>>FROM:@AEGONNER >>TO:@ALL >>RE:ARANEAN LEGENDS | >>TO:@SOME

[northerndragon]

>>TO:@ALL

They have their legends here of the Watcher and the Hunter. What do you know of them?

Has anyone mentioned the King Killer?

--

>>CLOSED TO: PEOPLE WHO ARE IN A LOT OF CONTACT WITH DANY.*

If I fall in the arena, look after STORMBORN. And keep her from retaliating, if you can.

[*This is certainly the group Dany sent her last locked network post out to, but it can also include anyone whose player thinks they'd be included. I tried to make a list and ultimately didn't want to accidentally omit anyone. If there's reason to think either of them would consider your character friendly or a friend, your character got this.

Also, this entire post isn't really on any specific timeline; could be at any point in the last couple of weeks.]

Comments

@BOARING

[lonelywar]

I was told the legend, though it was not in the Aranean fashion. I am unsure if there are any differences.
Are you already aware of the specifics of the Watcher and the Hunter, or should I recall what I remember?

[And as for Dany, well.]

PRIVATE
@aegonner I will do all that is in my ability to do.
Though I believe it would be preferable for you to not fall in the arena at all.

[He believes in you, Jon...]

[northerndragon]

Anything you can recall would be of use. We might hear different stories. Who told you the things you heard?

PRIVATE
I thank you. The same is true — don't fall.
I'm worried about what she'll do if she sees me die. She doesn't do things by half-measures, and I know what I would do if I saw her hurt. I almost did, this last, when she was poisoned. But doing it wouldn't have helped her.

[lonelywar]

The Commander.
I first heard of the Watcher from Xici, and I went on to ask her about what I had been told.
As I remember it, they are both gods, though the Hunter, who was the lover of the Watcher, had once been a mortal man. He recognized a restlessness in the Watcher and feared it, worrying what she might do to sate her boredom and what kind of effect it would have upon everything else. So he began to attempt to entertain her.
For some time he brought her things which kept her attention, but something given to her by night would be something she would be bored with by the morning. So the Hunter made her an offer and a promise: if she would tie a cloth around her eyes to blind her and wait, he would bring her something that would entertain her forever.
One year later, he brings her this final gift, and it is life itself.
As I was told, we are but living, moving pieces in this gift, and the reason why it is often called upon to create and dedicate art to the Watcher is that it is something fleeting and unique, which gives her the most joy to witness. By doing this we please both the Watcher, finally content to witness everything unfolding within this game, and the Hunter, who no longer has to bear the great burden of keeping her solely entertained.

This was the story as it was told to me, the styling of the myth in the way that the Regency and those who were once a part of it might understand it.
How the Araneans see it, however... Their statues depict the Watcher as a young Aranean woman, and the Hunter apparently as some sort of beast.
I have not had the opportunity to ask about this.

PRIVATE
I do not plan to. [haha how ironic]
I would only hope that she would realize the same.
The laws of life and death as we were aware of them before do not hold sway to us now. I shall try to appeal to her reason, for we have already seen that death here is not the end of our part in this war.

[Though death has already had a little trouble keeping you down once before, Jon. You're basically old hat at this.]

[northerndragon]

Aye, all those blindfolded statues, I've seen them, and the beast at her feet. This King Killer is another beast, a dragon, so there must be a woman in his story, too.

But what was there before there was life? That's a puzzle. Things that weren't mortal, it seems. Was she destroying other gods?
For the Araneans, she's in their image, but he's not. Why is that? Is it that way everywhere?

PRIVATE
Death should be the end for anyone at any time. Death is still death — it seems like there would be a cruelty to coming back and dying again and again.

It hasn't happened to you yet, has it? There was a man with us at Valmy, a big man with a long braid down his back, stole a horse from some farm. That was her husband, who she was sold to when she was barely a woman grown. He died then, and he died again for COST, and COST couldn't bring him back. I don't think she'll trust that I'll come back until she sees me.

[WE DON'T TALK ABOUT DEAD CLUB.

We just insinuate and deflect.]

@MODERATUS | private

[bloodings]

[ King killer... she'll have to keep an eye on this post. Unfortunately, there's only one part she can respond to. ]

so, you want me to kill her if she loses it over your death. got it.

private forever!

