Flashback [Solo]Her Majesty, the Queen

[Crypt]

OOCApproved by Valkyrie. 40th of Fall, 511 AV (Night, The twentieth bell) Crypt grinned at his hosts, Faeirvern and Farcian Frostfawn, as he slurped down the warm broth they had made earlier for dinner. It was already mid-Fall, and the nights were getting colder. It felt as cold as it was in Winter to Crypt, though no doubt the Vantha that lived here in Avanthal treated it as nothing more than a minor inconvenience. He was 'warm-blooded', true, but that didn't stop the Vantha from treating him like a valued guest, much better than any stranger had for his entire life. The two pairs of eyes watching him eagerly consume the warm meal flickered yellow, displaying the couple's amusement. Farcian, the male Vantha hunter, spoke first as Crypt finished the last few drops. “There goes the last of our food, down into the ravenous maw of the Drykas. Faeirvern, my dear, I don't think we should be letting young Crypt stay here any longer.” Faeirvern, a slim, quick-witted woman of thirty, gave her newly wedded husband a playful push, reiterating and assuring Crypt at the same time. “Don't worry, Crypt, naughty Farcian here won't do that. Shame on you, love, for tainting our good name in hospitality. Crypt, would you be a dear and pass me that wooden spoon? It seems that Farcian needs a little lesson in being polite.” Crypt complied and watched eagerly as the Vantha lady chased her husband around their small private residence, both displaying an agility born from and nurtured in years of hunting. It was Crypt's good luck to have been invited for a stay at the home of a couple just past their honeymoon-cum-extended hunting trip. The interaction of husband vis á vis wife was fascinating, and Crypt was there to witness all of that. One might think him weird, but seeing as he had to take over as Ankal of his very own pavilion from his grandfather, who was still going strong, in the future, having more than one wife would be a given, and as such learning to deal with a wife would be quite useful. Once their antics were over, having transformed into a full-on makeout session midway through the pursuit (Crypt politely turning his head away, sticking his fingers in his ears and humming loudly), the adopted child (A cute young lad of five years) of the Vantha couple started to cry out loud, for he had stubbed his toe on the leg of a chair. Faeirvern and Farcian immediately ceased their actions and seemingly teleported over to their child, Hadrin, and started to sooth him. A few chimes later, once Hadrin had been put into bed and given his goodnight kisses, after he fell asleep, the duo joined Crypt in the small dining room, who was currently playing with a piece of wood. Farcian got straight to the point. “Crypt, once Hadrin's fully accustomed to his new home with us, we're taking him to Queen Morwen to seek her blessing. Would you like to go with us?” Crypt's mouth opened wide, his jaw lowering rapidly. He was stunned. Morwen... She of the Winter. Not long have I stayed here, but every Vantha I have met calls her Queen and Goddess. To actually meet one... To meet royalty and a goddess? How... What... Once Crypt regained his composure, he started to speak again, slowly enunciating each word. “Thank you for... offering, but as I'm not a Vantha, wouldn't she not want to see me? I would go otherwise.” The couple only smiled, and got up to leave for their bedroom. “That's not a problem. Lady Morwen meets all that are willing to see her in person, especially our race. Oh, and just be sure to get a small present for her in two weeks' time. Enjoy searching for one!” Crypt retreated to the tiny guest room that he had been sleeping in over the duration of his stay at the Frostfawn Hold. Now, what the petch would a Goddess like? This is going to be a long two weeks...

[Crypt]

