Author: Nerine, Posted: Thu Feb 8, 2018 10:51 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

With a nod, Nerine got up and prepared for resuming her search. They had already spent most of the day climbing up here, so there was no time to waste. Delaying would only mean she would have to spend more time. It was hard enough searching for something this elusive, and she had no guarantees that they would be present. From a safe distance, the scholar edged along looking for any sign of the pink blossoms. She set her sight on the canyon and the sky, taking turns between both locations. If the rock walls were daunting, searching the canyon's top was no easier. Every now and then, she'd see a spot of green and her hopes would flutter–only to realize it wasn't the right plant. There were plenty of hardy weeds and little stubby plants, none of which knew of the Eyota blossoms when she asked them. Their root systems were wide but shallow, and they were too far apart from each other. A few of them were sleeping, and she left the night-blooming wildflowers alone. Neither would be able to see if there were other plants around this way.

"…I see. Thank you anyway." The Rosenite said before moving away from a small cactus peeking out from a crack in the earth. It was no good; these plants mostly had a lifespan of a few months in which they would produce seeds, then wither. Other species of flora which were more long-lived were typically so isolated that they hardly knew the passage of time. It was the same problem which she had run into earlier, before meeting Qadim. Discouraged, she took a seat and collected her thoughts again. At this rate, she could be here for weeks–or even months. Perhaps being able to converse with animals would expedite the process, but even so it didn't guarantee results. Many other possibilities were crossed off as certain issues regarding the flower in question were brought up. Throwing back her head, she sighed and stared up at the dimming sky. It was then she saw something bobbing in the air. Squinting, she thought it was just some bird caught in the currents up above. But when she looked longer, it seemed like it was large enough to be a foot or so if it were at ground level. Rubbing her eyes, she was desperately hoping that she wasn't just seeing things again.

She'd end up looking foolish, but it was worth a try. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she shouted at the floating object hoping that her words would reach it–if it were a plant. "Hello?! Can you hear me up there?!" Nerine then listened on bated breath, waiting for its response. If it replied back, then at least it was some kind of plant. If there was no answer, then it probably was a bird at best…

Author: Qadim, Posted: Tue Feb 6, 2018 2:03 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

"You can shut it with that sympathy talk," Qadim was easy to bark back, voice clearly being irritated at hearing her feel sorry for his heritage. "I was born this way, and unless you have power over the blood I was given like Lady Angela could possibly, there was nothing you could even do to stop it. I can never blame my family for what they did, or else I would be doing so in a way that insults myself on simply existing." Looking her straight in the eyes, he told her, "There are two kinds of people in the world: Those that complain at the hand the world deals with them and takes advantage of it, or those that complain. I took my hand and played my cards to get me to where I am now, and no regret has been placed with my moves. Time will move on no matter how much I bicker about wanting to be more one or the other."

While Qadim did hear her mutter a bit, he simply took it as talking to herself. WHen she finished up, Qadim spoke up, "We still have a few hours of sunlight. We should get hiking to see what can be found," pointing along the edge of the canyon. "The notes state they grow around the ledges of the canyon, so its best to start there. We will be following it a couple meters from the edge, just to make sure that if we trip, we don't plummet down or have to worry about any loose edges beneath our feet."

Author: Nerine, Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 4:30 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

"Oh…I see." Maybe it wasn't such a good idea asking the question after all. She'd been in Iria for too long, and had forgotten how things were in Canelux. In Iria people could believe that they wanted, and there weren't so many social norms. It wasn't uncommon to find people of mixed heritage, or even with more than two different bloodlines. Try as she might, the most she could do was empathize. She was born a Rosenite, and her ancestors had been Rosenites as well. Somewhere down the line perhaps one might have been turned by the people of Arri in centuries past, but she had never thought to search that far back. Despite travelling the world, she saw her worldview was still limited. She was still young and green, like a sprout. There must be much more that she still did not know. Though her own ancestry meant she had more time in the world than most, wisdom and age were not equivalent.

"I apologize, I didn't meant to bring up unpleasant memories for you. I've always found it amazing how people would choose something and say: 'This is my life's work'. That sort of determination is something I've always wondered about ever since I began my studies." Wrapping her arms around herself, she took in the cool air and sighed. "That kind of firm belief must be nice, I suppose. Before I thought I knew what I wanted, but now all I have left is my work. It's been the thing that's kept me going." It was true. She came here to get her mind off of things. Even that climb up the canyon was simple compared to what she had been trying hard not to think about. Although it didn't hurt so much anymore, she felt like a part of her life was missing when she was in Arri. Nerine had spent so many years thinking of him, waiting to see him, thinking of where they would go and their future together. But now, it was just…gone. She still had friends and family, but there was a void that used to hold something precious, something that once gave her life meaning.

Perhaps it had been too sudden. It had been less than a few months and she was out of that pit of despair and grief. Had someone not come by and helped her leave the past behind, she would be sleeping in the catacombs for eternity…waiting for someone who would never come. The initial excitement of completing the climb waned, and her expression was melancholy. Everything she had done after that day, even her search in Eyota Etu, was just a big distraction. How long would it be until that memory would fade away? Slowly standing up to dust off her clothes, she took a drink from her canteen again. "Maybe that's why she told me to go out and see the world, to do things that I've never done before. To meet new people, to learn new things. I don't know if I'll ever find that same fire that burned within me back when I was in Iria. But if I do–I would hope that it will come soon."

Author: Qadim, Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2018 1:14 AM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

A smirk escaped Qadim as he watched the scholar admire the view before her. It was something no textbook could really demonstrate, no picture could really hold its majesty. There was not a land he found where someone's artful rendition could capture its beauty. Even the simple detail of the blowing winds causing the particles in the air to move could never be truly captured like this.

