Adjacent Jennies: The Bit Before The Middle [IC]

[Hazuki]

There are times that everything goes perfectly. You put on your best clothes, have a peaceful night of rest, then show up to the meeting with time to spare and no birds have taken offense at your life choices. Then there are the times where your hair refuses to untangle, a couple of wagons splash dirt all over your face, and you turn up only to find the Nobleman has abandoned your meeting in favor of a couple of lovely women with names like Sapphire and Esmerelda the Exotic Wonder of the West.

For Arday, today is closer to the latter than the former. The wagon she'd hitched a ride on had dropped her at one of Rani's waystations; a building slightly larger than the average merchant's home, filled with rooms for the weary, food for the hungry, and a collection of books for the wandering scholar. She was woken up at the crack of dawn by the waystation's monk, a tad early after a day's travel in heavy rain, but at least he was polite about it. When she stepped out and onto the road, she was greeted by the sticky, warm kind of air that follows rain; a combination of the worst aspects of sunny and cool weather.

So, she was a bit tired, a bit wet and sweaty, and none of the passing wagons would stop to pick her up despite both. This left her with an hours-long walk all by her lonesome, with the only comfort being the best roads she's ever walked on. She would have been treated to a view of rolling plains and forests in the distance, were it not for the thin film of mist that turned to fog just before her eyes could reach much of anything interesting. Instead, she got the uniform pattern of brickwork on the road.

Fortunately, it seems that her journey is soon to come to an end, as she spots the silhouettes of buildings in the distance. She'd taken a few turns along the way, with the guidance of her handy Pocket Guide to Rani, and had been expecting the first thing she saw to be the white walls of Cloister Bell. But what she's seeing isn't the white walls, with rivulets of pink marking ages-old battles; it's the hodge-podge of decent wood and straw architecture that hasn't been taken care of very well.

As she gets closer and closer, she sees the sprawling collection of buildings and the lands surrounding, and can already hear the people within. There seems to be a lot of shouting, a lot of kids running about in the area around the town itself, as well as people grumbling to themselves beside the rushing river that allows quick trade across all of Rani. And beyond the town's ramshackle cluster of buildings, she catches sight of a great looming wall; Cloister Bell itself.

According to her Pocket Guide, that would make the town she's just wandering up to The Jennies. A small town of refugees and other less-well-off folk who've either failed to get into Cloister Bell or didn't think much of what they found inside. The guide suggests that it's something of a melting pot of cultures, and that its atmosphere is one that may lead to the unsuspecting mysteriously losing their coin. That would explain the merchant wagons rolling in and out with a handful of guards on beside them, then. But as long as one sticks to the main road, it should be safe.

Arday is just about to walk through the initial cluster of buildings, along the slightly more damaged road, when one of the hatches on the upper floor of a nearby building swings open. A family of people clad in fur cloaks, who had been standing nervously to the side of the building, look up just in time to spot a handsome man come flying out of it and land on his back. This earns a few guffaws from people further down the street, while the youngest of the nearby family noticeably hold back snickers. That kind of fall can't have done much good for him, Arday guesses, judging by the string of curses that come out of his mouth as he struggles to pull himself into a sitting position.

[PersonMan]

It's days like this that make Arday glad that her first days of wandering are long behind her. Waking up early, without enough sleep, having to trudge through the soup-like air without anything but her thoughts to keep her company - it's exactly the sort of thing that dragged at her spirits and fatigued her body back then, making her consider whether or not she'd made the right choice to leave her former home behind. Of course, by now she's had more than enough of such days (and a great many days that were better but still far from ideal) for it to be less of a bother. She'd prefer better weather, she'd enjoy being able to get a ride with someone going in the same direction, she'd like to have a nice view to paint later.

But in the end, none of it was necessary. She was still young, after all, and the tug of fatigue eventually fades away as she walks, her mind readily providing her with more than enough to keep her busy during the trip on foot. It's only as she spots the edges of the settlement that Arday's mind returns to the real world, the various considerations of her thoughts shifting to the back of her perception as she looks around, recalling what she'd read and heard. Of course, shortly after she begins, the scholar is met with something quite jarring, that pulls her out of her already-beginning considerations of The Jennies' role in her stay.

Thud.

Well, that had to hurt. Arday winces, hurrying over to the fallen man. "Are you alright?" She asks as she closes in. "Aside from the, ah, pain, of course."

[Hazuki]

"This...grr..." The man winces in pain as he pulls himself to his knees. "Berk's sticking her nose in..." Another cry, as he pulls himself to his feet and stumbles towards the house. "Where it's not wanted!" He stumbles up towards the house, opens the door, steps inside...and is sent flying outwards and onto his back again.

A figure emerges from the door, clad in a long black cloak and a worn leather helmet that sits tightly against her skull. A pair of large, animalistic horns tear a hole through the top of the helmet, but Arday doesn't have much time to consider that as the woman marches towards the prone man with a stack of documents tucked under one arm.

"Why you sodd-"

"Shh." The woman interrupts, putting a finger to her lips, and the injured man does. She pulls the stack of documents into her hands, clears her throat, and starts to sort through them.

[PersonMan]

Arday watches for a few moments, confused, thoughts racing through her mind on the nature of what she's seen, as well as the obvious question of why the woman has horns piercing her helmet.

"Ehm, excuse me," Arday says, stepping forwards. "What...what exactly is going on here?" She asks, voice low.

Hopefully this wasn't a very accurate first impression of the city.

[Hazuki]

The woman pauses in her document searching to look at Arday, at which point the scholar notices her blue lips grinning. "Hi. Sorry. Middle of a ride - be with you in a tick." She says, then turns to the man. "Cross-trading," She tosses a document on him. "Bobbing," Another. "Peeling," And another with each word. "Skagging, swagging, and being a right berk. If you don't want every wagger in The Jennies dishing out your scrape, you'll let these fine folk crash in your case. No jink. And I'll feed you to the river. Got it?"

The man is about to open his mouth when she kicks him flat in the teeth and he reels back, at least a couple of them knocked out. "Yes! Yes! Fine!" He says, as he scrambles to pick up his documents.

"And I'm keeping your diary." The woman says, pulling a hand back into her cloak and retrieving a battered leatherbound book. "So you're not square just 'cause I'm not about. Now, go on. Piss off." She says, and watches the injured man stumble away as she tucks the diary into her belt.

[PersonMan]

Arday is well-versed in a number of codes. She knows from experience that an expert deeply embedded in their field of expertise may fill their speech with so much jargon that it becomes unintelligible for those less learned in the subject in question. None of this really helps. The woman's speech is completely filled with words she doesn't understand. Some, she can parse. "Tick", "berk", the list of crimes - those she can at least guess the meaning of. But only some, and only to an extent.

"So, ehm, you're with the guard?" Arday asks the blue-lipped woman, trying to ignore the twisting that remained in her stomach. Watching a man be kicked directly in his face, and then see his teeth flying...it didn't exactly sit well with her, even if she assures herself that something on the list of "bobbing", "peeling", "skagging" and "swanking" would make him deserve it.

[Hazuki]

"No guards in the Jennies, adam." The woman informs her, as she strikes a pose with her hands on her hips. "Ser Azure, here to put The Jennies to rights!" She declares, just as the nearby fur-wearing family come over and the children hug at her legs. The parents offer her their thanks as she grins at them, and she ruffles the hair of the children with a gloved hand as they're led into the house. She turns to face the scholar properly, still grinning. "What's your tag?"

[PersonMan]

Arday relaxes slightly. Nobility, then - perhaps it was foolish of her to assume this place would have the same sort of system as her former home had. The clear admiration of the others also soothed her nerves somewhat; any remaining worry faded away. Clearly, this Ser Azure was a pillar of the community. Of course, that didn't change the incredibly difficult-to-understand nature of her speech. At least her question was fairly simple to decipher.

"My name is Arday," she says, deciding to stay on the safe side - it could be that 'tag' meant title, rather than name. Best to be sure, after all. "I've, well, I'm arriving. Right now, that is. I just got here."

