The Emerald Hind
05-09-07, 08:53 AM
green[/color].]
[u]Ekeerty Nikesh Kaia
the emerald hind
Basic information
Formal Name: Ekeerty Nikesh Kaia*
Common Name: Kaia
Meaning: Mother of the Earth
Gender: Female
Age: Eighteen years
Race: Human (Avanin/Terankian)
Occupation: Herbalist
Appearance
Eye Color: Hazel
Hair Type: Dark brown, thick, wavy, medium-length
Skin: Deep, natural tan
Body Type: Hour-glass shape
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 130 lbs
Goals
Kaia's greatest goal at the moment is to collect enough money and resources to buy her own plot of land upon which to build a home. This is not the most glamorous of desires, but for the home-minded TAvanin it is a noble cause. She wants nothing more than to recreate the happiness and stability of her early childhood, and the girl will do what ever it takes to get the finances to build a proper home, even if that means she must endure the uncertainty and unease of roaming as a traveling herbalist and even adventuring.
Unfortunately, there are three main factors preventing Kaia from reaching her ultimate goal: one, she is ill-at-ease with the life of a wonderer; two, she makes little money selling herbs and medicines out of her bag; and three, the Earth Stone she inherited from her mother has a mind of its own, always getting the girl into some rather unpleasant, if charitable, situations.
Possessions
The most important of all Kaia's possessions is the Earth Stone her mother gave her on her death bed. It is a large, hard stone mottled with shades of green, brown, and black, and it is suspended on a long copper chain. The thing seems to have a mind as it own, as it will impose its will upon Kaia from time to time, forcing her to take a new direction (always north), or even delivering her into odd situations in which she must rescue some poor animal or put out a fire. It is a burden, but one Kaia promised to bare, but it causes her great unease as it seems to have a plan all of its own, one it has not yet told its bearer. Another important possession is her leather work bag, which contains harvested herbs and herbal preparations and products. She also carries a small backpack, which contains her essential camping supplies: pots, pans, a bedroll, a tent, travel rations, tinder, and a set of fire (flint) stones.
Weapons
Although they are not meant as weapons, Kaia's oak staff, which she uses to check footing during her travels, and her steel sickle, which is put to better use harvesting herbs, can double as protective items. The slender staff, loving carved out of a fallen oak branch by the girl, depicts her family's farm and lands, as well as the faces of her father and mother. It is chipped and stained from use, but it remains solid and can be quite useful if ambushed. It would be even more useful if she actually knew how to weild it, rather than swing it around wildly, as she does for lack of skill. She is a little more proficient with her sickle, which is always kept honed and deadly. It is sharpened reguarly not to gut attackers, but to harvest herbs, but it is deadly in close battles. However, since the blade is small and crescent shaped, it does not inflict much damage until attackers are upon the girl.
Skills
This family oriented girl was trained in all the usual domestic chores expected of a proper lady: cooking, cleaning, sewing, spinning, knitting, embroidering, weaving, gardening, rearing young, tending small animals, and all the other skills associated with managing a household. She also knows how to hunt small game, such as rabbits and squirrels, and she can even fish. She is even good with carving wood, an artistic passion. But none of these skills have any real aptitude beyond home and hearth, and although she is proficient in them, they are common and ordinary. Her true skills lie in herbalism, the art of using herbs as medicines for heart, soul, and body.
Abilities
Touch-Sight (Level 1): Kaia has some small power in Touch-Sight, although, it is unpredictable and muddled at best. Touch-Sight is the ability to see into the past of people and things through proximity. It is a rare Gift, but one that is inherent in Kaia's family. Her own Gift is weak, as she must be in direct physical contact with the target, and it must be inanimate; furthermore, she can only See into the recent past, but whereas before she could only see into the past by a few days, now, when the Gift works, she can see into the past by a week or so. However, there is no guarantee she will receive any Sight, or that what Sight she gains is anything more than muddled, blurry visions. It is more of a burden than a Gift, and one that gives the poor girl a headache.
Soothe (Level 1): Soothe is a minor ability that Kaia uses to alleviate some of the pain associated with minor injuries, such as shallow cuts, scrapes, and bruises, simply by uttering soothing words and encouragement as she touches the injured site. This helps take the edge away from such wounds, but she can only use this ability once a day. (Rewarded in "A Dusty Traveler" (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=2568))
Woodwise (Level 1): Kaia can "sense" where she is in a given region, having formed a more intimate relationship with the surrounding terrain, and can find her way to a central location (usually her camp) using this sense. This is limited to places she has been frequently (at least three times) and is something she is only faintly aware of, therefore, it functions passively and cannot be initiated for use directly. Furthermore, it is useless in a place she has not visited before. (Rewarded in
"Maybe We're Victims of Fate..." (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=3140))
Familiar
After having come upon the creature and its dead mother, Kaia took responsibility for a half-starved fawn. The fawn, which is currently without name, will eventually become Kaia's familiar, but at the moment it remains with the girl not out of loyalty or love, but because it has nowhere else to go. Given the chance, she would wonder off without thought, still in search of her dam, but it is Kaia who keeps the little one close, so afraid is she that the animal will happen upon some danger. Kaia cares for the animal out of devotion and compassion, but she will eventually form a strong bond with the creature, and the fawn will act as the girl's guide and constant companion. For the moment, however, there exists no bond, and it will alone that holds them together.
Physical Description
Kaia is strong, robust, and distinctly female, despite her chosen clothing style. She has a well-defined body and a pleasant face, but she is by no means beautiful; rather, she is pretty in an earthy way, with her dark skin and hair, her sinewy body, voluptuous curves, and calloused hands.
Her face is broad and round, with a broad forehead and shapely, sweeping eyebrows. Her eyes are large and expressive, and twinkle with a hidden mirth, which is often masked with a cool calculation and observance that is her nature. Although hazel, her big, round eyes are more green than brown, but they do change with her mood. When she is angry or upset, the green color dominates all, but when she is in mild temper, they are a light greenish-brown. Her nose is long and somewhat pointed, a feature that does not seem to go all that well with her otherwise soft, curving design, but it is an aspect given to her by her father. A large mouth is accompanied by a set of full lips, which are often chapped due to wind and weather. The jaw line is round and her chin is slightly too strong, but not so much as to make her appear masculine. Her face is framed with a mass of wavy, brown tresses that falls down just past her shoulders. As her hair tends to frizz and fluff against her will, Kaia usually keeps it bound in a dark green bandana.
