Stories, Song and Snow
Chavia - May 24, 2006
Chavie looked out over the crowd assembled at Brill's town hall.
So many Grims had come! She hadn't been sure how a story-telling
party would go--this was The Grim, peace through annihilation and
all that--but apparently they truly were a guild with peace in
its sights, not too busy killing Alliance and other threats to
have some grog and tell stories. Even Abric was here.
She grinned to herself; she would definitely open the next
Storytime to the rest of the Horde.
Guduk and Syreena offered food and drink to those who had
arrived. Chavie had promised not to start until Xoscyl arrived,
and the orc was late. So Chavie stood at the podium and gave
instructions on who to talk to for refreshments, and asked who
wanted to go first when Xoscyl arrived.
Drosh, one of Te Chil Ren--not a Grim, yet--whispered to Chavie
that she had a song to sing, but didn't want to go first. She
looked nervous! Abric said he had a story--!!--but didn't feel it
was appropriate for starting.
"Wa Yit has a sto ri," Chavie joked. She picked up her kitten and
held him in the air above the podium. "Mi ao mi ao!" He squirmed
and she let him down.
Finally Xoscyl arrived, and seated herself with her
husband-person Taegol. The two orc hunters made such a cute
couple!
And it was time to begin. Chavie went first.
She told a fairy tale, inspired by an image she'd had of an
all-white fairy singing a certain song that kept playing itself
in Chavie's head. In the tale, the fairy princess's name was Snow
Wing, and she had the most beautiful voice in all the world. But
one day while she was out flying and singing to the Earth Mother,
a human caught her, and caged her, and forced her to sing for
him. If she didn't sing, he would starve her. This went on for a
very long time, until one day he left the door to her cage
unlocked and she escaped. But after being in the cage so long,
her wings didn't work anymore, and she had to run all the way
back to Fairy Land. When she got to her father's fortress, she
called up and begged to be let in. But her father was disgusted
with her, because she was dirty and her wings were torn from her
run back, and called her a disgrace. He sent his soldiers to
chase her away, and she never went back. And sometimes when the
snow is on the ground, and the wind is calm, you can hear Snow
Wing singing the saddest song in the world.
It was just a little girl's story, but enough people seemed to
like and react to it. Chavie was surprised to see that while she
had been in her storytelling trance, the whole hall had filled up
with Grims!
Next Chavie called up Drosh, her Sis Ter--not by blood, but by
being one of Te Chil Ren--and Drosh sang a song about a dream she
had, where she put on a gnome suit (head as a hat, hands as
gloves) and visited Stormwind.
[image]
People were clapping to the beat and giggling. It was a funny
song!
Next was Abric, who said that his tale was going to be weird
after such a silly song. He told a... story... about... um...
Chavie couldn't remember, it had to do with humans fighting other
humans, long ago when the orcs were demon-mad. Chavie had some
grog so her brain was fuzzy on the details.
[image]
When he was done, Chavie got up and said, "Ten ku, Ab Rik, dat
was ve ri his to ri kal!"
Xoscyl was next. She recited a bit of poetry her grandfather had
written, called Promise--a poem of vengeance and hate. Chavie sat
with Syreena and Drosh, two of Te Chil Ren that were there that
night. It was nice, sitting between her Sis Ters, listening to
another family's poetry.
[image]
Lucrena, a very sweet Grim mage who was under a curse that made
her mute, had passed Chavie a note saying she wanted to tell a
story. So after Xoscyl's poem, Lucrena stood up in her chair.
"AAAAAGGHHHH," Lucrena said, struggling to speak. "AAAARRGGGGHH."
She sobbed a little. "AAAAAAGGGHHH..." A few people stifled some
chuckles. Chavie went over and gave Lucrena a hug; it was a very
brave, very sad thing she had done.
A strange voice whispered to Chavie, through her hearthstone:
"Hey! I hear you're having a storytelling thing. Can I tell one?
I'm Licidion--I used to be a Grim." Chavie responded that sure,
he was welcome to come. She put him down for after Zxon, hardly
giving it a second thought.
