I've Had Enough

Damp. Cold. Gray. The weather is pure, unadulterated misery in Alexandria this afternoon, the winter's chill like a wet blanket across the river and its environs, the air tasting faintly of snow. Nobody really wants to be out in this, and those who need to be so are wrapped firmly in cloaks and hurry across the square on their errands.

A few seem to be unbothered by the weather, or adequately shielded against it at the least. One such, a strawberry blonde man in what would seem to be a winter version of wizard's robes except for the swordbelt at his hip, stands near the fountain in the Temple square, eyes thoughtfully on the gray skies.

Even the winter day couldn't all degrees of excitement. Whlie there were the major temples in Alexandria, all devoted to major 'good' gods, there were smaller temples devoted to other gods, or in this case, neutral ones. And located near the major ones sat the Temple of Navos, or as less devoted might refer to it as, a library. -Another- one.

From seemingly out of no where, the front door of the temple opens up, and a relatively slim sith-makar with fairly large glasses is very physically shoved out. She places a hand on her glasses as she's moved, her other hand clutched around a stuffed backpack. A loud, booming, matronly voice carries out over the immediate area.

"Out! You had an order and I don't tolerate laziness! Move-move-move!"

The young sith-makar turns towards the figure, shaking her head. Her voice is somewhat melodic and pleasant to listen to. "I know I have to go, but I found this really nice book about-"

"Tut-tut! You had an order. Follow. It."

Quilani peers back at the taller matron, who shuts the door immediately. "But...I don't even have a weapon? And you wouldn't want me to get hurt out here, would you?"

After a moment and a few serious stomps (upon hearing this, the young sith-makar backs up a few steps) the door opens, and a quarterstaff is very visibly launched at her. She tries to catch the flying stick and fails spectactularly, the weapon sailing out over the stairs and clattering against the ground near the fountain. The door of the temple slams back hard, leaving the girl to sigh deeply and descend down the staircase, her ear-fins condensing in moderate annoyance.

"Go out and see the world she said. It'll be good for you she said. Think of the new friends you'll make she said. You read too many books they all say. Isn't that the -ACTUAL- POINT?" Quilani mutters underneath her breath, eventually making it towards the fountain to pick up the staff.

Garakos slips out of a nearby door to the one Quilani just energed from, and hurries toward her, a heavy cloak bundled around him. "Nevermind her," he says dismissively of the matron. "I got much the same treatment only a few months ago. And it's not quite the burden you may expect." He nods solemnly. "There are many libraries in this town, and some of them have quite interesting volumes, themselves."

Newly arrived to Alexandria, a certain clay-made golem has made short work of stumbling around the streets and laneways. It's with a carefree wander does he walk with, dark eyes peering at the looming buildings on either side of the streets he trundles down. The somewhat nasty weather hasn't seem to put him off exploring the city as much as it has other citizens, even as a cold rush of wind sweeps across the pavement to ruffle his leather-bound garb.

After crossing a bridge, the area opens up considerably. Clay squints to make out the surrounding area - a sum of Temples amidst the backdrop of a great big fountain. Strolling for the fountain to gain some sort of rest, the being reels and straightens as a certain figure is quite literally kicked out of the nearby library. Watching the entire scene play out before him with a neutral expression, he begins his wander once more as the sith-makar picks up that quarterstaff. Stopping short a couple of meters, his attention shifts from the glasses-wearing figure to Seldan, to then the dark-elf that hurries afterward.

"Hello." He greets quite diminutively, lifting a hand up in a friendly gesture. "Did you get ejected from the building?"

Startled out of whatever contemplation arrested him, Seldan looks up as the flying quarterstaff sails uncomfortably close to him! He instinctively backpedals a couple of steps, and it clatters to the cobblestones at his feet instead of clobbering him upside the head. "Throwing weapons is not perhaps the wisest of measures, no matter how well-intentioned." The man's voice carries a fairly thick Myrrish accent, his speech formal in tone, and he leans over to pick up the quarterstaff so ejected, holding it upright with his eyes on the sith-makar so ejected from the building, clearly expecting her to take it.

