the library

It showed up first as a speck of light, a trick of the eye forming a glowing orb that hovered in midair. It winked in and out of existence, there one moment and gone the next, hazy and dull at best, teasing anyone who might catch a glimpse of it. But slowly, with every recurrence, it gained strength and color. It didn’t take long before an orb of light was shining brazenly in the midst of the Court, waiting.

They show up all around the Court: orbs of light that hover in the air, seeming to thrum and shiver with a hidden energy. They grow and shrink in size, floating into Delumine in ones, twos, threes, and packs. Every color of the rainbow fills their center, a shifting myriad that changes to reflect their environment.

And when they come in contact with one of the Deluminian natives, their color changes to reflect their soul.

The orbs will nudge at the equines of the Dawn Court, playfully weaving through their manes and tails and tugging at them as if in a bid to say follow me. Those that choose to will find themselves led to the Viride Forest, following old trails that have long been forgotten and overgrown by shrubs and bushes.

At the end of these trails lies a building of trees, their bark forming walls and their canopy ceilings. The orbs will disperse, flying quickly through the dusty halls and lighting lanterns as they go, prompting the charges they’ve led to explore for themselves, to see for themselves the many rooms and their hidden treasures.

Welcome to the Library, an ancient piece of Delumine’s history.

The Library is officially open!

Your character is welcome to be led to the Library in pursuit of these little lights, as they pester the Dawn Court and seem to lead directly to the Viride Forest.

You can reply to this thread anytime before July 31st to claim partial participation in a SWP, but one post max per character if you choose!

RE: they will show you the way. - Somnus - 06-27-2018

"... It fills you with determination."

They came like fireflies, brilliant and beautiful. First, there had been one singular orb. It was a flirtatious thing, refusing to glow too brightly, yet it seemed to linger in one place. As soon as he looked, however, the orb was gone… But then it doubled, then tripled. Soon enough, the entire Dawn Court itself seemed to be full of dancing, playful glowing orbs of a variety of colors. They held no true shape, seeming to twist and change in circumference as they drifted lazily through the air, brushing against the citizens that called Delumine their home.

Somnus had watched them multiply in silenced awe, certain that he had never seen such a beautiful display with his very own eyes. They reminded him of fireflies, and yet they were so much more than simply that. They were ethereal and ancient, mysterious yet known. The Dawn King stood beside Eulalie and their young twins, Regis and Anemone. A few orbs drifted closer to the dunalino’s body, seeming to dance through the long strands of his ivory mane and tail and dart around his wings, spinning above his head before drifting off in a slow, playful movement. They returned, twisting and spinning, their cores changing in colors whenever they brushed against his sides, and they… They were warm? Soothing, almost, like the touch of an old friend.

Whatever they were clearly meant no harm, but as the orbs seemed to draw towards the direction of the forest, he could not help but think that they wanted them to follow. “Eulalie,” he stated softly, kindly, curious verdant eyes tearing themselves away from the peculiar orbs to focus on the golden-haired woman at his side, “I think… We should follow.” He couldn’t explain it, yet he knew that there was no threat. Amidst all the chaos over the last few days, this seemed like some kind of welcome reprieve. Or, at the very least, like the final piece of a puzzle that for the longest time had been unable to be solved.

“Stay close, children. Come along.” Together, the family of four allowed the dancing orbs of light to guide them into the Viride Forest. They followed, and Somnus could not help but smile warmly at the antics of their two young children; still so young, the twins, but innocent and endearing all the same and clearly captivated by all of this newfound excitement. Somnus loved them deeply, just as much as he was discovering that he loved their mother. It was a kindred, blessed fate, and far kinder one than Somnus felt he deserved.

The well-traveled path gave way to one far more worn and forgotten, nearly overgrown entirely from years of neglect. It was quite easy to pick out the path, however, with the glowing orbs as their guide, and eventually they arrived at their goal. In front of them, looming upwards and built of the wisest, oldest trees of Delumine, was the grandest structure that Somnus was certain he had ever seen. Primitive, it was built out of the very trees around them, walls thick with wizened wood. Even on the outside it was impressive, and the Dawn King felt himself being drawn closer to the main entry. “My word,” he breathed, disbelief and awe coating his voice, “How wondrous.”

But that was not the best of it, for the best awaited them inside.

