Finally they had made landfall and Aerathanis found it difficult to take his eyes off the beauty of this new world they were in. A cool wind lapped at his face, the two ponytails tied to the back of his head swaying casually in the breeze. He had set eyes on a legendary place, a place that most had only ever heard of in stories. The magnificent landscape was far more inviting than what he had envisioned, he felt like he could get lost in its wonders forever. Before they actually set foot on Ialdia, the new colonists were gathered on the main deck. Aerathanis stood among them, matched only in height by one other, a man who's name he couldn't remember. His stance was proud and disciplined, with his hands behind his back and his legs slightly apart. The look on his face was an unfriendly one but only because he was paying close attention to Shri-Rah who was preparing to speak. 

Quickly glancing from left to right, his golden eyes captured the faces of the motley group of colonists he was supposed to rely on in the days to come. Shri-Rah gave everyone a preparatory speech, sprinkled with one or two warnings to prevent any unnecessary casualties. He did not flinch at the mention of Skarve raiders nor the threat of rampaging Trolls, for protecting others is what he had trained for most of his life, however the thought of possibly seeing a dragon did stir some emotion in him. It was more rare than a shooting star or a lunar eclipse. How many could be fortunate enough to behold such a majestic creature? Aerathanis tore away from his own thoughts and glanced briefly at Shani, hoping the girl was paying attention and would heed some of Shri-Rah’s advice. Perhaps having it come from someone else for a change would help it sink in. The other part of him wondered just how long it would be before Shani disobeyed the words of caution and inevitably did something foolish. 

For the young Raevan, "Blah blah, blah blah blah blah. Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah," was al that registered as the Shri-Rah issued his welcome and warnings. The sights and smells were intoxicating - majestic peaks and lush landscape ablaze with color - such that Shani was literally beside herself with indecision. The very core of her wanted to take flight instantly and survey Ialdia from above, venturing inland as far a she dare, and maybe even then some. However, another nagging at her conscience warned against the dangers of doing so. Shaking her head furiously to drive the demon out, unsuccessfully, she finally shot a sour glance at Aerathanis, as if it were his doing. Maybe it was? Maybe his incessant droning about responsibility and caution were sinking in! She shuffled her feet impatiently as Shri-Rah finished, eager to take flight and prove otherwise.

With no time for the gangway, Shani gave an assertive flap and thrust herself over the ship's side, gliding to the awaiting shore. As her bare toes dug into the sand, she felt its warmth and the cool wetness of the surf. However, what followed was wholly unexpected, as if something else had bored through the soles of her feet at that instant and forced its way upward. In her surprise, she lurched skyward and kicked her feet to shake it, whatever it was, free. And it released her, not by any action of her own, but apparently by its own will. In that instant the fabled curse became a very real, palpable thing. Also in that moment, Aerathanis appreciated in value from amusing plaything to necessity, as Shani began to understand the true magnitude of Ialdia and the weight of its dangers. 

As they prepared to leave the ship behind, he wondered if he was the only one who would miss being at sea. He found it to be a soothing experience, the gentle rocking of the ship, the push and pull of the waves, its peaceful lull, all put his mind at ease. It felt like something he could get used to… if only he had been born to a different life. 

Falling in line behind one of his fellow colonists, Aerathanis grimaced as Shani impatiently flew from the ship. He was foolish to think that her impetuousness would wait until they actually had a chance to get settled and he called out to scold her. “Incorrigible child! Have you heard nothing!?” Trying to push his way past the others, he ambled down the plank, just in time to catch sight of her being infected by the curse. His steadfast pace was halted though, when he finally placed a booted foot on the shifting sand. In that moment, something took hold of him as well and he hunched forward, paralyzed as the breath was forced from his lungs.

He felt it, though it was difficult to explain. Ethereal tendrils working their way into him. He tried fighting it, but it was no use, the eerie feeling scathed his insides, searching for something, something it almost didn’t find but then slowly it began to recede, like the ebbing tide, leaving behind something that felt almost sinister. He took a moment to catch his breath then looked down at his partner. “It appears our bond was strong enough to endure the curse, which means we are now and forever bound. Perhaps now you will understand the gravity of our circumstance.” He added in the know-it-all tone that he had a habit of using with her. Heading back towards the group who were already making their way for the Inn, he spoke again, this time in a more forgiving tone. “Come along then, or we’ll be left behind.” 

Within a few steps, the jingling of Shani's bangles grew fainter and, had the others not been preoccupied with their own first impressions of Ialdia, they might have noticed the young Raevan's subtle deviation from the group. She'd made her way along the river some distance behind the others, following her own meandering route that featured stops to admire the lush, brilliantly-colored flora and even to pluck a few of the more exotic varieties. She briefly considered that they might be poisonous, but quickly dismissed the thought as Aerathanis' bad influence. Curiosity being among her most pronounced attributes, Shani paused at each clearing and path to make sure she wasn't missing anything worth seeing. Sadly, or fortunately depending on one's perspective, nothing drew her further in than a few steps so her path toward the inn was less circuitous than it might otherwise have been. Still, it was anything but direct. 

Aerathanis entered the Inn promptly behind the others but moved off to the side to wait for Shani. When the last of the colonists entered and she was not among them, his brow wrinkled. Glancing out of a nearby window, he saw her wandering off towards the river. Surprisingly, her small act of disobedience didn’t appear to vex him and he decided to let her sate her curiosity for once. He may have been giving her too much credit but he was sure she couldn't endanger herself while in the safety of their new community. He was also sensitive to the fact that they had just spent a decent amount of time at sea. As such, he wasn’t that much of a tyrant to give her grief about getting accustomed to their new surroundings. 

While some of the others settled into the main room of the Inn and engaged in conversation, Aerathanis immediately went to the Inn’s proprietor. After a brief conversation, he was able to secure a room, a room he hoped would accommodate them comfortably. As he waited for the room to be prepared, he took a look around as the Inn hummed to life. It was probably a good opportunity for him to get to know some of his fellow colonists but he was not well versed in making friends, so instead he kept his distance and merely observed. To his delight, it didn’t take very long for the proprietor to inform him that the room was ready. By now, he figured he had left his partner to her own devices long enough and moved to collect her, however he didn’t get very far before bumping into her. “There you are…I’ve taken the liberty of having our room prepared. We should go and get settled.” He said as he turned to lead the way.