Retic Ulis Plotnotes

by **Retic Ulis** on March 7th, 2014, 11:21 pm

Plotnotes

General Goals

Ultimate goal: Eliminate the taboo surrounding Malediction in society.
Explore religion IC -- Eyris, Dira, Gnora, Viratas, Vayt.
Establish relationships with PCs.

Seasonal Goals - Spring 516

who knows

Short-term

Become Seeker Neophyte; either in Intake or Enterprises (probably Intake)
Kill (or find dead body of) creature, gather body parts.
maledict something u ho

Long-term

2nd Lykata mark.
Eiyon mark? Severing mark? Silakrov mark? Blight mark?

"Not a perfect soldier, but a good man in a storm."

Skill Goals

Expert Malediction. Master Malediction.
Competent Animal Husbandry.
Competent Body Building.
Competent Auristics.
Competent Glyphing.
Learn Flux. Competent Flux.
Learn Spiritism. Competent Spiritism.
Learn Meditation. Competent Meditation.
Learn Unarmed Combat. Competent UC.
Learn Acrobatics. Competent Acrobatics.
Learn Investigation. Competent Investigation.
Learn Intelligence. Competent Intelligence.

Misc.

Developed in an Unusual Manner
External Conditions
_______ Selection
Sound Reason and True Religion
"Knowledge of Causes, and Secret Motion of Things"
Variable and _______
Transitory Sacrifices
"Ruthless in Purpose, and Insidious in Method"

"Common."
"Ancient tongue."
"Arumenic."

by **Retic Ulis** on March 7th, 2014, 11:53 pm

Family

Long post & WIP :

Parents

Silas Rhamseyan Ulis III
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Quisque rutrum.

Rana Hazmita Moxa Ulis (nee Hazmari)
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Quisque rutrum.

Brothers

Silas Rhamseyan Ulis IV
(Eldest Brother & 1st born)
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Sejak Retic Ulis, "Babyface"
(Older brother & 2nd born)
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Quisque rutrum.

Rahim Harsh Ulis
(Younger brother & 6th (last) born)
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Quisque rutrum.

Sisters

Reta Ramsha Quruos (nee Ulis)
(Older sister & 3rd born)
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Quisque rutrum.

Silan Haria Ulis
(Younger sister & 5th born)
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Aenean commodo ligula eget dolor. Aenean massa. Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Donec quam felis, ultricies nec, pellentesque eu, pretium quis, sem. Nulla consequat massa quis enim. Donec pede justo, fringilla vel, aliquet nec, vulputate eget, arcu. In enim justo, rhoncus ut, imperdiet a, venenatis vitae, justo. Nullam dictum felis eu pede mollis pretium. Integer tincidunt. Cras dapibus. Vivamus elementum semper nisi. Aenean vulputate eleifend tellus. Aenean leo ligula, porttitor eu, consequat vitae, eleifend ac, enim. Aliquam lorem ante, dapibus in, viverra quis, feugiat a, tellus. Phasellus viverra nulla ut metus varius laoreet. Quisque rutrum.

original cs:

