[IC] New Crobuzon & the World Beyond

[GM Marvel]

Betimi gives the couple some distance, she has never heard of such bonds, burt it does not seem like something that would benefit from her radiating Focalor's presence.

[It might be my morbid sense of humor but I think that would be pretty funny.  Selina and Tomeal are having a romantic moment but then they both start sobbing and wailing uncontrollably!]

When the porridge is offered, Simon is first in line to taste this Dwarven Porridge!  Could it really be made out of Kubo's own kin?  Surely it must be just named after the race who created it and not made from real Dwarf!  Simon will take a second bowl and bring it to Betimi.  He hadn't had any time to talk to her since the experiment.  Simon calls over both Kubo and Crozar to join them.

"Good Morning,"  Simon says.  "I brought you some Dwarven Porridge.  I'm eager to try it so I thought I'd bring you some too."  He steps into her aura to hand her the porridge and when he begins to feel the pain of depression he steps back a safe distance to take a seat.  When Betimi begins eating, Simon is briefly taken aback by the speed by which she devours it.  He feared if the bowl had a design painted upon its surface she might try to eat that too!  "Does all your kind usually have such a voracious appetite?"

[Crozar the Sunspot]

Crozar carried it's bowl over and does the same dance with the aura of sorrow that Simon did before it.  It settles near Simon, and appears to examine it's arm for a few seconds before plucking out three long, thick spines.  Holding them as  a makeshift utensil, it scoops up some of the porridge and eats it.  Crozar looks at Simon and Betimi and says, "I have plenty of spines if either of you need a disposable utensil as well."

[Betimi]

Betimi looks up from her second bowl of poerridge as Simon and Crozar approach. She actually moves away from them a pace when they sit down, though she does not turn away. They both feel the waves of sorrow abruptly ebb as she gets just the right distance away. Apparently the waves of emotion affect a radius around her, with a finite limit.

She instinctively knows where that limit is.

She gladly accepts the utensils from Crozar, as she had been scooping with her fingers. She licks  her fingers off and wipes them on the hem of her cloak, which is already soiled with mud and debris. the closest it has been to being washed was when she explored the pond yesterday.

She looks levelly at Simon. "You have concerns about my babies?" her left hand idly brushes her abdomen, where Simon knows the breed leech is attached.

[Kubo]

Kubo sits near Simon and Crozar , eating hs oatmeal with a small iron spoon,  " I'm sorry, I did not realize ye are with child, how far along are ye?"

[Betimi]

"Oh he is full grown, and not precisely a he. It will be genderless until we find it's next host."

Knowing that Simon will be curious to see how her baby is doing she lifts her tunic to reveal the black, slug-like creature attached across her abdomen.

"He is looking so healthy and plump." She remarks petting it gently. As se does another ey ball, bright blue, on a purple eyestalk peeks out from her hood to look down at it's sibling on her belly, then glances up at everyone before darting back into her head, every bit like a shy child hiding behind it's mother's skirts.

[Kubo]

Trying to hide his shock, "Hoste? What is that? Are you ok?"

[Selina Parcellus]

Tomeal smiles broadly.  "Selina, after that first kiss, a band of hungry, rampaging Tarrasques couldn't drag me away.  You're stuck with me for as long as you'll have me!"

When awoken and after saying, good morning, Tomeal adds, "You were in my dreams.  It was so real.  It was like you were really there with me."

At Tomeal's mention of her being in his dream, Selina suddenly has a vague recollection of a dream too.  As dreams are sometimes fleeting, it takes her a few seconds before she lets out an audible gasp, as divinely inspired images fill her mind!  

She's holding hands with Tomeal by a moonlit lake...  Seven bright stars surround the moon... One star breaks away and floats down from the heavens...  As the star approaches, it grows brighter and brighter but the soft silvery light never harms your eyes... suddenly within the light a dazzling beauty emerges... A messenger made of pure moonlight... It's a Herald of Selune...  She welcomes you...  She tells you you're on your path... Selune is proud of your deeds...  Many challenges are ahead but be strong... As long as your actions are true, Selune will always be with you...  Follow your heart...  Don't fear the unknown...  Mysteries and teachings from your past will serve you well with the challenges you'll face in the future...

In her dream, Selina glances at Tomeal.  She can feel his warm hand gently but firmly holding onto hers.  He seems to be nodding in acknowledgement to the herald like he was experiencing an entirely different message from her.

Then you woke up.

Selina wakes up with a smile, hand still clutching Tomeal's...just as it had been in her dream.  Or was it a dream?  If it was, it had been, quite literally, the most wonderful dream she had ever experienced.  But she didn't think it was a dream.  Selune, at last, had spoken to her...personally and almost directly.  So many questions still left to ask, but some had been answered.  She gently squeezes Tomeal's hand as she understands what one of them was.  Turning to face him, her smile grows.  "Yess.  You were there with me.  I can see that we were sharing a messsage.  I was correct: we are bound, you and I.  Sso many questions in my mind are left unanswered...and yet now I understand so much."

As she looks over the rest of her...odd group walking with Tomeal to collect some porridge, she surprises herself by not blanching when Betimi reveals her symbiotes.  I suppose I've seen it before.  She knew Simon would likely be intrigued and fascinated by it.

[Crozar the Sunspot]

"Oh he is full grown, and not precisely a he. It will be genderless until we find it's next host."

Knowing that Simon will be curious to see how her baby is doing she lifts her tunic to reveal the black, slug-like creature attached across her abdomen.

"He is looking so healthy and plump." She remarks petting it gently. As se does another ey ball, bright blue, on a purple eyestalk peeks out from her hood to look down at it's sibling on her belly, then glances up at everyone before darting back into her head, every bit like a shy child hiding behind it's mother's skirts.

Crozar's eyes widen at the reveal of the larvae.  "Fascinating," it said softly. "So your species is born in a pupal state?  Do you go through a caccooning phase like a butterfly, or a gradual larval shedding like the Cray or Corokanth, or something else entirely?"

[Betimi]

Betimi idly pets her offspring, allowing her shirt to fall back over it.

"We must find a humanoid female with child, our young will bond to its in the womb. Transforming both into one being, like myself."

"Usually the host female is.. less than willing. But the breed leech can dominate her mind and calm her."
:My dream will be to find a willing surrogate, and raise the youngling together in a caring household. Without the terror of our species normal young life."

"in the meantime it remains in this larval state indefinitely, though it has intelligence, and we talk in my mind. We are a small family the four of us. I will never be lonely"

Movement inside her hood reveals that the eyeball is rubbing the back of her head affectionately, like a cat.

[GM Marvel]

"It was an amazing experience," Tomeal replies.  "The Herald said things like, I must follow my heart.  And my... ummm... friendship... with you has opened my spirit to new paths and possibilities.  I... I... think she's right.  I feel closer to both you and Selune.  Like I understand you both just a little bit better than I did, even just last night!"

Simon says, "How did you know I wanted to inquire about your children?  It was not something I had done before so I wanted to make sure it was a total success."

Looking at Crozar, Simon asks, "So do you shave or pluck?  I'm referring to the spines on the palms of your hands.  I know they can be a bother sometimes."

[When everyone is done leveling and choosing spells, let me know so we can continue ]