A Desire to Disappear

User avatar
Dawnbreak
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat May 21, 2016 2:27 am
Location: Canada

A Desire to Disappear

Postby Dawnbreak » Tue Oct 04, 2016 1:22 pm

Out of sight, out of mind, out of harm's way.

Those are the words Élisabeth Duval had lived by for her entire life. Through different terms and conditions, though all along, by the same merit. It is how she escaped a miserable existence, how she survived every ordeal that could never have been solved by her meagre skill with the blades she always carried at her side. Yet, she is still plagued by perils, ones of the body and ones of the soul - born from her desire to protect and from her own demons. No matter how well she hides, she is eventually found, by one peril or the other.

She cannot banish her demons, but those physical, tangible perils that plague others and herself, she can learn to defeat. Not by miraculous swordplay; no, that is not her realm. She will defeat them through her wit, and strike when it suits her. Strike without making a sound, without being seen, and without leaving a trace of ever being there.

Thus, the Ranger had begun thinking of how to achieve such a feat. Clearly, it'd have to be either through sheer luck, or years, decades of training... and even then.

She did not have years. No, she could not live with the feeling of being powerless for long. She does not do well under it, and no matter how strong she became... if that pressure got to her, she would crumble. The only way forward is to find a method that would allow her to act by her desire, and one that would take long, but even if it did, the results would be grand enough to excuse the time spent. What other talent was there in this world for such a thing, other than magic?

And so, Élise started off on a journey up to the mountain hold of Songhall, where she might find answers to her plight, and perhaps even find the training itself. The trek itself being a familiar route to the Ranger, she made sure to exercise the same caution and method she had always went by on her travels. Remaining as unseen in the woodland realms as she possibly could, avoiding all danger, unless it was such that others found themselves in, as well. Upon her arrival, she would seek out the Hall of Tomes and begin her search there.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

User avatar
Copper Dragon
Posts: 537
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2015 12:11 pm
Location: GMT +1

Re: A Desire to Disappear

Postby Copper Dragon » Sun Oct 16, 2016 12:35 pm

Scholars at the Hall of Many Tomes are overall a prudent lot; but that doesn't stop their learned tongues from boasts. Songhall is the greatest bastion of knowledge and learning, they would say; its Oghmanyte halls and academy housing the most wondrous collection of books in Faerûn short of Candlekeep, allegedly; its contributors come from all manner of cities and countries.

A pity, then, how overwhelmingly maze-like the grand library looks.

Lorekeepers and acolytes hushedly walk about, their shoes and tunics whispering across the stone floors. They regard Élisabeth Duval with curiosity; not because a foreigner has come to visit the library, but because it is evidently a practical woman, a knower of wilderness, huntsmanship and many miles of grim travel, rather than a scholar. Nevertheless, one acolyte is taken in by her beautiful features and determination, though, and is quick to come to help her look for the tomes she might seek.

Tomes of magic; mystery; hidden pathways. Though here, they are not so hidden because of their elusive nature - but rather because in the sea of scrolls here, they disappear in plain sight.

Élise is given a place to sit in the library by the acolyte - Ferdinur, he introduces himself timidly - and he rushes on shuffling steps to gather books for her. "A Year of Dark Sorcery: Wizardly Doings in the Year of the Dark Dawn" by Aldiber of Memnon, "The Art and the Paths Upon Which it Led Me", "Discourses on Art and Gems" from Sarmallin of Yhaun, Edygulph Erremore's "Pseudobiblia", "Volo's Guide to All Things Magical" (which Ferdinur humbly comments is his favourite book, to the dismay of any self-respecting scholar), "The Book of Stars and Shadows" by Rindala Shardroon...

They pile up to a towering heap of books, some contemporary, others old and dusty. Where does one even begin looking for the aid of magic - and in what form can it aid Élise? In some, creatures of magical properties are described; in others, arcane spells and instruments are hinted at which a keen mind may hope to learn; in yet others, strange phenomena, sites and observations have been penned down which may be worth a visit.

