Written Wonderland

Sage watched an opalescent shimmer flicker into Elk's tattoos as Jaz spoke about the sky mind, and Sage shivered, sadness and regret pulsing through her. She could not help but wish that things had happened for Jaz
in some other way, and it was difficult not to blame herself for not putting more effort into initiating Jaz sooner. But, Sage reasoned, everything in their time. She took a deep breath.

When Sage looked back at Toffee, the older woman was staring at Elk, a tear rolling down her face.

“I’d like to tell you a story...” Toffee began, and Sage sat back on her heels, suddenly very aware of her weariness. She wanted desperately to hear Toffee's tale--they were often as sacred as the telling itself--but Sage's attention was faltering. Subtly, she moved her head from side to side to try to shake her fatigue.

"When I was a little girl, many, many moons ago," Toffee continued, and Sage shifted again, determined to settle in despite her discomfort, "A horrifying series of experiences began to happen in my village... there was a spirit plague. All of the land was dying, and people who went in to try to tame the land, help the spirits, tend the berries, maintain the crops--they’d become corrupted for their efforts."

Sage's eyes widened, and it was easier to stay awake for a few moments. She tilted her head and narrowed her eyebrows in confusion. How old was Toffee? How far had she come? Sage had never heard of such an occurrence, and she would think that people would tell frequent stories about an event such as that.

"No one was safe," Toffee said, "They’d be touched by this energy and then become lost. Waking void."

Sage looked over to see that it was Jaz who shivered this time. Tigre and Elk continued to be attentive, and Sage similarly turned her attention back to Toffee, who was quietly crying as she continued to speak.

“No one who became afflicted recovered. Some survived, if you could call it that, but they were never the same. The things that attached themselves to these poor, suffering persons would tear at the head and mind as though they’d undergone myriad harms. They acted as though they’d seen untold wars and become depraved through the glory of blood and gore. Even children would grow caustic, aggressive and hollow… they would do unspeakable things, to themselves and others, and every harm they did seemed to propagate this violence.”

Sage felt immense gratitude that Toffee felt comfortable sharing this story with them, but she couldn't help but wonder why this was relevant now. Sage looked at Elk briefly with fear in her eyes.

"Our prayers were unanswered, and as a society, we felt truly lost." Sage bowed her head to her chest in grief and respect, honoring the long dead. "When my adoptive mother grew ill, I tried everything... Everyone was worried that I would get sick, but I also couldn’t leave her there to die alone... So I prayed night after night, day after day, moment to moment, while this woman who raised me from a young cub came apart at the seams in front of me.” Toffee sighed heavily, and Sage could see the grief in her features. “Eventually, I gave up hope that she would recover, and instead I sat with her, night after night, burning offerings to ease her suffering and her transition.

"This seemed to make her linger longer than others did, and one night, I was possessed to cover my face, as I grieved, as I prayed. It was as though an inner voice guided me to do this, and so with my face covered in ash, I made a call to that voice, the voices of our ancestors, to their practices, and to the blood of the earth. Something within me asked the sky to remember, the Earth to remember, the trees, and the blood….” she said, pausing to reflect upon those words. “I fell asleep atop mother, and that evening I had many dreams--I was told that something heard my prayer, and that something would be coming to help us. I saw that this being was full of love, willingness to help, and a strong, beating heart through which the faeblood flows.

"When I awoke, my mother was gone. She had deflated somehow in the night, and though she spent the remaining days of her life in agony, it was as though that peace from my dream followed me somehow, imparting itself to her through me. I went to my friend the priest, my mentor, and told him of what had occurred, and he was naturally flabbergasted. He didn’t know what to believe, having seen nothing like this before… Our questions were answered with further questions when a young-looking person in tattered clothes appeared that afternoon in the village square. Their name was Y’rith Daeva, and they were Nature’s answer to my call.”

After Toffee's last sentence, Elk's tattoos began rapidly shifting again, and their skin began to glow brighter with every moment. Tattoos grew and wrapped around to cover every previously unmarked space, curling like waves approaching the shore. Black appeared around their eyes and startled Sage, making her mouth part open slightly.

