The Aedile's Office (Kalinda)

[Kalinda]

„Thank you …“ It seemed as if Faust’s appreciation of the stone dagger had helped the sorcerer to recover and forget his exhaustion for a moment. He seemed to be just the same, polite man he had been when they had first met, if only for a few seconds, looked young and strong again. The face behind the mask would always remain an unknown to Faust of course. It was hard to tell whether he was really the refined young man he pretended to be while in his elven form or an older dracon who took some pleasure in playing the role of a young man. „It took me some time to make it …“ He shrugged his shoulders.

„I hope you don’t mind …“ he murmurred as he walked to the other side of his desk and sat down. He was in a rather bad state at the moment … A slender hand reached for a drawer, opened it and took a small flask made of metal out of it. The flask was another one of the dracon’s creations. It was made of light blue and green metal, some sort of very fine steel. A black ribbon was attached to it so that whoever carried it with him could just put it around his neck or tie it to his pack or belt. The dracon took a sip, then another one before he answered the vysstichi’s question.

„It produces a shield, a shield that will absorb some physical damage …“ he said and gestured towards Faust’s dagger. „It should be quite useful to you in a fight. I’m afraid we can’t try it out now though since I’m not much of a fighter …“ That was true. Even though the dracon’s body was young and strong he was not a master warrior of any kind, but a sorcerer, a scientist, a scholar and an artist. His skill on the battlefield was rather questionable. „I assure you that it works …“


OOC: You have a new entry in your SoF thread!

[Faust D'Rinishad]

"I appreciate your help, Master Danvan. In compensation for your work, please allow me to reimburse you for your time. I know that no amount of monetary aid can compare to your effort spent into the creation of this object. " the Vysstichi smiled faintly and withdrew from the billowing folds of his cloak a set of parchments neatly trimmed and prepared. Faust allowed his gaze to linger on the paper for several seconds, following the swirling ink and the inscribed number for a thousand crowns at the left-hand side of the banknote. With humility he extended it forward and allowed the dracon to receive it, "I'm assuming like all objects it can only take a certain amount of damage before running out of energy and requiring time to recharge?" the Vysstichi followed the dracon to the desk and watched him produce a peculiar vile of liquid of which he downed in several short gulps. The dark elf couldn't quite examine the contents well enough to discern its' nature but he did wonder if it was somehow correlated with his youthful physique and appearance that he'd sported the previous brightening. Whatever the purpose of the drink, the Vysstichi was certain that it wouldn't be relative at the moment.

"Oh well. I suppose I'll find out. Thank you so much, Master Danvan. It'd probably be best if I left you to your rest now. I'm sure you had a most strenuous night. If you ever need anything in the future, by all means, please request it and I'll be sure to obtain whatever you need should it be within my power." Faust dropped back into a low and courteous bow, sweeping his arm forward in a respectful manner as he gathered himself together. With steady and dexterous fingers worthy of an adroit surgeon the Vysstichi scooped up the glimmering obsidian dagger and pocketed it within the confines of his cloak. He mentally noted to purchase a sheath for the dull blade in the future so that it might rest easier on his persona but for now there were other affairs to attend to. Before he slipped the weapon into his attire, though, he briefly ran his fingertips along the edges of the ebony metal in a tender manner. He could feel the power radiating from it and frankly his curiosity was distracting him greatly. What sort of inherent powers did this 'shield' possess? Faust sighed and chuckled once more before finally setting the dagger aside, "Until we meet again, good brightening."

The dark elf cordially nodded before stepping out of the dracon's compound. He felt somewhat guilty that his request had been responsible for the sorcerer's weathered attitude and health. Hopefully his pains would be assuaged by the moderate payment that the Vysstichi had left behind. Intermittently fingering the enchanted dagger as he strolled down the street, the dark elf pursed his lips and exuded a soft whistle as he trekked vigilantly to the Aedile's Office where he would hopefully meet up with iranca. The woman had been determined for the Vysstichi to meet up with these journeyman acquaintances of hers and frankly the dark elf was more than willing to comply. Iranca had been responsible for the Vysstichi finding Danvan and this was a testament to her 'good taste' in fellow employees. The dark elf did wonder though what sort of shop these mages ran, whether it was of illegal or beneficial nature. Wizards had a most unusual idea of prosperity and thus it was highly possible that their business of sorts was unorthodox and far from normal. Despite these apprehensive thoughts, the dark elf didn't close off his mind to these likelihoods and maintained a steady walk to meet up with his comrade.

