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RavenousOwlhead t1_j1uuzf9 wrote

From our primal ancestors to our 19th century forefathers, it took centuries and many wars for each races to form a union, peace. Things had change, from using letters to using phones , from using swords and bows to a "friendly" conversation.

Inside the house's basement, a human, a dwarf, and an elf decided to have a friendly conversation.

"My father is a hero," The Human claims, "He worked hard so that humanity can step more into space and to the unknown."

The Elf shakes their head, "More like a fool, why waste our lives just to see vast emptiness when there is more to discover in our beautiful planet?"

"Our ancestors had done that! We already had Grogle maps!" The Dwarf intervenes, "What's more mysterious are the lands below! There might be secret caves with undiscovered minerals right under us."

The three friends glare at one another, trying to intimidate one another.

"But what if there are more races that are waiting to be discovered?" The Human says, "Our technology could become more advance just like how our forefathers reunited and made the golden era of our people?"

"You humans do love to colonize other races," The Elf scoffs, the Human looks away embarrassed and the Dwarf just snickers, "We may know our planet but there is still more to learn from it, we will take advantage of our knowledge so no lives will go wasted unlike you two."

"Is this why you two are the most underdeveloped?" The Dwarf asks with a mocking tone, "The reason why we developed because of the minerals we gathered from below! Maybe there are minerals that are more stronger than gold but you two are busy with your fantasies of exploring something that is nothing."

The tension continues to rise as the three counters one another, trying to belittle ones claim and evidences. However, none wants to back down and if this continues, it might get messy.

"You three, settle down or I'll call mom."

The three freeze on their spot, silence finally overcomes the tension. By the stairs leading upstairs is the Human's elder sister, clear annoyance is written on her face.

"You think you could answer something that our grandparents could not answer?" The elder sister hisses, "I know this is just a mock debate, but it looks like you three are at each others' throat."

The three look down in defeat in unison, saying sorry to one another and almost losing their friendship to a mere topic.

"You three, what about talking about another topic other than that." The Elder Sister demands, the three nods and continue on their mock debate with a different topic. Hours pass and the two must go home, as they say their goodbyes and encouragement for the project tomorrow. The little Human turns to their elder as the guests are out of view.

"Tell me who is right?" The Little Human beams, "Humans are the greatest adventurers right? In space, we could reach even more than what we have here."

The Elder sister just shakes her head, "No one is right."

"Huh? Why?"

"Our pride runs deep into our veins, but you know what runs deep as well? Our thirst of learning more, to explore," She answers as if such answer is already embedded on her mind , "No matter how we fight, in the end, there is no right or wrong answer, only an answer."

"Children! Dinner is ready!"

The sister runs to the kitchen, ready to eat dinner. While the little human stays on the same spot as before, their ego bruised.

(This is a try, English is not my first language so it might not make sense)

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Mr_PizzaCat OP t1_j1v07x4 wrote

It was almost perfect in my eyes, only issue my dumb brain could see is that gold isn’t that strong, but it is useful. Replace it with titanium or mithril (if you want something fantasy) and you’ll be golden. I can’t help you with spelling or grammar errors as my brain glosses over them. Thanks a lot for using my prompt.

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RavenousOwlhead t1_j1v71om wrote

Your prompt caught my eye so I had to try it and you're welcome. And the reason why I chose gold because it somehow sound good without even thinking that gold is actually weak on its own and there are other stronger metals .X.

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for2fly t1_j1z8x6y wrote

"Do you ever wish you could soar above the earth, taking in the view from horizon to horizon, only the wind holding you aloft?" asked the human.

"No, that sounds...unpalatable. The deep recesses of the earth call to me. The smell of cinnabar, the tang of cuprium, the ethereal glow of argentum, the vibration of corundum, the visions of quartz. It all is wondrous to explore, to discover, to share with others," the dwarve replied earnestly.

"What about you, dear elven one? You sit with us and listen much, yet you speak little of what brings you joy," said the human.

"I speak long and much, much too much among my own," the elve replied. "So much that they send me to sit with the likes of you just to shut me up."

The human and the dwarve laughed. "Tell us a little of what you say that makes them want to send you our way," the dwarve gently prodded.

"If I do, I may lose your company, too. But you have been given fair warning."

The elve sat back and seemed to peer off past the two as if something held their gaze. "I live to feel new grounds, new grasses, under my feet. I seek beautiful trees whose shape tells the story of their growth, of having been battered by storms, beaten by winds, and yet they still slowly reach for that sky that you humans wish to soar through, wish so strongly to conquer.

"I live to meet young and old, wise and foolish, strong and weak, bold and shy, arrogant and humble, and learn from them. Through each encounter, I am reminded how ignorant I am, how much there is I'll never know. But each and every one has learned something of which I am ignorant and teaches it to me.

"I return their gift by telling them something that was told to me, that they didn't know. And little by little, I spread knowledge, share the wisdom and foolishness of others... and spread a bit of foolishness of my own.

"I revel in the colors of the seasons, live to hear the storms howl from within the safety of a dwarve's cavern. I sit in the pubs where you humans gather, and listen to your loud exchanges, as the spices of the food cooking on the hearths tickle my nose, reminding me of the many places those same spices permeated the air.

"I have come to favor certain paths, even though as the years advance, less and less of the familiar faces greet me, as their younger selves grow and mature. To many I am ancient, but to the young, I am as new as the last spring they saw me.

"I have memories of places that are no more that I can only speak of around others like me. We share a common sadness that comes with the burden of seeing so much pass before us. This is why we seek to keep moving. We need to replace what is no more with what is new and wondrous, otherwise we lose ourselves in the past."