Of course, though, once there was no threat of falling, Narine's gears began to turn in her head as she sought out questions, the first one hitting him a bit. "By bloodline is not exactly an easy one to live with," he commented. "I am sure you often hear stories and ideas behind what one half of me thinks of the other. Offspring between them are rare because of it. Then again, it does have its benefits. The might of the orcs allow to to tackle challenges before me while the wisdom of the elves allow me to plan my movements carefully. Add in isolation from both sides, and you gain the comforts of the land. Being a guide like this allows me to use all of that, I suppose."

This time, though, Qadim did not really push for a time to get moving. After all, the hard part there was out of the way. Back was still another story, but for now, they were on level footing, seeking out their prize. He was in no real rush to seek out such a rare plant. He left their next move up to her.

Author: Nerine, Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 5:27 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

"Halfway there…" The scholar muttered to herself as they resumed their climb up the wall. No matter how slow the minutes passed or how long it felt, she kept repeating those words in her mind. She was almost there; she was almost at the top. His advice to avoid looking down was taken, and the thought of each move upward meant less ground between her and her goal gave her renewed vigor. Her heart was pounding as she scaled the wall, both from anticipation and excitement. What would she find up there? Would she finally see the elusive Eyota blossom? Finally, she felt her hand touch the top of something larger than a ledge. Tired with clothes mildly damp with half-dried perspiration, a strong hand took hold of her and hoisted her up and onto the canyon. Qadim's voice boomed loudly in her ears as he announced: "Well then, take a good look… this is the top of the canyon!"

With feet back on solid ground, Nerine turned around and looked out towards the near endless horizon stretching before her. The painted cliffs of Eyota Etu were as beautiful as a sunset on a clear Ignius day right before dusk. Catching her breath, she wiped her forehead and broke into a smile. "It's beautiful… I never thought I'd see a sight like this in all my life." She couldn't believe she had really climbed up all the way, with Qadim's help and guidance of course. Plopping down onto a rock a safe distance from the edge, she admired the view. "I can't believe I'm really here!" This was an experience she would never forget. Now safe at last, Nerine began thinking about things she had wanted to ask the elf orc. She thought for a while, and came with something she had considered asking him ever since they were formally introduced.

"Qadim, this might sound like a silly question–but why did you choose the path you took?" Leaning on her elbows, she looked up at him. "Why did you choose to become a guide?" She had heard of many who made their living from the wilds, as hunters or seekers of things to sell. There were others who called it home, and communed with nature like the druids. The scholar was curious as to why he was a part of the Protection and Preservation guild, and what led him to choose this way of life. By no means was it easy yet he was satisfied with his work. What was his driving passion? The winds were warmer up here, where the sun could finally shine down on them without being obscured. That warmth helped soothe her sore arms after that last stretch of the climb. While they made their ascent, she worried what would happen if her hands or arms were to suddenly cramp up. Thankfully, that had never happened.

Author: Qadim, Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2018 2:44 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

Qadim was not completely shocked to hear the question at hand. After all, considering the climb, she would still be on edge to even think of asking anything personal. "More than half way," he assured her. "If we count the time for this break and climb at the same pace as when we started, it would about the amount of time we took here to reach the top. Just don't work yourself too hard, and the end should be no worry." She nodded at his answer, but asked no more questions from there, probably meditating to keep herself from freaking out. Qadim, however, pulled out a strip of jerky to chew upon as he looked at the land from where they sat. Even for being so high, the view of nature in its finest was a sight to eyes. He could even see the other half of the  city inter-meshed with the other wall of the canyon, though too far to really see moving life.

The pair enjoyed a peaceful moment of relaxation as they regained their stamina, though the sound of a crack echoing around them was enough for Qadim to stand up. "Seems like this platform will only last a couple more minutes. Break time's over." Hand against the wall once more, he forced out more stone grips on the side riding all the way to the top. "Best not look down when the canyon echoes with this stone's final moment," was an easy warning he gave her before pulling himself on the wall, pushing himself further up, looking down to make sure she was hanging on alright before ascending once more.

Through pushing towards the end, Qadim was the first to pull himself up on the top of the canyon, though quick to turn about and offer an arm to Nerine, pulling her up once she arrived as well. "Well then, take a good look… this is the top of the canyon!"

Author: Nerine, Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:23 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

One hand in front of the other, inching a little higher each time–this was how she kept herself from thinking too much about her situation. The sun was hot, and though she was used to heat from living in Sularia it was something else when coupled with strenuous activity. Qadim's voice was sudden, but she welcomed the chance to stop and rest. Looking up with weary and thankful eyes, she saw him give her a smirk. "What do you mean about not losing my grip?" Confusion gave way to alarm when the wall began to shake. Any tiredness she had was flushed out as she panicked and clamped her hands onto whatever handholds she was hanging from for dear life. Pressing herself against the stone like flatfish lying on the bottom of the seabed, Nerine was wide-eyed as new stone walls emerged from the cliff face.

The elf orc then dropped down onto the newly constructed platform and tersely told her how much time before they resumed their climb. "Fifteen minutes." Noiselessly letting out her breath, she nodded. Cautiously coming down to the stone overhang, she sat down with her back against the wall. Closing her eyes, she wiped her forehead and face with her sleeves. She was perspiring under the collar of her clothes, and she fanned herself to let it air out until she had to go back to climbing. Qadim was clearly used to this, as he took a drink from his canteen while looking far less tired than she was. "If you got questions, feel free to ask." He said. Pulling out her own canteen before resting her hands on it, her first question was: "How much further do we need to climb?" She had been so focused on not slipping and falling off to know how far they were up the canyon. She also didn't want to look down, as the very thought would make her weak at the knees.

