Field Research [Raithen, Pharaoh]

[Hilana Chenzira]

Late Frost, Year 123

[Closed - Raithen, Pharaoh]


While she had regularly asked Raithen some casual questions here and there about Neptori Island ever since he had been tasked with going there on behalf of His Divine Radiance, and had him bring back various things - some plants, and samples of the water and sand, along with any remains from the voidspawn that he had killed out there, Hilana had never really asked to visit. She'd made him baskets of food and snacks to take to eat and share if he wanted to, and she'd occasionally peeked through her Lux's mirror if he was talking to her and others came around. But getting closer to the island gave her a good launching point, and she could hopefully see if Raithen and the Neptori had any information.

After this, perhaps she would borrow that wyvern and do a fly-over with her Mask to scout before she took her crew to investigate. Athalia would come along. She didn't doubt that Finn would come, Lykos likely would, Raithen might tag along depending on what was found out today... but if a hair was so much as out of place on Finn's head, Arvaelyn would surely have hers. And that would not be conducive to living.

Inasmuch as she had wanted to interrupt his greatly-deserved holiday for her quest, Hilana knew better, and elected for patience. And that way when he got home... they'd been able to have a little party of their own. Lia had stayed long enough to greet the winged Duke before going out into Solunarium proper, and that gave Hilana opportunities to feed her Lux and talk with him in person about how Starfall had been, and his trip to Karnor. While they had conversed frequently through the mirrors, it was not the same as having him home. There had been times when he reached out to her so late where he was that he fell asleep with the mirror falling on him or beside him, and Hilana had carried her own with her to work and kept it nearby while he slept.

But now, though, she was ready to visit Neptori Isle with him, and she had two baskets stuffed full of cookies for the sea-elves that Raithen had waxed angelic to, and a gift for the chieftain. Such things might not be really necessary, but Hilana figured it couldn't hurt. And now, when Raithen was ready... the pair of them could go and see the island and talk to those who would also know about the island to the northeast. She had also packed her rucksack in the event that they decided to go closer and have a look and see. She didn't know what all she could expect to find there, but she did know that it was better to be prepared than not. Tiaz, who had been happy to see Raithen back, was somewhat less happy about being deprived of one of his favourite perches when she had placed him back in his terrarium. For this, her pythons could not come. "Ready?" she smiled at her Lux.

[Raithen]

Since gaining Traversion, where Raithen was staying at any point was a much more fluid concept than it had been. Travel had always been something he enjoyed but had come to realize that being in different places was more interesting than getting there usually was. In his head, it felt like a series of doors, the places he could jump to in an instant. Each time he traveled in a specific direction in physical space a new door would appear at the furthest point he stopped. This would be his jumping-off point for pushing further.

An entire new continent was now open to him to explore after returning the kind visit of House Leukos through the mid-Frost season. How often he hopped back there now was not something known to anyone other than himself, Lord Kaus and Lady Kala, unless they chose to share the information. It wasn't a secret and he would have readily owned to it if he'd been asked, but like the nightly visits he had made for his own pleasure since he'd been old enough to be allowed to choose his pleasures, it didn't seem like it would matter to anyone else.

His Umbra knew, of course, all about his trip and that he had mapped the slipstream so could return whenever he was of a mind to but unless something of particular interest or amusement occurred that he wished to tell her, it wasn't a topic that came often to his mind when they spoke. Raithen was a creature of the moment and his mind rarely slipped from the person he was spending time with to another.

When she had approached him about taking her to the Neptori islands he hadn't given it a second thought, it would be a matter of the blink of an eye, though he planned to stay with her and translate as much as he was able. It would be pleasant to see those he had spent several months with, particularly since he didn't have the harrowing fly across the open ocean to endure to do so.

On the appointed day he had arrived at her abode early and now stood watching as the industrious Vastian bustled about ensuring she had all she needed. He might have said that they could return for anything she might need but one never knew what might happen and his own tendency to react to things as they happened did not mean he wanted to gainsay those who chose to be well prepared.

When all seemed prepared to Hilana's liking and she stood, decked out in traveling clothing with rucksack and large basket both, asking him if he was ready he raised one eyebrow playfully. Stepping forward rapidly he slipped one arm through the handle of the basket and scooped the other tightly around her slim waist till they were flush, face to face. He grinned when she laughed at his impulsiveness and then they were gone.

In the same moment, they had arrived. The sunlight pouring relentlessly down onto the sparkling sand and shimmering off the endless expanse of nearly perfectly clear water in the spot he landed them was nearly blinding after the comfortable cool of the room they had left. The spot was a ways away from the village, because it was safer to travel into spots that were less likely to contain bodies, for all involved. Once their eyes had adjusted he brought them close in a few quick hops to places he could see until they were merely a dozen yards from where the buildings began. People were plentiful there, fishing, swimming, performing a hundred different daily tasks over the beach and land leading upwards.

