On the distant horizon the smoke of the city marred the evening skies, evoking an intense foreboding. The memory of her flight from Shim was still fresh in her memory, and even though she had not been accosted on the road to Marn she could not help but wonder, was she still a wanted woman? Wherever she went it seemed she ended up being chased out of town. Perhaps in Marn she could find someone who could help her. Perhaps there was someone who had the means of stripping her of her curse? She had heard of shamans, of soothsayers and travelling fortune tellers, and hoped that one of these were more then mere magicians. In a land where magic was prohibited it would be nigh impossible to find such answers. Yet, perhaps beneath the layer of prejudice and hatred she might find some ancient truth that would lead her to the freedom she needed to continue living.
There was no chance of her reaching the City Gates before nightfall, and from what she had heard of the Watch it would be better for her to enter the City during the day. Her camp was pitiful, her horse tied to the branch of a nearby tree, the line of oaks along the main road masking her from anyone who travelled at night. She did not even risk lighting a fire, her meagre meal of dried meat and cold water from the Ofriyu Mar neither nourishing her or silencing her belly. Luckily it was not a particularly cold evening, which bode well for the coming night. The wind blew from the direction of Shim, carrying any sounds of travellers on the road to her. The road had fallen silent hours ago, and all that broke the eeriness of the encroaching night was the hoot of an owl in a nearby tree and the whinny of her stolen horse.
She slept lightly, watching for many hours her horse standing in his monolithic state, a cold statue framed by the full moon. He was too quiet, and even though she knew this was how horses slept it did not help her nerves. Every time the owl hooted her eyes flew open and her weary body groaned in protest. The fear of being caught by the mob was an irrational one, yet she could not shake it from her conscious or unconscious mind.
An hour before Dawn she was awoken from the deepest sleep of the night by a sound that was neither owl nor horse. It was the snap of a twig from the wilderness behind her. She sat up and strained her tired eyes, trying to focus on what was moving in the darkness beyond her pathetic little camp.
"Who's there?" She whispered, not really desiring an answer. Afraid to take her eyes from the direction of the intruder, she kept them fixed on the darkness whilst gathering her blankets. She started to edge her way towards her horse, now wishing she had continued to ride to Marn and camped outside the very walls. However, before she got halfway between her 'camp' and her steed she froze. It may have been her imagination, but she could have sworn she saw a face in the long grass, lit by the silver moonlight...
Many Roads Merge
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Lylessa Uluki
- Citizen
- Posts: 669
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:12 am
- Name: Uluki
- Race: Duskling - Fae
The Duskling froze, knowing she had no way of hiding. She stepped closer, allowing the moonlight to show how small and non-threatening she was.
"It's... it's just me. Don't be scared."
Carrying only her gathering basket and with her baby sleeping in a pouch she had slung across her front to leave her hands free, she was hardly an intimidating figure. She was clearly Fae, though, and that was probably enough to put both her and the child in danger…
This was bad. This was very, very bad. Why had she gotten so close to the camp? To save a few minutes? Because if she hadn't picked that cluster of mushrooms, she would have had to walk a little further? So stupid!
“I’m not going to hurt you. I was just gathering some food for my family.” She held up the basket as though it proved something. “I usually do it at night because people don’t like seeing me.”
She’d only seen a few humans in her brief time in this corner of the world, but those she had seen had all been decidedly unfriendly. They hadn’t gotten near enough to worry her, but the way they looked at her… like they were scared. Like they hated her. She’d been happy to keep her distance. If they felt threatened by her, she had no doubt they would kill her without asking many questions.
Rollick had managed to do a little better with the locals, but not much. As a non-magical human he hadn’t been the object of quite as much concern, but the fact he was a stranger was enough to make people him at arm’s length. Though they were relatively civil to him, they were far from friendly. At least, they had been civil until he’d told them he had a Fae wife. That was enough to destroy the fragile rapport he’d managed to establish with them. They were convinced he was bewitched, that Uluki was holding him prisoner, and though he’d tried to make it clear that wasn’t true, they viewed him as a thrall to a magical creature, and therefore also to be avoided.
So at least for now the family--Uluki, Rollick, the baby, and the two girls-- was living in the woods, leaving their camp only during the evening and morning darkness, trying to avoid being seen. It was a temporary solution, but they had yet to come up with a better idea.
Uluki knew the temporary solution might very well have ended in that moment when she was seen in the moonlight. She wrapped her arms around the baby, shielding him as best she could should the traveler decide to attack them.
“I’m sorry to have disturbed your rest, but I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”
"It's... it's just me. Don't be scared."
Carrying only her gathering basket and with her baby sleeping in a pouch she had slung across her front to leave her hands free, she was hardly an intimidating figure. She was clearly Fae, though, and that was probably enough to put both her and the child in danger…
This was bad. This was very, very bad. Why had she gotten so close to the camp? To save a few minutes? Because if she hadn't picked that cluster of mushrooms, she would have had to walk a little further? So stupid!
“I’m not going to hurt you. I was just gathering some food for my family.” She held up the basket as though it proved something. “I usually do it at night because people don’t like seeing me.”
She’d only seen a few humans in her brief time in this corner of the world, but those she had seen had all been decidedly unfriendly. They hadn’t gotten near enough to worry her, but the way they looked at her… like they were scared. Like they hated her. She’d been happy to keep her distance. If they felt threatened by her, she had no doubt they would kill her without asking many questions.
