Active [Ryken - Ryke] The Call of the Waxing Moonlight - Prelude

[Rev IX]

(Please note down any details worth considering for evaluation on the first post. Things like goals, boosters, and so on)

El-Melloi Estate, Ryken

Aureus Albion
​

It was an unusually quiet morning in the manor. Aureus had grown used to it by now. The rest of Magno Sapiente Victori that lived here were busy doing something or the other somewhere else. He wasn't one to pry, which combined the fact he didn't want to be unwelcome company, resulted in him not knowing anything of their location or task at hand. That said, he somewhat enjoyed the solitude. Seeing as he didn't feel crushed by his own awkwardness during the day, enabling him to sleep at night.

Taking the few clues Adelhein gave him about the Greystone papers, the young elf dedicated himself to figure out the details of whatever ritual these old pages described. Then again, he had been at it for a couple of days now. But some details still eluded him. It began to frustrate him already. To the point he decided to take his research outside.

Taking what books and papers he deemed worth another read and packing them in a leather bag, he ventured to the exit. On his way out, one of the faceless maids saw him off. Helping him with the door and closing it secure.

Once he was out of the walls, he turned to make sure it was properly closed. And as he turned, tragedy struck. He lost balance while stepping on a malicious pebble, falling flat on his back and one of the books slipped out of the pack. A Sylvan-Common dictionary.

Elvario

 

[Elvario]

OOC Information:
Narrative Goal: Find a magic tutor/teacher.
Active Point Boosters: N/A
Title/Asset Goals: [Magno Sapient Victori] related title.
Wanted/Criminal Titles: N/A
Special Skills: N/A
Notable Titles: Gnome
Notable Skills: Companion [Asuka], Companion [Tahmuras], Element [Light] Affinity, Element [Nature] Affinity
Using Downtime?: Yes (see sheet for most up to date Downtime Activity).
Character Sheet: Amice Bellamy

Amice Bellamy

Spoiler: full image

Languages: Common | {Sylvan}
Mentions: Rev IX

The past events had come to a very clear conclusion. She needed a magic tutor so that she'd not let her magic go wild and run rampant again. Thankfully, Aqua had returned her letter with a reply that gave her a map to some sort of mansion where she could go learn lessons.

…

…

A long trip later, she'd made it there. She'd not been to Ryken all that often. Especially not this place. She walked into the gardens and immediately felt intimidated. “{It's... sooo big.}” She mumbled. “{One... two... three... four...}” Four windows tall. “{One two.... three... four five six... seven... eight, nine... ten... elven... twelve... thirteen?}” About thirteen windows wide. She was glad she could even count that far. “{Four and... 13... four and ten...}” She tried going maths, but gave up.

A many-windows big house it was.

As she slowly approached the big and imposing house, she saw someone get out. Resisting the instinct to immediately hide, she'd instead...watch him fall? Thankfully, she spotted his pointed ears, which made him a little easier to approach. “{Eh... mister? Are you alright, mister?}”

 

[Rev IX]

Asuka

Tahmuras

Aureus Albion
​

Seeing as the entrance to the garden was promptly opened as Amice, Asuka, and Tahmuras approached it - pretty much as they arrived - caused some skepticism to dawn on the latter "Don't you think that was a bit too simple?" the vulpix asked Asuka, seeing as Amice was busy counting.

"Look at where we are. I'm sure the mages who live here can make something of that nature happen." Asuka replied, moving calmly as they headed for the entrance to the manor itself. Glancing knowingly to Tahmuras when someone was on their way out, as if ready to receive them. Asuka was about to greet the elf, but it came a second too late. He was already on his back.

Tahmuras looked at Asuka with amusement, as if telling her this was not as serious as it looked. Until the guards began approaching the four of them. The metal sentinels readying to force the strangers out.

