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lavender haze - Sohalia - 03-08-2025
It was a bright Flowerbirth day. The sun shone high in the sky, filtering through the leaves above in dappled pinpricks, bits of bright blue shining in the space between the branches arching overhead. Soh and Lena strolled casually through Ludo’s Wood, their eyes peeled for a hint of gold, looking for the perfect spot to setup a picnic.
Soh carried a basket on one arm, filled to the brim with goodies. Some, like the purple grapes and blueberries, were meant to be a healthy bit to eat before they got to the lavender-colored cheesecake that Soh had picked up at the Bodega. Whether or not they would actually eat things in the proper order, however, remained to be seen.
Finding a nice, flat spot, Soh stopped and gestured vaguely around. [say]”What do you think? Is here okay?”[/say] There were only a few saplings hung with lanterns nearby, and their absence turned this section of Ludo’s Wood from vaguely creepy to downright cheerful. [say]”We can keep looking for flowers after we eat.”[/say]
RE: lavender haze - Lena - 03-08-2025
Ludo’s Woods had a certain mystique honed into the framework; saplings turned and twisted into prior forms, as if there were souls harkening back for some rush of eternity. It’d given Lena enough of a mindset to honor Mort and his herald, quickly bending down near the altar, and granting small toys and trinkets from Stormbreak, along with some gummies and lemon drops.
Then she’d caught back up with Sohalia, basket clutched against her side and Mittens screeching, likely sending any animals nearby either away or towards. [say]“This is quite the place,”[/say] she murmured, eyes constantly searching their surroundings, noting the various figures cloaked in bark and vine. Eventually, her thoughts and sentiments returned to the actual area Sohalia had been scouting, and she nodded in agreement. [say]“Sounds good to me. I’m quite hungry after coming all this way.” [/say]
She smiled, and helped unfurl and unfold the blanket they could sit upon. [say]“How have things been with you?”[/say] Maybe they’d had enough time and space to not meander around the unpleasantries anymore.
RE: lavender haze - Sohalia - 03-08-2025
Sohalia waited patiently for Lena to leave an offering at the shrine, deciding that if she was here long enough, she should return and do the same. She hadn't brought anything today, however, and so she merely said a little prayer for her parents and for Harper and for all the other souls lost as she waited. Then they continued on their way.
Settling on a place for a picnic, Soh sat her basket down and pulled out a blanket, which she spread around them neatly before taking her place upon in. Lena's question gave her pause. She wasn't sure how she was; she'd been living in a way that sought to forget and ignore all that had happened, and her actions had reflected the need to distract herself. [say]"Things have been... different."[/say] She hesitated, then sighed, reaching to begin to pull out an array of food items. [say]"It's been difficult lately. I'm staying in Torchline, but I miss home."[/say]
RE: lavender haze - Lena - 03-08-2025
Home seemed to have so many different connotations lately, that it gave her pause. Stormbreak nowadays felt like a combination of every day routine happenstances, rotating through her usual roles and practices, and walking on eggshells, waiting for the next shoe to fall. [say]“I haven’t heard anything else lately,”[/say] about any alterations and changes. [say]“Except now Koa’s sister is infected.”[/say] How much that might affect the younger Attuned, she wasn’t certain, but with not much news funneled towards Stormbreak, at least at large, she could only pick up on snippets in between and morsels found between cracks in the enamel.
Settling along the blanket and beginning to take her own purple-hued wares out, and uncertain how to steer the conversation to anything resembling contentment, she tilted her head back towards Sohalia. [say]“Has Torchline been well though? It must’ve been a decent LongNight.”[/say]
RE: lavender haze - Serendipity - 03-08-2025
Was that a scream? Could they be in trouble?
Is it all in your head? Just your imagination?
Or something else altogether – because what if it’s true?
You’ve encountered a Will-O-Wisp. This counts as a common 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.
Will-O-Wisps (common): Glowing orbs of light that dance and weave between the branches, despite their usefulness, these creatures are not to be trusted. Mischievous and loyal to no one, they will lead travellers astray at a moment's notice.