Rollick had managed to do a little better with the locals, but not much. As a non-magical human he hadn’t been the object of quite as much concern, but the fact he was a stranger was enough to make people him at arm’s length. Though they were relatively civil to him, they were far from friendly. At least, they had been civil until he’d told them he had a Fae wife. That was enough to destroy the fragile rapport he’d managed to establish with them. They were convinced he was bewitched, that Uluki was holding him prisoner, and though he’d tried to make it clear that wasn’t true, they viewed him as a thrall to a magical creature, and therefore also to be avoided.
So at least for now the family--Uluki, Rollick, the baby, and the two girls-- was living in the woods, leaving their camp only during the evening and morning darkness, trying to avoid being seen. It was a temporary solution, but they had yet to come up with a better idea.
Uluki knew the temporary solution might very well have ended in that moment when she was seen in the moonlight. She wrapped her arms around the baby, shielding him as best she could should the traveler decide to attack them.
“I’m sorry to have disturbed your rest, but I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”
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Aislinn Vahtees
Aislinn was still but not frozen. The appearance of the intruder upon her camp was not exactly what she had been expecting. The mad glares, the torches and the pitchforks had her so much on edge that the sight of this timid woman took her by surprise. When she stepped into the light Aislinn sighed with relief. A woman with her child was not something to run away from. Especially when all she had to run too would be the Night Watchmen of Marn, which was not an endearing prospect.
Assessing the woman in this light was difficult, as her eyes were still adjusting. Exhaustion wanted to consume her and her bones screamed for her to return to sleep, but her mind was fully alert. The small frame of the newcomer made Aislinn wonder how she had made so much noise. She was small but obviously an adult woman. Aislinn did not need the evidence of the baby in front of her, the lady had the curves and the look of more then a child, and a wedding band around her finger.
She looked human, yet her purple eyes and blue tinted skin told another story. Her long black hair was settled across her face as if she was trying to hide something. Aislinn knew that look, she had used it herself. It was unassuming and instantly forgettable. It was the look she adopted when she was trying to avoid being looked at. This woman was losing the battle, as the scar on her exposed collar bone drew attention to her, as well as the hue of her unusual skin. For Aislinn this only evoked pity; clearly this woman was an outcast.
"Why would they force you to gather food at night?" Aislinn was very naive and rarely saw danger, whether there was danger to see or not. She instantly felt sympathy for the woman, understanding immediately what it was like to be scorned and shunned. All she saw was a woman with her sleeping child, and a basket half filled with mushrooms. She had travelled around enough to not fear another because they looked a little bit different. In fact, in her experience it was those who looked like her that caused her the most harm.
Aislinn didn't know what race the woman was, but the sight of the sleeping child in the pouch in front of her melted her and she invited the stranger to sit. It was rare for Aislinn to meet someone as timid as she was. This evoked an instant trust in the young girl which she hoped she would not regret later. She had a way of turning a positive connection into a fatal one.
"If you will not or cannot join me, perhaps I could help you gather your food? To be honest I am finding it hard to sleep out here." She did not want to admit she was scared of being left alone, but suspected her shaky voice and defensive behaviour may have given her away.
"Please, I will not harm you either... you have nothing to fear from me I promise." It was a foolish promise to make, as her True Seeing had hurt many people before this stranger in the moonlight.
Assessing the woman in this light was difficult, as her eyes were still adjusting. Exhaustion wanted to consume her and her bones screamed for her to return to sleep, but her mind was fully alert. The small frame of the newcomer made Aislinn wonder how she had made so much noise. She was small but obviously an adult woman. Aislinn did not need the evidence of the baby in front of her, the lady had the curves and the look of more then a child, and a wedding band around her finger.
She looked human, yet her purple eyes and blue tinted skin told another story. Her long black hair was settled across her face as if she was trying to hide something. Aislinn knew that look, she had used it herself. It was unassuming and instantly forgettable. It was the look she adopted when she was trying to avoid being looked at. This woman was losing the battle, as the scar on her exposed collar bone drew attention to her, as well as the hue of her unusual skin. For Aislinn this only evoked pity; clearly this woman was an outcast.
"Why would they force you to gather food at night?" Aislinn was very naive and rarely saw danger, whether there was danger to see or not. She instantly felt sympathy for the woman, understanding immediately what it was like to be scorned and shunned. All she saw was a woman with her sleeping child, and a basket half filled with mushrooms. She had travelled around enough to not fear another because they looked a little bit different. In fact, in her experience it was those who looked like her that caused her the most harm.
Aislinn didn't know what race the woman was, but the sight of the sleeping child in the pouch in front of her melted her and she invited the stranger to sit. It was rare for Aislinn to meet someone as timid as she was. This evoked an instant trust in the young girl which she hoped she would not regret later. She had a way of turning a positive connection into a fatal one.
"If you will not or cannot join me, perhaps I could help you gather your food? To be honest I am finding it hard to sleep out here." She did not want to admit she was scared of being left alone, but suspected her shaky voice and defensive behaviour may have given her away.
"Please, I will not harm you either... you have nothing to fear from me I promise." It was a foolish promise to make, as her True Seeing had hurt many people before this stranger in the moonlight.
