[Pumpkin Festival] Nothing shall ever stay the same (Kam)

[Alice]

As the water rose and formed pictures, Kamalia could feel a shiver crawling up her arms and spine. Godly powers weren’t taken lightly, especially among the gifted seer women who knew all too well about the positive effects as well as about the dangers of using powers that were beyond mortal imagination. But then, the pictures enchanted and completely hypnotized her. First she couldn’t really discover anything except incredibly quick swirls and twists, but soon her eyes got used to the performance and started to see certain patterns, pictures she might recognize, lines she could read. With fluid movement like waves landscapes were depicted, the silhouette of Konti Isle, then a ship and a much larger continent than their little familiar domain was. The mainland, filled with adventures, epic songs and screams of the fallen. Then, the waters seemed to hesitate, to consider what information was relevant or which way it should choose, but soon the movement grew quicker again. However, the rest of the vision was a blur. Kamalia could only recognize woods, trees whooshing in a strong breeze, white animal fangs exposed with uncontrollable rage, a city full with trade and foreign culture, two people hugging and then caressing each other, the endless horizon at a foreign sea whispering an age-old promise … and then it was gone. Kamalia’s vision had ended, and while the waters formed pictures for the next sister, she was left alone with eventual thoughts about what she had just seen.

[Kamalia Timandre]

Chilled, Shahal’s granddaughter saw that the images formed by the Vision Water continued to shift and change. Sometimes they moved subtly, sometimes obviously. Kamalia’s heart tripped, swift in her breast. She’d known this since first she’d felt the rush of divine magic in her blood. She’d become used to it, although the visions were infrequent, the girl often looked for them. While a konti oracle’s divinations were always accurate, the future was a malleable thing. The silver waters in the basin—her future— did not seem to want to settle at first, until they finally shifted into familiar patterns and solid images.

The first vision was clear: that of a ship sailing from the Konti Isle to the mainland continent. This struck Kamalia with the force of a dagger’s thrust. The granddaughter of Shahal knew that sooner or later, she would have to answer the Call—to sail far from the lands of her birth and seek the path Avalis had laid out for her, but she did not expect it to be too soon! A shudder rippled through the body of the young konti mage. Kamalia was barely three decades old. The young seer was more than capable to support herself in a foreign city, but unlike her kin, her trust was not easily earned by other races. She was unsure if she could afford to leave the comfort, the serenity and the security provided by the solemn city of seers.

Yet there was an energy, a love of adventure, a passion for arcane secrets that sang from each corner of the distant lands and serenaded her from afar. She’d never given much thought to humans, but their stories fascinated her. In her books’ yellow pages were tales of bold heroes, strange and fierce animals, mighty primitive gods and magicks so ancient that shaped the fates of the world. Where might her fortune take her, she thought longingly, if only she lived with these restless humans! Wondrous though Mura might be, it was a small place for such as she.

To her consternation, the young seer couldn’t make anything out of the rest of the vision. To look at the shifting waters in the basin made Kamalia’s stomach turn. Knees weak, she leaned against a column and closed her eyes. Still she saw the writhing. Image piled upon image, lines and curves, circles and collapsing angles all in a slow demon-dance. She saw swaying trees, white fangs flashed, cities bustling with trade, songs and dances, and a star-crossed couple, hugging, caressing each other. So many images and sounds passed through her mind’s eye and ears, until finally, they all faded into comforting darkness.

Her ears rang, her chest grew tight. Kamalia shuddered, opened her eyes and pushed away from the column, as the divination for the next sister began. She pieced together puzzle pieces of the goddess-given vision and she knew at once that she would be travelling with…

“Gromhir,” she whispered. It was clear that Gromhir was a big part of her destiny. She remembered his exposed fangs. She remembered looking into his eyes and gently touching his face. She had told him to venture out and explore during the festival. Wherever was he now, the slowly strengthening bond between them hinted that her kelvic friend was safe.

As was custom and polite, the young seer would wait until the divination rituals were over.

[Alice]

Naturally, nobody noticed this daughter's weakness. Everyone was concentrated on the prophecies, and everyone longed for the future of the next and the next one revealed. People were like that - they liked to gain power and make plans through knowing what would be, although they often forgot that divination only showed possibilities, not truths.

