very nice :D

Imoldra: *grouchily* I will be the first to admit, their is a fine line between a blessing and a curse... but the sidhe appears to be particularly cavalier with the word if they consider Wulvers to be a "Cursed Race." *growls in irritation at the thought*

I had no doubts you'd weigh in on the matter.

Imoldra: Can you blame me? It is an utter disgrace that such a noble group of people are treated as second class citizens by beings who can barely keep their own realm from collapsing.

'Twas ever thus.

I still know precious little about lycans and their blood relatives, if they are so. Prey instincts you know, get in the way even with a form like this. Though I have made acquaintance with a few lycans recently and I'm well-enough versed by now not to take anything at face value. To be honest, it was the parallels with mortal lifespan that caught my curiosity, formerly being human myself.

Imoldra: Regardless of their origins, the fact remains that the fae are only honoring the terms of The Exodian Concordant to the barest minimum. Viewing perhaps the most stalwart and honorable race the sidhe has to offer as less than, due to their lacking of those oh so precious magicks they love so damn much! While I would not see them abandon the fae as the kind you were transformed into did, I would see that their loyalty recieve some f$&@ing gratitude!

If some of them ever did decide to leave though, where could they go that wouldn't adversely affect their lifespan, where they would still be proximity to magic? Close to the Sunward Eyrie, perhaps? I could see the Wulvers and the Gryphons kind of getting along.

Imoldra: Loyalty is one of the Wulvers greatest strengths. I would not see them lose that strength or their longevity. It is not they who need to change. It is the Seelie Court that needs to change, they have lost their queen, much of their lands, and the respect of of most of the realms. They need to learn some damn humility and appreciate that unwavering loyalty.

That's the problem the fae have with immortality and the limitless potential to experience everything; they don't appreciate any of it until it's no longer there.

Imoldra: *grumbles in greater irritation* And they refuse to learn immortals with more sense than they have. It's a wonder The Sidhe hadn't collapsed into utter chaos ages ago...

You and I stand at a more privileged and unique vantage point though, and you far more than me. I mean, take my former lot. Same goings on as with the fae, but from the opposite direction. A human may be small, but become no less significant. But with some seven billion others to contend with there's also only so much a single normal human can absorb about the world, even allowing for the short lifetime. Expecting to care about every possible thing would send them mad, so anything not actively being thought about is assumed to always going to be there as long as they are.

Imoldra: *Unyielding* If they lacked the emotional capacity to embrace the Wulvers as their own, they should not have made the pact that claims them so. There is, or at least there should be, no shame in admiting you are unable to do something....

*Thinks on it a moment* Though I will admit, perhaps the Wulvers should have had the wisdom to recognize that the fae were unable to provide them the belonging they needed...

I'm only making comparisons. I'm not trying to change your mind. It's just that a lot about this topic sounds awfully familiar, when it comes to refugees.

I imagine a number of Wulvers have tried to join the Seelie Guard. Dubhgall prizes loyalty in his knights... but even there that smacks a bit of classism, and with the Unseelie denizens they'd be expected to face, without magical defence such grunt troops on the ground would be easily overwhelmed.

Hmmmm....

How about covert operatives? Spies, if you like. If Wulvers are anything at all like Lycans, they'd be perfect at keeping themselves undercover and stalking a 'target'. And no magic signiatures to make them stand out to beings like myself. Lord knows before this whole messy business is over, I could well use a dedicated and loyal intelligence network of my own. I'm not exactly inconspicuous after all.

Imoldra: *grunts with displeasure* Having the Wulvers at as spys and agents of subterfuge would only strip them of their honor. It says to the world that I am too weak to face my opponents as an equal in the open, but must instead strike from the shadows, to hide in an arena where one should have no place hiding. I understand the need for stealth when stalking prey, or hiding from a predator you cannot best, but to do so for political reasons? For any other reason than survival? It is a shameful existence that only the most pathetic willingly take part in and enjoy. I would not wish that on The Wulvers or anyone for that matter...

For shame.

Alright, so, one of those occasions where rationalising with human values isn't going to work. Strike the sneakybollocks from the record.

Imoldra: Indeed, you have my respect for trying working on a solution, but I do not know if there is one for the situation Wulvers find themselves in. It may well be that somewhere down the line, loyalty will no longer be a viable option for them... you can only kick a dog so many times before it runs away, or worse... bites back...

