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+---- Thread: A Memory of Starlight [IC] (/thread-8120.html)
A Memory of Starlight [IC] - Seraph - 04-24-2020
Nefunuku rose out of the waters of the lagoon, a mountain of stone and metal wreathed in a dark mist of steam and smoke. In truth, Laki had been sailing between and through its ziggurat suburbs since he had arrived in the archipelago, but this great hill was Nefunuku proper, the origin of its name and the hive from which most of the metropolises had been built.
An avenue of moai led across the lagoon’s smoky waters towards a stone dock where Laki tied up his canoe and gathered his meagre belongings before paying a young attendant to ensure no one else could sail off with it before he was done. He had no idea for how long he would be staying, but one glance along the nearest, soot-stained street told him that he didn’t want to linger.
A few days, he told himself, hugging a leather-wrapped bundle closer to his skin. Just a few days and this can be over.
He found a small traveller’s lodging not far from the dock where an elderly woman greeted him warmly and showed him to a room in the back. Despite the stone exterior and the arterial pipes which snaked across its facade, it had been styled inside after the village huts he was used to and, for a moment, at least, he could imagine he was being welcomed by a distant aunt - a fantasy ruined by the atavistic glean in her eye when he handed over a downpayment.
Heading out so soon? she asked as he left his room, empty-handed.
I have some enquiries to make, he replied, then, Do you know anyone around here with an interest in the Takele?
Everyone in Nefunuku is interested in the Ancients, the woman replied with a strange pride, the city was built on their ruins after all.
I was looking for an expert.
She smiled without warmth. Head to the temple, boy. You’ll find someone near there.
Laki gave his thanks and ventured out into the smoky streets. There was only one way to go: uphill.
An avenue of moai led across the lagoon’s smoky waters towards a stone dock where Laki tied up his canoe and gathered his meagre belongings before paying a young attendant to ensure no one else could sail off with it before he was done. He had no idea for how long he would be staying, but one glance along the nearest, soot-stained street told him that he didn’t want to linger.
A few days, he told himself, hugging a leather-wrapped bundle closer to his skin. Just a few days and this can be over.
He found a small traveller’s lodging not far from the dock where an elderly woman greeted him warmly and showed him to a room in the back. Despite the stone exterior and the arterial pipes which snaked across its facade, it had been styled inside after the village huts he was used to and, for a moment, at least, he could imagine he was being welcomed by a distant aunt - a fantasy ruined by the atavistic glean in her eye when he handed over a downpayment.
Heading out so soon? she asked as he left his room, empty-handed.
I have some enquiries to make, he replied, then, Do you know anyone around here with an interest in the Takele?
Everyone in Nefunuku is interested in the Ancients, the woman replied with a strange pride, the city was built on their ruins after all.
I was looking for an expert.
She smiled without warmth. Head to the temple, boy. You’ll find someone near there.
Laki gave his thanks and ventured out into the smoky streets. There was only one way to go: uphill.
RE: A Memory of Starlight [IC] - phoenixofthesun14 - 04-25-2020
Ember Rose had always been somewhat of an outcast in nature. She was born and raised in Eldur Ljos, built up on top of the clouds themselves. Her family, like many others of Eldur Ljos, were Vaengjakindurverja. They herded the large, flufffy Vaengjakindur in the cloudy fields, keeping them out of trouble most of the year, and then during hibernation, keeping them sheltered from the intense snow and wind. They milked the large creatures for their milk for drinking and making cheeses. During the warmer parts of the year, they sheared the animal's cloud-like wool, and spun the product to make the some of the softest fabrics in existence. The job was full time, 24/7, and the thought of this bored the young Ros (as she was called back then), and many of the adults and other children criticized her for it. The young Falkimanne dreamed of adventure and magic, which no one in town was able to understand, much less teach, guide, or accompany.
Ros very quickly became a social outcast. Her own family seemed to at best tolerate her presence. At her and her brother's 1st birthday, her parents showered her brother with attention, while forgetting about Ros. She decided to leave the house shortly after, despite not having had a single flight feather at the time, and crashed into a lake, then learned to swim very, very quickly.
