in tenebris est veritas.
Dark eyes peer out from the shadows between the trees. They watched the boat arrive, at first supposing it to be a spirit made of moonlight and luck; but further inspection revealed the corporeality of a mortal form, however graceful. The dark figure dares not move, dares not reveal their vulnerability to this newcomer until it is certain that they mean no harm-- or even that they could not cause harm, despite intention.
Because their own boat is all but ruined, a shard of wood splintered off by the amusement of an impish encantado and lost to the depths of the fickle ocean. Trust and regret aside, the time for cursing their poor fortune has passed. The islands could change at any moment, and Chaele’s circumstances are dire.
So they emerge from the treeline, desperation hidden behind an eerie stag skull mask whose antlers arc high above their head. They step onto the sand, long tattered skirts crusted with salt and caution, footfalls heavy to alert the stranger to their approach. Their arms, free of an abandoned cloak, flex nervously beneath so many runes carved into their dark skin.
Giving a large berth and a wary head tilt, they notice the collection of items strewn at the other woman’s feet. The practice feels familiar to the shaman, whatever the reality might be. They offer an assumption, which is equal parts greeting and apology. “A totem?”
Because their own boat is all but ruined, a shard of wood splintered off by the amusement of an impish encantado and lost to the depths of the fickle ocean. Trust and regret aside, the time for cursing their poor fortune has passed. The islands could change at any moment, and Chaele’s circumstances are dire.
So they emerge from the treeline, desperation hidden behind an eerie stag skull mask whose antlers arc high above their head. They step onto the sand, long tattered skirts crusted with salt and caution, footfalls heavy to alert the stranger to their approach. Their arms, free of an abandoned cloak, flex nervously beneath so many runes carved into their dark skin.
Giving a large berth and a wary head tilt, they notice the collection of items strewn at the other woman’s feet. The practice feels familiar to the shaman, whatever the reality might be. They offer an assumption, which is equal parts greeting and apology. “A totem?”
