Location [Riverfall] The Land and Sea Gates

[Turrin]

Time Stamp: 63th of Spring, 517AV

Approaching the gates of Riverfall, Turrin decided to lead his horse by the reins as he stood in line. He was planned on being away from Endrykas for a few weeks, as he supplies himself before continuing the Run through the rest of the year. He doesn't know when he will be in city like Riverfall, but the akalak city has things that Endrykas can't provide. First, he needs his weapons sharpened. It was a priority if he gets into a dire situation out on the plains. He needs his weapons in top condition. Besides this was the place his father and mother fell in love. He wants to know the reason why his mother said that she wished that she never left the city. Plus, she said kept implying that he needed to meet someone important there before she died.

When Turrin got the front of the line, the guards asked him if they can help him with anything and welcomed him to the city. When they asked him if he would respect their laws. Turrin smiled because he wished some people who came to Wind Reach respected their laws. He decided that he would extend the same curtsey that people never gave him or his homeland and said in common, “I agree to accept your laws, sir.”

When he said that he had to return the scroll, he said with a smirk and decided to be funny, “Understandable parchment is expensive. I promise not to spill anything on it.”

The Akalak didn't have a sense of humor, and said simply, “Please don't abuse the scroll, sir. Move along or step aside the line is getting longer.”

Turrin entered the city, looked at the scroll for the closest stable and Inn to rent a room for the next twenty or so days till he needed to head back to Endrykas.

[Quzon]

65th Day of Spring , 517 AV.

Upon arriving at the the gates of the city, Quzon relieved his head of the bears head that rested upon it so the guards at the gate could get a better look at him. He sat upright in the seat of a wagon, reins in one hands as tugged back on it to keep the Seme stallion at the head of it from moving on... or backwards. It turned into a quickly failed venture at first. The guards were almost about to speak when the large stallion suddenly thought it was ordered to reverse, walking backwards at an odd angle. It caused the wagon to turn, then wheel back towards the side of the entrance “Stop!” He yelled out in Isur and tugged at the reins with slightly more pressure

As the stallion stopped in its tracks, bracing its hind legs against the ground as it bore the weight of the wagon to stop its backwards movement. A few things could give him away as a Myrian at that moment since his arms were cover by his hunters hide. He glanced to the Akalak who were now a few inches further away now as they spoke to him.

"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." One Akalak spoke as the other approached the side of his wagon, then held up a scroll.

His hand reached out to retrieve the scroll, “Laws will, respected.” He said bluntly in a broken mash of Common spoken in a Myrian accent, with half his attention focused on making sure the horse listened to him. He adjusted the reins to turn the horse back into a forward direction, then released some of the tension with a soft snap. He clicked his teeth as a sign for it to move forward into the city.

[Shaqira]

　　

37th SPRING 517

　　　　" Riverfall.” Shaqira’s Amuneric breathed as she stood, windswept, on the deck of the ship that had been home for the last three moons.

　　　　Undulating with the bob and weave of the waves, the Eypharian wrapped all six of her arms about herself against Zulrav’s salty tug. Shaqira gazed, awestruck, by the magnificent cascading waters of the Bluevein, sparkling in Syna’s brilliance.

The Akalak city stole her breath, and a piece of her heart.

Her ears were filled with the sounds of shouting, of boots clunking and the deep crash of surf as the ship eased its way into the port and sailors busied themselves about her. A hive of energy and gleeful excitement to have made it. Land, ho.

　　　　A presence raked up beside her and the Eypharian smiled faintly, though her eyes flickered over the city, higher and higher, as it wound its way up and into the cliffs. Where the white rocks seemed to touch the sky, sea-birds wheeled and glided on the warm ocean currents. “It’s a sight, missus!”

Shaqira’s smile agreed as she hushed in Common. “It is beautiful.” She admitted, before she lifted her chin with an aloof air, her Common punctuated with defiance. “No Ahnatep.”

The Svefran, who had got to know the desert aristocrat and had accepted, even grown endeared to her stubborn, elitist, proud way, simply laughed and shook his head of wheaten dreadlocks.


