ORIGIN

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As a maiden she tiptoes shy with her light
She is modest and pure as she graces the night
Thothaga reach out with her pedipalps and grabbed the opal die from the Collector's hand. Pride swelled within her as she listened to his words, feeling the unique object with her fangs. The magick it held, she had never come across anything like it before, and it was entirely hers now. We are unique-- I am unique She thought. She had yet to come across another talking spider. And now, I can change fate.

A precious object like this must be protected, no one else must use it. Thothaga pulled a few strands of silk from her spinnerets and nimbly spun in into a charm. She tied around one of her pedipalps, it would have to remain there for now until she thought of a better way to carry it.

While she had done this, she almost missed the details of their second task. The Collector needed a gem retrieved from a black, four-limbed creature. That description wasn't much to go on. There were a lot of jet black, four-legged gembounds crawling all over the place.

Thothaga was not sure where to began, then again, she did not have to. She had gotten what she wanted and her curiosity was sated, but she had decided The Collector was a friend, much like Oliver. He had given her a gift much like Oliver too, granted it was a reward of gratitude, but it was still something she wanted deeply-- and the others, they allowed her to have it. You spin my web, I spin yours. She would come along and help them, even if there was nothing in it for her, she would help them succeed. Perhaps a little change of fate was needed.

"We need a little more than, black and four-legged, my friend" She chuckled. "Half of everything here is black and four-legged." She stroked her fangs, pondering on ways around this. "Recall any disguising details? Or... perhaps, you can share the memory with one of us. " She had no idea if a spell like that existed, but it would have been useful right about now.

"Listen to me."
Thoughts...

TAG: @Giggle @Skeena @Glory @Scorch // OOC:

Giggle continued to watch, her head low, her dark eyes staring. She'd slipped even further back in the shadows, listening with rounded ears.

She, herself, had known several black creatures with four legs--a leopard, a dog, and a wolf, off the top of her head, and she knew that there must have been more. But she remained silent. She had no idea what this stone was that the creature wanted, or why. Though I hope it is not a cat. ...It is probably a cat.

The hyena lowered herself to lie down, listening to every word. She noted who refused the gem, silently praising her own daughter in relief for doing so--though whether it was out of kindness, or suspicion, she could not say. And she noticed who wound up with it, in the end, and turned her gaze to Thothaga.

The spider was certainly unlike anything she had ever seen before. What was she like..? Could she be trusted with such an object? What if the stone itself was a trap? The Collector-creature had apparently been captured in it before... With a shake of her head she pushed the thoughts aside, and went back to simply watching and listening.

________________

ROLL THE BONES

The hooded figure peered at Glory, and began to think. He lifted his right palm from his cloak and held it upward, the black claws cupped. The left hand he held over it, hiding whatever was within, and seemed to focus on this for a moment.

Even so, he took the time to shift his scarlet gaze to the newly-arrived owl. The owl was asking why he would make something so powerful if anyone evil could use it, and the Collector explained in a patient tone. "Welcome, little friend. I had explained prior what the use of the object was: to rewrite fate, for better or worse. It was never meant to imprison... that was their idea of a nasty bit of humor, I fear. Unfortunately, anything can be misused in the wrong hands. It is good to see those who recognize as much; perhaps you can help me to keep these things safe." His voice was deep and smooth as he continued, addressing Scorch's other questions as well. "I will try to show you what the creature looks like, as best I can." At this, he nodded to his cupped hands, still working on whatever was within, using his unknown magics.

Then, for a moment, he looked thoughtful. "My-... name," he said, and sounded as if he were pondering the question. "I do apologize for not having introduced myself sooner-... I believe they called me, 'The Collector,' in ages past. You may do the same. It is a pleasure to meet you all."

By the time Thothaga also asked about the black creature, he had unfurled both palms.

Within them sat a small, shining black figurine made of unpolished onyx: a creature lying recumbent, staring out at them. The statue was only a few inches across. "I believe it looked like this. But, quite a bit larger."

The Collector sounded as if he were smiling.

@Skeena @Scorch @Glory @Thothaga

Glory sighed with relief as the Collector, as that what they called themselves, revealed the creature that held the stone. It was a dog, yes, but it wasn't the evil wolf that she had fought in her home cave. He relaxed a bit and stared at the onyx for long enough to memorize the shape of the dog. "I don't know him, but do any of you?" His eyes raked the gathered gembounds and stayed on Giggle for a moment. She was apparently an older and wise creature - perhaps she knew of a dog like this.

It was with relief that Glory realized that, by all agreeing to give the dice to Thothaga, it had brought their group to peace. What had been some arguing and struggling before, he now felt like it was a little more cooperative and ready for their next challenge. He turned back to the Collector and opened his wings. "I will do as you ask and find this dog! We'll find you that gemstone! I swear on my honor that we will not fail!" He turned to Scorch and lowered himself again. "If you wish, I will carry you again."

But then there was the realization that they didn't know where to start looking. For a moment he thought about where this dog could be. If he had to guess, he thought that Polaris would best be the place to start. If was the center, after all, and seemed to attract many different creatures. "Shall we return to Polaris, then, and begin our search there?"

As was expected, the massive cave spider laid claim to the stone. And she made a note to keep an eye on them - the spider was an unknown variable, she didn't know what it would do with such power yet.

The thing gave the spider the stone, before explaining their job. They were charged with finding a four legged creature, black in color, that she assumed was about the size of Mother - obviously it would be larger than her. However, she was suspicious. Was it turning them on an innocent?

Glory didn't seem too worried with this, instead asking if anyone knew of someone like this. She frowned, twitching her ear - no, she didn't. But Mother might, Mother seemed to know everyone. At least, she knew many of the older Gembounds, and she thought that this might be older, considering it would have been around when the thing was around before.

The little owl showed its face then, calling out. She startled as she realized they hadn't even learned its name, and eyed it as she waited for a reply.

A quick look over her shoulder revealed that Mother had vanished deeper into the shadows, and she twitched her ears. It was good to know that it wasn't just she who smelled a rat.

The... thing, finally offered its name. It was known as The Collector - a Collector of what? She leaned in to look at the stone it created, looking at the stone dog. "May we hold onto this? Even if none of us know this Gembound, we can show this to others who might."

She turned to Glory, twitching her ears, before projecting her voice to the rest of the group. "Any who want to search for this Gembound, I think it best we should confer with M-The Bone reader at her Cairn before we leave, if that is alright with her?"

@Thothaga @Scorch @Giggle

Thothaga

Giggle

Game Master Dark

Glory

Skeena

Felina

Thothaga

Game Master Dark

Skeena

Giggle