[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/355504629527871488/606601704183693315/orbsmall.png[/img][/center] The clearing in the jungle was now neatly paved with stone. A proud Orb stood atop the stone foundation, a large hole that lead right to the jungle bedrock beside it. It had taken a while, being limited to percussive and abrasive methods of removing the blocks of stone, but it had been done. Orb looked over to where they kept their pile of stuff and grinned, happy to have the wind play on their bare face while they worked. Building was one of the few things that kept their bad thoughts at bay. “Shrub!” They called out, “I think the foundation is completed, what do you think?” Shrub had been laying down on the newly made stone tiles, soaking up the warmth reflected by the material and bathing in the sun that fell incessantly onto their forms. She turned her head lazily toward Orb’s direction and stretched a hand towards her friend, squeezing at the air before letting her arm drift back down. Orb smiled, “I think so too,” She filled in before looking out, “Do you think we should have the sides be smooth slopes or jagged steps?” [i]’Owb.’[/i] Mouthed Shrub in response, suddenly jumping up to her feet and running over to Orb’s side to pet her friend’s head. Orb scrunched under the barrage of petting and grinned, “I need to teach you more words.” [i]’Owb I Owb you Owb Owb… Ow… O…. Or-b. Rr. Rrrrrr.’[/i] Shrub pouted and hugged Orb. Orb squirmed as Shrub grazed two bumps on Orb’s ribs and then returned the hug for a brief second before pulling away, “Stone.” Orb said slowly, picking up a rock and handing it to Shrub, who immediately brought it up to her face and gave it a kiss. Following that, Shrub put her free hand on top of Orb’s mouth and nodded. “Stone,” Orb said into Shrub’s hand, “S-T-O-N-E.” [i]’Stone?’[/i] “Yes!” Orb said into her hand. [i]’Yestone!’[/i] “No, just stone!” Orb tried to correct. Shrub threw the stone over her shoulder and pressed her finger gently against Orb’s forehead. [i]’Orb Shrub I No You Stone Yestone No, just stone. Just Stone. Just Stone. Ooooowbbbbbuuuu.’[/i] After a while of staring at Orb, Shrub picked up the baby griffin from the makeshift nest they’d made it, and held it up to Orb. [I]’Stone.[/i] “Infant,” Orb corrected, holding up a finger. They squatted to pick up a rock and popped back to their feet, presenting it, “Stone.” [i]’Infant.’[/i] Shrub frowned and pointed at Orb, [i]’Orb,’[/i] Then at herself, [i]’Shrub,’[/i] And finally at the baby griffin, whose feathers had begun to grow sizable, [i]’Infant. Infant…. Are? Stone.’[/i] “No, no, Infants are premature models of an adult form,” Orb corrected with a rasp. Orb then noticed something in the corner of their vision. At some point in the conversation, an unusual bird had landed on the edge of the stone paving - one they had never seen before. Perhaps two feet in height, with brown and red feathers, and a beak that was an unusual shade of yellow. It observed them silently. Shrub turned her head sharply and sniffed the air, then looked in the direction of the strange bird, who smelled like a more refined and soft version of a Griffin, and her leaves began quivering. Suddenly the plant wrapped her arms around one of Orb's and looked up into her friend's eyes with wide, starry ones of her own. [i]'Owb Orb!!'[/i] Orb followed Shrubs cues and patted her -- rather stiffly -- on the head, "It's a bird." Orb said matter-of-factly, "Likely a local species designed to hunt larger prey items." [color=brown][i]No,[/i][/color] a voice echoed in their minds. [color=brown][i]I’m unique.[/i][/color] Shrub's leaves stood on end. She looked like a very lush cactus. In her mind's eye, she merely saw images representing the bird's message. And she saw a very weird leaf she'd never seen before. She wanted to lick it but she was also afraid it would be poisonous. So she erred on the side of naivety and crouched down, beginning to crawl slowly towards the bird, so as to not scare its gentle heart. Orb seemed confused for a brief moment, only to be snapped out of their awe by their companions sudden crawl. They quickly caught up to Shrub and knelt by them -- ultimately scooching to keep up with the plant. They took Shrub's hand and put it over their mouth "What are you doing?" [i]’What are you doing?’[/i] Shrub replied, then licked Orb’s cheek summoning an eye roll, [i]’Orb.’[/i] Orb let Shrub's hand go and stood back up. Dusting their cloak off and turning their face away from the bird, they spoke out loud, "What is your designation?" Orb rasped, moving away from the scene and towards their discarded pack. [color=brown][i]Arryn, Avatar of Kalmar, the God of the Hunt,[/i] Arryn replied. He looked to Shrub. [color=brown][i]You smell of Li’Kalla,[/i][/color] he said within both of their minds, and then turned to Orb. [color=brown][i]You smell of Orvus, K’nell, and…[/i][/color] the bird paused. Something in his eyes seemed to darken. [color=brown][i]Narzhak. Explain yourselves.[/i][/color] "It isn't polite to discuss another being's odors," Orb replied as they rummaged through their pack before extracting their pale blank mask. Securing it over their face and slipping their hood back over their feathers, they turned back to Arryn, "We are here to build." A certain anxiety seemed to worm out of the back of Orb's mind as they reapproached Shrub and stepped directly in front of her, "That's all." Shrub looked up at Orb her leaves freezing and coming back down to rest against her head. She quickly stood up and looked back, seeing the blurry figure of the waddling baby griffin a few steps back. Curiously, she pointed at the baby and then at Arryn with an adoring grin on her face. [color=brown][i]Why do you have a griffin?