Sirin of the Shalm

[*Pashan01]

Basic Information
Name: Sirin
Aliases: Has been heard to call herself 'Sirin of the Shalm' or 'Shawm'
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Age: Late twenties
Languages: Several
Accent: Speaks in low measured tones

Physical Information
Height: 5ft 7 inches
Weight: 8 st
Skin/build: Lightly suntanned, feminine curves, average build
Hair style/colour: Long, wild, russet brown
Eyes: Brown
Mental Information
Alignment: Neutral
Philosophy: Preserve the natural balance, protect the wilderness
Deity/Beliefs: Shalmist
Personality:

[u]Reflective[/u] [i]Considers her actions and choice of words carefully[/i] [u]Inquisitive[/u] [i]Curious to learn of others, knowledge-seeker[/i] [u]Calm[/u] [i]Rarely riled or led to anger[/i] [u]Independent[/u] [i]Used to acting for herself in her homelands, reluctant to depend on others than her animal companions[/i] [/li]

Additional Information
Other: A simple necklace made up of beads, bones and animal teeth is strung about her neck, There is a long, straight wooden reeded instrument with a bell end strapped around her shoulder. She carries a wooden quarterstaff and occasionally is seen using a light wooden shield and sling. There are dried mudmarkings about her eyes and body, where exposed. In Sigil, she usually wears hides or leathers in russet brown hues. She has a number of animal companions.

****

"It may take you a while, Sirin, but learn all you can in Sigil, seek that knowledge...find the dragon of the vision and learn of Ehlenestra's plans in that plane...the vision was strong...they gather....deal with their own wisely...you have eight seasons for this to grow and act....it should be enough time...use it well and fulfilment shall be yours, child"

Sirin set off on that long journey, taking the bare minimum as she had been guided. The spire of Sigil towered in hazey clouds from afar as she crossed prairie, forest and mountain. She chose not to use one of the gate towns directly but made the longer trip towards the centre of the lands, always heading towards that spire and the floating plinth of the city of doors, her starting point.

****


"It is portent, omen, a good one... that the first book I chanced upon was of him, the Stag King, in his summer form. A story from my lands, told and enacted every season upon the feast of the midsummer of the wild hunt, the antlered hunter and his wolven hounds."

"The grey waste sapped the colour and vibrancy of the life that trod within. One sentient metal beast, two warriors of metal plate, sword and shield whose bright colour of red hair and hand magic stood and were cast grey amidst that desolate waste. I remained close to the stronger one as his weapon cut into nightmare and ghoul, hag and skeleton. The beasts around, tusk and bite did their best. But metal sword and might of muscle play their part."

"When the swipe of a ghoul's hand caught me unawares, I found then that the act of death....here is...unnatural. As I felt my blood seep into that grey dust, and the companions failed to revive me, I felt pale hands reached to grasp my body as the light faded and my heart life beat slowed, they dragged me down ...down ...down...

...to fade for what seemed like eternity, only to be brought to life once more upon slab of stone surrounded by creatures of the dead not long after falling...the balance in the city of doors is unlike any other"

****

[*Pashan01]

"Stench of goblin and bugbear did not hide the smell of the duergar...unwashed body...is unwashed body..of any race. He allowed the light and minded not the company of my companion who took interest in his particular smell."

"Together we travelled deeper and found way to a lair of sorts, sharing things found equally after disposing of attackers. He seemed...an independent sort as well, strong, as I know that race to be, yet his philosophy and aspirations....the little we spoke of....told of desire for dependency on others in return for hardwork, sharing in communal ways...a collective and not one restricted to his own kind."

"Yet in this city of doors...how is that possible? All I have seen so far work to their own ways, own goals...an unsocialistic, merchantile and selfish existence...perhaps I am wrong...his philosophy was interesting...yet would require alot of trust in the equality of effort in that sharing....and planar travellers...such as myself...do not trust easily in others. I will keep nose and eye out again for this one."

[*Pashan01]

"The orc did not see her...she moves well, smoothskin sliding over stone....her bite to its thigh...brought end to its life it had not expected...finding itself writhing on the floor, the poison working its way so swiftly that I did not have to make a final jab of staff...I like the way she moves...would that I could....who is to say I could not or that this is forbidden?...though my blood runs much warmer than hers...her shape is small, I could be larger....for the present I study her ways and form...she is a delight to me"

[*Pashan01]

"What goes around...comes around...a good deed returned, honour repaid by one and the cycle continues...leaving me now with a debt to another....but that is a balance in itself...and I will not fail...Does good deed warrant an evil for that balance ? I say in this case nay...the neutral mind would have that the debt should be merely passed on to someone else to suffice..."

