Hidden 4 yrs ago 4 yrs ago Post by Crusader Lord
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Crusader Lord A professional, anxiety-riddled, part-time worker

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Ishara





Ishara gave a small smile at Khaemtir as he seemed to jovially put an arm around her, and a struggle to get the arm of Radaam to boot, laying out his own plans before taking off against the wishes of his Tutelary. As much as the girl did think well of the little jewel-eyed hippo, however, she did feel a certain understanding of her peer not wanting to exactly go running back to his parents. Hers were...well, they were good to her. In that the goddess her truly blessed her. But she knew how Khaemtir's mother and family could get from her own experiences, and it wasn't far off to think the boy just wanted his own time without family basically banking on his achievement publicly. Perhaps it was a normal thing for some nobility, but...mmm, not one of the aspects of noble life she liked. It was one she recognized and had to deal with, but that didn't mean she had to like it regardless.

Though before she could even try to talk to Radaam, the boy too seemed to dive into the crowd of his own volition and head off on his own business. Ah. Perhaps she'd been hoping to talk to him some more, try to get to know her fellow Noviate, but then again that might be a bit much. As much as she seemed calm, and had been happy to see her mothers, it was still a fact that the nerves were still rolling off. Part of her was still having to let it all sink in, frankly, and the only reason she was keeping such a good appearance was from the education her adoptive mother had drilled into her. How to appear well in public, how to try to hide the nerves, good mannerisms, that sort of thing fitting for a noble's daughter.

Even so, it was exhausting to keep up appearances on this day of all days. Perhaps she could find a corner to sit in and just let herself relax a bit? That...that would be rather nice actually. Just the thought of it let her facade of composure down a little, if enough to see the tired glint in her eyes and some fatigue in her facial expression.

Yet with no one else for the moment, the green-haired girl's eyes turned back to Master Dagon himself. Doing her best to keep up a smile, she gave a light bow to the man before moving to speak to him herself this time.

"I am honored to learn under you, Master Dagon. Yet if i may....'stuffy old Magi' as you exclaim yourself to be, I pray that we will be able to glean much from your years of experience. As my adoptive mother has taught me, to learn from the past is most valuable when pursuing our own futures," the girl said, trying to give a sincere compliment as she spoke her mind somewhat to the older Sorcerer. Even if it seemed like flattery, or perhaps a tad naive, she meant every word of it regardless. To learn from the past was a valuable tool, but to become fixated on it was also a dangerous thing in and of itself.

...Goodness, though, she could perhaps use a nice drink after this. Maybe she could locate some refreshments on her way to mingle and maybe find a spot to let herself relax a bit more.

@Dead Cruiser@Achronum@Obscene Symphony
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Vec
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Vec Liquid Intelligence

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Berenice Eldri


Berenice was quite eager to finally talk to the magus in charge of her, and the urgency in her step as she walked around, searching for her attested to the young Novitiate’s mixed feelings. On the one hand, she was excited to finally start her real journey through the unknown and mysterious, that which only official Magi of the Cults were privy to. On the other hand, there was a feeling of nervousness deep within her, mainly due to some abject fear of not doing well in her studies, as well as the unknown environment of the Cult of the Serpent.

She had caught glimpses of their members once or twice, mainly whenever her father had a meeting with some of them for official things and she happened to be at the house. At the time she had been around 12 years old, barely having started learning about magic. Her father had summoned her over to their main house in order to check up on her progress. Unfortunately for her, he had failed to tell her that he had also invited two certified Magi, close friends of his, one of them being of the Cult of the Serpent.

Her first impression of the man was quite normal; with a smile on his face, the Magus had done some simple tests on her that she would later come to know were for her aptitude in Biomancy. During one of the tests he had shown her several papyruses with strange, distorted shapes drawn on them. Every time he pulled up a new picture, he would ask her to shout the first thing that came to her mind. Berenice still remembered the look on his face when she’d shouted “YOU!” right in front of his face after he’d shown her one particular picture. The man had gone from puzzled, to embarrassed and to angry in a matter of seconds. To her defense, however, the picture really looked like the man’s face, bald with a stubble and recessed eye sockets, and a nose as big as her little finger.

---

She chuckled at the memory, and the snake tutelary shifted under her Novitiate robe in faint agreement. Atum peeked his little head outside, surveying the surrounding space. His black, forked tongue slithered out of his mouth occasionally, taking in the strange scents of food, drink and general merriment. After a while he turned around and looked at Berenice, and she knew immediately what he wanted.

“Look, I know you are hungry, but you really should’ve eaten back at the table. I brought the food off the table for you, but you refused to budge.” Berenice’s retorts immediately dampened the little snake’s mood and he made his dissatisfaction known to her by the usual way – smacking the end of his tail on her calf. Not too hard, for it would leave a mark, but not too soft either, for it would not count as a protest.

It was not the first or the last time Atum had behaved like that. Berenice quickly came to realize her tutelary’s peculiar personality after she had summoned and bound it to herself: needy, picky, arrogant and clingy are a few of the personality traits that she especially was not fond of. Whenever she refused to do something for him, Atum would protest in this passive aggressive way of smacking the end of his tail on her calf. At first it had been funny, but Berenice very quickly grew bored, and even annoyed of it. Alas, no matter how many times she’d tell him to stop, he would always start again after a while, with the same beat and cadence as previously. Eventually she grew numb to it, but that didn’t stop him from using it as a means to show dissatisfaction.

“No, I need to find the Magus and greet her. Help me look for her and I’ll get you an extra big portion of meat to eat later.” The snake looked at her for a few seconds before deciding to believe her words. His tail movements slowly came to a stop as his head picked up the pace, peeking out of the cloak and searching for the Magus himself.

---

It took some time for the two, novitiate and tutelary, to find Magus Nevrakis as she had quickly removed herself from the dais after the short ceremony, mingling with the rest of the crowd and partaking in the celebrations. Berenice found the Magus seated by a table filled with people unknown to the young novitiate. After coming a little closer, she noticed a familiar figure attending to the Magus’ needs.

“Sarahi? That’s an interesting way of currying favor, I didn’t have you for a person that cared about those sorts of things…” Berenice thought with an odd look on her face but chose to abstain from commenting for the moment. Instead, she went ahead and introduced herself.

“Greetings esteemed Magus. My name is Berenice Eldri. It’s my honor to be under your tutelage.” Berenice gave the Magus a slight bow, her hand in a fist and over her left chest in the usual greeting of the Order Sekhmet.

Greeting and getting greeted by @Dead Cruiser. Misunderstandings ensue @Hero

Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Dead Cruiser
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Dead Cruiser Dishonour Before Death / Better You Than Me

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Magus Dagon

Continuing to look down from his position on the dais, Dagon eyed Ishara with that soul-cutting gaze of his. He blinked slowly, and something resembling weariness crept into his features. He nodded to his student solemnly, and said to her, "Your mother is very wise. Now, off with you. Make a new friend. Glean that from my experience."

He turned his back to his students, Magus' cloak swaying gently, and stepped off of the dais. He wasn't any less intimidating when he wasn't looming over them, as he was still quite tall and his posture was painfully straight. Even so, there was a certain hesitance in his movements, like he was bearing some kind of invisible burden as he walked. Despite this, he was not slowed down any, and strode over to where Magistrate Amon had been standing nearby, conversing with some other Sorcerers.

"Magistrate, if I may have a word?" He called to the elder Sorcerer, before stepping just out of earshot. Though, if anyone was particularly curious nearby it would not have been difficult to eavesdrop.




