Marvelous Secrets and Marvelous Toys

Log Info

• Title: Marvelous Secrets and Marvelous Toys
• Emitter: Seldan
• Characters: Gregor, Cryosanthia, Kaelyn, Seldan
• Place: A11: Festival Grounds
• Time: Monday, February 24, 2020, 12:01 PM
• Summary: The weathre is terrible, and has drawn some fighters to the Fairgrounds to practice their melee skills, and other potentially dangerous activities. Seldan is practicing with magic, Cryos indicates she's trying to manage her level of fear during combat, Gregor shares his experiences with too much and too little fear in the military. The conversation soon drifts to sith-makar heavy infantry, sith Castes, Cryo's heritage, Seldan's faith, and his sword and its opinion of him. Kaelyn crashes in, having attempted to fly, and then offers one of her devices for Cryo and Seldan to try out. The mysterious toy is quite engaging, Cryo is quite acrobatic on it, Seldan less so, falling off and injuring himself. Kaelyn treats him with slush and a healing stick, and Cryo helps him home.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--<* A11: Festival Grounds *>=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The sweeping Festival Grounds serve many purposes. For much of the year they serve as practice grounds for training knights, for the games of children who pick up ball, bat, and begin a game of stickball. During other times, they're filled with colored tents, with performers for some of Alexandria's many festivals.

Along one side are a set of permanent bleachers, and at either end an archway. Each archway is carved in the style of a grand entry and marked with images of of Daeus, with rearing horse and flying pennon. Here, the god stands depicted in his roles of defender and knight-warrior. Recently, the Lancers of Serriel have taken to practicing here, along the knights and warriors of other orders, and a small number of them take a select pride in the upkeep of the grounds, alongside the Daeusites, Navosians, Gileans, and other mixtures.

Littering the grounds are places for archery, target practice. Here too, scheduled a few times a month, is the space given for ridden sport, organized recently by the arvek nar. The reigning champion's name is displayed in an upright lance at the end of the field, a silent challenge for next month's contender.

-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  Appearing,  =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Seldan       5'11"    187 Lb     Human             Male      Red-blonde Eldanar man wearing Eluna's colors and symbol.                 
Gregor
Cryosanthia  6'7"     245 Lb     Sith-Makar        Female    A dashingly tall, lithe white lizardgirl with tattoos.                     
Kaelyn       17'4"    930 Lb     Feather Dragon    Female    Tall-ish, extremely curvy 5'4" redhead Elf... (VERY ENERGETIC!)            
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-

The weather today is positively disgusting, and the icy and slippery festival grounds are entirely deserted of their usual practice denizens, probably for the safety of the horses. Everything is coated in a layer of ice, but one figure seems unbothered by the mess Dana is making of Alexandria today. Seldan, in fact, stands in the middle of the open area, hood pulled up over his head against the icy precipitation, and is making use of the frozen surfaces to practice with a large, fiery sphere of some substance that he has conjured. He's bouncing it, carefully, as a child might bounce a ball, one hand outstretched as if in command.

Gregor is also taking advantage of the empty training area, or he was, but Seldan's display is pretty fantastic and has drawn him from over where he was pummeling a training dummy with a mock sword, and he's now watching the fiery display curiously, his own training forgotten for the moment. He's got his cloak pulled close around him, and scarf and gloves and all that against the cold, and he's left his horse back in the warmth of the stable, no point in dragging him out to freeze in the cold.

It is indeed a terrible day to be practicing. Perhaps this is what has drawn Cryosanthia out, there will be a greater challenge or fewer witnesses when she messes up. Normally she would go by the colosseum, but she's heard the Fairgrounds are more amenable to spells and she wants to work them into her routine. She is dressed rather inappropriately for the weather, in her white kilted leather armour, hat, gauntles. The only concession seems to be winter boots that fit and have separate toes and metal caps over her claws.

The white-scale sith hesitates, seeing Seldan with his bouncing fireball, then decides to approach to see what's up. He probably knows where it's allowable to shoot spells. As she draws close she says, "Peace on your nest, Seldan."

Seldan doesn't look over immediately at the call, nor does he interrupt his work for Gregor's watching. The bouncing stills, though, leaving the sphere to sit in the frozen mud/dirt, and only them does he look over towards the sith-makar. When he does, though, some of the seriousness and trouble that his bearing normally wears is quite simply absent, replaced with a boyish smile. "And peace upon yours as well, Cryosanthia. I had not thought to find others out in such weather, when the Lancers put aside their practice before a horse broke a leg. What brings you here?"

