Closed It's Payback Time

[Ines]

Spring 10th, 520AV

Ines felt uncharacteristically excited about going back to the Outpost. She'd only spent a bell or two with Crylon, and she hadn't seen him since, but she felt that they could become good friends when they saw each other again. She had to pay him back the four silver mizas he spent on her sandals, which she had on, and she even had a basket holding carefully wrapped snacks that she purchased from the Tidepool Bar. Nothing that needed to be eaten hot, but a comfortable picnic for sure.

She entered the Dovecote and closed the door and kept herself from sneaking a snack from the picnic. A deep breath later and Ines opened the door to the Outpost, the hot, dry breeze scratching her face upon her first step. The sun was dazzling here. Syna seemed much brighter than she did from peeks in the jungle, and maybe even brighter than she was on the beach.

The walk out of the Dovecote was much more pleasant without her heart beating in her ears and her feet burning on the pavestones. She felt more...calm, even with the sounds of the people around her. That had been another surprise when she had visited the Dovecote - so many people in the space compared to Syka. Even the new tourists in the seaside settlement didn't number as close to as many as there were in the Outpost. So many different kinds of people and kinds of dress, it was as if here was an entirely new world.

Or maybe her world was just that small.

They had never decided where to meet, and so the Kelvic wandered around the plaza. Ines spent some time and stared into her reflection in the pool she had fallen in the first time and listened to music played by a busker some distance away. The little bat didn't realize how far she had drifted into daydreaming until someone called out to her.

"Are ya waiting for something?" A strong looking woman asked, seated in the shade next to the pool. She looked relaxed, her eyes only barely open and focused on the bat.

"One my friend meet me. He live far away, I think." She responded, hoping her smile seemed as genuine as she meant it. The Kelvic wasn't sure what to do with someone taking an interest in her meanderings. For the most part, people left her to her own devices in Syka, and they did the same in Taloba. Unless they needed help.

The woman nodded. "That's what's so great about it here. You can meet people from all over Mizahar." She eyed the basket. "You can buy all sorts of things, too."

Ines took a step back, suddenly feeling uncomfortable, and waved goodbye to the woman. The bat turned around started to walk towards where the busker was, hoping to catch the name of the tune he was playing.

wc: 487

[Crylon Stonecraft]

10 Spring 520 Heading to the Dovecote, Crylon made his way once more to The Outpost. Wearing his nicer clothes meant for cooler weather, he was sporting his black linen pants and an open chested vest of similar materials. His feet were covered in simple sandals, and his back with a pack. Of course said pack on his back was not a normal pack, and held quite a large amount of things. The quirk of some odd magic laid upon it, it seemed able to hold quite a large amount of things without gaining any weight. Inside that was his muffin tin, various tools, and his money of course. He also, on a whim, had slipped a ring onto one of the fingers of his right -normal- hand. Outwardly it appeared to be a normal silver ring, albeit with a hourglass figure etched onto it. It also, according to Kelski, held some kind of magic about it, though what that was he had yet to find out. It occurred to him as he was dressing to ask Ines about it, as he had not yet found anyone who knew of the symbol let alone could help him figure out what the object did. And, he supposed, it could not hurt to ask someone what it might do, or what the symbol mind indicate. Divine... That, he remembered now as he walked within the Dovecote, had been what Kelski said. Divine magic... Which meant it had to be under a certain divine beings domain, one he was not familiar with. And if he learned who that being was, then perhaps he could puzzle out what it did. Closing and reopening the door Crylon exited the building in a completely different place. In The Outpost. A place he did not fully understand, but which was the domain of another focused on trade. Which was why the Outpost was a place focused entirely on trade. Heading inside Crylon looked around, wondering where Ines would be. Or if he had arrived first, and so needed to wait for her to find him. Pondering for a moment, Crylon headed towards the central fountain where they had first met. It seemed an obvious enough place for him to wait, or for her to wait at seeing as they had first met by him seeing her go splashing into the bit of liquid. Crylon was nearing the bit of water, when he saw Ines. Raising a hand Crylon waived, trying to draw Ines attention as she began to walk away from the pool. “Ines! Is I, Crylon. Am here see you!” As he waived for a moment the ring flashed in the sun, having waived the hand wearing it, but as he dropped his arm the glint dropped away. Normal metal object things, he supposed, nothing to attribute to it yet. But perhaps he would find out...

