PM to join A New Guest & New Magics [Rhydian]

[Tazrae]

Timestamp: 2nd of Summer, 522 A.V.

It was the second day of summer and it was Tazrae’s free time. The work at the Inn had been done for the morning, lunch was prepped and the guests could help themselves, and it was bells before anyone had to think about the evening meal. Usually, Tazrae took this time to wander back to the Pavilion at Garden Beach, but instead, she’d given in to the coaxing of the Ixam and had headed instead for the direction of the beach. It was harder than she thought, Taz decided, being known again. There was a huge gap, one she didn’t know how to cross, standing among people that knew her again when she’d been so alone last season. It was a turn of phrase she’d heard before ‘alone in a crowd’ but hadn’t fully experienced until last season.

Now she didn’t know how to act around people. That was especially true of the people at The Protea and Alric. Slipping quietly away from the people and joining the Ixam was more familiar; comfortable. She tucked a blanket over her arm, grabbed her backpack with her survival gear, and a wineskin full of a light fruity wine Stu had brewed. The wineskin would keep the wine cold and seriously relaxing while Tazrae took a quick swim with the Ixam, perhaps wrestled with them a bit, and maybe catch her usual nap in the shade of one of the palms on Swing Beach. It was a solid plan, one fully dependent upon no one looking for her. If they did look for her, they’d look at Garden Beach, not Swing Beach, and that’s what she was counting on.

At the edge of the high-water line, in the shade of a palm, she spread her blanket out, laid her wineskin in the shade, and tucked her backpack against the base of a palm. Stripping down to only her crochet bikini, she waded into the waves with four Ixam who immediately splashed around to cool down and help regulate their body temperature in the steadily climbing heat. Taz enjoyed the waves, letting them wash into her as she waded out waist deep and then began to float, face down, so she could watch the fish dart below on the sandy bottom. There wasn’t the coral and vibrant reef here, this far in. It was further out, past the edges of the mangroves on some of the more obscure beaches. This beach was all sand Bay of Syka was calm today, the waters almost glassy, and she loved the feeling. Sure, there were dangers out here – big sharks, tiny things that could sting one’s skin – but in a way the ocean was like the jungle and the ultimate freedom for Tazrae.

As she swam carefully, awkwardly, surrounded by the Ixam that chased schools of fish without any real hunger, she started to notice a catamaran on the horizon headed towards the dock down the beach just a short way. She watched it from the level of the water, before she was distracted by a figure on the beach. He waved to her with something in his hands. Taz turned back towards shore then, swimming as fast as she could back to the white sand. As she grew closer to the shore, Taz saw that it was Mathias and he had a long slender bundle in his arms.

Surging out of the water with the Ixam still at her side, Taz lightly jogged up the beach to where the Founder was standing and offered him a big smile. “Mathias!” She said, greeting him warmly. Mathias reached out and handed Tazrae a bundle. “Tegan brought her by for you yesterday but things were chaotic. It was time for him to leave Syka for a while for everyone’s safety. He said he’d be gone two seasons, maybe three, but he’d be back by the new year. He left you a letter of instructions and said Sweet Refrain was ready for your Awakening… he’s been using her all last season to get her attuned. He also said he discovered a few interesting traits in her and that under your hand she’d have more come awake.” Mathias said, digging a rolled scroll out of his small pouch and handing it to Tazrae along with the wrapped blade in her arm. It was sheathed in dark brown and green leather with its musical hilt protruding from the scabbard. Taz fingered the long machete and smiled.

“I’m sorry I missed his departure. I would have liked to spend more time with him before he left. Thank you for passing his letter and my machete along to me.” She said, reaching out and hugging Mathias. The Priest returned her hug then they both turned and watched what appeared to be a catamaran beach next to the dock. The ships were light and the Svefra who had them often beached rather than tie them up to the main dock. Two people were busy moving around the deck with one jumping lightly to the sand and running a line up to the beach to tie off the boat to a handy palm tree. Taz watched them with Mathias. “Do you know them?” She asked, starting down the beach to greet the newcomers with Mathias by her side.

“No… I haven’t seen that pair before. Charoda and … human? Or someone wearing a really good meat suit.” Mathias said softly.

Tazrae only smiled. “Hello there!” She called out. “Need any help with anything?” She asked, greeting the pair in a friendly manner as Mathias stepped up and added his own words.

“Welcome to Syka.” He said, sliding off his hat and running his hands through his damp hair.

The four wild Ixam with Tazrae ranged around the tied-off catamaran, tongues flicking and tails whipping as they investigated the new craft like a pack of semi-intelligent dogs. Taz whistled for them, calling them back over to where she and Mathias were standing, away from the newcomers because she was unsure if they’d ever seen the creatures before or not.

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[Rhydian Lamoze]

Timestamp: 2nd of Summer, 522 A.V.

Today had been the second day of summer and things were looking rather favorably about the Eypharian. He was soon to be considered an adult, for the most part, and his life was leading him down a path of new beginnings. One in which he would be capable of meeting new people and exploring a new island of sorts. The weather had been perfect for a day such as this and quite honestly it was the kind of day that the Eypharian would normally have been enjoying, given the fact that he would be capable of swimming as much as he had liked normally. Even with all of these positives aligning with him though, Rhydian was currently having mixed feelings about several things. While he was glad that he had found himself starting life anew, away from the shores of Riverfall, the man just couldn't help but be disappointed in the fact that his mother figure was going to be departing from his life after this. While it was true that she had spent the last eighteen years taking care of him, without any real reason for her to have even done so, he couldn't imagine what his life was going to be like without her. She was his savior and the woman that he had considered to be his mother and soon she was to be gone.

The entire thing had been rather bittersweet for Rhydian. He had understood the reasoning behind why she was leaving, and honestly couldn't blame her for wanting to return home, but that didn't mean that he wasn't going to miss her. She had been the center of his life for the entirety of this past eighteen years and imagining a future without her had been difficult. It wasn't the kind of thing that he was hoping to give up on. "Lyel, before we reach these shores, I just wanted to say that I am going to miss you dearly... I may not be able to breathe underwater quite yet or even really know how to swim all that well, but I intend of finding my way back to you. In a matter of time, I'll-" Before he could finish what it was that he had to say to the Chardo, Lyel would simply step behind him and pull the towering Eypharian into a tight hug. "Shh... I understand your worries but if it's as you say, we'll meet again. Within my homeland. You know that I'll always be waiting for you Rhydian."

It had been quite evident that Lyel was going to miss her son as much as, if not more than, he was going to miss her. She had raised him since he was but a child after all. Even she had known that this was the only way that he would live a proper life though. One in which he could interact with people outside of just showing up in the city every two weeks or so. This was a decision that was going to be the best for the Eypharian and one that she had decided upon many, many moons ago. As saddening as it was for things to come to a temporary end, it was the kind of thing that just had to happen.

