Alternative Measures

Sah

Sah entered the shrine with caution. It was ironic that Safrin intimidated him more than Mort. But the Goddess was known for her high expectations more than the God of Death was after all. And he had gone to the God for answers, not aid.

But he had chosen to come to Safrin nonetheless. Many of his closest friends had spoken of her fondly, with reverence and respect. And with Halo housing Vi’s Demi-god, Safrin seemed like the best option.

Placing his offering of a lynx fur scar with a carved clasp and star decorated buckle, Sah then knelt on one knee. He took a breath and then began his prayer, “Safrin, if I could have the honor of a moment of your time, I would be incredibly grateful.”

The Abandoned continued on, trying to keep his expectations low. The Goddess had no obligations to him after all. And Sah’s status as an Abandoned didn’t help. Still he went on, keeping a formal and respectful tone as he spoke, “I’ve realized that all of my efforts and abilities are geared towards offense. I need to be able to protect the ones should my offensive measures fail. I’ve come to you for aid in that endeavor.”

How could he protect his family if he had no means of defending them beyond his own prowess? Sah knew his strength might not be enough or the enemy might have a means of getting around his magic and weapons. He needed other options if that situation were to occur.

“I was hoping that maybe you could help me come up with some kind of item or armor that could create a barrier around me. Something that would act as a shield and protect me and a few other people that are in close range of me.”  Noah had his healing barrier and Deimos had his earthen ones. But Sah knew that those two would likely be off facing the Voice’s Demi-gods. As such, it seemed like a smart  idea for him to have one as well so that he could protect Halo’s people in their stead.

“Thank you for your time and considering my request.” With that final bit said, Sah fell silent and waited with bated breath.



~
Sah offers a scarf made of the softest lynx fur, with a clasp made of a carved claw. It has a star carved into the buckle. He asks for help creating an item or armor that would create a protective barrier around him and a few others.

Using COTS Pass!

I think there for I am,
But what if all I do is bleed?

Safrin

'Oh were you now?' A warm wind blossoms through the shrine, appearing from a point near the window and expanding outwards. From there flecks of light dance and shine, eventually coalescing into a stunning gown of darkness and light that fit perfectly around Safrin's body. "Why me?" Safrin wonders, turning her enigmatic gaze in Sah's direction.

"You are a Halovian, and long has it been the tradition of your people to call upon Frey in times of need. Never once me. So why travel all the way to Torchline to see me instead of using the perfectly good shrine in Halo? Why not bend Ludo's ear, or, as one would expect, Frey's?"

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

Sah

Sah opened his eyes as Safrin appears much to his shock. The Goddess' presence feels different than any other deity he's encountered in Caido. Frey had been relaxed and almost playful. Mort was warm and welcoming. Ludo was a playful little shit, and The Voice was a threat to his loved ones as well as a skilled manipulator. But Safrin? His first thought is that she radiates power and elegance.

Safrin's questions are valid, and the Abandoned takes a moment to gather his thoughts before he answers. "Thank you for answering me and giving me a chance to explain myself." She could have so easily ignored him or taken offense to his presence. "I sought you out for a few reasons. The first being that many of my friends and allies respect you, and I trust their judgement.' Ronin, Seren, Deimos, Maeve, and even Tal had all either directly and or indirectly vouched for the Goddess.

Sah took a breath before continuing, "But the main reason is my children. You are a mother who not only protects her own but has provided sanctuary to all children during the war." He shook his head in wonderment, "I can never repay you enough for that alone."

The Outlander swallowed, grief welling up for a moment, the hand he had on the ground tightened into a fist as he elaborated, "My twins have already lost their mothers. And they lost me for a time as well. They remember my death..." His voice cracked, ... "As well as their own." That fact would haunt him for eternity. He couldn't protect them from what happened in their home world, but he would sure as hell do his damn best in Caido.

