Solo Calming a Pain

[Dev'Ania]

73rd of Winter 518 AV

Dev’Ania woke from her sleep, beads of sweat streaming down her face and back. She panted, trying to catch her breath. This was the third night in a row that she had had the same, reoccurring nightmare. A nightmare about the death of her parents. Each time the nightmare seemed to get scarier and scarier. It was like she was stuck in the dream, detached in all but the most literal of ways from reality.

In her nightmare, she witnessed both of her parents being murdered by the ravenous monsters on the wild. And every time, the monster would run after her next, but she would awaken from her before it could. It all felt so real. Too real. She knew that was not what had actually happened. Even though she was young when her father was killed, she knew that he was killed by some type of monster while traveling. That was the thing with dreams. In them, your world forces one to rely on the mind to fill in the gaps.

Finally settled down, Dev got up from her bed and walked over to the water basin to wash her self down. Her body felt numb from the shock of waking up suddenly. Images of her nightmare replayed continuously through her mind. Standing in form of the mirror, she stared at her self and began to cry. She missed her parents. She missed the love and affection they gave her. She missed the fun they would have. She missed having them by her side. She had to face the fact that her parents were gone, as much as she didn't want to. Tears streamed down her face and she fell to the floor, her face in her palms. After many chimes, she stopped crying and dried her tears. She didn’t want to think about the death of her parents anymore, so she decided to go out walking. She washed her face again and got dressed.

The air outside was cold but warmer than usual. The fresh air was calming and soothing as it swept against her face. Dev’Ania wandered the streets of the Zintia Peak. As she walked, she cleared her voice and began to sing to herself.

Calm and peaceful is the key.
Calm and peaceful, I shall be.
The wind is calming and brings me peace.
Please wind, do not cease.

The lyrics were random as they came to her mind. She usually made up songs to calm herself, or just for the fun of it. Since she was young, singing served as an escape for her. Especially after each of her parents passed away. Her soprano voice continued to sing the words, new lyrics being added to the song. A smile began to spread across the young woman’s face.

[Dev'Ania]

Dev’Ania began to like the song the more she continued to sing it and add more lyrics. Singing was an important part of her and she didn't want to lose it. She might not have been the best singer, but with some more practice, she could become better at it. She wanted a way to remember this song, so she searched peak for a place to buy a little notebook. A couple chimes later, she came across a small bookbinding shop, The Good Book. She entered the shop, lightly closing the door behind her. She looked around at the many books and papers strewn about the shop. An open window allowed for the cool air to enter the building. “Hello,” Dev called out softly. Upon her call, an older man entered and greeted her.

“What could I do for you, miss?”

“I am just looking for a simple notebook to write music lyrics in and something to write with, please.”

“I have just what you need.” The old man walked over to a table full with a variety of notebooks and writing tools. He came back with a notebook, a quill, and a vial of ink. “Here is a great notebook for you, and a quill and ink too.” The man handed the items to Dev.

“Thank you, sir.” Dev smiled at the man and paid for her items before leaving the small shop. Now she had somewhere to write down all of the songs she came up with. From now on, she would write songs in her book whenever she had the chance to. She was even happier. She made her way to the Sundial Circle, a well-known landmark in Lhavit. She sat in the grass surrounding it and took out her new notebook. The beauty of the Sundial gave her more inspiration to continue writing songs.

She opened the notebook to the first page and opened the vial of ink, dipping the quill into the dark liquid. In the center of the page, she wrote, Songs By Dev’Ania, in pretty, cursive writing. On the next page, she wrote down the song she had come up with earlier. A small space was left at the top for a place to add a title. She could not come up with one, so it stayed blank.

Dev’Ania sat at the sundial, writing continuously. She took a short break and laid on the grass, looking up to the sky and watching the clouds pass by. She tried to gain more inspiration from the large puffs of white that floated overhead. Soon, she drifted off into a slumber.

Note: :

Funds removed from ledger:
1 Traveling notebook - 3Ki
1 Black Ink (1-ounce vial) - 1Ki
1 Quill - 5 jk

[Dev'Ania]

Dev’Ania woke, startled for she had had the same haunting nightmare. Confusion and fright clouded her mind. For a tick, she had forgotten where she was and how she had gotten there. Quickly remembering, she threw her head into her palms and groan with annoyance. It had only been a bell that Dev had been sleeping. It would have been very peaceful if she hadn’t had the nightmare again. Every time she forgot about it and tried to get some rest, it would sneak up on her - like a predator trying to catch its prey. All she wanted was to forget about the horrible nightmare. Why couldn’t it just go away?

She rubbed her puffy, red eyes and gathered her belongings, tucking them neatly into her backpack. She was surprised no one tried to take her belongings as she slept, or tried to wake her up. A part of Dev was annoyed with herself for falling asleep out in the open, and the other part was a bit embarrassed. She took one more deep breath before rising to her feet and beginning to return home. As much as she wanted to continue her wandering around the city, she just wasn’t up to it anymore. She was exhausted and wanted to spend the rest of her day alone, at home, in her bed. Walking through the city, she kept her head lowered and avoided making eye contact with anyone. She didn’t want people to see how embarrassing she looked while crying.

As soon as she made it to her apartment, she walked straight to her bed and flopped onto it. Some way or another, she was going to get a good night of sleep. The Konti turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling of the room. She observed the blank, white ceiling and admired how it could easily be changed into something new. It reminded her of why she moved to Lhavit in the first place - to have a blank slate. To start her life over, making the best of it. The light of the setting sun cast a warm glow through her window. Too tired to close the curtains, she simply turned over and stuffed her face into her pillow and let out a loud scream. Suddenly, she was already beginning to feel better.

[Madeira Dusk]

Grades Awarded!

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Dev'Ania

Skills

• Observation: 3xp
• Singing: 1xp
• Music Composition: 1xp
• Socialization: 1xp
• Writing: 1xp

Lores

• Lore of reliving the nightmare
• Location: Sundial Circle
• Renewed Purpose: start a new life in Lhavit

Awards & Retribution
+1 Traveling notebook: - 3Ki
+1 Black Ink (1-ounce vial): - 1Ki
+1 Quill: - 5 jk

Notes
I couldn't find too much XP or Lores in there, but I don't want to shortchange you! So if you think I missed something give me a shout.