And now today, she turned 2 years old. She still had a couple of patches of chick down on her arms, but her wings were equipped with the feathers necessary to make the necessary short bursts of flight with her secondary wings, the flight feathers enlarged though her primary wings were still incapable of the long stretches of flights the Falkismanne were known for. Her physical body had stopped growing at a measly 40 centimeters, making her somewhat shorter than most of her family, but was otherwise "grown up", as they say.
Happy birthday, Styrku. Hope you're having fun. She thought to herself, gazing at the quiet natural paradise she found herself in.
The island she had found herself in was beautiful, with lots of plants she never would have imagined seeing in her life. The faint orange and red on her feathers had been more than the whites, blues, grays, and purples anyone from her hometown had seen, and now the vibrant greens of the leaves, the dark brown tree trunks, the deep oceanic blues, the aquamarine shores, the yellow and white, and even pink sands, and the rainbow of colors of the various flowers was common to Ember Rose.
But now it was time to move on, and explore the ruins she had heard so much about on the island. Ember Rose fluttered from tree branch to tree branch, keeping the smoke-gray road in view, taking breaks every now and again to rest and replenish her energy, snacking on small bits of food she had stolen from people in the town down the hill.
A giant basket of food? Don't mind if I do... Ember Rose thought to herself when she spotted a basket filled with breads, berries, and cheeses, swooping down onto the middle of the road. She settled down in the basket, grabbed the large fruit, and munched to her heart's content, feasting on bits of the bread with bites of the large berries in between the slices of cheese, not paying any mind to the sound of approaching footsteps in the distance.
RE: A Memory of Starlight [IC] - Nakari - 04-25-2020
Before the sun rose, Hane was awake and making noodles. It was essential to make these noodles in the early morning. Back home you could make them any time of the day but here, only morning. The grain wasn't high quality here and couldn't hold its shape properly in a soup unless, once the noodles were made, they were chilled for some hours, and then dried for a few hours, before they could be boiled and served in broth. The broth here wasn't high quality either. The humans of Nefunuku seemed unable to appreciate real dashi broth and so they ate their noodles with something so thick it was almost soup, filled with chunks of taro.
When the sun rose, Mukudori would get up. He had been relieved to find someone who could make the noodles for him, since his hands were getting old. And Hane had been relieved to find somewhere to stay and something to eat. Until they had tried their first bowl of Mukudori's toshikoshi soba, which it wasn't even the right time of year for, and realised that Mukudori had added coconut milk.
Why are you not serving real food? They'll think all Tengu eat this!
Mukudori had grinned. Because they like it like this, and because I like to make a little money. Does it taste better than starving, Kujaku?
Hane had been working with Mukudori for three weeks now and was determined to not work another three.
Once all the noodles were made, Hane arranged them into neat little nests on their tray and bent down to slide them into the dark stone recess under the building that would keep the noodles cold. They wiped the flour from their hands onto their apron, then hung up the apron on the door with Mukudori's collection of kimonos in blunt human fabrics. Hane blew out the candle. The sun was rising outside, and the thick little window looked like the glass was filling with honey.
For the fifth time in three weeks, Hane's morning was all theirs.
Hane was still getting used to Nefunuku. They emerged from Mukudori's shop, blinking in the sun and the bright red reflections in the water. The hill rose in the distance. It seemed to follow Hane. Wherever they went in the suburbs that lay beside Nefunuku, the hill was always there on the horizon. Hane felt drawn to it, like they had felt drawn away from Sobishima. So far, though... no answers.
The wind ruffled through the feathers in their hair as Hane sailed towards the hill, into the mist. Their ears were full with the distant morning chatter, and the lapping of the water against Mukudori's canoe, and - was that chanting?
RE: A Memory of Starlight [IC] - rosaferri - 04-26-2020
Dawn rose.