Using but one of his six arms, Rhydian would begin to wipe away the tears that were beginning to well up within his eyes. He couldn't allow for himself to cry here and now, lest Lyel begin to break down as well. That wasn't the kind of initial meeting that Rhydian was hoping to have with the inhabitants of the isle and as such, it was one that he would attempt to prevent himself from having. Of course he wasn't about to just let the hug go unreturned so whilst he had been wiping away these tears, Rhydian would utilize the lowest set of arms to reach back and fully embrace Lyel as well. "It's as you say..."

As the catamaran had begun to draw closer to the shores of Syka, Rhydian would take a few moments to look ahead. From what he could see at the moment, it would appear as though the beach had been littered in various hammocks and swings. Surely a destination vacation if there ever was one. Whilst this much had been rather interesting to the Eypharian though, there was something else upon the shore that had managed to catch his attention far more. It was hard to make out in the distance but there had been a woman adorned in some kind of bikini and.. several exceedingly large reptiles? Upon noticing the repiltes, Rhydian had been worried for but a moment. Had these things been attacking the woman? No, she was far too calm for that. What exactly were they and were they tamed to some degree? It didn't appear as though the woman was all that worried so they must have been. "Interesting..."

After a matter of time, the catamaran that they had been residing upon would come upon the shore of the beach. An excitable nervousness had begun to overtake the Eypharian as he had begun to consider exactly how he should try and introduce himself to the locals. His heart had begun to pick up in pace until it had felt as though it was going a million miles an hour. If it wasn't for the fact that Lyel had noticed this and placed a reassuring hand upon one of his many biceps, Rhydian might have just collapsed from the possibilities. With such a reassuring presence by his side though, Rhydian was able to calm himself down and leap down onto the shore. Naturally he would be sure to extend his arms out towards his Chardo mother so that he could help her down. Once the two had found themselves on the sandy beaches of Syka, a pair of voices could be heard from behind the duo.

Both Rhydian and Lyel would turn around at this point so that they could see just who it was that had been coming after him. The Eypharian had been wearing very little at the moment. His outfit had currently consisted of just a singular pair of torn up pants. They were practically scraps, if one could even go as far as to call them that. Aside from that he had held a few bags close, each one packed full with his gear. "O-oh.. Uh.. Hello!" Doing his best not to get too distracted by the four Ixam running about the boat, Rhydian would do his best to maintain a steady gaze upon the two individuals that had stood before him.

Seeing that she was likely going to have to be the first one to speak out of the two, Lyel would offer up a soft smile to the two humans. "Hello there. It is a pleasure to meet the two of you. My name is Lyel and I am simply hoping to drop off my so-... Rhydian here upon your island. Would it be alright if he were to stay here with you all?" An intense feeling of some emotion that he hadn't really understood had begun to wash over the Eypharian as Lyel had prevented herself from calling him her son. It almost felt as though.. it hurt? Not quite sure how to react to this feeling, Rhydian would attempt to push past it and introduce himself to the pair. As he had done so though, he instinctively react by clenching onto his bags even tighter with the hands that were full.

A pair of free hands had begun to push forward and offer themselves up to the pair of humans as Rhydian had tired to act civil. "Right.. It's as she says. I don't have really anywhere else to go at the moment and have heard a few rumors here and there about this place... If you are willing to have me than I promise to be a good worker! I'll do whatever it is that you need of me if it means that I can remain here for the time being." As he had spoken, it would become increasingly clear that this Eypharian had never seen an Ixam before. His eyes would dart between the large lizards and the pair of humans from time to time, almost as though he was trying to figure out just what in the world these things had been. It must be stated though that he wouldn't display any fear upon doing so. Instead there had been a healthy amount of curiosity and perhaps a bit of disappointment at the fact that he was having to leave behind someone that he had cared so much about.

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[Tazrae]

As she got closer, Tazrae noticed immediately that the tall male had more than one set of arms. She had occasionally, in Riverfall, hosted guests but she knew almost nothing of their race other than the fact that they often had one, two or three sets of arms. This one had a total of six in all and it made the young Innkeeper stare slightly, fascinated, as if she could see through the skin at how the skeletal structure worked.

“Ah. Charoda and Eypharian.” Mathias supplied as they headed down to the pair together.

Eypharian. Right. She’d heard the term before, but not often. They lived southward, in the desert of Tazrae’s own people, and the two races weren’t often friendly to one another. Taz, however, wasn’t raised with her kin but outside of her own culture so she didn’t care one way or another if the male was Eypharian or not. The Charoda, however, were a common sight in Syka, visiting and trading and sometimes bringing sunken treasure ashore to trade for what to them were exotic treats of fruits and vegetables.

Mathias smiled at their introductions. “Indeed. I’m Mathias Okavis and this is Tazrae Ardera. I am one of the founders of this settlement while she is the local Innkeeper and hopefully later today or tomorrow one of our Sykan Rangers.” He said, glancing pointedly at Tazrae who finally clued her into why Mathias had visited, rather than just simply wait for her to visit his porch to give her over the machete.

Taz smiled and nodded at her own name. She didn’t want to speak over Mathias and let him take the lead in the conversation.

“It is very nice to meet you, Lyel.” Mathias said, then inclined his head slightly which was a Charoda greeting. He turned to Rhydian and offered his hand to shake. “Nice to meet you as well, young man. We indeed take on new settlers and folk looking for work or a new home. Both of you would be welcome, though, of course, Rhydian may stay. We have various accommodations… bungalows, and rancheros, and our Innkeeper here has rooms to rent which are spacious. She is a good cook, so people tend to congregate at her place around meals.” Taz dropped her gaze at the praise, unused to Mathias bragging about her cooking.

Taz stepped into the pause in the conversation, wanting to direct the conversation away from her Inn. “We don’t just want workers, Rhydian. We are trying to provide a safe open space for a lot of cultures to come together and for people to explore their passions in whatever craft they may be interested in. We have herbalists, healers, jewelers, and folks interested in the past, culture, arts, and sciences. We even openly welcome magic and mages so long as they put their safety and the safety of the community before their power.” She added, glancing at Mathias, hoping she hadn’t overstepped.

He only smiled. In his mind, the more people like Taz that stepped up, the sooner he could get on with his retirement and worry less about the Settlement and more about how many fat fish jumped on his hook. “It’s true. We have gatherings every ten days… the tenth, twentyish, thirtieth, etc… to catch up on those scattered about the settlement and hold a party where everyone contributes, shares news, and tells stories. We call them 'tendays'. We are a small community but growing. Do you have any skills you might add to us? I am authorized to approve jobs to supply our trade goods to other places… things like hunters, gatherers, foragers, and the like. I can also sell you land if that’s something you are interested in. Our rental housing is temporary and we hope if people like Syka, they will eventually buy land here and settle permanently. Taz always has rooms open though and mothers all her guests just the right amount they need.” He added, even as one of the big Ixams – a scarlet one – trotted up and nudged at Mathais’ back.

Taz grinned. “They are jungle Ixam. We use them as mounts here, but mostly they roam wild and cause havoc. They are carnivores and predators, but they will not hurt you.” She advised, gesturing to three more that were still sniffing at the Catamaran. A golden yellow one had already climbed aboard much to Tazrae’s embarrassment. She hoped the female wouldn’t leave claw marks on Lysel’s deck.