Then Zxon, Lucrena's husband, went up. There was some confusion
with Lascivious getting up to tell a story even though she wasn't
on The List. Chavie reprimanded the officer but Lascivious either
didn't understand wor sa fa chal or pretended not to. Eventually
Lascivious sat down and Zxon told a joke.
"As some of you may know," he began, "I'm trying to regain my
sense of humor. I heard a joke that might be funny..." He told a
long joke about a duck that walks into a bar and asks for grapes.
Some people got impatient waiting for the punch line, but when it
came many Grims laughed. ("You got any nails?" Hee hee!)
Chavie went back up to the podium and consulted her list. The guy
named Licidion was next. "Li Si Di On?" She called, looking over
the crowd. "Is yor tun... ar yu hir yet?"
Some Grims narrowed their eyes and looked at each other. Abric
went "hm" like he does. Chavie disregarded it and said, "O ke...
Gu Duk!"
Guduk, the Tauren who had been drinking more grog than he had
been giving out, stumbled up to the podium. He had said at the
beginning of the party that he didn't have any happy stories, but
now that he was drunk he had a story to tell. It was about a
great Tauren shaman who had a pesky little brother that always
wanted to tag along. Finally the mighty Tauren let his little
brother come along on a trip, but they were attacked and the
little brother barely escaped with his life, while his older
brother fought valiantly to let him flee. No one knows what
happened to the mighty Tauren shaman, but it's said that his
shade still protects travellers on that path. Guduk cried while
telling this; Chavie suspected it was a very personal story.
Maybe he was the little brother?
During it Chavie sat with Vuudu and Drosh. If only Syreena were
there, it would be all the girl Chil Ren on one bench! Chavie
held her valentine's lovely blue hand.
[image]
When Guduk was done, Chavie went up and called for Licidion
again. This time he showed himself, stepping from the shadows. He
was a kind of mangy undead rogue. And people didn't seem happy to
see him... Chavie whispered to Vuudu and asked what was wrong.
Vuudu replied that Licidion was highly unpredictable.
He went up and stood on the podium. Sensing the tension in the
room, Chavie didn't sit back down with Drosh and Vuudu. She kept
an eye on Licidion, fascinated.
"Before I start," said Licidion, "why don't you give a hand for
Sevren here for letting us use this big ol' hall?" A few people
clapped. "No, really, give him a hand--I just took his off." He
cackled and showed the magistrate's hand.
Magistrate Sevren looked constipated but other than that was
acting like nothing was wrong. Chavie flashed a heal to him--a
spell much stronger than the weak magistrate needed, but it took
care of the wound.
Du na ru in ma par ti, Chavie thought at Licidion. She took a
seat next to Abric on the front bench, watching Licidion closely.
He told a limerick about slitting someone's throat in Goldshire
and then kept talking about nothing in particular. The bell
tolled, and several people jumped at the noise. So many people
were on edge... Abric went "hm" again
[image]
It was supposed to be Taegol's turn next. Chavie went up to the
podium and complimented Licidion on his limerick, and asked him
to get down. "Is Te Gol's tun."
"What's that?" Licidion taunted. "Blah blah blah blah."
He noticed Abric and called out something about unfinished
business. Abric said this wasn't the time or place, and walked
out.
Chavie tried talking in normal Orcish. "Please - sit - down -
sir." He ignored her, calling after Abric. First he mocked her
holy language, then he ignored her attempt to communicate in a
way he'd understand? Chavie was more than annoyed.
Eventually Licidion got down. Relieved, but still tense, Chavie
cheerfully called Taegol up. The orc hunter hesitated, looking
from Chavie to Licidion. He seemed to be thinking, "You expect me
to tell a story with this chaos going on?" But he came up,
bravely, to tell his story.
Licidion began taunting the people gathered. A lot of Grims were
just ignoring him now, trying to concentrate on Taegol's story.
[image]
Chavie watched Vuudu follow Licidion out the door, to the foyer.
At first Chavie thought she should go with, but decided her love
could take care of herself. Besides, she wasn't going to let some
stupid-crazy ex-Grim ruin her story night. Until she heard Vuudu
hiss, "Don't you touch me." Chavie ran out to be there in case it
came to blows and Vuudu needed healing.
