Location The Amaranthine Gate

[Threnody]

Threnody kicked some partially cleaned bones from his last meal away and turned his face to the sky, exhaling happily in the cool night air. He had opted to set out at night. Not only was it more comfortable for him, but if he moved quickly he could arrive in Lhavit before daybreak, allowing him to see the glowing splendour of the city as well as avoiding the crowds of inhabitants, or so he hoped anyway. He had not met many along his travels, but those he had come across did not usually respond well to the Zith. Threnody didn't mind much, but it did make procuring maps and directions that much harder. He had managed though, and finally stood at the base of the mountain that would lead him to the legendary Star of Kalea.

He paused at the door to the sparkling guide's hut, recalling what he had heard of this place. Zith were certainly not welcome. And he realised he had no way of hiding his features. Not at this point in time anyway. With a fairly loud curse that was only heard by the animals whose hearing ranges rivalled his own. He moved swiftly on.

[Eleazar Victor Syroin]

48th of Winter, 514A.V.

The first thing he noticed was that the ground beneath him was solid and cold, something he was grateful for as he leaned his pounding head against it. Where was he? He had been in Sunberth, no, Zeltiva last he remembered. Urgh, why was it so cold? Reluctantly sitting up, Eleazar regretted opening his eyes. The beautiful light of an autumn sunset burned his tired eyes terribly. Squinting and blinking for a few minutes, he realised he was firstly not in Zeltiva and secondly part way up a mountain from a huge river. Trying not to panic and failing, the Sunberthian's mind ran though what it had last known.

His apartment's roof had caved in, luckily when he had been out, finally giving Jillene a reason to kick him out and with that losing one of his last connections to his mother. Now he had nothing but her ring and a grave to remember her by. Biting his lip at the thought, his memories cycled on. An impulsive boat trip and a stupid bet with a Zeltivan over who could chug three bottles of rum quicker. Ha, he couldn't even remember who won. There was something about giant birds too, he might have imagined that bit but how else could he ended up where ever he was.

Stretching, Eleazar checked himself over. He still had his rings and his raggity bag of possessions on him. Another quick check confirmed he also still had his money and that nobody had taken his passing out as an opportunity to rob him. Shivering as a gust of wind blew through the holes in his coat, the thief took his advantage of his position away from the main track to quickly change into his better set of clothes. Now slightly warmer, Eleazar picked himself up and joined a small group of foreigners talking to a man outside a shack.

It wasn't long before the still partially drowsy sunberthian found himself, uncomfortably clinging on for dear life to a giant goat of some sort. Whatever that Zeltivan had served him hadn't been rum or at least it wasn't all rum, the sneaky vagik. Though some part of his brain told him that the giant bird riders might to blame. Either way the fur beneath him was warm if greasy and he didn't have to walk. Risking a glance downwards, the notion of just letting himself fall off the path and fly with the cold air crossed his mind. Eleazar didn't have time to act on this notion as his mouth was too busy hanging open at what he saw when they rounded the next turn.

Sweet mizas. Where the petch was he? The gate, if it could be recognised as that, in front of him was beautiful. It was also huge. Gaping like a fish, Eleazar nearly did fall off the goat when it stopped. Staggering off the creature, he couldn't seem to stop gawking at the structure. It certainly made Sunberth's buildings feel small. Shouting out a quick thank you to the owner of the goats, that judging by his bewilldered expression he like the others in the group didn't understand past the accent, Eleazar set off towards the two meat walls guarding the city. Eyeing one smiling guard then the other, he flinched when the first one spoke.

"Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?"

“Umm...Peace? At least peace o' mind.”

He answered them slowly, remembering to try to match the way they spoke least they misunderstand him. The guard exchanged a look and let him past. About to step off into the city, the Sunberthian remembered something.

“Don't suppose ya- you two would know where a good place to spend 'e night is? Or if 'er- there is any place around that is 'ir- hiring?”

“You'll want to speak to the folks up at the Cosmos Centre. Once you've entered the city turn left. You won't miss it.”

Smiling thanks at the guard, Eleazar cautiously entered Lhavit.

OOCA general sum up on what happened to Elea: he left sunberth via boat and landed in Zeltiva, got very drunk and then got a windeagle flight over to Lhavit during which he may have been offered some drugs by the Inarta. He then, upon arriving, wondered off and passed out. I doubt he has been out for more than a bell. Just incase it wasn't clear to anyone what was going on

Credit for boxcode goes to Firenze

[Ivana]

79th Fall, 515 AV
Ivana was tired. Her skirt was stained with dirt, her feet ached and her head throbbed. She didn't even want to see her own reflection, not until she had a long bath. Something of this pessimism must have appeared on her face, because Myra gave her a sympathetic, but equally weary, smile from her seat on the Okomo Hachia led. "We're nearly there," she said, voice quiet to avoid the sleeping baby secured to Ivana's chest. How Ky had slept through the majority of the walk eluded Ivana, especially given the grumbled curses and occasional near trips she had suffered on the way.

