• Event • [Seasonal Event] Something in the (sweet) wine water?

[Pegasus]

85th Ashan, 718

They came from a number of places, that Ashan. Some of them were there, that fateful trial, because they lived near or in the Sweetwine and they had heard of the strangeness which was happening. Those who were attuned to the woodlands and its ways, they knew that there was something just not right about the place just lately. It had been building for a while, but none of them knew exactly what or could rightly put their finger on it. The animals were behaving oddly, the sound of the birds in the morning was just a little bit out of tune. Whatever it was, it wasn't right and so that was why some of them came.

Others came because it had been noticed that there was a strange glowing pillar of light in the darkness which seemed to emanate from.. somewhere in Sweetwine. Where wasn't clear because when the Elements sent winged riders to explore, it just wasn't there. So the Elements, still reeling from last season's debacle on the docks of Scalvoris, asked people to volunteer to help investigate. Another reason, of course, why some of them came.

Then, there was the University. One Professor Dashiell had noticed the same pillar of light and she'd recorded it. Apparently, all sorts of strange phenomena was going on. There was the pillar of light which seemed to circle through a series of colours, seemed to be gaseous in nature and, when she spoke to a colleague, it was noticed that birds were avoiding the area. So, the University sent out an initial / preliminary group, too. So, on noon of the 85th Ashan, by luck or good management, hook, crook and have-a-look, the group of them found themselves at the edge of the Sweetwine woods. In the far south, just at the side of Ol'Tucks Run as it entered the woods themselves. There were three already there, by the time the first of them arrived. Three human males, each one of them dressed ready for the journey.

"Ah, welcome!" Said the smallest of the three. Not a physical man by the look of him, but he had books and equipment with him and seemed prepared. "My name is Tom! I'm here from the university and it's a pleasure to meet you! Let me introduce to you..." And introduce he did. Jim, a local of the Sweetwine woods and a ranger from these parts and Ben, a warrior who had offered his assistance to the Elements. "We're going to be taking a group each," Tom said with a smile and handed out a map of Sweetwine to each person, if they wished it. "One of us will follow Ol'Tucks through the woods, one will move along the Eastern side of the river and, of course, the third will move on the Western side of the river. This is to ensure that we cover enough ground, and so on." He nodded and looked around.

"Anyone have a specific preference for which group they're in, or would you like us to just put you there?" He asked and smiled, politely.

Map

Map of Sweetwine Woods

► Show Spoiler

NPCs

Ben

Race: Human
Most obvious attribute: Strength

Jim

Race: Human
Most obvious attribute: Speed

Tom

Race: Human
Most obvious attribute: Intellect

OOC Info

!	Message from: Pegasus
	Sign Up Thread: here. At this point, and until my next post, this thread is OPEN to anyone else to join but you must sign up first!

!

Message from: The Rules

The rules for this thread are as follows: I will post once a week, on Sunday. If you all post sooner, I might do the same, and then you'll have another week. I will post again on the 15th April 2018 There is no posting order throughout this thread. This thread has objectives (both stated and hidden) and Achievements. These will impact the thread itself and the consequences at the end. One post each between mod posts. Do not control the NPCs If you've got any questions, PM me. We're going on the old "three strikes and you're out" school of thought.

!

Message from: Points to Note

This is a potentially high risk thread. Your pc might be maimed, scarred, psychologically damaged, forced into strange and weird situations, killed or even forced to stop and take a long, hard look at their lives. This thread will have an impact on all of Scalvoris. No animals, trees or imaginary friends were harmed in the creation of this thread. I will split you into groups once this first post is done. At this point, that'll be three groups. Please note: Stating a preference does not mean you'll get in that group. Final say is mine (muahahaaaa This thread structure and objectives, achievements etc are following a way of modding which was done by a very good friend, Straylor. All credit to him for the ideas.)

Objectives

!	Message from: Must Do Objectives This Round!
	1. Identify how you arrived here in this place (nature, militia, science). 2.Use the words sail, princess and infection in your next post. 3.Pick the group you'd like to be in (west, central, east or no preference) - this can be done IC or in an OOC at the end 4. In an OOC at the end, put the NPCs in order of Good. Better. Best!

