Nalurei Finds Her Shape

Misericorde

Guys my baby did it and I'M SO PROUD OF HER.

A clump of seaweed in the form of a dolphin glides in from the southwest.

 
Gabe greets Nalurei with a sincere smile.

You blink incredulously at Nalurei.

p nalurei

Strands of seaweed align to form the sleek, arcing lines of a leaping dolphin, balancing almost perfectly upon a leafy tail. Nalurei's back is composed of dark green weeds, while paler, yellower strands form the belly, in homage to the colouration of a normal dolphin. Despite the leafiness and static pose, the kelpie has captured something of the speed and joy of the dolphin's movements within her form. Her pale blue eyes sparkle, set behind the perpetually smiling mouth. Nestled within the strands of kelp, a small shell figurine is cradled protectively.
Nalurei has an air of extreme strength.

A wry smile spreads across Gabe's face.

Misericorde opens her mouth, a surprised little laugh spilling from her lips as she greets Nalurei, "I almost didn't recognise you. How are you, Nalurei?"

Sounding exceedingly pleased with herself, Nalurei says, "I am very well! I was hoping to surprise you. I wanted to thank you, again. Your advice has been so helpful."

Misericorde's mouth quirks up into a fleeting, delighted smile, her expression remaining soft long after the smile fades. "I cannot say I pleased I am to have helped," she answers. Hitching her thumbs in the pockets of her coat, she moves to circle Nalurei and remarks, "You've really done a fine job of it!"

Nalurei smiles broader "Oh, do you think so? I am glad you think so. The dolphins seem to enjoy it... though it is a little hard to tell if they are just generally happy or happy with, well-" a piece of kelp extends from one flipper and gestures broadly at herself.

Misericorde clasps her hands together, her eyes agleam as she informs Nalurei warmly, "I'm really quite proud of you." Her head tipping back towards the Inner Sea, she inquires, "Have you shown your family? I bet they're over the moon."

Nalurei repeats "Over the Moon?" as her form blurs in confusion, and then resolidifies. "Well, they're certainly pleased, though I don't think-" She breaks off, shaking her head. "Of course, I still have a lot of catching up to do. And I'm not really sure-" She hesitates, her form unraveling a little as she confides. "I just don't feel the same way about cows that I do about dolphins."

Misericorde blinks once and begins to laugh, the sound quickly masked behind a cough and her hand. Her throat clearing, she instead shakes her head and replies, "It's an expression used on land sometimes." Her hand pointing upwards towards the celestial body in question, she clarifies, "It means beyond proud, or excited." She continues impishly, "I believe it's quite alright about the cows." Then, curiously, "How did you accomplish it?" She motions with her hands to the kelpie's form, her head tilting to the side in curiosity.

Nalurei's gaze flicks upwards. "Over the moon" she repeats, dolphin mouth turned slightly downwards, but she shakes her head. "Well, after I left you and Lanikai, I found a dolphin pod, and I tried for a little while, but I got frustrated, so like you said I stopped, and just swam with them for a little while." She tilts her head back slightly at the memory. "It was fun! And they were joking together, and one of them laughed to me, so I just laughed back! And I realised that I had made sort of a head shape to do it with." She laughs slightly. "Of course then I started thinking about it and I couldn't do it anymore, but... it was a start. And you had warned me that it would probably be only for a short time, so I tried to concentrate on the fact that I had done it. And that the dolphins had enjoyed it."

Nalurei says, "In the year or so since, I have practiced and practiced, and it's... hard to describe, but it fits now. I still lose it when I sleep, but shifting is easier, and I can make different dolphins. Sometimes. This one is my favourite though."

Misericorde nods encouragingly, a warm look spared for Nalurei as she speaks. "Have you reflected more on why you wished to be a dolphin?" She asks curiously.

