Ishgardian Nights

Follows from afallowmoon

[ishgardian-nights]

RP writing and inspiration home for:

Elathain Moreau, Ishgardian knight, and his brother Keenaire, former knight now Wailer in Gridania (tags: fang and shield )

Emil Baschet, Coerthan spinner, blind lover of stars (tags: threads of fate )

Ahlain Le'aptere, aka Syn Ahl, current errant Coerthan sellsword and enigma, child of Ratatoskr (tags: wingless )

tags as appropriate

[lietulietas]

[weareladyknight]

“I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend.”

— Faramir, The Two Towers, J.R.R. Tolkien 

[ishgardian-nights]

[mournfulroses]

Anna Akhmatova, from The Complete Poems of Anna Akhmatova; "First Song,"

[crimson-chains]

Deer deer deer! Felt like drawing a new deer X3

[jadedfadedalmostgone]

[wol-questions]

What is the name of your WoL's chocobo? Why that name?

[ishgardian-nights]

Oh i love talking about chocobos!

Elathain's chocobo is called Ardent. In my mind at least I like to imagine Ishgardian knights named their chocobos the same way we see medieval knights name their war horses. (At least in fiction) Ardent basically means passionate, or glowing if you go back far enough. Both fit Ardent the chocobo. She's a lighter grey color than your typical yellow bird, though I imagine they breed all colors in Ishgard. More than that, she's enthusiastic in her loyalty to Ela, charging headlong into danger if he needs her and often preening over her like she would another chocobo or a chick.

Keenaire, Ela's elder brother and former knight in Ishgard, actually has two chocobos. One that came with him from Ishgard named Dauntless and this one, Balios. His other bird is covered here, since he's actually ig the bird of another character. Balios is a bird Keenaire began working with after he had been in Gridania for a while, and is basically still an unruly teenager, though he's getting better. He still has a habit of trying to unseat someone when he isnt interested in work and biting when he's in a sour mood. Keenaire is a good hand at animal husbandry so he and Balios are coming along. If he needs someone he can rely on in a pinch though he'll head for Dauntless every time.

Emil's mount is named Sombre, or Somber. Less exciting than Dauntless or Ardent as far as names go but he fits the tone of it all the same. Sombre was Emil's brother's bird, while his brother was a knight. When Bastien was mortally wounded he pulled himself astride Sombre to return but died on the trek home. Sombre carried him the whole way despite being injured himself, and then carried Bastien's body to the grave site. Emil ended up with him and now relies on him heavily when they travel due to his blindness. Sombre is intelligent and calm, and fiercely protective.

[ishgardian-nights]

Say "Ishgardian Centerpiece Dining Table Salt Block!"

[ishgardian-nights]

Q♥️ - Who is someone special that your muse always thinks about?

For Elathain it would be a certain enigmatic duskwight healer he met quite by accident after joining a group of what he would call adventurers. While he wasn’t exactly warned against joining by the friend he followed into their ranks, he was given the impression cavorting with this beautiful mender might prove problematic. Or, more frankly, that Celestin hated Ishgardians and made most of the resident ones uneasy.

Elathain remains undaunted. He finds the independent and taciturn Celestin as charming as he is stunning and couldn’t imagine why anyone would find him scary.

@houserosaire who plays celestin and silvain, who I imagine is lingering on the sidelines hoping he never has to say I told you so

[mournfulroses]

Edna St. Vincent Millay, from a diary entry featured in Rapture & Melancholy; The Diaries of Edna St. Vincent Millay

[ishgardian-nights]

He heard it break before he could reach out to grab it. The glass surround to the candle lamp that usually sat atop the bookshelf. The one he’d moved so an impromptu guest wasn’t swallowed in his home’s unfamiliar dark. The one he’d forgotten to return to its place and knocked from the table without realizing it.

Emil stood without moving and exhaled a deep sigh. Pulling a hanker-chief from a pocket he knelt, then resigned himself to crawling on his hands and knees, patting the wooden floor before him blindly as he searched for shards, gently sweeping them toward himself with a cloth covered hand.

He really should have simply used the broom- this was a terrible idea. And still he stubbornly continued, before drawing the hand bracing himself up from the floor with a wince and a hiss, sitting up to carefully rub the fingertips of his other hand over his palm. He pulled the sliver of glass away and growled in frustration when he felt the telltale slide of blood run down his wrist.