[Ines]

The bat recognized his voice before she saw him wave at her. She couldn't get over the difference between how most people dressed in Syka and the variety of types of dress in the Dovecote. Crylon definitely could fit in around the settlement, though. Ines was excited to see if they were going to do anything today. She wanted to explore more of the Outpost, find all the hidden nooks and crannies and animals. She noticed this time just how many cats and birds were all over the place! Cats knew the best hidey-hole and sunning spots. She'd have to watch them more intently next time she showed up.

"Crylon! I have picnic and coin. To give you." She replied as she waved back and approached the Isur. "You wear ring before?" She asked, leaning to look at the ring on his finger. It was marked with a symbol she'd never seen before. The flash of light it reflected from Syna had taken up all her attention. The bat stood back up. "We eat? Syka food. Fresh." She held out the basket she brought.

The myriad tastes of the jungle was something that Ines, on some level, realized was not universal. Wherever he lived, maybe he had never even tried the fruits on the fruit plate, or the Riverfall cheese, or the grain used for the crackers. She hoped he'd like them, at least. Ines wasn't particularly good at being social, and when she had been looking for something to bring, she realized she had made their entire last meeting about her. This time, if they stuck around, it would be his turn to lead the way.

Ines had been so single-minded in her last visit to the Outpost that it never occurred to her that there might already be restaurants and food vendors, even vendors that would sell more interesting foods. Not that she thought anyone could serve a meal up better than Stu - she heard he was blessed with the gnosis of the god of partying three times! That'd be hard to beat even in a place where one could find food and people from any culture. Stu's cooking was her favorite, at least.

"Let eat, I give coin and we walk place?" She asked. If he agreed to eat what she brought, she'd let him pick out a spot and then she would start setting out the food she brought, neatly packed into the basket with wax paper. She had brought a tropical fruit plate, goat cheese, sheep cheese, crackers, Syka specialty pork jerky, and some simple utensils.

wc: 497

[Crylon Stonecraft]

Crylon smiled as Ines approached, enjoying the womans company so far. She seemed an honest and honorable enough person, further evidenced by her... Well showing up. As she took a sudden interest in his ring, Crylon shook his head, indicating he had not worn it before. Her words seemed rather rapid fire, even if a bit basic compared even to his own use of common. And so it took him a bit before he found an opening to speak. Perhaps she was simply excited to see him again, and as such was more talkative than last time? It had been awhile, and perhaps the anticipation had built up her excitement of things. “No, is not wear afore. But found, seasons past, in other city. In under in ground. Friend who good at look things, say think is special, but not sure why. Only know is have mark on, in shape of this here. Think is hourglass. Thought maybe we ask around, maybe find out if any know of? Maybe mark is mean thing? If want.” As Crylon spoke, being careful to enunciate and speak slowly and steadily to make himself clear in common, another thought occurred to Crylon. “Ines, my language first, not common. You not either, yes? Is curious, what your first? Mine Isur, tongue of people.” At the question of eating Crylon nodded, following Ines along as she showed him the basket and food within. They seemed simple enough, though some where not things common to Zeltiva or Sylira in general. Or at least, not parts he had been to. The fruit was new, but the cheese and bread seemed standard relatively. At her request Crylon pointed at a spot somewhat in the shade so as to keep them out of the sun, his eyes -not that he knew of her own- well adjusted to seeing in the dark compared to a human. He still needed some light, but close up he could see quite clearly in near dark. Crylon watched as Ines set up the food, clearly enjoying herself and the action of presenting to him, and so he did not intrude by trying to assist. Once it was all set up Crylon looked over the food, starting with a bit of cheese. It was rather standard fare, not good nor bad, but decent as far as cheese went. He only tried a small bit, more to test it than to consume a good bit, turning on to another item. The cracker was a bit dry, a simpler form of bread he supposed, but still tasty enough. And, he thought he could taste at least, layered with some butter to enhance the flavor. He next tried some of the fruit, his eyes widening a bit at the strong flavor of it. It had bite to it, and seemed more liquid than many other fruits he had tried. Perhaps a regional item? Crylon nodded, unsure if he liked or disliked any of it but certainly surprised by the flavors on the fruit. Lastly he tried the bit of meat jerky, slowly chewing and gnawing on it. It was dried out meat, smoked with a strong flavor as much as the fruit, and rather tasty. Crylon nodded as he tried the last bit of things, having sampled a bit of each of the items without eating too much of any. “Is good. Thank you bringing. Where is that... Whatever is. Fruit thing. What is? Where is from? Not had afore.” He understood to a degree how the Dovecote worked, and knew the woman could be almost anywhere, which left him wondering on the environs she called home.

