#Korial

[azurequeen]

the dragon aspects having multiple consorts but also all of them having one (1) who's just. the only one the narrative cares about will never not amuse me

[obsidianas]

idk if i have it in her carrd (all the carrds need updating........) but just, you know, throwing around the timeline and what she's up to in case anyone may be interested in a problematique black dragon and wants to consider when they could've interacted:

in the years onyxia infiltrated court as katrana, nalice also posed as a prestor. but while the first was concerned with nobility, the second had as her mission to influence the stonemasons and ensure no compromise would be accepted. in her disguise as adalyn prestor, she pretended to be a younger sister of katrana. she ended up getting a little too close to edwin vancleef, who she fell in love with, and with who she had a daughter, vanessa. she never revealed the truth to him while they were together during that time.

eventually leaving him and her disguise behind, by the time of wrath she can be found playing a different role. this time, it is wyrmrest she infiltrates, as a means to keep a closer watch on the other flights and the aspects. she convinces them to allow her in their midst, as ambassador of the black dragonflight, and asks the adventurers for help in dealing with the undead in the obsidian dragonshrine, where her brother is. despite being allowed to stand side by side with the aspects, she continuously talks shit about alex, korial and the other reds. physically incapable of pretending to be nice to them. they still let her in though so!

she leaves that position as of cataclysm, when deathwing's return makes the deception unnecessary. but she never manages to really play a part in her flght's plans, as wrathion has rogues sent after their kin and she eventually becomes a target. this leads her to hide in karazhan, where she leads the blackwyrm cult - a cult that worships the black dragons as gods, basically. when she is found and has her magic wielded against her in a battle she can't win, ultimately nalice fakes her death — convincingly enough for the rogue adventurer to be fooled, at least.

she remains into hiding, always moving locations. she only really would make a reappearance by dragonflight, going to the dragon isles as the rest of her kin. she quickly bands with sabellian, and for not i'm believing his word he and the outlanders manage to free themselves of corruption, and that however that was done, it was extended to her. the obsidian citadel is an obvious place to find her, but honestly she'd want to see everything (and likely often be found in the azure archives too). while she is considerably less evil antagonistic, that doesn't apply if you're wrathion, associate with wrathion or support wrathion in any shape or form. also if you're alexstrasza.

[banglanotebook]

SAREES OF BENGAL

While Bengalis have a wide variety of fabrics to choose from, some sarees have stronger ties to Bengal than others. Below are some of the traditional favorites, and I’ve included photos so you can easily recognize these Bengali styles when you see them.

1. West Bengal’s famous white saree with the red border, Garad is made out of Tussar silk or mulberry silk that has not been dyed; the purity of the material in this saree makes it the garment of choice for religious occasions. Garad sarees can be seen decorated with floral or paisley motifs. Sarees that are plain white with bold red borders are Korial sarees and are also native to West Bengal; Korial sarees are the ones that are often worn for Durga Puja.

2. Banarasi fabric was brought to India by the Persians and flourished most prominently in Varanasi (previously named Banaras); while it’s not exactly native to Bengal, it is probably the most popular choice of saree among Bengali brides. This material was first developed for royals and features gold or silver Zari detail, often including Mughal motifs, which are woven into silk. A deep red Banarasi saree adorned in gold detail is essential to the traditional Bengali bridal look.

3. Dating back to 300 AD and perfected in Bangladesh, West Bengal, and Varanasi, Jamdani [জামদানি] sarees were originally favored by the noble women of Bengal for their lightweight comfort and display of remarkable craftsmanship. In a true Jamdani saree, designs are woven into the fabric as opposed to being printed or embroidered, creating the appearance of the designs floating within the otherwise sheer garment. Jamdani was almost exclusively made with muslin or cotton, but today it is sometimes also made with silk and Zari designs.

4. Kantha [কাঁথা] (or the “running stitch”) is the name for the embroidery used in Bengal to stitch pieces of fabric together and is popular among rural communities where fabrics are often recycled. Kantha is seeing more attention as an art form within the fashion industry as this stitching style is as decorative as it is functional. Most Kantha sarees are made of silk or cotton and are covered in beautiful natural imagery and geometric patterns.

5. Another West Bengal treasure, these regal sarees tell stories through stunning details and vivid imagery, from florals and animals to mythological and historical scenes. Baluchari [বালুচরী] sarees are mostly woven with Tussar or mulberry silk, while Swarnachari uses gold or silver threads in additional to silk for a more luxurious appearance.

6. The least expensive saree on this list, Tant [তাঁত] (“loom”) style sarees are equally liked in West Bengal and Bangladesh and are a common choice for casual occasions. Most often made of cotton, these sarees are lightweight and breathable --perfect for Bengal’s hot and humid sub-tropical climate. Tant sarees can also be made of silk for the winter time and tend to have relatively thick borders to help them survive regular wear.

_____

Sarees pictured from left to right: silk saree in a Garad pattern, Banarasi saree, Dhakai Jamdani saree.

There are perhaps hundreds of ways to drape a saree, and different regions in South Asia have varying local styles that reflect the community. The most widely seen draping styles are found in Bollywood/Tollywood and in fashion catalogs, where sarees are wrapped low around the hip to emphasize an hourglass shape, and then finished with several pleats in the front. The pallu end (heavily decorated end) is either neatly pinned to the blouse at the left shoulder to fall down the wearer’s back, or it drapes over the wearer’s left arm for a slightly more conservative appearance. This style is used all over South Asia due to its simplicity, functionality, and figure-flattering fit.

