Once home to the Crystal Cities of the Hunter clans, Craiss Caverns is now a hollow empty shell of its former glory due to a strange misfortune in the past. Man-made tunnels now lead to this place, but tales tell of some never returning. (+3 Defense, +2 Offense)

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Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Pyris » 10/18/2009 8:33 PM

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Hexle, the Concept Draculi
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It had been at least a week since Hexle had decided to explore an entrance to the Caverns.  He found himself drawn to the place, the thick blackness and skin-tight moisture giving him an abstract form of comfort in comparison to his usual inner irritation.  He didn't feel the need to present himself in any manner, didn't need to care about the people around him or the consequences, good or bad, to any of his potential actions.  There was no urge to analyze, observe, or pick apart things here, in this darkened abyss.  

Of course, just because it was dark didn't mean he couldn't see.  He was a Draculi, after all. His species in general had good vision in the deepest of shadows.  Hexel could feel the dampness hanging in the air, a musky stench clinging to his nose as he went further into the cave than he'd dared to once before.  It was quiet here; a place of restless, stirring peace that he hadn't thought could exist.  It was silent and dead to unfocused ears and eyes, but with his Spirit Sense, he could feel the energy of others.  

Whether they were there or not entirely so, he could sense them, just the same.









"If I died today, would you remember me forever?"



"Even if I die...Forever."




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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Pyris » 10/19/2009 11:21 PM

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In the dank caverns, Hexle's paw met with a puddle, the chilling waters sending shocks down his spine.  Crinkling his muzzle, he lifted the freshly dipped appendage and considered the consequences of simply walking through it.  If he continued on and went a long way, he could possibly catch something, could he not?  The coolness of the dark, winding tunnels would most likely freeze him to the bone if he were wet.

Patting the area around what he thought might be the cold water's perimeter, he slowly made his way around it, glad that he hadn't risked getting drenched.  What he'd believed a mere puddle seemed to be more like a lake.  Certainly this was an interesting place.  He wondered if creatures lived in such a lake, deep within the dimness of the Criass Caverns.

Wishing for a rest, he found what felt like a large, flat stone that radiated warmth, curling up on it and staring off into the direction of the icy water.  His ears twitched forward, listening for any alerting sounds that might be around.









"If I died today, would you remember me forever?"



"Even if I die...Forever."




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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Feint » 10/21/2009 3:00 PM


A lovely young hydrokuhna stepped carefully down some rocks leading up to a smaller cavern in the wall. A cave within a cave--it had interested her, however briefly. As her mind slipped into its usual bored state, a tiny thought-companion came into being at her feet. It was a little nog, no bigger than her paw, with big white eyes and tiny little spine-feet that helped it hold the slick stones of the Cavern. It whistled merrily as it hopped at the hydrokuhna's side, seemingly oblivious to its companion's boredom. It saw the lake and rushed to it, staring wide-eyed into the depths of the water. The hydrokuhna was careful to step around it--she didn't want her foot replaced with germy cave-lake stuff. "C'mon, Urchin," she mumbled to the Nog, too lazy to even open her mouth all the way and speak. The nog chirped obediently and resumed hopping at her side, making little pok, pok, pok sounds when his grabby feet left the floor.

My wraiths, though not wraiths then, wandered deep into the heart of the polar storm. They tried to fight sleep, naive to the inevitability of their fate. When they awoke, they saw before them my own self, so much a part of the ice and cold they almost fail to see me. I wear a crown of the coldest, sturdiest ice, and my claws and fur have coated themselves in it.
I stand aloof to the cold, for I have lived in it so long, been a part of it so long, it no longer concerns me.

My wraiths are cursed to wander the polar tundra, eternally freezing, following mortal explorers and trying to warn them with their presence that they should not travel onward, should not make the same mistake. But there will always be those who persist in pressing on, never knowing what they are doomed to face, or destined to suffer.

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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Pyris » 10/21/2009 11:33 PM

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After at least a ten minute rest, Hexle heard a noise, a splish or splash in the lake further on.  He hadn't been certain he'd heard it until the noise reoccurred.  Thinking maybe he was really just making things up in his head, he rested his noggin on his forepaws, enjoying just a little bit more of the cooler climate of the caverns.  Before long, something stirred him, causing a tiny alarm in the back of his head to sing.

Skimming the area and finding no immediate threat, he guessed that whoever, or whatever, had awoken him was a bit further than his eyes could see in the darkness.  Of course, if it had been brighter in the blackened tunnels, he would see them perfectly.  How he knew there was more than one, he could only guess.  Hexle called it a hunch, and he usually went with his hunches.

Hopping from his perch, the draculi opted to follow his nose.  He'd be the first to admit he was no Werecain, who's noses were sharp in every way, but he had a good sense, he believed.  Unfortunately, all he could smell was water, mold, and stone.  It was everywhere, after all.









"If I died today, would you remember me forever?"



"Even if I die...Forever."




