More Than Appearances

**Date Started:** April 17th, 2023
 **Date Completed**: TBA
**Previous Role-Play** N/A
**Next Role-Play:** TBA
**Users Involved:** User:Blackdagger01 & User:HoloArc
**Setting:** Khalahai
**Characters Involved:** Andrew "Steelstorm" Drake, Maahes Typhon, Stella Drake, Ingrid Drake, Hotaru Drake, Violet Drake

## Traveling with Purpose

The hot desert sun beat down on the small caravan of travelers from the Lion's Mane Khanite, on their cloaks were the emblem of their Khan, a Lion's head with a large and flowing mane. Towering above many of the others was a massive hulking figure who, as they reached the crest of a large dune, raised a paw to lower his hood to reveal his long flowing mane. He felt the brutal heat of the sun upon his face but he paid it little mind as he stared off into the distance. Seeing the camp of the Steelfury Khanite Maahes Typhon licked his lips, tongue dancing over his long fangs as he turned to a much smaller cloaked figure beside him. "Today is a special day, Ysma. The day you gain another sister and I a wife, Steelfury will be ours and our numbers overwhelming to any other Khanite in this area." His large paw gently patting her head. "I like foward to seeing who this Steelfury is. To have taken down that witch from the Stonebreaker Khanite and that ruckus I heard she made at the feast only a few weeks ago... She must be a skilled warrior, she will bear powerful kin I'm sure of it." The large Vart'hya let out a loud belly laugh as though he were just told a light hearted joke.

Coming down from his laughter he looked down the crimson-haired woman once more, "I am glad to have you at my side on this day, Ysma. Though my love for you and your sisters is equal in my heart I would be wrong to deny the courage and strength that your presence brings me, the first of my brides."

Ysma Typhon leaned into his headpats a bit as he offered it before returning to proper stance. "I'm honored to have been chosen for the honor, My heart's Inferno." She whispered his pet name. "And soon that inferno will be unleashed to claim both Khaan and Khanite." She chuckled softly as the Steelfury's approached over the hills. She knew it was a disadvantageous position to be in. If the Steelfury wished to attack, the additional speed from running downhill would make their charge devastating. But this "Steelfury Khaan" is said to be a woman of her word, so that should not be a concern. "Soon your Khanite will be the mightiest in all the land... Maybe save for the Great Khaan's."

On the distance came the host of the Steelfury Khanite, Andrew sounding the horn for the Khanite to hold their position, standing a bit more than a thousand feet from the Lion Manes. Mounting his armored reptile, he waved for all his Khanari to follow with him. They heeded his call without complaint, even if one of them might be a bit timid about it all. Along with them came some of his blood riders upon their rocktusks. As they approched, Stella would ride ahead of them all. Dismounting before the Lion of a Khaan, Stella announced her husband's coming, as part of the introduction. What she left out was name. "The Chain Shatterer, The Beast King of Itza, The Iron Juggernaut, and The Coming Great Khaan. Steelfury Drake." She spoke before her sisters and husband came up, all of them dismounting. Andrew stepped up towards the Lion, quiet as a mouse, not speaking, looking at the lion with a determined yet kind look, he bowed his head softly before extending a hand to shake his.

Maahes looked down at the woman of a Khaan in her dress, his eyes flickering over to Ingrid as to confirm for himself that the Stonebreaker had indeed been tamed and shackled. In doing so he found a great deal of respect for the Khaan of Steelfury, a respect that made her all the more desirable to him. He bowed his head, making note that the Khaan was taller than most human females he had seen, insuring him that any child she beared would be one of great height as well. Then he took hold of her hand and shook it, noting the firm shake she returned the man might very well have been blushing now if not for the fur on his face. "It is a great honor to finally find myself in the presence of the Khaan of Steelfury, your reputation preceeds you." Maahes held onto Andrew's hand a bit longer than the shake required, releasing it and clearing his throat.

"The envoy you sent made clear you had the intentions of an alliance between our two Khanite, the combination of our power would no doubt push out the other Khanites between out two territories. While I am honored to have been chosen to be part of such an alliance, I must ask for what reason one such as yourself felt the need to purpose it? Do you worry your recent actions have caught the attention of the other Khans? I heard your showing at the feast was quite spectacular." Maahes complimented, a sign of respect between the two of them while asking the ultimate reason for this meeting all the while his eyes scanned up the body of his soon to be wife.

