20th Cylus, 721
Earlier on, she'd gone hunting and now, Arlo was cooking the evening meal. He was busy and Vega was looking around at the place. It was aptly named, Vega had decided. Hopetoun. Town of hope. She approved, certainly, and as such Vega felt an immediate sense of peace and positivity about the place. She'd come here - they'd come here because she needed to rest. Not physically, but psychologically. Or, more particularly, physically and psychologically. The siege at Storms Edge had been exhausting, and Vega was more tired, more damaged than she'd ever been. And that, she considered, was saying something since ~ last time she was here on Scalvoris, she'd been taken over by a lava demon-thing, become Death-Forged and then she'd been burned alive and her legs shattered as she died and was brought back.
All in all, Vega decided, she was kind of surprised that they'd come back here, but at the same time it felt right.
Vega had a lot of healing to do ~ a lot of things to work out for herself. But here it seemed that there were a group of people who were together for a good reason, a genuine attempt to do some good, bring some hope, something resembling peace. It was what she needed, Vega thought and knew. Arlo believed it, too, and she had to admit, as she walked through the settlement, that she kind of liked it here. Kind of. Sort of. A bit. She didn't want to be too positive about it, just in case it was something that ended up being not great. It looked great, it sounded great, but Vega didn't know whether she completely believed it.
So, with a grumpy air to her, Vega stomped into the middle of the settlement. She found herself a place where she could be in a clearing. Where there could be people around, sitting around a campfire and being together. As she spotted the area in question, Vega recognised that it was currently empty but that didn't matter to her. Making her way there, she sat herself down on a log. Taking her fiddleThe fiddle itself is, as it seems to be, an antique and beautifully crafted instrument with a lot of history. When played by one of Xiur's blessed, however, it provokes one of three emotional responses in all those who hear it. The response is directly linked to the kind of music Vega is playing and the emotion will be the one she is trying to instil. For all three, this imparts a feeling, does not determine anyone's actions but provides a "nudge", nothing more. The responses Vega is able to provoke when she plays this fiddle are:
a) Hopefulness: with upbeat and cheery music, those who hear the fiddle being played will have a boost to their resolve and feeling of optimism - Vega can not make them feel optimistic that X or Y will happen but can instill a general feeling of being more up beat.
b) Peace and calm: with gentle and slow music, those who hear the fiddle being played will feel calmer, less inclined to violence or anger. Again, a general feeling, not one that she can target as feeling peaceful towards X.
c) Entranced: with a haunting melody, those who hear the fiddle will be focused on the music, pulled in to the emotion of it and will feel the urge to focus on that.
Vega can use this ability once a trial and so long as she keeps playing, the ability will work for up to an hour. However, she has to be playing, it has to be heard etc. out from where it hung at her waist. Then, Vega lifted the instrument to her shoulder, nestling her chin against the rest there.
And she started to play.
As she did, first one person, and then another started to notice her. To hear the songVega has developed her ability to the point that she can use sound as a means of increasing the skills of those around her. Her devotion to Xiur and Qylios is such that she is determined to be hopeful, and to always do her best. She can play and, when she plays, it gives a boost to the skills of those who hear it. When Vega focuses on a group and actively uses this ability - she is able to inspire them to be the very best version of themselves. Any and all who are in the room / area where she plays (so not someone that hears it in passing, they have to be listening) have a +1 level bonus on a non-magic skill for the next trial (so, novice becomes competent, competent becomes expert etc). This skill will be directly linked to the focus Vega has so - if it is in a camp preparing for battle, for the soldiers it will be a combat skill - but the cook for that camp would gain a bonus to cooking for the troops. No more than one bonus per day can be given. that she played. The tune Vega played was upbeat, cheery and optimistic, and she was focused on these people, this place. It was, without doubt, what she wanted it to be. She wanted this place to be the sort of place where hope mattered, where there was the possibility of hopeful and committed actions making a difference. Bonds between people, courageous acts as individuals and in a group. Slowly moving the bow across the strings Vega opened her eyes and looked up at the stars as she played.
