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THE BOUQUET ESTATE - MORNING
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Narrator: It's been a couple of days since Teis' scrying into Tarbin, and further aggravation of the curse on him. She's done reading into the books she'd been provided by the library, still trying to further research the symbol and it's implications. She's been keeping tabs on Tarbin here and there, though only for a few minutes at a time, mostly preferring her research to help Tarbin rather than companionship. Tarbin would've been cared for by one of the Bouquet's servants. If Tarbin actively didn't want their help, they'd still have to keep up their housekeeping duties, though their interference would be kept to a minimum. Additionally, if allowed, they would have retrieved Tarbin's belongings from The Minnow.
Teis politely knocks on Tarbin's doors to his quarters. "Tarbin? Hello? If you're there, may I come in?" Teis questions.
Tarbin has been mostly idle, though he has been escorted outside around this time every day to sit under the tree and 'look' at the flow of nature around him, being the only light left for him after the curse punished them for scrying into it's workings. He's been reluctant to think about what may happen if they continue, how many other deterrents could it have waiting? Upon hearing the knock, he stands up from the bed, hobbling toward the door. "Good morning, come in. I am sorry for being a burden and needing help going anywhere..."
Teis opens the door, assuming Tarbin doesn't first. She slips herself inside. "Please, Tarbin. You may feel sorry for yourself, though rest assured our staff are fairly compensated for their service." Teis replies, polite and proper in tone. . .But then she drops the tone and continues, "Or at least, that's what Della would say. How are you holding up?" She asks, with concern in her voice.
Tarbin pauses when he hears Teis's voice, leaning a bit against his cane as he stands in the middle of the room. "Oh, miss Teis. I am doing as well as one can, such as I am." His tone is dry, milky eyes staring to Teis's left. His tails flick behind him, bumping into the leg of his borrowed bed. "How are you? Any news to share?"
Teis: "Not as much as you would hope for, I'm sure, though I have at least some progress. I've spoken to the Loremaster, been doing as much reading as I can, got some books on their way on the topic and I've got a couple of people lined up to talk to further on the matter. . ." Teis updates Tarbin. "I need to ask you some questions now, though, to further my investigation, if you have the time?"
Tarbin chuckles for a moment, nodding. "I have very little except for time, Teis. I would be happy to give you any information that might help you." He takes a coupe steps back, letting his tails guide him to the edge of the bed where he sits back down. "What do you need to know?"
Teis: "There's something I saw when I was scrying you. It was an insignia. A green and an orange tail, circling one another, with a sun above them. I was wondering if you knew anything about it?"
Tarbin grimaces, turning his head away a bit. "[Of course, they would be so arrogant.]" He sighs, looking back in Teis's last known general direction. "If it is what I believe you saw, my former kingdom's mage collective banner wore a symbol like that." He swings his tails from the edge of the bed, gesturing toward them. "Two tails, for those born with power."
Teis: "...So they branded you. Magically." Teis scoffs. "Can you tell me more about where you're from, then? The more I know about these mages, the better I'll be able to reverse-engineer this curse. Also, I've been told by a concerned third party that it might be a good idea to ask why they cursed you."
Tarbin lets out a single dry laugh. "Yes, that is correct in a way. Hm." He considers the questions, leaning back a bit as he prepares to answer. "They why is simple, to prevent myself and the others from knowing where we were being sent to, and using our abilities to escape. The curse is protected so we can't be freed before being given to whoever was to take us, they would likely be able to lift the magic without an issue. If they wanted to." He pauses for a moment, not looking terribly pleased about recalling this. "As for home... We've thrived in the forest for centuries, turning clearings into homes and fields... Most of our mages are drawn to the military if their abilities are even remotely offensive... They utilize magic similarly to how you and others do."
Teis: "I mean, I probably wouldn't take the curse off at all, assuming you were being sold as a slave or something. . .Blind slaves can't exactly escape as easily." Teis ahems. "But that is beside the point. I didn't mean 'Why' as in 'Why use the curse' I meant 'Why' as in 'What did you do to them to make them curse you and send you off to lands unknown'?" Teis rephrases her question. "And ah, can you be more specific about what you mean by 'drawn to the military'?"
Tarbin hums, shaking his head. "Our king, as he was, insisted on the idea that mages who could fight would benefit our military better than they could the common folk. I could not fight, but would still be pulled away from growing food for my town to heal returning soldiers." He pauses again, grimacing. "Two decades ago, Magitech landed on our shores, and rapidly began rooting itself in every facet of our lives that it could. Mages who couldn't fight were now charging magitech that would do their tasks more efficiently. Many became exhausted, of course. There was a period where it was not understood that those with magic in, as you put it, a container inside them could not indefinitely fill magitech. They started calling on other mages, even pulling some from their precious military as more and more magitech was bought and built. They eventually called on me." He pauses, looking toward the floor. "Nature did not wish me to do this, I could see it in the flow. I do not contain magic. What would my life be if I were to direct Nature into magitech and never tire? I refused."
