• Closed • Acta Non Verba

[Natalia Gregorios]

Ashan 75, Arc 721

As they walked, Woe told her what she needed to know about the Lemon Messy, which was very little but appreciated. She nodded her head as he relayed the information, giving a brief smile. “I doubt I’ve ever ordered either in a social setting, so I think I’ll be safe.”

Glancing about the area, she noted many people, going on about their evening activities, Egilrun was an interesting place from her perspective. The people that lived there were hard workers and good people. The place she came from, it was hard to find much of either.

His counter to her other question was a bit more intriguing, although Natalia couldn’t exactly say why. He was being very blasé about the whole thing, and while she did think there was more to the question than he was telling her, it wasn’t a matter the young woman was willing to push with him. Woe had told her what he wished her to know and/or think, and that was fine for the time being. Perhaps more time would reveal additional clues.

Once they arrived at the Lemon Messy, they took seats and were approached by a tunawa. He began speaking to Woe and then an introduction was made. Gloom’s sullen appearance and shrugging shoulders reminded her of Woe, but she simple smiled and greeted him back. “A pleasure, Gloom.”

Glancing quickly at the menu, her golden eyes raced over the words to find something that was suitable, but then the tunawa mentioned the salad. “The Lobster salad then, please. And the lemon beer will be fine as well. Thank you.”

After ordering, Natalia sat back and looked up at the ceiling, marveling a bit at the architecture of the place. It was unique, and wholly suitable for the location. “When I was small, I spent some time here in Egilrun. Not much, but a little. Unfortunately, I never learned much of the place or of the people. I’m hoping to rectify that by spending time here. I think that perhaps when one travels a bit, their view of the world opens just a bit more. I’ve never been satisfied with the narrow lens I was afforded.”

The oblivious Mortalborn returned her attention to Woe, giving him a bit of a smile. “You were telling me of Raj'Ufnaj earlier. I was hoping to hear more about that adventure, if you would be willing?” Secretly, Natalia loved hearing his stories, although she tried to keep her curiosity in check. All her stories were boring, but her companion had been places and done things, and she wished to hear more, but always with the knowledge that some people liked to keep the past in the past. She wouldn’t blame him for that if it was the case.

As their conversation progressed, Natalia gently touched the bracelet on her wrist. The touch itself meant nothing, but oddly enough, thoughts began – inexplicably – popping into her mind. Information, almost like earlier but just a bit different. Glancing down at the piece of jewelry, she spoke softly. “Snowflake Obsidian set in Cobalt. That’s odd – I never knew that before. Why is this….nevermind. I’ll figure it out later.”

Sighing softly, she glanced at Woe again with an apologetic smile. “Forgive me. I think my travels are starting to get the best of me. It will be good to get some food and drink into me.”

OOC

Natalia has stumbled upon her MB ability "Elements"

Elements
Minting is the process of creating coinage. Stamping or using molds are the most common processes to achieve this but to do so, one needs knowledge of raw materials. Natalia is able to study an item and know what it is made from, even if she isn't familiar with the material. If touching part of a larger structure (wall, building, etc), Natalia can tell how far the combination of materials she's touching extends. She can use this ability once per trial and it requires her to touch the item.

She is, however, unable to tell if an item/material is magical in nature. This ability only focuses on the raw materials used to mint/create/forge it.

[Woe]

Gloom perked up slightly at the mention of lobster salad. He nodded, and a little tug at the corner of his leafy lips signified that he was pleased with her choice, even if the rest of him was sullen in body language. ”Very good… Lobster Salad, I’m sure you will enjoy it.” Gloom said, and then shuffled off to fulfill the order. Woe’s eyes followed him for a moment, and he thought he’d like to put the Tunawa on permanent retainer when he could afford to employ him. Perhaps next cycle or the one after that.

