Birth of a Chiav (The Silver Tongued Chiav)

Ardent

So there was a task, that resulted in sending Iosyne the -most cringey- poem I have -ever- written. It resulted in asking Her out on a date. Well...here ya go.

Also, this resulted in immediate esteem for Iosyne. Much love to spidermom!

The Humanoid form of Iosyne sits upon the divan, legs - only two in this body - crossed. She
awards you with a smile as you are deposited before Her. "My poetic Enforcer," She greets,
beaming at you. One arm gestures at a wrought-iron drink cart. "What is a date without drinks?"

You have emoted: Ardent lets his gaze fall upon a wrought-iron drink cart a moment before
offering a sincere, "Had I known it would happen as such, I may have...actually. Do You happen
to find mortal drinks to Your liking, Malevolent?" He rifles through his things a moment before
producing a glass bottle emblazoned with a monocled serpent of Satisfaction and arching his
brow faintly. "It would be poor of me to not at least offer something, even if I am ill
prepared."

You give a glass bottle emblazoned with a monocled serpent to Iosyne.


"At times. On occasion," Iosyne replies, rising to Her bare feet. She walks over to the cart,
filling two glasses simultaneously with Her four arms.
Iosyne takes a slender glass from a wrought-iron drink cart.
Iosyne takes a slender glass from a wrought-iron drink cart.
H
Iosyne picks up a slender glass from a tray, reaching forward to fill a tall glass from the
slender decanter.
Iosyne picks up a slender glass from a tray, reaching forward to fill a tall glass from the
slender decanter.

Iosyne gives a slender glass to you.

You have emoted: "Thank you, Malevolent." Ardent offers as he accepts the glass - raising it to
smell at the glass with a faint smile crossing his lips as he does so. "Ah yes. I rather like
this particular drink. The General sent me a glass just last week." Without hesitation he turns
a slender glass full of acidic "spider's bite" liquour up and takes a swallow.

You drink from a slender glass full of acidic "spider's bite" liquour, the smoky and caramel
-like dark tequila masked by the taste of a strangely sweet, dark red liquid.

Equipped with drink in hand, Iosyne returns to a macabre scrimshaw divan, settling back
comfortably upon it. She motions for you to join Her.

You have emoted: Ardent steps over to a macabre scrimshaw divan, seating himself down - the
lack of hesitation once more clear as he turns his faintly and offers Iosyne a smile. "My
question of the poem, Lady Iosyne, is how it is You were stirred by it." His gaze flicks to
Jarva Ruek a moment as a previous warning seems to play through his mind. "Jarva here insisted
if I was to...end up a stain upon the ground, to find a different place for it to happen." With
his smile returning to Iosyne he notes, "That's kind of why I was at Your Sarcophagus."

Jarva Ruek grunts, though he is otherwise silent.


"I would never rip out such a silver tongue," Iosyne replies innocently, taking a sip of Her
drink. The resulting smile, peeled back over Her cruel fangs, casts doubt on that statement.
"But there is a problem..." She trails off, filling the silence with another sip before She
slides along the seat to situate Herself directly beside you.


You have emoted: "I could imagine there are a number of problems, Lady Iosyne." Ardent offers
in an honest tone while shrugging faintly. "Not least of which the fact I am very mortal and
You are not." His tone suggests he's not bothered bothered by the statement as he lifts his
glass once more. "If You would be so kind as to educate me though?"

THINK: I imagine there is a solution to most problems. Though I'm sure most of the solutions result in
my death. Eh, whatever. Fortune favors the bold.

The taller Goddess reaches over to cup your chin in a hand, tilting your head up towards Hers.
Iosyne's smile never disappears as She speaks. "That one you caused quite the stir over with My
Sister. Are We to share you?"