Startled out of whatever contemplation arrested him, Seldan looks up as the flying quarterstaff sails uncomfortably close to him! He instinctively backpedals a couple of steps, and it clatters to the cobblestones at his feet instead of clobbering him upside the head. "Throwing weapons is not perhaps the wisest of measures, no matter how well-intentioned." The man's voice carries a fairly thick Myrrish accent, his speech formal in tone, and he leans over to pick up the quarterstaff so ejected, holding it upright with his eyes on the sith-makar so ejected from the building, clearly expecting her to take it. "I believe this to be yours?"

had of course, been outside of the temple sometimes for sure, but never for long periods of time. So the girl looks a little overwhelmed with multiple people paying attention to her very suddenly. Her tail coils slightly around one of her legs as the elf speaks towards her first.

Garakos would likely know the name of the ejector; Matron Yuni. A motherly looking Sildanyar in the upper ends of her life that was very much a tough love sort of teacher. Chances were, if the sith-makar was given a job to do, or a task to complete, there was a good reason for it. To respond to the dark elf though, she chuckles sheepishly. "Oh I know. I'm just...not terribly fond of being outside. But she says it'd be good for me to do so...h-here I am." She slowly circles around the man and continues down the stairs, and gets most of the way there when the golem happens upon her next. She visibly shrinks back from him a little bit, looking over towards the offered staff and picking it up. "No-no...n-not ejected. Just...erm...f-forcefullymadetogoonaquestorotherwiseknownasanadventuretolearnhowpeoplework. Or...ejected. So yes. That. Not permanently. Semi-permanently. For awhile. A few months? How long do adventures take? Don't answer that."

She then finally turns to Seldan and gives him a polite bow of her head, holding the staff in her hand and clumsily spinning it.

"This isn't mine but I guess it is now. I probably would have chosen something lighter but at the very least, it'll make for a good walking stick. People...still have those...right?"

Garakos chuckles sympathetically to Quilani and nods about the going out to adventure thing. "That is a thing you can do," he agrees. "You can also lay low in one of the city libraries by day and rent a room for the evenings. And now no shelves to dust, no meals to serve, nor other temple duties for a bit. You can probably come back after a week or so with no questions."

"Your tail is beginning to curl around one of your legs." The observation made from the golem is done rather casually, his largely emotion-less tone certainly not judging. Just... stating. "Please be careful that you do not trip yourself." Listening to follow-up story about why she was cast out, seemingly to go on adventures, the golem nods. "Adventures? I do not know. I have not considered myself to have been on a singular adventuring task. I have just arrived in Alexandria from a long walk from the North, but I have seen many using walking sticks."

Listening to the dark elf's answers, Clay tilts his head with some uncertainty. Like a dog trying to learn a new trick, he processes that information. "Would it not be prudent to do as the... teacher... asked?" The golem shifts a glance towards the library from which Quilani was just booted from. "And go on an adventure? At the very least you could go for a long walk, much like I did. It is quite refreshing to be outside in the mountains sometimes."

Seldan proffers the quarterstaff, frowning at the sith-makar. "I agree that you should do as you are instructed, Temperance," he advises, with a polite nod in Clay's direction. "You will learn far more in the world than all of the books in a library. It is true that the city holds many a library ... but no reading can replace the doing, and there is much to be done within this city, more even than any of us has time in a day to do." He adds a polite smile that is intended to be reassuring. "It is not so bad as all that. It can be unpleasant in the doing, but few things are not quickly undone with simple spells."

Quilani briefly gives the idea about hiding out in another library and doing a stay-cation until Yuni was less angered some thought, but she shakes it out of her head. "Even if I were to find another library to hide out in, many people in our temple visit other libraries. If one of them saw me, Matron Yuni would come and turn me into an actual rope knot."

She looks up towards the far taller Golem, using the newly acquired staff to lean on. Her tail shudders but remains where it is. Her voice lowers to hopefully only the golem being able to hear. "I know where my tail is and I'd like it if you didn't point out what it was doing. Okay? Okay." She raises her voice back up to regular volumes and trying miserably to sound a little more confident. "As much as I'd love to go for an energetic walk, I don't know too much about what's up north and I'd rather be safe...so I'll just pass on that."