O

[Kalinda]

The draconic sorcerer’s dark eyes widened for a moment as the vysstichi removed a thousand crown banknote from the folds of his cloak. „It’s not …“ he began, but then he shook his head. It was necessary. The money was more than necessary. He needed it for his research, to finance his experiments. It was only fair if he accepted it as a compensation for all the efforts he had gone through this darkening. Danvan was a humble and polite man, but he was also reasonable – usually. If somebody offered him money, he took it.

„That’s true …“ he answered and allowed himself a light smile. „It requires time to recharge after it has absorbed a certain amount of damage. You know a lot about arcana, Master D’Rinishad …“ He took another sip from his flask, then put it away. The unusual object contained a special kind of alcohol that he had brewed himself. It was laced with several exotic spices and meant to be refreshing. It cleared the mind … and after what he had done this darkening the dracon desperately needed to clear his mind. He was more than just a bit tired.

As Faust said his goodbyes, the sorcerer rose from his chair, albeit with some effort and came forth from behind his desk again. „I’ll be sure to contact you …“ he replied. „But I hope that I can be of service to you again as well …“ He inclined his head in a sign of greeting. „Until we meet again, Faust D’Rinishad …“ He followed the vysstichi to the door and raised his hand, waved to him before he made his way back into the house again, to sleep … and to continue his research, to work on yet another painting when he left his bed again.

~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~

The trip back to the aedile’s office was uneventful. As soon as he turned around the corner and stepped into the street where the building was situated, he could see her: The mystic and former follower of Haya was standing there, leaning against the wall. The carriage they had travelled with the brightening before was nowhere to be seen. It would not be of any use to them during their trip into the undercity. There were no streets leading into Har’oloth, only tunnels and stairs. Besides, horses usually had a few problems in the darkness. They could not see as well as vysstichi did.

The vysstichi woman was dressed in a long dark red velvet cape that was bordering on black reached her ankles this time. A dress in a lighter shade of red and sturdy looking boots completed her outfit. Apparently they would have to do a fair amount of walking before they reached the shop that those mages supposedly owned. Crimson eyes flickered with mild annoyance and impatience as the woman finally spotted the prince, her future employer. „Are you done with your business at the sorcerer’s house?“ she asked. „Are you ready for a trip into Har’oloth?“

[Faust D'Rinishad]

Fully capable of deciphering Danvan's soundless expression, the Vysstichi willingly handed over the meager sum of crowns to the grateful man, regretting only the fact that he wished he could provide more. The sorcerer had unknowingly performed a great service to the dark elf who was actually very fond and a hearty collector of magical artifacts throughout Telath. In the future the Vysstichi Prince would depart more information with the sorcerer in regards to his past, to the ultimate goal that he hoped to achieve before he was unable to do so. Faust aspired for one thing in life thus far, and that was to see the demise of the Mercenary Captain, Vincent. The dark elf had escaped the clutches of Aeternia on more than one occasion, had tempered his body into a formidable weapon solely for the purpose of reaping the human's downfall. Clutching the dagger hilt with his obsidian fingers, he could feel the aura of power generated by Danvan's influence. This would aid him greatly when he decided to raid Vincent's 'fortress' of sort, would assure him a second chance at life should he fail in one aspect of his plot or another. Yes, it was unfortunate in the dark elf's eyes that he could not give Danvan more.

Faust smiled faintly as the sorcerer remarked about his alleged knowledge of arcana. In actuality the dark elf comprehended as much about the mystical spheres as the next ordinary person, though his persona was decked out in a few handy items. As Danvan commented the dark elf noted the flask that he continued to sip at, taking in the fluids that were likely there to regenerate and replenish his health. The dark elf could not possibly apprehend the difficulties of enchanting an item or performing an experiment. Thus he decided to leave the man alone and bypass the typical chit chat. The Vysstichi had originally considered inquiring as to the length of learning the basic level of sorcery, particularly because Faust had a profound interest in the use of force, though he decided to wait till a more appropriate time to prod his questions. With a hearty grin along his lips the Vysstichi trudged to the door and patiently awaited Danvan to see him out, though no such mannerisms were necessary. The sorcerer didn't have to waste even more energy just to bid the dark elf farewell. Nonetheless, the Vysstichi was grateful for it. "Certainly Master Danvan. I'm looking forward to our next meeting. Take care and good luck with your experimentations. And once again, thank you for your help."

