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Ellere Valahan was relatively quiet on the walk back from the ruins to the ship. The captain briefly questioned the lack of the third passenger, but Ellere simply told him it was fine. Once they were on their way back to the mainland, she found a spot on the deck near Nathaniel to linger.

"I will not lie. I expected Ruran to go against his word, when I tasked him to come alone. Though of all the members of his entourage, I didn't expect you to show up."

"Mm?" she rose a brow, "Well, I suppose I am insistent. Do not blame him, he did try." There was another pause, and she leaned against the railing, elbows bent as her eyes were out on the sea. "You can call us friends, you know. Though, Ruran never mentioned you, it was the first I had heard he had a mentor."

"He was not supposed to mention me," Nathaniel Salem stated, clear as day. "I did not want anyone to be even aware of my existence until all of this was done and complete. Men of Ruran's ilk are meant for greatness. Their entourage tends to fault them. Push them to failure. Based on petty feelings and sentiments - even when it was never about them."

"Ruran's heroism was praised only when it pleased them. They feared Ari'doram, and did not realize its worth. The boy was misusing it, but nothing that couldn't be fixed,” he continued. "If I hadn't isolated Ruran the way I did, many would have pushed the crystal to break his body with words alone."

Ellere frowned, shaking her head. "I do not agree. Perhaps Ruran is meant for greatness, but even a hero needs help. It was not Ari'doram that he nearly lost himself to, but his sorrow. The strength that took, is worth more praise than taking up the sword."

"For a long time I did see Ari'doram as an enemy, I hated it, hated what it was doing to him," she looked down to the waves. "But I understand it differently now. Feelings are what brought him this far. If you believe them to be worth nothing, then that is of your own mind."

"I was not dismissive of his feelings. I was dismissive of yours." He added, calmly. "Something you can not stand, it would seem. But you are admitting it yourself, are you not? You saw Ari'doram as an enemy; you just admitted to hating it. That time spent fighting the wrong the enemy pushed this... Sorrow, as you called it."

"His incredible drive is the reason why he was chosen. We need not debate on such a thing. And yes. I did think he needed help; otherwise, I would not have sacrificed so much of what little free time I have to truly help him navigate this issue for the past half-year. Regardless of what you think now, what you thought in the past is precisely what I want to avoid. Men and women acting like cattle, fearing aetherial constructs, and what they do to the soul. Fearing power, even in the hands of those they trust and love."

"Selfish thoughts. To 'save'. To 'preserve'. When Ruran consented to Ari'doram's aetherial push, even if it was to swallow him whole,” he looked elsewhere, slow in his movement, detached in his words.

"No," she shook her head again, "I know Ruran believed my intent. I cared for him, I always will. I wanted him to live, and therefore I felt I was set against whatever entity lived in the stone, long before I knew what it was."

"I never feared it. Call me selfish all you will, but I have spent the last three turns reminding Ruran how to live, even when he believed he was dying. He wanted to stay, deep down. He had hope, yet. The sorrow came from pushing others away."

She went quiet herself, sighing. She likely was not going to make the man understand. "But you are right, what use is debate. I have no doubt that Ruran is one of the few that could ever do what he has done. And he is alive now, and that is all that matters."

___________________________________

With @will-of-the-traders

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Ellere Valahan #Nathaniel of Salem #Memories of the Romantic Doctor

When Ellere Valahan opened her eyes again, she was in the same ruin, the now emptied statue a few fulms away. And Ruran was gone. The steady stream of sunlight in the opening above showed not much time had passed. A hand moved up to her head as she swayed a bit on her feet.

She glanced to the side, noting Nathaniel was also still there, though she did not know if he, too, had experienced the same.

Nathaniel Salem frowned and closed his eyes, breathing in as one would to stave off a headache. His eyes caught a glimpse of Ellere's form, and he lingered, nodding in her direction. "...How are you feeling?" For all his venom of earlier, he seems far softer.

Ellere shook her head, "Fine enough. Fine enough to return to the ship, and from there I am going to Qarn." She pulled her gaze away and looked up toward the sunlight, as if that was where Ruran had actually gone. "I suppose you saw it too, or... felt it. I do not know what to call it, but I know he asked me to come for him, and I will."

"You're not going alone." He states as a self-evident fact, staff in hands. "What you saw was the will of Ari'doram made manifest. The stone's aether went through both of us during the rejoining." His eyes go through her a time, then he asks, tentatively, "What did you see?"

"I would not deny you it, so long as you did not try to stop me," her eyes were clear, she looked more calm than she had upon coming here in the first place, as if she was content. But her lips still twitched into a frown.

Ellere looked down a moment, "A ruin, a place I think built in reflection of Ruran's heart. And he was there. His... wife," Ellere paused at the word, "Tried to call him home, but it was wrong. She was not real."

He seemed to regain confidence as she explained her vision. "...I stand corrected. Ruran's will, then. Dreams weaved of aether," he explains. "I see. Ruran yet lives, Lady Ellere." He held his staff with both hands, perfectly calm. "A prowess. And hopefully the first of many, coming from Ruran, the Crystal Bearer - no longer a vessel."

"Ari'doram spoke to me, told me the oath I made was done," she nodded, wrapping her arms about herself as if in comfort. There was but a hesitance, in continuing. Yet Ruran trusted this man, and despite first impression, she did not see a reason not to trust him herself

"Some time ago, Ari'doram told me that it wanted Ruran to live, and it asked me to make sure he did not lose his way," her hands fell away and she gestured with one, "This-- the dream, a test perhaps, I do not know. But I know it had to be Ruran to make the choice."

"We are never truly alone, when it comes to choosing paths for ourselves. We draw upon our environment, our desires, our moral standing." He spoke evenly, without breaking eye contact. Nathaniel remained placid. "Ari'doram and I spoke, and it remembered its place as a tool made for mortal hands."

The priest tilted his head to the side, tone low, then approached her, opening a hand towards the aquamarine necklace he'd given her, quietly asking for it. "To Qarn."

Ellere nodded, she believed in much the same. "I think Ruran finally sees the truth in this, at least, I hope he does." Looking to his extended hand, she removes the amulet, handing it back.

"You have been there, I assume, the heart of the Temple where Ari'doram was found? That is where he will be." She gestured her head in return, moving toward the long hall they had entered from. "We can speak more on the ship, I believe perhaps we got off on the wrong foot."

He took the amulet in a gloved hand without breaking eye contact. "My reserve comes from a fair place," is all he said. At that, the jewel disappeared in his hand, aetherially ported elsewhere in a hidden pocket. He turned around and opened an arm towards the path ahead of them, that she may lead the way out.

____________________________________

With @will-of-the-traders

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Ellere Valahan #Nathaniel of Salem #Memories of the Romantic Doctor

The landscape around her had changed. A large, stony plaza stretched out before her, ancient buildings rising on each side, silhouetting a sky burning bright with gold and white.

The place felt different. Odd. Visions shifted out of the corner of her eye, as though anything could change in an instant once out of view. The soft sound of ticking could be heard. While at first it would be difficult to determine where it was coming from, she would soon realize it was coming from...everywhere. In the cracks of the cobblestones in the floor and walls, she would see clockwork gears turning.

Above her, a vibrant sun shone, large and bright. However, a small blue star twinkled beside it, its own hue not lost in the radiant sky. In the center of the plaza was a large summoning circle, old and broken. The runes were ancient and unreadable, although its purpose seemed clear enough on its own.

On the opposite side, she would find the body of Ruran Vas sitting on a tall stone throne. His head hung down, golden light flickering behind the white mask. He was garbed in ancient robes, and the marble mask was much more ornate than the one the knight always wore. A long scepter leaned loosely against the crook of his thumb and forefinger, resting against the throne. An aura of power emanated from him, despite being unmoving.

Ellere Valahan remembered reaching out for Ruran, knowing the feeling of a tell-tale teleportation spell being cast. But the light was blinding, and her hand only brushed the air. The next she knew, she was somewhere else entirely. A place she had no name for. She looked up first, the bright sky, the sun, the star. It was enough for her to determine this place was not any that she knew to be real.

Her gaze drifted down, over the buildings and catching on the turning gears. Her head shook, unconsciously, confused. Then she saw him across the way. The stuttering sound of the beginning of his name left her lips as she stepped forward. Looking down at the runes beneath her feet for just a moment, Ellere closed the distance between them.

"Ruran..." she whispered, frantic, partially kneeling at the foot of the throne and her hand reached out over his.

As she crossed the circle, the sky shifted like a heat wave, but it was far too sudden and organic, as if a wing had stretched over the air. At her touch, the light in Ruran's eyes flickered. A quiet inhale, and he began to rouse. "Ellere..?" It was Ruran's voice, quiet and slow with confusion. "Wh--where..."

