"Where brilliance is good and madness is better..."
Helovia Info
Helovia opened in February 2012! We are an active fantasy equine RPG
Where once the world narrowed into naught but gray dust and desolation, the gods called for life. Wielding the elements of fire and light, dark and wind, earth and water, spark and time, they have created Helovia. The realm is set within the mythical globe of Loorien, a planet rich with all variety of creatures and blessed with all manner of magic. Originally populated by nomadic, tribal characters, they've since grown into massive empires saturated with culture and history. Separated into four distinct segments of Helovia, called "The Regions," each band of horse strong enough and capable enough, took up the power and responsibility of leadership. Unicorns, old, wise and mysterious, took to the north, hidden in forests of mists and shadows and rarely making themselves known beyond their cliffs of the World's Edge. Equines, vast, organized and militaristic, split into two, one group went north to the Windtossed Foothills and the other group went south to the Dragon's Throat. Pegasus remained nomadic, making their homes in various parts of The Wilds in a migratory manner. For many generations, the land was peaceful and calm, but peace was never the way of the gods. With a clash of argument, war and bloodshed massacred Helovia, and in the aftermath, the realm was eerily quiet. Now, as newcomers sweep into this land, they are met with the lingering bitterness of the gods and the struggle to reclaim what was lost. Nothing remains safe or certain while sorcerers and soldiers alike brood and bide their time for revenge, honor and glory.
Site Wide Plots
Kaos :: The Beginning of the End ☼ - 6/2017 - Kaos placed Helovia in a time-bubble for a short period of time, but the Helovian gods are fighting back. But Kaos is powerful- far more powerful than anyone thought. This may be the beginning of the end of Helovia as we know it.
Kisamoa :: A New Kind of Kaos ☼ - 3/2017 - Kisamoa asks Helovians to help him restore the Spectral Marsh. Which side will you choose?
Invasions :: All Out War ☼ - 5/2/16 - New layout and the brand new invasion rules are up! Thank you for your patience and we look forward to getting started with this new adventure.
The Rift :: Gods Do Die ☼ - 8/2015 - Helovia Gods are saving the Rift from corrupt gods! Can Helovians band together against these foreign deities?
The Literal Ship ☼ - 2/8/15 - Oh no! You have to pair up for Valentine's day!
Sky Island :: Murder ☼ - 10/25/14 - Vesta has been found dead on the island, and the gods have called to you to solve the murder!
Sky Island :: Peace ☼ - 7/7/14 - An island has appeared in the sky! Clouds carry Helovians from the Veins to the sky.
Restoration :: We Welcome the Dawn ☼ - 9/21/13 - The sun has finally risen on this day, giving the land new light, but the Time God and the Sun God have yet to be seen.
Endless Night :: Broken Magic Plot ☼ - 8/30/13 - The earth god has returned and is walking across Helovia to heal the land. Every area can now be considered lush and prosperous, but the sun has still not risen.
☼ - 7/19/13 - The moon has risen in the sky, heralding the return of the Goddess of the moon. Lamp trees which light the paths have grown brighter, moon flowers which grow in dark places have begun to grow and prosper and the world is brighter, filled with a new hope.
Endless Night :: Dead Magic Plot ☼ - 6/22/13 - The gods of Helovia, in order to protect the world, have disappeared into the rift, leaving the world sunless, moonless and magic-less in their absence. Only the herdlands have a source of light, but lamp-trees with glowing leaves and branches sporadically line the popular roads and paths from place to place.
Doppleganger Plot ☼ - 6/20/13 - The God of Time is still struggling to close the rift though which the dopplegangers have come. He has requested that his brothers and sister assist in closing this hole, but without knowing why it opened, the task is proving difficult. Magic still remains faulty and hard to control, but the herdlands continue to be places of refuge for those who are fortunate enough to call these lands home.
ORANGEMOON cools off the lands with a a viscious force. Colder than normal, a sign of things to come during Frostfall, Helovia is bathed in a rich tropical lushness - albiet a cold one. The coastlines of the Dragon's Throat are pelted constantly by tidal waves, and the desert climate is humid but chilly. Ice begins to form early in the Aurora Basin leaving the winding trails slick and dangerous. The mists of the World's Edge coat everything in a glistening crystalline shine which encourages mould to grow everywhere. The Spectral Marsh is the only area which remains fertile, blissfully temperature and lush.
Cotm
Character of the Month for
June, 2017
WEAVER, Corporal of the Aurora Basin, is a relatively recent addition to Helovia and has taken it by storm. Branded with the seal of Death on her chest, intrigue and interest follow both her past and present. Though she is assuredly beautiful, her sometimes sharp personality reveals that there is more to this uni-peg hybrid than meets the eye. Proving herself able on the battlefield in the Basin’s warrior ranks, we can’t wait to see her test her mettle against the looming Kaos happenings! Congratulations!
Helovia RPG was created by Tamme and Blu and coded by Tamme also known as Schwartze. All coding, palettes and imagery are copyrighted to the website and are not for use outside of Helovia. Thank you to our ServerMaster for hosting Helovia. A special thanks goes to Neo for all of her coding help and fixing Tamme's errors, Boom, for her loyal service and creation of the Time God, and to Ali for her consistent contributions and dedication.
The sun was set lightly over the forest, granting it with a variety of flourishing colors. A vast measure of decaying leaves fluttered about the land with ease before returning to their home among the blanketed floor. The atmosphere was thick with serenity, but also held a sense of uneasiness. It was strange, this land. Something about the silence, oh, the silence. It was bound to shatter sanity at some point. It was the type deafening silence to drive you mad. There was that lack of chirping birds and rustling forest critters within bushes, there was emptiness.
