Field Research [Raithen, Pharaoh]

[Raithen]

Raithen was happy with the simple spread he had gotten used to when he'd spent more extensive time on the island. He liked the seaweed dishes in particular, whether that be the salads, the wraps, or the crunchy dried snacks made from the abundant island resource.

He had brought the Light of Avaerys to the tribe, there could be no greater gift, so he had brought nothing else. Unless his presence was counted so. Imaging that Àkriel might think so was pleasant. As the Neptori leader examined the stone he'd been presented with the Avialea allowed himself to imagine how the lean, muscular form would look wearing only the trinket and smiled. Appreciation of beauty was not the same as lechery, but, in this case, they weren't at all far from one another.

The roughness of sea-salted hair and skin were a stark contrast to the oiled and pampered attributes of the noble families of Solunarium. There were things to appreciate about each and there had always been a part of Raithen that craved the rougher versions of existence than the one he normally led.

His attention did shift back to the purpose when Hilana drew out her enchanted map and began to point out the object of their questing. Having not seen the map in use previously he was doubly interested, acknowledging to himself how useful such a thing would be, particularly for one who could fly high enough to see the world from a similar point of view. Based on what he could see it would not be difficult for him to fly the distance, if he was well rested, even carrying his companion either with his wings or his rune.

[Pharaoh]

"Ah. I did not realise you were she of the many pastries. They were most exotic, and, um... Relished? Those who partook boasted to those who did not and many families had silent suppers that week." Àkriel recounted, accepting the bundle and unwrapping it.

"This is lovely. May I wear it now?" His neck was unadorned for the moment, and the stone would fall just so at his sternum, which was exposed by the form-fitting suit that clung to his lithe physique.

Upon unfurling the Volumen and speaking the command word, the island revealed would prove to be a great deal closer than the borders of the 100 miles displayed. Indeed, it was a member of the very archipelago of which Insula Vrontium (as Aværys had dubbed their immediate surroundings) was a member. The island marked "Insula Celatium" was roughly seven miles due east of Vrontium. Close enough that it should, in fact, have been visible from the hill atop which this meeting house sat but, if they stepped outside to look in that direction, only open seas were visible to the naked eye.

Àkriel seemed taken aback at the revelation, himself, but it seemed more a curiosity to him than an outright shock. The Archigós lifted his gaze and his voice to call forth the attention of one particular Neptori and Raithen would glean that he was instructing them to fetch something, though it was unclear what.

"This is, perhaps, answer to a very old question, I think... Since generations before chronicling, every archigós has been taught to emphatically bide their people away from that place, for those who intrude do never return. The Vrónti have long been forbidden from thither but, on occasion, a boat appears from the east carved from wood that smells of smoke carrying strange sailors with hair white as clouds and smooth as calm water. They call themselves Ifaísteii. The proángelos will, perhaps, recall that I uttered their name upon his coming, for I believed he sought them and not us. They are powerful... Rich with magic and mysteries, whilst our lives were simple and unremarkable ere the coming of our Lord." He paused, and it occured to him that clarification may be in order,

"Ifaísteii in our language means: 'People of the Burning Mountain'. Sometimes, when an east wind blows we will smell smoke in the air and say that the Ifaísteii dance the waves, but rarely do they come and never in my lifetime." By this time, the Neptori Àkriel had summoned returned with a tome bound between carved slabs of driftwood. Leafing through thick, parchment pages he found what he sought.





"Behold... An elder of the last generation made these sketches, from memory, of an Ifaísteii visitor who called himself Estraeos and came to barter for strange stones that were collected beneath the sea by our ancestors of the time. He stayed with us for a time as we collected all we could find amongst the reefs. We were paid handsomely, but then there were no more stones and Estraeos left with his haul, never to be seen again"

[Hilana Chenzira]

She of the many pastries, that was her. She was pleased to hear that they were enjoyed, though a bit apologetic that some families didn't get to sample them. "Do you have a rough idea of your population? That way the next time I make more, I will make sure I have enough for everyone." She might need to borrow the kitchen at the Citadel, which was much, much larger than her own, but she would find a way to pull it off. She did have well over four hundred cookies in the large baskets, but the numbers might be more accurate coming from their Archigós than her Lux. And now that she had the location, she could use her Ring to get her here. It was a long-distance delivery for sweets, but closer than Ailizane.