Gregor has his hands folded into his armpits for a bit more warmth as he watches Seldan. He will nod to Cryosanthia as she approaches Seldan, still watching quietly. His own horse is not here precisely so it doesn't break a leg on the ice, though he's spared no such reprieve for himself. "Training in all weather conditions helps prepare you to deal with such extremes without undue hardship," he says approvingly.

"Hey Gregor, Peace on your nest, I didn't recognize you at first." Cryo says. Most of the sleet is hitting her hat or limbs and she seems to be ignoring it as it collects then trickles off her scales. When it gets on her eyes, she does blink or wipe at them, but does seem to be tolerating it even if it's making it hard for her to see some things clearly. She exhales strongly, making a prprprprprpr noise with her lips. "Well. I've been kind of freaking in combat, especially when I think everyone is going to die. Which seems to be, frequently. The speaker trainer said I should try singing, to have something else to worry about I guess, and to try and focus. On openings, on spells, what's going on. Not just blindly attacking."

"So it does, for one may find such weather conditions on the road as well, or worse." Seldan nods to Gregor, although part of his mind seems to remain attentive to the ball of fire that waits before him, far enough away to not be scorching, but close enough to grant warmth. "And, I doubt that I should set anything afire today, do I err." His smile broadens with mirth, then fades. "There is a reason why the Guild never sends its people alone, Cryosanthia. To take on such dangers, Guild teams must work as a team, and each has a role within it. If you trouble yourself over the role of others, you will not fulfill yours, to the detriment of all."

Gregor is quite bundled up, no doubt hard to recognize like this. He nods thoughtfully about singing in combat, but says, "You /can/ do that," in a way that implies he thinks it's not a great idea. "If you're a bard, it's fine. Blindly attacking's not the best way, either, of course, or the orcs'd have taken over the world. Distracting yourself's a bad plan, because you could distract yourself from something important is the problem." He nods agreement with Seldan about the Guild sending out groups for a reason. "Combined arms, it's sometimes called. Cooperation between diverse elements that amplify each other's strengths. What's your role in combat, then that's what you worry about. Worry about injuries /if/ you're a healer. If not, it's someone else's problem."

"Um... okay. I don't think I'm worrying about that, the healing." Cryo is staring at the formerly bouncing ball of fire, which is simply sitting there. Something she's not usually seen them do. She shrugs, still staring at the ball, "I don't know what my role is. We don't usually have a leader saying what to do. Usually there's someone better armoured than me, but they're slow, or they run up without telling everyone else what they're doing. I'm hard to hit but I can't take too many hits, I can hurt things at range, just not very well. I don't have to run up but I don't want to see the other fighters alone and surrounded, so I usually do."

There is something in Seldan's tone that suggests only half attention on his words. The ball slowly raises into the air, then settles back down and rolls in Cryosanthia's general direction. Never close enough to reach her, mind. "At times, the intent of those who rush in may be to keep the claws of the enemy from the throats of those who may not withstand the abuse," he explains. "In so doing, they declare their ground, and draw the eyes of the enemy from you. You need not stand by, but you may choose your target, should they do so, and may place yourself so as to force the enemy to split their attention, and in so doing make themselves vulnerable."

He dismisses the bouncing ball of fire, then, with a gesture. "Your dilemma is not unknown to me, for I must choose my role based on what strengths are needed, and on what roles the group may lack, for I may stand fast against the enemy, or I may unleash magic."

Gregor snorts with amusement to Cryosanthia about not having leaders in Guild missions. "I know, right? That'd be way too organized and efficient. Can't have that." He nods as she explains what she does in combat. He says, "So, you're basically auxiliary melee, or what in they army they'd call Light Infantry. You're not in there to dig in and punish the enemy. You're there to slip in, hurt them, and if they turn to fight you, you back off. Let the heavy infantry take the hits. When light infantry has to hold a line, they get hurt pretty badly." He peers at Seldan, and he nods gravely. "That makes your role a decision to be made in the moment. Probably similar for you," he says to Cryosanthia. "You can use magic or support the melee depending on which you think you could do more effectively. But either way, don't worry about things you can't help with, it'll just slow down your decision speed."