And lastly she looks back towards Seldan. "Well I like fiction books just fine, but nobody wants me to go and get into a dramatic love triangle that crosses planes and countries." She stifles a small cough at that. "But...I digress, maybe a normal, average, run-of-the-mill adventure is what I'm looking for. Nothing crazy. Just...maybe a few undead in some forgotten crypt of a barbershop or something. Or just killing rats in a basement. I'd settle for that."

Garakos agrees with the golem, and says, "Some adventures begin with a long walk in any event. And certainly to do as Matron Yuni directed would be /prudent/," he agrees as Quilani brings up the risk of being caught. "But history takes many paths," he waxes philosophical, "and not all are known until the steps have been taken. So do as you see fit and do not let others drive you." He nods at what Seldan says, and agrees, "That much is very true. Travel and adventure are both quite broadening, and then -you- can record the history of what was done," he points out the most important bit, "so that the record is perfect." So many aren't! It's awful!

As Seldan re-affirms his suggestions, the human is given a small smile from the golem. "I cannot speak too much about spells, but yes, my understanding is that a great many things can be done - or undone - with magic. Provided you have the means to do such." Casting his attention back to the library that was being discussed for a moment, he soon looks back to Quilani with the same lingering smile that was given to Seldan just before. "Being tied into a rope knot does sound quite bothersome." Her gentle whisper to him is taken in, though he doesn't give any sort of reaction to her to indicate as such. It's just still that small smirking smile, which is starting to look a bit strange given how long it has lingered.

"Have you got experience in killing rats? Or do you just enjoy killing them?" The question posed to Quilani is done as another cold breeze sweeps across the fountain area, adding to the chill that the atmosphere already has.

Garakos's rather philosophical approach earns a solemn nod from Clay, who raises a hand to suggest he has an addendum to add to the brief soliloquy: "Perhaps you can go for a long walk. And THEN slay as many rats as you so desire. That should qualify as an adventure." It's hard to tell if he's joking or making a serious ploy given he lacks much range in his vocal register. He's still smiling a bit awkwardly though, so that's nice?

"I am known as Clay." The friendly introduction is made to all three whom are gathered. "As mentioned, I am new to this city. I have never been here before. Are you all from here?"

"It is true that many a job involves quite the walk," Seldan agrees, pale eyes holding warmly polite understanding. "Know you, though - should you take up with the Explorer's Guild, there exists no such thing as a _normal_ job. All are lucrative, and all are in aid of Alexandros and its people, but none may be fairly regarded as ordinary, for the Guild does the work that none other dares or is willing to attempt."

"I am Seldan Padaryn of the Silver Guard." Most will know the Silver Guard to be the paladin order faithful to Eluna, and the crescent-and-sphere he wears at his throat and on a pendant aro"How does one plan when one does not know what one faces?" The same deeper female voice counters, tone perfectly reasonable. "We got blunted and stuck to a wall." It is by now clear that the myriad of voices comes from the blade itself. "Please understand. We intend no harm. Not to you, not to anyone, and absolutely not to Seldan. We will aid him as we can." A chorus of agreement results from that statement, but it is another voice that takes over, a new one still and much younger and higher in timbre. "Tell us what is happening!"

"How does one plan when one does not know what one faces?" The same deeper female voice counters, tone perfectly reasonable. "We got blunted and stuck to a wall." It is by now clear that the myriad of voices comes from the blade itself. "Please understand. We intend no harm. Not to you, not to anyone, and absolutely not to Seldan. We will aid him as we can." A chorus of agreement results from that statement, but it is another voice that takes over, a new one still and much younger and higher in timbre. "Tell us what is happening! Is he ill, or possessed, or what?"

