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RESPITE MARKETPLACE - NOON
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Narrator: During the festival, the duo of Enver and Teis got the idea to retell the story of Nesseth and Xochi's heroics at Yzzayt's Prominence. Their preparation was barely a week long, in order to capitalize on the festivities, and they would need a couple of extras to fill for Xochi and Xeilzrus' parts - Enver, of course, playing Nesseth. Still, with Enver's instruction and talent, it was no problem to be ready in time.
Teis: Rehearsals take place mostly at Enver's old spot by the waterfall, mostly Teis wanting to avoid further conflict with her sister by inviting others into the Estate's walls for a reason other than business. When it's time, the group gathers at the open square of the market and set up. The three performers, Enver taking the lead, front and center, with Teis off to the side providing magical special effects. The retelling is dramatic and visual, from storming the Prominence's amphitheatre shrouded in darkness lit by fire, to Nyzai's terrifying electrical appearance crackling thunder and lightning. Nesseth's 6 bullets downing the phantasms are accounted for. While obviously up-played for the sake of the performance, the story is still grounded in the truth. . .Until their pursuit deeper into the mountain. Details of what actually happened between Nesseth, Xochi and Xeilzrus in Yzzayt's chamber, known only truly by Nesseth, have their glaring gaps fabricated and made up. But it's all part of the show. Xochi makes a dramatic sacrifice to damage one of Xeilzrus' wings to pull him from the air, at the cost of her own consciousness. Once grounded, Nesseth uses his sword to engage in a fierce duel with Xeilzrus, whom, in this re-telling, proves to be very capable with close-range lightning magic, wielding it like a dancing whip. Nesseth is badly injured by the lightning, but powers through it and after a tense pause, when things look grim for the hero, he runs Xeilzrus through with his sword. The crowd erupts into cheers. Enver and his two crew take a bow and are overwhelmed by the crowd, mostly the children of Respite. They're quite busy with them. Meanwhile, still off to the side, exhausted from having to upkeep so much magic (even if it was just for show), Teis smiles at her lover. She's fine not getting the attention, taking the time to sit, relax, and get her breath back. She'd gone through a couple of mana crystals for this.
Ninell was in the marketplace when the play started up, and he, like numerous others in the marketplace at the time, stopped to watch the performance. Though he still sticks out like a sore thumb to anyone that's not seen him before, he's at least become a relatively common sight in the marketplace such that most don't do more than just glance towards him with open curiosity before going back about their business. He watches the play with interest, knowing at least to a degree that the Saurs had a part in the events leading up to the storms arriving on Eukune. Though he's relatively certain the story is being fudged to be more exciting, he can't help but be impressed at how complete the story's fabrications seem considering how recently everything has happened, according to the folks he's spoken to before now.
Ninell sighs and stands up straight again as the play comes to an end, and the cheering children swarm Enver and his fellow performers. He wants to ask about the information they learned in order to conduct the play, but there's no way he's getting through the mass of kids milling about, as well as their parents as they try to give the mongoose some breathing space. Instead, he looks over at the feline sitting nearby, the one that was busy with all of the visual effects, and decides that she must know the information as well to have assisted with the performance. He makes his way over to her, noting that she seems tired from all the magic she'd cast. "Ah... excuse me. Might I occupy a moment of your time?"
Teis' ears flick. Her head tilts to face Ninell. "Hm?" She voices. A fan, for her? How unexpected! "Oh! Uh, um. Yeah, sure!" Teis fidgets with her pants, dusting them off for no reason other than to shed nervous energy. She stands, hilariously tiny in respect to Ninell. "You enjoy the show?"
Ninell nods at the question. "It was a very, very interesting story that you and your fellow performers told. War, especially in the sort of battle being told by your play, is a time of great tragedy, but also great heroism." He looks over to the side for a moment, then takes a seat on a low wall lining the edge of the marketplace, "The, ah... 'visuals', I believe the word is... were most impressive, and matched the gravity of the story well."