Her neck is long and beautiful, and it sweeps down to a set of well-formed, muscular shoulders. Her bust is copious, venturing to swell past her neckline should it be too low, but she keeps it well bounded by thick linen strips. Both arms are toned and strong. They are extremely dark, as well, and often sport an odd "farmer's tan" during the summer season, when Kaia wears short-armed tunics. Her hands are strong and dexterous, with long, pointed fingers. Her waist is of medium size, and it tends to be well-fleshed during the winter months, when Kaia is prone to laziness. However, she is not fat in any sense of the word, even if she does tend to fleshiness. Complimenting her large bust is a set of round hips and curvaceous, solid buttocks. There is no question as to whether or not Kaia could deliver a child, and this is a feature that is usually up for jokes amongst close friends. In fact, with her well-developed feminine features, Kaia is the very image of feminine fertility, as she embodied all the assets of a child bearer.
Another striking feature of this girl are her long legs, which are thickly muscled and frighteningly strong. She can deliver a powerful kick that is liable to break a few bones if her aim is well placed, so it would do attackers a world of good to stay away from her lower limbs. Such assets are well hidden under layers of thick cotton and wool, however, all the better to hide the many scars and bruised that mar her thighs and calves. This is not evidence of abuse but of the dangers of wondering through the woods in hands and knees looking for rare or valuable plants. Her hobby-turned-profession is also expressed on her calloused hands, which hold just as many small scars, cuts, and scrapes as her legs.
Clothing Style
Kaia prefers loose, comfortable clothing that is functional, practical, and inexpensive. Cotton, linen, and wool fabric are preferred, as these are natural fibers that allow her skin to breath and are proven against time and weather. The usual dyes are green, dark green, brown, rust, and beige, but natural cotton and wool is not uncommon for her to wear. She prefers textured weaves, such as cable and knits. Her garments are well-worn, and many are patched. In fact, the girl will wear her clothes out to mere holes, if necessary. There is nothing extra to spend on such trivial things as clothing, after all. Her usual attire is a pair of over-sized trousers synched tightly with a wide leather belt, a loose fitting tunic, and a pair of good, weatherproof boots. In cold weather, she wears a fur cloak, and in rain she often resorts to an oiled leather cloak. No matter what she dons, however, there is always the standard cotton bandana either tied at her throat or about her hair.
Personality
Kaia is a stable sort of person, a dependable and responsible girl with a large heart and an organized mind. Not one to jump right into things, she thinks before she acts, always weighing the pros and cons, analyzing the consequences, and taking the impact her actions may have on others into full account so that she can make the best possible choice. This makes her slow to react, and she is often accused of over thinking, but it is part of her process, as she does not put much faith in whims and fancies. This is also a facet of her controlling nature, for Kaia cannot fathom the thought of letting a situation get out hand; thus, she has her hands in every aspect of a project, to better ensure that things go her way. Should things begin to crash, she becomes insecure, uncertain, and irritated, causing her to snap at well-meaning individuals and to even fly off the handle about the smallest upset. Still, she is practical and patient, and her keen intellect and unfaltering determination usually keep her on track and the situation out of the dark.
The former-Avanin is quite devoted to her friends and family, and they come before all else. In truth, she is a homebody who loves nothing more than to bask in the glow of affection and acceptance cultivated amongst her few, elite friends, enjoying a quiet chat or simply enjoying the companionable silence. She is gentle with those who are close to her heart, and she will give her entire heart to her loved. She will do whatever it takes to make everyone happy, and she is known for her nurturing, maternal relationship with allies; indeed, she is like a second mother to many, and, just like a mother, she will love, nurture, and care for her friends. In her role as mother-to-all, she also protects those she loves with a fierceness that seems quite out of character, for all injured friends shall be avenged. Despite this rarely displayed maternal-warrior streak, she is quite fun-loving, cheerful, and happy when in her element, amongst those she knows well, and such makes her a charming and dynamic individual capable of great generosity.
However, when she encounters those she is not familiar with, Kaia is shy and even reserved. She hides true self until the other person proves himself to be friend rather than foe. Until then, strangers must endure her distance and silence as she tries to mask her insecurity with unfamiliarity. Once she gets to know a person, though, she opens up and proves to be a wonderful hostess and friend, a charming young woman with social grace and a genial nature.
When truly in love, Kaia is also very affectionate, always lightly touching her lover's arm or ruffling his hair. These relationships form slowly, as they require a firm base to build upon, but once established they are long lasting and completely devoted. However, to get to the point beyond "just friends", the other person must make the first move, as Kaia's deep-set uncertainties and over cautious nature prevent her from taking action. Then, the person must pursue her, court her, and woo her, just like any proper gentleman should. Once wooed, Kaia proved to be demonstrative and sensuous in her love, although, without being promiscuous. Still, she is not likely to choose a person simply based on love: her lover must be reliable both emotionally and financially, he must be loyal and true, and he must help her public image. She will turn down her true love if he is not able to help her establish a stable life style, no matter how deep or true her emotions run; she must have security, and she must have stability, for without that there can be no happy little family for happy little children. Despite these strict requirements of her lover, the loved one must also understand that Kaia can be a bit of a flirt with close friends, and if he is unwilling to put up with her playful but meaningless jibes, he would have better look finding another woman to bed with. Kaia would never cheat on a lover, but she likes to have fun with her friends, and fun often includes bawdy jokes and not-so-subtle overtures.
Kaia is also prone to jealousy and envy, which is spawned from her own insecurity. Even though she emanates self-confidence and is even truly confident to a point, she is truly insecure when it comes to her self image and fears that she is not adequate enough for friends. Thus, when a "threat" appears—such as an old flame or a close friend—whether the person near-and-dear to her is a friend or a lover, she will become somewhat childish with her biting remarks and demands for attention. She may even go as far as to demand her friend or lover to choose between her and the other person, but this is only in extreme cases.
The girl is also known for her stubbornness and her resistance to change. She likes things how they are because she is familiar with how they are, which provides stability. Something new or unfamiliar means change, and change means chaos, and chaos holds the reins of control rather than Kaia. She fears that things will fall apart, and she baulks at the thought of anything new entering her life. She is set in her opinions and in her routines, and to convince her to change requires a person to appeal to her heart to effect a change. He must gently coax her with emotion-related reasons to change, and even then it is difficult to move her. She is like the boulder that divides the river: she will not move for the river to pass, but over time the river can wear away at her. This is because Kaia believes her opinions and her ways are wisest, and she simply does not listen to others when they say differently. She is closed-minded, and it takes a lot to open up her eyes, and only then it usually results from a slap in the face.
