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Post by Rhukana on Feb 14, 2017 1:24:11 GMT
Far from Ravenfall, in a quaint little town whose name only cartographers could recall (and the inhabitants ever cared to recite) sat a quaint little curios shop. It looked similar to any other such establishment of its kind: a big store-front window with "Curiosities & Antiques Emporium" in bold, painted-on lettering; the interior lit by a combination of candles and (unreliable) lay-line lights, half of the latter of which were burnt out; two signs propped atop opposite ends of the store counter; and an atmosphere of spice and burnt incense, with a faint undertow of mildew clinging in the background.
Strange objects filled the heavy wooden shelves, with unfamiliar technology sitting next to ritual equipment and seemingly-useless knick-knacks (exactly the kind of thing one expects from such a shop). And books; dozens of books - more than what filled the town's meager library - covering a myriad topics from arcane tomes to technical manuals, old journals to recent scientific publications. Though not quite so many books as a proper bookstore, thankfully -- such amounts of condensed knowledge could react negatively with the other shelved items.
The proprietor sat behind the counter, wrestling with income and tax figures on an abacus; she had graying chestnut hair and still-soft pale skin that was just beginning to show signs of wrinkles, eyes shrouded by thick-rimmed glasses. She could have been anywhere between forty to sixty years of age, but whittling down numbers more accurate than that was impossible. Very little about her stood out at first glance, aside from what appeared to be some kind of skin condition she kept hidden beneath her left sleeve. Still, those that lived in the area avoided her except out of curiosity or necessity, going out of their way to be conspicuous about it sometimes.
Several other patrons were milling about, mostly out of curiosity (or, for the one child glancing nervously about, on a dare from another young hooligan). Only those not from the town made eye contact with her except to purchase something. Surprisingly, many visitors frequented the curios store, and indeed this was where the proprietor earned most of her income, aside from the occasional house call or other point of business. It also made the townsfolk more suspicious of the aging shopowner, but that had long since become water under the bridge as the years had passed since her arrival.
A commotion from outside caught the attention of several of the loiterers, but the owner continued about her calculations, remaining studiously oblivious to whatever going-ons occurring outside. If the town wasn't on fire or a new shipment was arriving for her store (which would roll up to her place anyhow), it warranted little of her attention until it invaded her domain.
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Post by Sol Invictus on Feb 14, 2017 21:36:44 GMT
Heads turned.
Sol Invictus always managed to attract more attention than he bargained for. It was in his nature. There was no way for him to mask what he was, like he'd seen so many other beings do. Truth be told, he didn't want to either. There weren't many people in the quaint streets, and while they all looked at him, at the very least, they weren't panicking. Just talking among themselves, and he could hear every word. Just the usual banter about how unusual a site he was, though a few people rushed up to others to discuss him furthers. He could tell that this was a land where he might be an unusual sight, but not necessarily a threatening one.
His unique senses were excellent for gathering tidbits of information about his surroundings, and he was here, in the middle of seeming nowhere, to follow up on just such a lead. There was said to be a woman in this town who amassed arcane knowledge like no one else, save perhaps scholars who kept the information locked away in secret, far out of the reach of a being that few would deem trustworthy. He did not think that she would be able to break the curse that had plagued him for far too long, but thought perhaps that she might be able to provide a lead.
He knew what the signs said without being able to read the words, but paid them little mind when he could also tell the contents of the shops. This seemed to be a market district of some sort, and every building seemed to have its own niche little specialty. One labeled "Curiosities & Antiques Emporium" caught his eye in particular, as someone on the street had made a beeline for it after seeing him and was currently conversing with another person inside about the peculiar traveler she'd seen. Detecting what was inside -- piles upon piles of books and other "curiosities", as the sign had advertised -- he had reason to think that this was his destination.
Sol couldn't so much as fit under the shop's overhang without crouching, so he made himself smaller before walking in the door. Again, heads turned. They already knew something of him from the woman's gossiping, but he was still too strange a sight to consider tearing their eyes away. He hoped they didn't have cameras on hand in an isolated place like this...