RE: lavender haze - Sohalia - 03-09-2025
At the news that Noe was infected, Soh stared at Lena. Had the girl been infected when she’d seen her in Torchline last season, or had it happened after? Should she have realized? [say]”That’s horrible,”[/say] she said after a beat. [say]”He must be devastated.”[/say] She knew she would be, if it were her. Should she reach out to him, see if there was anything she could do? Or would that only serve to make things between them even more awkward and uncomfortable than they already tended to be?
Shaking herself, she continued to unpack their picnic, nabbing a grape and popping it into her mouth as she did so. Their food choices for the day included an array of purple items, and Soh found herself feeling suddenly a little queasy. She’d liked the color much better back before the Void had taken over everything.
Before she could answer Lena, whispers surrounded them, causing Soh to tense. Orbs of light appeared, and she watched the will-o-wisp warily, pausing in her unpacking. [say]”Do you think it’ll go away?”[/say] she said of the creature. They were largely harmless, but she’d heard too many stories of travelers led astray to ignore it completely.
RE: lavender haze - Lena - 03-09-2025
Lena gave only a brief nod, swallowing down something else. Now she regretted saying anything at all; but she also didn’t want to keep people lingering in the dark, unaware of the transgressions bordering upon them on all sides. It was that sort of desperate pull into anything and everything that she yearned to avoid. [say]“Hopefully he can get her healed soon,”[/say] and that’d be one more dilemma firmly off their shoulders.
The purple hues of the food, though some bright and vibrant, gave her pause too, before she snagged at a grape too, and tended to the little flourishes of plums and raisins she’d set aside, plating them delicately as cries erupted from the surroundings.
She dropped the plate entirely – though it didn’t crack against the soft blanket. Every hair stood on end, and she could feel the tremble of her fingers beginning again. Logic told her they were will-o-wisps, as did the little bulbs of light streaming through the thick forest canopies and the distinct trunks. It didn’t make it any less harsh to hear the calls of her sister though, long gone, or echoing distinctions of her parents – or even Koa and Zavien, yelling harshly in the distance. [say]“Yes. We just have to ignore them,” [/say]she uttered. [say]“They like others to follow them.”[/say]
Then Mittens screeched in regard – an open mouthed accord the likes she’d never heard out of the creature, and the wisps seemed to begin dissipating, perhaps disappointed they wouldn’t be able to lead the three astray.
RE: lavender haze - Sohalia - 03-09-2025
Whispers of those long since gone surrounded them, and Soh swallowed hard against the bile that threatened in the back of her throat; but then Mittens screeched an unholy sound, and Soh watched as the orbs of lights began to fade and wink out. Relieved - though no less unsettled by the abominable snowball’s display - she turned her attention back to Lena and their meal.
[say]”They’re so… unsettling,”[/say] Soh said, shivering despite the warmth of the day. She perused their food options and selected a blueberry. [say]”Anyway, Torchline. LongNight was fine. It’s one long party there, you know?”[/say] She went on to describe the festivities, purposefully keeping the conversation light and cheerful. [say]”Truth be told, it’s not really my scene,”[/say] she admitted. [say]”But it was interesting to see all the same.”[/say]
RE: lavender haze - Lena - 03-10-2025
Though Lena wouldn’t speak ill of any creatures, especially those created by Frey and Rae, her eyes still followed the tracks and traces of the orbs of light, until they gradually dimmed and faded from sight. [say]“I’m sure some find them amusing. Maybe it’s all in what they hear.”[/say] In her case, that had been far from the course, and she took in another long breath, willing her fingers to stop shaking.
Grabbing a handful of raisins, and tossing some to Mittens to it might partake in their little picnic, and perhaps as reward for ensuring the will-o-wisps weren’t any semblance of danger for them. Her head tilted, listening to Sohalia describe the parties during LongNight – half-wondering what it would be like, to be amused in the thralls and throngs of constant darkness, rather than waiting for the light to return. [say]“Oh? What sort of parties?”[/say] She allowed a small, teasing smile to glimpse across her features, imagining a drunken, caterwauling sort of scene.
