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 Posted: Fri Oct 20, 2023 11:18 pm
Quote: Elzira's illness brought many great things to Tendaji. It brought two warring sisterhoods together; it brought the knowledge of a greater sisterhood with roots across Tendaji. So when Azehra and Esena began to show signs of decay, excitement and anticipation began to spread through the Vandrea and Elidae communities. It may have been a little early, but the signs were still clear. Both trees were beginning to go through the same puberty that brought hybrid blooms to both Aisha and Elzira.
When the time came, the mystics of each sisterhood gathered their communities together at the base of their trees, their cries of joy and celebration filling the air as the first flower bloomed. And then another. And another.
Curiously, each tree seemed to explode in flowers across their leaves, a sight never before seen by the elders and mystics. The air became heavy with the scent of floral blooms, and the sisterhoods rejoiced as their Great Mothers became a symbol of health and prosperity for future generations.[ News has spread that the Vandrea and Elidae trees have matured! For some, this is a symbol of great health, while others are hesitant at the idea of such young trees taking on the burden of blooming Earthling hybrids. This prompt should include your character reacting to the news of the trees.
This prompt is only available to Aishans AND earthlings directly impacted by this news - i.e. an Earthling partner of a Vandrea/Elidae finding out they have the opportunity to seek a hybrid blessing from the tree. ]
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Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 8:29 pm
 howthpost oneFour months.
That was how long it had been since he'd last set foot in Zidel. Time enough to find a respectable number of unclaimed relics strewn throughout the caverns up north. Long enough to become accustomed to the freezing temperatures and grow an embarrassing, patchy little beard he couldn't wait to shave.
They hadn't had any luck finding the Zenan they had been looking for, the one who had put out the call for adventurers, but enough time had passed that Howth no longer cared to look. He wished them well he supposed, but he and Xaawo had other things to do.
They would make their way through Sauti on the way to Sulburi, by way of Awat, then on to Yael and then...
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Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2024 8:33 pm
 xaawopost oneXaawo whistled softly, calling Jasla to her side as she held out an arm to pause Howth's forward motion. He was thinking again. A worthwhile pastime, but not when she wanted his attention.
"That man." She had learned not to point as much as she once had, so she was forced to wait until Howth followed her line of sight. "He didn't look like that before."
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Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2024 4:55 pm
howthpost twoThe man Xaawo was preoccupied with seemed like an average Zenan at first, and Howth definitely didn't recognize him, but the longer he looked, the more unsure he became. Had they met? Was this some sort of trick? No. He might not have known who this person was, but he knew Xaawo's memory was sound.
"I don't recall meeting him, but I agree that he probably did not. I have never heard of any Ice earthling having skin of that hue. But please don'tâ"
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Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2024 5:47 pm
xaawopost twoShe moved forward with sudden purpose, crunching through the melting snow.
"Sir? Hello. What happened here?" Xaawo glanced back at Howth as if proving a point. She could be tactful when the situation called for it.
The man looked up from his sketchbook, his expression curious. "Well, nothing at all happened to Zidel. I'm guessing what you really want to know is what happened to me."
Xaawo didn't look to Howth this time. Fine. Maybe she should have waited for him.
"Yes. Sorry. I remember you from the last time we were here."
"And I remember you. As for what happened to me, I changed." He shrugged.
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Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2024 3:38 pm
howthpost threeHowth took his time joining the pair, catching the tail end of the man's statement. Now that he was closer, he realized that he did recognize this person. Xaawo had bought some drawing charcoal from him, and his skin had not been purple then.
"A few weeks ago, this big cloud of dust blew in from the east. There was a lot of panic." The man chuckled. "Not from me, mind. The change didn't hurt, but it definitely came from the dust. We've heard since then that it was pollen, probably from a very large tree."
The man knew what tree he spoke of. Howth knew that he knew. Both of them looked to Xaawo, trying to gauge her reaction before giving any further opinion.
"That's... quite interesting."