Cryosanthia has a hard time looking away from the ball of fire, and even backs up a step as it rolls towards her. She blinks when it finally vanishes, having not blinked the entire time she had her attention on it. She responds with hesitation to Seldan's advice, "Yes, that makes sense..."

The white-scale responds much more strongly to Gregor's commentary. "Yes. Right. It's situational. That's what my Speaker trainer was saying. And the singing isn't to distract myself, it's... to not be afraid. Simple stuff I can do in my sleep, scales practice. Something automatic to feel in control, like a prayer, so I'm thinking. "

Cryo looks over at Seldan, "You do that when you're fighting, prayers and so on? I think Ezil does. Is it always to call down a power, or sometimes is it 'Watch me, I'm in trouble'? This one is sorry, I thought you were a Holy Warrior, I'm not sure now..."

"How to explain?" Seldan pushes a damp lock of hair from his face, and is quite obviously searching for words. "Humans ... soft skins ... are not bound to only one caste. No such concept exists, among us. It is true that I am to Eluna as Ezil is to Althea, a holy warrior and defender of the innocent. I may call upon Her in prayer or raise a sword in Her name." _How do I explain this?_ his bearing clearly reads. "But ... I straddle two castes. I am all that, and more, for I also am granted the gift of arcane magic."

Gregor hrms about the singing to not be afraid. That's a thing that wouldn't occur to him. "Fear's a natural reaction, though, to dangerous situations. Barbarians are fearless, and they'll charge face-first into a pikewall. Too much fear is bad, but enough fear to keep you from doing something foolish is probably good. Fearlessness is as bad as fear for getting you killed." He eyes the paladin, and says, "I don't know how it is for you, sir. Do you feel the fear, but just don't let it affect you negatively, or do you just plain fear /nothing/? I've seen Paladins wade into the thick of a fight and walk out again victorious, but I was never sure what she was thinking." He's thinking of one specific paladin, then.

"I understand what you say," Cryo says, adjusting her hat upwards and tipping a bunch of slush down her back. She wriggles and shakes it off, her tail flicking, clearly something she wasn't expecting. "This one is not sure you understand our Castes. I'm a Speaker, I bring messages and negotiate, sometimes at point of sword, sometimes through interpretive dance, and can do a few magic tricks. Most Hunter-caste are... the light auxiliary melee infantry that are good in the woods. You call them scouts? Rangers. Some are more caring of nature though, or more deadly in it's their defense. Most with that talent gravitate towards Shaman or Warrior caste, but not always. There are Lore Keepers that can do rituals, but they leave that to the Shamans, mostly. Caste is what you do, it is not always what you are."

"Except... when the softskins talk about the arcane, they usually are meaning they are wizards... Merek has made some effort to explain the difference to me, that there are types of wizards that are not wizards. It is hard to get my mind around it, when he says I am one of the not-ones too. Also I am curious about Gregor's fear question, I think I am fearing too much and it is making me make bad choices."

"Among my people ... what one does and who one is ... are not always one." Some of Seldan's smile fades. "But you ask me of fear, and I ask you this: Eluna turns Her face to me, and stands at my back. Do I not turn my face from Her, She will never turn from me. If that is so, then what have I to fear? If She calls me to her, then willingly do I go, if it be in Her service." The words are said in the way that one might observe that the sky is blue, or water is wet. "It is not that I never fear, only that my trust in Her power is greater than all fear."

He frowns, but nods at the explanation. "That may be so, and yet do I still straddle two castes, no matter how they are defined. It is as you say, that not all workers of the arcane are wizards. Wizards are those who study theory and mire themselves in tomes of ancient wisdom. I ... can only say that I but feel the arcane. I know not how, exactly, I touch it, only that the ability to do so comes from my ancestors. There are those whose ancestors have had dealings or dalliances with planar beings and beings of power, and that, if it is of sufficient power, may touch one's very blood and bones, and leave one changed. That change may appear in one's descendants, as in me."

Gregor definitely does not understand castes. He understands that it's what you do and not what you are, but what he does falls in two different camps. "I am a hunter caste because I know my way around the forests and swamps and wilderness areas, and bring back game to the camp. But I am a warrior when there's a hard fight and someone needs to stand their ground and dig in. I prefer not to be that guy, but I've done it when needed, and I'll do it again if I have to. In the army, I was light cavalry. We were scouts and skirmishers, not linebreakers. That was the heavy cavalry. But in a small party, you sometimes have to fill in if you're the closest to a role and you can do it. I /can/ charge the line and break through, if I need to." He nods as Seldan explains his fearlessness. "I think, then, that I have not sufficiently impressed Serriel with my devotion to her, that she would stand by me as Eluna stands with you."

