One of Us

[Læbirius]

☠ 11th of Searing, Year 123, A.o.S ☠

۞•☠•۞

☠ The day began early as Laebirius stood at the bottom of an intimidating ascension of stairs. He knew that if he was to get anywhere he had to go to the lengths of ingraining himself into their society, and that meant becoming a citizen. He remembered reading something about it here but he couldn't quite recall. In that regard, he turned to Taidryn for answers. He had only one of two options, have a seer do it, or visit one of the temples that was at the top of the massive staircase.

"Have you made your decision young lord?" Taidryn asked, the older male coming to stand behind Lae as he weighed his options. Varinios was elsewhere, not wanting to witness him fall in with savages as he put it. Lae stood from where he sat and looked back to his guardian. "I think it's best to do it with a seer. I feel that the process will be smoother that way." he noted, turning away from the stairs and venturing further into the city.

► Show Spoiler

There had to be one around somewhere, and with Taidryn's help, they would visit all the spots a seer would have been found in. After searching the more populated areas, they found what they were looking for, as a seer was sitting in a park, surrounded by small children and the elderly. Her visage was peculiar as the most distinguishing thing about her was that her eyes were covered. Her movements and body language however told him that she wasn't blind, as she turned her head in their direction as they approached.

She smiled and continued to play with the children. ☠

۞•☠•۞

"Common Speech"
"Vastian Speech"
"Vallenor Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Aegis]

Xena smiled upwards at the three men, lounging in a simple silken dress, as the children all came to a stop, staring up at the foreigners, eyes wide in curiosity. One of the kids pointed at Laebirius, looking over at Xena, "Vonaht io h'uv o ohoie?"

She chuckled a bit, speaking softly back to the child, "Eh'uvt do noe 'uvae vona'uvr in oeh'uvi rando." The child made a small 'o' with their lips then scampered off to keep playing with the others.

Casting her gaze back at the men, Xena offered them to sit upon the mosses and grasses that grew up here. Now that they were close, they would see that there was a large tattoo of an eye upon the entirety of the Seer's throat, and it was moving from looking at each of them in turn. Each of them would know, without any shred of a doubt, she was a true Seer.

"Interesting that you sought me out for this task, don't you think, Laebirius?"

She continued to lounge there, her fingers running delicately across the petals of a purple flower. "Not so many Solunari make it to Drathera alive. Most don't even make it to the border." She laid back, letting her long, black hair splay out behind her. It seemed that perhaps now she was speaking to the dark clouds that lingered overhead. Luckily there was a brief respite in the rain for today, but it would not last long.

"And usually those that do somehow make it to the border, and do manage to make it to our young little city, come bearing heavy sufferings, terrible pains. Families broken, lives ruined and uprooted, all for a chance, a glimmer of hope at a better life than that of the sand tyrants."

She cast her gaze upon Varinios first, "A walk in the park for you, it seems." She then looked up at Taidryn, "Hiding behind your armor will only allow your Suffering to grow." She smiled softly, "Stay with us a while."

She then turned her face to the side so that her and her Seer's eye were looking at Laebirius, "You, on the other hand, seem to revel in Suffering. You stink of it, and it is not entirely your own."

She cast her gaze back to the clouds, "A storm is coming soon."

She paused for a long while, "Tell me about the bandits."

[Læbirius]

☠ 11th of Searing, Year 123, A.o.S ☠

۞•☠•۞

☠ Each one of them passed a look of surprise or in Varinious's case a scoff of skepticism as she spoke of things she couldnt have known. Taking a seat on the grass, he never took his eyes off the tattoo on her neck, wondering for just a split moment if that would suffice the request made of him. He pondered her request, and sighed as he spoke, his eyes looking to the dark clouds looming overhead as well.

"They were my tormentors for far longer than I would have liked. They killed my mother and took me as a slave to be a part of various acts of cruelty. I have many lives on my hands as I aided in the death of innocent lives. It's where my aversion to Orcs came from, but I have started to see that they aren't as bad as I first thought." he expressed, a sombering look echoing across his face.

Though it's the source of his nightmares still, he has come to deal with that in slow strides. In any regard however, he continued. "For quite some time I have had heavy nightmares because of this, however, I have come to manage it. As you are aware, my guardian is part orc. I have come to see that not everyone is not what they are portrayed as." he concluded, not having much else to say to her and wondering how this was going to go.

