Episode 06 | Dreameaters

Sæa:     … and another in the guestroom- Ah- It made that noise again.

Raka:    Finally!

Sæa:     Is there another spirit around?

Raka:    No, this time that was me. I’ve been trying out various methods to activate it, seems like this one worked.

Sæa:     Ah… Anyway I think you should talk to the one in the… hmm, longhouse, top floor, first room on the left next.

Raka:    Top floor, first room left. Alright.

Sæa:     I think she mentioned something that sounded like what you are looking for. Are these your notes? Fiyar’ta, your handwriting is terrible.

Raka:    It’s readable. That’s all that matters.

Sæa:     You’re too practical.

Raka:    Sorry, could you excuse me for a moment? Now that I finally managed to turn this on I want to give Auril an update.

Sæa:     More work? I… I would’ve thought the journaling and questioning would be enough already.

Raka:    Akasars have a lot of responsibilities.

Sæa:     I’m starting to second guess my desire to attend university now…

Raka:    Well, this is what it’s like.

Sæa:     It’s probably about time I go down and attend to my own responsibilities. Lots of work with all the refugees. Do you need anything?

Raka:    Ah- No, I’m fine. Thank you.

Sæa:     Alright, let our housekeeper know when you need something.

Raka:    Great, thank you.
Auril, this thing needs a way to manually activate it. I’ve been trying to turn it on since morning! I spoke to most people in the longhouse for any leads on the tangleweave situation all morning- well except for Lyn, who was still asleep. And a few other people I couldn’t get a hold on. I’ll question those later. Some of the interviews I had would’ve been great material for your records, but I couldn’t figure out how to activate this damned thing manually. See, this is why I like to keep journals; your little toy isn’t as reliable as a book you can just open whenever you need it! I took notes on all interviews of course, but most experiences were of the usual sort.
Anyway, just so you know, I managed to turn on the Windshell using Malaki’s wind-tether. Figured since I have hold on his äthwar I might as well see what I can do with it. And as you see – it worked? Kind of… But I suppose since its still connected to his soul, he probably felt the tug when I used it. Anyway, well more on him later. I mapped out all possible spirit sightings on the map, as well as the rough estimate of the location of the ætherfrays. I’m going to try and locate the ætherfrays first, and then follow them to estimate what distance the hole covers. And pick up any lose threads on the way that I can mend myself. Where my skill won’t suffice I’ll summon Væron and ask for their help… standard patcher procedure, none of which I know will mean anything to you. The snow from last night has almost melted. I’m still not sure why that came down here, but I suspect the wind spirit must’ve brought it along when it came down from the peak. At least I suspect that’s the distance Malaki chased it. Well, as for Malaki… as I suspected he was out cold this morning when I wanted to speak to Lyn. Which… given the amount of runes he used last night is to be expected. Pretty sure he threw out far more before he caught up to us, the fourteen know how many. Judging from his behavior, he’s too dangerous to be left unsupervised. I don’t need that runt feeding the flames. I’ll… as annoying as he is, I don’t think I have a choice but to drag him along, even if that’ll cost me my sanity… which it probably will. I’ll leave a copy of my map and notes with the headchief. In case something happens and the magistrate needs to send someone to pick it up later. Like if that runt ends up backstabbing me despite what he said. In which case… Auril, do me the favor and make sure he never get his äthwar back.

Lyn:     Calm down, Mal!

Malaki:  She is MAD!

Lyn:     Maybe, but then so are you! You can’t just break into random houses!

Malaki:  She can’t be serious!!

Raka:    What’s all the noise about? What the khorpan’bælaþaris is happening out there? Fiyar’ta! What are you- Lyn?

Malaki:  Skaudr kulka aur koneŋi before you do that, kyrjir!

Raka:    Runt!

Malaki:  I will tear your monohorn off your forehead and stab you with it!

Raka:    Mono… horn?

Lyn:     It’s the last Monohoooorn~ She’s Rakaaaaa~ She’s Rakaaaaa~ Good morning-

Raka:    What the khorpan’bælaþaris is this about?! Don’t you know how to knock on doors?

Malaki:  Y-You you… YOU said you will summon VÆRON!