Quilani finally returns after a small time, the small sith-makar holding her glasses in one hand, her finger tracing around the rims to bend them back into shape with a fairly common spell. Eventually. A small scuff-mark also appears on her nose, which probably stung but wasn't a terrible cause for concern. She slows her walk as she comes back to the spot she was in earlier to see if anyone familiar is still around...only to find an upturned bench with a sword stuck in it, an drawn up archer and a...goblin musician?

She looks between the two and apparently the sword before slowly backing away.

Malik isn't paying attention to the talk of the monster. "No," he agrees. "He should not. But Seldan is no ranger. Nor is he a native. Nor," he adds, voice growing darker as he eyes the sword once more, "is he currently thinking very clearly." The train of thought, at least, is clear enough -- the paladin, being unfamiliar with Alexandrian winters, and currently wandering out into the mountains with so much on his mind, is unlikely to see the storm until it's directly on top of him. And didn't look dressed for the occasion. "I think we need to go."

The Gobbo huffs at the blade she holds. "You had two hundred years to plan for many things. You could make guesses on what you might face, and then plan for that." The wee woman shakes her head. Her ears straighten at the arrival of Quilani. She grins brightly at the not-so-tall Sith, and offers a wave.

Glancing back to Malik, Acedia nods. To the blade, she says, "Hush, hush. All in good time. We need to go and get Seldan, he's stomped off into the wilderness, and a storm is coming on."

This revelation nets the gobber and the archer another cacophony. "What?" "He gets it from you." "Oh, that's nothing, I remember the time I...." This is quickly devolving into a rather vociferous argument among the voices in the blade, and even the voices that the pair had been talking to seem unable to make any headway in the verbal chaos.

Meanwhile, fat, white flakes are beginning to drift lazily down here and there, only to be blown into a dance of sparkles and glitter by a gust of wind sweeping down off the path.

Quilani stops backing away when she's recognized, and a familiar name tossed out. She finishes mending her glasses and puts them back on her face.

"Erm...you said Seldan right? The guy who was here earlier. Taller than me, human-ish, sword and...that describes like 95 of the people here. Erm...right. That guy. Why would he run out into the cold? And is...that sword his?"

Malik watches the thunder rumble again, the storm in the mountains seeming to move in fast, if the timing of the rumbles is to be believed. Glancing over to Quilani as she makes her way back over, and then starts backing away, he adds, "If you're looking for adventure -- this might be the right time for you." He puts the bow back over his shoulder, reaching into his pack and unrolling a cloth. "This is going to have to do for a scabbard, for the moment," he mutters, nodding for Acedia to put the thing in there as he turns his attention back to Quilani. "We might be in need of a god's intercession very soon, I fear. Yes, the sword is his. And he just went off into those mountains, probably not aware of the storm that's about to hit."

Acedia looks a little pained at the sudden cacophony of voices, and she willingly (and carefully) places the blade onto the cloth. "How Seldan has not gone completely mad is beyond me. You are a tiresome thing, blade." The Gobbo will take a moment to retrieve her violin and bow, and places them into their protective case. "Adventure, my favourite.", she says, sarcastically.

The small girl looks over towards the two of them and then out in the direction they all seemed to be indicating. "I wasn't really looking for adventure, but I'm like...apart of the guild now I guess. So offical adventurer now. I guess." She stifles a cough and looks over towards the goblin, noting the sword and then looking back up to Malik.

"Something tells me you'd probably want someone a little more experienced and sociable than me but if I'm all you have, I'll try my best to dissapoint as little as possible."

The wrapping of the blade does at least seem to muffle the cacophony to some degree, and eventually, the thing goes blessedly silent once the wrapping is complete. This, of course, makes a rumble of thunder in the mountains above all the more audible.

Malik quickly wraps the sword, throwing it over one shoulder as he looks up to the mountains. "Any assistance is better than no assistance," the tsuran man replies, nodding as he sets off at a hustle toward the mountains, a spell wrapping around the three of them as he does so. Shorter legs may be short, but the sudden burst to their speed is undeniable, small steps becoming groundeaters as the speed forward through the plaza, trying to follow the same path that Seldan did. "Are either of you decent at tracking?" he asks the pair. "Or have magics that can help us find him?"