Mathias grinned, whistled shrilly, and the golden creature leaped off the deck of the beached ship and trotted up the beach to join the scarlet male behind Mathias. “It’s Taz’s fault they are here. She decided we needed faster jungle travel and enticed a few to join us. Now she’s hatching their eggs by the dozen at her homestead on Garden Beach. Make her teach you to ride one. They all need homes.” He added, chuckling, not sure where else in the world an offer of a place to stay and a free-riding animal would be held out.

Taz smiled then, glancing at Lyel. “You won’t stay? Is it because we are on land? Your people visit here often and you’d be welcome.” She said to the female, wanting to include her in the conversation. We even have overwater accommodations for folks like Konti and Charoda.” She added, wanting the woman to feel welcome if that was her calling. “Even if you don’t stay, you should consider visiting. We can always use more contacts and friends among the sea folk. Laviku is worshiped here.” Taz added.

Mathias turned to Rhydian. “We do have a few rules here. If you stay, we want you to learn how to navigate and survive in the jungle safely. It can be a dangerous place beyond the beaches. And we ask that you contribute to the Community doings… that means helping to unload our ship when she hits port and reloads her when she sets out. Hold a job or have coin enough to support yourself. And just participate when we have city activities. There are just over fifty people here, so we are a small group. Every person matters and every person is important. We even have some orphans we brought in last season from all over the place in hopes of apprenticing them to some of our skilled workers and giving them an opportunity to have a better life. One of them is an Eypharian. She will be happy to see another of their kind around here.” The Founder said, then paused letting everything be absorbed.

“Would either of you like a tour and to come to look around? We can show you the sites and you can pick out a place to stay.” Taz offered; hopeful the young man would decide he’d made the right decision coming to Syka. They really needed every settler they could get, young and strong was a bonus.

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[Rhydian Lamoze]

As the four of them would speak on the matters of Syka and what it would take to stay here, Rhydian would begin to nod along softly. He had found himself growing more excited with each passing moment, given that this had been exactly the kind of place in which he could thrive, but he had done his best to try and stifle that visible excitement. It wouldn't do for him to want to jump at the opportunity the moment that it had presented itself to him. That was one of the many things that Lyel had decided to teach him. If he was going to ever survive on his own than he would have to be aware of the fact that jumping at every opportunity that had come your way had been the kind of thing that would leave one drained and possibly forced into servitude. That was exactly how she had managed to get captured and sold as a slave after all.

"Right, no, I didn't exactly mean it that way... I don't believe that Syka is looking for just workers but I am sure that if I am able to prove my use here, that it would help me convince you all to keep me here. That's all." Blunt and to the point, as per usual. Dwelling on anything that could be considered a lie had been exhausting for Rhydian. he had honestly found that it was easier for him to just focus on telling the cold, hard truth in all situations. At least that way he would be able to ensure that people didn't further misunderstand where he had been coming across.

As the group had been speaking back and forth, the Eypharian had been sure to allow for his gaze to continue to wander over the various Ixam that had been meandering about the beach and investigating their ship. These were creatures that he hadn't really understood all that well and yet he had been rather keen on attempting to develop a relationship with one in the future. Jungle creatures that had been utilized as mounts by the locals and had been capable of further increasing their journeys across the jungle itself. This was precisely the kind of thing that had interested him. Especially if there was a possibility of not only gaining an animal companion in this instance but perhaps a friend. One that he would be able to take care of in the same ways that Lyel had been taking care of him. "I may not know much about these Jungle Ixam but I believe that I am going to love getting to spend time with them. If you are really willing to allow for me to learn how to ride them, I would love to be able to do so. I'd even be willing to pay you for an egg so that I could raise one of them on my own, in addition to helping you take care of the ones that are here, if you would allow it."

There had been another reason that Rhydian had found himself interested in acquiring the egg of an Ixam at the moment but it had nothing to do with raising an animal. No, this would have to do with raising a child. Mathias had mentioned that there had been an Eypharian orphan was being raised on the island that had been brought over during the last season. An Eypharian orphan... This was someone that Rhydian had held a great desire to meet. For whatever reason, they had reminded him of his own circumstances and that had begun to tug away at his very heart strings. If he was planning on meeting with this girl, and possibly adopting her or having her apprentice him, than he had figured that it would be nice to give her a pet or friend that she could spend her free time with from time to time. Honestly, even if all that Rhydian had done was visit her at the orphanage to spend time with her, bringing along a pet of some kind had seemed as though it would have been a good idea.

Of course Rhydian wasn't the only person that had stepped off of the Catamaran. For the most part, Lyel had been listening rather quietly and had chosen to remain that way for the sake of Rhydian developing any necessary connections here. Given that the duo had begun to ask her various things though, the Charoda had begun to feel as though she should give them a proper response. "As much as I would love to stay here with you all, I unfortunately have several things that I've been a few decades late to do. I highly appreciate the offer of allowing the both of us to stay though. The fact that you have homes that would allow for me to live an easier life up on the land is also greatly appreciated. Still... Even though I am wishing to not have to leave Rhydian behind, I have my duties. I will do my best to try and visit when I can though." Unlike Rhydian, Lyel had no real troubles with lying. It was something that she had learned to do early on and something that was quite necessary at the moment. She was planning on investigating the lands beneath this settlement after all and that wasn't really something that she could so easily divulge. Much like the best of lies though, there had been bits of truth sprinkled throughout her statements so that she could try and convince the others otherwise. After all, the only real lie had been that she was planning on visiting from time to time.

Unsurprisingly, Rhydian would never really pick up on the lie that was there. He had grown to trust his beloved mother figure with his life and had never assumed that she had any ulterior motives behind leaving him upon this island. It also probably helped though that his mind was more focused on other things at the moment. Things such as what he could really offer the islanders. "If it is any consolation, I am relatively well versed in the matters of wilderness survival and the likes already. I suppose that one could say that I am relatively competent in that particular field. My specialties tend to lie in forests and the sea so.. If nothing else, I can provide assistance in that matter. I am also a fairly decent swimmer but I am hoping to improve in that regard as soon as I can. If there are any professions in which my swimming capabilities can be put to the test, I would appreciate that."

The Eypharian's gaze would than settle completely on Tazrae as the corners of his lips would begin to curl up into that of a smile. "Now that I think about it, I'll definitely also be needing a place to stay at some point. Maybe we can talk about your inn later? Only if you are okay with that though." Rhydian would than reach back and begin to lightly tap along the upper limb of his bow. "I'm not quite sure what kind of things that your rangers do here but I'm looking forward to maybe joining you in on that as well. I may not be the greatest with this thing but I've been putting in the work on it."

Seeing that Rhydian was beginning to get a bit off topic at the moment, Lyel had decided to step in and would rest a single hand upon one of the Eypharian's shoulders. "I apologize for him... We would love a tour." She would than turn her gaze towards Rhydian and offer him a polite smile. "Try and save the business talk for during or after the tour, okay?" Naturally Rhydian would respond to his mother's request with a curt nod before bringing his attention back towards the others within the group.

