IceAndWave/CloudCastlesGodsAndOtherMonsters1
Cloud Castles, Gods and Other Monsters - part 1
In which old friends are visited, negotiations are opened, and catgirls go a-wand'rin'...
The 8th Day of Descending Water, Realm Year 763
The Frozen Tempest Court meets at a number of locations during its year-long wandering cycle across the North. By happy chance they meet this week on a mountain-top a bare dozen leagues from Five Peaks, a collection of air elementals and other interested spirits from all across the North who meet to air grievances, make alliances and otherwise commit politics.
Naresh, the Arbiter of Northern Storms has been known to make an appearance, as has Blue Skulking Bear, but for the most part it is a time and location where cloud people flock to meet and greet, all lorded over by the Master of the Frozen Tempest, a great storm of ice and lightning that remains largely a thing of legend.
Sian grumbles and curses his whole way up the mountain, wondering why he always ends up climbing to get to anything important.
Aia, gasping for air, asks, "How do you know them?"
Sian sits heavily on a snow-covered rock, pausing to allow Aia to regain her breath. "I... *puff* had to sort out a dispute between the avalanche snakes and some of the zephyrs. The snakes couldn't keep up with the zephyrs' partying; causing unsanctioned slides all over the place. They owe me a small favour; the snakes were threatening to bring down a major meeting place, and I persuaded them not to."
Aia giggles, "Zephyrs always cause problems at mother's home, too..." She looks over at Sian, "So, do you think they can help?"
"They're our best shot. Every once in a while a Wood spirit will show up to complain about too much snow on their trees. Maybe they can heal Sena."
"OK," Aia gets to her feet and hefts her pack up, "I think I can see it." She points to a large cloud in the sky, moving slowly towards the mountain's peak, and doing so against the wind.
Sian nods, standing and ineffectually brushing his hair to clear it of snow. "That's it, yeah. Looks like it'll start soon, too."
The climb up the mountain gets harder as the snowfall increases, the Frozen Tempest Court shedding it at an ever-increasing rate. The cloud reaches the top of the mountain and then stops, and within its roiling masses, illuminated by flashes of silent lightning, can be seen the tops of towers, carved from ice.
Sian takes a deep breath (well, he sort of has to; the air is thin up here). "And now, the problem... there would appear to be no-one here to take us up."
Aia stops again, "How... how did you get in last time?"
"Met my contact here. Of course, we're not expected this time."
"Hey!" Aia yells suddenly, "Anyone up there?"
Sian winces. Well, it might work.
A crack, bright like solid lightning, appears in the base of the cloud and widens, becoming a window through which the head of some kind of large bird pokes. "Who calls to Old Ketari?"
Sian waves, a smile appearing on his face. "Ketari! Long time no see!"
"Sian? Sian Nerivus, is that you?" His head disappears, and then a few seconds later he swoops out of the window, a large eagle whose body is made of clouds and his feathers are limned with lightning, "I was not told to expect you at this court."
"Logically, this is because I'm not expected. Sorry... I didn't know I'd be coming until a few days ago."
Old Ketari turns and looks over Aia, "And who is this delightful young lady?" If his beak could change there would probably be a smile on it.
"Ah. This is Aia... my scribe and friend. Aia, Ketari is the contact I told you about, and also a good friend."
Aia smiles and bows slightly, "Pleased to meet you."
Ketari turns to Sian, "So, I take it that you would like to enter the Court, since you've gone to all the trouble of climbing this mountain?"
"Indeed we would, if it doesn't inconvenience you terribly."
Ketari looks up at the cloud and whistles, a loud piercing sound. After a few seconds he whistles again, louder, before yelling, "Damn you, Hawk! If I have to come up there myself, I'll claw your eyes out!" With that, the light from above fades as a large circular object begins drifting down on sparkling lines of light.
"Sorry, Sian. We weren't expecting anyone to come in this way, so Hawk's been having a little time off."