　　　　As Shaqira’s sandals clapped onto the docks, with hemp rucksack hefted neatly on her hip beneath her three left arms, she was taken-aback by the sight of the Akalak so it elicited a gasp. They were imposing, with skin the hues of sapphires and lavender, carrying themselves with an air of duty and physical prowess in a commanding of presence. The Eypharian thought them a handsome race (considering they were not Eypharian).

As she gazed up at the city and took in the roaring of the waterfall, her heart throbbed in her chest. A racing borne of excitement disguised beneath a calculating, lukewarm expression. When an Akalak veered toward her. “Hello there, can I help you with anything?”

　　　　The Eypharian swept her middle and upper left hands nonchalantly. “Oh, do not bother, it is long journey-“

The warrior gave her a hard look and shoved a scroll into her middle hands. “Here is a scroll of welcome from the city.” Clunking the butt of his spear onto the ground, not threateningly, yet reminding her that she was not in her home but a guest.

　　　　His scowling brow reminded her of the way her father, or her brother would warn her when she was treading too close to insolence. So, she did as she did with them, placated with an almost apologetic smile and persuaded coyly. "It is long journey, forgive."

The Akalak seemed to settle, shrugging off her rudeness in a straightening of his shoulders, and went on. “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."

　　　　Shaqira unraveled the parchment and skimmed with curious interest as the Akalak’s baritone went on in his duty of greeting. “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.”

After reading through the rules, the Eypharian rolled the scroll back up and brushed the Akalak’s left arm lightly with her middle left fingertips. Though the warrior twisted his shoulder away from her touch to show his disapproval, and his spear leaned, warning, towards her, he did not shift from his polite disposition.

“Yes, yes, laws of Akalak people. Thank you for welcome greeting. Yes, help, please...” Her gaze drifted towards the city and narrowed. “I seek my brother.”
　　

[Kamilla]

Kamilla Circe Gordon

40th of Spring, 517AV

It was an odd thing, to recognize a place one had neither seen nor visited before, a feeling akin to nostalgia even though she knew without a doubt that it was her first time here in Cyphrus. Felius, the deceased mage who's memories had been forced upon her had come from this place, she'd half thought him delusional when she'd first seen the image of the beautiful city within her own mind, seasons ago and all the way back on Sahova and yet, as stunning and far-fetched as Felius' memory of the city had seemed, Kamilla had to admit that they had not done it justice, it was magnificent.

Approaching with brown eyes wide in awe, the young sorceress could not believe that such a city could exist, it was as if all the fairy tales she'd heard as a child had bundled themselves up into one large city filled with colours and dome headed structures and water features. She hadn't even crossed the threshold yet but Kamilla could feel the energy emanating from within, a city pulsating with life. The stark contrast between Riverfall and The Isle of The Undead excited her, perhaps this place would be what she needed to get out of her extended rut.

Behind, her caravan mate, the bard she'd come to know as Chrysanthemum, sang happily while strumming his lute as a tall and muscled blue skinned man clad in leather strode up to Kamilla and offered her a welcome and a map with the laws of the city attached to it. Efficient. It had been a long journey, in fact, it had been by far the longest journey she'd ever taken part in, more than double that of the runner-up but finally she'd arrived.

[Rhodri]

1st of Spring, 516 AV

Continued from here...

The Eypharian watched for a moment as the woman seemed to lose herself. This healer, a kelvic as she called herself, seemed to be spent. She used her strength to mend his wounds without knowing anything about him –and without clothes. Slowly and being cautious to reassure his steps, the large traveler stood to his full height and loomed over her crouched form for a span of nearly a chime without saying a thing. He contemplated gathering his things and leaving more than once but his boots didn’t respond. Rhodri looked down on this woman and he felt something –something deep and unexplored to the young aristocrat.

“I don’t know why I am doing this, Kelvic, but I’m going to take you with me into the city.” Rhodri bent down and scooped her up with his lower and middle arms. The girl was kept balled up as she had been upon the ground but now she looked like a child curled up and sleeping in his arms. To keep anyone from looking too closely, he lifted his pack with his upper hand and used the other free one to remove his cloak. The exile draped it over the naked woman rather delicately and the shouldered his pack. He then continued down the road to the ferry. It took a while for the boat to return on its massive chains and the Eypharian simply stood and held Claire. He felt strange- on several different planes within himself, Rhodri knew something was amiss.

