Awake My Soul [Closed]

[Chronicle]

Awake My Soul

Ash 10th, 121 AoS

The Elysium Halls were massive when one entered their marbled threshold, with the treasure trove of historical artifacts and magical oddities that resided within it. For anyone who might be a tourist it would be a grand opportunity to see remnants of history, and perhaps learn a thing or two of Kalzasi's own culture while they visited. However one such person stood at the first few steps of this great museum, his dark eyes heavily upon the structure with a sense of awe found within them.

Fascinated as he was he didn't wander here so aimlessly, for something here beckoned for him to explore it, something not quite like the sense of adventure one found when plagued with curiosity. Odison stood in place with his shoulders hung low from uncertainty, the pause of his gait only caused by the concern for the blackened stone on his collar. He had started to remember things... Things that either were or weren't, things that seemed before his time, and yet part of his time here on Ransera no less. It was all so confusing, and it drove him to desire answers in the form of questions.

Hence the visit to the great halls of the Elysium, and the unremarkable gait he picked up when he started up the stairs toward the door. "What could go wrong?" He seemed to figure as he marched toward the door, nodding to the private guard that greeted all visitors that came to the Halls in search of discovery. Entering the premises he inspected his black robe for a moment, its design suggestive of a southern culture rather than the Circle's own particular pieces. Crossing through the doorway and into the great hall where the red carpet awaited all, a mob of civilians had already clustered around one of the curators of the museum. "Gather around people, yes, gather around!" A sporty and spry Hytori with ginger hair and fancy clothes herded those who'd initially entered into a group, his golden eyes complimented by the warm smile he fed everyone before him.

"Good afternoon visitors, my name is Boris and I'll be your guide through your walk of the museum today! Welcome to the Elysium halls!" The mob applauded his vivid greeting when he paused, Odison being one of few who didn't reward the Elve with praise from where he stood. "Before we can get underway, I must request that those who are here for the guided tour please remain here, those who would like just an general admission please step forward." Right away it seemed like everyone within the group started to fish out their purses, the black-robed man warily eyeing them all before he too reluctantly reached into the fold of the white sash belting down from over his shoulder.

An assistant came to help collect the fees inside a wooden box, Boris smiling a little wider once the first admissions had been paid. "Alright ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us on tour today!" He then praised as those that paid for the group tour stepped up, Odison being one of the last to do so when he slipped the banknotes into the slit at the top of the box.

"Speech" "Odison"

!	Message from: Chronicle
	This is an open modded thread for four PC's that wish to join.

[Avamande]

What few people took a personal interest in Avamande had all repeated the same thing to them: they needed to do something to relax. The notion was somewhat puzzling to the mage, having been molded from birth to find excitement and satisfaction in the very work they were repeatedly being told they should take a break from. Still, with a unanimous verdict, they conceded that there might be some merit in the idea of 'taking a day off'.

They had walked past the the ornate exterior and proud columns of the Elysian Halls many a time upon their walks about the city, but had never found an excuse to actually walk inside. Some may that spending a day examining ancient relics of days long gone was little different from what they did on their regular days, but as far as Avamande was concerned that was the whole point. An entire day spent learning something unrelated to their studies was one of the greatest luxuries that they could think of, an indulgence they had rarely provided for themselves. Needless to say, they were not particularly popular at parties and the feeling was mutual.

Further ruining any idea that the Hytori knew how to have 'fun', they had consciously decided to visit the museum due to the fact that they felt it was absurd that they knew so little of Kalzasern history despite having lived in the city their whole life. Still, it was a day that Avamande was not spending in their tomes, with their scrivening tools, or practicing their magic, making it the closest they were ever likely to get to an actual vacation. When the assistant came by to collect payment, they quickly counted out and paid the requisite notes. While they could wander freely about the museum, the guided tour seemed the best option to actually learn anything from the excursion.

Fee paid, Avamande was ready to continue on and finally took the time to examine those they were going to be spending the day with. All in all, it was looking to be a calm time free of stress or worry. Perhaps everyone had a point when they ranted and raved about the virtues of taking a day off.

[Mino]

The museum was not somewhere the Lord Lekivian found himself often by choice. On most occasions, he found that the work of scoping out a target for Lady Blue was a job better suited to Sky or Ocean. Admiral had her benefits but putting her in a building full of delicate priceless objects just..didn’t seem right. Or safe. But he didn’t think that he had made much of a better choice. And he would have rejected such a request of him if he could reject it to begin with. The look he’d been given at the mere hint of opposite had been enough to silence him.

