Open [Soothing waters] Strange Company.

A relaxing visit to the baths. Ruined by people.

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This shining population center is considered the jewel of The Sylira Region. Home of the vast majority of Mizahar's population, Syliras is nestled in a quiet, sprawling valley on the shores of the Suvan Sea. [Lore]

[Soothing waters] Strange Company.

Postby Alexander Faircroft on January 17th, 2016, 2:04 pm

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37th of winter 515AV

2:16PM

Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"


Long days and even longer nights. Worked to the point of breaking most days. Others left to stew with his renewed energy, pouring over books and scouring for bits and pieces. Fragments of knowledge of strategies and plans once held. Planning was easy. Acting was easy. But what was hard was dealing with the mental stress. Dealing with the physical repercussions. He was sore. He was tired. But most of all he just wanted some time away from the stress of training. Of bettering himself. And this was one such rare occasion. Instead of simply going through the motions. Of what he usually did when training except by himself, this day he instead headed to the baths. Normally clad from head to toe in plate and weaponry. He’d left that in the barracks, the plate armour in a small footlocker at the end of his bed and his weapons beneath said bed. And strode through town in his usual unencumbered garb. Simple browns and greens. Still he had his leather armour and thick coat on to fight off the bitter cold of the falling snows.

Still the trudge through the streets despite being bitterly cold was not unenjoyable. A short walk from the squire barracks but it was still long enough to know that the walk was cold and the people a little blunter than usual. Alex without his armour on Seemed to just blend with the crowd. Falling in step with the hustle and bustle and the large mishmash of people. What set him out however was how light of foot he was. Barely making a sound with each step having to usually control his noise with plate armour on made being stealthy even by accident a breeze without it on. Still though he was prone to a few clumsy mistakes. Such as simply catching the edge of his dagger on the wall. The only weapon he carried with him and knew how to use effectively which wasn’t as cumbersome as his bow or sword.

Still the cold snow-capped streets were something beautiful to behold. This was only his second winter, in Syliras and his first time seeing snow in this city. At least to this extent. A cool wind rolled bay knocking some snow from the edge of a house sending it straight down the back of Alex’s neck. He shuddered and froze in place, half frozen in place and half cursing the blasted cold.

A quarter bell passed as he meandered through the streets. Towards his target. Pushing in the doors of the bath-house he was hit by a calm wind of rushing warm air. Sheer bliss. He stepped inside hurriedly closing the door softly behind him. Now lounging a moment in the warm and lurid air. Smells of incense filled the steam moistened air. Even out here in the reception it was pleasant and calm. After a short moment or two of just standing in the much needed caress of the warm air he was broken from his trance by a light cough who asked him what he needed. After a brief explanation he was pointed off to the men’s lockers on the right. Not wanting to seem like he was taking advantage of his station he’d brought a small pouch of coin with him. Twenty five golden mizas, he handed over a single miza for the use of the place and having it broken into his change after he asked for a bar of soap and a towel. Waving off the change and simply telling hold and split it for a tip for himself and anyone else who happened to offer Alex any assistance.

With a small smirk and a slight nod he headed into the changing rooms picking a locker on the very top row most likely there for the akalak’s use still he was tall enough to reach. If only just. Slipping his things into the locker one by one putting his money right at the back followed by his dagger and then his clothing over the top folding his armour as best he could he piled his clothes in one by one. Slipping his loop of icons into the locker he paused. Placing them atop all his other clothing. He wanted to take them in with him but he’d have to suffice leaving them there. He now finally got a full view of just how badly he’d been thrashed over the last thirty sum days. And each one of the splotches of mixed colour was another reminder of just how far he’d come. Wrapping the towel around his waist he waded through into the baths.

Steam. Glorious steam. The heat, the warmth. Alex soaked it all in, immediately bursting into a small sweat. So used to the cold and frigid air out side was he that the warmth was something foreign. He paced around the edge of the baths. Looking for a good spot to enter. Even with the number of patrons low. He entered from the back edge. Slipping the towel free and sitting into the water slowly. A small hiss of pain and heat escaped him as he did so. The warm water was a blessing. He could almost feel the waters pulling the weariness and the lingering pain from his body. Like some sort of reverse sponge. Opening his arms out he leant into the wall closing his eyes and just letting the hot bordering on too hot waters seep into him and pull his aches from him. Even the stiffness of his neck seemed lessened.

