Location [Riverfall] The Land and Sea Gates

[Theophates]

1st of Winter, 514A.A.
The Land Gate, Midday

The gentle lap of water against the thick timbers of the ferry had been a comfort as Theophates had waited patiently for the ferryman to do his work. There was a caravan come far from the south crowded in, making the ferry uncomfortably tight. The horses had been sweating from their morning’s work and the smell gave the whole place an air of naturally that the Ethaefal found oddly comforting.

He himself had much humbler ventures to bring him to the ferry this late afternoon. The Ethaefal, as was his habit since long ago, had taken the dawn ferry across the Blue Vein to walk for a while along the coast. Doing this from time to time cleared his mind, he found. He had not gone more than a few miles before turning back to return to the city.

No doubt this caravan came from far to the south, from a place even he had never been. After the ferryman had tied his craft off on the dock opposite with expert fingers they had been able to disembark. Theophates now followed behind the caravan towards the two Akalak who served as sentinels today. Both bore the famous Lakan with a familiarity that could not be matched. Lean and professional, they seemed a fitting first line of defense for all Rivarians.

When the caravan had been thoroughly inspected they were allowed entry and Theophates stepped up to the guardians with a smile. He had never met either of them at the gates before. Perhaps the two were newly minted warriors? Probably not, they seemed seasoned to his old eyes.

"Welcome, traveler. Here is a scroll of welcome from the city. It contains a list of our laws, a map of the city, and some advertisements from local businesses that sponsor these scrolls to be made. You can feel free to come in if you agree to our laws and turn this scroll back in when you leave so we can reuse it." The closest Akalak said greeted him, polite and professional. But Theophates did not miss the critical eye with which his partner inspected his person, and especially, his weapon.

The Ethaefal waved a hand and smiled. “I have received a scroll before, and will of course comply with the laws of the city. The hospitality of the Akalak is greatly appreciated.”

The warrior nodded and gave a brief smile as he let the Ethaefal in the city, but hands never left the hilts of those Lakan. Discipline was such a huge part of their lives. Theophates had been trying to learn from their example in his time within the walls of the city.

[Reitari Windshadow]

Timestamp: 1st Day of Winter, 514, AV Reitari felt...numb. That was a good way to explain the way she felt. She was tired, utterly drained both physically and emotionally. And it felt as though she had been that way for a very long time. It was hard to imagine things ever changing. Even so, it was okay. Numb was good. There were far worse things than being exhausted and numb. Terror and agony came to mind. For a very long time those terror had been her constant companion. If she wasn't too exhausted to feel anything, she was terrified. And pain was another constant of her existence. Reitari could no longer remember a time when she didn't feel pain of some kind. In her darkest days, she wondered if there had ever been such a time in her life. "Don't worry. It's not much further now." The soft spoken words were gentle, reassuring. But the large, blue skinned man sitting behind her on the horse that carried them was not. The warmth of the hard, muscular chest that was pressed against her back might have reassured some, but Reitari could only feel its great strength. A strong man could take whatever he wanted from those weaker than he was. Reitari had no illusions of being able to defend herself against such a man. And she was tired of men taking things from her that she wasn't willing to give. Men were dangerous. This man was no different. Reitari allowed her mind to drift into a numb haze. It was all too easy to do in her current state, and it offered a temporary escape from the eyes that gazed at her as she huddled down into the saddle. Reitari didn't know what these men wanted from her...and she didn't want to know. So for now...escape was good. She heard the words exchanged between her rescuer and the blue skinned man at the gate, but she didn't comprehend them. There was something about an oathmaster...whatever that was. The rest slid past her, simply a quiet noise. Then the horse began moving once more, and they passed through the gate.