Author: Qadim, Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2018 4:04 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

Qadim was already a few feet up when Nerine went and rested on the floor level, having him look down to check her condition. He sighed a bit, a part to her stamina and a part to his own patience. From what he could tell, she was a bit of a city girl, not exactly adapted to much action-oriented travel like he was. Then again, such folk would often send someone else to seek out such a treasure if they knew they were not fit for the trip. He gave her respect for tackling it head on, hoping that it would not cost her too much in the end. After all, such experience would be great to have on her shoulders.

The climb was long, but steady. The sun glared down on them, beating down as they pushed forward ever much more to an end. However, every few feet, Qadim would look back down on her. Sure, she struggled, but she was driven and pushed ehr way through. However, around the upper part of the halfway mark, Qadim paused, allowing Nerine to catch back up. Then again, the around of grip spots were lightening up, meaning he had to set them up soon. "We break again," he told her, ot worried about the fact that they were hanging on a wall with no cave to dive into. However, he smirked and told her, "Best not lose your grip," before resonating with the stone wall, causing it to shake lightly as three stone walls forged themselves beneath them, one on top of the other before dropping down on it, showing it was able to hold its weight with no issue. "Fifteen minutes," he warned her, though, letting her know how long they had to relax.

Pulling off the canteen from his belt, Qadim took a bit of a chug down, gasping in a relaxed freshness from the drink. "If you got questions, feel free to ask."

Author: Nerine, Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:40 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

"Ouch!" Rubbing her forehead, she winced as he gave her a mild scolding on her actions. Her face flushed as she realized she was getting ahead of herself. He had a good point; rushing wouldn't make things go faster unfortunately. She was still too eager to see the ending. The trek upward wasn't very eventful, but she was already thankful she'd gotten rid of some extraneous things already. Finally, they arrived at an empty platform and Nerine felt like she was going to wilt. "I think…maybe…rest right now would be good." She panted, leaning against the rock wall. She felt like her entire being was like a limp pancake folding over from a poorly timed flip from a shake of the pan. If this was just the beginning, it would be a very long time before they made it. The next minutes were her catching her breath and using the cliff wall as a support.

When she was feeling less tired, she took a drink from her canteen. The water was wonderful, probably the best thing she had since noon. Or was she just feeling worn out again? Slapping herself lightly on the face, she got up once the tiredness was gone and looked up at the climbable wall Qadim had made. He was already rather far up, and after wiping her hands dry from sweat she started her ascent upward. Nerine was no athlete. Her movements were slower than his, as she needed to be absolutely sure she'd hold if she moved to a new spot. The climb was tedious, with her feeling like she was making little progress. Time passed by so slowly as she inched up the canyon. Once or twice she saw lizards skitter by and frowned. They certainly were lucky, being the size that they were. 

Author: Qadim, Posted: Tue Jan 16, 2018 8:20 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

Qadim was a patient man and was expecting her to save her energy getting back to him. Instead, she is panting as she ran her way back to where she rested herself and found herself panting for breath from the large run. After all, Etoya was pretty large, considering it was built on around four floors of building on the face of a cliff. Sighing, Qadim took off the canteen from his belt to offer her a swig before they had gotten even started. However, before it could be traded hands, he caught the daze of fancy stuck in her eyes. She was being like the others: imaging the end result and triumph before they even started. This caused the elf orc to smack two fingers upon her forehead. "Think about the now. Worry about the later when it comes. Also, conservation of energy is important. The more we break to rest, the longer the trip. However, the more tired we are, the more dangerous, all things considered." Without much else to add, Qadim took the canteen back after her drink before resting it back on his belt and continuing forth.

There was still more walk through the upmost part of the city, the streets slowly getting busier and the sun climbed ever higher. It was not long until the found themselves at one more flight, this one leading to a base platform, probably hinting at more construction to be done. After all, it was more room to build upon. Resting his hand on the rock wall, an energy pulsed through, ruggeding up what was once semi-smooth to offer plenty of areas to grip. "It will be a bit of a climb. Make sure you don't have any hanging weight and call if you need to rest," he told her, all while ensuring the quiver was sturdy on his belt and the satchel close by. Taking a quick swig, Qadim took hold of the wall and began to pull himself up.

Author: Nerine, Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 8:25 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

When he told her she had packed too much, she was actually relieved. Here she was thinking she'd have to run back to the market and purchase some more items, and she was glad to have overprepared. Still very jumpy with nervousness, his sudden comment for her to tuck in her clothes made her flinch before she did as she was told. He explained that packing only the bare necessities was ideal for traveling in the wilderness. Carrying too much was just as a poor decision as not carrying important items. Also she hadn't thought of dried goods, having worried about food and water. Nerine was grateful Qadim was here to teach a city girl like her some common sense on living in the outdoors. Nodding, she put away the things that were deemed unnecessary by the guide and returned with a much more manageable load for the climb ahead.

More than half an hour later, she was seen scurrying back to the top of the stairs where they had met earlier. Her short blond hair was tousled as she climbed upward, and the light breeze blew locks out of place. At least she didn't have to worry about having her hair in her face anymore, even though she missed it. In hindsight, chopping it short might have been a good idea after all for a decision made on impulse. "Alright, I'm ready to head out." Bright-eyed with face flushed from the run back, Nerine was already days ahead in her mind when it came to expecting what the journey would bring. It was her first real trip removed from the comforts of the city, and perhaps her expectations were too naive. She was unaware of the potential setbacks she'd be going through for her search, though time would tell if her mettle would hold out long enough to the end. She'd soon find out that even the simplest of treks were more than just what people wrote on paper.

Author: Qadim, Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 1:56 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

Nerine was not the only one prepping for the climb in the morning. After all, he had to make assumptions that Nerine would forget something or prepare the wrong items. After all, her field was behind books, not on the face of rock walls. Thus, the elf orc made his way through the shops as well, picking up extra that would help them all the while ensuring they were not getting overburdened. Night was quick to come before he headed to his room before organizing his bag to make sure it was properly suited for what was to come before resting for the night.

