[Lab 45E] Mysterious Ways [Rayage]

[Tabarnac]

1st Winter, 511 A.V. Material Procurement #110728 Lab 45E, Rayage, Apprentice Note: Attached please find requested pre-Valterrian automaton. Apologies for the delay. -Artifacts Department The only problem was, of course, that Rayage could not remember requesting the automaton to which this note was attached. It was a dusty, forlorn thing, more classical statuary than he was used to, with faded streaks of messy black visible under that layer of age. There was a large bump on its chest, but really, there was no point in cleaning it up or even paying it further attention, because this was all some snafu on the part of the Artifacts department. Antique homunculi were less dependable than new ones, and there were Masters whose sole work was the production of suitable and uniform new homunculi. Perhaps someone was playing a joke on him. Nuit were known to have odd senses of humor, if they had one at all, to say the least. But if he searched through his records, he would find no E-43 form #110728. But wasn't that just perfect. There was something sad about its posture, however, that prevented him from immediately sending it back with a note to the Artifacts Department to pay closer attention to its paperwork. There might have been something beautiful about it were he to wipe away what time had left accumulated. Certainly upon closer inspection -- Nuit eyes did tend to deteriorate -- that bump on the chest looked more like an inset gem. And was that a dull flicker of light?

[Rayage]

The note found in his lab when he returned was strange enough, but this… what was this and why was it in his lab? Outdated piece of work was what it was, and he did not order this. Who in their right minds… The nuit would go up to it and examine it closer before nodding and finishing his thought. Who in their right minds would order this hunk of junk? What does it even do? Sit there? Stand? Talk? Move? It didn’t seem so.

Perplexed he looked over the note again, reading it and then rereading it. Strange, it was all very strange, but it was not without explanation. Or a series of possible explanations. Things could always be explained if one would think about it. There was nothing, not even magic, that could not be explained in one way or another which could relate to something else. The interconnectedness of events was something to examine and observe, dissect and make assumptions. For with this passive understanding of events and how one thing leads to another comes a more innate understanding of the future. With this many thoughts popped into his mind. Did Karte send this to him? If so what purpose did it serve.

Pondering this mystery for a moment he would go to his desk, which was covered in papers all nicely ‘ordered’. They were mostly detailed accounts of what he did day to day. Qiao was adamant that he record his findings and his work everday. It was a tedious process, and one that he did not enjoy, but it severed some purpose. Perhaps he had just forgot that he ordered this… turning he gave the statue a quick glance before turning back, thing. Though after much searching he found no evidence of such happenings. Strange indeed. Setting the note down with the rest of his papers he went back to examine the piece more closely.

The least the artifacts department could have done was clean it up a little, the nuit thought, crossing his arms before swiping a worrying finger over the surface of the thing. Grime and the dust of time was caked on it. Disgusting, but he would have to deal with it. How unsavory the situation was he wanted to figure out why today and why now? He was into his all-important research. This was a distraction and not a very clever one at best. This thing is an artifact uh? He has seen children make better ‘artifacts’. He mocked the creator out of spite for interrupting his day and his plans.

Ray was about to turn away when a glimmer of light caught his eye and drew his attention once again upon the statue. What was this? He asked himself his hand grabbing the hem of his robe and making it into a makeshift glove, the robe balled in his fist, he used the aging cloth to clean off the inset gem. Was it this gem which made the, er statue, an artifact? The free hand reached to touch it, slowly, as if he was afraid of the thing biting him or something, if nothing too obvious happened he would touch it with his fingers. At the same time he would decide to get a better look at it, a more in depth look at it.

He did not know much about Auristics, but there was a multitude of things that could be gleamed by examining an aura. Using the easiest method he knew how his hand flooded with Djed trying to pick up traces, hints at which would allow him to identify what this gem was, or perhaps how powerful it was. The insights which would come to him were not visual, but rather feeling, vague hints of what was more as his skin brushed against the surface. He would use the touch as a catalyst, a mental cue, to switch all his attention to the one aura in front of him. Touch could convey and direct attention, it was a powerful sense and one often underappreciated. Then he would just stop, stop moving, stop thinking, stop everything. All that existed was him and the aura which he was trying to read. He could feel the details getting clearer, the feeling and vague inferences he could make getting clearer, but alas he was only a novice at this art. Concentrating harder he willed himself to further feel the aura, trying to get out every last fact he could at his skill level. This process however was extremely draining both mentally and physically and when the nuit could not take it anymore he retracted his hand, content that he did his best and stepped away from the statue.

Though the step away did little as he stumbled feeling slightly tired. He put a little too much effort into that and without a hand reaching to catch a table nearby he would have fell. This was why he did not use Auristics much at all. It was useful, but everything had its price, especially unseen information. ”What are you?” he asked looking, ”And why are you here?” he verbally stated his questions as if half-expecting an answer. Was karte involved in this somehow?

