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Message: <blockquote data-quote="spyscribe" data-source="post: 1667878" data-attributes="member: 5808">Part the Forth-NinthIn which: A dialogue goes on.  And on.  And on.“The Health of the Miyen Nation is an elf?” Reyu asks, incredulous.“No less than an elf, certainly,” replies LidoMana.Lira has been attempting to translate for the others, but the frequent use of this unfamiliar concept has confused her.  Reyu quickly explains to them the concept of kai, though she barely understands herself how it can be personified.  LidoMana seems to tolerate this interlude.Anvil speaks.  “It would seem then that this personification, this ‘Miyen Kai,’ is the one that we seek.  We must know more of this.  Instruct her to explain in greater detail.”Reyu passes Anvil’s demand on, though she changes it to a request as she translates.LidoMana answers slowly.  “Many strange things have transpired in the three seasons past.  It began in the holy lands of our Nation, with the coming of beasts.  Creatures of shadow, like wild boars, that arose from the depths of the land. Neither spear nor spell seemed to stop them. Many great hunters of the Miyen were felled by them.”At this, Lira becomes agitated.  She interrupts, using her most deferential Elvish.  “Creatures of shadow who magic could not harm?  We have encountered similar beings.  Did they leave wounds on your warriors that even the gods could not heal?  Wounds like these?”  She lifts her shirt to display the scars on her stomach left by the shadow-creatures the night of the Mages’ Academy fire.Lira’s question obviously startles the elves, as several spears are suddenly pointed in her position.  Lira freezes, still holding her shirt up.  What kind of threat can they possibly think I am in this position? she wonders.Just let ‘em try it, boss.  I got your back.“What did you say to them?” Thatch asks.Benedic answers for her.  “Nothing offensive.  I’m just surprised she spoke at all.”Anvil nods, and flashes Lira a thumbs up.Lira’s not sure which is more worrisome: the elves aiming weapons at her or Anvil offering her a sign of approval.LidoMana quickly glances at Lira’s scars, but when she speaks she only addresses Reyu.  “I do not know of any such scars, but then, few warriors of the Eechi Tribe faced these beasts.  The Miyen Tribe bore the brunt, as they are the guardians of the holy lands.”“Besides, the shadow-creatures we faced didn’t look much like boars,” Dennis points out to Lira.“Um, and swords worked pretty well against them,” Thatch adds.“Warriors from all the Tribes were gathered,” LidoMana continues, “and they ventured into the holy lands, in an effort to find the lair of these beasts and destroy them.  But they found no lair.  Instead, they found a pit, amidst a rocky outcropping.  A deep pit of boiling shadow and darkness, like a thunderstorm held trapped within the ground.  The beasts came from there, and those who sought to enter it were destroyed.“It was then, in our time of greatest despair, that the Miyen Kai arrived.  The creatures appeared, and he used great magic to smite them.”“He?” Reyu interrupts, eyebrows raising.  “The Miyen Kai is male?”LidoMana nods.“So?  What does it matter if he’s male?” Hue butts in, speaking in Elvish.  Dennis, who has been positioned to stifle Hue, promptly does so.“It is… quite rare for a man to be the Voice of his Tribe, let alone of his Nation,” Reyu explains to all, translating herself for LidoMana.“The Miyen Kai is rare indeed,” LidoMana agrees.  “He is now Voice, Hand, Head, and Heart of the Nation.  Since his coming, he has stood guard over the pit of shadows.  When the beasts arise, he smites them.”“Find out what they know of him before he came here.” Anvil asks.  “What lands does he hail from?  What has he done before now?”Reyu passes along the question.  LidoMana looks troubled, as if she herself has wondered these very things.  But she simply responds, “Does a drowning elf ask from where comes the log she clings to?”“Probably from upstre--" Hue begins, but Dennis again performs his appointed task.“The coming of the Miyen Kai was foretold to my people.  We have been awaiting him since the days of my mother’s mother’s mother,” LidoMana says.“There is a prophecy?” Reyu asks.  “What does it say?”“It says that in the time of great need to the Miyen, one shall arise to restore the health of the Nation.  Our need was great.  And our health has been restored.”The party takes a few moments to consider this.  It is Anvil who then speaks.“We must speak to this Miyen Kai, for we are on a mission from the King of Dar Pykos.  Ask her to lead us to him.”Reyu translates.  But LidoMana shakes her head.  “The Miyen Kai lives on the holy land.  It is forbidden for outsiders to set foot upon it.”“That is not acceptable,” Anvil insists.  “Kettenek demands we speak to him.  That is our holy task.  Reyu, convince her of that.”It occurs to Reyu that perhaps there is merit in ignoring non-elves. Nonetheless, she presses on.  “Our need is great.  Surely an exception can be made.”“That choice is not up to me.  The Miyen Tribe has the task of guarding the holy lands.  They are the only ones who could allow you passage.”“Then may we be allowed to speak to them, so that we may plead our case?”Much negotiation follows.  LidoMana is wary of allowing strangers that deep into Miyen territory.  Especially when they are humans (and a… well, a Hue).  However, Reyu makes a persuasive argument.  Finally, LidoMana agrees that, if the party will allow themselves to be blindfolded, she will have MetiGuyen lead them to the Miyen Tribe.The party agrees.For a full day and a half, they ride blindfolded through the woods, their horses led by elves.  Euro and the Ferret are put into sacks, to ensure that cannot see anything either.  At night the blindfolds are removed while the party makes camp.  The elves leading them do not speak to the party much.  If they must, they address all statements through Reyu.Eva has the most difficulty, riding blind through the forest terrain.  More than one low branch catches her unawares.  Not for the first time, she wonders why she left the city.  In fact, she wonders why anyone ever leaves cities.</blockquote>

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