!	Message from: Can Do Objectives This Round!
	1. Include a story from your pc's childhood in your post to unlock an achievement! 2. Give an example of what you've heard is happening in the Sweetwine Woods. As "out there" as you like Please note: these are optional objectives. You can do one, both or none of the above.

[Amaris]

- common / murnasian

Amaris had to say that is was comforting to be back in the woods, even with the circumstances of their return. They hoped that their family had boded well in all this strangeness, though last they’d visited, their brother had said something about sails. Perhaps he’d planned to sail somewhere; now they regretted not having paid closer attention. Maybe they’d ask about it again when next they saw him. However, it was not just concern for their family that drew them to this expedition. As councilor of natural affairs, it had become their business to be aware of all order of strangeness going on around Scalvoris concerning its wildlife and flora. They had received multiple tips and inquiries as to what was going on and decided it would be best to look into it.

All of these rumors and speculations had spread like an infection, taking over conversation where it was not concerned with displeasure surrounding the Elements and events of last season. Perhaps people were moving on with a slightly more optimistic outlook. Or were just thoroughly distracted. They had heard some tales of flunnies becoming just short of outright aggressive, which was a little more than unusual. They had used to play with the small creatures when they were younger, and had gotten lost on more than one occasion because of this.

Breaking away from the memory of one instance that resulted in a skinned knee - a fond memory that had ended when they fell asleep in their mother’s arms after she’d laughed and called her a princess of some pretend kingdom they’d contrived to distract the mixed blood while their knee was cleaned - they looked to their guides. The three men were introduced as Tom, Jim, and Ben, as well as their affiliations. They all seemed like capable men for the job. Perhaps it was a good thing that they had enlisted the help of Rowan for this investigation. The pair seemed to have been first to arrive.

“Hello! My name is Amaris, it’s a pleasure to be working you,” they greeted, smiling. “I don’t have much a preference as to which group I’m in.” It had been a while since they last wandered the woods, really. They mostly stuck to the path they’d traversed for years to visit their family, tracing the familiar markers as they went. They had spotted a few along the way, while taking a sip from their waterskin. It was enough to bring a smile to their lips before they’d moved on.

Off Topic

Good - Ben, Better - Tom, Best - Jim

[Rowan]

For arcs, Rowan had been quite an independent young man who was capable of making his own decisions and he hadn't needed anybody else. Then, he'd met Amaris and that notion had gone up in smoke. It wasn't that he needed them per se, he was just unusually glad of their company and so when they said jump, he did it. Of course, they hadn't asked anything unreasonable of him by recruiting him on the side of their investigations into nature, or so he hoped. He'd heard that the normally quiet and cute flunnies had developed an inclination to chomp on the faces of unwary humans passing through their territory. His face had been in danger on more than one occasion but usually from a flying fist or occasionally a bottle, but there was something miles more disturbing about a cute flunny trying to bite his face. If that happened then a nasty infection would probably be the least of his worries.

The blond hadn't told Amaris about the tales he'd heard, feeling certain that they'd think they were simply rumours that had been blown out of proportion. He had a feeling that even if they encountered a carnivorous and bloodthirsty flunny, the mixed blood would probably decide that it was having a bad day. The mere thought almost set him sniggering, the young man biting his lip and glancing around him as they headed for their destination.

He'd been worried that they might have been going in the wrong direction but then he caught sight of the three men who stood at the woods' edge and silently breathed a sigh of relief. There didn't seem to be anyone else there yet, aside from this trio, himself and Amaris although he'd been led to believe that there'd be a sizeable group coming, something that was soon confirmed.

Accepting a map, Rowan perused it closely, frowning as he tried to make sense of the many different locations within the woods. He'd gained a sense of their size from the walk but now he wondered just how big they were, especially given that they were going to split up in order to cover enough ground. Ol' Tucks seemed to be a reference to the river that cut through the forestry. He assumed that they'd sail up it, at least until he saw the term 'rapids'. That seemed to suggest fast-moving or even dangerous, violent waters, which didn't exactly sound ideal, especially given how sick being on a boat in water seemed to make him. Maybe it had to be a sea but he wasn't keen on the idea of possibly falling off the a craft into the waters.

