Closed White Viper in a Viridian Labyrinth

Ssemet makes her first forays into the jungle wilds, seeking other Dhani.

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White Viper in a Viridian Labyrinth

Postby Shasshtekssemet on June 17th, 2014, 2:20 am

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Timestamp: 7th day of Summer, 514


The humidity hung oppressively over the Dhani. The heavy moisture felt suffocating, maybe slowing her pace. She didn’t know anymore. Sseth lay coiled safe within his basket. The basket rested upon Ssemet’s backpack and shoulders, tied around her neck with her sash. She had been worried some predator of the sky might see him upon her shoulders and feel it a fit meal. Sseth would surely kill such a predator with a bite but that might be all too late for his own health. Trudging through the brush proved time consuming, Ssemet imagined if she turned around now she might reach the path again before dark, if she could ever find it again.

The viper had the vaguest sense of direction. If she took a chime to stop she could still point in the way of her nest, which was in the east… or maybe it was south now. Ssemet tried not to think about it because the desolace of being irrevocably lost might be just another reason slowing her steps.Instead she used this sense to keep her path straight, straight towards somewhere had to be better than circles towards nowhere. The traders had insisted there were Dhani in this jungle, somewhere in this green world were sisters who had a song she might learn.

When the caravan she had traveled through Kalea with moved on through the pre-dawn hours, they had left her with all the advice they knew to give. None of them had dared go far into the jungle but all seemed to know one cousin or another that surely had. The performer knew a tall tale when she heard one, but some advice did sound sensible. One driver had sold her tall leather boots, broken in by bigger feet than hers, that would keep her legs safe from the dangerous ground cover. The eldest of the party, a matriarch in spirit if not in power, had sold her a foul smelling oil to rub upon her face to keep the biting bugs away. At the time it had seemed a scam, some poltrice of bat dung more likely. It had only taken an hour pushing through the brush to understand what a pittance the gold coin she had paid really was. The last item had been a gift from the youngest member hardly old enough to call a snakeling, had given her a large sturdy stick he had found that morning. It was knobby and twisted, if in truth the Dhani put her full weight on it the stick would snap. Again, this gift she had underestimated, on numerous occasions the stick had served to prod questionable ground and vegetation that Ssemet had no desire to test with her own feet.

In return the viper had left the caravan owner with twenty of her gold mizas. She and Sseth had kept the rodents and small vermin from their food stuffs and provided entertainment in the night. In exchange she had paid a lesser fee for the safety of numbers.

Before leaving the caravan she had satiated her curse. Ssemet had made it a priority not to inflict the travelers with her pain if she could help it, but before walking into this unknown she had no alternative. On the road marauders occasionally attacked or she might catch a creature and force it to writhe in agony before becoming her supper. Still the mute slave’s death had been a necessity. Deep in the midst of their journey the caravan had not been accosted in three days and the headache and chest pain had progressed almost to beyond her tolerance. Dozens of seasons with the curse had allowed her to continue the march until camp was made that night. When the skin on her elbows began to split, Ssemet realized what was required. She had left his body in the deep forest where scavengers would feed on his corpse in a way she could not without delaying her journey. His soundless screams had been almost more horrifying than the blood curdling counterparts she had seen so many nights over. Yet again, her headache had begun a new with the dawn.

It had only been dawn when the path had faded into infinite greenery and now she couldn’t even say the time. The sun was still up, but light diffused through the tree tops and all of the world seemed tinted green. This, the musician imagined, was what foreigners must feel like in the desert. When the desert made images out of nothing but heat and thirst. It was disorientating like not knowing the time and suffocating on air. Never had a land seemed so openly hostile. Surely the Dhani had known in-hospital settlements but never an area where the very land seemed to stalk her. She hunched her shoulders and soldiered on.

After a number of bells the very taste the air became less offensive. The sweaty film of decay as the undergrowth died to give birth to new plant life became less abhorrent. It was during this acclimation that Ssemet’s sense finally allowed perspective of another change. Though the clatter of the jungle life had not quieted, there was a stillness to her surroundings that hadn’t existed earlier. As she slowed to a stop besides a tree straining under the weight of serpentine vines, the basket on her shoulders shifted as Sseth grew unsettled. Sitting low in a crouch the Dhani devested herself of her goods at the base of the tree.

