Completed Silther Like A Snake, Talk Like A Myrian

[Kalesserimamoru]

Timestamp: 20th of Summer 513 AV


Somewhere in the depths of the jungle, a lone Dhani slithered through the forest. It had been a few days since Mamuro had left the nest and ventured off to explore and search for more tasty meals. The jungle was filled with life and unexplored treasures of all kinds were hidden, buried, and lived below the mountain of trees. It was another rainy day and the air was fresh with the smells of the trees and earth below. Mamuro slithered through the brush, being as silent as he could as he weaved his way around trees and over fallen branches.


He traveled mostly in the early mornings and at night, spending the rest of his time resting and enjoying meals here and there. It was a journey of sorts, Mamuro had decided to return to the area where he had been earlier in the season to explore the area more. He had been to busy before with the escort and dealing with Myrians to look around and figured the place might be better for food sources since the Dhani had mostly wiped out the areas closer to the nest.


His journey continued on and the Dhani slithered upon the Eastern Dock. It wasn't easy to notice just by passing, the overgrowth of trees and vines, had almost completely hidden the ramshake wooden planks from view. Mamuro slithered closer to have a look. There was something else there, something besides the calm waters and log-like fixtures that loomed just above the water. It was a ship, not the huge types, but big enough to house people inside it's decks and also carry cargo.


"What..issss thisss?"


There was something else that he noticed as he looked it over from afar, there were vapors being released from somewhere on the bulky vessel, and the ship itself appeared to be leaning. The trickster slithered his way closer and coiled himself around a tree to help conceal his presence for the time being. He had been right in fact, the ship was leaning and there was a big hole in the side of the craft where water was starting to pour in. And already, the creatures in the waters were upon it, attempting to help usher it to the depths even faster.


"I supossse I sshould asissst. Or at leassst..look around before it isss claimed by the seass."

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamuro slithered into the waters and dived just below the service as he made his way towards the slowly sinking vessel. The Dhani swayed his arms out and downward in a waving motion as he swayed his tail back and forth to propel himself through the water. Carefully, and making as little noise as possible, the Dhani swam up and latched himself onto the side of the ship. Dark claws dug into the wooden planks as hard, wet scales slammed against the side of the vessel and started to shimmy up.


The trickster slithered aboard and looked around. There was no one, or bodies in sight, and all the equipment had been abandoned though mostly still in tact. The Dhani slithered around more watching overboard as well as on deck just in case someone or something appeared. The jungle was a very dangerous place after all, one could never be too careful. After looking around more and discovering nothing interesting other than a bit of fresh blood here and there on the surface, Mamuro descended below deck to search out the rest of the ship.


The area below was wrecked as would be expected, items were tossed about everywhere and broken glass covered patches on the floor boards. The Dhani slithered further inside the cramped area to investigate more. He found more blood, but only a tiny splatter as it was above. Whatever hit the ship must have taken the crew whole, or knocked them off and into the water to devour them there. But there was something, a nearby heat signal emanating from one of the rooms ahead.


"What do we have here?"


Mamuro slowly slithered closer, and into the next room. There was no door attached, although the lining and attachments for the hedges gave the impression that there once was. The trickster slipped inside and searched the room. There wasn't anything valuable inside, just a few cots and chest filled with clothing. He was about to search around more when he heard foot steps, and felt the vibrations on the floor beneath his harden scales. Someone was coming. Mamuro spun around and slithered back out into the hall where he stopped a human man right in his tracks.


The man screamed and stumbled backwards and away from the huge snake creature, but Mamuro wouldn't allow him to flee. Instead, the Dhani dashed forward quickly and wrapped his massive arms around the human and lifted him of his feet. The trickster pulled the human close to where he could stare into his beady eyes while he squeezed him tighter and tighter. A wicked smile rose upon his lips as he suddenly pushed the man away from his chest and slammed him hard against the left wall, and then even harder to the right wall. The human fell to the ground battered and bloody, his limbs twitching from the shock of it all.


"Well, at leasst I'll get a meal out of thisss trip."


Mamuro slithered closer, ready to devour his meal, but just as he was about to, a sudden familiar bird call caught his attention. The Trickster spun around again, raking his mind to recall where he had heard the sound. Then it hit him just as their many feet landed on the planks on the deck of the ship....the Myrians had come.

