Studious Pursuits [Ath + Elisora]

Studying is never an actual date. Right?

Open for Play
The Six Kingdom's most prestigious university and the de facto cultural capital of Anaxas.

The Stacks | Ghost Town | Muffey

User avatar
Elisora Rivaen
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:34 am
Topics: 8
Race: Writer
Character Sheet: Character Sheet
Post Templates: Post Templates
Contact:

Fri May 04, 2018 8:28 am

Bethas 4th, 2718
“Trust me Miss Rivaen, once you’ve spent weeks in a moa drawn carriage, you’ll never ever ever want to travel again.”

Elise laughed lightly at the comment. “I’ll take your word for it. Still, I would certainly love to see Gior one day, and frankly the entire world along with it.” And perhaps my brother too.

She shook her head at Nauleth’s inquiry and smiled sheepishly. “No, nothing like that. It’s more of an idea I toy around with for now. After all, I’m not sure about the extent of a Physical mage’s control over electricity… Which is why I figured I should come to you first. I certainly hope that doesn’t lessen your interest in hearing me out.”

The healer watched curiously as the two galdori interacted, their easy banter. Athrym took the professor’s arm gingerly, her pale face flushing ever so slightly. The redheaded male seemed to be affected in a similar as they became linked by the arms. She was suddenly reminded of herself and shook her head the slightest bit to make the thoughts go away.

“I graduated about two years ago. I’m guessing you would’ve have been my senior, professor,” Elise replied as she continued walking beside the pair, leaving the Grand Library behind them. Even though they welcomed her, she couldn’t help feeling like she was intruding on something. “It is definitely not unreasonable for us to cross each other’s paths in a hall or some sort.”

As Nauleth was a Physical professor, there was no doubt that the man had taken Physical magic as his focus during his school years. While Elise do know a few of her upperclassmen, they were all mostly Living mages. She saw no real reason he might find her name familiar. Elise mostly kept her head down and definitely not interesting enough to be the talk of the older students. Except for her affiliation with Daalton. She did spend an awfully lot of time with him.

Unwilling to point that out, the young woman shrugged. “I was mentored by Professor Hulle and some upperclassmen for some time. Perhaps my name was brought up at some point?” It wasn’t as if she was trying to keep a secret, but what happened to her during school was something she hoped to remember as little as possible.

At the Gioran woman’s interest, Elise’s face visibly brightened, clearly more than happy to have a fellow Living mage pitch in. “Not quite. I mean, definitely if we were struck by something as massive as a lightning. But I imagine if we can the control the strength of the electricity, the cells might be preserved. After all, our cells carry create and carry electrical currents all the time. Well electrical impulses, to be more precise. As you said, Miss Bruthgrave, I am hoping to combine both Living and Physical magic for it to work.

“Which is why I wanted to ask whether or not a Physical mage can generate small, isolated electrical impulses and control its currents? Where it flows?” Elise continued as she turned toward the redheaded professor.

It didn’t take them too long to reach the Church of the Moon. Even until today, the sight of the massive marble structure made her heart still for the shortest fraction of a second. She hadn’t forgotten how much she had come to seek some tranquility there – especially during the last year of her studies, when everything in her life became a disaster. The thought of the goddess watching over her, that her life was not a random chance had made it easier for her to go through her days. The familiar singing of the Everine grew louder as they approached, the chorus placing a reassuring calm over her.