Lyn:     Are you fighting again? It’s not even been a day…

Raka:    Of course I’m going to summon Væron, that’s part of my job-

Malaki:  You will kill yourself, Kyrjir!

Raka:    I’m not-

Lyn:     Um, what’s a Væron?

Raka:    Hold on, how do you even know of this?

Malaki:  You used my äthwar! I hear you, since you pulled it!

Lyn:     Me too, if anyone cares.

Raka:    You halfwit almost widened the hole in the aetherweb last night! With someone like YOU lose on the Skundr, I have no CHOICE but to summon Væron to help patching it!

Lyn:     I guess you don’t care. No one cares? Okay then I’m just gona be here sitting while you two talk to each other…

Malaki:  The hole mends itself, it needs TIME! Væron are dangerous to anyone near it, the hole is not! You summon Væron, they tear your soul apart!

Raka:    I’m sure you’d be more than happy if a Væron tore my soul to shreds! It’d mean you’d get your äthwar back! You, out of all people, should be looking forward to that-

Malaki:  If Vaeron tear your soul apart, they cut ANY äthwar you hold, including mine!

Raka:    (growls)

Lyn:     Hello! Why don’t we all just sit down and work this out peacefully? Look, I’ll show you how it’s done. Come on! Here, see? This is what we call a chair. This is how you sit. Sitting is nice.

Raka:    This is not common knowledge.

Lyn:     Hä?

Raka:    How do you know this? Have you experienced it before?

Lyn:     Um… I mean…

Malaki:  I read it.

Raka:    Look, Væron aren’t a threat. I know how to keep them under control.

Malaki:  You can’t! No one controls Væron! You THINK you’re in control, but they PLAY with you! Thinking you have control amuses them!

Raka:    With a decent wall of protection they’re easily kept under control – but I wouldn’t expect an insensible Skur to craft a sturdy wall, let alone formulate an inoffensive pledge. Skur aren’t exactly known for their sensibility.

Malaki:  You have grey fur.

Raka:    (growls)

Lyn:     Hä? Raka!

Malaki:  You despise my Rontar because of your grey fur.

Raka:    Runt!

Lyn:     What’s her fur color got to do with anything?

Malaki:  Skurka have grey fur.

Lyn:     Oh, so now you’re noticing me? Okay fine. My time to shine! Wait… Wait, your fur is brown, though. Aren’t you also a Skur…ka?

Malaki:  Skurki. I’m a Skurki.

Raka:    I bet my tail he’s just a disgusting little mongrel no one wanted. Sensible races avoid contact with Skur. How DID you end up having another Rontar in your bloodline anyway?

Malaki:  Not your worry, kyrjir!

Lyn:     You speak of sensible, Raka, really? Yet you’re not very sensible yourself! I’m just gona assume that you got bullied for your grey fur because Skur are Uuuh- the bad guys and no one wanted to have anything to do with them, and you’re projecting your hate for Skur…ki on Malaki now.

Malaki:  Skurka.

Lyn:     Skurka, fine. Can we all just CALM down now?! Because this is obviously not about Værons anymore!

Raka:    Fine. We let it rest.

Malaki:  Agreed.

Lyn:     Great! Awesome! See, you can agree on something. Now both of you SIT down and- oh no, wait, I’m already sitting… now, both of you, sit down with me and let’s talk quietly.

Raka:    We only have two chairs, well, since you’re already sitting-

Sæa:     Raka, are you alright? Fiyar’ta, the Skur!

Lyn:     Nope. SkurKI.

Raka:    Ah… Sorry. We’re just talking, don’t worry.

Sæa:     J-just talking? I heard shouting and furniture knocked over!

Raka:    I… just got startled when they came in. I have him under control, don’t worry.

Sæa:     The housekeeper told me he saw the Skur and the human climb up the side of the house. I didn’t think they could, but…

Lyn:     Don’t ask me how I did that. I really don’t know.

Sæa:     You really do speak þæanæa! Seems our headchief was right…

Lyn:     Speak what?

Raka:    The… this language…

Lyn:     We’re speaking English, aren’t we?

Raka:    No, um…

Sæa:     Do all humans speak this language?

Lyn:     English? Yea, most of us do.

Sæa:     I… haven’t heard of that language.

