The Gift of Clarity

[Ialari Pythone]

3rd Day of Winter in the Year 517 AV

Having just recently established a place to live and even a way to earn an income, Ialari took some time to do, as she'd witnessed so many others in Syka doing, a bit of relaxation. Stretched out on a hammock hanging from the overhang over the deck of her ranchero, she looked out over the water and sighed.

Thinking to herself, something that was almost a hobby for her, she pondered her presence in this odd place called, Syka. Alright, so I've made it here. The feeling that called to me has faded a bit but is still there. Now what? I've traveled to the far east coast only to be led back almost to the point where this all started. She thought of the long journey from the Kingdom, across the Suvan Sea, through Syliras to the Island of Sahova. Her quest for the answer to the question of who she was and why she felt so "not right" led her then back to the east through Nyka then to Riverfall and now to Syka. It even led her to the Ukalas itself and still she searched. With each new location, there was always a purpose as well as a new piece to the great puzzle.

Yet now, as she lay in the hammock, the warm breeze blowing in from the water, she felt at a loss for how to proceed. Somewhere in the tropical paradise around her lay the source of the odd feeling that called to her as if there were somehow a piece of her buried somewhere in the surounding jungle. The feeling however was too vague to describe and there was no real direction now to follow to continue the search; it was as if she had ran into a wall at the end of a long hallway with no other place to go.

How do I find the source of this feeling? It's not like I can just walk around asking the people here if they have a similar feeling when I don't even fully understand it myself. Could the source be a person? If so, do they have the same feeling? If not, how can I find them if they aren't even aware of what is going on? If it's not a person and instead an object or place, how would I even know where to find it or how to identify it? As was common when she talked to herself either aloud or in her own head, there was always another voice. It was the voice of her inner self, the same one that had been given manifestation within her Dominion. The spiritual remains of the ancient, long dead wizard, Amir Berliotz who had invaded her broken soul in an attempt to rip the secrets of Dominion from her. No longer a separate entity, Berliotz now existed as a culmination of shattered memories and muted feelings blended with her own psyche; he was a representation of her deepest thoughts, feelings and desires.

Although this inner self only manifested within her Dominion, the shade of Berliotz would often speak within her own mind. Even though it was essentially Ialari having a discussion with herself, the shade often helped her to interpret and understand her own thoughts and helped her work through problems. Thus it spoke to her again.

Perhaps you aren't approaching this from the right perspective. The voice said to her. You don't know who or what you are looking for, right? Maybe then focus on a way to get them to look for you.

Ialari considered the words for a moment, And just how would I do that? If it is a person and they, like me don't know the source of the feeling, how could I bridge that gap. Plus, what if they are unaware of anything at all and don't feel what I feel? How do I open them to it? If it isn't a person, this whole line of thinking is pointless to begin with. She knew talking to the shade was the same as talking to herself but she couldn't help but think of it as a separate person. It made the whole thing seem somehow less insane.

This isn't as difficult as you are making it out to be, Ialari. How did Kavala help you open up to this feeling to begin with? The shade pushed her to think harder.

Ialari frowned as she became more irritated. I am not a Dreamwalker, nor would it help anyway since I don't know who or what to even attempt it on if I was marked in such a way.

The voice of the shade, ever patient as it also represented Ialari's sometimes muted sense of isurian calm tried again. You are not thinking fourth dimensionally. Kavala helped uncover a tiny piece of a past incarnation that was hidden from you. She did this by helping you open your mind to what you would otherwise not be able to comprehend. Have you not done something similar on your own? Think of your Dominion. Think of how you were able to anchor it within the Ukalas and claim it as your own. Think of how you established your connection with it, your bond. Then think of how you expanded on that bond and were able to bend it to your will.

I focused on a certain goal, cleared my mind and allowed the Dominion to fill my senses while at the same time giving bits of myself to it. What the shade was trying to get her to understand was beginning to dawn on her.

You cleared your mind and allowed yourself to see the connection between you and your Dominion. What if... The shade was interrupted by Ialari.

What if I were to help the people here find a similar state of mental clarity; help them to see that connection between all things living and not. If the source is a person, maybe this would help them to open themselves to the feeling and thus bring them in search of me just as I search for them. It was becoming clear for Ialari what she needed to do.

