North South and West

It is not every day that one travels to Ketsalkuetspaltahtepetl... save, perhaps for its local denizens. Certainly not commonplace for one to visit from Alexandria or other locations across Ea, under the context of a genocidal threat. In short, a day high in activity in greetings, meetings, planning and eventually settling within local Makari residences that were opened to outsiders. Where all can eat and rest. Notionally.

Sleep comes less easily to, or lingers less so, for some. Thus it is that Verna rose early to tend to some errands. At present, the current errand is travelling to the guest hosts she can recall, to see who might be already (or still) awake. She knows well where her shared temporary accomodations are, of course, which may be why she has not returned there just yet. It is likely the last on her rounds. Logically.

Schara has arrived.

A familiar silver scaled makari can be found outside, Skiel sitting and leaning against one of the many statues the litter the sacred ground. His halberd, Malefic, is uncharacteristically still and grinless.

Spying the Death Singer walking on by pulls him from his thoughts. "Shaman, peace on your nest," he rumbles, shoving off the statue to be more upright. He doesn't look particularly happy at present, despite all odds.

If Verna is hoping - by avoiding her own guest accommodations - to thereby avoid her wife... Then her attempt is sent rather awry by the fact that Auranar is actively looking for her. The black-and-pink haired sorceress stands in a somewhat more open space, her dark eyes roving over the various makari individuals for the more familiar form of her wife. Even if Verna is lacking her usual dark accoutrements of her chosen faith, finding one half-mul'niessa woman amid the many sith-makar should not be a difficult task.

Indeed, as Skielstregar offers the Mourner greeting, Auranar spies her and quickly makes toward the pair determinedly.

Perhaps it was the nature of why they were out there that had so many people out and about. Schara was no exception to the current uneasiness in the air, and so the artificer did what they so often did, and found themselves absorbed in their work, doing something that they had some semblance of control over.

Part of the forging area where the dwarves had been working had been taken over by a large number of parts, and leaving some time to wait for various things, the artificer took a wander out into the area. The bronze clad figure was missing one left arm when they happened upon Skielstregar and Verna, and Auranar also quickly approaching. "Oh, hello Skielstregar, Verna, and that looks like Auranar coming over. I won't ask if everything is alright given why everyone is here, but are you all doing alright?" They ask.

Verna is not avoiding any. In fact, she is seeking, if politely and somewhat discreetly; sharing information is good, creating a group of angry half-conscious hosts is not. "Peace on your nest," she returns the greeting as Skielstregar differentiates himself from one of the statues. Next noted is Schara's greeting. "I would share words. There is..."

Her words pause as Schara points out the incoming Auranar, to whom Verna looks. The pause lingers to allow her wife to step near before she continues and expounds. "There is much to discuss. I have news of our enemies and their plans."

It's a passing thought as Skiel watches Auranar approach Verna. Huh. That's where the Death Singer got all the pink from. A glance towards bronze. "Schara, Auranar, peace on your nest." A pause. "No," comes a simple yet involved answer.

Sharing of words? The silver statue animates further, grunting from taut legs as he rises. Polearm in hand and used as a walking stick. "Pleassse. Share wordsss. Thisss one would like to do ssssomething productive. For once." A glance at Malefic. They have no quips.

Auranar reaches Verna's side and neatly nods her head to Skielstregar and... She isn't sure she knows the name of the other in the odd metal getup. Aside from the meeting, she's not sure they've actually met. Her dark eyes flicker to the missing limb and then back to Verna. "I've been looking everywhere for you." She says, a small thread of worry in her voice. "You have new information?"

There's a moment of confusion and then suspicion lights in Auranar's dark gaze. "Did you scry them? Is that why you disappeared?" Worry and displeasure war across the wild elf's features.

"Please feel welcome to share words Verna, words are meant to be shared after all." They answer, only to stop for a moment, and sigh. "It sounds like bad things to share, but important regardless so even though I might not want to hear them, I should hear them."

"You do a lot of productive things Skiel, but you said no, so I may be wrong, but I think something is bothering you. Something for another time?" She notes, turning to wave their one arm. "Oh hello, you are Auranar, right? I think Verna has mentioned you before." She greets the other person. "It is good to meet you even if circumstances are not the best."

Verna's lips purse. Her eyes lower from Auranar's. "I scried upon -her-," she makes a minor clarification to Auranar's hypothesis. "She is not within Am'shere, from what I witnessed... yet that does not prevent her from orchestrating all from afar." Her expression deepens to a frown as she looks between all. "This city has enemies surrounding it on three sides. Wielders of magic to the south. What could be the Behemoth, the moving moutain spoken of before, to the west." Lastly, her eyes return to Auranar. "Devils to the north. She has -fiends- at her disposal. I believe an attack is most imminent."

"Arguing with a stubborn piessse of metal for hours on end is tiring and not productive. Another time," Skiel grumbles. There's a soft trilling sound, like a metallic reed, that comes from Malefic. Their maw parting briefly to make that noise and nothing more.

The half-dead silverscale turns his attention to Verna. Scaled brows furrow, and his tail twitches in frustration. "... that isss not good. But good that sssuch information got to ussss. Excellent work, Death Sssinger."

He looks to the mud at their feet, and a talon on his foot draws a clunky reiteration of what was shared with draconic runes dictating which was which. "... devilsss, magesss, and the Behemoth," he reiterates. "We... may have to ssstrike sssoon. Today, even."