Sian smiles slightly. "It's fine. Any of the Woods attending?"
Ketari thinks for a moment, "I'm not sure... we normally have a few when the Court is near those tree-dwellers, but this far away? Sorry, my memory isn't what it was so I'd have to check when we get you up and out of this snow." With that the disc reaches the ground level and Ketari gestures with a wing for Sian and Aia to get on, "I'll meet you up there," and with a quick flap of his wings he takes off and back into the cloud.
Sian waves him off, then ushers Aia onto the platform before he steps on himself. "Watch out... this is pretty scary the first time."
The disc, a six-foot-wide perfect circle of blue jade, dangling from five wires so thin as to be almost invisible, jerks off the ground and then hoists its way back up into the cloud, rising the twenty yards up from the ground and into the bounds of the Court. The interior of the cloud is, well, anything but a cloud. White marble floors, tall elegant pillars and a large blue-steel doorway form the vestibule of the Frozen Tempest Court, where Old Ketari stands loudly and profanely berating a small bird apparently cut from ice.
Sian steps forwards a little. "Don't be so hard on him, Ketari... you didn't know we were coming."
Old Ketari glares at Hawk, "Perhaps. Nonetheless, he should be ready. It's not a difficult post that he has, and it's one that could easily be vacated..." Hawk cringes at that, grovelling to his superior.
"Mmm, true. I think he'll be ready from now on, though. Right, Hawk?" He looks at the spirit meaningfully.
The bird-spirit grovels at Sian's feet, "Yes, honoured Sir. A thousand apologies for causing you and the lady to wait outside."
Sian nods slightly. "Apology accepted."
Old Ketari looks at Hawk, "Now you just consider yourself lucky. And clean up in here. It looks like we've had morducks in!" He turns to Sian, "So... why are you here, my friend? We're a bit out of the way for a purely social call..."
"It's not social, no. You know Five Peaks? The brother mountains?" He gestures in their vague direction.
"Somewhat. Obviously they don't visit the Court, and they're not on our circuit. I know the wife, though... very pretty young thing."
"That's the problem. One of the other brothers got jealous of Koromo, so they blinded his wife and kidnapped her."
"Blinded her? That is an outrage!" Old Ketari's wings beat furiously and he hops into the air, "That fiend! That..! that..!"
"Hey, calm down... that's why I'm here. I want to see if any of the Wood spirits can help heal her."
"That's why... of course... you were always the helpful one," the old bird's wings slow and he drops back to the floor, although lightning crackles across his body still. "I've checked with Vonoth, by the way. There aren't any visitors from the Wood courts here at present, but one is due in two days. I'm afraid it's Juen Nine-Branches..."
Sian grimaces. "It would have to be." He sighs, "Nothing is ever easy, is it?"
Aia looks puzzled, "Juen Nine-Branches?"
"A very disagreeable tree stalker from deep in the Haltan forest," Old Ketari explains, "He doesn't like anyone, and only comes here to stir up old grievances. He could help, but..."
Sian looks at the catgirl. "Yeah. Juen Never-Happy, as we like to call him. Loud, irritable... nothing is ever right. Too much snow, not enough wind, not enough rain, too little snow, too much wind, etcetera. Plus he likes to bring up long-ago solved problems."
"Oh. Oh dear."
"He is very good at what he does, it's just that what he likes doing is being a pain in the ass."
"And that, my friend," Old Ketari hops up next to Sian, "Means you're in for a lot of problems. He's still angry about your arbitration of his dispute with the Verdant Mother."
Sian groans. "What else could he want? I got him his bloody saplings back; more than he asked for, even. Just because he had to give up a day of summer to get it he's still annoyed?"
"Juen is always annoyed. Ever since I've known him," the bird pats Sian on the back with a wing, "You're in for a rough time, my friend."
"Yeah..." He shakes his head. "This may take a while. Do you think you could arrange us a room?"
"I'm sure I can find you something. It won't be as good as last time, because you're here unofficially, but there'll be a room for you soon."
