[Temple of Viratas] The blood, it speaks to us (Duvalyon)

[Dovinya]

Duvalyon's words on unfamiliar things, and even more unfamiliar place continued to stream his mouth, but Dovinya stayed quiet this time, secreting away the names to perhaps bother the Cribellum with later on. Tactics based on words his companion continued on to talk about, elaborating on the cunning necessary, and drawing a knowing smile from Dovinya. He practiced with words, and did so studiously, knowing secretly that it was where true power lie. It was good to see his own private ideas confirmed by another, especially by one so respected, and despite himself he found himself unable to stop smiling that knowing grin of his that spoke of pride. "The smarter the beast, the better the prize" Dovinya added simply to his companion's words, before taking a step back and contemplating what had been said, his smile disappearing. His initial draw to words was because of a reluctance to spill blood, even a beasts, and in words he found solution. It was a bit more difficult that way of course, but he had no qualms about nastily tricking a beast if it spared needless shedding of blood, for after all they were just animals to be used as the symenestra pleased, all in an effort to further their race, the superior blood line and he would stop at nothing in service to his kin, and god. Talking to his companion made him realize just how much he had yet to understand, and not for the first time he was thankful that he was still seasons away from when he would be sent of on his first harvest. The more time he had to commit to preparing for the most honorable of duties ahead of him, the better off he would be on the accursed surface. "You've spoken of things and places that i've never heard of, I fear I'll find my self unprepared, even if I were to become a master of words by the next winter" Dovinya said to his companion, a slight humor in his voice.

[Duvalyon Hellebore]

Duvalyon dimly mirrored Dovinya's smile. "No one is ever prepared for such things. Only trained. You give too much credit." He shrugged, symbolically sloughing off the gravity of the undertaking. One did not amble into the harvest, expecting ease, but he suspected Dovinya might have been unnecessarily daunted. "You are a person of understanding. It will not elude you. Mercifully," and here Duvalyon smiled truly, "The sunborn are not always the wisest." His smile diminished into an expression of amused superiority as he thought of the surface and their naivety. "There's enough clever ones to cause trouble, but there are still those moldable few who want to believe the stories of harvest aren't true." Duvalyon was rarely this talkative, but Dovinya had struck on a topic he was easy with. "I endeavored to be pleasant to all I came across and denied the harvest as an antiquated practice. I hope my own behavior made a smoother path for those who followed with a more predatory purpose." Satisfied he had done his part to honor the fraternity of first born, Duvalyon adjusted the trajectory of the conversation. "Does your family have a race or region they prefer?"

[Dovinya]

Tension in his shoulders faded as he exhaled, breath releasing all the apprehensions he had held pent up within him, and his previously rigged stance relaxed. Dovinya tried to hide it all with a neutral look, his golden eyes objectively searching meaning in the man's words, and briefly thought if Duvalyon understood the reason for his angst as the symenestra certainly understood his injury, something he found a bit unsettling but accepted it all silently. It was the way of thing in the life he had come to know after being marked by his patron god. "Clever and sunburn are terms not usually heard in the same breathe but all the same I understand it as unwise to underestimate. Perhaps I will further that impression you gave them, and bring Kalinor prosperous trade in so doing" His head subtlety turning to the side as he though, he chuckled lightly at his companion's question to reintroduce some levity into the conversation. "I'm afraid I neglected as a child to pay attention to all of mother's lessons, but I do recall them speaking of stone walls, and sunborns astride massive creatures" He said, his tone betraying his doubt of his father's outlandish claims. "Of course such tales tend to be a bit fantastical in nature"

[Duvalyon Hellebore]

"Syliras," Duvalyon replied quickly. He politely ignored Dovinya's mild scoff. If the medic had not seen some things with his own eyes, he would have room for doubt as well. "At least by the sound of it. I've been there for short spans. A great stone building made into a city, patrolled by Knights." A memory made him smirk, "Knights with no tolerance for our people. Part of why I don't care for the region. I often wondered if the process of becoming a Knight included permanently lodging a sword up the ass." The latter observation slipped out, betraying the youth the rest of his manner denied. "Ships go there from Alvadas, so it's a shorter journey than some destinations." Duvalyon stopped himself, knowing how easily he could slip into pedantic streams. A far cry from the quick verbal volleys of his youth. He had more leisure and hence company then. All social interaction wasn't hurriedly pressed into rare conversations. "If you happen to go on a gleaningnew thing in the wiki! to prepare for your harvest, I'd appreciate someone who was able to draw. I'm in desperate need of updated anatomy books."

[Dovinya]

Dovinya managed to feign a smile on the symenestras behalf, and acknowledged the quip with a simple nod of his head. Tales he'd heard constantly repeated in his youth reflected no less of the surface dwellers, and betrayed notions far worse common in the creatures. Were they not so vital to the survival of his race, he didn't think his people could ever bear to lower themselves to interacting with such base races as they proved to be. "These ships, are they anything like the boat we have in the Rose Caverns? I can't expect they travel very fast" He spoke, recalling the image of the boat in the Rose Caverns, a vessel he hadn't yet trusted his fate on for obvious reasons. It wasn't to be expected the sun born could do any better. "I hadn't put thoughts towards a gleaning but now that you bring it to the surface, I am of the belief that would be necessary before going on a harvest. I have no thoughts to where I would go, or how I would get there though" Dovinya said quietly, contemplating a gleaning, and its interesting possibilities.

[Duvalyon Hellebore]

OOCApologies for being so tardy. I will wrap this up soonish. Duvalyon had been accustomed to the role of tutor after years of Dor. He had been peppered with worse questions than the mechanics of the Harvest and world abroad. A fellow devotee and Symenestra was asking him about their high obligation. The medic was practically blood bound to answer to the best of his ability. With a patience that would surprise his professional acquaintances, Duvalyon picked through Dovinya's questions. If there was any amusement, he hid it exceptionally well. "They are much larger. Similar in principle but made for greater cargo." As if sensing Dovinya's note of racial pride he added, "We have never created such a boat because we never needed it." Trying to encourage his fellow Symenestra into the world, he went on. "Again, you overestimate the difficulty. Travel is not easy, but it is not impossible. Men can be paid against their 'conscience' to guide us over unknown terrain." He pondered what little he could gather from the man's personality before suggesting a city. "Lhavit is nearest, but they are the most cautious. Alvadas is jumbled and confusing, useful only for its port. Zeltiva might suit you. An old city knee deep in scholars." Duvalyon smirked, "Many are educated just past common sense. So they are bright, but think too well of the world. A perfect gleaning ground." His eyes took on a more vivid cast as he asked, "But what is it that you want out of your gleaning, Dovinya? That is, apart from practice."

[Dovinya]

He kept quiet as Duvalyon spoke, content to simply listen for the moment. There was much that still disconcerted him about his journey ahead, but his fellow symenestra had given him much to consider, and cleared much of the confusion he had felt. Perhaps a gleaning wouldn't be as hard as he imagined.

Duvalyon pressed him with a question, and he took a few moments to consider it before offering his answer "I seek to bring valuable knowledge back to our people, as I have heard others have"

oocIts quite alright, I've been away from the site awhile and only recently just returned, so your response came just at the right time