+- Court of the Fallen (https://cotf-rpg.com)
+-- Forum: Out of Character (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=26)
+--- Forum: Important (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=27)
+---- Forum: Archives (https://cotf-rpg.com/forumdisplay.php?fid=38)
+---- Thread: into the elegant haze (/showthread.php?tid=10137)
Pages:
1
2
into the elegant haze - Lena - 09-12-2024
Lena’s brief sojourn for today was towards Torchline; opting to snag at the markets for specific herbs she’d yet to have grow in the Celestine gardens. Partially due to necessary soil, and time management, the Caretaker was simply grateful to be able to find these plants elsewhere. So she and Mittens spent an hour or so collecting items on her list, scratching them off as they were snagged one by one, until her basket was quite full and the Attuned was satisfied.
Thereafter though was a hike towards Apopo, intending for one last round of fertile loam to bring home and test on other portions of the greenery. Perhaps the plants would rejoice on the materials, and she’d find a more successful alternative to some of the tougher leaves, seeds, and flowers. Humming under her breath, she glanced along the shoreline from above, and the volcano nearby as well, before warning Mittens not to go much further. For once, the companion obliged; perhaps conscious of the looming heat.
RE: into the elegant haze - Sohalia - 09-28-2024
Although a large part of Sohalia resisted the urge to travel to Torchline (what with its proximity to Starfall and the unknown that lurked there), she'd also heard through the grapevine that it was among the safest regions in Caido, protected from the Void flora and fauna that had plagued her so in recent seasons. Besides, two of her dearest friends - Flora and Hadama - were to be found there, and if she was to begin mending fences, it seemed like as good a place as any to start. And so the girl found herself wandering the volcanic shores of Apopo, carefully picking her way across the terrain and surprised to find herself face to face with a familiar figure.
[say]"Lena?"[/say] Soh said stupidly, pausing in her tracks as she took in her friend and the abominable snowball that accompanied her everywhere. It was then that a tidal wave of guilt and shame and grief overtook the girl, and she bit her lip to keep from releasing a volley of apologies with no rhyme or reason to them. After all, Lena was from Stormbreak - how was Soh to know if she was for or against the Family? No, it was better to see how the Caretaker reacted first. Then Soh would know how to act.
RE: into the elegant haze - Lena - 09-29-2024
[say]“I think this will be enough,”[/say] she hummed to Mittens, who’d since been ignoring her, noticing something, or someone, on the horizon. Glancing upwards, she watched her companion’s line of sight, before turning in that direction too –
And seeing Sohalia.
While the other Attuned might have dreaded something formidable, moody, dark, or overbearing from the Caretaker, Lena was anything but. Her jaw dropped, but then she was a rush of movement and motion across the loam, skirts and dress flying and akimbo, at risk of tangling along it with her longer limbs. [say]“Sohalia?!”[/say] Had she not been told by Koa and Zavien about the once-ruler’s survival and reappearance, she might’ve looked as though she’d seen a ghost. Instead, she was a gentle breeze, arms outstretched to give and grant sisterly warmth and comfort the moment she embraced the younger woman, tucking her into her shoulder. [say]“Are you okay?,”[/say] was the first question in a series of them swarming to her mind, but they scarcely mattered presently.
RE: into the elegant haze - Sohalia - 10-01-2024
Whatever Soh had been expecting, it was not the gentle, kind embrace that she was presented with, and as Lena folded the younger woman against her shoulder, Soh wrapped her arms around the Caretaker and began to cry. She didn't deserve such a greeting, such a simple show of forgiveness for all that had transpired, and it was so far removed from Soh's lukewarm reunion with Koa that the girl couldn't help the flood of emotions that threatened to overtake her. And so when Lena asked if she was okay, the Luminary began to cry even harder, because she was and she wasn't, and it was so much and so difficult to explain that it was almost impossible to begin.
An appropriate response might have been to reassure Lena that she was, in fact, okay - physically, anyway - but all Soh could think was that she was alive, and that was all she managed to choke out between sobs. [say]"I - I - I'm alive,"[/say] she hiccuped, but she couldn't quite verbalize that she was far from okay. After all, she had no right to be a mess, not when her inaction had cost her everything, not when she had no one to blame but herself.
RE: into the elegant haze - Serendipity - 10-01-2024
You’ve encountered a Sea Panther. This counts as a rare creature encounter for the purposes of levelling, but does not count as a Random Event for levelling or MP. There will be no further admin/re intervention. If you choose to follow this creature, you do so at your own risk, however, just having it in this thread is enough to satisfy your levelling requirements. You may not kill your rare creature without admin permission.