42nd of Fall, 511 AV (Morning, the seventh bell) The morning after a large dinner with the extended family of Faeirvern and Farcian, held to celebrate the adoption of Hadrin, had been quite... lazy for Crypt. Going to sleep with a full stomach and waking up feeling bloated was not a pleasant experience, though the morning after was quite relaxed and slow. Still, the lethargy that stalked Crypt at every step soon faded as he splashed cold water onto his face, allowing the icy fluid to clear his mind and allow him to focus on the agenda for today. Skyglow Hold. Faeirvern has an uncle there, and she said he would most likely be willing to teach me to sculpt something simple. His name was... Calcion? Quite original. Time for some breakfast first. Crypt entered the small dining area of the couple's Arvinta, and greeted them cheerfully before sitting down on one of the small chairs. Facian was already helping Hadrin to eat his small meal, and was busy trying to prevent the child from spitting out the food he was feeding him. Faeirvern placed a bowl of fresh fruit in front of it, accompanying it moments later with a mug of goat's milk. Suddenly reminded of something, Crypt pulled out his money pouch, taking out an assortment of coins before pausing, looking up at Faeirvern. "Ah... Faeirvern, how much do I owe you for all the food and drink I'm consuming for my stay here? I'm not quite sure." The female Vantha smiled at Crypt, and took the coins, placing them back inside the moneypouch. "No charge, Crypt. You've entertained our family enough with all your stories of Cyphrus and Alvadas, and especially the tale of the Balnag. Consider that your payment." She held up a hand to stop Crypt from speaking. "We're relatively well off, we don't lack for funds to purchase anything we require. You're our guest, not our customer or client, and we'll do our best to make you comfortable. No need to pay us." She walked away before Crypt could argue. Sighing, the Drykas dug into the bowl of fresh fruit, savouring the mixture of smells and taste eagerly, before finishing his healthy breakfast by downing the entire mug of goat's milk in two gulps. "Well, thanks for the meal, Faeirvern. I'll be off to see to Maras, check if he's alright and take a walk around Avanthal. I'll be back for lunch then, and it'll be off to your Uncle Calcion's Arvinta later to learn some wood carving from him. Have a nice day." Crypt patted Hadrin on the head, who giggled and spat out the mush in his mouth directly into Farcian's face. Said Vantha brushed it off with one hand, glaring at Crypt. Crypt started whistling as he departed from their Arvinta. It looked like it was going to be a perfect day. White Elk Stables, here I come! Your grooms had better not mistreat Maras again.

[Crypt]

42nd of Fall, 511 AV (Afternoon, the fourteenth Bell) "My adorable little niece wants me to teach you how to carve wood? Well, well, well." Crypt stood in front of the Vantha known as Calcion Skyglow, once known to be a master of wood sculpturing, now retired and settling into a simple life of peace and calm. Calcion was taking a sip of ale from the mug he was holding, sitting on an elaborately-designed wooden chair covered with grizzly bear furs. He looked over Crypt with an appraising eye, taking special notice of his hands. ”Well, I don’t normally do this for anyone, but Faeirvern’s my favourite niece – I’ve always wished she was my own child. So I’ll do this for her. But I warn you, laddie, I won’t tolerate any slacking. You work as hard as I tell you to, and not an inch less. Do anything I don’t want you to, and your lessons will stop immediately. What do you seek to gain from this anyway?” Crypt bowed in thanks for the lessons the master wood sculptor would be giving him free of charge. “Sir… I am planning to carve something as a gift for Queen Morwen, for Faeirvern, Farcian, Hadrin and I will be visiting her to seek her blessing for Hadrin.” Crypt spoke humbly. The old Vantha’s eyes bulged as he heard his goddess’ name, and he stood up immediately with a speed one would not be accustomed to observe in one as old as he was, where he had already celebrated over two dozen Wisdom days. “Queen Morwen? Why didn’t you say so earlier, lad? It’s been many a year since I saw her in her throne room, and I’ve never forgotten her beauty. I’ll help you, lad, forget all that nonsense about throwing you out of my workshop if you didn’t do enough work. You’ll learn enough from me to carve what you desire, as long as it isn’t too complicated. Come! Let us begin! To my workshop, lad, and woe be to him or her that bars our way!” The Drykas eagerly followed Calcion to a small room in the latter’s Arvinta, where he kept all of his wood-carving tools in tip-top condition, along with a selection of woods to choose from. Before starting the first lesson, Calcion turned to Crypt, a pleading look in his face and eyes. “Eh… Lad, can I ask something of you?” He pulled Crypt forwards, lowering his tone. “I’m an old Vantha, Crypt. I’ve lived long enough to see my grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and for that, I’m grateful. I’ve lived longer than quite a few people, and I don’t think I can live much longer. I’ve been hiding all this from my family, and I’ve tried to delay them from knowing all this. I can’t move much now; my bones are weak, my muscles are failing me. At the most I can only hobble out of my Arvinta to visit my nearby sons and daughters, and I can’t visit Morwen anymore. Would you… would you help me just this once?’ Crypt could feel that Calcion’s plea was sincere and was made almost in desperation. Taking a look at the old man’s aura, after waiting a few moments to concentrate his Djed, Crypt could see that his aura was slowly disappearing. It was mostly dull now; only infrequent patches of brightness and colour remained, and even they were being eroded away by Time. He nodded once, assenting to Calcion’s request. The Vantha’s face relaxed, and a genuine smile broke out on his face. “Thank you, my lad. When you’re carving your gift, Crypt, could you pass the finished product to me for a bell or so and let me add my own touch? These hands are trembling, Crypt; soon, I will carve my last carving and sculpt no more. I’d like my last work to be a gift to our Lady. And when you see her, when you pass this to her, please, just for this old one, ask her to remember me, Calcion Skyglow, and ask her to give me her final blessings. Thank you for making this old Vantha happy, Crypt.” Crypt’s eyes glistened as he listened to Calcion’s words. No tears flowed, but it was enough to tell that Crypt sympathised with him, and would help him fulfil his final request. The Drykas and the Vantha mastered themselves with a superhuman effort, and they started the lesson. “Some people say that wood carving is easy; others say that it is hard. I say neither. Your progression in this skill requires time and hard work, and an eye for the beautiful and unique things in life. You don’t need much to create a work of art – only a carving knife and a piece of good-quality wood is required. See this here? It’s the knife I’ve been working with for more than eighty seasons…”