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Lylessa Uluki
- Citizen
- Posts: 669
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:12 am
- Name: Uluki
- Race: Duskling - Fae
Uluki moved toward the woman cautiously, then, no further threats having appeared, sat down beside her. She slipped her sandals off; she'd been walking a good distance and was a little footsore.
"I could certainly use the rest, at least for a few minutes. Carrying the baby around takes more and more work as he grows, and makes it clumsier to walk with him. He's bigger than a Duskling baby."
She realized she needed to explain this. "I'm a Duskling. We're Fae. The baby's father is human, so the baby--Martin, that's his name--is only half-Duskling."
She shouldn't say any more about that. If this was an ambush, if this seemingly harmless woman actually had others lying in wait to overtake the unwary, it was best not to mention that Rollick, Dash, and Zee were still in the forest. Best, at least for now, that she thought Uluki was alone. At least until she was sure the woman could be trusted. Time to change the subject, no more talk of family.
Or was it time to change the subject? There was something about this woman that made Uluki feel she could let her guard down, although Uluki couldn't put her finger on quite why. Maybe because she was so much like another friend, the human friend Uluki now called her sister. Maybe it was that connection that encouraged Uluki to take the chance.
"People don't like us because we're strange." What could this human understand of being so out of place? Would this lead to condemnation? "I'm Fae. People here don't like Fae. They think we're bad, that we hurt people, but I don't. I like to help people. My husband is human like you. He's the only one of us who is at all 'normal,' and people don't like him either because he loves us. My baby is half-Fae, as I told you, and our daughters--" How did you explain Dash and Zee? "--They're human too, but they look strange, so people are afraid of them too. That's why they don't like us, because they're afraid."
Feeling a little more confident now, she added, "Maybe you'll like us if you aren't afraid of us." She looked around the campsite, noticing the haste, the impermanence. "Where are you going? Why do you have to travel so fast? Are you alright?"
She was so like Uluki's human sister. The way she spoke, the way she moved, the tension in her voice. The hunted look. The look of someone fleeing something she couldn't hope to fight. "And how can I help you?"
"I could certainly use the rest, at least for a few minutes. Carrying the baby around takes more and more work as he grows, and makes it clumsier to walk with him. He's bigger than a Duskling baby."
She realized she needed to explain this. "I'm a Duskling. We're Fae. The baby's father is human, so the baby--Martin, that's his name--is only half-Duskling."
She shouldn't say any more about that. If this was an ambush, if this seemingly harmless woman actually had others lying in wait to overtake the unwary, it was best not to mention that Rollick, Dash, and Zee were still in the forest. Best, at least for now, that she thought Uluki was alone. At least until she was sure the woman could be trusted. Time to change the subject, no more talk of family.
Or was it time to change the subject? There was something about this woman that made Uluki feel she could let her guard down, although Uluki couldn't put her finger on quite why. Maybe because she was so much like another friend, the human friend Uluki now called her sister. Maybe it was that connection that encouraged Uluki to take the chance.
"People don't like us because we're strange." What could this human understand of being so out of place? Would this lead to condemnation? "I'm Fae. People here don't like Fae. They think we're bad, that we hurt people, but I don't. I like to help people. My husband is human like you. He's the only one of us who is at all 'normal,' and people don't like him either because he loves us. My baby is half-Fae, as I told you, and our daughters--" How did you explain Dash and Zee? "--They're human too, but they look strange, so people are afraid of them too. That's why they don't like us, because they're afraid."
Feeling a little more confident now, she added, "Maybe you'll like us if you aren't afraid of us." She looked around the campsite, noticing the haste, the impermanence. "Where are you going? Why do you have to travel so fast? Are you alright?"
She was so like Uluki's human sister. The way she spoke, the way she moved, the tension in her voice. The hunted look. The look of someone fleeing something she couldn't hope to fight. "And how can I help you?"
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AngelMacleod
- Outsider
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2007 3:12 pm
- Race: Half-Elf
The half-elf had been wandering all day and night in the wilderness, and it felt like he was going in circles. Thus, he was very relieved to at last find a road. The half-elf was about to set foot on it when he heard voices in the distance. He then ducked down into the long grass and made his way over to the voices as silently as he could.
After a few tense moments, his contrasting eyes could see the sources of the voices. They were two women, one shorter than the other. The taller woman was black-haired, green-eyed, and ivory-skinned, and, at least from what he could tell, she seemed to be very exhausted. The shorter woman had a strange tint to her skin; it was sort of greyish blue, something that he had never seen before. Her violet eyes were also something the half-elf saw for the first time in his life. She seemed to be cradling an infant in her arms.
He looked them over again, as well as the "camp". It was a pathetic excuse for a camp, if he ever saw one. He saw a simple satchel next to the taller woman, and the shorter woman had a basket with her. He came to the conclusion that these women weren't stealing from. The half-elf decided to leave them be.
Yet the words the shorter, blue-tinged woman was speaking caught his interest. They reminded him of his kind, and how the humans in the southwestern regions would treat them like dirt. He felt sympathy for the short woman. But how could he express that sympathy to someone he had only just caught sight of?
He ultimately decided to leave them alone. But as he was about to slip away in the tall grass, his foot landed on a small, fallen branch...and it snapped.
