Having been turned into an Uordeq just over a mest ago, Ayrin figured it was time to learn about the nocturnal race as it didn't look like he'd be turning back into a deer anytime soon. He wandered down to Jastery's graveyard, knowing that Uordeq enjoyed the more macabre things in life and perhaps he could find some there.
"Hello, is anyone here?" He asked, quietly walking among the mist. "I'm looking for any Uordeq who care to share knowledge of their culture,"
The duskling propped himself up on a stone wall and waited, listening closely for any movement around him.
"Duly noted, brother," Ayrin grinned. "Can't blame me though, I'm not used to Uordeq customs, which is why I'm seeking others out. I may as well learn to fit in if I am to be one, eh?" he replied. "Are there things I should be concerned about? What with the Dwarves and all, or that assassination attempt made on you. What about holidays? Info that I should keep to myself?" Ayrin continued. He was all too curious to learn, especially now with things heating up in town; as a Grarl he would have paid no mind to.
"As for the assassin I believe that problem will sort itself out by this time next year. The dwarves will be your main concern in the coming months. They are hungry for blood after the events of Forgeholm. A group of uordeq led the attack on Forgeholm under command of one named Stein. I would stay close to people you trust. If you see a dwarf, with the exception of our fellow tribesmate Cinder, I would suggest you keep quiet as to not set them off and first chamce you get, disappear. The Stormbringers are a force to be reckoned with, much as it pains me to admit it." Garen pause for a moment, "The one thing you should keep to yourself is your date of birth. In our culture it is considered exremely good luck to take someone's life on their birthday."
"I heard about Forgeholm, terrible thing that," He mused, shifting his feet. "I tend to avoid most here in Jastery besides our clanmates anyway, but I'll keep that in mind. After witnessing the Dwarves expressing their desire to kill us firsthand I will definitely be steering clear of them," Ayrin continued. "And I suppose it's a good thing I haven't disclosed such information to anyone, not quite the birthday present I'd look forward to!"
"Whose the new kid in town?" a sings on voice called playfully down from the top of the nearest crypt. Rasiri smiles down on the two uordeq. "For that matter I really down think I have said more than two words to either you you except 'get down!' Or 'get on your feet!'. Who are you two?"
Ayrin looked up at the newest addition to the group as he made himself known. "And I am Ayrin Natheras, also a member of the Blood Bears," he chimes in after Garen, bowing slightly. "You seem familiar to me, though I can't recall why or from where.. " the duskling continues, a puzzled look across his face.
"Hm. Another Uordeq in the bloodbears. Now I realize where I recognize the other one from you pal around with Kresh." Rasiri drops from the edge of the crypt and walks over to the two uordeq. "I have two questions for you both. Why would two uordeq choose the life of a berserker and why haven't you learned to be more quiet? Though that last one is mostly pointed at you young one." He looked pointedly at Ayrin.
"I'm not a berserker per se, I am walking the path of becoming an assassin. The Bears offered to take me in and I didn't see any reason to decline; I came here with nothing to my name and no one to go back to so they are my family now. " Ayrin explained, not quite wanting to remember parts of his past. "As for being quiet, I've never had to before, what with the heightened animal senses and all," he explained. "I've not been one of your kind my whole life, though since I'm likely not turning back I think it wise I should learn how to fit in. I'm still adjusting to the lack of keen hearing so forgive me if I don't seem as... stealthy as the rest of you," he went on, hoping he hadn't been too loud as to draw attention from others who may have been lurking as well.
Rasiri raised an eyebrow. "Really though? Interesting. There seems to be a lot of that going around lately..." He trailed off the last statement looking around at the two uordeq. "Well you need to learn or you will die very quickly. No time like the present." Rasiri looks at Garen, "What about you Garen?"
Garen smirked. "I suppose you could blame my upbringing. I originally wanted to learn the art of stealth. I was kidnapped and forced into life as a gladiator. Not many places to hide in the arena. I live by my sword." Garen paused to reminisce."I actually miss it sometimes. Life is simpler when your choices are live or die, kill or he killed. Not that Jastrey is that much different at times."