"If I may inquire, how will this go, I am out of my depth with how this will happen." Genuine curiosity and concern flashed across his face as he looked between her and the moving optical eye on her throat. ☠

۞•☠•۞

"Common Speech"
"Vastian Speech"
"Vallenor Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Aegis]

A thin line was pressed between Xena's lips. "I am not concerned about your racism. All people carry biases of some sort, Ecithians are not exempt from this."

She waved over one of the small children, who came and plopped in her lap. She rubbed the girl's long, dark braids gently, "You see, here, it is not about trying to be what others want you to be. Our Tenants are not there to provide strict control on one's life. No, to be Ecithian means striving to be your best self, your most honest self, and finding balance in all aspects of your life."

She planted a kiss atop the girl's head, "I suspect you might be worried that I will judge you for killing those bandits, for taking lives you believe are innocent." She set her chin on the girl's head, wrapping her up in a warm embrace, "Several years ago, Ecith was attacked as well. Millions were slaughtered, entire cities were lost, and we still bear the fresh wounds of that war. And for us, that war will not end until the Imperium is no more. Our nation is avowed to kill every last Imperial adult, to tear down their monuments, to find our retribution, to gain justice for those they took from us."

She paused, leaning back, as the girl wriggled and went off to play with her friends. "I do not pass judgement on your killing of the bandits. To live in a world of nothing but peace is a lovely but impossible dream."

"My concern is if you are haunted by your own actions, not just with those you've killed, but your entire life. You left your home to come to a land foreign and forbidden. You come with purpose but it is not to escape. A deep purpose, one you've attached to your very core."

Her eyes looked up, and they all locked onto Laebirius' own, a ferocious intensity there.

"That's my concern."

Her voice grew more stern, "Many come to us with a purpose and nothing more. The Imperials came to destroy the Dawnmartyrs, the Clockworks came to enslave, the Hytori came to conquer."

Her voice softened, and she leaned back on her elbows once more, looking up at the clouds, "None of them came with a curiosity, none of them came hoping to just live and learn and grow and change. I can see your choices, Laebirius, you come to wield us as a tool, but have you tried to live here? To love here? To make art and music and eat our food and speak our language and know your neighbors and all the other small parts of our world that are more precious than any one man's purpose?"

She let that hang in the air, she knew what the answer was.

"What will happen is we will discuss the Twenty-Seven Tenets of Ecith, so you may better understand how to apply them to your life. Then, if you wish, you can choose to take an oath on the tenets to become a citizen of the Commonwealth, and thus bound by our laws and customs, and granted the protections and aids of such."

A pause, "But if you come with nothing more than a singular purpose, you might as well just stop now, for you will never be Ecithian that way."

[Læbirius]

☠ 11th of Searing, Year 123, A.o.S ☠

۞•☠•۞

☠ Her insight into his very life was astonishing, humbling really. He wasnt prepared to have someone dissect him with such a fine tooth comb before. But he knew down in the deepest part of him that she was correct with every word. He had come to the commonwealth to use them as a means to an end for a personal and sentimental goal.

He also took a moment to take into account that he possibly needed a new start. He had come to realize that the Solunarium was not for him. No matter how much he tried to fit into their way of life and culture he would never truly be one of them. His mother's warning also made him question whether or not it was a good idea for him even to return there. Seeing this Taidryn stood up, and motioned for Varinious to follow him. "I think it's best we leave them be to work." he suggested, to much of Varinious's protest.

Laebirius placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled at his protective mentor. "It will be fine, I will be alright." he reassured his mentor, the two exchanging a look between them before the man stood up to leave. Both bowed to the Seer before venturing elsewhere. Ghostly green eyes looked to the blindfolded woman before he nodded. "I don't know if I could even return there now, and from what I've experienced here, the people have been nothing but kind to me. Though Kalzasi is my birth home, I think it's best for me to start fresh. If you'll have me I wish to learn from you and your people."

He let out a sigh as he mentally prepared himself for what was to come next. ☠

۞•☠•۞

"Common Speech"
"Vastian Speech"
"Vallenor Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Aegis]

"I certainly hope you will take that to heart."

Xena paused a moment, smiling softly, as a mother does to a child, "You should know that if you ever return to Solunarium bearing the markings of the Commonwealth, it is likely you will be captured, interrogated, and killed. You are not the first to leave Atraxia and you would not be the first to try and return. If you wish to continue, then we shall."