However, source of life sparked deep within the forest.
Alongside a towering pine lingered the bodice of a multi-painted mare. Her palette consisting of whites, bays, and blacks. Each of the mare's dark tendrils proceeded to grasp securely amid her muscular nape as she traveled, while her whipcord dragged across the realm's surface in following. She continued for a few solid minutes, sauntering about the forest at her own specialized pace. With each step she took, her daggers pressed firmly against the dew soaked moss, leaving small imprints behind her. It would be fairly easy for someone to track her here. Then again, where exactly was here? All she could see was foliage, foliage everywhere. It all looked the exact same, every direction she turned - it all painted the same picture.
Unsettled, the vixen allowed her crown to lower as her vanilla tipped muzzle kissed the floor. Her nostrils broadened as she searched for the scent of another equine or creature. Nothing. There was no sign of life in this realm of misery. Perhaps it was no realm at all, only her personal hell. She was a monster, remember? She probably deserved it. All those mind tricks she played, her ill-manners, loose-tongued insults, and let us not forget about the times that she purposefully wedged herself between relationships just to get a good laugh. She was naive, she still is naive. If it was her past that dared to haunt her, she deserved every second of this.
Dahlia awoke from her mental imprisonment and swung her cranium in disgust at herself. She extended her tendons in order to move, and with ease her daggers carried her effortlessly, eliminating the distance between her and her fate with each valuable step she took. After all, this was uncharted territory, who knew what dangers and secrets this land could hold.
Run away with me, Lost souls and reverie, Running wild and running free, Two kids, you and me
His first few months at the Hidden Falls where so far uneventful. No wars, and no invasions. I suppose I might have gotten bored. So what was it that I could do to bindi fit the herd? Well, I hadn't done it before, but I supposed a trip to the threshold could be useful. And so I headed off.
It wasn't a whole lot going on, as it seemed with the cold coming on so fast that the travelers might have settled down until warmer months. I passed a few, some fairly weird and undesirable. I left those to others, and I had no interest. They where equine, unicorn, and Pegasus alike, so it really wasn't a matter of biased opinions. To be honest, I couldn't care less if you had feathers or a crown, or wore nothing at all. You could be completely boring, and I would probably give the same automated greeting. The same dull welcome over and over, the same charade to try and get you to go to my home, the same list to prove I lived in the best place.
But I didn't want to give the same old boring speech every time I recruited. I wanted to be different. But how could I be? A deep contemplative sigh escaped my lips, as I came to a halt. Blue eyes in a grey face looked around, peering through the foliage. The sound of hooves caused my ears to twist back in the opposite direction that I had been searching. Quickly my head followed, and I caught sight of something... Breathtaking.
I'm not kidding. I just stopped breathing.
Oh look, I remembered how to again. Carefully I move towards the equine mare, blue eyes searching her dark painted frame. She was like a perfectly painted master piece, and he hadn't seen anyone with as unique patterns as her before. Yeah, we had colors and big markings, but hers where so natural, yet so intricate. A soft sigh rumbled through me as I watched.
But I stood tall and moved towards her. She did look mildly lost. Or confused. One of the other. I don't know, I am truly to focused on her that I didn't notice if she was having issues. Carefully I cleared my throat, and lowered my head to seem closer to her size, not that she was overly shorter than I. "Madam, are you lost? I can assist in any kind of directions you need, or even answer whatever questions you may have... If any. I ask and speak to her politely, a crooked smile lifting the corners of my smokey lips. My blue eyes where open and welcoming, ready to receive her answers and questions, and willing to give them to her at a seconds notice.
And I say, Hey, hey hey hey, Living like we're renegades
"It's the heart and the soul and the body and the brain
Driving me insane
But the wind and the land and the fire and the rain
Always stay the same"
-Roll With the Wind
Caenan had been leaning against a tree watching for any who had freshly stumbled upon Helovia's border. He was not a very active recruiter and had done the same for three days. Each potential recruit had been carted off to a new home before Caenan had motivated himself to leave the comfort of the tree. It was a young unicorn being smitten with an equine that drug his interest out of hiding.
"Well," he shifted his full weight back onto his hooves and looked at the mare who had pranced into Helovia and at the young stallion who was certainly taken in by her."You are a new one." Caenan was less than eager about recruiting in the Threshold. It carried him too far from the sea. Already the ocean's smell was beginning to fade from his coat. The stallion longed to return to the shore but the interaction of the pair was enough to distract him even if only briefly. He welcomed that.
"Lucky you," Caenan flashed his easy smile,"the welcomin' wagon has arrived." Caenan and his tree sat on a slope looking over the pair it was steep enough that he had to carefully slide down to them.
Caenan had put himself forth less for the purpose of recruiting for the Edge, and more so wished to help out the lad who was faced with such a lovely mare. Not that he would deny her if she wished to follow him to the herd. She was stunning. A mare that one could be proud, perhaps even gloat, about bringing home. Her coat, her grace, everything about the mare should have drawn him in just as she had to the younger stallion. But something about her just did not call to him. The bay unicorn placed himself a step or two behind the dappled grullo.
"You are now a part of Helovia. Once you step foot here it is not often that you step out." Caenan mulled over his words and chuckled once more. They were rather ominous sounding. "Meanin' that most love it here and don't wish to leave." With laughter towards himself still fresh in his throat Caenan passed introductions and explanations on to the other stallion. "I am Caenan and I think that this fellow here could handle this better."
