Solo Arrival!

[Reve Ashworth]

3rd of Winter, 521

“Land ho!”

“Oh thank the gods.”

“I’m hurt you know. I thought we were gettin’ to be good friends you and I.” A large sailor man with sun tanned skin clapped Reve on the back, nearly sending him pitching over the side. Reve had been leaning over the rail of the medium-sized trade ship to get a better view of the strip of dense green that was rapidly expanding on the horizon.

“It's not you, Clay, I swear. But you are a sailor and I’m not…though I’ve spent enough time on a damn boat to probably be considered one. Lhavit sure is a long way away.” Reve sighed out, shaking his head to clear bits of crystalized salt from his curls of hair.

“Well, I suppose ya are right. I only got ta pleasure of taking you from Riverfall to good old Syka, not around the horn to Lhavit. Say… why Syka?” The captain questioned, folding his arms on the rail next to the slighter man.

“Would you believe me if I said I’m a big snake enthusiast?” The joking response was met with an eye-roll from Clay. “Fine. Even though I spent a good many years learning magic there isn’t a terrible amount of employment for it in Lhavit…or anywhere for that matter. My next set of skills lies in carpentry and architecture but my home city has a lot of competition in that field. So I’m here to find a job, build something of my own, and maybe make the archeological find of the century exploring some gods forsaken ruins.” Reve finished with a shrug.

“So you are throwing yourself into the deep jungle. Got it. Enjoy your death wish.” Clay left with a laugh over his shoulder as he moved to get his ship in shape for landfall.

“Thanks,” Reve responded dryly as he turned to watch the water splash up against the wooden hull of the ship, his small bag trapped firmly between his feet to stop it from sinking into the depths below.

The wind was warm, the salty sea was fair, and the cries of foreign birds echoed in the distance. As waves broke against the hull and sent the spray of seawater into the air, wetting those on the deck of the ship, Reve took a deep breath of fresh air.

“Alright jungle, bring it on…but gently please.” He grinned at the approaching landmass.

[Reve Ashworth]

There was a grating sensation felt throughout the entire ship as it made contact with the soft sand that made up the beaches of Syka shore. The ship sat cradled halfway between the clear warm water and the soft white of earthen sand as its crew disembarked. One member of the small crew ran to a nearby palm tree and tied the boat to shore while others dropped a few heavy sacks to the beach sand below. The goods landed with a muted thud below sending up a puff of fine sand with each impact.

Reve stayed aboard for a bit pitching in to help unload, ending with him and Clay being the last two members to disembark. Clay stepped down first and made sure the land lover didn’t make his first entrance to his new home face planting into the ground from the shaky legs born of being at sea.

“Thank you for having me, Clay.”


“Ah, it was a pleasure. Besides, you paid me so I’d like ya anyways.” He turned towards the small crowd that was forming at the arrival of a ship, a few residents already stepping up to help haul the sacks wherever they needed to go. “I’ll be about for a bell too if you change your mind…”

“I won’t but thanks for the offer.”

“Yeah yeah, it still stands.” He patted Reve on the shoulder before turning him towards an older human man with white hair and a salt and pepper beard. “That’s Mathias. He’s one of the founders so ya might wanna talk to him if you wanna stay.”

“Noted. I’ll be sure to introduce myself before you get going.” Reve replied with a smile hiking his bag onto his back as he watched the organized chaos of ferrying materials around.

He must have had a look of being vaguely lost or intimidated by the veritable walls of green that were surrounding him because it wasn’t a chime before the older man made his way towards Reve. The sand crunched and shifted under his sandaled feet as he stopped a few feet from where Reve was standing.

“Greetings! Welcome to Syka. My name is Mathias and I’m one of the Founders around here. What brings you to our Slice of Paradise?” Matthias spoke politely and with confidence, intent on finding out this man’s purpose for being here and set him at ease. He seemed a little tense but then again most people would be in a new area not knowing what to expect.

“Reve. Reve Ashworth. I lived in Lhavit most of my life but I decided to come here and see what I could make of myself, Sir.” Reve responded, holding out his handshake Mathias’ hand. Mathias returned the handshake with a crinkle in his eyes, his hands firm and calloused from hard days of working with his hands.

“Please don’t call me Sir,” He laughed. “It makes me feel old. But anyways let me be the first to welcome you to Syka then, officially. We take anyone who has something to offer to the settlement. So I have to ask. What do you offer Reve?”

