Small Gods Bring Big Problems... Maybe?

[ladyhawkca]

It had been storming all week, and now that it had stopped briefly, the day was grey, cloudy and very cold. So cold that Lady Vivien, who loved to ride and used any excuse to take one of her prized horses out for a run, had decided to stay inside by the hearth and pour over some recently acquired manuscripts.

"Oh my lord, what a bunch of bloody poppycock," Vivien murmured disdainfully as she flipped through the pages of a book that was obviously just a bunch of gibberish passed off as magic spells.

"What else can you expect to find at a Connloathian market fair?" she sighed in exasperation as she tossed the offending book into the fire and watched it burn slowly before bursting into flame.

"Let's see if this one is any better?" she muttered as she reluctantly reached for a manuscript, this time though the book in question had a definite patina to it.

Leafing through the chapters, not expecting to find much, Vivien suddenly sat up in her seat.
Things were starting to look up. The ancient words on the pages actually made sense and the symbols in the corners were actually runic in nature. 

"Village Deities..," she said as a small satisfied smile formed on her lips. "Now this is interesting," she stated as she got to her feet and started pacing as the bottoms of her skirts made soft swishing noises against the hardwood floors as she recited aloud the words to summon a deity from a place called Torum.

@Sarang

[Sarang]

Pinching the bridge of her nose with two fingers of her left hand, Kerin closed her eyes counting slowly until ten. But that didn't help, the bubbling annoyance under the surface of her skin still wanted to come out. "So let me get this straight." Her voice was a mix of a hiss and a whisper. "You cried out for help from me, sounding like your life depended on it to get your bull out of that tree?" The volume of her voice went up towards the sentence. She dropped her hand and sparkling green eyes opened to stare at the older farmer standing in front of her. That sheepish expression on his face didn't help her mood at all.

"How else ... I mean.. it's a bull. I can't get it out alone." that gravelly voice grated her nerves. "And it's my only bull. I need him."

"How in all hells did it even get up there?"

"Uhhh."

She pushed her hands in her hips. "Speak!"

The man hung his head and sighed. "Maggy was testing her wind powers. She doesn't have control over them yet."

"Don't you say." Kerin mumbled and that was when the ringing in her ears started, a jumble of words entering her head. What in the hell...

"Yes, and she tried to get him down... "

Kerin raised a hand to get him to stop talking as she listened to the words. Who was that? She didn't recognize the words. After just a few words something tugged at her body. She didn't like that, not one bit. She looked up to Berin whose impression had become what she interpreted as concerned and opened her mouth to say something but in the next moment that pull became too strong and Kerin tried to fight it. This didn't feel like a prayer, she had control over not answering those. What was happening?

It felt like someone tried to rip her apart for just a split second. She blinked and her environment changed from the sunlit green pasture to the inside of a room she had never seen before. She twirled around herself, the long heavy dress and cape swished with her movements, the fiery red hair fell into her face. Before Berin had called her she'd been wandering in a colder region so she was pretty much still equipped for that.

"What in the blazing sun..."


@Zora

[ladyhawkca]

The sudden hum of the air in the room associated with crackling made Vivien look up from her book, a look of surprise mixed with glee crossed her face as she realised what was happening. The spell was working!

Standing back a little from the immediate vicinity of the anomaly, Lady Vivien quickly bookmarked her book and closed it just as a figure, about her stature and with flaming red hair, appeared in the room with her. 

"Great Lord Hades! It actually worked!" Vivien exclaimed as she placed the book on a table and moved forward.

"Who are you?" she demanded as her gaze looked over the young woman inquisitively, a million questions in her mind. It was not often a summoning spell actually worked on the first try.

@Sarang

[Sarang]

At the sound of the voice, Kerin swirled around, her skirts caging her legs for a moment before giving them free again. Oh, she didn't like the look that woman gave her. What kind of stupid question was that? Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she built herself up to full height, not that it was necessary she was already taller than her.

"You summon me without knowing who I am? You must suck at spells to get me here accidentally."

Looking the woman up and down Kerin shook her head. "You're none of mine. Who are you? And where the hell am I?"


@Zora

[ladyhawkca]

Vivien patently ignored the jibes about her being a poor sorceress. She was confident, arrogantly so, in her skills. And the fact that she had summoned this deity without any difficulty - disregarding the idea that dumb luck might have been also a factor - only strengthened this belief.

"You are in Connloath," Vivien declared as she peered excitedly at the woman, amused by her confusion and indignation. "Ardal to be more specific actually."

"And I am Lady Vivien DelaWyntyr of the House of DelaWyntr," she stated proudly as she introduced herself.

