Fantasy RPG Forum - Standing Trials

50th Ymiden, 717 Arc

Curiosity may have killed the cat but it didn’t seem to stop Niv from wondering into just about any place that caught her interest. How else was she supposed to learn about how the people of this city did things. She could simply ask people but that wasn’t nearly as fun as experiencing it first hand.

On this trial, Niv found herself in a strange but oddly comforting place. People were sitting at tables covered in fine blankets and cushioned chairs as they happily conversed with each other. Occasionally Niv would spot someone bringing food to their mouths with some kind of shiny tool. It wasn’t too unlike the Scholars Nook but with no books to be seen and far more eating.

“Oh sorry there little guy..ah I mean lady.” The waiter apologized as he nearly stepped on the Tunawa below him. Niv looked up to see a long haired boy place something on a nearby table and exchange a few pleasantries before returning to Niv.

“This might not be the best place for you little lady.” He crouched down near Niv and gave her a gentle smile. “Do you want me to get you a table?”

“You give away deh tables here?” Niv raised her eyebrow as she looked up at the man who could probably pass as a women if not for his broad shoulders.

“Oh you’re a funny one” He chuckled warmly. “I mean do you want me to find you a place to sit so I can serve you food, thats sort of what we do here.”

Niv nodded shyly and let the man escort her to a free table near a window. Before he could offer Niv was already climbing the wooden leg of the table, using the decretive ridges for leverage. The waiter provided the final boost Niv needed but she did most of the work herself.

“Well my name is Paul and I’ll be your waiter for this evening.” Paul bowed respectively and pointed to the booklet laying just in front of the tunawa. “We have a menu that your free to look at but I’m going to ask and see if we have any special options for tunawa. I think you might be the first one to arrive here. “ He looked up to the left with a quizzical look as he tried to remember if this statement was actually accurate.

“hrm..” Niv’s eyes narrowed in focus at the large text before her, but she didn’t see anything that caught her fancy. “Do you have bugs here?”

“Bugs?” Paul leaned in closer to make sure he had heard correctly.

“yes..dem things dat scurry about.” The tunawa used her little hands to mimic the actions of a cockroach or other pesky insect that scurried along floors.

“we actually try to avoid those but I’ll ask for you…just a moment” Paul walked back to the kitchens leaving Niv to sit and wait.

The couple at the table across form Niv gave her rude looks, likely because of the one green fine sticking out from the cloth she had wrapped around her head. Niv stuck her bright green tongue out at them and pulled another vine free in defiance.



Art credit to koyamori

“This is yours?” Niv looked around the massive location in wide eyed astonishment. Tunawa hadn’t expected in her wildest dreams that she would stumble into an entire structure that was owned by one of her friends. “You built all dis yourself?”

“Oh don’t worry I remember you saying you didn’t like deh bugs but I pride myself on being deh expert bug finder so I will help you!” Niv beat her chest in determination before jumping off the edge of the table. She was about to run out the door hoping that Faith was right behind her but then she realized something.

“if you deh chief of this place can you just leave? I don’t want to take their wise leader away.” Niv looked up with a face of concern, the tunawa didn’t want to offend anyone by suggesting something against their culture. Back in Desnind, There was the six great Kufuato elders but each tree had at least two leaders so there was always one present. However it was considered very rude to even suggest that they could simply leave at the drop of an acorn, there was rules and they must be followed.

After receiving a verdict, Niv headed towards the abandoned house just up the street. The front garden was overgrown with all sorts of weeds and wines growing along the crumbling walls on each side. The vegetation was so overgrown you could hardly see the erie looking house looping behind it all and casting a large perpetual shadow. There was even a few large mossy rocks in the garden that might have been decretive at one point but just added to the clutter. Most people stayed clear of the old forgotten house mostly because of haunting stories of malevolent wisps and spirits people told each other in hushed whispers. Niv hadn’t encountered any of that, not so much as a peep, What she had encountered was a nearly endless supply of creepy crawlies oozing out of nearly every corner.

“This is my restaurant!” Niv proclaimed.



Art credit to koyamori

“Oh” Niv responded with a with a curved brow of curiosity as faith explained that someone else had built her restaurant for her. Niv imagined that Faith would have to do a pretty spectacular favour to get such a large structure made. Knowing Faith, Niv’s mind crafted the image of a massive pile of pasties that reached the tip of the highest tree. Sweet smelling steam wafted off the culinary mountain but the Tunawa could taste the refreshing ice cream hidden inside the warm outer shell. Niv couldn’t help but lick her lips at the delicious thought, the only thing that would be better if each of them also contained a few ants swimming in the ice cream.

