Loc: Entrance - Knotted Gates (All PCs enter here)

[Khiara]

3rd Day of Spring

Khiara pushed Vsenri in a gentle walk as they entered the city of the drykas. In front of her the small kelvic was well balanced, held close to her body with one arm. The other hand held the frostmarch's reigns and tied to the saddle, Pon trailed indifferently. Glancing at the men at the gate, she nodded slightly, face red from the heat and sweat lightly running down her temple. One man, a dark looking fellow with the same rich gold tan as Vanator stepped forward slightly.

"Morning." He said in a low, curious voice. Khiara turned violet eyes on him, flickers of gold swimming through them.

"Good morning." She replied softly, slowing Vsenri slightly. It was hard to tell whether she was crossing some undrawn line with foriegners, and caution was always a winner. The man looked the woman and her odd arrangement over, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"Your friend looks unwell." Khiara looked down at Pygmy and silently thanked the kelvic for getting so sick. Looking back at the man, she nodded.

"She's been dancing. Just looking for a place to rest and a good meal." Pausing for a moment, studying the vantha's now gold eyes, he nodded and stepped back.

"Carry on."

[Glayce Lightstorm]

Timestamp: 29th of Spring, 510 AV

The glowing knot work of Web threads had led Glayce to the biggest existing Drykas encampment. The legendary city of Endrykas everybody knew and told stories about. She herself had heard quite a few of them in her childhood and youth and had always wondered what it would be like to travel there with her pavilion. Now that she was separated from her family, she found the way to it almost coincidentally. The seductive colorful lines had drawn her closer and closer to the spot where everything had begun, but before coming there she had taken a different path and come across Endrykas. Even in Syna’s full light she could see that the tents were covered in a huge cap woven by the most proficient Drykas Webbers.

The sight of that enormous Web was what made her enter the city more than anything else. The noise washing over her and the business surrounding her was making her nervous. Nevertheless she was there and would stay there until she had found out what she could do.

Led by subtle footwork Teval carried her deeper into the mess of voices and movement that was the moving city of Endrykas.

[Nero Czan]

83rd day of Spring, 510 AV.

As Nero Czan rode under the marvelous gate of familiar design, towards the all-too-familiar scene of tents and horses, something deep in his mind bit at him, and he struggled to keep a calm face under his brown cloak. He tightly gripped the reins of his Strider, and kept moving along, eager to conquer his own demons, and maybe find some new ones in the process. It was tougher coming back than he imagined.

Nevertheless, when he finally was able to raise his head, he was still somewhat impressed by the gracefulness of this place. It had not changed since that last time he saw it as a child. A mobile city, living on the land as it was meant to be. He chuckled to himself as he thought of all the time he spent in Syrilas, behind dreary stone walls and under shabby wooden pubs. He was here again. He was as close to Home as he could possibly get...

[Lyerd]

20th, Summer, 510 AV

The sun was setting over the horizon as Lyerd rode toward Endrykas. Before him he saw tents lined up in straight rows, and horses--there were tons of horses--being cared for by their owners. The Drykas already knew of his arrival, one of the legendary skills of their race. Yet, they didn't seem hurried to meet him, or worried over his past. He was glad of this; not many people are welcomed after they killed their father, no matter how much time had passed. He continued forward as his horse easily made it over the hills, his cloak draped around him.

His dad's bow hung over his shoulders--a wide bow with a golden tint to it--and thudded against his back with each step he took. He didn’t know why he kept the bow, he didn’t have any arrows at the moment. He felt comforted with its weight against his back. He smiled as the wind touched his hair, and relaxed his face. He had made it. He slowed his horse down to a jog, and strode through the gates. This was his new home. He didn't know how long he was going to stay here, but he felt that it was all going to be great.

[Etaria]

Timestamp: Summer 510AV, The 42nd Day

"Come on Aamina, I know you're hot." Etaria willed her faithful horse forward. A long hunt in the hot grasslands had caused both horse and rider to become parched. Despite the now dead zibri that lay across her Strider's back the hunt had been far from successful. The creature she had hunted for over four years still had not shown it's face.

She clucked at the wary beast to continue it's trek forward. Her mare's hooves dragging against the dry ground, knocking dust into the air. All she wanted was a mug full of ale and a well packed bed of straw. She knew her father would scold have scolded her if he could. She could hear his voice in her mind. I couldn't bear to lose you Etaria. Especially not the same way I lost you mother.

"The Knotted Gates" Etaria smiled at the site of them. "Good to be back home girl."

The two quickened their pace. At hot meal and a cold drink was just what they needed to shake off a hot week in Cyphrus.

[Koray Windcall]

:40 Summer, 510AV:
From one home to another: this was how the difference between the plains and Endrykas sometimes felt like, from one's element to one's family. Koray smiled as he entered the city's perimeter proper, the sounds from the assembled people and animals still a bit hushed by the distance but still deeply comforting in their familiarity.

Under him Sanem snorted and raised her fine head, her stride lenghtening as she felt home growing close. His hand rose, brushed at her braided mane; a small touch to her flanks reminded her not to charge in, and rider and horse made their way through the crowds, Koray nodding at a few familiar faces and calling greetings out to old friends.

It was good to be back.

[Sharakai]

91st Day of Summer, 510 A.V.

