Completed Ballads in the Rain

[Ireth Telemnar]

Summer 5, 513 AV

Ireth watched from beneath the striped canopy of a baker's shop as the first drops of a summer thunderstorm fell. They were big drops, falling heavily on the red and yellow canopy fabric, the walk around the baker's shop, and the Ravokians passing by. The thunderheads shook the air just an enormous bolt of lightning lit the lake-city's dark sky. Some of the people jumped at the combination of ear-splitting thunder and brilliant light. Ireth had just purchased some fresh bread from the shop. The baker, a warm, plump woman that was a friend of Ireth's mother, stuck her head out of the large wooden shop door.

"Ireth, go on home girl. You're mama wouldn't want you out in this mess."

[Ireth Telemnar]

Lifting the hood of her worn black cloak, Ireth placed a kiss upon the baker's graying hair. "Of course. See you next week Maeraya." Leaving the shelter of the shop's canopy, Ireth ventured forth onto a dock. The storm was picking up, thunder rumbling threateningly, the drops pouring down with zeal.

Coming to a murky canal, Ireth hailed a ravosalaman. He was middle-aged, with a large salt-and-pepper beard that dripped with the rainwater. She handed him a couple of scuffed mizas and gave him the destination. Taking her hand lightly, the man helped her step into the lithe craft without rocking it too much. Ireth settled in, wiping the rain from her eyes, and the boats-man launched from the dock.

[Ireth Telemnar]

After some time in the silence of the ravosala ride, the torrents let up. The thunder continued to roll and the lightning lit the sky again, but the rains slowed until they were simply sprinkles. Ireth lifted her hood from her hair and dipped her fingertips into the lake waters of the canal. She really did love these ravosala rides through Ravok, they reminded her of her father.

Ireth's father, a sailor, grew up on the ocean. He only moved to Ravok after he married Ireth's mother. They had been so in love, Ireth couldn't think of any couple she knew today that was as happy as her parents had been... And then, she remembers when her father died. She'd been ten. The Ebonstryfe had found him in his little boat, floating forlornly after a huge storm. Her mother had been devastated. She'd become a shadow, hardly moving or talking or eating. Ireth's five older brothers did everything they could think of to ease her pain, but eventually it just came to be that Ireth's mother needed to make her way through the pain of loosing her bondmate by herself.

[Ireth Telemnar]

The ravosalaman interrupted Ireth's thoughts. "Are you alright, lass?"

Ireth looked up and into the man's eyes, shadowed slightly by his brown hood. They were a shiny green-brown, with rings like those of a tree. They clashed with his weathered face and graying beard, they were the eyes of a much younger man. They laughed and sparkled. "Just thinking."

The man hummed in reply. "I think I've seen you before. You sometimes sing and play a little flute in the markets and merchant's district."

"Oh?" Ireth smiled. "Yes, I play around the city."

"I have a son, a bit older than you I guess, in the Ebonstryfe. He plays a beautiful trumpet that his mother and I bought him when he was young. He plays mighty well, used to make some coin preforming in the docks when he was growing up." He smiled, wiping some of the rain from his beard. Using his pole, he shoved off of the corner of a walk and steered the ravosala into another, busier canal.

[Ireth Telemnar]

Ireth watched the man's face. At the mention of his son, a huge smile curled his beard. His eyes grew soft and he might have chuckled.

His joy made Ireth happy. "My mother made my flute for my father, out of a piece of ocean driftwood. I inherited it... when my father died."

The ravosalaman's face melted. "Sorry to hear that lass. I bet you sing for him though."

That made Ireth think. Is that what I do? Sing for Father? Her father had always been Ireth's number one supporter when it came to her voice or her playing. The funny calming effect it had on people was her father's pride...

Another ravosala pushed past the one Ireth rode in, causing the other ravasolaman to curse. Ireth's boat-man sighed and shook his head. "What's the rush?" he asks softly, "Used to be that the pace was slower. People were courteous. Life's pace was calm, ya know what I mean?"

Ireth nodded, "Oh course." A bolt of lightning sparked extravagantly, hitting a nearby building, catching its roof ablaze. Folk either scrambled to put the fire out or to get out of the way. The craft took another turn, putting the burning building out of Ireth's sight. The fire reminded Ireth of a song, and she started humming the tune.

"That song," the ravosalaman said abruptly. "That song is an old family favorite, my son'd play it for hours. How does it go? Teach them well that he is gracious...

"He’ll protect them all their lives. Its the Crows of Ravok. My father loved that song. He'd sing me sleep with it." Ireth laughed, remembering her father's deep and soothing voice swimming through her dark bedroom. "Do you... Would you mind if I sang it?"

The man's eyes lit up again. "Why, I'd be delighted."

[Ireth Telemnar]

For a moment, it looked as if the rain would stop. But another clap of thunder announced the truth, and the light mist gave way to plumper drops again. Ireth pulled her cloak's hood over her hair and began to sing, filling her lungs with the humid air and beginning the song softly.

Watch the crows fly over Ravok
Keep your children safe and warm
Let them know that our fair Rhysol
Protects the city with every storm!

Teach them well that he is gracious
He’ll protect them all their lives
He is watching Ravok’s sons,
Husbands, daughters, and wives!

And when the lake is churning
And the sun turns but to black
Let them know that all is good
For Rhysol is back!

He has come to hang our enemies
To turn this world around
Children, watch the Ebonstryfe
Burn our foes to the ground!

So, keep watch for the crows of Ravok
Teach your children that they are great
They’ll clean the bones of our enemies
‘Tis Rhysol’s Ravok’s fate!

[Verilian]

. . Thread Award . . Ireth Telemnar +3 Socializing +1 Singing You Question My Logic? : I could not award very much singing here. Writing out the song is great, but to earn points in the skill you have to describe the act of singing itself. The pitch, the volume, the difficulty or ease, the tempo, ect. Lores: Song: The Crows of Ravok Notes: First off, this thread wont actually count as a job thread, since you weren't doing it for money. As for the thread itself, good job, it was a nice solo that gave some insight into your character. Oh, about the weather. Thunder storms are incredibly rare in Ravok.. any sort of rain is uncommon, but thunder storms almost never happen. Rhysol's magic usually prevents that, so unless I specifically put a thunderstorm in the calendar, they usually don't happen. It's no big deal, just for future reference. Oh, and nice song. If you'd like, I can add it to the Ravok lore under Songs and Stories. I think someone (maybe you) suggested this in the past, actually.. so if you're interested in that, just send me a PM and I'll do it. Notice As per the request of the Founders, threads cannot be graded unless your CS is up to date. This means you need to add threads to your thread list when you make new threads, keep your skills up to date, ledger, living expenses, ect. If you aren't up to date, you'll get a PM from me before i grade your thread. If you are up to date, disregard this notice.