travels

[Hilana Chenzira]

Well, then.

She thought she may have seen some people she recognized in the crowds, and waved to them as the Gnomish woman ran off. Well, she was cute, and she looked like she had a whole bag full of supplies and cooking implements, and that was clearly her kind of person. She followed, her long legs eating up distance and her colourful skirts swirling around. But when they got to the crossroads, the Vastiana stopped and inspected the signs.

The Festival of the Far Realms. The Maze of Champions. The Palace of Plenty. Ransera. She could go back home, but would she ever be able to come back here? Nothing ventured, nothing gained. She'd be no worse off than she was right now, but she likely would never have the chance again.

No, she would investigate first. The Maze sounded enticing; what with her ability to navigate, and she did have her map if need be... though it was questionable as to whether or not it would work. And that was entirely fine - she could manage without it, though it just helped to have. She did have to wonder what was in it, and what one might face... She decided. The best course was to check out the Festival and see what was happening there, and perhaps there might be games or treats or food to explore. Maybe she could find something there to help her with the Maze, and then onwards to the Palace of Plenty.

All things considered, Hilana was not about to visit the home of the Spider Most Elegant without a fabulous gift for her. She would not risk insulting the Mistlord, not after her first run-in with her. Founders help her if she was unprepared a second time. Fail to plan, plan to fail.

Resolute and decided, the colourful young woman with the long ebon hair went to check out the festival. While she had a long stride, there were those who could catch up if they so chose.

[Torin Kilvin]

The path from the door led to a sign post, just as Torin was approaching he saw a human women also stepping up. She was beautiful with rich dark skin, long black hair and a multicolored dress that seemed to be made of dozens of yards of fabric swirling around her. Staying several feet away with his hands nervously tucked beside him but clearly visible the wide young smith smiled shyly and asked,

"Excuse me, are you from... here? I seem to..." He glanced back the way he had come, clearly confused as to explain his presence. His Semblance was wide open, scanning down the paths and sensing magic beyond his ability to comprehend. Everything here seemed to be bursting with more aether than anything he was used to back home. This was the sort of land one stumbled into in faerie stories, which, now that he thought about it, seemed like exactly what had happened to him. This was not the land of any Fae he knew (admittedly he'd only known one clan), but not all faerie tales were about Fae.

When the woman began down the path towards the Festival Torin followed her. It was the path he would have chosen had he been alone and the determined enthusiasm that filled her aura lent him some of her confidence. If this was to be a grand adventure he wanted to be around the sort of people who would not shrink from what was to come.

Soon he heard music calling to them invitingly from the Festival. With all the magic abundant perhaps he could learn something of what enchantments or spellcraft was sustaining the place. Even if he couldn't make use of it in his own work he was still fascinated by aether uses of all kinds. Maybe there would be strange foods he could bring back to his apprentice to add to his recipe book, or enchanted weapons to share with Aurin, or Artificed wonders to ponder over with Sivan.

[Hilana Chenzira]

Hilana was flattered that the young man thought that she might well be from here, and she beamed brightly at him, offering a light bow and a sweep of those cheerful skirts. While she had her basket in one hand, her shadow seemed to help bring up the skirt on that side, much like a third hand might. Whatever she was, shadows seemed to come to life for her, and once she straightened, the third hand disappeared, sinking back within her shadow. "I am not, no, not any more than you are, I think," the Vastiana had plenty of energy to her, and he didn't need his Semblance to see that.

Her steps were light and her stride was long, but she slowed down enough for Torin to catch up to her, loaded as she was with everything that she was carrying... and his Sembling sight would tell him that she had a basket full of large, weird-looking mushrooms in it. She did have a different accent that was definitely not from Kalzasi or Karnor, but with her colouring, Gods only knew. "My name is Hilana. What do you go by? Where are you from?" She inquired, her big brown eyes bright and fixed on him. The silver and copper earrings winked in her ears, a mixture of studs and little rings.

