The Silver Stars of the Eclipsing Moon

[Amiria]

Lisaa

"Yes, there is more in this poem. The light and the eye ... I believe it is a riddle, if not to open the door then to find the key or a part of it.", says Lisaa. "We should show it to an expert about Ami, like the curator. Can anyone transcribe the poem ?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Bronsk
"Uhh..." Biting his lip, Bronsk pats the various pouches on his belt, but then sighs. "No paper. Sorry." Bronsk scratches his ear, thoughtfully. "Thiz 'nectar from hand'...maybe is come from the cup?"

[Maryring]

"Well..." Mia slowly says. She has followed Bronsk, Lisaa and Karl up, leaving Tyrgen alone with Varek. "It could be. The cup is magical after all, so perhaps "nectar" refers to a liquid poured from it. But what kind of liquid then? And the closed eye that opens by a drop of nectar... what do you think that means?"

[Lycar]

Varek examines the artifacts while the others are ganging up in the bedroom. He notices something in the cup.

"Hm ? There is something in the .. oh.. just some water.... but where does that come form...."

Giving in to some instinctive urge, he pokes his nose into the cup to take a sniff at the droplet in the cup.

Lycar

[Maryring]

The drop has a faint sweet smell, almost like honey.

[The Great Skenardo]

Bronsk
"'M not sure what the eye iz. Maybe it is the mirror?" Frowning, Bronsk walks downstairs to see Varek with his nose in the goblet.
"Eh? What are hyu doing?"

[Lycar]

Varek almost bolts as he's caught with his nose in the cup, nearly knocking it over.

"Nothing. Honest ! It's just.... yeah well, there is a drop of water inside. Uhm... i think this cup is kinda supposed to never be empty or spill or somesuch... yeah that and it smells sweet. Like mead or something. So maybe this thing can, like, create drinks and stuff ? You know as in, you'll never have to go thirsty again or something ?"

Taking a step to the side to get out of the way in case the bigger werewolf wants that cup he peeks at the mirror next. Wasn't that thing kinda supposed to show people's true self or something.... he wonders....


Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

Would you say... it smelled like nectar? Karl peers at the cup over Bronsk's shoulder.

[Lycar]

Varek peers up at Karl "Nectar ? Whats that ? I don't know.. i was thinking mead.. you know, sweet with just a hint of honey. Hey, you think that cup can make mead ? I kinda like the stuff... and uhm. Yeah you know with everything that has happened today i won't say no to a nice cup of mead you know ?"


Lycar

(OOC: It just occured to me that Varek can't inspect the mirror since the others have it at the moment. So he'll take a closer look at the staff next.)

[Ozzy_G]

Nectar is like honey, replies Karl.

[Maryring]

The staff is a beautiful white colour, almost as if the wood it was made of was naturally white. On the tip of the staff is a beautiful blue sapphire, completely devoid of the glow that emanates from the rest of the staff. Simply being close to it seems to relieve some of Varek's tension.

"Oh, that's right." Mia turns to Bronsk. "Do you mind me borrowing the Mirror? There might be other things that can only be seen by the mirror, so I thought I could take a look around with it.

[The Great Skenardo]

Bronsk
looking unaccountably nervous, Bronsk nods and carefully hands the mirror to Mia.

[Ozzy_G]

From the other side of Mia, Karl's eyes widen in nervous fear. Um, I'm going to go outside and see if I can find anything on the outside of the house. Lisaa, you better come with me, you've got better eyesight.

[Amiria]

Lisaa

"Uh, alright." Lisaa follows Karl to the door.

[Maryring]

"Perhaps we overlooked something. I'll go up and look more closely." Tyrgen says before he, Lisaa and Karl make their way out of the room, leaving a confused Mia together with Varek and Bronsk. "Hmm?" Okay." Mia says reluctantly before she accepts the mirror. "What suddenly came over them? I'm just going to look around for clues after all." She says before she begins to scan the room for clues using the mirror. "Hmm... no I can't seem to find anything but... hey, Varek, I can see your Werewolf form through this mirror and... wait... Mia's face goes pale as she looks up from the mirror. "Bronsk...?"

[Lycar]

(Uh oh.) "Hey Mia, you can see what i look like as a wolf ? Cool.... can i have a look please ? I konda wanna know what i look like as a wolf too..."

Varek does his best to distract Mia.

"Hey you know what ? Wolves have good noses, yes ? maybe i should try to... er.... you know... smell something ? Anything ? Mia ?"


Lycar

[Ozzy_G]

What are we going to do? Karl hisses at Lisaa outside. If she waves that mirror at us... and Bronsk is still inside! Hmmm... he frowns, thinking. Maybe we could look shocked and go "Oh no, Varek's infected us! We must go and find a cure!" Or something.

[Amiria]

Lisaa

Lisaa shakes her head and murmurs. "No, no lies. I saw it coming. We must be honest to Mia now."