The old hallways, while forgotten for years, blossomed alight as the orbs found their homes within the lanterns. The rooms and hallways illuminated before their very eyes, revealing hallway upon hallway of mystery, rooms, nooks, and crannies all waiting to be rediscovered. It was absolutely awe-inspiring, and Somnus felt that hunger for knowledge, for understanding, creep up within his golden breast. His smile was genuine as he regarded his family, and there was no missing the pure delight that radiated through his form, nor the excitement that shone in his glistening emerald eyes.

“Shall we explore?”

tag: @Eulalie @~~Regis~~ @Anemone @~~Ulric~~ (?)

Tagging the family as they all explore the Library! :D I hope you guys don’t mind me ‘throwing everyone in there’, but if you do, just let me know and I’ll change it. Also, if you don't want to reply, that's okay!

@Random Events

RE: they will show you the way. - Eulalie - 06-27-2018

chances are we are the same
against the odds, against the grain

She stood with her family in the court as they came, floating like petals on a breeze, except they seemed to move of their own will. Her earth eyes watched them dance around, expanding and contracting, shifting between colors as they went. It was magical, she thought, having no other word to describe it, as they multiplied and filled the air, pressing close to others lining the streets, stopping to wonder at the display before them.

When the first one floated toward her, Eulalie’s gaze dropped to the orb, watching it reflect rainbows like sun through the rain. Until it came into contact with her skin, when it settled on a single color—a light, grassy green, like new growth. It floated over her skin, pushing its way through her gilded waves, and slowly, more joined it. They prodded her, tempting her, coming closer and then pulling away as if asking her to follow it.

When Somnus spoke her name, she glanced over to him and their eyes met. It was sort of silly, she thought, how they kept finding themselves in the company of small, glowing, flickering lights. Fireflies or not. She found that she agreed with him. Somehow she knew they wanted the Deluminians to follow, as if they had somewhere important to take them, something special to show them. “Yes, I think we should,” she said, gently nudging her children forward after their father, who were no doubt as mesmerized by the small orbs as the adults.

The trail of lights led them northeast, past the meadows, parallel to the river, all the way to Viride and there among the trees and the underbrush was a path hidden deep within the overgrowth of bushes and vines and plants. Still they followed, until the path opened up to expose something more grandeur than even Eulalie could have dreamed up in her sleep. Rising above them were walls formed of the very tree trunks that surrounded them, and she could not believe the sight that her eyes drank in, the fine details carved into their surfaces. It was surreal, and more beautiful than any structure she had ever seen.

Her thoughts mirrored the words spoken by the dunalino man at her side, and she smiled, a warm feeling spreading throughout her being. “It’s… breathtaking,” she said, her words formed of whispered reverence as she tried to take everything in. The ivory woman could not begin to imagine how such a thing existed, but her delight and curiosity and awe were bottomless wells, rising up inside her. “Let's go inside and see what other secrets it may hold,” she agreed with a nod, once more gently urging Anemone and Regis forward.

"Speaking."

RE: they will show you the way. - Regis - 06-27-2018

Hold me down, I'm so tired now

It had been a quiet evening, just as they always seemed to be in Delumine. Standing flush against his mother’s side with his head pressed into her shoulder, Regis had been trying hard to give in to his childish exhaustion from the day’s activities which honestly hadn’t included very much, but sleep evaded him. Even now at a week old his sides were too thin, a cramping pain often wracking the boy with great discomfort and immobilizing him. It came and went, but more often than not it was there, gluing him to the sides of his parents or that of Anemone’s.

The sun had nearly fallen beyond the horizon when the lights began to form, beginning with one or two and then forming tens, hundreds, filling up the darkening landscape in a brilliant, radiant light all the colors of the rainbow. They danced in the air around them, wisps of light that swirled and undulated in their gentle dance against the dying light. As they drifted close, Regis shifted even closer to his mother until he stood beneath her belly with blatant uncertainty. What were these things? What did they want? Despite his attempt to hide, they still drew ever closer until they reached him completely, reaching like a curious hand towards him. The little prince drew his head back but they persisted, and it was then that he could feel their warmth, their odd comfort as they danced about his head and tickled his nose. Upon contact, the luminous orbs burst into a resplendent, golden hue. His fear now gone, Regis could only watch in wonder as they slowly drifted away, urging he and his entire family towards the darkening forest.

With Somnus’ gentle words and Eulalie’s tender nudge, Regis took his first step towards his father, watching the lights with great curiosity. His pain persisted and it was obvious by the slight arch of his back and the odd hitch of his gait, but the further they went, some of it began to ebb away. He now moved along at his father’s side, tiny shoulder bumping periodically into the Sovereign’s gilded form as he went, the lights eating away his fear of the otherwise dark forest that encompassed them.