Credits: Whit's tables were an inspiration | Coding by Schwartze | Image
Dahlia felt a sudden stiffening within her muscles as she peered out among the treacherous forest before her. She felt something - eyes - watching her closely; examining every inch of her body as she stood silently above the terrain. Her own orbs flashed back, carrying themselves through the land until they rested among another shadowed figure. Stallion. His body contrasted against the golden foliage surrounding him. He looked fairly out of place, yet, even then, he was still a magnificent sight. His coat was constructed with a variation of greys running from head to hoof - while beneath, a few dapples sprouted. He towered a few inches above her, though it was barely a noticeable difference. The most eye catching, however, was the single dark horn placed directly amid his forehead. It was dangerous, yet beautiful, and it excited her.
However, relief peaked through her excitement. She was more relieved with the fact that this wasn’t her own personal hell after all. There was a living, breathing creature before her. Someone to stir up the silence. Someone to keep her from losing all sanity. That is, if he was willing to help her. The land was confusing, a maze, if you will, and it was obvious that she was lost. Though her stubborn heart might never choose to admit that. She just hoped that he would never ask.
Dahlia watched cautiously as the brute lowered his head to the equivalent of hers. He seemed kind, like a gentle soul. Still, the vixen knew better than to trust her first intentions. Looks could be deceiving. Then, in a flash, his delicate words stripped the mare of her thoughts and buried the everlasting silence between them. “Madam, are you lost? I can assist in any kind of directions you need, or even answer whatever questions you may have… If any.” The sentence traveled through Dahlia’s auditives, dancing in mid-air while she processed each word. “As much as I would like to say that you are mistaken, you are not.” She delivered a simple smile to show her gratitude. “This forest, it’s a labyrinth.”
Before continuing once more, the vixen found herself being interrupted by another stallion. His coat was fairly simple, nothing Dahlia hadn’t seen before. Though his markings sparked a slight interest. He had sorrel marks among his barrel, nearly symmetrical on both sides. They were different, to say the least. Though, what really sparked an interest was the familiar horn that rested among his forehead. It was similar to the other stallion’s horn. Singular and dark. However, his varied in appearance. The brute’s horn was curved inward, quite unique if you asked her. Was it a coincidence that they both shared similar qualities?
Instead of continuing where she left off, the vixen raised her amber orbs to his, awaiting for him to fill the silence this time. “Well,” he spoke, “You are a new one.” Dahlia was unsure if she was to take that as an insult or compliment, perhaps neither at best. All she knew was that this stallion seemed to take a different approach to introductions, dare she blamed him. “Lucky you, the welcomin’ wagon has arrived.” The mare internally rolled her eyes, unsure of how she felt about his presence. But, he continued to talk, and talk, and talk. For what seemed like ages. “You are now a part of Helovia. Once you step foot here it is not often that you step out. Meanin’ that most love it here and don’t wish to leave.” This time, Dahlia glinted a friendly smile at the stranger. “Helovia.” The words dripped from her tongue like molasses. “Has a nice ring to it.” She looked around, now picturing the forest as Helovia rather than a never-ending labyrinth. She wondered if there was more to Helovia than just this forest. Just how far did this strange land stretch?
Dahlia shuffled her eyes across the land once more before landing back to his. “I am Caenan and I think that this fellow here could handle this better.” She allowed a gentle sigh to part from her lips, “Nice to meet you, and to what do I owe the pleasure?”
Run away with me, Lost souls and reverie, Running wild and running free, Two kids, you and me
Her voice was like sweet syrup. Dark ears flipped foreword to catch the sweet words that dripped from her mouth. Ah, so she was lost after all. The crooked smile lifts higher as I open my mouth to speak to her again, but we are interrupted. The newest stallion is charming, with his own unique swagger. He seemed to be a joyous lad, and I was happy to receive his presence. Kindly I nod to him in welcoming, and listen to his words. He had certain way to his words, dropping vowels here or there, but I liked it. I like his drawly charming way of speaking.
After he finally introduces himself, and The still unnamed painted woman speaks her piece I decide I should probably speak up, and handle things like Caenan said. "It is a pleasure Caenan. I am Soren." the smile broadens as my deep vocals vibrate words between us, looking from the smaller uniquely colored and crowned stud to the intricate fox.
"I do recall you where saying you where lost, yes? If you require rest, I do know of a wonderful place called the hidden falls, where you would able to rest. Of course no obligations. It is only one of the four herdlands here in Helovia. If you wish, head southwest for some wonderfully warm weather, or if you prefer the cold, up north is the mountains. There is a herd in both places. The northern one, the basin, only accepts unicorns however. They prefer their own kind. Also, heading west there is the Endless blue, and the worlds edge. I don't know much, but enough to help some. Sheepishly I glance down and back up. Your rambling. Stop.
"if you wish to know more about the Hidden Falls I can certainly answer any of those questions. and then my blue eyes shift to the stud beside me. Where do you hail from Caenan. Perhaps you would like to tell the lovely lady about it? I don't want to do all the talking." I wink cheerfully at him, before watching the stud expectantly.
Good lord, I am an absolute fool.
And I say, Hey, hey hey hey, Living like we're renegades
Threading like a flood through the web of evergreen the bronze stag felt both weightless and content. This part of helovia was so intriguing; it was an easy quencher for his wanderlust. He had journeyed like he often did to the Threshold to see who he might find wandering this time. Carlisle has left him at the thistle meadow; she had disappeared like she always did and so the remainder of his journey had been alone.
