Coverings of Ownership

It was a lot to take in. These were not regular tattoos. The one on her left upper arm was a complex sigil, impossible to focus on or describe. It was the same as that on the robe on the man in the picture in her room [94332]. What made it worse was that it writhed on her arm. It moved.

The tattoo on the outside of her right thigh was some sort of rune that shimmered and glistened. "Ah, lass," said Nekarb, making Andrea jump. She had almost forgotten his presence. "That be the rune of our master, Arteth Sugrani. The one on your left arm signifies that you belong to the Sugrani. The one on your head, the one you are looking at now, that one identifies you as one of the Favored. I am quite surprised to see it. It may be that you are with us longer than I at first anticipated. The master must see something in you. Now, come, let's get you some clothes."

Andrea made no move to follow Nekarb immediately, however, for she was staring in horror at her forehead. It was not a large tattoo, indeed it was quite small. It was, however, a yawning void, spinning with blackness and dotted with stars. It was hypnotizing to look at, and yet filled her stomach with a rolling nausea and she had to look away. Her head felt light, like she had taken the milk of the poppy.

"I advise ye not to stare at that one, lass," said Nekarb, perhaps a bit too joyfully. "Not until you are accustomed to being here, anyway. Tis' said the crawling void robs humans of their right mind, and we can't have you losing yours... yet."

1. Andrea accompanies Nekarb through a hallway that wasn't there before (was it? no, she doesn't remember seeing it) to a room where clothing is laid out for her.
2. Andrea makes a run for it, which Nekarb finds highly amusing.
3. All of a sudden, a long hollow gong is heard, prompting Nekarb into a worried state.

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