Belinda
Shaman
Recording the world as I see it
Posts: 110
Profession: Scholar/Book Keeper
Affinity: Ice
Profile: Belinda's Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Belinda on Oct 18, 2019 8:57:58 GMT -6
"I agree. Ore should be expensive. It is dangerous work for all parties involved. And as a provider of said good you should be paid for it accordingly." Belinda replied to Gar's comment about Ore. She had either forgotten or just learned that Gar was a man who owned a mine. Unsure if that was something he mentioned back in Lycia or not.
"The issue comes from the travel, taxes, and fee's involved in bringing that ore into market. I understand merchants need to increase their prices to make a living and pay off their own debts. As well as the fee's and taxes needed to even have a stall on the market square. But, there is a difference between paying off your debt's with a little bit of profit left over to make a decent living.. and being a greedy bastard about it." I haven't even mentioned the other middle man involved for the more lucrative goods. She stopped for a moment to take a few more bites of her food. She had about a quarter of food left on her plate. She playfully picked up a caper with her fork and put it in her mouth. The salty little flavor bomb exploded in her mouth and she found herself in better spirits after her little rant.
"Most provider's don't look past the point of selling their wares to a merchant. It's good to ask your trader what he or she plans to do with your ore. Where it goes.. what route will they take and so on. If you get the cold shoulder then it's best you cut ties with that merchant or trader." She took a moment to breathe. She absorbed the steamy scent's of her seafood meal and calmed down.
"My apologies, I didn't mean for that to turn into a minor market lecture. I grew up in a merchant family and sometimes old habit's like to rear their ugly head." Ugh..It is gross that how I still sound like father sometimes. She cleared her throat.
"Ah. Arena matches. Cid's fond of them to an extent. He banned most of his crew from jumping into the pit. He would rather have his sailors come to him if they are short on money. Cid is the type to take to the arena on their behalf should funds be exceptionally tight. Much to my dismay. He's a competent fighter but I worry. I do not want to be one one writing the eulogy to his family." She looked somber for a moment. She was a part of Cid's family. Both in blood and in spirit. She was friends with Cid's wife. And adored his two teenage daughters. She didn't learn of the blood part until she was an adult. The Sacean blooded captain was her mother's half brother. Courtesy of her maternal grandfather's guilty pleasure for women.
"Haven't seen a proper one for myself in ages." I'd prefer watching the stage plays over that barbarianism anyway. She took another salt and peppery bite of her meal.
"I know what you mean. One of my former colleague's was a pegasus rider. She was a spry young lass. Who flew circles around those pirates. It gave most of Cid's crew the opening they needed to push the invader's back." I wonder what Kayla and Polly are up to now? She smiled softly at that.
"I'll be sure to try and remember to mention your name.. next time a group of pirates try to kill or claim me." She meant that to be a more of a light-hearted jab. But, it could be interpreted poorly.
"I am curious though. Most mines in the Western Isle's.. are owned by less than reputable men. Many of whom do not bother with talks about how difficult it is to mine. As to they feel that people.. are disposable." She knew most mines to the North were owned by bandits. Slavers. Or under control by Eturian prisons with terrible wardens. Who did you dethrone to get a mine? Perhaps it was not the best time to ask that. Who knew how many eyes were watching their little table or how many ears were listening in.
"But, you.. included yourself in that comment earlier. Do you mine with your workers? And yes, I accept your generous offer for more wine."
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Post by Gar on Dec 14, 2019 5:31:12 GMT -6
“Aye I, seems like were on the same page on the ore front. But that’s smart.” Gar hadn’t thought to ask what is was being used for. Just who was getting it. “Checking to make sure the ore is going toward. Tools rather than weapons. I’ll keep that in mind on our next shipment. Thanks.” Gar was still relatively new with managing a community of families, workers, traders and sailors. That small lecture helped him understand a great deal more. If he was going to oversee a commodity, he should know how the sale of that commodity happens.
Belinda apologized for speaking on the market. But it was something Gar needed to hear. Gar also wanted to hear more of Belinda’s family. Ugly of not, Gar was curious. Now wasn’t the time to ask though. Gar considered it but no. Just speaking to Belinda provided Gar with plenty of important information.
