Oh Happy Day [Caelum]

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

His boots hit the ground, knees bending to absorb the shock of his weight against the world. He tossed a waterskin to Kasb'el, then stripped the yvas off Dohaina, going at her with a comb. It wasn't the full treatment, but he wanted her comfortable while she rested, and didn't want her to develop any sores or abrasions from her travel tack. A bit of water was put out for the horses, though they would get some of their water from the grasses they would eat, still green with spring's flush. "Does She?" he asked. "See you through, Syna, I mean. Do you feel like She sees or just watches disinterestedly? I sing and She doesn't answer. I mean, She shines down on me, and I suppose that's an answer. I'm not asking any particular question either, just thanking Her for the day and everything it brings us. And, I mean, it doesn't make sense to ask for an easy life where everything goes your way. That's just not real or true. But I suppose if you think She's paying attention to you, moral support if nothing else..."

[Caelum]

Steady, rhythmic motions drew the brush through the fog hues of Vega’s coat, swift and sure as Caelum stifled a yawn. A sideways glance was given Sama’el, silence descending while he considered the question put to him. “By day I’ve no need for food or drink,” he spoke at length, shaking the last bit of dust free of the horse’s coat before ducking down to store the brush back into a saddle bag. “Sunlight itself sustains me and for that I must conclude Syna is still paying attention as well as granting me some small sum of intervention. Yet I’ll ask you –“ He looked up from his corbie’s crouch, a blacker shadow in the dappled starlight. “ – Is it better to survive on one’s own merits or to succumb to divine sway and run the risk of becoming sacred road kill? I can’t answer that for you or for anyone. I can hardly answer it for myself. Sweet Syna left me in darkness and maybe a better believer would accept Her judgment or the mystery of Her purpose without protest or bitter qualm; but I am what I am and did She seek a more malleable and blind follower, She ought not have blessed me with knowledge of Her realm and what time I had within it.” A linen wrapped package was removed from his pack, head bowing once more into shadow. His words pitched themselves softer against the night as if quiet was a bandage for an old wound never healed. “She sees, Sam. That much I believe. She has seen all of it.”

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

And yet you teach your grandson, your son, your little brother, me... you teach me to sing to Her when She rises in the east and again when She sets in the west, he thought to himself, but kept the words caged behind his teeth. It might have been read as flippant or disrespectful and, indeed, Sama'el was neither of these things. Instead he kept his silence, nodded his understanding, at least as far as he could understand without treading on the firmament or swimming in the Ukalas with the solar goddess and Her court. He gave Dohaina a pat on the rump when he was done with her and she went her staid way to crop the tender greenery that clung to the places that harbored shade all through the summer days. Figuring they could sleep under the stars -- he was certainly warm enough for it -- he forsook setting up a tent in order to gather tinder, kindling, and meager firewood from the bits of deadfall hereabouts. Once the pyramid of flammables was set up, he held his hands over it and began to murmur prayers. Of course he understood that the power came from within him, but it didn't hurt to honor the gods for their gifts in these manifestations of power. "Holy Ivak, grant me your power," he began, because Lord Ivak wasn't evil, just dangerous, and everyone with power was dangerous. The chant went on, and then turned toward Syna, Whose fire was of a different sort, more benevolent for the most part. "Sky Lady, I call out to You from the darkness." Faintly glowing golden energy dribbled out of his mouth as he spoke, arose from his visible skin and through his clothes like steam to roil down his arms, gaining strength, growing brighter, a more solar light, to pour onto the tinder and kindling. When it was all carefully removed from him to the old firepit, he clapped his hands together and it ignited all at once. He made a gesture of thanks, and then began to position the first bit of bigger wood so he could cook them something to eat. In the firelight, there might have been a smirking edge to his smile. Kasb'el wasn't the only one with tricks up his sleeve.

[Caelum]

Caelum watched in stunned silence as the magic unraveled itself from his descendent. The solar glow of it reflected off of likeness caught in otherwise shadowed eyes, causing them to glitter like cats in the night. Had it been anyone other than Sama’el playing with fire with a magician’s might, the thrill of fear that coursed through Caelum would have been given a great deal more heed. As it was, he gaped at the flames sparkling up from the tinder and the branches and finally through it, past it at the light-licked face of his companion. “I’ll be damned,” he remarked on the heels of prayer, a chuckle carrying up from his chest to empty out his shoulders in rusty relief. “You should meet a friend of mine. Ambitious young man. He wanted to wield fire so badly, but the gods gave him water. I had to deal with a few of the messes. Burns are nasty things.” The linen was folded back in his hands, revealing a store of hearty, brown bread and a paper-wrapped half moon of sharp yellow cheese. Taking a knife from his boot with a jerk, he began to cut them out generous portions. “Speak to Her with old words sometime,” he said with his head down over the food he was diving up. “Weave a story into your song to her. She enjoys stories and will bless you with clarity of the day’s deeds more often than not.”

[Sama'el Sunsinger]

"I hope not," he said with a smile, not wanting to lose Kasb'el to the darker regions of the Ukalas. He listened about the ambitious friend, smiled wider, and shrugged. "My cousin makes water. I wanted to follow in his footsteps. One can live without fire, but not without water. But the gods gave me fire. You just have to respect whatever you're given. Anything can be dangerous, or used to a good purpose by the wise. Not that I'm wise..." He immediately looked down into his open pack, pulling out preserved meat and a small pan. He poured a bit of water in with the salted meat and set it over the fire to heat down into a sort of stew that would go well with bread and cheese, each of them bringing what they had to the communal table. "I'm glad we'll be singing a duet again, however long it lasts." END

[Lariat]

Sama'el

Experience:
Reimancy: 2
Webbing: 3
Riding (Horse): 3
Acrobatics: 2
Cooking: 3
Animal Husbandry: 2
Singing: 2

Lores:

Ultimate Grandfather (Caelum)
Reunion with blood
Lillis De'Nyres involvement with Caelum
Comparing Striders
When memories and present mingle
Caelum's quest to find Lillis De'Nyres
Caelum

Experience:
Projection: 2
Riding (Horse): 2
Horsemanship: 2


Lores:
Lillis De'Nyres's previous location
How Lillis was doing
Ultimate grandson (Sama'el)
What is the web
Test of Faith


Thoughts: Interesting thread, was fun to read. If you have any questions about the points or lore I handed out, just send me a messege.