emerging into the light
For Renaud
the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
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#1
LOREN
It was almost dawn by the time the Wildwood released the two men and they made their slow way through the snow and the cold. Or at least, Loren was slow and cold: Renaud probably wasn’t bothered by the temperature in the slightest, nor was he likely tired from their trek. The summoner, on the other hand, was definitely feeling the effects of both the hike and having stayed up since dawn the previous day. Surprisingly, he was not as tired from all that as he would’ve expected, given how weak he still felt after his long period of living on his own and scavenging, but he wasn’t feeling great, either. Still, he hadn’t said much on the return trip, focusing instead on navigating as best he could and putting one foot in front of the other.

The sight of the Manor ahead of them and the first signs of pink on the horizon caused the Launceleyn to pick up his pace. ”That’s it up ahead. Come on, let’s get inside.” It didn’t take long for the summoner to push through the doors of the Manor, and he simply stood just inside and basked in the much warmer interior. Then he shook his head and stamped the snow from his boots. Spotting a toy—the only sign of some of the other residents of the Manor—Loren sighed and scooped it up. Despite the fact that he hadn’t seen Jace or Beatrix in weeks, he still saw signs of them everywhere, but he was starting to worry. He could understand why they were avoiding him, but it was Deepfrost, now, and he needed them to stay indoors where it was safe.

It took a moment for the summoner to collect his scattered thoughts; he was lethargic from both the cold and the hike and the all nighter, so he just stared at the other man with him for a minute before he found his voice. ”Right. So. We should get you a room then. And…” Glancing around at the entryway, Loren tried to prod his mind into working properly. ”Well, do you need anything else? Sorry, I’m a bit frazzled at the moment.” He pushed his hood back and ran a distracted hand through his hair leaving it sticking up in a not at all artful disheveled look. Between that and his still too stark cheekbones and the dark circles under his eyes the Launceleyn knew that he looked like a mess, not that he really cared about that these days. It wasn’t like he was expecting anyone else to either. Regardless, he gave the other man an apologetic smile for his less than stellar welcoming and hosting skills.

Not tea, though the Launceleyn could sure use some. He’d finally found the stores—considering that he had now gone through the Manor about five times to make sure Zariah hadn’t left any nasty surprises behind—and was swiftly working his way through them. But Renaud didn’t drink anything but blood, and that wasn’t something Loren was prepared to offer at the moment. Or maybe not ever, considering what it entailed: Renaud was attractive and nice enough, but the summoner had, well, issues with all that.

His mind was going off on tangents, a sure sign that he needed to at least rest his eyes or sit down for a bit. Sighing, he gestured that they should probably head further into the Manor. ”Alright, room first. We can get you sorted out with the rest after that.” Assuming Renaud was amenable to that suggestion, Loren would turn to go upstairs to the spare bedrooms.
A beggar's book
outworths
a noble's blood
Renaud Cartier


Age: 29 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: - Strg: 10 - Dext: 12 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 3 - Int:
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#2



The walk had been slow going, but Renaud didn't mind.  It had been only a matter of weeks since he knew the pain of long journeys, the dry bite of sucking in freezing cold air with every breath.  He was perfectly sympathetic to Loren's mortal plight, and in fact he felt uncomfortable for no longer sharing in these pains that had always seemed to define being alive.  A soldier with no discomfort or pain to overcome was damn near a travesty.  So Renaud adjusted his pace to Loren's, pausing whenever needed and taking a careful effort to never overtake his travelling companion by much.  

The sun was preparing to creep back over the horizon as the two reached Loren's manor.  It was an impressive structure, though not awe inspiring to a young Frenchman belonging to one of the old aristocratic families.  A large house, Renaud was surprised to discover, still caused him some anxiety - he came from a time when displays of opulence were like to lead to a meeting with the guillotine.  He had to consciously remind himself that those days were over as they stepped through the precipice and into the home.

Loren was tired, that much was clear.  In fact he looked like shit.  To his host's apologetic smirks, Renaud offered a sympathetic smile.  It had been a long evening of walking.  He too would have looked and felt like a disaster if it were the old days.  As it were, he didn't even bother to dust off the snow coating his skin and hair.  He didn't notice it.  