“Nice meeting you Paul!” Niv waved back at Paul before she left but quickly ran back through the crack in the door to add. “ If Faith’s Special Flower comes tell him ..Old chemists never die, dey just stop reacting.” Niv smiled at the man and promptly ran after faith as she giggled lightly at her little joke. The Waiter was left stunned for a moment but then chuckled “special flower?” under his breath as he went back to work.

“If you’re not bothered I am glad to ride on your shoulder.” Niv smiled up at his friend and then allowed Faith to lift her on to their offered shoulder. Niv liked to be independent but she also didn’t want to keep Faith from her duty as chief for too long.

“Oh I’m glad you like it!” Niv practically gushed with pride at the compliment Faith paid to the usually unappreciated sanctuary.

“Oh of course.” Niv said without a second thought to Faith’s request, and proceeded to listen carefully to the following proposition.

The Tunawa bit her lip and scratched her chin as she thought over the implications of what might happen if this place was turned into a “bug farm” as faith called it. On one hand, the thrill of eating bugs for Niv was the hunt and she was sure other people felt the same way. While on the other hand, some bugs were very difficult to find but if they could be made readily available for purchase that would be exiting to say the least.

“Yes,” Niv finally replied. “I think a farm would be deh best plan and no one even lives here so you won’t have to offer dem Pastries to get dere house.” The tunawa nodded her head with a smile knowing this would probably be a relief to hear.

“Maybe I could act as deh taste tester….” Niv added with a mischievous grin. “..to know deh dah best.”



Art credit to koyamori

Niv glanced up at her groaning friend with a pinched brow, but the corners of her mouth inched upwards when she saw faith smiling back at her.

“Did you like my joke?” Niv asked hesitantly. She felt silly asking but Humans were so confusing with their gestures, how else was she supposed to know.

“hrrm I don’t know about deh flower meaning but I think it would have to be a wise one.” Niv scratched her chin and bit her lip in concentration. “A rare flower with a strong stem and Lots of fine white petals with bright purple spots…and butterflies would love it but not deh bees.” Niv shuddered a bit at the thought of the little buzzing demons, there was no way they would want anything to do with Padraig’s flower.

——-

Niv clapped her hands together in three consecutive bursts while donning a wide grin. “Can’t wait teh eat your bugs!” Niv proclaimed happily.

“He helped me more than I helped him.” Niv smiled back as she remembered being carried in his hood for a large portion of the Expedition. If it wasn’t for him she would likely be a tiny Nivsicle trapped in a snow drift. Niv may have been an asset in a few instances but she felt Padraig was overall more essential.

“I’m honoured that I get teh be apart of your bonding ritual.” Niv nodded solemnly. Weddings were not something Tunawa or even many Sev’ryn generally did, they simply shared gifts and their time. Nothing more, Nothing less. However, Niv always respected rituals and traditions when she could, even when they weren’t her own. She could rememberer the many times she would leave a red seed at the entrance of her friends tree before entering or when she would offer a kind word to someone on the trial of their Yada Daiv. It showed other people that you cared and it was interesting to learn of the different patterns people followed.

“Oh a Dress!” Niv perked up like an eager weasel. “I’d love a dress!” If Faith made dresses even half as good as she cooked, Niv could expect a quality garment.

“Are we supposed to wear dresses to dis wedding? what else happens?” Niv held her smiling mouth open with her open palms pressed firmly against her chubby cheeks.

“There isn’t a sacrifice needed is dere?.” Niv frowned.


Art credit to koyamori

“I don’t even know what tickling is but it’s a feeling dat is good, right?” Niv hoped one day she could experience tickling if only to know what what it was like. It was possible Niv might not like this feeling even if Faith seemed certain it was good. Humans seemed to have a hard time agreeing on things, it was all very confusing.

“You know him more den anyone, so I’m glad you agree.” Niv beamed and bobbed her head up and down. “We were definitely looking out for each other and his hood was extra comfy.” The tunawa gave herself a tight hug as she remembered the wooly inner layer that coated Padraigs winter hood.

“I imagine no one knows deh will have special bonding ritual until it happens, finding a special flower is hard I hear.” This was at least what Niv’s parents told her, that she would need to keep looking for her special flower in a field full of thorny bushes. It made Niv wonder if she would ever be able to find her own flower of if it would find her. There were tunawa who never bonded, what a sad fate to be dealt.

“Oh yes yes yes!” Niv chanted loudly with joy “Butterflies are beautiful and deh taste good too!” She could almost imagine swishing around the colourful wings of the fluttering insect and it made her quiver with anticipation.

“Tunawa just take a seed from the mother and a flower from the Father and bury them together, they wait a while and poof baby sprouts.” Niv explained the process using her hands mostly for her own benefit.

The tunawa frowned a bit as she worked out the meaning behind the strangely complicated ceremony faith described. “What does your bonding ceremony do?” She asked hesitantly, not wanting to insult the ritual but still wishing to gain a better understanding.

Art credit to koyamori