She gave him some time to think on it before continuing, "Whether or not you choose this path, it might be helpful for you to understand the Twenty Seven Tenets of Ecith, the guiding fundamentals crafted over hundreds of years, guidance given by gods, by nature, by the very people that follow them. So I'm going to reach into your past, and I will show you moments when perhaps one of our tenets may have better served you had you known it. I will be laying you out bare, but here in Ecith, we are open, honest about everything. We write our lives upon our skins, we share our emotions freely. To be Ecithian means to share everything you are with everyone else."

She waved over one of the children, "Would you mind fetching us some fruit and some wine please? And ask those men to go find a tavern, we will be a while," she said while nodding at Laebirius' companions. Looking back toward Laebirius, "When we finish, I will ask you again if you wish to be a citizen. You will then pledge an oath to the Tenets and the Commonwealth, and I will write the story of your life upon your skin for all the world to see." She paused for a moment, "Do know that your companions might be equally imperiled by your choice in this should they return as well."

She smiled softly, knowing that a choice such as this was never an easy one. Nor was it meant to be. Ecith has never been an easy world in which to live, but they've endured for as long as the elves as old and would continue to do so. Carved from suffering, molded by an unconquerable nature, and painted by the camaraderie built within one another, they were a people like no other.

"Whenever you're ready to begin."

!

Message from: Aegis

Take the time to read the Article in the Codex on the 27 Tenets viewtopic.php?p=15639#p15639 Use this information to run the entire course of this discussion of the tenets. You may self moderate Xena for the purposes of this conversation. Please use a few examples from Laebirius' past to apply the Tenets to increase his understanding. You do not need to do one for every single Tenet. Run the conversation to completion, and include his final decision on citizenship. If you have any questions, I'm always willing to answer.

[Læbirius]

☠ 11th of Searing, Year 123, A.o.S ☠

۞•☠•۞

☠ Læbirius looked on to his companions giving them both a nod, signaling them that he would be fine. A gentle breeze blew passed them both as they awaited the wine and fruit, and he watched as the seer removed her visor to reveal her heterochromatic eyes. On her left was an eye that shined as bright as amethyst, on her right was an eye gleaming as brilliant as silver. It was a breathtaking sight to behold and he was speechless.

When the fruit and wine finally came, she poured them both a cup and gestured for him to partake of the fruit. "Let us begin. 27 tenets govern Ecithians in all they do. These tenets cover nine core principles and concepts that we hold dear. I will lay your life bare as I go over them." she began, giving him a moment to collect himself before continuing. "The first principle is Land. Within this principle, there is the Tenent of Stewardship, Access, & Past. With stewardship, the land allows us to live and thus we must protect it at all costs. Access states that land cannot be owned and must be available to all. Lastly is the past which must always be memorialized and a means in which we learn and grow from."

Her words filled the space around them as she flicked her wrist to which everything had shifted. They were no longer in the gardens of Ecith but the rolling plains of the Region of Karnor. He was seeing his home again, and she would continue as they flashed to a point in time when he and his mother traveling. She looked to him and see the tears in his eyes. It was clear to her that these were very cherished memories for him. "Tell me about these moments." she whispered, taking a sip from her cup.

"We....we were travelling healers....well my mother was. I did what I could to assist her. She taught me to appreciate the land, to learn from it. We never stayed in one place for long, Those were some of the best years of my life. Learning how to take care of myself and others from her. She was an herbalist, and she always taught me never to take more than what i could give." he wiped tears from his eyes as he answered. Xena smiled and continued on.

"The next principle is that of the Dragon God, Skar. War, Strength, & Honor are the tenets within this principle. The tenet of war is simple, as an enemy will not remain undefeated, the conflict must be completed. The tenet of strength to be cultivated and pursued with everything one has, for the betterment of the individual and Ecith as a whole. The tenet of honor is also simple, that your honor is your livelihood and must be maintained at all cost." with those echoing words they flashed to a point where Laebirius had encompassed these moments.

This would continue through each of the principles and tenets. Xena would explain them, they would see visions of his life, and he would explain them. When there were moments that didn't align, she would ensure he understood them as best he could and how to incorporate them into his everyday life before moving on. When the final tenet was explained, they would find themselves sitting back in the field where he first met her. Her piercing eyes looked at him curiously before she covered them again with her ornate visor.

