Set in Stone - Monala Colleler's Backstory [Rewrite]

[Candy]

   

Part One: Jasom's Disappearance

        A teenage Ynnwn lay on the swaying grass, the light breeze rushing over her and disturbing her hair and clothing. In an hour's time - for it was close to midnight - she would be eighteen. She'd woken up suddenly, as if something were wrong, but figured it was just one of those dreams that one forgets as soon as one wakes up. She didn't remember many of her dreams at all (the ones she did remember, she tried to forget).
   
   She rolled over, grabbed her canteen, and crept back into her tent, oblivious to the dark day ahead.
   
   Dawn came. The Azure Sun snuck up on the makeshift camp, the light hurting the Ynnwn's eyes as she awoke. She took some bread out of her pack, and placed large handfuls of crystals on plates for her Kran companions. Six of the seven Kran came out of their tents within minutes. The last one to show up was the leader of the group, whom Monala called "Captain" when she had to call him anythig at all, because she couldn't pronounce kras real name very well.
   
   "Good morning, Miss Monala. Have you seen Jasom?" Captain asked nonchalantly.
   
   "No. Did kra leave in the night?"
   
   "I was hoping you'd know. I heard you leave your tent."
   
   "I didn't see anybody else around," Monala replied, frowning.
       
        "So you heard me leave my tent, but not kra?"
   
   "I am a light sleeper, but there are many noises in the night."
   
   "I see."
   
   Monala finished her breakfast in silence while the Kran conversed in a language she didn't quite understand. She was used to this; the Kran often spoke in the unfamiliar tongue when they were planning to get past monsters. This was so that the girl they'd been paid so handsomely to protect wouldn't be shocked at the talk of battle. This was an order of Monala's overprotective father. By the old Diaboli's logic, he thought that travelling with seasoned warriors was more dangerous and life-changing for Monala than settling down on her own in a place like Hydlaa would be.
   
   "We're going to take you to the city, and then we can alert the authorities." the leader said. It wasn't a suggestion.
   
   "Wait, so Jasom is--"
   
   "We don't know. It could be dangerous here. We were paid to protect you, not let you get eaten by a hungry Consumer," replied the other Kran, the eldest of them. He was a bright shade of azure, like his entire family. His last name was Sunstone; nobody seemed to use his first.
   
   "I want to help look for him."
   
   "We have to take you to the city. I know you and Jasom have become good friends. We'll let you know the minute we find something," Sunstone promised.
   
   Monala sighed, and let herself be taken to Hydlaa. Upon arriving at the gate, the two Kran immediately told the highest ranking guard they could find about what had happened.
   
   "Kra probably just got too curious and fell into the well. Wouldn't be the first time it's happened," the guard said dismissively.
   
   "But Jasom is much smarter than that! He's not the type to put himself in such danger!" Monala protested.
   
   "Look, sweetheart, we'll send someone out to investigate, but your friend is probably gone."
   
   The Ynnwn drooped. She told her Kran companions to leave a message at the tavern if they found anything, and then turned around and wandered listlessly into the city.
   
   The next morning, she checked with the innkeeper to see if anyone had left a message for her last night. Nobody had. Determined to keep her hopes up, Monala stepped outside of the tavern and explored the city.

[Comments and constructive criticism more than welcome; a second part is coming up soon, but I have to go to bed right now]

[Candy]

       

Part Two: Grief

        Over the next fortnight, the question of whether or not Jasom was okay seemed to hang heavily over Monala's head. She would ask everyone she met about kra, only to be disappointed by their answers. She resolved to put her thoughts of her lost friend aside for the time being, though she would never forget kra.
   
   Monala had been running errands all day, and had a comfortable sum in her pockets. She walked at a leisurely place through Hydlaa square, savoring the fine weather and the sights and sounds around her. She headed for the tavern, intending to rest her tired feet and kick back with an ale or two.
   
        Grave news awaited her.
   
   The barkeeper handed her a letter with the drink that had been ordered, mentioning a Stonebreaker had been sent with it earlier. Monala broke the seal before she had even taken a seat, and nearly choked on the ale when she read the contents of her letter.
   