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[Tazrae]

It was something of a privilege, Tazrae thought, that Mathias let her stand there and greet a newcomer with him. On Tazrae’s part, she tried to look at Rhydian with Mathias’ eyes and thought she could see the pleasure he took in welcoming a grown yet still young man to the settlement. Rhydian looked strong, intelligent, and well-versed in interacting with the denizens of the sea. That was a bonus. Plus he seemed to be a friendly sort, keen to try new things, and be a part of something bigger than himself. The young Innkeeper couldn’t help but think Mathias would be eager to welcome people like this to the settlement.

As Taz was thinking, Mathias smiled and spoke up. “There are apprenticeships open in all aspects of the work we do here. We can find you work with builders, carpenters, smiths, jewelers, people who weave and sew, cooks, and just about anything you are interested in turning a hand with or doing. We don’t need convincing for us to want you to stay. We can use all the young able-bodied men and women we could get who are willing to settle and start a life.” He added, offering Rhydian a smile. Mathias was attentive of Lyel as well, including the Charoda woman in his conversation with looks and hand gestures. She’d already said she wouldn’t stay, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want her to feel welcome to visit as often as she liked.

“The settlement has many Ixam and they keep to their own. I can teach you what I know, for sure. But the best thing to do is spend time with them, interact, play and win their trust. Once you do, you won’t get rid of them. You don’t have to buy an egg, they lay them and leave them. I’ve been gathering up Ixam eggs all spring and hatching them out. We have some still in shells, but we also have a number of new hatchlings…. small things that are always hungry. You can befriend one just by hunting. They take years go get full sized though, so I hope you are patient.” Tazrae said, smiling at the newcomers. She was thankful that the pair were not upset the Ixam were sniffing around the ship and had even boarded it. “They are very food motivated, lazy, and are all about companionship.” She explained, then smiled.

Mathias nodded to Lyel as she spoke, his face a molded mask of understanding. “Well, hopefully you wont mind taking a tour with us and spending perhaps an evening or having a meal before you depart. You’d even be welcome to tie up over night if the day stretches too long here.” He added, then turned to Rhydian’s response about the expectations of settlers.

Both Taz and Mathias nodded to Rhydian’s claims of being somewhat skilled in Wilderness Survival. They had no reason to disbelieve him and he had just arrived in the company of a Charoda who often spent time in the depths of the Sea. Mathias even ventured a guess that the only reason the Charoda had a ship was because she had a child that was not Charoda and needed a place to house him. Mostly her kind spent the majority of their days below the waves, much like the Konti.

Professions that would utilize swimming? Mathias smiled. “We are constantly needing foragers and those that can harvest fish to augment our food supplies. There is always a call for pearls and abalone shell that artists and jewelers use. We can trade those in The Outpost for much needed supplies to keep Syka going. I can pay three or four gold for foragers and fisher folk. I can pay five gold a day for a pearl diver if that’s something your interested in.” He offered, smiling. “All that sort of work is based on setting your own drive and working at your own pace.” Mathias added, knowing that was important for some people.

Taz nodded. “If you do something like dive for pearls, I can buy the clams and bivalves you harvest for the Inn because I’m always needing supplies. That way there’s no food waste for simply looking for pearls.” She suggested. “We’re also in need of shell to decorate a new little shrine for Laviku that we are planning on crafting. We’d like his shrine and the seat before it inlaid with mother of pearl or abalone.” She explained, then glanced at Mathias.

Mathias nodded his agreement. The two men could talk for a moment too, settling on a job for Rhydian. Taz waited by the Charoda, offering her a smile.

“I can’t imagine how hard it is to leave him here. I respect what you are doing though, giving him a chance at a life among others like him. Family is important though… even if he wasn’t a child you birthed personally. Don’t forget that and don’t forget you are family. He might be an adult, but I can tell you as a human that there is never a time I’d not needing family.” She said gently to the other woman, not pretending to understand what she was going through, but rather sympathizing with her.

Rhydian caught her gaze and she smiled. “We’ll swing by the Inn and you can pick out a room if it pleases you.” Taz said, certain that she’d enjoy another guest now that several had moved out upon the completion of their homes. Rhydian would need time, Taz decided, to learn to live on his own and an Inn with meals provided would be a great way to work his way towards independence.

Meanwhile Mathias gestured. “If we are going to tour the settlement, we’d better get started.” The Founder said, turning and gesturing to lead the small group on a short walk-about through the sights of the settlement. He started with the Commons, visiting all the locations that radiated out from the central hub of where the denizens gathered. They worked around the Core of the City, where either Tazrae or Mathias pointed out the key locations. They saw the Forge, Kitchens, and Water Storage first. Then they moved onto the Events Center, the Communal Kiln and walked far enough into the jungle to see both the Storm Shelter and Dovecote. Taz pointed out that the beach where they’d ran the catamaran aground was called Swing Beach, due to all the swings hung from the trees. She also was careful to make sure Rhydian knew where the Fish Cleaning station was and got a look at the fish statue Kihala provided the city.

Mathias stuck with them as long as the tour took to take them around the Tidepool Bar, Surf Shop, and Creature Comforts. Then, he invited Lyel to have a drink with him in The Tidepool Bar letting the younger two finish the bigger grander tour.

Taz just smiled at this. “He gets bored giving people a tour over and over again.” She added, offering Rhydian a smile. “I don’t mind though. I have only been here a few years so I still get how important it is to know where things are.” She added, then continued the tour northwards so they could walk to Standing Tall – the builder’s emporium – and all the way out to the sawmill.

The Innkeeper was chatty as she walked, offering tidbits of lore for the jungle or funny little stories about areas. She pointed out snakes and frogs, and shooed more Ixam off when half the beach crowd started to follow them when they headed out. “We hunt pigs at a beach called Swine Swells north of here. Whenever we head north, the Ixam come because they think we’re going pig hunting. It’s one of their favorite foods.” She added.

As they walked and Taz pointed out places, she asked him more personal questions. “So, what do you like to do for fun? Do you enjoy any hobbies?” She asked, hoping the question wasn’t too personal. “I’m learning to firedance and utilize magic with that art. And I’ve been practicing my paddleboarding… which is a really fun sport in my mind. I also like wandering through the jungle and discovering new places. I was just curious if you had anything you did for fun or have thought of doing?” She added, hoping to get some insight into his character.

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[Rhydian Lamoze]

If he were to be honest, there were quite a few things that Rhydian had been interested in possibly acquiring an apprenticeship in. Animal husbandry, botany, falconry, land navigation, scouting, and the likes. A wealth of skills and knowledges had been possible to obtain within this new land and he was hungry for all of it. These new experiences were the kind of thing that this Eypharian had found himself constantly craving. The only thing that would really make any of this difficult for him would have to be any aspects of reading. Rhydian was far more of a visual learner than he was a theoretical one. Utilizing books would certainly help in the long run but given how rare such things had been, it was unlikely that he would ever really manage to come across one that held what he had needed. Thankfully this islands apprenticeships had sounded as though they were right up his alley.