"Still?" Ivana muttered, and Myra smothered a laugh. For their last leg of the journey they had been supposed to take a caravan. They had had one, had travelled almost all the way to Lhavit with it, when the caravan chief had decided to give the horses a break half a bell's walk before their arrival. Ivana didn't know enough about horses to know if that had truly been necessary, but with Lhavit so close she had suggested (insisted might have been a better word) not particularly sensibly that they go the rest of the way themselves, guided by the ever-helpful Hachia. There had only been one Okomo available, and Myra had injured her foot several days ago, so had the privilege of riding it up, with Ivana walking beside her, Kysen (who had despised the jerking motion of riding far too much to be seated with Myra) secured to her with their sling.

By the time they actually arrived at the gates Ivana was breathing heavily and dragging her feet. Myra, despite a faint sheen of sweat on her forehead, stared at the gates almost reverently, and there was what could have been a tear in her eye. At Ivana's questioning glance, she just shook her head, but didn't shrug off the hand that Ivana put on her elbow.

It was almost ironic, that it took Ivana losing her home for Myra to return to hers. The two took a moment to compose themselves, thanked Hachia as Myra carefully dismounted the Okomo, then walked over to approach the guard. Hachia stood a few feet away, waiting patiently. As usual, Myra, being the only one fluent in Common, took the lead and answered the guard's question.

"To live," she replied simply, and after a brief moment the guard gave the three a careful look, face softening as he took in the sleeping baby, and signalled for the gate to be opened. With Myra leaning heavily against her, the two walked into the city.

"Madams," one of the guards said as they entered, his voice deliberately low for Kysen's sake. "Can I give you directions to The Catholicon?" Ivana stared at him blankly.

"It's a hospital," Myra explained quietly, her voice tired."We're fine, thank you. I used to live here and I know the way around." The man looked at her doubtfully and Ivana couldn't blame him. From the exhaustion in Myra's face and the winces of pain every time she shifted her weight there was a decent chance she'd be too tired and hurt to remember where they were going, let alone how to get there.

"A hospital might not be a bad idea," Ivana said quietly, but Myra shook her head.

"Not today. We're going to find somewhere to sleep and eat."

"You'll be wanting the Solar Winds, then. Go to the Cosmos Centre to get that sorted out. Or there are a few other places if you're interested in short-term residence?" Ivana shook her head and listened as the man gave her brief, concise directions to the centre. She thanked him and helped Myra walk off in the direction he had given them.

[Levi Remilian]

8th of Winter, 515 AV The chill of Kalea's winter bit into Levi despite the cloak and scarf he wore, the skies clad with cloud that had already left their load of snow upon the wintery ground. His concern was less with the bitter cold and more with the treacherously winding path around the mountain he was upon, a sheer drop down only several feet away from his right. Even though he himself was not walking but instead was riding on what was called an 'okomo', the young man could not but help feel a slight nervousness as he gripped onto the okomo's fur and saddle, even if the okomo was lead by a man who obviously knew the path well. Levi had never been upon such high terrain before, Riverfall and Alvadas were nothing like this and Black Rock even less so. Perhaps he could have appreciated the sights of the Misty Peaks more were it not for the cold and plainly difficult to traverse path. At least Naya must be having it easier as she had no need to worry about the cold nor danger of falling from the path, Levi thought to himself as he spied the faint form of the ghost some ways ahead. The ghost disappeared from where it was and blinked next to Levi, her form solidifying enough to the extent where one could tell that it was a young girl with starkly bright green eyes.Naya's voice echoed, "Are we there yet? We've been going up for like a hundred bells!" Hachia answered the two travelers, turning his head around towards them, "We'll be there in a chime or two don't you worry now." The little ghost smiled in anticipation as did Levi; he could finally end this dangerous mountain ride! He turned to Naya, "Now remember what we discussed. I will do the talking when we meet the guard gates-" "Because they might get spooked out by me I get it you told me that already so don't worry!" The spiritist chuckled and smiled at the ghost. If she had been still alive Naya would have been fourteen years of age by now Levi thought to himself. The thought remained in his mind without moving during the past two years he had been with Naya after her death. To remain frozen in that one moment, never changing, never growing, what would it be like for a soul? Naya seemed to handle it with relative ease, but perhaps it was because she never truly thought of it as a hindrance. The sun peeked out of distant clouds, shining down upon a man equally distant from the world in thought. Naya had remained in this world for the sake of Levi and their promise, perhaps it was her very reason for remaining that kept her sane, unlike so many other ghosts he had seen and heard of. Yet they became mad because of their single-minded obsession with their reason of remaining so what made Naya any different? The sun hid itself away in the clouds once more the okomo coming closer and closer to the gates. A sudden prick of cold startled Levi out of his reverie, the very subject of his thoughts having poked him on the cheek, frowning. "Levi, you're thinking too grimly again." The spiritist blinked and shook his head, "No I was not." "Yes you were, you had your brows furrowed and all frowny. But anyways look!" The ghost pointed with a grin at the tall gates that stood imposingly before them a little ways. "We're here!" Levi relaxed at last as he saw the Amaranthine Gates before him, elaborately carved and decorated, a taste of what he was to see once he went beyond these gates into the skyglass city of Lhavit. At the side of the gate he saw two guards, more on the balconies above him. After a chime they reached the gates. Levi careful climbed off the okomo, bowing his head in thanks to Hachia, and one of the guards asked politely, "Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?"The young man turned to the guard, the ghost still materialized close behind him, and answered quietly, "We are travelers who have come to stay for a time, find a job and a residence to stay at." Naya nodded in addition, remembering to stay quiet.The guard nodded, though he looked with curiosity at Naya. "Including the ghost?"Levi nodded back, "Including the ghost. I promise you she will not be of any trouble to the city and the residents." The spiritist noticed the other guard visibly narrow his eyes at the two and shiver, he noted this mentally. The guard who had greeted Levi nodded again and stepped aside letting the two through. Levi thanked him and wished him a good day as did Naya with a ghostly smile, and the two entered the gates.