I think I might have to come more often…The words circled his mind as he just sat there, mulling things, events, and even people he’d met over in his mind. Recounting what he knew about them, listing what he’d learnt and signing away from the world his mental lock up. An idea sprouted in his head. A way to retrieve any information he needed relatively quickly. Something some madman, or at least what he seemed to Alex at the time. Had told him. A “mind palace” an internal lock up. A secluded place where he could store all of his gathered information. And this seemed like the perfect time to do so.

---If you’re posting then here is where you stop reading if you’re not interested in the rest. Graders please read on.

He calmed his mind and began to focus on building a structure. And from there he let his braindo the rest. He started with a blank room. Smooth flagstone flooring. Sharp stone walls. An oak trimmed door. Alex stepped forwards through the door into a large open wooden hallway, lined with mahogany plank flooring and rows and rows of shelves. Bookcases and a single helical staircase in the centre of the room leading to a mass of floors. Like an ever ascending spire. On each of the shelves was a binding of a book. Some large, some small. Some thick, some thin. Lining each of the many bookshelves on the ground floor. Each one simply entitled with one particular thing.

Glancing at the plaque in the centre of the room depicting what was on this floor. It simply read. “My skills.” He ascended the staircase reading the plaque for the next floor. “People I’ve met.” Again he rose another floor. “Places I’ve been.” And then he rose to the final fourth floor. At least all he’d managed to piece together at this moment in time. The final layer of this palace read “Gods.” And looking at the shelves of the seventeen bookshelves most were filled lightly with little segments of books, nothing concrete, just what he’d done and awaited a response on. ( 1283 Words )
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[Soothing waters] Strange Company.

Postby Suresslynn on January 21st, 2016, 3:27 am

Suresslynn growled in irritation as she stepped out of the shop into the freezing cold. She needed a warmer temperature and soon. Fortunately, she had directions to the bath and a recommendation for them from Sahfri. So she beelined straight for the baths, eager to get her body temperature back up to something resembling a proper level of heat.

Once she found her way to the baths, she immediately paid for unlimited pool time, soap, a towel, and the cleaning of her clothes, which included her jacket, shirt, pants, and boots. After handing over three silver mizas in total for the services, and another three in tips, the Dhani went to the changing room and stripped out of her clothes before she went into the bathing room. There, she took the time to soap up and clean the dirt off her body before she climbed into the bath. As a snake, she didn't generally enjoy being wet, but the steam, the steam was heavenly after the winter cold.

For a while, Lynn couldn't have told anyone afterwards how long, the viper just sat submerged almost to her head in the water, luxuriating in the heat. However, after a moment she realized she recognized someone else there. Alex was certainly concentrating hard on something and at first she didn't move to interrupt him. However, as time went by and he didn't seem to move much, the Dhani made her way over to him. At first she was just gonna poke him, but then a rather naughty idea occurred to her.

Leaning back, Suresslynn focused for a moment and started to change, her flesh turning to scales as her legs fused together into a long tail, her face stretching into a more serpentine hairless shape as she assumed her Dhani form.. It wasn't long before her change was complete and at first she was going to hiss at him, but then another idea occurred to her. Leaning close, she took aim and sniffed the air with her tongue, sticking it in his ear in the process, eager to see his reaction to her form and her prank. However, just to be on the safe side, she started to change back to human as soon as he saw her. Didn't want him sticking her with a blade, after all.
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[Soothing waters] Strange Company.

Postby Irathia on January 21st, 2016, 4:24 am

Irathia was sore all over, she was up for about two days training and working for Ravonai or just training for the sake of it. She was covered in dirt and grim, bruises and sores mixing in for a... Interesting experience, much like how it was back in Xy. It was getting to the point where her cloak was starting to turn brown with dirt. She sighed and decided to head to the bath house she heard about so much.

She managed to track down the bath house, "Soothing Waters" it was called, interesting choice... Irathia walked down the spiral stair case to reach the reception desk, and as she walked she savored the heat from the building. Once she reached the reception she gave the reception one gold miza, paying to get a towel, soap, and unlimited pool time. The rest was just a tip.