   "We've checked the area surrounding the burial well, as well as inside of it. There are light scratches on the stone; they seem to come from both claws and weapons. Kran footprints are present near the well - evidently there was a struggle, and all other footprints have been covered up. Nobody dares enter the well, but it seems Jasom has been forcibly taken from the campsite. We also found metal chain links similar to the ones on the necklace kra made for you in the grass around the camp. Kras things were stacked neatly by the well when we found them. Since kra is unarmed and we assume kra was dragged into the well unwillingly, kra is probably deceased. We're so sorry to tell you this by letter, but we must hurry back to our hometown and deliver the news to everybody there. Please stay away from the burial well, Monala. Be careful."
   
   The letter had been signed by each of the Kran, with personal post scriptums after the main text. Monala did what she always did when she was down: she ventured outside and wandered aimlessly. She walked for hours, hardly caring where she was going, as long as it was within the city walls. She eventually found herself in a strange garden. There was a tree there, with what appeared to be a woman growing out of it.
   
   Monala spent the night sleeping on a branch of the tree, thinking of scenarios in which Jasom could still be alive in her last waking minutes. She had strange dreams of Xiosia, whom she'd read about but hadn't known much of, speaking to Dakkru, whom everybody knew about, and in the dream, Jasom was in Dakkru's hand. Monala woke up to the voice of a Demorian yelling at her.
   
   "Stop sleeping on Xiosia! Haven't you ever heard of an inn?"
   
   Monala was infuriated at this comment, which usually wouldn't have bothered her. She was a peaceful girl, not the type to start fights - verbal or physical - over nothing. Wordlessly, Monala climbed down the tree and headed straight for the library. She wanted to find the book she'd read before in order to calm herself down. She found it easily enough, and sat on the steps, reading until the place closed for the night. This became a habit of Monala's for a while. She read anything she could get her hands on, until she either got bored or finished the book. She was still looking for ways in which Jasom might be alive, though she'd never admit such a silly thing.
   
   The Ynnwn, after reading more books than she'd ever thought she could get through in her lifetime, gave up hope. She found the most handsomely paying task (that didn't involve fighting; Monala is a peaceful Ynnwn) that she could, and lived off of the proceeds for a week, doing almost nothing but eat, sleep, and ponder her existence. She frequented the Laanx temple during this time, having many long talks with the priest. She didn't follow any specific religion, though she was registered as a Laanx follower, but as she spoke to the priest, it slowly dawned on her that Jasom was probably gone, and that kra would have wanted her to move on and enjoy her life.

[I might do a rewrite of this part, too; it's kind of condensed. Then again, it's also kind of boring. >_>; ]

[Eliseth]

[I'm interested to see how this story develops! There are one or two grammatical errors, nothing serious, but I like what I see so far. Main thing is don't stop! Keep it up

 ]

[Candy]

[Wow, thanks. The story will likely progress as Monala's adventures do from this point on.

Of course, being a grammar nazi, now I have to go over this and find the errors before I write more. XD]

[Candy]

Part Three: Moving On

Monala ran errands where she could find them, but the trias she earned rapidly vanished due to her need for food, clothing, and a safe place to rest her head at night. On one of her errands, she met a young Demorian named Roled by the tavern. After she reluctantly agreed to escort him to Levrus's house, Roled captured her heart with his sweet talk, yet shied away when the still hormone-driven Ynnwn tried to move things too fast. He openly flirted with other women, but though she minded such behavior, she stayed by his side. She had always thought that if she met this sort of man, she'd simply smack him in the face and move on. However, infatuation can blind a young girl as if she'd fixed her gaze upon the Azure sun for the whole noon hour. Her friend was outgoing, and invited strangers to their table at the tavern when they met up.

By way of the Demorian's immense friendliness, Monala met two gentlemen one night at Kada-El's. One was a guildmaster, and upon seeing Monala's admiration for such an occupation, invited her to join his guild. She accepted the offer and joined the Masters of Move. She made a personal vow to shuck her mostly-pacifist ways and become strong enough to avenge Jasom some day.

