In reply to Sathras the Bold (msg #3):

Dii once again begins checking, fastening, and tightening the straps and buckles of her well thought out enhancements to accessorization of her armor. Once everything is in place, she begins to utilize the full extent of her grace and agility by stretching out her body in a series of warm-up calisthenics. Moments later she says, "The offer of the Batra is most gracious, your Highness. May it be a perfect beast of burden to bring back the great weight of glory we will find." She then makes to take the reigns of one of the Batra.

OOC: Sathras you would probably need a Tatra, as even a Batra isn't strong enough to carry you and your gear. The Tatra can carry 600 lbs. which would even give you a little cargo capacity.

In reply to Bringer of Darkness (msg #5):

OoC: Sathras wasn't even really considering riding it. Just using it as a pack beast. And maybe dinner should worse come to worse. *wink*

Burikan smiles at the gift of the batra. "Most appreciated! I lost my dractyl some time ago and have remained without a mount since. I surely did not look forward to walking through the desert."

Aaban looks stoically, and perhaps ever so slightly sadly, at his graymane, as he exchanges it for a batra.  He leans in quietly to the handler, "Does this beast have a name?" 

He will bow formally to the King, "Thank you, your Highness, for your gracious offer." 

Novoptolomeo starts the day as he often does: detailed weather observations and detailed note-taking. He finds an available chair (stool, bench, crate, box, patch of unmolested sand, what have you). He invites the Ariane and the Danuvian to join him, as he finds this part of his day the most fascinating, and wishes to share his joy.


Novo slides a pair of blue-lensed sun-spectacles over his eyes. He flips open a hand-fan and artfully stokes the air currents a few times. Then, he looks up to the sky, left hand up, fingers spread into the wind.

Whispering (in the spell's tongue, Archaean), "Mine eyes are the eyes of the Suns; mine thoughts, the thoughts of the manifold Aethers. Mine soul goest where my eyes gazeth; mine inward knowings, rapt by attentions, followeth thereof..." Etc, etc...

He observes, then notates, almost in a trance.

After a couple of minutes of observing, followed by a few minutes of writing, he turns his blue-spectacled attention to whomever is present, coming out of his Astromantic daze.

"I had the most invigorating dream last night. There was a horde of--

"--wait. I just realized the king advised we leave our mounts behind. I'm troubled. Scamandros hasn't been apart from me for more than a few days at a time. He's apt to become...moody and over-anxious. To say the least."

When he invites her to join him, she does.  She watches him for a moment, before closing her eyes and meditating.  She keeps an ear his direction, listening to him so when he is ready to converse again her silver eyes with the multi-colored flecks open slowly and focus on his face.

"Please, do not worry.  I shall talk with your mount as well as my own.  Explain they they get a brief vacation while we are busy," she tells the storm chaser.  "I am sure that they will get along splendidly, and may truly enjoy this time off.  I will of course need you to introduce me to him, then we can have a small chat.  Then you can expound upon your dream and this morning's findings."

Collecting one of the batra from it's handler Califax gives a wide smile.

Most greatful for gifts your highness.

He gave the creature a once over, mainly checking what equipment it had on it's pack saddle.  Giving Dii a nod and smile he comments.

I just hope they ride like a Equs, I've never really had call to become expert with riding creature.

In reply to Califax (msg #11):

To Califax: "I know that the Batra are almost as fast as an Equs, but are "engineered" more for burden. I'm looking forward to travel. I feel my form becoming sedentary."

Califax nods and then smiles looking Dii over in an obviously exagerated way.

Well I should be able to deal with them then.  But I would definately not say you were looking any of the sort.  Likely in the mind, maybe you shoudl do some more exersice in the mornings to keep your mind off it.

His face splits into a grin.

In reply to Califax (msg #13):

"I'll be exercising in the best possible practical way soon. I do not ride on any land conveyances if I can avoid it. As for the beasts, I'm faster and more endurant than many. When we meet the "Tireless Dead", they will have to be able to catch me to harm me."

OOC: Remember kids, "Rule #1: Cardio"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:55, Fri 18 Mar 2011.

She walks over to the remaining mounts and places her hand on each one, saying nothing.  After a little bit she selects two mounts and leads one back to their newest member and bows to him.

"I've spoken with them both.  This one here said that he would be honored to serve with you and that you are quite interesting."  She nods to the beast who grunts and stomps.  "He has expressed interest in learning what you're doing with the glasses and the chanting."

With that she walks over to her equs and the storm chaser's as well.  She releases the reins of the new beast that she would be working with, telling it quietly "One moment," before placing one  hand on each of the creatures.  She stands still and quiet, then her equs wickers and shakes its head and she bursts out laughing.  The sound is musical and pleasant, but very strange for an Ariane.  She turns again to look at the storm chaser and there is the hint of a smile still on her lips.

