Location The Opal Temple

[Gemtana]

The Opal Order... Gemtana didn't know much of this organization nor it's requirements, but she hadn't been turned away yet. She asked herself why she wanted this, for it sounded like some serious dedication was required. She wanted to cure and fix people... But that didn't feel like the true reason. Back in Akvatar, she tried to heal those she could, as best she could for one self taught. After the individual had been healed, she would then paint them, since they were healed, perfect. Her eyes grew wide. She wasn't healing for healing's sake, but for her art. For her painting... She hadn't realized that she was so selfish. Her eyes turned downward. How had she never noticed before? She was about to burst into tears. She was just another selfish artist, just like all the others of her kind that she didnt want to be like. She had always wanted to be something different, something unique. That's why she started helping her people. She started by helping with scraped elbows and scratches. Then when they got better, and smiled, she could paint them again. For them, once healed, life would be normal again. Then it struck her like the blinding light of match in the pitch-black of a cave. She wanted their lives to be normal again. Just normal. The paintings she made were just a bonus for her fixing them. She smiled, the tears glistening in her eyes now appearing to be playful instead of full of sorrow. "If the Opal Order tries to help people become their normal selves and smile again, I want to help them do that." Her smile grew as a joyful tear streamed down her face, "I would like to join the Order, please."

[Alice]

Gemtana - Please follow here ...

[Canali]

Fall Day 33 511 AV The gorgeous Konti who had greeted her upon arrival had directed Canali to the Opal Temple. It was tempting to simply head there and rid herself of the loving child, but Canali had decided against handing Nasib off so directly. Taking a few days for herself to play with Nasib and bond with him before trying to find a home for him was something that made her reminiscent. A bittersweet tang had taken over her moist mouth, swallowing the bitter pill of sadness. Nasib hadn't seem to notice because during the three day period his eyes had never changed to deep blue, a sure sign he was sad or unhappy. Instead he was the happiest he had been yet with his eyes often a mixture of deep yellow, green, and purple. Without a doubt, this was nearly the happiest she had seen Nasib yet. All good things must slowly come to an end, however, and Canali was keenly aware of the Opal Temple lurking in the back of her mind. After renting out a common room for seven SM a day at The Silver Lodge for fifteen days, Canali hid out with the young toddler. Planning to leave Mura in her past by the 45th of Fall was hard to grasp and made Canali's heart clench. Procrastination was a heavy burden, but Canali finally managed to pep herself up a bit to head to the Opal Temple. The temple itself was pure white, enormous, and gorgeous. Was everything on this island beautiful? Canali wasn't sure as she entered the dreaded building. Nasib clutched her hand, chubby fingers interlaced with her own. He toddled along beside her, taking unsure steps into a strange world he had never seen before. His eyes were a mixture between pink, purple, and deep yellow. Katahr had been left back at the room, unhappily, while Canali left to seek out the temple. Her pack was slung across her back, whalebone carving and necklace inside(Necklace to be bought). When the woman comfortingly spoke to them, asking how could "we" help you, Canali started. Her thoughts had been wrapped up in Nasib. Dark eyes zeroing in on the woman, Canali hesitated. Did she really want to get rid of Nasib? Firmly reminding herself she wouldn't be able to take care of him like they would and this would only end up a wasted trip, she took a deep breath before blurting out, "I need to find him a home." A flush crept up her porcelain cheeks.

[Cachet]

Canali please continue here

[Nira'lia]

Winter 41st 512 AV

Nira’lia was back in the Opal Temple, this time for a different purpose. She felt nervous. Taking a deep breath, she walked over to Merida, who asked her for what she needed. Merida Zuval was the temple’s receptionist. She was a human girl who was blind, a fact that Nira’lia had learned on her first visit to the temple.

“Hello,” said the Konti when she finally gathered up the courage to speak. “I am unsure of how long I shall be staying in the city, but I was wondering if you had any job openings.”

She paused for a while, wondering about what else she needed to say. Finally, she realized that she had to talk about what she could do.

“I have a good amount of knowledge in medicine and am blessed with Rak’keli’s marked, so perhaps I can work here as a healer, if you would have me. If not, I also know some herbalism so I might be of some use as an herbalist.”

Nira’lia had no idea about what positions the temple needed filled up at the moment, but she had an open mind about the opportunities. She looked at Merida hopefully, waiting for a reply.

[Traverse]

Merida listened to the light steps of the woman who approached. She knew the gender and the probability of her Konti origin from the light footfalls, and could predict from the strides the nervousness that radiated from a soft voice when the female began to speak. A soft and thoughtful smile parted her mouth only barely as her head bowed in acknowledgement.

"The Opal Order is always in search of those blessed by our resident Goddess, yet..." The expression straightened a bit "You say you do not know how long you will remain here in Mura? Two years of study is required to join their ranks, and most anyone who applies for a job here does so under the plan that they will eventually join the Order." There was clearly a bit of confusion upon her features at the idea of a healer that was not studying to join the Opal Order participating in the Temple, but her expression relaxed rather rapidly, a slight shrug giving way to her next question. "Did you come here with intent to join the Order, or did you simply want a temporary job?"