Raithen released Hilana then, to let her know they would walk from there, but rather than saying anything he waited for her direction.

[Pharaoh]

Hilana and Raithen appeared on a rocky promontory a few paces away from a trio of small, Neptori children with sticks in their hands, ostensibly frozen mid-play with wide eyes gaping at the pair. After a beat, one of them started to dart away crying out:

"O proángelos eínai edó!"

And the others soon followed, dropping their sticks and dashing uphill toward the more populated parts of the isle. The vista before Raithen was much as he would remember it, except for something unmistakably new. Many of the buildings that loomed from the hill above flew crimson banners with the symbol of a burning sun emblazoned upon them. The centre of that sun genuinely blazed, perhaps with actual fire, as it was clearly touched by some sort of magic whether illusory or otherwise.

Whether they remained upon the promontory, or moved toward the settlement proper, Raithen and Hilana would soon be the subject of intense interest, as people gathered to regard the return of the one they seemed to refer to as:

"Proángelos..." And the girl who accompanied him. Those who fell before the gaze of the Avialæ would bow in reverence, their sing-song voices hushing. It wouldn't be fifteen minutes before Àkriel, Archigós of the Vrónti, descended from the great lodge above and bowed before Raithen.

"Under the grace of the Burning Sun I greet you and your guest, Herald." There was a clear flush beneath the metallic tribal paint that bisected his fair face, "What is your pleasure this day?" It would be immediately evident that Àkriel's Vallenor was much improved since Raithen's last visit to this isle. Though still heavily accented, there was less hesitation and more apparent facility with the ancient holy tongue of Solunarium.

[Hilana Chenzira]

When Raithen drew her close, Hilana leaned in and stole a kiss after laughing, standing on tiptoe to find his lips with her own. She was pressed against him, and she was pretty happy about such a position, holding it until they landed on the island. "Oh, it's beautiful," her eyes were wide and bright. While she had seen some of it in the mirror, it wasn't the same as seeing it in person, and she smiled at the little elflings as they scampered off. Well, that wasn't unexpected, though she did wonder. If she had to guess, the blonde Avialae was being called an angel, and that made sense considering what all he had done here.

When she had asked Raithen to bring her here, she'd explained she wanted to see it, and that she needed to ask some questions about another island nearby. This place was a good a start as any to figuring out Celatium, and when they had a chance, she could open up her Volumen and have a look and see what there was to see about the general area. But in the meantime, as they made their way towards the town, her big brown eyes roaming around. She took note of the buildings and the architecture, of what it was made from and how it was made. There was no way of missing those flags, and she thought she had a pretty good idea of what it meant. Avaerys. His Divine Radiance. The Rex Regum Incomparablis. She smiled at those around them, inclining her head in greeting while they bowed to Raithen.

When the elf approached, she was glad to hear that there was some Vallenor there. Raithen's grasp of the tongue was likely better than hers was, considering he was royalty, and he had spent a number of months with the Neptori here working on it. To hear him called Herald, she thought it was quite fitting - he had come as a Herald of Avaerys, His divine agent, and he had completed the quest for Him. While Hilana... who had received hers much earlier... was still working away on her own. "Greetings and good day to you," she bowed to him, setting her baskets aside and sweeping out her brightly coloured skirts. Traveling clothes for her still meant her toe-length skirts that were composed of plenty of fabric, all of it brightly-dyed from sunfire yellow to crimson red. The big baskets were gathered up again. The question had been directed to Raithen, and she would let her Lux answer it.

[Raithen]

The first time he had come, Raithen had worried that the running of the children from him had been a reaction of fear and it might have been. This time he knew that they were going to inform their elders and did nothing to hinder them. As the various adults appeared he greeted many of them by name, offering his arm to clasp to any of the males willing to take it and nodding his head in respect to the women, more so to the elders. Pride filled him at the sight of the Radiant Pendants flying throughout the settlement.

Their treatment of him was not unexpected, nor was it incorrect. He had been sent by their god (as He now was), to bring them into His Radiant fold. The Avialea liked the simple culture with its not at all simple people, but he had not come, then or now, to make friends. If there was an exception to this it was the Vrónti's charming leader.

When the Archigós had arrived and greeted them Raithen returned the bow, not so low still respectfully and said,

"Κάτω από το γυαλιστερό του μάτι, σε χαιρετώ, Àkriel. His tone was warm, perhaps more than friendly, but this was Raithen's way. His accent was likely not at all improved as he had not had any reason to practice outside his brief return visits to ensure Avaery's seed had been firmly planted. It hadn't been awful after a full month and more of immersion on his first trip but his tongue would never fool a native.