His father had once attempted to teach him how to swim. It had been done with the very best of intentions but to his four-arc-self, it had been quite traumatic. The man had reasoned that if he flung his child off the Andaris Dock into deep enough water then Rowan would just work things out and not drown. Unfortunately, his father hadn't warned him about what he was going to do so of course when he was picked up and bodily thrown into the sea, he'd been screaming. When he'd hit the water and ploughed beneath his surface, he'd tried to gasp in air and taken in liquid instead. Thankfully, the blacksmith had jumped in and saved him. Needless to say though, the inclination to learn how to swim had never taken hold of him again and thus, he didn't want to fall into any rapids; he was terrified of drowning.

The young man bit his lip, unsure which of the remaining two options to choose and not wanting to reveal why the notion of going up the water horrified him. However, he didn't want to seem like a spoilt princess either, ready to stamp his foot if he didn't get his way. He decided nonchalance was the way to go, choosing the path that appeared to involve the least amount of crossing bodies of the hellish liquid.

"Hi, I'm Rowan," he greeted, giving a brief nod of acknowledgement before he shrugged, pretending to choose a portion of the map at random. "Oh look, there's a place called 'Fool's Errand.' Sounds like the story of my life, it's almost fated that I go that way. I guess I could take the group heading to the right of the river because well... why not?" the blond added with a lopsided grin.

Off Topic

Ben - Good
Tom - Better
Jim - Best

[Ela Wolfsdotter]

Ela hated people.

Something about them annoyed her beyond words. How they dressed in a way they deemed 'formal', how they spoke with such confidence and certainty in their voices. Even how they ate, cooking the meat instead of eating it raw like the rest of the animal kingdom. She despised near to every single thing about people - and yet here she was. Swallowing her pride to travel with a small group of people in the hope of finding out what had been wrong in the woods she called her home.
She had been in her cave resting when she'd heard a small search party go past, a group of scouts looking for something. One stepped foot in her cave, causing her to shout and scream at them, before she realized how outmatched she would be. After some explaining, they told her they were sorry for being near her cave - most likely due to fear. They then explained, however, what they were on the hunt for - the Oh Flunny.

Ela had run in to an Oh Deer before with Kura, and it was anything but fun. But an Oh Flunny? Nothing scared the predator more. Flunnys as they were confused her, small rabbits that could fly away from her with near ease. But add blood red eyes and razor sharp fangs to the mix, and even the Scalvoris Apex had something to fear. Hell, with this beast flying around she might not be the Apex anymore. But that couldn't happen, the mortalborn wouldn't allow something so ridiculous continue. This flying beast would die at her hands, by Karem she swore it.
So, Ela had signed up to fight alongside a group of people that could help her find it. She was disgruntled by how she had come to do it, however, by the names she had been called by the scout. Princess, beautiful, sweetheart - to name a few. But despite the obnoxious man and his poor attempt at what Ela could assume was flirting, she had come nonetheless. Whatever it took to get rid of the Oh Flunny, she would do it.

It had been years since she'd been out with a hunting party, the last time being in the Eternal Empire with Karem and Kura. It was hardly a big party, but truth be told she had enjoyed it a little. It took some getting used to, but it allowed for many more combinations of powers. Of course, most of the killing had been done by Kura, as the oldest of the two. But Ela was raised well by both, to be a good pup. The only negative of it had been the infection she got from it. Thinking of it made her shudder.
Ela listened intently as the humans spoke, a few other people around her. She was definitely out of place, wearing rough fur clothes and bearing sharp claws on her hands. Her eyes were that of a wild animal and her fangs were fairly hard to hide. Compared to all of the others here, she was incredibly different. Perhaps she was the only Mortalborn, she pondered. Perhaps she was the only person that couldn't stand the idea of living in a house or taking a bath in anything but a river.