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamuro looked above, passed the creaking lumber and to the men moving about on the deck. There were several of them, their foot steps and heat signatures giving that much away as well as their voices. The trickster thought it over for a moment, several he could take, if he didn't allow them to surround him and put their numbers to use. Though that wouldn't be much of a problem to keep them together, the lower half of the ship was cozy and his own body nearly took up the full spacing in the halls.


"I sssee that I wassn't the only one who noticed thisss vesssel. To bad for them, that I arrived firsst. Won't it be a surprise when they come down...? Come down to their deathsss"


The Dhani flicked his tongue outside of his mouth as he lifted himself up higher, listening, waiting for the men to make their way down to where he could ambush them. There weren't any weapons to use that he could see around him, but there was plenty to throw if he wanted that sort of surprise. Then it happened, more thuds and footsteps, and extra voices started to call out. If he had to make a guess, he would assume that their numbers had just doubled what they were to start.


"Flamesss!"


Suddenly the story had changed and everything else involved. Mamuro was now facing a hoard of Myrians it seemed, with no way out. The Dhani hissed as he slithered back further into the hall. If word got out that a Dhani was below deck, they would likely torch the ship rather they board it and face him. Mamuro had to think quickly and find a way out of the mess that he was in now. The Dhani first started to shift himself into his human form, it took him 30 ticks and the Dhani had become a man..sort of. The was a light thumping sound followed by light creeks as the Myrians made their way below deck.


Mamuro quickly moved out of the hall and slipped behind one of the smaller doors that he couldn't have fit through in his Dhani form. It was dark inside, the room was trashed and items littered the floor just as it did in the hall. The trickster moved into the corner furthermost away from the light from the outside and started to will his djed to rise and cover him as if it were a cocoon. He brought his sister to mind again and willed his form to contort and reform to mimic hers. His body shrunk, becoming for lean than muscular and the tough rugged skin became soft and smooth. His hips rounded and his torso grew and cupped to form and resemble the upper body of a woman.


His eyes grew wider, lips became fuller, and even his hair filled out much like the finer strains that his sister had. Mamuro continued his morphing act, by tanning his skin to a darker bronze and his eyes from the smothering gold to a much darker brown. As this continued, he could still hear the Myrians walking around below deck as they searched the place. Luckily they didn't have the senses that he did and wouldn't be drawn to the heat signal as he was. Still, he could hear them, they were were now coming his way.


Mamuro quickly searched the room and grappled the first items of clothing that he saw and put them on. Once he was somewhat modest, the morphed Dhani lightly stepped back into the corner and hid himself. He breathed in deeply, hearing their footsteps as they came closer and closer and stopped just outside of the room that he was in. It was show time..

[Kalesserimamoru]

There were voices on the other-side of the door. A pause it seemed, and something that lured them momentarily away from the door. The Myrians must have found the body of the human that he had killed just moments before they landed on the deck. They would likely be more cautious now and more careful as they continued their search. Mamuro stayed silent and as motionless as possible while he waited. Scrawny human legs moved slightly and brushed up against granted rock. Glancing down, the trickster noticed a club leaning against the wall behind him and reached down to pick it up.


"Perhapssss thisss could be of use.."


Mamuro lifted the club up and lightly swung it out in front of him to test it's weight and fluid motion. He was ready now to bash some heads and crack the skulls of as many Myrians as he possibly could. The morphed Dhani pressed his back against the wall and slowly moved along it, light steps balancing on the tips of his toes as he found his place right next to the closed door. Mamuro lifted the club upward and held it steadily over his right shoulder and spread his legs to put more force behind his swing and waited....just waited...


"For Myri indeed...."


Many thoughts went through the mind of the Dhani, many twisted and sinister ideas of how he could rip the flesh from the bodies of the Myrians. Thoughts of how, if he could swing the club at the right moment and connect with it, he could shatter their skulls in one swipe. Mamuro slipped his tongue from his mouth to wet his pink lips, and newly form bold, brown eyes narrowed towards the doorway. It opened, Mamuro drew in a breath and leaped outwards quickly, barely allowing his feet to touch the floor.


