Solo On the Rocks

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A lawless town of anarchists, built on the ruins of an ancient mining city. [Lore]

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On the Rocks

Postby Aladari Coolwater on August 23rd, 2016, 2:05 am

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20th of Summer, 516 AV

Working was the focal point of Aladari’s life. She spent hours of her day scooping fish from the water with her net, gathering the treasures the sea had to offer from under their rocks, or just waiting for a bite. Then, she carried them home, lugged in buckets, nets, or a rented wagon of which she was her own mule. Not even then was she done. She moved on to gut, clean, and debone the fish until they were suitable for cooking. Sometimes she would even salt them for preservation- but only if she had the time and money. By that point in the day, Syna was usually ready to disappear, and her day was gone, rolling already into the next.

Some days, though, she had time off. She had time to enjoy what little the city had to offer in the taverns or brothels with beautifully dressed dancers, cheap ale, and the soothing sound of dice rolling on a table as she played with the Mizas she had earned.

Today, though, was a rare day; it was a day that the two overlapped.

Today she was neither confined to the grueling work schedule of the day, nor was she captured by the nightlife. Instead, she found herself reclined by the seaside docks, her pole held in one hand, and a drink in the other.

The drink was not her usual fare. It was sweet- almost fruity- and tasted as though it had aged for a great while. It was not exciting as ale, but rather, soothing. It lulled her to a position near meditation, echoed by the soft pull of the waves on her line. She had last checked that her bait was still there over 40 chimes ago. But to disturb the waters now seemed almost a crime, so steady they were.

Instead, she held the pole loosely, letting it bob up and down in her grip. Her thumb rested gently on the line in order to distinguish a nibble from the regular movement, her eyes scanned the water for dark patches in the light sun, and her body lay still. It was all made from good habits, but her mind was not focused on the task, so none of it really mattered.

She took another sip of the wine, savoring the taste that lingered in the back of her throat. If I catch a big one today, she thought, I'll sell it, and spend it all on some good wine. The mere idea of having wine bottled up in her own home made her grin and chuckle to herself. Wine, at home? What was she, a noble?

Despite the absurdity of the thought, she could feel herself sit up a little straighter, and grip the pole a little tighter. Maybe a reward, some motivation, was exactly what she needed. She set the nearly empty cup down beside her on the dock, watching it with one eye to make certain it would not fall. If she got down to work, she promised herself, there would be more where that came from.

Word Count513
Last edited by Aladari Coolwater on April 6th, 2017, 12:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
"The sea always filled her with longing, though for what she was never sure."
- Cornelia Funke
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Aladari Coolwater
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Posts: 477
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On the Rocks

Postby Aladari Coolwater on November 15th, 2016, 4:00 pm

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As a child, Aladari had loved riding on the boat with her parents. They had all sat together, telling Vantha stories and sharing laughter as they held their poles. Occasionally, her mother would sing in that horrible, croaking sound she always did. Her father would then cry about the fish being scared away, sharing a knowing smile and a wink with his only daughter. When one of them finally hooked a fish, they would all gather about, cheering and helping reel it in so they could admire the catch. Fishing back then was a bonding activity that strengthened their relationships and kept their culture alive in a foreign land. It kept them strong, physically and emotionally.

In Sunberth, she needed that strength more than ever. It was inhospitable, cruel, and above all, lonely. But fishing kept her alive.

Her parents voices rang in her head each time she pulled out her pole, and today was no different. ”Keep your thumb on that line, Al. You gotta know when they’re biting, or you’ll just be feeding the fish.” Aladari placed her thumb ever so gently over the taut line, feeling in it the reverberations of the waves, but nothing else. She knew she would be able to feel the fish’s bite, and didn’t need any kind of visual cue, so she closed her eyes in relaxation.

The rhythm of the waves under her thumb was like home. Soothed by it like a baby's blanket, Aladari sighed and leaned back. She reached over and grabbed her cup, taking a sip from it every-so slowly. The alcohol delivered a soft buzz that dulled and fogged her brain, leaving her senses less than perfect. It could have been that very reason, or any number of others that she missed the vibrations under her thumb.

Whatever the reason, she only noticed the faint zing of the line after it was too late. It tensed under her finger, and by the time she had reacted, it was loose again. Reeling the line in only revealed what she had already known- her bait had been stolen.

Aladari cursed and tossed her pole off to the side, searching behind her for her bucket of supplies. Inside were a few more pieces of fish meat, meant to serve as bait for the fish. It wasn't their favorite treat, but it attracted bigger and meatier fish than bread or vegetables. She ripped a piece off bitterly, then stuck one half on the hook. Then, she folded the meat over, doubling it up on the hook so it wouldn't be taken away in the waves. Finally, she picked her line back up and tossed it into the water again. This time, she sat up away from the wine. Although her mind was still fogged, she would not make it worse.

"You're feeding the fish, Al." She heard her father say.

