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 Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 11:21 am
Quote: “You’ve accomplished much to have made it this far…” Aevah Avi says, taking you in with a slow, assessing sweep of her eyes. “I take it you are ready to attain your companion?” Etiquette for taking on such a massive and life-changing task has dictated that you honor your orderite blood by coming before Aevah Avi herself. After you confirm your answer, she studies you again briefly, then smiles. “Very well. There are a few minor tasks that lay ahead, each of which must be completed for the ritual to move forward. Tapping into your essence, your magic, and your innate fingerprint on this world deeply enough to split that power off into another breathing being destined to be your eternal companion is a process that requires a great expenditure of energy. As such, we will require the aid of five of the most powerful dragon souls on this earth. When you have gathered five Aedaun orbs for the task, return to me.” Let’s Begin You’ve been tasked to gather five aedaun dragon soul orbs. Battlers may go out and hunt these dragons down themself; civilians may do the mini-adventure below. Alternatively, either path may perchase them from Arick Skyforge. Once you've obtained the orbs and your profile has been updated to accommodate the change, come back to this Adventure and continue. Kadryn walked the halls of the Citadel again for the first time in months. She’d flown straight there and ignored the gates and city outside. She wanted to get this done and head home to Kirosh. In a bag on her back was the last of the items she’d left behind at her parents, the orbs she carried everywhere, and her cooking gear that she always had. She knocked on the door to Aevah’s study as she had those few times she’d come to deliver orbs to prove her mastery and opened it when she heard her leader’s voice beckon. Aevah smiled when she entered. “After your father came through, he mentioned that you should be coming soon.” Her eyes sparkled in amusement. “You’ve made it so far… grown so very much from the shy girl who stammered that first time we met. I take it you are ready?” Kadryn grinned and nodded. “Since my Da did go through the trouble to give me one last gift... I’d be churlish of me to not use it!” Aevah laughed softly. “Of course. Very well. There are a few minor tasks that lay ahead, each of which must be completed for the ritual to move forward. Tapping into your essence, your magic, and your innate fingerprint on this world deeply enough to split that power off into another breathing being destined to be your eternal companion is a process that requires a great expenditure of energy. The orbs will be your energy source. Since you have them already, follow me.”
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 11:31 am
Returning to Aevah Once you have attained the required orbs, you dutifully return to Aevah, dragon souls in hand, so that you may progress to the second phase of this massive undertaking. Upon spotting you, Aevah arches her eyebrows with a smile. “Back so soon,” she says. “Excellent work. Unfortunately, your haste was not entirely necessary. As one of orderite blood, the timing for drawing your companion into being is crucial. The day is late, and Seren’s light is fading. I will keep your orbs here safe for the moment, and in the meantime, get a good night’s rest. Come the morrow, meet me here, in the Citadel of Order, on the second story, east-facing balcony. Make it early, an hour before dawn or more to give us ample time to prepare. The ritual for your companion will begin at daybreak, as Seren’s magic first breaks out over the land, fighting back the shadows and bathing you in one of her greatest gifts: the dawn. Oh, and come morning, bring something of yourself with you. This can be anything from a small memento, a gift meaningful to you, or simply your weapon. So long as it is representative of you and personal, it should suffice.” As you accept these terms and instructions, Aevah takes your orbs, and bids you a warm farewell. “Sleep well, gather your energy…and do not be late.” Write at least 300 words explaining how you spend your night and detailing the choosing of your “meaningful item” of choice. This item can be literally anything (feel free to get creative), though smaller items are preferred since they are more manageable and portable. The item of choice and its significance to the character in question can affect the way their companion manifests. Additionally, how does the night go, overall? Do you spend the evening alone or with friends or loved ones? Do you rest easy, or are you too anxious to sleep? Are you confident, or plagued all night with musings about how wonderful or horrible things could go if they don’t turn out as anticipated? (You need not include answers to all of these things - they are just potential prompts to get you thinking.) Aevah lead Kadryn to a room and opened the door. It was a guest room, and Kadryn looked at Aevah with an eye brow cocked, asking silently what this was. “Unfortunately, your arrival is at the wrong time for the Ritual. As one of orderite blood, the timing for drawing your companion into being is