“From what I hear you have nothing to worry about eulogy-wise. He’s smart, experienced, respected. I got a secret for you.” Gar smiled and leaned close to Belinda. “In the arena, only the young ones try to kill, they’re desperate. Old fighters go for an arm or leg and give you the chance to withdraw.” It was only fair that Gar shared some of his knowledge.
Belinda made a quick jab, flippantly, stating that she would remember Gar’s name in times of trouble. Gar laughed. He had to. Apparently, his bid to get Belinda to see his seaworthiness fell flat.
The conversation moved back to ore, and the production thereof. Belinda’s questions made Gar believe she might care. The captain tilted his head slightly. That was when Belinda agreed to another round.
Gar turned and signaled for another round. He took a moment before he spoke. Belinda’s question about the isles and the people who are in charge in that realm; he didn’t immediately know how answer it. “ Just speaking with you over dinner and drinks gave me a lot to think about. Do you know how smart you are?”
“I’m working to change the Isles. They have problems of course, but the people who live there are strong, resilient. They want to live on their own and be free. They don’t always want someone watching them.”
“That’s perfect since I just want to sail. Fly our flag high and let them know we’re safe.” Gar exhaled with content. He may not have verbalized that goal before today. It was nice. "And what's your endgame. Is it in the library?"
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Belinda
Shaman
Recording the world as I see it
Posts: 110
Profession: Scholar/Book Keeper
Affinity: Ice
Profile: Belinda's Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Belinda on Dec 26, 2019 21:02:40 GMT -6
Bel leaned in to hear Gar's little Arena secret. Not that she was particularly curious as to what it was as she had an inkling to what it was anyway. And she was right. And something that she did when it came to battle. Belinda was a gifted scholar, but not quite so adept in battle magic like some of the other's in her workplace were. She knew each cast of her magic took an irreversible toll on her mind and body. Granted these tolls were minor.. for now. But, she knew each spell counted. And she only attacked when she had to. And when she did it was always to cripple or disable her opponent in some way. And while she did take some lives in order to survive battles, she disliked killing. She knew Cid knew that too. As he was the one who taught her all about crippling limbs. And her time in the academy archives studying anatomy only further improved her crippling abilities. Bel pulled away from Gar's little secret with a small smirk on her face. No need to be rude about it Bel.
"Thank you for your wisdom and reassurance." She meant that. She finished what was left on her plate, as Gar sat there thinking for a moment. She had a mouthful of food when Gar commented on how smart she was. She didn't feel particularly intelligent at this very moment. More like embarrassed. And the faint flush of red that came to her cheeks further cemented that feeling of embarrassment. She really hoped the Captian across from her didn't notice that while he spoke about his affirmation to change the isles. It was strange. She knew a few men who would boast about their own greedy goals and convictions. But, they were mostly show boaters. And yet when Gar made his statement about fixing the isles, she felt like she could believe it. Even if that feeling was very brief. Return to a more graceful form. The shaman set the empty plate aside for the waitress to pick up.
"Well, I'd make a terrible Scholar if I were not smart." She regained her composure.
"I'm glad I was able to help you find your own resolution." She leaned back in her chair for a moment. She wasn't sure what her own end game was. She never really sat down to think about it. She could sit down and budget a whole month of her finances. Balance the books of Cid's finances. Organize a whole shelf of library book. She could think of herself in the day to day, week to week tasks needed to survive. She couldn't afford the luxury of dreaming about the distant future. The future was undecided. She always knew that one day due to her magic, due to her father's enemies, or just by accident, she might not even be there tomorrow. So she never truly occupied her adult thoughts towards things like a dream. She had a goal yes, but somehow that felt different than a dream.
"I don't know." She cleared her throat.
"Sorry. I know you wanted me to get swept up in emotion of your moment. But, I don't have an answer. With my magic I.. might not.. remember... what that goal is. One day, I might wake up.. and not have a memory of anything, except for the Library. Gods above and below know I could organize those books in my sleep." She tried to lighten the somber mood with some humor.
