RP:One Of Cyris’s Greatest Challenges

Part of the Mearcstapa Arc

This is a Devout's Guild RP.

Summary: Zahrani and Raahin scour the city for information about Brennia and the other strange occurrences taking place in Alithrya. They run into a so-called member of a local resistance group and Zahrani divulges a secret ability granted by her god Cyris.

Scents of Food

The feline paladin wanders the market, wrapped in a combination of yellow and white accented Alithryan garb, and plates of folded and well-oiled steel. Her black tail swishes gracefully behind her as she walks, her cyan eyes scanning the wares and those who buy and sell them. Occasionally she will be greeted by a local who might recognize her from days past, someone that she had helped either through healing or protection or diplomacy. Zahrani had spent a few days blending in after a bit of a culture shock during her initial arrival. Surveillance and security are tight within the city, but it is just as much an opportunity as it is a challenge. A day ago, she had just met with her lover Brennia, and though they are lovers no more, they parted as friends, and her resolve to determine what brought her friend to this place is only strengthened. A few days of immersion in Alithrya will only get her so far, and she senses that she will have to enter the castle if she wishes to make any headway in her investigation. Trailing not far behind is a younger feline, a tiger lass not much older than 12 or 13. The paladin and her apprentice maintain awareness of each other in the crowd; even outside Cenril, the felines of the Isran Collective find safety in numbers, even if that number is small. Some good deeds for the most downtrodden in the city would surely draw attention.

While the market in Alithrya was alive with activity, that activity was stifled by the heavy presence of guards at every turn. One intruder had slipped through their ranks and the Queen had ordered one of the guard's executions. News spread fast. And with the Queen dragging new tokens of affection down to their humble palace, sooner or later people would come looking. The turmoil was causing a natural distrust of strangers, despite trade with other races being 'allowed' under tight regulations. So Zahrani and her young ward would get side eyed more often than not, even if none of the naga are immediately outright rude. They were still loyal to their slowly devolving Queen while she upheld their ancestral belief system and kept the city safe and profitable.

One noticeable downtrodden citizen has curled herself up against the side of an auction house with a tin cup she'd spent several days rattling for change. Today though, she was still. Her cup set beside the road to occasionally collect passive coins. Her serpentine tail is coiled in on itself, her humanoid torso pressed flush against the worn brick of the building. Her silvery hair fanned out against her back with mats and spots of dirt. Her arms are wrapped tightly around her torso as she stays almost deadly still in this position.

The young tigress maintains a fair distance from her teacher, glancing beneath her hood as guards and people go by. The black jaguar paladin stops about a yard from the naga woman, before crouching down to her level. A black muzzle protrudes from a yellow and white hood, nares flaring with cautious curiosity at the immobile serpent, searching for signs of life. Her young companion's striped tail fluffs up slightly at the sight of the silver-haired being. Such stillness is only seen in the deceased, or one who is close to giving up on life…or a huntress lying in wait. The tiger cub keeps her hands in her pockets, her ears rotating on her head like fuzzy satellite dishes. Zahrani herself speaks softly, her cat lips lending a raspy accent to her voice, "What is your name?" Her left hand reaches into her pocket, as if to fish for coin, while the right hand remains free, resting on her hip. Her eyes do not leave the deathly still naga.An Amulet of Cyris hangs around her neck. To those attuned to power, an aura of divinity plays across the paladin's form, like a warm amber light reflected in a pool.

The naga woman barely moves an inch on their approach. Zahrani's words are common but still she can detect a hint of an accent she can't place. "Nazia..." She rattled. An earthy scent enveloped her body. A salve or possibly medicinal herb. Her pulse is slow but still present. The deadly still naga was still alive and far too weak to attack them. Her green eyes flick to Zahrani's amulet. "You need to find Kiem." Her cracked lips sputter with effort. "Outsiders aren't safe." Everything in her glazed eyes was telling them to leave Alithrya for their safety, even in her dying state.

Zahrani makes a chuffing noise, characteristic of the big cats. The scent of medicine reaches her sensitive nose. The feline reaches for a skin of fresh water at her hips, offering it to the weakened naga. "A beautiful name, Nazia. Mine is Zahrani, and I did not come here for safety." The paladin examines the serpentine woman, searching for additional signs of what precisely was ailing her, while Raahin, the tiger apprentice, remains among the crowd, staying mobile while keeping an eye on her teacher and noting the position of any authorities nearby. Meanwhile, the armored Jaguar woman continues after a pause. "I could try to heal what is ailing you, or offer pain relief. Only if you wish it, though." Her healing abilities as a paladin of Cyris are at their most potent if the person accepts her service.