Lyn:     Urg, must be german…

Raka:    Neither have I. Strange… I thought there was a language barrier with humans.

Sæa:     None of those I ever met were understandable to me.

Malaki:  She’s the first human I understand as well.

Raka:    You had contact with them before?

Malaki:  I know 3 human villages. Hm no… only 2 are left now.

Raka:    Let me guess, you destroyed one while hunting spirits?

Malaki:  No!

Sæa:     I believe that…

Lyn:     Raka!

Malaki:  Not me, no no no! Other Skurka raided it. Humans have much food. Skurka helped themselves to it.

Lyn:     Don’t you have enough food?

Malaki:  We hunt for prey and gather edible plants. Not enough to live from. Not enough to plant and grow. Not much grows on Skaudr’s horn.

Lyn:     Wow… No wonder you’re so skinny. Gee, I had no idea, we always had plenty where I lived, it was just there! You should’ve come over, I’m sure we could’ve shared with you. I don’t usually share, but… you are kinda fluffy.

Malaki:  Skurka did. Humans were NOT happy. Didn’t even understand us.

Lyn: Maybe the ones you saw spoke another language? Humans have a lot of languages.

Sæa:     Do you think you have this under control, Raka?

Raka:    I think so, yes. Sorry for worrying you.

Sæa:     I’ll leave you to it, then. I’ll check on you again later just in case.

Raka:    Sure.

Sæa:     Don’t dare do anything nasty, Skur.

Malaki:  (growls)

Sæa:     Hey, None of that. Be nice, Skur. Or I’ll kill you.

Malaki:  Try it, Kyrjir.

Raka:    Quit standing around like that, Runt. You can sit on the bed.

Malaki:  It’s MALAKI!

Lyn:     Well, I said this last night already but kinda feels like I was ignored – Why don’t YOU call RAKA by her proper name if you want HER to call YOU by YOURS?

Malaki:  You have not earned the name of an elder, Kyrjir!

Raka:    I honestly don’t care WHAT you call me, Skur.

Lyn:     Why is your proper name so important in the first place?

Malaki:  I EARNED my Ki.

Lyn:     Key? What key? The key to my heart?

Raka:    The Ki in Malaki.

Malaki:  My rite of passage. Those who know my name know that I’m an adult.

Lyn:     Oh, okay. If it’s that important to you. Can I have a Ki? I’m an adult… I think. Can I be Lynki?

Malaki:  Ku is for females. You… are a human female.

Lyn:     Uh… wait. I just checked- I am.

Malaki:  Then your name would be Lynku.

Lyn:     Linku? But I’d rather be Zelda.

Malaki:  Ka is for elder females.

Lyn:     Like RaKA?

Raka:    A southern tradition. My name isn’t from this region, so if that offends your dull sense of propriety, call me whatever you want.

Lyn:     Well, see, wasn’t that good? We all calmed down. That is because we all sat down. You get aggressive when you stand. You calm down when you sit. Now can anyone tell me what that deal with Væron is all about?

Raka:    They are a kind of spirit… not like the one from yesterday. They don’t feed on the things that clutter the aetherweb, their purpose isn’t to keep the weave clean… They maintain the balance between the elements. They have a lot of authority over the flow of the web and other spirits.

Malaki:  They are protective of the… the-the-the web. Like a… a mother Rygiel of her chicks. Summon one for petty reason, it will tear your soul to shreds.

Raka:    That’s why you have to build a sturdy wall of protection and formulate a thoughtful pledge. That convinces them you didn’t just summon them on a whim.

Lyn:     So they’re Boss-monsters?

Raka:    I don’t know what that is.

Lyn:     Okay, see, you two can get along if you just focus on complementing each other rather than trying to point out the flaws in each other.

Raka:    Sure.

Malaki:  Fine. Summon one. But don’t drag me into it. I want my äthwar, before you-

Raka:    You want your äthwar, you’ll have to earn it.

Malaki:  (growls)

Raka:    This conversation isn’t going anywhere.

Lyn:     Yea… I don’t think you’ll reach a compromise on this anytime soon.

Raka:    No… Well Lyn, since you’re here now, I didn’t get to question you earlier.

Lyn:     Uh… question me, about what?

Raka:    Yesterday you said a spirit “ate your friends”.