[Crypt]

50th of Fall, 511 AV "Crypt, stop that." The Drykas winced as Calcion snatched the carving knife from his hands, brushing against a blister that had formed. It had been a rather long week of constant carving, and it was starting to wear him down. Not that Calcion Skyglow cared about that - all he bothered about was to teach Crypt the basics of carving and produce a sculpture worthy enough of being given to Morwen. Or rather, adequate enough. "You don't go against the grain, you'll spoil everything like that. See this? It's messed up. You'll have to redo it." Throwing the half-finished mockery of a short shaft of carved wood faintly resembling a pillar of the ionic order into a nearby fireplace, Calcion went back to sitting in a chair, staring at Crypt. Grumbling under his breath, the Drykas selected another small piece of oak from the table he was sitting at, carefully studying it to determine the direction of the grain. "Right. Follow Calcion's instructions, and don't screw this up again, Crypt," he mumbled, picking up a gouge and carefully removing a small piece of wood, throwing it aside, "I'll have to remove some wood until I get the approximate shape again." Crypt placed the gouge aside once he had done so, and picked up a small, light knife, which he then used to smoothen the rough edges of the wood. Blowing away the wood shavings, he positioned it close to a small lamp, observing it with a critical eye, taking off any imperfections with a small movement. Once he had achieved uniform smoothness (or a state close to it), Crypt began the arduous task of carving out the twelve flutes (or rather, grooves). Marking out twelve seperate sections of the wooden shaft in ink, Crypt began to whittle down the grooves. It was a painstaking job, but made easier by the fact that he was using a rather large piece of wood, hence the grooves wouldn't be as miniscule as it would have been if he used a piece the size of a small dagger, and that he was only carving twelve flutes instead of the standard twenty-four. Calcion nodded slightly in approval as Crypt picked up a whetstone and started to sharpen the knife; the grinding sound was strangely soothing. "Always keep your tools in excellent condition, Crypt. That's a good boy." After a few hours of constant whittling and sanding down the sides with a piece of abrasive sharkskin, Calcion got up from where he was smoking a pipe with a sigh (having taken a nap while Crypt was struggling with the small pillar) and grasped the finished carving, eyeing it as he held it to the lamp, running a gnarled finger over the surfaces. "Mmm... You've improved, Crypt. Just like the quantity of blisters on your hand." Crypt scowled at the jab as Calcion laughed (more of cackled, if you asked Crypt). "Yes, yes, indeed. It's time to stop for today - Leth is taking the place of Syna in the sky. I presume Faeirvern and Farcian wanted you back a few chimes ago? No matter, better late than never. Now, before you go, do you know what you're going to be carving for the Queen?" "Ah... Yes," Crypt shifted his feet nervously, unsure if his next words would please the cranky old Vantha, "A simple wooden tablet with a border, painted with white and black. I'll be carving a poem I composed for the Lady into it, and perhaps carve a few abstract designs on the border." "Interesting. A simple gift, and one that should be within your current abilities. Very well, you may do so." Turning away, the Vantha was about to depart from his workshop to his own residence before he turned his head and spoke briefly to Crypt. "Oh, and what's the poem?" "I haven't actually composed it yet..." Crypt muttered, slightly embarrassed, "I've been going through a few ideas in my mind, but none of them really fit Queen Morwen."

