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Home » Search » Roster » Whitepages » Records » FAQ » Guidebook
FOUND FIRES;
Open Kingdom of Halyven 
Korri
Currently championing: Reszo
#1
The lion isn't sacred when not sleeping near the lamb

Slowly, the miles crept by underfoot. Their voices filled the space between the Portal and the kingdom of Halyven: small conversation, though Baal seemed to be opening up. Korri was pleased to make note of this. He liked to think himself charismatic. And the more she said, the more he began to wonder if they had much in common, after all. "I'm not used to fair leaders." Korri almost laughed. He didn't, though. Just shot a brief, understanding glance over his shoulder. "Roscorro and Rixen are good men," he responded easily. Did he believe it? He wasn't sure. He had no concrete reason for doubt just yet. He supposed that made it true enough for the time being.

As Baal continued to speak, Korri did find himself chuckling briefly. "You know...'" he told her, glancing back again. "I think we may have more in common than you'd expect." Briefly, his gaze skipped over her features. The long, elegant fall of her mane. The soft glow of her markings. The way she held herself…. all differing greatly from his small, shaggy frame. The cheerful persona he most often wore. "I was also something like a diplomat," Korri told her as he returned his gaze to the front. Certainly this was the kindest way to describe Korri's past life. His father's favorite form of diplomacy had involved removing dissenters from the world. Korri himself had never been useful as an heir, but as a weapon…

He came across as harmless for a reason.

But of course, he didn't say that. He merely continued walking, listening to her speak about her father. I know the feeling, Korri almost said, but didn't. His father took no mare as an equal. His father… left him little competition, in the end. "So I suppose that means you were the best of them?" Korri asked instead. He didn't really expect her to answer — he meant it instead as acknowledgement. He understood what she meant when she told him all this. And he was listening. Listening well.

He climbed the last rise before them and paused as he crested it. The pale spires of Halyven rose ahead, ruined and magnificent.

Shuffling his wings, Korri said, "I think the kingdom of Halyven should call itself lucky to have you." A faint smile in her direction. "Even for a little while." He ventured no farther though, choosing instead to wait at the border for one of the crowns. They should be along shortly — the herd was so small. "Is there anything else you'd like to know before meeting the others?" Korri asked.

It is evil when it eats unless it's feeding from the damned.
unsplash


@Baal !
Just continued this onto here! @Rixen or @Roscorro to welcome Baal, perhaps? :)

collect your tears, shoot 'em down
even giants hit the ground
Baal
Currently championing:
#2
Baal Raum
The walk was long, and seemed to drag out, especially since Baal had no idea where Halyven was, or what it looked like. However, the walk was made slightly more pleasent by the small conversation they made. During the walk, she spent most of her time looking at her hooves, though she noticed that eventually the dirty and grass they walked on, turned into something of a dirt path. She assumed that they were close. Baal looked over, meeting Korri's eyes as he shot her a small glance over his shoulder. She had no reason to believe these men Korri talked about, Rixen and Roscorro, weren't fair- however, she couldn't help the uneasiness that started to build up inside her.

She was mistrusting- it was a habit. Although with Korri, she was forced into trusting him. He offered to get her out of the Portal, with nothing in return after all. Baal however, didn't see a need to thank him. If he asked for gratitude, he would receive it.

Baal's ears flickered as she heard a chuckle from Korri, she glanced over at him and raised an eyebrow. More in common than they thought? Her head tilted, nonetheless, she let him continue. "You? A diplomat? Makes sense." She was shocked, but at the same time saw a logical reason to make him a diplomat. He was cheerful, had wings so he could get to places quickly if needed. The stallion was calm, levelheaded. He was ideal for diplomacy. Baal let out a chuckle, "I suppose you are right." Baal said, lifting her gaze to look ahead.

"So I suppose that means you were the best of them?" Baal nodded in agreement. There wasn't much for her to say anymore. Her father sucked, her life sucks. When life gives you lemons, you squeeze that shit into a glass and add sugar and water and make lemonade. That's what Baal did. She took what she learned growing up and used it as armor. She was blunt, cutthroat, competitive. Life had made her mistrusting. Life made her ungrateful; really, Baal believed that if it wasn't for her past, she might have turned out alright.

Climbing alongside Korri, Baal was starting to see pale buildings, stark against the sky. She looked down, seeing the ruins of a city. She could just barely make out the ivy that crawled up against the side of some of the buildings. "This is beautiful." She says breathlessly. Far out behind the kingdom, she could see greenhouses and gardens. The whole area really was breathtaking. She could see a potential for herself to restart within the walls of the kingdom. She looks up from the kingdom and at Korri as he speaks once more. Baal smirked at him. It was flattering, really, that he thought the kingdom was lucky to have her. Her eyes glanced behind him to his wings as he ruffled them, then darted back to Korri.

