+- 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: [se] thunderstorms a week ago (/showthread.php?tid=8125)
[se] thunderstorms a week ago - Lena - 03-19-2023
Even after all her explorations and adventures, the Celestine was her true north. Above the drifting isles and amidst the clouds, serene gardens that couldn’t be touched by wind or marred by rain, illustrious and divine, where she could bend her head and work until mended, broken things found their own ways back home.
[say]“Hello little ones,”[/say] she whispered as she entered the latest enclosure, formed to resemble the Grotto. Overhanging branches accompanied by massive, seemingly hollow trees, formed a significant alteration, tucking away the little snakes needing to be assuaged.
On wings they came, sauntering out of holes in the towering timber, some ranging outward in a slow, dismal haze, their feathers barely fluttering, or simply not at all. She came to meet them at the base of the wood, settling herself amidst the grass, placing her basket down. [say]“Let’s see what we have for you today,”[/say] and leaving Mittens to guard the gate, she began to take out herbal balms from the container.
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Sohalia - 04-04-2023
Sohalia wandered the starry twilight of the Celestine, her hands clasped behind her back as she peered into enclosures and admired the blossoming gardens. She'd only recently arrived in Stormbreak, having spent the better part of a week exploring the Oerwoud. The decision to return to civilization had been driven in part by a need for supplies and rest, and in part due to a longing for human contact. The more Sohalia wandered, the more she realized that she was lonely. She'd thought that exploring the world sounded like a grand adventure, but she missed having a place to call home.
And so she'd shifted into her snowy owl form and flown for the closest skyport, where she'd taken a ship to Stormbreak. It would be nice, she thought, to see someplace new while still having the opportunity for human interaction.
As she rounded a corner in the Celestine, she saw a floating orb and, for a moment, wondered what new kind of flora or fauna she was seeing. It was then that she realized that the orb looked familiar, and with an excited squeal, she hurried forward. [say]"Mittens!"[/say] she exclaimed, looking around to find its companion. If Mittens was here, so was Lena, and that meant that she could reunite with a friend.
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Lena - 04-04-2023
Mittens might’ve been a difficult, impulsive, and overprotective little cretin on its better days, but it remembered Sohalia. She’d been one of the few it hadn’t had an opportunity to pummel or decimate with snowballs, so the emboldened notions were there, crystal clear and eager, fervent, ready – except memory also served that Lena would be unhappy. Unhappy meant no treats. It understood that connection well.
So it glowered and pouted the best way it knew how – shaping rock formations on its face. There was an ungodly, unearthly screech to follow, before Lena had dropped everything around the snakes, bag, balm, and all, to see what the matter was.
Alarm raised and breath rushed, she raced towards the gates expecting upheaval, and paused to note it was Sohalia, and not the world falling apart. [say]“Oh phew! I thought something was wrong!”[/say] Her gaze went instantly to Mittens, who straightened upwards and seemed entirely unbothered by antics. Thereafter, her features gentled, tracing back over to the fellow Attuned. [say]“But welcome to the Celestine! How are you?”[/say]
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Sohalia - 04-04-2023
Sohalia was a naive and, frankly, oblivious being, and she did not realize that the abominable snowball's rock-shaping was meant to be taken negatively. As such, she offered Mittens a cheerful smile, at least until it screeched at her - a horrible, ungodly, hair-raising noise that grated on her eardrums - and she clapped her hands to her ears with a wince. Perhaps, she realized belatedly, she was not as welcome in the Celestine as she had hoped. She'd thought that she and Lena had parted as friends, but perhaps acquaintances would be the better term.
It seemed that Mittens, at least, harbored no goodwill toward the young woman.
