The Spider and The Serpent (Vard)

[Yisanareysin]

The melody the spider played for him was quick, energized, and as Rey listened he found himself swaying slightly, his coils shifting to the rhythm Vard played. What an odd instrument, he mused. He was used to drums and flutes, not this odd thing. Still, it sounded pleasant, and Vard played well enough. He listened, curious, as Vard spoke of his instrument and the melody he had played. Well, it certainly had the beat of a victory tune. Interesting, that he had a tune for that. Were the Symenestra a musical race? He'd never heard anything of the sort, but if they had a song for victory, why wouldn't they have one for other occasions? His musings were interrupted as the Symenestra stood to leave. Rey grinned lazily at Vard, before slithering over to grab his pack. "Ass a matter of fact, I do know how to get out. The flowerss in the maze sstay in the ssame place, so if we jusst follow the flowerss from earlier, we sshould be able to make out way back. As for fountainss, I'm sure that there are ssome around here." Looking around, he took stock of the flowers around them. "That one wass there, and thiss one was right in front of me, so we should go back..." he paused to think. "That way." Hopefully.

[Vard Briar]

Vard sighed in relief when the Dhani revealed that he knew how to get out. He remembered blurry roses from when he'd entered but those were the only flowers he'd seen. He decided he'd keep an eye out for them. He bent down to pick up his waterskin and tucked away his ocarina. A surge of purpose rushed through him. They were going to get out of this garden and despite how nice it was, Vard doubted he would come back. He followed Reysin to the edge of the clearing, "That one was there, and this one was right in front of me, so we should go back..." Vard remarked that the snakeman paused for an uncomfortably long interval. "That way." Vard kept step with Reysin and for the most part stayed silent, looking for flowers. "Are you sure that this is the best way to go about things? We are in Alvadas after all..." At that moment, Vard caught sight of a fountain in the distance. His mouth became very, very dry at that moment. "Wait here for two ticks I need to fill this up," and saying so Vard charged over to the fountain to fill up his waterskin. The cool clear water felt very good on his hands, one of the small areas of his exposed skin. Once full, Vard plugged the container and took several long draughts to tide him over. He wiped his mouth on an arm and turned back to check on...nobody. "Yisanareysin?" He called out, but then he realized what had happened. The corridor of leafy hedge no longer looked the same. "Yisanareysin!" He cried out, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Yeenasa Reesah? What are you blabbering slime?" An overwhelming shadow loomed above Vard and he turned slowly to meet the sallow eyes of a large man with a very heavy looking mace in hand. The man had a pudgy middle and was balding in places while in others natural tufts of hair seemed to have sprouted from nowhere. Symenestra or not, this particular individual couldn't be described as anything but unpleasant. "Pardon me, but you wouldn't happen to know the way out of this garden, would you sir?" The large man wobbled with amusement and leered down on Vard with a malicious grin plastered on his face. "I happen to know a shortcut, why don't you just stand still and I'll lead you to it." Without any more warning, the bully raised his mace above his head and swung viciously downward. With the luck of a god, Vard jerked back and the metal spikes whistled past his nose. "I forgot to mention, the shortcut is death!" Class, it appears, is taking the long way!

[Yisanareysin]

