Incipience

[Moon Jae-Seong]

TIMESTAMP: Earth's Rest 30, Ash 122
NOTES: -

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The further along Ash progressed, the more wary did Moon Jae-Seong feel. Did he have a reason to be? Not exactly. His stay in the city thus far had been relatively peaceful for what it was. There was political unrest to be sure, but that was what he expected given the fact that Talon was as yet still missing and the nobles continued to bicker amongst themselves about the upcoming succession. To what degree he could, the swordsman avoided being involved– but there is only so much one can really do in that regard when one is tied by blood to house Novalys.

Regardless of that, his intuition told him that the worst was yet to come and he simply could not shake the feeling no matter what he did. Obnoxious, really, because what did intuition without knowledge offer? If this ill portent even was accurate, there was little he could even do at this rate. That being the case, there was little joy to be found in complacency of late.

If ever he tried to relax, his thoughts would be marred with worry. So instead, he chose to keep himself busy with whatever he could around the city. Easy enough, as things are. He did, however, find himself thoroughly nonplussed any time anyone recognized him. The man possessed little desire to be acknowledged for his status, so when people attempted to do so, he would either lie or excuse himself from the situation.

And as such, he oft found himself in the lower city. In particular, he'd linger 'round the docks, normally the least populated parts thereof, and fish. Having no real need for money, he didn't bother to sell anything he caught and would end up just giving it to people without much thought. This day was no different. The sun had just barely begun to rise over a city blanketed by fog when he'd arrived at a more outlying area of the docks with the desire to be left alone.

Given the area and time of day, few others were around if at all. Focused on the water and what he was doing, the man was paying little attention to ought else.

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'Thoughts'

"SynskritTongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

"Inandoth Tongue/Speech"

[Lyra]

The breeze tugged a strand of silver hair free from its loose braid over Lyra's shoulder, bringing with it the smell of fish and brine which wrinkled her nose unpleasantly. The elf passed a hand over her hair, tucking the strand back in place as before she looked down at the still waters of lake beneath her feet. Her toes barely skimmed the waters surface, and where they touched light ripples were sent outward as each step carried her closer and closer to the shore. Dark smoke hovered like mist around her, and as she traveled she hummed a soft tune to herself.

The seasons thus far had not gone as planned. More had changed than Lyra could ever have expected, and the change while welcome threw off her designs for the path forward. In essence... she had exactly what she wanted. What came after that?

As the sun began to crest the horizon the docks came into view, and with a final leap Lyra's feet touched wood and her robes fluttered a moment before settling around her. The dark smoke drew inward and flowed into her skin, bringing her back to a full physical state once more. Smoothing out her robes Lyra noted with some annoyance that her braid had come loose again, and it was as she was correcting that she noticed the man on the docks.

Blinking in surprise, for a moment Lyra did not know what to say, but quickly recovered and smiled before returning to fixing her braid.

"Forgive me, I was not aware anyone would be here at this hour." Her hands worked quickly to return her hair to proper order, and when she looked up she smiled again somewhat apologetically, "It is a beautiful morning. I will let you enjoy your time in peace."

With a slight bow of her head Lyra turned and began making her way up the dock, her mind still turning over and over again as she wondered what she should do.

[Moon Jae-Seong]

TIMESTAMP: -
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The fisherman had cast his line and was set on minding his own business, little else on his mind. Generally, the only people on the docks this early would be a ways away from here. As such, he expected that he would be spending at least the time it took for the sun to rise by his lonesome.

For a man of sound mind, when he saw a woman surrounded by a dark mist appearing to walk, or perhaps to float? across the water, he…did not really know how to react. Jae-Seong had seen Fæ-ethalan before and while they had many an assortment of odd tricks, this did not appear to be one. Usually, they were a bit stranger to look at in ways more evocative of nature or the elements. This figure, however? She resembled something of a Siltori elf, pale skinned and pearl-toned hair surrounded by both morning fog and shadow.

Being well educated regarding arcane arts, he was also not quite aware of any Cardinal rune that manifested in this particularly peculiar way. Granted, he'd both heard of and met folks whose runes had coalesced strangely with their souls, allowing for the development of altogether new abilities or the warping of old ones. Maybe that was the case?