Renaud shook his head politely at Loren's offer of 'anything else'.  "No, thank you, the room is plenty enough for me.  You're too kind."  He wordlessly followed his host as Loren turned to walk up the stairs.  

As they traveled through the manor, Renaud allowed his gaze to wander.  He took in the architecture like a scholar, studying for differences and similarities to the structures of his own time.  

"Do you have children?"  He asked as the pair were about halfway up the stairs, his eyes travelling across the walls of the home.  He had been referring to the toys Loren had picked up as they entered, and felt the need to clarify.

"I am referring to the toys you picked up as we entered.  How many do you have?"  A cheeky smile spread across his face.  "Or perhaps the toys are yours?  I do not mean to assume."

the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 32 - Dext: 33 - Endr: 35 - Luck: 39 - Int:
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#3
LOREN
Great. It seemed that Renaud just needed a place to hide from the sunlight. And some privacy: Loren was under no illusion that the actual bed would see little use, given that he didn’t even think the other man slept. Nodding, the summoner just turned to trudge up the stairs. ”It’s nothing, really. As I said, we have rooms to spare, and if I didn’t offer it to you, I’d be worried about you out there all alone in the cold.” It was a little bit of a joke, since the other man was much more likely to burst into flames than perish from the cold, but the Launceleyn didn’t know if he’d actually managed to convey any humor.

They’d probably had a lot to discuss, but already his mind felt like mush, and without at least a short period to rest he’d be pretty much useless. At Renaud’s questions, though, Loren paused, looking down at the toys in his hand. ”Oh. No. Sorry. These belong to my half-sister and my nephew. They’re ten and four. You may or may not see them around. I usually don’t, since, well, they’re avoiding me at the moment. As for me, no, I’m very much childless, and very much single.” He wasn’t really sure why he added that last part, besides overnight brain bringing up something that had been bothering him subconsciously. Still, he had bigger issues to worry about. The summoner frowned, trying to remember the last time he’d actually seen either of the children. It might very well have been Edy’s funeral, which was worrisome. Once he’d slept and gotten the other man sorted out, Loren would go find them. Enough was enough. Beatrix could throw as many tantrems as she liked, but the summoner drew the line at putting her and Jace in danger.

However, since the Launceleyn had mentioned his relatives, he might as well mention all the other houseguests. ”Other than Beatrix and Jace, uh, those are my half-sister and nephew, don’t know if I mentioned that, you might see a few other people. Peter, Abasi, and Aonghas. Peter was adopted into the Launceleyns, but the other two are temporarily houseguests here, like you.” He knew that he was muddling up these explanations to Renaud, but Loren couldn’t seem to help it. Covering up a yawn that threatened to escape, the summoner glanced over at the other man to see how he was taking all this.

Luckily, they came to an unoccupied bedroom soon enough. The Launceleyn pushed open the door, revealing a shuttered window, a small dresser, and a small bed. On top of the dresser was a small basin, currently empty of water. This was a guest bedroom, so it was pretty sparsely decorated and had very little furniture. ”I hope this is okay. If not, we’ve got other quarters deeper in the house. Also, I can probably get you a key if you’d like to be able to lock the door.” The bigger rooms had belonged to family members, and the summoner was reluctant to offer them up to someone who was still basically a stranger. ”You’re welcome to explore the house as much as you like, though this area is mostly bedrooms and I’d ask that you stay out of them. But the downstairs is fine. There’s a, ah, washroom down the hall, if you need it.” It wasn’t worth mentioning the outhouse or the bathroom to someone without bodily functions.

Scratching his head, the summoner tried to think if he’d missed anything. Then again, he could probably just ask. ”So. Any questions? About anything?” They’d covered a lot of ground in one night, so Loren figured Renaud might have a few things on his mind. The Launceleyn would do his best to answer what he could in his tired state, though he was swaying where he stood, and his eyes kept threatening to shut.
A beggar's book
outworths
a noble's blood
Renaud Cartier


Age: 29 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: - Strg: 10 - Dext: 12 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 3 - Int:
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#4

Renaud didn't have much of a thought about Loren's being single, although he had for some reason thought of Cera in the moment just after it came up.  What was Cera doing right at that moment?  Was he comfortable?  Had he spent the night healing the sick or giving food to the poor?  These thoughts were occurring to Renaud because he thought Cera was the most beautiful person he had ever seen, but as he was not comfortable admitting that to himself just yet he decided that he simply had a healthy professional and definitely platonic admiration for the man.

