In the Beginning:

((OOC Instruction: Post your characters entering the valley here. Be that alone, or with your character's clan- depending on your character's mindset. Your character's "Clan" may only be really your character and their mentor. If your going it alone- that's fine too. Keep in mind the more NPCs you "handle" the more information you'll probably be slipped by the St- and may get drawn into trouble to deal with their issues as well. It's a double edged blade.

This area and any other public areas may lead to character death if your stumbling around pissing off anicent dragons.. Your still all virtually on level one. Everyone has all their powers for their elements.. for better or worse. Any new powers you can think of feel free to talk to me. Keep in mindthe basic rule is, even if you can create other elements out of yours- control is usually tossed to another person.))


---It was over cast, perhaps auspicious for the day--- The masters and grandmaster trails were completed, some with success, and some with failure. The People of Harpeah were settling over their disputes and tomorrow night, some of the clans members were going to Earth. Some clans members were of course, coming back from Earth. At least, that was the hope. Of all the gates, the First Valley was the easiest to get to, the easiest to defend and protect. Even though other gates might opperate, none were as steady or as timely as the First.

The Guardian was also rumored to have a strange man living at her house, or at least, staying there. When he arrived is anyone's guess, for the Guardian is ever secret in her way of doing things... but one thing is sure- he is different. he speaks in a different way, a different fashion. Not different enough not to be understood, but different enough that he causes people to muse over his existance long after they've seen or spoken to him.

There is change in the wind, drifting and pooling down between the trees and the tents, keeping the mood of celebration or fury down to a dampened call.

Something is going to happen.. the question was simply when.. and what.

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The Guardian, an ageless beauty with aged eyes stood apart from it all near her small house on the hill. She was leaning on a gnarled and twisted staff, her hair loose and pooling about her ankles in brown streaked white waves. She studied the people below with quiet, unassuming eyes.

Alida, a golden haired, golden wingged woman who had failed her grandmastery test in air, was perched not to far from the Guardian, embroidery in her lap. Their soft voices rose and fell, but never more then a few snippets of words in random form left their little hill of solace.

---

Elsewhere, down by the River, Morgan, A Very Tall, Very Large man with Aqua hair with braided in seashells and other nonsense was drinking a tankard of rum and half-mockingly singing seachantys and watching the crowd. He was also keeping an eye out for his wayward companion who had passed her water tests. She was supposed to meet his contact with the Shadow Court tonight... and Morgan was nervous. So Nervous that when the shadowed figure stepped from the shadows - as his kind is want to do, Morgan spilled half his rum on the barrel serving as his table and cursed a blue streak.

The shadowed man, with long black hair pulled into a tight ponytail, had black scales playing down his shoulders, back of his neck, down his arms and vanishing into his clothes. Everything else was clothed in black, from gloves to pants and boots. A long, wicked thin sword was belted on his left hip, and a long whip coiled on the otherside. The Shadowman, Nyx, gave the sailor a cocky grin and took a seat, resuming his "I don't give a shit" blank attitude. He absently twirled a dagger, slid from a secret place up his sleeve on his fingertips. "Ah, Good Evening Morgan... I do hope you didn't loose one of your many lives to that little scare.."

"Naw, Over that, Mate? That's nothing.. but should ye be showin' off so close to yer family? Ain't the Dragons going to be a wee bit pissy if their blacksheep starts showin' off that he's got enough iron in his pants to wager a fight?" Morgan set aside the rum, pretense of drunk asshole gone, he leaned in a bit, one eye still roving the crowd for his wayward once-apprentice.

"Then your nerves must be attributed to the kitten you've helped grow into a lionness mm?" Nyx shook his head, sending a glance out into the crowd.. Who he was looking for was anyone's guess. He glanced back to Morgan. "And let me worry about my head, there's enough in my own clan who'd perfer it seperated from me in a permenant fashion, what few friends I have shouldn't worry how I keep it."

Whatever Morgan was going to say was lost when three or four tents over, a dwarf was starting to come toward them. Nyx stood, and without saying a word, vanished. Morgan stared after him then toward the dwarf. Surely his friend hadn't been.. worried about a dwarf? .. wait.. was that the old technologist .. Fergal? What was he doin' out of the caves?


(There you go you lot, that should give everyone something to be at least curious about!)

:: the lovely young Hesper walks towards the water, singing a merry little tune she heard a mother sing to her daughter earlier. Her white cloak flapping slightly in the wind, as she skips around the area, tworling every now and then, and catching a child or who ever goes to pass her in a quick little dance turn, with a warm smile as she goes on her merry way. If she passes someone that looks upset, she'll hand them one of the flowers she's carrying, pat them gently on the head, quick word of encouragement and she's on her way again.

