six impossible things before breakfast
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Petra Myr


Age: 35 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: - Strg: 9 - Dext: 9 - Endr: 9 - Luck: 8 - Int:
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#43
There was a beat of shocked silence. "None at all? Wait..  but how... I mean, is there a system at least? Like, this many loafs of bread for this many hams, and so on?" The longstanding part of her that hated money and capitalism rejoiced at the idea, while the sensible, logical side raged over how hopelessly chaotic that kind of situation would be. What about governments, taxes, state funded stuff... who provided the clothes and stuff she was about to filch from? The kindness of peoples hearts? Yeah right, as if a system like that would ever work for long...

Throwing a glance at Loren as he explained what the building was, there was a grimace of some reluctance. "Temple, huh... Right, you said there were gods here. Is religion a serious thing here then? I gotta admit, I'm not really the pious type. Organized idiocy grate on my nerves."

The building was coming upon them, but she hung back, perfectly content to let Loren take charge and lead the way. She rubbed her arms as the skin prickled with unease, the urge to chicken out and run away growing stronger with every moment. Without really noticing, she had drifted closer to her guide, as if hiding behind him might somehow make anything easier.
the Firebrand
Headmaster / Grand Healer

Age: 29 | Height: 5' 11' | Race: Attuned x Abandoned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Halo
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ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
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#44

Shaking his head, Loren shrugged at Petra's confusion and concern. "Not really." His tone was apologetic. "You learn what things are worth, and how to haggle. And most places have some sort of enforcement in place, to make sure people aren't filching their customers."

Hesitating, he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. "As I said, though, the people in the Hollowed Ground tend to be kind, and share what they can." It was all the comfort he could really offer her on that front.

As she complained about religion, she actually startled a laugh from him. "Good thing we have disorganized idiocy as our religion here, then." Lead the way he did, pushing open the doors and gesturing for her to follow him into the large structure.

LOREN
Brought back by satisfaction more times than the cat
Petra Myr


Age: 35 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: - Strg: 9 - Dext: 9 - Endr: 9 - Luck: 8 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 43 | Total: 5,767
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#45
She mumbled something indistinct and quite unintelligible at that, confidence sinking to new alltime lows. She just weren't a people person and it was incredibly frustrating to hear that social interaction seemed to be the only way to get by. Unless she had somehow magically acquired both the skill, stamina and perseverence to build a farm from scratch in the woods somewhere... but even that required help, because where would she get grains, materials, animals or... anything at all on her own?

Ugh, people.

Creeping into the building after Loren like an abnormally substantial shadow, she tried to keep her soaked shoes from squeaking on the polished stone floors. The place was massive on the inside too, with too much cathedral flavor to it to be comfortable. Nervous glances were cast towards what looked like a shrine, at the charred walls of a clearly fire-ravaged section that didn't seem used, and finally towards a sectioned off area where the presence of cots and a certain attention to cleanliness implied it was a sickroom. The infirmary, no doubt.

She gave the very base, crude looking area an apprehensive scrutiny. Here's to hoping she would never have cause to visit it again. Someone might saw her arm off if she got a splinter.

There didn't seem to be a lot of people about. Not the way she was used to at least. "What time of day is it?" she asked Loren, keeping her voice down so it wouldn't echo. "It was just before dawn at home, when I... you know." Maybe it was earlier or later than she thought. It might explain the scarcity.
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:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
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#46

Ignoring Petra's gaping around at the Temple's interior, Loren led her towards the infirmary. He had no particular desire to linger here, nor any particular respect for the place, and his quick pace belied that. Whether or not she followed him right away, he would rummage through the cabinets there, pulling out ugly, but serviceable clothes.

He laid them on a cot, then grabbed a few pairs of old boots and put them next to the cot as well. At her question, he glanced over at her. "It's early here too." He'd been planning to set back through the portal, so that he traveled during the day. "Also before dawn." Glancing out one of the windows would reveal the fingers of day creeping across the sky.

LOREN
Brought back by satisfaction more times than the cat
Petra Myr


Age: 35 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: - Strg: 9 - Dext: 9 - Endr: 9 - Luck: 8 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 43 | Total: 5,767
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#47
She didn't wander, kept close on his heels on the path through the building and kept quiet, for the most part. The blabbering was a product of tension and overcompensating for lacking social graces, anyway. And she could tell from the air of the kid that he wasn't interested in lingering.

Feeling rather useless, she just stood there and watched as Loren produced clothes, none of them very nice but... hey, better than a pyjamas, right? Feeling decidedly awkward, she gathered up the items and disappeared in behind a screen, peeled off the wet, cold night wear and struggled with the array of buttons and laces the new items seemed to require.

"This... is going to take some getting used to." Emerging back out, she squirmed uncomfortably in the strange clothes. They were too large in places, uncomfortably snug in others, and the materials felt itchy and unyielding. Still, they were warm, and some of the awkwardness that came with being unclothed had eased off her. Dragging her hands through the damp blonde hair, she attempts to comb into something slightly less disastrous. With... mixed results. It was still a tangled, thick mess of shoulderlength hair. Not much could be done without a hairtie. Or comb, or a mirror.

