ANNOUNCEMENT Crystalize the Past ◈ June Meeting ◈ Forge the Future

[Nord]

WITHOUT JUSTICE, THERE IS NO ORDER!

Nord rose from the roiling ocean before him. Salt sticks to him as it falls off him in streams as he takes to the skies. His wings glistened as he began his daily prayer. “Father Vajra, I thank thee for thy blessing of leadership, for thy blessing to keep the Crystalline strong, and for thy blessing to succeed.” His words bellowed as the wyvern banked a sharp right, his golden eyes narrowed, the crystal mask that grew over the top part of his face keeping the wind from cutting into his eyes. “I thank thee, Vajra, Father of Justice, for giving me my mission. I will not fail you.”

Spying Samar Plaza, the Sovran suddenly cut his speed and floated down to the rose shaped gem making up the plaza. His heart calm, his eyes calculating as he took in his people. Eyes slitted as he took up a perched position, his wingtips keeping him balanced as he rumbled, “My beloved Crystalline, welcome to our first meeting in a long while.” He chuffed a dry laugh, “Our brief time of rebuilding after Jade’s heinous rule, his horrific laws, has been slowly reversed. I thank all of you for supporting me during this time of respite and time of restoration,” Nord looked to the sky, the twilight purples and amber dancing in tandem, “It’s time to once again partake in our traditions, in our own home and beyond. It’s time for us to be Crystalline again!”

The crowd before him boomed in agreement, cheers and battle cries shook the ground beneath his claws. Golden eyes twinkle as he bares his fangs in agreement, "Let us once again call for a Lieutenant to rise, an Alchemist to descend, Assistants to call to arms, a Blacksmith to forge anew, a Reaver to sharpen themselves, a Trawler to craft their place, Paragons to hone themselves. Sign-ups for Ranks are open for all Crystalline, in the name of Aether and Vajra!"

While the crowd chatted excitedly, Nord hummed, “We will be announcing Call of the Hunt soon, while we were rebuilding, it’s start passed us by. I thank you all for your patience in our most important tradition. It will be announced at the end of June, and will last until the end of August. Less time than usual, yes, but we have more to celebrate with our home no longer afoul with our past Sovran and his….traffickers.” A faint snarl bared gleaming fangs, his eyes murderous for a brief moment before he calmed.

“As we once again fill our ranks, I need those willing….” a look of disgust crossed his face for a microsecond before smoothing, “to travel to other groups and see their opinion of us, and once again establish trade, to let our merchants know where it is safe to travel during Call of the Hunt.” Nord swung his head to eye the crowd, noticing the nervous faces, “Do not worry, the groups shall not hurt my people, else they incur the wrath of Taika and Vajra before being sealed away by the Twins for their crimes.”

With one last deep breath, Nord roared into the twilight skies, “WE WILL BECOME STRONG AGAIN! WE ARE THE CRYSTALLINE!”

Nord speaking -- crystal wyvern -- Extra Character Speaking

[APOSTLE]

APOSTLE MALUS-HARBRINGER - male - lion - tags - profile

Apostle's head raised as he felt the air stir with the beat of Nord's wings, the sound of his voice ringing in his eardrums. He didn't often show his face for things like this. Too many people, too much happening that Apostle struggled to keep up with. It made him itch, made him want to squirm, made him hope the ground would open up beneath him and swallow him whole, or at least that he could crawl out of his own skin and hide somewhere else.

Logically speaking, he knew nobody was paying any attention to him. It didn't matter all that much, though; he still felt their imaginary gazes, his fur still prickled with unease. He'd only come this time because it was the first one in, well, a while, and he sort of felt like he should rather than really wanted to. He had to try his hardest to focus on what Nord was actually saying rather than the imaginary stares of those around him.

He didn't care much for any of it, really. A call to apply for high ranks and positions was the least of Apostle's problems, he didn't like being in social situations at all, least of all being in the spotlight like that, but it itched at an urge in his mind that he longed to forget; the instinctive need to make Ninazu and Stryker proud, in ways he knew they would be of Romulus, and Vale, and... And Sojourn.

He did his best to force those thoughts away, too.

Likewise, he was similarly uninterested in the Call of the Hunt. The fight had left Apostle a long time ago, after his parents had died. Before he abandoned his family because he was too ashamed to face the guilt of being unable to save his mom and dad. His gaze cast downwards. He would participate, if he had to; his claws still knew how to cut through flesh well enough, his teeth still knew how to pierce, muscles still ached with the strain of battles long since passed. He could fight. He'd rather not, but, well, he had to do his part.