[Taithrosa Eldytia]

5th day of Winter

Taithrosa Eldytia slowlly followed behind the guide. His silver eyes looking at the beauty of the peaks around him. This place was total alien to anything he had previously experienced or lived, but it was strange that he felt a connection as he looked down from then path. There was something about being so high up that just range true for the son of Leth. It brought for the memories of being in the celestial world and see the world from a different angle, not that Taithrosa had spent much time stairing down on the mortal world.

He had been working Mura learning about healing. It had been years now since he had recieved the healers mark and been excepted into the Opal Order. He had felt it was time for him to leave Mura and explore more of the world and to gain more knowledge. Lhavit was a city he had heard mentioned a few times in referance to the Ethaefel, and it was also a place he had a temple to Leth.

Taithrosa resisted the urge to stop as thoughts of Leth came across his mind. His silver eyes blinked as he half smiled. He had mixed emmotions about his father. He had devotedly followed Leth, and since he was the god of change Taithrosa except that things changed, including the eternal pattern of life. He had thougt himself finished with life but that appeared not to be the case.

He smiled thinking avout how in this life he had found Kail again. The love of his soul, who he was convinced he had loved in his previous life and he suppected in other lifes as well. He felt a pang missing her and their child. They wre an important part of his life, but he had to learn more. He would return to them after his quest was completed he reminded himself.

It was then that Taitrosa realized that he was now at the gate house. He turned to look at the guards. They wouldn't see that he was a son of leth except posible by the silver eyes. Now during the hours of syna's reign they would only see a seven foot talk humanoid with navy blue skin. if they knew anything about the race they would think him and Akalak. Which he was during the day and had been in life. He was dressed for the winter and the cold, but around his cloack was the robes of a memver of the opal order. He smiled at them his expression gentle in comparison to his large size. "I am Taithrosa Eldytia. I have come as I have heard others of my kind gather her, and I wish to visit the temple of Leth."

The guards nodded their heads and allowed him into the city. They had deduced by his words that he was an Ethaefel one of their cities patron race.

[Davlamin]

The cold wind blowing from the north was getting stronger with each passing second which made climbing the mountain a whole adventure for the heart and souls of all these travellers who were headed to the top, to Lhavit.Among those enthusiasts was a muscular bald bearded men who had more unusual look then any of them.He had a tunic wrapped around his chest, and judging by he dressing style, he was a monk.Holding the reins of his horse, he was making his way forward to the old men who was gretting anyone who intending to pass him.

All they did was to exchange nod before he and his animal companion move forth and get closer to the guards.Once he got there he bowed reckognizing his fellow Shinya brothers.It seems they did the same. "Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?" was the quiestion he got from them soon as he looked at them with respect.

"I'm here to fillful my duty as Shinya desciple and protect Lhavit and it's citizens.I just migrated from Wind Reach were had personal matters to deal with but here I'm now." It seems the answer they got, satisfied them so he recieved a permission to enter the city.Leading his horse whih himself, he procedeed to finely get into his hometown.

