Nari's second vision quest for Jaguar v2.0

Yvonari

Okay, so I'm new to this and I'm nervous, so bear with anything I might have forgotten to cut out!

Yvonari, being Everiine's daughter, has to meet certain expectations for arpee, and it was nice to nab this awesome Admin roleplay. (Like father like daughter, you know!)

Archaic Library, after getting a tell from Eurytus while I was very -very- asleep.

Shifting your attention to Eurytus, Master of the Hunt, you powerfully slam a fist against your own chest in a tribal display of respect.

Shifting his attention to you, Eurytus, Master of the Hunt powerfully slams a fist against his own chest in a tribal display of respect.

Yvonari says to Eurytus, Master of the Hunt, "Brother, I am sorry that I was too deep in my meditations to answer you."

 

Nodding his head, Eurytus, Master of the Hunt says, "That is quite all right. Are you prepared nonetheless?"

Biting her lip lightly, affording a hint of a nod, you say to Eurytus, Master of the Hunt, "Yes. I do believe I am."

 

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt says, "Then let me gather a few things and I will meet you at the circles."

Yvonari says to Eurytus, Master of the Hunt, "Of course. I will go prepare myself."

(Movement spam)

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt canters in from the south, stopping to look around thoughtfully.

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt nods in your direction as he trots around the circle of stones, considering everything with a purse of his lips. "As I said before, it has been a while since I undertook a quest. We shall have to see how things go," the centaur remarks.

The sound of solemn conversation preceeds the arrival of the Oneiroi.

Her things in a neat, if rather large, pile several yards away, Yvonari sits upon her knees within the circles. Her head is bowed, hands upon her knees, and a small packet of herbs sits within a small bone bowl beside her. "It will go..." she murmurs softly, a faint smile turning her lips. "I trust you."

Latching onto your reassuring words, Eurytus, Master of the Hunt peals off his tunic and bracers, setting them close to the river bank. In his hands, the Master holds a pair of twigs which he sets aflame to start a small fire at the center of the circles. "You seek a servant of the Hunter, yes? What is it that you wish to ask of them?" Stoking the flames, Eurytus gestures at the bowl of herbs near you, asking for them.

"I seek to know about them, about why they believe the Hunt is important. I seek knowledge of how they contribute to their ecosystem through the Hunt." Yvonari answers, a hint of nervousness within her gaze as it opens upon Eurytus', and a tightening of her wings upon her back as her fingers dig lightly into her knees. With a slight shake of her head, she forces herself to focus, grabbing the bowl, untying the packet within, and handing both to Eurytus.

-Grasses beside Moon River.

Two concentric circles of stones are set out in the grasses here. Reaching up as high as the eye can see looms the awesome presence of a living totem. A mature hornbeam tree stands proudly here. A handsome, black stag with black wings wanders about here, his head held regally. Eurytus, Master of the Hunt trots slowly here, his face firm and thoughtful. Laid neatly in a pile, Eurytus' effects are here.

You see exits leading south and northwest.-

Taking the bowl and herbs, Eurytus, Master of the Hunt listens as he prepares for the quest. Stepping away from you and the circle, the centaur returns to the river, dipping the bowl into the waters. He returns, setting the bowl onto the fire to heat up as he pours the herbs within. "I am sure you will find a good answer, Lodge Chief," he comments as the bowl bubbles and steams. Once it has had the chance to steep, the Master gathers it and takes a deep sip of the broth before he passes it to you. As you know, we will not know where or whom we shall meet. I will guide you as a presence, but it is truly you who seeks the answer to your question."

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt closes his eyes and begins muttering chants under his breath.

Yvonari's gaze watches the centaur, not quite seeing, though she snaps back into the here and now upon his return. Her breaths have become deep and slow, measured carefully against some unheard rhythm, and she seems utterly relaxed. As her gaze drifts over the fire, over the steeping herbs, and nods slowly and swirls it in the bowl before taking a deep drink  of it. "Let us hope it goes better than the first time I took it." she answers finally, a hint of a smirk upon her face, though the lines of it are creased in memory. Soon her eyes have fallen closed and she is quietly chanting as well, and the forest shimmers around the both of you, leaving no trace of it as it fades into thick rainforest around you.

