usir | Mini Event: Aftermath and The Oxen Gods

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Mini Event: Aftermath and The Oxen Gods

🜙 The Aftermath

	The re-animated fighters attacking both Krimnos and the City of the Free Peoples burst into flames as the waters of the glass ocean flooded back into the bay. Now nothing but ashes remains of the bodies and the bay has gradually returned to its crystal clear calm waters. Not a trace of the cloaked figures or the fog that had accompanied remains, and the phoenix marks on the survivors of the pit have faded away. The cities have been quietly dealing with their individual recoveries. Didymos' people pulled together to help clean up the shores of the bay, repair damages and recover boats that had been damaged or knocked loose into the bay. In Krimnos, efforts to clear away and repair damages from both the avalanche and the siege continue. With no one certain what has become of Captain Lykos in the general population of the City of the Free Peoples even the end to their second war with Tsekour's Stormers has not brought calm to the civil unrest as the Defenders attempt to force the city to fall into military control and the people of the city continue to resist with violent countermeasures. In this state of recovery, conflict, fear, and uneasy confusion the day of the Oxen Gods comes with few people truly in the spirit of what would normally be seen as a warm and cheerful holiday. An uneasy lull of peace settles on all three cities as people attempt to be faithful to honoring the spirit of the paired gods. Vodi and Voda's day of celebration is meant to be a time of community, love, and reflection. The day of the paired oxen gods of marriage and fertility marks the true start of the thaw, when the snow and ice begin to melt and temperatures begin to rise. Spring is still months away but the first true thaw comes mid-February, right on schedule. The snow in the foothills, plains, and open lands has begun to melt, small patches of greenery appear near the edges of thawed rivers and lakes, the outer edges of tree branches sprout new growth and small, fresh leaves. Animals that have been hibernating or hiding through the winter freeze begin emerging from their homes and can be seen exploring the land for more abundant food sources. Whispered rumors from Didymos about a dragon rising from the bay reach other cities but are never discussed outside of hushed conversations in the shadows or in huddled gatherings that quickly break apart. Speculation is widespread and varied over the origin of the fog and the masked figures that stole away over a hundred people in the night, the strange attacks, and the ultimate fate of those kidnapped. Many citizens who had lost daughters, brothers, sisters, sons, mothers, fathers, friends, or other relatives and acquaintances to the pit continue to desperately seek out the missing, their bodies never recovered and the truth behind their disappearance and eventual death unknown to any but those awakened who had come back from the pit and those they chose to share their stories with, if they chose to believe such horrifying tales.
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🜙 The Oxen Gods.

