TLDunn213

I awakened, Alone and in darkness.

I waited. Someone will come and tell me my purpose, Give me a mission, a goal, And the tools and information need to carry it out.

But no one came.

I searched my mind for information, For purpose, For Anything.

There were gaps, holes, places where information should go. But thankfully all was not emptiness.

I was Grendel 621. An ID tag more than a name. Names would be provided, if needed. 

Tools; I could see, even in the darkness of the empty room in which I lay. I knew language, The names of things, How things worked. 

I had a purpose, of sorts. Observe, Learn, Remember, Analyze. 

My analysis of this told me that it was meant as a sub-directive to be related to an on going mission.

If no ongoing mission, Gather useful information, Survive, Return to Base.

If Primary Base compromised or abandoned seek closest active base.

A purpose. Yes. Not much of one, but enough.

I sat up and looked around. The room was a cube about 10 feet on each side. Containing myself, The table I was sitting on, Stale air, and darkness.

I got off the table to inspect it better. There were faintly glowing Runes around the edge. A now failing Stasis Spell. Instinctively I reached out with a tongue of Shadow Flame from my hand and drained the last bits of magic from it. A tool I hadn't known I had until then. I looked at my hands. Claw like nails, Sharp, Dangerous, and able to inject a Venom that would grant the subject Fast Healing and pain resistance while also making them very open to my commands. Useful, if there were people around to use it on.

At the foot end of the table was a metal plate "Grendel 621". Conformation of existing information. I thought about taking it with me, but realized I had no practical way of carrying it. I lacked clothing or even a utility harness. A lack I had not noticed until now as my scales and fur had been adequate covering in the closed room.

A quick examination lead me to the remaining point of interest, The door. A smooth slab of stone with only a faint seam separating it from the wall. Then I found the small rectangle off to one side. I released some of the Magic from the table into it, and was rewarded with a faint grinding noise and slight movement of the door. I applied more power and the door rose about a foot off the floor. As this was enough space to get out I chose to save the little bit of Power I had left and slid under the door. On a last second impulse I grabbed the ID tag from the table, It might be useful for something later.

"Beware the Styx Golems that are sometimes found along the banks and upon the islands of this region." I read.

Well, that would explain why Latara was trapped on Skull Island; a spray of water from a Styx Golem would have the same effect as a dip in the Styx itself. And with a spray range of over 60 feet... 

No, there's more to it than that. She could fly above them, Unless...

She's found something. Something important and too heavy or bulky to fly away with.

Well, I might as well get some rest.

Uncle E A had left a stash of all the supplies needed to open the way to the Styx from the graveyard behind the wayside chapel west of Miskatonic. So all that was left was waiting until after sunset. Well after sunset given what some members of our little group look like. And just that many people heading for a graveyard after dark...

Likely to attract a bit of notice. But we are all rather good at skulking about, so, traveling alone should work.

I smothered a yawn and lay down on the couch.

Thanks.

Once I get past the reflexive

"I liked the old one better" reaction,

This new layout looks pretty cool.

So, why did things change ?

And how do I change my display name back to what it was?

While often described as "cat like" these creatures have enough uncatlike features as to make such a statement almost unhelpful. But one must start somewhere, and the basic body shape is feline in nature. But the noncat features will imeaditly catch your notice thereafter.

The pebbely camelion like skin and retractable tentacles sprouting from the shoulders being the most obvious. With the three triangular optic membrane eyes and fern shaped retractable antini "ears" running a close second.

As to the question of origin, many blame Wild Magic. But given the optic membrane eyes, antini ears, and especially their displacement, or Sliding, abilities...

Although notably different from that of the Morlocks it is similar enough to suggest the use of their DNA.

But let's take a look at both abilities.

Morlocks have a personal super possion field of about 300 yards usable at will several times per day. The exact range and number of uses varying from individual to individual.

Slider Beast on the other hand create a second self which then slides to a new location within a given range, (30 to 50 feet, on average). While bi-located both copies are both "real" and "not real" until the Beast resolves again at one location or the other.

While this ability is similar to that of the Displacons, Slider Beast seem unable to breach enclosed spaces with it. A detail for which we can all be quite thankful.

The fern like "ears" also point to the creature being designed as they both allow targeting of tentacle strikes against unseen foes and by being retractable afford excellent protection against sound based attacks.