She spared the sky a brief glance, noticing the change. But the sound of Ruran's voice drew her attention away. It was soft, it was his. It was one of the few familiar things here. Ellere shook her head, taking his hand between both hers. "I do not know," she looked up at him. "I remember the light took you. And then I woke here."

Realization seemed to finally strike him, and he sat up straighter. "No--" The scepter in his hand dropped and clanked against the stones. "This is not--I should be--" His eyes pinched shut, and he took a few moments to gather himself. "I don't understand..."

"Hush," she gently soothed him. Ellere bit down on her lip and shifted her weight to retrieve the fallen scepter. She kept one hand firmly in his, as if that contact would keep granting her whatever this was, keep him there. "I... do not either. But I am here. And so are you. Let us take a breath, and focus on that. Then we shall find out why."

Ruran nodded. "Y-yes, of course." He did his best to push aside his concerns. He lifted himself from the throne and took a few steps forward. His attention turned to the scene around them, the summoning circle and the ticking walls. But the words that followed were unrelated, "I never thought I'd see you again," the knight murmured in her direction. "I am...relieved."

Ellere pushed up to her feet herself, giving him space to stand. He looked so different, clad in such formal robes and mask that caught the light of the sun as it did. She breathed out, a small quiet laugh. One that was probably to keep her from crying instead. "As am I... we had spent so much time together, yet, I knew it would never be enough. It would never prepare me for when you..."

________________________________

With @weepingknight

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Ellere Valahan #Ruran Vas #Memories of the Romantic Doctor

The Final Stone, pt. II

The long tunnel extended for some time, overgrown by vines and large roots crushing through broken gaps in the walls. Ruran’s soulstone offered some light in the dark, and traces of a tar-like substance can seen clinging to the sides. It grew thicker the further they walked.

"This is like before... with the ninth stone." Nathaniel Salem invoked a small, fey light; about as bright as a dim torch. "The joys of facing an enemy we are, at the very least, familiar with. Let us use this to our advantage, yes?"

"Do not touch it," Ruran Vas reminded Ellere, keeping his pace--perhaps a little quicker as they grew nearer to their final destination. Nathaniel's light would illuminate more of the tunnel, exposing more of the ooze in the crevices.

Ellere Valahan frowned. She certainly did not recall him being there to help.

The tunnel eventually opened into a wide room. Inside, the blackish tar-like substance has smothered the wall, climbing high toward the ceiling and covering much of what can be seen. High above, a pinpoint of sunlight pours through an open hole in the ceiling and onto an ooze-covered statue. At its chest, a faint glimmer of dying golden light can be seen.

"There," Ruran sayid, pointing toward the statue. He went rigid, and his gaze fixated on it. "The final piece is--there...Taken from its holy place, abandoned, forgotten..."

Nathaniel circled the two, taking the surroundings into account first and foremost. "...Resentful."

The black ooze seems to stir at their presence, or it could be a trick of the light.

"Aetherial artifacts of such a potency are bound to attract unwanted attention." Nathaniel looked up, irises golden under the helmet.

Ellere looked around, almost as if looking for something. She regretfully released Ruran's hand if only to ready to be ready to cast as needed, aether licking at her finger tips and another above the collapsed star globe at her back. "It formed beasts before, deep under Qarn."

"It will do so again, given the chance. How do you both want to go about it?" Albeit nonchalant in tone, the priest’s body language suggested utmost attention.

Ruran took a step forward, as if compelled. The strange substance abruptly skittered away from beneath his feet, repelled or repulsed, or both. "At long last," he murmured under his breath, another soft voice laced in it.

True to its aforementioned nature, the ooze begins to writhe and build into a loose shape. Ruran seems oblivious, looking only forward at the statue.

"It dissipated once Ruran took hold of the stone, it was all I could do to form a barrier long enough," she looked to Ruran as he moved, expecting the same trance-like state as before. "Unless you mean to fight it, I can attempt to do the same as then.".

Taking notice of the change in tension, Nathaniel moves forward, strides greater than before, "Walk him to his quarry, make sure nothing touches him, and you. He is likely to be enthralled by the reunion. I'll do what a voidhunter does best in the meantime."

Ellere looked to Nathaniel a long moment, then gave a nod. At least this, the two could agree enough on. She moved back to Ruran's side, fully withdrawing her starglobe and calling forth a dome-shaped aetherical shield. She doubted Ruran could hear her, but she offered a quiet, "Do what you need to, dear. We are right here."

Nathaniel turned away from them, speckles of aetherial levin coursing through his left arm, as he flexed fingers in preparation. "Do not disappoint me, Ru’ranvas."

_____________________________

With @weepingknight & @will-of-the-traders

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Ellere Valahan #Ruran Vas #Nathaniel of Salem #Memories of the Romantic Doctor

The Final Stone, pt. I

Ruran Vas rested on the stone ridge, staring vacantly while waiting for the ferryman to finish preparations. He holds a wooden block and a carving knife together in one hand, but he doesn't seem keen on using it. Ellere Valahan moved back toward Ruran, after speaking with the ship captain. She sighed heavily, looking him over. "Everything is almost set, dear. Are you ready to go?"

Ruran turned his head, but their eyes did not meet. He takes a breath himself and gives a small nod. "As I will ever be," he murmured.

She reached out, running a hand over his armored forearm. The motion was more a comfort for herself than anything, knowing between all the layers and his clouded mind he would barely feel it.

"Ru'ranvas. Who is this?" An armored, and robed figure didn't approach the party; nor greeted them proper, for the matter.

Ruran shifted his attention to the gesture at his arm, but as expected, he did not react beyond that. The call of his name, however, causes his head to turn away toward the armored figure. "...Ellere," he said after a thoughtful pause. "A healer, a friend."

Nathaniel Salem remained perfectly statuesque, the helmet just barely leaving Ellere's profile, to find Ruran's figure. "Then, bid farewell, and let us be on our way. Time is of the essence."

Ellere put her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes. "The mentor, I presume. A pleasure," she looked him over, then shook her head. "And I am afraid I am not going anywhere but with him."

"Sh-she wishes to--I want her to..." Thoughts did not seem capable of leaving him in a coherent manner.

Nathaniel snapped his helmet to Ruran as he chimed in, cold. Though there's little physical attitude to speak of, the impassible tone, even, denoted irritation. "If you know my title and place in his esteem, you should also trust my thoughts. I expected resistance from his entourage, but the man is to face his trials alone." He studied Ellere through his helmet, an eerie, golden glint easily caught under there. "He is better off without distractions."

Ellere's hands were still firmly on her hips, and she clicked her tongue, "His friend," she corrected. "And quite honestly, I do not know you, as you do not know me. All I know, is he wishes for me to be here, and so I shall."

Nathaniel took steady steps in Ellere's direction soon after that, head high. Armored heels click heavily on the sandstone. When he stopped, the end of his staff hits the floor, and he keeps it firmly in hand, grip tightening. The thaumaturge turned to Ruran.

"...I thought our last discussion would have some lasting impact. Did my words hold so little value?" He turned back to Ellere, to finally address her proper, "To fulfill a dying man’s wish is commendable."

"I did as you asked," Ruran tried to defend. "She refused, and...I--...if these are to be my last moments, then...."

Nathaniel seemed to take Ruran's words into account, leaning back, ever so slightly. "...Then pray not interrupt. The will of the Twelve is at play here."

Ellere took a step forward, in return, rather determined. Behind them there was a whistle as the ship captain signaled for them to board, but she did not pay it mind other than a slight raise of her own hand. "Worry not about me, ser. I know full well the gravity."

The soulstone at Ruran's chest flickered, and as the bell rings out, the knight does not say anything more. He looks down and wrings a block of wood and carving knife in his hands.

"...No doubt. But knowing is not enough; you know enough to be driven to panic. That is why you're here, isn't it? Friendship. I bear no ill feelings towards a woman who would remain at their friend's side. But I will oppose myself to any man who would prevent my protégés to make their own decisions, even if it endangers them. I hope you like being uncomfortably close to strangers, Miss Ellere, was it?" He looked to Ruran. "I believe you spoke her name before you promised we would end this alone. Let's move."

"Then we are of the same mind, in some regard. I am here to support Ruran's choice, and no one else’s," she shook her head. Turning to Ruran first, and then back toward the ship, "Do not presume to know of my reasons otherwise. Ready, dear?" The last was directed once more to Ruran.

Nathaniel rested his staff vertically, end firmly planted on the ground. He waited for Ruran's answer.

The ship's bell rang again. "Y-yes, we are ready..." Ruran nodded and turned toward the boarding area. He managed to offer Ellere and Nathaniel each a small, apologetic look, should they glance his way again. Mostly, however, he kept his distant eyes on the ground.