Then came the awkward moment where silence fell and she couldn't find the words to fill it with. There were too many things to ask about, too much that was downright alien and incomprehensible... And the simple fact that she was left to the mercy of this complete stranger. Clearly in debt, however you put it.

"I, uh... thank you," she managed, not really sure where to look. At him, behind him... "I'm sorry, for disrupting your plans for the day..."
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:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
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#48

Waiting patiently as Petra went to go and change, Loren glanced up when she spoke up. "I know." He gave her another sympathetic smile. "But you will get used to it. Trust me." Tone encouraging, he nodded firmly at her.

Seeing her struggle with her hair, he went back to rummaging in cabinets and drawers. Eventually, he found a brush, a small wash basin, and a small mirror. Juggling all three, he set them on the table by the cot he'd been by before.

Stepping back, he clasped his hands behind his back. Shrugging, he shook his head slightly at her words. "No need to thank me. And you didn't disrupt them." Pausing, he gave her a slightly concerned look. "Do you need anything else?"

LOREN
Brought back by satisfaction more times than the cat
Petra Myr


Age: 35 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: - Strg: 9 - Dext: 9 - Endr: 9 - Luck: 8 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 43 | Total: 5,767
MP: 0
#49
Trust, eh? Not something she was very good at, unfortunately. She just didn't have much of a choice at this point... and at least he was helping her, without asking for anything in return. The hallmark of a good person, perhaps? Though really, it might be spur of the moment actions too, she couldn't say.

So all she could offer was a quick flash of a smile, there and gone, before he produced the other things for her. Shying away from the mirror, she picked up the brush and sank down onto the cot, working to untangle her hair. At the question, she bit her lip in silence for a moment, then shrugged helplessly.

"You don't happen to know anyone who's looking to hire?" she asked, trying desperately to sound upbeat and optimistic. "And you haven't explained magic yet..."

The cheerfulness rang incredibly false, and no half-hearted smiles in the world could cover up the pathetic slump to her shoulders. Anything else? Well how about a brief history of everything, answers to all her questions, a magic portal back home, and maybe some breakfast to top it off?

But she didn't say any that, quietly terrified that might leave. If he did... what would she do then? What would she say to the next person to wander in, asking what she was doing there? It felt impossible to explain.
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:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
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#50

As Petra asked for people who might be hiring, Loren's expression grew thoughtful. "I'd recommend speaking to either Amalia Chandrakant, who works at Devas Bakery, Deimos Ignatius, the head of the Artisan's Guild, Phoebe Steadman, head of the Medical College, or Jigano Silversmith, head of the Loreseekers. Any one of them should be able to help you find work that suits you." He gave her another reassuring look, then rattled off directions to where those various individuals could be found.

The request for a fuller explanation of magic surprised him, actually. Rubbing his hands together, he glanced at the banked fire. Heading over to it, he began to build it up. "Sure. I can tell you about magic." Once he had a merry blaze going, he took a small pot that had been hanging by the fireplace and put it above the fire. It was soup they kept here in case any of the patients needed it. Not the tastiest, but filling.

As he waited for that to heat, he collected some plates and utensils, along with a hunk of bread and some water. "Only some individuals, the Abandoned, possess magic, though I imagine the abilities of other races seem magical to those less familiar with them." He cleared his throat a bit awkwardly. "There are ten basic kinds of magic, with three...tiers I suppose you would say." Pausing, he held out a plate with some bread for her, along with the water.

LOREN
Brought back by satisfaction more times than the cat
Petra Myr


Age: 35 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: - Strg: 9 - Dext: 9 - Endr: 9 - Luck: 8 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 43 | Total: 5,767
MP: 0
#51
Itching for something to write down the names and instructions with, she tried to memorize at least some of all those names and directions. But with mounting frustration she felt it all slip from her mind almost as soon as he had finished, leaving only a jumble of threads that may or might not be related. Was she really expected to remeber all that? "Thank you.. I'll... I'll try talking to them," she replied, with a sinking feeling of already being useless. Wow, you had one job, brain. Just the one.

With quiet thanks she accepted the food he offered - nice timing, was he a mind reader too? She tried to focus really hard on the color blue, to see if he would pick up on it - and almost, kind of ate from it. The bread was coarse and tough, the soup was... warm, if nothing else, but everything tasted strange. Even the water. Especially the water.

At least Loren was staying. And talking. The sound of his voice was something to focus on; for all that it wasn't familiar, he was still a human being. The closest thing to an anchor she had. And the things he spoke of were interesting.

"So, you are abandoned, then. Abandoned by who?" The term made her frown slightly, disliking the exclusionism it implied.
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:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
Played by: Crooked Offline
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Posts: 5,165 | Total: 9,913
MP: 3415
#52

Petra wasn't exactly great at hiding her emotions or feelings or thoughts. Watching her for a moment, Loren headed to a desk in the corner. In quick and practiced strokes, he noted down all the information he'd told her about who to talk to and where they could be found. "I know this is a lot of information. Please ask clarifying questions if you need them." Tone gentle and understanding, he walked back to her cot and handed her the page.