He was taller than she was and built well, so if she had to guess, he was perhaps a warrior or he worked a rather physical job. It was tough to tell. He seemed a bit nervous, and Hilana couldn't tell if that was a product of the environment, or if that was just how he was. It didn't matter - she was an outgoing, sociable creature and she sought to make friends wherever she went whenever possible. "This is fascinating, isn't it? We'll check out the Festival and see what we can find, and go from there," she was happy to take charge and if Torin wanted to be hauled around by her, well, she would happily haul the smith around. She seemed to be picking up on the rhythm of the music, as her hips took a little shimmy to the beat. "Festival first, and then the Maze of Champions. That should be fun, don't you think?"

[Torin Kilvin]

The smith watched as the shadows moved around the woman and became aware that she was connect to them in the same way that he was connected to Fire, but more so. A powerful mage stood before him and yet her manner was as open and friendly as he wished his own to be.

"I'm not no." He answered her though it hadn't actually be a question, his long legs carrying him easily along at her side as they headed down the path towards the Festival, according to the sign post.

Oddly, the basket full of obviously fresh gathered mushrooms reminded him of Sivan and made him feel instantly more at ease with her. There were other things about her that whispered of Alchemy and a strong connection to tending the growing things of the earth. Her accent was as wild and free as her manner and he found he quite liked both. The large lad was nowhere near worldly enough to recognize where it was from and the dangers that it might meant,

There was a moment of hesitation when she asked his name, in the stories it was dangerous to go giving away person things like names. But she had given hers, so, at worst, giving his would put them back to even.

"I'm Torin, I'm a Runesmith, from Kalzasi." He didn't worry over giving her his profession, he could sense her own Semblance rune and if she was using it she would already know that both of their runes were shared. This affinity also felt like a connection, though he was trying to remind himself that while this adventure might feel like a story it could still be a dangerous one.

Though it caused him to flush a little he opened his Semblance up in the way that he had discovered he could since the odd breakthrough he had experienced in crafting an artifact for a goddess. Though it he could feel Hilana's intentions, sense her thoughts. This exploration was kept strictly to the subject of himself, for he had no wish to pry into anyone's personal life where he wasn't invited. This was the first time he had used the new ability on a stranger and what he found was only good will and a healthy sense of self preservation similar to his own. Relieved his steps perked up and he looked ahead of them, no longer fearing his new companion.

The scene they were approaching was as filled with wonder as he had imagined it might be. A part of him wondered if it had appeared so because he had imagined it but it made no difference. Sprawled out over a wide circle of ground was a set of tents and pavilions of every imaginable color, some unimaginable ones, and some that changed each time he looked away. The tapestries of embroidery that covered almost every fabric surface were magnificently crafted but far beyond that they were all moving. Scenes of animals pranced, hunted, ate, mated and lived out seemingly full lives. Tiny people moved through scenes of cities, battles and parties. Almost sadly, the wonder of the temporary buildings was the least interesting thing to be seen. Beings of as many shapes as the tents were colors moved through the scene, shopping at the booths full of magnificent wares, eating and drinking exotic foodstuffs hawked from trays and stalls and playing an assortment of games that, at first glance, made no sense to the smith.

He could only nod as he took it all in, answering belatedly.

"Fascinating..." As he felt as though he had actually been fascinated. It took only a moment for him to shake out of it, a sense of fun washing over him. Turning bright blue eyes to Hilana he grinned and said,

"Where should we go first?"

[Hilana Chenzira]

His Semblance would tell him that she was a friendly, good-natured woman who was curious in the world around them, and that she was enjoying his company. Hilana wasn't looking to start a fight with him, certainly, if only because she knew that it was good to have allies and friends in strange places. She had learned that lesson when she had investigated the Crystal Tree and the Crystal Tower - allies had been necessary. While this place certainly lacked the threat, it was strange, otherworldly, and the fact that the sign had said "The Palace of Plenty" told her from their research to help Rickter that they were somewhere beyond Ransera itself, between the Land of Nod and the Aethereal Sea.