As the man spoke, she wondered what they would do when they met the beast. Or even get to the beast, for that fact. If that creature could fly, there was no way they could walk or sail after it - no matter how far it went. If it left the woods it could destroy the city, not that Ela saw that as an inherently bad thing. Worse case scenario, that Oh Flunny could destroy the entirety of Idalos. Until the Eternal Empire, then it would be slain of course. But a creature that powerful? Ela dreaded the thought of it.
"I'll take Ol'Tucks" Ela snarled lightly, keeping her back against a tree with a small smirk on her face. Despite the dark thoughts in her head, she always maintained that same twisted smirk. To her, it showed that she was powerful - possibly the most powerful there. That, she thought, was a lesson the others ought to learn quickly.

► Show Spoiler

Ela is so cocky, I apologize to all involved in this

Good: Jim
Better: Tom
Best: Ben

[Rynata]

When the Elements had sent out a call for aid, Rynata had been one of the first volunteers to saildown to the Sweetwine Woods. She wasn’t much of an expert on strange phenomena but she was an extra pair of eyes and ears with a good sense of direction. In some situations, that was better than nothing. In fact, her father had once said something to a similar effect. When a bad storm had hit a small fishing village along the coast, her parents delayed their departure to lend them some help. She had been an impatient child back then, pestering her parents to resume their schedule lest they miss the best season to cross the seas. It was not that she was being heartless but that even an untrained eye could see that there was not much help they could give. Her family weren’t healers or builders and what little help they could give seemed superficial. However, her family, especially her father, had felt differently on the matter. They weren’t artisans but they were an extra pair of hands in a crisis.

“Well, princess,” he had said, smiling a quiet kind of smile. “We’re free to leave, but we’re also free to play the part we want. And sometimes, a small part means a lot.”

With worry over the occurrences in the woods spreading through the populace like an infection, Rynata figured now was as good a time as any to pitch in. After all, the rumors had peeked her interest when someone mentioned that the very stars had fallen and alighted deep in the Sweetwine Woods.
Rendezvousing with the group at the edge of the woods, Rynata smiled and nodded in acknowledgement to those gathered. Gratefully accepting the map from the man who introduced himself as Tom, she dropped her eyes to it and scanned along the winding river. She wasn’t too familiar with these parts but as long as she kept the direction of the ocean clear, that would be a great help in navigating the place.

“I think I’ll take the central path along Ol’Tucks, if you don’t mind,” she spoke up, pointing along the map.

It was almost a superstitious notion, but she felt more at home around the water, even if there was no sailing involved.

Off Topic

Ben: Good
Jim: Better
Tom: Best

[Devin]

Devin was just strolling through the university grounds, pretending to be a student that was slightly lost and checking if there were any valuables that he could steal when he happened across two older men, professors judging by their stiff and somewhat arrogant demeanor, that were discussing something quite urgently. He hid in a nearby doorway so that they wouldn’t notice him and listened in on them. With each word that he heard he furrowed his brow a little more. Apparently, a glowing pillar of light had appeared somewhere in the Sweetwine Woods. It seemed to circle through a series of colors, and it seemed to be gaseous in nature. He wasn’t sure what the meaning of all that was, but an alchemist would likely pay quite handsomely for a sample of said gas. He’d rob the university another trial, he decided.

While the professors exchanged all kinds of theories and wasted precious time instead of sending people out to study the pillar right away, Devin raced home and grabbed a few supplies, including his sword, and then he was already on his way to the Sweetwine Woods. He’d decided to employ his best and most recent false identity, the one of Devin Thorn, merchant’s son and naturalist, having figured that it would be the most beneficial one should he run into other people after all as they were likely to give a scientist stuff so that he could “study” it. Several small containers and strange tools were attached to his belt, and he was wearing a pair of leather gloves and a sturdy leather jacket, among other things. They would offer some protection against animal bites.