_____________________________

With @weepingknight & @will-of-the-traders

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Ellere Valahan #Ruran Vas #Nathaniel of Salem #Memories of the Romantic Doctor

After leaving that morning once she had made sure Ruran at least had a bite of breakfast, Ellere Valahan had promised to return later that evening with the balm she had spoke of. It was just getting dark by the time a knock came at his door before she tested the handle.

The door opened easily; the once overly secretive knight had become more absent-minded as the days went on. The aether remained thick in the air. It was good she had gotten away for several bells, else she would have been at risk for headaches and minor aethersickness. Ruran Vas was not in the front room, and there was some soft noise coming from his bedroom.

Ellere frowned at the unlocked door, remember how he once kept it so firmly locked and warded. But she slipped in quietly, shutting (and locking) it behind her. The aether was palpable, and she was already worried. "Ruran dear?" she called out, before the sound drew her to his bedroom door. She tapped her knuckles gently on the wooden frame, "I'm back."

"I am in here," came a voice muffled behind the door, answering with a rather obvious statement to a question that had not been asked. Should she open the door, she would find Ruran standing in front of his desk. Wood shavings littered across the counter-top and down at his feet. A small statuette of Azeyma had been carved--a woman holding a fan and a balance, or at least the rough approximation of one--and stood on the counter top near Ruran. He was already starting on another carving, this block of wood still fairly fresh. He quietly murmured to himself.

Ellere opened the door, smiling that at least he seemed engaged in something, rather than alone and silent on his bed. "Look at you," she praised, eyes finding his little project. "She looks radiant." As she moved closer, one hand rose up and settled on his back, the other dug in her bag for a small jar. "I brought you the balm. And I have a bit of good news, if you'd like to hear." Ruran hardly looked away as she entered, but he seemed aware of her presence. "It does not do Her justice," he mumbled, turning his hand to continue carving a curve. His back was still quite warm, to be expected. At her touch, his focus seemed to finally pull away, and he looked toward her bag. "Good news..?" "Mm," she nodded, setting the jar on his table. But she also drew out an envelope. There was no lettering on the front though there was a wax seal on the back that had already been broken. Ellere passed it to him, and if he looked closer he might note the stamp was a swordfish. "I called in that favor I spoke of as well. 'Tis why I was a bit later coming today." "Favor..." He was hesitant to put down his carving knife and wooden block, but he did and retrieved the envelope. Part of him had already forgotten what the favor was, but the stamp of the fish seemed to stir something in him. He opened it up to see what was inside.

Inside was what appeared to be a simple contract, stamped with the same swordfish insignia as the wax seal on the outside. At a glance, he could likely figure what it was. It spoke of paid passage for an Ellere Valahan, and guest, to the Pearl Isles. It listed the ship name, pier number, and was signed by a man by the name of Eddard Crowther.

"Some time ago I tended his son in my clinic, he had an accident and nearly lost his leg. Eddard was quite adamant in paying me far more gil than needed, which I declined. However... well. I did remember he has a fine ship, a merchant vessel, and he is a man that will not ask questions of you."

Ruran read the paper over carefully. Twice, since he was certain he had lost focus a time or two along the way the first time. The stone at his chest flickered, a rather rare thing despite the circumstances. He was quiet for a long moment. "This is...very generous," he began, his words slow as he worked his way through them. "I...have been thinking, perhaps you..." His words trailed off as he stared down at the ticket.

“Hm?” she blinked, looking up to him as he trailed off. It was not the reaction she expected, though, the way he was now, she was not certain what she really did expect. Ellere continued after a moment, giving him time to perhaps find the words he wanted to say. “He will be in port for the next sennight, though I did say we would likely not need so much time to prepare. So,” she paused, leaning forward a bit to offer him a smile.

“You need but say the words, dear, and we’ll be on our way.”

"You are in danger, Ellere," he said softly, keeping his eyes down. "Around me, as I am. Surely you have felt it." His brows furrowed behind the mask, his eyes still occasionally shimmering with gold. "You should...--you should stay. I am capable of doing this." By myself, he didn't say.

Her smile slipped, and her brows furrowed in confusion. Then she shook her head, “Absolutely not. Do not talk nonsense, Ruran. Capable or not, why should you do this alone? How many times must I say that we walk this path together.”

Ruran's free hand reached up and rubbed at his head. He barely knew how to think, let alone how to explain, or how to convince her. "Please trust me." His voice held a frown, and his shoulders fell. "You must...stay away from me." The words didn't feel right, but there they were.

____________________________

With @weepingknight

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Ellere Valahan #Ruran Vas #Memories of the Romantic Doctor

“Ari’doram is not like other soulstones.” Ruran Vas’s tone was soft but matter-of-fact, and the stone flickered. He reached up to clutch it. “...but that does seem to be true. We remember so much, but there is still something missing... If I could just...”

Whatever he was thinking, it was pulling him back under. "Well, yes, I know it is not quite like other soulstones," Ellere Valahan nodded, raising her hands up a bit as if to show she certainly had not meant offense. "Just that it is perhaps a similarity... a reason you are overwhelmed by the thoughts of memories that are not yours."

She caught the way he was starting to drift off, and sighed. Once the tea was done, she carried it over to the couch and sat down once more. Ellere did not force it, but she set the warm mug where he could reach it, and leaned back with her own.

"Has it always been this way? I... do not ever recall you implying that Ari'doram was merely a part until now," she looked down to her tea, thinking. "And you've... never spoken as if you yourself were included." The shift of Ellere against the couch brought his mind back above the surface. He did not move to take the tea yet, instead staring down at his calloused hands. "I feel I am barely my own person... Ari'doram wishes for me to remain separate until the end, but how..? Why? Is this not what was meant to happen..?" The stone flickered at his chest, unhelpful.

His head shook again, and he took a breath. His words were careful and slow, as though they might slip away if he spoke too quickly. "Ari'doram is...confused--overwhelmed, just the same as I. We had tried to learn its origins, but Ari'doram could not remember, and we could find nothing in the temple..." His eyes shut for a moment. "...The stone we found...started something. Like a dam, its memories...crashed upon us all at once."

His fingers curled and his head bowed. "I apologize--I am...likely not making sense. I hardly understand, myself..." Ellere looked down at the stone around his neck. She still wanted to fervently believe it when they had spoke that last time. It was all she could do.

"I am certain Ari'doram has its reasons," Ellere said after a moment of quiet. As his head bowed, her own reached up and tucked loose locks behind an ear. "And what would an oath be, if you no longer remembered the you that made it." Her fingers drew through his hair a few more times, then she sighed.

It was true, she likely would never understand fully what he felt like. But she could sympathize. "Here," she said, taking the box from him and replacing it with the mug of tea. "Drink some tea, and then we can have a look at your back. 'Tis no use dwelling on all this now, hm? As you say you... need the last. So we shall focus on getting you strong enough to travel, and I shall pull some favors for a ship to the Pearl Isles, all right?" A ship to the isles. He nodded at that, swallowing thickly before reaching for his mask. He removed it for now and set it on his knee. The blank wooden face stared up toward the ceiling. Carefully, he tipped the mug to his lips and took a long sip.

A small spark flit across his weary eyes, and they closed. The tea tasted like home. Like cool nights by warm fires and quiet mornings in soft beds. “It tastes very good,” he murmured, his voice unhindered by the lack of mask. Ellere gave a small, amused chuckle. "I suppose if I can do one thing right, it is brewing tea," she watched him then drew her eyes down to the mask but they did not linger there. His face, even now, was such a rare thing. It was such a shame to be hidden away as it was. Yes, he could stand to eat more, and sleep more, that much was apparent at first glance. But there was so much of him in his eyes, no longer hidden behind shadows of a mask.

"'Tis just a bit of chamomile and honey," Ellere continued, sipping it herself. "Sometimes however, it is the simpler things that calm us the most." “I used to drink this,” he mumbled, his eyes distant and thoughtful, “atop the roofs of Ul’dah, watching the sunset. That was...years ago. I could rarely see the sun over the other buildings, but the colors...”

He spent a moment silently reminiscing. His thin fingers wrapped around the mug. A haze of gold spun over his heavy-lidded eyes. “Now all I see is the sun...” She hadn't expected the admittance. But it brought a warmth back into her eyes that worry had hidden for so long. It was laced with a heavy sadness in the way he spoke, yet words like that were real, when the passed few suns had been such a struggle. Ellere hushed him, "Oh, Ruran... that's not true. You looked upon the sky and gave a star a name, did you not?"

Shifting slightly, she took her hand and tucked it under his chin, cupping the opposite cheek in a gesture meant to turn him to her. Ellere met his eyes, swirling with gold even as they were. Her head tilted slightly, and she smiled, "And you see still see me, don't you?"