The Bengali draping style is largely associated with elegance, grace, and tradition, and provides a more modest silhouette that offers the wearer a little more coverage than other draping styles. While most draping methods leave the pallu falling down the wearer’s back, the Bengali style drapes the pallu end over the left shoulder and back to the front on the right shoulder. From here there’s some flexibility; either the pallu can cross the chest to be brought back to the left shoulder and pinned (left photo), or it can be draped under and back over the right shoulder and pinned there (right photo), or weighed down with a large key or heavy ornament. Up until England’s Victorian era, Bengali women were bare-chested under their sarees, and therefore didn’t have a blouse to pin their sarees to. Weighing down the end of the saree was a way to ensure it stayed over the shoulder. Even after blouses have long been adopted, weighing the pallu is still a maintained tradition.

The easiest way to discern a Bengali drape is by looking at how the border falls from the left shoulder; if it falls in a straight line to the floor, it’s likely a Bengali drape, but if it’s at a diagonal across the body or the straight edge stops halfway to the floor it’s likely a different style. Overall, the pallu is usually positioned in front of the body with this draping style, allowing the wearer to show off a heavily decorated saree by showcasing more of the fabric.

_____

I hope most of you got to learn something new, and if you guys liked this post lemme know because I’d love to do more when I have the time!

PHOTO SOURCES The sarees pictured come from the following websites:

AJIO

Weaver Story

Bengal Looms India

Jaypore

[tabletopjourneys]

Session 39 Notes

(Skipping ahead so last session notes are in time for a quick read before next session) The Silver Scale Pack split up: While group A confronts The Superb Owl one last time, group B falls for a cryptid and gets teleported to the other side of Bouldergap from their recon mission. Plus: Shopping. Again. lol.

@gher-bear​ @aradow​ @telurin​ @epimetala

On this day The Silver Scale Pack's split missions get critical. Diem and Ixayl'anu have to battle it out with the The Superb Owl and her mob of charmed Bouldergap citizens.

Ultimately they win by deceit and successfully chase The Superb Owl off, back to The Iron Heights (mountains) without any loss of life or nonconsensual fey abductions.

The Bouldergap citizens are pretty grateful once the distance shakes off the last vestiges of charm and begin getting back to their lives, cleaning up the mess of a spontaneous tournament, and finding/checking on loved ones lost in the crowd and/or forgotten in their bespelled states.

In other words, nobody we know of is angry at us for chasing off the pretty owl. They're all pretty aware it was a spell that made them love and admire her so much.

Meanwhile, group B meet one of the near-mythical cryptids called a ropen up close. This one seems to be super ancient and magically potent with decorative colorful jewelry and tattoos that commonly get mistaken for "colorful plumage" in the rare (and doubted) accounts of sightings.

When first attempting to communicate the ropen (accidentally?) deals 3 psychic damage to the safety-bubbled forms of Rana and Fee. It sounds like the angels from Supernatural. Once it corrects this, it's voice still holds tangible power and sounds like an ancient being of immense power speaking to children.

It tells them both they are not safe here and that they have the situation contained and are handling it. Then puts them both to sleep and sends them safely to the other side of Bouldergap out into a field where they wake up about an hour later.

Just in time to hear Diem communicate through the stone that the owl has been handled.

The pack reunites and reports everything to Lawmaster Eldeth. They agree to gather in the morning for another trip out to Stoneroost with the help of two guards.

Their free night until then is spent shopping for gems and supplies. Afterward, Rana and Fee play a training game with their ratties and chill in the Temple of V'kandis until they wake there in the morning and procure another helper for the trip out in the form of a dwarven priestess who offers her healing skills in exchange for being able to check in on her family in Stoneroost.

Ixayl'anu spent the night in the stables with her newly resummoned elk. Diem went off to find and presumably spent the night with the other disguise-loving storyteller The Superb Owl had suggested they have a nice chat with.

(Read More)

(At Least Group A is Safely in Town…Right?)

The Superb Owl: Capture them! (80 ft reach command)

Initiative order starts with Ixayl’anu and then Diem; Ixayl’anu goes first and casts moonbeam on the Superb Owl (it really is a fey owl; though a typo does turn her into the super bowl instead. Just a thought.). Ixayl’anu then runs her 30ft south along the fence.

Diem has to run to catch up as Ixayl’anu shoots past them. “Fly, Ixayl’anu!”. They cast fly on them both as soon as they manage to catch up to her in about 30ft.

5 villagers jump the fence to try and grab us.

One guy across fence to her right manages to grab Ixayl’anu and yank her a little off balance and out of the reach of the guy coming straight at her who’d jumped the southern fence to follow the owl’s orders.

Two guys of three more guys who also jumped the southern fence manage to grab me - one to each arm.

The Superb Owl not only takes half damage from a save (8dmg) by staring her turn in moonbeam, she actually pretends she created the moonbeam as an awe-inspiring spotlight for attention. She spreads her wings and flies straight up in it, showboating a little, and says, in an enunciating announcer voice: Bring them to me and I will deal with the heretics!

Practically everyone near the owl by the northern gate of the square arena and out in an oval of about 40 ft east and west is gazing in star-struck admiration at the owl.

Ixayl’anu struggles to get loose and succeeds her strength check, gets loose and flies 30 ft up and 30 ft east.

Diem uses fey presence to go all Galadriel-style-you-would-have-a-dark-queen visage and voice to inspire fear (16 wis check): Not me you fools!

This works on four out of five of the guys around them, but the one who resists just happens to be one of the guys holding on to them, who actually tightens his grip in half panic as Diem tries to fly away with him still attached (contested strength check failed). They only succeed in lifting him a few feet off the ground.