You're kidding me, aren't you? I spent all night up again?! Vannah rubbed her weary eyes as she looked outside the window of her room, in a home on the outskirts of Nefunuku. They always said around her area that "we're blessed by the ruins we were built on", and "if we keep in high spirits, we'll be saved and free from poverty". She's seen the slums of this city, and she can say for certain that she's never had to say goodbye to anyone in the area. Nobody's left the slums.
That is, except her. She has always aspired to finally get out of her situation, and find out the secrets to the city and finally live comfortably. People aren't nearly as educated nor inclined to education around the area; people only knew what they knew to survive.
Might as well test Aegis. If anything, I'm going to have to finish this damn thing before I even can manage to get outta here...
A small automaton had woken up at the connection of two wires.
AEGIS v5.2 ONLINE! Hello, Vannah. Allow me to calculate the time.
The automaton named Aegis, barely even a foot tall, turned to the window and peered outside for a few seconds. The pre-recorded messages containing small clips of Vannah's voice came from small strips that would move around against a gramophone-style mouthpiece, stating the basic calculations that the machine could manage.
The current time is Zero-Six, Three-Two, One-Five, as of the time of calculation. Is there anything I can do for you?
Pressing a button on a desk she drilled out to be a console for Aegis, she decided to test the hardest function to possibly come to mind: the Encyclopedia.
After a sputtering sound of the gears shifting in Aegis, several different tones of whirring occurred before all of the presets moved into place. Fifty tests later, she finally managed to get the setup correct.
Engaging encyclopedia mode. What is it you wish to find? Press the corresponding letter.
There was only one functioning information piece, and that was on the Aegis itself. It recorded the purpose, functions, and aspirations for the machine as a personal assistant. However, through years of work, she only gave a complete shot in the dark for the navigation system. After pressing the "A" button, the machine began to sputter before entirely shutting down.
God damnit! I tried so hard all day, just for this-
She opened up the back of the machine, only to see several of the parts clogged and a cog broken. Needing to fix her automaton, she groaned in frustration, unlatched the machine's primary visual counterpart, and placed it in a bag designed by her friend for the machine. She decided to walk through the slums to the repair shop.
As she began her journey, part of the way through she found herself deep in the ruinous area of the city, notable for keeping many of its relics intact. Upon looking to her right, she saw a hill and a temple. Staring there for a minute or so, she had paid no attention to the fact that her bag caught fire due to a sudden discharge from the automaton.
She saw this as more of a sign, if anything, than a coincidental misfortune. She decided to keep a close eye on the hill while she figured out how to put out the fire.
RE: A Memory of Starlight [IC] - Seraph - 04-26-2020
As the streets climbed higher, so Nefunuku appeared both more prosperous and more advanced. Wood and copper and unadorned stone gave way to carvings and brass and then to more expensive stonework and precious metals. Human artistry, honed for thousands of years on stone and flesh was here displayed in a decadent profusion of silver and gold. Even the pipework that powered the city's luxuries was polished and intricately carved. To Laki's provincial eyes it was more than could be taken in, but the more he saw the more convinced he was that it was all just distraction and he forced himself to look away and focus, instead on the crest of the hill. There, already, he could see the towering tiers of the temple rising skywards, it's strange, recarved moai lining each level, all feathers and claws.
Around him, the life of the city continued. An Alfr merchant was selling skrimshander charms, whilst a diminutive Lucharachán rearranged the books in front of her dimly-lit shop. Laki had never met any of the other races before leaving his island home and though he had encountered quite a few on his journey since, had even travelled with a Drakon for a while, their different features and strange ways still caused him to stare, more often than not. Of course, in so cosmopolitan a place as Nefunuku, Laki's bare chest and leather trunks, though not uncommon, were still attracting a fair bit of attention, themselves.
You must be from the sticks, said a gleaming-eyed Lucharachán coming up beside him. I suspect the hustle and bustle of the big city must be a bit dazzling, no?
Laki didn't deign to respond, but the little Lucharachán didn't seem to take this for discouragement.
What you need is a guide and it just so happens that I, Finan Ua'Brien, am the best guide to the mysteries and wonders of Nefunuku that you'll ever find.
