Waking Up [Entrance Thread for Drinyr Karet'lorin]

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 11:54 am

The soft brush of the salty air finally wakes you up. There is sand between your fingers. A beach! The rushing sound of the gentle waves breaking a few yards from where you lay sprawled on the sand confirms your suspicions. Your mind is empty and you have absolutely no clue how you landed here.

As you look around you see the beach is empty. In the distance some gigantic crabs scurry away. Your eyes kid you not, they are indeed as big as pigs, with vicious claws to match. But they seem more scared of you than you are of them.

In between the gentle dunes, with fair tops of waving seagrass, that mark the end of the beach you notice a small path. At the beginning of the path you see several items on the ground, shining metal sparkling in the sunlight. A small awkwardly written notice says

"Please leave all weapons here. Beyond this point the gods will provide."

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Fri Mar 14, 2003 12:30 pm

Unconscious on the beach lay a wiry elven figure, one arm sprawled out haphazardly across the sand. Only a slight, sideways tilt of her head prevented her face from being buried in the grains. The breeze tugged gently at the strands of hair which had broken loose from her braid.

One finger twitched, then another as she drifted towards awareness and sensations began to creep in. The slightly dusty feeling which sand leaves against skin, and its metallic scent. The hiss of waves drawing back from the beach and the rustle of wind.

Pale, sand-caked lashes creaked open as the elf began to push herself up, squinting at the light. Where...what...how...? Ahhh, Oracleâ€™s Isle.

With a whisper of thanks to K'tan, she got to her feet, a little unsteady at first as she looked around, brushing tiny white grains from around her eyes and from her cheek. A faint grimace as she realised that sand had slid down into her shirt and that the knife hilt which had been digging into her hip all this time had left her a little stiff. She shifted uncomfortably but left it as it was. She could take care of it later.

Her eyes widened slightly as they landed on the huge crabs scuttling away and she watched them for a moment, marvelling, before she reached down towards her other belongings which were scattered beside the hollow sheâ€™d made in the sand. After a quick check through the impeccably packed backpack and an examination of her bow, arrows and sabre, she hoisted the pack onto her shoulder and set off down the beach.

It only took a little time to realise that she had sand in her shoes as well. Ugh. Oh well.

She stopped at the beginning of the small path, looking consideringly at the little sign. Hmmm. A frown tugged at the elf woman's lips. The gods will provide. She stood there for a minute or two, thoughtful, before she finally shrugged to herself and carefully laid down all her weapons, including the bow and quiver. Once this was done, she started up the path.

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Mon Mar 17, 2003 1:35 pm

As Drinya walked up the path she was now on, she passed by large fields. In the distance there were well tended fields, replete with crops gently swaying in the mild breeze that swept the Isle. Although she could see people working, she felt herself drawn along the path, and could not veer away to investigate these fields, or the attendant farmers.

Soon she found herself approaching a collection of white buildings. The path ended on a dusty square, in front of what was clearly the centrepiece of the settlement, if one could call it that. The entrance, marked by two huge marble pillars, had no doors, only a deep, inviting darkness, that pulled at her very soul to enter, in fact Drinyr found the pull of the entrance almost unbearable.

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Tue Mar 18, 2003 7:46 am

The elf's eyes swept over the fields and their farmers with a brief flicker of curiosity that was overwhelmed by that strange compulsion to follow the path. It was a pleasant walk, one that she might linger on another time had she felt a little less of this unusual...urgency.

At the end of the path, she continued on towards the centre of the square, soft footsteps stirring little clouds on the dusty ground. Ahh... The natural caution of her psyche hesitated a little at the blackness of the entrance, but the pulling sensation drew her on. Onwards into the embrace of the darkness.

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 9:47 am

As Drinyr entered the hall her eyes were drawn to the middle of the temple, where light fell in through the roof. There was a pool right under it, sparkling in the sunlight. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness she saw four small channels run away from the pool, where overflown water would be easily drained. At the far end of the pool a large decorative construction hang over the pool, almost like an aquaduct. The darker coloring than the rest of the stone suggested water flowed regularly from its top, about ten metres high.