Morning came early for Qadim, as Relut told him with the sun meeting his eyes quite fast. The dawn air was still as he made sure he was ready for what was to come. Satchel thrown over one shoulder, his bow over the other, and quiver of arrows resting upon the back end of the belt. Boots were secured tightly and ensured before he headed out, bare chested still, into the world to meet up with Nerine. Luckily, she did meet some of his expectations. While thin, she did wear more common clothes that did not hang around everywhere, making it easy to miss a foot hold or getting caught on a rock.

When she checked in with him, Qadim's first comment was, "Tuck in your shirt," before going through her bag. Well, his worry was wrong in her under preparing. In fact, she over prepared. Qadim was quick to pull out the pots, pans, and large food items she had packed up for the possible days ahead, leaving a small fraction of it and, at best, a single pan. "You do not want to be over encumbered for a long hike," he told her, replacing most of what he had with a small pouch, filled with dried jerky, and a canteen of water. "The weight is quick to drain stamina if you are not used to it, and tiring on the rock wall can be fatal. Since we should not be out for longer than a week, we do not need to prepare so heavily.

"Now then, return these back to your room and meet me at the city's top level. From there, your little quest will begin." And with that, Qadim started without her, heading down the waking streets of the city, waiting for her at the end of the stairs to the top.

Author: Nerine, Posted: Tue Jan 9, 2018 2:27 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

Nerine stared back wide-eyed when he stated the step-by-step processes they would have to go through just to reach the top of the canyon. After moments of stunned silence to digest what it all meant on paper, she shakily replied. "I see this will probably take more than a few hours…" Not that she had an interest in garnering fame or fortune, but climbing up and down would leave her still up there long after sundown. When he continued on to suggest that she take the rest of her time today to properly prepare for tomorrow, she agreed. "You're right. With how I fared earlier today, I really don't have an excuse to think I'd make it up there in time now do I? So after preparations are settled, could we meet here again in the morning?" She asked him.

When she was on her own again, she began going through the market purchasing whatever would be useful for the trip. The desert was a place of extremes, so the basics such as a tent, blanket, utensils and pots for cooking, food, and a tinderbox were the first to be bought. She looked for a few other miscellaneous items that might come in handy, and she kept reviewing her list to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything. Before the market closed for the night, Nerine was hoping she was ready. There was no guarantee that she and Qadim would find anything tomorrow, but at least they would be ready. Truth to be told, she was more worried about how much progress she would be able to make in the climb. 

The next morning came, and when dawn finally broke Nerine was already wide awake. She wasn't able to sleep, and had been tossing and turning in the night. With her things packed, she went to meet up with Qadim again, hoping she had covered the necessities. She would be disappointed if she had to spend another day getting more supplies. "Maybe I should've asked if she wanted to come with me." The scholar said to herself, thinking about Antikythera. The Steward–as she preferred to be called, probably was better at living in the great outdoors and scaling rough terrain better than she was. Though they would still have to spend time to find and figure out the information Qadim had shared with her through that botany book. Where one area was covered, there was another which came up that required something either didn't have. In the end, they would be at the same place without saving any more time.

When she saw him, she waved and called out. Setting her things down, she asked him. "I took some time to purchase some things. Do you think this will be enough if we choose to start our ascent today?"

Author: Qadim, Posted: Tue Jan 9, 2018 1:34 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

"Today, huh?" Qadim parroted, looking over her and the bag she had on her before a smirk came up onto his face, revealing a small tusk within his teeth. "So, then, I guess you are ready to make a three floor hike and climb to reach the top of this city, along with another three to reach the actual top of the canyon. Then from there, we tread on for who knows how many miles until we find the plant in question, whether it be a bud floating in the air or a plant connected to the rock that grows them.  Then, of course, you need to do the same trek back down with the goods in hand before you can get your transport back home to call it a successful adventure."

It was around then that one of the servers came by, setting a mug next to Qadim, who distracted himself by telling the waitress thanks and a tip of silver in return before taking a large gulp, returning his attention to Nerine. "I have seen plenty of folk think they are ready for a grand adventure, seeking out grand riches and tales to he sang by the bards. Amazing how simple it sounds on parchment, really. However, they never really prepare for grand adventures, such has getting enough rations for the journey or not studying navigation. Those who live to tell grand tales do so by surviving through the chaos that spurs, most of it being the simple things. Then again, you will never heard the bards sing about the fight for fire, just those against dragons.

"So, instead of flexing those muscles of yours, telling yourself you are ready, we will spend the day making absolutely sure you are. That means a proper climbing and hiking pack, a camp set in case the journey stretches longer than a day, rations and water to keep our energy up… and more proper wear to climbing a mountain face than loose cloth. It will eat up day light, but I would rather not risk mistakes while out in the open." After all, his guild was not just about the preservation of the land. It was also about making sure those that did wander them were safe as well. Many times, he would run into folks wandering Laeto lost and confused because they could not properly navigate it. It would only make sense he did not ensure the same fate to someone he led through.

Author: Nerine, Posted: Mon Jan 8, 2018 11:36 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

She was surprised at how willing he was to help, seeing she was just a stranger who had almost accidentally climbed into his home. "Ten years? That's…that's incredible! Though maybe it's not so unusual, seeing that a certain plant called the titanka only blooms after several decades." Qadim's theory of the flowers being the carriers of the seeds of the Eyota blossoms themselves made sense. But in that case, then would those 'flowers' be considered more than true flowers? Trivialities aside, she was very happy to know a bit more of this elusive plant. Her spirits dipped a bit when he mentioned where these flowers grew. They certainly knew how to make themselves hard to find and hard to reach. In those hours inching up the walls, she hadn't even gotten close to halfway up the canyon. "Of course they would be at the top…" Nerine sighed. "A very smart choice for self-protection, but not such a kind one for those who want to see it." 