Magus Nevrakis

Berenice's greeting brought what looked like a petulant scowl to her mentor's face, an expression that spoke clearly of disappointment. The Magus did not let the question of her disapproval linger long in the air, as she replied, "You're not in the bloody military, girl. Don't salute me. You're a Sorcerer now, have some dignity." Just as it seemed she was going to bark some orders at her in turn, the final member of their circle arrived, and Nevrakis' expression lightened. "Ah, good, you're all gathered." She sounded relieved, like she had just finished accounting her taxes.

Nevrakis rose from her seat, dusting the crumbs of spilled food from her lap, and immediately set off at a brisk pace. She whipped around, cloak billowing with a flourish, and beckoned to her students. "Well? Come along! I wasn't joking when I said your training has started. Hop to it!" With that, she turned back and continued to weave through the festivities quickly enough that her students would have had to have made a concerted effort to keep up with her. She walked clear across most of the Dijat, until her destination was clear: she was heading directly toward one of the Cults' pyramids. The icon carved thirty feet high into gleaming silver on the inward-facing edifice of the pyramid made it clear whose it was, though it was perhaps not a great surprise. A coiling, winged serpent taking flight. They were entering the pyramid of the Cult of the Serpent.
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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Hero
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Hero Sincerest of Knights

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Sarahi wasn't entirely sure why she was surprised to have been delegated to servant so quickly. Expecting the worst was her typical way of thinking--nothing in life came without some sort of great annoyance. Maybe it was because this was actually something she had been looking forward to, or maybe for just a second she had somehow assumed her new mentor wouldn't be the same as the other adults in her life. Then again, she had some sort of expectations for the magically inclined and highly respected the art of magic and those who rose through the ranks and assumed they had some sort of dignity about them. But no, she was entirely wrong.

Diadem had nearly come out in full force, although they chose to cling and climb all over her hair and clothes, looking around at the various people she passed. She ignored their occasional whispers, acutely aware that she probably sounded like she was jingling with every step and movement. Unfortunately, when she walked back to the Magus, Berenice Whats-her-name was there, too. Great, she was going to get a massive headache from this interaction, she could already tell. She didn't miss that questioning look, either, glaring daggers at the brunette in return. Did it look like she was enjoying this?!

Just as the urge to drop the next plate and walk away came, Diadem was spooked, hastily hiding under her hair and cloak. Sarahi had seen it so many times that she wasn't remotely surprised when the last third of the trio came over with their tutelary, a falcon of some sort. Interesting, although the constant tingling Diadem chirped in panic ruined the first impression just a touch. The only solace she got was that the Magus found Berenice just as irritating, though that wasn't saying much since her first impression on Sarahi was well into the negatives. Have some dignity she said while ordering Sarahi around like a servant. This was all so stupid.

Did she forget that Sarahi was the only one around when she first spoke of training? Not only was the Magus a lazy fuck, she was also either forgetful or delusional. Yeah, because anyone would equate sending someone to fetch food with actual training. This was all going to be painful, wasn't it?

To her surprise, it looked like the Magus was actually doing something of value. Straight into the pyramid, huh? About time they were doing something of value. Though if her initial interaction had any indication, they were probably going to do some dusting or something mundane.

All care thrown aside, she decided she may as well get her expectations out of the way. "Are we doing actual training, or is it favors disguised as 'training' like fetching you food and drink?" She asked, not bothering to hide her bitterness. "Because I'm not here to be anyone's servant."
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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Achronum
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Khaemtir laughed to himself as the Novitiates interacted with their new master, especially that stiff Eldri girl. Everyone knew the Sorcerers and the Red Orders had a strained relationship. No one in their right mind could consider that tasteful. And how regrettable it was so early in her career but a public faux pas was too good to pass up and he made a mental note to bring it up at his group’s little rendezvous later. Ishara would certainly enjoy the tale and even if Radaam didn’t quite get it, Khaemtir would teach him how to enjoy the simple things in life.

His thoughts came to a screeching halt as one of the three newest Serpents was covered in tiny, iridescent butterflies when she returned. He blinked in awe at what he could only assume was her tutelary. They were absolutely beautiful, the way they glowed and shimmered. He’d thought Udjebten beautiful with her gemstone eyes and baby fat all over but those butterflies were absolutely stunning. He wouldn’t trade his tutelary for the world―Not that he would ever tell her that!―but maybe they could work together and make her eyes glow like that. The obvious superficial desires aside, he wouldn’t need to light a candle if he got up at night anymore.

“It’s rude to stare, little Khae.” Udjebten nudged him from where she sat on the bench next to him but he wasn’t fooled. Not only was she perched up on her hind legs and resting her forelegs on the table for a better look, usually she’d have commented far sooner than she had. She was just as enthralled by the butterflies as he. He smirked at her and scratched behind her flicking ears like she enjoyed.

“Alright, alright. I’ll keep my appreciation to a minimum, mother.” Khaemtir laughed, finally standing to approach the group. If their master was anything like his, they’d be dismissed shortly or at the very least sent on some inane assignment Khaemtir could steal them from. He still needed to give his regards to Ms. Faux and he definitely wanted to get to know the girl with the butterflies. He smoothed out any wrinkles in his outfit, helped Udjebten off the bench, and stood back up to see where they’d gone and…

Groaned in disappointment. They’d vanished somewhere in the crowd, the entire bunch of them including their master, which only made him think they were off on some purpose or another. Great. He had been hoping to greet all of the necessary parties away from his mother before he had to play proper but it seemed fate did not smile on him today. He sighed dejectedly.

“Well, it seems another greeting and it’s off to your family. But first, you need to drink some water. Beer is a poor substitution for hydration and it is hot out here.” Udjebten demanded, trotting off into the crowd. Khaemtir followed obediently. As long as it kept him away from his family, he was all set for it. Udjebten led him to a refreshment table, watching him drink water and eat a little before giving a satisfied nod.

“Why is being a noble so difficult?” Khaemtir complained to Udjebten. “I just want to hang out with people but I know it’ll get stuffy if I don’t greet people somewhat formally.”

“You are a Sorcerer now. Your future is yours to write. If you wish, you could disappear from your noble life and become a hermit in your pyramid.” The hippopotamus suggested, the closest thing to teasing smile on her face.

“Absolutely not. I’d die.” Khaemtir shuddered. He didn’t want to give it up; he just wanted to be a noble his way. Was that so much to ask?
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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Scribe of Thoth
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Scribe of Thoth It's Pronounced "Thot"

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Kho turned his head downward at the tug on his cloak, only stagger backward a half-step at the sight of the figure that had accosted him. He kept his face politely neutral for a moment as he waited for his mind to catch up with his eyes before realizing the figure speaking to him was just a little peasant girl - albeit a disfigured one - and not some Sybaris-infected goblinoid.

Tekenkhasut, in the meantime, had no such hesitations. The falcon puffed its feathers up predatorially as it eyed the offered piece of meat, then shifted to the equally-appetizing snake that coiled around the girl. He offered his fellow tutelary a coy wink as he spread his wings and hopped off his perch on Khotanebre's shoulder. On his descent, Teken snatched the offered meat with his beak and listlessly glided to the ground, where he began ripping his meal into sinewy ribbons for consumption.

"Am I a... what now?" Kho asked, belatedly registering what the girl had said. What on Ea was a 'hawk family'? Was that some kind of code for people with avian tutelaries? The girl didn't look old enough to be a sorcerer, and definitely wasn't dressed finely enough, so he doubted she was privy to any secret cabals of bird summoners. Other than feeding Teken, Kho couldn't fathom what the girl could want - at least, that meat better have been intended for the falcon; if the flying rat was stealing food now, that'd be a whole other issue he wasn't confident he could deal with. "Um, that was for my bird, right? He didn't just steal it?"

