Word Count: 2221

Happy Holidays all! A little thingy for you all after watching a holiday tradition with the family;
Claymation Christmas - Carol of the Bells
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=3SOvfher8Dg

It made me think of our favorite little furred murder children the Skaven! And how bells are so important in their iconography and religion. So I'd imagine they, especially the Seers, would actually have something approaching a bell choir. Especially for really important religious celebrations. Which with the Winter Solstice happening around this time too I think that would be essentially their Christmas/Great Horned Rat day. The day when the night, darkness, envelopes the world for the longest time. And they thrive in that. Letting them hold this as the most obvious day for the Great Ascendency and arrival of their Rat (daddy) God. At least that's what my brain thought on the couch. Hope you enjoy!

And hey making a lot of noise seems very on brand for Skaven. To annoy the other races.

An actual bell choir for those curious;

Carol of the Bells (Guebert) - Bethel Handbell Ensemble
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djOA-G-5MrY

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The real celebration was always in Skavenblight proper. But any nest not currently in a raid or being raided would do their best to do something for the big day. Their Under-father could, and had several times, display his displeasure of not having his day be marked. So even if it was just a few Clanrats squinting at a partly chewed sheet holding bells in each hand it was something. They would do their best to follow one of the few Hymns written on those sheets to anyrat around. Or just themselves if times were truly desperate. As much as the Great Horned One would smite those who left his day un-rung he equally assisted those who tried. A sudden spark from the darkness that caused that Gyrocopter to crash. Or the Troll to be set on fire. So you remembered the Vorhexen zenith. Or you would die-die!

At least that's what the Seers said. And what they said tended to go especially as they skittered around inside the Great City. It was the day of the big performance. And everything had to be perfect-good! The clans lucky enough to have a place in the city, or those that could send a few representatives, already filing into the large courtyard before the Temple and the stages that had been set up. The Albino Council Guards currently hauling bells of all sizes and colors up the steps to the various stations. As well as one enormous bell currently hanging silent in between the two stages. Its clanger currently complete but...not installed yet. It was terrible-missing!

The Clang-Master, Teskik this year, almost pulling his own horns out as he grit his teeth and pulled on them to try and control his racing brain and heart. The two Adepts who had been tasked with bringing the mighty clanger already reduced to just charred robes before him for showing up without it. He should have made their deaths last longer! More pain-death! But he was on a deadline that was just rapidly approaching every step he took in the circle he was currently pacing. "Cutt!" He squealed as the Assassin rose out Teskiks' own shadow and mirrored the Seers steps.

"Yes, Lord-Master?"

"Has it been found?!" The hooded mask tilting his head slightly as his left eye slightly narrowed.

"Not yet." Melting back into the floor to duck the zap that streaked through where his chest had been before his glowing eyes would look up from the Seers shadow. "My Agent-rats are spread out Lord-Master. You should see to the other Adepts. Ensure they are ready and in position-place."

"But it must be complete! The Under-Father demands perfection!" Cutt using his hands to hold onto the edge of the shadow to pull himself up to his chest as he shrugged.

"The final clang-ring isn't until the end Lord-Master. Time is small, but not gone. Breath. You are needed to conduct-lead." The Assassin turning with Teskik to be behind him as the Seer continued his pacing. Before Teskik would zip around to be sure he still had eyes on the Eshin. Both for safety, as if that would help, and to take a breath and nod. Cutt was correct. So Teskik would let go of his horns and drag his paws down his robe to smooth out some of the folds and the various medals and symbols he had around. Giving his hands a shake as he jingled from the charms around his wrist and took another breath.

"Right...right-right. The Great Horned One would be displeased if the start was wrong. Focus on getting through that. Yes-yes." Cutt nodding as he fell back into Teskiks shadow before replying.

"I'll keep you informed Lord-Master." It was a good mix of fear and comfort having the Assassin there. Teskik had kept up his payments and even paid extra to get Cutt a gift this most auspicious day. His back would be covered as he picked up his staff from near the door. Checked himself in the mirror again before exiting under the right stage and heading up the steps to check in on his other Adepts.

It was rare that any rat would volunteer for anything as so often in Skavendom that was 'I volunteer-tribute to be dinner!' or 'front of the assault-fight!' but the benefit of the Temples indoctrination was the Adepts were more than happy to offer themselves up for Ring-Clang duties. They even had to have tryouts! Only pick the best for the biggest-best ceremony of the year. And as eager and happy rats they were all in their positions with bells ready as they were taking the time before the official start to polish-clean the bells they would be using or practicing the motions with their white or grey scrawny arms. But they were all there. The Temple Guards leaving with all the bells in position. Well besides the four on the top center of each stage with large padded mallets to be ready to hammer the second and third largest bell for the low notes. But the biggest-best bell! It was still without its clanger! The Rat Ogre, specially made for this ceremony and even with most of the fur of the last years rat, was waiting next to the large bell. Rope that would be attached to the clanger held tight in its paws as it waited.

But Teskik looked out into the loud crowd. They were all here - even many Slaves! It had been decreed that Great Bell festival was to be a half day of work. More prayer and praise. So even the Slaves were happy. How good that none of them would live long enough to tell the Slaves next year that it meant tomorrow was a double work day. "Its on the way-way." Cutt would whisper into Teskiks ear as he visibly deflated. Almost flattening himself over the stair railing as he let out a long breath. Thankfully not dropping his staff. Thank the Lord of the World Below! This may actually work! Skittering between the two stages Teskik headed up the raised platform in the middle to get to his place. A lectern facing the stages as he turned toward the assembled crowd and raised his arms for silence! Which was almost immediately given as Teskiks' hand would glow and gently tap his throat. To allow his voice to carry as his open maw had a subtle glow of green.