He’d heard one of the professors mention something about all the naked mole rats crawling out of their hiding places and attacking people and animals alike because they had suddenly become carnivorous and quite mad on top of it. A childhood friend of his, Jimmy, a burglar of some skill, had been attacked by a wild animal and developed a nasty infection that had killed him, and Devin wasn’t particularly keen on suffering the same fate.

As he reached the edge of the woods, he could that there was already a small group standing there, as he had feared. For a moment he was tempted to just grab a boat and sail down the river and back home again – or sneak past them as quickly and quietly as he could, but then he walked in their direction as if nothing bothered him, raising his hand in a greeting as he did so. He had never seen a stranger group in all of his life, and he had seen a lot of strange groups and been part of some as well. Ela especially had caught his attention. With her fangs and her eyes she looked like some sort of savage princess, and he couldn’t decide whether he wanted to be closer to her or get as far away as possible from her. She looked dangerous!

“Devin Thorn, naturalist. At your service”, he introduced himself to Tom, adjusted his hat that sat atop his head somewhat lopsidedly and cast a quick glance at the map that he had been given. “I would like to join your group if it’s possible, Tom, no matter where you go. Us scientists ought to stick together”, he announced, figuring that he would be most likely to get what he wanted from him because he was a colleague - more or less.

Off Topic

Good: Jim
Better: Ben
Best: Tom

[Genuvah]

Clink, Clink, Clink, Stomp, Clink...

Genuvah's armor made noise all the way through the natural paths of the Sweetvine woods. He had meant to invest in some less noisy armor this season, but hadn't found the time to have some commissioned. Plus he didn't know exactly what kind of armor he wanted. Chainmail was all fine and good and effective if charging into a pitched battle, but for everyday, walking though the woods purposes.... Well he might as well have been carrying a portable smoke signal to every bandit, brigand, and land pirate within earshot of a dragon's cry.

He bore the disguise of Cowle Rioghsson, an Aukari man, although he may as well have been a human with pointy ears and reddish hair. A holdover from when he was a child that he'd yet to discard. Come to think on it, he thought it may be time to do that.

He recalled an episode from when he was a child. A gang of big street urchins cornered him in the darkest corners of the Earth Quarter as a child. They demanded that he perform some proof that he was aukari, and set things on fire for them. Genuvah tried to bluff them away, threatening that he would explode if they didn't leave him alone. The children didn't leave him alone, and continued pushing him around. Finally, in one last fit of desperation he drew upon whatever latent acting talent he had, and feigned the motions leading up to an aukari flame nova. He sucked in a bunch of air, and curled into himself. The children around him froze. Then he began hyperventilating, uncurling with every breath, rage evident in his eyes. Finally, he opened his mouth, and began shaking all over. The children scattered with all haste as he let out a scream. It gave him enough of an opening to find escape, and lose them in the streets before they realized he'd just pulled one over on them.

Yes, pretending to be of Aukari descent was not the best choice if one intended on laying low. He often wondered why his mother had done so. As a smuggler, he thought that few aukari would be allowed on a boat. You know, because the errant flames might ruin the sails.

These reminisces were of no import to the matter at hand, however. Genuvah, or Cowle, had a mission here. The proprietor of the Lemon Messy back in Egilrun had sent him to check out the expedition forming at the Sweetrun woods. There was a rumor that they'd be scouring areas that included the Widow's Valley. Many tales were told in the Lemon Messy of a Lemon tree that had mated with an orange. A strange and comedic tale, yet one that for some reason the owner took very seriously. Almost to the point of obsession. It was said the juice of such a tree could cure any infection if injested, and stave off the affliction of scurvy for a lifetime. Genuvah thought he was off his gourd, as ever, but dutifully attended this mission, as he owed him a favor for the tab he'd accrued while living in Egilrun. The owner thought that this phenomenon might be related to the flowering of the rare Lemorange.

"Listen, Princess," He'd opened his proposal to Genuvah, granting him the diminutive word he did to all men (and women for that matter) younger than a certain age. "I need that Lemorange for a special recipe I've been concocting. If you get it for me, I'll forget your debt, and let you have the first taste!"