"But, I do know that I am doing all that I can to make sure I do not become what you call 'corrupted.' Honestly, that change in a shaman.. is much more complicated then what you might think. I will spare you the details. But, My.. current research goal is to find a way to slow that process down. Maybe even halt it.. maybe even reverse the damage that's already been done." Hopefully, that would be enough of an answer to keep Gar satisfied.
"You may not like the school for what it teaches but I suggest you give it a second chance. You can come visit after nine. The students are inside for lecture by then. You shouldn't be actively exposed to any magic you don't like. And, If my presence is a bother to you, I can arrange for another scholar to accompany you." Fortunately, at this point the waitress came around and refilled her cup of wine. She took a sip. The bitter wine helped to restore some of her poise.
"The library archives hold more than just books about magic and ships. There is a whole section dedicated to the demographics of Elibe. If you are going to do everything in your power to help the isles.. I suggest you learn a bit about the history of the Isles themselves. And a brush up on her geography, currents, her trade routes, and what territories to avoid." She motioned for Gar to lean in. She had her own secret to tell him.
"Etruria owns a few patches of the Isles and the last thing you want to do is piss them off." She wasn't sure how much of that was common knowledge.
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Post by Gar on Sept 30, 2020 9:04:44 GMT -6
She's right again. I should learn more about the history of the isles. Hell, maybe Gar shouldn't have gotten involved in the first place. He's from Badon after all. However, his involvement wasn't entirely up to him and he likes to think he has done well by the islanders, particularly the people on his small section of the isles.For Gar to really understand the political climate of the western isles and Elibe would take years. Maybe decades. By the time Gar could figure out how to best protect the continent, he would no longer be able to.
"To halt the corruption of dark magic entirely, or reverse it." Gar had to say it out loud just to process the thought. Is that possible? Can a human really come back from the grasp of magical darkness just like that? And how? Why? Gar needed more information.
That's what my advisors are for. If she knows so much... Gar thought to himself for a half second. She would be an invaluable ally. Or am I just thinking that? Gar looked at his mug of grog.
Gar leaned forward to hear Belinda's next words. He probably lingered for a moment too long. Etruria... He sat back and blew a raspberry with his lips. "Maybe I want to piss them off." Gar took a half drink and realized what he had just said and who he said it to. "Off the record right?" He tried to get a read on Belinda's reaction. Before much could come from his comment he spoke again.
"Alright, I think I'll take you up on the tour of the academy. And honestly, I'd prefer you show me around."
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Belinda
Shaman
Recording the world as I see it
Posts: 110
Profession: Scholar/Book Keeper
Affinity: Ice
Profile: Belinda's Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Belinda on Oct 4, 2020 18:52:34 GMT -6
"To halt the corruption of dark magic entirely, or reverse it."
"I know. It sounds impossible. But, I need to believe that there is a way." Her casual demeanor shifted slightly. The thought back to her old man and how he succumbed to darkness. If she could call it that. The man was flat out insane towards the end of it. He was simultaneously paranoid, and lacked any empathy for those around him. Terribly violent. And incapable of controlling his own impulses. Belinda still bore many scars as a result of his cruelty. She didn't want to suffer his fate. She didn't want anyone else to suffer his fate either.
"If I am not the one to find it, then perhaps, my private research may guide future scholars to a solution." She put the wine glass close to her nose and took a whiff. She exhaled softly, and then put the wine glass back down. What Gar said next though lightened her spirits. She wasn't expecting him to be so casual about pissing off Etruria. Especially, since the country was rumored to have spies everywhere. Or so the gossipy maidens say.
"You are not alone. Plenty of people want to piss Etruria off. Myself included. Not just because it's terrible for businesses. They silence anyone or anything which involves elder arts. Many ancient books and artifacts have been lost due to their holy purge." She frowned.
"They parade around, as if they forgot that Bramimmond the Enigma, fought along side Saint Elimine." And the other Heroes as well. Supposedly.
"What record?" She responded with a bit of coy smirk.
"I'm glad you've reconsidered. And it would be my pleasure to show you around. I shall provide lunch. Anywhere in particular you would like to start?"
