The First Big Step (Open to all)

[Silvermaiden]

A small figure stumbled onto the docks as the crowd of other passengers pushed past her to get off the ferry. Once regaining balance and righting herself, she took a quick look behind to see the ferrymen setting up for the next load of travelers that were likely to come by.

She would then slowly turn around to finally take in the sight of the city to which the docks were attached.

Scara Brae.

So this was it. It wasn't as big as Gisela, but it was still a big new place. Then again, she was in a new land altogether. This had been her first time standing somewhere that wasn't on Corone soil.

She took in a deep long look at the buildings that lined the way from the docks into the city, as well as the flood of people moving in that direction. "Wow..." The faint exclamation didn't even reach the ears of the bustling crowd passing her by. However...

"Amazing as it may be, it might be advisable for you to move out of the way, child."

The familiar voice snapped her back to her senses and she promptly made quick pace from the wooden walkway onto the stone of the streets. As she walked, the previous voice spoke up again.

"Watch your step, Delfa, or you'll drown in this sea of people."

"I'm sorry", she replied. "But if I do not find a place to rest my feet, I shall be trampled upon either way..." She then stopped for a moment as a realization hit her. Upon doing so, she was bumped into hard by a passerby and stumbled forward, almost falling face flat onto the stone. "OW!"

"Why did you stop??"

The girl walked over quickly to the nearest wall of whatever building it was attached to and leaned against it, rubbing a hand on her upper back where she had been rammed into. "Sorry. It is just that I realized... that now that we are here... I have no clue as to where we should go. Gran, Nana, and you said I should come here, but now that I am, what do I do now?"

"One's initial inclination might be... the purchase of a map." The voice held a tint of sarcasm to it.

The girl sighed heavily and raised her head to look up at the still blue afternoon sky, continuing to rub her sore back. The day was drawing later already. The ferry ride from Corone to the Scara Brae shores had taken longer than she thought it would, and she was a bit fatigued from the journey. Not that the trip was taxing. It was just boring.

She had gotten her eyeful of the sea during the first hour or so, but that was about it. Despite her marine ancestry she really had no ties to the sea. She had often wondered about it, curious to see the world beneath the waves. However, spending hours staring at a vast field of blue became monotonous after a while.

A sudden low growl from her abdomen brought her out of her recollection and back to the problem at hand.

"Although it sounds like a meal should be first on your agenda", the voice continued.

"I still have some food in my pouch, Mare", she answered. "Besides, it took a large portion of our funds simply to use the ferry. If what Nana and Gran say is true, we'll not be able to afford a meal in a city such as this."

"It is best to at least look, child. Even upon purchasing a map, you'll not make it far with naught but your current rations on hand."

The girl sighed again. "You are right."

After another moment, she raised herself away from the wall and began walking again. Hopefully, Mare would be right as usual and her attempt to find a reasonable meal would be successful.

[The_Black_Pheonix]

An eagle flies in front of her and screaches, holding a bag of food, the eagle flies forwrd and drps it at her feet. "Pheonix!!" A deep voice booms "Where did you go?" A monster of a man walks over and the Eagle flies onto his shoulder. "Oh, you found someone in need of food." He picks the bag up and hands it to her. "Here you go ma'am. It is food my Bird catches and i cook." He tips his hat to her and his unkept red hair flutters a little. If you need a place to stay i can help you. I stay just outside of the town in a little glade. It is better than nothing but if you dont want to you dont have to"

He walks off through the people and everybody gives him a somewhat wide walkway.

"Follow me if you want to accept my offer."

[Silvermaiden]

"AH!!" The girl shrieked as the bird flew into her face and screeched, causing her to stumble back in surprise and fall back hard onto her rear against the stone. She then looked down at the ground in front of her where the bag of food had been dropped.

After looking seriously puzzled, she rose her head to look up at the towering man before her as he approached. Her blue and amber eyes stared widely at him as he spoke. What a behemoth! She'd never seen anyone so big before! Yet he spoke kindly and with no malice as he picked up and offered the bag to her, which she promptly took. As he made his offer and began to walk off, she rose slowly, noticing the wide berth the crowd gave him to walk past. She had only taken a single step in the direction he went before a demanding voice stopped her.

"Where are you going?"

"He said he had more food and a place to sleep too", she replied.

"Delfa, use your head! Only 15 minutes here and already you've forgotten not to trust strangers?!"

"But he was kind enough to give me food, after all..." As she said this, she opened up the bag to look at its contents... and her face promptly wrenched into a grimace. "Wh... Wh-What is THIS?!"

"Is that thing even dead yet??"

"I... I'm not sure...", She started to feel a bit ill.

"Get rid of it!"

She had no objection to the suggestion and quickly closed the bag and dropped it back to the stone. She shivered a bit as the image of whatever was in the bag was burned into her sight for a moment.

"You see what I mean now? Don't be so quick to trust from now on!"

"I'm sorry", said she in a defeated tone. She then looked back down the direction the man had gone. He was out of view by now and the crowd had begun moving like normal again. Yet she continued to stare in his direction. "...What a strange person..."

[Alearto]

A nearby shadow seemed to fade slightly, revealing a young man draped in a black cloak, turning a small mirror over casually in his hands. He was leaned comfortably against the same wall as the girl, and though he wasn't plainly visible a moment ago he seemed as though he'd been standing there for a while.

Angling the simple mirror in his hands so that he could see the shorter girl's face without turning to her directly, he spoke.

"You know, I haven't been here very long, but it seems to me that even in these parts it's considered unusual to carry on conversations with yourself. I don't think anyone here is listening anyhow, but still..."

[Silvermaiden]

((Not sure if this is known or if I should point it out, but for the sake of argument, I'll go ahead and note this. When Mare speaks, it can be heard by anyone, not just Delfa. Though since there's noone there but her, I guess it could seem like she's talking to herself. Though it's a different voice from her own.))


"Ah..!" Delfa emitted a slight sound of surprise as she turned to look over her shoulder at the person speaking. "Oh, but I wasn't..." She stopped herself before she could finish. She'd forgotten for a moment that she was supposed to avoid telling others about Mare. Instead, she displayed a look of embarrassment and nodded towards the cloaked figure. "That is...er...Yes...You have a point, sir. I'm sorry...I mean...Thank you."

