|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 12:18 pm
 (Lines by The Only Black Uke, Color by Smerdle)|| Stat Page || Updated: Mar/12/18
Experience || 103
Inventory
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:09 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:14 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:15 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:16 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:18 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2015 3:20 pm
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sun Jan 24, 2016 3:08 pm
Prentice- Journal entry 1
Starting Out When her eyes fluttered open, the young prentice couldn’t remember a thing. Oh, she had the basics like how to breathe and how to stand and walk, but anything along the lines of where she was or who she was... it was all gone. She was sore, dried out, had apparently been bleeding... Someone had beaten her up? Pressing a hand gingerly to the back of her head, she took a look around. She was in some sort of little hut of mud and wood, put together as a temporary shelter rather than a permanent home. Had she built this? She couldn’t remember. Taking stock of herself and what she had, she counted the clothing she wore, and.. that was it. She had her clothes, but there was nothing else nearby. Sure looked like someone had taken everything...
Noticing her hand aching, she looked down to find it was clenching something tightly. It took a moment for her to relax her hold on the little item. When she did, there was a small skip to her heart. It was a small, simple slingshot. Something about it was special to her; she could feel that much. What exactly it was that was special about it though, she wasn’t sure. She inspected the weapon closely, looking for some name or symbol or anything, but the thin material revealed no epiphanies to the confused girl.
After quite a few minutes, she tore her gaze away from the little weapon and looked at the door. Well, calling it a door wasn’t right. It was a simple blanket hanging over the entry, like the little window carved out from the center of one wall. The prentice was apprehensive about seeing what was beyond that blanket, but she wasn’t going to get answers if she stayed inside this hut...
Stepping out through the door, her blue eyes winced nearly closed as the heat of the day hit her. The shade of the makeshift building was warm, but much cooler than the arid winds outside! The bright light in the sky made her head hurt even more, but she squinted around for someone nearby. Anyone. There had to be somebody around! The only sign of others possibly like herself were footprints in the sand, faded from the wind. Further from the hut, there was more blood, torn cloth, prints from some other creatures, the signs of a fight. What had happened here?
For a reason she couldn’t put her finger on, the girl began to cry. Not loud sobs, but the tears spilled from her eyes and a lump rose in her throat. Something bad had happened here. Did she know? Was she afraid? Was she sad? As much as she wracked her brain, she couldn’t remember how she’s come to be where she was now. Nothing of use to her had been left behind. That is, nothing aside from herself. She’d been left there. She was alone. That thought did make her sad, but surely it was nothing to cry over. There was more to this that she couldn’t see yet.
Brushing at her eyes, she took a deep breath and ducked back into the little hut for the chance to cool down and clear her head. There were prints in here from someone other than herself when she took the extra moment to notice. They were larger than her own prints, and the toes were dug deep in a hurried sort of step. Had she been carried in? Was this where she’d been attacked? Had she even really been attacked?
She had so many questions that her throbbing head couldn’t answer. She was confused, and frightened, and-
‘Rhonann.’
The word came to her like the prodding of a finger, and she knew it was her name. How she knew it was her name, she wasn’t sure. She could feel it in her gut. She also knew she had to get on the move to find her answers.
Armed with only her name and the slingshot, Rhonann stepped back outside and stood out in the open. There, she turned in a slow rotation to get a good look at her surroundings and options. One direction looked like an endless sand and heat. ..The other directions didn’t look much better, to be honest. However, the horizon did seem to hold a bit of hope. If she peered hard enough to the west, she could see a dark mass lining the horizon beyond the mirage-creating heat waves radiating from the ground around her. Was that a forest? What was a forest again? Oh, right, it was a bunch of trees. That meant shade, and probably water!
Looking down at the prints once more, she felt her heart tug again. She was connected to those steps somehow. The prints were of no help to her though. What she could see was of the tussle in front of the hut, and then the steps faded away. She couldn’t tell who had gone which way... Rhonann knew she couldn’t just stand there, and the distant forest to one side held more potential than the endless sea of sand the other way. She had to pick one.
Pulling her hood up over her head to shield herself from the high sun, she turned to start her journey to the forest. As she walked, she felt herself relax. Movement was calming. She was doing something. She knew that worrying wouldn’t get her any answers any faster, so she let go of the strain of the unknown. Fretting about what she didn’t know would only harm her progress. When she wasn’t busy thinking about what she didn’t know, she was quite content; and slowly, her excitement rose above her concerns.
She was going to get her answers, she didn’t doubt that. They would come when she found them. For now, though, she was seeing the world for the first time. She wanted to explore and learn and grow. Inside, the pain of an unknown loss was tucked away and buried, making way for a childlike wonder at the strange, wide world stretched out before her. (( word count: 1,020 ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2016 8:54 pm
Prentice- Journal entry 2
The Other Kind Of Familiar Much had happened since waking up. Rhonann had joined up with Mnyiri, the Alkidike. She liked Mnyiri, and was grateful for the companionship. Mnyiri was energetic and excitable and willing to learn. Rhonann’s first instinct had been to think that Mnyiri looked odd, but with the way Mnyiri had reacted to her appearance, maybe she was the odd one! Of course, still within the borders of Jauhar, she’d only seen Alkidikes in the little village they’d gone through, and thus had nothing other than more Alkidikes to compare herself to. If that was the case... she really was odd. Not that she minded, of course. She liked how she looked just fine!