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Post by Rhukana on Feb 15, 2017 1:42:31 GMT
Sol InvictusOf course the latest strange thing to enter town made a bee-line for the old buzzard's shop. By this point, most of the town's residents would be surprised if something unusual didn't turn up on a regular basis. That didn't stop it from being quite the sight, seeing a walking embodiment of flame strutting down the main thorough-way. Those customers within the shop took notice even before he entered, to the point that even those that he was not yet visible to unconsciously giving the being space, or flat-out leaving via the side door. One opportunistic child - a boy that looked to be more than ten - took the moment of distraction to snatch up something small, stuff it inside his coat, and make a dash for the door. Rhukana gave the briefest of glances towards the newcomer with barely a cocked eyebrow to acknowledge him before she noticed the young man's hasty retreat. Snatching up a nearby chalk eraser, she chucked it at the diminutive shoplifter with all the speed and unerring accuracy of a seasoned professional baseball pitcher. A puff of white dust shrouded the boy mere inches from his escape as the elderly woman commanded "Now put that back, ya thievin' lil' scamp!"Having admonished the prankster (and confident he would hear it from his parents later), Rhu turned her attention back to the living flame and stated plainly "Pardon the theatrics. How may I be of assistance?" Interestingly, her voice held not a hint of a waver nor any sign of fear or astonishment, just a suppressed cough that followed her question.
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Post by Sol Invictus on Feb 17, 2017 2:49:00 GMT
Sol didn't turn to watch the shoplifted. He didn't have to. He could sense the bauble -- a small globe made of brass -- in the inside pocket of the boy's shirt. Before, he'd ignored it, but now realized that retrieving it could prove a bargaining chip.
"Allow me," he "said," projecting the words into the woman's mind. Even though the boy reached into his pockets to remove the item and return it to its rightful place, gravity altered around the globe, plucked it from his fingers, warping steadily to guide it into Sol's now-outstretched palm. He could sense the metal expand in response to the body heat he gave off.
As he walked up to the counter to return the object, his hand still outstretched, he said, "I come here seeking information where many others have failed me. Do you know anything of curses?"
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Post by Rhukana on Feb 25, 2017 1:24:40 GMT
Another eyebrow raised at the power display, but little else. The child would have placed the item back if only out of shame from "getting chalked". Having it 'retrieved' and brought to her meant more work for Rhukana later. Still, she carefully plucked the brass orb from the being's grasp, making a measured effort not to display her discomfort at being spoken to telepathically.
Its request garnered a frown from Rhu. She took a minute to reply, and then only in carefully measured words, spoken in a tone that crossed only between the fiery being and herself. It helped that the rest of the patrons had vacated the shop as soon as physically (and practically) possible.
"Sir, despite what you may have heard, I am primarily a researcher and archivist. I seek, qualify, quantify, and store information; that is what pays the bills. In fact..." She pointed to the sign on her right, specifically to one line in-particular:
"Now, if you wish to learn of a curse's history, or its precise effects upon various creatures or something similar, I may be able to provide such services. But I do not sell, market, nor teach the use of active weaponry -- in any form."
Readjusting her glasses, Rhukana set the metal ball down softly, taking a few calming breaths before inquiring "Now, was there anything else?"
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Post by Sol Invictus on Feb 28, 2017 0:17:45 GMT
"You misunderstand me," Sol said. "I should have clarified."
He was surprised by how the woman managed to remain calm and level-headed when everyone else had left, presumably of anxiety or outright fright. Either she was remarkably stoic or had seen too many things in her day for a being like him to faze her.
"I am not interested in inflicting a curse, but curing one. Long ago -- so long ago that I have forgotten how much time has passed and doubt it would mean anything to you if I did -- I had a curse placed on me that acts as a restricting mechanism, tailored to my physiology. I have seen as many people as possible since then searching for a cure, but as you might guess from my appearance, finding individuals willing to aid me is difficult. None have been able to provide answers.
"If there is further information on your sign, I should inform you that I cannot read it."
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Post by Rhukana on Feb 28, 2017 17:24:45 GMT
Rhukana suffered through the continued onslaught of mental rambling, although it was beginning to get on her nerves. Once he was done, she countered with a harumph "Well why didn't you say so? Could have been a bit more concise with your inquiry earlier."