"And please do," she encouraged when he asked if he could wear it now. "We call that stone an aventurine, and it is often called the Stone of Opportunity," Hilana offered. "It is considered to be the luckiest of all stones, and it is thought to help manifest prosperity and wealth. Some of my people believe that gemstones have special properties, and they say that the aventurine can help promote a feeling of well-being and emotional recovery. It helps protect the wearer's energy, and guards against those who would try to sap your emotional energies." Sure, it was something to take with a grain of salt, but Hilana did love the meanings and thoughts behind crystals, and perhaps Àkriel would find it interesting, too.

When the Volumen revealed Insula Celatium, she had to restrain herself from pumping her fist with delight. Once she made her notes, she would need to command the map again, but for the moment, she would wait. The outside details would be a good start, and then when she was ready, she could ask it to see if it could find more.

But as he spoke about Insula Celatium, he had Hilana's full attention. One of her notebooks was pulled out of her rucksack, and after she skipped a page to leave space for a sketch of the island from the Volumen, along with notes on location and distance from Vrontium, she began to write quickly, transcribing without needing to look down at the page. Her attention was fully on Àkriel, and the pencil fairly flew over the page. They were forbidden to go there, and always had been. People that went never returned. Ifaísteii, he said. People from the Burning Mountain. Volcano? They smelled of smoke. Maybe dragons, she wondered. Rounded ears, to judge from the picture, and cloud white hair. The last to come was called Estraeos, and he had purchased stones beneath the water. She wished she had an aqualyth with her to ask if that might be what they had been tasked with finding; maybe that was what they were searching for. That would make sense, really, that they grew in the ocean.

Hilana's rapid transcription stopped for the moment, and she looked over what she had written down. The previous generation. Elves could live a long time, and if this was before Àkriel's time... "You wouldn't happen to know how many years, roughly, ago it was when Estraeos came?" the Vastiana asked. "And would you happen to know what the stones looked like?" Dragonshards, if they were dragonshards... could grow again over time. Just because they got all of them then... Well, if she had to get wet, she had to get wet. She had no problem swimming. Perhaps that was what they were, considering their ability to produce incredibly pure drinking water. Surrounded by the oceans as they were out here, and hiding away from the mainland and everything on it... Water would be at a premium, unless they were elementalists, and even then, one was expending aether just to drink to avoid dehydration and surefire death.

[Raithen]

Raithen listened to the story, memorizing the drawings to the best of his ability. His mind was a sponge, filled by his own observations but rung out by others to make use of the contents. There was so little that he found personally interesting that those with whom he was not well acquainted had often been surprised when he remembered minute details of his encounters with them.

The man in the sketches was handsome, with what he could have called elven features had not his ears been drawn so obviously human. Powerful humans living in proximity to Solunarium would have excellent reasons to find a remote island and then further obfuscate their presence. If they had managed to do so for as long as Àkriel was claiming, an exceptional and impressive feat, they would be powerful indeed. Unless they were protected by powers beyond that of mortals. When this thought came to him another came quick on its heels. The task Avaerys had set him, to bring the Vrónti under His sway, had seemed a small thing at the time. A test, even, of how willingly and ably Raithen would serve Him, but this new information cast a new shadow over the mission.

The Avialae let his eyes wander over the tribal leader with a consideration that had nothing to do with what he looked like naked. But these thoughts too he kept to himself, allowing Hilana to take the lead and garner the information that would sit silently inside Raithen until it might be called forth by his family or his God. There was one thing he might be able to ascertain, however.

