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Post by Allyria Allenmorde on Aug 20, 2015 17:48:24 GMT -5
It had been a good couple of days. The road had been quiet. The duchies were well patrolled. At least better than the provinces. Not to say that the provinces weren't patrolled, they were patrolled by brigands. For some duchies their homeguard was little better than brigands. Henri and Allyria had been lucky. Once they had passed into Korasus it was easy going. The Drokagr were very protective of their land and people. They had been stopped half a dozen times by soldiers for the colony. He was a Hanneth. That was enough to stop them. Racist, but the Drokagr had their fair share of suffering from that on their own.
She knew the history, she tried to make Henri understand. Whether or not he had thought it was the case or not. Whether he was offended or not.
She had left him in N'Janroya after getting them into the city. That toll had been exorbitant for them both. She promised him that she'd meet him at Ne'Serah Tinka after the day was done. She wanted to stop in with her family first on Ne'Turak Balika. She didn't blame him for wanting to explore the markets. She had him pegged for a mercantile type and a politician. They had those in Korasus too.
Allyria arrived on her level. All carved stone, glass, and ebony. The dark wood was used as an accent in many of the structures, including the support columns that towered from street level at two hundred meters to three hundred meters. The three hundred vertical feet were filled with spires of the carved stone, glass walls and windows, and ebony accents. The streets had lamps that dangled from large poles that stood at exactly three meters high. It was very dark in the center of the level, and like dusk around the rims at high noon on a clear summer day. It was also terribly hot on Ne'Turak Balika.
The half-breed was sweating in her hand me down robes before she even cleared a hundred feet out from the stairs. The stairs she used were on the north western side of the rim. She had climbed the hundred meters of stairs without much trouble. They were broad, made of the same deep Darthak stone that the rest of the city was made of, there wasn't much chance to fall off but there had been accidents. It was also a favored suicide location.
By the time she got home the front of her robe was mostly open for the sake of ventilation, she sauntered into the door and barged in on lunch.
Her mother stared at her, mouth agape, and then shot up from the table. She stood in front of her daughter looking her over. Then she slapped Allyria. Then she threw her arms around the girl. There was sobbing. Six other children were staring at her. Each of them shocked. Her father was missing.
"Ash-... Ash'Nadar." Allyria stammered, overcome with emotion.
"Veraku Ash'Nadar, Cheleso." Her mother replied.
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Post by Allyria Allenmorde on Aug 25, 2015 9:29:04 GMT -5
Lunch was awkward. Her mother had forced her to join the table with her siblings and eat. Lunch consisted of a salad of common fruits and vegetables. Food that she had become unaccustomed to eating. Cruinthian food was much richer. She realized that she had gained some weight. Anxiety crept up on her.
"You seem to have been eating well, Allyria. The Hanneth have been good to you?" Her mother broke the silence.
"Not as a general rule. Some of them have been. Others have tried to kill me. Or you know, rape me I assume."
"You don't know?"
"I've been lucky. I've made some friends. One of them is in the city. A nobleman, Henri Corday. His duchy is two hundred miles by road. Maybe a hundred over land." -A
"Are you marrying him?"
Allyria choked on her salad, laughing. "Azuloth, no. He's here for trade deals. I don't expect he will get very far. I left him in N'Janroya."
"Will we get to meet him?"
"Maybe. If he wants to I guess. I think he's approaching our race and city as a subject of study."
"Mmm. Speaking of studies. Vafala I'd being tutored to become a Kalimbra."
"Really? My own little sister..."
Allyria stared her sister down. She was the oldest, she could easily have become one. She had the necessary talents. But the pursuit of knowledge called her. Not economic success. Funny how she attained the latter and nor the former.
Vafala was pretty, but not in the shaped way one would expect to see. And she was starting to come into womanhood. The younger met her older siblings gaze.
"I'm proud of you, Vafala."
"Go to hell."
"Vafala!"
Vafala got up from the table and stormed off to her room. The door slammed. Everything was quiet for a minute.
"I understand... I left. She has every right to be angry. You all do."
"And we are. And confused. But we don't love you any less. What else happened while you were away?"
"I fought in a tournament. I won my first match, and lost my second match to the person who went on to become the tournament champion. I explored some abandoned catacombs. Aparent lyrics our family mark had a bank of sorath account?"