Teis: Teis nods, understanding. It'd likely be a pretty miserable life. But then again, Teis can't sit still for three seconds. 'So. . .The curse as a punishment or control measure, I'd imagine?" Teis muses mostly to herself. ". . .But why the ship, then? Do you know where they were sending you?" This probably isn't important to her research, Teis is just curious.
Tarbin shakes his head, giving a half shrug. "Sarn, from all I managed to hear. Simply, they send away those who do not with to help the collective. Has always been a tradition, exile for dissidents rather than execution or imprisonment. The curse is unique to mages. Blind and silence them." He gives her a humorless grin. "Nature can not be completely silenced, I suppose."
Teis: "So there's potentially an entire colony of your people out there. . ." Teis hums to herself. That's definitely something she can monetize then, should she figure out how to break the curse reliably. Not that she wants to necessarily monetize the act of helping people. . .But. . .She has to give Della something profitable to look forward to, and fast. She sighs at her internal dialogue. "Okay. So. The curse. Your own mages put them on you, or are they like. . .Further specialized or specific individuals? Do you know anything of how your people's magic was used?"
Tarbin thinks for a moment, nodding. "There was a pair, their magic was specifically talented toward curses and hexes, though when their abilities aren't used for... well, this... they would be undoing those cast on our soldiers. Their magic is actually very similar to that of a mage here in Respite, a lady I met named Elizabeth. Unfortunately, I think I may have burned that bridge during an argument..."
Teis: "Long shot. But. Do you know if it was always that pair whom cast this? If the magic is specific to only a few individuals, I'll have to be a lot more specific about my research and experimentation. . ." Teis questions. "Much harder to counter magic that is highly specialized." She explains. "As for Elizabeth. . .I'm to meet with her shortly. Should. . .I not bring your name up, then?"
Tarbin shakes his head. "It was Gan that cast the spell on me, he was one of the pair, but there were others less specialized that could weave the same magic, just less efficiently. I do not know how she would feel knowing you are helping me... I would hope she is forgiving enough. I will make up for my words a hundred times over after I am able to see again."
Teis: ". . .I was led to believe that she's. . .Grouchy. And given our type can come with some pretty hefty egos, I'm inclined to take that warning rather seriously. So. . .I guess I'll bring up your name if I feel it necessary to our conversation." Teis explains. "Gan, yes? That's wonderful that you have a name. That might be useful if I have to. . .Ah. . .Study him directly."
Tarbin chuckles, looking toward Teis's voice. His expression softens from when he was recalling home and his exile, though he looks somewhat tired now as well. "I would ask that you do not look for Gan. It would not end well for me to have an outsider asking questions in my name. They would send their hunters, and my exile would become an execution..."
Teis: "Ah. . .No. You misunderstand, I would not bring up your name, nor would I prefer to have direct interactions with him at all. His name is useful primarily for divination purposes. If I can scry him, and he's still active. . .Well, there's much I could learn simply by observing his work. Y'know. Assuming he doesn't. . .Detect that I'm doing so. But I'll need to gather more information about him before I'd be capable of divining him with my current abilities. Divination is annoying enough as it is without there being a literal ocean between me and him." Teis lets out a singular chuckle of amusement. "I know I may be. . .Hyperactive. Perhaps appear to be reckless and even naive. But. . .I know there are bad people in the world, Tarbin. And sadly, I know how to stay out of their sights." Teis sighs.
Tarbin nods, relieved that she would not be so foolish, though he tilts his head a bit at her mention of divination. "Mh... You seem to be one of very many talents! He might feel your eyes on him, yes, though he wouldn't be able to look back. But... Gan is not a bad person. My uncle was a fine example of the collective, never hesitating to lend his hands and skills, and as involved in raising me as my parents were." He smiles at Teis, "I do not know much about how his magic actually works, though. A certain disadvantage to how I weave, teachings were never of much use."
Teis: Teis sheepishly chuckles at the praise. "That's. . .Mostly thanks to the Arcane Academy of Kiroth. The school I went to." Teis uses a half-truth to deflect the praise. "Im sorry. Come again?" Teis blinks in a double-take. "Is Gan your Uncle?" Teis questions.
Tarbin nods, chuckling. "Yes, he is. I do feel bad that he had to lay a curse on me, but I think he did it so that someone else wouldn't recognize that I do not hold magic."
Teis: "That's. . .Actually fantastic news, Tarbin! That means I can use you directly to divine him!" Teis bursts in excitement. "But. . .There's still the issue of the literal ocean between us and him."
Tarbin starts a bit at the excitement, chuckling nervously. "Is that a good idea? Will the curse allow it?"