[Hazuki]

"Jenny's Grace to you, Arday." Ser Azure bows to the scholar, then scoops up the man's teeth and tucks them into a pouch on her belt. "Best stick with me if you want to keep your jinglings where you sit. Supposing you're headed to the Bell?" She asks, as she starts to walk down the street proper.

[PersonMan]

Arday returns Ser Azure's bow elegantly, glad that at least some things make sense here.

This is, of course, immediately followed by the sight of the woman scooping up bloody teeth from the ground. Wonderful.

Moving to follow Ser Azure - Arday is fairly certain she's clear on what jinglings are - the scholar considers what to say for a moment, before deciding to just ask. No harm in that, right?

"I, ah, don't mean to be rude," Arday begins. "But...what exactly do you need those for?"

[Hazuki]

"Zallet's a dazzler - one of the healer ones." Ser Azure explains, quite happily. "One berk's loss is a cutter's gain, yeah?"

[PersonMan]

"Zallet?" Arday asks. At least it's clear that this is a name. "Does she...use the teeth to heal?"

[Hazuki]

"Yeah. She uses them to heal mouths." Ser Azure answers, although her mouth is filled with matching teeth. "Rum good at it, too. Don't they have dazzlers where you were splurged out?"

[PersonMan]

Splurged out? That sounded unsavory.

"Not...like that," Arday says, wincing at the thought of healing magic that would require another person's teeth. "They would just, ehm, well they would put your teeth back in. Not use someone else's."

[Hazuki]

"Most folk panic, don't think to look for their teeth." Ser Azure explains, as she pats her trusty pouch. "Better to have some spares ready, yeah?"

[PersonMan]

"I, ah, I see," Arday replies. "So, ehm, you...keep the streets safe, here in The Jennies?" She asks, hoping to steer the conversation towards something less unpleasant.

[Hazuki]

"Yeah! Well, I'm working on it. Lotsa cony-catchers in The Jennies, gonna take some time no matter how rum your chivs." Ser Azure answers, and takes a moment to look Arday over. "You look like a graybeard to me."

[PersonMan]

"Cony-catchers?" Arday asks softly, not sure exactly what kind of criminal Ser Azure is referring to. "As for me, well, ehm, if graybeard means 'scholar', then yes," she adds with a nod.

[Hazuki]

"Yah. They get berks who're good for a bob." Ser Azure confirms with a bob of her head. "You'll fit right in with the Bells, sorry t'say."

[PersonMan]

"A...bob?" Arday asks cautiously, recognizing the term from before. "And, ehm, why are you sorry to say? Is there...is there something wrong with Cloister Bell?"

[Hazuki]

"They've all got the sickness, haven't they?" Ser Azure says, glancing at Arday. "But you can't give any of the people out here a place to stay, no, we get locked out in The Jennies." Her briefly dour expression swiftly changes back into a beaming smile. "Better than them, anyhow. Better a Jenny any day."

[PersonMan]

The sickness? That doesn't sound good. Arday frowns, eyebrows furrowing. "The sickness?" She asks. "Is that...is there a plague?"

[Hazuki]

"Yeah. A plague of berks." Ser Azure winks at her. "But nothing you can catch." She takes a moment to consider her next words. "Don't you outsiders have little books that tell you all this?" She asks, mimicking a page turning.

[PersonMan]

Arday relaxes as Ser Azure explains what she meant. "Oh, ehm, I do, but...it may be a bit old," she replies, glancing off to the side. "So, the inner city has too many people? Wouldn't that, ehm, mean they couldn't make a place for people from out here?"

[Hazuki]

"Too many berks." Ser Azure corrects, as they find themselves on the other side of The Jennies and Arday is faced with the looming wall, as well as a drawbridge that stretches across a deep moat. "See? Even made a bridge to keep us Jennies out, in case we start foaming. Hope you've got your papers, yeah?" She asks, nodding in the direction of the guards at the other end of the bridge.

[PersonMan]

"I, ehm, don't," Arday says, shaking her head. "I'm...not sure what you mean. About the, ehm, berks. And foaming."

[Hazuki]

"Berks. Bad people." Ser Azure shrugs. "You'll need to hand over some jink if you've not got papers already. To the basher." She points at one of the guards at the gates.

[PersonMan]

Arday nods again, finally fully understanding Ser Azure's words. "Jink is money, right? Oh, and, ehm, thank you. For your help," she says, giving the woman a slight bow.

[Hazuki]

"You're getting canny." Ser Azure compliments, then bows with only her hand.

[PersonMan]

Arday smiles in response, and crosses the bridge to speak to the so-called basher. She hopes that no bashing will be involved.

"Ehm, good morning," she says. "My name is Arday, I'd like to enter Cloister Bell."

[Hazuki]

Arday notices that once she's left Ser Azure's company, the woman darts off down a nearby alley and there's the sound of somebody yelling in surprise. Fortunately, she's well across the bridge and the lightly-armored guard has already noticed her.

"Hello." The guard greets her, as he adjusts his grip on the quarterstaff at his side. "Do you have identification?" His voice is surprisingly soft, for somebody with enough muscle to snap his own staff in two.

[PersonMan]

Arday shakes her head. "I do not," she says. "I've traveled quite a way, and am not from a place that gives such papers to its people."

[Hazuki]

"You will need identification to enter the city proper." The guard informs her, then nods to a door placed inside the thick gate - exactly where the metal would fall should it shut. "Enter and apply for identification. It will cost two ounces of gold."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods. As nice as Ser Azure was, it was a lot easier to deal with bureaucracy spoken in a language she understood than explanations in a dialect she could barely wrap her mind around. "Thank you," she says, then heads through the door and into the city. Once inside, she looks for something that looks like a place to apply for identification, hoping the process will be quick.

[Hazuki]

Fortunately for Arday, she needs only look in front of her to find where she should apply for identification. The room beyond the door consists of a fairly small room, with a wooden floor and walls braced with shimmering metal. Opposite the door she walked through is a semi-circular wooden desk, draped in cloth so she can just barely spot its legs, with a door behind it. Sitting at the desk is a woman in a simple red robe, her hair dyed a distinct black, who rises when she sees Arday come in and holds an arm over her chest*.

"Welcome. Are you here for identification?" She greets. As she does so, Arday spots somebody out of the corner of her eye - a lean figure standing in the corner of the room. Most of their form is covered by a black, feathery cloak that's slightly ruffled at the back, and has a faint sheen to it. Their head is covered by a long hat, a feather on its side, and they watch Arday as she enters.

*A traditional greeting in Rani, used in the place of a hug for strangers. Or so the Pocket Guide says.

[PersonMan]

"I am, yes," Arday replies with a nod and mirrored arm-cross, hoping to perform the greeting correctly. She takes note of the odd person, and after a moment's consideration decides to greet them as well - with a nod and brief smile.

"Two ounces of gold is the price I was told; should I pay now?"

[Hazuki]

"Yes. If you could put it on the scales?" The woman asks, gesturing to a set of them that sits on her desk. As Arday does so, she retrieves some ink and a quill, as well as a thin book clad in black leather. She pushes them both towards Arday. "Please fill out the form." She instructs, and the scholar is treated to a variety of spaces to fill in with facts of her life. Things like her full name, date of birth, where she was born, educated, and so on.

[PersonMan]

Arday places gold on the scale until it evens out, then sits down and fills the form out, silently scratching her history onto the page, with the occasional question over some detail of what was being asked for, until she finishes the form, handing it back to the woman.

[Hazuki]

"Where would you like to be cut?" The woman asks, as she takes back the book and aligns it with a smaller blank book, with thin silvery chains connecting them for a moment as her fingertips drift from one to the other. "We require a blood sample for proper identification, you understand." She says, as she retrieves a couple of vials from beneath her desk, along with an ornate knife that seems sharp enough to cut air.

[PersonMan]

Arday represses the discomfort that rises at the thought of being cut, and extends her left arm. "If it's not much, maybe the side of my arm, here," she says, pulling back her sleeve.