Laki paused and looked down.
What do you know of the Takele?
The who?
The Ancients.
Ah, the Daoine Ársa, the Old People - I can show you all the best places to see the ruins, can even take you into the sewers to where the remains of one of their bower temples can still-
I didn't come here to sightsee! I need information, not spectacle.
Finan scratched his scraggly little beard in thought and Laki shook his head, ready to continue his march uphill, but then the dwarf's expression opened into a massive smile.
Oh, I know where you need to see, alright and I can take you right to her, but it'll cost you!
How much? Laki asked, sceptically.
Fifty Rai.
But that's...! That's most of what I have left!
Take it or leave it, but you won't find Nefunuku's best expert on the Old People without my help. She's not an easy lady to find - or to get a meeting with.
Laki glanced up the hill at the busy, smoky streets and the heathen temple beyond and wondered just how easy it would be to find someone who could help him. He wasn't sure he trusted anyone too close to the temple, after all.
Shaking his head, he reached into the leather money pouch at his waist and pulled out several donut-shaped pieces of carved calcite.
Will this do?
Perfectly, my boy, Finan replied with the gleam in his eye once more, That'll do just perfectly.
RE: A Memory of Starlight [IC] - phoenixofthesun14 - 04-26-2020
Oi! Away from my basket!
With a loud screech, Ember Rose scrambled to escape the basket, knocking it all over to the ground as the group of humans approached, flying off into the trees, hearing the largest human of the bunch curse angrily.
Ember Rose took a few seconds to calm herself down, feeling the rapid pulse of her hearts slow down to every deep breath she took.
I need to search for the dumb ruins anyways...
Ember Rose jumped up once again, but this time decided to take to the skies, circling around on the stronger air currents, looking for anything remotely ruin-like. After an hour, she found herself exhausted and hungry, and opted to dive down into the new sprawling city she found herself over. Once on the ground, she walked around, marveling at the presence of the giants known as humans who mostly ignored her.
Food. Find food.
Picking her first trash can, Ember Rose jumped up to the rim of the can, digging through the various papers and such for any sort of food, until she was chased off by one human. A little further down, the same thing happened.
Even when the buildings tapered out at the oldest part of the sprawling city she couldn't find any semblance of free food lying about. Ember Rose sighed, sitting down off the side of the road, hunched over in defeat.
It's not too late to just go home... Life was boring, but it was also a lot easier to find food.
Ember Rose turned her gaze to the setting sun, her mind debating on whether to give up her futile quest for adventure and return home, or continue, in the hopes that something would happen.
A long way from home, aren't ya? A short, stout human walked up to Ember Rose, taking a seat right next to her and looking to the sunset as well. Never would expect to find a bonafide Falkismanne on ground level, much less here. What brings ye here?
Uh... boredom, I guess. I don't know.
Most people I've seen are only here to find the ancients. But everyone goes home disappointed, because they never find what they're lookin' for.
Ember Rose felt the light evening breeze rustle her feathers, a seemingly refreshing encouragement to her soul. With a sigh, she stood up once again, staring at the human that had sat down next to her. She barely stood even half the person's sitting height, but did not feel intimidated by them.
No, no. At this hour, it is better to accidentially walk off a cliff rather than go wandering into the home of the ancients. Come, you must be hungry. In the morning, you can go wandering off.
RE: A Memory of Starlight [IC] - Nakari - 04-27-2020
Hane followed the moai into the harbour and parked Mukudori's canoe next to a few other, plainer canoes. Mukudori was happy to let Hane use his canoe - it was blazoned on all sides with advertisements for Muku's Soba, so letting it sit by the shop's little dock all day was a waste. He had even given Hane a few rai to pay for attendants - and here one came now, watching Hane like a bird who had spotted a worm and was waiting for it to get into a more exposed position. Hane sighed and handed over the money.
