2023-05-09: A Meeting of Mild-Mannered Mages
- Log: A Meeting of Mild-Mannered Mages
- Cast: Lily Keil, Hannah Curie
- Where: The Cape of Breath
- Date: May 09, 2023
- Summary: Two mages have a chance meeting on the trail, and each make a calculated risk to reveal something about their magic to the other.
============================<* The Cape of Breath *>============================ Stretching from the edge of the slowly-spreading northern desert, the Cape of Breath is the lush southern region of Meria Boule. Farmland and livestock take up much of the hilly region, dotted with the estates and castles of Merian nobles, often at the height of elevation, but across temperate land to the west great forests begin, still part of the great resources of the Merian nation. In places the badlands of the north find mirrors here, hotter regions with accordingly sparser populations... where people could move. To the farthest south and east are the wide coastlines, each marked with large cities. Only the fortress nature of many estates at the hearts of settlements recalls much of Meria's more warlike history, after the great efforts of the late Queen to ensure peace for all Meria Boule, and the spread of knowledge. Nevertheless, the increasing spread of monsters can make travel without caravan or guards a perilous undertaking indeed. BGM: Wild Arms 2 - Field ~ Wandering
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Hilly plains stretch on into the distance, and the early morning sun begins to illuminate them. It's a good time for hunting--many of the most valuable animals are getting out and about. And the Cape of Breath has many, to be sure. There are farms and livestocks a little more distnt, but this is closer to the western forests, and there is still cover.
Lily Keil is seated off away from the road, obscured by a hilltop as she meditates. There may be, to those who can sense it, a clear sense of sorcerous power in that direction, as Lily focuses her gravitic magic on the stones and dust around her, letting it drift about in all directions.
But that's just a 'feeling', fairly subtle. More relevant is the Dog walking along the road, sniffing at some plants. She is a black-furred canine, of medium to large size, with no particular markings to relieve the black fur. Her ears are up, and her tail is wagging.
She is having a nice day.
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
It is a good time for hunting... which is why there's another soul out and about at this early hour: a relatively young woman trudges down the road from the opposite direction, one who keeps glancing up to the sky every now and again at a bird circling overhead. She has bright green eyes and short pink hair that darkens a bit to red at the tips. A black cloak is drawn tight around her to keep out the morning chill, and any other belongings she may have at the moment are hidden underneath it. There's a slight frown to her face as she stops. She scans the landscape around her. There's something out there...
Meanwhile, a red-tailed hawk that had been circling overhead swoops down to perch neatly on a tree branch. It's looking directly at Dog with a slight cock of its head, and seems to be... watching.
Surely that bird isn't about to try and prey on something several times its size?
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Something is out there, all right.
But before that something is there, Dog peers up to notice the hawk approach. "Woof!" she announces to the hawk, barking in greeting rather than trying to drive it off. Then she lifts up--and starts padding over towards the hill from which the sensation is coming.
The sensation of Magic stops.
"...?" says a woman across the way, and soon, Dog will be met by a woman in black as well--army style clothing, an armored jacket and slacks over a black shirt. She is pale, with long black hair and striking golden eyes, and she happens to be mving up the hill. "What did you see?" she wonders.
Then... Then there is a bird! "Ah," Lily says. "...Pretty bird..."
She considers. "You don't like eating birds," she points out.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
"I'm kidding. I appreciate the warning." She looks around. "...There's probably someone here. But where...?"
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
The hawk regards Dog curiously and answers the 'woof' with a curious 'Skreee?' It watches as Dog trots up over to the hill, and when the magic stops, he takes off into the sky again. This time he's following the dog high overhead, until he sees the other girl. He circles a couple of times, and then takes off in the direction he came from, down the road.
Meanwhile, Hannah frowns as the sensation stops. Well, that could be either good or bad, depending on what the source was. Better safe than sorry, then. Her cloak parts a bit as she brings out her rifle from where it rests. Under the cloak she's wearing a knotted shirt with a cropped denim vest over it, denim shorts, and a sturdy pair of boots. The rifle itself looks almost brand new--it's not, but it's kept in good condition regardless. She starts trudging up the road again as she loads the rifle and disarms the safety.
The hawk swoops down in front of her and lets out a soft scree. The girl seems to nod as if understanding something, and just says, "Show me." The hawk takes off high in the sky again, and Hannah starts making her way towards the woman and her dog.
There's nobody else on the road, so she's pretty easy to spot. The rifle is at the ready, but not actually pointed at anything.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Skree!
Lily looks like she might be in her twenties, but it's hard to say much more than that. She comes to a stop ot he road, and listens for the sounds of another person coming over. Then, she sees where the hawk goes, and as Hannah steps over...
Lily's hand is at her side, but half-open; it's a stance extremely familiar to a mage, one that's roughly equivalent to a loaded gun, with the way potential dances at the edge of her fingertips even without magic actually pressed into them yet. However...
"Hm," Lily vocalizes, and looks over the girl on the road, regarding her rifle first, then her overall posture.
"...Good morning for traveling," Lily ventures, though she does not relax just yet.
Dog however pads to her side, and tilts her head curiously at girl and bird both. "Woof?"