Rey simply shrugged when the Symenestra expressed doubt. "Even in a city of illusions some things must be constant. Think of it like the Sanity center of this maze." It did seem a little odd, but it was becoming clear to him that there were patterns the the madness of Alvadas, even if the patterns were almost never clear to him. He turned to watch as the spider dashed off to fill his waterskin, grinning briefly. Running off in this maze, as he had discovered several days back, was never a good idea. As if to prove his point, a bush silently popped up just in front of him, so close that the tip of one leaf tickled the tip of his nose. Sneezing, he slithered back a little. Well, now what? Rey cocked his head to one side, considering. He could just leave. His own path was still open, and each moment he delayed was another moment his way back could change dramatically. But Rey had never met a Symenestra before, and Vard had not yet exhausted his interest. So, how to get to him. Or get him to Rey's side of the hedge. Raising his head, Rey flicked his tongue out, barely catching a hint of the Symenestra's scent. With how faint it was though, it could just as easily have been an old scent clinging to Rey himself as it might actually be Vard. Well, nothing for it then. Closing his eyes and holding his breath, Rey focused, then inhaled. Information flooded into him as he sensed, and his eyes opened to see. He focused past the hedge to focus on the aura he could see on the other side. Yes, that was him alright, with that unnerving, spidery aura. Good, so he just had to get through this hedge, and- He started when he heard his name. Was that.. had he just heard Vard's thoughts? It wasn't until the second voice rang out that he realized no, Vard had spoken aloud. Yes, there was another aura there behind Vard. Well, at least the spider wouldn't be lonely while Rey figured out how to get through. He released his sense, sagging to the ground as a wave of exhaustion hit him. He settled his head on his coils to think. Huh. Now that he was at nearly ground level, he could see a hole at the base of the bush. Looked like it would be a little tight, but he could deal with that. Sending up a prayer of thanks to Ionu, he slithered through the hole, pushing his pack in front of him. He emerged just in time to see a fat human with a mace swinging at Vard. "Aw petch." He hissed. Pulling the rest of himself through the hole, he yanked open his pack, searching for his dagger. Where the petchity petch was it? There. He pulled out his knife, half of his clothes coming out with it. Hopefully he hadn't ripped anything. He should have just left without the spider. Ah well, no use thinking of it now. The human was looking between him and Vard now, a hint of fear and confusion slowly spreading across his face. Not very clever, was he. All the better for them. The man held his mace with his right hand, so Rey came at him from the left. When the man turned and the mace came swinging, Rey ducked under it, then stabbed forwards. His aim was off, and he hit just below where he had been trying to. He jerked back, out of reach of the mace as the human yelped, clutching his inner thigh. Rey grimaced as he held the dagger awkwardly. He preferred the weapons Siku had granted him, in truth, but with the mace unoccupied, he wasn't going risk biting the man and not having enough time to pull away, and Vard was still too close to his attacker for him to risk spitting. He really should have just moved on.

[Vard Briar]

Vard sucked in a sharp breath and skipped backward, trying to put distance in between himself and the brute. He grinned when Reysin slithered out from under the brush and stabbed at the man. Alone he had been fatalistic, together he knew they had a chance. The Symenestra gathered himself up and took stock of the situation. Reysin he saw, looked rather unhappy which was to be expected. Vard regretted having brought this ill fortune upon his new companion but he surmised that the prime source of discomfort for the Dhani was the dagger he held. It was made for a fully human hand, and judging from Reysin's stance he wasn't accustomed to using it in his present form. Further inspection of the situation revealed that a suitably large gash spat blood from their assailant's leg. A weak point! Vard thought excitedly, and he knew his plan would work. Now isn't the time to be classy, Vard gritted his teeth. He hated the idea of fighting dirty but he was unarmed and the man had initiated the fight. The big man was slow and fat and that was to be Vard's advantage. He only hope that Reysin would be quick enough on his feet to follow. "You hulking lummox! Your breath is as foul as vagik's offal! Your petching mother threw you to the hounds because she couldn't bear the stink of you!" Even as he cringed at his vulgar insults, he found that the man was suitably enraged. He dashed forward and raised his mace in a fury which almost frightened Vard. Almost. Flexing his fists, the Symenestra silently thanked his father for the harsh training of his youth. That may be the only thing I thank the bastard for. When the giant man was only a few steps away, Vard pounced. He slid to the left of the man and swung forward. A monumental thump shook the ground when his ploy to trip the villain succeeded. Leaping to his feet, Vard grimaced as he stomped on the man's thigh. And so, his work complete Vard skipped away and cried out, "Reysin, do what you must!" In all honesty, Vard wondered how many poor wanderers had fallen to this predator. Would it really be so bad if he died? What are you thinking you damned fool?!? Aloud Vard inhaled, "Reysin, wait! He may know a way out from here!" If it came down to it, the Symenestra knew he couldn't kill this weakened foe but he began to wonder if the Dhani could. Class is without a doubt, sparing the defenceless.