Sea Panther (rare/mythical) - Sea Panthers are rare creatures of monstrous size. As one might think, they have many feline features, including a long tail, paws, fangs, and eyes with vertical pupils. But per their aquatic nature their paws are webbed and wide, everything streamlined, and without fur. Their most notable features are their horns, one on each side in front of their ears. Lore has it these were created by Mort as a gift for Ludo, and as such Sea Panthers are thought to gather the souls of sailors lost at sea. Encountering one is considered an omen of death to come or a blessing from Ludo, depending on circumstance
RE: into the elegant haze - Lena - 10-02-2024
While Lena wouldn’t or couldn’t ever understand the implications of Sohalia’s misadventures, nor would she ask after the grave and horrific timeframe, she could at least extend her compassion and kindness. With such benevolence instilled in her long ago, she snagged and comforted as best she could, continuing to surround the fellow Attuned. [say]“And that’s a wonderful thing,”[/say] giving and granting no pressure – because they were all far better off with the Luminary still around and alive.
Keeping the younger woman tucked in her arms, the Caretaker’s eyes slid along the coast, catching sight of the sea panther from a far-off distance, and opting not to say anything. It dove back down quickly thereafter, and Sohalia hadn’t been subjected to another torment. Instead, she opted for something else entirely, free from explanations of the past few seasons, and hovering around the present. [say]“Have you been staying in Torchline?”[/say]
RE: into the elegant haze - Sohalia - 10-02-2024
It had been so long since Soh had spent any one-on-one time with Lena that she had forgotten just how genuinely kind the older woman was. Now, wrapped in the Caretaker's warm embrace, she remembered, and she felt a wash of guilt for not having spent more time with her friend in the seasons prior to her disappearance. She longed to ask about Stormbreak - about the time after her kidnapping, about the Family's takeover, about how things fared now - but something stopped her. Perhaps, after all this time, she didn't really want to know. What if things were horrible? Or, worse, what if things were wonderful? What if Soh's leadership had been a problem all along, and the Family was a vast improvement?
Fortunately, the subject of Stormbreak was left for another time, and Lena inquired simply where Soh had been staying. [say]"I'm just visiting,"[/say] she sniffled, finally releasing her friend and wiping tears from her cheeks. [say]"I was in King's End before, and before that, I was in the Wilds. But I wanted to see Hadama and Flora."[/say] To tell them how sorry I am. And to avoid going home, where she was so unsure of her reception.
RE: into the elegant haze - Lena - 10-02-2024
The Caretaker took some long, low breaths, warm and inviting where sometimes the rest of the world simply was not. Had Sohalia asked her about the state of Stormbreak, Lena would’ve told her – how she’d quit the counsel the moment Dahlia had taken over, how the region seemed at a standstill, neither falling apart nor improving, how there’d been three of them quietly trying to subvert the system, and how none of it was her fault.
But when the inquiry didn’t come, Lena maneuvered around, listening while steering them over to a section of rock. [say]“Come on, let’s go sit over here,”[/say] in case the youth hadn’t managed to heal after all this time, or grew fatigued, exhausted, from everything pummeling around her. [say]“I’m sure they’ll be very happy to see you,”[/say] on a breath of assurance. More questions fumbled around her mind, yet she didn’t dare give them much of a voice – not yet. [say]“Are you hungry?”[/say] came instead.
RE: into the elegant haze - Sohalia - 10-02-2024
Sohalia followed Lena to a nearby rock, taking a seat as she fought to calm herself. She rubbed carefully at tearstained cheeks as she finally managed to stop crying, though her breathing was still a bit shaky. For a moment, all she could do was take in the scene: the blue skies, the gently waving seas, the heat from the volcano - all combining to create a beautiful vista that she hadn't been fully prepared to appreciate before. Now, with Lena's calm and gentle presence, Soh found that she could take it all in. For the first time in many months, she could breathe again.
[say]"No, thank you,"[/say] she said in response to Lena's inquiry, her voice far stronger and more sure than it had been moments before. The girl paused, unsure what to say or where to begin. [say]"I'm sorry, Lena,"[/say] she said finally, her eyes sad and tired. [say]"I never meant to disappear, or to be gone for so long. It - so much happened, and now... well, I'm not sure what to do now."[/say]
RE: into the elegant haze - Lena - 10-02-2024
A wave of calm seemed to settle over the volcanic air, and Lena smiled, head tilted as she watched the Luminary. Sohalia could afford to have no composure at all, especially after what she’d been through, and the Caretaker gave her the space, the breathing room, and anything else necessary in the quiet; presiding and protective in her own wake. A shelter, hopefully, in the midst of far too many storms.
She nodded, understanding the nuance and no appetite, and glanced over to watch Mittens hover over the dirt and loam, indifferent to the plights circling around it. She would’ve sat there contentedly, either in silence or small talk, for however long the other woman needed it – and still, was surprised when the explanations began. Her eyes widened, hands clasping one another in her lap, gazing over the scenery again, and then resuming her serene disposition. [say]“You have nothing to apologize for,”[/say] she murmured. There’d been hordes of theories and stories about their leader’s disappearance. She and Anju had thought she’d been overwhelmed, carrying a heathenous burden for someone so young, no matter how often they’d tried to help. Dahlia had said Sohalia had been taking a break; an excuse no one had believed, save for maybe Everest. When Koa had mentioned the tale, it had been a dreadful, horrible thing, and with nowhere else to turn, they’d been sequestered on their own, jotting down plans of action while looking across the horizon for some sign or vantage point. [say]“I think it depends on what you want to do.” [/say]
Recover? Take the time she needed to build herself anew?
