RP:Finding A Purpose

From HollowWiki

This is a Devout's Guild RP.


Summary: Khitti asks Scandal to meet her at the Sanctum, in order to find out how he's doing after Lanara's breakdown. They talk for a time and Scandal joins the Devout's Guild in an attempt to find some sort of purpose to have during his long life.



A letter is sent to Scandal’s home in Venturil via raven; the text of said note written in dark purple ink. It reads:

Hi, Scandal. When you’ve got time, can you come by the Sanctum of the Divine? I wanted to talk to you.

~Khitti~


The Sanctum of the Divine, Kelay

On whatever day Scandal chose to come to the Devout’s Guild headquarters, Khitti would be there. She busied herself with whatever she could to take her mind off of things, whether it was polishing the statues of Lithrydel’s deities, practicing her healing on those with minor to moderate wounds that came to the guild for help, or even attempting to give wisdom those that needed it--even if she herself couldn’t take such wisdom and lean on it for support right now. There was still the matter of getting in touch with Talyara too, after Lanara’s departure to the mental health hospital, but with the other witch having been kidnapped as well, she’d decided to give the elf a bit more time to herself to recover. So, Khitti’d reached out to the next of kin, the dragon that dwelled in Venturil.


Those that worked within the guild, or for it, took notice of Khitti’s feverish attempt to keep the guild hall in order, to the point that sometimes she even snapped at them. Not long after such a display of frustration, there’d be an apologetic look to those that deserved it, and ultimately, Khitti shut herself in her office, attempting to do the guild’s necessary paperwork, and failing. When it was realized she’d make no headway on it for awhile, she took to staring at her desk and drinking from a bottle of whiskey that she’d hidden away from sight--mainly hers, while listening to the goings-on outside her door. If anyone needed her, they’d have to go through Camina first, Khitti’s assistant, who stationed herself at a small desk in the main area of the guild hall, where anyone could come and go as they pleased. No, Khitti’s not available right now, she’d say in that thick, islander accent of hers. A small excuse would be given: she’s going through a hard time right now, with the departure of her close friend and guildmate. Only a handful of people would be told that could indeed see her, those that were considered her family, and, of course, Scandal. Whenever he did arrive, Camina would greet him, regard him in that mildly suspicious way of hers, then asked him to wait a moment for him to go retrieve her guildleader.


Scandal sat in the throne room of his house. In his hands he held the letter reading it again for the hundred and eightyth time. First the letter Lanara had written when she left his house leaving two of his servants to be presumed dead. The verification behind that, was found to be accurate, and burial had concluded only three days prior, and then in his hands was also the letter from Talyara explaining what happened to Lanara. The heart of the grieving dragon ached in his chest, all three of them. The final letter had arrived almost a few days ago, but now he was reading it for the fiftyth time. Khitti wanted to talk to him. In the past few weeks Scandal had entered another growth spurt, and without his transformation abilities his body had remained at its 25' draconian form. Of course, his physical changes now had been revealed to give him a truly terror instiling appearance. From the sharp spines that now ran down his back to the massive black wings, to even the terrifying exposed teeth of his jaw line, to include the his red eyes which glowed like a blast furnace. His very form seemed to twist and distort the air around him. He was dreadful looking and he knew it. Lanara had seen him like this, and even in her broken state she had known him without fear, now without another that could look at him and see the heart behind the dragon, he felt ever so lonely again. He had yet stopped beating himself up for not having swooped in saved his sisters had he known they had been kidnapped and now even with what had transpired. He still felt alone. Returning to his room and dressing himself, he picked up the portal stone, and spoke the words of Keylay to the rock. A flash of light and the air opening like an aperture, he landed on his four toed taloned feet amongst the gravel of the road. Placing the stone in a pocket, he walked down the road towards the sanctum, his heart heavy enough not to have noticed the few people scramble to get away from his terrifying visage. Each step causing a mild vibration as he walked. As he neared the doors, he opened them, lifting his tail to avoid any possibility of his tail getting caught and pinched under the doors, and strode in. He had been here once before, and now he realized how quiet at least the main room was. He sighed, as that peaceful wave of tranquilty in the room flowed over him, putting him at ease at least with space around him. Realizing he would need to shrink, he picked through his pockets until he withdrew a small vial, which supposedly could shrink the form of drinker by certain percentage for several hours at a time, but could not physically alter his appearance. They were expensive so he had only one on him. As his form shrank until he was around seven feet tall, he pulled his wings close against his back and adjusted his clothes which magically shrank around the shrunken dragon. Whether Camina was taken aback by his terrifying form he could not say, her suspicious look though, was enough to say that she had a hunch it might have been him. "Khitti request to see me." He said handing her the letter. When she went to fetch her, he took a seat. His eyes closing for a second making him look like some draconian monster of shadow and scales. Only the scales along the front of his neck proved that he was not nearly all a black dragon, but then his appearance probably hinted strongly that he wasn't a black dragon by the modern standards, more like an older one. Far older. In a way he was relic from another time and another era, and only now his body was trying to correct itself chronologically speaking.


