No One Can Hear You Scream (Closed)

[Siiri]

Timestamp: 70th of Winter, 511 AV

The day started like any other, the Myrians going about their daily routine as usual. Guards were changed before Syna peeked over the horizon, fangs coming in from patrolling the jungle were replaced by fresh ones. The different clans' compounds were cleaned, children went through their lessons in combat and academics, and the market square was quickly filled by the regular shoppers, eager to get the things they needed before the sun came up too high in the sky and made walking the dirt-packed streets of Taloba too unbearable.

It wasn't until halfway through midday that reports of unusual occurrences started filtering through the populace. The first to take note of this were the tiger handlers, who observed a strange restlessness among their wards. The massive felines appeared agitated, stalking about their pens as if they could not stay still, occasionally cocking their heads north before resuming their uneasy pacing. Some would roar loudly in the same direction, but their cries were not the usual aggressive sound when sensing prey. Their Myrian caretakers, not understanding the never-before seen behavior, sought to help from the priestesses at the temple. Prayers to Navre went unanswered however, and Myri herself could offer nothing to their inquiries.

The same were observed among the tskannas, and similar restlessness were observed among Kelvic companions. When pressed regarding their behavior, they could only say that they could not sense whatever made them uneasy when they were in their humanoid form. They were encouraged by their bondmates not to shift back to their animal forms, though most still did, perhaps in an attempt to determine the origin of the strange feeling.

Along the walls, the guards observed flocks of birds taking flight from the shelter of the trees to fly north, and scouts reported the same of landbound animals around the jungle fleeing in the same direction. Were they running away from some threat? Scouts sent to go the opposite direction from the beasts reported nothing unusual, however, save for the absence of the animals.

So what was wrong?

For the rest of the day, the Myrians were in a state of alert, those guarding the walls, looking everywhere but north in an effort to catch a glimpse whatever it was the beasts felt threatened by. There was nothing. Syna's orb traveled west and vanished from the sky, bringing forth darkness and her consort, Leth, to take her place, and still there was no sign of any threat. The Myrians were starting to think that the local fauna were afflicted with madness, but it was decided that they would investigate further come morning. It was too dangerous to venture out in the jungles at night.

Then, some time before midnight, the earthquake struck.

And in the depths of the jungle, a loud scream was heard. But no one in Taloba heard it save for a troubled young seer lying restless in her cot in the temple.

Notes :

You may write the reactions of your PCs as your first post. I will gather all the players as Siiri in my next post. The quest starts in Taloba but will move on to the Jungle Wilds.

[Mihai]

Mihai was tetchy and out of sorts, had been for some time. After hunting alone, he had been refused entrance into the divine-royal Presence, which only made matters worse. He might have distracted himself flirting with Myri's tiger, or sought solace in the presence of the Goddess-Queen herself, but such was not his luck. Instead he sat in the sturdy branches of a banyan tree, his tail twitching without surcease and into the night. He felt the urge to move north, but Taloba did not migrate the way a tiger might. Something was coming and he didn't know what. Until it came. Sharp claws gripped the tree branch even as it began to sway, the waves of the earth translating through the wood to swing him back and forth. He stayed there until it stopped. Then and only then, he dropped out of the tree and began to walk out among the more human places, seeking to know whether his aid was needed.

[Revy Hiroe]

The human mercenary had just bought her bokken when she started to notice the slight tension in the air. She was annoyed because the vendor of the wooden Katana had asked too much for it. "Petching myrian, asking over 10 bikkels for it. At least I got it down to 9 which is still a hefty price for a piece of wood.", she thought to herself, "But what's up with this tension in the air? What could be causing it?" It was a bit surprising to her that the myrians could be this tense in their own city. It seemed invincible to her with all those men watching on the wall over the clearing just outside of the city. It was only until night that she would figure it out. Revy wasn't asleep when the earthquake hit. She was outside of the healers hut, practicing her swings. She made sure that her practice wouldn't be potentially harmful to others bystanders. They were simple cuts, the one she always used when she had to get her head clear, but until now she hadn't been able to since no vendor in the cities she's been to had a proper one. The moment the earthquake hit, the woman heard a deep rumble just before she slammed to the ground due to the heavily shaking ground. Several pots fell to the ground and broke in a loud clatter, but she couldn't be bothered to worry about them right now. Placing herself to the building to prevent herself from getting hurt was the first thing on her mind. After the earthquake had subsided, the mercenary stood up and with unsteady legs went to pick up her bokken and walked into the hut to see what the damage had been and to possibly help the elderly myrian. "Tingu, could you use any help?", she asked, trying to be a bit helpful. She still felt a little bad to be freeloading like this. It was only a couple of herbs she had to pick and so far she had done so, but it still felt bad. On top of that, her attempts to get accepted have all failed up until now.

