aterat | Pulse 001

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Speaking Crystal

[Mid-morning, a familiar voice rings out over the crystals.]

Good morning, everyone! We trust you've settled in well! We'd like to meet you all formally and invite you to join us in the fountain square this afternoon! We look forward to seeing you there!

Who; The Aspects (Halcyn & Athony) and YOU!
What; The Aspects welcome their new summons to Aterat
Where; The Fountain Square
When; Thursday; Mid-day
Warnings; None I can think of. Will update if necessary

The Fountain square remains unchanged from your arrival, the multiple tiers containing archways all dim save for the one from which Halcyn and her counterpart, Athony, step at the appointed time. Around the fountain, though, have gathered artisans, performers, and salesman as well as recruiters. People are looking for clerks, delivery persons, and people to run small tasks for them. There are leatherworkers interested in hiring intrepid individuals to acquire more exotic skins for their trade and various other ways to earn coin.

And then there is a larger stall built into the back of a large covered wagon pulled by two oxen. It's set off a little ways from the others, either to set itself apart from the vulgus or simply to afford it room. Two people dressed smartly stand a bit apart from it and will encourage any passersby to come speak with the clerk behind the desk. Emblazoned across the side in intricate gold leaf are the letters "MGB" and the callers will inform anyone inquiring they are representatives of the Merchant's Guild Bank, and that they are willing to negotiate investment in any business ventures newcomers may be interested in...for a modest cut, of course. They assure the contract is thoroughly negotiable and urge you to speak with the broker in the carriage.

All business dealings cease when the portal on the highest level of the fountain activates and Halcyn and Athony step through. She is tall, lithe, with flowing red hair and an aura of goodness and life that overrides any attempts to read her mind. He has a darker aura, clad in deep gray armor with a gem-encrusted sword at his hip and a formidable shield strapped to his back. The murk around his mind is just as difficult to pierce, and anyone sensative to the flow of time would sense these two seem to exist as though apart from it.

They descend the dias to stand at ground level, equal to the gathered crowd, but when Halcyn speaks, her soft melodious voice carries as though its amplified, though there seems to be no source of amplification save for a subtle vibration of magic those sensative to it may sense.

"I'm so glad you all came!" She claps her hands together, clasping them before her before spreading her arms wide. "We have so much work to do, as I've told you all already. We have been tasked with the reconstruction of this world, and we simply can't without all of you. The reason why is complicated, but I can assure you we require nothing of any of you that you are not capable of." She motions around at the square and all those gathered here.

"The people of Aterat are eager to welcome you as well, but Athony and myself will remain around should you wish to speak more privatly. Again, thank you all for coming!"

With that, the gathering dispurses into it's former form, though the Aspects remain should anyone wish to speak with them.

Feel free to post top levels to meet and greet your fellow arrivals and to explore the offerings of this strange new city.

Throughout the city, not only today, but at random times, a new rhyme seems to have been picked up by the children at play, skipping rope or playing hopscotch, or dancing in a strange circle. There's a haunting quality to it, but maybe that's only because no one's taken notice of its existence before:

Traveler, traveler, what do you seek?
Riches and fame make oaken souls weap.

Traveler, traveler, watch where you're led.
One turn left, three turns right will take you to bed.

Traveler, traveler, try not to get lost.
The dwellers in the mirk may well be the cost.

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Throughout the gathering, Halcyn moves through the crowd with practiced ease, stopping to hold light conversation with locals and smiling warmly in welcome to any newcomers who approach her, turning to give them her full attention.

(OOC: If you would like an interaction with Halcyn, please respond to this thread as it's being tracked and I'll be more likely to see the notification here.)

Once given leave from standing guard at Halcyn's side, Athony moves to a strategic position near the entrance to the Square. He has a looming and intimidating presence, but he does turn to anyone who approaches him, giving them his attention, even if he does keep part of it on his warm counterpart.

(OOC: If you would like an interaction with Athony, please respond to this thread as it's being tracked and I'll be more likely to see the notification here.)

If one is curious enough to approach the Merchant's Guild Bank carriage stall, they will find their newest friend, the curious little gnome who gave them their satchels upon their arrival. He grins broadly, full of Customer Service charm.

"Welcome, welcome! What can the Merchant's Guild Bank do for you?"

(OOC: If you would like an interaction with Raimon, please respond to this thread as it's being tracked and I'll be more likely to see the notification here.)

Esther has to admit, she was tempted to ignore this summoning. She didn't want to be around people - she just wanted to stay in 'her' room (God she hated calling it that - it wasn't hers, this wasn't her home, her space).

But...doing that and hiding away would only indulge her emotions. It wouldn't change anything, and she wouldn't learn anything new about the place or the other people in it. And that was what she needed right now; information, knowledge. Anything that might help her find a way back to London.

