PM to join In The Shadow Of Hope [Ricky]

[Zandelia]

25th Spring, 515 AV - Priskil's Spire


She had been out in the balmy air, salty smell filling her nose as the winds carried the remnants of the sea's froth into the lungs of the people, and watching what was happening before her. Everyone was hurrying about here and there in Zeltiva it seemed, aristocrat and pauper alike as far as she could tell, always somewhere clearly important to be. She could understand it with the runners, missive carriers were paid for their fleetness, however for everyone else it seemed unnecessarily stressful. Then again, she was new to the city and this could merely have been a busy period. As far as she had rationalized out from her discussions with others the city had had very hard times in the recent past, it may have merely been the ebbing off before the great relax in city life. Her attention, however, was not so much on everyone as the select few who were entering and exiting the building nearby. Not to mention the creatures leaving it from its peaks.

Priskil's Spire! One elegant showing of what true craftsmen could do if given the time, inclination and resources. She was truly a beautiful creation, clearly it was a woman given its inherent grace and stature. She knew little of the deity aside from her gender, she was not entirely sure what she was the goddess of. Still, her building was providing her with a pretty insight into the Zeltivan machine of government. She had learnt the main avenues as best she could so far, still far from the universal knowledge she had of Sunberth but a decent step towards it, and she was cure that many of the runners were exiting from the governmental sector – as she liked to think of it. Yet, if her eye did not deceive her, many of the doves – they must have been doves – were flapping straight back in the same direction.

“So why send a missive at all? IS it secret? Safer? More removed? Or do they just like the idea of using them out of self-importance? Or all of the above? Or none?” she muttered to herself, watching another batch soar off and the runners exit the building for their rather too leisurely stroll back the way they had come for their profession.

She turned her gaze back to the middle distance, orb lazily caressing the white stones of the tower as her mind retreated inwards. She was tired, too damned tired by half. She had thought she had had it hard in Sunberth with her employments but Anelda certainly saw to it that she was worked as hard as possible to earn her keep. She liked the woman she had to admit, she was too much like Zandelia than she cared to admit and she was too much like Anelda with the same problem. Cold at times, aloof eve, yet she had a caring streak the width of the city and time enough for everyone that when they left they had nothing but decent things to say of her. There was much she could learn from Anelda, she was certain she had not seen the half of it. Which filled her with sadness, she was not entirely sure she was either worthy nor capable of learning half of it.

I took the job for the access it gave me, for the relaxing atmosphere and the ability to ease people, but why bother? It all comes down for naught in the end. I tried in Sunberth, honestly I did, yet there was nothing left by the end. No gods intervened, just men and weapons. No one cared, they just crushed she sighed as her thoughts turned darker, the black to the tower's white – it must have shown upon her face but she was not sure she cared enough to hide it anymore.

Zeltiva was a pretty place, but it was far from home. It unsettled her how different it was, though at the same time it sometimes filled her with such a buzzing of possibility and contentment that she felt a twinge of guilt that she was beginning to see Sunberth for what it was, for how S'Essy had told her it was. She paid no attention tot he crowds now, lost within the labyrinth of her own thoughts, her own regrets and wallowing in a sea of hopelessness that seemed to flood into her on a repetitive basis whatever she tried to do to forestall it. She huffed, her lips vibrating, and her chin was stuck upon the palm of her hand. The very picture of moody thought, and she disliked being moody.

It was too much like her youthful self, she should have changed for the better by now.

[Ricky Maze]

Ricky didn't know why but for some reason he felt here lately he needed to start coming here more often, whether it be because he finally started to believe or his gift brought a sense of purpose, he just somehow felt that coming here should be good and well part of his life now. Hope wasn't something he'd actually considered something carrying before his journey to Syliras, but the day he'd woken up to receive his gift from Priskil had indeed changed much of that. Now of course he carried with him everywhere and even had the ability to share it, to provide those around him with it even when they seem in their deepest shells of despair. To have the power to encourage and support others, to help them see the reason to believe, and allow himself the chance to banish the darkness in their hearts... that kind of personal gift was something he felt honored to have, and it might've been that honor which brought him here today.