But not now. Everything was quiet, hushed, waiting....

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Wed Mar 19, 2003 10:35 am

Drinyr's ears twitched slightly as the silence pressed down around her. Her eyes tracked a wondering path around the temple as her footsteps slowed with reverence. And though she tried to be as silent as she could, each step she made seemed a coarse, jarring interruption in the quietness to her ears.

The atmosphere of waiting was too pronounced for her to relax completely, but finally, she stopped at the edge of the pool and gazed across at the dry aquaduct, her sight lingering over the decorations.

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 1:02 pm

As Drynyr's eye adjusted to the light further, she noted the blue mosaic that was down in the pool, swirling in geographic forms. The water was probably about half a human's height, making it comfortable for bathing. Yet the atmosphere was so solemn, it hardly seemed an appropriate thought.

Suddenly she heard a gurgling sound, and within seconds water streamed down from the decorative structure with such force as to create a strong waterfall. The rush of sound filled her ears and it was as if just beyond her capability of hearing a thousand voices filled her head.

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Mon Mar 24, 2003 1:21 pm

Drinyr jumped in startlement as the water rushed down, stepping back a pace, two, to avoid getting splashed. As the adrenaline-struck heartbeat gradually slowed and her ears adjusted to the sound of the water, she stood still, just watching the waterfall. For a moment, she forgot to be wary and absorbed herself in the way the light played through the liquid and the thunder of the water. Then her brow furrowed. Was there something...? She closed her eyes and strained to hear.

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 5:58 am

As the waters of the pool calmed, Drinyr looked around the room and noticed a woman in a simple white robe standing to the right. Had she been there before? The woman was old and slightly bend, wrinkles cracking up her coarse face. Certainly she was no beauty. Yet she waited serenely, peace radiating from her face and her hands folded in front of her.

When she saw that the young elf had noticed her she smiled "Blesseth are the new. The gods talk to you, daughter. Are you ready to learn how to listen?"

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Mon Mar 31, 2003 1:13 pm

Drinyr's eyes widened at the sight of the woman, caught off guard once again.

At first sight, her automatic response was distaste at the ugliness of humanity in general as well as youth's arrogance and discomfort at the visible effects of age. Nettled as she was by the day's string of surprises, this reaction showed briefly on her face. She probably had as many years behind her as this human crone...

Then something in the old woman's demeanour caused a touch of shame to rise in the elf's mind and the faintest of blushes coloured her cheeks, particularly as the woman's words registered.

Drinyr bowed deeply in a gesture of apology and respect, more deeply than she perhaps originally would have. After a moment of silence, she straightened and replied in clear elvish, "I am ready to learn, reverend mother."

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Wed Apr 02, 2003 2:17 am

The old lady noticed the play of emotions across the elves face, and the deeper than expected bow, and in responce bowed her head for a moment. When she raised it again clear grey eyes stared out at Drinyr, eyes that seemed to strike to the very core of her soul. Not that you would call them predatory or dangerous, just knowing with the knowledge of ages behind them.

"I can see you are ready to listern to daughter. Cast off your mortal garments and enter the pool of the Oracle. Call to your god and let them speak too you, listern to what they have to say, and be prepared to listern." For such an old frail looking woman, her voice had a resonance that filled the chamber.

OOC: Drinyr this is your invitation, I know you may have already decided your choice of diety, and this is the opportunity to announce it to the Isle.

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Wed Apr 02, 2003 11:02 am

Drinyr raised her head slightly and managed to meet the old woman's gaze steadily, though what the elf saw and heard raised a feeling of awe and uncertainty. Suddenly, she felt very, very young and her heart began to beat faster. She could almost feel the threshold yawning before her, and once she stepped through... A flutter of excitement and apprehension shivered through her.