You have emoted: "To be quite honest, Lady Iosyne. I've no intention of letting her go. Whether
or not she would share is not my decision either." Ardent retorts, his chin lifted as it is
seems to be of no concern to the Kobold. "That, is something that You and she would have to
discuss at some point. I had not expected things to progress as they have with her, but, a bit
of the teachings from The Star of Midwinter have stuck with me." His tone grows dark and
faintly icy, even knowing Whom it is he speaks to. "She is my treasure, and I will not
relinquish that. Rip my beating heart from my chest and claim it if You like. It will not
change that fact." His tone grows much calmer now, on the side of gentle, "I rather love the
both of You. But as You are not able to be about and cater to a mortal, I had figured it
appropriate I take a mortal partner."

(Tells): Voice lilting on feathery wafts of air, Ayastia tells you, "Hello."

(Tells): On a soft, clicking whisper, you hiss against Ayastia's mind, "Kinda busy sis, but
hi."

(Tells): Voice lilting on feathery wafts of air, Ayastia tells you, "Oh ok."

(Tells): Voice lilting on feathery wafts of air, Ayastia tells you, "Well tell Galilei I say
hi!"

(Tells): On a soft, clicking whisper, you hiss against Ayastia's mind, "Not Galilei, but I
will."

Hand still holding your chin, Iosyne raises another to the smoking hole in Her chest, placing
it dramatically over where Her own heart once was. "Such devotion. Alas, you would not survive
without your own heart. Still, I would not have you leave emtpyhanded..." At that, the
Malevolent seizes your face with all four hands - two cup your chin and cheeks on each side
while the other two force your lips open. The Goddess now leans down, bringing Her lips close
to yours.

Once She is mere inches from making contact, Iosyne's maw opens. A roiling mass of black spews
forth from the Goddess' lips - your mouth forced open as it is, you are helpless from stopping
the shadowy liquid from entering.

(Tells): Voice lilting on feathery wafts of air, Ayastia tells you, "Tsk. Naughty boy. Your
secret is safe with me."

Iosyne leans back once more, releasing Her hold upon your face. She crosses Her legs idly,
licking the black fluid clear of Her lips as She beams at you.

You have emoted: Ardent is helpless at the turn of events, though he does not flinch nor
attempt to pull away. He stays as still as possible, forcing his own jaws open a bit more
accept the gift that is being bestowed by his Goddess, eyes wide. As Iosyne pulls back he
smiles broadly, stating very firmly, "You honor me, Lady Iosyne."


The sludge, forcefully entering your body, burns through your innards as it courses through
your body.

You feel the foreign substance course through your bloodstream, flowing upwards with purpose.
Soon, the burning works its way into your head, a splitting pain inside your skull.

The intruder sinks into every available space, every nook and cranny available inside your
head. As the agony threatens to overtake you, you are suddenly aware of an alien whispering
filling your being, just beyond the edge of comprehension.

You have emoted: Ardent tilts his head to the side slightly, popping his neck loudly at some
unheard whispers, hands flexing in black and crimson gauntlets marked with bloodstone a few
times.

The whispers come closer to clarity as you lose more of yourself, your consciousness rapidly
subverted by the thing sharing your head. Just before it overtakes you, your will resurfaces,
merging harmoniously with the alien sentience.

You have been granted use of the Chiav form.
You feel your knowledge swell as you gain mastery over the tongue of Chiav.

You feel the sentience in the back of your mind awaken, merging with your consciousness.

Hot, burning pain erupts in your lower body as your melded mind begins reshaping your body. You
feel your legs begin to expand and swell, pushing against your skin.

Unable to contain the mounting pressure anymore, your skin bursts in a shower of blood and
bone. You fall forward onto your elbows as your body mutates, eight spindly black legs erupting
from the tattered remains of your natural legs.

You push yourself back up to rest upon your eight legs as an arachnoid thorax and abdomen burst
free, completing your transformation into a Chiav.

Spinning furiously from your spinneret, you quickly encase yourself in a secure cocoon.

You feel your body reshaping itself, arachnoid anatomy sinking painfully back into your body as
your natural features regenerate.

