Jumping Over the Sword (At a Later Date)
Log Info
- Title: Jumping the Sword (At a Later Date)
- Emitter: Telamon
- Characters: Aryia, Ravenstongue, Telamon
- Place: A14 - Society for Progressive Arcanists
- Summary: Telamon is conversing with alchemists when Ravenstongue decides to sneak up on him. Aryia tries to as well, but she makes an incredibly rare failure at being sneaky. Telamon, Ravenstongue, and Aryia proceed to converse on a number of topics, such as the dress Aryia made for Ravenstongue's meeting with Telamon's mother, the potential marriage later in time, and even Aryia's career as a priestess. An offer is made to Aryia to visit the Lúpecyll-Atlon house at a later time.
-=--=--=--=--=--=<* A14: Society for Progressive Arcanists *>=--=--=--=--=--=-
The central courtyard of the Arcane Society is a large and sprawling affair within the heart of the city. Soaring marble pillars reach upward to the sky, four sets of three, evenly spaced apart as the massive columns form a rough circle, each trio of pillars warding a particular direction. Carved into the smooth stone floor within the center of the atrium is a massive circle within the ceiling itself, which opens always to the stars, in honor of Eluna, the Goddess of Light Magic. Taara, the Goddess of the Dark, is given no such honors.
The central courtyard radiates outwards into paths, leading through the exotic gardens of the Society. One extends to the Library, another to the College of Magic. Another path leads off to a small, rather plain looking building between the two colleges, most likely the dormitory for the students, and yet another for the famous Cafeteria. Numerous magi can be seen walking back and forth most hours of the day and night here, with familiars or other odder creatures roaming about, most of them in the latest styles, as dictated by Madame Gelfure, the a more social head than the Society has had in most of its history. Myriad scents and aromas can also be sensed, some delightful, others repugnant, others quite colorful as apprentices and magi alike go about their experiments. Arguments are not unheard of, and even the most "dignified" of magi might be seen from time to time, in a pique of anger, waving an agitated hand to teleport the disagreeable person to the top of the nearest tower.
-=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=- Dramatis Personae =--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=- Aryia 4'8" 110 Lb Shadow Elf Female A heavily scarred mul with a resolved look about her. Ravenstongue 5'0" 99 Lb Half-Elf Female Short half-elf girl with violet eyes and black hair. Telamon 5'6" 140 Lb Half-Elf Male A platinum-blond half-sil man with dancing dark eyes -=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=--=-
A late afternoon at the Society, as the students and faculty are leaving for the day, save for those who need to remain for late classes or -- in some cases -- detention. Still, there are other practicioners of the arcane here, serious devotees or simply dabblers. And then there are adventurers.
Telamon stands off to the side, having a cheerful, if spirited, discussion with a trio of fellows who look to be alchemists. Clad in heavy coveralls, the three human males seem happy to be dispensing some advice or information to Telamon, probably in trade for something he's found. At least the conversation seems friendly enough, though one of the dark haired men is clearly excited, a second dispassionate, and a third with a sardonic smile.
GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Stealth: (15)+2: 17 GAME: Ravenstongue casts Invisibility. Caster Level: 5 DC: 16 GAME: Aryia rolls perception: (13)+28: 41
There's a white raven and a black raven flying in the sky.
This would ordinarily be an omen of some sort, but not today. The black raven continues to fly off into the distance, but the white raven returns to the shoulder of Ravenstongue, who is giving her new dress and look from the other night a second time out. No glasses, and her braid has been let loose, the gentle black waves going down to her waistline.
"I'm glad Grandfather is so happy," she murmurs to Pothy before she spots Telamon. She smiles mischievously at Pothy and puts a finger up to her mouth to indicate complete silence before her form turns completely invisible.
She quietly sneaks up from behind Telamon, then she lets her invisibility drop right as she comes in from his side and plants a kiss on his cheek--although she has to rise up onto her tippy-toes to do so.
Late afternoon is Aryia's 'go to random places' time. And it's been a minute since she's been to the Society.
A scarred elf strolls onto campus with her hands in her pockets, jacket buckled closed. She spies Telamon off to the side, her adjusting course. But she stops.
Squints. Foot print behind him... two ravens in the air...?
She crosses her arms and watches whatever tomfoolery is about to-
Oh.
Well that was tame. She was expecting a hip toss.