[Yisanareysin]

Rey was more than quick enough. The moment Vard moved out of the way, he darted forwards, prepared to finish off his prey. When the human reached for his mace, Rey brought his dagger down on the man's forearm, relishing in the scream of pain that was wrenched from his throat. A pity he had an audience. A few chimes alone, and he could make this pitiful creature into a proper bloody sacrifice for Lady Siku. There were so many places on a human that would hurt so much more than a dagger in the forearm did. Alas, it seemed his current companion didn't share his passion for pain. How dull. From the rumors he'd heard of the Symenestra, he'd have thought they'd have been more at ease with killing. Reaching over, he grabbed the mace, and tossed it to the ground at Vard's feet. "Would you really trusst thiss one not to try and kill uss if we let him free?" He pulled his dagger from the man's arm, and set the wavy edge of his blade against his throat. The man was blubbering now, trying to plead or bargain for his life. Rey ignored him. This was a conundrum. He had no interest in alienating Vard just yet, which meant acting in a way the spider would find acceptable. In this scenario, he supposed that meant sparing the man. But he wanted to kill, to rend and tear, and send through his prey's anguish a sweet prayer to Siku. He dipped his head closer to his prey's so Vard couldn't see the bloodlust in his eyes. He didn't often feel the need to kill, but his prey was right there, terrified and bloodied. Almost without thinking, he opened up his sense, drinking in overwhelmingly bitter taste of fear before catching himself. There would be plenty of time for that later. For now, Vard. So, either spare the man, or find a way to convince the squeamish little spider. Well, there was always the traditional greater good justification. Worth a shot. He looked up at Vard. "Sometimess the besst you can do iss put down a wild animal for everyone'ss good. If we let him live, he'll jusst continue to prey on otherss. We can't let him do that." With any luck, the Symenestra would buy it.

[Vard Briar]

Reysin moved with the unexpected speed of a trained killer, and pounced upon the fat brute like a cat on a very corpulent mouse. The Dhani stabbed him in the forearm and the man cried out in pain. Vard was breathless to the whole display and wondered whether his entire tripping maneuver would even have been necessary if he'd waited but a chime longer. Or been a bit farther away. Reysin tossed the man's mace to Vard's feet and the Symenestra hefted it into his arms. The speed of the mace's swings indicated that that brute must have had at least some muscle. Now, the man really was utterly vulnerable. "Would you really trusst thiss one not to try and kill uss if we let him free?" Vard's held his tongue but his first thought was, How? The poor sod's about as lethal as a stray cat. We have his weapon and he's pretty injured. It's not a matter of trust, he doesn't have the power to hurt us. We were too fast for him anyway. His eyes flicked back to Reysin. The Dhani's eyes were out of view, but the way he hovered over the man and how Reysin held his dagger to the man's throat made Vard uneasy. "L-look, Reysin just-" The Dhani's eyes flashed up to meet his. "Sometimess the besst you can do iss put down a wild animal for everyone'ss good. If we let him live, he'll jusst continue to prey on otherss. We can't let him do that." Again, Vard felt his gut twist in an old sign of warning. At the same time, Vard remembered that that Reysin had saved his life instead if well...eating him. He supposed he might be able to reason with him, but if not Vard dreaded what might happen. "Yisanareysin, he's shyked his pants, I doubt he'll come after us. You do have a point about him preying on others but there's a less gruesome solution. Hand him over to the...Womiyu? I think I heard that they were more than capable in dealing with lawbreakers." When Vard mentioned "Womiyu" the man instantly thrashed against Reysin's grip and made a whimpering noise. "See? He's heard of them." A nagging in his head told Vard he wasn't looking at the whole situation, and so he took a moment to try and see things from Reysin's perspective. He supposed that Dhani customs made it perfectly acceptable to torment one's prey or it could be a learned habit. Either way, Reysin probably saw nothing wrong with hurting the man. Vard's opinion was far less extreme, as he believed in mercy. It took him a chime, and he still couldn't find a good compromise. He supposed that there could be one way to solve the issue. "Search him Yisanareysin. Empty his pockets and take all his clothes. He's in a bad enough way being in this confounding garden but I'm sure he won't mind giving up his possessions in exchange for his life." At this, he shot a hard pitiless glance towards the man to hammer home his point. "I guess I should only ask of you one thing. "Give me half of his gold, I'm in need of a long drink after this." Class, sometimes demands tough choices.

