Flashback Follow the Leader (Valdyor)

[Sosicly Magnolia]

OOCSosicly is 13 in this thread . 16th of Spring, 509AV One of the many wonderful things about Kalinor was its silence. The arching caverns may drum loudly but save for being inside the buildings itself the most common sound seemed to only be the air of the shift of silks. Chit chat was not much heard on the roads of Kalinor unless one was using the same cord so it was not surprising. What was surprising was anyone who lived a life outside of the norm for a Sym, they were not a rigid people but some things were not well accepted. Such as breaking laws, death, stealing or even participating in unsavory activities without a means to an end. From what her brother had mentioned Sosicly assumed that unless you gambled for a woman, gambling was not acceptable. While she would never dare participate in such an activity herself she had found herself interested in the ‘shady’ side of people, far and few that they were, that Kalinor had to offer. Since she would never follow her brother Veladra’s she had found another target. Veladra’s had told Sosicly she just had a crush, Sosicly had informed him that he could suck an egg, and spiked his breakfast as he did get horrible hangovers. The young Syms target was a man by the name of Valdyor. He was older than herself by many years but she was not sure how much older, she only knew of the whispers and gossip of what he did in his spare time, curtsey of the twittering Ariel dancers. He had red eyes, grey hair and was much taller than Sosicly which made it easier to follow him through the streets. But it would be a lot easier if he would stop somewhere instead of just going. She wondered if she would be able to catch him doing something unsavory and grinned at the thought. It made it easier to keep her grip steady if she had a goal in mind, she slowed her swing down, stopping here and there to keep a distance so he wouldn’t her wheezing or see that she was actually following him. The only problem was it was boring, watching places she could actually go into swing by while following him but knowing she couldn’t go into anywhere he went or he’d see her! Viratas, why was stalking so hard?

[Valdyor Avenca]

Valdyor moved easily about the ropes and silks of Kalinor. It was a lovely, peaceful place that brought a certain sense of solace with it. Within it's cavernous walls, one knew what to do with time and how to act. The Symenestra were by no means a rigid people in custom or life, but he still had to be careful. It was few and far between of his people that looked upon gambling and thievery as anything but a crime against nature. Viratas knows he didn't fully understand why he did it himself. He had always liked the goddess, always followed the rules, but lately, he was pushing those rules further and further.

Now he moved easily through the city, past homes and businesses, silk weavers and aerial dancers, and past the many denizens of the city. He slowly wound his way to a little used area, where he and his fellows often met. He touched down lightly on the cool stone and walked into a slim alley, smirking as he did so. As far as he could tell, no one had followed him, though he always thought a bit too highly of his own observational abilities to check properly. Now he came to rest, kneeling on one knee and the pad of one foot, in the alley amongst several other of the rough and tumble denizens of Kalinor.

He smiled as they played and gambled and wagered away this or that. He managed to swindle some coin away from his fellows, but only a bare amount, nothing even note worthy. He didn't care about time. He would leave when he felt like it, or if someone happened along and they needed to disperse, lest they incite the city's wrath. And so he played and gambled and it was good. If he lost too much, he'd just do a bit of pickpocketing here and there, recoup his losses. It was almost too easy.

[Sosicly Magnolia]

By the time she reached close enough to hear anything she still couldn’t make out the words. Just sounds that didn’t make sense one way or another. For a chime she sat on the house and stared, able to make out shapes moving within the crevice. From where she was sitting she could make out the craggy wall surrounding it too. Decision made Sosicly took a few steps back and patted her chest as if to reassure it. A moment later she took a running leap and gripped the wall with shaky limbs. She laid on it vertically, spread out like a smashed spider, her fingers white gripped around the stone. Viratas help her to slow the pounding of her own blood flow. There was nothing fun about going through the air without the aid of a silk cord! For a few chimes she gripped until her tension left and replaced by another tension, this one of sore muscles. Painstakingly she moved her hand and fingers cautiously, fingers sprawling to find the right grip, and her feet shuffling after. She didn’t notice that the sounds grew closer, only that now she was tired and finding someone doing something unsavory wasn’t much fun. It was only luck that she managed to creep to the edge of what would be considered one of Kalinors alleys’. And when her luck ended, Sosicly ended up on her rear at the edge of the alley staring at some annoyed and confused expressions.

[Valdyor Avenca]

Valdyor looked up at the sounds of feet on stone, of hands scrabbling. He and his companions saw the girl, sitting there, looking dumbfounded at the end of the alley. He stood, his claw like nails curling with his fingers as he readied himself for a possible fight, or to flee. "Who are you, what are you doing here?" he asked, his voice a harsh whisper, not wanting to attract too much attention to their unsavory business.