Adjusting her glasses, she further quested "Do you have a Mark or a Point of Focus for the curse? Some visual sign of it?" Rhu could have opened her Sight and viewed the being in full, but that would likely have caused massive visual damages which would take more time and energy to repair than she was willing to invest right now. Having a starting point would help to get things going before she risked further exposure.
She might possibly close shop early today, given the current situation. It was unlikely that any of the townsfolk would enter after the being's display of power, but it was best not to take chances if things started getting dicey.
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Post by Sol Invictus on Mar 5, 2017 3:46:14 GMT
"A sign?" Sol parroted. He took a moment to think on it. "My appearance hasn't changed any since the curse was laid on me. Except for... my size." Even though his voice was mental, there was still a marked shift in toe to something more meek, even if it was only for two words.
"Let me explain more coherently. This shape I take," he motioned to himself, guiding his hand down his body, "is not my natural one." Sol pulled his limbs in, tucked his head down, and floated roughly a foot off the ground. His extremities "melted" his torso, which warped into a spherical shape a little more than half his prior height.
"You may not believe me, but I am a star. I can adjust my dimensions naturally, but the curse placed on me limits the extent of this." To demonstrate, he expanded until he nearly grazed both the ceiling and a nearby shelf. "Physically, the magnetic field around my body feels like elastic, trying to snap back to smaller dimensions if I make myself too large -- if I try to return to my normal self. Should I force it, the aura around me will split and... I... I do not think I would survive if that happened while exposed to an atmosphere.
"I know that you are growing impatient and that I cannot provide a true answer to your question. I apologize."
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Post by Rhukana on Mar 9, 2017 0:48:14 GMT
Weathering the onslaught of mental jabbering, Rhukana was feigning mild interest while her headspace was elsewhere. She'd managed to quarantine off the section of her mind that was being spoken to, with a portion of the remainder focused on the being "himself". And the more it mind-spoke, the more fascinating Rhu concluded she found the being to be. And slightly worried, as the being's changing size came threateningly close to the emergency sprinklers she had installed.
The room went silent for an agonizingly short while once the being finished speaking, after which Rhukana let out a deep sigh. "I have dealt with many clients of varying races, creeds, and uniqueness since starting my research practice, but a rambling star has to be a first. A presumptuous one, at that." It was taking a good measure of effort to remain polite, if only because the creature was either remaining elusive about his condition, or being astonishingly ignorant of her questions' intended responses. Either way, she was becoming agitated, but had thus far weathered the conversation.
Neither had Rhu remained entirely idle; as the discussion of the diagnosis had progressed, she had grabbed a notepad from nearby and began scribbling down notes. Her ability to keep up was all but uncanny.
Trying to steer things back on track, she glanced down at her notes as she spoke "While that information is useful, I asked if there was a Mark for the curse itself. Some kind of... outward symbol, or scratch or tattoo or anything of the sort Marking you as cursed. I often find that curse-ers love leaving their own brand of Mark, something that can be identified and traced."
Scribbling more notes onto her pad, she continued in a half-bored drone "Barring that, is there any particular spot where the curse could be concentrated? Some spot where it seems to be the strongest? Its 'Focus', or 'Foci' if a poor bastard has multiple curses. I will have a much easier time assisting you if there is such a Mark or Foci."
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Post by Sol Invictus on Mar 9, 2017 16:40:52 GMT
"I do not mean to wear your patience, but as I said, what I tell you is all that I can provide." He rotated around his axis, showing every inch of himself twice over for confirmation. "My body cannot hold a physical mark like what you describe, and is unchanged physically outside of what I mentioned. I told you where the curse was 'concentrated' to the best of my ability, so I presume that is the 'focus'. Is that not what you wanted?"
Truth be told, he had little idea what the woman was talking about or how to reply. The question she pressed seemed illogical to him. A tattoo? On a star? Perhaps there stranger things existed, but he could not fathom how that would be possible.
He was certainly surprised that she seemed to take his story at face value, though. Few did. Most terrestrial beings seemed to have little understanding of stars in general, knowing them only as mysterious lights in the night sky. Her sobriety told Sol that she wasn't exaggerating about the diversity of her clientele. He almost wanted to press her on it, out of idle curiosity, but knew this was the wrong time for small talk.