Irathia immediately went to the left locker room, as the receptionist pointed her towards. There she chose the closest free locker and she slowly took off her clothes, feeling her muscles biting against her as she did so. After that she entered the bath house and slowly entered the soothing water. Now she could see why it is called soothing waters, to say the least.

She leaned her head back and closed her eyes, as she relaxed, lowering into the water up to her neck. She could really get used to this, if only she could. At first she did not notice Alex or the mysterious... Snake girl thing. But when she did she paid them no head, and went on relaxing. Not noticing that the snake girl licked Alex's ear, and she was now waiting for a reaction.
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[Soothing waters] Strange Company.

Postby Alexander Faircroft on January 21st, 2016, 4:48 am

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Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"


He held the image in his head. Sinking lower into the water until just his head remained above the soothing warmth. Eyes still closed he watched stepped through the palace of his mind again starting back at the ground floor. Pawing through the thick and thin tomes of his memory again. Plucking one from the shelf the words formed in his hand. “The basic stances.” Thumbing through the thick pages of this black leather book. The words began to form on the page almost like a blank book filling with the instructions for his eyes only. Things his body remembered but his mind had to draw on. Putting them into a formation a simple set of instructions was something he hoped to achieve with this technique. However as time passed he felt the image fading. Struggling for something to hold the image still in his mind he then struck upon a point of inspiration.

As he sit there neck deep in the water he began to hum a tune lightly. A tune his mother had taught him when he was much younger. The follow through of the single tune helped him stabilise the image. If he had to hum a small tune to himself to be able to access all the information he’d ever learnt…Then so be it. Still he focused on the book the slow tune flowing without much thought. He turned the pages focusing on his stepping, the twists, and the positions of his body during a strike. A simple set of steps that he himself had just passed off as what his body did. But now he could see them in front of clear as day. Perhaps there was something to this. Straight forward an effective he had a plan of how to follow through with his vision of a vault filled to the rafters with his knowledge.

And then something happened his world within his mind began to wobble and waiver as something cool and forked pressed into his ear. Instinctively jumping back he slipped and splashed in the water sending the hot waters everywhere and falling beneath the surface he snapped out of the thoughts he’d been training through as he broke the surface of the waters. Gasping down a breath he coughed and then took an instinctive half step back in the water, seeing the scaled half snake person before him not entirely sure what was happening nor what he was going to do. And then the large snakelike form began to slowly shrink back down into the smaller woman he’d spent some time with over the last couple of days. Coughing heavily and now standing in the water he semi-leered at her. Half forgetting where he was. More filed with irritation than much else. “Lynn. What the heck! I could have drowned! What’s worse I could have stabbed you if I had a sword on me.” Half hunching over now he coughed again. “I didn’t expect to see you here…” And then it suddenly hit him where he was and what the situation was.

“Anyway, I take it you’re trying to stave off the cold?” Making a wise decision to sit back down into the water before too much longer he leant back into the same spot he had been. Closing his eyes and relaxing. Feeling the water once again drain the soreness from him. He almost lashed out and probably would have if he hadn't fallen over, but decided it was better to ask what exactly that was. “Good gods woman. And what the heck was that magic? Or part of your races’ special funky skills” Shaking his head whatever she said he’d definitely note it down. Turning his gaze skywards he tried to calm his now shot nerves back down.
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[Soothing waters] Strange Company.

Postby Irathia on January 22nd, 2016, 12:09 am

Irathia gave a small giggle as she saw Alex freak out after the snake girl licked him. She thought it was quite the show he was putting on just from a small flick on the ear. That snake girl's name is Lynn? Interesting name. Irathia though as Alex seemed confused on how she was able to transform. "That was quiet the show, Alex." Irathia said, a grin on her face, exposing her pointed teeth. "Bit of a over reaction if I do say so my self." She said, pressing her blue-ish hand against her chest.

Irathia knew how it was, training. This applied to things she was learning that was brand new, such as her spear training. God the spear training, though she seemed that she wasn't falling as much as she was when she did her first thrust. Where her face gave a nice hug to the dirt below her.
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[Soothing waters] Strange Company.