The way Qadim was asking, it seemed like he already had an idea as to where one might be. Thinking for a few moments, she mused aloud. "There's still a few more hours of daylight until dusk. I'd like to try to find one today. If they're so elusive as the book says, then there's no telling when I'll be able to see one if at all. And if our search comes up empty, then I'll just have to try again tomorrow." There wasn't anything she could do about it. Sometimes you had to wait and keep trying until the right moment came along. You couldn't be a proper scholar without having a little patience, even for things as simple as finding a needle in a haystack. She highly doubted she'd be lucky enough to see one today, but she wanted to try.  

Author: Qadim, Posted: Mon Jan 8, 2018 8:30 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

"This here could be a good reason," Qadim answered her concern of the unusual life cycle, pointing at a specific note. Apparently, while living at the high altitudes of the canyon, with what little water there was, the flowers that were able to bloom and successfully detach from the parent plant have reported to be able to survive for ten years, even in major droughts. Often, the flower would hover high above the landscape away from most plant eaters and birds would offer little to no resistance against their flow in the wind. "Seems they are delicate to handle, but once they have bloomed in the wild, they float the rest of their lives. Match that with this theory here, and it could be possible that the flowers themselves becomes holders of seeds of the next generation, not harmed by self-pollinating."

Of course, through this, it was clear Nerine wanted to see these plants for herself. Checking the notes again, Qadim stated, "Says here most of them grow on the upper end of the cliffs… Maybe even the top of the canyon itself. You saying you want to seek one out now, or do you want to prep today and act in the morning?"

Author: Nerine, Posted: Mon Jan 8, 2018 3:55 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

While they went over the various plants he had singled out, she commented on their traits. "Toxic spores…that's no good. Predatory types likely wouldn't go well either. There isn't much food around where the greenhouse is situated…" The one he pointed out to her, called the Eyota Blossom was one that seemed best and safest to keep. "Oh! This one looks good. Fairly safe to plant and a lovely color too." Reading further, her enthusiasm was dampened somewhat. For such a rare plant that lived in harsh conditions, it wasn't every hardy when it came to producing the next generation. There were some other unusual things written as well, such as the flower bud…hovering in the air? Then the base plant the blooms detached from would wither, which she felt was a pity. 

"This particular bloom has a rather unusual life cycle…perhaps it has developed such a strange adaptation to increase the chance of dispersing its offspring to new places? But I don't see any concrete statements on how it reproduces after blooming." Nerine frowned. Even if she managed to capture a blooming bud, how then would she propagate it? "The survivability for this one seems oddly low from these details. Though this in a sense does fit what I was searching for, I was hoping it wouldn't be as delicate." But she didn't have any other ideas to go off on, and she was seeing these plants for the first time. However, the only way to figure out something was to watch and experiment. Turning to Qadim, she voiced her thoughts. "This one is the most interesting I've seen so far. Though I am not sure if I can breed these on my own, would you mind if I tried to take one for study? Even with a map of the canyon, I feel it would be better if I had someone with more experience traveling terrain like this to come with me."

Another concern she had as she was talking to him was whether or not they were even blooming this time of year. It was frustrating to know so little on something she sought for. 

Author: Qadim, Posted: Mon Jan 8, 2018 1:33 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

As she explained their purpose, Qadim fitted the loose coin that went unspent during her time out. A faithful sign of no ill-intent it placed on him as she could have kept every bit of silver and simply stated she spent it all. In fact, he tested her on it, as it was actually more silver than what would have been needed, even if she bought the higher end of simple clothes. The fact she was still in her robes would have been a hint of the intent if there was none to return.

Still, understanding the situation, Qadim cracked the book open to each mark before revealing what each plant was, hand drawn illustrations and notes taken on the field flooding the pages. However, some still had notes stating not everything was known about the plant as they difficult to approach thanks to the dangers they held. Some of them had toxic spores they could use as defensive measures while others mimicked those colors and thus the danger of it was enough to strive away. Others almost acted like fly-traps, except for bigger prey like birds for their nourishment.

"I would say out of anything, this would be the best one for your research," he told her, turning the pages over to what was labeled as the Eyota Blossom. While it was in black and white, the writing described it in a bright pink color with vivid green pedals that helped it hover in place. They were also fairly small, as the notes ranged from four inches to around seven, making them not take up too much space. "Unfortunately, the notes go one stating that their growing periods are why they are not used as decoration. Before they blossom, they grow on a small bush similar to a rose, thorns and all, offering around five to eight flowers. However, two at most tend to survive their departure period in nature because the bloomed flowers can be pretty delegate, and the force to pull themselves off can oftentimes be too much to handle. When they do, it then depends on how much of the plant remains on the bud that states how high it will hover around. From there, the base plant immediately dies, but can be used as great nutrition for the ground to plant more crops or flowers." There was also no real notion on how seeds could be gathered aside from hypotheses that were noted here and there.

Looking over to her, after all the plants had been covered, he asked her, "So, did any of these fit the bill you were after?"

Author: Nerine, Posted: Mon Jan 8, 2018 12:42 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

When Qadim arrived, Nerine waved to him before he took a seat. "No, I haven't. I just came in a few minutes earlier." Looking at the botany book he opened with interest, she was surprised that he managed to find not one, but several plants with a similar description. But before she answered his inquiry for why she needed such plants, she took out the remainder of the silver he had given her earlier. "Here is the rest of the silver from what you gave me. Thankfully I didn't need to use it all, but it doesn't feel right for me to keep it after the trouble I caused for you." Setting the coins down before him, she returned the money.