Ruran met her eyes in return, green even through his haze. A strange sense of peace washed over him. He had no room or time left to mourn his own fate. His expression softened, and he lifted one hand to rest over hers, on his cheek.

“I still see you,” he quietly affirmed. He did not smile, but he seemed a hair’s breadth away from it. ___________________

With @weepingknight

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Ellere Valahan #Ruran Vas #Memories of the Romantic Doctor

Ruran Vas had been confined to his apartment for a sun, having acquired his ninth stone with sudden overwhelming changes. Ellere had helped him, kept him fed, and made sure he was safe. When awake, for lack of better word, he would mutter to himself in the ancient tongue. The words that could be discerned were just as cryptic. His eyes gazed beyond reality, and his irises still flickered with golden light.

That particular morning, he spent it sitting up in bed and looking down at his thin hands. The sunlight stretched over his bed from the nearby window. With every waking day, he was growing a little more lucid, but always a breath away from zoning back out. Ellere Valahan had barely left the apartment since they had come the previous day. Getting Ruran here had been a worrying ordeal. And had Ruran not left his bird outside, she doubted she would have even succeeded in getting him out of the desert at all. The inn he had frequented had been closer, and with help from the proprietress there had settled him into a room where she had fallen asleep at his bedside, half hunched over the blankets.

The following afternoon, she had managed to connect with him enough that perhaps she could take him to his apartment. He did not seem aware at all, but he could walk, and he had enough sense, for a moment, to open his door.

It worried her, immensely. But she could find nothing wrong, there was nothing she could tend or heal. So, she settled into a routine of just caring for his well-being until he could tell her what he needed. She had food delivered so she did not have to leave his side. And had called her assistant to bring her some spare clothes.

That morning when she entered his room with breakfast, she had to pause. It was still such an ache to see him hunched like that, eyes lost elsewhere and mind in a place she could not reach. "Ruran dear," she called to him, letting him know she was there, even if it would not be heard. "I've breakfast for you." Ellere sat on the edge of his bed, setting the tray in her lap. It was simple, easy to eat, some oatmeal and fruit. Torrents of memories and emotions—both his and not—flooded Ruran’s mind, so much so that he could barely sort his own among them. He had once told her that he felt he had forgotten something...but now it seemed he remembered too much. A night’s rest had given him strength, and the stone around his neck was trying its best to contain what it could.

Ruran closed his eyes, listening, listening. He knew that voice. Her name, her name...

“Ellere.” That was it. His soft voice was heavy with remembrance. His eyes opened again, still occasionally sparkling with golden light behind the shadows of his white mask.

Ellere Valahan, Ari’doram silently reminded and tried to pull those memories of her to the forefront. Healer of thy wounds, a trusted friend.

“Of course,” Ruran said to seemingly no one, and then to Ellere, softly, “You are alright..?” Ellere watched and waited, patient and quiet. It was so strange; it was if she could see his mind working but his eyes stayed distant and lost. She did not expect to hear her name, it was the first he had said other than mumbled phrases in an old tongue she did not know.

His question brought out a tired, yet very relieved laugh. "Oh, Ruran... only you," she spoke lowly. "This is the first I've heard you say in two suns, and you ask me how I am." Reaching out, Ellere lay a hand over his arm and rubbed gently. "But if it eases you, I am perfectly well."

She did not know how long this moment of awareness would last, or even if it was already gone. But talking to him like he was there also kept her from fretting too badly. He was there. She knew. She had never seen him like this, but she had to believe it would not last.

Taking the chance that he was indeed still cognizant enough to reply to her, Ellere shifted focus from breakfast to something else. "How are you, dear...? Do you have any pain? Is there anything I can do?" Ruran looked down at her hand and slowly reached over and placed his hand on top. The more she talked, the easier it was to remain present. Knowing she was well did ease him.

Gently, his head shook. “No pain,” he murmured, “just...heavy. I feel so many thoughts, different yet—the same.” His eyes closed. “Difficult to think...”

The scars, hidden beneath his tunic, had been running hot since Qarn. It was to be expected, with the influx of new aether, but they still remained strong enough for the aether to not consume him, nor make him spark and twitch as they did moons ago.

Something she said belatedly dawned on him. “Two suns..? I must—... I am...wasting time lying here...” He shifted as though he was ready to bound out of bed and out the door, but he could only manage a few ilms, still on his bed. The stone gleamed at his attempt. The relief Ellere felt just hearing him talk again was almost overwhelming. The fact that he was not in pain, even more so. But she could quite obviously tell something had changed. Her eyes lingered on the stone around his neck a moment before she turned to gather the breakfast tray again, giving his arm one last squeeze under his hand.

"I am glad to know you're not--" the bed shifted, and she turned back to see him struggle in a vain attempt to get up. Ellere pursed her lips, leveling him with that look, "Ruran Vas. Don't you dare."

"As if I am about to let you wander off..." she clicked her tongue, setting the tray in his lap. "Until I know you are not about to black out on me, I shall insist you stay here." Ellere reached forward, fluffing some pillows behind him to give him a better position to eat.

There was little hesitation as she reached for his mask, gentle but just as insistent as her words had been. "The first you are to do is eat your breakfast, and then you are going to tell me what you saw in that room."

_____________________________

With @weepingknight, art by @locke-rinannis

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Ellere Valahan #Ruran Vas #Memories of the Romantic Doctor

Ruran Vas was waiting for Ellere, as he said he would, though his tired form was slowly pacing. The light at his chest flickered on occasion. He looked up as she arrived. "Ah--g-good, you made it alright." As if he wasn't sure she would. As Ellere Valahan approached, she could see the armored figure pacing back and forth in the distance. "I believe I would know the way to this dusty old place in my sleep by this point," she breathed out, smiling. "Admittedly you caught me by surprise."

"I--I apologize." He looked down, weight shifting on the soles of his feet. "I had not expected I would ever find it." From his satchel, he pulled out one of the keys. It was not a typical 'key', per se, but rather a small pyramid-shaped stone with a blue crystal carved seamlessly at its point.

Ellere took a step forward, looking closer at the object. "Quite different than the other I remember. What a peculiar looking thing..." her hand curled at her chin. "Have you tested it upon the door?"

Ruran shook his head. "I did not wish to test it without someone with me. This place has...taught me caution." He put the key back into his bag, and Ari'doram flickered again. "L-let us head inside." "A fine lesson," she nodded her head and made to follow him. Ellere patted her own satchel, "But I shall look after you. Now, let us find your prize. I am sure you are eager."

He made a quiet, determined sound, but he did not admit more than that. He led her through the halls of Qarn--most of it familiar to Ellere by now. Over time, the tunnel to the labyrinth had been made wider by clearing more debris, and there were signs of Ruran's work outside. Parchments and scrawled maps, a lantern, a blanket for his occasional overnight stay. Ruran didn't talk much, focused on leading her along and focusing at the incoming task.

The labyrinth had been well-lit by torches on the wall, likely by Ruran's recent visit. Occasionally, there were interesting murals or debris that had caved into the maze of halls, but Ruran moved too quickly for her to mind them. Twists and turns, corners marked with chalk, until they finally reached a very long hallway that ascended upwards. "Up here," Ruran mumbled, heading up. Midway through, there was another hall; Ruran turned there, and a large door stood before them.

Ellere noted his far quieter and more serious demeanor, but could only assume it was the nature of their purpose here. She caught sight of familiar-looking murals, remembering their promise to see more of them when life would allow. The chalk too, another welcome and familiar sight. But it seemed Ruran had been busy since the last she had come. Ellere stopped at the foot of the door at Ruran's side, looking up and up. "It is still remarkable that much of this place has been left untouched..."

"There is undoubtedly much more yet to be found," he murmured, pulling his pack in front of him again. "But you are right. Much has been lost--buried. It is a miracle. Or...perhaps fate." The stone twinkled at that, and Ruran pulled his pack in front of him and opened the flap. He pulled out three keys, each one a little different from the other, but each of them contained a different color crystal embedded within. Blue, red, yellow.

There were three indents on the door, each framed with a corresponding color, with lines that traced up the stone door and to its frame. It would be simple enough to assume that each key had to be placed in the matching color. Ruran stepped closer, one key in his hand. "I sense darkness within," he noted, looking over his shoulder, but it was more a warning for her than a new discovery.

Ellere watched him in silence a moment, eyes following his hands as he withdrew each key and approached the door. "Fate? You mean to say it was waiting for someone like you?" the question was mused aloud, more rhetorical than expecting an answer from it. His warning was not taken lightly, and she gave him a nod, "I am right at your side."

Ruran offered her a soft look, a small break away from his serious demeanor. He nodded once, took a breath, and then placed the first key. Green with green, and the patterns that lined the door lit up in the same hue. Ari'doram flickered, and Ruran did the same to the others. Red. Yellow. All three keys fit easily into their chambers, lighting up in turn until the door was framed in colorful lights.