He had been…reticent about learning magic himself for a long time, so while his academic knowledge was high, his experience with it first hand wasn't actually that extensive. The Rathari, presently in Zoan form, possessed two runes, neither of which he'd gone very far with, instead relying on the swordsmanship he'd developed prior. That being the case, he found himself markedly curious about this eldritch silhouette as she approached the very dock he was sitting on.

Jae-Seong was capable of sitting completely silent and completely still for the sake of not startling the fish he sought to catch, and in this scenario, he kept track of the stranger's movement with his eyes or ears only. While it amused him greatly that she somehow had managed to make no notice of his presence, it did make sense, foggy as the air itself was around the water. His composure broke a bit when he registered the fact that she was, legitimately, surprised that another had seen her.

He smiled back at the stranger, something soft but still allowing his amusement to be seen. "It's really no bother," he replied to her apology.

Though when she motioned to leave, he spoke again. "Before you go, I do find myself curious…what trick have you employed to travel like that? I've not heard of any rune that grants magic with that sort of, ah…appearance and functionality." His words were calm and subtly curious, but otherwise he was outwardly unreadable.

Inwardly, he was interested for the sake of it but also because the shadows that had floated around her reminded him of little other than a divine– Shaeoth. The association was likely coincidental, but he felt like he would be remiss to not at least try and pick at the woman for information of any sort. While it was unlikely he'd get a stranger to admit to anything profound, one can glean a lot from very few words if one is adept enough at reading between the lines.

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'Thoughts'

"SynskritTongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

"Inandoth Tongue/Speech"

[Lyra]

His question gave her pause and she looked back over her shoulder at the man. Before she had gave him only a passing glance, but now as she turned to face him Lyra's golden eyes looked him over with new interest. First she examined his appearance, well kept with simple clothes of high quality, cut in a traditional Kalzasi style which had somewhat fallen out of fashion in the recent seasons. His eyes were odd, and while she thought he was human the horns suggested the contrary.

"That is an odd question to ask a woman you have just met." Her words were common, but with a slight melodic accent from her true native language. If he was well versed the man might note a connection with some of the other elven languages, but the dialect was only similar to a small extent.

Now that she faced him fully Lyra could appreciate the man's handsomeness, for even sitting with a fishing pole in hand he seemed better fit as a painting than a person. Did he perhaps have some elven blood?

"It is simply my nature." Lyra finally answered the question, focusing on the man's eyes, "You might ask a bird how it flies or a fish how it swims, for both might answer more easily than I."

Her gaze then looked past the man's physical appearance, piercing the veil and examining his soul instead. It was like looking at the still water of pond, reflective and calm, but beyond she knew there was depth there yet untapped. She saw feathers of black, a sheathed blade, and closer still she could see something familiar. With a thought the image of his soul changed to sigil, the brand which represented everything this man was.

She saw the touch of magic, a connection with combat, and other things before she blinked and the man's physical form resolved itself for her once more.

"What are you doing here so early in the day?"

[Moon Jae-Seong]

TIMESTAMP: -
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When the stranger responded, her accent was one he’d not heard at any point in his life, though it rang familiar with some few choice elves he’d met over the course of his life. The differences were subtle, but nonetheless present. Jae-Seong made a mental note of this, because while it was a seemingly trivial detail, even the most trifling minutiae can be significant in the long run when it comes to creating a whole picture of who– or what– somebody really was.

Her words, on the other hand, were another thing entirely. While she had a point in that it was a notably nosy question to ask of a complete stranger, the fisherman was not one who made a habit of denying his own curiosity for the sake of coming across as polite. At least, not in circumstances like this. Among his more royal blooded kin, there was a far greater significance placed on decorum and how one conducted oneself, but outside of that? He really couldn’t bring himself to care overmuch.

Another thing he took note of was her golden eyes. In his travels, he’d actually never met a person of eyes that color that was at all ordinary. Maybe in his anecdotal experience such a thing was pure coincidence, but then…what if it wasn’t? It was yet another oddity to keep in mind.

The woman’s actual answer to his question was appropriately vague. In a scenario like this, he expected little more. That did not mean her answer was unhelpful, however. To say that it was simply in her nature was revealing in and of itself, because if one were to look past the surface of those words, there was great depth of meaning. For shadow to be one’s very nature, that would imply such a thing was woven so tightly into her very essence so as to go beyond a mere Cardinal rune or other odd mutation thereof.