Dressed in a plain white shirt with sleeves down to the wrist and a back bag strapped to a shoulder, Ricky entered the spire with eyes already elevated up to the floor above him as the sound of fluttered wings echoed in the place. The child in his right arm looked around with bright wonder as he tried to figure out just where his own father brought him, the wicked sense of adventure present in the child's features as he occasionally squirmed excitedly. "Like it 'ere son? D'is is Priskil's Spire, can ye say 'er name?" He wondered as he talked to the child with a smile, Martin only looked at his dad and smiled at the sound of the name.

"Pisil!" The young boy called out, a excited scream to follow as he clapped his hands. Ricky laughed and made a low shush to quieten the toddler down just a bit, the bench nearby used to sit on as he rested the boy on his lap.

"Close enough. Can ye still say Papa? Or Mama?" He prodded curiously as he waited to hear the child say the word, of course Martin only watched him in wonder without uttering a word. "C'mon now! What am Oi called? What d' ye call me?" The child laughed and did another squeal, which held enough amusement to bring a chuckle out of Ricky. Martin had been starting to say words here recently if not making noises, almost as loudly as he possible could if Ricky might add to note. Still all of it seemed part of the toddler growing up, and the father couldn't love every moment more when it came to watching the child accomplish something new. Priskil knew good and well both the child and of course his wife had to be the source of hope Ricky somehow always found, without them he surely wouldn't be as happy as he felt now. "Hopefully yer Ma is havin' a good day at de orphanage." He wondered as he looked up around the spire once more, he also decided to start bouncing Martin on his knees to keep the child entertained, but little was he aware that the child found interest in someone else.

Someone that had been present in the spire with them, lost in her own tormented thoughts as she remained silent.

[Zandelia]

So lost in her thoughts and mood was she that she didn't notice the old acquaintance at first. She was replaying all of her past before her mind, as much of it as she could remember at least. There were gaps of course, the penalty of both age and a mind burdened with so many details of information that she was required to write them down now as they came. It was not a terrible thing she knew, in Zeltiva they seemed to praise paperwork so she was at least getting into the spirit of the city. She was trying to see whether she could have done anything differently and depressingly enough she couldn't even count their number upon her fingers – or her toes included at that. Perhaps she had been too ruthless, or not ruthless enough.

Or perhaps it's simpler...I'm just not very good at what I claim I can do. Perhaps I need a new approach, something different in perspective. Or perhaps I chose the wrong battles, got involved at improper times... she wondered to herself.

She was not very good at comforting herself, at least that much was clear. She looked at the tower before her once more, wondering whether Priskil was a deity who was worth looking up to. Would she help a lost soul looking for closure? Or offer guidance to one who needed to be reminded that she was worth something, that she was good at what she did but had fallen upon implacable foes and had been overwhelmed? She sighed and knew the answers would elude her, the gods were something she knew little of indeed. Perhaps it was time to change that, she was living and working in a city that loved their own deities enough to have superb structures in their honour. If she were to live here then the least she could do would be to learn of them and observe their powers in humility – feigned or otherwise.

“Priskil, do you listen to the wanderers? Do you watch the downtrodden and find pity enough to help? Or do you look away like so many of your kind, letting those who would wish to change things for the better be trampled by the darker of heart?” she asked, her tone was truly inquisitive, filled with emotion fuelled by hardship.

She blinked away the beginnings of tears, brushing her eye with the back of her hand and a noise she had not heard in some time finally making itself known to her. A child, a happy child. There had been few of those to her memory that it was, in its own way, a slight balm to her wounds. Things could not be so bad for her if she now dwelt somewhere such a sounds was possible. She looked for it, sought it out, and to her surprise she was met with an individual she had met but briefly but was not difficult to remember at all. She smiled slightly and pushed herself upwards, beginning the slow walk over to the man and the child. She took her time, she was in no rush whatsoever.