After a few tense moments, his contrasting eyes could see the sources of the voices. They were two women, one shorter than the other. The taller woman was black-haired, green-eyed, and ivory-skinned, and, at least from what he could tell, she seemed to be very exhausted. The shorter woman had a strange tint to her skin; it was sort of greyish blue, something that he had never seen before. Her violet eyes were also something the half-elf saw for the first time in his life. She seemed to be cradling an infant in her arms.
He looked them over again, as well as the "camp". It was a pathetic excuse for a camp, if he ever saw one. He saw a simple satchel next to the taller woman, and the shorter woman had a basket with her. He came to the conclusion that these women weren't stealing from. The half-elf decided to leave them be.
Yet the words the shorter, blue-tinged woman was speaking caught his interest. They reminded him of his kind, and how the humans in the southwestern regions would treat them like dirt. He felt sympathy for the short woman. But how could he express that sympathy to someone he had only just caught sight of?
He ultimately decided to leave them alone. But as he was about to slip away in the tall grass, his foot landed on a small, fallen branch...and it snapped.
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Lylessa Uluki
- Citizen
- Posts: 669
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:12 am
- Name: Uluki
- Race: Duskling - Fae
Uluki looked up sharply like a startled deer when she heard the branch break. In her frightened, overly alert state it never occurred to her that it might just be an animal or another falling branch. She could only assume it was a threat.
There was no way to escape. She wasn't much of a runner under any circumstances, and in the darkness with the baby she had no chance of outdistancing anyone. No, she would have to stand her ground, and protect herself and Martin as best she could.
That was one thing Uluki was good at... surviving. Her friends had often commented on that, how her fragile little body could take so much damage, and yet she would somehow manage to survive, somehow live to fight another day. Maybe it was determination, or maybe it was just luck. If it was indeed luck, she hoped it would hold out another night.
Uluki glanced over at her fellow traveler, trying to gauge the woman's reaction to the sound of the snapping wood. Would she be equally surprised by the unexpected intruder, or had Uluki walked into a trap after all?
There was no way to escape. She wasn't much of a runner under any circumstances, and in the darkness with the baby she had no chance of outdistancing anyone. No, she would have to stand her ground, and protect herself and Martin as best she could.
That was one thing Uluki was good at... surviving. Her friends had often commented on that, how her fragile little body could take so much damage, and yet she would somehow manage to survive, somehow live to fight another day. Maybe it was determination, or maybe it was just luck. If it was indeed luck, she hoped it would hold out another night.
Uluki glanced over at her fellow traveler, trying to gauge the woman's reaction to the sound of the snapping wood. Would she be equally surprised by the unexpected intruder, or had Uluki walked into a trap after all?
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Aislinn Vahtees
As the newcomer sat down, and took off her shoes, Aislinn's body relaxed and she felt much more at ease. Shim had shaken her to the core and she had forgotten how good it had felt before she had met Coin. Memories of playing her flute in the Tavern caused a smile to creep onto her pale features. She took out the flute as the woman settled herself and touched its cold metal, reliving those times she had felt happiest, always when she played this beautiful instrument.
As the fae, yes, that was what she had called herself - a duskling - as she spoke of her family and her life Aislinn could not help but feel a connection with her. Her children were apparently just as scorned as she was, even though her husband was human. The young girl listened and played with the flute in her slim, pale hands.
When the fae asked, with concern whether Aislinn was alright, the girl looked up and tried to smile. The smile though was broken when she heard the sound of the twig break behind her. It seemed it was a night for drawing visitors. There was no way to tell if this one was friendly, yet she did not want to ignore it.
"It seems I am attracting a bit of an audience tonight." Her wan smile was replaced by a grimace as she got up to take a look. Her bones moaned with protest, which she ignored. As she searched the direction of the sound she replied to her new fae friend.
"People don't like me because I am strange too. That is why I travel fast and do not spend too long in one place. I am hoping to change that with Marn."
The intruder was trying hard not to be seen, but Aislinn had good eyes. Her sight had adjusted now to the silver light of the moon and she saw the outline of a young lad.
"You have announced your presence young man, and I am too exhausted to chase you. You may as well come and introduce yourself." As she went back to the duskling and her child she wondered cynically about the motives of the lad. No-one creeping around at this time of night would be up to any good. Then again, if he meant them harm he would have been creeping towards them and not away. She sat down opposite her new acquaintance and continued their conversation while she waited for the boy to reveal himself.
"I seek a shaman, or a soothsayer in Marn. hopefully they will be able to help me with my er.. problem." She did not want to go into detail about her latest Mob driven escape, yet she felt that this kind woman deserved to know something of what just being near her might incur. "I...I sometimes see the future... but always bad things, and they always come true. People see me as a bad omen, a harbinger of tragedy, and because of it I am chased from place to place."
That was off course not the worst of it, but it was bad enough. Sensing she had revealed too much too soon she quickly sort a change of subject.
"My name is Aislinn by the way, and even though you scared me awake I am honoured to meet you."
As the fae, yes, that was what she had called herself - a duskling - as she spoke of her family and her life Aislinn could not help but feel a connection with her. Her children were apparently just as scorned as she was, even though her husband was human. The young girl listened and played with the flute in her slim, pale hands.
