• Solo • The Silver Ring

[Rei'sari]

101st Ashan, 720

Location: Luna's Dream Orphanage


"And that's when I realized I was destined for greatness." Ari'sora said in a strong, triumphant voice.

"The end."

The kids giggled, and after a few trills, Ari'sora joined in. They loved it when she used different voices for the characters when she told them a story. When she had asked Felicia about it once, the older woman had explained that the different voices for the different characters made the characters seem more real than if she were to use the same voice for all of them, or worse, speak in a monotone. It made the story more entertaining. And when Ari'sora had thought about it, she had had to agree. When she read a story silently to herself, the characters had different voices in her head. So it was only natural that they should have different voices when she read a story out loud for an audience too.

"Tell us another story...please?" Lana begged.

"Yes, please tell us another story, Ari'sora!"

"Come on...please? Just one more?"

Arisora grinned at the children who were clustered around her. She paused for a few trills, trying to get an idea for another story. Then she remembered the silver ring she had found on her way to the orphanage this morning. She pulled it out of her pouch, and contemplated it for a few trills.

Ari'sora had found it nestled in a small nest between two roots at the base of a large tree in the Sweetwine Woods. The early morning rays had caught it, drawing her attention to the ring as it glinted in the sun's light. The reality was that it was likely that a crow had taken interest in it, and had taken it for itself. But to Ari'sora, it almost seemed as though the ring had been waiting for her. It would make the perfect prop for creating a new story.

"I have a better idea. Why don't we create a story together?" Ari'sora suggested.

[Rei'sari]

101st Ashan, 720

Location: Luna's Dream Orphanage


"How?" Lana wanted to know.

"Well...I found this silver ring when I was on my way here totrial." Ari'sora began as she showed the ring she had found to the kids.

The kids looked at the ring curiously. Several of the girls oohed and awed over it, telling her how beautiful it was.

"We could make up a story about this ring."

"How?" a little boy asked.

And that was the question, wasn't it? Ari'sora knew how to make up a story when she wanted to. She had done so many times in the past. But she had never really thought about how she did it, or tried to put the process into words. Now that she had been asked, she needed to do so. More importantly, she needed to be able to explain it in a way that the children could understand.

"We start by asking questions. Like...I found this ring in the Sweetwine Woods. It was nestled in a little nest between two roots at the base of a large tree. Who does this ring belong to? How did it end up where I found it this morning? Is there anything special about this ring?" Ari'sora asked.

She could think of several other questions off the top of her head, but she wanted the kids to start thinking up questions of their own. In doing so, they would really become a part of the story they would create together.

"There are all kinds of questions that we can try to answer. Asking questions about something like this and trying to come up with answers for those questions is one of the ways that a story is born." she explained.

"So who wants to start first?"

"Um...I think that that ring used to belong to a little girl like me." Lana said shyly.

Ari'sora grinned at the child, and nodded.

"I think so too. Do you know what that little girl's name was?"

Lana shook her head, but an older girl raised her hand.

"Zira. I had a younger sister named Zira once. But she died of the same sickness that killed my parents." the girl said when Ari'sora called on her.

"That's good. So that's one question answered. We know that this silver ring used to belong to a little girl named Zira. Now; how do all of the best stories start?"

"Once upon a time!" several of the kids called out.

Ari'sora grinned again.

"Exactly. So...once upon a time, there was a little girl named Zira. She was a normal girl, just like any other. But there was one thing that made her special. She had a silver ring that...hmm. Where did she get her ring?"

"I know, I know! Her grandmother gave it to her! And her grandmother was a wise old woman that everyone in her village loved and respected." one of the boys called out.

"That's perfect. So...once upon a time, there was a little girl named Zira. She was a normal girl, just like any other. But there was one thing that made her special. She had a silver ring that her grandmother gave her on her tenth birthday. Her grandmother was the wise woman of their village. Everyone loved and respected her. They came to her for advice any time they had a problem, or if someone in their family was sick. Farmers came to ask her when the best time for planting crops would be. Hunters and fishermen asked her where they should look for prey. And every time anyone saw Zira's grandmother, she was wearing a beautiful silver ring. Until she gave it to Zira, that is."

The kids smiled happily as she told them a story woven out of the bits of information they had given her.

It's strange. None of this is true...and yet, none of it is a lie, either. Not really. A story is just that; a story. Something that is created to entertain others. Unless it is a retelling of a historical event, or a biography about a person, or something that is meant to teach people, then it isn't really supposed to be true. And knowing that from the start means that it isn't the same thing as lying. she mused to herself.

[Rei'sari]

101st Ashan, 720

Location: Luna's Dream Orphanage


"Is there anything special about the silver ring?" Ari'sora asked.

"Yes!" several of the kids shouted excitedly."

Ari'sora grinned at them.

"Well, of course there is. So what's so special about this ring?

Ari'sora had to bite back a laugh as all of the kids began talking at once. She tried to sort out their answers, and after a few bits, she began to see a trend in their ideas.

"Okay, so we have a ring that can grant wishes. But...as a twist, it can only grant wishes for other people." she said as she smiled at Lana.

Lane smiled back at her shyly.

"If you try to make a wish for yourself, it will grant the wish, but it will go horribly wrong, and once the wish has been granted, the ring will disappear forever. Now the next question is how did the silver ring get where I found it this morning?"

That sparked off another debate. Unlike before, the kids worked together, bouncing ideas off of one another. When one of them had an idea, they would discuss it among themselves, working with it or rejecting it as they tried to come up with details to go along with it. Ari'sora listened to them, and she couldn't help but feel proud. Rather than arguing among themselves, they were working together to create something new. There was something special in that. Both in creating something new, and in working together to create it. And she had had a part in that. That gave her a warm feeling.

After a while, they finally agreed that Zira had made a wish that was for another person, but that came close to being a wish for herself as well, the ring had vanished. But instead of disappearing forever the way it would have if she had made a wish solely for herself, it had reappeared somewhere else in the world for someone else to find. Once the decision had been made, their story was complete. One of the older kids ran off to get some paper so that they could write the story down. Another began drawing pictures to go along with their story. The warm feeling that Ari'sora felt grew even stronger. Perhaps it was that feeling that made her do it. Or perhaps she was simply excited because she could see the joy of creation and the fun the kids were having as they all created their story. But once the story was finished, Ari'sora began to sing it. She didn't use any one particular melody to sing it to; she just used what felt right. She wasn't the best singer. Her voice wasn't pitch perfect, and while she did remember to breathe as she sang, her voice wavered on some of the notes. But the kids liked it. After a while, they joined in, singing the words of their story as if it had been a song all along.

They sang the story-song three times through before Felicia called them all to lunch. As they headed towards the kitchen, Ari'sora handed the ring to Lana. She had seen how enthralled the little girl had been with the ring, and her birthday was in a few trials.

"Consider it an early birthday present." she said with a smile as her followed the others into the kitchen.

[Doran]

Ari'sora:

Knowledge:
Singing: stories can be sung
Storytelling: the use of props can be helpful
Storytelling: when creating a story, asking questions that will be answered by the story is a good start
Storytelling: using different voices for the characters in a story makes it more entertaining
Storytelling: creating a story with your audience helps them to become involved with it
Storytelling: telling a story that isn't true is not necessarily the same thing as lying

Loot:
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: 5, for impressing the children.
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 10

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Comments: I see that you incorporated two challenges for the Scalv-enger hunt. You did a good job in that regard in my opinion. The thread was cute, and the conversation between Ari’sora and the children was entertaining to read. I like the story that they came up with!

Enjoy your rewards!