The trickster swung out, hard and wildly just as his lithe form appeared from behind the door. The club was bulky and his swing without form, causing him to over reach and the top half of the club to slam into the door trim and the other half to smack hard into the mouth of the first Myrian to try and enter. He took a few steps back while covering his mouth and was quickly caught by the other men who surrounded him.


"Agrrh!"


Mamuro hopped backwards and balanced himself on the balls of his feet and waited to see what would happen next. It would seem that his trick had worked, none of the men attacked him, and instead stared curiously at the feminine figure in front of them. Long, black hair, tanned skin, and eyes almost as black as their own, could she be Myrian? They had to wonder as they crept inside. As familiar as her appearance may have been, there were no tattoos, the clothing foreign, and she wasn't marked by their beloved Goddess. The leader of the raid, and the one that had just been smacked right in the mouth stepped forward, after rubbing his hand over his face.


"Who are you stranger? What business do you have here?"

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamuro would have to be careful here in what he did and said. The Myrians were still a mystery to the Dhani, their savage ways and animal-like behavior made it hard to predict what they would do. He stared at each and everyone of them, allowing his newly formed dark eyes to roam over their figures and weapons. Long hair, partially shaved heads, and tattoos ranging all over their bodies.


Mimicking his sister's voice, the trickster started to speak in the Myrian language and to act to the best of his ability. But he added a last layer onto his deceptive act. The gnosis on his neck started it's faint glow once again as he used his magic to create an illusion for those in front of him. Mamuro could mimic his sister's voice well enough to sound female, but the lisp of the Dhani wasn't something that he had practice hiding.


The Trickster created an illusion that would play to the sounds that the men would hear, and removed the lips from his speech. Combining his magic in this way would make him sound human in speech with none the wiser in the group. Mamuro continued his act, by slightly lowering the club and bringing it back closer to his raised chest, as he allowed his first words to come out in a lowered tone.


"I am Saya..."


"What you want here?"


"Why attack boat?"


"You come kill Saya?"


His Myrian was horrible, he knew that, but he couldn't push his efforts. The men would more than likely already know that the being before them wasn't from their lands. None of them had ever seen her before, and if the human world viewed Morgana's beauty the same way that the Dhani did, it wouldn't be likely that many would forget what she looked like. It was better to play to his own weakness and learn what he could from the smelly savages.


"We did not attack your ship. You have wandered into dangerous waters stranger, there are many creatures below. They must have attacked your ship."


There was a mix of emotions, or just itchy skin, or perhaps they were simply catching either others whiff. But whatever the cause, the Myrians stayed their weapons and didn't attack. Instead the leader converted with Mamuro, and he looked to use their confusion to his advantage. The Dhani would love nothing more than to huddle them all into one small space and rip them to pieces, and that was his plan, but first he needed to get behind them.


"Are you the only remaining survivor?"


"We had suspected that the sea had already taken everyone, but then we journeyed down here and found a body in the halls. And now we find you hiding here... What was your purpose for coming to ours lands?"


The lead Myrian wasn't short of questions, and not for a moment did he allow his eyes to leave Mamuro. Although they did wander about his morphed, slender frame quiet a bit. Perhaps his gaze wandered down to the club that Mamuro carried, or to the flesh cupped and squeezed together between his arms and somewhat hidden behind the bulk of the club. It was story time for the Dhani, when he boarded he hadn't come into contact with anyone either, until he went below deck. The body of the man the Myrian spoke of, must have been the one that he had killed.


Thinking quickly, Mamuro saw a way out of the line of questions, and a possible way to endear himself/herself closer to the Myrians. Mamuro lowered the club just a bit and took a step forward, and then another. Slowly he moved closer to them and they allowed him the room to see into the halls. Just as he had thought, the body of the man he had killed still laid in the halls where he had dropped him. It was now time to act, and to put on a show of a life time..or death. The trickster took a deep breath and turned back to face the men.


"He was slaver..."



"He kidnap Saya from home..."


"Saya no know, where she is..."

[Kalesserimamoru]

"You are in Falyndar young one, the home of the Myrians and a land plagued by dangerous creatures by land and sea."