Warning 'my-desc' for Hannah Curie(#1592PenACc):
player is missing description
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah herself looks to be in her 20's... but early 20's, at most, if even that. Though she looks young, she also looks a bit... tired, in a way she shouldn't, yet. And not in a way caused by the early hour.
The hawk circles back one final time as the two girls come face to face, landing neatly on Hannah's shoulder. Hannah herself stops when she spots Lily, eyes flicking down to that readied hand. She makes a soft "hmm" sound, as if understanding something, before looking back to the other mage.
Hannah stops walking, keeping her rifle distinctly lowered. "Good morning for hunting, too," she replies, "though I'm not looking for dogs or mages."
The hawk skrees softly in reply to Dog, and the girl comments quietly, "Yes, I see him, now shush."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily is best described as 'vigilant'. Not fatigued, not really much of anything in expression, but always eyeing her environment; she has the easy grace of a warrior--perhaps more accurately a soldier--and the wary eye to match. Dog stays at Lily's side, and then Lily notices the way Hannah appears to recgnize what she's doing...
The rifle stays low. Lily considers that. This girl could still raise it in an instant, of course. But she doesn't. "So it is. I'm pretty fine on supplies myself..."
She considers for a moment, "Dog doesn't sense danger from you. I sense magic, but not hostility. It'll do. How about we both put down our weapons and see what we've found instead?"
"I'm a mage, as you guessed. Though most would say 'witch.'"
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah isn't unvigilant, herself, but doesn't remotely have the bearing of a soldier to her the way Lily does. But she's still wary as she sizes up the other magic user. There is, a bit of a quirk of an eyebrow as the canine is referred to simply as 'Dog', followed by what is perhaps a tiniest bit of a frown at having her own magic recognized.
She considers for a moment. She really doesn't want to get into a fight, and Zephyr's noticed how unagressive Dog is, which strikers her as something perhaps unusual, but also potentially intriguing. Not to mention meeting a fellow magic user...
"Very well." She makes a point of holding the rifle a bit out from herself so that she can show Lily that she's engaging the safety, and then brings her rifle back underneath her cloak again.
"I'm also a mage." Yet she chose to lead off with a rifle. She regards Lily curiously, scrutinizing her again. "... Though I've yet to hear anybody call me a witch. Name's Hannah. And this--" she inclines her head just a little bit towards her shoulder, "--is Zephyr."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily is on the lookout for it--she was, after all, the source of the earlier magical disturbance, as may be obvious by now. But she isn't particularly inclined to fight at the moment either. Not that she'd mind the chance to test out her magic, exactly...
"Good," Lily answers, and then inclines her head. She doesn't seem to find it strange that Hannah lead with her rifle; she'd have done the same a while ago. In fact--
Also on the side of her boot is a very large knife.
"They mostly call you a witch when they don't like you," Lily offers. "The name's Lily Keil. I'm a mercenary."
"This is Dog," she introduces as well, and Dog takes a seat, barking once again as if to acknowledge Lily's statement. "Good to meet you. I've got a campsite over this way, if you want to sit down. I was just conducting a few experiments. It's just on the other side of that hill."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah isn't really trying to flex or present her magic at the moment, certainly not in the same way she sensed from Lily earlier. But regardless of that... there's always that little bit of potential brewing just beneath the surface, regardless.
She notes the knife, but doesn't comment on it. But she does comment on being called a witch. "I see." She looks off at the distance a bit, and quietly comments, "I try not to stick in one place long enough for people to form that much of an opinion about me. ... Anyway, I guess you could call me a freelancer."
She nods at the introductions. "Good to meet you both." She considers the offer to head to camp. "... Sure." But the part about experiments does seem to grab her attention. It's a very subdued reaction, but it is a reaction. "What kind of experiments?"
She starts walking towards Lily as Zephyr takes off into the sky agagin to circle overhead. "Lead the way."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"Not a bad approach," Lily answers of not staying in one place too long. "But the things I'm wrapped up in keep me seeing the same few people more often than not. Friendly and otherwise." She pauses. "Freelancer, then." That'll do for her. It's good enough, in any case. However, the intrdouctions are over, and so, "This way," she says first, turning halfway to wait for Hannah to catch up before they start over to the hill. She doesn't turn her back to her; they only just met, after all. But the question is one she's willing to answer.
Dog trots over to sniff at Hannah before they go, but Lily says, "Experimenting with gravitic magic to see how selectively I can apply the relevant forces. I already know I can grossly twist that kind of attraction, but doing so with fine control is another matter."
"So I'm seeing if suffusing the area with magic of an elemental aura makes any difference."
Warning 'my-desc' for Hannah Curie(#1592PenACc):
player is missing description
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
"Hmm. Hopefully more of the former than the latter," is the only comment Hannah offers on the topic of attachments. She's already said she tends not to stay in one place too long. She's also making sure to keep Lily in her sight, for much the same reasons. Though, in her case... she's got an aerial view of the situation.
She looks down to Dog and offers him her free hand to sniff at as a friendly greeting. She might disagree with Dog's characterization of not being dangerous, but she's not intentionally dangerous, at least. Or hostile, as Lily noted.