Sah took a deep breath and spoke with conviction, "I can't lose them again, and I won't in this war thanks to you. But they might still lose me. Or the people in Halo who have become our family. I refuse to let that happen, not without doing everything I can to prevent it. And protecting myself and our loved ones? That's something that I can do for my kids." The Outlander closed his eyes for a moment before adding, "But not alone. Not with my current means." It hurt his pride to admit, but it was the truth.  

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Sah opened his eyes and continued. "I could have gone to Ludo or Frey, yes. And I don't know them well so I very may be wrong in my initial assessment, but Frey seems laid back and Ludo seems childish. This feels like too serious, too personal, of a request to go to them." They may have helped, even with less questions aimed his way. But Sah felt deep down, that Safrin was the only one out of the heralds who might relate to his desperate need to safeguard his pups from pain both physical and emotional.

As for why he chose Torchline, Sah explained his thought process, "I decided that you were who I wished to seek out, it seemed more respectful to thus to come a shrine that was solely dedicated to you and Vi, and not all of the Old Gods." To go out of his way to hopefully show the Goddess his conviction towards safeguarding his children.


~
Sah chose to come to Safrin for his kids' sake.

I think there for I am,
But what if all I do is bleed?

every bait and switch was a work of art

Well, the abandoned certainly had a way of saying all the right things, now didn't he? First to say that she was revered among his peers? Then to tug on her maternal heartstrings? And top it all off with a bit of a snub towards her fellow heralds?

Colour Safrin impressed.

Smiling through perfectly painted lips, the goddess pauses for a moment, before looking a touch sad. 'There is so very little time left...' She muses softly. 'Alas, the sort of item you could create in this amount of time (read: a basic item) would not be capable of protecting more than just yourself. Yes, you could act as a barrier if you were quick on your feet, but the sort of radius I imagine you mean...it just isn't impossible so quickly." Safrin explains.

"Is that still what you wish to seek?"

you're the one prize i'd cheat to win

Sah

Sah nodded sadly, "I know. So little time. I should have asked sooner but.." The Abandoned glanced away as the tips of his ears turned a little red. "I uh.. had to build up the courage to ask. The idea of approaching any of Caido's Gods when I'm an Abandoned Outlander? And when I honestly used to fear you all because of it? It... took time." Admitting his own faults was always difficult for Sah. Embarrassing too.

Sah listened closely as Safrin explained the limits of what he could accomplish in such a short period of time. After considering it for a moment he nodded, a determined look coming to his face. "I can do it. I will. For them." For his twins. So that he had one more card in his favor for returning to them alive.

I think there for I am,
But what if all I do is bleed?

every bait and switch was a work of art

Reaching forward, Safrin brushes the back of one finger against Sah's cheek. Instantly the outlander will feel a starbright-relaxation singing through his bones. "I appreciate the respect and thoughtfulness you have put into this, Sah. Far too many treat shrines and gods like some resource to be harvested. It is nice to know that there are still those in the world like you." Though praises from a goddess were likely not unwelcome, it wasn't what Sah had come for.

'Alright then. Collect a piece of obsidian from deep within the Climb, the skin of an ursur, and a shard of ice from the sea of glass. Wrap them in the skin and place them beneath the full moon for a full night, then bring them back to me."

---

Sah has been given a quest! He must

1. Collect Obsidian from deep within the Climb (aka not one of the surface-level boards)
2. Kill or purchase the skin of an ursur
3. Cut a sharp of ice from the sea of glass
4. Place them beneath the full moon for an entire night.

you're the one prize i'd cheat to win

Sah

Sah melted under the Goddess touch. The tension in his shoulders practically vanished, as did some of the deep-seated stress that the past few seasons had brought. "Thank you." The praise was certainly a pleasant surprise and it made him slightly sad to hear that so many treated the Gods in such a way. They were Gods. It was bizarre that that fact seemed to mean something completely different in Caido then back home.

Task given, Sah nodded firmly, "I'll get it done. Thank you again for your help Safrin." He stood and with one more respectful bow to the Goddess, and only after being given permission to leave, he turned towards the exit and went off to complete his quest.


-{FIN}

I think there for I am,
But what if all I do is bleed?