)
-The skinwalker has no respect for Mika, she lives at his convenience when she outlives her worth she will be exposed of.
If there's still anythng wrong I wouldn't mind a critique so I can fix it for the next time.
Devil NightShade Crew
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Lavenadel
Fashionable Mage
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Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2015 3:08 am
Follow the Trail...
Username(s): Pollack
Entry:
“You remind me of the babe! What babe? The babe with the power”
These were the words that sang through Xibalba’s head. They were a constant, never ending reminder of the wrong that had been committed against her. The night that everything she held dear was taken away.
You see Xibalba did not look always like she does now. Her coat use to be has black as night, perfect for night stalking the enemies of her herd. One gaze of her unnatural blazing eyes once could stop even the strongest willed of individuals in their tracks, only for her heavenly blessed voice to entangle them into her grand scheme as willing victims within seconds. She was the product of generations of breeding to create the perfect huntress. Xibalba had rose in the ranks of her herd and was the mistress of the night and one of main pillars of strength in her cut throat herd that was being torn apart in a never ending war between a number of rival herds for the only livable territory for hundreds of miles. In her past life it was either fight or die.
This all changed when the coming blood moon was coming upon her herd. It was to be the night of their absolute victory! Even if their herd was vastly outnumbered and weakened due to plague the omens the herd's priests had seen had forsworn that the dark god Kalona was on their side that night.
The whole herd was in celebrations. It was to be a joyous night! A thank you to the deity that the herd believed would be the driving force for their victory. Xibalba sat, perched as the would be queen she thought of herself among offerings of sweet smelling tea leaves and flowers surrounded her and draped around her an endless amounts of victory jewelry made of the skulls and bones that had fallen under her paws and cloth made of the finest silks that gleamed like the night sky.
When suddenly large black shadows surrounded the herd. All the flames that had been lit suddenly went out causing panic to ring throughout the herd. One ominous figure stepped out of the mass. His unnatural mouth creaked open permanently with rows of sharp shark like teeth, on his body were number of markings that had been burned into his skin before staining dyes and paints had been rubbed in to make them all stand out. He was Vashoth, the leader of one of the rival herds. His mind was as insane as the religious practices of his herd. Vashoth believed himself to be the one true god of death and required his "Followers" needed constant body sacrifice to appease him. He was a false god, one that Xibalba could not stand!
“You remind me of the babe!” Vashoth shouted followed by one of his sickening giggles. He stepped silently through the crowd, his dark gaze only focusing on Xibalba.
"I am to be no babe of yours! Leave this place, demon!” Xibalba screamed out, her body quivering as she rose from her perch, not in fear but in pure rage. A rage that flared out in waves that caused all others to back away from the brewing clash of two powers.
With a delighted coo Vashoth stepped onto her mound of offerings. His inky black bat wings flared out before the tips gently brushed against Xibalba's cheek. His voice lowered itself to a mere whisper, such of one like a old lover as he craned his head forward invading her personal space. Gently he sang into Xibalba’s ear. “The babe with the power”
Disgusted that this monster of a stallion would dare touch her without her permission Xibalba let out a dark growl and snapped her powerful jaws at one of Vashoth's wings as she took careful stomps backwards. Readying herself to lash out with full force if she was touched again. "Your power is meaningless to me. You. Are. Nothing. To. Me. Leave now before you gain more scars.”
Vashoth let out another laugh, her venom dripped words falling on deaf ears. He had a plan for her, one that was going to ruin the proud mare. There was one pregnant pause before he pounced on her, along with a handful of his followers that had been sneaking closer to her why they spoke. Vashoth wrapped his mighty wings around her, bring her muzzle to muzzle with him as the weight of both himself and his followers brought her crashing to the ground. “You are going to be the babe with the power!”
That night was filled with screams of horror and terror both from Xibalba and the rest of her herd. Ambushed and still under a fog from their celebrations they were no match against the rival herd. Soon they were all being ripped and torn apart just as their queen was. All of the offerings and gifts lovingly given to Xibalba were either being crushed into highly prized and secret mixture of burning paints. Her flesh was flayed open with a number of tiny teeth, claws, and spikes before the burning paints were carefully painted into the wounds, sealing them shut permanently with the vibrate color. They seemed to take a pride in mocking her by making the designs burned into her black coat modeled after the offerings that were laid out for her. Soon her coat would become a bright painting of rainbow hued skulls, flowers, and varies bones.
Xibalba did manage to put up a fight why her body was being reimagined. In her struggle she got a hold of the neck of one of Vashoth's follower's, ripping out a sizable chuck of flesh and killing them almost instantly.
"Now, now babe! That is no way to act. Let's take care of that." With that Vashoth got to work on insuring that Xibalba would no longer be able to fight again. Her powerful jaws were sewn shut with the very fine wire that once held her crafted necklaces. The unnatural blaze within herself only grew at this though, causing flames to lick and escape from any small space in between the wire.
With her fight, beauty, and power now taken out just as quickly the nightmare started it ended. Vashoth and his herd fled into the night, their work done. Xibalba was left laid out, her broken and bleeding body set back down on her perch. Vashoth not able to help himself by mocking his victim one last time. With the remains of the flowers set around her and the left over wire from sewing her mouth shut Vashoth created a permanent thorny flower crown wrapped and ingrained into her neck to be a painful reminder of the night. Xibalba did always want to look like a perfect queen and now she would be forever in his eyes.
Xibalba the next morning awake. It is said that her cries of pain rang out throughout the whole territories that day. Not only for herself, but for her herd. Most who were in attendance of the celebration did not survive the night. Their charred, torn bodies laid scattered across the landscape. Those that were still living begged to the herd’s god Kalona to grant them death and vengeance in the afterlife. Xibalba did not beg, she did not pray. She could no longer serve under any deity that would allow one of his most loyal subjects become into the twisted monster she was now.
So she fled. Xibalba answered her people’s cries and granted the mercy of death to the surviving few left before she dragged herself into the enchanted forest that bordered her territory. It is not known where she is now, however, rumors are that her heart burns bright for the need for vengeance. That she craves the distraction of those who not only still follow the god that let her down but any who would dare toy in such dark matters. She demands sacrifice, she demands justice for the blood of her people that now rests on her paws. And one way or another Xibalba will get what she wants.
________ FUTURE PLOTS Xibalba will first off most likely need to find some sort of healer, she is a mangled mess even months after her attack. She’ll have to find someone who can stand her nasty temper and not ask too many questions.
Once she is healed as hinted at the end of her back story Xibalba will become a hunter of the wicked. This means that she will hunt things like skinwalkers, evil kalonas, and anything that is willing to turn to the darker gods. She will have little to no concept of mercy for these beings.
I’m also thinking that perhaps she might get a redemption later down the line. Something like after she spends years in a blood craze quest to murder any dark foes in her path she does meet someone who can look past her appearance. Someone who could perhaps even find a way to have her mouth safety unsewn. Someone who can also learn how to manage her anger and deal with the traumatic stress left from her attack. This will take a lot of time and a lot of work though! So I’ll be excited to be able to take something like that on.
Edited 10/9 to make it acceptable under the shop's rules. Sorry for the misunderstanding of the challenge!
Soquili Name: Genesis Gender: Agender (DFAB, no pronoun preference)
The Legend...
It's all just legend, of course. No one alive has ever talked to them, but their presence at the Enchanted Tea ceremony always gets the Soquili talking. The being, they say, is ageless: as old as the universe and the heavens themselves. They ride the solar winds, unhindered by the the constraints of space and time; instead they travel through the infinite blackness of all Creation, looking for the celestial bodies that are ripe for seeding.
That's the theory that's passed around from the Scholars occasionally. That instead of life just spontaneously springing forth in the Ancient Times, the seeds of life were actually put there by Genesis, carried by meteors or asteroids. That these "seeds" of life are actually put here, dropped into the primordial soup of the young planet and left to brew and grow.