Her golden, curious eyes scanning everything, watching, learning, occasionally stopping to listen. Her silver hair still in braids, she was anything but inconspicuous, her white dress matching her cloak, luckily she was wearing her white gloves a shoes so she didn't get cold::

Hello, how are you good sir? :: she smiles warmly and slightly bows, anyone watching her prolly thought her insane but sweet:: Good day young lady. I hope your day is going beautifully.

:: OOooo a shop... she walks towards the store, her back to the people as she peeks inside::

:: The fun loving Cuan flys around doing flips and banks and just putting on a show in joy from passing the grandmastery test. Watches his sister Alida from the sky. Then flys down to her and lands beside her:: Are you ok sis? he asked.

Alida glanced up from her sewing, smiling at Cuan. "Yes, Cuan, I'm fine, the Guardian was just telling me of others who have the strength but can't pass the test." She glanced to the Guardian, then back to Cuan. "I'm sorry, Cuan, this is the first Guardian of the Valley. If you remember from your lessons, she was the first one to step onto Harpeah's soil from Earth- at least the first to be able to return." She grinned impishly. "She also knew our Mother."


The Guardian smiled and nodded her head to Cuan as she was introduced. "I knew your father as well, Cuan. Though like most of the creatures of the forest, what passed betwixt us was very small. He was a very brave man and I believe, fully proud of you for what you have accomplished here."

Lena walked along the riverbank hearing singing of a familiar voice from her apprentice days in the distance and smiled. Her long silver hair was loosely tied back and often times a strand of two would come loose and fall in front of her light blue eyes before she would push it back behind her ear as she walked along. As she grew closer, she carefully scanned the crowd looking for him. He wasn't that hard to spot, for although she had grown over the years, Morgan was still as tall and large as ever.

Lena came up behind Morgan an tapped him on the shoulder, "Excuse me sir" she said. "Could you point me in the direction of the nearest inn?" she asked chuckling slightly to herself over the irony of what she had said. It had been so long since she had last seen him. "what are you looking at?" she asked.

Morgan was still scrambling to put two cents together to make four when he was tapped. He snaked an arm around Lena and dragged her into his lap, keeping he secure before he grinned. "Oi, there you are, and ye just missed Nyx.. Boy's faster then a rat leavin' a sinking ship when he thinks he's in trouble... But I had a moment to brag on ye again." He planted a kiss to her temple. "And No Inns.. no Taverns.. if I have to pull yer cute arse from the fire one more time, lass, I doubt I'll be welcome in any more ports." He winked, Teasing, but underneath it was a hearty concern for the man who evacuated faster then a man could sneeze.

"Awww, don't give me that, I'm not that bad" Lena said with a smirk and a giggle as she tried to wiggle her way out of Morgan's grasp. "So do you think I'll ever get a chance to meet this Nyx fella?" she asked. "Also don't worry about it, I'm stronger now and besides we always made it out okay, right?" she said with a smile.

Oh if her sister, Sere, could see her now, see how much Lena had grown since she left her all those years ago; Lena had heard stories about her sister's "great accomplishments" along her journeys back here but Lena didn't get as pissed off about being mistaken for her as she had in the past. Now Lena sometimes used it for her own benefit, even though it still made her angry being mistaken for her...

He let her go, if only so he could stand and hook a thumb underneath his belt. "Suredly.. I think the Shadow Court set up a tent somewhere around here.." he cast a glance around.. "Never a pickpocket when ye want one..." he grumbled, glancing down to her with one squinting eye. " I dun suppose ye saw any half bit theives runnin' in and between shadows did ye lass?"

"Thanks granny Guardian" Cuan nods to Her. "Well as long as you are ok Alida." ::Wave to them both as he flies off to look around some more::

When Lena was released she stood and pushed her hair back. "Sorry, no I haven't unfortunately" she said. "I'm going to go search around. It's been awhile since my last visit here and I'm in need of a few things. Be back in a while" she said and turned to go her ponytail swished around following her abrupt movement in the same arc.

:: Lucian dressed in a comfortable set of hand stitched clothing that was finely embroidered and carefully sown without a line out of place. It was simple yet allowed his arms and hands to move freely, a series of belts around his hips and a rather large satchel over his shoulder held everything he needed. He moved through the crowds and toward the shops along the edge of the riverbank and along the area, He moved from one to the other. he spoke briefly and kept an eye on things as he blended in with the other shopers. He would purchase a few nick knacks and odd ends storing the in his pouch in the far right as he paid with the one on the far left or seemed to at least . He would pause to each shop keeper and speak of business in a rather bliase manner that a customer would ask and would curtail about the weather. They would speak and he would listen mostly and smile or frown at the slightest of whims it seemed. He talked to a few other passers by and any and all that made eye contact with him. he did keep to himself but only so much so as to not be seen in the crowd. ::

((Unless ya'll go somewhere or do something, there's not going to be much ST interaction until Erika-hime, Jermey-kun, Robert-sama or Kit-chibi show signs of life. then I'll pick it up with NPC's doing stuff again Be creative ))

((who me?))

