[Location] D'Rinishad Academy of Arcana

[Faust D'Rinishad]

Scarlet eyes, untouched by age, watched the pair of guards as they entered into the facility. Although far from an adult even by human standards, the Vysstichi boy presented himself with an air of competence that suggested that he was more than he appeared –perhaps he was.

Spinning on his stool so that he faced the newly arrived, the dark elf’s face illuminated as he focused upon the smallest of the group, a tiny fae. This was not the first time that Banatarion had seen such a creature, but their kind seldom sought anything from the D’Rinishad Academy of Arcana, an institution renowned for its Vysstichi teachers and instructors. Nevertheless, he gifted the miniscule fae with a cheery smile.

“A pleasure to have you here, Miss Brightwing! You haven’t been here before, have you?” He asked with a raised brow. Before Amber could answer, however, he continued speaking, “That would be Master Danvan. He’s a very busy um…man. What did you need him for?”

[Amber Brightwing]

She was surprised he still remembered her visit so long ago, but on second thought, there was not so much to be surprised about. There weren’t many Fae in the city after all, so those few encounters were easily remembered.

“I will need to be in Nexus Prime for some time at the end of Winter and I was looking for a fast way to travel between the two. So I was wondering if I could perhaps purchase an enchantment from Master Danvan to make my life easier.”

It would come in handy for other things she needed to travel for, like going after a staff, but the Forum of Change in Nexus Prime had been the main reason she had come.

[Striker]

(crap wrong account)

[Faust D'Rinishad]

“Enchanting is a tedious process that can be both complicated and exhausting.” From the side of the room an older dark elf entered from the stairwell. He was exceptionally large for an elf, and he towered a head above the average Vysstichi. His flowing blue and silver-trimmed robe was immaculate, and it swept the polished Academy floors as he stepped forward.

“Oh, Master Danvan, I was just about to get you. This is Miss Brightwing.” Banatarion said, blinking as he looked from the D’Rinishad instructor and then to the tiny fae.

“I know, lad.” the sorcerer said, briefly glancing to the woman’s two guards before bowing slightly to Amber. “It is a pleasure, your grace. I was coming up the stairs when I heard my name and your request. Now where is it that you would like to get to Nexus Prime from, here in Vortex?”

[Amber Brightwing]

“The pleasure is all mine.” She made a small bow midair as well. “And it’s not going to Nexus Prime that’s the biggest trouble, but travelling between the two cities on short notice.” She smiled for a moment before continuing. “You see, I’ve been invited to a State of the Empire Forum in Nexus Prime to discuss the role of the province in the Empire. I was told it would start the Second Cycle of Ioannes and continuing to the end of the season, maybe even longer.”

“I wouldn’t want to leave the city unattended for such a long time, but neither would I like to miss much what happens at the forum as it might have direct consequences for our city. Unfortunately, travelling between the two cities takes some time, even by horse, so I was looking at alternatives and teleportation was the first thing that came to mind.” She paused for a moment, letting the master a moment to take in her situation.

“That’s why I thought of an enchantment capable of teleporting the distance needed to reach Nexus Prime from here. I’ll be happy to compensate for the effort of course, that is, if you are willing to invest your time and effort in it.”

[Faust D'Rinishad]

“Your request is understandable.” Danvan replied, eyeing the floating fae curiously as she bowed in the air. The gesture elicited a small smile across the mage’s lips, and he returned the cordial greeting with a bow of his own. “We live in dangerous times, after all, and the Arium Highlands are certainly no exception to that.” Nodding agreeably, the sorcerer rested a hand upon the desk behind him as he continued to listen to the woman’s request.

“But it would take me months, perhaps even an era, to complete such a task.” He admitted. Sighing grimly, the dark elf’s thoughts were immediately of the dagger that he had constructed for his friend, Faust D’Rinishad. What should have been a weapon capable of generating a magical shield had, in fact, been virtually nothing at all, and the Prince of Har’oloth had sustained a nearly mortal wound in battle because of it.

“However, I could manufacture a temporary teleportation device for you to make travel easier from Vortex to Nexus Prime without the wait. Such an instrument would only have a limited number of charges, of course, but it would fulfill the task just the same and guarantee your passage to Nexus Prime by the Month of Ioannes to attend this forum.” Danvan said, pausing briefly to await Amber's reply.

[Amber Brightwing]

An eyebrow was raise when she heard how much time went into something she estimated to be a Journeyman enchantment. Either he was exaggerating or just really bad at the whole enchanting business. She currently owned an object enchanted with a master level spell and she wouldn’t be surprised if it had been added almost as an afterthought. On the other side, considering the nature of the spell, she could imagine that her master had gone through great efforts just to screw her over.

“It’s not really the danger of the trip I’m concerned about, but rather trying to reduce travel times. That way I could spread my time between the forum and the city without loosing a few days every time I go from one to the other. The reason I’m looking for enchantments rather then imbuing is for the lifetime and flexibility of it mostly. If I’m going to pay for something then I can just as well pay a little more and be able to use on other occasions too.”

[Faust D'Rinishad]

“If enchantments were that simple to construct, I guarantee you, Miss Brightwing, that there would be more of them. They would make everyone’s lives easier.” Beneath the dark elf’s stoic demeanor, his patience was wearing thin. Moving behind the front desk, the Vysstichi reached towards the bookshelf behind Banatarion and procured a volume with the words, Magic Amulets, written along the spine. He opened the book and held it before Amber if she so chose to inspect it.