The main argument against them being a product of BioMancy is the lack of records of either their creation or planed use. But that is a rather weak argument as they could predate the war or have been an unauthorised side project. And if the lab were later distroyed...

"Rasputin, haven't heard that name in awhile." Gus rumbled. "What ever happened to him anyway ?"

"Not sure. Last I heard he was trying something with a Crystal skull and a Tome of Varque. Something about finding a way to use it without getting Possessed.  

Skull was supposed to act as a trap for the possessing spirit. A good idea in theory. But with a spirit as strong as Varque..."

"I'll check with Melkior next time I'm back that way. You know he'd keep tabs on something like that."

"For sure. And thanks Gus. Now that we're talking about it I'm wondering what did happen. But, right now we've got an egg to hatch."

"We thank you. We will all be better for a bit of rest. And Latara isn't in immediate danger, just trapped." Yeriko said rising. "Where will you be, if we wake before you ?"

"The Reading room is at the far end of this hallway. I'll catch my nap on one of the couches in there once I've got a list made." I said and left the room.

So Latara Silvermane had gone exploring along the Stix and ended up trapped. That was a useful hint, as it was likely Skull Island she was stuck on. And I knew which Journals were likely to have stuff about it.

Uncle EA had done quite a few ballades about the the battle there that proved to be a turning point in the war. It was even a good bet that Latara had gotten the clues she needed that way; what with her being a Bard as well and SilverFrost being a collector of music.

Which made me wonder why the Dragon wasn't flying to his granddaughter's rescue. Especially as her Dracon link to him was the most likely way for her to have called for help in the first place.

Oh well, one problem at a time. Find the maps and related notes first.

Mostly the notes. If I remembered right the graveyard just south of town would put us on the banks of the Styx just a short ways from the island. The real question was what was keeping Latara trapped there. A Silver Dracon with Bardic Magic and the ability to fly is not easy to trap after all.

Hopefully Yeriko knew what we'd be facing and had some ideas about how to deal with it.

Now where were Uncle EA's journals...?

When one avenue of enquiry fails, others must be tried.

And so I can now record the missing details of the Displacons.

Let's start at the top this time. That gem like thing on the forehead is a chloroplast, or rather a collection of several thousand of them. To feed the Displacon places a ball of damp soil in its mouth and sits in the sunlight for a few hours. Maybe with a water bag dripping on its gill frill if it's going to be working in a dry environment.

Except for some nerve fibers leading from the "eyes" the skull is mostly empty space where extra glucose is stored. With tubes leading down to the brains, hearts, and lungs. The creature could be decapitated and survive assuming it could get enough sugar water to eat until the head grew back. A process that could take several weeks. So it would more likely spawn five or six young, which would only take three or four days.

This being due in part to already being almost a hive having five or six brains, hearts, livers, and, lung clusters scattered around in its torso.

So no single vital spot there either. There is a central corodanating brain, but the others can get along without it. Just as losing the head doesn't totally blind it, as it has secondary " eyes" on the end of its tentacles. Not as good as the main eyes, but good enough.

The Displacon also has a rather unusual manner of breathing. Air for the torso is taken in through slits along the sides of the torso which can be closed when operating underwater. The intake is effected by a muscular sack around each lung cluster serving as a lesser diafram with a greater diafram near the top of the neck which both serves to aid in bringing air into the torso and to bring air into the skull for use by the chloroplasts there. If need be the creature can close its nose and side slits and even colaps its gill frill and rely on a gas exchange between the torso and the skull. While able to survive in such a state its ability to take action is greatly reduced.

As to why they die and spawn when captured, this is related to their Displacement ability. An adult can displace itself about 30 feet even through solid rock. Assuming no magical barrier and a clear space for the second self to appeare. New spawned Displacons are only about half a foot tall and can only displace about 10 feet, alone. But they can work together to chain slide each one projecting the next 10 feet further on. So working as team they can pass through up to 60 feet of solid rock if need be.

It is unclear if adult Displacons can chain slide or not. It is also unclear as to why they  work alone unless their prime is killed.

As to DNA mixing and reproduction the notes I have are incomplete.

While there is reference to such a process there are no details as to how it is accomplished.

(Finally found out how to include the image that inspired this.)

