Junior Gods of Anara (IC/Sign Up In OOC)

[Whalestron]

Whether or not it was the twigs or the acidic hissing, Ingrid was tipped off immediately. She had no idea how she could have possibly missed the hulking beast worthy of the gods. Although she'd fought monsters bigger than Hsiss, she always did it in groups. VERY large groups.

Her first instinct was to run, considering the typical speed of a snake, but she didn't get far. In her frenzy to escape to a better vantage point, Ingrid tripped over a root and caused her arrows to go flying from the quiver. She grabbed her bow and fumbled for the closest arrows, rounding them up.

She nocked them and let loose, sending three at Hsiss's face before running to hide behind a tree.

[Paketo]

Stana watched as the girl walked away towards the door giving only a slight nod to her words. Within the second of her leaving the tavern, the spot where Stana stood was now empty though the mortals wouldn't think twice about it.

His form appeared on the roof of the Inn and began to survey the town. "That girl has quite a good heart though it is masked by pain. Her quest will only be hampered by such emotions." He spoke to himself "Now what about the town? The earthquake seems to have quite a bit of damage, what could Jord be mad about now? At least the Inn was sturdy enough to survive. Now these snakes will be a problem for the villagers. They seem to come in endless waves. Didn't Indra say there was a snake goddess among the junior gods? This is probably her doing so I can't interfere as this may be part of her trial strategy. I guess can leave extra antivenom at the apothecary. This goddess shouldn't be trying to kill all the humans as she would need their worship for this trial. Yes, it shouldn't hurt to give them some extra medical supplies."

Stana's ramblings went on which he would often do if he stayed in his old man form. His monologue was only broken when he sensed the distress of Ingirid. Stana's form shifted once again shrinking down to that of a 5 year old child.

"I should go check that out. I quite like that girls spunk and it would be terrible if she died without fulfilling her Goal." Stana mused before disappearing in a column of flame and reappearing on a branch overlooking the confrontation of Ingrid and Hsiss. Hiding his godly power, Stana looked over the scene.

"So that is the snake goddess. Ingirid seems fine for now so I won't interfere. I wonder how she will handle facing a junior godddess?" Observed Stana with a twinkle in his childish eyes.

[Harbertia]

Whether or not it was the twigs or the acidic hissing, Ingrid was tipped off immediately. She had no idea how she could have possibly missed the hulking beast worthy of the gods. Although she'd fought monsters bigger than Hsiss, she always did it in groups. VERY large groups.

Her first instinct was to run, considering the typical speed of a snake, but she didn't get far. In her frenzy to escape to a better vantage point, Ingrid tripped over a root and caused her arrows to go flying from the quiver. She grabbed her bow and fumbled for the closest arrows, rounding them up.

She nocked them and let loose, sending three at Hsiss's face before running to hide behind a tree.

An arrow pierced her snout and Hsiss shook her great head and in that moment developed eye lids for her form. Closing her eyes she continued to shake her head; mentally condemning her form's vulnerablity. Hsiss opened her eyes looking for any signs of the mortal. Hsiss's method for being on the physical plane was to have a physical form, and in her novice state had neglected to recall the sensation of pain.

Stana mused before disappearing in a column of flame and reappearing on a branch overlooking the confrontation of Ingrid and Hsiss. Hiding his godly power, Stana looked over the scene.

"So that is the snake goddess. Ingirid seems fine for now so I won't interfere. I wonder how she will handle facing a junior godddess?" Observed Stana with a twinkle in his childish eyes.

"Eahssss!", Hsiss continued to look about for the runaway. She moved forward quickly, her tongue flicking. In her shocked state she had nearly let words slip, she could be caught off guard again. Her great form moved, black scaled with a green diamond back pattern, unaware of any observer, and still believing herself and the mortal alone- she decided to play a game.

Having examined the area, there was a specifically dense bit of bush into which she leap; "AAAAAH! HELP! HELP ME BY THE GODS PLEASE!" A great hiss emerged from the great serpent as it reared it's head out of the brush and plunged it back in, "NO NO!"

[Whalestron]

Ingrid's eyes lit up with panick, she had to do something. It was just like training, she could do it.. Just had to avoid those fangs that would probably kill her even if she missed. She drew an arrow, this one's tip turning a white color, the coldness of it radiating immediately. She leapt around the corner and fired the shot at Hsiss's face before starting to climb the tree closest her.

Hsiss was obviously blind sight-wise, and that could play out to her advantage. She slid her bow around her again, leaping across the larger branches so that she was just over Hsiss and her fake victim. She readied an arrow, pointing it at a thin branch, but not before she rubbed it against herself. If Hsiss investigated, her scent would be there. Or trailing a little farther if it broke through the branch.

She nocked the arrow, pulled the string back, and released it. Surely enough, the arrow snapped the slender branch's connection with the tree, causing it to crack as it fell. The arrow spun away into a bush, leaving enough of a trail in the air for Hsiss to follow.

[Harbertia]

Ingrid's eyes lit up with panick, she had to do something. It was just like training, she could do it.. Just had to avoid those fangs that would probably kill her even if she missed. She drew an arrow, this one's tip turning a white color, the coldness of it radiating immediately. She leapt around the corner and fired the shot at Hsiss's face before starting to climb the tree closest her.

