uneasy the head

Mornings were busy for the Warden of the Citadel. Inspecting the walls and the battlements came first - second came audiences. Some had been scheduled; important meetings with suppliers, hunters, soldiers, firekeepers - the types of people without which Halo would surely perish. But there was an hour, towards midday, where any might come to petition Neron for his advice or favour. Usually the queue was small; with a citizenry so hardy and busy with their own survival, they usually didn't bother the Warden and went about solving their problems themselves.

Something that Neron utterly adored them for, some days. Today was one such day when there were few people waiting, and the last of which had just left his audience room. Said room was relatively small, kept warm by a roaring fire and made pleasant by the continious flow of mulled wine and cider. The 'throne room', for lack of better word, was much to draughty to stand only a few bodies within it, and was used for large gatherings only.

Now that his latest appointment had departed, Neron took a moment to sink back into his seat, ruffle a hand through his fair hair, and pluck up the book he had been perusing between conversations.

It had taken Jigano some coaxing and a few rounds of drinks to find out about the audiences, and then another few days to prepare, growing an offering crop of potatoes for the guards at the portal, and another bag of fresh fruits - oranges, pears, and thick, robust berries carefully packed into containers to protect them - for an offering to appease this new Launceleyn who was in charge of the cold and lethal land of Halo.

He waited until the last of the locals had left before he knocked on the door and stepped inside, still clad in his warmest clothes, white furred cloak pulled close around his shoulders. He offered the man in the fancy chair a courteous bow, blue eyes sharply peeled for signs of Zariah as he rose again and gently unslung the carefully wrapped and padded pack from beneath his cloak. "Warden Neron? I bring greetings and gifts from the Loreseekers Guild of the Hollow Grounds," he said formally. "Would you have a moment to speak, and perhaps answer a few questions?"

Jigano was lucky today, and the Warden sat alone within the audience room. At the motion of a bow from the periphery of his vision, steel blue eyes flicked up to find the bard - most certainly not the average looking citizen. Neron guessed before Jigano opened his mouth that he was in the presence of a Grounder, and politeness dictated that he return his book to the side table and properly address his guest.

"The very same," he confirmed his name and title, following the pack as it was unslung from Jigano's shoulders. "Greetings and gifts are always appreciated. They are preferable to empty-handed threats, to be sure. I have several moments before I am required elsewhere, and there do not seem to be any further people from within the Citadel waiting. Take a seat and ask away."

It never hurt to check and make sure he was delivering his gifts to the right person. Or, if the person was lying, to have a good idea of who had led him astray, for future reference. All clues pointed to this distinctive man being the one he sought, however, and at the acceptance of his gifts he began the task of freeing the fruits from their protections against Halo's cold and placing them for Neron - or his servants - to collect and store as they pleased. Neron had indicated that his time was valuable, however, so Jigano spoke as he unpacked the largesse, opting for efficiency over standing on ceremony.

"My Guild serves to explore and study, and then to record and pass along information to those who seek it. Rumors of mage glass have been finding their way to the Hollowed Grounds for a little while now," he began, trying not to waste the Warden's time. "Rumors that have been confirmed by gods and demigods alike. This mage glass sounds like a powerful tool... and from what I've read, a potentially very dangerous one to those who wield it without preparation and control. I've come to ask for any information you may have it, and if you'd be willing to loan a fragment for study, so that we might chronicle its properties." He offered a wry smile. "For a suitable loaner's fee, of course." He didn't expect anyone in Halo to do anything out of charity after their encounter with the ice genie and its warnings.

The fruit - a rarity for certain - was received with a courteous nod, Neron seeming pleased with the gifts and leaving them where Jigano put them for someone to take away later on. Besides, there was much more interesting conversation to be had. Raising an eyebrow (for this was the first he had truly heard about the Loreseeker's Guild, and Halo had no such fount of knowledge), all was going well until the inevitable mention of Mageglass. Neron's steely gaze grew colder still as he propped an elbow on the arm of his chair, at least having the decency to hear the bard out before considering a response.

"Since the Hollowed Grounds found Halo, Mageglass has been upon everyone's lips," he said. "I have said it is a legend, multiple times, and that we in the Citadel have better things to offer than imaginary glass." He frowned. "But it seems as though my word is not good enough. Gods and demigods, indeed. If you can find Mageglass, and show it to me, by all means we can discuss its study. But if you perish en route or come up empty handed, I'm afraid I can only say I warned you."

Jigano did not miss the creeping chill in Neron's gaze and posture, and inwardly he winced to himself. Stating his question forthrightly had been a gamble, but it was one he didn't regret. Somehow he doubted this Warden would have been any happier if the bard had wasted time pussy-footing around the question before trying to approach it obliquely. What was done was done now, though, and he had to live with the consequences of his words.

"Halo doesn't seem the kind of land to encourage second chances," the bard agreed soberly. "And if I come up empty-handed or worse, I know I've only myself to blame for being too curious. Still, any direction you might be able to give based on legends or myths would be welcome." He finished setting out the fruit and paused his words as he seated himself gingerly, aware that he was on thin ice with the leader of Halo and might be asked to leave at any moment. Still, he tilted his head thoughtfully at the other man, blue eyes appraising. Perhaps Neron really didn't know about Halo's mage glass? The man was supposedly an Outlander like Loren and Remi, and mage glass was clearly a rare commodity, or at least a carefully protected one. With reason, from what Jigano could tell; it could make for a fearsome weapon if Loren's rumors and the children's book he'd read were based in truth. Not the sort of thing Halovians would share or part with easily.