Orangemoons afternoon fog strangled the neck of every fir and drowned the seedlings; it also choked Tilneys sight ever so slightly and bit at the painted hide of his neck. Throughout most of Orangemoon and Frostfall Tilneys wardrobe consisted of his rusted lantern and his large emerald cloak. It trailed loyally on the thresholds surface, having fallen from a bunch at his whither to cover his back and rump.
The cloaked stag slowed his footfalls to an urgent walk, his nares and cranium flicking to the sound of voices carried over the colourful fog. Three silhouettes caught his viridescent gaze and slowly he marched forwards. The thick, misty fog gathered at his breast as he slowly stepped on cloven foot past sapling and arbor until the flaxen man appeared. Barky antlers glistening like a kings crown in the final colours of the day, His bronze coat glowing like a flame. "Good evening" the bronze bellowed, hoof taking once again to the moss and stepping towards the trio.
That same verdant gaze began to trace over each creature that stood in the tree dotted space. Two unicorns, one hazel and the other the a steel dappled grey. The third creature was a painted and splashed mare. Her palette reminded him of that of his brother Byron; rich hazel browns, black and ivory.
Strangers to each other they were, but no one was a stranger to Tilney. As far as he was concerned every breathing being was a friend of his and unbeknownst to him, the hazel unicorn was in fact from the edge also. While he recognised the dark, horned man he couldn't quite place him yet. Gaze shifting from the unicorns who to him looked like seasoned Helovians unlike the ever so slightly lost-looking fae. He could be wrong; perhaps they were all passing through together.
The mist still bit his tough frame, and he then noticed the painted doe wore nothing. While he camped under the warmth of a long coat, this mare might shudder and shiver in the fog of an approaching moon. "Can I offer you my cloak, m'lady? It's very cold this afternoon" But where are my manners? "I am Tilney of the Worlds Edge" was his whisper "which of you crosses the threshold for the first time this day?"
01-02-2016, 12:54 PM (This post was last modified: 01-02-2016, 12:56 PM by Caenan.
Edit Reason: Trying to get the tagging to work.
)
"It's the heart and the soul and the body and the brain
Driving me insane
But the wind and the land and the fire and the rain
Always stay the same"
-Roll With the Wind
Caenan watched the mare's face. Her words were sweet honey but the stallion still did not feel any warmness towards the mare. Figuring out why he did not was like trying to locate and get rid of an itch in his ear. Hard to reach and even harder to pinpoint. If only it were Soren that was available for recruitment. Caenan liked him.
He laughed brightly at Soren's passing the torch. "Of course Soren, Caenan bumped his nose against Soren's side in a brotherly like manner, "I have recently came to be a Protector to the Edge." Calling the herd home did not seem to feel right. It was the Endless Blue that was the stallion's home so he opted to instead introduce himself by his duty. Caenan would be lying if he said that being a part of an honest line of work didn't make him feel purpose as he never had before. He was proud. He would come to take his duty very seriously. "It is a land where you are lulled to sleep by the waves crashing against the cliff sides and where rolling mists are there to greet you in the morn."
Maybe it was his lack of knowledge that left Caenan feeling no friendliness towards the newcomer. He did not know anything of her. How could he so easily invite perfect strangers into the herd? He knew that he could not personally accept anyone new, that would be the duty of those ranked higher than him, but what if a snake slipped through their notice and became one of them? It dawned on Caenan to ask the same question that sweet Agnodice had asked him, "What brings you to Helovia?" As a native to Helovia he had no hesitation in asking. He almost felt entitled to an answer.
Another made their entrance. Caenan had been so focused on what the mare's answer may be that he did not hear the stallion's initial approach. Which was a wondrous thing with the stallion's size and appearance. He was not one who blended into his surroundings. Caenan was curious about the lantern hanging from his antler.
Caenan jokingly fluttered his lashes, "Oh you," he winked at the new addition to their group. "What timing you have! I was about to freeze. I would love to wear it." The jest in his tone was obvious. He looked to the mare to see if she would take the offer. He liked the good heart of the flaxen stallion.
Caenan's head jerked back to the antlered stallion, Tilney, in surprise. He was of the Edge also. Caenan had been drawn to Tilney by his friendliness but now he also felt a strong kinsmanship towards him.
Hate, lost inside
I dare to dream, faithless lies
Caught in the web, I will face the weak within
The setting of the sun lent the land a golden shine that threaded yellow ribbons all throughout the low-hanging branches. With Romul trailing just behind my heels, we carved a singular path through the Threshold in search of what we wanted most: respect. We sought leverage in the Throat and the only way to do that was to offer more than just able-bodied participation. We had to offer our loyalty.
The first time I’d visited the lands of foreign faces and vagrant souls, I’d found Caneo -Dreamer- and he’d followed me back to the desert. How he fared now was not of my knowledge, but in my heart I wished him all the best. He was a boy close to my very core, a wanderer much like myself despite his own return to Helovia. Even as I navigated the monotony of the woodland, a place where I’d again found comfort in the company of friends, I could not help but think that the whole operation was a bit… tedious.
Romul abhorred the stale scents that often led him nowhere and I grew tired of working on the ignorance of the unfamiliar. But this was and is a task of importance… Numbers warded off invasions and after the invasion of the Hidden Falls, I was determined to keep any such circumstances from repeating themselves. Whether this was a selfish mission or a helpful one remained a question for those who cared to ask, but as far as I was concerned… Well, I wasn’t.
Ghost had offered to mentor me again in the art of the illusory ‘Spy’ and I intended to do her justice by weaving my way into the very fabric of Helovia… one individual at a time. At some point I imagined I’d come across something big despite my having not done so in recent days. Of course, my luck was about to change, even if I didn’t quite know it yet.
