Pendant Associates

Working in the Rathskeller was sometimes boring. As work was wont to be, Bastien reminded himself; life was no longer the easy stride of art and culture it had been for him in Venice, hard work behind him as he had clawed his way up to a position of relative power. Here there was always dishes to clean and drinks to pour and often no good conversation to be had. This was such an evening, where the minutes seemed to be hours long each. Edy wasn't here to provide him with any kind of entertainment, and he wasn't sure where Vervain was. There was just a few boring quiet customers at the bar and that was all. He looked up as a man entered, was about to disregard him and look back at his cups when he noticed something. Around his neck, shining like a beacon to Bastien, was a blue pendant similar to the one on his own chest. Immediately he felt a rush of several different things: jealously, confusion, kinship. He needed to at least find out if it was just a coincidence or if Safrin really had given someone else a pendant as well. Waiting a while until the man approached the bar (he didn't want to jump on him as soon as he came in the door, as tempting as it was) Bastien eagerly looked up as he did. "Friend! What will you be having? And ah...may I compliment your taste in necklaces..?" He did not gesture to his own but hardly needed to, his deep-necked shirt openly showing the pendant on his own chest. Ronin Bastien I am the remedy to your heart

It had been a fruitful sort of day at the guild - given, of course, that the only true monster out there lurked around the Spire. Still, there had been a surprising amount of work for the bounty hunters - clearing a space of nuisance creatures, herding some mutated beast out of the fields where it was munching on crops, investigating mysteries out in the Ruins... It had been a long, long time since Ronin felt excited to go out there and work. But damn, if it didn't take it out of him. He swept his dark hair out of his face as he entered the Rathskeller; it was damp with the fine rain that had begun to fall, and he was glad of the warmth and bubbling atmosphere. Granted the place was somewhat subdued compared to the other nights he had been, but similarly Ronin was happy to sit in peace and turn over the day's events in his mind. And so he approached the bar, intent on getting a drink. He opened his mouth to order but no sooner had he slumped down onto a stool when the barman chirped a greeting. Ronin smiled warmly; a socialite at heart, he found he enjoyed conversation as much as - if not more than - introspection. "Good evening," he greeted with a friendly nod; this must have been the other bartender Vervain had hired. At least Edrei wouldn't get bored if this gentleman's bubbly nature was anything to go by. "I'll have ale, if there's any going," he continued, only for his attention to be drawn to the pendant that hung around his neck... and its twin around the other man's. Ronin frowned, though his expression was a mix of delight and confusion, and his smile grew into a grin. "You may," he said with a chuckle, "but only if I might return the compliment. It is a pleasure to meet another touched by Safrin's warmth." TALIESIN SO LOOK, AND CONNECT WE'RE REFUSING TO RUST HEALING HAS TO BEGIN IN THE PAST

5/5

Both men distinctly knew what it felt like to be in Safrin's presence. They would feel her cosmic allure swaddling around them like a midnight sky. Ronin however would feel her presence as if she was actually standing behind him, her lips pressed to his neck. Well done sugar. Though the pendant remained around his neck, the eye emblazoned on it suddenly glowed fiercely and flickered as if some fuel source within was being increased. Ronin would feel the pendant grow pleasantly warm—a warmth that seemed to bleed into his chest cavity. In fact, were one to look closely they'd see that the eye symbol had been inked onto his chest in silvery-white ink, almost too fine to see (especially beneath his chest hair). But that was alright. The mark wasn't necessarily for Ronin to see. It was for someone else to see from. Ronin had been marked. In a swirl of starsheen and opalescent hues, a cloud appeared before the two men, hovering near Ronin. As it dissolved away, a gauntlet emerged, beckoning for the former-captain to take it. Congratulations! Ronin has completed his quest and has received the following item: God Hand | Custom made for Ronin's hand, this gauntlet is incredibly light-weight and can create a magical shield large enough to shelter Ronin and one other (The gauntlet's shield will absorb any damage equal to or below Ronin's endurance). Against Ascendeds the shield radiates electromagnetic energy that severely harms their bio-mechanical systems. Can be used twice per thread.

Bastien nodded and began to pour out an ale for Ronin, spinning it lightly on his finger before he set it down on the bar before him. He personally didn't rate the ale here much, but it was about all one could get within the confines of the barrier. He plugged the bottle and put it back, taking for himself a glass of water he kept beneath the bar and drinking from it. Luckily Ronin seemed willing to talk about his pendant, and didn't share Bastien's jealously over the matter. Swallowing his envy for the moment Bastien smiled warmly and nodded. "Yes. I met her just a week ago now and since have not had a waking moment without some thought on my mind. It is wonderful..." His expression soured a little, his mind trying to work out if his pendant was any bigger than Ronin's. "...Though I did not know she had more than one such disciple. Do you have a mission from her like mine? To spread her name?" As much as he felt twinges of bitterness over the situation, Ronin could be a valuable ally in his quest to begin his 'church'. Bastien just hoped there would not be a pendant-based leadership war. Bastien I am the remedy to your heart