Hsiss was obviously blind sight-wise, and that could play out to her advantage. She slid her bow around her again, leaping across the larger branches so that she was just over Hsiss and her fake victim. She readied an arrow, pointing it at a thin branch, but not before she rubbed it against herself. If Hsiss investigated, her scent would be there. Or trailing a little farther if it broke through the branch.

She nocked the arrow, pulled the string back, and released it. Surely enough, the arrow snapped the slender branch's connection with the tree, causing it to crack as it fell. The arrow spun away into a bush, leaving enough of a trail in the air for Hsiss to follow.

The first arrow missed but the cold brushed the back of Hsiss's head which gave her cause to ploop down in the brush, when the arrow snapped the branch which fell to the ground Hsiss lunged for it and then struck in the direction of the arrow. With a brief pause at realizing the absence of a person and presence of an arrow Hsiss hissed as she began following the trail upward into the trees.

[Whalestron]

The first arrow missed but the cold brushed the back of Hsiss's head which gave her cause to ploop down in the brush, when the arrow snapped the branch which fell to the ground Hsiss lunged for it and then struck in the direction of the arrow. With a brief pause at realizing the absence of a person and presence of an arrow Hsiss hissed as she began following the trail upward into the trees.

Ingrid immediately took the opportunity and began climbing down the tree, using branches as hand and footholds. She knew that her window of opportunity would close very soon if she didn't work fast. Ingrid dropped down the last few feet and ran to the bush, parting the branches. She whispered quickly to the plant, "Are you okay? The snake's gone for now, but we need to-"

It was then that she realized it was just the bush. Nothing was in there. Could the snake have melted her with that venom? It seemed like a possibility, but one that she'd need to believe. Ingrid closed her eyes for a few precious moments and began running. But in her haste she made the mistake of breaking a few twigs, at which point she darted for the nearest tree to hide behind.

But Hsiss was on her trail. She'd just have to pick it up again and she'd find Ingrid, who hoped she could outrun her if she needed to.

[Harbertia]

The first arrow missed but the cold brushed the back of Hsiss's head which gave her cause to ploop down in the brush, when the arrow snapped the branch which fell to the ground Hsiss lunged for it and then struck in the direction of the arrow. With a brief pause at realizing the absence of a person and presence of an arrow Hsiss hissed as she began following the trail upward into the trees.

Ingrid immediately took the opportunity and began climbing down the tree, using branches as hand and footholds. She knew that her window of opportunity would close very soon if she didn't work fast. Ingrid dropped down the last few feet and ran to the bush, parting the branches. She whispered quickly to the plant, "Are you okay? The snake's gone for now, but we need to-"

It was then that she realized it was just the bush. Nothing was in there. Could the snake have melted her with that venom? It seemed like a possibility, but one that she'd need to believe. Ingrid closed her eyes for a few precious moments and began running. But in her haste she made the mistake of breaking a few twigs, at which point she darted for the nearest tree to hide behind.

But Hsiss was on her trail. She'd just have to pick it up again and she'd find Ingrid, who hoped she could outrun her if she needed to.

Hsiss couldn't let the mortal get away; she couldn't break the rules. She couldn't follow her out of the forest either as that would allow the village to see her and she'd beak the rules. Her only option was to kill the mortal. Slithering violently- trees cracking on impact she moved with much effort after the mortal. A head of the projected route, a rhumba of serpents awaited. Trapped between a rock and hardplace (the rock being Hsiss) the mortal would have only the option to fight- unless given another.

Hsiss considered an alternative method, one of peace- it'd still result in Ingrid's death but would be a lot more comforting and the mortal would live on in another life- but any such attempt would mean direct violation of the rules. The two could talk latter- after Ingrid was dead. She'd no longer be a mortal then so the rules would not be violated.

Hsiss had gained ground and they where nearly the trap as Hsiss reared her head and spit her venom towards the fleeing mortal.

[Whalestron]

This was, somehow, a poor choice on Hsiss's part. Although Ingrid had no idea of the trap, she still ducked under the hissing liquid as it soared over her head. The ground in front of her sizzled and popped, causing Ingrid to stagger slightly. Some of the near-acid got on her uniform, small holes being created.

She looked both ways, noticing a smaller footpath on her left. She took it, running down it. But not before she took another arrow and fired it at Hsiss's face. She wasn't sure she'd be able to hit it but anything she could do helped.

Ingrid panted, calling out more to herself than anyone else. "I should have to thank whatever goddess of snakes there is after this! I should have brought some others with me, then maybe this village would be safe!" She stumbled over a branch, but quickly picked up her pace.

[Shark isle]

Rolf let out a sigh of annoyance. How dare the woman who challenged his strength start giving him orders like a grunt in a military unit. But, Rolf complied and threw down his sword. He than started to help the men of the village gather torches while stomping on as many snakes as possible.

Three snakes reared their heads and pulled them back before lunging with a great hiss toward the now disarmed Rolf.

---

When the earthquake hit Ingrid staggered heavily, only being held by the old god's hand on her shoulder. It didn't feel normal at all-- at least, not normal in the sense of it being a natural occurrence in the area. Ingrid slipped away from the god, speaking to him as she reached the edge of the door. "I'll try to help anyone who needs it, can't be too difficult.." She proceeded to exit.

Immediately she noticed the collapsed buildings, the worst of them being some horse stables. Several people seemed to be injured, most of which were being directed to the inn, which received the least of the damage. Then she spotted the snakes.