Just a spark. Just a little push, that's all they do. Visit a young rock floating in space, sprinkle some stardust into the rolling, boiling hellscape, and wait. And sometimes, when they are lucky, the recipe works. Millenia later, the life starts pouring out of the water. Whole ecosystems bloom, grow, and die... all thanks to Genesis.
Occasionally they come back, just to check. Just to observe what they have made, what they started. Every realm is different and unique, and every kind of life that springs forth is precious. Genesis doesn't interfere with anything, but their coat seems aglow with all kind of a life. Their fur is coating with a fine, macha-like powder that some say is literal starstuff: the thing we're all made from.
Seeing Genesis is a great boon. Look into their eye and it's said that you can feel the heat of a thousand starts aflame in your heart. Sometimes, the very footprints they make in the grass leave sprigs of life - blossoming instantly as they walk.
But again, its all just a legend.
The Reality
The main concept behind Genesis is that they are a physical representation/anthropomorphization idea of Panspermia. That they travels from planet to planet, the stardust in their coat seeding life on all the planets in our solar group.
I framed it as a legend, as I know, ICly in the Soquili universe, I that kind of a power wouldn't be allowed. That's the story everyone tells about Genesis, but it may not actually be true wink
However, there is a reason these stories get told: Odd, quiet, and agender...the strange Soquili doesn't appear in public often. The macha-like powder on their fur isn't literal stardust, but mushroom spores. They cultivates a rare mushroom in their hidden cave that they live: they are bioluminescent, small, and very colorful. Sometimes the spores fall off their fur, causing little fairy rings to appear.
Genesis cultivates these mushrooms and mixes them in all sorts of concoctions: they mix them with flowers for tea, or veggies for soup.
Additionally, the spores on their fur are mildly hallucinogenic, causing those around them close enough to inhale them, to feel the effects. They are generally unnoticeable, but can cause the markings on their fur to appear blacklit, fuzzy, and sometimes seem to 'float' above their fur as if alive. The fire in their skull seems to burn 'brighter' under the effects as well, adding to their unearthly visage. Looking at Genesis through the effects of the mushroom spores enhances their ghostly, terrorizing, and extraterrestrial visage.
Prolonged exposure to Genesis's mushroom spores have had their effect as well. Genesis is mute, skittish, and sometimes delusional. No one knows for sure whether they believe the legend to be true, or if they are just too passive to care about what is said about them.
Entry: I watch and listen from the shadows as they weave tales of my nature. All stories are none the same I've been called a demon, a monster, a ghost and much more of things I cannot bring myself to name. I am well none of these things. I'm less terrible then one can imagine, though I am cursed. A curse brought upon me even before birth.
My story starts with my mother and her woes of being unable to conceive. She tried everything that you could imagine but nothing was working and my father was growing impatient with her. He had threaten to leave and find someone much more suitable to bare his heirs. My mother devastated and desperate sought out for the answer to her prayers. So during her investigation she learned of a wishing star a star which granted you a wish.
But it's appearance was rare and almost legend, so from the mouth of a hooded mare she learned of another way. She was to go deep into the Kawani forest where the sun barely shines and there she would find an old mare that could grant her fertility. My mother knew it was dangerous but she could not bare losing my father and so she went into forest alone with nothing more then a little lit lantern. In the thickest of the forest and darkest of the area she found an old mare stirring something in a large pot. She raised her head from the pot and looked to my mother with the most sinister smile "I've been expecting you." she said and then nodded towards the pot "Come closer."
My mother approached with no hesitation and even though she was afraid she did not show. She looked towards the old mare who began to scoop up the brown colored liquid into a cup and placed it down onto an old rotten stomp then tossed some petals into the cup she began to stir it while chanting some language unheard by normal ears. She looked up at my mother and said "Drink and you will bear children."
Mother lowered her head and the scent of flowers clouded her nostrils before she began to sip it down. After she was done she looked towards the old mare "How can I repay you?" she asked.
"Oh don't you worry, deary. You'll pay the price in due time." she smiled.
My mother not thinking much of it returned home. Soon later she was pregnant and gave birth to three foals. Two boys and one girl though something was amiss with the girl. She was pawed with strange colorful markings, her eyes were a golden mist, her tail was that of canine of sorts and the scent of tea flowers lingered her, horrified my parents used a large black sash to cover my face as well as giving me mud baths to hide the smell. My father began to speculate that these foals could not be his and that my mother had dalliances behind his back.
Mother tried to defend herself but father did not believe and so she was forced to confess about the old mare with the strange drink, this angered my father for he believed this was black magic and so he left us. My mother heartbroken began to resent me and so one night while my brothers were asleep she lead me back to the forest in which she met the old lady. She looked to me with eyes that only a monster would receive "Never leave this forest. Do you hear me? NEVER!"
"But mother...?"
"A monster like you has no place in this world. Your poor father and brothers are now ashamed because of us!"
My mother did not make sense but perhaps she was losing her mind. I then watched in the shadows as my mother walked away I could hear her saying "I have repaid, you wretched old mare!" as she disappeared from my sight. I then cried and wept for days huddled in the shadows of the forest. Some nights I could hear the haunting laugh mocking my existence. I was the price. My mother paid it by returning me back.
As I grew older I learned that coming out at night was the best chance to not be seen. However, when strangers would wander these parts at night I'd watch from the shadows and enjoy as they make stories of my existence. None never knowing the truth. Some would even leave strange flavored sugar roses as offerings to me. Not that I minded, they were good.
As for the old mare? I never saw her. Never once has she appeared to me.
Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2015 3:38 pm
Won a soquili so pulling out
Follow the Trail...
Username(s): sage_the_vampirc_angel
Entry: Papaveri was named after the plant and the tea her mother had been addicted too and then later died from. In fact most of those who lived in their tiny village be it two legger or soquili had become addicted to the plant known as Papaver Somniferum or Poppy in one form or another. It was hard not to, at least that was how Paparevi saw things. Their village was surrounded by massive fields of the flowers, and with so many of the them with in the surrounding lands it was easy for one to use them in any and all methods available simply for their close proximity and the ability to use the flowers in numerous ways. Of course the villagers ate and drank other things but the use of Poppy's happened in almost every meal. So sooner or later, one just became use to it being there and the narcotic effects it would have.
In reality Papaveri's mother and many of the others of the village had been addicted to number of things. Most of which they took in the form of warm drinks or teas. To most it probably would have seemed like a terrible childhood, living in what would have appeared to be a drug den village with a parent that was more caring of the next fix than their child. But honestly Papaveri didn't mind, her mother did care but it was in an odd fluttery detached sort of way and so did most of the others. While she knew it wasn't the best life she could have been given, even at a young age Papaveri knew there was much worse lives the great spirit could have given her. In the end as a foal Papaveri was allowed to grow up with a rather free spirit and doing something she had come to love. Raise different tea plants for both her mother and other soquili to help them in whatever way they needed be it feeding their addictions or soothing problems that arose from them.The constant need to tend to her mother's and other's addictions along with the issues they caused led to Papaveri often having to venture far from home in her younger years to find the plants beyond poppy's that could be turned into teas. Which in turn helped keep Papaveri from falling into the deep addictions most of those in her village shared.
As a young adult that Papaveri finally broke free of her mother, But it was not really in a way she could have ever expected. One night under a blood red moon as the crisp winds of fall had set in and the holiday of Hallow's eve approached a carnival came to the tiny village of two leggers and soqulli that she and her mother lived with. As any carnival this one was filled with talents and freaks alike all plying their acts, games and tricks to make money. But on this night the members of the carnival noticed something different about their guests entering the tents that held the shows. For on this night as many others with in the small village that Papaveri lived in, many of the soquilli and two leggers were under the effects of the poppy tea the mare created. As she grew older Papaveri had formed her own garden learning to cross breed the plants she had slowly gathered through out her childhood to make plants that would give the effects she wanted. Over time the mare had created a strand of poppy plant that when steeped into tea would give the drink the hallucinogenic powers in a form that would keep the drinker mentally floating but not so far detached they could no longer understand the world around them along with eliminating many of the ill side effects it could usually cause. Which left those who visited the carnival even more mystified by and enamored with the acts and games than normal. This in turn led to many of the villages Soquili and two legger alike spending more money at the carnival than usual.