After some time, and Natalia’s gaze drifted from one point to the other, to the ceiling of the Lemon Messy which was basically a longboat, she revealed that she’d spent some time in Egilrun. ”Narrow lens? How do you mean? And if you don’t mind my asking, which part of Scalvoris did you live in before?” She spoke of travel, and he thought that was certainly true, ”I’ve traveled a lot. It can be a double-bitted ax in some ways. It can harden and jade you to the wonders that you’ll see, just as likely as it is to open your eyes. The company you keep may be the key to how you react to whatever you happen to see.”

Woe didn’t find Natalia boring at all, contrary to what she may think of her own experiences. He found the down-to-earth nature of her very refreshing, and a contrast to her apparent upper-class upbringing. Something of an oddity in Scalvoris from what he understood. ”I’ve been from one end of the known world to the next, actually, but I’ve rarely been enchanted by any of it. However, Scalvoris, Egilrun, and the entire island is different somehow. I can’t say what it is about it.”

In a few bits, as their conversation shifted, the drinks were brought out. And the food was promised in a matter of moments. They just needed to crack open the lobsters and uncork the barrel where the sardines were preserved. The server wasn’t Gloom, as he was busily preparing the food with the head chef.

She asked him, as he thought she might, about his venture into Raj’ufnaj. He remembered the voyage with Magpie with somewhat mixed feelings. On the one hand, it’d opened his eyes to the wonders of Emean travel. On the other, it was hard to say. He was a different man than he had been then. Or so he thought. ”Raj’ufnaj is beautiful from the sky down to the waters. Huge bridges made of water, meant to be sailed upon by U’frek’s chosen. It’s a place in Emea that, should you get a feeling of being lost, you will be drawn to inevitably. Such was the case when myself and Magpie traveled it. This was shortly after we had a mishap during the Rhakros war…” Woe almost winced but held it in. He was all too aware of how convoluted and silly his stories must sound to one whose experience consisted of the acceptable and ordinary of everyday life. He was self-conscious, in truth, about the fantastic nature of some of his adventures.

”Magpie is an old friend, I met during the war between Etzos and Rhakros. He saved me more times than I can remember in that place...”

Woe quirked his brows her eyes drifted down toward the bracelet on her wrist, and then recited, as if by rote, its composition and material. Woe was a little taken aback, but then presumed she was bored with his talk. ”I… yes that’s a fine bracelet…”

She apologized, but Woe shook his head, ”It’s alright, I was curious though… What do you intend to do with yourself in the short-term, and long term? Do you have any specific interests or objectives you’d like to meet?” Woe thought that perhaps if he could direct her attention back to topics that interested her, he might get her to open up more. And he could learn how he could help if it was possible.

Shortly after she’d recited the materials making up her bracelet, the food arrived. Gloom was standing by, as the server brought it to the table. Gloom wrung his hands, as he waited for the verdict. ”Well that’s good timing then!” Woe said, of the food arriving, as Natalia commented that she was probably hungry.

[Natalia Gregorios]

Ashan 75, Arc 721

Natalia smiled as the Tunawa departed with their dinner orders, turning her attention back toward her conversation with Woe. He prodded her a bit about her comment on her perspectives and past, to which she saw no reason not to answer. “Living the life I’ve lived thus far, one is afforded only glimpses of what I would consider to be ‘real’ life. A good portion of it is smoke and mirrors. I traveled very little. Scalvoris Town is where my family lives.” It was a concise answer, and while she wished to tell him more, the young woman had no desire to bother him with her personal issues.

As he spoke of travel, she nodding thoughtfully, considering his point of view, using her own experiences as reference. “I could understand that. The brief journeys I’ve taken were always with my father, and less then memorable. Always business. Part of me wants to go someplace interesting for a few trials with no other objective than just being there and enjoying it, but the other part realizes that it’s very hard to do just that. Perhaps you are right – being with someone that can appreciate the simple pleasures of travel might help another enjoy it more.”

Even a conversation like the one they were having, was a pleasure to her, and she thought to say so, even considering him speaking of being a bit jaded. “Then please don’t take offense when I say that a conversation just like this, with good company, is rather enchanting to me. It’s not forced or banal. I don’t mean to falsely flatter; the comment is sincere.”