The thick brush of humidity clings to your body, as if the air itself were not air but a sea of sticky, vapor. Around you, hoots, hollers, cries of creatures shudder from your new verdant environment. Below you, the ground feels springly, overwhelmed by a carpet of fallen leaves and broad-leaved ferns brush against your ankles. A presence stirs somewhere nearby, and the voice of Eurytus, Master of the Hunt grunts, "Yvonari? Are you there? It seems we have made it, more or less safely."

Yvonari glances around her quickly, sharp gaze assessing her surround, getting a feel for the situation, and a soft grunt follows  as she turns and runs right into a tree. More than a little embarrassment suffuses her voice as she takes to the air, a difficult task in this place, and slowly circles around looking for the sound of the voice. "I am here, brother." she calls out, finally finding Eurytus and landing lightly at the centaur's side, though she is at a distinct disadvantage with her small stature. This doesn't seem to bother her much, and she glances up with a smile, gaze wandering over him to ensure he is indeed whole, and then nodding to herself when satisfied.

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt looks down at you, returning your smile with a qurik of his lips. "This is a bit too wet..." the centaur takes a deep breath, wiping his forearms from the moisture that formed there. Pulling his focus from you to the trees, his grey eyes scan the ferny fronds and draping moss. "What do you hear, what do you smell?" he asks with his rough voice.

Finding herself grinning softly at her companion, Yvonari gives her head a small shake and nods her agreement. "I hear everything." she quips, a glance around followed with a slight backing towards Eurytus as her eyes fall closed. "Monkeys and birds, mostly, I think." she murmurs softly, inhaling deeply and loosing the soft breath slowly. "That and decay, but I think that's because I'm closer to the stuff rotting." She nudges the plants littering the forest floor with a foot, squatting upon her haunches to look for any other clues, but can't seem to find much of anything. She stumbles back in surprise when a huge spider, to her at least, threateningly bursts from a pile of leaves she's investigating, landing on her backside before scrambling back up to observe it.

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt chuckles a laugh at your reaction to the spider, himself moving to inspect the arachnid with equal interest. "Is this the hunter that we are seeking...?" he ponders, his forelegs bent to get a close eye. Beyond, a rolling sound pulses from somewhere: *BADUMDUMDUMDUMDUMDUM* *BADUMDUMDUMDUMDUMDUM* The pounding of drums that repeats in time. The centaur's ears perk and twist, trying to the locate the sound as best as he can. "I do not like the sound of that," he murmurs, his legs straightening as a hoofed foot smushes into the soft ground.

Yvonari straightens, her ears twitching towards the numerous sounds in an attempt to pinpoint its source. She glances up to Eurytus, a hand laid lightly against his fetlock before she leaps into the air and tries to get a better look, but the foliage is too dense. She lands upon a low branch which isn't obscured with leaves, vines, or flowers, and carefully glances around, her gaze wandering back to her companion often to reassure herself of his safety. Finally she turns back, confusion in her gaze, as is a general wariness, but there is nothing yet to enlighten her as to the sound, and rather than remain in her tree, she alights carefully beside Eurytus and searches the ground before her for anything suitable to use as a weapon.

"Good idea," says the centaur, as he pulls down a nearby vine: a makeshift whip. As the drumbeat continues, the squawking of birds shakes through the higher canopies as they fly off in different directions. As the sound draws nearer and nearer, Eurytus, Master of the Hunt tightens his grip on the weapon. Brush rustles nearby, and the centaur's eyes dart to the moving greenery.

Yvonari has finally decided on a stick twice her size, yet easily enough wielded in her small hands, the only one which seems sturdy enough to raise a welt. Her wings are held ready, and she moves in a slight crouch as she slowly makes her way around Eurytus, ears perked and eyes sharp as she searches still.

Yvonari notices the brush a bit late, but steadies and readies herself as she moves to crouch between the rustling and her companion.

*BADUMDUMDUM* *BADUMDUMDUMDUM* The beat of the drum looms, subsiding as the leaves part to reveal... nothing? Eurytus, Master of the Hunt trots closer, meeting you at where you stand as his face grows hard and questioning. And then, his dark grey eyes widen with surprise. "What!" Your eyes adjust as they make sense of the centaur's cry: thousands of dark dots that focus into sharp relief - a colony of ants. To the centaur, they are miniscule, but to you, they are significant.