Lyn:     Oh, yea, that…

Raka:    I’d like to know more, if that’s alright with you. Are you up for that right now?

Lyn:     Yea, sure. Got nothing to do… Do I get to speak into that microphone thing- what did you call it again?

Raka:    The Windshell?

Lyn:     Yea that. The windshell, yea that.

Raka:    That would be great. I’d like to record your account for Auril’s archive, since I didn’t get to do that with the other interviews this morning.

Malaki:  Auril…

Raka:    Is that a problem?

Lyn:     Nah not really, that’s fine, it’s just… it’s kinda distracting. The echo I mean.

Raka:    You’re still hearing that?

Lyn:     Yea. I said so earlier. Though there’s half a second delay between speaking and hearing now, not like yesterday. But I can deal with it, I’m an experienced Karaoke-singer, I got this.

Raka:    What’s-… actually, nevermind. Anyway, about what happened at your village…

Lyn:     Ah yea- can I take the Windshell? I feel more comfortable speaking right into the microphone- Test test, is this thing on?

Raka:    No- hold on-

Malaki:  KOKOL FRITH- STOP THAT!

Lyn:     I’m so dumb, oh shit I’m so stupid, oh this pain!

Raka:    Okay, stop that. Just put it on the table and speak normally.

Malaki:  Don’t do that again! Not with my äthwar attached to that!

Raka:    YOU can hear how well it picks up through that echo you hear, there’s no need to hold it so close.

Lyn:     Yea, now I understand. Got that. Ouch…

Raka:    Okay. Do you mind if I take notes?

Lyn:     Only if I get to read your journal later.

Raka:    I don’t think you’ll be able to read this. I write in Azyri, not þæanæa.

Lyn:     Boooh!

Raka:    So, what can you tell me about what happened at your village? Was there anything unusually?

Lyn:     So does that mean you’re just taking notes, even if I can’t read it? Okay… well, there certainly was something unusual on the night I left. There was a horde of wild spirits that suddenly appeared. I couldn’t sleep, so I saw them when- wait, hold on, hold on. There was something else before that. So. Before they appeared, there was a creepy and loud scratching sound a few hours before the spirits appeared. I asked around if anyone else heard it but no one else did.

Raka:    Can you describe it?

Lyn:     It was like… like metal scratching on metal, like those thick wire cable thingies pulling a heavy load… Like those giant machines used for lifting cargo- wait, do you have such machines here?

Raka:    I don’t think so…

Lyn:     Eh… of course not… No machinery, no technology, you basically live in the middle ages… Anyway, it sounded terrifying like something big was tearing apart. Then it snapped. And it was incredibly loud and reverberated for at least half a minute. And a moment later the different colored smokes – or whatever they are – were all over the place.

Raka:    Smokes? Like the fog you saw yesterday?

Lyn:     Yea, those.

Raka:    Interesting… that must’ve been the instance the Aetherweb tore apart and the Tangleweave formed.

Lyn:     If it makes sense to you.

Raka:    I haven’t heard of any witness accounts that could describe both the sound and the visuals in correlation. This might be a first. The fact that you can see and hear the aetherweb is remarkable.

Lyn:     But you and Malaki can both either hear or see this stuff, right?

Raka:    I hear, he sees, yes.

Malaki:  Yes.

Lyn:     So why is it so unusual to be able to do both?

Raka:    Well first of all, I’ve never heard any accounts of humans gaining these abilities. And secondly even among other zäans it’s more common to just have one or the other, but not both.

Malaki:  Even Raka wasn’t born with it.

Lyn:     Really?

Raka:    Neither were you.

Lyn:     How do you know?

Malaki:  I always saw RUNES. The carvings are to see Vær.

Lyn:     What Carvings?

Raka:    Those runes under his eye.

Lyn:     Wait, those aren’t just decoration?

Malaki:  They are carved runes.

Raka:    They’re augmentations.

Lyn:     They’re CARVED? Damn. I thought they were just regular tattoos! Raka, you got some like that too, so, are they also-

Raka:    Also augmentations, yes.

Lyn:     Are they really CARVED?

Raka:    Burnt, actually.

Lyn:     Urg, that makes it worse.