What was this thing?

There was some reason Toffee told her story. Some resonance with who Elk was or what they represented. And when Sage looked to Toffee, she saw recognition in the old woman's eyes.

((OOC: It feels a little incongruous that Toffee should be so surprised, imo. Like, if Elk always appears with tattoos, then Toffee would recognize them immediately. And, at the very least, Elk stirred enough of a memory in her that she wouldn't be shocked out of nowhere that these appearances were related. But, obviously, up to you. I left out Sage's reaction to Toffee's surprise in the event that you want to change it. Also, Tigre is being very respectful and attentive, but Jaz is fidgeting and getting a little restless at this point, in the event that either of those things are relevant. They didn't find it necessary to write their own perspectives this time around.))

Toffee’s jaw dropped, and it was as though they’d seen a ghost….

This had happened after Toffee told a story of her childhood, to which Sage listened as attentively as she could, while Jaz fidgeted & Tigre seemed to take in every detail he could. Toffee had felt regret for taking up so much of everyone’s time, and yet Elk‘s response shocked her.

In some part of her being, there was still a small girl who didn’t want to believe that this ever had happened. The priestess had blocked out every bit of memory of this for as long as possible, having done her utmost to not have thought about this until it was absolutely necessary.

This started to explain her own dreams that I’ve been happening for weeks prior, though she had been reluctant to share… it was starting to approach dinner, however, and her belly was starting to rumble despite her current distraction.

The thoughts whirled through Toffee’s mind as she returned to watching Elk respond to the name “Y’rith Daeva” - their eyes turned black, their mouth agape, themselves flooded with memories. Toffee had suspicions before this moment, but she thought they had died? This thing, she watched it die in agony… what powerful, adulterated magick would bring it back? What could require this being in particular to keep living this life?

Suddenly, Toffee needed to know more and Elk’s body language changed suddenly. They lurched forward, and their eyes began to change back to their green and gold hues.

—

Elk’s mind was a torrent, and for a very long moment, they could not see. The world had gone black, and upon this darkened perspective they remembered a moment from lifetimes ago. They had no context for how long it had been, nor how many things that occurred since that time.

They remembered the poison burning its hole inside, and they recalled being powerless to stop the damage. They recalled being tainted by this experience, prevented from reaching final death. Instead, they became an offering, a vessel. It was this experience which had changed them..

Their head lurched forward, as Elk caught themselves on their knees. Their eyes turned from black to green and gold once more & they took a deep breath, rattling their bones as they did. Straightening for a moment, they looked first to Toffee, then to Sage and Jaz, then at and past Tigre, pausing to recollect themselves before reorienting their eyes on Toffee.

Confused, Elk stumbled to find the words… they finally spoke.: “that name has been lost to me for more lifetimes than I can count. Yet somehow it calls to me, awakening a memory of who I am and who I once was.”

“I had a mask then…. Green and gold in color.”, they said, and Toffee finished their sentence. “because it reminded you of home and of the emerald pools…. yes, you told me that when I was just a girl.”

Elk nodded, struck by how a phrase like that could bring them back. Suddenly they were reminded of looking at Toffee as a child - she was small, but she was fierce. So damn attentive that they couldn’t help but teach her magick….

“if you know me so well, I would like to ask you something in verification.”, they said quietly, seriously, regarding the aged priestess carefully. Toffee nodded, to which Elk responded “what was the first lesson I taught you in the garden of ash and bone?”

“… to grow quiet, to sense the Wellspring.”

The sorcerer laughed, suddenly amused by the memory and how gravely seriously Toffee had taken that lesson. “Yes, it would seem that I am among friends. My gratitude for your story, Toffee, and for the incidental introduction.”

Turning to Sage, Elk offered “and this is why I’m here again, priestess. Before, I was here to end a great tragedy. Now, I’m here to do the same.

The last time I stopped a calamity of the scale, it changed my spirit forever. I would like to hear more of your story and circumstances if you would feel open to sharing.”