The reaction is everything Raven could've hoped for. Telamon does jump a tiny bit, though something tipped him off before hand -- he was already starting to look around. The trio of alchemists, though, do jump back a bit, one whipping out what looks like a weird cross between a wand and an amulet and waving it cautiously, before they settle down, looking embarrassed.
Tel slips his arm around Raven, and laughs. "Sorry, gents. She can be a sneaky one. This is my betrothed, Cor'lana, a sorceress as well. Cor'lana, this is Stanislau Reitz, Vank Petrosin, and Sven Egalroth. They're alchemists and instructors here at the college, as well as dabbling in various ways to combat aberrations and undead."
The trio bow politely, Sven putting away the weird amulet-wand thing. "Ma'am."
GAME: Aryia rolls stealth: (1)+21: 22 (EPIC FAIL) GAME: Telamon rolls perception: (13)+8: 21 GAME: Ravenstongue rolls Perception: (6)+4: 10
Ravenstongue grins like the cat who has caught the canary as Telamon wraps his arm around her, giggling. Her violet eyes are positively filled with delight. It seems Aryia's excellent dress gives Raven the confidence to do things she wouldn't ordinarily do. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Although, hey, Tel, we aren't formally betrothed yet."
"Snacks," Pothy says. He hops from Ravenstongue's shoulder and onto the ground between the half-elves and the instructors. Obviously, he expects tribute from these people he has never met. He even whistles something that makes Ravenstongue giggle.
"And that's Apotheosis, my familiar," Ravenstongue says. "He's a little ham in avian clothing." That's funny considering, well, Raven's got feathers on her dress.
Aryia blinks, her grinning a bit as people get jumpy. It makes her a little mischievous, and she too starts her approach. Taking a long way around, walking silently, moving only when they aren't looking her direction. Then-
She stumbles over a bench. Silently rolls over it, falls flat on her face.
Then pops right up beside everyone with a crimson visage.
She raises a hand in greeting. "Hi. What about my dress?" <Handspeech>
So of course, Sven points the weird little amulet-wand at Pothy. It doesn't seem to do anything, so he shrugs and puts it away again. "Stop that," Stanislau pokes Sven. "It's rude to point that thing at people or animals, even if it is a familiar."
Vank, for his part, rummages in his pockets. "Sorry, little guy, I don't have anything right now that'd make a good snack. Raincheck? I-- whoa!" He jumps a bit as Aryia pops up next to the group.
Telamon, for his part, doesn't jump, but he blinks in surprise as Aryia just seems to appear. "By the gods, both of you? Is this going to be a common thing?" He watches the monk's handspeech, and grins at her. "What about it? Other than 'thank you', and 'do you have a favorite kind of wine or cake I could buy you in gratitude'?" He fishes around in his pockets, before coming up with some nuts, one of which he tosses to Pothy. "Here you go, Pothy."
Pothy grumbles a little, in the way that only children can when they're denied something. "What? Nothing? First that wanker threatens me with a wand, then you imply it's not rude to threaten me because I am a familiar, then you deny me food? Useless! Do you know who you're talking to? I am Apotheosis! Knowledge keeper! And food connoisseur. So many foods to know--oh thank you, Telamon, you are my favorite person."
Of course, this all sounds like whistling to most of the group. But Aryia and Ravenstongue are treated to the very elegant sounding young boy's voice and the compliment that Telamon will never know that Pothy gave.
"Aryia!" Ravenstongue says with a huge smile as she escapes Telamon's grasp to give the mul a great big hug--that is, if it's permitted. "Thank you, thank you, thank you for this wonderful dress! Ariana loved it! So does Tel."
Aryia grins a bit as her sudden appearance has some effect. She gives a little shrug. "I thought it was funny."
She tilts her head to the side. "Oh, it was good? Perfect." Her lips make an 'o' shape as she quickly gestures, "Cake is good and all but I don't like a ton of sweets all at once. Wine though, that's good shit. Or liquor. Anything with alcohol in it is great to me."
Telamon has yet to experience the plastered Aryia, which is a treat in of itself.
She gives Pothy a little glance, her brow raised at the mentions of violence. If anything, she was violence, and she has arrived. "Maybe if you quit keeping that knowledge you'd get fed more. Because all I've heard is bitching."
And then she is given a hug. The mute blinks, then returns it with an easy smile before pulling away. "Glad it served well," she smugly signs, thumbing her nose. <Handspeech>
Vank just shakes his head, before glancing at his buddies. "Hey, good to meet you but we gotta run. Supposedly there's a haunt in the library, and Stanislau and Sven here really want to check it out. Personally, I doubt it, but you never know, right?"