Raka:    I assume since he said his are carvings, that means…

Malaki:  Carved with my own claw.

Lyn:     Dude, that’s not much better than burning…

Malaki:  “Though high the stakes, the gains entice. Ungained without a sacrifice.”

Lyn:     Um… Okay? I guess that rhymed. Is that your version of “No pain, no gain?”

Raka:    That’s… what it means, yes.

Lyn:     What does yours do, Raka? You only hear stuff?

Raka:    Allows me to hear the aetherweb and speak to the creatures that dwell within it.

Malaki:  “Hear the flow of knowledge, speak with tongues of flame”. Poetic.

Lyn:     Okay so are we just gona continue with your… quotes? Is that what the glyphithings actually say?

Raka:    Loses a bit in the translation, but that’s about what it boils down to. Now can we go on with your-

Lyn:     Oh yea, yea. Where were we?

Raka:    What happened after you heard the weave tear apart?

Lyn:     Hm… wait let me think. Shortly after that I noticed swirling Glyphithingies hanging around over the rooftops. I thought that was just some play of the light or something, and when I asked around it seemed that I was the only one that noticed them so the people thought I was playing pranks, so I tried to avoid looking at them too much.

Malaki:  There… was-were… many? Several- how?

Raka:    Go take a nap or something, this is my line of work.

Malaki:  Lick my scent-glands, kyrjir. Vær behave strangly in my home. I want to know more.

Lyn:     Okay, coming back to your questions- Pff, maybe 20 or 30? Not overly many.

Raka:    How long after the tearing was this?

Lyn:     Um… let me think… I heard the crack at around 15 or 16 o’clock. Something like that. And I saw the spirits at around sunset… So maybe 4, 5 hours apart?

Raka:    They appeared too quickly. Spirits are usually in turmoil when a hole is torn. They need a day or two to realize the path is open. I haven’t seen them cluster right away.

Malaki:  Speak more.

Lyn:     Well since no one else could see them, no one was concerned, and… But even when everyone went to sleep I could still see them floating over the rooftops, even with my eyes closed and through the roof. Kept me from sleeping. So I went outside to watch them. And after a while a few of them came down to the streets and entered the houses.
I thought they might be looking for a niche to stay the night, I mean it’s cold and stuff. But then I heard screaming from a nearby house and Ashley – that’s my neighbor by the way – came running out, yelling that there was this creature in her bed that was… well, it was absorbing her boyfriend.

Raka:    What do you mean ‘absorbing’ him?

Malaki:  Absorbing…

Lyn:     I didn’t know what she meant either! And since I was the only one around I followed her in to see if I could help. But when we got to the bedroom, her boyfriend was… he was gone.
And there was this creature on the bed… and it’s not a sex thing! And I mean it- it looked as if it was made of… clouds, smoke and fur? I can’t really… It’s hard to explain. Like it was made out of the same stuff the weave was from… it’s hard to explain, I couldn’t see it clearly. Like, when I tried looking directly at it, it became blurry. That’s kinda strange. And as soon as it noticed us it jumped right out the window…
or fly, I don’t know. And Ash, she looked everywhere for Darryl, but she found nothing. Not even a shoe, he was just like gone! Unless they were naked on the bed, then they wouldn’t have had any shoes… Anyway, after the thing flew out of the window, I looked out the window to see if maybe he jumped out in fear, I mean the shutters were wide open, but I didn’t see any signs of him or the creature.
Then I heard more screams and ran outside – Ash was looking for her guy outside. And… that’s when I got what Ash meant when she said it absorbed her guy. One of the creatures had pounced on Ash and… where it touched her, her body dissolved… turning into the same smoky clouds the creature was made of. She was melting together with that thing.

Malaki:  Kokol farue…

Raka:    That sounds… terrifying.

Lyn:     Ugh, tell me about it… just remembering that gives me the creeps… Also my friend is gone…

Raka:    I’ve never even heard of a spirit do anything like that. Have you?

Malaki:  No. I would remember a Vær like that.

Raka:    If such spirits are up there, do you still think that we should just leave the tangleweave alone?

Malaki:  Vær must be banished. Before they leave the weave while it heals.