“I’m a classically trained mage in the arts of Projection and Voiding but my more employable skills are those of a carpenter and architect. Though my carpentry skills are a bit rusty due to me being a carpenter for a short time with my father before I landed an apprenticeship.” Reve spoke with confidence. He wanted one of the founders of the city to see him as valuable. “But any skill you want me to learn I will. I will do anything that is needed with only minor complaints.” He added on with a slight smile.

“A mage huh? Well we got a few magic folks in the city I’m sure you’d get along with so you’ll fit right in. As for carpentry, that's a very useful skill for us here and a skill my fellow founders will be happy to hear. Randal is the person who built most of the structures around Syka but lately, he wants to build his own surf shop so there might be just the opening for you to stake your claim. After you get your feet under you that is.” He added, not wanting to pressure the lad into doing anything and watching him fail miserably.

“Well, I’ll be sure to do my best! And I heard that there are bungalows that one could rent for a season? I’d rather not sleep in the jungle if I could help it. I’m under no illusions that surviving a jungle is anything like the mountains.”

The eldest founder let out a bark of laughter, “You’d be right! Please don’t go into the jungle unattended unless you are confident in your skills. The jungle for the unprepared is death.” He spoke seriously even as the warm breeze of the sea took weight out of his words with how lovely it was. “As for the bungalows, yes we do have some to rent for the season. One hundred miza that are due at the end of the season. I can show you where they are if you like?”

[Reve Ashworth]

Reve nodded his head in assent to both statements as Mathias turned and started to walk down the beach, towards the presumed location of the bungalows. Mathias couldn’t help but notice the way Reve held himself as he walked. At first, he thought it was just the sand messing with the lad's gait but soon he realized that was not the case. Reve’s shoulders dipped too far to be considered normal and balanced as his left leg moved stiffly, limping ever so slightly. He was keeping pace with Mathias and not dropping everything in his hand, he simply looked awkward and unbalanced. Mathias simply made a note to keep a brief eye on Reve to see if his physical malady would be a danger to the citizens of Syka if it didn’t let Reve pull his own weight. But Reve seemed earnest enough to be here so he’d have his chance to prove himself.

While they walked alongside one another Mathias took the time to introduce some of the settlement. He pointed down cramped jungle pathways that looked regularly maintained, pointing out the path to the Panacea and the general Syka commons.

“And it's good that you came at the time you did. Our tenday is only seven days away now,” Noting Reve's curious head tilt at the Founder he elaborated. “A tenday happens every ten days and it's simply a gathering time for all members here to check in with one another and celebrate successes and bemoan failures and such.”

“Ah, that seems like something I’d be happy to participate in. And it’s good proof of life too. I’d hate to just go missing.” He responded lightly as he shifted his feet each stride, playing with the way the sand shifted and cascaded over his boots.

“I wouldn’t joke about that too much. The jungle has a habit of taking those jokes literally,” Mathias warned before shrugging. “Survival is never a matter of luck but of skill and I think you’ll be just fine.”

“I appreciate the vote of confidence!” Reve chipped back cheerfully. The two spend the rest of their walk in a comfortable silence as Reve took it all in. He walked up and down the beach, dipped a hand in the warm water, and moved towards the jungle's edge to peer at some of the plant life that made its home in the beach's sandy loam.

The pair arrived at the bungalows shortly enough. Ironically, the younger of the two showed the limp typically associated with a venerable age. The two stopped in front of an empty bungalow deeper in the jungle but still in sight of the beach as Mathias turned to their newest resident.

“Here is the one for you then! I’m sorry to just welcome you then have to leave but it is the middle of the day and Syka always has things to do. If you need any more help please ask. Welcome to Syka.” He gave a quick nod of his head before making his way back up the beach that faded to the jungle and rounded a bend to disappear behind a tree leaving Reve standing on the porch of his new residency.

The young mage opened the flap that acted as the door to the bungalow and walked inside. The inside was as brightly lit as the outside due to the multitude of glassless windows that could be closed by a simple dropdown of canvas. Reve spent a moment wandering around and finding where everything was before dropping his bag onto the floor and collapsing back onto the bed, staring up at the thatched roof above.

“Here we are. Adventure awaits! And job…a job is good too”