He held his breath for a moment as Nord called for volunteers to visit the other groups. His skin itched. He didn't want to go, didn't like social situations and he liked strangers even less, if truth was to be told! But...

"I can visit the Descendants," he choked out, ignoring the way his brain immediately began screaming at him. Why did he speak!? Now they were looking! He didn't want them to look! "It'd be safer if I go." Because, Well, Vale; but he didn't feel like saying that, and he didn't think anyone else really had to know, either.

[Reygan]

Reygan had always been a nervous guy, but, understandably, the recent events and the loss of his eye have exacerbated that tenfold. No part of the feline wanted to travel anywhere or... do any of these things. At one point in his little life, he would have. In fact, that was all he wanted at one time. But that time was long past and now all Rey wanted to do was... spend a full day without clipping a tree with his blind side. The fact that his whiskers hadn't grown back in yet and that wasn't helping the situation in the slightest.
Shrinking in his skin, Rey's stomach roiled uncomfortably. He was regretting eating breakfast... and that late lunch he had had too. Of course, he expected an announcement, but... he didn't know what he was expecting. Maybe it was this, maybe it wasn't, but Rey couldn't be here anymore.
Rising abruptly to his paws, the small feline slipped through the crowds as everyone roared their support. He was jostled on all sides until he squeezed himself out, throwing himself away from the crowd and lowering his head, drawing in gasping breaths.
Reygan wasn't going to help find other group's opinions of the Emerald Isles... He was barely good enough to be here himself.

— TAGS

[thomas r.]

Tommy very happily sat front and center for this meeting, eagerly awaiting the Sovran's arrival. Somewhere behind him, his older brother had reluctantly and very grumpily followed, the larger wolfdog having practically been dragged along to participate in something he could care less about. But whatever made Tommy momentarily happy.

Tommy was among those cheering, ready to get back to it as they should. He was also just a bit mesmerized by Nord's appearance, probably the main reason he wanted to sit so close among all these others much to his brother's annoyance. The call for ranks flew right over his head, responsibility was not something he craved, he wanted to do his part when he felt like it. His tail began to wag at mention of the Call of the Hunt, however, something he did crave. The adrenaline, the chance to prove himself physically. The excitement had him hopping up on all four paws, barely noticing as Reygan squeezed past to escape the crowd, ears fully pressed forward as Nord finished out the speech with a mighty roar.

He let out a crackling howl, something not quite refined for his age, and bounced on his toes now. "I'll go, Sovran!" he called quickly, only briefly glancing toward Apostle. "Wherever you wanna send me, I'm there." His tongue lolled as his mouth opened in the closest to a grin a canine could share. Behind him, his brother growled quietly, knowing he would have to accompany the idiot and not wanting to leave to speak to some damn strangers. But it was too late, Tommy already opened his big mouth.

[Nord]

WITHOUT JUSTICE, THERE IS NO ORDER!

WITHOUT JUSTICE, THERE IS NO ORDER!

Nord tipped his head in acknowledgement, his disgust of the other groups hidden behind the veil of interest, "Apostle, head as soon you can to Descendants of the Departed...and make sure you don't get eaten.". Turning to spot the canine that gave a crackling howl, the Sovran inclined his head as he rumbled back, "Tommy? If I remember correctly, please depart for the Congregants of Genesis as soon as you can."

Straightening his shoulders, the wyvern continued, "We just need one more person to travel to The Horde, who shall it be?"

Nord speaking -- crystal wyvern -- Extra Character Speaking

Nord speaking -- crystal wyvern -- Extra Character Speaking

[Bloodstone]

Upon thin, spindly legs did the dragoness approach, somewhat late to the meeting but catching sound of Nord's voice. Mottled dark green and red scales shimmered in ambient lighting as she came to a halt. She briefly shook herself, from sharp talons to great wings, and down to her shimmering crystal-tipped tail. 

The dragoness craned her head up to stare upon Nord with three eyes of slight reverence, and lips parted to reveal sharp fangs and a forked tongue, "I can visit The Horde, my Sovran."

Her tri-colored gaze drifted slightly to Apostle, Reygan, and Tommy. None she had quarrel with, for what good would she be if she picked fights with those of her group? Her gaze returned to Nord, eyes fluttering slightly for a brief moment. What she saw in him, she had no idea-

Bloodstone was interrupted by a slight pang of hunger in her body, and her bright wings twitched.