Luitolf Family/Edelyn/Signs of the Tidemother

Roleplay from Edelyn Luitolf

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After a few nights, Edelyn poured the last remaining brandy from her desk and reflected back on the wedding. It had been largely successful, a few hitches here and there, but still one of the best examples of a wedding Tol Goldora had seen to date. The hardest parts were the Trio Affair and Edelyn keeping herself in check, something she hoped was successful. She hated the thought that she may have played a part in making things worse for they would not like what was to come next, once they found out. The Tidespeaker glanced at the crumpled note on her desk, filled on the inside with Zoisme's personal hand writing. The preparations are complete was the gist within, and Edelyn knew what that meant. In the harbor bobbed a ship, finally completed and ready to go, filled to he brim with supplies for she knew not how long she and her contingent would be gone. Looking in the direction of the bobbing cog, Edelyn could see that the clouds were climbing ever higher and darker over the seas, blowing in her direction. The flowing tempest could mean many things, a sign of approval, disapproval, even just a chance, and few could tell. Edelyn, however, had not received any communication from her goddess so surmised that it was not disapproval, but it could be a warning. Slowly, and shakily after all the drink, the young blonde woman pushed herself from the seat. Making her way to the door, Ede moved through and down the hallway, the wading pools being her destination. The halls were empty, save fore a few acolytes and lower ranked priests roaming about the area, for it was late and most people had already retired to their homes. The Tidespeaker smiled at the couple of gentlemen, who thought nothing of seeing their high ranked matron in the halls this late as it was normal, and continued toward the warm waters over seen by a statue of the goddess. Finally she reached the room in question. There were a few acolytes finishing up cleaning the waters. Calmly, Edelyn looked over to the trainees and spoke, "Give me the room". The words fell from her mouth in a choked voice, but the acolytes answered anyway. "Your Eminence, we were just keeping the pools and the statues clean for the worshipers that will arrive undoubtedly tomorrow." The Tidespeaker was already making her way into the pools as the acolytes spoke, staring misty eyed up at the statue. Mesmerized, it took the woman a moment to answer, but eventually did. "It looks fine for now. You can do last minuet touches before they arrive tomorrow. Before sunrise, someone will come and retrieve me, and you will have time to finish then." Waiting until the acolytes faithfully obeyed, and after watching them leave, close the door, and place guards, Edelyn knelt in the shallow end of the pool before the statue and began to pray hard. Your Holiness, Great Goddess of the Depths, Holy Tidemother, I come to you in a time of need. As you have known for a while, I have had issues putting together my own life on this island. All these people, all they see is the Tidespeaker, all they see is you, despite my attempts to serve both this role for you and be a person as well. I have prayed, and begged, before for you to send me a sign, and you sent him to me. I thought at the time that you were trying to show me that things were not as dire as I thought, but now I truly understand what you meant. You sent him to me to understand the truth I was not ready to understand. By having me grow close to people, just to be pushed aside like all the others, you meant to show me the levels of dedication that this path would lead. I just wanted to be accepted, to be loved, and I thought they would I really did. That is why you sent him, to show me the truth. My own wants, my own emotion, it is getting in the way of the job you want for me. I cannot fulfill the role of the Tidespeaker with these deep seeded feelings of confusion and jealousy. I made a promise to you long ago on the shores of Farrowfield that if you sent me a sign, one that pointed in any direction, I would follow it and obey. I now know you did, but it wasn't the sign I thought it was. You, My Goddess, are the only one that has not placed me as a secondary thought. I cannot believe I have not realized this before you, but I know the path I must walk. I would be lying if I said I was not hesitant, or that I wasn't scared to lose a part of myself, but a promise is a promise. I wish there was another way, but I don't know if I have it in me to try any longer. Tomorrow, we will go, and I will follow your will. We will see what the future brings.