Much like Scandal, Khitti too had been beating herself up over the loss of Lanara (for while she wasn’t actually dead, the whole situation made it feel like Lanara might have well been)--that was the whole reason why Khitti needed a bit of solitude at her guild’s headquarters after all. But, for now, Camina had gone to get Khitti, to draw her out of that solitude, and to bring her out into the main area of the building to speak to Scandal. Khitti’s assistant didn’t seem bothered one way or the other about Scandal’s appearance, and neither did Khitti, beyond a few blinks at the dragon’s new form. “Hello, Scandal.” The dark-haired, darkly-clad woman known as Camina took her seat again, still giving the dragon that skeptical look. “Don’t mind Camina. She looks at everyone like that. I swear she’s like my long lost sister or something,” Khitti said to Scandal, which of course meant that Khitti used to be the same way, or at least, she’s not as bad about being cynical about people now. “Are you hungry?” Khitti stopped at the familiar staircase, the one the two had gone down when they dared to open the box with the dragon god inside it. Regardless of his answer, she’d lead him down to the Sanctum’s large, well-furnished kitchen, complete with a connected dining room--because she’d not eaten today and her stomach was starting to sound like… well… like an angry dragon.


Scandal neither nodded nor shrugged, but his head turned slightly before he spoke, "Hello Khitti." He hardly felt Camina's gaze, as it were he seemed used to it, used to people looking at him differently. As he walked with her in silence until, she spoke as the neared the same stairwell. "I have neglected to eat for a while, so yes, I am famished." He said, his voice low, but soft, despite how he looked. He walked down the stairs with her until they were in the well furnished kitchen, and dining room. "Do you have a preference for what you would want?" He asked namely doing so, as he was prepared to cook if need be, keeping busy took a small amount of the grief and shock away but not much. He remembered their time opening H'nu the dragon god in the box, and now realized additionally that he now had the complete set. Maybe he would have the house put the objects in his possession to hand over to khitti. "..." started to say something, but found the words absent. It was still hard to talk about what happened with lanara.


Khitti shook her head once they got down there, both to his question of her preference and to the obviousness he made of him preparing to cook if need be, “No, no. Sit, please. I can deal with it.” A large pot of leftover mammoth meat stew is pulled from the ice box and set to reheat on the stove. Once that’s done a nearly untouched strawberry cheesecake was pulled from the same cooler, as well as two plates, two forks, a pitcher of lemonade, and two glasses--whatever other things they’d might need for the stew, she’d get later on when it was ready. “I’ve always been of the mind to eat dessert first. It’s always sad filling up entirely on dinner and then never having any room for sweets. Well… it was my philosophy as a vampire anyway. I didn’t exactly gain weight then,” she said with a smirk. Large pieces were cut and set in front of the two of them, and a bite or two taken before Khitti went on, “This is one of the only times I can manage to get to some cheesecake before my fiance does. He’s a bit of a cheesecake addict. So I have to smuggle some away here and make him his own!” She was stalling, trying to make the air not quite as heavy between them, but soon she sighed and asked, “How are you…? After… you know.” Of course, she meant Lanara; she just couldn’t bring herself to actually say the witch’s name right now.