Which lead to him walking up the steps of the Elysium Halls. Not begrudgingly; as much as he didn’t much care for this aspect of work, he didn’t much mind looking at the objects housed in the museum. The last exhibit had been interesting, but this one was said to be even better. Something about shiny things.

He liked shiny things.

Perhaps, though, he could take the guided tour without really thinking about why he was here. This was only meant to be the first of several visits for this particular exhibit rotation. The least he could do was enjoy himself a little bit. His ears twitched as there were talks of a tour, feet carrying him where he needed to be without delay. Banknotes were slipped into the box to pay for his admission, a bright grin flashed at the person nearest him before he joined the group remaining for the tour.

But if there was one thing he knew, he knew what someone suspicious looked like. Or, well, ought to look like. And the man in black robes was one of them. Mino, however, wouldn’t be one to spoil the fun of another, tipping his head to the side as he appraised him before turning his attention to the rest of the people in the group.

“I suppose this is the part where we talk about how much we looking at old things pulled from old places while we wait for the tour to start.” Bright, cheery. Not quite the hint of a purr in his voice, but smooth enough that his pleasant mood would be clear. Another flash of teeth in a wide smile delivered, before he would introduce himself to those standing closest to him.

[Aurelio]

10th Ash, Year 121, A.O.S
Company: Various people | Theme: History Lesson | Thoughts: Hmm... | Mood: Intrigued.

---

۞ Aurelio's curiousity had always shown him the way; it served as a guide of his will, yet it was great time to endorse himself in a history lesson. One which his parents did not give when he was a child. Absent of a father and his overprotective Hytori mother; he simply took liberty of running his own life. However, he was quite unsure, inexperienced to what life threw at him, despite completing his Warren March. It was a mess that Aurelio had been trying to recover from for a few years. He let life trail him on through the trials. However, he wanted to learn more, perhaps a museum was a great place to start. A lot of long lost history had been taken there.

He simply nodded at the grand structure of the Elysian Halls; one which may have had dozens of ancient artifacts kept within their draw. Although, it appeared that those were not his desire, whilst they did have a keen interest. Aurelio was merely looking for a simple history lesson. It felt embarrassing for a young Avialae such as himself to not be versed in his people's ways as they were the foundation of Kalzasi. From Synnar to the current Shokaze who housed a demigod son amongst his ranks. He knew he needed to be a better example for his people; and so his journey begins.

A journey of self discovery and the history that is brought within these walls of these pristine halls. He nodded to the cashier as he paid his fee to be admitted, before joining the crowd of people for the guided tour. He stood out from the crowd, like a streetlamp, glowing with intensity. His golden wings certainly shined much, giving the fact that he had already brought himself in. He sighed as he waited, glancing at the rathari and the hytori men who stood before him; before whistling. ۞

[Charlie]

For Charlie, this was yet another distraction from his work. Was Charlie particularly interested in history? Not truly, though it was far from his least favorite subject to learn about. Much like everything else Charlie did, he had entered the museum on a whim when he had glimpsed no less than a dozen symphonies where excitement and wonder was the emotion that held the loudest. After seeing that, Charlie held to the age old adage of his father. That adage being 'if you see a long line, step into it. Whatever they're waiting for must be worth it'.

And so he had, though Charlie was far too impatient to actually wait, but it was the spirit of the saying. The slim, blonde mage instead wove through the crowd, touching on the emotions of anyone that thought he ought to wait his turn. He turned their anger aside, reintroducing the familiar warmth of contentment in its wake. While many mages were judicious in their use of their magic, Charlie had no such reservations. He channeled aether constantly even now, preparing notes and melodies before slipping them into the symphonies of passerby whenever they looked his way. By the time he reached the front of the crowd, Charlie's eyes held a noticeable teal glow.

Finally through the throng of people, Charlie spotted a familiar face among those waiting for the guided tour. "Avamande!" Charlie cheerfully said to the Hytori. "My friend, so good to see you again, and so soon!" he added once they were standing more or less side by side to one another. He sounded genuine, too. Not in the way a shopkeeper called a customer a friend, not by far. "Oh, one more for the guided tour!" Charlie fished into his pocket and placed a bank note into the box, "I hope that's not too much trouble. Though I suppose if it is, I could simply follow behind you after paying for general admission." He first looked to Avamande for approval of his joke before remembering that he still needed to teach them about humor.

[Chronicle]

Awake My Soul

Ash 10th, 121 AoS

As he watched the others pay their fees of entry as well, Odison stood with a content smile toward the lot, his dark eyes observing the mannerisms of every individual that put a banknote in the box. The assistant that held it gave a look to Boris and the pair nodded, before the Hytori curator moved to the head of the group while his partner moved along elsewhere within the Elysium.