[Carsten]

Carsten quickly noticed something was strange as the tigers became agitated for no reason. By the looks of the warriors, and the civilians, something was wrong. Were they being invaded? Not likely. Even if the entire army of the Syliran Knights would attempt to invade, he doubted they would even reach the gates of Taloba. No, the people were scared because the animals were scared, but why were the animals scared? He did not know. Carsten had not seen anything like this before. As he wandered in the city, Carsten did not feel watched. Either they trusted him, which he doubted, or they were simply too busy or scared. He believed the latter was most likely. When the earthquake hit, Carsten was sitting on his knees and meditating. Naturally, his concentration was broken and he hurried out into the street. He had never experienced an earthquake, but he had read descriptions of the Valterrian that described it like this. The earth shaking, tearing itself apart. His eyes moved to Myri’s temple. Does this remind you of Ivak’s rage, Goddess? Do you know what is happening? he thought, as he threw himself away from a house that collapsed next to him. How much of Taloba will remain when this is done? he thought to himself, before he stopped philosophizing and tried to get to safety. If any place even was safe.

[Siiri]

ST noteNPCing Miharu with Selena's permission.

Siiri spent most of the day trying to calm her uneasy bondmate. Unlike most of the other Kelvics who had favored their animal forms in an effort to determine the cause of the strange sensation, Miharu had opted to remain in her human form as per her Myrian mistress' request. Despite the lack of her heightened animal senses, the girl was still uneasy just like the rest of her brethren. When asked, she could only say that she could feel danger coming and that she "had to flee". Ever loyal however, Miharu remained by Siiri's side.

For her part, Siiri did not pay much attention to the growing concern everyone else felt about the unusual behaviors of the beasts. There were greater minds in the city to worry about that; she'd just be around to offer her skills once the call for action was given. The warrioress would have wanted to be out in the jungle to help investigate the cause of all the troubles but her whole fang was on its rest break. She could not venture out the city walls without the order being given to do so. And so with Miharu she stayed, doing her best to keep the girl distracted - with chores, training, and, once night had set, a sharing of passion. But Miharu was too distracted for either of them to truly enjoy the intimate moment.

The earthquake hit the city just as Siiri was getting dressed. She could feel the tremors running up from her feet to the rest of her body just as she was about to pull her halter top over her head. The Myrian's eyes were wide as she sought out her lover's gaze in the darkness but she ended up getting dazzled by a brief burst of light as Miharu shifted into her wolf form. She was out the door of the Snapping Jaws long house even before the spots cleared from Siiri's eyes.

"Madini..." Siiri cursed as she hurried to get dressed. She did not bother to put on any footwear, only pausing long enough to grab her greatsword before she rushed out as well to run after her distressed bondmate.

==/==

Outside, the rest of the city was in a state of alarm. Everyone had run out their houses, wondering what the powerful earthquake forbode, even as they felt aftershocks shaking the ground beneath their feet. Myri herself was already outside the temple, issuing orders with the calmness of a seasoned commander at the Myrians who had come to her for instructions. Taloba was a sturdy city, one of the oldest that still stood after the Valterrian ravaged Mizahar, and its walls and stone structures were made to endure much greater punishment. The same could not be said about the buildings that were constructed after that cataclysm. These Myrians were sent to ensure that the less sturdier dwellings did not collapse to crush their occupants. others were sent to different parts of the city to check if anyone had suffered any accidents, while a third group was ordered to set up a makeshift infirmary within the temple to take in any who may have suffered injuries.

==/==

Near where Mihai prowled, the scent of smoke became evident, and he was the first to catch a whiff of it with his sharpened senses. The smell of burnt wood seemed to be coming from the the house on his left, where a Myrian woman heavy with child was just then helping a stooped elder out of the building. From the brightness of the light streaming out the door and windows, he would get the impression that there must be a fire the size of a bonfire right in the middle of it. Three children, the eldest, a girl looking no older than ten and comforting the youngest, who looked to be about five and was crying, were already outside. But Mihai's keen ears could pick up muffled cries coming from within the house.

==/==

Revy, for all her presence of mind, had a large clay pot fall squarely on the top of her head as soon as she burst inside Tingu's hut. The container cracked and shattered upon impacting her skull, showering the mercenary with bits of dried leaves even as she fell to the floor, momentarily senseless. She would wake up seconds later with the aged herbalist lightly slapping her on the cheek and telling her to get up and help her gather her medical supplies.

==/==

The Ano cultist was more fortunate, having remained outside even after the initial tremors had ended. The small square structure that collapsed beside him housed a bath of sorts, and it wasn't unoccupied. Even as he picked himself up from the ground, Carsten could hear an explosion of curses coming from within the ruined structure. He would see the fallen beams in the rubble shift and move as the unlucky person who had, just a few minutes ago, been enjoying a quiet bath try to extract himself from the debris.