[Crypt]

57th of Fall, 511 AV "Finished." The single word came out almost as if it were a sigh. Placing down the sweat-stained carving knife, Crypt hefted the wooden tablet in his hands, gauging its weight. It was about the size of both of his palms combined. Carefully turning it in his hands, the Drykas noted a few errors, particularly in the carving of the abstract designs that formed the border of the tablet around the words he had laboured over for hours on end just to ensure that the calligraphy was perfect. Crypt could see quite a few scratches, minor cuts into the wood that marked the places where his knife had slipped or went somewhere he did not intend for it to go. Shaking his head as he spotted a particularly large groove, Crypt picked up the knife again and attempted to soften its rough sides, creating tiny wood shavings. Unsatisfied by his effort, Crypt gave up and instead left it there; hopefully it would not mar the beauty (not that he created a work of art) of his creation. Calcion's eyes snapped open, momentarily unfocused as he glanced around himself, before regaining his bearings and stood up from his comfortable rocking chair by a window. His eyes alighted on the object Crypt held in his hands, and he smiled faintly. Leisurely getting up from the chair, he shuffled over to Crypt, patting him on the back. Lifting the wooden tablet delicately, he ran his finger over the carved surface of the object, muttering to himself as he examined it with a critical eye. Reading the carved poem silently, his smile widened. Crypt spoke in a nervous tone. "I've left the back for you to carve, sir, just as you asked. Is it... good?" "Well, Crypt, you've done alright. The carvings could be better, but you've only been working on your skill for about a dozen days. Not particularly beautiful, but still, it has a charm of its own. But..." Taking another carving knife from his worktable, the Vantha placed it to the rather conspicious groove near the lower right-hand corner of the tablet and, sitting down on the chair Crypt had just vacated, proceeded to cave out several branches such that Crypt's error was transformed into a gnarled tree - what a young, deciduous oak would look like in Winter. "There. It's fine now, though this is a touch too deep to look better. What did you do?" Calcion questioned, his voice suddenly stern. "Er... Well..." scratching the back of his head in embarrassment, Crypt replied in a small voice, "I was feeling drowsy yesterday, and just as I was about to remove a small chunk of wood, my hand moved slightly and I ended up doing that." There was silence for a moment, and it was broken by the Skyglow's staff making a rather worrying sound as it landed on Crypt's head. "You idiot! How many times have I told you not to overdo things? You don't rush perfection, you petching fool! If you want to sleep, then sleep! You'd better not do something like that again when carving, or I'll give you a beating!" Crypt winced as some saliva landed on his shirt - the old Vantha's diatribe, though brief, was rather astounding, considering his old age. "Leave me for now. Come along in a few days' time, and I'll pass you the finished tablet." ___________________ 61st of Fall, 511 AV A Vantha couple visiting the Ice Palace to have their child blessed by Morwen was nothing unusual, and would not be out of the ordinary. However, the reason that Faeirvern and Farcian Frostfawn, along with little Hadrin, were attracting quite a few stares was the presence of a Drykas, who was clearly not a Vantha, and his Strider. Crypt, with his small gift for Morwen wrapped in a square of brown cloth, was starting to feel quite paranoid. Gods, why are they all staring at us? Why are they staring... at me? And Maras? Bah. This is quickly approaching ridiculous levels. Hadrin had a reaction opposite to that of Crypt. He was busy running circles around his parents and Crypt, only stopping to peer curiously at Maras, pulling gently on his tail and patting him occasionally. The adopted child was having too much fun to be bothered by all the attention the bystanders were giving to them. Hopefully this goes well. I don't know if Morwen would like this gift, but, well, I suppose it's the thought that counts.

