Log: Broken Blade: Repaying a Debt
| Date | Title | People | Location |
| May 11, 2015 | Log: Broken Blade: Repaying a Debt | Kyson and Korra | Artificer's hall |
Kyson is seated at one of the small tables in the back. With only three sides and three chairs it's faintly triangular though the points are all rounded to make it easier for people to use it. One of the chairs is pushed out so that Kyson's haversack can rest upon it while he sips on a mug of weak ale. The novice mage flips through a small book while occasionally adding a flick of a graphite point here and there - as though he were
Artifice-- the whole of it just leaves her with an unpleasant feeling, like nails across slate. Still, Korra move with deliberate slowness, examining one strange display after another, pausing at one or two to gaze more intently, moving on when it drops her interes--- "Ah," she manages after a moment's quick start. The magus from the Felwood!
Deliberate steps abandoned for her quick stride, she moves towards Kyson from the other side of the hall, curving back towards the alcove and its quieter domain.
"Master Kyson," she asks, ducking beneath the low frame. "I trust you are better, after our foray into the woods?"
The apprentice glances up from his book where he's diagramming what could be described as a grip or a handle to a saber or a a slashing blade of some kind. "M'lady Korra," he smiles, "...how are you doing?" The simple querry is the near automatic response to seeing someone. Whether they're noble or not, he seems to defer to the former rather than the later as, being from a small village, everyone seems more noble than himself. "Yes," he answers while putting down the charcoal point, "I'm much better. The Lady Godwyn was able to heal me of the wounds to my...body." He doesn't really go into any more detail but it's clear that being that injured - even only for a short while - has taken more than a few sleepless nights from him.
"You're doing...well?" he asks politely.
Korra studies the young man for a moment, eyes considering quietly. "Mostly well," she admits, smiling crookedly. She takes one of the empty seats, settling with a gentle creak of leather and chain. "Bringing you back in less than whole condition did not cross over well." She shakes her head, laughing before she sighs. "So, still fielding small tasks for small coin. But I am not sharing the stable with Breeze, nor foraging the fields outside the city."
Her eyes trace down to the sketch in the book, curiosity sparking. "My apologies Techist; when we met, I had thought you a Magi. Was I incorrect?"
Kyson shakes his head, "No no...you were correct," he pauses in his response to reach for is satchel and digs into its opened end with one hand absently as though he knows where the thing he wants is resting. "I am an apprentice wizard. I simply came here because it's easier to ask the artificers' advice if I want something built. They have a skill which tends to exceed that of the local smiths. The thing that he's attempting to sketch exists in several variations across this page and a few others with the help of a faint breeze fluttering a page or two of his journal. He's just not settled on the design of the knuckle bow it would seem.
"Here," he offers a small, leather-bound book to the woman. "in return for your assistance..." he explains. The book is about the width of a meaty palm across and twice that long. Wooden covers have been carved with a twisted oak leaf pattern swirling into and out of each other with an acorn in its center. The spine of the book is a rich, pine-green leather with a bronze clasp on the foredge - that of a squirell's clawed hand reaching for a smaller acorn post. The tome is about two fingers thick with the edges of the pages dyed in a hypnotic pattern of grass green and straw gold ink.
"It's a record of the local flora and fauna found in Alexandros plus room at the at the end for you to make your own notations."
Korra gazes at the book for a moment, leaning forward to catch and twist the slender volume. Curiosity gains the better of courtesy as she opens theledger, fingers tracing among the pages. Warmth flushes her cheeks as she smiles, nodding with a breath. "Thank you, ser magi," she returns, face aglow as she beams down at the book. "I have not had time to try visiting the libraries at the city's Academy.... or whatever it is they call it now."
She closes the book, fingers playing along the spine in wonderment. "... will have to make space in the bags..." she mumbles to herself, smiling anew. "But thank you. Is it elven?"
As you open the book, a ribbon slides out of the back of the rear cover. The ribbon is two-layers thick, their edges sewn together to form a trio of small pockets. Each one has had a platinum piece neatly tucked into it for safe keeping. The coins, though normally stamped with whatever face or emblem is common within the city has subsequently been engraved with a lucky symbol - at least lucky to a follower of Eluna; a crescent moon.
"I was able to secure it from the Elves, yes." He explains and sits up a bit straighter. "The bookmark is from me," he adds with a sheepish grin. "Can't have you sleeping in the stalls; Breeze will want her space after all."
Korra's smile brightens; she traces the marker before setting it back in firmly between the pages. "What there is of it," she admits. "We are both more than used to bedding down beneath the stars. She will appreciate it." She reaches across the table, squeezing the magi's hand respectfully. "Living in the city is nothing at all like the vast plains," she continues, framing the volume between her fingers, palms resting atop the leather. "It is a mighty gathering of books and skills and knowledges-- and more than a few troubles as well." She huffs, shaking her head. "Seamen are dogs. Do not go near the oceanfront with them nearby."