There were dozens of them, at random intervals but abnormally frequent. Ingrid stomped on one immediately, recognizing it as poisonous almost immediately. It didn't take a genius if you lived in the woods long enough. She grabbed her bow and began jogging to the woods, these citizens seemed to be able to handle themselves, after all.

Once she was on the brink Ingrid had killed at least ten snakes, all of which weren't attacking her. And there was no doubt in her mind that they'd become instantly more difficult when the droves of them were bent on killing her. She stepped in, the normal forest sounds being drowned by hissing. Her best bet was to get higher ground, she'd be easy prey if she stayed on the ground. Slinging her bow, Ingrid climbed a tree to better avoid a bite.

She drew her weapon once she knew it was clear, leaping to another tree. Ingrid took an arrow at random and aimed it at one of the creatures below, this one slow and steady. After carefully lining up the shot, she let the arrow fly. This one must have been a bit focused as her arrow landed into its center mass rather than its head. The poor thing would suffer in agony until it bled out, pinned to the ground. But Ingrid paid no mind at all, after all, it couldn't feel. Snakes were just emotionless killers.

"Tthssss!" The serpent goddess twisted her attention behind her and hurriedly slithered towards the attack from the rear. "Eahhsss!" She darted into the trees looking around for the assailant expecting to find the senior god from earlier and give him a piece of her mind yet no aura could be seen. Her tongue kissed in the air as she took in the taste and scents. From partially in one of the trees she could gaze down upon a writhing form. A frown formed but lacking eyelids little else. "Eahhs."

Rolf saw the two snakes lunge at him and immediately jumped out of the way. Rolf then proceeded to stomp on them both and continued to help gather torches

[Zarkenis Ultima]

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Nil stood by as she observed the other Junior Gods talking to each other. Though they seemed to notice her arrival (and Apium's, for that matter), they did not really speak to her or respond to her greeting (or Apium's, for that matter). Of course, the young Goddess of Oblivion didn't mind this in the slightest, cheerful as she was, and simply continued watching the others, smiling at how well Hsiss and Inasaria seemed to get along. However, her attention (and everyone else's, for that matter) was soon drawn by the light and the sounds that came from the skies. A swan descended from the clouds and then shifted its shape into one she knew well, the Junior Goddess looking on with eyes gleaming with admiration at the sight of Lord Indra. She listened attentively to what he had to say, remembering that she had been sent down to Anara to go through the trials that would determine if she was worthy of being a Senior Goddess like her father and mother. She wasn't quite sure how she was going to tackle the current trial, but she was sure she would think of something.

As Indra disappeared, Nil continued staring at the spot he had stood on for a few moments, smiling brightly. "He's so cool!" She spoke, to no one in particular. She greatly admired her uncle-in-law's beauty and majesty, though she still thought her father was much nicer. Regardless, now that he was gone, the Junior Goddess had to get started on her task, and so, she began walking towards the village, following the path taken by the other deities. Before arriving, however, she reasoned that, if she was to pose as a human all along, and if she was to make humans worship her, then she couldn't look like Nil; she would have to adopt a different appearance. Thus, she used her power as a Goddess to morph into a different person. Her short purple dress was quickly replaced by a long, flowing dark robe, and she undid the string knot that held her ponytail in place, allowing her long hair to flow down to her waist, its lilac hue growing darker as it fell until it had become completely black.

The transformed Goddess ran over to a nearby pond to admire herself in its reflection, and was quite content with what she saw. A young and beautiful maiden with long black hair appeared in the watery mirror instead of the Goddess known as Nil, and as she looked on and twirled on her feet a few times to further observe her new body, she smiled widely. Her work was impeccable, and now she could truly begin tending to the task given to her by the Senior Gods. Thus, after a few moments, she left the pond and continued heading over to the village, practically skipping as she moved towards it.

She finally arrived shortly after the Slayer of Grimgore had accepted Inasaria's challenge and left the town square. Though she was a stranger in the village, her cheerful demeanor and the polite manner in which she responded to the villagers' greetings and compliments soon convinced them that she was nobody to be wary of, and her presence quickly became welcome among the farmers and peasants of that town, despite the fact that her dark appearance made them suspicious at first. This would serve her well in her quest, naturally, but she was happy to do it even without having that in mind, as it was her pleasure to make others smile.

Before long, the young Goddess happened upon a boy who was crying in the streets. Finding a child in such a situation, her compassionate side immediately reacted, and she slowly approached the boy, kneeling down to his level once she was next to him. "Hi there. What's your name?" She asked in a friendly voice. The boy looked up only to see a kind smile on her face and find her eyes staring into his. This, for some reason, he found calming, and so he stopped crying for a moment.

"I'm Malek." He answered quietly, staring curiously at the woman in front of him, who simply nodded at the answer.

"Nice to meet you, Malek. I'm Ni..." She continued, though she soon trailed off, narrowly avoiding the big mistake of giving away her name when she was supposed to be posing as a regular human. "Um, my name is Nissa. Anyway, why are you crying?" She inquired, hoping that she could find a way to console the poor child. However, upon being asked to remember the reason, tears began to well up in the corners of Malek's eyes again.

"I-I heard that Rolf came here and I wanted to see him, b-but my mom didn't let me until I was done helping her, and when I came here he was already gone!" The boy lamented. At this, Nil simply laughed to her insides. She thought that it would be something more important, but then, she was talking to a child. It was only natural that he would be sad about missing his hero.

