Location [Alvadas Location] The Gaping Maw

[Ronar Bolbek]

Timestamp: 4th Spring, 512 The boat had come into port and Ronar had made his way in the direction of Alvadas. The walk was a while longer than expected and his legs soon tired, then again, spending weeks on a boat from Syliras can't have helped his legs. Ronar had only been to Alvadas once, as a child, and was never really told why. That day had changed him though. He had gotten separated from his parents, and then the walls seemed to move between them. The city of illusions was no place for a child to be on their own. It had a way of twisting your thoughts into cruel, wicked things hen left with you for too long. Either way, Ronar's parents had had an 'accident' at home and he was no longer welcome in Syliras. Not that he was welcome there in the first place; "Lumbering imbeciles. The lot of them!" Ronar muttered under his breath. Syliras was never a place he had felt accepted in, ironically, because of the tricks Alvadas's illusions had played on him as a child. So now Ronar was coming up to a large stone face that seemed built into the wall. He didn't remember this from his childhood trip, but then, he had tried to forget about it, it wasn't a memory he had wanted to keep. Coming closer to the face, he realised the mouth formed a door way into the city, but it also seemed shut tight. "You have come in search of the City of Illusion. Tell me, stranger, why are you here? A voice resonated through Ronar. It was everywhere, yet seemed to exist only in his mind. This reminded Ronar of the feeling of loosing control... The rush he got when he let the madness take over himself. He cracked a wry grin in anticipation of what was to come. "Oh great city, I am here because this is where I belong! A long time ago, you stole my mind.. Now I have returned to become one with this.. Beautiful madness!" And with that, Ronar giggled slightly, then began to walk towards the slab over the mouth as it slowly grated to the floor. "Open up my lovely! I'm home!" Ronar skipped slightly and let out a loud cackle, before screaming in manic shock at the echo in the slight tunnel into the city and regaining his composure. As he came to the tunnel he couldn't help grinning again. He had come back to finish playing games with the city.

[Indyrio]

14th Day of Spring, 512 AV Mid-morning A cold breeze fell in from the cloud-swept sky to the north, testing the weary eyed traveler whom walked a long dirt road towards destiny. In taking a moment to dance with the dark and orderly strands of his damp hair, it imparted a frozen kiss that snaked down his spine as if to unsettle him before softly slipping away. Urged to draw the woolen threads of his cowl closer about, Syna’s warmth offered but the smallest of gifts to stave off the lingering cold, goose prickled flesh unwilling to recede. The wall was easy enough to spot through a tangle of bare branches, their sleeping blossoms repressed by the lingering breath of winter. It wouldn’t be long until they were in full bloom, a lamentable frown twisting the slender edges of Indyrio’s dry lips when he realized he would miss the spectacle. Though the roads had been fraught with unending peril over the years, nature had never ceased to be beautiful to him. Now standing before a dark entrance that would see him to his future, the slightest hint of regret glazed over the soft pastels of his eyes. Looking up to the smiling stone colossus that had guarded Alvadas’ entrance since time immemorial, Indyrio felt just the slightest twinge of fear. His uncle had instructed him of the process thoroughly enough to assuage any doubt, but no word could compel him to truly believe. It wasn’t every day one was measured by the heavy eyes of animate stone. Flexing the callused flesh of his untrained fingers in silent litany, Indyrio took a final self-assuring breath and stepped forward. The androgynous voice quickly filled the silence he‘d been accompanied by. “You have come in search of the City of Illusion. Tell me, stranger, why are you here?” He’d practiced a response to the point of deepest conviction, not a lie to grace his lips but not a truth either. And yet as he attempted to reclaim the words he’d tucked so carefully away in the casings of his memory, his lips parted to reveal nothing. Confusion furrowed the dark hairs of his brow and sharpened his eyes to predatory glare. Gritting his teeth in what felt like long agonizing moments, Indyrio recovered only by the grace of his soul. “I’m here to let the chips fall where they may.” A slight pause left his heart pounding, quietly surprised at the ambiguity of his response that couldn’t have captured the truth better. Stepping forward, Indyrio wondered just what the city held in store for him.

[Nira'lia]

Spring 85th, 512 AV Nira'lia found herself staring at the massive face on the wall. It had spoken! The konti, wide-eyed and mouth agape, stammered in her response. "I-I'm here for my call! I don't have a better explanation than that!" she replied. Her voice was high-pitched and stunned, and her answer was more on the defensive side. She didn't know what else to do -- the face frightened her. She looked around at her companions, waiting for their answer as well. Nira'lia wondered if they were just as stunned as she was. As soon as all of them gave their reasons for being there, the mouth of the stone opened and allowed them to enter. "Oh, geez..." muttered Nira'lia as she grabbed Sariana's arm in fright. She put all her energy into staring at the ground and not looking at the face in the eyes as they entered.

