Aliases are alternative forms of a reference. They can include actual aliases for characters, nicknames, plural variations, gendered versions of some [Classes], and even typos.
It was past midmorning and into early evening when Orjin of Pomle was interrupted. He was in training, balancing on a pile of rocks with one foot. The stack was about six feet high, made up of a large rock with a relatively flat top, followed by ever-smaller rocks that threatened to shift and fall down with every move Orjin made with his one foot balanced on top of them.
It was past midmorning and into early evening when Orjin of Pomle was interrupted. He was in training, balancing on a pile of rocks with one foot. The stack was about six feet high, made up of a large rock with a relatively flat top, followed by ever-smaller rocks that threatened to shift and fall down with every move Orjin made with his one foot balanced on top of them.
But he didn’t fall. And despite Orjin being tall and heavy, from muscle, not fat, and despite the sweat beading his dark skin, he kept balancing on the rocks. That in itself was mildly impressive; Orjin had to constantly shift to keep the unstable tower of rocks from collapsing. But you wouldn’t know the complexity of the task unless you’d tried it once.
But he didn’t fall. And despite Orjin being tall and heavy, from muscle, not fat, and despite the sweat beading his dark skin, he kept balancing on the rocks. That in itself was mildly impressive; Orjin had to constantly shift to keep the unstable tower of rocks from collapsing. But you wouldn’t know the complexity of the task unless you’d tried it once.
What was really impressive no matter how you looked at it was that every few seconds, Orjin would hop in the air and his feet would change from right foot to left. And the tower would tremble, but never collapse.
It was training, albeit of an unusual kind. The theory was that if you could keep your balance on a shifting pile of rocks, you could run up a collapsing hillside, or fight on a rocking boat. There were Skills who would give you perfect footing no matter where you went of course, but Orjin wasn’t the sort to rely on gaining a Skill when he could simply learn what was needed.
However, the figure who strode up to him had no time for rocks, balancing, or sweating in the sun. She cleared her throat as Orjin shifted from left foot to right, lightning fast, and he looked down at her.
Orjin sighed. He looked down at Salii and saw some of the sun’s light shining off her dusty, brown scales. She was a Drake, a rarity in Chandrar. She was also a [Secretary], or some class similar to that. If she was asking, it meant something was happening that required Orjin’s presence.
Orjin sighed. He looked down at Salii and saw some of the sun’s light shining off her dusty, brown scales. She was a Drake, a rarity in Chandrar. She was also a [Secretary], or some class similar to that. If she was asking, it meant something was happening that required Orjin’s presence.
Orjin said that as a certainty. If that had been the case, Salii would have told him already. She shook her head, looking peeved as she saw him flip. One hand was suddenly supporting him as he held perfectly still, balancing upright. It was an impressive physical feat, but even Orjin couldn’t maintain it for more than a second. Then he lost his balance and the tower of rocks came falling down. So did he, but he turned and landed neatly on the ground. Salii stepped back as the rocks fell around her. She swished her tail.
Orjin said that as a certainty. If that had been the case, Salii would have told him already. She shook her head, looking peeved as she saw him flip. One hand was suddenly supporting him as he held perfectly still, balancing upright. It was an impressive physical feat, but even Orjin couldn’t maintain it for more than a second. Then he lost his balance and the tower of rocks came falling down. So did he, but he turned and landed neatly on the ground. Salii stepped back as the rocks fell around her. She swished her tail.
The man sat on the ground, sighing. Salii sat with him, and he looked at her, attentive, if not quite happy. He was no [King], or ruler in the sense of having a class. Perhaps he should have one, but Orjin of Pomle had no desire to be a leader. The fact that he was one was purely coincidental and had no bearing on how he lived his life. Most of the time, that was.
