The bright orange figure wasn't the most subtle, yet it seemed that either the guards of the Great Tree didn't see him...or were trying to ignore his presence. Perhaps they'd gotten used to the odd figure's appearance. Besides, he never tried to get inside the Tree. Just came and hung out outside sometimes, meeting a Faun or Fauny, taking a walk...the resident returning a few hours later.
Perhaps Chief Rais had spread the word to be wary of interfering with the affairs of these odd 'deity' and the powers they wielded.
Himeros lounged on one of Laisidhiel's lower branches, which still put him a couple hundred feet or so above the ground. He had an apple in hand from which he'd take a bite from time to time, glancing down towards the earth periodically. He'd heard from a few lovely Faun that this was the day...at least, that was the buzz within the Tree. He wasn't even sure what he was doing here. He felt an urge to be here, so here he was. He was a creature of impulse when it came down to it.
Like the day it'd struck him to come talk to the Faun leadership about his daughter's suspicious comments and willingness to throw her loyalty in with anyone she was trying to bargain with at the time. Whatever all that had been about. How amusing when he'd found out she'd already gotten herself exiled before he got here! First, she pissed off her deity relatives with her disrespectful antics, and now the Faun in the Tree as well! 'Burnin' all the bridges, eh?' he thought to himself with a dry chuckle. It certainly seemed that way. Hell, it almost seemed like she was doing it on purpose, though he couldn't imagine why one would do that. For someone who argued so hard about wanting the perfect, happy family, the girl sure seemed skilled at alienating herself from those same groups.
Alright, so maybe the decision to come rat her out to the authorities, so to speak, was a petty attempt at payback. He was a deity, but no one's perfect.
He was out of practice; he could do so much better if he tried.
Besides, didn't matter now; she'd done the job effectively enough herself. Family came first...but sometimes, family wasn't just about blood. He'd been visiting the Faun for a while. For the most part, they seemed to be pretty nice folks. A little weird maybe, living in a giant tree and all, but nice enough. With the exception of a certain early mistake he'd made, apparently, but the rest seemed kind enough, and there were certainly enough pretty faces to go around. After their last talk, he'd wondered if there wasn't something more wrong with Lust in the head; maybe she was more than just delusional and erratic. Couldn't have her hurting these nice people, right?
A stirring of noise from the massive gate below derailed the Erote's wandering train of thought, dragging his attention back to the ground. Oh goodie! The show was about to start! He glanced down at the apple for a moment, frowning. He moved as if to toss it into the air where it vanished, reaching instead behind an invisible curtain to return with a bag of popcorn, settling in to watch. Some things here were even better than nectar and ambrosia, despite popular belief.
A short processional exited through the massive gateway into the Great Tree. At the lead, a tawny, scarred, one-eyed Faun who had likely seen better days. His hands were bound behind his back with rough hemp rope and he looked as if he'd not seen sunlight in seasons. Two seasons, to be exact. He was flanked on either side by armed guards who watched his every move warily. Though he'd not proven to be violent in the past, any who had spent time on guard duty as one of his sentries could attest that there was something not quite right about the Faun. Nonsensical ramblings were one thing, but lashing out at the society of which he'd already given his disapproval, well, that was another. And with the very symbol of that society nearby, they weren't taking any unnecessary risks that he might try something desperate, with his fate finally at hand.
The Chieftain of the Faun followed closely behind. He hadn't failed to note how the guards were careful to keep one of their number between him and the prisoner at all times. While he appreciated the protective gesture, he didn't personally feel such means were necessary. If anything were to happen, he could handle one normal Faun on his own without anyone else getting involved, or possibly hurt. Still, their loyalty was reassuring, especially given the circumstances.
The small group left the gateway, moving some distance from the Tree before the Chief signaled a halt. He started to move around the group when one of the guards began to move with him. He placed a hand on the other's shoulder reassuringly, smiling for only a moment with a brief shake of his head. There was nothing to worry about; everything would be fine. Looking uneasy, but nodding curtly with obedience, the guard fell back into place, allowing the Chieftain to move in front of the prisoner alone.
Rais halted before Tafari, looking the other Faun over appraisingly. Two seasons of imprisonment wore on a Faun, yet still the Chief had to wonder if the other had yet gained full comprehension of the consequences of his actions, even after all this time to think on it. Perhaps some learned less easily than others. Standing at his full height, near half a foot over the other male, hands clasped behind his back, Rais fixed his stern expression on the other. "Tafari. You have forsaken your birthright and turned your back on your people. For this crime, you have been sentenced to exile and banishment from Laisidhiel and all her power."
At this point, he paused, drawing a blade from a sheath at his waist. The blade was of the deepest black; obsidian, the handle ornately carved, stained Laisidhiel wood. The blade was likely sharper than most metal blades of similar style, but he held the weapon with a level of comfort and familiarity, showing respect for the deadly instrument, but no fear of its proximity. Staring at the blade in thought, he spoke softly, "Personally, I think a swift death would be more merciful than the slow, agonizing drain of being separated from Laisidhiel." His eyes flicked upwards towards Tafari, reflecting something like pity. Then, the moment was gone and he shook his head lightly. "But, this is the punishment given to you by Laisidhiel herself. Though I may be Chieftain of the Faun, I am still her servant as all others, and obey her wishes."