A terrible grinding began to rumble, shaking age-old dust and some small debris from the nearby walls. The door crawled upwards, pull by ancient gears. Ruran placed himself slightly in front of Ellere, his hand at the hilt of his blade as he waited.

She watched, fascinated despite the circumstance. No matter how many places she had been, or the things she had seen, there was still a wonder in moments like this where the past came alive and she was reminded of old magic. As the door opened, she kept quiet, but alert, keenly aware of the weight her mother's starglobe on her back. She waited for the dust to clear, a spell already half formed on her lips in precaution.

The stone door slid upwards out of the view. As the dust settled, and they would soon be able to see what it had been hiding for so many years. Darkness. A tar-like substance gathered on the walls and floor, glistening from the light on Ruran's soulstone. There was a faint blue glow of ancient crystal lanterns on the wall, but they could barely be seen, for they too were covered in the strange black pitch. Ruran, cautious but not deterred, took a step forward.

The tar nearest him seemed to recoil against Ari'doram's holy light. The other side of the room could not yet be seen.

The room gave her pause, admittedly. When Ruran had spoke of darkness, Ellere had not assumed this was what he meant. "Twelve..." she shook her head. She had never seen anything like it. As he stepped forward, so did she, noting the way the dark substance avoided him and she knowing she had no such gift. "What is this? Have you seen such before?"

Ruran nodded. "Each stone thus far has been assailed by darkness... Stay with me. Do not allow it to touch you." As the masked man stepped forward, Ari'doram shone brighter, glaring against the darkness of the room and exposing more within. "I sense the stone," he mumbled to Ellere or Ari'doram or both.

At the far end of the room, there was a hulking mass covered in pitch black, roughly ten fulms tall and humanoid in shape. A large rectangular box sat behind it. The oozing darkness trembled with Ruran's every step, perhaps growing agitated from the disturbance.

Ellere furrowed her brow, but need not be told twice. She spared a glance down to their feet as they walked, making sure her steps were clear of the darkness. As she looked up again and saw the towering figure, she tensed, hand shifting to grasp the globe as needed. "The box, I would wager? And I would also bet that this thing will not simply let us pass."

Ruran's attention shifted to the box, his head canting slightly. He took another step forward, and then glanced back up again. "...No..." Something had changed in his voice--an echoing effect as if one tone was layered over another. His doubled words muttered behind his mask, near a whisper, and in an ancient language that she would not understand. Ruran seemed transfixed on the figure ahead.

As he spoke, something in the center of the large figure shines. A similar golden light, high in its chest, smothered in the tar. A golem. Its stone now activated, the smothered golem began to move.

__________________________ With @weepingknight

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Ellere Valahan #Ruran Vas #Memories of the Romantic Doctor

Ellere Valahan led them down toward the lakeside still cradling a glass of wine (she could return it later in the evening). "Well, that certainly was nice. Both what I expected and what I did not," she mused, crossing the small wooden bridge toward a covered gazebo.

Ruran Vas followed Ellere, also still carrying his glass. "I...struggle to comprehend how they can have such a way with words." His tone was a mixture of awe and confusion. "I have--never been the poetic type, myself..."

She tilted her head in thought, "Neither have I, nor was I ever good at song or dance, as you know. But I do enjoy it. Things that come from the heart as those do." Ellere turned, tucking her dress under her knees as she took a seat.

Ruran sat beside her, holding the glass gingerly between his hands as he leaned his elbows on his knees. He had seemed a little more distant than usual, though his answers were always polite. "You are quite good at dance," he complimented.

"You flatter, yet still will not find me upon a stage any time soon, I would wager," she laughed quietly, taking a sip of her own glass. "I hope at least it was good to get out," Ellere spoke after a small pause, reaching over and laying a gentle hand on his arm.

"I-It was, yes." He looked over the water before glancing down, and he put his hand over hers, as if belatedly realizing it was there. "Thank you for inviting me. They say they will be doing more."

Ellere nodded, glancing up to him, "That they did. Not that we need an excuse to come out this way, but I think the woods do you good. Even if I can see your mind is elsewhere, I thank you for the company."

Ruran blinked, and guilt flit over his eyes. "I--I apologize." His tone and gaze suggested a frown. "..." He looked down at his drink and fiddled with the glass, and he tried his best to stay on course. "I do enjoy the woods, yes. A-as you know. And your company."

She shook her head, turning her hand and giving his a squeeze in reassurance. "I would be a fool to not realize what occupies your mind. You are... more than welcome to share your troubled thoughts, you know."

He studied his glass for several moments, deliberating on what to say. How to say it. "I feel...something changing. In us." He motioned to his chest, where the soulstone had been tucked away behind his tunic. When he looked her way, his brows were furrowed. His eyes shadowed with confusion. "Between you and Ari'doram?" she tilted her head, and moved to set her glass down beside her. Ellere did not have to see it to know it was there, always there. "Do you not believe it to be connected to... how close you are? To finishing what was asked?"

"Perhaps," his distant voice pondered. "There is.." He paused and started again, finding better words. "--For suns, I have felt something...on the edge of my mind, at all times. A word, a thought..?" He seemed unsure. "Do you ever...feel that you have forgotten something, but do not know what it is..?"

Ellere frowned, admittedly at a loss for what the feeling could be. "I think we all suffer such things, perhaps in time it will come to you, but," she paused, looking down, "You do trust me, don't you, dear?"

_______________________________

With @weepingknight

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Ellere Valahan #Ruran Vas #Memories of the Romantic Doctor

Well into the evening bells, Arshtat Ejinn moved away from the campfires of Athra in search of Madoc. In the distance and across the waves, she could see the heavy fog surrounding the island and she tried to swallow down the uneasy feeling she always felt when she looked to it. It was not hard, her mind was elsewhere.

Earlier that morning she had a long, heartfelt talk with Miss Red. And ever since then, she had been restless, trying to busy herself away from camp. She had swam, but even that had not fully calmed her nerves. As she walked, she tried to plan what she would say. But she truly did not know where to start.

Perhaps sensing something off, or simply knowing his mother was on the move, Khuu followed her down toward the beach. He gently bumped his head under her hand, and she turned to look down at him. Despite it all, she could not help the gentle smile. "Want to help me look for him, then?" Along a rocky portion of the beach-side, two glimmers of firelight could be seen in the distance, one far lower to the ground than the other. In the light, the form of Madoc Parnell could be seen holding a torch, and he was speaking with one of the Goblins.

There was no secretive air to their meeting, and from where Arshtat stood, she could already make out a few words. They appeared to be talking about the 'nightbeast', and the tracks that were recently discovered in the north.

Madoc paused as he sensed movement from the corner of his eye, and he spotted Khuu first. His hulking, striped feline frame was easier to decipher in the evening light. Whether by process of elimination, or because he recognized her posture, he noticed Arshtat next.

"Luv," Madoc greeted warmly, the usual smirk on his face.

The Goblin turned, a quiet 'shkoh' from the gas mask, and then gave a polite wave. As Arshtat approached the lights, Khuu ran ahead to greet Madoc himself. He looked back toward Arshtat, and trotted between the two a few times as if to say he had found Madoc all on his own. Hanging back a little, Arshtat raised a hand in greeting to the Goblin in return.

She had expected Madoc to be alone, and now seemed unsure. He could probably tell there was something on her mind, but she did her very best to be polite. "I am sorry... I hope I did not i-interrupt." "Not interruptin'," Madoc was quick to assure. He glanced down at Khuu, his smirk tugged, and he looked back up to Arshtat again, fondly.

The Goblin shook his head. "Was just talking about the nightbeast, pshkoh." He looked between the two—the way Madoc fondly looked at Arshtat. Reading the room, he added, "But going back to gobbietown, take safetimes."

"Aye," Madoc replied with a small wave of his hand, and he began to tread toward Arshtat as the Goblin scampered back to the settlement. "What're you doin' out here, luv? Lookin' for me?" He grins. "Oh, yes... I hope the tracks we find w-will give us answers," Arshtat nodded, knowing the situation was a worry for everyone, most especially the Goblins who had allowed them what safety they could. When the Goblin excused himself, Arshtat gave a small nod of her head in goodbye.

The question instantly got a reaction from Arshtat. She looked like she had been caught, shoulders tensing and her cheeks coloring, "I... no---! I m-mean, yes... I was looking for you!" Taking a breath, and trying to settle herself back down, she looked up to him, "I mean... will you take a walk with me?" Madoc released a chuckle at her flustering. There was a curious gleam in his eyes at the request, but bit back any questions. “‘Course, it’s a nice evening for it.”