"Have there been others then? Turned into uordeq?" the duskling questioned, still quite curious about his mishap in the woods. "And I don't think I caught your name yet..." Aryin gestured to the other uordeq. "Perhaps you can help me as well? I agree that now is the time to learn, I am rather worried with the dwarves seeming to threaten their so called 'inquisition'. " he shifted again, a bit nervous. He was still new to Jastery and was not eager to be cut down so soon, but would defend his new uordeq brothers as un-uordeq as that may be.
Rasiri smiled his skeleton grin. "There was one I have heard of recently, she had trouble adjusting just as you most likely will." Rasiri walks over to the nearest tree and leans on it making a gesture with his hands. "And of course I haven't given you my name. Why should i? Because you asked? You have a lot to learn and names have power. Though I feel like I can talk, my name is Rasiri."
"Well it's good to see you again, and to put a name to a face." Ayrin responded. "Aye, you're not the first to mention this... What is this power you speak of? I am most curious," he inquired, having been told by other uordeq that he needed to hold some things he once felt trivial to secrecy.
Rasiri's face dips as he notices Kresh approach. "Hello there sir Bloodbear. I am just having a conversation with some of the town's uordeq. All of us need allies especially with the dwarves on the hunt. My question is why is there a berserker of your status in the graveyard?" Rasiri's face stays level and his hands stay down by his side slightly pulled back toward the back of his belt.
"With all due respect Kresh but was that necessary? You don't see me going around and slaying bears that don't know I'm lurking in the trees. There's no sport in that. I'm all for a good hunt but sensless slaughter is....distasteful. But I'll not dishonor your kill further. How are you this evening?", Garen asked Kresh.
A shadow moves around one of the crypts and steps out. "Talking about me are we?" The Uordeq woman gives her attention to the revenant. "Hope those are kind words you're speaking" she gave the revenant a coy smile then turned to the other two Uordeq "Ahh, nice to see you again children" "Aryin" she nods and shoots her look to the second "I'm sorry, I've seem to forgotten your name, but I suppose that's for the best." She smiles an evil grin and whispers "Names are quite powerful."
The duskling remained silent, unable to speak and was paralyzed where he stood. His mouth was closed now but his eyes were still wide and a look of shock was fixed on his face. He did not mind others hunting deer in his absence, but to slay what he considered friend and family right before his eyes brought back horribly disgusting memories. Memories he did not wish to relive. Ayrin was unresponsive to the others, his gaze fixed on the deer.
Garen smiled when he saw Arys. "I was hoping you would arrive at some point. Peleus and myself offered Ayrin a place in our new family. We recieved a bit of an interuption in the form of an assassin sent for me but that problem has been solved for now. What can you tell him about our brethren?"
Kresh can see the look of shock on his brothers faces. "This deer if for food, what meat did you think i was cooking all this time for myself? As for bears if you can kill them brother i just ask that you use all you can. a hunter kills for food, the hunter lives another day the pray does not. its the way of life. im sorry if this shocks you Ayrin, and for that im and sorry i did this in front of you." as for Rasiri, Kresh also holds his axe firm in hand. "As for why i am here i need to speak to Poppy about some matter" Kresh eyes the new face. "How do you Know my Brothers?"
Ayrin snapped out of his near trance-like state, turning his head away from the slain animal and shutting his eyes. "Aye, I-I know it's for food.. it's just things.. I don't want to remember," he replied shakily. "Anyway.. I remember you," he turned to the uordeq woman. "You appeared shortly after I turned, when I lost all my fur and became one of your kind." the duskling recalled.
Rasiri doesn't relax one iota, his eyes locked on kresh and a tense body language. "I dont. Not really. They are just uordeq wondering about their race. I watch all of the uordeq. To be a mentor, and a helper" Rasiri seems locked in on kresh ignoring all else going on around him.
"Do you have a problem with me mentoring your brothers, Chieftain Kresh?" Rasiri smiles grimly. "Or is it that you just have a problem with me for some unknown reason." Rasiri's right hand slides behind his back and his other drops to his side, straighting out and tense. "Because I am going to protect my uordeq brethren." His determination is plain for the unsmiling eyes.