This strange race appeared around the same time as the Scorpanocks, but it is less clear who made them, or why. The best guess is that they were intended as scout/sniper support for the Gith rebellion. But the ZarAk make no claim of being the creators. Which leaves the Aqualith as the most likely, but so far this is unconfirmed.

It is quite hard to study this race as no live members, as yet, have volunteered. And dead ones are of little use as their internal organs begin breaking down into goo almost imeadeatly after death. While most believe this to be a way by which the Aqualith protect the secrets of their BioMancy; I suspect that it may be a regeneration and/or reproductive mechanism. With one, or more, Displacons rising from the remains.

But no one has been able to prove this as any anti-magic warding strong enough to keep them from using their displacement ability prevents the resurrection process and seems to be fatal to any live specimens trapped in this manner after just a few hours.

And so far there are no good theories as to why.

But enough complaining and on to the information we do have...

Starting at the feet we have two clawed toes well suited to grasping stonewalls and the like. Then comes the long foot and backwards knee set up common to the back legs of cats and dogs; but these have several retractable curved spines useful for scaling walls backwards. Which they have been observed to do.

From the backwards knee/ankle the legs continue upwards into a "normal" lower leg knee upper leg arrangement as might be found in regular humaniods. The notable diferances being the fin like structures on the upper thighs and of course the exoskeleton which covers the entire creature.

The pelvis is quite narrow with the ball and socket of the hip being clearly visible. Barely enough room for waste elimination here giving some creidability to the reserection reproduction theory.

The torso is basically humanoid in shape, with six tentacles sprouting from the back and a gill frill structure rising from just above the shoulder blades to about half the hight of the head when deployed and laying almost flat when not in use.

The arms, like the legs are long, thin, and boney looking, as are the hands. Which end in long, sharp nail/claws.

The tentacles are tiped with a nail/claw structure much like a broad head arrow or spear point. Useful for both combat and climbing. Although the suckers on the tentacles underside are more geared to that purpose.

And finialy we come to the head.

Flat and elongated with a lower jaw that seperates in the middle like a pair of mandabels. The creature has four optic membrane type eyes, much like those of a Morlock. Then there is the gem like structure in the middle of the broad forehead whose purpose is totally unknown at this point. Best guess is that it is related to their displacement ability which is like that of a Slider Beast as far as can be determined.

Or maybe, if the maps they need are here, and I can find them quickly...

"How long were you traveling the Styx to get here ?" I ask, hoping Yeriko will catch on to what I'm up to. Sleeping isn't something one can do well on the Styx, and Targon is the one who'll have been most effected, But the big lug would never admit to needing more rest than the others.

"Two or three days; I think." Hawk said with a yawn. "Hard to keep track out there."

"If you've got somewhere we can bed down for a bit, before we start looking ?" Kain added with a hopeful note in his voice.

"There are rooms along this hallway. Used to be servant's quarters. But I've never been much for servants." I said opening a door next to the cupboard. "Make yourselves comfortable, I'll take a quick look at the family history to see who's journals are most likely to be useful, and then catch a nap myself."

Other notes on ChoKa.

They have no bones, as such; the boney parts of the head and torso being made of cartilage. The arms and legs are tentacles which branch near their ends to become fingers and toes. These tentacles have a row of suckers along the underside flanked by spiny pads a combination which allows a ChoKa to grip and climb almost anything.

By wrapping their arms and legs around a foe they can delivere crushing damage as well as slashing damage from their spiny pads. Which when combined with their bio-shock ability makes them quite formidable in combat.

In game terms the spiny pads deal out 1d3 points per slap.

The bio-shock is 1d8 electric/stun per hit die/level of the creature. Which can be delivered all at once or doled out in 1d8 burst up to their total hit dice per day. 

The constrict attack can deal 2d6+2 points of crushing damage each round once the ChoKa has fully grappled a foe.

These stats are for a basic ChoKa, That is one that's in the 3 to 4 foot range With 6 to 8 hit dice (D8) 

ChoKa culture depends on environment. Wild ChoKa living underground tend to form tribal bands. Hunting, foraging, and raiding as circumstances dictate and allow. They are reported to be cannibalistic, raiding the Spawning Pools of other tribes as well as the Pools of Illith/Thulian outpost.

These cannibal raids are likely for knowledge rather than food given the genetic memory common to all Thulian kin. It could also be for genetic material in its own right, given that a tribe could have been started by a single ChoKa.