You emerge from the cocoon in your natural form, feeling your Chiav sentience fade into
dormancy.

Iosyne watches both transformations impassively. She leans forward slightly, resting two hands
atop Her crossed knee. "Something new to show your betrothed," Iosyne declares, winking at you.

You have emoted: "I fully intend to, Lady Iosyne. If I may press Your good graces a moment long
though?" Ardent asks as he shakes his limbs out about before turning to stare fully at Iosyne,
the smile returning. "The token You had granted me I was told was for my Order uniform piece. I
claimed it with the message I was having it crafted. The gloves that my betrothed designed are
the item in question." He holds his hands up now, displaying black and crimson gauntlets marked
with bloodstone fully.
Balance Used: 0.93 seconds

You display black and crimson gauntlets marked with bloodstone for all in the room to see.
Balance Used: 1.86 seconds
Equilibrium Used: 2.00 seconds

(One noticeable aspect of these gauntlets is the lack of covering from the first knuckle to the
fingertip, clearly intended to accommodate claws while providing protection for the rest of
each hand. Durable leather forms the base while thin steel plates guard the back of the band
and bind each knuckle; in between is crimson leather dappled with darker patches of dye, which
in turn has a window cut in to reveal an expanse of minuscule steel studs. Darker varnish
creates the symbol of Iosyne upon the metal - a pair of crossed fists - while brighter accents
spangle the steel sheet below in the form of polished bloodstone droplets.
It can only be worn in the following location: hands.
It has 28 weeks of usefulness left.
It weighs 8 ounce(s).
It bears the distinctive mark of Grand Duchess Galilei Nehekhara.) <-- added since I didn't probe



Iosyne runs Her gouged eyes over the gauntlets. "Well made. The tokens are usually used to
request some special properties or effects. You may inform Me if you have thoughts for it."

Answering quickly, you say, "That's easy. I'd like to be able to hang web hammocks anywhere I
please. Weaving them with the gloves I'm always wearing."

Iosyne, the Malevolent says, "You may find that as your understanding of your Chiav form grows,
that will already come naturally to you."

(Tells): Lady Kalena Kavoros tells you, "Cousin."

(Tells): Lady Kalena Kavoros tells you, "Werent you looking for arachnida pieces not long ago?"

Pausing before responding, you say, "That, hmm. I shall put more thought into it then.
Just...not going to be having a cadre like Ephi. I know that for a fact."

(Tells): On a soft, clicking whisper, you hiss against Kalena's mind, "Was. No longer."

(Tells): Lady Kalena Kavoros tells you, "I'm not sure why, but I keep getting a bunch of pieces
for them."

(Tells): On a soft, clicking whisper, you hiss against Kalena's mind, "Reach out to Menelaus,
he may be interested."

Iosyne gives a token of the Malevolent's esteem to you.

"Inform Me with this when you do," Iosyne says. From Her seat, she beckons to something unseen.

A large, writhing tentacle erupts from the ground, slithering in a corkscrew pattern around
your body.

THINK: I'm also sure the second idea of a miniature Malevolent dancing on my palm would get me
thumped...

You say, "Of course."

The tentacle slithers back in the depths of the earth, dragging you along with it.

You are moved by a writhing tentacle.
Forest
The morning light gleams off of falling hailstones, which ping soft and sharp upon the ground.
A tall, shadowy figure lingers in the area, comprised of black lines to form a silhouette. A
pulsing, pustulent tumor is mired within the undergrowth here. An amorphous horror shifts over
the ground, dragging itself by several long tentacles. A sarcophagus of solid onyx is held
upright by a spiderweb of sinew and organic mesh. Huge tentacles have sprouted from the ground
to encase the sarcophagus, protecting its contents from being opened.
You see a single exit leading northwest.
Tiny spiders precede your entrance from the ether, the tiny arachnids laying a carpet of webs
for you.

A large, writhing tentacle deposits you before retreating back underground.