Despite all these negative tendencies, Kaia is very slow to anger. It takes a special person with a special knack for getting under one's skin to incur the girl's wrath, but once her temper is incensed, woe the man who dared start the fire. Once she is angry, it take quite a bit of cajoling and sweet-talking to get her down again: many feathers must be smoothed and offers must be made to gentle the enraged mother. But she never holds a grudge for long, as she is not one to hold on to old hurts just for the sake of remaining in pain.
All in all, Kaia is a dependable, responsible, and reliable person, someone who can be looked upon for aide and for compassion. She is a hard worker, and she is calculating and shrewd, looking at everything with a calm detachment that lends her a certain neutrality. She is a loving and devoted individual, a generous lover and friend who will defend those included in her family to the very end. Yet, if she should be wronged or emotionally injured, Kaia can be childish and vindictive. Once angered, all those in her path shall know the ire of a raging bull or a cornered lion, and so they shall fall.
Likes
Color: Green
Flower: Honeysuckle
Animal: Hind
Season: Autumn
Time: Twilight
Gemstone: Emerald
Food: Potato Soup
Drink: Mead
Metal: Copper
Scent: Magnolia
Instrument: Drums
Dislikes
Color: Maroon
Flower: Chrysanthemum
Animal: Spider
Season: Summer
Time: Morning
Gemstone: Diamond
Food: Deer
Drink: Small Beer
Metal: Orange Gold
Scent: Mint
Instrument: Bells
History
Not all that very long ago, in the kingdom of Avani, there lived a happy couple who held many fertile fields and lush pastures. The young lovers led a contented life tending their crops and their animals, and they had no wants or needs for both were very fortunate and quite valuable to their lord and their town.
The husband—called Ekeerty Noveacka Saviv—inherited his cottage and his land from his father—Ekeerty Kylurea Chevolk—who in turn inherited his land from his father, the Great Ekeerty, who bought the lands and herds from the Old Lord Vealores and built the cottage and the barn. As a young man, the Great Ekeerty, while exploring the caves at the foot of Geheltrae Mountain, had come upon the forgotten horde of a long dead dragon. He took the great fortune for himself and with it bought several plots of the most prosperous fields from Lord Vealores, who was in great need of gold to front his war with another lord to the south. He also purchased the finest sheep, cattle, pigs, chickens, and other animals the lord could offer. The Great Ekeerty then built a cozy little cottage with many rooms, a large barn to hold all his livestock, and a silo in which to store all his goods and surplus produce. After he did all this, he gave one third of his remaining richest to Lord Vealores as a gift, and so the lord honored the Great Ekeerty and gave him and his descendents the right to hunt in his forest and to join the lord's descendents at the Season Feasts. Another third of the Great Ekeerty's riches was given to the town's temple as tithe, and so the High Priest promised to educate his descendents in religion, reading, writing, mathematics, and etiquette. And the final third of his gold and jewels was given to the townsfolk so that they could build a new town square and start their own market. For his generosity, the townsfolk promised to give him and his descendents a place on the town's council and to always buy his grain and his meat. So, when Saviv, the Great Ekeerty's grandson, came to inherit the properties and rights, he was honored and loved by the Lord, the High Priest, and the townsfolk, and so was always provided for and given privilege for the sake of his grandfather's generosity.
The wife—known as Nitesh—was the adopted daughter of the town's wise woman, and so she knew the ways of herbs and medicines. The wise woman, Cinisulfi Ryfevu Kebyt, found Nitesh along the roadside during her morning walk from her home in the forest to the town where she healed the sick and blessed the farmers. Nitesh was no more than four years old, and she was covered with dirt and blood, her clothes wrinkled and soiled, her hair matted, and her eyes dim. She had about her neck a strange stone that shone with all the colors of the earth, which the girl grasped as if it was the very source of her breath. About her were the ruins of a merchant caravan: burnt wagons, scattered goods, dead bodies, and old blood. Kebyt realized instantly that the girl was the only survivor, and guessed that she must have hidden under a wagon or in the woods so as to escape her own death. The girl held no recollections of the event, and all she could recall was that her name was Nitesh and that she was the daughter of a cloth merchant and an exotic woman from a faraway land. The wise woman took pitty on the girl and adopted her as a daughter, and so raised her from that day forward, teaching her all the ways of the Wisdom—herbalism, medicine, and all forms of healing. From this woman Nitesh acquired the means to prove herself to the townsfolk, who regarded her as odd and even dangerous, and even gained their respect through her work as a wise woman; and so she made herself invaluable, tending to the sick, the old, and the injured.
So, indeed, the young couple—Saviv and Nikesh—were quite happy and content, but after some time they came to long for something they did not have—a child. As much as they tried, poor Nikesh could never come with child, and so the two mourned their ill fortune. But, one day, as Nikesh sat under an old oak tree humming and pounding herbs into powder, the stone that hung from the cord around her throat began to pulse with a strange green light. It enveloped her and cloaked her in warmth and an intense feeling of love, only to vanish and leave the young woman bewildered. She went home and told her husband of the event, but they both dismissed it as nothing more than a passing dream. But that very night Nikesh became pregnant, and nine months later she birthed a beautiful little girl.
The happy parents named their daughter Ekeerty Nikesh Kaia, and they loved her more than anything they had ever loved in their lives. They took care in her rearing, ensuring that she was a goodnature child who knew right from wrong and was wise in the ways of the world. Thus, when she came of age, Nikesh trained Kaia not only in the womanly chores of a household, but also in the ways of Wisdom. Her father even taught Kaia how to hunt and to fish, so that she could fend for herself should anything happen and she was without a man to fetch food. Sometime later, Kaia began to visit the temple to receive instruction in the religious texts, and to learn reading, writing, mathematics, and etiquette, just as promised by the High Priest in the days of her Great Grandfather Ekeerty. Thus, when Kaia became of age to marry, she was a most skilled and intelligent maiden, and she was able to have choice amongst any of the young suitors who came to beg her favor.