The ceremony progressed slowly, but with a certain pace, a rhythm and an atmosphere that always stayed the same. Not only did that concern the intended course of the ceremony, one might also call it silent admiration or contemplation or even anxiety. Anyway, it was clear that everyone had to show their respect for Avalis, the goddess who made such a happening possible.

While twists and turns were still dancing in painfully bright colors in front of Kamalia's eyes, the front doors were suddenly opened with a loud 'bang'. A woman burst in the room, and the wet hem of her skirt and her messy hair were clearly visible. Additionally, she was accompanied by a pale child with wide, frightened eyes and wet hair and clothing. The woman didn't pause to catch her breath, but rather continued running until she came to a halt in front of the matriarch of the Timandre family, the oldest and most respected of the group.

The vision water had settled before the right time. Silence fell heavily upon the people that had gathered to see the prophecies.

Because of that the woman's voice could be understood by everyone else while she was heatedly talking to Shahal. "We're in danger! Shilavi was nearly killed while playing at the northern beach!" She pointed at the child who seemed still shocked. "It was covered in water, it totally looked like water! I don't know why it attacked my daughter! Please, please go and check that out, I don't want to return to that dangerous place."

[Kamalia Timandre]

Silent and eyes closed, Kamalia sank deep in contemplation until a loud bang shattered her wakeful reverie. The Divining Ritual was a sacred time of quietude and prayer. Interruptions were often regarded as a portent of doom, if not irreverence. Concentration smashed, Kamalia whirled her face towards the direction of the gates and stared aghast at the two pale figures that burst abruptly into the patio, both seemingly frightened. Utter silence befell upon the pavilion and the shifting waters in the divination basin stopped their hypnotic dance.

This intrusion drew widened stares from some of the assembled Timandre seers and earned the woman a dark glance from Matriarch Shahal, High Oracle of Avalis, herself. But as soon as the displeasure came, it was chased away by a ripple of fear and puzzlement when they heard the lady’s news. Northern Beach. Danger. Attack.

Kamalia’s eyes widened. The Konti Isle? In danger? For ages untold, Mura thrived and prospered in peace. Dangerous occurrences were as rare as snow in the swamp or rain in the desert. Not only that the konti can mass-divine danger, the Isle was also rife with gods that would retaliate should their repose be disturbed. There was a moment—just a moment—before the congregation boomed into murmurs and a ripple of panic spread through the crowd. Murmurs, ranging from the confused to the appalled, filled the ritual chamber. Grandmother Shahal held up a hand, a simple gesture that commanded—and received—instant silence.

Kamalia used this quiet interval to approach the two petrified figures. Her slender fingers combed through the damp locks of the child, in an attempt to alleviate her fright. The konti wizard looked up at the Timandre Matriarch and waited for her to probe further and give her instructions and permission to leave. After all, if there was anyone in the pavilion powerful enough to discern the nature and the identity of what attacked the frightened girl, that was Grandmother Shahal.

OOC!I always imagined Shahal Timandre to be a too-tall, too-beautiful konti woman with silvery radiance lingering about her like captured moonlight. She has hazel or blue eyes and white-silver hair that spill nearly to her knees. Being a High Oracle/High Priestess, she has three gnosis marks of Avalis, and perhaps a gnosis mark from Syna and Laviku. Maybe she’s also a practitioner of auristics! ^^ Is this okay? XD

[Alice]

OOCExpect a PM about that.

The child did neither jump nor react in any other way when being touched, but Kamalia’s cool hand and the self-confidence and silent understanding that was conveyed through the touch let the barriers of shock suddenly vanish. Terrified by the memories, Shilavi burst into tears and buried her head in her mother’s dress while the woman put her arms protectively around her. She eyed Kamalia with a suspicious glance, but paid more attention to how the Timandre Matriarch would react.

Meanwhile, Shahal had stood still for a while, apparently listening to what advice her sight and the gods gave her. That also allowed the crowd to calm down a bit, and the more reasonable and collected individuals were again watching her as if still awaiting the next prophecy.

Eventually she gave the woman a soothing smile and gently touched her shoulder. “Please calm down. Of course the situation will be taken care of. Two of my own family will immediately investigate on that matter. We will let you know what we found out after the trip, is that all right with you?” The woman, visibly struggling to control herself, nodded. “I promise that Mura won’t turn into a dangerous place”, Shahal exclaimed to the crowd with a determined look in her bright, energetic eyes.

