ORIGIN - [Quest] The Flametouched Moth

When the Black Dog reached Polaris, he was very, very tired. It had been a long run, despite the rests, and his tongue hung broad and wet from his jaws. It took him several minutes of heaving, panting breaths before at last he began to bellow and bark to all who could hear.

"WHOEVER CAN HEAR," he called out; "AID IS REQUIRED. WE HAVE BEEN CALLED TO BRING LIFE TO A FALLEN GUARDIAN."

This he repeated, several times, running around Polaris as he did so. He barked near the Spire; he barked near the river. He avoided the golems, but barked, too, near the tunnel exits.

Then he lay flat on the stone, panting, waiting to see who would come to learn more.

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This is Polaris' portion of The Flametouched Moth quest, given by the Collector in this thread. Anyone may join at any time. Gembound participating may choose to spread the word in other caves, or simply accompany Black to the target location, once it is described.

Gembound participating for the final reward will need to bring a Give Life spell and be willing to put their reproductive cycle on cooldown. It must not already be on cooldown. However, anyone can interact without taking part in the final leg.

She hadn't seen much of anyone for a number of cycles, besides Kielo, of course, so it was strange hearing the booming voice all of a sudden. She'd been out hunting and was resting off the bulge about halfway down her length that signified the successful capture of her meal. She raised her head at the sound of the voice and the words "bring life" and "fellow guardian" piqued her interest.

She slid out of her crevice and made her way towards the sound of the voice, coming upon a large black dog in the middle of the cave. She stopped and raised herself to address him, wondering what all of this was about. "I heard your call. What guardian are you talking about?" If it was one that would help keep the caves safe then she was all for helping it return to life.

"And still I feel I said too much."
"My silence is my self defense."

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Notes:

The big dog scrabbled back up upon spying Winter. He knew her, this snake--she had helped return the lights to Polaris--and he bowed his head quickly in greeting. Still panting, he spoke.

"You were the white sheen who pulled the stone from its wheel. The lights returned, then. The stone--the orange stone. It was that of the fallen guardian. A vast winged moth that fought the dragon. It must be returned to life, yet we need many to do so! One is not enough!" His brow was wrinkled up, his gaze steady but worried as he regarded Winter.

What would happen if the dragon returned, and the moth and the phoenix did not come to save them..? What if the moth itself was still trapped within the stone, struggling for escape? No--"It aided in saving the caves. We must help it," he explained.

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I had no idea there'd been a post, tag me!! SORRY
@Winter

Winter stared at the dog for a moment, a little confused. Did he know her? Did she know him? It had been many cycles since the incident with the storm and the generator and the memories were hazy at best, considering all the more personally important moments that had followed. She tilted her head, trying really hard to think and then she remembered. He had, in fact, been there, hadn't he? She nodded with confirmation. "Oh yeah, I remember you now! And I remember the stone. I left it with Kera."

To think that she had helped save some kind of important guardian! She hadn't thought much of anything of the stone, even when she had been trying to unjam it from the generator. It had slipped from her mind forever, assuming that it was just another dead, lifeless gem. If it was going to help aid the caves, though, she was all for having a guardian, especially if it had helped everyone before. She nodded. "Yes, of course I'll help. Although, I'm not sure how good I am at gathering followers. My mate, perhaps, may help, and my children, although I don't know where they are. Sadly, I don't have many friends outside of those."

"And still I feel I said too much."
"My silence is my self defense."

Tags: @Black
Notes:

The dog considered.

"I do not know how many we will need. Better a great many than too few. The stranger who claims to aid is in the room of bones. I will--" He tilted his head back, looking sharply around, seeking some way he could draw the attention of other Gembound.

After a moment, he settled on magic--it rarely worked for him, but then, Polaris was already dim, and chaotic. He didn't expect it to succeed, but he had to make the attempt.

To his surprise, as he tried to gather the shadows, all of Polaris plunged into darkness with what he imagined was a soft "whoosh." There wasn't really a sound, but the pitch black was so sudden that he rumbled in surprise. It took him a moment to gather his senses and remember what he'd been trying to do.

Carefully, slowly, he cleared a space just ahead. All of the light of Polaris focused there, on the roof above: a blinding-bright spotlight, calling the attention of anyone who might be in the cave.

Good, he thought.

"Now perhaps we can find more, as well. But your children--and mate--they will find it in the room of bones. You may return with me soon, if you wish."

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@Winter

Winter nodded but then hesitated. There was a room of bones? She thought it sounded familiar. She'd probably heard of it before, but she had never visited herself. And if she hadn't, then how could she lead Kielo there? Usually she was able to guide her mate through the caves that she knew about mainly because she knew the general direction. But if she couldn't find the room of bones and they got lost...

She shook herself. They were adults. More then adults. They could do this. "Yes, I'll try and get my mate to come with me. My children, though, I'm not sure if I can find them. But hopefully Kielo will come with me. Once I get them, we'll come back here first. I don't think either of us have been to the room of bones and I'd rather not go wandering with them alone if we don't know where we're going. But if you're not here, can you give me directions so that we can try and find it ourselves?"

"And still I feel I said too much."
"My silence is my self defense."

Tags: @Black
Notes:

Black listened intently, shrouded by darkness. He could not see Winter in the black that he had made, but he did not need to. The white snake's words were not for his eyes, but for his ears.

"The room that glitters with tiny lights. From there, there is a dark tunnel. It is cold. There is mist. You should not be there," he added thoughtfully, remembering the sense of... malplacement, that he'd felt passing through it. However, he didn't explain this, instead going on.

"The tunnel of mist has but one way in, and another out. The other end holds the room of bones. It is full," he added, "of bones." He thought, again, for a beat.

He did not know this Kielo, nor how long it might take them to get there. "I will continue to gather others, as you travel." And then, as an afterthought, his face wrinkling with concentration as he peered toward the currently-invisible snake, he asked--"Do you know the room of many lights? It holds a throne, which once was red; and a tower."
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@Winter