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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Feint » 10/22/2009 11:36 PM

The largely undetected hydrokuhna, made of water, continued to march onwards, seemingly stricken with perpetual boredom. Her companion of nothingess pok-pok-pok-ed cheerily beside her, white eyes open for anything, all except this. The kuhna padded round the next corner and lo and behold, there stood a concept draculi. She was so startled that her nog Urchin promptly vanished. She stood perfectly still as if frozen, eyes wide in shock and terror. Not a molecule on her moved save for the drips of water occasionally drifting upwards, splatting on the rock ceiling above.
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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Pyris » 10/22/2009 11:49 PM

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A fluid movement met the corner of Hexle's eye, drawing his attention in almost an instant.  Seeing nothing for a moment, thanks to his quick movement, most likely, he paused to let his vision focus.  At first he wasn't sure anything was really there, or he'd thought maybe the water had come to life and decided to come visit him.  After that brief second of witlessness, he mentally berated himself for being an idiot and recognized the standing water for what it was; a Hydrokuhna.

Before speaking, he merely observed, taking in the stunned and fearful stance and the widened aqua eyes of the other creature; it must be relatively young.  It didn't seem the type to wander aimlessly in dark caverns alone, but he didn't see a companion.  However, he certainly felt one, somewhere.  It was small, nearly nonexistent but there, somewhere, he was sure.  At least that's what his hunch was telling him.  His hunches, however, were not always correct.

"I don't plan on hurting you," Hexle murmured lowly instead, relaxing himself slightly and wondering if it were a normal circumstance to run into people in such a vast and dank place.  Settling his alarmed nerves, he kept his eyes on the Hydrokuhna, measuring up their personality as best as possible.









"If I died today, would you remember me forever?"



"Even if I die...Forever."




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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Feint » 10/23/2009 8:05 PM

As her shock wore off, humiliation took its place. Had the hydrokuhna been able to blush, her cheeks would be as dark as cherry pie. She turned partly away with a scowl, ears tight against her head. "I know," she growled, leaning against the cold stone wall. After a brief silence, she glanced back at the other speaker. He was a draculi, and a concept one at that. What a coincidence, we are both barely existent, she thought to herself with interest. As she entered this new state of mind, her nog companion re-materialized at her feet. He blinked once as he took on the hydrokuhna's emotions, then suddenly became utterly fascinated with this new person on the rocks. The little nog jumped up to his nose, peering at his eyes, then bounced around him in circles, taking it all in. "Don't mind him; that's just Urchin," the hydrokuhna said with a roll of her eyes. "He steals my emotions and increases them tenfold. More than annoying, but he'll never leave. It's like he's permanently a part of me," she complained. Her voice had a tone of obligation in it, as if she had been given the nog as a present or something. It circled back to the draculi's front and gazed up at him in awe.
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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Pyris » 10/24/2009 11:38 PM

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Warily watching the small, studded sprite, Hexle managed to make his way to level ground, getting a better look at these new acquaintances.  Not usually much of one for chit-chat, he found himself in an oddly amicable mood.  Possibly a side-effect of relaxing in the silence of the caverns.  "I believe think sprites are a piece of their creator, are they not?"  Sitting softly on the cold stone floor, he gazed at the energetic minion with interest.  "Looking at them is like looking into your own soul," he murmured to it quietly.

With a small whip of his tail, he glanced between the two, mentally wondering what brought them there.  He would wager a guess that they also questioned his presence at the lake inside such a chilly, lonesome place.
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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Feint » 10/26/2009 9:29 PM

The hydrokuhna curled up into a relaxed position on the stone floor and brought a paw down onto the think-sprite's head, collapsing it into nothing. "He wasn't part of me at first," she mumbled, once again feeling too lazy to open her mouth. Bits of debris floating through her paw made her growl. The floor was wet there--shoot. Now I'll get all grainy, she thought, agitated, and heaved a sigh. She didn't bother moving her paw. It was too late, anyway. Her watery claws dug into the rock, stirring more debris into her leg and foot. She glanced up at the concept draculi, wanting to ask him a question, when she realized she didn't know his name. How rude.
"I'm Qaan," she said casually, hoping he'd take the lead.
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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Pyris » 10/26/2009 11:34 PM

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"Hexle," he said simply, sketchy eyes watching calmly as the small Nog sprite vanished beneath Qaan's paw.  She looked at her paws with irritation; something the Draculi imagined was a slight obsession on her part.  He'd seen Hydrokuhnas who were so muddied that they looked more like chocolate kuhnas than liquid ones.  "Why do you find Urchin annoying?" he mused aloud, not particularly seeing how he could so aggravating unless she was exceptionally happy.  "Is it because he betrays your emotions to others, or because he just embarrasses you?"

