Meetup: Aerie Formal Opening
Log Info
- Title: Aerie Formal Opening
- Emitter: Raethon, Lahar
- Characters: Fazahd, Raethon, Cesran, Pelka, Gedryn, Astaren
- Place: Fate's Spire, Hayatiento Aerie: H06, outside Alexandria
- Time: Dec 15, 2016
- Summary: After a bit of time after Rune, the Hayatiento Aerie was opened to welcome Egalrin to Alexandria.
As the relatively few people start to walk up the precarious bridges up towards the top of fate's spire, they are stopped only at the top by a red ribbon. The winds are blowing and somewhat cold as they reach the top, but reaching the top is part of the challenge of Fate's Spire. Mostly Egalrin are here at the top, but there are some others here, mostly wizards and witches who can fly. There are also some places where nests are built, but they are around a very strong stone building that seemed to be a dwelling for a wizard at one point.
One such wizard, however, steps towards the ribbon. "Travelers and those brave as well as curious....are witness to a part of the evolving Egalrin culture here. Such as there is a Llyranesi Embassy, and a grove outside of the city for Sith-makar, and some mines for the dwarves, there is now an Aerie for the Egalrin. An Aerie being a sacred term for the Egalrin, much like a nest for the Sith-makar." He then turns towards one of the elder looking Egalrin, who has white feathers upon his head. "Elder..." And he hands him a dagger.
The elder Egalrin nods and clicks his beak with a couple of whistles, then turns towards the ribbon. "You brave travelers....I bid you all welcome....to the Hayatiento Aerie....." And he cuts the ribbon....
Fazahd comes to represent his people, at least to a point - the establishment of an eaglefolk aerie is certainly something for khazad to be on hand for. The Enginebreaker arrives at the tail - or is that tailfeather? - end of the opening ceremonies. He in no way looks chuffed from the hike, though, just...calm. Well. Stony. Stones are calm, right? Gedryn has made the long climb up the trail to the point of entry, pausing with the others gathered before the red ribbon to watch the opening ceremony. Though only an apprentice, his curiosity of the rare, bird-men would -not- allow him to miss this. Perched upon his shoulder is an odd creature; the fusion of house cat and barn owl that watches the comings and goings of anything shiney with the focused attention of both.
Pelka circles around overhead. He doesn't quite fit in with some of the other flying Eaglefolk due to the hints of artifice and other trappings of humans he wears. But he manages to keep his place in the pattern so that he doesn't collide with anyone or force them off course. After a few lazy circles he descends to land on an empty patch of path.
Many of the Egalrin seem welcoming, if stiffly welcoming. Apparently they are not used to welcoming strangers into a sacred area, such as an aerie. Some people are outwardly wary of being around the birdfolk, while others are genuinely curious....asking questions.
The elder and the elven mage with the staff speak off to the side....even making jokes about the elf being blown away by the wind. But a deep, gravelly voice chimes up and the mage looks towards the entrance....and doesn't seem bothered....holding up a hand to the elder. the elf bows and walks over towards Fazahd, Gedryn and the new landed Pelka. "Greetings, and welcome to the Aerie." The young apprentice bows before the dawn elf respectfully while the familiar creature balances a bit, crawling up and back on the man's shoulder until its now nesting within his down-turned hood. All of this wind and cold, the little fellow might get blown out into the breeze himself were he not careful about it.
"Thank you Mast...Magus," he -almost- reverts to his old habit of calling every senior wizard 'master' but tries to pull it out at the end by changing the word to something more neutral. "This -is- such a wonder. I would not have believed the stories of their kind had I not seen them with my own eyes."
Pelka looks about with quick turns of his head, although his gaze lingers on the cloth over the doors and then other flashes of color inside. "It reminds me of where I used to live," he announces.
Fazahd bows deeply at the edge of the area, granting the eagle-folk the respect due any good people at home in their own sacred area. "This son of the Mountain gives thanks for your generosity and company," he says in a rather deeply-accented, ornate version of Tradespeak, the sort that makes him sound more like a Khazad pilgrim than a human being. "I am honored to be accepted into this sacred space." This he says loud enough for all to hear.
Pelka edges his way closer to Fazahd and then turns to peer down the mountain in the direction of the mines. "Do you spend much time down in the Khazad settlement? I've seen how you speak Khazdul, and you seem well versed in their ways."
"I /am/ khazad." Fazahd gives Pelka a thin smile. "Fazahd is my grandfather's name. My name is Fazahd Masterbuilder, son of Bhurhad." A beat. "I know, I was born human. But my parents adopted me as a baby, and I have been raised khazad in Ironhold until my age of majority. For all intents and purposes - and much to the chagrin of some among my people - I am as khazad as those born from the stone." He frowns faintly then. "Now I take it you're feeling better? Those...things...we found underground last night were not pleasant, I know."