Pleased with the greater intake of money without having to put any effort or money into the carnival from their end, the soquili in charge of the carnival sought Papaveri out and offered her a place in their carnival in exchange for making tea to sell to their guests. Papaveri, who herself had been rather taken by the carnival's acts and the idea of getting to travel and perhaps gather new plants to create teas with, instantly agreed. With the help of those in the carnival she created a traveling garden wagon and set off with them to their next location.
Papaveri traveled with the carnival for a number of years, learning every method of cheating, tricking and even stealing money from guests possible as the time passed. And how many of the acts or workers herself included were all but forced to stay with the carnival by one method or another. The method used to keep her in the carnival was two fold, her mother and her plants. If she tried to leave the carnival would stop sending part of the money she earned and her special blend of teas back to her mother. Papaveri never failed to send back mixes of the drugged teas she made for her mother every month. It was her hope that her specially grown stands of plants would keep her mother alive and from overdosing as the had seen other's do from the drugs be it tea form or in other forms created from poppy's or other plants. If she tried to leave others from the carnivals would destroy the mixes she made for her mother or stop them and the money from reaching her mother. The second thing that kept her from leaving the carnival was her tea plants, over the years the mare had collected a number of rare plants that made lovely flavorful non drug teas but every time she tried to add one to her own garden wagon they were stolen and put into a wagon she was only allowed access to after selling her hallucinogenic teas at one of their stops. While in reality she knew she could go gather more of the plants if she truly tried, Papaveri felt that she had gathered the best plants of each species and had dedicated herself to raising those plants into being the best for making teas. She did not want the time she had spent raising and picking the plants to go to waste by having to abandoned the plants to be destroyed by the carnival.
So Papaveri stayed with carnival her tea a hit that bringing in more money from any guest it was served too. Unaware the mixes of tea and money she had tried to send her mother had never left the carnival long ago causing her mother to succumb to her addictions in harsher forms and die. And the bits of her locked away plants used for tea were being plucked and sold on the side to traders for extra money to line the carnival's leader's pockets. Until the carnival reached the main village of the soquili lands where she and many of the other workers and acts broke free after finally having to enough of all of the abuse and other foul acts committed by those who ran the carnival.Finally free Papaveri took the wagon containing the plants that had been locked away from her along with a few of her self bred strands of drug tea creating plants and headed for the small village she had called home. Once there she learned of her mother's death and how none of the mixes or money she had sent had never reached her mother.
Disheartened Papaveri left her home village again wandering the lands selling her teas. Trying to find a new place to call home. For many more years she wander from land to land selling her teas and trying to use them to help others. She was alone and lonely with out a place willingly or unwillingly to call home for so long. As she traveled she heard of many other tea sellers but was never really interested in joining them. She needed something more than just tea traders or seller's she needed a place to enjoy tea and share her love of it with other's. A place she never imagined she would find. In reality she did not find such a place, it found her. One night as she settled down for sleep, alone tucked into a small nook formed by trees just outside a large grove a sound caused her to left her head and peer into the grove. As if by magic or perhaps because she had actually dozed off and not noticed before then the grove was filled with tents and overs all enjoying something and partying happily. A bit grumpy at being awoken and at the thought of having to move again Papaveri stood taking a deep breathe to try and calm herself. The scent of tea hit her instantly as she inhaled. She could not help herself the smell so familiar and the only companion she had left drew her into the grove. Where she took in the sight of all those around her enjoying and leaving of tea. Something was different here. she felt different as if though she were a child again and she was just learning about tea and how to make it or the methods of picking the best bits of plant... it felt like she had found home, a place to once again belong .
(Yeaah sorry if its hella long I just went with what my brain told me. I sorta played on the idea some of the ponies for this event are throw backs to older events and went well what if she wasa back ground worker for say the blood moon carnival who sold hallucinogenic teas and went from there)
Hi! I'mportant notice -- I skimmed through some (not all) of the entries, and noticed that a few were not shop-lore-friendly, so I'm mass-quoting everyone eligible just in case.
If you already have a lore-friendly story explanation and/or a disclaimer, please disregard! :3
To clarify what I said in the first post: "Soq rules" includes all shop rules as currently dictated by shop lore, i.e. no magic that is out of place. You're using the character idea you have for the soquili her/them/himself.
The point is to create a character/story that you will be able to use in the soqverse!
Ebonrune
Nyx Queen of Darkness
techabyte
Kaya Wolf Moon
[Eskimo]
LydaLynn
Lady_Ourania
Lestragne
AstoriaFallen
Sabin Duvert
dawns_aura
Devil NightShade
Pollack
Kamiki
o-Elixir-o
sage_the_vampirc_angel
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 10:18 am
Follow the Trail...
Username(s): Novablu
Entry:
Name: Samsara Hallowbane Meaning: [the repeating cycle of life, death, and reincarnation]'
Temper: Divided
The shadows beckoned, a whisper of voices hushed by nightfall, hissing along her mind as if they were physical things, bound by darkness and inked into her skin. Samsara Hallowbane was young and touched by madness; perhaps due to the skinwalker blood that ran like fire through her veins. Some days she might appear gentle-natured and innocent, Fae-like as she moved through the forests without seemingly a care in the world. On the outside, she looked…almost normal. Almost. But there were voices that lingered in her head, always the loudest when the new moon rose to black the sky with ink, starry eyes gazing down on her like a thousand demons, watching her every move and beckoning. And the voices were her only friends, her only companionship in a world where she’d been cast aside.
And slowly but surely, the madness and the voices were eating away at her flesh like mites, wearing down her defenses little by little until she was nothing more than a shell of a mare, wild and skittish, a void in the darkness whose eyes burn with the fire of her rages, of her pain and sorrow as she hunted. Her paw steps silent over the grassy floor of the darkest, deepest parts of these woods. And oh, how she hunted… She was blessed by the shadows, after all, and every time she took down just one more enemy, they praised her. Having been orphaned by her wolfkin mother—a female that belonged to a pack once known but now destroyed by the very walker that sired her—praise was a godsend. Praise was telling her, this is right. This cannot be wrong. Everything I do, I do for the greater good. It’s okay to be selfish. It’s okay to take what you want. That’s the only way you will survive, my darling…
But the shadows, they call out a name. Cyanide. Cyanide. Cyanide. Daughter of sin. A whisper on the wind, the word bringing to her mind a picture of a skeletal wolfkin mare, not unlike herself… In fact, unbeknownst to the twisted little mare, this “Cyanide” creature was born of her own flesh and blood. A creature that her own sire sought to destroy, but failed. Such an easy task… A simple little mare with a past she cannot recall, but the shadows, they tell her that Cyanide is her next victim. That if she doesn’t end the wolfkin’s life, her own life will be endangered and that made her angry. Makes the fires that burn within flare up to blink through her gaze as she moved through the woods, stealthy and swift. She would end this mare’s life with a quick slice of her claws. She would take the territory and she would rise above the darkness.
It wasn't long before she found this mare. This target. The mare of her blood who could very well be her downfall. That’s what the voices say. She staked out her claim on the territory, marked with scent markers that made the wolf inside of her rage like a thunderstorm. Hers. It should be /hers/. Ears pinned and tail lashing, she creeped closer…only to see something that startled her. Cyanide, her pelt of rainbow bones on black, surrounded by three little pups who beared a perfect resemblance. The voices had told her that Cyanide was ruthless. A killer. An Alpha who wanted nothing more than to slaughter her for the blood that ran through her veins. But seeing those little foals curled around her—so obviously adored, as the love in Cyanide’s blue eyes was shining bright and protective, for the first time since her foalhood, when the voices had started to speak to her, Samsara Hallowbane hesitated. Questioned them.