The young woman tilted her head to the side with curiosity. It was a question that demanded an answer, yet there was very little demanding about the statement, as if Merida couldn't much care one way or the other about what the prospective healer wanted. It was then that her milky white gaze met Nira's straight on, and for a moment caught her gaze. Of course the girl was blind, yet for that instant, it was as if she knew precisely how to find Nira's baby blue gaze. Of course the moment was over just as soon as it had come. The receptionist's head straightened, and her delicate fingers began shuffling papers expectantly, eyes roving the room aimlessly. Strange that.

[Nira'lia]

Nira’lia blinked. She didn’t realize she had somehow opened the topic about the Opal Order itself. Nevertheless, she thought it would be beneficial to go down this line of questions.

“Oh, two years? I came here for a temporary job,” she said clearly. And before anything else was said, she followed up immediately. “But I do have plans of joining the order one day; I just can’t put in the two years as of now. If I could count the few seasons that I stay here towards the two-year count, then that would be great. I was actually also going to inquire about getting classes in herbalism and medicine after inquiring about a job.”

The Konti smiled. She paused for a while, and she hoped that the woman in front of her would be able to make sense of her muddled thoughts. When she was excited, the young girl had the habit of saying too many things, and jumping from one thought to another.

“But… yes, if that’s not possible, I’d be happy enough with a job and the classes, even if it wouldn’t count towards the two years.”

[Traverse]

Thread for Nira'lia continues here

[Ki'toka]

74th of Spring, 513 AV The Opal Temple Ki'toka stood outside the Temple on the lush green grass just looking at the beautiful structure. Her eyes tracing its towers as her index finger on her right hand followed the movements as if it were drawing in the air. She'd always found the temple beautiful and had tried capturing its beauty in her drawings but she'd not quite gotten it yet. There was still something missing, something that she could tell was just outside of her reach. The comment Nel'fi had made the day before, as she was packing up the last of her stuff she needed for her departure of Mura, kept popping back into her head. "Perhaps the reason you can't get it right is because you've never been inside the Temple. Because you don't know how the Order works. I already know you want to be a student, Ki'toka, go and register, you are old enough. Fill your head with what they have to offer and perhaps then, after you've memorized the inside, you will be able to draw the outside..." Perhaps what she said was true. Did she really have to learn how something worked first, come to really appreciate and understand it before she could draw it at its best? Logically it made sense to her. At the moment she wasn't really attached to the temple. It was just a building where she someday hoped to study. That was it. Shaking her head and taking a deep breath, Ki'toka started for the steps that lead up into the Temple. Her body was wound tight with nerves. 'What if they aren't taking any more students for this season?' She knew the logical answer... If they weren't, Summer was practically just around the corner and she could apply then. 'What if nobody there likes me?' Silly worry, everyone on Mura was friendly with everyone. The only time she'd had people be rude and uncaring for her was when she was younger, before she came to Mura with Nel'fi. 'What if I'm just no good at any of this...' That worry was a reoccurring one, always popping its head into her thoughts. She knew that if things didn't work out here, well, she could always find something else to do. Not doing good at the Temple didn't mean that her life was done... She hopped. Coming to a stop just outside the Temple door, Ki'toka took another breath to hopefully calm herself a little. Wouldn't she feel silly if they found out how nervous she actually was? Pushing herself forward before she could talk herself out of it, Ki'toka slipped in through the door and walked up to the circular desk, her fingers lifting carefully to touch just the edge of it. The human woman behind the desk didn't look up at her right away and after a few silent moments of her shuffling through papers, Ki'toka quietly cleared her throat. "Uh, excuse me... I was wondering..." She came up short as the woman's head lifted and she got a look at her cloudy white eyes and she understood. She'd crept in so nervous she'd not made that much noise. "Uh, I was wondering if it was too late to apply for some classes... Was wanting to get started on medicine and herbalism, if I could take them at the same time..." Ki'toka felt her heart speed up as she started to become flustered. "Or if I can't do that... If I can only take one at a time, that would be fine too, though I don't know which I was pick to start with... Do you?"

[Traverse]

Merida Zuval looked up from her spot behind the receptionist desk, gazing absently in the general direction of the voice that now assailed her.

"That will be 18 GM for both classes. You can take them simultaneously." She stated briskly. From where she sat a board emerged which held a few pieces of paper for the different classes, a few names scrawled on it denoting the students participating in them.

"Since it is nearing the end of Spring this term is nearly over, but if you pay for the classes now it will carry you over into summer and you will simply be finished near the end of next season if that is alright, feel free to join the last few classes this season, the instructors won't mind." She handed Ki'toka a piece of graphite in order to put down her name as well.

"The sheet should list when the classes meet, though they are variable based on student and instructor schedules here at the Order."

Merida waited to see if the female had any questions, ears perked for the sound of Mizas that would surely follow if she wanted to take the classes.