[se] Light in the water
the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
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#1
The big mermanta swam towards the surface, wide wings sweeping gracefully through the dark waters. Moonlight occasionally glinted off his steely hair and the lines of gold that crossed his dark hide, but the glow of the waters around him were the much brighter indicator of his path. Blue light sparkled and swirled as small plankton in the water were jostled by his passage, and the closer he swam towards the shallows the thicker and brighter the lights became.

He carried a net slung over his shoulder, though at first it was hard to see what was held within the hempen web. Something filled it, but that something was transparent and nearly invisible in the night.

When he'd found the thickest pooling of glowing water he stilled his wings and glided forward into it slowly, trying not to disturb the waves unnecessarily as he pulled out a graceful glass jar and began to slowly scoop it through the brilliantly lit water, trying to collect the glowing creatures within.


Age: 22 | Height: | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
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#2
Originally, Chrys had come to this spot simply to watch the glowing lights on the waves. It looked beautiful, the small glowing speckles on the dark ocean. Like a mirror of the stars on the dark sky above.

She was a tad surprised to see someone else here. Let alone someone apparently intent on gathering the glowing plankton. Driven by curiosity, Chrys moved closer. Slowly, carefully, as to not disturb the plankton, only her head above the waves, silvery blonde hair moving with the waves. "What's that for?" she asked once she got a bit closer, now emerging further from the water and pointing at both the net and the jar the mermanta had filled.
Chrys
the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 9 - Strg: 34 - Dext: 30 - Endr: 40 - Luck: 36 - Int: 0
Played by: Cirago Offline
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MP: 10170
#3
He might not have been expecting company on his lonely errand, but Hadama didn't seem unhappy to find it. He paused in his collection, turning with care to disturb the glowing water around him as little as possible as he faced the newcomer and nodded a polite welcome.

"I am making sea-lanterns," he rumbled, with a voice like distant summer thunder. "This will be the 'candle'," and he gestured to the glowing surface of the water. "And the cages..." he swam carefully out from the center of the glowing waves before offering the net for her to see.

Or... not see? There was definitely something in there. Several somethings, in fact, but since the glass squids were transparent it was hard to tell where one ended and another began. "How do you celebrate the Festival?" Gentle green eyes watched the younger mermaid curiously as he held his jar high enough out of the water so that the light within couldn't escape.


Age: 22 | Height: | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
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#4
Chrys looked at the contents of the net with curiosity. "Ohh, that's interesting! How are you gonna make them?" She furrowed her eyebrows in thought as she looked at the squids. With a slight tilt of the head, she watched the light swirl in the jar.

Then she grinned. "I was planning to go to the shore and watch the mouth-breathers. They always do interesting things." But it seemed like the plan had changed now. "I want to make one as well! Can you show me how to make one?" Though it was a question, the excitement in her voice and the widening grin gave the impression that she probably wouldn't accept a no easily.
Chrys
the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 9 - Strg: 34 - Dext: 30 - Endr: 40 - Luck: 36 - Int: 0
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Posts: 1,252 | Total: 7,219
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#5
"Carefully," Hadama said in response to her question, absolutely deadpan. He nodded at her eager request, however, a slow motion with amusement flickering in his green eyes in spite of his stoic expression. "Yes. Watch..."

He eyed his jar and then nodded in satisfaction that there was enough for now. Fixing the lid carefully onto it so he wouldn't lose what he'd gathered, he tethered the jar to the belt at his waist and then reached into the net to pull out one of the squids - already dead.

"How do the drylanders celebrate the Festival?" he asked her curiously as he worked to cut a careful slit in the top of the squids head with a small knife, and emptying the contents into the water away from them. He handed her a second squid so she could copy what he did, if she didn't mind the ammonia smell that came from the creatures when the insides of their float bladders were released.


Age: 22 | Height: | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
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#6
And Chrys did exactly that, watch. Intrigued and excited. At his inquiry, she shrugged. "I haven't watched them yet, so I don't know the details. But I heard they're also making lanterns for the dead. Then they gather somewhere to hang the lanterns."

Once Hadama had given her one of the squids, she took a small knife out of the satchel she was carrying with her and copied the way he had cut into the other squid. Although she did wrinkle her nose slightly at the smell, she wasn't about to be stopped by a squid in her endeavors. While she worked, she continued talking. "I think the land people are interesting. Because they do a lot of things differently than we do. And some things are very similar. Like the festival. It's fun to watch them or talk to them."
Chrys
the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 9 - Strg: 34 - Dext: 30 - Endr: 40 - Luck: 36 - Int: 0
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#7
"I am Hadama," he offered as he watched the mermaid work, nodding in silent approval as she made her deft cut. "And I would like to see these human lanterns, someday." But for the moment, he had his own family's traditions to uphold and pass on to another, and he lifted his squid out of the water, turning it upside down so the rest of the water and ammonia could drain from the cut.

He kept a finger in the cut, however, so the creature's top didn't seal completely shut and stick together in the way that once-living flesh could do. Tipping the squid right-side up again, he reached for his jar of glowing water and, balancing them both carefully in the waves against his broad chest, he began to slowly and carefully pour the jar's contents into the squid's emptied buoyancy chamber until it was about half full. "I have only spoken to a few," he admitted slowly as he worked. "But they are indeed curious. Have you spent much time with them?"

He offered her the glass jar, and there was an amused gleam in his green eyes as he continued to hold the squid out of the water. "The next part requires a bit of fortitude," he warned, reaching into a pouch on his harness and pulling out two pieces of tuna sinew.


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#8
"I'm Chrys." And as she said this, Chrys looked at Hadama with a wide smile. "How about we go and watch the human festival together? I think that would be a lot of fun." Which, of course, was an entirely normal question to ask while emptying squids into the water, right?

