Loc: Entrance - Knotted Gates (All PCs enter here)

[Tundris]

Welcome to Endrykas!


Before you post your arrival in here make sure to take a look at the post guidelines in the Link Map thread

[Rhylen]

Continued From: Abrupt Introductions


The First of Winter, 509AV

They crested a rise some time after sunset, an expanse of firelight dotting the eastern slope of the not-too-distant Fell Mount Plateau. Like a fallen giant, the landmark could be seen from a great distance in all directions, and was therefore the perfect place for establishing a winter home. The smell of cook fires and the sound of music and voices drifted lazily across the expanse between the three travelers and the temporary residence of Endrykas, capital of the nomadic horse clans.

After a dramatic start, the majority of Rhylen and Hex’s journey had been uneventful. They’d spoken little, save a few awkward exchanges, and taken few breaks. Rhylen was exhausted, but the thought of a cooked meal and some much needed sleep had spurred him onward, despite his instincts to make camp when the sun had fallen below the horizon. He now bore a flickering torch, the oil in his small lamp too precious to burn, and the cloak of furs from his bag now hung heavy on his shoulders, protecting against the frigid breeze that had kicked up after sunset.

“There she is,” he said in common, growing tired of the language. “The home of… our people.” He desperately hoped that she would not notice his pause, but the woman seemed capable of noticing everything. Hex was clearly more at home on the plains than he had guessed at first, even more apt at survival than himself he guessed. Her uncanny ability to discern lay of the land, something to do with her unusual fingers, was almost as unnerving as her unshakably cheery disposition.

As they grew nearer the tent city they were met by a pair of mounted sentries. “Stop!” one of them called, as the other drew an arrow, fixing it in Hex’s direction. Rhylen froze; a mix of shock and alarm evident on his face.

“What plagues the heart of Endrykas that they would draw arms against their own kind,” Rhylen asked in Pavi, attempting to exude an authoritative tone. Thalla whinnied softly, uneasy.

“She,” the youngest of the two spat, “is not one of us!” Both now had their bows trained on the woman, unhindered by the cold gust that pulled at their cloaks. “Turn back!” he said firmly.

“Listen!” Rhylen spoke, stepping between them, knowing they would not strike down one of their own. “She rides with me, and Drykas blood flows in her veins!”

“Move out of the way Colt,” the older sentry jeered, his derogative term intended to spark Rhylen’s temper.

“I will not!” Rhylen screamed, turning his back so that the sentry could see the windmarks that climbed intricately up the back of his neck. “I am Rhylen, apprentice of Raghnall, and I demand that you stand down or I will report this abuse to the elders!” His tone was heated, but he retained an air of calm, a trick he’d learned from the shaman. This show of grit threw the sentries off balance, their fear of the elders’ wrath outweighing the desire to trouble the strangers further.

“Off with you then,” scoffed the oldest as the two spurred their mounts. "You do a foolish thing." His eyes took in Hex one last time and then he headed in the direction they’d come from to make sure they hadn’t been followed. The other sneered and turned back to Endrykas, likely to announce their arrival.

“All is well,” Rhylen whispered in common, staring into the woman's eyes. “Just let me do the talking for now.”

[Evarette Karmine]

Evarette sighed over the folds of canvas strips in her lap, her sapphire pools traveling over the twitching stifle of the Stryder before her. The horse's bonded rider stood at it's head, a soothing palm caressing the side of the equine head as words of comfort were uttered softly into the swiveling ears. A bone needle clutched between her teeth, it's tail of silken thread dangling past her chin, Evarette brought her freshly cleaned hands up to either side of the laceration that had so recently marred the beautiful dun's coat. Rinsed free of blood and debris, the angry, scarlet lips of the slice luckily did not exceed past the horse's muscle. This would be an easy fix.

She dipped the needle and it's ribbon of thread into a bowl at her feet, running it through the disinfectant and pulling it up between her fingers to wring the excess free. Her eyes shifted to the rider, who nodded, bending close to the ears of his mount once again. Using one hand to support the edges of the wound closer together, she began her stitching...The Styder flinched, but did not shy away. Evarette's fingers worked quickly, a line of neat stitches growing between the beads of fresh blood drawn out by the point of the needle. As the last stitch was fixed into place, Evarette bit the excess suture off just as a tirade of commotion floated down from the hillside.