The ferry finally came back and many people gave hesitant stares to giant man with gold skin. None of it mattered to the aristocrat. He could not care less about the opinions of these strange folk and two-armed idiots. Their smell was atrocious but so was his –though that was hardly his fault. Being an exile forced certain circumstances on people and hygiene was one that he was intended to rectify. The fact that he was clutching an unconscious young woman didn’t help his case but the saving grace was that she wasn’t bound in any way. Claire simply looked like she had chosen to cling to his midsection. It also did well to hide his more severe wounds since he had to move so slowly. When Rhodri approached the gate, a mane equally as tall and twice as wide stopped him. The man’s voice boomed but only after he made a very thorough scan of the Eypharian and his possessions.

"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."

Rhodri took the scroll and nodded a silent agreement. He sneered as he walked past. The scroll was placed in his sack to be inspected at a later time. There was bound to be a plethora of useful information contained within. Dark eyes scanned the many towers and different levels that waited within the gates. There was a posting with information about a race of humans called Vantha. It described them, their god, what she had done to incur the wrath of her peers and how to spot them. It also spoke of a reward for killing a Vantha. This made the Eypharian very happy. Carrying his new-found healer/acquaintance, the big fellow with golden skin continued onward.

“So this is Riverfall…”

[Soikka]

12th of Summer, 517 AV “Hey, kid! Wake up!” The low, rough voice of the caravan leader jolted Soikka out from his fitful slumber immediately, eyes losing all signs of sleep. He cursed softly, hand flying instinctively to his dagger as he rose from the wagon floor. The youth had learned quickly that beasts and cutthroats alike were not rare to run into on the Kabrin road, often approaching without warning. “What is it?” he called out cautiously, making no move to exit the dust-stained caravan. A beat of silence passed before the reply came, muted over the rumble of the wagon: “Get up, we’re almost at th’ gates.” A relieved gush of breath escaped him as he made his way to the front of the caravan, pushing the canvas flaps aside. “Gods, you scared me to death,” Soikka shouted over the din, shielding his eyes from the scorching sun with the back of his hand. His response was met with deep, roaring laughter from the leader, loud but not unkind. “Come on up front, lad. You don’ want to miss seein’ this.” The slim male crawled out obligingly from under the shade, deftly mounting a nearby packhorse and making his way to the front of the procession. It wasn't until they turned past a fork in the road when he saw it -- the massive, looming wall of Riverfall stretched from horizon to horizon, as overwhelming as it was breathtaking. Soikka let out a long whistle, gripping the reins tightly as he took it in with wide eyes. It’s every bit as impressive as he made it out to be, Soikka thought absentmindedly, smiling faintly as he thought back to the stories his father would spin when he was a child. The gates leading into the city were bustling and full of noise, increasing in volume as Soikka and the troupe of traders drew nearer and nearer into the entranceway. A pair of cobalt-skinned Akalak greeted the band at the gate, handing out scrolls along with a greeting on their lips. "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." “Of course,” Soikka replied, flashing the man a charming smile as he received his roll of parchment. “That’s me -- one hundred percent trouble-free.” The Akalak only stared down at the human male silently in response, no trace of humor in his expression. Soikka winced. “Too soon?” Wordlessly the blue giant strode past him, continuing to pass on the scrolls without deigning him a glance back. Chuckling under his breath, Soikka spurred the packhorse once more as he followed the caravan leader deeper into the city. “This is where we part, boy.” the lead trader spoke gruffly, taking the reins of the packhorse in one hand as Soikka slowed to a stop at the side of a wall. “I’ll not be goin’ any further than this.” The boy -- man -- in question grinned, dismounting and hefting his backpack onto one shoulder all at once. “You’ve been a blessing, Yakul.” The older man only let out a small huff in response, running a hand through his wild beard. "May Lhex be on your side, lad." he spoke finally, a man of few words. With a loud harrumph, the caravan head turned to guide the horse back towards his line of wagons, not looking back towards the slender male waving goodbye. Soikka cracked a crooked smile at the retreating back of the man, lowering his arm as he watched as he melded back into the bustling crowd. “And to you as well.”

