[Flashback – Solo] Mendax tells his first story

[Mendax Nox Propria]

1st of Spring in the year 112 BV

Mendax looked up from his parchment writing, it was an utter mess, trying to assess what he has written down. It was a terrible mess. Just utterly horrible, This just isn’t going to work. It was a sigh that erupted from his mouth, not frustration. Unrolling the parchment open a bit more the ten year old went at it again, sticking his tongue out from between pursed lips and concentrating really hard on writing the letters down. Every so often one could spot a glance over to his left, his father sat in a comfortable chair waiting patiently for his son to complete his story. Finally, he got the words written correctly and took a sigh of relief, now he just had to gather his wits about him and start reading the story. “How is it coming son?” Mendax’s father asked, his words a soothing balm against the rash of writer’s block. “It is coming along good, father. It’s about a --” Mendax’s father rose a hand in an attempt to stop his son from speaking, “Before you go further, do not spoil a good story but giving away the whole storyline. I want to hear the story.” Mendax nodded, So this is how it works, okay. I will remember that. With a clearing of his throat Mendax held up his parchment and quickly flicked his eyes over it and started reading aloud, In a time where the gods wandered the realms and mortals and there was no warring there was a prophecy foretold about a rare bird with iridescent blue feathers and beautiful pearl colored eyes that was said to grant the mortal that could free a single feather from the bird’s body the power to fly indefinitely in the skies above. Mendax paused long enough to settle himself more comfortably onto his stool, The rare bird was said to be locked away in a golden cage magicked with intricate Shieldings and many other magicks unknown. The cage, with its contents, was placed in a location deep within the mountains on some inhospitable island far from the hands of any mortal. It was this prophecy that was to be revisited several centuries later by a scholar and brought to the king’s attention. After several hours of debating and concerns the king issues a proclamation to allow for the realm’s greatest champions to come forth and go in search of this magickal cage and its flight-granting contents. With another pause Mendax stood to stretch and gather his wits and a glass of water before sitting back down on his stool and starting again. His father listened intently to the birth of his son’s imagination. Once his throat was well parched and he was again comfortable Mendax continued, So the realm’s greatest champions came forth and took the sacred duty to go in search of locating the prophecy’s sacred item. First though the adventurers had to endure the royal cooks feast and the royal banquet… Mendax lowered his parchment, “That’s all I have so far father.” His father nodded, “It is good son. Can you give me any details as to what happens to the bird? Do the adventurers ever get to it?” Mendax knew what his father was trying to do and Mendax smiled. “Father you know I can’t give away any details of the story. That would ruin the surprise, you just told me that!” With a soft chuckle Mendax’s father stood and nodded, “Right you are son.”

[Mendax Nox Propria]

1st of Spring in the year 112 BV

Later that same day Mendax was found once more sitting at his desk scribbling away on a piece of parchment.The story he told before was coming along quite nicely if Mendax said so himself. To be honest though, Mendax hadn't move from his stool for the whole duration of the day. Too concentrated on his first piece of written art that he couldn't even be stirred from it when his mother called for dinner, or his friends yelled from the street below to come and swim in the sea. The words fell to deaf ears, it would seem. Let me see here, they go through the maze, underneath the ocean waters, speak with the water folk and come to surface several leagues away from civilation to some island... Mendax sighed and tossed his quill down onto the table. "I give. This story is a disgrace, nothing will come from it." The frustration clearly seen on his face. Running his hands through his hair the boy stood from his stool, cringing at the stiffness of his legs, arms, and back. "Mother was right about staying in one place for too long." Finally stretching out his legs and body enough to move around Mendax made his way downstairs and to the dinner table. "Did you complete your story son?" His father said with a smile. Mendax only shook his head at this, there wasn't much more to say. A nod came from his mother, "Its okay son, not everyone can complete a story in one day, I have faith in you." Mendax nodded, "Thanks mother. I will keep trying."

[Oracle]

Name: Mendax Nox Propria

XP Award:

• Writing +1
• Storytelling +2

Lore:

• Writing your First Story
• Frustrations of Storytelling
• Dedication to one's Craft

Notes: Great thread, love the detail you put into the story your character was writing. I would love to see the completed work though. I'm hoping you'll give me some longer threads in the future. Keep up the good work.

Secret :

Here ya go.

If you have any concerns with this please PM me and let me know.

A.S. Oracle