RP:Her Ghost In The Fog

Summary: After a chance meeting on the boardwalk, Quintessa tells Lhyrin she has a gift for them, and Lhyrin introduces Quintessa to the strange Forsaken Beacon and invites her and Karasu to dinner at Chateau Drakenheart.

Darklight Dock And Boardwalk, Elimdor, Vhys

Lhyrin || Despite the fact that Lhyrin lived waaaaaay out there on the outskirts of Vhys, over in Chateau Drakenheart, they were still often found in the region’s city of Elimdor. Being able to run really fast tended to help with that, thanks to being a vampire. It was a dreary, rainy day in the city, as it so often was, and Lhyrin was standing at the boardwalk, wearing a far less fancy leather tunic than what they wore during events, a long sleeve undershirt, and some comfortable pants and boots in various shades of black and green. Though they loved the feel of the rain on their hair and face, they tried to blend in with the normies of Vhys when they were in town, and took to carrying an umbrella with them, this one specifically one of the lovely stained glass ones from the Resplendent Atelier on the other side of the city. For the moment, they stared into that abyss that was rather prone to staring back, their mind wandering, plotting things. Specifically, who was going to be their next meal. Being around so many people nowadays made them hungry--sometimes unbearably so.

Quintessa had been meaning to take a vacation to Vhys for a long time. She had visited before, of course, but she never lingered long. She only had enough time to grab a bottle of Elimodor Red during her last stay, so this time she was making sure to enjoy the sights. The Lady Blackwell casually strolls the streets alone, the shelter of her ebon-laced umbrella protecting her spider-silk clothing from the rain- also black and green. She had never ventured this far north in the city before, but the way the changeling sauntered through the streets, cigarette tucked between her lips, none would suspect that Quintessa was worried about anything. In fact her expression appeared somewhat absent-minded, her mismatched gaze continuously casting eastward towards the sea, trying to spot through the thick and oppressive grey the Forsaken Beacon she had heard rumor about, but so far even her hag-borne eyes can't cut through the clouds. "It must be somewhere around here..." The witch mutters to herself, clove and lavender scented smoke drifting from her mouth as she huffs those words. She has not yet spotted the vampire that she is steadily approaching…

Lhyrin || The scent of fae filled Lhyrin’s nostrils, their mind still distracted, the salty sea air tainting the smell for a moment so that they don’t initially realize who was approaching. A fae? Here? Well, this was a match made in Praemia. Their mouth began to water and their stomach growled as they turned to greet the unknown being, only to hear her speak and realize their mistake. This was, instead, a match made in Perdere, but only where their hunger was concerned. There’s a scowl of disappointment, but it’s brief, the elder vampire hiding it before the changeling can see it. “Lady Blackwell,” they said, tipping their rather colorful umbrella back just a tad so they could make eye contact. “Are you lost?” It was rare, for those outside of Vhys, for the vampire to find someone they were at a similar height with and it was a nice change of pace for once, rather than having to look down at everyone both physically and figuratively. They parted with the railing on the boardwalk to move closer to Quintessa, that lavender and clove encircling them, making them hungrier. It reminded them of the witches and druids they’d eaten in the past, with their deep earthy notes, enhanced further by whatever spices Lhyrin used on them. Dinner was definitely a must after this interaction.

Quintessa blinks, abandoning her search for the tower as the voice of Lhyrin graces her ears. "I-" Her eyes turn to them, her lashes fluttering like moth wings for a moment in confusion as she tries to quickly explain herself to someone she did not expect to see. "Not lost. Searching." She answers truthfully, tilting the rim of her umbrella back in much the same way the vampire did as she stops to speak with them. When she finally catches the look in Lhyrin's eyes she can't help but recall their encounter in the Dark Forest, of the brief encounter of two hunters testing each other's claws. "But I did not expect to find you on this side of Vhys during my exploration. I would have brought my gift otherwise." Quintessa tries to tease them with a coo of her voice, hoping to lure them into the conversation with the mention of her gift, a mystery to ponder for a moment.

Lhyrin || A… gift? Lhyrin’s face actually contorted into a look of confusion, a rare sight for Quintessa to behold. Quickly, they remember themself and the look faded into something less emotional. “I have spent much time around the southern part of Vhys of late.” Thanks to that dreadful Passionbloom event. But they kept that part to themself. “I needed a change. The forest may be my home, but I do so enjoy the sea as well. Well, this portion of it anyway.” There’s a brief pause before they continued. “What are you searching for?” Another pause, as they hesitated to return to the topic of the gift. “And you wish to gift me something?” There’s definite confusion in their monotone voice, no matter how much they tried to mask it. “I suppose then the solution to that would be for you to join me for dinner at Chateau Drakenheart one day, once I’m finished with renovations. You may bring a guest too, if you wish.” They, of course, knew about Karasu, but much like Quintessa, they often did their own “research” into people’s lives. It was a skill they usually just used for hunting, but now it bled over into political matters as well.

