Fate - First Reply Like Better Times

[Zeri Rekani]

Home.

Both familiar and not. The cataclysmic rise of the Great One Neha had broken and tortured the land upon which Bhathairk rested. And even though her fellow tribesorcs had done much to rebuild, still, to Zeri Rekani it was painful to know that travelers who had never visited Bhathairk before could now never see it as she remembered. To them it would be a hazardous labyrinth of jagged stone ran through with crags filled with lava, a place dark and volcanic instead of bright and peaceful.

But this was the way it was now. Only in her cherished memories did the Bhathairk of old persevere.

Zeri had intended to set out on her own, to begin the life of adventure she had always dreamed of, to reunite with her sister (already on her own adventuring life), but her path had circled back around to Bhathairk. A brief return home--Pa was thrilled to see her again so soon. Saying goodbye again was going to be as hard as the last time, she was sure.

While she was here, though, Zeri wanted to do something. A small something, and perhaps, the last time she might ever. As a child, Zeri would often stand by the mighty gates of Bhathairk and greet newcomers as they came into the stronghold. If they were lost or needed direction, Zeri offered to show them around--she knew where to find everything. And in this way, by talking with these multitudes of travelers from far away lands, she learned much of the world outside of Bhathairk, and her inspiration to adventure and see the wonders of Arethil for herself only grew.

So why not once more? Stand by those rebuilt gates, greet newcomers as they came in, and help out one last traveler before she properly set out to become one herself on her own journey. She couldn't conceal the somber feeling of it in her heart--it was like a farewell to the days of old.

Yet, maybe, one last time, she could share her home of Bhathairk with a traveler. Just like better times.

Zeri watched as a loose group of people (humans, elves, orcs, and other fascinating people!) were just now coming through the gates. Off to one side Zeri stood, smiling brightly, waving. She was once pretty good at this, eyeing who might potentially need a guide around the city, and, though she was a bit nervous, she thought she spotted one among the group.

Zeri walked up. Said cheerfully, "Hi! Welcome to Bhathairk! My name is Zeri Rekani. What brings you to the Great Orcish Stronghold, traveler?"

Spoiler: Quick Write

This a quick write thread.

It's a tag meant to indicate for the thread to be short. These are little stories, quick RPs that can, but don't necessarily, have to go for long. I think "quick writes" would be good for test-driving new characters, odd or quirky situations, little bits of character building, seeing how well two characters get along, establishing an acquaintance between two characters that could be built upon later in other threads, and small slice-of-life events and everyday moments (not every thread has to be epic). That's the intent.

Feel free to make a quick OOC post if you want to reserve the spot, and then edit it into your actually post later.

 

[Orion]

Cold winds from the mountains far to the east traveled gently, like thick sheets flowing in the wind and wrapping themselves around the travelers that made their way towards the massive stronghold resting atop a hillock where rivers met. To some, it would be calming, a sense of welcome to this bastion of history, built atop the labor of creatures most ancient. To others it would send a chill down their spines, causing them to rethink their desire to continue on. To one man it was a sign, a sign that his journey had not been for naught, and that his mission to Bhathairk would be seen through.

This lone man had no horse, no vehicle to carry him; his only company was the echo of his heavy footfalls as his boots sank into the soft dirt of the hillock with each step. Those boots had once been as black as onyx, now dirtied by the elements that had gathered along the long trek that had carried him all the way from Alliria. His lips were chapped and dry, his long black mane a frazzled mess. Even so, he carried himself with all the elegance of a man with privilege and distinction. His ebony robe and shining trinkets around his neck certainly looked to be of high value.

Even more unusual than the man's supposed trip through hells and high water, was what he dragged behind him. He slid a large chest across the dirt at his rear, left hand gripping tightly to a handle on one side. The track it made as he pulled it spoke to the weight of whatever was held within.