His thoughts about Scalvoris interested her considering she had seen very little of what he spoke of. However, that didn’t stop her from offering up an opinion. “Perhaps it’s a feeling. Unconscious, but telling. I’m not one to put much stock in something as vague as feelings, but I do think that sometimes, something inside us recognizes a ‘rightness’ of a situation, without us knowing why. Maybe you are just meant to be here, Woe.”

The drinks and food arrived, and both dug into cracking the lobsters to finish off the meal. As they ate, the conversation drifted to his venture into Raj’ufnaj, and he indulged her with a bit more detail. He may have thought his story silly but something in Natalia’s eyes lit up as he described what he had seen. “Amazing,“ she said, almost a bit breathlessly. “I can’t even conceive of something like that, yet you’ve seen it, so it exists.” As with all things, Natalia was good at keeping a calm and serene exterior, but Woe had enough experience with the young woman by then to recognize that something he said had captured her attention.

Natalia’s brief lapse of attention, being drawn to her bracelet, was noted and as she heard him compliment it, she shook her head at him. “No, Woe, you misunderstand. There is no way I should know that. I don’t know anything about such materials, but I looked at the bracelet, touched it, and just…knew. And earlier today, something else happened that was similar when we were talking.”

Perhaps it was something, perhaps not. Maybe she was just getting a bit paranoid. Waving it off, she smiled again. “I’m sure it’s nothing. The stress of travel and my mind playing tricks on me. I’m sorry to have diverted our conversation with nonsense.”

Woe himself attempted to move their conversation along, asking her what her plans were. Taking a drink from her mug, she considered the query. “I wish I had an answer for you. For so much of my life, I had decisions made for me that its odd to finally be in the position to make them for myself. I’d one trial like to have my own horse stable, but that’s a long-term goal. I’ll need a job sooner or later, but it’s not urgent as I have some money saved up. I’ve considered signing up for some expeditions out of the University. They often have need of people just to make notes and that generally won’t get too upset when things go wrong, and I think it might be interesting work.”

Taking a bite of her salad, she thought of her grandfather and some words of wisdom he once spoke to her. “My grandfather once told me that it’s not imperative to know what you want to do with your life at an early age. He said that the right thing will come along when it’s supposed to, but one can’t just sit and wait for that to happen. I suppose I’m wanting to get out there and do something while I wait for the right thing to come along.”

Arching an eyebrow gently at him, Natalia smiled, tossing the question back at him. “And you? What’s the ‘right’ thing for Woe Morandi? Have you found it, or are you still searching?”

[Woe]

Woe was intrigued by the way Natalia seemed to imply that her life wasn’t real. That what she perceived as occurring outside of it afforded her glimpses of the ordinary. At least that was the impression he got. That she was conflating ‘real’ with ‘ordinary’. It was an interesting insight into her, no doubt, although he wasn’t entirely sure what it meant. ”Smoke and mirrors? I’m not sure I follow what you mean by that.” Woe didn’t know if he was prepared to have a deep philosophical conversation about what was ‘real’, but a part of him was tempted to delve further, if for no other reason than professional interest. ”Are you saying you feel as if your upbringing was carefully orchestrated?” He thought perhaps that’s what she meant, rather than her entire life was a lie. Woe didn’t think she’d meant that. ”Or that your life was all too predictable and perhaps boring? I’ll tell you, there’s something to be said of boredom. It’s a surefire indicator that you’re not lacking for the basic necessities. But I can understand wanting more out of life than the basic needs.”

And he could, Woe wasn’t going to dismiss her desire for greater aspirations than food, shelter, and rest. Not today anyway. There was a hierarchy to the world, and needs were not excluded from that. Far be it for him to say she should be satisfied. At least he wouldn’t do so today.