“Long time no see...Ricky right? How did you fare in Nyka after all? I lost contact with you soon after our meeting I recall. Did you find what you sought?” she asked by way of greeting, looking down upon the innocent in his lap warmly, “and who might this be? Are you playing at babysitter today?” she asked, curious as to the answer.

He was a man who she knew little of but whom had left an imprint in her mind. It had been some time ago that they had played riddles, two foreigners teaching lessons to Nykans that bruised their pride but had entertained all the same. He had been seeking a girl she recalled, someone special and of importance. She had been lax in her duty to him, he had been a client and she had not been there to see his quest through to the end. Still, he was alive and seemed happy enough – perhaps he had succeeded.

“I'm sorry about that by the way, I am clearly not very good at my job after all, no?” she stated sadly.

[Ricky Maze]

He didn't notice off hand the direct approach of a lady who looked around his age if not a few years older, but when she came close enough Martin's squirms dragged his father's attention, since Ricky had taken to look more or less at his mark rather than the quiet reaches of the spire around him. He didn't recognize the face off hand but when she greeted him, something about her voice immediately set off a sense of familiarity, which brought a friendly smile out of him when he looked to her and listen to what she had to say. Nyka. He'd been there once, in search of a friend. Strange enough that friend had left again and there hadn't been any telling as to when she'd return, but that didn't matter now as the person who'd helped him find her the first time now revealed themselves. "Amelias roi? Least ye gave me d'at name first, until ye revealed it t' be Zandelia anyways." He finally recollected all their conversations from the moment he entered to partake in the riddles, to the final discussion on how she would send Hannah his message to meet him at the docks.

"De fault was mine really, as soon as Oi found Hannah we left Nyka really. Oi'll admit t'ings turned out differently from what Oi expected when we got home, but rest assured ye're part in it had played a major significance when our paths crossed. If I recall we agreed Oi'd owe ya a favor too, which Oi'd still hold true t' me word if ye need somet'in." He assured her with a wide smile as he gave a hearty chuckle, the child in his lap a energetic as he tried to join the conversation. "Biki kiki!" He declared with a finger pointed at Zandelia, a smirk on his face grew as the father only shook his head with a chuckle. "D'is lil' cute munchkin is me son Martin, 'is mum isn't de one Oi went lookin' fer in Nyka if yer wonderin, but she's certainly de one Oi found myself in love wit' when we came home." He added as he stood to his feet to hold the child close, he figured it'd allow the woman an easier chance to hold and greet the boy if she chose to.

"Ya were far more helpful d'en ye give yer self credit for lass, wit'out yer help Oi wouldn't 'ave found Hannah as quickly as Oi did." He remarked after she apologized about how well her involvement turned out, somehow when he heard her say that he felt a tinge on the back of his right hand, a shadow of doubt felt in in her words as their sound echoed out to his gift. She had been beaten down by the sound of it, her confidence in her self shaken to the ground, and a spark of curiosity ignited in his mind as he needed to investigate what could've brought her down so low. "Why d'ya say d'at? From what Oi recall ye were sharp as a dagger in Nyka, an' definitely bolstered more fortitude too... Did somet'in happen after Oi left?" He inquired with the intent to poke for any sort of detail useful for his interpretation, his instincts after all were never too far from wrong, when it came to observing the fact somebody has had a rough couple days or so.

[Zandelia]

“Well, at least you remember me. Not sure that being memorable is healthy for me though. Then again I don't know this city. Perhaps having a known face is a good thing here. Seems you get a lot of strangers these days” she responded to start with.

