Berig     Created on Sunday, 01 April 2007 23:25  
  Ashyari  
 

  A tale of how I came to be here you ask?


      **Frowns delicately, her forehead furrowed in thought**

      I suppose I could do this, but why in Jujak's fiery
      breath would it matter?


      **laughs softly and idly touches upon the jujak rings**

      You're not used to seeing one such as myself. Devoted
      to the Jujak with such adoration and if I do say so
      a bit of flair.

      **smiles quite warmly and pats the ground next to her**

      Come and sit, the tale is long but I'll do my best to
      make it interesting at least.  You see, I was born in
      a jungle village, near the boarders of Shilla.  It was
      peaceful enough, devoted to our ancestors and ancient
      ways.  The village was quaint, with large trees
      holding our homes in their very wombs, protecting us
      from rain or even the odd vandal that would stumble upon
      our village.  The huts were made of the jungle and we
      made a fair livelyhood within the swelting folliage.
      Despite the mere simplicity of the scene, it had a
      well structured society that saw that everyone had a
      place and a purpose they could fulfill and be useful.
      There were two things that were never in short supply
      in our village; happiness and a depth of spirituality
      that breathed new life even into the dead.

      There was a couple that lived there, Soe'yong and
      Cho-Duk.  They were a hard working couple, while
      Cho-Duk spent the days fishing and scaling, Soe'yong
      would spend her days picking and mixing herbs for the
      village healers to use.  Though they had a rather
      joyous life together, their lives enriched by their
      four children and a fifth along the way, Soe'yong was
      never quite content.  Call it a restlessness of spirit
      that called to her as the sun reached its peak each day.
      A whisper that tugged at her ear, promising her such
      sweet rewards if she merely followed it to its end.
      Resisting the whisper to stay with her husband, family
      and village she seemed to grow more distant.  Almost
      locked within her own mind.

      It was then the deluge came.  Torrents of rain pouring
      down onto the jungle floor, raising the water levels
      until the rivers crested and broke their banks.  Their
      raging rapids eating away at the trees and rocks,
      threatening to eradicate the very jungle floor.  It is
      sad to say that more then one fisherman lost their
      lives to a storm that seemed so mild when it began.
      If you could not guess, Soe'yong's gentle husband,
      Cho-Duk was taken in that great storm.  His life force
      claimed by a falling tree, whos roots had pulled from
      the mud soaked earth, just as he had made it safely
      ashore.

      The story becomes a bit muddled here, as the madness
      that called to Soe'yong absorbed her recollections.
      She passed through the depths of the world, her very
      own underworld.  Through the icy winter, she tread,
      ever onward, ever focused on the whisper that grew
      stronger with every step.  She died through the
      coldness, and was reborn in the scorching desert.  As
      her skin burned and sloughed off, shedding and being
      renewed as if she were a snake.

      Slowly, Soe'yong began to come back to herself.  The
      sorrow that had shattered her alread strained mind,
      finally releasing her carefully.  Allowing bits and
      pieces of her recollection to return, to allow her
      a chance to realize her surroundings.  It was then she
      noticed the paved ways that she stood upon, the
      great walls that stood in her way, offering a door into
      her new life perhaps?  She saw the grand gates that
      led into the city of Koguryo.

      Soe'yong marvelled at the buildings that stood proof
      to a civilization that had triumphed over the world.
      That had laid open passage ways into the other worlds,
      and conquered them with the strength of its citizens
      and armies.  A city that could truly be called a jewel
      of revolution, of perfection.  Wide-eyed she stared
      until the whispers tugged again, and she followed
      meekly marveling at the sights.  Through the city, she
      tread on weary feet until she passed through the other
      side, back into wilderness.  A truly marvelous sight
      she had never known in her years.  It consumed her
      heart with a new found zest for the life that could
      build such great things.

      A sudden pain lanced her from her musings, as she
      felt the life in her own body ripening to burst free.
      Soe'yong stumbled forward, falling against a giant
      statue as she groaned in pain.  Clutching at the fiery
      stone that burned into her palm, as she let lose a
      scream that shook the very trees themselves.  As she
      lost conciousness, she saw the great Jujak's statue
      above her, and realized she had finally found the
      origin of the whispers.

      If you could not guess, I am the child of Soe'yong,
      born at the temple of Jujak.  My mother still resides
      there, a priestess that takes the devotions to Jujak
      and acts as his conduit to this world.  I have the
      honor of being one of his handmaidens, a priestess
      in training perhaps.


      Though it is in the endless rituals of training,
      running between the Masters guilds, that I literally
      ran into a young rogue named Jikoku Jeong-Kim.  I
      was in a hurry between lessons from the buyan Master
      Mage, when I realized I had not done my quest for
      the day.  I ran to Maso's and ran straight into the
      most dashing and handsome rogue I had ever lain eyes
      on.  Dark-haired cropped short wearing those silly
      community rogue garments that Guild students have
      to wear.  He was quite ... well, I'm sure my point
      is made on that.  He was a little brash as young
      men can be, but I can say little except that I fell
      head over heels in love with him.  In fact, it wasn't
      long after we met that we became engaged.

      It was after we had our whirlwind courtship that I
      met his parents, Diskord and Lashalla.  They are an
      middle-aged couple, Lashalla being the older of them,
      but they are both prime examples of the Jeong-Kim
      family.  They welcomed me warmly and we had a lovely
      meal as we were getting to know each other.  I had
      expected something much more conservative from them,
      but they accepted me as a daughter from the moment
      they realized I truly loved their son.  They even
      went so far as to offer me a place in their clan
      hall to stay with my husband.

     Being the daughter of a temple priestess, and
     a rather mad one at that, I find the warmth
     of my new extended family ... well, enchanting.
     I have seen Jikoku's aunts, Saera and Forrestb,
     drop anything they were doing if he, or I, needed
     help.  Or if I would just stop by to visit with
     Jikoku's mother, Lashalla, she would set aside
     her business to make tea or a meal.  Even Uncle
     Gimpy has helped to train me in arts of defense,
     as well as strategy.  They have offered me a
     wealth of comfort and knowledge, letting me
     become a true part of their family.



|\./|

   Ashyari Jeong-Kim
   Wife of Jikoku