The shifting grains do beckon,
Like beacons in the in the sand ,
Calling me like a lighthouse,
Calls a sailing ship to land.
And while they twist and tumble,
And fill the air with dust,
And the blazing sun shines on me,
Like a lover full of lust,
I stand in silent wonder,
Of all there is to see.
In the desert I am not lonely,
For the desert lives in me.
- Illo, Dasoonica Desert, Basillica
The ocean was tumultuous and roiling with anger when it spit the golden cargo upon the land. Gasping for the barest breath without a hint of self awareness, the deepest hues of blue barely peeked from beneath their hooded lids. Lips trembled as precious air was sucked in, churning within her lungs as if the oxygen must attune to a new climate all together. Weakly, her head was lifted from the ground as ears swiveled atop her dome, indignant curiosity building in her mind just as the self awareness finally settled in. All thoughts that had plagued her the night before were not distant memories, confined to the smallest space in her mind and perhaps never to be dredged up again. Where was the need to worry over Basillica? Where was Basillica now? Where was she now? How exactly had the ocean stolen her from the desert? What games did it think to play by plucking the golden mare from the only place she'd ever belonged? There was no room in her heart for the cold and salty wetness of the ocean. Deep within her chest, the faintest stirring of the dragon prickled.Finding her way back to the desert was the only thought to cross her mind. Whether it was her desert or another, the golden fate could not find it within herself to care. The sand beneath her hooves would bring her comfort and solidify that at the least one worry plaguing her mind could be eased. There was only drive and desire in once again basking beneath the cruel sun, for it was only cruel to those who did not respect the desert. Fools were known to die and wilt within the great barren and beneath her baking sun. Illo had learned from birth to respect the dunes and the sands that ruled them. She had learned that the desert could not be tamed. Civilized, perhaps, but who could call the desert winds to heel? Who could command the sun to set or ease her watch? What fool would ask the sands not to cut them when they raged? Perhaps that was what called Illo to find such comfort in the desert. They were much alike, even if she would not dare pretend herself quite as mighty as the other. Though as civilized as a desert dweller could be, she too was free and untamable, fierce and above the reproach of any who thought to catch her as they might try to catch the errant grains upon the breeze.
Glistening beneath the morning rays, her scales shifting across her spine, attempting to rid themselves of the salty mark of the sea. With one last withering glance to the ocean, as if it were just as living as the creatures within it, she rose from the ground on rapidly strengthening limbs. Onyx strands clung to her golden flank and draped haphazardly along her hocks. It was a sensation she was not quite used to, for she didn't often make a point to wade deep enough into water to soak the strands. Her nostrils flared in distaste as she tore her gaze from the water to terrain that lay ahead. The wind picked up and somehow, seemingly from nowhere, the scent of the desert wafted across her nares. It beckoned her as it always did, toward the deathly heat it promised. It called to her soul as gently as a lover, whispering promised of golden hills and red cliffs. It drew her forward on bated breath, her heart pattering within her chest like a virgin called upon by a charming rogue. It knew just what to say and exactly how to say it.
She moved forward, falling in line with the sand that rifled through the quickening breeze. One might have thought her a besotted fool, rather than a battle hardened warrior who had seen much blood shed in her day. There was no reason to consider that this was a strange land and she might cross strange people. No, the desert called and she went. It was as simple as that. Yet, why the sea would toss her out here of all places, was a question that plagued her mind. She could ponder on that while she found her way home. Home. As it was, Basillica had never been her home. It had only ever been a city. Perhaps grand in its solitary beauty, jutting up proudly in the barren waste of Dasoonica, but still only a city. The desert was what Illo belonged to. It was home. Any desert would satisfy her needs. However, when she reached the point she was being driven to, could she satisfy the needs of this desert? Was there truly a purpose to her falling asleep within one desert home, only to awaken in the sea and be tossed out upon land with the swift calling of an entirely new desert?
For hours she pushed along, never tiring of the deepening heat of the day or the thoughts that picked a prodded her subconscious. It had been a while since she had finally felt the soft touch of the sand beneath her hooves. It quieted the beast within. It satisfied her primal need to be home. Now she moved on to heed the call. Stretching out before her in the distance, a city was forming on the horizon. She knew the signs by the straight lines and rounded tops of the buildings that were growing taller upon her approach. One curiosity to her was the wildlife that she spied as she neared. Usually the desert fox did not willingly roam where many eyes could spy them. It was uncanny to hear the calls of the jackals so close to civilization. Something was not right here. In Basillica, the wildlife had given the city a wide skirt. They preferred not to deal with the inhabitants who were usually less inclined to watch wild animals, as they were to chase them off to keep their children safe and their own minds at ease.