"Gravitic magic, huh? So that's what you were doing earlier... That's an interesting approach. Not a lot of elements I'd try suffusing an area with. Fire, for instance, would be especially problematic out here."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"...Yes," Lily says after a moment. "More of the former. But not enough so to ignore the latter." Lily makes no particularly sudden movements, as it happens; they're both watching each other, and that's fine enough for her. Dog is the friendlier one here, who sniffs Hannah's hand and then nods along as if having decided something, trotting behind Lily to catch up quickly, tail wagging fluffily.
Dog can be pretty dangerous, herself, but there's no particular indication of it at the moment from her behavior, at least.
"That's right," Lily answers, leading them along. "It's the best way I have of changing the local environment to account for differences. You'd think fire would be a problem--and I'd agree. Out in the desert it would be one thing to tilt the local balance to Fire, but here, you might end up with a problem."
As they reach Lily's campsite, it becomes obvious what element she did use: there's snow on the ground. It is not the season for snow around here.
"So I used ice, instead. The stasis ice offers shoud in theory slow matter enough to help me work with it. It's going to take more practice to find the right balance, though; the snow isn't ideal, either."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
"Nice to have people you can rely on, I suppose," comments Hannah quietly. She watches Dog curiously--even as she's keeping the other eye on Lily--but decides that Dog doesn't seem aggressive... And, well, she's used to being around animals that should be a lot more wild and unpredictable but aren't.
Zephyr is still circling overhead as they walk and talk. "I can see how that might help, but that must take quite an additional amount of energy output... as well as aditional time to set up the environment the way you want it. Are you hoping to eventually combine both steps, or eliminate the attunement step?"
The hawk comes down to take a perch on Hannah's shoulder as they reach the camp and Hannah spots the ice. "Ah, I see..." She takes a step up to the snow and kneels, putting her hand to it, though Zephyr keeps his head turned so he can watch the others. "Reducing the thermal differential so you can bleed off some of the excess... You might be able to achieve the same effect with earth and increase the inertia, but... Hrm, no, that's also problematic, and that might run counter to gravitic control."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"True."
It is good to have people to rely on. Dog is reliable, too--and doesn't even blink at the use of magic in the area that the ice represents. She may just be well-trained, of course. But Zephyr continues circling above for now...
"Energy output isn't a big problem for me," Lily says. "But I am hoping to eliminate the attunement step. Think of it as a stepstool until I can stretch those muscles to reach without it." It seems that Hannah already grasps the theory quite well, though. And the snow? It is ordinary snow--rapidly melting, of course, as the sun comes up and begins to shine down upon the ground.
"It's a good idea," she says of Earth. "Worth trying, even. It could run counter to gravitic control, but on the other hand the added potential energy there would probably serve to make it a little easier."
"...That said," Lily admits, coming to the center, where she has a pack down and the remnants of a fire, "Earth isn't in my toolbox."
She regards Zephyr, for a moment, as he comes down to take a perch.
"In the Lunarian scheme, gravitic magic can be done under the auspices of Earth, but not so for me--it's a subset of darkness magic in my case."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah has Zephyr to rely on, and that's enough for her. Or so she tells herself.
"Ahh, I see. Once you master the gravitic control then you'll eliminate it..." She nods slowly, eyes rolling up a little as if she's doing some working out in her head. She wipes the snow off on her pants and stands up again.
"That is true, and depending on what applications you need the gravitic control for, the excess extra energy could make the end result of your spell more effective, as well." She follows Lily over to the remnants of the campfire and where her pac is located. "It is in mine, though... I'm not sure I have a something prepared that could reliably infuse an area like what you'd need."
Zephyr regards Lily back, tilting his head a little before turning to keep an eye on Dog.
"Don't have much experience with the Lunarian scheme... Read up a bit on it, but it's definitely not what I practice." What she does practice, however, she doesn't offer up, quite yet.
Warning 'my-desc' for Hannah Curie(#1592PenACc):
player is missing description
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"Exactly." Lily's boots crunch through the slush that the snow is turning into, and nods along as Hannah clearly comprehends the kind of magic she's talking about. Lily, of course, is technically largely self-taught herself--but she has a high grasp of theory, thanks to her study off and on. Meeting someone with a clearly thoughtful approach to magic is something she'd consider worth the risk of having a gun readied in her general direction.
"It could. And that's fine. It's a somewhat specialized effect." She says nothing about why she can do it more easily, though.
Dog barks again. Lily lifts an eyebrow at her.
"I've seen it. I can't use it, of course; nobody not from the moon can. But it's been interesting. I've learned a lot from it."
She considers. "I've seen a lot of different varities of magic. The one that's least helpful to me is probably shamanism, but only because I haven't seen it in depth like I have the others. Being able to summon up a Guardian doesn't exactly translate easily into a new spell. I've never managed to do it without the Medium."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah got a lot of exposure to snow for a while, but it's been a good few years, so the rapidly melting snow is still something of a novelty for her. She does take a moment to appreciate her boot prints, but there's not enough of it to do much more than that.
She herself is a bit of a mix of taught and self-studied... And at least she put her gun away!
It's just as well that she doesn't have that prepared. There might be some issues getting it to cooperate with someone else's magic.