Cryo chuffs a small snort, "Ceinara, as you call her, seems to have forgotten me. This one has drawn the Lady Grey's attention more easily, and does not wish to be called yet. I would guess you to be Hunter caste, Gregor, from what you have said. In truth, the Caste chooses the ones they want. Until then one is Caste-less and that is how we think of softskins. This one fights, I would to protect Mictlan, try to break through a line if necessary, as you say. They would send a Warrior caste to do so, preferred, and me to delay with parlay. I think this is why the Explorer's Guild is confusing, the collection they send does not seem tailored for the mission and must sort themselves."

"We are all come from dragons," Cryo says reverantly to Seldan, a similar tone to how he spoke of Elune and enigmatic with her use of 'we'. "I can do this."

She drops into a fencing stance, weight evenly distributed, one hand high over her head, the other forward as if she's holding her rapier, which remains on her belt. Her 'empty' hand flicks through some arcane gestures, tattoos along her arm glow, one more than the others, and a pale ray flies from her finger and strikes a target down the way. The sleet freezing from point of impact and frost. Next her 'weapon' hand flicks, and an Icicle Dagger appears, growing from her palm, the hilt of it wrapping around her hand in a rough shape of ice. More glowing on that arm. Finally she makes another gesture and there's a drumbeat for six seconds.

"No, it is not, but they must take whoever will undertake the work, and so one may find oneself in strange company. It is ... troublesome at times," Seldan agrees. Once the magic comes out, though, his eyes sharpen, and he makes a quick gesture of his own, peering as she works. Only when she finishes does he dismiss with a gesture whatever it was that he did, nodding. "Arcane magic. There can be no doubt." Real approval is rich in his words. "Would you know, then, what it is that you are, and whence your magic comes? If it comes from your ancestors, as mine does, I may be able to show you."

Gregor hrms at being hunter caste, and he agrees, "That's who I tend to fall in with, among your people. But it'd always been my goal to ride with the heavy cavalry, and even as light, I've seen my share of fighting, with the army and here. I do not run from a scrap. So I would not have the honor due a warrior caste withheld from me. Even as a scout, we rode under a banner and an officer and were true to our colors." He watches the demonstration though he's not sure exactly what it is he's watching, and Seldan's comment doesn't clear anytning up.

"Of course Gregor, this one does not mean insult." Cryosanthia stands, touching her hand to her chestpiece, dangling her dagger by her side. Her posture is very formal and otherwise symetrical, her tail pulling in against the back of her legs. "The sith do not force softskins to fit our Castes, or invite them in. You are honoured by those you associate with, and the ones that do not, will tell you so. Stand with Warriors, they will accept and honor you or tell you to leave. Stand with Hunters, they will do the same. Stand with Speakers," she winks, her mouth wide in a grin, "and I will ask you to dance."

Her dagger has faded away when she relaxes and looks once more at Seldan. Her words are more uncertain, whatever confidence or diplomatic training employed with Gregor is absent now. "It... does. I've seen her. In a dream. Despite assurances from several that I should not worry ... white dragons... are poor choices to emulate."

Seldan says, "One need not emulate the source of one's power, simply because that power is granted. Your path is yours to choose." Seldan tries his best to make his tone and bearing reassuring. "Neither your ancestors nor your family may choose for you."

Before he can continue, there's a voice from his left hip, a lower, female human sound in a delighted laugh, joined by another, older human female that is slightly nasal. "Kaenian, are you listening?"

"So that is why he never listens." This voice is an irascible old man's tone.

Seldan looks down at the sword on his hip. "Yes, I know." Pointedly ignoring the resulting discussion at his hip, his head lifts, and he turns his attention back to Cryosanthia. "I do not fault you for worrying. I did the same, and sought to learn of my ancestors that I would understand whence my powers came. In the end, you must forge your own path.""

New entry number... who cares! A large critter can be seen, gliding into the area, twitching here and there and clumsily making corrections as they're juuust about to land, but well, when forward momentum is gone, she drops like a rock. Back feet hit first, then forepaws, then she slides a bit on a slippery surface, wings still partly outstretched and cupped, the big feathered limbs twitching a bit, then well more slippery and she spins and ends up in a sprawl...