"Welcome to our aerie. We are the Thunder Children, born of Tears of the moon, and the rage of wicked Kakkai'on," one of the elders says. She stands, strongly built and her colors the drab brown of an eagle, though silver-streak'd across her forehead and down over the shoulders. "Moon-touched," perhaps, if such things are counted. She sets down on her perch--a comfortable, though well-work'd set of rocks. Feathers catch, twitch in the wind of its crevaces. "I am Aodhakne, daughter of Kanitte. I sit the Council, among several others," she says. The corners of her eyes seem to crinkle. "Hello, Pelka. Your aerie sent word about you. They said you liked to tinker."
"He is a masterful engineer," says Fazahd, from Pelka's side. "I fought beside him just yesterday, Aodhakne daughter of Kanitte. He is a worthy soul."
Pelka takes in Fazahd's words. Finally at the question he nods. "More or less. My vision blurs at times and when I woke up this morning it felt like my head was filled with fog." He hushes as the elder begins to speak and shifts when he is addressed. And discussed. "You have a lovely home," he finally manages.
"You speak falsely...." The deep gravelly voice says, and the staff that the wizard is carrying looks towards Fazahd, it's eyes now glowing red. "Enough..." The elf says and looks towards the staff as Fazahd explains the rest of his situation and birthright. "Just because someone is not physically what they say they are, does not mean they are not one in spirit. remember this before you challenge someone's words, Havok."
"Yes Sir...."
The elf then looks towards Gedryn. "I am no master. To be a master of something means you have learned all there is to an art and you know all of it's intricacies, which I do not. I am, however, Abjurer Raethon of House Arcanum. This..." he gestures to his staff. "....is Havok. He protects, much like me, but he doesn't know the intricacies of body and spirit yet."
He then bows to Aodhakne. "You honor us with your name, Elder. Thank you. I was part of the second team to clear this area out. Before it was an area where the dead walked. While the team I was part of did clear most of it out, there may still be some remnants left inside of the peak...."
Aodhakne reaches out a scaled clawtip to brush Pelka's feathered cheek. The older egalrin lets out a quiet skree. "I hear you like rock places, too. Welcome. You should come by more often," she adds. A flick of her wing makes it a mild admonishment, before she looks out to the others. "It is good to see a crafter. We didn't used to do that, you know," she says still to Pelka, her voice low, and crackling with humor, like low thunder.
She nods to Raethon then, inclining her head to him and others there. "Thank you. My old friend said he heard whispers beneath the mountains. We did not know what to think. Perhaps you could share the story?" Fazahd is content to remain silent for the moment, now that Pekla has been addressed. Not his party, after all.
Pelka nods in agreement. "I will certainly visit more often," he promises solemnly. Then is characteristic enthusiasum returns and he blurts out, "But there's so much to do in this city! it's so huge and people come here from all over the land!"
Gedryn peers to the elf's staff curiously. "It is...named, sir?" The apprentice's raised eyebrow reveals his inner confusion and curiosity as he discusses titles and arcane things with the other wizard. It's difficult for his eyes not to constantly dart around to the setting around them - as much as the owl-faced familiar tries to bob back and forth from within his hood to see all that can be seen.
"The tale is a simple one. Someone in Alexandria worried about their brother that lived in the mountain here. He lived alone and they could not make the trek because the woman was elderly for their race." Rae says gesturing towards Fazahd. "So Myself, a Sentinel of Eluna, an Egalrin druid that I, sadly, cannot pronounce her name, and a couple of others, including a cleric of Gilead, came up to investigate. The place was cold....that deathly chill....plus there was a forest here...that's now dead because of them. We went inside and found cadavers walking about....and they immediately attacked. We did our best, and my best spell was a simple magic missile at the time. We did win, and I made it a point to keep tabs on this place."
Months and years went by, and I made sure the place was cleansed, but the cadavers kept popping up, so I asked for a bit of help from the Vardaman temple below. However, with the crisis in Rune averted for the time being, rather than taking the short path home.....I came to your Aerie, Aodhakne, in the Sky Curtain Mountains.....and that was the first steps towards this Aerie."
He then smiles a bit. "I would also add that this is also bestowing a large amount of trust to the Egalrin....." He then gestures....over the edge and towards Alexandria. "For you would be the first to warn the city of any trouble coming from above."
