PM to join [Valkalah Library] Sisterhood of the Travelling Vantha

Valour Skyglow

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Built into the cliffs overlooking the Suvan Sea, Riverfall resides on the edge of grasslands of Cyphrus where the Bluevein River plunges off the plain and cascades down to the inland sea below. Home of the Akalak, Riverfall is a self-supporting city populated by devoted warriors. [Riverfall Codex]

[Valkalah Library] Sisterhood of the Travelling Vantha

Postby Aladari Coolwater on June 30th, 2017, 9:03 pm

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58th of Summer, 517

Aladari had never been in a library. It simply wasn't a priority. Hands-on learning was so much more efficient, and required so much less...boredom. This wouldn't be so much of a shock to those who had spoken to her, and thus discovered her level of education. But it was a surprise to anyone who knew she had been raised near Zeltiva and made it through public school without approaching one of the many literary centers.

Today she was going to change that, though. Aladari was headed to the Valkalah Library with a quick stride and strong sense of purpose. Despite having to backtrack several times in the city's many ups and downs, she made it there with many bells of daylight left, and a significant amount of energy persisting in her soul.

Upon entering the facility, she immediately approached the front desk with a smile. Adjusting her scarf to carefully cover her Gnosis, Aladari nodded to the man behind the front desk. Like the rest of the Akalak, his frighteningly muscled skin was shaded a strange blue, but his expression was kind and welcoming.

"Hey there, that's a new face. Can I help you, or are you just visiting?" He asked, putting a book he had been reading off to the side.

Suddenly, the air deflated from Aladari. She wasn't sure what she was doing there, nor what one normally was looking for in a library. They were certainly overwhelming in their selection. The entire floor spanned in front of her- and not only that but also onto another floor. What could they possibly hold in all this space? What should she ask for? "Uhm...A..." She mumbled, looking around her for inspiration.

The first thing her eyes rested on was a mother holding a small girl's hand. They looked cheery together, the girl skipping as she went to the Children's Well, if her little sing-song was to be trusted.

"Children's Well," Aladari blurted.

"Aren't you a little old for those books?" The Akalak laughed. "No, no, I'm just teasing. Come on, I'll show you."

As they walked, the man tried his best to make polite conversation, but Aladari was mostly enthralled with watching the books go by, and so was not an ideal conversationalist.

"So, name's Zandar, by the way. You?"

"Al."

"Alright, nice to meet you Al. You just arrive here in Riverfall?"

"Yeah."

"That's nice. You know, the volunteer program is a great way to give back to the city, so it's cool that you're already starting."

That gave her pause. "Volunteer program?" She repeated slowly.

Zandar stopped beside her. "Yeah. The volunteer storytellers for the children. Oh, Gods, are you not here for that? I'm sorry, I just assumed."

Upon hearing the word 'storytelling', Aladari hastily backpedaled. She really had been missing out in libraries all this time! "Oh, no, no, I am. I's jus' not rememberin' the words, a'cause of my Common not bein' so good. That is why I's here."

"Oh, good." Zandar smiled in relief. "Well, you want to hang out here and get ready, and I'll go round up some critters for you?" He offered. "I'm sure they'll be delighted!"

Aladari nodded, still somewhat in a daze from the sudden advancement of her situation. "I guess so. But...what story am I tellin'?"

Zandar waved a hand as he walked away backwards to announce the guest to the children. "Whatever one you want!"
"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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[Valkalah Library] Sisterhood of the Travelling Vantha

Postby Valour Skyglow on July 7th, 2017, 8:35 pm

Valour Skyglow


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Considering she had recently gone through a problematic situation in a very packed area, Valour decided it be best to familiarize herself with a quieter place. Her thoughts had turned about themselves, as though flipping through an endless novel. She had taken a glance at the map while cooped up in the comfort of her apartment, though she already knew she wanted to take a look at the Valkalah Library. The motivation wasn’t merely to explore a more tranquil environment, but because she also wished to purchase a book on cooking. She had been waiting to be hired at Laviku’s Secret, and so this was a perfect way to kill two birds with one stone.