"Thanks, Ketari."
Old Ketari walks Sian and Aia to the door and hands them off to a minor servant spirit, an ape-like spirit roughly formed from snow that sheds flakes as it walks, "Take them to the Wind Garden," he instructs, and goes off to arrange a room.
Sian follows the spirit, chatting quietly to Aia. "We'll have to be very careful around Juen. He remembers slights and insults from centuries ago, and he makes sure people he talks to do as well."
Aia nods, "Will we be safe here?"
"Should be. It's a little cold at times, but we can deal with that."
Aia winks, "Yes, we can."
Sian grins. "Evil girl."
The ape-spirit leads the pair through a long corridor, the walls apparently carved from glass or utterly transparent ice, with a view over the mountains on one side and into the Court on the others. Hundreds of elementals, gods and other minor spirits can be seen, cloud people, zephyrs, wind-dancers, thunder-riders and more mingle and talk.
Sian tries to pick out some of the local notables.
"Who's that?" Aia points to a large snake-like being, two-headed and entirely formed from jet-black stone, looming over a clutch of cloud people, fire sparking from its red eyes.
"Ah. That's Poran Red-Cloud; very dangerous if you annoy him, very friendly otherwise. So be nice."
"OK..." Aia hugs Sian closely as the servant leads them out and into the Wind Garden.
The Wind Garden itself is an open area on the edge of the Frozen Tempest Court. At the centre of a marble plaza a fountain sprays lightning outward, little insects skittering over the streamers, and on several benches all around sit various figures, local divinities and elementals of note, all gossiping in the prelude before the Master of the Frozen Tempest declares his Court open.
Sian takes a seat off to the side, attempting to judge the mood. He likewise holds the catgirl close.
The general tone of discussion in the Wind Garden is quiet, with none of the animated, even heated, arguments that often occur during the four days a week that the Court is actually in session.
"Hmm. Feel at all familiar?" He smiles faintly at Aia.
Aia looks around at the various gods and other spirits, "Slightly," she says. "Feels a bit like home when it's busy. Home with my mother, I mean."
Sian nods. "How do you feel about your mother, anyway? I mean, I know she sent you to Osikuthe..."
"I... don't want to talk about her, please," Aia says in a small voice.
"Sorry." He rubs her side, then plants a reassuring kiss on her temple. "Didn't mean to bring back bad memories."
"It's OK," she shivers and looks around again. "Some of them look important."
"Yeah. It's been a hard winter, and when a lot of the lesser spirits complain, their superiors get involved."
A rustling sound behind Sian turns out to have been caused by a large mass of vines, writhing and intertwining with one another and forming the shape of a large cat or tiger. Four yellow eyes peer out from between the tough strands and, in a sweet and mellifluous voice that is completely at odds with the appearance, it enquires, "Are you here about the storms?"
"Sorry, I am afraid not. I am here to help a friend."
"Oh," the tiger pauses, "Well, I think that the storms were completely out of control this winter. Why, that last blow lost me a full century of growth for my children, and the mess it made in my home, well I can't tell you how long it took the servants to clean it all up. It was a dreadful thing, absolutely dreadful, and I am here to complain about it. It shouldn't have been allowed, my poor children..."
Sian nods, perfectly patient. "I know. The winter is hitting hard everywhere."
"It's a shame that's what it is. It should never have been allowed to happen. Why wasn't anyone watching what was happening? I feel sure that if they had been, then my children would never have been struck by that storm. I mean to give a piece of my mind to the one responsible, I can tell you..."
Sian continues to nod patiently. Long experience with spirits has taught him to not rush things.
"But the spirits these days aren't like the kind we used to have, oh no. They talk back to their betters now, they don't respect their elders the way that we did. It's a crying shame, things are just getting worse and worse, and..." she is interrupted by Old Ketari, "Excuse me, Most Honoured Lady Orinela, but Sian here has an appointment he mustn't be late for."