For Scandal it was a small disappointment to lose the opportunity to cook. But the disappointment passed quickly. Taking a seat, was always an inventive task, when the one who was sitting was a dragon. Sometimes you'd sit right down and find yourself sitting on your tail, or the tail would get caught in the back of the chair, or it would dangle out and trip somone. In Scandal's case, he had learned to keep the tail curled around the chair, as one would take a seat. He would nod as the Khitti passed out two forks and two plates, the plates each with a slice of cheesecake, and two glasses, and lemonade. "Desert first, isn't that breakfast?" He might have smiled if had not been for current facial form, the most being able to achieve is leaving his jaws a crack open as soon as he finished speaking. But he would then shut his jaws yet again. "Got to keep a secret stash of goodies from soon to be hubby?" Scandal wished he could have smiled for that, it was little hard not to pass up. He lifted the fork to his mouth, and had to remember not to bite down to hard, lest he take the prongs of the fork with it. Somedays it was a pain to be a dragon. "I've had to start hiding those licorice jelly beans at the store, no matter where i store them, they always get found by some kids, but i never have had the heart to not let them enjoy them." Scandal smiled enjoying the soft cheesecake, "It very good." The question being posed though, made him pause, and he set down his fork. He wasn't trying to clench his jaw but it must have showed. "I... Its not been, easy." He started. "After Larz died, I stayed with her for almost a week as she grieved, she hardly ever left her bedroom, in some ways I guess I was getting a glimpse at the inevitable." His pause was long, before he spoke again. "I can't help but think I should have known, about their disappearance, I would dropped everything, if only to have my sisters in mind and body by my side again." Scandal's heart twisted, in pain, as he thought about what he lost. "Some dragons, collect treasure, others power, but me the most priceless things in the world is my family and my friends, and now, I have had to part with half of my family." He choked for a second, and took a swallow of lemonade, "Part of me says I should get numb to it as quick as I can, because if I have biological expiration date, I am going to see so many friends and family pass on, the other side of me wants to treasure the time that I had and have with them, and yet part of me wishes that I ought to have never woken up from that long sleep, so that the pain wouldn't be where it is now. But I am proud to have known her for the time I had with her. But knowing doesn't cease the pain of loss." He said lowering his head to his chest.


“Heh, I was the same way when I was a vampire,” Khitti said, as she stared at the piece of cheesecake on her fork. “It’s why I went on the search for a cure in the first place. Once I realized I loved Brand… and that he might’ve had feelings for me, to some extent, I realized I’d never be able to have a family with him. Even if we’d had adopted a child, I still would’ve outlived them. I really couldn’t deal with it at all.” She frowned, pondered a bit more on the subject, and then finally ate the piece of cake on her fork. “I know there’s likely nothing like that for dragons, because you were born this way, but I do understand. But, the good thing is that you’ll never need to worry about something like that. There’s plenty of people in Lithrydel with long life spans--mine was mainly an issue because Brand’s human, like I was and am again, and if he’d decided too, I wouldn’t have been able to turn him. I was still a fledgling compared to the other vampires. I’d have to rely on one of the elder vampires in Vailkrin and I don’t trust a single goddamn one of them.” Her tone got a little bitter towards the end, but Khitti just shook her head, as if she were shaking the topic out of her mind. “You just also have to remember that we’re all going to die some day, regardless. Immortality only goes so far. Hell, I’ve done it twice already and had many near-death situations, even as a vampire. I’m, uh, pretty sure I’m almost out of my nine lives at this point.” That was a joke, of course; she was a Khat after all. “All that to say, it doesn’t have be all that bad. You just need to find a purpose. Something to do with your life, until someone comes along that you can have adventures with again, like you did with Lanara, whether it’s as a sibling sort of relationship or not. And going it alone’s not all that bad either. It’s not like you don’t have any sort of contact with anyone else.” Khitti quickly finished up her dessert and went to check on the stew, stirring it as she spoke. “And, most importantly, you’re not an undead like I was. Lots more opportunities there. As for Lanara, maybe you’ll see her again some day. She’s not dead, even if the grieving process makes it feel that way. Perhaps after some time, you’ll be able to visit her where she’s staying. Not all is lost.” Once again, as it often was with Khitti, she was much more able to give wisdom, than she was to follow it.


