Solo or RP Format Counts as 5 RP growth Points Solo word minimum is 750, RP post minimum is 7
Tis the season for gift giving, a sense of celebration as the year comes to an end. You get all the gifts you expect, and give some out as well. However, a strange, unmarked gift has arrived. You have no idea who sent it, or what it might be. Is it something from an admirer, or possibly a bit more sinister?
[ Your character receives an unexpected gift. Feel free to answer this prompt exploring the thoughts around such thing, the suspicion or confusion, maybe even resolving it with finding out who the gift giver was. Maybe it's someone you know, but it's a surprise. Maybe it's a mistake. The only way to find out is to open the present. ]
There were so many lovely things about Zena. The crisp, cold air was utterly refreshing, and the glitter of the sunlight on the snow was like being surrounded by diamonds. Zota was enamored by her first visit to the chilly territory.
Of course, the best part was the clothing! Back home, heavy clothing wasn’t very necessary. It got cool during the winter, but that obviously didn’t compare to Zena. Here, heavier clothing was a requirement, and it was gorgeous! She strutted about with layers of knitted wool and leather and fur to keep her from freezing, but it was all still so sleek and stylish! A pair of pointed boots kept her feet warm and a thick scarf was wrapped around her head so that her golden hair could still be teased by the wind while her ears were protected.
As inconvenient as it had been to get dressed, Zota didn’t regret a single layer. It was probably for the best, unfortunately so, that she has limited funds for the entirety of the trip… It just meant she would have to make the most of what she had! She was paused at a crossroads at the moment, torn between going to the next fabric shop or following her nose to find out where that delightfully warm smell of food was coming from. Clothes... or food...?
Painted Moose
Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:55 am
Cornetified
Yngvara would have rather mucked out stalls than go into the city, but her visit was unavoidable. Her mother had a package to drop off with Ergon and since Sylvirah could still pull rank on her daughter Yngvara had been sent in her stead. There wasn't a single part of her that enjoyed being surrounded by this many people, which made the brief exchange with her Uncle all the kinder. He understood her, she understood him; simple, swift and not at all unpleasant.
Leaving, however, wasn't nearly so cut and dry. She looked down at the list in her hand and frowned. Many in the village also despised going into the city, but supplies were needed and when someone foolishly offered to pick them up...Well, it became a chore. Her quick trip was going to be an all day adventure and Yngvara...Goddess, she was dreading it.
The sight of something golden moving about in the wind wasn't an uncommon one. Sautians sometimes came this far for trade or council business, though it was odd enough to have Yngvara look her way. Just long enough, it seemed, for the wind to rip the list out of Yngvara's hand and straight toward the stranger.
Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Cornetified
Precious Loiterer
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Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2025 5:33 pm
Another breeze swept the scent of Zenan cuisine into Zota's face. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply with a smile. Food was quickly jumping into the lead of temptations...
The breeze wasn't only carrying smells though! The smack of the paper against her face made her jump with surprise. "Land's sake!" she yelped as her hand snapped up to grab the offending material. There were words on the paper, but they didn't look quite like the Zenan text that she had been learning. She saw a slight smudge of pink from her lip paint on the paper as well. Thankfully, it seemed that nothing else had rubbed off. But where had the paper come from?!
Painted Moose
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2025 5:02 pm
Cornetified
2
"Sorry! I'm so sorry!" Yngvara muttered a few more words - curses, actually, but in her native tongue - as she crossed the distance between them.
If it had been anyone back home she might have just apologized, snatched the list and left but this was the Capital. You didn't do that here so the huntress, with all the grace of a newborn Mammu, awkwardly raised her hand. "Can I have that back?" She didn't quite know what language to use, really. Yngvara didn't know many - not as many as he traveled father, anyway - but seeing the golden hues of the woman before her made her wonder if that would be an issue.
Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Cornetified
Precious Loiterer
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Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2025 6:28 pm
Oh? Well that wasn't a typical Zenan, either! What were the chances? Displaying a poise completely opposite of the stranger, Zota smiled charmingly. "No harm done." Ah! The girl didn't look Zenan, but she did speak it. That was helpful. As she placed the paper into the other's hand, she waited to let go until she was certain the paper was secure. "I suppose I could say I'm glad I was able to help. That could have fluttered off anywhere and been lost to the winds."
After a brief pause, she pointed to the paper. "If you don't mind me asking, is that Zenan writing? It doesn't look quite like any of what I've learned."
