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Backdated early Feb. Before pups, before fissures. Intention is for one-shot replies only of characters would like to take part. Intention is for the members od NF but others may spy or take part. I imagine they would be chased off if they tried to disrupt or mock the ritual.

Theme/chant which they sing: https://youtu.be/3NMZ-Dz51Gw?si=2BMwbnhH1A9qDhZ0

skill: Soothsayer

The sisters ran the heights of Northfall.

Wardruna and Journey of the north.

The tiger sisters, Raisa and Seraphina.

They tracked the sheep along the reaches through the midday and that evening carried the lamb down to the forest for slaughter.

The Queen of Northfall calls out to her people and as she waits, Journey paints her sister's face in blood. As she did so, she sings, she prays…


Landvættir,
látið ekki,
illa vætta,
eyða friði.

Vættir góðar,
verndið oss,
heillir staðir,
hǫldum trú. (Land spirits,
do not let
evil wights
destroy the peace.

Good spirits,
protect us,
let sacred places thrive,
may we keep the faith.)

As they come, there are no words except words of chant. To those silently willing Wardruna would paint in motion with her sister. Down the muzzle, over the ears, the cheeks, the brow, past the eyes, against their chest…

Each marked differently than the last. With each stroke of blood they would speak, one in common, one in old norse, so that they may too know and speak these words.


Landvættir. Landvættir.
Verjið oss.
Landvættir. Landvættir.
Haldið frið.

Landvættir. Landvættir.
Heyrið spor.
Landvættir. Landvættir.
Dæmið vér.
(Land spirits. Land spirits.
Protect us.
Land spirits. Land spirits.
Keep the peace.

Land spirits. Land spirits.
Hear our steps.
Land spirits. Land spirits.
Judge us.)

When the last body was marked in blood of the lamb, they would march. Their path leading them from their northern coastline and along the cliff fades which would bring them to the forest of Promise and the flame which sat at the edge of the earth.

As purple light began to show dimly in the distance, Wardruna and Journey would pick up their song again, encouraging a chorus chant of those among them.

Land ok steinn vaka.
Fjall ok fjörðr hlýða.
Blóð fell í mold.
Járn sefr í hönd.
Vér göngum þögul.
Augu jarðar sjá.

Landvættir. Landvættir.
Verjið oss.
Landvættir. Landvættir.
Haldið frið.

Eiðr er bundinn.
Eldar deyja.
Forfeðr standa nær.
Nöfn þeirra lifa í mold.
Sverð ryðgar.
Jörð man allt.

Landvættir. Landvættir.
Heyrið spor.
Landvættir. Landvættir.
Dæmið vér.

Þórr fer um ský.
Óðinn þegir.
Týr tekr blóð.
En landið bíður.
Engi miskunn.
Engi grið.

Ef vér svíkjum.
Jörð brennr.
Ef vér stöndum.
Jörð styrkir.
Hold fellr.
Steinn stendr.

Landvættir. Landvættir.
Vér erum hér.
Landvættir. Landvættir.
Vér farum ei.
(Land and stone are awake.
Mountains and fjords listen.
Blood falls into soil.
Iron sleeps in the hand.
We walk in silence.
The eyes of the earth see.

Land spirits. Land spirits.
Protect us.
Land spirits. Land spirits.
Keep the peace.

An oath is bound.
Fires fade.
Ancestors stand near.
Their names live in the soil.
The sword rusts.
The earth remembers all.

Land spirits. Land spirits.
Hear our steps.
Land spirits. Land spirits.
Judge us.

Thor moves through clouds.
Odin is silent.
Tyr takes blood.
But the land waits.
No mercy.
No truce.

If we betray.
The earth burns.
If we stand firm.
The earth strengthens.
Flesh falls.
Stone remains.

Land spirits. Land spirits.
We are here.
Land spirits. Land spirits.
We do not leave.)

Through the forest they would gather their branch and to the flame they would feed it. They circled the fire. Some may hold torch in their jaws. Others displaying a show-horse of high steps as they pound the earth. Others would sing and sing and they would do these things until throats and feet were sore and the warmth of the flame would seem deep in their bones to carry them back home come dawn.


Achlys Agrippina Alder Carnifex Oberon Raisa (& Pluto if he was here at the time) Serafina Sreda Vitus

Skill:

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They hunted. The sisters of the stripes. For they were in preparation for a ritual, and where Sera didn't believe in gods and rituals, she would not deny the power to her new leader and her family. The disrespect it could bring if she were to deny the requests of Wardruna. So they hunted and slaughtered.

Sera took the blood across her face with pride, a smile beaming on her maw as she closed her eyes and absorbed the power it brought her, the feelings that overtook her with each stroke to her features. A deep breath left her chest at the words that were spoke, the licking of the purple flame bringing a crackling as they brought branches to its arms.

She would sing as others lit their flames, their torches, she would howl and bring her pitchy tunes to the world as she would let her throat become raw and her paws become sore from the dancing that soon ensued.

Sera finally felt at home for the first time in so long.

Achlys did not join them.

He stood instead where the treeline thinned and the earth began to glow faintly with that strange violet bleed, just far enough that the heat of the flame did not touch him but close enough that nothing of it escaped his notice. To anyone looking he would have seemed unfocused, his empty sockets turned vaguely toward the gathering, head angled just slightly off. But he was not looking - he was reading.

Scent bled through the night in layered currents and in his mind it took form.

Iron first, thick and bright the lambs blood would spread in branching strokes, sharp crimson lines that cut across the shapes of the wolves as they painted one another. Each body carrying its own color beneath that, but the ritual painted over them all binding them in the same violent hue. He followed the movement of it as Wardruna worked, each deliberate stroke dragging a line of red across living forms that shifted under her touch.

She did not hesitate. Good.

The young boy would exhale slowly, the sound quiet in his chest. ...At least you didn't waste it the words came low, thoughtful and observant, nose dropping as he caught the lambs last moments still clinging to the air, fear had been there but it was brief.

When the chanting rose, the air changed and Achlys moved; tracing his own path through the darkness to keep them within reach of his senses. Achlys tilted his head, before a faint dry huff slipped from him Hope it hears you he mused. Would be a shame if all that was just for show he doesn't understand these strange rituals, sees little point in it.

The youth stands in silence for just a moment longer, turning to leave but before he departs with his back still toward them he adds Be careful when you speak in blood his head would tilt in an eerie manner. What answers may not be what was called

And with that he leaves, disappearing into the darkness as if he had never been there at all.

-exit-

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