A Blanket of Stars [Jilitse Please]

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An undead citadel created before the cataclysm, Sahova is devoted to all kinds of magical research. The living may visit the island, if they are willing to obey its rules. [Lore]

Re: A Blanket of Stars [Jilitse Please]

Postby Cosette Merryweather on March 21st, 2010, 2:01 pm

Poisonous gas? Why would she have to worry about that? Why did Jilitse worry about that as well, it just didn't make any sense. Unless of course there was something other than the gas that Jilitse wanted to avoid.

Cosette nodded and traced after Jilitse's steps as she led them through the path above ground. At least she didn't have to deal with the stale air beneath the tunnels with the cool sea breeze passing over the citadel.

Cosette followed the other nuit making sure to pay attention to the surroundings just in case. Master Farke had warned her once a long time ago, to always expect the unexpected in Sahova and that she could only have herself to blame if she got herself killed.

When they finally arrived at the library Cosette felt a little overwhelmed. She'd never seen so many books in one place, there were so many in fact that she was starting to have a headache, contemplating how she was going to find which book she needed.

"These books are organized somehow right?" Cosette placed a hand to her forehead and she squinted at the towering shelves, she prayed that the other nuit would confirm her hopes. "If I wanted a book on flux and animation do I search by category or alphabetically?"
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Re: A Blanket of Stars [Jilitse Please]

Postby Jilitse on March 22nd, 2010, 1:43 am

"Just talk to a golem. Or climb up one of those animated step ladders. You're a nuit, so they'll follow your orders. It just takes a little getting used to." She looked at Cosette, wondering. "There are far too many books on magic around here, but none are rare nor unusual. If it's a book on animation, and I'm guessing you mean a beginner's guide or a starting book, you can follow me and I can point you to something that might help you. I am unfamiliar with personal magic, so you may want to help yourself with that." Jilitse curved her lips surreptitiously, "You can wonder around. Expert wizards in personal magic usually roam in sections that contain related books and material. Stay on your toes, and be suspicious and wary of any nuit that comes near you. Did I say some wizards are extremely dangerous? I'm not sure if you're getting what I mean," and she leans closer, "but there are terrible terrible wizards around here. Some you might call insane, others you might say... well. Just see for yourself." Why, of all nuits, did she have to come across this... baby! While Jilitse felt that helping Cosette was not a waste of time - every young nuit needed someone to teach and assist them - it was somewhat frustrating to make her understand the danger of Sahova. Given the chance, the girl might start introducing herself to everyone, shake hands. And probably get eaten by someone's familiar or get kicked into the void. She counted the numerous misfortune the young nuit might come across and find herself laughing in amusement.

The library was very eerie, the bookcases made of sturdy weathered wood. There were far too many nuits in black robes hustling about. A number of golems assist other nuits, and Jilitse called out to the nearest one.

"Bring me The Principles of Engineering," she ordered, suppressing her giggles. Library golems usually knew where to look, and they can even locate misplaced books sometimes. Jilitse had a good project in mind: repairing Plinku, which might take until summer to accomplish. She needed to review basic principles and learn to draw her golem's proper dimensions. The right arm that was not working needed to be fixed, and if it could not, then replaced. She also needed to customize her animation ritual, which meant studying more about Glyphing, and maybe even read up on Djed. If she could fix Plinku, then she might be able to create her own automaton.

The golem was now returning with a copy of the book she requested, so she started walking towards a lone desk table. It was surrounded by three stiff chairs, one of the seats was missing. When the library golem silently handed her The Principles of Engineering, she opened the book, scanning for the page she needed and started walking towards a vacant chair.
I. Vox Populi, Vox Dei
II. The Night the Watchtowers Cried

I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common woman with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.
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Re: A Blanket of Stars [Jilitse Please]

Postby Cosette Merryweather on March 22nd, 2010, 5:22 pm

"I appreciate the warning Jil, but rest assured I can take care of myself..." she glanced around her and noticed suspiciously cloaked nuits, some with familiars tailing shortly behind them. "...I think."

Taking the older nuit's advice Cosette looked around and found herself an idle golem. This one was a little larger than most of the golems she'd seen but at least it would be tall enough to reach the top most shelves if it didn't break any in the process.

"Mr.Golem, would you fetch me a begginer's guide or manual for the personal magic flux and the world magic animation, if there is no begginer's guide I will settle for one concerning fundamental flux and animation." the younger nuit clapped her hands together in mock prayer, bowing slightly towards the construct of stone and iron before flashing it a sheepish smile. "Pretty please?"

The lumbering thing blinked at her, its beady aquamarine eyes glowing as it turned its head in her direction. "Affirmative." it told her in a garbled metallic voice before it walked off into some unknown section of the library leaving Cosette to wait for it at a spot wherein she could still see the other nuit who's golem had given her the book she needed.