One thing I know I could do is put in a word to the Court. Can't make any promises, but I do have a bit of influence... and if I can't get a listening ear, tacitly remind them about why they needed me around in the first place - and may yet, even more.

Imoldra: I would appreciate that Unicorn, you have my thanks...

Muir: The only curse upon my people is the curse of prejudice.

Imoldra: *nods* Indeed... Your people have my respect for remaining loyal for so long despite your mistreatment.

Muir: *bows, but doesn’t break eye contact with such a large possible predator* We are blessed with the tenacity of our namesake Great Spirit. I am certainly grateful for your respect. Doubtless it isn’t easily won.

Imoldra: *the barest hints of an approving smile tug at his lips* And you are wise to recognize it. Know that should you and your people ever find themselves displaced again, there is a place for you all within my realm.

Muir: I shall. My humble thanks, Dread Lord of Beasts. I fear that day may come soon.

I feel Wulvers may be a victim of the human need to have things divided into neat little categories.

Definitely. It is a fault many Seelie scholars share, as well

I wonder... Could it be possible then that human ancestry originated from Sidhe exiles from a much earlier time, and that's what makes them susceptible to change? That and their - our - heightened sense of passing time, from having lost their immortality? Is *that* how and why the Neanderthals died out and were replaced?

Hard to say, really. Only the Nobles and Guardians know the answer to that.

...which means...

It beith within our means and rights to uncover the truth.

Have fun, boys! ^w^

The one to ask would be Skurl then, he who sees how the actions of the past shape the folly of the present.

The Sunward Eyrie sits perched at the top of a sheer and impossibly tall cliff side at the edge of the sea. There is no access on foot, and as you ponder the options for climbing so far, you see three specks leave one of the eyrie’s spires. It is hard to see at such a distance, but you believe that they may be headed down to meet you.

What do you think? A harnessing spell to manage the hoofholds and crevices?

Certainly not. We must fly.

Do you feel up to this?

Since it hath been decreed and thou are committed to the audience with Skurl -

No, I mean we haven't really been airborne for any length of time since being tested by the Storm.

Then we must only benefit from practice, must we not?

And you're not liable to become triggered by past traumas?

Tush. One doth not make a show of weakness in front of the gryphons. Even now they watch and scout out for possible incursion.

*looking up* Uh-oh. Or possible dinner. Can they make us out from that distance?

They beholdeth far into the distances of space and time, as we are able with lines and threads.

That's a 'yes' then. Right, better make the effort of going up to meet them.

*conjures the ethereal pegasus wings...*

You can take care of the aerodynamics while I handle any creative smooth-talking. Keep me posted as well on any expected formalities I may miss... but try not to embarrass me with any 'old-fashioned' opinions, alright?

Thou woundeth me.

I'm serious. This meeting will be delving into some pretty personal subject matter and the last thing that would help is a diplomatic incident.

*takes off*

The three specks grow as the distance between your parties shrinks. They are three gryphons; one cream colored, one a dark brown, and one silvery beneath their golden armor. The silvery one calls out above the wind.

Skurl: Well met, ambassador! What news of the Sidhe?

Hail to you as well, Windlord.

So, you know of me already, of whom I represent, and doubtless what I truly am both within and without. But of course; your farsight is indeed legendary. You're expecting significant developments or I wouldn't be here, though I had expected to prove my credentials with more effort, with the history and current relations between the Noble races.

Should we take our conference up to the Eyrie or down the ground? Do I require a formal invite?

Skurl: *chuckles* The Scalemother informed me of your nature and my scouts informed me of your arrival. Though, it is good to know that I still have a reputation in the Sidhe. We do not stand on such ceremonies as the Elder Sire. You are a friend of the Sunward Eyrie and will be treated as such. Come, let us speak in my chambers.

*at the top of the cliff*

This is... quite the view. From one angle I can see down to the shore just as I left it; barely, but closer than it should from this height. But turning to look across the ocean... I make out the curvature of the horizon and the shapes of distant lands beyond the waters, like looking through a giant lens. An observatory at the top of the world. I lack your natural telescopic eyesight, but from up here you must be able to keep vigil as distant as the Greylands and the Verdant Hills. Another of your gifts of farsight?