"Well now, you might have missed him but aren't you happy that you helped out your mother?" The young woman spoke, her voice always kind. She reached out to pat his head, subtly using her powers to cheer the boy up. "I'm sure you will have another chance to meet your hero one day. Who is this Rolf, anyway?" She asked him, hoping it would take his mind off his missed opportunity. Hearing the question, the boy stared at Nil in confusion.

"You... you don't know who Rolf is, miss?" He questioned, incredulous. Nil simply shook her head at this; even though she was a Goddess, she didn't pay a lot of attention to what happened in the mortal realm most of the time, not to mention she was quite oblivious, as befitting her domain. "Wow, that's so weird! You must be the only person I know who hasn't heard of him!" The boy stated, very surprised. "But it's ok miss, I'll tell you. Rolf is a great hero! He once killed a giant by smashing its head with a huge rock, and he's done a lot of amazing stuff. He's also the son of a god!" He announced. By now, he was obviously no longer sad, and in fact he had gotten quite excited while recounting Rolf's tale.

Naturally, Nil was quite interested in the story. While she didn't know a lot about human's deeds and often forgot about what little she did learn, she still enjoyed hearing about their exploits, not to mention she wasn't about to stifle Malek's enthusiasm by looking bored. The part about Rolf being a demigod was particularly interesting, but as she talked to the boy, she learned that nobody knew what particular god he was descended from, which was mildly disappointing. Nonetheless, Nil was happy to continue conversing with the boy, and a few other kids soon joined them, all of them finding the disguised Goddess' presence soothing.

Soon, though, panic began to spread across the village, reaching the place where Nil and the children were talking and playing. Confused about the commotion around her, the Junior Goddess looked around, seeing several snakes in the distance, slithering towards them. This made her frown slightly. Was this Hsiss' doing? Why was she scaring these people? However, she had no time to ponder this. Instead, she stood up and pulled the children around her to their feet. "Where are your parents? You need to be with them right now, they must be very worried about you all!" She said to them. Tugging on her sleeve, Malek pointed in the direction of the inn.

"They're probably there." He said. Immediately, Nil began urging them to run towards the inn to avoid the serpents. But then the earthquake tore through the village, some of the wooden structures suffering damage. The shaking frightened the children even more and made Malek lose his footing. The boy fell to the ground, and a snake that had been faster than the rest saw its chance to carry out its master's bidding. It leapt towards the boy, but instead, its fangs found Nil's arm: the Goddess had rushed to Malek's aid and had shielded him from the venomous bite, knowing that it was lethal to him but would mean nothing to her.

"M-miss, y-your arm..." The boy said, mortified. However, after shaking shaking the snake off, the woman turned to Malek with a frown on her face.

"Don't you worry about me! Move! The inn's just a little further ahead!" She ordered. She didn't like shouting at children, but in the current situation it had to be done. She wasn't about to let those kids die in her presence. Soon the group made it to the town square, and as they headed towards the inn, where the children believed their parents would be, Nil looked around and saw Inasaria just outside of it, shouting orders before rushing towards a ruined house. Smiling, she waved eagerly at her fellow Junior Goddess, wondering how she was doing, but she knew this wasn't a good moment to catch up. The children soon dragged her into the inn, where the rest of the village's children were, along with all the women and old people.

"Someone help us! A snake bit Nissa!" One of the girls in the group shouted, pointing at Nil. But she quickly crouched down to her level and turned the girl around, placing her hands on her shoulders as if to calm her down.

"Listen, you don't have to worry about me. I have protection, so that snake did nothing to me." The young woman stated, knowing better than to give away her identity and ruin her own trial. She then pulled up one of the sleeves of her dark robe, exposing her pale skin; where there should have been a pair of holes corresponding to a snake's fangs, there was nothing: the wound was completely gone, and there was no sign of poison either. The children looked on with amazement as a few other villagers, adults this time, approached the disguised Goddess.

"W-who are you, miss?" Asked an awed old man who recognized the power of the Gods when he saw it. At this, Nil smiled. She saw in this a chance to get started on her task and convince a few people that she was a nice Goddess to worship.

"I'm just a..." The woman began, but immediately trailed off, tilting her head in confusion. "Um, what's it called again, when a person is a chosen follower of a god...?" She asked, a bit embarrassed at forgetting something so important.

"Priest?" One of the children suggested.

"Priest, yes, thank you! I'm Nissa, a priest of Nil. She's a really nice Goddess who's in charge of making people happy, and she told me to come here and tell you people about her." Nil stated.

"You mean you're a priestess." One of the women nearby corrected her. Nil looked at her and tilted her head in confusion once more, prompting the woman to sigh. It was a bit hard to believe that someone so clueless was really a priestess. Of course, the woman didn't suspect the truth. "Nevermind, go on."

Nodding, Nil continued. "She's also the one who protected me from that snake back there, and she wants me to tell you kids that she's going to make sure nothing happens to you, so stay close to me and don't be afraid, okay?" The Junior Goddess spoke, and then began to sing a little song that had a soothing effect on all those around her. Soon the children stopped being scared of the quakes and snakes and began singing along with her, and even the adults found that their worries were slowly fading away. Nil's aura, along with her efforts, were quickly winning over the hearts of those inside the inn, as they were now serene instead of worried, and were no longer anxious about having to wait until the men outside took care of the serpents. And, though some of the villagers were smart enough to realize that she was no savior, all of them were still quite grateful for the presence of Nissa and her patroness, Nil.