The shade continued her thoughts. And if the source is not a person, by opening up the people's minds, perhaps you will find someone who has an idea on what the source could be and where to find it.

A smile finally crossing her face, her frown and irritation vanishing, Ialari turned her thoughts to what to do next. I could craft an item that would act as a focus for meditation. It could allow others to find the right meditative state and experience a similar sense of the interconnectiveness of all things. Not only would it help enhance the feeling of peace and serenity that this place gives off but it would open the people up to all manner of mental and spiritual awakenings while providing me with, if nothing else, a possible direction for where to go next. Perfect.

The shade did not speak again on the matter as Ialari finally realized what she had to do. She would craft an item, impart upon it her ability to find mental clarity even through the harshest of situations as well as her altered sense of her surroundings granted through her bond with her Dominion. It would be a taxing process but in the end would accomplish several things at once.

Sliding out of her hammock, she went inside to gather her things before going for a stroll. She would need to find just the right material for crafting the physical object to be imparted on.

[Ialari Pythone]

As Ialari gathered a few things before leaving the ranchero, she considered what she might need. An image was beginning to form in her head of what she would create to gift to the settlement. She envisioned a small pedestal that would hold a shaped stone of some sort. The pedestal would be shaped from one type of material while the stone would be a different one. She wanted the materials to be native to the area for symbolic reasons and gathering already unworked material would maintain the connection to the area.

Being no stranger to a beach environment, Ialari figured that somewhere there would be stones big enough and of the right shape to be able to accomplish the project she intended. From what little she'd observed in her short time in Syka thus far, there were countless places to look. She figured staying close to the beach however would be the safest as she had no experience with the surrounding jungle or its denizens. The beach would also give her a better idea of what resources overall were available to one looking for such things.

With a general direction and structural goal in mind, Ialari dressed appropriately for the hunt. She decided on wearing her simple, silk loincloth with her belt and belt pouch. She slid her dagger into a loop on the pouch. In the pouch she placed a few items from her poisoncrafting kit; mainly tools used for material collection. Finally, she grabbed her empty backpack in order to carry whatever materials she may find. Then, with those few meager possessions in hand, she left the ranchero and began her walk on the beach.

Muttering to herself, "Ok, so if I go west, I'll end up further into the settlement. I doubt I'll find much there that hasn't already been gathered by others." Looking to the east, she followed the beach with her eyes as far as she could see and noted that it went on for quite some distance before curving to the north. She stifled a very girly giggle as the anticipation of exploring a new place embraced her. She was also feeling excited at the idea of introducing herself fully to the community by presenting a gift she hoped would be well accepted. Of course the idea of the gift helping achieve her own personal goals added to the excitement. It would serve as an ice-breaker of sorts as Ialari always had difficulty meeting new people and being social; something she had never truly been able to overcome.

Walking along the beach, heading east, Ialari reveled in the feeling of sand around her feet. She would squeeze it between her toes trace nonsensical patterns in it with her foot. She looked up to see the birds flying overhead and took in the sounds of the sea caressing the beach. The rocks and the tropical plants that lined the jungle side of the beach were filled with life of all kinds from insects and birds on tree branches to tiny crabs darting about the rock crevices. At times she would stop to pick up a fallen coconut and throw it as hard as she could out into the sea only to watch it slowly wash back toward her.

As she frolicked along the way, Ialari was also on the lookout for anything that looked out of ordinary. Other than a few interesting shaped pieces of driftwood and a handful of comfortable looking rock formations for laying out in the sun on, most of what she saw was what she would expect to see on a beach. She did find a couple jellyfish that had washed up. These she paused for, knelt down and collected with her poisoncrafting tools. She scooped both up into a small jar and put it back in her pouch. They would make great specimens for study and perhaps concocting something to aid in combating the effects of their painful stings.