Raka:    The hole has to be FIXED, otherwise there will be 5 pouring out for every one that’s pushed back.
I know you probably had other thoughts at the time, but did you get a look that spirit’s rune?

Lyn:     Are you talking about the numberplate thing again? I mean, I saw it, but I couldn’t trace it on paper if I- Oh, wait! Oh yea, I just remembered! The pattern of the glyphithing changed!

Malaki:  Changed…

Raka:    How do you mean?

Lyn:     Like, it shifted- transformed? I don’t know, it just looked like the shape was changing.

Raka:    Interesting…

Malaki:  Like æther runes that tip over.

Raka:    I’ve heard they do that. Like a pendulum. Lyn, if I showed you a chart of Runes, do you think you could pick the shape out?

Lyn:     Pff, I can try? Depends how much they look alike.

Raka:    Let’s try.

Lyn:     Okay, sure.

Malaki:  No, finish the story.

Raka:    She just remembered that the shape changed, the memory is fresh right now, I don’t want her to lose the thought.

Lyn:     I get you though, Malaki. I mean… I HATE cliffhangers.

Raka:    Here. Let’s try these.

Malaki:  Those are-

Raka:    Shh, let her look and focus.

Lyn:     Hmm… None of these look familiar…

Raka:    Are you sure? Take your time to look at each one for a moment.

Lyn:     Nope, doesn’t ring a bell.

Raka:    Alright. How about these?

Lyn:     Damn, how many of them are there?

Raka:    Doesn’t matter, focus.

Lyn:     This one looks kinda familiar, but…

Raka:    This one?

Lyn:     No, no, I mean this one. But it’s not the one the spirit in my village had. I’ve definitely seen it before, though.

Malaki:  Th-that… THAT’s the rune the Vær last night had.

Lyn:     Aaah, I guess that’s where I’ve seen it before!

Raka:    Good. So you remember patterns.

Malaki:  Showing her wind-runes is pointless, she said they had æther-runes-

Raka:    Okay, next batch. Any of these look familiar?

Lyn:     O god, really, how many are there?

Malaki:  A hundred or two of each element.

Lyn:     Hundreds?!

Malaki:  Aether runes – several hundreds.

Lyn:     Damn.

Raka:    These in the book are just the most common ones. If the one you saw isn’t here, we have a couple more pages to go through…

Lyn:     Did you want me to go through all of them?! Daymn… All of these are… Edgar-glyphithings?

Raka:    Æther Runes? Yes.

Lyn:     Um, okay… Can I flip… Can I flip around in this?

Raka:    Sure…

Lyn:     Gimme that. Hmmm. This- oh this is cute. Wait, maybe… Hm, no. No, not this one. Oh, I see a pattern! Are they all in… groups of three?

Raka:    Yes. They can have either of these three forms. They shift, like you mentioned. Swing between the different forms. Recognize any?

Lyn:     Hmm… I think this one.

Raka:    The right one?

Lyn:     Yea. I think that’s the shape they had while floating over the rooftops. The one on the middle is what it changed into when they started absorbing people.

Malaki:  That’s… I know it, I know it! I’ve seen it bef-… Eyta! Eyta the sleep rune!

Raka:    Yes. And the other is Deni, the dream rune.

Lyn:     Is that what they mean? And what they do? Is that their function?

Raka:    Yes. The right one is the Sleep-Rune. An Æther-Rune. Spirits with a Sleep-Rune feed on the dreams of people.

Malaki:  I heard them called… Dreameaters, I think.

Raka:    Once they start absorbing dreams, their Rune changes to Deni. At that point, they devour people’s dreams and restore their waking energy.

Malaki:  Dreameaters… devouring people whole… while they are awake…

Raka:    That’s very strange. It bothers me.

Lyn:     Could they be some kind of mutation?

Raka:    Spirit’s don’t evolve. Unless the gods are playing pranks and added an alteration of the dreameaters, but that’s unlikely. This could be something that only happens when humans are exposed to spirits.

Malaki:  You’re a Kyrjir… You… went to a school- university. They might have books about that.

Raka:    No. Humans have kept to themselves since the 15th generation, and their settlements barely ever last more than two generations. There aren’t any studies on them whatsoever. None that I’m aware of anyway.

Malaki:  Hm. You escaped alive. Speak more.

