Through the Looking Glass

[Thot]

  Raalk Gremweld

It was not without concern for their safety that Raalk left the Genasi village, but he was called elsewhere, as they knew very well. With one last glance down the ground, he veered his eyes toward the North-East, where his course now lay. Hours after hours they rode the pteranodon, moving at a speed far beyond what could have been achieved on the ground indeed. Of course Dragons could fly too, and that only added to their might and prestige, but that had never been a natural element for Raalk so far. Perhaps he would have to tame it eventually, but the water just felt so much more... embracing, at the moment.

As the night slowly came closer and they landed, the Trollkin was glad the river was within reach, and that he could wash and swim before sleeping. But he was not alone anymore on this trip.

"(Primordial) I can see fairly well too, but I understand of course that our ride needs to rest. This has been quite some travel, I must say. As for the wood, I don't mind picking it, but aren't you afraid it might attract attentions, from Judows for instance ? From what you implied, we are now mostly away from their grounds, right ? And into other creatures, perhaps ? (/Primordial)" the proud Oracle knew no fear of course, but it would just be to dumb to give away safety just for some comfort if it wasn't required.

 

OOC

HP : 60

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[ArcaneDesperado]

Samaa mildly shrugged.

I figured some cooked food would be better than dried travel rations. It's warm enough that we shouldn't need a fire in the evening, though it would likely keep the wildlife away. It could draw the attention of other more intelligent species in the jungle. The Judow however are likely gone for awhile, and we made good travel time. They are on foot. It is unlikely they would reach us by the time we would be traveling again. I will not lie, the idea of a few hours of good rest would not be unwelcome after all the spells today.

She sat the little water elemental' container down and let it out to bubble around and down to the river.

We can probably get about half a days travel tomorrow before we start to get to far from its nest and it starts to fight me to turn around. At that point we will need to set down and make the rest of the trip on foot.

 

 

 

 

 

[Thot]

 Raalk Gremweld

Lady Samaa made a very fair point about the day's events and their toll on her energy. Not everyone had the Trollkin's resilence, after all. And if she assessed they would be safe here, what did he know of the land to gainsay her, really ? So Raalk graciously went along with her preference.

"(Primordial) If you say it is safe, then safe it is. We are barely starting our travel, so let's make sure we start rested, and set up a fire then. I'll go fetch wood, and after that fish a bit. We will probably in rougher spots later when we will have no choice, so we might as well make us a little bit comfortable while we can, since it is safe. (/Primordial)" of course, the Oracle also intended to keep his spear close by during the night, but that was just par for the course while in the wild.

Looking at their steed, the Trollkin once again wished they could have such help back in his village. He missed the place, but he was too commited to his mission, he had made it his life goal to serve the Dragons "(Primordial) It wants to go home, of course. Who could blame it ? For some, the path is just a little bit longer. So we'll walk starting from tomorrow.

May I ask something else ? How long have you been living in the Genasi village ? Does it really feel like your home ? Are you leaving with the intent of going back there for good eventually ? (/Primordial)"

If they were to travel for weeks, perhaps months, they might as well get to know each other a little bit. And if she was too tired, there would be plenty of time later anyway.

 

OOC

HP : 60

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	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
Slots	7	6	4
Cast	1		2

 

 

[ArcaneDesperado]

Samaa paused for a moment.

I have been with the village since I was hatched. I was advised that a group of divers found my egg at the bottom of the river one day when out fishing. The egg was brought back to the village and cared for. I imagine a few were disappointed when I hatched at was not an actual dragon, but what you see before you.

She gave a half smile.

Still, they raised me and took care of me. Though one such as myself even amongst the likes of the Genasi was always the odd on out. For a people that combine their souls with elementals, all the physical changes they go through... One such as myself is more the abnormality.

Samaa shook her head a bit.

It is home... But I would know nothing different to compare it to. This is the farthest I have been out and away from the village since I was born. So I dont know if I will go back. I have many things that I have not experienced. Things, places, people, I have not seen.

 

 

 

 

 

[Thot]

 Raalk Gremweld

The Oracle was too deferential to scoff, so he instead remained stoic and listened to Lady Samaa's history with due respect. And that made him think before answering...

"(Primordial) I grew in a village named Uruk. It is very isolated too. And there are only Trollkins, of course. Sometimes we see human traders, but they are rare. (/Primordial)" to be talking about it brought back memories of course. He had left months ago now, and he missed playing with the chilldren in the waves, or diving in the coral reef that protected the village, with its luxurious life. Or even father West the deep reef where he could meet the Nereid. But now he had a mission to complete, something much bigger than himself to contribute to.

"(Primordial) And we are all very much seamen by trade, whether shipwrights, fishers, divers, or anything else. We of course hunt in the jungle, and we have a couple of farms, but far and large we favor the sea. Among all of us, I am the one favoring it the most. I have never felt more at my place than swimming in the ocean, surrounded on all sides by water, with endless horizons of it on all sides. And that made me stood out too. (/Primordial)"

It had never actually hurt to be so different in his village, but Raalk had still felt it deeply. Even in his village, his bone-deep lust for the sea had pegged him as an odd one.

"(Primordial) I have not traveled much, not at all, but from what I have seen...Anywhere there is a group, things turn out that someone is the odd one. You just gotta live with it, I guess. (/Primordial)" and he shrugged.

"(Primordial) Or leave and find somewhere else where you belong more, perhaps.... (/Primordial)" he completed for the Vayemniri benefit.

"(Primordial) I have something to do, as you know. But you can count on me during our travel. I will not let you down. (/Primordial)" and after that he set to place a couple of nets in the river to fish, and gather firewood to last the night. Thanks to his parting gift from his village, he really one needed a couple of hours of sleep, so he would watch over her rest as a faithful vigil, and make sure the fire would be properly tended to.