Eventually they were lead to an odd, ancient structure build of the forest’s very own, still living trees. His young age made him ignorant to just how marvelous it really was, enthralled by not the edifice itself, but rather what it contained and the way that the colorful lights zoomed down the hallways, illuminating them with lanterns that were lit in their wake. Pieces of literature lined every available surface of the earthen shelves, and while Regis didn’t really understand it all, he was still captivated and tentatively followed when ushered along.

Aim your arrow at the sky and leave me where I lie

@Somnus @Eulalie @Anemone

RE: they will show you the way. - Ulric - 07-02-2018

and then you put your hand in mine
and pulled me back from things divine

The orbs were unlike anything he had seen before, and he had seen a lot in his years.

They were curious things, not at all malicious as they drifted lazily through the air. At first Ulric believed them to be fireflies, but as they expanded, shrank, and multiplied, he knew they couldn’t be any creature that he had knowledge of. Orbs of light they were, but sentient, it seemed, as they collected around the citizens of Delumine. Straying from the Citadel to get a better look at them, the Warden watched as a small group assembled around him, their presence warm and inviting, comforting, even. As they brushed against the silver blue of his skin, the orbs flashed a brilliant red hue. Ulric watched them critically as he continued to saunter forward, following them as they beckoned him towards the forest.

Normally he would be far more cautious of such happenings, but he wasn’t the only one heeding the will of the orbs. Up ahead he could see Somnus, Eulalie and their spindly legged children starting down one of the forest paths themselves, and with a gentle smile he picked up into a trot to join them.

As they went, Ulric bumped his nose against Anemone and Regis, the latter of which was beginning to warm up to him. They may not be his own children, but he loved them all the same and was infinitely proud of the parents Eulalie and Somnus had become. After all they had both been through, they deserved some peace and a happy family all their own.

With time, the path led them to a magnificent structure crafted of the very trees themselves. Ulric marveled at it the closer they got, slowing in his step to take in the ancient features. This had to have been here for centuries, and yet as certain as the Warden was that he’d inspected every inch of Delumine with his own two eyes, well… he definitely had not seen this before, and it wasn’t like it was incredibly easy to miss, anyway. Had it only just formed? Had it somehow been cloaked and hidden away from them, only to reappear now, and if so, why?

What waited for them inside, however, was truly breathtaking. Oh, Ulric was no bookworm, but even he understood the importance of knowledge and what if had to offer. Books lined the shelves row after seemingly endless row, stretching on forever and even continuing further into other rooms. He wondered how large this place truly could be and what secrets it contained, or the answers it could provide.

“This is remarkable,” he murmured softly, more to himself than anything as the moved further inside. He finally pried his eyes from the walls as Eulalie and Somnus each spoke, and with a gentle, easy smile he nodded in his agreement as he moved, following as he scouted the various rooms for sign of danger; but if this were a gift from Oriens, he doubted his caution was necessary.

"Speaking"

@Somnus @Eulalie

RE: they will show you the way. - Anemone - 08-13-2018

falling into your ocean eyes,

they filled the sky with a multitude of colors; shifting in the air as they danced to a rhythm only they heard. each orb seemed to be lit from within itself, scattering the ground with a soft luminescence. your family stood watch, entranced, as they lit the path and seemed to guide the way. if it had been any other child to accompany the sovereign and his entourage, they would have been in awe, struck by the new possibility, by the change it presented.

and so instead of sidling up to your mother like any sane filly would do (new things were supposed to be scary, didn't you know?) you charged at the nearest orb. it easily flitted out of the grasp of your gums before it joined the others but you were not deterred from the challenge. only the soft voice of your father pulled you from your hunt; "i think... we should follow." and you did, you followed them down the path and to the looming library ahead. the lights reflected off of the bark of the trees, guiding the group through the hallways and down the dusty corridors.

you wanted to see it all, wanted to follow down the rows and rows of the library, guided only by the twisting and mesmerizing light of the orbs that now nestled into every nook and cranny. instead you pressed yourself to the side of your brother, nosing along the ridge of his neck. you would follow him wherever he wanted to go, and if you met with danger you would protect him as best as you could.

"speech."

@Somnus + @eulalie + @~~Regis~~ + @~~Ulric~~

ART BY paleasmilk & TABLE BY rommy