RP:B and J sitting 'neath a tree
Background
A chance meeting between two very different people, underneath the warped silhouette of the tree of magic...
In the village of Xalious
Nestled at the edge the southern cliff is an enormous tree. It towers some three hundred feet into the air, stretching outward nearly as wide; the soft sapphire glow of its enchanted boughs filling the vicinity with a soothing aura of metamagical power. The leaves are a rich golden hue with each vein therein shining in brilliant silver contrast; each one having the striking resemblance to a large human hand. Each sun-kissed leaf seems to move of its own volition, slowly writhing and reaching in all different directions to get the best angle of the sun as the daylight passes, then to drink in any soft moonlight that shines down on the mountains. The bark is a rich charcoal black near the base, though taking on a deep brown hue as it extends upward into the canopy. The mighty Xalious Tree, which appeared when the Archmage Xalious died and ascended to assume the divine role as God of Magic, stands in majestic beauty as an eternal symbol of the mortal's ascension. As you look closer into the tree you see an inscription carved deep into the bark. There is nothing else here but a field of carefully kept grass and some of the late Archmage’s followers who have come to bask and worship in this sacred tree's presence. An old and faded note seems to have been posted on the tree's base.
To the west appears to be a merchant's shop. To the north is the town well.
Players:
- Blaire
- Jinfeng
Jinfeng had intended to come to this place to meditate, to bask in the light of the tree and use its abundant energy he had heard of to fuel his cultivation, as such places were a rare opportunity and he had not yet had time to avail himself of it. However, on his arrival, he finds that it was not as he had thought, and the tree was instead blighted, darkened, and thus not ideal for cultivation. Still possible, even useful, for someone else, but he had no method that could circulate such foul energies. And thus he finds himself stumped, staring up at the tree with his arms crossed and a thoughtful frown on his face, as if considering what he was to do now that his plans for the near future had been quite soundly demolished. The wind blows, his long, dark hair, bound up in a tight tail, stirring upon his back, and he turns, deciding that he would visit the nearby tower and ask what had happened, for surely they would know something.
Blaire would've stood out in the picturesque village that surrounded the famous mages tower, if it wasn't for the corrupted tree. That made her part of the set, instead. A slender, elfin figure not so much dressed as molded into void-black leather strutting down the street on heels that made the 'stiletto' moniker far more literal than usual. While of the embraced didn't live up to the stereotype, this one outdid it in a way that could only be on purpose. Her leather pants so tight that 'sausage casings' seemed generous, riding low on her hips to make damn sure the snaking lines of dark ink on her ivory white skin – and the imagery they formed – were visible at a glance. She wore a belt made of medallions marked with various glyphs and religious symbols lop-sided over her hips and a half-length jacket that bristled with studs and spikes from shoulder to wrist. A theme continued by the choker around her neck and the wide-brimmed hat on her head. Her face mostly hidden in shadow in a way that clearly wasn't entirely natural, leaving the light flashing of the round lenses of her red-tinted spectacles the most visible feature other than the black bob hair. And yet, for all this whips-and-leather aesthetic, the figure raised a hand and wiggled long fingers at the monk as he turned to face her. With the way she was purposefully bee-lining for the tree, with him standing smack-dab straight in her path an onlooker could be forgiven for believing this was an agreed-upon meeting.
Jinfeng can't say he wasn't surprised by someone greeting him out of the blue as soon as he turned his back to the tree, and more so by the nature of the person greeting him. They were noone he remembered, and he was certain that if he had met her, he would indeed remember it. This woman was quite a figure, though even from a distance he could feel the wrongness about her that he'd detected in a few others before. This did not frighten him, or concern him overmuch - he was prepared to deal with that sort of thing slightly more than most - but it was something he made a note of, for one could never be too careful around the ones so touched. He would bow to her nevertheless, acting courteously and politely, his steel-grey eyes keeping their focus on hers, not frozen there to keep from looking at her for whatever reason, but simply coming to rest there naturally. Her figure was astounding, but he had seen beauties before, the Sect he had come from attracted many such women, either seeking affiliation with a powerful cultivator or to extend their beauty through cultivation itself. So he had become accustomed in the past to speaking with such lofty beings. She waved at him, so he assumed she had some business with him, and he could think of any one reason a random person would approach him like this. "Ah, has my guide convinced another worthy rival to come test my strength? If so, I would have had to disappoint you previously, though it seems my existing plans have been somewhat ruined, so I suppose I find myself with a free day."