The mention of devil's is enough to make Auranar blanche in response. If there is one thing that she despises - fears - more than any other, it is fiends. Her lips tighten into a thin line and she feels a moment of pure frustration. Is a _behemoth_ not enough? Legions of mages? No, there must be fiends as well. Her hands clench into fists and she frowns deeply. All to destroy people who have never wronged anyone. A peaceful people trying to live their own lives. "We must make ready then."

"It's easy for someone that knows a lot about magic to send messages to people from across the world, sometimes even other planes, right? I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the people in charge are not here." The artificer sighs, taking a seat down near the statue with a lot of clanking. "Is that the same person who Skielstregar saw? Or someone else in charge?"

"There is a lot to be done I guess, and all of them sound bad to various degrees." Schara considers, shaking her head. "But all are enough to be bad, they might be counting on at least some of their plans succeeding, if not all maybe? Which means we can't let anything succeed at all, which is overwhelming, but I think we might be able to manage."

Verna nods to Auranar, wincing at the change in her complexion. "We must prepare. I was only able to discern the briefest of exchanges before the scrying was noticed," she informs, slowly looking to the other two, "yet it mentioned that the corrupted creature referred to as a ravener was nearly under their control. I fear that is the only issue that delays them." She focuses upon Schara, then. "It is my believe that this corrupted creature is their true goal, their true focus. If it reaches the volcano, it may well spread the corruptive curse far and wide."

A growl churns in Skielstregar's chest at the thought of the leader being away from battle. "Coward."

"Coward." Malefic says in tandem with Skiel. At least they aren't arguing on that front.

The wild elf's fears get picked up on from Skielstregar, him closing his eyes and taking a long breath. "It isss overwhelming if you do not look at it in piecessss, Ssschara. Thisss one musssst asssume thisss... ravener isss the Behemoth."

He looks down at the diagram. Pensive. "It mussst not reach. The People have sssufferred much. We know many ssservantsss of the Dragonsss of Light, thessse fiendsss can fall to them. Thisss one isss unsure of how to deal with the magesss, but- erm- thisss one is good against corruption." A glance to Verna. Then back down. "Thisss one sssuggesstss we sssend sssscoutss asss soon as possible to get proper numbersss."

Auranar gathers herself, shoving her fears into a little part of herself to be examined later. For now, she needs her full attention on ensuring that this place stands against the forces arrayed against it. "It would be wise to move against them while we still have some element of surprise on our side."

"I'm not sure what a Ravener is, but if it's part of their plans to corrupt it, then it's an assumption, but a safe one, that we should stop them from finishing, right?" The artificer offers, tapping the area of their left shoulder a few times. "I'm feeling overwhelmed, but I mean, that's the point of it, I think. They're trying to have more plans in place at once, to make sure at least one succeeds, and reached their goal. It makes sense, I dislike what they're doing but it's a reasonable course to make. Especially when none of the options sound like they particularly put their own people at risk."

"I'll go where I'm needed, where I can help. We just need to make sure that we have people to deal with everything, right?" She adds, sounding a bit uncertain. "If I need to head out soon, I'll make sure my equipment is all ready."

Verna falls silent for several moments, eyes open, yet not exactly focused on what is physically before her. "We must act, but it must be as coordinated and precise as possible... Scouting of numbers and location, yes. If one or more of the forces can be halted or delayed, it cannot aid the others. The city has the defensive advantage."

Her jaw tightens as she continues to consider. "We need more information. We need a plan of action. Magi are not omnipotent nor invulnerable, nor are devils. Not even this ravener."

Skielstregar is similarly silent, him staring at the diagram. "Wissse, Auranar. We musst move swiftly," he comments idly. "We have people to deal with thingsss. You are thossse people, Ssschara. Sso... get your thingsss together."

He reaches into a pouch on his tail, rifling around before pulling out a small jar of what appears to be gold paint. The lid pops off, and a talon dips in. "Then we get information, Death Ssssinger." He touches up the draconic runes on his arms, tone growing firm. "Make mapsss of locationsss, ssspread to Hunterssss. We ssscout /now./ They will not have any advantage, ssso long asss the sssun risssesss."

Auranar nods and takes a deep breath. She looks at Verna and holds her hand out toward the other woman. "We should let the elders know as soon as possible... I'll do what I can." Her brow furrows a little. "Perhaps there's some local tails about this behemoth that will help us slow it down. I'll start there while the scouting gets going - I will not be much help there."

"Verna is right, I think, we can't rush something like this even if I might want to." Schara nods. "We need to make sure none of these things go wrong so we need to act, but I doubt we'll have many chances to do this given what Verna mentioned already."

"But slowing them down if possible, it might be a necessary measure, that's true. We'll need to take advantages where we can since they have already had time for their preparations." She considers a moment longer, before finally nodding. "I know, I'm going to have to do something here and I wouldn't forgive myself if my inaction led to what those people have planned. I'll get back to making sure my arms and armor are repaired and replaced as soon as possible."

Verna promptly takes Auranar's hand and clutches it firmly. "The Elders should be roused at once. They know the lands. The legends. The city. Their people." Her words are for all despite her focus being upon her wife. "I will share all that I witnessed. I shall attempt to learn more from here of their forces, though they are now likely warned, and shielded, against further scrying."

"Sssa, good. Ssspeak with Eldersss," Skielstregar agrees, letting Malefic go to let the polearm stand upright on its own. "Thisss one isss fassst and can hunt well. Can organize Huntersss."

He looks to Schara. "Ssspeak with Crafting cassste here. Get it done fassster. We have not time."

"You're peachy today," Malefic hazards a quip.

The normally jubilant silverscale glares at it before pressing a gold painted palm across his face, leaving a gold handprint.

"Then let usss ressssume the life of thossse legendssss."

-End Scene-