After expressing his farewells and such, the Vysstichi trudged back to the Aedile's office, occasionally flicking at a few specks of dust on his cloak or wiping the caking mud off of his boots. He rather despised the feeling of being dirty and the essence of getting swamped in filth disturbed him so. Throughout his short trek the dark elf didn't notice anything of peculiar interest, but rather a boring and mundane Vortex. The city seemed so dead as of late, as if the fire and rage inherent in all the residents was long gone. The Necromantic City had once housed a formidable percentage of crime, though it appeared that such levels of hostility had subsided throughout the years. Maybe not, Faust couldn't be certain for he didn't remain in these parts for too long these days anyway. Keeping his wits and watchfulness about him, the Vysstichi danced along the cold steps and finally made it to the Aedile's Office, noting as the former Priestess of Haya stagnantly remained outside, a agitated and displeased scowl about her face.

"You're looking quite lovely this morning, Miss Iranca. And my dearest apologies for being late. I don't tend to make a habit of it and I assure you that it won't happen again." the dark elf dipped his head low to further his point. "And yes, Har'oloth sounds lovely. To go back home, even for business purposes, is never a bad thing." the Vysstichi choked down the last phrase, taken aback slightly by the recent knowledge of the mage's shop's location. He hadn't anticipated another trip into those parts, and to be frank he would have preferred straying away too. The dark elven Prince was notorious about those areas, famous for being the last survivor of the Kitrye-veresi massacre that had occurred so long ago. It wasn't so much the fact that he feared Har'oloth itself, but rather one particular mansion that was situated nearby the entrance way: Vincent's Mansion. A sigh escaped his lips as the dark elf 'nonchalantly' drew the folds of his cloak tighter around his frame. The chances of his running into his arch rival was slim but he had to taken precautionary measures nonetheless. "Well then, shall we be going?"

[Kalinda]

The mystic smiled as Faust told her that she looked lovely and that he was sorry for being late, but the smile didn’t quite reach her crimson eyes. Iranca was most often a serious woman, she was easy to anger, but she was never kind and gentle. Such feelings were utterly alien to her. „That’s good …“ she remarked as he said that it would not happen again. She did not want to work for a man who was never on time. She ignored his sigh, the fact that he drew his closer tighter around his body as if he did not want to be recognized by his enemies, by all those that still remembered the Matron’s youngest child. Maybe she had not noticed anythimng. „Let’s go …“ she murmurred and gestured for the young prince to walk at her side. „We have a lot to do …“

The fire and the rage that had been so prominent in the citizens of Vortex did indeed seem to be long gone – or maybe it was simply to early for the darker side of the city to become obvious. The aedile’s office was afterall situated in one of the better part of Vortex and not in the slums. It was well protected. Most criminals never came close to it. Only a single dark elf, an old man who looked as if he was nearing the end of his life, watched the pair as the left the office to make their way towards Har’oloth. He was thin, had sparse white hair and held a bottle in his hand … He looked familiar. It seemed almost as if Faust had met him before, but eras had passed since his last visit to Har’oloth. One could never be certain after so much time.

The two vysstichi made their way past the grey and black houses of Vortex towards the very center of the city, towards one of the entrances to Har’oloth – one of the Vertexes – the main one to be exact. The Vertexes were buildings made of grey stone with three stories – one below ground and two above ground. Each entrance contained two hoists that visitors could use to descend into the undercity – for a certain price of course – and a staircase. The main Vertex was crowded as usual even though the city itself was somewhat lacking in regards to activity. Countless merchants were waiting to bring the goods to the markets. Vysstichi and Esh’lahier were returning home from the surface city. Some of them looked less than trustworthy, but they all kept quiet in the presence of the men and women who guarded the entrance. There were four of them, dressed in the black and purple uniforms of Arium.