”I highly recommend travel.” Woe said, as someone who’d suffered for his travels, yet had learned much. ”Who knows, you may find new appreciation for what you left behind in the wake of your adventures. In fact, you’re almost guaranteed to.”


Woe smiled at her when she said their conversation was enchanting to her. ”I enjoy chatting with you too.” When she went on to opine that perhaps there was a rightness to the situation, that he was supposed to be here, he wasn’t sure what to make of it. Other than to appreciate that she enjoyed his company. There were a good few who couldn’t abide him, so he took what friends he could as precious. ”I’m glad to be in Egilrun. It’s a very special place.”

On her impressions of Raj’ufnaj, he was surprised she took his word at face value. Most would find it incredible, and by all she said she did too, however, she also appeared to take his word for it. ”It’s inaccessible now… Emea has been inaccessible for a time to most who can walk the Veil. We can just about enter peoples’ dreams, but that’s about it. There was a time when a good few of us traveled through Emea itself. Very dangerous, but the view was beyond compare.”

”You, touched the bracelet and immediately knew what it was made of? That’s a remarkable and useful talent… And what happened earlier today? What did you experience?” There could be little doubt that Natalia was Mortalborn, and this sounded like just such an ability that their kind would possess. ”I would rather caution you against doubting your instincts, or things you experience. You seem perfectly lucid to me.”

Woe was beginning to get a little concerned that Natalia may be falling into the trap of her inborn nature, struggling with emerging powers and abilities. What else did she possess, he wondered. It may be best if he kept a close eye on her, but at the same time, he was spinning so many plates that one was bound to fall. It may be best that he not get caught with the shrapnel should she do the same. He hadn’t made up his mind, but he still considered her a good friend so far. He didn’t want her to get hurt if it could be avoided.

”Well your grandfather gave you reasonable advice. It sounds as if he was a good influence at any rate. So what interests Natalia Gregorios. What does she want?” He felt a little silly after the fact, putting it in the third person. But he dismissed his temporary embarrassment.

As for him, ”It’s hard to say. Several times in my life, I thought I knew what I wanted. Power first, then adventure, then something simpler, having something or someone worthy of protecting. I guess I have a penchant for what you’d call ‘strays’. My two sons, Toutouye, and Iago are boys I brought out of impossibly bleak situations. Yet for all that, they’ve done more for me than I them.”

[Natalia Gregorios]

Ashan 75, Arc 721

Woe, as usual, carefully parsed her words for meaning. The young woman was used to it, and as such it didn’t bother her as it might another. Natalia did the same with others, looking to get to the truth of what they were saying, so she understood. Besides, the company was enjoyable.

He questioned her use of smoke and mirrors while she was taking a drink, and before she could answer, Woe had moved on to the clarification portion of the statement. Nodding her head gently, she set the drink down, replying. “Yes. I think ‘carefully orchestrated’ is a better way of putting it. Apologies. I didn’t mean to mislead.” It felt like part of his words were coming from experience, and she didn’t want to press the issue any further than she had, but there some something she wanted to clarify.

“Woe, I can appreciate and be grateful for the fact that my needs were addressed. The problem I had is that I existed in a community of people that only cared for their needs, or the needs of other people that had the same resources. They didn’t care anything of others. It always felt wrong. I did what I could, to try and make others see what I did, but they didn’t want to.”

Watching him reply to their conversation, Natalia had to admit a certain curiosity when he spoke of Egilrun being special. She had mentioned that perhaps he felt that way because he was supposed to be there, and she truly felt that perhaps there was a connection with the man and town. Of course, one could never be certain, but she looked forward to seeing how he grew within the community, if that was his desire.

The mention of dreamwalking came up – another new topic for her. Arching her eyebrow gently, the young woman smiled a bit. “People can do that? Enter another’s dreams on purpose, that is?”