Tags:
User avatar
Nauleth Siordanti
Posts: 189
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 12:19 am
Topics: 22
Race: Galdor
Location: Brunnhold, Anaxas
: Magus in the Making
Character Sheet: Character Sheet
Plot Notes: Plot Notes
Writer: Muse
Writer Profile: Writer Profile
Post Templates: Post Templates
Contact:

Fri May 04, 2018 11:53 am

Bethas 4th, 2718
Image
Nauleth smirked at the mention of Professor Eren Hulle, chewing the inside of his cheek to keep himself from rolling his gold-rimmed, sea-blue eyes. As much as he had to be grateful for from the Living conversations department, considering the extent of damage his brail-induced backlash had left in its wake all those years ago,

"I try to avoid the Living Conversation wing as much as possible these days, but Eren still clocking insists on a yearly check-up. I think he keeps hoping to see progress beyond my current state of healing so that he can stick his name on it." The young Siordanti sneered, one side of his face only slightly slower than the other, "You and Miss Bruthgrave are contemporaries, then. I was in my post-graduate studies while you were finishing up tenth form, yes. Your name is still so clocking familiar, however."

The tall redhead left it at that, deciding not to linger on their association considering he'd had to memorize so many names over the past few years of teaching and had seen far too many of the Living conversation department: faculty, staff, and even some students. He'd figure it out eventually, he assumed, and he was far more interested in hearing about her ideas than he was about fussing over who knew who and why. The walk across campus from the Grand Library to the Church of the Moon wasn't a long one, but it was enough time for Elisora to describe her idea and for Naul to consider Athrym's observations. He remained quiet while both of the ladies spoke, clearly weighing things in his mind, making calculations, and considering his known understanding of physical mona.

"Actually, it sounds rather simple to me. But perhaps there's something I'm missing?" He finally spoke, his tone of voice distant as it was clear his mind was still working, field tightening with the physical mona that lingered there with his thoughts. Slipping from the petite blonde's gentle hold on his arm to open the heavier door of the Church and chivalrously usher both women inside, he paused for only for a moment with a wistful smile at the elevated volume of Everine voices that echoed through the hallowed stones of Alioe's place of worship. Even the junior professor found himself spending far more time here than one would normally assume, especially in his school years, searching for solace, praying to redeem his time spent wasted crushing innocents on the Lawn instead of pursuing magical understanding.

Had the goddess heard him?

Sometimes, he liked to fancy she had.

A few masked, robed figures moved about the Church, though none of them necessarily moved in the three young adults' direction when they entered, let alone even looked at them. Whatever their tasks were, they weren't greeters. This wasn't a time of day when traffic was high in the church itself, and so despite the singing, the rest of the vaulted stone building was quiet, peaceful—a place where there was so much time exalted that it felt as though it had stopped. Beautiful.

"Isolating currents is elementary work, honestly." Nauleth continued in a quieter, more intimate tone of voice, out of respect, leading the three of them through the knave and down a hallway bathed in sunlight and accented by stained glass icons of the phases of the moon intricately fitted into the red stone wall, "And controlling currents takes the finesse of proficiency as well as a stable relationship with the mona, but I believe the real clocking challenge would be learning the magnitude of current necessary. As Athrym said, too much will destroy the cells and the organ, and too little won't accomplish what you're looking to do. So, the risk is in learning that level of intricate control in order to write a repeatable spell. It would probably take test subjects ... and that would require the Board to approve because fatalities may occur. Does that make you uncomfortable, Miss Rivaen?"

The red headed professor smirked, not even scathed by admitting that trials on human subjects had the potential to be fatal. There were plenty of them around Anaxas, anyway. It was the least they could do, surrendering their lives for magical progress. The stairwell to the Crypts was guarded by a single Everine, masked like the rest of them, their gender indeterminate due to their robes.

"Paying respects to the departed, children?" The Everine spoke, a subdued voice that sounded female, "Or more studious pursuits?"

"Respect, always, but research today." Naul answered with a smile and a hand motion of religious respect to Alioe herself. Without a facial expression for reference, interacting with the servants of Alioe always felt awkward.

