Is My Fire Yours to Claim?

Ralla · 12-14-2011, 08:46 PM

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Hope it’s alright that I set it first at the Town hall? Backdated to December 2 (Nootau: Visible)

The journey had been long and hard, but—as she always did—she returned.

Perhaps that would be the last time in a long while that she would travel, what with the winter snows already falling in their creep. But she also needed to be home now and see the tribe through the icy cold—her most important duty would be performed if Ulilohi would have it, and so she hoped her offering that she had returned with would be more than sufficient to appease the Anasgayv to allow her the right to the trials.

Sugar had been laden with the spoils of their travels, and also somewhat lightened by the lack of the gifts she had brought to offer to the three packs she had visited. She had met many a fine wolf on this particular journey—even some old friends, whom she had dearly missed through the troubles of the war. Those reunions were sometimes bittersweet, and others joyous—Frodo, whom she had travelled with on her way up to Nova Scotia over a year and a half ago, had once joined the tribe and then mysteriously disappeared. But then he was there again, so close to their borders and with the most wonderful stories to tell (although his circumstances of absence were less than wonderful, in retrospect). All these experiences and travels had made her both weary and invigorated, and so it was that she could not wait one more day (it was a day after her arrival back home) to bring her news to Ulilohi, as well as her request.

At the Town Hall she arrived about noon, rested and ready for whatever Ulilohi would give her. They had discussed the trials (or at least the giving of them) at their meeting in Crimson Dreams, and Ralla was no less or more prepared than any other who had been told so little. But so it is to be. These would not be true trials if I were given time to prepare, would they? All her preparation had been done in the previous year, where she had devoted herself to the Great Fire and the tribe. She would prove herself now to Ulilohi: Ralla would show that if Ulilohi could be a proud leader, then Ralla would allow herself to be ruled by such. From outside the Town Hall she called a greeting to the Anasgayv, awaiting a response should she be there.

Moon walks. ”Moon talks.” Moon thinks.

Ulilohi Ehn · 12-26-2011, 05:42 PM

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Invdegesv

sorry for the wait

Ulilohi had waited, and gone outside as Ralla's scent slipped inside the Town Hall through its window. The past days had been spent pondering. Ulilohi would not raise the female's rank if she did not deserve it, regardless of her guide's confidence: the criteria were clear, and Master Fire Tender was one of the highest ranks of the tribe. Still, she could easily see Ralla's eagerness, and how important the rank was to her. Clearly, part of her being was invested in this, and Ulilohi did not wish to make herself so unpopular as she doubtlessly would become if she rejected her. What kind of solatium could she offer for such a loss? There was none, nothing she could give. All she could do was to be strict, and true to AniWayan ways and procedures. Ralla did not know them, but Ulilohi was prepared to explain.

Coming outside. the brown femme did not hesitate, nor did she wait for formal greetings. She dipped her head in the formal salute before immediately proceeding. After all, this could take a while, and she did not have that many days to spend on this rather daunting task."Unalihelitseti, Itse. I think we can begin with an interview, and if you pass it, I will explain your test." In a way, she hoped Ralla did not pass the interview. It would would be a proper hassle to lay out the test. "Come." She motioned towards the Great Fire, and began walking towards it. Smiling, she began with a very basic quesions. "Tell me its history, Itse—" she drew her breath sharply, interrupting herself. "Please, in AniWayan." Knowledge of the language was key to any of the spiritually powerful ranks. Ralla would not be able to hold such a rank if she did not know the language well, for the ceremonies if nothing else.

#309

Ralla · 12-29-2011, 01:18 AM

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Not at all <3 But my goodness this took awhile to translate :O Surprisingly, these words are said very fast, so it's not spoken as long as it is written >_>

The greeting she received was swift and absolute, and so Ralla straightened herself as such--almost like a military warrior ready to do the bidding of her officer. Perhaps...no, perhaps not that stiff. Certainly her attention and wit was at attention, but she hoped that she would not freeze in the quick of the moment. "Understood," she affirmed as she walked behind the Anasgayv, mentally preparing herself for what questions she might ask. Ralla had been ready to open her mouth and begin the history of the Great Fire in full swing--in English--but found that she was cut off by a sharp hiss of breath from Ulilohi. Clearing her throat, Ralla switched her mental thinking over to AniWayan. While Ralla had had one advantage in the language when she arrived--that it was close in roots to her native tongue and thus easier to pick up--she still spoke some words incompletely, and some sentences she found were not as easy to piece together without her Lakota tongue. She would need to be careful here, and not let her tongue wag carelessly.