After a few moments the large golem popped up from behind her and it held a cupped hand containing a number of books, no less than twenty. "You did not specify which book you needed. Here are the first ten books on the topics you requested that were in the immediate vicinity, there are others if you are not satisfied with these."

"No, no, I'm pleased!" she snatched the books from the golem's hands, these were far too many but she didn't want to hurt its feelings... "Thank you very much Mr.Golem."

"Objective met. Returning to energy conservation mode." before Cosette could say anything more the Golem's glowing eyes turned dim though if she came close enough she could hear a faint, nearly inaudible buzzing coming from inside the machine of stone and steel.

"Are we allowed to take these out of the library Jil?"
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Re: A Blanket of Stars [Jilitse Please]

Postby Jilitse on March 22nd, 2010, 11:16 pm

"Whatever are you supposed to do with all those books?" Jilitse said flatly. She stood up from her seat and started to check Cosette's books one by one. She went through the title of one and then set it down the table. "Silly girl. These texts are in the ancient tongue." And she checked the other books Cosette had taken, one by one she took them out of her hands, and tossed them out of the table. "You can't use this. This is irrelevant. This is for experts. This one's also in ancient tongue." Not for you, not for you, not for you.

"I am allowed to take books out of the library." She ordered a passing golem to bring her "A Beginner's Guide to Animation." Hands on waist she turned to Cosette, "You, on the other hand..." She looked at the other nuit from her tall bunny ears to her shoes, "You are just a passing visitor. Unless you have the intention to stay here forever I doubt that you will ever be given permission to take out books."

And she went back reading her book silently, until the golem she ordered came back with the book she requested. She glanced at the hopeful Cosette and tilted her head, motioning her to come closer. "I may not be able to teach you animation, but I can help you understand here better. I am, at the very least, familiar with the basics." A hint of pity on her face. So helpless, like my old pet rabbit.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Come sit beside me and I'll guide you through." Her smile was a seductive grin, intentions malicious and grim.
I. Vox Populi, Vox Dei
II. The Night the Watchtowers Cried

I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common woman with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.
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Re: A Blanket of Stars [Jilitse Please]

Postby Cosette Merryweather on March 23rd, 2010, 6:23 pm

Her first response to Jilitse's careless manner of handling he books almost made her reach out to stop the older nuit but she held herself in check. The animator was the experienced one, she would know by now how to treat books after five hundred or so years of working with them.

When Jilitse finally offered to give Cosette help the girl felt a thread of reluctance, as warm as personality once Jilitse's cold if not confounding demeanor was forcing her to take a more guarded stance when talking to the girl. Still, who was she to refuse such a generous offer?

Cosette brought herself over beside the older nuit, bringing her legs together before straightening out her skirt. "Its alright, I'm sure I'll learn a lot from you." besides, that was all she really was after, the basics. Jilitse was old enough to be very very well versed in them, who cared if she wasn't an expert, the best of the best weren't always necessarily the best teachers around.

"How long did it take you to learn the basics?"
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Re: A Blanket of Stars [Jilitse Please]

Postby Jilitse on March 24th, 2010, 3:48 am

"Animation," she said, ignoring the nonsense question thrown at her, "is a form of world magic that allows you to give life or life-like traits into objects. Objects can be just about anything, as long as it is an empty vessel. Meaning, it does not have a soul. Wood, metal, stone... even corpses. Less of the latter these days." She opened the book and positioned it between her and Cosette. "One of the animation rituals you should be familiar with would be the Daek-Nuit. But, unlike you, I have undergone a voluntary Daek-Nuit ritual, and I was subject to a ceremony unlike the ones performed these days. Lesser nuits seem to have been... some used the word 'inflicted', I prefer to use the word 'turned', into undead beings by forcing them to drink another nuit's ichor."

Jilitse had a sardonic smile on her face. "This is what you came here for, right? Most new nuits do. They want to know who they really are, after finding themselves neither human nor dead. They want to know what nuits are. They come here, wanting to learn what the Daek-Nuit ritual is. Those who came before you, Cosette, all of them painfully tried to learn animation, to learn the process of life-giving. A few of them are still around, but they have never found the answer they were looking for. All of them - and soon, including you - will just settle for eternal life." There was a knowing glint in her eyes. "The sooner you accept that you have died, the sooner you will be able to accept your fate of unlife." She held her hands together, fingertips touching one another.