Confidence was probably the bane of my existence and yet also a curse where my relationships were concerned.
As I wandered in the roving depths of the wood, I caught fresh trails and faint hints of sound that alerted me to a gathering too large to be of little importance. Someone had certainly struck the fancy of the hordes.
Hesitant, I approached the mounting lyrics and soft refrains of conversation before laying colorless eyes on the masses in question. I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting to find, but everything appeared to be somewhat ordinary, given the amount of recruiters per ‘unclaimed’ victims. There was a fine antlered stallion with a golden coat, a greyed man who smelled of the exotic home his leaders had taken from me, and even a dark colored chap who was far too happy to be considered legitimate. Perhaps I was a cruel and unfeeling creature after too much time alone, but at least I was honest… and that was a quality that I’d come to live by.
At their center was a mare (was it any curiosity that so many males had gathered here for such beauty?) and a lovely lass at that. She was a calico of sorts, multicolored and seemingly cold as steel. A catch... if I’d had something hanging between my legs. But of course, I wasn’t looking for magnificence, I was looking for power. “Am I late to the party or is that still considered fashionable?” I questioned with an amused smile. If I’d been parting the red sea, the waves that fell upon me would have been made of testosterone. I nodded to the stallions, each in turn, before turning my attention to the feminine creature at their heart. “They’re better looking in the Dragon’s Throat, but that’s just my opinion,” I stated while thinking briefly of Caneo and his icy, blue eyes. “I’m Essetia by the way, a spy from the South. I reckon you’re in the market for a place to take refuge and I’d like nothing more than to show you the desert from which I hail. I can promise that it won’t disappoint.”
Cute, short, and to the point… wasn’t that always my motto?
The weather was beginning to transition quickly and soon the sun would be gradually descending from the sky. Few gusts of wind began to pick up force and with each passing minute Dahlia’s bones began to chill a little more. She would most likely freeze to death if she was not found in the time that she was. Hell, if she had it her way, there would never be a winter or snowfall in the first place. She abhorred the ivory thickness. All it did was grant death and illness upon the land. Foliage withered, the homeless froze, and everyone was generally more miserable. Nothing pleasurable came from it. Only to the yearlings was it fun. Though, they thought everything was amusing. You could put a stick in front of them and they would spend hours on end coming up with new ways to play with it. Oh, how she missed the foals, the ones in her old herd. Her childhood friends too. They always held a special place in her frosted heart, but they all despised her now, so what was the point in missing them when all they did was celebrate her departure?
Dahlia sighed as a handful of lyrics disintegrated the memories of the foals. “It is a pleasure, Caenan. I am Soren.” The vixen slightly perked up at the name, her auditives inching forward as the stallion completed his sentence. Soren. Hm, I like it. Dahlia was actually quite fond of names and disliked how others often tossed them around and treated them as any other word. She found them interesting and far too important to consider overrated. A single vocal structure could hold so many memories and so many emotions. That single word could either make your heart flutter, break, or simply just beat like any other day.
Before she was able to introduce herself to the two, she was cut off once again. Now, it was Soren who rambled. He spoke of the herd lands in great detail while Dahlia carefully constructed an image in her mind for each one. They all sounded so promising, so unique, somewhere she wouldn’t mind calling...home. “If you wish to know more about the Hidden Falls, I can certainly answer any of those questions.” Dahlia tossed the few dark tendrils that lightly curtained her eyes to the side before glinting a delicate smile to both of the stallions. “The falls sound like an exquisite home,” she paused, gathering ideas on how to put her thoughts into words. “...but it would be idiotic for me to narrow down my options so soon.”
Dahlia turned her attention to Caenan as if to speak, but Soren decided to take the words right out of her own mouth. “Where do you hail from, Caenan? Perhaps you would like to tell the lovely lady about it? I don’t want to do all the talking.” And with that, Caenan seemed to shake the whole forest with his full-hearted laugh. She was frankly surprised at how much he had seemed to be enjoying this. Was there something that she was missing? A joke that she had not caught on to? Whatever it was, she wasn’t sure whether to perceive the bay stallion to be a joyful person or a sinister one. It could go either way at this point. It was always the sinister ones who seemed to laugh the most. Though, she could be completely wrong. “Of course, Soren. I have recently come to be a Protector to the Edge.” The mare shuffled through her thoughts again. Edge. Ah, World’s Edge - that’s it! “It is a land where you are lulled to sleep by the waves crashing against the cliffsides and where rolling mists are there to greet you in the morn.” And just like that, Dahlia was already entranced into the imagery of her resting among the cliffs as the melodic repetition of the waves unfolded against the land. It was almost orgasmic.
Then, the question they were all waiting for. “What brings you to Helovia?” Well, it had never really occurred to Dahlia why she chose the direction she did. Truthfully, she had no idea she was going to end up here - or anywhere for that matter. She was just going to continue treading through every possible maze until she found the one that she admired most. Though it was Helovia that marked and ‘X’ over her final destination. “I guess I had a craving for adventure, or perhaps it was boredom.” Hidden beneath the mare’s vocals were the thudding daggers of a stallion. He entered with poise, his heavier build leaving deeper imprints within the moss. He was marvelous. His stature, his cloak, his antlers, and gosh- those colors. His pelt was shimmering so gracefully in connection with the setting sun. It was like her own personal sunset wrapped into a life-size present just for her, and she wasn’t complaining. Dahlia nearly jumped him right then and there.
