Muttonhawk

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Gallus stood up as Meesei did. He started exiting wordlessly at first, but he turned around at the entrance to the tent and acknowledged Lorag with a blank face and a small nod. "Thank you for your help, Lorag," he mentioned before leaving.

When he was outside, Gallus caught up with Ri'vashi and Meesei, but he did not speak a word until they were out of earshot from the tent. "He certainly fits what information we have, unfortunately for Lorag." Gallus glanced over his shoulder. "He's really hitting himself hard about this. Is he going to be alright, Meesei?"

Gallus turned his attention up to Ri'vashi afterwards. "I take it you were listening in?" he asked, "What's your take on this so far?"

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Gallus listened on with his elbows leaned forward onto his legs where he sat. Using competitions to assess the soldiers was a clever move. It never occurred to Gallus as lycan warbands tended to train so much in one place that the leaders would get to know their troops well anyway. Still, it indicated that Do'rhajul was very detail-oriented.

When Lorag was done, Gallus paused, gave Meesei a glance, and then spoke to Lorag again. "I can get you another ale if you want to keep going tonight. Or we could leave you with some paper and ink and follow up later. What's going to be best for you?"

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

@Muttonhawk, if/when it comes down to it, do you want Majus and Minus to battle alongside the Avatars of Teknall and allies against Violence, or will they get to Violence first and fight alone?

@BBeast

I do not mind at all.

And I like Majus and Minus. There is a good pairing there. It recognises that perfection can rarely be obtained in all metrics simultaneously, yet works around it by having two Avatars to support each other.

@BBeast

Cheers! I fully expect them to be changed in subtle ways by the endless meddling tinkers of this pantheon, regardless. I also got to read a little bit about calligraphy and learn cool words like majuscule and minuscule.

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

Ermgerd, ervrithern churnged wern ther ferer nershern erterk't.

Majus and Minus

Background:
The advent of Violence on Toun's doorstep in such a threatening form as Vestec's avatar forced Toun to conceive his most powerful creations yet. The twins of betterment, Majus and Minus. Both are precise tools in the pursuit of universal perfection. They are not exactly conceived of raw creative power spun into reality like his other creations. Rather they are themselves avatars -- pieces of Toun's divine essence manifested in the physical realm.

In order to hold his own power into planned bounds, Toun used physical bodies that were inscribed with written characters. These characters describe their behaviour in a print exactly the same as the print used on the codex of creation itself. Such symbols and phrases are so potent that the behaviour they describe manifest on what they are written upon. These commands, written in perfect strokes of red ink and stored within the avatars' bodies, hold together a vessel to channel godly might and to interact independently with the world should Toun require their own volition. This is the first employment of the powerful (yet highly precise) Tounic calligraphy.

Majus

Physical Creation:

Majus

Name: Majus, the Greater Twin

Description:
The greater twin is the instrument of Toun's more visible, impactful local acts upon Galbar. Its actions are for all to see, hear, feel, or otherwise sense. It builds the great structures or tears them down with an equally great sundering blow. It is at the head of vanguards and in the thick of the melee. Its voice booms with unignorable presence as it carries out Toun's will. Its moves are large, deliberate, and nary leave the subject unscathed. Majus may seem like a brute that is easy to manoeuvre around with care, but all that it cannot do with its greatness is protected by its sibling, Minus.

Appearance:
Majus is a thin-set humanoid figure covered fully in elegantly domed white plate armour, pointed at the toes and at the ends of the fingers. A red Tounic insignia is displayed on its chest. It stands at twice the height of an average human and walks with a lumbering, robotic, yet deliberate gait. Where normal plates of steel armour accommodate holes for seeing or breathing, Majus' armour has none. The joints still visibly separate the segments into pieces, but the illusion of their rigidity is broken when they are in motion. The boundaries of the segments expand and retract as they move such that any gaps that might be revealed by motion cover themselves adaptively.

Majus' hands always carry a long white haft shod with a short curved rod that doubles as a hammer and a pick. The way this weapon moves in Majus' hands seems dissonant with its heft. It is sent in sweeping arcs that may extend or retract in reach in the blink of an eye.

Flaw:
Majus is an avatar the same as any other. It is subject to the same properties of avatars. However, when Toun is not directly controlling Majus, it has to rely on its inscribed intelligence. This is not particularly sophisticated as it is not built for anything other than mostly mindless servitude. Without Minus to protect it, Majus is vulnerable to even simple ruses and may be led into traps or manipulated against Toun's best interests.