	Outside of these concerns, rumors, and the general unease across all three cities, attempts are made to forget for just a little while and focus on the celebration. Vodi and Voda are honored by a show of community and compassion. Gifts of fruits and flowers, usually those grown in greenhouses or by magic, are given to loved ones. Ceremonies take place at both dawn and dusk, offering food, gifts, and music to lift spirits and symbolize a union of peace. In Didymos a pod of fin whales can be seen returning to the bay, unusual for this time of year. They linger near the center of the bay, singing mournful whale songs to one another. Celebrations in the city have a heavy focus on Vodi, the moon god. Vodi's impact on the tides makes him a highly respected god, especially among the fishermen and sailors. As the moon rises and reflects on the bay's reflective surface the city comes together as one unified community. In the open squares people from both quarters gather over music, a fresh bounty of fish dishes from the repaired ships, sea shanties sung loudly over various types of liquor and beautiful displays by wild magic entertainers, pairing water, wind, and fire magic to create visual plays, displays of talent, and melting ice sculptures. Didymos' specialty of sweet and salty ice creams are offered by various inventive food fanatics who offer up new and exciting flavors and naming competitions. A pair of young ox calves are paraded through the town, dressed up with ribbons and colorful paints. People pet them as they go by, and the oxen are eventually taken to the temple of the oxen gods near the outskirts of the city where they will live out the rest of their years free from expectations and protected by the temple caretakers as symbolic creatures of honor. In Krimnos as most of the snow is finally cleared away from both sides of the wall, the great sundial is cleared off and the light of the sun's rays reflect off its many-faceted surface, creating dozens of rainbows in the light fog of the warming sky above the city as a colorful artificial aurora borealis. Voda is honored most strongly in the cliff city, the warmth of the sun praised for the thaw that pulls the city out of dangerous freezing temperatures. People throughout the city provide her with offerings in the hopes of ensuring a slow and even thaw that won't bury the city in snow or mudslides. Celebrations across the city happen near midday and are most often celebrated by couples in love and close friends or families, celebrating passion, family, and love with sweets, plants, and crafted goods made of rare metals or glass. Normally celebrations in the City of the Free Peoples revolve around a parade of oxen from local farms, banquets, music, and a celebration of the vastly diverse community of varied cultures with a heavy focus on the rebirth of a new year, the start of a new planting season, and a celebration of the farmers that help keep the city fed and prosperous. This year the city is divided by the conflict between the resistance and the defenders. The city is actively pushing back against the militant hold of force the defenders are attempting to keep over them with the preface of keeping the citizens under control and it is widely assumed Captain Lykos is dead, with the prevailing theory being that the current leaders of the Defenders have killed him. Several members of the resistance broadcast across the city a video of them in possession of Lykos' hooded cloak, claiming they recovered it from the Defenders' warcamp and insisting that the Defenders are the city's enemy. A pair of large orc captains, the duo currently in charge of the city's defensive army, return fire, claiming that the members of the Resistance have kidnapped or killed Captain Lykos and are attempting to destabilize the city so they can take it over for themselves. A hefty reward is placed on the heads of the Resistance and people who speak out against the Defenders are routinely taken into custody and locked up. Before the celebration in Krimnos, during the celebration in Didymos, and following the celebration in the City of the Free Peoples, a strange feline can be seen pacing about the trade district, meowing insistently at anyone with a vial like hers who passes her by. Did you see her? After the full moon on the 19th, several farmers report sightings of werewolves around the city outskirts or report close encounters with the dangerous creatures.

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oxen gods - didymos

Though she might be dedicating most of her time to trying to solve the puzzle of Lykos, Shura is still happy to take whatever distraction she can to get from the trouble. Cows might be boring, but drinking and eating are distracting enough to keep her attention off of the werewolf for a day.

Finding her isn't hard, and she'll chat with most anyone sitting next to her, whether it's at a tavern or while watching the young oxen being led through the streets. Though during the latter, Shura's thinking about something that might not be appropriate for this particular celebration.

"I can't remember the last time I had beef tartare. That sounds good right now~"

outskirts of didymos/city of the free peoples

Speaking of raw meat, a certain carnivorous animas is wearing on Shura's nerves. It's high time the lion learned to hunt properly for himself, not just picking up scraps whenever he found them on the road. Shura takes him out to a forest, where the snow is mostly undisturbed and hopefully a pace where most busybodies are too scared to go. Getting there and finding a set of rabbit tracks for Shishi to follow isn't difficult, but no matter what Shura does, the lion just seems to stare at her after sniffing at the tracks. Anyone who's feeling brave enough to venture this far out might come across a rather cross Shura scolding Shishi.

"Seriously, go! Go follow them! Don't complain at me if you're hungry."

For his part, Shishi looks unfazed by the scolding. Shura will feed him, so why fuss around in the snow?

Lauralae is spending as much time outside the cities as she can. Making her way between the place she met Alucard and the place where she had awoken is a little more difficult than she had anticipated, but she needs to keep her eyes open; she is carrying something special with her now and cannot risk what might happen to it. Her egg is everything to the girl that had lost a little too much and she would die - again - to keep it safe.