"Not on purpose." She grumbled to herself, but she knew it was true. She needed to focus if she was ever going to get herself a catch.

Word Count503
"The sea always filled her with longing, though for what she was never sure."
- Cornelia Funke
User avatar
Aladari Coolwater
Rock the boat.
 
Posts: 477
Words: 267621
Joined roleplay: March 8th, 2016, 3:26 am
Location: Syliras
Race: Human, Vantha
Character sheet
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Medals: 3
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
Sunberth Seasonal Challenge (1)

On the Rocks

Postby Aladari Coolwater on March 6th, 2017, 5:28 pm

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Although it couldn't have made that big of a difference in her ability, sitting up and focusing did have a large impact on Aladari's mentality. She found herself, more or less what she had heard artists call "in the zone". This time when she felt herself zoning out, it was a good thing. She still forgot where she was and lost vision of her surroundings. She still lost her sense of time. But this time, it was in her favor.

This loss of reality helped her tuned out the distracting sounds in her environment. The clicking and clacking of feet on the ground, the chatter of the sailors, and the creaking of old ships were all drowned out by the sound of the waves and the small but steady blip, blip of the bubbles under the water.

Aladari imagined that this blend of sounds and sensations was exactly what Laviku sounded like when he spoke, with each layer of sound enveloped by the next. The thought of someone so beautiful speaking in such cacophony made her smile. Laviku bless. She thought to herself. Such a day, and such an activity like this is in your glory.

By Laviku's grace or mere coincidence, it was simultaneous with these thoughts that Aladari's luck began to turn around. The moment the line jumped under her finger, Aladari jumped too, with surprise. Despite the tick of confusion, she recovered quickly, settling back into her zone.

Her father spoke in her head, hushed, but urgent and excited at the same time. Her own eyes must have portrayed the same emotion, she knew. That's it, Al. That's your bite. Now this is important so be careful. You mess this up, you lose them. Wait until you feel the fish on your line. You want to feel the entire weight. Feel it? Alright then. Set the fish; pull up and back and hook 'em through the mouth.

Aladari jumped to her feet, which conveniently yanked the line up and back. It was this angle that would drive the hook through the fish's mouth, or, as was more often the case with her crooked and overeager set, their eye.

Her hands trembled as she watched the line at the end of her pole go taught. This meant the fish had been hooked, and that it was fighting back. This was a good sign that not only meant a healthy fish, but a large and strong one. Her arm muscles bulged as she attempted to keep the pole still under its incessant tugs.

Alright, Al! Good work, girl. Now you take it from here. I know you know how to do it.

This had always been her favorite part. She needed no coaching- internal or otherwise- to reel the fish in. It was this fight, this tug-of-war, that sped her breathing and got her heart pumping. Aladari grinned like a child presented with a gift. This was the thrill she lived for.

Word Count493
"The sea always filled her with longing, though for what she was never sure."
- Cornelia Funke
User avatar
Aladari Coolwater
Rock the boat.
 
Posts: 477
Words: 267621
Joined roleplay: March 8th, 2016, 3:26 am
Location: Syliras
Race: Human, Vantha
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 3
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
Sunberth Seasonal Challenge (1)

On the Rocks

Postby Aladari Coolwater on March 6th, 2017, 9:57 pm

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There was no way to tell through the murky, polluted waters near the shore what size or species the fish was, exactly. All Aladari could tell was that its pull was strong and fast.

She fought it with a smile, pulling this way and that, tugging it from the limits of her line within an inch of the dock where she stood. Her pole whined and moaned as it bent under the pressure, but the wood was green and wet, so it resisted snapping for the moment.

Aladari wanted to yank the pole back again, but knew that she shouldn't. She had made the mistake of ripping through the fish's mouth before, and didn't want to lose what felt like such a massive catch. So, patiently, she waited for it to wear itself out.

At least, she was patient at first. After the first chime of fighting the fish, her adrenaline began to wane. She had been excited, but one could only stay excited for so long. She was beginning to get over the fun of it, now, and really just wanted the fish to pull in and be done. Sadly, the fish didn't care how she felt, and continued to fight for its life.

By the time Syna had peaked in the sky, the fish was exhausted. Finally, Aladari began to tug the line in. There was less resistance than earlier, and so her muscles did not have to work nearly as hard to achieve the same distance. Although her pole still creaked and bent, it handled the weight of the fish well, and easily brought it to shore. When the fish came into view, Aladari put the pole down on the dock and went forward to retrieve her catch.

The fish was large indeed. It had long, still-twitching whiskers and wide glassy eyes nearly the size of Aladari's thumb nail. It gaped at her, a hook hanging from the upper half of its lip. She cheered out loud at the sight of it as she picked it up in her hands.

"Who's feedin' who now, Pa! That''s- ow!" She yelped. Aladari dropped the fish on the dock where it flopped hopelessly for a tick before she retrieved it and threw it quickly in her bucket. Once the fish was safely contained, she stopped to look at her hands.