[Kennen Dova]

Timestamp: 1st day of winter, 514 AV It had been a long journey, one that had started off in horror and had ended in boredom, with a splash of excitement somewhere in the middle. It had started off a Season ago with a furious escape from Sunberth. The escape had led to Zeltiva where he had managed to purchase passage on a ship running the Trade Route to Riverfall, operated by an Akalak ready to be back home. It was so different, it wasn't the same as his memories of flying through the air but as the ship moved through the waves it was close. Sometimes the ship would catch up to speeds, if the winds were right, that made it seem as if it wasn't even touching the waters. But that excitement could only last so long, eventually you begin to realize that one stretch of sea looks much the same as another. The first port they pulled into had a name he couldn't remember, and that had been exciting, but it hadn't been his destination so there was no point in leaving. And with the captains excitement of getting home they hadn't stayed long, only long enough to get more provisions before heading out again to more monotony. It got to the point where the storms on the water were the best part of the voyage, at least they were different. But this was different. Kennen had been woken up early in the morning, the sun just rising in the sky, to be told that Riverfall was in sight. They had been in sight of land for a while now, but now they were finally at there destination. As he came up on deck, now accustomed to his place off to the side where he wouldn't be in any of the sailors way, he caught his first magnificent glance of Riverfall from sea. With the colors of sunrise being refracted by the water of the falls, it was a glorious sight to behold, one that made all the monotony worth it, and reminded him of his purpose. His gaze was held by the sight of the falls, so it took him a moment to realize what had all the sailors in a dour mood. As his eyes fell more he realized he couldn't see the base of the falls. Rubbing his eyes he looked again to make sure he saw correctly. The base of the City was nothing but a gray blur. "Ugh, we're gonna be stuck out here for days waiting on the mists to clear." He heard one sailor say, which was followed by a lot of the same sentiment from others. However it was quickly cut by the captain's laugh followed by a booming, "Bah it'll clear by the time we reach it, its nothing. Should see it at it's worse when the entire city is coated!" And so Kennen kept his position and his watch as the ship slowly moved into port, passing fishing vessels and watched as the captains words came true, the mists had defiantly lessened as the day wore on. It wasn't long before Kennen departed the ship he had spent so much time on, his coin pouch significantly lightened, and bidding farewell to the captain. He had just begun wandering around the docks, gawking at everything when a large blue man walked up to him. The tall, muscular, blue-skinned man would ask, ”Hello there, can I help you with anything? Here is a scroll of welcome from the city. It contains a list of our laws, a map of the city, and some advertisements from local businesses that sponsor these scrolls to be made. You can feel free to come in if you agree to our laws and turn this scroll back in when you leave so we can reuse it." The Akalak would hand over the scroll as Kennen nods quickly giving an affirmative to the mans question. "Where can I Uh find someone to give me passage to Windreach?" Kennen would ask. The Akalak would look at him funny before shaking his head, "Ship? You wont find it that easy to reach Windreach, you'll have to wait for an Eagle Rider to make there way here and have space to take you with them." And with that the Akalak leaves the now despondent Kennen alone to stare at his scroll. "I can't believe. . . Stuck here? I. . . I guess I can make the best of it till I can figure out how to leave." And with that he unfurled the scroll and took off to find his life here in a strange new land.

[Liat]

8th of Winter, 514 AV
Sea Gates

Shiber

It was a calm day. The gentle rolling of waves lapped softly against the wood of the ship as Liat held tightly to the side of the deck. Since the start of her journey, she had since become used to the incessant rocking, but constantly being surrounded by water still unnerved her. The deep blues and greys of her surroundings tired her eyes making her unsettled as she longed for the familiar browns and tans of home. The shifting sands had been replaced by rolling water and Liat could not fathom how she would be able to find stability in a new life when she had yet to set foot upon a stable surface.
Her days and nights traveling had been spent in quiet reflection as she prayed to Yahal throughout the voyage tending to avoid the other passengers who were either experienced boisterous travelers/traders or newcomers who seemed lost in thought like her. She did not mind the solitude. It was easy to lose track of time as she watched unfamiliar coasts slip by. She tried to stay on deck as much as possible despite the frozen chill since being below made her feel confined and nauseous.