For the most part, the traveling duo didn’t run into many people anyway. Walking with such limited company felt strange, but she was enjoying herself quite a bit. Mnyiri and the two familiars helped to distract her from her missing past. She felt like she’d known Mnyiri for ages already.
It was at night that the ache came back; the feeling that she was missing something picking at the back of her brain. She’d stopped crying over the mysterious loss, but the ache remained. She was determined to keep moving forward, to fill her life with new memories until the old ones could be found. As with a wound to her skin though, the wound to her mind would take time to heal. She knew her mind would drift to the empty places each night until a proper ‘scab’ formed.
One of those nights, at the edge of the Jauhar forest, Rhonann had laid out her blanket to rest. She was spending a few minutes to calm her mind by focusing on the canopy of blue above when a bit of a ruckus sounded through the trees. She looked up and around quickly, but Mnyiri was fast asleep, and the familiars were either asleep or didn’t care. Rhonann was curious though, so she grabbed up a couple little stones for her slingshot, just in case, and followed the noise. Thankfully, the forest had the crystals to light her way, and she moved carefully.
When she found the source of the noise, Rhonann wasn’t entirely sure what she was seeing.
A large, old tree had fallen at the end of its life, long enough ago for various floras to have started growing on it. Enough was growing that the tree was decaying and falling apart. One section looked like it had only just broken apart, which would account for only part of that strange noise.
She had to assume that the other part of the noise came from the small creature trapped under the part of the trunk that had broken off. She blinked at the little webbed feet kicking at the air and the ground, a couple bright spikes showing as well as those legs vanished under the tree. Rhonann wouldn’t have seen it if it hadn’t been moving, the colors brown and green making it blend right into the ground and shadows of the tree. It must have been resting in a protected spot when that protection came crashing down on its head.
Oh! The poor thing was being crushed!
With a small squeak of concern, Rhonann ran forward and knelt to lift the fallen wood up. To her surprise, the fallen piece was extremely light. How could this be crushing or pinning down anything? Confused, she tossed the piece to the side and looked down to inspect the little critter. Now that the piece of debris was lifted, the thing was sitting calmly, as though it had not been kicking and flailing in a panic just a couple moments ago.
It was the strangest creature she had ever seen, as of yet. Even stranger than Mnyiri! It was just a squat little thing, only a little bigger than both of Rhonann’s hands spread out. The whole of its body was that mud brown and dark green, plus a few lighter green spots and brightly colored spikes dotted around its back. Standing out even more than the out of place spikes were the huge, blank eyes. Despite the clear, pretty blue shade, those eyes were as expressionless as the ground the creature sat on.
...It was so cute!!!
Rhonann couldn’t help herself as she reached down to poke at the thing. When her finger touched the wet skin, the creature shifted only a little. A moment later, bubbles started bubbling out from its mouth! Rhonann yanked her hand back, jaw dropping. That... was its defense? Was that what those bubbles were? A defensive move? An attack? Even after the bubbles started spouting though, the creature remained still and seemed rather unperturbed by the situation.
Watching it foam a minute longer, Rhonann couldn’t help laughing. The thing was tiny, covered in bright spikes that where more dull than sharp, and blew bubbles. Mnyiri had a radaku and a sail scale following her around. Both familiars had teeth and claws, were big and strong, and they could fight. This mushy thing looked like it could only hurt someone if it was accidentally stepped on. “You’re a funny little mush, but you’re okay now.” Rhonann stood, and headed back to camp.
Later that night, Rhonann startled awake when she felt a pressure on her belly. She swiped out a hand, knocking something off of her. Looking at the offending object, she saw... the little thing she’d helped out earlier! “You can’t stay here. Mvua’s likely to eat you.”
The only reply was a foaming of bubbles.
Staring at it a moment longer, Rhonann picked the thing up and set it down a little ways away from camp. Then she returned and laid back down.
Later still, Rhonann sat up suddenly in a fit of panic. Something had been covering her face! She couldn’t breathe! Gasping for air, she looked around... and saw little webbed feet kicking at the air. Wiping a hand across her face, she reached out and flipped the creature over. Once it was back on its belly, the critter turned to face those large, staring eyes right at her. “..You trying to kill me?” Rhonann asked.
The only reply was a foaming of bubbles.
Pursing her lips, Rhonann looked over toward her sleeping companions. Well... the little thing was little. Surely it wouldn’t be a bother! “You’re lucky you’re cute, mushy thing,” she whispered with a giggle, stretching out onto her side while pulling the creature closer. “Just no more sitting on my face. ..Mush.”
This time, along with more foaming bubbles, Mush blinked slowly, apparently content with the situation. (( word count: 1,103 ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 7:24 pm
Prentice- Journal entry 3
Class Affinity Rhonann felt like she had been waiting years for the day to come. In truth, it had only been a week. The anticipation had been intense, knowing that something of her past was finally going to make sense.
She had barely gotten any sleep ever since the blacksmith had told her he could build what she wanted. He assured he would send a messenger when it was complete, but that wasn’t enough for Rhonann. She visited every morning, asking about the progress until the smithy got irritated enough to threaten charging her extra if she didn’t stop bothering him. He gave her a timeframe, and told her to come back only then.
Rho had laid in bed at the inn that morning and watched the sky through the window go from navy blue to indigo, and then to various shades of gold and pink and orange. When she jumped out of bed, she pulled on her clothes and sandals in record time, darting out the door, practically dragging Mnyiri with her.
