Tears from on High

[Lykla Gofrith]

2nd of Ymiden 719

Date: Tears of Dreams

2nd of Ymiden: “Tears of Dreams” On the second night of the season a strange storm blows across the full expanse of Melrath. Softly glowing azure colored raindrops fall upon the nation. Those who find themselves trapped in the downpour find that the next morning their appearance has changed in a subtle way. Some realize that they now have glistening scales on their arms, or their eyes have changed to an unnatural color. Others even find that the hue of their hair has changed. The changes are all very subtle and very permanent. (Players, you may make a single change to the appearance of your character if you participate in this event. It must be subtle. If you have any doubts about what you want to try, then please message Oracle)

Lykla stood in front of his easel which was stood a few meters from the edge of the low-rising cliffs north of Gull's Roost. The sky was darkening, but he'd set out some torches to give himself some light. Apart from that, the moon shone through the clouds, as they gathered. Giving just enough illumination to add to the ambient visibility.

He'd been spending most of the day practicing his artwork, knowing that it was one of the least of the skills for which he planned to use, and succeed, at the Trials of the River. It was coming up to just a tentrial from then. He was more confident in his chances at succeeding at the Trial of Bonds, especially given the rapport he'd built with his merquestrian companion, Jolly. The merquestrian was down amidst the shore, where he frolicked and swam on the beach, shifting between running along the coastline, to diving headlong into it. The tide had since come in, drowning the sands of the beach in their foamy confluence. Still, he could see well enough by the moonlight.

Lykla had been painting a sort of map of the coastline, more or less in the shape of a Merquestrian. It was an experimental piece, not all that elegant or perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but what it lacked in technical merit, it repaid in passion. He liked it well enough, as did he the colors he'd used. Pink and white to represent the waters, and blue above representing the coastal waters.

Nevertheless, he'd let it dry as the suns went down, and the moons hung higher in the sky. He tossed a water-proof sheet over the painting, to keep the rain from washing away and damaging his progress. He began walking down the incline, that led down from the rocky cliffs of the coast. There he found the familiar path, leading down into the coastal waters. Jolly, perhaps sensing his master's shift in position, swiftly swam around to his position, and skipped happily as it trotted up the way toward him, out of the waters.

"How now, Jolly? Did we have a good swim?" Lykla caressed the merquestrian's neck fins, as the horse lowered its head, and made to bend its front legs, as if it wanted him to try his luck at bareback riding. "No, the waters don't look very calm now, Jolly. I'd surely get swept out to sea if I tried it now."

The horse tapped the ground with its snout, and sputtered indignance. Lykla smirked at the horse, "I doubt anyone would even realize what had happened to me, should that happen..."

Jolly reared up on his hind legs, and neighed through its funnel-snout. Its fins flared out, as it danced in a little circle before Lykla. The Gofrith nobleman shrugged, feeling a touch challenged by the merquestrian's antics. After a few moments of this dancing, Lykla felt sufficiently challenged by his animal, that he couldn't resist taking him up. Besides, it'd be good practice.

"Fine! I'll take a ride out, but only along the coast, only for a little!" Lykla sighed, and then smirked as he went forth and climbed onto the merquestrian's back.

[Lykla Gofrith]

Although he was only wearing his washday outfit, something he set aside for when he'd be painting, he couldn't help but think the servants would begrudge him his venture into the waters, the next time they were in to do laundry. He only gave it a second thought, and then he was off, getting pulled ahead by the swift swimming of his Merquestrian across the coastal waters. Merquestrians swam faster than most any water-borne animal had a right to, especially one that was just about as equally adept at riding on land. The wind whipped over his face as it sped swiftly into the Draugen waters.

Smirking to himself, he tried his hand at directing the animal while he was riding him bareback. A few touches against his neck and tap of his foot, and that had Jolly turning west, toward Raelia's skyline. Sheltered as he was, and often watched over even at this age, he took full advantage now that he was without a chaperone, and wanted to see something amazing. He wanted to see the Cobalt city from afar, lit up by the torchlights and city lights.

There'd been some rumblings about worldly trouble. Immortals delving into matters that were best left alone, tearing open fissures in reality, causing dreadful curses to befall magi. All of this news, though it reached even his ears, seemed far away, though. It didn't seem to matter, as the city of Raelia came into view, and was silent from this distance, as anything else in the night. As Jolly pulled him along on the way to the western shore, he maintained his position on his back with the legs. Within bits, he was gifted a full visual of the harbor of Raelia. There, he saw the spires and blue domes, marbled by midnight black inclusions. The Cobalt city was a sight, even obscured by darkness as it now was, as clouds gathered to snuff out the stars and moons.

It felt as a small tapping on his hair at first, and he did give a start. Then it began to torrentially fall from the sky. Miscolored rains fell from the clouds, drenching Lykla in their blueish coloration. Strange, that rain would have a color to impart. He felt very odd all of a sudden, almost lightheaded, as he felt a sensation crawling across his scalp, like something was running its fingers through his hair.

He waved away the feeling, taking one of his hands off of Jolly only to check that there was indeed nothing touching his hair. So it was, nothing there, just a bit of dampness from the weird blue rain.

