View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post
Labor rental outfit. Could be a disaster if it's for fetching and carrying, could be all right if she's hired out for writing, could be mediocre if it's for caring for people's invalid maiden aunts, could be intolerable if it's code for "whorehouse" - and there are more girls than boys in the batch she's currently shackled in a wagon with. Aya's debating whether to start a conversation with the slave next to her to see if she knows more when -
An embroidered bear that looks like it's wearing a suit of lace-bordered plate armor and has tiny useless metal wings to match and is at least four times its likely original size charges the horses, who startle madly and go completely out of control.
The wagon goes over. There's a fence, at the side of the road, there's posted warning signs, beware Magic in this ravine until post marking its end, but the wagon with all the slaves in it crashes right through the fence. Gravity's upended, everyone's screaming, some of the screams cut off abruptly as they tumble end over end down the slope. Aya flings manacled hands over the back of her head, feels a familiar snap in her arm as something strikes it - that's broken; and now her nose is too - there's a splinter of wood through her calf and her ear's ringing and wet with blood and she's got to have cracked a rib -
She's completely unharmed, unperforated, not even embroidered as far as she can tell. The steel around her wrists and ankles is gone. She doesn't see any of the other slaves - no, on second though, maybe she does, there's a bright orange snake with a tail that splits into five fish-finned ropes and a beetle the size of her head with the lyrics of Midnight Lightning written across its wing casings in block letters and a surprised-looking rabbit with wheels for forefeet and a broom-end for a tail. Everyone else is either much less recognizable or vanished entirely. But she's fine.
(She checks her heel. It's still marked. So she's unrestrained and unsupervised, but not, technically speaking, free.)
She needs to get out of the magic soonish, before it gets bored with its minimal alterations of her person, decides she'd be prettier as a glass music box decorated with butterfly wings, or a leather-upholstered down pillow that drinks blood, or a goose with windmill blades spinning around its neck. She's not, however, sure that she can climb the hill. It's likely she'd get just far out enough to count as having exited the magic and then fall, taking her chances a second time, and while this occasion she was lucky, nobody else was - she doesn't think she's been lied to all her life about the general safety of the environment. She'll have to go out the other way. She wades into the waist-high grass, routing around the clump made of swords and the clump made of swaying violin strings and the patch that might just be pitch-black flora but might be something else - but most of the grass seems only to be grass; plants tend to be safer in magics than animals. She winds up startling a dozing bird-eel-cat hybrid so thoroughly mixed up that she has no best guess as to what it was originally. It flap-flop-flees.
And then, when she hasn't seen an embroidered plant for a while since the shrub that appeared to be growing assorted national flags for leaves and onions by way of fruit, and thinks she might be close to the edge, there's a door.
It is freestanding in its frame, painted bright and glossy red with a few words in other colors on it running in various directions ("entirely", "yellow", "jump", "choristers", and "melting"), has pink fringe growing out of its hinges, and has where a handle might normally be, a slender open jar affixed with its mouth pointing up which is full of small-denomination coins, dried cloves, and what looks like it might be olive oil.
Aya has no idea how big this magic is. She doesn't know if drinking the water or eating anything vaguely appetizing that she finds around it will be taken as a second invitation to turn her blue or centipedal or dead. She could turn back and try to climb out the way she came, but - then what?
She's nowhere near the border.
Her legal owner is the employer of the fellow who was driving her and the others to the labor rental office.
The magic hasn't given her a set of papers and it has not unmarked her heel, and provoking it is more likely to make things worse than better.
And she's never heard of a door in a magic before.
She gingerly touches the jar, which is cool under her hand - and she pulls - and the door opens, tufts of pink in the hinges squeaking, to reveal what looks like a bar, which definitely isn't behind it if she peers around the frame.
Aya takes a deep breath and she walks in.
+ Show First Post
namesthesky
onthewind
She nods. "Comparable to a bunny," says says, carefully, so Aya can look it up. "A bunny that speaks Jorten."
namesthesky
"A bunny that speaks Jorten," Aya repeats while she hunts through her dictionary. She laughs again. "Adorable. Mmm."
onthewind
Idania giggles and nods. "Tour, Perinixu, or language?"
She's keeping her sentences simple and short. Because she's nice.
She's keeping her sentences simple and short. Because she's nice.
namesthesky
Aya flips through her dictionary. "Tour," she says. It's convenient she made sure to get a dictionary with a section organized by phonetics.
onthewind
She nods, and now that she's home - well, there's really no reason not to fly. Up into the air she goes. There's a swirl of a breeze around her, and then she is just sort of casually floating there. She likes walking, too, but right now she wants to fly.