When the fae asked, with concern whether Aislinn was alright, the girl looked up and tried to smile. The smile though was broken when she heard the sound of the twig break behind her. It seemed it was a night for drawing visitors. There was no way to tell if this one was friendly, yet she did not want to ignore it.
"It seems I am attracting a bit of an audience tonight." Her wan smile was replaced by a grimace as she got up to take a look. Her bones moaned with protest, which she ignored. As she searched the direction of the sound she replied to her new fae friend.
"People don't like me because I am strange too. That is why I travel fast and do not spend too long in one place. I am hoping to change that with Marn."
The intruder was trying hard not to be seen, but Aislinn had good eyes. Her sight had adjusted now to the silver light of the moon and she saw the outline of a young lad.
"You have announced your presence young man, and I am too exhausted to chase you. You may as well come and introduce yourself." As she went back to the duskling and her child she wondered cynically about the motives of the lad. No-one creeping around at this time of night would be up to any good. Then again, if he meant them harm he would have been creeping towards them and not away. She sat down opposite her new acquaintance and continued their conversation while she waited for the boy to reveal himself.
"I seek a shaman, or a soothsayer in Marn. hopefully they will be able to help me with my er.. problem." She did not want to go into detail about her latest Mob driven escape, yet she felt that this kind woman deserved to know something of what just being near her might incur. "I...I sometimes see the future... but always bad things, and they always come true. People see me as a bad omen, a harbinger of tragedy, and because of it I am chased from place to place."
That was off course not the worst of it, but it was bad enough. Sensing she had revealed too much too soon she quickly sort a change of subject.
"My name is Aislinn by the way, and even though you scared me awake I am honoured to meet you."
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AngelMacleod
- Outsider
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2007 3:12 pm
- Race: Half-Elf
The half-elf sighed. [i]Great[/i], he thought. [i]I have to work more on moving silently[/i], He sort of regretted trying to pass through here, now that he had been spotted. There was no escaping.
So, he may as well reveal himself. Besides, the taller woman told him to "introduce" himself, so she couldn't be harmful, right? And the shorter woman was holding an infant, so what could she do to harm him, and what reason would there be? Thus, he took the assumption that they would be friendly, but he still mentally prepared himself should the opposite be true.
The half-elf stood up and stepped out of the tall grass, revealing himself in the moonlight. "No need to be frightened. I mean you no harm," he said, holding up his hands slightly, his eyes showing his honesty.
So, he may as well reveal himself. Besides, the taller woman told him to "introduce" himself, so she couldn't be harmful, right? And the shorter woman was holding an infant, so what could she do to harm him, and what reason would there be? Thus, he took the assumption that they would be friendly, but he still mentally prepared himself should the opposite be true.
The half-elf stood up and stepped out of the tall grass, revealing himself in the moonlight. "No need to be frightened. I mean you no harm," he said, holding up his hands slightly, his eyes showing his honesty.
CHAOS: WHERE GREAT DREAMS BEGIN...
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Lylessa Uluki
- Citizen
- Posts: 669
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:12 am
- Name: Uluki
- Race: Duskling - Fae
Uluki relaxed slightly. The newcomer didn't seem threatening, and the fact he didn't look human made her a little less nervous about how he might react to her.
"Well, if you truly mean us no harm, perhaps you should come join us." She motioned him to sit next to them, moving her gathering basket to give him room. If he did turn out to be dangerous, better to have him sitting too-- a harder position to attack or chase from.
"I'm glad to meet you both. My name is Lylessa Uluki. Dusklings usually go by our family names, so you can call me Uluki. Everyone does."
Really... everyone. Even her husband generally referred to her that way, since it was the name by which she'd been introduced to him, the name he'd gotten used to.
And how ironic, Aislinn's reasons for going to Marn. What she sought had just wandered into her campsite, though the young woman seemed not to realize it.
"I'm a sha--"
She cut her words short. That was going too far, far beyond the trust she was starting to build with Aislinn, and unthinkable in front of the new arrival she knew nothing about.
"--I'm wondering how easy it will be to find such a person in Marn. These people seem to have a rather bleak outlook on magic users. It must be frightening to have such visions, but surely they can be used for good? Surely you have such a power for a reason?"
She would ask about the Seeing later, if she got a chance to do so privately, or let Aislinn volunteer the information. She didn't want to push for more than the woman was comfortable saying in front of the new arrival.
"Well, if you truly mean us no harm, perhaps you should come join us." She motioned him to sit next to them, moving her gathering basket to give him room. If he did turn out to be dangerous, better to have him sitting too-- a harder position to attack or chase from.
"I'm glad to meet you both. My name is Lylessa Uluki. Dusklings usually go by our family names, so you can call me Uluki. Everyone does."
Really... everyone. Even her husband generally referred to her that way, since it was the name by which she'd been introduced to him, the name he'd gotten used to.
And how ironic, Aislinn's reasons for going to Marn. What she sought had just wandered into her campsite, though the young woman seemed not to realize it.
"I'm a sha--"
She cut her words short. That was going too far, far beyond the trust she was starting to build with Aislinn, and unthinkable in front of the new arrival she knew nothing about.
"--I'm wondering how easy it will be to find such a person in Marn. These people seem to have a rather bleak outlook on magic users. It must be frightening to have such visions, but surely they can be used for good? Surely you have such a power for a reason?"