"May the Goddess keep you." The masked figure said quietly, waving them to the stairs, which were well lit by phosphor lights. The stairwell turned and grew narrow, the air grew cooler and more stale, and eventually, at the very bottom, were double doors of intricately-carved stone. There were a few lanterns on a shelf and a stack of maps that could lead visitors to the main points of interest—interred political figures, religious leaders, and magicians and educators of note. Heroes. Boundary-crossers. Martyrs. The galdori with legacies that Naul enjoyed researching and chasing after. Some of the bodies cared for under the Church had probably died knowing their true name, and that curiosity burned in the tall professor's narrow chest brighter than any phosphor light.

This last door he would hold open, too, aware that the Everine said nothing about ghosts, but feeling the wash of the stale air was still enough to raise the hairs on the back of his neck and falter his smile.

The Crypts weren't safe, no matter how interesting.

"Do we need a tour of bodies, Ambassador?" Nauleth's question could have been an innuendo, his lopsided smile not at all helping in the matter, standing close in the narrow space as he fiddled with a lantern, "If not, I know of only a handful of interred personal libraries here. You will have to give me an idea of what you were so disappointed in with our gloriously celebrated Grand Library so I can consider our options."

User avatar
Athrym Bruthgrave
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 10:30 pm
Topics: 13
Race: Galdor
Location: Qrieth
: Welcome to Brunnhold. Now go home.
Character Sheet: Character Sheet
Plot Notes: Plot Notes
Writer: Raksha
Post Templates: Post Templates
Contact:

Wed May 09, 2018 3:30 am

Bethas 4th, 2718
THE CRYPTS | AFTER MID MORNING
Image
Athrym looked immediately up when they entered the church, her breath stolen by the beauty of the place. Qrieth was in itself a church or more accurately a temple, but it’s beauty came from the impressiveness of its carving and the sheer size of it all. The Church of the Moon was truly a testament to the ingenious architects that designed it. She held her hands out before her as they passed through glass stained rays of sunlight, smiling with delight at the cacophony of colours that radiated across her pale skin.

“Test subjects? Fatalities?” The Gioran said quietly, drawn back to the conversation with a frown, glancing up at the red haired Anaxi.

“Who the tocks would volunteer for that? I certainly won’t be.” Glancing back at the woman she smiled quickly.

“Sorry Miss Rivaen. It sounds fascinating but I’m rather attached to being alive.” Pausing as they approached the Everine, Athrym bowed her head respectfully and made the same religious hand movement as Naul, with a minor change that showed deference to Imaan under Alioe’s eye. They were given entrance, and perhaps for just a moment, the Ambassador looked at Elisora with a raised eyebrow.

Into the crypts then.

The air felt old, but for the Gioran it didn’t feel wrong. She’d grown up in caves and caverns carved from the very mountains themselves. It was almost second nature to her. As they stopped at an intricately carved set of doors, Athrym pursed her lips at the taller man’s comment, moving to slip closely past him in the tiny space.

“Perhaps we do, Professor.” She said casually, turning her summer gaze onto the collection of maps on the shelving, taking one and scanning its contents.

“I’m not interested in Conversation one-oh-one, which is all your Grand library seems to offer. I’m interested in the works of more advanced study on the discovery of one’s True Name. Is it merely an advancement of one’s understanding of monic incantation, or is it more? Monic pathways maybe. Is there perhaps a section here on True Name, or how we engage with the mona on an individual level? Or even a more advanced grimore with stronger monite phrasing? The map says here you have sections on historical figures. Perhaps one of these magicians left something in their legacies? Truly, I seek knowledge itself at present Professor.” Looking at the healer with nod, she folded the map and used it like a pointer.

“There may be a Physical magician buried here that dabbled in what you’re looking for Miss Rivaen. Could be worth looking there before calling for board meetings and volunteers and such.” Glancing around, she chuckled and raised one arched brow at the blue and gold eyed Anaxi.

“I think those ghost stories may be just that. Stories. Shame, I suppose.”