One of the other men who had remained silent the whole time, gave a nudge to the leader's shoulder and leaned closer to speak with him in a hushed voice. "Maybe we take her with us? I think Ethgri, would want to speak with her."


Hearing those words, Mamuro's eyes widen and he clinched the handle of the club a bit tighter. The last thing that he needed was to be carted off to the Myrian camp and held there. He could only hold his morphed form for a short time, and being surrounded by the enemy wasn't the best time to lose his shift. It seemed that his planned had backfired. Suddenly two of the men moved in and captured Mamuro and pulled the club free of his hands.


"What you do!?!"


The trickster was quickly running out of ideas, and he wondered if it would be better to resume his true form now and battle the men, rather than waiting and having it happen where he couldn't control it later. The Myrians pulled Mamuro in close, and like any men would do when with a pretty girl, they only moved to closer surround her/him. For the Dhani, this was uncomfortable in more than one way, and he was sure that one of them started sniffing his hair.


Mamuro felt a chill race up his spin as fingers touched his hips, but he had to continue to act the part until he could think of a way out. "No is free? Where you take Saya?"


Just as he spoke, Mamuro's mind spun and the idea was presented to him quickly. Perhaps it wasn't the best idea, but at the moment it was the first to come to his mind. The trickster's gnosis started to glow again, somewhat of a pulsing beat in rhythm with his heart. Using his magic again, Mamuro reached out to the men surrounding him to effect their hearing a second time. Sounds could be heard through the walls, a soft knocking on wood, something sliding across the floor and then...the rattling.

[Kalesserimamoru]

The men started to look around, the expression on their faces telling Mamuro that his trick was working. A few of the men moved back into the halls, while the others stayed inside and in the doorway where they could keep a watch on Mamuro and look out for whatever was making that sound. Of course Mamuro had to chime in, he had too, a magician was always looking to wow the crowds and make everything that much more real..and he was no different.


"What was that?" One of the Myrians said who stood calmly while invading Mamuro's private space. "It sounded like a snake.."


"That noise was pretty loud, that must be a large snake..perhaps.." The leader said just before he was interrupted by the trickster and the complete overacting of his role.


"Ahhh!! It really big snake! Saya hear it too!"


The men actually jumped from the loud, ear piercing scream that was released. It was so loud and realistic that it surprised even Mamuro himself. The Dhani had no idea that he could project that sort of range, as he'd never had the reason to try until now. The illusion continued and slowly, the sound started to grow louder and louder. Hissing and rattling rung in all of their ears until...


"Tuk, get her outside, we'll deal with this."


The leader commanded, and without hesitation, Mamuro was lifted up and carried out and taken above deck. The trickster had done it again, and he was now free of the trap that he had found himself in and on his way to freedom. That was what he thought until he came above and walked back onto the platform. There were Myrians everywhere, a pretty big party in his eyes. Even with the men in the ship, there were still too many to fight off. The men released him and headed back into the ship to help combat the snake that they thought was there. Meanwhile, Mamuro looked around at all the Myrians who stared back just as strangely at him...her.


"Right...okay, I think it's time to disappear.."

[Kalesserimamoru]

He could imagine that the Myrians were very confused by this time, the men were out of range from his illusions and the sounds of hissing and rattling would have stopped for sometime. The men below deck were chasing shadows now, but for how long? Mamuro realized that he needed to escape while their attention was else where. Slowly he stepped backwards, making as little noise as possible. The trickster's eyes darted back and forth as he watched them. Most of them were watching the ship and the waters for any creatures that might pop up.


The Dhani took another step back, and then another, and he would stop any time someone glanced in his direction. Once he had the crowd all in front of him, Mamuro was ready to attempt yet another illusion. This one would be a bit more tricky. There were twice the number of Myrians standing around, and he would have to reach each and every one of them. It wasn't impossible, but for such a large group he couldn't hold the illusion for very long...he had to escape and quickly.


Concentrating his gnosis power, Mamuro reached out and touched the senses of the group that controlled their sight. The trickster then painted an illusion over his/her full body that would make him disappear. He wasn't invisible however, but he painted his form to reflect his surroundings. Camouflage perhaps, an illusion of an empty glass bottle without the harden shell that allowed light to bounce off it. They couldn't see him, but if he were to move, the more observant of the people would notice a slight rippling cast out before them in a humanoid shape.


