pneumatik's WotBS 2 - The Indomitable Fire Forest of Innenotdar

[pneumatik]

Torrent pats Arshen on the back and leans towards him. "We're in a village with at least two dozen of these guys," she says quietly. "Now, right now, all we're definitely going to do is sit down in a cave. Yes, it could be a trap, but on the other hand we'll outnumber them three to one. Maybe later we'll have cause for concern, but for now let's try to make friends. I'd like to figure out a way out of this hellhole that doesn't involve killing everything in the forest."

Once you reach the cave Papuvin and Tiljann take seats on the cushions. "Now that we're more comfortable, let's see what I can do about answering your questions. First, we sing the Song of Forms to give a shape to the creature named Indomitability pinned at the bottom of the lake. The sword is what actually pins it, but without the Song of Forms Indomitability would dissipate and leave. As for Indomitability, I think Tijann already told you everything I know. Its presence at the bottom of the lake is what keeps all of us alive now. If it leaves we'll die, and I won't allow that.

"There's another way! I, just ... haven't found it yet," Tijann interjects.

Papuvin sighs. "Anyway, as for singing, we Sing. We're Seela. We've have sung the Song of Form, or variants of it, for centuries, though never so fervently as they do now. The original purpose of the song was to give body to the native spirit of the forest for our festivals, and to evoke in listeners nearly real images of the events told. The first words of the song are: 'Life is a dream that has found its form. I sing these dreams, these tales, these legends that they might born.'

"The lyrics in the verses can change, and often each singer will personalize the song to tell their favorite tales, but the singer must use the appropriate rhythm and pitch. Essentially it's an extemporaneous choral composition. The song has eight refrains which must be repeated in series. There are also some lines that tend to not change. For example, one common line is, 'So as we were born from the First Tree, so as from our homeland’s breast was cut a living blade, as this our lives are bound to thee, the forest’s heart in Timbre’s glade.' We've been singing that line for years.

"I think that answers your questions as best I can, unless you have any others?"

"I think they wanted to learn the Song of Forms," Tiljann says. "I can teach them, Papuvin, if you don't have time. It will take a couple of hours."

 

[Thanee]

Lytha

“Wow, Arshen. You sure must have trouble making friends with that attitude. There is nothing wrong with being suspicious, but reject their offer would not be very smart. We do need some rest, there is a difficult tasks lying ahead of us.”

 

[Antithetist]

"I am not here to make friends. I am here to do my duty to Gate Pass," Arshen growls, though he does seem a little mollified by Torrent's reasoning.

He only rolls his eyes at all the flowery talk of songs; the only information that seems relevant to him is that it is, it seems, these people who are binding Indomitability here. Indomitability is what currently blocks the progress of their mission, so as far as Arshen is concerned, the course is clear, and the selfish desire of a few winged forest-dwellers to further prolong their unnatural lifespans is of no concern to him whatsoever. Since everybody else seems determined to pander to them, though, he resigns himself to more frustrating diversions.

 

[Rhun]

"I am indeed interested in learning the Song of Forms," says Hollister, in response to Tijann's comments. "While singing is not really my forte, I am interested in learning the ways of power...and your Song seems quite different from the magics that I have studied."

 

[pneumatik]

Papuvin looks at Shaylir. "I'm sorry, I've been living with it for so long it's hard to explain. Extemporaneous writing is often not the clearest. Indomitability is what's keeping Innenotdar burning even after all possible fuel has been consumed. But it's also what's keeping all the living creatures inside the forest alive. Nothing has died in the forest since the fire started. If Indomitabilty goes away for any reason, everything in the forest will die. Trees, animals, seela, everything that should already be dead. So we must keep singing the Song of Forms to keep Indomitability here."

"And that's why I went looking for you," Tiljann says to the party. "Well, I mean I went looking for something and I found you. We'll figure out some way to put the fires out without destroying Innenotdar. I'm not giving up."

In response to Hollister's question, she says, "I'd love to teach it. We can go to my cave after this and I'll teach you. Uh, all of us can go, I mean. We'll talk about other stuff, too, and figure out a plan."

 

[HolyMan]

"Wait Seela Papuvin," Shaylir says lying amongst the pillows with Fritz next to her looking like a big white tipped red tail all curled up.

"You are talking about the sleeping fire people. The ones on fire but still barely alive that we found at the village and again saw some with the unicorn Nella. So not only you will die but all of them as well."

She sits up cross legged looking very sad. Fritz noticing her mood crawls into her lap to comfort her. With tears welling up in her eyes she says to the fox. "It's going to be alright Fritz. *sniff* We just have to find a different way so we can save everyone we can."

 

[pneumatik]

Papuvin stands up. "Please excuse me. I hope I've answered your questions sufficiently, but if not I'm afraid I have preparation I must do for the next rotation of singers. You're welcome to continue resting here." He leaves the cave.

"It's been tough for him lately," Tiljann says. "So many seela have just given up on the Song of Forms, it's been hard for Papuvin to keep at least three singing all the time. The seela who attacked me at the bridge had given up. They all want to stop the Song and let Indomitability go so they can die. They want to die. It's crazy. I hate being trapped here, too, but there must be a way out. Etinifi the Longwalker found a way out, and everyone knows his song. I just can't believe they've all given up on it.

"But you asked about the Song of Forms. Papuvin explained the general structure ..." Over the next several hours Tiljann teaches the group the Song of Forms. It must be sung in Sylvan, but she translates if anyone doesn't speak it. It's a complex yet flexible song. When she sings it you feel more comfortable with who you are and more certain of yourself. It's comforting encouragement in such a foreign environment.

When she gets to the same verse that Papuvin mentioned - "So as we were born from the First Tree, so as from our homeland’s breast was cut a living blade, as this our lives are bound to thee, the forest’s heart in Timbre’s glade.” - she gets excited. "So Timbre is a dryad who lives in the oldest tree in the forest, and the blade that Anyariel used to pin Indomitability to the lake floor came from that tree. All the seela are bound to the forest, and the forest is bound to Timbre's tree. So I was thinking there must be some way to use the wooden sword, which I don't think is actually on fire despite being stuck in Indomitability because it's under water, to keep something left of the forest once Indomitability is free.

"That's as far as I got, though. Timbre probably knows more, but she's not talking to anyone. I think it's because she's on fire, and her tree's on fire, and her tree's forest is on fire. I tried to talk to her once. She's surrounded her tree with flames and flaming animals and won't let anyone get near her. I could still hear her screams of agony from behind the flames."

 

[HolyMan]

"Oh no, the poor dryad. We need to help her and her tree too." Shaylir says excitedly. "Maybe we can talk to her, maybe she will tell us about the living sword. What do the rest of you think?"

 

[Rhun]

"Perhaps Timbre would speak to us." says Hollister. "It is worth a try. It seems we must find a way to free Indomitability without affecting those that dwell within the forest."

 

[Thanee]

Lytha

“I would also prefer to find such a way. So, as long as there is a possibility, we should try it,” Lytha says in agreement.