Completed Mist the Otherworldly

Ghost meets detective. (Shalita & Eida pls)

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This lazy agricultural settlement rests on the swampy shores of the Middle Suvan at the delta of The Kenash River. The River's slow moving bayou waters have bred a different sort of people - rugged, cultured, and somewhat violent. Sprawling plantations of tobacco and cotton grow on the outskirts of the swamp in the rich Cyphrus soils, while the city itself curls around the bayou and spawns decadence and sins of all sorts. Life is slower in Kenash, but the lack of pace is made up for in the excesses of food and flesh in a city where drinking, debauchery, gambling, slavery, and overbearing plantation families dominate the landscape.

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Mist the Otherworldly

Postby Estrellir Konrath on December 3rd, 2014, 2:50 pm

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Upon her command, Eida had requested to shed her cloak in the protective shadow of the house and Estrellir had agreed. The Symenestra seemed rather sensitive and fragile, body thin and bony under all the fabric, blinking against the sunlight. Once inside, she would be able to continue her interview in the relative privacy of the lounge. The cloak was thrown over the next armchair.

Eida stood taller than the Konti, no surprise, but combined with her thin and boyish built it became a significant detail. She shared many physical traits with her mistress, although everything that was pearl and ivory with Estrellir became ash and cobwebs with her. Although smooth, her skin seemed withered like a flower that had been white once. Her hair hung pale and in soft waves, framing a narrow face and fading before intense amethyst eyes. Those orbs seemed to hold an entire world of their own – as if a starry sky was reflected in them at all times, a feature only visible to spectators, but not known to their owner.

Remarkable eyes, Estrellir noted and moved on. As far as proportions went, her legs and arms appeared to be longer than usual. Where the Konti had delicate nails, the Symenestra featured pitch-black claws that felt hard and sharp to the touch. Estrellir didn’t feel like testing how sharp.

After circling her once again, Estrellir concluded the physical examination and gestured for Eida to retrieve her cloak. A few questions revealed that, indeed, her vision was better in the dark and worse under Syna, and she climbed walls due to fine hooks that extended from her fingertips and the soles of her feet.

Estrellir didn’t ask for a demonstration simply because she didn’t want to attract attention investigating a strange case. She’d heard similar rumors from various sources. As a true Kenashian, she knew rumors and gossip typically stemmed from a grain of truth. Since she couldn’t think of any other questions, she thanked the slave briefly and sent her back to work.

Violet eyes followed her motions until she bent down over the flowers and began picking weeds. Surely a widow’s unique physical properties could be used for other purposes, but she guessed Eida had had no training in any profession. Lorenzo or her sister had simply assigned her to do simple and harmless work so she could get used to plantation life and learn the rules first. Estrellir wondered if that one had a career ahead of her or would perish in a matter of years. With the fragility of her race, it was hard to say, yet worth watching.

Wiping dusty hands at her pants, Estrellir called for someone to ready a carriage and ride her back to the city proper. During the next step, she’d compare results with Mell and look for other sources of information.
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Estrellir Konrath
She Who Finds What Was Lost
 
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Mist the Otherworldly

Postby Estrellir Konrath on December 17th, 2014, 3:02 pm

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In the carriage, Estrellir recalled the interrogation and examination, noting any details she’d recognized as surprising. If not for the rocky roads and lacking skill of the driver, she would’ve scribbled down the interesting parts, but her memory served her as well as ever. The fact that Symenestra were few and hardly ever ventured outside their communities seemed significant, although she couldn’t exactly tell why.

Furthermore, was Eida’s early death unusual or was it simply something that happened to a frail and weak race such as hers? Still, they had claws and their fangs were said to be poisonous. They could defend themselves, yet their reputation wasn’t the best by far.

Upon entering the bureau, Estrellir found Mell to be absent. With Whimsy rubbing a furry head on her legs, the Konti went to make some coffee on the stove. Of course, the fire had gone out and needed to be rekindled which took more time than she would’ve liked. With a sigh of relief, she watched as the spark caught on a dry twig and gave it a soft blow. At that moment, the front door opened and a gust of wind stirred the tiny flame. “By Avalis’ tears, close the door!” Estrellir leaned back, mildly annoyed, and waited until her slave entered the kitchen. Then she waved at the stove. “If you take over, coffee will be ready sooner. In the meantime, fill me in on what you’ve found out.”

Mell only nodded and set to work. If her mistress was in that mood, absolute obedience and coffee seemed like the best idea. “There wasn’t much, just some basics about the Symenestra as a whole.”

“Go ahead.” Estrellir waved and allowed herself to slump into the old couch opposite the stove. The fabric hugged her with a leathery sigh as if it was exhausted.