One such suitor caught her eye, a strong youth known as Kisodike Vylufea Ucoige, a prosperous horse breeder with dark hair and a firm chin. Saviv approved of the match, and the two were to be married the following year, after the traditional handfasting that required that the two wait one year and a day after their engagement announcement before they united as husband and wife. The two were quite taken by one another, and their love grew as they rode through the fields and took picnics near the lake. Kaia and Ucoige were very much in love, and all the townsfolk knew they would make a fine couple. But their happiness was shattered just weeks before their wedding, and they were torn from each other for all times.
For, just a few months before their wedding, the Lord of the South, Lord Rarce, the grandson of Lord Movix, whom the Old Lord Vealores waged battle against all those years ago, broke across the New Lord Vealores's borders and overtook his army and his manor. Lord Rarce took possession of all Vealores's lands, and so had claim to the town and its people. Secure in his success, Rarce took over the manor and looked over the assets he won with blood and deceit. To his dismay, he discovered that a landowner existed who held possession of many of the lordship's most profitable properties, land and profits he held no rights over due to the agreement made between Old Lord Vealores and the Great Ekeerty. However, his greed became anger and the Lord Usurper took to the Ekeerty holding, where he accused Saviv of not paying the land taxes due his Lord. Saviv was thrown in the goal and all his land and possessions (even the family jewels given to Kaia as part of her dowry) were seized as payment for unpaid taxes and the interest due on such. Thus, Nikesh and Kaia were left homeless.
Ucoige took them into his own home, but Lord Rarce soon took them into his custody under the pretense that they should work for him to pay off the rest of Saviv's dues, and so forbid Kaia to marry any man. Mother and daughter were forced to become servants, serving their Lord's every beck-and-call like lap dogs. Even went as far as to rape both women, but they repaid him with bruises and bites and scratches. In fact, the two became so unruly after his advances that he gave them to a poor serf out of spite, hoping to dispirit them by making them the broodmares of an ignorant land worker.
Luckily for them, as ignorant as he was, serf Diosoih was kind and sympathetic and did nothing to harm either woman so long as she did her part in ridding his one field of stones, cooking his meals, and cleaning his clothes. Neither was touched, and neither was beaten. But it remained a poor existence, and a dreadful one, and it grew all the harder to bare as Nikesh's health failed. She could not go out to the forests to make medicine for herself, as she was banned from going beyond the serf's field. She took ill with a terrible fever and soon after, leaving poor Kaia to herself.
But before she died she beckoned her daughter to her bedside and looked at her with clouded eyes. At times she would speak in a strange tongue she had never spoken before, and other times she would rave on about four pillars and their high priests, of water and fire, and of earth and air. Nothing she muttered in her fevered confessions made much sense, but it all came down to the stone she had always worn about her neck, the one possession she managed to hide from Lord Rarce, a precious artifact that she had to keep safe above all else. Kaia was ready to dismiss this odd relation from Nikesh as nothing more than fever dreams and fragemented memories of long ago, but then her mother grasped her hands fiercely and pulled her daughter close. She looked deeply into Kaia's eyes and for a moment her own vision cleared and Nikesh was Nikesh once more. In that moment the sickly woman plucked the stone from her breast and pushed it hard into Kaia's hand. She made her daughter promise to hide the stone and protect it from all evil, reassuring her startled child that all would become clear when the time came. Then she smiled and lay back down, closed her eyes, and never woke again.
After her mother's death, Kaia went into deep mourning and refused to tend the house or help Diosoih in the field. He became angry with her, but tolerated her behavior for the sake of her grief. But days became weeks and weeks into months, and still Kaia did nothing but weep. The rugged serf was so angered that he beat the poor girl, but she merely lay there as he threw his fists upon her and whimpered as any dog. But that night, as she lied awake on her little pallet of rags, she looked up into the sky beyond the entranceway and saw a spark of hope written in the stars, and then the stone given to her by her mother began to pulse and it enveloped her in a warm, green light. For a moment, Kaia was happy and peaceful, and she felt safe and loved in that odd, verdant glow. All was right with the world, and life would be grand, for there was a life to live beyond all this, and finally Kaia knew it. Then the green light faded, leaving Kaia with a sense of purpose.
Inspired, the girl took the few possessions she had left and ran away in the cover of the night, spiriting away into the woods until she reached the old oak her mother once sat under, between whose roots Nikesh managed to hide away her workbag and herbal supplies. This Kaia took, and then she began her journey of escape, fleeing from Lord Rarce and even Avani until she came to a land she knew nothing of, a strange place where there was no tongue like her own. There she had to learn a new language and a new way of life, and so she became a traveling herbalist, earning what little money she could for food and lodging before being ran off from one village (usually by the local apothecaries and healers) to the next.
Eventually, Kaia found her way to the town of Underwood, where she was able to sell her herbs along the roadside and enjoy a few moments of peace. There she met a battered prizefighter named Victor, with whom she became friends through the course of their partnership where she acted as his ringside healer at his match held in the local arena. Having seen his way of life, the man agreed to experience Kaia's, and so the two ventured into Concordia to gather herbs.
Unfortunately, Kaia's geas was activated by an illness that had befallen the wood and she was forced to bend to the Stone's will. She dragged the man to a poison river, beside which a doe lay dead and her fawn weak. However, the Stone was not pleased with Kaia simply caring for the starving animal and forced her to take action against the forces that had brought death upon the wood. It led the girl to a dilapidated cabin in which a dwarf busied himself with the forging of poisoned weapons of every sort. It was the poison he used to make the blades that was leaking into the nearby river and killing the wildlife that lived along its banks.
The two entered the cabin with every intention of putting an end to the wood's slaughter, but the dwarf begged for their help, giving them a long story where he played the victim to a tribe of nasty goblins. Victor and Kaia agreed to assist Humphrel in gaining his freedom and staged an ambush, but the tides turned and a trap sprung upon them, instead. Humphrel turned on the humans and sent the goblins on them. Both were tied up and Kaia was tossed into the cellar while Victor was beaten to a pulp on the ground floor. The dwarf and his lackies then abandoned the two humans and their wayward fawn, setting the cabin alight so as to roast them alive. By some strange stroke of luck, however, Kaia was able to free herself of her binds and flee the cellar.
She and Victor escaped the blaze, but both were badly injured. They managed to make it to the safety of their camp, which was not all that far away, and there the two collapsed in pain and exhaustion, unable to do much more in their states.
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*Avanin names are backwards, meaning that the paternal surname is first, then the maternal surname is second (or the mother's first name is second, as in Kaia's case), and then the person's common name.