Kae lays there, breathing deeply before raising her head up and sighing... "And here I thought it'd be easier.. Birds manage it pretty quick!" She mutters an exclamation, before she exhails a sigh, some smoke rising from her nostrils.... Then she remembers to fold her wings in and gets to her feet, sliding a bit... "eeeef... who put the ice out here." She mutters again, flexing her toes on her back feet and fingers to extend those claws of hers and use them like makeshift cleets.

Kae then looks up and notices people, blink... blink... "Yeaaah probably not the best place to try and learn and keep pride intact, KaeKae." She says to her self before giving a biiig goofy smile at everyone.

Gregor nods about just picking a caste, and says, "That's the whole issue. I'd stand with both, but that's not really possible. I'm not going to join either, obviously, but where I stand is important to me, and it doesn't feel like the place I want to stand, that there is such a place among your people. It's fine as it is. I'm just saying. There is, as far as I can tell, no heavy cavalry in Amshere. Though on a swiftclaw, maybe anyone's heavy cavalry?" As far as the source of power, he explains, "It's much the same with social status and where you fit into the army, in Blar. I was much too ill-favored to join the heavy cavalry, but I was adamant about joining the ranks, and they allowed me to join the scouts, the light cavalry. Though I suppose my mundane ancestry isn't so much an issue as magical pedigree."

"A fully armoured Warrior on a Swiftclaw is very heavy cavalry!" Cryo says with an enthusiastic grin. "Do not get in the way of one. I hope I've explained ok enough. Social status is... harder."

Then the white-sith sees Kaelyn flying in overhead, landing, spinning into a sprawl. She laughs, "They don't have much choice, they're pushed out of the nest, fly or die. Hello Kaelyn, are you down safely? The grounds are treacherous and have claimed one horse already today."

Finally Cryo takes some time to consider Seldan's words... and the words from his sword? Her eyeridges raise. "I... yes. Well. I'm worried what I might find. I've already found enough." She laughs, "You know, I feel I could find her lair. That I would just know, if I went North long enough. She might even be there still. Must be strange to talk to your ancestors..."

Distracted by Kaelyn's crash landing, Seldan doesn't answer Cryosanthia immediately, although he does listen to the side discussion between her and Gregor without comment or anything, really, to add. "Forgive me," he says quickly, and picks his way over to where Kaelyn crash-landed. "This is dangerous weather to attempt flight," he tells the elf. "Ice on the feathers will bring one down swiftly and painfully, and can ruin one's control, especially if the pinions freeze. If it is learning you would do, wait until the ice is gone, at the least. Are you all right?"

Gregor shrugs about heavy cavalry, but says, "It's not /just/ being asrtide a fearsome beast that lets nothing stop it, though. Heavy cavalry is about lances in formation, and trampling heavily fortified positions, and about marching in a victory parade in front of the king, armor polished, lanceheads gleaming, penants flying ... It's a mindset as much as a military formation, and I'm not sure if Amshere even /has/ enough open plain to let a company of lancers all charge." He sighs a bit, he was getting nostalgic, if you can get nostalgic for something you were never part of. It's what he /wanted/ to be part of.

Kae blinks and peers over at the others.... "Someone suggested I should try to glide.... " She then ummms... "I soooo didn't work..." She then shakes her self off, and grins before kind of trotting her way to the others and sitting on her haunches.. "Anyhoos, I'm fine, this body's pretty durned tough." She says happily.

"This one will ask Svarshan about it." Cryosanthia says, walking to follow Seldan and gesturing for Gregor to come with her. She squeezes her lips together tightly, carefully adjusts her hat so as to not dump slush on her again, "You must understand, our military traditions developed in jungle. There is no open plane. Our formations have to hold going over, under and around trees, through vines, and mire. The barding and banners, pennants flying, a formation rotating on the spot. We never developed that because we couldn't."

"It is always tough until it breaks Kaelyn, at least mine is." The palescale looks the feather dragon over. Healing isn't her thing, so as Gregor advised, she tries not to worry about it. Too much. "She OK there Seldan?"

"I do not think her injured," Seldan nods to Cryosanthia and turns to follow Kaelyn back to meet up with the group. The icy rain is slacking off a little, and he pushes that unruly lock of hair away from his face again. "I know of what you speak," he adds, "for I have once seen Am'shere. It is indeed thick jungle, wherein one might well be capable of using the mosquitoes for mounts." His smile suggests jest. "It is both strange, and not, my friend, but do not doubt that they stand with you, whether you know them, or no. At times ... they have insight to share with me, insight that aids me." He leaves the rest unsaid and hanging. "Gliding is a good place to begin," he agrees, "but icy weather makes it most difficult."