Yvonari bristles as the drums fade and the bushes part, confused for a moment before Eurytus' cry leads her to the first of the ants, marching into her line of sight. She begins to slip back, but catches herself, instead standing firm and readying herself. Dropping into an easy crouch, she inspects the small insects, warily clutching at her bludgeon as she searches for any organization amongst them, any indication of sentience that could help her better grasp the situation.

Muttering darkly under her breath, wings tightening to her back somewhat, you say, "At least it's not a crocodile...."

The insects scour the ground, marching in and it is clear that the drumbeat you hear was in fact the pounding of their tiny legs, reverberating through the echo-y forest. They creep and they crawl, swerving in a tight formation around both you and Eurytus, Master of the Hunt . Antennaes twitching, they stare out blankly. Only after a moment passes with their inquiring assessment does a strange noise shriek out - less so physically, but a voice rises in your mind. You have been linked to their hive. "Hail warrior, where do you stand? Where do you go?"

Yvonari seems more at ease with the non-threatening demeanor of the ants, though she is ever on her guard, and she watches, nearly mesmerized by their movements, by trying to discern some rhythm or pattern to it. She is startled, however, by the voice within her head, glancing to Eurytus to see if he's heard it as well, seeing no evidence of physical speech. Finally she steps up towards the milling group, still crouched, and affords the barest touch of fingers upon her chest in a vague salute. "Greetings." she states firmly, eyes never quite losing their wary edge. "I stand right here, in a rainforest, in what I assume is the spirit realm. Where I go, well....I go to find a servant of Brother Jaguar, that I might learn more of the hunt from whomever he deigns send. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, now, would you?"

"We have been sent by the Hunter," says the legion, their voices a harmonious chorus each at various pitches and warbles. "We are the ground of the forest, the ground of the hunt. We are its ecology." Eurytus, Master of the Hunt tilts his head at you, and it is clear that he is not connected to whatever psionic link you have found yourself in. He does not trot forward, but simply tightens the grip of his whip, waiting your reaction or call. The colony stand firm in their position; their bodies jet-black and sleek, efficient and surprisingly strong. One of the ants takes a quiet step forward, his antenna flicking at you.

Yvonari nods as she watches with caution, rising from her crouch only enough to gain a better glimpse of the swarm which confronts her, her stick never quite leaving her grasp. She glances to Eurytus, a faint forestalling gesture following the turn of her head back to the ants, and she says quietly, "You are the ecology... What then do you hunt?" Attentive, she crouches again, more on a level with the approaching insect, and she does not flinch away at the flick of antenna, but neither does she abandon her edginess. "I've more questions, but I will start my search with something simple."

A creaking noise shakes in your head - a rudimentary laughter as the advancing ant's head wobbles from side to side. "Everything. We eat the seeds of the world, the sweet juice of plants, the dead flesh from the scavengers, and we hunt those greater than ourselves. We hunt and consume more than even the largest of animals, for we are legion," answers the swarm. Slowly, the rest draw closer too, their large faceted eyes wide and curious. At their shuffle toward you, Eurytus, Master of the Hunt takes a tentative step, careful not to step on the forward insects.

Yvonari tenses as the swarm advances, chewing on her lip lightly as she considers the answer, a slow nod her acceptance. Still crouched she turns and swivels, glancing the ant up and down carefully and noting details silently. "How do you hunt, then?" she asks, the answer already in her eyes as the thousands of ants are reflected within, but she sits back and listens regardless, eager to learn. "What strategies do you have for bringing down that which is greater than yourself?"

The one that stepped up forward takes another cautious step, its mandibles clenching. It is only then that you see the viscous ooze that dribbles down - a poisoned stinger as its weapon of choice. "Our bite is pain incarnate, for we defend ourselves and incapacitate our prey. We are many, we will overwhelm them all. Do you know how to overwhelm your prey?" they ponder, a question so exhaustively asked in your head that you feel a subtle ache. Nearby, Eurytus, Master of the Hunt watches the scene play out in silence.