Inside her mind, they shrieked, a cacophony of sound, desperate to be heard, to be /obeyed/ and Samsara’s mind splintered, a hairline fracture that cracked through her soul, letting the fire spill out. She fought against the voices who shrilled and cried and begged for a swift death. One minute the world was there and the next, she was blanketed in darkness… But the darkness brought a blessed silence, once that she wanted to succumb to. The silence was beautiful. Something she’d never had before. But it wasn’t forever. When she opened her eyes, the voices were there, but…muted somehow and when she looked up, her fiery eyes caught the soft blue glow of Cyanide’s. She stilled, expecting a death of pain and sorrow and nothingness. She expected it.
But what she was given in return was a smile, the first smile anyone had ever gifted her with, and Samsara’s heavy heart lifted. “You are lost, little wolfkin?” Cyanide murmured, her tone quirky and her eyes bright. “Trust me—I’ve been there. It’s not the best place to be. You look so sad…”
“I… I am,” Samsara whispered, almost forlorn. Her gaze lingered on a little colt who eased up, curiosity in his pale eyes…curiosity and an impishness that reminded the mare of herself. Had she had a childhood that wasn’t spent running. “I’m so very scared… The voices, they tell me things and I follow their orders. But—I don’t want to be this way. I hate it… I hate the way they control me, make me feel like I’m nothing more than a pawn in their game.” She sobbed softly and Cyanide nuzzled her, ever-gentle. “I don’t want to be a monster, but I’m cursed.”
Cyanide brushed bangs out of the mare’s face. “You are only cursed if you truly believe that,” she said with a kind smile. “I thought I was, too. I thought I’d never find where I belonged, but I have. Maybe you’re lost now, but give it some time… I could help you? Teach you the ways of the wolfkin…” Her offer made Samsara’s heart thud heavy in her chest, before Cyanide pinned her with a gaze that was cold. “But if you lay harm to my family—my pack—trust me on this, little wolf. I wouldn’t hesitate to hunt you down. You are welcome to stay, so long as you fight the darkness you fear. We are made of stardust… Yours just shines a little darker, is all. Tune the voices out. Trust your instincts.”
Samsara shivered a little. “I want to, but…”
“No buts. The things we want the most, we have to fight for. So fight.” She gave a bow of her head, then nudged Samsara’s flank, as if to rouse her. “Fight the darkness, little wolf. And one day you’ll wake up and find yourself in love with life, with a pack of little pups dancing around your ankles, and the voices… They’ll give up eventually. You just have to tune them out. Now c’mon. Do you have a name?”
“Y-Yes. Samsara. Samsara Hallowbane.”
“Morbid. How about we switch it up a little?” Cyanide grinned. “New name for a new life? What do you say?”
Samsara giggled, suddenly feeling lighter than she had in months. “To what?”
“Samsara Starkeeper. Now c’mon. If you’re gonna be sticking around, you’ll need to meet my family. That pup there is Cae. Don’t trust him, sweetheart. He’s a wicked little brat.” She laughed, then took off on fleet feet, padding ahead a few steps before turning. “Sam?” she queried, when Samsara stayed behind.
But it wasn’t because of the fear, or even because of the voices who were taking up residence in her head. No… This time it was because, for the first time in her young and yet seemingly endless life, she felt… Right. “Coming!” she chirped, nipping at Cae’s flank as he bolted past her, growling soft. A pack… Wasn’t that everything she ever wanted? “Wait up!”
Maybe this Cyanide wouldn’t be her downfall after all.
Note: Cyanide Stardust and her son Cae are my Soquili, and as a disclaimer, the voices in her head are actually a part of her madness, possibly an offshoot of schitzophrenia/multiple personality disorder due to the fact that her father is a walker and she was abandoned to be raised by herself. The voices stepped in to "help" her. So no real demons. Just a touch of halloween crazy smile
Plot Points:
Fight The Darkness: Samsara is plagued with nightmares and the voices that strive to control her life, who threaten to kill her newly found family, destroy what little peace she's found. Is she strong enough to defeat her demons? Or will they truly be her bane?
My Name...Is Merrikh: On the new moon, when the sky is blacked out, one voice rises above the rest. Cold, cruel, and dark, Merrikh can take control of the frail little mare, to twist her to his will and cause chaos. Is there an escape from his madness, or is she forever tortured? And the promises he offer her, such sweet escape that she desires--silence... Will she give in?
Sweet Child O' Mine: Somehow or other, she ends up with a basket...but her mind is muddied, coming off the new moon, and she isn't sure if she's stolen it... She faces certain judgment from Cyanide's mate Phosgene, who is against such a thing. Part of her is terrified of what lies within the wicker...but her instincts scream at her to keep it, to raise it the way she should've been raised... But what lies within that basket might be a bigger curse than she could ever imagine.
The Luminary: Samsara, believing she's incapable of love or desire, finds herself smitten with a stallion who is very much the embodiment of light (whether he be suti, angeni, or just a good person in general) who wants to help her through her darkest times, even though she's skittish and afraid of him. She wants the help... But will she drag him down? Or will he be strong enough to lift her from the ashes, phoenix reborn?
Nocte: On the flipside, she finds herself the desire of someone much darker, someone much more cold than Merrikh could ever be...but since he shows her kindness, even just a touch of it, would she submit to his wills and become the monster he believes she could be--a very powerful monster, indeed? Could she succumb to the voices, to the nightmares and the screams, and become his dark queen? What sacrifices will this take?
No Such Thing (As Happily Ever After): Depending on which of the above happens (or rather, which happens first) I'm a sucker for romance and in the end, Samsara would find her happily ever after. It might be dark and brooding, or it might be fluffy and sweet, the light at the end of the tunnel. Depends on how she develops ICly. But in the end, by the time she hits 100% in stats, she will know what she's here for. The reasons behind her untimely birth.
Entry: I was a basket, born within a large forest not many years ago now. I was parentless, abandoned to a herd in their graveyard, they had no idea the origins I was from. It mattered not to them, they were very calm and happy Soquili.
I popped upon a day they called All Souls Day on the hour of the Awakening. It was in the particular herd that they would decorate their graves with sugar treats made from honey that a large Angeni named Silvanus gifted, and tea. The herd stood at the entrance to the great forest, in which those with a dream on their eyelids of an Enchanted Tea Garden passed through. An ambiguous stride to their step, when I was young I would think the Tea Garden pulled the Soquili by threads. Somber steps, and sleepy faces taken over by their dreams of the tea celebrations.
The herd took it upon themselves to call me Ignitia and titled me the Lady Ignitia, The Fire Giver, the fire that was born inside of me helped my birth herd make tea to do their ceremonies for their dead. They also used my fires to boil the honey down and place them in small castings of skulls. They would place pigments from herbs into the skulls and the herd's hippogryphs would paint details on the skulls. They had to result in tempting the Fire Ulun'Suti before I came, but with me they didn't need the outsiders' help. On my birthdate, they would celebrate me and the souls of the dead. They took in a new celebration on All Soul's Day to thank me for the flames I provided them. I made it my job to also help keep the graveyard clean during the down season of these celebrations. I helped Soquili find their loved ones if they needed to move their bones or claim a den from another family. Sometimes those who left the herd, would come back for a piece of their relative.
Time with them was the best part of my life, but with ever good thing; it came to an end. The morning was like any other in the downtime. I slept within a den at the top of the hill that was the graveyard. I got up to attend the Grave Yard when a small family fled the forest in a frenzy. I looked up from the clearing of the graveyard to see the forest line filled with smoke. As my ears began to tune after hours of sleep, I began to hear screaming. In a frenzy I moved towards the fires. I tried to help who I could, and I did get some of the herd out. But alongside the deeper parts, elders and children under the eyes of the Caretakers were screaming and dying. Within the frenzy I pushed further into the forest but was blocked out from entering by a large oak falling within my way; its body still aflame.