While one of the spectators was taking care of the woman and her child, she turned around, facing her family. The first she caught sight of was Kamalia, since the seer had come quite close to her. With a short nod and an inviting gesture, she allowed her granddaughter to approach. Shahal knew that Kamalia was among the cleverest and smartest members of her immediate relatives, that she knew a great deal about their culture, honored their three patron gods and loved Mura.

Apparently this was the time for Kamalia to prove how much she could really do for the Konti and her city, in which way she could truly serve them. Shahal’s granddaughter had always been out and about, hurling herself into everything that looked like an adventure.

With a widespread gesture that included all present Timandres, Shahal addressed her: “If you want to, please go to the northern beach and choose someone else to take with you. Keep in mind, though, that you might need someone who is connected to Laviku. I feel that what attacked her is more than a mere sea monster. Be careful.” After those words, Shahal dismissed her granddaughter. To be honest, she tried to be optimistic, but was nevertheless a bit shocked by the sudden happening.

When Kamalia turned around, she found herself in front of Shilavi, the girl who had been attacked by the unknown … thing. Shock had vanished from her face, and although her clothing was still dripping, she had put a determined look on her face. “I am the one who knows the exact location, so I will come with you!”, she exclaimed and took Kamalia’s hand. She couldn’t be older than ten years.

[Kamalia Timandre]

It was as if the mere touch of Kamalia’s slender fingers was a flame thawing a thick crust of ice—that the barrier of initial numbness within the girl melted away. No longer shocked, the child burst and wailed into tears, burying her head in her mother’s apron, apparently traumatized by her recent experience. The young sorceress could only blink when the girl’s mother casted an apprehensive glance at her, but the moment was swiftly filched away from them by the gravity of their situation.

All eyes, all pale faces, then, were upon Grandmother Shahal while they awaited a word from the High Oracle. Outlines of fear and trepidation etched and marred their beautiful, pearlescent faces. Every konti in the ritual chamber stared so expectantly at Shahal as if Mura depended upon her words—as if their Mother Goddess, Avalis, herself would speak through the priestess’ mouth. Kamalia quietly observed while her grandmother soothed the little girl’s fears with a peaceful smile and a gentle hand on her shoulder.

Soon after the Matriarch of the Timandre family revealed her goddess-given instructions to the assembled throng of konti women and alleviated their fears with promises of the White Isle’s safety, Kamalia approached Shahal at her gesture. She genuflected low as was customary and polite, and listened to what her grandmother had to say. Even amidst the looming chaos, Shahal stood tall and regal, surreally beautiful even by the standards of the Konti, with silver-gold hair that spilled nearly to her feet and eyes violet and misty as twilight, framed with thick pale lashes. Three interlaced gnosis marks of Avalis glimmered upon the fore of her head, and her own slender form flickered with Syna’s golden radiance.

Awed and fearful, Kamalia sank to her knees before the High Oracle. The young seer was still dazed, but she was drawn in by Shahal’s warmth and charm, and the small embers of bravery flamed in her heart. Shahal’s instruction was too simple to absorb. Kamalia had been raised to examine everything for layers of meaning and motive, and t seemed to her that there must be something more of the situation than Shahal was admitting. Kamalia nodded thoughtfully, and sank again in a deep bow. “May Avalis light your path,” softly said the young seer at her grandmother’s dismissal, ready to depart for the northern shore.

As soon as she turned away from the crowd, Kamalia sighed as several possible scenarios flashed in her mind. First, she planned to find her friend named Muti L’ninea, a clerk working at the White Isle Harbor, for the girl was gifted a mark of the sea, but the instant Kamalia turned around, she found her path being blocked by Shilavi, the child who had been weeping moments ago. Kamalia smiled at her, but her smile froze when Shilavi determinedly declared that she was coming with her.

The wizard hesitated and the worry in her eyes deepened into a look of near panic. She leaned forward, taking a closer look at the girl with reassuring violet eyes. “I am sorry, but you cannot come with me. The northern shore reeks of danger right now, but big sister promises she will make it safe for you again. Is that okay with you?” Kamalia smiled warmly.

[Alice]

Shilavis intelligent eyes were staring into Kamalia’s soothing violet ones for a few seconds before she lowered her gaze. It would be too difficult to pursue the big sister, especially if she was driven by the thought of bringing back safety. After all, Shilavi was still a child by Konti standards, and children needed to be protected. She realized that she wouldn’t be able to come with Kamalia, so she stepped aside.