[u]Ekeerty Nikesh Kaia
the emerald hind
Basic information
Formal Name: Ekeerty Nikesh Kaia*
Common Name: Kaia
Meaning: Mother of the Earth
Gender: Female
Age: Eighteen years
Race: Human (Avanin/Terankian)
Occupation: Herbalist
Appearance
Eye Color: Hazel
Hair Type: Dark brown, thick, wavy, medium-length
Skin: Deep, natural tan
Body Type: Hour-glass shape
Height: 5'3"
Weight: 130 lbs
Goals
Kaia's greatest goal at the moment is to collect enough money and resources to buy her own plot of land upon which to build a home. This is not the most glamorous of desires, but for the home-minded TAvanin it is a noble cause. She wants nothing more than to recreate the happiness and stability of her early childhood, and the girl will do what ever it takes to get the finances to build a proper home, even if that means she must endure the uncertainty and unease of roaming as a traveling herbalist and even adventuring.
Unfortunately, there are three main factors preventing Kaia from reaching her ultimate goal: one, she is ill-at-ease with the life of a wonderer; two, she makes little money selling herbs and medicines out of her bag; and three, the Earth Stone she inherited from her mother has a mind of its own, always getting the girl into some rather unpleasant, if charitable, situations.
Possessions
The most important of all Kaia's possessions is the Earth Stone her mother gave her on her death bed. It is a large, hard stone mottled with shades of green, brown, and black, and it is suspended on a long copper chain. The thing seems to have a mind as it own, as it will impose its will upon Kaia from time to time, forcing her to take a new direction (always north), or even delivering her into odd situations in which she must rescue some poor animal or put out a fire. It is a burden, but one Kaia promised to bare, but it causes her great unease as it seems to have a plan all of its own, one it has not yet told its bearer. Another important possession is her leather work bag, which contains harvested herbs and herbal preparations and products. She also carries a small backpack, which contains her essential camping supplies: pots, pans, a bedroll, a tent, travel rations, tinder, and a set of fire (flint) stones.
Weapons
Although they are not meant as weapons, Kaia's oak staff, which she uses to check footing during her travels, and her steel sickle, which is put to better use harvesting herbs, can double as protective items. The slender staff, loving carved out of a fallen oak branch by the girl, depicts her family's farm and lands, as well as the faces of her father and mother. It is chipped and stained from use, but it remains solid and can be quite useful if ambushed. It would be even more useful if she actually knew how to weild it, rather than swing it around wildly, as she does for lack of skill. She is a little more proficient with her sickle, which is always kept honed and deadly. It is sharpened reguarly not to gut attackers, but to harvest herbs, but it is deadly in close battles. However, since the blade is small and crescent shaped, it does not inflict much damage until attackers are upon the girl.
Skills
This family oriented girl was trained in all the usual domestic chores expected of a proper lady: cooking, cleaning, sewing, spinning, knitting, embroidering, weaving, gardening, rearing young, tending small animals, and all the other skills associated with managing a household. She also knows how to hunt small game, such as rabbits and squirrels, and she can even fish. She is even good with carving wood, an artistic passion. But none of these skills have any real aptitude beyond home and hearth, and although she is proficient in them, they are common and ordinary. Her true skills lie in herbalism, the art of using herbs as medicines for heart, soul, and body.
Abilities
Touch-Sight (Level 1): Kaia has some small power in Touch-Sight, although, it is unpredictable and muddled at best. Touch-Sight is the ability to see into the past of people and things through proximity. It is a rare Gift, but one that is inherent in Kaia's family. Her own Gift is weak, as she must be in direct physical contact with the target, and it must be inanimate; furthermore, she can only See into the recent past, but whereas before she could only see into the past by a few days, now, when the Gift works, she can see into the past by a week or so. However, there is no guarantee she will receive any Sight, or that what Sight she gains is anything more than muddled, blurry visions. It is more of a burden than a Gift, and one that gives the poor girl a headache.
Soothe (Level 1): Soothe is a minor ability that Kaia uses to alleviate some of the pain associated with minor injuries, such as shallow cuts, scrapes, and bruises, simply by uttering soothing words and encouragement as she touches the injured site. This helps take the edge away from such wounds, but she can only use this ability once a day. (Rewarded in "A Dusty Traveler" (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=2568))
Woodwise (Level 1): Kaia can "sense" where she is in a given region, having formed a more intimate relationship with the surrounding terrain, and can find her way to a central location (usually her camp) using this sense. This is limited to places she has been frequently (at least three times) and is something she is only faintly aware of, therefore, it functions passively and cannot be initiated for use directly. Furthermore, it is useless in a place she has not visited before. (Rewarded in
"Maybe We're Victims of Fate..." (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?t=3140))
Familiar
After having come upon the creature and its dead mother, Kaia took responsibility for a half-starved fawn. The fawn, which is currently without name, will eventually become Kaia's familiar, but at the moment it remains with the girl not out of loyalty or love, but because it has nowhere else to go. Given the chance, she would wonder off without thought, still in search of her dam, but it is Kaia who keeps the little one close, so afraid is she that the animal will happen upon some danger. Kaia cares for the animal out of devotion and compassion, but she will eventually form a strong bond with the creature, and the fawn will act as the girl's guide and constant companion. For the moment, however, there exists no bond, and it will alone that holds them together.
Physical Description
Kaia is strong, robust, and distinctly female, despite her chosen clothing style. She has a well-defined body and a pleasant face, but she is by no means beautiful; rather, she is pretty in an earthy way, with her dark skin and hair, her sinewy body, voluptuous curves, and calloused hands.
Her face is broad and round, with a broad forehead and shapely, sweeping eyebrows. Her eyes are large and expressive, and twinkle with a hidden mirth, which is often masked with a cool calculation and observance that is her nature. Although hazel, her big, round eyes are more green than brown, but they do change with her mood. When she is angry or upset, the green color dominates all, but when she is in mild temper, they are a light greenish-brown. Her nose is long and somewhat pointed, a feature that does not seem to go all that well with her otherwise soft, curving design, but it is an aspect given to her by her father. A large mouth is accompanied by a set of full lips, which are often chapped due to wind and weather. The jaw line is round and her chin is slightly too strong, but not so much as to make her appear masculine. Her face is framed with a mass of wavy, brown tresses that falls down just past her shoulders. As her hair tends to frizz and fluff against her will, Kaia usually keeps it bound in a dark green bandana.