Gedryn listens to the tale of how the elf was keeping tabs on the peak and the cleansing of it over the years. Though it would be rude to pull out a writing kit just now to take notes, he is fairly confident that he can remember the details of the tale for later. Leaning upon his own staff, he looks from the elf and down over the edge towards the city below and absently comments, "Quite handy should any threat emerge from -certain- dragon elements."
Aodhakne beats her wings, laughing. "I see. You know, I think perhaps there is," she says to Pelka. She then turns to Raethon, as he recounts the tale. "That is an impressive tale. ...if you have a momento from the event, the aerie would appreciate its gift. We would make it into a marker, to remember our history." She's totally going to make it into an old-birdie bauble to decorate her home with. She totally is. It's what the older birds DO, after all. "It's true we come from many places. But, I have heard that of Alexandria. It is my, and the Council's hope, that a home may be made here. And, thanks to all of you, it seems," she says. The elder resettles on the nearby rock, fluffing her wings to capture the brush of a warm wind. Aodhakne is an older egalrin, one strongly built and her colors the drab brown of an eagle, though silver-streak'd across her forehead and down over the shoulders. "Moon-touched," perhaps, if such things are counted.
Astaren is in the back listening and offers a smile, "Nice." to the story and then glances around thoughtfully, "New place, so many notes to take..." pulling up his book and starting to write in it. "My my." Starting to wonder around, and actually wonders up to the elder bird and takes a few notes, "How lovely." Making some more notes but keeping a respectful distance.
"There is one, I do believe." Rae says softly, producing a cloth and unwrapping it to show an odd, multi-faceted gem. "This trinket may not look like much, at the moment. But it was taken out of here because of the fear that the ones that were here might keep it, or destroy it. So we took it to the Temple of Eluna for it to be cleansed and blessed. Now, with a spoken command word......."
And that's when Rae speaks the command word.....and the stone shines with a silvery light, much like the light of the moon.
".....well.....I don't think there's much more to say than that. This was part of the house initially....."
Libripathy - the ability to sense when a book is present. Hey, it could be a thing. The young apprentice, the one with the owlcat in his hood, glances over to notice Astaren making some notes and things and nods ina appreciation. He'll have to get together with the man later to compare their accounts. The emergence of the shining gem draws both Gedryn and his familiar's attention. You can almost hear the small birdcat to say *oooh...a SPARKLEY* as it crawls out from its master's hood to perch precariously upon the young man's shoulder. "Wondrous," he can be heard to comment.
Aodhakne reaches out to take the stone in long talons. "So beautiful. I can see the sun spark each of its facets," she says. She then lifts the stone overhead for a moment, before handing it back. "Do you see the dream-weave overhead?" she asks. "Perhaps one of you mages could place it there, without disturbing it. It's said we once possessed the Moon's sight. ...but it was some time ago, I am afraid. We made different choices, didn't we?" she says. Her laughter turns dark for a moment. Kakkai'on.
Overhead are the dreamweaves, woven in elaborate patterns overhead. They're interspersed with turquoise, the Stone of the Sky. The glowing gem WOULD make a nice addition!
Astaren shrugs his shoulders, "I could mage hand the item up there easily enough if you want. Would not be hard really." Glancing up to the dream-weave and peering at it, "Very pretty, a lot of work has gone into that hasn't it?" Turning to his book to make some notes.
Aodhakne steps backwards, so that the elder may better see. Overhead, the weave sparkles lightly. A wind stirs it, clicking the turquoise against eachother.
Raethon looks over towards Astaren. "You see, Aodhakne? Already people welcome you to Alexandria, and help to make it 'home' for you. Do you mind if we bring more gifts to welcome you?" "Lift the stone, please then," the elder says. She takes another step back. Her foot finds her sitting-rock, and she lowers herself upon it, to watch these feather-free mages do their work!
Astaren nods and glances over to the gem Raethon has. He holds up and points his finger at it, a bubble pops out of his finger while he chants a few words. The bubble floats over to the gem and encases it. The bubble for anybody that looks closely looks exactly like the full moon. Astaren then points up towards the dream-weave to place it. Going slowly and taking his time, "Uhh... ummm I think something is off..." His eyes narrowing a moment, "Who is humming that beautiful noise?"
Raethon raises his eyebrows at Astaren, then looks towards the Elder. "I think you might know more about this than I, Elder."
Gedryn watches as the gem is lifted high and then peers around the 'ceremony' to see if anyone else might either hear or be responsible for this humming that was mentioned.
Pelka watches the activity around the gem with interest. He's just as interested at the suggestions and offers from various folks to help place it.