"Since we're here." She points at the temple. Aya isn't going to be expected to offer up anything, but Idania's pretty sure it will be helpful for her to understand how temples typically work. "Less confusion with Perinixu. No pressure for offerings."
Idania will repeat sentences if Aya seems to need her to.
"Since we're here." She points at the temple. Aya isn't going to be expected to offer up anything, but Idania's pretty sure it will be helpful for her to understand how temples typically work. "Less confusion with Perinixu. No pressure for offerings."
Idania will repeat sentences if Aya seems to need her to.
namesthesky
Aya looks things up.
"Less confusion?" she asks, when she's done translating.
"Less confusion?" she asks, when she's done translating.
onthewind
"You'll know how it works," explains Idania. "Less chance for accidental insults."
onthewind
Idania nods. The same door they came out of is opened again, and - nope! Not a bar.
What it is, is large and pretty, though. The floor looks like some kind of green quartz, perfectly flat but shimmering and catching the light. Sandstone pillars with lovely and visible layers give support to the place - it's got walls behind them, but on the inside it feels quite open and airy. Light, gauze fabric curtains waft inside, in whites and yellows and greens. The ceiling is some kind of quartz or glass, flooding the entire temple with natural sunlight. The entire place has a natural breeze inside it, made more evident by the curtains.
There's an open area, in the center of the temple, with an archway to designate that it's an entrance. Less obviously, though - there are paths both to the left, and the right, that go behind the columns. Idania floats to the right, and motions for Aya to follow her.
What it is, is large and pretty, though. The floor looks like some kind of green quartz, perfectly flat but shimmering and catching the light. Sandstone pillars with lovely and visible layers give support to the place - it's got walls behind them, but on the inside it feels quite open and airy. Light, gauze fabric curtains waft inside, in whites and yellows and greens. The ceiling is some kind of quartz or glass, flooding the entire temple with natural sunlight. The entire place has a natural breeze inside it, made more evident by the curtains.
There's an open area, in the center of the temple, with an archway to designate that it's an entrance. Less obviously, though - there are paths both to the left, and the right, that go behind the columns. Idania floats to the right, and motions for Aya to follow her.
namesthesky
"Oooh," says Aya approvingly. She bikes in - well, Idania said her god would approve of the bike, and it hovers, it's not going to scratch the floor.
onthewind
Yeah, Raezenoth is not going to be upset that Aya is using a hoverbike in his temple. Maybe something like a plow and he would be annoyed, but something that flies? It's perfectly at home here. Welcome, even.
Off they go, behind the columns. Now that they're here - there are carvings mounted on the sandstone and marble wall, out of the same quartz the floor is. It tells stories, through pictures. One set shows a set of people chained and whipped, then a breeze leading them to the desert, then their shackles being broken. A carving later and they're shown thriving and flourishing. It's hardly the only story on the walls, but it's the first, and the most applicable to their guest.
This is maybe an appropriate place for Aya to be.
Idania looks over each carving, though not very carefully. She's been here before. She knows this place by heart, by now. She checks to see how interested Aya is in looking at the stories on the wall, but otherwise - she'll just keep floating and head to where offerings are left.
Off they go, behind the columns. Now that they're here - there are carvings mounted on the sandstone and marble wall, out of the same quartz the floor is. It tells stories, through pictures. One set shows a set of people chained and whipped, then a breeze leading them to the desert, then their shackles being broken. A carving later and they're shown thriving and flourishing. It's hardly the only story on the walls, but it's the first, and the most applicable to their guest.
This is maybe an appropriate place for Aya to be.
Idania looks over each carving, though not very carefully. She's been here before. She knows this place by heart, by now. She checks to see how interested Aya is in looking at the stories on the wall, but otherwise - she'll just keep floating and head to where offerings are left.
namesthesky
Aya rides slowly, peering at the pictures, piecing together their narratives, smiling. And follows her host.
onthewind
Not all of the stories on the walls are nice ones, at it turns out. There's one with people begging what is obviously Raezenoth for help - but he offers none. They bemoan their fates, upset and angry at the god who abandoned them. The next panel shows one of them who decided to take fate into his own hands, and finds water, and flourishes. The others, the ones who kept at begging for Raezenoth's assistance - they died. It's pretty obvious what the meaning of that story is. This god is a fan of people that help themselves.
Float, float, float - past all of the stories and carvings, and they arrive at an altar. There are various items, just on the table - jewels, money, daggers - everything there is expensive or an obviously well-loved item. In normal temples, the offerings are a bit more modest, but this is Raezenoth's holiest temple. People travel here from far away, to curry favor from him with their best offerings.
Idania floats in front of it, for a little while, considering what she'll give. Aya's not expected to give anything, but Idania certainly is.