[Ines]

wc: 527

She nodded, enthusiastic about finding the meaning behind the ring. Ines felt like that was just another way of exploring, plus who knew which corners of the Outpost they'd go to trying to figure it out! If anyone knew, they'd be here. "I never see an hourglass before. We find out." She nodded again.

She could tell his first language wasn't common, but she'd never actually heard Isur spoken, despite a handful of Isurian visitors to the Sykan settlement. She wondered if he knew what Myrians were, let alone the language or Taloba. "Mine Myrian. I see Isur before in my city."

Like Crylon, though unknown to her, she was also better suited for low-light. Places like the beach, or the Outpost, tended to hurt her eyes if she wasn't careful because of how bright Syna was without tree or cloud cover. She enjoyed the snacks as he did, especially enjoying the creamy goat cheese and crackers. It was imported from Riverfall, and cheese was something the bat hadn't even tried before coming to Syka. Its proximity to the waterfall city - and Syka's eager trading - meant she got to try many new things that she never would have heard of if she had still lived in the closed-off city of Taloba. Ines watched with special interest when he started trying the fruit. She could tell by his reaction that he wasn't quite expecting what he ate.

"That pineapple. It from Falyndar. I from Syka, in jungle. You heard of? Where you live?" She replied, under the assumption that he had to have heard something about it. Then again, she had no idea about most of the cities that spanned her growing world, but the little bat figured most people knew about more things, more places, more everything than she did. Not that many people could know more about the jungle than her, at least.

She held up another piece of fruit, a glossy, vibrant yellow with green and red skin. "This mango..." she set down the piece and picked up a third fruit that was totally orange with small pockets of juice. "This orange." It never occurred to her before how confusing it might be for a fruit to have the same name as a color, and to be the same color as the color. Ines figured he was clever enough to know the difference between a color and a fruit. The last fruit she held up was fully contained in a third shade of yellow skin, with a few speckles of brown. She peeled it and took a bite. "This banana." She took a few more bites, finishing the banana with lightning speed.

She waited until Crylon sampled all the fruit, or at least, when he stopped eating. Then she started to pick up the rest of the food and carefully folded it back up in the wax paper. After everything was packed away in the basket, she held it out to him. "This for you. Basket too, Mizas inside." After giving him the basket, or holding onto it if he didn't want to keep it, Ines would stand up.

"So, where we start look for ring?"

[Crylon Stonecraft]