With some of the survivors I moved alongside them. It was obvious some had resentment to me; the thought of fire and seeing it burn between my jowls made them flinch. When I found the herd leader's son (he had left to start his own family) he blamed me. The survivors shied away and like that; I was homeless. I was blamed for the fires due to the ones that kept my soul aflame within. Banished from his family I went to the only place I knew best; the grave yard. Silvanus had been there when I entered the aftermath of the fire.
A sad expression sat on his face, he told me that the trees were crying out in pain. Those that stood around with scars of fire running up their sides weeped for their friends and children. It was mortifying, and it was taxing on the Angeni. Without ever blaming me, he asked me to help him. Together we cleared what we could. I found burned corpses of my loved ones. I moved them and buried those still intact, and cremated who I could within the graveyard. I took the only piece of my adoptive mother, I could find and bound her rose necklace around my neck.
Days after Silvanus went to visit other parts of the scorched land, blessing me as best he could. But I was overcome by loneliness. I became a bit of a hermit, living and grooming the graveyard. Time went on, and the forest around me sprouted new trees and life, some with the help of Silvanus' blessings. The next All Souls Day I spent alone, decorating each grave. I sat alone on the slope, watching the dreaming parade to the Enchanted Tea Garden. A part of me felt need for a new home or companionship. I moved to follow the sleep walkers. The Enchanted Tea Garden welcomed me, I entered it as an exile.
It is where I reside.
Ignitia the Gravekeeper.
Disclaimer: I used an approach on the Day of the Dead, Hallowe'en and some Christian Beliefs. But I also added in some Aztec/Mayan traditions with the idea of the Enchanted Tea Ceremony smile. I also kind of.. placed this herd into the happenings of the fires that was an event a couple of years ago (I think almost 3 years ago now). Aztec and Mayan traditions did not mind taking bones of loved ones and disturbing their grave. The bones were a way to communicate with the dead, they used them as witnesses when signing contracts or trading-agreements. Also they would take bones and distribute the bones to their family members, who would take these bones and bury them on their land or place them in their homes. The dead helped families claim their hereditary claims on their lands.
Also Silvanus the Angeni is the Angeni of Forests, and my own.
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 2:12 pm
Follow the Trail...
Username(s): Abysmal_Night
Entry: Lillianna walked through the forest. Her scarf trailing after her, she had forgotten to pull it up again. She had been so worried about getting away from where she was running from that she had no concern for things like her scarf. 'Monster... Evil Incarnate.... Cursed.... The Demon's Child!' these words ran through her mind as she continued on wards. A little fall of rain had started, when had it started? she wondered to herself. It had been a long journey and her legs were weak. She had been walking for what seemed like days. She had no idea where she was now, all she could remember was the voices.
She didn't dare stop, until her legs decided they would carry her no farther. She collapsed in the shadow of an old willow tree. She looked up at the moon, it was still the same. No matter where she went, the moon was still the same. The fiery tears fell from her eyes. Was it normal for a "Beast" to cry? she had so many questions that would never be answered. She laid her head down and slowly drifted off to a soundless sleep.
She was back, in the village she had called home. She smiled as she walked through the square, there wasn't anyone there. 'That's right...' she thought, 'They are at the gathering....' She looked around and saw her mother coming towards her with a long scarf. Her expression changed when she saw the look on her mother's face and the hurried breath. She listened as her mother kept moving past her and told her to follow. Her mother was the only one who had ever shown her kindness. She was the one who looked for her no matter where she hid herself. Her mother could always find her. Her eyes went wide as her mother told her the village was having the gathering about what to do with her. She knew they feared her, and she knew that she was different. She had always been different, but her mother had always called her "Special." She bore the markings of the dead, and she bore the spirit of fire itself. Her mother had called it her "Eternal Flame." She liked the sound of being special and eternal, but she never would have imagined that the village would cast her out.
They reached the edge of the village before her mother finally stopped and turned to her. "Listen to me Very Carefully..." she had stressed those last two words more then any other. "You need to run... get as far from here as you can and Never return..." She stepped back in shock at her mother's words. There were tears running down her mother's face.
"There is no time!" she said as she wrapped the scarf around Lillianna. "My dear child you must go... So that you may live! Never forget how special you are!" she said as she embraced her daughter for the last time.
Lilliana tried to speak but nothing would come out. Soon she saw the fires in the village. They were coming for her. Her eyes wide she tried to scream, but no sound would come. She turned from her mother and started running! She didn't look back and she couldn't dare to.
She woke up abruptly from her nightmare. She had moved around in her sleep she noted as she nudged a few leaves from her hoof. She looked up to the sky now. It had cleared partially and the moon was trading places with the sun. How much sleep had she really gotten? Even more worrisome then that, where was she? These thoughts kept circling in her mind. She gingerly got to her feet and continued walking. Her head hung low. She had no where to go. What would become of her? She shook her head. This wasn't the time to be sorry for herself. The nightmares would haunt her, but she needed to continue following her mother's orders. She needed to keep moving away from the village.
She traveled the entire day. She had gone out of one forest and into another. She looked around at the trees, they almost seemed to be alive. There was a strange aroma to the air, and her weariness started to taunt her into taking a break from her journey. After all she had no idea where she was going. It was when she had almost given up all hope that she came upon another. The other looked at her and she looked at the new mare. Her eyes wide with surprise and fear. The fires that shown from within her burned ever brightly.
"Ahh Child you have come for the festival...."The other mare spoke calmly and as if she had years of experience under her belt."Come My child... they are waiting for you..."
This last part sent chills down her spine. Who were they and why were they waiting for her? She must have been showing the signs of one about to flee as the other mare calmly added,
"It's ok... No one will harm you here... You are our guest..."
Lillianna watched her and without realizing it had put one foot in front of the other and was starting to follow the other mare. She walked through the veil of trees and her eyes went wider then she could ever remember. There were others, All of them wore markings similar to her own. She stopped walking in her tracks. She needed to be able to process this. She wasn't different here, and she wasn't alone here.
The other mare leaned against her side, in an effort to support the young one."This is your first Festival isn't it?"At the surprised and confused look on the young one's face she chuckled a bit. "We celebrate the dead here... Their life, their spirit, and their memory..."She looked back to the others that were walking among brightly colored festival decorations, and brightly colored Foods and drinks. "I am Kuriana, the guardian of the veil" She noticed the scarf dragging the ground, and picked it up and wrapped it around the young mare.
Lillianna gaped as she looked around, there were others of all different shapes, sizes and types, some had paws like her, others had claws, and hooves. It was all so much to take in but in an odd way it was comforting to her. She nodded to the mare as the scarf was wrapped around her once more. It was a gesture that brought tears to her eyes, in remembrance of her mother. "I.... am... Lillianna...." she got out through the amazement and the tears.
Kuriana nodded to the girl. "It is alright now... For you are safe and you can stay here for as long as you like..." she stepped a couple feet away from Lillianna and turned to her. "It seems like the spirits finally saw fit to grant me my wish..."She laughed a bit.
"Your wish...?" Lillianna said in a state of confusion still.
Kuriana winked at the mare."I had been asking for some company since I have been getting on in years... and now they have sent me you..." She said with a matter of fact tone. "After all... You have the Eternal Flames burning inside you... who would be better to help me with the Day of the Dead festivities?"She picked up a flower circle and placed it over the mare's head and around her neck."There... now you are all dressed up.... Shall we go greet the others?"
Lillianna just stood there for a moment surprised and happy all at the same time. She could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks but it didn't matter, she had found another that was ready to take her in. She had found her place in the world and where she belonged! She looked down at the blue flowers around her neck and smiled. "Th.... Thank you so much!!!" She stammered as she all but bounced over to Kuriana and embraced her.
"Hush now.... Just call me Granny!!"Kuriana added as the mare embraced her. She laughed lightly as the little Lillianna embraced her. "Now now... I haven't done anything... You need to honor the spirits! You have much to learn and it will not be as easy as you think!!"She had a bit of sternness to her but her eyes still help the gentle kindness that she always held inside herself. "Now then... Let's go and introduce you..."
They walked up the hill and into the festival. Lillianna never looked back, only forward from that day on wards.