Sharakai walked with a measured step, trying to contain her excitement. She had seen the Endrykas city from some distance and had kept it in her line of sight at all times as she made her way toward it. It grew with each step, becoming more tangible and real – definitely not one of the mirages she was used to in the deserts. She had been walking for a long time – over a year if she thought about. Walking first through the burning sands of her homeland and then through the green grasses of Cyphrus. It was only a few months ago that she acquired Hara, her very own Eyktolian Desertbred. The horse walked next to her now, still placing her front left hoof cautiously on the ground. Almost as soon as the two met, the mare had injured her foot; hence, the walking.

After almost a year of searching, she was finally getting closer. She had originally hoped to stumble upon the legendary city of Riverfall – certain that it was the city she had seen in her dreams so many times... The place of running water and moist grass, soft rain and sprawling tree canopies. She had dreamt of it so many times that it had become a reality to her. Riverfall would be the place she would begin to truly study the art of healing and fulfill her Rite of Searching. But this was not Riverfall. This was Endrykas – the Drykas tent-city she had heard so much about during her travels. And while it did not come with one of those waterfalls she had heard about, it was certainly breath-taking in its own right.

She tucked a strand of raven black hair behind her ear and inhaled a deep breath of the fresh air. Air here was different than in the Burning Lands. There was something extra in it – something fresh. And yet, there was also something missing – a kind of dry breeze that had called her home with every step she took away from it. But that breeze had stayed in the Burning Lands and she had moved on.

Sharakai wondered if there were any healers she could learn from in the city. She had always tried to learn as much as she could from every new place she came upon. There was healing everywhere if one looked closely – in every river, in every old woman’s tale, in every grain of sand… Sharakai smiled broadly as she entered the city. This was the start of a new chapter for her.

[Mahd'vi]

The steady rhythm of Bika's hooves clapping merrily onto the ground stabalized Mahd'vi. She softly patted her horse's back to urge Bika to keep going, the sight of Endrykas within distance. Mahd'vi could hear the boisterous laughter, smell the herbs and meats being cooked in the air, feel the hot sun beating down upon her. She was careful to measure her step slightly faster than the city's; she was getting closer with the second. Even the gatesmen around the city were visible to her now. She'd been following Endrykas for close to ten, eleven months now, ever since she left her home of Mura and loving family. Before she'd left, they'd asked her why she suddenly had an urge to travel the land of Mizahar. Mahd'vi had answered, "Adventure," even though the answer was more like, "Romance."
Then they'd asked her where she'd plan on going first. "Endrykas," Mahd'vi had answered once more, "for the beautiful scenery of it," even though she actually meant, "for the beautiful people in it." Then it had been, where will you end up? Back home, or somewhere else entirely? She'd answered very truthly that time, a simple, "I don't know." It was rare for Konti people to venture out as she had, but she was doing it for a very Konti-like purpose, anyway - family and friends. She'd lived in one place all of her life, and had almost never met another race of people besides her own. Mahd'vi was happy in Mura, she was, but not exquisitely, mother-wateringly, brilliantly so, and she suddenly knew, with clarity, around two years ago, that to find that happiness she had to travel. Eventually she knew where she would end up first.. and then she would just go with the flow of the desert wind.
Mahd'vi's soft leather sandals slowly hit the ground, matching Bika's rhythm. She hadn't realized it, but she'd been thinking a long while, and now had just past Endrykas entrance. She widened her eyes, startled, but then smiled to herself and winked playfully at a little boy running past her with a ball in hand. Her feet stopped moving, causing her pale dress to swish around her ankles a bit before settling comfortably.
She looked up into the sky, shielding her eyes from the sun, and breathed in deeply. The sandy air filled up her nostrils and slowly left as she exhaled, a smile on her uncommon, out of place, pale face. So this jolly, hot, sandy, purgatory of a place was Endrykas. Mahd'vi sort of liked it.

[Arand]

2nd Day of Fall 510AV

Arand had spent the entire day riding and bonding with his Strider, Athala. Arand had not wanted to return to Endrykas just yet but his trip was cut short by an incoming storm and Arand knew all too well the dangers of a storm. As he rode he began to see a few other fellow Drykas, and then finally the city itself. Finding Endrykas wasn't so difficult to find anymore, he had been out in the Sea of Grass so much that he began to feel like he just knows where to go. It was as if he could just listen and something would tell guide him home to Endrykas.

Arand approached the knotted gates making sure that his windmark was visible.

And he was in.

[Ryjaoka Windia]

38th of Fall 510AV Looking around the entrance of the grassland she checks herself calmly over. Making sure she had all she would need in case things got out of hand for her. It'd been a long time since she'd been in her homeland. She'd left the area over three years ago and hadn't looked back since than. Yet here she was for the fall hunt. Rubbing the face of her stud Parkas she whispered words of Pavi to him, helping him relax as he smelt the familiar air of his home. She knew that he;d missed roaming around with the other Striders of his age. She couldn't help but smile at him while she moved foward. She felt her stomach flop in her stomach while she pushed ahead into the building. She would visit her old home, or at least the rumble that she'd left behind. Looking at her friend she smiled patting his neck the muscles tight and toned from years of traveling. Moving slowly through the land she found her thoughts flooding her while she remembered everything from the past and all that she had left behind. Even if it was a mere rumble mound and grave stone.