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Post by Gar on Oct 25, 2020 4:52:39 GMT -6
Gar had to hope she knew more than he did about all this. Dark magic is bad. Maybe there exists a nuance to it. But, probably not. Its not a good thing. Shamans are bad. Druids are bad. Enigmas are…
Hard to figure out. Gar took more than a second to make sure he wasn’t being stupid. Gar tried to recall the stories he heard when he was young. Bramimond? I remember Durban and Athos. Which one was Bramimond? Ahh The Enigma.
Gar shifted around in his seat.His suspicion may have gotten the best of him but he stood up.Gar looked over his right shoulder. It was just salty sailors as per usual. He was listening to Belinda all the while.
“Where to start? Healing? You might not believe me but I've helped people and… I fixed them… I healed them… I mean, I passed out while doing it but, I want to know how that works.”
__Night skip___
Wake up already Gar's fingers were reaching for June's handle. He barely woke up..
“Mmuh.”
Gar spent some time figuring out where he was.
“muhh” Another couple hours passed as he slept. He was on his ship. He was in his bed.
‘What?’
Gar sat up. He was in his bed but he didn’t remember how he got there. The captain looked around his quarters and found a jug of water. He eagerly grabbed the jug and drank the water. Once he pulled the mug from his lips he thought of Belinda. I hope shes not waiting.
Gar grabbed his axe and placed it on the latch on his back. The spirit had to give him gave him a hard time.
Same girl? Gar sighed as he made his way toward the academy. Aye, same girl. Belinda is her name
You know she'll be trouble. She's not strong enough to test me.. us.
Gar ignored that thought and knocked on the academy door in front of him.
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Belinda
Shaman
Recording the world as I see it
Posts: 110
Profession: Scholar/Book Keeper
Affinity: Ice
Profile: Belinda's Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Belinda on Oct 25, 2020 16:31:18 GMT -6
"Healing? Please do tell." Belinda spoke. Genuinely interested. The day rolled on and eventually turned towards dusk. Belinda eventually forced herself to head back home after she heard the chime of the fifth bell. There was a slight disagreement between her and Gar over who should pay for the meal. Somewhere in between the food, stories, and wine, she had forgotten their agreement. But, she digressed. The shamans managed to make it to the market and bought what she needed to survive the rest of the week. While she loved eating out. It did put a hole in her savings.
She returned home at the chime of the eight bell. And went to work at preparing what needed preparing for the next day. She light her candles and went to work in the kitchen. She went to work preparing her flour into dough. She was grateful for her sourdough starter that she made about a week ago. She knew the dough needed to ferment for at least twelve hours. Before it could become something soft, warm, and spongey. After the matters of the kitchen were settled she went about tiding up her own home. Scattered papers were read and sorted. She dusted off tiny layer of sand off of her shelves and belongings. Sand always seeped into her flat. One of he many consequences of living in Nabata. She eventually swept up the sand off the floor and threw it back out her window. It will eventually find it's way back.
She thought back to her business lunch with Gar. And devised a plan. She wanted to be on his good side. Not just for professional reasons, but personal ones as well. The man seemed to think all matters involving dark magic were bad. And while she hadn't done anything to him personally to warrant being called bad. The fact he associated her with it.. didn't sit right. She wanted to be judged by her character. Not by the magic she inherited. Before she changed into her night clothes. She washed her body with a sponge and water. Washed what she could of her normal clothes with the dwindling soap she had. Wrung it. And hung it up to dry on a rack she had made for clothes. With the water she had washed with she made sure the fires in the kitchen were sufficiently snuffed. The little purple flower she was gifted was put into a tiny vase she had lying around. And here I thought I was never going to use something so small. She returned to her desk and began thinking. Then writing. I've agreed to do the following. Provide Education. Of both the Isles and Naval Warfare. I should probably add in some information on the Isle currents. Tides. And common trades. She scribbled.
"Common warships.. uncommon ships.. and who sails with what colors. Where to avoid.. and.. what pirates.. like to target." She set the paper aside.
