Post by Orianna Èirigh on Oct 4, 2022 20:49:50 GMT
Taking place directly after ‘Badlands’
🌟 Cowritten with the inquisitive detective Derthaad 🌟
She has never had a reason to go to the City Watch Headquarters but Orianna was curious to know the sort of place it was. The concept of a group of people dedicated to the safety of the city had been strange to her — after all, wouldn’t everyone who lived in Daring Heights want to look after the place they lived in, together? It had not come as a shock when the young librarian had realised this was definitely not the case. Being a Second Assistant Archivist meant she had read a lot, and so it was just her accepting something that was culturally different about the place she was calling home.
Still, she was a little nervous stepping up to the green roofed building.
It was mid-morning and she wasn’t due at the Academy until that afternoon but the sun was already nearing its peak. Glancing around she didn’t see anyone waiting to question her about why she was here so she took that as an indication that she could in fact go inside.
Crossing the threshold into the two storey building, Orianna’s eyes were wide as she looked around. There were a couple of lightly armoured people standing just to the right of what she gathered was some sort of welcoming desk, which wasn’t occupied. One of them, a halfling woman, glanced at her, clearly looked her up and down, eyes lingering momentarily on her Star Cradle, then seemingly dismissed her as someone not threatening. That was good. She didn’t want to try to meet Derthaad and get in trouble in the process.
“Can I help you?”
The question came from a human man who stepped around the corner to the left of the desk. He did the same appraising look of her but had a more welcoming look to his eyes than the other two guards who started to meander away, but kept in earshot.
“Y-Yes. Is Derthaad here?”
“Who’s asking?” the halfling woman asked Orianna, her tone a little sharp but her face decidedly neutral.
“Uh- Orianna. He’s not expecting me but I would speak to him if I may.”
There was a moment’s pause as the halfling looked like she was going to say something. Then the man behind the desk said, “I’ll see if he’s in. Please, take a seat there.” He gestured to a hard wooden bench just to the right of the main door.
“Okay. Thank you,” Orianna said, nodding her head. Holding her Star Cradle close she offered a tentative smile to the halfling woman, who didn’t reciprocate it, then decided it would be best to just sit down and wait for her friend.
“He’ll be up in a couple of minutes,” said the man from before upon his return, nodding to her as he takes his place behind the desk and resumes his duties.
After a few long minutes of awkward silence, Orianna finally hears a pair of heavy footsteps, not long after followed by the person she was waiting for. He wore the same robe he had last time they met, but this time it was his city watch uniform that was visible underneath. He bore the same neutral expression on his face when he nodded in greeting to the two guards, but then quirked a small smile upon seeing the tiefling sitting alone on the wooden bench.
“Why do you look like you’ve just committed a crime?” he asks jokingly.
Orianna stands. “Probably because this bench is really uncomfortable,” she says. “Sorry I came unexpectedly. I only just returned to Daring yesterday. I appreciate you looking after things for us.”
“No problem and I shall file a complaint,” he says, throwing a glance at the bench. “Anyway, don’t need to guess why you’re here.” He then extends a hand towards the exit. “Shall we? Don’t particularly like discussing off-work topics here.”
Orianna has already turned and is heading out the door before he finishes his sentence.
“Need to be somewhere soon, or are you in no rush?” he asks as he follows her outside.
“Ah, no,” she says, turning back with an embarrassed smile to Derthaad. “I just didn’t feel like they appreciated me being there. Maybe it’s just me overthinking it.” She gives a little laugh. “Besides! It’s a lovely day. And I’d rather talk about things outside under the sun.”
“Well, we can do a loop of Daring Street. And don’t take it personally," he continues as he turns west-ward down the street, “they’re on duty so they have to give that look to everyone. They’re nice people, just not that much on the job.”
Orianna nods. “I believe you, Derthaad. It’s not easy looking after people.” Then she shrugs. “There are still many things about this place that are a shock to me, that’s all. But I’m learning.”
“Have you given them a name yet?” he asks after a small pause, changing the subject.
“I have not yet, no. Though I have had some ideas, they have given me…” she thinks for a moment, “…impressions of what they like and don’t like. But we haven’t decided on anything yet. I think it might wait until we meet, fully and properly. Do you have any suggestions?”
Derthaad shifts his eyes skyward in thought. “Hmh… can’t say I’m the best with names but… I don’t know… Aurene maybe?”
Orianna rolls the name across her tongue. “Aurene… Does it have a particular meaning in Draconic? I’m still learning so I don’t know it very well yet.”