"What do you mean?"
"Wow! A tournament?!"
"What were the catacombs like?"
"When I went to the bank to open an account they said I already had one open. Very large sum of money. I can afford to buy some land. I've already picked it out."
"How odd... And what of your business?"
"Crafted adventuring goods and equipment. As well as financial backing I think."
"She ignored us!"
"Bitch..."
"And the land? Why that?"
"For... us of course. The family. If you want to leave the city."
"So you're not staying?"
"I'll be here a week... I'm sorry. There's so much I want to do. At the same time I want to help you."
"Well... It could be nice to have a place to travel to. So long as it's safe."
"I'll make sure of it. Listen I'll be back. I want to go find my friends. See what they've been up to."
"Will you sleep here?"
"Of course! If you'll have me."
Her mother nodded and Allyria excused herself and went to her room. She changed into more weather appropriate clothing. Discarding the robes for the time being for a dark red side tied sarong, matching lace fingerless sleeves, and a matching sash sized strip of silk for a top, tied in the back. It was hot out there. All the heat from the masses below passed through the level with no cooling forced on it. This way she was at least comfortable. As a final touch she did up her hair in a bun with thin quills to hold it in place.
When she left she looked like she belonged there on that level. It would take Allyria at least an hour to walk to administration, she figured she'd take in the changes that occurred during her absence. And if she ran into anyone, at least she looked like she was a respected member of Drokagr society.
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Homecoming
Sept 1, 2015 11:51:22 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Allyria Allenmorde on Sept 1, 2015 11:51:22 GMT -5
Administration.
The building was immense. Almost every aspect of Drokagr society on Ne Turak Balika and below was handled there except trade, and defense. Ne Augin Kalis handled its own affairs. Allyria had worked there before and had found her employment unfulfilling. She had also made a friend there.
Vekkia Av'Keran.
Allyria had ran into a few clerks that she knew as soon as she arrived at Administration. They told her that Vekkia was moved from Historical Records over to Permits & Licensing. Which was perfect because Allyria did not want to cross paths with Kogora, her old Supervisor.
The woman never abused her. Not was she too strict or slimy by any means. Allyria just thought it would be awkward to explain herself to Kogora when she was there for Vekkia. Explaining to her friend would be hard enough.
P&L was not a large department. Allyria found Vekkia staring at the wall absently. There was a stack of parchment in a wooden bin marked "complete". The other bin, marked "incomplete" was empty. Her blue eyes were half open. The room was dark, with only a few candles near the door aND anot her desk, none were lit. She seemed to be the only one in at the moment.
Allyria came up behind Vekkia and whispered in her ear.
"So do they pay you four thousand a year just to sit there and stare at the wall drooling?"
"It's six thousand... and where have you been?"
"On an adventure. How have you been? I know I left suddenly. I'm sorry."
"Terrible."
Allyria hugged her friend from behind. Not having the words to console her. It would do more harm than good to try to convince Vekkia that the time they had been apart was anything less than terrible. It would discount her friends feelings to attempt such a thing.
"I could use your help. And you could get out of the city. See some of the world?"
"And do what with myself? Be your tag along?"
"No. You're better at administrative work than I am. And my business is suffering. And I just bought a whole county that I'm responsible for."
"How could you afford that whe your business is suffering? Are you insane?"
"Hence why I need you. I'll pay you, ten thousand. A month. To run my business and my land."
"You have to be joking."
"May Azuloth strike me down here and now if I'm a liar."
"Shhh. You're serious aren't you... I guess I could help you. And that is a lot of money. Fine. When do I start?"
"Really? You're a life saver. You can start now if you want. I'll only be in the city for a few days. Come by my house when you're ready. I'll leave forwarding information for you."
"Agreed. Now scram. Before someone catches you and asks awkward questions."
"Sure. Sure. Bye."
Vekkia said nothing as Allyria left. But she smiled.
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Post by Allyria Allenmorde on Feb 19, 2016 9:35:18 GMT -5
Reminder to readers, I have a play-by agreement with @vivelacruinthe.
Allyria had met up with Henri right outside Ne'Serah Tinka, just like they agreed. He had no trouble finding it. He had spent the better part of the day in N'Janroya. It was also the one establishment they refused him entry to.
