The Moon Appears To Shine And Light The Sky (Abashai)

by **Gossamer** on September 11th, 2016, 3:40 pm

Timestamp Early Fall, 516 AV

James loved playing by moonlight, especially out on the tip of Swing Beach where the whales liked to congregate offshore. He even loved singing. He was better at raising his voice currently than playing his guitar. His guitar was missing a string and until he took a trip with the Veronica to Riverfall to resupply, the instrument would stay that way. Thus he had a whole host of notes, chords, and stylings that weren't available to him.

But what he lacked with his guitar he more than made up for with his voice. James sang amazingly well, like a Master, and had very serious vocal control. He'd like to think his singing was what drew Rhaus' attention initially. However more closer to the truth was that his singing improved because of Rhaus' attention.

Followers of Rhaus, the bards, often felt the need flex their gifts as often as they could. In this case, to someone walking the beach where James sat, they would hear a low compelling sound and his singing would seem to highlight it. But to James, he was flexing his infrasound. Infrasound was very low-frequency sound that could travel long distances. In James' case, he was singing to whales. Early on in his sailing career James had heard the low frequency singing of whales. When he gained his first Rhaus mark he was able to hear them a few miles out to sea. On his ship, the Veronica, he would often play to them and gain an escort of a local pod or two.

Here in Syka, however, the resident whales in the Suvan sang nightly and James like to join them. He produced tones not unlike their whalesong and sent music out to them. They sang back and in that singing had convinced James that they were as sentient as he was. And so, sometimes, when the Leth was full in the sky and his acute hearing was picking up a pod or two, James would come down and sing with them.

He loved music. It was a gift to him. And others were often welcome to join him, even if they were strangers and had never met. And thus he was down on Swing Beach, unable to sleep, singing with the whales and playing a few limited chords on his neutered guitar. People were welcome to join him. Indeed they often did, either to join in or listen. James was friendly, approachable, and had the gift of charisma that almost every one of Rhaus' followers possessed.

by **Abashai** on September 13th, 2016, 5:13 pm

Though he now walked on unfamiliar sand across the sea, Abashai could not say he was far from home. One cannot be far from a place that does not exist. Where was his home? One could say Yahebah perhaps, where his young son lived with his kin, but that was Micah's home, not his. Lormar Tower, where they had lived a short time? Nya herself had left behind her childhood home. Syliras? The cave in the Bronze Woods? all places they had stayed, but none were home. His home was a transient place. Wherever Abashai found himself, and Nya was there, that was their home.

The two of them had only just landed in Syka, aboard a small ship with others who hoped to make the small settlement their new home. Nya and he were not settlers. No, they were sojourners, seeking that which longed to remain lost, pilgrims of sorts on a journey they had tread eons before, in far different shoes. But Syka offered other mysteries, ghosts that shared a past with their former selves. There was much for them at the small outpost to discover.

He had yet to seek those in authority in Syka. It seemed the passengers just needed some time to find land legs and shake the pall of shipboard life from their souls. The Benshiran found his way to the moonlit beach, dotted with inviting swings. Nya had been itching to stretch the cat's legs, and at that moment was surely prowling the heavy foliage surrounding the settlement. Abashai found the shoreline beautiful in the pale glow of Leth's light, a welcomed changed from the noise of the crowded vessel and the rolling of the deck beneath him.

In his hand was his oud. The Benshiran had gone long without a beloved instrument, having sold his oud some while back for food and supplies during his search for Nya. Before they set sail, Abashai had sold his composite bow, purchasing a less pricey short bow so he could afford an oud for the voyage.

Transaction :

The ocean breeze tugged at his dark locks, the ceaseless roar of the surf concealing the sound until he drew closer to the figure in the sand. The wind dipped and Abashai heard the music again, strings and a man's voice, clear and beautiful. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as his course shifted towards the singer. He drew closer, daring not to speak, but waiting until the song was finished. It seemed as if some of the sounds were echoed from out in the waves. Causing the new arrival to glance out over the sea. The desert man knew little about the creatures of the sea.

"It seems you have are not alone in your song tonight, friend."

by **Gossamer** on September 16th, 2016, 4:13 pm

James smiled at the newcomer. Abashai had a way of approaching that put men at ease. James, having been engrossed in his song, had not heard the Benshira approach until he spoke. A smile tugged at the corners of the older man’s lips and had his head turned out to sea rather than focusing on the stranger. “Indeed. They are one of the surprises of this place. Whales. Who would have known they sing? I didn’t until I started sailing as a boy. But in all the times I’ve heard them sing, it wasn’t until Rhaus touched my life that I realized they just didn’t sing for themselves. They will sing with anyone. I sometimes think they are far older and far wiser than our kind.” James said, turning. He gestured to one of the random seats near him.

“Welcome. I see you are a musician too. Though honestly I’ve never seen an instrument like that. Tell me about it…” James said, gesturing to the oud. When Abashai had finished, James continued, this time with proper introductions.