Code: Select all: [center][style=width:650px; border: 1px solid grey; box-shadow: 0px 0px 30px black; margin-top:20px; margin-bottom:20px; margin-left:20px; background-image: url(http://www.mizahar.com/forums/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=37804); background-color: black; border-radius: 5px 5px 5px 5px; padding:20px][style2=width:580px; height:540px; padding:20px; border-radius:5px; font-family:High Tower Text; font-size: 110%; color: grey][size=80][shadow=black]Some bodies may be temples but all are ruins at your feet.[/shadow][/size] __________________ [color=#93c096][size=200][webfont=MissBrooks][shadow2=grey,0,0,4]Retic Ulis[/shadow2][/webfont][/size][/color] __________________ [img2=right]http://www.mizahar.com/forums/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=46590[/img2] [left][shadow=black][shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Full Name:[/color][/shadow2] Retic Silas Ulis III [indent](REH-tik SY-liss OO-liss)[/indent][shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Race:[/color][/shadow2] Human [shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Gender:[/color][/shadow2] Male [shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Height:[/color][/shadow2] 6'3" [shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Weight:[/color][/shadow2] 180 lbs [shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Age:[/color][/shadow2] 28 years [shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Birthdate:[/color][/shadow2] 88th Summer 488 AV [shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Birthplace:[/color][/shadow2] Ahnatep [shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Profession:[/color][/shadow2] Maledictor [shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Location:[/color][/shadow2] Sahova [shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Fluent:[/color][/shadow2] [color=#93c096]Common[/color] [shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Basic:[/color][/shadow2] [color=#535963]Ancient tongue[/color] [shadow2=grey,0,0,3][color=#93c096]Poor:[/color][/shadow2] [color=#9c4941]Arumenic[/color][/shadow][/left][/style2][/style][/center] [center][style=width:650px; border: 1px solid grey; box-shadow: 0px 0px 30px black; margin-top:20px; margin-bottom:20px; margin-left:20px; background-image: url(http://www.mizahar.com/forums/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=37804); background-color: black; border-radius: 5px 5px 5px 5px; padding:20px][style2=width:580px; padding:20px; border-radius:5px; font-family:High Tower Text; font-size: 110%; color: grey][size=80][shadow=black]At times your body is simply a prison laid in gold.[/shadow][/size] __________________ [color=#93c096][size=180][webfont=MissBrooks][shadow2=grey,0,0,4]Appearance[/shadow2][/webfont][/size][/color] __________________ [img2=right]http://www.mizahar.com/forums/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=46594[/img2] [left][shadow=black]Retic's look is mostly defined by dark features, as is common for the people who call the Eyktolian deserts home. Brown irises, nearly black, hide behind thick lashes and narrow eyes lend the appearance of constant scrutiny. His skin seems perpetually tan despite his years spent in the cooler northern climes of Sylira, and the golden tint to it suggests a likely introduction of Eypharian blood at some point to the Ulis ancestry. Regal features -- high cheekbones, even brow, defined lips, straight nose -- only serve as evidence to that point, though it is those same features, coupled with a round jaw and slender hands, that impart an odd femininity. At rest, his face adopts an unintentional look of disdain. He has a tall frame, thin but strong. Though he had found his muscle mass waning over the course of his time on Sahova due to poor living conditions, he has slowly been working to regain it through casual exercise. Recently his body has adopted a sense of confliction. Retic had previously always operated under a certain level of self-importance, of ego and pomp. He was prone to excess until he realized, after having to spent ample time in the comfort (or lack thereof) of his own mind, that he was ultimately unfulfilled by his outward displays of vanity. Where once his dark hair and beard were full and long, they have been shorn close to his skin, and his more ornate articles of clothing have (somewhat begrudgingly) been packed away in favor of more simplistic styles -- the first steps toward a lifestyle of moderation and balance.