For all his demeanour, he was a big, strong lad, and the young woman preferred to be friendly with someone like that in a place like this. That being said, she rarely used her Semblance Rune as much as some of her fellow Solunarians did; though perhaps that was because she lacked the experience and focus with it, or because she chose not to try to use arcane means to find out what she might just by talking with someone. It was still a newer Rune for her, and it did not come as naturally as Elementalism... but perhaps that was because she knew she had needed to get the best grasp possible of their other shared Rune due to her quest. When a Greatwyrm told you to improve, you did it. "Perhaps one day I can come by and watch you work, if you allow such things," Hilana beamed at him. "I find the process of Runeforging very fascinating to watch, and what is made possible through it is incredible, but I don't think I've the aptitude for it myself."

There was plenty to take in as Hilana looked around them. She admired the fabric - if the opportunity came to buy some, then she would, just to take it back to Athalia to play with. Some of the colours were brilliant, and she did love the bright things like that. Her skirts swished around her long legs, and she adjusted the basket. "I don't suppose you might be hungry? Those look like they would be good, if you like sweets," she was eyeing a stall that had an assortment of all things fried. But she was certainly looking at the fried dough that seemed to be called elephant ears. While she had only heard stories of those beasts in Ecith, and seen pictures, she had never actually seen one herself... but the ears did at least resemble their namesake's, and they were coated with what looked to her like cinnamon sugar and there were sauces on the side that could be added, from caramel to berry to chocolate...

"We can get a snack and see what sorts of games they have going on over there, there seems to be something," Hilana stood on tiptoes in her sandals, pointing off in the distance. "They seem to be having fun, so it might be worth a shot."

[Torin Kilvin]

Torin thought of himself as the sort of person who wouldn't let appearances, even aetheric ones, determine what he thought of a person. This was, of course, imperfect, the human mind took in uncounted signals about others based on what could be observed, but at least this human tried to be open to others being more, or less, than they appeared at first observation.

There, in that odd place in which nothing seemed to be exactly what it appeared, it was nice to have someone else who was just as new to it all. The young smith had read a great deal about other planes but his knowledge was entirely theoretical. The Land of Nod was something that, while he understood was a real 'place', felt more like a faery tale for children. It was possible that he was there now, though he didn't recall falling asleep and traveling thither required more than a simple, normal sleep anyway. Because of the similarity to several children's tales he had heard in his youth, he was reluctant to make any promises but his own nature, to share knowledge and his love of his craft, caused him to answer with at least a positive.

"I do allow such things, I like talking about my work while I do it, if there is someone who wants to listen. Are you from near Kalzasi?" Perhaps she was from the same city and they had been pulled into this odd place together by way of having been near each other at the time.

The mention of food caused his stomach to growl audibly and he nodded,

"I'm a little afraid to eat anything. Old stories warn against food from mysterious lands trapping you there, or making you become giant, or tiny. But..." He looked around at the hundreds of other patrons of the festival, most of whom had some treat or savory wrapped in paper to snack on and none of whom seemed to be showing ill effects. There were humans in the mix, at least, people who physically and aetherically appeared human so... "It looks safe for humans though, and it might be rude not to."

Torin would rather be in a great number of magically uncomfortable situations than be rude to even random strangers, let alone whatever was in charge of this place. Politely, Torin asked for two of the cinnamon-covered pastries on sticks that Hilana had been eyeing, the vendor handed them over with a laugh and a flourish and then was gone to help the next customer before Torin could offer payment. He watched the next two patrons also receive their orders for free before he turned back to his companion.

"I guess the 'plenty' extends to the Festival." He said as he handed over one of the treats and took a huge bite of his own. The flavors bust into his mouth and then all over him. The nourished feeling that came from good food after a long day of work seemed to suffuse beyond just his stomach and pass through his limbs and even into his mind.

"Ohh... Wow, that's good." He felt like laughing and maybe he did.

The pair wandered towards the games and when Torin saw Hilana's gaze linger on some of the fabric for sale in one stall he stopped and asked how much the bolt was.

"That depends," The little vendor woman grinned up at him, eyeing his form but seeming to see more than his body, "It might cost your first memories of Glade, or your deepest breath, or one of your secret longings. It depends on what you've got."

At this, the smith turned to look back at his companion, because this definitely felt like the sort of thing someone said in a faery tale.