"So tell me, have you come to a decision?" she posed, taking another sip from her cup. Lae nodded taking a deep breath. He honestly like the commonwealth and the people. Besides his meeting with the dragons, everyone has been nothing but kind and welcoming to him. "I wish to make my oath Lady Xena." he took another sigh but was ultimately ready. ☠

۞•☠•۞

"Common Speech"
"Vastian Speech"
"Vallenor Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Aegis]

"So it shall be. Please, remove your clothing so that I may write the story of your life upon your skin."

There was no shyness in Ecith, the body was sacred and celebrated and skin carried the stories everlasting. Learning to read them on the skin of others would take time for Laebirius, but now perhaps he might understand why so much nudity was present here. Xena put a hand on the eye at her throat and from it, an ancient seeming stick with a sharp point appeared. "This is my tool of a Seer, fashioned after the traditional method of inking one's body. In the old days, it was rather painful, whereas this will be a pleasant, though occasionally ticklish. Your life will bare no secrets when I am finished and all who take the time to read your story will know you. The real you, with all of your flaws and beauties, your strengths and shortcomings."

And so, once he was ready, she started at his collarbone, taking in the flow of the mix of swirls, pictographs and ancient runes. It would take her several hours, and during the time, she spoke to him, musing over aspects of his life that she saw. And as she approached the scar of the eye upon his chest, she looked him in the eye. "Asking for help is always the best way to receive it." She incorporated the scar into the art she was making but pointedly did not draw upon it. She knew it was a desecration and he would know that she knew it too.

"Many like to use the phrase 'strayed from the path' as if there's a nice and easy path laid out for each of us and that is the absolute furthest thing from the truth. It is something that children learn to stay safe, but it is not something here in the reality in which we live. No, our paths are carved with every decision we make, just as the paths of us Orks are new every time we enter the tall grass. There is no path that is wholly right, wholly wrong." As she drew, "We twist and we turn, we learn and understand and grow, but we keep moving forward toward something."

The eye in her throat was staring at him now, and her next words spoke deep within him now, "Forging oneself is done through the strength of self, not by wearing the chains of others or casting chains upon them."

When she was done, Laebirius' citizenship marks swirled and whorled across his chest, left shoulder, and most of his left arm. "As these were done by me, they will grow and adapt as your body changes. When you're ready for more, come find any Seer and we will continue your story. Welcome to the Commonwealth, Laebirius."

[Læbirius]

☠ 11th of Searing, Year 123, A.o.S ☠

۞•☠•۞

☠ Tears welled up in his eyes as she etched the ink on him as she spoke, though these were tears of happiness. He felt a weight come off his shoulders as he undressed and allowed her to work. He was impressed with the way it came out. When she welcomed him as a citizen of the Commonwealth, the Seerer embraced him in a hug."Thank you, I will not allow this second chance to go to waste."

Standing he could see a group of onlookers as they were politely waiting for the Seer to finish, and when it was done Laebirius was embraced by the people that had gathered. They were talking in their native tongue, making gestures at his body, some of which he could make out due to reading their body language. Looking into the distance he could see Varinios & taidryn watching. There was a smile on the half-ork's face, but his mentor did not seem all too pleased. He knew that he would have to try and convince Varinios that this was best for him.

Taidryn came from where he was and embraced the young lord in a hug, the embrace different than a normal hug. Both men had looked each other in the eye, before the older male took his cheek in his hand and gave Laebirius a kiss. Shocked Lae couldn't help but be speechless, his cheeks visible with blush as he blinked in astonishment. Both men laughed embarrassed by the action, Varinios slowly joining them though he only gave Laebirius a hug before whispering something into his ear.

As he was welcomed by his fellow ecithians, several figures watched in the distance, sitting at the upper decks of one of the cafes nearby. "So that's him?" a male voice whispered, to which Yorha had sipped some of her wine before smiling, tracing a finger around the rim of the cup. Yes that is the child of smoke & whispers. That is the chosen one from Setrah's prophecy. she purred, looking over at the scene with a delighted curiosity. "He doesn't seem like much, are you sure?" he questioned, looking at the woman with a curious expression.

She didn't reply, but she wouldn't have to, she simply smiled even more humming a tune that was both beautiful but would send chills up your spine. ☠

۞•☠•۞

"Common Speech"
"Vastian Speech"
"Vallenor Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

[Aegis]

REVIEW TIME

Laebirius

Loot: +1 Citizenship to the Commonwealth of Ecith
Injuries: N/A

Points: 15, may not be used for Magic.

Skills Used Eligible for Expert/Master Progression: Storytelling

Lore Development Opportunities: None

Comments: Looking forward to seeing him learn the true ways of the Commonwealth.