un: songbird ; forward-dated to later in October

[windsongs]

hi everyone!

I know that unlife has literally been A LOT for just about everyone here, and if you're still trying to recover then I completely understand! but for anybody who has the brainpower, I have a very big and very important ask, one I can't anybody else! It's gotta be you!!

[ Attached to this post are some photos ]

this big boy needs a name and I am beyond bad at this kind of thing!! winner gets naming rights and something special from me~ ✨🎁

he's also got a bunch of much smaller siblings that are looking for furever homes! they're all really cute but they need more space to hop around than what I've got. if you're interested I can take some pics!

Comments

[heavenstorn]

Honestly? Monster slaying most often, but we adventurers are known for taking on any sort of job. If it's something you cannot do alone, that is what I am here for.

[windsongs]

oh hey a fellow workaholic! 🍺
also what kind of adventuring are we talking here? I wanna hear all about it!!

[heavenstorn]

[ 'Workaholic'...Hibiki is expanding his vocabulary so much! ]

Far too many to cover here! But let me see...

It began with things like uncovering a pirate den, clearing hostile giants out of a mine, stopping a cultist ritual hidden within a catacomb, that sort of thing. After that it was defeating the summoned primal Ifrit whose followers had been kidnapping local smallfolk...

Mostly primals, actually, for a good length of time. Sprinkled in with ending wars and liberating city-states.

[windsongs]

[ Hey hook her up with some of that How to Deal with Cults 101 knowledge, she might need that in the near future! ]

whoa seriously?! I didn't realize you were a badass!!
but I guess I should ask what a primal is

but wow it sounds like you're a real hero!
I didn't think people like that actually existed!

[heavenstorn]

The credit is far from mine alone! That is the trouble with these brief missives, it's difficult to tell the whole story.

[ Especially since Cedrik is incapable of shorthand. ]

But since you asked...a primal is a summoned being of pure aether that gains strength through worship. Because they require so much aether simply to exist, if left alone they will gradually drain the land of life. Worse, they are capable of enthralling the minds of mortals, gaining new followers who will continue to give them worship and summon them again and again. It's a cycle we've only recently been able to break...

[windsongs]

[ Don't worry, Cedrik, she'll have you texting like a pro in no time flat! ]

yikes! so like a false idol situation, if they also hurt the planet as well as their followers
how'd you pull that off? since I imagine just fighting it and taking it down once won't keep one of their followers from repeating the cycle

[heavenstorn]

Unfortunately, until very recently, repeating the cycle was all we could do. A small number of folk have a gift that makes them immune to the Primals' control, including myself, but those that do not and were enthralled...for a long time there was no cure.

Now that a way of reversing the process has been discovered, it's opened the way for peace between the city-states and tribes that had resorted to summoning. That's the true key. Folk only turned to summoning out of desperation. Mend those bridges and there's no longer a need.

[windsongs]

that makes sense. any port in a storm you know?
but I'm glad that you were able to find a cure. hopefully those relationships between people aren't too badly damaged

was that what you were doing before you came here?

[heavenstorn]

Helping with peace talks, you mean? No, that was best left to actual diplomats.

[ They'd be pretty bad peace talks if he ended up dead during them. ]

It was enough to help make them possible, but the star had larger problems that needed confronting.

Basically, the world was ending. That's what I was fixing before ending up here.

[windsongs]

whoa! talk about high stakes. I can't even imagine what that must be like, trying to fight against the end of the world

[ Editor's note: hahahahahahaha ]

so I take it you're more of a fighter than a talker?

[heavenstorn]

It was intense! It's also a very long story, but I am certain we put a stop to it, so I have no regrets.

[ He has so many regrets. ]

And yes, definitely more of a fighter. Though I try to give folk a chance whenever possible...what of you, Hibiki? Have you ever had to learn?

[windsongs]

to fight?
I've been doing that basically since I could walk! 💪😊
mom needed something for me to channel all that toddler energy into

[heavenstorn]

[ Oh wow, he...actually had assumed Hibiki was more a civilian type. He only asked in an awkward attempt to steer the conversation elsewhere. But when Cedrik thinks about it, it's a pleasant surprise. ]

Truly? It's a good skill to learn, even if one hopes they'll never need to use it seriously. Your mother made a wise choice!

Have you kept up your training?

[windsongs]

[ There's a lot more to her mother making sure she could take care of herself (or, more specifically, avoid fighting when it happens), but he doesn't need to know about any of that. ]

I think so too!! ✨
and I've been trying to when I can fit it in
it's a little harder since I don't have much money to fall back on so I've been working a lot

[heavenstorn]

Well if it's coin that's the issue, I'd be glad to spar with you sometime to help you train. It would keep both our skills sharp, after all.

[windsongs]

I'd love that!
what do you usually focus on for fighting?
like what's your style

[heavenstorn]

As of late I prefer the greatsword, but I can be flexible.

[ Since big weapons like that are hard to come by for 'baby' Restless like themselves... ]

I've trained with knives, axes, and I can remember a bit of lancework and archery...

It may be easier to ask what you prefer?

[windsongs]

hand to hand
but I've got some experience fighting against knives and spears
I know a little magic too but it's really inconsistent here

so you're an all-arounder huh?
never had time for weapon styles so a little jealous

[heavenstorn]

Perhaps we can do more than just practice and teach each other. If you'd be willing, of course. Ever since awakening here without my arms and armor, I've been wishing I knew how to fight unarmed.

[ Beyond, you know, screaming and throwing punches in dramatic slow motion. ]

[windsongs]

nope sorry not interested

[ There's a pause. ]

and I just realized that sarcasm doesn't come through in text
so
YES TEACH ME EVERYTHING!!
I'll do the same for you!! ✨

[heavenstorn]

[ DISTRAUGHT FACE?

Oh...

He really is a himbo to fall for that, isn't he? ]

We have a bargain! At the moment my arms are full putting together another project, but once it's up and running we can arrange to meet?

[windsongs]

[ Cedrik no... ]

sounds like a plan to me!
not sure what I should start with though
I'm pretty small so anything that would work for the more vertically challenged

[heavenstorn]

Have you never met a lalafell? Size isn't all that important.

But we can start 'small', if you prefer. Daggers and the like, perhaps?

[windsongs]

a who? sounds like some fancy dish of some kind
and that might work! I could see that working well with some of the stuff I've learned over the years
as for you...
how are your reflexes?

[heavenstorn]

A diminutive people--maybe they go by a different name on your star?

[ Like 'dwarf'? Though come to think of it he hasn't seen any lalafells. Or other viera. This isn't the afterlife he was supposed to end up in, but is he really the only one from his home to have found it?

Something to think about later. In the meanwhile HNNNGH nope. Nope. Not gonna think about his reflexes or testing them. Nu-uh.

Damn it. ]

And, well, in truth I've trained more to take hits than dodge them. That will have to chance, I expect.