"Ugh. Sounds like a lovely day of stairclimbing." She stretched. Then reached for her journal. She recorded the day's events and eventually went to sleep. ---
Belinda woke up. Her head was pounding. It was her own damn fault for drinking too much wine, and not drinking enough water before bed. She pulled her head up off her pillow. And stood up on her bunk so she could peer out the window. She could see the moon was very close to the horizon and the rays of the sun. More like a bulb peering up out of the sea rather than a sun ray. She sighed softly and jumped off her bunk onto the floor. She fished around for a flint to light a candle. And went about her morning routine. She worked the dough she prepared yesterday. She punched the air out of it and worked it into a supple ball. One more rise should do it. Then washed again. And put on her cold. But dry clothes. She went back out into the market to take advantage of the early risers. She bought a few eggs, some butter, and a piece of dried pork meat. Pork and hog were becoming harder to come by. She bought more tinder for her kitchen.
Back home she prepared the dough for a final time. This time she divided out her dough loaf into three separate dough balls. She lit her oven. And carefully prepared her tinder. She fanned the budding fire gently. The sun was starting to creep up into the sky and the light started to peer through her tiny windows. She carefully put the dough in the oven once it was hot enough. And closed the door. On the stove she carefully greased a clean, flat pan. And started to fry her pork and later the eggs. She could hear the maids of her childhood manner in her head now. Telling her exactly what to do to prepare a simple breakfast. Telling her to be patient. If she was impatient.. things could be messy. Things could burn. And then you'd be left hungry. And forced to spend more money. She owed her life to those women. After about 30 minutes, her careful kitchen diligence was rewarded. She had a three spectacular loaves of bread. She waited fifteen minutes before cutting into those loaves and dividing them out for the day. Half of one loaf went to breakfast. She made an open faced sandwich of eggs and bacon. The other half went to a similar sandwich for lunch. She packed an extra one just in case. Carefully wrap it in parchment and palm leaves. Don't toss it into your bag. Find the stupid lunch box. She drunk some fresh water to rehydrate. Went about making herself presentable. And then made her way out to the academy.
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Post by Gar on Aug 7, 2021 1:46:50 GMT -6
Gar knocked against the door of the library. He paused for a while and turned his head sideways. the berserker crossed his arms across his chest and squinted his eyes at nothing in particular. He was trying to kill time before he felt it was appropriate to knock again. When one is a guest, one is always on their best behavior. The words echoed in Gar's mind. The words belonged to his mother, yet he chose to adopt them for now. they were quite applicable here.
Gar knocked again and waited briefly before pushing the door open. He had expected to see Belinda buried in a comically large pile of textbooks. Yet all he saw was the same setting as his previous entrance. Gar placed a hand on his head in an attempt to alleviate his stress. Women rarely made him feel the things he had felt in one conversation. Or maybe it was two conversations. Either way Gar knew he had something to gain, something to learn from Belinda. Dark mage or not.
Dark mage? Certainly you're aware- Gar's weapon briefly pulsed with a dumb pale light
Don't worry June. I think she's on our side.
You hope... You fool.
" Oi... Er. Greetings," Gar checked his speech to make sure he didn't come off as a pirate captain. At least not too much so. Gar's posture shirted as he spoke.
Gar approached a desk with a sole attendant. "I'm looking for a woman named Belinda. I think we have an appointment. Or, maybe we don't... She does work here though, Yes?"
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Belinda
Shaman
Recording the world as I see it
Posts: 110
Profession: Scholar/Book Keeper
Affinity: Ice
Profile: Belinda's Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Belinda on Aug 9, 2021 20:19:07 GMT -6
Bel let out a little sigh and wrapped her body in her trademark cloak. It was unusual in it's design, a white cloak with black trimmings. And a strange yin yang symbol that decorated some corners of the cloak. She pulled the hood up, grabbed her now organized bag, locked her door, and made her way out into the city. She did her usual round around the district, paid a visit to the orphanage, and dropped a few coins in the donations basked. Alms to the poor. She thought to herself. The clicking of coins drew out the headmaster, who was used to seeing Bel's shape. He greeted her properly, thanked her for the donation, and offered for her to come for some tea. The young shamaness refused, explained she was busy this morning with an important client. But, she will try to find the time to come around and read to the kids. She hadn't done it in a while and sort of missed it. She waved the headmaster good by and continued on her way. She swiftly maneuvered her way through market street, all the while being serenaded by merchants who advertised their wares. She kept her belongings close to her as she knew this path was full of quick eyes and even quicker hands.