With the illusion complete, Mamuro continued to slowly step backwards while watching the group just to be to sure that his escape would go unnoticed. As soon as he found himself close enough to a tree, the Dhani slipped behind it and peeked out. They still hadn't noticed his exit, and that was exactly what he had wanted. Turning away, Mamuro started to make his way back into the forest, still walking as softly as possible.


"Hey!" "What happened to the girl?" A sudden voice called out, and catching even Mamuro's attention.


"Where did she go?" Another added, before weapons were raised and the hunt was on. Ever frustrated was the Dhani, when even his most crafty tricks backfired.


"Flamesss!"

[Kalesserimamoru]

Mamuro hugged the nearest tree and peeked out from behind it. Most of the Myrian's were still standing guard at the docks, and a few of the men who had been below deck were coming out with whatever they could find that had any worth to it. There were a few others that were heading out to find the lost girl before the jungle could claim her. If only they knew.. The trickster crept softly further and further away from the camp, while using the trees to help hide his movements. Soon enough, he was out of range from the group and the illusion faded away.


"Ionu, if only you could lend me your sstrength for jusst a bit longer!"


With his illusion gone and the Myrians after him, Mamuro started to run through the forest at a faster pace. He ducked under low hanging branches, jumped over fallen logs, and darted between trees. It hadn't been too long, but already the muscles in his legs were becoming sore. It wasn't often that Mamuro ran in human form, and it was showing at the worst possible time. The Dhani continued his race through to jungle and away from the Myrians that perused him. Finally he stopped when he was out of breath and thought that he had out run them.


"Did you ssee it Myri? Hmm? Did you ssee how your dirt monkeiess performed? Why..they couldn't even keep their eyesss on one little Dhani. Hahahah!"


Mamuro leaned back against the tree and sighed as relief washed over him. Even when his plans didn't work out as first, or the second time, they always worked out in the end. The trickster closed his eyes and relaxed his body and waited until his heart calmed before he started to move again. It was then, at that moment, when the morphed Dhani stood up again that he heard it. It was a very faint sound, and something only a Dhani would notice, but it was there. Something nestled in the tree above, clinging to it as if life itself depended upon the union.


"What isss....?"


While normally such a sight wouldn't have surprised him, but Mamuro was still morphed into the form of a human girl. His eyes widen and mouth fell open as he stared into the tree above him. A huge Dhani in it's longest snake form was coiled around a tree and slithering down towards him fast. Mamuro tossed his head back and let out a loud scream before his shoved himself backwards just in time to fall away and out of the range of the dashing Dhani. The trickster tumbled away into the grass, and quickly tried to right himself. The Dhani slithered after him quickly and snapped it's head out to lash him with it's fangs.


"You fool of a rotten egg! You dare attack me!"


Mamuro yelled in snake tongue as he jerked his leg out and stuffed his boot into the nose of the Dhani, but the force of the giant snack vs the tiny feminine leg ended up with Mamuro being tossed backwards through the air. He landed with a thud and rolled into the twigs and leaves that made up a small bush. Mamuro slipped out the other side and hid himself behind yet another tree. He started to will his djed forward again, this time concentrating it's influence into his fist where four harden bone fingers grew out and extended from both of his fist.


"If you want to die, then I'll be happy to send you sstraight into the void!!"

[Traverse]

Character Name

Skill	XP Earned
Acting	3 XP
Brawling	1 XP
Camouflage	1 XP
Club	1 XP
Investigation	1 XP
Morphing	2 XP
Observation	5 XP
Running	1 XP

•	Lores Earned
•	Combining Morphing With Illusions
•	Playing the Part of a Slave
•	Out Smarting Myrians
•	The Disadvantages of a Human Form

Additional Notes :

Awesome thread you put together here, I even liked the cliff hanger ending! Kind of a middle finger for the oh so clever Mamuro, though whether from Myri or Siku I just couldn't say. I was interested to see how you wrote out an end to Mamuro's morphing energy, but alas it seems we'll have to wait for another time.

Nicely done!

Yes, I Bite.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.