Hannah looks between Dog and Lily at the bark, then exchanges her own glance with Zephyr. There's a little shuffling of Zephyr's wings that might almost be interpreted as a shoulder shrug.
Hannah nods, "Of course," she says, of them not being able to use it. "I've studied what I can on the various systems... Lots of useful ideas out there, even if they're hard to integrate, sometimes."
"Heard quite a bit about Guardians, too, from... a friend of mine. Never tried summoning one though, with or without a Medium."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
There's a lot to be said for putting your gun away. Lily notices, too, the way Hannah looks at the snow--but she lacks the data to draw any big conclusions about it.
Lily certainly doesn't know those cooperation issues...
Shrug. Dog does not explain her bark. She seems cheerful enough though, wagging her tail as she flops down next to Lily's pack. Lily for her part instead pulls a kettle and sets it over what remains of the fire, starting the accoutrements for what is probably coffee, given the way she sets it up. Apparently she believes in being a decent hostess at least.
"Very," Lily agrees. "You can only integrate so much, given your own style, but you can always learn. That's what I think, anyway."
Then she considers. "The Guardians... Well. I've worked a few jobs for them," she says, and one could assume she means shamans rather than the Guardians directly, but it isn't true. "They're the 'Power that Sustains the World', or so I hear. And I like the world being here well enough."
Then Lily says, "Going to light the fire again," to warn before she casts the spell; it doesn't involve any chanting or gesturing or Crests, just a moment of focus as flames start up on the remaining wood. There is a flash of strange patterns at her hand, though--not Symbols. If one knew high technology, they might recognize circuitry.
"I know a lot of Guardianists. There are much worse ways to be."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah makes her way over to the campfire, watching as Dog just flops down on the ground. That means she's relaxed, which Hannah will take as a good sign. Of both Lily's general demeanor and of her own safety.
She undoes a buckle on a strap running across her chest, setting her bag on the ground. It's a courier bag, probably chosen so it would ride low under the cloak and be less obvious. Her rifle appears to be stuck to the top of it, and can be identified as Collapse-era for anyone knowledgeable enough to make the distinction, though it still looks fairly normal overall.
She watches what is presumably coffee preparation, and quietly says, "You don't have to trouble yourself on my account," even though she would probably do the same if the roles were reversed. She sits on a handy rock and reaches into her bag to pull out a small notebook, whereupon she starts making a few notes.
"I grew up in a smaller town, so people tended to talk about them a bit more than some places. Never done any jobs for one, though."
She does look up, curious as Lily warns her about the fire... and then watches with great interest once she doesn't immediately recognize the style. There's something about that pattern... but she can't immediately place it. Doesn't look like Symbols but... maybe a variant she doesn't know about? It's certainly possible.
Hannah spends just a moment too long staring and clearly trying to scrutinize what Lily just did before she remembers herself and looks down at her jounral again. "Nice trick," she comments quietly, as a roundabout way of commenting on the unusually-cast spell.
She nods. "Indeed there are."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Dog stays where she is for now. Lily glances over to the bag, and the rifle, and indeed she does have the knowledge to make the distinction at a glance. It doesn't change much for the moment, though. As to trouble, "It's fine. I want some anyway." Notes... Not a bad way to approach things, of course.
"Makes sense. I come from a larger city. ...We generally considered the Guardians so much superstition. But you see things on the road, eventually."
Lily is here revealing something, but also making something of a test; Hannah's reaction one she was concerned with her having, and so that particular test is passed. 'Interest' and scrutiny are just fine.
If Hannah were the type Lily had to worry about, she'd know full well what that magic was already.
"Thanks," Lily says. "I have pretty fine control over the elements I can use," she explains, "But I lack the breadth a Crest Sorceress or Symbologist might have. Instead of adding elements with a few new techniques, I just get what I can figure out; I haven't managed to branch out to a new element in a few years now."
The coffee will be ready soon enough. "That's the other reason people call you a witch--when they don't understand what you can do."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah glances up as Lily is looking at her bag and rifle, but doesn't comment. She'd be looking too. Besides, someone with an unfamiliar style of magic strikes her as the magic being more of a concern than a lust for ARMs. But she nods as Lily says she wanted coffee anyway. "Very well then."
Whereas Lily might have to figure new elements on her own, Hannah's notes would show some detailed calculations and diagrams, if the other mage were to look.
"Large cities are nice when you're looking for for something rare or specialized, but I think I prefer the pace of a small town more." She nods. "Seen enough to know they're real, at least. Haven't had occassion to attempt to talk to one, though."
Hannah isn't goint to begrudge someone some unusual magic, considering her own woes. In fact, she's taken a few calming breathes here and there in an attempt to relax herself, and seemingly suppress her magic some, at least to make it a little bit less obvious to sense.
"I see. That does seem like a time-consuming way to develop one's magic." Having to figure out each new element on its own... Hannah's pencil taps lightly on the edge of her journal. She does want to ask, but... well, it'd be awkward if she refused to answer questions in kind, so she lets the matter rest, for now.