Myrian. Crylon pondered the name, his mind vaguely having recalled that before. But it having been seasons past, he had trouble recalling where... And then his mind fell on a bloody woman who enjoyed fighting and violence whom Crylon had met back in Sunberth. Myrian. Myri... Ixzo. “Is met afore, person who say worship a Myri. Is relate to Myrian? Met kelvic woman time ago, in Sunberth. Say worship Myri... Of battle? But not say much of people, or other. Is same?” As his own people the Isur worshiped their God Izurdin, it seemed likely that Myrians would be related in some fashion to Myri. Surely, he felt, there would not be so many deity with such similar names? If nothing else it did not seem too likely. Crylon, himself not much for clothing, had not before or now noticed anything odd of the woman's attire, besides noting that she had come quite unprepared the time before and had not even been wearing shoes to cover her feet from the hot sun beating down on the ground. He tried to recall the names of the fruit, but they were all odd ones he had not seen or tried before. And strong, with a kick to them. The banana less so, but the apple... No pineapple, which seemed totally different from an apple was quite harsh comparatively. The banana on the other hand was mushy but a bit sweet. Falyndar, was where the fruit came from. Syka, in the jungle. Jungle, a hot and wet place, similar to here but for the lack of wetness. He had not been to that region, let alone gone into a jungle, but clearly this woman had. “Not hear of Syka afore. Have heard of jungle, but only... In passing. Not know of much. Just... Trees. Hot. Wet. I am in Sylira now. Near Zeltiva, off east coast. Have moved about across Sylira, but been here for few seasons.” He frowned in concentration as she continued describing the fruit, giving their names in turn. Of course with his prominent Isurian brow ridge, this was a much more dramatic expression. “Orange. Is name color, or name fruit?” Taking up the fruit he tried to take a bite, only to find it had a thick waxy rind. He could he supposed bite through it if he really tried, but instead he took it out and investigated it. Using his left hand he began to pull at the fruit in an attempt to open its covering, but as he squeezed it the entire thing mashed into his hands vice like grip like it was a bladder full of water. Juice drizzled downward and outward from the side, and he was left holding a handful of mashed rind and pulp. “Ah... I think broke fruit.” He helped Ines in cleaning up and packing up the items of food, taking the basket as she handed it to him. At the moment he simply assumed she wanted him to carry it for her, something he had no issue with doing, and so did not question her handing him it. He did not realize she was trying to gift it to him until she said so directly. With a nod Crylon smiled, understanding the woman was trying to gift it too him. Perhaps, he supposed, as a sign of thanks for before when he had aided her. “Is thank for give. But is not needed, is not owe for do. Is just help. But will take if ask.” Considering her next question, Crylon looked about and quickly saw one of the oddly dressed people who had given them directions before. “Is could ask for direction to place. Maybe ask, if place of worship? Maybe would know there. Or if not... Maybe place of books? Maybe person there know of? Is not hurt ask, yes?” If Ines agreed Crylon would approach the oddly dressed in a distinctive fashion person, querying them on places they could look for to get information on the rings mark. WC: 671

[Ines]

wc: 529

"Myri, yes...she queen of Myrians. Goddess, I think." The bat wasn't sure how far the information on Myri could have gone, as most Myrians didn't interact with anyone outside of their insular society. But Crylon seemed to know of her, so she certainly wasn't secret. She had no idea what Sylira was, but Kamilla had told her about Zeltiva before. "Zeltiva, I have heard. I know woman from. Did not know what Sylira. Is cold?"

Ines tried to stay serious when he was fiddling with the orange, but she could't help her laugh when it practically exploded. "You cut...or peel skin. Not like that." She said in between her laughter. "It is fruit and color." She added to answer his question.

When the Isur kinda-sorta-almost declined her gift of the basket, she simply replied, "It yours. I no need." The bat wanted to share something from her home with him. She had warmed up to the Isur more than she usually did around non-Kelvics, she realized. Ines liked his seriousness and kindness. She nodded to agree to asking around if there was a place they could find out about the ring. In this outpost of people from everywhere, someone or somewhere had to hold the information they needed. It felt impossible for it to have nothing.

The Keiss, the funnily dressed man, shrugged at Crylon's question, not knowing the symbol on the ring himself. He instead directed them towards a place called The Reading Room. The Kelvic wasn't very good at that, but she could certainly flip through books and journals and look at the pictures they had for something that matched. He gave them directions to The Reading Room, and after seeing the blank look on Ines's face, decided to show them where he was talking about.

The walk was only a few minutes. The arrived at the Reading Room, comfortably lit with sunlight that streamed in through partially lifted curtains. A large couch sat in the floor of the room, covered in pillows and seating a couple patrons. Others milled around the room, looking through the stacks and rows of books. There were funny looking men here, too, standing guard and watching over the room. There were desks that seemed like they were for writing on, but Ines was more interested in looking for anything that matched the symbol of the ring. It was like the number 8, but flipped on its side.

Unfortunately, the Kelvic's lack of reading experience truly shined when she was in a library. She couldn't read the spines or covers well enough to know that the library wasn't in any sort of order, either. Before venturing too far into the room, she would turn to Crylon. "You think they know?" She'd ask, gesturing to the Keiss that stood guard. If they were in the library often, they were probably very knowledgeable! Or at least, that was her train of thought. There was also the chance they switched their guard spots and had no idea, either. She supposed if that failed, they could just ask another patron. Getting as many eyes on the ring, they'd be bound to find someone who recognized it.