After looking flustered for several moments, she regained composure with a snap of her body and took a step towards the man to beg a question. "Oh! Sir... Pardon me, but would you know the nearest place where I might be able to purchase a map?"

[The_Black_Pheonix]

The man keeps walking out of town and when he gets back to his glade he notices a bag of food sitting on the ground with some steam rising from it. "Crap. Pheonix you grabbed the wrong bag." The man Picks up the other bag and starts to run back to where the girl was. It takes him about five minutes to get back there and he stops in front of the girl. "Im sorry ma'am. Pheonix here grabbed the wrong bag."He opens it up and shows her a stew in a clay bowl. "Here, take this instead. Please excuse my bird mistake, he gets excited sometimes and grabs the wrong things." He hands her the bowl. "My name is Jack. It is a pleasure to meet you." He sticks out his mamoth of a hand.

[Silvermaiden]

While awaiting an answer from the cloaked man, her attention was redirected to the huge man in red as he bounded back up to her suddenly. She took a step backward with widened eyes as he approached, unsure of how to react.

Her eyes shrunk back to normal as he explained himself, and she let out a small sigh of relief. She kindly took the new bag of food from him with a gracious "Thank you" and a polite nod.

When he gave his name and offered his hand, she slowly raised her own hand, tiny in comparison to his own, and joined it with his in greeting. Her small hand would practically disappear within his fist during the handshake.

"It is nice to make your aquaintance as well, sir. Thank you again." Her eyes glanced between the huge man before her and the cloaked figure to her side.

[The_Black_Pheonix]

You notice that his handshake is delicate and not overpowering. "May i ask your name ma'am?" He asked as his Eagle lands on his shoulder, It's feathers shining in the sunlight. His hand reaches up and pets the bird. "He has a good heart though. He always means well and loves helping pretty ladies......as do I."

[Alearto]

((That's what I thought, but I wasn't sure so I didn't want to commit to it... If anything, I guess he wasn't able to differentiate between the two voices. Or something. o.O Sorry about that.))

Pondering for a moment, Alearto peered around.

"I'm afraid I haven't been around long enough to be sure, but with as much trading as there is here I assume there would be maps at the place where they register the ships... Which would be the, ah... Shipping registry. I think."

Pocketing the mirror and throwing off his hood to reveal a youngish face with black hair, he extended his own hand to the pair for whomever took it first.

"Jack, Miss, I'm Alearto Akatriel. Glad to meet you both."

[Silvermaiden]

"Oh... Uh..." She noticed his gentle handshake, but hesitated a bit. She was hesitant about passing her name to people she just met. The childlike girl blinked a bit at the "pretty lady" comment. It was the first time someone other than her grandparents had called her pretty. And certainly the first time she'd been called "lady" without the word "young" placed before it.

She then looked over as the cloaked man spoke and lowered his hood, also offering his name. If Jack had released her hand by then, she would offer it to Alearto in greeting as well. So quick to give names here, she thought. Perhaps it is alright if I give mine this once. They seem to be nice enough people.

"Pleasure to meet you both, sirs. My name is Delfa." She would then look between the two men to see who would speak next.

[The_Black_Pheonix]

"It is a Pleasure to meet you Alearto."He shakes Aleartos hand after Delfa. He cracks his knuckles with sickening cracks. "Sorry about that, my fingers hurt."

[Silvermaiden]

She looked up at Jack as he cracked his knuckles and her eyes blinked widely at the action. After a moment or so, she looked back to Alearto and then back to Jack once more. "Excuse me, sir. But would you also happen to know the nearest place in this city in which I might purchase a map?"

[Alearto]

Satisfied that they were all properly introduced, Alearto retracted his hand and scratched his chin thoughtfully.

"If you want, Delfa, I'll go look at the shipping registry and see if they do have any maps; frankly, I could use one myself. Especially since I don't know where the registry is anyway."

[Silvermaiden]

She looked back at Alearto and tapped a finger under cheek subconciously as she thought. "Then perhaps we should venture there together. I do not know where this 'registry' is located either, but I've just ventured from the docks myself. Perhaps that is the best place to begin looking for it?"

[The_Black_Pheonix]

"Do not worry. I have an extra map i swiped earlier." He puts his hand into his shirt and pulls out a piece of Parchment.

[Silvermaiden]

She turned back towards Jack and looked up at him, her eyes blinking a few times in surprise. "Swiped?" she questioned. "You mean you stole it from someone?" Her expression lay somewhere between surprised and distressed at that moment as she awaited an answer.

[The_Black_Pheonix]

"Yup. I am a Pirate. Theiving and The Ocean are my fortes." He smiles and twirls the map in his hand. "I cant help it." His smile disapears and he rubs his head. "Do not worry. I will not steal from people that i know."

[Silvermaiden]

She continued to look uneasy even after Jack's statement. She folded her arms behind her, clasping her hands together at the small of her back, and lowered her head slightly as she closed her eyes.
"I am sorry", she stated. "But I cannot rightly accept anything that was stolen from someone. It's against my principles. I think it best to purchase another with my own funds."

[Alearto]

In spite of Jack's reassurances, Alearto found himself draping one arm over his satchel protectively.

"I think Delfa's right. No offense, you know. Just... I don't know. Doesn't seem too... ethical."

He peered around the crowded area thoughtfully.

"I... don't suppose that map happens to show where we could buy a map, does it?"

[The_Black_Pheonix]

"No problem. It does show us that." He unfolds the map and they looked it over and found where the directory was. "That should do it." He says and throws the map in the air. As the map is falling back down Pheonix grabs it and takes off. "Take it back to it owner Pheonix."

[Silvermaiden]

Delfa watched curiously as Jack tossed up the map. Her mouth then dropped as she saw the bird catch it and fly off with it at Jack's command.

She looked back at Jack and her face turned thoughtful for a moment. What unusual people, she thought. Everyone back home was right. There are many strange and different people in these lands. I wonder what others I will run across as time goes on? I suppose Mare is correct, though. I should be careful. Although, these two certainly do not appear threatening. I wonder if they are here for the same reason I am. Her eyes shifted between the two as she contemplated this. The large one says he is a pirate... I wonder what he would be doing here. Do pirates not stay in the sea? And what of this dark dressed man? He's a bit mysterious... so darkly dressed in such warm weather. I wonder what it's all about?

Her gaze went to the stone for a moment. What if they are headed in the same direction I am? I wonder what I should do?

