Closed Blinded By The Sun

[Kamilla]

Kamilla Circe Gordon

”I dive into the future,
but I’m blinded by the sun.
I’m reborn in every moment,
so who knows what I’ll become.”

8th of Spring, 519AV

It was hot, far hotter than it should be in early spring, that’s what was going through Kamilla’s head as she made her way towards the few buildings that made up the settlement of Syka. She’d been investigating the land mass for the past ten chimes from the casinor and honestly, it was far more bare bones than what she’d been expecting. The settlement’s small size was something that worried her slightly, but more than that she was filled with hope, perhaps this beachside paradise would be the place she was searching for.

For the time being though, the only thing the mage was searching for was one of the ‘Founders’ of the settlement. It had barely been a chime after herself and Finn had touched ground when one of Syka’s residents had told them to find and talk to one of the founders if they intended on staying. The person had directed her towards a nearby area, being the place she was most likely to find one of the so-called founders, Randal Zor.

Finn had agreed that she could go while he did whatever it was people did with boats after a long trip, thankfully he’d agreed to keep both Roo and Yennefer locked in the cabin. She felt bad for leaving her companions behind, but thought it best to explore the area for herself first, it was unfamiliar territory after all.

Besides her thigh high leather boots, it seemed her choice in outfit had been a good one considering the heat, a simple thin black dress, the lace trail dancing behind her as the blinding sun bore down on her exposed skin. Her folded iron fan hung from her left hip, held there by a thin strap like belt tied around her waist, the belt hole a wise addition to the weapons design.

As she neared the area the resident had pointed to, taking in the scenery as she did, Kamilla noticed that she’d been directed towards what looked like a very lavish pool area with a single man relaxing in one of them. Figuring she had nothing to lose, she approached the man who was facing away from her, a few muscles and dark hair the only features she could see.

Hands went to he hips as she halted her approach, deciding she was close enough. ”Hello? Are you Randal? If not, do you know where I can find him?” Her voice was polite and lacking any trace of uncertainty or nerves.

[Gossamer]

Randal was indeed out and about. For once he wasn’t building either. Instead he was at the communal kitchens dropping off fruit and hoping for a plate of bbq that was on the grill under a better cook than himself’s care. In fact, the whole grouping that could be very roughly considered Syka’s town square was filled with the smoke of the grill as a pig was being roasted over what looked like a spit. Someone had mixed up tangy bbq sauce and had been basting the pig with it for the whole roasting process, turning the meat to a delicious deep red stain and filling the air with mouth watering tang.

Nesra Arlean, the local potter was in charge of the grill tonight, it seemed, and everyone was in for a treat because she had a pig big enough for the whole settlement. And by big, it looked like it was roughly the size of a small baby ashta. She had Duncan Maelstrom at the spit handle, cranking away at the beast and he looked just as hungry as Randal felt. Neither of them were getting too many treats out of Nesra though. She was firm that everyone would eat together if they wanted too eat and only when the pig was truly done.

Randal was making his best doe eyes, happily slicing up fruit for a salad for her… welcoming something to keep his hands busy in order to keep him from stealing delicious little burnt bits of the pig from its skin. Everyone else that didn’t want to brave Nesra’s wrath was away, busying themselves at other tasks.

That included the man at the pool. Stu smiled at the lass he didn’t recognize – a rarity around Syka – and gestured vaguely towards The Common. “He’s over by where the pig is cooking…. Odds are trying to charm Nesra out of a bit of it before dinner. She’ll be having none of it, of course, but he’ll be trying all the same. Last I saw him he had on cream isuas pants, and nothing more. Has a green stone pendant at his throat. Pretty boy… dark hair… flirts. You’ll see him right away.” Stu said, not bothering to introduce himself nor ask her name. By the time she got done talking to Randal, half the settlement would know what it was, and her entire life story if she told any of them.

With that, he went back to lounging, leaving the girl to make her way over to the Commons and follow the smell of bbq pig to where the Communal Kitchens was. Sure enough, if she headed that direction, she’d find Randal there as described, flirting with Nesra, and trying to get a bit of pork from her early.