She wasn't the mothering type but the young boy's exuberance of energy forced a smile onto her face, her finger moving down to poke at the end of the tiny digit below. There was a giggle, shrill and as full as a child could give, as his hands darted out quickly to grasp a hold of her palm. So small, so tiny, barely able to even cover a quarter of her hand. She snorted and tried to pull away but found herself held still. She shifted sideways, both way, which only served to cause further enjoyment it seemed. There was the reaching out, the grasping of tiny hands towards her neck. Against her better judgement she took him from Ricky and the lad seemed happy enough to be taken. No fear whatsoever.

“Well, it looks like I've been trapped by youth. A deadly trap it seems” she stated as her hair was explored and tugged about with a few small winces.

It took a little while before the boy was settled, or at least less excited. She had little experience of children, and happy children were somewhat a rarity as far as she was concerned. She had seen mothers though and she attempted to emulate the way they held their children then, upon her hip and as secured by her arms as was possible given his desire to explore her clothing to see if anything of interest was buried in their depths. She snorted again and shook her head, this was a new thing indeed. New and quite alien to her but she persevered with a little amount of reservation as she looked at Ricky. She wished she could smile and believe him but she had lost that naivete.

“Then you are welcome Ricky, though I'm sure the credit is just as much to yourself. Remember it was you that intrigued me in the first place. I'm glad that you found her, though fate clearly had differing ideas for you it sounds. What's his mother's name?”

“Mo-mo---ma” Martin chipped in.

“Yes, mama” she responded, no cooing tones.

“Cute kid. Martin did you say his name was?” she asked as she sat down upon the bench once more, Martin upon her lap now.

There was something relaxing about meeting someone she had actually helped, even if it had been fleetingly and imperfectly. His questions were fair ones, filled with an endearing sympathy. Possibly even empathy. She knew him to be truthful enough from their brief encounter, or at least less duplicitous than most she knew. She sometimes wished that she could be like that but the time for such a returning to had long since passed. She suspected that if she had tried before she might not feel so terrible but again time had passed. Instead she held too many failures and too few successes. Her time in Zeltiva had as of yet failed to overturn the balance, though progress was being made she had to admit. She looked at him sadly.

“I say it because there is truth to it, as with most things that I say. People just don't believe me when I say them. Well, most people at least. Many things happened Ricky, many things. Suffice to say that I am not in Zeltiva of my own choice. Nor did I leave Nyka entirely of my own accord either. Know where I ended up? Sahova. I think we can leave it there as to how my life has been since we last met” she sighed as Martin kept up his investigation of her person.

She deliberately left out Sunberth, though there was an involuntary twist of the mouth and wince as she recounted the names of the cities she had stopped in the near past. Sunberth at least she had things to be proud of, she just didn't want to discuss it at that time. She shifted the focus, trying to tip the conversation back onto the man with her to buy herself time for self-composure. She glanced aside and bit her lower lip slightly before speaking.

“Not sure I know of a favour that I need right now, unless you can snap your fingers and give me wealth, power, influence and peace. You know, not much,” she cleared her throat then before continuing, “how have you been? You said you found someone different from Hannah? And you had a child? You seem to have lived up to the dream life. Accidentally or on purpose might I ask?”

[Ricky Maze]

He offered a friendly smirk along with a chuckle out of agreement when she mentioned the fact strangers were often dealt with, if anything he pretty much welcomed a familiar face granted it had been someone he'd met outside his own home town. It wasn't often an acquaintance he made outside of Zeltiva wound up popping into his life like she did, which is why he actually found himself relishing in the chance to see what exactly brought her along. Martin's curiosity had already gotten the better of him and whether it had been because of his pure innocence or excellent judgement in people, he immediately took an interest in Zandelia that established an easy fact, plainly put Ricky could tell the child had taken a liking to woman and that of course interested him further. "Ye git used t' it lass, believe it or not its actually a good t'ing. Usually if he dun like ya he just quietly watches, if not hides in me arms." He assured her with a grin as he crossed his arms, a bright look in his eyes as the deeply blue orbs rested on the two.