" What makes you say that, hm?" She asked, smirking at Korri. "For all you know, I could be planning to take this place over." Baal says, sarcastically...but not really. A position of leadership was what she had been training to obtain back home. Moving to another land and meeting a nice stallion named Korri and having to start over did not exactly mean her duty would not be fulfilled eventually.


"Talk"

Woman King
image || coding


@Korri
Rixen the Vine King
Currently championing: Vjanta
#3
It was a chilly day, as most were now that the colder months had rolled around. My skin tingled, even beneath the thicker winter coat that had been growing in. Alone for the time being, I took the opportunity to make my way over to Halyven's entrance. As much as I loved the city, it was sometimes necessary to get out of it. Go for a walk. Stretch my legs. And I did, from time to time. Things were so busy, with renovations and such, that I often didn't remember to step out and allow myself to take a breath of fresh air. Today, however, the thought had come to mind, and I was going to see it through. 

A gust of frigid air hit me upon stepping outside Halyven's walls, blowing my long alabaster locks back behind me. Some stray strands were tangled in the jumble of antlers atop my head, and I moved my entire neck back and forth in a rough shake that was an attempt to dislodge them. Everything was quiet out here. There was an open space of land ahead, decorated with little shrubs here and there, and in the distance was the trees. They loomed there, a massive and uniform shape despite there being some distance between us. It was indicative of how tall they really were up close. I'd been there before many times, and I remembered what it was like to forget the warmth of the sun between their thick canopy of viridescent leaves.  

Just as I was looking into the distance, I spotted a figure. I recognized his creamy white coloring, which was adorned with gold; it was not difficult to make out, even from my position right outside the city walls. It was Korri. Scanning the area around him further, I noticed that there was another horse with him, one bearing a significantly darker hue. A newcomer. As they neared, it became quite obvious that she sported no wings nor horns, however, I was sure that she could find her place here easily enough, provided that was what she was looking for. 

When they were close enough that I wouldn't have to travel too far to greet them, my hooves did carry me forward a short distance, closing the gap between us with swinging strides. I came to a halt before Korri and the wanderer that he'd brought in, my gaze sweeping across her in appraisal. She stood at a height about the seem as my own, and seemed strong and sturdy enough. "Welcome." I addressed her warmly, with a dip of my head, "I'm Rixen, the Vine King." The words felt kind of strange as they rolled off my tongue - I think it was the first time I'd introduced myself that way. The Vine King. The title had a nice ring to it. The corners of my lips upturned in a smile. "Who might you be?" 

@Korri @Baal
{Image: untitled_drawing_by_indelyde-dceus9t.png}
Korri
Currently championing: Reszo
#4
The lion isn't sacred when not sleeping near the lamb

Beautiful — an appropriate word. Korri smiled in response to Baal's breathless wonder, a sort of triumph surging in him. Of course, he wanted to say. You can't help but be impressed. But he held his tongue, merely watching her expression, instead. His eyes skated eventually from Baal's features to the peaks of the structures, though, without thinking searching the pale sky between them for black wings.

He realized Baal was speaking again a moment too late. One ear cocked back. Then he turned his head, a little peal of laughter leaving his chest. "You like it that much?" Korri asked. His wings lifted slightly in a sort of shrug. "It isn't my crown you'd be after," he said simply. Perhaps it was revealing too much to state his lack of loyalty so plainly, but Korri had yet to consider he might feel any other way. He was of no blood relation to these kings. They had no power over him.

And succession was always exciting.

Before this line of conversation could continue very far, however, Korri spied a familiar blue and white figure approaching from between the buildings. His head lifted, he watched impatiently as Rixen approached. Impatiently still as the crown drew near enough to greet them. "Hello, Rixen!" he chirped. He did not give Baal's name, though; he suspected she would prefer to do so herself. So he merely shuffled his wings against his sides and stood quiet, regarding crown and newcomer alike with curious eyes.

It is evil when it eats unless it's feeding from the damned.
unsplash


@Baal

collect your tears, shoot 'em down
even giants hit the ground
Baal
Currently championing:
#5
Baal Raum
There was a brief moment of silence, as both Korri and Baal gazed out into the kingdom. Her green eyes found their way to the sky, before finally resting on the vast kingdom once more. It really was beautiful, and such beauty deserved to be admired. She turned to Korri as he joked about her reaction, "Yes, I do." She said, as-a-matter-of-factly. She snorted at his next comment. "Well that was bold. I like bold, though." She says, laughing. Essentially, he just admitted that he wouldn't care if that's what she wanted to do; since it isn't his crown.