Diem to Ixayl’anu: Get out of here, go get the others!

A new guy enters the area from the south gate and helps the first pull me back down to the ground as those other four continue to cower a few feet back from me.

The owl takes 4 dmg starting in moonbeam again and doesn’t care, the barely-felt pain is worth the extra awe-inspiring beauty of her spotlight. She is hovering there at about the same height as Ixayl’anu (about 30ft off the ground): Keep that one contained, I will get the flying one!

She’s sad to leave her moonbeam, but flies after Ixayl’anu and misses both attacks. Screams: Look at me! (tries to charm Ixayl’anu and fails)

Ixayl’anu screams right back at her and lands all 3 attacks plus a level 2 smite: 45 total damage. “Never trust owls!”

The Superb Owl screeches again.

Diem goes completely limp and in the owl’s voice says: I have possessed this one, you can let it go. (23 deception)

Everyone buys it and lets Diem go. They immediately zoom 30 ft up and 30 ft toward Ixayl’anu, flying with her between me and the owl.

Guys who let them go realizing their mistake: Oh shit!

(3D chess for everyone now!)

The Northern portion of the crowd begins surging toward us as well, both guys who had Diem are running after them even though they’re 30 ft up.

Korial, the feathered dragonborn from one of Ixayl’anu’s home islands (who had been in charge of and enlisted in the fighting competition) had come out at some point, disappeared in his tent again, and is now coming out, handing off nets to capable-looking people nearby so he can take a shot with his bow at Ixayl’anu. He hits her for 10 dmg

The Superb Owl screams in Ixayl’anu’s face again and tries to grab at her for a grapple. 18 slashing damage and a strength check of 20 vs 21. Ixayl’anu pulls herself away from the grapple at the last minute, which is ruled one reason why the claws hurt so much - made the wound worse pulling out of the grasp.

Ixayl’anu’s next attack misses, but her 2nd does 15dmg plus another smite for 9 more dmg (total 24dmg).

Diem still doesn’t want to hurt the owl if they can avoid it, it’s chaotic good, but just doesn’t understand the concept and finality of death for mortals or why consent is important for the little honor guard it’s trying to create. They are out of big spells, but still have a lightning bolt in their ring if it comes down to it. However, the people also need to know this fey is willing to kill them for the sake of convenience anyway. It’s not outright evil, but inhuman enough it will kill them as easy as praise them.

As such, totally trying to create some doubts and tarnish the awe, show a little truth in a dramatic way, Diem moves their hands in front of their face as if they’re casting a spell, conveniently blocking anyone able to see their face from seeing their mouth move as they mimic The Superb Owl’s voice again, as loud as they can supervillain style and say: I will kill anyone who fails me! (21 deception).

A good amount of people around the South fence pause a little bit at this, including the guys who let them go during the last deception.

After that, Diem shoots Northwest and up 60ft to get above and behind The Superb Owl without flying close enough on the way to cause an attack of opportunity (essentially 20ft behind the owl to the northwest and 30ft up for a total of 60ft above ground and away from Korial’s bow).

They cast an eldritch blast but their heart still really isn’t in killing this pretty fey creature yet (Ixayl’anu is definitely not holding back for sure). Their first blast of crackling iridescent magic misses entirely as a result, and the other is held back too much, doing only 3dmg.

The guys who got nets from Korial are now close enough to throw them at Ixayl’anu, but both nets go wide without accidentally ensnaring any of the people under her instead.

Korial shoots at Ixayl’anu again, but misses.

The Superb Owl: Get more archers! Stop using the nets!

She disengages from Ixie and flies a bigger circle away. She goes up to about 80ft off the ground and take a commanding view of the whole area.

Ixayl’anu has seen birds of prey do this maneuver - she’s getting height so she can do a dive at Ixayl’anu (from 50ft above her now/20ft higher up than Diem is). Diem is clueless what this means for Ixayl’anu.

Ixayl’anu drops moonbeam and downs a potion (16 healing) on her way to get behind the owl and in front of me, close enough she and Diem both get the advantages of the bless she casts in moonbeam’s place (add a d4 to any attack roll or saving throw for a minute - 10 rounds).

Diem casts message on The Superb Owl, speaking directly in her head in sylvan, using their patron’s voice: Harm my pets and mark my words you will have an archfey hounding your immortality, making sure no one anywhere ever even thinks about worshipping you ever again (Intimidation check of 26).

The Superb Owl’s wingbeat pauses and she dips down a couple of feet in reaction. She’s still for the moment.

Diem yells out as loud as they can, in part for the Northside audience this time (and in their own voice): This is your last chance, do this the right way, no one’s taken by force and no one dies if they refuse!

24 performance for the crowd gets another big circle near enough to hear who are beginning to doubt. This includes Korial who has run forward enough he heard Diem’s yell. He also pauses and shakes his head a little bit.

The owl takes a good look around at the chaos and doubters, she screams an angry and hurt sound: None of you were really worth it anyway!

She disengages, picks up speed by dropping about 30 ft (still about 50ft from the ground though) and books it back toward the iron heights.

Ixayl’anu misty steps after her and crackles lightning effects, swiping at the air in the Superb Owl’s direction, making noises to reinforce driving her away and generally trying to be intimidating “You better run!” style. She rolls an 11 for intimidation. She can’t see the owl’s face for obvious reasons, but feels like she did a good job.