Her neck is long and beautiful, and it sweeps down to a set of well-formed, muscular shoulders. Her bust is copious, venturing to swell past her neckline should it be too low, but she keeps it well bounded by thick linen strips. Both arms are toned and strong. They are extremely dark, as well, and often sport an odd "farmer's tan" during the summer season, when Kaia wears short-armed tunics. Her hands are strong and dexterous, with long, pointed fingers. Her waist is of medium size, and it tends to be well-fleshed during the winter months, when Kaia is prone to laziness. However, she is not fat in any sense of the word, even if she does tend to fleshiness. Complimenting her large bust is a set of round hips and curvaceous, solid buttocks. There is no question as to whether or not Kaia could deliver a child, and this is a feature that is usually up for jokes amongst close friends. In fact, with her well-developed feminine features, Kaia is the very image of feminine fertility, as she embodied all the assets of a child bearer.
Another striking feature of this girl are her long legs, which are thickly muscled and frighteningly strong. She can deliver a powerful kick that is liable to break a few bones if her aim is well placed, so it would do attackers a world of good to stay away from her lower limbs. Such assets are well hidden under layers of thick cotton and wool, however, all the better to hide the many scars and bruised that mar her thighs and calves. This is not evidence of abuse but of the dangers of wondering through the woods in hands and knees looking for rare or valuable plants. Her hobby-turned-profession is also expressed on her calloused hands, which hold just as many small scars, cuts, and scrapes as her legs.
Clothing Style
Kaia prefers loose, comfortable clothing that is functional, practical, and inexpensive. Cotton, linen, and wool fabric are preferred, as these are natural fibers that allow her skin to breath and are proven against time and weather. The usual dyes are green, dark green, brown, rust, and beige, but natural cotton and wool is not uncommon for her to wear. She prefers textured weaves, such as cable and knits. Her garments are well-worn, and many are patched. In fact, the girl will wear her clothes out to mere holes, if necessary. There is nothing extra to spend on such trivial things as clothing, after all. Her usual attire is a pair of over-sized trousers synched tightly with a wide leather belt, a loose fitting tunic, and a pair of good, weatherproof boots. In cold weather, she wears a fur cloak, and in rain she often resorts to an oiled leather cloak. No matter what she dons, however, there is always the standard cotton bandana either tied at her throat or about her hair.
Personality
Kaia is a stable sort of person, a dependable and responsible girl with a large heart and an organized mind. Not one to jump right into things, she thinks before she acts, always weighing the pros and cons, analyzing the consequences, and taking the impact her actions may have on others into full account so that she can make the best possible choice. This makes her slow to react, and she is often accused of over thinking, but it is part of her process, as she does not put much faith in whims and fancies. This is also a facet of her controlling nature, for Kaia cannot fathom the thought of letting a situation get out hand; thus, she has her hands in every aspect of a project, to better ensure that things go her way. Should things begin to crash, she becomes insecure, uncertain, and irritated, causing her to snap at well-meaning individuals and to even fly off the handle about the smallest upset. Still, she is practical and patient, and her keen intellect and unfaltering determination usually keep her on track and the situation out of the dark.
The former-Avanin is quite devoted to her friends and family, and they come before all else. In truth, she is a homebody who loves nothing more than to bask in the glow of affection and acceptance cultivated amongst her few, elite friends, enjoying a quiet chat or simply enjoying the companionable silence. She is gentle with those who are close to her heart, and she will give her entire heart to her loved. She will do whatever it takes to make everyone happy, and she is known for her nurturing, maternal relationship with allies; indeed, she is like a second mother to many, and, just like a mother, she will love, nurture, and care for her friends. In her role as mother-to-all, she also protects those she loves with a fierceness that seems quite out of character, for all injured friends shall be avenged. Despite this rarely displayed maternal-warrior streak, she is quite fun-loving, cheerful, and happy when in her element, amongst those she knows well, and such makes her a charming and dynamic individual capable of great generosity.
However, when she encounters those she is not familiar with, Kaia is shy and even reserved. She hides true self until the other person proves himself to be friend rather than foe. Until then, strangers must endure her distance and silence as she tries to mask her insecurity with unfamiliarity. Once she gets to know a person, though, she opens up and proves to be a wonderful hostess and friend, a charming young woman with social grace and a genial nature.
When truly in love, Kaia is also very affectionate, always lightly touching her lover's arm or ruffling his hair. These relationships form slowly, as they require a firm base to build upon, but once established they are long lasting and completely devoted. However, to get to the point beyond "just friends", the other person must make the first move, as Kaia's deep-set uncertainties and over cautious nature prevent her from taking action. Then, the person must pursue her, court her, and woo her, just like any proper gentleman should. Once wooed, Kaia proved to be demonstrative and sensuous in her love, although, without being promiscuous. Still, she is not likely to choose a person simply based on love: her lover must be reliable both emotionally and financially, he must be loyal and true, and he must help her public image. She will turn down her true love if he is not able to help her establish a stable life style, no matter how deep or true her emotions run; she must have security, and she must have stability, for without that there can be no happy little family for happy little children. Despite these strict requirements of her lover, the loved one must also understand that Kaia can be a bit of a flirt with close friends, and if he is unwilling to put up with her playful but meaningless jibes, he would have better look finding another woman to bed with. Kaia would never cheat on a lover, but she likes to have fun with her friends, and fun often includes bawdy jokes and not-so-subtle overtures.
Kaia is also prone to jealousy and envy, which is spawned from her own insecurity. Even though she emanates self-confidence and is even truly confident to a point, she is truly insecure when it comes to her self image and fears that she is not adequate enough for friends. Thus, when a "threat" appears—such as an old flame or a close friend—whether the person near-and-dear to her is a friend or a lover, she will become somewhat childish with her biting remarks and demands for attention. She may even go as far as to demand her friend or lover to choose between her and the other person, but this is only in extreme cases.
The girl is also known for her stubbornness and her resistance to change. She likes things how they are because she is familiar with how they are, which provides stability. Something new or unfamiliar means change, and change means chaos, and chaos holds the reins of control rather than Kaia. She fears that things will fall apart, and she baulks at the thought of anything new entering her life. She is set in her opinions and in her routines, and to convince her to change requires a person to appeal to her heart to effect a change. He must gently coax her with emotion-related reasons to change, and even then it is difficult to move her. She is like the boulder that divides the river: she will not move for the river to pass, but over time the river can wear away at her. This is because Kaia believes her opinions and her ways are wisest, and she simply does not listen to others when they say differently. She is closed-minded, and it takes a lot to open up her eyes, and only then it usually results from a slap in the face.
