Legend of Ransera

Posted: **Mon Feb 06, 2023 5:15 pm**

Torin was not a warrior, not trained in the taking or life, only the protection of his own and those of others. But it felt like, if he didn't use that training when people without it were in need, what had been the point of learning? House Leukos had seen to his training without expectation of repayment, and not using it in their defense, or the defense of their people in particular, felt like a betrayal in a way he couldn't articulate. Even with Kaus allowing giving him permission to do so.

The problem was Timon, and, to a lesser extend, Huntress. He was responsible for the both of them, and they were both too young to be expected to make choices for their own protection. Well... Sometimes Timon made better choices than Torin himself might have, and Huntress was basically fully grown, and while also a wolf, sometimes, the way she looked at him when he was talking he was sure she understood. When the matron of the family had began tending Timon's nose, Huntress had abruptly stopped trying to lick it with an expression that Torin's Semblance interpreted as ' so long as someone is going to clean it'. His rune seemed to interpret the wolf's expressions and small sounds without really alerting his conscious brain to the fact so that, quite often, he found himself carrying on 'conversations' with her where only he spoke but she reacted. He fully accepted that, in reality, his mind was trying to interpret what his rune was telling his subconscious and that the majority of it was, well, in his head.

"I'd like to come with you, and help. I think we'd all be safer if we stay in the lamp's light. Huntress sank her teeth into one outside the light and it did nothing." There hadn't been time to test the idea that, without the light, the things were tougher, but, even as exceptional a fighter as Kaus was, if he was without his magic and couldn't do damage, he would eventually be overwhelmed.

"Are there farms nearby that won't be able to lock themselves in for protection?"

It seemed like the people of Starfall and its surrounds knew danger often enough to know when to hole up until help came or the danger passed. If it was so then all of them should stay put until the morning.

Posted: **Mon Feb 06, 2023 9:24 pm**

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The matron interjected, "Anyone this far out from Starfall, they will have sturdy doors and windows to protect them from the elements and other dangers."

Kaus nodded. "The mountains are too harsh not to be prepared to hunker down. The people can fight. I just have to do a sweep, help anyone caught outside." The slender Avialae got that faraway look again for a moment, then nodded resolutely. "Kala's gambit shouldn't take much longer, but moments matter. Timon—" He didn't crouch down, but rather looked at him as if he were a man grown, just grown not so very tall. "—will you remain here with Huntress to safeguard my people for me? We will return to bring you back home as soon as Kala works her miracle."

His face half-cracked at the word miracle, but he knew her gambit involved giving up her anonymity as a nascent goddess to protect the people of Starfall. Soon it would be a secret shared with all present anyway.

"The light of the lamp is effective, but it doesn't extend far and your blade will be more effective here in case anything gets through."

The matron's eyelid flickered with affront, but she knew that he wasn't calling the sturdiness of her home into question, only trying to keep the boy from undue heroics.

"We'll patch you and the wolfhound up," she promised, "and in return, you can help us hold tight until the Lady works her magic."

Kaus awaited his answer, then turned to Torin, nodding. The man was steady and steadfast; he was glad Torin had agreed to harbor under the wing of House Leukos. He did them honor.

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Posted: **Mon Feb 06, 2023 10:51 pm**

Torin nodded at the logic of the suggestions, pleasured to know that, even in the most unexpected of circumstances, the people of Starfall were capable of being taken care of. He would stay, as Kaus suggested, not wanting to slow down a man who could fly over the area and search for people who were trapped outside much faster than the smith could walk.

Timon nodded at what Kaus said as well, knowing that he was at least partly being protected, and that it was what he could expect from even good friends like Torin and Kaus until he put on some height or, if he never got tall, several years. He knew he was good with his blade though, even if it was just a borrowed one, and protecting people was the right thing to do. His childhood had been an off combination of non-existent and then, when he was finally able to really take care of himself, suddenly back on and he was smart enough to realize that taking advantage of it in the fleeting time he had left would be good for him in the long run. Even if it grated a little when he was treated like one.

Huntress whined when the Avialae went to leave the safety of the house but, if he was her pack, it was by extension only and her place was without question with the humans who had adopted her and then been adopted by her in turn.