User avatar
Elisora Rivaen
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:34 am
Topics: 8
Race: Writer
Character Sheet: Character Sheet
Post Templates: Post Templates
Contact:

Thu May 17, 2018 5:25 am

Bethas 4th, 2718
“I’ve heard. He brought you up a lot of times, especially back when I first had declared my interest in becoming a healer,” Elise admitted. She could only imagine how much trouble Hulle had put the Physical professor through. She knew how insistent the man could be, especially in chasing cases he deemed fascinating. “

Looking past the professor, she addressed the blonde woman on his arm as they descended into the crypts. “He’s quite famous among the Living magic staffs, you know.”

Elise couldn’t help feeling her excitement as the professor that it was simple enough, her rosy lips pulled into a genuine grin. Her problems were mostly related to the electrical manipulation, so if Nauleth considered them simple, there must be hope for her theory to be tested and applied. If this could truly work… That would mean a lot of lives could be saved.

“It would probably take test subjects ... and that would require the Board to approve because fatalities may occur. Does that make you uncomfortable, Miss Rivaen?”

Athrym responded first, seemingly taken aback by the professor’s words. Elise suddenly remembered comments her mother had made a dozen times before, how it was uncomfortable for her to watch how galdori and humans mingle in Anaxas. Apparently in Gior, most galdori could spend their entire lives without encountering a single human.

“I do not think the professor has galdori volunteers in mind as test subjects,” Elise replied smoothly, offering a smile to the Gioran ambassador before turning back to the professor. It was fortunate that Elise had been forced to hide her softer sentiments a hundred times before. Forced to turn away and pretend not to see when sentient beings were hurt for the sake of science. It was unavoidable in her line of work. Especially considering who she usually worked with. “Progress always requires sacrifice, professor, still I rather be sparing when it involves life. I was thinking that we might start experimenting with dead bodies first in order to determine how strong we can go before we start damaging tissues irreversibly.”

Once the door closed behind them with a muted boom, every sound but their own shuffling shoes disappeared. To Elise, the morgue and the Crypt weren’t so different. As someone who encountered death nearly every day, the young woman wasn’t bothered by the heavy, stale air lingering around them. And the rumors of ghosts… Well, Elise had spent countless hours in rooms filled with cadavers and never once had she encountered an apparition.

Needless to say, the young woman was completely untroubled by the fact that they were surrounded by decomposing dead bodies. “So does this means I am allowed to start hoping that you might be interested to help me experiment, professor?” As an afterthought, she added, “I’ll deal with the permissions with Hulle myself. He doesn’t even need to know that you’re involved.”

Elise turned to look at the expansive hallway in front of them. She had walked through them a dozen times at least, but even then she knew very little of what the libraries hold. “My grandfather was buried here. He was like you, Miss Bruthgrave. He was quite engrossed with the monic pathways.”

“There may be a Physical magician buried here that dabbled in what you’re looking for Miss Rivaen. Could be worth looking there before calling for board meetings and volunteers and such.”

“Probably, no one really knew how much knowledge the crypts hold,” replied the healer to the ambassador with a nod. “We usually come down here to search for Living magic references, as you might expect. I didn’t much exploring other than that.”
User avatar
Nauleth Siordanti
Posts: 189
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 12:19 am
Topics: 22
Race: Galdor
Location: Brunnhold, Anaxas
: Magus in the Making
Character Sheet: Character Sheet
Plot Notes: Plot Notes
Writer: Muse
Writer Profile: Writer Profile
Post Templates: Post Templates
Contact:

Thu May 31, 2018 9:46 am

Bethas 4th, 2718
Image
Once he'd lit the lantern not with fire but with a whispered string of Monite, coaxing light from the darkness and originating it inside the glass panes, he passed it to Athrym to hold, grinning at her in his lopsided way as if to admit he was showing off a little. Letting his fingers brush hers, he couldn't help but look away at her answer to his admittedly coy question,