(The “Victory Speech” No One Asked For)

Diem flies lower toward the ground and makes themself look like an autumn-and-firey-sun themed archfey with a slightly higher voice than their patron’s to address the people around then. Their impulsive goal here is mainly to check on the hostility levels of the crowd while also trying to make sure a the presence of an archfey makes it into some stories. Just in case any of those get back to The Superb Owl in the future. They don’t use their own patron’s looks because they don’t know how their patron would feel getting that credit. They do go for a fiery-autumn look thinking this heavily V’kandis sun god religious area might attribute the deed in story to V’kandis instead, or an archfey follower (vague spur-of-the-moment possibilities for how this story gets retold over the years lol). Their performance is only a 16 for this though and it’s ruled that most people are simply distracted by the charm suddenly getting dispelled, becoming worried about loved ones and children/parents, etc. no longer in sight. Either way, everyone clearly knows what happened now (insofar as being charmed goes). Diem finished the story with what the owl had been planning, that it wasn’t just harmless (to hopefully discourage later retellings from making the owl out to be something to be tolerated the next time it comes around. Like no, it was definitely planning to take people against their will and seriously considering killing anyone merely for refusing to go with it. As they see the mood of the whole crowd shifting toward deflated sadness and seriousness, they end with what they hope is an inspiring message to find their loved ones and celebrate the return of their freedom. Diem knows it’s not their best work for sure, but they think it went over reasonably well for people being understandably distracted by suddenly remembering all the things and people and tasks the owl made them forget. They do notice Korial is standing there just listening and watching, head tilted after the hold on him was also dispelled.

At the end, Diem then pretends, for the benefit of whomever might still be watching, to be released by the mysterious autumn-fire entity who’d possessed them, their own visage fading back in as they get their bearings and look up at Ixayl’anu. They pull out their sending stone and say into it: Owl taken care of, we’re on our way to you guys in Stoneroost, let us know if we shouldn’t.

(Rana and Fee are falling!)

Fee makes a perception or investigation of 23 right before they start falling, they both hear a crack of thunder even though the sky isn’t stormy. Arcana check of 2 - Fee thinks it’s thunderbird thunder, there might be a thunderbird nearby she just doesn’t know.

Rana was showboating a little like “look at my mountains!” before she fell.

They feel cocooned in this nice little bubble of antigravity and have a slow descent that stops right above the trees like levitating above the treeline.

The ropen are following their descent with intent. 30-40 ft away still, it has embellishment on it - what Rana assumed was a natural coloration, it’s a paint/tattoo and jewelry situation.

These details make no difference to Fee.

Rana has an arm extended toward Fee about to cast a polymorph, but then they’re slowing down to a stop. “Fee are you okay?”

“Yeah, you?” Fee was also reaching for her hand and they manage to grasp hands.

When they stop, Fee tries to see if she can swim in the air, but she doesn’t move.

Rana: were you hit?

Fee: No you?

Rana: No

Fee: Can you become an owl again?

Rana: No...well, yes, but not the same way and I don’t know what knocked me out of owl to begin with (Rana is watching the Ropen as they talk - it’s taking its sweet time to get to them like a turkey vulture rather than any bird of prey about to swoop down and snatch you motions.

Fee looks for the ground through the trees and asks something I missed.

Rana perceives 18 trying to see if there are any other ropen around. 100 ft or so and getting closer (overiding the shorter distance earlier). She casts speak with animals and calls out: “Hello!?” (holds her hands out in peaceful gesture, rats freaking out with “What the fuck is happening?!” type chatter in her ears now).

Rana and Fee must make a con save, both fail (7 and 9, respectively). Both begin to hear ringing sounds in their ears - it’s SPN angel speak type noise. It crescendos to the point it hurts, all in their head, past the point of unbearable for a half second before it cuts out and they take 3 psychic dmg.

The ropen is close enough to hover in front of them after that and they both hear an intense psychic voice “This is not a safe place to be so I am going to bring you back to the nearest settlement - you should not be here until we handle it.”

Rana: We can’t go back, we’re here to figure out what’s going on.

Ropen: We’re taking care of it, their invisible bubbles of levitation start moving both Rana and Fee back the way they came.

Rana makes one persuasion check of 6 before the ropen puts them both to sleep. The whole time the ropen made them feel like they were being talked to as a child by an ancient, one that radiates strong magic.

(The zone you tried to access is down for maintenance; have a portal, take a nap)

Both Fee and Rana wake up feeling like it was really brief, but find themselves in a field outside Bouldergap. (Tournament was southwest of Bouldergap, they wake up northeast of Bouldergap - slightly farther away from town, and directly North of the road in.

Wisdom saving throws: 13 Rana, 20 Fee; Rana wakes up without memory of why she’s even here, the last she remembers she was an owl flying to Stoneroost. She tries to point at the empty air like the ropen is still there though.

Rana: Look, look that’s the thing I saw!

Fee: Yeah we both saw it…?

Rana: Yeah it’s right there! (the air is obviously empty though)

Fee: Uuuhhhhh…

Rana: Wait a minute, why are we back here? (She checks on the rats, who she can no longer understand, but that’s okay because she doesn’t remember casting that spell anyway.)

Fee: Oh, I see, what’s the last thing you remember, friend?

Rana: Flying

Fee: And then we were falling.

Rana statues.

Fee: Here’s what I think happened, I think your bird demons have some kind of bubble around Stoneroost because you somehow became not an owl and we were plummeting toward the ground and they slowed our descent and they made this awful noise screaming in our heads or maybe just my head and then talked to us like kids and were like “No we don’t need your help, we got this dudes.” (She retells the whole thing with more words than this but this is all I got transcribed live).

Rana looks doubtful: I think I’d remember that...

Fee: Yeah you would think…

At about this time, Diem’s voice comes through on the sending stones.