[/shadow][/left][/style2][/style][/center] [center][style=width:650px; border: 1px solid grey; box-shadow: 0px 0px 30px black; margin-top:20px; margin-bottom:20px; margin-left:20px; background-image: url(http://www.mizahar.com/forums/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=37804); background-color: black; border-radius: 5px 5px 5px 5px; padding:20px][style2=width:580px; padding:20px; border-radius:5px; font-family:High Tower Text; font-size: 110%; color: grey][size=80][shadow=black]You may have been gutted but your mouth is soft, your tongue is silver, and your teeth are gemstones cut to size.[/shadow][/size] __________________ [color=#93c096][size=180][webfont=MissBrooks][shadow2=grey,0,0,4]Personality[/shadow2][/webfont][/size][/color] __________________ [img2=right]http://www.mizahar.com/forums/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=46592[/img2] [left][shadow=black][size=85]"I seek a world where people do not fear what they fail to understand."[/size] [size=85][columns=4][i]Ambitious Articulate Calm Confident Critical Curious Diligent Eccentric Focused Gentle Gloomy Honest Intelligent Languid Logical Opinionated Proud Passionate Patient Reflective Selfish Studious Tenacious Troubled [/i][/columns][/size] Having been brought up to believe that his magic made him superior to other beings, Retic's life has been a constant struggle between egotism and childlike wonder. At his core, Retic holds close a passion to simply discover, to unveil truths, to find understanding in the face of the world's seemingly overwhelming sciolism. He was a bright child, starry-eyed and intelligent, but unfortunately fell prey to his family's fascination with power. Over the course of years, he adopted the same obsession with societal status and material wealth that plagued the streets of Ahnatep. The finer things in life -- be they clothing, food, or baubles -- called to him with a toxic elegance, and his passions for knowledge were tainted by vanity. He was always better, more brilliant, more insightful than his peers. The combination of a fast-paced city lifestyle and praise for his talents that kept him in this mindset, hampering introspection and muffling the quiet knowledge that his collection of fancy clothes was a futile attempt to fill a void of dissatisfaction. He was just as prideful and pretentious as he was shrewd and manipulative, until he arrived on Sahova and realized that the nuit there were just the same. Disturbed by the parallels between himself and the undead, he halted his judgement preparations and instead took advantage of the solitude found on the island and spent a number of seasons focusing instead on self-reflection and reevaluation of his motivations, trying to pinpoint where the wants of others and his own passions divided. After some time, he came to the conclusion that he had allowed himself to absorb too much of the white-noise of society and lost sight of his true path: understanding. With this revelation, he has begun to set himself on a path of reformation, of seeking answers to questions yet unasked, with the passion he had once embodied in childhood. He has since found himself in a precarious position, straddling the line between the kind of man he wishes to be and the kind of man he once was. While most exposed to the depressive conditions of Sahova seem to become more like its undead inhabitants over time, Retic now pushes himself in the opposite direction, growing more honest, more calm, more innocent as he spends more time in his own company and conscious of his own purest desires, particularly the pursuit of knowledge and the elimination of ignorance. He still operates logically in his machinations, though perhaps not with the cold detachedness and ruthless efficiency of Gnora's followers. He does, however, greatly respect the ideals of balance and clarity the goddess represents, and while Eyris is the primary focus of his worship, he also holds the goddess Dira in high regard. Despite the macabre nature of his chosen profession, he doesn't wish death upon anyone as an intended "victim". Though he often takes notice of individuals with impressive personalities or abilities and ponders, with quiet curiosity, what kind of qualities their bodily remains might be imbue, all things must die eventually and he has no particular desire to rush the process. On the topic of Malediction, Retic quite honestly has no idea why anyone would rather leave their body to rot once the soul has departed the earthly shell. He can think of no greater honor than repurposing one's empty body, to become part of the Legacy. Nothing should go to waste. [size=90](This section is a constant work in progress).[/size][/shadow][/left][/style2][/style][/center] [center][style=width:650px; border: 1px solid grey; box-shadow: 0px 0px 30px black; margin-top:20px; margin-bottom:20px; margin-left:20px; background-image: url(http://www.mizahar.com/forums/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=37804); background-color: black; border-radius: 5px 5px 5px 5px; padding:20px][style2=width:580px; padding:20px; border-radius:5px; font-family:High Tower Text; font-size: 110%; color: grey][size=80][shadow=black]Nothing can stay.