Lyn:     Well, Ash was completely absorbed by that thing… I… I wanted to warn the others, but… it was already too late. When I looked to the sky there were no more glyph- I mean… sorry, I mean runes. They were all on the ground and I could see them through the walls. And there were a more screams and people fleeing their houses, but most were probably asleep when they were absorbed and didn’t even notice it. At least I hope that’s… I hope that’s what happened… It seems the spirits didn’t even care anymore if people were asleep or not, they just absorbed everyone. I was so afraid and… So I ran.

Raka:    Fiyar’ta…

Malaki:  Horrifying.

Raka:    And after all that you still wanted to find other spirits and punch them?

Malaki:  Punch them?

Lyn:     Well look… until I met you, I had no idea what those things were or how to deal with them. I still feel terrible for abandoning my friends. I wasn’t even trying to help, and I… have to let go of all these feelings, I just wanted to punch them, yes! I just didn’t understand what was going on…

Raka:    There wasn’t anything you could’ve done for them. Not with the lack of knowledge of the subject you seem to have.

Lyn:     Well now I know. But I didn’t know it at the time and… all this frustration, I wanted to find a spirit and punch it. Just to know if there was something that I COULD have done, or if I just let them die because I was a coward.

Malaki:  You saw the things dreameaters did to humans! You would’ve gone through the same, if you had tried to punch them!

Lyn:     It doesn’t matter, Malaki! I left my friends when they needed me, I didn’t even TRY to help! And if it turns out that punching would’ve done something, then the spirit that takes my punch deserves to eat me! Because I SHOULD’VE stayed with my friends, I SHOULD’VE punched those spirits and not some random one that had nothing to do with it!

Malaki:  Ah…

Raka:    You WANTED to be absorbed if it turns out you weren’t actually powerless?

Malaki:  You miss her point…

Lyn:     I didn’t WANT to be absorbed; I wanted to know if I COULD punch them. I needed to know if my cowardice just cost the lives of my friends. And if it did, then I absolutely deserve to be eaten by a spirit!

Raka:    Well you were out of luck. The spirit from last night didn’t seem interested in eating you, just use you as a gateway. But… What you do with your life is none of my business.

Lyn:     Exactly, it’s not.

Malaki:  You want to know what happened to your Rontar.

Lyn:     Well, they’re dead, absorbed. Gone.
Or where do your people go when they melt into spirits? I don’t have any leads!

Malaki:  Your Vær behaved unnatural; something caused them to absorb your Rontar. I want to know what it is.

Raka:    Me too. I want to go to that village and see those spirits for myself, see if they’re still there. Do you remember how you got here?

Lyn:     Well, I would very much LIKE to figure out what exactly happened. I didn’t really see how I COULD, until now. But you two seem versed with this kinda stuff. With either of you at my side, we might just be able to clear this matter up.

Raka:    “We”?

Lyn:     Yea, I’m coming with you, right?

Raka:    No! I thought you could retrace the path you took on my map.

Lyn:     Nah, I pretty much fled in panic and had no clue where the hell I was going. So I’ll have to come with you- when I see familiar landscape, I’ll let you know.

Raka:    I’m NOT taking you with me. You have a Broken Soul, you’re a Spirit Magnet.

Lyn:     Can’t you do something about that? Can’t you just… fix me?

Malaki:  Don’t take her. It’s not safe…

Raka:    For once, we agree.

Lyn:     Well that just sucks for both of you, because I’m not going to staying here. And you won’t find out where my village was without me.

Raka:    You’re not indispensable just because you know where one human village is. Malaki said he knows of 2 human villages, we can check on both when we pass them by-

Malaki:  Don’t speak as if I will travel with you!

Raka:    I’ve got your äthwar tethered, my threat from last night still stands.

Malaki:  (growls)

Raka:    Growl all you want, I’m not stepping back from it.

Malaki:  I have proven that I’m-

Raka:    That you can stay in Lyn’s room like you were told to? Because that’s not what you did, or else you wouldn’t be here now.

Malaki:  I only came out here because you mentioned Væron-

Lyn:     He slept curled up in his furcloak, you should’ve seen, it was really cute.

Malaki:  I just want my äthwar back.