And then she makes that comment about people not understanding what she can do. That's almost begging for the follow-up question, there. Instead she says, "Lots of different kinds of magic in the world. No reason one should be more inscrutable than another."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
The magic is definitely more the concern in Lily's case.
"Hmm. That's fair," Lily says. "It's easier to disappear in a big city, easier to find the things you might want... But that's not the same as wanting to live in one, I suppose." She pauses. "I live on the road anyway; I'm not likely to settle down in either anytime soon."
So, she's seen they're real; that's enough, for the moment. "It's... an experience," Lily decides, on speaking to the Guardians. "I don't talk to them much myself, though. Just special places where you get the chance."
Lily's senses aren't quite so fine-tuned that she notices the subtle difference immediately, but perhaps the next mage won't be able to tell.
"It is," Lily answers, time-consuming. "But I spend a lot of time on it anyway." Lily is willing to discuss it... but also willing to not. "Heh. You'd think, right? But 'power' comes to the interest of those who want to keep it for themselves."
Lily starts to fill up a couple of cups, next, pouring the coffee that has a rich scent and offering one of them to Hannah.
"It's something I like about Symbology and Crest Sorcery both. They're more... open, to people. There's more of a 'tradition'. For my method, there's not as many teachers."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah isn't sure she'll ever settle down anymore, either. Then again, she always wanted adventure, but... there's something to be said for having a place to rest your head. "I suppose the same goes for me. Always more mysteries to chase down in a ruin, jobs to do..."
"I imagine it must be," says Hannah. Be an experience talking to a guardian, that is. She looks thoughtful at the the mention of special places. "Should pay my respects the next time I'm near a shrine..." she says quietly.
Hannah keeps having to find the delicate balance between asking too many questions and stiffling the conversation--she loves discussing magic, but there might be certain things neither of them want to stray into. She considers a response to that, studying Lily curiously. "Are you saying there are those seeking you out for your magic?" 'Seeking' might be an understatement, but... she's trying to be delicate.
Hannah closes her journal and sets it in her lap, then graciously acceps the cup with a gracious, "Thank you." Zephyr leans down from his perch on Hannah's shoulder, almost putting his beak in the cup. Hannah delicately pushes him away. "It's fine," she says to some seemingly unanswered question. She inhales deeply, and then takes a sip. "Mmm. Not bad."
"Multiple traditions, even, at least in Crest Sorcery. Depending on where you learn it. Not as familiar with Symbology, myself, but I've read up on it some."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"Never a lack of things to do."
Lily nods along to Hannah paying her respects; there's little she needs to say to that. Lily doesn't volunteer everything, though; not until Hannah actually voices that question does she speak up again. And the answer, as it turns out, "Yes. They're rather insistent. They hunt most people who use magic the way I do. But they don't hesitate to make use of or else destroy anything that gets in their way."
Lily notices the bird's behavior. It's interesting to her. It seems rather otective, actually...
"I keep it strong. That's what it's for."
"True." She pauses. "Symbology I'm more familiar with than Crest Sorcery; I used to fake being a Symbologist, and you pick up a few things doing it that way. I don't bother anymore. The people who'd hunt me have found me before, and if they're willing to take the risk they're welcome to try again."
Pause. "Crest Sorcery, then. I see"
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Always more fruitless leads to chase...
Hannah quirks an eyebrow at how Lily describes being hunted specifically for her magic. How those seeking her will seemingly do anything they can to get at it... There's some gears turning behind her contemplative gaze as she takes some time to consider her next words.
Zephr makes a soft chirping noise, and Hannah just says, "Then go hunt. Stay within earshot. We dont know if there's anybody else hunting out here." The hawk bobs his head and takes off into the sky, leaving Hannah's shoulder free for the moment.
"I see. It's good. Don't get much of it myself, but... I usually prioritize carrying some other things over coffee. Might have to reevaluate that, though..."
The admission that she used to feign being a Symbologist, however, draws the tiniest bit of surprise from her, though her expression quickly settles into thoughtful scrutiny. "It's that dangerous you had to feign being another type of magic user entirely?" There's no accusation in her voice, but something is starting to peg her as being concerning. She's not sure what, but..."
She does offer a nod to that. "Yes." She opens the pouch at her waist and draws a crest graph out--she does it slowly, and makes it obvious what she's doing, and even once out it's in no position for her to activate it. But there's enough to see a mark of Fray on there. She puts it back after that little confirmation. "I do still find some freedom to experiment with my crest graphs, even following the tradition I learned."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Dog rolls around. She's very comfortable at the moment.
"I haven't detected anyone else," Lily says, "But I haven't searched in detail, either." Then, "Fair enough. I was a soldier before I was a mercenary, so I got used to carrying certain things." Coffee among them. "...I still tend to carry extra gear for my team."
Surprise! "It is," Lily says. "I'm stronger than I used to be, but even now, there are agents of theirs who are strong, too. ...Of course, the best way to gain power is to fight people like that. That's part of why I don't hide it so much anymore."
The Graph, Lily looks at; she recognizes the symbol for Fray, though not all of the others. "Fray... That's fire and heat and dynamism, right?" Lily asks.