Minus

Physical Creation:

Minus

Name: Minus, the Lesser Twin

Description:
Always in the shadow of Majus is a small figure in a cape. Like a mote of grit in the corner of one's eye, its presence is always apparent but just out of sight, especially when next to the captivating presence of Majus. This creature is Minus. The description of Minus being 'the lesser' is not as much a description of Minus' power but rather where it is directed. Where Majus channels power into direct and final strikes that echo for aeons, Minus' capability is in more subtle and drawn out actions. Minus is the manipulator that roots out spies and liars while playing them against each other. It is the investigator which brings a revealing light to the shadows. It is the whispering voice that warns of subterfuge. The right foundations wither or stand under its influence. In combat, Minus fights evasively and with small, debilitating techniques that wear the enemy down and bind them into inaction. Where Minus' subtle and flowing motions are insufficient, Majus takes the stage.

Appearance:
Just like Majus, Minus is a thin-set humanoid in a fully covering, gapless, white plate armour, emblazoned with a circular red Tounic emblem on the chest. On its own, Minus stands a few hands shorter than a strong human man and sports a lithe, flowing figure. Its armour moves as if lighter and thinner, but even with its smaller profile, the outline of Minus' body would seem to be no bulkier than an androgynous and petite human youth. Perhaps more distinctive about Minus is the light cape that flows from its shoulders. It is so thin and wispy that it falls like mist when disturbed. Then Minus moves quickly, it seems to dance around its manoeuvres in a confusing fashion, blurring and distracting from its true direction.

Minus' weapons of choice are twinned white chains that extend from its arms and end in small but impactful spheres wreathed in vicious flanges. The links of the chains themselves are also barbed and catch on loose or jutting elements of an enemy or on each other as they wrap themselves around a target. These chains seem to get longer and shorter as Minus fights depending on the situation. In contrast to the very visible swings of Majus' pole hammer, Minus' chains elegantly curl and whip in impossible patterns, seemingly contradicting where Minus is motioning them to go.

Flaw:
Minus is also an avatar, but its weakness is distinct from its sibling. Minus is a covert operative, only comfortable in the shadows or with the support of the mighty Majus. When caught on its own with overwhelming force and no easy escape, it is dispatched a solid strike upon the Tounic insignia on its chest. Additionally, the intelligence that Minus has been bestowed is much more nuanced than Majus. It is not as easily fooled or flustered by guileful schemes. However, Minus does not sport the impact that Majus has in expression.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Gallus flinched back a little when Lorag shouted. He wished he hadn't but it was a reflex. What he further wished he hadn't done was tread on Lorag's worries as he did. Gallus had never witnessed him get so worked up about anything.

To spare Lorag's patience, Gallus raised a palm and suggested, "We could deal with the abridged version for now. Scribing everything may take a while." Gallus lowered his hand. "Start from the beginning. Let us know what you remember. If we need details then you can let us know and we'll get some paper and ink later."

---

"This one hopes that, too," Tzirret murmured, wrapping his arms around Ma'tanza and watching the stars with her. He pondered to himself how he would never have believed being in this position before he set out from Bruma. So much had changed. He barely perceived himself smiling more contently than ever as his eyes drooped shut. There were always more things to worry about, but here with Ma'tanza, none of that seemed to be bothering Tzirret at all. Falling asleep was something he had no chance of detecting himself.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Even though Gallus did not know Do'rhajul as Lorag claimed that he did, Gallus responded regretfully. "I can't say for sure what is driving Do'rhajul if it is the same man as your commander, but...from what I've seen, Vile doesn't always appeal to greed. He appeals to desperation." Gallus looked down, "If it is the same man, and he is as you say, that is more likely the truth of the matter."

Gallus took in a slower breath, considering his words very carefully for his next point question. "I...do not want to sound callous. It is obvious that your respect for Do'rhajul ran deep. However, if we are to try and defeat him, we need everything we can." Gallus swept a hand lazily. "It occurs to me that he has to be serving Vile for a reason, perhaps we could use that. There are cures available, from what we have found out, so if there is anything that lycanthropy is preventing him from returning to, that wouldn't be it." Gallus rubbed his forehead, "What could it be? Revenge for his troops? A pact on his life? His soul?"

