Homoventures Chapter 4, Part 22
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Summary
Xan and Justen visit with Karala before they leave, and tell her of their plans to get married.
Session
- Session date:
- Diablotin date: Spring 2275
* Karala takes a little while before you leave to quietly stand before the horse statues in/outside the tomb, either praying or contemplating them for a few moments
* Xandhil isn't inclined to rush her
* Justen is patient too - it's not like the trip will take long
* Karala finally turns to you
<Karala> I'm ready to go now.
<Xandhil> okay
* Justen offers his hands for teleporting
* Xandhil will take one ^-^
* Karala takes the other
* Xandhil doesn't technically need to but hey
* Justen takes you back to just outside Karala's house
<Xandhil> Sorry we kept you away so long after dragging you off in a hurry
<Karala> It's all right. The animals look like they managed on their own fairly well.
<Karala> I'm only sorry I couldn't do more.
* Karala evidently refers to those who died
<Xandhil> :|
<Xandhil> thank you though
<Xandhil> it would have been much worse without you
<Justen> Is there anything we could do to repay you? Any chores around here that would help to have someone else to do?
<Karala> No, nothing really... I manage by myself most of the time anyway.
<Karala> Would you like to come in and have a cup of tea before you go? sitting in proper chairs and so on?
<Xandhil> ooh, tea and chairs....
<Justen> That sounds great
<Xandhil> thanks - that's hard to turn down :)
* Karala smiles as she heads inside then
* Karala goes to get the fire built back up
<Justen> Actually I could help with that...
* Justen offers a bit shyly
<Karala> All right
* Karala steps aside to let him, with a slightly knowing/curious look
* Justen gets the fire blazing in no time
<Karala> So.
<Karala> Do you want to explain how you can do that?
* Xandhil is curious if he does, in fact, and why
<Justen> ... was everyone else just too polite to ask?
<Karala> Professor Sleyght decided it was none of his business.
* Xandhil nods
* Justen kind of shrugs
<Xandhil> Anxikaril had other things to think about, too
<Justen> It's a family ... talent?
<Justen> My sister can do it too.
<Justen> ... I guess you probably have an idea what I'm talking about
<Karala> A little bit of one.
<Karala> Was that ... visit... your first with him?
<Justen> Yes.
<Karala> And how do you feel about it?
<Justen> Better than I expected, I guess.
* Xandhil nods, because we have at least talked about that
<Justen> It was good to know that... calling him wasn't a terrible idea, and that he wasn't really what I expected in some ways
* Karala nods, putting the water on to boil
<Xandhil> calling *on
* him anyway...
<Justen> yeah
<Xandhil> :YOu know if you had really wanted to show off you could have skipped the fire ste amd just heated our water ^-^
<Justen> I can't just talk to him directly whenever I want
<Justen> :I didn't think of it...
* Karala nods
<Karala> Yes, I imagine if you could that would be a ... temptation.
<Xandhil> I don't know
<Justen> yeah... I'm not sure, really.
<Justen> I don't expect him to solve all my problems for me. or any of them, really.
<Xandhil> it's pretty...intimidating? to think of
<Xandhil> no
<Xandhil> maybe other people's problems, sometimes >.>
<Justen> I just wanted him to help them. because... I don't think anyone else could have.
* Karala nods
<Xandhil> yes
<Xandhil> honestly.... I think it had been on his mind since you told us about your.... prophecy
<Xandhil> and then with the inscription
* Karala nods
<Karala> I must say, that didn't turn out the way I expected.
<Xandhil> no? :)
<Karala> well, I'm not sure what I expected precisely, but it wasn't that.
<Xandhil> how could you not have expected that!
* Xandhil says dryly/teasingly
* Karala chuckles
<Karala> Was it what you expected?
<Xandhil> For me?
* Karala nods
<Xandhil> well - my family is a lot more... diverse, I guess
<Xandhil> I didn't really have specific expecatations
* Karala nods
<Karala> Was it worth it? This trip I mean.
<Justen> For me? yes.
<Justen> definitely.
<Xandhil> absolutelyt
<Xandhil> was it for you?
<Karala> Yes. Very much so.
<Karala> Even if I wish I could have done more to help people, seeing that place was worth all the trouble.
<Karala> I'm curious, though... what do you think people will say about it? About Horse.
<Xandhil> well, I know what I would say. I don't know what people will accept
<Karala> What would you say?
<Karala> You'll be one of the people explaining it to them, after all.
<Xandhil> heh, I suppose so...
<Xandhil> I would say that the people who settled in this region represent a separate group of survivors from Am - another set of tribes, following a different set of tribal totems
* Karala nods, listening
<Xandhil> i still don't know enough about the war in heaven to really now - but I'm not sure they ever had the same kind of power as the seven - maybe the totems themselves were at odds, or they just weren't as well supported since thier people dind't have diect acess to the arch, or something.
<Xandhil> orelius was able to make sure Horse was dominant in the region though
<Karala> yes...
<Xandhil> I haven't read up enough about the contact period to know what happened with the missionaries from the way of the wheel when they came here, and why they were so successful
<Karala> I don't know either. Maybe the priests of Horse were already losing, or lost, their power...