Stepping through the forest she pauses when she hears a voice and whistles, low and quiet. Rav'ahm, speaking in her mind, tells her about the lion and the girl, and that is enough to calm Lauralae. Another one like she is - like Alucard, like the strange man who had cornered her, like Christine. Frowning, she moves forward and steps around, peeking her head out.

"You should hide and have him find you."

While her attention is focused on Shishi, Shura is keeping a careful ear out on their surroundings. She hears the sound of something approaching, and she turns her head towards it. Maybe it was something Shishi could practice on--

Nope, it's an elf that pokes her head out. Definitely not potential prey. Shura gives her a careful look for a second, then just accepts that there's an elf showing up in the middle of the woods giving her advice on how to teach a lion how to hunt. It's not the worst advice she's ever been given, really.

"You think? Ehh, getting him to stay put's going to be a pain." And, as if to illustrate her point, the lion presses against her legs, looking at the new stranger with a vague curiosity.

Lauralae likely does not appear much of a threat; she's barely scraping five feet tall with a raven hovering above her, her dark eyes wide as she gazes forward at them. She seems so small in comparison to the rest of her surroundings, attention settled as she looks between the woman and her lion. There's a childlike edge to her, something that demands attention, but she says nothing, not for a while.

Anyone else would think this situation something of a riot, something almost funny, but she seems to be taking it very seriously. While her nature finds her more at ease with canines - wolves have taken hold her her almost completely - she does have a spot for all creatures. Shishi certainly seems to interest her more than Shura at first.

"If he wishes to become stronger then he must learn." Lauralae nods her head. "If he wishes to guard you then he must know how to track." Perhaps that will work.

"You hear that, hairball?" Whether or not Shishi understood, he turns to look at Shura, head cocked. Mostly, it seems like he just wants her attention, nudging at her hand. Shura obliges him with a sigh, scratching behind his ears.

"Fine, we'll try this. You stick around and distract him for a moment. He won't stay still long enough for me to hide if I just bolt." It was a risk, leaving him with a stranger, no matter how small and fragile the stranger might look. Shura knows better than to assume based purely on appearances. Even if it held true, someone who had a childlike nature was just as dangerous as an adult, if not more so.

This is not the sort of thing Lauralae had imagined for herself when she had first stumbled onto this strange training session, but it is something that might well prove interesting. Moving forward, she flicks her fingers - Rav'ahm flies high into one of the nearby trees, her hands lifting as she places her bag to hang there under his watchful gaze. Only then does she turn back to Shishi and Shura, nodding her head.

"As you wish." She begins to walk forward, but as she does her form changes. The small elf instead becomes a black wolf, eyes wide and alert as it walks up to the lion, unafraid, and howls. That, she thinks, ought to be enough of a distraction.

Well, Shura was more thinking about keeping him entertained by petting him or something like that. Shishi liked attention, and the girl seemed interested enough in Shishi to probably enjoy fussing over his mane or something like that. But this works. The wolf definitely has Shishi's attention, and he tenses, going very still for a moment and dropping his head. It's the opportunity Shura needs to steal away from him, leaping into one on the trees with remarkable dexterity. She'll keep in the trees, hopping from branch to branch before descending back to the ground and running like hell.

For his part, Shishi doesn't quite know what to do. His first instinct is to run after Shura. He's sharp enough to know that fighting is usually something he ought to avoid, but there's a wolf right in front of him making noise?? And that wolf was a person two second ago, what the heck. Slow the wolf down, try to convince this thing that following him won't be a good idea. He growls, baring his teeth as he turns his body to face the wolf, give her an idea of just what she'll be messing with if she really wants to start a fight.

The wolf settles in front of Shishi, watching with a careful tilt of her head. She doesn't make any motion to trot forward and attack; instead, she moves a little closer, settling down in front of the lion with her haunches on the floor, head tilted, ears lowered; she isn't entirely comfortable with this, if she's honest, but she was offering something. Perhaps she might get something in return.