Postby Suresslynn on January 22nd, 2016, 6:55 pm

Lynn started laughing as Alex jumped away from her, the sound escaping as a sort of hissing noise before she returned to her human form. As he started to lecture on the safety of her action, she calmed down a bit though she was still grinning at him. When he calmed down a bit, they were joined by someone new, a heavily scarred woman with pointed teeth and a discolored arm. Interesting.

She laughed as the new arrival mentioned that Alex had been a bit theatrical in his reaction, then shrugged slightly. "I've had worse. I've actually had people attack me before, but I figured I had time to change before Alex could find something to attack me with. I'm not crazy enough to deliberately mess with someone armed, though." she said, her tone still amused. "And sorry for making you jump, Alex, but it was just too good to resist."

"And to answer your question, yeah, it's part of my races inherent abilities. I told you before that Dhani have three forms, yeah? The human and snake forms, plus the in-between form you just saw. And yeah, I'm in here to get away from the cold. Being cold-blooded in this weather is not fun." she said, her tone getting a little irritated as she talked about the cold.

Looking at the new arrival, Lynn held out her hand. "And my name's Lynn. I take it you two know each other already?" she said, her eyes dipping down to the girls discolored arm. If it wasn't a product of her race, that was a really bad infection she had going on there...
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[Soothing waters] Strange Company.

Postby Alexander Faircroft on January 22nd, 2016, 8:26 pm

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Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"


Alex had just begun to relax once again within the warm waters of the baths and all of a sudden another voice he recognized broke the stability of his concentration. Calling it quite the show and an overreaction. He grumbled under his breath. “Irathia, if it’d been you in the same position violently snapped back to reality by a large snake lady who’d just suck her tongue in your ear you’d probably have done the same.” He kept his eyes skywards plenty of distractions now around him in case he looked down. Only then did he hear Lynn speak up saying she wasn’t mad enough to do that to an armed person and knew that he wouldn’t attack her. But she was right. “You’re right it was amusing for you and possibly whoever else was watching.” He sighed keeping his head tilted skywards but flicking his eyes down to look ira and Lynn in the face, and not catch sight of much else. Still did these two not realize where they were? Or was it more of a case that they didn’t care being as such around him? At least Lynn answered him honestly in regards to the form so one was human one was a snake and the other was somewhere in-between.

“If that’s what you do when you get angry Lynn then please remind me to never annoy you.” He chuckled lightly and turned his attention slightly back to Irathia. “And what brings you here Ira?” And then he realized just what the situation he was in was. “Oh I should probably.” And before he could even finish his sentence Lynn had introduced herself an outstretched hand. Perhaps this was going to go better than he imagined it might. Then again he prayed as hard as he could to any god that was listening that it didn’t turn south fast. “So Lynn and Ira why exactly have you gravitated around me? Not that I mind but given our current situation I thought it’d be more poignant for you two not to get so close.” He coughed a little to punctuate the sentence. Still more curious about why they’d both come Lynn had already given her answer being cold blooded was not going to be fun in this weather. But Ira he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. Might have been the same reason as himself, to ease the stresses of the training.

Closing his eyes again he reformed the palace in his mind again taking steps to rebuild it with a careful meticulousness. If he could keep this thing up under the present conditions then he could keep it up through more or less anything. Right Alex. Focus.
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Last edited by Alexander Faircroft on January 23rd, 2016, 7:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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[Soothing waters] Strange Company.

Postby Irathia on January 22nd, 2016, 9:14 pm

Irathia shook Lynn's hand. "Irathia, I know Alex already." She said, a small smile forming. She looked at Alex and shrugged, she wasn't sure why she went towards Alex, maybe just because she was bored, or maybe she needed some company. "I just needed to get some stress off, I have been up for two days, couldn't sleep and a lot of training." Irathia said, she rubbed her eyes.

"Just my muscles hurt, and I am just in need of some nice warm water." Irathia said, she sunk into the water a bit. When Irathia moved in the water her body fought against her. Her muscles still really hurt from all the training, even with all the nice water... Irathia said, she sighed and looked at her body. All over a assortment of bruises dotted her arm, some were a intense purple, which worried her a slight bit.