The uneasiness had come upon her regarding what she had felt regarding the necklace. Natalia hadn’t thought twice about telling him, and when he pressed further regarding the earlier incident, she didn’t hold the information back. “We met at the Ranger Hall, we were talking, and a name popped into my head, spoken by your voice. It was a name I didn’t recognize, spoken just as if you had said it out loud, but you were speaking about another topic at the time, so it wasn’t. I thought, perhaps, I had imagined it. I’m still not fully convinced I didn’t.”

He had quickly moved on from the topic to her relief, asking her what her interests and wants were. Taking a bit of a breath, she considered the question. “Purpose, I think. To affect change. I’ve seen enough of people that don’t. As to how that will manifest in my life, seems uncertain. I don’t know a lot yet, so I believe my purpose right now is to gather information. And gain employment eventually. Ultimately? I keep thinking that over and vaulting between a simple life and an adventurous one. I think, likely, I’ll land somewhere in the middle. I can’t sit still for too long and like to have things to do.”

Natalia listened carefully to what he said regarding how his goals, wants and desires had shifted over time. Nodding in understanding, she took another drink of her beverage, considering those words. “They are lucky boys then. They’ve made your richer and given you purpose that seems to suit you. They will grow, learning appreciation. That’s a far cry from a lot of people I know.” The world she had come from was complex, so the simplicity of gratitude was something she welcomed.

"What are they like? Your boys?" It was a simple, sincere question. It was obvious he cared for them a great deal, so Natalia was curious to learn about each.

[Woe]

Woe didn’t want to pry too much into Natalia’s background or her family life. Part of that was his confusion over her heritage, which he was as yet unwilling to share with her. So he thought it only fair that he try to curtail the questions for now. There would be plenty of time for them to know each other, and blundering forward quickly now was ill-advised. When they had an eternity, as Llyr had reminded him they did as mortalborn. Woe wanted to make a friend for the long term, something that was in short supply. As yet, he’d proven only capable of creating enemies and liabilities.

Woe wasn’t sure what she meant about people who ‘had the same resources’ when referring to her family. Did she mean that there was a strict class divide? It seemed unusual when it came to Scalvoris culture as he understood it, but perhaps her family was originally from elsewhere. It was possible, or maybe her family just had such strongly enforced social mores that they were able to maintain separation. It was a fascinating topic that Woe would’ve liked to pry further into, if he wasn’t worried about overwhelming her with such intimate questions.

Woe nodded to her when she asked about dreamwalking, ”You may find someone visiting your dream, or visiting another’s unwitting. It’s hard to tell with dreams if we’re speaking to an illusion of our dreamscape, or another person. Most often its the former, but in rare instances, it can be the latter. I can… erm, well…” Woe was about to make a forward offer, but then changed his mind at the last moment. ”I can dreamwalk.” He explained, covering his former intention.

Woe listened to her describe the experience with the necklace, and what had happened earlier when she seemed distracted. ”You heard a name? What name?” Woe carefully modulated his voice, feigning a measure of indifference. But he was interested to learn more about her potential capabilities, as this meeting was proving to be a treasure trove of information.

”I think you will change things. Whether you will or no. The trick is to engineer the kind of result you want to see from that change. But I can understand the restless mind. You’re young, you’re just starting to make your way. It can feel liberating at first, but a lesson I wish I hadn’t had to learn late in life, was that my actions have consequences…”

Woe continued to eat, and drank some of his drink. As she asked her question about his children, he nodded. And couldn’t suppress a small smile of pride. ”Toutouye is a blessing. Self-sufficient but shy around civilization. We keep a camp for him out of our house, for him to feel comfortable. Iago is a creature of civilization, and couldn’t be more different from Toutouye. If you get to meet him, lookout. He’s just learning to turn on the charm.”

Woe didn’t want to overshare, as much as it would bring him pleasure. There were stories he could tell about Toutouye in particular, about how the boy had saved him from certain exposure in the wilderness after having been left for dead.

”They are… They are good boys.” Woe said, and silently finished the rest of his meal.