Diem: Owl taken care of, we’re on our way to you guys in Stoneroost, let us know if we shouldn’t.

Fee picks up almost immediately: No, don’t go to Stoneroost - fly to the other side of the tournament just out of town, we’re, well...marco polo or something when you get close until you find us and we’ll catch you up on--

Rana interrupts: Meet us at the gate into Bouldergap.

Fee: Yeah. That probably works better.

It will take Diem and Ixayl’anu about 5 minutes to fly to their destination.

In the meantime, as Rana and Fee walk toward said gate, they talk about what Rana doesn’t remember. She is very VERY interested in everything Fee has to say about the ropen. Fortunately for her, while Fee didn’t care about all the details of the ropen, she did take note of them with her high perception and was able to describe them pretty accurately to Rana - including the detail that they aren’t naturally colorful so much as wearing paint or tattoos and decorative jewelry that glints in the sun. Rana doesn’t know enough about ropen to say whether any of this was normal or not.

The lore for them is only that they’re brightly coloured pterodactyl-like creatures. No one’s gotten close enough to realize it’s not a natural thing and Rana thought they were just animals until now.

They do both remember getting just past the area where we saw the abominations on the road before they were stopped and ported away.

(Together again)

As Diem and Ixayl’anu approach and land, they find Fee and Rana both looking pissed, Rana has her map out, half plotting a route through the mountains instead.

Diem: How’d you guys get over here? Nevermind because…(they proceed to excitedly tell how things went with the owl - including the bit Ixayl’anu was not yet aware of about the message spell convincing the owl that their patron promised retribution if their pets, plural, were harmed)

Ixayl’anu preens with pride over her actions and shining moments during the story. We did not highlight, live, that she would be hearing the message that chased the owl off for the first time though, so there’s no noted reaction to that bit.

Rana (after Diem concludes the story): I hope the Ropen gets it.

Ixayl’anu: Ropen?

Rana looks at Fee: Well, since I don’t remember what happened…?

Fee: Yeah...remember how Rana was gonna carry me safely and we were gonna do this recon mission…?

Rana glares into the open air at nothing over the whole situation.

Fee: Once we got a little more than halfway to Stoneroost, just past where we were before we hit a bubble or something I don’t know but that big Rope-Roc bird thing flew in and Rana got switched back and we were falling then we were not falling and then the bird thing screamed in our heads and it hurt. Then was all like, “Don’t come over here I got this.” and then I don’t know yeah that’s when we were put to sleep and moved over here. I guess Rana must’ve been dropped too hard because she doesn’t remember it all.

(Again, there were definitely more words used than this, more things said, all amusing retellings, but this is all I got transcribed live)

Rana: They’ve never stopped me going through the mountains before, so I’m thinking we go through the mountains and hike out there in the morning. (She also notes that they didn’t see abominations on the road though, at least).

We talk about possibly going by road one more time, but this time, coming out silver scale first to see if that gets us in the door with these Ropen. Among our options is Rana just straight flying out there again with one of us on her back, Ixayl’anu riding on her elk, or possibly hiking back out there and flying for the last 10-20 minutes. All with the silver scale and letter ready to show as a potential vip pass.

Diem pulls out their sending stone and starts to catch the guard captain up on everything as we head her way to check in.

Eldeth: Just meet me at the guard house, this is too much to take in over sending stones.

(At the guard house)

By the time we get there Eldeth says she’s heard many different stories but they all start with YOU (here she points at Ixayl’anu) breathing lightning all over the damned thing.

Ixayl’anu (not in the least as guilty as she should be lol): Yeah…

Eldeth: (nods to self like “Alright then.”) Well we hadn’t tried that, but it worked.

Diem fills her in with 25 performance on every little detail of everything tried first and failed and why etc. including visual demonstration of the archfey they tried to put in the story for retelling in case anything got back to the owl at least some versions might have an archfey involved.

Eldeth seems to appreciate all the details: Well, we had a deal and you handled it, but I’m not gonna lie I’d prefer to help you through to Stoneroost in the morning.

She calls in two guards for us though - a dark blue skinned goliath barbarian type named Mash Jufrin who has a pegleg (Mash was one of the dumb guards from the other day) and a reddish older looking warrior tiefling named Tioshikio Ayibi. Eldeth introduces them and says, “These are who I can spare - they’re the best at smashing things.”

Mash (laughing): Yeah I’m best at smashing things.

Diem: Delighted to meet you (to Eldeth after looking at the rest of their party) I’m definitely for the morning though too, I could use a short rest?

The others nod agreement.

Tio: In that case, I’ll go help out with breaking down all the festival havoc and meet you all at the gate out toward Stoneroost in the morning.

As Diem notices no one is telling the Stoneroost route story, they message Fee to ask why they’re not telling their story.

Fee out loud: Oh yeah you should totally do that!

Diem (also out loud now): Me? Oh...okay *tries to remember everything Fee said and does a 26 performance on telling their story*

Only because of that performance do they not laugh at Diem outright for talking about sky bigfoot but Eldeth is still looking at Rana (the local of our group) like “Seriously?”

Rana gives a look back like yeeaaaah...it is though, I know how it sounds. (She’d been wincing and frowning at every mention of ropen during the story.)

Eldeth believes us but points out that she wouldn’t otherwise if not for the owl and everything crazy that’s been going on of late. She recommends Tio to get more supplies to that end from the armory. We all part ways, Diem getting their extra sending stone back after announcing they have a date to get to.

(Free evening for shopping and more!)

