This task, while not exactly stimulating in many regards and was repetitive in many others was simple all things considered. If anything it was interesting to note the wide variety of bodies placed here, their differences myriad and rather interesting to note all things considered. Thankfully the woman had not encountered another body that she'd recognized though in the time she had a disturbing line of thought had occurred to her.
The ship she had been on, it had seemed as though the run had been somewhat normal and planned out. That meant that there was indeed the possibility that the Sailor's Guild knew about a trade of corpses, and either partook in it or looked the other way. Either possibility gave her cause to reevaluate some thoughts as to the Guild.
When the doors opened and two rather malnourished slaves entered she had leveled them a look of expectancy, being disturbed during a task set forth by her mistress was certainly not something she regarded kindly. However any annoyance she felt evaporated when Amaryllis follower, her robes looking a fair bit different from her normal staple and the fluid on them not exactly leaving much to the imagination. It was a little jarring to see the Nuit in such a light.
She ordered the slaves to remove a corpse and Anna watched as they removed it. She couldn't see exactly what was done, but the end result fascinated her beyond the norm. Whatever the slave had done had resulted in the ice shattering, breaking open and freeing the corpse within. That shouldn't have been possible normally, so obviously her theory about the ice possessing some magical properties was true. The question was what magic and how was it activated? Amaryllis wasn't telling that much was for sure.
At Amaryllis' next words Anna allowed herself a slight chuckle, knowing that there was one of several way's to interpret that particular statement. She could mean pulsers, in which case Anna would wisely refrain from pointing out the hopeless fragility of the Nuit. She could mean slaves, in which case Anna was unsure of what to think as slavery was a rather new concept to her coming from Zeltiva. Perhaps even men in general, in which case the sorceress agreed though they had some uses beyond just labor. Uses that Anna preferred females for, but she wasn't exactly picky.
"I could think of a few other uses for them, target practice and pleasure come to mind." She said as she followed the Embalmer.
The room they arrived at was barren and rather plain compared to the rest of the Palsa Hydrasa. The body lay on the slab and various assortments of knives and the like were arranged on a nearby table. Amaryllis washed herself and bid Anna to do the same. The sorceress raised an eyebrow at that, rolling up her sleeves and repeating the Embalmer's motions. What secret could be so important that involved... this?
As the Embalmer spoke Anna detected a change in the Nuit, something different than normal. There wasn't any arrogance and it didn't seem like she was trying to impress her, rather the Nuit appeared more... like a person. Anna felt her eyebrow rise a few inches, the reality of the matter settling in.
The Nuit of the Island needed Amaryllis, she was a necessity and was essentially responsible for the Wizard's gaining new bodies. Earning her disfavor as one of the unliving seemed rather fatal now that she regarded it like that, indeed the Nuit held a monopoly on the body trade. Any respect she had previously held for the Nuit increased, truly, in her own way the Nuit was as powerful as a member of the Council.
She asked the question, there were no traps or tricks in her voice or hidden pitfalls waiting for her. The Embalmer was offering this to her, the chance to learn how she did as she did. To have that kind of power, offered from master to apprentice. It was no great lesson in the Arcane or no great stratagem of politics, rather a means to power without even needing to cast a spell. Really, it barely required thought at all to answer, her grey eyes lit in that curious chaotic light.
"Yes. I wish to know this art, to learn this grand secret." The Chaon answered.
The ship she had been on, it had seemed as though the run had been somewhat normal and planned out. That meant that there was indeed the possibility that the Sailor's Guild knew about a trade of corpses, and either partook in it or looked the other way. Either possibility gave her cause to reevaluate some thoughts as to the Guild.
When the doors opened and two rather malnourished slaves entered she had leveled them a look of expectancy, being disturbed during a task set forth by her mistress was certainly not something she regarded kindly. However any annoyance she felt evaporated when Amaryllis follower, her robes looking a fair bit different from her normal staple and the fluid on them not exactly leaving much to the imagination. It was a little jarring to see the Nuit in such a light.
She ordered the slaves to remove a corpse and Anna watched as they removed it. She couldn't see exactly what was done, but the end result fascinated her beyond the norm. Whatever the slave had done had resulted in the ice shattering, breaking open and freeing the corpse within. That shouldn't have been possible normally, so obviously her theory about the ice possessing some magical properties was true. The question was what magic and how was it activated? Amaryllis wasn't telling that much was for sure.
At Amaryllis' next words Anna allowed herself a slight chuckle, knowing that there was one of several way's to interpret that particular statement. She could mean pulsers, in which case Anna would wisely refrain from pointing out the hopeless fragility of the Nuit. She could mean slaves, in which case Anna was unsure of what to think as slavery was a rather new concept to her coming from Zeltiva. Perhaps even men in general, in which case the sorceress agreed though they had some uses beyond just labor. Uses that Anna preferred females for, but she wasn't exactly picky.
"I could think of a few other uses for them, target practice and pleasure come to mind." She said as she followed the Embalmer.
The room they arrived at was barren and rather plain compared to the rest of the Palsa Hydrasa. The body lay on the slab and various assortments of knives and the like were arranged on a nearby table. Amaryllis washed herself and bid Anna to do the same. The sorceress raised an eyebrow at that, rolling up her sleeves and repeating the Embalmer's motions. What secret could be so important that involved... this?
As the Embalmer spoke Anna detected a change in the Nuit, something different than normal. There wasn't any arrogance and it didn't seem like she was trying to impress her, rather the Nuit appeared more... like a person. Anna felt her eyebrow rise a few inches, the reality of the matter settling in.
The Nuit of the Island needed Amaryllis, she was a necessity and was essentially responsible for the Wizard's gaining new bodies. Earning her disfavor as one of the unliving seemed rather fatal now that she regarded it like that, indeed the Nuit held a monopoly on the body trade. Any respect she had previously held for the Nuit increased, truly, in her own way the Nuit was as powerful as a member of the Council.
She asked the question, there were no traps or tricks in her voice or hidden pitfalls waiting for her. The Embalmer was offering this to her, the chance to learn how she did as she did. To have that kind of power, offered from master to apprentice. It was no great lesson in the Arcane or no great stratagem of politics, rather a means to power without even needing to cast a spell. Really, it barely required thought at all to answer, her grey eyes lit in that curious chaotic light.
"Yes. I wish to know this art, to learn this grand secret." The Chaon answered.