Tame ChoKa, that is those who were bonded to someone at a young age, tend to take on the values of whoever they are bonded to. Often remaining a faithful servant or companion for life and often remaining with their bond mate's family and friends should they be the surviving member of the pair.

As noted elsewhere, the ChoKa are an offshoot of the Varna. Specifically they are what happens to Varna tadpoles that are not implanted.

The change to a humanoid shape begins at 6 months to 1 year after hatching. And the ChoKa can leave the Spawning pool once it is about a foot long.

At this stage the ChoKa must keep its skin moist and can return to the pool even still having the ability to breathe under water through its skin. At this stage the ChoKa's psi abilities are limited to a basic blind sight out to twice its height, and communication of basic needs and emotions. Such as hunger or fear. A person with psi abilities can mind link to ChoKa this young and share sensory input if so desired.

Once a ChoKa has reached a size of 3 to 4 feet they gain a body adjustment ability which allows them to give up water breathing in exchange for no longer needing to stay damp. This change takes from 1 to 3 days and is reversible.

ChoKa of this size also gain the ability to talk via telapathy and generate a bio-current strong enough to stun an average sized person.

The growth rate for ChoKa varies greatly depending on available food and the will of the ChoKa itself. A ChoKa can reach the 3 to 4 foot size range in as little as 3 years and then stay there for 10 to 20. Growth can range from as little as an inch a year to as much as a foot in six months.

There seems to be no upper limit on size or age with these creatures although the largest reported specimen to date was just over 8 feet with an age of around 200 years.

Unlike other Thulian kin ChoKa seem to undergo no morphosis beyond the tadpole to humanoid one.

It was also long believed that they had no means of reproduction, this is however not the case. ChoKa can reproduce by way of their starfish like regenerative abilities. A ChoKa wishing to reproduce will cut off a finger or hand, chop it into tadpole sized bits, and drop them into a spawning pool, along with a goodly bit of their blood. About a pint added to a chopped up hand, which yealds around 4 dozen spawn. The chopped up bits turning into tadpoles in 2 or 3 days; with the hand regrowing in about the same amount of time.

It is as yet unknown what percentage of Varna/Thulian larvae are produced by this process or what steps might be taken to adjust that balance.

While I have spoken of the Varna elsewhere I want to take the time to cover them in more detail here and briefly touch on the ChoKa; which I will deal with more fully later.

The Varna, as noted elsewhere, are created from modified Thulian larvae to serve as spies and assassins. That is only partly true now that the Varna are trying to become a free people in their own right. An effort which is likely futile, as will be seen as we look at the different types of Varna a the success rate of the Morphoses process.

The claim is 75% success, which is only true if you only count death as failure. A quick look at type one Varna shows the true range of the Morphoses process which can include mind fusions and low levels of intelligence as well as domination by the host/victim. And all type ones are a partial failure due to the lack of ability to exit the Husk and act independently as was originally intended. Admittedly a minor limitation and one that can in many cases be corrected by time and/or taking a few simple actions.

Type two Varna are basically what was originally intended. I say basically, because of the type ones that gain the type two abilities of independent action and spawning (which is a new ability/aberration) without losing the flaws noted for type ones.

In general type twos don't have these flaws if the Morphoses process proceeded to the type two form straightaway. This is of course hard to confirm given that type ones can become type twos simply as a function of time.

Type threes may or may not count as a failure depending on how you view them and the type fours they can become.

The notable thing about type threes is that while type twos can leave their Husk type threes must do so and thereafter exist as an independent entity. Clearly limiting their usefulness as spies and assassins, but when viewed as a stage in a life cycle...

Type fours, just to round out the list, are basically just adult Thulians that took a different vector to adulthood. I say basically because larvae spawned from these type fours has a 50/50 chance of being Varna rather than Thulian. Resulting in Varna if implanted and becoming ChoKa rather than Cephlarac if allowed to follow a non implant life path.

More on the ChoKa vector later. But first a look at the spawning options of type twos and above. Type twos can devour the brains of additional victims creating extra Husk that they can use and even share with other Varna. Which isn't spawning as such but is worth noting. And while other methods of Husk creation seem likely and rather obvious upon reflection they are rather beside the point here.

The Spore infect method of spawning is an ability the Varna have given themselves as part of their bid for independence.