One of these core apprenticeships that Rhydian had been interested in had actually pertained to the works of this Tazrae. She had not only managed to bring race of Jungle Ixam into Syka but had apparently been quite skilled in training them. With someone of that level of skill assisting him, he was sure that he couldn't go wrong. "That... honestly sounds wonderful. I would highly appreciate if if you would allow for me to learn a few things about these Ixam from you. As for whether or not I shall acquire a young one or an egg though, I'll simply trust your judgement. Whichever you think would be best. I am sure that I can fish up enough food to win them over in time." The Eypharian had begun to laugh to himself a bit before kneeling down and gesturing a hand out towards one of the many Ixam within the area. He hadn't intended on reaching far enough out to pet one but would allow for his hand to simply hang in the air incase one of the Ixam had so desired to come and catch his scent. "I myself am looking for companionship as well, so I am sure that I'll find a way to get along with them one way or another."

At the promise of a free meal and a tour of the land, Lyel would catch herself smiling once more. This, in and of itself, had been an opportunity for her to get the lay of the land. In her mind, there wasn't any real way that this could go wrong. "Well I suppose that a single night here wouldn't be too much trouble. I have already made everyone wait the past seventeen years or so after all." Having heard his mothers response to the situation, Rhydian couldn't help but feel a slightly pang of joy radiate throughout his chest. Even if it was just for a night, any time that he could further spend with Lyel had meant the world to him.

Of course there was still a conversation at hand for him to attend to. "Pearls and abalone, huh? I can certainly see how that would benefit the economy of Syka. Not only would it bring in trade but it would also supply food and decorations, much like you both have said. If it is alright with you all, I believe that that is the job that I would like to request." Although she wouldn't really speak on the matter itself, Lyel couldn't help but quirk an eyebrow at the Eypharian as he had mentioned the job that he had wanted. Rhydian wasn't exactly the best of swimmers as of yet but he wasn't exactly the worst either. If nothing else, one could say that he was a novice in that field. Pursuing this kind of career was going to take time and effort but at least it would allow for him to further increase his swimming capabilities. "And in regards to the Shrine for Laviku... I would love to assist with that. I myself am an avid worshipper of the Sea God, if you can believe it."

While Mathias and Rhydian had been discussing the matters of the Eypharian's occupation, Lyel would turn to respond to Tazrae. "It definitely hasn't been easy, having to raise one that is not of my kind. Especially considering the circumstances in which we met... It is as you say though. Family is important. And I would do anything for my family." Lyel's gaze would begin to drift back towards the sea as a soft sigh would escape from her lips. There had been quite a bit that was on her mind as of late. Hopefully things would work out for her once she had left this settlement but only time could really ever tell. After a few unspoken moments, Lyel would turn her attention back towards Tazrae before leaning in and whispering something into her ear. "I know that it isn't fair of me to ask but I hope that you can watch over him while I am gone.. He'll be on his own out here otherwise."

Once the conversations had wrapped up, the four of them and presumably the Jungle Ixam had decided to head out for this tour of the settlement. Each of the key places that he was going to need to know would find themselves laid out to Rhydian as he had closely payed attention to each and every place that they had gone. Upon the request for Lyel to join Mathias at the bar, the Charoda would quietly agree and allow for Rhydian to go off and handle things on his own. She had thought it best if he had tried to make friends early on.

Not wishing to leave Tazrae without an answer, as the pair had meandered about the village, Rhydian had been sure to reply to her at every chance that he could. "It is good to know where the hunting grounds are. With my level of skill in regards to wilderness survival, I am not sure if it is safe for me to try and make it outside of the settlement yet. In time though, I intend on doing whatever it takes to reach each and every primary location within this area. The Faylndar Region... I have a map of it but I wish to physically experience each place. It's the memories of this place that will keep me rooted. The memories and the people. Of course I'll be sure to bring back plenty of swine for the Ixam! I am hoping to make as many friends as I can here.. and if I have to consider an Ixam to be my first friend than that works just as well for me."

"Things that I like to do for fun, huh? Well I haven't really had to do much of anything that wasn't required for my necessary survival. Lyel had taught me the basics of swimming and ever since that day, it's become the primary thing that I try to work on and enjoy. I also like to just kind of strip down and lie out at the beach but not everyone is that happy about it where I've been. Sometimes I forget that people choose to wear clothes often, despite the fact that these things are so dang restrictive." He had begun to tug on his torn shorts a bit before allowing them to drop back into place. "Firedancing sounds like plenty of fun though! I've only ever heard tale of such things before so hopefully I can come out and see you perform sometime. Really just exploring the forests and depths of the sea come to mind when I think of things that I tend to enjoy. It.. isn't that much. But that's okay! Because I've always had Lyel to show me how to have fun. And now that I am here, I can try all kinds of new things and try to find fun things to do on my own. Maybe I'll... Maybe I'll even go to the orphanage and spend some time with this Brea girl. I am sure that we could teach one another plenty of things."

Word Count: 1,363
Total Word Count: 4,147

[Tazrae]

Tazrae was having a good time showing the newcomer around the area with Mathias and his mother Lyel. And when Mathias offered him a handshake, she knew the deal was sealed on Rhydian’s new job. If Rhydian was going to be a pearl diver, that would be a benefit to the community, adding another flow of income and source of trade goods coming out of Syka that might be a bit hard to find elsewhere. The shell alone would be valuable. It would trade well in The Outpost.

“When we get to building shrines, you will be more than welcome to help. I’ll be sure to let you know when we start.” Taz informed him, not sure when that activity would happen. It would be a sort of ‘thank you’ for Laviku’s response in last seasons events. “But if you come to know Syka as Mathias and I do, you’ll understand that everyone will know… nothing is really secret around here. Just you wait and see.” Taz told the young Eypharian with a smile.

When Lyel slipped up and asked her favor, Taz reached down and took her hand a brief moment, giving it a squeeze. “Don’t worry. I know what it’s like to be new and alone in a place. Syka nurtured me and there were good people here to help me. Rhydian will have the same experience. And I will keep watch over him. He’ll have a nice place to sleep and good food, and it sounds like Mathias has given him a job he’d like.” Taz reassured the mother, not caring she was a different race. Mothering was mothering, regardless of blood.

Taz took them first on a big loop of the Commons, showing them the city core, and when Mathias and Lyel peeled off to have a bit and a drink at the bar, Taz took Rhydian northwards on the Cobbled Pathway. The Pathway was clearly defined – made by magic extruded cobbles that were uniform like giant pavers – big enough to hold the weight of Ashta and Ashta Carts or even a whole lounge of the Ixam. A few of the straggler Ixam from the beach followed them… both full sized adults and juveniles. And as they moved, Tazrae pointed out the sights.