The basket fell still again as the woman pulled her limbs into the slimmest silhouette. Her arms fusing together with her sides and her legs taking singular shape. Slow in times of danger but fast by any other standards, Ssemet’s body coiled in upon itself until the slender white viper slithered from her pile of clothing. She coiled her length and reared up into the air, whatever was out there her best hope of meeting it was as a snake. She was fast, she was venomous and she could amplify a bite into pain so blinding it could debilitate the victim while her venom stole their lives. Every day it was her curse but some days it was her gift, today might be such a day.


Receipt :
Insect Repellent 1 GM
Used High Leather Boots, 7 SM 5 CM
Caravan fee 20 GM
Total Deduction 21 GM, 7 Sm, 5 CM
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White Viper in a Viridian Labyrinth

Postby Traverse on June 18th, 2014, 7:31 pm

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"Thisss isss foolishness." hissed Yetmiss. She wore little in her human form, a light cotton strip of cloth dyed to mimic the mottle colors of the jungle wrapped around her neck, breasts and hips. Her green eyes matched the cloth, rippling with vibrance as she scanned the ground and surrounding forest. "Your bird wasss lying about the caravan, the fact that you keep it with you isss even greater folly."

"Don't lisssten to her JaJa, ssssshhhh." Yetmiss's companion was a dark hued Dhani also in human form, a similar strip of cloth wrapped around his hips, but this one was died a loamy brown, blending well into his skin as well as the earth below the calloused feet that traverse the jungle floor so casually. In stark contrast to his chocolate skin sat a blue, yellow, and green macaw, sharp claws delicately gripping her companion's shoulder, beady black eyes shifting one way then another. Another bright blotch of color marred the Constrictor's muscled back as well, a brilliant blue pool of water teaming with fish and encircled by greenery reached down from the base of his spine to spread out between his shoulder blades, and if one looked...they could see the water shifting and rippling as if a breeze beneath the male's flesh was running across its surface.

"Her eyesss never lie, it iss more likely that we jussst missed them." This one was called Haress, and while Yetmiss seemed ill at ease in the jungle, Haress looked utterly at home there, but both were cautious. The jungle was ruled by Caiyha, but it was infested with their enemy: The bloody Myrian monkeys that had driven them beneath the earth, and were the cause of such strife on a daily basis.

Yetmiss opened her mouth to retort, frustration building at having come out into the jungle in search of a caravan that they had entirely missed, but Haress grabbed her shoulder suddenly, the macaw ruffling her feathers nervously, stopping the female from continuing another word as he pulled a finger to his lips.

The forest had grown quiet around them, something that was hard for it to do with countless breeds of insects, birds, frogs, and monkeys. Haress heard a familiar chirping, the far away call of an eagle high above them...and then the shifting of foliage...

The Constrictor's eyes widened as a pure white snake lunged from its hiding place towards his face, fangs ready to inject her potent venom into his veins. A powerful hand caught Ssemet by the throat, her body writhing, but her head not able to find an appropriate place to sink her fangs into.

Yetmiss hissed angrily, taking a step back, but Haress's deep brown eyes glittered. "What do we have here?" He used another hand, allowing Ssemet to wrap her coils around it, so he could lift her serpentine bulk. If she wanted to try to constrict and cut off circulation to his muscles she would find it seemed to do little good, as the male strode around, his eyes flickering between Ssemet and the ground, looking searching for-

"Ahhh." He stepped around, spotting the pile of clothes and supplies. Then his eyes turned back to the serpent in his grasp. "We are not you enemiesss relative. I am sssorry for the dissresspect I have given with thisss hold, I will put you down now." Slowly Haress lowered Ssemet to the ground and took a few paces back. Yetmiss stood a distance away, hands on her hips.