Switching to Vallenor so Hilana could understand he introduced them to each other,

"Hilana, this is the Archigós, the leader of the Vrónti, Àkriel. Àkriel, this is my companion, Hilana. "

The Vastian already knew quite a few things about the Neptori she was being introduced to due to Raithen having chatted to her about his excellent personal qualities on more than one occasion.

"We have come at her request to inquire about the islands nearby." If Hilana wanted to get into the specifics of her quest, she was perfectly free to do so but Raithen would leave the choice to her. His expression broke into a slow smile as he added,

"μου ευχαρίστηση είναι να σε δω."

[Pharaoh]

Àkriel inclined his head in acknowledgement of Hilana's salutatory response and his eyes lingered upon her round ears betraying his curiosity for a moment, before Raithen's voice demanded his attention return to the Herald. When the uttered words in Nepthal proved to be religious in nature, Àkriel and many of those present executed a gesture unknown in Solunarium. In their semi-signed language, they had organically developed a sort of sacred salute- producing webbing between splayed fingers and holding them palm-down over the centre of the chest. Raithen had been there during the provenance of the gesture and knew it to translate, essentially, to 'Radiant Heart' and that it marked their reverence for the god the Herald had delivered unto them.

"Well met, Hilana." He replied at the proper introduction, bowing slightly as he spoke in accented Vallenor. He tilted his head curiously as her desire for knowledge was expressed. He seemed as perplexed as he had when Raithen first arrived, but he did not say so this time. Whereas on that prior occasion he had demurred, explaining that theirs was a humble, agrarian culture with little remarkable to note, he no longer felt that to be entirely true. Whatever the case, he would await further clarification before speaking on the matter. When Raithen followed up with a more personal remark in Nepthal, Àkriel blushed and lowered his light eyes.

"Η χαρά σου είναι δική μου, Προάγγελος." He sang, airily in his mother tongue, before returning to remarking in the elder language, "Do you wish to make your inquiries over refreshment or are you in haste? We would welcome you to recline in our meeting house, if you want for food, comfort or entertainment..." Àkriel gestured toward the top of the hill where the structure loomed, more for Hilana's benefit than for Raithen who'd feasted there before and knew his way around their small isle.

[Hilana Chenzira]

She didn’t know what the Nepthal meant, but she was also not worrying about it. It wasn’t meant for her (rounded) ears, after all, and therefore it was none of her business. If it was important to know, then he would tell her. She had absolutely trust in her lover with regard to her person and to this quest: Raithen already knew this mission was at the behest of the Founders. And considering that the Sea Elves here were converts to His Radiant Faith… well, with luck, they would know more about the place that she needed to understand, and would be forthcoming with information and their experiences about it.

It was fascinating to see the different Neptori. Hilana had met a few here and there, mostly in Tertium as a child, but when she had vanished into the sands, that was hardly the place for the web-fingered sea elves. But the way they treated Raithen with such reverence and respect that was his due... he was certainly a celebrity here. He might have been back in Solunarium, and when they'd gone 'undercover' of sorts in Tertium he'd just been himself without all of the recognition he got elsewhere... but here he was treated as a child of the Gods themselves, which he certainly was. More than any of the rest of them on this island were, at least.

“The honour is mine, Archigós,” the Vastiana beamed up at him. She wasn't certain if he would prefer his title or his name from someone with the likes of her, who didn't have any sort of status here or with His Divine Radiance. She doubted he knew much of anything about her, but she had heard plenty about him from Raithen. Then again, maybe her handsome Avialae companion had told them something about the colourful raven-haired woman beside him.

“There is no rush, no. The meeting house would be wonderful, please,” Hilana affirmed. It would surely be wiser to keep at least some of this on the quiet; she couldn’t know for sure what was on that island, and at the very least there might be one dragon hanging out there… assuming she was still there. She may not have stayed, but she was going to need to find out. And she could open up her baskets of goodies and hopefully make something of a good impression with them. Their underwater world held many treasures, and it could be interesting to learn their perspective too.

[Raithen]

When the invitation was accepted by the one whose quest he was aiding in he lifted her and himself, and their host, into the air and rode them on smooth lines of aether via his rune of Kinetics to the upper levels of the islands dwellings. He knew the layout well and placed them down before the entrance to the meeting house as softly as if the great leap had been a single step. He had not moved them quickly, wanting Hilana to have the sort of views of the island that, up to that point, only he had enjoyed.

Perhaps Àkriel would be interested in the view of his home from above, or perhaps he would be terrified of it. The Vrónti were and insular people and, aside from the great adjustment that being chosen by a god had wrought on them, not prone to seek out new experiences. Even so, they occasionally showed bursts of intense curiosity, so it was a toss up how the tribal leader might react to being lifted aloft.

Once their feet were all back on solid ground he waited to be led inside. Knowing the way did not mean that Raithen should be rude or take the role of host away from the one to whom it rightfully belonged. Once inside he took the seat he had been accustomed to in his previous visits and waited for the other two to arrange themselves around him. This quest was of interest to him but he was an escort in it more than anything; a guardian, should the need arise.

