Weave Before You Court My Daughter[Sama'el]

[Baku]

66th Day of Fall, 510 A.V. It was a the breeze that made it cold, so late in the fall. Clouds began to cover the sky more often now, and Syna’s light shined less often. Still, the weather didn’t deter the Drykas male from doing his duty. It didn’t deter anything of them. If none of them did what each of them were raised to do, born to do, the tent city would have burned to the ground years ago. Everyone did what they had to to survive, and part of that knowing what has passed and what might be coming. A single man stood out among the sea of grass, his Strider not far off from him. He was a tall man, standing nearly 6’ 3” tall, and a large, if not round, build, his body covered in scale male. A scythe was strapped to his back, it's blade long and sharp with a fine tip. Almost blood red hair, tied back into a tail, reached down to the mid of his back, and a half beard of the same color lined his chin and upper lip. Green eyes slowly gazed down along the ground, studying it for a long moment. His face was stern as a large and thick fingers tugged lightly along the strands of his facial hair. A light whinny from his strider drew his attention for a moment before a calm deep voice echoed from his lips. “No Balvye,” the man said, “it’s just small wear and tear. Nothing old Daed can't take care of. Perhaps the young whelp who keeps taking up my daughter’s time will come along soon and see how it’s done, if he has any actual interest in such.” Daed then raised his hands, bringing them in a loud slap together, djed slowly beginning to swirl within the center of his body, splitting off in two separate directions as they began to slowly travel through his arms. The Web was essential for Drykas to monitor the movements in the land they so deeply inhabited, and Daed Whitefeather, of the Opal Clan, was one who was charged with maintaining the web, and thusly the safety of Edrykas and his people in all.

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sam looked more the part of the young Drykas now. He had a few major hunts under his belt, a new wardrobe that Dymphna helped him pick out, and a golden strider mare that even made a few bonded Drykas jealous from time to time. Even the horseclansmen were acknowledging his skill as a rider, and one could tell that he knew how to sit a horse. While he wasn't now attempting any fancy horsemanship the way he had for Dymphna several weeks ago, even that practice made him look more at home in the yvas of a strider. After all, when one could perform those sorts of feats, the mere riding of a horse was as easy as walking. Still, he was far from being fit to serve as Ankal. Perhaps he was looking for Dymphna now, though their meetings were sometimes less planned than fated, it seemed. In any case, they had a habit of running into each other. But this time, it was Daed that he saw. Sam straightened in his yvas, and Dohaina seemed amused by his reaction. She had smelled Daed and Balvye awhile back. "Ho, Master Daed," he called, offering a particularly Drykas sort of salute. Though they had no military the likes of Syliras' knights, they certainly had a warrior code. It was curious, however. Daed and his strider seemed to be quite interested in nothing at all. "Webbing?" he hazarded, a note of respect in his voice.

[Baku]

Daed slowly rubbed his hands together, remaining silent for a moment as Sama’el called softly out to him. A soft glow began to appear between his hands as he gave a slow exhale. His hands then began to spread apart as sever glowing threads of what appeared to be a translucent Djed began to dangle between his hand. “There is an ancient knowledge of history that can be found within them,” Daed then said, his tone deep yet soft at the same time, his pace of speech slow like a man who had spent his years in explaining such things to those who were unlearned in such things. “If you learn how to travel among the webs, reading them, exploring them, repairing and adding to them. You can discover who has been where, when they were, and eventually where they were going. The more you learn, the more you can know and the farther your sight into such things can go. As a people traveling open lands, our greatest defense is knowing when a threat approaches. Our greatest asset in hunting down those who would abduct our own kin lies in knowing where they flee.” Daed then slowly lowered himself to one knee, his hands approaching the ground,. The translucent threads of Djed almost dangled from his hands, a soft wind causing them to sway back and forth slightly. They glow they had seemed to grow brighter and then fade slightly the closer it came to the ground, and before long a six inch wide line began to glow, the line itself extending three feet in either direction. Along the top of this line, several frayed ends, similar in appearance to a rope that had been just slightly cut along it’s surface and had time wear at it some more. The threads within Daed’s hands then began to twitch slightly as it drew near the web line before a sudden snapping motion of the threads dropped from Daed’s left hand, connecting itself to the frayed edges of the web line. The action continued as all of the threads along both of Daed’s hands connected with the damaged web, the connections making the frayed edges whole once again, but dangling upward and swaying back and forth in the wind like a haze rising from a fire when the eye caught it just right. Daed then slowly placed his hands along either side of the loose threads of the web line before the threads began pulling themselves into the web line, tightening themselves and becoming whole with the rest of the line entirely. Daed then gave a slow nod, releasing a slow breath as he ran his hand along the surface of the web, the glow eventually fading. “Such things are not for you at this moment, however.” Daed finally said, slowly standing up once again. “We’ve other things to discuss first.” Daed then slowly turned, his feet moving him towards Sama’el as each one thumped along the ground betraying the weight his body carried and the likely strength it held. “Dismount from the companion you travel atop, young Drykas.” Daed then requested, his large arms crossing in front of his body in patience as he waited from Sama’el to do so. Another moment of silence then passed as Daed almost fiercely gazed into Sama’el’s eyes, the stare almost burrowing. “I thought my daughter lost to me, those past years ago,” Daed began, a sense of regret hinted along his expression, “and I cursed myself and other Webbers having not extended the web far enough to discover where the Zith had taken her and others.” Daed gave a slow exhale, looking out over the web for a short moment before finally looking back to Sama’el. “My daughter is returned to me, however, and she speaks well of you.” Daed said, his gaze looking at him curiously as if to gauge some assessment as to the accuracy of Dymphna’s words. “Your request to learn Webbing is considered at the encouragement of her, but tell me first, what are you intentions towards Dymphna, towards my daughter?”