"I'm afraid the libraries of Gior simply must be organized differently or you're just not an adequate researcher," He chuckled, unable to keep himself from bristling at her less than stellar opinions of the greatest library in the Ten Kingdoms. Well, supposedly. He was mostly teasing and he made sure to flash the petite blonde softer smile to make sure she knew he meant no offense. Glancing back down at the map, ambiguous though it was, he shrugged his narrow shoulders and began to lead the pair of them through the dark, stone-lined hallway, "As far as I'm aware, very few galdori have discovered their true names, let alone left notes behind on how they discovered them. That sort of thing is the ultimate research project, Athrym. That said, I have done quite a bit of extensive reading on relating to the mona over the past eight years—"

His gold-rimmed gaze fell on Elisora when he said that, as if to emphasize his backlash and it's remaining damage. He wasn't unaware of how he'd become somewhat of a curiosity, or at least a curious obsession, for some of the Living conversation staff simply because his permanent injuries from a backlash were rare and interesting in their effects,

"—and I can tell you that leaving legacies behind is the only way toward progress. I don't want to repeat some dead magister's magic any more. I did enough of that clocking repetition as a schoolboy and I have to go through the same rote methods for my students."

He let his voice become a little quieter as if out of respect for the dead who couldn't hear him anyway, passing elaborate ossuaries carved with names of their ancestors and decorated with honorific sculptures of grimoires inscribed with monite. Magisters. Headmasters. Naul couldn't help but run his fingers over the smooth, pale stones as he turned the trio down a narrower hallway, "Anyway, regardless of where we start with your little experiment, Elisora, someone alive will have to either be pressed into volunteering or a galdor would have to step up to the task. Eventually. As long as there are other sorcerers standing by, ready to intervene, the risk is minimal enough."

His lopsided smirk was made almost sinister by the ruddy glow of his magical light that burned without fire,,

"Really, don't mention my name to Hulle if you can help it, but sure, I'm interested in seeing how infinitesimally small an area I can conduct current through. Working on the cellular level would be a challenge. Still, Eren stalks me enough, mostly because he doesn't find me fit for my current position. It's a shame, really." The young Siordanti grumbled, though he stepped ahead of the petite blonde with the lantern for a moment, making sure his hand brushed her lower back and lingered, "I've worked clocking hard for the past few years to reach where I am just to let that obsessive, unforgiving stop-clocker tear me down. Here, there's at least one library this way that should interest you, Athrym."

Some of the tombs down this hallway were definitely more elaborately decorated, inscriptions marking them as more Magisters—galdori scholars who had risen to the challenge of writing more than four spells in their lifetime. Respected members of Anaxi society, government, and education, several of the tombs had their ornate ossuaries for the well-preserved bones, but also decorative doors that opened to personal vaults that were left unlocked for public access—leaving their knowledge for others who wished to attempt to pursue it.

Pausing in the dark, the stale air felt oppressive to the tall Anaxi already for he was far too used to the electric flow of mona on the Field of Practical Application,

"Magister Bartholomew Merritt," Nauleth read out loud as if to imply all three of them should be looking for the name, "One of the most prolific authors of True Named Magisters. I read a few of his treatises on relating to the mona in my post-graduate studies. This way."
User avatar
Athrym Bruthgrave
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 10:30 pm
Topics: 13
Race: Galdor
Location: Qrieth
: Welcome to Brunnhold. Now go home.
Character Sheet: Character Sheet
Plot Notes: Plot Notes
Writer: Raksha
Post Templates: Post Templates
Contact:

Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:32 pm

Bethas 4th, 2718
THE CRYPTS | AFTER MID MORNING
Image
I do not think the professor has galdori volunteers in mind as test subjects.

Athrym‘s brow drew down slightly, her lips forming a confused pout as she walked with her companions into the cave-like crypts. Her summer gaze drifted towards Nauleth as she took the lantern, letting Elisora’s words mull over in her mind. His comment caused her eyes to narrow slightly, pout still in place and field simmering ever so slightly until he shot her a smile.

Infuriating Anaxi kenser.