"Yes, Khota, she whistled and everything," Teken interjected in feigned offense between bites.

"I didn't ask you, go back to your lunch," Kho chided before offering the girl a polite bow of his head, "Sorry about that."


@Obscene Symphony
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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Theyra
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Theyra

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Sirvan Nouzari


Are we already heading to the pyramid for training? Sirvan thought as he followed Magus Nevrakis to the Cult of the Serpent pyramid. That was fast, the night is still young, and the festivities are not even over yet. Guess this Magus is straight to the point of things and not waste time that could be used for training. Or at least that is what Sirvan thought as he walked. Still, what does the Magus have in store for them this night? He wondered, some kind of training exercise or maybe a test of their skills? Who knows, he should not focus on it, figuring out what it is. Better to just see it for himself and hope he is up to the task.

Meanwhile, Sirvan got a look at his fellow novitiates. He recognized the two of them from the academy. Sarahi and Berenice he thinks their names are. Sirvan does not know alot about his fellow novitiates. Only a few memories from the academy days. Surely there will be an opportunity to learn more about them soon. Maybe even get a chance tonight if allowed to. Sirvan was eager to talk to them and perhaps become friends down the road.

Then he heard Sarahi speak and was confused. Wait, what does he mean that training might be them doing something menial like getting food for the Magus. Did Nevrakis order Sarahi to do such things before they all gathered? If so, then... a bad feeling in his stomach started to form. Hopefully, not, and they will do some actual training and not something a menial as being Nevrakis's servants. He did not come here to train to be a Sorcerer and learn how to use magic just to be a servant. Guess Sirvan will see what the Magus has in store for them and hope for the best.
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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Crusader Lord
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Crusader Lord A professional, anxiety-riddled, part-time worker

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Ishara





Ishara nodded to the older mage as he gave his advice of the night, though as the man walked away she could not help but ponder why he seemed like he was. Or rather, why he seemed to have such a weight upon him. She'd once heard a saying, she had forgotten from which people, that had gone: "To be in the present is a gift, but to know of the future is a burden indeed." It came to mind when she watched the straight-laced-looking older Sorcerer walk off to converse about some other business. He seemed to be wise from his years, something that indeed some peoples took value in indeed. Yes the old did get weaker in the flesh as the waxed on long enough, but to have lived for so long was a testament to their lives in turn.

Ah...but before she could ponder on things some more, the green-haired girl felt an inkling trickle into her as she watched Dagon and the Magistrate move off to the side. Whilst much of her felt like going off to find Radaam at the moment, perhaps talk to him before they all headed out and such and she'd hoped to before, something of an inkling wormed its way into her thoughts. A certain curiosity about what the older men were talking of, as it were, seemed to linger in her thoughts and against her better judgement. Usually she would have tossed away such thoughts, and yet at the same time she couldn't really get herself to move away.

'Hmm. W-While it is not rather polite...what might those two be talking about, I wonder? Us? Why the Crimson King himself was not here?"

The girl thought to herself for a moment, she positioned herself to eavesdrop nearby. She even grabbed a drink and was taking sips, looking out over the crowd despite the true focus of her endeavor. The beer wasn't very hydrating, if at all, but she knew well enough how to smile and put on a face for events like this and such interactions. Not that it was intended for this sort of less polite activity, but...it worked at least.

@Dead Cruiser
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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Obscene Symphony
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Zahra

Zahra hardly noticed the boy’s falter, too busy lighting up when the hawk took the offered meat like she’d seen her neighbour’s falcons do before. She bounced on the balls of her feet as she watched him, immeasurably pleased that her little ploy had worked out. She didn’t even need help that time!

Toruk, meanwhile, was a little less pleased, tensing at the hawk’s cheeky little wink. He kept his eyes trained suspiciously on the bird, lowering himself to either curl protectively around his young charge or discreetly hide himself behind her; it was hard to tell which, and Zahra wasn’t paying attention anyway.

Zahra looked between boy and hawk as they had their little exchange, breaking into an excited fit of giggles when the bird spoke. “Yes, yes!” she replied exuberantly, braids bouncing with a quick nod. “He did great! He must be very smart. And pretty,” she turned her attention to the bird, leaning over to deliver her compliment. “Your scarf is very handsome,” she told him sweetly.

Straightening up, she turned a serious face to her brother’s tutelary. “Toruk, why don’t you ever talk?” she demanded, though she got little more than a bashful shrink out of the snake before he threw the hawk an equally accusatory glare for making him look bad.

The girl hmphed at the non-answer, but was all smiles again when she looked back up at the boy with the pretty pink hair. “A hawk family!” she declared again, suddenly remembering she’d been - sort of - asked a question. Crossing her arms and straightening up, her voice took on an overly-stiff ‘grown-up’ tone, imitating her father when he explained it in his stories. “Every family has a guardian, either a snake, a hawk, or a cat,” she explained, counting them off on her fingers. “You know, they bring you luck and protect you from evil! My family is protected by the snake.”

She held up the arm Toruk had coiled himself around to demonstrate. “This is Toruk. He’s my brother’s tutor-ary. Radaam says he was just a coincidence, but I’m pretty sure he showed up because we’re a snake family.” She grinned matter-of-factly before looking around, hoisting herself up on her tiptoes. Luckily even from her diminutive height Radaam was easy to spot, towering over much of the crowd not far off from them. She pointed in his direction, expecting the boy to know precisely who she was referring to. “That’s him over there. He’s a sorcerer like you!”

“Anyway,” she added, daintily repositioning one of her braids, “we’re a snake family, but I bet you’re like my neighbour. He’s a hawk family too - he even taught me how to feed them.” She perched her free hand on her hip, beaming triumphantly both at her excellent explanation and her suburb hawk-feeding skills.

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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Obscene Symphony
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“Oh! There he is!”

Head snapping up from the spiced bread he was enjoying, Radaam was met with the sight of his parents edging their way politely through the crowd, smiles lighting up having finally spotted their elusive son. Not that he really meant to be; he had set off with the intent of meeting up with his parents, but the enduring density of the crowd made it difficult enough for someone his size to squeeze through that he figured it would be easier to stay still and let them find him. As it turned out, not a bad strategy—they’d spotted him in a matter of minutes, probably over the heads of other attendees.

“We were wondering when you'd have a spare moment for us,” his mother continued happily when they drew near, already fussing with his cloak.

“Hello, Ma,” he greeted fondly, meeting an amused look from his onlooking father. “And Da. How are the two of you liking the banquet?”

“It's just wonderful, Daama,” his mother insisted, leading Radaam and his father to a seat at a nearby table she must have spotted on her way over. Radaam’s father was visibly relieved to sit and get his bare feet off the hot ground—he'd lent Radaam his good sandals for the occasion—and it was clear from her smile and the way her wide eyes darted around the Dijat that his mother was having the time of her life. It really was heartening to see; she rarely got the chance to dress up, and she'd leapt at the opportunity. Her hair was intricately braided and her jade green saree (easily the nicest thing she owned) had been pressed and draped with utmost care—Radaam even thought he saw a few new lines of decorative stitching along the hem. His father, while not quite as pressed and preened as his mother, was still dressed to the occasion in a tunic similar to Radaam’s own and his hair and beard neatly combed and braided with a few ceramic beads.

Sitting pin-straight herself, Radaam’s mother smoothed out the skirt of her saree and leveled her son with her patented ‘tell me everything’ look. “But how are you finding it? Have you met your classmates yet? Did you speak to your teacher?”