"You are a viper." She said matter of factly. "No Conssstrictor or Rattler isss that sssmall. Why come to the jungle..." She glanced at the clothing, their style and size and decided to make a gender assumption. "...sister?"
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White Viper in a Viridian Labyrinth

Postby Shasshtekssemet on June 19th, 2014, 1:24 am

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Ssemet coiled around the Haress’s wrists. She hadn’t the muscles to do damage like a constrictor would but it would give her purchase for another strike if her neck was released.At the sudden recognition though the white dhani calmed like the surface of a deep pond. The threat of danger lay inherent in who and what she was but she stowed all outwardly aggressive actions.

When she was let back on to the jungle floor she immediately slithered through the brush back to her belongs. Turning again unto the fortuitously arrived Dhani and her reptilian eyes landed upon the bird. Hissing back to her cousins in their common Snaketongue for there were no true dhani would not speak it, “Apologiess ass well. There iss no excusse for not recognisssing kin.” Now that the perceived threat Ssemet had imagined passed. her serpentine form was no longer necessary and made her more of a target for birds of prey. Or perhaps there were no birds of prey so large in this jungle as there were in the desert. Still there were always dangers even if she didn’t know what forms it would take.

The musician began the process of assuming her human aspect once again. Her arms pushing out against the alabaster scales which in turn folded into her tawny skin. Her first action when she had hands was to secure the basket’s woven lid. The beautiful tropical bird made her nervous, Sseth might mistake it for dinner and that would certainly sour her relationship with these newly found cousins. “I am sseeking the truth of rumourss of Dhani in thiss jungle, but It sseemss the truth hass found me.” She bowed her head gently, “I’m Ssemet of Sshasshtek’s first clutch of the Ekytol nest, you were correct.” She replied turning to the Yetmiss, “I am viper. It iss not only the rumorss which brought me to ssearch to you out. I am a mussician sseeking the sstoriess of coussinss to make into ssong.”

Clearly modesty was of no concern to this Dhani foreign to the jungle, because only after her explanation did she redress. Where the pair camouflaged within the foliage Ssemet was clearly out of her element in the flighty linen sheaths and matching orange outer robe. Unless they found a particularly vibrant tree of flowers she would be visible for as far as the jungle growth would allow. Tugging her backpack back into place, she went about arrange Sseth’s basket again and securing it with her orange sash.

Turning once again to the pair of Dhani who likely saved her scales this day.Now that the endless solitude had passed the musician could finally admit to herself she had been lost without recourse. Only now, at the dawn of their relations, did Ssemet wonder if she would even be allowed to visit the Falyndar nest. She had no one to ask before if it would be acceptable, in fact only fireside tales as proof that Dhani could be found here.”If you return to your nesst, may I journey with you? I am…” She looked up at the green shrouded sky, “losst.”
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White Viper in a Viridian Labyrinth

Postby Traverse on June 19th, 2014, 1:57 pm

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"I am Srahasseryetmiss, daughter of Queen Srahasseromynese, under Queen Snhamtanabisss of Zinrah. This is Resshorylharess, a Witch of Caiyha who findsss closser companionship with brightly hued birdsss than ssserpentsss." Haress rolled his eyes at Yetmiss's introduction, waving a hand nonchalantly at the insult and stroking Jaja protectively, the macaw giving a quiet little squawk in way of greeting.

At Ssemet's question Yetmiss tilted her head to the side. "We would never turn away a ssisster, esspecially one sso far from home." She said, the words seeming genuine.

Haress snorted. "Yess she doessn't mind bringing an 'inferior' cousssin back to the tunnelsss ssso she can lord over you like some ssort of bird of prey."

Yetmiss slapped Haress hard across the face. "You will not be dissresspectful male, not to me nor our guesst." Her voice was firm, harsh, and though Haress met her eyes for a moment of defiance, his head turned away, voice muttering some sort of apology. "What wass that?"

"Yess Misstresss." He said louder, tone a polite cold tone. Yetmiss nodded then gestured for Haress to lead the way, waiting until the male had drawn up ahead before turning to Ssemet as they continued walking.