“I’m James Chaliva. The Veronica and The Mercantile are mine.” He said, gesturing back towards the Mercantile and then the ship offshore. “I saw you arrive… with a woman. Are you planning on staying long?” He asked, curious, trying to feel the newcomer out before they got too far into their conversation.

James took a moment, while Shai was answering if he decided too, and added a few more logs to the fire. The wood he had piled near it was washed up driftwood. Most of it looked like aged fallen and drifted palm. There was a flask in the sand near the wood pile too. It looked to be half full liquid if the bloat of the skin was any judgement.

by **Abashai** on September 23rd, 2016, 11:45 am

Unflapped by the sudden arrival of a visitor, the man offered a warm smile. Everything about him, the freedom in his grin, the weathered creases in his features that deepened in the firelight, his kind eyes, put the oft overly wary Benshiran at ease. Shai silently accepted the singer's offer to join him, choosing a large section of a driftwood log that had been hewn out and smoothed into a seat. Crystal blue-green eyes looked again out to the dark waves as the man spoke of whales, those nearly mythical creatures, to an Eyktolian anyway.

The conversation continued with an easy flow, perhaps it was their obvious shared love of music, or the serenity of the moonlight beach, or just the older man's welcoming nature that made it easy. Regardless, Abashai relaxed and breathed deeply of the sea air.

Shai glanced to the silhouette of the sailing ship in the distance, then back to James. "I am Abashai, it is my honor to meet you, James. The woman with me is Nya. We will be here at least until we have found what we are looking for." Abashai returned a smile, genuine but also suggesting there would be no further elaboration on their intentions. "And to help however we can here, of course." He quickly glanced down as he held out the oud, offering it to James to examine. He had bought it used, and it had seen some wear. But the structure was still solid, as was the sound.

"It is an oud, its common among the desert families. It's music is a root to my people, and my worship to Yahal." It also brought fond memories of the life he had shared with Nya, before. He knew she enjoyed hearing him play it still.

by **Gossamer** on October 2nd, 2016, 3:19 am

James smiled and took the offered instrument. He studied the oud for a moment, running his hands over it and then testing it out by running his hands across the strings. It was a beautiful sounding instrument, and one that though had a shabby look about it, seemed unique. He nodded his approval at the sound it produced, and then reversed it in his hands and rubbed at what looked like an aged mark on the neck. "It's not such a little thing, Abashai. Look here. Rhaus has left his mark. I know because I can feel it. He's marked me as well." James said, turning the oud and pointing out the thing he was referring too. Indeed, so faint that it was hardly noticed, was a design in the wood neck that hardly drew notice.

"This instrument might be old but it was something special. Its a shame it was not cared for like it deserved. Perhaps you'd loan it to me for a time while you are here. Between myself and Randal we can refinish it, give it a new gleam." He said, lifting his shirt suddenly and revealing the intricate double mark of Rhaus on his shoulder. "It is something of a charge for us Bards, to take care of Rhaus' things. That you have it means you are someone important to him. Tell me, Abashai... what are you here looking for? You and the girl.." He said quietly, intently, his gaze meeting Abashi's quietly. He wanted to know the truth and was indeed asking for it.

He just didn't know if Abashai would tell him.

by **Abashai** on October 3rd, 2016, 12:56 pm

Abashai watched as James handled the oud. He did so with a near reverence, and with hands that seemed well aquainted with musical instruments as his fingers ran across the cat gut strings, the open notes ringing out over the sound of the surf and the crackling fire.

Caring hands caressed the wood, pausing at the back of the neck. Abashai found himself leaning from his seat to see what had caught James' attention, but when the man declared the oud had the touch of Rhaus upon it, the Benshiran rose from his seat to crouch next to James, his eyes drawn to the faint mark his finger indicated. Indeed, in the flickering light of the flames, Abashai could see a distinct image. He stared in wonder as James continued, until the man bared the flesh upon which Rhaus himself and marked him.

Abashai settled back onto the sand, his gaze shifting from the mark on the oud to the reflection of the moonlight on the rolling waves. The gods, they were never far from he and Nya, it seemed, even in that remote place.

His knees rose enough for him to rest his elbows upon, his gaze returning to the ship captain. James had a presence about him, and now it made more sense. Marked of Rhaus, a bard and lover of music. It afforded the man a trustworthy nature. "Yes, please." Abashai answered the request to refurbish the oud. It could be in no better hands, he supposed, than a bard of Rhaus. "I would greatly appreciate it."

The conversation turned then, from the pleasant revelation of his special oud, to the more sensitive subject of Nya and his purpose in the settlement. Abashai measured his answer carefully. He was not one to lie, Yahal frowned upon deception. But the full truth would have been foolish to reveal to a stranger, even one as friendly as James.

"We are treasure hunters, of a sort, following those fables and half-truths whispered around campfires and in the hallways of universities that may or may not turn out to be true. Once such lost aritfact is rumored to lie in the waters nearby. Of course, we also plan to find a place in the settlement and contribute to its success." He added. It was made quite clear from the outset of the journey to Syka, anyone venturing to the settlement must contribute in some valuable way to the survival and progress of the colony.