Another look was shared between father and son before Radaam let out a fond—if exasperated—sigh. “He’s called the Magus, Ma,” he gently corrected her, “And they’re my colleagues. And yes, I did speak to them. The two studying under my Magus, anyway.”

His mother’s face lit up, his gentle chastising rolling off of her. “That’s excellent!” she exclaimed, beaming between her husband and her son.

Radaam chuckled bashfully, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah,” he replied quietly, avoiding his mother’s gaze.

“And?” she insisted, not fooled for a second by Radaam’s obfuscation.

And, he continued, “one of them invited the other two of us to his, erm… manor after the banquet is over.”

“That’s great! I’m always telling you, you need to get out more,” his mother reminded him, utterly unfazed by the opulent wording.

“Yes Ma, I remember,” he offered a tight-lipped smile, looking between his parents. “Though, apparently this boy is a noble of some flavour, and his mother wants to meet the two of you before I go.”

The hairs on the back of Radaam’s neck stood up in the moment after he said that, both his parents’ eyes fixed on him, but this time, it was his father’s turn to break the silence. “What’s that funny look for, then?” he asked jovially, sharing an amused look with his wife. “We’d love to meet your colleague’s family.”

“Of course!” his mother chimed in enthusiastically, “and it’s perfectly reasonable for her to want to meet us. I would too if you or Zahra were bringing a stranger’s child home.” She chuckled.

Radaam relaxed a bit, laughing with his mother. Once more, he wasn’t sure why he’d gotten so worked up. Was it just him who felt out of place among the riches and finery? His parents couldn’t have felt like they fit in either, but they were making themselves at home—very much so, if the satchel over his father’s shoulder smelling of bread was any indication.

“I’ll find you two later on to meet them, then,” he agreed, looking around once more. “Where did Zahra get off to?”

“Exploring with Toruk, I imagine,” his mother replied, taking a cursory look around herself. After a moment, she pointed behind Radaam and added, “Ah, there she is there.”

Following his mother’s gesture, Radaam happened to spot a flash of Zahra’s clay-coloured dress through a gap in the crowd. Standing up for a better look, he couldn’t quite see her, but he did see a head of pink hair—how strange—near where she’d been, the boy beneath it looking startled. The hawk perched on his shoulder was all Radaam needed to realize that that must have been who Zahra was talking to, smitten with animals as she was. As the bird floated to the ground, Radaam spotted a hint of gold and white where it had been sitting; the boy must have been another Novitiate. Unfortunately, Radaam couldn’t claim to remember seeing him go up to the dais, as wrapped up as he’d been in his thoughts at the time.

Still, an uneasiness crept into his stomach at the sight all the same. Zahra was sweet and personable, but manners weren’t her strong suit at home, let alone among the top of society in the Dijat, and, well... she'd be hard-pressed to find others of their family's social standing here.

“I’m going to go get her,” he told his parents hastily, before taking off to nudge through the crowd at an excruciatingly slow pace. His parents weren’t nearly as concerned as they watched him go, but they paid it no mind; their son had always been a bit of a worrier, and anything that got him talking to his fellow Novitiates was a win in their book.

It took a moment for Radaam to make his way over, though his fears were realized when he saw the blaze of white across the boy’s chest confirming his Novitiate status. But come now, he really needed to relax; how much harm could a little girl do to someone his age, anyway? Surely no one in their right mind would take offence to the antics of a child of barely ten. If anything, Toruk was the one he should worry about; his satchel-searching habits would probably make a prime target for someone to accuse him of stealing, and Radaam didn’t need to be getting off on any more wrong of a foot than he already had.

Still, he approached the two, offering the boy what qualified for him as a friendly smile. “Hello, I hope my sister isn’t bothering you,” he greeted politely before turning a stricter gaze on girl and tutelary alike. “Zahra, it’s impolite to pester people, remember?” he reminded her.

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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Scribe of Thoth
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"Why thank you," Teken preened as Zahra complemented him, "See, Kho? She thinks I'm smart and handsome."

Kho ignored the bird at the risk of inflating its ego, instead focusing on the girl's explanation. His haughty impassivity loosened just a tad with a hint of genuine curiosity. Some retained tribal belief no doubt, though it was an interesting coincidence that a sorcerer with the supposed guardianship of a snake spirit managed to summon a snake. An indication of merit in the belief, perhaps, but it was more likely the snake was simply a reflection of its summoner's beliefs on the Aether.

"I suppose that's possible," Kho mused noncommitally, not quite willing to start arguing Aetheric theory with a little girl at the moment, "But I've never heard of anything like that before. Are you sure the guardians of your people are equally attentive to everyone else?"

The boy broke off the conversation as the novitiate in question approached - jeez, he was even bigger up close. Given they were on equal footing as collegues, Kho's first thought was to follow his family's wishes and posture a bit for this 'Radaam' character. Though, given the way his sister was dressed, the redhead didn't think much of a display was necessary to get the point across. He wasn't even sure he wanted to; lineage alone was a weak basis for a reputation among sorcerers.

"Oh, it's fine. She was just enlightening me on the finer points of your family's superstitions." Kho extended a hand toward Radaam, deliberately exposing his father's armlet as he did so. Obligation fulfilled, one less piece of decorum he needed to be conscious about. "Sorcerer-Novitiate Khotanebre Bekenamun, Cult of the Phoenix." That sounded... proper enough. He'd have to ask Magus Xavier about terms of address when he finally spoke to the man, lest he be unknowingly embarrassing himself in front of every sorcerer he introduced himself to.


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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Vec
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Vec Liquid Intelligence

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Getting berated for good manners was a first for Berenice to say the least. Taken aback by the sudden response of the Magus to her greeting, she was stuck in a daze for a few seconds and didn’t catch the rest of her teacher’s words.

"Ugh, is this not acceptable?" As this thought flashed through her mind, she felt something jabbing at her ribs, snapping her out of her confusion. She quickly looked around for the trio that had vanished amidst the crowd of people. Then, a small, scaly tail slithered out of her robe and pointed to a direction before tucking back in, as if nothing had happened.

With a chuckle and a nod, Berenice followed her tutelary’s directions while trying to keep her head high, trying to pinpoint Nevrakis. Her new mentor was quite eye-catching, even among so many people. It didn’t take long for Berenice to find the violet of her gown and lock on her, picking up the pace and eventually catching up to them.

She glanced at the Magus, and for a moment had the urge to apologize, but decided to reign herself in. "Seems like this Magus is not as uptight as people make them out to be." The young novitiate thought as she slowly pieced together the clues, doing a rough, first sketch of her new mentor's personality.

"Calm, with an air of aloofness when faced with trivial things. Excited at the prospect of helpers? Well she certainly seemed eager to put Sarahi through her paces..." A shiver shot through Berenice's spine at the thought of finally managing to join a Cult of Heka, only to be reduced to an errand girl. "No, it couldn't possibly be the case... or could it?"

It didn't take them long to traverse most of the Dijat, what with the pace they were walking, soon finding themselves at the foot of a large pyramid. Berenice's eyes noticed the scaly, emerald serpent icon on the edifice and couldn't help but feel nervous for what was to come.
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Obscene Symphony
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Zahra had opened her mouth to retort to her brother’s outrageous accusation, but fortunately for her, the pink-haired boy - Khota, she thought she heard the bird call him - raised a much more intelligently worded defense before she got the chance. “Yeah!” she added indignantly, crossing her arms at her brother with a haughty expression. “We were enlightening.