[Hazuki]

The woman steps around the desk and performs a quick slice to Arday's arm, draining the blood into the vials and then sealing the wound with a flick of her fingers. The stinging pain is quickly soothed, as the silver threads knit flesh back together. She attached one vial to the small book, the other to the original one Arday wrote in, then holds the smaller one out to Arday.

"There you are. Welcome to Cloister Bell."

[PersonMan]

Arday winces as she's cut, but her smile returns as the procedure is finished. "Thank you," she says, turning as well to the figure off to the side - presumably a guard, keeping an eye on newcomers in case they become violent, she thinks - and giving them a nod as well. Then she turns, and heads back out of the room to enter Cloister Bell via the larger gate, curious and growing somewhat excited after the delay, to finally see the city she's been traveling towards for so long now.

[Hazuki]

Arday's first steps into the city treat her to the sound of...nothing more than a low murmuring, rather like a curious insect a few feet away. The street in front of her, misty though it may be, is still filled with stone storefronts set in a particularly sturdy style and a marketplace around a large bell (Which hangs above a small, colorful garden). The stalls around the bell are all put together in the fashion of other merchants she's seen, visitors from other lands, while residents of Cloister Bell drift between them in groups.

It's now that she recognizes Cloister Bells fashions seem a lot more uniform and simple than what she's used to - just about everyone wears simple garments, albeit in a wide range of colors, and some manner of bag on their person. The guards are an exception only because of their armor, and she spots a couple more of the cloaked figures slinking through the crowds with nary a batted eye at their dissonant fashion sense.

According to her map, this is the aptly-named Market District, where many travelers choose to visit and stay. There are inns aplenty, as well as teahouses, and she knows that there are two gates inside Cloister Bell to the Academic District and the Domestic District. The former is where she'd find libraries, temples, nurseries, and similar buildings. The latter is where citizens of Cloister Bell live.

[PersonMan]

Arday considers her options carefully before continuing, eventually deciding to find an inn first - she could deposit her belongings there, and knowing where she was staying meant she could spend more time exploring her new environment without worrying about the night. With a smile, the scholar approaches the inns, looking for one that has a more cozy quality to it, without too much embellishment that might hint at higher prices.

[Hazuki]

Arday soon manages to find an inn that consists of much of the same architecture as the rest of Cloister Bell, with a name cast in wood beside it that reads "Warden's Rest". As she steps inside, she's greeted by the soft scents of incense and stone walls lightly draped in fabric. There are two doors on either side, as well as a set of stairs leading up to two separate doors, as well as another desk much like the last. It is occupied by a lightly-armored man, who has a book open on his desk that is swiftly marked and shut as a bell announces her entrance.

[PersonMan]

"Good morning," Arday greets the man. "I'd like to rent a room here, for at least one night, perhaps several."

[Hazuki]

The man stands and greets Arday with the standard salute, then quirks an eyebrow. "Hello. That will cost you a quarter of an ounce of gold, perhaps more."

[PersonMan]

"A quarter of an ounce per day?" Arday asks, already pulling some more of her remaining gold from its pouch, looking for another scale like the one she had used in the gate.

[Hazuki]

"Correct." The man says, as Arday spots the scale beside him.

[PersonMan]

"For the time being, I will purchase one night's stay. Tomorrow, I will let you know by evening if I will continue to remain. Is that acceptable?" Arday asks, retrieving some of her gold to put on the scale.

[Hazuki]

"It is." The man agrees, watching as Arday places the scales, then takes the coins and tucks them into his coat. He retrieves a length of purple cloth from beneath the desk, complete with a silvery key, which he holds out to her. "Wrap the cloth around the door handle so we know you're there. The markings on the key will let you know which room is yours."

[PersonMan]

Arday thanks the man; heading up to her room, she leaves some of her heavier belongings there before leaving again, putting the purple on the handle as he'd said.

Once she's done that, she leaves again, heading off towards the Academic District but going slowly - partly to enjoy the journey, partly to begin to orient herself in the city.

[Hazuki]

On her walk, Arday finds that much of Cloister Bell is like the Market District. Generally quiet, polite, and people seem willing to give her space. The streets are filled with soft, rich scents, are well-guarded and well-maintained, and only sees children once she enters the Academic District. She has to present her identification to the guard at the gates, but her journey is otherwise uninterrupted as she wanders the calm city's streets. She finds that keeping track of where things are is helped greatly by the tower at its center, which rather resembles a flower blooming from the top of a dome, and which is the home of The Divine.

She soon finds herself standing before a building on the outskirts of the Academic District. Its dark entrance is flanked by a pair of stylized statues, featuring faceless figures clad in figure-enshrouding cloaks from which thick tails poke. The Library of Pilgrimage seems as fitting a place as any for a new visitor to Cloister Bell, and, as she enters, she's greeted by a rather distinct interior of the library. It has a vaguely circular structure, with the largest shelves reaching right up to the ceiling around the outside, the smallest shelves with the tiniest books near the middle, and a path straight through the center that leads beneath a gout of illusory flame (The lack of smoke is a giveaway), which scatters across the entire ceiling.

There aren't a great many guests, she notices, as some are departing as she arrives, but those present do seem to be of all shapes and sizes. The librarian is easily recognized by a robe that matches those of the statue outside - a distinctly tall woman with faintly golden skin who tends to a desk that stretches across the entrance. Right now, she's occupying herself with pile of scrolls, even as a bell announces Arday's arrival.

[PersonMan]

Arday spends a few moments admiring the impressive architecture and decoration of the library before she collects herself, approaching the desk. As she does, she keeps an eye on the woman, waiting for an opportunity to speak without interrupting her work.

"Good afternoon," Arday says. "My name is Arday, and I've recently arrived here in Cloister Bell. I'm working on some, ehm, theories, and I would like to know what sort of...resources would be available to me?"

[Hazuki]

The woman at the desk stands up to salute Arday and nods. "Well, Awday, what we can pwovide is many books, scwolls, and wecowds. Many of them can be seen just behind me." She gestures with a long-fingered hand, and Arday notices the very fine, scale-like pattern that covers her skin. "You'll be able to wead any of the books in this woom at youw discwetion, once I've seen youw identification."

[PersonMan]

Arday takes note of the woman's odd speech, but doesn't think much on it - an apparent inability to pronounce 'r' was a far cry from what Ser Azure had put her through in terms of trying to understand strange dialect. With a smile, she nods.

"Of course," Arday says, handing the book and vial over to the woman, looking at the soft marks on her skin for a moment as she considers asking about it. That wouldn't be rude, would it? She hopes not. "Ehm, I hope I'm not being rude, but...I see you have what look like little...scales?" She asks, pointing towards them.

[Hazuki]

The woman graciously takes Arday's identification and refers to various books out of sight beneath the desk. "I do. The multitude of manifestations of dwagonblood are quite intewesting, awen't they?" She asks, taking a moment to refer to her books before handing the identification back to Arday. "I've filed down my howns." She explains, pulling back her bangs to reveal a pair of horny stubs high on her forehead. "But they'd be vewy impwessive if I hadn't, I assuwe you." She boasts.

[PersonMan]

Arday nods as the woman explains. "I've heard that some of the dragonblooded are especially inclined to certain types of magic - is it true?" She asks.

[Hazuki]

"A wather loaded question to dwop on me like that." The woman remarks, looking off to the side as a lopsided smile covers her face. "I can't account for evewy study on the mattew, but it's genewally agweed upon that dwagonblooded cweatures are inclined to sowcewy - it's difficult to get away fwom something that's in youw blood. As with any sowcewy, the pawticulaw type of blood can affect how cewtain magic manifests... And then it all gets wather detailed. The vewy showt answew is: Yes."

[PersonMan]

"Have you worked on utilizing your own magical talent?" Arday asks, stepping closer to the desk.

[Hazuki]

"To a degwee. Twuth be told, I'd much wathew spend my time weading and wwiting than pwacticing incantations, howevew natuwal they may come. Cloistew Bell is pleasant enough that I wawely need it." The woman explains, as she once more sits down. "Fowgive me, but awe you not dwagonblooded?"