The tall Xaela stepped closer. His torch would provide ample light for them to walk as the night grew darker. He offered Khuu a friendly scritch, then put his hand at the small of Arshtat’s back and smirked to her. “So, which way?” Arshtat hesitated a moment, but Khuu helped to decide for her. Looking up to Madoc, and keeping close, she gestured with a small nod of her head after the tiger, "Just down the b-beach a bit?" Madoc was not wrong, the night was nice. There was a calm breeze, and Arshtat always appreciated the soft sounds of the gently rolling waves on the shoreline.

As they walked down toward the sand, Arshtat bit down on her lip. She still had not decided the best approach, or how to start. But Red's words echoed in her head, and she was determined to see it through, and be there for Madoc.

"Madoc...?" she tried, after walking in silence for several minutes. "Are... you doing all right?" Madoc peered down at her, one brow quirked. “Aye, ‘course I am.” The response came easy and with a smirk, born of innate confidence the Xaela carried. “Still a ways to go before we can get to the island proper. Gotta get the locals on our side first.” He jerked his head toward the town, where its faint lights glimmered in the distance.

Pausing, he turned the torch to get a better look at her face. Something seemed amiss, though he couldn’t put his finger on it. “Somethin’ on your mind, luv?” The easy, almost expected answer, made Arshtat frown. Perhaps before she foolishly would not have questioned it, and yet now she felt as though she must. What he spoke of, they were worries, yes, things they needed to do. But there had to be something else.

She looked up at the question, noting he was intently watching her face and quickly looked back down. Arshtat took a deep breath, still quite determined. She never had issues speaking with Madoc before, and quietly wondered why this time was so different.

"Is... something not on yours?" she finally asked, tilting her head to the side. "The... Archivist," it was the first time she had actually referred to it as something other than 'the pit.' "It... i-it knew your ring. B-But it said itself, it does not know th-things not from the island..." Madoc stopped walking. His features fell—not much, but just enough that Arshtat would know something had changed. “...So you saw that, mmh?” He smiled at her. Of course she did.

He looked down at his right hand, the crimson ring glistening in the torchlight. “Got some thoughts on it,” he said, once again avoiding the question. The hand clenched and released. “Need to know more.” When Madoc stopped, Arshtat stopped a step after and turned to look back at him with a worried frown. That pause alone was telling enough. "Thoughts?" she questioned, trying once more to get him to share them.

"W-When did you... see Wolf last...?" Arshtat also tried a more specific approach. She was still fidgeting, but she was at least attempting to catch Madoc's eye. "Are you... certain he never came here?" Madoc’s gaze flicked to meet hers, and he smirked. Finding a nearby rock, he leaned the torch against it so that it could burn while he sat. He eased onto the sand and motioned for her to join him.

“C’mere, luv,” he invited, offering no answer yet. _____________________

With @thrillofbattle

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Arshtat Ejinn #Madoc Parnell #Memories of the River Daughter #Inheritance

It was a warm summer’s day on the Narrowlight Isles. With the sun high in the sky, the large island across the strait could be seen in the distance, unhindered by the nightly fog. It mostly consisted of thick trees and foliage, which didn’t grant much new information to Madoc and the rest.

During breakfast, Red had requested that Arshtat join her on the beach that afternoon. The sandy shores within Athra’s limits were deemed safe enough by the Goblins.

Red wore her traveling attire, with a turban wrapped about her head. Even in the midst of a rundown place with limited supplies, she managed to keep herself looking refined. Bangles clinked against her wrists as she knelt to pick up an interesting shell or stone, waiting for the Xaela to arrive. It was not long before Arshtat Ejinn made her way to the small, secluded beach just outside the village. Khuu was at her side, following along and occasionally bumping his head against her hand for a scritch or two as they walked. She was not quite sure what Red had wanted, but she had, of course, agreed to meet with her. It wasn't hard to slip away with Madoc occupied and so many plans to be made.

Once the other woman came into view, Arshtat bowed her head in greeting, "A-Ah, Miss Red... s-sorry, I hope you did not wait long." The little Xaela had to marvel at her for a moment, so refined and tall as she was.

Her own clothes suited the isles well enough, a simple tunic and cropped leggings. She had not bothered with shoes, the beach and the waves perhaps too tempting during the more quiet moments of the day. “Not long at all,” Red assured with a smile. She stepped over, took Arshtat’s hand, and gave it a squeeze. She always seemed quite comfortable with touch, as if everyone was her dearest friend. And Arshtat was certainly up there, despite not having known her long.

“Just long enough to find this.” In her opposite palm, she showed off the iridescent white shell, fully intact and glimmering the sunlight. “Isn’t it lovely?” she asked. Her green eyes brimmed with wonder and satisfaction. Arshtat herself was a tactile person. The touch to her hand was welcome, and she returned the hold. Khuu rubbed his large head against Red's leg in his own form of greeting. With a smile, she looked relieved.

"Oh?" she peered down at the shell, and giving an awed nod. "It is, yes. It reminds me of the kind my mother used to fashion into jewelry..." Arshtat blinked, lips parting slightly. It had been some time since she had thought of her tribe, or her family. Red released Arshtat’s hand to offer an enthusiastic scruff to the top of Khuu’s head and neck, looking down and smiling at the tiger before peeking back to the Xaela.

She noted her expression, and her eyes lit curiously. “Would you show me how she used to make them? Not now, of course, but perhaps when we return to the Broken Horn?” Eyes turning up to the other, Arshtat looked a little surprised at the request. But the look melted easily into something more fond, "I... would like that. My mother was not of the Ejinn originally... H-Haragin, seafarers. She was always adorned with such things."

As Khuu excused himself with a low chuff, heading toward the water, Arshtat looked a little embarrassed, "I am sorry. I d-did not mean to distract. You... asked me to come here, yes? I-Is something the matter?" Red’s brows rose. “Nothing is the matter. And that was hardly a distraction,” she dismissed with a smile. “I enjoy getting to know you. Come sit with me.”

She moved to the side, finding a rather large rock to sit upon. There was room enough for two. “I wish to know your thoughts. What do you make of all this?” She motioned to the island around them. "O-Oh," Arshtat bit on her lip, obediently following Red to the nearby rock and settling down beside her. There was something in the way the other woman held herself that made Arshtat incredibly nervous. She was so well-kept, almost regal.

She furrowed her brow at the question, glancing around while she thought. Her eyes eventually settled on Khuu in the distance as he played in the waves along the shoreline. "I... am not sure," Arshtat finally admitted quietly. "Others s-speak of odd feelings, and e-even I must guess that it is connected to the strange fog. Th-Then there is that creature in the pit..." Red seemed keenly aware of Arshtat’s nerves, and she offered the young woman a small nudge and a warm smile, then listened.

“Ah, I have heard of that pit. The Archivist. I would like to see for myself, when we become more acquainted with the mainland...” She hummed thoughtfully and set the shell in her lap, admiring it a moment before glancing back to Arshtat to ask, “and Madoc? How do you think he’s faring?” Arshtat tried to smile at the nudge, forcing herself to relax a bit. She knew Miss Red did not mean to be as intimidating as she was. She gave a small nod when the other spoke of the pit, though it was clear the topic made her uneasy.

"I... am worried for him," Arshtat admitted, fiddling with the bracelet Madoc had given her so long ago. "I know he would say I am being foolish and should not but, I do. I fear there is something more that h-he is not telling me, or perhaps more he did not know himself..."

______________________________

With @fatedflower

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Arshtat Ejinn #Red #vienne livaudais #Memories of the River Daughter #Inheritance

Inheritance: The Ancient One

Given the influx of magical artifacts being found on the island, the chief of Athra suggested that Madoc Parnell and his companions visit someone the Goblins call the Ancient One. While most of what is said about the being seem to be far-fetched rumors, one thing is clear: its knowledge of the isle would be a boon. Perhaps it is some sort of guardian of Narrowlight.

Taking a small group of fighters, Madoc led Arshtat Ejinn, Otte Dreamwalker, and T’iolo Tia to the mainland during the day in search of this Ancient One. Upon arrival to their destination, they were set upon by strange earth-crafted golems--the 'sentinels' they were warned about--and proceed to prove their might against them.

The Ancient One turned out to be a strange abyssal creature residing in a deep pit, or could very well be the pit itself. Either way, it preferred the name 'The Archivist' and claimed to be a pursuer of knowledge. It is capable of appraising all manner of relics that the explorers find. Howevever, the Archivist is only able to discern the items that have been residing on the island for some time.

The whole thing was a little strange, but having something like the Archivist on their side did not seem like a bad idea, for now.

With @thrillofbattle @ffxivaltstars @grumpy-limsan-customs-cat

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Arshtat Ejinn #Madoc Parnell #Memories of the River Daughter #Inheritance

The sun had just set over the Thanalan mountains when a dusty wanderer finished his humble campsite. His timing was nearly perfect, striking a match from his matchbook to light the cigarette tucked lazily in his lips, then using the same match to set the campfire ablaze against the twilight sky. It was all routine.