"But since I have a moment of your time, I would also ask what information my guild might be able to trade with you and your people, if you have any interest in the Hollowed Grounds or Greatwood that we might help you with in exchange for learning more about how better to survive our visits to your own land?"

Inclining his head yes, Neron at least seemed appeased that this white-haired newcomer was not taking Halo and its dangers lightly. Drumming long fingers along the arm of the chair, he inhaled deeply and let it out again, evidently considering his words. "There is an abandoned mine in a place called Whitebrim, if you are familiar with our lands at all. The settlement itself is fraught with danger - any exiled from the Citadel tend to take residence up there. They are savages, and they will eat anything to keep warm and fed."

Locking his eyes with Jigano, he hoped that his point was clear - anything was considered meat. "That being said, the mine was originally to search for metals and minerals that may be of value. I don't know if mageglass is included in that, or if any was ever discovered, but it has been abandoned for years."

In terms of exchanging knowledge, the Warden's lips twitched up ever so slightly. "Any magical knowledge you could share would be invaluable," he said. "That would be a good exchange for information about our customs and survival."

"Ah, I was there... once," he admitted with a faint tightening of his lips for the strange genie that had cursed some and blessed others. "Though the locals were notably scarce at the time. I'll take your warning to heart, though. Travel light and fast enough to avoid them, ideally. Should I look for the mine entrance inside or outside the village?" The less time spent out in the open the better. And not just for the icy winds, if Neron's implications were as dire as they sounded.

Somehow, he didn't think the Warden was prone to underestimation of threats in his land.

At least he seemed to get back on better footing with the discussion of information that could be shared, and he nodded cautiously. He had not forgotten that Zariah was in some sort of position here, according to Peter. "I can help with that, certainly. Our guild has researched a list of the different types of magic most commonly found on Caido - at least, within the Hollowed Grounds. I would be happy to share the list of names for the different classifications of magic with you, in exchange for the customs we need to respect here." The details of those schools and their different tiers of power he would save for further haggling; if that was the only information Neron was interested in trading for, the Provost knew he needed to get as much for it as he could.

Once, I find, tends to be enough for anyone - and yes, you have the right of it. You'll find the mine just outside the settlement, along the western edge if my maps are correct. My advice is to try and get in and out before dark. The cold and the lack of light will not make the going any easier." And gods forbid there be a blizzard out there. But then again, that was not Neron's problem - the bard had approached and offered to walk into a deathtrap, after all.

But perhaps he would be alright - he was part of some Loreseeker's Guild, after all. Hopefully common sense was considered valuable knowledge. With a rare smile, he nodded his agreement. "A list for a list, then. I'll provide you with as much on your return from Whitebrim?" Phrased as a question, but absolutely not expecting rebuttal.

"At least we won't need to go into the settlement," the bard mused, a little relieved that they could minimize their exposure to the exiles. Head in shortly before dawn to avoid the attention of the inhabitants on the outskirts, and give themselves a full day's worth of exploration? It would make the trip out there a cold, nasty business, but he could heal any frostbite they picked up along the way once they were out of sight of the town. "Thank you for the warnings, and the directions." Maybe he could convince Deimos to come along; the General's fire magic would come in damn useful if they did get caught underground in the icy old mine. "Hopefully between your information and my luck I'll have something to share. Even if it's just that the mine is a dead end," he added wryly. Hopefully it wouldn't literally be a dead end for anyone... but there were no guarantees.

Alas, that they weren't the 'Sensible Adventurer's Guild.' It wouldn't be the first dangerous mission he'd led people on. This time, though, he intended to be very clear that the risks were great and the chance of reward very slim indeed. "That sounds fair," Jigano agreed to Neron's terms with a formal nod, hearing the regal command couched in the request. "I appreciate the confidence in my eventual return." His lips quirked wryly. "Are there any other questions I can answer for you while I'm here?"

"We will see, won't we?" If nothing else, people would stop plaguing Halo and its citizens about glass that most likely didn't exist. And if Jigano did return in one piece, Neron would have more knowledge about magic and the other things that did interest him and that he could do something about. "You're welcome. I wish you luck, though I think the two of us know better than to depend on that."

Smiling faintly and already leaning to pick up his book again, as if to warn that their meeting was imminently about to end, Neron nodded to the bard. "As you say, you have been to Whitebrim once before. That bodes well for next time, does it not? No questions from me for now, no. I will make a list, should I think of any, and add it to the other list to give to you later."

"Hope for it? Certainly. Depend on it? Only when there is no other choice," Jigano admitted with a wry smile on the topic of luck. He'd been luckier than he had any right to be since arriving, to be fair. Unluckier, too, in certain cases, which only served to remind him of how fickle the lady could be.

He didn't miss Neron's reach for his book, and though he gave the Warden one last chance to ask questions of him about his newest neighbors through the portal, the other man had other things on his mind than chatty bards. Jigano slipped from his seat and bowed gracefully with a more sincere smile. "Thank you for your time and your directions today, Warden. I hope to see you again soon." Launceleyn though he might be, he still held a position of power here, and one that the bard would give wary respect to, especially until he found which pies Zariah's fingers were in. Still, it was clear that the interview was over. It had been more fruitful than he had expected, in truth, and he left Neron's presence with the same courteous efficiency he had entered with, letting himself be escorted back out of the Palace. He had much work to do in preparation, and a few doors to knock on in the meantime...

{Finish}