[ damn dramatic irony. quietly, keyleth revisits one thing. ]
You lost your Master. [ it's a weird word even with context. were it anyone but chiron, she might feel awkward using it. ] How do you find another one?
A contract can be formed with anyone, but it's better if it's with a mage. Or a broader magic user, as the case may be here.
[Chiron's unbothered by the question, but it does highlight one thing. He genuinely misses Fiore's company. She's a calm, sensitive young woman with a heavy burden. A good soul, far better off away from the cutthroat world of magi.]
Hmm, not for me. But probably clerics or other religious types could.
[ but there is something else, and keyleth suddenly feels a little weird about it. ]
I've conjured elemental servants and fey creatures. I think I can do celestials, but that's really expensive because you have to have gems to destroy for it to work.
Ah, then you're at least familiar with the overall concept. Not that gems are a requirement to summon a spirit such as myself, but I believe that gems are sometimes used by mages in their craft.
When my teachers talked about the balance between power and destruction, they often used gem materials as an example. Even the strongest diamond can be consumed by powerful magic.
[ keyleth scoops up a pine cone, tightly closed against the cold. with a whisper, the seeds separate and open in a slow ripple. ]
But nature always regrows. Trees consume ruins and water smooths away jagged edges. Diamonds reforge in the heart of earth.
[ she feels like she should offer chiron something, and yet at the same time isn't sure it's hers to offer. a little lamely, keyleth holds the pine cone out to him, instead. ]
[Chiron takes the pine cone without hesitation, his fingers brushing against Keyleth's palm as he finds purchase on the little thing. It's...reassuring, seeing nature, seeing seeds and promises of growth here.
He chided Achilles for being softhearted on the battlefield, didn't he? It was shameful to not listen to his own advice.]
[ the press against her palm reminds keyleth that he's truly here, and she startles a little. she chuckles and rolls her eyes at her own awkwardness. ]
Oh, uhm. All my life.
[ true, she hadn't received the dedicated and rigorous training meant to shape her as her people's leader until her mother was declared officially missing, but she'd always been a sort of tribal royalty. that came with expectations that stretched beyond sheer talent. ]
Until I left for my Aramenté about a year ago. So, about fifteen years of real dedicated lessons and practice?
It's the journey future leaders of the Ashari take to prove themselves worthy of the position. We venture out to learn about the world beyond our lands, and to retain diplomatic relations with the other Ashari tribes.
[ a future she's not sure of these days, considering her cooperation with cost, and inability to remember joining up. ]
[Chiron shifts a little in his seat, and closes his eyes, content. This is such a welcome break that it feels both too long and too short. Surely someone will notice this absence sooner or later.]
Where in your own world have you journeyed, if you don't mind my asking?
[ but she's a bit of an unreliable narrator, prone to getting swept up in missing the place. her rose-tinted specs are firmly on! ]
Gosh, where do I start? These days, my friends and I are based out of the beautiful capital city on the west coast, Emon. After we helped the Sovereign with some pesky dragony and demony business, they rewarded us with seats on the political council and our own keep to stay in. I have my own garden there.
It's really dense, and all of the districts kinda smoosh up against each other, but they're pretty distinct. I think the business district is the biggest since the port makes it a big trading city. We do a lot of shopping whenever we come home, it's great. And pubs. Good place for a pub crawl.
[ omg don't shush me shush keyleth she's rambling ]
As far as buildings, the Cloudtop District is where the Sovereign and nobles live, so it's really shiny and pretty and classic. But then there's the Alabaster Lyceum which is super white and super tall and really kind of just intimidating on purpose? Like, ooh, we're so smart and magicky, look at our big white vaulted ceilings...
[I AM GOING TO ENABLE THE RAMBLING I HAVE NO REGRETS.]
..I see. Is there a predominance of a particular style? Domes everywhere, or steeples, or columns? Since it's a port I might guess at the buildings themselves having a great variety of shapes and colors and er. Levels of being shiny?
There's so much variety, yeah. The Cloudtop District is big on columns, but it always seemed like the noble families had their own sort of aesthetics on top of the classic stuff. A lot of really clean stone with specific crests and patterns carved in.
The palace is actually a lot warmer than I expected, with these gorgeous wood floors and walls that make you feel like you're in the forest. There are big tapestries with the history of Tal'dorei illustrated that hang like, everywhere. And the throne room's ceiling is a big ass glass dome that lets the sun just light the place up.
[Chiron listens. It's...not a bad picture in his mind, actually. The place is fascinating to say the least, a mix of a few things he might recognize and then a wild combination of the new.]
It seems like the kind of place where one could lose themselves entirely in just trying to see the whole city.
[It's said with fondness, and perhaps a little bit of hope that the opportunity may one day arise.]
[ it's not often keyleth is comfortable with silence. she's anxious and eager to please, and that makes it hard to judge when she needs to be doing something to contribute.
but she can feel that this moment won't last much longer, and so adjusts so that she's seated beside chiron where she can listen to the quiet with him. and hold his hand, if he'll allow it, of course. ]
[For Chiron, silence is as natural as anything. It's the stillness that he embraces though, as that is what puts him in mind of his mountain, of the moments away from students he could enjoy, of those times spent with his family and no other creatures around.
