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Celebration of The Scholar

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Jancis Jancis Find all posts by this user Awkward Conjurer Posts:1,114 Joined:May 2014 Character:Jancis Milburga Server:Balmung Reputation: 404 RE: Celebration of The Scholar | #8 04-03-2015, 01:44 PM "We are very lucky to have you all here this eve and to share with one another. As we are lucky to have another story. This time from Master Ojune."  Jancis bows, smiling warmly at the man before clapping and moving away from the stage. Ojune Wajune comes up, "Hullo everyone! I hope you’re all doing quite well today!" Vaughn chuckles. Ilwe'ran's ears perk in Ojune's direction and he smiles slightly.  "Now, I’ve a tale for you today called ‘Hellfire Raptor Stew.’ As with many of my other stories I could use help in it’s telling. Especially for this one. -You- all get to choose how the story progresses!" "There will be prompts in the story and I’ll just need you to yell out what you’d like to see happen next. The majority will win." "All right. Lets begin." Ojune clears his throat before launching into the tale. ♣♣♣♣♣ The red-head was forced to move to the other side of the room as a sudden fit of coughing caused the middling aged woman to double over. Olivia looked back to the sudden cloud of dust she’d kicked up in her mum’s old library. The place had really fallen into disuse the last few years as her mum’s eyesight failed with age. It hadn’t even been a moon since her mum’s passing and Olivia still felt the loss heavily. So it’d been slow going to sort through her mum’s old possessions. Peering down, Olivia examined the scroll in her hand. It was squished, having been jammed between two books on gardening, and the edges were yellowed and cracking. She untied the ribbon that held it together and carefully unrolled the brittle parchment. Instead of the gardening trick or perhaps a recipe that she had expected, Olivia found a scroll that instructed: ‘Thaliak’s Grace and Guidance shall be granted with a pilgrimage to His prayer stone. Recite the following passage whilst kneeling before His stone. After which, rise, turn about, and head down the path until ye reach His river. Do not leave the path and ye shall be granted the knowledge ye seek.’ What followed was a rather short prayer to Thaliak that could be customized to asking for a particular bit of knowledge. “What a flight of fancy…” Olivia shook her head, set the scroll aside, and went back to her cleaning of the library. What her mum had kept that nonsense of a scroll for, she had no idea. What she -actually- hoped to discover in this library, was a recipe her mum had invented called Hellfire Raptor Stew. The scroll had been a disappointment. However, this recipe had yet to reveal itself after suns more cleaning and cataloging of the entire cottage. Hellfire Raptor Stew was a huge success even outside her small village and it was a comforting, if fiery, treat Olivia would miss. Yet it was the connection the stew brought between her friends, her family, and especially her mum that she’d miss the most. She knew most of the ingredients but some of the subtleties her mother used to prepare it was lacking. The brittle old scroll and it’s prayer, however, persisted in her thoughts to distraction! Until she finally caved in and resolved that she would at least seek His stone on her way to Gridania soon. Hadn’t her mother made the pilgrimage to His stone several times herself? Perhaps it would make her feel closer to her and ease some of the ache in her heart. And so it was, two suns later, that Olivia found herself kneeling before the Mark of the Scholar, scroll in hand. She knew what she wanted and she began the prayer from the scroll. She was feeling awfully silly but she was alone. So what could it hurt? “Thaliak, by your grace, grant me the knowledge of what I believe to be lost. The recipe of my mother’s design called Hellfire Raptor Stew. This Seeker of wisdom humbly asks that the path you set before me lead only to my wisdom and prosperity.” Surely Thaliak would grant such a simple thing? When she finished she rose and turned about to find the path looked no different from when she’d arrived. What had she expected really? “This really is a flight of fancy. . . I hope mum heard me at least.” She sighed to herself and started walking back to the proper roads. Until it felt like over a bell late and the sun hadn’t moved and the path seemed to stretch on much further than she remembered. “I should have reached the main path by now.” Her own voice little comfort. Frightened she begins to walk faster. Perhaps she’d simply misjudged the time it took to walk to the stone. That was until she realized that the path only grew more jungle like that in La Noscea and lost the crystalline quality of Mor Dhona. Then in the path she spotted an old trapper, dragging along a slain raptor by it’s feet. The old hunter looked up from