She went down another road and ended up at the gates of Akedemia. She flashed her pin towards one of the guards, who let her through a separate entrance and through a quieter courtyard. She was feeling, oddly happy. Even down right excited. While Gar himself may not like her for her magic, she was always happy to guide anyone though the school. She walked up the steps and went though the doors. --
The sole attendant took a quick glance at Gar. Looked at the window towards the sundial and then spoke up.
"Yes, Bel works here. She should be on her way in." The attendant then almost immediately went back to reading their book.
--
Belinda took off her cloak and made her way towards the staff area. She put her things away in a neat and practical order. When she came back out of the staff area she was happy at the fact that nothing had ruined her good mood. Yet. She took a deep breath in and then let it out. She signed her name in the log and officially started her work day. The school was noisy today. The first round of classes were only a few minutes away from starting. And there were a whole host of students of various ages running around trying to make it to their class before they were marked as tardy. Those who were already at their doors waiting for it to be opened gossiped a bit. Some showed off their new skills in magic. A few of the more experienced students were summoning small spirits to impress their peers. Some students were busy, scrambling to write things on parchment, filling out last minute questions, or suddenly changing their answers. She made her way down a rather colorful hall and into the library. She saw the ship Captian talking to one of the attendants. She approached the pair and spoke.
"Good Morning." She gave a friendly nod towards her coworker.
"Good Morning, Gar. Thank you for being patient. Are you ready for the tour? Do you have any questions before we begin?"
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Post by Gar on Aug 20, 2021 11:46:59 GMT -6
"Yes, Bel works here. She should be on her way in." The attendant spoke, then immediately turned back to her book. Gar stood for a moment expecting a longer conversation but he eventually realized that was all he would hear from the attendant. He took a seat at a waiting bench. His axe slightly ricocheted off the wall behind him as he sat. You should be more careful. Gar exhaled slowly, not entirely knowing why he was so nervous. Gar rolled his neck while he listened to the shuffling of feet and the casting of spells outside. He had a base understanding of spirits but, he wasn't entirely comfortable with all these magical practitioners. Keep an open mind. You may learn something important.
It was hot in the waiting room. More-so warm than hot, and Gar was accustomed to the heat anyway. He wasn't as accustomed to the dryness of the desert air. Even in a coastal town it was arid. He rubbed his tongue around his mouth to keep it moist. The berserker's attention was eventually drawn to a side entrance. He recognized the person approaching and stood to greet her. Belinda greeted her coworker.
She's on the job huh. Gar was reminded of a lyric from a shanty. As a lady does a favor, show her your best behavior.
"Good morning, I wanted to let you know I had a great time yesterday." Gar took a breath and spoke with a smile. "Aside from that, I've been looking forward to this tour all day. Please lead the way, Belinda." He took a step forward and readily followed his guide.
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Belinda
Shaman
Recording the world as I see it
Posts: 110
Profession: Scholar/Book Keeper
Affinity: Ice
Profile: Belinda's Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Belinda on Aug 22, 2021 19:58:45 GMT -6
I had a great time yesterday.
Bel's aura of professionalism was broken for a moment. And in that moment she felt a light flush of pink on her cheeks, then she took a little breath, and the pink was gone as quickly as it came. She was glad that she made a positive impression on the captain. And she knew that the Captian's complement was genuine. She had spent enough time in the company of sailors, tradesman's, and drunks to tell when a man, woman, or child was lying through their teeth. It was a sort of sixth sense that she had developed over the years. Or perhaps it was a sense that was inherited from her father. He always knew when someone was lying. And when anyone was ever caught in the lie, the punishments for the lie were unpleasant.
"Thank you for your kind words, Captian. Please follow me." She waited a moment for Gar to follow her. And once they were out of earshot of the other coworker Bel let out a little sigh of relief. She looked back for a moment to make sure there weren't any pesky busy bodies lurking about. A lot of people liked to think that the students and staff of any Acedemic Institution were snooty stuck up people, who looked down on anything fun. But, in reality they were just as gossipy as any other barmaid.
"I also had a wonderful time. It was nice, to talk freely, and you are good company. But, do keep that tidbit to yourself. As a professional to Akedemia, I am not allowed to be so open while working." She let out a light sigh. She had a small board with parchment on it. The board had a small hole in it to fit an ink bottle and she had a quill in her hand. She started to write something.