Radaam paid her little mind, focus instead on the boy before him. He wasn’t sure he’d seen anyone quite like this boy before, with light skin and such brightly coloured hair, though given how rarely he ventured out into greater Photep, that didn’t necessarily mean anything. Still, it was clear this boy wasn’t cut from the common cloth; Khaemtir was a noble and if he decorated himself in gold, then this boy was armoured in it. It was hard for Radaam not to stare at the cuff on Khotanebre’s bicep as he took his offered hand, solid gold and inlaid with stones he wasn’t even sure he could name, but it seemed no matter where else Radaam looked on the boy, similar gem-encrusted finery jumped out at him. Colleague or not, it was a little hard not to be intimidated. Radaam would admit he wasn’t well-studied on the strata of Photepi nobility - or really, any sort of politics that extended beyond the Red Orders - so who could tell that this boy and his family couldn’t sic half the Rehati on him if he stepped out of line?

But no, he had to stop thinking like that. If he froze like a cornered rat every time he had to speak to someone wealthy, he’d turn to stone before he even crossed his pyramid’s threshold. Admittedly, the job of manning up a bit was made easier by Khotanebre himself; Radaam couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at his mention of ‘superstitions’. He was well aware that Chenziri beliefs weren’t shared by greater Photep, but Aetheric theory may very well also have been regarded as a ‘superstition’ before the Aemeni taught its mysteries to the other tribes of Ea.

“Radaam Esi, Cult of the Crow,” he finally introduced himself, a bit stiffly but at least not as awkwardly as before. “And this,” he gestured to his sister, “is Zarha. Pleased to meet you, Khotanebre. And thank you for keeping my sister out of trouble.”

At the mention of her name, Zahra was all smiles again, rocking on the balls of her feet with hands clasped innocently behind her back. Radaam turned to her, voice gentler than before. “I need you to go find Ma and Da, okay? Get something to eat and rest a little while,” he not-so-subtly suggested.

Zahra pretended to consider for a moment, before heaving a dramatic sigh. Fiiiiine, she conceded, hanging her head theatrically.

Radaam smiled - at least, as much of a smile as one could get out of him. “Thank you. And you,” he shot Toruk a commanding glare, “keep her out of trouble.”

The snake shrank back in response, but tightened his grip around Zahra as confirmation. Instantly brightening up and offering a wave and a “Goodbye!” to Khota and Teken, Zahra bounded off into the crowd, in a direction Radaam was fairly sure wasn’t going to lead her to their parents.

“Eyes above me…” he murmured exasperatedly as he watched her go, though it was soon clear that he’d struggle to follow her and he was probably better off trusting Toruk and however many of the Khenetai were stationed around the Dijat to look after her. At least one of those could be relied upon to keep her out of too much mischief.

He turned a sheepish version of his stone-faced smile back to Khotanebre once she was out of sight, shaking his head. “What can you do?” he joked, hoping this boy had at least one sibling he could relate Zahra’s antics to before clearing his throat to quickly move on.

“The Cult of the Phoenix, you said?” he tried, his mother’s lectures about making conversation echoing in his mind. “I must say, I don’t envy you that. Then again, being called upon by the Cult of the Crow was also… unexpected.” He rubbed the back of his neck, chuckling tightly. Yes, of course; not only was this a very rich Novitiate, probably the son of someone very powerful, but he was a pyromancer of all things. Wings on the wind, it was as if the guardians guided him to this boy just to force him to face his fears. “Were you much of a pyromancy student before this, or did the assignment surprise you, too?”

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Hidden 4 yrs ago 4 yrs ago Post by Dead Cruiser
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Dead Cruiser Dishonour Before Death / Better You Than Me

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Zahra

As easily distracted as any child at a festival would be, it didn't take long for Zahra to stray off course from the order her brother had given her to rejoin her parents. She had been distracted by a particularly vibrant display of telekinetic juggling when she collided with the knees of a man that had turned his seat out from his table.

"Tsk tsk, oh dear, are you alright, love?" The man tittered in concern as he helped Zahra back onto her feet. "There we are, straight as an arrow."

The man smiled at Zahra, leaning down in his seat so that he was closer to her eye level. He was an older man, handsome in a distinguished sort of way, with his grey hair cropped to just hang about his ears. His clothing was exceptionally flamboyant, bordering on garish, as he seemed to be wearing a tapestry of vibrantly dyed silks and other fine fabrics. His head was wreathed by a collar of woven peacock feathers, giving him much the same impression as the same sort of bird. The least colorful thing he wore was his cloak, the black seeming almost flat if it were not for the red trim about its edges. He wore no jewelry, save for the golden brooch clasping his cloak, which was adorned with the image of a triumphant phoenix picked out in gemstones that denoted its rainbow of colorful feathers.

"My, that is a fearsome serpent you carry." He said genially, pointing to Toruk. "You must be very brave to command such a powerful spirit. Are you a Sorcerer, my good lady?"




Magus Dagon

Amon turned at Dagon's voice, before responding, "Yes, of course." He turned back away momentarily to nod politely to the Sorcerers he had just been speaking to, who nodded back and shuffled away obediently.

"I wanted to appraise you of the current plans for the Equinox seance. We have the astrological projections drawn up if you'd like to review them." It sounded, not to put too fine a point on it, like any other bureaucratic conversation between coworkers.

"Now?" Amon sounded mildly surprised. "Aren't there still three rotations until the Equinox?"

"Two."

"Two then. Still plenty of time."

"Frankly, Magistrate, I wasn't sure if I'd get a chance to speak to you in that time." A forced smile made its way onto his weary face.

Amon shrugged. "Fine, then. Hand them off to Sojek and he'll ensure that I see them."

Dagon nodded gratefully. "It's almost lucky that you're present. If he were not-"

"Watch your tongue, Callis." Amon interjected sharply.

Bowing slightly to indicate respect and submission toward his superior, Dagon carried on, "If the Crimson King were not preoccupied, I might not have been able to speak to you at all." He moved in closer toward Amon, dropping his voice slightly. "Have they returned?"

Amon quirked an eyebrow at Dagon's question, but in a cool tone answered, "No. If they had, even I would not be present." Dagon nodded appreciatively at this information. "Whatever diverts the Crimson King away from this ceremony, he did not deign to share with me. It is not for us to know, it would seem."

"So it isn't." Dagon acquiesced. "You know better than anyone else, Magistrate."

Before Ishara could listen in on any more of their conversation, a hand on her shoulder followed by an accompanying voice broke her away from her eavesdropping.

"Pardon me for bothering you, but you are Novitiate Thumotep, are you not?" Said the voice in a regal, masculine tone.

Turning about, Ishara was greeted by the sight of a tall and impressive figure. Tanned skin, tasteful golden jewelry, and a shining white cloak were the first things she noticed about him. Her eyes met his, flashing gold like a cat's, before looking to the brooch clasping his cloak. It wasn't bare, like hers, but had the engraved image of a crow set into it.

Just as she was realizing who this was, he introduced himself, "I am Sekhandur, of the House of Khain." He bowed to her, a grandiose gesture that befitted his reputation. He was something of a living legend within the halls of the Pesedjet, his wealth, pedigree, and good looks spoken of as much as his astounding talent for magic. Sekhandur had graduated the year before Ishara had, and became a Novitiate at last year's commencement. Rumor held that there was some conflict among Magi regarding who would be his sponsor into the Heka, leading to his mentor being none other than the famed Sorcerer-Magus Ashur Kai, known to many as the White Seer.