Iranca walked past them without even looking at them, walked into the Vertex proper. There was another guard standing inside. He was tall, muscular, his build suggested that he had at least some giant blood. Long brown hair framed his face. He carried a massive sword. The mystic did not seem to be impressed by his appearance at all. She walked up to him, gesturing for Faust to do the same. „Two …“ was all that he said, and the huge man extended his hand. „Ten crowns …“ he said. Apparently it was up to Faust to pay for them. After all it was he who wanted to meet the three men and he who would benefit from this trip. „It’s not very far …“ Iranca told him. „It’s only a few minutes walk from the first cave …“

[Faust D'Rinishad]

Iranca would most certainly have made a fine Matron Mother. Had the dark elf not known that she'd been a former Priestess and devoted follower of Haya, he would have surmised such upon his initial impression of the woman. The Master Mystic was strong, witty, but ultimately very cold. These characteristics culminated in an outstandingly powerful woman. In a sense, Iranca even reminded the young Prince of his mother. She had boasted similar attributes, all of which had contributed to her lengthy and steadfast ruling over House Kitrye-veresi. However, she had lacked the foresight that the mystic appeared to have. That absence of prediction had been partly responsible for the defeat of the First House of Har'oloth. Faust sighed as he followed into step behind Iranca, wearing the facade of a subservient follower as he trailed at the ends of her billowing robes. He wondered how his life would have developed had he still been the youngest heir of the notorious household. Would he be strong? Would he be weak? Would his life hold any significance? As the silence ensued throughout their short trek to the cavern-entrance of Har'oloth, Faust was soon bombarded with a whole lot of questions.

From the corner of his eye the dark elf thought he caught onto the visage of a peering old Vysstichi, one whom had obviously endured through countless generations of hardship. Albeit the dark elf had more entertaining matters to dwell upon prior to entering Har'oloth, he couldn't keep his stare off of the elderly gentleman as Iranca and he departed from the Aedile's Office. The aged Vysstichi wore a very familiar physique, one that the Prince knew he had seen before. But where? Faust tried drawing up the images of all the Vysstichi that he had come to know throughout his life but this attempt proved futile as even the observant Prince could not possibly recall all of the personas that he'd encountered. Har'oloth and Herozzal, the sister cities that the dark elf had trekked housed hundreds of thousands of the obsidian-skinned folk. There was no way that the Vysstichi would be able to couple all the specific faces and names together. Shrugging off the thought, the dark elf allotted himself one last glance to the drifting old man and catching note of the peculiar bottle in his before turning his attention away. "I know I've seen him before..." the Vysstichi mumbled to himself, obviously frustrated, "But where?"

The question didn't linger too long in the dark elf's mind for soon enough the famed entrance of Har'oloth loomed into view. A widespread smile danced along the Vysstichi's lips as his homeland gradually pulled closer. Iranca was wordless even as the pair weaved through a variety of merchants and other stockholders interested in investing their time and expenditures into the Vysstichi city. Fortunately, Iranca and Faust were able to blend in with the crowd due to the availability of other mustering elves. It sure felt good, that is, to be reunited with his people once more. Albeit Har'oloth wasn't very characteristic of a Vysstichi city in the sense that it also housed a significant amount of Esh'lahier and rodenti, there was still a majority of dark elves present in their population. Faust was finding himself homesick soon enough, longing to return back to the sanctums and boundaries of House Kityre-veresi. The mere thought of it pained his heart. However, looking back into reality and the fact that he hated the Matron Alaret more than all else, the dark elf admonished himself and grudgingly shook his head. He had left that past long behind him. In actuality, he didn't even share the surname of his true identity. It had long been replaced by the name of the fallen house of Hon'elgg: D'Rinishad.

"Here you are." the dark elf deftly acquired ten crowns from the confines of his cloak and handed them nonchalantly over to the guard. He didn't pay the man much heed as it was highly possible that he was a subordinate of one of the higher Houses of Har'oloth. It wasn't uncommon for any of the ruling families to participate in the guard of the Vysstichi city. After all, they just couldn't do to have lightborn elves or any other of the despicable races running around Har'oloth. However, the true purpose of being very obscure to the man was to lessen the possibilities of being recognized. The young Prince of House Kitrye-veresi was very renowned about these parts. It wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but too much attention was often something that warranted danger. As they soon passed the guard the dark elf remained to the woman's side, flanking her left shoulder, "I was curious Miss Iranca. Is there anything you can tell me about these mages that might be benefitting to know before talking to them? I'm rather interested to know what they're like. After all, it's not every day that you stumble into a shop managed by a few adept mages."

[Kalinda]

„Thank you …“ the giant man said as Faust handed him the crowns and stepped aside so that Iranca and the prince of House Kitrye’veresi could step onto the platform. Despite the fact that the thing was made of wood it was stable and would not break down unless ten people, all weighing two hundred pounds would enter it at the same time. The government of Vortex and the Houses of Har’oloth could not afford to lose valuable business partners to such an accident. „Coming?“ Iranca asked as she stepped towards the edge of the platform, seemingly unafraid of falling down, onto the hard ground of the cave below.