[Sarang]

"Oh look, you own a house. Big whoop." sarcasm dripped from her lips as she rolled her eyes. Shaking her head she finally moved from the spot, strolling through the room. She stopped before the table and looked down at the book on it. With her fingertips she waved in the air, opening the cover but only a moment later, she waved once more closing the book again. That interest had not lasted long. The drop shut of the book swirled up some dust - or at least she imagined it did.

She could have teleported away again. But for some reason, that little spark of curiosity got to her. "Must be boring here if you call me. So what do you want?" she asked without looking at the woman.

[ladyhawkca]

"Not a house," Vivien corrected. "An earldom that extends to all you see around you to three villages to the north, two to the east, 4 to the west and two to the south," she explained as she watched with keen interest as the deity roamed and explored the room.

"It's not exactly boring per se, it's just, well... not overly exciting with the war going on an all, " Vivien conceded, not wanting to outright admit that things had been on the boring side lately.

"And I called you up because...I am a sorceress in a land that hates magic and wants to stamp it out at all costs," she told the deity with a hint of bitter cold resentment. "I crave magic, any type of magic ... whether it be spells, potion books, amulets, demons or deities."

@Sarang

[Sarang]

"Hey you called yourself of the House of DelaWyntr, might have to change that to 'from the Earldom' instead then." she shrugged her shoulders and stepped to a window. But she didn't see much outside thanks to the horrid weather and being half-blinded by looking into the sky right when a flash of lightning crossed past her view.

So this woman just described the definition of bored but called it not being boring. Kerin made a mental note to watch out for wording with her. Her green eyes squinted as the woman continued. "So you thought it's a great idea to call a deity with magical powers into a land that hates magic. Did someone blow out your candle or something?" which was just another way to ask if she was nuts.

Kerin suddenly crossed the distance between her and Vivien, to come to a hand right in front of her. "What keeps me from doing what they apparently haven't been able to do with you? You aren't even one of mine, there is no reason I should give you anything."


@Zora

[ladyhawkca]

Vivien calmly stood her ground. "You appear to not fully grasp a very tiny, but important detail here... Yes, I did call you up, and no, I am not one of yours," she began as she pointed out the obvious - she was a lot more powerful than the young woman was giving her credit for.

"What does that mean for you though?" Vivien asked with a rather mysterious smile. "Can you go back to Tolum, deity? Do you even know where Tolum is?" she asked keenly.

"Are you even sure you are on the same plane of existence or that I haven't bound you to this place?" she asked calmly as she walked away from the deity, and then stopped to turn slightly and look back over her shoulder.

"Never underestimate those who call you up. It can be a very bad idea," Vivien pointed out as she disappeared and then reappeared a moment later behind the diety.

"Wine?" Vivien offered nonchalantly as she poured herself a cup from a flask on a table.

[Sarang]

Kerin didn't like all these questions. She liked even less that they made a whole lot of sense. And the least amount of affection she had for not knowing the answers. She had just recently started to venture outside of Tolum, and she had never had a chance to figure all these things out. Why would she when she had stayed only in that village for that long?

What if she was trapped here? Should she try to get away? What if it didn't work? Why did he have to make this stupid deal? She clenched her teeth and was glad her fist was hidden under the sleeve of her dress which was just a little bit too big for her body.

When the woman disappeared and suddenly was back behind her she tried very hard not to jump out of her skin. Why did that surprise her? She'd been teleporting all over the place for long enough to know that it wasn't impossible for others and that one was a sorceress. Hoping she looked as calm as she wanted to appear she turned around slowly, looking at the slightly taller woman. "It can also be a bad idea to underestimate those you call."

Forcing herself to be as casual as she could she walked up to a chair and with the same kind of wave she had done with her hand before she lift off the floor just to lower herself in a crossed leg sit back on that chair. "Sure, why not."

As she waited she looked around some more. "So you crave magic. Does that mean you have questions? Or do you plan on sucking it out of my being?"


@Zora

[ladyhawkca]

"Touche," Vivien said acknowledging the deity's comeback. "Underestimating people or situations is always a great way to end up in hot water or something ten times worse," she said as she filled up a silver goblet and handed it to the young woman.

Then Vivien sat down in a chair of her own and placed her goblet on the table beside her after taking a sip of her wine.

"First of all, no, I don't plan on sucking anything out of you. I simply crave magic the same way a scholar craves knowledge. I would like to know what all you can do. The book said you were a village deity but beyond that, the entry didn't elaborate, " Vivien confessed as she gazed at the diety with keen interest.

"It does not even mention you by name which I do admit, I found somewhat strange," she said as she considered the other books she possessed that contained information on local gods and their lore.

@Sarang

[Sarang]

Taking a sip from the goblet, Kerin listened to what Vivien had to say. At least she'd keep her powers, but was she serious. Not even a name? Was she that irrelevant? She side-eyed the book with a stinkeye before she realized what that meant. She had her own incantation... or rather the Tolum Deity had. Did that mean there could be another one? One before her? One after? A replacement? She felt a tinge of hope but wouldn't mention that to a stranger. Why would she even talk about that at all?