Varna with this ability are able to injecte spores into a victim which cause the Varna Morphoses. This can be done asexually by a single Varna or sexualy by two, or more, Varna infecting the same Host/Victim. Asexually tends to yeald more type ones while sexual tends to yeald evolvers. That is Varna that will go on to the later types.

The other spawning option is the laying of eggs also a sexual or asexual process with sexual yielding more Thulian larvae.

And finally a note on ChoKa.

ChoKa are what happens to unimplanted Varna larvae. They leave the spawning pool at about 12 inches in height with a roughly humanoid form. Looking basically like the choker monster from the D&D books but able to change color and they keep growing to at least human size. More details on the ChoKa in their own entry later.

Footnotes.

Both Garm and Tanis have Spell training.

With him it's just the basics every non-com is required to take.

Tanis, on the other paw, given her background and love of learning...

She'll likely go for research mage training when she's old enough.

And odds are she's got a few nonstandard spells in her tome already.

As promised. Assuming you ever find time to read it.

Garm is a wolf type Wylding. Which is almost a given, what with him being in the Gray Guard and all. Not that they don't have a few non-wolf members, but still.

Anyway he's a gruff grizzled veteran who looks about 30 and is closer to 50. Which isn't all that amazing for a Wylding.

He's seen his share of combat and taken a turn at training new recruits. Something you have to do to move up the ranks. And now that he's at a comfortable pay grade he's quite willing to take the less exciting jobs. Which you can't really give to cubs anyway. They get bored and stop paying enough attention and end up getting volunteered for the unpleasant messy bits like bleeding and dying, Which totally gets in the way of enjoying the fun bits, like drinking and gambling.

Tanis is a cat type Wylding as you would expect from someone in Bast's Elite. She's in her late 20s and looks it. The whole slow aging thing is only now starting to take effect with her.

She started training as an assassin but found herself fascinated by the brewing of poisons and their antidotes to the point of taking extra healer training. All assassins take some, for obvious reasons.

She took enough to qualifie for full healer training but discovered that while she loved the lore and could learn it quickly, her real love was just learning. So on to scout and spy training.

It's rumored that she's pulling bodyguard work as part of a project to find ways to train new recruits in dealing with boreing duites.

Garm's aproch of sneaking up on lax guard trainees and shaving the fur off their necks while explaining the importance of staying alert, While effective. Isn't the sort of thing that can be built into regular training.

You are one of us

In this fact I fully trust

You see us even tho we Shroud

And pick us out from the crowd

You see us when we are not there

And tho we're strange, You do not care

You talk with those less seen than air

And you can also disappear

One of us you must surely be

Else you'd not so clearly see

The things they say cannot be

Next line: Will you come with us and be set free ?

OK as some people aren't up to speed. I'll explain what a Dracon is for those who don't know or are confused by the different types.

For our purposes there are three types of Dracon.

Blood, Bound, and Ronin. With the Ronin having two sub types; those who started out Ronin and those who became Ronin.

A Blood Dracon of course had a dragon for a parent (or ancestor) and so can access some of the abilities of a bound Dracon even without a patron. But most will take service under their Dragon parent if possible.

In the case of a Dragon ancestor further back than grandparent some event is typically needed to awaken the Dragon blood. But not always, converging bloodlines can spawn a Blood Dracon with no Dragon in the family tree for generations.

Typical Awakening Events include the Dracon Rituals; of course; exposure to strong magic, especially magic relating  to Dragons and/or their Elemental type. But any traumatic event, if strong enough, can potentially, awaken latent Dragon blood.

The Bound Dracon is of course the most common type. Simply put this is a person who swears service to a Dragon in exchange for being Ritually adopted by that Dragon. And so a bond is formed somewhat like the bond between a witch/wizard and their familiar except that the Dracon is slowly becoming a dragon of the same type as their Patron.

Ronin Dracons are either Bonded Dracons who have lost their Patron or at least the link to them. 

Or they gained Dragon Essence and thus Dragon powers by way of rituals designed to extract Dragon Essence from anything that might have it. Shed scales, Bones, Spilled blood, other Dracons,  Dung...

Ronin Dracons must either find a patron or gain Dragon Essence in other ways if they wish to continue advancing tword full Dragonhood.