The day was still quite early as she continued along the beach as it began to turn northward. Occasionally she would stop at places where small inland streams would trickle out to meet the sea. At these points she would gather a few handfuls of water to quench her thirst before continuing on. Even though it was early winter, the sun still beat down with heavy heat. When her eyes began to sting from sweat, she would shed her belt pouch and backpack and take a dip in the sea. The water was warm yet refreshing and the sheer diversity of plants and animals beneath the water threatened to hold her interest for quite some time. Although she wasn't a terribly accomplished swimmer, Ialari did enjoy wading out a bit into the water with the rolling waves pushing her back toward the beach. She pressed herself further and further each time into deeper water and in turn larger swells. When the waves threw her back to the beach, she rolled with them and came up spitting water and laughing. The beach was intoxicating but she forced herself to eventually stop her play and continue her hunt for just the right stones to use for her project.

[Ialari Pythone]

Following the beach led Ialari almost half a day's distance from the Syka settlement. The trek through the sand was was refreshing to say the least. Ialari found herself laughing and marveling at the simplest of things. As she made her way north along the beach, she noted how the area inland appeared to rise. Starting out as a slight incline, the further north she went the higher the inland terrain became. With the rising land also came the blanket of rainforest that covered it. From what little she had heard during her first couple of days in the settlement, the general area that surrounded the settlement was known as, the Maw.

Nothing to that point had struck her eye or gained her attention in regard to materials appropriate for the item she wished to craft. There were all manner of beach stones speckling the beach yet none were big enough or appealing enough to the eyes in a way that fit. That was until she discovered the falls.

As she moved around a patch of trees, she was greeted with an awe-inspiring sight. The sea met a small, cascading river as it flowed over a series of steps that led up to the higher inland territory. Beyond the falls lay the vast jungle that made up the Maw. As the falls crashed into the sea, Ialari couldn't help but gawk at the view. There was nothing like this back east where she'd lived on the coast of Syliras. Where most of the land there was relatively flat and covered in a more temperate forest, the rocky steps covered in rainforest was a stark contrast. It created no small amount of exotic mystic that called to one as intrigued by exploration as Ialari.

When the initial moment of awe had lessened, Ialari approached the falls. The locals referred to the area as, The Stair Step Falls, though Ialari hadn't yet heard of it yet. As she neared the spot where the river crashed down into the sea, she noted the increasing beauty. A high stone wall topped with tropical trees and other plantlife extended upward to another shelf and yet another. The water dropped from one shelf to the next before smashing into the sea outlet below. She witnessed birds diving into various parts of the falls and snatching talons full of fish before heading off to feast. The water was as clear as could be and just outside the foaming, churning point where fresh water met salt water, colorful stones and countless forms of life could be seen.

"If I can't find something here, it will never be found." Ialari said aloud.

[Ialari Pythone]

Making her way closer to the falls, Ialari was able to see where the churning foam of where the falls met the sea gave way to clearer views of what lie beneath. There was a blanket of coral and all manner of varied size fish swimming about. As she got closer to the water's edge however, she could see that most of the actual stone was made up of smaller pieces deposited by the falls as it transported material from further upstream. The sand of the surrounding beach gave way to smaller stones and shell encrusted formations yet, from a cursory glance, she couldn't see anything that would suit her needs.

Outloud she considered some possibilities. "If the source of these falls is further up and into the jungle, perhaps only the smaller, lighter material will find its way down here." She gave a heavy sigh and followed with her eyes the stone wall dotted with greenery that rose to meet the higher stone steps that made up the multi-tiered falls. "Theoretically, larger, more fitting material should be further up as it would be less affected by the water's flow and even act as a barrier in itself to other material making its way down here." At least such a concept made sense to her.

Taking one more look at the point where the falls met the sea and taking in the combined sound of the crashing water combined with the sounds of the churning sea beyond, Ialari turned to the rocky wall that led to the next step farther up. Making sure her backpack, belt pouch and dagger were secure, she reached up with her black metallic hand and sunk her fingers into the wet stone. She searched for hand and footholds accommodating enough. The stone was relatively smooth but there were some small indentations just big enough to gain a grip. Slowly, she began her ascent. With the stone altering touch of her isurian hand, she suck her fingers into the stone to help create new places to grip while pulling herself up with hand and feet.

At one point she misjudged her hold and slipped on the wet stone, falling several feet before sinking her fingers once more into the stone and stopping herself. Taking a moment to gather her senses and calm her nerves, Ialari continued to pull herself up to the next shelf. When she finally reached out and pulled herself over onto horizontal footing, she allowed herself to fall on her back and rest. While she'd accomplished a few climbs over the years, she'd never tried climbing an almost sheer, wet rock face. While it hadn't seemed, at first, to be that difficult of a climb, it turned out to be more than a little exhausting and Ialari began to wish she had brought some form of climbing gear to aid in the task.