"If your interest is in what cursed me, that I can answer, at least in part, but this is no conventional curse, and it may not conform to your understanding of them."
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Post by Rhukana on Mar 10, 2017 4:51:09 GMT
At least the creature was verbose this time, sparing her a long lecture this time. In truth, part of her had nodded off while he was rambling on before, but this time Rhukana felt she better understood the effects of the curse upon the star being. "Yes, well, it may have been a bit too optimistic to hope it would be simple. The nature of the curse as you describe it does... complicate matters."
And there it went again, assuming things. Its actions had finally snapped the last molecule of the final thread of Rhu's patience; the elderly proprietor pointed her pencil at the star child, lecturing 'him' "Look here. I tire of being told what I know and do not know, so I would thank you kindly if you would allow me to be the judge of what I do not understand or comprehend or fathom. Presumptuous brown dwarf."
With a clearly-audible harumph -- for she was well and truly cheesed off by this cosmic body's attitude -- Rhu scribbled down a few more lines of notes, setting down her utensil once she had calmed herself. Once focused again, she moved in with the pitch "I do hope you understand how this process works. As a Librarian, it is my duty and business to research, file, and archive information, including things that may contain them. And all of that takes a great deal of time and energy."
"Therefore, I'm afraid I must ask for a small remittance before I can commit to assistance; I do not do work pro bono nor for charity. It can be something unique, as I gather that you have not use for physical currency. Essence, or a song, or knowledge of a long-forgotten civilization... I once even traded my services for a stray thought caught up in a moment."
Pausing to steeple her fingers, Rhukana added "One thing I can assure you, though, is that if there is something that can be found that will help you with removing your curse, I will find it. Should I fail, any payments made will be returned intact and undiminished. A 'full money-back guarantee', as humans would put it."
What she left out was that she had yet to fail a request. She couldn't; her reputation was built upon her tenacity and guile for finding what her clients were seeking. Within limits, of course.
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Post by Sol Invictus on Mar 10, 2017 16:31:17 GMT
It wasn't just the woman's patience that were wearing thin. Sol was trying to be as polite as possible, but it felt like every other thing he said risked irritating her, and it was starting to get through his electromagnetic field. He could weather insults up to a certain point, but calling him a brown dwarf...
His external temperature rose, enough to noticeably warm the surrounding air. The aura around his body pushed outward ever so slightly, enough to graze a shelf, at which point he noticed and retracted to a somewhat more compact shape. He remembered the sprinkler above him and sensed the alcohol in its bulb expand -- but mercifully, it hadn't come too close to its breaking point. If he activated it, he'd probably never get the help he needed.
He returned his thoughts to the subject at hand, and wondered how, exactly, she managed to have a return policy on information of all things. That too was a question he didn't dare ask yet, for fear of setting her off again. For someone who seemed to hate others speaking, it seemed she had no problem with running her own mouth.
"I cannot sing, and I fear a part of myself would be difficult and potentially hazardous to keep," Sol said. "But if it is information you seek, I know as much as anyone can about an isolated and long-dead world. Would it be too presumptuous if I assumed you were unaware of it, or would you accept that as your collateral?"
Sol hoped she wouldn't complain about the length of a story he'd agree to tell...
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Post by Rhukana on Mar 11, 2017 2:56:19 GMT
Perhaps her insult had been a bit too searing (pun fully intended), and for a moment the proprietor was afraid things might escalate. For the first time, a twinge of emotion -- mostly worry -- showed plainly on her face. Thankfully, the being managed to control his temper and the room was left mostly unharmed, and silently she bit her tongue to keep the sigh of relief from escaping.
Perhaps it would be most prudent not to anger the walking, talking fusion reactor, and bit back any further admonishment.
With a cough, she swiftly swooped up her pencil, replying "Perhaps a short tale, to start. Save the full epic for when our business has successfully concluded." The woman had been slowly adjusting to this creature's abundant use of telepathy; at least by now it was no longer physically painful to 'hear' him, though it still taxed her mental state. Uncomfortable, but safe, at least in short bursts.