Skurl: *admiring the view as well* Eloquently put. Indeed, we can peer deeply into the other realms. It is a gift that all of my people possess, but it is taxing to use at length. It was not so when we were free to use the leylines of the Sidhe, but as our ties weakened so did our stamina. But that is neither here nor there.

*he extends a wing toward an open circular door made of crystal and silver laid into a stony spire behind the pair* Would you prefer a comfortable place to sit while we discuss what has brought you here, or would you rather we enjoy the view for our meeting?

I come by my own volition to seek answers and solutions both official and personal, Windlord. The scenic vantage is a reminder of the grander worldview, and it is looking increasingly grim. The imbalance of the Outside advances ever closer to crisis point, while the guidance of Fate upon individuals within the Unseen is overlapping and blurring. 'Good' people backed into positions where there are no right answers. Those of 'law' who in desperation or impatience may resort to actions that would create chaos. Others who would be deemed 'bad' taking in the wider circle and adapting themselves to it for their own survival or for what they mistakenly believe as the 'greater good'.

The Scalemother and yourself do not see the threads of Fate in the same way that my kind do; your perceptions lie in other related and important directions. But the feud and the powerplay between the Hand of Fate is becoming increasingly pronounced and obvious as they each lay claim to different pawns. Left as they are, a shakedown will be inevitable. I came not from the Verdant Hills, but barriers have been placed between the Nobles that inhibit the workings of an effective triad.

*looking towards the door...

I suggest taking affairs to you place of State, free from outside distractions, while we go over histories that have led to this point, and what alternatives may be sought. Those too form part of the answers I seek.

Do please excuse me in advance for being apt to analyse and theorise, such is my human thinking.

If I understand correctly, the function of the three Noble races which the Lords would oversee is supposed to run thusly; the gryphons watch how the patterns of the past segue into the follies of the present; the unicorns, with the environmental awareness, bring order to the present, and steer it towards the more ideal future which the dragons are able to see. Simplistic, but accurate?

How far back into history does your perception and knowledge stretch?

Skurl: *leading the way through the door and into a library extensive enough to rival the Magister’s various collections* Indeed we have seen the cracks forming from our perch at the top of the world. It is certainly cause for concern, but what action is required I cannot say. The last time the Guardians fought and we chose loyalties… well, suffice to say that we lost. Grievously.
*he indicates to a pair of low couches evidently made to accommodate quadrupeds* Our lorekeepers have in their possession records as far back as the invention of the written word. I can see beyond that, but it shall require a conduit specific to the time in question. How far into the past do you wish to look?

A long way. Much much further than the written word... unless one were to include cave paintings and sigils.

What do you know of the Neanderthal age?

Skurl: I have a few cursory recollections about it from when I was learning to Timegaze. *he stretches his wings and curls his tail around himself as he settles into a comfortable position* It was strangely peaceful for such a savage period. Fewer complications in the day to day, I suppose. Your concerns lie with that age of the world?

If what I presently theorise happens to be true, then yes. It'll require more than recollections though. We need hard data to work from.

*deep in thought* Hmmm... present you with the right 'conduit', and you can extrapolate an entire historical record, you say. It's just possible that from here, with the properties of the Eyrie itself, I can lift exactly what you could use. I'm going to experiment with a very particular scrying magic, then I'll start explaining myself. Signal Antenna.

*horn glows faintly, emitting a faint vibrating tone into the air...

Alright. Now... project the reception through the Eyrie's magnification vortex that sees into other places.

*glow and hum grow stronger...

Further than that. Further. Back to my own plane of origin. *concentrating hard* Come on, don't let me down here. Boost. Nearly there... almost...

And through!

*subtle shift in the glow hue, and the humming changes tone, like tuning a radio signal.

Okay. Adjust our - as it were - 'wi-fi' frequency to the closest relevant time intersection, for maximum effective transfer. Right before I left the mortal world. That's it... now. Knowledge. Access human database.

*horn glows brighter, the hum increases in intensity, and a three-dimensional hologram. virtually a solid manifestion, materialises on the library room floor.

Whew. Took a lot of effort that did, but there. The Lazio Fossils. Multiple Neanderthal remains all discovered in the same caves in Italy, ranging between fifty and a hundred thousand years old. With luck, an adequate range within which to pinpoint what I'm hoping to find. Also encrypted into the 'exhibits', all the encyclopedic knowledge of the Paleolithic Age that humans have been able to discover.