Derthaad shakes his head. “No, I believe it’s a sort of ornamental glass of iridescent colour. I stumbled upon the term at some point and, looking at the egg, for some reason it stuck with me. But if you want draconic… you could try…” Derthaad pinches the bridge of his nose as he again searches for a fitting name.
“Ingeirandusk.
“I know it’s not as pretty sounding as Aurene, but you may find it more fitting. As for what it means, you mentioned that you’re learning draconic. I’m pretty confident you’ll find it soon enough.”
Orianna makes note of it, nodding her thanks to Derthaad.
They turn the corner from Daring Street onto Auber Street, making their way past huge mansions with many windows, the remaining vestiges of Highharvesttide festivities seen on stoops and streaming from eeves. The warm colours make the duller day brighter even as wispy clouds roll across the sun.
“There’s something I wish to say before you tell me what you found in your research. Something I think it would mean more hearing it from me personally,” Orianna starts. She glances at the dragonborn. “Thank you, Derthaad, for all that you’ve done to help us. You were there for Gerhard when he needed it most, and you were with him when he came to find me. Then, you did what you could to help Grougaloragran… even though it was too late. It means a lot not just to Gerhard… but to me.”
A warm smile sets on his face followed by a small chuckle. “Always. My only request is that you, in your future adventures, will offer help to others who will be in need and maybe, in turn, they will offer their help to others as well. And, I’m glad at least one love story is going strong.”
Orianna blushes at that. “Well, I hope it continues to. Of course,” the flush fades from her cheeks and ears, “with what Grougaloragran said, part of me does worry… Not that I would do something reckless!” she clarifies, suddenly realising how what she said might sound. “But in all the histories I’ve read whenever people try to stand up against such powerful forces they never do come out unscathed…”
“…but they come out changed,” he continues her thoughts, “and it is up to them if it will be for the better.” He stares ahead, admiring the colour-filled street from all the festivities. “If you’ll be sticking around the various taverns here, mainly the Three Headed Dragon, you’ll hear some adventurers telling the tales of how they got so many scars, of the gargantuan beasts they’ve slain or of epic battles they’ve been in. I noticed that in many of these stories, they seem to have way more older scars than new ones and yet the odds they faced never got better, more so, for some they’ve gotten worse.” He then turns his head towards Orianna. “Why is that?”
“I have wondered that myself,” she admits, her violet gaze drifting to look into a sort of middle distance as she speaks. “Is there a causality between one’s strength and the obstacles they face? As there are stronger people here, do the threats they- we face only grow? Is there some kind of law of attraction? As the saying goes, ‘the brighter the light, the darker the shadow’…”
“Yes… but the main reason why they have fewer scars despite the larger obstacles is because they learn. This is why a chef doesn’t have as many cuts and blisters on their hands in their more experienced years. Each scar is a lesson that person has learned, each scar is a step towards that person’s improvement. Some are shown and some are not, but if you go through life unscathed then you have not lived at all. We all face odds that leave us marked.” With a smirk on his face, he tilts his head towards her. “Also, you’re in cahoots with Gerhard so I have full confidence that you will be doing something reckless and somehow, despite all odds, survive.”
It was clear from her expression that Orianna had reserved thoughts about what Derthaad was saying but she was going to keep them to herself. All she said was an enigmatic, “Perhaps.”
The Academy comes into clearer view and Orianna decides to get back to the reason she wanted to speak to her friend this morning. “So, what did you find out? I hope the scholars who helped you were forthcoming in their assistance?”
“Yup. It seems it was purposefully made to store a vast amount of energy within it. In fact, I have a hunch that it may have been made specifically to store Grougaloragran’s energy. At least by what I was able to gather. I would be lying if I said that I knew something of gemstone dragons. Heck, I’ve never seen one until I met him."
“He was the first one I have ever met,” Orianna says quietly. The news about the geode hit her harder than she thought and part of her cannot help but wonder if Desathrax knew about him because of her, somehow…
“Has the geode retained the light they stole, or…?”
“Well, the light is still there, however…” His face and voice then pick up a more serious tone. “It seems it has been… corrupted.”
That stops Orianna. Her face is a mask of anguish and sorrow. It takes her a minute to gather herself.
“Were you able to find out if there’s a way to get what remains of his light out?”
“Well, that’s something I wanted to request of you. I would like to keep the geode for now. Firstly, I would like to try and see if there is any way of reverting the corrupting effects of it. And secondly, I am still not sure of all of its effects, but I would not keep it anywhere near junior.”
