Open The Storytellers

[Rayt]

12th of Spring, 517 AV

After the sun sets on Alvadas Rayt digs out a key he was given from the inn keepers at the wolf's cave. It was some sort of magic trinket that tugged in the direction of the inn, or so he was told. He had used it several times before but it still unnerved him a bit that he held some sort of magic in his pocket at all times. He never understood magic, but he knew he had to have some manner of respect and fear of it. It was not something to be thought of lightly. He had heard many stories of magic ripping people apart or turning them to liquid in a matter of minutes...and those were some of the more tame consequences it had been said. He had no personal experience of magic, that is until he stepped foot into the ever shifting city. It still made him a bit infuriated that the city seemed to shift and twist every day. He had lived in the city for a very short time and, while knowing nothing of the city, learned it was a city of illusions and deception. it was enough to drive him mad. Rayt knew nothing of magic, and now he was in an enchanted ever-changing city.

He breathed a sigh of relief when the key tugged him along the streets and he saw the some-what familiar caves that he called home, for now. He walked into the wolf's cave and into their large lounge area sitting by the fire to clear his mind. Rayt often did this after venturing into the city. Anything to keep his sanity in this insane city. He longed for the stability of Wind Reach some nights, and this night was no exception. Not to say the city did not provide him with the excitement and adventure he was seeking, it was just something incredibly different than he was used to. He hoped he would get the chance to become acclimated to this twisting city.

Noticing the people around him as he cozied up to the fire and lifted his eyes from the fire he looked at each one in turn. There were six in total, four men and two women. The two women both had a similar appearance. Almond skin, black hair with brilliant highlights that seemed to shimmer, one with deep blue and the other with a neon green. They were lovely if not otherworldly to the male Inarta. The males were the same, dark haired, light almond skin, and their hair shimmered when they moved with bright dazzling colors. They seemed different, but Rayt had precious little experience with other races than his own. They definitely weren't Inarta.

One of the males held an instrument on his lap and pulled it up to his chest and started to strum it lightly. It had a pleasant sound that filled the chamber and as the male played one of the females began to sing a sorrowful song, beautiful but mournful. it was short and it was about snow and ice and some, "frozen queen". It painted a beautiful picture and the song seemed mournful of the passing of the season, if not mournful then at least he got the sense of a home-sick feeling. Though that may have been because he missed his own home city so much.

Rayt smiled and clapped softly and the strangers all looked toward him. He blushed in sudden embarassment at being acknowledged and cleared his throat as a pitiful attempt to regain composure. "That was a beautiful song, my name is Rayt. I'm new to the city". The strangers nodded and one of the males, a dark haired and imposing figure spoke, he had broad shoulders and a thick beard "I am Nenir Snowsong and these are my companions" he said pointing to each and naming them with each pointing of his finger. There was Raktha Frostfawn another of the males, Garan Frostfawn a brother of Raktha, Coren Snowsong brother of Nenir, and the two females Minose Snowsong and Dadara Snowsong that bared no relation to each other or any of the others. Nenir spoke again, "We are travelling to adventure across the landscape to gather stories and goods to take back with us to Avanthal. We are storytellers, merchants, and musicians by trade". Rayt explained that he was a falconer by trade, though he had but the one owl, who had been given to him. "Well, I propose we share some stories then, I would love to hear some tales from Ava...Ave..that place you said" he tried to recall the city they hailed from without luck as the troupe gave a hearty laugh in response.

[Rayt]

The storytellers insisted that Rayt share a story first. Not being a storyteller he thought a long while about what sort of tales he knew. He decided to tell of something he knew about, birds. He knew a short fable he always loved, though he did keep birds it reminded him to not mistreat them or take them for granted. He began the tale, "There once was a prince in a tall castle who woke each morning to a songbird singing outside his window". Rayt paused a long while to think of how the story went after this and his tale was halting in places as he told it. "The...prince desired to hear the bird all the time for the bird was free to come and go and sometimes would not sing to him some mornings. The prince wished...uhm...he wanted to have his castle be filled with the song of the songbirds at all times".

