Open A Tale and a Few Tails (Eselle)

[Sarshassilivoss]

A Tale and a Few Tails
60th of Fall, 514 A.V.

The members of the Coil's Club had welcomed Voss with open arms. Though he had heard stories of the rampant racism of the Dhani of Falyndar, it was not openly on display here with the Dhani of Riverfall, or at least none that he had spoken to so far. Most of them were eager to hear his stories, and when Voss had approached Lllasssnia for a job telling them she had seen the potential draw an Iyvess could contribute to the club that supported her tightly knit nest, and thus he was hired.

Voss had not been allowed to take the stage in the center of the club yet, Lllasssnia told him he would get that honor once he earned it, but honestly the Iyvess minded little, instead he told his stories to smaller groups, mostly Dhani, but other Riverfall denizens as well, usually on comfortable padded cushions in small intimate circles. He usually kept his human form, but sometimes sprawled in his Dhani form, something about his colorful appearance appealing to those listening.

Today he sat stretching the limbs that were still quite strange to him, trying to reach the ends of his toes, pulling his legs over one another, and twisting his spine. He favored his Dhani form, but there was no reason not to try being more limber in this one, which he needed so desperately upon the land.

A couple Dhani sat around, sipping drinks, Voss waited to see if any others would join them before he began.

"Today, methinkss I will tell you the sstory of my mothersss great hunt." He said, pausing dramatically afterward. It was a story close to his heart, one he had told many times and never grew bored of. "She wass greatesst hunter I know, and I only dream of one day equaling her..." This was also truth, but the solemn tone to his voice was a mixture of his real sorrow and one meant to entice his listeners, and the effect was immediate, their bodies straightening, clearly in anticipation of the tale to come.

[Eselle]

Eselle had grown increasingly more adventurous throughout the season. Bolstered by her evolving circumstances in Riverfall and the new found drive to assert her own place in conversation, the Konti had taken to exploring the various pubs and taverns of the cliffside city. The agenda for tonight was to begin at one strangely named the Coil’s Club.

Her only real experience with established businesses in this city lay with The Inner Eye and Alements. Otherwise she had given most little more than cursory inspection and moved on. This night, stepping into what was clearly meant more for a party than a quiet night on the town, she stepped into the Coil.

To her disappointment the woman tending the bar, informed her tea was not an option. With no desire to befuddle herself in the midst of an unknown part of the city, Eselle opted for a glass of juice. Wandering among the space the Seer watched, there were a number of people there but several had their eyes on one man. Understanding dawned that he must be some sort of performer, and so the Konti settled down in a table alone.

It wasn’t until a hissed laugh murmured from the table next to her that the Konti realized not everyone in the bar was human. Carefully reprimanded sense sought out the crowd again. Now, she noted the similarities and disharmonies between the patrons. Some seemed almost normal others moved like their feet were tangled beneath them.

Cobalt eyes narrowed on the storyteller, the most attention drawing of the group. What precisely had the Konti wandered into? It couldn’t be terribly dangerous, it didn’t seem like the Akalaks would allow a den of dangerous individuals to accrue in their city. The assumption prompted her lack of caution. Crossing black cotton coated legs, Eselle leaned back and took a drink of the sweet juice.




[Sarshassilivoss]

The Iyvess rolled his shoulders and neck, folding his legs in front of him both in mental preparation, as well as to give those he was telling the story too that it was one great enough that needed such preparation. This was not untrue either. "Alright." He glanced around noticing a few new strangers that were not the regular Dhani patrons or those that lived in the nest that had accumulated here in the city. Sometimes he would tell his stories in Snake tongue in intimate circles, but he didn't mind practicing his common, and had learned that his accent had a foreign appeal to even other Dhani since it was cultivated beneath the waves.

Placing his arms loosely on his legs, Voss caught the eye of a fair woman who had sat down with a drink not far away and gave her a friendly wink before beginning. His mind had already formed a new goal. If he drew her closer to the crowd lounging around him on cushions, his story would have been a success. "Sarshass wass alwayss mosst sskilled in her den. Her sscaless were the color of the deepesst partss of Ssea, and she ussed the color to out-ssmart and catch prey without them knowing, yet had many sskillss with closse fightss, killing sharkss, ssquid, giant octopusses, and even deadly giant eelss, who can kill Iyvesss with one poisson bite." His lips drew together in seriousness, dark eyes studying each member of the crowd to communicate the seriousness of what he had just said. "But thesse prey were ssmall for mother, eassy even. She, what is word...ah, longed for true hunt. Great Hunt, when Father Laviku would call uss to hunt ssomething that iss danger to hiss and our Ssea. Her den had taken place in few, but not enough to Sarshass's like, until..."

Voss took this moment to pause and reach for a wooden cup of water to wet his throat. His lips quirked to see the gazes of many upon him, others pretending they were not interested, but still were, and more that had yet to be impressed. Voss would work on them yet. "The call for Great Huntss mosst alwaysss comess from Laviku's Childs, but in warm Ssummer waters, Sarshass's fang adn two otherss were met by Laviku himsself, who told them of great beasst that lurked deep in crevice of Ocean, deeper and colder than mosst Iyvesss ever go...to fight creature that had sslept for many many yearss, but now would wake, and when did would return to where it once had lived...Charbossi, filled with the peaceful Charodae." He let the gravity of this situation sink in before continuing.