Solo Knowledge is Power

[Vyvian]

x

3rd of Winter, 513 AV

Vyvian stroked some hair past his eyes and looked up, half in awe.

The Cribellum certainly was a beautiful building. Majestic, painfully frail yet intact. Carved into one of the larger stalamites he had seen. Well, at least in the still habited part of the city. His favourite view was still the home of the largest.

Biting his lip in trepidation, he slowly entered in, meekly looking around.

"uhm... Anyone here?"

After he had been spending time observing people's behaviour he decided he wanted to make this interest more.... practical. When he was following Sosicly he couldn't deny the thrill of the chase was... exhilarating.

So he was here for that, but he was also here so he could learn more just about... observing.. being impartial. He spent so much time alone, just watching the world, he wanted to see other people's views on the matter, and any advice they could have for him.

He smiled and bit his lip in excitement, but he was mostly here because I wanted to know how to follow people unseen.

x

[Poison]

It was very quiet in the Cribellum, the library of Kalinor. Not a single Symenestra or even a visitor from the surface was to be seen. Maybe there wasn’t anybody there – or maybe they were all hiding behind the many shelves, reading.

At first nobody answered Vyvian’s question, but after a few moments he could hear footsteps that seemed unusually loud in the relative silence of the Cribellum. Eventually he could see a woman, a woman unlike few others in Kalinor, a city where purity of blood was of great importance.

She was in her thirties and obviously had a human father. Her skin was darker than a Symenestra’s, a healthy, rosy tone, her arms and legs were shorter than a Symenestra’s, and her nails weren’t quite as sharp. Her white hair was short, and she was wearing pants and a silken tunic.

She looked Vyvian up and down for a moment, furrowing her brow a little as she did so. She didn’t seem to be impressed with what she was seeing - or maybe that was just her normal facial expression.

Finally she said, „I’m Dra-Nesyria Plicata, one of the librarians that work here. What can I do for you?“ A little reluctantly she added, „I’m sorry that I didn’t come right away. I was just taking care of a most important book, you know? It was damaged, and I’m trying to repair it.“

[Vyvian]

x

Vyvian blandly watched himself being inspected, hoping he failed whatever test there was to pass. When she was finished he took his own turn, poring over every detail of her body.

Hrm.. interesting...?

The words 'Interesting' and 'Book' connected in his mind, producing a sparkling fountain of interest.

"Oh, which book? Would I like it? Oh wait.. you don't know me.." he jabbered on to himself more than anyone, looking at Dra-Nesyria's feet, twisting his rings violently.

"Uhm well so... what I meant was.. what is this book about?"

He pushed a bunch of his hair out of his eyes and smiled boyishly, still young at heart. He missed education.

"Oh uhm.. and I'm here for books on following people unnoticed and generally being uhm.. quiet and observant? I think that's a thing.. a topic?"

Vyvian bit his lip partly in worry and partly in excitement.

x

[Poison]

As Dra-Nesyria noticed the way Vyvian was looking at her, she frowned – even though she had just stared at him the same way moments before. „My eyes are up here“, she reminded him and pointed at the eyes in question. „It’s impolite to look at any other part of a stranger’s body. And you are right. I don’t know you, but then I can’t know every 900 or 1.000 people in Kalinor. You can tell me your name if you want to. I just told you mine, so it would only be polite.“

She realized that Vyvian was staring at her feet now and rolled her eyes. What was wrong with him? Was he just shy or was there something wrong with his brain? „The book was about Akajia, a goddess that isn’t particularly popular here“, she replied. She wasn’t sure if she liked Vyvian, but she loved talking about books. It was the only topic she was really passionate about. „I got it from a visitor from the surface. Accidentially her gnosis enables people to move through shadows. A strange ability if you ask me.“

She narrowed her eyes as something occured to her. „Why are you interested in following people unnoticed and being quiet and observant? You aren’t going to use that knowledge to steal things and stalk unsuspecting girls, are you?“ Dra-Nesyria, it seemed, was a rather direct and not particularly friendly woman.

[Vyvian]

x

Vyvian listened to the 'advice' he was offered and did as he was asked. He locked eyes with her. Seeing as he couldn't take in any other detail, he started exploring the depths of her eyes. Considering his completely impassive face and slightly hunched posture, it appeared as if he was staring into the depths of her soul. His eyes unfocussed a little and he stared into some unseen place..

He blinked, and focussed more normally onto her eyes. "Oh, I'm Vyvian." he muttered absently as he fiddled with his ring.

Move through shadows.... Vyvian's eyes lit up visibly. That... sounded perfect. Kalinor was covered in shadows, and he spent a lot of his youth hiding in them... heck even naming them.

"Hmm... show me more of this... Akajia.."

He pursed his lips and thought... what had he missed? Why was she still looking at him funny?

"Oh! oh no I'm not stalking anyone, I'm just planning on leaving the city soon and want to learn how to follow someone to the nearest habitable without having to talk to them. I know we're not... taken kindly to outside of Kalinor."