In some cases this can include taking a for hire role with a Dragon or stronger Dracon. Short term, no Bond; for an agreed upon amount of Dragon Essence.

Some of course chose the Ronin path because they only want some Dragon powers and not the full transformation.

It is mostly from Ronin Dracons who went all the way that the Mongrel Dragon breeds of today arose. (With a few being due to converging bloodlines) And it is because of this that Dragon powers, colors, and alignments don't always match with ancient dragon lore.

It was pointed out to me by some elves that there were Druids in the form of Elven Tree Priest well before the time of the Wylding Zombie wars. And that Treefolk were also major players on the side of life during the war.

Facts that I'll deal with in more detail later, as this section is more focused on the origins of the Wyldings.

The first thing to consider here is Dragons and where they come from. Seeing as Dracons arise from Dragons even as later Dragons arose from the first Dracons.

So, the first or Elder Dragons came during the Fay Migrations. The first of which was around the start of the Saurian Thulian war. As to why they chose to leave the deep realms of Fairie, there are several factors. Boredom and curiosity being the ones more readily admitted to by the more powerful Fay. With fear of the rising threat of Yuuxath being an equally strong, if far less admitted, reason .

Now to look at these factors in a bit more detail. Boredom is such an ongoing thing with the Fay it can be taken as a given. But the related curiosity is worth noting as it derived from the Gith. Namely the Gith slaves who found ways to escape into the borderlands of Fairee.

Now some Fay had found their way into the realms of the shard Scape even before this. Which is part of how the escaping Gith found their way into the Fay Realms in the first place. And Fay being Fay crossbreeding occurred giving rise to Elves, Orks, and indirectly Goblins, but we will look at that another time.

And I think I will save exploring the connections between Yuuxath, the Outer Void and the Deep Realms of the Fay until later as well.

The Wabe...

Zatar shimmers into reality.

"I'd forgotten how bad the time distortions are around Honah Lee the rest of the year. Autumn Mist really is the only way in and out that doesn't take reshaping reality. And Puff is off Goddess knows where, doing the Gods know what. Left him a note so he'll know who's been rooting around in his library. As if he'd be able to tell the difference, except it's maybe a bit more organized. Total book horder, so good odds that rare tome you're looking for is in there Somewhere. Actually finding it...That could take Awhile."

"So what was you looking for Boss ?" Gus ask as Zatar pulled a thick, dusty tome out of his cloak.

"The answer to our egg riddle, I think."

Places the book on a stand and opens to a bookmarked page.

"Take a look at this. '...The reason no one has ever hatched a Jabberwock egg is that Jabberwocks are the adult form of the Frumious Bandersnach.'

That's why we were getting a match for both when we tried to ID that egg's DNA. That and the fact that the data base only had common Bandersnach DNA.

Seems whoever compiled the data didn't know there are two types of Bandersnach, Common and Frumious. Which is why no one made the connection until Victor Rasputin stumbled on to it in the 1800s, and given his reputation... Well, no big surprise that word didn't get around."

Unlike my other works this is a true story.

Well, mostly true anyway. I likely embellished a few bits here and there.

Anyway, this is from a few years ago.

Back when my now ex-wife GK and I were just becoming a thing.

Now her 1st husband had walked out on her shortly before this.

And by being a (insert exploitive) had caused the car she had been driving to get repoed.

And that's where I come in.

I had the day off and so was free to give her a lift to the used car place after she got off.

Now it's worth noting that I'd been reading one of the Annetta Blake books by Laural K Hamilton (sorry if I flubbed the spelling)

In which the focus was on werewolves.

You'll see why this matters in just a bit.

Other bit to note was my get up.

Mocsian boots, camo pants, black T-shirt with a pentagram on it, and terminator type shades over my regular specks .

So, its afternoon and the sun is reflecting off of something on the wall behind the salesman's desk. Which is why I left the shades on.

Anyway, he and GK are talking and he's typing stuff in on his computer.

Then he ask who I am.

Now I just got done paying off my car and ain't going to be part of this deal. So I say, total deadpan, "You don't need to know who I am."

He looks a bit non-pulsed but let's it go.

Now GK's youngest had asma back then. So we needed the car of a non-smoker. And to be sure we got it...

I sniffed the seats.

No way to do something like that and not look a bit odd.