WHERE SHE GOES FROM HERE!! <3
I am planning on making her take over from Kuriana as the "Guardian of the Veil" and she will continue to learn the ways of the dead, and the ways to honor the spirits. She will be accepting of all who enter the veil and she will have a great kindness to show onto others that was never shown to her except by her mother and Kuriana. She will likely want to start a herd to assist in the festival's setup and activities.
I would like to through a WS or Customs get her mother created and have them reconnect after a couple years pass. I think it would be a very good plot point for her to find her mother again and have that connection back, but she won't want to hurt Kuriana, who is her Second Mother.
Entry: Smoke drifted through the charred remains of the grove that had once been home to the proud Wildflower herd. Moans rose up into the night air from the fallen, young and old alike. The foals alone had remained untouched. By hoof or claw no child could say who or what'd done it.
And only the unhurt could say what came after.
A visitor came to the herd. A dark mare with colorful markings and eyes like torches.
What remained of the adult members of the herd was a few weak or dying members, their angry red gashes gleaming in the pale moon's light as the one known as Vita Divina began to inspect their injuries. Those who could not get up, whose wounds had already begun to fester, whose raw skin was already crawling with maggots and flies, too feeble were they to notice the ghostly orange glow that danced and flickered before them...
Damning them all to hell.
The sickly sweet stench of rot perfumed the air, punctuated by the fragrant smell of the mare's presence. Delicate lavender and peach trailed her around as she silently appraised them, her face cold and unflinching as she looked over each grisly wound.
For a time she left. Silence returning to the grove, interrupted only by the cries of pain and the chirping of crickets. And it remained that way until just before dawn, when the Divine Life returned.
Bearing only a steaming teapot and a single ceramic cup, she made the rounds. For each of the wounded the cup was filled and carefully poured into the gaping maws that cried in search of relief. What tea dribbled out was dabbed off their muzzles as Vita Divina leaned down, whispering into the ears of each and every soul she visited. Calming words she uttered, each assured of an end to their mortal pain.
As the sun was breaching the horizon, dawns light spread out across the wreckage. Collectively the wounded gave a shudder and then exhaled a sigh. The mare gave a smile as she stood over the dead, then turned to go, leaving only the smell of corpses and the gentle scent of peaches and lavender behind her.
You will find your story, the Ember Speakers told her, their eyes glittering and brilliant against the night. You must only seek it out.
Rue did not believe them, for she had reached her second year within the Kindled clan, and had nothing to show for it. Her coat remained a fathomless black, no Mark to distinguish her from the next initiate. Worse was the chill that she could not shake off, her insides unlit by inspiration. She watched those around her in hopes of alleviating the emptiness, observed the daily actions of her fellow Kindled and the way that life unfurled around them. Small victories and simple pleasures saw color blotting her peers' coats, thick curls of contentment and happiness that spoke to the fullness of their experiences. One who loved with his entire being found the likeness of his beloved indelibly etched on his chest. Another who had committed herself to the way of battle woke one day to find her coat proudly painted over old scars.
Yet Rue remained Unmarked. There was no lover, no fight that left an impression on her. Over time, despair began to resonant within her, and she could not bear the pitying looks aimed her way any longer. She left under cover of darkness, padding through unfamiliar terrain and putting as much distance between herself and the clan as possible. Alien sights met her eyes the further she walked, and the Ember Speakers' assurance rang in her ears. But each time she consulted the twilight within her body, nothing had changed.
Days into her self-imposed exile, Rue laid down and fell into a doze. Strung within a dreamless sleep, she sensed something niggling at the edges of her awareness, calling attention to itself. Peeling back her eyelids, Rue found a young fox watching her, its muzzle wrinkled with curiosity. She lifted her head and it skittered away from her with a loud yelp, falling over its own paws in surprise. A laugh, unbidden, bubbled up in her throat as the kit righted itself, red tail waving in agitation.
"Thought you were dead!" it cried, licking its paw to soothe the indignity. "Not nice, yanno, pretending like that."
"I wasn't. Not intentionally, anyway," Rue said, watching with a measure of amusement. He could not have been far from his den, not with the layer of fuzz still clinging to his coat. Surely his mother would miss him? "I'm sorry if I scared you."
"S'okay," the kit replied, puffing out his small, cream-spattered chest. "Wasn't afraid, not really." At Rue's nod, his face cleared, the misunderstanding forgotten entirely. The kit hopped up and sidled closer to her. "You wanna play a game?" he asked, piping voice gone vaguely coy.
"It's a little late." Rue looked up at the sky, the moon's fullness beaming back at her. "Shouldn't you be asleep?"
"Slept too long already," the kit replied easily, nudging at her muzzle with his own. "C'mon, let's play! My friends aren't far away."
Bemused and still half-asleep, Rue pulled herself to her feet and gamely followed the kit. It was the least she could do, she supposed, after giving him such a fright. With a pleased yip, he turned and fled, forcing her to run to keep up with the pace. Her paws caught on unseen roots, and leafless branches prodded at her Unmarked sides. She ignored them, intent on the snatches of russet darting through the shadowy plant life, suddenly afraid to lose track of him.
They came upon the clearing unexpectedly, and the absence of obstacles tripped her as surely as the woods behind them. Once she'd recovered, Rue opened her mouth to call to the kit, suspecting she'd lost him for good. The urge died stillborn on her tongue, and she stared at the scene before her with wide eyes.
Creatures of all shapes and sizes danced upon a hillock covered in flowers, paws and wings and claws raised up toward the sky. Most of their bodies stood out in various stages of decay, the smell prickling her nostrils and coating her eyes in a sheen of brine. Ripe flaps of skin dangled from bare bones, and bloodless gashes marred otherwise pristine faces. Here and there, entire skeletons gleamed as they twirled in ecstasy, unhindered by so much as a shred of flesh. Some sang as they moved, accompanied by the clack of bone and the whistle of air through old, sucking wounds. All of them seemed to know where to step next, where to be before whatever music they heard changed tempo.
A whisper of softness against her paws had her recoiling slightly. The kit looked up at her with a trace of smugness that seemed at odds with his youthful countenance. In the light shed by the moon, she could see the way his fur had matted around his neck, red on red in a way that was easy to mistake for nothing. "Did I scare you?" he asked, unable to quite contain his delight. Clearly taking her silence for assent, he giggled to himself, then headbutted her shin. "It's okay. Don't have to be scared."
Rue hesitated, mesmerized still by the intricate movements of the dancers, how they operated their bodies so fluidly in the absence of muscle or sinew. Such unrestrained joy seemed opposed to their unlife, and yet they did not appear bound by whatever end they must have met. Predators and prey shared space without question, wolves partnered with rabbits, hawks with mice. There were no enemies among them, no attachments, not beyond the unity of celebration. It sparked something inside her to watch them, elevated past all earthly concerns and allowed to simply exist in the moment.
"You can still play, even if you're just pretending," the kit said as he slithered away from her, loping instead toward the dancers. Caught in whatever snare he'd thrown, Rue trailed after him, steps slow and inexorable as a sleepwalker. Once she drew level with the dancers, she felt her body respond to the unheard music. Her movements were heavy, ungainly by comparison, her limbs too fleshy, too alive. But when she reared up to greet the stars, color splashed along her legs. Variegated marigolds that were a match to the ones on the hill bloomed along her thighs and climbed up the rungs of her spine. Arching her neck made the outlines of a skull appear, beaked and precious, ringed in channels like the drag of talons. Rue closed her eyes against the swarm of the undead, and felt the spark inside her growing hotter, every motion fanning the flames. Coming down again sent a delicious jolt of feeling up through her legs, and she did not even need to look down to confirm the way her bones now stood out in bright relief.
It was hours before she realized that the music had petered out, and Rue pried open her eyes once more. Her Marks still glowed faintly, newly etched and hard-won, covering ever available inch of her. The dancers were gone, and only a lone, sad little mound of fur remained. She did not need to approach to know that it was a fox kit, still wearing his downy undercoat. Nor did she look down at the earth, where a sole set of footprints lay. All she knew was that when she breathed, small tongues of flame flickered out of her mouth, and when she blinked, hearth-light spilled from her sockets. Her Marks sang not of death, but of renewal, of thereafter, and stories without end.