Was she really hoping to find that down in the square? No, she wasn't stupid. But going was the more rational choice.

While she arrived just as Halcyn had finished addressing the crowd, once there she still did what she could to stay out of the way - Matt probably would've have called it 'skulking', though she shook him from her trail of thought as quickly as he appeared there. He wasn't even here and he was trying to be funny.

Typical.

She is definitely skulking. Nida knows, he's a good judge of skulkers. Has done it himself. And it's an activity that makes her a touch more obvious to Nida. Obvious enough for him to watch the woman move around and smile.

"Having fun?" the man greets her.

She doesn't recognise Nida at first, though even if she did, her expression likely wouldn't soften much.

"No, not particularly." And, after a pause, she speaks again as she looks forward again out at the people coming and going; "...I think we spoke before, through the uh...the crystal."

Now there's something she'll never get used to saying.

Her voice, yes, he knows it immediately, and his fingers brush over the red-crystal bracelet he wore. The way they had spoken.

"Ah yes, the one that I got unfortunately fatalistic with."

There was nothing about this that Illyana trusted. Perhaps it was just a reflection of her own personal experiences with other dimensional kidnapping. Being taken from your family to a hell dimension at the tender age of six would probably leave anyone less than trusting of a repeat situation. Still, she came to the fountain square to hear what would be said. All in all it was certainly a bit lackluster. A pointless speech that gave no information. How typical. She let out a heavy sigh and rolled her eyes at the closing comments.

"And I am certain they would tell us so much more in private," she muttered under her breath.

That wasn't to say she wasn't curious as to what they might say if someone actually were to interact with either of them. She was curious, but not quite enough to waste her own time on it. At least not yet. Instead she lingered around where Halcyn and Athony were located and waited to see if anyone else approached them first. If someone else did and she could overhear what was said then she could judge if she wanted to approach them herself. Something told her they would be vague, but one could hope for the chance at more answers.

Beyond lingering and trying to eavesdrop Illyana could be found standing in front of a group of children singing their strange rhyme as they played. She inclined her head as she watched them with her arms folded over her chest.

"I wonder, where did these children learn such an ominous rhyme?"

Syeira listens and waits. It's difficult because she cannot really see Halcyn like she did others. The woman affected the cloth but she wasn't a part of it... a seamstress? Was that even possible? She wished that Mami was here to tell her if such beings existed but the proof was standing in front of her.

Two who stood outside the flow of time.

She approached carefully, the layers of her skirt swirling around her ankles. Syeira was a little embarrassed. When she'd first arrived she had gotten sick after being separated from time and introduced into a new flow. It looked as if they had gotten that cleaned up...

"Excuse me. What-" There were many answers that she could find out herself but some that she could not. "What are you?"

After speaking to Halcyn, Syeira walked over to Athony. She was a little more nervous about talking to the strange dark man but perhaps he could tell her more, either in his answers or in the way he refuses to answer. So far, she has yet to hear him speak.

"Excuse me? Excuse me?" She said it a few times as if the first one hadn't happened or maybe she'd forgotten that she'd already said that.

Syeira's gaze was more unfocused than before, as if she was searching for something that she was blind too. "Are you death?" Wouldn't he be? Death affects the weave of time, is a part of it, but can strike at any moment it wishes. It was a part of time but separate as well. Life and death.

The odd thing about Syeira was that she rarely looked directly at the world or people around her. Her eyes were unfocused but she never had trouble perceiving things around her. In fact, she seemed to have a sense of what was going to happen a few seconds before it happened.

Anyone watching her movements would notice that they were odd. Even if they couldn't pinpoint the brief pause or delay. There was just something strange about her, as if she was slightly out of place.

But that could be normal. Everyone was out of place here.

She was dressed in a collection of bright fabrics: red and orange drape elegantly around her waist with a slit for her leg to peek through with each step, her stomach and lower abdomen were exposed with a light tan top circling her chest, her hair was a bright sun wheat hue and wavy, hanging around her slender shoulders along with a thin dark brown vest that looked as if it was created for style over warmth.

Syeira was eager to learn but it was sometimes difficult for her to begin a conversation. There were times that it looked like she was even talking to herself. "What about dancing? Or performances of some kids. I was my brother's assistant for a long time. I can perform aerial acrobatics or fire dances." Others in the circus could perform Tarot readings but Syeira imagined that she might be able to do that as well. Her powers would certainly help.

Yuna exhaled a huff. "I finally caught up to you." She'd been trying to meet with that curious little gnome man again but she had almost instantly lost sight of him. He moved very fast for someone with such short legs. He reminded Yuna a little bit of Tobli.

"I would like to make an organization called the Gullwings. Are you the person I speak to about that?" Her voice was light and musical but also a little uncertain. Yuna had never done anything like this before and she didn't have a firm business plan.