~~~~~~
That had been yesterday.
Today, Mnyiri was off on a task, so Rhonann grabbed her new crossbow and headed out to the practice yard.
Similar to how she had yesterday when she’d first gotten the weapon, she held it gently and looked over every curve and crevice. Her hand smoothed over each inch, remembering the feeling of the weapon in her hands. She’d definitely held this before in her missing past. Unfortunately, there were no memories surrounding the object. No ideas on who had trained her, why she had used one, or anything. All she knew was how to use it.
Frankly, for her, that was a joy in itself.
Grinning, she spread her feet to brace herself, aimed the crossbow at the white ribbon around the trunk of a tree, and pulled the trigger. The arrow snapped forward, penetrating right into the knot of the bow. After taking plenty of hits from yesterday, the ribbon finally broke and slid down from the tree. Rhonann watched the white strip flutter to the ground, feeling her chest swell. She was good at this. She didn’t know how, but she didn’t care. She was good at it. She could finally contribute more when it came to catching food on trips. It would be easier to defend herself and her friend. ..Her friends. Looking down, she reached into her satchel and pulled the spiky little spitorog out. “You’ll see, Mush. I’ll be able to protect you.”
The spitorog only formed a few more bubbles in response, making Rhonann laugh.
“Look here, Mush. I don’t have to go looking around for good throwing rocks anymore. It’s going to stay my backup, but with the crossbow, I can get lots done.” Laughing again as more bubbles formed at her familiar’s face, she pressed a little kiss to the top of his head and set him onto the ground. “You’ll see! I’ll become the best crossbow user ever!”
“That’s a mighty goal there,” a deep voice called out.
Rhonann jumped and spun around, aiming her bow at the speaker. “And what of it? Think it’s funny, do ya?”
The man laughed and shook his head. “Perhaps I do? What of it? Don‘t point a weapon at someone you don‘t intend to actually shoot, kid!” The tall shifter grinned at Rhonann with pale blue eyes. His hair was nearly white, in stark contrast to his dusky blue skin.
Rhonann’s eyes locked to the man’s hip though, her weapon slowly lowering. “..You use crossbows?”
The man laughed again. “What? You think you’re the only one who can use these?” The girl’s irritated blush made him give a cocky smile. “Actually, the name’s Chilon. The crabby old guy at the armory asked me to come by and show you how it’s done.”
Rhonann pouted. “That ribbon over there says I know how it’s done just fine.” Of course she knew she had a ways to go, but that didn’t mean she needed some snarky guy coming to show her up!
The man grinned and walked closer. “That ribbon over there says you can hit a big a** ribbon on a tree right in front of your face.”
Rhonann blushed hotter. She hated snarky people… “So, what, you think you’re gonna come in here and impress me? Show me all you know and sweep me off my feet?”
Chilon blinked at Rhonann a moment before laughing loudly. “No wonder the old man was grumpier than usual. You have a sarcastic tongue about as sharp as a dagger.” He shook his head and stood next to Rhonann. “There’s no way I’d show you everything I know. Can’t have you becoming as good as me. Besides, it’ll be a while before you can even do everything. A lot of it comes from practice upon practice, and experience out in the world.”
Rhonann pouted at first. She wasn’t snarky! She was just straightforward! “Already knew that,” she huffed. Man, this guy was full of himself! Glaring over at the tree, her eyes widened as a line of arrows thudded into the trunk, straight up in a perfect line over the arrow she had put in. Lips pressing, she turned to look at the shifter, who was smirking lightly. “Don’t gotta be a show off. Why didn’t you say so in the first place?”
Chilon sighed with amusement. “I did say so. You just weren’t listening.”
Rhonann stuck out her tongue. This guy was such a brat… “Well? Did you just come here ta heckle me, or plannin’ ta actually teach me something?” Despite her sass, she was quite impressed. It couldn’t be helped. This was her first time seeing the crossbow handled by someone other than herself. Well, her first time in memory. ..And it only got better. Chilon threw a rag doll into the air, and got the bow up in time to pin it to the trunk as well. Rhonann’s eyes were shining. She really could use it to help hunt! She could do so much with it! Even if she couldn’t remember her interactions with it from her past, she now held a piece of it in her hands. “You gotta show me how you did that, Chilly!”
Chilon laughed sharply. “I’ll do it if you never call me Chilly again.” He nudged her with the edge of his crossbow. “Now, show your old buddy Chilon what you can do, and he’ll show you how you can do more~” (( word count: 1,081 ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Feb 26, 2016 12:38 pm
Prentice- Class Quest Solo
Archer Rhonann sat in one of the dark trees of Jauhar, her new crossbow cradled in her lap. She’d climbed closer to the canopy above to try to get a glimpse of those tasty Maglardillas, eager to see how efficient she could be with the weapon. Sightings were few and far between though, and the buggers were quick.
Irked by the slow pace, she hooked her bow and climbed up even higher in the tree. She’d wanted to catch one from a distance, but that tactic wasn’t giving her much opportunity. She really wanted to bring a prize back this time. She wanted to show Mnyiri that she could do it! After all, for Rhonann, heights were not a problem. She felt rather carefree climbing above the ground, as though used to it.