'You are Gar a ship Captian, with a successful mining business in the Western Isles. Captian Gar is in legal possession of a rare magical artifact. And I've scouted you as, potential asset to Akedemina in sourcing some rare raw materials. Said materials, that can be used to repair and restore certain structures and artifacts.' In exchange for these supplies, Captian Gar, requests access to the Akedemic Archives, knowledge of what his materials would be used for, classes, and monetary compensation for his ship and crew. In order to prove the Accademia integrity of the school, a tour will be conducted today, on this date. With Belinda..." She stopped talking as she scrabbled her last name on the parchment.
"I understand that you value honesty and are skeptical of my position. But, that's exactly what I will be turning in to my superiors today. Word per word" She blew on the parchment paper to dry the ink faster. She put the cork back on the little ink bottle and showed it to Gar for his review. The quill was gently tucked under her thumb and the feathers covered her last name.
"This isn't an official contract. Anything that requires the exchange of goods and services is above me of course. Think of this as a formal letter of introduction. Also known as, me covering my butt in the event someone questions what I was doing with my time." She smiled lightly at her own joke.
"Now that, professional headache is out of the way. I know the best place to start this tour." She turned around again. She led Gar down a large corridor, up the stairs, and then into a large open room.
This room was enormous. In, front of them was a large wall that had a large ornamental window. The window had a lovely pattern of repeating desert lilies. Outside that window was a wonderful view of the ocean and of the various docks below. The walls of this wing were lined with bookshelves and scrolls of various Nautical knowledge. In each corner of the room was a miniature replica of some of Nabata's famous trade ships, war ships, ancient boats, and certain fishing boats. All of them were on a pedestal with a wave design and encased in small dome of glass. On two of the walls there were large hand drawn maps of the various territories of Elibe. With one section missing and would be designated to hold a map of the recently discovered Island of Vinland. In the middle of the large room was a bust of the founder of the wing. Above them was a large dome that was decorated with the constellations of the night sky. Each 'star" was a piece of glass that was made with a mix of special sand and mineral that held the sunlight's glow. It was created in a way that it would retain it's own glow even at night. The dome itself had panels that could be moved to match the movement of the stars depending on the season.
"Welcome, to the East Wing. Also, known as the Maritime and Astronomy Section. The books and scrolls on the walls are exact copies of their original works."
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Post by Gar on Sept 11, 2021 7:06:26 GMT -6
Gar was a little embarrassed, but he couldn’t help but smile at Bel’s pink cheeked reaction. He knew better than to say something like that while she was at her job. She was right. He tried to shake his feelings away and be strictly professional. Gar followed Belinda down the hallway before she stopped and mentioned that she too had a nice time. That was something of a relief to the captain. He was worried he had overstepped. “I’m happy to hear that.”
But then it was back to business. Gar examined how quickly Belinda drew up a document .Gar watched her write smoothly. Her penmanship was much better than Gar’s was, that’s for sure. Belinda read her written word to Gar as she wrote, then presented the document for Gar to see. Gar double checked the parchment to verify its content.
“Aye looks fair to me.” Gar traced his finger along the text as he read. As he pulled his finger away he noticed he had smudged the ink on some of the pristine letters. Gar briefly looked at his finger before rubbing it against his thumb.
The words in the document were much less important than Belinda’s spoken words were. She claimed she would present the document, unofficial as it may be, to her higher ups. Gar appreciated that. Keeping this above board was commendable and it certainly could help his reputation. Maybe people in this town could think of him as a benefactor, rather than a bane.
Gar followed Belinda down a corridor and up a set of stairs toward a huge room. The light that shone through the stained glass was enough to remind Gar of his headache. It was pretty; a near magical sight. That made sense for the setting though. Gar was drawn toward the window that overlooked the ocean. He inhaled deeply as if he could smell the scent of the sea in the room.
"Welcome, to the East Wing. Also, known as the Maritime and Astronomy Section. The books and scrolls on the walls are exact copies of their original works."