Painted Moose
Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2025 6:31 am
Cornetified
3
"It's an old language; so far I've only seen it used with my mother's people, the Ild'vann." There may have been others in Zena, but they had yet to make contact. If they were anything like her tribe then they likely preferred it that way. Yngvara looked down at her list and pondered over the words she'd written. Some were in the common Zenan tongue and others were in her native script, or as close to a translation as she could muster. It wasn't as if writing had been pivotal to them so it was mostly a lot of guess work.
"I'm waiting on a package to come through; do you know where they might have taken it? It's a courier from the Jauhar, not any local traders." She'd thought about checking the markets, but the concept of being surrounded by others made Yngvara's skin crawl.
Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Cornetified
Precious Loiterer
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2025 11:41 am
She raised her hand to thoughtfully tap her finger to her chin. "Wow. I know a few languages myself, but they're all very common. What you have is pretty special!" She knew a few families had very long lines back in Sauti, but she wasn't sure any of them used the old languages anymore.
"Oh, I do know where it would be! I had to send a letter out just yesterday." She could simply tell the other young lady where to go and move on to get herself that meal, buuuut... "If you would like, I can show you where it is. It isn't far from here."
Painted Moose
Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2025 3:00 pm
Cornetified
4
"Hvis du bare visste", Yngvara murmured. If only you knew. There had been a time when their language might have been snuffed out entirely, but it was back now, building strength with each generation.
"You don't have to...but if you've the time I would appreciate it." She flashed a soft smile. "My name is Yngvara, daughter of Sylvirah. And you?"
Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Cornetified
Precious Loiterer
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Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2025 8:10 pm
Zota blinked a couple times with confusion. She hadn't understood a single word that- ooh! That must be the old language. "I don't mind at all. Perhaps you wouldn't mind telling me what you said there though?" The woman could have cursed her out for all she would know, but she didn't quite think that was the case.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Yngvara. I am Zota. My mother is Kyril, and my father is Jihn." With a wave of her hand, she turned and started walking toward the courier's building. "I'm from Sauti, here on a work trip. And a little of an end of the year vacation as well. It's only my second week."
Painted Moose
Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2025 7:04 pm
Cornetified
5
"Ah - I said, if only you knew." Old habits were hard to break and as they walked she wondered how many of the miscommunications from her past had been from her failing to use the right language instead of pure blooded Zenans beings jerks. There had been a few times she'd run little errands for her Uncle - moments when either he'd been too busy or his sons couldn't - that had ended in frustration because she thought they were prejudiced. Now Yngvara just wondered if she was the problem.
"Zota." She repeated the name, committing it to memory. The courier's building - or what she assumed it to be - was close enough now that Yngvara slowed her pace and turned so that she could open the door for her companion. "You've come at a good time; it's nice and warm." Which wouldn't have made sense to anyone other than those remotely knowledgeable about the area. At least this time of year the snows were barely a dusting on the ground closer toward the border to Sauti, but in the colder months it could swallow a man whole. "Good time for a trip; work or vacation."
Inside the courier's office smelled of something sharp - like a tangy fruit - and while Yngvara couldn't place it she could appreciate it. Stacks of packages, crates, and shipping ledgers filled the small space, making their trek to the counter all the more challenging. A man was at the desk - hybrid, she supposed, considering a swath of blonde hair was piled atop his blue head - and when Yngvara gave an awkward smile his was practically beaming.
"I'm here for a pickup? It would be for Sylvirah."
"Yes yes, just the one? I'll tell my associate about it and see about bringing it up." He eyed the two of them before settling on Zota. "And for you?"
Painted Moose
Dapper Codger
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Precious Loiterer
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Posted: Wed Aug 20, 2025 8:16 pm
"Warm?" Zota's laugh chimed with amused delight. "Forgive me. While I understand that this is a Zenan summer, it's still so very cold compared to Sauti." She fluffed the furs around her neck for emphasis. "I am not complaining though. I have fallen deeply for these heavy fabrics~"
With the silent invitation, she headed inside and smirked lightly. It seemed that this chaos was always the state of the place. She picked her way through the piles and waited for Yngvara to complete her mission. "Hmm? Oh, I'm not expecting anything."
After a little digging, an icling with rectangular spectacles appeared from around a stack of boxes with the package for Sylvirah, and then two smaller ones wrapped in blue paper. She went over to the hybrid and set the parcels down. "Here's the one for Sylvirah. However, I found these as well." She looked over at the young ladies with a playful smile. "I do believe you both did have a little something extra waiting for you."