"The hunt...it is nature in its purest form...a rite and I have never come across another not of my lands so swiftly to understand this...but then the man is half beast...wild. The shewolf, I instantly took to and she I. I saw the bond, sensed the link between but had no idea of the depth or the intensity caused by upbringing in that sort of community. It is raw...brutal...yet I understand it."

"Upon learning of the difficulties for the shewolf I offered my help in exchange for his...for her sake. Time is of little consequence to him and one of his nature but I have limited number of seasons as too does the konigenwolf. I cannot let this opportunity and portent presented go by the by..yet how I am to proceed and succeed as yet escapes me"

"And the fates intervened once more when the dragon of the visions became reality...its bronze colour, glimmering a pink shade in the dusky light of her plane...turning into man before us...offering chance to share in nature's bounty within the Circle. The eager elf had mentioned the dragon and here it was."

"First reactions? Instinctive wariness at the appearance of dragon...reaction as any beast would to another of such great bearing and fierce form...bringing forth his old companion caused natural age old hackles to rise as canine met feline. I kept the beasts who walk with me out of the menagerie...it did not seem wise to stir nature's fires further."

"Another summoning by the Circle Spirit and the fates were again in my favour....another way forward presented itself to me....I may not need to wait until my powers mature, nor rely on poor skill at negotiation or stealing...I agreed to attend the gathering of the Circle...and see what transpires..."

[*Pashan01]

''I met a birdman...though his features were elven...what seemed like half elf half bird bearing great white wing. He allowed me to study and touch his form of wing, such great size..and he said he was a 'helper and healer'. Though part beast, I did not see immediate mutual opportunity and balance in give and take as I had with the other one. He spoke also of the great eagles of almost human proportion of his home plane and of flight. I listened and learned.''

''Auction of metal sword. I attended but gave scant interest to the items. Upon speaking of my needs another approached, one extremely tall elf whom I had heard speaking strange tongue, offering leather boot allowing nimble footing and a pair of gloves that would form hard ice crystals upon contact in an attack. The sum he asked was too much, but mutual arrangement was made for lesser in exchange for favour. With small clause to scope of such favour, I agreed.''

''I returned to the beastlands once more....I was drawn back once again to her domain....I had not ventured far when another arrived and we joined strengths to head deeper. There was little time to study in depth the giant kin of Shea...nor had I the power to prevent the attack, calm them to study...so a hunt it became. The man of the broad brim handled himself well in the hunt and I was pleased for the company that enabled me to get to see these creatures.''

''I reflect on what I have learned thus far about Aspect of wolf and of the terms of the agreement made. I have thought of means for the first part of this arrangement and spoke of the choices for the shewolf as I see possible. Neither are certain to suit and much depends on how well I can regain the power lost to me since arriving to this city. This first step of the arrangement will take time, my own purpose will unfold as it will and requires more knowledge...I have time yet still.''

[*Pashan01]

The three beasts wandered deeper into the forest, working as pack hunting together. Despite the variations in their species, the three operated as team, one tracking with sharp eyes, one scenting with large snout, one loitering behind letting the others stalk the prey for it would provide the power to kill. An aura encircled the triad of growl, grunt and roar, centred about the wolf that enabled a harmonistic hunting style. Wolf, boar and smilodon trotted and padded softly amidst the fern and grass hunting great snake.

When prey was scented the three took on the first in a snarling and snorting frenzy, the boar and wolf leading the charge and fight. But it was the sharp claws of the saber-tooth felid that finally ripped the head of the serpent from its body and used its almost foot long canines to tear back the scaley skin as it wrestled the thrashing long tail. It then allowed the other two to join it on feasting on the raw snake flesh.

This hunt was for practice, the smilodon new to this 'pack' so the chase was short, no toying made of the prey...the purpose this time simply to hunt, kill and to feed, an act of which even the omnivore boar, a game animal itself, partook.

[*Pashan01]

She ran as wolf again, wild and free...finding company in the two others at the end of the trail...she visited because she could...and had at least hoped to find the shewolf present....finding the three and so meeting continued after initial greet as wolfkin each reformed in his or her own way...one more painfully.

They spoke of hostilities of some in the city against the dragon. Sirin mentioned of such a one she was keen to persuade to attend the Circle...and if she could not persuade the girl...she could perhaps work her charms upon companion and use his influence. Why? for her own reasons....perhaps she had seen something....perhaps not..but she would go with her instincts.