his toiling when he noticed her presence. His voice gravelly and broken with the wear of time, “Excuse me miss, might you help an old man out? My son usually helps me now-a-days but he’s off with the lass he fancies. I just need to string it up and get it cleaned. Then it will be far easier for me to manage.” He tapped the foot of the large raptor. Olivia paused. Did she really have time to be helping a random stranger when the path was doing such odd things and she was expected to be in Gridania? Maybe he was dangerous! Yell out what you all think should happen! Leave? Help Partway? or Fully Help? "ROB HIM!!" "Fully Help!" "Fully Help!!" "LEAVE" "Fully Help!" "Fully Help!" "Fully Help!" A'rho smacks Faezbhar in the arm before answering "Fully help!" "Fully help!" Ilwe'ran smiles at the folks' yells but keeps silent himself. "Fully help!" "Fully help!" Ojune can't help but chuckle at the robbing comment. "Leave." "ROB HIM!" "That was not an option..." "Fully help." "Yelling!" chimes Iskierka at the end. Ojune gives a nod continuing on. Surely Olivia couldn’t just leave the old man. Time seemed to not be advancing normally anyroad. The sun still hung in the same place it was when she first left the stone. So what could it hurt? Tying back her skirts she helps hoist the raptor, feet first, from the limb of a tree. Olivia was quite careful to not step off the path herself. For her heart told her that would only lead to disaster. Olivia smiled to the man, “Pray rest, sir. I’ll make short work of this over-sized lizard.” “Thank you, kindly miss. These old bones just don’t move like I’d like them to anymore. But with your help I’ll be able to get this back to my wife’s marinade. This lizard will be nice and tender come supper tomorrow.” The old man sat on a log nearby letting her borrow his leather apron, which held a hunting knife in a sheath. Olivia deftly cut the beast from stem to stern and the mention of a marinade tugged at her memory. She’d watched her mother marinate the raptor meat but couldn’t recall much other than it was white. She inquired of the man, “What does your wife use to marinate raptor with, sir?” This earned a chuckle from the old man, “Why buttermilk of course! Is there any other way? A half a cup of salt with fresh cracked peppercorns and half a cup of molasses for each gallon of buttermilk. Certain to soften up the meat of any ol’ lizard.” Olivia nodded a few times, making mental note to try it one of these days. And perhaps that's what her mother had used? “Of course sir! It sounds quite delicious.” And so they babbled for a short time until she’d finished her task and the cleaned, much lightened carcass would surely be easier for the old man to carry now. She was showered with the man’s thanks before the parted ways and now she on the path with the creature’s blood up to her elbows. Thankfully, the apron had protected her clothes. Continuing along the path until she was back into the crystalline paths of Mor Dhona, Olivia kept a look out for something she could wash off in. Eventually she did come to a small stream that ran across the path she traveled. A quick wash later leaves her feeling much better and she unties her skirts. She is about to start walking again when she notices that the path ahead lead right to her mum’s cottage. “Ooh now what.” Olivia muttered aloud as she scanned the nearby area. Nothing else from around her mum’s cottage was there. Just the house, it’s chimney sending smoke rising into the open sky. The door stood right open in the center of the path to invite her inwards. But there was space on the path for her to go around the house. Her eyes pricked with tears as she could smell bread baking. Something the cottage hadn’t smelled of since her mum’s passing. The realization made her ache. So Olivia debated her options. Give me a yell on what she should do! Go around? Or enter? ♣♣♣♣♣ "Its haunted. BURN IT DOWN." demands Memeli, Vaughn chuckles. "Enter!" "Enter!" "Aw, go on and Enter!" "Enter!" "Wark!" "Go around !" "Enter!" "Enter, looks fun!" "She must enter! She simply must!" "Enter!" "Enter, yes!" "DEFINITELY HAUNTED. INVESTIGATE." " Why do they always investigate voidsent unprepared?" "I say BURN!" Steeling herself, Olivia decided she was going to see what was in the cottage. Upon entry she saw her mum, several years younger and bustling about the large kitchen. Her mum looked as Olivia remembered her from when she herself was only about twelve cycles. Large tears began to spill down her cheeks. When her mother caught sight of her she immediately cooed, “Oh, Dumpling. Did that Darrus boy pick on you again? Come here and help mum cook. You tell me all about it.” Biting her lower lip to hold back the sob she considered acting as she had at that age. Simply running through the house to the back gardens for a good cry. Or she could actually take her mum up on her offer. Lets hear you yell what you’d like to see her do. Does Olivia Stay? Or Run? "Staay! She