She had only just lowered her hands from her ears to offer Mittens an apology for - well, whatever she had done to offend it - when Lena appeared, concern written all over her face. Bemused by the snowball's antics and cowed by the realization that she had, perhaps, assigned more to their previous meeting than was entirely warranted, Sohalia offered a shy smile and a small wave. [say]"I'm well, thank you,"[/say] she said in response to the Caretaker's query, her hand dropping from its wave to knot in her skirts. [say]"I'm sorry to just drop in,"[/say] she added. [say]"But I was in the neighborhood, and I thought of you and Mittens."[/say]
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Lena - 04-04-2023
[say]“Don’t mind Mittens,”[/say] and she handwaved the snowball away – and it left to drift back towards the snakes she’d been tending with a residual, stony pout, while she opened the enclosure to allow Sohalia in. Her usual gentle, kind, and compassionate self, she remained unbothered by her companion’s persnickety personality, not permitting it to reflect in her own actions and demeanor. [say]“Come on in! I was putting some balm on the Mata Mata.” [/say]
Presuming Sohalia would follow after, she closed the gate, before humming, intending to return to where the black reptiles lingered, awaiting treatment. [say]“And quite all right, don’t worry about it!”[/say] Because the Attuned shouldn’t, in Lena’s mind anyway. [say]“How have you found Stormbreak so far?”[/say]
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Sohalia - 04-05-2023
As Mittens drifted away, Sohalia found herself feeling sorry for it. She'd clearly done something to upset it. Maybe she could ask Lena what it liked and bring it a gift next time. She followed Lena into the enclosure and watched as the other woman closed the gate behind her. [say]"Stormbreak is nice,"[/say] she said with a smile. [say]"But very busy! I've never seen so many people in one place! I was thinking about maybe taking a look at the Collegium. Is that something I could do, or do you have to be a student there, do you know?"[/say]
Sohalia settled beside Lena next to the Mata Mata, watching with interest as the woman tended the creatures. The Mata Mata were small, black snakes with wings, and they seemed to regard her with as much curiosity as she did them. Sohalia sat in silence for a moment, watching, settling her skirts around herself. [say]"What is the balm for?"[/say] she asked. [say]"Is there anything I can do to help?"[/say]
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Lena - 04-05-2023
Her light hum continued; a consistent melody, meant to be a calming, restorative tactic all on its own. Nurturing and kind, compassionate and tender, everything the Caretaker intended and hoped to be as she softly tread back towards the snakes, petalsoft and airy. Her head inclined back towards Sohalia at the inquiry, eyes widening, and smile rapid. [say]“Oh, you absolutely should! I’ve gone in many a time. It’s a wonderful place to study all sorts of history, heralds, and the like. Are you looking for anything in particular?”[/say] A nest of intrigue and information, without too many prying eyes. [say]“And no need to be a student. Stormbreak appreciates any with a scholarly and curious mind.” [/say]
With a wink, she sat down beside one of the winged reptiles with a dainty and gentle descent, curling her legs inward so that she might hold one of the creatures across her lap. It purred and hissed simultaneously; and she permitted another grin. [say]“The balm is to treat their skin. Somewhere along the way they acquired an infection.”[/say] Probably something fungal, given the nature of the changing seasons. [say]“You can have some, if you’d like.”[/say] From there, Lena placed the jar in the middle, so they could both use it, and then demonstrated the gentle ease of the procedure, the way her fingers slowly and daintily stroked over the marred portions of scales, placing the salve along skin so that it could begin to heal.