Edelyn Luitolf

Roleplay from Lucius Navaar

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Salt on his lips, and the occasional sting in his eye as sweat dripped from Lucius in the summer heat. The air was lifeless, hanging like a warm film dragged over the skin with each step his horse took. They had already taken a water break even before Svari’s Farrowfield estate had faded behind him. Now with Golden Farrow back in his sights, he felt himself looking forward to some of the comforts of the new palace, like the extensive baths. His horse slowed, and Lucius knew he was going to have to walk back the rest of the way if he continued, so he pulled off to the side and signaled for another break. Somewhere between the horse and the nearest tree for shade, Lucius had pulled off his shirt, tired of the damp, humid clothing clinging to his every move. As his men milled about in silence, finding shade and any water skins that had not been emptied yet, Lucius sat quietly, trying to focus on anything other than the heat - Svari, the realm, a breeze would be nice… Lucy’s thoughts went back to Barrow Peaks and the exploration into the old temple with Ede. He let his mind drift back to the statue, the pool, each detail still carved into his memory like he was still there. The way the air felt so… connected to everything. If only he could act like a real Galecaller. If only the wind would come for my prayers, he thought to himself. All around him, the movement of his unit stopped. People turned to face Farrowfield where the faintest breeze came in from the west as if guiding the weary Autarch home. Ede would say this was divine, I bet. The thought brought him some pause. Aside from a few letters, Ede had been largely quiet since the wedding, and while he had his suspicions why, he had opted to give the woman some space as he set out with the army to conquer regions. Now though… The breeze picked up from a faint whisper to a pleasant gust. Not a cloud in the sky behind them, but some hopeful storm clouds towards the sea. With luck they would get rain to cool off the day before it was through. Lucy wanted to lean back and take a nap against the tree, cooling off. If at first the wind were guiding him, now it was urging. Lucius smiled and reached into a pouch on his hip, withdrawing the bracelet made of three colors of stones, a wedding gift from some minor noble he had taken a calming liking to. Starting from the grey stone, he turned it on the cord with his thumb and moved to the next. The blue stone turned. Then the green, alternating as he worked back toward the grey stone. His focus sharpened, honing in on the bracelet, his eyelids growing heavier. MOVE. The feeling came with such a rush, that Lucy bolted up straight and looked around. None of his men were paying any mind to him, yet he felt as though the message was clear. Move. Move? Had he heard anything, or was the word in his gut? Pushing sweaty hair from his forehead, he pockets the bracelet once more. “Captain!” The young lordling turned Captain, Liebwin, came hurrying over. “Yes, sir?” “Rest the men, and follow behind me when you're done. I think I need to move ahead,” he said, chasing his horse while walking. Liebwin looked around. “Would you like a guard sir?” Catching up to the beast, Lucius shook his head as he rummaged through until he found a sweat free shirt. It would do. “Just get me a horse,” he ordered as he pulled the shirt over his head. Ede keeps telling me to listen. Well, the worst thing that can happen is I get to go back to my bath sooner.

Lucius Navaar (A very strong gust of wind)

Roleplay from Edelyn Luitolf

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The night of prostration had been long, but finally after several hours, Zoisme entered the wading pool room. The woman noticed that the Tidespeaker had spent most of the night praying, but not solely within the water. Edelyn had moved to just outside the pools, to prevent complications that set in when people spent to much time within wetness. Zoisme moved toward her former liege, but Edelyn already knew of her presence before she arrived. "Mistress Zoisme, I hope you come baring good news." Edelyn spoke as she lazily looked up at her companion. Zoisme gazed about the room for a moment, unsure how to answer, until her eyes came upon the statue of the Tidemother. A grand affair that sat at the end of the pools, in deeper water so that her tentacled bottom have was safely submerged to represent her dominion over the seas and oceans. The part that broke the surface formed the sight of a hauntingly beautiful woman, hair windswept, so expertly built that one might actually think it were moving out of the corner of their eye. "It is good news for you, Your Eminence," Zoisme finally responded after staring at the statue for a while, "The ship is stocked and ready, all that is needed is for you and your retinue to board. Though a simple warning, the storm is coming is quickly." Edelyn pushed herself to her feet, and it was clear to anyone that she had spent the night here in the pool area, resting only briefly in-between prayers of careful communication with her goddess that ranged from fearful to reluctant acceptance, and everything in-between. "Zoisme, my friend, the storms do not frighten me. There was one the night Duke Aidan and I sailed out into the open sea to have me fully inducted as the Tidespeaker as well." Grabbing Zoisme's hand in hers, Edelyn started out the door, barely paying attention to anything within the temple on the way to the main entrance. Once there, a small contingent of the temple guards were assembled, their leader giving the mask, left eye, and Edelyn's paramerion over to the Tidespeaker. Edelyn gave a weak smile, and tied the blade to her waste, taking the mask and eye in hand and placing the eye in a pocket on her inner robes as she and Zoisme started to exit the temple. "Alright, places men, form up and move out," Barked the leader of this guard group. A few of them placed themselves ahead of the Tidespeaker and her companion, while others formed a contingent behind them. Some of the guards carried halberds, others spears and shields, and yet a few others heavy crossbows. A galecaller, waveweaver, and stormsinger each joined them as they started to move down the main streets to the harbor. While it had not started to fully rain yet, a few heavy drops were starting to strike, and the wind was starting to pick up harder than before. As they slowly made their way through the streets, one could see the markets starting to pack up their wares knowing that once the the storm unleashed its fury, no one would be out buying. The gusts buffeted their stalls and tents, threatening to blow lighter goods away as well. The loud clank of the guards boots could be heard over the wind, causing some of the merchants to stop what packing and look on for a moment. It was not uncommon to see Lady Edelyn strolling the streets normally, but she never had a personal guard with her, and it was rarely in the direction of the sea with a large storm blowing in. "If you need help with your goods, my friends, send runners to the church. I am sure that the acolytes and guard recruits can be spared in your time of need," suggested Edelyn in a graceful voice before continuing their journey. When they finally made their way to the docks, one could see the sky had already turned black as soot left over after a fire. Drops of rain were coming down more often now, but still not heavily. The deck crew were putting the last vestiges of the provisions on the ship, and the priests had already boarded, uttering prayers and blessing to keep the journey safe. Edelyn took a look back over the city, over her people while the crew finished the last minuet touches. Everyone wants the Tidespeaker, they will have her. I have a promise to fulfill, and once I do, I will be able to serve you better. She thought reluctantly to herself as she took in in the sights of the city she had once fought and bled for.

Edelyn Luitolf (Old Promises)