"Eeh, we're looking for someone... chances are nothing more will come of it, except to find him whole. With luck, your adventure will be short, and successful.", the Gobbo says to Quilani. She shakes her head. "I am no tracker. But I have one magic that can help." The violin is pulled free of its case once more, and Acedia begins to play. Whenever the wind has pause, she fills it with sound. A quick, fast, cheerful song, one heard in pubs and taverns throughout Alexandros. A sea chanty, filled with charm, happiness and not a little sauciness and swearing. The spell gives it just a bit of an otherworldly edge, as the Gobbo tries to keep it at a modest pace. "My suggestion is... just imagine you're an annoyed paladin stomping off into the wilderness. Where would you go? Where's the most dangerous place around here?"

Quilani knew this spell. She doesn't *know* the spell. But she knew of this spell. So she speeds off with the others, though at a slightly slower pace, stowing her quarterstaff. "I'm a cleric who spends most of her time inside of the city. I think this is the first time in half a decade being out of it. The only thing I can really offer is-"

She stumbles for a hot second, bracing herself up on a wall for a second and speeding up a bit to re-catch up with the duo. "-...I can see in the dark. That's it. And if we do run into anything I'm...erm...let's just hope we don't."

Malik slows down a moment, concentrating. "I have magics that can help us -- sort of. But we have to be relatively close first anyway, and I"m not sure how far he's gotten." He glances at the other two. "If I were the paladin -- I'd want to be somewhere under the sky. Where the moon can see me, and where I can see the moon. Someplace quiet, and alone... maybe like a ... an outcropping or something of some kind. To let me think, and reflect, and just have a moment of stillness."

He glances at the other two. "Do either of you know a place like that here?"

GAME: Acedia rolls perception: (2)+9: 11

The music slows and then stops. Acedia shrugs her shoulders. "I'm not from around here, and in my time here, I've not really done a lot of exploration outside of the city. So, I don't know of any places like that." The Gobbo gestures up towards the mountains. "I know that there's the Eagalrin's city up the mountain. It probably has some perches like that."

GAME: Quilani rolls knowledge/geography: (5)+6: 11
GAME: Acedia rolls survival: (12)+1: 13
GAME: Malik rolls Survival: (5)+5: 10
GAME: Quilani rolls Survival: (10)+3: 13

Venturing up the path that Seldan took takes the three of them past the Temple of Vardama, past Mikilos' shop, and once past those things, only the khazadi-built roads that lead to the airport, and to the mines, mark that civilization lives here. The road is cut into the side of the mountain, which means that it is sheltered to some degree from the wind that swirls above you, but the air is damp and chill, and the big flakes that drifted down have become a much steadier, smaller snowfall - the sort that is likely to accumulate.

Quilani continues up with everyone else, though the sound of worry is growing increasingly more noticable. "I don't honestly know. I've never been up there and don't leave the city. But if you have any spells that resist cold, you should save them for yourselves. I'm pretty good against it. Mostly. We'll...we'll see."

Between the three of them, it seems, they can follow a path well enough. But as the snow starts to fall, Malik curses in that musical, fluid tsuran tongue -- the nature of the words apparent from the tone. "We will need to find him quickly," he suggests. "Or his trail might be lost under a layer of white."

Stopping to consider for a moment, he unslings the wrapped sword from his back, passing it Quilani's way. "You haven't threatened to break it or throw it into a volcano. Yet." He nods toward the Sith-Makar. "If this thing has dozens of living memories in it, then you might be able to get it to tell you something useful. Like how to find a man in a snowstorm." Then, back to Acedia. "I don't suppose you know a song that would make us substantially better at this?"

The Gobbo actually puffs up a little, and she grins toothily. "I miiiight have something up my sleeve, yes." She puts the bow to the strings once more, and begins to play something fast, that moves from note to note, stanza to stanza, quickly and lightly. She does a little dance as she goes along, moving about in a circular manner around the other two.

GAME: Acedia rolls perform/string: (11)+8: 19

(to be continued)