Awdwyn Becomes the First Jaguar's Hunter in Recent Memory

Everiine

Thank you @Awdwyn for sending me this log of the event from her perspective!

Along the Path of a Warrior Spirit, one must first go on three Guided vision quests, with a senior member along the Path. After those three, the penultimate vision quest takes place, the Hunter's vision quest, where the traveler enters the realm of the Warrior Spirits alone to face whatever may come.

Truthfully, no one had yet gotten this far, and the only instructions for the Hunter's Vision Quest were from the original spiritual paths, so we didn't figure out what might happen until about a half hour before it was schedule to take place. HUGE RAVES to the admin who agreed to help make Awdwyn's experience something special, who brought Adasser and Eurytus to the event, and who had about as much prep time as the rest of us once we figured out what the premise of the vision would be and still made it incredible!

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Everiine Silvermoon glances over the assembled Serenguard and nods his head. "Little one," he asks you, "are you ready?"

Awdwyn takes a deep breath before dipping her head to Everiine. "Aye I am ready."

Addressing the gathering, High Chief Everiine Silvermoon the Wise, Centaur Brother says, "Over the past few years, Awdwyn has traveled through visions and the realm of the Warrior Spirits to learn the ways of the Jaguar. First, she became His Cub. Then, His Claw. And finally, His Teeth. She now seeks to prove herself His Hunter, and to do that, she will enter the realm of the Warrior Spirits alone."

With a wistful look on his face, Everiine touches two concentric circles of stones.

High Chief Everiine Silvermoon the Wise, Centaur Brother says, "Let it be known--this is not an easy task. The Foolish Warrior perished in his attempts to unjustly earn the favour of the Warrior Spirits, and his tale serves as a reminder to us that the Three Warriors are strict and discerning."

Everiine Silvermoon takes a deep breath and stokes the fire until it is red and hot. "You may boil your tea," he says to you and leaves you to the task while standing with the rest of the gathered Serenguard as he continues: "We are here to help her open the way, through our voices and dance."

Awdwyn crouches down and empties the packet of herbs into her bowl of water before taking it over to the fire and letting it start to boil.

Awdwyn takes the tea off the fire after it has begun to boil.

As you begin your task, Everiine Silvermoon turns to face the center of the circles. "We stand with you, Awdwyn," he says, "and we call on the name of the Hunter to bring His gaze to you and to warn Him of your prowess." Throwing back his head, cries out in a loud voice, calling his kin to join him in a chant to Brother Jaguar.

Awdwyn carefully sits next to the fire with her bowl in her lap as she finishes boiling her tea.

Everiine Silvermoon dances around the perimeter of the circles, leading the Serenguard behind him, as he calls on the Hunter's power to aid you.

Haghan begins briskly walking in a wide circle, lifting his knees high, creating a path in the shape of a ring. As he trots faster and faster along this ringed path, you see a hazy image of a white stag running next to him.

Tilting his head toward the sky, Adasser, Wolverine's Mask lets his voice cry out in harmony with Everiine's. Sheathing his rapiers, he begins patting his hands against his shins, making a dull rolling drumbeat.

Tandrin begins briskly walking in a wide circle, lifting his knees high, creating a path in the shape of a ring. As he trots faster and faster along this ringed path, you see a hazy image of a white stag running next to him.

Rivius Tarsuhl follows Everiine's lead, stepping in rhythm around the circles, loudly chanting for Brother Jaguar to aid you.

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt issues the same cries, his voice far lower than the drumming elfen. Though he doesn't move, he too begins to pound his hands against his chest to make a drumbeat, taking over the job from the elfen who begins to dance alongside Everiine and Rivius.

Awdwyn starts to drink her tea and closing her eyes as she prepares for the visions to take hold of her.

As she finishes the tea, Awdwyn puts the bowl on the ground next to her.

As you begins to sink into your vision, Everiine Silvermoon whips out his arms, reaching for the Moonhart Mother Tree. His dance continues until the last possible moment, before the entire Serenguard entourage starts to fade into the aethers.

Tandrin leaves, following High Chief Everiine Silvermoon the Wise, Centaur Brother.
Haghan leaves, following High Chief Everiine Silvermoon the Wise, Centaur Brother.
Everiine turns translucent and then vanishes, leaving behind a cloud of sparkling motes of light.
Before he departs, Adasser, Wolverine's Mask sheathes his rapiers and ventures off to the ether.
Eurytus, Master of the Hunt looks up suddenly and trots out to the ether.

A moment passes, a moment that feels like eternity, and then your vision is swamped with darkness: reality seems to shift and churn.

Awdwyn blinks before looking around her to see her surroundings.

Awdwyn sniffs as her ears twitch to hear the sounds of birds. She opens her eyes to see a rolling grassland extending as far as the eye can see.