Teis: "Yeah. Enver's really good at this." Teis nods and smiles, before being taken off-guard by the praise. She chuckles nervously, turning away and raising a paw to scratch behind her ear briefly. She returns to facing Ninell, "Um, thank you. Really though, without Enver's direction. . ."
Ninell nods again, looking towards Enver and the other performers, still surrounded by a mass of children and parents. "Yes... performances are never one-person shows." He sighs a bit as he looks back at Teis, "From the production to the performance, to the visuals, to the story being told, many people must work together for it to be a good performance."
Teis: "I'm, uh. I'm glad you enjoyed it." Teis sheepishly smiles, a mix of her own warmth at both the continued praise and her nervousness. Teis gets the vague feeling that Ninell wants to keep talking, which only makes her more anxious. How does Enver deal with fans politely? Help!
Ninell hums, then his demeanor seems to shift a little, and his tone gets a little more business-like. "Indeed. Now, if I am not imposing too much, I would like to know... This performance obviously has grounding in truth, which means you know the original information." He shifts a little in his seat, "This information is something I need to learn, as it pertains to some matters of importance in my homeland. Would you be willing to share it with me?"
Teis reads Ninell's shift, then begins to process that as he speaks. Teis blinks, then blinks again. Oh, of course. He's not here to praise you, you idiot. Her smile remains, though it quickly loses it's enthusiasm, replaced by a hollow emptiness and a pit in her stomach. "Oh. Uh. . .Sure. Really though, it's all just what the guards said happened."
Ninell eases on his tone a little, realizing he might be pushing a bit too hard on the business side of things in the current moment. "This is true, but then, most of the guards are also rotating vacations, so my efforts there have been... perhaps a bit slower than I would like. It may just be anecdotal, but I would like to hear it nonetheless."
Teis nods. "Well. . .Is there anything specific about the performance you want clarified. . .?" She questions. "Or. . .Did you want to hear the full thing? Did you arrive in Respite after it all happened?"
Ninell: "If possible, I would like to at least hear the generalities in a little more detail. I have only been in town for a week, roughly speaking, so much of what has transpired is unknown to me."
Teis: "You're probably better off going straight to the source for that. . .Enver and I weren't really a part of what happened. But. . .I can try?" Teis offers, sitting down again. "We don't really know what happened at the end. Only Nesseth and Xochi really know, and we haven't wanted to bother them. So we kind of just made that up. But. . .Whatever happened, it's what woke. . .Well." Teis hesitates. "It. . .Up."
Ninell hums thoughtfully at that. "Mmh... so the dragon was indeed awoken by the events from this war? I see. I do not necessarily need the details, so much as just confirmation that whatever happened caused the awakening." He tilts his head curiously at Teis, "Do you know which direction to go from here to get to where the dragon first awoke? This... 'Prominence'?"
Teis nods in response to Yzzayt's awakening. "We. . .Left it out of the story. Lot of the townsfolk are still shaken up about it." She pauses. "Somewhere off to the south west. . .I don't know exactly where though, sorry. You could ask some of the Saurs that have set up outside the walls, that's where they came from. But. . .Apparently, when the dragon woke up it destroyed their entire home. The Prominence. So. . .Yeah. They're not feeling too good about it either. Alternatively you could ask Nesseth and Xochi about it. I also heard Dorri up at the observatory is the one who initially found it, so. . .You could ask her."
Ninell frowns just a touch at the mention of the Prominence being destroyed, but just mentally files the detail away. "Mmh... unfortunate, but there must still be something remaining at the site." He rubs his chin, thinking, "...Nesseth, Xochi, and Dorri... as well as the Saurs settled just outside of the walls... I see. I will need to try and see what I can learn while I am still in town..."
Teis: "I don't actually know where any of them live, and the Observatory is a few days trip up the mountain, assuming Dorri is still up there. Sorry I can't really help you any further than that."
Ninell shakes his head a bit and smiles. "It is no trouble at all, miss. Thank you. I merely required a direction to take my search, and you provided it."