[Tabarnac]

His piddling skill at Auristics flooded him with all sorts of information, little of it of a scale for him to read. Yes, there was magic here, old, haphazard magic, many disciplines ill-fit together. There were traces of Alchemy; of that, Rayage was sure. Other than that, his experience did not encompass the range of work put into this statue of a man. If there was Alchemy involved, then it was not likely an automaton as the note from the Artifacts Department alleged, but rather a homunculus. Curiouser and curiouser. But while distracted by the sudden, overwhelming reaction to the use of Auristics, he didn't notice at first the thing's reaction to his questions, had not noticed how that flicker of light in the depths of its thoracic gem, how it had gradually gotten stronger until it was thrumming like a weak heartbeat. It began to move jerkily, and then Rayage could see that it was not pure stone as a Pycon might be, but had cleverly articulated joints, the work of some master sculptor. "Kri... dus... Kri... dius..." It struggled back to life as if from the depths of some great ocean. Finally, "Akridius. Are you my master?" Stone eyelids disappeared, revealing startling sapphire eyes set in moonstone whites. It was certainly looking at him.

[Rayage]

The step back ended his auristics experience. There was no reason to continue. He had got just about all he could base on his current skill level. He felt and saw a lot of things. The aura was definitely a powerful one, and most of the signs given off he couldn’t read, but there was alchemy, oh yes his familiarity with the art there was no way he could miss that. All of this leads him to believe there was more to this ‘automaton’ than originally thought. Could it perhaps be, well if Alchemy was involved, it could very well be a homunculus. That thought alone intrigued him.

His mind still rolling with the clues he got from his little use of personal magic he was only shaken back to reality when he heard a name. Great. When reality came rolling back in he noticed the golem, or homunculi did in fact move. Noticing the thing was staring at him he crossed his arms, ”Am I your master?” he asked, ”I suppose I am. You were given to me.” he told him moving to the desk, turning his back as if not threatened by the presence of the being. Pulling the paper from the artifact department out he flashed it like a cop would a badge before placing it down once more, ”That paper states that you were a gift to me.” he might as well use this mistake to try to learn something more. If this was a mistake that is.

”You stated a name,” he went on unknowing if the thing could understand him, but from slight observation he could guess that the thing had the ability not only to hear, but to understand and formulate a response. Not only that, but ask its own questions. If was, however, a creation of Animation it would have its limitations. This will be fun to play with. He could turn this joke being played on him into something more perhaps. ”Akridius, is that your name?” he asked.

Pulling out a chair to sit down the nuit met the things gaze, ”Who created you, do you know? Why were you created? What is your primary function, the goal of your existence?” All automata had goals and sole reasons for being. Perhaps with a bit of questioning he could figure out exactly why this was dropped at his doorstep. ”Is there anything you are forbidden to tell me?” better to know now than not know at all, ”Are you capable of lying? Do you know what a lie is? More importantly would you lie to your new master?”

He would stop his bombardment of questions for now. The thing, Akridius, had enough to think about and respond to for now. He figured since it did not answer his question from earlier, why was he there, that the golem did not know the answer. If he was the new master of this magical device then he shouldn’t fear it. Though he did not drop his guard, but it wasn’t like he could do much against something like this he sure could try. Perhaps he should take up some more offensive magic.

[Tabarnac]

There was the faintest of clicks as those strange gemstone eyes hid for the briefest of spans behind marble eyelids. Someone had taken a great deal of time and put in a great deal of effort to create this thing, this Akridius. All the same, it peered at Rayage as if it were trying to understand the words coming out of his mouth, but when it spoke, its words were intelligent and intelligible, but slow and rusty. Akridius had been dreaming the years away, it seemed. "Akridius is my name," it affirmed, and ignored the note from the Archives Department after briefly taking in its meaning. "I can answer some of your questions. I was created in a laboratory in Treval as an experiment. Quoth the Raven, 'Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies.' End quote." It blinked, head cocking on what must have been clever clockwork, though the marble of its neck seemed seamless, then shook its head, setting something to rattle. "Ah, loose memosite. "In any case, if you have questions, you may ask them, and then I will ask mine."

[Rayage]

This thing was rather interesting. The nuit crossed his arms as the golem began to move some more. If this was indeed a machine of clockwork the skill is amazing. He admired the thing in front of him considering, again, its make. There was nothing quite like a good mystery. When it rattled the nuit took an all too cautious step back, ”Memosite? What is that?” he asked looking for the thing for answers. Was it made of rock, was it hollow, what was inside it, and more importantly what was that gem in it?