They’d both offer her a smile and introduce themselves. Nesra turned out to be a short dark-haired woman who was the local potter. She was only drafted to cook part time because she didn’t routinely burn things. Randal was as Stu described, easy going and indeed easy to approach and talk too.

[Kamilla]

Kamilla Circe Gordon

The man in the pool turned out not to be the one she’d been in search of, though he seemed to know precisely where she should look next. Initially, Kamilla found herself half listening to the stranger, wondering if he’d realised that she knew none of the people he was talking about, but the man’s monologue did yield the information she’d needed. The young woman thanked him and was once again on her way, following his instructions and the delicious smell of roast pig.

As she drew nearer, examining the surrounding buildings, or rather, lack thereof, Kamilla couldn’t help but wonder what she was getting into. She had not been expecting Syka to be this small and she wondered how sustainable a life in the settlement would be. They seemed to be stuck between the ocean and a very dense looking jungle, one that surely contained at least a few dangers. Though, after her encounter with a terrifying glassbeak on Sahova, she couldn’t imagine running into anything that could compare in Syka.

Wildlife aside, the heat and humidity were the next factors that came to mind. They were barely into spring but the sun seemed to be in full swing above Syka, a foolish glance upward temporarily blinding the mage and causing her to stumble for a few steps. She was going to die if she had to live in the heat for an entire season, especially since taking her high boots off wasn’t an option because they kept the hideous burn scar on her leg hidden. Perhaps stockings would be less of a hassle? As she walked, the mage undid the thin strap around her waist, retrieving the iron fan in case she needed to cool herself down.

Once she’d arrived, Kamilla was surprised by exactly how accurate the stranger’s information had proven to be. Without even asking she could tell the handsome man was Randal and the woman, Nesra. Green pendent, cream pants, it was all there.

Hello, I’m Kamilla, I just arrived here chimes ago... which I’m sure you figured by now.” She began, repaying their smiles with her own as one of her hands went to play with her long dark hair. ”I was told I should find you if I plan on staying for any amount of time?” Honestly, she wasn’t quite sure why she was doing it, was he in charge of keeping a track of arrivals or residents? Either way, it couldn’t hurt to get to know some of the locals, it was a small settlement after all.

While not in the front of her mind, Kamilla was beginning to notice the growing cravings caused by the delicious smelling roast. ”That smells amazing by the way.” The words were directed at the woman who’d introduced herself as Nesra, before her attention returned to Randal. He was indeed quite handsome. The stranger’s information had really been spot on.

[Kamilla]

Kamilla Circe Gordon

The man, Randal, seemed to offer her a knowing smile as he casually leaned against the nearest counter, the muscles of his chest flexing automatically beneath is open button up shirt. Had Kamilla been her old self she would certainly have given the exposed skin a more thorough examination, but now she was far more concerned with business than men. To think she'd have been so ditsy once upon a time, so oblivious to how dark and cruel the world could be, despite growing up in the city that had best represented it so far. Sunberth. But that was a long time ago.

Returning to the present, Kamilla watched as one of Randal's hands rose to cup his chin, seemingly giving her a once over of his own, though it felt far more like she was being analysed rather than being admired. She did not care which,  so long as I would be over sooner rather than later.

"Why thank you dear, you're welcome to join us in a few bells, feast should be ready around dusk."

Kamilla offered the woman, Nesta, a polite smile as she heard the offer, though she doubted she would actually show up. She may have been new to Syka but that didn't make her suddenly prefer the company of others to her own. She'd much rather spend an evening with Yen and Roo, perhaps eating on the beach.

"Yes, please feel free to join us Kamilla. Here in Syka we like to keep a close knit community. Since there's so few of us,  we need to be able to trust and rely on each other to keep things in the settlement running smoothly... On that note, do you have any skills that you could contribute to Syka? Syka is no place for slackers or vacations. It may be a paradise, but it's a working one."