“The thought had crossed my mind as well,” she admits, absentmindedly rubbing her arm. Orianna nods. “Yes, that would be best. If there’s anything I can do to help in research or even in divining from the Cosmos, will you let me know, Derthaad? Please?”
Derthaad smiles warmly, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “If I need help, I’ll let you know. Although I think the Cosmos will let you know if that will be the case.”
She tries to smile reassuringly. “I hope so.”
Still, she was a little nervous stepping up to the green roofed building.
It was mid-morning and she wasn’t due at the Academy until that afternoon but the sun was already nearing its peak. Glancing around she didn’t see anyone waiting to question her about why she was here so she took that as an indication that she could in fact go inside.
Crossing the threshold into the two storey building, Orianna’s eyes were wide as she looked around. There were a couple of lightly armoured people standing just to the right of what she gathered was some sort of welcoming desk, which wasn’t occupied. One of them, a halfling woman, glanced at her, clearly looked her up and down, eyes lingering momentarily on her Star Cradle, then seemingly dismissed her as someone not threatening. That was good. She didn’t want to try to meet Derthaad and get in trouble in the process.
“Can I help you?”
The question came from a human man who stepped around the corner to the left of the desk. He did the same appraising look of her but had a more welcoming look to his eyes than the other two guards who started to meander away, but kept in earshot.
“Y-Yes. Is Derthaad here?”
“Who’s asking?” the halfling woman asked Orianna, her tone a little sharp but her face decidedly neutral.
“Uh- Orianna. He’s not expecting me but I would speak to him if I may.”
There was a moment’s pause as the halfling looked like she was going to say something. Then the man behind the desk said, “I’ll see if he’s in. Please, take a seat there.” He gestured to a hard wooden bench just to the right of the main door.
“Okay. Thank you,” Orianna said, nodding her head. Holding her Star Cradle close she offered a tentative smile to the halfling woman, who didn’t reciprocate it, then decided it would be best to just sit down and wait for her friend.
“He’ll be up in a couple of minutes,” said the man from before upon his return, nodding to her as he takes his place behind the desk and resumes his duties.
After a few long minutes of awkward silence, Orianna finally hears a pair of heavy footsteps, not long after followed by the person she was waiting for. He wore the same robe he had last time they met, but this time it was his city watch uniform that was visible underneath. He bore the same neutral expression on his face when he nodded in greeting to the two guards, but then quirked a small smile upon seeing the tiefling sitting alone on the wooden bench.
“Why do you look like you’ve just committed a crime?” he asks jokingly.
Orianna stands. “Probably because this bench is really uncomfortable,” she says. “Sorry I came unexpectedly. I only just returned to Daring yesterday. I appreciate you looking after things for us.”
“No problem and I shall file a complaint,” he says, throwing a glance at the bench. “Anyway, don’t need to guess why you’re here.” He then extends a hand towards the exit. “Shall we? Don’t particularly like discussing off-work topics here.”
Orianna has already turned and is heading out the door before he finishes his sentence.
“Need to be somewhere soon, or are you in no rush?” he asks as he follows her outside.
“Ah, no,” she says, turning back with an embarrassed smile to Derthaad. “I just didn’t feel like they appreciated me being there. Maybe it’s just me overthinking it.” She gives a little laugh. “Besides! It’s a lovely day. And I’d rather talk about things outside under the sun.”
“Well, we can do a loop of Daring Street. And don’t take it personally," he continues as he turns west-ward down the street, “they’re on duty so they have to give that look to everyone. They’re nice people, just not that much on the job.”
Orianna nods. “I believe you, Derthaad. It’s not easy looking after people.” Then she shrugs. “There are still many things about this place that are a shock to me, that’s all. But I’m learning.”
“Have you given them a name yet?” he asks after a small pause, changing the subject.
“I have not yet, no. Though I have had some ideas, they have given me…” she thinks for a moment, “…impressions of what they like and don’t like. But we haven’t decided on anything yet. I think it might wait until we meet, fully and properly. Do you have any suggestions?”
Derthaad shifts his eyes skyward in thought. “Hmh… can’t say I’m the best with names but… I don’t know… Aurene maybe?”
Orianna rolls the name across her tongue. “Aurene… Does it have a particular meaning in Draconic? I’m still learning so I don’t know it very well yet.”
Derthaad shakes his head. “No, I believe it’s a sort of ornamental glass of iridescent colour. I stumbled upon the term at some point and, looking at the egg, for some reason it stuck with me. But if you want draconic… you could try…” Derthaad pinches the bridge of his nose as he again searches for a fitting name.
“Ingeirandusk.