Yvonari doesn't flinch back from the ant, though there is a fresh edge to her gaze, a tautness in her limbs which could mean she's either ready to flee, or to spring, though she does neither. She absorbs every detail of the glistening mandibles, of the mean stinger, and nods, satisfied with the answer she's given. "Not in numbers, but I've my fair share of overwhelming my prey." she answers slowly, absently rubbing a temple with a ginger caress before focusing once more. "Tell me this, then. For what reasons do you hunt? Why do you find the Hunt to be important?" she rises slowly, gaze settling over the mass of ants before her, and she slowly, cautiously, and perhaps foolishly, threads her way carefully between them, noting the subtle differences between them and affording her curiosity a respect never felt for crawling things before.

As you pass ant by ant, you take note of their distinctions: one's eyes are smaller, another is not exactly jet-black but more of a deep, dark blue, a third's antenna is lop-sided around its head. Your movements elicit their gentle turn in formation, always facing you and focused. "The Hunt is life. The formicary sustenance, and it is only by our immense presence can we provide. The Hunt is necessary. We scout, we search, we encounter, we fight, we haul." With a concerned look, Eurytus, Master of the Hunt watches your movements, his body tense and unsure.

Yvonari nods, listening carefully as she takes note of every difference she sees, noting that no two are the same, and yet they are as one, a soft smile flitting to her face at that lesson alone. Having seen enough, she cautiously makes her way back to the edge of the swarm, once more between the apparent leader and the centaur, and she crouches once more as her gaze flickers over several in turn. "The hunt is necessary, yes, but why? Tell me what purpose, to you, that it serves." she queries once more. "I seek a better, fuller understanding."

A moment pauses as the insects pause, as if they were conversing to one another. In your head, you hear the murmur of speech. "It is necessary because we are commanded by the heart of our hearts, the queen. We hunt because we are impelled to hunt, the desire to provide for another. Do you provide for others?" they reply, heads flicking in interest and bodies moving in formation."

"With nodding reactions, the swarm bows low to you and to the centaur nearby as they shudder off into the depths of the rainforest. *BADUMDUMDUMDUMDUM* *BADUMDUMDUMDUM* They stampede away, their tiny footsteps like the pounding of drums. With sigh, Eurytus, Master of the Hunt watches as the insects disappear, the rainforest melting around you as the last of the ants disppear from view.

Softly, Eurytus, Master of the Hunt says, "Did you hear what you needed to hear, Yvonari?"

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt barely gives you time to answer as he begins to collect his things, fitting his bracers upon his arms and the tunic over his torso.

Turning back to Eurytus Yvonari nods, a faint wistfulness in her gaze as it trails after the massive swarm, gaze settling once more about the forest she finds herself in. "Yes. Yes I did, and I've still got functional wings. Thank you." She smiles to Eurytus and begins to gather her things, donning them carefully, and then affords him a powerful thump of her chest. "Thank you, brother." she says quietly, her head canted slightly to the side.

Proudly standing at full attention, Eurytus, Master of the Hunt slams a fist against his chest in a fierce tribal salute that reverberates throughout his body.

 

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt says, "I am glad that my rustiness did not get us eaten."

Proudly standing at full attention, you slam a fist against your body in a fierce tribal salute that reverberates throughout your body.

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt smiles wryly.

You say, "To eury I did worse on this quest last time with myf ather....."

(You say to Eurytus, Master of the Hunt, "I did worse on this quest last time with my father.....")

You cough softly.

The corners of Eurytus, Master of the Hunt's mouth turn up as he grins mischievously.

Yvonari says, "I'm more than a little protective..."

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt says, "I will speak to the High Chief at once to inform him of your success. Until next time."

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt waves goodbye.

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt looks up suddenly and trots out to the south.

(Yvonari has been in the guild twice. Link the the first vision quest courtesy of Everiine: http://pastebin.com/bK4CJJmV )

(Also a HUGE thank you to those involved in this. I had loads of fun!)

Yvonari

Blah, forgot to mention that this is the second time she's done the second Jaguar vision quest. The first one was way back in January, but it was the same stage of the path as this one.

Everiine

Awesome! I love the ants, and the collective speech thing. And that Eurytus didn't get you killed (I'm excited he agreed to do it with you!).

Yvonari

I think the OOC comment was made somewhere in there that they didn't realize how small I was (I swapped back to Faeling), and when they did, they thought the ants would be perfect. All the while I'm sitting here, Googling rainforest predators, mainly spiders, and then the Bullet Ant, which I think is what we decided these were. It was awesome roleplay, and I hope to do it again sometime!