Wonderful. Of that Ronin could certainly agree, especially as he glanced between the pendants they shared (though he wasn't looking, honestly, to see whether or not there was a size difference). On the contrary, the ex-captain was warmed to find that someone else seemed to have found favour with the goddess that had promised to help him defeat the monster that haunted the Spire's edge - clearly Safrin was as benevolent as she had seemed when he had first met her. "I wasn't aware either," he said with a gentle shake of his head, smiling briefly at the flourish the other man gave to his ale, accepting it with a grateful nod. He was about to speak of his 'mission', for lack of a better word, and the way his blue eyes lit up suggested that he did, indeed, have a similar task from the lady with the stars in her eyes, when all at once that familiar warmth settled around him. He didn't know if the bartender felt it too, and Ronin closed his eyes briefly as the goddess's presence pressed close. When he opened them once more, it was to find his chest warmed by the pendant and a gauntlet hovering nearby. Thank goodness the Rathskeller wasn't busy tonight, else it might have been quite the strange sight indeed! "Oh," he said softly, for there didn't seem to be anything else to say. Reaching out, Ronin slid his left hand into the gauntlet and flexed his fingers experimentally. "Are you seeing this too, or have I gone quite mad?" TALIESIN SO LOOK, AND CONNECT WE'RE REFUSING TO RUST HEALING HAS TO BEGIN IN THE PAST

Bastien knew the face Ronin made all too well, when he closed his eyes; he knew that feeling of intense warmth and blessing that came all around you when Safrin chose that it should. Knowing that Ronin had been blessed in this moment and not him did little to help his jealousy, but he merely patiently waited and said nothing of it. He could hardly contain his gasp and comment of 'incredibile...' at the appearance of the gauntlet, the cloud of sparkling mist bringing memories to mind that made his stomach flip. Ronin appeared to be just as surprised as he was by the gauntlet, even though he easily slipped his hand into it. Not shy, Bastien leaned forward to trace his fingers over the back of Ronin's covered hand, marvelling at the craftmanship. "No, I see it. Though we have both drunk something from this place, so there could be something in the water..." The joke was half-mumbled, distracted, a time filler so he could spend longer admiring the gauntlet. "Does it have some significance to you?" Bastien I am the remedy to your heart

Incrediwhat? Ronin may have only half understood Bastien's exclamation, but it didn't mean that he was in any less agreement with the other man. The gauntlet fit like a glove - fit better than a glove, in fact - and he had no qualms with Bastien examining it for himself. Indeed, it served to prove to Ronin that it was actually real. He'd done it. He was ready. This was... yeah, this was near enough perfect. He let out a breathless laugh at Bastien's joke, shrugging his shoulders. Even if there was something in the water, it was because Safrin had decided there would be. A determined little smile all but lit up his face at the question as to whether the gauntlet was significant, Ronin nodding to the barkeep. "Yes," he said. "This is what Safrin promised - it will help to defeat that monster which guards the Spire." He said it as though he still didn't quite believe it himself. But Safrin had honoured her promise, as he had honoured his own commitment to her. He had no reason to feel anything but confident. "Tell me of your meeting with her, if you would? You're the first person I've met to encounter her, other than myself." TALIESIN SO LOOK, AND CONNECT WE'RE REFUSING TO RUST HEALING HAS TO BEGIN IN THE PAST

"The monster? Hm." Bastien had never inquired too much about the spire, never really considered it important enough to do so; the idea of a monster was compelling and frightening all at once. He needed to know more. "Tell me of this monster, please. Is it a mighty beast? It can't be too mighty if all that is needed to defeat it is a glove." Snarky comments aside, he always loved to tell a story. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath for effect, he began the tale with his hands outstretched. "So. I went to the shrine to pray. I did not believe in the Gods of this place then; in my World God had been a distant thing. To actually see a God..." His voice took on a reverent tone. "It changed me. That such divine perfection can exist and be felt...why would anyone here strive to celebrate anything else? She spoke to me for a while, gave me the pendant..." Almost guiltily, he looked down. "I did anger her with a question as to my rewards. I did not realise at the time what a reward it simply was to witness her true existence. But it was forgiven." Bastien I am the remedy to your heart

"If this 'glove' was given me by Safrin herself, I believe it capable of defeating most things," Ronin said with a simple shrug, getting more comfortable on his bar stool and taking a sip of ale while turning his free hand over to examine the gauntlet further. He placed his mug back down and reached up to tug his shirt to the side, baring his right shoulder. It was a mass of uneven puncture scars in the shape of a maw much larger than any human's - a gift from said monster. "It was mighty enough when it sank its fangs into me and gutted a fellow soldier with its claws," he murmured, tugging his shirt back in place. "From what I have learned from the natives of this place, it guards the Spire and has done so for centuries. It doesn't eat or sleep, and its bite is venomous." Indeed, he had been visiting the Glade unable to sleep when Safrin had appeared to him the first time. He fell dutifully quiet to hear Bastien's story, a warm smile on his lips, and he lifted his ale to his lips once more. "As a first experience goes, it looks as though we were both very fortunate," he murmured. TALIESIN SO LOOK, AND CONNECT WE'RE REFUSING TO RUST HEALING HAS TO BEGIN IN THE PAST