He took one last look at Raelia, and then tapped Jolly on the neck fins, signalling that they should head on back to the shore they'd come from. Back to Gull's Roose.

If only it were that simple, but nature had other things in store, as a great wave and watery tugg of the water pulled him bodily from the Merquestrian as it turned, and he was pulled out to sea, nearly taken under the water though his arms and legs flailed to keep his head over water.

Before he got too farl in the undertow, he felt the rubbery hide of his horse rubbing against his side. He felt it at first tentatively, then insistently. Finally, he grappled with the neck of Jolly, and allowed the horse to push him up above the surface.

[Lykla Gofrith]

5th of Ymiden 719

They'd lost their way a trial ago, having gotten swept so far out to sea that they couldn't easily spot the cliffside or the shore of the continent. They drifted for a couple days, and by then Lykla had exhausted what water remained in the waterskin he kept on his belt. Lucky enough for him to have brought it along, but the summer sun was barely enough to keep him dry, and he felt a chill come over him as they appeared to drift farther to the north.

Of a night, he attempted to make his way by the stars, but couldn't quite manage it. The cloud cover was still very strong, and he hadn't the foggiest idea how to make his way by stars that he couldn't see.

All was not lost, however. Over the dull roar of the oceans waves, he could hear a crashing in the distance. Supposing that was the sound of water crashing against land, he hastened Jolly toward it. The Merquestrian was tired by this point, and had just enough stamina to make it within sight of the shore. "Just a little longer Jolly, look we're nearly there. Just hang on." He encouraged his horse to continue on the way to the shore, and sure enough it did hasten its pace toward that promised paradise away from the deeper waters.

By the time the Merquestrian's feet touched the sands of the beach, they were both knackered and ready to collapse. Lykla slipped from the back of his horse, and moved off toward the inner forest that lie just beyond the crest of the shore. He waved his hand for Jolly to come with him. Jolly went along happily at first, but then gave a start as if something had spooked him. Lykla froze, fearing that they were not alone. It could've been anything, predator, bandit, pirate, or worse. When a voice came from the wood, and the dirty face of a wildling female greeted them, he nearly lost his nerve and fell to his knees. "Well well... what... Are those gull feathers in your hair, boy?"

Lykla's eyes widened at the seeming distraction she was trying to foist on him. he frowned, and shook his head. But then a wind kicked up and blew his hair into his face... and what looked like a gull feather attached to his hair tickled his nose. He sneezed, and then fainted.

Hours later, he'd find himself warm by a campfire, on his side, Jolly nearby, and the wildling biqaj sitting across the fire, staring at him with yellow eyes.

!	Message from: Fate
	Due to Lykla’s being out in the rain during the Tears of Dreams event he now has a series of gull feathers stuck in his hair, which grow with it and if shorn will grow back

[Avalon]

Review & Rewards

Name: Lykla

Points awarded: 10
Magic xp: N/A

Knowledge:
Appraisal: Appraising one's own work can be difficult, when one is biased toward it
Detection: Seeing features and objects by moonlighit, from afar.
Discipline: It's hard to resist a challenge without the discipline to deny it.
Mount: Tapping your mount to signal what direction it should head off in.
Mount: being buoyed by the appearance of an aquatic mount can save one from drowning in deep waters.
Swimming: Its difficult to swim when overtaken by nature's fury in the deep end of the shoreline.

Renown: N/A

Skill Review: Appropriate to level.

Notes:

My first Lykla thread - how exciting!

This introduction to Lykla was interesting and what a scene to write for that! My first observation is how low key he is in comparison to all your other pcs (that I'm familiar with.) There are a few I've not read but out of the ones I have, he's got a very different personality, which is refreshing to see. It can be hard to give each pc their own 'voice' but you do a great job with this.

Melrath is a very different setting and I think Lykla fits in well. You've obviously done your research; those little details add depth to a story and I appreciate that as a reader. I'm not as familiar with Melrath as I should be so I enjoyed learning little bits about it through the story.

The accident was well-written and I understood what was going on from start to finish. Thank goodness for Jolly! This was definitely not a situation for a novice to be in. The one piece of constructive criticism I'd add is that, for a novice, I felt there wasn't enough panic over the situation, which was fairly serious. Not a huge issue - didn't pull me out of the scene - but something to keep in mind for a pc with novice discipline. He can, of course, have a certain amount of inner-stubbornness as some people naturally do, but yeah, maybe a little more panic.

Well done! Enjoy your rewards!

Lykla Gofrith

Rewards

• XP: 10

Knowledges

• Detection: Seeing features and objects by moonlighit, from afar.
• Appraisal: Appraising one's own work can be difficult, when one is biased toward it
• Discipline: It's hard to resist a challenge without the discipline to deny it.
• Mount: Tapping your mount to signal what direction it should head off in.
• Swimming: Its difficult to swim when overtaken by nature's fury in the deep end of the shoreline.
• Mount: being buoyed by the appearance of an aquatic mount can save one from drowning in deep waters.

Loot

• Cosmetic Mutation: Gray-Blue Gull Feathers in his hair. (Approved by Fate)

Avalon