[Crylon Stonecraft]

Crylon was glad to hear that his memory had served him, and that the prior woman he had met who had spoken of Myri seemed to have been truthful. Myri was the goddess, or queen, of the Myrian. Similar perhaps to how Izurdin was the God of the Isur, but also in a way their Father. “Sylira? Is used be, cold sometimes. Not all times. Sometime hot, sometime, cold, sometime... Tween. But now, as all, no winter, so not so cold.” Crylon smiled back in recognition of his failure at working the orange, the color and the name of the fruit, not taking it badly that Ines laughed at him. It had, after all, been a rather dramatic failure at working a fruit. Apparently one was to cut it, not squeeze it. But then, with his special Isur arm, squeezing too hard was quite easy. He could be gentle with it if need be, but he could also squeeze quite hard and as the grip was ungiving such was the result. “Not see, afore. Arm, is blessed by Izurdin. Is good at strong grip. Not good, open orange, seem.” Considering his hand as he cleaned it off as best he could, Crylon considered alternatives. Cutting so to speak with his nails. Or perhaps jabbing with his fingertips. Perhaps that would work better. But thoughts of his arm made Crylon remember Ines had said she had met an Isur in her city Syka, which seemed odd. “Isur meet, in Syka. Is remember, what color special arm? Mine Onyx. Black. Is know, what color theirs?” Once they were given directions and led to the place, Crylon and Ines headed inside the reading place. Or no, The Reading Room. Quite a literal name as to what it was used for. As Crylon began to scan around, Ines asked a simple enough question. Would the guards perhaps know the symbol? Would they be able to help? Crylon was about to answer when someone loudly cleared their throat for attention. Crylon turned to find a tall human, at least compared to himself and Ines in terms of height, who was clearly about to say something. "I see you are knew. So the rules of The Reading Room are thus. You cannot remove anything from The Reading Room. All of the writing here, stays here. However... If you submit something to add to the collection, you can make copies of what is here and keep your own copies." Crylon nodded, pausing in his venturing inside as he considered what he should do. Or namely, what he should give up. The first book in his possession that came to mind was a journal. This one however was written in Isur by a relative, and had a lot of sentimental value. Nod a good idea to give that up. Another was a copy of a journal in Isur which he had found in Sunberth. It was also related to his family, and still perhaps had nuggets of information to divulge. Lastly was another journal from Sunberth from a different visit to the library there. This one was in common, and was a journal on masonry and building with stone. Simple observations and notes he knew well enough and had used in practice later on. He did not have much more to learn from it, if anything, and could always come back to peruse it again if need be should he drop it off here. That seemed the best option of the three. Digging into his pack Crylon focused on the third book, reached inside, and pulled it out of the pack without anyone noticing anything odd. Or at least, so he hoped. He checked the cover and skimmed the contents just to make sure it was the correct book, and finding it was handed the book over. The man simply nodded and walked off with Crylons book in hand. Or well, not his book anymore. With a sigh Crylon turned back to Ines, and began to glance about the room. While the library back in Sunberth had been a mess, this one seemed little better organized. “Is not hurt, ask.” Heading over to a few of the guard people standing off to the side, Crylon held up his hand to show his ring and the symbol on it. “Excuses. Have you seen writing, with symbol here? On ring? Am looking for it... Provenance. Is know any?” What followed was a quick dash of common between a pair of Keiss, a man and a woman. "What is that, an eight? No, its a B! No, look, see the flat is on the top and bottom. Its some kind of small picture. Like a .... Thing, oh what is it called. A B! I'm tellling you, its a B!. No its a number, or no its not its a, thing... Really, a thing? How helpful. Oh come on, I'm telling you I've seen it before, its a ... Go on. I can't recall. Wait if you turn your head this way, its not a B, its an 8. But if you turn it this way, its like a 8 with the flats of a B, but on the top and bottom." Here Crylon interrupted, trying to cut off the two in their runaway speech. “Yes, is think is hourglass. Is think symbol is. Is seen symbol here?” "Hourglass! That was the thing I forgot! If you forgot it, how can you remember? Well I remember now! Oh, right..." Looking closely the man inspected the ring, before pointing vaguely off to the side. Crylon thanked the two for help, before heading off with Ines in the direction they had pointed. Leaning over to her Crylon spoke quietly, letting out a sigh. “Is think answer, that, is no. But can still look, maybe find.” With that Crylon began checking bookends for symbols, words, or anything referencing hourglasses or such topics.