[The Great Skenardo]

Bronsk
Bronsk gulps, but then he straightens up. "I've often talked of Vakri. Maybe iz time you met him." Bronsk pauses a moment, as if awaiting a nod from Mia, but then he closes his eyes and transforms, expanding upwards and outwards with a crackle of joints and muscles, until a lanky form of muscle and hair stands before her, yellow eyes above a wolf's muzzle.
It sniffs the air once or twice, and then looks down at the priestess, his gray coat almost shining.
"Mia. Xe'ls and T'ayaka greet you and remind you of your bargain. I" the creature says with a bob of the head, "am Vakri."

[Lycar]

Varek peers at the wolves figure in front of him, the artifacts forgotten for the moment.

"Deal ? hey, they are supposed to protect my friends. Because i kinda can't just go back to town anymore. They would hunt me down.... and without me... i mean, when someone tried to hurt my friends, i could usually quickly convince them that that is a bad idea. Very bad. So you want a shrine built for you ? Okay, sure, uhm. So what does that mean exactly ?"

Lycar

[Maryring]

Mia stumbles a few steps backwards. "Varek, stay away." She stretches out her hand, energy suddenly bursting from it. A mace of spiritual energy manifesting from the energy. Mia grasps her hand around the weapon and points it towards Bronsk. "Don't come any closer." She says, trying to sound strong, but her eyes reveal worry and reluctance. "Bronsk, or Vakri, or whoever you are. Tell me what the meaning of this is. Is this why the others left? Because you know that you are a... werewolf?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Vakri
The yellow-eyed werewolf crouches down and then sits, crossing its legs beneath it as it gazes first out the window, then at nothing at all.

"Bronsk never really had friends." Vakri says, eventually. "He was always afraid. I could look into his heart sometimes," he continues, "on the long roads from village to settlement, never staying long. He would heal those he could, accept what payment they would give, and then move on. He tries to conceal it, but I know that he is lonely." Vakri turns his gaze for a moment to Varek, but then drifts away.
"See in your waking dream, a man, scarcely more than a pup, forcing himself to leave a place where he has earned welcome and respect, savoring the fleeting taste of fellowship as he walks away from it for the hundreth time. All out of fear." Vakri turns his yellow gaze to the shining mace in Mia's hand.
"Fear of this. Now to you it does not matter how good his deeds, how earnest his efforts, nor where is his heart." Vakri stands once more, and then shudders, his lean frame warping into a yellow-eyed wolf. The wolf gazes at Mia for a moment longer, and then reaches down and grasps what it can of Bronsk's fallen garments in its mouth and pads towards the cottage door.

[Maryring]

"Wait." Mia shouts out, before she bites her lips. "I..." She sighs. "No. I... I... I'm... merely surprised." She finally manages to say. "I... made a mistake it seems..." She gazes at her mace as it seems to fade. "And to think that I yelled at my apprentice for doing the very same thing yesterday, as I did today..." The mace dissolves completely. "But you are wrong Vakri. Those things do matter to me. Bronsk is a good man. I know that... I believe in that, so please." She takes a step forward. "Will the two of you please forgive me for overreacting?"

[The Great Skenardo]

Yellow-eyed wolf
The wolf pauses at the door, and then gingerly sets down the bundle of boots and cloth. Turning back to Mia, it gazes at her silently for a moment, and then nods. Once more, transformation, and once more Vakri stands before her.
"Good. Bronsk tells me that his friends never need ask his forgiveness." He stands alert for a moment, as if listening, and then says "And that I may talk to you a while longer. He has harangued me at great length about not changing back into human form in front of females." he shrugs.

[Maryring]

A slight grin appears in the corner of Mia's eyes for a few seconds, before her face returns to her regular small smile. "Good. Thank you." She takes a deep breath before she extends her hand towards Vakri. "It is nice to finally meet you Vakri."

[The Great Skenardo]

Vakri
The werewolf gingerly reaches a clawed and furred hand forward. He sniffs once or twice, and then nods.
"Now. Any questions? Bronsk is getting anxious again."

[Maryring]

Mia shakes her head. "No questions. I will trust Bronsk to tell me all that he feels I should know. Except... there is one question I have for you. Bronsk say that I do not have to seek his forgiveness, but do you, Vakri, forgive me? I didn't only wrong Bronsk, but you as well."

[The Great Skenardo]

Vakri
The werewolf makes a snuffling noise that may well be a snort, as it pads on large feet towards the stairs.
"Apologies! Your intentions are good, I see, but you humble yourself too readily."
Disappearing up the stairs, there's a silence for about half a minute broken only by shuffling and the clump of boots. A little red-faced, Bronsk makes his way downstairs. Carefully avoiding everyone's gaze, Bronsk coughs.
"So! Thiz riddle, then?"

[Lycar]

Varek watches the exchange between Bronsk/Vakri and Mia amazed.

(So many questions....)

Then he just stands there, slightly dumbfounded, till Bronsk comes back down. Since he doesn't know about any riddle, he asks:

"Uh.. what riddle ?"


Lycar

[The Great Skenardo]

Bronsk
Glad for the distraction, Bronsk answers immediately
"The poem! Iz one we read using the magic mirror on the writing upstairs. We think it iz a riddle. Wait..." Bronsk concentrates for a moment. "Perhaps the coin iz the closed eye? Iz the right shape, anyways..."