Frowning, she turned to locate the source...just in time to witness the stand off between the two Endrykas guards and a pair of riders. Their words were lost in the distance, but the tension in their body language and gestures was evident. Ivar unleashed a low, rumbling whicker from his position by her small camp. Redirecting herself back to the task at hand, Evarette turned to blink up at the rider, noting his eyes had found the scene on the hillside as well. "Ross...She'll be fine," she spoke softly, soaking one of the canvas strips and bringing it up to dab the stitched site clean. "It may itch, while healing...But she'll have nothing but a pretty white scar to show for it." Evarette's smile beamed up at the man, who ducked his head in gratitude, running a relieved pat down the horse's broad neck. "Och, thank you Evie! C'mon by the circle t'night, we'll have a good dinner up for you, lass." Evarette waved him off, grinning to herself as she watched both horse and rider returned to the city of tents spread out before them.

Turning to gather her supplies, Evarette spared another glance in the hillside's direction...it's occupants seemed to have reached an agreement. The guards were retreating...the pair appeared to be staying. Absently, she considered what all the fuss had been about...were they outsiders? Had they ever been among the Endrykas tents before? She frowned thoughtfully, bundling up the spare shreds of canvas and tucking them into her satchel. Her opinions on outsiders were not as severe as most of the Drykas community. After all, despite the Drykas blood that bestowed the proof upon her features, Evarette and her brother were not born in Endrykas. This was something of which she was reminded of frequently when growing up among Endrykas-born children. It was something she was reminded of daily, as curious eyes combed over the Nightwalker that stood sentry at her camp.

Ivar bumped her shoulder with his broad nose as she moved past him. She spared him a quick smile, her hand falling to scratch just behind his cheek...where he liked it best. "What do you think, big man?" Her dark, lazuli depths studied the pair approaching from the hillside, and Ivar bent his head to tug nonchalantly at a few blades of grass, feigning disinterest. "Yeah, you're right...Some questions are better left unanswered."

[Hex]

Each thud of Thalla's trot reverberated through Hex's core as she fought her exhaustion to remain mounted on the tall stryder. Rumbles of multiple stimulus added a hazed affect to her auristic abilities and her instinctual 'scan' of the area revealed an overwhelming complexity of the joyful, honourable, and dreadful of those that migrated with the colony. She leaned forward to lay against Thalla's neck, properly thanking her for the swift escape from danger. Supporting her weight on her hips and knees, she stroked the beast's smooth mane as she massaged and scratched the hide behind her ears.

Hex adored living creatures and always took the time to express that love for them through touch and affectionate petting. More aggressive beasts populated the areas that surrounded Endrykas and the city itself acted like a force that herded the different species around the region like cattle. It became more clear to her that the Drykas were a people who worshiped the grass roaming beasts in ways that did not include celebratory consumption of their flesh. The representative Drykas design marked their emblems, banners and clothing with intricately woven knot work that glorified horses, dogs, birds, dragons, and bears. The values and rituals of those people were new to Hex but felt spiritually familiar to her.

Hex was lost in a haze of novelty when she felt the boom of energy from Rhylen as he defended her misleading appearance. From under the hood that shaded her face she heard the stretched groan of the bow wires as they fixated in her direction. Moving slowly she pulled the warm hood down to her back, her hair curled into a knot next to her face. Eyes wide with more wonder than fear she caught the eyes of the younger guard who noticeably shifted uneasily in the wake of her gaze. Her inquiring eyes bore into the soul of many she met, which often left her lonely as many just were not comfortable with sharing themselves at the pace she explored.

A passive last glance from the guard accepted them and they wandered through the entrance towards the tented city. The hand that had been clutching the material on Rhylen's pants relaxed and Hex slumped back against him shuddering a sigh. His reassuring words soothed her further into the safety of the saddle but she adjusted in anticipation of dismounting.

