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Fiction A Story of the Stars

Discussion in 'Fluff and Stories' started by Y'ttar Scaletail, Sep 2, 2016.

  1. Y'ttar Scaletail
    Troglodon

    Y'ttar Scaletail Well-Known Member

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    A Story of the Stars

    “The stars look very different today.”

    Tik’An’Meda (Tik for short), Starpriest of the Observatory-Temple S’Kril-Qah barely looked away from his gaze at the stars.

    “Why are you up here, K’ta?”

    The Chameleon Skink shrugged and moved to stand by the Starpriest who continued his study of the stars. The two were silent for a long while, Tik continuing to move his gaze from star cluster to star cluster through the sacred observing tube of the Old Ones, muttering under breath every now again and making notes on his scribing stone with a piece of chalk.

    “You know why I am here, revered Tik” K’ta finally answered.

    “Patrols have nothing to report as usual, there are no threats even conceivable to our lonely Observatory-Temple, and rather than organising the next patrols you felt bored. So you came to bother me, same as last time...and the time before that...and the ti—“

    “You’re only half right, revered Tik” K’ta interrupted, causing the more venerable Skink Starpriest to scowl. “I...was wondering what purpose our Observatory-Temple had. Surely our efforts would be better spent defending our key Temple Cities rather than continuing to be spread out and easy prey for the desecrators of the Old Ones?”

    Tik turned sharply with angry eyes. The Chameleon Skink instinctively felt his scales shift to match the temple roof. Despite the burning fire that seemed to sweep across Tik’s eyes, his response remained measured. “When have Skinks had any right to question the Plans of the Old Ones? We are birthed from the pools to serve the Plan without question.” He sighed. “Though I fear more and more spawnings are becoming divergent and belligerent to the Plan. As if the influence of our creators are slowly fading away. Too war-like, with thoughts of defence and attack. Far less contemplation of what we need to achieve.”

    “What are we trying to achieve?” asked K’ta nervously.

    Tik turned back to the stars. “What do you see, K’ta?” he asked, sweeping an arm in gesture to the stars above.

    K’ta looked up at the many dots of light that twinkled down at him. “Spots of light, same as always.”

    Tik sighed again. “Do you see this cluster over there?” K’ta followed the Starpriest’s outstretched claw and gave an affirmative. “What does it look like to you?” Tik continued.

    “Spots of light?” answered K’ta timidly.

    Tik snorted and copied the constellation onto his scribing stone and joining up the dots, forming a large serpent. He made sure not to include the feathers as the change of that being the constellation of Tepok to Sotek had caused great friction within the Observatory-Temples when it had been enforced many spawnings before. He turned to show K’ta the stone. “Perhaps a more recent addition to our starcharts, but that cluster forms the constellation of Sotek. Nearby you can make out the shape of the Cowardly Ratman, whom Sotek is forever chasing across the night sky. Sotek will catch it one day.”

    K’ta nodded, impressed.

    “It is the duty of this Observatory-Temple to record the many constellations and their movements. When certain stars cross, or certain constellations are in height, it may be a portent of things to come, or a message from the Old Ones” Tik continued, sweeping out his arms to the night sky.

    “The Old Ones?” asked K’ta.

    “On ancient plaques there are claims our creators came from the stars. I believe they still speak to us from them, helping us on the path to finishing the Plan and warning us of disasters that threaten its future.”

    K’ta didn’t reply and stared almost longingly at the vast blanket of darkness and the tiny lights that seemed to link up in such strange patterns. For a long moment the Chameleon Skink felt utterly small and insignificant in the grand scheme of gods, daemons, and the eternity of the stars. And yet a strange warmth grew within him as he considered the creators perhaps were looking upon him from the stars.

    “What pictures do those sky lights make?” he remarked suddenly, pointing to a cluster of stars that had grabbed his attention.

    Tik turned his gaze and observing tube to the cluster and gave a chirp of shock. He couldn’t believe he’d missed it until K’ta had pointed it out.

    “Is something wrong, revered Tik?” K’ta asked, hand instinctively reaching for the flint dagger at his side.

    “The blade of Quetzl passes the constellation of Huanchi...no...it passes through. This...this is not right.”

    “A warning from the creators?” voiced K’ta with mounting concern.

    “I...I am not sure” Tik replied with a quiver in his voice, “this must be carved onto a plaque and sent to Itza to then be sent with haste to Tlaxtlan. This may be an ill portent for coming struggles.” He quickly marked the scribing stone and gave it to K’ta to pass to the inscribers. K’ta for a moment hesitated, a question forming in his mind, but he turned and dashed away leaving Tik alone.