When the soldier came to from his musings, Loren was mentioning the other houseguests of the manor.  Renaud nodded at the short list of other occupants, assuming he was not likely to meet them and certainly not likely to ever know them very well while he stayed.  

When they reached his room, Renaud was pleasantly amused at his quarters.  They were essentially the exact size of a room he had come to expect on campaign in the old world - small for a senior officer, but a luxury for a junior one.  "This is excellent," he smiled to his host, "I shall be more than satisfied with the room."

He slipped off his coat, folded it, and laid it on his bed as Loren was explaining some basic rules about which rooms Renaud should try to avoid.  When his host finished, Renaud turned to face him with a warm smile.  "No, my friend, I have no questions for you.  If I ever do something around the home that you would rather I did not, please do not hesitate to correct me."  

He offered a hand to Loren.  "I am in your debt, my friend.  You have my endless gratitude."  If Loren took his hand, Renaud gave him a short and polite shake before releasing him once again. "If you do not mind my saying, you look ... tired.  You should get to bed.  I've all I need for the evening right here."  He gestured around at his new room, his little borrowed kingdom.  "Goodnight, my friend."







the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 32 - Dext: 33 - Endr: 35 - Luck: 39 - Int:
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#5
LOREN
Thankfully, Renaud seemed to be all set for now. Loren nodded as the other man agreed to respect the ill-defined house rules, such as they were. At least there was one person under this roof that would listen to the summoner, which was a pleasant change of pace. Taking Renaud’s hand, the Launceleyn gave it a firm shake as well, tucking the toy under his arm as he did so. ”If you keep this room clean so that I don’t have to, it’ll be thanks enough. And I don’t mind at all.” The corner of Loren’s mouth quirked up in what might have been a smile. ”I’d honestly be worried if I didn’t look a little tired.” It was funny to hear the other man keep referring to the summoner as ‘my friend’ given that they were strangers and Loren didn’t really do friends. Still, it was nice to think that he might’ve made a new one, strange as the circumstances of their meeting were.

Covering another yawn, the Launceleyn gave Renaud a real smile once the summoner’s mouth was closed. ”Morning, I think. Technically it’s good morning. But thanks. I’ll be in the kitchen if you need anything. Feel free to wake me up.” With that Loren shuffled off. He didn’t really want to explain how the beds were far too comfortable for someone who’d grown up without such comforts, so he slept on a cot in the kitchen instead. It was more efficient that way, anyway, since it was centrally located and let him make food for anyone who needed it and keep an eye on their supplies.

Or maybe he was just continuing to be hard on himself, as if he didn’t deserve nice things after disappearing as he had, as if he hadn’t earned the right to a bedroom yet, given how he’d failed his family time and time again. With that thought percolating in his mind, he fell into a restless and uncomfortable sleep.

------

Loren woke up groggy and grumpy. A quick glance out the window told him only a few hours had passed since he’d fallen asleep, but apparently his body had decided that was all he was going to get. Though he closed his eyes for a while, further rest proved elusive. Groaning, he rolled to his feet, and shuffled over to put the kettle on. While that was heating, he ducked into the nearest washroom to splash some water on his face and hair, and change into a fresh set of plain black clothes. Not bothering to put shoes on—the cold stone and wood of the ground didn’t bother him in the slightest—he came back to make himself a cup of tea. No one else was in the kitchen asking for breakfast, so he just grabbed some bread and cheese and nibbled on it, not particularly hungry yet even after his excursion last night.

After being slightly fed, not nearly rested enough, and clothed and washed sufficiently (though he was showing a tiny amount of stubble), he decided to go grab a book from the small library in the manor. Mug with an image of a pair of glasses on the side in hand, he walked through the hallways of the building in a slight daze, mind still not having fully woken up.