Her golden form shimmered under the heat of the broad day, but not nearly as bright as the blazing light the seemed to shine from somewhere deep within the city. She approached the gates and spied a jackal laying in the archway. Throwing her ears back, she flashed her teeth as if she herself was wolf-like in nature. Snapping at the creature, she dragged a pedal across the now hardened ground. The jackal huffed, sent out a laughing call and dashed away from the entrance to disappear in the desert sand. The sand curled beyond the city and she finally realized the light was not coming from within. She turned from the entrance and faced the west, watching the wind weave with the sands. There she read the words and understanding dawned upon her. The desert required someone. For what role, she did not know. But when had Illo ever refused to work for whatever benefit it required her to work for? When her own desert had required someone to tame the beasts who trod upon it and to clear out those who were not worthy, she had worked tirelessly to manage the feat. Was that what was required here? Has this desert God known that she was the loyal and stalwart creature it needed? How could she not be? She would give her life to the sands. She had been born upon the sands. Perhaps one day she would raise her young upon them. She had shed the blood of many invaders in the sands and lost companions among them.
She moved toward the light cautiously, eyes ever curious of the blazing ball as she moved through the ever changing dunes and closer to what she hoped was fate calling. Stopping before it, she peered up in mute fascination, silently awaiting something she was certain would change the tide of her life, even if it was not in a way she expected. Why else was she here? There was purpose in her to lay waste to those who would deny the power of the desert and the God who crafted it. There was purpose in her to see the desert thrive, where other kingdoms could not. There was desire deep in her bones and in her soul, to bring triumph, life and glory to the lands that most could not find the beauty in. Oh, she would die in the desert. She would kill for it too.
About the RPer
@
Eesh. Old. 30
Illo lead for a short time on another site. I loved it because she was able to be involved in a great number of plots. It's also a major responsibility, as navigating OOC vs IC when it came to appointing positions could be a headache. Some people really desired a certain rank that their characters personalities simply didn't mesh with IC.
Yes
I like that fact that the Kingdoms are not limited to specific character types or powers. As long as there is an explanation or a reasonable way to match your character/power to the Kingdom, they can just about go anywhere. It makes it easier to have more diverse characters inhabiting a Kingdom, which really makes inter-kingdom plots a lot more exciting.
Sovereign Questions
Illo is fierce and loyal. She is not afraid to take on those who think themselves mighty, for in her mind nothing is mightier than the desert God and nothing is more fierce. She thrives in the desert. She is a fanatic when it comes to the terrain itself. She unquestionably believes that to thrive in the violence, heat and great expanse of the desert and the cities within it is the greatest testament to strength. As Solis fought so nobly to brighten the sun against his sisters darkness, Illo would fight to strengthen his Kingdom. She knows her own mind well and is not easily swayed. She is loyal to her ideas and immovable in her position. She would bring guidance and consistency in a time of the unrest and unease left behind from Orestes departure.
I can't say I'm entirely familiar with the political happenings of the court, though I would certainly take the time to familiarize myself with it. I did have the idea of drumming up activity with a few additional rules and a new Kingdom event.
For the event, the idea is to create a reason for those with differing interests to work together to develop relations with those they might not have before. It would be called the Trials of Solterra. In this event, it would be team based. The characters would be required to form teams consisting of 1 person from class: Scholar, Soldier, Medic, Entertainer, Merchant and Citizen. Each task would require the team to choose two champions to represent them. They would be given the duty/task to perform and them must choose which two they think would best complete the task. Points would be given based on how well the two performed the task and how well they worked together to do so. There would be 3 separate tasks, requiring the teams to choose a separate pairing to complete each task. In the end, those who came out with the most points would win prizes as well as special titles they could carry until the next time the Trials were run. These trials could be judged by Solterras Champions as well as the higher ranked of the Kingdom. This would also help strengthen Solterra, as they would learn to work together to do things that perhaps they would usually only have relied on their own class to do. I.e. involving other classes when doing important things for the city, as well as communicating with people they might not have normally associated with. It also forces the classes to think on things differently than they might have.
As for rules, it would be required for the champions to select someone from their rank to mentor. It benefits the kingdom if the best of the up and coming in the ranks are learning from the best above them. This would also entice people to be more proactive about making rank/class related plots and threads and therefore earn more experience for their powers or their skills. (Can be altered to fit a more writer friendly timeline for the requirement, making it not such a big deal to have to choose a mentor or being forced to write more than they otherwise would.)
I'm much better at this kind of stuff IC? lol
