Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=99346&page=16#159 Author: Aphelion Time Posted: 10/7/2021 at 2:56 PM The moment your hand touches the flame, you scream. It's a reflex - you have no time to consciously process what is happening. Only after you scream can you feel the blazing pain that tears up your arm even though your fingers had no more than brushed up against the fire. You flinch back, and it's over. The sensation fades away to a phantom ache, and tears well up in the corners of your eyes. Errant laughs in your face, not unkindly, and bounces back to her seat. The people around you watch with solemn faces. You can't read their expressions, and you are already delirious from the shock. "Well," the Matriarch says. "Let us begin formally. State your name and your circumstances to the most detail you can remember. Any lies will be punishable by fire."

Crystal glares at Errant before softening her gaze, "I should have figured I'd fall for the oldest trick in the book. My name is Crystal, I don't have a surname. The first thing I can remember is waking up in a field of some sort grassland. I saw the smoke from your fire after my head stopped pounding. So I tried to follow it to the source but where I grew up at doing that is very dangerous. As I said earlier a traveler walking into an unfamiliar camp is often killed so I tried to observe what was going on to see if you were friendly or not. As I was walking towards your camp I saw the riders on horseback and hid from them. I chose to follow them to again see if your camp was friendly or not. I remember feeling thirsty and fatigued so I tried to find a place to rest while observing your camp. I didn't know if the berries and other plants I saw were poisonous or not so I didn't eat them. I remember when I got close enough to your camp that I saw the mounts and was curious about them. The second reason I was observing your camp was to see if there was drinkable water and safe food nearby. I was trying to see if there was a lake or a stream near the camp and maybe if someone went out to get food they could show me what was safe to eat. I couldn't tell and the wind had picked up so I went to find shelter and set up a rain catcher. I was only able to make a bowl out of leaves. I stopped under the tree you found you found me by and was cornered by that cavewalker. I only heard that term from someone who was talking about the creature. After they defeated the cavewalker they found me, questioned me, and brought me here."

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=99346&page=16#152 Author: Aphelion Time Posted: 10/2/2021 at 1:18 PM "Well, you won't make it five steps like that!" Baje exclaims. "Someone's going to steal the very clothes off your back and you're going to feel grateful that they did it. Terrible people there, sometimes. I guess I'll walk you to the doctors," she gives an exaggerated sigh. "But I'll need to do something first, so you're coming along with me." You expect her to land somewhere near the city, but she simply circles around and flies some distance away until you can't see the individual people. Then, she descends, landing the plane with a flourish behind a cluster of boulders and trees. "We're going to walk now," she tells you, shutting off the plane. "Off you get, hup hup." The warm hum beneath you tapers off into cool stillness, and the cockpit pops open with a hiss. Baje busies herself, jumping out of her seat and squeezing around you to pick at some papers and contraptions, gathering an armful before disappearing out of the plane onto the grassy ground below. You realise the city is not situated in the desert necessarily. It is near the edge of the desert, but it is settled by a meandering river turned dark with oil and pollution. Scratchy yellow grass forms a carpet under your feet. A few thin, starved trees stand between you and the mass of buildings and black clouds.

He was a bit embarassed to be called out on his trust in the world but didnt reply to this, secretly glad that he woudnt have do figure things out on his own yet. He watched puzzled as they went ferther away from the city tho he did prefer the somwhat more natural sight of the trees. Watching them from the sky had a slight familiar feel to it but not quite, as if he had witness the sight of small trees all his life yet not seen from that angle for some odd raisons.

He didnt realy had time to dwell on it too mutch as Baje ordered him off the plane as he quickly followed suit. Seeing how she had her arms full he asked. "Do you nead help with that ?" He knew she was stronger then she looked but even without memories it wasnt too hard to figure out that there was only so many objects one's can carry at the same time before somthing escape the pile, and with how poluted the area was, dropping the wrong document could be alot more infortunate then normaly.

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=99346&page=16#158 Author: Aphelion Time Posted: 10/7/2021 at 1:11 PM "I will draw the attention of the guards and cast a small, tiny spell to keep you cloaked," Chantille tells you. She pats you on the shoulder reassuringly. "You will go around the room, try to stay as close to the walls as possible - be mindful of the water, however." The two of you continue forth, Chantille's steps nothing more than a whisper against the ground, while your boots thump loudly in comparison. As you get closer to the room, a sense of anticipation begins to swamp you. The whole place with its soaring walls, etched flourishes, and ribbons of silent silver water glows with a pale light - a static tranquility hangs thick in the air, calming at once yet still raising the hairs at the back of your neck. "We will reconvene in the hallway," Chantille's voice has dropped even lower. "You will continue walking down it until I signal for you to stop." She taps you between your eyes, a whispered word drifting through the air. Her finger glows, and a shiver runs down your spine. "You must believe that you will not be seen. Do not draw attention to yourself." Without another word, she quickly takes a few steps forward, putting distance between you two, and fixes her dress, hefting her basket to sit prettily on her arm. "Good noon!" You hear her chirp, and the guards turn around.

Falcon raises a brow, with no more doubts whether Chantille is supposed to be bringing him here or not. Trust wasn't a choice, now - he was in far too deep to go back, and he couldn't carry on without her. The uneasy feeling which had settled across him did not ease.

"Spells. Great," he murmurs quietly, keeping his mouth shut as they close on the guards. He wishes he could pick up the incantations she utters so he could try some on his own.

Aware of his clumsy footsteps, he tries again to take his time in dulling the sound rather than rushing and making a racket. If all else fails he can attempt to step in time with Chantille as much as he can reasonably manage.