oughta stay!" "...Stay." "Stay! ...Unless her eyes were glowing red." "Stay" "... ... stay." "Stay." "Stay! Her mother means her no harm!" "Stay!" "Stay!" "Ask her about the afterlife and gods for science!" "Leave praise Rhaglr, Eorzeans..." Ciel elbows Jon. Jonathan grunts and Vaughn smirks at Jonathan. Jonathan piles his weight on Ciel partially as a response, meeting Ciel's stare, with a "But they should!" glare; Ciel frowns and mutters to Jon only for him to hear. Hiccuping back the sobs she moves to her mother’s side. Her mother was treating her like she was twelve. How could Olivia bring up that the tears now were from her being dead and not this memory? “N-no mum. It was Zachary. He’s going on a date with Karrin.” “Oh! I didn’t know you fancied him. Never-you-mind. If he’s got eyes for ones like that stuck up child then you’re better off without him.” Her mum hums while she finished cutting the seasoned raw dodo breast into bite sized pieces. “Brown the meat dear, while I cut up more vegetables for the soup.” Given what Olivia knew of Zachary -now-, her mother would have been more than right. The thought made her smile a bit and she longed for this to last. She found herself wondering aloud, “Why do I brown it if I’m only going to boil it for soup?” Her mum paused in her chopping to look back to her daughter in mild surprise. Olivia of twelve cycles had been going through a rebellious phase where she ‘hated’ cooking. But the look passed quickly and she smiled, “Because you get more flavor from the meat if you caramelize it first-- Oh! I seem to have forgotten to pick the rosemary. Will you be a dear and fetch me a sprig? I’ll watch the pan.” Fresh tears sprung to Olivia’s eyes. She knew once she left the cottage, it would be gone. Her mum lost once more. Yet what was she to do? Stay here in this altered memory? She was a grown woman now, even though her mum didn’t seem to see it. And so she threw her arms around her mum, croaking out, ”I love you so much.” Before retreating out the back door to the crystalline path. Her mum’s amused tone following her from behind, “My word! I love you too, dumpling.” Olivia didn’t look back. After she’d gotten her emotions under control, was when Olivia spotted the form made of fire just ahead. She’d seen the basic fire spirits before and this one seemed nothing like them. It twirled and flickered across the path in the loosest form of a person. She watched it move with an unnerving and enticingly beautiful grace. It finally paused it’s dance before the point Olivia stood transfixed, speaking in a voice that was neither man nor woman. “Ye can see me, Child of Man? How strange. Strange indeed. Tis not oft I can converse to your kind.” It flickered excitedly, “A game then, Child of Man?” When Olivia withdrew, thinking the spirit would cast some sort of fire on her, the elemental laughed, “Ye have no need to fear! Your kind is fragile in form but occasionally fiery of wit! A game of the mind is all, Child. Riddles!” This gave Olivia pause. She was torn as spirits could be fickle. What should she do? Should she refuse and run away, hoping the spirit wouldn’t burn her for escape? Or should she play this game and risk drawing the spirit’s ire with further talk? Run or Play? Yell out you answers now! "Play!" "Play!" "Yes, yes. Play!" "Playyy~!" "Hmm...yes, play, play!" "Play! She can do it!" "Play indeed." "Play!" "She's still there?" "Jonathan! >.<" "Always play!" "Play. MAKE BETS." But she's going to die Ciel! Die from not thinking!" The elemental flares brightly in it’s happiness, but Olivia barely felt any heat, “I’ll give ye a special prize when we’re done. For I have three for ye. Now the first riddle: ‘No legs have I to dance, No lungs have I to breathe, No life have I to live or die. And yet I do all three. Am I a: tree’s branch, a candle, or fire?’” "A candle!" "Branch!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "fire!" "Fire." "Fire!" "Hmm...fire!" "Fire. FIRE! GAHAHAHA!" Ojune Wajune is a little afraid of Memeli after all this. "I believe it to be a candle? No, a fire!...Candle...?" "Candle." Olivia was flustered but gave it some serious thought, weighing over the three provided options and the clues. A candle needed to breath but only when lit. It of course it couldn’t dance itself. It was easy to dismiss. The branch was more difficult. It did dance in the breeze. And it was the leaves of the branch that breathed. But it -was- very much alive. “Fire.” It flared happily, “Very good, Child. I apologize if it was too simple. But it is my very favorite riddle and I couldn’t pass it by.” The elemental twirls in place, “All right. My next riddle for ye is thus: ‘I cannot lie: I cannot lay, but only lie. What am I?’” What does Olivia choose? Yell me which you think it is! A politician, a stone, or a hunter. "Hunter!" "Stone." "A stone!" "Stone." "Stone!" "stone!" "Everybody must say stone...." Cici chimes in, "... Politician." "Stone!" "Politician! EVIL