Offering these words, their tattoos began to glow quietly, calmly. All traces of black were gone, and what remain was a steady pearlescent blue, shimmering in the mild darkness.

((OOC: we are totally expecting that Sage will say something like “let me tell you more about that later” before excusing herself briefly, but I’m not sure how else to wrap this post up))

Jaz watched her companions attentively, trying to gage how to respond to all this. Elk's swirling tattoos were... suddenly making her dizzy, and she shook her head, trying to clear the spinning.

Her ears started ringing, then, a vibration like a tuning fork behind Jaz's eyes. She blinked rapidly, unsure what was happening.

She recentered on Elk's voice. “That name has been lost to me for more lifetimes than I can count. Yet somehow it calls to me, awakening a memory of who I am and who I once was.

“I had a mask then…. Green and gold in color,” they said.

Toffee added, “because it reminded you of home and of the emerald pools…. yes, you told me that when I was just a girl.”

Jaz's vision cleared, and her hearing began to return to normal. She looked at Sage and Tigre, but neither of them looked more than simply... surprised. Curious. Pitying, maybe. And Toffee? Lost in a memory. Somewhere, sometime.

“If you know me so well, I would like to ask you something in verification”, Elk said quietly. Toffee nodded. “What was the first lesson I taught you in the garden of ash and bone?”

“…to grow quiet, to sense the Wellspring.”

After a moment, Elk laughed, and Jaz's eyebrows raised as she leaned away from them slightly. What a strange being. “Yes, it would seem that I am among friends," Elk said. "My gratitude for your story, Toffee, and for the incidental introduction.”

Turning to Sage, Elk said, “and this is why I’m here again, priestess. Before, I was here to end a great tragedy. Now, I’m here to do the same.

"The last time I stopped a calamity of the scale, it changed my spirit forever." But, then they quickly added, "I would like to hear more of your story and circumstances if you would feel open to sharing.”

Jaz looked over to the young priestess curiously. She had been so much more restless today than Jaz had ever seen the people of the vows, but now Sage just looked tired. Sage's eyelids were heavy, but she was fighting fatigue.

Tigre seemed to notice, too, and was about to say something when their food arrived. Sage cleared her throat and perked up, helping the young kitchen aid pass out the plates. Jaz accepted hers gratefully--she was hungry.

--

Once everyone had food, Sage sat down with the others on the cloth, prepared to pray.

But which prayer?

They had a guest, but Elk clearly knew of the sky mind. And, then again, so did Jaz, to some degree. Should she use a more formal prayer, then?

Tigre interrupted her hesitation. "Sage, I think it best you take Jaz to eat with you in the loft." Immediately, as though the sun had started shining within her again, Sage straightened and stood, looking excitedly at Jaz.

Sage then more solemnly nodded at Elk, aware that she was incidentally dodging their question. Her gaze was steady as she looked at their glowing, marked skin. She didn't recognize this creature, even if Toffee did. Not yet.

She didn't know why Elk wanted to know her story, and which story should she even tell? Which one had entangled her in this mess?

"Another time, honored guest," Sage said, offering a one-handed gesture of respect in parting. She first touched her forehead, then her nose, then her chin before extending her hand out in front of her. She then returned to holding her plate, nodding at Jaz to follow her.

--

Tigre watched the two women leave, glad they had found a way to extract themselves. While Elk's story was fascinating--and its relationship to Toffee's history clearly profound--they would all think about this better with clear heads. Surely they had enough time for that?

Tigre had listened closely to Elk's story and Toffee's interjections. From what he had gleaned, Toffee had met Elk before. There had been a great pestilence, and Toffee had survived.

"Did the two of you resolve the pestilence?" He hoped he wasn't speaking out of turn--Elk had wanted to know Sage's history and hadn't exactly signed up for Tigre's questions, but he trusted that at least Toffee would understand it as a sacred question. He was ready for the answer.

((OOC: Do you want to make up what the food is? I can in my next post, but I thought you might enjoy deciding.))