Scandal nodded. He understood that desire for a cure. For him personally he had over the course of year lost his ability to shapeshift, and whether or not their had been a known cause for it or not, it had left him in this current state. Granted size shift potions were available if not a little expensive, but for whatever reason he had been left his growth spurts in this form, as his body worked overtime to correct for chronological differences between lifespan and physical appearance. Another five feet, and more fearsome visage. “Yes, on that I agree, I wouldn’t trust any vampire in vailkrin. Immortality and power, so often spawn ulterior motives. Though, one ought to remember that is rare for monster’s ever to be born, they are often made over long periods of time.” He took a moment to listen and laughed when she cracked her nine lives joke. “If death could bring peace of life in turmoil, I would call that mercy.” He looked up as she moved to the stew to stir it. “There is that yes, of course I doubt in my current state finding such partnership would be quite rare, I looked into a mirror and my reflection scattered.” He chuckled at his own joke, but then he continued, “I hope to see her again, one day, however I fear it may be a very long time. I know this much, that I cannot like other dragons, just go to bed, and wake up several centuries later, it seems that H’nu made us different that way, than other dragons, so I must be active instead,” He looked back at her, hoping he conveyed himself right,.


Khitti nodded in understanding, but didn’t quite start speaking again just yet. Instead, she’d gather the things needed to serve the dragon his food, but stopped short as she stared at the rather small bowl she’d grabbed for him, as well as herself. The gears turn in her head a bit, and soon she’s grabbing a large mixing bowl and one of the large metal spoons used for serving meals at a banquet. “I think those bowls might be a bit too small for you,” she said with a smirk as she set the mammoth meat stew and the spoon in front of him. “Up to you on how you want to eat it. I’m not exactly a lady myself so manners are out the window with me, typically.” Whatever he did, she’d eye him quietly before setting in to her own food, something clearly on her mind. Well, two somethings. “So, I’ve got two things to ask you, but if you feel like they’re too personal to talk about, then that’s fine. You and I are still getting to know one another, but I feel like so far we’ve been decently open enough for me to attempt to ask.” The redhead would give him a moment to consider her words before she finally asked, “One: I’ve noticed that you go through a lot of changes, physically. I think you’ve practically been a different person each time I’ve seen you. How often is that supposed to keep happening? I’d ask if it’s because your species of dragon is different than the rest, but you’ve just said that,” she said, sticking her tongue out a bit. “And, I don’t mean any offense by this. I’m just a glutton for knowledge. I know a little about a lot of things, but not enough of one thing for it to really matter. Except for fairy tales, I guess, but -that- doesn’t have any bearing on real life situations.” She shrugged a little, then finally asked her other question, “And two: you and I have spoke before about the deities on your kind--and we’ve obviously even seen one of them. Do you have any interest in the current pantheon? I guess, a better way to ask is if there’s any of the current set of gods that speaks to you?”