Rayt continued, hoping the tale was going well, "the prince decided the solution was to capture the songbird. He ordered the" he paused for a bit as he thought of the next part of the story trying to remember the tale from his childhood. "He ordered his best knight to cage the songbird and so the songbird was placed in the most glorious chamber of the castle that would appropriately amplify the bird's lovely song".

Rayt paused this time for effect rather than lack of memory of the story for this was the most important part of the story. "The prince woke the next morning in hopes to the singing of his new captive...but the music never came. Morning after morning the prince woke to silence. Infuriated the prince asked his knight what the matter was, but the knight did not know. He asked his servants, his family, his subjects, but none knew. Finally he asked a witch who claimed to be one with nature why his bird would not sing and the witch said, 'A prisoner does not create music', thus the prince returned to his castle and killed the songbird infuriated that he could not have what he most wanted".

Rayt smiled as he finished his tale with some difficulty, for it was halting and clunky. The troupe nodded and clapped in appreciation. The fable was one from his childhood and it was one with a couple of morals. The first was, one should treat those lower or smaller than you as you would treat yourself, and the other is to be happy with what you have, for if not it may be lost forever.

[Rayt]

Nenir rose and clapped Rayt on the shoulder, "well done, one good tale deserves another I think". The man was certainly a jovial sort, Rayt thought as the imposing figure stroked his thick black beard perhaps thinking of the tale he would tell. "hmmm...I know quite a few tales but we are all feeling quite homesick. We are actually returning to our homeland and will start our journey tommorow morning." He said, Rayt questioned, "Where is that?" Nenir's dark brown eyes seemed to smile as he looked at Rayt, "well I could answer your question, or I could tell you a story lad" He said and sat down beside Rayt.

Nenir began his story, "Far into the northern reaches of this land lies a city ever frozen in snow and ice. It is our homeland of Avanthal where even the buildings are made of a special ice". Rayt pondered this. he had never left his home of Wind Reach so the only cities he had seen were his own and this mad house he had been thrust upon. A city made entirely of ice. He shivered visibly just thinking of it. He could hardly withstand the chills of the Kalean winter's let alone the frigid landscape that was being depicted.

Nenir continued, "The frosty city holds our Goddess Morwen who brings winter to the rest of the world, including here in Kalea, though our city is forever in Winter even if she is gone". Rayt nodded, he knew there were goddesses and gods, he didn't know all of them but it made snece that there would be a goddess of winter. He wondered what she looked like, a being made of ice? A frozen woman? Perhaps he would meet her on his adventures. "Morwen is the queen of our people the Vantha. Now that's just to set up my little story, some
background information for ye" he said while clapping Rayt on the back.

"Now, Morwen is a gorgeous being, all the Vantha know that. This is the story of my friend Owatu, who became a little more zealous in his worship of our queen" Rayt could hear the soft giggles of the females and the snorts of acknowledgement from the other males as Nenir went on. "Now Owatu had never seen the Goddess as he was always busy out in the wilderness. He could never resist a pretty face either, nearly trips over himself to hold the door for a fair maiden. One Season, Winter actually a few years back old Owatu couldn't catch a cold out there in the wilderness. He was going to starve to death, so he went to the ice palace of Morwen to beg for her favor so maybe he could catch something. Well he was just dumb founded when he saw the queen for the first time he forgot to ask for the thing he came for" the vantha male burst out in laughter "he got all tongue tied and just thanked Morwen for the winter breeze or some such thing and went out to the wilderness".

"Well lad, let me tell ye. We hadn't seen Owatu in quite a while, maybe a few days. Now, when that happens around Avanthal there's a good chance that the poor fool who went out to the wilderness unprepared is dead so we sent out a search party to look for 'im. Well wouldn't you know Owatu is standing there with his lips on the cheek of an ice sculpture he made of Morwen. We got a few laughs out of that for seasons". The troupe burst into laughter and took out some amber colored liquid and started to pass some glasses around. "Here lad, drink with us" Nenir said as he handed a glass to Rayt.