"Hawinaditlv hia adalenisgv, nahnai gesvgi galiquogi hilvsgiiyadanelv," she started, retelling the tale she had told her children and many others, albeit in the language she had been taught to treasure as ancient and mythical. "Anisiyvwiha ayehv tsudalehnai, ale nasgi iyudaliha danuwa gvdodi unsva. Dunadadudalv gesvgi uyo I nasgi iyudaliha yelique nasginigesvana howaayelvdi iyudaliha diniyoli gvdodi hia so I hilvsgiiyadanelv. Nasginai hia ganvhida iyuwakodi, tsudalenvda nigayedohvquu hia galohisdi." Looking into the fire, Ralla let the flames dance in her vision, a faint smile curving on her lips as she continued. "Vtlanasgiyinusdi, hia asginadisdi igayelisv asquanigododi anisiyvwiha hia hilvsgiiyadanelv. Hia diniyoli udenv yadidisi hia atsisonvnvhi, utlvgi, ale ayohuhisdi nulisdv ulosonv udenv—hia danatlihv hia unvsa dunalilv gvdodi unysa yadaidisdi hia utloyi, gvdodi tla udatanvagisdi hia uha." So far so good, at least Ralla thought so. She realized that she had a slight accent when pronouncing the 'd' consonants--it was the natural slurring of the sound between a 'd' and a 't' that Lakota's often had when switching between nouns and conjunctions, and she had not noticed it before. Nor did she notice, even then, that she rushed the conjunctions and combining of certain words in a few places. Still, the tale was yet over. "Wulisquadv saquu hia atsilvquotanv tsunitsi hia sidanelvhi nuwesgvi hia nigadv hia ulisdv—hia hilvsgiiyadanelv iyudina gatlisanv unatseli nunalanigvgv nasgisgininigesvna hia kanvwodi ale adanelvanesgedi unatseli unulvhvsgv gigv. Ulosonv, hia ale equa asginadisdi ale unigisv; tla utliigai diniyoli hia utlvgi, ale alisdayvdi hia utsati. Hia ale hia didanvdo ulutsvgi ale hia siyvwi hilvsgiiyadanelv, anadasehehvi hia ale ayehv gvgewisvhi unatseli atlvquodv hawinaditlv asuyesdi nasginai alihelitsidasdi ale nvwatohiyadv. Ale hia gowelodi hia unatseli navnunadalv, hia adawelagisgv nidvlenvda anisiyvwiha ale hia alenvdisgv galiquogi hilvsgiiyadanelv atsilv ale agisvhi ale aligodi hia siyvwi gata—Etikaiele Gata. Hia ale hia digvtlilosdodi hia navnunadalv, nvwatohiyadv, nulinigvgv, ale agadohvsdi—hia digvtlilosdodi hia hatlvno itsula ulutsvi nidvlenvda ale hia adadoligi adanelv hia I tsula ayv nidvlenvda hia didanvdo." It was sad that Ralla could not claim a direct link to the Great Fire in the ways that blood AniWayans did. But she felt a spiritual connection to it--the things it symbolized and stood for, the power it gave to those who heard its message. The Moon Tribe was born out of necessity and falling out with the Long Gones--it was ancient history, as the Great Fire's tale was. Still, like the moon was for her people, the fire was for her now as well. With anxiousness she turned her eyes to Ulilohi's frame, waiting to hear the verdict that she had at least given some reassurance at knowing this tale correctly.

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

Ulilohi Ehn · 12-30-2011, 05:57 PM

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Invdegesv

For this question there is no set answer on the website, so you can just have Ralla point to a few logs or something, without naming them specifically, and just ramble on about where to find it or something? XD Just don't name any specific kinds of trees, because I'd rather keep it loose, so things aren't so specific for other players

She walked alongside Ralla as she began to tell their story, their because it was the story of all AniWayans. Truth be told, though Ulilohi could hear the odd error and mispronunciation, she was impressed with the young woman's AniWayan. She did not know how long the former Master had been in AniWayan, but she was young, which meant there was a limit to how long she could have been here. This was another reason for Ulilohi's need to assert Ralla's competence before potentially giving her her rank back -- she was so very young. Most Masters trained for years. However, Ulilohi understood, as Dawali had taken it upon himself to see to the execution of all aspects of the tribe's lacking Masters, he had needed Masters. He had needed them fast, too, lest he would have exhausted himself. "Osdv," she replied. She would continue the rest of this interview in AniWayan, not fearing misinterpretations. And, it was part of the test, in any case.