Despite all these negative tendencies, Kaia is very slow to anger. It takes a special person with a special knack for getting under one's skin to incur the girl's wrath, but once her temper is incensed, woe the man who dared start the fire. Once she is angry, it take quite a bit of cajoling and sweet-talking to get her down again: many feathers must be smoothed and offers must be made to gentle the enraged mother. But she never holds a grudge for long, as she is not one to hold on to old hurts just for the sake of remaining in pain.
All in all, Kaia is a dependable, responsible, and reliable person, someone who can be looked upon for aide and for compassion. She is a hard worker, and she is calculating and shrewd, looking at everything with a calm detachment that lends her a certain neutrality. She is a loving and devoted individual, a generous lover and friend who will defend those included in her family to the very end. Yet, if she should be wronged or emotionally injured, Kaia can be childish and vindictive. Once angered, all those in her path shall know the ire of a raging bull or a cornered lion, and so they shall fall.
Likes
Color: Green
Flower: Honeysuckle
Animal: Hind
Season: Autumn
Time: Twilight
Gemstone: Emerald
Food: Potato Soup
Drink: Mead
Metal: Copper
Scent: Magnolia
Instrument: Drums
Dislikes
Color: Maroon
Flower: Chrysanthemum
Animal: Spider
Season: Summer
Time: Morning
Gemstone: Diamond
Food: Deer
Drink: Small Beer
Metal: Orange Gold
Scent: Mint
Instrument: Bells
History
Not all that very long ago, in the kingdom of Avani, there lived a happy couple who held many fertile fields and lush pastures. The young lovers led a contented life tending their crops and their animals, and they had no wants or needs for both were very fortunate and quite valuable to their lord and their town.
The husband—called Ekeerty Noveacka Saviv—inherited his cottage and his land from his father—Ekeerty Kylurea Chevolk—who in turn inherited his land from his father, the Great Ekeerty, who bought the lands and herds from the Old Lord Vealores and built the cottage and the barn. As a young man, the Great Ekeerty, while exploring the caves at the foot of Geheltrae Mountain, had come upon the forgotten horde of a long dead dragon. He took the great fortune for himself and with it bought several plots of the most prosperous fields from Lord Vealores, who was in great need of gold to front his war with another lord to the south. He also purchased the finest sheep, cattle, pigs, chickens, and other animals the lord could offer. The Great Ekeerty then built a cozy little cottage with many rooms, a large barn to hold all his livestock, and a silo in which to store all his goods and surplus produce. After he did all this, he gave one third of his remaining richest to Lord Vealores as a gift, and so the lord honored the Great Ekeerty and gave him and his descendents the right to hunt in his forest and to join the lord's descendents at the Season Feasts. Another third of the Great Ekeerty's riches was given to the town's temple as tithe, and so the High Priest promised to educate his descendents in religion, reading, writing, mathematics, and etiquette. And the final third of his gold and jewels was given to the townsfolk so that they could build a new town square and start their own market. For his generosity, the townsfolk promised to give him and his descendents a place on the town's council and to always buy his grain and his meat. So, when Saviv, the Great Ekeerty's grandson, came to inherit the properties and rights, he was honored and loved by the Lord, the High Priest, and the townsfolk, and so was always provided for and given privilege for the sake of his grandfather's generosity.
The wife—known as Nitesh—was the adopted daughter of the town's wise woman, and so she knew the ways of herbs and medicines. The wise woman, Cinisulfi Ryfevu Kebyt, found Nitesh along the roadside during her morning walk from her home in the forest to the town where she healed the sick and blessed the farmers. Nitesh was no more than four years old, and she was covered with dirt and blood, her clothes wrinkled and soiled, her hair matted, and her eyes dim. She had about her neck a strange stone that shone with all the colors of the earth, which the girl grasped as if it was the very source of her breath. About her were the ruins of a merchant caravan: burnt wagons, scattered goods, dead bodies, and old blood. Kebyt realized instantly that the girl was the only survivor, and guessed that she must have hidden under a wagon or in the woods so as to escape her own death. The girl held no recollections of the event, and all she could recall was that her name was Nitesh and that she was the daughter of a cloth merchant and an exotic woman from a faraway land. The wise woman took pitty on the girl and adopted her as a daughter, and so raised her from that day forward, teaching her all the ways of the Wisdom—herbalism, medicine, and all forms of healing. From this woman Nitesh acquired the means to prove herself to the townsfolk, who regarded her as odd and even dangerous, and even gained their respect through her work as a wise woman; and so she made herself invaluable, tending to the sick, the old, and the injured.
So, indeed, the young couple—Saviv and Nikesh—were quite happy and content, but after some time they came to long for something they did not have—a child. As much as they tried, poor Nikesh could never come with child, and so the two mourned their ill fortune. But, one day, as Nikesh sat under an old oak tree humming and pounding herbs into powder, the stone that hung from the cord around her throat began to pulse with a strange green light. It enveloped her and cloaked her in warmth and an intense feeling of love, only to vanish and leave the young woman bewildered. She went home and told her husband of the event, but they both dismissed it as nothing more than a passing dream. But that very night Nikesh became pregnant, and nine months later she birthed a beautiful little girl.
The happy parents named their daughter Ekeerty Nikesh Kaia, and they loved her more than anything they had ever loved in their lives. They took care in her rearing, ensuring that she was a goodnature child who knew right from wrong and was wise in the ways of the world. Thus, when she came of age, Nikesh trained Kaia not only in the womanly chores of a household, but also in the ways of Wisdom. Her father even taught Kaia how to hunt and to fish, so that she could fend for herself should anything happen and she was without a man to fetch food. Sometime later, Kaia began to visit the temple to receive instruction in the religious texts, and to learn reading, writing, mathematics, and etiquette, just as promised by the High Priest in the days of her Great Grandfather Ekeerty. Thus, when Kaia became of age to marry, she was a most skilled and intelligent maiden, and she was able to have choice amongst any of the young suitors who came to beg her favor.