[Harbertia]

This was, somehow, a poor choice on Hsiss's part. Although Ingrid had no idea of the trap, she still ducked under the hissing liquid as it soared over her head. The ground in front of her sizzled and popped, causing Ingrid to stagger slightly. Some of the near-acid got on her uniform, small holes being created.

She looked both ways, noticing a smaller footpath on her left. She took it, running down it. But not before she took another arrow and fired it at Hsiss's face. She wasn't sure she'd be able to hit it but anything she could do helped.

Ingrid panted, calling out more to herself than anyone else. "I should have to thank whatever goddess of snakes there is after this! I should have brought some others with me, then maybe this village would be safe!" She stumbled over a branch, but quickly picked up her pace.

Hsiss's jaw quivered as the Arrow pierced it causing one side of her face to droop. At this she had enough of games, especially games by cunning prey which knew not her name- much as she knew not the name of her quarry. Enough was enough. "ENOUGH!"

Hsiss moved rapidly to intercept Ingrid's path and obstruct it with her great form and a stare as her face split in two shedding the injured skin to reveal a mocha skinned woman's form as the serpent peeled away resulting in something half Human Half Snake.

[Whalestron]

Hsiss's jaw quivered as the Arrow pierced it causing one side of her face to droop. At this she had enough of games, especially games by cunning prey which knew not her name- much as she knew not the name of her quarry. Enough was enough. "ENOUGH!"

Hsiss moved rapidly to intercept Ingrid's path and obstruct it with her great form and a stare as her face split in two shedding the injured skin to reveal a mocha skinned woman's form as the serpent peeled away resulting in something half Human Half Snake.

Ingrid fell backwards as Hsiss leapt in front of her. She drew back her bow, aiming for her head immediately. She had no idea how she'd caught up, but soon discovered some plausible reason after she shed her skin.

Ingrid's voice faltered before she could ask who, or what, Hsiss was. But when she found it it sounded much bolder than she felt. "Who are you?!" She cried. Her arrow's tip was alight with flame, aimed directly for the girl's head, although it shook a bit. Ingrid was obviously scared.

[Harbertia]

Hsiss's jaw quivered as the Arrow pierced it causing one side of her face to droop. At this she had enough of games, especially games by cunning prey which knew not her name- much as she knew not the name of her quarry. Enough was enough. "ENOUGH!"

Hsiss moved rapidly to intercept Ingrid's path and obstruct it with her great form and a stare as her face split in two shedding the injured skin to reveal a mocha skinned woman's form as the serpent peeled away resulting in something half Human Half Snake.

Ingrid fell backwards as Hsiss leapt in front of her. She drew back her bow, aiming for her head immediately. She had no idea how she'd caught up, but soon discovered some plausible reason after she shed her skin.

Ingrid's voice faltered before she could ask who, or what, Hsiss was. But when she found it it sounded much bolder than she felt. "Who are you?!" She cried. Her arrow's tip was alight with flame, aimed directly for the girl's head, although it shook a bit. Ingrid was obviously scared.

Hsiss had some what expected to be the first to ask such a question- retrospectively she should have earlier. For the time being looking at Ingrid's expression was calming enough resulting in a chilled look devoid of malice but also devoid of joy. "A spirit of great power," was her response, "one bound by immortal law to not reveal herself to mortals- a proper name I can not deliver to you as going this far has already violated my restrictions." Her look became scrutinizing as she moved a lot to keep around Ingrid- hoping to dissuade her from running, "What are you known as?" She took on a softer countenance as she awaited a response- in fact it seems rather sad.

[Whalestron]

Hsiss had some what expected to be the first to ask such a question- retrospectively she should have earlier. For the time being looking at Ingrid's expression was calming enough resulting in a chilled look devoid of malice but also devoid of joy. "A spirit of great power," was her response, "one bound by immortal law to not reveal herself to mortals- a proper name I can not deliver to you as going this far has already violated my restrictions." Her look became scrutinizing as she moved a lot to keep around Ingrid- hoping to dissuade her from running, "What are you known as?" She took on a softer countenance as she awaited a response- in fact it seems rather sad.

Ingrid stuttered as she tried to find her words, "M-my name is Ingrid, Western Ranger serving under Tutann Jite." She said, shakily rising. "And I would like very much to know who you are, or who you serve.."

Ingrid had the general idea, but didn't want to assume. She didn't know everything about the gods. She leaned against a tree, bow lowered slightly, but still at the ready. She looked around, yelping lightly as she noticed Hsiss's coiling around her. She wouldn't have much of a chance to escape.

[Harbertia]

Hsiss had some what expected to be the first to ask such a question- retrospectively she should have earlier. For the time being looking at Ingrid's expression was calming enough resulting in a chilled look devoid of malice but also devoid of joy. "A spirit of great power," was her response, "one bound by immortal law to not reveal herself to mortals- a proper name I can not deliver to you as going this far has already violated my restrictions." Her look became scrutinizing as she moved a lot to keep around Ingrid- hoping to dissuade her from running, "What are you known as?" She took on a softer countenance as she awaited a response- in fact it seems rather sad.

Ingrid stuttered as she tried to find her words, "M-my name is Ingrid, Western Ranger serving under Tutann Jite." She said, shakily rising. "And I would like very much to know who you are, or who you serve.."

Ingrid had the general idea, but didn't want to assume. She didn't know everything about the gods. She leaned against a tree, bow lowered slightly, but still at the ready. She looked around, yelping lightly as she noticed Hsiss's coiling around her. She wouldn't have much of a chance to escape.

