A Game of Shadows(Naama )

by **Antar** on February 1st, 2012, 9:23 am

47th of Winter, 511av...

Two days... two days since he had started an insane desire to determine whether Ulric was or was not the mythical figure from that dream. Pheh, dreams... thinking they meant anything , even when they did, had always lead him to trouble.

Now... trouble had come acalling on him in the form of Ulric's prospective mate, a woman he barely knew called Naama asking a rather interesting favor from him. It seemed she was scared of something, not scared of something on the outside of her influences but rather scared of something inside herself. It had taken a lot to relay that to an almost stranger, but perhaps desperation had made her reach out to someone outside her daily situation for help in an attempt to keep her privacy.

Antar wasn't sure if she understood just how well she had chosen her current confidant. He was well versed in the keeping of secrets. Those which were his own were rather paramount in locked recesses of his mind. Never to be uttered or given notice to anyone else ever again. What was a few more from others added to the weight of his soul?

He had lead her, and his horse Dawnstride through the gaping maw towards the outside of the city of Alvadas. Lending her Duskplodder, a black mare with the breed mountain pony for the day, the two would slowly make their way towards the Patchwork Port. He had recently made a trip with Shai and had found a secluded glade not far off the small town of mismatched buildings which was the backbone of the settlement there. It was a small grove, well suited for practice or meditation, or even the discussing of temperamental thoughts that seemed to flee from one's mind like grains of sand slipping through one's fingertips.

Normally, the rogue would never have hazarded the thought that he should help someone who was barely an acquaintaince.

'But...' the thought nagged at him, 'if Ulric was what Antar believed him to be; then it would require him to be surrounded by those who were strong enough to aid him in the future.' When he looked at Naama's request in that regard, then it was only right for him to try to help her. The shifting of the horses hooves upon the soil was eerily reassuring to him as they went at a slow pace, from time to time, the cloaked man would turn and make some small talk with the woman, sensing her discomfort in his aura from being around him. Other times he would reach the forefront of his saddle to scratch at Ellise's breast feathers as she clung there.

She was his little ally here, just in case things got rougher then they should he could send her flying back to Shai for help... though Antar hadn't told the symenestran woman where he was going today.

Finally, as they began to be about a mile away from the port, Antar would turn in the saddle and ask the question he was meaning to ask point blank. The tones of his words, gentle, yet detached. Keeping a bridge of distance between them. "You said there was a shadow in your mind that you wished to assess and excise... Naama, could you please tell me what you meant when it made you think it would make you attack Ulric? Was something done to you to cause this shadow?"

by **Naama** on February 3rd, 2012, 8:22 pm

Horseriding was as unnatural to Naama as a life devoid of bloodshed. But she did not complain, nor did she bother to break the silence with unnecessary words. She was here for one reason: to remain inconspicous, and to assess the damage the bastard hypnotist had unraveled several weeks ago. She had chosen this stranger for his ability to percieve auras, which he gladly spoke of as if that was a normal aspect of any conversation. Naama considered him a magician, and that's all she needed.

Antar's question was regarded with little courtesy. "Let's get this straight, wizard. You help me, and I'll be willing to return the favor. Now the catch is to remain silent, don't ask questions, don't pry into my personal life. Do whatever it is you magic types do and fix the problem."

She slid off the mare, wading into the surrounding wood, "I can tell you that I'm plagued with images of dhani. Sometimes it's fleeting, yet other days it can last for too long. Chimes, almost a bell. I want them gone."

by **Antar** on February 11th, 2012, 5:44 pm

Antar sighed, very well, Naama had stated her position most clearly. So it was time to state his. "First off since you are blunt... I'll be blunter. Its a retired mercenary turned carpenter, not wizard. Knowing when a target may bolt left or right is crucial when chasing down thugs that need to be sent to Hai hence why auristics is key in that profession. Especially when half those criminals are half raving lunatics who dabbled far too much in the arcane. Er go, do not call me a wizard and I won't call you some pirate out for Ulric's bootyXD Sorry I couldn't resist Pao

.