Gregor looks over at Kaelyn, then back to Seldan and Cryosanthia, declining to come over with her. He nods at what she says, the military traditions are, for understandable reasons, entirely different. "Yes, that's entirely my point. But I think I would like to see a heavy lancer on a swiftclaw leading a charge with penants flying. That'd be quite the thing to behold. But I've got to get going. I will see you all another time." He waves farewell, then, and departs through the sleet and weather.

Kae blinks, looking between person to person to person and ummms... "Sooo what's a swift claw?" She asks? Yup Kae can be like compleeetely hopeless at times! Her tail lashes once back and forth and she pauses long enough to shake her self off again...

"We used to do that as hatchlings. Ride mosquitos and get carried away by them." Cryo winks at Seldan with a wide grin that shows off just little bit of her teeth. She waves as Gregor departs, "Peace on your nest. I will suggest it. It would be a sight to behold."

And as a speaker she knows, appearances can matter.

"You must have seen them, Kaelyn, smaller than the draft beast you became, they are our riding mounts. Two long hind legs, two forelegs with wicked claws, long tail for counterbalance, long neck."

"So, your ancestors live in that blade? Are they disappointed or pleased with you? Do they pester you to continue the family name?"

Laughter in half a dozen voices at least spills from the sword at Seldan's hip, while the paladin himself turns crimson and stares intently at the freezing mud in which his boots are buried. He may be lost for words, but the sword sure isn't. "He'll do, for now." That's the lower female voice. "If you can convince the boy to stop dallying about with that wizard and find a good wife, we'd be in your debt." The irascible old man is quickly followed by the nasal old woman. "Shame on you! He'll find a wife when he's ready...but he might need help." A gruff, deep male voice chimes in next. "Nonsense, he'll find some pretty little thing."

The uproarious discussion of multiple voices continues, leaving Seldan to stand in humiliated, scarlet silence.

Kae blinks, her ears prick forward and she twitches some.... "Ummm, methinks his weapon is of multiple minds? Maybe?" She says... Blink... blink...

Kae never got talking weapons, they kind of wierd her out a little bit....

Kae then loooks to Cryo and umms "Honestly? I've never been to Ahm Sher..." She says and shrugs... "Buuuuut, I can kinda guess maybe?" She says and smiles again, it's kind of sheepish.

Cryo is positively gleeful at the explosion of conversation from Seldan's sword, and she thought Reaver was interesting! She crouches down, hands on her knees, tail out behind and splatting in the slush so she can talk across at it, to them? "He is in need of aid? This one has read all the Romantic Plays! I shall help. I will be Cryo de Perenath and craft poems for him to woo with! It is classic tragic Myrrish comedy! Bards will sing of it!"

She happily waggles her tail, which is mostly getting her wet. Standing with an open mouthed smile bobs her head at Kaelyn, "You must have seen them. Iuitl becomes one. She can show you. Zeke and I were riding double saddle in deep discussion when the thought occurred, we did not know our Swiftclaw mount. It could have been her!"

Then, the white-sith notices, "Seldan. You are a strange colour. Is this frostbite? Ezil has looked similar, some discomfort he would not explain."

Kae blinks and peers at Cryo.. "Yeaaah, shapeshifting has never been my strongest point... Sometimes wished I did the whole sorcery or wizarding thing and went into enchantment and whatnot... Might let me explore it a bit more." She says and gives a big grin....

More explosion of conversation from the sword at Seldan's hip clearly is not helping whatever is causing that change of skin color Cryosanthia can see so clearly. "You would be a dear if you did that." Certainly the elderly male voice is in favor. "I should at least like to see such a thing," the nasal older woman admits, and several other voices chime in in agreement. "If it helps..." "What's your name, young lady?"

One lone voice rises in dissent, though, and it is the lower female voice. "I for one would sooner see him destroying that which is evil. Time enough for him to start a family later. We have more important things to do." His spate of disagreement erupts, and finally Seldan finds his voice, and cuts in. "Enough, all of you. I would not so risk the innocent as to seek to raise a family. Not now, not before She and her lackey and Eclavdran are all defeated." He looks up then, and there is determination, but his face is still quite scarlet. "Forgive me," he begins tentatively. "You ask ... complex questions, but it is no matter. Swiftclaws are mighty indeed, but temperamental. Do you ride often?"