[image]
"You are not worthy to say her name," Licidion growled, radiating
anger.
Vuudu leaned over and whispered in Licidion's ear. "Snow.. fea...
ther."
Enraged, Licidion lashed out at Vuudu; this time Chavie slapped
his hand away. "Go a we!" she ordered, pointing to the door. In
the background, Chavie could hear people reacting to Taegol's
tale.
"You killed her," said Licidion, snarling. He didn't back down.
"Her death was of her own devices," said Vuudu. Then she
belittled Licidion, calling him weak, saying that he was unworthy
of this Snowfeather person... that she never should have helped
him.
He finally left, promising that this wouldn't be the end, and
Chavie and Vuudu went back into the main hall.
Taegol had finished his story. Chavie realized with a pang of
regret and guilt that she hadn't heard a word of it. But others
were calling for more.
"Was a nas sto ri, Te Gol!" said Chavie enthusiastically.
Somewhere Licidion started yelling about Snowfeather again.
"E ni wan els haf a sto ri?" Chavie asked hopefully, scanning the
room, ignoring Licidion. Vuudu volunteered.
"I will tell a story about the death of Licidion," she said, and
walked up to the podium.
Outside Jabiba, one of the newer Grims, challenged Licidion.
Chavie could dimly hear them fighting. But Jabiba wasn't that
strong... Zxon went out to take care of it.
And Vuudu told about Licidion's disappearance from The Grim
months ago, how his voice could be heard sometimes over the
hearthstone, and how Vuudu decided--though she was still just a
Corrupted One--to answer Licidion and ask where he was. It was an
odd jumble of juxtapositions: Vuudu telling this story in a calm
voice--Garrun, a new Tauren to the guild, covering passed-out
Guduk with his own cloak--Zxon and Licidion fighting outside...
Jabiba yelling in a language Chavie didn't understand...
[image]
Apparently Licidion had been held captive by the RAS. Vuudu
conspired with Maledictus and Snowfeather to bring him back.
[image]
Chavie glanced at Syreena, who fondled the amulet around her neck
and smiled at Chavie. They needed to remember that the RAS were
not people who took kindly to being tricked, and that they only
helped people who could help them further their own agenda. Those
amulets they had given to Chavie, to give to her Sis Ters, might
not be what they seemed.
In the middle of Vuudu's story, Licidion reappeared. "I hope
you're enjoying story-time," he said. "With one of your own dying
out front." He vanished. Taegol got up and went out, presumably
to check on what Licidion had claimed.
"You will say anything to avoid dis embarrassment, won't you,
Licidion?" Vuudu said. She continued her story about how Licidion
had agreed to be a plague carrier... how he had been the RAS'
original Rat, before the Rat King on Alcaz Island. And how The
Grim had nonetheless spirited him away from the RAS and purged
the plague from his body and mind. But after that, Vuudu said,
she wasn't sure what happened... Licidion became more and more
mad, and then vanished from the guild.
"Now you know why we watch him closely when he appears. He has
proven himself arrogant, and reckless. He killed Grim for more
power. And while we thought he was a pawn, he was not. He was a
pawn, and he enjoyed being such."
"Is dat wa hi is na ta Gim e ni mor?" Chavie asked.
"Yes Chavie."
Rather than tense, the prevelant feeling in the hall was...
grimness.
"Dere is not much more to tell," Vuudu wrapped up. "Except one
lesson. For my actions, Maledictus made me a Wrathmonger." No
longer a Grim intiate, but one of the full-fledged members. "I
earned my place as a Grim dat day... but I saved one who perhaps
should have been left to die. I wish dere was a better moal to
dis story... but if der is, I haven't found it. De end."
"Ten ku, Vu Du," said Chavie, standing. "A tin wi ni ded tu hir
dat." The newer Grims expressed their agreement. Drosh had to
leave at this point; Chavie hugged her little Sis Ter goodbye
before going back to the podium.
Chavie stood behind the podium and looked over the crowd, those
who were still there. Bumboclot--no, Bumbo'Jin, he was Big Killer
of his tribe now--was there, but he didn't want to tell a story.
He was just stopping by. Chavie spotted Ela'Jinn--where had he
been?--and called him up. "E La Jin! Yu wan tu tel a sto ri?" He
was always entertaining!