The smooth bark was sometimes tricky for the climber though, and her hands found a niche of the trunk that housed a slimy fungus. At first, she had a grip. Then, her fingers slid. She dropped silently, the scream caught in her throat, body banging against the branches as she went down…
~~~~
Rhonann was looking down the line of an old, well used crossbow. She could feel the warmth of the rock under her as she laid flat along the ground, heated by the hot sun above. In her sights, even tinier than usual, was a Moracker. She was flicking her toes against the stone with excited anticipation. She would catch it this time!
“Stop twitching, Rho. I know yer excited, but the bugger’s gonna see ya if ya don‘t quit it.”
Rhonann looked to the side toward the voice. Amused blue eyes like her own on a longer, stronger body. The face was narrow and gaunt and handsome, and just as amused as the eyes. “Stuff it,” she whispered sharply, though she couldn’t help a tiny smile. “You’re gonna be the one scarin’ it! ‘specially if it gets a look at yer face.” She looked back at the Moracker as it nibbled on some of the dry, sparse grass. The creature twitched its tiny ears, nose lifting to smell the air. Rhonann held her breath needlessly, making the guy next to her smile again, but remain silent. After a moment, the critter went back to nibbling the grass.
The young man smirked and sighed softly. “Don’t forget what I taught ya, ‘kay? If we’re gonna eat tonight, it’s all on you. ..No pressure~”
While she wanted to elbow his smirking face, Rhonann calmed her breath instead. She really did need to catch dinner. After all, her attempt yesterday had failed, and they would have eaten if it hadn’t been for her mother’s smart thinking. Her mother was good at storing things away for later. No matter what, there was always an emergency stash. ..This time! She would get it this time! They’d been waiting for quite some time for this shot. If she made it, it would be her first real accomplishment, in her eyes. She’d been practicing so much, and trying so hard. She had to make it!
She eyed her target another moment, let out a slow breath again, and pulled the trigger to release the bolt. At that moment, she felt a nudge to her elbow, and the bolt shot forward, missing the Moracker by inches. The little critter froze, and then scampered away.
Rhonann’s jaw dropped while laughter filled her ears. Seething, she howled and pounced on her tormenter, cursing him for letting her prey escape. They tussled, rolled, and laughed until Rho ended up being pinned to the ground. It didn’t help that she was still a youngling, and much smaller than he.
The young man laughed and flicked her nose. “Come on, Rho. What kinda big brother would I be if I didn’t bother ya?”
“The good kind!” she shot back, yanking her head up to slam her forehead against his chin.
~~~
“Come on, Rho. These have more meat on them anyway,” the young man said, rubbing his red chin.
Rhonann was smirking slightly with pride, noting how her crystals had left marks on her brother‘s face. While still irked about the incident with the Moracker, she had to admit that the little herd of Capramel in the distance would be more filling that a Moracker. She and her brother slunk around a crop of rocks to get closer. “Ya sure these ones don’t belong ta anyone?”
The young man nodded. “Yup. I’m sure. Don’t see any markings on them ta show any claim. They’re wild ones, meant fer our dinner tonight!”
Like before, they stretched out on their bellies to stay low to the ground. Rhonann had a fresh bolt prepped on her crossbow, and took aim. “If ya bump me again, the next one is gonna be aimed at yer neck,” she threatened. She took another deep breath, aimed, and pulled the trigger.
~~~
“I did it, ma!” she shrieked with delight, dragging the heavy carcass by herself. Her brother had tried to help, but she refused. She might still be a little youngling, but she could carry back her own catch! She looked toward the tent with a big grin even though she was panting heavily. She could do this on her own! She could help! Brother, ma, pa… She could help all of them. That’s what family was for.
~~~~
When Rhonann opened her eyes again, she let out a shriek. The solid mountain rock underneath her gave way to a crisscrossing of branches holding her upper half, her legs dangling down in the air. She gasped in a humid breath rather than one that was dry and arid, her mind spinning to catch up. Where was her brother? Ma? Pa? Where did they go? Why weren’t they here?!
Gripping the branches, she pulled her legs up as her present life came back to her, breathing calming once she was secure. Right. She wasn’t home. She was in Jauhar with Mnyiri… She couldn’t remember anything from before.
Wait! She had remembered! Heart fluttering, she squeezed her eyes shut and fought back to the memory she’d had while unconscious. She was certain that it was more than a dream. A memory! She had parents and a brother! An older brother. One who looked after her, teased her, encouraged her, taught her, and gave her warm smiles... The memory was fading though, and she held tight to the clearest image she had. Her brother. Taller, built lean like a tent pole, with blue eyes that matched her own, and a full bodied laugh.
She couldn’t remember his name. She couldn’t remember if it’d come up in her memory. Despite this, her heart sang with delight. She did have a family. She had a brother, and he had a face. Just knowing there really had been someone, that she really did have a past, was a comfort. The renewed memory could have been a source of pain and anguish, but Rhonann saw hope. ..She was going to find out what had happened. She was sure of it.
For now though, her family wasn’t there. They would be found later. She still needed time to get herself together for them.
For now, she had Mnyiri.
She peeked down at the ground, which was still quite a ways down. Thankfully, the crossbow had remained hooked to her. Good thing she hadn’t fallen the whole way; otherwise, both she and the crossbow would have broken! She checked herself over, noting that pretty much everything was aching, but was all still in one piece. Looking up, she could see the light that slipped through the canopy above. Food was up there. Those quick Maglardillas. There were also fruits up there. Maybe she would surprise Mnyiri by collecting everything needed for a whole dinner! Maybe she would even try cooking the catch herself!
