Completed [Twin Lakes] High Atmosphere Home

[Una Tanta]

Spring 11th 514 AV

Una's legs ached from the long walk along Sanikas Road and the beaming heat left her short of breath and dusty. The sun made the path shimmer before her, a wavering horizon, as seemingly eternal as the ocean. Avanthals gates had been glorious pieces of artwork and the two Dire Polar Bears ever watching made the image all the more ethereal. It was vainglorious in Synas light, dominating her vision whenever she had approached it. Wind Reaches gate was cast in shadows, a long hallway supported by tall pillars. Simple and square with unimaginative circular baubles at the top Una frowned to herself as she jogged, dragging her toes with each step, into the slightly damper area. The air was sucked dry and Una, skin particularly sensitive to the lack of moisture, wrinkled and sighed with distaste at the electric quality surrounding her. If she had been better educated she would recognize the warning signs. A storm was coming.

However, the potential for rain was far from both her mind and skins sensibilities. She needed water. Above water she usually felt unusually strong and virulent, the air much less resistant than the medium she had spent most of her life. Avanthal had been bright but so thoroughly cold and moist she had never felt the overwhelming need for water that she felt in this moment.

Darkness was a maw before her, the pillars resembling the rounded hardened teeth of the grazers Una had seen at a distance in Avanthal. Against her very nature Una slowly pandered down the hallway.

Heat made her eyes dazzle and the bright glass bauble was fortunate to catch her eyesight. Fumbling with the end of the chain Una didn't notice the steel gate, or its imposing fortitude. She had been told to pull the chain to draw the gatekeeper to her by Thunder Bay merchants and at the moment was relieved that she knew and wasn't left banging or fumbling at a nearly invisible gate.

The bells startled her and she jumped back tripping backwards and staring around her as the bells echoed throughout the close enclosure making the pillars shake. The grizzled grey beard of a man appeared, "Hello, may I be of assistance?" His voice crinkled like the paper in the Avanthalian library reminded Una of the delicious pail of water that had accompanied her.

"Please....I need water..." Unas voice broke and she couldn't help but whimper as she gazed into the mans filmy cataract ridden eyes. Flinging the door open with impressive strength and virility the hunched figure wrapped around Una bringing her into a small alcove behind the gate.

Unas white skin had lost its healthy pink glow and was as crinkled as parchment. Setting her down on the nearby bench he moved across the room like a chickadee flitting from branch to branch. The fire in a pit was down to coals and he grabbed the pot dumping some hastily into a cup before bringing it to her lips.

He recognized the unusual creature, as not many did, Una was certain. He recognized that her desire for water didn't stem from dehydration or travelers exhaustion but her desire stemmed from suffocation. Her suspicions were confirmed as he began dumping water over her skin cupful by cupful. Una gasped with relief. Head tilting back arching her back toward the stream of water. Tentacles wriggled in ecstasy as the water poring over her skin let her gasp for breath a few moments longer. Meanwhile, through the dark haze that was beginning to get all too familiar Una could here his raspy voice calling for aid.

x

[Una Tanta]

Una slipped into blackness as her skin and lungs stretched wide for air. The walk had left her white skin drenched in heavy dust. When she awoke her vision spun and her stomach felt sick from the length of time without air but she smiled. Water. Hot moist air filled her lungs and delicious cold water trickled over her bare legs, stomach and chest. As her senses expanded Una could feel broad wrinkled hands on her back. Supporting her, so her entire body was slightly submerged the kindly Gatekeeper stood waist deep in a filthy film of water. Fully dressed, much to the dismay of the fuming and chattering people in the background Una guessed, he grinned down at the Charoda.

"Thanks. Una." Una replied, her voice croaking from the heavy dust that had found its way into her throat. She introduced herself resting a gentle finger on herself. "Val Imsun," He replied. His eyes were small and a familiar ice blue like many of the Vanthas resting eye colour. His chin was shaved she realized now and his moustache wiggled across his wry thin lips as he introduced himself.

"I think I can support myself," She announced slowly settling her feet beneath her. "If she has found herself sir, I think you should remove your clothes as well." a Chiet piped up meekly hiding her gaze. "Haha, yes dear." Scrambling awkwardly out of the water the woman helped the old man out of his clothes. Una couldn't help but stare as he slowly lowered himself into the water. She had never seen an elderly human before and the deep wrinkles that mapped his body.