“I hope you do the right thing”, she muttered sadly, returning back to her mother and the Konti that was supposed to interview her and look for eventual traumas. If Kamalia watched the scene for a while, she would see the girl’s mood lightening again while talking to them.

The crowd was dispersing, people were departing in different directions, since the decision had been made. The ones who hadn’t been chosen into the investigation group instead used their Divination gifts in order to detect any additional information, but obviously Avalis couldn’t or didn’t want to give them what they sought. Others started to clear the room, opening the doors for fresh air, locking the tools away until the next ritual. Shahal as well as Nokomis Timandre had already vanished, but Kamalia’s sisters were still milling around, chatting and eyeing the privileged Kamalia with a mixture of pride and jealousy.

That would be the best chance for the Konti to leave as well and turn in the direction of the harbor.

If she chose to do so, she would feel an unnatural tension lying in the air as soon as she entered through the main gates. Their elaborate carvings were depicting the waters, winds and creatures of the ocean in a beautiful and elegant way, but this time the beasts looked rather dangerous than welcoming. Muti L’ninea, the good soul of the harbor, had left the counter at the dock house, but the harbor director was around and knew that she was somewhere out at the quay.

Indeed, there she was, the chin-long white hair tied up in a ponytail, the sea green eyes filled with optimistic energy as ever. She wore a short blouse and trousers, helping a group of sailors made up of humans as well as Konti to organize the wares of their trade ship. They were standing around the crates, calculating, checking a list and talking about the weather.

When Kamalia approached, she would be able to catch a few bits of the conversation. “… seen anything like this before. What does it mean anyway?”, one of the sailors commented while his eyes narrowed suspiciously.

Muti shortly eyed the blue sky, then she replied: “I would really like to know the reason too. The air smells of bad weather, that’s all I can say.” Suddenly she turned a bit and recognized Kamalia. A smile spread across her face, worry had vanished from her voice. “Kamalia Timandre! What a nice turn of events to see you here. Did you come to practice your magic again? Or did your grandmother’s vision reveal something interesting?”

The rumors hadn’t made it to the harbor yet, but something seemed to be wrong at that place as well. As if the whole city had felt that safety and peace had been disturbed, as if everything suddenly went wrong because of a single happening nobody had foretold.

[Kamalia Timandre]

For the first time in ages, pressure spurred Kamalia’s steps. The young Timandre wizard left their family estates and made her way through the White Isle Harbor without further incident. As soon as she arrived, a thick miasma of tension assaulted the seer’s senses, but Kamalia easily drove it back with her will. The docks of Mura, as usual, were eerily silent and faint telltale winds of danger seemed to linger about in the air. After a moment’s hesitation, Kamalia once again continued walking to look for her friend.

Muti L’ninea was a girl at the edge of blossoming into a beautiful woman, a sweet and gentle soul who never failed to make the day brighter with quick laughter and dazzling smiles. Her optimism was contagious, but today, even that seemed dampened by the strange, inexplicable occurrences that permeated the entire isle. It was like staring at a pure white silken canvas tainted by a single blotch. Kamalia quietly listened as Muti and the sailors conversed, apparently still unaware of what was truly happening and the menacing omens that loomed over the city.

At last, the charming clerk turned her attention to Kamalia, her smile washing away the creases of worry on her face. The sailors stopped too, just to gape in awe as Kamalia pulled the hood of her white brocade cloak away from her head. Her vibrant violet eyes searched Muti’s face, and she seemed to weigh her words before she spoke —in Kontinese. “Fair sister, Grandmother Shahal has appointed me to examine the northern shores. The sea of the north is fraught with danger our divinations cannot reveal. Only a daughter with the mark of the sea can help me with this task. I implore you to help us in our plight,” her voice was hushed, her face rapt and attentive.

Kamalia anticipated the initial shock. If Muti agreed, the wizard would advise the clerk to take her weapon with her and with all possible speed, hurry towards north. It seemed that no one in Mura knew what to make out of such portents of doom.

[Alice]

The sailors circling the young Konti were indeed awestruck by Kamalia’s appearance as was everyone who hadn’t experienced the stunning beauty of the Konti – especially that particular one – himself. Surely they would remember and idealize the memory of her appearance and spread the tale in taverns, adding another myth to the countless fund about the daughters of Avalis.