Emil swore, shoving the hanker chief into his palm and clamping his hand around it. He pushed himself up, reaching for the bookshelf for balance and it rattled, one of the few books tucked inside dropping forward, it’s spine grazing his knuckles.

Emil grabbed the book, felt the weight of it in his hand, and hurled it across the room. The pages made a brief fluttering sound like a bird taking flight before it smacked into the far wall and hit the floor.

Another reminder of something he was robbed of.

He shifted, reaching for the back of a chair and sliding it out from the table until he could fall into it and slouch, head tipped back, staring unseeing at the ceiling.

He pressed his good hand into his palm. The cloth was sticky. Outside he could hear sparrows.

[ishgardian-nights]

revelations

"You're moving?" Startled, but Emil felt quite proud of keeping any distress from his voice. Still, Celeste had years of interpreting the subtle tone changes in otherwise emotionless men. She was not fooled. "Aye," she said softly, reaching to pick up the glass she'd sat down next to him and nudge it closer until it touched the back of his hand and he reached for it. "Dzemael has the contract to build at Falcon's nest, or some such. Anyway Remi's going to be there for a while and it didn't seem fair to expect him to make the trip all the time.. or really to try and keep up two households when we can just go and join him. Just til he's finished," she added the last quickly. "The western fronts a little too sparse for my liking," Remi murmured, pausing from shoving forkful into his mouth. All while looking down. If he didn't look around the table he wouldnt feel so bad about dragging Emil's last family even further away. "D'like ta come back and settle in the city. Least for now." But who knew how long from now that would be. Emil grappled for something supportive to say, choosing to hide behind his glass after a moment of silence, making that drink linger to give him longer to think. "I'm glad you're going." He rushed to follow that up. "I mean, I'm.. well theres nothing to be done for it, either way. And it isnt that much further.. I'm sure I could make arrangements to visit on.. holidays.." Celeste bit her lip, then leaned over to check Bastien in his bassinet. "I'm sorry Em. I can't separate Bastien from his da, you know?" Emil leaned, reaching a hand out and patting at the table until Celeste moved her hand into his. "I know Celeste. It's fine, really. I don't want your lives stalled because of me. I'll be here when you get back." ----------------------- Idly, as if to try and distract himself from dinner and the revelations it had held, Emil turned toward the sounds of chatter as they made their way back through Ishgard and the journey home. Hawking wares and calls of fresh produce lead him to the markets, and a few questions later, had him back on track to find the bookshop he'd visited some time ago. The one he'd been summarily dismissed from and sent on his way. What the hells was he bothering with this for anyway? It had been made abundantly clear his presence was... He paused his thoughts when the door didn't push in at his touch. He tried the handle lightly, then after a moment of consideration, knocked. "Haveta find books somewhere else I think," came a voice off to his left. Emil turned slightly, one hand still holding Sombre's reins loosely. "Ah, yes?" He wasn't sure how to reply to that. "Why?" "Abandoned. I think anyway. Ain't seen the couple in or out in weeks. No lights. No nothin'. Nobody even breakin' in cause who steals books?" "Abandoned you say...?" He turned back toward the building, only the vaguest sense of something large to his right looming like a shadow to tell him the building was there. He couldnt very well see the dark empty rooms inside. "Well," he said after a moment, moving to remount. "Thank you for the warning. I'll have to try another shop that sells what I'm after." "Aye, aye," the gruff voice seemed to be nodding, though it was further away now. Probably someone local on an errand. Emil scratched at Sombre's neck and sat back, turning to cast sightless eyes up toward the second story of the building before turning back and clicking his tongue, the familiar sound to begin the trek home.

[tea-with-mrs-mourning-dove]

[thoughtkick]

“One of the most amazing things that can happen is finding someone who sees everything you are and won’t let you be anything less. They see the potential of you. They see endless possibilities. And through their eyes, you start to see yourself the same way. As someone who matters. As someone who can make a difference in this world.”

— Susane Colasanti

[ishgardian-nights]

what does your heart look like tagged by: @captainqster ty! quiz is here

broken, missing pieces that once were there

Your heart has been torn before, chipped and maybe even shattered. Some pieces will never be recovered, and you are shaped by the loss. But it can still be shaped into something tangible, something good, even with its flaws and imperfections. You don’t have to do all the work of rebuilding by yourself. Allow other hands to leave their fingerprints on the new heart you create from the remnants.

[miasto-masa-maszyna]