Telamon chuckles, and waves off the trio. "I'll pick up those books you suggested, Vank. Thanks for the advice." He turns to smile at Aryia, following her handspeech. "I have some ideas. I'll bring you something and you can tell me what you think." Clearly he has no idea what drunk Aryia might be like, but he's probably going to find out. He furrows his brow a little at Aryia's reference to Pothy's complaining. "That's still the strangest thing. It sounds like whistling to me, but both you and Cor'lana understand it clearly. Very, very odd."
As the alchemists head off, Vank can be heard saying...
"You know Sven, this reminds me of the time you tried to drill a hole in your head."
"That would've worked too, if you hadn't stopped me."
"Why are you so mean?" Pothy asks of Aryia with a little huff. "This is my job! I have to know everything, and that means food, too! Otherwise I've completely failed Lana and all of her ancestors I've ever served. Very important job I have as the font of knowledge gifted to..."
He stops. "Who was your first ancestor again?" he asks Ravenstongue. "I think it rhymed with... Berry. Mmm, yummy berries. I could go for some of those right now, please and thank you, Lana."
Ravenstongue facepalms as she looks at Pothy. "Oh gods. Pothy, I don't have any berries to give you," she says. "And how would I know who my first ancestor on mom's side of the family was? I don't even know what her last name was."
She looks at Telamon again. "Trust me, be glad you can't understand him. He doesn't shut up and he keeps implying odd things. Also he tells me things I don't want to know, like how many people my mother slept with before my father."
She clears her throat. "Anyway, I think that's settled. A bottle of wine. The nicest one we can get, I think."
Aryia waves to the alchemists that leave, her turning her attention to Telamon. She nods, but then purses her lips. "I don't know," she shrugs. "Sounds like whistles, but I get the gist of it. To be honest, I've noticed when people speak in stuff I don't know, I get the idea of what they're talking about. It's weird."
A glance to the alchemists once more. Her face twitches towards confusion. "... and this is why mages get a bad reputation..."
She stares at Pothy, one ear pressed against her head while the other one droops some. "Me? Mean?" she scoffs. "I'm not mean, I'm blunt. You're just used to everything being hand fed and sugar coated. If it ruffles your feathers so much, sounds like a you problem."
She snerks, chuckling in that breathy manner at the mention of amorous relations. "It's funny sometimes, but it's mostly complaining. But yes, good wine sounds good. Thanks."
She looks around. "... so... what the fuck we doing here?" <Handspeech>
Telamon just... reaches up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Pothy," he says with exaggerated patience, "that is not the sort of thing you casually discuss with anyone. If nothing else, it's rude." He looks to Raven. "Maybe we could swap? Raspberry doesn't talk near as much, you know." His lips curl up in a slight grin.
Moving his gaze back to Aryia, he smirks as the mul gives Pothy an even sounder talking-to. "Well, what I was doing here was meeting with those gentlemen abut some alchemical advice. I, ah, had a slight mishap when I was trying to refine some solutions, and, well..." He has the good grace to look abashed. "At least I was outside. The fire was an interesting color, though. I don't think violet and pink flames occur in nature normally."
Pothy looks surprisingly ashamed as Telamon lectures him. Maybe he can be taught... If it's coming from a trusted source of food that is. He returns to the nuts and quits his whining. For now.
"I wish I could, but Pothy is my responsibility. Maybe that's why I'm not keen on having children right away--Pothy always whines for food." Ravenstongue grins.
She looks mildly exasperated as Telamon mentions the mishap. "Oh, don't remind me. I just remember the sheer terror I felt when I saw it. I hope those instructors have themselves put together enough to teach you, but... Umm, should I say they don't inspire much common sense confidence?"
Aryia nods, resting on her back foot as she listens to the others. "I see. Well, good thing you have all your hair." There's a brow raise to Ravenstongue, which makes Aryia chuff. "No, it doesn't. I wouldn't want someone to teach me who is willing to drill a hole in their head." <Handspeech>
"No, they're very competent in alchemy. Just... probably a lot less so when it comes to other things. Which is why I'm not asking them about medicine... or sorcery... or, well, anything else." Telamon spreads his hands. "Look, even when things went wrong, I was all right because I was at least smart enough to wear protective gear. Alright, I had to replace it, but replacing leather aprons and gloves is a lot cheaper than replacing hair, facial features, and fingers. I'm not keen on getting bloody just because I'm trying to whip up a batch of alchemical kindness."