[/i][/color] Arryn asked her. A bunch of seemingly endless blurry images, scents and sensations flooded into Shrub’s brain, depicting her journey from the Endless Tree to Kalgrun through involuntary Griffin air traffic, and how she borrowed a newly hatched griffin from a nest because it was clinging to her and she liked feeling its tiny heartbeat whenever she hugged it. Outwardly, Shrub tilted her head and stole a few glances at Orb’s hood-covered head. [color=brown][i]And you,[/i][/color] Arryn asked Orb, [color=brown][i]Why are you here?[/i][/color] “To build,” Orb answered, “That really is it.” Their voice was as sad as it was stern, immediately making Shrub hold their hand and look up at their masked face in concern, having felt the strange vibrations coming from the tone of Orb’s voice. “We aren’t looking for help or trouble.” [color=brown][i]Yet you come bearing the scent of two gods that have caused trouble for my master and his creations in the past,[/i][/color] Arryn countered. “I apologize,” Orb held their head up to look at the bird through their mask, “But I do not originate from either of those gods, nor do I possess any tasks to be processed in their directive. I am Orb, this is Shrub, we are here to build, and that is all there is to it. If our presence in this location is not preferred, we can relocate...” [color=brown][i]You do not originate from them, but you have encountered them - whether you know it or not,[/i][/color] Arryn insisted. His gaze shifted over to where Orb’s supplies were piled. He swiftly flew over, landing on the metallic cage. [color=brown][i]I was mistaken,[/i][/color] the bird suddenly realized. [color=brown][i]Narzhak’s scent comes not from you, but from this. Where did you get it?[/i][/color] “Same as I encountered you,” Orb insisted back before looking over at the cage and freezing momentarily, “That-- that is a very bad object.” Twisting anxiety leaked out of their heart, “Given to us- me before... it is a very bad object.” Orb stuttered, “It is best just to leave it alone.” [color=brown][i]It is best that you tell me what it does,[/i][/color] Arryn pressed. [color=brown][i]I can see inside your mind if necessary, so there is no point in hiding the truth.[/i][/color] “It requires the consumption of a species member to work,” Orb tapped their fingers together, stomach twisting as their mind replayed horrible images from the beach, “What it does after that has never been tested, and... won’t ever be.” They looked away, heart dropping as they found Shrub’s face, “Can we discuss a new topic?” [color=brown][i]Disgusting,[/i][/color] Arryn commented. [color=brown][i]How did you get it?[/i][/color] “I really don’t wish to converse on the matter,” Orb felt a heat form behind their eyes, a wobble in their chin. Suddenly, Orb felt a presence invade their mind, and images begin to flash before their eyes: within a few seconds they relived the events of that day - Narzhak’s messengers, the ‘sacrifice’, the ‘gift’, Tiben’s death. Then the presence left, and it was over. Orb’s face was a shade of red, silent tears dripping off from behind the mask as they stood violated. Shrub looked helplessly at Orb and felt her own eyes tear up. In the end she wasn’t able to do anything but hug her friend close. Instead of squirming away like they usually did, Orb just seemed to stand there and accepted the hug, silent as ever. Arryn did not - or pretended not to - notice their discomfort. [color=brown][i]It is admirable that you and your friend turned down Narzhak’s offer. It is also admirable that you persisted despite his death. It seems I misjudged you.[/i][/color] Then he paused, and after a moment, spoke again. [color=brown][i]I will offer you my aid.[/i][/color] “I...” Orb began, squeezing the raspy words through a tear, “You all... just take what you want from me whenever you want it.” Orb fell to the ground, landing on their behind, “Here... there... everywhere.” Orb pulled their legs up to their chest, turning their whole body into a lump of cloak. Shrub fell along with Orb and twisted and turned her body so there was as much contact as possible against Orb. She tried to get Orb to lay down on the floor and cuddle up to her while waving dismissively at Arryn. “I just want to build,” Orb said almost silently, “I didn’t want help, I didn’t want trouble, I said that this time...” [color=brown][i]I was trying to make sure something like what happened to you would not happen here,[/i][/color] Arryn explained. [color=brown][i]You are not the first of Narzhak’s victims. Now that I know what the threat is, I can remove it. I will take the artifact away, and I will trouble you no more.[/i][/color] “Destroy it,” Orb said without looking up at the bird. [color=brown][i]I will try,[/i][/color] the bird nodded, [color=brown][i]But a lot of power was used to make it. If I can’t destroy it, then I will ensure it won’t be used.[/i][/color] “Observe the material it is constructed out of and unbind it,” Orb instructed simply, their raspy voice on old, cold tears now -- a methodical tone returning to their words, “That’s what I was intending to do.” [color=brown][i]Divine constructs are not so easily unmade,[/i][/color] Arryn explained. “You’re conversing with a divine construct,” Orb countered softly, “They can be dismantled.” [color=brown][i]Anything can be dismantled. That does not mean it will be easy, or that it is within my power. Some things are harder to destroy than others. The power used to make you is nothing compared to what was used to craft this. But as I said, I will try.