She would ask about the Seeing later, if she got a chance to do so privately, or let Aislinn volunteer the information. She didn't want to push for more than the woman was comfortable saying in front of the new arrival.
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AngelMacleod
- Outsider
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2007 3:12 pm
- Race: Half-Elf
The half-elf quietly sighed in relief. At least the shorter woman (she called herself a duskling, it seemed) seemed friendly enough to offer him a seat. So he lowered his hands, approached the two, and sat down, making sure that he wasn't sitting on his extremely long white hair. He was grateful not only that his weary legs were resting, but also for the fact that they were not threatening at all.
"Thank you," he said, "I have been wandering the wilderness all day and night trying to find the road. When I did, I heard the two of you talking. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I sometimes eavesdrop when I don't really want to. My ears are keen, but not as keen as a pure elf's." He had lost count of how many times he had heard things that he really shouldn't have heard, and how much trouble that had gotten him into.
"My name's Angel Macleod, by the way," he said, a tired smile lighting up on both his face and in his contrasting eyes. "Nice to meet you both."
"Thank you," he said, "I have been wandering the wilderness all day and night trying to find the road. When I did, I heard the two of you talking. I don't mean to be disrespectful, but I sometimes eavesdrop when I don't really want to. My ears are keen, but not as keen as a pure elf's." He had lost count of how many times he had heard things that he really shouldn't have heard, and how much trouble that had gotten him into.
"My name's Angel Macleod, by the way," he said, a tired smile lighting up on both his face and in his contrasting eyes. "Nice to meet you both."
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Lylessa Uluki
- Citizen
- Posts: 669
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:12 am
- Name: Uluki
- Race: Duskling - Fae
Uluki was interested to hear him say he wasn't "pure Elf." For obvious reasons, mentions of inter-species families always caught her attention.
"It's nice to meet you too. It's nice to make some new friends. I'm very far from home."
She meant the island where they'd lived before, not the Astral Plane. This Plane was home now. Her life was here.
"I don't understand it here. Magic is against the law?"
It hadn't been against the law on the island. People were certainly afraid of magic, but outlawing it would have meant having laws. Having laws meant being able to enforce them, and that meant having a government. The island had none of those things, at least not since the most destructive influx of magic. Uluki and her friends had done what they could to keep the peace, but it had basically been anarchy.
"Some things were the same as here, though. They were scared of magic, even though they couldn't really prevent it. And lots of the humans hated people like me, people who aren't human."
That had hurt. After all she'd done for the community, how hard she'd worked to protect them, all most of them saw in her was Fae blood and magic.
"Someone tried to send me back to the Astral Plane, but it didn't work, and we ended up here. This place is very different."
It was a hard place to live even from a practical standpoint, with no permanent lodgings, no money and no obvious source of income. One of the locals, seeing Rollick owned a sword and looked like someone who knew how to use it, suggested he apply to join the City Guard, but that was obviously out of the question. He considered that selling his soul, and rightly-- money could not justify seeking a position that, among other duties, would include hunting down magic users, people like his wife.
"We don't have any way to get back to where we used to live, so I guess we're stuck here, at least for the time being."
"It's nice to meet you too. It's nice to make some new friends. I'm very far from home."
She meant the island where they'd lived before, not the Astral Plane. This Plane was home now. Her life was here.
"I don't understand it here. Magic is against the law?"
It hadn't been against the law on the island. People were certainly afraid of magic, but outlawing it would have meant having laws. Having laws meant being able to enforce them, and that meant having a government. The island had none of those things, at least not since the most destructive influx of magic. Uluki and her friends had done what they could to keep the peace, but it had basically been anarchy.
"Some things were the same as here, though. They were scared of magic, even though they couldn't really prevent it. And lots of the humans hated people like me, people who aren't human."
That had hurt. After all she'd done for the community, how hard she'd worked to protect them, all most of them saw in her was Fae blood and magic.
"Someone tried to send me back to the Astral Plane, but it didn't work, and we ended up here. This place is very different."
It was a hard place to live even from a practical standpoint, with no permanent lodgings, no money and no obvious source of income. One of the locals, seeing Rollick owned a sword and looked like someone who knew how to use it, suggested he apply to join the City Guard, but that was obviously out of the question. He considered that selling his soul, and rightly-- money could not justify seeking a position that, among other duties, would include hunting down magic users, people like his wife.
"We don't have any way to get back to where we used to live, so I guess we're stuck here, at least for the time being."
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Aislinn Vahtees
Uluki was indeed an unusual name. Aislinn was grateful that her strange power was not pursued in front of the boy though. Uluki looked like she might understand, being an outcast herself, but there was no knowing what the boy would think. He tried to exude honesty but it wasn't washing with Aislinn. She had been duped by his like before and although she was a naive girl, she was not stupid. She was so alert right now and so jumpy it was hard not to suspect everyone, even Uluki.
"A pleasure to meet you, Angel." She had met very few elves in Thar Shaddin, which explained somewhat why he had been sneaking, yet something niggled at her. there was something not right about this young man, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
At Uluki's mention of the Astral Plane Aislinn found herself extremely interested in what she had to say. Her story was intriguing, but it was the mention of magic that focussed her. She had heard, long ago, that magic came from the Astral Plane. She had always assumed that her curse was magical, but had never found out exactly how it worked. Uluki's view on her power was an interesting one, but Aislinn had never found it worked for the good of herself or others. It was a curse in her eyes, and not a gift in any way shape or form.