"Guards. Guards! Hold it!" Aureus stammered as he slowly got back to his feet. The masses of metal froze in place, but did not move away, remaining expectant of Aureus' next command. He looked at the odd, yet likely accidental trespassers with a puzzled stare. "You... No one in the manor was expecting visitors..." Purposefully hiding the fact that he was alone in there. "And you're... not from any place close to here..."

Tahmuras seemed ready to fight if needed, his cautious attitude suddenly feeling valid. Standing at the ready in front of the other two.

And while Asuka was also startled, she had a more calm approach to the situation. So she was ready to try to talk things out, but Amice beat her to it.

Aureus took a step back, looking at the red furred fae. And then to their child-like partner. {"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for...-"} The elf froze in shock {"Girl, what language are we talking in?"} While Amice thought of a response, Aureus was already fumbling to pick up the dictionary he dropped {"This here... We are talking in Sylvan, are we not?"} he said as he pointed to Sylvan words in a random page, noticeably excited.

Somehow he hadn't realized he was fluent in Sylvan. It suddenly made a lot of sense why figuring out those lines was so easy...

Asuka announced herself with a respectful, yet firm noise.

Aureus reeled back from the excitement of his discovery. Clearing his throat {"...O-oh. Right..."} he mumbled awkwardly. {"What brings you to the estate?"} Aureus tried to ask with some class to it, and failing at it. He sounded tense, yet very excited.

The guards still stood there, awaiting command.

 

[Elvario]

Amice Bellamy

Spoiler: full image

Languages: Common | {Sylvan}
Mentions: Rev IX

“{Well, Aqua said to come here in her letter, right? Look!}” She'd tell Tahmuras, as she'd show him and Asuka the letter and map that she'd been sent by Aqua. “{This is totally the map place, right?}”

“{Ehh...?!?}” Amice called out when metal things came running at them. Those looked rather dangerous. What he said next was even more confusing. “{Really... but... Aqua said to come here? Isn't this where Aqua is?}” She looked at the map again. Had she had it wrong? Upside down? Mirrored? “{Is this not the...}” She tried reading name in Common “Mango Sappy... Sappiest... Victory?”

“{Okay!}” She was glad he was fine, at least. “{Yes!}” She'd reply, confused as to why he was surprised about speaking Sylvan. “{Aren't you also Fae?}” She asked, pointing at his ears. “{It's a lot easier to talk in Sylvan than in Common.}” She'd add.

“{Aqua told me she could help me learn magic if I'd come to the} Mango Sappiest Victory {which I think is here... or is it not?}” She'd summarise what she'd been saying. That remind her. “{Oh! I'm Amice, Amice Bellamy. I'm sixteen years old. Soon I'll be seventeen years old! I'm a Gnome. I'm from the See. I also need to learn to control my magic! And I'm friends with Aqua! She helped save me from some really mean Goblins that took a finger and a toe, but miss Eirlys healed them back for me.}” She'd try to explain who she was.

 

[Rev IX]

Asuka

Tahmuras

Aureus Albion
​

Asuka gave a look to the map led to this exact place. {"You are right, dear. It is this place"}. The bird looked back at Aureus "Please take a look at this. We really were invited here."

Tahmuras still remained on edge, wary of the golems. Should the clumsy elf decided to deem this as an attack. Asuka moved next to him "Please calm down, Tahmuras. This is all a misunderstanding." To which the vulpix would answer back with a dismissive "I will when the golems step back."

Aureus had a quick and very much visible surprised reaction to the name. {"Aqua, you say?"} Puzzled, he looked at the letter the visitors held. Or at least he tried, but Tahmuras gave him a deadly glare the moment he stepped forward. "Ah! Sorry." the elf looked at the guards and dismissed them with "It's okay. They are authorized visitors. You may leave." The golems immediately took a more passive stance before turning around and resuming their usual guard routes.