"Experimentation is good. I'm pretty comfortable with fire, myself. But it has a lot of subtleties that are easy to miss."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
"He'll come back if he sees any hunters," comments Hannah with certainty. Then Lily offers that tidbit, and Hannah weighs how much to say. There is a natural instinct to reciprocate when someone shares something personal... but then again, she's said quite a bit of herself in this conversation. "I see. Never had any desire for that, myself. Others in my town did, though." Being willing to carry extra gear is certainly a nice quality to have as a team member.
The further elaboration on her powers causes Hannah to fall silent for a good long few moments. Finally she carefully sets her cup of coffee down, leaving both hands free. "... I see. Why are you telling me all of this?" Her tone is tight and measured.
She's keeping her eyes on Lily (and a little bit on Dog), but they flicker in the direction of Zephyr for just a moment before returning to the fellow mage.
"It is," she replies. She's left the pouch unbuttoned once she puts the first crest graph back. Probably just an oversight.
"They all have their subtleties, if you know to look for them. And the way you arrange your crest craphs can have an impact, as well."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily nods along. No desire for that. But Hannah's silence and her eventual question get a dry look from Lily. There's not a lot of humor in it, though. "The best way to size up a stranger is to tell them your story and see how they take it," the black-haired woman answers. "You haven't moved to take the 'bounty' on me yet so you're either patient or not a headhunter. You don't recognize Ether, so you're not with Solaris. And you've been willing to talk about magical theory, so you're not boring."
"Dog didn't sense hostility from you, and neither do I. Just suspicion... which is pretty natural, all told."
"But that's interesting. It's like a magical 'language', in that way. Reminds me of mathematical principles."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah listens patiently, quirking an eyebrow at the mention of 'bounty'. Those are jobs she's seen posted, but... "Not the type of work I typically take on," she comments. She did say she wasn't hunting for dogs or mages, after all.
Then the name 'Ether' is mentioned, and Hannah has to frown, racking her memory. But she stops when Lily follows that with a mention of 'Solaris.' She regards the other mage with new concern. "... That's not a practice of magic I'm familiar with. I do recognize the other name, however."
That last remark almost gets a smile out of her. Almost. She's far too tense at the moment to lighten up now. And in fact, with that tension there's a noticeable prickliness to her magic, which had been calm until that moment.
She nods. "Yes, something like that. I do draw comparisons to my studies in mathematics when experimenting with my crest sorcery, sometimes."
She falls silent again, trying to figure out how she feels about the other magic user... or what Lily feels about her, for that matter. "So.. are you satisfied I'm not a threat to you?" She tilts her head a little as she continues to scrutinize the other mage. "... You're not about to try and fight me, are you?"
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"Noted."
But Hannah recognizes Solaris and, "Good. Then you know to stay away from them. It's not wise of me to taunt them, but... They already know who I am. Staying off their radar is a ship that sailed a long time ago. The best thing I can do is stay on the move."
But almost, a smile. Almost. Lily notices that prickliness... But she can only glean so much just from 'feelings'.
"Good. I use math heavily in my spells, as well. It's a matter of drawing the correct measurement of force at the proper areas."
But what she feels... Lily actually does smile. "No," she says. "Anyone can be a threat, and you seem competent enough that you could be. But I don't think you're an active threat right now, or actively hostile. And I'm not about to try to fight you."
"Will that suffice? I don't trust you yet, but I don't have any reason to trust you any less than any other stranger. You seem... fine enough. And I like Zephyr. A bird willing to check for poison for you is obviously fond of you."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
"Yes. I don't know much about them, but I know that much, at least." Staying on the move, trying to stay out of the notice of certain people... why does something about that feel familiar?
That thought makes her thoughtful, however. She's weighing...
No, better not risk it just yet.
She considers that. "But using a different mechanism than other magic systems, I presume? Is there some similarity in the mechanisms Symbology uses, or was that completely a visual camouflage?" She did notice those markings, earlier, that weren't quite Symbols.
But Lily explains how she feels. 'Competent enough to be a threat.' "... I think I'll take that as a compliment." But Lily says she's not about to try and fight her, and she nods. "Very well then."
She nods as she picks up her coffee cup. "I'm satisfied with that, yes. I can see why you might want to assess someone rather quickly, given your situation." But the mention of Zephyr does get a tiny bit of a smile out of her as she looks up. At some point Zephyr started circling overhead, just in case. But... how did he know to come back?
"Best friend a girl could ask for," she says quietly, but fondly, and there's something of an accent that's slipped into her voice for just a moment. It's gone in the next moment though. "Been with me longer than I can remember. We watch out for each other." She takes another sip of her coffee to hide the wider smile as Lily comments about the poison. "Yes, well... Can't fault him for bein' cautious."
She regards Dog for a moment, then comments, "You two seem rather close, too."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Familiar... There is something familiar to any Drifter in that, really. Perhaps that's all it is. Perhaps not.
"Correct," Lily answers as to the mechanism. "Symbology similarly appears to draw on the will, but in different ways. It was primarily a visual camouflage--it wouldn't have held up to a skilled Symbologist. There are similarities in what we can accomplish, but I don't need to rely on the specific Symbols I can draw on."
A compliment! "Good," Lily says. "It is."
"Indeed." She would want to assess quickly.