[PersonMan]

Arday shakes her head. "As far as I know, I'm not," she replies. "For me, magic is a fascinating topic of study, so I think I would have taken time to learn it even if I wasn't talented."

[Hazuki]

The woman ***** an eyebrow at Arday's response. "I'm suwpwised! Most visitows awe hewe fow the twaditional pilgwimage fow the dwagonblooded."

[PersonMan]

"The pilgrimage?" Arday asks. "What is it here that they make the pilgrimage to?"

[Hazuki]

"Cloistew Bell itself." The woman answers with a wide smile. "It is significant in dwaconic histowy for the fact that it was founded by one of the fiwst and few dwagons to attempt to found a nation awound itself. The aptly-named Hubwis."

[PersonMan]

Arday's eyebrows rise briefly in response. "I wasn't aware of that," she says. "So the dragonblooded come and explore the city, then? Are there relics of its founding being kept somewhere?"

[Hazuki]

"Specific weliquawies, yes, as well as the city itself." She answers. "It has been built awound those who slew Hubwis fow its hubwis. And is still led by them." She notes, proudly.

[PersonMan]

Arday nods. "Do many dragonblooded stay?" She asks. "It seems like Cloister Bell would be a fine place to stay for many."

[Hazuki]

"Many? I'm afwaid not." The woman notes, as she rests her chin on a slender palm. "They come fwom all ovew the wowld, and many find its cultuwe alienating. Especially the fact that individuals cannot become twue citizens, join a family - only theiw childwen. It is a shame."

[PersonMan]

"What keeps them from becoming true citizens?" Arday asks, curious. "Is it related to their draconic heritage?"

[Hazuki]

The woman shakes her head. "Thewe awe cewtain positions unavailable to those not bown in Cloistew Bell. The majowity of positions awe available - I would not lead this libwawy othewwise - but othews awen't suited to those fwom other cultuwes."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods. "So you decided to stay here after your pilgrimage?" She asks. "Where are you from, originally?"

[Hazuki]

"I did. Sumwyw." The woman laces her spindly fingers together. "Once I awwived hewe, I made plans to stay. What awe youws?" She asks, a smile tugging at her lips.

[PersonMan]

Arday smiles, though she glances away briefly as if embarrassed by her response. "I don't have specific plans yet, actually. I've just arrived, and have been looking around the city for the time being. Do you know of somewhere I could stay on a more permanent basis?"

[Hazuki]

"Do you mean a home?" The woman leans back in her chair. "I'm afwaid I don't keep twack of such things, now that I have one. I'm cewtain it will be faiwly expensive."

[PersonMan]

"Well, a home, or a room somewhere..." Arday says, and decides to try and change the subject. Something about discussing where she would stay made her feel...unprepared. "But I'll have to, ehm, deal with that later. For now, do - oh!" Arday straightens up.

"I don't think you mentioned your name, before. It feels, well, a bit strange to ask you so much without knowing what to call you."

[Hazuki]

"Plume." The woman answers.

[PersonMan]

"Plume," Arday repeats with a nod. "That's a nice name. So, Plume, when did your interest for scholarly subjects begin?"

[Hazuki]

"When I opened my fiwst book." Plume answers with another lopsided smile. "The fiwst that I opened fow the sole puwpose of weading, anyway. I'm vewy comfowtable among my collection now." She opens her arms to gesture to the library behind her.

[PersonMan]

Arday gasps at the end of Plume's explanation. "Th - It's all yours?!" She asks, looking again at the stacks of books. "That's incredible. How did you get to this many?"

[Hazuki]

"That was a joke." Plume clarifies.

[PersonMan]

Arday is visibly caught between slightly disappointed deflation and embarrassment. "O-oh. I, ehm...I've never been good with jokes," the scholar glances to either side before continuing. "S-so! Apart from the, ah, horns and scales. Do you have other...manifestations of your dragonblood?"

[Hazuki]

"Aside..." Plume considers Arday for a moment, then shakes her head. "None of note, Awday. The scales covew evewything, and the howns need gwooming, but nothing else physical. My lineage is a subtle sowt, without the wings and awmor-like hides many awe gifted with. This suwpwises some of the lessew-educated pilgwims, often those who've suffewed because of theiw manifestations. And the pwideful fools, but they wemember mannews once they leawn I contwol who gets access to what books." Her crooked grin reforms.

[PersonMan]

Arday nods with obvious interest, smiling as Plume finishes. Hoping to make up for her earlier mistake, a thought comes to her mind. "They're probably lucky that's all you do, after all there is historical precedent for more...extreme responses to hubris."

Perfect.

"So you're a pretty...important person here in this library, I take it?"

[Hazuki]

"I am." Plume answers, after a brief moment's consideration. "Awe you intewested in appwying fow a position at the libwawy? You seem qutie enthusiastic."

[PersonMan]

Arday's smile widens. "I'd love that! I'll need work before long, and this seems like a fascinating place to do that," she says, trying and failing to restrain herself from visible joy at the idea. "What sort of position could I apply for?"

[Hazuki]

Plume blinks at Arday's outburst, although her smile doesn't fade. "You could make cewtain all the books awe wetuwned to theiw wightful places. It's tedious, but I could pay you something fow it."

[PersonMan]

Arday's excitement dims, but she's still glad. Working in a library is still a great opportunity, even if the work itself isn't the scholarly profession she'd been hoping for.

"That sounds good. What, ehm, how much would the pay be?"

[Hazuki]

"A sixth of an ounce fow five days out of the week is standawd fow this kind of wowk, as it doesn't wequiwe skill ow long houws." Plume answers.

That's five silver pieces.

[PersonMan]

Arday chews on her lip, a quick calculation telling her that she will need more or higher-paying work to afford the inn. Likely a sign that she needs to find somewhere else to stay. "That sounds fine for a start," she says. "I take it you spend most of your time in the library?"

[Hazuki]

"I do! My assistant fills in the houws I have to myself." Plume replies. "But twelve houws out of most days, I'll be hewe."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods, remembering the time of her life where she had spent half - or more - of each day surrounded by work. It brought a fond sensation to think back to that time, even if she had left it behind with good reason. It's the thought of time that reminds her of the remaining things she plans to do, and that she should really get around to ending the conversation no matter how interesting it is.

"Speaking of time, ehm, as much as I'd like to stay, I should be going," Arday says, offering Plume a smile. "Can we discuss the details of my work tomorrow afternoon?"

[Hazuki]

"Cewtainly. I look fowwawd to it." Plume salutes Arday once more from her seat. "Goodbye."

[PersonMan]

Arday returns the gesture and leaves with a smile on her face, deciding to head back to her room and get something to eat - she could find out how much staying at the inn would cost for a longer period, so she knows how much money she needs to begin earning to support herself.

With numbers and theoretical payments going through her mind, Arday goes back to the Warden's Rest.

[Hazuki]

The streets haven't changed since Arday last walked among them, although the sky has gotten that much darker without the last embers of sunlight to illuminate its cloudy cover. The few groups of children she'd seen before are being escorted through the streets, with most of the foot traffic leading out. She spots guards and cloaked figures alike marching and slinking respectively, illuminated by the fiery posts that are lit one-by-one along the street. She soon finds herself back in the Market District, seeing another torch-lighter with every street, and notices the mostly-foreign merchants packing away their carts.

It's as she makes her way around the statue, towards The Warden's Rest, that she notices a pair of eyes on her. She always feels watched with the almost-omnipresent guards, but these eyes are particularly noteworthy. Their golden irises shimmer in the torchlight, while a prominent jaw sets firmly against the rest of a pallid face.

[PersonMan]

Arday's sense of danger has been underdeveloped for most of her life - living as a scholar had that effect. Her time on the road had led to it growing far closer to a normal level, but she was still fond of things that were perhaps unwise. Like directly approaching someone who was eyeing her in the gathering dusk. But...at least there were plenty of guards. Unsure of whether or not to perform the local salute, Arday settles for a wave.

"Good evening," Arday greets the stranger. "Is there, ehm...something I can help you with?"

