Location [Lhavit] Entrance Thread.

[Yskul'thu]

Summer 82rd, 512

Running his index finger and thumb over the two small tendrils on his upper lip, Ysk looked up at the peeks before him. A muffled sigh passed his mouth when he clammed a hand over his mouth. " I wanted the adventure...but I did not thinking I would have to climb to get it, " he said lowly to himself as he wandered over to where he believed he would start.

Grasping a rock in front of him he sighed, starting to haul himself up. " I am hoping this will not be taking too long. " he began to say over and over as he climbed what seemed like a sheer mountain side. His fear of dehydrating before reaching the top evident in his voice. Left hand, besides right, his webbed fingers trying to dig into the rock as he hoisted himself up. " I am hoping that I do not sli- " he said as his foot gave way and he grasped to the rocks for dear life. Instead of talking in common as he was before, he began to screech and wail in the fluent tongue of his people.

If anyone had ever learned the language of the Charoda, or tried, they would know at this point that Yskul'thu was slinging curses left and right as he regained his footing and began to scale again. This task almost feeling ridiculous at this point. What was he doing here? Why did he want to go out and explore the rest of the dry walkers world?

The poor Charoda climbed for what felt like hours to him and only now did he break into the fog mist surrounding the the peek where Lahvit sat. " Just a bit more.. " he screeched out again in native tongue. At this point the Charoda was trying to say anything to himself to continue to me motivated. It wasn't like he could just give up now anyway or else he would plummet to the ground and die from that rather than dehydration.

Left over right, right over left he continued to climb. Barely looking up anymore for fear that he would never see the ground to which he crawled towards. But to his surprise he went to grab up with his right hand and felt nothing. So he padded around and felt flat land. A loud screech of excitement left his mouth as he pulled himself up and lied down on solid ground.

How long he had been climbing was a mystery to the Charoda. But at least he made it and felt relatively hydrated for reasons beyond him. But a drink of water was something he needed. So, with the little strength he had left in him he pulled himself up to his feet and trotted over to the gates of Lahvit.

Once there he was stopped by a stupefied guard. " Uhm..e-excuse me. How, what...Charoda? " was all the guard could say. With a laugh Yskul'thu replied quickly in a horrible common dialect. " Yes, Charoda. Here..to explore..and work. Need water, please thanking you. " The guard could say nothing, he just simply waved an arm for the tired Charoda to enter Lahvit and so Yskul'thu did, walking in and going to explore the city, getting a drink of water first from somewhere.

[Sneja]

Fall 1st, 512 AV
Amaranthine Gate, Lhavit

The muzzle of the okomo sniffed Sneja’s hair as she kneeled in weariness. Her hands and shins were covered in dirt and grime from the long hike up the twisted pathway, sweat trickled down her body and where it came into contact with the dirt that clung to her, it made small clean streaks on her smooth skin. Earlier she had dripped of sea water when the old man found her strung out on the rocky shore, like a piece of driftwood, regurgitated unceremoniously from the sea. Now, midway atop the cliff-face, the sea stretched out as far as she could see westward, as the last rays of the setting sun warmed her already flushed face.

The old man from the hut said something Sneja did not understand, then pointed at the setting sun and then the large creature, which elicited a huff from the okomo as it tried to nuzzle her once more. She caught her lower lip between her teeth in chagrin and shook her head. After another moment or two, with help from the rock-face, she stood and continued up the steep trail. Her steps were slow and even, as if she measured each one carefully before setting one foot in front the other. Every now and then the old man would goad the creature, which sent it into Sneja, the cause of which sent a shudder through her as she tightened her eyes shut.

The view of the jungle far below sent a ripple of terror through Sneja each time she looked over the edge, only the sea seemed not to cause her vertigo; without any landmarks for which she could judge distant, it just seemed to stretch on and on. Already at the edges of the sky a bright star here and there could be seen as it challenged the sun in it descent from prominence.

A rebellious cluster of loose rock slid beneath her foot and sent her forward with a lurch that ended her climb. As she pushed herself up from the dirt once more the old man again spoke to her.

“You, ride ...okomo.” he commanded in a tone that Sneja answered with a shake of her head and shut eyes. Had she not been so stubborn or had at least kept her eyes open, she would have seen the exasperation in his face when he threw his hands up and leaned over to pick her from ground, and in one easy movement set her over the okomo so that she rested on her stomach. The creatures gait sped up with her on its back, it seemed to enjoy the work and without anyone to slow it down scrambled frightenly fast up the narrow trail. Sneja screamed and held onto its fur with wide eyes that searched the jagged rocks below, searching for the one rock that was sure to claim her and the crazed beast any moment.

The next sharp turn that threatened to throw her from the okomo’s back brought the odd threesome to the gates of Lhavit. Here the rough and natural rock twisted with the preternatural skyglass, as if the latter had set slow roots into the former. Already soft glimmers danced across the translucent stone like the twinkle of star light.

"Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?" came the call from a young looking shinya, full of tradition and serious in the youth’s voice.

“Oh! let her in Akal, I ain’t taking her back down with me,” the old man feigned throwing his hat at Sneja, “good riddance, I’ve trained less stubborn okomo”, he murmured. Come tub-tub, the old man called and the okomo followed. Sneja jumped off quick as she could rather than approach the edge of the trail once more. She sprawled inelegantly on the skyglass, wrapped in dirt and sweat and the robe she had been given. A whirl of light spun about her and impregnated her with a lumenessence she did not have before, and glass like horns shimmered into being like a crown on her brow.