He settled in, prepping a small pan against the flames to warm it up. The nameless courier never minded being alone. An endless starry sky, a chorus of crickets and frogs, and just him and his desert campfire. And occasionally, his guitar. He had grown to love the peace these evenings brought, and the simple things that came with it. Like cooking.

Puffs of smoke followed him as he pulled seasoning and a wrapped parcel from his trusty satchel. He had been waiting all afternoon for this. Carefully unwrapping the paper, he pulled out a large slab of preserved aldgoat steak. More than enough for one person. He would manage.

Soon, the mixed aroma of cigarette smoke and searing seasoned steak filled the air. As he waited patiently for it to finish, the stranger pulled out a book from his satchel and started to read. Life on the road was not so bad at all. The silence of the wanderer's little campsite was soon broken by the distant sound of shouts. They got nearer and nearer, until finally, the sound of heavy and quick footsteps could also be heard. Soon the shouts began to form more intelligible words.

"---op! You stupid bird, I s-said stop? No, no no, no--ah!"

Rounding the corner, and in sight of the campsite finally, came a chocobo, pale feathers tipped in speckled browns. It was saddled, had several supplies strapped to its back, and trailing behind it was a hyur girl with her foot caught in the stirrup.

Upon seeing the camp, the chocobo came to a sudden stop, and starred at the sole occupant. The girl, also seeming to notice that there was another person, gave a soft, embarrassed 'oh'. Her foot quietly slipped from the stirrup and fell to the floor with a muted clunk onto the dirt. She then stood up frantically, straightening her clothes and dusting as much as the dirt away as she could. It looked... like she had been dragged for a bit.

"Oh... um...hello? Sorry! For... intruding and all," she fidgeted, pressing her two index fingers together. She started to ramble, maybe because of her display, or maybe not. "Oh, that smells really good! Is it aldgoat? It smells like aldgoat. Wow, that reminds me I haven't eaten dinner--I should... do that. I wonder how far out I am?" The wanderer peeked up from his book, sat up, and narrowed his eyes toward the shouting. A wary hand reached for the revolver hidden beneath his coat. Thankfully, it was not necessary, as the almost comical approach of the woman eased his fears of actual trouble. The firearm was hidden away again as she dusted herself off.

As she rambled, he blinked, a single brow quirked in amusement on his otherwise neutral expression. Only a small glance was offered to the chocobo; they tended not to be fond of him, and truth be told, he wasn't a fan of them either. The traveler lifted both hands to motion for the woman to slow down.

To prevent too much confusion, he waited for her to watch him before he began to sign with his hands. A couple short gestures, one to himself, one toward his mouth, accompanied by a shake of his head. The context alone was likely enough to explain he was a mute, but if she understood the silent language, she would know he was simply signing 'I cannot speak'.

But he could hear, and he reached into his satchel to pull out a map of the Thanalans. Sprawling it open in the firelight, he pointed toward Ul'dah, and then draaaaaagged his finger across the desert plains and tapped at a spot. Their location. ...They were very far from Ul'dah. Or anywhere. The girl tilted her head as the other lifted his hands, short brown hair falling a bit to the side. At first, it did not look as if she understood at all, but her eyes followed his hands still, in an attempt. Then slowly, slowly her lips parted and formed another quiet 'oh' before she cupped her fist in her hand in a moment of realization.

"Not a talker, huh? Well, that's okay, I talk a lot. The quiet folks I work with say I talk enough for them, too, and maybe a little too much," it seemed rambling was a habit of hers. Again she curiously peeked as he pulled out a map. She moved to crouch down by him, giving a slight groan when she realized where she was.

"Oooh... bandersnatch," she sighed, and then turned when a noise behind her caught her attention. Her chocobo was poking around the poor man's things. She flew up to her feet again, "Ah, no! Beans, don't do that!" Using her whole body to shove the bird away, she gave an embarrassed laugh, "Well um, I'm Penny, by the way, er, Penelope Wright. But most think that's too long I think. So Penny is okay. It was... nice to meet you, thanks for letting me see your map." The courier’s brows furrowed at the bird’s rummaging through his belongings. The satchel contained all sorts of things, not to mention the guitar case and a couple more sacks. Chocobos. His face soured a bit, but it quickly relaxed back into an expression of impassivity.

At Penny’s introduction, he bowed his head in acknowledgement, but of course offered no name in return. He was used to monikers and names growing from the context of a situation, only offering suggestions when asked.

Then, with a sudden start, he bolted up and turned his attention to his pan. His steak! He took a knife and tested the steak’s wellness—a little overcooked than he preferred due to the interruption, but it was still in great condition. It smelled incredible. He might’ve just been picky...or at least critical of his cooking. Penny shuffled her feet a bit, seemingly stuck on the fact he hadn't really offered a name for her to call him. But if he couldn't speak, she probably should have expected that. Would it be rude to make up one for him? She quietly shook her head, to herself, maybe even muttering a bit.

But thoughts were halted as he stood up. Penny herself visibly jumped, not really expecting the suddenness of it all. Hopping back, she nearly tripped over her chocobo, which had now dropped to its belly, legs tucked under it as if it was settling down to sleep.

"Did I distract you? I'm sorry, I hope it isn't ruined," Penny bobbed her head this way and that, as if she could see the steak on the inside. "It sure still smells really good!" As if to prove her point, her stomach gave a rather audible growl. "Hah... um, well yeah..." She turned back to the bird, attempting to tug it back to its feet.

"Come on, Beans! This isn't our fire, or our camp, I'm---" another tug, "I'm sure he doesn't want your smelly feathers anywhere near that delicious food." The man watched as she tugged at her chocobo, while lifting the steak off the pan. He chewed on the inside of his cheek. Unless she had food stored away or had plans to forage off the land, she would be due for a miserable ride to her destination. Her grumbling stomach suggested she at least did not have the former.

Curse his bleeding heart. He looked up at the sky and silently sighed, then glanced back down toward Penny. Since she was distracted, he made a sound: a low whistle from his lips, to get her attention. Should she look his way, he would beckon her back with a small gesture of his hand. Both Penny and Beans gave a bit of a start, looking back toward the whistle. Blinking and a little wide-eyed, she tilted her head at his wave and looked over her shoulder. There was no one else there, of course, but she had to be sure. "A-Are you saying we can stay? Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose--"

Her chocobo, however, now fully content his owner was not tugging him, plopped right back down where he had been and curled up. Penny sighed, loudly. She supposed it was hopeless. Penny slinked back toward the fire, tucking her skirt under her knees and squatting down across from the man. "Th-Thanks. Once Beans gets some rest, I promise to be out of your hair." _____________________________

With @laying-the-odds

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Penelope Wright #Withdrawn Drifter #Memories of the Eager Naturalist

The sun was high in the sky, a bright and clear day with an occasional light breeze. A breeze Ruran Vas was always thankful for, as rare as it was in the Thanalans. He stepped along in his weathered armor, a satchel slung over his shoulder. Tucked under his arm, he held a ragged leather-bound book. He seemed to be looking for something, scanning the area with a thoughtful hum. Occasionally, the golden light from the stone at his chest flickered.

The quiet peace of the forest was interrupted by the distant sound of a scream. A young girl suddenly appeared over the nearby ridge, catching herself at the edge but losing her balance with a flail of arms. She tumbled head over feet down the hill, landing on her bottom with a flurry of papers and a groan. Over the ridge behind her a creamy colored chocobo hopped down after her, and behind it a pack of raptors hissed and growled from the top.

Ruran's attention snapped toward the hillside, his soulstone glimmering once. "O-oh--" Without hesitation, he began to trot towards the scene. "A-are you all right?" He held out his hand, perhaps in line with his thoughts of wishing to help her up, even though he wasn't near enough to her yet.

The pack of raptors continued to hiss and spit above them as the girl rubbed at her head. "Ow, ow, ow ow..." Hearing a voice, she jumped, looking up with a good amount of twigs and leaves in her hair. "A-ah...? Oh... uh, hello. Um, am I all right," the question to herself had her looking down as if to check. "I think so. Yeah, I'm all right." The chocobo merely gave a glance the stranger's way before going back to looking rather bored.

He edged closer, gaze shifting between raptors and the woman. "G-good, yes, ah--" His free hand moved to the hilt of his blade, just in case. "Let us...get away from the dangers above, yes..? Slowly."

The girl blinked again, still rubbing her head and then turned to look behind her. "Oh..." She took his offered hand and patted herself down, missing a bit of the stuff caught in her hair. "Oh, bugger right off!" she shouted back at the raptors, pursing her lips and hands to her hips. "You made me drop my notes!" The raptors didn't seem to care either way. She bent to gather up some fallen papers.