---
OOC explanations:
To avoid clashing with existing shop lore, Rue's experience with the undead and the appearance of her Marks could be written off as the culmination of her 'spirit quest' of sorts, whereby she hallucinates the majority of the event and awakens in an enlightened state of mind. In this case, she actually had the Marks all along, but was unable to see them until she completed her quest.
Cassial lowered herself to the ground carefully, wrapping herself around Mi’aline in a protective motherly manner. The little filly shifted, tucking herself close to her mother, up under her chin before finally settling down. Cassi allowed this without complaint, even when a stray wing whacked her in the face as her little one fought to settle down. Once Mi’a was settled, Saiori, her rabbit familiar, moved his fluffy self into the crook her legs made. It was only after Mi’a and Saiori were settled that Cassial hummed softly, brushing her nose along the top of Mi’aline’s head.
“Tell me a story mama?” The little filly asked, running claws lightly down the rabbit’s back making him kick his back feet happily.
Cassial was silent for a long moment, her gaze thoughtful as she watched Quest pace back and forth. The wolf was forever on alert when Archer wasn’t about. If truth be told, she was on alert all the time, but more so when the stallion wasn’t around.
“Let’s see, awhile back, on a night not terribly different from this one, I was wandering a dense forest.” Cassi started softly, her tone almost distant as if she was attempting to pull forth the exact details. There was a chill in the air, one that crept down the spine with nimble claws. The moon hung full in the sky, a glowing orb that cast too little light below. Trees large and old gobbled up the moon’s rays, leaving things below their brows dark. The feeling that you weren’t alone hung intense in the surrounding darkness. Branches creaked, twigs snapped, leaves rustled, a cacophony of noise twisted in the darkness, leaving one confused and turned around.
Styx had long since been aware that a mare wandered close to her homestead. She didn’t mind terribly; the mare hadn’t disturbed the spirits and had been careful when she passed alters in the woods. Though Styx did worry for her wellbeing, it wasn’t safe to travel at night. Not because there were things in these woods that would harm this mare, but because it was difficult to see. She’d taken note that this brown and cream mare had hooves and not paws, making things a bit more difficult for her. It was for this reason that the pawed female was pacing along in the shadows slightly behind her. She figured if nothing else, then she could help if trouble did arise.
Styx did have to question at what would drag someone out at night. What important mission was this mare on? Not for the first time, Styx caught the flash of white from the wolf that followed along after the femme. It caused her to back up slightly, realizing she’d gotten much to close in her speculating.
“Who’s there?” The voice was sure sounding, which wasn’t something Styx was used to hearing. She stood silent for a long moment, unsure of what to do. Should she show herself? It hadn’t really ever ended well before this point. Most were terrified by the way she looked, spooked by her eyes, or maw, or the paint that adorned her coat. She wasn’t sure what she thought would make this time any different.
“I know you’re there! I can see your… glowy bits!” Styx blinked. Oh right, her eyes. She supposed they did glow a bit, didn’t they? Sometimes it was hard to remember these things when you spent so much time alone. It hadn’t ever bothered her, though the cinders did tend to make a mess.
“Alright.” Styx called, surprising herself by how raspy her voice sounded. Lack of use did that to one, she supposed; it wasn’t like she had someone to talk to all that often. Giving a slow roll of her shoulders, Styx prepared herself for the inevitable scream and terror filled fleeing. This would undoubtedly lead to injury and require Styx’s attention in the end anyway, why couldn’t they just skip to the end? With a soft sigh, the mare stepped through the underbrush to face the female and her wolf.
“Mama! Did the monster eat you!? Did she hurt you?! Did Quest have to chase her off?!” Mi’a seemed terribly worried about this, despite the fact Cassial was right in front of her. Her little eyes were as wide as they could go and her startled squeal had drawn the attention of Quest.
The wolf loped her way over, coming to sit beside Mi’aline’s head and lick her ears in a soothing manner. “Hush now child.” Quest spoke, her tones tender and peaceful as she attempted to calm the filly. Sometimes Cassial had to wonder what she would have done without the she wolf as a constant backup.
“No dear, Styx did not eat me. Let me finish.” Cassi said with a small sigh before she nuzzled the little filly once more and picked up her story.
To say Styx was surprised when the mare and her wolf did not either charge at her or run was an understatement. Instead, for a long moment they just sort of stood there and stared at each other. Styx was about to speak when the mare took a hesitant step forward.
“I’m Cassial, and this is Quest. What’s your name?” Her voice was soft as if she didn’t want to frighten Styx. It was a sort of strange twist of fate, since it was usually Styx that was attempting to be as un-intimidating as possible.
“Styx, my name is Styx.” She answered, taking a small step forward and huffing slightly when a briar bush caught on her sash. Carefully she pulled it free, not even minding when it dusted her with leaves and other bits of debris.
“You seem lost and like you’re looking for something. It’s dangerous to travel at night. If you’d like I can show you a cave not far from here where you could stay for the night?” Styx shifted from paw to paw almost subconsciously. She didn’t suppose the mare, Cassial, would be all that interested in her help, but it was worth a shot.
“That would be nice Styx, thank you.” Cassi gave the other a warm smile before stepping gently in front of Quest and over beside the other mare. Though Quest hadn’t said anything, she hadn’t attacked either, and if truth be told it was probably for the best if she stayed quiet anyway.
“I am looking for something, or someone more the case. My father, I heard that he passed through here not that long ago. Or rather, I heard someone that looked like him passed through here. I don’t know for sure.” Cassial stated as she pranced beside, and slightly behind, Styx.
Styx, to her credit, was handling the whole strange ordeal well. It wasn’t like she got company all that often, so she wasn’t exactly sure what it was she was supposed to say. She did, however, find the story rather interesting. She’d seen a stallion pass through here not that long ago, he hadn’t been paying much attention though. He’d just seemed to be wandering with no real direction, though he hadn’t caused her any trouble either. The stallion had disturbed one of the shrines, but beyond that, nothing.
“A stallion did pass through here not long ago. Well built and tall, a draft maybe, most assuredly a pure unicorn. He was shades of brown and cream, sort of like you if I remember right, but there were pops of pastel colors as well.” Styx sounded almost thoughtful as she spoke, but her trance was broken as Cassial squeaked beside her. For a moment she thought the mare might have seen something she didn’t like, but when she glanced over her eyes were bright with joy.
“You’ve seen my father?!” She asked, invading Styx’s personal space with a smile. The pawed mare blinked for a moment, sending cinders dusting down onto the much smaller femme.
“Well, someone that looks like him I suppose. I did not speak to him myself; he passed through here nearly a fortnight ago though. He was heading west, but I can’t tell you much beyond that. I’m sorry.” Styx truly did sound apologetic that she couldn’t be of more help.
“It’s no problem! You’ve helped quite a bit! Thank you for giving us a place to sleep tonight, and merely knowing that I am on the right track is a blessing.” Cassial seemed a bit overjoyed with the information she had been given, not that Styx much understood why; she’d never known her father, nor had she ever had any interest in finding him. She’d cherished the time with her mother before it had slipped between her paws, but never questioned about her father. For a moment she wondered if that was strange, didn’t most wonder about their parents?
“Wow. What is this place?” The wonderment in the voice next to her caught her off guard. It wasn’t something she heard, ever. Her eyes drifted up to the cave in which she lived, the outside a garden of sugars and different teas. Colorful skulls and bright decorations adorned the outer parts of her lair; the walls were even painted with colorful designs, much like her pelt.
“It’s my home.” Styx whispered softly, as she took a careful step inside. She made sure to lead Cassial around the decorations and into the deeper part of the cavern. Much like the outside, the inside was warmly decorated as well, with colorful cloth and various other objects. It was almost inviting if not for the skulls that lined the walls.