"Yes, magic does seem to be frowned upon here, but I do not know the laws of this land. In my experience though, even when something is outlawed there is always some kind of Black Market. If such a thing exists in Thar Shaddin, then I believe it will be in Marn."
It was a hope rather then a forthright belief, yet she was more confident then she had been earlier that day. She had already encountered two magical beings this night, and off course she had already met Coin. The odds looked good for at least finding someone that had magical knowledge, even if they did not have the means to cure her.
Turning to Angel she asked, "Do you live around here? You do not have the look of a traveller, or a vagrant for that matter."
"A pleasure to meet you, Angel." She had met very few elves in Thar Shaddin, which explained somewhat why he had been sneaking, yet something niggled at her. there was something not right about this young man, but she couldn't put her finger on it.
At Uluki's mention of the Astral Plane Aislinn found herself extremely interested in what she had to say. Her story was intriguing, but it was the mention of magic that focussed her. She had heard, long ago, that magic came from the Astral Plane. She had always assumed that her curse was magical, but had never found out exactly how it worked. Uluki's view on her power was an interesting one, but Aislinn had never found it worked for the good of herself or others. It was a curse in her eyes, and not a gift in any way shape or form.
"Yes, magic does seem to be frowned upon here, but I do not know the laws of this land. In my experience though, even when something is outlawed there is always some kind of Black Market. If such a thing exists in Thar Shaddin, then I believe it will be in Marn."
It was a hope rather then a forthright belief, yet she was more confident then she had been earlier that day. She had already encountered two magical beings this night, and off course she had already met Coin. The odds looked good for at least finding someone that had magical knowledge, even if they did not have the means to cure her.
Turning to Angel she asked, "Do you live around here? You do not have the look of a traveller, or a vagrant for that matter."
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AngelMacleod
- Outsider
- Posts: 32
- Joined: Fri Jun 01, 2007 3:12 pm
- Race: Half-Elf
Angel turned to Aislinn. "Where I'm from? I'm from a region that's very far southwest of the land we're traveling upon," he said. "And I hope to never return there."
At that point, his eyes became hauntingly empty. Yes, he would never return there...not with the way things are remaining there. He decided to explain his reason to them, since they seemed trustworthy.
"I guess I can sympathize with you a little," Angel said, turning to Uluki. "People are afraid of my kind as well, though they take that fear to a much more extreme level. I'm half-elf, half-human, and where I come from, people fear my kind because of the actions of just one individual. They thought that, because he was a human tainted with the blood of the elves, that all other half-elves would be hike him. Therefore, they treat half-elves like dirt, enslaving them, sometimes even killing them for no apparent reason, just for the mere fact that they [i]exist[/i]."
He then remembered bearing witness to a horrific example of that cruelty eighteen years ago...a poor, defensless half-elf girl, no older than six or seven, being slaughtered by a human, whose eyes showed no sympathy, pity, or mercy...and she did nothing to provoke him.
"Humans are cruel to my kind because they're afraid...and the elves just look upon us with pity and do nothing to aid us. For my kind, every day is another struggle for survival...and it's been that way for centuries. The only family I've ever had is dead because of it; they were massacred right in front of my eyes. Only I survived...barely"
He then rolled up the left sleeve of his white coat so he could expose his arm. It was scarred beyond reason; there were at least a twenty jagged red marks all over it.
"These scars are a testament to the hatred and fear of the half-elves that I experienced first-hand. Not only my arm, but my entire body is scarred by human-held weapons." He remembered how painful it was to experience that, both physically and mentally. The burn of the wounds on his flesh, the metallic stench of blood thick in the air, his very helplessness, and the same painful question ringing in his head...Why?
"After a long period of recovery, I decided to leave that godforsaken place for good so I could find a place that doesn't discriminate others for who or what they are. It's been twelve years since I started wandering the world," he finished.
At that point, his eyes became hauntingly empty. Yes, he would never return there...not with the way things are remaining there. He decided to explain his reason to them, since they seemed trustworthy.
"I guess I can sympathize with you a little," Angel said, turning to Uluki. "People are afraid of my kind as well, though they take that fear to a much more extreme level. I'm half-elf, half-human, and where I come from, people fear my kind because of the actions of just one individual. They thought that, because he was a human tainted with the blood of the elves, that all other half-elves would be hike him. Therefore, they treat half-elves like dirt, enslaving them, sometimes even killing them for no apparent reason, just for the mere fact that they [i]exist[/i]."
He then remembered bearing witness to a horrific example of that cruelty eighteen years ago...a poor, defensless half-elf girl, no older than six or seven, being slaughtered by a human, whose eyes showed no sympathy, pity, or mercy...and she did nothing to provoke him.
"Humans are cruel to my kind because they're afraid...and the elves just look upon us with pity and do nothing to aid us. For my kind, every day is another struggle for survival...and it's been that way for centuries. The only family I've ever had is dead because of it; they were massacred right in front of my eyes. Only I survived...barely"
He then rolled up the left sleeve of his white coat so he could expose his arm. It was scarred beyond reason; there were at least a twenty jagged red marks all over it.