"So there are at least…ten different species of those kinds of plants? Perhaps I was looking in the wrong places after all. I was hoping to bring back a live specimen or a seed to a greenhouse." She explained to the elf orc. "It's in less than ideal conditions for most plants to grow, and I wanted to start by having hardier ones established. A plant that requires minimal resources and care would be best to test out how well other florae that require more nurturing would fare under the same moisture and light levels. It's more for decoration than anything, but I thought it'd be nice to have exotic and unusual ones to make the greenhouse feel more interesting." She didn't want to give the impression that she was trying to make poison or anything.

"Could you show me which of these plants you found in this book? I'd like to see how they would fit in if I chose to create a general design." Nerine motioned to the botany book he had brought with him. She was eager to see what they looked like, even if it was an artist's rendition. She knew next to nothing about them, and this book would be something she might want for herself. 

Author: Qadim, Posted: Mon Jan 8, 2018 11:49 AM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

As Nerine washed up, Qadim focused on keeping his end of the bargain, looking for clues on this particular plant. Dropping by a library would take too long as she could be done washing before he even found a single book to break open. No, his main source of information were his guild-mates: those that wandered the land high and low to keep the town safe and to guide those lost to safety. After all, it was apart of their job to know these lands inside and out. To know what was safe and what was dangerous. Easy to eat or to avoid at all cost.  The essence of survival.

It took him a while, but at the very end, he did find a guild-mate with the information he was seeking. Qadim watching as his informant pulled out a botany book of the local wildlife, placing a couple bookmarks inside before passing on the book to him. He stated these would have been the best guesses he could come up with with what little he had to go off of and hoped it gave him the information he needed. Skimming it himself, he noted how most of them seemed dangerous to have, even though they were very useful in terms of medicine. Only one of them, however, seemed possible for decorative use… At least, compared to everything else.

Nerine was left with a few moments to herself alone in the cafe, possibly because Qadim expected she would have been out longer than she was. However, when he did come in, she sat at one of the tables near the door. "I hope you have not been waiting too long," he said as he placed the botany book on the table. "It seems your rumors had a hint of truth to them after all. We were able to narrow it down to around ten or so plants. All we have to do is narrow down the need for said plant, and we can narrow down what we need to search for."

Author: Nerine, Posted: Sun Jan 7, 2018 12:28 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

She grimaced at the reminder of her little accident, but she accepted his advice and generosity with thanks. "I'm glad to hear that I wasn't entirely off…though I should have done more research to make searching easier. Thank you, sir." Listening to Qadim explain, she learned he was part of a guild whose focus was in protection and preservation. And he said he had been to the rainforest in Laeto, so she guessed this guild had something to do with safeguarding the earth and the natural world. Nerine put to memory important points, such as this 'Lady Rebut' and the guild, as well as Qadim's placement here. Hopefully she wouldn't run into trouble, but if so she needed to have this information ready.

"I'll be waiting for you at the cafe when I've finished washing up." She said while looking over the map he showed her. The local terrain was much different than expected, with most of it being vertical than horizontal like flat land. Mapping out the canyon cliffs would take time, and a very experienced person to know the lay of the land. If she could understand the tongues of beasts, then she would've brought a mountain goat. Leaving Qadim's quarters, she went to the bathhouse he mentioned. It was a welcome respite from that harrowing attempt to climb the canyon, and the warm water eased her sore arms. Her hands were alright thankfully, so there was no need to visit the cleric. After shaking the dust off her robes, she was ready to meet Qadim at the cafe. Even if he had been kind enough to give her a few crescents, she didn't want to spend it all.

Arriving at the cafe, she took a seat where he could easily see her. The guild he said he was a part of piqued her curiosity, and she decided that she would do some research of her own when she was back in Iria. When a server came by and asked if she would like a drink, she made a request for a glass of water. After that climb, she needed plenty. While she waited she listened to the locals talking amongst themselves, hearing some local news and possibly a few rumors mixed in. Eyota Etu was a rather quiet place for its size, and she had noted the unique traits of the tribes whose ancestors had first settled here. Their artwork and crafts were interesting, and when she was finished maybe she would purchase a trinket or two.

Author: Qadim, Posted: Sun Jan 7, 2018 11:43 AM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

Qadim listened intently on her story, trying to see if he could make any connections. A plant that can survive on pure moisture and has no roots? Definitely not a plant he had ever heard of, or at least, not in Laeto. Rumors can still be that, but if they were followed with even a hint of truth, just maybe it would lead somewhere. "Well, at the very least if you need a plant that can handle such rugged land, then you certainly came to the right place. Just, maybe you the front gate next time instead of someone's window." Taking another quick drink from the canteen, he latched the container back onto his belt before pulling out a coin bag, digging through before pulling a few crescents out.

"If anyone asks, you are here under the permission of Lady Rebut and under my watch," he told her, getting up and handing over the silver coins. "That should, at the very least, give you some of the same treatments as we do in the Protection and Preservation Guild. Now then, use some of this to get into the bathhouse and wash off the sweat and dirt on you. Afterwards, visit the cleric to get any cuts or blisters taken care of. If you lack an extra set of clothes to wear to get your robes washed, then you can use some of that for simple items before anything else. I don't want to be billed hundreds for a simple shirt.

"While you do that, I will ask around to see if any of the locals know about the plant you seek for. After all, if anyone would know anything, it would be the people who grew up here." The last thing he showed her was a map of the local area, to help her get an idea where everything was. The last place he pointed out was a small cafe. "When you are done with your tasks, meet me over here. If I am not there before you, then again, simple drinks. Other than that, keep yourself safe." With those last words, Qadim gave her a nod before stepping out the door, expecting her to do as he told her.

Author: Nerine, Posted: Sat Jan 6, 2018 6:37 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

Her eyes went wide as he pulled her inside and tossed her onto the bed on the opposite side of the room. He didn't need to tell her twice to stay put. Nerine was too overwhelmed by panic and then relief to do anything aside from thanking every ancestor and the goddess queen herself that she was still alive. Breathing in and out she clung to the bed's frame closing her eyes. All the tension in her body from fear left and the scholar slumped over. 