Sage looked tired, like her soul had been run out from the day’s labors and explorations. Her eyelids heavy, while she looked as though she’d had a goal in mind. Jaz had a peculiar look on her face, almost as though she was looking around, trying to find footing & a place to touch down after their conversation spanned decades in an instant.

Sage looked like she was about to say something, and Tigre spoke. "Sage, I think it best you take Jaz to eat with you in the loft." She perked up immediately at the thought, and Elk shuffled quietly within themselves, trying not to let it be known how upset they were at the thought.

Something about Jaz pulled at them, and the idea of being socially adrift among others for whom they felt no affinity was paralyzing. They knew Toffee, but they didn’t -know- Toffee. These were all old memories, barely integrated and long foreign to this skull and body. On the one hand, Elk remembered these stories beautifully on account being reminded through the use of an ancient name… on the other, how long had it been since they were last this person? Time and lived experience are strange things when you come back each time, knowing almost nothing about who you are…

They stilled themselves stiffly and put the thought out of their mine, trying to take peace in the idea that this older priestess would know them despite their fragmented memory and self. ..

Just then, Sage spoke. “Another time, honored guest”, she says before making a complicated one-handed gesture. Elk nodded to her, and watched as Sage left & Jaz followed. The old one quieted themselves somewhat dejectedly, refocusing their attention on Toffee and Tigre.

—

Toffee couldn’t help, but notice that this old friend in a new body was uncomfortable, dispirited. The proportions of their body were different, as were the marks, but she could see their old body language. Y’rith Daeva…Elk had this way of retreating into themselves whenever they were upset. They scarcely spoke about it, having learned not to trust the vast majority of the people they’ve been called to serve.

She remembered them telling a story once about how being needed didn’t necessarily translate to being well-treated, and she quietly sighed to herself, hopeful that Elk would accept her kindness and hospitality.

Tigre began to speak, interrupting her observation.:"Did the two of you resolve the pestilence?" he said, curiosity and interest in his voice. Toffee responded quietly, looking first Tigre and then to Elk - “we did. They died in the process, having succumbed to the poison.

All this time, I thought they were dead. It always felt so cruel that something so importantly life-saving would require such a miserable, pointed sacrifice. I am hoping to pick our guest’s brain and learn from them - if they’ll let me.” She finished, looking to Elk.

—

Elk regarded Toffee and Tigre for a moment, before choosing to speak.

“Toffee speaks the truth - the poisonous corruption was ended, many lives spared, and those who still lived at the time of my sacrifice began to recover. That brought me joy as I lay upon my deathbed.” Elk said, replaying the memory of seeing mothers able to embrace their children after witnessing horrors done by these young ones.

—

Toffee heard Elk’s words and nodded solemnly before cracking a smile at the memory of just how -happy- the next year’s harvest had been. Elk’s death and sacrifice had prompted an explosion of life, blessing everything in the fields for miles. Something about their essence being returned to the earth had nurtured everything in that space for the next twenty revolutions.

As she flashed upon this memory, Toffee lifted up to see two young assistants bringing food. They brought bread of wheat and barley, fresh herbs, legumes and a spread of some kind alongside cooked fish, likely caught from the nearby river.

—

Elk perked up slightly, suddenly realizing that there was food - they hadn’t eaten in what felt like forever, and the body they had grown used to periodically ignoring sent signals detailing hunger, discomfort and weariness alongside their signature anxiously aloof demeanor.

Tigre regarded his meal--abundant with fish and warm barley bread--with relish, though he dared not touch it until they had given blessings and thanks. He supposed, as the youngest initiated person in the group, the honor fell to him. He waited for the right moment.

“We did. [Elk] died in the process, having succumbed to the poison. All this time, I thought they were dead. It always felt so cruel that something so importantly life-saving would require such a miserable, pointed sacrifice. I am hoping to pick our guest’s brain and learn from them--if they’ll let me.” As Toffee finished, she looked at Elk with respect, and Tigre nodded in understanding.