Calls around her for the shifting of sails garnered her attention as the ship slowed its progress as it headed towards the tiered city. Liat clenched the wood of the ship tightly as she cautiously leaned forward over the railing straining her eyes to take in the city that was still too hazy from light mists to see in fine detail. The foreignness of the view excited yet saddened her. She had given up everything she had known to try and find her place in the world. Was this blue city, so strange from what she had always known, truly going to be the place for her? Her inner thoughts were not answered by the imposing visage of the cliff side and city structures.

“Yahal, give me strength,” Liat whispered as she took in the myriad of strange people who walked the docks. Her years of midwifing and not given her a true diverse view of different races and the sight was intimidating. How she would get used to so many different people was beyond her, but she hoped Yahal would guide her path.

As she stepped off the ship, an Akalak approached and gave her a scroll and directions to the housing and labor aid office. She was comforted by the thought that although this was a strange new place there were always babes to be birthed. She may not yet be trusted as a midwife here, but Liat was sure that she would not starve while she built her reputation and skills. There would always be women in need as the cycle of life continued. With those thoughts, Liat pulled her cloak around her a little more tightly against the chill and set out in search of the described office.

[Kiva'ar]

Kiva'ar stood at the gates to the giant city with a worried look on her face, painfully regretting the decision. It had been an hour since the Kelvic's parents had left her here under the admission that she would be "alright." Okay, perhaps "alright" was an overstatement. She paced, considering. Everything she had every known had been with her mother, her father and the Endrykas clan that her father belonged to. So determined to set out on her own she'd never considered quite how alone that would be. Still, she was a wolf by nature, a hunter, and living wild couldn't be that dangerous. She had her skills too, and could outrun any horse in her father's possession. Nearly. So many new smells flickered past her nose. Odiferous wood, and the fresh sweetness of water from the cascading waterfall, along with the equally burning salt of the ocean, delicious treats to eat that made her drool, and so many different people scents. It was almost overwhelming. She could hear the roar of the water, the hubbub of chat, and the chaos of city life. She longed to find a quiet corner and hide, just be invisible for a few short moments and observe it all. But no, she was supposed to be acting subtle. As far as anyone knew, she was just like them until questioned. Kiva'ar would be calm, respectful and maybe then she could acquire a companion or two to travel with like she hoped to. Her left hand brushed the hard course stone of the city walls, solidifying in her mind this decision. She sniffed it, taking note of the strange lichen growing there. Must be the water she decided, somewhat distractedly. Her eyes cast down towards the water's edge where ships and boats and large hulking sailors carted around goods. Another equally disturbing venture, to sneak away on a ship or boat. No, she'd stay here, she decided, that way if she disliked it, she might rejoin her family on their next venture through the city. But wouldn't that be admitting defeat? She let out a whine, backing up and shaking her head, and narrowly avoided crashing into a large stack of wood being carted into the city by three semi naked men, possibly Alalak. They scolded her quickly, not pausing in their task. Kiva'ar flushed. No, she decided firmly, pursing her lips and darting in through the gates, I will see this through. I'm not a pup anymore.

[Gendler]