"You are beautiful..." She murmured to herself in Vani. "Haha," The man chuckled, "only a Charoda would say such." He replied in the northern language startling her. "You can speak Vani?!" Una replied grinning with delight. Everyone she had met thus far only spoke Nari, a language Una could only mumble through if she strained through her childhood memories.

"Yes m'dear. How does one such as yourself come to speak such an isolated language?" Una grinned. She recognized that sparkle in his eyes, the sparkle that brimmed in all storytellers eyes when they recognized a potential story. "Well I suppose I do owe you for saving me." Una acquiesced cheekily. Though the water was filthy it was familiarly chilly and soothing making her more giddy and childish than she may otherwise be. "We do not owe one another here in Wind Reach, it is each of our duties to aid each other. Assuming you are coming to Wind Reach to contribute?" He searched her more. Though Una herself couldn't ask such subtle information seeking questions she recognized it and it made her grin despite herself.

"Community allows us all to survive to our greatest capabilities. To deny the community would be to deny oneself and deny the greatest capabilities of humanity." Una replied closing her eyes as she recited her mothers wise words. When she opened them she saw her own smile echoed on Vals face.

The Inartans were a violent community, both emotionally and physically. Una couldn't help that by her very nature she didn't fit in. Nor in many ways did she want to. Though she respected them, as even the youngest acted years above their age, she was relieved to find aspects of herself reflected in another.

"I lived in Avanthal for a year before returning to Thunder Bay. I was taught Vani by my husband and to write in the Avanthalian library." While she spoke the man had offered her a tough sponge which she used to scrub the dirt from her arms. The water had turned the dust to mud and Una was happy to be rid of it. Her baubles glowed in the rank water making it appear a shimmering green. His questioning eyes made Una grin, "I'm a deep sea Charoda. The baubles allow us to see deep underwater where Synas light doesn't touch." The elder smiled appreciatively at the explanation.

"How do you know Vani?" Una queried as she stood and began to rub her stomach. She appreciated the man, he gazed directly into her pupilless eyes or away to the wall while he thought but never indulged in the slim dolphin shape of her body. She had lost most of her blubber in Avanthal, and even that she hadn't been able to maintain on the long journey. Her body was slimmer than it had ever been making her particularly sensitive to the sun and cold and also making her more attractive to the human males.

"I was once an Endal, I ran the trade route to Avanthal quite often. It was, truth be told, my favorite city. They were the most welcoming race I have met and the most forthcoming with their local culture. While I disagree with some of their politics I must say they certainly respect community and the nature of worship."

"Yes, they are most certainly devout." Una moved with him several more pools. Each cleaner and warmer than the last. By the third pool Una was beginning to get uncomfortable with the heat but remained as the elder sighed with happiness. They continued to converse easily, joking and teasing in the plump Vani language.

x

[Una Tanta]

A Dek had come closer halfway through her sentence, "A massage miss?" Una gazed up at her with questioning eyes. Why would someone offer her a massage? How much would it cost? The entire offer was unusual. The Dek gazed down at her, eyes roaming curiously over her clean white rubbery skin. "I think a massage would do you good Missus Una," Val nodded at the Dek, "It's perfectly okay, you can come here for massages any time. I must return to my post but I recommend you take a look at the Twin Lakes and request a place to stay there at the Valintars. When you get settled, come back and take a visit with me. We can share more stories of Avanthal." He offered grimacing as he pulled himself from the heat. "Oh my poor old muscles hate me for making them leave such comfort," He chuckled by way of explanation.

Una nodded mutely watching him retreat to find his clothing. Una had brought with her no clothes, and hadn't hesitated to begin her climb up Sanikas road without them. Having spent much of her life without clothes she perceived them as a luxury not a necessity but had quickly realized halfway through her climb how helpful they could have been to shield her from the sun.

When the elder had left Una moved back to the sandy pool. It was more temperate and the sand between her toes reminded her of the beaches in Thunder Bay. "I would love that massage..." Una murmured to the Dek easing her back off the wall. Placing each leg on either side of her the Dek reached out touching curious fingers along the top of Unas shoulders. Cupping some water and gently soaking the Charodas skin Una groaned with pleasure despite herself as the womans fingers ran nimbly over her back. "What's your name?" Una asked, politely making conversation. "Ishna Missus," The red haired woman replied, obviously having overheard part of their conversation.