Reaching the spot that she’d slipped from, she searched for a different, safer handhold. When she spotted two round eyes looking blankly at her from the nearby branch, her free hand darted into her hip pouch. It was empty! “Mush! How did ya get out of my pack without me? Ya just leave me to fall on my own, ya traitorous lump of muck?!”
Mush only shifted on his perch and foamed his little bubbles.
Glaring a moment, Rhonann eventually sighed and picked him up with one hand. “Lucky lump, you are,” she grumbled affectionately as she placed him back into her pouch. “What would ya have done if I hadn’t come back up here?” If she hadn’t come back up? ..What a silly idea! Rhonann wouldn’t give up so easily!
A little higher, her foot slipped on another patch of fungus, though her hands had a better hold this time. Getting her feet stable, she got to eye level with her handhold and smiled. It was a knot hole shaped like a heart. The tree had helped her regain a memory, and saved her life when she’d fallen the first time. It was encouraging, and made her feel like things really would work out.
It wouldn’t be completely in her hands though. She couldn’t do it on her own. She needed the tree’s branches to climb to the canopy, the crossbow to catch food and defend herself, and Mnyiri to keep her upbeat. She had to let herself work with the forces outside of herself guide her home. (( word count: 1568 ))(( In this solo, Rhonann's plot line is developing further with memories that are starting to slowly return. She becomes even more determined to see her journey through to the end. Along with this, she is learning more about herself in that she finds comfort in her memories more-so than further pain, which was what she felt without the memories. She realizes she can't find the answers on her own, and gives herself more space to enjoy her life as it is. ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 12:52 pm
Archer - Journal entry 1
Looking Forward The land of Jauhar was becoming familiar and comfortable to Rhonann. She had greatly enjoyed her time with her friend, Mnyiri. She had found a beacon in the mist of her mind through the tall Alkidike hybrid woman, grounding her feet back to the earth. When she had woken up in the heat at the edge of Oba’s desert, she had been utterly and completely lost. She had no family, no friends, no belongings, and no memories. She had wandered under the radiant heat of the sun until she found herself facing the humid forest of Jauhar. Of course, at the time, she had known nothing of the locations she traversed.
In Jauhar, things had picked up speed. She had run into Mnyiri, and they had become traveling companions as well as fast friends. Mnyiri helped to fill in a few blanks in Rhonann’s mind and gave her life a little substance. Rho had found someone she could depend on. She had held tight to her friend, following the hybrid for as long as she could, learning and growing.
However, all good things came to an end eventually.
Rhonann had confirmed that she was of Sautian blood. Enough people had told her such. Through a fall, she had regained a memory of a brother and parents. The memory wasn’t the clearest, but she knew that the people were her family. She had discovered her love for archery, specifically the crossbow. She learned that she was excellent with the weapon.. unless she was under pressure. This did not deter her from her passion though! She had even gotten herself a familiar; a spitorog that she named Mush, to match his physical appearance of a lumpy blob of.. whatever it was the creatures were made of. She had met others that she liked, and others that she did not like. She was content with the status quo.
After all of that, it was time for her to leave her comfort zone. While she hadn’t been actively holding back, she realized that Jauhar did not really hold any further answers for her. It was time to continue on with her journey.
Yet... the thought of finding out the truth had suddenly become scarier than remaining ignorant of it. She hadn’t given too much direct thought to finding out her past. She was content to learn anew. Being able to experience life with innocent eyes was a delight to her. She loved not knowing what the next day would bring, where she would go, what she would do... The unknown was her life was what made it worth living. With the unknown, she was free.
Now, she was trying to give substance to the unknown, and it scared her. There was every chance she would find happiness in Sauti. However, there was also every chance that she would find the exact opposite. What if she found out that her family was missing, like she had been? What if she found out that they were dead? What if they were all assholes that she couldn’t stand to be around? What if they didn’t like her? What if they’d forgotten about her? What if she found out they’d left her behind on purpose? What if there was a reason that she remembered nothing? What if she got there, and found no answers at all?
What if..? What if..? What if...?
The nervous questions were normally rare to the young woman. She was used to enjoying the surprises of learning. Something about seeking the truth of her past made her edgy. She was trying to find her memories. Things that she was supposed to already have...
Oh, all the worrying was going to make her hair go gray!!
Shaking her head, Rhonann got up from her bed roll and packed up her things. Staying here, worrying, thinking... it would get her nothing. She didn’t like being afraid. So, she wouldn’t be! She had nothing left to do here. She could not be any more ready than she was now. Waiting another day would be of no help to her or anyone else.
Besides, she could take care of herself, no matter what crossed her path! Rho looked over at her little crossbow and smiled. Mnyiri had helped her so much; particularly in discovering her knack for the crossbow. It felt like long ago that she had “first” picked the weapon up with Mnyiri watching excitedly from the side. The crossbow had become her passion. It was her connection to her past, to her present, and to her future.
Lips pressing slightly, she ran her fingers over the smooth wood and taut string. Perhaps calling it a ‘knack’ was a bit of an overstatement... Any time she faced off with a real person, she would fumble and fail. It was extremely embarrassing for her! Give her a couple painted targets, tie a ribbon on a tree, or line bottles up along a fence. She would hit every single one with no problem! Put a person in front of her, even for practice, and it was as though there was some sort of magic surrounding everyone to keep them safe from her bolts. It didn’t keep her safe from whatever weapon or magic the opponent used...