The elf bowed her head to the old lady once more before she set her backpack down on the floor and carefully, economically unfastened her clothing. The presence of the old lady was mildly distracting now, and her skin prickled under her gaze. She would have liked more privacy to present herself to her god, but...

With a little effort, Drinyr drew her attention away from her awareness of the woman and back to what she was doing and what she was going to do. She crouched down and folded the garments neatly before she stood once more and padded gracefully towards the edge of the pool. Another tremor ran through her before she carefully lowered herself in.

Her eyes widened at the shock of cold water and she had to bite her lip to stop herself from gasping. Steeling herself, she waded to the centre of the pool and closed her eyes, for the woman had told her to listen, and it was easiest to listen without the distraction of sight.

"K'tan, Father, Defender, Lord of the Mountain," she whispered, more humble than she had ever been, yet somehow still proud and straight-backed as she prayed to her god. "This elf has sought You for most of her life, even when she did not realise that it was You she was seeking. And this elf would serve You, if You find her worthy."

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 1:25 pm

As Drinyr stood in the pool, her eyes closed communing with K'tan, she had the uneasy sensation of water rising up her naked legs, before she suddenly felt engulfed by the water. In the back of her head a cruel laugh rang out, to be followed by a bellow of rage.

Begone Vagrez, she is not yours an suddenly her hand was held in the grip of a mighty hand and Drinyr felt herself pulled bodily from the water tha surrounded her.

When she opened her eyes, she was confronted by a steeply rising mountain, and she found herself bereft on a lonely beach at the foot of the mountain, the sea seemingly trying to reach her and drag her back into its cold clutches.

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Mon Apr 07, 2003 1:53 pm

Drinyr hissed in panic as the water abruptly engulfed her and the laughter rang in her mind. She couldn't swim...she'd been raised to distrust the sea and all that it stood for. Her limbs flailed desperately, hopelessly as she called K'tan's name, and then...

The hand that gripped hers was like the mountain's strength...earth's sweet solidity against the terrifying, fluid power of the water.

Deposited on the lonely beach, the elf raised herself on wobbly limbs, dragging herself from the grasping sea. Her body shuddered with huge almost sobbing breaths as she fought to regain control of herself.

She looked up at the mountain before her. "Thank you...thank you, Defender..." she whispered shakily, with all the heartfelt gratitude in her voice.

Drinyr pulled herself to her feet, a little unsteadily on the shifting sands, and looked around, but the mountain was the obvious destination. Barely pausing to brush the sand from her skin, she set off across the beach to seek the Lord of the Mountain.

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 6:54 am

As Drinyr moved away from the ocean, the ebb of the waves subsided, and an almost palpable sense of disappointment suffused her mind.

At the foot of the mountain she could discern a rough track which appearred to ascend, although she lost sight of it as it snaked around the far side of the mountain. The path looked useable, although not well used in recent times, and although it seemed to climb steadily it didn't appear to be overly steep.

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Tue Apr 08, 2003 7:04 am

Drinyr scanned the path thoughtfully. She was all too aware how vulnerable she was right now, and though she was not unfit, she was not used to tramping around naked. On the other hand, the path seemed to be the only way ahead unless she cared to brave the sea again, which was not an option at all.

She nodded slightly to herself and began to climb the path, careful of where she put her feet.

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 4:02 am

As she began her journey up the mountain, the first thing Drinyr came across was a neatly folded piece of finely spun linen, and a pair of basic, but practice looking sandals. In fact, the piece of cloth was actually a simple, but weel mqde shift, which quite remarkably fit the young elf perfectly. Also lieing near by was a stout staff that looked like it would make a fine walking staff.

The actual track was proving to be quite easy to negotiate, and although it didn't appear to have used very often recently, it was quite distinct and easy to follow. The gradient was strangley low, but Drinyr seemed to be climbing quickly.