Leadership...Drakos' intent and dream was for equality....yet he was leading the gathering by calling it, therefore by default, an Elder already in Isolfr's view....'he or she..who can summon the unicorn and take noble beast shape...is Elder...he or she who can summon....a gathering....will Elder be'.....though only when the Circle was full...would there truly be equal voice...Sirin could see there was already play for dominance between the two males, one arrogant, one instinctive and feral...aspect of dragon confronting aspect of wolf...with a matriarch of beasts standing to the side calmly watching...reflecting, smirking.

She offered her skills to bring calm to the Circle, beast and their companion alike...for those atuned to the beast it would work...but more persistent solution he sought and told of return to his lands...something he found difficult...Isolfr suggested peace offering warranted upon asking for the aid of his elders....Sirin wondered him foolish to let stubbornness to allow him to lose ties with his grove, his brethren, his 'family' and homeland...but he conceded the need and time to make amends. A seven day might pass before they might meet again as Drakos bade his farewells and in dragonform he took to the skies

[*Pashan01]

"There are two ways of old I believe...and I should not rule out either....one would require mastery of the arcane, someone knowledgable in whom I can trust to tend carefully to my needs....yet it is not without danger...perhaps I may only need to support that other than to rely on my own powers...or perhaps those of the Spirit....nothing is set in stone as to how this will transpire....or, perhaps to be assured of the outcome and its success, both forms...."

"...and so my hunt will be begin for this master of the arcane...go carefully will I...for oft wizardry, sorcery and the natural divine paths vere too greatly for an alignment in quest...certain I must be..."

[*Pashan01]

"The scent of wolf oft marks the beast territory and hunt for snake thwarted...my companion cannot always pick up the more subtler snake scent for the strength of the wolves. I smirk knowing that Isolfr and his kin have had hand in that...I mind it not."

"I am outlander and as such balance must be held. I told truth to one, lie to another. But it was not entirely lie...just different interpretation and expectation. I sense a number of circling vultures about the wolf and so I keep distance, watchful...though the scent stirs instinct...I have yet much to accomplish than merely to make chase and claim upon such a beast...I have my own hunt to make...of spirit and magic....yet the agreement is always in my mind"

"My path crossed with that of a mage new to the city and so I scouted any affinity to nature...ducks were spoken of with dry humour and I sensed an interest...it has potential...though his aversion to scent of my companion may prove drawback...dirt of sewer is not like natural dirt...I accept that...we both came out of that place stinking of city...aroma of boar was better in my opinion...and he should be grateful that my companion dragged him out upon his back when he fell"

"I met again with one I had spent time with in the grey waste upon first arrival to the city. A fighter, one trying to avoid city fey...yet camping in the land of beasts where the unseelie fey are plentiful was not such a wise thing to do...out of the fire and into the pan. He seems innocent in some ways, yet hardened in others and showed notable aversion to snake flesh when I made offer to add some to the campfire...I may persuade him still on that score...encourage the joys of the wilderness to one lacking"

[*Pashan01]

"The agreement stands...despite awkward and heated exchange, being called 'arrogant' to assume without recourse to converse...on account of the company attending the grove....accused of bringing a pack of smilodon in the vicinity and territory of their home...his stretch of what he calls home must be widening...for I commanded mine back and the others did follow before reaching the grove"

"It was good to run as wolf in mixed pack...Tilee of Aeon, Gluboiy of the small bear, another quiet elf Anadra of Cormac and a friend of Tilee's...Taz of the Broad Brim....save the last, all with companion and beast summoned alike, wolf, boar and smilodon running together. It can be done...it just takes some getting used to and perhaps my presence enabled it...to remain harmonious...but I agreed later to bring Isolfr slowly to acclimatise to having predatory feline nearby...if only to preserve that tenuous hold he has on his sanity and endurance "

"The young wolf males made play to the konigen wolf and she toyed, teased...confusing her brother. I took the more persistent one and with a murmur in old tongue, entranced him to my side...She is not for you young one....you will find your mate elsewhere"

"Taken to see the plane of beasts of the eternal night, I worked on the shewolf...easing her heat...laying hand to belly, muzzle and grey brow, leaving her resting with rhythmic sound of the shalm and in so doing, eased the tensions felt to the other feral beast, her wolfsprechend. I begin to make sense of this unusual bond and work on what I can affect...without it affecting me too greatly in return...my will holds....for now"