Nazia can only turn her optics towards the Jaguar by her side. “Kiem needs you more than I.” She coughs, effectively refusing the kind paladin’s offer. If Zahrani tries to draw closer or examine the naga woman for wounds, she’ll start to see bandages wrapped around her midsection up her torso and almost to her neck. They appear damp, accounting for the smell. Upon closer inspection, the scent of necrotic flesh is discernible in the crowded area. “I wish for an honorable death.” And by the look of her, Nazia wasn’t far off. That could be why no one was stopping to assist her as well. If this was some kind of naga custom or matter of principle.

Zahrani detects the smell of decaying wounds. The paladin sighs then glances towards her apprentice. The young tigress is still keeping an eye and ear out for her teacher, sipping from a flask of water and sitting among a handful of citizens who were dining in the open air. The adult feline turns back to look at the silver haired woman, before responding, "Who is Kiem, why should I find him, and where?" Her tail swishes patiently behind, deftly avoiding the footsteps or slithering of passersby. Her own people were just ignoring her. There were a lot of possible explanations for that, and each one less pleasant than the last, from Rani's perspective. ~Is this even real?~ Ever since her encounter with an artifact that questioned her entire sense of reality, a small voice in the back of her mind quietly second guesses every one of her senses. The possibility of an illusion crossed her mind, but she also realizes that it it were something that elaborate, she's grossly unprepared. Might as well go with the simplest explanation until she's proven wrong. "Help me, and I will help you break your Final Chain..." Maybe that's what paladin's of Cyris call 'shuffling off the mortal coil.'

Kiemali had stealthy been keeping his one good eye on the paladin over the past few days since he noticed her presence. Cloaked in tattered robes, he moves near silently behind the pair as they travel, his scales working as a natural buffer where footfalls might have been. His marbled onyx tail melded well with the shadows cast by the artificial light of their 'sun'. He hasn't been able to figure out what her goal was, what the game could be, for a paladin of any renowned to be here. His attention wasn't the most dangerous one. Before the dying naga can answer Zahrani, her frail body turns to mist. Her and her cup vanish before their eyes like a mirage. Through that mist, appears Kiemali. What better way to trap a paladin than a dying woman? "You're in danger here." He tells her flatly, fully aware that she's aware. But not fully aware. "Follow. I will explain." This could easily be a trap. It's obvious he's already tricked them with a deftly skilled illusion to even replicate smells. Without waiting to see if the felines will follow, Kiemali pulls up the hood of his robes and slithers into a narrow alley. The alley is damp and dark, untouched by the false sun shining down from overhead in the crowded space previously. He stops abruptly once the sounds of the streets are far behind them. His golden eye squints at Zahrani. "Why are you here?"

Zahrani narrows her gaze at the serpent that emerges from the fading illusion. The jaguar stands up, nodding for the tiger lass to follow behind her. They could easily be walking into a trap right now. Nonetheless, into the dark alley they step, the felines keeping an eye and ear in every direction, scanning for any who might follow. Their eyes adjust easily to the lack of faux sunlight. The two tread softly behind Kiemali, their footfalls making little to no sound. At the Naga male’s question, the paladin explains, “I am looking for someone who is currently staying as a guest in the palace...That is all I shall say, until I learn more about you...” And that he isn’t just another illusion cast by someone waiting to pounce on them.

No visible or detectable traps wait for Zahrani's arrive into the alley where Kiemali stops and no one follows them. Beyond a few glances from the street at the odd feline duo, they are entirely alone. The naga male looks skeptical of Zahrani's reason. "I've been hearing rumors about new guests arriving at the palace." He says. The information is offered as proof that he was, if nothing else, knowledgeable on the area and it's happenings. "Who are you looking for?" His voice is raspy, lacking flowery patience.

The jaguar woman rests her hands on her hips, listening to the man carefully. Her smaller counter-part keeps her hands resting behind the small of her back, occasionally looking around, listening, and smelling the area. Zahrani responds, “Her name is Brennia. A tattooed avian woman. She’s...important.” The feline did not solely refer to her personal feelings. The way the Isran Collective sees it, if the Bard is compromised in any way, it puts their home(s) at risk as well. It is a combination of love for Bre and self-preservation. “Who else have you seen being brought in?” she adds. There could be others in her social circle who have been caught up in this. “Do you know why?”