A brief shiver ran through the mystic’s body as the giant began to lower the platform, as they began to make their descent into Har’oloth, but the expression on her ebony face remained calm, cool and controlled. Iranca wasn’t one to admit that something bothered her, that travelling like this gave her a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach and made her slightly sick. She would not do anything like that in the presence of a male. The giant man worked the mechanism that moved the platform with entirely too much force as if he was trying to prove that he was faster and better than everybody else.

The platform was approaching the ground fast. Faust could see light in the cave below. There were people standing all around the tunnel that connected Har’oloth with the surface, vysstichi, humans, esh’lahier and rodenti, offering their goods, their services, prostitutes offering their bodies … Iranca glanced at them for a moment, frowning visibly before she turned back to Faust to answer his question, „As I told you before they are three brothers, vysstichi. They work for the first and the third House every once in a while, but I don’t think they really belong to one of them … they are independent …“

„Their names are Daraf, Kidol and Narra. Narra is an elementalist while the other two are sorcerers. All three are adepts of their sphere. They are rather agreeable young men as long as you don’t insult Haya, Jorel and Jalat and their ways. I think they have certain issues with Rilvin, the Matron’s youngest daughter …“ She shrugged her shoulders. Alaret’s youngest child was an odd one. At sixty patterns Rilvin was physically mature, but her mind was that of a teenager … a very bad tempered teenager that had already killed a servant because he had bored her. „Their shop … they sell magic items, lucky charms, oddities. Don’t mention Alaret’s daughter, and you’ll be safe … I had the impression that you don’t like the Matron anyway …“

[Faust D'Rinishad]

A hearty grin extended along the lines of the Vysstichi's lips as he amusedly took note of Iranca's reaction to the abrupt plummet below. The dark elf hadn't actually taken many ventures up here, but instead had utlized the subterranean network of tunnels and caverns as his source of travel. After all, it simply wouldn't do for the youngest heir of Matron Kityre-veresi to be traversing about his realm so openly and vulnerable. Being a male, Faust had never been entitled to the same respect and treatment as his elder sisters. Thus, when he had chosen to act upon his own inclination it had always been done in a meticulous manner. The denizens above on the surface world were nearly as treacherous as those below, however, the only haven of security that the dark elf felt was knowing that his powerful clan lingered nearby. Faust smirked at the latter thought. This was the second instance in his life where he'd be trekking within his own territory as a loner. The primary had been when he, Serion, Trevlyn, and Zalack had sought out the traitor Lydia Cain. Their voyage had brought them before the throne of Alaret, Matron of House Kitrye-veresi. Albeit the ordeal hadn't necessarily been detrimental, nonetheless it was still awkward knowing that he was without the backing of his family.

"Right behind you." the dark elf proffered Iranca a sly smile as he followed into step nearby the Master Mage following their settlement within the lower caverns of Har'oloth. Already a string of markets and vendors could be seen set up, situated all about and selling their wares for profitable reasons. The smell and aroma of Har'oloth tickled at the hairs in the dark elf's nose, reminding him of all the joys and splendors that the homeland could bring. A wave of nausea induced by homesickness momentarily descended upon the Vysstichi, the same stench of death that had once plagued the caverns further within at the Kitrye-veresi compound. He knew which tunnels would lead to where and the fastest ways of trekking them too. Here within the realm of Vysstichi, Faust D'Rinishad was truly in his element. He even recollected the joyous times in which he'd spent with acquaintances and family alike, hovering over the offered items sold by the merchants. The dark elf had always been soft to the economics of Har'oloth, but moreover the rare and unusual objects that were found within. It was ironic that the Vysstichi was finally old and wealthy enough to singlehandedly browse their goods, yet he hadn't even come to the dark elven city for mere shopping's sake.