[Yisanareysin]

It seemed his entertainment was going to have to be put on hold. The spider seemed adamant on this matter, and as much as he'd have enjoyed carving the man up, it wasn't quite worth it. Ah, well. No use grumbling about it now. He swallowed his bloodlust, letting it simmer deep within him. The delay would make his next victim that much sweeter. And the Womiyu? He'd never heard of them before, but judging by how the man beneath him was reacting, they sounded like the Alvad equivalent of the Sylirian Knights, or the Jackals in Ahnnatep. He had been wondering if there was any higher authority, since he hadn't seen any so far. Interesting that he hadn't seen them yet. Still, Vard's "compromise" was a good one. It didn't slake his bloodthirst, but humiliating his prey would have to suffice. Keeping a steady grip on his dagger, he slithered off of the man, prepared to attack if needed. "You heard him." He hissed at the human. "Sstrip." When the man looked reluctant, Rey turned to look at him menacingly, and bared his sharp teeth. It wasn't he extended his fangs though that the man did as he was told. When he was done, Rey snagged his clothes and coinpouch, tossing them to the ground near his bag. "Now." He grinned widely. "Run." When the man hesitated, Rey lunged at him, and the fat man was off like a bolt, streaking away from them. Rey slithered then to his pack and began to shift. His tail shortened, and split, scales melted away into slightly tanned skin, and his hood receded even as silvery hair grew out. When he was done, he stretched, rolling his shoulders. "It's not in my nature to release one who has tried to hurt me and my friends." He told Vard quietly as he began to dress (in his own clothes, of course.) When he was done, he packed everything into his bag, then picked up the coinpouch, and tossed it to the Symenesra. "Here. And try not to stumble into any more gardens when you're drunk, alright?" He grinned at Vard, hoping to break the tension. "Come on. The exit should be that way. Then you can get as drunk as you need to."

[Vard Briar]

"It's not in my nature to release one who has tried to hurt me and my friends." Vard caught the coin purse and pocketed it with a raised brow. He'd only asked for half of the man's coin. Maybe Reysin didn't care for money as much as most people did, or was dextrous enough to have taken his portion without Vard's noticing. Another part of him relaxed, because regardless of Reysin's first impression of him he doubted that Dhani ate their friends. The fully human appearance of Reysin's suited him to be sure, but Vard found himself thinking that the Dhani looked more...real as his hybrid form. Perhaps it was simply his exposure to Symenestra, none of whom looked especially normal in human terms. Still he could very easily recognize Reysin in this form so he said nothing. "Here. And try not to stumble into any more gardens when you're drunk, alright?" Vard's face darkened, even as he saw Reysin smile. He twisted his wrists restlessly and then picked up the long disappeared brute's mace and held it loosely. "Come on. The exit should be that way. Then you can get as drunk as you need to." When the Dhani began to leave Vard followed, but he couldn't help nor did he try to mask the tears that gathered and spilled over down his face. "Get drunk? Like Hai I will." He muttered. Vard didn't need to look back far into his past to find a million and one reasons why he would never let the demon drink take him. A glass or two of wine could be nice, but he always set down his glass when he felt lightheaded. Miraculously, it took only a quarter of a bell before Vard spotted the rosebush from his dazed excursion and yelled at Reysin, "I see it! The exit!" Unlike before, he was patient and waited for Reysin before pressing on to entrance, or exit depending on how you looked at it. Sure enough, the thornless roses that he had marvelled at were there and on a whim, he picked one of them and took it with him. It was the most brilliant shade of crimson. Bringing it to his nose, Vard inhaled. A wide grin split his face and his fangs shone. True to the nature of Alvadas, the rose smelled of chocolate which happened to be Vard's favourite dessert. Vard charged out of the exit and dove over to a convenient stream. He drank his fill, and when he had gotten up and turned to Reysin he cracked another smile. "That's what I meant by a long drink!" He shifted on the balls of his feet, eager to return to return to Starlight but unsure of how to proceed next. He supposed he should give the Dhani a proper farewell. "Yisanareysin, you have provided me with a unique perspective on Dhani, and I apologize for inconveniencing you. Thank you however, for sparing that man. I can't say that I am fond of blood." He gave one final bow and then wiped his forehead. "It's still very hot, but I imagine you enjoy that correct? I do hope we meet again, and don't forget that I count you among my friends!" And with that, Vard set off towards the inner city in the hopes of finding some shade before returning to his camp. Class is about looking at issues from every angle.