After several moments of rest, Ialari sat up and looked around. The rainforest beyond extended all the way to the edge of the shelf where she now sat. Although the foliage was relatively light on the shelf, she was still surrounded by tropical trees and other vegetation. The greenery lightened more as it lined the small river that continued up yet another shelf and further inland into the jungle. Exotic birds unknown to her perched in the trees and fluttered about overhead. The sounds of rushing and crashing water filled the air with the lesser heard sounds of birds and insects completing the orchestra.

Getting to her feet, Ialari wandered about the immediate area while looking around in wonder. Even with all the time she’d spent on the beach in east Syliras, she’d never seen such a landscape. The sheer diversity of plants and animals were almost too much to take in. Of course the surroundings back at the settlement were foreign and impressive enough but the area in and around the falls were much further beyond what she’d seen to that point.

[Ialari Pythone]

Looking upward to the next shelf, Ialari realized that climbing further may be pushing it too much as far as risking any further danger. She was already far outside her element in a new and very strange place. She was already on the lookout for potential threats such as predators that may cause her problems. In her past experience, sources of fresh water such as a river were perfect locations for predators looking for a drink as well as being on the hunt for easy prey. What sort of predators could be around her she could only imagine. Her experience with jungle environments was limited. She’d traversed a few on her way east from Sultros long ago. Then she’d encountered no small number of snakes; which she had little fear of. Yet there were also deadly spiders, big cats as well as crocodiles. She hoped that by staying closer to the where the falls ended, she could avoid some of those greater dangers that could be found further inland.

Moving to the river bank, she knelt down, cupped her hands and dipped them into the water before bringing them to her face and drinking deeply. The water tasted fresh although a bit earthy since the water carried with it a bit of everything that it had collected on its way from its source further upstream.

Looking over the river, Ialari could see that indeed there were larger rocks appearing to have been deposited all along the banks as well as closer toward where the falls fell from above. “Ok, so if I were a rock about the size of my head, where would I fall and come to rest.” She said aloud.

Scanning the river bank on both sides as well as looking closer toward the falls, she spotted a few rock formations that may prove fruitful. What she was looking for were stones that were as big as her head or slightly larger yet looked loose from the rocks around them. She figured the most unique stones would have been pushed down river by the current and ended up somewhere in or around the river close to where the falls hit before the river continued on down to the sea. The current, that would be the challenge. From the looks of the water, it was moving rather quickly and with quite a bit of force. To wade too far out into the center or to even get too close to falls could mean getting caught up in the current and get swept on down to the sea and the rocks further below.

“If I could get close enough to the rock face, just to the side or even just behind the falls, I could still find a grip in the stone and maybe avoid the current.” Ialari used her metallic arm to push aside the jungle underbrush as she headed toward the rock wall that formed the base of the next shelf. As she moved, she watched her feet in hopes of seeing any potential dangers before they got her. While snakes were ironically her primary concern, she also was on the lookout for spiders, or any size while also batting away an ever-annoying pair of flies that had taken an interest in her. Unlike other flies, these had an especially hard exoskeleton so that when they landed on her to bite and she took a smack at them, she shook it off and returned to hound her.

[Ialari Pythone]

The heat was growing more oppressive as well as even a short distance from the open sea, the jungle tightened its grip. The humidity was high and made it increasingly difficult to breath freely. This was definitely something Ialari would have to learn to become accustomed to if she was going to spend any real amount of time anywhere outside of the sea-side settlement that was Syka.

Reaching the rocky wall next the falls, Ialari reach out and sunk her fingers into the stone to get a grip. She then took a few tentative steps into the river. It started out relatively shallow yet the further she pulled herself along the wall, the deeper the water became. Only a few feet from the river bank she was already near chest deep. As she walked, she watched her feet and felt around the river bottom for the best footing. As she approached the outskirts of the falls, the water splashed all around her and began to obscure her view. As she pulled herself further, she noted that the wall began to move inward. The further she went the more the wall became set back and actually began to form something of a shallow cave. Stopping for a moment, Ialari watched as the splashback formed by the falls fell back against the rock wall. Although she’d had no real experience with such a thing in person, the concept seemed solid enough. She wondered exactly how long it must have taken for the water splashing back from the falls to carve such an indentation into the stone.