[Oriseus]

"Damnit," said a rather disappointed Oriseus as he stepped out of the last local tavern he could find in the great city of Scara Brae. All the bulletins filled with work accounted for by other desperate adventurers trying to make a living away from home, just like him. A very familiar tale. When it came to blending into the crowd, it was quite easy for the ranger. He had all the facial features that recognized him as a member of society. He seemed kindhearted on the outside, just like every other citizen of Scara Brae. Keeping one hand on the hilt of his sword as he passed by pedestrians, his eyes looked left and right to glance at every new person that had just got off the ferry. Just another handful of people looking for something to do, or somewhere to settle down.

The ranger came to an immediate halt in his stride when a bird just darted right infront of him, and whizzed past to head down in the direction the newcomers were going. He was a little surprised, but he didn't like making himself seem too.. vulnerable. Oriseus cast his eyes in the direction of where the winged creature had come from, and caught sight of three people sitting aside from the road. Perhaps avoiding getting caught in traffic. Nevertheless, the rather large man in red caught his attention. The guy was massive. Perhaps it was his sheer size that gave Oriseus the impression that he was handing out work. Yes, if it were Ori's guess, he'd say they're wealth pays off, especially when they can hand out rewards to those that are more than capable of doing the simplest of tasks.

Approaching the three was a difficult task, but from what he saw, he may have to hurry. He interpreted the other two people as more travelers seeking adventure, and the tall man acting as a gateway to their aching to swing whatever weapons they carried. Maybe they required money, as well. Who knew? Still, doubt of actually being able to do something passed through Ori's mind. He did walk over to the three, but at a pace that'd let the two get away with the task they were supposedly discussing. He didn't want to intrude on business, so he found his place a little ways down the wall they were around, leaning back against it. His eyes only studied them momentarily, before they moved up to look at the sky. It always seemed to look wonderful around the port, for reasons unknown to him, and are better left a mystery.

They don't look like they're around here, he thought to himself, letting his eyes wander back to the three. Especially her. She seems so.. different. Oriseus tucked his mouth into the front of his cloak, using it like a scarf to make sure they couldn't read his lips if they spotted him talking to himself quietly. His arms crossed over his chest when it seemed like their conversation just wasn't going to end. He frowned, and closed his eyes. They got it. The different people always get the tasks. How can people put their trust in such strangers so easily? I'll just never understand.

[Silvermaiden]

As she thought on, she looked back up at the two men near her in time to catch sight of the new arrival who placed himself against the wall near their location. She took a long look at him, mostly at his clothing, seeing that he, too, was darkly dressed. Her unusual eyes blinked noticeably twice, but other than that, she seemed to pay him no mind. He appeared as one who wished to be left alone, seeing that he did not approach them further.

Curiousity beckoned, however, and she looked up at the other two men with whom she was already conversing. "Forgive me for asking, but... Why are so many dressed in such dark attire? Is it meant that all people here should dress as such? I would think it otherwise uncomfortable during such warm weather."

[The_Black_Pheonix]

"There is somone trying to sneak up on us." Jack says as he turns his head ans looks at Ori. "Who are you and what do you want?" He shouts "Stop trying to sneak up on us and just walk over here." Jack finishes and cracks his neck. "Hello Pheonix, i see your back." He says as the bird land on his shoulder."And as to your qeustion I do not know why people were darker clothes. It might be that everybody looks good in blackish colors."

[Silvermaiden]

((seeing as noone else is replying yet, I might as well.))

She listened to Jack as he answered her question and as he noted the new arrival. Her eyes glanced over at the man once more in curiousity. "Sneak up on us?"

[Alearto]

((Sorry about the delay, I've been a little preoccupied, since I'm moving. Check the link in my signature for details.))

For the moment ignoring the newcomer nearby, Alearto looked down at his own clothes and then at the garb of those around him.

"Hm. Yes, I guess most peole are wearing dark clothes. I don't know about anyone else, but for myself it's purely practical," He removed his cloak as he continued, draping it over his arm, "I'm what's called a photomancer. I'm able to manipulate the movement of light. And having clothing which either absorbs or reflects light, depending on my needs, makes it easier for me to move the light around me. That's why my cloak is double-sided."

At this, he turns back a corner of his black cloak to reveal the stark white interior.

"If I wrap myself in a white cloak, it's that much easier for me to 'bend' light around myself. And doing that lets me turn invisible in daylight. In darkness, wearing black clothing makes it easier to absorb light, so I can blend into the shadows."

Satisfied with his response, he finally glanced in the direction Jack and Delfa were peering, seeing the newcomer against the wall.

"He's sneaking up on us? Looks like he's just standing there staring at the sky."

[Silvermaiden]

((AH, ok. That's understandable. Thanks for letting me know))

She glanced back at Alearto and stared at him curiously after his explanation. Her interest was piqued by this 'photomancy' thing he had just described. Certainly, she'd never heard of it before, nor had she ever come across anyone with such an ability. She was curious to learn more about this skill.

"Photomancy?" she repeated the term. "I have never heard of that skill. I would be most anxious to learn more about it though. It sounds very intriguing."

[The_Black_Pheonix]

((I am sorry for my delay as well because i can only get on at school and thanksgiving just passed, as you know, and i was not able to get online.))

He looks at Alearto as he explains. "I have heard of Photomancy but i thought it wasn't true. I was told it could be one of the most powerful skills there is." He looks at the newcomer. "I wonder why he hasnt moved yet."

[Silvermaiden]

Her gaze turned back to Jack as he spoke, noting his mention of the new arrival once again. She blinked and gave a slight raise of the brow. "If you believe he wishes to be part of our discussion, then perhaps we should ask."

Indeed, though she had already passed twenty, her naive nature matched her young appearance. She took two short steps towards the cloaked Oriseus and spoke with an honest voice. "Pardon, sir. Is there something you need help with? Or did you wish to join in on our conversation at all?"

[The_Black_Pheonix]

Jack Stands behind her and puts his hand on River Master and looks at him. "Do you?"

[Oriseus]

As if it was bad enough to be spotted by the three adventurers, the oaf in red had to make a scene by raising his voice. A couple of citizens even gave a crude glare to the one that was pronounced 'spying' on others' business. His response was a simple lowering of his head, sighing in pity for the man who was born without much intellect. Some should learn to think before they act. When the giant bird had returned and perched on its owner's shoulder, Oriseus glanced up at the creature and smirked to himself. He found it rather ironic that the very thing that almost lopped his head off and stepped out of line belonged to such an intimidating man by appearance, with the mind of an infant. He didn't bother to speak out against the bulky man. He'd rather take care of business away from the public.