Blaire didn't pause or freeze. Though she slowed at the bow and finally came to a stop – within speaking distance – when he addressed her with a clear idea of why she was there. An idea she didn't share. A carefully groomed eyebrow rose, though he may not see it, as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and popped a hip. One fist resting against it. “What...” She started, in a voice that was somewhat deep and a little cracked for a woman, but stopped herself. “Is that some kind of pick-up line?”
Jinfeng was honestly surprised that for once today someone -wasin't- trying to violently assault him. He'd had four such encounters on the way here this morning, it had been quite annoying, and this wasn't entirely uncommon on the whole. That said, he recovered quickly, his slight frown turning into an equally vague smile. "Well, if it was, did it work?" He remains silent after this for a moment, before chuckling, shaking his head. "No, my martial arts instructor really does have a habit of hiring an ever-expanding roster of extremely interesting people to fight me for the sake of gaining real-world experience. It's gotten to the point that I generally assume that anyone approaching me as you did means to take her up on the offer. I admit, It -has- done wonders for my vigilance, if nothing else. So, since we've established you've no intent to assault me, allow me to introduce myself. I am Jin Feng, and is there any way I can help you?"
Blaire showed a wry little smile. One that happened to display sharp, elongated fangs. “Maybe. I'd at least have gone along with it for a little while. See where it went.” She swung her free hand in a sweeping pendulum gesture with no real meaning. A kind of improvised, implied shrug done by hand. Then offered that hand to the martial artist at his introduction. Going for the shake rather than anything more.. pompous. “I'm Be – No that's not really my name but the whole thing takes a lifetime to pronounce and is probably some kind of summoning spell for dusty old aristocrats.” She returned. “You know anything about the mages guild?” No reason not to ask, if he was offering to help. “Fight any of 'em?”
Jinfeng nods in response to her name, simply quietly accepting that that would be what she'd be called. That was fine, it was far from the strangest name he'd found here in his opinion. "Ah, alright. Be it is, then. As for the mage's guild, at present I know they're headquartered in that direction..." He indicates to the north, specifically at the mage's tower visible some distance away. "And I believe they were... at one point the caretakers of this tree, though it seems they've been somewhat lax in their stewardship of late. In any case, I have yet to fight a mage, no. I assume they have other concerns."
Blaire let her hand fall and hang. Looking past the monk towards the famous tree behind him. Confirming for herself what he was saying about the guilds apparent lack in it's protection and care of the ancient power. She frowned slightly, or maybe pouted was a better word. Even if it seemed alien for someone strapped in so much leather and ink. “I ask because apparently you need to talk to one of their higher ranks to apply for an apprenticeship , and there were 'none free at this time'.” She returned her attention to Jin. “It's not what you know, but who, no?” Her lips twisted into a smirk again, “Guess you can't help me then.”
Jinfeng shrugs apologetically, shaking his head again. "I don't believe I can help you there, sadly. And is that not how it works everywhere with such organizations? True, some claim to recruit primarily on the basis of merit, but even then... well, merit is still judged by people." He honestly still didn't know why people kept holding their hands up like that instead of a proper greeting. perhaps it was the local custom, though it seemed a little off to him. "Perhaps if you ask around, one of the locals would know what you might do to gain one of their notice?"
Blaire tilted her head slightly, sideways and backwards. The light of the sun falling on the lower part of her face and highlighting that wry smirk of hers. White teeth almost shining in the light. In another context it might've made for an intimidating look. But the lack of any hostile intent behind it added quite a bit of awkward charm, of a kind. “That was my idea,” she agreed. “I imagined I could find some kind of mage tending to the tree, probably.” She gestured past him at the warped limbs of the tree. “Instead I found a foreigner hitting on me.”
Jinfeng laughs a little at that. "It seems like you have rather ill luck, then?" He, unfortunately, had no real way to help her that he was aware of. Perhaps one of the people he knows might know someone, but he wasn't in the habit of collecting contact information, and the only person he had a planned meeting with was... unlikely, he felt, to have any strong ties to a group of sorcerers. "Again, I apologize for not being able to do more for you, Be, other than perhaps to let you know should I happen to run into a member in good standing who might be able to point you in the right direction?"
Blaire shifted her weight back to the other foot, not really reacting to what he was saying as it was the obvious response the one he'd expected. She tucked her thumbs in under the medallion belt she wore, framing her slight and elfin figure with her arms. “Sounds good. You make good with any high ranking spell-slingers, send them my way. I'll be staying at the Dancing Destrider. Local watering hole.” She said with a slightly more pronounced rasp in her voice. Then began strutting off, as if to continue her walk sans interruption. Only she stopped and cocked her head over her shoulder. “Unless you feel like escorting a lady as she hunts powerful and eccentric men?” The only thing missing was a wink.