So the woman wanted information about magic. That was all? Really? Kerin wondered for a split second when she had become that suspicious. Maybe it was when people had started to use her for their own gain, or tried to. Being a deity wasn't all sunshine and rainbows after all.

"You may call me Kerin." she allowed finally. "And I'm as you know the Village Deity of Tolum. I have the skills to do that." She leaned back, taking another sip. "Don't you agree it would be a little dangerous for me to disclose which skills I have to a stranger who summoned me?" She raised her firey red brow looking at her with an amused twinkle in her eyes. "Who knows what you'll do with that knowledge."


@Zora

[ladyhawkca]

"Kerin," Vivien nodded in acknowledgment and carefully filed away that fact about the deity in case she ever had to call them up again. In her mind, true names were always more powerful.

Listening to Kerin point out the obvious, Lady Vivien pursed her lips together. Although, she had to admit, albeit, reluctantly that they did have a point.

"This is true. I'd never give away how I do magic to the first person I met," she confessed as she took a drink of her wine.

"How about we exchange a little about ourselves? You can tell me a little about yourself, and what, if anything, the Deity of Tolum does... as in, are you a deity of protection or good luck... that kind of thing," Vivien stated. "And you can ask me two questions about myself?" she offered.

[Sarang]

Exchange. Wouldn't that mean she still had to give information? What did she care about what some sorceress in  Conn-whatever did. But then, she was an adventurer, self-acclaimed, wanting to find out more about the world outside of Torum. Wasn't this a chance to do that?

Kerin took another sip from the wine - which wasn't all too bad - and let her green eyes wander over Vivien considering the suggestion. She could still lie, or just tell her to bugger off if she didn't want to answer something, right?

"Protection." she simply stated and leaned forward, almost looking casually relaxed. "What is a sorceress doing in lands that want to kill her for a gift nobody in their right mind asks for. And what kind of sorcery are you doing?"


@Zora

[ladyhawkca]

Lady Vivien had not been sure whether Kerin would accept her offer or not. It was a gamble that she hoped paid off.

"Protection," Lady Vivien murmured. "That makes sense," she admitted with a very thoughtful smile. Many village deities were hearth related, offering some sort of solace or protection.

When it was her turn, Vivien's smile faltered and was replaced with a tiny grimace. "I didn't actually have a choice in the matter," she started. "My whole family is full of the magical," she explained. "And I can't leave just because even though I want to. I need to stay here and protect my kin," she told Kerin, a determined look on her face.

[Sarang]

Kerin listened with only one ear at first, casually sipping from her goblet, but the last comment made her halt in her tracks. Her eyes snapped up to the other woman, watching her in silence. After a long moment, Kerin lowered her goblet.

"So we are more similar than I initially thought." she said finally, canting her head sideways. "We both had no choice, and protect our people."

[ladyhawkca]

Lowering her goblet, Lady Vivien stared at Kerin, she was also quite surprised by the fact that neither of them had had no choice in their fates. She had simply assumed the deity haad chosen to be a protector.

"Yes, I ...I would have to agree with that...we are quite alike apparently," Vivien said as she got to her feet. Feeling the need now to move around.

"Though, I was under the assumption gods and deities were born into their position, or simply chose it..." she confessed as she slowly paced back and forth while talking.

[Sarang]

So that was what Vivien thought. Kerin couldn't blame her, she had thought the same and then this jokester happened. "It's a common assumption." she admitted. There were rarely - if not never - times when she actually had the chance to talk with someone. Usually, when called it meant they wanted something from her. It was an unfamiliar feeling to be able to talk about these things, but one that was pleasant. Almost as if her brother sat with her asking how her day went.

"One that I had as well." She paused and cleared her throat. "Your next question?"

[ladyhawkca]

'Next question' ... Vivien looked at Kerin now, somewhat uncertain how to proceed. She sensed there was a story behind her cryptic words, but if the deity wanted to elaborate or not was another thing.

Did she waste her next question on a possible noncommittal answer or go for something else? After a moment's hesitation, Vivien decided to follow her intuition and natural curiosity. Both had guided her well in the past.

"How did you become a god?" she asked curiously, wanting to know more about the woman in front of her. 

[Sarang]

A smirk snuck up on Kerin's face, slow and with a twinkle in her eye. "I'm just that good." she said in a hushed tone, as if she was telling Vivien a secret. As she leaned back she took another sip, then held the goblet between her hands, rolling it between her palms.

Far away her gaze went and she took a deep breath as memories flooded her mind. Memories far far away. "It was a sacrifice." she finally said quietly, with a shade of sadness vibrating in her voice; thoughtful and it was clear that this was a more truthful answer. "I died and my brother exchanged his life for mine."