Seer Hessar of the Kindred

Mariena

I do not usually post . . . Be gentle.

Little bit of back story here: Dendara has a place called the Prophet's Hollow, where the original Praadi an-Kiar became the Voice of the Guardians. Very magical place. Some of these first Voices decided they'd rather consume the Guardian's power than be a Voice for it, and got imprisoned after much battling, in the Prophet's Hollow. We have only learned bits and bobs of this lore through out the event and, seeings to how an awakening power -see Aishia's post with High Keeper Anjali- was rising in the Hollow and Juxa seems to be controlled by something bigger than her, a theme in the Shamans recently was discovering if and how it could be linked.

All of our hopes of a two birds with one stone scenario were dashed however, while speaking with Seer Hessar, though many other things were clarified.

[spoiler]
You raise your staff in wordless greeting to Elder Oranis, Shaman of the Praadi with the soft clatter of bone upon wood.

Elder Oranis, Shaman of the Praadi raises his staff in wordless greeting to you with the soft clatter of bone upon wood.

Elder Oranis, Shaman of the Praadi says, "Well met, Mariena."

You raise your staff in wordless greeting to Seer Hessar with the soft clatter of bone upon wood.

Aliod dips his head in greeting to those gathered, bits of sand falling to the floor around him.

Aliod raises his staff in wordless greeting to Elder Oranis, Shaman of the Praadi with the soft clatter of bone upon wood.

Elder Oranis, Shaman of the Praadi raises his staff in wordless greeting to Aliod with the soft clatter of bone upon wood.

Seer Hessar raises a gnarled hand in silent greeting, his gaze focused intently upon the pool before him.

An aged specimen amongst his kin, this male Xoran is clad in light linen robes, unkempt and smeared with 

ashes. His lithe, yet muscled form reclines by the pool's chamber here, his tail idly moving behind him 

as he gazes with golden eyes into the waters. Hessar's dark green, scaled hide is pebbled with striations 

of ebon black and dark whorls rim his sunken golden eyes. All along his aged scales, smears of grey ash 

stand out against his dark hide in a smattering of archaic runes.

Seer Hessar exudes a quiet confidence.

Elder Oranis, Shaman of the Praadi says, "Well met, Aliod."

Elder Oranis, Shaman of the Praadi gently inclines his head to you. "Hand."

"Elder," Mariena states in return. "Thank you for tellin' us of this arrival. Who do we 

have the pleasure of meeting?" She offers a smile to Seer Hessar.

Elder Oranis, Shaman of the Praadi wrinkles his nose and gives a nod to Aliod before casting a glance to 

the Xoran. "This is the Seer Hessar, a voice of the gods amongst the Kindred. He has been ordered to act 

as an envoy between the Praadi an-Kiar and the High Keeper's clans."

Seer Hessar raises his head, tongue idly flicking out to taste the air before looking back down to the 

pool. "There is a great peace and serenity in your sanctuary, Hand," he rasps, claws idly clicking 

against the wood of his quarterstaff. "I am thankful for it."

 Mariena nods at Seer Hessar. "I am sorry you have to come at such perilous times, Seer," 

states simply. "The situation within the Moor, we feel, directly links into what is going on above lands 

with Juxa Steelhew and her Blade. The 'Thousand eyed Sleeper'. Perhaps you can confirm our hunches. What 

lies in the Hollow, fitfully sleeping, we feel is from the breached Abyss." She takes a moment to 

consider as a hand swipes sand crystals off the back of her arm. "You may have use of our sanctuary for 

as long as you needed," she offers graciously.

Seer Hessar says, "Your Juxa is a fresh hell that has thankfully never touched upon the hallowed lands 

that lie within Dendara. She and her Blade have little to do with our burden."

Aliod lets out a low sound of confusion as he slumps forward slightly and then looks over at you.

You say to Seer Hessar, "Even though she seems to be a puppet for a greater force?"

 Mariena shakes her head minutely.

With a rattling chuckle, Seer Hessar says, "I know the touch of the blighted nightmares. She is unknown 

to us."

 Mariena exhales, and then nods. "Right then. So two unrelated events with similar 

ominous descriptions," is summarized and then she sits herself right down beside Seer Hessar. "Then the 

Praadi an-Kiar are lost and in need of assistance. We have a Centaur by the name of Teemah investigating 

the new tear in Evlasu where your kin reside and we remain ready to see this to its conclusion. The 

blighted nightmares will not win." She glances sidelong at Seer Hessar and continues softly, "but we are 

not the same Praadi that your people knew. We were just taught the ways and were formed from the Druids 

of old. We have lost much history, and that included your very beings until recently."

Seer Hessar turns his head to regard you in silence for several long moments, his tongue flickering out 

to taste the air in the lingering silence. "Of course they will not win, Hand," the Xoran begins in a low 

voice. "It is our burden to bear, all the same."