"I've heard much about you," he said genially, though his height and posture made everything that came out of his mouth sound aristocratic. "It's quite a stroke of good luck that we're now in the same Cult. You're the only person in the last fifteen years to test within ten points of me at the Pesedjet. I respect your talent as a Sorcerer immensely. I wanted to congratulate you on your commencement personally, and extend an invitation into our Cabal." Seeing the confusion dawn on her face, he smiled and explained, "Sorcerers don't form into Fellowships, but they do unite informally to share research and work together on advanced projects. Myself and a few others formed a Cabal earlier this year, and we hope to be promoted to Acolytes together. I'd be honored if you'd consider joining us."




Magus Nevrakis

As they stepped into the blissfully cool shade of the pyramid's entry hall, Nevrakis laughed aloud at Sarahi bitter remarks. The sound of her laugh was high, clear, and surprisingly girlish for a woman of her advanced position (as well as age, surely). "About time you stood up for yourself," she said, without turning back around to look at the Novitiates, "You're not my servant, my underling, or even my apprentice. My purpose is to put you on the right track to make sure you aren't stuck wearing that white cloak for the rest of your life."

As she mentioned white cloaks, they encountered the true entrance to the pyramid. It was an imposing stone doorway, covered with carved runes and embedded gemstones, set some ways into the pyramid, flanked by a pair of bored-looking guards. They weren't much older than the Novitiates themselves, but wore the brilliant saffron cloaks of Sorcerer-Acolytes. They were the rank directly above Novitiates, who were authorized to use magic at their own discretion, without requiring the supervision of a Magus.

One of them straightened out and stood up from where he was leaning against the wall, and called out to Nevrakis as she approached. "Back so soon, Magus? Not enjoying the festivities?"

Nevrakis didn't slow down, and merely barked at them, "The door, Acolyte."

The two Acolytes shared an annoyed glance at each other before assuming their positions at either end of the entrance. The placed their hands in depressions at the doors' edges, and Nevrakis stepped forward to place her hand in a similar niche at the point where the doors met. The stone shifted in color from soapstone-green to bloodstone-black in lined patterns that flowed along the doors' carved designs. When the black color had spread to encompass the entire door, the doors shifted, seemingly melting directly into the walls on either side. Nevrakis stepped through, her pace not slowing even slightly, and as the last Novitiate followed her, the doors closed behind them.

The four of them stepped into the true interior of the pyramid of the Cult of the Serpent. It was luxuriously cool within the chamber they had stepped into, though it seemed just as bright as it was outside, and so their eyes took a moment to adjust from the shadowed entry corridor. When their visions cleared, it became apparent that the central foyer was a spectacle of pure white and vibrant green. The floors, walls, and support columns were all carved from polished, pure-white marble. Sunlight shone into the chamber from transparent panes overhead, and they could see the sky through what must have been an enormous one-way mirror that prevented the pyramid from being peered into, even as it let in the natural light. What's more, the chamber seemed to be a luxurious indoor garden, with rows of exotic plants and flowers lining the walls, vines creeping up the walls, and even more plants looming overhead, suspended in the air by unseen magical structures. A waterfall ran down the wall furthest from the doorway, crashing into a crystal-clear pond filled with lotus flowers and lily pads. The spray of fresh water kept the air in the foyer deliciously moist, and the sound of it was broken only by the buzz of jewel-colored dragonflies and the croaking of frogs in the pond.

The foyer was basically bereft of human life, as nearly everyone was at the ceremony outside, save for a few fleeting glances of yellow-cloaked Acolytes too busy with some other work to attend. Nevrakis kept up her swift pace, marching through the wondrous gardens with barely an askew glance. She led them through an archway into the adjoining chamber. This one was not lit by the sun, instead by an abundance of wall-mounted lanterns and hanging braziers, but was no less opulent in terms of construction. However, where the last chamber was overflowing with life, this chamber was filled only with death. Sand-scoured skeletons stood atop plinths, their bones suspended by magic into the shape they held in life, making them into gruesome trophies. Some of the skeletons were from animals that were fairly easily recognized, such as the claws, horns, and three-eyed skull of the Mindstealer Sphinx. The dead animal was posed mid-pounce, its claws still looking dangerously sharp. Other animals were so esoteric that none of the Novitiates could name them, such as the towering skeleton of some massive, predatory lizard-bird, its remains frozen in a triumphant roar. Hanging overhead and spanning the length of the entire chamber was the most bizarre display of all: some huge, finned, aquatic animal, larger than any of the Novitiates could have believed an animal could possibly grow. Its ribs and spine were as thick as architectural columns, and its toothless skull was seemed almost not of this world. Like the plants in the garden chamber, this hung on invisible supports, as though it was swimming through the air even in death.

Equally uninterested in these exotic displays, Nevrakis carried on without pause. She turned sharply into an adjoining side-chamber, and from there her path wound through many antechambers, corridors, and stairwells. The walls were no longer pure marble, instead being carved from smooth stone, sometimes painted in glyphs or adorned with ceramic mosaics. As she carried on, these adornments became sparse, and the walls were instead raw stone. She plunged further and further into the pyramid's depths, until the ceilings would rain dust on them as they moved past, and the floors were merely lined with sand and earth. Eventually the halls they traversed weren't even lit, and she conjured an orange ball of flame that hovered by her head to light their path. It felt like the inside of a termite mound, with how far down they seemed to be going, as it was almost impossible to keep track of how many levels down they had gone. It seemed impossible that all of this complex structure was contained by the footprint of the pyramid they were currently under. Nevrakis stayed silent all this time, the only sounds from her being her quiet breaths, the rustling of her clothes, and the steady crackle of her witch-fire torch. The shadows from her magic flame loomed large and sinister against the walls, and at times the Novitiates could swear they saw faces lurking in the darkness.

Just as the tension from the silence and the shadows was becoming unbearable, Nevrakis led them to their ultimate desination: a tiny chamber deep underground. A solid wooden door was all that kept it secure, and she shut it behind them. Like the hall they had just been in, the chamber was small, dark, its walls were unadorned, and the floors were loose clay, though cool and slightly damp. Nevrakis used her levitating flame to light old, rusty braziers at the room's far corners, which due to the room's poor ventilation quickly made the chamber stiflingly hot and the air became hazy with smoke.

Content to begin the training, Nevrakis turned to address the Novitiates for the first time since they set out toward the pyramid. "As I said, it's my purpose to ensure your path as a Sorcerer is a correct one. You have much to learn, not least of all how to survive as a Sorcerer, and not be undone by your peers. Better you learn these lessons now, from me, than someone that truly intends to take advantage of you. I have a vested interest in your success, some boorish Lector that fancies to make a plaything out of one of you pretty young Novitiates does not. I've staked my reputation on you by sponsoring your induction. Don't make me regret it."

Nevrakis brushed a loose lock of hair out from in front of her face. If the heat and the smoke were bothering her, she didn't show it. "Before you can begin to understand any higher knowledge of magic, you must first understand what it is we do here. You very probably have a distorted perception of Sorcerers and their work from what you've seen in public, what your dilettante professors at the Pesedjet told you, or from hearing about," she seemed to spit out the next word with absolute disgust, "Celebrity Sorcerers like Hastur Maat." She took a moment after mentioning the Magistrate of the Cult of the Serpent to compose herself, before continuing soberly, "The duty of a Sorcerer is to uncover the truth. There are truths so intrinsic to this world that they extend beyond it. To understand them is to become them, and allow them to become you." Her tone changed, sounding less reverent and perhaps slightly exasperated. "Don't take me for some doddering old Magus that talks in riddles, now. What I'm trying to describe goes past words, so I won't attempt to use them to explain it to you. In fact, I won't even be your teacher for this first lesson."