[northerndragon]

No. I don't want anyone to kill her. In your case, I don't need you to stop her from trying to retaliate, I just don't want you to encourage her.

Are you winning your battles?

[bloodings]

you cannot have it both ways. if she lives, i will provide her what she needs to enact revenge.

[ Welcome to hell, Jon. ]

but naturally, i have been victorious. the queen herself wishes to meet with me. it seems power truly does attract power here.

[northerndragon]

[SEVEN HELLS, MORDRED.]

I'd expect nothing less from you. [Which part of what Mordred has said is he referring to? That's intentional ambiguity on his part.] What do you plan to say to the Queen? She'll like your spirit, of that I'm sure.

[not ever here]

[dorzalta]

[ You little shithead Mordred you give her such a headache.

She's just going to adopt you one day SERIOUSLY. ]

@ponytail ; private

[horsepowered]

I'll do what I can that's within my power, but you know as well as I do that I can't promise success.

private forever!

[northerndragon]

I know.

She walked into her husband's funeral pyre when she was a girl, and she hadn't chosen him for herself.

[What would she do in response to the death of a man she has chosen?]

If I go down fighting for COST, I want the mission to succeed. There's not much point in dying for a lost cause.

now i gotta go to work

[horsepowered]

...........Sounds about right.

I understand. And same goes if our situations are reversed.

Where are you going with the watcher/hunter aspect? What is your current theory?

[northerndragon]

Understood.

As to the Watcher and the Hunter, I need to know more. I won a sword hilt at auction. It looks like a dragon, but they call it the King Killer. Related to the Hunter somehow, but from another place.

@STORMBORN

[dorzalta]

King Killer. Kingslayer. Seems about the same to me.

[ A conversation already had. Sorry Jon, she has nothing useful to contribute. Plus, she doesn't know about this sneaky business behind her back!!! ]

@pointandkick may have information of use.

[ OR DOES SHE?? ]

@POINTANDKICK

[pointedlook]

Maybe, maybe not. Gotta double check in with Young on some things.

Though I do have a possible way to get some information on the Princess and Prince.

[ Also this follows about a minute later, more addressed to Jon than Dany: ]

You really think anything is going to hold her back?

[dorzalta]

What sort of information on the princess?

[northerndragon]

I have to echo her question. What sort of information?

[And to the later one:]

No. But I had to say it. If I die, and they can't bring me back, I want the mission to succeed. It may be that she'd find success in grief, but it may be that she wouldn't.

[He stands on a balcony overlooking a lovely courtyard while composing these messages: at the moment, it's the best location for a good brooding session.]

1/2

[pointedlook]

According to the Commander, there's a way to get information about what they favor, what they value. Essentially things to make overtures. Hard to say exactly how useful it will be, but it sounds like it could help with leverage in certain situations.

[northerndragon]

It's not the same. The King Killer is from somewhere else, another star system. It's associated with a poison called Drip Venom.

[An image accompanies this message, with a brief note that this depicts the King Killer. He doesn't yet mention that he bought it with her in mind; he's not completely sure that he's going to be able to keep it. But if he can, she'll have a dragon sword to match his wolf sword.]

private; @GOTTAGUN

[widow_of_the_crag]

Don't you dare die.

Why do you even have to fight? Can't you stay out of the arena this time? Everyone else is dying, I don't want to see you die too!

private forever!

[northerndragon]

Fighting is one of the things I'm here for. I can't see how I'll be of much other use. We need diplomatic ties here, and we need them to respect us.

What would you have me do?

[Not that he's likely to let his brother's widow dictate his actions, but just for the sake of argument.]

[widow_of_the_crag]

They're not about to notice one more death from our side. It will be forgotten by the next battle. As it is, we have already lost so many men. You have lead men in battle, you have had to use strategies and tactics. That's something that will be useful. Give wisdom.

Or if you're still going to charge into the arena, at least do something clever to put the odds in your favor!

@BURGERKING, PRIVATE

[dipolar]

You two are needy.

In any case, I'll be sure to stop her should she do anything rash.
Not out of obligation to you, but for the importance of the mission.

Private forever!

[northerndragon]

It's because of the importance of the mission that I'm asking you.

Has she said something that makes her sound like she's in need?

[dipolar]

Yes, she asked me to look after you in Gallipoli.
Now you're asking me to look after her.
I will do what's required of me, where COST and our members are concerned.