[Siali]

I started this role playing blog in order to visualize and tell the story of my character through her eyes. I am reposting this in a few places but they should all link back to my tumblr and be posted by these names: Cindy (dream bytes), Siali or Synthe, anyone else does not have my permission.
Chapter 1, see the original version >>here<<




My mother always told me I could never be happy staying in one place. As a small kit I drove her mad with extensive exploration of our grove. I knew every nook and every hiding place. No surprise or birthday gift was ever safe from my curious paws.

It is in essence what has brought me to this forest. As a youth I had kept myself content with the study of magic from the wise ones of our tribe. My dear mother did her best to teach me all the herb lore she could. But in the end it was never enough. A longing in my heart to seek higher truths and see the places that filled my dreams compelled me to the road.

****

I find myself completely awestruck by the majesty of the Twelvewoods. I know then I am close to my destination, the famed tree city of Gridania. It is there I hope to further my knowledge of the elements. Strive for a chance to bask in the wisdom of the city’s prophets and seers. A fluttering of excitement in my stomach quickens my step. I am so close!

The wind seems to shift and it’s loud sigh gives way to a voice. Startled I stop, and listen to three distinct words; hear, feel, think.

****


I don’t have time to wonder if one of the Twelve speaks to me or if I’ve truly lost my wits, as the sky darkens and strange tumbling fire rains overhead. As I watch of a sudden a fierce boom pierces my skull, I must hide my face from the brightness of the explosion. When I look up again something like an airship is crashing to the ground. My cursed curiosity is overtaken. I run.

****

Long before I could reach the crash site, I come to a clearing where a hyur and lalafell are lying unconscious. As I make my approach they both wake. They are a bit disoriented but otherwise whole and hale. The hyur woman thinks I am a psychopomp from the Great Beyond, well maybe not so hale… Again there is no time for questions, I hear the patter of strong paws hitting ground and soon enough low growls just behind us.

****


We come faced with forest hounds. Before I can think of what to do, the lalafell drills us to action. We fend off the attack as well as possible but more hounds arrive and we are soon on the brink of being overwhelmed. Until a rumble of the earth disrupts the fight. Something between treek trunks and arms grab the hounds and hurl them away. The face of a treant makes it’s appearance and swallows the remaining hounds whole. Then our would be savior, turns to our small company gaping on the ground and growls at us. Time to go!

****
Being pursued by an angry treant was not one of the experiences I was looking forwards to. Somehow we managed to anger this forest’s denfendant, because we attacked the hounds? And yet the treant was not friendly to them either.. Thoughts running through my head as we run for our lives to whatever destination there might be. But our limbs become heavy, the air lifts us up, we are held in mid air and cannot move. It is as if time has stopped.

In my home grove, the tribe believed that to behold a moogle would bring the best of luck. As Keepers of the Moon, Miqo’te of my tribe were luckier then most. Living mostly at night we were always privy to strange and wondrous sights. The rare but delicious sight of moogles being one of them. Never had I thought that I would one day see an entire flock parade by. And yet here they were enchanting the treant away from it’s prey. And one of that prey at least, felt much relieved!

****

A horned boy appears chanting and holding a staff emanating green power. He is the one chanting to the treant and the moogles seem to be doing his will. Who is this boy? As the treant leaves we unceremoniously drop to the ground. The spell done, a moogle hovers over us and insults the lalafell calling him puny. After having been carried by his friend in our attempted escape, that must have stung.

The boy is followed by a retinue of armed warriors who look rather grim. One whispers in the boy’s ear. He then informs us that the elementals had foretold of our coming and we should follow them to Gridania. Us? Does that mean me as well? Or just these two fallen out of the sky? As interesting as these questions are, I am bone weary and unnacustomed to traveling by day. Reaching Gridania feels very urgent at this moment.

Unbidden I hear the voice. The one I had heard before all these events took place, this time it is singing and I am moved with a sentiment I can’t understand. With the last words; “the land’s alive, so believe” the voice fades and I am left confused and being left behind by my party. I hurry to catch up.

****

**NOTES** Obviously this is not a wholly original story, the way I role play is to imagine how my character responds to the present story in the game. Some chapters will be wholly original as well and I am taking liberties with the game's stories and dialogues at times.

[Kurisu]

Wow, this is great, Cindy! This must have taken you some time. How on earth do you find time to work, role-play, play FFXIV, post on BV / MMO Voices AND host podcasts?! You're one busy, busy lady! Saying that, I'm looking forward to the next entry in to Moon Keepers Dream! It's very well done.

Also, I'm going to say thank you, as you've helped me make my decision about my starting City-State: Gridania!

[Siali]

Thanks Kurisu! Here's chapter 2. Trying something new this time the text comes before the corresponding comic!



***
After the next few bends of the forest path, big wooden doors present themselves flanked by masked guards. They open as I watch and I try again to run up and pass through with everyone else, but I am just a bit too late. By the time I arrive at the gates my party has disappeared somewhere in the city.