The hypnotic warm light that rose from the city's center illuminated through the rolling hot air above the scene like an energetic storm cloud of activity . The smells of fire, food, wine, and pheromones stung her sinuses as they drew closer to the pulsating clusters of life and whilst they floated down the dirt path, Hex felt the inquiring mind of a woman who stood by her stryder. Hex watched the woman's face as she bent over her pack, folding sheets of a material she observed to be thick and useful for some sort of patching. When they rounded a bend in the road Hex twisted to look behind them at the woman in awe. She had never seen any Drykas women before and frantically surveyed her facial features for patterns in the bone structure of their kind. Eventually they walked out of view and Hex turned back to relieve Rhylen of the weight of her leaning inquisitiveness...

[Kavala]

Timestamp: 50th of Winter
Purpose: Purchasing Horses
Location: Horsebreeders?


Kavala passed through the gates to Endrykas after somewhat of a struggle trying to find the place. In the summer, it was far easier to locate Endrykas because all one had to do was find the route the city normally migrated across and follow it until one came across signs tents had been recently pulled up and grass had been grazed. Then, you knew you were getting close. But in the winter with the heavy snows, it was more difficult, because the signs of the city's presence was often covered up after the first snow. So she had to keep riding and hope she came across it sooner rather than later, especially without a web mage with her to search the webs for its location.

The cyphrus strider, Windsong, knew though. The horse had a natural tie to the land just like all striders did, and for him finding Endrykas was by and large a far more simpler matter than it was for Kavala.

So the two together eventually found the city, rode through the entrance, and began their search for a horse breeder. There could be any number of them present in the city at any given time, but Kavala wanted the best.

------> All The Pretty Horses (Open)

[Acacia]

Timestamp: 70 Winter, 509AV

It had been a simple matter to find this place, even though she had never been. Her stallion, Nuri, instinctively knew the way. After a fond farewell from her family, they had traveled across the grassland for a few days. Acacia decided that she had been incredibly lucky to have an uneventful trip, and knew that it could have gone horribly wrong.

On the evening of the third day, Acacia found herself riding up to the gates of Endrkas. Shivering, she pulled her cloak tighter. The sheer size of the encampment left her speechless. She stared openmouthed at the busyness of the traveling city. Beneath her, Nuri pawed impatiently and snorted. Acacia patted him soothingly and rode through the gates. The first thing Acacia wanted to do in the city was find a place to stay and find a job. More importantly, she reminded herself; Nuri needed a rest. Hopefully, she could find an inn or something, take care of Nuri, then get a job. Unfortunately, things probably weren’t going to work out that way. Still gazing at the vast amount of people all going about there daily lives, Acacia rode towards the marketplace, figuring she could find a place to stay, earn a few coins, or learn some new tales.

[Vanator]

Timestamp: 55th Day of Winter, 509 A.V.

The gray tendrils of smoke from scores of fires had announced the great migrating city long before the pavilions could be discerned above the sunlit grasslands. The closer they drew to Endrykas, and the more riders seen coming to and fro, the more anxious the two riders became.

Hex sat perched behind Vanator upon his Strider. He sensed her movement, her hands shifting from around his waist to gripping the yvas to resting on her thighs. The Drykas male knew that riding in her position was not the most comfortable, and he had considered allowing her to sit on the yvas for a while. Then the signs of Endrykas appeared.

They approached the Knotted Gates, their course monitored by guardsmen astride noble Striders. Dismounted spearmen kept the gate, carefully examining all who passed beneath the intricately carved wooden portal. He offered a weary nod to the gatekeepers as the weary travelers passed through.

[Rhylen]

The 44th Day of Winter, 509 AV

Storm clouds roiled high above as Rhylen approached the pavilion city. Their great weight seemed to darken the surrounding grassland, dimming fires and forcing more than a few of the clan folk to secure cloaks and tent flaps a little more firmly. The prospect of a winter storm was not one the Drykas were unfamiliar with, but it did create tension nonetheless. Cyphrus striders stamped uneasily, and loose bits of everything from rope to billowing fabrics began to dance in the chaotic medley of gusting winds and snowy eddies.