If you weren't an -uh, Associate of Ulric's then I simply wouldn't be trying to help you now. Nor have I promised that I can successfully. I can only try to assess where that trigger begins under stress or danger from some threat. That way I prevent a threat later on to him. If you weren't someone he cared for, and knew of that ability of mine, then I'd simply end your life and dump you in the sea. In shorter terms: don't spread such things around. Former Bounty hunters like myself are not nice to have coming after your pretty little tail even if you got quite a cute arse. Oh, and with that comment, yes the testing of your stresses has already begun."

He sighed and dismounted from the saddle, lifting his one leg up and over the rump of the animal as he held his weight up with his hands. Doing so allowed him to dismount to the side without keeping his feet in the stirrups, something essential to not harm a horse. Soon though, while he was walking a short distance apart , as his voice took a clinical tone. "Now its time for some information, Auristics is the ability of reading auras, not gaining information about the person's past through them. It does not allow one to read someone else's mind, only to interpret changes in the aura which are common to moments of emotional turmoil. It can also be used to detect temperature and a few other things.

Your descriptions seem to be of someone under an induced obsession; something in a field I've barely acquired much knowledge on except to hunt wielders of it like symenestra: Hypnotism. Luckily, if memory allows, there may be a hypnotist who might help you in Alvadas should we determine your mental stressors.

He could do far more things then me to pry into your past, but may only be a part of your solution. Wherever there is hypnotism, there is mental contamination. Luckily, from a konti named kamalia, I've learned there's a few things followers of Rak'keli can do. In fact, I've learned this information in regards to a rather indicative case a friend of mine has similar yet much more severe then yours. Opal Order Healers they're called."

He sighed, pushing ahead of Naama past the branches of a bush, hacking it away from their path with his kukri before tossing them to the side. "Just so you know; anything we discern here to help you will probably require you to seek out two things for help: the hypnotist I just told you is in Alvadas, and anyone with Rak'keli's blessing. I won't lie and say I can snap my fingers and 'cure' you, that's deceptive and no woman of Ulric's deserves that deception. Even if you were to go to a hypnotist to help stop these visions, I would still implore you to seek a healer afterwards for the contamination such a cure would probably bring.

Pressing his lips together he would turn back to look at her, "In order to attempt to trigger an episode about this dhani; your ire today towards anyone nearby will definitely need to be aroused to the levels you feel in a fight. We'll start with insults so its your turn. Insult first, information second. Tell me what these visions consist of and what senses they affect, be they sight, taste, smell, etcetra."

Now, since my time isn't free Naama and being Uhr-X- I mean Ulric's mate will only get you so far in my good graces since I wish to protect him. So now we unfortanately have a hurdle to get over: we talk payment for any help I can give you and you may still need to pay for additional help down the road from a hypnotist or a healer. It doesn't have to be mizas, or anything physical save maybe a teaching of one skill to another. Any thoughts?"

A loud sigh would spread between them. The rogue would go silent for a long moment, considering something that maybe she could help him with. "You know... I may ask you for relationship help instead for my attempt to help you. I do, like many a male, have my own problems with a certain woman. Would that be acceptable to you? Remember, insult first, information second." Behind them, still on the saddle, Ellise chortled a little. From what Antar didn't know but it was obvious she was enjoying the scene...

oocYou have permission to use Antar and Ellise the falcon kelvic as a meat puppets with their words and actions as you wish during the response . Be it an attack or not. >.<. Just please don't kill the birdie :'(

by **Daydream** on November 3rd, 2012, 7:58 pm

Antar:

XP :

Lores :

Comments: I tried to squeeze as much as I could for you seeming as how it appeared you wanted this thread to continue. Naama, you only posted once so I'm not sure there's anything to reward for that but if you do feel as though you want something out of please let me know. Any questions, comments, or concerns, please PM me! Thanks!

~Keep dreaming!