We get the evening to do whatever we like. Rana needs a 300 gold diamond, so she’s going to go shopping. Since it’s on the way to other places we’re all headed, we all go with. Rana gets distracted by all the shiny pretty gems, Ixayl’anu has to pry her away eventually. Rana picks up 2 diamonds and can’t help herself, picks up 2 rubies, a sapphire and an emerald. Loose stones that call to her. Handful of rubies and pretty things.

Diem forgot in the live session but since it was determined they were there for the shopping on their way back to Emmen’s festival tent, they have been approved for also picking up some pretty stones and would have been just as enthralled by the pretties as Rana lol. Gem haul (whopping total of 1500gp lol): Includes 3, 10gp titanium rainbow peacock kyanite feathers, a large Iolite/Cordierite sample that is dark blue with white and clear crystal clusters in it at first glance - looking closer at various angles reveals the whites to shift into shades of silver that blend in with the blues that also shift with lighting into shades of black and violet as well (300gp for a small “brick” sized uncut chunk). Another normal-sized sample of this same uncut stone for 50gp, a water opal with an imperfection that looks like a crescent moon, worth 1000gp (the two big ticket items are to be gifts for their patron, if anyone asks), and topped off with a pouch of additional, hand-selected rough cut samples of asst other stones mostly in shades of teals and purples (basically would look like a small stash of rough fluorite, quartz, etc.). They also pick up a little amethyst cat figuring worth 100gp (because gifts to the fey should always come in threes).

Ixayl’anu hauls us out of there before we spend ALL of our money there (I mean for her goddess’ sake, it’s not like they’re the teeth of a rare and impressive beast or something) and goes off to find a shop with healing potions where she buys two common healing potions (100g total).

Diem gets 2 greater healing potions for 150 each.

Rana says she’s going to the temple, everyone but Diem is gonna join her there. Diem splits off from the rest to find their aforementioned “date.”

Ixayl’anu resummons her elk in the temple courtyard. It takes her 10 minutes to do so. He bugles frantically as though no time had passed since he was attacked and Ixayl’anu is there with horse girl hugs and affection that he appreciates as she calms him down.

Mutanamri quietly comes up to her during this: So while you’re welcome to stay here, and we appreciate all your help recently...your steed does have to stay outside the temple...it’s a little bit of a sacrilegious thing, so if you could put it out in the stables please?

Ixayl’anu nods and says she understands. She and her elk continue their affectionate reunion on the way to stables. She spends the night in the stables with her elk, sleeping together.

Rana floats the idea with Fee to do a find the item and retrieve course for the rats outside the temple somewhere. Fee agrees. Rana hands Fee a frickin ruby for this game and uses a frickin emerald for Hamlet, hiding them for retrieval. These are the games of the rich, people lol. Rana casts speak with animals and they send the rats out on their missions. They make animal handling checks of 8 for Rana and 17 for Fee 17. Horatio wins! It does help that he recognizes the “retrieve” game through practice a little better than Hamlet does.

We confirm that tiny animals stopped speaking draconic about a couple miles out of Longview. So Fee can also speak to and understand her rat through her ring.

Afterward Rana settles down by the flame and Fee with her, presumably.

(In the morning…)

In the morning, after everyone’s gotten up and performed early morning mass, Alka Briskfizz, a dwarven priestess in green, gold, and cream-colored robes, her orangey-red hair in pigtails approaches Rana and Fee: I heard you helped with the owl situation and I know you talked to Mutanamri a little bit about that already. I’m actually here right now because I’d like to offer my services for your other trip - I’ve got some family in Stoneroost as well. It would be nice to go up and see them with your group, make sure everything’s alright. I have some healing capabilities.

Rana nods: We’ll take all the help we can get.

Fee: Yeah…

Alka: Good - though...I thought there was more of you?

Rana: Yeah, we have to go collect one of us somewhere in town and the other is sleeping in the stables with her elk.

(some missed conversation for sure)

Fee: Have you heard anything more about what might be going on?

Alka: Every time I’ve been on the road it’s been uneventful, so this is new to me.

Fee talks about how the road was creepy and Alka says that’s definitely not normal for the pass.

Rana talks about what to expect on the road, mentions the ropen but frames it like, ‘yeah, we know it sounds crazy, but with everything else that’s going on, why not an impossible cryptid too?’.

Fee chimes in every now and then.

Alka’s listening politely. Rana insight checks at a 12 on her reactions - she seems skeptical but open to there being something best described, for now, as a mythological cryptid.

They swing by the stable first to pick up Ixayl’anu and that’s where the session ends.

[diguerra-moved]

.

[nalak-bel]

Hi, hi ! Here is a first post I guess, because everyone needs a first post to start-

So I'm Nalak, I'm a freelance illustrator and here is Meralbayr, my ARK character with her argentavis Korial, because ARK is a cool game ! :D

beware @ampreh , here I am for real this time-

[bengalisareeme]

The Bengal Beauty - Sarees From The East

Ladies of all age bunches are brilliant in saree like Tant, Baluchari, Daccai Jamdani and that’s only the tip of the iceberg. Bengali saree come in seven distinct sorts. To pick a portion of these you can go for Indian saree internet shopping.

Tant

Tant sarees are extremely acclaimed among Bengali ladies. It was during the Mughal time that they picked up the best ubiquity. They feel fresh and delicate to the touch. The tant sarees are produced using cotton. Generally during Durga Puja, particularly during aartis, you will see most ladies clad in these sarees, making an ocean of red and white. Obviously, different hues and examples are accessible among tant saree.

