So the builders are still helping out the Milani though Chants seems to be pushing for the abandonment of that project given that it is technically assisting Xiomac.
Kaya found, and snuck her way into, another village to the southeast. The people there are notably rather friendly though a bit…off. They’re just a little too friendly and fond of talking. On the other hand, they might just be trying to handle how bizarre Kaya can be if you don’t know she’s coming to visit.
Of those studying with the Akoa, Maxhui has made the most progress in actually learning the art. Currently her abilities are somewhat limited to having a rather deep understanding of plants and a seeming empathy with animals. Though she’s more accurate at attempting these things than any of the other girls have managed.
Maxhui is Citlanal’s cousin and helps her out around the temple for the most part. She’s generally just as zealous and has been with us for awhile, having been to a few of our raids in the past as support. Often helping to carry supplies or deal with the wounded as best she can. I’m not entirely sure if she can fight though. I wouldn’t throw her against anything too big to test her new abilities just yet. She’s still learning how to do anything more directly impactful but apparently druidism is a difficult thing to pick up and most of the Akoa have been at it their whole lives. Though I suppose the same could be said of anyone’s magic.
We’ll see how the vote goes, they are still deliberating it should seem. Apparently two weeks isn’t enough time to debate such a decision.
Given your current interest in the progress of the apprentices, one in particular is of some potential. They’ve a long way to go before I would really let them go outside on their own, but should you desire to focus on raising a new champion I recommend Taike.
She was born blind but with help from our assorted magic folk she has learned to see again. She can see through anything except stones of color, up to a certain distance. We’re not sure what she can see, and she has a tendency to miss obvious things, but she seems capable of navigating around on her own now. She was primarily an apprentice of Sawiri. That being said she is the weirdest member of the clan.
Taike was one of the bone collectors for the most part, though she has proven herself in this jungle outing as one of the more talented at avoiding death. Also nothing managed to sneak up on her. Her skeleton is enchanted much like Coszacatl’s, though Taike is the only person who could withstand the process while still being attached to that skeleton. Actually she did it to herself and seemed to enjoy it. This is why she is the ‘weird one’ among a clan of strange individuals. She has an affinity for pain like no other. Whether inflicted upon her or others, she seems to experience a thrill from being in the presence of suffering. Which leads into the one spell she knows that isn’t an enchanted piece of bone, she knows a lesser modified version of my curses that specifically inflicts direct pain. She can only do it one at a time and has to “look” at her victim though good luck prying her eyes off her victim anyways.
Enchantment wise, she is stronger than most people and her bones are as durable as our weapons. One of the inscriptions enhanced her unique abilities since its her own bones so that makes sense.
What has me interested in her potential is her talent for not dying in the jungles thus far given her attraction to things that should have killed her by now. She also might be capable of far more than she currently demonstrates, she intentionally cursed herself the same way I did to myself on accident. I told her how much it hurts sometimes and she then spent a lot of effort replicating the process. Originally I thought she was trying to figure out how to do it correctly, turns out she was trying to make it go even more wrong. Though if you do recall, I have the ability to become a lot stronger for a brief window of time at the cost of my health as a result of my curse. It stands to reason she might be able to do that too since she has a very similar curse. Though I am wary of letting her learn how to do that, she might overdo it very quickly. I suppose she is oddly durable at least.
Uyitzan’s scouting trip has found a couple of villages scattered here and there, especially along the river. Several are filled with corpses that look as if they died trying to flee something. They show no signs of battle, but they clearly died painfully. Problem is Uyitzan and the team are apparently not great at gathering information from any still-living villages as they start throwing spears at him the instant they see him. Racists.
Welcome back from your trip. While you were away…
The travelers and their elven cohorts traveled deep to the west. There is indeed a lot of water in that direction. They’ve found a small village who knew of the “water people”. Basically they are a people who ride across the water with houses that float and apparently can go quite a ways on the water much like Auwana travels the sky.
Along the way they also found a village which housed a strange rock at the center of the village that was overseen by a hooded figure who notably kept an eye on them only when they got too close to the rock. Judging by its description it might be one of the key edges Xacalli told you about now that I think about it.
The snail project is still coming along, though the lake still has a lot of peculiar stuff embedded into the dirt after Chants’ escapades with the bone guardian kicking it around a lot. Shouldn’t be too much of a problem though the lake itself is still not a good idea to drink from.
It seems Xacalli won’t be joining us for now at least, given her contract to kill Xiomac keeps her a bit too occupied. Though at least Sakazai and Silas are home now.