She paused her advance at the yelping; "Hsiss," she said with a sigh, "this one serves Hsiss- Goddess of Serpents, Guardian of Mothers in times of Child Birth, she who knows the secret to everlasting life, and she who brings down the powerful so the weak my flurish-" She smiled, "Among other things." she frowned again and tilted her head slightly "Who is this Tutann Jite?"

[Whalestron]

She paused her advance at the yelping; "Hsiss," she said with a sigh, "this one serves Hsiss- Goddess of Serpents, Guardian of Mothers in times of Child Birth, she who knows the secret to everlasting life, and she who brings down the powerful so the weak my flurish-" She smiled, "Among other things." she frowned again and tilted her head slightly "Who is this Tutann Jite?"

Ingrid swallowed hard. She just attacked a spirit, from what Hsiss was saying, and even worse, she was actually a goddess. Ingrid didn't know this, of course, but she still felt conflicted about attacking a spirit. They were immortal unless something powerful killed them, to her knowledge.

She gripped her other hand, speaking again. "He's the current leader of the Rangers, keeping everyone in check and giving them missions. I'm on a personal one, and I can't die until I fulfill it." Ingrid said with an air of importance.

[Harbertia]

She paused her advance at the yelping; "Hsiss," she said with a sigh, "this one serves Hsiss- Goddess of Serpents, Guardian of Mothers in times of Child Birth, she who knows the secret to everlasting life, and she who brings down the powerful so the weak my flurish-" She smiled, "Among other things." she frowned again and tilted her head slightly "Who is this Tutann Jite?"

Ingrid swallowed hard. She just attacked a spirit, from what Hsiss was saying, and even worse, she was actually a goddess. Ingrid didn't know this, of course, but she still felt conflicted about attacking a spirit. They were immortal unless something powerful killed them, to her knowledge.

She gripped her other hand, speaking again. "He's the current leader of the Rangers, keeping everyone in check and giving them missions. I'm on a personal one, and I can't die until I fulfill it." Ingrid said with an air of importance.

Hsiss again moved around Ingrid her face solemn, "What mission is so important that your death will make it uncompletable? Surely their are other rangers capable of taking the task in your stead- a mission that most be completed in a certain amount of time?" She was now talking from the other side of Ingrid, "The mission must be one you can complete on your own time, which negates a time frame as a possibility, why else would you be here?" Hsiss grinned softly ever slightly so- the Human face being far more expressive then her previous one. If one could detect it they would find a certain warmth in her heart as she maintained a comforting eye contact- sure she blinks in this form but that merely adds to the expressive charm.

[Whalestron]

Hsiss again moved around Ingrid her face solemn, "What mission is so important that your death will make it uncompletable? Surely their are other rangers capable of taking the task in your stead- a mission that most be completed in a certain amount of time?" She was now talking from the other side of Ingrid, "The mission must be one you can complete on your own time, which negates a time frame as a possibility, why else would you be here?" Hsiss grinned softly ever slightly so- the Human face being far more expressive then her previous one. If one could detect it they would find a certain warmth in her heart as she maintained a comforting eye contact- sure she blinks in this form but that merely adds to the expressive charm.

Ingrid shook her head, sensing some kind of trickery or hints at something from the serpent. With a glance down she was reminded of that acidic venom, the holes in her uniform told her as much. "No, there's no way for anyone else to complete it. I'd be a restless soul unless I personally completed it." She said, thinking of some way out of this. She remembered the arrows. She hadn't used the last one yet, it still had the elemental property for her to activate; fired or stabbed.

"It's a personal quest of revenge," she explained, trying to stall while her eyes, down at the ground, were searching for a fallen arrow she could dive for. She was completely aware of Hsiss's proximity to her, noting the fact that a lunging bite may either crush the tree behind her or cause Hsiss to bite herself, hopefully dealing some type of damage. This would all be good and well, but could only occur if Ingrid got out of the way in time.

"I've been made aware of my target's living in this village, and it has led me to search here. I'll admit, I thought this plague of serpents to have been his doing, as he's a wizard. But I must ask, what makes you so mad that you feel the need to harm these people, spirit?"

[Harbertia]

Hsiss again moved around Ingrid her face solemn, "What mission is so important that your death will make it uncompletable? Surely their are other rangers capable of taking the task in your stead- a mission that most be completed in a certain amount of time?" She was now talking from the other side of Ingrid, "The mission must be one you can complete on your own time, which negates a time frame as a possibility, why else would you be here?" Hsiss grinned softly ever slightly so- the Human face being far more expressive then her previous one. If one could detect it they would find a certain warmth in her heart as she maintained a comforting eye contact- sure she blinks in this form but that merely adds to the expressive charm.

Ingrid shook her head, sensing some kind of trickery or hints at something from the serpent. With a glance down she was reminded of that acidic venom, the holes in her uniform told her as much. "No, there's no way for anyone else to complete it. I'd be a restless soul unless I personally completed it." She said, thinking of some way out of this. She remembered the arrows. She hadn't used the last one yet, it still had the elemental property for her to activate; fired or stabbed.

"It's a personal quest of revenge," she explained, trying to stall while her eyes, down at the ground, were searching for a fallen arrow she could dive for. She was completely aware of Hsiss's proximity to her, noting the fact that a lunging bite may either crush the tree behind her or cause Hsiss to bite herself, hopefully dealing some type of damage. This would all be good and well, but could only occur if Ingrid got out of the way in time.

