[Alvadas Quest, Part I] Reflecting the Illusion of Water

[Cadence]

Timestamp: 70th of Fall, 510 AV Location: Aboard the Azure Lady Purpose: Crossing Suvan Sea to Alvadas Participating Characters: Aselia, Derric, Pain, Hadrian, Alichino Shadows swam in the depths of blue-green water, illuminated by soft, red sunlight. Pale light leaked over the horizon and spilled across the waves like golden syrup. The Azure Lady appeared to float atop the waves rather than through them, catching the golden syrup with her sails. She was a beautiful ship - spacious and elegant, with a slightly blue tint in her sails. At the stern of the ship, stood a broad-shouldered, bearded man who vaguely resembled a Drykas. Rather than facing the waters before him, the man’s head was turned toward the deck, where a rather peculiar group had assembled. His gaze swept over each person in turn, a wrinkle of distaste creasing his brow. These were not proper sea-faring men, especially not the funny-looking man on his right. The man was tall and gangly, with disproportionately long arms and an animated mouth. At the moment, he was using said mouth to deliver what Captain Ress hoped would not be a terribly long speech. “Gentlemen…and uh ladies,” he paused, nodding awkwardly at Pain and Aselia, his inexperience in dealing with women becoming self-evident. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Deputy Scholar of Alvadas, Saaren Curn and the esteemed gentleman standing to my right is-” “For Ionu’s sake, Curn, let me introduce myself,” grumbled the elderly man standing beside Curn. He was short of stature - especially in comparison to his tall companion – and wore a gracefully aged face, complete with a receding hairline. “I am Doddel Apserenus, Head Scholar of Alvadas. You will call me Master Asperenus,” he said with emphasis, glaring at Aselia, Derric, Pain, Hadrian, and Alichino in turn. “You have all boarded this ship in the hopes of reaching Alvadas in one piece. I very much share in that hope. It will be up to Captain Ress to fulfill it.” He nodded curtly to the captain before he continued, “I realize we did not have the time for proper introductions before we set off, as Captain Ress seems insistent on following some sort of silly schedule.” The captain blustered at that, but kept his mouth shut. “And while Ionu holds deception in higher esteem than the truth, the captain had expressed a peculiar desire to have all of you properly and truthfully identified. So-” He was cut off by the angry captain, who could no longer hold in his indignation at having someone else command his ship. “Nothin’ peculiar about wantin’ to know who I’m letting’ on my ship,” he barked. “So get to it! Tell us ye names before I make up my mind and kick you lot off my ship.” Everyone listened patiently as the five travelers introduced themselves. Asperenus nodded silently to himself a couple of times, his shrewd eyes taking in everything the travelers were saying and perhaps a bit more. Meanwhile, the captain tapped his foot impatiently, his gaze darting back and forth between the masts and the sea. Once introductions were made, he locked eyes with a deck-hand who appeared to be hiding behind one of the masts and yelled, "What did I tell ye about slackin' off. Just ye wait 'till i get to you." and with that, he strode off in the direction of the unfortunate lad without so much as a word of acknowledgment to the group of people he left standing behind. “Well, now that’s done, we had better move on to more important matters," said Asperenus after a momen'ts silence. "You have much to understand before you can be fully prepared to enter Alvadas, but I am not about to lecture you as if you were school children. You wish to know something, you ask,” he concluded and turned about on his heel, rapidly descending the stairs that led below deck. Curn seemed to waver for a bit before resolutely striding off toward the ship’s stern. He called over his shoulder hopefully, “ I-I am just as capable of explaining Alvadas as Master Asperenus. So, I w-would appreciate it if you followed me.” Just as the five adventurers were deciding who to follow, the door of the captain’s cabin at the center of the deck creaked open to reveal a messy head of long black tresses and a glimpse of red fabric. The door closed just as abruptly, but not before the ghost of an inviting smile could be glimpsed below the mop of hair. It appeared that the adventurers had a choice to make.