"I'm Una. Una Tanta." Una offered when the woman hadn't said anything for several chimes. Discouraged by the womans continued silence Una let herself fall into silence as well and relaxed into the womans fingers. It was an unusual sensation, she had so rarely been touched like this before by a woman. "Thank you Ishna," Una replied gratefully when the woman eased off and began to rise, "Do you know where the Twin Lakes are?" Una asked, she knew she wouldn't be able to find her way around the infamously complicated and cavernous city that was Wind Reach and her legs were still weak from her breathless climb to go searching for it.

"Yes Miss. Would you like me to take you there?" Una nodded emphatically at the offer. "I would appreciate that." Taking the offered hand Una climbed out of the water awkwardly, legs wobbling slightly. Letting her eyes fall over the woman this time Una smiled. She had the typical curly Inartan mass of red atop her head. Her eyes were a pale almost yellow brown and were small and shrewd even compared to normally small human eyes. Her nose was as sharp and pert as her thin lips. Una couldn't help but like her quirky appearance, so different from her own or any of the Vantha. She was pale and willowy tall, face lined with many wrinkles from the harshness of the city.

Following the nude Dek Una couldn't stop her eyes from roaming. Human bodies were so bizarre her eyes dazzled confused. Her mammary glands were swollen and swung as walked. Glancing at her own chest, where only small nipples and a very slight convex shape formed she frowned. She liked the pert breasts of human women. Ishna disappeared behind a door for a moment, only to emerge with piles of fabric.

The one she donned lay just above her knees and was a rough canvas texture. Its brown colour matching the stone of the cavern they were in. The ones handed to Una were relatively soft, obviously well used over time. Once a deep black it had softened to a grey in areas as if the sun had dulled the colour. The pants, which Ishna told her were Bryda when she gave her a questioning look, where wide and flowing at the bottom, drawing water from the rooms floor up her legs. They laced up at the hips which hugged her snugly. The Vinati, it was apparently called, was a short blouse that did up at the center with a small bow the Dek showed her how to tie. Meant for a woman well endowed it hunt on her chest empty and deflated making Una wrinkle her nose distastefully. She was grateful for the clothes but was very conscious how ugly the top was on her bosom-less chest.

x

[Una Tanta]

Una danced along the hot rock as she followed the silent Dek. The day was beginning to end and Syna had dropped almost out of sight making Una sigh with relief. The incredible heat rose off the rocks keeping her warm as they increased in altitude. The sun cast a purple and red glow over the mountains and as they finally reached the peak Una gasped, her breath dragged from her lungs for a second time.

The Suns pale fingers crept over the sky dipping into the two lakes beneath their feet as if they were glowing hands that cupped the water itself. "It's beautiful..." Una breathed. Though she spoke Char the Dek seemed to understand her amazement and stepped back politely for her to admire.

Una felt dizzy at the height they had reached, far above the city she gazed back watching Synas hair creep away from the sky high buildings and walkways. As Una moved towards the water and dipped a toe in she tilted her head back to gaze at the ripening sky. "They are called Kanti and Shivias..." the Dek spoke, her voice soft in deference to the silent beauty before them as she pointed first at the smaller lake and then to larger.

"Why?" Una asked quietly when she didn't continue but the Dek only shrugged. She had been spoiled by the Vantha, who passed along stories of each and every location along to everyone. Here in Wind Reach knowledge was exclusive and it wasn't so easy to find out the stories that littered the windy mountain.

The water was steaming, as delightfully warm as the place they had been earlier. "Back there...is that where you work?" "The Tisuma Baths?" Una nodded, assuming she had just given her the name of the previous water source, "Yes. Among other places." The Dek spoke in Nari, but slow enough
for Una to gather the yes part.

As the sun descended the water began to glow a faint shimmering yellow making Una take a timid step back. "Jellyfish..." The Dek explained but Una didn't recognize the unusual Nari term. Kneeling down Una peered closer but couldn't see the translucent shapes of the jellyfish. "Safe?" "No." The Dek replied and led Una along the edge of the lake to the smaller of the two. "Safe." She nodded.

Una didn't recognize the scent that made her sneeze as she approached the smaller lake. It was thick and acrid collecting in the back of her throat. Beneath the clear water Una could see little gold fish flicker underneath. Assuming it was safe by this presence Una placed a toe into the water carefully. "Thank you." Una nodded to Ishna as she began to step into the water the fabric sticking to her legs as it got wet.