"Before we get underway, a few ground rules, and please sir," The t0ur guide remarked toward the Avialae with gilded wings, "refrain from disturbing the patrons with your whistling." The Hytori's tone was elevated with a hint of cynicism toward Aurelio, with a sharp glare given to the Synnekar before Boris focused on the rest of the crowd. "First of all, please refrain from bringing any food or drink into the Halls, and avoid touching the cases housing the relics. Every piece is an important part of history, and we appreciate our patrons keeping their display areas clean at all times!"

In regards to Mino, Odison paid the Rathari cat an amused look, his hands tucked within the pockets of his dark-robe as he listened to the man. "Why not? Artifacts of old often behold mysteries both wonderful and terrifying, I'm genuinely curious to see what they have on display." There was a soft melodic sense of whimsy to the tone, as if Odison seemed distracted by something, but still intrigued with the tour that Boris had begun to start. Mino would strongly smell the Warrens with just a touch of the Midden upon Odison, however, underlying the first layers that masked his natural scent; a stale imprint of the south still barely clung to his figure.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you again for joining us on our lovely tour! Today I'll be walking you through the Hall of Remembrance, afterwards, we'll provide everyone with a break before the walk through the Halls of Creation later!" A low chuckle exuded from the black-robed man as he observed the rest, his stride delayed from the group when Boris had gestured for everyone to follow him. The Hytori guided the group to the left from the entrance, with a small bounce in his step when he began the walk down the hall. As the group entered the corridor toward the Hall, pictures and paintings of the geography around Kalzasi decorated the marble walls. It wasn't until they reached an open doorway before Boris stopped to twist around and face the lot he guided along.

"Our first stop is the interactive exhibit. Currently we've still the Memories in Blood exhibit setup, please be mindful of the parchments that hang from the weapons; should you decide to interact with them." As he explained Boris stepped aside to allow the patrons entry into the room, the first of the oo's and ah's heard from the front of the mob that filed in one after another. Odison stood patiently as he followed in behind everyone last, before Boris moved past him to center himself among the gathered crowd within. Throughout the exhibit, the lanterns were burned low to create a soft amber glow, as a vast array of weaponry dangled on chains from the ceiling above. Other unusual oddities were rested along the walls too, such as pieces of heavily weathered armor on mannequins, as well as a large mirror positioned in the far corner closest to the souvenir shop.

"For those of you with questions, the Memories in Blood exhibit is where weapons from fallen warriors have been gathered. You can see the parchments that dangle from the weapons above on red threads? Touching that parchment allows one to glimpse the final moments of that weapon's bearer, whether they were a soldier for the Sky Guard or Dead Legion, or a warrior of the Slayer's Keep, these weapons share their final moments for patrons like you to witness, you need only gently touch the papers in order to receive them." Boris remarked as he mimicked a gentle press of a finger and thumb to the corner of a paper, it's thread leading up to a Orkhan designed greataxe hanging high above. "Also, the souvenir shop is nearby as well, anybody who would like to buy and take home a few trinkets from the Elysium, this is the perfect stop to buy that nice little gift for your loved ones missing out on the trip as well!"

As the crowd panned out a bit to spread throughout the exhibit for a moment, Odison's eyes filed through all the weapons that dangled above them, his dark eyes struck with uncertain familiarity when he gazed upon a Siltori carved longsword. When they fell back to the dispersed crowd he looked a bit uncomfortable then, before his gaze shifted toward the mirror resting at the corner of the exhibit. With a curious tilt of his head, the black-robed individual walked quietly toward that one piece, his black eyes somewhat alight with wonder when he first beheld his reflection.

"Speech" "Odison"

!	Message from: Chronicle
	All slots have been filled! I will post again Wednesday, Dec 1st, or even sooner if everyone has posted and would like to move the tour along. There is no post order, and if everyone has posted at least once, you may post again (as much as any of you would like) up until I post. You may ask me additional questions about the scene and environment if you'd like.

[Mino]

While he did not know the Warrens himself, Mino knew its scent. There was a measure of discomfort afforded to any that might come in contact with it — be it physically or in the wake of it as he stood now — and he would allow himself that short moment of the hairs on the back of his neck raising. It was too heavy to be missed, even if he wanted to. He blinked, smile remaining on his face as his ears twitched. “You’re absolutely right.” There wasn’t much else that he felt ought to be said — and even if he did, the tour was moving on.

