Tadchaen-a-Tad

[inafadingcrown]

[ooc: Forward dated to tomorrow morning/afternoon]

[The Five: The Knight, The Dragon, The Bard, The Wizard, and the Princess] [I.E. the people mentioned here]

My Lords. My Lady. [Nevermind the unlikelihood of a wizard, a bard, or a dragon being a lord. Better overshoot the titles than undershoot them.]

Your titles were discovered in a book, itself found under strange circumstances, that told of the history of the castles of Cair Paradisa, Libet, and the surrounding areas. If it would not trouble you overmuch, I would have word with you on the subject.

[Action for the library]

[She really should have given up on finding anything useful in this library by now. But, as they say, hope springs eternal.

So once again, you may find Galadriel searching through the stacks. Books on Paradisa or the the Five mentioned above would be lovely, but she’s aware that she’s unlikely to find them. No, most of the books in her pile are… not the sort that you would expect the Lady of Light to be reading. Dark Magic. Specifically, the type of magic fueled by human souls and emotions. If your world has such magic, you may well notice a familiar text among the titles.

Know thy enemy and so forth.

Still, this sort of thing isn’t pleasant and she’s not altogether certain that she wants others reading her thoughts on the subject, so she’s fallen back into the old habit of taking notes in Quenya using the Tengwar script.

Of course, every so often she stops and sets the books aside. The subject matter is disturbing and she finds that she can’t delve too deeply for too long. Approach? Question her about her motives? Ask about the strange writing? All of the above?]

Comments

[wilder]

[He listens, his arms slowly moving to cross as he does so. When she finishes, there's a pause, an eyebrow raise and a scoff noise]

No offense, my lady, but you seriously gotta be the strangest elf I've ever met.

[Though from his tone, that's not a bad thing]

[inafadingcrown]

[And that gets an outright laugh. Oops, were they in a library?]

"Most powerful," I have heard often. And "fairest" is not uncommon. Some have even flattered me with "wisest." But I must say, this is the first I have been called the strangest! May I ask your reasons?

[wilder]

[he snorts at all those as he moves to sit]

Oh I'm sure to many you are those too! But Martel surely has told you how the elves in Heimdall act.

[inafadingcrown]

[Fortunately, she doesn't take the titles completely seriously. In fact, two out of the three, she'd give to other people, but that's beside the point.

She frowns a little at the mention of Heimdall.]

She has. If that is your only basis for comparison, it is little wonder you think me strange.

[wilder]

I've met a couple other elves here. Dunno how they treat half-elves, but their attitudes towards me are the same. [he shrugs a little] For a people who have such a long time to live, so far you're the only one who seems to takes time to look at things.

[inafadingcrown]

[Oh, Zelos. She's actually sincerely touched by that. It's quite possibly one of the best things you could say to her. She leans over and quickly kisses the side of his cheek.]

I prefer such simple and earnest praise to all the poetics I have been offered. Thank you.

But I would my race did not suffer so in comparison. Mayhaps someday you will meet some of my kin- I am far from alone in my attitudes.

[wilder]

[he blinks in surprise. He had only been stating what his opinion was, blunt as ever. Did not really expect to get that sort of reaction]

Uh...of course, my lady.

And hey, that'd be nice. We could always use some more less crossed elves around.

[inafadingcrown]

[Zelos. Really. You said that to the woman who prides herself on seeing things others don't and didn't expect a reaction.]

They have been here, you know. Before your time, I think.

[wilder]

Heh, that makes sense. I've only been here...ten months. [Damn that long already?] That's nothing compared to many.

[inafadingcrown]

You missed Lord Elrond only by a few months, then.

[Pause] It is strange to think it has been so long since I have seen one of my world.

[wilder]

You're here alone?

[inafadingcrown]

Did you not know? I have been for quite some time.

[wilder]

Nope, I didn't know. With so many from my world here, I kinda forget sometimes that's not the case for everyone.

[inafadingcrown]

This place is far more fond of some worlds than others.

[wilder]

Guess so.

But I'll take that as meaning as my world's a real interesting place!

[inafadingcrown]

I am certain it is. [It's also hella depressing. But she'll keep that to herself.]

[wilder]

[Oh he knows it is. He really really knows] Of course!

[Though now his eyes will go back to the books, now that he's at a lower level he can see the titles more. ]

So how useful have these books been?

[inafadingcrown]

Not terribly so. Of course, I know better than to expect to find a simple answer spelled out in a single book. At the moment, I look to find possibilities and ideas, nothing more.

[wilder]

[he nods and he's thoughtful for a pause. Weighing risks]

Anyone ever tell you about Exspheres or Cruxis Crystals?

[inafadingcrown]

[Another little frown and a furrowing of her brow.] Martel has told me of them, but I know nothing of their workings.

[wilder]

She might not know either and I don't know how much text is written on their true makings.

They were crafted first by the dwarves during the ancient war - Martel's time. After that the Desians, a subgroup of half-elves under Cruxis, made ranches so they could manufacture more Exspheres.

Human ranches. You see to make one, an incomplete Exsphere is attached to a person and it feeds off their life energy. When they die, the Exsphere is complete and the soul of the person is stuck in the Exsphere until the thing is destroyed or it gets devoured by the crystal.

[inafadingcrown]

[She grows quiet for a moment, both thoughtful and solemn.]

And their intended purpose? [She has some ideas from what Martel's told her. But she'd rather have this spelled out plainly.]

[wilder]

Power, of course. Exspheres can enhance a person's natural ability if it's equipped properly or power machinery. People in the declining world don't have a chance against the Desians unless they get their hands on Exspheres themselves.

[And sadly there's more. But he mostly wants to set the foundation of why this is horrific first before getting to his point. ]

[inafadingcrown]

[Of course, it's horrific. The very principle of the thing is horrific. Consider the foundation set.]

I see...

[wilder]

Cruxis Crystals are evolved forms of Exspheres. They grant their users even more power. But unlike an Exsphere, you can't equip a completed one and use it right away. If someone want to use it, there's long process that synchronizes them with their crystal and alters their bodies. That's trigger by negative emotions since those are stronger than positive ones: fear, suffering....

Even once the process, or transformation, is done- the crystal will still react on the person's emotions....if they still have any.

If anything...I'd imagine the castle works much like a Cruxis Crystal or Exsphere, but on a larger scale. But you won't find any books on those.