    The Starpriest stared up at the stars, wondering what this movement could mean.

    He felt cold.

    --------------------------------------------------------

    Another age.

    “My Lord Krri-Tikk?”

    The Slann’s eyelids slowly slid open to look at the memory constructs before him. He lamely gestured with a hand for them to continue. The lead Skink bobbed its head and began again.

    “My Lord Krri-Tikk, as per your instructions, we have explored the depths of the Temple Ship and have recovered several items that were created before we took to the stars and the world still lived.”

    Another memory created Skink scampered forwards laying a number of plaques covered in engravings of the stars. The Slann gestured with his hand and the plaques floated up so he could take a better look. A deep grumbling sound came from the Slann as his eyes moved from plaque to plaque, then with a sigh all but one plaque toppled back to the ground, splintering and cracking.

    “Mmrmmm” intoned the Slann, “This one looks the best. Have its pattern engraved on the ceiling.”

    The memory created Skinks bowed deeply, placed the ceremonial berets upon their heads, and took up the refrain “praise be to Aartzifartzi! Praise be to Aartzifartzi!”
     
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  2. Bowser
    Slann

    Bowser Third Spawning

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    I absolutely loved this one! Great story beautifully told, and then the ending. Just brilliant. Made me laugh anyway. The years of work put into replicating the stars for centuries, and they come down to one slann who fancies itself an art critic! Crunch wise this makes sense for the Age of Sigmar, the slann chooses a constellation and fields it as it's army then rearranges the stars into the constellation best suited to the battle.
    I am reading too much into it probably but I thought it was quite brilliant and a fantastic twist at the end. A screeching halt. You can almost hear the record scratch as you're reading the ending!
     
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  3. spawning of Bob
    Skar-Veteran

    spawning of Bob Well-Known Member

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    Yes, laughs out loud from me, too. A bait and switch ending is only as good as good as the bait, and that first section was a pearl. Other readers may have found the ending a bit cheap, but to me it represented that the author revels in being part of the L-O creative community and really is one of us.

    Then I discover it is written by Y'ttar.

    Burn the Heretic.
     
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  4. Bowser
    Slann

    Bowser Third Spawning

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    Hey now, just because he looks like a rat wearing a couple of flayed skinks, and smells decidedly worse doesn't mean he isn't one of us. Who knows why the old ones chose to er... "bless" his spawning with a certain rat like charm, but I am pretty sure it's part of the supposed great plan everyone is always going on about.
     
  5. thedarkfourth
    Kroxigor

    thedarkfourth Well-Known Member

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    Y'ttar? Rat? I've never heard such nonsense. Would we have given a rat the keys to the Eternity Chamber or put him in charge of managing the sacred plaques? Would we have let a rat enter our story competitions?! The very idea is laughable.
     
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  6. Y'ttar Scaletail
    Troglodon

    Y'ttar Scaletail Well-Known Member

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    Brief answers/comments to review-things:

    Heheh, it's funny because if you look for it, even the intro isn't really that serious. I will agree that the ending was a wet fish to the face of likely a lot of people. *Maniacal chittering laughter*

    I'm surprised not many people twigged what the portent actually meant. Note at the end of the piece Tik has the plaque sent on a long path from temple to temple to eventually arrive at Tlaxtlan but the plaque instead made it to the temple city/ship belonging to our art critic Slann. It seems likely that the plaque never made it to Tlaxtlan in time before a certain End Times happened. I wonder if Tik and K'ta were still staring in worry at the skies when the moon came crashing down onto them...

    Or the plaque was lost in the system and the portent was never truly studied. I leave the true ending up to the readers to decide.

    Who knows? Not me, we never lost control...

    But yeah, I couldn't help myself with the L-O reference, which in no way was a dig at you lot or a criticism of your marvellous art contests. It just seemed right to me to have a (probably insane) Slann with a strange warped ego, creating his own temple ship of art with beret wearing worshippers/attendants. Probably easily made canon in AoS too...

    Heheheh, as I said: it's a very marmite ending. Some people like a wet fish to the face, some do not.

    I may have giggled everytime I used the line "revered Tik"...

    As for what my intent with that ending was...i'll let you keep guessing, Ratty. I'm glad at least I made you (me) laugh and cry at once. :p
     
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  7. Warden
    Slann

    Warden Tenth Spawning

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    Personally I enjoyed the ending. I didn't expect it, complete shocker. Didn't see it coming.
     
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