The chanting was louder now. Hane followed it, hairs standing up on their arms. Children's voices? Some of the words seemed familiar. They walked along the harbour. Hane had always felt disattached from spirituality back home. But they yearned for something meaningful. Something that meant life was more than eating, sleeping, dying. Something about Nefunuku seemed to promise much more, though Hane was painfully aware that it may just be the intoxication of a new place. It was all still foreign and new to them, even if not particularly better than Sobishima. The water rushed against the rock differently here, made different sound. Hane breathed in the salt air and the breeze and the smoke. There was possibility here.
There was a small building, right on the edge of the island, that resonated with voice, with a copper roof and garlands of flowers strung over the bare rock. It didn't look like a temple. Then the chanting stopped, and an adult voice called out something in a language Hane didn't recognise, and it began again, louder. It was beautiful.
As Hane drew closer it grew harder to keep going onwards. They were nervous, and were somewhat embarrassed about feeling nervous. Everyone on the street seemed to be staring at them - they were reminded of Hakucho telling them that some humans thought a feather plucked from an unwilling Tengu could cure all diseases. Hane took a deep breath and, before they could dissuade themself any longer, pushed open the door.
The faces of perhaps forty children of all different races and one small woman turned towards Hane. She snapped from conductor to guard dog in a second.
What dye want? Another noise complaint? I'll have ye know our class has already been moved five times this year - so unless ye want to buy enough canoes so that we can all sail off to some remote island and not bother anyone on Nefunuku again - kindly flutter off.
Hane shut the door, and the chanting swiftly resumed.
With that lead cut off, Hane stared uphill. There was a strange sense of paralysis that had swept over them every time they looked up and saw all the people, all the places, all the things to try and understand and find a self in. There was so much out there that they could hardly decide what direction to take. And every successful step forward was a step away from the safety of closing their eyes and returning to Sobishima.
Today, perhaps, they would find a shrine, if they could, if those even existed here like Tengu shrines, and sit quietly there and soak in the smoke and listen to how the Nefunuku praised their shadowy bird-gods. Just that, that would be a step forward, that would be enough. Hane started uphill.
RE: A Memory of Starlight [IC] - rosaferri - 04-27-2020
After managing to put out the fire, Vannah entered into a (comparatively) small shop in the heart of the market. Around her were thousands of shiny, beautiful machine parts of brass and iron, all intricately designed, imported, and displayed among the patrons and the shopkeepers. She was dumbfounded; every time she went into the building, there were always new and amazing contraptions that were added to the store's collection. She often would spend time just to gaze at the machines and come up with all sorts of ways to do things. Her love for machines ultimately grew in passion every time she entered here.
Focus, Vannah. You're here for only a few things. Don't waste your entire budget like last time.
After giving herself a "pep" talk to avoid buying tangential and unnecessary beasts of human intelligence, she wandered about through the intricate layout which she had practically memorized. Hundreds, if not thousands of gears were present, all shining in different metallic hues and shades, displaying a brilliance she had to ultimately resist. She took out the gears and parts she needed to replace, and concentrated on finding the right gears.
Finding everything came naturally to her, as her frequent visits allowed a unique understanding of the sorting system among the categories and litanies of parts. She navigated the maze of innovation with a hard-as-steel desire to meet her needs and nothing else. Her distractions nearly costed her an additional 20 minutes of searching.
After finally finishing her search, there was still one piece that needed to be hand-repaired by the shop itself, due to nobody else making the part. A small wheel, made to spin a notated and fastened piece of cloth for the vocal recordings of Vannah's voice, needed to be repaired due to the shaft it was held on breaking off.
As she approached the shopkeep, she caught wind of another patron's conversation:
Only small clips of what she heard, "temple", "going to discover the truth", and "important discovery" caught her ears and interest.
RE: A Memory of Starlight [IC] - Imperial Frost Federation - 04-28-2020
Keep your head down and avoid attention. Remember you are Miles and Suu... Harmless Dungeon Merchants... Who are visiting the deceased to pray for them...
