Wind Reach Legends

From Mizahar Lore

Cut off from the rest of the world for most of the year, the Inarta quickly became adept at storytelling for entertainment. While not as astute as other races or cities, due to the cultural seclusion, the tales and legends that sprung up across the centuries following the Valterrian were as diverse as the birds that called Wind Reach home.

The Girl with the Raven Hair

This work is believed by many to be a true tale, though skeptics prefer to attribute the story's origin to a certain Kellen Minder, a human foreigner who fell in love with the city in his prime and decided to make it his home. He rose to a certain prominence within society but the respect he gained was hard-earned with Inartan racism attempting to thwart him every step of the way. The story was never written down until years after his death, but Kellen was known for spending late nights around the campfire and having knack for storytelling, leading scholars to believe that the legend's origins lie with him. -

Deep within the tunnels of the city of Wind Reach, on a foggy hour at dusk, a child was born. She was a trueborn Inartan, her parents' flaming red hair hanging tauntingly just above her head as they leaned over her bed at night. Yet, when she was graced with a mirror to see what beautiful highlights might dance atop her head, all she saw was a midnight black, dark as the depths of Mount Skyinarta's crater. As she grew, her brothers' and sisters' hair grew longer, and so did hers, but it did not lighten, it did not take to the wind when a breeze rolled in across the mountainside. She prayed to Zulrav to paint her hair with the wind as his brush, she prayed to Caiyha to tell her what plants would make the dyes she needed, but she received no answer, and her hair only grew longer.

Soon, when people spoke gossip, they whispered in hushed tones about the girl with hair dark as midnight that combed the floors where she walked, how she stalked the streets on her visits to the aerie. They spoke of dark magic and rituals, but namely the black eagle she spent unruly amounts of time with. Its onyx plumage was as dark as a raven's, and its glaring eyes were full of understanding. It was not long before they chose each other as bondmates, if there ever was a doubt about it to begin with. And now when people spoke in their hushed tones they spoke in reverence, because when she stalked the streets she did it with her head held high, her midnight hair trailing behind as faithfully as the Eagle did.

The girl soon became a woman, and every day she and her trusty mount grew stronger, and the spoils of the hunt were always plenty. Even so, no one would ever compliment her skills for they feared that they may be swallowed by the abyss of her hair should they dare so much as pat her on the back. So she was left alone, and she did her duty to the city, and believed that her city did its duty to her as a valuable hunter and Endal. And she worked harder every day, in the hunt and within her community, just to be able to see the fire in her people's eyes when they didn't have to worry about next week's meal. For her eyes were as black as the darkest night of winter and would not shine no matter how much she smiled.

She always returned home alone. She never visited the haunts that people gathered at every night. Even her family seemed to have forgotten her, and she spent the nights in deep, meaningful conversation with her Wind Eagle. They say that she spoke of insightful things and colorful philosophies, of all the mysteries of the world, but no one will ever know what she said because they only reached her eagle's ear.

And one day, the sacred mountain of Skyinarta let out a blood-curdling grumble from the pits of its deep stomach. It started in the early morning and didn't stop, and the people heard it and they worried. What did the gods want from them to stop this terrible sound? For they knew that with the noise, a great catastrophe would follow, and the mountain would vomit death and despair upon the land. They all knew this, and so did the shadow of Wind Reach, her eagle's eyes full of understanding.

The air boiled hotter than the worst summer days and the sun was setting, and there was nothing but hushed panic throughout the city. They didn't know what to do, for they knew no water could put out the fire looming overhead, and no trench that could be built fast enough. And the girl, she searched for solutions with them, though her input was not helping either, and the elders refused to listen to someone so young, someone whose eyes that did not shine. So she found herself sitting alone with her eagle, staring at the tragedy that would befall her people. And as everyone around her stared at the crater just aching to burst, they too were alone, and they would die alone no matter how hard they held their loved one's hands. They lost hope, but the girl had always been alone with her eagle, and she did not despair. She touched her hair, felt that it was colder than the blizzards in the north, and suddenly she knew. With a heave, she threw herself atop her eagle, whose its fate was in its stare. It took off, and the Inartans watched the black silhouette launch itself in the sky just as fire started spitting out from the depths of the volcano. They watched as she and her eagle dove into the crater without any hesitation. At that moment, every single Inartan could see the reflection of fire flicker in her hair as she descended, they saw it take to Zulrav's winds as though she herself could fly, and then-- nothing. The mountain stopped moaning and the vicious fire gave out before it reached the settlements, and the girl and her mount were nowhere to be seen. The people searched and searched but could not even find a body, and when they tried to remember her and the eagle's name, they could not, because they had never truly paid attention. They could only remember a girl with fire red hair and eyes that shined like emeralds in the light. (c) Casper

The Legend of Endal Leanna

this is a legend for young yasi to give them a reason to follow the rules. many times the legend is told in hopes that the yasi listening will try hard to follow the rules so that they may get a chance to be bonded by a Wind Eagle. The story is not told the same way all the time, it is sometimes changed to fit the need for the story. -

There once was a girl named Leanna, not much is known about her past other then she was also careful to follow all the rules. Many times she would be bullied by her peers because of her desire to follow everything her teachers said. As well, many of the other girls thought her prettier then them which only seemed to make them hostile to her.

It happened on a cloudy day when the rains were sleeping within the clouds and the winds whipped around the Reach promising the people a storm. Meanwhile the Yasi were starting their daily lesson which is where we find Leanna walking towards the classroom late. That morning she had had a even harder day then normal while she ate her breakfast the boys in her class had teased her about her dream of being bonded by a Wind Eagle, and the girls laughed behind her back. Life seemed to have become harder and harder as the days went by, and now it all boiled over.

Deciding she wanted to spend some time alone away from all the people in her life she turned away from the classroom and went for a walk. After a hour of the walk she heard her name being called as if someone was searching for her, scared of getting in trouble and not really wanting to be found Leanna found herself climbing a cliff without thinking. It was just then that the rain started down, and as she climbed higher and higher people started to gather and watch as the girl pushed forward up the wall. Endal on Wind Eagle’s started to circle her trying to find a way to help the girl down. Up and up she went, and soon lightning and thunder filled the sky.

It was hours later that Leanna reached the top of the cliff and it what then that lightning struck all around her, and then she met her future bondmate Tiareal. It is said that Leanna climbed over thousands feet that day, but the cliff is unknown today.

(c)Red Daghul