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Sohalia - 04-05-2023
Sohalia listened attentively to Lena's description of the Collegium, her eyes shining with admiration. Lena was so kind and so knowledgeable; she seemed to be everything that the young woman aspired to. [say]"Nothing in particular,"[/say] she said. [say]"I'm mostly interested in history. I'd like to learn more about the War,"[/say] she added, a slight frown marring her pretty face. [say]"I've heard a little about it, but I don't understand what started it, or why it had to happen. And I'd like to learn more about the gods and such. I don't know much about them, I'm afraid."[/say]
She settled gracefully next to Lena near the snakes, tucking her skirts around her legs, out of the way. Her friend picked up one of the winged snakes, and Sohalia giggled when it hissed and purred all at once. At Lena's offer, Sohalia sat up straighter, then gently reached for one of the reptiles. It twined around her hand, flapping its wings delicately, and hissed softly. Sohalia smiled. She copied Lena, taking some of the balm in hand, then carefully stroking it over the Mata Mata's scales. [say]"I like the Mata Mata,"[/say] she said happily as her patient slithered away, its scales glistening with healing balm. She picked up another. [say]"What other creatures do you have here?"[/say]
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Lena - 04-05-2023
History. War. Both intermingled and intertwined in the past years, and Lena could only sigh, striving to keep her buoyant thoughts afloat, when the maelstroms had been such a tangled, foregone mess of loss, anguish, despair, and gradual recovery. Gone a little quieter as she tended to the snake in her arms, her head tilted vaguely to glance at the younger woman. [say]“There’s certainly many books about the Voice, the barrier, and why she was trapped within.”[/say] The second statement brought her a little more peace. [say]“And about the heralds as well. You could be in there for days and not read everything,”[/say] angled on a lighter smile.
Once she was finished with one reptile, she allowed it to go, though not without an offer of treats – dainty wings carrying it forward to snag at the morsels, and then into the grass, swooping along a tree limb, before she snagged at another waiting its turn. She watched cautiously and curiously as Sohalia mirrored her motions, accepting the assistance with a steady nod of assurance. [say]“We have quite a few right now. Some dragons, unicorns, ursur, cloud wyrms…”[/say]
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Sohalia - 04-06-2023
Sohalia would be hard-pressed to explain why she was so intrigued by history and the War. Perhaps it was because, for most of her life, she'd been sheltered and protected, so much so that she'd hardly known there was a War until it was long since over. Her lack of knowledge simply wouldn't do - how was she to understand the world without knowing about what happened in it? She'd sought out books on the history of Caido - old history, from before the War - when she'd been in the Greatwood. So, too, had she learned about the geography of the world. That had planted the spark that led her to the Oerwoud and, doubtless, many more places to come.
What she had not learned about was recent history. She'd tried asking Tal, when they traded a skyship ride for swimming lessons, but his explanation had been... well, he had tried, she thought fondly. And she had appreciated the effort. Still, she was no closer to understanding the War than she'd been before. And how was history prevented from repeating itself if no one understood why it had happened in the first place?
[say]"I will have to set aside plenty of time, then,"[/say] said Sohalia, mirroring Lena's smile. She turned her attention back to the snake on her lap, which hiss-purred contentedly as she salved its wounded scales. She listened with interest as Lena listed off the other types of creatures that made the Celestine their temporary home. [say]"I saw unicorns once,"[/say] she mused aloud. [say]"They were... very playful."[/say] She remembered that day in King's End ruefully. She hadn't been quite sure what to do with the horned creatures, but they'd been beautiful to watch all the same.
[say]"How long have you been the Caretaker here?"[/say] she asked then, shaking her head to clear the memories. [say]"What's the most interesting creature you've cared for?"[/say]
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Lena - 04-06-2023
Stormbreak, in its own way, had been secluded and protected for a long time. From the Voice. From Abandoned. From anything resembling a touch of subversion from their heralds. While some Lena could understand, others she didn’t, but Sohalia would be able to see from the range of tomes, gaining perspective about worlds drifted apart, and what power could do in the wrong hands. [say]“I’m sure there are plenty who could talk about their own experiences in the war too,”[/say] she mused; if they yearned or craved to talk about the recent destruction.
She didn’t say if she was or not; permitting it to pass through her, like air and water. Easier that way.
Placing more balm upon a particularly wiggly snake, she offered another treat to ensure it was a little more passive, humming again at the notions of unicorns. [say]“They’re wonderful. Capable of healing or swiftness.”[/say] Had earned their way into her heart well before they assisted in healing the broken and scattered people of Stormbreak.