The fisherman smiled something almost pleased at the answer, subtle as it was. His eyes narrowed in a curious, almost fox-like manner as he thought about what odd portent it was to come across a creature claiming that shadow was entwined with her very nature.

“Pardon my curiosity, but the sight of you is hard to ignore, so to speak. My nature makes it hard to simply say nothing.” And then to her explanation, “Is that so? How fascinating…” His voice was calm, smooth with words softly accented by a native Synskrit. One would notice that the way he speaks is reminiscent of the formality one would come to expect from Kalzasern nobility yet not quite there.

To remain in the woman’s gaze as seconds ticked by was an interesting thing, for he could tell she was processing information…but what information? What skills did she possess to search through him? On the surface, he didn’t think there was much of him to see.

To her next question, “I prefer to be awake when the city is quiet, personally. Fishing is more a hobby to pass the time than ought else, though.” The man shrugged at the comment. He could say more, but there was some trepidation in that regard. People can glean a lot from a few words.

“I came back to see what I could learn of the succession…but all I’ve heard is arguing. It is…tempting to wander away and check back later, but then…what if I were to miss something important?” Deliberately vague about his exact involvement and relationship to nobility, what implications he did provide about himself were clear enough.

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'Thoughts'

"SynskritTongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

"Inandoth Tongue/Speech"

[Lyra]

The search for solitude was one that Lyra could understand, and even appreciate to a certain extent. Silence was a luxury for many, but a part of Lyra still disliked the stillness and quiet. Centuries upon centuries of nothing was apt to drive a person mad, were they not already mad themselves. Still, looking over the calm waters Lyra did understand, the constant motion and activity of the city could be overwhelming if there was no rest or respite.

"Curiosity is not a bad trait. I quite like it in fact." Lyra relented with a casual wave of her hand, "I am not one to reprimand a quality I myself possess."

After a moment of thought Lyra walked to sit beside the man, pulling her robes up slightly to expose her ankles before sitting down and laying out the clothing neatly around her. It was with some annoyance she realized that her feet did not quite reach the waters below. She looked at the rod the man used, following its line down to the water where it made small ripples whenever the wind or rod moved the string. The fog over the waters was thinner here closer to the shore, but still Lyra could not see through the waters to find any fish no matter how long she tried.

"I have never fished myself, but those who have say it is enjoyable for some inexplicable reason." The braid did not stay as she wished, and Lyra pushed a stray hair behind her ear and looked up, "What sorts of things do you fish for?"

Though he had mentioned something interesting about the succession, his melodies gave off the impression that it was not a subject that he wished to address. So she let it be, instead focusing on the water again.

[Moon Jae-Seong]

TIMESTAMP: -
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Some folks found curiosity to be a nuisance, some were really picky and so hung up about manners that curiosity to them was akin to disrespect, and others simply preferred to be told what to do rather than explore or think on their own. None of these frames of mind did Jae-Seong understand, so it was always refreshing to run into like-minded individuals in that regard. He understood wanting to keep one's secrets all too well, but he didn't understand people who'd go as far as to take offense to simple questions.

"And most knowledge wrought from curiosity is well worth the risk, in my experience." He said this with a soft laugh and small smile, though he was well aware that seeking secrets sometimes carried great risks along for the ride. Maybe one day he'd learn how great the cost of knowledge had the potential to be, but he did hope to get away with his prying nature for as long as possible.

Regarding her question, "...nothing specific. The waters around here don't have the grandest variety in large part because of other people trying to fish. I just…can't stray too far from the city for the moment; I am…fettered? in a way. So here, I fish up whatever bites for the fun of it, then hand it off to anyone that wants it. Almost everything that one can catch here cooks well, at least." If he really wanted to catch something unique, he'd have to travel.

"If one ever wants to see fish more novel, I would recommend looking where the Winter Fæ have settled. There are a few bodies of water around there that are just as touched by the Everwilds as they are," and though she did not ask, he offered this bit of information as well. While it could get quite cold up there, he found it more relaxing than not.

