[J] Rhapsody in Blue: Measure #1
My roving feet have traversed many a dusty road to bring me to Ul’dah, Jewel of the Desert, and capital of the province of Thanalan. I confess that I was ill-prepared for the heightened climes of the desert; it vaguely reminds me of the caverns of Mourn in the Dravanian Forelands. Dry, heated air that threatens to leech the very life from your aether and leave you as little more than a desiccated husk. I feel as if I am a winter rose, withering in this arid expanse, filled with a want for a soothing drink of water.
That drink came in the form of an invitation from the stoic persona of one Koh’li Nbolo, a miqo’te warrior I have recently befriended, who asked me to meet him deep within the Twelveswood. His intent — to take me to meet his tribe, to learn of his people, so that I might adequately compose the song I have promised him that is meant to honor his mother and his deceased sisters. It is a momentous request he has given me, one that I can only hope my talent can live up to. Not only for Koh’li, but for his people as well. I care not to do them disservice in their time of mourning.
We traveled through the woods in relative silence, though I was awed and enthralled by everything that I saw. I have not traveled deeply through the Black Shroud out of fear of the Greenwrath that the Gridanians so stridently warned me of, so this was my first time truly seeing the heart of the forest and it was majestic! Trees so tall with branches so widespread that there wasn’t even the barest glimpse of the sky. Animals of all kinds scurried along the undergrowth or overhead, chiding us for disturbing their peace. It was magical and something I would have thoroughly enjoyed had our intent here not been so serious.
Along the way I became aware of something… or perhaps several somethings following us through the canopy. I alerted Koh’li to this fact but he was already in a state of heightened vigilance, speaking out in a tongue I could not understand. He was answered in the same guttural speech and a trio of young miqo’te maidens emerged from the shadows. After a brief discussion between them, I came to learn that these were some of his tribeswomen, sent to ensure we weren’t intruders encroaching on their village.
Introductions made, we were given safe escort into the village and taken to where Koh’li’s mother resided in her tent. His people are so industrious, hardly a glance was spared to us as they went about their chores and lives. I was asked for a gift to present his mother and, thankfully, I was prepared for it. I brought her a jewelry piece of several different healing and rejuvenating crystals meant to bolster her through her malady; all of them woven onto a thin leather string of sufficient length that allowed it to be worn around the neck, the waist, or the wrist, depending on how loosely or tightly one coiled the strand.
Though I couldn’t understand what she said, Koh’li translated enough to let me know that she was pleased by the gift and recognized it for its healing properties. I can only hope that it brings her some relief. In exchange, I was given a carved piece of wood; Koh’li informed me that it was the name of him and all of his siblings in birth order. The magnitude of the privilege was not lost on me. I was both stupefied and awed.
We left his mother then so that she might rest. Outside her tent, Koh’li informed me that we had been invited to stay with his tribe for the time being so that I might learn of his sisters, of his mother, and of him so that I might compose my song for them. So, it is here deep in the Twelveswood that I currently reside, learning all I can so that I can craft something worthy of such a fine tribe.