Folding the map neatly, Valour tucked it safely into one of the pockets that lined the edge of her cloak. She already had her hair tied into a smoothed out French braid which lay to rest on the right of her neck. Pulling the hoodie over her head, she exited the cozy apartment. She began walking at a brisk pace, her glittering violet eyes following the lengthy path which would take her to the Valkalah Academy- an educational facility which contained the Valkalah Library. She assumed that the library wouldn’t be too enormous, chances were it would be quite small though loaded with information. Valour enjoyed small areas, it meant anything she could lay her eyes on would be of close proximity.

She reached the door and upon contact, pushed it open. It complied with a creak, though swung open smoothly; she was able to enter without much effort. Craning her neck, she got a glimpse of the front desk where an Akalak stood. Clearing her throat, Valour walked steadily over, her gaze penetrating the ground.
“Hello there!” He greeted, happily. “I’m Zandar- say. . . what are you here for?” He inquired, observing her cloaked figure.
“Oh, I’m Valour and I was wondering if you had any cook books?” Valour’s trained gaze lifted up to him; a polite asset to a conversation was to look at the speaker.
“We do indeed, follow me.” He turned around and began walking through the small halls, rounding a corner before stopping at a large shelf. “What kind of cook book?”
“I was thinking maybe something about seafood?” She hesitated, “and uhm, how to use certain cooking utensils?” Valour knew a bit about cooking, though very basic information. She’d soon be working at Laviku’s secret, and frankly, didn’t want to show up completely helpless. Despite the fact that Valour hadn’t been given a solid menu of food, she assumed that it would be sea-based.
“Here, and here.” He picked out two gigantic books with thick, leather covers. He motioned with his head towards the front desk, “I’ll check them out for you.” He stated, as he began walking.
“I was wondering if I could look around a bit more?” Valour questioned, halting.
“Sure, sure.” Came the instant response, though his walk didn’t slow.

Valour felt rather guilty leaving him to check the books out without her assistance, however his tall and muscular build had convinced her she would only be a lag. Turning around, she raised a brow upon noticing a flight of stairs that descended into what she assumed would be a basement. Zandar had not labeled any places as restricted, so she guessed there were probably more books downstairs. Shrugging her shoulders, Valour made for the stairs and sure enough, they lead to a basement. However, this basement was elegant, containing rows of books, as well as something in the center which, by the looks of it, appeared to be for children to pass time by listening to story-tellers.

Curiosity sparking, Valour walked towards the rather small octagonal room poised in the center of the basement. She peered in, her eyes landing on who she assumed would be telling the story. The woman bore clear dark skin with a warm feel to it, her eyes seemed perplexed though calm, and wavy hair rested on either side of her head. Valour blinked as a glimpse of golden-green glistened from the brown strands- It was a glimmer that her hair also sported. The only difference was that she had blue streaks. Unintentionally taking a step closer, her purple eyes widened as the thought of a potential Vantha came to mind. She wanted to believe that this was indeed, another Vantha, however the idea seemed far-fetched.

Valour didn’t notice the children that had started flooding the room considering her attention was solely trained with the story-teller. “Hello.” She greeted, quietly. She was only a few feet away, and so it was likely to be heard.
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[Valkalah Library] Sisterhood of the Travelling Vantha

Postby Aladari Coolwater on July 12th, 2017, 6:49 pm

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58th of Summer, 517

As the young ones settled in, Aladari scanned the crowd with trepidation. There were Akalak, Konti, what appeared to be assorted Humans, and even a tiny Pycon. However, they all shared a youthful, wide-eyed curiousity and a common inability to sit still.
They wiggled into place next to each other, giggling and hushing one another more loudly than any of them spoke.

Aladari took a deep breath to calm herself in the face of the crowd. Children were the most terrible audience- or perhaps the best if one enjoyed unabashed criticism. Of course, at the same time, if they bought the story they would fall into it headfirst. It was all or nothing, so she had to do it right.