[/shadow][/size] __________________ [color=#93c096][size=180][webfont=MissBrooks][shadow2=grey,0,0,4]History[/shadow2][/webfont][/size][/color] __________________ [img2=right]http://www.mizahar.com/forums/gallery/pic.php?mode=large&pic_id=37897[/img2] [left][shadow=black]Retic Silas Ulis III stems from a long line of men who come to believe they are more important than they actually are. His ancestors were tailors who immigrated from Alvadas to Ahnatep in hopes of creating better lives for themselves through their craft. They were wrong. Nonetheless, they toughed out the prejudice and managed to eek out a small, relatively respectable living, and the family has remained there since. The past few generations of Ulis have sprouted a number of wizards, mages, and mathematicians, most of which end up setting out for other cities. Since the family's original migration, many have made their way back to Alvadas, while others can be found in other various cities. A number of these relatives have managed to garner smalls fortunes. Retic's own family unit has also managed to keep a good amount of money, though nowhere near enough to escape the obstacles of being a Human in Ahnatep. Of the members that kept themselves in the desert, Retic III is the third oldest son in his immediate family, and the fourth oldest child out of a total of seven: four boys and three girls altogether. From their own father, the Ulis boys learned the art of Malediction. Retic was initiated into Auristics after gaining the favor of his aunt. As he hit 22, Retic succumbed to his family's tradition and struck out on his own, leaving behind a number of siblings and hitching a ride on a cargo ship bound for Zeltiva. There he spent years at the University, living off of the money his parents had gifted him with and and trying to tutor his dorm mates in exchange for food or mizas. When word reached him that the mysterious and magical island of Sahova was opening its shores to visitors, it wasn't simply his nomadic blood that compelled him to action. Just like the two Retic Silas Ulis's prior, and no doubt just as much like a large number of ancestors, Ret had always felt a need to improve -- an ambition to push himself further and succeed where those before him had failed. He would not return to his desert home empty handed. [spoiler=Gnosis Story]The Ulis Residence 34 Fall, 505 AV Around the 22nd Bell There were many things that Retic was clueless about. He liked to think that a simple bone was not one of those things. Yet as he sat cross-legged on his bed, he was beginning to realize just exactly how clueless he was. Sejak and Silas, his older brothers, had set out that morning in search of what they had come to routinely call an "interesting find". The little treasure hunts had begun roughly one year ago, growing more and more frequent under the approving eye of the boys' father. Retic longed to tag along, but like these things tend to happen, the younger brother was promised that he would have his turn eventually (it was always [i]eventually[/i] and never [i]today[/i]) and left then, as per usual, they left him behind before the boy could recite the reasons he should be allowed on whatever mysterious little day trip they were to take. And so young Retic had been left to his own tedious devices until around three bells ago, when the pair return bearing a small sack of "the usual". Sometimes it would be dogs bones, other times it might be nothing more than a cluster of curiously warped wood for carving. This particular trip had borne a good amount of bones -- yet they were foreign to Retic. The problem here was that Retic had no idea what kind of creature the bones were from. Or, rather, he had an inkling of an idea, after pestering his brothers for a while. To his annoyance, the pair seemed bent on remaining tight-lipped about their find, out of sheer brotherly amusement. Oh how they loved to watch their angsty Retic fret and flounder in desperate curiosity -- but his constant questioning whine had paid off when Sejak let slip that they'd spent a good deal of their morning haggling with an armorer. An armorer. That was a start, and they way Silas had punched Sejak's ribs after the careless revelation implied that the two would keep any more information safely tucked between themselves for the time being. So there Retic sat, legs folded beneath his body as he examined the pieces of the skeleton spread across the top of the bed before him. He hadn't actually done much in the past thirty chimes