The Mercantile was on the left, prominent, and the sort of place that was Syka’s general store hosting a bit of everything. She led him around the Community Pool where people bathed and swam. The whole place was artificially made with the heat artificially controlled in the pools by a Reimancer. Tazrae explained that to Rhydian too. The path followed the line if the beach and she pointed out a trail that lead to Mathias’ big dock and told him he was welcome to visit any time over there since Mathias was often fishing off his dock and loved the company. They passed the turnoff to The Protea Inn, where Rhydian would notice that all the side trails off the Cobbled Path were marked with hand-carved wooden signs that clearly said where they led too. Taz lead him through a little village of Bungalows, most occupied, and another turn off to someplace called The Confluence. Then, still at a brisk walk, they pass the Overwater Ranchos that were indeed built off the shore onto the water. “Tourists love those.” She said, liking playing the tour guide.

They would walk all the way out to Sharktooth Point and stop there a moment, taking the side trail, before she took him to the end of the path. The Ixam ranged with them and Taz often reached out and touched one, scratching a chin here or a shoulder there. She encouraged Rhydian to do so as well. The creatures were friendly enough, liked the attention, and Taz knew if the adults followed them all the way to the sawmill they could ride home. As they paused to enjoy the view at Sharktooth Point, Taz spoke about his hobbies and what he’d said earlier.

“I’ll take you to Swine Swells and show you around. But I do caution you. We need to take only the male pigs that are young, not the females, or we will soon run out of pigs as fast as the Ixam population is growing. You should stick with a guide when you go, though Swine Swells is safe enough. I met a jaguar there once, so I would be concerned if you aren’t skilled enough to fight things such as big predators off. But if you train hard and learn fast, you’ll be up to the task soon enough. I’m confident. And I’m sure you’ll make more friends than just Ixam.

“No one cares about clothing here, well none of the residents. The newcomers are often disturbed by it. But around the Settlement, clothing is optional. No one will stare or be uncomfortable. I was raised very sheltered and it was a bit of a shock when I first came here. I’ve never seen so many males… exposed. But it was a good thing, I think, in the long run. I’m not nearly as skittish of bodies as I used to be.” She told him with a smile.

“I wander around a lot too. You are welcome to join me. I think I can protect us, especially with magic, though my fighting skills are coming along. I used to feel so helpless, but around here… you get stronger. Syka grows your confidence and there’s so many people willing to teach others. I can show you what I know as well.” She added, not sure she was the best teacher, but more than willing to show Rhydian what she knew. “Rainmere taught me Firedancing. I like to dance at the Tenday parties… but I’m sure she can teach you too if you are interested. You have more arms, so I can only imagine what you could do would be spectacular.” She added, her eyes shining brightly at the thought.” Taz said, looking thoughtfully at Rhydian.

“Brea is a sweetheart. She hangs out at the Inn helping me cook a great deal.” Taz said, knowing that the two Eypharians would run into each other sooner or later. “I think she misses people like her too. It will be a comfort for both of you to have multiple people around that have multiple arms. You won’t be so out of place apart.” She added, smiling. “Brea will love that you are here.” Taz said, reaching out and taking one of his hands as well. She gave it a squeeze, then turned, leading him back away from Sharktooth Point towards the Cobbled Pathway so they could continue up to Standing Tall and the Sawmill that sat just north of it. Standing Tall was important because it was a supply depot for all kinds of wood, stone, building materials and fasteners. They were also a source for design if people needed buildings built or projects designed. Taz explained it all to him as they walked past, knowing he’d want to meet the ashta more than see the supply depot.

Just a few chimes later they were walking into the clearing that housed the sawmill. It smelled of fresh cut wood and pachyderms. The sawmill wasn’t that important at the moment – though it was vital to Syka’s survival – what Taz wanted to show Rhydian was the small elephants the settlement referred to as Ashta. A bull named Clyde bugled, charged at the Ixam with Taz, and scattered her lounge running them off to the boundary of the Sawmill. Taz only grinned. “Wild Ixam will threaten their calves, so Clyde doesn’t let the Lounges in around the Sawmill. Lars doesn’t look to be around, but he takes care of the ashta and I thought you’d like to meet them? They do most of the heavy hauling and lifting around here and are spoiled rotten when they aren’t working.” Taz explained, then walked up to the bull that was angry moments ago, and scratched under his ear. He wasn’t huge, but he was solidly built. There was a half dozen other ashta in the clearing, milling around, sunbathing, and even sleeping. “Come meet Clyde… and we can ride home.” Taz suggested, inviting Rhydian to join them.

Words: 1377

[Rhydian Lamoze]

Thus far, the tour that Tazrae had been giving him had been utterly wonderful. Not only had he been coming to develop a further understanding the settlement that he was going to be living in but he was coming to further understand Tazrae herself as well. She was a kind person and someone that the Eypharian was already considering getting to know better once the day had ended. It would be no surprise that he could find a way to locate accommodations for himself if he had really wanted but honestly, Tazrae had him wanting even more. Being around her was enticing as she had made him feel much more like a person and much less like a burden. Even this simple walk around Syka with her was enough to relax the Eypharian and cause him to genuinely smile a stupidly bright smile. The main reason that he had even wished to stay within the Protea Inn now was for the sole purpose of getting to spend more time with her. Hopefully the two of them could grow to become great friends.

Each of the locations that had been pointed out to him along their little trek through the settlement had further piqued Rhydian's interest. There were already so many fascinating things about this place, on the outskirts of a village and with only a few handfuls of people really managing the entirety of the location, and Rhydian couldn't wait to see more of what Syka had to offer. Each location that he had discovered would further send him into the throes of wanderlust, increasing his desires to further improve upon his ability to survive within the wilds of the jungle and the ocean. The desire to further introduce himself to the residents had also been one of the major factors that was growing within this Eypharian's heart. As he had gone on to lay his eyes upon the woman that was manning the mercantile, he couldn't help but avert his gaze and blush. She had seemed so wonderful. So interesting. This had truly been one of the people that he had been hoping to meet in time.

When the pair had eventually found themselves at Sharktooth Point, Thaddeus couldn't help but feel a strong urge to dive into the shark infested waters below. Not only could he hunt for fresh meals within the waters below but he would have been able to further challenge himself while swimming in the sea. If it wasn't for the fact that Tazrae had been here with him at this moment, he honestly just might have taken the risk... but that wasn't the greatest of ideas. And of course, upon seeing Tazrae reach out and pet the Ixam that had been following along with them, Rhydian would do the same. He was hesitant to take these steps but trusted that she wouldn't allow for him to be harmed when it came to them. More so than the older Ixam though, it would appear as though Rhydian was more focused on reaching out to the younger Ixam of the grouping.

"I must admit that I am having a wonderful time out here with you Tazrae. This is.. probably the most I have enjoyed myself in quite some time and that is thanks to you. So seriously.. Thank you." Rhydian couldn't help but lightly squeeze her hand as he would say this which would cause him to immediately avert his gaze from her own whilst allowing for his smile to soften. "If you are willing to accompany me moving forward than I would love to explore the Falyndar Region alongside you. Whether that be with you as my guide or my partner in these ranger things, I would be extremely lucky to have you. Any time that you would like to discuss magic or share a meal together or even just catch up in general, I will make time for you. You are the first person that I have met in Syka and as such, you have become one of the most important people to me right now. My ma is leaving and I don't want to be left behind and on my own.. So I hope that we can spend some time together moving forward."

