 Because we can. They stand together at the oasis, to all non-magical eyes a mare and a young black mare. Many in the Deserts will know Pevensie, and some will know Camrynn – but they'll probably know her as Cammie, if they do. On her chest, bold and golden, the crook and flail marking granted to her by her participation in the competition stands out proudly. With a glance at Pevensie, she raises her voice and calls them all together. The people of the Deserts. Their people. And when they come together, Camrynn enfolds them gently in a blanket of magical silence. In this place, they are shielded from anyone, from prying eyes and ears, magical or otherwise. With a look to Pevensie, she turns to address them all. "Hello friends." Her voice is sincere, gentle, but with an underlying cable of strength. "Many of you know us. This is Pevensie-" she gestures to the woman "And I am Cammie." She pauses and hesitates. "Well, I was Cammie, but I think now that I've grown a bit Camrynn is much more fitting." She chuckles a bit. "We were among those who entered the competition for the Deserts throne, and the old gods of the Deserts tested us, and declared us the new rulers." her eyes seek out Lucrezia in the crowd. "Lucrezia entered as well, and did so well that the gods have asked her to become our new Ambassador. We hope she will accept." She smiles at the woman. "We hope to meet all the rest of you soon, if we haven't already." "But now, to business." She says, and her voice becomes more serious. She wonders briefly whether what she is about to say is what will earn her the slash, the traitor's mark over her (very much invisible at the moment) Amazons tattoos. But she's sworn an oath to the gods of the Deserts, and she's sworn it on her magic. She isn't about to mess around. "There are things you all should know about the competition. The first of them, that the Amazons tried to throw it." She says, her voice sad. "They tried to enter horses into the competition to win, and rule the Deserts as a sister kingdom of the Amazons. They did not succeed, our gods saw through it, but they did try." She pauses. "I know this because I was approached to enter in the name of the Amazons." she says, believing it best to have no secrets (well okay, not to have THIS secret). "Pevensie and I have our thoughts on this, but we want to know from you how you believe the Deserts should react." "There is one more thing before we'll open the floor so that you all can share your thoughts." She looks to an open area of sand six or so feet to her side, well away from any of the other horses. The sand begins to ripple, and suddenly a giant bronze creature bursts from it, like a dolphin rising from the sea. It lands upon the sand, and its shape becomes obvious. It is a Sphinx. A living, bronze Sphinx. He is the size of a large dog or a small pony, with the head of a man and the body of a lion. His head is covered in the traditional Egyptian headdress: a cloth hood with a knot in the back. He is made entirely of bronze, as though he had been cast in it, but a muted bronze, one that will not reflect the Deserts light. He is still for a moment, and then he barks – the playful bark of a puppy, and starts to frolic in the dunes around Camrynn like a dog around its master, trying to get the master to play. He is goofy, adorable, every inch the big family dog that no kingdom has ever had. After a moment he settles himself down, padding over to join their circle, sitting with his tongue rolling out of his mouth and just a hint of slobber. "We don't want anyone of the Deserts to be forced to fight. " She begins, looking at the assembled horses. "So we have created someone to help with the fighting." She looks back to the Sphinx, running her muzzle gently across his back, grooming him. He starts to purr. She turns her attention back to the assembled horses again. "He might not look it, but he's a fearsome fighter. If we are ever threatened, he is capable of fighting two or even three horses." She pauses, allowing that to sink in. "But unless we are directly threatened, or Pevensie or I order him to, he's the same lovable guy you see here. He will never harm you." she stresses the last piece, and the guardian barks in agreement. "I call him Gumby, but we're open to suggestions on that." She says with a smile. "I've talked more than enough," she says with a glance at Pevensie. "We'd love to know your thoughts on the situation with the Amazons, names for Gumby - " she looks to the puppy-Sphinx with a smile "- and more than anything, we'd like to know what you want from the Deserts." Her face becomes serious now. "There is a lot of evil in the world. What should we do about it? Should we stay here, being a bastion against it, or should we take the fight out there to those who have evil intent?" And with that, she is silent C A M R Y N N Why? Because I can Image copyright MariannaInsomnia |
SO. The Deserts have a protector, currently called Gumby because it makes Evie giggle. YOU ALL CAN TOTALLY USE HIM IN YOUR POSTS <3 Here is a reference photo: http://www.antique-clocks.co.uk/stockpho...14480L.jpg and here are the rules surrounding him, as granted by Kortnee:
Quote:A sphinx protector construct (body of a cat, head of a human) the size of a very large dog/small pony. His personality would be the stereotypical "goofy big dog" - I imagine him liking to play fetch, bouncing around the dunes trying to eat sand squalls, etc.
But he would also be a protector for the Deserts, so that Deserts members (who tend to be "light" and are thus more likely to hate fighting) don't have to feel as pressured to be in the army. When the Deserts are threatened, he is an effective fighter, and would be allowed to fight in raids, etc. He would probably be evenly matched by two/three horses. In battle situations I imagine he'd be played as a character, by me if no one else wanted to.
On a day-to-day basis I imagine people being able to work him into their posts like they'd work in any other element of scenery (for example, if they wanted to be playing fetch with him in their posts, go to town). We would go into "attack mode" only when the Deserts are obviously threatened, or when ordered to do so by one of the Deserts leadership (king, queen, lord, lady, caste head or something like that).
He'd also be made by Cam's magic, so if she ever leaves, etc he goes away too.