"Oh no!" Ishna replied before she could cover her mouth. Una tilted her head confused, the water hadn't hurt her...."Clothes. Clothes should come off first." The woman replied making a gesture as if to take off her own clothes. Backing away Una put her hands up before her, "Oh no. I am not interested in women..." She responded in Char habitually as her eyes widened in the misunderstanding.

The Dek looked confused but turned away when Una didn't remove the clothes and began her way back down the mountain. Soon it would be too dark to maneuver the path. Relaxing, Una laid on her back and drifted across the shimmering glass like surface. Bliss. She smiled appreciatively as her mind drifted over the day and she made a note to return to the man tomorrow. He had said so much she didn't understand and she hoped in exchange for her own knowledge she could get him to help her maneuver through the city, at least until the Frosthawk was delivered and she could return to her bay.

x

[Una Tanta]

The grassy area at the other end of the lake lured Una closer. Fuzzy white and grey balls of fur toddled along as people with long sticks began herding them away from the water. Una didn't recognize the creatures that appeared a deep blue purple in the setting sunlight. Their coats were long and straight and swung like limp tentacles about their body. Their hooves were small and could hardly be seen beneath the massive amounts of wool.

Fingers and toes wiggling in the deep lake. Eyes peeked above the surface but she was soon distracted by the nibbling sensation of fish at her toes and let out a squeak. Every head in the her went up and each bulbous eye stared directly at her attracting the alarmed attention of the staff holders. Some bustled the animals away from the water quickly while others waded out curiously. It wasn't as if anything could get into the lake that wasn't usually there.

Standing Una waded out of the water. The sunlight behind her back, her tentacles moved about her head curiously. Her wet clothes clung to her body but made a wet sucking noise as she moved. Hanging off her body like wet skin she made a terrifying silhouette of a melting woman. Her tentacles arches upward squelching and hissing as they moved delightedly over the wet blubber skin. Not realizing the terrifying silhouette she made the women and men were soon on their knees not daring to look at her. "What are these?"

"Quesos Sheep," One woman replied, her dazzling red hair softened in the lavender light. "May I touch one?" Una asked innocently. Their behaviour was certainly awkward and bizarre but she hadn't yet realized the effect of her silhouette. "Of course..." Someone murmured as they sought to catch a goat to bring it closer. The goat on the other hand had different ideas and loud bleating noises were accompanied by lazy turning, keeping their haunches directed at the Inartan so he couldn't get any closer to the haltered head.

The others exchanged glances that Una didn't catch. No one dangerous could get through the gates...but yet that is exactly what had happened last season. Fingering a knife in his boot a nearby man gulped as she moved further out of the water to help the flustered man. "Oh there is no need for that..." She murmured not realizing how difficult her proposition had been.

As the sun dipped below the horizon and the yellow glow of the lake behind her brightened Una half turned, distracted by its radiance. As the pale yellow fell over her white skin she looked a sickly green. The soaked black clothes blending her into the shadows.

"A GHOST!" The men and women screamed, fumbling over themselves as they rushed towards the goats and down the hills. The Inartan were a brave group but ghosts they knew they could not battle without Whisper. "A Ghost?" Una tilted her head not understanding and looked about frantically. A ghost powerful enough to materialize such that an untrained eye could spot one so easily...the idea made her shiver and she sank bank into the darkness of the lake, never understanding that it was her they had gestured at.

x

[Raien Ironarm Pitrius]

XP Award!

Name: Una Tanta

XP Award:
Socialization +5
Land Navigation +2
Observation +4

Lore Award:
Wind Reach: Sanikas Road
Sanikas Road: An Eternal Ocean
Wind Reach: The Beauty of Syna in the Mountains
Begging for Water
Val Imsun: The Kindly Gatekeeper
Val Imsun: Speaker of Vani
Val Imsun's life story(Basic)
Val Imsun: A Kindred Spirit
Bathing with a Kind Stranger
The Benefits of Clothing
Ishna Missus: Not a Bad Masseuse
Wind Reach: Kanti and Shivias
The Dangers of High Altitudes
Wind Reach: The Tisuma Bath
Nari and Char: Language Barriers
Looking Forward to a Frosthawk
Wind Reach: Quesos Sheep
A Ghost!

Ledger/items:
+ Simple Vinati
+ Simple Bryda

Grader Comments:

Nice little thread, I just love how you portrayed the language barrier, and Una's classlessness in certain regards.