Teis: "You're. . .Uh, you're welcome." Teis smiles more genuinely.
Ninell looks over at Enver and the other performers, who are starting to slowly make their way out of a thinning group of children and parents, then chuckles a bit at the sight. After a few quiet seconds, he looks back at Teis. "Completely unrelated to the previous questions... I must ask: Are you and your fellow performers a professional troupe?"
Teis shakes her head. "No. Enver mostly does it for fun." Teis omits the detail that he also does it for a bit of coin. "The other two are just a couple of friends of his, otherwise he normally does this kind of stuff alone."
Ninell seems a bit surprised. "Really? The quality of that production would have told me otherwise. You all could potentially become wonderful performers if that is what you all consider 'for fun'." He chuckles a bit and stands up again, taking a moment to stretch a little, "Though... regardless, I should be on my way and stop taking up your time, miss. Thank you for the information."
Teis: "You're welcome, mister!" Teis energetically replies. "It was nice meeting you!" She waves.
Ninell dips into a courteous bow, but the smile on his face shows it's more just a habit. "It was a pleasure meeting you as well, miss. If we happen to meet again, my name is Ninell. Thank you for such an enjoyable performance today."
Teis bows back to Ninell instinctually, hesitating for a moment as she catches herself but following through with it anyway. "I'm Teis! And again, I'm glad you enjoyed it!" She seems much happier now. As Ninell leaves, Teis thinks to herself out loud, "Performers. . .Huh." She hums.
Ninell takes his leave, letting the feline get back to her rest after the play. He starts making his way back to the Minnow, more information in his head that he needs to jot down before he forgets. A fruitful day, at least, and one guided by mere happenstance. If only all days could be so productive regarding his investigation...
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THE THIRSTY MINNOW - EVENING
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Bracvar settles on his sawn-log seat at a table, alone for now with legs splayed out in all directions, a towering tankard of ale in front of him. He groans as all the stiffness is relieved off his legs, shaking his head slightly. A rather disappointing day, finding that the lot of trinkets he'd brought to sell move slower and invite more haggling than fish, as usual. He's already made a vow to make contact with Jennica to see what she's figured out about his poor generator. The crustacean takes a few minutes just to enjoy the first sips of ale before he starts to look around at the other patrons.
Ninell comes striding down from his room upstairs, having been correlating some information he'd managed to gather on his own from around town. Due to Aelia and Phoebe's switch, he figured he's kind of on his own at the moment, but that's only been a slight setback thus far. He's currently out of armor, but looking no less out of place with his normal clothing and general appearance as he makes his way over to the counter to get himself something to eat.
Xochi is finishing up a meager meal of soup and bread, the length of her tail coiled up beneath the table, her wings resting along her back. She's wearing a simple tan cloth covering her chest to the waist. She looks a little exhausted, having finally been talked into taking a break from her efforts at aiding the Saur by Kira, resulting in her return into town for a meal, and then rest back at home.
Bracvar finds his eyes drawn to Xochi's plumage, squinting his eye at her for a few moments as he tries to place her face. "Hmm... Oh say, yeh don't happen to have a relative helpin' that lass, Sammi out with some... Chores of a sort, are yeh?"
Xochi turns to smile at Bracvar, dipping her head, "I have no relatives, Bracvar of the Sea. Let us just say that the journey out west was... eventful, yes? But I am still Xochi."
Ninell takes his seat at the counter, his long tail curling about so as to not accidentally trip up anyone. He places an order for a rather meat-heavy stew, and a hearty drink to go with it, then lightly leans against the counter top as he looks about, seeing if there might be anyone he could ply for more information on top of what he'd gotten from Teis.
Bracvar tilts his head, the corner of his visible eye crinkling as he grins under his tendril beard. "Oh! Yer ah... Far fore feath'ry than I recall. A 'gift' of sorts from Sammi? We, 'long as yer happy!"