Shaking his head, Gallus felt like he was out of inspiration for now. He looked to Meesei to see if she had anything to ask.

---

"This one knows the difference," Tzirret groaned as if he was being lectured. He rolled his eyes and laid back alongside Ma'tanza, lifting an arm around her shoulders. He might have fallen asleep if it weren't for the stars looking so captivating. Tzirret continued with sincerity, "He promises that he will not make a habit of staying up late, though, if you ask it." He turned his head to look at Ma'tanza's eyes and smiled, "...but he wishes to stay here with Ma'tanza a while, if she does not mind." Tzirret's eyes flicked to one side and back, spotting an opportunity that he took with perhaps not the smoothest delivery; "She, uh...goes well with the stars."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Gallus took another swig of ale as he listened. Once Lorag was finished, he passed the bottle to Lorag and held his fingers together, thinking for a long while.

"I take it commanders don't usually take part in such dangerous parts of their plans? Hmm." Gallus thought out loud. "If he fights from the front like that, no wonder he commanded respect."

It would be admitted by Gallus that military analysis was not his forte. While he though as much about what his father would say he also hoped that Ri'vashi was eavesdropping so that her input could be given afterwards.

"So, it's sounding like security is something to watch for, at least." Gallus said unsurely, "Though, knowing these types, we'll need to be looking after all our weaknesses if we can find them. Perhaps try displaying some false ones? It doesn't seem like this character sits and waits for any longer than needed."

Gallus ran tongue over the inside of his teeth and looked to Lorag again. "Was there anything that set him off? Any indication of anger or frustration while you served under him? Out of the ordinary discipline for commanders, that is."

---

"Mmm, Tzirret did not get this way just from the work. He stayed up late last night, trying to finish carving the tokens." Tzirret didn't shift onto the bedroll until Ma'tanza had finished unwrapping in order to give her the space to do so. He had been with her long enough to be used to it. "This one tends to focus on little things like that so much that he loses track of time."

Empathetic to Ma'tanza's yawn, Tzirret did the same, though even more deeply, shutting his eyes and holding his breath until he could feel his heart nudging under his diaphragm. He then lifted his knees to lean forward upon them. His head rolled to one side on bis arms to look at Ma'tanza with one perked ear. "Tzirret will sleep well tonight, he thinks." He smiled slightly, "Is he making Ma'tanza tired as well?"

Mid/High Casual - Divinus: The Deity Roleplay Mk.II

I'm thinking that after Kyre expands into the Portfolio of honor, I'll have him expand into a earth god
Not sure exactly what the name and portfolio would be...

Thoughts and/or suggestions?

@Kangutso

What kind of earthy stuff do you envision doing?

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

All good. G'night!

I've got another four weeks and then the exam period starts, so I'm afraid my activity won't be guaranteed. I'll probably still keep up above an average of one post a day at least.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Even if Lorag sounded a little jaded, the answers he was giving were at least informative. Gallus itched at his temple with one finger while he pondered a response. "Well, he certainly sounds formidable if he's going to be hard to predict. Experienced, too. I won't admit to knowing much about Imperial tactics short of what father taught me. Even that wasn't tempered with much first hand experience." Gallus narrowed his eyes and thought to himself for another few moments. He eventually leaned his chin on his fist and looked to Lorag again. "Can you give us an example of a time where he used unconventional tactics against the stormcloaks? A time where, perhaps, it looked as though the odds were not in his favour at the time?"

---

M'ibasa's guardians sounded kind enough. The assistant did indeed sound odd, but if La'khay could be a painter then there was little that could feasibly stop him writing. At least, if he didn't want to trouble himself in actually trying to distribute books.

Regardless, Tzirret's thoughts were replaced when Ma'tanza kissed him. He put his arms around her torso and kissed her a few more times. He didn't quite feel brave enough to give her a longer kiss out in the open, although he did succeed in relaxing. He closed his eyes and leaned his head against Ma'tanza's, simply enjoying the moment.

It was only at that point, after spending so much time moving around after a sleep-deprived morning that he realised how fatigued he had become. That ended up reminding him of one more thing after pausing in a silent embrace for long enough. Tzirret took a slow breath in and spoke quietly, "Uhm, hey. Did S'nishi end up finding something to hang the token from? The one Tzirret carved for the three of you. He hopes it was no inconvenience."