Their conversation dragged on a little more, before more mention of him was brought up again. Why hadn't he moved? That's a question he had to ask himself, as well. He had three people who were obvious curious as to his motive for just standing out of the road and parking himself nearby. He got what he wanted, yet he still did not bother to step forward and enter the conversation. He concluded that his hypothesis was incorrect about the tall man issuing jobs. He couldn't do anything, even if he tried.. but the way he spoke out and acted led Oriseus to believe he was the type to not accept others' aid. The egotistical, arrogant prick, who had much to learn of the world, yet.

As the woman made her approach, Ori's alluring forest green eyes glanced up and her, and quickly observed her bodily movement as she came close. Like many, he must've had an attraction to her beauty, but then again, it must've been a common reaction for her. He didn't look like he was his proper age, either. Though in his early twenties, the loss of wrinkles and minor facial structure detail made one believe he was in his late twenties, just passing the line of adulthood. Her question brought enough of his attention to sweep his back off the wall, and push himself off and onto both feet. He raised his lips out of his cloak, and offered a rather kindhearted smile towards the young lady. He seemed just as polite as any other Scarabrian.

"Well, there is something I need help with.." he began, speaking rather softly, just enough for the girl to hear behind the mindless babbling of passing strangers. "..but I don't think I'd be able to find what I'm looking for here. Not unless you have some sort of task that needs doing." When the brute of the three quickly found his place at the lady's side, Oriseus could not help but to laugh amongst himself. How rich. The man seemed to be a little too protective of the woman to know any better, acting without thinking once again. How dare he even threaten brandishing what weapon he carried that Oriseus could easily spot on his hip? Did he not know he could be arrested for such actions in a city?

"Sorry, forgive my humour," Oriseus apoligized to both the woman and the man. "It's just quite an entertaining sight to watch someone who knows nothing of common sense judge a total stranger so rationally." With that remark, the ranger threw his eyes over to the pet the man had perched on his shoulder. "You may want to keep an eye on that creature. Beasts that fly so low to the ground may threaten the odd citizen here in Scara Brae. And trust me.. they do not take such seemingly hostile behaviour lightly."

[The_Black_Pheonix]

"No you trust me, Pheonix is the best flyer i know of and ha sonly hit thigs i have told him to hit. And If youre refferring to me as having no common sense i would rethink that. Anyone with common sense would be apprehensive of someone who stands there and spies on him and two companions." He moves his hand up and pets Pheonix. "If you felt threatened by my hand being near my sword I am srry for that. But you speak as if you are young and you look older than you are." He reaches out to shake his hand. "My name is Jack and it is a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." He stands there and waits for him to take his hand or leave it.

[Silvermaiden]

The waifish young woman matched her gaze with Oriseus as she listened to him, taking no notice to the obvious beauty of his eyes. When it came to the opposite sex, she was still rather inexperienced in the matter and rather oblivious to what made the other gender 'attractive'.

She responded at the end of his first statement with a simple "Oh, I see". Then came his mention of Jack's lack of intelligence and his warning of the large pirate's bird. Her head turned side to side between the two men just enough to watch their faces as Jack offered his retort to the apparent insults, then as he seemed to offer his hand in greeting.

She was a bit at a loss. Her first inclination from their dialogue had been a feeling of malice passing between the two. However, now Jack was offering his hand. It left her slightly confused. Perhaps she was reading their actions wrong?

She just stood idly between the two for the time being with no expression, folding her arms behind her and clasping her hands at the small of her back once again. She would wait for Oriseus to respond before speaking again.

[The_Black_Pheonix]

He looks over to Delfa and smiles at her, notices her awe as how she thought we weremalicous to each other. "We just got off on the wrong foot." He adds to Oriseus.

[Oriseus]

Oriseus stared at the pirate intently as he tried to gather what wisdom he could and muster up a retorting speech. It was his one opportunity to prove the ranger one, and in the end.. it somewhat succeeded. Frankly, the young man wasn't all too fond of listening to the brute, who rambled on about his bird and tried to speak out against him. He just didn't really care about what he had to say. He heard all the offensive comments and let downs in his youth, and learned overtime to just ignore it. The problem was he did come to Scara Brae to affiliate himself with other young travelers like himself. When the hand was extended, the kindhearted nature of Oriseus showed once again, and without so much as a moment of thought, he put on a small smile and shook the man's hand.

"Pleasure's all mine.. Jack," he said, holding himself back at first. He wasn't used to introducing himself to people. Everyone in Uthia just knew him through his parents. "My name is Oriseus. Oriseus Dargonis." The ranger glanced over at the woman momentarily, catching her reaction at the corner of his eye, before the man had spoken again. "Yes, yes. Totally misunderstood each other," he answered, smiling again.

After finally letting his hand drop back to his side, Oriseus frowned. Those that knew him saw that as casual. He eyed the bird once again. "So.. you're pet, there.." he muttered, trying to start up some sort of conversation. To some degree, he was a little jealous of the pirate. Even if he wasn't around people, he still had that one friend he could count on being there for him. Although Oriseus was more of an independant worker, his travels did come off rather lonely, on the way to Scara Brae's port. Plenty of nights he could recall of just sitting back at the local tavern the midst of all the groups of buddies, at a table for four. Alone.

"How did you.. How did you manage to tame such a creature?" he asked Jack, scratching the back of his head curiously. "Most animals I come across are domestic, and do not bother coming close to our kind."

[The_Black_Pheonix]

"I have had Pheonix since he was a chick. I saved his life." At the end of the sentence Pheonix Pecks his cheek lightly and he rubs it. "he fell out of his mothers nest and a lizard was going to eat him so i took him and raised him. He is not completely tame and attacks all those who attack me."

He breaks off and stands there. After a moment he takes his hat off and ruffles his hair up. "So, how is it all of you came to know about Scara Brea?" He stands there and Asks.

[Silvermaiden]

Delfa listened intently during the entirety of the conversation until Jack asked his question. She initially figured on staying quiet to allow the others to answer first, but her friendly nature took precedence and she was the first to speak up in reply.