Ruran blinked. How bold! He released his blade and bent to help retrieve her papers. "I--did not see any catch in the breeze. Are you certain you are all right? That was--quite a fall."

"Yeah, Pops says I have a thick head," she smiled, looking back over her shoulder at him. The pack of raptors, at the least, seemed to lose interest and began to leave the way they came. The papers were covered with various notes and sketches of animals, some not from the Shroud. As he helped, she continued, "Thanks Mister Wailer... that's a funny outfit for a Wailer. Did they get new uniforms?"

"Oh, I am--not a Wailer." His head shook, stacking the papers he had collected neatly in his hands. Even if they weren't in order, at least he could make them orderly. "Just a passerby. These notes..." His head tilts. "You research monsters?"

"You're not?" she blinked, tapping her cheek as if to gesture to his mask. But she was over it fairly quickly. It seemed she didn't linger on things, and had already accepted his answer. "Yeah! Behavior, migratory patterns, stuff to watch out for, stuff like that! Helps the Clan and companies out, you know, when they send hunters out. Doesn't do anyone good to go in blind."

"That--seems like dangerous work," he replied, a concerned air to his tone, the frown ever-present. He returned the papers to her. "But you seem to know what you are doing, or how to handle yourself." He idly motioned to the hissing raptors in question. "Ah--my name is Ruran, by the by. Ruran Vas."

"It can be!" she certainly did not deny it. Taking the papers from him, she tucked the stack into a well-worn journal and back into a pouch at her hip. "Oh... hi! I'm Penny. Well, Penelope. Penelope Wright. But Penny's easier, yeah?" She pointed to her chocobo, "And that's Beans. Don't mind him." As if understanding, the bird gave a low sounding kweh and turned his back on them.

Ruran dipped his head in greeting to the chocobo, polite even though his back had turned. "Penny. Beans." He echoed. "A pleasure to meet you both. Ah--I still do not like the way those raptors are looking at you. Perhaps we ought to move elsewhere?"

Penny glanced up at the lingering beasts, stuck out her tongue and then nodded. She reached over and grabbed Beans' reins to tug him along. "Thanks again, Mister Ruran. What are you doing out here besides passing by? You don't look like the normal type of people I see out about on the roads. Oh, ah---" she waved a hand frantically as they walked, "Not saying you're not normal of course!"

Ruran lifted a dismissive hand as he followed along. "It is alright. I am--well, I am attempting two things, truly." His voice was quiet, much of it lost behind the mask, though it was clear and loud enough to hear. "I am running an errand, trying to find a plant... I need samples, and...I wish to record it in my own book." He gently motioned to the book tucked under his arm.

"Samples? Of plants?" Penny hummed aloud, leading them away from the hillside and more into the open clearing. "Are you an alchemist? A botanist? Mm... most botanists I know don't wear armor though?" She eyed his book curiously. "Maybe I can help? I grew up in the Shroud, I know more about beastkin than plants but I know my way around!"

"I am n-neither," he mumbled sheepishly. "I am a voidhunter, this is just, uh...a hobby." He rubbed the side of his neck. "The errand I run is for a alchemist, however." Stopping, he opened the book and flipped through its pages. They were filled to the brim with information--flora and fauna alike. And geography. Landmarks. A bit of everything. "It is..ah, here." He pulled out a paper clipping, a small sketch of a flower with purple leaves. "This is what I seek."

Penny made a sound of amazement, lips parting a bit, "A voidhunter? Wow! Now that sounds like dangerous work. Are you a famous adventurer, Mister Ruran? A hero?!" Her hands clasped over either of her cheeks. It wasn't at all mocking, she was genuinely amazed. She took a moment to peek at the sketch, tilting her head. "I think I have seen that before."

"Oh, no--no, not at all." He waved his hand to dismiss the notion. "I am--not anyone important, truly. But you--have seen this?" He peeked up to her. "Is it near here..?"

She blew a raspberry with her lips, "Everyone is someone important, Mister Ruran. If you fight off those scary things, that's pretty special. Wow! I did not expect to meet a famous hero when I woke up today! Isn't that the bee's knees, Beans?" She jogged a few steps ahead, tugging the reluctant chocobo behind and waving Ruran along, "Yeah! I think I saw some down by the river."

Ruran's jaw shifted as if he was going to object, but he let out a sigh instead. However, his sheepish mood was quick to depart once they had a clear way to go. "The river," he said, brows rising. "It is fortunate you stumbled into my path--w-well, not fortunate that you stumbled, but...ah, you know what I mean..."

Penny laughed, ending it with a bit of a snort, "Oh, you mean 'cause I fell? That was a good one, Mister Ruran! I fall all the time honestly, but it's not often I fall and make a new friend out of it."

____________________

With @weepingknight

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Penelope Wright #Ruran Vas #Memories of the Eager Naturalist

Ruran Vas was seated not too far from Ellere's home in the Mist. He had abandoned his armor, and one thin hand idly picked the other as he stared up at the sky. The fireworks had just begun, the fresh evening air breezing off the ocean ahead. A warm light occasionally flit at his chest, and a small glass bottle of mead rested beside him.

Ellere Valahan climbed the stairway near her home a few minutes into the nightly fireworks display. She had a book tucked under one arm, likely returning from reading down by the beach now that the sun had set. The figure did not catch her eye at first, and then she realized who it was. "Ruran? Goodness dear, what are you doing out here?" Ruran's head rose as the familiar voice reached his ears. He turned and looked over his shoulder, and his hand lifted in a small gesture of greeting. "I came to...see the fireworks," he murmured, glancing toward them. "And to think. And to...see you, afterwards." He peeked towards the book in her hand, then back up, but didn't say anything about it.

She rose a brow, but offered a smile, genuinely glad to see him despite her surprise. "Oh? In that order? Want me to head home and let you think first?" She teased, walking over to the railing where he was sitting.

"O-oh--n-no, of course not," he said while giving his head a small shake, ever serious, the tease going right over his head. He fidgeted in his spot. "Have you...been well..?"

Ellere laughed, shaking her head. Of course he would take her at her word. Moving closer, she leaned on the railing, setting the book down. "Well enough. Thankfully not too busy to catch up on some reading. Though the beach gets a little crowded this time of year, quite understandably." Ruran nodded. "That is why I am up here," he murmured in agreement, his brows furrowing. He then reached up to scritch at his shoulder, looking back to the fireworks. "I like to...use Moonfire Faire as a...day of remembrance, of sorts. ... A personal tradition of mine." Whether it was a healthy tradition or not, based on the alcohol beside him, who knew.

Ellere had likely noticed the alcohol, but she was not one to judge such things. "Ah," she hummed again, sliding up on the railing before swinging her legs around to the other side with him. "I suppose it does mark the nearing of... well. A time you would reflect on."

He extended a hand to help her up, but she had managed well enough on her own. He dared not mention the height. He nodded quietly. "It...it is, yes." His voice had lowered to a mumble, and he reached for the bottle beside him. He didn't take a swig of it yet, but it gave his hands something else to fidget with. "Each time I see the fireworks, I know another year has passed. I think of the past year and...how things have changed."

Ellere kept her eyes on him or the night sky and fireworks. She was well aware of the height, the pains of living on a hill as she did, but she was getting better ignoring it with a distraction and good conversation. "I would say they have changed for the better. Stumbling upon you up here rather than some lonely old lichyard like I did all those years ago is certainly an improvement." She paused, looking back at the lights in the sky, "Do you not think so?"

_____________________

With @weepingknight

#ff14 #ffxiv #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Ellere Valahan #Ruran Vas #Memories of the Romantic Doctor

Inheritance: Boiling the Bounty

With an over-abundance of crab meat, a small celebratory feast was held at the Broken Horn to keep group morale high. While cooking for customers was nothing new for Arshtat Ejinn, cooking for such a large group on such short notice was a bit different. Thankfully, Romimo Romi and Vieaux Valintaire were kind enough to help prepare the meal.

They say cooking brings people together, and it was proven to be true. The three ladies had a chance to get to know one another a little better while they prepared the meal for the hungry mercenaries. Various dishes with crab meat as the main ingredient were prepared, ranging from a spicy stir fry served over rice, to fried crab cakes, a hearty seafood stew.

Romimo also brought a bit of Goblin cheese as a gift, and Arshtat, determined not to let the gift go to waste, later made a crab and cheese dip likely only really to be enjoyed by their new Goblin friends. That smell isn’t leaving the Horn’s kitchen any time soon.

With @romimoblr and @eggplant-xaela

#ffxiv #ff14 #rp #roleplay #rp logs #Arshtat Ejinn #Memories of the River Daughter #Inheritance

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