Leafiara (prime)/Tales/A Trio of Letters

Original Stories: Charlatos 29, 5117

Opening Notes

The first two letters are ones that everyone has IC knowledge of if they wish. The third is only for Rowmi and maybe Kayse, unless those two start talking to others about it (which they could), but I wanted it available for all players!

Letter 1: Prosperity

A bright parchment is pinned to the tree in Town Square Central for all of the Landing to see, bordered at the top with a print of a wavy musical staff. It reads:

Dearest Landing,

My heartfelt congratulations to my dear friend--and very soon our new mayor--Crux! Even in the debates I said he was my second choice, so you know that I too believe in him.

Crux graciously offered that I could be one of his personal advisors. Even if the town council doesn't approve that as an official role, I'll gladly stand alongside him in an unofficial capacity and always offer my thoughts and ideas to him. My humble request to all of you--and especially to his detractors--is that you will too. If you aren't usually available during his hours, you can also take your thoughts and ideas to me and I'll bring them to him!

Let's work together for our shared prosperity!

Warmest regards,

Leafiara

Letter 2: Pride

Boxes now rest beneath the leaf-shaped campaign signs strewn throughout town, containing several parchments seemingly intended for Leafiara's supporters and any other interested parties to pick up. Each parchment reads:

My friends,

I can't help but thank each and every one of you for believing in me throughout this campaign season. We did an amazing job!

Many of you have expressed sympathy and seemed to believe I'd be down about the results of this election, but I'm no more upset by this loss to Cruxophim than I would have been to, say, Sir Cryheart. Actually, I'm the furthest thing from upset! I believe history puts things into perspective. Together we gathered more votes this year than the number of votes Cruxophim did last year, a stellar showing. For an outcome like that with a Landing newcomer like me I can only say I'm grateful, proud, and far beyond impressed. I hope you are too!

What's next for us? In the short term, I plan to assist Mayor Crux. In the long term, we'll just have to see! I never expected that I'd run for mayor this first time even up until six days before the deadline to apply, so I won't pretend I can predict the future. I'm always listening, though, and if you want me to run again and the time and circumstances seem right, our day could eventually come.

For now, let's focus on doing our part for our town, no matter how great or small our roles!

All the best,

Leafi

P.S. Keep those campaign pins and banners from every candidate! They're limited edition and who's to say they won't be worth millions in thirty years?

A Brief OOC Note...

Yes, I know the answer at least with the pins is "because anyone could make a replica with an alter." :P

Anyway, these election results will probably mark a subtle character shift for Leafi. She's always been fearless on the battlefield, but hasn't shown her same boldness socially and publicly because of perceived inexperience and a lack of relationships with important people. (The sheer amount of dialogue I type but delete before saying...) Now, between her number of votes and her advisor offer from Crux, well, her confidence has been bolstered. Where that takes her is anyone's guess. Not even I know!

Letter 3: Paradise

A sealed envelope has been left with the doorman at House Arcane, reading that it should be given to Kayse. The back of the folded parchment inside, however, indicates that it's for Rowmi, with swiftly-written writing apologizing about being unsure of how to reach him other than by way of Kayse.

To Rowmi, with sincerest gratitude,

During this campaign season I thought I'd face many challenging thoughts and questions. While I did hear very eye-raising and very ear-perking words, ultimately the thought that haunted me most was a comment you made to me a while before the season even began. I wonder if you'll remember it? For you it might have been an instinctive remark, nothing meant to shake the earth beneath my feet, and yet it did.

At the time the Elven Nations were under near-daily assault and I said that I wouldn't go help a place where the prejudice against "half-breeds" is so strong that even the dead would regularly refuse my aid. You told me to fight for my own reasons, I replied that I fight to be beloved, and then...

You replied that you feared I wouldn't fight long.

Sometimes I speak without realizing how it might come across, but your words were so alien--me, not fight?--that I was shaken. Within an hour that night, I ran to my dearest friend Severine to explain myself further and get her thoughts. That night I only cared that she understood me, but I want to clarify for you now too.

I'm not as shallow as someone fighting to be popular. I meant that I fight to create a home. What is a home? In my eyes, it's a place where I'm always welcome. A place, in other words, where I'm beloved. I've found no perfect place anywhere in the lands, so every day I move forward with the belief that because I can't find paradise, I'll work to create it.

From the beginning I'd expected Crux to win, but because of your words, at times I wondered what might happen if I received less support than I expected. In the best case, maybe it would only mean I hadn't made the impact I believed I had. In the worst case, maybe you were right. It wasn't so long ago that discrimination against half-elves ran rampant and violent on our streets, and maybe even in the absence of Chaston I'd find out that the Landing was hardly more accepting than the Elven Nations. Maybe my fight to make the Landing my paradise would end moments after the voting results were revealed.

For now, my faith was rewarded. My fight continues and my home is here. Because you spoke words to me that I never expected to hear, however, I'll take nothing for granted. You reminded me to be ever vigilant even toward myself and my own feelings. Your voice is always welcome among the masses who are the Landing, and I'm always listening.

Yours sincerely,

Leafiara Autumnwind

Looking Back OOC - May 17, 2018

Ah, Rowmi... he was one of those characters like Puptilian who Leafi hardly ever directly interacted with, but who had an enormous impact on shaping her.

I'd say more about this, but I think it would inevitably end up dovetailing into also talking about the 5118 election, which I honestly can't discuss. And not for lack of effort!

I've wasted 20, probably 30, maybe even 40 hours at work trying and failing to put the 5118 election into words. I've written out her thoughts IC. I've written out my thoughts OOC. I've written out her reaction as a story--three different stories, in fact. I've written thousands and thousands of words about it and never shared them, because they always say too much but always say not enough.

At least her response to the 5117 campaign is perfect, though. I'm glad I could nail it, and so briefly at that--today I don't even know how it happened.