Petch. What was that?

Her palms seemed fine, but on each of her fingers there was a swollen red area. The pain lingered, stinging her skin and creating an itching sensation. Uncertain of how to ease the pain, Aladari hopefully stuck her hands into the cool ocean water. It would at least numb her skin. Although it stung at first, the water did eventually soothe her hands. Brushing them on her pants, Aladari returned to glare at her catch.

Petcher better be worth it.

Word Count473
"The sea always filled her with longing, though for what she was never sure."
- Cornelia Funke
User avatar
Aladari Coolwater
Rock the boat.
 
Posts: 477
Words: 267621
Joined roleplay: March 8th, 2016, 3:26 am
Location: Syliras
Race: Human, Vantha
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 3
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
Sunberth Seasonal Challenge (1)

On the Rocks

Postby Aladari Coolwater on March 29th, 2017, 8:25 pm

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On her way back to her home, bucket in hand, Aladari examined her catch. It was indeed large, and she had promised herself some wine for a large catch, but she was uncertain of its value if it were to be stinging her.

Turning down a seperate dusty road, she made a decision. She wouldn't cut it up- not yet anyway. She needed to know what it was first. So Aladari drug her bucket with her on her way back around to the Seaside Market.

Aladari made her way into one of the piers which she knew would house fishermen. Indeed, the place was spotted with at least one or two leisurely fishers, as well as the owner of the pier- Harry.

She hadn't heard much about "The Leg", other than that he was a good-time storytelling drunk and a fisher, but that was all she needed to know. Plopping her things next to the man, she waited patiently for an acknowledgement. And she waited.

None came.

After a chime, the man finally looked up at Aladari, grunting at the setting sun in his face. "Ya need somethin' or ya just like blockin' me view?" He asked with a glint in his eye.

"I was wantin' a name for this fish." She told him, pushing the bucket forward expectantly. "I kin pay for info, is no problem."

Harry peered into the bucket with one eye closed, as if examining carefully. Without putting down his pole, he turned back to face the water and grunted "Joe."

"Joe?" Aladari asked in confusion.

"Ye. Joe. It's a good name for a fish, dontcha think?"

Aladari sighed, slowly realizing the joke on her language.

"Is not the name I was lookin' for. The name of the kind of fish."


"Ahh! The species! Well then, let me take another look."

Aladari stepped back so that Harry could have room to look at the fish, but he was done before she had finished a step. It only took him a tick. "Ya got a catfish, lassy."

"Catfish?" She echoed, imagining in her head a fish with fur.

The Leg laughed. "Not a real cat. It's just what they call 'em on account of their whiskers. Careful though- they got a mighty sting on some of them. Nephew learned that the hard way, poor scamp."

Aladari's eyes flushed pink with embarrassment and she hid her hand behind her back. A child's mistake!

"Will people buy 'im?" She asked hopefully. She might soothe her pride if she could at least profit from it.

"Ah, sure! Catfish are good eating when ya got them fat like this."

"Got it. Thank ya, Sir." Already, she was dreaming of the bitter tang of her favorite red wines. She could almost taste it.

"No problem kid. But, uh, hey, about then coins...."

Aladari produced a handful of coppers from her belt pouch and dropped them into hus hand. It was quite a bit for so little information, but then again, bad things happened to those who stiffed The Leg, so she would do well to stay on his good side.

Word Count523
Total Word Count2505
"The sea always filled her with longing, though for what she was never sure."
- Cornelia Funke
User avatar
Aladari Coolwater
Rock the boat.
 
Posts: 477
Words: 267621
Joined roleplay: March 8th, 2016, 3:26 am
Location: Syliras
Race: Human, Vantha
Character sheet
Storyteller secrets
Scrapbook
Plotnotes
Medals: 3
Overlored (1) Donor (1)
Sunberth Seasonal Challenge (1)

On the Rocks

Postby Karyk on June 17th, 2017, 8:47 am

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Aladari Coolwater
Skills
Fishing: 3
Bodybuilding: 1
Wilderness Survival: 1
Investigation: 1
Observation: 1
Lores
Wine at home is for fancy people
Careless fishermen only feed the fish
Belief: Laviku must sound just like the ocean
Fishing: The thrill of the reel-in
Wilderness Survival: Ocean water can soothe some stings
Fish: Catfish, whispered and stings
Catfish are good eatin' when fat
Miscellaneous


 
Notes and Comments
CS Checkmarked: ✓
CS Reviewed by Me: ✓
Season Request was Submitted for Grade: Spring 517
Season of last IC post: Summer 517
Season of last Paid Seasonal Expense: Spring 517
Eligible for grade? Yes


There's a special place in my heart for fishing threads, and you do them well. I look forward to more. Please mark your post in queue as graded.
Follow your heart, and the plot will follow.
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Karyk
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Posts: 326
Words: 273057
Joined roleplay: April 4th, 2017, 4:34 pm
Location: Zeltiva
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