Nalurei lets out a soft huff. "I- well. I've realised that at first, I wanted to be a dolphin because it was just... the obvious choice. Everyone else could be one, it seemed like. We see a lot more of them than cows, so it seemed like it should be -easy-. And I was so focused on what I couldn't do, I wasn't really thinking about why I should want to. It wasn't until I talked to you, and Tridemon and to, um, Her, that I really thought about it, and realised that dolphins were really quite admirable. Not just there, but active, brave, joyful."

Great waves crash over one another as they pour in from the up, finally swirling together before solidifying into Tridemon.
 
Tridemon blinks.
 
Tridemon flashes Nalurei a joyous smile.
 
Kelp wavering in delight, Nalurei exclaims to Tridemon, "I was just talking about you!"
 
Misericorde nods in understanding, her voice encouraging as she remarks, "Sometimes we are called to shapes before we know the true meaning to ourselves." As Tridemon enters, she straightens, and gives him a salute of greeting.

Nalurei tilts her head slightly at your words. "You sound like- what shapes call you?" She asks, curious.

Tridemon Regalis, Keeper of Pure Waters says, "Oh? I hope it wasn't TOO unflattering."

Misericorde hums a thoughtful noise. After a moment's pause, she answers, "Yes, I think that's the best way to say it." To Tridemon, she assures him, "All very flattering, I assure you."

You say to Nalurei, "I think sometimes we find a form, or colour, or words that ring deep within us. Sometimes we find those before we know the meanings we will eventually assign them."

You say to Nalurei, "But like you, and the dolphins, you still felt their pull."
 
Misericorde flashes Nalurei a fleeting smile.

Tridemon ponders Nalurei thoughtfully, looking her up and down.

Tridemon lifts up a wizzer image box and points it at Nalurei, pulling a lever on the side of the contraption. It begins to click and whirr, and a bulb rises up from the contraption. With a bright flash, you find yourself blinded momentarily. As your vision recovers, you notice a piece of paper floating into Tridemon's hands from the machine.
 
Tridemon nods his head sagely.

As if it followed naturally from Misericorde's words, Nalurei says, "I think perhaps I won't bother with cows."

Misericorde pipes out a sharp, delighted laugh that's gone as quickly as it came. Her hand lifting to her mouth for a moment, she clears her throat and then answers with apparent mirth, "We all have that which will never move us, as well."

Tridemon Regalis, Keeper of Pure Waters says, "You know what I think? I think this definitely calls for another painting."

Tridemon takes a polished cherrywood easel from the Jeweler's Belt of Tenuous Dimensions.

Tridemon drops a polished cherrywood easel.

Cutting wood into sturdy boards, Tridemon assembles a frame. He then stretches a cloth over the frame until he holds a perfect canvas, suitable for painting a work of art.
 
Tridemon puts a blank canvas into a polished cherrywood easel.

Tridemon mixes the tinctures together and creates a palette of fine paints.
 
Tridemon ponders a polished cherrywood easel thoughtfully, looking it up and down.
 
Tridemon nods his head emphatically.
 
Nalurei fans her kelp fronds in amusement and embarrassment at you, before twisting to try to see what Tridemon is doing.
 
Stepping before the easel and canvas, Tridemon begins to paint with brush and palette in hand, frowning in concentration.

Tridemon gives a painting of Freedom's Flight, Sharing Joy to Nalurei.

Nalurei gives a painting of Freedom's Flight, Sharing Joy to you.

p painting

Set in the inner sea, this painting is done almost entirely in shades of
blue. The surging surf of the sea is broken by the subjects of the
painting, a collection of joyful dolphins who are chasing each other,
some emerging from the sea, some falling back down. But leading the pod
of dolphins in their play is the only part of the painting done in
colours other than blue- another dolphin, but this one made entirely
from kelp. Her blue eyes seem to shine with delight as she takes part in
the chase, the barest outline of a shell figurine just visible through
the strands of kelp that make up her leafy body.
It has 253 months of usefulness left.
It weighs about 37 pounds.
It bears the distinctive mark of Tridemon Regalis, Keeper of Pure Waters.
It has the following aliases: painting.