Pulling water from one of the serving pitchers on the table he used Kinetics to shape the liquid into a common aqualyth shape. Once he had Àkriel's attention he changed it a few times, to other common shapes that the water-shard grew in.

"Were the stones the Ifaísteii sought like this?"

[Pharaoh]

"We number no greater than five hundred, but this is not necessary. I merely wished to extend a compliment." Àkriel replied, bowing in almost apologetic deference. Upon rising from that gesture, he moved to stand before Raithen, lowering himself to one knee he held Hilana's bequest aloft in both palms.

"Proángelos, would you honour me by laying this boon of... aventurine upon my chest?" Once the necklace was laid, he would rise and regard the newer of the guests.

"Of course we know when the Ifaísteii came. They made landfall in Glade of the one hundred seventy-eighth year of the Age of Sundering. Estraeos remained for six months before returning to the sea and vanishing upon the eastern horizon. He was treated as a revered guest, and taught us ways that were hitherto unknown. Our people are better fed for having known him and, though his contemporaries wished to sustain correspondence after his departure, he drew a hard line against such efforts.

"As for the stones, we know only that they were dark and difficult to find in the deeps where they lay... They were also dangerous to collect, for the predators lurking in their midst. We lost Vrónti in the effort, but they knew the risks when they set forth and we honour them for their sacrifice." He made a gesture of remembrance with one, webbed hand.

At Raithen's demonstration, Àkriel's eyes widened slightly, but his gaze softened as he considered.

"I... do not know. None have been found here since the time of Estraeos, but... It is possible that these were the stones, for this would be well camouflaged in the deeps. I believe all were harvested in the time of Estraeos and, if more have grown in their place, we do not know nor have our mysterious neighbours taken interest in such." As they conversed, more and more food was delivered. Smoked marlin and grilled cuttlefish, spiced with native grown herbs unknown to continental Ransera. Flavours unsavoured by any in the civilised world might have been worth a fortune in themselves, to say nothing of magical rocks beneath the sea.

"Will you visit them? The Ifaísteii? I do not know whether their warnings extend to those outside our tribe, but you are surely people of power. Perhaps they would be willing to treat with you."

[Hilana Chenzira]

Five hundred people... well, Hilana could work with that. It might be a lot of trays of baklava…. But where there was a will, there was a way. It would be trickier to do that many cream pastries, but different things like cookies and marshmallows, or even tarts... That was doable, with the right kitchen and enough ingredients. “I am touched and honored. I thank you,” she bowed her head respectfully as he assured her it wasn’t necessary. It might be a lot of melopitas, but that’s was bound to be part of the fun. She would have to surprise them another day.

She did watch her Lux put the necklace on Àkriel with a smile. It fit well, and she was glad that the Archigós seemed to like it. The colours suited him, and the rareness of the red veins within the deep green stone made for a striking contrast. Hilana did try to make thoughtful gifts and offerings, and sometimes, she struck it right.

As he continued on the subject of the Ifaísteii, Hilana resumed her rapid writing. Glade 178, Age of Sundering. Sundering was not Steel; that was the previous Age. She knew from her researching in the Sentinel Archives for Celatium that the Age of Sundering was considered to have lasted 400 years. 400 less 187 was 213, and when she added 124 years for the Age of Steel, that gave an approximate time of 337 years ago. The number was circled in her pages and she considered. That was just Estraeos, who had stayed for six months, apparently, while they harvested those stones.

Now, she knew that the Battle of the Rending had been thousands of years ago, and it would have been when Israxa the Black had made her way there. "So Estraeos came about 337 years ago. There wouldn't be any knowledge written down about when the Ifaísteii first came, would there? Since I imagine that Vrontium has been your ancestral home for many centuries, and it's not that far from here?" She inquired. Perhaps they would have noticed, but then again... if everything was warded... perhaps they wouldn't have until connections were made. But it was worth asking.