"I've been made aware of my target's living in this village, and it has led me to search here. I'll admit, I thought this plague of serpents to have been his doing, as he's a wizard. But I must ask, what makes you so mad that you feel the need to harm these people, spirit?"

Hsiss retracted her head from being so close, Ingrid's searching eyes avoiding her gaze showed a level of discomfort Hsiss had hoped to avoid. Her grin became a frown as she kept her eyes on Ingrid, "The servant of a mad god tortured and delivered one under my protection as a sacrifice to his master. That servant dwells in the village, much like the wizard you seek does. There is a wicked root in that place- my charges seek the deep places for the wicked and shall cleanse it- but the ground it's self is tainted by the source. To root out the evil source I must scare away the weak, and confront the strong. Cattle have been made for slaughter, it's their lot in life. A few dead cattle will convince the honest living of the settlement to leave. I had anticipated that ones such as your self would take action- unaware of motive only of danger- an apparent threat to all. At first I sought to, in order to fullfil my own mission, a task, a trail, to remove those who would hinder me. But I could not give reason to such a desire. One known as Rolf proved incorruptible by hubris, and you- while you have taken a life did so not in vindictive spite but for the good of many. Where I not bound by restrictions I'd offer assistance as we share similiar goals- but if it is learned that I have taken a mortal assistant by revealing myself I shall fail my trail. The punishment of spirits is far more then mortal harm compares."

[Paketo]

Ingrid shook her head, sensing some kind of trickery or hints at something from the serpent. With a glance down she was reminded of that acidic venom, the holes in her uniform told her as much. "No, there's no way for anyone else to complete it. I'd be a restless soul unless I personally completed it." She said, thinking of some way out of this. She remembered the arrows. She hadn't used the last one yet, it still had the elemental property for her to activate; fired or stabbed.

"It's a personal quest of revenge," she explained, trying to stall while her eyes, down at the ground, were searching for a fallen arrow she could dive for. She was completely aware of Hsiss's proximity to her, noting the fact that a lunging bite may either crush the tree behind her or cause Hsiss to bite herself, hopefully dealing some type of damage. This would all be good and well, but could only occur if Ingrid got out of the way in time.

"I've been made aware of my target's living in this village, and it has led me to search here. I'll admit, I thought this plague of serpents to have been his doing, as he's a wizard. But I must ask, what makes you so mad that you feel the need to harm these people, spirit?"

Hsiss retracted her head from being so close, Ingrid's searching eyes avoiding her gaze showed a level of discomfort Hsiss had hoped to avoid. Her grin became a frown as she kept her eyes on Ingrid, "The servant of a mad god tortured and delivered one under my protection as a sacrifice to his master. That servant dwells in the village, much like the wizard you seek does. There is a wicked root in that place- my charges seek the deep places for the wicked and shall cleanse it- but the ground it's self is tainted by the source. To root out the evil source I must scare away the weak, and confront the strong. Cattle have been made for slaughter, it's their lot in life. A few dead cattle will convince the honest living of the settlement to leave. I had anticipated that ones such as your self would take action- unaware of motive only of danger- an apparent threat to all. At first I sought to, in order to fullfil my own mission, a task, a trail, to remove those who would hinder me. But I could not give reason to such a desire. One known as Rolf proved incorruptible by hubris, and you- while you have taken a life did so not in vindictive spite but for the good of many. Where I not bound by restrictions I'd offer assistance as we share similiar goals- but if it is learned that I have taken a mortal assistant by revealing myself I shall fail my trail. The punishment of spirits is far more then mortal harm compares."

Stana watched all the proceeded. His small child form moving from branch to branch as the chase unfolded. That was until they finally stopped and seemed to engage in conversation. Hsiss showed great focus on this trail, it seems she truly wants to be a elder god rather than stay as a junior goddess. Ingrid for was holding her ground though her fright was obvious. It seemed to Stana that it was finally time to step in.

"Fail how young one." Spoke Stana from the swaying his legs in the breeze "Your trail is to make those in the village believe in you and to not reveal yourself in that quest. She is not of this village nor would it be wise to kill her. You would gain nothing from killing her young one but you will lose from that action. If you let her live and she agrees to help, you have gained a ally. If she chooses not to and you still let her live, at least you won't lose anything. Simply make a oath that she will not reveal that you are here. A sacred oath which I will witness and if broken can lead to death for a mortal. Wouldn't that be to your satisfaction young one."

The flames in Stana eyes danced while his child form blocked back and forth on the branch.

[Harbertia]

Hsiss retracted her head from being so close, Ingrid's searching eyes avoiding her gaze showed a level of discomfort Hsiss had hoped to avoid. Her grin became a frown as she kept her eyes on Ingrid, "The servant of a mad god tortured and delivered one under my protection as a sacrifice to his master. That servant dwells in the village, much like the wizard you seek does. There is a wicked root in that place- my charges seek the deep places for the wicked and shall cleanse it- but the ground it's self is tainted by the source. To root out the evil source I must scare away the weak, and confront the strong. Cattle have been made for slaughter, it's their lot in life. A few dead cattle will convince the honest living of the settlement to leave. I had anticipated that ones such as your self would take action- unaware of motive only of danger- an apparent threat to all. At first I sought to, in order to fullfil my own mission, a task, a trail, to remove those who would hinder me. But I could not give reason to such a desire. One known as Rolf proved incorruptible by hubris, and you- while you have taken a life did so not in vindictive spite but for the good of many. Where I not bound by restrictions I'd offer assistance as we share similiar goals- but if it is learned that I have taken a mortal assistant by revealing myself I shall fail my trail. The punishment of spirits is far more then mortal harm compares."