Watching Hadama work, Chrys continued to replicate the step, making sure to let the water drain out of her squid as well. "I haven't talked to that many of them. I only started to be more interested in them recently. But there was one who was really interesting. He just came and swam up to the city, without using a shift or something like that."

Then she took the glass jar offered to her and started to carefully fill the buoyancy chamber of her squid as well. This time without looking up - or else she might spill some of the glowing liquid -  she replied with a joyful grin. "Like I'd be stopped by something like making a lantern."
Chrys
the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 9 - Strg: 34 - Dext: 30 - Endr: 40 - Luck: 36 - Int: 0
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Posts: 1,252 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#9
Hadama considered the invitation thoughtfully while he worked, but eventually he gave a solemn nod. "Yes... I would like that. Thank you." With his curiosity piqued he'd be going anyways, and perhaps Chrys would have insights into the human version of events.

"Bold of him," the big merman rumbled, but it was not a sound of approval. "Did he know that his kind are not allowed in the city?" An ancient tradition, and one that was strictly enforced - or so he thought. But ignorance could be forgiven... once.

He waited until she'd used the rest of the glowing water, and his good humor returned at her confidence. Mischief gleamed in his gaze as he lifted the squid. "So. To help it keep its shape and float..." He bent his head and put his lips to the cut, blowing into the buoyancy chamber like it was a balloon. Once it was full - glowing water in the bottom and air at the top - he pinched it closed and began to work swiftly and deftly to tie the opening off with a length of sinew. When finished he rinsed his mouth in the ocean and then offered her the second piece of sinew. His face was politely stoic, but there was laughter in his eyes to see what she would do next.


Age: 22 | Height: | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
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#10
"He didn't." And Chrys shrugged. "I don't really understand why everyone is so against people visiting though. They're interesting. And it's not like many would come over anyway. What bad are they gonna do? It's not like they'd be interested in moving into our city anyway."

As Chrys watched Hadama blow air into the squid, she didn't say anything. However, her face clearly showed that she wasn't excited at the thought of repeating what he had done. Still, she had said it, and she certainly wouldn't back down now. Once he had given her the second piece of sinew, she took a deep breath, and then she blew air into the buoyancy chamber of the squid. Face contorted to a badly hidden grimace, she quickly tied the opening with her piece of sinew before rinsing her mouth in the ocean as well.

Looking back and forth between Hadama and the now-filled squid, she said: "I think I prefer the ways humans make lanterns."
Chrys
the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 9 - Strg: 34 - Dext: 30 - Endr: 40 - Luck: 36 - Int: 0
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 1,252 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#11
Hadama nodded slowly at Chrys's words, but only in acknowledgment that he heard them. When she was done he waited a little longer, letting her finish putting the air pocket in her floating lantern - and keeping a stoic face in spite of the humor of the situation. When both lanterns were finished, he held onto the tentacles of his squid and dove under the waves gently, pulling the lantern-balloon behind him. The water inside sloshed within the air pocket, making the tiny creatures within glow frantically, and it lit up the water around it with a cheerful blue light.

If a merfolk steals, or kills, or commits some crime, then they can be found and brought to justice, he rumbled into her mind, answering her previous concerns. Perhaps they may hide for a time... but they will have few options beyond punishment or voluntary exile. He turned in the water in a slow, graceful roll so he could look back at Chrys.

If a drylander comes into our city and commits a crime, they need only go back to land to be beyond our reach. They could create great havoc without any consequence to themselves. Not all would do bad... but you cannot promise that none would. It is a risk our people have chosen not to take.

In an attempt to lighten the mood again, he considered her last statement with mock-seriousness. How do humans make lanterns? he asked curiously.


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#12
Chrys
As Hadama dove below the surface, Chrys followed, both her now-finished lantern and her own tentacles trailing behind her. I guess that's true. Although she wasn't happy to admit it, something which could be felt along with her words over the bond. But we can do the same. We can do something bad in their cities and just run into the ocean. And they still let us inside. It's unfair if we don't do that as well.

A change of topic did, however, brighten the mood considerably. At least for Chrys. Many different ones. Some make them out of paper entirely, folding and gluing them together. Some make ones with wood. And some with metal.

Code base by Sky

the Tidebreaker
King of the Merfolk / Chef

Age: 38 | Height: 6'6" | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
Level: 9 - Strg: 34 - Dext: 30 - Endr: 40 - Luck: 36 - Int: 0
Played by: Cirago Offline
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Posts: 1,252 | Total: 7,219
MP: 10170
#13
How much 'bad' can we really do, confined to the canals? he asked, a flicker of dry amusement in his mental voice at her pouting. After his difficulty even getting food vendors to come close enough to the canal to trade with him for simple snacks, he was well aware of the merfolk's limitations within Haulani. We are constrained. Controlled, when in their cities. How could we do the same, to ensure their good behavior in ours?

Human lanterns were a much lighter topic - though Hadama didn't intend the pun - and he tried to envision the techniques and materials Chrys described. Paper...? He asked, curious. Would it not catch on fire from their candles? Paper in the ocean was a rare enough commodity, and Hadama had never seen the stuff in person before.


Age: 22 | Height: | Race: Mermaid | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Torchline
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#14
Chrys
Hadama had a point. And Chrys wasn't happy about it. Some of us can do magic. They could have waves wash over the whole place and then run. Was it a good point? Probably not. But the only one that came to mind at the moment.

In regards to the human lanterns, a mental shrug was transmitted over the bond. I have no idea. Somehow it doesn't. How about we ask them during the festival? Then she smiled and amusement accompanied her next words. They might ask us how we made our lanterns as well. She felt a certain amount of mischievous glee at the thought of taking some materials along and letting landpeople try their hand at making their lanterns as well.

Code base by Sky



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