Just as she had conjured up a folktale from her childhood to tell (titled White Bear's Fur), she heard the tiny voice address her from just a few feet away. She would hardly have cared, had there not been such a careful tremor to the voice. Looking up, Aladari was met with the sight she least expected. The woman had shimmering purple eyes.

A Symenestra. They have purple eyes. She told herself, but she knew better. The eyes held so much emotion, and so many unspoken words within them that they could only belong to a Vantha. The glint of blue on the hair in the corner of her eye confirmed her suspicions.

She took one step back. Then another, until she froze where she stood. Her own eyes danced, displaying emotions in turn and on top of one another; from pink, to red, to green and back again they went. Finally, without ever speaking the hello, she tilted her head to the Vantha.

"Aladari. Aladari Coolwater." She whispered in her old mother tongue.
"Would you care to join me for a story?"

Turning back to the children with eyes gleaning indigo, she held out her hands in a grand, attention-seeking fashion. Once they quieted, she began to translate the story slowly in her head.

"Our story is in Avanthal." She began,
"Many years ago, before you or me was born. When there's no one there but Morwen an' the animals. But this time, the animals wasn't so different from each other. They all looked like dogs the same, with only a little different about them.

One at a time, they goes to Morwen's castle an' asked 'er for a gift. The fish says 'Morwen, please, the land 'ere is too crowded. Give us a gift so we can be free', an' she gave them the gift of water breath so they can be alone."


Aladari paused, glancing over her crowd. Their little faces were mostly attentive, though whether this was because they enjoyed the story or because they had been warned of Morwen she couldn't tell.
As long as they were quiet, though, she would march on.

Aladari then handed off the spotlight to her partner with just a glance and gentle shift of eye color to a more humble pink. She had not realized how much she had missed the Vantha, with their sensitivity to emotion, soft eyes, and wild tales. But with just one sister and a story, it all came rushing back.

StoryI'm thinking the story she's telling is a classic folktale style. It talks about how different animals got all their traits, and then talks about how the Polar Bears asked for nothing but Morwen's love (or something like that), and she blessed them with white fur and the kinship of her Vani children. I just made the whole thing up, though, so feel free to run with it how you please.
Last edited by Aladari Coolwater on July 19th, 2017, 8:32 pm, 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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[Valkalah Library] Sisterhood of the Travelling Vantha

Postby Valour Skyglow on July 18th, 2017, 5:55 am

Valour Skyglow
58th Summer, 517


Image


The emotions reflected off of the others face were ones that Valour had not expected. The shift in their eye color caused her to take an unintentional step forwards, her own eyes diverting into a different array of colors; light blue, to purple, and settling on a sparkling golden. The shimmering color that danced off of her iris’s was one of complete glee and comfort. She felt a familiar warmth well up within the pit of her stomach, her clenched hands releasing their strained hold. It wasn’t until she heard the familiar dialect of Vani that her jaw dropped- she wasn’t quite sure why, though she hadn’t ever expected she’d hear her native tongue ever again.

”I’m. . . I’m Valour(Val-ler).” She had almost forgotten to add her last name, though did it instantly, ”Valour Skyglow.” Her feet shifted position as she turned to face the audience, angling her head to the side upon being asked the question. She responded with a simple smile of confirmation and a blue sparkle of color that shriveled up and was replaced by a violet tinge.

She listened to Aladari’s words carefully, her mind playing the tapes of memory as she recalled the familiar story. Her eyes turned to settle themselves upon her sister Vantha, the golden shimmer returning to them as a nostalgic emotion crept into the depths of her mind. As much as it was nostalgic, it appeared comforting and familiar. Story-telling was something the Vantha usually practiced, thus resulting in her hearing a lengthy, entertaining story at least once a week back in Avanthal. She brushed off the memory, her ears focusing on picking up the audible words, though when the invisible spotlight settled on her, she hesitated. She hadn’t quite thought up her part, though decided to wing it.