It would seem the tiny fae did know Aqua. She even knew of their mage group, even if she had difficulties with the name. {"May I have a look at the letter?"} He asked, just to be safe. In the meantime, he glanced at the more animalistic faes. Tahmuras still appeared wary, but no longer aggressive. While Asuka seemed rather relieved things settled with such ease {"The map does lead to this location"}. Aureus nodded. At this point, he just wanted a full confirmation. If the letter had Aqua's handwriting, that would be the end of it.

The elf then knelt in front of the gnome, trying something more comfortable for both of their necks. {"That's my fault. I have..."} it was clear he was talking with a child, so "amnesia" might be a bit rough for her. {"Memory problems"}.

Aureus continued to listen intently. Things certainly fit well. {"Yes, this is where Magno Sapiente Victori gathers"}. Never heard the story from Aqua, but the innocent tone of Amice's words made him question his doubts.

For now, he reached a conclusion. "{I was going to... do some reading on the park. Come with me. We can talk peacefully there. I'm sure you have questions, don't you, Amice?"} Odd, it was surprisingly easy to talk with the child. For now, he set that aside and escorted the trio out, closed the gates behind him, and began to walk. {"This way"}

Braulio Park

A short walk through the central area of Ryken led them to a gated green area. A large one. Vivid trees, neatly trimmed bushes, colorful flower patches. The beauty of a forest breathing within Ryken. Aureus walked through the open gates, looking for a nice place for them to sit down in. The group passed by kids running around, an inspired music playing a melodic tune, a group of friends joyfully swimming in a pond. Aureus paid no mind to any of it. If anything, he avoided it all.

After a couple of minutes, a tree with nice shade and some roots perfect for sitting appeared. And Aureus did exactly that. Taking a breath of the fresh air, he turned to Amice as he pulled some books off his bag. The elf decided to ask something to Amice first {"Learning magic, you said? I'm sure we can work on that... Amice"} he glanced at the other two for an instant {"What about your friends?"} he asked her first off of mere curiosity. Regardless of her version of it, he could always ask them after. But he had the impression the two were her parental figures.

 

[Elvario]

Amice Bellamy

Spoiler: full image

Languages: Common | {Sylvan}
Mentions: Rev IX

Amice was pretty glad when Asuka and Tahmuras also tried to reason thing out with Aureus. By the time most tension faded, she'd show him the letter. “{So you know Aqua, mister?}” She was a bit confused. “{Are you her dad?}” That might be it.

“{Memory problems? Oh.}” She replied, not sure what that meant. “{Did you forget Aqua said I'd be coming? Is she here?}” Amice tried to figure out more.

“{What does the... mag..no... sap—piente... victory... mean?}” She asked. Even in Sylvan, it was a weird combination of words. The Elf kept acting weird.

“{Psst... Asuka... Tahmuras... He never said his name, so shouldn't we run? We had to run when strangers tried to lure you somewhere, right? Is he luring us to the park?}” She whispered to her Fae companions. She was ready to jump on Tahmuras' back so they could make a run for it.

It seemed her companions didn't deem it needed just yet, as they ended up following him to the park. She was confused. “{Why is there a weird forest in the middle of the city? And why is this forest so weird?}”

The Elf told her they could learn magic, which was great, but she was more confused then ever. “{Why would we do so here? Where is Aqua? Who are you?}” She really wanted some questions of her own answered, before answering his. She still was looking over her shoulder, wondering where best to run off too, just in case.

 

[Rev IX]

Asuka

Tahmuras

Aureus Albion
​

Aureus was quick to inspect the words in the letter. Sure enough, it was Aqua's. {"I see..."} He said, mostly to himself. But his thoughts quickly dispersed and went back to Amice. {"No, no. She is a fellow student"}. His expression showed that his head was actually somewhere else at the moment, and the answer was almost entirely a reflex.

And yet, the questions continued. Aureus actually focused on the gnome for this one. {"I did not know, really."} Aureus mind tried to find Aqua telling him about these three. Nothing came of it. {"Not right now. She is away doing something else"}. Then came the questions about their group's name. {"I don't know either. My teacher, Adelhein, came up with the name"}. The question actually grew on him, too. He never asked Adelhein about it. Was it something that sounded nice, or did it have an actual meaning?