The sight of Ronin's scar made a small knife of guilt stab into Bastien's chest at the realisation he had probably let his jealously turn into unnecessary cruelty. With a sigh he began to pour himself out a glass of something strong (he found the way to deal with negative emotions was to mask them with booze and jokes). "I apologise for my comment. It was...inappropriate." He admitted, picking up the glass to sip at it. The alcohol was bitter and made him wrinkle his nose, but it would do the job. He would have to be careful not to have too much, so he could still work. "But tell me this. Why are you trying to reach the spire? Perhaps the beast is trying to protect you from a terrible secret." Bastien I am the remedy to your heart

"You weren't to know. Consider it forgotten." Ronin smiled back to the barkeep, nodding to him and holding out his hand (the one without the gauntlet on it) for the other man to shake. "My name is Ronin, by the way. It's good to meet you. Relaxing onto his barstool, he settled down with his ale and wiggled the fingers on his gloved hand; it barely felt as though he was wearing it, but he supposed that came with having it bestowed upon him by a goddess. His fellow pendant-bearer's question was a very good one, and Ronin chewed his lip thoughtfully as he considered his answer. "Perhaps it is," he agreed. "But whatever it is doing there, it poses a danger to any who wander close to the Spire. I... my family is about to gain an addition, and I would like this world to be one less monster by the time they arrive." He shrugged. "Not only that, but... having spoken to the natives here, the Spire seems to be associated with the barrier that is keeping us inside this place. Perhaps if we can investigate it without getting torn to pieces, we can find out more..." TALIESIN SO LOOK, AND CONNECT WE'RE REFUSING TO RUST HEALING HAS TO BEGIN IN THE PAST

Glad to be forgiven, Bastien gladly took the hand and shook it. "Bastien De Rosieres." His name had begun to sound overly flowery compared to a lot of the names here. Back home it had simply been one of many french names. He made extra care to pronounce it as smoothly as he could, wanting it to sound impressive. Sipping his drink, he smiled at Ronin's news of an 'addition'. He had never wanted children much himself, but he liked to hear of new families beginning. He didn't much care about the barrier; Bastien had never been much of a traveller and there was plenty of room in the circle for him and his associates. He had considered that there might be things beyond it he did not want coming in, anyway. Usually when something so large was erected, there was a reason for it. Still, he didn't want to be arguing with Ronin over even more hypothetical things so he chose a better topic to ask about. "Why are you talking of monsters when you have a child coming? Ah, how exciting. Tell me of it. I would love to hear about some joy in this world." Bastien I am the remedy to your heart

"A pleasure, Bastien." Ronin said warmly, and he meant it too. Anyone who had felt the touch of Safrin and wore her pendant had no need for any ill feeling from the guildmaster. After all, if they were blessed by the same goddess, they were as much on the same side as they could be, right? And while Ronin was much more invested in the Spire and the creature that guarded it so closely, he could definitely see Bastien's point. His smile softened and he took another pull from his ale, shrugging sheepishly. "Well, this'll be my first. I was dropped in this place with my lady, Vanya... and she broke the news the very same night." Ronin laughed at the memory, shaking his head; as far as luck went, they certainly chose their moments well. "Settling in has been difficult, but since I got the guildhall up and running, things have felt much more... in place, I suppose? But what of you? How did you get here?" TALIESIN SO LOOK, AND CONNECT WE'RE REFUSING TO RUST HEALING HAS TO BEGIN IN THE PAST

"That is how it happens. All the news comes at once." Bastien commented. True, he'd never had to deal with two earth-shattering things like a new world and a new baby at once, but he'd had his fair share of shocking news in the past. The word 'guildhall' piqued his interest, but Ronin moved on with a question to him about his own origins here. Bastien paused before he responded: it seemed almost everyone else he'd spoken to had come through with a friend, a family member or a loved one. He was totally alone, and he wondered if that said something about him. "I came here by myself in my sleep. Sometimes I wonder if it is all just a strange dream..." He looked up to the ceiling with distant eyes as if it would tell him the answers. "But as the days go on it seems clear it is not. I used to live in a city called Venice. There I was important. Here...ah." He held out his hands with a mug and a cloth. "But it is not too awful. At least there are Goddesses, hm?" Wanting to move on from his own sad state of affairs, he motioned to Ronin with the mug. "Sounds like you are making something of yourself here, friend. What is the 'guildhall' for?" Bastien I am the remedy to your heart