Expedition (Dusk, Hadrian, Ha'na, Jilitse, Guido, Closed)

[Jilitse]

Jilitse heard Dominac's explanation for carrying over the gadgeteer. Why was she along then? What about the other woman and the man named Guido? The Nuit fell silent as she hid the map back into the cloth and kept it within her robe. She watched her companions with side glances, keen to any sound they were whispering, but never really listening.

While the murmurs between Guido and Hadrian were inaudible, she was able to catch the last of the legate's last words. She looked at him, a deep search for something that might be found in his face - the stare that made every Nuit look like they were examining one to be the replacement body for when the current one was about to expire. "I am now looking at you," she said, smiling, "and looking," she never peeled her eyes away from Hadrian, letting the human saunter forward as she slowed down and fell slowly behind the group, "and looking," Jilitse hummed in between the moments when she would remind Hadrian that she was, indeed, looking at him. "And looking." And humming.

While she put on this charade of humoring her acquaintance, she silently observed the couple. There was a brief assessment of their relationship with one another - their proximity, their eye contact, the way they seem to know each other well in between the lines that they -

Poor, poor Alistair. Such a klutz, making her - a Nuit - look like she had a better sense of balance. Politeness dictate some semblance of humanity in such situations, and so she called out, "Mister deGrey, are you alright?"

Swiftly, she threw a gaze at Hana. What would the wife do in such a circumstance? That done and over with, she continued trailing behind Hadrian and Guido, eventually falling into step in between. She tried to note if the two humans had any apprehension walking by a Nuit who was slowly rotting - although she did smell a lot like rainwater and moss. Jil then asked Guido, "Did Dominac tell you why you would be included in this expedition?" The Nuit remembered how Dominac waltzed into the Inner Sanctum a few days ago, requesting that she include herself in an adventure to a pre-Valterrian ruin. Some thing about the activity felt mighty bold, Jilitse had to agree.

"I suppose that you have something in your arsenal," Jilitse told Hadrian, "that would at least prolong the rate by which we would successfully survive the ordeal?" A mock lady-like sigh, "I do not intend to die soon."

After the boy's reply she would turn to Guido, "If you would permit me to be quite bold, may I ask what your expertise would be?" She nodded to Guido. Although she had heard - or she think she did - the word magic in the exchange between the men, she could not be quite sure if the man possessed combat magic knowledge.

Jilitse was silent most of the time, pausing only to listen in to anybody who was talking, humming and nodding to herself. She couldn't quite put a finger of it, but the tremble of excitement - one thing that she hadn't felt in a long time, was floating in her mind. She was going to visit a place that had been around hundreds of years ago. Something as old, or even older, than her.

The Nuit kept her opinions to herself, but all through out her silence, she examined that the expedition included a really odd group, at least, skill wise. It was wise of Dominac to consider the practicability of asking the knights to be their escort when - or if - the need arises. The gadgeteer, the animator, and the reimancer. She eyed Hadrian and Hana, two people who were probably included as an extension. Hana because of Alistair, Hadrian because of her. They were not dead weight - to accept that would mean she did not consider herself any better. But what would be their function as a group?

She aired this concern. "How do you suppose should we work together?" She pried more out of the old man on the horse, "Any plans that we should know, or issues that we must discuss?" A door appearing on a pre-Valterrian ruin that was suspected to be a Bloodvane vault - that was hardly promising, now that she thought more about it. The Nuit certainly felt like an archeomage right now, if not a thief. She proposed, "Don't you think that we should get to know each other better, in terms of skill and ability?" This was asked out of selfishness than concern for organization. She should know, in order, who was the most dependable person in the crowd. Her weak body needed protection, and Bloodvane vaults were probably something that was tripped and trapped all over. She volunteered to be the first, "I am an Animator," and even added a brief explanation, "I create golems, contraptions made out of gadgetry that are then imbued with life. I am currently staying at the Orphanage," no harm in telling her personal effects with these people, "together with Stitch and the Orphans." She then sighed - a mock sigh, "It is my delight to accompany Mister Dominac Arivac on this expedition, I am very much interested in pre-Valterrian ruins, not necessarily treasure."