She attempted to keep her back facing away from Alex and Lynn, she hates when people look at all of her scars, even Irathia hated it herself. She generally doesn't like people staring at her, and with the scars on her body, she could tell already that people will be gawking at them. She sort of wished she could have bathed with her cloak on so no one could see her scars.
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[Soothing waters] Strange Company.

Postby Suresslynn on January 23rd, 2016, 4:56 am

Suresslynn laughed as it was suggested that she went to Dhani form whenever she was mad, then shook her head. "Nah, I don't need to be mad to do that. Besides, I get stupid when I get mad. Ever meet Ser Iros? Got mad at him once and challenged him to a fight...with me using just my fists and him in full armor and carrying this big shield and spear. Not my brightest moment." she said, grinning ruefully as she spoke.

At Alex's question, the Dhani just tilted her head in confusion. "Poign...ant? What's that mean, exactly?" she asked, wondering why he was so bothered about her and Ira being so close. It wasn't like they were being aggressive, forked tongue in ear antics aside, so she couldn't really figure out what had him so bothered. "I recognized you, is all. Dhani are somewhat social creatures. I mean, I grew up with four brothers and five sisters, after a while it gets weird when you're not around people." she said, laughing a bit as she spoke.

At Irathia's reason for being there and the mention of her muscles hurting, the thought for a moment on her still somewhat limited knowledge of herbs and remedies before offering a suggestion. "Try a Vyfox tea or a Belltor Infusion for the muscles. It won't be a dedicated muscle relaxer, but it should help at least a little. Or stop by the Stormhold Salves and Sahfri could recommend something that would work better." she said, her tone somewhat excited, showing that she really did enjoy her work.

After a moment, her curiosity got the better of her and she gestured to Irathia's discolored arm. "Um...if you don't mind my asking, what happened to your arm? I mean, if that's an infection or a bruise or something, you really need to have someone take a look at it." she said, her tone showing her concern as she spoke.
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[Soothing waters] Strange Company.

Postby Alexander Faircroft on January 23rd, 2016, 7:39 am

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Description "Alex Common" Alex thoughts "Myrian" "Fratava" "Others"


Seemed the two of them were getting along. Alex internally breathed a sigh of relief not sure if this was a blessing or a curse. Still for the time being he was fairly certain it was a distraction as to his intended goal. Ira came here for the same reason he did to decompress and relieve the stresses of training with that much of a load. “I can see why you’re both here then.” He tilted his head back down with his eyes still firmly closed. He could feel the mottled blue and yellow of his chest and shoulders aching and felt it all slip away as he sank down to his shoulders in the water. Only then did Lynn’s words crest through his mind causing his concentration to waiver once again.

“Oh Sorry Lynn I half forgot that you’re not too well versed in common. Poignant means to be cautious about a situation. Like for right now.” He coughed lightly. “A young man being in the presence of two unclothed young women. It’s a little bit much for my brain to fully comprehend. As such I’m keeping my eyes closed so that I don’t look like a fool nor do I do something silly.” Clearing his throat a little again he couldn’t stop the slight edge of nervousness in his soft and rolling voice. “And Lynn is right she’s a pretty damn good herbalist, so I’d take what she says with a good amount of care.” He motioned his head to where he assumed Irathia still was. He then flicked his head back towards where he assumed Lynn still was. “Her arm has a blue tint due to her heritage.” He smiled a little and sank back against the wall. Not knowing too much about the situation that had befallen him. Settling his nerves a little he cleared his throat building up the meagre and fragile confidence that he had. [color=#9200CB“If either of you to would like a hand in washing your back I could help…I promise I’ll keep my eyes closed.”[/color] Not quite fully believing those words had actually come out of his mouth he submerged his head into the water so his mouth was also submerged now to prevent any further silly outbursts.


In his mind the palace of his information was beginning to reform again this time a spiralling staircase taking place of the helical one. Instead of staying in the centre it whirled around the outside as the book cases shifted to take the central space. Faster access if I can just run up the stairs. He thought to himself as she tested out the wolrd of his mind again. Every time his concentration broke he had to rebuild this ting with a different configuration to hold it steady.
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