Keeping close to the wall, she slowly pulled herself further into the shallow cave where she found what appeared to be the perfect spot to view the falls from behind without being overcome by the splash and river current. It was a beautiful sight that reminded Ialari briefly of viewing her Dominion from a fourth dimensional perspective. Looking down she also noticed several blocks of rock that had been broken down into small boulders presumably as various rocky material fell from above and clashed with existing material over time. It was a virtual treasure trove of different shaped stones of all sizes and textures.

As she glanced over the rocks, she noticed a few things. First, she spotted a rather dark stone, about 14 inches around and 10 inches tall. Parts of it appeared smooth and glassy. The overall shape and size looked as though it would be perfect for a potential base or pedestal to support the key component of her project. The stone was just inside the outer splash of the falls. In order to reach it, Ialari would have to stretch pretty far and hope she could maintain grip or at least balance of footing to keep from falling into the actual falls and risk being washed away. Reaching down near her feet, Ialari sunk her metallic fingers into the stone and extended out as far as she could. This provided her with just enough reach to get her fingers around the top part of the stone. Finding something of a grip, she begin to pull. Her fingers started to hurt with the strain but slowly she was able to pull the stone free and roll it toward her. When it was close enough, she scooped her hand underneath it and lifted it to her body. Pulling herself back to the cave indentation, she sat the rock next to her and looked at it closer. It looked as though it may be obsidian with a black, glassy like finish. While she had been looking for something with a little more texture, her mind began imagining what could be made from the stone. The picture in her head wasn’t all that bad. Deciding she would keep and use it, Ialari moved on in search of the highlight of the project.

[Ialari Pythone]

Pulling herself a little closer toward the other side of the falls, Ialari spotted another stone, just a little larger than her head, lodged between some other rocks. The thing that caught her eye was a hint of something red on its surface. This one was a bit further out beneath the actual falls which would require her to actually walk out freely into the water a bit to examine and retrieve it.

With that she took a few steps toward the falls while reaching for whatever handhold she could below the water. It was a little too deep to get any grip with her hand without completely submerging herself so she was left to rely on her deceptive weight and hopeful balance to keep her footing. Little by little she got closer to the stone with the strange hint of red. As it was almost in reach, Ialari slipped on a loose stone and fell wholly into the water. Although having at least the basic idea of how to swim, the combination of the crashing falls and accompanying current snatched a hold and threatened to sweep her away.

Frantically she lashed out in an attempt to find a grip on anything she could to keep her from going along with the current and crashing over the shelf into the sea and the rocks that awaited. Thankfully her fingers sunk into some solid stone on the river bottom. Struggling to keep from losing herself to panic, she pulled herself forward with her metallic arm and reached for a grip with her other hand. Little by little she moved in the opposite direction of the current although the need for air was quickly becoming a new problem. She eventually found her footing along with her grip and was able to get back to her feet and in turn take a breath. As she slowly pushed her way back to the spot behind the falls, she reached down and scooped up the rock with the hint of red. Upon moving the rock, something else was dislodged from the surrounding stones. Tossing the red-tinged rock over to where she’d laid the obsidian, she reached down to retrieve the dislodged object.

The object was narrow and long, almost cylindrical. The tip seemed to flower outward a bit. There was an obvious handle at one end and a finger-impressioned grip at the other. Returning to the relative safety of the carved-out alcove, Ialari held the object in her hands. There was an almost natural feeling to holding the handle with one hand and cupping her other hand around the grip at the other. In a way it somewhat resembled the way she’d observed others holding a crossbow yet the object looked nothing like such a weapon. It was lightweight and almost felt like some sort of stone moreso than metal. “What in Izurdin’s name is this? Obviously not an item of nature.” Ialari looked the item over a bit more before putting it and the two stones she’d found in her backpack. She then set to making the difficult yet thankfully short trek back out from behind the falls toward the river bank.