The Eypharian's gaze would soon draw back towards Tazrae's as he would wait for their hands to drift apart. "I am going to build a family here in Syka that I am sure will consist of many friends. Perhaps someday you'll become a part of it." To Rhydian, a family wasn't something that had ever truly consisted of familial relations so he hadn't quite understood what he might have been inferring in this moment. Family to him was always something that just pertained to him and Lyel. He would have to come to a true understanding of just what he had wanted his family to consist of as time would move on.

Eventually the pair would make their way out towards the Sawmill and would run into a situation that had left Rhydian intrigued. Yet another fascinating animal that he had yet to come across. One that was named Clyde? "I see.. So Clyde is an Ashta? What an interesting name." Kneeling down beside the Ashta, Rhydian would slowly reach a hand out towards it. He was hoping that the scent of the Ixam wouldn't scare it away or cause him to be rushed. He didn't want to have to be held responsible for any actions that would be needed to defend himself. "Well hey there Clyde.. I'm Rhydian. It's real nice to meet you. Hopefully we can be friends moving forward." The Eypharian would than offer the Ashta a reassuring smile before standing up and getting ready to head on out with Tazrae.

Word Count: 964
Total Word Count: 5,111

[Tazrae]

Tazrae smiled at Rhydian’s words. Then she took his hand and squeezed it back. “I have a feeling we are going to be good friends. I just came out of a terrible season of loneliness… of having no friends due to a curse where everyone forgot me. I… I asked The Gods collectively, during something that happened at the end of last season, to put some people … one… twenty… it didn’t matter… in my path that needed me as much as I needed them. I suspect you are one of those people.” She said softly, smiling at him. “Besides, your Lyel’s made me promise to watch out for you. That’s a solemn vow I made to her. I won’t break it, which means you are stuck with me.” The young Innkeeper grinned at him, returning his bright smile.

“I want to build a family too. I have one, of a sorts, though most of them have scales. It would be nice to have a few members that could talk back to me.” She said simply. “My blood family out there is not what I expected and I suspect not what I wanted. I grew up in Riverfall working at a small Inn. I thought I was the daughter of the Innkeepers there. I had a really strained relationship with my mother and though I loved my father a great deal, I lost him early to disease. With my mother it always felt like she was silently competing with me. As I grew older, she grew more and more hostile, and pushed me in a direction I didn’t want to go. When my father died, he was the heart of the business there, my mother was woefully underprepared to run the books and subsequently drove the Inn to the ground. We had to sell it. Then she sold herself into a contract with an Akalak as a Nakivak. That’s… a sort of woman who agrees to have a man’s baby much like a brood mare. Then, once she has the baby, it belongs to the Father. The Akalaks have no females in their race, so they must reproduce with females of other races. She had that Alakak’s child, and signed on for another one… I still lived with her but she pressured me to take a contract too. It was her plan for me the whole of my life there.” Taz took a deep breath, shook her head, and let it out.

“She wouldn’t let me go anywhere alone. I didn’t have any friends. I couldn’t have relationships. It turns out they Akalaks value virginity. But instead of signing a contract, as soon as I was old enough to sign a contract or leave, I met James Chaliva, the captain of the Veronica, who knew my father… and asked about my situation. He said they had need of an Innkeeper with experience here… so he stole me away to Syka. The Founders here helped me build my Inn… loaned me money for it. I helped Randal Zor, another Founder, build it… and I’ve been Innkeeping happily ever since. I make my own way, have my own social life, and do the things I want to do.” Tazrae said with another smile.

“When I first came here, you should have seen me. I was so shy. I didn’t know how to talk to anyone. I dressed myself in head-to-toe clothing and was always either boiling hot or soaking wet. Now? I can rarely be bothered to even put on a bikini when I swim.” She said with a laugh. “And it turns out, I’m a good Innkeeper like my father… who turned out wasn’t even my father.” She added, shaking her head. “My mother wasn’t my mother either. She confessed in a letter on her deathbed, dying over whelping another Akalak son for money, that she was my Aunt and my father was actually an Uncle to my father. I’m Benshira from the desert, hidden away in Riverfall. I have a twin whom I was separated from at birth… and she’s here now too… works in the Panacea as a healer.” Taz added. “We aren’t identical though. She looks nothing like me.” Taz smiled again. “I’ll tell you the whole story over a good bottle of wine when we have a lot of time to kill.” She added.

They arrived to meet the Ashta, and Clyde in his usual fashion was friendly to Rhydian, giving him all kinds of attention. All the Ashta loved people, crowding around, touching them with their trunks, curiously looking for treats. Taz pulled fresh fruit from her backpack over her shoulder and offered mangos to every one of them which they took delicately, peeing the fruit and chomping it on their massive boulder-like teeth. When ten chimes or so had passed, Taz gave Rhydian’s shirt sleeve a tug. “Let’s get moving…” She encouraged.

Tazrae had originally planned to go just as far as the Sawmill and turn him around. She’d went by the sign to Swine Swells, which had been her goal, so Rhydian could see where the Swells were if he ever needed to go hunting. But she decided she’d go further today and take him to the Swinging Bridge and on to Jellyfish Lake. She figured the newcomer might be tired by then… it was a long walk and several Bells had passed, but she had an Ace up her sleeve as well. The trio of Ixam that had followed her from Swing Beach was still with them, among them golden Sunny who was as friendly and tame as could be. The big Scarlet male, Tazrae had never rode, but the emerald green in the group was a lovely big female as well. She planned on taking Rhydian all the way to Jellyfish then they could ride the Ixam back through the Maw as a short cut, come out at the Confluence, and be home faster than the multiple bells it took them to walk out there.

“You will find a lot of new hobbies here, I suspect.” She said as they strolled along the path, heading roughly northwest… more west than north now. The Scarlet Ixam ranged ahead, but the two females followed behind. Taz pointed out more things along the way, little creeks, blooming flowers – one she stopped to dig up and tuck into her backpack – and some of the birds that observed their passage. A troop of smaller monkeys was passed cautiously with only the words “Careful… they like to throw their feces at humans.” Luckily they stayed high in the trees, well out of the range where either set of creatures bothered the other.

The Swinging Bridge was huge, far larger than one would think. The Ashta crossed it regularly, one at a time, comfortably. It spanned the Syka River, so halfway out on it, Taz paused for Rhydian to gaze both up and downstream. “This river gets so full in the spring and fall… but it’s a manageable level now. If we didn’t have this bridge, we’d never get it crossed certain times of the year.” She added. “It’s the Syka River. And listen, Rhydian. Never drink out of it or any of the streams or standing pools of water here. We drink only filtered rainwater. There are things in the water that will make you sick… its true of any tropical location. The other places you can drink safely from are springs… that bubble up out of the rock or soil and don’t pool long but flow. And you can drink from captured water… things that fall and collect in leaves and flowers a little higher up on trees.” The Innkeeper warned. She talked a bit of why that was and how there were whole creatures that were born and died in the cups flowers made, especially things like tiny frogs and lizards higher up.