The entity, Miles, quietly reminded itself of its cover story as it pulled off its hoods from its head and its child sized doppelganger, Suu. The two stood alone in the graveyard, mimicking the motions of honoring the dead, as they hoped for a chance to devour the memories of the dead. However, the little one knew that the dead could not help it as the souls of the deceased already departed for parts unknown.
Suu's thin tendrils had discreetly penetrated the graves, tasting the bones and rotting flesh. Suu looked up to Miles as she retracted her tendrils and shook her head from side to side indicating that there were no souls left. Miles frowned as they felt they were robbed of the chance to devour the valuable memories necessary to blend in to the city. The two somberly exited the graveyard mimicking the motions of a grieving family to avoid the attention of the other visitors and the grave keeper.
After exiting the graveyard, the two wondered what their next moves should be as they kept to the shadows.
RE: A Memory of Starlight [IC] - Seraph - 04-28-2020
Finan led Laki through the backstreets of central Nefunuku, still generally uphill, but with such a labyrinthine combination of turns that that was about all Laki could make out. He was increasingly sure that he wouldn't have found wherever he was going on his own. Unless this dwarf plans to kill me somewhere out of sight, of course... And all the time the Lucharachán was chattering away, divulging tidbits of information about Nefunku's history and the ancient ruins it had been built upon.
And over there is where, legend has it, one of your Atua first used the stone of the ruins to build a Moai to his fallen father - although the Tangata cult wouldn't like me saying so. Now, down that street is where you'll find the best Lucharacháin food and there's also a little shop that sells clockwork parts and all the inventors frequent it. Two streets that way-
Laki let the sound wash over him and tried to remember the way they had come so that he might not get lost returning to his lodgings, then, suddenly, his little guide came to an abrupt halt and, beaming, gestured Laki to the door of the most run-down building he had seen in all Nefunuku. It's crumbling walls had been patched up with reeds and some shoots of bamboo seemed to be growing out of one side of it. The door was covered with a ragged cloth and there was a strong smell of incense mixed with decay coming from within.
Here you are! Finan said, beaming once more. The House of Au Tahuna, Nefunku's very own secret wise-woman.
Uh.. thanks, I guess. Laki wasn't sure he really wanted to go in, but since he had spent most of his money to get there, it would have been foolish not to at least try.
No need! Finan said with a grin, chinking the stone rai together in his hand. Good luck! And with that he was off into the maze of streets and back alleys.
Laki pushed the cloth door out of the way and stepped into the mute darkness of the room beyond. The smell was much stronger inside and, since it took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim light, it was more than a little overwhelming at first.
Ah. I was wondering when you'd make it here. Came a young girl's voice from somewhere near the floor. Laki tried to follow it to the source as his eyes accomodated and found he was looking at a girl of about seven or eight, all bundled up in rags and surrounded by burning incense. I've been waiting for some time.
Uh, I'm sorry... I was looking for Au Tahuna...
I am she, for the time being. Please, she gestured to the floor, sit.
Laki obeyed, trying not to let his confusion show and gently placed his wrapped bundle down in front of him.
You brought it, then. Good. May I see it?
How do you know who I am? Why were you expecting me?
I know because of what you brought with you. Will you permit me to see it?
Laki started down at the little bundle with a sudden sense of terrible foreboding. I shouldn't have come here. I should have just let the thing stay buried under the water I should have- And yet, he found himself slowly unwrapping the layers of leather until the ocean-worn stone beneath could just be see.
Ah.... yes.... Au Tahuna said as the stone was bared before her. Yes, that is what I feared it must be. She looked up at Laki - gazed into his eyes with a sudden intensity, fathoms deep and said, It cannot have been easy bringing it here. You've suffered much, I fear - lost much.
Laki nodded, a hot, painful lump forming in his throat as he fought back the memories. That's why- he choked That's why I had to come here. I had to know what this is. I know it must have been made by the Takele, but... it's related to... to the Tangata somehow, isn't it?
Au Tahuna simply nodded and for a while all that either of them could do was stare down at the crude, black shape of a bird sitting among the scraps of leather.
There is much I must tell you, she said at last, but I think you will not be the only one to seek me today.