That night, in the wee hours, finding that sleep evaded her, Monala stepped out of the tavern, breathing in the crisp night air. She wrapped her cloak around herself tightly, walking at a brisk pace. She removed her gloves (they were useful for keeping her skin from being harmed as trias were exchanged), dipping her fingers in the Plaza Fountain. She found the water too cold for dipping her bare feet in. It was one of the Ynnwn's simple pleasures during calm times - and it was more fun during the day, when more people were out to watch while she soaked her toes. She looked towards the library, but some supsicious looking Menkis were lurking in the shadows near the path, looking ready to pounce on the next restless Hydlaan.

She didn't feel like talking to the late-night smiths at Harnquists's shop, or anyone for that matter, so she dried her hand off, put the gloves back on, and walked between the flames on the path to the temple. The fire's warmth seeped into her cloak, which she appreciated, as it was chilly in the empty temple. The girl climbed onto a pew, curling up and wrapping herself in her cloak, and spent the night meditating. At some point, she must have fallen asleep, for she dreamed of her last day with Jasom.

The Azure Sun brightened slowly, its light permeating the cave that the Monala had found. There were crystals all along the walls, and they sparkled and shone with the sun. The Kran had deemed this place a sacred one - full of food for them, and shelter for young Monala (the group of Kran Monala travelled with, being able to blend into the landscape at night, saw the shelter that the flesh folk needed only as a luxury for themselves).

Jasom had the dawn watch, and was trying to cook breakfast for the Ynnwn. Monala grinned widely at the Kran upon seeing kra catiously slide the fried Kikiri eggs onto a plate, next to some dandelion leaves and apple slices with syrup drizzled onto them. Monala graciously accepted the meal, finding that though it was a strange combination, apples with syrup actually tasted rather nice.

"I'll have to serve this as a dessert when I open my restaraunt in Hydlaa," Monala said, "I'll call them 'Jasom-style Apples'"

The Kran hugged his knees to kras chest, watching Monala eat.

"So I've invented something new? I thought flesh creatures liked syrup on their breakfast foods..."

Monala giggled and explained the uses of different food combinations with Jasom as the group walked along the road, and sometimes through the wilderness if there were bandits or rogues waiting to rob innocent travellers. When lunch came, Jasom tried dipping kras portion in syrup, but found that the taste was too sweet for kra. As the eight travellers lazed on a hilltop, Jasom pulled a necklace out of kras pack.

"Monala, I carved this little star out of a stone I found for you. The chain was made out of steel - I would have gotten something more valuable, but Ynnwn are allergic,"

As Jasom handed Monala the necklace, the tiny white crystal in the middle of the charm sparkled.

"Jasom, it's beautiful! I love it! Thank you!" Monala exclaimed, putting the necklace on, "If there's any way I can ever repay you, I--"

"No. It is a gift. Don't feel obliged to pay me; your friendship is enough,"

Monala woke up with a shiver. Her cloak had fallen to the floor, and the priest would be in at any moment. She reminisced about the rest of the day before she came to Hydlaa as she gathered her cloak and her belongings that had fallen out of the pockets sewn into the inside of it. Most of that last afternoon with the Kran had been spent walking and talking, though at some points Jasom carried Monala on kras back the way her father used to. She snapped back to reality at the thought of her father. She hadn't written her parents a letter for some time. The Ynnwn ran to the Library to get some paper and a quiet place to write before the busy day she had ahead of her.

[Candy]

[Made some edits to this part.

Wow. Over 300 views now...I'm quite flattered.

I'm tempted to end the story soon. As a wise teacher once told me, "A good work of art is never finished. A good artist just knows when to walk away". I'm never quite sure when to walk away. I'd rather like to say how the loose end of Monala's little romance ties off, but that's going to take a while, I think. Plus, I've yet to IC'ly get Monala strong enough to defeat the thing/person/force that stole Jasom away from her, which is likely the main thing ye wanna' know about, isn't it?

Obviously, Monala's story will go on as I roleplay her and possibly past that, as I rather like toying with Yliakum-based stories in my head - though I prefer to write stories based on the world(s) that I've made up for my own original characters. As much as I like Set in Stone, there are other ideas - not all PlaneShift-related, either - emerging, and I'd like to give them some love, too.