[Yisanareysin]

Well, now, what was this? A strong reaction, considering it had been Vard himself that had brought up wanting a drink. Rey turned away, pretending not to notice the Symenestra's tears. A bad experience while drunk, perhaps? Or maybe a bad experience with a drunk? It didn't seem to be mere distaste for the idea either. Something to keep in mind for a future conversation, perhaps. He doubted the Symenestra would be to receptive to talking about it now. But there was a story there, of that he was certain. When Rey heard Vard yell in excitement, he prepared himself to chase after the Symenestra. However, it appeared his readiness had been unnecessary, as the spider seemed to have learned his lesson. He followed Vard's lead, picking one of the crimson roses that marked this particular entrance, and bringing it up to his nose. Breathing in its scent, he suppressed a smirk. Such temptations Alvadas provided. He let his hand drop from his face as Vard charged into the stream, but kept hold of the flower. During the Symenestra's little speech, he remained silent, until Vard called him his friend. He smiled, trying to keep the smugness he felt from his face. "And I you, Pryzavard. I would not worry too much, though. Alvadas has a habit of throwing people together." That, and the fact that Rey would be on the lookout for the little spider. The gods may help mortals from time to time, but Rey preferred to take matters into his own hands. He watched as Vard bounded off, waiting for him to disappear entirely before turning back to the maze behind him. The entrance was still open, its leafy maw wide and inviting. The temptation to go back in, to hunt down his prey and make him scream still lingered. The man was nude and unarmed, after all. And... Rey grinned widely as he reached into his bag, touching the clothing he'd taken from the man. He had his scent. It would be easy enough, and oh so very satisfying. He let out a deep sigh as he turned away. What wonderful fun, what glorious sacrifice it would have been. But Rey was no child of 30, to be guided entirely by his instincts. There were greater prizes to be won, and there would be time for sacrifices that could not be traced back to him. As he walked away, the Garden fading away behind him, he brought the rose up to his nose again, and smiled widely as the rich, coppery smell of freshly spilt blood filled his lungs. Such temptations.

[Marionette]

Let the illusions guide you...

Player: Yisanareysin

XP: Subterfuge +2, Observation +4, Socialization +4, Land Navigation +1, Weapon: Dagger +2
Lores

✦ Vard Briar: Kravard
✦ Vard Briar: Symenestra of Many Names
✦ The relief of revealing secrets
✦ Alvadas: A method to the madness
✦ Resisting the temptation to kill

Loot: A pair of worn trousers, a dirty shirt, & some smelly boots (worn, but made of nice leather).

Notes: I would have liked to give you auristics skills, since you used it a few times, but you didn't write out the process at all. You need to talk about the djed and more of the magic for me to give you xp.

Player: Vard Briar

XP: Observation +4, Socialization +5, Instrument: Ocarina +1, Unarmed Combat +2 Negotiation +1
Lores

✦ Yisanareysin: Viper Dhani
✦ Yisanareysin: Reysin Ekans
✦ Learning to navigate the Garden of No Return
✦ Alvadas: A method to the madness
✦ Never go to the Garden of No Return Unprepared

Loot: +10 GM
A worn, battered mace that looks of little value

Notes: If you want more musical xp rewards in the future, my suggestion is to put in more detail. How does Vard control his breathing when playing, what do his fingers do, does he make mistakes, etc.

Also, in the fighting, Vard recognizes a weak point in the bad guy's stance and has the skills to maneuver and dodge blows. While racially, Symenestra are fast, Vard has no skills in unarmed combat at all. Saying he learned things as a child does not mean he can do them now, unless you do flashbacks and earn the points. Keep that in mind while you write later on and make sure you're not doing things out of your skill level.

If I missed anything, let me know. The first time I graded this, it was lost on my computer when it got destroyed... So, I feel like this time around, it's possible I overlooked something. Sorry for the wait and thank you for your patience.