Pushing the doors of the library open, Loren was surprised to see Renaud inside. The room was dark, the windows having been shuttered, obviously, both to protect the books from damage and to presumably protect the Ascended as well. The summoner couldn’t remember if he’d closed them when the snows came, but it seemed likely. ”Oh. Morning. Or...well, afternoon maybe. Not sure what time it is.” Giving the other man a sleepy smile, the Launceleyn closed the door gently behind him. ”Find anything good in here? Actually, wait, were you looking for something in particular?” Seeing as he wasn’t fully conscious yet, Loren’s librarian instincts took over. Finding Renaud a book suddenly became the summoner’s top priority.
A beggar's book
outworths
a noble's blood
Renaud Cartier


Age: 29 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: - Strg: 10 - Dext: 12 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 3 - Int:
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#6


He had only been in the library for perhaps less than an hour when Loren found him.  Before that he had busied himself with a small array of activities to pass the time.  He laid in his bed for a while after Loren had left, staring up at the ceiling and contemplating the fascinating details of his new life.  When that got old, he had gotten up and visited the washroom, mostly out of boredom, and sat pretending that he still had bodily functions that needed attending to.

After all that contemplation an hour or so had passed, at which point Renaud had lazily wandered downstairs and into the kitchen.  He had found his host sleeping there, and had beat a hasty retreat.  The next few hours found him wandering quietly around the house, entertaining himself with its details and handiwork.  Finally he discovered the library, and had been there until right at the moment of Loren's entrance.

"It is the early afternoon."  He smiled at Loren, sympathetic to his host's probable exhaustion as Loren expressed a confusion about the time of day.

"No, nothing in particular.  Unless you have a map anywhere around?  I would be very interested in seeing the whole of Caido laid out."  He had felt since his arrival that getting a complete picture of the continent would enable him to get his head on straight about his new predicament.  Renaud had always been something of a student of geography and topography, having believed it to be crucial to the success of his military career.


"I will also accept something like a history of the continent, or at least the country we stand in now."  An eyebrow cocked as the sentence left his mouth.  "What country is that, by the way?  I do not believe I've been told."  He turned back to the shelves as he spoke, though his attention was still mainly on his host.  His eyes scanned the books methodically but half-heartedly, almost like he simply didn't want to stand still and stare at Loren, waiting for him to do something.



the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
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#7
LOREN
When Renaud confirmed what time it was Loren grinned. ”Huh. Guess I slept longer than I thought. Thanks” At the other man’s questions, though, the summoner sighed and took a sip of his still slightly too warm tea. Those weren’t easy to answer, so he padded over to a nearby chair and perched on the edge of it, leaning forward with the mug cupped in his hands. ”So just the basics, then?” The Launceleyn chuckled to himself, then realized that Renaud probably wouldn’t understand. ”Sorry. All that is...well all that is a bit complicated to explain, and I’m not really most qualified person to explain it.”

The summoner would start with the simpler answers first. ”The land you’re in now is called the Hollowed Grounds. As for its history, well, I’ve only been here a year, and spent most of that in seclusion, so I only know bits and pieces. But when I arrived, there was a barrier up, and as far as I know it had been up for generations. And the natives of this land had no idea why.” They’d found out, though Loren hadn’t been around for that, and the details of that story were probably left to someone else. ”It’s down, now, which showed us the world outside the Grounds. Except, well, we only have access to the Greatwood, the home of the Fae. That’s where the shrine was, and the Mathair. And the Fae don’t like our kind much, since they blame the people of the Hollowed Grounds for the blight. So don't seek them out without their express permission.” It was important that the other man know at least that much.

Taking another sip of tea, the summoner waited for Renaud to process all that before continuing. ”There are other lands, but they are blocked by...something.” The Launceleyn didn’t know what and hadn’t been out to see it himself. He’d just heard rumors of great storms. ”So that’s all the land there is, as far as we know. Not sure what the whole of Caido might be, though I’m curious too.” Giving the other man a gentle smile, the summoner wondered what he should tell Renaud next.

Perhaps a crash course on current events would be useful. ”As for history, I don’t know much beyond the past few seasons. But they were eventful, to say the least. My cousin Zariah declared herself queen over the objections of the Naturals and other residents of the Hollowed Grounds. Her reign was short, and brutal, and spawned a rebellion. Then she disappeared, to only the gods know where. The rebels formed a new kingdom, which is currently ruled by Queen Wessex. She’s an Ascended like you.” Ronin was still technically king, but the blighted man at the spire was incapable of ruling anything, even himself.