“Good evening.” It was such a simple two-worded greeting but it sparked a flutter in the mare’s soot heart. Deep down, she hoped he would ask her to reside with him as well. The more, the merrier. “Can I offer you my cloak, m’lady? It’s very cold this afternoon.” With all the new introductions floating about, Dahlia was completely oblivious of her noticeable shivering. Before able to reply, Caenan took the offer into his own hands. She let out a half hearted giggle before passing her eyes to the golden stallion once more. “I think I will be alright for now, thank you. However, if it is the forest that I sleep tonight, I may have to take you up on that offer.” She paused, looking around at the crowd who surrounded her before allowing the stallion to continue, “I am Tilney of the World’s Edge, which of you crosses the threshold for the first time this day?” “Ah, there’s my cue.” She delivered a playful giggle to the stallions. “The name’s Dahlia. Pleasure to meet you.”
Then, another presence greeted us. This one, mare. It was damn about time. If one more stallion approached her, there was a likely chance she was going to be strangled with all of that testosterone. The majority of the newcomer’s bodice was bay, though she possessed unique ivory markings among her skull. They started at the edge of her mouth and traveled around the eye before wrapping around her forehead. “Am I late to the party or is that still considered fashionable?” Her orbs traveled from each pair of eyes before resting among mine last. “They’re better looking in the Dragon’s Throat, but that’s just my opinion, I’m Essetia by the way, a spy from the South. I reckon you’re in the market for a place to take refuge and I’d like nothing more than to show you the desert from which I hail. I can promise that it won’t disappoint.” Sure enough, Dahlia’s naive heart couldn’t wait to hear more. Little did she know that a decision this immense would only come with even greater benefits and consequences. Which path would lead her the correct way this time?
Run away with me, Lost souls and reverie, Running wild and running free, Two kids, you and me
The smaller stallion seemed pleased, as he laughed. He then reached over to touch my body, and instinctively I moved away, my ears half going down into a snarky look. I was unused to being touched, and I had not said he could touch me. Even if it was in some brotherly fashion. I don't know you.
I couldn't help my own instincts. It was just part of who I was. I did not want you touching me unless we where close, and I knew you. OR you where a child. I didn't care about children unless it became insistent, which I thankfully did not have to deal with normally.
But it was only a fraction of a moment, barely noticeable, and then it was gone again. And then we where joined by another. He is a strong looking fellow, oddly marked himself, in fact beside all these wonderfully gorgeous coats I felt incredibly plain looking.
I nodded to the newest member to our group, and smiled genuinely. His name was Tilney, and he also hailed from the Worlds Edge. He was even more polite than I, offering his cloak. Well, I mean if I had one, I would offer it too.
My eyes are turned yet again, this time it was a mare who came. I myself felt some relief. I felt bad for the poor mare, who now revealed herself as Dahlia, being surrounded by all of us men. It could be overwhelming, after all.
And so this also very unique mare joins us, and I stand here, in all my gangly awkward plainness, listening to her words, and then Dahlia's, smirking at the Essetia's sly remark on the throat having better looking studs. I looked her up and down, a joyous smile on my muzzle. "Well, I must say, the throats women are obviously equally fierce as they are beautiful." A chuckle rolled from my tongue, before I am looking back at Dahlia.
"As you said before, Dahlia, It wouldn't do to narrow your options so soon. I honestly can say, if you wanted to explore the Falls, or the Edge, Or... The Throat, then I think I can say for everyone we would all be willing to have you for a short time, and arrange escorts to each land for you to visit, and eventually choose. Unless, of course you decide to remain an outcast. That of course is a completely fine choice. I was one for a very long time myself, and I even consider going back to it from time to time. Just know, that no matter what, you have many choices, and none here would force you to choose so soon, if even ever. At least I hope not. And, I fall silent, a smile lingering on my face. As I had talked, I had nodded to Tilney and Caenan, and Essetia in turn as I had mentioned each of their lands respectfully. My blue eyes watched Dahlia's amber ones, never flitting down and around her body, but watching her face. I had already gawked enough at her body. No one enjoyed being gawked at that much.
And I say, Hey, hey hey hey, Living like we're renegades
Fog slipped in and out of the brutes colourless muzzle, his open green gaze threading over the trio until that same gaze was stolen once again by the stained femme. Tilney would be lying to himself if he denied that a small attachment to this mare might be sewing its seeds in his naive but beautiful brain. Intact was his heart; never broken, hardly even challenged. Though the splashed lass was yet to speak a word to him he still felt an odd keenness to know her. Questions swelled in his head. Whats her favorite time of day? Does she prefer bright wildflowers or the simpler kind? Already he was seeing galaxies in her. Before she spoke though, the darker of the stags sang a response. "Oh, you!" Tilney was slightly taken aback but this jester meant no harm, his smile widening to a grin as the stranger continued his charade. "I think I will be alright for now. However, If it is the forest I sleep tonight I may have to take you up on that offer" Ah! she spoke.