One such suitor caught her eye, a strong youth known as Kisodike Vylufea Ucoige, a prosperous horse breeder with dark hair and a firm chin. Saviv approved of the match, and the two were to be married the following year, after the traditional handfasting that required that the two wait one year and a day after their engagement announcement before they united as husband and wife. The two were quite taken by one another, and their love grew as they rode through the fields and took picnics near the lake. Kaia and Ucoige were very much in love, and all the townsfolk knew they would make a fine couple. But their happiness was shattered just weeks before their wedding, and they were torn from each other for all times.
For, just a few months before their wedding, the Lord of the South, Lord Rarce, the grandson of Lord Movix, whom the Old Lord Vealores waged battle against all those years ago, broke across the New Lord Vealores's borders and overtook his army and his manor. Lord Rarce took possession of all Vealores's lands, and so had claim to the town and its people. Secure in his success, Rarce took over the manor and looked over the assets he won with blood and deceit. To his dismay, he discovered that a landowner existed who held possession of many of the lordship's most profitable properties, land and profits he held no rights over due to the agreement made between Old Lord Vealores and the Great Ekeerty. However, his greed became anger and the Lord Usurper took to the Ekeerty holding, where he accused Saviv of not paying the land taxes due his Lord. Saviv was thrown in the goal and all his land and possessions (even the family jewels given to Kaia as part of her dowry) were seized as payment for unpaid taxes and the interest due on such. Thus, Nikesh and Kaia were left homeless.
Ucoige took them into his own home, but Lord Rarce soon took them into his custody under the pretense that they should work for him to pay off the rest of Saviv's dues, and so forbid Kaia to marry any man. Mother and daughter were forced to become servants, serving their Lord's every beck-and-call like lap dogs. Even went as far as to rape both women, but they repaid him with bruises and bites and scratches. In fact, the two became so unruly after his advances that he gave them to a poor serf out of spite, hoping to dispirit them by making them the broodmares of an ignorant land worker.
Luckily for them, as ignorant as he was, serf Diosoih was kind and sympathetic and did nothing to harm either woman so long as she did her part in ridding his one field of stones, cooking his meals, and cleaning his clothes. Neither was touched, and neither was beaten. But it remained a poor existence, and a dreadful one, and it grew all the harder to bare as Nikesh's health failed. She could not go out to the forests to make medicine for herself, as she was banned from going beyond the serf's field. She took ill with a terrible fever and soon after, leaving poor Kaia to herself.
But before she died she beckoned her daughter to her bedside and looked at her with clouded eyes. At times she would speak in a strange tongue she had never spoken before, and other times she would rave on about four pillars and their high priests, of water and fire, and of earth and air. Nothing she muttered in her fevered confessions made much sense, but it all came down to the stone she had always worn about her neck, the one possession she managed to hide from Lord Rarce, a precious artifact that she had to keep safe above all else. Kaia was ready to dismiss this odd relation from Nikesh as nothing more than fever dreams and fragemented memories of long ago, but then her mother grasped her hands fiercely and pulled her daughter close. She looked deeply into Kaia's eyes and for a moment her own vision cleared and Nikesh was Nikesh once more. In that moment the sickly woman plucked the stone from her breast and pushed it hard into Kaia's hand. She made her daughter promise to hide the stone and protect it from all evil, reassuring her startled child that all would become clear when the time came. Then she smiled and lay back down, closed her eyes, and never woke again.
After her mother's death, Kaia went into deep mourning and refused to tend the house or help Diosoih in the field. He became angry with her, but tolerated her behavior for the sake of her grief. But days became weeks and weeks into months, and still Kaia did nothing but weep. The rugged serf was so angered that he beat the poor girl, but she merely lay there as he threw his fists upon her and whimpered as any dog. But that night, as she lied awake on her little pallet of rags, she looked up into the sky beyond the entranceway and saw a spark of hope written in the stars, and then the stone given to her by her mother began to pulse and it enveloped her in a warm, green light. For a moment, Kaia was happy and peaceful, and she felt safe and loved in that odd, verdant glow. All was right with the world, and life would be grand, for there was a life to live beyond all this, and finally Kaia knew it. Then the green light faded, leaving Kaia with a sense of purpose.
Inspired, the girl took the few possessions she had left and ran away in the cover of the night, spiriting away into the woods until she reached the old oak her mother once sat under, between whose roots Nikesh managed to hide away her workbag and herbal supplies. This Kaia took, and then she began her journey of escape, fleeing from Lord Rarce and even Avani until she came to a land she knew nothing of, a strange place where there was no tongue like her own. There she had to learn a new language and a new way of life, and so she became a traveling herbalist, earning what little money she could for food and lodging before being ran off from one village (usually by the local apothecaries and healers) to the next.
Eventually, Kaia found her way to the town of Underwood, where she was able to sell her herbs along the roadside and enjoy a few moments of peace. There she met a battered prizefighter named Victor, with whom she became friends through the course of their partnership where she acted as his ringside healer at his match held in the local arena. Having seen his way of life, the man agreed to experience Kaia's, and so the two ventured into Concordia to gather herbs.
Unfortunately, Kaia's geas was activated by an illness that had befallen the wood and she was forced to bend to the Stone's will. She dragged the man to a poison river, beside which a doe lay dead and her fawn weak. However, the Stone was not pleased with Kaia simply caring for the starving animal and forced her to take action against the forces that had brought death upon the wood. It led the girl to a dilapidated cabin in which a dwarf busied himself with the forging of poisoned weapons of every sort. It was the poison he used to make the blades that was leaking into the nearby river and killing the wildlife that lived along its banks.
The two entered the cabin with every intention of putting an end to the wood's slaughter, but the dwarf begged for their help, giving them a long story where he played the victim to a tribe of nasty goblins. Victor and Kaia agreed to assist Humphrel in gaining his freedom and staged an ambush, but the tides turned and a trap sprung upon them, instead. Humphrel turned on the humans and sent the goblins on them. Both were tied up and Kaia was tossed into the cellar while Victor was beaten to a pulp on the ground floor. The dwarf and his lackies then abandoned the two humans and their wayward fawn, setting the cabin alight so as to roast them alive. By some strange stroke of luck, however, Kaia was able to free herself of her binds and flee the cellar.
She and Victor escaped the blaze, but both were badly injured. They managed to make it to the safety of their camp, which was not all that far away, and there the two collapsed in pain and exhaustion, unable to do much more in their states.
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*Avanin names are backwards, meaning that the paternal surname is first, then the maternal surname is second (or the mother's first name is second, as in Kaia's case), and then the person's common name.