“That’s entirely the point, Professor Siordanti. If we’re not striving for our true name, then what precisely is the point? Is it not every galdor’s goal? To unlock that deeper and more connected relationship with the mona?” She looked between them both, her words a genuine question rather than a statement. Her platinum head bobbed a nod at the red heads comment about legacy and repeating the mistakes of the past. That was part of her reasoning behind the investigation of the legacies, to both learn what might be undiscovered, and to avoid what had been.

“A grandfather Miss Rivaen? That’s rather impressive. Was he also a Living specialist?” The Gioran asked quietly as they followed Nauleth and his lantern, a curious need for hush pressing itself on the trio. Athrym looked at the sculptures and carvings as they passed, reaching out to trace a finger over some of the monite on a carved grimore. Her gaze snapped back to the taller Anaxi with a scoff.

“Pressed into volunteering? You mean, if a galdori doesn’t want to participate in your experiment you’d force one of the other races? By Imaan’s knowing eye...Galdori shouldn’t need to mix with other races for their needs. We’re the ultimate beings, and therefore, the only help we should seek is our own. Surely forcing a lesser race to be a test subject is just settling for table scraps.” Her nose had wrinkled slightly, as though the sheer idea of bringing other races into the picture was inconceivable, although the warmth of a hand on her back swept it away with a small smile.

“Lead the way then, Professor.” She glanced up at the more elaborate tomb decor, pausing slightly to inspect some more closely or admire the skill of the artisan. They stopped at one particularly fine looking set of decorative doors, and Nauleth read the title of the deceased.

“Merritt. Yes, I know of him. We have copies of his work in Gior, but nothing from his personal vault.” She said with a genuinely pleased smile, her pout now gone. Glancing at Elisora, the blonde raised a brow.

“Who know’s? Maybe his ghost is still around? Might give us a personal recommendation.” The pale ambassador giggled and rolled her eyes, utterly unconvinced by the rumours.

Ghosts indeed. Clearly a Brunnhold tale to keep meddling students out of the Crypts.

User avatar
Elisora Rivaen
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:34 am
Topics: 8
Race: Writer
Character Sheet: Character Sheet
Post Templates: Post Templates
Contact:

Sun Jun 24, 2018 10:07 pm

Bethas 4th, 2718
Elise laughed lightly. “I suppose you’re right. But that’s a long way to go and we probably do not have to worry for that for a long time.” Alright that probably wasn’t entirely true. Living conversation experiments often require a lot of ethical permissions, which she would have to plan before hand and submit to Professor Hulle, at least. It had been a while since she assembled a paper for researches, but she would have to make do.

Athrym’s comment surprised her at first, but then she realized that the young woman had a similar mindset with her mother – which was reasonable considering both of them had come from Gior.

The young woman let her fingers trail over the white stones, feeling its coldness. One would expect such surfaces to be covered with dust, but the crypt always had its fair share of studious scholars and curious students. The candles casted shadows in every corner and Elise remembered how jumpy she was the first time she came down here. As accustomed as she was with science ad biology, the thought of ghosts had terrified her younger self.

“No actually, he is a well-respected mage in Perceptive conversation. Most of my family are, in fact.” She ran her fingers through her maroon red hair. “I’m the odd one out, it seems. They were devastated when I decided to become a healer and not a politician.” More like furious. Her parents had wanted to groom her as their heir, so that she could take her own place in the Congress when they retired. Instead she went to become a doctor. They had even accused her of being throwing away her future, convinced that she had made the decision because she was blinded by her relationship with Daalton. Although that changed pretty fast when they finally met him in person and decided that they adored him.

“Do not worry, I’ll hide your involvement as best as I can. Besides, if he found out, he might decide to steal you away from my experiment and I would rather not got to the trouble of finding another Physical mage,” the dark-eyed girl teased lightly. Hulle can be demanding when he was fascinated by an idea or a piece of knowledge. Obsessive, even. Elise had seen it firsthand a dozen of times before and all of them were incomparable to how invested he was to Naul’s incident. She remembered wanting to ask the Professor if she could come along and watch how he treated the older student, but never did because she felt like she might be intruding.