[Sariana]

Spring 85th, 512

“You have come in search of the City of Illusion. Tell me, stranger, why are you here?”

Sariana rested a hand on the arched golden curve of Vrathetu's neck, staring up at the gargantuan face smiling down before them. Her sky-blue eyes glanced at the others, before looking back at the face. A sort of scoff escaped her lips and a wide smile broke her features. Just when she thought she had seen it all across this vast landscape...

"I know not why I am here, only that I must follow this path before I am to complete my journey." She called out loudly, wondering if the massive head could hear her. As the Gaping Maw shuddered and shifted, it opened to present the way into the City of Illusions. A pair of small pale hands wrapped around her arm, and Sariana looked down to smile at the konti.

"You said it." She agreed with a soft chuckle of amazement. Glancing back, the drykas tilted her head at Sylkra to signal her to come with them. Turning blue eyes onto Pash'nar, the warrior allowed a look to pass between them. They both knew that things had happened between them. An awkward sort of understanding and stubborn resolve. But now they were here, and it was real. Would Pash'nar really want to stick around, or would he go? It was an unknown for now, and the brunette didn't want to dwell on it.

Turning her gaze back, she patted Vrathetu, giving him the signal to move forward as they entered Alvadas.

[Jay Dasher]

65th Spring 512 Av
Bast walked up to The Gaping Maw. "So Oh mighty stone" Bast said sarcastically not thinking it could hear him " how do I get into the city of illusions"

“You have come in search of the City of Illusion. Tell me, stranger, why are you here?”
"WHOA" exclaimed Bast "A talking stone, didn't see that coming, anyway the reason I am here is because of Fate"

As The Gaping Maw slid rumbled open, Bast started wondering why she was even there. Only Time would tell.

[Blizzard]

Summer 13, 512 AV
“You have come in search of the City of Illusion. Tell me, stranger, why are you here?”

Blizzard approached tall on her horse then gazed into it's eyes "I was on a journey. Seeking adventure but it may as well be one I regret." With that the mouth opened and she rode her horse through.

[Kat]

14th Day of Summer, 512AV

She walked unhurried, not worried about much and wondering at the large stone in front of her. Kat had assumed it was a city for the only city she knew of also held large gates. It was allow people to leave or enter. Yet she saw not one person. It was not a daunting prospect though for she was sure the caravan she had hitched a ride on spoke of a place much like this. The face in wall was a give-away but perhaps humans no longer in habited it?

Not giving it too much more thought she strode forward, a tad wobbly. It had been a long time since she last used her human skin. It felt a little strange. She was not to dwell on this for a voice that was not loud but carried quite nicely sounded from the stone. Immediately on the defensive her rucksack fell from her shoulders, her body curling into a crouch as she snarled at the stone. But the stone did not move nor did it speak again and the tension gradually eased from her shoulders and reached for her belongings. Eyeing the stone warily she stepped forward without speaking and only now noticed there was no way to actually enter into the stone. Did she have to speak to it?

“This Kat would like to go in.” she hesitated, “Please? She wishes to find people and food.”

It was true, her hunts had not be fruitful as of the late and many of the creatures surrounding this place did not look edible. At all. In fact, she had found out that quite a few were not inclined to be eaten and the meekest of animals seemed to have teeth or poison. This seemed to be enough for the stone person though for its mouth seemed to widen and inside she could near see the city.

Stepping forward without hesitation she strode quickly through the stone mouth and stopped in its belly, as she had deemed it. Glancing behind her she noted she could only vaguely see out of the city but it reminded her of manners, “This Kat thanks you.”

[Destaveka]

31st Summer 512 AV

"You have come in search of the City of Illusion. Tell me, stranger, why are you here?”

"I heard of a guild here, I wish to join it" Replied Desta

With that the jaws of the rock flew open and Desta walked in.

[Ortha Quickdraw]

40th of Summer, 512 A.V.