[Halin'a]

13 Spring, 516AV Halin'a watched the caravan slowly diminish in size in the distance until there was nothing left to be seen; the Ethaefal had spent a few weeks with them, moving from Zeltiva to Lhavit; he'd felt the urge to move once again, and had decided that Lhavit was as good a place as any to migrate to. Perhaps in Lhavit, he could find some more meaning to life than he had in Zeltiva as a whore. The caravan had only been able to take him to the bottom of the path, and now, as Leth rose in the sky and Halin'a assumed his Ethaefal seeming once again, the moonlight glinting off of white horns and lending a sheen to his silver hair, the son of Leth would need to begin the (so he'd been told) long, tiring journey around the mountain, following the path until he reached an odd shack. Eyeing the forest and path before him critically, Halin'a sighed to himself before rolling his shoulders, straightening his posture as well as readjusting the pack that held all of his belongings, and began to walk. The walk itself isn't terribly hard; while the path is treacherous, so long as Leth rules the sky, Halin'a, as one of his sons, simply does not get tired the way that a mortal would. Had Synna ruled, Halin'a knew that he would have had to make many more stops than he did. It's shortly after the moon passes its zenith that Halin'a reaches the shack, and he stops to take in the animals dozing in their pen. A glance up the mountain decides Halin'a, and he draws his scimitar before continuing up the path; he hasn't heard of anyone being attacked while traveling to the Amaranthine Gates, but it's better to be safe than sorry. He can feel the descent of the moon and the waning of Leth's power as he reaches the gate; it's the early morning hours, just shy of the first rays of dawn when he reaches the gate and the Shinya standing outside of it. The Ethaefal keeps his scimitar drawn as he approaches, though he lets his grip loosen, signalling that he is ready to defend himself, though he is not looking for trouble. "Hail," one of the knights calls as Halin'a approaches. "What brings you to Lhavit?" "Travel," Halin'a replies. "Travel and a desire to see new areas of Mizahar. I come from Zeltiva, and am in search of a new home; I hope to make it in Lhavit." The guard exchanges a glance with his companions before nodding and stepping aside, allowing Halin'a to pass through the gates. Sheathing his weapon before he passes the guards, the Ethaefal steps forward, head held high just as the first rays of Synna breach the sky, signaling the end of the night, and returning him to his mortal seeming.

[Jasper Whitewriter]

48th of Spring 516 AV

As he looked back to see his savior leaving him behind, Jasper peered out with his right eye. 'So this is the land of knowledge I've heard about...' I thought, standing at the bottom of the small stairs. As the waves splashed against my legs, I sat down on the bottom step, crossed my legs, and began to meditate. Thoughts entered my mind in silence, mainly about the worries of what I'd find in Lhavit. But as meditation goes, I acknowledged the thoughts then let them go to wherever all thoughts go after you forget them. After 10 chimes I slowly moved my legs outward, stood up, and looked to my right, spotting a glittering shack, with a man slowly reproaching it. That's right, He was walking towards me. I smiled and said hello to the man, who then introduced himself as Hachia. He shook my hand and asked me if I'd ever been up here before. I mentioned that I haven't and he offered me a ride on his Okomo. Petting the goat, I smiled and said, "I must be on my way" and left him alone. Walking up the dangerous incline, I slipped and almost fell right in the river. Taking off my leather sandals, I put them in my book bag and continued the rest of the way barefoot. Birds chirped and landed in the trees around me; the sound of the river a nice compliment. I could feel the carved steps beneath my feet as I kept climbing higher. The higher I got, the more determined I was to make it to the top. I took out my water skin and took a sip. I reached in my backpack and pulled out some dried apricots. i ate a few then slipped everything back into my backpack. Finally reaching the top, I began walking across the long bridge that connected the peaks. When I reached the other side I was greeted by two Shinya Guards smiling at me. Overhead there were two more, also smiling. When I reached about ten feet of the gate The guard on the bottom right stopped me and said kindly, "Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?" I looked at him with my one blue eye, smiled and said, "To learn about my left eye, and to learn the cure of Djed depleted madness."
"You may pass." The guard said, still smiling. As the beautiful carved gates opened for me, I began to have my doubts about how safe of a town this is.