"Haha, Telion. He's gotten t' de point where he'll say Ma, Mama, and o' course Oi'm just Papa roi now. Believe or not he's really gettin' t' be quite a noisy lil' tyke." He mused as he thought more about what he could tell Zandelia, seeing as how she definitely had a lot to catch up on, more or less with the whole story of how Martin came to be anyways. He had to think on it really as the more important matter was seeing what troubled Zandelia, somehow he felt an itch tickle his spine and granted he felt his mark twinged just a little, he could very well surmise that his instincts weren't too far off in assuming the lady had some doubts about her. Whether it was her transition here or something that knocked severely knocked her off her feet, he could easily see that the confidence she held in Nyka wasn't as abundant as before, and that definitely told him she'd been through enough in the spent time apart.

He took a seat down next to her with his eyes on Martin at first but as she engaged with further conversation, his eyes loomed to her with curiosity in what he would hear. So she had been forced to leave Nyka and went to Sahova? That definitely would put a lot of weight on the mind and heart, and granted from what the general public knew of that place, it wasn't the ideal area for the living to go stay at really. Really it wasn't a very liked place at all, because its dangers weren't worth the risks in going unless one were crazy enough. Magic users were welcome there as they studied and practiced their arts there, but aside from all that Ricky hardly knew what to expect when it came to the location itself. When it came to the mention of his favor he owed her, his expression perked into amusement fused with humor as he came up with a rather honest answer. "Not much? Lass all o' dat is already at yer grasp, as soon as ye walked off de ship an' onto de docks it became yer's t' gain." He assured her with a glint of confidence in his eyes. When she had brought up the idea that he'd started to live the 'dream life' or so she called it, he looked a bit surprise at notion as he'd been caught off guard.

For a moment he looked aside and thought about it, the grin on his face only slightly gone while he searched for the answer. "Really it's a bit o' a long story on it's own, but t' answer yer question; a lil' bit o' both really." He admitted as he returned his gaze towards Zan. "Shorter version is dat Oi met Hannah, thought Oi had somet'in but it wasn't real, wound up drunk by her hand wit' me best friend no less, an' ye can imagine where d'at led." He allowed her imagination to take the lead from there, granted many drunken one night stands easily lead to unexpected offspring. "By de time Oi found Hannah Oi already started t' remember what happened, an' when Oi brought 'er home wit' me Oi learned Oi was already gonna be a father, with de woman Oi'd somehow loved all along. So while Oi came home purposely intendin' t' confess me love an' hopefully marry, Oi was at de same time already one step closer t' havin' somet'in Oi'd always somehow wanted." He concluded even if the brief of the details left out the whole Hannah and Ignotus scheme at the beginning, really that in itself was an entirely completely different matter of complication. Plus Ricky really would rather avoid telling Zandelia about Ignotus right now, granted there were several other things he'd like to keep under the table for the time being.

"So while Oi've been dilly dallyin', ye've been strugglin' wit' yer own issues. Now Oi know it's pro'lly none o' my business an' all, but Oi want t' at least let y' know ye've got more options 'ere t'an y' know. He wasn't actually sure where he would lead with this topic but he felt the need to express it anyways, since she was after all likely just getting settled in and all. "In Zeltiva ye'll find several places o' interest dependin' on yer fancy, now granted yer one t' meet wit' people an' make use o' any associations, Oi'd pro'lly start wit' some o' de wealthier folk in de city. Oi dun really know anybody me self, but unless Oi'm wrong Oi recall ye ownin' a perceptive mind so it's only a matter o' creativity on yer part." He wondered just how down she really felt compared to when they first met, now that he thought about it he wasn't sure if she were a God revering woman or not. That mattered little at first but the more thought spent on her coming here begged to differ, as what person doesn't come to find reason with their troubles in their times of need. No. Zandelia needed more than just words, she needed a push that would help her, show her the path before her so she need only to take it.