Magister Bartholomew Merritt… Elise couldn’t claim she had heard of the name. But then again, the young woman had been quite single-minded in her studies of medicine and Living conversation. To be frank, she hadn’t even thought about True Names all that much. She felt like it was better to hone her current skills as best as she could first.

“Who know’s? Maybe his ghost is still around? Might give us a personal recommendation.”

She laughed at the ambassador’s comment, but was suddenly reminded of something. “A friend of mine used to claim that she saw a ghost once. A Headmaster from a long time ago. She was quite frightened when she came back to the dorms. Pale and shivering and refused to return here ever since. And I was quite sure she was not the sort to make things up. Although admittedly, from all the hours I have spent here, I have never seen one.”
User avatar
Nauleth Siordanti
Posts: 189
Joined: Sun Apr 01, 2018 12:19 am
Topics: 22
Race: Galdor
Location: Brunnhold, Anaxas
: Magus in the Making
Character Sheet: Character Sheet
Plot Notes: Plot Notes
Writer: Muse
Writer Profile: Writer Profile
Post Templates: Post Templates
Contact:

Fri Jun 29, 2018 3:51 pm

Bethas 4th, 2718
Image
Nauleth chuckled, but it was a hushed, subdued sound, as if he was already cautious about what kinds of noises he made in the Crypts, whether out of some form of respect or a genuine sense of fear, and he shrugged at Athrym's question, "Some galdori are content to pursue the mundane, and I suppose the Kingdoms wouldn't turn each season if they didn't. But, as for me, I'm not clocking content with just getting by."

His lopsided grin told of his ambition, but it faltered in the face of the blonde Ambassador's objections to his suggested forms of experimentation with Elisora's ideas,

"We can't just let the lower races mull about on their own. That's clocking dangerous. We're to be good stewards of them, give them boundaries, and garner the respect we deserve for our chosen place in the Vitan hierarchy. While some galdori may willingly volunteer for such experiments, it's our right as capable conquerers to request the assistance of those beneath us, in order to further progress for all races." Nauleth chose his words more carefully than perhaps they came across, the young Professor genuinely convinced that he was expressing a level of care for the likes of humans and wicks while at the same time favoring his own kind. It was a strange balance, and one he would have privately admitted he didn't always bother to understand. Athrym's words about complete separation sounded as equally horrifying to the Anaxi, for he could only imagine the lower races meeting together and building a force of rebellion with which to overrun the Gioran galdori.

How could they stand the danger?

He held his tongue, however hot it may have been against the roof of his mouth, burning with questions that were for another time.

"I don't think ghosts wish to impart their wisdom so much as feast on our existence, but all I know of them are childhood stories." The tall red-head finally exhaled another soft laugh, looking to Elisora, "Perceptive, ah, yes. A family favorite of mine, as well, but if only because the Siordantis are known for their political involvement ... not magical experimentation. I know what it's like to be the scrap among gollies."

Naul sniggered tauntingly, his derogatory call out self-deprecating in this context but decidedly crude. He'd assumed his parents' lack of communication with him had been both because of his embarrassing brailing and subsequent injury as well as his choice to pursue a much more personal course of study—his own whim—instead of the expected politics. Being the oldest, he knew he'd shrugged off all hopes of anything other than a standard inheritance, aware that the rights of estate would most likely fall upon his younger brother now that he was quietly ignored.

"Gods, if Hulle wanted me for more experiments, I'd tell him to sod off. I've earned my clocking peace." Naul rolled his eyes and went back to glancing at the names on the mausoleums. The stale air stirred slightly, almost imperceptibly, and the warmth they'd grown used to began to grow cold. The chill was noticeable and even their fields shivered, as if the mona suddenly cared about temperature. It was a strange agitation, unusual, but still gentle enough to dismiss as the general atmosphere of walking among the dead this far underground.