She extended a hand and pointed to the roots of the tall flames. "Yiniwisgo nihi vgatahvi equa atsilv ada godvdodi?" It was to be fed only with certain types of wood. This was another key aspect of tending the beacon, and knowledge that was expected from the very first tier of the rank profession, just as knowing the becoming of the Great Fire was. As she progressed through the questions, they would become harder. Eventually, only the test of faith would remain.

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Ralla · 01-04-2012, 10:10 PM

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Kk Tongue

The short word that cut the silence made Ralla's shoulder's drop visibly, tension escaping her as an apparent first part of the test was completed. At the very least Ulilohi seemed pleased with her , and this gave the young woman renewed confidence.

Next was proper materials, it seemed. This one was easy for Ralla, too. Many a long afternoon and season she had spent chopping wood to feed the fire and the hearths of the tribe--many a moon she had spent studying how they each burned differently. Of course Dawali had given her the original types of firewood that were good--which Ralla explained to Ulilohi with great detail, describing their bark types and when they should be cut--but Ralla had expanded into how each firewood created a scent by herself. Some would become charcoal after a long time of burning, and others would burn fast like kinder.

Ralla explained how most trees had to be cut at a very particular age--which could be discerned by height and the pliability of their branches--when they were none too young, none too strong, and none too old. There was an in-between age where the tree would burn bright--if they had already fallen, all the better--and where it would not be an offense to the earth spirits to chop one of their elder trees. A tree could not be cut too young, otherwise it wouldn't burn at all, no matter how long it dried. But when Ralla really got into how each wood burned, she became passionate. She loved the scents that each wood created, and found certain smells more appropriate for an occasion or ceremony than another. Oak was a treat for the summer, if there was a fallen log: It was earthy and bright, yet had a heavy scent of summer fields. Maple was a rare treat for the fall: She had rarely used it because it required much time to dry out the sap, but when it was burned it smelled like the life-blood of its rings, filling the air with a sweet honeysuckle. In winter there were plenty of dead ash branches, and it was a light scent that permeated the air as far as an evergreen, where it then disappeared among the trees' musk. And in spring she had favored alder, with their flowers just coming in. If the flowers were pulped and rubbed into the bark with a bit of liquid tallow (this process she used only for the Great Fire itself) it released a sweet smell that reminded her instantly of sunlight. Each season held a memory for her, and although the white woman named what was asked of her, she couldn't help but insert those experiences of the wood.

More than a beacon and more than their guide, the Great Fire was a reminder of the circle of life. Ralla would feed it the wood of the land, supplementing its hungry mouth with more fuel, and it would release the beauty of each tree fed to it in succession. When the ashes were cleaned and renewed, the ash then fed the earth and all the trees within it. It was a beautiful, simple thing, but all the effort Ralla had put into the fire reminded her of the dedication that she held for her beliefs, the tribe, and herself.

Moon walks. "Moon talks." Moon thinks.

Ulilohi Ehn · 01-17-2012, 07:45 PM

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Invdegesv

Apologize for a long wait. Hopefully we can get to the trial soon!

Ralla explained, and Ulilohi listened intently, watching how relaxed the female was while delivering her knowledge. Still sceptical, she wanted for the female to prover herself truly: here was no benefit of the doubt. here was scepticism in her skill and level of knowledge, scrutiny and careful observation. Still, so far, Ulilohi was still willing to continue. She was doing well enough for this, but would her knowledge suffice for the Master rank? Ulilohi was not certain, although she knew that the criteria for the rank were tough. The Master has to be able to teach the apprentices in everything related to the rank, and perform all duties. The explanations, demonstrations and directions that she presented were correct, and so Ulilohi nodded and shortly answered before moving on to the next question. "Osdv," she repeated, as if a slow echo from her last response. "Unadvnelvdi ayv alasgida ale advnvistanv." This would be perhaps the most enjoyable part of the interview. Ulilohi stepped back a few steps, and one arm was lifted from hanging along her side, to slightly point towards the Town Hall: a question and suggestion. She did not know whether Ralla had brought items with her to the interview or not, but she knew that the needed oils, wood and tools were stored in the shelves alongside the inside of the Town Hall. Ulilohi had time; she had all night.

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