Mino eyed the man for a moment longer before his gaze drifted over the exhibit as they entered the room. The lowlight of the lanterns reflected in his eyes, off of green and yellow. He blinked, torn between a pull towards the weapons of the exhibit and the newly kindled curiosity of the other tour goer. Perhaps it was nothing and this was merely the man’s first stint back from the Dead Legion; he could smell the Midden under the stench of the Warrens. That had to count for something of a clue as to where he’d come from.

Ducking out of the way of parchment and sliding through the crowd, his eyes landed on a curved blade just a little ahead. Not curved so much as jutting straight until the blade had been strangled sideways and forced crooked twice. He’d seen iterations of it before, and wondered just how old this particularly blade had to be. But again — curiosity. He lifted a hand to brush over the parchment a moment, allowing the scene of a memory to unfold just a bit before he moved on.

It would seem a lot like he was tailing this man, and maybe he was, but not for anything other than what burned behind his eyes. Intrigue at both the smell coming from him — and the pull that he’d also been faced with as stared down the longsword.

“What do you see?”

[Avamande]

"Naturally," the slim Hytori said in response to Mino's jovial greeting. "For what other purpose would we all be attending this tour?" they asked, sounding genuinely curious at such a thought. After all, isn't that the reason anyone went to a museum?

Avamande had not been expecting to see anyone that they knew at the museum, for in truth they knew a limited number of persons, most of whom would frankly be bored by such affairs. They had thought that Charlie fell into that camp. They had apparently thought wrong, the Hytori doing their best not to groan at how... familiar the so-called tailor was acting towards them when they had met less than a week ago. Still, they did not object to being called the man's friend, and something like happiness was in their symphony at being called it.

There were some things that would not change so easily though. "Please make sure to provide prompt payment when requested, I will not hesitate to report you to the authorities." They let the threat hang in the air for a few moments before locking eyes with the other mage again. "It is good to see you again, Charles."

When the tour itself started they were rather demure and quiet, making sure to attend close to the guide so as to not miss a word of explanation. It seemed to defeat the point to pay for such a service and then not pay attention to it after all. Their curiosity was well and truly piqued at the Memories in Blood exhibit, though they seemed more interested in the mechanics of the magics used to create such a display rather than the memories actually stored within the papers. "Were all of the deceased in question skilled in Reaving? Or were the weapons specially prepared to retain the last experiences of their bearers?"

[Charlie]

Oh, so the Hytori did understand humor! That was the only reason they could have had for making the remark about turning Charlie over to the guards, right? Right. "Ah, cheery as always. This really is the perfect place for you. You should ask if they're hiring." Charlie then brought a hand up and very nearly brought it around Avamande's shoulder, but thought better of it once he met their eyes. Instead, the hand hung awkwardly in the air for a few more seconds before he pretended he was pointing over towards one of the weapons in awe.

Ever the curious and bold sort, Charlie did step right up to one of the weapons. It was an ornate spear, with a gleaming steel tip giving way to gold filigree down the haft. It was no surprise why the weapon had appealed to Charlie, it was beautiful. It must have been a blacksmith's finest work, or at least Charlie thought as much.

Reaching up, Charlie touched the parchment, and his vision immediately darkened and was replaced by the last desperate moments of a spearman fending off half a dozen foes in unfamiliar, ramshackle armor. One of them slipped past the spearman's guard suddenly and caught him under the armpit with a dagger. The blow made Charlie recoil and sever the connection he had with the parchment.

His heart was racing, but it lasted only a moment before his vision and senses returned to him. It was dizzying sensation, to see through the eyes of a dead man, but still Charlie smiled when he lifted his head. "Bit more intense than I expected." Charlie said, as though dying in battle was meant to be a quiet, reserved affair. For the other weapons, Charlie was content to view them from a distance, and not try to see what had slain them. He paid special attention to the armor, as well as the clothing worn overtop. Surcoats, tabards, cloaks and capes all interested Charlie a fair bit more than weapons of war. Fashion was king, after all.

[Chronicle]

Awake My Soul

Ash 10th, 121 AoS

While the group following the tour guide seemed to mind their own business, a few noticeable chuckles came out from the nearby men and women around Charlie. There might as well been a hint of a nobleman's sigh at the sarcasm, as everyone filed in to observe the first exhibit with utter curiosity. Mino had decided to meander toward the mirror and Odison, the brush of his fingertip gently against that corner enough to give him a flash. Insight as to what beheld the final moments in which the warrior wielding it, stood within a vast open cavern dimly lit by dragonshards above. A grueling gurgle unleashed from the shadows before him, before a Shinagri Centaurian lashed out with its grotesque mangled forearm. The creature managed to snag the blade, and even gave it a good wind to explain the twist in the steel that happened.