Teis: "I. . .Hm. I guess I should find out. It's quite possible that the curse involves more components. . .Wouldn't surprise me, now that you mention it. But. . ." Teis hums to herself. "There. . .Might be a way around that. . .But. . ." Teis grows quiet for a moment. ". . .The curse. It only affects traditional spellcasting, yes?" Teis asks.
Tarbin nods, tilting his head a bit. "I suppose so. Like I said, I do not know the details of how it works. I do know it's hurt my connection with Nature, but hasn't stopped me from interacting with the flow."
Teis: "Could you. . .Ah." Teis hums to herself. "How. . .Much would you say it hurts you? Has it stopped you from being able to do things you did previously? If so, can you provide examples?"
Tarbin: "It doesn't hurt. Well, emotionally, perhaps. I can still direct it everywhere but into myself, I used to be able to heal myself, but now it takes great effort, and I have to... trick Nature into it? I mean, I have to consider myself as not myself to... I can't explain it very well."
Teis: Teis skews her lip, deep in thought momentarily. "Ah. . .Tarbin. Look. Admittedly, there's. . .A technique I once read back during school, regarding. . .Well, by those who history has remembered as martyrs." Teis pauses.
Tarbin hesitates, "I do not know 'martar'... What does it mean, and why are they remembered?"
Teis: "Well. . .I guess you're a martyr in a way, for what you did. But, the short version is, they're people who did incredibly selfless things at extreme cost to their own lives. Sometimes even death. Actually, usually death." Teis explains.
Tarbin shakes his head, leaning back. "I am no martyr, my refusal was selfish."
Teis: "It's. . .A more complicated word than my simplification. But, that isn't important. What. . .Is important is that. . .Well. I didn't want to bring it up, actually. Because I didn't want to pressure you into teaching me how to use nature magic before I'd removed your curse. . .But. . ." Teis sighs, evidentially beating around the bush. "Look, there's another option. But you might not like it. There's a way to transfer curses between one another. If you teach me nature magic. . .I could transfer the curse to myself. . .Then work on curing it on myself. Using the power of nature magic to work around the limitations the curse would undoubtedly inflict on my usual magical reserves."
Tarbin blinks, looking to Teis with a bit of wonder. " You would be willing to bear this curse for the knowledge? You would be blind as I was, you wouldn't be able to read any texts after taking on the curse. Are... Are you sure?" He looks straight forward, then to the floor, considering. "If this is the case, I will teach you what I can."
Teis: Teis nods. Not that Tarbin can see it. "You underestimate the lengths I am willing to go to for my magical pursuits. But. This order of events would rely on you having to put a fair amount of trust in me."
Tarbin nods as well, silent for some time. He had made it clear that he has great concern about the idea of just any mage being able to tap into the flow of Nature, but the look he gives Teis's right ear when he turns toward where she was speaking from is finally relaxed. "I trust you. Please, help me, and I will help you."
Teis: "I promise, Tarbin. Though, I will obviously be pursuing both options regardless, both because I will need the knowledge myself should we pursue option B, but also because option A could end up being faster anyway. After all, I don't know this technique. . .I only know of it."
Tarbin nods, smiling. "I understand, I am in your hands, then." He thinks for a few moments, tilting his head. "So, how do you manipulate magic? What do you see when you need to weave a spell?"
Teis: "Ah. . .Metaphorically, or physically?" Teis questions, though shakes her head. "Physically, I emit a soft purple glow. Metaphorically. . .I see the incantations in my mind, I guess. But I suspect that neither of these answers are what you're looking for."
Tarbin sighs, looking about them. "We need to be outside to teach this, I think, because I see very little in here." He turns back to her. "You said you saw it when I moved the flow, how did you?"
Teis: "I use my mana lenses. Highly configurable piece of magitech that converts the various spectrums of mana into visible bands of light. It's a little hard to describe, kinda wish you could look through them yourself. Just know that I know how to use them."
Tarbin hums, nodding. "I see... I think we see the world a little differently. You must understand, Nature's magic, the flow, is everywhere. And I can see it, reach out and touch it. I think you may need to have that vision to have access to the power in Nature." He tilts his head slightly. "Nature does not care for being trapped in magitech, you will need to learn to see the flow without your lenses."
Teis: "Certainly as good a place as any to start, though will we have to start tomorrow, as much as I would like to start right now." Teis sighs. "I actually have a plan for the day, ugh. All of this research, heh."
Tarbin smiles, nodding. "There is no rush, I will have as much time tomorrow as I do today."
Teis: "I suppose so. . .Heh." She smiles back. "Until then, Tarbin." Teis heads for the door.
Tarbin nods, standing back up and preparing to head out himself. "I will speak with you later, then. Have a good day, miss Teis."