“I know it’s not as pretty sounding as Aurene, but you may find it more fitting. As for what it means, you mentioned that you’re learning draconic. I’m pretty confident you’ll find it soon enough.”
Orianna makes note of it, nodding her thanks to Derthaad.
They turn the corner from Daring Street onto Auber Street, making their way past huge mansions with many windows, the remaining vestiges of Highharvesttide festivities seen on stoops and streaming from eeves. The warm colours make the duller day brighter even as wispy clouds roll across the sun.
“There’s something I wish to say before you tell me what you found in your research. Something I think it would mean more hearing it from me personally,” Orianna starts. She glances at the dragonborn. “Thank you, Derthaad, for all that you’ve done to help us. You were there for Gerhard when he needed it most, and you were with him when he came to find me. Then, you did what you could to help Grougaloragran… even though it was too late. It means a lot not just to Gerhard… but to me.”
A warm smile sets on his face followed by a small chuckle. “Always. My only request is that you, in your future adventures, will offer help to others who will be in need and maybe, in turn, they will offer their help to others as well. And, I’m glad at least one love story is going strong.”
Orianna blushes at that. “Well, I hope it continues to. Of course,” the flush fades from her cheeks and ears, “with what Grougaloragran said, part of me does worry… Not that I would do something reckless!” she clarifies, suddenly realising how what she said might sound. “But in all the histories I’ve read whenever people try to stand up against such powerful forces they never do come out unscathed…”
“…but they come out changed,” he continues her thoughts, “and it is up to them if it will be for the better.” He stares ahead, admiring the colour-filled street from all the festivities. “If you’ll be sticking around the various taverns here, mainly the Three Headed Dragon, you’ll hear some adventurers telling the tales of how they got so many scars, of the gargantuan beasts they’ve slain or of epic battles they’ve been in. I noticed that in many of these stories, they seem to have way more older scars than new ones and yet the odds they faced never got better, more so, for some they’ve gotten worse.” He then turns his head towards Orianna. “Why is that?”
“I have wondered that myself,” she admits, her violet gaze drifting to look into a sort of middle distance as she speaks. “Is there a causality between one’s strength and the obstacles they face? As there are stronger people here, do the threats they- we face only grow? Is there some kind of law of attraction? As the saying goes, ‘the brighter the light, the darker the shadow’…”
“Yes… but the main reason why they have fewer scars despite the larger obstacles is because they learn. This is why a chef doesn’t have as many cuts and blisters on their hands in their more experienced years. Each scar is a lesson that person has learned, each scar is a step towards that person’s improvement. Some are shown and some are not, but if you go through life unscathed then you have not lived at all. We all face odds that leave us marked.” With a smirk on his face, he tilts his head towards her. “Also, you’re in cahoots with Gerhard so I have full confidence that you will be doing something reckless and somehow, despite all odds, survive.”
It was clear from her expression that Orianna had reserved thoughts about what Derthaad was saying but she was going to keep them to herself. All she said was an enigmatic, “Perhaps.”
The Academy comes into clearer view and Orianna decides to get back to the reason she wanted to speak to her friend this morning. “So, what did you find out? I hope the scholars who helped you were forthcoming in their assistance?”
“Yup. It seems it was purposefully made to store a vast amount of energy within it. In fact, I have a hunch that it may have been made specifically to store Grougaloragran’s energy. At least by what I was able to gather. I would be lying if I said that I knew something of gemstone dragons. Heck, I’ve never seen one until I met him."
“He was the first one I have ever met,” Orianna says quietly. The news about the geode hit her harder than she thought and part of her cannot help but wonder if Desathrax knew about him because of her, somehow…
“Has the geode retained the light they stole, or…?”
“Well, the light is still there, however…” His face and voice then pick up a more serious tone. “It seems it has been… corrupted.”
That stops Orianna. Her face is a mask of anguish and sorrow. It takes her a minute to gather herself.
“Were you able to find out if there’s a way to get what remains of his light out?”
“Well, that’s something I wanted to request of you. I would like to keep the geode for now. Firstly, I would like to try and see if there is any way of reverting the corrupting effects of it. And secondly, I am still not sure of all of its effects, but I would not keep it anywhere near junior.”
“The thought had crossed my mind as well,” she admits, absentmindedly rubbing her arm. Orianna nods. “Yes, that would be best. If there’s anything I can do to help in research or even in divining from the Cosmos, will you let me know, Derthaad? Please?”
Derthaad smiles warmly, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “If I need help, I’ll let you know. Although I think the Cosmos will let you know if that will be the case.”
She tries to smile reassuringly. “I hope so.”