"Careful now Korri, a king might just show up." She joked, looking over her shoulder. She noticed the sudden change in Korri, as he went from relaxed, to impatient. She followed his gaze to the figure of a stallion that seemed to approach them rather slowly. The most she could make out was that he seemed tall and strong; and that he was blue and white. "Hello Rixen!" Korri said, and Baal looked between the two men. Oh, he's attractive. Baal thought to herself, letting her eyes scan over Rixen's body and features. He had kind green eyes, and horns growing behind his ears that later branched off. Baal watched as his head dipped when he introduced himself, Rixen, the Vine King? Where'd he get the name Vine King from?> She wondered, but then her eyes darted up to his horns and she figured that must have been where he got it from.

Clever.

Baal bowed, one leg straight out while the other tucked under her at the knee, then she stood up. "My name Baal Raum." Her voice came out confidently. If there was one good thing she learned from her upbringing; it was that confidence is key. "A pleasure to meet you." Baal says, a small smile creeping up onto her feature.




"Talk"
Woman King
image || coding


@Korri @Rixen
Rixen the Vine King
Currently championing: Vjanta
#6
My peaceful stroll could wait, even though I'd been looking forward to it. This was more important. It was a part of my new life that I could see myself getting used to. I rather enjoyed greeting all of the new faces as they arrived. “Hello, Korri.” I responded to the pegasus with a kindly smile, eyes moving to the stallion for a moment before returning back to the newcomer. I held my ground as the two moved in slightly closer to stand before me, Korri folding his wings in neatly and looking on. I could feel his watchful eyes graze my sides as they flicked back and forth between myself and the mare. Perhaps he was trying to guess what I thought of her, before any further words were spoken.

"Our ranks are nothing without the ties of family. We are not only a unit; we are a body, every organ depending on one another to breathe, to live." Blood ties weren't the crux of my statement, in fact, they were quite the opposite. However, I did not bother to explain myself further. In time the mare would understand, if she did not already, the strong bonds that held Halyven together. From my position between both horses, I turned more directly toward Baal, my head held high, ears pricked forward as an indication of my interest in Korri’s first find. “It is also a pleasure to meet you. I lead this herd alongside Roscorro the Dragon Heart. We are glad to have you here, if you intend to stay.” The words were spoken proudly, with the humble dignity I believed that a herd leader should have. I paused, simply to allow all of the information enough time to sink in. "We are a relatively small herd, but we are quickly growing in numbers. To my knowledge, we are the Rift's only herd." The sound of my voice was a low rumble, though not the kind that would intimidate those whose ears it reached. It was a rich, silky tone, spoken as if I controlled the world, the sound of experience seeping through. Whether that was feigned or not, it was impossible to tell. “I take it Korri found you at the Portal? I don’t know how much he has already told you, but I am happy to answer any further questions that you might have.” 


@Korri @Baal
{Image: untitled_drawing_by_indelyde-dceus9t.png}
Korri
Currently championing: Reszo
#7
The lion isn't sacred when not sleeping near the lamb

Korri held his silence as the two of them conversed, though he followed the conversation with bright eyes. Better to let them get to know each other than to intervene — and anyway, it gave him a good opportunity to study them both. Baal cool and contained, Rixen humble and friendly though never giving much away. An interesting pair, to be sure. Surface-level conversation floating around them. Pleasantries and nothing else.

Rixen spoke of family, and Korri nodded as if he hadn't just been joking about violent succession. "We've just come from the Portal," he answered Rixen's supposition. "I offered her a place to rest, as you and Roscorro offered me when I first arrived. I've told her a little about the herd and the nature of the Rift, but I suspected she would find better answers here. I am, after all, a newcomer, myself." Then he cocked his head toward Baal, allowing her the opportunity to expand on her situation however she wished. He wasn't keen on taking over the conversation when she could clearly speak and think for herself. And it was easier to learn about her if he left her largely on her own.

It is evil when it eats unless it's feeding from the damned.
unsplash


@Baal

collect your tears, shoot 'em down
even giants hit the ground
Baal
Currently championing:
#8
Baal Raum
She listened as Rixen asked her if she had any questions, or if Korri had answered any of her questions. Before she could respond, Korri added that they had met in the Portal; and that he had offered her the same thing he was offered. A place to stay, safety. She nodded in Korri's direction. "Yes. Korri offered me a place to stay. " She confirmed, clearing her throat. However; Korri did not offer her an answer to her problem- how to get back home. She looked at Rixen, seeing him with his head held high, the beautiful landscape which they occupied. She wondered if perhaps he had an answer she was looking for.

