Journal Entry 05.02 - The Feast, Conversations with Graykar

Graykar talks with the Tengu Emissaries, learns a little of Tengu politics, and finds a possible location of Alazerrick Corack Utat of the Utat clan. Graykar believes Alazerrick can help unlock the riddles of his previous lives.

Graykar: I would like to speak with the Tengu Emissary.

Graykar, enjoying the feast, makes his way over toward the Tengu delegation. This feast is a novelty in many ways, he's not sure he has actually been to an elven celebration before. Oh wait, there was a brief memory. Karaoke? What the heck is that? Something best done with lots of ale, yet best never done while drinking. Odd.
Anyway.
Looking at the delegation, he sees three wildly dressed Tengu. While each Tengu is covered in midnight black feathers and a dark black beak, their clothing is vivid. No two pieces match, no single article of clothing is dull in color - bright red scarf, bright orange shirt, bright blue left boot, bright yellow right boot. Tengu obviously like their colors and tend to prefer shades of red overall, if Graykar were to guess.
As he approaches the Tengu who seems to be in charge, he sees that the second Tengu is having some form of conniptions. His form is constantly shifting slightly. His face is growing and shrinking, his hands turning to wing tips and back. Even his clothes seem to be melding back and forth into his body.

Graykar introduces himself to the lead tengu, which responds in a loud squawky voice, "Salutations human. How can Quampori be your friend?" Graykar takes a step back from the sheer volume. He should have expected this, everyone could hear the loud voices of the Tengu all over the feast. They just don't seem to be able to talk quietly. Graykar had actually overheard some elves earlier talking about it. Birds calls are meant to be heard miles away by each other from the tree tops, not to be heard close up.
Graykar inquires: I was wondering if you knew of a Tengu named Alazerrick Corack Utat.
"Quampori is glad he knows of the Utat Congress. Alazerrick must surely hail from them." Closing his eyes, he slowly turns, the points in a northerly, slightly to the west direction. "That direction - by flight. Beyond the great river. Two days flight at most. I am not good with walking distances so couldn't say."
Graykay thanks him, "I have not directly dealt any tribe of Tengu - Congress did you call them? Once I get near, how should I go about introducing myself? I would seek an audience with Alazerrick?"
"Congress is correct - Tengu live in several trees, however we stay isolated at the same time, no more than one or two per tree branch over multiple trees. Congress is the closest word, in Tengu, which should actually translate to Meeting Tree. We meet at a tree - you see?"
Quampori seems rather talkative, volunteering a lot of information and quite pleased there is someone listening to him. "The elves chose the word congress for us, ages ago. I am not familiar with their customs."
As Quampori talks, a second tengu, dressed in a bright yellow tunic starts to butt in, "Greetings Human, it is I - Jauquerio Corack, I am a corack of my congress, I might be able to help."
Quampori: "As leader of this delegation, Quampori will teach you words of introduction. Utat's will know that the Cazat Congress is human's friend."
Jauquerio: "Jauquerio also important - that is why he leads delegation to Kolostra. Corack's always lead. We have the inner sight."
Quampori: "LEADER Quampori is the Cubark of our congress - what you call a bard. We remember the history - we know the truth of why we must take the paths we take."
Jauquerio: "I am a corack - please ask me your question, I can probably aid you better than Alazerrick anyway - what seek you? The path to a bountiful fruit tree? A new mate? A better mate?"
Quampori: "Yes yes - you must hurry to Alazerrick now - his tribe is many. He holds much rank I am sure. Beware - the molt season is near. Utat's, though nice, might not be nice during molt season."
Graykar, keeping up, slightly amused, does look directly at Jauquerio, "Yes, I can ask you my questions. But you must promise - if you can't answer it, you must give me all you know about Alazerrick Corack Utat."
Jauquerio states proudly, "Yes, oh yes. Jauquerio is a tengu of known honesty. Ask away and if I don't know, I shall help."
Quampori, at the same time, "Ask and Quampori shall do his best to answer."
Graykar, pauses, for effect. Comically both Tengu now stops circling and move together to pay full attention to Graykar's words. "You see, I have frequent visions of previous lives - dreams you might say. I wish to know more about my past, why do I remember so much in flashes, yet can't remember fully a single life. Who was I just five two ago - where did I come from?"

Both Tengu start answering, neither saying anything meaningful. The conversation then shifts slightly as Graykar is now trying to convince both the Tengu that neither one has aided him with anything useful and it is now their turn to reveal what they know of Alazerrick. Finally succeeding, neither Tengu is able to offer anything they haven't already offered, about Graykar, about the Utats, or about Alazerrick.
All the while, Graykar keeps noticing the third Tengu - sill having problems keeping one shape. Its as if he is stuck shifting from one shape to the next, but his body parts are out of rhythm as to which shape the want to be one moment to the next. As one head starts turning more toward a true bird form, one wing takes on a decidedly bipedal arm, one leg shifting and shrinking, the other growing. Whatever his problem, he is totally absorbed in it.

Graykar inquires: "Is your companion all right? is there anything I can do to help his...condition?"
Quampori looks away - "Ignore him. Only time will heal his condition. He's dabbled with the arcane arts and caught a cold. Fear not, friend Graykar. Quampori is your tengu and will not let you come to harm. Non-feathers such as yourself can't catch tengu cold - even if you do play with those despicable word magics."
Something catches Graykars eye from the stage in the distance, the band has paused and is changing up instruments. As he looks away, he hears Jauquerio state, "We hope these non-feathers are immune to the Quzotl sickness. Be funny if they weren't."