Thinking her to be quite mad - but at the same time knowing, by this point, she basically writes the rules here - he does something he has never done before in his life.

I am invisible, he thinks, following her instructions to the letter. Stay out of the way, head for the hallway, no-one can see me because I am invisible. Pausing in his thoughts, he then adds: And don't touch the water.

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=99346&page=16#160 Author: Aphelion Time Posted: 10/7/2021 at 3:03 PM When you come close to the barricade, you make out shadows moving among them on the other side. You have to squint and move closer until you finally realise that they are humans. As soon as one of them notices you, they stretch themselves to look over the barricade, pointing a weapon at you. A crudely made bow. "Stop right there!" Their voice wavers. "Or- or we will attack!" At their cry, a bunch of others pop up over the barrier, all pointing various shoddy weapons at you. In the row of faces, you see barely restrained fear.

He spreads out his palsm to show he has no weapon. "I'm not gonna like, try to attack anyone. I just want to know where on earth I am, what's going on, that stuff. I literally went to sleep and woke up nearby and I have no idea if i sleepwalked or something so uh, yeah." He finishes off awkwardly.

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=99346&page=17#164 Author: Orcastration Time Posted: 10/9/2021 at 1:13 AM [quote=2578535] He spreads out his palsm to show he has no weapon. "I'm not gonna like, try to attack anyone. I just want to know where on earth I am, what's going on, that stuff. I literally went to sleep and woke up nearby and I have no idea if i sleepwalked or something so uh, yeah." He finishes off awkwardly.

Did you mean to ping me there?

Link: https://www.sylestia.com/forums/?thread=99346&page=17#165 Author: Falconetti Time Posted: 10/9/2021 at 12:20 PM [quote=2578732] Did you mean to ping me there?

uh- um-

When you glare, the girl only makes a silly face at you, sticking out her tongue and putting her hands on both sides of her heads, forefinger and middle finger stuck out of her fists, forming little bunny ears. You get the feeling that she's messing with you - no malicious intent.

The Matriarch clears her throat. Errant makes a small 'eep' sound and sits rigid straight, hands pressed together in her lap. She looks a little bashful, but lowers her head to the book before her.

As you speak, you feel your words flow out from you as if drawn by a mysterious force, so much that you no longer feel that you are speaking out of your own will. They come faster and faster, yanked from you, torn from your throat that begins to ache. The sounds fill the large, cavernous space, and was it just you, or did the braziers burn brighter? The scenes in the tapestries and drapes swim; they were moving, or so you thought.

Around you, the clanspeople listen raptly with their eyes pinned on you and bodies barely moving, save for the up and down motion of their shoulders that indicate they're still breathing. When you finish, there is absolute silence for a second. They are waiting for something to happen, you sense, but nothing does.

"It is truth," the Matriarch says, breaking the silence. "And the witnesses have spoken before, thus corroborating the story. This is a simple case, so there isn't a need for prolonged discussion - adjudicators?" She looks to her sides, and both Errant and Koshner nod. "Motion to provide traveller Crystal with a temporary, monitored stay of no longer than two weeks?"

"Granted," says Errant.

"Granted," says Koshner.

"It has been settled," the Matriarch concludes, turning back to you and the people. "Crystal, the Avit Hora Clan formally welcomes you as a guest." She nods at Koshner.

"If you want to extend your stay, you may request another meeting later," Koshner says. "For the time being, we have to discuss other matters, so you may retire to a guest tent." He drums his fingers on the tables. "Inoje, see that she is settled in."

From the crowd steps a boy - it is the boy who had found you first. He looks at you and extends a hand. "Come with me."

Discovered new character!

Baje slows in her steps when you offer your help. Her face is almost completely covered by the pile of stuff she hoists in front of her, but you manage to make out the suspicious, hesitant look she gives you over it all. The papers, scrolls, and contraptions don't look very delicate; in fact, they look bulky, and you can't imagine what they would ever be used for.

She hmms. "Guess some help won't hurt," she concedes. "C'mere." When you get close, she jostles the pile until a few small things roll off into your arms. You find yourself holding an ancient box of deep red wood clasped tight with gold and etched with filigree, a sword hilt lacking a blade, some weird glass globe item with bands of metal encircling it, and a short metal rod that's much heavier than it looks.

Baje still holds the majority of the items, but she doesn't seem to be struggling at all. At a brisk pace, she begins to walk to the city, but soon she takes a sharp turn to walk parallel to the city walls.

You start off, keeping your mind to the thought. Your entire body is on high alert, every muscle tense, every movement trying to be as precise as possible as you take steps and try to shift your weight forward in a way that wouldn't cause your shoes to squeak or tap against the ground. The stick you had picked up earlier in the forest is clunky in your hands, burdensome. It bumps against the ground sometimes if you're not paying attention, giving you endless anxiety.

"Advesse de Marteillon!" The guards address Chantille, one of them turning to her while the other continues to stare down the hallway. Both bow deeply, which is a weird look on the one that isn't even facing her. Getting closer, you notice that like Chantille, they both have glittering wings behind their backs.

"How has your day been?" Chantille chirps, subtly shifting herself to the side a bit so that the one guard facing her has his back to you.

"Excellent, Mein Advette," the two of them say in unison.

This continues for a while, with Chantille initiating, asking a question or bringing up a new topic, and the guards responding curtly, as short as possible.

You are almost at the entryway of the hallway. However, since the two guards stand at both sides of this, you will have to pass through them. The air between them also shimmers slightly, as if a thin film covers the entrance.