She was glad Raithen got the same idea that she had when he formed the water into replicating the aqualyth shards that one could find in such places like this. They might normally be found in rivers and lakes as well, but why not the ocean? But, if she thought about her Alchemy lessons with Domina Clelia... "They might be lytirisyte," Hilana realized. "Since Àkriel said they were dark blue stones. The storm gem. Lightning, storms, illumination... They're also excellent magic catalysts." For those that traversed the seas, they were invaluable. "I may have to go swimming later, if someone can point me in that direction where those blue stones were found." If they had regenerated... they would be worth a great deal, and she would happily pay them for the ability to collect some. She had a feeling that that may have been the right idea now: lytirisyte, not aqualyth. Certainly, aqualyth was valuable and necessary when you were surrounded by salt water, especially if you didn't have the ability to drink it... but one could also likely use the lytirisyte as part of a process to purify it... alchemy could certainly separate the salt from the water and make it safe to drink.

As the food was brought out, she thanked them and when the others began, Hilana tasted hers. "Mmm," she sounded delighted, her eyes even wider. Raithen was used to seeing Hilana do a little dance while she ate when she particularly liked something, and she was doing it now where she sat. "Ohh, by His Radiance, this is so good. My compliments to your chefs," she had manners when it came to eating, but the colourful woman was clearly enjoying her food. She knew just about every herb available in the world, and she had them all growing in her kitchen or in a greenhouse. This was different, and this was utterly delicious. It fit perfectly with the fish, and her eyes began to change as she activated her Rune of Semblance, studying the food before them with it. Her eyes were no longer brown, but a constantly changing kaleidoscope that reflected the elements - from the white light to the black shadow, blue for water, grey for air, red and orange for fire, and brown for earth... She was going to need to trade for that, too. "What do you call the herbs that are used for seasoning on it? Where do you find them?"

His last question made her consider. Her quest was not something that was well-known beyond a few close friends, and a few confidantes that Cithaera allowed to know, and those were Sentinels who wouldn't be sharing it, either. But he had been honest and forthright with them. Raithen had stayed with them for a long time, and he seemed to trust him. "That's my next step, yes," she agreed. "I need to go and investigate it, so we'll see about the Ifaísteii. I hope they'll accept company." At least, she hoped that Israxa was ready to listen to the bidding of the Founders and return home with her with the Tubae.

If she was even there...

[Raithen]

Smiling, Raithen watched as the tribal leader went to one knee before him and offered up the gift for his blessing. His own blessing would mean very little, though he would have bestowed it if it had been asked, instead he closed his hand around the stone and spoke a blessing of the Sun, asking that his God grant the stones properties to Àkriel, were that His will. Then he leaned down and clasped the necklace in place with an accompanying kiss. It was a part of the blessing, not a flirtation, but the scent of the Vrónti man filled Raithen's nostrils and he was no displeased by the sense memories this brought him.

When savory dishes began to be laid before them the Avialae did not hesitate in serving himself. The food was strange but his tongue had grown used to it in the time he had spent on the island and he was, more especially after expending both magic and physical energy to bring himself and Hilana there, hungry. He greeted those who brought the food by name when he caught their eyes of they bowed to him particularly. Not all the names of each of those who lived on the island were known to him, most a majority were, and anyone who served regularly in the feasting hall certainly were.

If his posture stiffed at the idea of his Umbra venturing into parts of the ocean that Àkriel described as dangerous, it only lasted the space of a breath. Raithen himself would not be joining such a venture, not unless he was commanded by beings with a greater hold on him than any present. If they met with trouble there was little or nothing that he would be able to do that Hilana and whoever accompanied her wouldn't be able to do better themselves.

[Pharaoh]

At Raithen's kiss Àkriel quivered, though there was no chill between the walls of the meeting house.

"We have been here for as long as our histories chronicle..." Àkriel replied, turning his head to look vaguely Eastward as he continued his thought, "...and so have they." His azure gaze returned to Hilana.