RE: lavender haze - Sohalia - 03-10-2025
Mittens seemed content with its raisins, and Soh selected another grape for herself. The will-o-wisp might not have been dangerous in and of itself, but she certainly wasn’t keen to let her guard down, not when the Family seemed to have eyes and ears everywhere. Fortunately, she and Lena had always had a way of avoiding unpleasantness - even if it might be to their detriment - and as the wisp departed, talk turned once more to Torchline and its parties.
[say]”Well,”[/say] said Soh, pouring herself a glass of water. [say]”They make these huge bonfires on the beach, and all these street vendors set up so you can get food and drink anywhere. And there are musicians, so there’s dancing, and everyone just… I don’t know. They seem to really enjoy LongNight.”[/say]
RE: lavender haze - Lena - 03-10-2025
Lena’s tactic for avoidance of trauma might not have been the healthiest arrangement, but she also didn’t want to constantly coincide with melancholy; not when it pervaded and surrounded so easily. It took much more to reach into her depths and preside only gentleness, kindness, and compassion, growth and earnestness to be met in equal measure – and perhaps one day that would be spread more than the vicious violence and stifling, dimming dreams.
Munching upon a few more portions of fruit, she opted for taking out the tankard of juice she’d collected; grape enhanced, to go with the purple theme, pouring herself a cup and leaving it out amidst the food in case Sohalia wanted to try. [say]“Oh, see, that does sound incredibly charming,”[/say] she grinned, save for the drunkenness. [say]“Sounds like some regions should adapt to that.”[/say] Though it must’ve been difficult for many, especially those who lived in the clutches of those horrible, nefarious LongNights of yesteryear.
Then, there came a noise from near the brush – enough so that her Attuned senses picked upon the motions and movements. [say]I think something is hiding in there[/say], and she gave a slight tilt to her head, indicating the direction of the maneuvering scales and forked tongues.
RE: lavender haze - Sohalia - 03-11-2025
Soh wouldn’t have thought that Lena would find parties all that interesting. Perhaps she didn’t know her friend as well as she thought. She poured herself a bit of the grape enhanced juice and sipped on it, regarding Lena over the rim of the cup. [say]”Maybe one day we can bring the party to Stormbreak,”[/say] she mused. One day in the far distant future, in a dreamed world where the Family and the Void were no more.
There was a noise from a nearby brush and Soh tensed, looking over her shoulder. Reaching out with her Attuned senses, she brushed the minds of a few birds of prey in the area, calling them to her. They perched in the tree above, watching and waiting to see if they were needed. [say]What do we do?[/say] she asked Lena. Was it the Family? A Void creature? Had they come for Soh at last?
RE: lavender haze - Lena - 03-11-2025
Given that Lena and Zavien had amused themselves during a murder mystery party, the Caretaker could probably find a way to entertain herself at anything outlandish. Though, she wrinkled her nose at other sentiments wandering through her mind. [say]“Not right now – the taco party Noe put on was…very popular amongst some inhabitants.”[/say] And the way the poor woman had wound up infected – all amounting to curiosity and excitement.
But then there were other things at play, and Lena, recognizing the form of the animal, remained calm in the sudden tension of the Luminary’s reaction. [say]I think it’s a hanging snake[/say] she mentioned. [say]So probably nothing. They're mostly harmless.[/say] And sure enough, it soon came sauntering out – head only, ducking below some bramble and brush, almost entirely blending in amongst the hues, save for its forked tongue. [say]It probably smells some of the food.[/say]
RE: lavender haze - Sohalia - 03-12-2025
A taco party sounded fun - and Soh tucked the thought away in the back of her mind, where she sometimes liked to daydream about things she could do in that far distant future where she ruled Stormbreak once more, beloved by all who lived there. It might not have been the most realistic view, but it was something to pass the time, even if she didn’t really believe that that particular wish would ever come true.
Soh relaxed as a hanging snake came slithering from the brambles. The birds she’d called to her aid shifted on their branch, seeing an easy meal for the taking. [say]Is there even anything here it can eat?[/say] Soh wondered, her silver gaze flickering between birds and prey. She had nothing against the snake, really, so if all it wanted was some food, she’d be glad to allow it to join them.