I’m in Solhaven now. The trek from Ta’Vaalor was difficult, but I did alright. They didn’t think I would be able to keep up, but they don’t realize we Sylvans have to work hard for our living. Hunts very often lasted for days back home, and treks up the mountainside to gather Imaera’s fruits during the summer were more difficult than the mostly merchant-worn trek across the Dragonspine. Vaalorians are a hardy lot, I didn’t impress anyone.
The food in camp was fairly dull, and we all talked about the different foods and ales we would try when we got to Solhaven. Wine, all elves appreciate and finer human wine is as good as any in the nations, though they likest it not.
We travel with a group of soldiers from the army, as we are wards of the crown, technically. They’re very disciplined, and professional, but they don’t wear any emblems of the army and they are not “on-duty” to avoid diplomatic incidents, yet all are retired soldiers or “on leave” doing “private work”. We were not expected to stand watch. There are a few healers with us. We were marching most of the day, so there was no time for leisure, and we were exhausted by the time we set up camp. Everyone was asleep before dark, except for the watchmen.
We arrived in Solhaven late this afternoon, and rented the whole inn. A gypsy troupe was in town and a few of us went to see them. There were many interesting sites, and lots of food, the first real food we’ve had in a month. I had my fortune told by a halfing by the name of Ordim, who reads dachres. There were some very creepy people there, not the gypsies themselves but others, who I assume to be the residents of Solhaven, wearing black armor, symbols of dark gods, and cold eyes casting me odd looks now and then. For a moment I was afraid my past deeds would be found out, they would sense I had been cursed by Luukos, and I would be forced to leave, or they would follow me back to the inn, but nothing of the sort occurred.
When my turn came up for my fortune to be read, I asked about which Arkati might favor me. I received what is called the “Spirit Light” dachre, and the halfling gentleman, who I liked immediately, told me I should seek the favor of Phoen at the temple in the city. I’ve decided to go to the temple tomorrow after some rest. The rest of the students are going to the cleric’s guild to a lecture, I’ve been excused from it since it’s too advanced for my rank, and the instructors approve of my desire to seek Phoen’s favor. I’m very excited, and happy for the first time in ages. I feel like I have somewhere to go.
Day 2
The Liabo Esplanade in Solhaven is a sight to behold. The way as you enter through the Liabo Plaze is checkered with alternating terra-cotta bricks in an amazing colorful pattern. Human architecture is colorful here, and it’s best to go in the mid afternoon when the crowds have settled down so you can see the beautiful tilework on the road that shifts at each temple doorstep along the way. Beyond the tall walls of Vornavis you can see the towering golden Fane of the God-King. They won’t let my kind in there at all, not sure what it’s about, but locals tell me citizens only. People complain about Ta’Vaalor! The other story I heard is they keep Solhaven’s temples outside because the only people who they can hire to keep them up are immigrants and the poor, whom they don’t have room for in the city.
There’s eleven temples in all along the esplanade, Cholen’s temple is off the way at the town hall, and there’s no temple to Charl and no one likes talking about it, funny enough. Not sure why. I’ve learned not to mention it.
I laughed aloud when I saw the temple of Oleani. They paid *a lot* of silver to install some tremendous rose quartz swans. The swans are a hit with the children of the wealthy vacationers who are in Solhaven for the summer. I did not mean to be disrespectful and went into her temple first to pay my respects, as she’s the lady of the house. The lords and ladies of Vornavis must pay a fortune to keep up the temple as there’s rose petals everywhere inside, not just from lovers offerings but from the red and white bouquets along the walls. I thought it was a holy day at first, but the chaplain said it was like that all the time. I’d never seen such a thing, and it was lovely.
They were having a baptisimal at noon when I arrived and so the whole rotunda was echoing with screaming babies, which was funny. Oleani is a popular Arkati to dedicate one’s child to, as it guarantees one a happy marriage and wealth in the form of lots of children, even though I suspect many of the humans use the common custom of arranged marriages. I waited until they left and then I prayed for a long while, asking her for permission to approach her husband for favor.
Then I went out into the gardens and tried following an acolyte’s directions to the Temple of Phoen, but I ended up in the Temple of Tonis, the thief, instead, the beloved child of Lord Phoen and Lady Oleani’s union. I was a little scared when I got lost in there as I heard an eerie screaming sound, and I thought that Luukos had caught up with me, or one of the shady people from the night before had tracked me down and had come to abduct me into one of their ancient shadowy cults. A monk noticed me standing there terrified, and explained to me kindly that it was just the horses in the stables. They keep a stable of golden horses at the King of Thieve’s house for rituals and processions. Apparently it is quite a sight, as they bedeck them with wings made of real swan feathers for the rites of Summer.
The monk was a half-elf, and a servant of Tonis who kept the grounds kept, for all three temples which are next to each other, for Oleani, Phoen and Tonis. He was very kind and quite handsome, with blonde curly hair and cute goatee. I have to admit I was quite smitten with him, even though father would barely approve of me courting any sort of human. He took me on a tour of the Temple of Tonis, which was stunning, and very expensive looking. The human nations must be very wealthy indeed. It’s nothing like back in the Landing, which is all mud and sticks by comparison, and by which most elves judge humans.
I fed the horses, and I wrote a little note in the Messenger’s scriptorium, which is this little room filled with votives and messages you post to the wall where they say Tonis himself comes and reads them but he’s so fast you can’t even see or hear him. I left a note asking to please help my Arkati find me, or for me to find my Arkati. Then the half-elf and I went to get a bit to eat, fried fish at the market, which was amazing, and afterwards he left me to pray at the Temple of Phoen.
I told the other girls back at the inn about it and they were very snobby about it, and behaved as if it was completely unacceptable that I had allowed myself to be lead about by a half-elf, so I went out drinking with the boys instead as I am friends with the Koar follower and he didn’t seem to care I had been associating with half-elves. We had a good time, but things were a bit awkward with the other girls after we went to our rooms, and my roommate won’t speak to me.
I doubt they’ll ever come around, unless I make something up about how they were right all along and the gentleman wronged me, but I won’t do that, I think it’s terrible how half-elves are treated.
Most of my trip I’ll be on my own anyways, as the classes at the Solhaven branch of the Cleric’s guild are far too advanced at this time of year for me, and since they’ll all be there, I’ll be left on my own to explore the city! Yay!
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