"These scars are a testament to the hatred and fear of the half-elves that I experienced first-hand. Not only my arm, but my entire body is scarred by human-held weapons." He remembered how painful it was to experience that, both physically and mentally. The burn of the wounds on his flesh, the metallic stench of blood thick in the air, his very helplessness, and the same painful question ringing in his head...Why?
"After a long period of recovery, I decided to leave that godforsaken place for good so I could find a place that doesn't discriminate others for who or what they are. It's been twelve years since I started wandering the world," he finished.
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Lylessa Uluki
- Citizen
- Posts: 669
- Joined: Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:12 am
- Name: Uluki
- Race: Duskling - Fae
Uluki laid a comforting hand on his arm, wishing she could heal those scars, but there was nothing she could do. The injury was too old to be erased by her magic.
"I'm so sorry to hear of your pain."
She knew well the cruelty that could be unleashed by fear. How many times had Uluki herself seen the victims of kidnapping and murder, who had suffered simply because they weren't human? No one had tried to do those things to her. She was strong, and they went for the weakest, besides which her human friends-- heroes in the eyes of the people after the defeat of the dark god, though Uluki's own contribution seemed forgotten-- had promised swift retribution against anyone who harmed her. The people were sufficiently cowed by that threat that they left her alone... mostly.
"And I'm so very sorry for the loss of your family. Losing those you love is unbearable."
Sudden, violent loss was another feeling she knew well, and one she hoped she wouldn't experience again.
"I'm glad you've found your way to someplace at least a bit safer, although not free of discrimination. "
Though perhaps one day it would be. Perhaps if just a few people started being friends with a few others who were different from them, in time the conflicts between them would disappear.
Then, addressing the next question to both of them, she asked, "Do you really think there may be magic users living in Marn?"
She had assumed Marn was the most dangerous place to be. A large number of magic-hating humans in one place seemed like it would be a disaster to someone like her. But if there were other magical people and beings living in Marn, perhaps it was a place her family could be safe, and could find some measure of acceptance. There would always be stares, always be whispers; that was inevitable and she didn't mind... at least not too much. She understood that they were a strange-looking group, and that people who didn't know them would have a hard time believing they were a family... but they were, and they needed a place to call home, at least for now.
If there was a place her family would be relatively safe, perhaps it was time to make a trip to Marn.
"I'm so sorry to hear of your pain."
She knew well the cruelty that could be unleashed by fear. How many times had Uluki herself seen the victims of kidnapping and murder, who had suffered simply because they weren't human? No one had tried to do those things to her. She was strong, and they went for the weakest, besides which her human friends-- heroes in the eyes of the people after the defeat of the dark god, though Uluki's own contribution seemed forgotten-- had promised swift retribution against anyone who harmed her. The people were sufficiently cowed by that threat that they left her alone... mostly.
"And I'm so very sorry for the loss of your family. Losing those you love is unbearable."
Sudden, violent loss was another feeling she knew well, and one she hoped she wouldn't experience again.
"I'm glad you've found your way to someplace at least a bit safer, although not free of discrimination. "
Though perhaps one day it would be. Perhaps if just a few people started being friends with a few others who were different from them, in time the conflicts between them would disappear.
Then, addressing the next question to both of them, she asked, "Do you really think there may be magic users living in Marn?"
She had assumed Marn was the most dangerous place to be. A large number of magic-hating humans in one place seemed like it would be a disaster to someone like her. But if there were other magical people and beings living in Marn, perhaps it was a place her family could be safe, and could find some measure of acceptance. There would always be stares, always be whispers; that was inevitable and she didn't mind... at least not too much. She understood that they were a strange-looking group, and that people who didn't know them would have a hard time believing they were a family... but they were, and they needed a place to call home, at least for now.
If there was a place her family would be relatively safe, perhaps it was time to make a trip to Marn.
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Aislinn Vahtees
The half elf's reply did not seem to make sense to the very suspicious Aislinn. He did not look like a traveller at all, or someone fleeing like herself. He had no provisions, no weapons, no evidence of travelling whatsoever. He wore a large and long white coat that covered the black shirt and slacks underneath it. It was not a cold night yet he was wrapped in that over-long coat. His skin was as pale as hers, and did not show signs of travel either. Maybe it was because of his elven blood, or maybe he travelled in the dark, either way it was all very suspicious. She couldn't see the scars he spoke of but his eyes were disconcerting. One was yellow and the other turquoise, a rather jarring mix, it was hard to look him directly in the eye.
Turning to Uluki she answered her question on magic users. "I don't see why not. I think the use of magic would be kept secret, but I have seen non humans in Thar Shaddin, more then I expected for a place that seems magic unfriendly. I am counting on finding a magical community, one I am sure protects those within it." She hoped it was enough reassurance for the duskling, and that it was also all true. It was a hope rather then knowledge, but it was something that felt right. Persecuted people generally stick together or find each other, as this little camp had already proven.
Turning to Uluki she answered her question on magic users. "I don't see why not. I think the use of magic would be kept secret, but I have seen non humans in Thar Shaddin, more then I expected for a place that seems magic unfriendly. I am counting on finding a magical community, one I am sure protects those within it." She hoped it was enough reassurance for the duskling, and that it was also all true. It was a hope rather then knowledge, but it was something that felt right. Persecuted people generally stick together or find each other, as this little camp had already proven.