A New Plan (Open)

[Risa Moontide]

(2nd of Summer 511 AV)
The stone corriders around Risa were... enclosing. She never cared for the space below deck, let alone the suffocating stone around her. It was uncomfortable. She purposefully paused at a stone terrace. Closing her eyes Risa let the light and air of the moment calm her. The view was momentous. The mountains streched beyond sight, light of the sun showing off the lucious greens of the high mountain grass. Fala flew up to her shoulder and joined her gaze. She smiled a little. I'm here. The top of the world is so close now. Risa didn't move, letting the image wash into her head and grab at her mind as she just stared over the arching terrain.

Fala whistled out, catching Risa's attention. She shook her head a little, regaining her composure. Risa smiled to herself; she could have stood there all day if it weren't for Fala. She could hear the movement of the town behind her, the vibrations of the stone below her. These vibrations were so different than what she was used to. Risa couldn't smell salt in the air, which just reminded her of the disconcerting unfamiliarity to this place. She hadn't thought about it until now; she was so far from home. She missed her ship, her pod. But she knew why she was here; Risa was going to see the world, to learn and experience and be a part of. This was her start.

Risa began walking further away from the gates, listlessly traveling. She knew she had to have a plan to get to the top of Mt Skinarta. She needed supplies, and training, and a guide. The people around here looked... haggard and weak, their heads turned towards the ground. These weren't the people she needed. Risa moved her headband back and tied her hair up.

"I made it this far." She couldn't help but speak aloud. Fala joined her with another shrill whistle, joining Risa's echo in a symphony of their achievement, but also of the work still to come.

[Sira]

Wind Reach was full of the weak, or so it might seem to an outsider. But even the weak were hardy and strong, the deks worked day and night to keep the city running, the avora it's craftsman who kept it supplied, and it's endal the protectors. There was no person in Wind Reach who didn't have a place, a purpose. But to an outsider it might not seem that way. Sira was not one of the weak that Risa was currently surrounded by. Sira was an endal, and a wind eagle both. And she had spotted something that drew her curiosity. It wasn't the stranger who intrigued Sira, but the bird that rested on her shoulder. Sira had never seen a bird like that before, and she had seen different birds. Though that didn't mean anything, really. The world was a big place and there was much Sira hadn't seen before, but Sira was a curious person and was quite interested in the little bird on the woman's shoulder. Sira approached the woman, her smile bright. She didn't have the same prejudice against outsiders that many Inarta did. Being a kelvic meant she had been treated with prejudice as well, at least by some, and she would never treat another that way unless they deserved it. At least, that is what she told herself. "Hi there. You must be new to Wind Reach. That is a beautiful bird you have there. I've never seen one like him. What is his name?" OOCJust a note, Sira has the ability to speak with birds, being a bird-type kelvic. She rarely does, but if you want Fala to say anything Sira will understand it. Whether she chooses to translate or not is another mater.

[Risa Moontide]

Risa greeted the newcomer with a smile and raised her hand up into a polite wave. "This is Fala and I'm Risa," she said, her voice nearly singing the notes back and forth. "And the problem is he knows how beautiful he is himself." Fala began to preen himself over the attention and fluttered his wings out. Risa grinned to herself and petted Fala's head feathers. "And yes, we're brand new, just came through the gates!"

Risa caught herself staring at the gold pattern in the girl's eyes. Words came out of her mouth faster than she could think them. "You have remarkable eyes! I'm kinda sheltered; I've really seen colors that don't match the sea." She tilted her head in a bird-like way as she watched, but Fala whistled up to distract her again before she lost herself. Risa blushed a little, looking up at the stranger. She muttered sheepishly, "I get distracted by patterns sometimes when I'm not doing anything. Fala here is the only thing that keeps me sane."