However, that day wasn’t for storytelling. Kamalia’s words that were only understood by her fellow sister didn’t go unnoticed – although the reaction was a slightly different one. Muti stayed silent for a few moments, then her eyebrows raised in surprise as if she needed some time to get used to the fact that Mura, the peaceful and harmonic centerpiece of their isle, was actually in serious danger. Even then she didn’t seem to get the urgency of the situation. “This is incredibly bad news …” Her eyes narrowed, nevertheless she nodded. “I feel honored to having been asked to help. If it’s true what you speak, we have to try everything to find out what’s disturbing our peace. Of course I’ll accompany you!”

Having recovered from the first shock, she gave another smile. “Just let me finish this list, it certainly isn’t going to take long. We’re almost done anyway.”

After having done so and also having dismissed the sailors – who seemed to be a bit too excited about Kamalia and the unknown words they had spoken in Kontinese –, Muti quickly visited the dock house to report to Kilana and her own apartment to change clothing. When returning to the street, she wore a tight white blouse made of a special, elastic material and equally crafted trousers. It was clear that she assumed that swimming would be necessary. Greeting Kamalia with an apologizing chuckle, she admitted: “Unfortunately I don’t own any weapons apart from the mark Laviku gifted me with, so you have to magically protect me if the situation gets dangerous … However, I am eager to do my best. Let’s get going, right?”

Realizing something important, she quickly added: “Which way did you have in mind anyway, dear sister?” Her expectant eyes told Kamalia that she would be the boss during that investigation. Muti, although she didn’t get along with her elder sister very well, had been told from a very young age on that the older ones also were the wiser ones – well, usually. Therefore, she would gladly listen to Kamalia’s plans and thoughts before even offering some of her own.

[Kamalia Timandre]

Kamalia merely nodded. The prospect of being meagerly armed in such a dangerous situation held little appeal under the best circumstances. Still, the young wizard had expected this, and her lips curled into a gentle smile in response to Muti’s light and musical laughter.

Kamalia was no stranger to danger, both on land and beneath the waves. Trained in the arcane arts by the resident konti wizard Kidala Timandre, Kamalia had carved a name for herself as a credible reimancer in the konti society. At times, she would volunteer to escort konti merchant vessels sailing from Mura to Nyka and Zeltiva as a ship wizard. Other times, she would accompany apprentice healers of the Opal Order through the wilderness in search for medicinal plants. The wizard had fought and won against foul creatures the like of the balicani and yukmen many times before. What manner of creature awaited them now? Kamalia fervently hoped that the creature Shilavi had encountered by the northern shores was not anything beyond her power.

The first thing the konti wizard did was lead Muti to her spacious and luxurious bedchambers in the Timandre Manse to look for her kelvic partner, Gromhir. To her disappointment, the male was not around yet. Kamalia would have requested his assistance if he were present.

There, she quickly changed and dressed in a champagne-colored jerkin and leggings made for swimming, and hastily armed herself with an array of small weapons: the shooting stars—twelve star-shaped blades of peerless Isurian steel, perfectly balanced and evenly spaced, with each leg ending in a gracefully lethal tip—and the classic whalehorn suvai. Of the two, Kamalia vastly preferred the throwing stars. She eagerly awaited the time her young sister Avayra would have enough magecrafting techniques to empower these deadly toys. Now that had potential!

However, Kamalia’s strongest weapon in her arsenal was no other than her magic. The wizard politely asked Muti to be seated on one of the oyster shell-shaped couches. “This won’t take too long,” smiled Kamalia, before seating herself next to a low study table.

The wizard, then, began the meticulous art of glyphing. Dipping a brush bristled with the hair of a marten’s pelt into a bottle of inscribing paint, the young sorceress drew elaborate sigils on each palm of her hand, pronouncing each rune in Nader-Canoch as she wrote with a calligrapher’s precision. At last, she sighed in relief as she painted the last twirl of the final sigil, and the dark “focus glyphs” shimmered elegantly on her stark white palms. These glyphs were designed to aid the channeling of djed through her hands. Kamalia was slightly getting better at glyphing, but under pressure, her skills were far from perfect.

She rose and spun to face Muti. “I am now fully braced for the task. May the Oracle Mother pave the way for us,” she nodded, before leaving the manse and hurrying towards the northern shores.