"Well," The bronze began as he craned his neck, reaching with his teeth to unbuckle the cloaks elegant strapping. Peeling the emerald fabric from his slender hocks and rounded rump, Tilney welcomed the chill with a hearty exhale. Carrying the drape in his teeth the buck stepped across to the horned bay, pulling the fabric over his magnificent hazel pelt, dressing the brown man. He reached down and closed each strap and straightened up "It sounds like you need it more then I do, madame" Tilney laughed to him, continuing that charade and now seeing a friend in this clown of a stallion. He would let this man hold onto his beloved cloak for the remained of their meeting, but he did hope that it would be returned if they did part, or would be kind enough to offer it to the splashed and painted girl when night fell. "Ah, There's my cue.... The name's Dahlia. Pleasure to meet you"
"The pleasure is all mine m'lady. And who might you gentlemen be?" The goldens gaze tossed between each stag and then settled on the grey. This one seemed quite timid, but quietness was a quality Tilney often valued. "Unfortunately I don't have another cloak to offer, friend! Perhaps this one will share" He murmured to the ashen man, gesturing to the bay. Cranium turning back to the doe, Tilney then spoke of his home. "At the edge we make our home among the most beautiful trees you will ever see, and I like to watch the sunset over the ocean every night if I can; the forest is high up on cliffs! At the Edge they'd never turn away a traveller, so if you aren't heading off with one of these gentlemen i'd be happy to escort you to my home"
And then another joined them. Another bay only this one was quite a glorious mare, and at least an inch taller then Tilney. She made her greeting, complete with a comment about how they came better looking in the throat. Maybe it was true? Tilney didn't think much of himself, and he'd never been that far south to know. And now he just found her slightly intimidating; did she think him ugly then? Or was he just reading too far into it. A hoof stepped back and he said nothing in greeting or response; something incredible unusual for him. Tilney just watched her shyly, feeling all his confidence drain through his feet.
01-08-2016, 02:11 PM (This post was last modified: 01-08-2016, 02:11 PM by Caenan.)
"It's the heart and the soul and the body and the brain
Driving me insane
But the wind and the land and the fire and the rain
Always stay the same"
-Roll With the Wind
King Caenan. The stallion became a king the moment that Tilney put the cloak on him. He knew the green of the cloak would make his own eyes of emerald shine out. Thoughts of how much that delighted him surprised the pirate. He had never considered accessories before this moment but the cloak was more than a simple accessory. It was a statement. It was something he really wanted. If Tilney was not of the Edge also and if he had not shown such kindness Caenan would have been off with the cloak. Caenan faked a giggle and batted his eyelashes, "Oh dear sir, it is wonderf--" The stallion could not even finish his words before breaking into laughter. He felt a strong sense of friendship between himself and Tilney. This was why he had given up his life of an Outcast.
"I am Caenan a recent addition to the Edge so this is our first meeting." And what a first meeting it had been. A grin settled on Caenan's face sitting easily on his handsome features. The expression slipped only a little whenever Caenan acknowledged Tilney's never ending kindness. "Sharing is caring. If you catch a chill I am all for sharing Soren."
"Adventure, Dahlia, is the cure to all." Caenan didn't feel the same sort of friendliness to Soren any longer. It had been brief. Barely noticeable. But he had noticed the snarky look on the grey. Caenan had wanted to kick the look off of his face. So much for that friendship. He turned his attention back to the mare. "Adventure is something I know well. I could introduce you to it." His dark eyes danced at her. To Caenan it had become a competition between him and Soren. And Caenan felt as though he and his herd mate had the advantage. None should underestimate the flair of the cloak. "As Tilney has said, the World's Edge didn't even turn me away! If they will welcome me they would certainly take you in gladly." The pirate allowed Tilney's words to dance around the mare. Caenan would leave her to whatever grand imaginings his Edge brother's words brought her. A treasure unknown is a treasure doubled. Caenan wanted Dahlia to surround herself with grand imaginings. If she wished to know more either he or Tilney would be here with answers.
Another mare came. Only this one possessed even more snark. Mares. Moodiness. Caenan knew that he should not expect any different. The pair makes him miss the company of sweet Naerys. "To each their own," Caenan shrugged his shoulders before arching his neck and puffing out his chest, "but there are exceptions to every rule." And even if there weren't exceptions Caenan saw nothing wrong with breaking a rule or two. He never had.
Hate, lost inside
I dare to dream, faithless lies
Caught in the web, I will face the weak within
For a moment I thought I was suffering from a moment of clarity, one where I believed that I had done this too many times before, but then I realized that if I hadn’t been there at that precise moment… I would have lost a fine woman to a horde of men. Forget gender equality and all that jazz, this was the perfect time to strut my stuff-literally. With as much grace as I could possibly muster in the company of so many, I sidled closer to the lady in waiting and offered her a genuine smile. She would look good in the Throat. It didn’t matter to me how she ended up there, but only that she did. The sun would do wonders to illuminate her interesting coat colors and ochre painted eyes. I’d never been interested in lovers of the same sex (or lovers period), but I was never one to deny the effects of beauty when it was bestowed upon me.
As if I’d known the girl for quite some time, I perched at her shoulder surveying those who sought the same goal as I. She hadn’t yet addressed me nor acknowledged my emphatic arrival, but mares were coy creatures and needed a bit of coddling. I would know. Of course, I had first to deal with the obvious problem of onlookers, so coddling would ultimately have to wait.
The grey fellow was the first to remark on my less-than-apologetic comment about the stallions of the Throat, but at least he had to sense to disguise any surprise he felt beneath a layer of compliments. I smiled at the man while noting the gentle blue of his eyes and the soft way his lips curled when he spoke. He was kind. I could respect that. However, the moment he began issuing information about the Falls and Helovia in general, I paused to deliberate how I actually felt about him. I couldn’t recall his face from the invasion because I hadn’t been there, but suddenly the darkened petals of hate that bloomed in my heart forced me to overlook his spiel completely.
I didn’t care. I didn’t want to. I had no remorse.