Oh and by the way, feel free to track me down in-game if you'd like to play with/against Monala. I travel a bit, but almost always return to the tavern in Hydlaa at some point in the session. I'm on from around 6 or 7 PM - Gosh-knows-when PM/Sometimes-even-AM in MST most nights. This'll likely change around September, as I'm aiming for admission to college, where I'll hopefully be able to refine the raw talent I've been told I have ("My mom says I'm a genius!").]

[EDIT: I think I'm going to leave it at this for now. Things with Monala's in-game story are getting sticky now, which is excellent roleplay-wise, but not so good for this thread ]

[Candy]

Part Four: Betrayal and Redemption

[...aaaand now we get to the point where I have to use chat logs as a reference. Fun, fun.]

In her stay in Hydlaa, Monala had met another gentleman through Roled. His name was Amaymon. The three spoke of many different things, however, there was one recurring topic that made Monala a little uneasy.

Amaymon mentioned that having one ruler would be far more efficient than having an octarchy. While Monala agreed with his logic, she became increasingly uneasy as the talk of one ruler escalated to how such a change could be brought about, and then even further, to plans, and eventually to actions. Monala was entangled in Amaymon's plot, and he asked her to be the one to rule Yliakum.

The Ynnwn just wanted a simple life. She wanted to own a restaraunt, get married, and start a family, after she avenged Jasom and found her fortune (which would be spent on the building for the restaurant; trias mean little to Monala). However, she found herself hungry for the power she was offered, and it frightened her. She knew that power corrupts, so she took a long time to agree to it. According to Amaymon, all of the other potential takers had plans of their own if they were to take the position of ruler. Even after accepting, nervousness still gnawed at the edges of Monala's stomach when she thought about it.

As if she didn't have enough on her plate, Amaymon had also confessed that he had feelings for Monala. She was immensely confused by this, torn between sweet, naive Roled, and dark, mysterious Amaymon. She didn't let Amaymon woo her the way Roled did, though, feeling it would be unfaithful of her, but she couldn't help but think about being with Amaymon once in a while. It complicated both the revolution and Monala's personal life, especially since she hadn't seen Roled about. He'd taken a trip to Ojaveda, and she figured she didn't see him around because he had taken to travelling (whether or not this was truly the case, she didn't find out).

Both complications untangled themselves in one night.

As evening faded to night, a Dlayo Gladiator had rudely interrupted Monala's training session with her guildmates, killing them all. Monala was growing used to the sight, stench, and eerie chill of the Death Realm by now, especially since she knew the way out well. A small, dark recess of her mind, however, always tried to pull her back into the library she'd found on her first visit. The tantalizing pull of the Crystal in Dakkru's library troubled her deep down, but she tried to convince herself it was mere curiosity, and nothing more.

She returned in Hydlaa as usual, and headed straight for the tavern. Drink and conversation always distracted her from the weakness she felt after escaping Dakkru's grasp.

Monala spotted Amaymon almost as soon as she came in.

"Can we talk?" he asked. The words "in private" didn't need to be added any more; the two were a secretive pair.

They spoke of the revolution, at first. Amaymon wanted to use potions of questionable legality on people of questionable morals. This made Monala's uneasiness grow even stronger, and her mind began to race with ways out. However, these thoughts stopped immediately when Amaymon changed the topic to exactly how strong his feelings for her were, and then completely befuddled her when he said she ought to stick with Roled.

Amaymon had told Monala that he followed Dakkru before, and he reiterated the fact when the Ynnwn said, "I refuse to believe you're as blackhearted as you say. There's good in everyone, somewhere," matter-of-factly.

Amaymon proceeded to tell Monala about his past - of how Dakkru herself had appeared to him after his village was destroyed, and took advantage of his desperation by offering him safe passage to Hydlaa if he worshipped her. He spoke of a dream, one where he saw another follower of Dakkru fighting a Kran, one that matched Jasom's description. The Menki fighting kra had run off, and it was implied that Amaymon was the one to finish Jasom.