"What has drawn you here, then?" He always liked asking broad questions; some people gave specific answers almost on impulse while others preferred to share as little as possible. It's interesting to observe which type of person any stranger he meets happens to be.

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'Thoughts'

"SynskritTongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

"Inandoth Tongue/Speech"

[Lyra]

His speech was eloquent, and he had a voice that was soothing like cool water on fevered skin. Lyra listened intently with a hand resting on her cheek as he talked, paying close attention to the meaning between his words. Fettered seemed an apt word for his situation, for not unlike a cage a chain could give the illusion of freedom while being just as suffocating. She wondered what it was that bound him here, though it likely had something to do with the succession he mentioned.

Her eyes widened slightly at the mention of the Winter Fae, and she smiled down at the water, "For one who is tied to this place as you say, you seem well traveled."

The fae were a curiosity that Lyra was particularly fascinated by. They represented something other in this world that was locked to the way of the Ud, or tied down by the will of the gods who defined the rules of this grand stage they called a reality. Lyra had even taken in two of Fae kind into her home, and they were nearly as odd as she was. Perhaps she would find time to visit these Winter Fae in the coming frost.

"You might say this is my home." Lyra said with a quirk of her lips as she looked up at Jae-Song and smiled playfully, "At least it is where I frequent most of the time. I own a shop in the Plaza, and my manor is just across these waters."

She waved a hand in the direction she had come from.

"Or are you asking why I have come to these docks?" She asked, and then shrugged, "Where you like to fish in the early hours, I take pleasure in wandering about. This mornings wandering simply brought me here."

[Moon Jae-Seong]

TIMESTAMP: -
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The stranger's comment pulled a soft, lopsided smile to the man's lips. "My leash is usually a long one, but still a tether nevertheless." True enough, but he rarely ever went beyond Zaichaer. "Though with so much turmoil recently, I've…been compelled not to stray too far." Jae-Seong said this with a soft, almost wistful huff of a breath at the end of the sentence. It took restraint not to frown. He felt great guilt about being absent for…certain things, and as a result, he felt obligated now to be present.

The Fæ were a fascinating group that Jae-Seong found himself wandering into from time to time in his travels; not every experience was a positive one but he could say that all of them were fascinating individuals. As such, he generally enjoyed coming upon such beings even on the rare occasions where they were hostile.

His gaze shifted to across the waters in the general direction she indicated her manor was. It was foggy to a point where he could not see it, though his memory placed the image where it properly belonged. On clearer days, he'd seen such a manse– he'd always wondered who lived there and, it would seem he's finally found such a person. "Ah, are you now? How curious. That manor was always a mystery to me." And in many ways, it still was.

And to what she next said, "I'd say I'm surprised we've never met, but then I suppose I am out of the city often enough– as you likely are– that it makes sense our paths never crossed. How often are you in the city, if you don't mind my asking…? What, with your business and all…" The swordsman was, if nothing else, a curious sort, though this feature was often masked by his usually rather stoic demeanor.

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'Thoughts'

"Synskrit Tongue/Speech"

"Common Tongue/Speech"

"Inandoth Tongue/Speech"

[Lyra]

"It has not been long since I first came to Kalzasi." Lyra said in answer to the man's implied inquiry, and she returned his smile, "It has scarcely been three years since my shop, Ale'Epherium, opened its doors and my manor was built only a year ago."

Given how long she had been in Kalzasi, and how frequently she traveled, it was not surprising that the two had never met. Lyra had not been a simple shop owner for long, and in the same season she first opened her doors she was also pulled into a web of fantastical circumstances by the Iron Queen herself. As long-lived as she was three years was barely a drop in the river of her life, yet thinking back as she did now Lyra realized that much had happened.

"I sell scrivening supplies, and scrolls and staves of various uses." Reaching into a pocket she withdrew a folded sheet of paper, which when opened showed a delicate set of linework that made a spiraling pattern at the center. It was a minor scroll of tinder, a single use that could be used to start a fire, or create a small light, "In this, the jewel of the north, such services are in high demand so I have done well enough. Take this, and should you ever need something of a magical nature perhaps you will think of me."

She winked and handed the paper to Jae-Song, "I travel often, but I find myself in Kalzasi more often than not. Do you mean to imply you wish to see me again?"