Xochi chuckles sadly, "Ah, this is as I was born. The ritual that Sammi and I were constructing... Hmm." She pauses. "I shall have to speak with her about it again. Happiness and regret were at the center of that as well... I have had the pieces of that ritual for some time now, but then... the attacks, and the journey out to Yzzayt's Prominence, and now the Saur refugees... ah, well, Sammi's proposal rather slipped my mind."
Bracvar stares at her for a few moments, nodding. "Ah. Brave lass, yeh are, but s'pose it's been a few decades, in any case. I had heard yeh were up that way. Quite the mess you lot managed t'make up that way, if the scaly birds are t'be believed. Quite the mess Yzzayt himself made, as well. How much of that play's made up by the clever otter, by the by? Jus' between us?"
Ninell tilts his head as his eyes alight upon a winged serpent and a crab chatting nearby. He catches a bit of their conversation, just in time to hear mention of the Prominence that Teis told him about. He adjusts himself and listens in a bit closer, just to see if they're talking about anything relevant to his interests.
Xochi smiles slightly, "I cannot say entirely. My own role was rather minimal. I journeyed out west to offer peace, but the Whisperer would have none of it. He was a monstrous individual... a summoner of the dead. When he attempted to slay me, Nesseth pushed me aside, and I was knocked mostly unconcious."
Bracvar hums, nodding. "Aye, s;what that performance showed, fer the most part. Certainly had an air to him, that Whisperin' fellow. Necromancy you say, though? That is some serious magic, you'd usually hear a group doin' such a dark deed." His eye flicks to Ninell, looking past Xochi as he takes note that there are others interested in their conversation.
Ninell meets Bracvar's look and simply nods in greeting. Figuring he has no reason to really conceal anything, he glances over at the cook working on his order, then gets up and moves towards the table. "Ah... are you two talking about the Prominence, perhaps? Would you two mind if I joined you at your table for a short bit?"
Xochi tilts her head towards the stranger, then motions for him to join, "Please, feel free. I am Xochi. My friend Bracvar was simply asking me about my experiences out west..." She sighs, turning back to Bracvar. "The Whisperer... he was certainly the cause of all this madness and death. He seemed not to care for his followers, only the power they could bring him... in life, and in death. He covered himself in opulance, a staff studded in diamonds that he used to focus his magic... all the diamonds he had forced the captive folk of Respite to mine... I mourn that it ended in death, but I do not see what other choice we had in the end. I am simply sorry it turned to such catastrophe."
Bracvar grins under his beard, leaning back a bit and nodding. He's at his own table, but drags his leg out of the way so Ninell doesn't trip on it. He turns back to nod to Xochi as she relays her experience. "So then that foolish saur demanded a cataclysm from Yzzayt?" His face twitched at the mention of diamonds, but he manages to stay on topic.
Ninell tilts his head curiously at Xochi. "So... you are Xochi? I heard of your name and presence at the Prominence from another around town earlier in the day. I am... currently gathering information for an incident currently happening in my homeland that I have reason to believe relates to the location."
Xochi nods slowly at Bracvar, but turns her curiosity to Ninell. "Some incident tied to the Prominence that has impacted your homeland...? I am almost afraid to ask..." She points to Bracvar, "You heard him. The 'cataclysm' from Yzzayt. Did this dragon continue its assault beyond Aephix?"
Bracvar also looks to Ninell, humming. "Shame, so yer lookin fer clues to stop it?"
Ninell shakes his head a bit at that as he looks between Bracvar and Xochi. "No direct attacks, but the storms wrought by this dragon are causing more than enough issues as is. Despite conditions being conducive to water flow, the land is not meant to handle torrential rainfall. If I can find the origins, then perhaps we may drive the dragon off, or else force it back to its slumber."
Xochi: "Then you may have your answer... Yzzayt, the dragon, slept beneath the Prominence of the Saur. Only Nesseth saw that in the end, but I trust his word. At the Whisperer's final breath, he did something to wake Yzzayt. For what purpose, I cannot say. To the Saur, it was their god..." She sighs deeply. "The refugees who came to Respite are still struggling with this. In their faith, he was their defender, their guide. In the end, he destroyed their way of life. They are quite shaken by it."