SCUM! Hail the Sultana!" "I'm partial to hunter." "A...A p-politician!" "Politicians can certainly get laid as can hunters, I say stone." "The sultana is a politician!" "SHUT UP RHO." "NEVER!" "Of course it is a Politician, warrior of the pen and promise." She worried at her lip a moment in thought. She knew it had to be either the stone or the politician. The hunter was just too odd. “Stone.” She found herself blurting out. Instantly her heart sank as the elemental shimmered in what she took to be amusement, “Nay, Child. For only a politician fits that sort of contradiction.” Tiny embers emit off the spirit, “One final one then, Child. What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, and has a bed but never sleeps? Am I: water, a river, or a flower?” /yell me which Olivia should pick! "AHHHHHHHH. NOT THIS ONE! ...River." "River!" "River." "Thaliak's Grace be a River!!" "River!" "River!" "A river, for the occasion." "River~" "A river!" Olivia blinked a few times as she gave it some serious thought. Water was easy to dismiss as it didn’t have any of those things itself. But flowers grew in a bed and had unweeping heads. Some had what looked like mouth and other ran tendrils along the ground. However, a river had all of those things at all times. She took a deep breath, hoping she chose correctly, “A river.” A joyous flare from the spirit, “Yes! I didn’t trick you I find. It was a pleasure to see the fire of your wit!” The spirit’s fiery form shimmered in amusement, “Not bad I suppose, Child of Man. Ye didn’t get them all correct but it twas a pleasure none-the-less. For your prize I shall tell ye some of what ye seek. A grated knob of ginger root, cinnamon sticks simmering in broth, and a spicy paprika oil will add a deep and flavorful spice to your dish.” And with that, it danced away off the path where she could not follow. Olivia stood with her mouth agape before she finally took action to scribble down her new found knowledge before she forgot it. She wondered aloud, “How much of each? What exactly is spicy paprika oil?” She tapped the back of the quill to her chin as she continued walking, before adding quietly, “And -what- does a fire spirit know of food anyroad?” ♣♣♣♣♣ She rounds the next bend and discovers another Thaliak stone. Only this one stood small and understated before the crystal clear ethereal waters of the river that flowed before her. It took her a moment to notice the writing at the base of the stone, ‘Should you truly need more insight, seeker of knowledge, drink from these waters and more will be made clear.’ Olivia considered the words a moment. There were things she didn’t quite understand. Like the quantities. So she kneels and cups the cool water in her palms and drinks deep. She now heard the strange voice of the spirit, “Knowledge is just facts. Wisdom comes from experimentation of those facts. Ye think things through and the answer shall be there.” It was right of course. She had some of the and just needed to look into them and experiment. Her mother’s voice whispers softly as she had done after a childhood nightmare, “Knowledge isn’t always easy to obtain. It often takes perseverance, dumpling.” She could almost feel warm arms about her and felt a pang of loss for not staying longer at the cottage to learn what her mother had to tell her. When her eyes opened again, Olivia realized she could no longer hear the burble of the river and noticed she was kneeling before the stone in Mor Dhona, scroll still clutched in her hand. Her gaze sought the sun and she noted that it was only a bit past noon still. She rose to her feet and made her way towards the Twelveswood. "Proof to just report it to the prepared..." Jonathan side glances Ciel just in time as she sticks her tongue out at Jonathan. "Thank you! Our adventure story from Master Ojune!" Jancis Milburga

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Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 03-27-2015, 09:38 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 03-28-2015, 07:47 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 03-28-2015, 08:18 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 03-30-2015, 03:12 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 03-31-2015, 06:48 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 03-31-2015, 07:23 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 04-03-2015, 12:33 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 04-03-2015, 01:44 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 04-05-2015, 05:40 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 04-05-2015, 06:10 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 04-07-2015, 08:17 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 04-08-2015, 07:22 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 04-11-2015, 12:54 PM RE: Celebration of The Scholar - by Jancis - 04-12-2015, 06:42 PM

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