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

In reality, it had all been Dymphna's idea. When Sam intimated that he would have to learn to Web before he could raise a true pavilion, she had got that calculating look in her pretty eyes that distracted him until she mentioned that her father might be willing to teach him. He had been too polite to follow up on that, of course, because he assumed that he would have to have more to show for himself before an Ankal would deem him worthy of such instruction. The summons had not been a surprise; after all, he and Dymphna were old enough to get into trouble, and even though they were just friends at this point, it was right for a father to worry. He had not expected to be given the old one-two, a discussion of Webbing and his intentions toward Dymphna. The initial impulse to dismount was stymied by the treat of a visual display of Webbing that fascinated him until the peremptory order to dismount, the which he did, all but hopping out of Dohaina's yvas. There was a simple grace in everything he did with regard to a horse that was somewhat absent from his normal, everyday movements. With a horse, he became a centaur. With everything else, he was hardly exceptional, though some believed he showed potential. Dymphna, for example. His grandfather had only rarely made his work visible for the uninitiated; most Drykas took it on faith that their Ankals were working the latticework of energies about them. From what he understood, it took more effort to make it visible for the rest, and so was only done from time to time to delight a child or make a point. Sam gulped, but soldiered on. "Dymphna is my good friend," he said. "If she has not married by the time I have a pavilion, I will ask you for her hand. But in the meantime, and always, I will be a friend to her."

[Baku]

Daed remained silent, slowly studying Sama’el’s face as spoke, looking for any sign of deceit or misdirection. Eventually he gave a slow nod, folding his arms over his chest. “I guess that will do for now. A word of warning, however,” Daed said, slipping his hand over his shoulder, “if you do anything that hurts my daughter, physically or emotionally…” Daed then pulled his scythe free from his back as the shaft was driven into the ground with a dull thud. “….you will not go unpunished.” Daed’s heavy hand then fell along Sama’el’s shoulder pulling him forward then. “With your knowledge of that, we’ll get to the task at hand.” Daed said as he began leading him towards the Webbing line he was just at. “I’ve told you of the benefits that are associated with , Webbing, now let me tell you of the things you must be cautious of.” Daed stopped the pair of them in front of the Webbing line, the way it ran unseen by Sama’el for the moment. “Webbing is a worldly magic, it draws on both the Djed of the world and yourself, which will make it safer than a personal magic, such as Reimancy.” Daed explained as he crouched down, sliding his hand along the ground. “Still, it’s a magic all the same, that means there is always a danger. The danger with Webbing, lies a lot within traversing it. Each magic has a draw, it’s a appeal that causes you to go farther than you should if you give into it.” Daed then looked to Sama’el, his hands coming together. “With Webbing, the very allure comes with simply peering into it, discovering what information it holds.” Daed then said as he waved his hand over the Web line, causing it to glow for a moment. “It’s like staring into the abyss sometimes. You can become lost while searching over it, and if you stare to long, it could very well claim you.”

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sam steeled himself against another show of nervousness around the bluff, powerful man that was Dymphna's father and Ankal. He merely nodded, the warning accepted. It was easier to calm down when he remembered that he meant only the best for Dymphna, anyway. Why should he ever incur the wrath of her father? He wouldn't, so there was nothing to fear from Daed. Funny, though, how the sickles seemed to be a family trait, though Dymphna used hers more to harvest herbs and fungi than threaten suitors. "I have heard of the dangers of getting lost on the Web, and of overgiving," he said, nodding slowly. The closest thing he could compare it to without having experienced it was that desire to gallop to that next rise to see what lay beyond, and the next and the next until it was too late to lay a good camp. Or that height one reached while bedding a woman from which their was no stopping without finishing... That indeed would take a steel will to ignore! Sam found himself blushing. "I don't really know much about it," he admitted. "Tell me more, please."