"I have trained meny men on how to kill, some do so in diffent ways, as for you i have not problem with.... at the moment" Kresh feels his blood boiling and his hands harden, the feel of his rage building, "but when i comes to my brothers, i AM my brothers keeper and we have no need of your protection" The blood in Kreshes vains bubble as his rage builds. "if you wish to help them help them, but if ANY harm comes to my brothers i will be there to rip out what is left of your heart"
Rasiri visibly relaxed for the first time since Kresh appeared and drops both hands to his sides. "No harm shall befall any uordeq by my hands. You have my word. We are far too few and far too scattered and hunted to have in fighting." Rasiri said very soberly and his face drops to a worried frown. "I have been keeping my eyes on this one here." Rasiri gestures to Ayrin. "With your blessing I'd like to take him under my wing a bit. Just to teach and further his stealth skills and the art of the silent kill."
Having cleared his head of the black thoughts that plagued his mind, Ayrin stepped between the two. "Please, let's not allow our tempers to rise. If Rasiri wanted to harm Garen or myself I suspect he would have done so already." he asserts. "I haven't been an uordeq for long but I've seen enough in this short time to know of the hatred many have for us. Even the ones who are innocent," Ayrin continues. He steps back to allow Rasiri to speak, and waits for Kresh's answer regarding being mentored by the rather skeletal looking uordeq.
Poppy flittered down checking out a loud bit of noice she had been hearing. As she lands she makes note of everyone that is near by. "Mhmm we have quiet the few visitors tonight it would seem" She clucked softly. " What all brings you to the graveyard this fine night?" She inquired her demeanor not seeming a chipper as usual as she propped herself up against a near by grave stone.
"What is it to you if they are?" Came another female voice. Spyder came to hover near Poppy, resting a friendly hand on the other Unseelie's shoulder. A large, orange and black furred spider crawled down to her fingers, probing Poppy's shoulder with its front two legs. Her green and white eyes drifted over the gathered crowd. "My, my; it's unfortunately lively in the graveyard tonight..." The fae's usually playful demeanor had already been thrown off, her voice cold and flat.
Poppy jumps a bit a first startled by the other fae she seem to be on edge more then normal. "Oh hello Spyder, and Bubbles. Yes it does seem that way." She said scratching the back of the spider that was poking her. Looking back a Kresh. "Rumors are mostly just whatever grabs the towns folk attention. And nothing more then that." She answered all the warmth draining from her voice.
<p>"Lively is such a....relative term" says a voice from the shadows. Stepping around a mausoleum, an obsidian and mithril form moves into the scant moonlight, the etchings of spiderwebs and a hunting spider motif on his chest and arms glinting slightly as the light slides like liquid silver behind the clouds. Moving with surprising agility, the golem steps around and leans against the side of the crypt. He nods at Kresh and Garen, all the while not a sliver of emotions crosses his scarred visage. "I know some of you, others, I do not". His hands begin to move in a intricate pattern, complex and as if it was a form of sign language. He looks down at his hands as an emotionless chuckle emanates from deep in his chest... "Now where did that come from?" he mutters to himself. He claps his hands together, stands up straight, sweeping a deep bow and says, "I am Vyr Zankorel, Weaponsmaster of House....well of some House or another I imagine....the name escapes me for the nonce".</p>
<p>"Young duskling, I understand your desire for understanding for yours is a quest I am most familiar with myself." "Just remember to temper what you know and hold true, to what you may learn."</p>
"I'm Spyder." She introduced herself and not in an unkind way. She eyed the golem for a moment, his markings nothing short of intriguing. She pulled her hand and spider back from her comrad. Her eight legged friend crept up to her shoulder to survey their surroundings. As Kresh made his intentions known, the fae seemed to perk up. "If you don't plan to make one of mine your enemy, then there's no need for us to be enemies." She held her hands out, palms up toward Kresh in a small gesture of submission.
"I have no need for more foes, my mind is still swimming with the blind hate of the dwarves for my brothers" Kresh motions to Ayrin and Garen. "I will not let them harm my people, and I like to know who i have to kill to keep them safe. I do not wish for war with anyone from this land, my true foe is in another land" Kresh turns to Ayrin and Garen. "Brothers i will leave you now. I trust to see you again shortly we have training to do."
(OFG: I will continue in "Small Talk" for other Blood Bears)
"Well for one thing we don't typically anounce our presence if we are unsure if we are alone or not." Garen emerged from the shadows and greeted his brethren with a smile to convey the light-heartedness of his comment. "Good choice of location though, very spooky ." He gestured around at the headstones. "Was there anything specific you were wondering about?"