Any VB member is allowed in this thread!
He is father to Nymeria & siblings!

As a year had passed since his rather unfortunate passing, the unmistakable bonds that kept him were relentless. Daario was subject to boredom occasionally as the only folks that came and went from this Grotto were typically his family. Even he understood that they led busy lives but he could sense a shift in the atmosphere. Even if it was slight, he could sense it as he pulled himself from the veil and wandered the Grotto in stealth. Daario Valour was entirely translucent and you could see right through him but there was a faint white glow that emanated from his body. If only he could send out a call that his family could hear to tell them to come see him. Daario desired updates on what he was missing out on in the life of the living.

code by corvus

@Nymeria

there is a heaviness to nymeria's heart today that forces her from her rest in favour of something more productive, something that she desperately needed. she felt the burden of her loss more intensely on some days, and less on others -- but today it ravaged her to her core, a sticky and fickle feeling that pooled within her breast and coated the fibers of her being in relentless fashion. as the druid moves away from the borders of vermeda, she would let out a series of chuffs, calling for her siblings to join her, should they wish to try and connect with their lineage in the way that nymeria did today.

tempered steps move the valour's figure forward, over and across the familiar trails of the forest until she finds herself wandering the mountain-side, drawn forth by the energy and prowess of the caverns within. she inhales a deep, slow, breath before taking the final few strides forward, submerging herself within the hidden grotto and the soft, inky tendrils of its shadows. it would take her eyes a few moments to adjust to the dimmed light, but already she can sense something back there, hovering within the darkness. "dad?" soft tones call out towards @Daario, lashes giving a brief flutter as her chest fills with hopefulness.

+5 Meet a Spectre, Idol, or Guardian for the first time
+5 Spend time with a member of the after-life

Once sometimes twice a week, Talisa would come down to the Grotto to spend time with her father. She'd only been a year old when her father had passed away and quite young when he'd gotten sick. So she'd never really gotten to know him as well as her older siblings had. That was what made being a Cleric that much more fun was because she got to really get to know her father in the process. He made her feel a lot closer to the spirits and to Maua, learning and growing with his stories and thoughts. So when she was on her way to show her father some nice feathers she'd picked up recently, she was absolutely pleased to see that Nymeria had already come down here. Father was up and at it, too!

Good morning, Sis! she greeted as she came towards her wheat-infused sibling before looking gleefuly towards the ghostly vision of their father. I see you didn't wait up for me. She teased, dropping the feathers down on the ground and looking to the two of them. Hopefully they hadn't been too far in discussing anything so that she could be a part of this. She'd love to have the only family here but she didn't want to force anyone out of their day. Aurum and Onyxia would likely get a little bit more out of this than their older siblings. Talisa wouldn't ever push anyone away regardless but she and her littermates deserved to know all their was about their father when it came straight from his mouth.

talisa valour

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@Nymeria

Demetria was not inclined to ignore a call from her sister - from any of her siblings, really - but she felt the need to be with them more pressingly today than normal. Obliging with the tug she felt in her chest, she would pass easily across the borders and make her way through the dense foliage and towards the heart of the Grotto. It would not surprise her to find @Talisa here, too; she knew this was the kind of place her little sister liked to spend time. With a nose bump of greeting aimed to @Nymeria's cheek, and then to the young Cleric, it would take a second or two for Demetria to register the third presence already here - one that she could not quite put her finger on.

What's going on? Why are we here?

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+5 Spend time with a member of the after-life
+5 Meet a Spectre, Idol, or Guardian for the first time

There had been a heaviness in her chest since the passing of her parents. There had been this unspoken rule to not speak of their death, but Ophelia had found herself spending an increased amount of time surrounded by the comfort that nature offered her.

The call from her siblings pulled her away from the comfort that the meadow offered. It was not often that she was called for, but there was an intuition in her gut to attend this call today rather than ignore it. Moving throughout the neutral lands and heading towards the Hidden Grotto, a place she had never visited before.

There was a shift in the temperature as she approached, and a frown found itself implanted on her features. What... what was going on? She heard talking, and pushed forward to find @Nymeria, @Demetria, and @Talisa standing in front of... of... was that Dad? "Dad?" She asks, looking to the translucent figure of @Daario, eyes wide with both awe and disbelief.

beautiful as a rose

that was her magic,
she could still see the sunset,
even on the darkest days

code by corvus // lines by northernred // design by kit|drifter

The male did little to hide away from one of his eldest daughters. Her form so beautiful among the dim lights of the cavern glow. Nymeria had grown into quite the young lady and Daario watched with fatherly admiration as she called to him. My oh my, how you have grown. He states, smiling towards her with all the love in the world as he reflected upon the wonderful life he had lived and the life he had adjusted to in the last year.