Sian nods slightly to Ketari, before turning and bowing formally to the talkative spirit. "Perhaps another time, my lady."
"Oh, of course, I wouldn't want to make you late for an appointment, particularly if you have come all the way here to..." her voice fades as Old Ketari closes the door into the Wind Garden.
"Thanks for that."
"No problem," Old Ketari clucks in laughter, "Orinela talks a bit, OK a lot, but she's basically harmless. She likes to complain. I managed to find you and your friend a room. It's not the best, but it's private and its safe."
"That's all I needed. Thanks... you've been a big help."
"I just wish I could help you with Juen Nine-Branches. If you're determined to help Sena Riel, he will make you pay through the nose for his help."
"I know... I just wish I knew exactly what he's going to ask for."
"I know," Old Ketari summons another servant spirit and directs it to lead the couple to their rooms. "He's not due to arrive for two days, you might get lucky and have someone more amenable arrive." With that he waves and takes off, heading back around to his station at the entrance.
Sian waves at the retreating spirit, then opens the door for Aia. "Here you go... place to rest." The room itself is large, huge even. Taking up almost an entire floor of one of the many towers within the cloud. A large bed rests to one side, while the middle of the room is occupied with a glass table and several straight-backed chairs, obviously designed to handle some of the more exotic physiognomies that come through the Court.
"Impressive." He makes a note to thank Ketari for the room. 'Not the best', yeah, right. "You like?"
Aia looks around, smiling and then sighs slightly, "No bath."
"Sorry. Can't have it all, though... and the bed looks most appealing." He sits, testing out the mattress.
"Yes, it does," Aia bounces onto the bed, squealing as it springs her back into the air, "Whee!"
Sian laughs, catching her on the rebound. "I take it you approve?"
"Defintely!" Aia laughs, "And it's so much warmer than outside, too!"
"A big plus." He pulls her in for a kiss.
"Mmmm..." she returns the kiss, squirming up against Sian
Sian keeps her engaged for a while, but eventually draws back. "You feel like a nap? You looked pretty exhausted on the way up here."
A loud gonging sound resounds through the room, and through the entire bounds of the Court. It tolls twice more and then the quiet voice of Adenatim, the major-domo of the Court, is heard, "The Frozen Tempest Court is now in session. All official guests and visitors will be seen in turn."
Sian sighs. "I, on the other hand, need to get to work. You be okay here by yourself?"
"I will," Aia nods, "I've been to places like this before."
"Good girl." He strokes her cheek, then gives her another brief kiss. "See you later."
The corridors and passages of the Frozen Tempest Court are abuzz with activity. Officials of the Court try to arrange the arrived guests in order of importance while new guests and petitioners arrive every few minutes, requiring that everything be reordered again. There is a sense of barely-restrained chaos about the whole thing, and there is an electricity in the air that is more than merely figurative as arguments between divinities break out over precisely who is the senior, or richer, or more powerful, or has more concubines.
Sian tries to find some place out-of-the-way where he can look suitably innocuous and watch the proceedings.
The first visitor, announced loudly by Adenatim, is Stokes-The-Eternal-Hearth, a local City Father of some note, here to petiton the Master of The Frozen Tempest for an increase in the area of his territory that will be avoided by the local storms. The negotiations are handled on behalf of the Court by Yvir the Flame, a mortal, and do not go well for the deity.
Poor City Father, Sian thinks.
After an ten minutes it becomes clear that the City Father's request will be denied, but he contnues to argue the point for twice as long again before conceding the point, Yvir the Flame not shifting his position an inch in spite of much blustering and cajolery from Stokes-The-Eternal-Hearth. The god leaves, crestfallen, and is immediately replaced by a small collection of crystals that orbit at random around a sparkling polychromatic light. The lights flashes and flares and dances in the air and after a few minutes Yvir the Flame merely nods, "Agreed," and the strange being floats away.