Turning to Iranca, the Vysstichi awaited her response as he inquired about the information concerning the three brothers. The widening of his eyes may have informed Iranca of the inner amusement that was tending to his mind. It was so nourishing to hear that others despised the reinstated Kitrye-veresi as much as he did. Albeit the Prince's source of hatred for them would have far outweighed that of the brothers' combined, he realized that this could prove a valuable asset to his cause. Not to mention, they specifically had hostility with the youngest daughter of Faust's cousin, Rilvin. Aside from the tidbits of data that he'd gathered over the eras, Iranca had been responsible for enlightening the Vysstichi in the sense of telling him that the young girl preferred to bed the lightborns. Faust shuddered at the thought, wondering if such a chemistry could even exist betwixt those of dark and light skin. The Vysstichi couldn't deny that the females of the Vysstichi's cousins did boast a highly attractive shell and physical appearance, but the fact th at they were lightborn elves period dissuaded him from ever claiming such 'naughty' thoughts. Faust nearly bolted out laughing at the last of his musings, not even sure why they had come to mind.

"Aeternian worshippers hm? Excellent." Faust nodded his head, though whether or not he had spoken sincerely was something left to be deciphered. He wasn't even sure how he felt about that. In a sense, he had been fairly assuaged when learning that Iranca had strayed away from Hayan worship. That lot of fanatics scared him more than Jorel himself. But despite the fact that the dark elf was uncomfortable with religion in general -as he hadn't yet devoted himself to any particular God- he respected each of them for their specific deities of worship. Nonetheless, all that really mattered in the end was their cooperation and agreement. "Daraf, Kidol, and Narra hm?" Faust flexed his fingertips together and nodded his head eagerly, "I'll be sure to remember that." Faust noted regarding their hatred of the Kitrye-veresi clan. He would use all of this to an advantage of course, though well within reason. He didn't want to accidentally spur their rage upon him due to too much instigation. With nothing more than a nod the Vysstichi departed after Iranca and anxiously awaited the arrival to the mage shop.

[Kalinda]

The people in the cavern below became bigger and bigger as the wooden platform made its way towards the cavern and finally came to a halt with a violent shudder and a loud sound. Faust and his female companion had arrived on the first plane of Har’oloth. The light in the cave was much dimmer than the light above, nothing but a faint colden shimmer created by the torches that had been attached to the cavern walls. It was just enough for the surface dwelling races to see their surroundings clearly, but not enough to hurt the vysstichi’s sensitive eyes.

Down in the caver the air smelled different. It was humid, warm, had the certain qualities that places that never saw the light of day, that never came in contact with fresh air generally had. It was deep, dark, rich so unlike the clean air in the wilderness of Arium, so unlike the smell of the city above. It was underground air. The ground under their feet was rough, hard. Small stones were scattered all across the cavern. Stalactites and stalagmites grew from the floor and the ceiling. Small water drops fell from them …

There were a lot of people walking about in the cavern. Most of them were vysstichi with crimson eyes, dark skin and white hair, but there were also quite a few of the pale skinned esh’lahier and the odd human that had come down to trade with the dark elves. Some looked at Iranca who carried herself with all the pride of a noblewoman even though she had left the city a long time ago curiously while yet others studied her male companion. Fortunately nobody seemed to recognize Faust …

There were not many shops so close to the surface. They could be found a little further away, but there were other interesting things around … or rather people. A male vysstichi with spiky white hair and eyes of liquid silver leaned against the entrance to what seemed to be a small tunel and studied the pair. Faust could see that he carried about half a dozen knives and was dressed in leather armour, but he did not look like a soldier, but rather an assassin, a person that killed for money. A woman in a revealing dress of red with slightly pointed ears that clearly marked her as a halfbreed gave Faust a seductive smile, but at a glare from Iranca she turned away. There was an old vysstichi woman sitting in a corner. She had a piece of clothing on the ground in front of her. It was covered with worthless, but pretty trinkets. Most of the vysstichi that lingered around the hoist were houseless. They offered their services to anybody, often spied on the Houses and revealed their secrets for money …

„Come with me …“ Iranca said without paying heed to the houseless scum. She led Faust through the cavern, through a tunnel and into yet another cavern – a cavern that contained a market of sorts. It was not the biggest market in Har’oloth, but decent enough. There were even more people around than in the first cavern. So close to the surface Faust could see many humans while vysstichi dominated the lower levels of the city.

Two vysstichi, male and dressed in leather armour stood at the sides of the cavern entrance. They were guards. Stalls had been erected everywhere next to the walls. The things that were on sale ranged from clothes in all styles, materials and colors over weapons to potions and animals. The cavern was filled with a multitude of voices. In this context the vysstichi weren’t any different from their lightborn counterparts: They praised their wares loudly and tried to attract the attention of those that passed them by.