Gendler

Winter 5, AV 514 Night had begun to descend upon the city as Gendler approached the massive gates to the city. From what the undead could see, Riverfalls defenses where truly force to be reckoned with. The city's walls where high and stood proudly to mock any who where foolish enough to bring war upon the fierce people who lived there. Patrols walked the walls, as if expecting an attack to happen any moment, ever vigilant to ward off any threat that should approach. The Zith where supposedly a big problem in the area, needing to be checked up on routinely to keep there numbers down, but surprisingly Gendler and the others he had been traveling with where not attacked on there journey. Perhaps the reputations surrounding the martial prowess of the Akalak where true. He would find out soon enough. Cold wind pushed against Gendlers worn cloak as he slowly approached the tall guards. They where well armed compared to the young undead, standing with there heads held high despite the cold. "Welcome Traveler" one of the Akalak spoke in a neutral tone. Reaching into his satchel the guard produced a large scroll and offered it to Gendler. "This is all the basic information you will need if you will be spending any time here among us. This includes a map, laws, and some advertisements for shops that visitors may enjoy. I would ask that you glance over it and make sure you are familiarized with our ways before we allow you to pass through these gates." The cloaked undead reached out and took the scroll. There eyes met as Gendlers fingers coiled around the rolled parchment, withdrawing the item into his possession. The gatekeepers eyes studied his hooded features, suspicion clearly visible upon his face "What business brings you here?" Gendler unrolled the scroll and scanned its contents, highlighting there laws and keeping them close to mind. The blunt question didn't surprise him, his features where worthy of anyone's curiosity, even under the shadow of his hood. Gendlers voice was dry and horse as he responded to the Akalak's question "To learn, and improve upon the craft which is familiar to me." tucking the scroll into his pack he returned his full attention to the guard "It is my understanding your people produce great warriors." The Akalak's eyes narrowed in on Gendler as if trying to pierce his being and weigh his answer "You may not find what you seek here, traveler. But only time will tell. You may enter as long as you agree to our laws and don't cause trouble." Gendlers face bore no expression as he nodded to the man baring his passage. The guard inhaled deeply though his nose and returned the undeads nod and stepping out of his way "Enjoy your stay in Riverfall." With a satisfied nod Gendler walked through the gates into the city. Gendlers pace was slow and methodical, each footstep carefully placed as he made his way deeper into Riverfall. He would wait, now. It would be long before light returned to the beautiful city and even longer before the opportunity would come to get in touch with those who could help him achieve what he came here for. It had been a long journey getting this far, but now that he was here. He could begin.

[Stye]

1st Day of Spring 515 A.V.

It took a while for Stye to read through the Laws of Riverfall given to him by the giant blue guard. His Common was good enough to get by in most situations, both speaking and reading, but he would have been happier if he could have gotten a copy in Vani. The Laws left no doubt that the Akalak were a warrior people; at some points, downright barbaric. Nonetheless, upon reflection he had to admit that they were even-handed. As long as you accepted the premise of the survival of the fittest.

He pushed himself up from where he had been sitting with his back against the unyielding stone walls that protected the city’s eastern approach. The grasslands spread out and away from the city as far as the eye could see. A steady wind brought the scents of plants both familiar and unfamiliar, and of wildlife, some that he could identify and some that he could not. It was astonishing to him in its vastness and its strangeness. He would explore the Sea of Grass someday. But not today.

He grabbed his backpack and approached the guard again. The Akalak looked down at him from his seven foot height. Stye — all five foot four of him — looked up at him. He didn’t suppose the man was trying to be intimidating, but under the circumstances it was unavoidable.

“I do read the Laws,” he said, “and I do promise to be following them.”

The guard’s voice was a deep rumble and not unkind. “Then you may enter the city. Welcome to Riverfall.”

Stye started through the massive gates, and paused. “The Laws say I need a job to stay much while.”

“That is so. All who dwell in Riverfall carry their own weight.”

“Where will I find one?”

“Go to the Citizen Housing and Labor Aid building.” He pointed it out on the map he had given to Stye along with the Laws. “You will find information there about jobs.”

“I give you much thanks, kind sir,” Stye said, bowing slightly.

“You are welcome little man.”

The blue giant smirked and turned his gaze back to the Sea of Grass. Stye turned his gaze to the city of Riverfall.

[Zephari]

1st of Spring, 515 A.V.