besides stare at the remains, hoping that [i]maybe[/i], if he wished hard enough, he'd just receive an epiphany and instantly recognize the bones. Of course, that was a big maybe and, unsurprisingly, no epiphany came. [i]Eh, that's probably a good thing. Definitely a good thing, really,[/i] he mused, snorting wryly to himself. No real learning happened unless someone genuinely figured something out for their self. And, really, Retic was grateful. There were few things he honestly enjoyed more than a good puzzle, no matter what kind of front he put on with his griping and moaning. That was one of the greatest reasons why he felt so drawn to Malediction to begin with -- perhaps even more so than his siblings. The magic seemed wild and unpredictable, but Retic was sure that, if he were to dig deep enough, he could discover a pattern in the chaos. Or perhaps a deeper understanding of the art would be enough. A self-chiding chuckle escaped his lips. Was there such a thing as [i]enough[/i]? "Retic, I can hear you. Go to sleep." The door to the bedroom had been left ajar, letting his mother's voice carry softly from the other side without rousing his sleeping siblings. [b]"I will -- I am,"[/b] he promised in a hushed tone, something between a grimace and a grin crossing his face. It was a false promise, he knew. There would be no resting until he felt it was deserved -- and Mrs. Ulis knew that. For years she'd put up with her family's silly antics and the insatiable curiosity that all of her children seemed to share about one thing or another. Retic though, had something more intense about him. Where his siblings were content with simply knowing things, Retic seemed more driven to actually [i]understand[/i] them. Retic shuffled around on his bunk, hoping to convince his mother that he was indeed getting ready to sleep. Mrs. Ulis, despite the fib, knew better. But she also knew that there would be no forcing the boy to leave whatever he was working on. She chuckled inwardly, and Retic heard her retreat down the short hallway, dragging her tired feet. Once his mother was gone, Retic turned back to the bones. Now, to get serious. The room was dark, but the cracked window let in the light of the desert moon. It was just barely enough to see by, but it would have to do. Retic's gaze skipped over the collection before him in the dimness, the yellowed whiteness of the bones standing out against the dark colors of the blanket. First, an overview. He would have liked to record his observations, since chances were slim that he would actually make much headway tonight. Or tomorrow, if his older brothers kept their snickering silence. Either way, the moonlight might have been enough to see by, but it wasn't quite enough to write by or he would run the risk of getting black ink all over everything. Instead, he'd have to rely on memory until the morning. The bones were fairly small, and Retic didn't need to examine the density to see that these were definitely not human bones. That wasn't too surprising, of course. No matter how morally ambiguous Ahnatep was, especially in regards to their slavery, it was still difficult to get a hold of real human bones. If Retic had to guess, he would've written the skeletal remains off as some kind of dog. But he wasn't fond of guessing, and there was something amiss. There were an appropriate amounts of each piece of the creature to safely assume that the bones were only from one skeleton, except the vertebrae. Where dogs only had about thirty vertebrae, here Retic had counted roughly forty-five. Such a fact would've likely made it leaps and bounds easier to identify the creature. Unfortunately, what the skeleton had in excess was made up for by its distinct lack of a skull. Either the older Ulis boys hadn't been able to convince the seller to part with it, or it had been damaged. Either way, Retic pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Forty-five vertebrae -- would that imply that the creature had a very long tail? Almost certainly, especially considering its canine-like size comparison. Small. Lots of vertebrae. Long tail. What creature with those characteristics would an armorer have use for? Retic dragged a hand across his face, wracking his brain, wishing he'd paid more attention when his father had taken him to the weapon and armor shop. Still, even if it was a small observation, he'd made some semblance of progress. Sleep's arm was starting to tug at his shoulder's, and he couldn't imagine he'd really get much done for the rest of the night. Honestly, he wasn't sure what he'd been expecting to get done tonight. Simply fiddling around in the dark was no way to actually find anything out. With that, Retic gingerly scooped up the bones, using his shirt as a sort of makeshift basket as he tiptoed over to the nightstand to free up his bunk. They clattered lightly as he deposited them on the wooden table and he tensed his shoulders, half because [i]what if they broke?