"It's Cryosanthia!" She ducks her head down, whispering quickly to the sword again, "We'll talk later."

She pops back up. "Ahm. I do ask things. So after the She Sidhe shall we romance perfidy." Her full height leaves her looking down at Seldan, so she retreates a step so the discrepancy isn't so blatant. An odd expression crosses her face, "Oh... I had one more... which this one shall ask later."

"I have ridden horses more than swiftclaws, and neither very often. I have some skill. The swiftclaws seem a little more pleased to see me. One can't read their minds, but at least I understand the smells they are reacting to?"

Kae tilts her head first left and right, hten ummmms.... "Sooooo, I've only ridden a couple horsies... most of the time I have my hoverboard, buuuuuuut... big but here and all, I currently can't really fit on it.. Maybe a foot.." She then peers at Cryo and grins widely! "Heeey, speaking of hoverboard, wanna try?" She then lookst o Seldan too...

"It's kinda fun!"

"What is ....?" Seldan eyes Kaelyn with a rich mixture of curiosity and trepidation, pointedly ignoring the interchange between the sith-makar and the sword at his hip. "A ... hover-board?" Whatever that is. "What ... does it do?"

The sword, by the way, whispers conspiratorially back to Cryosanthia in that nasally female voice, "Later!" Seldan gives the weapon a dirty look - the redness still has not faded from the alabaster complexion - and coughs. "I have done similar, although I fare somewhat better with horses."

The white-scale answers Seldan's question carefully, tilting her head, "By name, it floats, and is a plank. By context, Kaelyn has ridden it. So... some alternate sort of Witch's Broomstick? A levitating balance beam?"

"Sure Kaelyn, this one is curious. How does it go? How does it stop? Are there eyes on the front so it knows not to crash into things? Is it of goblin make?" Her final question would answer a couple of the other ones if a positive, and a few unspoken, such as 'is it safe?'.

Kae darts off, not like she has far to go... She gets what looks like some kind of odd surfboard covered in little gismos and gadgets built into it. She clumsily tugs a little rod on the end of a wier it seems off the side then grins... Button on top is the stopper, green button in the front, the trigger style button is go, further you pull it in the faster you go... You avoid bumping stuff by well stearing it by leaning and changing the direction of the nose." She says cheerflly and then drops the sleek device to the ground, it doesn't hit though, there's a dull whir and it floats there, a few inches off the frozen ground...

Kae then ohs... "Blue trigger under the green trigger is altitude, pull it in to climb higher, let it go to go to the lower distance from the ground... It will try to maintain about 8 inches or so, and has lifters on the fron to get the nose up on uneven terrain to keep you from nose planting..." She says and then adds "To turn on the drive,s hit the red switch on the side, hop on, strap your feet in and take the controller..." She adds and then sits on her haunches. "It's been MONTHs since I got to ride on it, would like to see at least someone else ride it.." She adds cheerfully.. "Oooh, and I made it!"

GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d6: (4): 4
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls acrobatics+4: (12)+7+4: 23
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls 1d20+3: (10)+3: 13
GAME: Cryosanthia rolls ride: (19)+7: 26
GAME: Seldan rolls acrobatics: (13)+-1: 12
GAME: Seldan rolls ride: (2)+3: 5
GAME: Seldan rolls reflex: (6)+14: 20

It's the question about whether a gobber made the device that hits home for Seldan, and he simply stares at the device with equal parts curiosity and trepidation. "A complex thing...." he starts, but subsides as Cryosanthia shows first interest. "And a fascinating piece of work. Still, if you wish." He nods that the sith-makar should take the first turn, and crosses his arms across his chest to watch.

Cryo stares unblinking as the explanation washes over her, finally saying, "Whirr when it stands still, Bop when it stops, zip when it moves? I strap in here, and here, this is up, this is down? Tiller like a rowboat, but opposite because it's in the front. Okay..."

She balances on the device, claws gripping even as she slips toes under the straps. Her tail swishes from side to side, maintaining her centre of gravity. Taking the stick in hand she tests the hoverboard. It starts to move. Picks up speed. She adjusts her stance, tail streaming behind her, being used as a rudder as if she's swimming and it's not entirely ineffective.