"Correct. You did what you were supposed to in order to prevent anything bad happening to you. That would have made me more upset than anything." Ravenstongue gives another kiss to Telamon's cheek, arching up onto her tippy-toes again.
She looks back at Aryia and says, "You should come over to our house. It's a nice place nearby. Seems like it was owned by a mage before us--the agent didn't really want to talk about previous occupants--but the house is nice and cozy. A lot better looking than the frat house we were looking at. That place was a serious fixer-upper."
Aryia scratches her head, gaze set off to the side in thought. "Got into alchemy once when I was twenty five. Parents stopped paying for my classes when all I did was distill spirits. Though, I do remeber safety lessons. Good thing you heeded yours."
Her head tilts the the side before she perks up. "Oh, yes, sure. Where's it at? I'll bring something. Do you guys need anything for it?" <Handspeech>
Telamon smiles at the kiss, and his arm goes around Raven again. "Well, I know how much you like my pretty face, so I figured you'd be upset if I marred it." He gives Raven a wide-eyed innocent grin, before hugging her with a chuckle.
"Down University Row, the small whitewashed house on the right before the cross street." He nods in agreement with Raven. "I made some sketches of the runes that were marked onto the doorsill and window frames, but I haven't had the chance to show them to anyone yet. They seem to be inactive, but I don't want to try and remove them without getting a clear idea of what I'm looking at."
Ravenstongue grins ear to ear as she's hugged. She really, really does seem truly happy, as her eyes sparkle a little--and it's not a glitterdust spell waiting to happen.
"Honestly? We need some more furniture, but I wouldn't ask you to bring something over," Ravenstongue says to Aryia regarding the subject. "The deal I made with the realtor to make it such a cheap buy--besides his willingness to sell the place since it was sitting on the market for so long--was to sell almost all the furniture. We kept the beds, the kitchen tables, and the chairs for the table. I just bought a couch and a nice tea table the other day, so we have something for the living room--and a nightstand for my bed and for Tel's bed. Pothy currently sleeps on a pile of books I brought from my old apartment in my room."
"Books," Pothy says, mimicking Ravenstongue's voice--followed by a little sleepy yawn. He's not tired. He just thinks it's funny to mimic Raven yawning for some reason.
Aryia pulls out her journal as the answer comes forth, pen scribbling down the information for later as she nods along. "Scars are cool," the scarred and marred pugilist signs with a cheery smirk that pulls lopsided from the old and healed over wounds.
She watches Ravenstongue explain. She squints a bit, eyebrows quirking one way and another, ears twitching.
Then she looks between the two. "... with how clingy you two are, I'm surprised the beds are separate."
She smiles cheekily. "Ah, I get it. A backup bed. Just in case one breaks." <Handspeech>
Telamon just shakes his head. "We are... trying not to dive into things. Though I'd be a liar if I didn't admit to temptation." He smiles broadly at Raven. "What? I think we established how head-over-heels I was early on. Even Aryia knew it." He grins impishly at Aryia. "What was it you wrote in your book? 'I FUCKING KNEW IT'?"
He squares his shoulders. "However... we're both healthy and in our right minds, so we don't see any rush. Though," his eyes twinkle at Aryia. "I think we may have a role for you to play when we finally do jump the sword."
Ravenstongue's blushing, of course. She always turns a brilliant shade of crimson when the subject's brought up. "Eventually," she says after a moment. "I just need to get over my fears. It's not a morality thing so much as it is a 'I'm scared and I might die even though I know people don't generally die' sort of thing."
She seems absolutely relieved when the subject of 'jumping the sword' is brought up. "That's right. Like I told you when I was sitting with you, Aryia, this dress is so splendid that I think we'll commission you for the wedding dress, too. Maybe you should match me too, Tel?" she asks, looking at him briefly. "Oh, what am I saying... That's months away. We haven't even gotten the actual betrothal out of the way yet!"
Aryia grins successfully at her tease. "Oh, I thought you two were a thing before you were a thing, that's all."