"Eventually, I'd like to get back home- off of...Rift."Baal says, with uncertainty. A little disdain as the word 'Rift' rolled off her tongue. She knew that she would most likely get the same response she got from Korri. She knew Rixen would say the same words. Unfortunately, there is no way to get off of Rift she could hear the words rolling off of his tongue already, nonetheless, she continued."I had a life back home, you see. I was an heir to the throne. I would like to eventually get back to that...if it is possible." She was polite, hiding her desperation to not seem like some weak mare. She was always viewed as less; until she became the heir. Then she was viewed as powerful, desirable, a force to be reckoned with. She wanted that bacK; Baal didn't want to have to work for it again. She shook her head, getting her mane out of her eyes as she waited for an answer, anxiously.

She looked at Korri, figuring that if she couldn't go home, she would at least have someone that understood her- that she could stand to have a conversation with. Really- she was beginning to feel humbled in a way. Everything was settling in. Really, Baal was looking for closure on her past life, from anyone. Whether it was from Rixen or Korri, she did not care. She just wanted a definite answer.

Closure. What a scary thing it can be.




"Talk"
Woman King
image || coding


@Rixen
Rixen the Vine King
Currently championing: Vjanta
#9
Korri began to speak and I pivoted slightly to face him, ears perked forward and taking in all that he had to say. I nodded along with the ebb and flow of the small stallion’s voice to show that I was paying attention. As I’d suspected, Korri had indeed bumped into Baal at the portal. She was not from around here. I was slightly disappointed by that fact, but only because I knew that talking to a native would provide me with more information about the Rift and the creatures in it. Sure, I’d lived here awhile, traveled from place to place, but this was such a vast world that it was not nearly enough time to learn what I wanted. Nevertheless, on the bright side of things, I was certain that Baal would make a valuable addition to the herd. We needed all the able bodies that we could get. And if the mare wanted to join our ranks, there was no way in hell that I’d say no. “Good.” I responded when Korri had finished speaking and Baal had confirmed the truth in his words, offering the pegasus a look of approval. 

The newcomer seemed to be here to stay, so that what why I was so caught off guard by her next words. She wanted to leave the Rift? I felt a pang of pity for her, for unlike most of us, she must have had a home that she actually wanted to return to. Little did she know, the Rift was her home now - it was all of our homes now, and sooner or later, everyone came to accept that fact. “I’d love to help you return home...” I began slowly, trying to think of the best way to deliver the news to her. Because I’d only known Baal for a few minutes, there was no telling how she might react. My smile faded away into a frown. “However, I’m afraid it isn’t possible. There’s no leaving the Rift, not that anyone’s found. We’re all here to stay.” It sounded like a lovely life she’d had, and it was truly a shame that she’d never get back to it. She didn’t seem troubled, but something told me that she must have been, even though she showed no signs of it. I didn’t blame her. I probably would have been too. At first glance, the Rift didn’t seem like an ideal place to settle down, but as time passed I’d gotten used to it, and even come to enjoy living here. I wouldn’t trade the relationships I’d formed for anything. I’d be nothing without them. My mouth opened, forming an ‘O’ shape as if I was going to say something more, but the words seemed to be caught in my throat, and nothing came out. My green gaze raised to her face, trying to gauge her reaction to what I’d said, wondering what her response would be. 


@Korri @Baal
{Image: untitled_drawing_by_indelyde-dceus9t.png}
Korri
Currently championing: Reszo
#10
The lion isn't sacred when not sleeping near the lamb

Korri remained silent as the two others spoke. He followed the conversation eagerly, but felt he had little to add to it. His part was to bring Baal to Halyven. Now he had done that, he had little to add. It was between Rixen and Baal herself whether or not she wished to remain with the herd, and if so, for how long. So Korri merely stood politely nearby, listening as she asked the same question she had asked him. As Rixen gave the expected response.

— yet," Korri did add, softly, as Rixen finished speaking. "No one has found a way to leave yet." He turned to meet the other man's gaze steadily. Unwilling to concede that departure ought to be an impossibility. "Most doors open both ways," he added, mostly to himself. Not sure even why he was arguing. He glanced at Baal, ears pricking. "But if you intend to learn how to do so, you're better off getting help from whoever you can." This he said like an idle observation. He didn't particularly mean she ought to stay in Halyven. If she didn't wish to do so, he didn't really wish to have her. She ought to join willingly or not at all. Half-allies weren't allies at all.

He fell silent again, wondering what she would do. Say. He suspected she was actually rather distraught about this whole thing, though she did a remarkable job of maintaining her composure. Korri found he rather hoped she would change her mind about leaving, though he wasn't certain he believed she would.

It is evil when it eats unless it's feeding from the damned.
unsplash


@Baal

collect your tears, shoot 'em down
even giants hit the ground