[Hazuki]

As soon as Arday opens her mouth to speak, the woman has turns on the worn heel of her boot and scurries around the nearest corner.

[PersonMan]

For a moment, Arday simply watches, speechless, before her mind works. She wonders if she's done something that somehow offended or scared the woman. After a moment's thought, against what's likely better judgement, she follows, going from a stuttered walk to a run as she tries to catch up.

"Please, wait! I didn't mean to scare you!" She calls after her, hoping that her efforts bear fruit, at least in part due to her lack of stamina.

[Hazuki]

Arday manages to gain ground on the woman despite the few observers turning to look at her yelling, especially confused expressions on their faces. But as soon as she feels like she's closing into arm's reach, the woman turns her scurrying steps into a sprint, keeping her just out of the scholar's grasp as they come up to the gates leading into the domestic district.

She rounds a corner a street away from the gates, out of sight for just a few moments as Arday moves to catch up with her. When Arday turns around the same, she finds herself facing a long alleyway beside the walls of Cloister Bell. On the other side of the street is a row of sturdy buildings with no alleyways of their own. Yet she sees no sign of the woman, or anyone else, along the empty alley.

[PersonMan]

Arday comes to a stop as she looks around, confused, and decides to take a breather before continuing. Moments after this decision, she realizes just how far she must have ran, as she bends forwards to brace herself on her knees, sucking in as much of the night air as she can with each breath. Her thoughts, jumbled as they are by her fatigue, revolve primarily around resolving to never chase a stranger off through Cloister Bell again. She had probably frightened her half to death, and now she was...somewhere. After dark, and out of breath.

Slowly, the idea that this may have been a lure dawns on Arday, and she looks around, slight worry growing in her. Cloister Bell was safe, this couldn't be a setup for some kind of crime...right? She looks around again, noticing the lack of guards, and takes a deep breath to speak.

"H-hello?"

[Hazuki]

Arday's voice echoes slightly through the alley, but no reply comes. She hears very faint footsteps coming up behind her, a short and cloaked figure like the ones she'd seen everywhere else. They glance at her, then down the alley, back behind them, then skulk down it with their cloak trailing slightly behind them.

[PersonMan]

Arday turns slowly, still tired from the run, and takes a few more deep breaths before standing upright, beginning to feel the immediate shortage of breath fading.

Never again.

"H-hello. Ehm, is...how is your evening?"

Arday offers the stranger what's meant to be a warm smile, but is clearly marked by both her weariness and the anxiety in her thoughts.

[Hazuki]

The short figure turns on their heel and asks in a voice like a whisper "Anything to report?"

[PersonMan]

"I...what?" Arday asks, brow furrowing. "Ehm, report to whom? I, eh, I was...following someone, who watched me but ran off when I approached them. Is...that it?"

[Hazuki]

"Go to the guard." The figure recommends, then continues walking down the alley.

[PersonMan]

"Will they know what I mean?" Arday asks, stepping forwards, still confused, still trying to pull her thoughts together. Perhaps it would be a better idea to just go back to the inn, and leave the odd episode behind...but her curiosity drives her onwards.

[Hazuki]

The figure ignores Arday's question and continues through the alley.

[PersonMan]

Arday watches the cloaked figure for a few moments, then sighs and looks around to get her bearings. Once she figures out which way she needs to go, the scholar begins along the path, but stops once she spots more of Cloister Bell's guards, deciding to approach one after some internal deliberation.

"Ehm, excuse me. I...had an odd experience, and was told to speak to the guard about it," she says, finally breathing normally again after her lengthy chase.

[Hazuki]

"What is this experience?" The guard asks Arday evenly.

[PersonMan]

"I, well, noticed someone watching me. When I went to speak to them, they ran. I...was afraid I'd startled them, so I ran after, and then they disappeared," Arday explains, realizing the absurdity of her decision in hindsight.

[Hazuki]

"Describe the individual, when and where you met them, the path of the chase, and where it ended." The guard instructs her.

[PersonMan]

Arday explains what she can remember of the chase - luckily, still fresh in her mind - and the details of the stranger that she managed to spot.

"It was just earlier - I only recently finished catching my breath, actually. Couldn't have ended more than ten minutes ago," the scholar finishes with a nod.

[Hazuki]

"We will investigate over the next day. Tomorrow, you will receive a letter detailing whether we've decided whether this issue is a cause for concern. Please provide your identification, and I will escort you to where you're staying." The guard replies.

[PersonMan]

Arday, slightly disappointed but not having expected much more, nods and shows the guard the book-and-vial she received earlier at the gate. At least she wouldn't have to worry about getting lost on the way back. "I'm presently staying at The Warden's Rest," she explains.

[Hazuki]

The guard checks Arday's identification and then escorts her back to The Warden's Rest, which proves an uneventful journey.

[PersonMan]

Once at the inn, Arday goes to her room and, with decidedly more relief than she would have felt before running halfway across Cloister Bell, falls into the bed of her room, curiosity about the odd fleeing figure fading as her need for sleep takes over.

---

The next morning, Arday's thoughts only go to the odd event after she's left The Warden's Rest after she's finished her breakfast, leaving her wondering when the guard's letter would arrive - likely in the evening, if they were investigating it already. The thought that she may have caused trouble for the one she had scared off nags at her, but she shrugs it off before long; it wasn't going to do any good to worry, after all.

On a whim, Arday decides to follow her footsteps, at a more leisurely pace, heading back to where the figure had disappeared the night before.

[Hazuki]

Arday has quite a lovely breakfast at one of the nearby teahouses, consisting of unusually spiced food, but it's not altogether unpleasant. The tea is divine, and there are any number of other eateries in the Market District for her to choose from should she get bored. The morning of Cloister Bell proves just a bit more hectic than the afternoon, as the foreign merchants are setting up their stalls with the aid of assistants, while others are departing or coming in. The fog, at least, has cleared and left a relatively warm day to take its place.

When she makes her way to the alley from the night before, she finds that it's...still like it was last night. The only difference is that somebody is walking down from the other side. A short, human woman is walking slowly down the alley with an array of translucent green tendrils emerging from her back. As she walks, looking to and fro, they brush over the surroundings and make them that much cleaner. She notices that one of them moves to adjust the woman's rather impressive ponytail, in that its blonde locks arc sharply upwards and then diagonally back, rather like a bird's crest.

[PersonMan]

Arday, after watching the odd sight for a few moments, steps towards the woman. "Ehm, good morning," she says, with a small wave.

[Hazuki]

The woman starts as Ardya addresses her, the tendrils retreating into her robes and disappearing entirely. "Oh! Oh my. When did you get there?" She asks, her youth becoming more apparent as she speaks, then salutes Arday.

[PersonMan]

"Just a moment ago, actually," Arday replies. "What is it you were doing? I, ehm, I just arrived here, so I don't know if it's a normal part of life in Cloister Bell," she explains, hoping the girl won't be embarrassed by her asking about...whatever that was.

[Hazuki]

"Oh." The woman waits a moment, as her ponytail waves in the wind. "I'm Kibeth Boo." She pauses. "I clean."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods. "Do you live nearby? I saw something odd near here last evening, and was wondering who I might be able to speak to about it, to see if I can find out more."

[Hazuki]

"I live in the Boo household, in the domestic district." Kibeth answers slowly, then nods in the direction of the gates. "You should speak to the guards if you saw something weird. Do you mind if I...?" She asks, as a few of the incorporeal tendrils emerge from her back.

[PersonMan]

Arday nods. "Of course. If you don't mind - is that a spell, or something different?" She asks, indicating the re-revealed tentacles.

[Hazuki]

"Oh. Oh how my magic manifests." Kibeth answers, as the tendrils start to stretch out and brush over the stones of the street, and she walks down it. "It's a little more prominent than some people's." She admits, followed by a pause. "But that's fine. Some people said that it's good I'm a cleaner. Battlemages can suffer from having obvious auras."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods. "In most cases, the more visible a battle mage's aura, the less time they survive during battle," she says. "So you use your magic to clean the streets and such? Were you formally taught?"

