Video: UN - Runeseeker

[onerthes]

[Vira-lorr is relaxed in a small looking room saturated with baubles and accoutrement of a fortune teller. Anyone with even the slightest familiarity can tell that almost everything in the room other than the deck of cards next to her are just for show. Nothing there looks like it has power, but it definitely gives the feel of mysticism one would expect from one of the Rom or the like performing fortune telling. She's dressed in a black and red Ao Dai and clearly more at ease than she'd been early on.]

Well, I think I'm just about as set up as I can be. I know that a nice young tiefling lad has already offered his services as a fortune teller, and so I'll do likewise. I've set up shop, at the western edge of the Cellar Door, should anyone want their fortunes told. My second sight has returned, though it is vague at the best of times, in fairness. So, be careful how closely you rely on it.

And, should you wish, I can try to help with any matters of a mystical nature that happen along. My spells may no longer work, but I still know a bit about the arcane arts, so I can offer what insight I can glean. I might be able to help figure something out with you. And... lately I've been getting strange flashes when I touch certain objects, so it might be useful.

If you want fencing lessons, I'm available once or twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays. We should all learn to defend ourselves, and for some? A light blade has its uses.

[There was a pause. She leaned to the side and rested her chin on her hand before sighing.]

And I don't think I need to warn most of you. Stock up on necessities before next month. October was always a difficult month. Until it proves otherwise, I'd just assume we prepare for the worse. It's been far too quiet so far and I'm not a trusting girl.

Incidentally, I have a special request if any of you have taken up artificing. There's no real rush, just... please contact me privately.

Comments

[private] video; un: techgod

[brandnewtech]

[ Hey there, VL. You may recognize this guy, even with his snazzy new haircut. Tech Boy's been keeping a very low profile since arriving (reading rather than participating), so this may be his first network appearance. Congrats.

He's sitting at a wooden table someplace dark, looking far more at ease than he feels. Familiar greetings are for suckers and people who aren't feeling incredibly, irrationally paranoid at the moment, so he gets right to his point. ]

Depends on what type of artificing you're looking for. The stuff I traditionally do runs adjacent, so it could be a useful start. I'm still trying to figure out what else I'm capable of thanks to-- [ He waves his hand vaguely to indicate everything. ] and if I can help, it'll give me something to do.

[ He sighs, leaning forward to put his elbows on the table. ]

...can't lie. I'm dreading October.

[onerthes]

[She wasn't remotely surprised that he was keeping a low profile. That was in his nature in her limited experience. Technical Boy didn't stick out very often, and she had a feeling that was by intention.]

mmm, I'm looking to have a bracelet made with a gem of sealed blood. I've found out that those blood gems are fairly common, so I want to use some of my own to make a gem for a nice bracelet to give my girlfriend for her birthday.

...which sounds only a little odd right now. I suppose that says something about how long I've been dealing with the oddities, doesn't it?

[She sighed after]

I am... concerned. No visions of horror yet, but I can't help being paranoid.

[brandnewtech]

Blood gems? That's a new one to me, but I can't say I'm surprised. It's all blood around here after all. Utility and value. So why not make gifts of your own life essence.

[ It's a statement, not a question, but there's no sarcasm or malice in it. He's thinking, the effort of which is clear on his face. Sure, precious stones made from living blood sounds strange, but he's prepared to simply accept it as common. Why not? Stranger things have happened. ]

Doesn't sound odd at all under the circumstances. Truthfully, I think it's sweet. I did something similar for the special man in my life. Went over pretty well, I'd say, since we're still wearing them.

[ He holds up his left hand to display a wedding band on the appropriate finger. It's a dark metal with a stripe that glows faintly, and if she's observant enough, Vira-lorr may notice a flicker of that same glow in Tech Boy's eyes. ]

Sadly, I'm not in the gem and jewelry business, so I can't help you there. Let me know if you find someone? I'm terribly curious about the blood gem-making process, and it's always helpful to know a good jeweler.

[ To the last comment, he echoes that sigh. ]

Every October away from home has gotten progressively worse. At this point, I can't tell if my paranoia is in anticipation of the cursed month or all the beady little corvid eyes watching my every move. Feels stupid to hope for the best.

[onerthes]

Precisely. And I'm sort of embracing that, to a small extent. I'm pretty sure I can make it romantic.

[She was definitely trying a "When in Rome" attitude, at least long enough to get a feel for whether or not this city and its practices were truly safe.]

Oh ho! You're doing something very similar of things. Yes, if I find a good jeweler, I'll make sure to let you know their address. I'm a little curious about the notion of fusing them, and what they can truly do with it.

[She was also considering other kinds of blood, given that they seemed so fascinated. Were there more powerful ones?]

We start by preparing for the worst. I do hope that we can get to the point where we can hope for the best again. It's all a bit much isn't it?

....hoping to be able to hope again. My that is a picture of our lives.

[brandnewtech]

[ Is anything ever really safe though? Tech Boy's been staying as far away from the blood magic as he can, but he has to admit experimentation and a complete fascination with it. Perhaps there's something other inquiry hidden in this conversation. ]

It's romantic, all right. Pretty sure the gift of blood is some kind of ancient ritual that this place has just circled around to. Giving of oneself or whatever. Finer than diamonds. And unique.

Yeah, let me know. I hope your lady appreciates the sparkly.

[ He'd consider following her example, but he's a darkblood and already has the suspicion that the fewer people who know this the better. But to watch the blood gems being made? That would be fascinating. ]

A little preparation goes a long way, but I don't know about hoping for the best. More like hoping to make the best of it. Who knows? Hoping for hope just might be redundant enough to work.

[onerthes]

I think that's more or less part of it. The cycle of life and the uniqueness of the crystals makes them especially valuable. I'm sure that she'll love it, but I'll tell you how it goes sometime after.

Hmmm, that might be a better way to put it. I doubt even at its 'best' October will be easy, exactly, after all. So the goal is to hope for something we can manage more easily than in the past.