Monala was enraged when Amaymon stated that Jasom had entered true death. She punched him, repeatedly and mindlessly, blinded by tears, and he stood there willingly taking the blows in his guilt. When she eventually tired herself out, she leaned on the railing.

"I don't know if I'm sorry," she said, staring sulkily at her fists, "but I can't continue to work along side you in our mission. I know it was an order from your goddess...I don't blame it on you...," she said with a sniff.

"If you did continue working with me, I might even think less of you...but you have a right to know."

"Monala, I hated myself for doing it..."

Monala siged, shakily. "For a moment, I hated you for it, too, but...well, it's Dakkru herself I ought to despise. I'll likely face an unpleasant eternity for it, to say the least, when I face true death. Unless I seek immortality, but that's insane," she laughed a little as she wiped the tears off of her face with her cloak.

Amaymon shook his head "If I have to bring my blade with me into death, I'll see to it she never harms you again...."

He paused, and then continued. "That is why...starting now, I renounce her."

"Facing off against a goddess?" Monala asked, distracted, "That's the stuff of epics. I want a piece of her too, ye realize."

The two smiled at each other.

"When we enter true death, I'll be sure to leave an arm or something after I strangle the rest," Amaymon replied.

Monala laughed. "I'd prefer that crystal headdress of hers...it'd look much better on me,"^*

After musing about whether or not a god can be killed and the like for some time, Monala paused, listening to something in the distance.

"I hear...magic..." she looked down at the entrance to the sewers from her vantage point on the tavern roof.

"What do you mean?"

Monala shrugged. "Someone fighting gobbles, most likely. Don't you hear fighting from down there?"

Amaymon nodded "

Yes...but magic?"

"It makes noise when ye cast a spell. You never noticed that?"

Amaymon didn't reply. Monala was oblivious to the face he made. She looked down at the sewer entrance contemplatively.

"Maybe denouncing Dakkru...took your..." she clapped her hand over her mouth before she finishes the sentence, her eyes widening.

"Oh...I...I'm so sorry. I need to think before I speak..."

"Monala, I owed that much. You....you can tell when it happens you know. It feels like a taint is removed from your veins....

Monala hugged Amaymon "Still..." she said over his shoulder, and then backed away, crossing her arms.

"Do ye know how to fight physically?"

Amaymon drew two swords with a speed she'd never seen before. Her eyes widened and her jaw gaped a bit.

Amaymon grinned. "I know a thing or two"

Monala involuntarily stepped back - a habit she'd gained from training with a guard named Percival, saying, "Well that's good,"

Amaymon noticed her step back, and looked guilty as he sheathed the weapons. "Uh, yes, sorry."

"I..it's not that I don't trust you. You just learn to do some things as reflexes when you've been training,"

"You....you trust me?"

"Sort of," she said, teasingly.

"Even through all this, Monala?"

Amaymon smiled widely as he hugged her "I can't tell you how much that means to me,"

"You may have done some terrible things, but you've done a wonderful one in renouncing Dakkru. I knew there was good in you, "

"Monala. you must have a heart of gold to say that"
 
The two spent the rest of the night enveloped in conversation. Amaymon revealed that his lost love - whom he'd told Monala of once before - was also a Ynnwn from another village, and had a lot in common with her. Monala was relieved and amused to hear it. After finding out that Amaymon killed Jasom, there was no way she'd ever consider being with him again anyway, but the guilt of knowing she'd break Amaymon's heart was lifted when she got the idea that she was another woman to Amaymon. She ignored his implied denial of it.

She slept the morning away in peace, not having to worry about either revolutions or love triangles.

^{* If memory serves, there is a description of Dakkru that mentions the headdress in one of the books in the the Death Realm library. Next time I'm unfortunate enough to make the journey, I'll see if I can get the quote.}

[Raa]

Candy, you seem to think Dakkru is a bad goddess to worship. She's not evil. And yeah, she does wear a headdress.

[Candy]

Just because Monala's biased doesn't mean I am

Plus, Amaymon's got a lot of angst himself, and the way it's played out makes Dakkru look like the bad guy if your character is (possibly quite foolishly) trusting enough