Scandal eyes followed her as she went about gathering the stew, and at first taking a small bowel, which he was about to say he would be fine with that, but when she switched to a mixing bowl, he chose not say anything, he didn’t want to add any additional stress to her. “Thank you.” He tapped a small rock on the counter, which she may have noticed was similar to the same rock he gave her when she had traveled to his house, and then out of the air, a large grey coffee mug, clattered onto counter. Faded words drawn on it, read ‘spare a coin’ which may have let slip a little information on Scandal’s early years growing up in the street. The ‘coffee mug’ might as well have been a bowel unto itself, at least based on its size. Taking the bowel which she had filled and pouring it into the mug. It may have perked an eyebrow perhaps as the bowel appeared clean as soon as he set it down. As he picked up the mug and brought it to his jaw, the edges of the cup changed so that became like a pitcher in away so that he could drink the stew without spilling it. As the flavor rolled over his tongue, he swallowed. “It's very good, stews left out to simmer, really do attain better flavor than when freshly prepared.” He said. He glanced down at his throat feeling a small bulge, and then pressed against the bulge and gave a second swallow, which it then vanished. “Sorry,” He apologized only because some he believed found it unnerving for a sentient creature to have a crop, to store food before it would go to the stomach. It certain at times made eating a bit, well embarrassing at times, especially when he forgot to swallow twice. “No, no, I am open book Khitti, I rarely if ever keep secrets about myself.” He said. Then he listened to her first question. And then her second. When he replied he said, “Well, a year ago, when I started losing my ability to shapeshift, I was still able to shift between dragon stage, and draconian stage, and for the briefest of time a human form. As I continued to lose my ability I wanted to be able to secure a form that would not leave me unable to reflect my dragon heritage but be stuck as a massive living mountain range.” He said, he didn’t say anything as if it were an exaggeration on the last part because it wasn’t much to his embarrassment, but he continued, “My sisters, who were not my sisters at the time, offered to make me a talisman that would allow me to shapeshift, without pain. But then when we discovered that, it was something blocking my pre-existing ability to shapeshift, memory that is, we had to add to the talisman the ability to remove that blockage. In our travels we grew closer, Lanara I think I spent the most time with, especially when Talyara returned to her homeland of Kevlar for a time. I actually stayed and took care of Lanara after Larz died, then a week later we went to retrieve another item, a couple of wild dragons attacked and I did something to save her, and at first I was worried she’d never forgive me, but she did, it took a while for us, to come back together after that. But we did.” He paused, trying to summarize, “We had all the pieces, but then she was kidnapped along with Talayara, Eli left her, didn’t even bother to go and save her, when she came back, my first priority was help my sister recover, at the time I had experienced well a growth spurt, and by that point I could no longer shapeshift at all. Then she… she went mad, and so here I am. Without my sisters, and with no way to exit this form, only for every month or two an additional growth spurt to occur. I really have no answers as to how many of these their will be, what little information I have is based off books currently in my Library at home, and what books i manage to acquire through the tombs of Uldenbraug’s dragons, H’nu would likely know more, but I doubt he would tell me, in legend he never was really good about telling anyone anything. That was most more often in regards to his first son and Daughter, Xanos and Nephe.” He tapped the rock again against the counter two sculpted idols one made entirely out of a single white pearl, while the other out the blackest obsidion of two dragons each idol about 2’ tall, and the base each was on about 2’ wide. The White one was a dragon who sat on her hind legs deep in thought with her hands under her chin, while the black one was frozen in a mid roar, standing atop another dragon with one claw, and pulling the tail of another with his other claw. “Xanos, Dragon God of Instinct, and Nephe Dragon Goddess of Rational Thought” He paused looked back at her and continued on with her second question, “Before I knew of the deities of my own culture, Dragons in at least my time in Uldenbraug were no longer religious. I prayed to Arhken once, I hoped that despite all the mistakes I have made along the way, that, well, I had hoped that he might recognize that I was at least trying, the other gods at least from what I had been led to believe wouldn’t recognize trying, only doing.” He said taking another drink of his stew which he was really enjoying especially as it gave him a break from speaking. “I love to learn, I think that's why My sister…. Lana, made a researcher, so I would speak to any of them or of them, given the chance, maybe not Kahran though, or Kyber.” As he said those two names the room would feel a small bit chillier, and likely leave the either name into question as what cause the feeling of the chill in the room.