A gesture was enough to let Hilana know that she need not wait upon any ceremony on his account.

[Pharaoh]

Àkriel tensed, a gasp of sorts escaping his lips as he felt himself rising from solid ground. The commotion from the crowd around them was a great deal more outward, as they watched their stalwart leader levitate in the aetheric embrace of the angel who occasioned to visit them. Though all of them had seen miracles, they were not accustomed to them. When the awe subsided enough for them to realise where the trio was heading, the crowd dispersed to begin to make their mundane ascent toward the meeting house to catch up with them.

Àkriel began to relax as he allowed himself to take in the view of his homeland from a vantage he'd never seen before. He had come to see wonders since Raithen first arrived, but he hadn't lost his appreciation for splendour. As they approached that higher tier, Hilana and Raithen would see more feverish activity as last-minute preparations were being undertaken to satisfy their unscheduled guests. At the sight of their ascent, that activity became even more of a flurry as they'd thought they'd have at least the additional pedestrian travel time between the beach and the berg.

"Σας ευχαριστώ." He sang, softly, as they alighted. He gestured toward the meeting house and allowed the guests to step ahead of him. They would immediately be offered a sweet brandy of dark purple hue, distilled from an indigenous species of berry. Bowls of fruit and salads of seaweed were already laid out, as more complex dishes were still being prepared.

"Please avail yourselves of what you will and tell us, in your time, the questions that brought you all this way." He did not know from whence Hilana had come precisely, but he knew she was not from anywhere near here. These islands were isolated and no one who dwelt upon them bore any resemblance to the creature at Raithen's side.

[Hilana Chenzira]

The young woman laughed with delight when Raithen moved them, looking over the village with keen eyes. This was a new vantage point, and it gave her a view she could have only imagined before. Up here, she could see more of the layout of the Neptori town. Her eyes roamed the different buildings, trying to commit to memory the paths and such as they went, all while enjoying the view of the charming island. Flying over them at this range on a wyvern might not have been welcomed, and the last thing she would want to do is upset these Elves or otherwise cause a problem. She was used to flying with Raithen, and she did love it when he took her into the skies - either in his arms or with Kinetics. Of course, he had no concept of 'cold' due to his Avialae blood, and more than once, she'd had to murmur to wind and fire to warm herself up a bit. She may have been used to cooler temperatures from the freezes of Frost in the sands, but up in the air was colder still, when they got into more extreme altitudes.

Fortunately, they didn't go that high or that far today, and they landed easily outside the meeting house. She would wait until Àkriel motioned them inside, and carried her baskets in, following Raithen in. She would make herself comfortable near her Lux, and present the baskets to the Archigós. "Thank you for agreeing to speak with me," Hilana began. "For you and for your people. I know Raithen has brought some of my cooking here before and I wanted to bring more as a gift." There was an assortment of cookies in different shapes, sizes, and flavours in both baskets - from those with nuts to filled cookies to intricately stamped ones, the baskets were loaded with treats. Raithen had assured her before that they'd liked them, so perhaps they would enjoy them again.

She took a sip of the dark brandy and made an approving sound. Oh, that was lovely. She recognized the flavour profiles of the berries, too, and made a mental note to ask about getting a cutting of one of the bushes later so that she could take it home to cultivate it. "For you," she offered the leader of the Vrónti a silk-wrapped bundle. It contained an oval-shaped aventurine stone about the size of a walnut that had been wrapped with gold wire and had been strung on a chain. It seemed only proper to her to present a gift to someone of his standing, after all. And if it made him a bit more open, then she would take it.

From her rucksack, she drew the leather scroll case that she carried her Volumen in, and unravelled the unassuming-looking bone-white map. "Zona," she instructed it, and the map before them changed from one of the landmass to focus on where they were now. She knew from the atlas that she had that Celatium was within 100 miles of this island, and therefore it should likely show up on her map. She returned to Vallenor, and made sure that the map was facing Àkriel. It may have been upside down to her, but she could see and navigate it easily from her position. "I am researching this island here," she pointed out the other landmass. "Have you or your people ever visited there, or around it? I am trying to understand what I might expect when I go."

► Show Spoiler

Zone: (2 Charges) - When the word ‘Zona’ is said with intention, the map will change from its dormant state into a map showing the regional points of interest within a 100 mile radius of the owner. This includes waystations/outposts, temples, and smaller geographical points not indicated on the regional map (smaller streams, lakes, ponds, gorges, etc.), along with the approximate distance of where the owner is in relation to those points of interest, appearing as a coloured, labeled dot. The map will remain active for approximately 4 hours before going dormant again. Movement in this time will move the marker that indicates where the owner is.