“It’s amazing, do you decorate these yourself?” Cassi asked, leaning in close to a skull that had bright pinks and blues on it. She was amazed to find that many of them were decorated like this and almost had a sweet smell.
“I do, sugar and tea have multiple purposes, I’ve found.” Styx shifted slightly before vanishing for a moment to bring her guest some sugar cane to nibble on. She was a bit of an omnivore herself with a preference to meat, but found that she did enjoy the taste of sugarcane.
“May I ask why you make them?” Cassi queued as she settled down, smiling as Quest came to tuck in beside her.
“Thank you, by the way. For the food and the shelter.” Cassial added in an almost after thought. It was strangers like these that made her travels as easy as they were. On more than one occasion she was offered shelter and food from those that resided in the place she was passing through.
Styx waffled a moment at the question. It wasn’t something anyone had ever asked her, and it wasn’t like her mother had been very open about what they did. Sometimes she wondered if what they were doing was wrong, but then she thought about it a bit more and it couldn’t possibly be. How could it be?
“I make them to keep the spirits of those that have been forgotten by the many happy. A sad or depressed spirit is quick to become a poltergeist or malicious, so it’s best to keep them happy, which is really rather simple as long as you remember them. I also make wards and charms to help ward off bad spirits and those with ill intent. I keep people safe from those souls that would do them harm. My mom said we were the line of defense between this world and what lies beyond.” Styx spoke carefully and with measured tones before settling down across form Cassial, watching her reaction carefully.
Cassi, for her part, didn’t seem to be anything but interested. She had no disgruntled look on her face, or anything else for that matter. If anything, she looked extremely interested in the idea; it wasn’t something she heard often. Talk of spirits and the afterlife were seldom mentioned; people always seemed scared of death. Still, Cassi had always had some interest in it, and no one to ever talk to about it.
“That’s really neat! I’d love to hear more about it if you don’t mind?” Cassial asked, nuzzling Quest’s ear gently as the wolf yawned and dropped her head onto her paws. Styx seemed truly shocked by her request, but smiled and nodded her head. Perhaps mother had been wrong to hide what it was they did.
“So she was a good guy?” Mi’a asked, her tone sleepy and distant as her eyes fluttered closed.
“Very much so, she’s there to protect us. You never judge someone solely based on looks Mi’a. Most are much more than they appear. Just like Styx, she’s there to keep all the ghosties and ghoulies where they belong. She keeps little fillies like you safe.” Cassi stated, lowering her head to rest gently over Mi’aline’s much smaller body.
“Do you think maybe I could meet her one day? Maybe I could make a painted skull?” Mi’a’s tone was so distant now it was likely she wouldn’t remember half of this conversation in the morning and would ask it all over again. It was doubtless that she’d have dreams of colorful candy, sweet treats, and painted skulls.
“I don’t see why not darling, but we’ll talk about it more when you wake up.” Cassi whispered in a hushed tone, smiling as she felt her little filly sigh happily in her blissful state. If truth be told, Cassial herself would love to return and see Styx again. The mare had been a true joy and turned into a dear friend. Maybe this time she could even get Styx to come out of the woods, or maybe not; best not to get ahead of herself.
OOC Notes:
Cassi, Mi'a, Quest and Saiori are all characters I own! Their certs (and uncert in Quest's case as she hasn't been certed yet) can be provided if need be. Archer is Cassi's mate and I can poke Trio for approval if I need to!
I likely don't need to say it but she doesn't really commune with the dead. It's all a belief system, though she'd doubtlessly give a skinwalker a good fight. (Which they could be viewed as evil/bad/malicious spirits.)
Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 6:34 pm
Follow the Trail...
Username(s): cyhorse
Entry: A lone mare traveled not too far from the herd she had called home since she was a foal. Tonight was her initiation into the herd's scout team and she felt a surge of excitement swelling within her chest. The flames in her eyes and mouth glowed brightly as the anticipation continued to build. In order to become part of the scouting team, she needed to successfully complete three tasks that would prove to be difficult for anyone attempting to become one of the many scouts of the herd.
The mare came from a herd of creatures that appeared very similar to herself. Each individual's body was covered in tattoos that told the story of that individual's life. Every significant memory that creature had was added to their pelt. It was obvious from her pelt that they mare had already been through a lot in her life.
Her blazing eyes focused ahead of her as she stalked amongst the shadows of trees that surrounded a nearby herd. Others that didn't know about her herd would have assumed she was hunting for prey to devour, but the quiet mare was searching for something more paranormal: Spirits.
The goal of her herd was to scare evil spirits away from the safety of other herds, while guiding benevolent spirits to their families to celebrate their mortal life. Although the members of her herd could not actually communicate with the spirits, they believed they could feel their presence or see orbs that were the 'bodies' of spirits.
When the mare drew closer to the nearby herd, she watched for a moment and listened in on one of the conversations going on. "There was tea like no other! I heard it could even cleanse the soul and heal the weak." Curiosity piqued within the mare as she listened. One of her three tasks was to help a soul. Surely one of these magical teas would do the trick. Now, she just needed to get her paws on one.
As she listed for a little while longer, she got directions to where this tea could be found. Good, it wasn't too far. Like a ghost, the mare disappeared without a trace and headed towards the tea gardens in the land of Soquili. She followed the path the others had mentioned and found herself deep in a dark forest. Then everything went black.
When the mare opened her eyes, she looked around. "What... happened?" She tried to think of where she was. It appeared to be some forest. Her mind then wondered how she had gotten here. Surely she must have walked. Then, she wondered... who was she?
OOC:: The mare has lost her memory, so now she must try to gain it back. Lucky for her, she has some clues on her body. As she wanders around the soquili land she will be able to put the pieces of her life back together with the help of other soquili and the tattoos that cover her body. Once she has her memory back she has to make the difficult decision of whether or not she will stay in the kawanii lands or go back to her old herd.
Her herd/purpose is based off of where the jack-o-lantern originated from (to scare away evil spirits) and from Day of the Dead (when families celebrate the life of their loved ones).
About the soquili:: She is young, unpredictable, and playful. She still has a lot to learn about life and will make many mistakes along the way. She makes decisions quickly and without much thought behind them, which she will eventually learn only leads to trouble for her. Although she took her training very seriously, she was also one to enjoy a good prank or two with friends in the herd. Her original plan was to become a scout, but if that fell through she had plans to become a storyteller since she loves to tell spooky stories.
She will not be able to communicate with "spirits". She just believes she can feel them and see orbs that might be a spirit. Some soquili may call her crazy and believe she is just imagining things while others might actually believe her.
cyhorse
Skilled Hellraiser
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ramenli
Alarming Consumer
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Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2015 8:39 pm
Follow the Trail...
Username(s): ramenli
Entry:Family is safe. Family is home.
The words were ingrained in her head, the soft croons that had been with her since she was still in her basket, nestled warmly and protected by her herd.
It wasn't a large herd, it never had been. For some reason those filled with fire tended to have single children, twins a rarity, and she was no different. One elder brother, her parents, a scattering of others.
All Family.
Family is safe.
Others were not. Strangers could never understand the fire within, and they would either fear it or hate it. She had seen it with her own eyes, a grown stallion lost in their forest, fleeing so quickly he left strands of his mane snared on the trees, blood on the brambles he scraped against. All because her mother approached him to set him on his path.
Several days later he'd returned and others with him, encroaching on their land, trying to drive them out.
She had been but a filly then, but she remembered the Family's decision. The way she helped by setting fires where she was told, walling off the strangers and watching the wind take care of the rest.
Anything for Family.
That didn't mean that she wasn't fascinated by the others she saw. The traveling herds that passed closed by their lands, sometimes unintentionally crossing their borders. It didn't mean she didn't watch them as they passed, claiming she was guarding their lands, making sure they didn't stop for too long. Watching them in darkness, the fiery pits of her eyes gleaming though the night.
Seeking something, someone, she couldn't put into words, frustration seeping through her paws and charring the earth beneath.