He moved around behind Tafari, slipping the blade beneath one loop of the rope keeping his hands bound. "As Laisidhiel giveth the blessing of life, so shall she taketh away," he muttered reverently, the blade slicing through the hemp as if it were nothing but air. It is done. He stepped away, the guards remaining at his back as he sheathed the blade to address the now-former prisoner. "You are free to go wherever else you may like, as long as you stay away from the Great Tree. You are no longer welcome here." Rais paused, again that look of pity crossing his face before he hid it away. "I do not expect to see you again. That does not mean I wish ill will or malice towards you. I pray that whatever happens, the Earth grants you a merciful end."
He nodded once in farewell before turning to his guards. With a simple hand gesture, he signaled them to follow as he started on his way back to the Tree. While it was sad to see a former brother depart for an inevitable end, there was no more he could do at this point. There were still so many more brethren that he had to care for, and try as he might, it was never possible to save everyone. It never worked out that way. Never would.
The small group of Faun moved at a swift pace, leaving the freed prisoner in the clearing to go where he would.
Now that Tafari and Lust have been cut off from Laisidhiel, the Faun life source, they will experience the following changes:
There will be no further interaction in this thread from the above characters. It is assumed that Tafari will leave the Tree as instructed, however, if you wish to continue RPing here following that action, you may. There will be no further staff input, however, unless any further rules are broken.
Perhaps Chief Rais had spread the word to be wary of interfering with the affairs of these odd 'deity' and the powers they wielded.
Himeros lounged on one of Laisidhiel's lower branches, which still put him a couple hundred feet or so above the ground. He had an apple in hand from which he'd take a bite from time to time, glancing down towards the earth periodically. He'd heard from a few lovely Faun that this was the day...at least, that was the buzz within the Tree. He wasn't even sure what he was doing here. He felt an urge to be here, so here he was. He was a creature of impulse when it came down to it.
Like the day it'd struck him to come talk to the Faun leadership about his daughter's suspicious comments and willingness to throw her loyalty in with anyone she was trying to bargain with at the time. Whatever all that had been about. How amusing when he'd found out she'd already gotten herself exiled before he got here! First, she pissed off her deity relatives with her disrespectful antics, and now the Faun in the Tree as well! 'Burnin' all the bridges, eh?' he thought to himself with a dry chuckle. It certainly seemed that way. Hell, it almost seemed like she was doing it on purpose, though he couldn't imagine why one would do that. For someone who argued so hard about wanting the perfect, happy family, the girl sure seemed skilled at alienating herself from those same groups.
Alright, so maybe the decision to come rat her out to the authorities, so to speak, was a petty attempt at payback. He was a deity, but no one's perfect.
He was out of practice; he could do so much better if he tried.
Besides, didn't matter now; she'd done the job effectively enough herself. Family came first...but sometimes, family wasn't just about blood. He'd been visiting the Faun for a while. For the most part, they seemed to be pretty nice folks. A little weird maybe, living in a giant tree and all, but nice enough. With the exception of a certain early mistake he'd made, apparently, but the rest seemed kind enough, and there were certainly enough pretty faces to go around. After their last talk, he'd wondered if there wasn't something more wrong with Lust in the head; maybe she was more than just delusional and erratic. Couldn't have her hurting these nice people, right?
A stirring of noise from the massive gate below derailed the Erote's wandering train of thought, dragging his attention back to the ground. Oh goodie! The show was about to start! He glanced down at the apple for a moment, frowning. He moved as if to toss it into the air where it vanished, reaching instead behind an invisible curtain to return with a bag of popcorn, settling in to watch. Some things here were even better than nectar and ambrosia, despite popular belief.
*****
A short processional exited through the massive gateway into the Great Tree. At the lead, a tawny, scarred, one-eyed Faun who had likely seen better days. His hands were bound behind his back with rough hemp rope and he looked as if he'd not seen sunlight in seasons. Two seasons, to be exact. He was flanked on either side by armed guards who watched his every move warily. Though he'd not proven to be violent in the past, any who had spent time on guard duty as one of his sentries could attest that there was something not quite right about the Faun. Nonsensical ramblings were one thing, but lashing out at the society of which he'd already given his disapproval, well, that was another. And with the very symbol of that society nearby, they weren't taking any unnecessary risks that he might try something desperate, with his fate finally at hand.
The Chieftain of the Faun followed closely behind. He hadn't failed to note how the guards were careful to keep one of their number between him and the prisoner at all times. While he appreciated the protective gesture, he didn't personally feel such means were necessary. If anything were to happen, he could handle one normal Faun on his own without anyone else getting involved, or possibly hurt. Still, their loyalty was reassuring, especially given the circumstances.