[Elhaym]

The ship was Pain's ticket out of Syliras, and it had come at a good time. Her business was in Lhavit, but Alvadas was as good a stepping stone as any in her journey and the passage was free. So here she stood. It was surprising to see Aselia, and as she approached her at the dock's with Tanny trailing on his leash, she called out in greeting. Pain had no time for formal conversation, as she was interrupted by the small speech and was forced to remain quiet for it's duration. Blah blah blah, "call me master". Yeah, okay. Pain instead focused on the ship itself, which was a bit odd in the way it sat in the water. Her head tilted curiously to the side and she bit down on her lower lip, squinting her eyes as she tried to deduce the reasoning behind this. Tanny wiggled uncomfortably at her feet. Ah, introductions. Just great. Pain waited her turn, and when all eyes settled on her she fumbled for a moment. She bent down and picked up Tanny, cradling him like a baby in her arms despite being a fairly old Sykanis breed. "Err... I'm Elhaym Vormav. This is Tanny. Uh..." Pain said tentatively, trailing off as expectant eyes waited for something of more substance. "... That's all." She watched as the Captain departed, noting his solemn outlook on the whole situation. Everyone else was a little off. As the two scholarly types departed, inferring that those who had questions follow them, Pain took a step in the direction of the Captain. But damn, she had never been on a ship before. Sea legs? Those, she did not have. It was an odd sensation, and Pain suddenly felt like going inside might be a little easier for the first bit of the trip. At least until she got used to this feeling. So, she turned on her heel just in time to see the Captain's cabin door opening and a welcoming smile... she thought? Hard to tell. Whatever, she would throw up on Aselia's shoes if she hung around the deck too much longer. And on that note, she didn't really have much to say to anyone on deck aside from Aselia. They all looked like a bunch of nerds and wimps. The two scholarly types seemed a bit off as well... she didn't have much desire to speak in depth with them at the moment. Pain took this moment to pat Aselia on the side, and lean in close. "Hey... thanks for before. I know I acted weird. Just, err... wanted you to know. I found what I was looking for." She said in a hushed whisper. She gave Aselia her goofy smile and a final pat before turning on her heels and heading to the the door she'd seen open a few moments ago. Her movements were a bit awkward with the heavy backpack on her back, stuffed with all her clothes and knick knacks. Like a happy little girl, heading off for the first day of school. Hard to tell that she was a fighter by nature. "Come on Tanny, I don't want you to fall overboard you old bastard." Happy panting in response. Pain reached out with a free hand, and opened the door wide. She turned, giving Aselia and the others a small wave and a grin before disappearing inside.

[Alichino]

Alichino found both scholars and authority figures absolutely repugnant. He found the captain's speech dreadfully commanding and it did not sit well with him. They were so boring. Being so engrossed in their work they could not enjoy the true grandeur of the world nor see it as it is. At least he could find some consolation in the sailors whom he imagined would have some semblance of a sense of humor. If all else failed he could liberate whatever alcoholic beverages are undoubtedly stored on board and let them have great fun with them. While that would reduce their comprehension of his tomfoolery it would surely send more laughs in his direction. Though, his disposition towards the scholars had formed an odd dichotomy. The head scholar While he thought they were stuffy and boring the possibility of these fellows bearing the magic of Ionu let the imagination run wild. Were they skilled enough entire people on the ship could be illusions. It would even be possible that they were not scholars at all, but rather only playing the role of scholars which would make their stuffy exterior purely a facade for their underlying genius! Of course, he had no way of knowing, but that made it all the more amazing. His mind swayed back into reality when a girl of the group that seemed out of place at sea (a group that Alichino was no doubt a part of) introduced herself. Elhaym Vormav was as awkward to the tongue as Elhaym Vormav herself was at speaking. Oh, she introduced her little dog, cute. This gawky woman appeared extremely introverted and he would need to work on freeing her. The crowd seemed to focus on him next and he saw a man point at him. Clearly it was his cue to introduce himself. “Greetings, gentlemen. I am Alichino and that is all,” he said, mimicking the previous speaker's final words. “if you are unsettled by the lack of surname and doubt that this is my identity, I assure you that I am as much Alichino as that man is Saaren Curn, that one Doddel Asperenus, and she is … awkward” he said indicating the two men and then Elhaym. His jest appeared to distract and satisfy the peanut gallery and they moved on to the rest of the introductions. After the travelers were introduced the captain ran off to discipline some lazy peon. Alichino was perplexed as to how the captain could run so normally on this swaying ship and with that large pole lodged in his rear end. He laughed at this image and received concerned looks from those around him. He went off to follow the captain so that he could congratulate the young man who so bravely dared to lounge. What a respectable fellow.

[Derric]

Derric

Derric's decision to head to Alvadas wasn't nearly as simple as it was for Pain. In the end, however, he couldn't pass up the opportunity to board this ship. The excitement, the adventure, both were no more than small reasons in his head. Sure, left at that, it was still a tempting offer. The bland life that makes up most of Syliras can only be endured for so long. Yet, Derric's real reasoning that led him to make the trip was the prospect of how much he could learn. The performer's talent in street magic was limited to how quick he could be with his hands, but it wasn't like that in Alvadas. He'd heard the stories. Artists capable of making artwork move about the canvas, chefs with the ability to make garbage taste like chocolate, magicians with no bounds, all of them limited only by their imagination. Oh, as tempting at the adventure itself was, Derric just had to learn the secrets of Alvadas. They were truly too amazing for a man like himself to pass up.