Every now and then Faust could see openings in the wall. Small houses had been built directly into the wall and decorated with wood, painted in different colors. There were signs on most of those houses, signs that revealed what was being sold inside … just like the tables that stood in front of them. Iranca moved towards one of those small houses. Faust could see two large tables filled with rings, bracelets and necklaces, with trinkets and pecular looking lucky charms on them, but there were also knives in all sizes and shapes and the odd piece of armour. A male vysstichi, a bit younger than Faust himself stood in front of the door and looked for potential customers. He had strange, curly hair and orange eyes, wore a bright blue tunic and purple breeches that spoke of a lack of fashion sense, but the smile on his face was relatively friendly …

„This is it …“ Iranca said quietly to Faust and gestured towards the small shop. „Shall we?“

[Faust D'Rinishad]

Transition was a rarity within the realm of the Vysstichi elves, replaced instead by a firm lineage of traditions and cultural aspects that were ever subject to change. Aside the intermittent rise or descent in positions on the clan hierarchy, nothing about Har'oloth differentiated in any way. The place reminded the dark elf of his home, the residence in which he had once proclaimed his own. Albeit they were only the first tier of the subterranean city, that same musky odor and radiating heat could be felt stabbing at his skin. The Vysstichi preferred and loved these sensations, both of which were very unusual occurrences there upon the surface. Yes, Telath had its' manner of heating, particularly the sunlight, but it could not begin to compare with the warmth induced by the earth's core. Faust smiled and reflected on his childhood, particularly those days when he'd scurried around these parts by himself. Those had been joyous times indeed, when the constant threat of peril and death hadn't been so prevalent. Now it seemed that he practically always casted a glance over his shoulder to discern for any waylaying dangers. That prospect in itself nerved the dark elf, reminding himself that he was no longer a child, that his earlier youth had been robbed from him.

The typical inhabitants bustled about the vicinity, traveling in throngs of friends and allies or traversing by themselves. It was obvious that there were illegal wares being vended here and there, but in a city in which chaos and entropy was stressed, such dealings were natural and allegedly legal. The matrons of the ruling houses had far more practical matters to attend to; such as the security of their sanctums, the mustering of wealth, or the punishing of traitors to their cause. Faust wondered what Alaret and her cronies would entertain themselves with today. The Vysstichi snickered mischievously to himself and spitefully concluded that they'd hired a couple of orcs to 'please' them as they had quite unusual taste in bed mates. Faust shuddered at the aspect of such a scenario and shook off the thought. He was being distracted from his main objective here in Har'oloth. But how couldn't he? After all, this had been his home at one point in time, had welcomed him with open arms time and time again. Now he was nothing more than the next passerby, as much of a stranger in Har'oloth as he was in the spheres of magic. He didn't seem to be there Prince any longer, he was in actuality a purposeless rogue.

Faust confidently trailed behind Iranca, watching the woman's countenance with a bit of amusement. She obviously felt awkward here in this demesne, though her demeanor wouldn't ever have betrayed such a notion. People shot her glances at every turnabout, admiring the woman's elegance and prestige. Faust truly was curious if the woman had ever belonged a nobility of sort, or had she been nothing more than a highly gifted practitioner of arcana? The dark elf's thoughts were interrupted by a sly grin extended from a seductive female, obviously trying to use her allure to captivate the Vysstichi. The Prince of Har'oloth merely returned the smile, though continued on his way and barely avoided slamming into a passing male with jagged spikes for his hair. Out of the corner of his eyes he detected several other 'businessmen' prowling the grounds and readying to offer their services. An old woman also was situated nearby, though her services came in the form of some peculiar trinkets that adorned her robes. Poor fellas, Faust mused to himself, They'll do just about anything to get enough money for some bread and water.

A pair of guards loomed before the two travelers as they emerged into the next cavern of Har'oloth, slipping through a meagerly guarded entrance way before coming to walk within the encompassing realm of another market. Loud voices resonated throughout the corridors, each of which competed with one another to gain the attention of other customers. Faust ignored these beckonings and noted more peculiarly the various houses situated along the cavern walls. Each of these was fashioned in a mundane make, though there was something unusual about the premise that shook the dark elf up. When he had initially escaped from the massacre of House Kitrye-veresi, he had stumbled into a region resembling this avenue. In one of the ditches he'd stalled and hesitated long enough to trick his pursuers into thinking he'd already gotten to the service. Faust chewed on the lower tier of his lip and truly tried to piece together the events of his past. It had been so long ago that it was hardly to acutely recall what had happened. Shrugging slightly, the dark elf nodded as Iranca mentioned that they'd reached their destination and the Vysstichi cast his glance to a house nearby that boasted several of its' wares in a stall of sorts.