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Wed Apr 09, 2003 1:40 pm

When Drinyr discovered the little pile, she blinked in surprise, then a rare smile of understanding crossed her lips as she bowed her head and murmured a soft prayer of thanks to K'tan before she bent down and slipped on the shift and sandals. She picked up the staff and continued along her way, observing the odd discrepancy between the gradient and the rate at which she was climbing. It seemed a little...surreal, but then so was this whole little episode.

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 6:49 am

As the young elf proceeded around the mountain, the sea faded from her view, until she was completely shielded from the sea by the bulk of the mountain. Here the nature of the path changed, it was no longer so easy to negotiate, and in fact in places it was damned near impossible.

Although more difficult, the path to the summit was clear, even if it did double back on itself, and looked like a series of criss crossed lines getting steeper as they rose.

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:55 pm

Drinyr did not look back as she climbed, only up towards the summit, blue eyes narrowed in concentration. The going was tough and she found herself becoming a little short of breath, though her natural elven grace eased the path slightly. Not quite enough though, to save her scraped hands and occasional scraped knees for the harder parts where she had to scramble up, and sandals were not really the best footwear for wandering the mountains, especially when rocks started to wedge themselves between the leather and the soles of her feet.

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Tue Apr 15, 2003 8:40 am

But before long she had actually reached the top of the mountain, and looking around she surveyed the breath taking vista, which showed a small mountainous island surrounded by a brilliant aquamarine sea. The island was covered in lush vegitation the clung to the sides of a series of steep, and often rugged looking mountains, although the one she had climbed seemed higher than any other in her view.

At present she was standing a flatish area just near the top of the mountain, where a few stunted conifers seemed to cling to existence, and several small flowering plants struggled to push their way from between the cracks in the rocks which seemed to cover her extended ledge.

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Wed Apr 16, 2003 3:17 pm

As she slowly caught her breath, the elf swept her gaze around the landscape below her, and marvelled in silence. There was something exhilarating about being so high up, and suddenly realising how small she really was in the large scheme of the world. And surrounding the island, the beautiful, treacherous sea, that seemed to go on and on and on. It was humbling, yet she also felt a surge of wonder for the Lord of the Mountain, who kept the vastness of the water at bay.

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 1:49 am

As Drinyr marvelled at the view, she heard a quiet cough from behind her.

Ther sat an older man, well not really a man as such, but too Drinyr's eyes an older elf sat and contemplated her. He was tall, too tall really for an elf, and strongly built, although he seemed to possess the grace of the elvish, even as he sat it was obvious.

Clear violet eyes stared at Drinyr, and the mane of silver hair was held back in a simple leather thong. Great age and wisdom was about the older elfs face, and a look of appraisal was upon his face. He said nothing, and appeared to be waiting for Drinyr to say something.

Drinyr Karet'lorin · Post by **Drinyr Karet'lorin** » Tue Apr 22, 2003 12:59 pm

Ears twitching at the quiet cough, Drinyr turned quickly to face the man behind her. It seemed that everyone was sneaking up on her today, but this time she was not too surprised. Too many odd things had happened today for her to be overly astonished at the appearance of someone in a place which had been empty only a moment earlier, though the wonder the view had inspired remained.

She regarded the older elf solemnly, meeting his gaze respectfully, and for a long moment she was caught, captivated by the weight of his presence. Finally, she managed to tear her eyes away long enough to bow, simply, yet deeply.

"I greet you, my Lord." The young elf's brows twitched in a frown of chagrin as she felt immediately that the title was not quite right, that this male elf was much, much more, but what that was, Drinyr could not express in words. She took a deep breath and continued. "I come to serve the Father, if I may be found worthy."

rhoddin · Post by **rhoddin** » Mon Apr 28, 2003 9:26 am

A twinkle played behind the old elfs eye as he surveyed the elf before him. "So you wish to serve The Father do you? Or do you mean K'tan? They are not one and the same you know, but only one resides here.

"And how would you serve child? Whoever it is you actually wish to serve that is."