Should he run for safety or aid the trapped Myrian?

[Mihai]

His general direction had been toward the Goddess-Queen, but when he smelled the fire, approached, and heard the screams of someone else within the burning house, an intense struggle went on within him, his body tense. He had a tiger's atavistic fear of fire, but the part of him with a human's reason knew that Myri's children were precious to her, and for him to let one die when he was strong and nimble would disappoint her if not anger her outright. Step by cautious step, he approached the house, each of them only managed through sheer force of will. The refugees from the blaze saw the ruddy chatoyancy of his eyes, larger as saucers, and only then the rest of him. He shouldered past the pregnant woman and the elder, the three children, and then in through the door, senses at the alert for danger to himself first and foremost, and then for the trapped person. He sidestepped away from the door, which was sucking a deal of smoke its way, and crouched down low, tail lashing with distress, as he sought to stay below the smoke. It was hotter than a summer night in here, and he was not happy. No, not happy at all. His roar was still not quite adult, but a signal to whomever it was, a demand that they respond that he might find them and help them and thereby earn more good esteem from the Goddess-Queen.

[Revy Hiroe]

After having been slapped awake by Tingu, Revy stood up still a little groggy from the clay pot hitting her head. This was why she was a bit slow to react at first, but soon started to hasten herself to help the aged herbalist prepare to treat the wounded. Perhaps she would be allowed to help a little, even though she had no real knowledge of treating wounds. With Revy's help, the herbalist was done packing her bag sooner and without asking, Revy picked up the bag as she said: "I'll carry it. We'll be faster that way." She assumed that she being younger would allow her to carry the heavy bag easier while still keeping a decent pace. "If I can help with treating anyone, say so. Don't want to be a bad guest who's just freeloading here.", the mercenary then told Tingu.

[Carsten]

Who was it? Did he know the Myrian? Not very likely. It could be almost anyone of the 15.000 Myrians in Taloba. If he went in, it was very likely that the rest of the building collapsed. Even if the Myrian’s movements, or Carsten’s digging, didn’t cause the building to collapse, an aftershock could occur and they would both die. At the same time, he did not like to leave him there, he could suffocate for all he knew. No, the risk was too great. This was no place for heroics. Carsten got on his feet again and Severed himself. He needed to be mindful of where he ran. Who knew what could happen? The crowd was enormous, but surprisingly organized. How long ago was the quake? He doubted an entire hourglass had fallen, which impressed him. The city center had not been bothered by the quake, but some newer parts of the city had been hit harder. Still, it had not been as catastrophic as it could have been. Carsten wondered how the jungle looked where the earthquake originated. He reported the trapped Myrian to the closest warrior, and assumed they would deal with it. Then he saw Myri. A commanding presence, indeed. Carsten did nothing but look upon her, and he could feel the power and strength coming from her. She looked wild, but majestic. A person you would follow anywhere. He could see where the Myrian’s strength came from, and why they revered her. It was strange. So much power and so many followers in Falyndar, but did she even care about the outside world? She had her followers, certainly. Carsten himself had prayed to her upon occasion, but no true cults. Not even the Syliran Knights truly worshipped her. It was, of course, impossible to forget who she was. War was one thing that could never be removed. Did she have a hand in the Valterrian? A united Mizahar could have made her powerless. It was certainly an interesting theory, in Carsten’s mind, but he was smart enough to know not to utter the words around any Myrian. He remained for a while, studying her, until he spotted Siiri.

[Siiri]

"I am not a helpless woman, human," Tingu chided the mercenary, though there was a hint of a smile on her stern lips. Still, she held out her hand expectantly for the bag of healing supplies that Revy had picked up. "But collect the rags. For those with wounds."

The elder Myrian had meant to say bandages instead of rags, but her command of the Common tongue was limited. She pointed at the rolls of gauze on one table to intimate what she meant to Revy.

The two of them made their way through the streets, looking for those in need of medical aid. The Myrians were a people of action, however. In the aftermath of the natural disaster, the able-bodied ones were quick to assist those who had been harder struck by the earthquake's effects. Revy and Tingu were directed to go to the Temple, where the more grievously wounded would be brought.

They noted the burning house, the Myrian family who have escaped the blazing inferno, and the brave tiger who entered the doomed home's confines, on their way there.

==/==

The three children watched in awe at the approach of the tiger. It must be one of the cat god's messengers, sent to help them in their time of need! Even their mother was caught off guard as Mihai shouldered past her into her burning home. A quick glance to her children, only three, she had noticed, and in panic she almost followed the Kelvic inside. A gnarled cane blocked her way, her own mother shaking her head as she prevented her from going.

