eachdraidh | Video | July 24th - Library Research

[ The video is aimed at a small reading nook in the Seelie library, with piles of books surrounding the central figure, as well as several stacks of parchment-sheets with copious notes.

Kaldur finishes the last of his notes before turning back to face the locket. ]

To those of you who do not know me, I am Kaldur'ahm. I am currently researching a location known as the 'Redgate' and all knowledge of myths surrounding the Lady Knight 'Alyosha'.

[ Some of the titles of the books are visible, and the piles seem to be organized by topic. There is a stack on mountain-castle fortifications, another on mining practices, and yet another on mythologies and tales of the drabwurld.

There seems to be others working just as diligently nearby, muffled sound of movement and the scritch-scritch of a nib on parchment. ]

If any of you know something of this matter, I ask that you share it with us, for there is another in need whom we seek to help with this knowledge.

[ He sounds purposefully vague, but his expression is flat and serious. Kaldur means business. ]

We thank you for any help that you can provide.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[And suddenly it's just right there in front of her- and she's so surprised that she actually over tilts and sends the chair clattering backwards- ... with her in it.

She needs a half a second second to scramble back up, setting the book down on the table.]

Hey, guys! I found something!

[ Alongside beautiful illustrations, the story follows. ]

Never elsewhere so many, such able
Knights assembled! Gift and land
He shared out with generous hand,
Though most of all to one who served: Alyosha
She was envied by all the court,
For her beauty and prowess,
For being brave and generous.
But the King, he held her most dear.
In a battle on midsummer's day
Her blood did wash upon the flowers
In the orchard, before the towers
Guarding the Western Road.
Her son and daughter sought to avenge her
Against her foe, these two alone
The beast who meant the road to own.
Their cry of grief drew the king over,
and spoke his heart to move her:
"Great lady, I beg you now to stay!"
Not in vain did he then lift her
For she lived to win only his grace
And stood again, and went to face
The fearsome dragon wild.
But son and daughter had not seen
And against the dragon were brought low.
A mother's grief did Alyosha know
On that midsummer's day;
For her childrens' death she oversaw
Their bodies wrecked by dragon claw.
The mourning king gave her his mount
Venom'd, Fearsome, and he swore
She was worth to him far more
Than victory that day.
But up she went and up she rode,
To meet the dragon in the skies,
A mother's vengeance in her eyes
And smote the dragon back to earth.
But living still, it burrowed down
Into the mountains, diving deep,
And Alyosha there built her keep
To guard us all against the beast.

Edited 2014-07-25 20:48 (UTC)

[ Kaldur reaches Cassie just as she rights herself, leaning over her shoulder and tracing his finger lightly down the page, following the words.

He is quick to grab two sheets of parchment and a pen, scribbling down a copy of the notes, first in Atlantean, for quick notes and edits, and secondly exactly as it is presented, in case there is a clue hidden in the exact wording itself.

He wishes twice again that Nightwing or Batman were here, their gifts at cryptology and researching surpassed even his own. ]

This is good, Cassie. Let us see if we can find records of similar tales, to contrast it with, and also if there is more information about the son and daughter mentioned.

[ That said, Kaldur flags down one of the fairies working in the library and asks for directions to lists of courtly genealogy, if any such records exists. ]

[Moving to give Kaldur room to have a look is automatic. She's reading from her spot too but otherwise staying out of the way. It kind of sounded like a story from old mythology that her mom would have told her as a bedtime story- for many reasons conventional fairy tales were never really Cassie's or Helena's thing -but there was no specific familiarity. She'd never seen or heard the story before today.

She allows herself a moment to smile at the praise, but then snaps immediately to attention at the next assigned task.]

Right!

[Now that there's a glimpse of the answers they're looking for- and a name -she'll get back to the task with renewed vigor, lifting off the ground at a hover.]

I'll try to find more books about the West!

[Maybe they'd have more clues about Alyosha, or about a knight with long hair who might or might not have had a thing with the king she served, or her kids, or- wow man just plenty of clues and it still felt like they'd be looking for a specific needle in a needle factory.]

[ Variations of the story are found here and there, but are not at all common; collecting them is the work of hours. The beautiful version found by Cassie is the only one to mention children. Genealogies don't even contain the name Alyosha, much less any possible descendants.

Other sources, however, confirm that Alyosha had been a servant and champion of Reul before her death, and that she built her fortress in the mountain only after her battle with the dragon, taking up a role of guardianship in the region. Lack of later accounts suggest that she had been relatively successful in maintaining the peace. ]

[ Kaldur makes to record what there is to be found, consolidating everything as neatly as possible.

His focus after turns more towards general reports of the region, any data on imports-exports, what sort of raw materials are native to the region and general geography. The super boring stuff. ]

Cassie, see if you can find any accounts about the Unseelie King around this time period.

[ Let Cassie chase after the tales of romance and knights and kings, battles and fights. Much more to her interest. ]

I'll look for the more mundane details. [ He pauses a moment, considering. ] Like waterways. See if there is another access point into Redgate. [ He can swim up any underwater streams, lakes, or pipelines, provided they are large enough.

[ Accounts of the Unseelie king are far and few, but to name him; far more are the annals full of battles, each with long lists of victors and the dead.

Kaldur finds only records of trade maintained with the area; chiefly common agricultural export, tolls for use of the Western road, and the import of small amounts of the Blood Granite itself, as well as more common minerals and ores and a few alpine luxury goods. ]

[ and here comes korra, back from a run around the castle grounds.

look, she just. she had to stretch her legs, okay? she was going crazy. however, she does catch the excited expressions on cassie's and kaldur's (relatively speaking in his case) on their faces and she quickly jogs over. ]

Did you guys find anything?

A few possible leads, for Alyosha's motive, and an account of the events. Here. [ Kaldur moves to let Korra peer in at the tome itself.

He turns his focus instead on the lists of victors and fatalities, looking for any name that seems tied to or similar to Alyosha. Perhaps a lover or sibling or child, some sort of relation. He makes notes of those, as well as general facts about the battle to be shared with Masamori later.

No one said you only had to research one thing at a time, after all.

He turns his attention back more towards Korra. ]

I think we ought to ask the dragon some questions, to have a better idea of what we face.

Edited (i cant type /sobs) 2014-07-28 19:57 (UTC)

[ rrRRRGGGHhh she makes it through the prose relatively easy enough but... argh. it's still frustrating to read in an language she's only understood (and magically so) for a short amount of time.

her face screws up.. something about this doesn't feel right. ]

It sounds like her kids went to kill the dragon but ended up... [ getting killed instead. she sighs, and pulls at one of her wolftails. ] I don't think we'll have time before we have to leave for the army, but I'll see what I can do.

[ Yeah, it doesn't feel right to Kaldur, either. But if he had to guess, he'd say both sides were lying, somewhere. ]

Don't worry about it just yet, it can wait until after the battle has passed. It is only something I believe we should do before we leave for Redgate.

Video | July 24th - Library Research | Seelie-Locked

action; Thank you mod/NPC fairies! :D

also, sorry this is so long!

Ohh this is pretty! | poem & cassie

What Crin said! Fun read!

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crashes the party

we lu 2 korra

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