When she's sure that Shura has moved away Lauralae pushes herself up just a little, slowly walking around Shishi to head towards the direction that the woman went. She very deliberately places her nose to the ground and begins to try and track Shura, lifting her head to howl, a soft awoo, when she catches the scent.

The lion is smart enough not to start a fight if he doesn't have to; warily watching the wolf and keeping his guard up. Just what was happening here? He doesn't understand.

Lauralae moves to her feet, and Shishi startles, watching her carefully as she sniffs around. What was she smelling? It might be a trap with that howl, but Shishi lowers his nose to the ground and follows, keeping a short distance between himself and the wolf. It's where Shura went, so he was going to go in that direction anyway.

For her part, Shura settles somewhere not too far away, choosing to hang out on a low branch while she waits. There is just a bit of anxiety at leaving Shishi behind with a stranger, but she also knows Shishi isn't as dumb as he acts. He could take care of himself.

It's not as if Lauralae poses much of a threat; as a wolf she is quick, able to be stealthy, to track, but to defend herself against a lion? That seems a little out of the question.

What she wants is for Shishi to pick up the scent of Shura, to be able to trace where the woman went, and she moves out of the way so that the lion can really pick it up. Perhaps her nose is a little more talented at this? Perhaps wolves are superior to cats - not that she had ever doubted that...

Stepping forward, a careful little trot that brings her close to the lion, she nudges him gently. It's a motion, to get him to really try - find your mistress, she tries to say, a huff coming from the depths of her throat.

First she's pursuing Shura, now she isn't? Shishi doesn't understand this weird wolf-person. Well, whatever the motive, Shishi doesn't need much encouragement to take the lead, sniffing the air first to try and catch a whiff of Shura before dropping his nose to the ground and following whatever traces he can find.

He isn't bad at tracking, only lazy. Finding Shura is something he's quite good at. But he'll cast wary glances over his shoulder, seeing if the wolf is following him or not. Her presence spooks him and slows him down, but he can't protect Shura if he loses sight of the wolf.

It doesn't take much at all for Lauralae to begin to follow behind Shishi, tracing to lion's tracks without hesitation. She had one job here and that was to encourage, somehow, which she thinks she has been quite successful with. She trots along behind him without hesitation, Rav'ahm fluttering along in the trees behind him.

She's quick to pick up the scent, lifting her head and sniffing quietly. She is following him, no hesitation in that, but very deliberately makes it appear that she is no kind of threat - she's not here to harm, after all.

It's just weird!! What is she even doing, following him like this? Ugh.

It won't take long to find Shura, though he almost misses her in the tree. He comes to a stop, lifting his nose to the air to figure out just what happened to the trail. Shura gives him a few seconds, trying not to laugh at his confusion before she puts her fingers to her mouth and makes a short, sharp whistle. He turns his head so fast that an onlooker might think he could have whiplash from the movement. On finally finding her, Shishi lets out of a huff. In the tree? Seriously, that's hard, but he can try climbing up...

"Not bad~" At first, Shura seems rather pleased with his accomplishment. But her tone changes as he raises himself up on his back legs, front paws on the tree. "Hey, don't try climbin' up here, hairball."

As soon as they find Shura - and Lauralae thinks that she might discover the woman before the lion does, but as a wolf she can say nothing of it - she shifts and transforms back into herself. The more she does this, she realises, the more adept she becomes. Soon she will be able to hold her form for longer, keep herself stretched out and better, and be a wolf as long as she needs.

It thrills her.

Lifting her hand, Lauralae motions and Rav'ahm flutters down, settling on her finger before she places him gently on her shoulder, where he is most comfortable.

"It was not terrible for a first attempt."

Shura doesn't reply at first, trying to stop Shishi from climbing up the base of the tree by waving him off. Sure, he could get up to where she was with not problem, but getting him down was going to be annoying. After a few seconds, Shura accepts that if she doesn't come down, he will come up, so she'll hope down from the branch with a remarkable ease.