The day was gentle, very gentle. A light breeze made it's way trough the brush and trees. Normally, this wilderness would look hostile, unforgiving, dangerous. But the sun shining at full and the wind blowing made up for all the dangers of that part of the world. Really, the only sound that was made, was the blowing of leaves and waving of the grass. And the clacking of hooves, naturaly. A uniform clacking, nice and slow. There he went. Steadily, on his horse, Ortha Quickdraw. A tall man, but noone would notice because of his horse, which was quite big as well. Relatively... Never mind. From his mouth came a whistle, softly, only to be heard when standing close to him. It looked peaceful. His coat hung from the back of the horse, it was too hot for that kind of coat. His bow was attached to his back, softly patting him on the shoulder every now and then. Normally, Ortha wouldnt let go of his bow for an entire journey, but he was so close to the Maw, nothing could posibly happen. He didnt have any arrows anyway. That was the biggest issue.

It didnt matter. Within ten minutes, Ortha entered the open spot in the forest, where the Maw was situated. The stones looked fragile, yet indistructable. They were, to some extend. The Maw used to give Quickdraw the creeps, just the sight of the face one day scared him off the first time he went to Alvadas. Now, he was used to it, having traveled these parts for many years now. He approached the face without real care, knowing the procedure that would follow. He had prepared for this. And yes, there it was. The voice in his head. And again, he couldnt really make out what kind of voice it was. He didnt really mind, that was the least of his troubles. "You have come in search of the city of Illusio-" Ortha was quick to respond, before the Maw could finish it's sentence. "yeah, yeah, Bernard, it's Ortha again. Just passing trough, as always." There was a moment of silence. But then, there came an approving hmmm, and with a crumbling sound, the giant mouth opened, sounding like a mountain collapsing under it's own weight. A cold breeze came from the newly formed hole, a sign that it was safe to go trough. "Thanks, Bernard." Ortha said, as he made his horse walk trough the hole.

Ortha really hadnt any clue why he called the face Bernard. When he was a child, there was an old man, too old for any hard labour, that would watch the Sea of Grass for any signs. He was able to predict the weather days ahead, and always made the kids laugh about all his adventures. "In my days, I fought off an entire hord of Glassbeaks! With a rock and a stick!" Ortha giggled. Nobody believed those stories, but they were fun to listen to. In some way, the face reminded him of the old man. It was Quickdraws way not to get homesick. He just called things as he remembered them from the Sea. But he didnt think too much about his long-lost home... He was froghtened that the thought of banishment would kill him before any wild beast, bandit or warlord. Of that, he was certain.

[Naeya]

Timestamp: Season of Summer, 45th Day, 512 AV - Morning Naeya had arrived in the region of Kalea earlier in the day. The Svefra man, Brim, who had offered to sail her and her companions to Syliras only eight days earlier, became so fed up with the group that he insisted they leave him in Alvadas and find a new path to their destination. The small Konti sighed remorsefully as she thought back to the events of their trip and Brim's explosion of anger. She tried to focus optimistically on the excitement of visiting a new city, but her mind kept going back to the few things she knew of Alvadas. "Mysterious," "dark," and "unpredictable" were three words that Rivarians frequently used to describe the city, and Naeya could feel her anxiety rising as she thought of all the things that had the potential to go wrong. She shrank from unpredictability, and was very partial to keeping her life stable and peaceful. The group had decided to walk from the docks where Brim had left them to the gates of the city. As they approached Alvadas' entrance, Naeya found herself looking at a huge face in a broad stone wall. No guards seemed to be in sight, but as they came closer to the face she noticed that its eyes seemed to be watching her every move. She glanced uneasily at Ayanna, and her fingers clenched in her hands. It was as if the face in the wall was alive! Oh Avalis! What kind of dark magic is this? Naeya and her companions soon reached the face, whose eyes were beginning to feel like they were piercing into their souls. As face's mouth opened and he (she? it?) began to speak, the Konti drew back fearfully. It was all she could do to keep from running back to the docks. “You have come in search of the City of Illusion. Tell me, stranger, why are you here?” The face seemed to be waiting for her to answer, and she grew afraid of what she (he? it?) would do if she failed to reply. "I... uh, we... we're looking for a place... um, a place to stay and... and a ship to leave with," she squeaked out, her voice barely carrying across the short distance. In response, the face's jaw seemed to open wider and revealed a glimpse of a city beyond. You mean I have to go through it to get to Alvadas? Naeya waited for the other members of her group to go forward as she tried to summon her courage to do the same. After a moment of indecision, the Konti told herself that the only way forward on her journey was to go through the mouth. After all, she certainly didn't want to be stuck in this city of illusions. She steeled her resolve, took a hesitant step towards the face, and then meekly followed her companions into the darkness.