Baluchari

The causes of these sarees can be followed back to a little town in Bengal by the name Baluchari. Most Bengali ladies wear these sarees, and they are intended for practically a wide range of events. These five yards sarees come in delightful structures – each with its remarkable example. Botanical structures effortlessness the whole body of the saree, while the pallu runs on fire with astonishing legendary scenes alongside buttas.

Daccai Jamdani

These are extremely delicate sarees produced using Egyptian cotton and are weaved by hand. These are viewed as gathering wear saree, and most ladies wear them during different celebrations and weddings. In spite of the fact that these sarees were a piece of Bengali sarees, they are prominently known as Bangladeshi sarees since the parcel.

Garad

The term ‘Garad” signifies white, and it alludes to the undyed silk. These sarees typically come in the celebrated white and red example. The pallu has red stripes on it. The outskirts are likewise made in earthy colored, gold, red, orange, green and different hues. Despite the fact that the saree many have minimal flower designs close to the fringe, the body is normally plain.

Tussar Silk

Tussar silk originates from the modest community of Malda in West Bengal. They create it from the hives of mulberry. This silk is profoundly finished and an assortment of saree are planned from it. Patta and Butti plans are well known among these sarees.

Korial

The name of this saree originates from “kora” which means plain. This is again the acclaimed white saree of Bengal with the red outskirt that graces the closet of each Bengali lady. In contrast to the Garad, the outskirt and the pallu of these sarees have more many-sided examples and themes. During Durga Puja, most wedded women wear these sarees, and they additionally offer comparative saree to the divinity.

Murshidabad Silk Saree

It is a popular silk saree from Bengal, and it goes back to the eighteenth century. The east India organization is said to have helped in setting two manufacturing plants to deliver this silk.

For more information:-

Buy Jamdani Sarees Online

Shop Online for Dhakai Jamdani Sarees

Buy bengali Linen Sarees Online

Buy Pure Linen bengali Sarees Online

[adiakshoy-blog]

Korial Benarasi

Price             : 6790/-

https://bit.ly/2zoUUZ8

[lipetsksit-blog]

What Is The Durga Puja And How Is It Celebrated?

In the month of September-October when the season ‘Sarat' brings a bunch of white cloud in blue sky the whole Bengal celebrates ‘Durgapuja, Bengali's biggest festival. Durga Puja is the greatest festival of the Bengali community. Choose from our special Durga Puja tour packages to celebrate this vibrant festival. Maha Shashti: As per mythology, Maha Shashti is known as the day when Goddess Durga landed on earth with her 4 children Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Laxmi, Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya.

Mr Mukherjee said, "Now a party has suddenly come up which is not even hesitating to spoil the mood of Durga Puja celebrations by bringing in people who had never been part of our celebrations". A seller may need to showcase Korial Lal Paar sarees on the platform for users in West Bengal during Durga Puja season.

Kumari Puja, a special attraction of Durga Puja festival in Bengal, is held to celebrate this faith through ceremonious worship of young girls in sense of Divine Mother. But Mother Worship has evolved from a tradition into a living religion for Indians. The householder disciples of Sri Ramakrishna and orthodox Brahmins of nearby area had been specially invited, and thousands of people, irrespective of the distinctions of caste or religion, attended the three-day festival.

Goddess Durga is considered by Hindus to be the mother of Ganesha, and Kartikeya. Fresh flowers are offered to Goddess Durga every day. Most of the city shuts down for the last four days of the festival, named Saptami, Ashtami, Navami and Dashami. At this time Durga is worshipped as Chamunda (that is, Kali who killed the demon Chanda and Munda).

West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh said the people have rejected the CPI(M) and the Congress and has chosen the saffron party as the only alternative to end the "misrule of the TMC in Bengal". In the east, the most attractive part of the celebrations is the puja mandaps, which are brightly colored, gaily decorated and bursting at seams with devotees assembled to worship the goddess.

KOLKATA, India (RNS) — Every year, Durga Puja is celebrated across India during the seventh month of the Hindu calendar, marking the victory of female power over the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. The Balaka Bengali Cultural Association's Durga Puja will have a five foot five, 13-pound robot called Mitra to greet visitors, The Times of India reported.

During Durga Puja, the Divine Mother is worshiped in her various forms as Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswati. This festival marks the victory of goodness over evil power, a buffalo demon Mahishasura. Durga Pooja is one of the most important festivals of Hindu. Then the Pujari and Tantradharak circumambulate the altar and perform the visarjan ritual.

It is an important festival in West Bengal, India which is used for the ceremonial worship of the Mother Goddess, otherwise known as Goddess Durga. Durga Puja 2019 Date in India Calendar: For Bengalis across the globe, Durga Puja is one of the most anticipated festivals, the preparation of which begins months in advance.

[azurequeen]

thinking about the dragons being polygamous. even the aspects all have obvious favorites, or at least one who is more relevant than the others (kori.alstrasz for alex, siridor.mi for nozd.ormu, eranikus for ys.era, sindra.gosa for mal.ygos, sin.tharia for nel.tharion), they're all suggested or stated to have more than one consort, and while the game points more to a sort of "they're all in a relationship with the aspects but not with each other" I want to say that's not always the case and sindragosa and saragosa were wives as well as married to malygos bye

honestly though, while I think they all have different ways things work, I really think all the consorts were at least good friends with each other like with how korial respects tiran immensely, in part bc if they were all competing that'd be a mess, in part bc I think presenting poly and/or open relationships positively is more interesting

[obsidianas]

and with being freed of corruption i think she could, in part, see some of the wrongs of her flight (and of deathwing and onyxia, both of who she idolized). but i don't think she's ever apologetic, or guilty, or regretful about (most) of her actions, because she did what she had to do to survive, and to fight for her flight's survival. corruption doesn't have as much to do with it as the enmity and hatred they had to face from all sides. in her small appearance in canon, she outright calls alex and korial hypocrites for not caring to help

The Scourge comes. Korialstrasz calls upon his allies in a futile attempt to save their Ruby Dragonshrine, but it seems the good graces of the red flight don't extend to saving the shrines of the other flights. Surprised? I'm not.