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Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2024 3:42 pm
xaawopost threeThe man's delivery was clunky in her opinion, worded to glean something from her, and even though Xaawo didn't want her feelings to be broadcast on her face, she couldn't help it when they appeared there. She obviously hadn't been alive for Elzira's bloom, but she had heard her fair share of stories. They most certainly hadn't featured continent-wide bursts of pollen that changed earthlings so dramatically. Xaawo's fingertips went a little cold and tingly inside her mittens, and it wasn't due to the weather.
"Yes. Very. It's unfortunate that I don't have any information of my own to share. Have you been greatly inconvenienced?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2024 8:28 pm
howthpost fourThe man shook his head. "Not at all. I think I even got a commission or two from the novelty of it all." He shrugged. "Sorry I don't know more."
It felt like a dismissal of sorts, so Howth decided to take it. "Thank you. I... um... hope you... stay well." He rested a hand on Xaawo's shoulder and guided her down the street, Jasla trailing behind them.
"So. That's news."
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Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2024 8:31 pm
xaawopost fourIt was. Good news for her people, inopportune news for her.
She had thought they had more time.
Xaawo remained deep in thought, but not so deep that she was unaware of what he had said. She smiled. "I hope you stay well?"
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Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2024 8:35 pm
howthpost five"I was trying to move along without being impolite." He shook his head with a chuckle, his mirth fading over the next few silent blocks.
"Is Azehra ill? Do you need to go home?" He still had a handful of months before he had told Zumei he would return. Plenty of time for a trip to Belrea. Kind of. They might be a little late. "I'd like to accompany you as far as I can." While she was visiting her island, he could stay with his parents... maybe meet his sister for the first time. Howth frowned. On second thought, perhaps he wouldn't mention that he was visiting to anyone.
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Posted: Sat Apr 13, 2024 8:38 pm
xaawopost five"I should. She's not sick, but this would be a good time to see my family again."
She steered them toward a flat bit of rock that looked like it was meant to be a bench. With a deliberate flick of Xaawo's fingers, Jasla hopped onto it and was immediately rewarded with scritches.
"I suspect that Azehra has... come into her own, so to speak."
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Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 7:38 pm
howthpost sixHad he thought about it a little more thoroughly, he might have come to that conclusion by himself, but as it was, Howth was left feeling equal measures embarrassed and confused. He had never heard of such an odd event coinciding with the maturation of an Aishan tree, but he also didn't know how he would have known about it in the first place even if it had happened before.
"Ah," was all he could manage at first, watching Xaawo to see if he could glean her thoughts from her expression alone. It was harder this time. "Obviously she was, um, functional? Productive? Before now? What does this change, if I may ask?"
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Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 6:25 pm
xaawopost sixXaawo considered making him puzzle it out on his own. Well you see, when an Aishan and an Earthling love each other very much... But she had been around Howth long enough to know this was a sensitive subject and she wasn't really in the mood to tease.
"It enables her to produce Earthling hybrids."
He didn't look overly perturbed by that fact. She was... surprised, among other things she could not name.
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Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2024 6:20 pm
howthpost sevenHybrid Vandreans. Another conclusion he should have probably drawn before she'd had to make it plain. The possibility didn't rattle him, at least not yet. It was far more intriguing than upsetting. Xaawo had the opportunity to stride into uncharted territory, to be one of the first to test her tree's new capabilities. But this wasn't a new piece of Academy tech or some undiscovered cavern full of future museum exhibits. This would be a new life. A child. If he'd considered himself a gambling man, he would put money on it being rather cute.
Howth forced himself to focus, not quite sure how to respond.
"I, um, suppose congratulations are in order. For Azehra? I'm not sure how this works."
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Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2024 6:46 pm
xaawopost seven"Neither am I."
She wondered if she might sneak close to Azehra's base like she had as a child, to bring the tree stories and questions in exchange for silent comfort. It was doubtful, not unless...
Not unless she was pleading for a bloom.
Xaawo sighed. This changed nothing. No one was forcing her to make a life-altering decision on the side of some Zenan road. "For now, we've got an airship to catch. We can figure out a proper gift on the way."
What do you get for a tree that has everything? Her lips curved into the smallest of smiles.
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