[Natalia Gregorios]

Ashan 75, Arc 721

For the brief time they had been acquainted, Natalia felt a certain level of comfort with the man she dined with, as they had already discussed. She was unsure why and didn't think about it too deeply either. It was what it was, and thinking about it too much would cause anxiety that she did not need. Was it so unnatural to enjoy time with another? For Natalia, the answer was yes, but that was simply because it happened so rarely.

Perhaps that wasn't a good argument at all.

The topic turned to dreamwalking, and the young woman found herself focused on the subject. Could people visit others' dreams? Speaking in low tones, she glanced up from her plate at Woe. "You are saying that I could be having a dream, talking to someone in that dream, and there's a chance that it would be another person as opposed to a figment of my imagination?" Natalia was aware of what dreams were and the part they played concerning psychology. Yet, the man was offering up an alternative concept regarding the unconscious havoc of the mind.

Arching an eyebrow gently, she gave him a slight grin. "That must be intriguing. How does one begin to dreamwalk, as you put it?"

One thing she had learned about Woe, in the time they had known each other, is that if he wanted to know something, he would ask. His reasons primarily didn't concern her, so indifference or not, she would have answered him all the same. Looking up at him, she shrugged gently. "I haven't ever heard it before. Erastus." Her eyes lingered, waiting to see if the name meant anything to him.

The conversation forged on, something Natalia was endlessly thankful for. She enjoyed discussing things with the man and hoped he gained some pleasure out of the activity as well. They began speaking about her plans, to which she had confessed a small measure of uncertainty. Making choices for herself was a relatively new concept, and the young woman was trying not to rush headlong into trouble from the outset.

Smiling a bit as he called her 'young,' she waited until he finished before pointing out a few things. "You aren't that much older than I, Woe. But I do admit that you've lived much more life than I have and have experience in the world which I am lacking, and because of that, I'm thankful to have you as a friend for guidance." Taking a drink, she considered her following words carefully.

"I'm fully aware that my actions have consequences. A silver lining of how I was raised, I suppose, and I was always made acutely aware of my impact." Smiling at him, she was grateful that he thought she would affect change in the world. Natalia didn't know how yet, but hopefully, the answers would come in time.

There was something about the way he reacted when she brought up the boys that made her smile. Natalia, for all her etiquette and training, rarely smiled because she felt like smiling. It was more of a learned response to talking to another, but with someone like Woe, whom she knew a bit and could let down a bit of her guard, her facial cues came a bit more organically.

She listened carefully to what he said, grinning a bit at the comment regarding Iago. "Ah. That age. I suppose it's a good thing I've dealt with a charmer a time or two in my life." Woe had seen to each boy's needs and was thoughtful regarding them. He spoke previously to Natalia of a 'son,' and according to that, he seemed to refer to Iago. It made her wonder about Toutouye, but she resisted the questions for the time being as it seemed that their meal was wrapping up, both finishing off the last of the delicious cuisine.

"It sounds like it. You seem very proud. I hope I get the chance to meet Iago and Toutouye in the future."

[Woe]

"It's entirely possible, however improbable that you could meet a dream walker. I've met a few in my time, however. It would only be a concern should you be made lucid. In such a case, what happens in the dream can affect your real self." Woe considered it for a few moments, thinking if there were ways to prevent lucidity, rather than engender it.

"As far as I can tell, the old way of bringing someone into the fold of the dream walkers doesn't work. We cannot, for instance, escort you beyond the veil of your dreamscape. Once upon a time, it was possible to travel through dream walking, great vast distances within mere days. However, it's a lost art, for whatever reason. Perhaps some unintended consequence of the Fall of Emea several arcs ago. You'll remember it, the time in arc 719 when nobody could dream?"

Woe shrugged. But then their conversation turned toward the word she said she'd heard. Erastus. Woe's face betrayed nothing, yet inside he felt a dark pit growing in his mind. She'd heard... what? The Ghost's voice? Woe's thoughts? This was an intriguing revelation. "Erastus?" Woe asked, raising a brow. He didn't pursue the line of questioning to its conclusion, however, as that would've required him to tell lies. He tried to avoid doing so when there was nothing to gain, so he said nothing of his father, his relationship with the webspinners. There may come a day when he was ready to share such information with her, but that wasn't tonight.