So Genuvah arrived at what looked to be the encampment for the expedition, nodding to each man as he was introduced. When they were finished, and asked which group Genuvah would prefer to be a part of, he responded. "I'd like to venture into Widow's Valley, if any of you are going that way?"

He crossed his arms, waiting for the expedition to get underway, and for them to be assigned their groups.

OOC

Good: Jim
Better: Tom
Best: Ben

[Hookor Crook]

Ninety Seven, Ninety Eight, Ninety Nine, One hundred.

Hookor paused, and looked up. Still a few to go, he thought as he saw the trio up ahead as the path moved to the forest. He began to walk forward.

One, Two, Three, Four...

Though he had only been in Scalvoris for sixty six days, the young student had learned much, both in the university, and out. Of course research, learning, was more then just books, though tomes were his favorite. Hookor considered what he was about to take part in, to be a part of his continued research. It was science that brought him, but he sensed something else might greet him at the end of this journey, as it were.

Twenty One, Twenty Two, Twenty Three...

As the young half breed got within a few paces of the growing group, he thought back on how he got there. Not the sweetwine woods, no how he had gotten to Scalvoris. He would sail from the mainland, after having journeyed from Rynmere, and arrived less than seventy trials ago. It was the culmination of a lifetime, albeit a short one, of reading and learning, to finally arrive at the university. The Pinnacle of his life so far. Now well into it, he had heard the rumors of strange things occurring in this place. Some sort of disturbance. Some speculated, mostly fellow academics, that it was a strange infection. An infection that sat in the waters, that sat within the tree branches. Pale Blue organisms, individually smaller than the eye could see, but collectively forming a bluish white hue about. So accumulated that they formed a pillar, a beacon as it were, of glowing light.

Very unlikely, Hookor thought to himself. Logic was paramount, and those rumors were very far from logical. Of course, that princess, teacher's pet in her own mind, Mindiva, she was certain it was an infection causing all the trouble. Foolish Mindiva, he thought and snickered.

Forty nine, Fifty.

He stopped now, and stood just a few strides from a the man from the university, who was speaking to the group. He asked which group they would like to join.

"Hookor Crook from the university sir. I'd like to join your group, if that would be ok." Crook offered, as he stood and patiently waited.

[Sephira]

It was almost a relief to be sent on an assignment outside Scalvoris Town. Working in the city was beginning to wear on Sephira so it had been a relief when she had been tasked with journeying with an Air Troop escort to Sweetwine Woods. Something strange had been happening in the forest of late, something that was connected to the strange beam of multicolored light that appeared at night. There had been rumors among the Elements that some sort of infection had taken hold in the forest. Something carried by wind or water that had infested Sweetwine Woods.

After disembarking from the back of a massive Enormowl, the Air Troops had resumed that survey of the woodland from the air. Sephira was to proceed along the water’s edge until reaching a group that would be engaging in a ground survey. Some of them were from the university and the mage had been tasked with assisting them in their studies along with defending the group. It was strange for Sephira to be walking beneath an arboreal canopy. Faldrass had been far more open and expansive, with only the occasional palm tree obscuring the sky. Somehow the distant treetops were oppressive to the Rupturer. She felt boxed in like a caged animal. Her rupturing spark seemed equally disturbed as it shivered and thrummed with displeasure.

The woman wore her signature red coat, paired with an angular leather armor chest piece beneath the scarlet fabric. Her pants, boots and gloves were black, either made from leather or wool. At her waist lay a sheathed saber that was hung from a sturdy leather belt. Sephira walked with her hand resting on the hilt of the weapon. Her stance was leisurely, yet her eyes were wary.

Eventually Sephira emerged into a small clearing where three men were preparing for the journey. There were others gathering behind them, perhaps volunteers that had elected to help with their studies.