The string chimes as the gem brushes past. Mana snaps to the trained eye, and begins its own weave. As delicately as an eglarin's talons, the varied strings begin to weave around the stone. Gedryn peers up at the gem curiously as the strands of magic start to weave and wrap around the glowing stone as if it, rather than anyone around them, were determining the outcome of some spell. "Wh...what is doing that?" the apprentice asks to anyone who would mind answering.
Raethon quietly watches the gem be lifted.....even his staff seems to lift its head to watch.
Cesran arrives late and has taken the most direct route to get here, flying carpet. He finds where the ceremony is going on and he finds an out of the way place to land. He steps off his carpet and it rolls up to let him carry it. He puts in on his back and moves over to where the others are, "Ah just in time."
Astaren tilts his head, "No more then a hum, its a song, partially poetic but beautiful. Never heard anything like it. A thousand voices coming together and now all are making sense." He has lost track of the gem, which it is a good thing it is taking care of itself now. "I can make sense of it, partially, and in celestial. Let me see." humming a moment, "The wind, Playing the eternal sonata of the sky." humming a bit more, "The Stars, dancing in joy to the music of the wind." another bar hummed, "The moond, orhcestrating the music by phase. The Dreamer, waking to the world around. The sky, the symphony forever heard." Blinking a moment trying to make sense of it.
Aodhakne settles comfortably onto the sitting-stone. The party sits in the great space that the aerie has set aside for talking and conversing. It's dark overhead. A single mana-stone illuminates the area, shining brightly. It's colors shift, becoming darker for a moment.
The tones come as Astaren describes them. Underneath however, for a moment, just a moment: An unearthly, low-pitched howl emerges, then fades. The mournful sound lightens in tone, beginning to sing in comfort once more. As it does, its light changes as well, illuminating the darkness around you.
"Cernan, Ceiwen!" Aodhakne flattens her wings against her back in surprise.
Gedryn is uncertain as to what's happening with the gem, nor the howling or sounds to accompany it, but he's trying not to look -too- alarmed by the strange and unusual as he hovers at the edge of the gathered crowd.
Cesran leans against his staff as he watches what is going on. His eyes are glowing blue was he watches what is happening through arcane sight. His staff is quiet for the moment enjoying the magic that is on display.
Astaren continues to hum for bit more as he closes his eyes and smiles a bit, "A beautiful sound." opening his eyes and glancing around, "OH! I didn't drop the gem did I?" Suddenly in a panic, and then relaxing as he notices it tied up in the dream-weave, "Ahh good. So where were we?" looking around.
You say, "I think we had a bit of howling around us." he says before looking to the Elder. "If it is all right with you, Elder. May we return so we may check on your well-being?""
The egalrin honor the gods, though hold two above all. The gods of Hunt and Wild become to them Thunder, and the wildness of the wind. Around these, their priesthood centers and they form a steadying pillar within egalrin society. In their history though--many years ago, during the Age of Birth, lay the Moon and around even Her, the Mother Stars. Except they had turned their ba--their wings.
Tonight, you sit beneath the sky. It encompassness all of the gods, in a way. The kindness of the Stars twinkle overhead, as some far-away blessing. Aodhakne's feathers stand on end, turning her into an oversized koosh-ball. The elder gives herself a shake. "Well...then. Perhaps we should have some mountainberry tea."
THERE WILL BE TEA.
ENOUGH OF THIS MAGICAL NILLY-NALLY. ENOUGH!!!
"Pelka, if you will, please. There are some sausages there, as well, and crackers." The sausages are made from mice and squirrel, but don't tell anyone. "That is a good idea, mage Raethon. Why don't you help him?"
Raethon chuckles a little at the elder. "Yes. Some tea would be nice, Elder...." Astaren humms a bit more to himself and nods, "Oh tea! Yes, that makes the whole trip out here worth it! Nothing beats tea! Well err." Glancing up to the sky, 'Almost nothing. Oh dear, something beat tea. Oh well." Grinning to himself as he heads over for tea.
Gedryn is...confused. Quite confused. "Tea?" he asks in a half-whisper to anyone who might be close enough to hear him. "Ok...yeah, sure." The young apprentice watches what's happening around him in the hopes that he'll figure it out at least half way through the event and conceal his unfamiliarity the whole time. His familiar, curious as ever, is kept upon his shoulder with the quick, absent offer of dried meat which it snaps up with its beak.
Aodhakne reaches out to pat Raethon's sleeve (careful, talons), as though to say: isn't that nice, dear? Once supplied, she takes her tea then, and occasionally looks from it to overhead, at the glowing bauble.