"I think your dear friend will be fine," she tells him, but she does not elaborate beyond that.
This message was last edited by the player at 04:41, Sat 19 Mar 2011.

Hauling himself into the saddle Califax gets as comfortable as possible in the saddle.

Hmmmm, ok.  Guess we're about ready to go.

Novo brightens, his concerned mood melting as a question regarding his skills arises. "Ah, naught but the most basic tenet of my profession: weather prediction. My words come from Nauticus', an ancient aeromancer, but the empirical research come from an even more ancient scholar, Arystotel. The glasses are a mere adjunct to the greater work; the blue lenses replace my eyes, becoming a sympathetic replacement for them, blue being a traditional chromatic representation of the troposhpere, the region of the air wherein the weather--or most it--occurs.

Many centuries ago, Arystotel inscribed the definitive text of our work, the Meteorologica, a pain-staking observation over the course of decades of the movement of the moons, the suns, the stars, and most importantly, the movement of air and its relationship to the other natural elements: earth, fire, and water. All of which contribute to the weather. Some of the more arcane meteorological phenomena had yet to be observed at the time Arystotel wrote his masterwork, so those--black lightning, acid rain, etc.--have had to have been codified in the meantime. That's what we do, in the Cabal. "

Novo looks for that spark of fascination in the Ariane...or in the beast, which seemed to have asked the question. "There's time, on our expedition, for me to explain it in greater detail, if you'd like. There's a poetry...a theatricality...in the dance of the air, the interaction of the clouds and the rain with the eldritch emanations of the Celestial bodies."

He watches her with the animals, a little lost in his own thoughts but thoroughly in the Real, unlike before.



"Thank you. I appreciate your efforts. And your hospitality."

Then, he announces to all gathered: "Just so you are aware: it is to be hot today. No precipitation is anticipated. And we shall have some wind, not light but not overly burdensome."
This message was last edited by the player at 19:39, Mon 21 Mar 2011.

"Hot good," says the Sauran. "Sathras likes the heat."

He leans over to Murron. "Murron understand what magic-man say before? Magic-man use lots of words very fast."

Leaning down towards Sathras Califax comments.

Don't worry about it my scaled friend, alot of what he said would be out of the grasp of most people who have not studied the magical arts formally.  Even with my knowledge some of it was a little garbled.

He looked out over the desert.

You know, I think I could have made a guess at thaqt forcast myself.  Hot, dry and windy. Califax grinned as he straightened in his saddle, But when we have real weather I'm sure your insights will be more useful and less of an amusement to me.  But thank you for the report Novo.

Her flecked eyes dance as their newest member speaks and she nods at all the proper places.  When he mentions the name, the corner of her lips tug upward for the briefest of moments and when he finishes she places her hand on his newest beast.

"Two things," she tells him.  "He said that it was interesting, but you went too quick.  The other is that I'm glad that the book you wrote became so... famous.  I guess it isn't much a wonder that you're returned in the same profession.  It seems to suit you the best."

She steps back when he has a secure hold of the reins and she has a quiet murmured conversation with her own new beast before climbing in the saddle.

Murron selects his batra with no particular excitement, feeling that no matter how he chooses eventually his luck will catch up with him. Hearing his friend Sathras's question he forces a smile onto his face, not really understanding the words of the strange weather mage himself; "My friend I really don't get most of what he is saying either. They don't exactly train us in the desert how to talk like that. Anyhow I hope he is right, I am all too familiar with sandstorms and other unpleasant desert weather."

Murron accepts the various items from the thaumaturges and alchemists and begins stowing his gear on the batra, a resigned expression on his face.

At the implied revelation, Novo is, for once, speechless.

He prepares to embark on his journey in relative silence.

In reply to Novoptolomeo (msg #22):

Dii puts some of her gear on the beast and begins to pat it on the neck and behind the ears. After performing a few more stretches she gingerly grabs the reigns and announces "I believe that I and my new friend here are ready to depart. I can take the lead and the scouting duties, if no one objects..."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:26, Tue 22 Mar 2011.

Burikan, resembling a walking arsenal with his tarak, khu, jang and krin either strapped to him or carried in hand, vaults onto the back of his chosen batra. A rare smile passes across his face as he settles into the saddle.

T'Vala comes riding up on his personal batra, fully caparisoned for both battle and exploration. He stops next to Burikan and his batra and offers him a small smile, obviously still grieving from the loss of his daughter; "It will be my honor and pleasure to fight beside you friend, as well as serving my King and country. I will do my best to aid your group in any way possible."

After checking his batra's straps and packs, Murron mounts the creature and absently fingers his luck medallion for a moment as he settles into the saddle.

He nods to Dii and says, "yes, please scout ahead."

Califax smiles and relaxes in the saddle.

I have no arguments about following on behind you Dii.

In reply to Califax (msg #27):

"Well then, would you also be willing to tether this beast with yours, Cal? I fear it would only slow down my efforts." She speaks to Califax through a similar smile.