Bracvar chuckles, nodding. "That's makin' fer a good adventure in itself, friend." He looks to Xochi, "They're a hardy lot, most of 'em will manage to pull together after all that, with the help of Respite behind 'em."
Xochi nods sadly, "I am doing my best to aid them, as are others."
Ninell hums quietly. "I would offer my assistance, but I am afraid my concerns lie elsewhere at the moment. However, it would seem these Saurs are already being well taken care of." He tilts his head curiously, "Xochi, as you were a part of all of this, would you be able tell me which direction the Prominence is? All I have to go by at the moment is 'southwest', which... is not much, considering the breadth of the continent."
Bracvar blurts out, considering his mind has wandered a bit. "West, a bit South. 'Bout a week or so walkin' from here. Not too hard t'find, when yeh know where yer lookin'."
Xochi chuckles, "Southwest is a very good start, but not quite enough, no. You would need to go..." She pauses as Bracvar recites the directions, raising an eyebrow at the crab. "...yes. That would be correct. Have you been there, Bracvar?"
Bracvar looks up from his ale, between Xochi and Ninell. "Ah... Aye. A few times, actually, coming from there t'here." He chuckles, shrugging. "A long while back, before I could trade fish in Respite. Still, pretty good mind fer routes an' such."
Ninell looks over at Bracvar. "You know the way to the Prominence? Hmm..." He thinks for a moment, then nods at Bracvar, "Might I be able to persuade you to function as a guide, then? The land is unfamiliar to me still, and time is still of the essence. The less searching I must do, the better off I will be, I think."
Bracvar sits upright, patting his beard as he considers Ninell for a few moments. "Wouldn' be a cheap journey, an' best if we can get another pair of eyes teh watch our backs, since we'd only have three between us. Still, my wares aren't selling well, so could do, fer a fee."
Xochi rises from the table, uncoiling herself to head out with a bow, "I shall leave you two to such negotiations... I am rather exhausted of late, and made a promise to get some rest. If you need anything more from me, friend, you can try my home," She quickly gives Ninell some directions, "Else I may be within the Saur's camp outside the wall. I wish you good luck in your search, and a good evening to you as well, Bracvar."
Ninell dips his head in a courteous, seated bow as Xochi goes to take her leave. "My thanks for your assistance, Xochi. Your information has proven most helpful." He looks towards Bracvar after a few moments, smiling just a touch, "Of course. I have the coin to pay for such things. Just note that I reserve my right to haggle if the price feels excessive."
Bracvar draws his legs in, standing at his table and giving Xochi a courteous bow. "Aye, g'night miss Xochi! Take care of yerself!" He settles back onto his stump-carved seat, nodding to Ninell. "Sure, that's only fair I s'pose. We can discuss fees 'n conditions if yeh want. All this chatter 'round the Prominence has made me plenty curious, too."
Xochi pays the Barkeep for her meal and heads home for the night.
Ninell nods a bit as he turns to better face the crab. "Certainly. Do not worry about hiring too many guards, as I am quite capable in a fight. I may not be dressed as such at the moment, but when we set out, you can rest assured I will provide some protection."
Bracvar hums, giving a glance over Ninell, nodding. "Aye, look pretty well lithe there, lad. Still feel better with one more, if'n you don't mind. Not too keen on a fight meself. Would also be good t'make yer acquaintance. As Xochi mentioned, I am Bracvar of the sea."
Ninell dips his head at Bracvar, both at the mention of needing another to help defend the group as well as his introduction. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Bracvar. I am Ninell, of Eukune, a continent a ways to the southeast of Aephix."
Bracvar hums at that, nodding. "We'll see what we c'n find fer yeh, Ninell. Ain't going to make any guarantees we find anythin' really useful fer the quest."
Ninell shrugs a bit. "It matters not, really. It would sit far, far worse if I did not even attempt to follow through on this lead." He settles into a conversation with Bracvar, moving over to the crab's table as they begin discussions on fees and similar topics.