"C'mon, get off of that." Shishi is happy to do so now that Shura has her feet on the ground, and he immediately moves to brush against Shura's legs. She'll let him, considering it reward enough for tracking her down. Turning her attention to Lauralae, she'll finally reply.

"You helped a lot~ It's nice to get him motivated by somethin' that ain't starvin' him." So what if he was a little spooked?? He would get over it.

Lauralae does little more than wait, head tilted as she watches the two of them. It's interesting to see how one of these creatures act when they're bigger, stronger, more powerful than her own little raven, who hearing her thoughts about him makes a soft, pleased noise. There's a touch of arrogance about him, she thinks, which has her getting a nip on her neck for her trouble.

It seems as though she's a little lost in her own silent communication, almost startled when Shura speaks to her again. Lauralae pauses, breathing out quietly before she nods her head. It doesn't seem as if she thinks it any great feat, no smile on her face.

"It is a lesson worth teaching him. Tracking is a useful skill."

"It is. But this guy--" Shishi rumbles, feeling rather pleased with himself. He knows the specific tone of voice Shura reserves for him, gruff and annoyed. Any attention is good attention for a creature like him. "Well, you can see what he's like."

A lazy glutton. Shura thinks whoever brought them back must have a terrible sense of humor to inflict this on her. She was trying to be better about that kind of thing?? But no, now she had a large moron to take care of on top of trying to figure everything else out.

Lauralae had seen and while she wasn't entirely impressed at first she can see that there is some element of a willingness to learn. She can respect that if nothing else, knowing that there is something about having a companion animal that makes her feel as though she empathises on a level she has not before. She has never been able to understand how others feel before, but now...

"He will learn. Perhaps he is still something of a child, growing in this world." Rav'ahm makes a soft noise and she smiles, something soft and childlike settling on her face as she glances at him.

"A kid?" Shura echoes, pausing to look down at him. A kid... Well, that was a way of looking at it. It almost made sense. "It'd explain why he's such a brat."

No, he got that from being a part of Shura. Not that she's going to admit that.

Lauralae's lip twitches but she doesn't quite manage to laugh. There is, at least, a fondness there for what is happening even if it isn't something she can clearly vocalise; she just tilts her head, eyes watching, sharp.

"He will get better. I am certain of it. Perhaps he deserves a reward now?"

A reward? Shura raises a brow, looking down at Shishi, who is looking back up to her expectantly. When she was a kid, her master never praised or rewarded her, nor had her teacher when she was older. It's not the sort of thing that she always thinks to do, especially not with her animas frustrating her so often.

"Ah, it's can't be helped, I guess." He can get a new scratch behind the ear for that, nice and deep. Shishi snorts and rumbles, leaning into the touch.

"He acts like he's deprived, it's embarrassing."

It is interesting to see how others treat their companions; Lauralae knows that she is soft with her bird, gentle with him as he nudges and nuzzles at her, and she feels a gentle kind of warmth as she accepts that. She had not had friends before now, but now she has one who will not leave her - one she can speak to.

"I do not know. Rav'ahm has never been... Like that." She pauses, thoughtful, and she thinks she hears her bird laugh in her mind. "He is affectionate, but not like yours."

"Affectionate is a nice way of puttin' it." In a way, Shura's jealous of Lauralae and her bird. Unlike Billie and that noisy bird, he seems to be so... nice. Behaved. "You try having this guy insist on sleeping in the same bed as you. It's impossible!"

He is, of course, a very Big Boy. Naturally, he knows how to take up most of the bed. Still, in spite of her complaints, Shura keep scratching his ear.

"Rav'ahm sleeps on my shoulder, sometimes. I think he likes the warmth." Lauralae is beginning to realise how much their new companions long for their closeness, to be near them, to curl and press close. It's novel to her, who had spent so many years alone, and she's not sure how she is adjusting to the newness of having something she cares for like this.

It scares her, just a little.

"At least he does truly care for you."

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Mini Event: Aftermath and The Oxen Gods

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