Money is obvious and uncaring. She could give a lock of hair, but that seems like copping out. Idania's not a fan of buying expensive things beforehand, either - if she were, she would have gotten bar's help. So, obvious choices are all out. It's a good thing Idania likes the less obvious ones. Off come her shoes. She lands, and places them onto the altar. It's a strange offering. It's also a measure of trust - for the blessing's he's put on her, and the power she's been granted. Walking on the desert sands without fear of being burned - flying above any who could touch her. She likes having shoes, though, likes walking in streets on the ground and meeting new people. This isn't something she casually throws away. Only because of him, will she consider it. Appropriate, for an offering. She bows to the altar where they're left, and that's that.
With that done, she smiles at Aya. That's how you give an offering.
Float, float, float - past all of the stories and carvings, and they arrive at an altar. There are various items, just on the table - jewels, money, daggers - everything there is expensive or an obviously well-loved item. In normal temples, the offerings are a bit more modest, but this is Raezenoth's holiest temple. People travel here from far away, to curry favor from him with their best offerings.
Idania floats in front of it, for a little while, considering what she'll give. Aya's not expected to give anything, but Idania certainly is.
Money is obvious and uncaring. She could give a lock of hair, but that seems like copping out. Idania's not a fan of buying expensive things beforehand, either - if she were, she would have gotten bar's help. So, obvious choices are all out. It's a good thing Idania likes the less obvious ones. Off come her shoes. She lands, and places them onto the altar. It's a strange offering. It's also a measure of trust - for the blessing's he's put on her, and the power she's been granted. Walking on the desert sands without fear of being burned - flying above any who could touch her. She likes having shoes, though, likes walking in streets on the ground and meeting new people. This isn't something she casually throws away. Only because of him, will she consider it. Appropriate, for an offering. She bows to the altar where they're left, and that's that.
With that done, she smiles at Aya. That's how you give an offering.
namesthesky
Aya flips through her phrasebook. Just to make sure: "Should I?" She's kind of short on things that are neither essential nor potentially insulting.
namesthesky
Aya furrows her brow, finds nothing like the correct phrase in her phrasebook, resorts to the dictionary:
"Is this a test?"
"Is this a test?"
onthewind
Idania giggles. "No."
It really isn't. More worshipers - or, at least, more offerings can be won with honey, instead of vinegar. Raezenoth's about freedom - and in Idania's opinion, that includes the freedom to not give something up.
It really isn't. More worshipers - or, at least, more offerings can be won with honey, instead of vinegar. Raezenoth's about freedom - and in Idania's opinion, that includes the freedom to not give something up.
namesthesky
"Good -" Slightly distorting the intended meaning of her phrasebook phrase: "I'm broke."
onthewind
Idania nods. "That's okay."
Ah, well. Can't win them all. She's not sure why Aya seems to think it's about money - but she suspects that when someone's been without anything for all of her life, she'll hold onto what she has. That's understandable. Idania won't hold it against her. She'll find another offering for Rae to make up for it.
"Tour?" she prompts.
Ah, well. Can't win them all. She's not sure why Aya seems to think it's about money - but she suspects that when someone's been without anything for all of her life, she'll hold onto what she has. That's understandable. Idania won't hold it against her. She'll find another offering for Rae to make up for it.
"Tour?" she prompts.
onthewind
Tourward they go!
There is a cute little town near the windy place. Idania seems to know everyone there, and waves brightly at them all. It's not particularly fancy, but there are interesting things to see - a well's present, so Aya is guaranteed a steady source of water if she is in the area. There's a bar, a few shops of various types, a modest little school, and neat little houses, scattered all around in a 'We didn't plan out layout beforehand' kind of way. Soon enough, the tour of the town's done. Idania stays on the ground about half of the time, occasionally zipping up into the air to get to somewhere quickly, or just because she feels like it.
There is a cute little town near the windy place. Idania seems to know everyone there, and waves brightly at them all. It's not particularly fancy, but there are interesting things to see - a well's present, so Aya is guaranteed a steady source of water if she is in the area. There's a bar, a few shops of various types, a modest little school, and neat little houses, scattered all around in a 'We didn't plan out layout beforehand' kind of way. Soon enough, the tour of the town's done. Idania stays on the ground about half of the time, occasionally zipping up into the air to get to somewhere quickly, or just because she feels like it.
namesthesky
Aya stays on her bike. She notes the location of the well - and points it out to Idania and asks, "How much?" (rather than 'is it free', because the former is in her phrasebook and the latter isn't).
onthewind
"No."
She'd give a general layout of what's considered wasting water and what's not, but that's a little above Aya's phrasebook.
She'd give a general layout of what's considered wasting water and what's not, but that's a little above Aya's phrasebook.