Getting more confident, Cryo cranks the elevation, it lifts off the ground. She's banking it in the air, even manages a small sinusoid. Angling back around she's riding it like a master until, well, she slips. One of her feet comes off the board sideways. She tries to pull herself back on using the tiller and that completely overcompensates and rolls the Hoverboard out from beneath her.

She falls, limbs spread like a cat, hits the ground and rolls several times, over shoulder over hip over tail over head and slides on her belly. The fall was absorbed, but she's soaked.

The Hoverboard flies on without her, losing velocity and elevation until it comes to a stop. Bop.

Kae grins a bit and tilts her head... She then trots over to fetch the board, after checking Cryo... "You ok? It's kind of fun, isn't it." She says cheerfully.... She then turns her head to look over her back at Seldan. "You're welcome to try it too...." She says and shoves the floating board to Seldan... "When I make it easier to use and safer for all, my intention is mebbe to mass produce them..." She says happily.. "Am thinking this will help looots of folks, at least have fun if nothing else!"

Seldan watches Cryosanthia soar on the thing, his curiosity growing. When she surrenders it, more gracefully than most if unexpectedly, and it returns to the ground, he nods. "I should like to try." Remembering what Kaelyn had said, he studies the controls as if memorizing them, then steps up, sliding booted feet into the straps, and off he goes.

Unfortunately for him, such a maneuver as this is much, much more difficult in armor, and the sleet having picked up again does not help. Before he gets very far at all, it tilts sideways, and one of his feet slips from its anchor point, sliding away on the icy surface until it slides off entirely.

He immediately goes down with a cry of "Agh!", still clinging to the controls even as he straddles the board, and the edge of the hoverboard lands in a very, very uncomfortable spot. It is by sheer instinct, reflexes, and perhaps just a little divine grace that the board does not seem to be particularly damaged as it twists, tilts, and lands in the frozen mud, with him still wrapped in a crumpled heap around it, curling up in a fetal position.

"I'm Ok," Cryo says, getting up, muddy and soaked. She's using her cheating gloves to clean herself off as Seldan mounts up on the board. She watches, he seems quite good, then... oh. That slip, where the board went! A male sith would not be happy. Aren't softskins arranged worse there? Oh no! He's curled up, hasn't moved. "Seldan! Did you crush your ability to have children? Are you disabled?"

The white-scale rushes over, kneeling beside him, "I don't know the treatment for this!"

Plus... some would rather die...

Kae blinks at cryo curiously, then staaarrrreees at Seldan and siiiighs. Kae shrugs, looks around and finds a big pile of sleet... She then grins and gets a double handful of well sleet, and wanders over to try and well ice Seldan's sore bits down...

Kae then ooohs "Soo, I'm sure you know, we mamals keep our male bits external... still though, takes more than that to cause permanent damage, even if it hurts a loooot." She says and smiles cherfully... She then hmms

Kae digs through her pockets and pulls a crystalin object out of one, it's blue with a button in the middle.. "That thingie heals." She says. "just push the button." before she puts that in Seldan's hands....

Some would call the extra sleet being helpful. Seldan calls it adding insult to injury, and a groan is his first response. It's possible to press the healing item to him, but his hands have gone to the sore bits as he rolls a little back from the instrument in question. The hoverboard is unharmed, but the paladin seems to be taking more than a minute to recover, hissing in pain as the ice hits the sore bits.

At length, though, he does manage a shake of the head at Cryosanthia, and about half a minute later, he uncurls enough to manage to speak. "I ... will never know what that is ... nor ... do I ... wish to. Give me ... a moment." He is clearly trying to pull himself together.

"This one... avoids questions along those lines." Cryosanthia says, looking away from Kaelyn, then away from Seldan. She finds herself staring at the hoverboard. "It is an interesting device. It may need more friction on the foot pads. Let me know when you are... restored Seldan."

"It's Ok, sword-ancestors, the other mammal assures me it is not serious." Cryo says, unsure if the weapon has eyes the way Munch's did, or if it only hears things. Then, she waits. In waiting, she is motionless, crouched near Seldan clearly focused on something else in the fairgrounds. Her chest swells as she breathes, otherwise no part of her moves. Even her tail is still.

When Seldan finally moves and speaks, she rises, waiting on him and holding out a hand to help him up, "I'll take you home. I think the practicals are over. It's slippery. Let this one assist. When... you are ready to move."

Music referenc

The Marvelous Toy". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6LbjUt-J7A