Foodies

Tenebrae - Saturday, February 15, 2014, 6:10 PM

---

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=<* W03: The Deep Woods *>-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The woods here are thick, with the trees' branches virtually blocking out the light of the sun shining above. A barely managed trail is available to pick one's way through the undergrowth, but it's easy to find oneself stepping into a bramble patch nonetheless.

Further along the track, a wooden lodge house stands in the shadows of the trees around it. Closer inspection reveals the symbols of Gilead and Dana carved above the door.

Further still, the trail becomes virtually choked close, leading into and through a massive hedge.

Munch perches upon a fair sized rock, not too far from the path. The view at this particular spot is pretty good, and the sun warmed rock is quite comfortable. Beside the golem is what may at first be mistaken for a large black branch, forked into several sticks... a second look shows it to be rather large insect legs, ripped free from whatever body they once supported. Spider, at best guess, each leg about a meter long.

Ssylrath rides slowly along the trail aboard his bear, leather banner flapping behind him. He pauses when he spots the strange figure on the rock and then the bear moves forward again, mount and rider moving as one. His voice is harsh and sibilant. "Peace on your nessst. I am Ssylrath, what bringsss you out here in ths cold?"

Munch eyes the bear as it approaches, one hand drifting to a rather large axe beside him. The golem relaxes a bit at the sight of a rider, but only a bit. Not everyone is friendly. "Eh, lunch. And some monsters wandered out of the FellWood. What's got you two out this way?"

Ssylrath smiles showing many uneven teeth. "I have made my nessst in this wood. It is not home, but it is better than the ssstone of the city." He scritches the bear behind one ear. "Muddy and I were looking for gnolls, we encountered sssome a few weeks ago. Not pleasssant."

Munch mmms, reaching down and tearing off a spider leg. The golem's face splits open along both horizontal and vertical axis, showing row upon row of adamanite teeth... imagine the unholy lovechild of a chainsaw and a food processor. Snapping off a bite, the metal man grinds/chews thoughtfully. "Can't say have seen any gnolls around here. Couple in the marketplace now and again, but they're the civilized sort."

Ssylrath shrugs. "They tell me not to eat anything that can talk. As I don't eat gnollsss any more, I was merely looking for amusement, and the ones that try to kill me are more amusing." He points at the legs. "What is that? I assssume you killed it yourself?"

Munch mmmms. "Spider from the FellWood. Kinda small one, really. Something got them riled up, young ones have taken to wandering. Between the cold and not having a proper nest, aren't really dangerous. But come warm weather and setteling in, could start to be. Anyway, if you kill it first, doesn't talk anymore." The golem buzzes thoughtfully. "Oh, and pets. Don't eat pets. People get really irrate about that."

Ssylrath pats the haft of his lance. "I am good at killing things first. Ssseveral feet of wood through the guts makes it hard to complain much." He nods at the pet reference. "But if I have killed it, I should make sssure it gets put to good ue, yes? Otherwise meat is wasssted, and that is bad for the tribe."

Munch nods in agreement. "If aren't going to eat it, shouldn't be killing it. Of course if it tries to kill you first, kinda fair game. And weird shirt, like spirits and elementals and undead."

Ssylrath rides forward a little closer. "Well, I have no intention of trying to kill you without good reassson, so I believe we should be alright. And yes, ssstrange things frequently tassste very bad." He looks around at the woods all round and then back. "May I know who you are?"

Munch buzzes softly in amusement. "You might, I don't exactly blend. I'm known as Munch TerrorMaw, the Golem Who Eats. Or just Munch. You?"

Ssylrath cocks his head to one side. "I am certain I sssaid, but I am Ssylrath of Am'shere, follower of the Green. I find I don't blend much here either. I believe I have heard of you, sssomeone commented when I was tasting demons. Don't, by the way."

Munch's maw splits in a small grin. "Depends on the demon. Heck of a lot of range. Most are pretty toxic, but a few are good eating. Of course, varies with what level of toxic you can deal with. You know BrightBlade Svarshan? Big fella, usually rides a swiftclaw?"

Ssylrath nods quickly. "I do. His companion is also unusually interesssting, not a normal specimen. Makesss me homesick. Muddy carries me bravely but he is... slow. The fur collectsss all sorts of things I do not want to deal with."

Munch hehs. "Yeah, glad I was built without fur. Anyway, Svar can maybe teach you which demons are okay to eat. He chomps a lot of them."

Ssylrath taps the side of his snout. "I'll sssmell them. I did not believe that it could taste as bad as it sssmelled, but I was wrong, and the second one was actually rotting. Not hard once you know to check." He nods at his own words. "I believe Svarshan huntsss demons particularly, yes? He does not speak much."

Munch shrugs. "Actions speak louder than words. And he's a paladin... those guys get sorta weird sometimes. Too much god talk, I think."