The small group left the gateway, moving some distance from the Tree before the Chief signaled a halt. He started to move around the group when one of the guards began to move with him. He placed a hand on the other's shoulder reassuringly, smiling for only a moment with a brief shake of his head. There was nothing to worry about; everything would be fine. Looking uneasy, but nodding curtly with obedience, the guard fell back into place, allowing the Chieftain to move in front of the prisoner alone.
Rais halted before Tafari, looking the other Faun over appraisingly. Two seasons of imprisonment wore on a Faun, yet still the Chief had to wonder if the other had yet gained full comprehension of the consequences of his actions, even after all this time to think on it. Perhaps some learned less easily than others. Standing at his full height, near half a foot over the other male, hands clasped behind his back, Rais fixed his stern expression on the other. "Tafari. You have forsaken your birthright and turned your back on your people. For this crime, you have been sentenced to exile and banishment from Laisidhiel and all her power."
At this point, he paused, drawing a blade from a sheath at his waist. The blade was of the deepest black; obsidian, the handle ornately carved, stained Laisidhiel wood. The blade was likely sharper than most metal blades of similar style, but he held the weapon with a level of comfort and familiarity, showing respect for the deadly instrument, but no fear of its proximity. Staring at the blade in thought, he spoke softly, "Personally, I think a swift death would be more merciful than the slow, agonizing drain of being separated from Laisidhiel." His eyes flicked upwards towards Tafari, reflecting something like pity. Then, the moment was gone and he shook his head lightly. "But, this is the punishment given to you by Laisidhiel herself. Though I may be Chieftain of the Faun, I am still her servant as all others, and obey her wishes."
He moved around behind Tafari, slipping the blade beneath one loop of the rope keeping his hands bound. "As Laisidhiel giveth the blessing of life, so shall she taketh away," he muttered reverently, the blade slicing through the hemp as if it were nothing but air. It is done. He stepped away, the guards remaining at his back as he sheathed the blade to address the now-former prisoner. "You are free to go wherever else you may like, as long as you stay away from the Great Tree. You are no longer welcome here." Rais paused, again that look of pity crossing his face before he hid it away. "I do not expect to see you again. That does not mean I wish ill will or malice towards you. I pray that whatever happens, the Earth grants you a merciful end."
He nodded once in farewell before turning to his guards. With a simple hand gesture, he signaled them to follow as he started on his way back to the Tree. While it was sad to see a former brother depart for an inevitable end, there was no more he could do at this point. There were still so many more brethren that he had to care for, and try as he might, it was never possible to save everyone. It never worked out that way. Never would.
The small group of Faun moved at a swift pace, leaving the freed prisoner in the clearing to go where he would.
*****
Now that Tafari and Lust have been cut off from Laisidhiel, the Faun life source, they will experience the following changes:
- Both Faun will immediately lose all racial benefits of being a Faun. This includes the natural ability of Faun to move swiftly and gracefully through the forest. They will be clumsier and slower than they've ever been in their lives, having lost the benefits they never even realized they had since birth.
Had either of them finished the ceremony to gain unique powers, they would lose those, as well as any Elemental Faction abilities. Neither finished the process, so this is not an issue.
Aside from Lust and her rabbits, all other forest creatures will treat the pair with either heightened wariness or open hostility. Any hunting will be infinitely harder than ever before.
First, Tafari will grow weaker and weaker physically. His fur will begin to turn dull and grey, and in time his antlers, the symbol of the Faun connection to Laisidhiel, will wither and die. The effects could be likened to accelerated aging, if Pae'il ever actually grew elderly. He will become feeble and invalid, eventually unable to even try to hunt or take care of himself, as if hovering on the brink of a death that will not come.
Lust will also grow weak as a result of the loss of their connection, however, her demi-goddess nature will dampen this effect, if only slightly. She may continue to function, however, she will be extremely weak, if only a little better off than Tafari.
At this point, Tafari (and Lust) have only two options: seek out the Light Faction leaders in Telrunya City, swearing themselves to the Light, and forever being branded traitors to the Faun...or, they accept their punishment and find a way to cope with their new handicaps, with the hope that some other option presents itself in the future.
As Tafari and Lust have been banished as outcasts, but not as traitors, their punishment MAY not be permanent. However, as a secondary reminder, their exile is an in-character punishment for both in-character acts by said characters, as well as a punishment for the player for not following rules out-of-character. As a result, not only will it take nothing less than a selfless heroic act, performed in service of the Faun with no ulterior motive in mind to gain Chieftain Rais' forgiveness in RP, but also staff approval of this removal of punishment. (I will stress that they will never regain Chief Rais' trust, however they can hope for his forgiveness and mercy.) This is to show that not only the characters have learned their lesson, but also the player. Banishment is normally rather extreme for the acts these two have committed, so players should understand that IC punishments are normally less severe if the situation is arranged with staff beforehand, rather than needing to be done as a punishment for the player's actions as well.
There will be no further interaction in this thread from the above characters. It is assumed that Tafari will leave the Tree as instructed, however, if you wish to continue RPing here following that action, you may. There will be no further staff input, however, unless any further rules are broken.
Nafretiti
