elnysa | audio | un: ashari

audio | un: ashari

Um, hi.

Can anyone hear me?

Am I doing this right?

Hi. I was just wondering if anyone wanted some potted plants or flowers.

You know, to put around your houses. Brighten them up a little.

And, you know, maybe we could talk about something that isn't killing people or wanting to kill people.

It's just a thought.

...Okay. Well. Bye!

[ There are lots of clicks and awkward fumbling as Keyleth tries to figure out how to stop broadcasting her voice, assuming it was broadcasting at all in the first place.

It comes back on a second later, however. ]

Oh! I'm, I'm Keyleth. I should have said that already. I didn't. Sorry.

[ And it ends with less clicking than before, since she figured it out already. ]

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[ Well, it's not like he was talking about it out loud? ]

I'd be happy to take some. The idea of living in a house is getting stranger and stranger by the day. I need something of the outdoors.

I know what you mean. At least back home, I had gardens.

...Do you know much about herbalism? Like would you want an herb garden?

Sort of. I would make potions with herbs we found on the road. But, usually I had help with that. [ and recipes.

An herb garden though...hmmmm... ]

I definitely would. It'll be nice to take care of some medicinal plants again.

At some point I'd like to learn more about the local flora. Maybe have another garden like I had back home.

But until then, a pot of mixed herbs might be a nice substitute. I'll get one together for you.

Thank you, Keyleth. You're too kind.

[ Moving on... ]

What was your garden like at home? [ He's more curious about that than the plants she plans on getting together for him. ]

It was in our Keep, right outside of a temple to my friend Pike's patron deity, Saranrae. There was a big tree in the center, all these flowers and herbs growing wild. Nothing structured, just allowed to be. It was nice. Every new place we'd go, I'd bring something back--an herb or a flower or seeds from a fruit--and I'd add it to my garden.

You had a Keep as well?

[ Man elves and half elves moving up in all the worlds. He still listens and there's a faint smile on his face. ]

It sounds nice. We had something similar back in my keep. A bit of the wilds to have in such a place.

But, hopefully we can do that here. Find a place where you can make a garden.

My friends and I did. Vox Machina. We...sort of saved a city, so they built us a keep. We called it Greyskull.

[ She sighs softly and wistfully. ] I hope so. Someday. I think, you know, we need to start trying to make this home.

Saved a city? Now I need to hear that story. Sounds like it must've been very impressive deed you did for them to build you a keep.

[ There's a small smile to her as she says this. ]

For now, until we can reclaim the ones we lost.

We saved the Sovereign of the city and his family from possession. They were being controlled by a demon.

[ She pauses and lapses into a thoughtful silence, considering his words. ]

Do you...do you really think that's possible? I mean. It sounded like they were all lost to the storm.

Demonic possession? [ He nearly sits up right for that. He's both amazed and shocked all at once. ]

That's a rare feat to even do. I've only ever heard of one case where a boy was freed from possession without being killed.

[ He'll need to ask more on that, but, at her line of questioning he forgets his curiosity for a moment and smiles to her. ]

I believe so. We don't truly know what the Storm is, it's just been claimed as a world devourer. There might be a way to save them.

It wasn't easy, believe me. Even after the demon was dead, we found out their souls were missing. That's not a simple thing to fix.

[ Man. Lavellan, you make Keyleth feel old. She feels really really old and tires right now. ]

You still have hope. [ How rare and how novel. She had that once too. ]

Their souls missing? I...suppose anything is possible anywhere.

[ He's never heard of that, a soul being able to return when it's missing from a person's body. It usually meant death.

However, her words don't fall on deaf ears and he tilts his head. Just hearing it said by someone...it seemed sad to him. Did that mean they had none? ]

Of course. I have to. If I gave up now, everything I worked to do, everything I and my companions accomplished; It'll mean nothing. I can't give up, I'd be letting them down.

That's what I said. It's not the kind of magic I understand. Or want to.

[ She sincerely has no idea how Pike does it. The very notion of dealing with matters of the soul terrifies Keyleth. ]

I would think...I mean. The most important thing is taking care of the people still sleeping.

I plan on doing both, but I know what you mean. I want to be sure my Clan and my friends are at least well.

Hopefully, if they wake up they can help with this.

Me too. With my friends and my tribe.

[ She sighs heavily. ] I miss my dad. He's...he's just better at this sort of thing. He was a good leader.

[ There's a quirk in his brow. Now he's intrigued. ]

So you were the new leader of your tribe? [ Interesting and telling. ]

For the last year, before...well. [ You know. THE WORLD ENDED. ]

It was supposed to be my mother. But...see, my people, the Ashari, we have this test, this journey you have to take before you can be crowned. We call it the Aramente--the noble odyssey. We leave home, and we travel to each of the sister tribes of the Ashari. Along the way, we explore the world, we grown and we learn. Supposedly this teaches us how to be a leader?

[ Her tone implies that she still thinks it's a little bit some bullshit, kinda. ]

Anyway. My mom left to take up the Aramente when I was little. She never came back. And when our headmistress died, it fell to me.

[ He remains silent as he listens, a look of quite contemplation on his face. This definitely resonates with him, knowing that he was preparing for something similar. Still, he remains quiet and considerate as she finishes and nods slowly. ]

That can be a difficult mantle to wear. I'm sorry about your mother and I'm sorry that the burden fell to you.

[ He pauses for a moment before he sighs. ]

I was also in a very similar situation as yourself. I was the First of my Clan's Keeper. I was to inherit her duties of leading our Clan when it was her time. So, I understand not knowing if you're ready for the role of a leader.

We do what we have to.

[ Which wasn't to say she wasn't sad, but. Loss was part of life. She should really have learned that by now. ]

You were? Is she still alive? Up, um. [ She gestures skyward, vaguely. ] Up there?

[ He gives something a small smile to the question and nods simply. ]

Yes, she's still alive and asleep. She's a hard woman to kill. If she were awake I'm sure the Storm would have thought twice about doing what it did. [ A small joke despite the bleakness of it all. ]

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audio | un: ashari

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