RP: Forest Lake
It's Korday, Firetide 09 12:03:16 1018. The full moon is up. The tide is low and rising. Towering white clouds drift slowly through the blue sky. It's hazy and hot, and the glare of the sun seems to drain the color from the landscape.
W03: The Deep Woods
On this hot, hazy, glaringly bright midday, Erithamiel is sitting on the shore of a small lake, intently picking the meat from a jackrabbit's carcass. Next to the griffon is a neat pile of chain mail armor, assorted weapons, and other gear. Ga'Elian is walking slowly toward a rather significant waterfall about 120 meters further along the lake's edge. He is wearing a slender green tunic, tucked into snug leather trousers, and an exquisite quiver. His feet are bare, and over his eyes he has some sort of goggles. He pauses his careful examination of the surrounding ground to wipe sweat from his brow upon his right sleeve, and take a look around.
Heat. Many welcome it after the long, cold winter. After a time, however, the same may not be so fond of it. Un'eth accepts Ea's state as it is. Hot, cold, wet, dry... it is Ea as Ea shall be. That said, black scales absorb the sun's warmth far more efficiently than other coverings, for better or worse. She emerges from the partial shade of the trees as they clear near the banks. Between the Tormawr, sea, and freshwater such as this, there is, at the least no shortage of means to cool and hydrate.
Ga'Elian recognizes the druid as she steps out of the shade and bows to her. As he heads towards her, he sings in Sylvan,
On a bright summer's day When the pixies did play Came a maiden of fae to the stream. There she spied a young man And she thought up a plan For to trick if she can Him to love her with eyes full of gleam.
GAME: Ga'Elian rolls perform/sing: (6)+1: 7
While it is evident that he is singing from the heart, his talent is somewhat deficient.
Un'eth perhaps notes the voice before the gesture of greeting, but she responds the same. A thump of tail initially, followed by words after the refrain is complete. "Peace on your nest. You come to the lake to cool yourself?"
Ga'Elian confesses, "In part, yeah. But I have also heard that there may be a nymph hereabouts, and so I thought I would try to make contact. For many decades have stories of the fae been told in my tribe, but never have I met any but some pixies and satyrs." <Sildanyari>
Un'eth's head tilts. "The fae can be shy, fickle, and even capricious. Be cautious, and patient." Her eyes travel to the water and she looses a light snort before gesturing at it with her snout. "Your time would be better spent in the water."
Ga'Elian casts a glance at the lake. He says, "Oh, I have no doubt of it. I was just looking around to see what tracks are evident between the water and the trees, but I could certainly do with a swim. It is a really hot day, to be sure." He wanders back toward the griffon, not far off now, removing the goggles and quiver as he walks. <Sildanyari>
"Every day is a good day to swim," Un'eth opines before admitting, "though today is better than some." She watches the silvanori move towards the creature as she removes the simple cloak and belt/pouch she wears to set them neatly upon the bank. "Why do you seek the fae?"
Ga'Elian sets his things on the pile with his other things, then strips completely, revealing himself to utterly lack any tattoes or body hair, and neatly folds his clothes before adding them to the pile. He answers, "Oh, I've nurtured an abiding interest in the fae since my childhood. I have heard that if a nymph takes a liking to you, she can bestow a gift that bolsters one's will and inspires the artistry of the recipient. Of course, a nymph is also said to be one of the most beautiful creatures on Ea." He affectionately ruffles the griffon's feathers before stepping down into the water." <Sildanyari>
Un'eth seems utterly unconcerned at Ga'Elian's lack, whether it be markings or clothing. She stands in bare scales, herself, though hers do bear markings: swirled patterns here and there in cerulean blue. "There are also tales that the sight of such a creature can blind the onlooker permanently," she adds as she moves to the water's edge to step within.
Ga'Elian acknowledge, "Yes. I, too, have heard tell of the... risks. My take on it is, to offer no threat and let her find me. The tales say that while they are capricious, that they bear no malice toward such as uphold the sanctity of Ea's wilderness and that they are normly counted among the good, directing their wrath firstly against such as waste and destroy with lacking regard for Ea's welfare or corrupt her with foul magics, evil deeds, and filthy artifice. To that, I can only agree, and my interest in seeking out the most beautiful of the fair folk is mainly to increase the beauty of my poor endeavors to the greater glory of the Sky Singer." He gazes dreamily up at the full moon overhead. <Sildanyari>
Un'eth steps easily into the waters of the lake, her cloak and belt/pouch left behind on the bank at the treeline. "Most creatures of Ea bear no malice. They do what they must, and that is all."