Woe smirked when she said he wasn't much older than her. "I've been alive thirty-four arcs, by my count. Give or take an arc. Although the early arcs weren't so precise in the counting. That's my estimate, anyway."

She mentioned an interest in meeting Iago or Toutouye, and Woe nodded in agreement. "I'm not sure proud is the word for it.. I always try to encourage Iago to be his own person, and not walk in my shadow. And He's more than happy not to tread in it. But anyway, they live with me. Should you visit Egilrun, or continue to do so, we'll get an opportunity to introduce you, surely."

[Natalia Gregorios]

Ashan 75, Arc 721

Woe, to her, was fascinating. The man talked about subjects that she had never considered possibilities as if it was just another trial, which to him, it probably was. Every conversation they had opened her world view just a bit more.

He spoke of dreamwalkers and the abilities they had, although it seemed as though there was an issue currently with skills they had been able to do in the past. All of that seemed a bit fuzzy to Natalia, but then again, she had just learned that someone could manifest in one of her dreams. She remembered when people couldn't dream, as he referenced, so that at least was something she could hold on to as a constant.

When Natalia spoke the word she had heard in her mind, she very specifically watched his face as she expressed it, yet there was no reaction on his part. Curious. It had been clear in her mind, and his voice was the one that had spoken it, but it wasn't the time to press matters.

"So, you are approximately nine arcs old than I. Not an incredible age gap, although you've done many more things with those arcs than I have. There's some catching up to do on my end, I think." Age was a funny thing, and for that matter, time. Some people did nothing with time given; some did everything. Making the most, or not, of the time one would spend in the world was the choice everyone had. Natalia hoped she would choose wisely.

Woe made assurances that sooner or later, she would get the chance to meet his sons, and the evening moved on. The conversation was pleasant and engaging, at least from Natalia's perspective, and covered a wide range of topics. It was an excellent way to spend an evening – just talking to someone who could be a friend.

[Doran]

Woe:

Knowledge:
Deception: x 4
Discipline: x 2

Loot: Embersteel/Cobalt necklace, representative of a compass, with flecks of mystic quartz in the inlay. Purchased within tier by Natalia.
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: -
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 15

Natalia:

Knowledge:
Appraisal x 1
Caregiving x 1
Cosmetology x 1
Deception x 1
Detection x 2
Discipline x 2
Etiquette x 2
Psychology x 3
Socialization x 2

Loot: A set of 2 hairpin daggers, good quality and made of Embersteel. Will deducted from Woe's ledger.
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: -
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 15

- - -

Comments: I found it rather interesting that Woe compared Natalia to Llyr, and to some extent to Faith. Woe does have a tendency to share a lot about himself. Or maybe, there is something about him that simply draws other people to him? Either way, his thoughts in that regard were described well. His trying to figure out if Natalia was a spy and feeling guilty about suspecting her at the same time added an interesting dimension to this thread.

I like that Natalia shared such personal things with Woe, and I thought that this was a great way for her to discover one of her Mortalborn abilities. She didn’t seem to think much of it when she heard the name Erastus. I wonder if she'll ever think about that strange moment further, especially since she found out what she is during the feast in Telka.

I didn’t know that Woe was capable of detecting Mortalborn. I found it interesting that he didn’t tell Natalia about his suspicion. But then again, talking about something like that is hard!

This could have been a simple reunion between two PCs, but the matter of Natalia’s Mortalborn status, Woe and Natalia being so curious about each other, and the philosophical nature of some of their conversations turned this thread into more than that.

You touched upon a lot of interesting things!

The ending was a bit abrupt though. It almost felt like an abandoned thread. But then again, threads can end somewhat abruptly every now and then …

Enjoy your rewards!