She stood with the weapon braced in her hands. It did belong there. She knew the contraption inside and out. She was fairly quick with it, and a good aim when not facing real opponents. There was definitely room for improvement... but no one else needed to know that. With so much to look forward to learning with her crossbow, learning with herself, what wasn’t there for her to look forward to? The world was waiting!
She left the village with her head up and a small smirk on her lips. With her map in hand, she had a plan laid out. It was odd, having a plan. She tried to take comfort from knowing the path she would be taking. After all, she knew her path, but she did not know what laid on that path! It was still plenty unknown. She knew the location she was headed for, but the destination was still a mystery. She had her map, her crossbow, and her determination. There was no need to be afraid!
...Okay, fine. She could still be nervous. However, that wouldn’t be stopping her again! (( word count: 1,064 = 3 points ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2016 10:08 am
Archer- Class Quest Solo
Hunter The time Rhonann had spent with Kian during the festival in Rayf had been a breath of fresh air. Since leaving Jauhar and Mnyiri, her focus had turned to finding her family. Her flicker of a memory showed that she had parents and a brother, and she was determined to find out what had happened to them. She still couldn’t figure out how she’d ended up traveling with Kian, but there it was...
Throughout the festivities, Rho had noticed the stranger watching her. He’d shown up a couple times, and by the third appearance, Rhonann was ready to punch him in the nose. She and Kian had just finished the ridiculous couple’s competition, which they’d somehow won, and they had paid less attention to each other after that; from embarrassment and uncertainty, surely. Rho was washing her face, thinking with hot cheeks about the surprise kiss that she hadn’t fought, when she saw the stranger again. To her amazement, he was standing right on the other side of the wash basin! She jumped back with surprise, eyes narrowing with irritation. “What the blazes is yer problem, jerk?” Goodness, the guy smelled as filthy as he looked...
The man cocked his head slightly, and leaned forward to speak softly. “Rhonann?”
Rotten smell or not, Rhonann leaned forward. “You know me?!” Had she really found someone who recognized her? Someone who could tell her about her family? Blinking, her eyes widened with surprise when the man suddenly ran. “Hey! Stop!” Growling sharply, she took off after him.
Despite the small size, Rhonann’s lack of familiarity with the town quickly turned on her. She recognized the village, but she didn’t know it. She didn’t remember it. A couple sharp turns around a few buildings, and she lost track of the way she had come. Her gaze was locked on the fleeing man though, so she didn’t notice. When the man ran into a dilapidated old tavern, she didn’t hesitate to follow.
Inside, she wind-milled her arms and stumbled to a halt, taking in her surroundings. A group of felonious looking men and women were standing around, all eyes on her as though they’d been waiting. Nearly all wore tough, well used armor and clothes. When she spun around to get back out, a man slammed the door shut and stood in front of it. “Get outta my way,” she snarled fiercely.
A harsh voice chuckled from behind. “Ah, girly, ya ain’t in no place ta be makin’ orders.”
Brow knitting, Rho turned back to look at the large man addressing her. His leather armor covered his torso and legs, but everything else showed clear. Arms and legs bulky with muscle, skin broken by scars, and a smile that made her want to curl up in a ball. “I... know you..” she murmured, squinting curiously.
The man laughed and tied his bright blonde hair back from his face. “So, Jam was roigh’. Yer memory ain’t so good.” Jam, the man who’d been watching her outside and led her into this pit, peeked out and grinned. “Told ya, boss. Don’t even recognize anyone!”
Rhonann felt as though her belly was turning into a cold rock. This was bad... It looked bad, it smelled bad, and it felt bad. “How d’ya know me?”
The big man looked at Rho with surprise, and gave her a grandiose bow. “Well, do fergive me, Rhonann. Name’s Kylldra. We was business comrades with yer family.”
Rhonann’s eyes widened, fear temporarily forgotten. “My family? Whachya know ‘bout my family?”
Kylldra looked around at the rest of his crew with a grin, a round of heavy chuckles of amusement rising. “They’s dead, girly. Me callin’ ya’ll ‘comrades’ may a’ been a bit misleadin’ I think. Allow me ta ‘splain.”
At first, as the tale unfolded, Rhonann was less inclined to put much faith in the man’s words. However, that feeling in her belly would not go away. It remained, and only got heavier.
Rho’s family traveled as many Sautians did, selling moracker furs all over Sauti and well into Tale. Business was good, but there were plenty of other families and groups handling morackers, and everyone knew there was territory further out that could be explored. An image of an older man with pale blonde hair came to mind; the man sitting on their wagon with a map spread over his lap. Her father... He was planning out the trip. He was talking about Jauhar. Her mother, an older version of herself, looked on with concern. She did not want to go so far from Sauti.
In the end, Rho, her parents, and her brother went on the road. Going to Jauhar was a risky prospect. If it failed, they would have a very hard time for a while. If it succeeded though, they would have been set for years!
Another group of moracker traders had followed their trail, taking the path that her family had already traveled. Both were in need of the contract in Jauhar, but Rhonann’s family had gotten it. The second group refused to take ‘no’ for an answer.
“We went ta yer da with a friendly liddle offer.” Kylldra said with a heavy sigh of disappointment. “We’da let ‘im live if ‘e ‘ad only accepted, the dumb bloke.”
