“The Inarta who visit us as part of the trade missions tend to understand Common perfectly well. That said, we want to do them the courtesy of dealing with them in their own language when we can; they're important to the city and people the world over always like to see others making an effort for them. I'd be a fool indeed if I didn't take the time to learn a little more about our key trading partners.”
"Truuue...while that is potentially the most polite arrangement if," Una was about to say you when she realized that might be taken too personally and replaced it with the word, "one were talking about sensitive information one might find using a language both parties are equally familiar with to be more valuable..." She bit her lip as she thought on the spot, following her own logic as she progressed.
"A party is more forgiving of misunderstandings if they themselves can sympathize with its inception, such as a misunderstanding due to a language barrier. Furthermore, the Nari language is incredibly difficult for one to speak with even limited success and I'm sure that people in positions such as yours would find it in their best interests to focus their limited time elsewhere and use an interpreter fluent in the language and have only learned a few choice phrases such as 'thank you' to show their loyalty to their trading partners..." Though Una had no experience with such things she felt her logic made sense and hoped the Councillor would interpret it as a show of her skill in linguistics instead of insubordination.
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The radiant inhuman form before her tilted her head in so human and uncharacteristic a way that Una felt the small pass of a shiver over her shoulders as her horns gleaned in the sunlight. There was no mistaking the beauty or power of the woman before her, though as of yet Una could not truly understand the level of power Alses held over the city. As she would begin to grow and learn about the city, perhaps she would one day realize truly how much her position challenged the old authority. In the mean time she was none the less impressed by her regal movement and authority.
“Is that so? Perhaps you should pay a visit to the Cosmos Centre – regardless of the outcome of our little interview. They'll be able to sort you out with suitable accommodation in the city and they'll direct you to the Wizard's Registry. The Shinya guards should have told you to go there when you first came to Lhavit, actually, but we suppose that's neither here nor there.” Her smile was as stoic and warm as Syna's rays in the dead of winter glimmering off the snow and dazzling Una's sensitive eyes.
Careful, not wanting to get the guards in trouble she quickly rushed to their defense, "In their defense there were many people dismounting from the boat and much cargo to catalog. I imagine they were quite busy as it was and with so many Charodae in the dock I am sure I blended in far too much for them to worry themselves over me." While she had felt at home among the greys, greens and blues of the Charoda on the dock there was no doubt she had not blended in, despite her own belief she had. Her opalescent white was stark against any of the Charoda on the dock. However, it was indeed true, in both her tale and in fact that the Shinya had been busy searching the belongings of the ship. Though it was beyond Una's understanding of Wind Reach it was infamous for the various drugs many sailors smuggled into other cities to couch their coin purses and searches frequently went on on ships docking from Wind Reach.
“It's the law in our fair city that all mages should be registered as soon as they arrive, really. It's a necessary safeguard, you see – we have so many djed-aware people in the city that overgiving is a constant spectre, and if the Shinya know what they're up against in the sad event, then they can prepare well and we can save as many lives as possible and limit the destruction.”
Overgiving? Una tilted her head but kept very silent. The note of warning in the Councillors voice could not be mistaken for anything else and she quickly nodded her head in acquiescence.
"Of course."
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“Well, we suppose the main thing is that you know some magic,” she finally responded to Unas' response.
Was the silence one of dissatisfaction or was she merely thinking deeply on the fact and its many uses? Una wondered wishing to ask aloud but keeping herself checked.
Her usual abounding curiosity must be stayed... she had decided
...if she questioned the Councillor too much they would stray from the original interview line and she worried she would be excused liked but having relayed very little. “How do you feel about learning some more? Nothing too dangerous; some world magic, perhaps?”
Dangerous? World Magic? Unas aura would be spiraling chaotically as her curiosity expanded as quickly and tenaciously as the tentacles at her head dove along her shoulders twitching with the effort of retained questions.
"If it would aid me in serving you and the people of Lhavit, I would be amicable to the idea." She responded carefully, in truth she had little interest in magic but was more interested in the knowledge working for such a powerful individual would allow for and perhaps for the chance at engaging in public relations with Lhavits various trading partners. She had had little exposure to magic, beyond Spiritism she knew other magic existed but not of its uses or various forms.
Perhaps some would allow her to garner more knowledge, if that was truth I would most certainly be interested.____________________________________________________________
“You're quite correct. Well done – and it's a glyph. Useful discipline, Glyphing, if a little overlooked these days. Back before the Valterrian, it was the arcane equivalent of writing; almost every wizard had a little skill with it. Now, though...it's a rare mage who does.” Her dissatisfaction was evident and Una wished she knew some Glyphing with which to enamor the Councillor with but unfortunately she knew not what was it was let alone how to learn it and was left to merely nod her head agreeably. The idea of a magic equivalent to writing however intrigued the Charoda deeply. Would there be more untold stories and historical truths to be gleaned from learning such a language.
“Probably because it doesn't let you incinerate your foes or drop them through holes in the world – at least, not directly." Una couldn't help the widening of her eyes at the mention of the power of magic,
Magic can do all that...holes in the world and... the gills along the side of her neck and face puffed out slightly as if the knowledge was as satisfying and life fulfilling as the air and water itself she satisfied her body upon.
“As you'll have noticed, you understood what it said and – more importantly - what it meant straight away. It wouldn't have mattered if you didn't speak a word of Common – you'd still have understood what I wrote; it's a very useful communication tool between wizards because of that. No messing around with words that could be misinterpreted, no worrying about the language barrier. Just pure meaning, pressed straight into your head. The only prerequisite is understanding what djed actually is. If you didn't have that knowledge, then the glyph I had you read would have been so much gibberish.”
Una grinned her head getting sore from the amount of nodding she did as the Councillor spoke.
An entire language built from pure meaning? It was a writers dream. No fussing with confusing nouns and tenses. No learning the connotations and turns of phrase that each culture had borne.Alses smiled the same disarming smile she had a few moments previous leaving Una a little stunned but far less anxious than when she had first entered the room. “A little security against the uninitiated reading one's messages.”
However, if such a language was truly only a Mage's world the language would reveal only that which a Mage had experienced or wished to write about...that was, outside of a Lhavit, a very limited portion of the population.“It has other uses, too, of course – you'll find bits of the discipline have made their way into most world magic, as protection or containment mechanisms, and if you're skilled with it, you can trap magic and turn it aside or store it for later. We could give you all our skill in auristics and let you see the world drenched in colour and light for a time, for instance, if we wanted to – and if it wouldn't drive you mad, in all probability.”
Like putting soulmist in a jar, one could put the very essence of Magic in one. Una thought, trying to make these broad concepts as relatable as possible while the intricacies of what was said in the next sentence washed over her ears in a murmur of words she couldn't understand the intricacies of.
“We're sure I'll have more things to ask you, But by all means ask your questions. We like to encourage an inquiring mind. What would you like to know?” She replied amicably enough making Una inwardly wince, she hadn't meant to interrupt the Councillor but was glad she had responded so well and revealed her appreciation for an inquiring mind.
"Well...the basics of the job of course. What would be required of me? What hours would I be expected to work and what days? Where would I be working directly and what would be my reimbursement? Beyond the basics, who would I be working with? Would I be paid while learning this magic you speak of and who would be teaching me and to what end?" She paused for a moment sewing her mouth shut, or so to speak. There were more than enough questions on the floor for the Councillor to answer without attacking the air with more.