Khitti smirked somewhat as the full bowl of stew disappeared into Scandal’s mug, “Looks like I’m not the only one that uses ‘bigger on the inside’ magic. Mostly use it on Brand’s ship. His cargo ship isn’t the type to hold freight… and several animals… and an entire family… and around a hundred people to run things on the ship. That type of magic sure does come in handy--especially when I end up bring home animals every now and then. Whenever Brand decides to retire, he could always turn it into a zoo on the sea!” The smirk grew a little more, then disappeared behind a spoonful of food. She nodded along with his tale about his shapeshifting issues, her attention shifting elsewhere and she listened and mulled over some things. “Well, I may have sort of a solution to that, but continue.” Khitti would let the dragon go on, the information about the Uldenbraug deities stored away for later on, and the chill in the room frowned at disdainfully. She hated Kahran and she was going to get him, sooner rather than later. “I’m not gonna be the first to say it, but the gods can be fickle. More than just some of the time.” She looked around, waiting to be smote by Cyris or anyone else that might’ve been listening, but thankfully, she wasn’t. “But, I have learned, that regardless of whether or not they show it, they do listen and they do watch. Arkhen was one of the gods that helped me with my cure. If he can forgive me, for all the things I did--and sometimes still do--then I’m sure he’s seen what you’ve done. Trying -is- doing, even if whatever it is isn’t being done very well.” She finished off her food, then leaned back into her chair, eyeing the large draconian, “So, here’s the thing. From what H’nu was saying when we talked to him that day, it sounds like basically all three of them are retired, essentially. So, out of the current pantheon, I think there’s a few that might be able to help you with your problem. But, of course, you’d have to work for it. Likely not in the way that I did to get rid of the vampirism. That was… complicated. Yours issue is much more simple.” Khitti paused, tapping her chin a bit. “If I remember correctly, when we were on the ship to Twister Island, you said that you were, like, a magic font. Xalious is the god of magic, and there’s also Loda too. Specifically, she’s the goddess of magic and weapons. While, I’m not going to say that yes, they’ll give you whatever you need if you work in their name, those considered neutral and good gods are less likely to offer help in the form of something that might hurt others. That’s not always the case, but your chances are much better there. Why not take up crafting magical items? You could have your people make them, if you’re not much in the crafting way, and then imbue them with the magic you’ve got in you. Use it to help people. Use it to make money and donate it to those that need it, since I know you’ve said before that you don’t really need it. It doesn’t even need to be specifically weapons either. There’s plenty of things you can enchant with mundane abilities that will give people a better quality of life.” Khitti paused, letting him take all that in before following it up with a “And when it comes to the more religious aspects of this little quest, that’s where my guild can help. That’s what I was doing with Lanara and Talyara, before the witch-hunters. I was teaching them about Lithrydel’s gods. -All of them-. Even the ones that people consider “evil”.”


Scandal absentmindedly looked at his cup, and then made the attempt to smile, which turned to look more like a mouth full of fearsome teeth, but, it was an attempt. "Oh so thats what they call it, hmmm, well I was under the immpression that these cups by the Uldenbraug retailer, were tied to a micro-plane of existence, since of course Uldenbraug in magical terms specialized in the manufacture of micro-planes of existence. In fact, if is true this would probably be the only surviving one, but if its what you think "bigger on the inside magic" then perhaps I could always find a replacement, this one still has after taste of sticky bun had with hot cocoa from about three months ago." He chuckled at that. Noting when she said she had an aswer for that he halted allowed her time to explain. Scandal inhaled and exhaled, "Arkhen is rather unique." He added, "I would agree that H'nu has retired, but then he never really did play an actual role, other than just representing the balance between his offspring." He thought about what she said for a moment on what do, "So I am taking that you're looking for someone to enter your guild? I'd be honored." He paused, "Magical items, well I think I could try my claw/hand/ sorry, at that," He shook his head wondering how he got that sentence messed up, "I would appreciate whatever help can be provided." He said. "However, should things change, and Talyara leaves me a tailsman, I would like to say that I would still continue on your offer, regardless, I need something to do, staying in a lonely castle with nothing to do, is not good for me, so I appreciate the opportuinity to do something again, thank you,” he said.


Khitti merely shrugged at his remarks about the magic that was likely in that cup, as well as what was used on Brand’s ship, “That’s just what I call it. If I remember correctly, it’s like a super light version of spatiomancy? It’s where you’re able to manipulate the world around you in different ways, warping it. But, I’m not for sure if this is actually it. Seems silly to use something like that on a ship or a cup. It’s probably just an enchantment meant to mimic it on a smaller scale.” Another shrug, “I dunno.” Fearing that she was starting to sound like a know-it-all again, she quieted herself on the subject, letting him continue on to answer her second question. “The Devout’s Guild is always looking for more people, much like the rest of the guilds. Several of the guilds are dedicated to teaching as well as protecting Lithrydel’s inhabitants--my guild falls into that category. This isn’t me trying to force you into joining another guild or whatever. That’s far from what I want. I don’t want you to think that getting some sort of divine help from the gods is guaranteed--we’ll have to do a lot of our own research too--and I don’t want you to think that you’re obligated because both of your sisters are and were in the guild. But, the option is there, because who knows when Talyara will want to return to doing magic again, if she does at all after going through something like that.” Khitti wasn’t exactly the greatest at giving off rousing speeches to gain more members for her guild; that’s probably why she had so few members in the first place. Or, at the very least, it felt like she should have more. “It’s a big decision to make, to dedicate yourself to one or many of them, to work in their name. But if you truly do intend to go this route, then you will certainly have help along the way.”