[Hazuki]

"I received the sorcerers' tuition in my Nursery." Kibeth nods. "But I wasn't suited for most families. I joined the Boo family, who clean."

[PersonMan]

"Oh - so you join a mage family after your education in Cloister Bell?" Arday asks, somewhat surprised - she'd yet to see a system like the one of her homeland during her travels, that brought its sorcerers into a rigid system to insure their magic was used to its greatest extent.

[Hazuki]

"I'm the only Mage in the Boo family. Currently." Kibeth answers, as a frown creases her brow. "Cleaning is good work. Somebody needs to do it."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods in understand. "I understand - I'm sorry for assuming. As for cleaning...it is quite important," she agrees, then stops for a moment as she realizes the opportunity presenting itself. "I'd say most people don't think too much of it because it's often a...dirty job."

[Hazuki]

"Only outsiders have a problem with it." Kibeth notes, her scowl fading slightly. "They come in and complain about taxes and how they can't push us around."

[PersonMan]

"It can be difficult to adjust to a new way of doing things. But it is a shame that many don't learn to respect those who do work they rely on," Arday replies with a nod, thoughts on all the various servants she had known. It was surprising how many would do small favors for her just because she treated them with the same quiet respect they gave her.

[Hazuki]

"Most of the ones like that leave before long." Kibeth notes, as they start to come up to the end of the alley.

[PersonMan]

"Do most outsiders leave quickly?" Arday asks, curious about whether or not she might find others who, like herself, had recently arrived and needed to find a place to stay permanently. "Apart from merchants who come and go frequently."

[Hazuki]

"Yes." Kibeth answers. "I hear some of them don't even come into the city."

[PersonMan]

"So they only reached The Jennies?" Arday asks.

[Hazuki]

"Hm?" Kibeth glances at Arday. "Oh. The town outside the walls. Perhaps."

[PersonMan]

Arday notes silently the woman's response and what it implies. "I think I'll be going, actually - have a nice day," she says, and leaves the woman with another of her small waves, heading back through the other districts and into The Jennies to look for Ser Azure. After the woman's explanation during her arrival, she's sure to leave without much of value that could be stolen.

[Hazuki]

The woman salutes back and delves fully into her cleaning duties as Arday abandons her in the spooky alley. She soon finds herself back in the Jennies, where their volume contrasts sharply with the interior of the city, and many merchants are just starting their heavily-guarded days. Unfortunately, she's not greeted by Ser Azure's antics as soon as she steps within its borders.

[PersonMan]

Arday heads off towards the house she first met the woman at - remembering the family's response to her actions. Perhaps they knew where the blue woman spent her time?

If there are people outside, Arday approaches them to ask if they know where she might find Ser Azure, otherwise she knocks.

[Hazuki]

When Arday approaches the house on the outskirts of the Jennies, she notices that two of the children are going through a large pile of documents beside a lacquered box, while the father sits with another stack and another box on his lap.

When Arday asks her question, the father looks up at her with a furrowed brow. "Red building? With black brick?" He replies.

[PersonMan]

"Where would I find that one?" Arday asks, shifting to one side so she can look in any direction the man indicates.

[Hazuki]

The father points to the West of the Jennies, then turns back to his papers.

Arday makes her way through the Jennies, sticking to the largest streets and away from the groups of ragged figures either sticking to the shadows or slipping through crowds. She eventually spots the building that the father described, a fairly squat building surrounded by ramshackle wooden supports, with red brickwork and a couple of large black bricks in its walls. She can hear some yelling from outside, and spots the mother of the family sitting on top of a nearby crate. She watches the building intently, biting her bottom lip.

[PersonMan]

As Arday approaches, the joy she feels at finding the place without any problematic encounters fades as the muffled sounds of shouting come to her ears. Concerned, she approaches more slowly, straining to hear but deciding it's pointless quickly - even if she could make out some of what they were saying,the disconnected, muffled slang was likely to be beyond her ability to decipher. So instead she approaches the woman outside.

"Ehm, excuse me - is...this is where Ser Azure lives, correct?"

[Hazuki]

"Shh!" The mother hushes Arday, just as the noise from the inside of the house reaches a crescendo.

"...now, just wait a tick! Last word of the chant for you berks; if you're gonna raise the flag for a cutter, don't let 'em choose the case!" Ser Azure replies, then the front door of the building opens and a length of twine attached to it snaps. She darts out and slams the door behind her, Arday briefly catching a glimpse of at least five nasty-looking people in the crate-laden room. The Knight sprints away from the house moments before a boom pierces the thick air of The Jennies, the hatches of the house bursting open with black smoke and tendrils of flame.

[PersonMan]

Arday takes a full step back, flinching away from the explosion as the house is wracked by its power, her expression one of horror once the shock fades. For a few moments she says nothing, merely turning between Ser Azure and the flames mutely. Eventually, she speaks, voice quiet in the aftermath of the explosion, confusion still filling her mind.

"Wh - what..."

[Hazuki]

The mother gives a cheer as the bang rocks the building, the last cries of the people inside quickly fading as Ser Azure, grinning, wraps the mother in a hug that she gratefully accepts. They break off quickly enough, and Ser Azure smiles at Arday.

"Jenny's Grace, Arday!" Ser Azure greets. "What's the chant?"

[PersonMan]

"I, ehm...I, eh, well, I came to speak to you, but...what was that?" Arday asks, slowly collecting herself, pointing to the smoking building.

[Hazuki]

"A gaggle of cony-catchers that needed feeding to the river." Ser Azure answers, placing a hand on her hip. "The Jennies are better off with them gone, I can tell you that."

[PersonMan]

Arday looks over to the house again, chewing on her lower lip for a moment before hesitantly nodding. "A - alright. I, ehm...I wanted to thank you, again, for your, ehm, help. Yesterday," she says, turning back to the blue woman and trying to put the explosion - and attendant deaths - out of her mind.

[Hazuki]

"You're ful welcome!" Ser Azure replies, beaming as she turns to the mother. "Thanks for the help, adam."

"Jenny's grace." The mother replies, giving the armored woman a hug before she walks down the street.

"So! The Bell not to your fancy?" She asks Arday.

[PersonMan]

"Oh! No, it is, it is," Arday replies with a shake of her head, finally pulling herself out of the state the explosion had put her in. "I just, well, ehm, I wanted to speak to you again. There's something I was thinking of asking you about and, well, ehm, it was...nice, before,"

[Hazuki]

"Alright, hit me." Ser Azure replies, inviting Arday to ask the question.

[PersonMan]

"Well, there was this...odd woman, who was watching me in the evening. When I spoke to her, she immediately fled," Arday begins. "I, ehm, followed her, but she eventually just...disappeared. It's being looked into, but I was wondering...have you heard of something like that? What do you think it might have been?"

[Hazuki]

"Walk with me." Ser Azure invites, as she starts to stride down the street and listens to Arday's words. "Hmm...nope! What kind of strange woman?"

[PersonMan]

Arday follows Ser Azure, somewhat eager to remove the smoking house from her field of view, and escape the smell of fire.

"She had, ehm, golden eyes. Very pale face, looked almost sickly," Arday explains. "She didn't say anything, just ran when I spoke to her."

[Hazuki]

"Drawing. You canny at drawing?" Ser Azure asks, as she drops a couple of coins at a nearby stall and grabs a loaf of bread.

[PersonMan]

"Somewhat," Arday replies. "Do you think I should draw what I can remember?"

[Hazuki]

"Quickest way to find out!" Ser Azure grins, as she munches on her bread.

[PersonMan]

Arday nods and, once she finds a suitable place to do so, retrieves a pencil and some of her paper. With the woman's face in her mind, she scratches the pencil across the page, trying to create an image that looks close enough to what she had seen the night before.

[roll0]

Using Clever Approach, which is +3.

Using a Fate point to up the total to 1.

[Hazuki]

Ser Azure finds a spot with a table leaning up against an alley wall and peers over Arday's shoulder as she draws a pretty good approximation of the woman's face. Once she's finished, the armored woman picks up the paper, nods, then wraps it up and tucks it into her belt.