Hmmm. Lily doesn't recognize the accent. "That's good," Lily says of 'best friend'. "Heh. Indeed. Caution is warranted, especially out on the road."
"Dog here I met a few years ago; she followed me out of a ruin. Now, we look after one another."
"She's a good judge of character. ...Doesn't usually eat strangers."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah was weighing disclosing something before, and still isn't ready to commit to saying it.. but she does comment, "Can't imagine I'd like being the focus of people like that, either."
That's probably not meant to imply anything. Just being sympathetic.
"I'm not fully versed in the symbols they use, but the marking I saw when you started the fire..." She sets her cup down and picks up her journal, opening it to the last page she was at. She's got a sketched out rendition of the circuitry pattern. "Feel like I've seen something like this, but I just can't quite place..." Lily's already broached the topic of her unfamiliar magic, so it feels like a safer subject to bring up now.
"Out of a ruin?" She looks at Dog curiously. "How'd she get in a ruin to begin with?"
"... Usually?" Hannah tries to figure out if Lily is joking. "Implying she does, sometimes."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"It's not my favorite," Lily agrees.
It's fine.
"Ah, yes. The markings. That's not something I have in common with most Ether users; it's... unique. If you've seen the internals of ancient ARMs, then you might've seen something similar before. It's the same patterns that conduct electric energy within them. They manifest when I use my magic. ...I know more about them, but I'm not willing to share the details of them just yet. Maybe if we run into each other again."
But the dog! "Her mother had gotten there; she was hiding out in a desert, probably saw shelter and took it." Pause. Lily grins. "Implying she does sometimes," Lily agrees.
Dog barks happily, once, and rolls over.
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
"Ancient ARMs... ancient ARMs..." Hannah snaps her fingers as inspiration strikes. "Oh! I see." her mostly stoic demeanor gives way to excitement rather quickly, as if all of the tension from before hadn't just happened. She looks downright animated compared to her usual self as she reaches into her bag to pull out a book, well dog-eared but still in relatively good shape. "Ah! Yes, this is it."
She tilts the book to show Lily the picture of circuitry. Seems like it might be some kind of advanced textbook. "I'd hoped to get to see some in action someday, but I never thought I'd see it on a person. Does it interface with--" She stops herself.
Not willing to share any more details today. "That's... that's fair. We only just met, after all." IT's fair, but... she's clearly frustrated to have something so fascinating teased and then withheld.
She slips the book back into her bag, along with her journal. Her demeanor quickly cools down, though there's a clear desire in her eyes for understanding as she studies Lily to see what she can learn visually.
"Zephyr is usually only a danger to small animals. Though... he faught a bear off for me, once."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"Yes," Lily answers when Hannah shows her the picture, clearly recognizing it. "That's exactly right. It's the same pattern." She pauses, ad then inclines her head. "Some other time, I'll tell you about it more. Assuming there is another time. If you're headed to Meria, there might be; I'm going to be going there after I finish my experiments."
She is frustrated. Maybe that's why Lily throws her the bone. "...I wouldn't want to stifle scientific inquiry. But if you want to know more about my magic, I'll want to hear about yours, too. So keep that in mind before you ask more questions."
Then she looks impressed. "Small bird to fight off a bear. That's definitely something. Dog helps me in combat, too. Can find useful things, and takes enchantment well."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
At least she finally recalled the correct piece of ancient technology. Working circuitry's a bit rarer to see than some of the other things she's found, but that just makes it all the more tantalizing. She nods. "I am. I'm delivering something, and then I'll be sticking around for a while to see what other work I can pick up."
"Hmm." Hannah looks serious as she considers that offer, chin resting in her hand. There's a lot she'd rather not say, but then again... "I get the feeling, since you're using a system of magic I've never heard about, that it's probably something of a risk to you for that to be too widely known. Especially if yours is atypical in that style. But you led off with a demonstration, so maybe..."
She reches into our pouch and pulls out a few cards, considering them. "... How about I start with a demonstration, and we'll see what you make of it?"
Why would her demonstration of Crest Sorcery be particularly noteworthy?
If Lily does pick up on what she's thinking of, well... then there's a bit of an even exchange, and perhaps an offer of trust. If not, then... she doesn't stand to lose much.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"Good," Lily says. "I won't be hard to find. I'll make sure of that much. There's an inn in the castle district," she says, "Near the Irington bakery. Expect to find me there if you look."
She has no work to offer at the moment but that may change; it's always valuable to know another mage. But Hannah gets the feeling... "True," Lily says. "It is a calculated risk. I wagered the knowledge I could gain from you to be worthwhile. And so far, it's been interesting."
Then she offers a demonstration, and Lily inclines her head. "That sounds amenable," Lily says, and sets down her coffee to focus.
She will be watching quite carefully.
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
"Inn in the castle district..." she repeats. "Irington bakery. Got it."
It's fine. There's no shortage of things that need doing, after all. There'll be more opportunities to consult with another mage, probably.
Zephyr lands on a rock, watching cautiously. Hannah finally makes her pick and puts the rest of her crest graphs away. Most of them aren't really appropriate for 'demonstrations', but this one seems the least likely to cause permanent harm, at least.
