[Windward Boardwalk] Queer Seed (Hadrian)

[Hadrian]

"I'm not a sage," he said quickly, and certainly he had only turned twenty-three three days previous. But he sighed and explained to Oluse about the Black Sun, the cult to Rhysol, and the Ebonstryfe, its militant arm. They were mostly active in Ravok, and though Morwen was perhaps not the most powerful of goddesses, this city was secure as any place from the dangers they posed. But he was not going to spill his secrets to some boy he had just met. Loren Dyers himself had made him his spy, trained by MaeClair, and given that added purpose to his travels. Of course, Avanthal was no enemy of Syliras, so the missive he had sent with Ethan held news of Avanthal, but no secrets. It had merely detailed his carefully sprung trap for Ravok, the release of foul-tempered glassbeaks near the central offices of the Black Sun. Likely there hadn't been major damage, but they would have to admit to themselves that an agent of Syliras could sneak right up to them and attack without their knowledge. Sometimes fear was the best weapon of destabilization, and surely the Black Sun was aware of that and would be reasonably upset that their best weapon was used against them. As for why he would not submit, he shrugged. "There are gray areas in morality, it's true. But these people seek power in order to hurt other people, and therefore it was not within me to submit."

[Oluse]

He smiled at these words. "You sound very honorable, Mister Aalius." He said now convinced the name was synonymous with alias, and was likely a made up name, and not very clever one at that. But, he was beginning to understand why Hadrian would crave lighter topic than his past deeds and trials. "I just hope that more harm is avoided in your exploits than is caused. I would hate to think that an unwillingness to submit caused more conflict than was necessary."

Oluse to a certain degree was a man, well boy, of principle. However, his travels were quickly teaching him that no topic is black and white, and practicalities must be brought into question in all discussions. "But, I am being very rude, I think. You have been through a lot, and it's not my place to ask you about it." The statement was more than anything an attempt to make sure the conversation didn't become about his past exploits. If he wanted to a void talking about himself, it was only fair he respect Hadrian the same.

"I have an idea. Lets talk about something lighter, and easier to discuss. Something academic like..." He was nervous to bring it up, but was curious. He wondered if he might curse himself by asking. "Well, what you did earlier with the seed. On an academic level I'm curious. I don't want to use magic, of course. But I would love to hear about it. To be able to understand it."

[Hadrian]

Hadrian shrugged off Oluse's hopes and apologies, but moved quickly to the proffered lighter topic. But even that wasn't something he wanted particularly to talk about. Everyone always wanted to know about magic from the very beginning to the outer limits of possibility as if he had nothing better to do, the last one being Coren. Now Oluse, who was so young and all alone. The part of Hadrian that was Syliran wanted to teach him and look out for him, but the rest of Hadrian was fairly anti-social and, like most wizards, he did not like to share his secrets. He sighed. "Magic is just the word people use for any discipline that effects change in the world by manipulating the fundamental force, the djed. That's backbone in the Ancient Tongue, Nader-canoch. What you saw was a crappy Shield, and some fine aeromancy, or working with the element of Air. It just seemed to be the best way to transport the delicate seed, cushioned on Air and Shielded from harm."

[Oluse]

Oluses mind focused on his description of his shield, "crappy." He wondered if something was wrong, if he had offended the mage, or if the mage was upset about anything else. A concerned expression sprawled across his face, adorned by a puzzled crease of his brow. Hadrian was a complex puzzle to him. And, the situation itself was unfamiliar to him, he had always been quick to speak with strangers but never had he invited one into his living area. He felt awkward, and as he thought over the words that awkwardness seeped into every silent corner of the room. He wanted to be a good host, but the means just seemed outside his capacity.

As he thought on how to continue their chat several conflicting ideas confronted him. One, he really did want to learn how to protect himself from magic. Another was not wanting to seem dismissive of his knowledge, which Oluse recognize to be rare and certainly occultic in nature. Last on the list was his intense desire to get out of his room, which was quickly starting to feel like a cage, crowded with the two in it. For this reason he abandon his attention for the seed lying within the basin for a while, and set his sites on getting out.

"It sounds like fascinating work, but something that one would have to practice to truly understand the nature of." He gave a slight smile, proud of how tactfully he felt he disengaged from the topic. "Perhaps we should talk about something we are both mutually have interest in. Or at least both have a hope to understand. I've been toying with the idea of starting a little pet project." It had really only been a passing thought before that moment, but seemed like a good distraction, that might get them out of the Warrens.

"You see," he continued, "The sculpture garden is beautiful, and I love every piece there. But, I haven't been able to figure out how they craft them. What tools they use. Perhaps you could help me find out? Unless you already have experience with it..." His expression soured slightly, and he felt the need further support his suggestion, "It's getting quite warm in here, and I feel like stretching my legs, since it's such a warm day out today." This was a lie of course, he was comfortable in the heat of the room, and found it to be nowhere near warm outside. Still, he wanted out of the suffocating atmosphere of the enclosed space. He wanted any excuse to escape.

He would have suggested Hadrian simply leave, if it weren't for that odd sensation he had upon their meeting. He wanted to figure out what that was. It wasn't particularly rare for him to have intuitive pushes this way and that from time to time, but on only extremely rare occurrences had it been so vivid and clear. Despite the intensity, the tone of the intuitive signal was different... As if somebody was trying to tell him something almost.

[Hadrian]

The crappy shield was only crappy because Hadrian's experience with shields were as yet minimal. His work in that arena was somewhat embarrassing to a perfectionist such as him. He might have explained to Oluse if the boy knew the right questions to ask or if Hadrian was better at reading people and intuiting what they were really asking. But instead, things were strangely tense and he wasn't sure why. As Oluse babbled, Hadrian again reached out with his hypnotic powers, this time sending a piercing thought into Oluse's mind and in Oluse's own voice, tricking him into thinking What am I so worried about? And he followed that up with a surge of mild embarrassment. As these washed over him, Hadrian stood up apologetically. "That's all right. I should probably be going. I wish you luck with the seed, though. It's an interesting find."

[Oluse]

What am I so worried about?

The voice inserted itself as another sudden epiphany in his mind, clear and concise. With it a wash of shame. Perhaps he was overreacting. Or perhaps he should spend some time meditating on what had scared him so much.

He nodded in response to Hadrian. He wasn't entirely unhappy to see the mage depart. The distress caused by his presence was too much for the unprepared mind of the fragile introvert to handle. He had to meditate and thing, and figure out what he wanted, and why. And, of course, what he was so afraid of.

"Yes it was. Um..." He blushed just slightly, far surpassing his wit's end. "Bye. Oh, I mean nice meeting you, Mr. Aelius." His voice was growing annoyed with his own fumbling, and showed it through a series of inconsistent rises and fall of pitch, met with spurts and lulls of tempo. Eventually he just decided to stand up, and show Aelius to the door, which of course was quite obviously right next to him.

As he watched Hadrian recede down the stairs outside his room he stared, mulling over one fact he knew beyond a doubt. At the end there, that feeling came to him again. He could feel it like a tightness in his diaphragm. It screamed at him in a way. He had to know more about the mage, his curiosity mandated it.

[Cheshire]

Character: Oluse Experience: Running +1, Observation +3, Interrogation +3 Lore: The Dangers of Ravok Character: Hadrian Experience: Shielding +2, Hypnotism +2, Interrogation +2, Observation +1, Reimancy +1, Storytelling +1, Philosophy +1 Additional Note: Sadly, I could not give botany points since technically, the plant does not exist. Other than that, great thread! PM me with concerns.