Ga'Elian relaxes into a graceful face-up floating position, and allows his head to tilt back so that only his nose and mouth are above the water's surface. After a moment, the naked elf begins to backstroke lazily in the general direction of the waterfall near where he had been looking for tracks a few moments ago.
GAME: Ga'Elian rolls athletics: (8)+7: 15
A couple of dry stick cracks can be heard in the distance before someone actually clears the woods. "Huh. Never thought I'd be this far out in the woods." The girl says as she finally spots the lake. "Huh. Now this is different." She says as she puts her hand in the water, without even thinking....
In the choice between swimming and conversation, Un'eth is not surprised that the former takes priority. She now makes a light lunge forward and beneath the deeper water to submerge herself and dart ahead, leaving a light rippling wake after.
After a minute or two in the water, Ga'Elian is in deeper (and noticeably cooler) water. He stops and rolls over, then notices the human putting fingers to lake. He says, "Hey, someone's over there." He points and the griffon on the shore turns its eagle-like head to gaze straight at Amythyst. <Sildanyari>
After making sure there isn't anything really strange in the water, the woman simply....dives right in, clothes and all. No hesitation at all. She leaves a light ripple as well....and doesn't come back up for air for....quite a while.
Un'eth is cued more by the entry of another to the water than Ga'Elian's call that another has arrived. Her snout, then head and ear-frills breach the surface and turn towards. "The heat brings more here." A glance to Ga'Elian before she adds, "Perhaps it will bring your nymph, as well?"
Ga'Elian smiles and sends a playful splash towards the Sith-makar. He says, "Heh. Maybe." <Sildanyari>
After a couple of minutes, the woman surfaces, but calmly. She even barely lets out a breath. "Water's still cool at the bottom. The benefits of being this far in the woods, I guess. Hello! She says waving to Ga'Elian and Un'eth. "I can honestly say this is cleaner water than that river in Alexandria."
Ga'Elian says to the human, "I should hope so. It cometh from yonder mountains and from springs unseen, and until it approacheth the lands of civilized folk hath but little to pollute it. By the by, how wast thou able to remain so long below? Bearest thou the blessing of some water spirit?" <Tradespeak>
Un'eth catches the splash upon her scales, turning her eyes from the now-risen woman back to Ga'Elian. A moment of consideration passes before she returns the mirthful act with a swat of her tail, sending a small cascade of water in the sylvanori's direction.
"I don't know about a blessing, but I do like water a great deal." Amythyst says closing her eyes as the splash comes her way. "I've been able to swim before I could walk, kinda literally when I fell off a fishing boat....and was able to keep up by swimming."
Ga'Elian nods, "Well, then 'twas most fortunate for thee--odd, but fortunate. How comest thou to this lake? I see but few humans this far off their roads, save for them that follow the Green Words or the Huntress." He resumes a floating posture, but keeps his head up sufficiently to carry on the conversation.
Amythyst is swimming quite comfortably in the water, barely moving as well, "I know little about the woods myself, but I can smell water. It's like being able to smell meat for a carnivore, if you get what I mean."
"You should consider that a blessing," Un'eth notes to Amythyst. "You are much more adept than most in the water. Many who must travel across it in ships cannot so much as save themselves from drowning."
Ga'Elian says, "While the Huntress is my spiritual patron, I have been touched by the great Stag, and do him honor for it as well. His blessing alloweth me to speak the tongue of the wilds, and to be more in tune with natural surroundings. Indeed, because of the Stag's holy touch, I now find it easier to follow tracks."
Amythyst says, "I actually follow Rada. God of water. Makes sense, doesn't it?" She then nods to Un'eth. "I like to think so, actually. And....yeah, some people seem to think that if water touches them, they'll die. Hence why they don't bathe. And before you go any further." She looks to Ga'Elian. "I can speak elven, as well as Draconic. So if you feel more comfortable speaking in your native tongue, that's fine."
Un'eth's snout dips at this news. "Your love of water, and ease in it, is no surprise, in that case. You are touched by the sea, he the stag, and myself by the very Breath of Ea."
Ga'Elian turns his head as he thinks he catches sight of... something near the waterfall, but there is nothing visible there now. He says, "Yeah, it makes a lot of sense." <Sildanyari>
Amythyst says, "Well.....consider me an ally to protect the woods if need be....or, at least, the water. I'm a lot better in the water than I am anywhere else. I'm a sorcerer though, so my lack of knowledge when it comes to the woods, I hope, will be offset by your knowledge."