“Come with me,” the young shinya said and held out a hand. As the young guard led Sneja into the city, the other shinya looked with lazy reproach at the youth and shook their heads at the broach of protocol. Kids.

“Welcome to Lhavit young one,” he said to Sneja as he escorted her through the gate.

[Fia Eaven]

Fall 512, Day 26 What brings you to Lhavit? Fia smiled at the unknown breadth of the question. What brought her? Hope, fear, wanderlust, love, grief, the stars themselves. "Hail and well met. I'm looking for someone," she said, echoing the weary pilgrims the Djed storm had thrown from the corners of Mizahar. Though no gale had been strong enough to lift a body, disaster had blown them about. Fia's search was an old one, but none need know that. She could slip in with the hopeful who sought refuge amidst glass and high towers.

[Seleucus]

Seleucus finally managed to take the last few steps up to the gate. A long journey up the mountain had been harsh on his rather weak form in the day. Scrapes and bruises were blossoming across his bony arms and knees. As he forged ahead a great hope surged up within him. He had made it, and that was all that mattered. He halted in front of two welcoming yet obviously wary guards standing at the mouth of the great gate of Lhavit.

"Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?" asked one. Seleucus stood for a moment and furled his brow in deep thought. After a short time he proclaimed,

"Knowledge, for knowledge's sake. Love of Leth, for the heart's sake. Beauty for the aesthete's sake." The guard on the left gave a small smile before he and his partner stepped aside. Seleucus took his first step into the breathtaking city of Lhavit and a look of joy spread gently across his face. So much to do and so much to see, he had not been this happy in many a season. Heading towards the metropolis of glass and stars he could think of only one thing though, he needed sleep and a good night's rest.

[Kenept]

Kenept Oraji 68th Fall 512AV Gates of Lhavit "Hail, what brings you to Lhavit?" One of the guards at the gate to the city called out to Kenept, reviving him from his trance. The gates before him drew him in. The carvings on the gate were simply marvelous, and Kenept had been staring at them when the guard spoke to him. The four guards looked at the boy, completely ignoring the man at his side. Kenept looked over to Hachia. "Go on lad, answer them, it's the only way you'll get yourself through those gates." ... He had met the man at the bottom of the path that he took to make it to the gates. Stopping shortly next to the Amaranthine River to catch his breath, Kenept had been looking up the stairs, anticipating the journey. "Can I help you, lad?" An older voice called from over near a small cabin. Seeing the confusion on Kenept's face, the man continued. "Hachia Koat is the name. I see you're thinking about traveling up to Lhavit. I like to accompany travelers up to the gates. This hill can get tricky at times." And Hachia Koat was right. The journey up the winding stairs to the gates of Lhavit was not an easy one, which made Kenept wonder why and how this man made this journey up and down everyday, much less probable numerous times a day. It led them to the top of the mountain, where Kenept looked up at the grand gates that stood before him. Studying the carvings in the gate. ... Kenept looked back at the guard who spoke to him. "I uh... I'm looking for somewhere to start over." It was a long story short, but it worked. He looked over at Hachia, who nodded, then back to the guard, who also nodded. And as the guard nodded, the gates behind him began to open. Revealing the peaks that made up Lhavit. Hachia patted Kenept on the back, and Kenept looked back at him. "Thank you." He said, smiling. And with that, Kenept walked through the gates. "I'm here brother. Wish you could see it."

[Dariel]

The Amaranthine Gate 71st Day of Fall 512 This road was winding on forever, he thought. Had it really been that long all these years ago? By the time the pale green eyes narrowed around the image of the gate he had not expected to find it painted in daylight. Not that that would have mattered. The city never slept, it only took an occasional nap. Futilely, Dariel sought to make himself presentable. But though he might straighten his shirt, it was still dirtied from sleeping on the ground these past few days. What once passed for his cloak he had had to tear up in bits and pieces until it was little more than a hood. And he could forget about his boots and pants as long as his ankle was almost as large as his head. The fact that he could still move his foot and toes suggested that nothing was broken dislocated, but every single careful step across the wet dead leaves sent waves of pain up his leg nonetheless. He probably should have taken the offer provided by the old goat and its Okomo. And so he stepped in front of the gate looking quite the indigent. Resisting the impulse to wrinkle his nose at the new arrival was all the simple politeness the guard had to offer. He exchange a quick glance with his companion across the path, but obviously the vagrant in front of them at worst provided a threat to clean linens, not to two Shinya. "Hail." he eventually greeted Dariel in the traditional formula, "What brings you to Lhavit?" Looking back across the road he'd come, Dariel straightened despite the ankle and gave the guard a rare smile. A shame he would not know to treasure it, but he could afford to be generous in this moment. At first he simply explained,"The wind at my back and the road in front of me." and that too sounded like a traditional formula even if none the guard recognized. It also neatly answered the question, albeit not in any way that was of use to the gate guard. Silence. Maybe the gate guard had heard that one before after all. If he took issue with it he did not show it however. That was something Dariel could appreciate at least. The new arrival wallowed in the discomfort of that silence for a few more heartbeats, but he did not have all day. Raising his jaw to denote a semblance of pride while dropping his voice enough to imply familiarity, he indulged the stalwart sentinel, "My father is Keper Masute the paper maker. I... used to live here." "I have come home."