"I have come here for training." Her words were calm and sweet, yet also illustrated an anxiousness. "My grandparents and M-...my teacher recommended I come here to test my abilities. I'm not certain why they believed I should venture so far from home to do so, but nonetheless, I came here for that purpose. Though, honestly, I'm uncertain where I should begin. I'm unfamiliar with this land and, as I have stated, am in need of a map."

[Alearto]

Alearto tried and failed to restrain a chuckle.

"I don't know what to think about you guys, one minute you're serious and the next you're being friendly."

Quieting his laughter to a friendly smirk, he continued. "Seriously, though, I think we've all been keeping Delfa here from finding her map long enough. Not that I'm not fascinated by all the conversation, but I think we can all manage to walk and talk at the same time, right? Jack, why don't you lead the way, since you saw the place to buy maps on the map you stole and then returned?"

Waiting expectantly for a moment, he suddenly remembers his manners. "Oh, and Oriseus, the name's Alearto Akatriel. Nice to meet you."

[The_Black_Pheonix]

Jack looks at Alearto and smiles then turns to Delfa. "Yes we should be getting her a map." He turns in the direction of the Ship directory and walks off gesturing them too folow."

[Silvermaiden]

Once Jack began walking off, Delfa turned and followed immediately after. She did not presume that the other two would follow, so she wondered if they would do so. She would do her best to keep up with the towering man's pace, as his long legs would give him a much greater stride than her own.

As she walked, her keen ears would pick up a voice coming off her shoulder. It spoke in a language the other three would likely not know, and low enough to keep others from hearing. "I thought I told you not to be so trusting." Mare's words were much like that of a scolding parent. It was her teacher after all. Much like a serogate parent in the absence of a normal guardian. "You have just met these men. What leads you to believe they will not do you harm?" "I understand what you mean", she replied. Her own voice was lowered to a mumble as she responded in the same dialect Mare was using. To others passing by, she would simply appear to be talking to herself. "But, since I have just arrived, I must accept what help is offered for the time being." She held up the bag of food given to her by Jack earlier, having still been holding it in her hand. She looked at it as she went on. "After all, they all seem to be decent people thus far. Not everyone in the world can be as bad as you all say." She lowered the hand with the bag back to her side and shifted her gaze forward again to watch the back of the large pirate walking in front of her. "But I promise I will be cautious. We've just arrived, so we've yet to see who or what else may cross our path."

Though Mare could not truly express it's feelings, the air of its apparent apprehension was still rather tangible and Delfa could sense it. "I simply hope you are cautious, child. Would be a pity to have our relationship severed by unfortunate circumstances." "Don't worry", Delfa stated. "It's too early for me to die anyway. I have the whole world to see before that happens."

[The_Black_Pheonix]

Jack never turns but he speaks directly to you. "You should speed up."

[Silvermaiden]

Delfa heard Jack call for her to speed up her pace and did so, making quicker strides with her short legs. As she did her best to catch up with him, she took a brief glance behind her to see if Oriseus or Alearto were following along.

[Alearto]

With a sidelong glance at Oriseus, Alearto fell in beside Delfa, following Jack through the crowded streets. The pirate's massive size parted the ocean of bodies with ease, splitting the crowd apart and allowing the somewhat smaller Alearto and much smaller Delfa to to follow easily in his wake. A short distance behind them, the crowd closed in again, creating a bubble of space around the figures trailing Jack.

Alearto glanced down at Delfa as he walked beside her. "So, what are you going to do with this map once you get it? I mean, is there someplace you're trying to get to? No offense, but you seem kind of young to be someplace as busy as this without knowing where you're going."

[Silvermaiden]

Delfa glanced up at Alearto as he spoke to her, displaying a curious look as she thought about the answer to his question. "Well, to be honest, I truly do not know where to go yet. I suppose I am young, but I came here so that I could train against some of the things I may find here. Though, I am not sure exactly what I will find." She paused her words briefly. "Which is why I need a map, so I can determine where I should begin adventuring. I have never been here before, after all, so I really do not know where I should head to first until a map shows me which places are accessible."

[The_Black_Pheonix]

Jack stops and turns. "You are a smart adventurer then Delfa. You are going to be trained in protection against anything harmful to you. I suggest when you get the map you go to a training Dojo."

[Silvermaiden]

Delfa stopped as Jack did and blinked her eyes curiously at his statement. " 'Dojo'? What is a...'dojo'?"

[The_Black_Pheonix]

"A dojo is a place that trains you in certain arts, or thats what they are called where i am from." He cracks his neck and resumes walking "The master of the art they teach is your sensei." He continues "You listen to him and always say 'Sensei' when you talk to him. That is where i learned boxing. My sensei's name was Steve."

[Silvermaiden]

Dojo...?...Sensei...? She wasn't familiar at all with these words. However, she thought about it as he explained and she came to her own conclusion. "Oh!....You mean perhaps that a 'dojo' is a school? And that a 'sensei' is your teacher?"

[The_Black_Pheonix]

"Yes, you could explain it that way. The teacher teaches you to fight or trains you."
He sighs and keeps walking.

[Oriseus]

"Heh.. funny." At long last, Oriseus decided to enter the conversation. "It does not surprise me that you are a foreigner, Jack.." the ranger muttered, walking up next to him. His eyes met the chest of the pirate, but before he spoke any further, he tossed his head up, and let his smirk go off announced to the man. "In Scara Brae, we do not call our schools of learning dojos, nor do we call our instructors sensei."

Leave it to the only true citizen of the land to point strangers in the right direction. Oriseus lowered his head back to the ground, so that he could watch his feet carry him as he made a suggestion aloud. Of course, Delfa was the one who seemed to want to know her way around, but perhaps his information is worth being heard by the rest of the group.

"We do have schools here, but they are for the more fortunate children, who were raised in a wealthy family. Students that attend usually wind up turning into fine noblemen. Possibly even guards of our land. A select few graduates possess enough skill to become a Scara Knight. However, there are other small schools in cities that are less populated, where just about any pupil may have the right to attend. I only graduated recently back in my hometown, Uthia."

It was a comforting thought to give a little bit of his background to these people. Why they made him feel so open, he could not answer without serious thought. Maybe he just wasn't thinking then, and just decided by sharing his own experiences that it could perhaps prove to the group that he was speaking words of wisdom and truth.