Kiemali doesn't look clear on the names of the guests, only that there are new guests coming each day and the whispers of kidnapping are growing louder in the shadow sectors. "I'm not surprised it would be someone important. We'd theorized diplomats as hostages but the crown has made no announcements. There is no official word of war, but it can not be ruled out." The naga taps the pads of all his fingers together, as if counting. "Someone with silver hair, another with gold tusks. A fired horse and some vibrant colored shirt. We think more reside within but no one's seen them." Kiemali pauses, losing himself in the conspiracy theories of his companions. Zahrani was unknown but his hunch was right. Her appearance was linked to the 'guests' taking up space in the palace but never leaving. "Why is this one important? A dignitary? A member of an old, powerful house? We can exchange information, for the benefits of us both."

Zahrani really isn't sure how much info to divulge to a complete stranger who led her and her apprentice down an alleyway. How to determine if he's the real deal…still, she needed to provide something. Her tail twitches impatiently, the paladin inhaling and exhaling deeply, before saying, "To my people, she is family. We look out for family." She pauses, pondering Kiemali's words before asking, "Who is this 'we' you speak of? What is your interest in all of this?" Wherever there is power, there are those looking to throw wrenches in the machines that sustain that power, for myriad reasons. Is this man an opportunist looking to boost his own standing, or is he the naga version of an idealist looking to topple a tyrant?

Kiemali looks less than pleased with her answer. It's too vague. "Family?" He screws up his face in disbelief. "Anyone can be family." He runs a hand down his tired face with a groan. "How can you ask for answers but give none?" His tone snaps but his posture is unchanged. His body language speaks of frustration. "We only hear 'lovely songbird' or 'beautiful treasure' or 'shining star'." He scuffs. The captured avian's name was flowered with adoring titles in the reports. "Pet names!" Kiemali slither-paces in a small circle. "A name for a name." He stops pacing and turns to face Zahrani as his patience further frays. "I tell you who we are, you tell me a name." He pauses, giving Zahrani a moment to think about it. "Tell me a name." He could do his own research from there.

Zahrani senses that she and Kiem are both equally matched in their frustration and their reluctance to trust strangers. She looks down at the floor, exhaling through her jaguar muzzle, before turning her keen cyan eyes back to the man’s serpentine form. Information in exchange for information? Very well. “My name is Zahrani. I am a paladin of Cyris. I am from the Isran Collective of felines. We make our home in Cenril, and now Schezerade thanks to Brennia. You could say she is a benefactor of ours...” A brief pause. “She and I were...more than close, for a time. I am here to make sure she’s actually safe and free, and to ensure her captors are not a threat...” By whatever means she has at her disposal. The feline woman is not squeamish about a diversity of tactics. “...I’ll accept whatever help I can secure in that endeavor, inside or outside the palace.”

The tip of Kiemali’s tail rattles in digestive excitement as he processes Zahrani’s explanation. The information wasn’t much, what he could have picked up with a few more slithering acts on the streets or through veiled tongues but it saved him time. If it was true. Paladins aren’t the types to lie though. Kiem’s fuzzy on land laws but he knows in Alithrya if you ask a paladin if they’re a paladin, they have to tell you. Brennia is the woman’s name the paladin seeks. The second time she spoke it. The shaking tip of his tail starts to settle when it’s his turn to speak. “I will confirm with my people, this name.” Begrudgingly, he adds his own. “Kiem. Kiemali.” He tilts his head in a slight bow. “We work as a collective ourselves, the others with me. We won’t let the kingdom fall back into ruin because of our corrupt Queen.” Avian woman being called ‘lovely songbird’ isn’t a far stretch of the imagination. “I’m to bet this pet of the Queen’s is the woman you seek.” He surmises, tail twitching in thought again.

And if Zahrani and Brennia were once more than close, as the paladin had said, concern could lead her here. “All intel says this particular captive doesn’t attempt to escape. She can come and go, with guards, and always returns. There are whispers of a grand ball taking place in a few weeks time. Could prove good cover for an infiltration.”

Zahrani listens intently to Kiemali’s information. It seems consistent with whatever she’s managed to glean through her time spent with Brennia. “A pleasure to meet you, Kiem. I was able to meet Brennia not too long ago. She does not seem physically unwell, but she is the type to not want her loved ones to worry.” At the mention of a grand ball, the jaguar woman grins, “If there ever was a time to casually stroll into the front door, that would be it.” She glances back towards the alley’s exit, “I have enough white and gold clothing to blend in well enough.” Turning back to the male naga, she adds, “Anything specific that the palace servants are expected to wear?” Raahin, the young tigress, turns back to her teacher, asking a question in their native language, “~Am I coming with you?~” to which the paladin shakes her head. “~Not yet.~” The tiger lass’s face does not change.