[/i][/color] “I understand relativity,” Orb finally looked up at the bird, “I also understand that I will in fact destroy it if it remains in my custody, can you not offer me the same guarantee?” [color=brown][i]I cannot, but neither can you, so don’t lie to me,[/i][/color] Arryn stated firmly. [color=brown][i]Even if you have all the time in the world, and even if there is a way for you to destroy it on your own, you may lose it, or you may die. Any fool can bash your head in with a rock and take it from you, or Narzhak himself might try to reclaim it.”[/color] “And what about you?” Orb asked with a hollow voice, “Are you going to just take it from me?” [color=brown][i]This is about more than just you. If you lose it, then what you seek to prevent may happen anyway, and other creatures will suffer for it. I will take it, but I will give you something in return. And unlike Narzhak, it will not demand a terrible price.[/i][/color] Orb went silent and looked at Shrub for a moment, they seemed at a loss for words. Their hand sneaked behind their mask to wipe their face in silence. Shrub frowned and turned her head slightly to give Arryn a sideways glance, then rolled her eyes and waved her hand again, dismissing the bird before turning back to comforting Orb. The cloaked figure shifted, allowing the comforting while facing away from Arryn, heart pounding in their chest. [color=brown][i]You do not realize it,[/i][/color] Arryn continued, [color=brown][i]But both of you are in danger.[/i][/color] “I know,” Orb rasped quietly, “I am very scared.” [color=brown][i]The Griffin you took,[/i][/color] Arryn looked to Shrub, [color=brown][i]has a mother. By now that mother will have returned to the nest to find the hatchling gone, and is likely searching for it as we speak. It will kill you, and it will take the hatchling back… but the hatchling has already accepted [i]you[/i] as its mother. Do you understand the problem?[/i][/color] “Are you going to hurt us?” Orb looked at Arryn, nearly blurting the words. [color=brown][i]Why would I do that?[/i][/color] Arryn asked. [color=brown][i]No, I won’t. But I can help you, if you want. In exchange for taking this item from you, I can give you a blessing which will make it harder for the predators of this land to track you. It will not guarantee your safety, but it will prevent the mother griffin from finding you, and you will be less likely to encounter danger.[/i][/color] Shrub huffed silently and nuzzled her face into Orb’s cloak. “You should know why; you tore into my mind,” Orb answered. [color=brown][i]I saw only what I needed to see, and I looked no further,[/i][/color] Arryn countered. [color=brown][i]The rest of your secrets are still yours. Now I am offering you my protection, and this will come at no cost beyond what I have already asked.[/i][/color] Orb looked at shrub as if asking for her opinion. Shrub looked up at Orb’s mask and pursed her lips, then gave a half-hearted shrug and a nod. “Agreeable,” Orb surrendered. Arryn outstretched his wings, and a light breeze briefly passed over them, but there was no significant change. [color=brown][i]It is done,[/i][/color] the bird declared. [color=brown][i]I will leave now. But first, I will give you some more information,[/i][/color] he pointed a wing north. [color=brown][i]If you head in that direction, you will eventually find a species of mortals which have similar intelligence to yourself. If you learn to communicate with them, you may be able to find a place there. If you would rather live in isolation, you can remain here, or pick a different direction.[/i][/color] And with those words, Arryn wrapped his talons along the much larger Goregrasp, and took flight, leaving the two behind. Orb stayed in silence for a while longer. Eventually their glove hand reached up to their hood, ripping it off their head. Taking their mask on the other hand, they tossed it -- the solid frame smashing and skidding across the stone. Their face was downcast and filled with a mix of sadness, anger and nauseous relief. Shrub barely gave Orb a second before her hands found their way to Orb's face and she began to feel around, very efficiently beginning to replicate her friend's expression, then trying to sculpt Orb's face into a smile, getting a tiny grin. [hider=Post Summary] Orb built a foundation and has been having fun with Shrub, the interaction keeping them from dwelling too much on the horrific death they witnessed and the guilt that consumes their soul. Arryn shows up and forces Orb to relive these experiences anyways and then proceeds to be brick headed about it while Orb cries and is genuinely trying to get him to go away without him stealing from them or hurting them. It does not work and eventually Arryn takes what he wants (Goregrip), tells them where to find elves, gives them a blessing and leaves. Orb then sits in silence, replaying the fact that they were just violated yet again by a deific presence. [/hider] [hider=Might Summary] [u]Kalmar[/u] -1MP and 1FP to found a holy order “Team Awesome” (better name pending), consisting of Orb, Shrub, and Baby Griffin. -1MP (discounted to 0 via hunting portfolio) to bless Team Awesome so that wild animals will have a harder time smelling them or noticing their tracks. [/hider] [hider=P-prestige?] +3 to team awesome? [/hider]