While it wasn't enough Ricky could at least assist in providing the light she needed, but first he had to gain a better depth of understanding, before he would allow himself the plunge of whims and see what natural responses worked best.

[Zandelia]

She listened, she was good at that at the very least, to what Ricky's story was as it unfolded. It made sense and she was following the dancing trail of it ahead of the spoken word soon enough. It was all too familiar, reality wriggling as it did with all peoples. Still, he had found himself a slice of joy and that was well deserved. Even then, that day she first spied him, she had known he was a good man. Few good men found it easy to consult a spy. A soft smile crept across her face at the recollections, she looked at his neck to see if that trinket still rested there. When he was done she reached out and tapped his sternum gently.

“You are a good man Ricky Maze, I still remember that day. You were willing to barter the most precious of trinkets for your goal. That said more about you than anything” she stated simply, you truth was an easy statement to make.

She snorted at his words that it was all at her fingertips, perhaps it was but it was difficult to see when what she had invested in for so many seasons was essentially now in ruins. She was alive still, perhaps that was enough. Still, it hurt that her failures seemed to pile up larger than her successes. She tilted her head as her gaze danced between the tower before them and the curious Martin who seemed to want to reach out and grab whatever part of her he was capable of latching on to. She settled for giving him her little finger to toy with for now.

“Perhaps it is as simple as all that. Maybe I'll uncover some dark secret plot and fashion myself the darling of Zeltiva for thwarting it. Dealing with evil people seems to be all that I am fit for these days. I'd prefer something more cerebral but if I have to settle for knocking heads...so be it” she mused aloud slowly.

“Or maybe I'll fashion myself to be a sly pirate no? Sounds like a merry life according to the old tales” she chuckled, at least she could still find humour in things.

Humour...is that enough? Or do I need more? Hope perhaps, or at least resolve that things will improve... her mind cut in mentally.

She sighed deeply, sadly. Perhaps she just needed to tell someone neutral what had happened, was that it? She weighed it up and decided to tell him. He was a decent sort, perhaps he could sympathize.

“You gave me a tale, seems fair to return the favour. I have been in Sunberth the past few seasons. We tried...a few of us...to make things better. Me, Fallon, Pulren, Kaie...others. Suffice to say the city didn't want better. Damned mob chased us off and we barely got out alive. I almost let them kill me...or...I don't know. You know...you invest your life to try making things better for other lives. Guess I should be wiser by now, it never works. You just get hanged for it” she stated bitterly.

“Now I am here, a city I don;t know. No connections to speak of, few allies left. No idea what I'm doing. I suppose I just wish I ahd your life, seems...nice. Maybe I don;t deserve it” she shrugged.


“I have Fallon still though, that's a point to the good. Difficult as it was for us both to keep alive too. Maybe some gods watch over me. Speaking of which, what is this tower thing? I've heard about it but not much other than it's named after Priskil. Not even sure who that is” she asked, largely to divert conversation towards something a bit less dark.

[Net]

Ricky – Please go through your Character Sheet and address the following issue:

Most people list it in their thread list like so:

Fall 515AV Threads
15th - Observing The Trees! - 5 xp Observation, Lores: Trees: How to Identify them, Tree Species: Oak, Elm, Hemlock traits.
30th - People Watching - 5 xp Observation, Lores: (list of lores here)
45th - Searching For A Cure - 2 xp Observation, +5 Medicine. Lores: (insert lores here)
60th - Socializing In The Park - 4 xp Socialization (list of lores here)

We've always required this to be TRACKED in your CS. If you aren't tracking this in your CS, then you need to go back through ALL YOUR THREAD AWARDS and backtrack and track it from the beginning.

You can find the full post in the Founder's PSA thread; page 7 labeled: Character Sheets!
Zandelia: If you would like your grade and you are returning please feel free to throw me a PM and I will grade this for you.

Thank you to Sayana for this lovely template.