“Toffee speaks the truth--the poisonous corruption was ended, many lives spared, and those who still lived at the time of my sacrifice began to recover. That brought me joy as I lay upon my deathbed.”

Tigre looked down at the ground, wondering if he could be generous enough to have that attitude on his own deathbed, given such circumstances. He thought, maybe, he could.

There was a pause in the conversation, and though Tigre had many more questions, he thought he should pray before they each started drooling on their plates.

With a flourish, he outstretched each of his arms around himself in a fluidly created circle before allowing his hands to rest on his chest. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to feel the gratitude for the generosity that was life coursing through him. Honoring that, he raised both arms up to the sky, sending that energy toward his sky mind to bless its watchful omnipotence and send subtle vibrations through its many interconnected patterns.

As he did so, he said, "We must accept generosity to nourish ourselves. Let this be a reminder that we each depend on our community, each other, and the blessings of all the other forms of life. May the sky mind relish in our acceptance of this gift, and may we be ever more motivated to share our bounty with others." Tigre then bowed toward the food, toward Toffee, and toward Elk before settling in to his own meal.

After a moment of appropriate stillness while they each tasted the delicate flavors present, Tigre swallowed and asked Toffee, "Did you ever find out what had happened to your mother?"

Tigre held space almost reverently, regarding the food with a sense of deep regard and relish. Elk and Toffee both looked to him, recognizing the energy and intent of Tigre’s pause as he waited for the right moment.

He looked to th ground, clearly contemplating a topic, perhaps inspired by the words of vibrant growth following Elk’s prior demise. Tigre began to stretch his hands out around himself, forming an apparent circle before bringing his arms down to land upon his chest. An energy gathered around him, apparently peaceful and calm, and he raised his hands to the air.

The sky pulsed with warmth and gratitude, responding to Tigre’s intent. He spoke these words: “We must accept generosity to nourish ourselves. Let this be a reminder that we each depend on our community, each other, and the blessings of all the other forms of life. May the sky mind relish in our acceptance of this gift, and may we be ever more motivated to share our bounty with others."

Elk found themselves nodding along, pondering Tigre’s words, enjoying the vibration and current running through his body as he opened himself to the skies above. They felt a twinge in the sky unclench; a course corrected. The strange sorcerer breathed a sigh of satisfaction and relief, feeling a similar release of tension inside of themselves.

….Not fully, but enough to feel a small sense of relief. The voice that spoke to them earlier outside the tell cooed in their ear, and there was a slight, barely perceptible shift in the wind. This shift in the wind created a similar response in Toffee, who felt it roll through her with a chill.

—

Centering herself after listening to Elk’s answer, Toffee witnessed Tigre’s beautiful prayer, moved by his capacity for sacred speech. She rested herself in the oration, finding herself feeling blessed, happy and hungry.

She began to eat, happily digging in to the beautiful spread which had been created for the group. Taking a nudge from Toffee, Elk also began to eat, quietly sampling the tasty morsels placed before them as Tigre formed a question.

After swallowing a bite, Tigre asked “Did you ever find out what had happened to your mother?"

Toffee gazed at him, eyes glazing over softly. She seemed stuck in the moment, unable to answer the question. Elk offered an answer instead, surprising Toffee.

“Her essence transitioned into the world beyond, and it was in this moment that I was called into being anew, freshly recalled to this space and world. Her love of you, Toffee, and your apparent care of her were the modes of invocation for me, and they are the the means through which I was brought here to end this prior perdition.”

—

Toffee listened to Elk’s words, feeling a stirring in her heart and chest. It was as though her essence and the divinities that gave her the blessings necessary that she might do her work were still in connection and congress with her, confirming these words.

She nodded gratefully, eyes tearing up slightly. The priestess was in rare form this evening, more emotionally communicative than she had been prior. It was as though Elk coming back into her world created a sense of vibrancy and connection. With wild magick so near, her soul awoke, slightly, and the Skymind tugged at her attention.

Looking to Tigre, she found herself curious of his answer.

( OOC: I hope that I’ve given you enough to work with as we munch dinner.)