She blinks, looking between the two. "... if you're worried about dying, I know some medicinal teas that keep you from-"
Then she blinks even more before sputtering. "Oh- OH! That's what that means. I thought you two were talking about all this build up just to jump his sword, was going to say 'thanks but I'll pass'," she snickers, grinning impishly. "Marriage, right. I forget you shorter lived folk do that way faster." <Handspeech>
Telamon turns a little red as well. He's not quite as prone to blushing as Raven, but it happens. "Oh no. I'm thinking you'd make a perfectly good bridesmaid, Aryia." He shows teeth in a grin. "And that means you'd have to wear a dress too." He lets that sink in, before shifting gears. "But no. The... ah, physical aspect is something we're both willing to wait on for the moment. 'Lana deserves nothing less than the best. For some reason she settled for me, though, so I'm not sure how that happened..." He's grinning again, teasing. "What? Have you never heard of the old custom about 'jumping the sword' as part of a marriage ceremony?"
"No, no, definitely not before--honestly, even if he'd suggested anything beforehand, I honestly would have been so oblivious that I probably would have gotten to the apartment and asked, 'Oh, hey, why are you taking off your clothes?' like an absolute dense idiot," Ravenstongue admits, blushing still.
She clears her throat again. "Anyway--Aryia as a bridesmaid? I could see that, if she wanted. Maybe Seyardu too--who would be your groomsmen? Randolf? Skielstregar?" Raven grins a little. The idea of getting Skielstregar into a wedding groom outfit is perhaps too funny.
The tinge of red on the more controlled man gets a quirk of a smirk pulling at her lips. "Oh, okay, yes, sure," she gestures, agreeing to the idea easily. Though, she raises a brow, scoffing lightly. "... what? I like to wear dresses. You think I'm above having frilly little open bottoms with a shoulder showing?" she motions, grabbing at the air near her knees and shaking them about while doing a snarky curtsey. "I'll show up to your place in a dress."
She pinches her brow, shaking her head. "No. I'm from Aby'ssa. We don't say things like that there. Or, we didn't when I was a Priestess of the Unholy Union. We called it things like: chaining fates, cosigning souls, stitching flesh, sew the shade, and other equally off putting things."
Wait.
She was a what?
She snickers at Ravenstongue at the mention of confusion, but she ponders as well. "Oh, that big guy? That'd be funny. Last time I tried to say hi to him he ran away from me." <Handspeech>
Telamon ehs. "Skiel has... some issues. I think he's working them out though. Slowly. Don't get him riled though, he's scarier than a badger hopped up on gnomish coffee and swiftdust when that happens." He nods thoughtfully. "We really need to put together a list. I know sometimes my idea of planning is 'wing it' but this should be done right the first time." He colors a little, again, at Raven's humorous response to 'clothes coming off'. "Boy, that would've been a hell of a hit to the ego. Glad I didn't try to dive in the deep end of the lake..."
Tel raises an eyebrow at Aryia. "Wait, you were a priestess of the what now?"
"Skielstregar is such a nice guy, though... When you don't work him up. I hope he's solved his love triangle by now," Ravenstongue says, genuinely so as her brows are furrowed in concern for the giant fellow. "He's really too nice to be caught up in a sad situation."
She looks at Telamon and then Aryia, her brows going all the way up. "Huh. I never ever took you for being a priestess at one point," she says, intensely curious. "I'd ask what you did, but... I get the feeling a lot of what happened back there aren't the nicest memories to dredge up."
Ravenstongue smiles. "At any rate, I look forward to seeing your dress when you come over to visit, Aryia. I'm sure it'll be splendid."
Aryia blinks at Telamon. "I've fought Forgotten before. I can take him," she gestures matter-of-factly. The half-sil man has seen Aryia on the field recently, and it would certainly be a sight to see for that raging half-dead makari to be pummeled to a pulp by a small elf woman. "Huh. Didn't know that he was caught up in a tri-"
It looks like she connected some dots, as she quickly shuts up. "I hope it gets resolved," she motions quickly.
She snickers at the mention of a hit to confidence, but she straightens up at cranes her head up to look at Telamon. "I was. A priestess. Of the. Unholy. Union," she signs slowly, disregarding Ravenstongue's suggestion of ignoring it. "... Maugrim and Taara? They're married? You know, right? My family was a sect that conducted marriages in their union."
A very important keyword: 'was'.
She gives a thumbs up. "It is splendid. I made it." Well... if there was one hill to die on... <Handspeech>
Telamon raises a hand. "Let's... not get into arguments over who can take who. We're supposed to be friends, right?" He nods to Raven. "I hadn't heard about that, but... hopefully things have worked out for him." He wisely lets the discussion drop about Aryia's past life as a priestess; he suspects it's not something she likes to contemplate. "In any case, yes. You're welcome at the house anytime, Aryia. As I said, we're all friends. And I for one love having friends over for a drink and a relaxing chat."