[Baku]

Daed gave slow short strokes along his beard, a slow exhale given as he looked out over the large open planes of the grasslands. “These plains might be open for the most part, but with all this land, it’s still possible to move around undetected. Webbing is essential for sensing such. It’s layers can be attached to almost anything, even living people to track where they have gone.” Daed say before looking back to Sama’el. “Had I been a smarter years ago, I would have attached a small web to my daughter, so that I might have found where her captors had taken her, and cut them down.” Daed slowly stood up, stepping back over to his Scythe before carrying it back over to where he left Sama’el. “Webs can be stretched, and have been stretched over much of our lands, spanning hundreds of miles. Most often beginners start off with small webs, weaving them around their homes, personal items.” Daed then plunged the shaft of his Scythe into the ground next to them, looking down at Sama’el. “Among your own webs created, a user can sense instantly when someone has come into contact with it. As well, they can tap into other webs, and gather information as to who has come into contact with them. Generally the distance they can sense starts off no further than one hundred miles, but such will grow to greater distances as you advance.” Daed then stared down at Sama’el in silence, a serious look on his crossing his features. “Webbing, however, is better experienced than it is explained verbally.” Daed said, his tone low and hovering above a whisper. “If you feel you are ready, I will initiate you into the pools of Djed that are found in the web? The experience, however, is both highly exotic and wholly frightening at the same time. It will be both mentally and spiritually exhausting.”

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sam listened intently, nodding where appropriate. He felt almost as he had as a child, listening to his own grandfather, the Ankal, speak of such things, or tell other tales, tall or only slightly elaborated. There was a faintly growing smile in response to that, though he was hardly aware of it. The mention of Dymphna's captivity opened up an emotional abyss all around him. She hadn't told him everything, but then, she hadn't needed to. If his own experience was different, specific, that didn't mitigate the bond they shared as survivors of horror. He wondered if Daed would set him on some Zith-hunting quest before Sam could marry his daughter. Part of him wanted to do that, to give that to Dymphna, but he thought that it wouldn't put anything to rights. Not really. There had been thoughts of revenge in his soul for many years, but he managed to make a sort of peace with the world and with those who had done him wrong. Perhaps it was cowardly by some estimations, but so it went. "Still, he interjected... one hundred miles is a fair ride..." He quickly fell silent as the offer he had hoped for manifested itself. Hard pressed not to grin fit to break his jaw, he nodded quickly, standing up and shifting his weight every few moments as if he could find a stance to settle his nerves. "Oh, yes, please...! I want to be of use to my people!"

[Baku]

“A far ride indeed, but something out at that distance is as much for detection as it is for pursuit.” Daed answered, leaning slightly along his spear. “If you know someone after you has passed over your web one hundred miles away, then you know you have time to plan and prepare for their arrival. Information gathered, does not always mean you are the one on the offensive.” Daed then gave a slow nod as he plunged his scythe into the ground in front of Sama’el, along the shaft of the scythe, a small symbol was etched into the surface, the mark itself was almost like a symbol, a decoration for his weapon. “So we don’t overwhelm you, we’ll start on something small. I have a web attached to my scythe, in the event that someone tries to steal it. As it’s not connected to any other webs, I won’t know where exactly it may be, but I’ll certainly know who took it if it were to turn up missing.” Daed began, giving Sama’el another brief lesson into Webbing’s uses as an introduction. “The rune you see etched into the surface is a design I use to mark my Origin. The Origin is what you first attach your web to and anchors it, keeps it from dissipating. The etching you see, is not my Origin for the Web I have over my weapon. That lies someplace else. Like the web itself, origins can fade with time as well, so maintaining them is important. What your Origin will look like is up to you, each Webber has their own style, but as it’s created using your own djed, its purpose is important. If your Origin is destroyed, your entire web disappears, and the only information that isn’t lost, is that shared or garnered with other webs it’s connected with.” “Reach out, and touch the scythe, and we shall begin.” Daed then said, waiting for Sama’el to do so. When he did, Daed’s hand rested along Sama’el’s shoulder, a serious look given into the apprentice’s eyes. “A forewarning, your baptism will be………… uncomfortable. It is for us all.”

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

Sama'el was sure that there were various and sundry uses for the Web that he hadn't even considered; the Ankals surely had, though, after all those generations of weaving. He wanted to learn it all, this quintessentially Drykas art. Mostly he had focused on the ability to weave and maintain it for the general betterment of his people, but now he was faced with the actual specifics, and that made it all the more exciting. He wondered if he was going to have to learn to glyph when he didn't even know how to read. But he would learn if he had to! "Does anyone tattoo an Origin-windmark onto their body to tie a Web directly into themselves?" he asked cautiously. His hand was half-stretched out to touch the scythe when Daed's warning arrested his movement. His hesitance was not out of fear, but caution. He considered what manner of thing uncomfortable might encompass, but not only was this a hurdle blocking the way to his destiny, it was an obstacle in the way of marrying Dymphna and being inside her and making babies. He blinked, momentarily distracted. Making eye contact with Daed, he nodded, then reached out to touch the scythe, trying not to gulp.