Scandal glanced up at her, when concerned the cup, "I agree it is weird, in terms of Dragon ages, I bet this cup was made in the eccentric age." He giggled, as he finished off the stew. "Again very good stew." He lent his ear to listen as she continued to explain the functions of the guild and that she wasn't trying to press it on him. "I am not obligated because my sisters were part of the Guild Khitti, well maybe only by small amount." He said sheepishly, "But I understand, one of H'nu's priestess once said, that H'nu didn't give dragons so many potential gifts, to simply rely upon the gods, he provided us with the abilites we had so that only in our greatest of needs would we seek them out, or bother them, as we in Uldenbraug used to put it." He offered a dragonish smile, but then managed a serious tone, "I don't mean to brag, h-ll that's the last thing I want to do, but if you need an additional researcher even if not a lead one, I would offer my services, and i wouldn't blame my sister for not wanting to return to the magic practice, she's been through enough." He added. "I would join, because it's not only the right thing to do, but also because, I am at my best emotionally and psychologically when I am helping people, and learning about the gods and goddess of the lands, doing jobs for them, or even assisting the everyday man, this what I do best, and I would rather be remembered for doing my best and being remembered for my best, rather than being remembered being at my worst," Scandal was no quitter, he stuck to whatever he did until he was kicked out and he hoped it would never come to that. "What would you need of me, to begin?" He offered.


Khitti listened to Scandal, nodding here and there as he went along. “Well, to be perfectly honest, I’ve never designated that sort of thing. Typically, everyone either does their own research or helps others when it’s needed. But, I’m sure you could help out the newcomers, the ones that don’t really know much at all about religion and deities in the first place. That would also mean, however, that you’ve got to do your own research and learning first. I had been teaching Lanara, going through the list of Lithrydel’s pantheon, but I’m not entirely sure if that’s the best teaching method. It was difficult for her, going over those considered “evil”--mainly because of the hell her and the other witches endure thanks to people like the Larket tyrants and the witch-hunters.” Khitti shook her head, then shrugged, “I was going to let Talyara choose how she wanted to learn, to hopefully lessen the stress of things. But, with you being the lead researcher of the Adventurer’s Guild, I imagine you’ve likely got a system down that works for you. I do try to encourage people to pick, perhaps, a god or two to study and maybe even become their follower in the future, but this also isn’t necessary. Even if it isn’t Xalious or Loda or Arkhen, I’m sure someone will call to you at some point in your studies. I had thought to follow Arkhen as well at one point, or even Vakmathras, since they both helped me, but it was Cyris that ultimately chose me.” She shrugged again, “And there’s no task to gained entrance into the guild; there’ll be plenty of things to do once you’re in. Let me see your hand… paw… claw?” She was a little confused on which word to actually use for his appendage, but she outstretched her own right one over the table towards him, palm up, so that he might lay his there.


Scandal nodded, understanding. “Evil, or necessary, that is the question.” He said, with a small nod but it was a rhetorical question. “A system yes, but one that is teachable to others? No. As you well know, I do have a library that holds many books on many subjects, I have made it my guild office as well as my office in my home, so if the new come and need instruction, my home has much knowledge in its books, and I will help everyway I can, soon as I am learneded, on the subjects of matter.” He said. “I don’t know who it will be, though I have no doubt it will be one of them.” He offered his hand, a small creak of his jaw like a smile, “Its alright, I mess up all the time on what to refer to them as.” He said offering his right hand palm facing down. His appendage a few times larger than hers, and scaly, but the underside surprisingly smooth, and cool to the touch.