Had Rhylen been any further from the nomad capital he may have set up camp and braved the storm himself. Even now he felt the icy bite of winter air penetrating his core. Any colder and he might have chosen to curl up in the snow along the way, closing his eyes for the Death Mother’s forever embrace. The prospect of death had become more of an annoyance to the young shaman of late. Nuisance replacing the dread he’d once felt for such considerations. More than anyone passing him would know, death lingered about Rhylen like a thick veil of fog, a constant reminder of his own mortality and failings until now.

A few paces behind him, saddle laden Thalla strode gracefully, more energetic than her fur cloaked counterpart, but weary as well. She too could sense the burden her bonded Drykas bore. Still she shied from his touch, standing defiantly against his wishes on more than one occasion, and had even nipped his finger at one point along their journey, a warning to keep a safe distance. Their connection had grown strained since that ominous night by the fire, but still she kept watch over him, if a little apprehensively.

Rhylen’s pallid features and haunted dark eyes seemed to repel the regard of others as he passed through the knotted gates, Thalla’s presence significant enough to avoid a round of questioning from the heavily armed guards. Few wanted to be out in this weather for longer than need be. Fewer would wish to approach the gaunt faced traveler as he made his way along the muddy streets of Endrykas, seeking the warmth of a fire and a place to rest his aching head. Soon you may rest, the words burned like fire in his mind.

[Dhanya]

The 1st day of Spring, 509 A.V.

Tracking wasn't Pygmy's strongest skill but her nose supplemented it nicely. It wasn't difficult for her to find signs of humans as a goat, especially when she'd had Vanator's scent as a guide towards the right direction. He'd said there were people on the plains and she wanted to get a look at them, hopefully see Vanator again.

She approached the gates slowly, noting that the smells of Endrykas were almost entirely foreign to her. Nothing familiar had gone through the gates recently. Everything smelt like grasslands, even the people. There was a certain earthiness to it all, no, that wasn't quite right. Like if earth had an essence.

Pygmy slowly walked up to the gates, blinking up at the guards and hoping they wouldn't feel to unkindly towards a goat. A spike of fear ran through her and she sprinted inside, hoping no one would stop her. She wondered why all her best ideas ended up being the scariest as well.

[Sefra]

20th, Spring, 510

Sefra arched her back as far as she could in an attempt to stretch it. On horseback, she couldn't get very much out of it, but she didn't grumble. Grumbling would be saved for when the family had found a place and set up its pavilion in Endrykas, eaten dinner, and she was wrapped up in a bedroll. Then she could grumble to herself as she tried to work the cramps of six hours on the yvas out of her thighs and calves.

Her Kavinka nickered and tossed her head, calling Sefra's attention forward. Ahead of her was most of the family, led by Ankal Cerik Brightsky, arranged in something of a wedge in front of the pavilion wagon. They were coming to the crest of a hill, and Sefra could already smell the city--no doubt the same stimulus which made her borrowed horse toss her head.

Each member of the Diamond Clan's Brightsky Pavilion landed on the top of the hill, and the great moving city came into view all at once. A sprawling mass of tents stood above the long grass, crowned by a thin haze of smoke from cookfires, smiths, and taverns. The mixed smells of food, animals, and humanity carried by a light breeze were a mild shock after being out in the Sea of Grass for nearly two months.

Everyone in the family was suddenly talking all at once, and even the horses--the Striders, Semes, and Kavinkas--caught the excitement and trotted a little faster.

"Snowborn," one of Sefra's cousins guided his Strider to Sefra's side. "I've spoken with Cerik already, and he agrees--" Sefra stifled a sigh of irritation, "--that your first responsibility today is to go find a pup to replace the dog we lost, and then to find a good Kavinka to replace the horse."

"I understand," Sefra answered. Under her breath, she added, "even if it wasn't my fault." Louder, she said, "I'll find the pavilion; see you before dinner!" With that, she clicked her tongue loudly and dug her heels into her mount's ribs. The Kavinka jumped into a canter, leaving the rest of the Brightsky Pavilion behind.