 Mariena nods, not sure how to proceed further.

Seer Hessar says, "What.. exactly do you believe lies within the Hollow, Hand?"

Seer Hessar says, "It is our burden to bear. A mark of our hubris and a reminder of our weakness."

You say, "At first we thought the Kin of the Praadi an-Kiar who decided to consume their Guardians 

instead of be their Voice. We felt sure that they were what was locked away. The histories - what few we 

had - confirmed this, as well as Elder Oranis."

H:5500/5500 M:5200/5200 W:100% E:103% [csdb] [eb lr

Hands waving in animation, you say to Seer Hessar, "The cultists sent through, the aberrations.. the 

conglomerated Stag Guardian mixed with a human body.. all seemed to whisper these peoples had gone mad in 

their prison and are pushing forward and out."

Left hand slashing, you say to Seer Hessar, "But then new information arose. Words of a god-being, 

sleeping and ancient."

You say to Seer Hessar, "Is it a combination? WHAT is our burden to bear? We know only what we're told 

and can find out and that is -damned- little when you're havin' to keep aberrations at bay."

Seer Hessar idly dips his tail into the pool, watching the rippling surface as he speaks. "If you wore 

the bones and flesh of a dead god, lashed its spirit to your own, what would you become, 

Hand?"

 "Quite mad," Mariena answers after a moment's thought. "The spirit and your spirit would 

fight for dominance always." She frowns a little. "A dead god? Are we still speaking of the Guardians or 

an ancient god?"

Seer Hessar says, "Dark thoughts and madness give rise to terrible things in Dendara, Hand. What was once 

a man of flesh and blood and what was once a guardian of our realm is no more."

 Mariena hunkers down and gives a nod, understanding. "In its place is a being that seeks 

more and more power. And freedom," she hazards, her words spoken in a question. "The bonds holding this 

are failing though. How have the bonds been renewed in the past?"

With a slow bob of his head, Seer Hessar says, "When the heavens were rent and new stars appeared in the 

night it was then that we discovered the bonds were weakening."

 Mariena remains quiet, intently focused on Seer Hessar.

Seer Hessar gives a low exhale, nostrils flaring. "Little by little, the creature stirs in its slumber 

and reaches out to grasp those strains of reality. It is trapped within an unyielding nightmare and now 

you too experience it--the visions, the dreams. Over and over and over it dies, rises from its newly 

gifted death only to perish in agony once more. No, Hand. The bonds were strong and were never mended. 

Had no need to be mended."

 Mariena tips her chin in acknowledgement before watching a gold fish jump for some sort 

of humming insect. "Do we know how the bonds were placed in the very beginning," she queries of Seer 

Hessar, tone quiet yet insistent.

A sleek orange carp flickers through the depths of the pond, stirring the sand with the sweeping of its 

tail.

Delicately tapping the surface of the pool, Seer Hessar says, "It is Dendara herself that rose up to 

entrap that monstrosity. It is beyond our ken."

You tell Praadi of War, Aliod Vo'Karis, "Then HOW THE HELL ARE WE TO FIX IT."

 "Then we have to forge a new path," Mariena declares with a whuff of breath. "For she is 

wavering and we must stand for her while she recovers."

Seer Hessar gives a slow nod of his head, eyes still intently following the fish within the pool. "Let us 

hope we are all strong enough to weather such a storm."

Seer Hessar casts a yellow-eyed glance to you, lowering his head. "Is there something else you wanted of 

me, Hand?"

Folding his arms behind his back, Praadi of War, Aliod Vo'Karis says, "So what you are saying is, there 

is nothing we can do at the moment?"

 "I would like to learn the ways of the Kindred. You have priests and they have words and 

ways to worship the guardians. I think the Guardians could use any and all bolstering they can get, for 

the coming times." Mariena takes a deep breath and then finishes, "if they are Gods, they deserve what we 

can do for the Gods, to them." She looks to Aliod, nods, and listens, quiet once more.

Giving a weak smile, Seer Hessar says, "I am merely a seer within service to the Kindred--what you do or 

do not do is none of my business, sir. The High Keeper shall be watching, Hand, and testing you and your 

kin. If you prove suitable, you will earn your place amongst our brethren. I can promise you no more than 

that."

You nod your head at Seer Hessar.

 Mariena stands and brushes out her skirt. "Thank you, Seer, for coming to us."

Seer Hessar says, "Mm. Be well, Praadi an-Kiar."

You say, "And you."
[/spoiler]

Meyvitch

Ohdearohdear. I REALLY need to get my internet back.

I feel like the twist coming on this is Haern gets corrupted and comes down like Godzilla on Duiran. ^_^