As for her role, she wrinkled her nose vaguely, attempting to parse through the levels of time. [say]“A few years. When Frey thought I was ready.”[/say] Releasing the reptile from her hold, she followed through on the same routine. [say]“They’re all interesting in their own ways – none of them are the same."[/say] Pausing, reflecting, her gaze went back to Sohalia. [say]"Have you heard of gossipflies? They’re quite something.”[/say]
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Sohalia - 04-07-2023
Lena suggested that others might be willing to talk about their experiences in the War, and Sohalia tilted her head to the side. [say]"I wouldn't want to make anyone uncomfortable or bring up bad memories,"[/say] she said softly. [say]"I've only heard a little about it, but none of it was good."[/say] She didn't ask any questions, unsure if Lena's suggestion was an invitation and not wishing to put a damper on their conversation. It was much nicer speaking of the Celestine and the creatures of Caido, anyway.
Seeing Lena offer her snake a treat, Sohalia took a few of her own, giving them to the snakes she had treated. She hummed in response to Lena's comment about the unicorns. She had thought them beautiful to look at, but it seemed they were capable of far more than just good looks. A new snake slithered before her, and Sohalia gently scooped it up, offering it a treat with one hand as she reached for more balm with the other.
[say]"You told me about Frey before,"[/say] Sohalia remembered. [say]"Did you have to complete a quest for them before you could be Caretaker? I met someone in the Oerwoud who was on a quest for Frey."[/say] She thought of Sunjata, still a bit bemused by their conversation about intimacy. He'd been nice, though, however odd the conversation.
[say]"No, I've not heard of gossipflies! What are they like?"[/say]
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Lena - 04-08-2023
The Caretaker wasn’t offering her own experiences, but perhaps, someone out there had relished the notions of the campaigns. Was proud of their achievements. Had Gideon still been alive, she could imagine the priest with wild, exaggerated stories and pieces to tell, with damnation on his tongue and fire in his passionate words. But Lena was none of those things, and while they had managed to maintain some level of decorum, grace, and life along Stormbreak’s shields, they’d also lost precious pieces. [say]“Depends on your definition of good, I suppose,”[/say] with a shrug of her shoulders, and a slightly wilted smile. [say]“The Voice is gone, but not without tremendous loss.” [/say]
And then they tried to repair, grow, replace all the manifestations of things broken.
Rinsing and repeating with the Mata Mata’s necessities, she began humming a tune; maybe self-soothing, maybe simply to fill in the void. [say]“I didn’t – but I was certainly ready to prove myself.”[/say] More of a triumphant grin settled on her features, better worn, effervescent. Gossipflies, however, we more of an incentive to laugh, a light and airy connotation. [say]“They look like normal butterflies, until you approach – and then they have human faces and voices.”[/say] Shrugging her shoulders, the giggles persisted, enough to set the snake in her hold at ease. [say]“They also speak in song, and never give you any noteworthy answers.”[/say]
RE: [se] thunderstorms a week ago - Sohalia - 04-09-2023
Sohalia made a mental note to look into the Voice when she visited the Collegium. She'd heard them mentioned several times now, but still felt no closer to knowing exactly who they were or what role they'd had to play in the War. It was incredibly frustrating to be so ignorant; she felt as though she were reading a book from which every other page was missing.
But the conversation moved on, and Soh was happy to discuss happier things than the War. As it turned out, Lena had not had a quest, and that left the young woman with more questions than answers. Why was Sunjata on a quest, but Lena had not had to complete one? She supposed that it was a matter of each individual and what it was they were trying to do, but still. "The gods" were added to her mental list of topics to look into in more depth.
Unsure how many Mata Mata there were - and of how many had been treated - Soh looked them over with a critical eye. She gently snagged one that seemed to have eluded their efforts thus far and rubbed some balm into its scales, murmuring softly to it as Lena hummed. [say]"They sound fascinating,"[/say] she said in reference to the gossipflies. [say]"But a bit strange. Kind of like Speaking Squirrels. We had quite a few back home, and they could speak, too - sort of."[/say]