[Fallon]

46th Summer 517 AV
Morning

Fallon squinted, hand across her brow, gaze adjusting to the ever brightening light of the morning. She had been at sea for half the season now, her body adapted to the swaying motions of vessels. The coast was always in sight, but far from close. Always out of reach and yet always taunting in the distance. Yet here they now were. The wait was now over and the world had presented to her a new sense of adventure. Of course, there was the weighted feeling in her stomach. Heavy, a lingering sense of dread - what if she could not settle here? What if she could not find the answers she needed? Could she even belong here?

Her nostrils flared, taking out the faint distant scent of land coming closer. Grass, heat, different food to the rations the ship had been chewing on. She reasoned that once all things were settled she would divulge in the local quinine, a mere blip of spoiling before returning to work. Which was another thing she had to consider.

The docks were like any other city docks. A bustle of noise even in the morning. Bodies moved among vessels, whistles and cries from those upon the piers. Row boats moved along side others, taking off cargo from the deeper hulled vessels that could not take the shallow waters of the docks. Fallon pulled upon her collar, standing aside as the crew begun to move about their business and responding to the orders of the captain. It was impressive really, it allowed the vessel to run smoothly and successfully throughout the bay. Sails lowered, they let the momentum take them the last distance with the aid of long oars.

Ropes, lashing in place, she could see those on the docks begin to work their way around. The gang plank came next, lashed and secured, the various hatches in the deck being swung open. Already the various others were moving below, looking to lift the goods from deep within to the surface. From the shore came one of the Riverfall guards, distinctly Akalak in nature and carrying a collection of note. Common tongue was exchanged between him and the captain - trade, what was brought in, request for contriband checking, passenger details. She heard her own name mentioned briefly in the exchange among others. Her gaze briefly glanced that way, watching the furious scribbling of names. Nothing but records. She could cope with that.

Eventually the Akalak peeled away, moving around the ship and stopping to her. Another pause, a ruffling of papers before he presented them for her to take. Fallon did as he spoke in notably good common, "Welcome to Riverfall. There is list of our laws, a map of the city, and some details on local businesses. You can feel free to come in if you agree to our laws and return this scroll when you leave."

He allowed her enough time to read through the laws, before slowly nodding in agreement. They sat awkwardly, already mentally restraining. No rights, she was just a visitor. Her mind steeled to the notion she would have to quickly obtain some form of citizenship, by doing so her status would be secure within the city and she could follow her goals. She offered a smile, "Thank you. And I agree... now which way to the citizenship office?"

[Robinson Gilli]

10th of summer, 517 AV,

It felt far enough to be here, far enough from what he left behind. He hated having to leave, but the choice he had was to stay and die or flee to live. He chose the latter of course. He liked to think he had some sort of common sense in there.

It was not easy still.

The merchant's ship he secured his passage of escaped ahead shook and rocked upon the waters, the scent of the ocean assaulting ones nostril and for one who grew up in Sunberth it was a familiar stench yet all the same different somehow
As distance between himself and Sunberth increased, so too did the sense of cleanliness he felt.

He hated it, truly.

"Land ho" Shouted a crewman, Anders he think his name was, and so Robin lifted his head from where he sulked quietely. His eyes widened at one of the many sights unseen in his life and he felt his breath caught as he took in the massive bay and the waterfall that constantly poured into it. It was... far different than whatever he expected.

Swallowing his breath, then taking a deeper one regardless, he sat back down in observation as he waited for the ship to dock. It took a while yet till the ship made dock, the rope tying ship to port tightened and the board bridging them placed as shipmates began unloading the ship's cargo.

Stepping down himself, he did not move far, or perhaps even move at all as his eyes glued upon the impossible sight before him.

"Excuse me, Robinson?" Came an unfamiliar and deep voice, startled he turned to look at the speaker only too meet eye-to-chest with a green man of formidable physique and height. One of the overwhelming many of his people on the docks. cranking his neck to look face-to-face, there was this glint of obvious amusement in the man's eyes and what looked to be a bunch of papers in hand.

"Ah, yeah. Sorry" He mumbled awkwardly, getting a nod from the Akalak, not questioning on how he knew the name. Probably got it from one of the sailors or the captain.