She stepped back to the far wall of the chamber, and focused on the floor between herself and where the Novitiates stood. With sweeping motions of her hands, the floor shifted, the dusty clay falling away, and a small structure emerging from the ground. It was a hollow plinth filled with potting soil, and in its center was a single, smallish mushroom. It was round, about the size of a man's thumb, and had a green cap patterned with white dots. It looked comically small by itself in the middle of the plinth it stood on, but there it stood, looking as proud and healthy as a mushroom probably could.

"Meditate on this," Nevrakis said, gesturing to the small fungus. "It will teach you more than you could ever imagine. I'll return when you're done." With that, she departed the chamber, not allowing a single question or comment, and shut the door firmly behind her.
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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Hero
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Hero Sincerest of Knights

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'About time', she says, as if disobedience or questioning elders was commonplace. Sarahi openly rolled her eyes, feeling like she got stuck with one of those 'eccentric' sorcerers. She almost laughed at her statement about not being considered an underling; if that much was true, then what was the entire point of taking in novitiates? Regardless of whatever pea-brained scheme the lady was up to, all she wanted was magic. If the magus wanted to be all 'mysterious' and weird then at the very least she could do something interesting.

Diadem chirped once in a while but remained relatively silent, opting to quietly crawl over Sarahi as they walked. They seemed wary of the other two novitiates, occasionally jingling to one another in what she could only assume was wild guesswork. Not surprising considering they opted to stick to her, but at least they were behaving properly enough that she could take in the sight of the pyramid. Now this is what she wanted, even if she didn't get much time to look since Nevrakis decided she was suddenly in a hurry. Maybe she could take some time in the future to admire everything since this was her cult and all. The most interesting thing of the entire trip was probably the flame Nevrakis produced, the light barely illuminating anything. Diadem's light glowed, though their whispers dulled as Sarahi swore she saw a face in the walls.

The chamber's heat was somehow worse than outside. Sarahi let out a slight cough, waving away any smoke near her. At least Nevrakis decided to grace them with an 'explanation' disguised as some sort of stupid wisdom. Obviously they had a lot to learn, that was what they were supposed to do, but Sarahi was convinced the woman was nuts at this point. At this point she'd rather get taken advantage of--at least then she'd get something out of the exchange.

After some other boring stuff that she didn't care about, things got interesting again as the floor shifted. Of course once again she was proven that she really shouldn't get her hopes up about anything as they were presented with a pitifully tiny mushroom. This is what they came all the way here for? If her face wasn't already sketched in a frown then it definitely was now. This was their 'first lesson', although for the first time today Sarahi was not at all surprised once Nevrakis decided to leave--she would've been surprised if she actually decided to stay.

"How exhilarating," Sarahi commented dryly on the mushroom once the trio was alone. "Any ideas?"
Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Scribe of Thoth
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Cult of the Crow? Radaam must be either very talented or very lucky. Kho didn't recognize him from the Pesedjet, and he doubted the cult with the most prestigious reputation would have to resort to picking from lesser academies if one of the students hadn't specifically caught a magus' eye. Though for all this supposed Aethetic ability, his tutelary seemed a bit... simple. It certainly didn't talk, unless it was a telepath - or maybe it was just shy.

Kho returned a stiff wave to Zahra and the serpentine tutelary as they bounced back into the crowd on her brother's command. Judging by the way Radaam was talking to her, this seemed like a common occurance. He arched a brow at Radaam's rhetorical question, but didn't actively comment. What could he do? Quite a bit; Kho would've never gotten away with that type of thing. The wandering was expected of a curious child, but pestering a sorcerer? That could easily be a poor reflection on the family, or worse, if the sorcerer in question was particularly crabby.

The boy's nose crinkled almost imperceptibly in distaste at Radaam's comment on his new cult, though he quickly caught himself before he visibly made a rude face. What was not to envy about the Cult of the Phoenix? Kho's first thought was that this uppity commoner's ego was already inflating exponentially mere moments after being inducted into the Cult of the Crow, but Radaam spoke of his own cult with the same amount of hesitation. Was he hoping for another one in particular, then?

Sensing his master's discontent, Teken looked up from the last scraps of his snack and peered at the large newcomer much the same way he'd eyed his tutelary; like a predator sizing up its next meal. The bird flicked the lingering juices from its talons before rapidly flapped its wings to hover up and perch on Kho's shoulder once again. Great, now he'll probably have meat stains on his pristine white cloak like some slob.

"Err, yes. Pyromancy was probably my best subject. I take it you're not much of a diviner if your assignment surprised you," Kho answered plainly, rather than chide Teken or ask the potentially accusatory question lingering in the back of his mind.

"And what's wrong with the Cult of the Phoenix, huh?"

Unless Teken decided to ask for him, that is. Stupid bird.

"Please excuse my tutelary, he hasn't learned to ignore veiled insults yet." He sighed wearily. Kho wasn't even sure if that was an insult, but the proverbial cat was already out of the bag. Thank the heavens this guy wasn't too important; crassness was probably the norm for him.


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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Achronum
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Khaemtir chatted animatedly with a few other people stopping for food and drink at the same table, passing a few minutes with idle conversation. He never understood some people’s aversion to small talk; surface level conversation was pleasant to pass the time and came with no expectations of further communication. It was calming in a way though to be perfectly honest, he had few qualms taking a conversation further. Goodness knows his family told him to control his mouth more than once. His record is 34 times in a day and he has every intent on beating it at the next family dinner.

But for now, he had a target. He politely separated from his conversation with another family congratulating their child on their acceptance and wandered his way back where he had seen the Bekenamun with the Order of the Phoenix. Khaemtir would admit it still upset him a little that the Order he would have preferred hadn’t selected him but really who would complain being selected by the Crows? In terms of social status, Khaemtir clearly got the better end of the deal and for that he should be grateful. Another tick on the family’s register. His first on his scroll, that’s for sure, and quite an impressive one at that. All he could do was just cross his fingers that his studies wouldn’t be impeded too much not having access to the Phoenix's knowledge.

Khaemtir beamed when he saw Radaam already talking with the Bekenamun. He stuck out like a sore thumb still but taking the initiative already for their little group? Khaemtir felt like a proud father. It would be a little impolite to intrude on their conversation so suddenly but he couldn’t help himself. The last time he waited, his quarry had gotten away and he had no intention of that happening again. And he really wanted to see Radaam interact with this one up close.

But, details.

“There you are!” Khaemtir beamed as he practically bounced his way up to Radaam. Udjebten looked up at Tekenhasut and greeted him politely before sitting next to Khaemtir. “I found someone you absolutely had to see but she disappeared before I could get to her. Her tutelary was amazing, wasn’t it Udjebten?

“You should apologize for interrupting their conversation, little Khaem, but yes, her tutelary was quite the spectacle.” Udjebten scolded him but she couldn’t help indulge his question. “But yes, her tutelary was quite the spectacle.”

“You’re right as always, Udjebten! It seems in my eagerness I disrupted you. I hope you can forgive my rudeness.” Khaemtir bowed in apology but the amusement never left his face. He did, after all, do it entirely on purpose but whatever made his tutelary feel better. “But it was amazing! It looked like a myriad of butterflies shimmering under the moon! Of course, it didn’t have anything on my precious Udjebten but an impressive second place nonetheless.”

