Killian's alert attention was noted, and Jigano's impression of the sun-touched young man improved a notch. At the astute question he nodded. "I think Maea recognizes that if she tries to apply too much force, too fast, that both naturals and outlanders alike would rise up against it," he pointed out, a the wry amusement still coloring his voice and making his smile a little crooked. "The naturals aren't used to being ruled or led by anyone, and the outlanders... well, a large number came through from Northhaven early on, but since then we've all come from different places. Some people were leaders in their own rights on their worlds, others rogues, or outcasts... or just used to different systems of control." He shrugged lightly. "And while some are perfectly willing to fall back in with something familiar, some of us are... not."
He stood back a bit to let Killian examine the map, and chuckled again at the eager question. "It's a magical place," he began. "Literally. If you don't know the hidden paths - or if you can't find someone who can show you - the woods will spit you back out where you started after you go a couple hundred feet into them. I'm not sure if it's a trick of teleportation or displacement or just a wrinkle in reality, but actually getting into the woods themselves without wings is an exercise in frustration." Even with wings space seemed to fold differently around the flier, playing tricks with distance and perception when heading for a visible landmark.
He stood back a bit to let Killian examine the map, and chuckled again at the eager question. "It's a magical place," he began. "Literally. If you don't know the hidden paths - or if you can't find someone who can show you - the woods will spit you back out where you started after you go a couple hundred feet into them. I'm not sure if it's a trick of teleportation or displacement or just a wrinkle in reality, but actually getting into the woods themselves without wings is an exercise in frustration." Even with wings space seemed to fold differently around the flier, playing tricks with distance and perception when heading for a visible landmark.