The three men seemed fairly capable, there was the quintessential bookworm Tom who seemed the sharpest of the three. He was quick witted and full of energy. Sephira could appreciate intellectual prowess, but Tom seemed to possess the sort of energy that would get him into trouble. Her eyes fell to Ben, it was obvious that he was something of a warrior. He seemed stronger than the rest and possibly very reliable in a fight. Lastly the mage glanced at Jim and immediately hoped that she would be working with him. He seemed the most familiar with their surroundings. The Element was already put ill at ease by the forest, so working with a local ranger would likely ensure that she emerged from this assignment alive.

“Well met.” She replied evenly to Tom before he proceeded to introduce the other men. She took the map silently and perused it as he continued to speak. When he finished Sephira pocketed the map in her coat.

“I’ll go wherever you need me, I have no preference. The Elements assigned me to you, so you can make the choice.” She replied crisply.

OOC

Ben - Good
Tom - Better
Jim - Best

Dialogue|Thoughts

[Lavana Tharn]

Tharn

When she noticed Ela the mortal born immediately knew that Kura was going to be close by.

What Lavana felt about Kura was was like an infection that was undergoing necrosis as it festered within her. It was like the trial she discovered her mother's favor on the imperial owl, shed lost her respect for that thief. The same bitch that notched an arrow at her, didnt keep an eye on her, requested her aid and stole her mother's affection. What the mortal born felt was outrage and jealousy. Hate was an easy word, you could hate things mundanely like cheese or wine. No the word she chose to describe what she felt; loathed. But even then that word seemed to give this feeling within injustice as it couldn't fully appreciate that aching in her chest.

Shed been put through a meat grinder and was left as a sacrifice, and not even an are you ok? But her mother visited Kura, didn't she? To give her the affection and favor she stole from her! Maxine had been right! Her mother was a cunt, and whatever hopes of being an imperial princess had sailed away in the infirmary.

Raskalarn could have the Imperial Owl; The daughter she always wanted! Qylios had told her to try and bond with her after marking her out of pity, but that wasn't going to happen. Shed grown enough as a person to see the situation for what it was worth, and she was done with the walk of shame.

Lavana wasn't going to spend an eternity fawning over some useless immortal parent that couldnt be bothered to say hello, or are you ok after what she managed to survive. Lavana was done being her failure, it wasn't the daughter that had failed it was the mother for not illuminating the path for her; she saw the light. The mortal born had the discipline to sever bonds with with the toxic relationship she had with the eternal empire. Fuck the lot of em! After meeting Karem, she despised Kura more and the silver spoon she came from. She had a great mom, the fuck was she stealing hers for?

Besides that was in the past! You can't live in it, Lavana could only live in the now. As those were the cards that had been dealt that evening and those are the hands she played. Her mom sent her a message, so shed send one back.

She was an ~Ivorian~ now, and that was that; in her mind or at least thats what she told herself. What better a punishment then to bend the knee for Ethelynda? A focused, precise and coldly tempered fuck you to drive the dagger of hurt into her mother. Shed make new bonds and discard old ones, and do herself justice for a change and better herself. She wouldn't give her mother the satisfaction of ending up like her sister; the real victim in all of this.

Lavana had managed to hear about lights and strange happenings and the rumors had been enough to draw her out.

The mortal born was happy to assist the elements however. In fact there was an Element in particular she felt she needed to make up with, she had bitter words for her friend and had lied to her and deep down Lavana wanted to change what she said that night. Shed been high on pain killers, and mixed it with liquer while being put on the spot in an enormous amount of pain. Another thing she held Kura in contempt for. She was determined to re establish her bond with Sephira, it's what she wanted and it had bothered her a great deal. As she understood her mistakes that evening, this was the only thing on Lavanas mind when she saw the mage amongst the party members.

There was Amaris too and she smiled and waved, something about her was all about the science and she could appreciate that. She felt she was in good standing with the taller, more nicer council woman.

"Thank you, I'm more then happy to go wherever Sephira is going. I'm hoping maybe she can show me what it means to be an element." Lavana had taken time to deliberate this long before shed arrived, she knew shed made a mistake saying things about something she didn't understand. But it wasn't just about the elements as much as it was the portal mage, if she was on a sinking ship she wanted to prepare to go out shed make a last stand if only to purchase her friendship with her back.