Interlude - Safe Spaces

[Ancelas]

"Amazing," Vanya murmured as they advanced into the fallen temple, eyes wide, irises gleaming with reflected light as she took in all the carvings and glyphs along the walls. She moved close to one and raised a hand, gently brushing her fingers along the etchings. She wasn't as enamored with unearthing the past as some of her companions were, but there was a palpable sense of age and wonder in every stone of the chamber that drew her onward.

"Do you know why this place was abandoned?" Vanya asked, looking over at Verdi. "It must have meant a great deal to the Kobeloi..."

[CautionCat]

"Not sure... Something changed. Maybe it's older than the Lich and Omu..." Verdi theorized, but didn't have an answer. They shrugged, and glanced to the writings on the wall, giving them a read to translate to Vanya.

[Ancelas]

Vanya found a step to sit down on as Verdi moved along the wall, translating the story of the Kobeloi. She used her magic to clear a space of dust and then opened her bag to sort through what they had harvested. It was a good way to keep her hands busy while Verdi did what Verdi liked best - exploring remote places and digging up the stories hidden there.

For a moment, she paused and looked up at him, studying his slender figure in the dim light of the cavern. So enamored with the past, so focused on sharing this moment with her. This meant more to him than flirting with her, and... it made her smile.

[opius]

The translation is as follows:

A depiction of a sprawling city seated on clouds. Tall towers stick up above a foundation of honeycomb like structures. Waterfalls flow from between the combs. "Our elders remember so little, they were little when they arrived. The Free City was a place where all creatures from all worlds came and went. There were many cities like her, but ours she free. Anyone could become anything. We met and traded and lived life in the clouds between the Deep Paths. She was our home, Noctis.

A depiction of the City, it's tall towers crumbling from lighting, the honeycombs splitting and falling. "The Sundering came without warning. The many Others and Twin Bonded fled their own ways, to their own worlds or the Deep Paths. We, the Kobaloi, had no such place to run. The Sorcerer saw our plight and called for us to gather. From beneath his green cloak he pulled a veil of blue, wrapped us in it, and we slept. We dreamed."

A depiction of tall trees, bushes, and small folk with pointed ears, swirling patterns, some float while others walk. They approach a set of huge hands, one small folk climbing into the palm."We awoke somewhere new, scared and alone with so many questions. Our eldest felt the strangeness in this new world and followed their hearts to find answers. We discovered a guide- a giant. His name was Ubtao, and he was very old. Like us he was lost. He would show us to a place where we could find answers.

The Kobaloi gather around a faceted piece of quartz embedded in the wall which glows faintly blue. "Ubtao showed us to the Moon's Tear, a lonely shard of wisdom with answers to many questions. She spoke quietly to us and patiently answered our many queries, helping us to make sense of this world. Thankful, we built for her. First wood and clay, then stone of white. It took many years, but in time we elevated her closer to the moon, bringing her to a place where she could see the moon each night. For this, she became our guide, and we her companions.

A depiction of the Temple. A polished opalescent stone sits at the topmost floor, glowing brightly. "Noctis has fallen, and our old home is lost. But here we have found sustenance and compassion. We give thanks to what we have been given, to our guides and new neighbors. We will use the wisdom the Tear offers us to coexist. To sustain those who need like we have needed. To guide those lost as we have been lost. To build what has been sundered.

[CautionCat]

Verdi normally would tell Vanya of his adventures when he got back to the port, but this would be the first time Vanya would witness Verdi in their element, thriving and simply full of excitement. This wasn't just the history of the Kobaloi, this was the beginning of Te'Kaal. This place was ages old, and he was much more animated in his movements with this excitement.

Normally Verdi was meek, and quiet. But his voice, though not loud, was clearer than normal. He glanced to Vanya now and then, seeing her reaction to the story. He had skimmed it earlier, but Bones, Karn, and Rorr seemed to crowd the area too much for his comfort. Now, he was able to really get into the writings on the walls.

"Imagine that..." He went to touch some of the glowing bits of the carvings, not able to keep back the grin on his face.

"The Moon's Tear belongs to the Kobaloi. We're going to have to tell the devils that want Til's junk that they can't have that..." He sighed some, and rubbed the side of his face, thinking. "This entire temple was theirs. I wonder what happened... This place must be.... ages old. I don't think Rua even knew about any of this, either. They kind of... left the jungle for the city."

He scratched the back of his head, moving back over to Vanya, and frowned. "But that must have happened when Acererak did his work. Which was.... also ages ago. So where did they go between then and when Port Nyanzaru came to be?"

[Ancelas]

"It is a very good question. Nyanzaru was founded by the commission, yes? Many years ago. They must have wandered in the jungle... I wonder if they lived among any of the tabaxi tribes, like they do among the gnomes? I would be curious about that... perhaps there are other Kobeloi in different shapes, out in the jungle."

[CautionCat]

"It was, but it was built on an old city. There's pyramids, might be as old as the zigurrat... They're off limits though, because of the beggar princes."

Verdi scratched his chin some, and paced a little. "The Kobaloi live underground, under the city. They may have been there since it was... what it used to be."

Verdi moved over and couched next to Vanya, tail swaying as he looked over her collection of goods. "There's ruins to the north, that are Kobaloi, now that we know they exist." He looked to her, jutting his jaw some to the side.

"As far as I know, they don't like sunlight. So chancing the jungle... There may be some out there. Seems like they're kinda spread out. Even if they can change their appearance, I think they're limited to their size."

[Ancelas]

Vanya nodded thoughtfully. "You have been further south as well... have you seen any signs of their ruins near New Haven?"