"In this case I wish to know not just why there is a door, but also what caused the door to appear." Ah, the mind of a scientist, always dissecting an event down to cause and effect. "What about you? And you, and you, and you?" Yes, what were the motives and intentions of each and everyone of them? Nobody would ever follow an old bookshop owner into the wilds without any reason. Surely there must be something. She held a smile on her face.

[Hana]

“It’s okay, my love. We can trust each other. Everything will be o- Oh my!” Her tone had been hushed enough that it could have passed for a whisper until the point where the Benshira woman let out a gasp. She bent down, moving to assist in righting him. She gently brushed away a bit of dirt from him, and ever so tenderly, she took his hands into her own in order to kiss each palm. Everything about her mannerism towards him was fully adoring and dutiful. At one point she’d predicted correctly – She made a good wife. She kissed two of his fingers before finally releasing his hands. He likely needed them to keep his balance. She had a theory that the weight of the genius’ brain made him more prone to tipping over. By this time she was starting to understand from the glances that Hadrian and Alistair knew each other… Which did not bode well for her keeping her history from her husband. For a brief moment she stared over at Hadrian without apology, and in a manner that, if Alistair would have seen, would have likely been shocked she was capable of. A woman has to survive. The death stare was cut off by the Nuit speaking. Ha’na was a little curious about the woman, but she was too polite to really even try to get a good look at her until she started speaking. Given that she already recognized that she was the weakest person on the trip, and secretly desperate to keep herself from seeming completely useless (and in turn making Alistair seem weaker for having her around), she was the first to speak to Jilitse’s query. “My name is Ha’na deGrey,” she offered quietly and with a genuinely shy smile. “I don’t offer much in the way of magic or machinery… But I am well-traveled, having originated in Yahebah and moving about for seven or so years. I am a potter. Though…” She glanced at Alistair before clearing her throat nervously. As stated, she had a lot of secrets... A few of them she was willing to go to extreme lengths to protect. “I do have a working understanding of geology… Having learned much of it in Kalea, I think perhaps I may actually be of use in regards to mountains and caves. If I’m needed. And I cook,” she quickly added before looking directly at the ground and shutting the petch up.

[Hadrian]

Hadrian cast a jealous look at Guido; he had wanted to be a pyromancer, but got stuck with hydromancy. He was mostly over it by now, knowing how efficacious the use and control of water could be. But the fourteen year old idiot in him still wanted to make shit blow up. "Alistair has a thing for fire," he said quietly to Guido, hoping against hope that the man would assume he meant some sort of sexual fetish. He was still bitter at Alistair for things, and Ha'na too. And now Jilitse was toying with him in that strange manner Nuit had. He still didn't understand it, but he would study her as an anthropologist over the course of this little adventure and hope to learn what Nuit found funny other than killing people and stealing their bodies. He just grinned at Jilitse. "I know, I know... I get your ichor all hot and bubbly." When it came time for the stupid ice-breaker activity -- he realized again that he hated people -- he sighed and added things that he knew about the others before talking about himself. "Ha'na is also adept at larceny and likes using her vagina as a weapon. Guido lights things on fire, which will make Alistair shove his hands down his pants... hopefully with an unsprung trap..." He had meant to say that in his internal monologue, but sometimes things just didn't work out as planned. Where was his bucket full of candy when he needed it? "I'm a magecrafter, I suppose. I dabble in other things, too. I also like long walks on the beach..." But that was mostly because the last time he had done so, there was a post-Valterrian ruin awaiting him that belonged to him now. Mwahahaha.

[Guido Faragas]

Alistair has a thing for fire... What sort of thing? Guido turned Hadrian’s words over in his mind. He still couldn’t work out whether the fellow was giving the reimancer a friendly warning, or if his words reflected some rift or past conflict between the two men. Whichever is true, it might be wise to keep on my guard.