"worry little on it" He said lifting a bunch of scrolls "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"

It sounded so smooth it had to be a rehearsed spiel, recounted so many times it may as well be something whispered in slumber.

'Laws? Shyke....' Sunberth being what it was only had the unspoken sorts of laws, such as no magic whatsoever. Otherwise everything else was free game,
he grabbed the scrolls and nodded his thanks, rolling them open just to get the gist of whatever he was supposed to know.

"So... uh, um.... where's this citizenship...thing?" He spoke out awkwardly and couldn't help but give an awkward, sheepish gaze.

Yes, he was certainly going to find it difficult here.

[Salara Kel'Halavath]

46th Summer 517 AV Morning Watching the coast meander alongside the schooner as the port draws closer she finally feels ready to take these next steps. Looking about the width and breadth of their home for the past forty-six days Salara captures these final images for her memories. She was a little sad to be leaving 'Destiny Lass's' smoothly polished decks as, sometime halfway through their travel, she had started associating everything about the ship with the man she'd left behind. It was stalwart and dependable, tough when it needed to be. It's wood was rough and warm, reminiscent of his coarse hands. The salty scent of the canvas hinted of him. Even her hammock had hugged her at night with his tight embrace once she'd gotten over the pain of their parting. He was a shipwright and she knew his creative hands could have very well shimmed, shaped and knotted every one of 'Destiny's Lass's' parts. He would have loved sailing upon it with her. But now her and Fallon's plans were set and her own little task with the captain executed last night. Not for the first time she sends a wish to all the gods, or at least the ones that were listening, to speed her message back along the watery path they had followed here and beyond. Now there was peace in her heart and she was ready to move forward. Salara sat upon her haunches next to Fallon, long tail curled casually about front paws. A great cat with a rich tawny-red coat albeit a bit ribby. She'd finally cleaned out the cargo holds and even the bildge of fresh meat several days ago and wouldn't have a thing to do with the soft wilted turnips that Cooky had tried foisting on her. Other than a little starved she was a prime specimen of the species her nature emulated. She seemed to hardly note the guard's approach shuffling his papers importantly. In fact, she met his words, 'laws' in particular, with a great toothy yawn and blink. The lazy look of her hooded eyes, though, watched the blue man, the dock, the people milling about. It was her duty to be subtly watchful unless more attention was warranted or commanded by Fallon, her 'mistress.' Cleared for arrival the cougar rises to her feet, shuddering her coat which jostles the roughly hand-made token of a 'collar' around her neck. Fallon had promised she could find a more pretty cloth to serve as such later.

[Grim Ravenwood]

¤

15th of Summer 517AV

"So this is what he meant." Grim muttered to himself, slightly awe-struck as his gray eyes ran across the stone towers that stood on each side of the gatehouse, their dark grey color seemingly perfectly fitting with the sky of the early morning. The Sun had just began looming over the horizon, where boats sailed at a lazy pace to what were probably Riverfall's docks and away from them. Though as a child, he had not heard many, the few stories about Riverfall his father graced him with were now lagging behind those of Avanthal or Ravok.

"I don't have time to stand here all morning, move along boy!" Came a scraggly, rugged voice from behind the Eiyon, belonging to a hunched old man. His short oaken staff was used to push Grim forward, where a tall Akalak patiently waited with a scroll in hand. The blue skinned man eyed him with a healthy dose of suspicion, though that was something Grim was used to.

"Oh sorry..." Grim apologized, having lost himself in his thoughts yet another time, approaching the guardsmen. He had not a window of time to greet the solider, before a mechanical phrase was handed to him, alongside a yellowish scroll. "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" He said, in a tone that indicated that he had repeated it many, many times before.

Unfurling it, the Eiyon's gray gaze moved swiftly over the black bars of ink, though he struggled with understanding why a city needed so much laws in the first place. Sunberth was a settlement of anarchists, and it ran pretty smoothly - most of the time.

"I understand and accept!" Grim replied with an innocent smile, having not read even half of what was written. The Akalak sent him a skeptical look before turning his attention elsewhere. "Move along."

"Nothing speaks better of a city than it's tavern's eh?" Grim said as he moved past the gates, his not so faithful crow joining him on his shoulder.

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