"He does," Lilliana spoke up, pointing at him. Was that a
mischevious twinkle in her eye?
"An wer yu go?" Chavie asked Ela-Jinn. "Yu mis sum tin ek sa
tin!"
[image]
So Ela'Jinn went up to tell a story, and Chavie took a seat on
the bench by Vuudu and Syreena, three Sis Ters in a row. Chavie
had an idea and urged Ela'Jinn to sing instead--she had heard he
was a singer but had never heard him sing! He agreed.
"If he sings bad, can I hit him with a snowball?" Syreena asked
Chavie. Chavie nodded and they grinned at each other.
Ela'Jinn worked the crowd, getting a lot of people on their feet
and dancing.
[image]
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As everyone was dancing and getting "groovy", Elajinn started to
sing...
"Ring... ring-ring... ring ring... BANANA PHONE! doop doopa doop
a doop!"
Many Grims blinked in confusion, while others continued dancing.
Chavie was confused, but she thanked Ela'Jinn and went back up to
the podium. "Was a fun son!" She grinned. "But... wat is a fon?"
"It's your 'stone, pup!" said one of the triplets. Chavie really
couldn't tell them apart yet... Maybe they should wear
nametags...
And then that was it. No one else wanted to tell any stories, so
people started leaving. Chavie thanked everyone for coming, then
noticed Lucrena jumping up and down in front of Zxon. The mute
mage seemed frustrated or upset... But then Zxon started jumping
up and down with his wife. Chavie went over to jump with them,
and then the triplets started jumping around, too! Soon almost
everyone was jumping up and down and all around!
[image]
[image]
Then people really had to go, and continued leaving to battle or
quest and stuff.
"Tanks for putting dis together der Chavie," said Zeelina, the
troll hunter who had given Chavie Wa Yit the kitten."It's nice
when we get together for stuff like dis."
Soon only a few Grims were left hanging out in the town hall.
Chavie got up on the podium and began dancing, happy that her
event had been so... eventful. Suddenly, a shower of petals
appeared over Chavie's head, drifting down like soft pink snow...
[image]
Vuudu teased the triplets about who was cuter, which started them
bickering.
[image]
And those still there lingered, dancing and flirting and walking
through a carpet of pink petals, as Storytime came to an end and
Killing Time began once again.
Wa Yit and the Royal Apothecary Society
Chavie - May 26, 2006
Sometimes Wight's friend Chavie did boring things and he had to
entertain himself. Like she would sew, and he would play with the
thread she wasn't using. Or she would write letters, and he'd go
and catch mice and insects and bring them back to her. Or she'd
talk to one of her friends, or cuddle and talk with her
girlfriend, and Wight would lie in a half-wakeful trance in a
patch of sunlight, soaking up the warmth, and contemplate the
dance of particles of dust or the swirling of water.
Right now, his friend Chavie was talking with Master Apothecary
Faranell in a little office place. Wight tried to pay attention.
"...an dam won de rin if yu kud hep."
Faranell frowned a little. Wight could sense annoyance. "And why
should the Royal Apothecary Society take time out of our
increasingly busy schedule to help you with your... dizzy
spells?" The Master was sitting behind a desk, with Chavie and
Wight standing in front of him.
Chavie shifted a little. "Bi kas... A kan bi af g'ret yus tu te
Hod. But dis di zi nes... a ka na du me ni tins a yus tu bi e bel
tu du." She continued talking about her weakness and dizziness.
Wight couldn't really remember a time when his friend wasn't
stumbling with dizziness every now and then. The day he was given
to her, a gift from Zeelina, was the day it had started. Wight
and Chavie had enjoyed some adventures in Un'Goro and other
places, and then they went to Caer Darrow...
He knew the story, and he had energy to burn. So he got to his
feet and padded away from the two, through the crack in the
doorway. There was a table covered in vials and bottles and
bunsen burners, and he had to figure out how to walk from one end
to the other without knocking anything over. He tensed for the
leap, and then pushed off, enjoying the brief feeling of being
airborne, and landed--clumsily--knocking aside an empty vial--oh
well.