Now, what do you think you can determine from all that?

Skurl: *circles the projection curiously* I have never attempted a gaze with a magically procured artifact before… But I am certainly curious to see how well it works. I am capable of seeing much when I am in contact, but I can only see a specific aspect of the age at a time. What question is it that you want answered?

Well, this line of reasoning might sound a little outlandish, but the question will make sense. And if it isn't so far-fetched, it'll answer so much about how all lives and fates are connected. Particularly in regard to myself.

So a short while ago, the backgrounds to the somewhat crudely-categorised 'Cursed Races' was brought to my attention, and looking through them, I was noticing a pattern. Some of the Races are exiled offshoots of the Fae, some are the results of generational curses placed upon humans, but one particular aspect kept cropping up between them, too often to just be coincidence. Lifespan. Within both Fae and human ancestry, a more than significant proportion were recorded as having a 'normal' mortal lifetime outside of the influence of the Sidhe, extended to between two and three hundred years within. Just like humans. And it got me thinking.

Brace yourself. This is the 'coffee splut' bit.

Is it possible that Homo Sapiens, modern man as you would know them; that they themselves originated as much earlier exiles from the Sidhe, stripped of all ties and magicks and devolving over years to match the more primitive state of the world and its denizens then? Human history has records and evidence of early hominids up to the Neanderthals. Then abruptly, the Neanderthals just seem to die out, unable to compete with a different strain more adaptive to survival conditions within a changing world. Suppose... suppose those Sidhe exiles, the 'early humans', retained just enough trace of their original otherworldliness to ultimately replace the Neanderthals, developing more rapidly into the human societies we recognise today?

Skurl: *cocks his head in thought* A curious hypothesis… certainly worth looking into. Hm. *he settles beside the fossil projection and lays both of his taloned hands on it. His gaze grows unfocused and slowly but steadily his eyes begin to glow white. His beak moves as though he is speaking —perhaps to himself— but not sound can be heard. The process continues for several minutes before he removes his hands from the projection and blinks a few times to pull himself back into the present* Leylines. The vision was very muddled, perhaps because it was only a projection, but that aspect was clear. Leylines were involved in the end of the Neanderthal line.

*getting more visibly excited and interested...

Then at the very least, we can say that 'spillage' from the Sidhe, or the forces that created it, affected the development of mankind?

Is there anything else you can ascertain and tell me?

Skurl: The leylines were part of this world long before the fae came from the Exodus. The fae being as adaptable as they are, were able to incorporate the natural magic that already existed here with their own, much to the chagrin of our Noble forebears. They had to create the Sidhe in order to keep the peace, you see.

No… I believe what I may have witnessed was the birth of Heart Magic. How that plays into the longevity of humans in Sidhe, I cannot say, but I believe the Neanderthals came into contact with the Wild Magicks and either died from it or evolved. My best guess is the latter.

But nonetheless... it fits. It must be true. The prehistoric channels that connect the human race, the Fae, the Nobles, the powers above... they all run through me.

Through us.

Both of me, as I am now. And that would be a reason why the unicorn and human egos remain seperate - not just out of choice, or the combination of abilities and ideas. Those channels, those ties; each remains more distinct, more substantial, guiding us and bolstering us along the path of our designated purpose.

Skurl: It is a curious thing, seeing the influence of all of the major bloodlines running through one being. I never thought I would live to see it. What does this mean now? For you? For the Noble Races?

If it's possible to swing it? Eventual reunification. That's my hope.

Look, um... you're probably sick to death already of having to play go-between, but Windmaster Skurl, I need to ask for a favour. If you could consult with the Scalemother and set up a meeting on acceptable grounds between the three of us, myself acting as a unicorn representative. You and I both know what the chief hurdle has been.

The Elder Sire.

Mm. His worldview has become trapped in an endless circular prison of despair. He has come to believe that actions have no bearing in the face of Fate, therefore he takes none, therefore his own Fate rewrites itself around that, it all folds back around on itself, and so on. I suspect he was deliberately struck at a moment of vulnerability to take him, and the Noble triad, out of the picture. I'd rather not have to operate behind his back, and heaven forbid I should usurp his place, but maybe I can do something in my own way to correct the course.

*looks to the ground...

I don't know if you would be at liberty to answer me this - nobody has been quite prepared to fill in the whole story - but what actually happened to his mate? All I really seem to know for certain is that it was both dramatic and sudden.