Rhonann could remember... They were on their way back to Sauti. They had stopped to make camp at the border of Jauhar and Tale. She was eating at the fire with her family when the intimidating group approached. “Friendly offer?” she snarled. “Ya didn’ give him any choice!” Her family had been circled, and the ‘proposition’ was given. If her family would give them eighty percent of the contract, they could go on home in one piece. Her father hadn’t argued, wanting to keep his family safe.
Sensing the fear, Kylldra had upped his demands, asking for the whole contract. Rho’s parents argued. They needed something to live on! The greedy crew did not want to share, though. “Yer da shor put up a struggle,” Kylldra snickered. “Yer ma, too. In fact, all o’ ya took offense. It was mighty ‘dorable, I say.” Lifting his arm, the big man pointed to a curved scar along his forearm. “Yeh gave me this liddle beaut’, Rhonann. Knocked ya on the head fer it, bu’ seems I didn’a hit hard ‘nough.”
Rhonann’s legs became weak. Something inside was telling her where this story was headed... She didn’t want to hear the rest. She didn’t want to remember! She backed away, right into the arms of the man blocking the door. Kicking and squirming did her little good.
Kylldra’s grin brightened. “Aw, girly, we’s gettin’ ta the best part now!”
The descriptions made Rhonann’s memories burn bright, her eyes watering. Her mother’s arms had been pinned. She’d seen the knife stab into the woman’s chest. Her father’s and brother’s screams filled the air, mixing with her own. That was when she had run forward and bitten Kylldra’s arm. After that, her memories abruptly stopped.
That was when she’d been hit and knocked unconscious. “I saw tha’ b*****d brother o’ yers drag ya off sumwheres, but yer da jumped me bef’re I could see where ya’d gone.” Kylldra leaned in close to Rhonann’s face and dragged a finger across her neck. “I cut ‘is throat wide open.” Laughing, he straightened up and took a few steps back. “Yer brother tried ta help ‘is ol’ da, but there was no savin’ ‘im.”
Her brother had been kept alive by Kylldra, but only after being thoroughly beaten in turn. The boy was given a single grace; wrapping and burying his family. Rather than burying his unconscious sister, unbeknownst to the crew, he instead buried a bundle of blankets. The crew took her brother as a servant, and traveled back to the Jauhar trading hub. There, they forced her brother to negate the trade deal his family had made, and had it turned over to Kylldra and crew.
“I gave ‘im an extra smile, just like yer da, on the way back ‘ere ta Rayf,” Kylldra gloated, watching Rhonann closely. “So cute o’ ‘im, ta try savin’ ya. Looks like ‘is effort done been in vain, girly. Not a good way o’ honorin’ yer brother there.”
Rhonann’s face was red and wet with tears. They couldn’t all be dead... They couldn’t! “No...”
Kylldra’s face lit up with a grin. “Why should I lie ‘bout any o’ this? Ye’re gonna be joinin’ ‘em soon. Can’t ‘ave ya tryin’ ta start a fuss over this. We got a good set-up goin’ now. Ya look like yer ma, ya know? It’ll be like killin’ ‘er all over ‘gain. Gonna make shor I savor cuttin’ tha’ tender skin this time.”
The moment the living door block released her, Rhonann launched herself at Kylldra with a shriek. She would tear him apart! Of course, Rho was severely outnumbered, and one solid punch from a large fist sent her to the ground. She couldn’t make sense of which way was up between the fists punching and the feet kicking and the hands grabbing.
By some type of grace, when a knife began cutting teasingly into her skin, the door to the old building burst open. Magic filled the air, though Rhonann could barely give it any attention. Everything hurt; body and mind. The emotions of finally remembering her family, only to find out they were all murdered and lost to her. It hurt worse than any punch or pinch or stab her body had taken.
She thought she heard Kian’s voice, but it all was too overwhelming. It would have been nice if that was Kian’s voice... Thankfully, she was left alone while the crew scrambled to get away from their new attacker, and she happily passed out.
~~~~~~~~
Consciousness came back slowly, and Rhonann gazed dully at the ceiling of the room. Her body and mind were numb for a moment. A nurse watching her noticed her eyes were open, and ran for the doctor.
Everything came back to her all at once. She broke down in heaving sobs that wracked her body, making her cry even harder from the physical pain it caused. Unable to calm down, she was given a sedative, and she woke up after another day. She was bedridden for a while, barely able to move even her eyes without pain flaring. Aside from the recent trauma, there was another ache in her mind. She hadn’t seen even a glimpse of Kian since she’d woken up... and it hurt more than she wanted it to.
On the nightstand next to her bed sat something of Kian’s though. An amethyst rune. She didn’t know what the design on it meant, or what it even being there meant. Days passed with no sign though. He’d... he’d left again. But... but she needed him... Especially the day she learned that Kylldra had somehow survived and escaped. She’d had to be sedated again.
When she could sit up on her own, Rho nearly threw the rune right out the window from the hurt. When she picked it up to do so, she couldn’t bring herself to let it go. It would be a reminder to her... A reminder of her anger, her pain, and Kian’s fluttering feet. She had to keep her trust in check.
Yet... she had trusted people before. Her father. Her mother. Her brother. They had deserved her trust. She didn’t want to forget about them again. To the grave with Kian! She would rise from this stronger than before.