The rumble of a distant thunder cloud drops like a stone in the relative tranquility of the gray haze of a light rain outside. Kyson's eyes slowly close as though the sound were music to his ears. He's one of -those- people; storm-lovers. He lets his eyes remain closed for a moment until the rumble has passed and another breeze blows in to stir the corners of his journal's pages. "I understand completely. My first teacher warned me about 'city life' but there's really no way that one can imagine this until you've been here." He turns his sea-blue eyes up to the Jade Islander and smiles a bit at something she's mentioned. "Oh yes, I'm -well- aware of the problem the sailers can bring. I've done some work for them on occasion...just have to make sure they don't think you're an easy target."
Korra smirks, eyes twinkling as she leans back in her chair. "And some of them cannot get beyond 'woman' when looking for weakness." She basks for a moment in the cooler air from the rising storms, exhaling in reverence at the swirling breeze. "I miss the open spaces most of all. I am told by... an old friend, taht the plains were much like a great, unmoving sea. Swift winds, scudding clouds-- even the rise and fall of the grasses were like the waves he had seen in his youth."
She stretches her arms behind her, laughing before she leans forward anew. "I am not sure how he managed such wonder. Dwarves prefer the mountains I am told; just as much I should prefer the plains. Perhaps one day I shall see the sea!"
The wizardling nods, "I find the sea oddly relaxing - not sure why though. As far as I can tell, my father's family were never sailors. My mother's family, however, well - that I'm still learning about. The House of Merendil is a trading house out of one of the Myrrish states far to the west." He pauses for a moment and then a question comes to mind. "Wait...where are you from, exactly? Aren't you from the Jade Islands?"
Korra leans back once again, arms crossing behind her head with a devilish twinkle of mischief. "Yes and no," she finally answers, hiding her laughter with an effort. "The people of the Jade Isles are from a farther land, Xiang Sei. My mother was of Xiang Sei proper, though my father took her with him when he returned to his homeland in the Vast. He was Phurai Dae; in looks, I take after my mother."
Wicked mischief melts into warm mirth as she drops her arms, sketching a bow from her waist. "I have never even seen the Jade Islands, though-- perhaps one day."
Kyson inclines his eyebrows as if now things are starting to make sense. "I've never met someone from the Vast before," he grins a little and seems pleased with himself; another check off of his list it would seem. "Well, if things go as I hope - I'll be leaving to travel to Selentia in a few days. Perhaps you would consider joining me as an escort? I have the Lady Godwyn coming as well, but I think that you'd enjoy a trip in an airship. Ever flown before?"
Kyson hrms, "You shouldn't need her I don't think, as we may be returning by Sea...depending on the errands that I have to do while there. My master, you see," he leans forward as if confiding some deep secret to the woman, "...is paying for the trip on the understanding that I handle some delicate negotiations for him. I'm not sure of the details but I didn't really ask. I'm able to go and want to ensure that I'm successful in both his business and mine."
Another rumble of thunder and a soft, cool breeze blows through the hall as the wizardling takes in a long breath - enjoying the 'smell' of the rain on the air. "So, please let me know if you will need any help stabling Breeze while we're gone. If you like, you can bring her to the academy - they'll take good care of her and, since you would sort of be working for Master Cesran, they'll take good care of her."
The young boy stands from the table and reaches for his shoulder bag. "I'm sorry but I have to get going. I'm supposed to meet m'lady Godwyn soon so she can start my 'lessons' in how to use a sword." He smiles almost embarrasedly, "...and I'm certain that you'd rather not see such a thing."
Korra laughs softly, rising with the young man with a nod. "It was said best in the wisdom of Immortal Master Sun," she says, smiling gently. "'Of a thousand leagues or one, the journey begins with the first step'." She reaches to give his arm a squeeze, collecting her own book under arm. "No matter how terrible, keep practicing. You will do better. And if it helps you feel better, you are invivted to watch me attempt horseback archery." She sighs, shaking her head. "*Attempt* horseback archery!"
Kyson nods and pulls a small wooden disk from his satchel and tosses it into the air as he shoulders his pack. Flipping the oblong disk over and over seems to be something of a nervous habit while he says his goodbyes. "Yeah, one of my teachers insisted that I pick up a crossbow and learn to use it - I'm lucky if I can just point the thing in the right direction. A sling though...been using that since I was a kid. Would be kind of an interesting sight to see someone shoot...while riding." He stiffens a bit at some inward thought and shakes his head as the image crawls into his mind and refuses to leave. "Here..." he tosses the disk to the woman and heads towards the door.
Korra catches the disc with a quick measure, glancing down at it with a curious expression. "Not as easy as it seems," she agrees, smiling ruefully. Tucking the disc beneath her belt, she joins the wizard in departure, half a step behind. "Mmmm. Remember to keep your guard up," she adds as an afterthought. "And I'll see you in a few days, fortunes favour!" Waving in turn at the exitway, she casts a quick whisk of her fingers, grimacing briefly before she melts back into the sea of faces outside. Sigh!
The disk is about as wide as your hand, thick with a star emblazoned upon the top. A brass pin is set just on the edge of the disk right above where the star would point to the north. If swiveled, the top cover of the disk slides out of the way to reveal a compass. Unfortunately this compass doesn't point north. As you hold onto it the needle swings widely all over the place for a while and then seems to indicate a direction that is vaguely left-ish. Broken?