Instead of dwelling on the mention of the exotic northeast, I refocused my attention on the beautifully crafted palomino. From what I’d gathered, he was from the Edge- a land that was both painful and cathartic for me. I’d longed to return to the splendors of the sea and the mists, but had been deterred by the memories that the land-of-the-moon kept hidden behind her cloak. I’d been just a child then, born to a King and left by him as well. His image, his laughter, and his world had all been in the Edge… Whatever remained was just a skeleton of him- one that I hadn’t wanted to dig up by returning to my birthplace.
The antlered man certainly didn’t have much to offer on my entrance and instead kept any and all comments to himself. I wasn’t sure if I’d put the fear of the Gods in him or if I’d simply offended him, but it was safe to assume it was the latter. I didn’t often rub others the right way… and I often didn’t intend to. But this time was slightly different. As I thought of the Edge, I thought of Auriel and how I’d left things with her. Like her mother, I felt a certain kinship with the girl- I wanted her to know it. “Give my regards to Auriel if you would,” I requested gently of the golden boy. Surely he wouldn’t deny me that.
Before I could even claim an ounce of humility for my own sake, the dark brute, the one with the hooked horn, decided to give me a reason not to. With a smirk, I absorbed his witty insult and turned toward the one they called Dahlia (a name to match the face). “Yes, there certainly are,” I responded amusedly while leveling the bay with a pointed look. “But to my defense, I haven’t found many exceptions. The Dragon’s Throat is much like its name. They are made up of warriors and I can tell you that you won’t find another group of individuals more equipped for every outcome. There’s no doubt that each of these men are honest representatives of their families, but I want you to be a part of mine. The sand, the heat, the sheer beauty of the south- it’s worth a try.”
The cool air brushed over every inch of the mare’s delicate frame. Her muscles began to relax as she settled her body weight into the lush ground below her. She remained silent, though peered out to the crowd as if speaking through her eyes. Her auditives rose as Soren kindly complimented the other mare. Dahlia sunk a little deeper. It was her who wished to be complemented. However, she shouldn’t be the one to throw a fit. There was a literal crowd of equines who all wished to take her home in hope that she would enjoy it. Beggars couldn’t be choosers. Soren then fixed his attention back to her. His words collapsed in her ears, telling her that it would be just as fine of a choice to remain an outcast; for he too had been one and it wasn’t all that bad. She never really thought of that, being an outcast. Part of her always expected to belong to a home, somewhere she could run to when times were tough.
Her gaze was now on the large golden brute, who began speaking shortly after she did. His words floated towards Caenan as he quickly closed the distance between himself and the bay. Dahlia still remained silent as introductions were generously being passed about. Few of them were already quite familiar with one another, and by now - they all knew who she was. So, there was nothing else she could contribute at the time - mainly because she was already consumed in her own thoughts to speak. Her mind had ventured from land to land, home to home. Each of them seemed to guarantee promising joy and happiness to her, but she was mostly transfixed upon the World’s Edge. Something about it, it just sparked her curiosity. Perhaps it was the residents of the Edge that sparked something a little more.
Dahlia clicked into reality, now aware that Tilney had been speaking to her. “At the edge we make our home among the most beautiful trees you will ever see, and I like to watch the sunset over the ocean every night if I can, the forest is high up on cliffs! At the Edge they’d never turn away a traveller, so if you aren’t heading off with one of these gentlemen i’d be happy to escort you to my home.” The mare couldn’t help but feel butterflies in her stomach, it was her time to finally settle down somewhere. Before pitching in a reply, Essetia gladly took the matter into her own hooves. “...The Dragon’s Throat is much like its name. They are made up of warriors and I can tell you that you won’t find another group of individuals more equipped for every outcome. There’s no doubt that each of these men are honest representatives of their families, but I want you to be a part of mine. The sand, the heat, the sheer beauty of the south- it’s worth a try.”
Dahlia’s butterflies turned into a flame. She had never felt so pressured, though each never had any intention to pressure her in the first place. “These lands, they are all sound so unique and promising. It is a difficult act to decline even one. Though, I must do so for two.” She paused, shifting her view to the grullo stallion. “The Falls, they sound wondrous. However, something about them does not interest me as much as the Edge and Throat do. Still, I hope we can find each other again.” The mare’s gaze now shifted to the beautiful mare. “Essetia, your home - it’s beauty and loyalty are nothing to take for granted. But, some part of me feels as if it isn’t the right fit. I hope that some day we will meet again, and perhaps you could show me a few of those better looking stallions from the South you mentioned before.” Dahlia sent a playful smirk to the mare, hoping she would find her remark the slightest bit forgiving. She then turned to the golden and bay stallions. “And, last but not least. Tilney and Caenan, I would love nothing more than to follow you both back home, if you will. I’m sure I will be seeing a lot of you two there, so no need for goodbyes.” The mare chuckled. She placed herself beside the two, ready for the long journey home.
____________________________________________
dahlia walks, dahlia thinks, "dahlia talks"
muse & tags» 6/10!
word count » 733
extra notes » so sorry for the extremely late response and lack of
muse, but this thread is now finished - thanks everyone so much!
.svg/2000px-Google_Chrome_icon_(2011).svg.png){kind=icon}
![[Image: e5HO6yZ.png]](http://i.imgur.com/e5HO6yZ.png)
![[Image: iMAyZik.png]](http://i.imgur.com/iMAyZik.png)
![[Image: caenan_pixel_by_danjahmouse-d9wbjhj.gif]](http://orig15.deviantart.net/35aa/f/2016/083/2/a/caenan_pixel_by_danjahmouse-d9wbjhj.gif){kind=tracking}
