[Opal Temple] Intentions of learning

[Kiska]

1st Day of Fall of the year 510 AV, mid morning, just after arrival

"Welcome to the Opal Temple, how may we help you?" She heard the voice as the entered the temple, and walked forward to meet it. "My name is Kiska, I hear you teach the ways of medicine and herbalism here." She said to the receptionist. The receptionist, unlike most of those she had met in this city, was human. She seemed content in her station, even for as young as she was. She had to have been a few years younger than Kiska, with pale skin and brown hair. She looked at Kiska as though she were actually looking at something on the other side. Kiska couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong with her. "We sure do," said the receptionist. "The classes cost a bit, but we provide you a room and two meals a day for your stay here. Classes run all season long starting today. There's still a few openings for the two classes. If you'll just provide a little information I can get you registered and show you to your room." Kiska stepped forward to the desk where the receptionist sat. "What kind of information? And how much would these classes cost?" She asked, almost hesitant now that she was being asked for information. "The tuition for herbalism is..." she said, pausing as if to think. "8 gold mizas, and 10 for medicine. That includes the room and meals. We don't require much information, just the basic name, age, origin and such, and why you want to take classes here," said the receptionist, hands crossed neatly on the desk in front of her. "Well, like I said. My name is Kiska. My age is 25 years, and I come from a small village near the city of Yahebah in the Eyktol deserts. I've received small amounts of training in herbalism and medicine and wish to further my studies." She said, eyebrows furrowed. The receptionist smiled at Kiska and said, "That will do, the total cost for this term will be 18 gold mizas," said the receptionist, looking expectantly in Kiska's direction, who was digging through her pack already. Kiska fished out the 18 gold mizas and handed them to the receptionist, who was holding her hand out for them. Kiska placed them in her hand. The receptionist opened a drawer and placed the mizas in the drawer. "Your room will be in the South tower, beneathe the house of the goddess Avalis. It's an honor to live in the same tower as a goddess you know," she said, fumbling with a set of keys, tracing each one with her fingers before she stopped at one, pulling it off the chain. "The healers and those like you live below that tower," she held the key out to Kiska. "This is the key to your room for the term. It should be the third room on the right after you go down the stairs. The number is on the key if you get lost. And your teachers, they will be in the main part of the temple. Their rooms are relatively near, if you go down that hall," she said, pointing somewhere off to her left, "their rooms should be in the first few. They will be marked for what they are, herbalism studies and medicinal studies. Good luck finding them." "Thank you so much," Kiska said, heading off in the direction of the south tower. Most of the temple seemed to be dedicated to medicine, though some places in the temple appeared to be for studies and teaching. The receptionists directions led her through the grounds of the temple and into the South tower, where she descended into a lower level. Passing through the halls of the tower, Kiska noted that these were all residences. 'A goddess,' Thought Kiska, she had always dreamed of meeting a goddess. She supposed it was the healing goddess though, as they were in the temple and the tower meant to house healers. She wasn't a follower of this goddess, but it was still amazing to be in the house of one of the gods. Kiska fiopened the door with the key she had been given and opened the door to the room. It was relatively small and held a bed, a chair, and a desk. A candle sat on the desk as well as a vial of ink, a quill, and some blank paper. It wasn't much, but it provided for her needs for her stay in Mura. Kiska set her pack down and followed the hallway back out of the tower. She mad her way back to the main part of the temple, going back towards the entrance, reviewing the directions she had been given on finding the rooms her teachers for this semester would be in. Kiska wove through the halls of the temple, following the directions the girl had given her. With luck, she had finally found the right location.

[Kiska]

The professor sat in a small desk, dressed as if she probably did more than teaching at the Opal Temple. 'So this is where I'll be learning Medicine,' Kiska thought as she walked in. "Hello," She said timidly, walking up to the desk. "My name is Kiska, I've registered for your class this term," she said, hands crossed in front of her. The professor looked up at her with eyes full of wisdom and intelligence. "Hello Kiska, what brings you to Mura?" she said, putting down her quill. She had obviously noted her appearance, probably not many Benshira travelled this far, and Kiska guessed that not many outsiders lived here. "I'm..." Kiska hesitated, should she trust her teacher? She didn't even know her. Everyone seemed to want to ask her why she was here, and she really didn't like telling people. "I came for the vast knowledge of the Konti, their library, their fortune tellers, and the temple." She said, consciously lying. She had never been a liar by nature, but this was her business alone. "Very well, and why do you seek to take classes here?" The professor said, picking her quill up again and looking back to their papers. It seemed to her like the professor was more interested in her paperwork than she was in her. The professor began to write again as she waited for Kiska's response. "Well, I've got some skill in medicine and herbalism, though not much. It's always been in my interest to learn, and especially to learn how to help someone or help myself," Kiska said, feeling like she was being picked apart. She wasn't used to people analyzing her like the people here did, they were too watchful, too interested. The professor looked up again and smiled, offering a hand, which Kiska took. "Very well then. I look forward to teaching you this term. We'll begin classes today on the third bell after noon." Said the professor hastily, as if Kiska were something of an obstacle at the moment. Kiska left after a quick goodbye and headed off to meet her teacher for herbalism. This one was not so hard to find, as it was close. The teacher stood before a small pot, mumbling something to the plant below. Kiska watched in confusion as the teacher held nearly a full conversation with the plant. "Um..hello there," she said to the teacher. Startled, the teacher jumped and turned around to face Kiska. "Oh, hello there! I didn't hear you come in, and who are you?" She said, walking over to greet Kiska. She held out her hand, which was covered in soil. Kiska took the hand grudgingly, and said, "My name is Kiska, I'm a new student of yours as of today." She looked at the woman, who obviously wasn't afraid of getting a little dirty. "Oh! Wonderful!" Said the woman, apparently pleased to have a new student. "Well, class starts today at..sometime around evening. Just come back here a few bells before dark and we'll start." She said. "Have you ever met a mandrake root?" She said, turning back to her plant. "They're very interesting." "Oh...no ma'am, I haven't ever met a mandrake root," Kiska stated, utterly puzzled. She walked over to the pot with the woman and looked down. It didn't appear to be anything that could talk, but Kiska waited anyway. "Is there something I should say to it?" The woman laughed and said, "Oh, no, no. Well, I guess you can. I like to talk to my plants, it helps them grow faster and bigger. I just wanted to show you my plant, isn't it lovely?" She said with a big smile. "You'll be introduced to many plants in this class. Not so much how to care for them, that's a different class itself you know. I just teach you what the plants are, what they do, and how to use them." The woman was already looking intently at her plant again. "This one's quite the plant for medicine, you know. But I'll teach you about that later, I've got to be off to lunch," she said, gathering some stuff and heading for the door. "Oh!" She said, stopping suddenly, "My name is Drae Sommers, by the way," she said, and hurried out the door. Kiska followed, but the teacher was gone from sight in moments. 'What an interesting person,' she thought, and headed off to explore the rest of the temple. She had heard there was a vast library here, and she always loved libraries, especially of the vast variety. She smiled, today was a good day. Even if she hadn't found the clue she was looking for yet.

[Alice]

Kiska Experience: 2 Rhetoric, 1 Observation Lores: Taking Classes in Mura (Herbalism and Medicine), Architecture of Opal Temple, Living near a Goddess, Use of Talking to Plants Comments This is a nice intro. How you create an image of the two teachers Kiska will be learning from is quite funny. As always, if you feel that something is missing at the award, please tell me, although registration posts are not meant for gaining xp.