“Services of the type of nature that you’re describing cannot be bought, Miss Brightwing, at least not by any respectable mage. I hope you understand.”

[Amber Brightwing]

The Fae simply nodded after a quick glance at the book. “I read it.” She had looked up some information in her own library on the matter as well as a few different spheres to see what was possible and to confirm what she already knew or suspected. “I know that it’s not an easy thing to do, that’s why I’d be happy to compensate for the effort. Of course, like I mentioned, that was all assuming you would be willing to do such in the first place. I’m well aware those things aren’t just made for anyone with enough money to afford them, but then the only way to find out of you are willing is to ask. As my mother used to say, no you have, yes you can get.”

She paused for a moment, thinking. “So I suppose the question really was, are you willing to provide me with such an enchantment or not?” The man still hadn’t flat out denied her request, but it didn’t look like he’d comply to it either. She still secretly hoped that her status as Thane would qualify her in his eyes. If it hadn’t been for that she’d probably never have bothered in the first place. “And if no, then are you willing to provide me with some imbuements?”

[Faust D'Rinishad]

Staring at Amber impassively for several seconds, Danvan closed the book and returned it to the shelf. His broad shoulders drooped as he sighed heavily, and when he turned to face the miniscule thane, his disposition was transparently locked in ambivalence. There were many who had come to the D’Rinishad Academy of Arcana to request assistance in one form or another, many of whom were wealthy beyond compare. But the mages of the Academy were no peasants themselves. Some of them possessed luxuries that even a noble might covet…

“It is not a matter of money, Miss Brightwing. It never is.” Danvan said, though he held his hands up gently to indicate that he was not denying the woman’s request, “But a man of my stature is not ruled by the things of the world. We seek that which money cannot buy…” Gazing pointedly at Amber, it was evident that he was waiting to see if she had anything to offer him besides mere coinage.

[Amber Brightwing]

His intention was obvious, but Amber didn’t really know what she could put against an enchantment that was of similar value. “In a city like Vortex, money can buy you lots of things though. Makes it all the more difficult when trying to acquire one of the things it can’t buy unfortunately.” She smiled at the master. “Anything specific you are interested in? Being Thane gives me some leverage in matters on the surface.”

She licked her lips as she thought about a possible exchange of magical items. The only ones she had access to were Necromantic ones though (and Mysticism ones, but they had their own Master present) and she couldn’t really see a teacher needing much of those. And of course, only she was only certain that she could provide imbuements, enchantments could be tricky as well. “I know some people that know some people too, so if I pull some strings I might get my hands on items or books from a somewhat, eh… ‘less public’ sphere. No guarantees there though.”

[Archalen Andares]

39th Optia, in the Season of Summer, Era XIV

So he was here. And if only a short time after he had arrived in Vortex. No, the Thane of Imperia and his two bodygaurds would spend as little time here as possible in this cursed city. Something about it haunted them, although none could exactly pinpoint what it was. Imperia may have not have been the grandest city, but it was home..a place where the three longed to be after an extensive trip around the Empire. Soon they kept telling themselves, soon.

But on todays agenda was the start of education. Mysticism to be precise, and Archalen was throughly excited to start the course. The Esh'lahier knew next to nothing of the art and arcane in it, but was that not what teachers were for? Gaining entry into the building (of which he thought he had heard of the D'Rinishad family before, but couldn't be sure) he approached the young elf at the desk.

Archalen returned the boys fake smile, with a fake one of his own. At least, thats how the Thane saw it. The gray haired adolescent elf bowed, and returned a greeting following his reason to be here. "Archalen Esgalvith, of Imperia. I have come to study in mystiscism." After being told the details of the arrangement and classes, as well as the fee for study he took out banknotes and paid the boy. "A little extra, for your help." he said, tipping the boy a 10 crown banknote. When all was said and done, the Thane and his two guards departed as he went to prepare for learning the mystical ways of arcane.

[Faust D'Rinishad]

Amber

After a short time of consideration, the sorcerer lightheartedly waved away Amber’s suggestions. “No. There is nothing that I can think of at the moment, not now at least.” Shaking his head, the tall mage sighed deeply and stared at the small fae as if in deep thought. His visage, composed as usual, revealed nothing at all.

“But should we request a ‘favor’ from you in the future, I trust that you’ll remember our generosity?” Danvan asked, eyeing Amber suggestively as he waited for her to indicate that she understood. Nothing in the world was free as the Thane of Vortex undoubtedly knew. House D’Rinishad would request her services eventually; it was only a matter of time.

[Amber Brightwing]

Amber pondered about an answer for a moment too. Nothing in the world was free, she knew that, but agreeing to pay the price before it was determined was rarely a smart thing to do. In this particular case, it seemed to be an acceptable offer though. After all, what was the worst a few mages could ask for?

“I have a good memory and I’ll gladly help those that help me.” She paused for a moment, thinking about the more practical side of things. “Any chance you’d manage to enchant a Fae sized object? A regular sized object would be just as fine of course, but it’s always nice not to have people carry things for me.” She hadn’t tried to imbue very tiny objects – relative to her own size – yet, so she had no idea if it was more difficult.

[Faust D'Rinishad]

“I will keep that in mind.” Danvan said, bowing politely and then glancing to the two mindless guards flanking the small thane’s sides. “The process of enchanting necessitates more time than I have available in between my lectures and classes, but your item should be complete by next cycle. Return then if you will.”

Nodding to indicate that this was all that he had to say, the tall sorcerer waited cordially and bade the Thane and her escort farewell before returning to the confines of his room on the upper floor.