The hand in his is warm, and it isn't a tether to reality at all. It lets his mind go further, and truly indulge in how the time doesn't seem to pass.]
[ after a little time passes, keyleth does finally give into her more fidgety nature.
she releases his hand, but only to change venue. there's probably a tickle at his scalp, because keyleth has separated out a small strand of hair to absently, delicately braid. ]
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You lost your Master. [ it's a weird word even with context. were it anyone but chiron, she might feel awkward using it. ] How do you find another one?
[ shouldn't cost have considered such a thing? ]
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[Chiron's unbothered by the question, but it does highlight one thing. He genuinely misses Fiore's company. She's a calm, sensitive young woman with a heavy burden. A good soul, far better off away from the cutthroat world of magi.]
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[He pauses, then tilts his head.]
Summoning spirits is not a branch of magic in your world?
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[ but there is something else, and keyleth suddenly feels a little weird about it. ]
I've conjured elemental servants and fey creatures. I think I can do celestials, but that's really expensive because you have to have gems to destroy for it to work.
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[ keyleth scoops up a pine cone, tightly closed against the cold. with a whisper, the seeds separate and open in a slow ripple. ]
But nature always regrows. Trees consume ruins and water smooths away jagged edges. Diamonds reforge in the heart of earth.
[ she feels like she should offer chiron something, and yet at the same time isn't sure it's hers to offer. a little lamely, keyleth holds the pine cone out to him, instead. ]
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[Chiron takes the pine cone without hesitation, his fingers brushing against Keyleth's palm as he finds purchase on the little thing. It's...reassuring, seeing nature, seeing seeds and promises of growth here.
He chided Achilles for being softhearted on the battlefield, didn't he? It was shameful to not listen to his own advice.]
How long did you learn under them?
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Oh, uhm. All my life.
[ true, she hadn't received the dedicated and rigorous training meant to shape her as her people's leader until her mother was declared officially missing, but she'd always been a sort of tribal royalty. that came with expectations that stretched beyond sheer talent. ]
Until I left for my Aramenté about a year ago. So, about fifteen years of real dedicated lessons and practice?
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That's a very generous amount of time. I do have to ask though, what is an Aramenté defined as?
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[ a future she's not sure of these days, considering her cooperation with cost, and inability to remember joining up. ]
It can take years. Not everyone succeeds.
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[From the sound of approval in Chiron's voice, it's clearly something he likes the concept of.]
You've certainly been able to venture out into the world beyond your lands.
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[ he makes her smile just by understanding. she so rarely feels seen let alone understood. ]
And I've met people a lot like my own, which is pretty nice.
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[Chiron shifts a little in his seat, and closes his eyes, content. This is such a welcome break that it feels both too long and too short. Surely someone will notice this absence sooner or later.]
Where in your own world have you journeyed, if you don't mind my asking?
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[ but she's a bit of an unreliable narrator, prone to getting swept up in missing the place. her rose-tinted specs are firmly on! ]
Gosh, where do I start? These days, my friends and I are based out of the beautiful capital city on the west coast, Emon. After we helped the Sovereign with some pesky dragony and demony business, they rewarded us with seats on the political council and our own keep to stay in. I have my own garden there.
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Mmm. What is the atmosphere there like? The buildings and the design of the city?
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[ omg don't shush me shush keyleth she's rambling ]
As far as buildings, the Cloudtop District is where the Sovereign and nobles live, so it's really shiny and pretty and classic. But then there's the Alabaster Lyceum which is super white and super tall and really kind of just intimidating on purpose? Like, ooh, we're so smart and magicky, look at our big white vaulted ceilings...
ugh and now i must go to work
..I see. Is there a predominance of a particular style? Domes everywhere, or steeples, or columns? Since it's a port I might guess at the buildings themselves having a great variety of shapes and colors and er. Levels of being shiny?
[Did he use that right?]
gasp how could you
The palace is actually a lot warmer than I expected, with these gorgeous wood floors and walls that make you feel like you're in the forest. There are big tapestries with the history of Tal'dorei illustrated that hang like, everywhere. And the throne room's ceiling is a big ass glass dome that lets the sun just light the place up.
believe me i didn't wanna
It seems like the kind of place where one could lose themselves entirely in just trying to see the whole city.
[It's said with fondness, and perhaps a little bit of hope that the opportunity may one day arise.]
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[ it will probably be a pub crawl unless chiron takes the reins (ha) ]
As long as you give me one if we ever visit your neck of the multiversal woods.
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[He probably will, if only for variety's sake.]
Of course. Fair's fair, after all.
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but she can feel that this moment won't last much longer, and so adjusts so that she's seated beside chiron where she can listen to the quiet with him. and hold his hand, if he'll allow it, of course. ]
this is too cute help me
The hand in his is warm, and it isn't a tether to reality at all. It lets his mind go further, and truly indulge in how the time doesn't seem to pass.]
yesss i'm living and dying all at once somehow
she releases his hand, but only to change venue. there's probably a tickle at his scalp, because keyleth has separated out a small strand of hair to absently, delicately braid. ]
it is far too complicated and this is FAR too cute i'm gonna die