***
At least I am at my destination, Gridania! I drink in the wonderful sights of golden lamps, gurgling streams, homes and service structures set harmoniously within the wood. Being a child of the forest and the night I can't help but feel instantly at ease in these surroundings. Though the city is far more grandiose then my home grove, it does not overwhelm me as I had expected.
An amiable Roegadyn, who is also masked, greets me, comments on my besheveled appearance and aptly suggest I try the inn for rest, food and drink. As I make my way inside, I soon realize the inn, the Carline Canopy, also serves as the Adventurer's Guild and many such adventurers are sitting at tables or looking at bill boards. I guess it makes sense to house travelers and adventurers at the same place as the guild, everything in one place and the residents are still left in peace.
An elegant Elezen woman introduces herself as Miounne, or Mother Miounne as everyone calls her. At this point I can barely keep my eyes open I am so exhausted. Mother Miounne takes notice and steers me to a corridor where I have the vague memory of finding doors, one of which leads me to a straw bed. I know no more.



***
It is late afternoon when I wake. While I did not sleep as much as I needed, my belly is too full of butterflies fluttering with excitement to stay in bed a few hours more. I go straight to see Mother Miounne to hear what information or advice she has for an aspiring adventurer like myself. Let it be said that I was not completely sure I wanted the adventuring life before I went for my nap. I was journeying to Gridania set on apprenticing at the Conjury guild. But after my doze somehow it seems clear that I should do both, and who knows what doors these opportunities will open?
Unfortunately there is a snag to my plans. Miounne has heard about my meeting with those who fell from the sky and are supposedly summoned by the Wood. like them I am tainted by the anger of the wood, called the greenwrath, this is why the treant, guardian of the forest attacked us. I need to be purified and cleansed before setting foot outside the city gates.
Speaking of the summoned duo, they appear again and make their introductions this time. The intellectual Lalafell is named Popolymo and the brash eccentric Hyur, Yda. They are looking for the remnants of the airship they jumped out of. I can't believe they actually JUMPED out! But Miounne appologizes and tells them there is barely anything and certainly not anyone left out of the wreckage. Understandably they are both aghast.
One of the masked warriors that escorted us to Gridania enters the inn. She's come to take Yda and Popolymo for their purifying ritual which will be performed by a brother E-Sumi. I am under the distinct impression that E-Sumi was the horned boy from the Wood with the moogles. He had a certain air about him that might suggest priesthood, though young he may have seemed.




***

After Popolymo and Yda are off, Miounne suggests I take a tour of the city and acquaint myself with the shops and amneties while she arranges a time for my own ritual. I discover Gridania has an impressive hall of merchant stalls and guilds of renown. At the weaver's stall I get into an argument over the exhorbitant prices but eventually purchase an adorable hat that should keep my head mostly dry when it rains. Everywhere I see adventurers and residents come to and fro, busy on errands and chatting enthusiastically. This torrent of activity is almost overwhelming.
I have lived my whole life within a tribe of twenty four, including the last born little Evai. Each family had their own little nook and sometimes whole groves if they came from a long ancestry. Some 'families' consist of only a male. Female Miqo'te are not as solitary and will seek out others even if not blood kin.
But there must be hundreds of people in this city, it makes my head reel to think the world contains so many more. Overthinking is also one of my quirks mother often rants about. Which reminds me that I have a letter to pen and send to her, I look for some sort of postal service and only find a chocobo stable. The burly stable tender tells me I can send letters with a rider, but the chocobos themselves cannot be rented out as there are too few for so much demand. I marvel how gentle and beautiful these creatures are.
In the center of the city, where it's a bit quieter, I come across Atelier Fen Yll the leather worker's guild. Perhaps I can make a trade there.



***

I show the guild a piece of vine that I found lodged in in my shoe by my ankle. Which no doubt came from the treant who tried to grab me much earlier that day. One of the guild's clerks is taken aback as I show him the vine and calls for a master called Geva. She is not in the best of moods at the present but comes to take a look none the less. Geva informs me that we must respect the wood and I should not take what is not freely given or allowed by the elementals. But because of the circumstances she is not unkind about it.
A boy bursts into the room shouting about the crashed airship. It sounds like it's mechanical parts are quite unusual.



***
Geva calls him Khrimm and attempts in vain to calm him down. But he blabbers on about the airship and is convinced it and it's passengers came from the Garlean Empire. Geva finds this amusing and can not believe the forest's elementals would really have called anyone from Garlea. The mere mention of the elements greatly upsets the boy, his parents seem to be under some sort of judgement from the elementals and need to be forgiven. Khrimm runs out crying that he will prove the elementals do not exist. This exchange I have to say, is somewhat unnerving. How can the elementals NOT exist?
Poor master Geva lets out a long sigh before coming to a decision about my vine. She will pass it along to the conjurer's guild and if they should find a use for it I will be recompensated for my find. That is the safest route to take and I will have to be content. In truth I don't want any more elemental wrath on me then I have already.




***