When Kaus was gone they all settled in for a night that would be, for some of them, sleepless. The family was close and comfortable together and farm people were Torin's people, so he was more comfortable with them than he would have been with a family in the city. The truth was, as a boy, he would not have been comfortable with anyone, because he wasn't comfortable with himself. Even in first master's family had made him uncomfortable. So he would have been surprised now, if he'd thought about it, at how easily he conversed and relaxed with this group of people that spanned several generations. Timon did not settle as much, because he was not sure what all the social codes were this far from where he'd grown up, but no one would have been able to tell, for he was as guilelessly charming as ever. Even Huntress deigned to let the youngest children pat her and, as the evening wore on, to play little chase games with her.

The morning would come, as it always did, even with the oddity in the sky, and if something worse came before the sun, they were prepared to defend themselves.

Posted: **Tue Feb 07, 2023 3:22 pm**

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Kaus returned before the sun, but several of the people were already awake, used to early rising. He knocked politely on the door and was let in. Though exhaustion strained his face, he still looked rather like some statue of a warrior martyr. They put him in a chair with a mug of hot tea to warm his hands. The matron put quiet questions to him, lest the others rouse before their time. It had been a tense night and she wanted her people to be fully rested in order to get their work done while it was safe to do so.

"Something happened, didn't it?" she asked.

"Aye."

"Your lady sister, she..."

"Aye."

The woman was silent, nodding to herself at the confirmation of what her meager power with Semblance had told her the day before: Lady Kala Leukos was divine as well as winged.

"T'will have to be another secret of Starfall for the time being. The Shinsei was brought down in the middle of a party in his father's palace. She already has a target on her back... right between her wings..."

This was all logical, but more than she needed to know. Few folk from Starfall traveled, except for the occasional walkabout before settling in. She put a steadying hand on his shoulder, more familiar, perhaps, than a commoner might in other places, but Starfall was strange in many ways.

"All of us would do anything to help you keep her safe."

His answering smile, even bone-weary, was brighter than the oncoming dawn.

"The creatures are gone for the nonce," he said, finishing his tea and standing up resolutely. "She saw to that. You ought to be safe until night falls again. The wards I placed on your doors hold firm, and I or other warders will strengthen them regularly. You are still welcome to succor in the castle until a permanent solution."

A few minutes later, he had collected Torin, Timon, and Huntress, and they were walking back toward the castle. He handed the lamp back to Torin with respectful thanks.

"After Kala worked her magic, I hardly needed it, but it was helpful until she banished the shadows. I just swept the area all night to be sure... and to look for stragglers." Knowing Torin would have a keen interest in the how, he explained, "She nearly depleted that great illumite crystal she brought back from Atoria. Using that to fuel her elemental magic, she... well, she conjured starfire and tore the shadows to shreds. As for the power required to manifest it so... widely, well." He rested a hand on Timon's shoulder; the walk was unduly taxing after no rest and all his exertions. After a heavy breath, he continued.

"While in Atoria, Lord Garel gave her wings, but... she also communed with the Crystal Lady, who had called her there in the first place. She planted the seed of divinity in Kala. Now she is a Moritasi. Not so powerful yet as the Shinsei, but given the Shinsei himself proved so vulnerable, we are keeping this a secret. The Queen-Regent is already restricting her travel lest agents of the Imperium seek her out to breed a larger army of Kathar. So, I will need you to keep this to yourselves until it becomes public knowledge. Even from your fox-faced friend, Torin. If you both give me your words as men of honor, I will accept that."

If they refused, Akshara was likely to bind them with contracts writ in runes and mesmerism.

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Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2023 1:48 pm**

The three Kalzaserns had found some sleep, though there were times when each woke and listened, waiting to see that all was still quiet and still before returning to their slumber. Torin woke fully when his Semblance rose through his mind, telling him that something was happening that was far away, but strong enough to be felt over the distance. The house matron was sitting by the fire in a rocking chair and saw him sit up, their eyes met in the dim light and understanding passed between them. They both felt the change and they were both familiar enough with the magic of House Leukos that they knew it would be to their advantage rather than detriment.

Torin had not felt like sleeping more after, as though whatever Kala had done had rejuvenated him as much as the sleep he'd had. When Kaus returned in what must be called the early hours, because it was too late to call them late, he listened rather than speaking at first. This was not his home, and respect had been learned down into his bones as a child.