It is well unto the evening when Ferdinur excuses himself at last (too shy and awkward to leave Élisabeth until then), and candles are reaching their stems. Élisabeth may find herself still here, or in a room at The Thirsty Fool, with a few of the tomes, and sleep has to eventually claim her - sleep, or at least drowsiness.

The soft shredding of paper can then certainly wake her up.

OOC: Sending a PM to the player for follow-up on this.
Plays:
Artemis D'Assanthe, Dawnmaster
Udhana, the Kinless
Dhovainithil, Silver Elf
Jhasira of the Bai Kabor, Dawnbringer (deceased)

User avatar
Copper Dragon
Posts: 537
Joined: Tue Dec 01, 2015 12:11 pm
Location: GMT +1

Re: A Desire to Disappear

Postby Copper Dragon » Mon Oct 31, 2016 9:34 am

After Élisabeth's curious night at the Hall of Many Tomes, she is richer with a few books under her arm - and apparently a few silvers too. If anything interesting or peculiar was discovered by her within the Hall, it does not seem to be disclosed to a large public, and frankly perhaps the scholars and sages here do not care: each have their own path to enlightenment.

Only a young student by the name of Ferdinur sighs upon Élisabeth Duval's departure. One would like to say it is an enamoured sigh, but his young features and reflective spectacles show concern and perplexedness instead when watching the expert scout leave.

Still, maybe she'll write to him soon, right?

Songhall would be left behind by the Cormyrean tracker; leading her down from the mountainous terrain on sure skilled steps, coordinated and nimble as felines, and perhaps confident laced with contemplation. Who is to say but her?
Élisabeth took the coins and a damaged tome and started on the dangerous, but familiar route to Sarshel; to find an expert on coinage of various eras and locales, and mayhaps even run into some scholarly acquaintances that could tell her more of the book she'd chosen to take with her.
And so she finds Sarshel a few days later, safely and without incident. There, should she ask for the locals' taciturn advice on finding the right person, she would be led to Feliks' Functionals, of all places. The man Feliks welcomes Élise to the shop greasily, curious what he might pawn for a ridiculously low price and peddle it on to someone else. When it turns out that he is asked for expertise on coinage, though, he seems surprised; and disappointed a little.

He'd inspect the silver coins, a few of which minted with a raven on one side. He hums, he shrugs, then says, "Well, miss, you see it's like this. These are Sembian ravens," he sniffs, "sometimes they pass through here, but that's rare. You can pay with them here, they'll be worth... well," sniff, "they'll be worth the same as a Halanth, actually. Most outlandish silver is going to be downgraded in value here, you see, but not these. Good coins. Want to buy anything with them?"

He awaits a reply, but it might just be conceivable that Élisabeth's search found a dead end - unless she sought another peddler, or a sage, or maybe even a fortune telling diviner with the coins. Is it worth the effort? Was her whole journey culminated to this trivial revelation? Was there ought more that she should do to sate her curiosity, or is that all there is left to this?
Plays:
Artemis D'Assanthe, Dawnmaster
Udhana, the Kinless
Dhovainithil, Silver Elf
Jhasira of the Bai Kabor, Dawnbringer (deceased)

User avatar
Dawnbreak
Posts: 122
Joined: Sat May 21, 2016 2:27 am
Location: Canada

Re: A Desire to Disappear

Postby Dawnbreak » Tue Nov 08, 2016 12:02 am

"No, thank you." Was all she managed to spare poor Feliks before collecting her things with her usual thoughtful frown and departing. Out in the streets of Sarshel, the woman takes to one of her many aimless walks throughout the city, strolls to invoke thought.

In the end, no matter what other recourse she may have come up with, the itch in the back of her mind that more than a little is amiss would beat her sense of reason. Personally knowing no one that may be able to tell her what those coins mean, the Ranger takes to putting up a poster on the noticeboard outside the main gate.
Experts and Diviners Wanted

I require a person of either mundane or magical abilities, to help me discern the nature of a few specific objects, and their meaning.
A reward is offered for the services - if you are able or interested, leave a missive for Élise at the Sailor's Star.
In her time in the city, she would take to an independent search of those that would seem as if they would be of special help.
aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 7 guests