This woman was surprisingly accurate.. his lie wasn't entirely false though. Not that he had any moral problem with lying to anyone.

x

[Flyaway]

Nesyria shifted uncomfortably beneath the weight of his gaze, and broke eye contact with Vyvian, before nervously brushing her silver mop of hair. A strange one indead. She had read many books on the study of the mind, enough to know something had gone awry in his social developement. Still, she could not deny the fact that the Symenestra made her uncomfortable.

"So you're a harvester then? Or do you plan on setting off for a gleaning?" No ther reason to leave the city popped into her mind, and the Symenestra seemed to be stricken with the curse of curiousity.

"Akajia is the goddess of the night, or more specifically, she reigns over the presance of darkness. While Leth Illuminates the world, Akajia it would seem is what Leth is illuminating. I can retreive the book for you if you'd like. So long as you don't further damage it. It is already in delicate condition as it stands."

The Dra gave Vyvian another breif evaluation, before deciding providing him with the knowledge would be mostly harmless. Still, she felt uneasy. "Unless you were looking for something else?"

[Vyvian]

x

Vyvian covered his mouth to conceal a smile, before bursting out into hoarse, rattling laughter.

"Me? A Harvester???""

He leant on his knees as he went weak from the hilarity from it, wiping a tear that had landed in his scar, turning it slightly pink.

"Look at me. I'm hardly a woman magnet am I" he chuckled, sobering slightly, before he pouted.

"And lets face it. That's all harvesters are. You're Dra, you should know that more than I could."

Flicking his hair to one side, unaware of his huge insult, he smiled more genially, liking the woman for making him laugh a bit.

"Yes this Akajia sounds ideal. I'd love to have as much as you on her."

x

[Flyaway]

Nesyria scrunched her petite face at Vyvian, cheecks flushing to a shade of bright pink. No matter. Though she was Dra, she considered herself one of the most intelligent women in Kalinor, and she did not need this man's approval to affirm that fact.

"I did not mean to insult you, wait here, I'll retreive your book."

She walked away for a moment, weaving carefully through the immense stacks of books until she reached a small three drawr chest amongst the shelves. The woman dug around for a moment before retreiving a thick volume, cover of leather with an immensly worn spine. She returned to Vyvian with a concerned expression on her face, reconsidering her decision to loan it to him.

"Its called Living Night," She said, looking the book over with painful reluctance. She handed it to the Symenestra, before she changed her mind, stating softly "Mind the spine," Before turning and disapearing amongst the stacks.

[Vyvian]

x

Licking his lips in anticipation Vyvian opened the book with as much care as he could possibly muster.

Living Night ~ Gods and Goddesses of the Night and other realms

Vyvian raised an eyebrow. Not just Akajia then.

Akajia, Dira, Ionu, Krysus, Nikali, Rhysol, Uldr, Vayt, Yshul

Vyvian read for possibly an entire day, he wasn't sure.

Out of them all, Akajia, Dira and Rhysol interested him the most.

Akajia and her secrets appealed to his mind. His curiosity about the outside world and about facts in general was boundless.. But now there was this seed of doubt. It seemed she preferred the more... neutral type of person.. He was far more opinionated and emotional than her followers were.. So as much as he'd love to be in her service, it seemed that she wouldn't like him. Mentall he shrugged and turned the page.

Dira was another interesting Goddess. She was the goddess of death, but what interested Vyvian was that she didn't crave for as many people to die as possible. To him she was more about inevitable death. Vyvian shifted his hair slightly and smiled wryly, she must love the Symenestra then. A death for every birth, what could be better? Upon reflection he felt like he shared the same views as Dira. As noble as the Esterians' intentions were, they were effectively glorifying clinging onto life no matter what.. Life was just .... life.. keep it while you can, but don't spend it fighting to keep more of it. What's the point of spending money if all you do is use it to get even more money.

And Rhysol. This character seemed to tug something deep in his heart. Chaos.. revenge.. treachery. He was seen as an aberration by all the other gods, and Vyvian almost felt sorry for him. He was just a natural production of the world, like him. Without social outcasts like him, there would be no social groups to enjoy. There can't be a popular group without there being people not allowed in it.

The same seemed to apply for Rhysol. He was the polar opposite of effectively everyone. He was change, he was chaos. Somewhere deep inside Vyvian he felt the same longing Rhysol provided to his followers. With Rhysol's Gnosis he could change Kalinor... change the world. Make it a better place. He could tell Rhysol would like it however. The number of people he would kill.. torture..

A glint went through his eye as he took some smaller books from nearby shelves and slipped them into his pockets. More research on these three gods was required.

x

[Flyaway]

Lore:

Basic Knowledge of Akajia, Basic Knowledge of Dira, Basic Knowledge of Rhysol

Secret :

notes

I couldn't award much here, since reading is not the same as performing an act, but this lore is easy to build upon. Keep up the good work!

If you feel I have graded unfairly, or have any questions, feel free to PM me!