"Oh sweet holy Mother, Empress, and all that lies in the good earth–I'm alive…I'm alive." Putting her head in her hands she rolled onto her side as the aching stiffness was creeping back after that adrenaline shock. Hearing the door open again she looked up and saw the man had returned. He commented on how odd her choice of location was for finding plant specimens, and she didn't have anything to say in her defense. Yes, it really was crazy thinking she could find an unknown plant species up on the face of a rock wall. Nerine sheepishly averted her gaze when he pointed out how silly the idea was. "I…can't disagree with that. Maybe I should've known better than to follow rumors, but I wanted to find a specific type of plant perfectly adapted for harsh arid environments. I've never seen it myself, but from what I heard it subsists on moisture from the air and has no roots."

Giving a polite nod at his self-introduction, she replied. "I apologize for attempting to crawl in through your window earlier, Qadim. I am sure this accident has made it abundantly clear that free-hand rock climbing was not a very wise decision…" Now sitting up on the bed, she frowned. "So far all I've seen here are the junipers and brambles that cluster together. I'm beginning to doubt if my searching was all for nothing." She didn't even know what the shape or size of those air-plants were like. Either they were incredibly rare, or they didn't exist.

Author: Qadim, Posted: Sat Jan 6, 2018 4:35 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

There was a minor delay after the woman, Nerine, tried to defend her point before a heavy sigh escaped his lips, pulling her through the hole that was a window and tossing her onto the bed. Rough, maybe, but it was certainly a much safer position to be in now that she had floor beneath her feet. "Stay there. You touch anything, and back out there you go," he told her, just in case, before nesting the bow across his body and stepping out, closing the door behind him, leaving the girl alone to let her heart settle down.

Of course, he had to make mention of the guest, calling forth the Rosenite who lead him to the room and explaining the situation. While confused at the occurrence, it was not something she was going to act to immediately aside from handing Qadim a cup of water. After all, from such a massive climb, she must have been thirsty and did not intend on harm. Still, it did not help but keep on alert, just in case. Or, at the very least, see if they can work on smoothing out the rock walls to prevent people from getting a grip near homes in the first place. A lot of labor, yes, but nothing compared what was done before.

It was only for a moment Qadim was gone until the door opened again, the elf orc returning and placing the mug of water on the night stand next to the bed before personally pulling a chair up for himself. "Nerine, you said?" he checked, "Not exactly a place where one would look for plants, not would it? Especially on the face of a cliff… Either you are looking for something specific, or you are a loon of a scholar." Latching off the canteen from his belt, he took a quick swig of water before telling her. "The name is Qadim. Hopefully I can be of some help."

Author: Nerine, Posted: Sat Jan 6, 2018 3:49 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

Nerine gave a nervous laugh as she was held up by the man's hand. She was fighting the urge to glance down and this was not how she wanted to be reunited with the earth. Her arms were shaking and she tried to stop them by partially holding her breath in. "I-I had no idea this wasn't anything but a rock ledge. Here I thought I was lucky to set my feet down." Falling from this height would be fatal to anyone, and she absolutely did not want to entertain the thought. "I'm Nerine, a scholar. I was hoping to find a few plants up here–but it seems I've intruded on your privacy. You wouldn't happen to know if there are any on this cliff face, would you?" The anxiety in her voice was easy to hear, and she was mentally begging that he wouldn't let go.

The person she had accidentally came upon reminded her of an orc, but not quite the same in build. He was very tall from her perspective, perhaps being held up high in the air was lending that impression. She had no weapons, nothing in her hands, nothing of real general value. Nerine was regretting not using a more secure method of climbing up now. Oh what she would give for a net or a climbing harness, preferably one secured to something that wouldn't crumble. The canyon was much more massive than she expected, and even though she was nowhere near the top she was beginning to feel lightheaded. Or maybe that was from the knots forming in her stomach. A strong breeze made the folds of her robes flutter and her own heartbeat was quaking like an aspen.

Author: Qadim, Posted: Sat Jan 6, 2018 1:29 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

Voice alone stated that his new guest was a female as she tried to work out how to handle the situation. After all, there she was, hanging off the side of the cliff as Qadim sat there, bare chested and bow in hand. "Well well," Qadim muttered, "I was never told to anticipate company like this this," he thought out loud, setting the bow down before walking over to the window, grabbing her by the collar of her shirt and lifting the guest up by it, almost as if dangling her over the cliff side. "Normally, guests outside my window would not bat an eye, but this is another case. Not many would seek company on the face of a mountain… unless you were hoping there was no company to be had.

"Now then, state your name and business. Just be warned that if I catch even a hint of roguish tongue trying to weasel out of this, well… let's just say the next person you meet shall most likely be Lady Dalanesca…" She had no wings as far as he could tell, but from what she wore, it would be pointless to hide them under her clothes, and if she dared fight back, he could easily let go from the flinch alone. Unless she had any form of levitation magic on hand, which she could have used to get up here in the first place, it was clear who had the winning hand here.

As he held her above the long drop, Qadim's eyes made note to study her face a bit more as she verbally fought for her ability to not be dropped. Blonde hair, wavy, dropped down to her chin. Bright blue eyes with a slim fixture. She could easily pass as a human, but the pristine details almost gave hints of Rosenite blood. The lack of the rings in her eyes, however, made it enough to have the elf orc question it.

Author: Nerine, Posted: Sat Jan 6, 2018 2:35 AM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

Unfortunately, Nerine was as ill-equipped for cliff climbing as a fish was for traversing the desert. "I should have known better than to ask the junipers…the breadth of their root systems run deeper than they are wide." She huffed as she painstakingly shifted her weight to latch onto another handhold. Her arms were sore and she was always on the verge of losing her grip. It made it hard for her to progress at a reasonable speed. The scholar could have easily used botanical growth to create an easy support system, but with how dry and rocky the soil was she was worried that the roots wouldn't be strong enough to hold her. 