This was unlike himself; he didn't usually go about asking people about the things he pondered mentally.  Honestly, he didn't normally go around speaking to anyone at all.  He wanted to reason that it had something to do with the caverns themselves, but he felt it wouldn't be entirely correct.  He didn't like to speak because he spoke nothing but truth, and often came out rude.  Social interaction had never been his strong point, and he hadn't ever had the urge to make it so.
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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Feint » 10/27/2009 12:48 PM

The hydrokuhna turned her paw over and looked at the dirt swirling inside it. It was already starting to itch. She tried biting at the pads, but that didn't help any. Hexle was correct there--cleanliness was something of an obsession of hers, but it fed directly off the fact that she could feel any dirt or foreign particles floating inside of her. Anything scratchy would make her itch, and living things like water bugs tickled. It was nearly as irritating as that spiny sprite following her around. Still scrutinizing her paw, she answered, "Urchin annoys me because he's just... him. He's so... jumpy. I don't know, I just wish he'd calm down. He's too hyper, that's the word." She glanced at Hexle over the top of her paw. Now that she was looking at him, her eyes could be seen to be golden instead of the usual blue. They were dull and unreflective, emotionless, opposite of what the think sprite represented of her.

My wraiths, though not wraiths then, wandered deep into the heart of the polar storm. They tried to fight sleep, naive to the inevitability of their fate. When they awoke, they saw before them my own self, so much a part of the ice and cold they almost fail to see me. I wear a crown of the coldest, sturdiest ice, and my claws and fur have coated themselves in it.
I stand aloof to the cold, for I have lived in it so long, been a part of it so long, it no longer concerns me.

My wraiths are cursed to wander the polar tundra, eternally freezing, following mortal explorers and trying to warn them with their presence that they should not travel onward, should not make the same mistake. But there will always be those who persist in pressing on, never knowing what they are doomed to face, or destined to suffer.

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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Pyris » 10/27/2009 7:01 PM

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With an easy roll of his shoulders, Hexle shrugged.  He honestly wasn't sure what to say to this new person.  It wasn't that he was particularly shy or awkward; he just rarely had much to say.  Most of the time, he was thinking, not speaking.  He thought about the world, the people in it and how different they were; how different he was from them.  However, he felt the need to vocalize something to this agitated female kuhna, but he just didn't know what.

Then a curious question crossed his mind, and he had to ask.  "Even when you're sad?"  He would've thought that when Qaan was depressed, the Nog would drag along like there was no more reason to live.
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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Feint » 10/27/2009 7:59 PM

Qaan's eyes widened in surprise. She had always taken sadness to be something personal. For a stranger to ask about something so private was somewhat shocking. Nevertheless, she coughed lightly and directed her gaze to her foot. "I wouldn't know. I hardly ever feel sad," she said truthfully. She examined a chip of rock floating between her toes, willing it to come to the surface so she could bite it away. Such concentration brought back a question she'd been meaning to ask. A spark of remembrance lit in her eyes and she looked up at Hexle. "What brings you here? Akail?" she asked, setting her paw on the ground. She knew nothing of akail; only the word. She had heard it tossed about in market-places, about how they were only found in this special cave in Craiss, and how only the lucky few had managed to find one, so gathered that this akail must be some sort of rare stone. It was her wild guess that maybe this stranger was after them.
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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Pyris » 10/27/2009 11:57 PM

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Noting idly the shocked expression on the other creature's face, Hexle decided it was probably something she never thought about, or didn't like thinking about.  He watched as she focused steadily on a rock floating in her paw before returning her attention towards him.

"Akail?  Hardly," he returned simply.  Settling calmly on his haunches, he looked to the unusual lake nearby.  "I doubt I could take an Akail alone, don't you?"  He would be the first to admit to himself that he wasn't some super-powerful creature that wandered the caves without a hint of caution.  He made it a mission to be perfectly honest with himself before all else.  Sighing after a small chuckle at his thoughts, he gazed along the gently rippling waters.  "It's peaceful here.  I came to relax," he answered honestly, hoping she wouldn't take it as a hint for her to leave.  He really didn't mind her presence at all.  "What, if I may ask, brings you here?"
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Re: Finding Oneself (Open)

Postby Feint » 11/01/2009 7:33 PM

Qaan gave Hexle a blank stare when he mentioned fighting off Akail. Fighting off stones? She didn't believe he was lying, but she couldn't doubt the words of hundreds of market-people. Was the akail fought or hunted after by collectors? She glanced down at the stony floor and frowned slightly, the line between her brows faint as gossamer.

"I'm here because of Urchin's begging." she said without thinking. In an instant the little sprite was back by her feet again, cheerful as ever. Qaan closed her eyes and pressed a knuckle to her forehead with a heavy sigh. Urchin blinked, temporarily void-of emotion, and then drifted curiously up into the air. Qaan's mouth twitched with devilish delight as the nog hovered lifelessly in the air. "The thing can't copy anger," she mumbled to Hexle as if slowly turned in the air as if on a string. "He'll come back, though, once he picks up on an emotion he recognizes," she said, and her face melted back into boredom. Like the flick of a switch, the nog darted back to the floor and bounced around Qaan's head cheerily.
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