Risa smiled again, but couldn't help but look around at the deks around her. "I don't mean to stare, but these other people look broken, like they have nothing but the clothes they're wearing!" Risa realized how she was talking and looked around. She lowered her voice, not wanting to insult anyone. "Aren't they strong enough to get what they want?"

[Ivellios Liryanda]

Ivellios was one of those "other people." An Endal, she had always been an easily offended person, and on top of that, she didn't trust outsiders. She had been born in Wind Reach and lived there for her entire life. Hearing the conversation, she turned towards Risa and walked over to her. She glared up at the Svefra, who was a good five inches taller than she. It must have looked rather ridiculous, to see her glaring into the eyes of someone so noticeably taller, and probably stronger, than she.

"Excuse me?" she said rudely. Her place in the society of Wind Reach, as a protector of the city, only added to her volatile nature and distrust of those who were not from Wind Reach. And, even if it was not that far from the truth, if there was anything that the Inarta hated most of all from outsiders it was being called weak.

Her hand fell to her side as she stared into Risa's eyes, her head at an incline, a scowl on her face.

[Sira]

Sira smiled at the comment about her eyes. Many had told her she had interesting eyes, like an eagle. And there was a reason for that, of course. But it was what the woman asked next that made her sigh. Another person here to criticize our ways, she thought to herself. But Risa's next words brought her pause. Perhaps she did understand? And then another Inarta walked up. Sira did not recognize her, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. But the person was offended by the remark, which meant either she was like every other racist Inarta out there, or she was of lower class. Either way, Sira didn't care. She was interested to learn more about what the outsider thought. "Actually.. that is true. Though I would not say they are weak. I doubt there are many out there who can endure what the dek endure, but they have been unable to improve their station. In Wind Reach, everyone has a place. Where other's might call them useless, we find a task for them and set them to it. If they are strong or skilled enough to prove they are more valuable to society, then they can move up. No dek is trapped in their station, and no Endal is safe." OOCIvellios, just a side note. If you want to be an Endal, you need to apply for an eagle in the help desk. Judging by your character sheet though, you look like an Avora. Someone with a useful skill, but not an eagle rider.

[Risa Moontide]

Risa looked over at the shorter of the two women before her, eyebrows raised in concern. Her eyes quickly traced the visible scarred skin of the girl. "I'm not meaning to offend... I just," She started, awkwardly grabbing at her other arm and looking at the cold stone ground. Risa shuffled her feet a little, her face flush. I'm already screwing things up... Fala whistled brightly and rubbed his beak gently on her cheek, causing her to give her friend a soft smile.

"I'm just... I'm not used to people not taking what they are strong enough for. I'd think if the... Deks... could move up, they would, ya know? That's what I'm used to, taking what you need. My mother warned me things would be different, I just didn't think about how..."

Risa was feeling more homesick again, missing the rocking of the sea below her feet. She looked down at the ground. The thin vibration in the stone just weren't a match. Fala, though, was much more social. He shook at his feathers, ruffling them up. Feeling the kelvic's differences he chirped merrily, as though asking, "You smell like the sky. You fly?"

[Sira]

"Don't worry about her," Sira said in reference to the other Inarta, "If you believe something then you should speak it. That's how we do things here. We don't sugar coat with niceties like some cultures do." Sira glanced at Ivellios, and then looked around at the rest of the Inarta milling about. There were many deks among them, and a few avora, though she saw no endal nearby. Risa still seemed confused about things, so Sira decided to try to explain better. It wasn't hard to spot what she needed, and when she did she pointed at a dek who was passing by. He had a limp, and clearly was unable to do anything more than hobble about, yet he was still carrying a crate of stuff. "It is not that much different. Look at that man over there. His leg is hurt. It will probably never heal properly, and so he can never hope to become a warrior. Maybe a craftsman of sorts, if he took the time to learn, but he will never get very high in society with that leg. He is not strong enough. Is it is fault? Probably not, but it doesn't matter. He is a dek, and until he proves he is worth something more he will always be a dek. If anything, this place is exactly what you are talking about. If you have the strength, or the knowledge, then you can become better. If you do not, then you stay where you are." Sira turned back to Risa at about the same time Fala asked her his question. She smiled, wondering how the bird had recognized her for what she was. Animals were truly wise, even if most people did not see it. Normally she did not converse with the smaller birds, but Fala was something new and different. When Sira responded she didn't chirp or anything like that, but used her wind eagle ability to speak to the bird telepathically. "Yes, I can fly." Her eyes shifted back to Risa once more and she spoke aloud. "So.. if you don't mind my asking, what brings you to Wind Reach?"