Khaemtir paused a moment, taking in the Bekenamun. His name surfaced after a few moments―he only remembered because they shared the first few letters of their name―and Khaemtir beamed. They may not have been incredibly close before this but opening up some channels of communication now might make it easier to access whatever specialty knowledge the Pheonix’s have on Pyromancy. “It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance again, Kho! And congratulations on your acceptance. It's amazing that all our hard work paid off, huh? Minus the favorite of course but I can't help this sense of disbelief. I wonder if it's rude to ask what they saw in us out of everyone they could have chosen."


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Hidden 4 yrs ago Post by Theyra
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Theyra

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Sirvan Nouzari


That is it, that is their first lesson? Sirvan looked confused and Amata who was perched on his shoulder took easily tell that. Meditating on a mushroom? Sirvan looked long and hard at the mushroom. It looked healthy as far as he could tell and it did look rather small on the plinth it was on. Sirvan scratch his head, was he missing something or does this first lesson from Nevrakis make no sense? It is just a mushroom that is in the middle of the room. Unless this is some kind of special mushroom or something. Though what could the purpose of meditating about a mushroom? What is the lesson that can be taught or learned here?

The rest of the pyramid was interesting and piqued his curiosity. The room with the skeletons was fascinating. How he would love to learn about the animals he did not recognize. Like the large lizard-bird creature or the giant finned, aquatic creature. Surely studying those creatures can be more enlightening as a first lesson then an ordinary-looking mushroom. If this can count as a first lesson that is.

Sirvan sighed confusedly, at least they are not doing menial tasks that he was worried about. Nevrakis was even glad that Sarahi stood up for herself which was a good thing. Shows that Nevrakis does not want those without spines. Though he was not sure of what to do really. Is he actually going to meditate on a mushroom? She said she would be back when they are done so. How long with he has to do this? Ten minutes, twenty minutes, thirty minutes, an hour? Who knows how long before they are deemed done. After hearing Sarahi speak up, he answered her blankly. "I guess we meditate on a mushroom until Nevrakis comes back. Sirvan shrugged, "unless you got a better idea of what to do".

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Ishara





Equinox seance? She knew about the existence of the Equinox in a general sense, at least in a general sense of changing seasons and ilk, but something seemed to be planned for that time. Something tied to perhaps why the Crimson King wasn't here? Yet even the Magistrate seemed to have no idea of why the king's absence was so this time. Though from the sounds of it, someone or someones had been sent out as well...but was it in relation to this Equinox seance or just something else? Hmm. It was all hard to tell, though Ishara mentally noted down the details as she listened in. Her self as a future Sorcerer was trying to make heads or tails as she ran over the words in her mind, repeating them over and over and emphasizing key words to remember and write the vital information in that down later.

However, as she took on a seemingly deep train of thought a hand on her shoulder made her almost jump as it swiftly stirred her back up to reality.

In fact, most surprising was who was talking to her. Sekhandur, scion to the House of Kain and her predecessor from Pesedjet. She'd oft heard herself being compared to the boy back in her classes, especially in either matching or coming close to his scores. Overall she had fallen within ten points of the boy, or at least that was as far as she'd heard her work praised. Of course as much as she'd heard the praise of his scores, so too had word of his character been passed down here and there by word of mouth. A prideful aristocrat, which was an understatement perhaps, who took a love of magic and ultimately ended up being chosen to be mentored by the White Seer himself.

Of course despite her initial confusion, the idea of being invited to a grand project led by some of her older peers was more than tantalizing. To be invited in by her seniors to join such a project and research was nothing short of fascinating to her as a mage, frankly speaking, and not something to turn down. Something about it felt almost 'off', admittedly, yet despite the gut instinct rearing its head the girl gave a formal smile and a graceful nod to Sekhandur after he finished.

This would be more work, but as she learned under Dagon it would behoove her to learn more about her peers. Had the man not advised her to make friends, seek peers, and such ilk? Those of her age group, including those who just went through commencement with her and came the year before, were prime ways to make good on that advice. Indeed, it did make sense to get to better know those she'd be working alongside in time-...hmm! Actually, that reminded her of something! That particular concept had come up the other night to her mind, and would be worth looking into when she could. Not that she might get to do anything right now, but she'd always been curious about that concept. Sun dials could track it, but what else could be done with it? So immaterial, and yet so vast-

Oh.

"I am honored to meet you, as well as receive such an invitation from you, Sehkandur," the girl said, her well-mannered voice ringing with honest tone, yet unwavering as it span such pride-feeding compliments as she humbly sought to respond as best she could in kind. Even her posture and behavior were fitting in how she held herself, holding up as always to that ever-present noble standard as befit the interaction, "Of course I would call my talents nothing so noteworthy. Yet even so...for them to be sought after for such pursuits in magic, I feel the honor is mine to be approached with such an opportunity. I shall humbly accept your invitation as such!"

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Radaam frowned slightly at the response, glancing to the ground. “I wouldn’t say I struggled with Divination per se, but it certainly wasn’t my very best subject…” He replied quietly. It wasn’t the most sophisticated answer, and even though the goal had been to find something in common with the boy (surely Radaam wasn’t the only one feeling a little uncertain about the whole ordeal, right?) he was starting to suspect it might not have been—

"And what's wrong with the Cult of the Phoenix, huh?"

Radaam nearly jumped, head snapping up to the bird just before he froze in place - what a coincidence - like a cornered rat. “Oh, no, I-I mean, I…” he stuttered out lamely, mind ablaze at his stupid, stupid blunder. What was he going to say, 'Oh no, I don't think the Phoenixes are bad, I'm just terrified of them'? It was either that or leave one of his new fellow Novitiates to draw his own conclusions and be (justifiably) insulted. Khotanebre’s apology did little to soften the blow; here Radaam was, worrying that Zahra would go and offend the wrong person, all the while she was the social butterfly and he was the one making a fool out of himself. What sort of ungrateful peasant was he making himself out to be?

“There you are!”

For a blessing, the interrupting voice was familiar, and Radaam visibly eased when he saw Khaemtir approach. Even having known him such a short time, Radaam had still never been happier to see the rollicking noble roll up in all of his overbearing glory. He made a mental note to have his mother give the cat an extra treat tonight for the luck she must have bestowed on him before turning his attention to Khae, immeasurably grateful to be released from his own awkward trap, even just for the moment.

“Butterflies under the moon? That sounds like quite a sight,” he replied, his excitement at a change in subject coming out a tad more strongly than was probably warranted. He cleared his throat, reigning himself back in. “And please, no need to apologize. Words were made to be shared.” He’d have to thank his mother for that line - another thing to add to his mental list.

Zahra

Zahra’s eyes were like medallions when she saw the absolutely outlandish display of feathers on the man who picked her up, and for a moment she thought he was some sort of giant magical bird rather than a man. She stared unabashedly for a moment, admiring the colours and patterns, before she came back to her senses.

“His name is Toruk!” she introduced the snake yet again, offering the colourful stranger a wide, proud grin. “He is powerful. He protects our family. But I’m not his boss, I’m just his favourite.” She whispered the last part, leaning in so the man could hear, though any secrecy was betrayed when she closed off the statement with a giggle. Meanwhile Toruk, even knowing the man’s compliments were only uttered to appeal to Zahra, still perked up a little bit with pride. “My brother is a Sorcerer, though. His name is Radaam, and my name is Zahra.”

She eyed the man once more, more deliberately this time, carefully considering everything from his hair to his feathers to his cloak and the pretty gold pin holding it in place before unleashing a barrage of inquiry. “What’s your name? Are you a sorcerer too? Is that why you’re dressed so funny? I thought the Sorcerers were supposed to wear white, but I think I like the feathers much better.”

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