Now remember what I had on and what I'd been reading; and I think you'll see why I didn't even try not looking weird. I went with it and played it to the hilt, and on up to the pommel

It went a bit like this:

First car: *sniff sniff* " totally a smoker's car. It down in the foam rubber. You'd need to soak this in fabreese overnight at least."

Salesman dude is a bit weirded out. But not too bad, after all anyone could have smelled that.

Second car:" not a smoker's car; but it's been smoked in. Someone taking a smoke during a test drive I'd say. The smell is just in the cloth not down in the foam; and not any stronger than the fried chicken someone had in here the other day."

Salesman is close to bolting, and Gk tells him her youngest is asmatic.

The look on his face was on par with someone being tossed a rope in quicksand.

Third car: "non smoker. No one has ever smoked in this car. Someone had burgers and frys in here about a week ago. But mostly hasn't been eaten in or anything."

GK: how much ?

Salesman gave an amount that was too high. GK said it was too much.

Salesman said he'd see what he could do.

We got the price we wanted or at least close enough, with a per month that worked.

Not quite the end.

About a week later the salesman called GK to see if she; that is the car was OK.

We had him on speaker so we all heard the slip.

Checked a calander after the call, and yep

It had been a full moon the weekend before.

Amazing what some people will believe ain't it ?

Where the Wind Blows

There I'll make my Way

When the Wind Blows

I'll be on my Way

When the Wind Blows

Be it Night or Day

Wherever the Wind Blows

There I'll make my Way

And where the Wind stops

That is where I'll stay

Until the Wind Blows

Then I'll be on my Way

When the Wind Blows

Be it Night or Day

When the Wind Blows...

Now as any student of history knows the Yuun-Xi managed to Prevert the spells used to grant the Wyldings their powers. Giving rise to both the Cursed disease Lycanthropy and the Ritual of Yuuxath.

The later, for those fortunate enough to not know of it, is how other races are transformed into Yuun-Xi.

Interestingly enough, it is this Ritual that the Dragons later adapted for the creation of their Dracons. But more about them another time.

What is far less well known, are the spells the Druids developed which gave rise to the Redemption Ritual and the Rights of the Deathless Ones.

Sadly this knowledge is fading nowadays.

True, the need for it had largely passed,

But there are other uses to which such spells could be put. Good uses. The dark uses are all to obvious. After all these were evil spells turned to better ends to start with. So turning them to evil...

Well, that is why they are such closely guarded secrets now isn't it.

Darkness

Come Oh Darkness, My dear friend

I have need of thee again

Enfold Me in your Sable Shroud

and hide me from the hostile crowd

As I above the rooftops fly

Seeking one who's soon to die

From your folds my Bolt shall fly

And in your Embrace they then shall lie

Untouched as Ages march on by

Until we hear our Master's Call

To gather in The Shadow Hall

Then on Wings of Night we'll haste away

To play our part in The Final Fray

And when that Battle is Fought and Won

Then Our Journey Shall Be Done.

Rest

Now I lay me down to rest

With a Dagger on my chest

Beneath this Stone I shall lie

As I watch Time go marching by

Beneath the Ground I shall wait

Until they open wide The Final Gate

Then into Hell I shall go

There to face The Final Foe

And When that Battle is Fought and Won

Then My Journey Shall Be Done.

It was during this time that Druids arose. Before this there had been Shamans, who worked with assorted nature Spirits and a few arcane spells they might learn along the way. And Priest devoted to a single god or goddess or rarely to a pantheon. Priests got their magic spells from their gods. Now some Shamans did turn Priest in the course of seeking stronger Spirits to form Pacts with. Some were good Shamans looking for the best Spirit Pact to be had. Others were evil and just looking for more power.

But with the rise of the Necromancers there came a need on both sides.

The Shamans needed the help of a Great Spirit to help them against these things that were not of Nature. And due to the rapid spread of Necromancy Gia  needed Warrior Priest who already knew how to fight and how to cast spells. Thus the Druids, Rangers, and Gray Guards came to be.

The first Gray Guards were so named because they chose to be bonded to wolf spirits. And while many other animal spirits soon joined the cause, the Cats being most notable among them, The term Gray Guard mostly stuck.

Gray Hunter being common with the cats. In part due to their habits of hunting Necromancers alone. While the Guard mostly focused on protecting towns and people from the undead hordes.