Taking the lamp back he turned it down to barely visible, knowing it was not now needed and not wanting others to wake to light that might make their minds think it was full day. That Kala had returned from her pilgrimage changed had been obvious the moment the smith had seen her, and it hadn't been her wings that had made him think so. It had taken him a long minute to notice, and be astonished by her physical changes, because he'd been so awed by ones that would not show to eyes unenhanced. His bow to her had been deep and almost helpless, even though she raised him and told him he need not. It almost felt like meeting her all over again, the shyness and diffidence returning as part of his mind knew that he was in the presence of divinity. The other parts tried to remind him that they had spent years now talking and enjoying each others company, and it was odd trying to consolidate the two truths into one whole person.

The truth was he was very interested in the 'how' of the situation, not least because, if the situation was a permanent one, he would need to be able to recreate the effect on smaller scales to protect people, but it also felt as though he should not ask, maybe even, should not know. Divine workings were so far above him that even knowing how they worked felt a little sacrilegious, even if he had never worshiped any god in particular he felt reverence for them all.

Timon and Huntress had appeared from where they'd been curled up, looking no worse for the light night's sleep than their mild injuries had already made them look. The boy seemed to grow stronger, taller and wider, somehow, when the Avialae leaned a hand on him for support. Of the two humans Timon was not the obvious choice for physical support but the connection between the lad and his teacher-friend was obvious. Torin only nodded at the revelation that he had partly already known. Timon looked shocked, awed, and, strangely to Torin's eyes, excited.

Timon swore without a second though, Torin waited for him to finish. The idea of keeping anything from Aurin was not something he was comfortable with, but he understood how others would see his master. He would not speak of it, but Aurin had been in his house and forge after Kala had come to request the making of her cloak and the redhead was as strong a Sembler as any Torin had ever encountered. The smith gave his word also, with care and intention in his words. Kala was worth protecting, even if it damaged Torin.

"If there is more Illumite available I can make lamps for all the outlying farms, if the shadows persist." Making aether-enhanced weapons was all well and good until they could do nothing against an enemy.

After a fast broken by the insistent hospitality of the matron and her women the group set out to collect any who wished to shelter within the walls of Starfall, herding and protecting them from any dangers, natural or unnatural that they might come across along the way.

Posted: **Thu Feb 09, 2023 4:20 pm**

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Kaus smiled at Timon's mouth, and smiled apologetically to Torin.

"Perhaps if your Aurin meets her, she might let him in on her secrets. Nobody wants to drive a wedge between you."

As they walked, Kaus listened to Torin's offer and nodded. "More lamps would be helpful now, and for other dangers in the future. I don't know if you are jealous of the design, but I'm certain Mistress Feada would welcome you into her forge. 'Tis rare her work leaves Starfall, so even if she makes them after you leave, she won't damage your market in Kalzasi." But all that could be decided between Torin and Feada, much as previous problems could be sorted by Aurin and Kala. "But they will certainly be harvesting more illumite now that we know it helps fight the shadows. And there's a new form... they are calling it lunicite. Moonstone. There will be samples for you to see when we get back to the castle."

More people gathered in their wake than Kaus expected, but he supposed they wanted to see for themselves what the daughter of House Leukos had done, what she had become. They were a magically savvy people, and the matron who had sheltered Torin, Timon, and Huntress wasn't the only sembler among them.

At one point, with a weary smile, Kaus pointed a direction out to Timon.

"That valley you like is that way..." He liked being able to show his Kalzasern friends where he came from; it was clear he loved home and wanted them to love it as well.

Later, he was pointing out the castle as soon as it was visible. Their pilgrims had been polite enough to Kaus, not pressing him for in depth explanations, but they buzzed among themselves as they neared Starfall proper, only hushing when they walked into the shadow of the ancient fortress.

The sun was shining normally now, the shadows banished for the time being. It wasn't permanent—they knew that—but it was enough to build hope upon.

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Posted: **Sun Mar 19, 2023 10:13 pm**

R E V I E W

Lore: 13 each

Points: 10 each

Injuries/Ailments:
Minor wounds caused by the fight

Loot:
None

Notes: Torin and Kaus now know that the light of an Illumite dragon stone will allow the use of magic as well as the damaging of the shadow creatures.

Legend of Ransera

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Re: When Darkness Falls [Addendum Thread: Kala, Pharoah]

Re: When Darkness Falls [Addendum Thread: Kala, Pharoah]

Re: When Darkness Falls [Addendum Thread: Kala, Pharoah]

Re: When Darkness Falls [Addendum Thread: Kala, Pharoah]