She also didn't know if she needed a store but she'd like to know how to set up a business. It'd be amazing if they had an airship... even one that didn't work and could just be parked in town.

"Do you think they're talking about us?" Yuna had been passing by both Illyana and the children when she'd heard the song. It was growing in popularity around the city and it was unnerving. Perhaps because it was children who were singing the song.

"It isn't very clear."

It also made it sound like there was something living outside of the city, something dangerous. It was curious and Yuna's curiosity had a way of getting her in trouble.

Uldren wasn't one to give thanks even though the Aspects saved him of certain death - to expect him to be in a good mood would be a mistake. He was surly, crossing his arms across his chest as he stood before Athony. There was a lack of reverence that likely should have existed, and perhaps a foolish lack of even a little bit of healthy fear.

"There is a lot of 'we' being thrown around, but it comes down to you both need us and not the other way around. So what is it that I and the others get from all of this?"

Aragibal had listened to her closely as she addressed them all. He may not admit it aloud, but he was interested in seeing what they wished for them to do and he was looking forward to helping the people here. He had heard that there was a guild here to help start businesses and he thought he might open a restaurant - his sister and friends always said he had the skill, but it was hard to do with two kids and being on call for the saviors of worlds.

"Excuse me, Halcyn?" He hoped he pronounced her name correctly. He'd had issues with names in the past. "I'm glad I have a chance to speak with you. I wanted to thank you and Athony for going out of your way to giving us all such lovely accommodations and for doing your best to make us feel welcome. I have no doubt that you both have thought quite long about how to make our stay most comfortable." This likely would have come off as rather fake if it were anyone else, but Aragibal was being absolutely genuine.

"I do not mean to sound ungrateful, and I genuinely do want to help you and Athony rebuild Aterat and I look forward to doing so, but I must ask: will I eventually be able to return home again?" It's clear that he left something important back at home and he needs a little reassurance before he can be at peace with being here.

Aragibal gave Raimon a bow just as he did Halcyn - customary for the Domans, then kneeled before Raimon so that they were on a more equal height. He had an apologetic smile.

"Forgive me, I know that many find it rude for me to kneel for a conversation like this, but I have found it helps save both of our necks the trouble." His smile grew more confident. "I have interest in starting a restaurant. Less of a tavern or cafe, more of a sit down kind of place. I was wondering what might be the best place for a restaurant, and what all I need to do in order to open one?"

In truth, the harbor district was a bit more rough than what he was hoping for his own place, but the noble district seemed a bit... Derelict. He was hoping to find out the best way to approach this, and if deals had to be made right now or if Raimon's offers were standing and could be negotiated at a later date.

The woman smiles in response as she turns. From her expression, it's clear she's unsurprised by the question.

"I am an Aspect. Simply, I believe most realities would call me a god." She glances briefly toward Athony before looking back to her. "We're both charged with different things, and we've been granted the power to see it done."

He dour man sighs as he turns to her, crossing his arms as he diverts his attention. He doesn't seem surprised at her question, or that its repeated, but he shakes his head.

"No. Death is an event, not a man."

The gnome grins at her approach, beaconing her to come closer.

"I would be, yes. Please, please, come closer. What is it you need from Raimon?"

"Well. I don't know how businesses work here but I'd like to establish a group called the Gullwings. They'll do all sorts of odd jobs, from exploring the city to protecting it as well as people for hire who can look into strange anomalies." She didn't really know if this was normal or not.

It wasn't like she needed a practical job in Spira. She was the High Summer.

"Yes, but I was told you were an aspect and I wonder... what is it that you represent. To you and to others? You are shrouded in darkness. The balance to the light. It's just as important but the scales can tip..."

She stops and looks nervous. "I want to hear from you. What is it that you are."

"Then you are a god but remain separate. What of your weave? That is... your time. If it is eternal then it'd be endless."

The thought sends a little shiver down Syeira's spine. She doesn't want to imagine what it's like looking at a tapestry like that.

Athony, to his credit, doesn't look offended at the tone. It's almost as though he's heard it before. There's also something about the set of his jaw and his blank expression that suggests he deals with this sort of insolence regularly.

"Are you so certain of that?"

The Aspect smiles at his address, amused and charmed by his earnestness, though there's a note of sadness in her eyes when he reveals his question to spite maintaining her smile.

"You are most welcome, Aragibal, and I can only assure you we will do our best to see you all returned to your worlds."

"Not at all, not at all, my friend! All are welcome to the Merchant's Guild!" Raimon grins and then strokes his chin thoughtfully.

"The Noble district was once known for places just like this one you speak of, yes? Very popular with the more...sophisticated palette. If you are looking for a loan to off-set the cost of starting something up, I'm sure that can be arranged."

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Pulse 001

Halcyn

Athony

Merchant's Guild Bank - Raimon

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Illyana Rasputina || OTA

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syeira harven || ota

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