[/i] and half because he expected one of his brothers or sisters to wake at any moment, and then he'd be held responsible for interrupting their beauty sleep. He stifled a snort. Anyway, it would be easier to work on the bones in the morning. Now though, a huffing sigh escaped his chapped lips as he settled atop his sheets and let his eyes fall shut... "Are you giving up?" Retic's head couldn't have touched his pillow for more than a tick before he shot up once more, startled hands fumbling around for his dagger but coming up empty in the darkness. After taking a moment to breathe, he flicked his bleary gaze towards the speaker. It had been a woman's voice. Or perhaps a girl's. Perhaps one of his sisters? He caught sight of a shadow on the far end of the room and, after a moment of peering into the darkness and rubbing his eyes, Retic made out the sight of a young lady. For a moment he could have sworn she was one of his sisters -- a little older than himself, with dark hair, dark skin, and dark eyes veiling a piercing kind of alertness. And yet she was not one of his sisters. But neither did she look like a burglar, or a threat. Ah! Certainly he was dreaming. It would make sense, since he'd recently heard about how some people's brains continue to work on solving problems while they slept. Hopefully this dream was his mind's way of leading him to an answer about the bones. Still, even if it were a dream, that didn't keep the embarrassed heat of indignation from rising to his cheeks. [b]"No, I'm not [i]giving up[/i]. I'm waiting. Till morning. Father has some books that I can peek through to look for some clues."[/b] Retic leaned back on his arms, pulling himself to brace his back against the wall. The girl arched an eyebrow, crossing over to the foot of his bed in a few steps. "So... you need these books to continue your research?" It was asked like a question, but the accompanying tone implied it was more of a statement. "Why?" Retic frowned. This wasn't exactly the kind of problem solving he'd imagined his brain would cook up for him, but he supposed he should take what he could get. Of course, he hadn't expected to stump himself so easily. [b]"Why do I...?" [/b]He raised a hand to his temple. [b]"Because they contain information about things. If I get lucky, I'll be able to find something about a small, long-tailed animal that armorers have interest in."[/b] He motioned towards where the bones rested as he spoke, a slight half-smile tugging at his lips. There were a couple ticks of uncomfortable silence as the lady tapped a finger on her chin, gazing at him with those eyes. Retic felt as if [i]he[/i] were being analyzed, picked apart, exposed, and he suddenly got the impression that she was talking about more than just bones when she spoke next. "So information is what you seek?" Retic dropped his hand to his lap, alarm bells going off in his brain. The air around the pair had grown heavier. It was a trick question. But was it really? No, it was an honest question. She wanted a straight answer, and he'd realized the folly in his previous words. It'd often been a point that he teased his siblings about -- want of information. Any poor sap off the streets could memorize tons of information, but that didn't mean he knew -- [i]really[/i] knew -- what he was talking about. Understanding, on the other hand, was a whole new level of knowledge. True knowledge. The girl's demeanor gave Retic the impression that she knew exactly that he was thinking, but he spoke anyway. [b]"No, no. Well, yes. But it's not just about the information. But I've got to start somewhere, and I've got to figure out what it is I'm [i]trying[/i] to understand before I can actually take the steps to understand it. You get me?"[/b] The girl was nodding contemplatively, and though Retic hadn't articulated himself as well as he would have liked, he felt as if she could tell what he meant. "What do you want out of life, Retic?" The sudden change in topic caught the boy off guard, and he had to resist the urge to give the apathetic shrug he was so used to offering when he didn't want to answer. What did he want out of life? Like Hai if he knew. He was only a kid. But... [b]"Well, I dunno."[/b] He thought back to earlier, where he'd been so intrigued by the puzzle of the bones. And, greater still, by the puzzle of magic. [b]"But I've always wanted to uncover great secrets. not necessarily even secrets, though. I just want to solve puzzles, connect dots between things. That kind of stuff."