* Xandhil nods
<Xandhil> if they ever even had the same kind of power to begin with
<Xandhil> the original tribal totems didn't
<Xandhil> House Rat didn't - but that's a different case... probably
<Xandhil> well, it defiitely is
<Xandhil> but it is possible that Horse's power was undermined in some greater way too, i suppose?
* Karala nods
<Xandhil> that's really just speculation
<Xandhil> like, completely
<Xandhil> but we don't really know how the gods 'work'
<Karala> no, we don't.
<Xandhil> to what extent they need us for anything
<Xandhil> or we need them....
<Karala> I don't know if the power I have comes from Horse, or from myself, or somewhere else.
* Xandhil nods
<Xandhil> it is definitely not like anything I've seen before
<Justen> Probably your father would want to study it ;)
<Xandhil> yes, probably :)
<Karala> heh
<Xandhil> he studies magicl systems
<Xandhil> He's the one who first demonstrated the existence of different arcane bloodlines
<Karala> ahh
<Xandhil> so - yes, he would be very interested
<Karala> well, I don't think I feel like a trip to the city to be studied, but if he wanted to come here, I wouldn't object.
<Xandhil> The sty;e of magic he taught me is really differnet from most sorcery
<Xandhil> I'll let him know :)
<Justen> With that, plus the food, maybe it'll be time for your parents to have a vacation ;)
<Xandhil> maybe
* Xandhil smiles
<Xandhil> prising him away from his study is a difficult prospect thought :p
* Justen nods, chuckling
* Retrieving #gnomeland modes...
<Xandhil> anyway
<Xandhil> I'll let him know you offered, if you're serious
<Karala> I am.
* Xandhil nods
<Xandhil> thank you
* Karala pours some tea, now that the water's boiled
<Karala> What will you two do, once you're finished your work at the tomb?
<Xandhil> well, Justen has to go back to school
<Justen> Yes... I'm almost finished.
<Xandhil> I actually have a buisness as a freelance researcher
<Karala> doing other things like this?
<Xandhil> that's the idea!
<Xandhil> This is definitely one of the more exciting ones
<Xandhil> usually it is more book research
<Xandhil> I like that too
<Xandhil> but it is a different kind of thrill to track down a couple of passages in a book no one else has looked at in thirty years
* Karala nods
<Xandhil> some people think its dull
* Xandhil says, eying Justen
* Justen smiles
<Justen> It's not my cup of tea.
* Justen says, sipping from his cup of tea
<Xandhil> that's okay
<Xandhil> you like people more than me - I'm sure it balances out
* Justen nods
<Justen> :do you wanna tell her? about the ... getting married thing?
<Xandhil> :Do you?
<Xandhil> :Do you think she'll be offended that we want someone else to do it?
<Justen> :I dunno... I'm okay with her knowing.
<Justen> :I think it would make her happy to know?
<Xandhil> :okay then
<Justen> Uh... there was one other thing we decided we'd do once we go home.
<Karala> oh?
* Karala glances from one of you to the other
<Xandhil> we decided we do want to get married
<Karala> oh! :D
<Karala> that's wonderful news, I'm so pleased for you both
<Xandhil> (did we get rings?)
<Karala> (let's say yes, since I think you said Xan didn't want something really fancy)
<Xandhil> thanks :)
<Karala> Will you be able to find someone there who can do a ceremony for you?
<Xandhil> We have a friend back home we are pretty sure will, yes
<Xandhil> he kind of owes us ;p
<Xandhil> but I think he would anyway
<Karala> All right, good then
<Karala> I hope you will continue to always be very happy together.
<Justen> Thank you
* Xandhil nods
<Karala> There's a little something I'd like to give the two of you, as a wedding present
<Justen> oh?
* Xandhil raises an eyebrow
<Xandhil> you dont' have to give us anything...
<Karala> But I would like to
<Xandhil> well - thank you then!
<Karala> Something I used in the days when I travelled more, before I settled down here.
* Karala goes to a wooden chest and opens it up, digging around in it until she draws out a large, folded piece of silk
* Xandhil watches, curious
* Karala brings it back over to the two of you
<Karala> It's of great help when you're sleeping outdoors
<Xandhil> what is it?
* Xandhil asks curiously
<Karala> Well, you can use it as a tent, or as a blanket to sit on... or sleep wrapped in, if you prefer
<Karala> It keeps off rain and snow
* Xandhil will DM >.>
<DiablotinNarrator> faint evocation
<DiablotinNarrator> (brb sec)
<DiablotinNarrator> (back)
<Xandhil> ('kk)
<Xandhil> so you just - use it as is? the properties are in the material itself?
<Karala> yes - it will work on its own, you don't have to do anything specific
<Xandhil> neat!
* Karala dips a corner in the tea to demonstrate
<Xandhil> and thank you.
* Karala holds it out to you to see that it's dry
<Karala> you're welcome
<Karala> I trust you'll get plenty of use out of it
<Justen> thank you - it's great
<Xandhil> I'm sure we will - I hope we won't get in trouble if we wind up using it before the ceremony, since we are supposed to be camping for the next...month or so
<Karala> oh, no, I'd like you to use it :)
* Karala offers each of you a hug
* Justen hugs back warmly
* Xandhil gladly accepts a hug ^-^
* Justen can't really do it any other way, to be fair >.>
