Introductions in Rune
Gilday, Hattanani 11, 1018. The full moon is up. The tide is low and rising. Fair weather clouds sail across the blue sky, propelled by light breezes from the west. It's warm in the sun, cool in the shade, and the air is clear and dry.
Rune: Bubbling Fizzbee's Wizardly Pub
Autumn is sitting at a table with a book in one hand, her left hand held out while several glowing balls orbit in tight circles. The patterns are quite complex as they spin around each other. While you watch, the page turns itself.
Raniq steps in through the front doorway, and stops with a gasp, awestruck by the sheer strangeness of what he sees. Even the silky white ermine on his shoulders, just stares in evident amazement. Recovering, he looks around for a place to sit.
Autumn continues to 'juggle' the balls above her hand, showing off in an impressive degree of concentration. The pages continue to turn as she reads. The Pub is fairly crowded, as people seek solace from the war and other problems. The only table that isn't crowded or seems cliquish is where Autumn resides.
Raniq, seeing space at a particular table, with only one occupant, approaches it. Speaking with his soft baritone voice and Alexandrian accent, he says, "Pardon me, miss. There are precious few open places right now. May we," he raises a hand to indicate the small animal on his shoulders, "join you?"
Autumn glances up from her book to look over the man, then says, "Certainly. but there is a price you must pay. Be seated." Her eyes take in the new arrival, absorbing everything about him and his companion.
Making her way into the pub, Arynel has her hands in front of her as she looks about the place....including the juggler and the one that sat down with her. "Red wine please." She says at the bar. She doesn't seem to mind standing, at least.
Raising a single eyebrow and smirking, Raniq pulls out a chair and settles in. "A price? What have you in mind?"
Autumn gazes at Raniq as she closes her fist, making the glowing orbs disappear. She says after a long moment "Share with me who you are and what brings you here." She smoothly puts the cloth bookmark into the tome she was reading, then makes it disappear onto her person smoothly.
A prismatic cube shimmers into existence a couple of inches in front of Raniq's face, and from it issues a voice, saying, "What is your order, sir?"
Raniq, about to respond to Autumn when interrupted by the appearance of the cube, instead says, "A cup of coffee, and a bagel with lox, please." He shakes his head.
The cube lands upon the table in front of him, turning into the very items he ordered.
Raniq, still visibly affected by the strangeness of the place, says, "I am Raniq Fairhair, a fledgling wizard from Alexandria, and this is Herman." The ermine crawls along Raniq's arm onto the table and chitters, at which the young gentleman says into the air, "Oh, can you provide some kibble on a saucer, too?" Momentarily the saucer of kibble appears in front of the furry creature. Turning back to Autumn, he contues, "But you asked who I am, and that is merely my name."
Arynel chuckles to Raniq. "Just about everything in Rune is magical in some way, Raniq." She says as she gets her wine, and she picks up the flute. "Hello there, Herman." She speaks to the ermine as if she knew something about it. "Before you ask, I am Arynel of House Arcanum....I am also a Diviner, though not very powerful, yet."
Autumn nods to Raniq in agreement as he adds the last bit to his explanation and introduction. Turning her head, she listens to Arynel as well. She finally says, "Since it seems to be quite busy today, perhaps you would sit with us as well. I am Autumn, Loremaster and Sage." She sips from a glass of white wine as she regards you both.
Raniq takes a sip of his coffee, and gently petting Herman says, "My mother's mother is Llyranesi, also of House Arcanum. My mother is half human. My father is Lord Alvar Aiglos, a diplomat from the Alexandrian court, and a landholding nobleman. My oldest brother has been married for a year or so, and just had the birth of his first child and heir. My next older brother is a squire to a paladin of Daeus, and we expect his knighthood soon.
Arynel says, "I don't think they'll refuse him if he's devout." She says sitting at the table. "One of the main things Daeus fights for...is free will. So if he joined of his own free will, and not because he felt obligated to, Daeus won't refuse him." She then sips her wine and looks to Autumn, but holds up her hand to prevent someone from running into Autumn.
Autumn listens to everyone, absorbing everything and watching the room as well. She says, "I would assume both of you have supplimented your incomes to pay for research by working for the Adventurer's Guild?"
Raniq nods. "Of course." he responds. "As for research, that is the answer to your other question. I have come to Rune to research more spells." To Arynel, he says, "Oh, we have no doubt of his devotion, and it is plainly evident that this is his desire. My lord father and brothers all pay primary devotion to Daeus, but Mother and I adhere to the faith of Eluna." He takes a bite from his bagel then says, "I also do scribal work, too, both for pay, and because I get to know things that people have me write."
Autumn offers, "If you wish, I could probably help you with some of the basic spells. My books are fairly comprehensive in that regard."
Arynel says, "Mine are not. I know a few basic spells and such." She then shrugs. I do have lots of time, however, so I'm not as.....hurried...as some are." She then smiles. "Are you a specialist?" She says to Raniq.
Raniq swallows another bite, still petting Herman, who has nearly finished his kibble by now. He says, "That would be wonderful. I'm afraid that I don't have many with which to reciprocate, though." Then to Arynel in particular, he says, "I am an evoker by specialty, but Illusion is very challenging for me and I avoid Necromancy as a matter of principal."
Autumn adds after the explanations, "I couldn't allow myself to be limited to a specialty. I would have found it too limiting." She sips her white wine.
Arynel says, "Hmm...I have the same problem. Illusion and Necromancy. Mostly because I have a difficult time seeing things if I'm producing falsehoods myself. I'd like to see the truth. And Necromancy....well....dealing with life forces is sketchy at best....and House Arcanum tends to.....try and stay away from that."
Finishing his lunch, Raniq says, "So, that's my story in a nutshell. What about you ladies?"
Autumn smiles broadly, "To sit down, your price was to tell me who you were. Be welcome; you have paid." After a moment's thought, she asks "would either of you be interested in exchanges of knowledge? Perhaps you have a bit of arcane lore that i am missing or vice versa."
Arynel says, "I don't know if any of my knowledge would be useful to you. There's a bit of a difference between a generalist...." She gestures to Autumn. "A Evoker..." She gestures to Raniq. "....and a Diviner. Most of it isn't in the spells, but the benefits of specialization."
Raniq says, "Yeah. Um, I don't know what I could offer, seeing as you say you're a Loremaster and Sage. Like I said, I'm still a fledgling in the Arcane arts. On the other hand, I imagine you've already forgotten more arcana than I've ever learned."
Autumn shrugs at the final comment and says, "Perhaps I can further your education with what I have in my books."
Arynel say, "Lemme take a look in spellbook, Raniq. I might have something you could use...."
Herman, now done with his kibble, climbs Raniq's arm again, nestling in for a nap across the young man's shoulders.
Arynel smiles and holds up her hand to Herman, to let him sniff her hand, before she pets him.
Raniq says, "Gladly. One spell I've heard of but don't have is Ear Piercing Scream. See the cool thing about it is, only the target of the spell hears it, if I remember rightly. At any rate, I have learned to tweak my spells in a similar way."