While Aureus was lost in thought, and Amice turned to her caretakers. Of which Asuka showed a bit of concern {"I don't think so, dear..."} She was still willing to see where this was going, but not much. The elf was indeed... peculiar.

Tahmuras took it with a bit more amusement. {"Heh. Maybe he hit his head too hard when he fell"}.

Much like Amice, both Asuka and Tahmuras remained wary as the fellow fae walked ahead. At least, they were in public now, so he couldn't do any shady business without raising eyebrows. Asuka took it upon her to think of a potential answer, but Aureus seemed to become a bit more attentive to them, addressing the question. "{Nature is pretty, don't you think?"} After a quick pause to emphasize his actual point, he continued {"People here also like nature. But nature can be dangerous. So they made this place to enjoy nature without coming across dangerous beasts or monsters"}.

As Aureus finally settled down, he focused back on Aqua's visitors. All of them looked confused, Amice in particular. Her questions and the inquisitive looks of Asuka and Tahmuras reflected it quite well. Enough to get through to him. {"I..."} he tried reliving the encounter from the start in his head. Did he not say his name? Did he not explain things? Apparently not. {"I'm sorry. I didn't do it on purpose. I was just... You know..."} his voice grew nervous as he faced his embarrassing blunder. {"Distracted."}

Asuka and Tahmuras exchanged looks, one still concerned, and the other still amused. Both stayed silent for now. Aureus looked anything but threatening right now.

Aureus took his glasses and started wiping them with a handkerchief. {"I was on my way here when you showed up. I wanted to study outside"}. Once again, Aqua didn't mention to him where was she going, so he shook his head. {"I don't know. The others left to take care of business somewhere else. It's just me at the moment."} By now, Aureus felt telling them about his lone manor situation was fine. {"As for me..."} The elf put his lenses back on his face with shaky hands. {"I'm Aureus. Aureus Albion. Like Aqua, I also study at that manor"}. He paused to see if he'd have something else worth telling, and not much came to mind. {"I specialize in alchemy. As well as fire and earth elemental manipulation. And right now, I'm investigating about a summoning ritual."}. Asuka glanced at Amice, wondering if that explanation would suffice.

 

[Elvario]

Amice Bellamy

Spoiler: full image

Languages: Common | {Sylvan}
Mentions: Rev IX

“{Oh... Okay!}” She'd reply. Happy that Aqua was at least a familiar name to one of the people here. “{Oh...}” She was rather disappointed to hear that Aqua wasn't there. She'd been looking forwards to seeing Aqua again. Also to show her that she'd gotten her pinky back. “{So you're not a teacher?}” She was a bit surprised that someone looking like a teacher apparently had a teacher. “{That must be someone really old and wise.}” A logical conclusion.

Areus said something weird. “{Why?}” She asked. Why was nature pretty? Wasn't it just what it was? She understood why things like flowers were pretty, but nature itself? That was weird.

“{So... this is like a nature version for really weak and scared people?}” She asked, trying to figure out what this 'park' thing was. She'd say 'for kids', but even as a kid she'd been in nature more dangerous than this.

“{Why?}” She asked him, when he mentioned wanting to study outside. If she wanted to learn, she might as well figure out why that needed to be done outside.

“{Aureus Albion.}” She'd repeat his name back to him, exactly as he'd said it. At least that was a lot easier in Sylvan. “{Alchemy? So you make potions?}” She knew that.

“{I do nature and light magic, I think.}” She would hesitantly reply. She hadn't figured out too much beyond that. However, at the mention of summoning, she was visibly shocked. “{Isn't that how you get really bad things? Like demons?!?}”

She backed up a bit. “{I don't think bringing in demons is a good thing to learn.}”