But he was spared the full extent of the memory left behind, having not the need to suffer what horrorsome end befell that warrior. Charlie on the other hand the full on experience, having felt even the intense heat that instantly followed with a sudden cold. Of course, those effects did also fade after a moment as well, leading the question that a particular tourist had asked. Avamande garnered a few impressed looks from some of the other spectators, those at least more interested in just observing than interacting. As the curator Boris also grinned widely toward the fellow Hytori he gazed at. "Quite the scholar you are!? You are in some ways, correct!" He mused as his golden eyes blinked from the group toward the weapons above.

"While we try very hard to replicate the art, the only closest way of achieving that is through Soul Cairns. We have learned from them that weapons can retain these memories of their final moments as well. The best solution we had to allow anyone to gaze into those moments, came from runeforged aethersilk infused with a lorestone, transfers the glimpses through each of these papers you can all touch." Boris elaborated with a general raise of his hands, gesturing toward the display of weaponry above them before his gaze lowered once more.

"Soul Cairns..." The Rathari cat would lowly hear on the lips of the distracted man, as he stood observing himself intently beyond the black robes. After Charlie shared the revelation of his experience with the crowd, another few soft giggles followed as some of the spectators looked on, even with a mutually understanding expression from their attempts at curiosity. Yet it was the question of the cat in particular, that brought Odison to focus on the revelation that appeared before him.

"What do you see?"

Suddenly everything and yet also not quite so, for Odison's deep stare grew intense when he saw it all once more. The black that stained his hands when he peered down below them, gazing at the remains of the woman he'd waited so long to silence. The same black he saw after he'd awoken again in Sol'Valen, the bodies of the priests left as corpses not long after his reawakening. How long had he been lost, only to suddenly have it all return before him. If Mino's curiosity drew him close enough to see it, the final glimpse of a memory remained that of a clash between two men. An azure knight wielding a blade with edges gleaming of light, as the wielder in memory possessed another blade stained with black within its steel.

The clash seemed to end almost as quickly as it began, or perhaps, the memory still remained a haze to create a lapse within the mirror. It was when the azure knight stood above the one harboring the memory, as the shimmering blade plunged down into where the heart would be. The air around the Odison grew to a stale odor for Mino then, the mirror's frame cracking at a couple of corners, just before Boris looked over their way to realize the interest the two had in the mirror. "Ah yes! That there is also the Mirror of Memories, no doubt you two have seen how it works? The mirror is an enchanted piece generously donated to us, which we thought would compliment the rest of the exhibit."

Clearly, it was only Mino who was obvious to the newfound state of the mirror, and yet, Odison's eyes merely sharpened back into focus once more. "A never-ending nightmare," the dark man frowned deeply toward the object, "one that is finally beginning to make sense." There then came a very faint but subtle whistling noise that the Rathari picked up on, deeply muffled as though the walls had bounced it in from another room. It was with a momentary glance that the two would share when Mino saw a deep shift within his dark eyes. The black-robed man would quietly stroll back toward the group as the curator gathered everyone around, ushering them near the end of the exhibit before he checked to see everyone's attendance.

"Next stop on our tour is the Antiquities Library, while it's not as impressive as the Circle's, our restorations teams have worked tirelessly to restore some of these ancient tomes. Many of them you will find contain personal notes dedicated to mages of old!" As he guided the group into a corridor it became obvious as to when they entered the library, as books started to line the corridor encased behind glass with faint shimmers on their surface. Odison lingering toward Charlie as his content eyes observed the protected tomes. As of now he walked with perfect clarity, merely observing the group as people either stopped completely, or slowly treaded onward as they all took in the smell of dried paper within the exhibit. "The Antiquities Society endeavors to preserve all our historical texts, therefore, we also provide students of the Academy as well as the Circle the chance to take notes as well." Boris informed the passing tourists as he smiled to Charlie expectantly. "They are, however, restricted to just the Elysium, and are not rentable either!"

Thus the Hytori curator walked along with those inspecting books, gradually shepherding them onward throughout the library exhibit; while answering any questions they may have yet had.

"Speech" "Odison" "Odison"

!	Message from: Chronicle
	Sorry for the delay! I will post again on Dec. 10th or sooner if everyone has posted at least once around 10-11 pm CST. Aurelio as a result of missing this round, your PC has simply fallen behind the group and is within the Memories In Blood exhibit.