That was all the top-line stuff the summoner could think of. It was a lot, though. ”As for maps, you could always try the Atheneum. It’s a big domed building, with lots of scrolls and books, can’t miss it. I used to dream about cataloging all its contents, but...well. It didn’t happen.” Still it might contain maps that would interest the other man. Loren's life story probably wouldn't, which is why he'd cut himself off. ”There’s definitely more information than what I can tell you there.” It certainly contained more volumes than the Manor’s paltry shelves, which Renaud was currently fidgeting in front of.
A beggar's book
outworths
a noble's blood
Renaud Cartier


Age: 29 | Height: 5'10 | Race: Ascended | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: - Strg: 10 - Dext: 12 - Endr: 10 - Luck: 3 - Int:
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#8


Renaud listened to his host's best efforts of explaining the somewhat complicated political history of The Hollowed Grounds.  He stayed mostly quiet, paying great attention to Loren's explanation, though he did smirk and snicker a bit at the mention of a "short, brutal reign" in the recent past of the Grounds.  Renaud, too, knew a little something about short and brutal reigns of power.  Great, he had thought, So it happens here too.  At least something about this place is familiar.

The fact that Queen Wessex was an Ascended pricked his ears.  Cera had mentioned Wessex in the context of other Ascended on the continent, though he had neglected to mention that she ruled the land.  

"And this Wessex, her reign has been something different than short and brutal I assume?"  Already his mind was on the future.  Renaud had no intention of resting around Loren's mansion forever.  At some point he would have to try and do something with his new life, and that meant the army.  Or whatever the closest thing to an army one might find in the Hollowed Ground.  He would rather not serve a tyrant.

He was further interested by the Atheneum.  "I shall go there tonight," he said with determination.  It was bad enough he was forced to stay indoors during the day, he certainly was not going to spend the evenings with nothing to do as well.  

All at once his focus seemed to shift, almost as if defining a goal for himself that evening had freed him to relax a bit for the moment.

"What do you do for entertainment?"






the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
Level: 11 - Strg: 32 - Dext: 33 - Endr: 35 - Luck: 39 - Int:
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#9
LOREN
Something about Loren’s explanation of Zariah’s reign amused Renaud, though the Launceleyn would be hard pressed to know why that might be. Still, at least the other man didn’t comment on the summoner’s cousin, since he was getting a bit tired of talking about her deeds. It was only natural that Renaud asked about Wessex. Loren just wished he had a better answer, to, well, all of this. ”Definitely short, and not yet brutal, though I suppose new is a better word for it.” Sighing, the Launceleyn took a sip to buy himself time to gather his thoughts. ”Her being the sole authority in the Hollowed Grounds is a relatively recent development. However, I’ve met her, and she is both competent and has a strong moral code.” While he wasn’t quite willing to say the new queen was benevolent—their meeting had been too short for that and her reign too young—he’d been impressed, and it showed in his voice.

Normally the Launceleyn would’ve jumped at the opportunity to head over to the Atheneum. However, he was still pretty tired from last night, and he didn’t think he could manage two late nights in a row. Still, he should at least offer. ”I’d be happy to accompany you there, if you’d like.” At present, he was sadly one of the people most familiar with the not-quite library.

Loren blinked at the other man’s question and the sudden change of topic. ”Entertainment? Me personally, or in general?” Probably best to answer both. ”I don’t really do, entertainment, to be honest. So you’d be better off asking someone else. Back when I had free time I would read. Unfortunately that’s been in short supply these days.” There were too many tasks that required his attention to waste any hours of his day on something that would only be for him. Hesitating, he gave Renaud an appraising look; the other man was an Ascended, which limited the activities he might enjoy. Still, Loren decided to give Renaud the full explanation.

”Depends what you like, I suppose. There’s a tavern called the Rathskellar where people usually gather, though I don’t know how much that appeals to you. There are occasionally parties, and festivals, and weddings, things like that, though the only event I know that’s coming up is a wedding. It’s two Ascended, actually, so you might want to attend.” Then again, they were strangers, so Loren wouldn’t in the other man’s shoes. ”There was a puppet show recently. Some gods showed up, so, you know, that was fun. Oh, and there’s an Artist’s Guild, so I imagine they do, well, art related activities if that interests you.” Try as the summoner might, he wasn’t coming up with much else.
A beggar's book
outworths
a noble's blood


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