Next to arrive was one of his youngest daughters, Talisa, who still sported the feathers he had given her around the time he had gotten sick. I wait for no one, my dear. As a spectre, he decided that he would call the shots as he technically didn't need to follow anyone other than himself out here. The Grotto could be a lonely place at times but Lucretia was here somewhere. Next came Demetria who didn't quite seem to notice the shimmering form of her father nearby but he made sure to float casually towards her with a low chuckle, nothing gets passed you, huh? He teased and likely would've nudged her if he had the body to do so.

Instead, he passed his ghostly blue eyes to yet another daughter with the same spiritual inclination of one of his youngest. You're not crazy, dear one. It's your old man pining for a visit from his dearest children. He missed them terribly in the afterlife but this was giving him a chance to truly see them and be with them again, even if he couldn't breathe alongside them. Most of all, though, he was anxious to catch up. What have my favorite ladies been up to, hm? And please, don't skimp on the details!

code by corvus

@Nymeria @Demetria @Ophelia

the druid's gaze flickers naturally to @Talisa as she arrives, sporting feathers and jesting words towards @Daario without even so much as a moment of hesitation. nymeria hoped, of course, that others would arrive -- it was a necessity that they did this together, for she was not so selfish as to tiptoe away and attempt to smuggle private time with their father. no; this was an experience and a special moment for all of them, no matter what. not far behind, @Demetria and @Ophelia arrive, both in a mixture of confusion and uncertainty, before their father finally began to speak.

her heart warms at the tenderness of the family reunion, smiling softly as daario, as per usual, graces his daughters with compliments and sweet words. "i missed you," the words tumbled from her mouth instinctively, feeling small tears swell up in the corners of her eyes as she looks towards his ethereal shape. nymeria lets herself revel further in the familiar vibrato of his voice and the comfort of his presence, albeit the fact it was far less tangible now. however, his question does prompt a quick flicker of her gaze towards her sisters, as she was unsure of on how to break the latest news to their patriarch without giving him a heart attack -- because ghosts can get heart attacks, right? "the pride is good, strong." the valour woman affirmed first, her tail giving a brief flicker as she takes on a somewhat uneasy expression,. though we've had some, well, visitors." and maybe, hopefully, the others would fill in the blanks.

+5 Meet a Spectre, Idol, or Guardian for the first time
+5 Spend time with a member of the after-life

Talisa was quiet as she allowed her sisters to file in and see what had brought them here. For a while now she'd been desperate for her sisters to see who she had found here but her father had wished to wait just a little bit. She couldn't be sure on why he had chosen to wait but maybe it had something to do with their mother? With Lucretia? Seeing as she wasn't here, Talisa could only assume that he didn't want to keep his oldest litter waiting when he could surprise them now.

Despite being a peaceful child, she was itching to tell her father the whole situation in one go. That the whole of Amaryllis had been invaded by strangers - their new neighbors - but knew that it was probably best if Nymeria handled it. Talisa was more than happy to linger and watch the smiles on her kin's faces and to see them interacting with their father again. If only they could touch him then that would be the ultimate gift.

talisa valour

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@Demetria

She truly had not expected to see the ghostly figure of her father looming in her peripheral vision. Expecting to blink and it vanish - a cruel trick of the mind - she would turn to better take in his form. Well.... wasn't that just something? Pressing down the urge to cry, or gawp, or both, she would press forward in order to get a better look at him. She'd never seen a spectre before, so the whole experience was a little unnerving. Still, it was definitely him - no doubt about it. She beamed, ear to ear, even at the jest at her expensive. Very funny Papa, the lioness murmured in amusement, shaking her head. Upon asking the gathering what he'd missed, @Nymeria would waste no time in filling @Daario in - at least somewhat. Demetria would move back a little, rejoining @Ophelia and @Talisa and offering each of them a little smile. We don't quite know their intentions just yet, the wheaten huntress offered, muzzle wrinkling a little. It's still all so.... new.

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Having life breathed back into you made you see a lot of things in a different light. Life had gone on without him for a small while but Maua had come through for him and allowed him the opportunity to make sure his family could see the light in front of them. Daario could feel as though there was something being held back and luckily, one of his oldest daughters spoke up.

Visitors, eh? he asked, looking from @Nymeria to Talisa, @Demetria and @Ophelia. You must tell me more, my dears. This sounds like it's heavy on all your shoulders. Let Papa take a little bit of that weight of you for he was prepared to listen and lend some helping words of advice. In fact, Daario glided his way towards Nymeria and settled in nearest her. Making himself comfortable so that they could settle in and talk to him like old times but without the loving hugs of old.

code by corvus

@Nymeria @Demetria @Ophelia