It got the attention of a junior apothecary, who whirled around
and growled. "A kitten? Who dared let a kitten into the lab?!"
Wight ignored the woman and steadied himself, swishing his tail
back and forth, studying the table. When he had a path worked
out, he bolted--just in time, because the woman tried to grab
him--and picked his way across the table. He knocked aside two
other things, and toppled a bottle of sickly-sweet something, but
he was just a kitten and was still in training. Soon this
insignificant table would be no obstacle at all.
Something grabbed the back of his neck, right where his mother
used to grab him. His body went limp automatically, and then the
woman had him in the air.
"Ha!" She shook him. "Stupid cat!"
Do not shake Wight! He clawed at her, and bit at her. My teeth
and my claws are sharp. You will not win, puny dead human!
But she didn't let him down. She ignored his biting and clawing
and wriggling. "Where did you come from?" she growled at him. He
flattened his ears and hissed at her. going, My mother's womb,
same as everyone. You should ask where I'm going, that's always
different for everyone.
"That Grim came in with him,"said another dead human. This one
had a familiar scent and avoided looking Wight in the eye. Wight
watched him. He's part of her clan, he realized. Chavie's
brother. "She's meeting with Master Faranell right now."
"Very well." The woman took Wight back to his friend Chavie.
Faranell was talking, annoyed and superior about it. "...tired of
everyone thinking the RAS exists purely for--set the cat down and
leave, thank you--purely for their own purposes." Wight landed on
his feet and rushed to Chavie. You don't pick me up like I'm
still a suckling kitten, my friend. He rubbed against her legs.
"Yes, you are of The Grim. How wonderful. Tell me--how is your
quest for information regarding our plague incubator going?"
"Wat?" Chavie hissed. She was angry. Wight knew what she needed,
and pawed at her long kilt. She was in her shadow self again, and
had a weird, barely physical quality that tickled. She bent down
and picked him up, cradling him in her arms, and scratched him
behind his ears. He closed his eyes to shut out the sense of
sight and let the sense of touch be stronger, and purred,
radiating calmness, helping his friend relax.
"You led the raid on Stormwind--back in February. You had an
interesting encounter with dragons--but you failed in extracting
information concerning the whereabouts of Wrynn from his son's
very vulnerable mind. What have you done since then to help the
RAS? Admittedly, this difficulty with the dragons is interesting,
but please understand we are assisting you in this only because
we believe the possession, or whatever it is, can be harnessed."
Chavie's anger gave way to desperation. "Plis, a kan du so me ni
tins, a jus ni tu bi.. nat di zi al te tam! Is so fus t're tin, a
ka na du e ni tin--"
"I don't see how that is my problem. There are others who can
properly assist us. Besides, you've brought this on yourself,
haven't you?"
"E?" Wight felt and smelled the fear course through his friend,
and redoubled his purring. She redoubled her scratching.
"In late March and early April you were seen among the mass
graves by Brill, digging up the corpses of children, and taking
them away. You were later spotted at Caer Darrow, the ghost town,
entering an abandoned building. You spent the better part of a
month there, and when you returned to the Undercity you were as
you are now--visibly weakened, and prone to headaches and dizzy
spells. The person we sent to investigate the matter has not
returned, and is presumed dead. Now... do you care to let us in
on what you were doing in Caer Darrow for a month?"
Her voice was quiet. "No."
"Then we cannot help you. Stop wasting our time."
_____________________________
She was solemn all the way back to Caer Darrow, despite Wight's
frolicking. They went to their special shack, with the trap door,
and snuck in. There was a fresh corpse lying on the ground, and
the trap door was still sealed with rough magic. The corpse had a
gaping hole in its chest, like it had been impaled with
something. The hole had the after-smell of magic.
Chavie groaned, and set Wight down. He went over to inspect the
corpse more closely. Outside, Bu Bat the stupid throatless horse
was trying to eat again. "Wa did it na..." His friend was
confused. "Was su pos to tel mi if e ni wan kem." She clutched at
the magic rock she wore under her shirt.
This is why cats don't play with magic, Wight thought, watching
Chavie stumble as another dizzy spell took her. You can never be
sure what you're getting into.