It didn't bother Orion, to have this burden of weight as he traveled to his next destination. Pain was something he'd become accustomed to, and fear was a friend that he embraced wholeheartedly. He was not alone on this trip, he had the voices of many in his head, and they all agreed that this was the way. Soon, he would see the tall gates of the Orcish Stronghold, as well as the eager young creature that seemed to be greeting everybody she could find. Orion would narrow his silvery gaze; She wasn't a full Orc, far too slender and easy on the eyes for that. No, she was a half-breed, elven if the ears were an indication.

How interesting. Orion had never been to Bhathairk before, but he'd assumed the Orcs would have taken an exclusive approach similar to that of the humans of Vel Anir. What a pleasant misconception.

When addressed by the woman, Orion flicks his eyes to her, and then to the chest behind him "I come to sell, and to indulge in the history of this place. Perhaps you can direct me to some notable landmarks, miss...?"

Zeri Rekani

 

[Zeri Rekani]

Sometimes the travelers that came into Bhathairk could be scary looking. Rugged men, rough men, of orcish or human or elven or dwarven heritage, with a hard set to their eyes and faces worn down by time and the things they had seen--or done. Most times they would just gruffly decline Zeri's greetings without so much as losing their stride and on their way they would go. Sometimes they'd accept. And, more often than not in Zeri's experience, these scary looking men weren't so scary on the inside. A friendly face, a warm reception, a caring ear to listen to them, it was what they needed more than directions around the city.

With this new traveler, Zeri couldn't quite tell if he was one of those men. Maybe...half? Half scary, half something else. He had many scars on his face, piercings in his ears, long black hair that could definitely use some love. And what was that chest? Oh. Well, duh, the stuff he was coming to sell, of course, it had to be, answered her own question there.

"Oh of course! The Great Bazaar is where we're going to want to go for all of that." She gestured toward the chest. "There's plenty of tribesorcs there if you feel like bartering, and enough foreign merchants if you just want coin. And landmarks, ha ha, there's a few that many travelers like to see. Over there you can see Gharnamh Cuir in the distance, but it's got a funny name in Common--the Bald Mountain. Which is weird. Because it's not bald, and it's definitely not a mountain! A lot of historians and scholars like to look and poke around at the uprooted buildings from the Undercity--they say they're all the way back from the Age of Uroghosh. There's Mhartoc's famous stables, and if you want one of the best bred and trained mounts on all of Arethil, that's where you'll find them!"

The next part came with just a hint of hesitation, and Zeri absentmindedly touched her hair, her singular braid.

Spoiler: Memories

"That tree...is a trophy...placed by a MURDERER...in the city I LOVE...atop the corpses of thousands of tribesorcs and MY MA...and YOU call it Bhathairk!? That THING is a symbol of destruction and death. It will NEVER--"

And she said, "My name is Zeri Rekani. And I am sorry."

A small wind blew the single braid of her hair and lightly the flaps of her loincloth.

"I allowed the pain in my heart to misguide me. I felt weak and powerless against the dragon Neha, and I let my sorrow and my rage turn me into a..." She swallowed. Tried again. "...into an evil person. I became the Air that storms, the Water that drowns, the Earth that swallows, the Fire that burns. I am ashamed that I made myself deaf to the wisdom of those around me."

She looked to Weylin. A small glance, a faint smile, but then she refocused on the Tree.

"You have a Spirit too. Like every other Tree, and every other thing upon Arethil. You are not the dragon that destroyed my home and killed my Ma. Your Spirit is not hers, and you are a part of the world. A world that I have only brought more sorrow into."

Zeri bowed her head.

"I was wrong. For all that I have done, I was wrong."

"Then there's the Black Tree right at the center of the city. It's surrounded by lava, but you can see it from afar."

She worked up the brightness of her smile again. Clasped her hands in front of herself and rocked back and forth on the heels of her feet with a renewed energy.

"I've lived here all my life, and I know where you can find whatever you're looking for. Where would you like to go first, traveler?"

Orion