Awdwyn looks out over the grassland to see a couple of sparse trees and a collection of rocks off in the distance.

The grasslands settles into formation: far in the distance, swaying reeds, grasses, and bushes that thrive amongst outcroppings of rock and towering trees. Somewhere, far in the distance, you hear the timed pounding of drums.... DUM DA DUM DUM DUM, the pounding shaking in the air and filling your ears.

Awdwyn glances around her before starting to make her way toward the rocks and trees.

With quick steps, you make progress toward the rock: their surfaces riddled with strange carvings and runes. The drumming continues, reverberating against the stone and increasing its pitch and sound. You spare a glance and see something on the horizon: a dark line that seems to travel closer, perhaps the source of the drumming.

Awdwyn stops as she remembers one of the lessons she learned. She examines a tree and then climbs up and manages to hide among the leaves to watch what is coming toward her.

The branches of the tree creak loudly as they handle your weight, bending and no longer stretching as far as they once did. The dark line in the horizon splits into two, then into four, then into six figures that continue to drum and clamour toward you, or at least the stones. They are armed to the teeth: spears, knives, axes. They are ugly to boot - not comparable to any of the mortal races that you know.

As they descend upon the stones, one of them - the leader? - inspects everything, his eyes focusing amongst the cracks of the rock and the tree. He does not seem to see you.... yet.

Awdwyn examines the rest of her surroundings trying to see if there is anything you can use to defend yourself from the hunters below you.

One of the branches looks sharp; however, the wood is quite dried out and it is unclear whether or not snapping it might make a lot of noise.

Awdwyn glances down to see the progress of the hunters before considering the branch near her.

The six of them have spread around the perimetre of the outcropping, each taking its own place: roughly equidistant from each other. From your vantage point, you realise that the outcropping is surprisingly huge, and each of the hunters area three feet from each other, roughly. The leader grumbles loudly, a chant or an offering, as he slugs a giant corpse that hung from his back; it is unclear what this beast once was, its abominable features so otherworldly.

Awdwyn decides to try and snap the branch while the hunters are distracted with what they are doing around the huge outcropping of rock.

After snapping the branch you hold tightly to it with one hand as you wait to see if the noise has attracted attention.

*SNAP* The branch breaks in your hands, and you glance down to check whether the hunters have noticed. All but one seem to have heard anything: the lone hunter's eyes scouring the tree to find the source of the sound.

Awdwyn waits for a few moments before climbing down as quietly as you can keeping a close eye on the lone hunter the whole time.

The hunter grunts as you slip down from the branches and down the trunk; his eyes - is it his eyes? these three bulbous things that bloom across his face (is it even a he?) - take notice of the subtle shift in size. He bares his teeth as he reaches for his axe, taking silent steps toward the tree. He does not warn his allies, attempting to take you full on.

Awdwyn grips her branch with both hands tightly ready to do battle with the lone hunter for her survival.

Awdwyn watches the hunter carefully for any weakness she can take advantage of.

The hunter hefts his axe and slams it against the tree. *THWACK* His fingers still grip upon the handle as he glances to the branches... From your point of view, you see a small chink at the hunter's neck: a small space in the armour. Those three bulbous eyes fixate and locate you, his maw opening as he begins a snarl.

Narrowing her eyes Awydwyn grips your branch even tighter and thrust the sharpened end into that chink in the armor with all your strength all the while keeping a eye out for the hunter's axe.

Before he has a chance to pull his axe from the tree and strike you, you shove the branch into that small break, piercing through the blackened flesh of the hunter. A spray of crimson blood shoots from the wound as the death gurgle, not the growl, falls from the hunter's lips. Now impaled, the hunter's legs give out as he slowly falls to the ground. The other five (including the leader) have not noticed you yet, though you begin to her the murmurs of their growls as they begin to search for their compatriot.

Awdwyn considers for a moment before pulling the dead hunter's axe from the tree and dashing to scramble up another tree to observe.

Retrieving the weapon, you clamour back to the tree's branches, which again creak under your weight. Two of the other hunters hear that noise, and begin to move toward you. One of them notices his brethren and he lets out a giant yell to warn the others.

Awdwyn looks down at the two hunters that have just called out to the rest before murmuring to herself "Uh-oh..."

Awdwyn looks around this tree hoping to find a second sharp branch.

The rest of the branches seem rather blunt, perhaps useful if you want to club, but generally ineffective. The hunters, the leader included, drag their weapons across the stone outcropping: the earlier two moving toward their kin's corpse. They look up and notice you easily, recognizing the waving branches that stress still under your weight. The roar, "RHAAAROOGHH!" as they heft their axes to break into the tree's trunk. The other hunters take a few steps and get to the tree too, helping their brothers, while the leader stands aside.

Awdwyn notices a clear place to land so she leaps from her branch to land crouched down before running toward the leader hefting the axe from the dead hunter.