”Yes, of course. The fish were able to swim around in the deep, dark waters thanks to Morwen’s kindness.” She halted, pulling off her hoodie and straightening her shoulders. Her neatly made braid was pulled to the left of her neck, her hand running over it for a moment as she attempted to regain her usual, story-telling composure.
”Ah! But what of the land animals?” She inquired, a knowing grin creeping up onto her lips. ”The delicate and tranquil rabbits- however, they were not always so delicate and tranquil.” She waved her hands upwards to silence any possible chatter, before gracefully pulling a single finger to her lips. A long but quiet ‘shh’ caressed her lips as she added effect to the story. ”The rabbits. . . they needed silence from the big and angry predators who feasted on them every day. And who granted them this ability to stay perfectly quiet?” She walked around in a small circle around the children, her pace steady and controlled. ”Morwen.” Her voice came in as barely a breath, eyes glittering golden.

Valour was scanning over their faces, her voice sounding again. ”But wait!” She halted in her steady walk, ”We’re missing something. . .” She suddenly whipped the hood of the cloak over her head, grasped onto the edge of the flowy material and pulled it around her body. She rotated instantly, her back facing the attentive children. ”Camouflage.” Her head peeped from the cover of darkness, eyes appearing to glow against the black material. A grin planted itself onto her lips before she turned back to face her audience. ”Morwen granted camouflage to the little rabbits, thus it equalized their ability to be found and their ability to hide. It helped the overall balance of the food chain.”

The children seemed fairly interested which left her satisfied with the outcome. Turning to her partner, she gave her the floor, stepping beside her and waiting patiently.
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[Valkalah Library] Sisterhood of the Travelling Vantha

Postby Aladari Coolwater on August 1st, 2017, 12:48 am

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58th Summer, 517

The way Valour narrated was animated. It may have been comical in its over-exaggerated actions and dramatic tone, had it not been so deeply satisfying for Aladari to watch. When it was her turn to take the stage once more, Aladari found herself more comfortable than she had been in some time, and even felt ready to try and stretch her boundaries. She didn't normally like to mime or gesture with her stories, but Valour had inspired something.

"It wasn't jus' the lil' animals who wants their gifts, though." Aladari shook her head, wagging a finger like she had seen her mother do when she was younger. "It was big animals too. The predators couldn' be left behind. The great snow cats asked Morwen for heavy fur, to keep out the coldest winds, so that they could hunt even in a storm. An' the walrus got long, sharp tusks to defend themself. Every animal in Morwen's kingdom got somethin'. Except for the polar bears."

Aladari paused, taking a deep breath in order to gather her thoughts before beginning the next leg of the story. This was the hard part; you couldn't mess up the improvisation section, but here, the story had to be precise.

"The polar bears was last to Morwen's castle, a'cause they were still decidin' what they wanted once all the other animals had gotten their gifts. They already got strong muscles, and good fur, and good huntin' power. What else did they need? So when Morwen asked them what gift they'd wanted, the biggest papa polar bear stepped forward."

Aladari lowered her voice sharply to imitate the bear, dropping her head to look up at the audience from beneath her brow. "He said, 'Morwen, you 'ave given us all we need, an' there ain't nothin' more we can ask. All we need 'ere is to say thank you.' Morwen was touched by the bear's humbleness."

This time, her voice jumped high to imitate Morwen. She could only hope that it wasn't mocking to the Goddess. Surely, She would understand it in the name of a good story.

"I accept your thanks,' She told the bears, 'You are the most grateful of all my animals, an' to think that you could not ask more warms My heart. But I must give you somethin' to keep My world in balance. So come 'ere, an' I will give you the greatest gift of them all- the only thing no one asked for."

Aladari hardly noticed the audience anymore. She was barely even in the Children's Well. At least, not mentally. All she could see were faint memories of her snowy birthplace, and the shimmering Goddess who ruled it. She could feel the pleasant chill in the air, and the crispness of the snow crunching under her feet. Even if the children couldn't quite grasp the wonder of Avanthal from the story, Aladari could feel it in her soul.
"The sea always filled her with longing, though for what she was never sure."
- Cornelia Funke
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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)
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