Raka:    And I’m not letting you loose with both your äthwar! The kinds of disruptions YOU can cause- I won’t let that happen. I’m keeping you tethered until the tangleweave is fixed, even if I have to beat you senseless and drag you all the way to the peak in a sack.

Malaki:  (growls)

Lyn:     Cut it out, you two. Seriously! Look, I WANT to know what happened to my friends. I can’t do that on my own, I don’t have that kind of knowledge! I need either of you to help me figure this out! And the way you two just growl and snarl at each other I think you WILL need me as well! As peacekeeper, if nothing else. I’m afraid if you two went out there on your own you’d be at each other’s throat in less than an hour. Can’t we make this work somehow?

Raka:    You’re right, I’ll need someone sensible to keep me from losing my sanity with this runt around.

Malaki:  I’d like someone other than the feather-duster to talk to.

Raka:    I can craft a charm for you, to mask your broken soul to spirits.

Lyn:     A charm? I hope it’s not carved like that disfiguring graffiti you have all over your face.

Raka:    It’d be written on your throat and chest, not your face.

Lyn:     That doesn’t make it any better! I’m not getting a weird glyphithingy tattoo! Especially not on my throat! Are you out of your mind? Do you know how mad my mom would be if I had that? I mean, do you know how hard it’ll be to find a job with stuff like that? Don’t you have something less permanent?

Raka:    Sure, there are wooden charms you can wear around your neck…

Lyn:     Now you’re talking.

Raka:    I’ll… craft one for you later. They aren’t perfect protections like carvings, but in case a spirit does manage to get through, You’ll have me around to force it back. Or… well… he will be.

Malaki:  I enjoy taking care of Vær.

Raka:    What exactly is wrong with this guy… Well, that’s settled. We’ll leave tomorrow morning, as early as possible. I won’t let you sleep as long as you did today, Lyn, so be prepared to leave before the sun rises.

Lyn:     Before the sun rises, are you nuts?! Ain’t nobody gona be awake at that godless hour!

Raka:    You will be, and if I have to tip over your bed to get you out. I’ll ask the Headchief for more provisions later, all I have is enough to last one person a few days… I fear we might have to sustain ourselves on hunting and foraging for a while.

Malaki:  I can hunt my own game.

Raka:    Good for you. Well, take only what you need. Lyn, you got any belongings?

Lyn:     No. I ran away, so I came here only with the clothes I’m wearing.

Malaki:  And haven’t washed them since you got here, by the smell.

Lyn:     I washed them 4 days ago! Besides, who are you to talk? You look like you haven’t ever washed yourself!

Raka:    Well, be sure to pack some new clothes and blankets, if the village can spare any.
And… hmm what else…

Lyn:     You could turn off the Windshell for now?

Raka:    Is that still on? Oh.
Windshell deactivates.

Credit

Auril:   Interesting! That human… Lyn, she might very well be the first documented whiteness who can attest to having both heard and seen the tangleweave’s tearing. I tried to do some quick research to see if I could find any other accounts like it, but turned up with nothing. I guess I’ll need to dig into this deeper.
At any rate, Date of recording was Lyranuka on the 97th day of Bäkkos, 5th year of the Vær in the 101st generation.
Vocal enchantments were woven by Kessi Riliniki, Tanja Milojevic, Eyþór Viðarsson, Carollyn Monterola and Travis Vengroff.
Music-Shells provided by Fuimadane.
Audio-Enhancements by Sarah Buchynski.
Written and Produced by Kessi Riliniki.
Aaand last but not least… Things for my to do list…
– implement a manual activation for the windshell.
– Make transcripts of the past few recordings.
You know, I tried to find a specific moment from yesterdays recordings, but it was quite tedious just to look for the one instance something was mentioned. I remember what was being said, but not how it was said or in what order things happened. This is precisely why the windshell might be a handy invention. But unless I manage to make skipping to a specific time or going back a few moments possible, they will not be particularly useful as research material. So until I figure that out, I’ll try to make transcripts of the recordings. I’ll… make sure to include them in the windshells portfolio, which you can find on trilunis dot com. That’s spelled T R I L U N I S. Feel free to look into it, and… if you’re interested in helping me out with transcripts, you can find a way to get in touch with me there as well.