Taz liked Rhydian enough that she’d take him out if he ever wanted her to and give him a Wilderness Survival lessons.

Soon enough, they came out at a beautiful freshwater lake. Taz paused here, finding a nice set of rocks that formed natural seats overlooking the lake. She stretched out, had a drink from a waterskin she pulled from her backpack, and offered him the skin to quench his thirst as well. The Lake itself had a weird golden cast to it, one that was stunningly pretty until a viewer realized the gold came from all Jellyfish in it.

“This is Jellyfish Lake and our turn around point. Those golden jellys are Euphoria Jellyfish. We think they were… created by humans. This whole place, a long time ago, was some sort of science center and ancient people lived here. If you swim in that brackish water, those jellys will surround you and sting you automatically. Then you forget pain, suffering, any chronic illness…. any stress or worry. They work on humans, human sub-races, and Kelvics. They don’t bother anyone else. Uta, our local herbalist, makes medicine from them to coat wounds to cease pain.” She added, leaning back, stretching, and then grinning at Rhydian.

“So what do you think of Syka so far?” She asked, then after a pause, grinned. “And what would you say to a short cut back through the jungle on Ixam?” She asked, wondering if he was game. Taz tried to push her mop of unruly curls out of her hair and failed miserably. It had been wet and now the humidity and dry air had caused the saltwater to dry from it, leaving a crazed mop. She eventually pulled a strip of leather from around her wrist and wound it around the unruly mess.

“We went north today. I figured tomorrow or whenever you are free next we can go south.” She added, knowing as a Ranger this was as good of a duty as anything else… escorting the newcomers, and showing them what is out there.

Words: 1662

[Rhydian Lamoze]

As the duo had continued to make their way throughout Syka, the Eypharian couldn't help but make various mental notes. He had wanted to ask more about Tazrae's fraternal twin and most of her life back in Riverfall, if he was being honest. Having lived the majority of his life on Riverfall's shores, the Eypharian had never really come to understand the intricacies of Riverfall society and the various laws that would apply there. To further prove this point to himself, this was the first time that Rhydian had ever gone on to hear about Nakivak and the practice that would lead to one becoming such a thing.

No matter how much Rhydian may have ever wished to build a family for himself, he had known that he could never contractually obligate someone to bear his children. While this may have been something that the Nakivak had opted to do, whether it be of their own volition or not, the entire practice had sounded out of place to this Eypharian. He couldn't quite blame the Akalak for going down this road, so as to ensure the survival of their race, but Rhydian's mind just couldn't fathom why it is that there had been so many people that would be willing to go through with such a thing. He could honestly understand why it was that Lyel had never mentioned it to him.

Once the sentient pair and their several Ixam partners had arrived at the Swinging Bridge, Rhydian would find himself leaning against the rope railings. He wasn't all that used to walking this far, for such an extended period of time, but that was okay. This was just one of those things that he was going to need to work on so that he could prove himself to be the ultimate survivalist of sorts. "You know, I used to reside in Riverfall for a time. Or on the outskirts of it if I am being a bit more honest. Lyel and I tended to go up to visit Riverfall every now and again but it wasn't a more permanent thing. It's too bad that I didn't get the chance to know you back then.. I'm sure that we would have gotten along really well. If it's you, I am sure that I would have loved to have been a part of your life." The Eypharian would than slowly begin to turn his head so that his gaze would fully meet her own. "I don't know much about curses and whatnot but if I am to be honest with you, I'm not sure if I could have done it. The thought of forgetting you? We don't even know eachother all that well yet and the idea is causing my heart to clench."

With his smile beginning to soften as his gaze had lingered upon Tazrae for perhaps a moment too long, Rhydian would eventually pull himself away from the ropes. "I highly appreciate all of the advice that you are giving to me as well, Taz. I'm going to need to learn a lot if I want to make it out here so hopefully I can continuously put your suggestions to work."

Eventually the pair would find themselves arriving at the Jellyfish Lake and an audible gasp could be heard escaping the Eypharian's lips. He hadn't quite known much about their current location before Tazrae would go on to explain it but the very sight of such a wondrous culmination of golden jellyfish. These were a unique type of jellyfish that the Eypharian had never gone on to see before and quite honestly, the sight had moved him entirely. "I.. wow." Having learned a bit about these Euphoria Jellyfish had left Rhydian with an even stronger yearning to discover what kind of unique flora and fauna had existed within the Fandylar Region. The Ashta and the Jungle Ixam had already intrigued the man but now..? Now he had wished to foolheartedly explore the jungles of this land and to discover everything that he can about the place. "Give me some time to get acquainted with the settlement and it's inhabitants first... but in time, I promise to try and discover everything that I can about these creatures. I love all things pertaining to the waters, whether they be lakes, rivers, seas, streams, or ponds!"

The day having finally managed to catch up to the Eypharian, Rhydian would begin motion to stand somewhat closely with Tazrae. The fact that her hair had been everywhere in this moment had made the Eypharian smirk a bit to himself. His own hair had quite often found itself frizzing out due to the humidity but it was really only in those cases that he had chosen to take a brief dip to dampen it out. "I'm really glad that I have met you when I have, Taz. I can't imagine what things would have been like in this past, if we would have met back then, but the present you seems quite amazing as is."

Taking a moment to slip past his newfound companion and towards the trio of Jungle Ixam, Rhydian would be sure to approach each of them before attempting to give them all of the pets. What definitely would have stood out here though would have been how, while Rhydian was focusing on the trio as a whole, his undivided attention had seemingly been slipping through towards the scarlet ixam. "To answer your question, Taz, I've got to say that I've already managed to develop a deep seeded respect for not only Syka but her inhabitants as a whole. She seems to be awash of various races, flora and fauna. This might sound a bit silly to say, given that this is still only my first day here (if you can even call it that), but Syka honestly feels a bit like home. I'm not sure what it is mainly about it but parts of me just feel... comfortable here. So thank you for showing me around."

Both the heat and the humidity finally getting to him, Rhydian would be sure to scrap the clothing that he had been wearing in this moment. It might not have been the best idea to waltz around in jungle lands in the buff but that was something that he could always worry about in the future. For now, Rhydian was more focused on just being comfortable. To his own surprise, Rhydian had even decided to let his hair down so that the humidity wouldn't all be built up. His luscious locks would seemingly fall perfectly into place at first but that much would easily be ruined as Rhydian had begun to run a set of his hands through his hair. "This has been a ton of fun Taz. I guess that one of the only things that we might have left to do today is to get things sorted out at your inn, yeah? I'm willing to pay upfront, once we make our way back to the others, so that I can get a move on things before I have to try and work. Probably best to unpack at some point as well." A small bout of laughter had decided to leave the mans lips as his attention would turn directly back towards Tazrae in her entirety. "Or we can stay out for a bit and take a dip! Well... Maybe not, considering what the Euphoria Jellyfish can do to you."

Word Count: 1,246
Total Word Count: 6,357