"The warnings have been known for as long as surviving records exist... the earliest were written over ten generations ago." Àkriel piped down as the pair pondered what manner of stones had so struck the interest of their mysterious, easterly neighbours. At the notion of Hilana's swimming for them, Àkriel tilted his head.

"I do not doubt your abilities, but these are depths unknown to those built for land. Perhaps with the power of sorcery or the blessings of our common God, you might broach upon so pernicious a trench, but to swim there would... You will forgive me... not be possible for one of your ilk."

Àkriel smiled mildly when Hilana seemed so taken with the local fare.

"I will see that you are introduced to them that cook and cultivate, for they can better answer your questions than I." He demurred, glancing to Raithen and watching the blazing herald enjoying what their humble island provided with pride.

"I will pray for your success. We have seen ships head in that direction. None have returned, but that is not so strange a thing when waters wend and perfect paths are nigh impossible to chart. Perhaps they were merely lost to an horizon... Will you go by ship, do you think, or will you take to the skies?" He glanced to Raithen's wings, and flushed at the recent memory of being lifted into the air in a strong-armed embrace.

[Hilana Chenzira]

She was quiet as Raithen offered the Blessing to Àkriel, and when he quivered, she could well understand why. Between the closeness and his relationship to their shared Divine Twin, well... Raithen's lips were enough to make just about anyone curl their toes. She knew from experience.

So it wasn't possible to swim there. Hilana mulled that over, and she was thoughtful. Well, she would find another way. She knew her Lux wouldn't venture that way; maybe Raithen could put some of his Kinetics into a lodestone and she could propel herself down. Maybe there was some sort of mount she could borrow that could help get her there. She wouldn't consider arguing with him, but if there was a way for them to get down there, then surely there had to be a way for her to get there. Aut viam inveniam aut faciam, as went her personal motto. I shall either find a way or make one. "We'll figure that out another time," the young woman was cheerful. She wasn't a Neptori, and she knew that this wasn't the time to push or follow up on that. That could come later. Even if she did want to have a good idea of what precisely these strange white-haired people had managed to stockpile. Lytirisyte seemed to be the best guess to go forward with, and that she could prepare for. But there would be more time for that later. One thing at a time; and that was finding the Horn. Lytirisyte hunting later. There was an awful lot of money to be had for those... She made a few more notes on the page of the notebook beside her, savouring the food.

And she had a lot to consider with Celatium. This likely was not some abandoned tract of land. These people were advanced enough to have improved things for the Neptori. They had at the very least a strong knowledge of magic. Which meant that there was a very strong chance that they would be magically prepared for anyone to come sniffing around their island. And they had been there for a decidedly long time, which meant they'd likely dug in. There was likely no record back home for her to find, because if they'd known about them, they would have investigated and either dealt with them or decimated them. They might have left Neptori alone, but strong magic users? Not a chance. Which likely meant they were warded to the gills and prepared to defend themselves. She could think of a few people to bring along when the time came to go there...

"I would love that, please," she bowed her head to the Archigós. "I make it a practice to study every plant I can, and whatever this is... it is brand new to me." And to her, that was exciting. She enjoyed learning about a wide variety of subjects, but botany was one of her first loves, and new plants always pleased her.

She did consider his words there. Ships went, and never came back... The waters made the paths impossible to chart, and they had been warned off by the prior Archigós not to go that way. No one had ever come back from it. Well, there would be a first time for everything. She had been the first human to visit the Thalamum Draconum and come back alive since the Rending, and she was just going to have to do the same thing here. "Air, I think," Hilana admitted. "I'd likely borrow a wyvern first. While Raithen could fly me... If I want to surveil it first, I'd want to fly over it, first, and see what the topography looks like and if there is anything to see. Then land." She had faith in her Mask's ability to hide them, especially if she went later in the evening when there was darkness. The shadows would be more prevalent, and they may be more talkative... and the less people she risked, the better.