A frown appeared on her face, and the sound of rustling paper could be heard as she flipped back through her notes, glancing rapidly at her chicken scratchings. "Forgive me, but I don't believe we've made proper introductions. May I have a name of some sort? An alias or pseudonym will suffice, If using your own is uncomfortable or risky. You may call me Rhukana, or 'Rhu' if you wish." Her pronunciation rolled the 'r' harshly, although her annunciation was crystal clear.
Now that she thought about it, the being had yet to speak, and only an approximation of human form... how was it able to hear her? Another mystery for the ages, surely, and likely not one to dwell upon for long.
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Post by Sol Invictus on Mar 19, 2017 0:37:03 GMT
"I am called Sol Invictus," the star replied. Having spent most of his existence without a need for names, it was half title, half name.
"Many millennia ago, by your measurement of time, there an inhabited world orbited me." He shifted back to his humanoid form, this time sporting small, stubby horns and a less impressive "physique". "The people of it bore some resemblance to the form I take, though they were shorter in stature and, of course, possessed of flesh. Theirs was a society born of technology interwoven with simple magicks I never cared to understand. A humble people, organized into castes who lived their lives with perhaps more structure than I would care for.
"They no longer exist, as they were claimed first by the same dark Corruption that sealed my power, then by the eternal night-winter caused by my absence.
"Will that suffice?" he asked as he returned his horns to their usual shape.
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Post by Rhukana on Mar 20, 2017 1:54:38 GMT
Rhukana hadn't quite expected his tale to be that short, but his descriptions sufficed her curiosity. Sol gave just enough detail to tease at a much larger story behind it -- one that could be a prime part of her collection -- and she quickly scribbled down the contents word-for-word, leaving space to fill in details and suppositions of her own. Professionalism kept her from demanding further inquiries, and she nodded at his question, stating curtly "Quite. Now then, let's get this examination started." Pushing herself off her stool, the elderly woman beaconed for Sol to follow her as she toddled towards the back of the shop.
Behind the divider wall was almost a whole library in its own right; book-lined shelves stretched from one end to the other, wrapping around the room except where a pair of tall, blacked-out windows interrupted them, blank-faced monitor sitting atop desks, their cables feeding down along the walls, some going towards the room's center. More prominent was the larger desk and two chairs in the middle of the room, all heavy wooden affairs with runes and unknown pieces of technology attached to them in places; resting upon the desk was a small stand holding a peculiar book, an apparently ancient tome held firmly shut by a blank, matte-gray plate of some sort. Surrounding the desk in a wide circle was a gold ring set into the floor, with various symbols scratched into the ground at set intervals; wires ran to and from the ring, around the room and out of it.
"My laboratory and sanctuary," Rhu announced, as though answering a question that had yet to be asked, stepping up to the desk to push it further back from the door; despite how much such furniture must weigh, she moved it with barely any effort. Pulling aside one chair, she invited her guest "Please, be seated. I promise upon my own life there are no tricks to harm you within this room; the magic circle is merely a precaution."
Sol would find that this chair was warded against destructive forces (including intense flame), and fully capable of withstanding crush forces greater than a titan stepping upon it. Not too unlike Lego bricks, actually. Rhukana ghosted around the seat opposite of the living star, noting with some disdain "I should note that activating the ring will likely cause some claustrophobic sensations; that's perfectly natural, as its purpose is to contain as well as protect. I'm afraid I cannot continue with the examination without it active, however -- I would rather not be responsible for the destruction of a town should something go wrong. Again.*cough*"
Quickly moving on, Rhu requested "If you feel intruded upon, harmed, or in any way uncomfortable or in distress, please speak up immediately. There shouldn't be any issues with the examination, but some sign of abnormality could mean the curse has been set-off. Obviously, that would be bad, and I seek to avoid causing such a thing to manifest, but... well, just say something if it starts to tickle."
With a nervous nod of the head, she pricked one finger and placed it to the circle. Immediately a sensation of something closing around them could be felt, like someone closing a closet door, only stronger and more ominous. Rhu took her seat and, closing her eyes, steadied her breathing for a minute or two before opening her eyes once more -- only now, they appeared as pale white orbs, radiating an intensive stare. With her Third Sight open, Rhu gazed upon the true form of Sol, unbidden by physical limitations, her hands stretching out with a touch of power to them, aiming to discover what manner of ailment could constrict such an astral body.
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