[Valkyrie]

OOCI assumed you wouldn't mind if the guards took your horse to take care of while you are in the palace. PM me if that is a problem for your character.

The small group approached the gates of Morwen’s palace which was guarded by a group of four Icewatch, two polar bear Kelvics and two humans. One of the polar bears stepped forward to hesitantly sniff at Crypt’s strider before nodding and stepping back into formation.

“We seek the blessing of Morwen for our child and our guest wishes to accompany us.” Farcian said with a polite nod to the guards. The guards nodded and stepped aside for the Vantha family and their foreign guest. Many foreigners came seeking audience with the Queen and guards had no reason thus far to be threatened by Crypt.

“We will take your horse, Drykas. We will keep it safe until you return from the palace.” One of the Vantha guards stepped forward and spoke to Crypt gently, placing her hand on the horse’s bridle. The guard would wait for Crypt’s response and dismount before leading the strider a few feet away to where a small mound of hay was placed for just such occasions.

“This way please.” The second Vantha guard motioned for the small group to follow her as she led them through the gates. There was a path cleared through the snow from the gates to the palace itself, a short straight line quickly traversed by the group. The palace loomed huge above them. The ice it was constructed of gleamed brightly in Syna’s gaze. Seeing the palace lit up by the sun’s beams was rare in a place that saw snow and clouds almost every day and so the sight was practically a gift itself.

The group approached the doors where another Vantha and polar bear guard stood. Nods were exchanged between the door guards and the guard leading Crypt’s group and the doors were drawn open slowly. Passing through them, Crypt would be inside a large foyer made of ice with walls covered in beautiful paintings. The Vantha’s love of art was well known and a popular gift for a Queen who saved all that her subjects gave her. A Vantha woman sat on an ice chair draped with furs in the foyer and stood up quickly as Crypt’s group entered the palace.

“Hello! I’m Jenna Aviak. How may I help you today? Do you seek audience with Queen Morwen?” she asked with a friendly smile.

[Crypt]

Crypt walked over to the small pile of hay, picking up a handful of it and holding it closer to his eyes to examine it closely. "Yes, this definitely isn't dusty or mouldy. Colour's alright, I think," Crypt muttered as he dropped the handful of hay and took a step back to observe the pile, "Smell's wonderful, as it should be, and not too coarse too." Crypt turned to the Vantha guards, nodding in approval. "Your hay's excellent. Go on, Maras. I'll catch up with you later." The Drykas paused for a moment on the short path between the gates and the palace, gaping at the radiance of Morwen's palace. The sunlight shone through the palace, and the icestone walls diffused and refracted light in myriad ways; it would have dazzled his eyes if not for the softness of the light that he could see. Amazing. What I would give to be able to remember that... I'm sure my mother would have loved to see this. You'll never see anything like this in Endrykas. As he walked through the foyer, Crypt marvelled at the high quality of the paintings mounted on the walls around him. Wandering away from his hosts, Crypt took his time appraising one particular painting - that of four spectacular figures dancing amidst the Aurora, paying especial attention to the depiction of the Northern Lights. It was, after all, the subject of his carved poem. "Morning, Jenna! We're Farcian and Faeirvern from the Frostfawn Hold, here to see Queen Morwen and to ask for her blessing for our dear Hadrin here," Farcian nudged the little tyke, who was currently tugging at the furs Jenna was sitting on, attempting to pull them off the chair, "And we have a guest who wishes to meet Her too - the Drykas who goes by the name of Crypt. He's over there by that painting." Faeirvern gestured over to the indifferent Crypt, still engrossed in a study of the painting.