When the golem finally spoke its last phrase before falling silent the nuit just about laughed, ”Ive already asked my questions.” he said with a ting of arrogance, ”But I never got an answer to half of them” he said, tapping a foot, ”Time is a valuable thing, it would be nice if you didn’t waste any more of mine Akridius.” he informed the being still waiting for his answers.

[Tabarnac]

"Memosite," it said, recitative. "Also known as memory stone. Native of the rings of Swalden, coordinates 8492841047291777. Level of sentience debated. Repositories of sentient memories, willing to trade one for another." It paused, then its head cocked to the side in a clockwork click version of a human gesture. "They are pretty." After another pause, regarding Rayage, it got to its feet shakily. "You are not my master. I am the crown prince of Alahea. I will answer no more questions. Where is Rupert Pycon?" Not waiting for an answer, it made its herky-jerky way toward the door.

[Rayage]

Rayage smiled as it seemed that they were now getting on the same page. So memosite is a rock that can share memories. What an interesting stone. The golem claimed that he had some in his make up, or was it in him? It sounded like for all the solid stone, or whatever compound the statue was made of, it was made of it was hallow. Maybe just in certain key places. He began pondering the key aspects of the golems creation, but he did not get far when it said something that made the mage do a double take and almost laugh distrusting the old relics words. Surely it must have been confused from all the storage and time which it had been away. It could not be a crown prince. The concept was interesting at best, but if the golem was indeed as confused as it seemed to be, with loose memosite no less which was the most likely cause of the malfunction based on the golems description of the stone, then it needed to stay in the lab until they could work something out. Seriously, the last thing Ray needs now is a lost and confused golem wandering about the halls of Sahova when it was given to him to look after. He did not need to be made a fool of.

Seeing the golem lumber towards the door the mage hurriedly went after it, as fast as a nuit mage could of course, ”Wait, wait, wait one chime Arkidius.” he called after the thing still a bit behind the contraption of magic, ”You need to stay here.” he told him attempting to walk into the golems path in an attempt to bar its way to the door, ”You seem confused.” he told him, ”Rupert Pycon has been dead for quite some time. You see it is year 511 After the Valterrain.” he hurriedly tried to explain to the thing hoping to stall its progress and keep it in the lab, but more so interested in what it has missed out, ”It appears that you have been asleep for quite some time.”

If this creature was really as old to remember and even ask for Rupert Pycon then it could be of great use. He wondered what all it knew, but… it wasn’t going to answer any more questions. Though there always were ways around that, there are never such a thing as absolutes. They do not exist. At least if Ray had his way they wouldn’t. Another change he would have to make to this world while he was still around.

oocI assumed basic knowledge of Rupert Pycon. Why wouldn’t an alchemist NOT know of him? Besides Ray is ooooold. If you have an issue with it tell me and I will change my post

[Tabarnac]

The thing paused, sizing up the Nuit before it. There was that clockwork clicking again, and then its head snapped to a strange cant, considering him, calculating his words. It knew what Nuit were. It knew a great many things, did Akridius, but it did not know what to make of this situation; its actions made it clear that it was not used to waking up under such strange circumstances, but if it was expecting Rupert Pycon to be waiting for it when it did, then it certainly was a creature both old and well-connected. "What is the Valterrian?" it asked.

[Rayage]

The nuit stood there for a second, there was an awkward moment of silence. Nothing was said between the two. It was a stare down, and he considered again the magics that drove this thing. Whatever it was the magic was powerful, and if the thing did know Rupert Pycon, what else could he tell him? Standing there in front of the door the nuit wasn’t going to let this creature, this ancient relic of the past, escape his sight for a moment. It was given to him, it was his whether Akridius recognized it or not.

Then the question was asked, and the nuit took a moment to collect his thoughts. ”The Valterrian was the single event that changed everything.” He started, having lived through the Valterrian he should know about it, “It was the event that wrought great destruction upon the land, changing it in ways we could only imagine.” he hesitated before continuing, ”It was a war of the gods.” he said accusingly, ”They destroyed everything in their fighting. It is their fault that humanity has regressed and so much knowledge was lost. It was their fault…” he states sounding quite spiteful, ”The Valterrian changed everything. It almost destroyed the world itself. The world one would see now is only a shadow of what it once was.”

”That was what the Valterrian was.” he concluded, ”The single worst event that ever happened. The world you knew,” he told the contraption, ”the world you knew” he repeated, ”is gone, erased” he threw his hands in the air, ”obliterated at the whim of the gods.” he said, ”And so… You won’t find Rupert Pycon. He died with the old world.” as much as the Alchemist did know.

"And, as I told you before," he felt safe in crossing the room to grab the note which was attached to Akridius, "you were delieverd to me. You were asleep for a long time. Times change, that is a fact." he said making his way back to the golem holding the note out for the thing to examine if it felt that it needed 'proof'.