He only caught bits and pieces of that opening speech, his head was in a far different place. Derric's mind landed back in reality as Pain made her introduction. "Err... I'm Elhaym Vormav. This is Tanny. Uh... That's all." Well, Derric thought to himself, I suppose we can't all be as good at performing as I am. And that was the truth, years of performing in front of crowds had done wonders for the magician's composure, and he would no doubt use that to his advantage here.

"Hi! You can call me Derric," he had missed the actual call for introductions but was smart enough to follow in Pain's steps, "I specialize in street magic, though I have no doubts that the people of Alvadas have much greater talents than I." Derric spoke in a way that made a lack of self-esteem seem like a good thing. He wasn't whining about his incompetence, rather the way the words came from his mouth, it seemed more likely that he simply wanted to see the legendary Alvadas in action.

Had Derric continued to pay attention, as opposed to once again letting his thoughts drift to Alvadas, he would have probably followed Master Asperenus. Of course, that wasn't what happened, and he instead chose to once again follow Pain. With no idea that it was the wrong thing to do, Derric entered the captain's cabin. EDIT!Darn, I didn't see that Alich had posted...

[Hadrian]

There were people all around him, and he didn't know a single one of them. Therefore, Hadrian reverted to his usual behavior in such situations. He drew himself up to his rather impressive height, stiff-backed and aloof. Fair skin and pale eyes and a lack of welcoming smile tended to put people off, but he thought that was better than embarrassing himself in public. Even as he thought of it, he assumed the Alvadans would know that the exterior of a man did not always match up with the interior. Not that he cared. "Hadrian Aelius," he said when his turn came. Since he was addressing a pair of esteemed -- apparently -- scholars, he added, "I've a degree in Anthropology and Magical Studies from the University of Zeltiva." But that was about all he felt comfortable sharing. Already, he had engaged his Auristics to take in the Captain, the scholars, his fellow travlers -- though he wasn't sure he wanted to be lumped in with those x-factors yet -- and the strange one who appeared just at the end of the introductory session. There wasn't much he could See straightaway, but while his skills were improving, he was far from mastery of that discipline. Perhaps in time he would be able to See through the illusions of Alvadas, too, or learn to spin them. Choosing the path of least resistance, he followed the scholars into the hold hurrying his long strides to be the first to catch up with them. He could feel comfortable with them as a fellow scholar, even if it turned out that their appearances were deceiving as well. Just as he thought he could survive the dangers of Sahova, so he felt about Alvadas. If he had only survived Sahova by the skin of his teeth, at least he had a good track record of surviving. "Masters Apserenus, Curn... It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He tried to smile, and certainly it was easier to be sincere with scholars than a hodge podge of strangers. And it was better than lingering with a Konti; they always made his brain short-circuit like a malfunctioning golem's. At least he was used to sea travel and would not vomit on them. Horrible first impression, that.

[Cadence]