Mell began with a summary of things they already knew: there were few, less than thousand, most lived in caverns and houses suspended from the ceiling, a place they called Kalinor, they had pale skin, hair like cobwebs, dark eyes, fangs and claws, they could obviously scale walls like spiders.

“One history book said they came from Falyndar where they lived in the treetops, but then relocated to Kalea. After the Valterrian, they left the treetops and went underground to survive. It looks like many have died in the catastrophe and they’ve been very few ever since.”

Estrellir licked her lips and closed her eyes in an attempt to connect the dots. “But they survived. How?”

“It is said they kidnap beautiful young women in what they call ‘harvests’ and make them give birth to their babies. The poison inside their bodies kills the mothers though. They are lured with promises of love, but then kept hostage until they die. It sounds horrible!”

The Konti couldn’t help but smirk a little. Mell had doubtlessly imagined herself in the role of such a mother and come to the conclusion that slavery at the Boldvine household was a comparatively good fate. “It is. I’m sure some will have doubts. They say Symenestra are heartless monsters, but the one I interviewed today was gentle.”

She hesitated briefly, thinking over everything they’d gathered so far. “What else do you have? Go on.”

Mell handed her a steaming cup. By now the bitter, yet refreshing aroma had invaded the entire kitchen and Estrellir took a deep breath. With the nose in her cup, she didn’t protest as Whimsy joined her on the couch.

The girl shrugged. “Just bits and pieces. The books didn’t really say what they eat. Some claim they need to drink the blood of a sentient creature every day. One simply states they eat fruit and herbs.”

“Which do you think is true?” Taking a sip, Estrellir promptly burned the tip of her tongue.

“I think… the drinking blood doesn’t make any sense. It read like a prejudice. Like what you said before, mistress. They don’t seem to be monsters.”

The Konti nodded in silent approval of the girl’s analysis. With every season, Mell better understood her work and what it was about. Slowly, the girl was developing some ideas and opinions of her own, something Estrellir appreciated and used in her investigations. Naturally, the concluding remarks were still up to her, the chief investigator.
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Estrellir Konrath
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Mist the Otherworldly

Postby Estrellir Konrath on December 17th, 2014, 3:26 pm

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The following days were spent compiling the report. Estrellir tried to connect the dots, arranged and rearranged the details in ways that seemed meaningful to her. Unsurprisingly, records at the Dynasty library hadn’t helped a lot and only confirmed what she’d gathered through speaking with Eida and Shalita herself.

The Symenestra were few because children killed their mothers at birth. Therefore they went out into the world to collect young girls to increase their population. It still didn’t seem to work well though. Prejudice and various dangers stood in the way of a successful harvest.

Estrellir suspected that internal conflicts also played a role in Kalinor. It was a city she’d never seen, but just as most people thought alike, most communities functioned in a similar way. There would always be those who held a different opinion, who wished to change the established order. Kenash had the mysterious Rujaro, for better or for worse. Perhaps Kalinor had Symenestra who wished to give birth to their own children even if it killed them. Perhaps they were trying to increase their population through magic or other means. As a Konti who had very little experience with widows, Estrellir could only guess.

She summarized her thoughts in a small section at the end of her report, adding a disclaimer. As far as the request went, her work was finished. As she still had one and a half days left, Estrellir found herself returning to the report again and again, adding details, changing around the way she’d arranged information.

Eventually the fourth day passed and the evening of the fifth came. Estrellir sat at her desk, reading over the report one last time, while Mell was dusting off the bookshelves… or pretending to.

“If she comes, you must disappear.” Pipe between her lips, the Konti released a long string of smoke into the stuffy air.

“Yes, mistress. I know that.” Mell tried her best not to hang her head and continued cleaning the shelves with the utmost care. Despite her unhealthy curiosity, she was a good girl.

Bittersweet smoke in her mouth, Estrellir was waiting for the ghost to arrive and pay her back… whatever Shalita had to give, it’d be worth the work, possibly worth more than all the coin in Mizahar.
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Estrellir Konrath
She Who Finds What Was Lost
 
Posts: 647
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Mist the Otherworldly

Postby Matthew on February 9th, 2015, 5:37 pm



Estrellir


Experience Points:

  • +1 Intelligence
  • +2 Interrogation
  • +3 Investigation
  • +2 Observation
  • +2 Socialization








Lores:

  • Basic Appearance of a Common Ghost
  • Basic Signs of a Ghostly Presence
  • Intelligence: Observing and Analysing
  • Investigation: Simple Scene Analysis
  • Symenestra: Broad Overview of History
  • Symenestra: General Appearance


If you have any questions or concerns relevant to your grade, don't be afraid to send me a private message so that we can work it all out! Please remember to mark your Grading Request as Graded.

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Matthew
Malfunctioning
 
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