And she let the stars guide her. As she played the notes, created the sound, Vega simply let the stars guide her. Tiny pin-pricks of hope, lights in the darkness. She played and - as she realised that more and more people were coming to the area where she was, that they were sitting and chatting and laughing and being together - as she realised those things, her hand moved the bow across the strings and Vega smiled.
All in all, Vega decided, she was kind of surprised that they'd come back here, but at the same time it felt right.
Vega had a lot of healing to do ~ a lot of things to work out for herself. But here it seemed that there were a group of people who were together for a good reason, a genuine attempt to do some good, bring some hope, something resembling peace. It was what she needed, Vega thought and knew. Arlo believed it, too, and she had to admit, as she walked through the settlement, that she kind of liked it here. Kind of. Sort of. A bit. She didn't want to be too positive about it, just in case it was something that ended up being not great. It looked great, it sounded great, but Vega didn't know whether she completely believed it.
So, with a grumpy air to her, Vega stomped into the middle of the settlement. She found herself a place where she could be in a clearing. Where there could be people around, sitting around a campfire and being together. As she spotted the area in question, Vega recognised that it was currently empty but that didn't matter to her. Making her way there, she sat herself down on a log. Taking her fiddleThe fiddle itself is, as it seems to be, an antique and beautifully crafted instrument with a lot of history. When played by one of Xiur's blessed, however, it provokes one of three emotional responses in all those who hear it. The response is directly linked to the kind of music Vega is playing and the emotion will be the one she is trying to instil. For all three, this imparts a feeling, does not determine anyone's actions but provides a "nudge", nothing more. The responses Vega is able to provoke when she plays this fiddle are:
a) Hopefulness: with upbeat and cheery music, those who hear the fiddle being played will have a boost to their resolve and feeling of optimism - Vega can not make them feel optimistic that X or Y will happen but can instill a general feeling of being more up beat.
b) Peace and calm: with gentle and slow music, those who hear the fiddle being played will feel calmer, less inclined to violence or anger. Again, a general feeling, not one that she can target as feeling peaceful towards X.
c) Entranced: with a haunting melody, those who hear the fiddle will be focused on the music, pulled in to the emotion of it and will feel the urge to focus on that.
Vega can use this ability once a trial and so long as she keeps playing, the ability will work for up to an hour. However, she has to be playing, it has to be heard etc. out from where it hung at her waist. Then, Vega lifted the instrument to her shoulder, nestling her chin against the rest there.
And she started to play.
As she did, first one person, and then another started to notice her. To hear the songVega has developed her ability to the point that she can use sound as a means of increasing the skills of those around her. Her devotion to Xiur and Qylios is such that she is determined to be hopeful, and to always do her best. She can play and, when she plays, it gives a boost to the skills of those who hear it. When Vega focuses on a group and actively uses this ability - she is able to inspire them to be the very best version of themselves. Any and all who are in the room / area where she plays (so not someone that hears it in passing, they have to be listening) have a +1 level bonus on a non-magic skill for the next trial (so, novice becomes competent, competent becomes expert etc). This skill will be directly linked to the focus Vega has so - if it is in a camp preparing for battle, for the soldiers it will be a combat skill - but the cook for that camp would gain a bonus to cooking for the troops. No more than one bonus per day can be given. that she played. The tune Vega played was upbeat, cheery and optimistic, and she was focused on these people, this place. It was, without doubt, what she wanted it to be. She wanted this place to be the sort of place where hope mattered, where there was the possibility of hopeful and committed actions making a difference. Bonds between people, courageous acts as individuals and in a group. Slowly moving the bow across the strings Vega opened her eyes and looked up at the stars as she played.
And she let the stars guide her. As she played the notes, created the sound, Vega simply let the stars guide her. Tiny pin-pricks of hope, lights in the darkness. She played and - as she realised that more and more people were coming to the area where she was, that they were sitting and chatting and laughing and being together - as she realised those things, her hand moved the bow across the strings and Vega smiled.