Trial By Fire (Imogen, Talisman)

Apart from the two major metropolitan centers in the kingdom, The Atraxian Expanse is home to tens of thousands of Solunarians. Some of the Vastii still hearken back to their days as nomads, roaming the open desert and braving its many trials, but most have formed settlements along the River Vasta or around nearby oases. Most of these settlements in the present day are completely self-governing, but there are a few in the vicinity of valuable resources, which are overseen by representatives of the greater kingdom. Unlike the two fortified cities of Solunarium and Tertium, many of these smaller settlements live under the constant threat of desert squalls, droughts and attacks from desert-dwelling predators, like Tusk Titans and wild wyverns.

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Imogen
Posts: 522
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2021 9:21 pm
Title: Most Unemployed Janitor In The World
Location: Ecith
Character Sheet: https://ransera.com/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=2673
Character Secrets: https://ransera.com/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=2704

As Kitty stepped through the spatial juncture, Imogen sighed with relief, surprised at how much air and tension she'd managed to hold in her little lemur body. The shift was immediate, ears popping as she exited one altitude and entered another through the dragon's dimensional aperture- a fairly adept work of Traversion, she thought. As they passed through, she noticed the edges begin to fuzz fray out of the corners of her huge golden eyes, tell-tale signs of interference. It seemed the hunters Ourha had warned of were close indeed.

More cause for relief, then. If they'd met, she might have been forced to kill the lot of them.

The damp air of the cavern washed over Imogen, and her little steed padded towards the exit with a quickness, doubtless wishing to escape the confines of the underground. Or maybe not. She wasn't sure whether Kitty's breed of big cats liked dark caves. She'd have to find an expert in Drathera and try to get some tips on raising him.

"Name your price..." the witch repeated slowly, mind racing. If Ourha had gotten to them so swiftly, perhaps she was... sort of Ecithian nobility? Not that they had such a concept exactly, but certainly there were always folks in every nation to whom many doors were open. Even a price which did not seem exorbitant might cover a year of payments to the Coven, be enough to get the accountant off her back for-

The Orkhan woman perked up a little. "But, if you find any monsters that need to be slain, be sure to call on me! I owe the ship a debt for bringing me to Carina again, so I will do this for no charge." It was a pretty good offer, she thought; normally, she would charge upwards of ten golden coins for a day of service.


Aw, fuck.

"...told her I'd do it for free." admitted the monkey, sounding tired, "And a Sunsinger's word is good 'till the end of all days."

And that was bound to be that, no matter how graciously Ourha or the Senators offered additional payment to the sleepy witch. Once the price was stated and the offer accepted, there was no re-negotiation. Her coven's rules on remuneration were very strict, precisely to ensure that members took their duties seriously and did not allow the wealthy and sympathetic a chance to simply outbid those of lesser means who needed aid.

"Now, then, maybe just a short nap-"

The lemur was out before her head was even fully resting on Kitty's fur.


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Talisman
Posts: 167
Joined: Thu May 11, 2023 9:39 am

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By the time the Praeventores used Kinetics and Elementalism to produce a pathway down to where Norani and Lemurgen had taken shelter and awaited rescue, there was no trace of the aether left in that cavern except for the strange stem with the fruit hanging on it. "Profecti sunt. Aetherae hoc loco subscriptio titudo est," the Sembler indicated the strange-looking fruit to their companions. "Est autem aliud in cuniculo longius ... sed deficiens est. Nescio ubi sane eos porta tulerit, sed expectem Respublica Ecithanae."

"Et cum eo?" The large papaya-sized fruit was promptly cut out of the ground with Kinetics, encased so that every last bit of its root system was contained. The negation wards were layered in, beginning to prepare it for transport and assessment. They had their reports to make, and it could be Sembled by the Grandmasters when it was returned to the secure location. "Hoc, etiamsi..." the mirror that Aetu had made and Lemurgen had left behind once she had gone through Camellia's portal, had been found. There were no traces of aether left in it, thanks to the fruit, but they could perhaps study it and see what could be done with it.

"Non adiuvat. Sed quale veneficium hoc sit cognoscemus. Non aliquam tation rutrum. Revertemur et nuntiamus. Recesserunt Solunarium." The Sembler grimaced behind their mask. With the pathways studied and location noted, the cavern could be watched for a while to see if those who had just used it returned. If not, then it could be collapsed to ensure that the hidey-hole would not be available for future use.


---


Only when Norani woke up, she would find Aetu beside her. Others could tell her that the spirit had not left her for the entire time she was unconscious. "I thank you, Flametender. What you have done for me came at a great cost to you, and I will aid you on your path." Wherever that path led - to learning about Elementalism and the world around her, to freeing the Seasons... the spirit would do its best to assist her. All around her, she felt warmth, heard the crackles and hissing of flame, and Aetu reached a tendril out to her. When it connected, she felt that heat that burned briefly, before it surged through her hand, through her arm and up into her body until it spread. Just as she had with water... she felt a renewed connection to Fire. "Burn brightly, and rise from the ashes."

At some point, too, while she was awake, Imogen would be greeted by the spirit. While she wasn’t able to understand Aetu, the spirit that was not much larger than a house cat would present her with a glowing orange stone. It was not particularly big, but considering what it had gone through, perhaps it was understandable. The drop-shaped piece of pyrolyth was warm to the touch, though not much bigger than a walnut, but it was quality. And it was apparently for her.


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Talisman
Posts: 167
Joined: Thu May 11, 2023 9:39 am

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Name: Imogen

XP: 20 Points, may be used for Magic
Injuries/Ailments: Severe exhaustion, utter depletion of aether. Will take a minimum of two weeks to recover if not assisted by arcane means.
Loot: Pyrolyth Dragonshard, Greater Quality

Name: Norani

XP: 20 Points, may be used for Magic
Injuries/Ailments: Severe exhaustion, utter depletion of aether. Will take a minimum of two weeks to recover if not assisted by arcane means.
Loot: Third Arche Element: Fire. Aetu does not count towards one of the summoning spirit limits, as it is not bound to Norani, but choosing to assist her all the same.

Notes: Fantastic thread, and well done by all participants. You displayed wonderful creativity and resourcefulness - I look forward to moderating you both again in the future.

Shout-out to Talon for the brief drop-in!


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