[/b] He gave an arbitrary shrug anyway. "A longing for a deeper kind of knowledge," the girl summed up with a pensive nod. "I understand that." Her words renewed Retic's confidence in his words. [b]"Y' see, I guess I kinda just want to seek answers, even if I'm not sure what the question is."[/b] "That's the beauty of curiosity, I suppose." The girl's pensive expression lightened, and she moved from the foot of the bed to the side, beckoning. Retic scooted forward from his position sitting against the wall, moving until his lanky legs dangled off the side of the bed. "There always seem to be so many more questions than there are answers. I would tell you to ask questions, and I'm not going to tell you [i]not[/i] to, but you certainly don't have to limit yourself to questions. Answers are answers not matter that they answer." She chuckled to herself, and now was Retic's turn to nod along. The boy found that he was enjoying the conversation much more than he'd though he would, and he'd almost entirely forgotten that he was merely "dreaming". [b]"I guess that's kind of like Malediction, in a way,"[/b] he began with a glance to the bones once more. [b]"We carve and paint with the intention of figuring something out, of finding an answer or an outcome, but we're not always sure what it is we're asking in the first place."[/b] A good-natured smirk crossed his lips. [b]"It's quite unpredictable, Malediction. If you don't know a lick about what it is you're working with, then chances are it'll turn into a folly."[/b] A thought struck him, [b]"But if all you have to go off of is a big lump of information, then that's no good either. You need to really get into the nitty-gritty details of what an object is if you want the best results. Does that make sense?"[/b] His thoughts were flying all over the place here, and it occurred to him for only a moment that he'd probably gotten a tad away from the topic. The girl simply smiled. "Well, what matters is whether or not it makes sense you [i]you[/i]." She raised an eyebrow before continuing. "Either way, from what I can tell, you've got a light of true curiosity in you. You look to find connections between things, to understand them in the best way you know how, and I can only imagine that you will continue to grow in your learning. In fact, [i]that[/i]'s what binds all things together, isn't it? Knowledge?" Retic wasn't sure where this was going, and thus didn't respond. The girl waved a dismissive hand. "Knowledge is everywhere, in everything. You can learn from anything, anywhere -- not necessarily a matter of where to look, as your brothers might think, but [i]how[/i] to look." As his brothers might think? Retic's brow twitched in surprise, though it shouldn't have come as such a shock that a simple creation of his imagination would say something along those lines. Yet... he was beginning to doubt that the girl really had been conjured up by his own dreaming mind. There were too many things about her that had come as a surprise, and it didn't sit well with him. "Oh, yes I know a little bit about your brothers," the young lady acquiesced, as if she'd seen where his thoughts had led him. Or something. "But how exactly do you feel about them?" Retic's eyes darted over to the older boys' bunks before falling to his own hands. [b]"They're... brothers,"[/b] he shrugged, as if that said it all. [b]"We get on each others' nerves sometimes..."[/b] He was heading down the wrong direction with this -- she'd asked "how", not "what", hadn't she? His mind flashed to a more specific instance, a rather recent incident. It'd smoothed over rather quickly, as debacles between brothers did, but that didn't mean it hadn't left a haunting echo in his mind. Silas had made some offhand comment about the ignorance or stupidity of the general population. Retic couldn't remember the way he brother had worded it, and he didn't particularly want to. He did, however, remember the sick sinking feeling that had settled into his stomach. [b]"Sometimes I feel as if they take what they have for granted. Like they don't appreciate it as much as they should. They have access to so much of our ancestors' knowledge, passed down from generation to generation, but it's almost like they're more obsessed with just learning [i]of[/i] things instead of really learning [i]about[/i] things. Most of the books our dad has are just journals that've been passed down. They contain a lot of information that's not simply on the surface. It's our family's history. But Sejak and Silas... Well, they're both brilliant, and they know a lot of things. But they don't really [i]know[/i] a lot of things, you know? They suck the pages dry of information, but they don't do anything with that information besides flaunt it and flail it around like a couple of toddlers whose father let them play with a fancy sword. They don't really care about how our ancestors came across the knowledge to begin with. They're not doing any work themselves, they're just kinda relying on the work of others."