Plumis Praetus {Role-play thread}

[Shadow Sharpfang]

The bird narrowed his eyes but didn't decline the request. "No, I'll take your question. Here, come in, and keep your voice down."

[Wolfstar]

Aarne nodded, coming into the ex-sage's home. "It's about the... Urm, experiment. I'm helping out a few birds who want to overthrow Rose-singer, and one of them overheard talk about it."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

The sage grunted in surprise. "You heard about it?" he asked, voice low and grave. "You're talking about many fragile topics, my friend, but it's good you came to me. I am, or rather was, the head of that experiment. My apprentices have since replaced me, but they are keeping me updated, so I can answer your questions. What do you need to know?"

[Wolfstar]

He kept in a sigh, happy that he found someone who knew what he was talking about. "What it is, for once. I remember very little when it started, and only delivered messages to other sages. Know that I know that it may effect the balance, I need to know what this experiment is about."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

The ex-sage sighed. "Well, it's a little difficult to talk about when I don't have it right in front of me, but I'll try to explain it to you. See, before Rose-singer attacked, I think that Aurestra Diuras sensed that his time was almost up even though we were winning the war. He came to us abruptly and requested that we begin developing a weapon to triumph over all weapons, one that could come to life in our time of need and correct anything that has been wronged. See, our weapon is special, because it's alive - a breathing, walking killing machine." He sighed and tapped his beak with his talon. "The only problem is, I failed to finish it before Diuras was slaughtered and I was revoked of my rank."

[Wolfstar]

"I see, but you continue to check on it in secret with the help of your apprentices." He felt himself shiver. "But to create a weapon that lives, how is that possible?"

[Shadow Sharpfang]

"We worked day and night to find some manner of giving life to an inanimate being. Truth be told, we dabbled in all sorts of forbidden practices, trying to find something that just might work. We started small, and we actually managed to bring a dead bumblebee back to life. Then it was simply a matter of manipulating the formulae to accommodate a much larger creature." He laughed. "The ancestors probably look down on us, but we do what we must to live on. Diuras was very open-minded about the whole thing, thankfully, and allowed us to do anything necessary."

[Wolfstar]

"I see, bringing life to something that was once dead is no easy task." Aarne looked down in thought, wondering how many nights it took to just bring a bumblebee back to life. "I'm nervous about what this weapon can do. How much power does it hold?"

[Shadow Sharpfang]

"This is up for debate," the sage answered. "We won't truly know until it is finished and has been awakened. It's about the size of a large raven, but it's more agile and powerful than the average bird. We hypothesize that even a large eagle would be no match for it, especially with the genetic modifications it's undergoing. Originally, it would still be stronger than most soldiers, but it had many a flaw that wouldn't allow it to last long in battle. My goal was to have it be capable of prolonged and swift flight, but still maintain it's skills on land as well. It's feathers are tough and resistant to attacks from talons and beaks. It has teeth, so it's bites are more dangerous than any bird, and it's claws are long and sharp. It's incredibly dangerous, but it will be under our control."

[Wolfstar]

"Sounds like a nightmare, even if it's on our side. It does sound like trouble though, enough to rival the entire army." Aarne shook his head, trying to rid an image that came up when the weapon was explained. "I do have something to tell, something surprising. The High Advisor on our side, she's doing her best to help us while giving Rose-singer little information."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

The bird blinked. "The high-advisor, on our side? You must be joking." He shook his head to clear away his disbelief. "That's mad, I would never have imagined! That has endless benefits, though, so I have no complaints." He bobbed his head. "Her help would be of tremendous use to me right now. I'm trying to sneak into the army's barracks to tend to my experiment, see, but everyone knows my presence is forbidden. Perhaps she could assist me in getting inside..."

[Wolfstar]

"You will have to ask her, for now, she's trying to find replacements. She was the one who overheard about the weapon. Apparently, Rose-singer wants to find those birds. The high-advisor told him little, but was ordered to bring her the two that talked about it. We met with her after that, and she's looking for stand-ins." He tilted his head at another thought. "She wants to help us though, so I'm sure she'll help you."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

"Ah, I see," the bird mumbled, lowering his head. "Stand-ins, hm? Do you need any assistance? I understand this msut be a difficult task."

[Wolfstar]

"Anyone that'll take the place of the ones the high-advisor overheard. Those two are going to face death, since they'll be brought right to Rose-singer." He couldn't help but hesitate on his next words. "Assistance would be great, because tomorrow night is the deadline for choosing two birds."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

The ex-sage sighed. "Right, I see. What a grim task to carry. I'll assist to the best of my abilities. What kind of birds would you need to make sufficient stand-ins?"

[Wolfstar]

"Someone who looks similar, that's about it," Aarne replied, letting out a sigh of his own.

[Shadow Sharpfang]

He nodded. "Well, no one knows me like me, right? I can also do my best to find you a bird to masquerade as my lovely assistant. In fact, I should get going right away!" He hopped up onto the rim of his nest, only to see another bird flying towards him.
"Hey! Thought I'd find you here," a small, brown quail with a pink tuft on her head called as she landed at his side. She gazed into the nest and blinked. "Oh... I see you have a visitor," she said, lowering her head a little.
He shook his head. "Oh, it's not a problem, Thalia. We were both just about to leave. Right?" He looked at Aarne, then back at the quail. "Fly with me if you like. You could help me, in fact."
She nodded. "Very well."

[Wolfstar]

Aarne smiled, nodding. "Right, I might as well go as. It was nice meeting you. I wish you luck."

[Shadow Sharpfang]

The ex-sage gave Aarne a salute. "Nice meeting you, too! Name's Shijin, by the way. You're a sage yourself, aren't you? Come see me if you ever need anything." He gestured to the edge of his nest that rested against the tree. "I don't think there's an ex-sage that doesn't still practice our trade, so I've got supplies galore back there." Then he spread his wings. "Farewell!" The two of them took flight and soared into the distance.

[Wolfstar]

"Farewell!" Aarne called back, flying out of the sage's home and going to search for Kiyasa or Arethusa.

The falcon flew around, landing at some points to relax or ask some birds some questions.