As she asked about the name, he shrugged, not bothered by the appelation. "Abandoned by the gods. Remember that goddess I was telling you about? Well she took the magic, and twisted it. Now any who are born with magic are viewed with suspicion by all the gods, for fear they rise up again."

LOREN
Brought back by satisfaction more times than the cat
Petra Myr


Age: 35 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: - Strg: 9 - Dext: 9 - Endr: 9 - Luck: 8 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 43 | Total: 5,767
MP: 0
#53
Not a mind reader perhaps, but certainly more attentive and considerate than most people she was used to being around. The note and his comment made her blush, embarrassed to be caught. "Sorry. Thanks, I mean. I just didn't want to appear... I really was listening." Shrinking under what felt like admonishment even though it probably wasn't meant that way, she looked down, away, anywhere except at him.

Taking the note, she threw a quick glance at it, and was startled to realize she could actually read it. The symbols were wrong, and yet made perfect sense... and it made her realize the same applied to the words they both used. What language was it even? Yet she had no trouble comprehending. Very strange.

"That... doesn't sound very fair," she commented, keeping her gaze lowered as the topic moved back to magic. The glances she threw at him were quick, just to show she was still paying attention. "Not your fault someone else did something wrong. What... kind of things can you do with it? Can I learn it?" There was a profound longing in the question, from one who had been looking for that kind of miracle all her life.
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:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
Played by: Crooked Offline
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Posts: 5,165 | Total: 9,913
MP: 3415
#54

"Like you were thrown into a completely insane situation that makes no sense and that you're scared out of your mind and have absolutely no idea what's happening?" Loren smiled gently, though he was clearly amused. "It's okay. As I told you, this is overwhelming and complicated, and honestly you're dealing with the transition better than most."

When she asked if she could do magic, he gave her a wondering look. "It depends. Um...what you are." Running a hand through his hair, he shrugged. "Being Abandoned is...innate. You're born with it, usually. You can also be born Accepted. If you're Accepted you can become either Attuned or Ascended by accepting the blessing of the old or new gods respectively. So no you can't really...learn it." Pausing, he took a bite of the bread. "But regardless what you are, you have power of some kind."

LOREN
Brought back by satisfaction more times than the cat
Petra Myr


Age: 35 | Height: 5'7 in (170cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: - Strg: 9 - Dext: 9 - Endr: 9 - Luck: 8 - Int:
Played by: Chan Offline
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Posts: 43 | Total: 5,767
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#55
Sucking in a breath, she opened her mouth to find some other words, an explanation to the crushed self-confidence she dragged around... but with a long sigh she slumped and nodded. Set the plate aside, and the hairbrush, and pulled her feet up onto the cot, to wrap her arms around the knees and pull them tight against the chest. Thus tightly knotted, and properly exposed despite the attempts to look like she had her shit kept together, she actually relaxed. Crumbled,  more like, all pretense falling away. And behind the mask was a very tired, very lost person who felt a lot younger and smaller than her years might suggest.

"Yeah, something like that," she admitted quietly. "I don't really know that I'm actually dealing with it at all... more like I'm so deep in shock that it's all numb and.. like... doesn't reach me. I'm not... good at handling things even in the best of circumstances, and now..." A small gesture seemed to gesture to all of herself, like it explained everything. Cue signpost: hopeless case, arrowpointed towards self.

With some trepidation she peered up from beneath the mane of half-dried hair. "Okay... What kind of powers? How do I figure that out? I mean... I feel completely normal. Not different at all." She tried flicking her hands, focusing really hard, squinting like it might help... but alas, no rush of wind or spark of fire... not even a quiver in the ether.
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:
ASTRA - Mythical - Luxere
Played by: Crooked Offline
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Posts: 5,165 | Total: 9,913
MP: 3415
#56

To his credit, Loren hesitated for only the briefest of moments before he went to go sit down next to Petra. Laying a comforting hand on her shoulder, he smiled as gently as he could. "It's okay to feel that way. Normal, really. Every Outlander, myself included, has felt that way." He let out a huff of nervous laughter. "Heck, it took me a full year to get over it, and even now I feel out of place and overwhelmed at times."

As she asked what powers she might possess, he bit his lip. "For me, my magic always felt kind of like a well deep within. Its waters flowed through my body, and I would tap it as needed." He cleared his throat. "But it's different for everyone. For Attuned, who can shift into animals, they picture their...true selves, is the easiest way to describe it. Their animal instincts, their form just kind of...speaks to them."

Pausing, he peered at her mouth. "You don't have fangs, so you're not an Ascended. As for Accepted, well...." His voice trailed off. "They can channel spirits and gods. But I've only seen them do so in times of great need or distress."

LOREN
Brought back by satisfaction more times than the cat


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