-"Ah! Allyria! This city really is amazing, you know. How do they get so much weight to stand like this without coming crashing down!"-
-"I don't kno-"-
-"And the food is wonderful. I haven't tasted anything like it. I feel so alive here. I'm sure you've tried the food. I mean you used to live here of course."-
-"Of cour-"-
-"And there are so many shops. But everything is so expensive. This coat for example could feed thirty families on my land for ten years. It's insane!"
-"That's becaus-"-
Oh.. oh no. He's just going to keep talking...
-"But it's so hot here. No wonder so many people are dressed the way they are with such little and light clothing. Your race has men right? I don't think I've seen one yet. Not that I'm complaining. And oh look at you! You're dressed like they are too. But of course you are. You're one of them. I must look so strange here."-
Yep... you do. Going on and on. Everyone is staring. Oh Azuloth. Please stop staring.
-"So what's with this place you told us to meet at? They won't let me in. Is it because I'm Hanneth?"-
Is... is it my turn now?
-"Uhm. No. You don't have a membership. I do. A few things to keep in mind while we're in there. You are a guest in the city and your station doesn't mean anything to anyone here. If you get in trouble so am I. Also, do not touch the Kalimbra. That is a most serious crime, you can be executed for it. Not that you would ever commit a crime, Lord Corday, but you might unwittingly if you weren't told."-
-"What's a Kalimbra.. wait. Aren't they those dancers you told me about?"-
-"They aren't just dancers. They're revered artists. They'll be obvious. Beautiful, positioned in various artful poses in various stages of dress. They won't talk to anyone. Or make eye contact, or move at all."-
-"How fascinating. Let us go inside!"-
They went inside then, Allyria leading. She spoke with the guard Esra, claiming responsibility for her guest. They were escorted through the stone hallways to room number four. It was a room on the corner of the building. The bar began on the left side and continued all the way to the wall and stopped abruptly there. From where it began it clearly continued into another room.
Room four had other guests among it. Several of them were humans or Half-Drokagr like Allyria. The rest were full blooded Drokagr. The newcomers were looked over then everyone went back to what they were doing. The only men in the room were humans.
The room's furniture consisted of several low tables nearly a foot high, and sveral comfortable pillows surrounding the table. The table was made from a dark carved wood. A metal contraption was in the southwest corner by the door, a fragrant smoke smelling like Helixan wafted from many punched out holes in its bulbous top.
On the other side of the room stood the Kalimbra Nara Suul. Her skin was nearly a midnight color, and her hair was a shade or two away from that on the lighter side. No clothing clad her, and she was posing with a white pitcher, as if she was pouring it's contents out.
-"This I did not expect."-
Allyria laughed and motioned for them to join one of the tables.
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Post by Allyria Allenmorde on Feb 25, 2016 9:20:57 GMT -5
Several drinks and a meal later. Henri was quite pleased with the situation. Here he was in the middle of a foreign city experiencing a completely different culture. Tasting new foods and drinking new drinks.
"I am amazed. It is a crime that Cruinthe is in the state it's in when your race has managed to accomplish so much." -Henri said, staring at the bottom of a silver cup.
"I don't know a whole lot about how your country got the way it is. At least your land isn't so bad. Tendecies to murder and scapegoat aside."
"Yes, an unfortunate incident. You haven't been subjected to any of that in Moritz have you?"
"Not really. Most people just stay out of my way. Or they beg for me to help them. The initiative does a lot of work in cities. So I think there's more exposure. There may be some problems on that end though."
"Eh? How so?"
"Not a lot of establishments will serve a large number of Drokagr. And the Karligar duchy has made it difficult to get to and from Korasus."
"Well. We can't do much about Karligar. They're within their rights, even if what they're doing is wrong and puts people's lives in danger. Maybe at the next council of Dukes we can discuss the issue. That probably won't be for a while. It's a process. You could, however, improve your initiatives situation? I understand you own a business, why not expand to provide lodging?"
"Good idea... I could expand to Sorath."
-"Hey! Let's play a game. Come here with your friend, I'll deal."-
-"Sure."- Allyria cleared her throat. Switchin languages. "We've been invited to a card game. It would be rude to turn down the invitation."
"Let's play then."
It was going to be an interesting week in Korasus.
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