"Seldom do people understand magic these days." She shook her head, "You are a very selfish person, Cosette. Very selfish indeed. You think that being a nuit is a curse, that it is something you can turn your back against." Her voice was in a hallowed monotonous tone, "You think that you could continue living by acting as if you are still alive? You think that you could morph your skin, your tongue? Your eyes reveal that you are but an empty vessel, an animated corpse. You are the kind of nuit that disgusts me. You are not worthy of your eternal life." She stood up and took the book she was reading earlier. "I have told you before, and I will tell you again. The answers to the question you seek are not here in Sahova. You are stupid to think that Sahova is a retreat for all kinds of nuits. You are foolish to assume that you can start an eatery business here. You are conceited. Too human. You do not belong here."

Jilitse reached out for two of the books in the pile, and handed them over to Cosette. "Here is a beginner's book on flux, and a related book on animation. I doubt you really need these things." She leaned behind Cosette and embraced the young nuit. "Do you feel that, Cosette? Do you see how there in no warmth in our touch? That we do not have hearts that beat?" She snuggled close, cheek brushing against Cosette's cheeks. "I hate to break it to you, but you are dead, Cosette. You are one of the countless fallen stars."

She glided away and in a louder voice, "It was nice meeting you Cosette. I look forward to being your friend... forever."
I. Vox Populi, Vox Dei
II. The Night the Watchtowers Cried

I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common woman with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.
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Re: A Blanket of Stars [Jilitse Please]

Postby Cosette Merryweather on March 24th, 2010, 2:28 pm

"If you haven't noticed yet I am not like most nuit Jilitse." the gentleness in Cosette's voice was giving way to unbending firmness and her voice was gradually picking up in strength. "Make no mistake, I may be on Sahova but I am not on a journey of self-discovery, I know exactly what I am. My body may be dead and I accept that part of me, but my heart continues to live and it is still that of a human's and nothing can change that, not time and especially not the words of a jaded nuit." for the first time during the time the two nuits together Cosette offered the other a smile that almost mirrored Jilitse's own.

"I haven't been acting, not once. Everything you see before you is who I am, so what if I morph this body into something similar to what I once had? I have the ability to do so, it allows me to enjoy the lifestyle I had seasons ago, why should I let the opportunity pass." Cosette's brows were raised now and her gaze was unusually condescending. "And you speak of eternal life, that I don't deserve it? I cannot believe how naive you are Jilitse, you still haven't come to accept that fact that there is no such thing. Eternity is not a luxury we nuit possess, the gods themselves have no real claim to immortality."

"You're absolutely right. Sahova doesn't have the answers I seek, it is a mere stepping stone for me. I don't treat this island as a retreat, I am not a coward to spend my existence locked up in a prison like this. I did not come here to stay and given the option to I would never accept anyway." by now Cosette was thoroughly worked up that her eyes were wide and livid with her pointy-white ears standing at attention.

Only Jilitse's uninvited hug and her mock gesture of intimacy caused Cosette t falter. Her anger quickly faded, her naturally sunny demeanor proving to be poor soil for the seeds of hatred to grow. "Still Jilitse... your heart isn't a lost cause, you're kind, very kind." Cosette's voice was a mellow whisper now, her expression softening. "The mere fact that you try to dissuade me from my course and offer your counsel is proof of that, despite any allegation to the contrary you do care even if you won't admit that fact to yourself."

When Jilitse glided away Cosette took that opportunity to straighten out her dress and assume a dignified stance, one that betrayed no weakness of the spirit. "I'm afraid you shouldn't get too attached to me Jilitse." Her confidence building Cosette curtsied and flashed the other girl the warmest smile she could muster. "Because in ten years time I will be walking among the living once more and I will not be a nuit by then."
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Re: A Blanket of Stars [Jilitse Please]

Postby Jilitse on March 31st, 2010, 1:29 pm

Jilitse walked away, more amused than annoyed. Perhaps meeting Cosette was a chance of fate - she welcomed it openly, even if it seemed like she did not. There was a treasure in Cosette's soul, something Jilitse had always ached for - faith.

She looked about the corridors of Sahova with a newfound sense of inspiration. Under the blanket of stars she had questioned her purpose in Sahova: the weight of the task she now carries, the stoked determination in her soul, the senseless existence she has tried to give meaning to. She had wanted to kill herself, to kill the rest of the nuits in Sahova. She would have gone mad.

She looked back in her conversation with Cosette, and found one important lesson about faith and making things happen, or at least believing that they will. The possibility of someone to exist, of something to happen, is enough reason to believe.

She hugged the book she was holding and felt thankful.
I. Vox Populi, Vox Dei
II. The Night the Watchtowers Cried

I am nothing special, of this I am sure. I am a common woman with common thoughts and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I've loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.
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Re: A Blanket of Stars [Jilitse Please]

Postby Tarot on March 31st, 2010, 9:58 pm


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Jilitse
  • +2 Animation
  • +2 Drawing

Cosette
  • +1 Morphing
  • +1 Investigation
  • Lore of Sahova (partial)

Additional notes: Very nice read!
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