"Maja!" the woman cried, the word apparently the name of the one still trapped inside. She clutched at her belly, the unborn child within her empathizing with her reaction. The stress of the situation left her sinking to her knees.

It was fortunate that Tingu had happened upon them at that time. The herbalist rushed to the pregnant woman's side, catching her before she fully collapsed to the ground. A check of the woman's pulse and she flashed Revy a look of concern.

"No carry, baby is coming," Tingu said, indicating that they did not have the time to bring the woman to the Temple. "Get water. Hot!"

Water was easy enough to obtain. Almost every home in Taloba seemed to have a well, and the frequent rains ensured that they were always full. A container was easy to find as well. Clay pots were easily within reach, and there was the wooden bucket used for collecting water from the well. An iron cauldron, an uncommon item among the jungle folk, sat unused on top of a dead campfire as well. That was too bad. How was Revy going to heat water without a fire?

==/==

Mihai would not even hear the conversation going on outside the house, so loud were the crackling of timber and the roaring of flames all around him. But his own bellow was greater, and it startled whoever he had come in to rescue. A cry, helpless and child-like, came from near the back of the main hall, likely in one of the bedrooms. If Mihai were to enter it, he would find a room barely large enough to hold the bed resting within it. Its size proved to be detrimental to its occupant, for the quake had caused a bamboo cabinet to topple over the prone form of a Myrian child.

In the smoky haze, the Kelvic would see that it was a mere toddler, and she was crying her lungs out both from fear and the unbearable heat. With the flames feeding on the breathable air around them, it was certain that she would pass out soon if she continued, But at child at that age knew no better, and so she persisted.

Above, the thatched roof fueled the spread of the flames. It seemed close to collapsing, ending the life of the child and likely Mihai's as well if he did not get out of there quickly when it did. The smoke did not help matters, making both Myrian child and Kelvic tiger choke and cough. The single window in the room was closed, its bamboo blinds preventing the smoke from escaping. Opening it would no doubt fan the flames even more.

==/==

As Carsten turned to run, he did not get to see one of the wooden beams pushing away from the rubble. Whoever was trapped under there seemed strong enough to dig his way out. The question was whether he could do it in time before the rest of the building fell all around him. But the Ano cultist had already gone, running off to find whoever could give the trapped Myrian aid.

The warrior, or warrioress rather, he reported it to was a large woman, with twin morningstars swinging wildly from their straps on her back, the weapons' spiked heads bumping against her shoulders in regular intervals as she directed several Myrians under her command. She whirled at Carsten's arrival, skewering him with a glare even as he pointed at the fallen building and described that there was still a man trapped underneath the rubble. It did not help that he had almost crashed into her.

"Chukumu yala," the warrioress muttered, brushing the human aside with one powerful arm. "What is the use of having these deyhan in the city when they serve no purpose but get in the way? Jakai! Deal with the problem of this human, then report back to me. We leave in an hour to gather the patrols sent to the coasts!"

And that was that. The warrioress did not spare Carsten another look, though the woman she had called had asked, rather civilly surprisingly, where the trapped man was before running off towards the direction the human pointed her to. And then he was ignored by the other Myrians around him, too busy were they in dealing with effects of the earthquake on their beloved city.

==/==

Siiri spotted Carsten the same time he did. The rest of her people were too preoccupied to be stopped to be asked a question, so she ran up to the human instead. She was near panic, a look of worry stamped on her face, and she was chewing her lower lip as she asked Carsten a question.

"A wolf," Siiri said, looking around her immediate surroundings as if looking for such a thing. "Have you seen a wolf pass through here?"

Miharu's whereabouts were first and foremost in her mind that she did not even stop to ask what Carsten was doing just standing there and doing nothing.

[Mihai]

Mihai's whole head quickly turned to scan toward the voice, and he nimbly wended his way through the place to get to the crying infant. He shouldered through the door to find the distressed toddler and the mess of the earthquake. Assessing the situation with a glare at the closed window and a quick glance behind him as his path to this point became ever more treacherous, he made a decision. Shouldering the cabinet, he swiped at the child with his paw, pulling her out from under. Something fell behind him in the main room and he shifted quickly, his flash of light purer and cooler than the raging reds and oranges and yellows of the fire. He scooped the girl up in his slender arms and, cradling her as best he could, opened the window and leaped through. Mihai was not much of a firefighter, but then he didn't really care about houses. But he could certainly find the quickest route out of a fire. Coughing and stumbling, he tried to calm the baby as he moved away from the burning house, eyes stinging shut from the smoke. He was, at least, good with babies having grown up among all his half-brothers and sisters.