He stiffened a little as the nuit stepped between Hadrian and himself – unsure how to react, for he had no experience with the race. He replied to Jilitse’s questions in a friendly and matter of fact manner. “It is true, as Hadrain says, that I have some ability with fire. However, I suspect that Dominac also requires me for my archealogical knowledge. If there is any delicate work that is required in recovering any objects, I may be of assistance. My other main expertise is storytelling, although I doubt that will be of much use – unless we all become the stuff of stories by the end of this expedition! Oh, and I have some experience in digging up graves.” The last comment was said in jest, although he wasn’t sure how the nuit would react.

[Hana]

She blinked. And blinked again. And again. Hadrian hadn’t just… Oh, but he had. He most decidedly had. She couldn’t really believe it, because it had been quite some time since anyone had said anything bad about her in her presence. Not that she didn’t deserve at least the first part of it, but, well… She spent most of her time being overly nice to everyone anymore. She couldn’t bring herself to look at the expression on Alistair’s face. Instead she went far out of her line of gaze to get her sight around him and onto the apparently bitter magecrafter. And for a moment she just stared. An old part of her reared its head before she could stop herself. She smiled softly at Hadrian before informing the group, “Hadrian is also likely still a virgin.” What she used her vagina for was as much an intellectual exercise to Hadrian as trying to figure out what color Nikali’s underpants were or if she wore them at all. Most likely one he did by himself before going to bed each night. She glanced then at Alistair, whispering sheepishly, “I may owe Hadrian a little bit of money.” But then she ricocheted back to the person she was now. She blinked a few more times before bursting out into tears.

[Hadrian]

Hadrian glared at Ha'na. Petching women could get their digs in, then cry, and then he ended up looking like the benachag. Funny, Ha'na had always been so kind to him in Zeltiva; he had even imagined that someday she might warm to him in another manner, that he might be what her Eypharian lord had not been, in addition to what he had been. But she had ruined that. He would never forgive her. "Am not," he muttered angrily, then ignored her in favor of Jilitse and Guido. "I've dabbled in Legacy and Spiritism," he told them, not calling the former by its more sinister name: Malediction. It needn't be a dark art, though many of its practitioners likely were of the darker variety. He eyed Jilitse, wondering if he might borrow her body when she was done with it, to see what sort of items he might craft from her bones. "I suppose that means I will have to talk down any angry spirits we might encounter." He thought about that for a moment. "Shyke."

[Jilitse]

She was silent as Hadrian retorted, but most of his humor did not register to the Nuit. Jil's interest was on Guido now. "Digging graves," Jilitse nodded and repeated his words, "You have experience in digging graves. Of what kind?" The unfeeling scientist! "Since you have mentioned you are skilled in Archaeology, I suppose you are required to brush away the dirt from ancient ruins?" Intrigued and curious, "What is your most significant find so far?"

Jilitse stared at the whole team. She paid no attention to the deep meaning these old acquaintances shared with each other. She eyed Alistair, and their eyes met for a fleeting moment. Theirs did not have any spark, no hidden lies nor unfinished business with another. She smiled nonchalantly at him, but something in the curve of her blackening lips made him guess that there was a deep message passed from the Nuit to the man.

Bury your bones and they get up to get you. She twisted her head to look at Guido. "Archaeology is a subject most intriguing." She nodded, "Do you specialize in a certain race or culture?" Surely knowledge was still somehow systematized after all these centuries? What did the people of today know about Alahea? Did Guido know anything about the empire that the Nuit forever belonged to? She inquired further, "Maybe the kind gentleman would be willing to share a story among us while we saunter towards the yet-to-be-known?" Jilitse was really trying hard to connect to the human, and she had hoped that Guido would acknowledge the effort and be polite enough to be generous for a short anecdote, "Do tell us a tale to pass the time and dispose the blazing ice and anonymity?" Was she for peace? Logic dictated her that the exchanges have been unsuccessful at embracing them into each other's friendly zones. She supposed that something might not turn out right if they continued--

And she slowly turned towards the couple, peering at Hadrian, staring at him hard as if standing against what he had done. What did he do? Clearly he made the other woman upset. She had not been following their conversation as she was focused upon the archaeologist. Jilitse could not pin down the emotions that made up the ambince and their consequences, but she had enough wits about her to decide that things were beginning to go downhill. This was a clear example why Nuits tend to live their lives alone. Life is much less complicated without companions. Without the sarcasm and drama of it all.

