The better to see You with

His goggles had come in handy a few times as he'd peered through the mist and snow seeking landmarks on his list to lead him to the shrine that he'd been told was dedicated to Safrin, but the limited range was once again proving to be a challenge and Tal was relieved to make his way to the top of the tallest grave and find the holy altar there.

He'd had plenty of time during LongNight to knit, and the warm mittens he'd made for a lady's delicate hands were of fine black lambswool shot with silver threading. Laying them out carefully and straightening them until they were perfectly parallel, one beside the other, he knelt in the snow and took his goggles in his hands.

"Um. Safrin? These goggles have been great! Gettin' through town to visit a... a friend on LongNight, an' helpin' me see through the fog in the Tar Pits so I didn't fall in, an' comin' here today... They've been amazing! But I was wonderin' if there's anythin' I could do that would make 'em see farther? I dunno what's gonna happen during the War, but if I'm helpin' out in the Watchtower, bein' able to see through night 'n storm might make a difference. Please?"

Boreal added an encouraging croon to the prayer and sniffed one of the flowers. Just as she opened her mouth to try and steal a nibble, Tal reached over and hugged her big head over against his ribs to keep her out of trouble.

Not necessarily the smoothest talker but certainly one of the sweetest, it's with a warm smile that Safrin appears. The flowers atop the massive hills seem to sigh and stretch with her presence, and indeed the one Boreal had been sniffing fluttered its petals at the dragon. [say]"My my, what a long way you are from Halo."[/say] Safrin points out as she smoothes down the starlit folds of her dress before noticing the delicate gloves placed on the shrine. Tutting under her breath as she reaches for them, Safrin runs one of her fingers over the delicate stitching. [say]"You know you needn't bring me things, Tal. Keeping me in your thoughts is more than enough."[/say]

Stroking the material, Safrin needs to hardly consider his plea before nodding. [say]"Of course."[/say] She says with a smile. [say]"First, use your goggles to inspect the mirages in Hak Etme. When looking across vast distances it's important to be able to distinguish what's real and what isn't. Next, study an animal that sees well in the dark. Finally, either on a skyship, pulled swiftly by your dogs, or on the back of a flighted creature, take note of how things seem to appear different when moving quickly."[/say]

---

Tal has been given a quest! He must

1. Use his goggles in Hak Etme to study mirages
2. Use his goggles while studying a creature with night vision (can be an attuned)
3. Use his goggles when going very fast

He'd been looking down at the altar, but the way the flowers around them leaned in without a wind to move them heralded the goddess's appearance and the courier's head shot up with a grin of relief and happiness at being answered.

"There isn't a Shrine to just you in Halo," Tal answered shyly, reaching up to rub the back of his neck against the blush he hoped wasn't too obvious when she accepted his offering. "An' it doesn't seem right, comin' t'ask you for favors an' not bring somethin', too." She was a goddess, after all, and Tal's parents had raised him to be respectful of such.

Besides, he liked seeing her smile because of something he'd brought.

However flustered he might have been at her appearance, Tal listened intently to the instructions she gave, cocking his head in a mirror of his dragon's as he committed them to memory. His eyes lit up at the mention of the skyship and he nodded eagerly. "I can do that! Thank you, Safrin! I'll be back as quick as I can!"

Clucking her tongue, Safrin presses her hands together over her heart. [say]"It's rare to meet someone so thoughtful, Tal."[/say] Once upon a time a blue-eyed man named Ronin had been just as thoughtful, but responsibility had crushed that sort of planning out of him. It was refreshing to say the least to be witness to it from someone again.

Pressing the gloves to her lips to hide her smile, Safrin nods. [say]"Quicker you are, quicker we can see each other again."[/say] With a wink for the courier, starlight presses inwards around the goddess devouring her as flame might do to a particularly dry leaf.

In her wake both dragon and man would feel a weightlessness in their bones which would last all night and into the next day.

~FIN