“Its beautiful.” Gar was enthralled for longer than a moment. It felt like sitting in a crow’s nest, but safer and with less of a need for vigilance. He could see him own ship from the window. His crewmates were laughing while they moved supplies from the docks to the hold. That sight alone was enough to make Gar appreciate the experience.
Gar turned toward Belinda. “ I could spend… A lot of time here.” Gar wandered away from the window to a case of books. He traced a finger along the spines of a the first few. “ You have a lot of information at your disposal. It’s all a little overwhelming.” Gar moved back toward Belinda. He was willing to move on with the tour but he knew he would have to come back to the east wing.
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Belinda
Shaman
Recording the world as I see it
Posts: 110
Profession: Scholar/Book Keeper
Affinity: Ice
Profile: Belinda's Profile
OoC Alias: Twilightfairy
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Post by Belinda on Sept 21, 2021 20:19:58 GMT -6
"Yes it is quite magnificent." Bel spoke in response to Gar's comment.
Belinda watched Gar as he toured around the room. She watched him run his fingers across the spines of the various books. She watched him stare out the window with a bit of glee. She knew a lot of people who liked the view from this room. Bel herself was fond of it. Sometimes she'd steal a chair from the storage closet and read up here. She kept her pace behind him like she had been trained to do when giving tours. Preventative measures against thievery. Not that she thought Gar would steal anything, but she had been fooled before.
"Ah.. yes. I can see how.. all of this can be quite much. Fortunately, there are several scholars and aides who are paid to review these books. And break it down the information into manageable chunks for the rest of the staff. I will be recruiting those minds to help you with your own research. As I recall you were looking for a information on Naval war fare." She spoke and slowly led Gar away from the room.
"I will need a little bit more information on that. The scholars and aides are great. But, even they need a reference point. Otherwise, they will transcribe the entire history of naval war and battle up to date. And that.. would be a lot of books." She paused for a moment. Her mind trying to calculate the exact amount of gold, parchment, book binding, covers, ink, and man hours that would all cost. She stopped thinking about that and returned her mind back to the task at hand.
"The next stop at the tour would be the infirmary. You have to cross through a small path outside in order to get there." She led Gar back down the steps and down a different but well decorated hall.
"Students who study healing arts and medicine practice their craft by helping the public. A small portion of the school's funding comes from the donations of the healed people." They passed through another corridor and out some doors. The small path outside was beautiful. The sky was clear and the sun was bright. The pathway was bordered by several potted plants. All of them of different variety. Some of them iconic imported, sturdy plants from all four corners of Elibe. All of them well taken care of and some of them in bloom. Two gardener's were out and about making sure that these plants were well taken care of. They were busy sweeping away excess sand from the pathway and watering the plants. Belinda acknowledged both of them by name, and said thanked them for their service.
Belinda opened the door to the Infirmary and led Gar in. The Infirmary was a busy place. Packed full of people moving about and going about their business. Many of the healing students were dressed in white or had hempen colored plain clothes. The school's logo was sewn on their clothes, covering their hearts. There were beds lined up in neat little rows. Some of them were occupied with people, others occupied with stuff. People who were on the wrong end of magical spell. People who were wrapped up in various bandages and some oozing various colors of fluid from their orifices. But for all of the sick and hurt people, there were healers and clerics moving up and down the rows. Healing staffs were flashing all over the place. Potions were being administered.
Belinda guided Gar upstairs and into another large room of beds and slightly less people. The second floor was reserved for those folks who were recovering from more intense injuries, post partum, or surgeries. Belinda guided Gar up another flight of stairs. This time to a room a reference and records. The room wasn't as grandiose as the East Wing. The shelves were absolutely jam packed with scrolls and books about anatomy and medicine. A few diagrams of human anatomy hung on the walls. As well as a few other references to theory of the four humors, chakras, and pressure points. Here, Belinda felt like she could catch her breath.
"My apologies. I didn't expect it to be so busy at this time of day. The third floor is for records and medical texts. Any medical questions you have, the answer is probably on one of these shelves. Though, the higher ups are planning on moving the records to a different building in order to make more room for beds." She guided Gar to view out another window. The view out of that window showed the school's large garden. And in the center of it was a large fountain of fresh water.
"The school's garden has a whole section dedicated to medical herbs and roots."
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