crucial. The day is waning, and Seren’s light is fading. I will keep your orbs here safe for the moment, and in the meantime, get a good night’s rest. Come the morrow, meet me here, in the Citadel of Order, on the second story, east-facing balcony. Make it early, an hour before dawn or more to give us ample time to prepare. The ritual for your companion will begin at daybreak, as Seren’s magic first breaks out over the land, fighting back the shadows and bathing you in one of her greatest gifts: the dawn. Oh, and come morning, bring something of yourself with you. This can be anything from a small memento, a gift meaningful to you, or simply your weapon. So long as it is representative of you and personal, it should suffice.” “Ah, that make’s sense.” Kadryn said with a sigh. She’d rather be outside or someplace else, but if it was to be at dawn, than that’s when the Ritual would be. “Sleep well, gather your energy…and do not be late.” With that Aevah left and Kadryn sat on the bed to go through her bag. Something meaningful? The greatest gifts she’d ever been given where the love and acceptance of her family and Kirosh. The items were just items, important to use but meaningful? He eyes fell upon the ladle she used for cooking. All her life cooking had been important; a way to connect and bring happiness to others. “I’ll take you,” she said as she picked it up. It was an old ladle, its wooden shape smoothed by the many years of use. “You are an item to create things that are meaningful to me, that means that you are also meaningful.” With that she changed and sat at the window to await sleep. She wasn’t too tired, but as she watched the moon rise and let a soft silver light dance across the roofs of the city, she knew that she felt it creep up on her. That night she slept lightly. It was a strange room, strange sounds and scents all around her. Nothing to make her uneasy, but it wasn’t home and she wasn’t … wasn’t comfortable here. The city was not her place. Best that morning comes soon so I can leave. She thought as she drifted off to sleep.
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 11:39 am
A Date with Dawn After the long and fateful night, you return to the Citadel of Order as instructed, and find Aevah Avi waiting for you on a second story balcony, facing the east and the approaching dawn. The balcony is massive and elegantly tiled with an ornate railing that reaches halfway around on either side, but stops with a wide enough empty, unguarded area for a viewer to step directly from the edge and take flight out over the sleeping city. The day is young yet, though, the first hints of paler colors just beginning to bleed into the lower edge of the skyline and the hemisphere above still mostly full of glimmering stars. “You made it,” Aevah says in greeting. “Good. Sit.” She motions to a small, plush pillow located several paces in front of the entrance to the balcony. Around it, the five soul orbs are balanced upon carved pedestals in pseudo-circular formation. As you step forward and settle yourself as instructed, one of the citadel priests waiting to the left of the door steps forward, holding out a bowl and wash cloth. “Wipe your hands and face to symbolize a ritualistic cleaning of everything but yourself from your body. Then drink,” Aevah says as another priest brings forward a cool goblet, filled with pristine water, “and cleanse your mind as you do. You want nothing but your uninterrupted essence playing into the ritual as your companion takes shape. No lingering concerns or grudges, no worries for the future…solely yourself, and your magic.” After washing and drinking as directed, there is nothing left for you to do but wait, relax, and clear your mind as the sky begins to gradually brighten. Dawn is almost upon you. Kadryn awoke before dawn and stretched her muscles before slipping out of the lonely bed to gather her gear and change into a clean set of clothes. She went to Aevah’s study, where an Apprentice directed her to a door nearby that faced the brightening eastern sky. It was surrounded by ornately carved stone rails and large enough that it could hold a few more people. “You made it,” Aevah says in greeting. “Good. Sit.” She motioned to a small, plush pillow located several paces in front of the entrance to the balcony. Around it, the five soul orbs are balanced upon carved pedestals in pseudo-circular formation. Kadryn settled herself upon the pillow and watched as some Priests entered from a door to the left and held out a crystal bowl filled with water and a cloth. “Wash your face and hands to symbolize the cleaning of everything except who you are from your body. Cleanse your mind. You want nothing but your uninterrupted essence playing into the ritual as your companion takes shape. No lingering concerns or grudges, no worries for the future…solely yourself, and your magic.” Aevah instructed her. Doing so, Kadryn took deep breathes, and slowly calmed her heart and mind. She closed out all except that of the wind whispering through the leaves below, the scent of the flowers blooming and the cool dawn air. She opened her eyes, and watched the skies to the east brighten, calm and collected; ready to do what needed to be done. In her hands rested the ladle.