OOCWe will continue the quest without Aselia's post for the time being. She will have an opportunity to jump in if she finds the time to do so. In the meantime, you can assume that the Konti is on board, but please refrain from any direct interaction with her. Pain and Derric The door opened, throwing light on the dimmed surroundings. The room was crammed from floor to ceiling with ship-related supplies – everything from broken compasses to maps to strangely-shaped barometers. In the very center of the small room stood what must have been the captain’s own desk. Except, it was not the captain than now sat behind it… A candle on the desk illuminated the dark figure huddled in the captain’s chair. It was impossible to tell the woman’s age in the dimmed light. Tangled black hair sat in a teetering sculpture atop her head and her thin frame was draped with fabrics in every shade of blue imaginable. She regarded Pain and Derric with pale blue eyes that seemed to focus on a point somewhere behind their heads. “Shut the door,” she said in a throaty voice that reverberated off the cabin’s walls. With the outside source of light gone, the room plunged into darkness with the lone candle being the only source of light. The woman continued to stare at her visitors, her ethereal eyes slightly glazed over. Finally, she muttered, “You are here to learn a few tricks, only you don’t know what tricks you will learn yet. Restless, restless… You think that a new place will bring new things, only all places are the same.” It was unclear whether the woman was speaking to Pain or Derric. Perhaps, she was addressing them both. She cocked her head to the side – an oddly bird-like gesture that sent her hair tumbling down to rest on her shoulders – and fell silent. Then, in a much more engaged tone of voice, she asked, “What are you doing here, humans?” Her eyes had lost their glazed look and she was now looking directly at the tow people before her. Alichino “What’s wrong with ye, ye scoundrel? Do ye think this ship runs itself?” yelled the captain, his rage directed at the young man who stood leaning against the mast. The man was of medium build, with pale, yellow curls that only served to accentuate the boyishness of his face. He seemed unperturbed by the captain’s reddening complexion, continuing to fiddle with something hidden in his hand. Noticing Alichino, the man straightened slightly and gave him a little wave. “Beautiful day, isn’t it?” Captain Ress’s face had taken on a purple hue and his eyes now appeared to be slightly crossed. “Don’t ye start chattering with the land lubber! Do your job!” he screamed at the top of his lungs. “My job? But I already did my job. Hadn’t you noticed, Captain?” the man asked, his eyes locked on those of the captain. A small smirk passed across his lips – a perfect addition to his slouching image. But even as his body language conveyed relaxation, his blue eyes shown with a fierce intensity. “Well… I suppose- that is… Yea, ye did, didn’t ye?” Ress scratched his head in confusion. “Well… Uh. Carry on then,” he finished lamely and lumbered off, shaking his head in an attempt to clear it. The man slouched back against the mast and gave Alichino a wide grin. “Works every time,” he said, a note of satisfaction ringing in his voice. “Alichino, right? Heard you lot talking at the bow. I can’t imagine what’s got the captain so worked up. And here I was, hoping that the calming draught I dropped in his ale yesterday would do him some good.” The man opened his hand to reveal a small coin. He tossed it lazily into the air and watched the coin reach the peak of its flight and plummet downward. However, before the coin reached the man’s hand, it vanished. Hadrian The three men had descended bellow-deck and entered a rather spacious room. It appeared to be a sort of meeting room for the ship’s crew. There was a rather worn, old table in the center of the room with seven chairs pulled up to it and a large map resting on its surface. Some crates were piled up in the corner. An armchair – or rather, what was once an armchair, but was now a mess of fabric, wood, and rat bites – sprawled at the head of the table. Apserenus made directly for the armchair, lowering himself into it as gingerly as if he was sitting in a luxurious, leather chair. Curn dashed for a nearby chair, attempting to look as graceful as the Head Scholar and failing miserably. Asperenus looked Hadrian up and down as if he was observing interesting phenomena. “I can see you picked up some manners in Zeltiva,” he said gruffly. “Never was much of a place for manners when I studied at the University. But things always change.” He spoke the last sentence as if it were a personal mantra rather than a casual observation. “You learned anything useful with that degree in Anthropology and Magical Studies? You think you can analyze everyone now?” Asperenus asked, narrowing his eyes slightly. “Master Asperenus says a degree is never enough,” Curn piped up, eager to get a word in. “One must always have experience. But you’ll get that in Alvadas, what with all the strange people that are-” He promptly cut himself off after becoming aware of the withering look that the older man was sending his way.

[Elhaym]

Well, it was better than being on deck... but not by much. As the woman issued her command, Pain reached behind her to close the door. She twisted her arm past Derric, and closed it a bit harder than intended. The slam reverberated throughout the room, and Pain winced a bit. No introductions, only strange words from an even stranger woman. She was speaking of tricks, new things... yet what Pain wanted from this journey was infinitely simpler than that. She kept her mouth shut though, fiddling with the leash that was wrapped around her right wrist. Tanny had stopped at her feet, and was sitting patiently. All that time at the Tooth and Claw had done her some good as far as training her little dog was concerned, it seemed. She finished her odd introduction with a question. Well, "Derric" didn't seem interested in speaking first... whether he was afraid, or just being courteous Pain could not tell. Despite, she simply shrugged and began to speak. "Uhhh... well, I'm sort of on my way into Kalea. So, this trip was free, didn't cost me a single Miza. I don't know much about Alvadas honestly, just that it's... odd. That's what some of the people on the dock said. Odd." Pain said in her typical blunt manner. It was true, it wasn't so much Alvadas that interested her as the free ride and perhaps finding a way into Lhavit once she was across the sea. Pain shrugged her shoulders back and forth, adjusting her heavy pack as she did so. "So, err... that's it for me, I guess. Just uh, needed a ride." Pain reiterated, glancing down at Tanny. Her eyes were beginning to adjust to the dim lighting of the room, and the dancing shadows the lone candle's flickering cast about the room. It seemed odd that this woman was sitting in what definitely appeared to be the Captain's cabin, but Pain assumed she was his wife. His creepy wife. "How bout' you fella, why'd you come?" Pain said, nudging Derric in the ribs with her elbow. All eyes fell to him. Four human, two canine.