Pale fingers wrapped around Scandal’s hand (as much as they could anyway) and pulled it forward enough that she could trace her finger across the top of it, leaving his palm side down. The index finger of Khitti’s left hand traced along the top of Scandal’s the basic shape of the Devout’s Guild’s sigil, a strange sort of sun rune. It glowed silver briefly, then disappeared entirely, and Scandal’s appendage released. “There. Now you have access to the rest of the guild’s headquarters--both of them. The other is beneath Vailkrin, amongst the rest of the guilds’ headquarters. And like I said, I know you have a lot of knowledge when it comes to the Uldenbraug deities, but I encourage you to learn about and choose someone out of the Lithrydel gods to work in their name. And, this isn’t to say that you’ll be replacing the Uldenbraug ones with Lithrydel’s; it simply makes it easier for newcomers to the guild--or anyone in general that wants to learn about this stuff. Plenty of people revere several gods at once, it’s perfectly normal. Or, in Lanara and Talyara’s case, they’re all sort of lumped together into one being, with lots of different aspects.”


Scandal glanced down at his hand now runed. "I will endeavor to learn of each until, i know them, so i may teach, all of lithrydales, until one call upon me." He said, with a nod. "Is there anything you need in Venturil, I know you don't like going there, but since I live there, is there anything you have need of?" He asked taking her bowel, when she was done with it, and putting it in the sink. What could be said, he had to do something to make himself feel like he was helping.


“I think there are a few things going on in Venturil that you could look into. There’s Kahran’s doomsday cultists, spewing their nonsense… and I think more ritual sacrifice going on. It doesn’t seem to be exactly the same as the things I encountered out there, but should be taken care of nevertheless. I’ll have Camina send all of the information along to you, at your house. Beyond that, just keep an eye out for anything bad. Chartsend too, if you can manage it. It’ll be a lot of help to me and the rest of the guild, just because we’re so few in number and can only do so much at once,” Khitti said with a weary smile. “And speaking of doing a lot at once, I suppose I should get back to my paperwork. I… haven’t even started yet and if I don’t get anything done today, Camina’s going to be giving -me- that look of hers.” The redhead took the dishes and silverware from the table and set them into the washtub, leaving it for her to take care of later, “And don’t worry, Scandal, things will get better. With you and your shapeshifting, with finding a purpose… and even Lanara. Even if you never see her again, you know, at least, that she’s in the best of care right now and there is potential for her to get better. But, more importantly, you’ll have her here,” Khitti pointed at where she assumed a dragon’s heart was, the same place as most humanoids, “and here,” the same hand now pointing at his head. “You have your memories of her and that’s just going to have to do for now unfortunately. It’s the same for all of us that knew her and were close to her. We just have to hope that she’ll get better and even if she doesn’t come back, we’ll know that she’s in a better place where she can continue to heal and make a new life.”


"Doomsday cultists, right, alright have to add that to the list, along with all that chatter about that saurian race activities. Chartsend as well alright." Scandal nodding at the paperwork. "Yes, I ought to let you get to that, don't want to get behind." He said rising to leave. When she pointed at his chest, he realized she was trying to point out his heart, or rather hearts, having three. But he got the point, "She is close, and likely to far better off, somewhere beyond any further witchhunters grasp." As he turned to go he stopped when he felt there was something more to be said so he turned and listened.


Khitti did indeed have more to say, though she’d almost forgotten, “Oh. When we get new members, we give them this little title. It’s nothing major and separate from the rank you’ll start at. It’s just something to give the others an idea of what your main purpose in the guild is, in case someone needs some sort of assistance. Lanara’s was ‘Advocate of Nature’, while Talyara’s is ‘Nature’s Advisor’. Those that have dedicated themselves to one god have the usual title: Zahrani’s ‘Paladin of Cyris’ and I’m ‘Templar of Cyris’”. Like I said, nothing too crazy, but I wanted people to know who to go to for specific things.” She paused, thinking things over, olive-green eyes fixed on Scandal as the gears turned in her head, “Hmm. What about ‘Curator of Sacred Tomes’? I think that fits your love of researching pretty well. It can be changed in the future too, should your path ever take a different turn.”


Scandal turned and smiled, which wasn't a pretty sight. "I would be honored to accept that, and I think I would enjoy it, when i learn enough." He said. With a silent nod, he added, "I look forward to cooking for you sometime, that was d--m good stew." He said and with a wave, he would take his leave provided there wasn't anything more to be said or done.