"Let's do it." the dark elf proffered the mystic a hearty grin as his eyes ran along the various instruments being sold on the cart. He personally examined several of the wares while he traveled, wondering if these were as precious as Iranca made them out to be or nothing more than a scam and ruse used to make money. The young man by the doorway boasted some rather unorthodox qualities, particularly the garb that he chose to adorn himself with. Deciding that fashion wasn't a measure of one's skill in arcana, the Vysstichi composed himself and allowed his hands to drift under the folds of his cloak. He stepped alongside Iranca as they came upon the grinning young lad. By all means he appeared to be kind enough, though appearances, Faust surmised, could always be deceiving. Henceforth, he inwardly decided that he'd test these proprietors of 'magical charms and items' and discern their true worth. Only 'real' and 'accomplished' mages could perform feats of enchantment and the sort. The dark elf shrugged his shoulders and offered the orange-eyed Vysstichi a nod of sorts, "Serale, Sir. I've heard that your shop sells a variety of magical charms and goods. I'm looking for a cloak or a pair of boots of sort that might prove of usefulness. And I don't mean your ordinary leather or silk if you know what I mean. " the dark elf smiled and awaited a response. "And if not, would you have anything else that might be of interest to a weary traveler?"

[Kalinda]

At Faust’s words Iranca nodded and approached the shop at the vysstichi’s side. As a woman raised in dark elven society she would never walk behind a man, let a man lead her, at least in public, afrai that people would interprete it as a sign of weakness, as a sign that she was weaker than a mere male. Crimson eyes sparkled with vague interest as the mystic and former priestess of Haya studied the wares that were being offered. If they were visiting the market and talking to those mages, she might as well see if there was anything that she could use. Ebony hands touched bracelets that were engraved with Hayan symbols. She tried a ring on only to put it away again with a disapproving frown. It was too small. With a shrug of her shoulders the woman turned away from the table again and faced the young man who stood in front of the store, offered him a cool smile. She would continue to inspect the wares after they were done with their business ...

The young male who apparently was one of the owners of the shop was indeed an odd looking individual. He was rather tall and thin. Now that he was closer to him Faust could see that part of his hair had been colored in a pale shade of blue. Judging from the wide smile on his face the lad thought that he was the most handsome vysstichi around and that his unusual appearance only served to make customers trust him and buy his wares.

“Serale!” he exlaimed and nodded to Iranca before he faced Faust. Some of the basic rules of vysstichi society had to be followed, even on the First Plane of Har’oloth that did not care about those traditional dark elves all that much. “I take it you are looking for a cloak and boots with unusual properties then?” the young man asked. Since he was not a mystic he did not know that the other elf had hidden motives, that he was looking for teachers for his school. He merely thought him to be another customer ... one that would hopefully leave a large amount of money in his shop ...

He waited only a couple of seconds before he turned towards the tables and began to look them over, searching for an item that might interest Faust. The first thing that he took was a cloak made of deep black velvet that was trimmed with silver fox fur at the edges. The cloak alone would already have been somewhat expensive, but with magic properties ... “This cloak ...” the lad began, and his orange eyes sparkled. “... will keep a traveller from feeling as tired and exhausted as he would normally be. If you wear it while sleeping, you will awake refreshened ...” He folded the black cloak and put it away only to take another cloak. The second cloak was made of crimson silk and rather plain looking. “This cloak will make you look friendly and trustworthy. The people you are talking to will instantly like you. It is quite useful when you are doing business ...”

A pair of fine light brown leather boots followed. “These boots will allow you to walk faster and for longer amounts of time ...” He put the boots down so that Faust could take a look at them and gestured towards the fourth item, a green woollen cloak that was decorated with the picture of a rune. “This cloak has been enchanted by an Ikomancer ...” he explained. “It will protect you from evil and assure that you are safe ...”

[Faust D'Rinishad]

The Vysstichi had always proclaimed an abnormal intrigue for the unknown, particularly when it came to a vast array of magical and enchanted items. Faust D'Rinishad had stumbled upon a decent supply of specialized artifacts throughout his ventures within the world, but none had been without s