Xenofos — Stripes

????, Dark Season, Season/Movement Week

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Context

Dark Season/Movement Week/Freezeday/Afternoon. [[[s02:session-21 | Session 21]]]

Events

Late on afternoon when Varanis is taking care of her zebra she spots alluring young woman examining some bisons. She seems to look at her a bit longer than necessary, but does it covertly.
That is… Neela. She lives in yurt of Majaro Blacklance, an elder. You have chatted with her brother Majafal, young brave, but nothing further. You think you have seen the woman with a small boy. And maybe… Xenofos¹ Varanis critted int5 and remebered who she is and where she had seen her

Varanis watches her covertly in return and can tell that, for some reason she seems hostile. ² pass insight

“Well, Zukko, what do we have here?” Varanis murmurs softly to the animal she is brushing. “I seem to have made someone unhappy.” The zebra doesn’t answer except to lean into the brush demanding more.

Zukko does indeed not answer. But neither does the blackhaired lovely approach.
She seems content to throw icy glances from her grey eyes every now and then, when she thinks Varanis is not looking.

Eventually, Varanis tires of it and puts the brush away. She saunters over. Hello, Neela, she says in her Esrolian-accented Praxian. Switching to Trade Talk, she asks, “Do you need something?”

She looks confused and defiant “Have you come to mock me, Vingan?”³ Varanis crits tradetalk but Neela fails

“No. You seem angry and I don’t know why. Have I done something to harm you?” Varanis tries for a placating tone.
´
“I think you are lying, trying to make me look like a fool too.” She is not taking too well to calming, more like gathering momentum after having been silent.

“No, I’m not. Perhaps I’m the fool? I really don’t know what I’ve done.” Varanis holds herself in a relaxed stance. She keeps her expression neutral.

She has her fists on her hips. ” Not you, you <something in Praxian, unflattering probably > cousin and it is not like you don’t know you < tirade in Praxian>”

Incredulously, Varanis asks, “What has Xenofos done?”

“Don’t pretend you don’t know!” she glares with teary eyes and slightly wobbly lip.

“Neela, I’m so sorry. I really don’t know. But if my cousin has done something wrong, I need to know.”

“< very quick tirade in Praxian >silkbeard snubbed me in public <another wave of expletives> and acts like he did nothing wrong and hope you had a good laugh now Esrolian < round of angry quick Praxian >” She tosses her head and starts walking away from you.

“Neela! Wait!” Varanis lets out a stream of curses, which appear to be a mixture of Pure Horse Tongue and Praxian.

She is clearly relieved after having spoken her mind. That much is clear from her body language. ⁴ fumbled scan, shaking shoulders always tell precisely that

Varanis decides to let her go and heads in the direction of the yurt she has been sharing with the others. It’s time to find Xenofos and figure out what’s going on.

• 1
  Varanis critted int5 and remebered who she is and where she had seen her
• 2
  pass insight
• 3
  Varanis crits tradetalk but Neela fails
• 4
  fumbled scan, shaking shoulders always tell precisely that