Kiem squints at Zahrani’s reply. Rumors were that this pet of the Queens was possibly a lover of hers. Was this woman a captive or a willing prize? He didn’t feel it his place to fill in this detail. He preferred to stay out of love affairs. Loved ones made for weak spots and he had no need of that. His comrades were the closest thing to a family he needed or craved. He does grin at Zahrani’s inquiry about attire. “Other than white and gold? I’d suggest a suit. The Queen is fond of wearing them.” He eyes her legs. “And a good illusionist charm, if I were you. She won’t hire outsiders for wait staff.” Raahin speaks in a language Kiem doesn’t know, reminding him that she’s there. It’s a mere coincidence his comment falls in line with their private conversation. “I’d advise going alone.” His gaze flicks between the two, his warning earnest. “We will have people there as well. Take this.” Kiem reaches into one of his tattered robe’s pockets and hands Zahrani a gold pin. It’s in the shape of an Ouroboros, similar to the Queen’s own seal, but it’s scarred down the middle with a barbed line top to bottom. “Pin this inside your sleeve. Display it if you find yourself in trouble. If we see it, we’ll intervene.”

Zahrani accepts the pin from the man, studying it closely before placing it in a pouch on her belt. “A suit is it, then.” As for the tail, the jaguar woman sighs. “Let me try something...” With a soft thrumming sensation in the air – her Divine Aura taking hold of her physically, she closes her cyan eyes and her form begins to shift from being more jaguar-like to being more elf-like. Fur and feline muzzle retract, revealing a dark brown skin-tone, and an alluring semi-androgynous face. Her tail appears to have vanished as well. She breathes slowly and deeply. “Releasing a form that is familiar to me...is a trial I have faced before...but it is still one of Cyris’s greatest challenges.” As Zahrani’s legs begin to fuse, giving way to citrine-colored scales, her leggings fall to the ground. The paladin’s heartbeat quickens, her paladin’s aura receding as a consequence of the drastic transformation. Even Raahin couldn’t contain her shock. The panther woman tumbles, catching herself on the ground before she could get a face full of pavement. A drop of sweat goes down her face as she tries to regain her bearings. With a pant, she asks Kiem, “Much more convincing than an illusion, perhaps?”

Shock paints itself boldly on Kiem’s face. For a man well versed in illusions and shape shifting, this he had not expected. Was she a spy sent by the Queen to disembowel him?! Every nerve ending tells him to run but the transition isn’t smooth. Zahrani nearly eats the concrete and strains with effort when it’s complete. A bold brow lifts over his eye patch. “Was being polite not mentioning your face…” He says with a half smirk before offering her a hand to help her upright.

Zahrani takes Kiem’s hand, her serpentine lower half slowly adjusting her to an upright position. Her hands are warm, her fingers strong. Her upper body remains svelte beneath her skin and armor. Her bright blue eyes meet the man’s, offering a half-smile in return. “By the time anyone recognizes my face, it likely won’t matter. I’ll avoid anyone I know, during the festivities.” The woman’s breathing returns to normal. “Does your collective need help with anything while I’m there?” In the background, Raahin retrieves the paladin’s leggings, handing her teacher the belt for her continued use. The tiger’s tail is puffed up slightly, but it begins to return to its normal diameter after reassurance that Zahrani is okay.

Kiem releases her hands carefully when he’s sure she’s stabilized. He considers her offer. “All we ask is that you don’t take the avian yet.” The hint of an apology on his features. “We fear the Queen is unstable enough to kidnap guests, there is no telling what lengths she’ll go to if her guests start to vanish. Especially this all important one.” His good eye focuses on Raahin’s fluffed tail with hidden amusement. “For now, we can work together to gather more information. To plan an attack in due time.” After a beat he adds. “This is agreeable?”

Zahrani nods in understanding, the woman swaying carefully from left to right. With a couple days left until the ball, she’ll be moving like a native Naga in no time. “Of course. I prefer to let her leave on her own anyway. Taking her against her will would help no one.” It’s also not how a paladin of Cyris does things. Raahin chimes in, “~I’ll make my way back home, and let them know the plan.~” Rani translates for Kiem’s benefit, then adds, “I can escort her out, so no other guards follow her.” The feline(?) woman passes for a Naga guard easily enough now, especially with the armor and its amber/white details. She places her amulet in another small pouch at her belt, before saying to the male, “I will keep an eye out for your people, and wait to hear from you. It was good to meet you, Kiemali.”

Kiemali nods his shabby cloaked head again, watching Zahrani and Raahin exit the alleyway and join the general naga population once more. Another set of eyes and odd talents. He’d forgotten to warn the paladin about the dangers far greater than he but he’s convinced she can handle herself until next they meet. His own shadow fades further back into the alley, leaving their meeting spot empty. The Alithrya Collective would be eager to hear of this news.