Stana watched all the proceeded. His small child form moving from branch to branch as the chase unfolded. That was until they finally stopped and seemed to engage in conversation. Hsiss showed great focus on this trail, it seems she truly wants to be a elder god rather than stay as a junior goddess. Ingrid for was holding her ground though her fright was obvious. It seemed to Stana that it was finally time to step in.

"Fail how young one." Spoke Stana from the swaying his legs in the breeze "Your trail is to make those in the village believe in you and to not reveal yourself in that quest. She is not of this village nor would it be wise to kill her. You would gain nothing from killing her young one but you will lose from that action. If you let her live and she agrees to help, you have gained a ally. If she chooses not to and you still let her live, at least you won't lose anything. Simply make a oath that she will not reveal that you are here. A sacred oath which I will witness and if broken can lead to death for a mortal. Wouldn't that be to your satisfaction young one."

The flames in Stana eyes danced while his child form blocked back and forth on the branch.

Hsiss loosened her coils which had been growing closer and closer to Ingrid with each pass. She had the most humble of looks as she did so. "Appologiesss." She said allowing her human part to begin to flake in the arms revealing something more reptilian. She stayed a question for Ingrid, knowing full well the mortal may have questions of her own.

[Whalestron]

Ingrid sure did have questions. And they were all boiling in her head, bouncing around. That small child.. Oath? Of course! He was a spirit too! Ingrid turned back to Hsiss, already slightly alarmed at the coiling, she only jumped a little when she noticed how close she'd gotten. "You said you were flushing that bad man out, how does this trial tie into that?" She asked. "Forgive me, but, were you lying to me?" It obviously wasn't a crime to lie to a mortal, nor should Ingrid have been so indignant, she expected deception. "And who are you?" She pointed a finger at Stana. Those eyes.. They seemed familiar.

[Harbertia]

Ingrid sure did have questions. And they were all boiling in her head, bouncing around. That small child.. Oath? Of course! He was a spirit too! Ingrid turned back to Hsiss, already slightly alarmed at the coiling, she only jumped a little when she noticed how close she'd gotten. "You said you were flushing that bad man out, how does this trial tie into that?" She asked. "Forgive me, but, were you lying to me?" It obviously wasn't a crime to lie to a mortal, nor should Ingrid have been so indignant, she expected deception. "And who are you?" She pointed a finger at Stana. Those eyes.. They seemed familiar.

"Firsst," said Hsiss with eyes lowered saddly, "I did not lie, I focused on a single part of the truth with out the whole truth their for it is not a false hood. The man I spoke of came from the village- the whole truth is a matter that will serve only to further complicate your understanding of the situation. I am being tested, and as you have witnessed, I nearly failed. As you can gather I am young by the standard of spirits. I am 'in a bind' and under stress I have acted hasstingly. My purpose as stated by this most honored one," she said referring to Stana, "has been told- I did not come initially as a bringer of justice but have incorporated it into achieving my goal."

[Paketo]

Ingrid sure did have questions. And they were all boiling in her head, bouncing around. That small child.. Oath? Of course! He was a spirit too! Ingrid turned back to Hsiss, already slightly alarmed at the coiling, she only jumped a little when she noticed how close she'd gotten. "You said you were flushing that bad man out, how does this trial tie into that?" She asked. "Forgive me, but, were you lying to me?" It obviously wasn't a crime to lie to a mortal, nor should Ingrid have been so indignant, she expected deception. "And who are you?" She pointed a finger at Stana. Those eyes.. They seemed familiar.

"Firsst," said Hsiss with eyes lowered saddly, "I did not lie, I focused on a single part of the truth with out the whole truth their for it is not a false hood. The man I spoke of came from the village- the whole truth is a matter that will serve only to further complicate your understanding of the situation. I am being tested, and as you have witnessed, I nearly failed. As you can gather I am young by the standard of spirits. I am 'in a bind' and under stress I have acted hasstingly. My purpose as stated by this most honored one," she said referring to Stana, "has been told- I did not come initially as a bringer of justice but have incorporated it into achieving my goal."

"As the young one says, there is a divine trial taking place. The young one is merely one of the several taking part. As to my identity." Stana said with a mischievous grin on his face. Within a few seconds, his body grew to that of a old man still holding his characteristic eyes "This might answer your question.". Stana then shrunk once again into the child form he was in.

Stana then adopted a contemplative look on his face before continuing "As for the rest of my identity....well I dropped enough hints at the tavern for you to realize already. It would please me if you chose not to interfere with the young ones trials this is a very important task for them. Those that fail to complete it risk waiting another millennia for a opportunity."

[Whalestron]

Ingrid's eyes widened. "By the gods.. You're- gods!" She exclaimed, putting a hand to her mouth. "I'm so stupid, how did I not see it? I figured that- well, I figured you were one." She nodded to Stana, "But her? You're the serpent goddess, right?"

She stumbled for a brief moment, steadying herself using the tree nearest her. "You have my word, lord.." She mumbled in Stana's direction. "I shan't interfere, it'd only spell disgrace and likely a haunting by any of you. If you need any help, my lady, I'd be more than happy. I'm at your service for not slaughtering me." She said to Hsiss.