Kamilla appreciated Randal's straight forward approach to their conversation,  not unlike the general demeanor of those living on Sahova, though his presentation was far more pleasant. As for his question,  it made complete sense,  it was a settlement, not a town or city and therefore they needed people to pull their weight, which suited her just fine, the mage wasn't one for freeloading. She hated to feel worthless.

Forcing a polite smile, Kamilla nodded, arms crossing over her chest as she slid into her more business like demeanor. "Skills? Yes. I've worked as a seamstress in more than one city and I'd be glad to help repair or create clothing for Syka's residents. Assuming it's a needed skill." Of course, it wasn't ideal, if it were up to her she'd be employed to simply practice her magic, but unfortunately, this was not Sahova. Not that she'd been of much use back on The Undead Isle anyway.

Words: 470

[Kamilla]

Kamilla Circe Gordon

Hearing her answer, Kamilla watched as a smile grew across Randal's face, which she took as a good sign. Although she had only just arrived,  already she could feel the excitement of a completely new place overwhelming the ever present feeling of worthlessness and purposelessness that had been haunting her for the past years. She really hoped that Syka would be the place where she'd find a permanent solution to her undesired feelings, it was after all completely unlike any of the other cities she'd lived in.

Sunberth had been chaotic, crime riddled streets and magic loathing citizens, it had  absolutely no qualities that the young mage wanted in a home. Zeltiva had been far better, or at least, far safer, but it was also far too mundane and boring, nothing about the port city had sparked her interests and the most it offered was a comfortable place to grow old and die, which Kamilla was a long way away from if she had any say. Sahova had been much more her speed, magic was as normal as breathing there and every day had presented a new opportunity to learn and experience all sorts of magic that the world had to offer. Unfortunately, it's people, the nuit, were not very welcoming or accommodating to the living which made living there, far less comfortable than she was used to. Finally there was Riverfall, a beautiful city full of wonder and giant colorful warrior men.  The city itself had been great, but she'd just never been able to find her place within it and that was the reason she'd left.

All the cities except for sunberth had had at least some qualities that the mage desired in a home, she hoped Syka would be the same. It was clearly a beautiful, less stiffling environment, but on the other hand, it had a far smaller population and was hardly developed. At the very least she hoped that it would provide her with a beneficial environment to find herself and her purpose in.

"A seamstress? That will do. Altgoug clothing in Syka is... completely optional, Rainmere has been kind enough to offer repairs to clothing when needed but it would be nice to have a dedicated seamstress. That will do just fine. Job aside,  where do you plan on staying?"[/b]

Kamilla made to open her mouth, having only arrived chimes earlier, she had absolutely no idea what her options for accommodation would be, but Randal quickly cut her off, having anticipated her response.

[i]"We have no inn here, but there are bungalows you could rent or buy, though they are a bit expensive... I'm told, but definitely worth their price in quality,  trust me, I know the builder very well." There was a hint of something in his voice there that Kamilla didn't quite understand,  though she caught Nesra rolling her eyes out of the corner of her own. "There is also a third option..."

Having come to Syka with all of her remaining coin, a decent amount though she doubted it would be enough to purchase any sort of suitable home, Kamilla was intrigued by this third option. "Go on." A brow raised curiously as she awaited the man's offer.

Randal smiled back at her, taking a sip of his drink and crossing his arms to match hers' "You could take out a loan and build your own... See, in Syka we welcome new settlers who are willing to pull their weight, after all, the settlement is still barely past its infancy, so we need all the useful skills we can get. That being said, if you are willing to stay permanently and start a business, the founders are willing to offer you a substantial loan along with a parcel of land, five acres to exact,  on which you can build both your home and your business. Of course you'd eventually have to pay us back over time, but that's just how loans work isn't it?"

Kamilla had to admit that she was surprised by the significant 'third option', land and start up capital, it was a very tempting offer but one that she was hesitant to commit to, after all she'd just arrived and had no idea how long she'd been staying. 