Quintessa finds the corner of her mouth twisting into a familiar smirk. "The abandoned lighthouse," she confesses, "The one I read about with the black stone base. You must know the one," Her eyes light up when she speaks of it, her muse easily motivated by all things dark and foreboding, but then the conversation continues and her eyes take on a more mischievous luster. "And yes, I have something for you. A token for the Chancellor to accompany my request for an audience– though I quite like the idea of coming for dinner. I will certainly extend the invitation to my fiancée." She pauses to take a drag from her cigarette, just to keep it lit, her mismatched eyes exploring the eastern horizon once more. "I like this city. It suits me- it suits my brand. I believe Black Pond Boutiques would do well out here... What do you think?"

Lhyrin allowed the barest hint of smirk to form on their pallid lips. “Ah, yes. It’s quite the tourist attraction and has stumped scholars--even our own Vhysian ones--to this day.” A hand lifted from their side and pointed towards the east, “You can just barely make it out right now, but it’s there. The fog is stronger than usual today, thanks to the rain. I can accompany you there, if you’d like.” If she was keen on it, Lhyrin would do the polite thing and offer their arm for Quintessa to latch onto. “A business-oriented meal then. It would be lovely to have both old and new friends for dinner.” There were a few different ways one could take that last part. Surely they meant that it would be nice to have Quintessa and Karasu for company… right? Right?? Thankfully, for Quintessa, that was what they meant. Mostly. They did have some “old friends” in a freezer somewhere that would suffice for dinner, if they did not have time to get something fresh. “I agree. While Vailkrin has its… charms, I suppose, Vhys just feels so much more -you-. You seem at home here and blend right in, even in the midst of your search for the lighthouse. And even after the town’s renovations, we still have plenty of room here for new things. Houses. Shops. Laboratories. Whatever you wish.”

Quintessa reaches out to take their arm, the mischievous glint in her eye quickly reflecting in her smirk as they lead her in the direction of the Forsaken Beacon. "So long as I'm not the one on the menu," she teases as she discards her cigarette, lowering her umbrella so she could take shelter under theirs instead. "I suppose I must look very much like a tourist at present but I promise I fit the scholar description better. There are things about this dutchy that have always intrigued me, I suppose because of its shared history with Ryeanna of House Elimdor. Anyone who studies undead will have to read about her several times and I learned a lot about Vhys during that process." Quintessa perks up. Just ahead, as Lhyrin promised, she can spot the high tower poking out between the clouds. "Oh- there it is... It's massive!" She giggles, trying to contain herself as they ease closer. "But you are indeed correct... The culture, the architecture, the fashion, the food and the wine- This place speaks to me. The Dark Forest will always be my home but the one thing my exile taught me was that I can make a home anywhere. With your permission, I can make a home here too. This harbor will make a perfect headquarters as I rebuild my trade network in a more... legitimate fashion." She did not have House Nasar to leech off of anymore, Quintessa had to expand for House Blackwell to stay economically afloat. "Everything I'd ever need is already here."

The Forsaken Beacon, Elimdor, Vhys

Lhyrin strolled along towards the Forsaken Beacon, that smirk still present, and a moment of hesitation before they spoke again, just to make sure that they were more or less alone. “Oh no. You are not on the menu. A disappointment, really, as fae are quite tasty, but alas. We shall have to suffice with having -someone else- for dinner. I suppose I should ask, however. What are your fiancée’s dining habits like? Would mine suit them? Or should I tone things down somewhat.” What they were hinting at, basically, was should they be eating people? Or not-people? Normally, Lhyrin would do the sneaky thing and feed people to other people because it amused them, but they did not feel the need to do so with Quintessa. They had come to respect the changeling, even after one that one chance meeting. “It’s a wonder Vhys did not turn into another Vailkrin, with Ryeanna’s love of undeath, but thankfully it’s own quirks persisted. But no, the tourist thing was merely a jest. I’m well aware of your studious nature, thanks to being in House Mahara.” They finally came to a stop near the entrance. “You are quite welcome to make your new home here. And while the ancient forest outside of Elimdor may be quite different from the dark forest you're used to, it has a personality all its own. Many strange creatures call it home--including myself.” That’s a joke. Maybe. “Now then,” the elf said, peering up at the lighthouse. “We don’t often let outsiders explore the lighthouse as it’s rather dangerous, but I think you’ll do just fine here if you’d like to take a look.”

