((Continued from Sanity Center thread))
27th of Winter, 510 A.V.
Serenity leaned in slightly to catch everything that the man was saying, nodding along with Stas’s words. The woman was obviously in her element now, and any anxiety she may have had about the visitor dissolved as she settled into her routine. “Perfect,” she said, picking up a few nonessential papers and stacking them against the surface of her desk. “I’ll have to begin with a little briefing on Alvadas, seeing as none of the other information will make sense otherwise. Not that it would make sense either way, but that’s just how it works here…” She trailed off with an apologetic smile, and continued after clearing her throat. “Yes, Alvadas changes. There is no way to track these changes, or to map a comprehensive model of how the streets rearrange themselves, though our scholars are certainly trying their best to do so. Ionu’s energy fuels these changes, and when the God is present in the city, the illusions become all the more drastic. The appearance of a particular house does not change, even as its location within Alvadas’s walls does.”
“You can be walking down a narrow cobblestone alley one minute, only to turn a corner and find yourself on a wide street paved with sand. Never ask anyone for directions in Alvadas, or they may very well bite your head off – some of them only figuratively, others…not so much. Some buildings move more often than others. The Temple of Ionu, for one, rarely moves more than once a year, and The Sanity Center has not moved since it was built. It is said that those who are more open to illusion have an easier time navigating the streets. Someone who has grown up around magic, the theatre, or simply believes in illusions whole-heartedly will rarely lose their way in Alvadas.”
“It’s difficult to explain, really,” said Serenity with a note of resignation. “You’ll just have to go out and walk around the city for a while. It becomes clearer after that, or so I’m told.” She added with a rueful smile.
She took a deep breath, clearly about to launch into another lecture, “As for stabling your horse, there is really only one option, and that’s Avek’s Stables, or as they are more commonly known – the Unstable Stables. They provide horses with adequate accommodations, and the prices are reasonable. I would tell you how to get there, but you know…” she trailed off, spreading her hands in a helpless gesture.
“There is plenty of work to be had in Alvadas – some commonplace, some more out of the ordinary… What are your skills, and do you have anything in particular in mind?” she asked, studying the man from head to toe as she composed a mental portrait of him for future reference.
“In regards to residence, are you conserving purchasing a house or would you prefer a good inn?” she inquired, lacing her fingers together and resting her elbows on the table. |
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