Aonghas's pause forced Jigano to stop as well, looking over the Hall with the fresh eyes of his friend and remembering what it had looked like when he'd first found it. It had become a place of warmth and light, cozy chairs and well-cared-for books, eclectic collections and curious questions surrounded by strong, sturdy stone... a far cry from the decayed and dusty paper wasp-infested basement it had been before.
Jigano did give his friend a rueful look at his non-answer of 'everything.' It was one he'd been hearing a lot lately, but he couldn't blame his Loreseekers for wanting to know as much as they could. "The barrier was one such," he agreed. "The god-storms are another. But with the portals open there are more options... depending on how you view the Voice's place in opening them."
A silver brow rose at hearing that Aonghas wanted to go where the Grounders were least welcome, but Jigano busied himself with setting their bags on the table and beginning to unpack the supplies of various teas, biscuits, scones, and bottles of beverages for those who preferred something a bit harder. He did pause to tilt his head and smile wryly in acknowledgment of the compliment, but stayed quiet as Aonghas hurried on, as if trying to ensure that the Provost's expectations of him didn't rise too high.
"Well," he began thoughtfully as he restocked the tea caddy by the fireplace. "I think you perhaps mean the Greatwood? We are free to walk their forest now - if you can learn the trick of navigating the shifting trees that keep spitting you back out where you started," he added with a chuckle. "But if you get too near Sidhe Village they will either imprison you... or possibly kill you," he amended, remembering the arrow that had struck Wessex at the Mathair. "They've suffered much from the Hollowed Grounds since the barrier came down, and their patience has dwindled considerably. Still, exploring the rest of the Greatwood would be a good way to start. We've hardly exhausted all there is to know about it in the single year we've had to poke around within its domain, and there's much we've yet to learn." He smiled encouragingly at Aonghas.
"The names of our current members are listed beside the door to the Hall, upstairs. It's why I asked for your interests; part of being a Loreseeker is not just slaking your own curiosity, but sharing what you know and learn with others. If people in the Settlement - or beyond, now - have questions, they are welcome to come and ask us. Knowing which Seeker specializes in which field can help them narrow down who to approach. For instance, if you have questions about the Greatwood you should speak to Tarasha. They are one of our newest members, and a Fae who grew up in the Greatwood. Samuel Wordsworth and Amalia Chandrakant are Naturals from the Hollowed Grounds who are senior members; Sam is our Chronicler, a bookmaker and an Ascended devotee of the Voice. Amalia is a baker, and is a devotee of the Old Gods - particularly Safrin. Maea, recently returned, and Quanil, our youngest Seeker, are also Naturals; they're both former farmers who now pursue knowledge within the Guild. Ingrid is an Outlander from Halo, the land of eternal winter to the west, a priestess of the old gods by trade and Loren... Loren is a fellow Outlander, very bright and a talented and powerful mage, but he has endured a great deal of tragedy and loss lately. I... don't know if he'll be around much for awhile," the bard ended sadly.
Jigano did give his friend a rueful look at his non-answer of 'everything.' It was one he'd been hearing a lot lately, but he couldn't blame his Loreseekers for wanting to know as much as they could. "The barrier was one such," he agreed. "The god-storms are another. But with the portals open there are more options... depending on how you view the Voice's place in opening them."
A silver brow rose at hearing that Aonghas wanted to go where the Grounders were least welcome, but Jigano busied himself with setting their bags on the table and beginning to unpack the supplies of various teas, biscuits, scones, and bottles of beverages for those who preferred something a bit harder. He did pause to tilt his head and smile wryly in acknowledgment of the compliment, but stayed quiet as Aonghas hurried on, as if trying to ensure that the Provost's expectations of him didn't rise too high.
"Well," he began thoughtfully as he restocked the tea caddy by the fireplace. "I think you perhaps mean the Greatwood? We are free to walk their forest now - if you can learn the trick of navigating the shifting trees that keep spitting you back out where you started," he added with a chuckle. "But if you get too near Sidhe Village they will either imprison you... or possibly kill you," he amended, remembering the arrow that had struck Wessex at the Mathair. "They've suffered much from the Hollowed Grounds since the barrier came down, and their patience has dwindled considerably. Still, exploring the rest of the Greatwood would be a good way to start. We've hardly exhausted all there is to know about it in the single year we've had to poke around within its domain, and there's much we've yet to learn." He smiled encouragingly at Aonghas.
"The names of our current members are listed beside the door to the Hall, upstairs. It's why I asked for your interests; part of being a Loreseeker is not just slaking your own curiosity, but sharing what you know and learn with others. If people in the Settlement - or beyond, now - have questions, they are welcome to come and ask us. Knowing which Seeker specializes in which field can help them narrow down who to approach. For instance, if you have questions about the Greatwood you should speak to Tarasha. They are one of our newest members, and a Fae who grew up in the Greatwood. Samuel Wordsworth and Amalia Chandrakant are Naturals from the Hollowed Grounds who are senior members; Sam is our Chronicler, a bookmaker and an Ascended devotee of the Voice. Amalia is a baker, and is a devotee of the Old Gods - particularly Safrin. Maea, recently returned, and Quanil, our youngest Seeker, are also Naturals; they're both former farmers who now pursue knowledge within the Guild. Ingrid is an Outlander from Halo, the land of eternal winter to the west, a priestess of the old gods by trade and Loren... Loren is a fellow Outlander, very bright and a talented and powerful mage, but he has endured a great deal of tragedy and loss lately. I... don't know if he'll be around much for awhile," the bard ended sadly.