"Children-Spawn of our wonderful Under-Father!" A chittering wave returning before they fell silent again. "We gather here today, the darkest and coldest night of the year-year to remember and plan!" The food, actually cooked! Out in the audience there to reinforce the speech Teskik was giving. Man-thing, Dwarf-thing, even some expensive Elf and Lizard-things! Well...reinforce the speech and also to line the Brotherhoods pockets. They needed the tokens! To better spread the Under-Fathers teaching.

"That one day, soon-soon, we will step into the above-world. Flow over it as a wave of death! Upon a wave of victory-war!" The chittering now cheering as Teskik continued. "With our beloved," and feared, "Father to guide-lead us to the cleansing of the surface! So we own all-all!" Now even with the magical assistance Teskik was drowned out as the crowd cheered. Tesk looking down to get a progress report from between his paws.

"Crowd-gathering outside, slowed, its almost in." Nodding to Cutt the Clang-Master would look up again as he raised his arms. Quieting down those assembled as his staff started to glow green. The Adepts behind him seeing the signal and picking up their bells. Doing last checks of themselves and their assigned bells as they stood ready.

"So today-day. We preform this for our Father-Lord. To show him our love and readiness for that day!" Many cheers as Tesk would turn and tap his throat again. Ending that spell as he pulled a face at the feeling. Taking the time for the crowd to quiet down for him to open up his hymm book and getting to his proper place to begin. Twisting off the end of his staff to take out a smaller inner rod, easier to point with, as he held up his arms. Quiet filling the room as the Adepts stood poised. Before Teskik would suddenly gesture toward the left stage, bottom right, as they each clanged their left side bell. Before right stage middle! Ringing their right!

It may actually be acceptable to man-thing ears if any were around to hear it. It was one of the few things, partly out of fear but still, that the Seers really focused on doing right and well. The Lord of the World Below had made Bells central to both their creation and worship. So surely doing a good display of coordination and teamwork would please him! With actual rhythm and well managed tones!

And it also pleased Teskik greatly as near the end of the song he saw several large rats run from behind the left stage toward the central bell, clanger held between them all as they ran. It was here-here!

Cutt slightly raising his head out of the gesticulating shadow of his Lord-Master as he squinted...those rats did not look like his agents.

But neither he, nor Teskik, saw the runes etched into the clanger. Far too away to see them. Only the Ogre had the chance to see them besides the rat team. And the Ogre despite his larger intelligence than the norm was focused mainly on watching Teskik. Rope held tight in his paws as he waited for his big moment. The clanger quickly secured and pulled into place before those large furless rats turned and ran. To not get in the way of the performance surely! Cutts' eyes almost closed as he started to get a very bad feeling about this. Teskik raising up both his arms as the smaller bells, and two large on each stage, each did a rattle of jingles before he pointed to the big main bell as it let out a single loud boooooong! And then green-black smoke erupted out of the bottom of the bell and rapidly spread across the ground toward the two stages.

The Ogre melting off his left arm and face before the smoke even overtook him a great showing of what it was about to do. Several of the more steady Adepts seeing this and rapidly throwing their hands down as they BAMF! away in a puff of smoke. Teskik unforunatly far too angry to Skitterleap as Cutt jumped up in front of him as the smoke rapidly approached. "Deep breath, now-now!" He hissed as he grabbed the Seers collar and raised sparking hand before pushing the both of them backwards into the Seers own shadow.

It was like being dragged against the current underwater. The darkness stuffed up his nose and trying to claw its way between his teeth, wriggle between his eyes, worm its way down his ears. But Teskik at least managed to curl up and cover the holes in his head as best he could before it all suddenly stopped.

"Seer-Master! Are you living-well?!" Task opening his eyes to see one of his favorite Adepts, to be killed later, standing over him. Bells attached to his belt as he offered a paw to help the Clang-Master up. The rat soon up on his paws as he spit out some smoke before looking around. The other Adepts that had been fast enough to leap away around him as well as they looked over the edge of the rocky cliff they were on at the cavern where the ringing had been taken place. Now just a roiling mass of smoke. Silent besides the small rings of the bells the Adepts were still holding.

"Here," Cutt grunted as he held out the Elf-thing wine bottle that Teskik had bought him as a gift. "To clear-straighten head." Teskik far too angry to see that Cutt had already likely drunk a fourth of it as he took a long drink of half of it before handing it back and growling.

"Adepts!" All of the younger rats turning to him. "Firstly, well done-done on remembering the emergency spot. Good you kept this in your mind." A few 'yes-yes' in return but most were quiet. "Secondly, prepare to Skitterleap back to the Temple. We have a war to plan and begin-start." More nodding as Teskik made a grunting laugh. "Thirdly, happy-merry Great Horned Rat Day."

A few of the more senior Adepts chuckling darkly before with a series of BAMF!s the outcropping was now clear. Cutt hanging around for a bit longer as he sat on the edge. Raising the bottle to toast all those who didn't make it out before finishing the wine. Tossing it down into the smoke before pushing himself off to fall down through a portal to roll into the Temple itself. Back on his feet after a short roll to immediately kneel down to the large chair that wasn't facing him. His proper boss surely wanted to hear first-claw about what happened. And despite not looking at the chair Cutt was always impressed that the Seerlord could move around so normally with horns that extended far past the sides of the chair.

But that's why he was the Boss-boss.