The business of the next few hours is the same, as petitioner after petitioner arrives and then leaves. All are dealt with by Yvir the Flame, with the Master of the Frozen Tempest not stirring at all from his position at the rear of the court.
Eventually Adenatim declares, "The Frozen Tempest Court is in recess until tomorrow. All petitioners who wish to remain with the bounds may do so. The Master of the Frozen Tempest thanks you for your patience."
Sian observes the various spirits attending the court, trying to locate one who might be able to help him, or at least represents someone (or something) that can - preferably less disagreeable than Juen Nine-Branches. A few well-placed questions later he finds one spirit in attendance who might have what he seeks - the envoy of a forest king from the North-East, here for some matter of importance to its master.
The envoy is a larger than normal wood spider, its black eyes glittering against the dark brown of its body and legs, the whole contrasting greatly to the white and blue all around. As the Court is in recess, the elemental stands to one side of a gathering of spirits, all dancing to strange ethereal music played by and on the glass-like tone ants that populate the walls.
Sian approaches cautiously... he's met some less-than-inviting wood spiders. "Greetings, honored spirit."
"Greetings, o Prince of the Earth. To what do I owe the honour of your august presence?" the spider bows on four legs, a disconcerting effect given that it is currently perched on the wall.
"I merely wish to converse with you, and see if perhaps we could not arrange a deal of some sort. Your master has things he wants, and likewise I have things I want."
"Arrangements and deals are my very purpose in life. I can summon a servant to direct your gracious personage and my humble self to a chamber away from the hubbub where we can converse in a less cacophonous locale."
"That would be greatly appreciated." He bows deeply.
The room in question is relatively small by comparison to some of the cavernous chambers that the Court houses, with a simple table and a single chair for Sian, the envoy apparently preferring to rest on the walls of wherever he currently is. "Please elucidate, Chosen of Danaa'd, on the reasons for your desire to converse with me."
Sian takes the seat and gets a little more comfortable. "You are the envoy of a Forest King, correct? I have heard they have many powers, not the least of which is the ability to heal."
"That is indeed correct. My master has a great many powers at his command, as befits one who rules over the Northern Kingsmoor Forests."
Sian nods. "Do you know of the Five Peaks brothers? Mountain gods?"
The spider pauses for a moment, thinking, "I have most certainly heard of them, yes. However, this humble creature's knowledge does not extend beyond their existence."
"One of the brothers, Koromo, has a wife by the name of Sena Riel. There was a feud recently between Koromo and Idasho, another brother, and as a result Sena was blinded."
"How terrible," the spider tuts, "But now we have reached the meat of the discussion. I am to take it, then, that this is what you would request from my master?"
"Yes, the restoration of Sena's vision. In return, I would perform a task of similar magnitude."
"It is a great boon that you ask, you must understand. My master, while generous, is also demanding," much of the floweriness of the spider's speech fades, "He will not grant such a favour lightly, if at all."
"I understand. But my alternative is to turn to Juen Nine-Branches." He gives the spirit a look.
"Oh my..." the elemental's mask slips for a second, "I can see and sympathise with your dilemma, Chosen. I cannot provide any guarantees as to my master's response, but I can and will present it to him in as favourable a light as is spiderly possible."
"Thank you." He nods. "That would be most appreciated."
"I mean to leave the Court immediately upon my master's request being permitted or denied. I shall be with my master no more than three days after that event."
"I shall wait here, if that is agreeable. Or another meeting place, if you have one in mind."
"That is not necessary. While I am merely my master's envoy I am not without means of my own. I can send a message that will reach you regarding my master's decision within moments, provided I am not forbidden from so doing."
Sian nods. "Then I shall wait here for a response."
The spider bows again, still an odd movement when conducted perpendicular to the floor, "I will present your request upon my return to my master. I give you my word."
"Thank you." He returns the bow.
Upon Sian's return to his sumptuous chambers he finds, perhaps not unexpectedly, that Aia is not there.