*THUD* You land on your feet as the other four hunters are still hacking at the tree; you reach their leader with your axe, but the leader quickly shifts, grabbing the corpse of the monster and shoving it at you like a shield.

Awdwyn swerves aside at the last moment to come up behind the leader and grab him before calling out toward the 4 remaining hunters.

The sound of your skirmish falls upon the other hunters, who immediately turn around and witness you grabbing the leader, your body swerving to dodge the flesh-shield. They come to their leader's assistance, their spears, knives pointed at you; however, the grip of your elbow on the leader's neck is secure.

Awdwyn makes gestures with the hand holding the axe that if the remaining hunters stay where they are the leader will not be harmed though if they understand remains to be seen.

They growl at each other, the four hunters, though they keep a distance. Fighting to create breath, fighting to create words, the leader opens his mouth and, surprisingly, the common tongue fills your ears, "You are... a good hunter...."

Awdwyn dips her head briefly to the leader before saying, "I thank you for the compliment."

The leader struggles against your grip, forcing his body to shake against yours. "... ugh... I guess you know a thing or two about hunting... but if you want to find the Warrior Spirit... it will be a lot tougher than this."

Awdwyn nods to the leader before saying "Aye I know it will. That is why daily I practice and continue to learn to improve myself and become stronger each day."

Awdwyn releases the leader taking hold of the axe with both hands in case of an attack.

Again, the leader struggles, as his other hunters eye you carefully. One of them tosses his spear to the ground, then the others drop their weapons in turn. "They know when they... have been... bested," the leader chokes out, his body quivering against you.

After releasing the leader, you dip your head respectfully to them.

Reality shudders like smoke, the leader, the hunters, the tree, and outcropping disappearing like a whisper of air as the vision begins to grow blurry. Soon, reality settles to normalcy, becoming the familiar site of the forest again.

You tell High Chief Everiine Silvermoon the Wise, Centaur Brother, "I am back father."

In your ear, however, you hear the grumble of the leader still, "Be on your guard, hunter. The Spirit is stalking you."

You feel a slight tug within your chest and the air around you sparkles with motes of bright light.

Among the sparkling motes of light, a translucent figure appears in the air and then quickly solidifies as Everiine comes into view.
Drawing his rapiers as his enters, Adasser, Wolverine's Mask strides in from the ether.
Eurytus, Master of the Hunt canters in from the ether, stopping to look around thoughtfully.

With a wistful look on his face, Everiine touches two concentric circles of stones.

Everiine Silvermoon rushes unstately into the circles of stone toward you.

Adasser, Wolverine's Mask beams broadly.

Eurytus, Master of the Hunt offers a grim smile.

You say to Everiine, "I have returned."

You say, "And what a tale to tell."

High Chief Everiine Silvermoon the Wise, Centaur Brother smiles and says to you, "I can see that."

Putting his hands on Awdwyn's arms, High Chief Everiine Silvermoon the Wise, Centaur Brother asks you, "First, are you alright?"

You say, "Aye i am."

Everiine wipes the back of his hand across his head in relief as he mutters, "Whew."

High Chief Everiine Silvermoon the Wise, Centaur Brother says to you, "I was beginning to worry."

You say, "I did as you said and kept the lessons I have already learned in mind the whole time and used them to survive."

High Chief Everiine Silvermoon the Wise, Centaur Brother asks you, "What happened?"

(Here Awdwyn recounts her adventure. During the tale:)

In the corner of your eye, a sleek jaguar stares at you, his fangs bared as he yawns. You blink, and he is gone.

You blink.

Everiine tilts his head curiously at you.

You say, "I thought I saw something for a moment there. Now where was I..."

Everiine chuckles long and heartily at you.

(The tale continues, and once finished:)

High Chief Everiine Silvermoon the Wise, Centaur Brother says to you, "But you have survived, and returned to us, having bested the hunters of the Jaguar. I think I know what this means."

You will now be known as Serenguard Awdwyn, Jaguar's Hunter, by order of High Chief Everiine Silvermoon the Wise, Centaur Brother.

You say to Everiine, "It was amazing."

Serenguard Rivius Tarsuhl says, "Awdwyn, you've done incredibly well for one so young."

(Serenwilde): Everiine says, "Seren, hear me! Serenguard Awdwyn has spent years traveling the Path of Brother Jaguar, learning of His teachings and ways and preparing to prove herself. This day, she has entered the realm of the Three Warriors and bested the hunters of Brother Jaguar, taking her place among His Hunters. While not yet one of His Warriors, she has reached a place on the Path few have ever reached. She is Serenguard Awdwyn, Jaguar's Hunter, and she has earned the honour of her kin! Feidmigh ar son an Serenguard!"

Everiine

And the atrocious formatting is now fixed >.> My bad...