"My best advice though, if you're looking for adventure that delivers pay, is to go to the closest local tavern. They usually have boards where citizens put up advertisements for those hoping to get some cash. The system is pretty simple. One writes on a piece of paper a brief description of what needs to be done, what's offered for doing the task, and their address. They stick their request on the board, where adventurers look for something interesting to do. When they find this piece of paper, they go find the one who wrote it, and then they discuss the matter in private."

"There is another method to adventuring here. Usually the outskirts of cities hold some sort of ground where creatures and the like dwell. You're bound for some experience if you go without a task, but it does not deliver pay in cash. It basically fulfills your joy of adventuring."

Oriseus looked over to Delfa, who walked on his right, seeing as how he cut right in between her and Jack, and offered a smile.

"The first big step, I'd reckon, is to make a decision on what you want to set out into the world for. Do you want to serve others and help answer their prayers? Or would you rather go out simply for your own reasons, and satisfy yourself by seeing the world, and making memories to share with your loved ones?"

[Silvermaiden]

The look on Delfa's face was a still expression of interest, illustrating that she was listening intently to every word that Oriseus spoke. In this speech, he answered several questions she still had stocked in her mind, no longer necessitating her having to ask them later. There were a few points where she felt like speaking up, but remained silent and attentive as he continued. When he ended with his question, though, she dropped her eyes to the ground, subconsciously scratching her cheek as she thought carefully about her response.

After a few moments of deliberation, she raised her gaze back to him to answer. "Well, truthfully, I do have an aim to see the world someday. After all, this is the first time I've been this far away from home. Although, I do not want to be away from Gran and Nana too long. They may need me for the harvesting season again soon.

But as for now, I really have no aim in being here at this time other than improving my skills. Gran, Nana, and...my teacher, said I should come here since it had more opportunities to do so. Although, I do not truly know why I had to come all this way. As I understand it, there should be other places back in Corone that I could have gone. But they recommended I come here to train, so I have.

I am interested in what you mentioned before, though. About this thing you described with others asking for help with things. It sounds much like the errands I would run back home. Do you think perhaps they would present possible opportunities to test my skills?"

[The_Black_Pheonix]

"I am here solely for my own reasons. I just came here recently and where i come from i was born, raised, and grew up helping my father maintain his Dojo. About three years ago, when i was 18 i left." He stops and sighs. "I joined a band of pirates who needed a captain. I showed up and challenged the first mate to a hand to hand combat. I won and took over the ship, keeping him as my first mate." He resumes walking "About a year ago i found out that the navy had killed my father and mother. I went back there and sought to revenge them. I killed the top three Naval officers and had to flee with my crew. About six months ago we fleed from Gaia to here. I have been here ever since, searching for my crew."

[Oriseus]

No matter how hard the ranger tried to not delve too deep into concentration, Oriseus could not help but to grow interested in the stories these travelers had begun to share with him. He laughed at himself in his mind, thinking Oh jeez.. What have I done?, as he averted his emerald eyes to once again watch his feet as they carried him across town. He couldn't really feel himself even moving them. It was as if they already knew where they were going, and Ori was just lucky enough to join in for the ride.

Both stories intrigued himm due to the fact both Delfa and Jack turned out to be from a far off land. Somewhere far away from the likes of Scara Brae. He had that yearning in his heart to see just how far the world of Althanas went. He heard stories. Folklore from the storytellers of Uthia, mentioning the great halls of The Citadel, the frozen wastelands of Salvar, and other wonders that made the people of his village question the Gods. How could they have made something so big. An entire world from the weather, to even time itself. He exhaled a long sigh, and looked over to Delfa first.

"Corone. I have heard of that place," Oriseus commented, offering a bright smile to her. "From what I've heard, the land plays host to the deepest forest. I can not begin to tell what I would offer just to walk through such a land." Oriseus brushes a few rebellious strands of dark hair away from his eyes, hoping to imprison them behind his ear, but moments after fixing the problem, they fell back like they had just belonged there. "I've only just set out into Scara Brae. I haven't left shore as of yet. My plans are to prepare myself for whatever journey fate leads me toward. I allow opportunity that is open to me the honor of guiding me. I'll find my place in the world someday, and wherever it is I am led, I am expected to be grateful."

Oriseus glances over to Jack, and slowly nods his head to him. He overheard what the pirate had said, and felt as if he should be recognized for sharing himself with the others. "You sound alot like I, Jack," he replied. "I recently left my parents to see the world. I hope.. I shall not have to suffer the same fate as your blood, and I am sorry for your loss. If you are searching for a crew, my suggestion would be to get yourself affiliated with one of the many guilds around the port. There are bound to be fellow lovers of the sea that wish to see the sights and find lost treasures deep within the realms of the unknown. You have done the right thing by looking for friends, but the allies with knowledge of the sea would be back the way we came from."

"Now Delfa," Oriseus began once again, turning back to the young lady. "Your skills should be easily tested with what tasks the men and women of Scara Brae have that need be done. Your better off looking for work around the city first. It could test you for when you get your map. Get used to the city if you are to be staying for even a couple weeks. The Scourge do not show sympathy for strangers of our land. Until you know you're capable in combat, it may also be a good idea not to travel after nightfall."

[Silvermaiden]

Delfa nodded in understanding about his suggestions and warnings. "I understand. And I'm very thankful for you telling me so. I am still learning how to fight. As it is one of the reasons for my being here. And I would hate to run into such trouble."

She looked around the area as they walked. She hoped they would reach the right location for her to buy a map soon. She was now anxious to go about this idea of "looking for a job" and see if it would prove to be a worthy venture.

[The_Black_Pheonix]

Jack Stops and puts his arm out, effectively stopping Ori and Delfa. "We are here. I will leave you now, I have bussiness to take care of." Jack says then turns around and starts to walk off.

As he starts walking a piercing screech echoes all around. "Pheonix!" Jack sets off at a run and is soon joined by Pheonix Flying pretty hard to keep up with jacks huge, muscular legs. "WHat is going on Pheonix?" Jack say as he runs along. After a few screeches from Pheonix Jack stops and puts his head into his hands. "No, it cant be."

"MOVE!!!!' Jack screams at the top of his lungs as he sets off at a run back to the dock and jumps into the water. "I must get to her. Pheonix, go help her out until i get there." Jack grabs hold on an anchor that was rising up and Pheonix flies off.