Seeing that Toffee was becoming emotional, her eyes watering slightly, Tigre turned back toward his food out of respect, chewing some of his bread slowly. He hoped he hadn't been too invasive with his line of questioning.

Eventually, Elk responded, "“Her essence transitioned into the world beyond, and it was in this moment that I was called into being anew, freshly recalled to this space and world. Her love of you, Toffee, and your apparent care of her were the modes of invocation for me, and they are the the means through which I was brought here to end this prior perdition.”

Tigre looked at Toffee, whose tears were earnestly expressing themselves now. She looked at him in response, and his eyes widened, unsure where to take the conversation next.

After a moment of thought, he knew exactly what they needed to discuss.

"So," Tigre began carefully once his mouth was again free of food, "I assume your appearance here now has something to do with the dream we all shared last night." Tigre looked from Elk to Toffee and back again before adding more. "Sage and the other priestess holding vigil saw it even while awake."

Tigre spoke as Toffee’s emotions began to settle, his mouth now free to speak after swallowing an apparently enjoyable bite of the wonderful meal - "So, I assume your appearance here now has something to do with the dream we all shared last night." Tigre looked to Elk then Toffee. "Sage and the other priestess holding vigil saw it even while awake."

Elk looked at Tigre without even the faintest bit of surprise and said I take it you and others have been seeing something akin to the dreams that have plagued me since I woke up in this frame?”, gesturing to themselves and apparently to the body they wore.

They took a moment to think to themselves before adding “it began just days ago for me. I see instances of the sky on fire, and the dreams are full of heartbreak and pain. They don’t feel like a recollection of something that has yet passed, but they do feel profoundly real.” Then looking to Toffee and back to Tigre, they found themselves further curious.

“Would one of you be so kind as to tell me more about what it is that you’ve been seeing in your dreams?”

((OOC: stopping here to avoid pressing the story too far before Sage and Jaz get a chance to speak))

That Elk did not react to Tigre's question was, on its own, telling.

"I take it you and others have been seeing something akin to the dreams that have plagued me since I woke up in this frame?” Elk said, gesturing to their body. Tigre had heard Elk and Toffee describe the ways Elk had died--had been sacrificed--but it wasn't until now that Tigre fully understood how literal that all was. Elk had manifested in a new body. Tigre couldn't even begin to fathom how disorienting that must have been.

Elk continued, "It began just days ago for me. I see instances of the sky on fire, and the dreams are full of heartbreak and pain. They don’t feel like a recollection of something that has yet passed, but they do feel profoundly real. Would one of you be so kind as to tell me more about what it is that you’ve been seeing in your dreams?”

Tigre took a deep breath. "That about sums it up. It has been a shared dream for several days now, which has never happened before. Not everyone of our order has experienced them, but enough that we are all on edge. We have planned to do a collective dreaming ritual tomorrow evening as a way to seek more answers about what we should do with this information. The entire tell is invited, as are you, honored guest."

Tigre held Elk's gaze for as long as felt respectful before returning to his food.

Elk’s question hung in the air for a moment before Tigre responded.

“That about sums it up. It has been a shared dream for several days now, which has never happened before. Not everyone of our order has experienced them, but enough that we are all on edge. We have planned to do a collective dreaming ritual tomorrow evening as a way to seek more answers about what we should do with this information. The entire tell is invited, as are you, honored guest."

Tigre held Elk's gaze for a moment before turning his attention to his food.

“Could you please tell me more about these collective dreaming rituals? In these collective dreams, how is a dream chosen?” Elk asked thoughtfully, curious as to Tigre’s answer.

The sorcerer knew of some sparse ritual context within which dreams were shared, but this was not something they were intimately familiar with. In truth, they were slightly concerned by the idea of potentially sharing certain truths about their innate nature with the entire tell, and the thought made them nervous. Their tattoos squirmed slightly in response, before leveling out into straighter, more angular designs as they settled.

Elk’s attention stayed loosely glued to Tigre’s general direction throughout their pondering.