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 11:52 am
The Ritual As dawn’s light first peeks over the edge of the horizon, Aevah’s voice fills the air. Melodic, transcendent words — too ancient even for your understanding — twist into each other and weave about you, almost bodiless in nature and soon joined by the chanted verses spoken by the two accompanying priests. The item requested of you is before you and begins to emit a faint glow of energy, encasing it, and then spilling outward in rippling streams towards each of the five dragon orbs. The orbs, in turn, glow as well, their magic coiling upwards in pillars and meeting at a five-pronged point. From there, after pooling into a progressively larger sphere of energy, the light bursts outwards, pouring onto you and everything within the ring created by the soul orbs. Too bright for any naked eye to handle, you squeeze your eyes shut, momentarily dazed as the magic pulses through you, absorbing completely into you for a fraction of a second before finishing its task there. As you watch, dazed, a glimmering shape — indistinct at first, but then more solid — begins to take form in front of you, just outside the ring of now-dispersed soul orbs. Eventually, what stands before you is your companion, a piece of you, and a lifelong commitment, outlined by the first full rays of the new dawn. As the sun’s light turned the east into pale gold with vivid pink and pale lavender clouds, Aevah’s voice sweetly sang out into the cool air. Old and melodic, the words made no sense to Kadryn, but they resonated in her body and shimmered in the air about her. Soon two more voices joined Aevah’s to dance and weave through the air to chant and sing an ancient hymn. In her hands, the Ladle began to glow a soft pale blue, then the light overflowed the scooped shell of the ladle. It weaved and flowed like a small stream to the five Orbs, which began to shimmer with golden light. Suddenly pillars of gold streamed up, with the pale blue of her power twisting and winding its way up the glowing pillars like vines. They met in a 5 starred point above her. Soon the light shone too bright as it swirled into a pool that withered and billowed like a storm cloud made of golden clouds. Pale blue lightning bolts shimmered across it. With a blinding flash, it pulsed and flickered. Kadryn shut her eyes against eh glare as she felt the power pulse through her, before it quieted down. Opening her eyes, she saw the billowing cloud of light, golden and pale blue, condense in front of her, forming a glimmering shape. Indistinct at first, it soon grew into a thick body, with short strong limbs and a broad face. Gleaming blue eyes looked at her from pools of golden circles. Before her stood what looked to be an Arrical. But more rounded and with shorter fur. Cream colored fur with golden spots about the eyes, ears, and on the limbs. Lightning flickered about it, and it rumbled a greeting to her in a deep throaty growl.
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Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2014 12:11 pm
Final You have successfully completed your companion quest. Aevah Avi congratulates you on your impressive accomplishment and explains to you in detail the bonuses and implications of having attained a companion. It is powerful, but not invincible; an aid to you, but not something to be treated frivolously. It will be as obedient and faithful to your command as a fifth limb, but losing your companion is a permanently scarring process, and not something any orderite should ever want to endure. Treat it with love and care, as you would yourself, and go forth into the world with the greatest ally you will ever attain. Aevah’s voice, and the Priests, finally came to a halt. The orbs no longer lay on the pedastles, they’d been consumed by the Ritual. Kadryn stood up to have her face stand as high as her companion’s. Hello Kadryn. The growled words of the beast translated themselves into words in her mind. She startled. Is it thinking words at me? He. I am a he not an it. The creature butted his thick head against her chest. Silly girl. And you can call me Chu Lin. And yes, this is how I talk. No one but you can hear me.Ah… well. That would take some getting used to, having someone listening to my thoughts. He merely chucked and turned his head to face Aevah who’d stepped forward. “You have gained a powerful Companion today Kadryn. But he is not invincible and can destroyed. It will hurt you, for he is a part of you as much as your arms. Your will is his will.” Ha. No its not. Chu Lin snorted and leaned into Kadryn who had to brace herself for his heavy weight. “Treat and love it as you would another person, he is not a tool to be used frivolously. GO forth back to your home knowing you have found the greatest ally you will ever obtain.” She smiled and turned to go to her study, leaving Kadryn and Chu Lin alone on the balcony. Kadryn looked at him and asked out loud the question bothering her. “How am I supposed to travel with you?” Chu Lin merely chuckled and small flickers of pale blue and golden lightning swirled about and he suddenly vanished… except he was still there, just much smaller. Easily. I can change my shape, though I cannot grow bigger than what you’ve already seen. I can’t wait to see your hubby’s face when you bring me home. His voice snickered in his mind as Kadryn picked him up. Indeed, how was Kirosh going to react? He’ll probably find it amusing.. and then go out and try to find an Arrical to match you…..
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