[Derric]

“Shut the door.” The woman's entire being chilled Derric to the bone. Her pale blue eyes, the way they seemed to stare at both the magician and Pain while, in reality, looking at neither. Her messy hair reminded him of snakes, poised to strike at any moment. Oh, and her voice. The way it seemed to echo about the room, the unnatural tone. It was all so... Spooky. As hard as he tried to hide his fright, Derric had no doubt that she saw right through his act. No actor, no matter how talented, could hide their true emotions from everyone. As the door closed, the room darkened, and with that the cabin seemed to expand infinitely in every direction. The blackness went on forever, the only anchor to reality became the flickering light that shone from that lone candle. “You are here to learn a few tricks, only you don’t know what tricks you will learn yet. Restless, restless… You think that a new place will bring new things, only all places are the same.” The moment the words left her mouth, Derric felt sure that they were meant for him. That was why he was here, after all. New tricks. Oh, he'd do anything to learn those secrets. All fear left the magicians mind and he became totally focused on the words flowing from her mouth. New places? Yes, he wanted that as well. The entire concept of Alvadas was alluring, and Derric couldn't resist a single aspect of it, no matter how creepy this woman turned out to be. “What are you doing here, humans?” It took him a few moments to realize he was meant to respond, and by the time he was ready, Pain had already begun to speak. She said all she needed was a ride, and that only helped to enforce the idea that the strange woman was only interested in him. It didn't matter if he was wrong, Derric felt that he was there for a reason, and that the woman wanted to speak to him for some, surely interesting, reason. "I'm here because I want to explore Alvadas," Derric began, trying to sound as sincere as possible, "I'm intrigued by the mystery and want nothing more than to try and fit my mind around the secrets that the city holds. Though you have struck my curiosity as well. What did you mean by all places are the same? How could some place so unique as Alvadas compare, in anyway, to Syliras?" In his mind, Derric also wondered why she had said humans, when she appeared to be one herself. Though, one question would be fine for now.

[Hadrian]

OOCSorry for the delays. I've been having an uber-busy week and I should have my own internet again after the 27th.

"Some were polite in Zeltiva, others not. That seems to be true of everywhere I have been, sir, though I suppose my own proclivities toward etiquette are due in large part to my mother's influence." He considered their questions and comments before responding further; he disliked admitting mistakes as much as the next person, so he attempted not to make any. "I laid a foundation in Zeltiva, but I have no wish to be an ivory tower intellectual. I have always been a traveler, so I have been renewing my travels to really put my learning into context. After graduation I went to Sahova to study both the cultural milieu and make contacts within their magical community. That is also why I have taken this opportunity to visit Alvadas: lifelong learning." He paused again. "Would it be presumptuous of me to ask you for more details about opportunities for scholarship and magery in Alvadas, specifically for this trip, and in general?"

[Alichino]

The lackadaisical way that the man had taken care of his captain was extremely impressive. All he had done was locked eyes with the captain and his superior became his plaything. He frowned to consider what had happened as if by magic. It then occurred to him that it was by magic. He knew little of magic, but for a man to calm such a wound up old bastard and also tell a lie directly to his mind purely by looking at him and speaking was certainly dangerous. Exciting. Though, in all truth the technique of deceit utilized by this fellow was a bit disappointing. Why tell them a lie when you can make them believe it by showing them one? It seemed so artificial. “Works every time,” he said to Alichino while giving him a wide grin. Alichino grinned back and chills of titillation shot up his spine. The young man then recounted his triumph over the captain's beverage that, unfortunately, did not work up to par. He mentioned something in this about the captain being stressed. Alichino had noticed it too, but dismissed it almost immediately. What did it matter what the captain was worried about? He was about to express his apathy towards the captain and jump on another opportunity to call him a gloomy misanthrope when his breath was taken away by his acquaintance's trick. He clapped out of utter jubilation when he saw this extreme illusion. “That's quite a lot of cunning or perhaps power you've got right there! It happened so fast that there are almost no doubts that it blinked out of existence or teleported elsewhere,” he congratulated the man on his trick, “Though, my eyes were on the place the coin vanished so that begs the question, what were you doing during that time? I would like to take a shot in the dark and guess that the coin is still in your hand.”