Older egalrin collect baubles, while the young are encouraged to travel lightly. One to live life, the other to remember it. Perhaps the elders didn't mean to collect THIS one, though. ...and there it glows, brightly overhead. ... "I need to think a while," she says, sounding...rattled. Aodhakne stands, more slowly than she had sat. "Thunder give you each strength, and Wind lift your wings. Thank you for coming to our gathering." She says, and after a pause, hands her unused plate to Gedryn, 'for the small and hungry one, peeping about your shoulders.'
Gedryn accepts the plate from the older Egalrin with a respectful bow and walks off to the edge of things so that he can set his familiar down in front of it. No-No, the owlcat that it is, watches the offered plate very cautiously until its set down before him. Once the plate is ready for him to pounce, it jumps from the apprentice's shoulder and hops down and begins to feed greedily. Once No-No is eating happily, Ged looks up and smiles to Aodhakne in appreciation.
Raethon looks to Aodhakne and grins lightly.....but doesn't say anything. "Yes, tea. Wonderful tea." He says as he pours some for everyone. "You did well.....Astaren, was it?" He then looks to Gedryn...and his familiar. "Strange...."
Cesran doesn't take any food as he just sips the tea. He hmms a little bit was he spots the owl-cat and he moves over towards the pair, "Greetings. It has been a while since I've seen one of those."
Astaren nods slowly, "All i did was lift the gem up to the weave, it took it from there. The rest is a bit hazy, still can't get that tune out of his head. The stars are speaking, it is... new." Nodding at that and sips his head, 'Almost as good as this tea. Mountainberry was it? Will have to add it to my list." he glances around and spots Gedryn and Cesran, "Oh yea, it was Astaren. Evoker and Seer." grinning a moment, "And I reconize the arch-mage over there. Havn't seen him in a while."
Gedryn glances up to Cesran as the man speaks to him, his face a wash of confusion and surprise, "You've -seen- one...uh...er...sir?" Looking down to the owlcat who happily munches on the contents of the plate offered it, the apprentice excuses himself and offers a quick introduction of his name and that he has -not- been able to locate what type of creature it is. "The merchant I purchased him from said that he was Runish but...I couldn't find a mention anywhere."
Raethon nods to Astaren. "I thought I remembered correctly. Glad you were able to help with the gem, Astaren. Hopefully it'll shine even brighter here than it would before." he says as sips his tea....
Astaren nods, "Oh yea, it was purified by that song, i think. The howling was that going away and becoming something better. Not really sure, this whole stars speaking thing is very new to me." Reaching up to rub his head, "I hope I can sleep."
Cesran nods a little bit after he introduces himself and his staff Ral-sara, "Yes they are exceptionally rare, but I've seen them in my travels." He hmms as he looks over the owlcat, "Take good care of it." He takes a sip of his tea. "I bet it's messy to clean up after." His dragon-headed staff comments.
Gedryn was watching Cesran carefully during their conversation but has to take a blinking double-take as the wizard's =STAFF= talks to him. "By..stars and stones..." he exclaims in surprise. "How the...where...just...?" he stammers in confused curiosity.
Astaren blinks as he looks around, "Uh here specifically? Hah, hardly, I going to do a lot of traveling, and get my own airship and all that. I follow Eluna, because I am able to make my own plans, at least part of that." Pulling a silver crescent moon out from his robes and spins it in the air where it hovers, "Oh that young man is meeting a intelligent weapon for the first time. Reminds me of my own first time, though I was eight, and living in Rune, so not super rare there."
Raethon chuckles. "Just think about it, Astaren. And you've met another, even if he's quiet." And he points to his own staff.
Astaren grins a moment, "Nah, if I have a place anywhere, it is where I am needed when I am needed. I was neede here, now it is time for me to find the place I am needed next. I know you follow Eluna as well if I recall correctly, we just follow her differently."
Pelka emerges from one of the caves in the aerie and notices the wizards and their conversation. He's not sure which is more interesting, talking staffs or personal airships.
Ral-sara gives a draconic grin, "Yes I do speak must to Cesran's chagrin." Cesran finishes his tea, "Either you've gotten mellower or I've gotten used to it. Probably a mixture of both." He nods, "Yes they are a little more common in Rune although not everyone has one. I made mine to follow in the traditions of the Jade Islands where when a wizard grows to sufficient power they craft a staff of their own. The more rarer the materials used to make it the more prestige the wizard can garner."
Raethon nods to Astaren. "Just a bit differently." he then looks towards the Egalrin. "they should be fine up here, I think." he then sighs. "Time to head back down to Alexandria and get a bit more heat into this body of mine. Did I mention it's cold up here?" He says as he actually lifts off the ground and speeds back towards the Sage Orum's Plaza.