-

There is another of my brood who has left to clear our Obsidian Dragonshrine and the undead vermin that now infest it. All it would take to prove yourself more noble and righteous than Alexstrasza herself is a quick jaunt over there and a few swings of a blade.

she resents the other flights deeply not just by their inaction, but because the action they took was to hunt down the corrupted, which is also a reason why she'd hate wrathion even if she hadn't been one of his targets. there was never any help to be had, only judgment and sentence passed on them for what they were. it made her bitter. she doesn't regret cruelty against other flights, or against mortals who took so much of her flight too (and who were often seen as more worthy of help than her kin). so sure, freed of corruption i think she can see much more clearly deathwing went insane and was going to end them all, and not all of onyxia's ideas are actually sound, and not everything in her flight's history is a legacy to be proud of and fight for, but it doesn't change she's willing to be violent and cruel and ruthless because those were not a result of corruption but traits she developed to survive an utterly hostile environment from a young age. and although i just made that super long post about the black dragonflight leadership situation, i think she only cares because it's about her kin, her family, the last people who give her any semblance of belonging and understand truly and completely all she went through - but that when it comes to interacting with or allying with other flights she couldn't care less, she doesn't want them restored to their place with the other dragons or whatever. the other dragons never did anything to help them.

[art-now-germany]

Korial VI, Wolfgang Kahle

02.02.2015, ©Wolfgang Kahle, 70 x 90 cm, mixed media on canvas

https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Painting-Korial-VI/719391/2406967/view

[diguerra-moved]

you should write about Alex's reaction to Korialstrasz accidentally adopting Wrathion;;

SEND ME META ASKS // accepting.

Alexstrasza would be actually very glad that he does, and that Wrathion lets Korialstrasz near him. Canon never made it explicit if the reds hunted Wrathion on her orders, but I personally cannot see it being the case — or her even being aware of what Rhea did until much too late. Alex is not vengeful, she’s not cruel, and she’s not the kind of person who’d be willing to do anything to reach a certain goal. Even if the Red Dragonflight would not forgive the orcs, or the Blacks, for Grim Batol and everything else, Alexstrasza’s only act is against the one orc who directly wielded the Dragon Soul to keep her captive, and who repeatedly killed her unborn children to force her into cooperation, and enslaved the ones who survived. The entire point that eventually leads to Wrathion is that she wants the Black Flight saved, not destroyed. So yeah, my take on it is that she would not have participated, and much less ordered, all the shitty things her flight did towards Wrathion.

That said, she considers herself responsible, if indirectly. Alexstrasza did give the order for them to find ways to purify the blacks, and definitely put too much trust in none of them crossing lines that she would have deemed obviously should not be crossed. It was under her rule that they went after Wrathion, and all her flight did caused him to grow up alone and scared, with no one to look after him. Because of that, even if she would have tried to reach out to Wrathion, she does not; she’s not a presence he welcomes, because he obviously blames her, and Alex thinks giving him as much distance as he needs to feel safe and comfortable is all she can really do, even it she only wanted to help.

This is all to establish that her feelings towards Wrathion aren’t at all antagonistic. She’s not distrusting of him, she doesn’t resent him; she feels guilty about what happened to him. She wanted to help, but she never feels like she is in a position she has any right to. 

So she would be reasonably surprised that Wrathion ends up allowing Korialstrasz to get close to him at all, but it would be a welcome surprise; while she wouldn’t ever expect him to trust one of the Red flight, it is the kind of thing that beyond the initial ‘wait what how did this happen’ reaction would make her somewhat content. Because if anyone could look after Wrathion and guide him towards a better path, Alex definitely thinks Korial to be the best possible option. 

So ultimately, this doesn’t change that she’d keep her distance, but she would be more than glad to hear anything Korialstrasz wished to tell her about Wrathion, and that Wrathion wouldn’t be all alone. At the same time, I think she’d be glad for Korialstrasz too; because he has always been a great dad to their children, but even more so, one who likes being a dad, and that his bond with Wrathion would make him good in light of that, and of the guilt he carries in regards to having had to destroy the eggs. Specially considering when Wrathion is born, and that it is after Korialstrasz had been through so many awful things that are likely not things one can recover from completely, Alex would certainly hope this would make him as much good as it would Wrathion. 

tldr: it is a development she definitely didn’t foresee, so she’s a little !!! at first, but she’s very glad her boys have each other, and she thinks it’s very good for them both that they do.

[balaram-saha]

[chibiskittles]

pleh

i am thinking i might retire from raiding two different toons next expansion.  Thing is, its getting harder and harder to stay up all hours to raid with my horde guild, as much as i like them.  Ive gotten so used to being in bed by midnight during the week that staying up those three extra hours drains me. i hate calling it quits, cause it feels like ive given up.  I know thats not the case, but it sure as hell feels like it.  :/ Joes looking forward to it too, means we can do more on Fridays and Saturdays again, instead of having obligations to be at home (instead...maybe i can teach him how to play better :P) havent decided if Zaf is staying Horde or switching back to Alliance yet though.  Im leaning toward switching her home.  Keep Oreo and Deadtorh on korial though.