Skurl: I anticipate that the Scalemother will have reservations about excluding the Elder Sire. There may be ill blood between them, but she still respects his office. I will try, however. I do not see him taking a path of reconciliation willingly. *grows silent, contemplating. Finally he heaves a sigh and shakes out his feathers* No. It is not my place to say. I am tempted, as I doubt the Elder Sire will ever speak of her end again, and you ought to know your own history, but that would be a grievous insult indeed. The death of one of the Nobles is a sacred tragedy. To speak of one’s death without holding the dearest possible love for them is an affront to their memory. *he pauses and his eyes flick to meet yours* But there is no tradition against reading about it. I shall have one of the Lorekeepers show you to the histories of the Verdant Hills before you depart.

I am obliged to you. If I am to give Lord Auris his sense of purpose in life back, every piece of context towards that will be invaluable.

Skurl: I concur. I hope what you find does precisely that. Fair winds, Ambassador. *bows his head in farewell, and as you pass through the door, a loud roar can be heard from within the chamber. In moments, a young and very scrawny tan gryphon makes its hasty and strangely lopsided descent to meet you. His talons skid on the stony ground and a pair of bent pince nez glasses tumble off of his beak. He blinks furiously as he tries to find them with his claws*

Scrawny Gryphon: *muttering* Oh, bother it all… every time…

*a little surprised, mentally lifting up the glasses...

Uh, here.

*popping them on his beak...

Can I give you another 'hand', Master, um...

Scrawny Gryphon: Thank you… *blinks as his eyes adjust, then immediately bows when he sees who saved his glasses* Ambassador Eala, sir! Please excuse me, sir. I was in such a rush to answer the Windlord’s summons… I am Gwiawk, at your service. My master, Lorekeeper Flir, would have met you, herself, but she is tied up with Scrying Stone work. She sends her apologies.

*raises an eyebrow* That was just a 'summons'?

*quietly* I was wondering where the Windlord's temper was, he was almost jovial with me. I kept half-expecting the other paw to drop.

Gwiawk: *shrugs his wings with a smile in his voice* He wanted us to know that it was urgent. The Windlord is known for being a very patient and even tempered leader until it is time to fight. If he weren’t, he wouldn’t be the Windlord. *he gestures with his head toward a glimmering domed structure peeking out above the rest of the eyrie* Shall we?

*hanging back to manifest the ethereal wings* Lead the way, if you please.

*thinks to self* Number Two's dome. Well, where else would the most sensitive information be kept?

Wulver: a werewolf in Shetland, that is said to have had the body of a man with a wolf's head. It was reported to have left fish on the windowsills of poor families.

The sidhe might think it's a cursed race, but they are certainly blessed in my eyes.

Imoldra: *Nodding in agreement* Indeed...

It is disappointing to see them spoken about as if they are outcasts and misfits, whereas I have heard nothing but good about them. They certainly aren't as cursed as the fae with chaos ridden in their minds.

Fraiser: The sentiment is shared, I assure you. We are good folk… fae folk, too, no matter what anyone else might say.

This comment is based on the fragment of lore shown in Eala's discussions with Windlord Skurl.

It is mentioned that heart magic was born at the moment of a large exposure to the powers of a layline, a force that existed long before the Fae arrived and the creation of the Sidhe was necessary.

I believe that this disruption can be only one thing: the creation of the Garden of Eden, a sanctuary designed to preserve certain of the beings that would eventually become humans against the harsh world outside until they evolved to a state where they would be ready to face it.

It is possible that the garden could have been created by The White One on orders from the maker as an act of love. And the power of the heart magic was then born with the changes wrought within the garden and by the power of the fruit of knowledge, a fruit that I suspect was born of a focal point in the leylines, quite possibly a significant source/font that could well have functioned as a spawning point.

It would also explain why the flaming sword would have been placed there afterward, to guard it against future entities that might seek to claim the gift that was meant solely for humans and their descendants. As well as to prevent them from gaining the second half of the power designed to progress them further before they had proven they were worthy/ready for it.

But, of course, this is all but a theory.

As per usual I can make no comment, and as per usual it makes me smile to read your very well crafted analysis ^^

I am told by friends that my perceptiveness can be quite entertaining. Well, they don't always use that word.

XD True, true