[Valkyrie]

Jenna nodded at Faeirvern with a smile and turned to look inquisitively at the Drykas man inspecting the painting. She bit her lip a moment in thought and then stepped forward to approach Crypt. Foreigners were welcome in Avanthal but Jenna was always wary of letting people who were new to the city into the throne room. Morwen could certainly take care of herself, there was no doubt about that, but no one wanted a scene to ensue that would embarrass the Queen’s reputation or the Drykas man’s hosts.

“Hello, my name is Jenna as I said before. You are staying with Farcian and Faeirvern, is that correct? They are a well-respected couple so that says a lot about you. Where do you hail from, Crypt? And what is your purpose in speaking to Queen Morwen? I don’t mean to interrogate you but I hope you understand that I have the Queen’s best interests in heart and it is my duty to ensure that every newcomer who wishes to speak with the queen is well intended.” Jenna said with another smile and placed her hands on her hips while she waited for Crypt to answer.

Crypt’s Frostfawn hosts waited patiently while he and Jenna conversed. Queen Morwen’s safety was of paramount concern to all Vantha and so the two were understanding in Jenna’s desire to question their guest. Vantha were exceptional hosts and always went out of their way to make guests comfortable but occasionally that must be put aside in the name of safety. Besides, the two knew Crypt was a good man and had little reason to fear Jenna turning him away.

[Crypt]

"Yes, I agree with you that it still needs a touch of cerulean blue. A pleasure to meet you, Jenna." Crypt turned around, making a short bow to the female Vantha after appraising her for a few moments. "Yes, I am staying with Farcian and Faeirvern, and have been doing so for about... half a season? Perhaps a little less. I come from the Sea of Grass - the homeland of the Drykas, with its rolling plains and many dangers. Here are my windmarks as proof." Rolling up his sleeves after removing his cloak, Crypt displayed the section of intricate tattoos on both his arms, words written in Vantha, Common, Nader Canoch and other such written languages on them, along with fragments of unknown (or perhaps simply invented) scripts interlaced with the words. "I'd like to speak with Queen Morwen because... Well, to be honest, I'm quite curious to see who a God or a Goddess would be like. I've heard tales of Morwen since I've entered Avanthal. I've met Laviku in person before, and his rage was frightening even if he shrouded it, Crypt shuddered momentarily before continuing, "But Morwen appears to be a completely different person so far. Also, I'd like to seek her advice on curing a certain... condition I suffer from." "I've been wandering those lands for quite a while. I've been everywhere from Vanti Island to Alvadas, and so far I've not managed to find much. I've only learnt how to control myself, but it fails occasionally. There is one last thing I wish to witness: the giving of Morwen's mark. Farcian and Faeirvern, and any other Vantha I ask, always show me their marks from Morwen, and I've only witnessed Laviku granting a curse to an acquaintance of mine - poor Wrenmae, wonder how he's doing? Anyway, I hear that almost every Vantha will be granted her mark, and I'm here to witness it if she gives to Hadrin."

[Noblesse]

ℬ
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Crypt Insatem

Skill	XP Earned
Observation	3 XP
Auristics	1 XP
Wood Carving	2 XP
Rhetoric	1 XP

	Lore Earned
•	Morwen Sees All Those Willing to Meet Her
•	Sleeping with a Full Stomach Makes You Feel Bloated in the Morning
•	Crafting a Gift Fit for a Goddess
•	Vantha Hospitality
•	Wood Carving: Don’t Go Against the Grain
•	Wood Carving: Requires an Eye for the Beautiful and Unique
•	Perfection Should Not Be Rushed
•	Location: Morwen’s Ice Palace

Additional Notes :

It’s sad that this was never completed. Unfortunately, I cannot moderate it myself either so I hope grading it for you would suffice.

Also, I would like to remind you that “weeks” do not exist in Mizahar. You mentioned it early in your thread. As for your skill in Auristics, you are now competent in it so from now on you should step it up for Crypt to earn more in this magic. And regarding wood carving in Avanthal, it is actually Snowsong Hold’s specialty and not Skyglow’s. The latter’s specialty is making ice carvings and luxury crafts, and it would be rare to find a Skyglow a master in working wood.

Arise ye of noble heart

If you have any concerns regarding your grade, please send me a PM and we can figure it out.