[/b] Retic breathed a long-winded sigh. He'd been thinking such thoughts for a while now, and it felt good to get his frustrations off of his chest. The girl had listened with a patient ear. "So, I take it that you feel like you appreciate the knowledge in your family's books more than your brothers do. Why is that? Retic shrugged. [b]"A couple years ago, I found one of Grandpa's diaries. It wasn't anything really too heavy on facts, no scientific or magical observations, just a plain old diary, but I like to think I learned a lot about life from it. I never knew my grandpa, see, and Dad never really talks about him much, so it was just nice to see what kind of a person he had been, and what kinds of things he liked to think about. But, y'know, Silas and Sejak found the diary too, and I guess they thought it was a waste of time because it didn't have any good hard information for them to guzzle down."[/b] He had been concentrating intently on a particularly odd-shaped freckle on the back of his hand, but now he raised his gaze back up to the girl. [b]"They burned it, see. Just like that -- just tossed it in the hearth. Never mind all of Grandpa's insight, and all the 'useless' knowledge. Of course, we were all still pretty young then. Can't say I've been able to forgiven them yet though. All that knowledge lost -- now [i]that[/i]'s a waste."[/b] Retic's shoulders slouched more than normal with the weight of the memory, thoughts coursing through his mind, primarily those of a kind of sad regret. The girl sat silent for a few moments. Until: "Just because something's been lost doesn't mean it has to be gone forever, though." Retic hesitated, a tingling sensation trickling down his spine. She continued. "Have you heard of Eyris at all?" He shook his head to say that he hadn't, a quizzical light in his eyes as he peered up at the girl. "Well, I believe that's her whole deal -- the power to understand that which the conventions of memory would otherwise deny us. By that, I mean we can know about things -- [i]truly[/i] know them -- through her power. Through her touch, even. And then through our own." With that, she reached towards the cluster of bones on the nightstand, selecting one of the many vertebrae, and held it out in front of her. "You said you hadn't given up. Take this and tell me what you find." Retic's brow furrowed. His mind was still whirring, trying to process all that she had told him. What was this now? The impossible epiphany he'd been hoping for earlier? A kind of amusement lighted his eyes, but the look in the girl's own gaze told him that she was being serious. So Retic raised his hand to grasp the bone as it was passed to him. However, before he could withdraw his hand towards his own body, she suddenly wrapped her own palms around his and her eye lids fell shut. Retic was confused by the situation, until he felt the hot tingle on the back of his hand. Not that he was any less confused, but he decided to follow the girl's lead as his own eyes fell shut. Her hands trapped the bone in his own, and the roughness of it dug into the skin of his palm, forcing him to concentrate on it. As the ticks passed, the hot sensation grew, not spreading further, but spreading [i]deeper[/i]. Deeper than his own bone, until it touched something Retic could only describe as his soul, as if it were etching itself on the very fabric of his existence. Gradually, Retic felt his mind spin as foreign images, sounds, smells found their way to his senses. There was sand -- lots of it. He could feel it grind against his palm, against his nails, against his belly. The sound of whizzing through the open desert air, then an explosion in his head. Then a short happy shout. One final image flashed in his mind, a plated creature of the sands, a long tail, about as big as a dog. Retic smirked to himself, recognizing the beast. A Pangolin. It would make sense if an armorer would one kill to use its protective plating. The girl's voice was softer now. Quieter, yet somehow carried the weight of impossible authority. "You can call me Eyris." [b]"Thank y-- ... What?"[/b] His eyes snapped open, his words trailing off at the realization that the girl had gone, leaving behind only the sudden feeling of having seen something incredible without knowing it -- and a question. [b]"Ahem. Eyris? Right. Alright. Okay. Thank you." [/b] It wasn't a dream. Just wait until his brothers heard about [i]this[/i].[/spoiler][/shadow][/left][/style2][/style][/center]