Zaman floated down from the heavens above, his wings beating only enough to keep him from crashing to the earth. He watched Cuan fly around looking at everything, and grimaced slightly.

Behind him, a patch of grass began to grow swiftly, rising inches in a few moments.

He ignored this, and continued to watch his little brother.

:: blinks at Cuan:: The dragons are taken care of by who?

::she takes a deep breath trying to keep from going on a killing spree of her own::

::Cuan shakes out his long white hair::

"I think granny is taking care of it." he says as he thinks they should know who he talking about.

:: she sighs softly:: There are a lot of people around that are older then you.

:: she looks at the others, and focuses on Kruze::
I think we need to head back into town. The small child was really a goblin, looking for something. It ransacked a tent filled with books. And I think I know who the owner is. We'll need to calm them down.

Over hearing the conversation, Lena appears out of the water from the middle of nowhere and shows up next to Hesper.

"books?! Tent?! what kind of books? could she be referring to the same one that I grabbed that book from?" she thought and wondered to herself.

"What kind of books?" Lena asked. "I think I can help with the calming down part" Lena said with smile. "But first I need to drop this stuff that I took off somewhere, I'll see if I can leave it with Nyx and his sister for the time being in their tent..." she thought to herself.

::He stares back at Hesper:: "I agree. We will head back into town. Hesper, you see to this Goblin child. If you think Lena will help, then take her as well but don't either of you, and I mean don't, do anything reckless. I'm going to find out what is going on with the other dragons that came with me."

He changes to dragon forms and turns to leave, then stops and mentally projects, "We will also arrange to introduce ourselves to our clans as the new Counsel Members of Fire and Light."

He then takes off to the sky and heads for the town as fast as he can.

What the hell is going on? he thought to himself. AND WHY THE HELL AM I IN CHARGE!?!

:: Hesper looks at the girl and nods, then back at Kruse:: I believe the goblin was taken care of... probably... by the owner of the books. But we'll take care of it.

:: she looks at the girl and smiles at her warmly:: All help is appreciated.

:: looks back at the other elf with red hair:: Care to join us?
:: she flashes him a charming smile::

"Why would we do anything reckless..." she muttered to herself. Lena was felt somewhat insulted when Kruse said if you think Lena will help as if she wasn't there. But let it slide this time... She wasn't in the mood to get into a pointless arguement with a dragon when things needed to be done, maybe later she would....or not.

:: Hesper looks at the girl:: Don't know if I've introduced myself, I'm Hesper, umm new counsil member of Light. What's your name?

:: she smiles at her warmly as she looks around for quick transportation. after she introduces herself she'll look at the male elf::

And you are?

"Nice to meet you, I'm Lena of Water, not a counsel member" she said in response with a smile. "So what's this about this goblin being taken care of by the owner of the books? What books are we talking about?" she asked wondering what was so special about those type of books that she had picked up earlier *Cough* Stolen *Cough*.

We'll all talk along the way, and I'll give the information while we do.

:: she motions to the male elf, Lena, and Cuan:: Follow me. Although if you can get into town quicker, I recommend doing that, and try keeping the peace. :: she looks at Cuan especially since she knows he can fly::

:: looks around for the quickest transportation as she walks quickly towards town::

There was a Goblin, in the form of a small child, that directed us to the water. Kruse, and others (KC doesn't remember who all went with him) went to investigate the river. I went to get more help with the child in my hands. I put the kid down, and it ran into a tent, a large tent filled with books. I followed, it didn't understand me so I watched. Another kid showed up beside me, and got us both out of there, before the owner of the tent came back. Who I know for a fact will be furious at the violation.

:: she sighs softly:: The child teleported us to the cave, with no obvious exits, and wanted to play. But Kruse smashed thru the wall, the kid dissappeared, and you know the rest.

Right now I'm worried about what the goblins may have taken, or been interested in. They were obviously looking for a book of some kind, possibly one of great value, if to no one else, but the owner. Could be a personal vendetta against the owner, or something more sinister. Although I think it's the second, I'm hoping it's the first.

:: she looks at Lena:: Do you know anything about a tent filled with books? :: she raises a brow and aura perceps her, looking for current emotion, after mentioning the tent::

Lena listened intently to what she said and filled in the blanks that she had missed on her exploration of 'the tent'. "So that goblin's the reason I couldn't swipe more books" she thought to herself.

"Err...well" she said thinking quickly and slightly nervous. "Nothing in particular" she said. It wasn't a flat out lie, but she had seen the books and they had seemed old and very odd, but their importance she didn't know. "But if it is a vendetta against the owner what would be their motive, beside the fact that they're roundabout way of attacking a dragon." she said aloud to herself.