"I apologize for hisss behavior. He thinksss becausse he can walk the junglesss ssafe from harm from the creaturess and plantss that sssomehow makes him better than hisss female counterpartsss. He isss usseful for navigating the jungle, but little elsse." She shrugged and turned to Ssemet, green eyes glittering with curiosity. "Tell me of your homeland. I have never left Zinrah, and truth be told I have alwaysss been curiousss of other Dhani nesstsss. A sssinger will be well liked in Zinrah asss well I sussspect, too often the cavernss are ssilent and dreary."

The female smiled encouraginly at Ssemet, clearly engaged in her new travelling companion.
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White Viper in a Viridian Labyrinth

Postby Shasshtekssemet on June 19th, 2014, 4:07 pm

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Quietly nodding the viper attempt to imagine a companionship with birds. No matter how she looked at it though, birds were dinner Rare dinner at that, in the desert it was difficult to catch anything so mobile as a bird.

At Haress’s quip the viper hardly reacted. Subordination was not a role unfamiliar to Ssemet. Although well above the males in her nest, she had turned down the promise of motherhood and chosen her lesser status quite willfully. She followed her new traveling companions without comment, it was not her place and even were it she would not have handled it much differently. Though likely she would have used her mark upon a male who talked against her before strange company.

“The nesst of my motherss liess outsside the Eypharian city of Anhatep The dessssert iss warm like thiss jungle iss, but there iss no moissture in the air. The only refuge from Sssyna’ss ire iss within the nesst.” There was a rightness implied in her final statement, for who should possess the cunning to outwit the sun but Siku’s daughters? “Moving amongsst the duness iss much different from the earth here. There iss lessss ressisstansse but alsso lessss grip in the ssandss.” Smiling it had been many years since the musician had seen the sands of her home. “In the evening the ssandss take the huess of all the desssert flowerss in the ssight of the sseting ssun. For a few chimess the world iss a massterpiece before the night drainss all of the color.”

In her travelss Ssemet had found that many humanss found her mark of Krysus terrifying at best and grotesque at worst. But, if these cousins were at all like her nest of vipers they would see the true value in the gift. Purposefully she used her red veined hand to reach back into her basket. Sseth slithered out onto her palm, across her arm and settling his coils around her neck and shoulders. From here the crimson viper could watch the passing jungle. Sseth was no dhani but that did not keep him from Ssemet’s esteem he had always been a true friend. When he grew restless the dhani would return him but for now a bit of fresh air wouldn’t hurt. “If you would like, we would perform for you tonight when we sstop if it is ssafe. It iss my pleassure to sshare ssongs.” Part of Ssemet genuinely hoped they would encounter none of the Myrians she had been warned about, but as her headache began to throb gently she knew it would be the easiest reprieve. Unless she was much closer to this Zinrah than she had guessed they would be walking for many more days than three. By the third day she would be forced to hurt someone and dearly she wished not to sour her chances at arriving in Zinrah safely by showing Yetmiss or Haress what was Krysus’s pleasure to share.

Guiding her eyes along Sseth’s scales she found his head and realized he watched Haress’s bird companion intently. She let her step slow just one beat to be a step behind Yetmiss, no need to give the red snake a chance to sour their relations either.
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White Viper in a Viridian Labyrinth

Postby Traverse on July 19th, 2014, 3:12 pm

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Yetmiss listened with wide eyed interest to Ssemet's description of the desert. To come from a land with little to no trees, the gound simply sections of dirt so fine and sifting. She knew of sand from the quicksand pits that spotted the jungle wilds, but to imagine it everywhere...that was quite unfathomable.

"We rarely get to ssssee sssunssetss here becausse of the treess, but to climb up into the canopy and watch Ssyna set there isss a true treat."

Haress muttered something under his breath again, but it was too faint for either female to hear as he cleared the path for both of them, his eyes and ears attentitive to his surroundings. The parrot eyed Sseth warily, pupils flicking from one newcomer to the other. When Sseth emerged Yetmiss caught sight of the hand marked by Krysus. It was clear she noticed the veined hand, her brows drawing together somewhat, but she said nothing, only made a small cooing noise at the smaller snake.