RE: into the elegant haze - Sohalia - 10-04-2024
Oh, but Lena was wrong: Soh had plenty to apologize for. She'd let herself be kidnapped, paving the way for the Family's takeover, and then, when they no longer had use for her, she'd run. Perhaps she was just as cowardly and selfish as Jude had once told her she was. Even if she hadn't been able to see the way forward at the time, leaving Stormbreak in the hands of the Family without even trying to put up a fight was one of the girl's bitterest regrets.
Still, at the thought of what to do next, the Luminary found herself frozen, looking forward into an unknown abyss that she had no idea how to even begin to cross. And when Lena suggested that she do what she want, well, the gap between where she was and where she would one day be only widened, for what she wanted was as far beyond her reach as next steps. A part of her wanted to gather allies and make plans, all in a bid to drive out the Family and reclaim her throne. But the rest of her was just so tired, so broken, that all she wanted to do was curl up in a ball under the nearest rock to see if she could weather the coming storm.
So maybe what she needed was to figure out what she really wanted. Unfortunately, she guessed that that would be rather easier said than done.
After a pause in which all this and more tumbled through the girl's head, she raised her gaze to Lena's once more, offering a rueful half-smile that only served to highlight the sadness in the Luminary's eyes. [say]"I suppose I need some time to figure out what that is,"[/say] she said softly. [say]"But enough about me - what about you? How are you?"[/say]
RE: into the elegant haze - Lena - 10-04-2024
Lena’s perspectives on life greatly differed from many across Caido. Where she existed to mend, repair, assuage, and tend, a litany of others pressed their weight and boldness into onslaughts. She wouldn’t be the one to tell Sohalia to assemble an army to wage war upon Dahlia, nor would she guilt-trip, blame, or incriminate a soul that had been so damaged in the wake of so much disaster. The Caretaker had seen destruction and mayhem, had it rest so precariously close to her heart and lungs, that toying with it had never been a choice for her. Nor would she wish it upon the Luminary, who should’ve been resting, instead of digging herself deeper into the deluge.
But another lesson the Attuned had learned long ago was that they had to want it for themselves too. She could say things until she was blue in the face, and whether the other chose to listen or not was on them.
[say]“I think that’s probably the best idea,”[/say] she winked. [say]“And make it something feasible,”[/say] adding with a light grin. Small, minute goals. Rest. Repose.
As for her, that’d likely be digging into topics of varying ranges. [say]“I’m well. Busy.”[/say] But that had always been the way. She made no mention of Zavien, as that wasn’t anything official and they kept dancing around one another without clear distinctions. Nor would she make note of failed positions amidst the Feverlands – afraid it would serve as a reminder of other harsh realities for Soh. [say]“We’ve been working on a couple of things in Stormbreak…without a certain person’s influence,”[/say] and she gave another small smile, permitting Sohalia to fill in the blanks without announcing it too loudly or overtly. Not when everywhere seemed to have ears.
RE: into the elegant haze - Sohalia - 10-05-2024
So much had happened in her absence, not just to Stormbreak, but to her friends. And the girl was unaware of any of it, having been gone for so long, and without explanations, she had no way of discovering the plot against Dahlia, or the Caretaker's dance with Zavien, or any other revelations that might have been offered. Instead, she took Lena at her word when the woman said she was well, relaxing some of the tension she hadn't known she'd been holding. It was a relief to find that a fellow Stormbreak citizen was doing well despite the Family's takeover and all of the uncertainty that Soh assumed had followed.
And, it seemed, Lena was a part of a group working against the Family - or at least that's what Soh assumed the woman meant by her cryptic message. She couldn't help but wonder who 'we' included. And if she were to offer assistance, would she be welcomed back, or resented for being absent for so long? One person in particular, she felt, would be less than pleased to see her involved in whatever plots and plans were in motion. Still, as the former Heart and a fiercely loyal Breaker, she couldn't help the offer all the same: [say]"Is there anything I could help with?"[/say]
RE: into the elegant haze - Lena - 10-05-2024
Sohalia would be in luck – for Lena already had an idea, involving no danger whatsoever, and an encouraging salve and balm towards relaxation. Giving her another smile, she began to offer explanations. [say]“There is, actually.”[/say] Pausing, her eyes flickered around, before continuing. [say]“I’m not sure if you’ve heard of Rae’s lilies. They’re a rare flower located in Frey’s Breath, and have been used before in healing sicknesses.”[/say] From the Voice’s penchant for spreading disease, to now the void-infected regions. [say]“We’ve been trying to collect them. Some can be used to stop the spread in the Wilds,”[/say] like through the Feverlands, Greatwood, and Oerwoud – though the latter had already been cleansed by different means. [say]“And some can be used on Starfall.”[/say] Pondering over the circumstances, she mulled through the other portions of information she’d been told.
[say]“I haven’t found any yet,”[/say] though she’d been a score and handful of times. And intended to go again. [say]“But someone is bound to snag one at some point. And then that can weaken…”[/say] she gestured with a vague handwave towards the purplish isle in the distance.