Various memories would return bit by bit, and day by day. She had some of her past again. While she couldn’t hold her past, she could now use it. She had always been stubborn. She had always been passionate. She.. was capable of trusting in others.
Her current life was mixing with her past life, and it was a jumble of confusion. She had time to sort through it all though. That part of her life had come to a close. This part of her life was now beginning. She would honor her family. She would beat the crap out of Kian if she saw him again. She would kill Kylldra on sight... For now though, she had to heal.
((Word Count: 2,050 ))
Conclusion: Moving her plot forward a big step, Rhonann finds out about what happened to her and to her family. She spends her time recuperating trying to make sense of what happened, missing memories shifting in and out of focus. She makes the decision to keep on going to keep what remains of her family alive.
Hearing the news that Kylldra managed to make it out of the bar alive, her new quest becomes revenge...
At the same time, her confusion about her personal life post-memory loss takes a hit as well. After waking up from this latest fight, she finds her traveling companion, Kian, whom she’d unconsciously begun to trust more, has vanished without a word. She works to deal with the anger and frustration of being left alone at such a time, leaving a scar on her heart. The already difficult ability to trust others becomes a little more difficult.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 9:17 pm
Hunter - Journal entry 1
Conceal It had taken some time for Rhonann to heal. She stayed on in Rayf trying to find clues as to where that b*****d Kylldra had gone, but it took her longer than she cared to admit to actually step outside of the room she had been resting in. It was easier to hide away than to face what had happened.
Whenever others were around her, she could only be angry. Hiding other painful emotions, anger took center stage. She was angry at Kian for running off without a word; only a little rune left behind. She wasn’t sure what it meant, but Kian’s previous actions were not encouraging to her now. He was gone. Again. She had started to get used to having him around. They really had not been traveling together for very long. The idea that she had gotten even slightly attached to the guy was absurd! Yet.. despite it all.. No. She would not say such a silly thing! Kian had left her in the dust for the last time.
Rhonann was also angry at herself. She had been stupid and weak. To have allowed herself to get into the mess that she had wound up in was nothing less than humiliating! The physical marks were healing, the scars drying and closing up, various bruises fading, and sore parts relaxing. The knowledge that Kylldra had gotten away fanned that fire even further. She was going to kill that man if it was the last thing she ever did. If he had not been surrounded by his goons, then he would have been dead now! She had screwed up and allowed herself to be tricked and overwhelmed, and that pile of capramel s**t had gone free...
Most of all though, there was a dull pain that throbbed in her heart and came to the surface when she was alone. More than any other emotion she had right then, this pain kept her from resting properly. It was loss. Rho had not regained every memory, but enough had returned to remind her of what she had lost. It was enough to remind her of how she had felt that final night with her family. Everyone had been so happy and excited for the new venture on Jauhar. Then, all at once, it was gone. The family that she had been trying to remember, that she had been trying to find, was suddenly dead again. This time, however, she could put faces to what she was feeling. A father, a mother, and a brother... Rho had been utterly blind to what she had been missing while her memories were gone. It had been a blissful ignorance.
Sometimes.. sometimes, she wanted that ignorance back. She wanted to forget everything again. If only she could wake up in that desert again. She would meet Mnyiri, and find a way to be happy with the life she had been building anew. She would tell herself that there was no reason to seek the past. She could have done that, right?
‘...perhaps it's better this way.’
She had no idea how that memory had sprung up, but the words had been spoken by Kian; back when she had met him the very first time. The first aggravating, infuriating time, and he had tried warning her away from seeking the hidden memories. He had saved her life that time, too... He had drugged her with something from his pocket! Then he had gotten into a mess with some lady who had wanted to cage him, and she had been forced to intervene (yes, that was what had happened~), and then he had snuck off in the night! He was always vanishing. Why should she have expected anything different this time? Just because he said so?
Even her anger at Kian could not be sustained though. Rho had been so angry after she had first woken to find herself alone. So angry. It kept her fighting for a short time, but as the days passed, the fire fizzled and died away, leaving space for the hurt to fill. Those last couple days with Kian... being in the competition with him... Damn it! She did miss him.
Still, had Kian been right? Would it have been better to not remember? Would it have been better if she had never learned the horrible fate her family had faced? She had thought about it long enough while lying in the bed. In the end, Rhonann could not bring herself to regret learning what had happened. She was heartbroken, devastated, and angry, but she could not truly wish to forget it all again. She knew better than to think that the questions would not have haunted her. One day, she still would have returned to Sauti for answers. Rho did not like having such a large blank in her life. If she had waited longer, she might not have ever found out what had happened. Then where would she be? ..She would be sitting in some tavern wondering why she had not tried searching sooner. She would have been left wondering for the rest of her life. This way.. at least there was an answer. It was not the answer she wanted, but it was closure none the less.
With her pack slung over her shoulder, she returned the key of the room to the front desk. The woman at the desk happened to be Wystia, who had been Kian’s contact when they had first entered Rayf. The curvy woman objected to Rho leaving quite vehemently, but the young hunter wasn’t going to be deterred from her path. She had a new goal. Before, she had been seeking life. First, life for herself, and then life with her family. Now, she was seeking death. Kylldra’s death, to be specific. (( word count: 969 = 3 points ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2016 9:19 pm
Hunter - Journal entry 2
Creepy Crawlers World Event Link
(( 3 exp points ))
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reply