The junior professor traced his fingers over the stones, which were also chilly, making space for the lantern Athrym held to be raised between them when he finally ran his fingertips over the words:


THE HONORABLE GRAND MAGISTER BARTHOLOMEW STEPHENSON MERRITT


"Ah, finally." He grinned, gold-rimmed gaze searching for the handle to the door, recessed as it was into the carved stone of the mausoleum entrance. The archways were carved to resemble beautiful trees, their leaves falling to indicate the Autumn season when Magister Merritt supposedly finally passed on at the ripe old age of nearly ninety-eight years. One of the leaves proved itself the handle, and Naul made an excited noise of satisfied discovery as he reached for it, his taunting grin broad and lopsided on his freckled face,

"Now, let's hope you've got some questions for that ghost, just in case, shall we?"
User avatar
Athrym Bruthgrave
Posts: 120
Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 10:30 pm
Topics: 13
Race: Galdor
Location: Qrieth
: Welcome to Brunnhold. Now go home.
Character Sheet: Character Sheet
Plot Notes: Plot Notes
Writer: Raksha
Post Templates: Post Templates
Contact:

Wed Jul 11, 2018 8:56 am

Bethas 4th, 2718
THE CRYPTS | AFTER MID MORNING
Image
The Gioran snorted, running her fingers over cold stone as she followed the intricate carvings over the frame of the doorway.

“Your friend probably scared herself with her own shadow, Miss Rivaen.” Athrym said with a smirk as she glanced back her her companions.

“Honestly, if I were a child in this place, I would be petrified. It’s got the right atmosphere for a good ghost story but the truth is, if ghosts were truly here what the tocks would they gain from scaring the living when they have much more important things to do, like enter the afterlife and who knows maybe converse on a deeper level with the mona.” She shrugged, before crossing her arms to level a look at the professor.

“True, they are dangerous, much like a wild animal they’re untamed and stupid. Too stupid for unified thought. It’s our place as the higher race to set an example. To keep them in their place, literally. Why would anyone want to invite that into their home, their workplace? As though they were equal? We don’t need humans to assist us, we’re galdori. We can bend light and break stone with the whisper of words to the mona. Human’s in your testing is just subpar, may as well go and grab a couple of swine for your experiments.” The pale ambassador’s nose had curled slightly with disgust, rubbing her arms as though to ward off the stick of humanity. She tsked at his use of the word scrap, unable to hide the small smile that danced on her lips at the joke. It was wrong, and she knew it, but it didn’t make it less amusing. Clearing her throat, the woman lifted her head to look up as they waited for Nauleth to open the door.

“Tell me, most Honorable Ghost of Magister Merritt, what secrets have you seen in these walls? Does the mona still speak to you even after death? Maybe you’d like to show yourself, we could partake in a spot of tea!” The younger woman chuckled, rubbing her arms again as the room became a little chillier and the air brushed almost featherlight against the tiny hairs on her skin. Lifting her hands, Athrym breathed on them, resisting the urge to cast a spell that would bring warmth to their bodies.

“I’ll admit, even Qrieth isn’t quite as cool as this place. Must be something to do with the doors. Keeping the colder air contained, or something.” She said with a shrug, moving a little closer to the red haired Anaxi as she glanced around the entrance and behind them with summer green eyes and a slight frown.

Really Athrym? You’re scared of ghosts? It’s nothing but a school myth.

She looked back with a smile, as though being transparent to Nauleth that she knew what his game was, before glancing at Elisora.

“Shall we?” The foreigner asked, echoing the taller man’s last words as if giving the brunette the chance to turn them all back. All in or none in, wasn’t that how the saying went?

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic

Return to “Brunnhold”

  • Information
  • Who is online

    Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests