Contentment is temporary [Open]

Subject: Contentment is temporary [Open] Fri May 10, 2019 9:11 pm

Thin whisps of smoke escaped the corners of Anol's mouth, before he shaped his lips into an o and breathed a smoke ring into the night sky. He sent another tongue of smoke chasing through it, the stars disappearing behind a cloud of his own making. What a pleasure was a cold night, an expensive tobacco and an empty field?

He closed his eyes and rested his head back on one arm, letting his smoke hang loosely between his fingers. The air was cold, but that didn't bother him for now, tolerant of the change from the humid heat of the lower foothills. Sometimes it felt like it was getting hard to breathe with such thick air- and that was saying something when he was a demon of the wind and air. Where, if he had the whole world at his oyster- which he most certainly did, if he could be bothered with it- would he travel to? The desert appealed for its warmth, but not for its landscape; the far mountains were too cold. Perhaps the new central city for the culture, which he had heard was not quite as bland as the further reaches of the Isle. Yes, perhaps he would find himself there.. in a few years. No point in being hasty about it.

Anol opened his eyes again to put the roll-up to his lips, although he didn't get to them as a great fireball of light raced across the skies. What in the? Had magma dragons discovered the secrets of flight? Surely not. Some other dragon, some hoarder glowing in the last vestiges of sunset? But that hour had passed long ago. Surely not some idiot fire demon attempting flight through self-immolation... it had been tried before, to the woe of all involved. Not that it exactly could be called that when the moron had died by accident falling out of the sky.
"Skies above." He shook the grim thoughts from his head and regarded the gently smoking roll-up. "How I do question the innocence of your 'merely tobacco' to give me thoughts like these." He put it to his lips and took a long drag, filling his lungs.

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Sat Jul 06, 2019 2:24 pm

He knew it was suspect to be out and roaming in the wilds at a time like this, but then, who was going to stop him? There was no trouble in an independent expedition with no ill-intent.
Light on his feet, with the dying light he had started with the simple plan to collect mushrooms after dark, especially as only at this time of day and in this place that the mushrooms Kaestrin had suggested for him to collect, although rare, would light up like a shimmer of sunlight on a lake at dawn.
But what did he know? Veceri hardly had a patch on Kaestrin when it came to toxic magic, let alone alchemy. Collecting ingredients was mostly just tedious for him.
Scanning the minor hedges and curled roots in the darkness for any sign of specks of light was not the sort of task he had hoped for when he had commented on the boredom of journeying between major sites.

What had caught his interest though, much to his surprise, was the curious feeling of a needling point of magic amidst the frankly bland fields in the Yarrowland. Unmistakably wind magic, and yet there was not so much as a gentle breeze or the stirring of the rough foliage at his feet.
Stopping his task without needing further persuasion, his basket empty, Veceri wondered what could cause such a phenomenon.
Dragons of wind? Very few depended on their arcane facets. The only other explanations were unusual too, and required too much to go guessing. He would simply have to leave the mushroom picking for now and apologise to Kaestrin in the morning. Such a shame.

He listened closely. The coming night was as silent as Yarrowland could be, a soft chorus from the nocturnal wildlife emerging, but otherwise nothing. Stalking along in his hooded cloak he followed his senses closer to the source, and was at first underwhelmed by what he saw, just several paces ahead. No mighty lurking dragon in his midst, no elaborate ritual from a rogue mage to be seen, instead: a man blowing smoke rings to the sky.
Would it be wrong to disturb him? Was he, a...? It was rude to ask, but that wasn't going to stop Veceri finding out.

"A good night for mushrooms." He said, supposing if Kaestrin had said so then it must have been so. Veceri approached from one side of the man, not wishing to startle him. He held up the basket. "Or, smoking?"
Veceri took a moment to observe the sky. Indeed, he was probably ruining a peaceful moment, but he smiled with mischief all the same. "I've heard, hm, things? About pipes from Yarrow. Are they true?"

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Sun Jul 07, 2019 8:03 pm

Out in the sticks, in the late evening, Anol definitely didn't expect to be interrupted by anyone- except maybe a will-o'-wisp or midnight dryad moving across the hills. So to be found by another was quite the unusual occurrence. He'd done the same plenty of times before, and not been found until the next morning, or later even. And even if others were in the area, to exchange more than a nod, if that, was a rarity. Midnight business was best kept close and private, for all parties' sakes, Anol found.

So it was a surprise when his musings were interrupted, not only by a passer by in the darkness, but one who wanted to strike up a conversation. It wasn't that Anol objected to it; more than it was an unspoken courtesy to ignore one another at such an hour.
He sucked in a thick lungful of smoke and let it drain from the corners of his mouth, contemplating the man who had come to visit his patch of meadow. A rather plain looking human, somewhat lacking in flair. A naive child, by any standards.
Looking up to the sky again, he jetted smoke high above him, flickering like the fire of a dragon- although white and ghostlike, of course. The stars winked at him one by one.
"I would hazard that, for most mushrooms in general possession, it is a little early in the season for good foraging," he eventually mused, spent ashes dripping from the edge of his pipe. "Hence I assume you are not searching for the edible kind; the kind which you would serve in a family meal." One eyebrow raised a jot, slitted eyes moving towards the man. Then, a snort of derision.
"Pipes from Yarrow. There is not one jot of finesse on them to pipes from the Amellian. A pipe from Yarrow is piss to the wine of the eastern forests. But, for a collector of mushrooms in the heat of summer, then yes, a pipe from Yarrow would be a trustworthy servant to hold." He wafted away the grey ash collecting in a small pile on the edge of the scarf strewn across the grass beneath him, sending the flakes twisting away into the night.

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Mon Jul 08, 2019 1:06 pm

To his answer Veceri could only smile. Whatever he was smoking, the man's mind didn't seem at all dulled.
"You're an observant one, hm?" He agreed, lowering the empty basket to his side as he tried to get the measure of him. A wild blue streak was in his hair, odd, and his skin seemed to have a sheen about it, ethereal. Veceri could only chortle to his comment, having earned it.
"You got me exactly right, I'm not one for all that." He paused, thinking how best to continue his intrusion on the peace without earning too much derision.
"But I try to avoid the Amellian parts anyway." He spoke frankly, with a shrug of the shoulders. "Their problem with dragons and magic, is...odd. I expect you'd know that too." He held back a choke in his throat from the plumes of smoke winding their way to his nose. The smell was enough to make his eyes water as he half turned away, looking instead to the near outcrop of rocks, claimed by the persistent growth.

Funny how the Amellians just stuffed their 'magic' in pipes instead, if this was weak then that must have been awful. Dealing with dragons while travelling was just Veceri's lot in life, but understanding Amellian hypocrisy was a task and a half, and it didn't help when they sought dragons out, antagonised and even killed them. No wonder they were confined to their dark bit of woodland, the backwash of Dragons' Cove.

That hardly bothered Veceri now. No, much more pressing was coming up with ways to correctly speak to a demon in spite of himself and the ever-growing tree of questions. Veceri scolded himself for not thinking of it immediately. He had to be, absolutely no one else, even an expert, could project a magic field like that. Why else would this enormous pulse of energy be here specifically, with no sign of mimicry? What was more, it had the feel, he thought, of the wind, despite what his common sense told him. That was the main part that didn't add up with his reading, having only heard of demons as beings that couldn't help but leak their magic.
Or an arcanic, of course. Or an exceptional man. I will just have to confirm. What if, what if...

"It must be tricky." Veceri looked away unassumingly as he put his hands to his hips, not having the gall to just sit himself down on the dried grass and reddened dirt.

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:50 pm

"I just pay attention to more than what is before my own nose," said Anol, tapping the end of his in demonstration. "And that which is, when appropriate. A few await you along the next hedge there." He gestured vaguely towards his toes with his pipe, and the hedge not far off down the slope in that direction.
"One should, of course, consider the history of the Amellian tribe when observing their traditions. Not that these things should dissuade questioning of their beliefs. History is, after all, history, and we step forward into tomorrow. They prefer to... linger in this morning." A wave of the fingers, each switch in thought accompanied by gesture after gesture. "Which helps me in no way to the procurement of their wares. On behalf of your fellow humans, I find it behooves me to give thanks to you for appropriating me it."

He stuck the pipe between his teeth and dragged in another long breath, stretching catlike across the grass with arms above his head, bangles chinking. What a curious soul this man had. He gently puffed smoke rings into the sky, letting his body slump again from his full stretch.
"Tricky, though, I wouldn't say. Patience is all that is required to trade with the Amellians." And reasonable charm never went amiss, either from himself or his human operatives.

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Sun Sep 15, 2019 10:34 am

Veceri glanced in the direction the man pointed, trying not to seem too disinterested in the mushrooms. He smiled as the man, the would-be demon, elaborated on the Amellians.
"It seems you are very polite. Lingering in the morning indeed." He echoed, then, almost missing it, he caught just the signification he needed.
"Us humans?" His tone was inquiring, and while he feigned not being too intrigued, making as if to resume his mushroom hunt again, his shining eyes gave away his thoughts in an instant.

"My, that would imply you are not human." He announced, and then a small smirk played on his lips as he righted himself. "Sorry. I tend to state the obvious, my acquaintances, friends, family...they all find it vexing." Veceri briefly paused. "Your aura is quite something. Actually, I have to say I'm impressed." His pretense sloughed away. "Possessing that kind of elemental energy, but expressing it with such precision. That's something a human could spend a lifetime chasing and never attain, even with talent." Veceri himself may have been talented for a human, or it may just have been his early start, but he knew with certainty that this type of simple magic aptitude was beyond him and all of the tutors, maesters and priests he had met for that matter. "Would it be correct to suggest you are innately arcane, perhaps even, a demon?" He floated the idea inoffensively. Of course, why should the idea offend at all? Only people with no love of magic would wrinkle their face in disgust at the word.

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Wed Nov 27, 2019 8:31 pm

A gentle, teasing clap of the hands, and a laugh as the human picked up on Anol's turn of phrase.
"My, how perceptive." There was a dryness in his tone, but the amusement still lingered- for now. He propped himself up on one elbow as the man chattered, one eyebrow slightly cocked.

"Perhaps even. And what would be the outcome of that? Remind me of the opinion of your peers in this age; have we moved past the time of 'grab your torch and pitchforks'?" Anol's voice became gruff in mimicked accent, then he laughed, pipe jiggling between his lips. They could pretend to be aggressive for all he cared- he had never felt threatened by it. Humans could be so mundane with their closed ideas- although this one certainly seemed at least a little versed in arcanum and forward-looking ideas. That was a novelty, amongst an otherwise bland race, sometimes.
"No, enlighten me. Perhaps we have passed into myth now? Go on, ask me for three wishes." The mirth fled his voice immediately; try and ask.

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Thu Dec 26, 2019 6:17 pm

"Some think that way, yes. Most scarcely know of your kind, though. So, yes, you're more likely to appear as part of a myth than anything, to them." He said, hoping to placate any quibbles the man might have had about his own attitude. He sat himself back down firmly, this time right next to the demon, his interest fully grasped. "That might be a good thing. If your kind is myth-like to most, then you could choose to be anything, in a sense." Veceri grinned. "But not a wish-granter...not unless I wish for, hm, a storm or something becoming like it." He checked the horizon briefly. "I'd rather if you didn't, mind you."

"Veceri!" He exclaimed, extending a hand to the stranger. "That's my name, a bit odd, but not in the wetlands, believe it or not. If you don't wish to reveal your name...I will understand, but I would definitely hope to know more about you." There was a twinkle of wonderment about him. Making himself a comfy, flattened spot in the grass he leaned forward with full attention, uninhibited. "Tell me a bit about yourself, and I might let in on a little secret of my own." Perhaps that was a double-edged sword, and the fact that his own "secret" was more likely to clear a room than fill it did not deter him.

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Thu Jan 09, 2020 9:57 pm

Throughout their chat so far, Anol had not shifted from his supine position, but a little tension had grown its way into his bones in irritation. But it softened again now, hearing the disassociation of this man to the rest of his kind, and the wind that had stilled started to rustle the grass again. However, when the man sat himself down with a thump next to the demon, he couldn't help but start in surprise, propping himself up to a half-sit with knees bent and elbow crooked below him.
"If a myth indeed I am, then I haven't been making enough of a presence." The wry, self-critical voice was back. "Perhaps I will wish for a storm, if only to be a memorable nuisance."

"And if, it is the wetlands that you hail from, then surely a storm would do nothing more than to make you feel at home in quite the opposite of lands?" His free hand wandered to gesture towards all of the foothills and higher mountains behind them, desert not far beyond that. It lingered in the air, then he turned back to Veceri to clasp forearm to his and meet hazel eyes with his own blue-black ones. "I am Anol. A demon of such character and skill you should know of already." If I had not been quite so lax this decade, it appears.
His eyes glittered; nothing could tempt him like a secret. "Oh, a secret? Now there is a proposal that is impossible for me to refuse."

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Sat Feb 22, 2020 5:03 pm

He shook his head.
"No, no. I've had enough of all that, thank you. The wetlands may be home, but I fancy myself as one for roaming. Surely you understand." In truth, most days he hardly even thought of the wetlands at all. It was a happy place in his past, but the world of his village was a small one that would never satisfy his curiosity. Memories slept in its still lakes and undulating stretches of misty blue-green, a place where the ridged eels weaved and the marshcats stalked, somewhere beneath the rice terraces that extended beyond view in any direction, if one cared to go so deep into the valleys.

He leaned in just a little, recognition dawning on his face which started as a squint.
"Anol, Anol..." He repeated, then setting himself up straight when the thought came to him. "Ah no, I have heard of you. The name drifts on the wind, though I did not know you were, well, as you are." He smirked in recollection of a short tale from a young woman he'd overheard only the other day.
It makes sense now.
"In fact, the reputation attached to that name is quite something. A voice that charms effortlessly, I hear? Anyone and everyone." Veceri didn't feel charmed yet, but then, even the silver-tongued needed their moments of rest, which he now interrupted.
"I expected you might want to know. I'm not really one for boasting, but, I have something quite unique. So, tell me about you, and I'll let you in on the secret."
Perhaps literally, he thought. How could he even channel the demon's incredible influence over wind?
"But please, no storms."

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Sun Feb 23, 2020 5:09 pm

Watching realisation dawn across Veceri's face was like watching the sun rise. And all the warm rush of recognition that came with it. Anol flopped himself back comfortably onto the ground, folding his hands back underneath his head. Tell me all the tales of myself, then.
Perhaps the tales had included how much he loved to hear the gossip- including about himself- because Veceri wasn't particularly forthcoming with anything of note. Frustrating, to have to tease out all the little nuggets of information and rumour circling about him that just whispered past his ears, but never actually came to be spoken into them.
"Something quite unique? Amongst you humans, or all. Those things that entertain mortal minds are a little different to those that are extraordinary in reality." He coaxed a last puff out of the burning embers of his pipe. Bargaining with his own backstory wasn't something he freely gave away, preferring to let others do the wondering and conjuring of stories.
"But extraordinary in reality, am I. Perhaps you have heard of me, or my music? For you will not find another magic user- no human- who can shape the wind quite like I do." He flicked a hand idly in the air, fingers tracing shapes against the sky as the wind whistled gently through the grasses and walls beyond. "You are in luck; storms are not my speciality."

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Sun Feb 23, 2020 6:30 pm

"Amongst us humans, yes, but amongst us all, too-" He clarified, but stopped himself short on the next breath, knowing he'd have to coax something from the demon, before getting too forthcoming in his excitement.
"Of course, an extraordinary sound is exactly what I've been told." It was obvious that the demon thought at least well of himself, he was aware of his own talents, far from needing Veceri to explain them to him when the magic of wind came as naturally to him as breathing. In perfect timing, Veceri felt a chill slither across his neck as sounds both distant and near wound together seamlessly, arising from all about him with each moment.

He couldn't keep the smile from his face, as it continued to chime, this music from the trees, sky, and shape of the land. Anol himself seemed to be just as much a part of it. In that moment Veceri understood what it meant to be an "innate" user of magic, so readily able to tap into the flow that surrounded them. It was enviable, but more than that, it was captivating.
There were always myths of demons seducing humans, of humans bending to the will of demons, usually in cautionary stories, and it was not difficult to see why. If a demon could so effortlessly inspire awe, it would not take much to manipulate the souls of men. Yet, as beautiful as it all was, Veceri's glee was quite obvious. The purest expression of honed wind magic was right here before him.
"Is it true?" He started. "People say you have a way with words to such an extent, that you could shape sounds to calm even blood dragons. In fact, I've heard that that's exactly something you've done." He turned his eyes to the demon's face inquisitively. "What makes you choose sound over storm?" Ordinarily Veceri would try to get a better sense of someone's motivation by projecting a subtle and innocuous aura of dark magic, but there was no subtlty possible when dealing with a demon. It would be as clear to Anol as a shriek in the song.

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Sun Feb 23, 2020 8:50 pm

Interesting, interesting, so this Veceri did appear to have some deep secret that was more than just trivial human excitement. Anol could feel his curiosity begin to waken, each little morsel extracted just enough to whet his appetite a little more.
It would have to wait, though. Making music came easily to Anol, but not enough that he didn't have to concentrate- at least in an environment where he wasn't quite familiar with all the instruments available to him, as it were. He let his head relax back against the grass as his fingers moved in time with the wind, letting each note grow and become itself as required, shrieks alongside sweeter bells and whispers alike.
He let out a breath as he brought the magic to a close, fingers growing still as the wind returned to its gentle rustling breeze across the grass. No matter the audience, himself alone or a crowded field of people, it always filled him with a certain peace that otherwise lacked from day to day. A smile cracked across his face as his eyes drifted back to Veceri, seeing his own face lit up with wonder.
"Not just told of extraordinary sounds, now," he said, relishing the human's reverent expression. The peace of music only lasted momentarily though, Veceri's words shooting a bolt of ice through his stomach.

"I believe these is deception and dishonesty in this story you tell of." His voice turned cold. "So these are the lies spread of demons." Lies.

Subject: Re: Contentment is temporary [Open] Wed Feb 26, 2020 7:17 pm

Veceri was heartened to see Anol's face soften - now he was no longer just an encroachment, spoiling some scenery, he was welcome so long as he had something nice to say. Even so, he hardly anticipated Anol's reaction to the intended compliment, a half-true story at best which Veceri had modified for the sake of convenience. As a human most affiliated with dark magic it seemed only like a splendid thing. Who would not want to know their music could do so much more than the wind ever was known to?
Clearly, Anol did not see it the same way.

"Lies?" Repeated Veceri, voicing his puzzlement in tone and with a sideways glance as he searched the memory. The people hadn't seemed mistrustful, so what had offended the demon? "I don't understand. What is the truth?" The question was innocent enough, and again, he felt a pang as he wished to extend his own magic, nearly getting sidetracked by another thought:
Have I come to rely on the dark too much?
It now seemed inconvenient to not be able to simply sense another's mood so effortlessly, when life without it seemed like guesswork, so vague, by comparison.
"Calming a blood dragon seems to be no trivial achievement! I know I would want to." He smiled again, hanging on to Anol's words to follow. They were dreadful creatures, really, the blood dragons. Demons? Veceri believed he would find out in short order.