Misericorde holds the painting at arm's length to examine it, her head soon nodding in approval when she passes it back to Nalurei. "I think he captured you magnificently, don't you?" She asks pleasantly.

Faragan suddenly scoops up a polished cherrywood easel.

Nalurei says to Tridemon, "It is beautiful, thank you! It certainly captures the dolphins well. Your first painting really did inspire me a lot, the way it celebrated them."

Tridemon blinks.

Tridemon Regalis, Keeper of Pure Waters says, "I think Faragan just accidentally stole my easel..."

Tridemon shrugs helplessly.

Blinking after the departing rider, Nalurei says, "Oh... maybe he really wants to paint too?"

Tridemon Regalis, Keeper of Pure Waters says to Nalurei, "And now this painting celebrates you, as well. Congratulations on finding a shape."

Misericorde watches in the direction Faragan left, her voice absent as she suggests to Nalurei, "I'm certain the Sculptor is interesting in your progress as well."

Misericorde glances sidelong to the dolphin-shaped kelpie to continue, "I'm sure She would appreciate even a small prayer, when you've the time?"

Nalurei swallows hard. "I have not yet shown Her yet..." She confesses. "But I suppose I ought to." A ripple passes through the seaweed.

Misericorde's eyes flash with curiosity as she asks, "Are you frightened of Her?"

Nalurei says to you, "The sea has the shape it has because She willed it so. The waves rise and fall and gleam with light because She sculpted them to do so. All my life, what I know, what I touch, has the shape it has because of Her."

Nalurei says to you, "And She -spoke- to me."

Misericorde nods faintly to Nalurei, her voice softening as she muses in turn, "I am a shard of Her brother, and have lived in and by Her work as long as I can remember." An encouraging look spared for Nalurei, she suggests, "I know your fears, but I would rather look to Her in inspiration and awe than stand frozen in Her presence."

Misericorde asks Nalurei, "Wouldn't you rather know how much someone enjoyed your work, than listen to silence?"

Nalurei pauses, arrested by the thought. "It made my heart glad when the dolphins sang their applause when I first took this shape. And again, when you and Tridemon both admired it. I suppose I owe Her thanks, and praise both."

Tridemon ponders the situation.

Tridemon Regalis, Keeper of Pure Waters says, "I was going to say something... something about joy... now what was it...?"

Comprehension flashes across Tridemon's face.

Misericorde tilts her head towards Tridemon as she listens with curiosity.

<<Everyone came back from an astral bash!>>

Romaan bows respectfully to you.

Romaan bows respectfully to Tridemon.

Dathan bows respectfully to Tridemon.

You give Romaan a respectful salute.

Tridemon Regalis, Keeper of Pure Waters says to Nalurei, "Joy is one of those things that becomes greater as it is shared. It will never be lessened by giving it to others, in the same vein as hope, or love."

Evette, Herald of Strife says to Romaan, "Phial."

"Ahah!" Romaan exclaims triumphantly.

Romaan nods his head emphatically.

Evette, Herald of Strife says to Romaan, "Then your maps."

Evette taps her nose knowingly.

Udo smiles softly at Nalurei.

Dathan ponders the situation.

With a dolphin bow, Nalurei says, "I will remember that. Thank you. I shall go seek out Her shrine. May the currents favour you, and may you find the shapes that call to you."

Romaan greets Nalurei with a sincere smile.

Crenshaw thumps himself on his forehead.

Evette tilts her head and listens intently to Crenshaw.

You say to Nalurei, "Go well, and I look forward to seeing you again."

A clump of seaweed in the form of a dolphin glides out to the southwest.

Tridemon Regalis, Keeper of Pure Waters says to you, "I am glad that she has found her shape, and found joy in it."

You say to Tridemon, "As am I. I couldn't be more delighted for her." She pauses, admitting, "I was beginning to get worried with how long she was gone."

Sylandra

This whole exchange is so endearing. Thank you for sharing!

Tridemon

I do wonder what Carakhan is actually doing with these paintings. ... Is there a divine refrigerator that she's pinning them to?