"I'll ask around, adam!"

[PersonMan]

Arday nods, putting away her supplies and giving Ser Azure a smile. "Thank you. I, ehm...Do you mind if I ask you some things? About you. I've been, ehm, wondering about how you arrived here, or if you're a, ehm, well, local. From the beginning."

[Hazuki]

"Born and raised in the Jennies, and proud of it!" Ser Azure boasts, doing the pose that she made at their first meeting.

[PersonMan]

Arday smiles at Ser Azure's pride. "So you have a great deal of experience in local matters," she says with a nod. "You seem to be well-loved here, too. I take it that's the result of your work?"

Well-loved apart from the people who apparently try to kill you, that is.

[Hazuki]

"The Jennies are jangled up, and some cutter's gotta put the bad bloods to trumps." Ser Azure adjusts her helmet. "And I'm the one to do it."

[PersonMan]

"Does anyone else work with you?" Arday asks, wondering if Ser Azure might be able to start some sort of larger organization with her efforts.

[Hazuki]

"Everyone! Way I see it, giving people a target just gives 'em a target - if it's just me doing it, they can only run a red one for me. But they can't get torqued if some folk they don't even know who lends me a hand now and then." Ser Azure replies.

[PersonMan]

Arday spends a few moments mentally working through the terminology Ser Azure uses, before nodding. "That's quite clever," she says. "Does it take up most of your time? The, ehm, trumping of bad bloods."

[Hazuki]

"I'll rest when the Jennies are safe." Ser Azure replies, proudly.

[PersonMan]

"Wake up, fight for justice dusk until dawn, then?" Arday asks, the image of Ser Azure perched on a rooftop, posing and looking down at the streets below flashing into her mind. The scholar's lips are pulled into a smile she can't suppress at the though.

[Hazuki]

"Make breaks for food and washing, and you've got me by the tail." Ser Azure laughs.

[PersonMan]

Arday raises an eyebrow at her wording, briefly considering Ser Azure's odd appearance before deciding to ask.

"So you, ehm, have a tail, then?"

[Hazuki]

"Sure do! Why'd you ask?" Ser Azure asks, as she wraps up what's left of her loaf in a length of cloth.

[PersonMan]

"Well, I've been interested in the anatomy of those with interesting heritage for quite some time," Arday explains. "Dragonblooded and all the other types - something about it fascinates me. I think it's the mix of human and non-human traits - and, if you think about it, it really shows how much everything has in common, in our world."

[Hazuki]

"You are so a Graybeard." Ser Azure smirks.

[PersonMan]

Arday smiles at Ser Azure's comment. "As long as I don't actually start growing a beard, I don't mind," she replies. "Could I...ehm, have a look? If it's not, too, ehm, private."

[Hazuki]

"'Fraid it's in my armor." Ser Azure knocks on her chestplate.

[PersonMan]

Arday nods. "Oh, ehm, right. My mistake," she says, glancing away for a moment before another thought comes to her. "Oh! That was your house before, right? Where will you be staying now?"

[Hazuki]

"Nah. That case was for storage. Mostly junk." Ser Azure replies, as she starts to walk out of the alley. "It'd be a bit peery to keep a bunch of shouters in my case."

[PersonMan]

"Shouters...those are the explosives, right?" Arday asks, continuing to follow Ser Azure. "That would be strange, yes. It's good to hear that you didn't have to destroy your own home, though," she continues. "Oh, ehm, when is it you started your...quest?"

[Hazuki]

"A while." Ser Azure smiles. "I don't keep track."

[PersonMan]

"Don't keep track...does that mean you don't follow your age, either?" Arday asks, curious - she's heard of some who don't properly track their own age, and that seems to be the only good explanation for Ser Azure not knowing, at all, when she began.

[Hazuki]

"Should I?" Ser Azure asks. "If I get old enough for it to matter, I'll notice it without keeping track, won't I?"

[PersonMan]

Arday considers the woman's answer, and eventually shrugs. "I think it's fairly important to know things like that about yourself, but...I can see how it wouldn't be especially relevant, moreso for your lifestyle," she says. "Oh - that reminds me. Do you know of any work, here in The Jennies, for a scholar?" She asks, not expecting much but still hopeful.

[Hazuki]

"None for you, adam." Ser Azure replies, glancing at the scholar. "Gotta keep the good jobs for Jennies. If you can get into the Bell, you can find a job there."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods. "I understand. Would...would it be rude of me to ask where you live? Today when I looked for you, I was lucky that you were where you were."

[Hazuki]

"You'll see me if you need me." Ser Azure winks at Arday.

[PersonMan]

Arday frowns for a moment before responding. "Well, I hope so. I also hope I don't always find you halfway through blowing up a building, that would be...unpleasant."

[Hazuki]

"Nah. Shouters are new." Ser Azure grins. "Well, that'll be all, yeah? Busy busy."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods. "It is, yes. Good luck, and a good day, Ser Azure," she says, giving a slight flourish and bow at the end of her words.

Once she and Ser Azure part ways, Arday makes her way back into Cloister Bell proper and to the Academic District, bringing all of her modest social skills to bear in searching for employment or some sort of academic-social gathering of like-minded residents she could look to join.

[Hazuki]

Arday unfortunately finds that there aren't many social groups that she can discover merely by stalking the streets, and soon deduces that she'd have to make acquaintances to discover those gatherings. But, she does manage to find an assortment of other tiny jobs with brief times and small pay. There's one to help a smith organize their inventory. There's another to taste a chef's food before it's served to customers. And more, to help a performer switch between outfits. She could probably earn enough for consistent living, if she tied a handful of those jobs together, although it would involve a lot of moving around and keeping track of the oddjobs.

[PersonMan]

Arday, considering the jobs she's found, decides to relax rather than continue her search, looking for a relatively inexpensive place to stop and have tea, ideally with a more laid-back atmosphere, though something more lively wouldn't drive her off.

[Hazuki]

Arday manages to find The Wandering Field not far from the town gates, which is a teahouse with a somewhat short architecture that favors low-seated chairs and tables, along with faint light along the walls that provide just enough illumination to not bump into things. A fair few of the tables are occupied, but the counter is rather bare, as a pink-haired woman tends to some of the flowers that are on display in the otherwise barebones decor.

[PersonMan]

The unique atmosphere of The Wandering Field brings a smile to Arday's face as she enters, looking around briefly before approaching the woman at the counter, waiting for her to finish with her current task before speaking.

"Good evening. I'd, ehm - what teas do you have?"

[Hazuki]

The woman salutes Arday when she approaches. "Good evening. The question you should be asking is: What tea do I want?" The woman asks, as she wipes her hands off on a cloth. "We grow specimens from all over the known world."

[PersonMan]

Arday returns the salute after a brief pause. "All over the world?" She repeats, impressed by the variety, before pondering her choice for a few moments. "In that case...do you have Sworterii Black? I'd like a cup of that, if you do."

Assuming the teahouse does have Sworterii Black, Arday finds herself a comfortable seat, either waiting for or with her tea.

[Hazuki]

"Hmm...no, we just ran out of that." The woman replies, briefly checking a shelf beneath the counter before shaking her head.

[PersonMan]

"In that case, I'll have a local dark blend," Arday says after a moment's consideration.

[Hazuki]

"Oh. Very well." The woman's brow furrows as she turns to the tools at her disposal. "It'll be with you shortly."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods and finds herself a seat close by, relaxing a bit and taking in the atmosphere as she waits.

[Hazuki]

Arday soon finds the bowl of tea delivered to her table, before the woman returns to her counter and awaits the next customer. A few more people fill the room as the scholar sips at her tea, but only one stands out. It's a lithe elven woman, whose head nearly reaches the doorframe, and she strides over to the counter with disarming grace. Of particular note is her fashion, as her bottom-half is clad in a plain white skirt, and her breasts are covered by wrappings of bandages. A lack of color would be strange enough, were it not for the fact that her muscles seem lithe, whereas her stomach is heavily pregnant and rather on display.