"As I was saying Guido," Jilitse said as persuasively as she could, "A story to tell, please?" Anything to change the undesirable atmosphere of tension.

[Guido Faragas]

The barbed comments between Ha’na and Hadrian left Guido with a sinking feeling in his stomach. If there are tensions even before we reach our destination, what will happen when we are truly under stress? Shyke, I have a bad feeling about this. Thankfully, the reimancer’s gloomy thoughts were distracted by Jilitse’s questions.

“It is true that archaelogy tends to involve sweeping away dirt from ruins, graves and other edifices,” he laughed. “Indeed, the tools of my trade are more often shovels, scrapers and picks than books, manuscripts or histories. Frequently my labours are in vain for the rumours, hints and tales of the past often prove to be untrue. I have excavated sites for days on end only to find nothing more than a few animal bones, or pieces of crude pottery. It is rare to find something of great value. However, even if I find nothing, often events occur which can be the subject of stories and tales and so they keep me in ale in the Stallion.” He paused for a few chimes, as if debating how to continue.

“As for graves, well I do not seek them out but, on occasion, I have obtained a commission that involves travelling to graveyards or other sites where bones might be found. It was whilst on one such expedition that I found something - interesting - an old, long- buried skull, upon which various symbols were carved. The old fellow who commissioned me clearly believed that it was very valuable but, unfortunately, it was destroyed. It is a strange tale but perhaps now is not the time to tell it....” He glanced around the group, still aware of the tensions that hung in the air.

“Have you heard of items such as skulls having value or power?” Shuddering a little, Guido directed an inquiring look towards Jilitse. He felt a little edgy when talking about the events of that day and he still hadn’t worked out what had been real and what he had imagined.

[Jilitse]

Skulls upon which various symbols were carved. Could it be possibly a work of a Legate? Jilitse was familiar with the various magical disciplines because she had been in Sahova for a very long time. It does not take one to practice Malediction to know it for what it was. She answered Guido with a question, "Could you describe the symbols?" After hearing from Guido, she said, "I cannot say for myself unless I see it, but it sounds like the work of Zapatl." She used the old name out of habit. Jil stretched it out further, "Legacy is also known as Malediction, a world magic that allows one to bring out the properties of the remains and body parts of the dead, and sometimes even the living. If it was the skull of a powerful being, the relic might be just as powerful. A pity it was destroyed." The man was a magic user, and so was Hadrian. They could probably join in the conversation and talk more about the skull incident. Jilitse was certainly intrigued. Her thoughts strayed and for a while she just stared ahead. At one point in her life she will have to dig up her own ruins. The Nuit was bound to search for the ancient supervisors Albrecht and Baird, and they were surely deep within the bowels of the earth. She brought herself back into the conversation. "What do you think about the skull, Hadrian?"

[Hadrian]

Any sort of intellectual conversation was likely to pique the young enchanter's interest, and a discussion about a carved skull between an archaeologist and a Nuit magicienne was a clear case of shared interest. He forgot for the moment his past grudges (slow, slow burn) and considered what passed between Guido and Jilitse. When his short-term Animation tutor asked his opinion, he nodded shortly. "As you say, it sounds like the work of a Legate, but without seeing the markings I cannot even make an educated guess as to whether it was a true Malediction or just someone attempting to scare away grave robbers and archaeologists." He amused himself with the distinction, though in the current era, grave robbers and archaeologists were basically the same thing. It was a post-apocalyptic world, after all, and Narivan had reminded him that innovation was the key to survival and future prosperity. "If Guido does remember the symbols, however..." He left that hanging, clearly hoping the man could reproduce the symbols. If they looked like proper Legacy sigils, Hadrian would likely recognize them. He was no expert, but Tieh had surely been and he had soaked up as much of her teachings as he could. And there were always those prophetic Konti-bone paintbrushes in his pack to compare...