[Oriseus]

The ranger came to an immediate halt in his actions once he felt a large arm brush up against his chest and stopping him in his tracks. It was uncalled for, but it was one effective method to get a couple people to stop dead in their tracks. Oriseus didn't need the pirate's hand to slow him down, though. He knew well enough where he was going, having spent a good day's worth in the city. Even though the ranger had a forgiving heart, something about the way Jack acted just pestered him. On the rare occasion, he felt tempted to sap him in the back with the hilt of his dagger. Nevertheless, he had to act grateful to him, and display some manners.

"Thank you, Jack. Hope your business goes well. Take care," Oriseus said, almost as if hinting him on to leave before the goodbye became too sentimental for the pirate. Sooner or later that large man was bound to attempt to pull a fast one on the innocent who was looking for a map.

Now that Jack was out of the question, Oriseus could feel little more relaxed, lowering his shoulders and letting them fall. Walking next to a giant really takes awhile to get used to. Now it was just Delfa, and the other man, who seemed to be a lot like him. They both didn't really talk much unless they deemed it necessary, and he was under the assumption he already forgot his name, just like he did his.

Oriseus approached a rather short, bulky man who was standing infront of his wagon. He wore baggy hide clothing, and the only significant items he carried were the rolled up maps tucked into the pouch of a rusty grey apron blacksmiths would wear while at work. The man had grown a beard, with no intention to enter a beauty contest. The ranger's guess was that it compensated for the loss of hair on his head.

"Excuse me, sir," the ranger kindly spoke out, stepping around Delfa to confront him face to face. The man simply stood in place, wavering back and forth by lifting himself up on his tippy-toes every so often. "How much for a map of the city? This fair lady is a stranger to the land, and is looking for your best offer."

"Travelers get map free," the man said, not allowing his loss of use of the common language bring down his strong spirit. He laughed and pulled a scroll out of his pouch that held the others, and offered it to Delfa, extending his hand passed Oriseus and forcing him to step out of his way so that he could get a good look at her.

"We expect to hear great things from ye, milady," he said, bowing his head. "May Y'edda bring ye fortune from this day henceforth."

[Silvermaiden]

((sorry for delays in posting. Been unexpectedly busy -_- ))

Delfa halted at Jack's motion along with the others and looked over at the man before the wagon. Finally. Now with a map, she could figure where to go next.

She looked up at Jack to thank him along with Oriseus, bowing her head respectfully. "Thank you very much for your help, sir." And with that she watched along with the other two as the giant pirate walked off.

Her head turned after that to watch Oriseus speak with the man in front of the wagon. It was interesting to see how well Oriseus spoke on her behalf. Then she heard that the map was going to be offered for free. Goodness, this seemed too good to be true! Already, since her arrival, she had been given free food and now was getting a free map. Things were definitely looking well enough that perhaps her meager funds would be able to lot her a bed at an inn tonight after all.

She stepped forward to very graciously accept the map, bowing her head even lower this time in respect. "Thank you so very much, sir. I promise I shall make great use of this gift. It is most appreciated."

She then stood up and held the map within both hands, looking down at it with a look of eager anticipation of possible things to come.

[Oriseus]

As Oriseus watched Delfa accept the man's kind offer, he felt himself so lost within the subject that he did not adhere to the first poke on the shoulder. He felt like he had found a comrade. Someone he felt comfortable journeying with. Guess the idea of setting out in the world soon came a little quick on his part. Fate had its own notion as to how Ori would spend his next few days.

"Ahem."

A cough was forced out of a man's mouth, finally taking the ranger by surprise. Oriseus turned, to come face to face with a man only a little taller than himself, garbed in dark robes. Perhaps he was intentionally shadowing his face. What had he to hide from him.

"I recognize that face. Oriseus Dargonis," he began, chuckling lowly to himself. "We went to school together in Uthia. Didn't see your face around much, save for the minor league nights."

The tone the man brought to Oriseus was intimidating, pressuring him into speaking. The ranger momentarily discarded the man's introduction, and turned back to Delfa. Saying goodbye seemed a little difficult at first, but with that shadow hovering over him, he couldn't help but to cut his adieus short.

"Sorry, Delfa," he muttered softly, closing his eyes and inclining his head. "It appears that business has shown up that must tend to." Not wanting to make the effect of the man behind him seem like it was breaking him completely, the ranger offered a smile, and suddenly stood tall and proud, sighing in slight irritation of the taunting presence over his shoulder. "My prayers to you. May your path be blessed with kindness and hospitality. Farewell."

Just as fast as he could muster up those words, a hand pulled him by the arm, and he was thrown back around to fall victim to the man's vicious grip of his tricep. He was tossed forward a few feet, into the direction he was to walk while conversing with the cloaked figure. Oriseus quickly readjusted, and stood firm and on the defensive. Meanwhile, the man he was to negotiate with for his freedom bowed his head, and crossed his arms over his chest, hiding his gloved leather hands underneath large sleeves. The robes looked like that of those worn by the monks who wished not for their identity to be extinguished while performing their duties.

"Funny. Our schools did not teach such rude and vulgar behavior to students, nor did they encoura-"

"Humour me," the stranger interrupted. Oriseus withdrew from an attempt to speak, and fell silent. After a couple minutes of silence had passed, the two found themselves in a dark alleyway inbetween two opposing merchant shops. The man took an envelope out from up his sleeve, and handed it to Oriseus.

"I have been asked to track down the best pupils I know. You always came out on top in our little club, and outplayed the rest of the students in our late night entertainment. The world is a horrible place to be in right now, Oriseus. Events are being conspired that not even the deities could stop if they had the power to. War.. is approaching."

"Just how do you know me?" Oriseus asked, taking the letter from the man's hand, but not bothering to look at it yet. He was moreso puzzled as to the stranger's face. At every angle he looked at, the ranger could trace one single patch of skin through the sunlight still beaming overhead.

"I already told you. I watched you win many victories in Uthia. But I shall tell you now, child's play is not what you should bringing when it comes time for you to make a decision. I've been asked to give you a letter of acceptance. Be happy somebody out of our village has come past your prowess with a sword."

There was another interlude where no man spoke. The rise of chatter in the streets was the only sound that disrupted the staredown between the two in the alley. Ori's eyes slowly moved down to the letter, flipping it over to read the crimson wax seal that held whatever was inside.

"The Order of Dratmos?"