[Alair Makeviht]

Spring 04 516 AV To think, of all the places in Mizahar, and she had been drawn here after finding out more about the hostile situation in Kenash against Kelvics. As much as she felt guided to go there, with the intention of making her own way in the world, being enslaved was not on her list of things to do in life. She had found the Guide, and had trudged along behind him on the winding, dangerous path. Her horse was sturdy, but even he was having trouble navigating the craggy surface of the trail that they were barely managing to stumble up and over. It felt like an eternity was spent walking, with her feet aching through her shoes and her body shivering from the chill in the air due to the higher altitude. She dragged her cloak around her chest with one hand, keeping a firm grip on her horse’s reins. Stepping lightly, she was grateful that the Guide was patient and waiting for her, letting her catch up before pressing on. Only the gods could know how much she appreciated such a generous but simple act of kindness and good will. Alair was seeking knowledge, and after careful thought and listening to different people in passing through different areas and towns, she came to the realization that Lhavit was probably her best bet for where she needed to go. She was seeking knowledge, and she was a Kelvic, and both were very demanding, very risky sort of situations to be in. She had no way to fight off those who would harm her, and no way to really assure others of her academic devotion. All she could really prove was her willingness to work. Once she got to Lhavit, she would find a job, and after being settled in that, she would seek out a place to learn more about different things. She had heard of teachers in different cities, of scholars, of people paid for their pursuit and fascination with knowledge. If only she could narrow down just what it was that made her heart race and her mind swirl with thoughts and anticipation when she picked up a book or wrote down words. She enjoyed the idea of exploring places of knowledge and learning more and more, regardless of what it was or its relevance. All she wanted in life was to learn. She didn’t have long to live. A little over a year. She wanted to enjoy her life to its fullest without falling into a vicious cycle of living for someone and not owning her own existence. She wanted companionship, a friend at the very least, but she had grown up with such bad stories surrounding the Kelvic and horrible bondmate situations, she wanted nothing to do with it. Regardless of the urge she felt to be with others, to find someone, she was defiant and driven to simply learn about the world around her, and live her life as calmly as possible. When she got to the beautiful gate, she took a moment to stare at it in wonder, looking it over with wide golden eyes. The tired ache in them eased as she relaxed, feeling at home already. She wasn’t even in the city yet, and she felt at peace. One of the two guards outside the gate called out to her, "Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?" She smiled a little and stepped up to them in order to speak as softly as possible and still be heard. “I seek knowledge and to find a purpose for my existence.” After being carefully considered by the guards, one waved his arm and the gates swung open slowly, majestically. She felt as though she was walking into the heavens. She turned and waved to the Guide in farewell, then, with a nervous but anticipating jitter moving through her, she climbed onto her horse, and ventured into the city.

[Sahar]

Spring, 516 AV Goodness, she had certainly found herself a long way from home! Not that this was a terrible thing, since it had been the exact thing that she had come here for. As Sahar looked up at the gate, she was reminded how very far she had come, and the striking difference this town was- this Lhavit, and oh, she was certainly mispronouncing it but hadn't ever heard it said by a native, but now she was really getting off track. Panic gets you nowhere, Sahar, the young Konti reminded herself gently. She had come to this place, traveled this far to get her and make something of herself. And now, staring at the gate before her, she realized that maybe she was a little scared that she was so far away from home, but equally excited that she had made it this far. The river, so close and yet so far, looked small now that she had ascended to this height. She would have to go swimming in it at some point, but at the moment she was ready to come into her new life. "Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?" Hearing the voice snapped her out of her contemplation, and she quickly found her smile for the guard. "Hello!" She called out a greeting, walking closer. "I wish to start a new life, to learn what I can from this great city, and to work and prosper here." She stated, hoping that was a benign enough phrasing of her intentions. These guards were the Shinya right? How embarrassing to her! A bunch of humans, she thought, so much more talented in things that were, allegedly, second nature to her? Around her, she heard whispers of previous conversations, in almost this exact format. It almost gave her a headache, but she snapped herself out of it. Nothing would compare to when she had still been in Sylira! Goodness that place had been an absolute nightmare with everything practically screaming at her for attention on top of her useless ability! She refocused on how pretty the carvings looked on the gate- rather intricate, and though she hadn't ever been skilled in creating them she did have an eye to enjoy them. Thankfully, her quick derailing thoughts didn't bother the guard, and the gates opened before her, literally startling her out of her thoughts. She jumped, and her guide chuckled beside her. Hachia patted her on the back, chuckling lightly as they made their exit behind her, returning down the path they had walked together. She gathered up her bag, and walked slowly forward, her eyes wide at the display of such beautiful architecture, built high on the mountaintop, amongst the clouds, glittering in the sunlight before her. The path forward now forged, Sahar walked inside, feeling only slightly out of breath at the changed altitude for the time being. She had to take advantage of this opportunity after all! She was here to make herself a name, and Sahar finally had the chance to do it.