Awoken by the bustling of the crew, Zephari pokes her head out of her sleeping hammock. The crew of the small schooner was moving coils of rope and barrels to the top deck. She gets out of her hammock and grabs her bag, heading for the bow of the ship. As she stands up and begins to walk towards the front of the ship, she stumbles as the ship breaks through a wave. Even after a significant amount of time at sea, Zephari has yet to get her sea legs. Once she has recovered she heads up to the top deck and gets her first look at riverfall. Shock is the only word that can be used to describe to look on the Benshira's face. Riverfall is so different and elegant compared to her homeland cities. Having arrived in the late evening, the city's waterfalls are lit with an orange glow from the remaining light of the setting sun. She finds a seat and waits for the boat to get to port.

As the boat is roped off to the pier, the chaos continues as the crew hastily offloads the boat of its cargo. After take a few deep breaths to calm herself, Zephari gets off the ship and walks into the crowd of people. She simply wanders gawking at the city for a few minutes before she is approached by a giant blue man. This must be one of the locals I've herd about, she thought to herself as he came closer, now towering over her. "Hello" she said timidly. The man looked at her with a large grin and said, "Welcome to Riverfall, foreigner". He then hands her a scroll, and continues "This is all the basic information you will need if you will be spending any time here among us. This includes a map, laws, and some advertisements for shops that visitors may enjoy. We ask that you agree to these laws in order to enter the city." Zephari opens the scroll and looks through it, having to read certain parts multiple times as the scroll is written in common. She then smiles and says, "I will gladly agree to these laws, and thank you for the map". The Akalak side steps to get out of her way, and she continues into the city. Well this is going to be an interesting spring, she thought to herself.

[Thomas Cosa]

50th of Spring
Location: Sea Gates

"Petching finally," Thomas mumbled, relief flushing the green-sick from his face for a moment. He felt the gentle sway, the slight breeze that managed to escaped beneath into the cabins, the overwhelming smell of salt and seaweed, the heavy wetness to the air, to everything. He sighed, sharply intaking a breath, too quickly; he coughed as he struggled to push himself off the cot he'd secured at the beginning of the trip.

At the beginning of his exile.

"Y'OK kid?," Someone had said. Thomas nodded tiredly, not caring to respond. He'd ignored everyone, not really wanting to connect. He'd been forced to leave the Citadel in the middle of the season, hardly given the chance to at least try and animate something to secure another season of study. And then he'd only cared about as getting as far away from the island as he could manage on his own.

He grabbed his backpack, touching Stranger, the golem wrapped around the pack as an added sense of security. At least they hadn't taken the golem. At least he could still pretend to be in Mashean's good graces. They had said he could come back after a season, but as an apprentice. Thomas had laughed when they'd said that -- it had to have been a joke.

He stepped out, shielding his face against the blinding sun, the blinding white of everything, the sea spray. One of the large blue men shouted something at him, but he'd been too tired to notice, and only responded with a 'thanks' as he was handed a map, and nodded as the whatever-it-was, akalkas? said to return it when he left.

If he ever left.

[Ataraxia Koilos]

1st of Spring, 515 AV
Location: Sea gates

"Ain't that a pretty sight, eh, m'lass?"

Ataraxia's feline companion merely purred and snuggled into the folds of the cloak stuffed into his backpack, with the top end open so that she wouldn't be stifled inside. He chuckled, and spent

He scratched his chin, brushing away the salt that had collected there after many a day of being drenched in the face with the sea-spray, as he marveled at the waterfall and cliffs of Riverfall - having only seen them from afar, a close-up view was more than enough to impress the human.

"Thankee cousin, I'll take me leave now."

He waved goodbye to a sun-burnt Svefra, before stepping onto the docks of his new home.

"Now, where to... Ah, there's someone."

He thanked the Akalak greeter and scanned the scroll passed to him before his eyes lit up.

"Windswept Condos? And a garden and all that! Missy, we'd best get going afore someone shows up and takes that nice little place. Be nice to feel the soil around my fingers after sich a long journey at sea."

He idly fingered the long spade strapped to his back, before setting off at a brisk pace.