Part MMDCXLVII: Thrice Coiled Serpents
Thrice Coiled Serpents
Twentieth Day of the Eighth Month 293 AC
Svitran goes on to explain the nature of ley lines, at least so far as Yss has ever been concerned with them, though a primal god such as Yss has never been a power of the land and wild places—that power being left in the care of Spirit Lizards bonded to the eldest of the jungle trees like the one who greeted your companions. A ley line is an aggregate for those aspects of divine power which do not resonate strongly with any one god, those acts and emotions which are either too broad and possessed by all mortal beings or too specific to possess any patron. Interjections of ley lines tend to give rise to a being shaped by the very land around them, influenced in their beginnings by even the simplest of minds.
"So because most of the world is empty of settlement or civilization there arise in many places beings like the Genius Loci for whose entrapment Lys was built," Lya says, eyes sparking with understanding. "It only wanted to live in peace, to guard its 'territory', and keep it safe—echoing the thoughts of bird and beast."
"At least in those places where the fey do not get to the power first," Dany interjects. "They would be naturally attracted and adept in shaping it for they too are more akin to gods than men, if of a far lesser sort. Something to keep in mind if we ever draw on their power as the Old Valyrians did..." she pauses. "Well not precisely as they did, being neither vicious nor foolish."
In truth you already had done just that, using the power of the ley line beneath Lys you realize, yet the plan even now gaining form at the back of your mind is more ambitious by far. At the very least it will require Bloodraven's counsel and aid. Of the serpent priest you ask then for a map marking all the ley lines Yss can see.
With flame upon stone it is writ until upon the slick slate underfoot there lies a map not only of far Sothoryos but also of Sorcerer's Deep and its environs. The Stepstones like shards of rock scattered about a void where once a crossing lay. "Spent in the breaking of the land," Svitran's mind voice confirms what you had suspected. You could not reforge the Arm of Dorne in truth, to raise the sunken lands, but in the bridges that now stretch across the rushing waters you might forge anew a different crossroads.
Ley Lines added to Maps of Sothoryos and the Stepstones
"What of your people?" Dany asks, as much to the priest as to the god. "What other Kindreds of your line were there, and where did they dwell before the ancient fading of the world?"
Thus you learn that the ancient serpent people were wont to change themselves to the land as much as the reverse, their forms varying from the swift desert runners of the interior to the slow stone-scaled giants of the high mountains. Some who dwelt near fire mounts even mingled their blood with that of salamanders to endure the great heat and better forge the arcane metals welling up from the depths of the earth. Six cities does Yss mark upon his map of stone, all farther south than even the refuge you had found, places where you might find treasure and lore... or perhaps only tumbled stones and silence, the secrets long since looted. Yss' gaze no longer stretches so far.
Serpentfolk Ruins added to Maps of Sothoryos
"Even in a sliver of bone gnawed on by a hundred beasts might answers lie," Svitran says, a sort of wistfulness coming upon his presence. Better perhaps than any of his kin he knows how much his people had lost over the ages of their slow decline. Though Yss may be content in his endless coils to build again, the priest is restless for answers as ever you had been peering into the secrets of the Freehold.
"Have other priests been gathered into the service of the Great Serpent?" you ask, hoping to distract him from such dark contemplation.
"Three more," comes the reply, a note of gratitude to it. "One of my people and two humans rises into the study of the greater mysteries."
Yss has gained 1 Serpentfolk Cleric; 2 Adepts retrained as Clerics
One of these human priests you learn one is hard at work compiling a holy text of Yss, from her own insights as well as from the rare words of the vessel, something it is clear Svitran finds odd having never required such a thing with the dreams so close. He finds it even odder to be asked outright to have his god look over a compilation of encouraged faiths in your empire. For a long moment he stands waiting, listening for a voice only he can hear. "As it is your desire to seek Yss' counsel, so as to include no error which could raise his ire, there shall be no cost to this deed, an offering fairly balanced on both sides..."
It takes you a moment to realize there is a question under the statement for you would have thought it self-evident that you would agree to have done at no cost something you had expected to pay for, but then Yss does not deal in self-evident truths, only bargains. You nod your agreement.
Next you ask of Yss' foes, his black shadow and the demon spider beloved by the builders of Venthar. Alas to that there is no simple singular answer for each in their own way are creatures of deception, one gnawing at the uncertainties and fears of all mortals doomed to die, and the other a weaver of plots and phantasms unequaled. No names of champions does Yss have for you as he has long since devoured the ones known to him. Still, the vessel rises from the still waters to whisper the times of hallowed days and poisoned rites to speak of those places where his foes have dominion and by which you may know those fallen under their sway.
Divine information on Lolth and Sseth (will be added to the front page).
From gods of darkness and death to those of light and hope you move, asking of Zathir the Winged Serpent, and you are told he will be more than content to speak of himself if you but ask. As though the words had called him forth, and in this place of power perhaps they had, the scion of Jazirian slips out of one of the many corridors leading to the pool room. Wide gold-green eyes deep with the lore of ages yet sparkling with the joy of youth look up at you: "I have no book by which you may know me, but I would answer what questions you may have freely."
What do you ask?
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OOC: It would have felt really odd to just deliver a lecture on Zathir from Yss' perceptive when the godling himself is both present in the city and more than happy to answer questions, so basically I had him listen into the conversation so far and pop up when you got around to him.
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