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Sosicly gaped at the small group in silence, her mouth opening and closing with audible clicks of her teeth before she finally had the sense to reach for her knapsack. It only took the young Symenestra pulling out the book for a low whistle to cut through the tension, “That’s the quiet one. My brother told me about that one.” “Can’t do much harm if she can’t say nothing.” Red eyes darted between them before settling on her original target, since no one had moved yet she took to opening her ink vial, crossing her legs, and setting herself up to write. Sosicly took less than a chime to write out her questions and flip them towards Valdyor. I am Sosicly. I followed you here. What are you doing? When she deemed it long enough she returned the book to her lap, settling herself and waiting for the pain in her back to subside from the small fall. While she settled the others seemed to deem her as unworthy of attention or were going to discuss it quietly, either way they turned away from the child. Sosicly took the moment to use her peoples extra arm length to snatch up a pair of the dice and inspect them closely. After a moment of contemplation she wrote out her another question and shoved it in Valdyors direction again then tossed the dice. Will you show me how to play? “Looks like you got an admirer, Valdyor.” One of the others said, having read both the current and previous text. “Maybe you should take her home, unless you’re going to watch her.” Sosicly waited silently for Valdyor to respond, wondering exactly how much trouble she would be in if he escorted her home.

[Valdyor Avenca]

Valdyor sighed and ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head slowly. "Viratas preserve us..." he muttered to himself before looking at the girl. "Listen, Soscily, I'm Valdyor. And as for following me, well, that wasn't the best choice to make. And what we're doing? We're gambling. Not exactly an exalted thing here in the city," he said with a nod to the way out of the alley.

"So if you want to learn to play, you're going to have to be able to bet, to lose, to win, and to keep it secret," he said, knowing that even though she couldn't talk, she could write just fine. "And if you don't, then I'll take you home right now. And if you break that secret later, then I'll kill you," he said to her, his voice calm and serious.

[Sosicly Magnolia]

I know who you are and you will not because Viratas will see you. I will make sure he knew of you betraying your own for a game, and so would everyone else. Sosicly waited for him to finish reading, aware it may irritate Valydor but she did not care for she did not plan to tell anyhow. And I don’t plan on telling. I’m not a tattle-tale. Besides, this is not the first time I have followed you. And my brother knows I do.

She added for good measure then held book up again, along with a smug grin, Now teach me, Versda.

What do you gamble for? she wrote the question, as she continued to pick up the dice and toss them with her free hand, I have no coin.

“Oh no, you’re not playing.” One of the men pipped up, the others nodding in agreement, Sosicly only glared at him for interfering. After a chime she sat down again, stubbornly, she would get to play one way or another.

“Leave her be. Valdyor can teach his problem and continue his game with us, as he isn’t finished. Can’t have him using her as an excuse to leave.”

Sosicly smiled brightly at this man, then turned to Valdyor expectantly, waving him over with a hand and setting her things to the side.

[Valdyor Avenca]

Valdyor sighed and nodded at the words written in the book. He may have been many things, but a traitor to his own kind he was not. Nor was he an idiot. He knew that she could be dangerous if she were willing to follow him more than once. Besides, he was more religious than most of his fellows in the alley, and Viritas was a deity he feared and respected.

He sighed and snatched the dice from her hand. "We gamble for coin. As for what you can gamble with," he growled and handed her a handful of rocks. "You can practice with these. Now then, how to play. You roll the dice. The version we play requires simplicity in most things. You roll the dice. Seven is the middle number, most common roll. Two is the worst and twelve is the best. That's it. Simple, right?"

He smirked as he turned and tossed the dice with a flick of his wrist, watching as they rolled over to double sixes and he pulled in the pool of coin, making up all his losses in one roll. He snatched the dice up again, turning and letting them fall into his sleeve, producing another set from his pocket. "And a bit of slight of hand can add entertainment value. Though be careful. Win too much and they'll say you cheat, even when you don't." He handed her the dice and nodded as he pocketed his coin.

[Sosicly Magnolia]

Sosicly watch Valdyor play for a few moments before picking up her own pebbles, counting them slowly and marking them as gold Miza in her mind. Setting aside two formally she held out her hand for the dice while her reluctant instructor moved away to play his real game. While she did not enjoy being treated as a child there was something exciting about being accepted and hiding away to play. But now that the rules had been spoken she realized it sounded much like a game commonly played in the Hunters Gather. The girl wondered what made it different. Sosicly counted her numbers with a scowl. Every time she rolled she seemed to get a two or five. She wanted a twelve, or even a seven. Hearing the faint chuckles of the men watching every so often she threw the dice a bit harder. Another two. "You'd make a terrible gambler, Bitta." As if to spite him the dice counted out an even twelve. Sosicly grinned widely and collected her pebbles from her private pool. She turned proudly to face Valdyor but found herself face to face with Veladra. Eyes wide Sosicly scrambled away but her brother caught her arm, and tugged her over, "On my back. Now." He still sounded groggy but his gaze sharper than his claws that were currently biting into her arm with too much force. Turning to face the others in the little way he glared at each. "Send her home next time. An you are explaining to Mother why I am drunk, and you were not in class." The girls only response was the silent vow of revenge, and the sharp jab of her nails in her brothers shoulders.

[Ensnare]

Sosicly

Skill	XP Gained
Tracking	1
Observation	2
Climbing	1
Persuasion	2

Lore Gained

Valdyor: Shady Symenestra

Gambling: The Basics of Dice

Vow: I will get back at my brother

Items/Consequences: None!

Valdyor

I have your grade, but since your character sheet isn't up to date, I can't give you your grade.. It will remain as a saved file on my computer until you return to play on Mizahar again. Just send me a PM for it!

If you feel I have graded you unfairly, or if you have any questions, please send me a PM and we'll work the problem out.

Notes :

Alleyways in Kalinor? Preposterous.

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