"We?" She said, picking up on the fact that it would be two serpents that could put on a show for them. She shrugged. "I know I would like ssuch a thing, but it may not be ssafe tonight or any othersss till we return to Zinrah, you never want to make too much noisse in the jungle, you never know who may be watching."

She glanced casually around as if to drive the point home, but her stance and demeanor still seemed quite casual as the females followed the male through the jungle. "With Haresss our time will be fasster, but we mussst make a wide berth around the blockade of Myriansss that ssurrounds out city. It isss a dangerousss jungle you have come to ssisster, I am ssure you will find many sssongss from uss."
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White Viper in a Viridian Labyrinth

Postby Shasshtekssemet on September 2nd, 2014, 10:13 pm

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Ssemet nodded, “I undersstand, perhapss when we arrive in the nesssst.” She replied contemplating, what song would she play for them? What story born on song would appeal to the jungle dwelling Dhani? As she pondered, she watched how the natives traversed the jungle. The way their chose their footing on the vegetation covered ground, how they moved to avoid forest limbs.

She had been a fool to walk out into the jungle alone. Watching Yetmis and Haress made that all the more obvious. There was no doubt in her mind, that as Yetmiss implied this would be a long journey. During the time she would watch them and learn, see how she could better survive this foreign place. Her intent was to stay here with these DHani for a long time, but some day she would return home to bring the jungle stories to the desert. When she left she would need every skill these two possessed to

Now that she was not alone she could test the atmosphere between them, and Ssemet was quickly beginning to feel as though an adventure was somehow beginning. There was nothing concrete about the feeling, just intuition. Her time in this jungle would not be boring. Glancing down at her hand, she sent a silent prayer to any deity that would listen. Let it not be interesting because I am the villain. It was not an easy thing to be liked when every other day you had to inflict excruciating pain on another. If this nest was anything like the one in Ekytol, there would be no hiding her mark for long. Someone, somewhere, someday would recognize it and then… then the climate of the nest would save or damn her.

She drew up her arm and used her palm to cup Sseth’s head. Escaping Nyka had been one thing, but escaping this wilderness would be another feat altogether. Let luck be on her side.

“Blockade? Thessse Myriansss, are they sssoo fierce that they do not fear the Dhani?” It was honest astonishment. In Anhatep there was no doubt the Eypharians ruled the city, but even they were not so brazen as to barricade the viper nest, the consequences would mean bloodshed. It would be outright war. Yet another fact of this journey she had not considered, this nest may be under siege by native barbarians.
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White Viper in a Viridian Labyrinth

Postby Traverse on September 5th, 2014, 6:29 pm

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The jungle thrummed around them as Yetmiss contemplated the answer to Ssemet's question. "They pretend they do not fear, but in truth their blockade iss there becausse of their fear of usss. Long ago the Myriansss wiped all other racess who made the jungle their home off the face of Mizahar. A sstrange agreement was brokered between Ssiku, Myri, and Caiyha that the Myrianss were not to harm the Dhani of Zinrah. We still kill each other outsside of the city, but no war iss to be sstarted by either ssside, and that iss how we have lived for many centuriess." She shrugged. "It iss a sstrange life, but the one we live here in the jungle."

Yetmiss glanced over at her brother, the two sharing some indecipherable look, and then there was silence for a time. As Yetmiss had mentioned, it was always preferable not to make any undue noise. Many bells passed by, the light in the jungle dimming somewhat as Syna passed her Zenith in the sky and began dipping towards the horizon. Haress was more often than not, too far ahead in the thick jungle foliage to actually see, but suddenly and quite silently he slipped in from the side, grabbing Yetmiss's shoulder. "Couple of male jaguarss fighting over territory. If we go quickly and get them now they won't even sssee uss coming."

Yetmiss nodded and turned to Ssemet. "Can you aid uss in our hunt ssisster?" Haress guided them through the jungle, he and his sister branching off into a well practiced V to surround their prey, who could be heard snarling, growling, and fighting behind a thick collection of ferns.

Regardless if Ssemet participated, Haress would wait until he and his sister were in position, give a singular whistle, and both would charge from the left and right on top of the animals, leaving Ssemet to explode from the center towards them if she wished to help.
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