The elve stopped and sighed.

The human nodded in understanding. "So that is why the others send you away. What you speak of is familiar and yet reminds them of so much that has come and gone."

"Yes, I know the effect I have on them. They send me away, but they always call me back when the isolation threatens to intrude too much. Together we fight oblivion by laying down our memories on vellum and parchment in letters of aurum. As long as we remember and record it for others, those people and places are not lost. The paths to them are just untraceable."

"So, will you speak of me in letters of aurum?" asked the dwarve. "To know my legacy is a few lines held in memory would give me contentment."

"Only if you provide me the aurum," laughed the elve.

"I will gladly bring you enough aurum to fill sheaves and sheaves of vellum. I will bring you stealite to wipe away your mistakes, though few may they be. I will bring you the finest powdered lapis, ferrous salts, cinnabar, minium, and crystals of agates for polishing your words."

"I will gladly bring you the flight feathers of the geese to write those words, and the eggs of their hens for you to mix into those powders so the words you write can glow, if I knew I'd live on through a few lines penned by your hand," said the human.

"You both place a burden on me, but it seems you wish to ease it as best you can," laughed the elve.

"What if those lines are not complimentary? We are not known for our, as you humans say, diplomacy and you dwarves describe us as speaking few words but the most necessary ones to be heard."

"What will I care?" replied the human. "I suspect you only record what is no more, and by the time what few lines may be laid down that may relate to me, whether complimentary or fact, I will have passed onto my next adventure."

"I feel the same," the dwarve added. "What I give you freely is for you to keep alive that which cannot be held alive any other way. By the time I have become one with the earth itself, I will no longer be held foolish by my vanity."

"Oh, you are quite the vain one," teased the human. "Look at these baubles! Don't they shine! I found them!" he mimicked the dwarve.

"Oh, to see the view from the top of that mountain as the sun rises behind me, dear dwarve. Why you don't ever join me, I cannot fathom," the dwarve mimicked the human.

The elve smiled. "Both of you are why I tread this path. Sharing your meals and the long evenings together these cold days are gifts more valuable than anything you have offered me.

"You both have taught me that if any of us tried to live as another, we would not be content, but cursed."

The human raised their mug. "To the lives that fit us, that we wear like our favorite capes, that allow us to enrich ourselves."

The dwarve raised their mug to the human's. "To riches found and laid to vellum, may the words they form forever outstrip them in value."

The elve raised their mug to the human's and the dwarve's. "To the riches found in the lives of others, far outstripping the value of life itself."

The three touched their mugs together and all drank deeply. Laying their empty mugs aside, none of the three wished to break the ensuing silence as each found contentment by simply basking in the quiet companionship of the others.

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TenNinetythree t1_j1vij0j wrote

OOC: I am taking this in a very weird direction inspired by nothing but my daydreams.

There are five sigils on the temple of Inikra. The first is that of the Kyleth, the Ji-Hatane (the Ji of the land). These large creatures live for adventure, the plains, the mountains, the forests, the steppes. Their entire culture is based on their rugged individualism, but not only that but so is their biology: They do not gain their typical adult skin tone of deep blue unless they spent an entire year alone relying on nothing but their wit, strength and cunning. Their nomadic culture generally didn't lend itself to founding permanent settlements, but the crown of the Kyleth tribes is Kyl, their one and only city. It plays such an important role in Kyleth identity that the Kyleth are named after the city, not the other way around. In their language, Kyleth means those who are allowed in Kyl.

The second sigil is that of the M'lkha, the Ji-Moulok (the Ji of the ground). They are a complete subterranean species after they hunted their overworld prey creatures to extinction. The last survivors of the Cataclysm. Small, eyeless bipedals that seem to be very communally minded and dispassionate or sombre in their dealings. That didn't stop them from forming networks of mines, mushroom farms and tunnels that spread under entire continents. They have a massive network of small settlements, many bearing names that supposedly stem from before the Cataclysm.

The third sigil is for the Kariten, the Ji-Susune (the Ji of the sky). They used magic to take to the sky and never looked back. Their appearance resembles smaller, juvenile reddish Kyleth with wings. They land only twice in their lives: When they give birth and when they die. While many consider the Kariten savages because they lack many of the traditional trappings of culture, they have their own magical traditions and their oral tradition is immense. They don't have cities or similar settlements but instead swarms that life, hunt, sing and reminisce together.

The fourth sigil is for the Waveborn, the Ji-Hatlith (the Ji of the depths). Little is known about them except for their grandiose cities under the sea with names no landborn, soilborn or airborn tongue can even hope to pronounce and their festivals in which the depths carry the lights of the royals families.

Then there is the fifth sigil. The Ji-Katay-ja-janda (the Ji of those who leave/left/will leave, old Tara-Kyl has no explicitely marked tenses). It is said that these took to the world beyond the sky. And that they never returned. Many species all over the planet call shooting stars "Lights of the Seydya", the supposed name of the species.

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Mr_PizzaCat OP t1_j1vr7pm wrote

Weird direction but I enjoyed reading it and would for sure read more. Good stuff thank you

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TenNinetythree t1_j1vyzjd wrote

Did you notice that the M'lkha are Morlock-expies from "The Time Machine"?

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Mr_PizzaCat OP t1_j1w23s1 wrote

Not in the slightest I am not smart enough for that.

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ZeusKiller97 t1_j1w0v72 wrote

I’m pretty sure that’s the plot of an Etrian Odyssey game, but they have different ideas on what’s up a giant tree. Also, there are beastfolk in the mix, cause why not?

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