After ordering her drink, the elven woman approaches the table Arday has chosen and salutes her. "Excuse me. I normally sit here." She nods at the wide stool on the other side of the small table. "May I?"

[PersonMan]

Arday returns the salute and offers the elven woman a smile. "Of course," she says with a nod, before taking a sip from her cup as the newcomer sits down. "My name is Arday," she adds a moment later, as introduction.

[Hazuki]

"And I am Golsierre Hiravia." The elf replies, as she lowers herself to the stool and crosses her legs. "You are a visitor."

[PersonMan]

Arday blinks, briefly surprised, then nods. It isn't too surprising, she thinks, that she was correctly identified as a foreigner by a local. "I've only recently arrived in Cloister Bell, yes," she says. "Though I do intend to stay for longer."

[Hazuki]

"I'm pleased your time thus far hasn't dissuaded you." The elf informs Arday, as her tea is delivered and she shifts the bowl on the table. It is an unusually grey color, and she observes it carefully before taking a sip. "You have a scholar's build." She notes, her purple eyes flicking over at Arday.

[PersonMan]

Arday nods. "Cloister Bell has been welcoming, so far. Apart from one odd experience, everyone I've met has been friendly. And, yes," she shifts somewhat, a bit of self-consciousness rolling over her at the implication of the elf's evaluation. "I studied various subjects at home - well, what was home. Now I'm looking to learn more, and use the knowledge I already have."

[Hazuki]

"You ought to report anything strange to the guards." Golsierre comments. "I've often enjoyed the company of scholars. What is your specialty?"

[PersonMan]

"I did," Arday assures the woman. "My specialty...well, I've spent a great deal of time studying systems, and their application to various areas of life. Organization of groups and such, often."

[Hazuki]

Golsierre raises an eyebrow and tilts her head at Arday's explanation.

[PersonMan]

"Well, there are often systems, patterns, that can describe how things work. A group of people, performing a task, who tend to act in a certain way, can be represented fairly accurately with a certain kind," Arday explains. "Using what we know, we can extrapolate to the unknown situations, or find ways to cut away the unnecessary parts of a system; extra steps in a task, for example."

[Hazuki]

"Hm." Golsierre ponders Arday's words over a sip of her tea. "Like tactics?"

[PersonMan]

"In many ways, it's similar," Arday replies with a nod. "In the sense that the roles played by various people are laid out as such, depersonalized, and plans made using these."

[Hazuki]

Golsierre nods. "There will be a library for all of your needs, I'm sure."

[PersonMan]

"There seems to be a great deal of accumulated knowledge to go through," Arday says with a nod. "I've been to one, and will be assisting with some work there, so I imagine I'll spend more time there than in others."

[Hazuki]

"Which one?" Golsierre focuses her gaze on the scholar

[PersonMan]

"The Library of Pilgrimage," Arday replies. "I spoke with Plume."

[Hazuki]

"I've rarely visited. But, my Order does make use of it on occasion." Golsierre notes. "It doesn't seem to align with your tactics education."

[PersonMan]

"Your Order?" Arday asks, curious. "And I wouldn't say my education is tied closely to military matters - though I did work with them often, I've been working to apply my skills in other sectors more recently."

[Hazuki]

"The Blooded." Golsierre answers succinctly. "By your skills, are you referring to a general inclination for study?"

[PersonMan]

"In part. That, and my magical knowledge, generally," Arday replies. "Your Order's members are dragonblooded?"

[Hazuki]

"A few." Golsierre nods. "Not all. Our teachings focus on blood, the soul, magic, and the intermingling of them all. Those of us who aren't dragonblooded are more than likely to have sampled dragon's blood in the past, but it isn't mandatory."

[PersonMan]

"Sampled dragon's blood?" Arday asks, raising an eyebrow. "It sounds quite interesting, if somewhat odd - I haven't heard of a group dedicated to that sort of knowledge."

[Hazuki]

"Transferred it to our bodies." Goldsierre explains. "It has roots in alchemy, sorcery, and transmutation."

[PersonMan]

"What sort of effects does this have?" Arday asks, curious - were they looking to enhance their own magical abilities? Would such a ritual work, or would it simply be wasted effort?

[Hazuki]

"It depends on the blood and the manner in which it is prepared." Goldsierre summarizes. "But none of it is permanent without meditation and the proper rites. Only members of The Blooded are permitted to practice these teachings."

[PersonMan]

"Are there specific rites for joining?" Arday asks, wondering if such a thing might be worth doing to sate her own curiosity.

[Hazuki]

"Being born in Cloister Bell." Golsierre answers. "Hiravia is our family. The Blooded consists of the family members who are fit for combat."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods. "Ah, I see. So you're...battle mages, mostly?"

[Hazuki]

"Of a sort. We're more often compared to monks." Goldsierre answers.

[PersonMan]

"All of the mage families have the same practices, of taking on new mages from citizens, correct?" Arday asks.

[Hazuki]

"All of the families." Golsierre nods.

[PersonMan]

"Do they all only take locals?" Arday asks after a moment's thought.

[Hazuki]

"Most of the time." Golsierre says.

[PersonMan]

"Do you know of any that do?" Arday asks, drinking more of her tea.

[Hazuki]

"Take foreigners? Off the top of my head, I'm afraid not. You ought to consult somebody who handles citizenship if you're interested." Golsierre suggests. "I know that foreigners are allowed to join the guard, after mandatory education."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods, and falls silent for a few moments, taking another drink from her cup. "I hope I'm not being rude, but - your clothes are different from most I've seen here. Is that because of your Order, or something else?"

[Hazuki]

"It is." Golsierre days. "It represents our purity, so to speak. Most of the Orders opt for a single color."

[PersonMan]

"Purity?" Arday asks, raising an eyebrow.

[Hazuki]

"I've already explained the teachings of my Order." Golsierre replies, with a slight frown. "Are you certain you're a scholar?"

[PersonMan]

Arday's left eye twitches slightly. "You've yet to mention anything about 'purity'. Purity of blood? Of action? Do you refrain from certain things, as part of this 'purity', or do you mean your devotion to the family with that?"

[Hazuki]

"Purity of spirit, and blood, through our rites. The perfect self, achieved through meditation and transfusion of blood. The purity is in our devotion to our ideals." Golsierre replies. "And, no. I'm celibate, but it isn't mandatory for The Blooded."

[PersonMan]

Arday raises an eyebrow. "So your current...state is magically induced?"

[Hazuki]

Golsierre arches an eyebrow at Arday. "Correct."

[PersonMan]

"Was it a personal choice, or is it common for your Order?" Arday asks.

[Hazuki]

"Neither." Golsierre replies, as she runs her fingers over a white band around her arm. "I purchased this some time ago, and discovered some time after that I had somehow become pregnant. It needed explaining, so I went to the Baggins, and I've agreed to see the pregnancy through. I don't know the scholarly term for it, but the idea is to 'see what happens'."

[PersonMan]

"Did the Baggins know how it happened?" Arday asks. "I imagine you've already tried asking whomever you purchased it from."

[Hazuki]

"Know how what happened?" Golsierre asks. "And yes. They were just an ignorant scavenger."

[PersonMan]

"The pregnancy," Arday clarifies. Golsierre's other comment makes half a dozen theories bloom in her mind, but she sets them aside - it had obviously been at least a few months since this occurred, if the magically-induced pregnancy ran an otherwise normal course, so spouting the same conclusions she and others had likely made, then expanded upon, long ago would be naught but an annoyance.

[Hazuki]

"They know that the bracelet has induced a pregnancy that seems to be following the normal course, with a fetus growing in my womb." Golsierre answers. "And I'm certain more that they haven't told me. But none of us will know the results until I give birth."

[PersonMan]

Arday nods, considering then discarding the idea of mentioning the actual focus of her question - the nature of the magical effect. It was unlikely that the elf knew, given her comment about the Baggins not telling her everything. "On a different note; you come here regularly, I take it? Do you prefer certain types of tea?"