The way he looked at him did not go unnoticed. It didn't take long for him to figure out why that was. And so he decided to play along in hopes that it might sway him to a more positive response as part of a bit of playful banter. "Their attention is of no importance. I am confident in my Khanite to handle any threat." Andrew said confidently with what was most certainly a female's voice as he let go of his hand. "I sure did, and by all measures, no one is bold enough to do anything about it. I have other matters in mind." He said with a cheeky grin, waving an arm to silently ask if they could enter his camp. It was a sign of respect and good faith to ask to enter a Khaan's camp while in such smaller numbers. As they started walking, Andrew continued: "Matters of bigger titles. I am after the Great Khaan's throne. I hope you would like to join us in the pursuit of such glory."

Maahes felt that everything was going well and to plan, walking into camp with the Steelfury woman and his Khanari. That was until of course the words of the woman's plans were spoken. Hearing that she planned to go after the Great Khaan's throne stopped him dead in his tracks, nearly causing Andrew to bump into him as they walked. Before she could ask if anything was wrong, Maahes caught himself and let out a hearty sounding but ultimately half-hearted laugh. "You aim high, Steelfury. It appears the rumors I've heard about your ilk is true, filled to the brim with guts and ambition!" He laughed loudly as though somehow doing so would make him seem more at ease and confident after hearing all of that.

As they walked through the camp Maahes' khanite went about their duties though as the group passed eyes fell upon the Steelfury Khaan. Some sizing the Khaan up, some brave enough to check the Khaan out, one clearly inebriated man had the balls to start a whistle toward Andrew but before the second note could be heard they were pulled aside by the less suicidal of their peers. Maahes ignored them, leading the group to a large table that sat in the middle of a large open section of the camp. On the table were many a selection of food and drink, Maahes offering a seat to the Steelfury Khaan and her Khanari. "I find that conversation no matter the topic goes best with a full stomach and quenched thirst. I've only the best for my friends." The large lion man picked up an entire suckling pig and bit into it as though it were an apple.

Wiping the grease and sauce from his mouth he sat the pig down onto his plate, "With goals aimed as high as yours I understand your need for allies but you must understand the risk of allying with someone with those sorts of goals, yes? What does the Lion's Mane have to gain from this?" He got down to business, at least wanting to hear her out since she'd come all this way.

Taking a bit of a steak and biting a sizable chunk out of it, Andrew waited until everyone was seated and at ease before speaking up. "The Great Khaan intends to flush you out of your home." He began, making a statement that is bound to catch his attention. Always best to make sure that you have your target's attention from the first minute in his experience. He could not afford losing him in the talks. "Your green fields have diminished as of late, has they not? And your reservoir of water has had its waterline sink a bit, is that not so? It has at least been noticeable, I would assume? Not to a detrimental level, but I doubt someone as caring and protective of their home as you would fail to notice that something is amiss." He continued before taking more chunks out of the steak and deep gulps of the drink offered. "This is no coincidence, nor a matter of a drought. The Great Khaan is growing bored of you being holed up in there. He is tired of you having a stable position. Not the way Khalahai should work as far as he is concerned, and as such, he seeks to drive you out and put your mighty Khanite to work. He is parching the ground so vegetation has it harder to grow and forcing the water to dissipate just to humidify the ground again. He wants you out. And he is ready to destroy your home to make it happen. Join with me in toppling him, and I will restore the natural order of this land. As my first great ally, I would see to your needs above all others. I would seek to make your lands flourish beyond what you have ever known before."

Ysma didn't tense up or show any physical responses, but it was clear to Andrew that she was not pleased. But she didn't speak up, leaving such things for her Khaan to address first. This is a discussion between two greats, not their brides. Looking up at Maahes, she let him know precisely what she thought through her eyes: 'How does she know all this about our turf?'

Maahes listened to Andrew's speech with a blank expression, quietly chewing before using his large claws to scratch at his chin. When Andrew finished, Maahes stopped. "You make a good offer, Steelfury. You are good at talking, I am sure that such a talent has served you well in the past." He responded, licking his chops, his voice taking on a low growl of amusment. "What you say is true, and to hold the head of the Great Khaan in my hands would be a most amusing experience I must agree. But your talent betrays you, perhaps you've come to rely on it too much. But in being good at talking it appears you never learned when to shut up." Maahes took a rack of ribs, biting into it bone and all.

"You've studied well, learned a great many things I'm sure. But you know more than you possibly should, more than even some of me men. That makes you suspicious, how am I to know that you are not in on this in some way? Or even the cause. You too have the power of Earth after all. What if it is you and yours siphoning our resources and blaming the Great Khaan. You get what you steal from us and you convince the Lion's Mane to join you against the God. There are no downsides for you in such an instance." The Lion Vart'hya spoke with mouth full, chewing and speaking at once. More beast than man in more than appearance.