[Risa Moontide]

Risa smiled and nodded as Sira spoke, looking around at the people who moved about as Ivellios walked away dismissively. "It's not much different than what I'm used to, I guess. I understand circumstance can make it hard to take what you need. I just couldn't see myself settling for anything. It's... weird... to think people do."

"I'm here to climb this mountain." Risa raised her arms above, a new look overtaking her face, one of determination and almost anger. Fala chirped alongside her, the loud high noise causing another echoing vibration through the stone. Again several eyes looked at the the almost annoying noise. "I'm going to learn mountain climbing and make it to the top, see the entire world from its highest point. I'm actually just on my way to the Valintar now to check in."

Risa looked back from her blank gaze towards Sira and held up her hand in greeting. "I never got your name. What do you do here?"

[Kala]

Kala noticed a foreigner and an Inarta talking as she walked by. She didn't like those that were not born in Wind Reach, but if they had been able to find a place in society, then she supposed they could stay. There was another Inarta, an Endal, with them too, who seemed to be offended. Kala wondered what they were talking about.

It wasn't like she had to go to work. Or perhaps she did, and that was why she was wandering. Never mind that- this was far more interesting. The glass could always wait.

Kala walked in a slow circle around the group, trying not to be seen. She wasn't tall, but she wasn't short either, and her height was ideal for not being spotted in the crowd. As she drew closer, Kala noticed that the unoffended Inarta had golden eyes, a rarity among the denizens of Wind Reach. Yet the girl was not an Inarta, or at least a full one; there was something different about her.

As she walked closer, Kala could hear bits and snatches of conversation. The foreigner wanted to climb the mountain. It seemed a strange request for one who did not come from Wind Reach. Mt. Skyinarta was theirs, given from the gods. What right did foreigners have to climb it?

Rather than refrain from giving her opinion, Kala decided to step into the conversation. She was curious, and yet slightly offended and almost defensive. A mix of moods showed on her face as she spoke: "Why would one not born of Wind Reach wish to climb Mount Skyinarta?" Kala shook her head after she spoke, making the glass beads wound into her hair clatter together.

OOCThis was my first ever actual roleplaying post here, so please tell me if I messed up at all.

[Sira]

Sira nodded, understanding Risa's disposition. She had been denied the rank of Endal many times, but Sira had not given up. Though she was a wind eagle kelvic, the valintar hadn't considered it enough to give her the title. It wasn't until she had proven herself to the eagles themselves that she was finally given what she had always wanted. "Yes, I don't know how people can settle for nothing other than the best. But you must understand, when you go to the Valintar you are going to be assigned a caste and job while you are here. You'll have to do whatever they tell you if you want to stay here." When Risa expressed her desire to climb the mountain Sira smiled. She knew a few people who liked mountain climbing, though she wasn't much of a climber herself. Having wings tended to make climbing unnecessary. When Kala walked up and asked her question of Risa, Sira responded first. "I can understand wanting to climb our mountain. I've been to the top many times, though I've never climbed it. But it is beautiful up there, and I would want to climb it just for bragging rights to be honest." Then Sira remembered that she had been asked another question. "Oh, sorry about that. My name is Sira. I'm an Endal. My job is to provide food for the city and protect it from danger. But don't worry, I don't think you're a danger to the city so you're safe with me."