She had inched her way up the cliff's side somehow through a combination of holding her breath and taking several movements of faith. The most important thing, of course, was to never–ever look down. This was the last place for her to look if she hoped to find anything today. When she asked the juniper trees if they knew where any plants that subsisted off the moisture in the air and bore no roots would reside, the common response was: 'There are plants that can take in water without roots?' They thought it incredulous that such a thing could exist, and so she was left trying whatever options she had open to her. Hazarding a guess, she assumed something that didn't rely on living near waterways would stay where potential moisture could collect. And if what she knew about rainfall was correct, then it had to be at a higher elevation than the ground level.

Struggling against the burning in her upper arms, she was searching for the nearest ledge where she could stand. The sound of loose gravel being disturbed by her feet was worrying, and she shoved away any thoughts that would make her panic. She was basically hanging for her life, and she needed to find solid ground. Naturally, as a Rosenite not having contact with the earth itself was enough to cause distress. Combine that with the instinctual urge of self-preservation for any being hanging off a cliff, and you could catch a glimpse into what was going through Nerine's mind at that moment. By the Mother's grace, she found a particularly wide overhang and grabbed the edge to pull herself up. Taking in a deep breath of relief, it soon turned into a gasp as her eyes met another pair looking back…

It was more of the unexpected surprise that threw her off than the fact he was not exactly fully clothed. Vainly searching for words after recovering from hanging above a wide ravine, she stuttered unintentionally stating something obvious. "This…this isn't a cave." An awkward silence followed as she was faced with a difficult decision: pull the rest of herself in while pretending nothing had happened, or climb back down the rock wall out of embarrassment.

Author: Qadim, Posted: Sat Jan 6, 2018 12:54 AM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

"And this here is where you will call rest," a voice echoed in the carved hallways of Eyota, a door cracking open revealing an Elf Orc and Desert Rosenite as they stepped into a simple room, with basic emetics such as a bed, stone stove, and firewood, all exposed by an open window gazing out through the canyon. "Even with the open gap hear, people from the other side will not be able to see you, in case you were worried." Qadim, the elf orc, shook his head as he gazed out, figuring that if he could hardly see the squares for windows, then the same was for them without a tool to peep. "Good. Quick warning, though, this angle will mean early mornings," the Rosenite chuckled before pointing back outside. "You have the rest of the day to yourself. If you desire, the bathhouse is at the end. Enjoy." With that, the Elf Orc was left alone, in which he took to the bed.

He let off a sigh as he brushed the sweat from his brow from the desert heat. Sure, half of him could easily bear it, but the more prominent one more enjoy the shade that rested beneath the trees. Still, the Guild thought the change of scenery was best for him, and the Laeto camp was well-covered for how dangerous the land was to navigate. Still, this did test his abilities in other terrains, so he accepted the change in base. Besides, each location had its own charm to it, so it would not be a complete waste to explore it.

After a moment of laying down, Qadim pushed himself back up before taking his bow in hand. As if per routine, Qadim was sure to eye the bend of the bow to ensure it was correct before giving the string a quick twang, hearing its tautness as it rested. It resonated good with the bow, leaving the elf orc to smile before his attention was direction elsewhere. A noise nearby… rustling of pebbles outside, and soon… a head peeping out the window?

Author: Nerine, Posted: Fri Jan 5, 2018 11:05 PM, Post Subject: Curiosity [L:3]

"Just a few more would do. I wonder how many of these will sprout back there?" Brushing her blond bangs out of her eyes, she inspected a handful of ripe juniper berries before carefully packing them away in a jar. It had been weeks since she left Arri for Parvpora and had gotten used to her new home. The Steward had been very gracious in giving her free reign to do as she pleased in Antikythera, and had ordered the construction of a new wing to accommodate a greenhouse. But as vast as the Machinarium was, she still wished to spend time in the great outdoors. Railoch wasn't the safest place outside of the citadel walls, so the deity arranged for her to take a few days elsewhere for a breath of fresh air. 

The greenhouse the deity had in mind would take a while before it was completed, so she had some time to think about what she would grow there once it was ready. Whenever her spirits were down and the storms outside battered the stone walls, it would be nice to have a place that reminded her of home and a place where the sun shined. Some trees and exotic plants would bring a touch of color to the Machinarium's stark white corridors. Though the Steward could sculpt highly detailed replicas of anything, it just wasn't the same as a real, living breathing garden. So far she had collected seeds and cuttings of anything she thought would make the future greenhouse more natural and welcoming. But the weather in Railoch was extremely inhospitable to most flora, so Nerine was looking for hardier plants–those which wouldn't need as much intensive pruning or care like roses. 

Places with extreme conditions should produce flora which were adapted to such climates; so following this train of thought she came to the great canyon settlement of Eyota Etu. At first very self-conscious, she found that she did not appear too out of place here with the Desert Rosenites living nearby. Most Rosenites who lived in Arri rarely came into contact with their more nomadic distant cousins, and their cultures were very different. Even though they both shared the same blood of the great Empress Willow, the two branches of that lineage were strangers to each other.

Nerine was currently searching for a very interesting specimen of plant life. She had heard rumors of strange plants which could live off moisture from the air and did not grow roots that anchored them to the earth. Such plants would be perfect for a place as dark and damp as Railoch, and would fare much better than the average shrub. The only problem was finding someone who knew what she was talking about. Asking around only garnered her confused looks while others shook their head. Disappointed, she was left with trying to pick her way through the canyon cliff-side in hopes of either finding what she came for or someone who at least knew what they were.