Quintessa 's tone turns flirtatious for a moment but her eyes never leave the lighthouse before them. "I have perhaps considered giving you a taste– but no. To answer your question, I'm not sure how adventurous Karasu's palette is. I *have* once seen her eating a fermin before... I'm sure if you serve something nice to her first, and she likes it, you can reveal later what the main course was..." The levity of her tone does not fit what she was suggesting, though if she were aware Lhyrin already enjoyed playing this prank she might have suggested it in the beginning. As they draw even closer to the tower, so close Quintessa has to turn her chin upward to follow it into the clouds, she releases their arm so she can take a closer look at the black stone foundation. Fearlessly she reaches out to touch it, a shiver of anticipation running through her as she kneels closer. "Cold... like melting ice, but never melting..." She lifts her fingers away, almost surprised to find that the black stone hasn't rubbed off on her fingertips when she examines them. "I'm content with this," she says, turning down the offer to explore the tower proper. "Once I move here I'll have all the time in the world to properly research this place." Again she touches the stone, tapping it, picking at it, trying to determine its durability until finally she turns back to Lhyrin once again. "Do they know where it comes from? The Vhysian scholars I mean... This stone is unlike anything I've ever seen before but also somehow... familiar."

Lhyrin sensed the change in her tone, but did not quite respond to it in a way she was probably used to. That was to say, they didn’t really react to it at all. But that’s not on Lady Blackwell, but rather Lhyrin’s upbringing (technically a lack thereof). There was a grimace however when feasting on fermin was mentioned. They supposed that they could not fault a feline in the eating of rodents, even if Lhyrin wasn’t fond of eating them themself. “I will endeavor to cook something special then. This was going to be a tricky dinner to serve and would need some research first before a date and time were set. The subject moved on as Quintessa moved away and the Chancellor was grateful for the change. “They do not, but I have been told that the stone expands beyond the lighthouse, deeper into the depths. I have not seen it myself though, as water is not really my forte. And you’re right. It does feel familiar. I get the same sort of feeling in the deeper parts of the ancient forest. It’s something… not quite right, and yet, so very very comforting.” That was the easiest way for them to put it anyway. Speaking of fermin, two scraggly-looking ones clambored into the area, looking for Lhyrin. They were both rather twitchy, with one shrieking “Strrt” every now and then, while the other replied with a “Rohld” in a firm tone. It was their names, of course. “Ch-Chancellor Lhyrin! We’ve been looking for you!” The elf gave a slow blink and a heavy sigh at the pair of rodents, then turned to peer down at them. “We found dinner!” Rohld, the more stoic and more well-spoken of the two, was the one to alert Lhyrin to their impending meal, which in turn reminded the vampire of that hunger. “Thank you, you two. Scurry off now and I will be with you in a moment.” They turned then to Quintessa, offering her an apologetic look--as much of one as they could endeavor to muster anyway. “I should be off, lest the two ingest more pixie dust and forget where our supper is. It has been a pleasure, Lady Blackwell. Do enjoy your stay here, and I will write you soon with directions and a date and time for our little get-together.”

Quintessa || If Quintessa noticed that Lhyrin didn't respond to her tone she doesn't show it, instead finding herself hyper-focused on the history of this place. "It expands even deeper?" The changeling feels a shiver of fear run through her as she imagines being under the ocean, beneath the oppressive, heavy waves. Luckily for her the two fermin arrive to distract her from the mild panic beginning to take hold of her as she dissociates and stares at the sea, snapping her back to reality as she turns to meet them with an emotionless glower. "Thank you, Chancellor," She quickly recovers as she turns to Lhyrin, her voice not showing even a fraction of the emotions that swirled within her. "Tis been a pleasure for myself as well. Your letter will find me at the Hotel Elimdorei, I await with bated breath." She then offers the noble a bow, waiting for the three of them to leave before she silently has a panic attack at the foot of the Forsaken Beacon.

Lhyrin felt some sort of connection to Quintessa, though it was very unlike the connection they had with Kanna. This connection they understood more. While they were not as studious as the changeling, they understood her and she them on a deeper level. A much weirder and more feral level. It was strictly platonic, of course, but it was there nevertheless. There’s an uncertain glance that’s given to the fae while her attention was fixed on the tower, and it’s quickly wiped away before she turned to bow to them. They said nothing more to the younger being and offered a bow of their own head in response before heading off after the fermin that were getting rather anxious on the boardwalk, the elf hidden once more beneath their umbrella as they disappeared down the street and into the heart of the city.