Ssylrath shifts in the saddle, readjusting his tail. "Indeed yesss. I do not need a god to help me fight, skill and tenacity does just as well. And sssome luck, of course."

Munch nods, but buzzes thoughtfully. "I'm not big on gods, but... if they weren't around, wouldn't be an around for us to be in. Gotta respect stuff like that."

Ssylrath shrugs. "I do not know about that. I follow the Green, and it does not care about us at all. It is nature and growing things, everything that livesss." He eyes the metal man more closely. "I undersssand if you do not care of course, it is just what I do. I do not see the point of godsss, the Green is all."

Munch ponders a few moments. "Didn't Gods make the Green? Dana, or one of them?"

Ssylrath thinks. "I am told that the Green is a god, or sssomething like that, but how would you know? Only the gods know where they came from, and why would they tell the truth if they did not create the world? They are powerful of course, but they are still just big dragonsss, and dragons cannot be trusted."

Munch ehs, and shrugs. "Maybe they didn't make it, but still run it. Dana runs the nature and green and stuff, Reos runs the clockworks. And sometimes they both wonder what the hell went wrong. Reos' got me, Dana got Surinam toads."

GAME: Ssylrath rolls knowledge/religion: (7)+2: 9

Ssylrath says, "I do not know. I just make my way in the world, doing what ssseems right at the time and eating what I kill. Mosssstly.""

Munch nods. "Better plan than getting eaten. Never plesant, even if ends up okay. Pointed lesson in killing something before you eat it. Some things cut their way out again."

Ssylrath grins fangily. "I know that well. We have thunderlizards at home, and sssometimes that's the best way to survive one, get swallowed and cut your way out. Of course, the acual best ways are almost anything else that works, including killing or driving it off, or running away. Whatever works."

Munch nods. "Thunderlizards.... those are the really big ones, look little like a swiftclaw, but big heads?"

Ssylrath nods firmly. "Much bigger." He points at the leather banner hanging behind his saddle. "Hide like that. Thisss one got greedy, tried to eat too much. It did not like my lance at all." He grins in memory. "They are famousss for eating whatever fits into their mouths, and those are very large."

Munch nods. "Heard stories, but never seen one for myself. Not exactly common around here. Not much really intresting around here anymore, save the people."

Ssylrath shrugs. "I am told one came through the portal once. Things happen, and there are alwaysss new things to eat, particularly if you are willing to travel. Merchantsss are alwys looking for protection, or just go hunting in new junglesss."

Munch nods. "Guild sends me places pretty frequently. Tends to be fun. Not always... met a long dead Dran king a little while back. He was a dick."

Ssylrath grimaces, scales crinkling. "Dead. Bah, they always taste bad. The dead ssshould stay dead, they offend the Green by staying after they pass on. They are not even good for food, what is their purpose?"

Munch shrugs. "Give the weak something to look foreward to? I don't know. I mean, proper dead dead is okay. Is when they're undead that thigns go screwy."

Ssylrath says, "Things are sssuposed to die. If nobody died there would not be space for everyone. I do not trust things that do not die, or that do not ssstay dead. Particularly the thin ones, the ones you cannot touch. They are not part of the Green at all."

Munch nods. "Yeah. Once you're dead, you should get broken up, go back into the cycle. Part becomes part of whatever got ya, rest goes to scaverngers and the soil. The spirit, or ghost, or whatever, lingering on... I don't get it."

Ssylrath grins. "I can tell that even though I do not know what you are, we agree on much. Things of the Green deserve to be put to use, to become part of the cycle, to make other things stronger. Except people, I am told that eating people strengthens Death Eating Dragon, and I am further told that that is bad. I have not quite figured out why."

Munch nods. "Listen when they tell you that stuff. Are a lot of things I don't understand. Less than I used to, have figured a few things out. And one is that when people tell you something is bad, it usually is. Might take a while to understand, but best to wait until you do."

Ssylrath nods. "And so I am not eating people any more, while I try to figure out why not. Meat is meat, but the shamans here tell me it is wrong. The shamans in my tribe, they told me it honoured the dead, but I will not offend the shamans here without good reason." He scritches Muddy the bear betweenhis ears again. "Svarshan seemed very upssset at being told I eat people, and I am told he is wise."

Munch nods. "i don't really get it either, but yeah, Svar knows what he's talking about. Even when he doesn't do any actual talking."

Ssylrath raises his open hand. "Thank you for your thoughtsss on this, and your words on Svarshan. I mussst go find food for Muddy, and it is getting late. And cold." Muddy starts turning away, back to the trail. "If you find you wish help in hunting large prey, let me know. I also look for more interesting food."

Munch nods, waves, and resumes polishing off his spider leg lunch. "I'll keep that in mind. Am sure will see ya around. Later!"

Ssylrath rides off through the wintry forest.