"Go to The Peaceful Promenade in Underwood," the man ordered in a whisper, leaning in to speak in Oriseus' ear. This told the ranger what he was saying was highly confidential, and was to be kept to himself. "When you get there, take a night's rest. Read the letter. Consider the options you have, and make a decision. I will be waiting to hear your answer at sunrise, outside the doors."

Oriseus looked back up at the hooded figure once again, embracing the orders given to him. The shadow, now blocking the sun overhead, had done his job well enough to get a response. Oriseus nodded, and the man without question, walked away, leaving Oriseus to puzzle himself over the mysterious letter in his hands.

((OOC note - Last post on my behalf.))

[Silvermaiden]

((Jack, I hope you don't mind, but I'm gonna bring this to a close. Also, considering your last post before this one, and the state you say Jack is now in, it seems Jack was in a battle(?), and Delfa would be gone before he got back. So, I'll be disregarding your post.))

Delfa watched as Oriseus gave his hasty goodbye and left, rather begrudgingly from what she could tell, with the other man. After staring after him for a few moments, she looked back down at the map in her hands, and then up at the remaining man, Alearto.

"Well, I shall be off as well", she said with a polite nod. "I shall be heading to one of these taverns to see about these 'jobs' that Oriseus spoke of. I wish you well, Sir. Perhaps we shall meet again." Once allowing him the chance for a mutual 'farewell', she turned and headed back down the streets, entering the flow of the crowd.

As she walked, she felt alight with anticipation. She had already met three decent people, at least from first meeting, and was sure she would meet more. Certainly, the outside world could not be as bad as her grandparents and Mare had told her.

...Could it?


((My last post here. Giving Alearto a chance to reply before officially closing. If Alearto and Jack wish to continue until they part ways, they can.))

[Silvermaiden]

((OK, Its been a long enough wait. Time to submit for judging))

[Storm Veritas]

Welcome to Althanas, one and all! An interesting quest here, although a very difficult one to score. I saw vastly different levels of effort and input from the different contributors, so I will try to score for the average and comment on what I liked and what can be improved.

The key factor that –has- to be stressed regards post length and nature here. Posts should almost NEVER consist of a single sentence. Each post should really create some interesting information that develops the plot and describes your character. We want to know what your character is thinking, what motivates them, and how they feel. Please refrain from simply chatting back and forth in posts, bearing in mind that these are stories, being written for the readers of Althanas to enjoy.

Note beforehand that my judgments are notoriously harsh. It isn’t that I think any of you are poor or substandard or cannot be great writers, but I have always felt you learn more from constructive criticism than feigned praise. Please feel free to PM me with any questions or comments, thanks or tomatoes.

Story Although it was somewhat indirect, I liked the general story development. It was moving forward fairly enough, although it was very roundabout. I think longer posts with more discussion between you folks via PM would help develop a more clearly driven plot. Since you were obviously conversing amongst yourselves in the thread, it really didn’t show a good, previously planned idea.

Continuity – 3 - For first time posters, I think Silvermaiden and Oriseus did excellent jobs introducing themselves to the brave new world. Black Pheonix (it should be spelled “Phoenix”, by the way) and Alearto could probably have a more in depth introduction. I really would have liked to have known where you came from, why you got there, and how things drew you towards participating.

Setting – 3 - Early in the thread, you were setting the stage very well. Sadly, this tapered off and you all (with the exception of Oriseus) seemed to become lazy. You need to keep working with your environment and maintaining a relationship with your surroundings.

Pacing – 1 - I addressed this earlier. Not merely short, but short and very inconsistent. Single sentences simply do not give the plot time to develop, and do not tell us anything critical about your character.

Character – Through helpful dialogue and some good introductions, I was really looking forward to learning more about Silvermaiden. Some excellent writing by Silvermaiden early on, and she carried the quest to start off. I was learning, being intrigued, and getting some good information. Sadly, she seemed to become frustrated by Alearto and Black Pheonix, who really didn’t give any depth to character or plot progression. Both were creative and responsive, but really didn’t work the story ahead very much. Oriseus did a good job of consistently showing character depth and development.

Dialogue -4- Erratic. At some points I was impressed by insight, inflection, and concern for mood and character. At others, it seemed out of context. Black Pheonix: please break dialogue apart from general text, as it makes it easier to read. Additionally, please keep in mind that you are providing this for the reader, so we’d like to see a nice, consistent theme here developed. You all showed some good promise in dialogue, which is for many the most difficult field to develop.

Action – 3 - Seemed a little plodding at points, because you weren’t discussing plot behind the scenes. You simply HAVE to communicate via PM so that you needn’t be afraid to take bold steps to advance the plot without stepping on each others’ toes.

Persona – 5 - I liked the themes presented by all of you. Alearto was consistent with his persona. I got a terrific, lighthearted vibe from Silvermaiden. Oriseus was smooth, cool, and consistent. Black Pheonix could expand his thoughts a bit more, but on the surface it appeared that there were some effective plans.

Writing Style I’m not going to beat a dead horse.

Mechanics – 2 - Sorry. There was a dire need for spellcheck. In possessive form, the word is “its”, only when contracting “it is” should there be an apostrophe. Similarly, the rules for “your” and “you’re” apply. Ending posts with quotation marks around non-quotes, and capitalization errors seem very lazy. There’s no way to really be kind about this one, you just need to edit a little more. I’m very confident you can all do quite well here.

Technique – 3 - I didn’t see very much metaphor, symbolism, or foreshadowing used. Weren’t many clever literary techniques employed.

Clarity – 4 - It was clear what was happening, just not always clear where things were headed. Planning, planning, planning.

Wild Card – 6 - I really think that this was a thread constructed by good young writers who were perhaps unsure of what was expected. I really strongly would suggest reading other posts by writers here, and seeing what the norm is. While we encourage you to be as creative as possible, there is a certain level of effort in the planning stage that could vastly improve the overall quality of your work. I really look forward to seeing you all write again, and watching you improve. Silvermaiden and Oriseus are both clearly ready for “the big time” with just a change of scene, and I’m fascinated as to what will become of the Black Pheonix and Alearto characters.

Total Score – 34

Silvermaiden receives 350 EXP and 100 Gold
Black Pheonix receives 75 EXP and 25 gold
Alearto receives 50 EXP and 25 gold
Oriseus receives 75 EXP and 50 gold

[Cyrus the virus]

EXP added!