Words: 716

[Kamilla]

Kamilla Circe Gordon

Not wanting to immediately dismiss such a generous offer, Kamilla pretended to consider it for a good few ticks, eyes wandering her tropical surroundings and taking in its beauty. Bright beach sand was visible wherever she looked and the constant lull of waves and seagulls served as a soothing backdrop. Syka was a wonderful place to settle down, she assumed, but her life had barely begun and she wanted to accomplish something great, something to be proud of for the rest of her life. So no, she couldn't toss all of her eggs into one beach themed basket just yet.

Feeling she'd pretended to give the offer enough imaginary thought, Kamilla's gaze returned to Randal's, an answer on her lips. "As generous an offer as that is, I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline... at least for now. I've only just arrived here and have no idea how long I'll be staying, while I'm happy to contribute and pull my weight as long as I'm here, I'm not about to put down roots in an unfamiliar place. As for accommodating, I will figure something out, perhaps stay on the ship I arrived on for the time being till I'm more comfortable with making a serious decision."

There had been no beating around the bush, she'd spoken honestly and was satisfied with her response, now she would just need to see how Randal felt about it. She wondered what else the man had to cover during this, very casual, resident interview.

"I understand your hesitancy to make a decision and I think that will do just fine... So long as continue to contribute and are not a problem or hindrance to the settlement then you may remain... One more thing though..."

Kamilla had started off with a smile, glad that Randal had seemed pleased with her answer, but quickly shifted into a small frown as she heard the far more serious tone used to speak his final sentence.  "Go on..." she began, arms crossing more tightly at her chest as a defensive adjustment while she prepared herself for the man's words.

"What brought you here? Are you running from something... or searching?"

Despite her attempted preparation, Kamilla was caught off guard by the question, feeling unexpectedly attacked and put on the spot, though she knew there was no way Randal could possibly have known her past. The man seemed to be staring deep into her brown eyes in search of a hint of something, anything,  she had no idea what.  

Suddenly feeling uncomfortable beneath the handsome man's gaze, Kamilla attempted to straighten up, taking a deep breath before answering. "I, uh, I'm..." She paused, not liking how guilty she sounded, out the corner of her eye she noticed that even Nesra had stopped what she was doing to listen in on her answer. "Searching... I'm searching for a purpose, for something to want." Kamilla was extremely uncomfortable with how vulnerable she felt to expose herself so honestly and it was visible in the way she shifted around.

Maintaining his serious contemplative look for what felt like ages, but was in actuality only a few ticks, Kamilla was relieved to see Randal's smile return to his features as he nodded in her direction, seemingly satisfied with her answer. "That is something we have in common,  Kamilla. All of us were searching for a place to belong and we found it... here, in Syka. I hope it's the same for you." Randal spread out his arms in a grand gesture, as if presenting his own creation proudly to her, and Kamilla couldnt help but feel optimistic for the future.

"One more thing, unless you're experienced with the jungles of Falyndar, stay out of the jungle, it is a very dangerous place. In would also advise that you do your best to learn to survive it, after all, we are living on its doorstep... Welcome to Syka."

Filled with a new hope for the future,  thanks to the handsome Randal's inspiring speech, Kamilla allowed herself to relax, a small smile spreading across her face as she took her first breath as a citizen of the settlement of Syka, enjoying the clean beach air. Things felt right, perhaps Syka would be the end of her plight.

Words: 720

[Madeira Dusk]

Grades Awarded!

Don't forget to edit/delete your grade request!

Kamilla

Skills

• Observation: 4xp
• Socialization: 3xp
• Rhetoric: 2xp
• Acting: 1xp
• Negotiation: 1xp

Lores

• Syka: the realities of tropical weather
• Randall Zor: one of Syka's founders
• Socialization: asking for directions
• Kamilla: all business
• Syka: pull your weight
• Negotiation: considering offers
• Syka: the jungle will kill you
• Syka: a close knit community

Awards & Retribution


Notes
I couldn't find very much in terms of skill and lores in here. If you feel I missed something I invite you to write me an angry PM about it

Welcome to Syka, Kam! Watch out for baboons <3