 

OOC

HP : 60

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	Level 1	Level 2	Level 3
Slots	7	6	4
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[ArcaneDesperado]

 

Moving north upriver the air thickened with humidity, and the cacophony of jungle life crescendos around Raalk and Samaa. Towering trees draped in vines form a verdant canopy that filters the sunlight into a dappled mosaic, casting shadows over the murky waters. The riverbanks teem with life, from colorful birds flitting among the branches to the occasional glimpse of a slithering serpent or a lumbering tapir.

As the journey progresses over the next week, the landscape begins to change subtly. The vibrant greens of the jungle give way to the muted tones of the swamp. Mangrove trees with their tangled roots rise from the water like sentinels, creating a labyrinth of channels and hidden alcoves. The air becomes heavy with the scent of decaying vegetation and brackish water. Occasionally, the stillness is shattered by the haunting calls of unseen creatures echoing through the mist.

Navigating through the swamp demands a keen eye and a steady hand. The water grows shallow, and submerged obstacles lurk just beneath the surface. Dense patches of reeds and floating vegetation threaten to ensnare their footing at every turn. Yet, amidst the challenges, there is a surreal beauty to be found in the tranquil waters reflecting the twisted forms of the mangroves, and the eerie silence broken only by the occasional splash of a hidden creature. As Raalk and Samaa ventured deeper into the primeval realm, the sense of isolation and wonder intensified.

The dense foliage begins to thin, revealing glimpses of wooden structures emerging from the murky waters. Slowly, the outlines of a village take shape, its buildings perched on stilts above the waterline, connected by a labyrinth of boardwalks and rope bridges.

The village appears to be a fragile oasis amidst the untamed wilderness, its existence a testament to human resilience in the face of nature's relentless grasp. Wooden huts with thatched roofs huddle together, their walls adorned with vibrant murals depicting scenes of jungle life. Smoke rises lazily from cooking fires, mingling with a thick mist that hangs low over the water.

 

♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫ ♫

Edited Sunday at 10:19 PM by ArcaneDesperado (see edit history)

[Thot]

 Raalk Gremweld

After weeks of travel, it was pleasant to see some form of village again. It meant possibly sleeping in a bed instead of on branches, potentially more varied food than just roasted game and berries, and also having a new source of information. It also meant that they were probably about to leave the suffocating jungle or the swamp, and get some space again at last. But the Trollkin remembered too that Samaa wasn't used to travelling, discovering and entering new places.

"(Primordial) Lady Samaa, please let me try to communicate first, and stay a couple of feet behind. If they are aggressive, we may have to flee. I don't expect it, don't worry, but I can't expose you, of course. (/Primordial)"

Once he had cleared that out, Raalk walked straight toward the people he had spotted. His intent was of course to repeat the same pattern that he had used close to the Genasi village, and call them out loud from afar where they would feel safe, and probably react more positively.

"(Common) Greetings, we are travellers from the jungle. We come in peace. We would like to rest here a little bit and move on in a couple of days. Is that possible, please ? (/Common)"

 

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[ArcaneDesperado]

Raalk wasnt sure if it was the sight of a Trollkin and a Dragonkin emerging from the jungle after two weeks of living on the land. Neither of their races were likely a common site in their area of the continent. They were likely less than clean and probably didnt smell the best. He wasnt sure if there was a language barrier, because the initial screaming that started wasnt in Common. He didn't recognize the language. There however was a lot of shouting. Most of the tone seemed to be panic from what he could determine. There was some running that followed, most of it away from them. Doors slammed shut. Windows closed their blinds or shutters if they hand them. The area quickly turned into a ghost town.

Samaa lifted an eyebrow behind Raalk.

(Primordial) You always instill such a wonderful first impression, or did we just get lucky back at the Genasi village? (/Primordial)

[Thot]

 Raalk Gremweld

It was one of the couple of possible situation that Raalk had anticipated, and not the worst by far, so the Trollkin wasn't too disappointed yet. After several days of travelling together, the Dragonkin's s humour hadn't been unexpected either...

"(Primordial) And you haven't seen me put my best foot forward yet.... (/Primordial)" he teased, but he didn't linger, and instead walked into what looked like the middle of the village, and bellowed in the stentorian voice that all Trollkin were gifted with...

"(Giant) Greetings, We come in peace. We would just like to rest here a little bit, please ? (/Giant)"

"(Draconic) Greetings, We come in peace. We would just like to rest here a little bit, please ? (/Draconic)"

"(Aklo) Greetings, We come in peace. We would just like to rest here a little bit, please ? (/Aklo)"

Hopefully one of them would go through, otherwise things may get trickier... Raalk had no idea what kind of languages were spoken so far from his home. He just had to hope...

 

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HP : 60

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[ArcaneDesperado]

No response came from any of the attempted languages from Raalk. The silence sat heavy in the air for a minute or so as it became clear a different approach may be needed. Then the yelping sound of dogs was heard from the far side of town. Laughing? No, not that either. Well not exactly dogs. Hyenas. A pack of them came into view from behind a building. Amid the pack walked a figure. It was covered in furs, bones, and other tribal decorations. The figure wore a wooden mask over their face and walked with a large wooden staff. A faint white-blue glow came from the eyes of the mask, cutting through the fog that hung in the area.

The hyenas continued to circle and jump around the figure as it slowly walked towards Raalk and Samaa. Finally stopping maybe sixty feet or so away, the figure tilted its head slightly at the pair. Their expression hidden by the wooden mask.

The people here are unfamiliar with outsiders. Especially those of a race outside their own. They mean no disrespect. They simply do not know any different. I am Ashanti Penjani, I am the ... leader ... of this settlement.