[Ialari Pythone]

The stones were heavy but not overly so. A couple of seasons ago, Ialari would have found the stones to be somewhat of a burden due to so much time spent with a bare minimum of diets. Thanks to her time in Riverfall, the better food and exercise due to Kavala’s urgings, she’d returned to her former physical form. Thus carrying about a couple of heavy rocks on her back was much less of a chore. She did worry a bit about the strength of the backpack however it had served her well for more than a few years already.

When she’d made it to the river bank, Ialari stopped to rest. The fall in the river had cut up her feet and shins quite a bit and she had a long yet not very deep cut on her left hand. She could also feel that her knees would most likely bruise pretty bad from slamming against the rocks. Despite the wounds, what she’d found at the falls was more than worth the pain. Taking a look at her wounds and making sure they weren’t too intense, she started back toward the edge of the shelf to climb back down. It was then that, from the slightest of glances to the side, that Ialari noticed what was an obvious trail leading up to the next step as well as back down to the base of the falls. “You’ve got to be kidding…” Looking to the sky she muttered, “Thank you Divine Father for this test. I’ve learned from it.” Shaking her head and cursing her lack of fruitful observation, Ialari chose to take the trail back down to the base of the falls and the beach.

Once she was back on the beach, Ialari paused for one more glimpse of the magnificent, bountiful if somewhat painful and embarrassing journey before turning back toward the settlement. She followed the same path she took to reach the falls. The trip back however was filled with many more breaks. At one point, Ialari stopped to wade out a bit into the water to help stretch out a bit. Along the way she reached down to collect some of the seashells that dotted the sand. She recalled the first time she’d used shells as an ingredient for the paint she used to create the doorway to her Dominion back at The Retreat back in east Syliras. The ones she now collected she stuffed into her belt pouch. “These would make for some nice necklaces; maybe help me with learning how to fit into the place.”

She’d been in Syka such a short time and still had yet to really meet anyone in any real way. Of course there was the cordial hello’s and other basic social niceties that humans seemed to find so enticing but for Ialari they seemed so superficial. Her time in Riverfall had helped her to become a little more comfortable with non-isur social interactions yet they were still sometimes troublesome. She simply couldn’t find the taste for filling the lack of conversation with empty words. Being a creature of appearance, she figured that maybe by at least looking like she fit in that maybe she could find a way to socializing that worked for her. “I can’t believe I even care about such things.” She muttered to herself as she thought about it all. She hated socializing and disliked humans. They were selfish creatures and shortsighted at best. Yet, despite this distaste, Ialari had learned to push that all aside, if for no other reason than to get those things she wanted and needed. This was a lesson she learned from Kavala in Riverfall. Life among humans was not like living among the isur and certainly nothing like living among the undead of Sahova; the only two places she had spent much time in other than Riverfall. If she was going to find the answers to the questions she sought, she would have to interact with people.

Her focus returned to the shells she gathered. They were uniquely shaped and beautifully colored. Turned into a necklace or used to accent some clothing, they would hopefully make her look more like she belonged in Syka. Once she’d gathered them and took her time stretching out and enjoying the warm water of the sea, Ialari continued her journey back to the settlement. When she made it back to her rented ranchero, she unpacked her collected items, removed her belt and loincloth and collapsed on the bed. A bit of nap was in order before beginning the actual process of constructing what would be her gift to Syka and its people.

[Ialari Pythone]

Thread Grade

Observation: 4
Climbing: 2
Acrobatics: 2
Swimming: 2
Land Navigation: 1
Poison: 1

Lore: Problemsolving: Working out a solution to a problem through mental conversations.

Lore: Swimming: The deeper one wades into the ocean, the larger the waves that push back toward the beach.

Lore: Syka: The location of the Stair-Step Falls.

Lore: Geology: A wide variety of different size and shape stones can be found in and around a waterfall.

Lore: Geology: A river can carry a variety of rocks as it makes it way to a waterfall.

Lore: Wilderness Survival (Tropical): Flies in the jungle are much more resistant to swatting than those found elsewhere.

Lore: Wilderness Survival (Tropical): Waterfalls create a splashback that form shallow caves behind them.

Items:

Two large stones, one with hints of black the other with a streak of red
A variety of small seashells
Two jellyfish collected into jars
A strange, tube-shaped item resembling a crossbow without the bow