She walks off a safe distance from the campfire. That prickliness in her magic turns much more turbulent as she starts to draw on it. The crest graph briefly glows a blue-white as she shouts, "Winter's Grasp!" She slams the crest graph into the ground, and ice sprouts outward from her hand, surging over the ground. It is not the gentle snowfall from earlier, but coarse, jagged shards of ice that spring up. There's something that just feels unsettling bubbling under the surface--maybe the ice is just a little bit too jagged or spreads just a bit too fast, but whatever it is... when the ice finally stops, and Hannah stands up, the cone of ice stands less as a monument to the gentleness of snowfall and more to the biting cruelty of winter.
And for the truly observant, there's something dark lurking in the depths of Hannah's magic.
Hannah doesn't look too terribly happy as she puts the crest graph away. In fact, she looks a bit morose as she turns to Lily. She lets the cloak fall around herself again as she waits for the other mage to react.
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Lily watches as Zephyr lands, and then as Hannah starts to walk away from the campfire. She knows what a Crest spell looks like, of course; she's seen enough of them to be able ot tell. But there is more than just an ordinary Crest in play here, she assumes, and what she sees says as much. It's not obvious at all, but Lily knows the subtleties of magic, can 'see' the difference. It's jagged, spreads fast, and it is not a gentle spell. This in and of itself could simply be indicative of Hannah's personality. But there's someth8ing else...
"You have power," Lily notes, eyes narrowed and brow furrowed. She can't quite place it...
"It's not just your Crest Magic. Do you do something special with the Crests?" she wonders. "Or is it something else? I'd have to see more to fully isolate it, but I definitely sense something."
"...Something you're not happy about," she reflects a moment later.
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
"I do," says Hannah simply to the statement that she has power.
"It's not," she agrees. Not just her crest magic. She considers the question of her crest graph. "Mmm, I do, but..." She walks back over, taking the crest back out and offering it to Lily. "You can look, if you want." She's not sure how much Lily will know, but the makeup isn't standard.
but it's not adding anything to her magic. If anything, it's trying to keep something out.
But to the last comment she just nods. And suddenly she looks tired. Not 'exhausted from using so much magic' tired but 'exhausted from dealing with this for so long' tired.
When she speaks again, her voice is quite subdued. "I don't know what it is. But you're not the only one that would be happy to avoid scrutiny."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
Yes, it comes together for Lily all right. She still doesn't have an answer for 'what' it is, but the emotional tenor around it, the secretive nature... It all ties together. Not all of it would've been apparent without this last piece, but it makes a few things there. Lily accepts the Crest, though, looks it over. "...Hm."
She shakes her head, and hands it back.
"It might sound strange... But it's easier sometimes to avoid scrutiny when you're with others. Going it alone can paint a target on your back."
"Something to think about," Lily suggests. "I found that I got much stronger when I let myself rely on others. Not that it should be me; I'm a mercenary. ...But someone, if you find them."
"As for me, I'll keep your secret, and I imagine you'll keep mine. If you get enough data you want another mage to look at, well... You know where I'll be."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah just shrugs a little as Lily doesn't seem to recognize anything in the Crest Graph. Not a big surprise. It fits a very particular need, after all. She accepts it and puts it away again without much comment.
"It's not like I don't accept jobs with others. Even I can't handle a dig by myself. But it's... safer, if I don't stay too close to other people for too long."
"For them."
"Hmm. I'll think about it." She probably won't, judging by the tone in her voice, but there's always a possibility she will.
But she nods in agreement on the topic of secrets. "I will. I don't usually make it a point of showing people but... well, calculated risk, and all that. If we both know each other's secrets..."
Zephyr flutters over to land in Hannah's lap. Hannah reaches up to gently stroke under his beak. "Thanks. I'll remember that if I come up with anything. And if you need a mage for something that isn't headhunting... let me know. I also take an interest in ARMs research, as well."
<Pose Tracker> Lily Keil has posed.
"That makes sense," Lily says. She doesn't push any harder at the moment; it's not her place. She'll just share her findings, and that's good enough. ...It's also not really her problem, after all. Friendliness is one thing, but...
"True. If we both know, we're les likely to share the other's. It works."
But Zephyr has sooth8ing Hannah covered. "That so?" Lily wonders of ARMs. "Both of those are of interest to me. I fancy myself a decent engineer. So I'll have to keep those in mind."
<Pose Tracker> Hannah Curie has posed.
Hannah just nods as Lily finishes that thought. That's precisely what she was thinking in sharing her secret.
But she does look up again when Lily mentions she's an engineer. "That could be useful..." She glances over to her bag, thinking of a few pet projects of hers that knowing someone who's both a mage and an engineer could be useful for. "I do a little tinkering myself..." After a moment longer she stands up, and Zephyr moves to her shoulder.
"We should get going, but first..." Hannah picks up her bag and refastens it under her cloak. "Since you gave me your last name, it's only fair I give you mine. It's Curie."
A beat. "And no, I'm not related to that family. It's just a coincidence."
"But good luck with your experiments, Lily. I'll look you up in Meria. It was... nice, chatting with you." She offers a small wave from under her cloak and then turns for the road.