RP:Tea Truffles and Thanadules
Background
Joan conducts a preliminary interview with Blair after the Fateweaver seeks her out on the reccomendation she might benefit from the guilds resources. This is a Necromancer's Guild RP.
In Cenril's funeral parlor
Around this room are various examples of coffins that are available to buy here for your recently departed. Towards the back right of the room are examples of grave markers. In the middle of the back wall there is a glass counter, behind which a tall man in a black suit is dressed. He has a calm quiet manner about him, and a comforting smile on his face. On the counter are several lists, giving the prices of the coffins and markers. To the left of the counter there is a dark wooden door, which a bronze plaque upon it. As you look closer it says clearly upon it 'Chapel of Rest'. This must be where the bodies of the recently deceased are kept for their loved ones to visit them until they are buried.
Players:
- Blaire
- Joan
Joan had spent most of the day helping prepare the recently departed from the new uprising. This vampiric healer/necromancer/funeral attendant felt most at ease when she helped those that departed their cold dead corpses. They didn’t feel the need to talk, unless their spirit had not yet left their body, then they got chatty. Always wanting her to help pass on a message or last wish. Those…well it all came with the business, and this sharp dressed and impressively turned out vampire did what came natural to her line of work.
Blaire hadn't needed to knock on the door-frame to announce herself. Considering the heavy silence that seemed to naturally fall over places such as the Chapel, the click of her heels had announced her approach as clearly as if she'd arrived with a full bank of trumpets and a crier. Still, she stopped in the door, framed by the wooden portal as she waited to be invited, or at least acknowledged. For all that she looked like a stereotype in low-riding leather pants, stilleto heels and an embroidered, half-length mariachi jacket featuring white wings and skulls on the nigh-black surface, she didn't lack for manners. In fact, there was some level of awkwardness – almost innocence – to her as she scanned the place with shining red eyes set in a slightly boyish face with a square jaw, severe brow and black bob hair.
Joan looked up after settling the pink vale over the newly finished professionally made up older female departed. Joan had spent a good amount of time styling the hair, laying on the foundation, contouring, etc. she had a small portrait to follow, provided by the departed grieving husband. Earlier Joan had cleaned the body, perfumed it with the provided perfume and cosmetics, even taking care to slip the victim into the outfit, shoes, and little bit of jewelry the husband also brought along. Sensing another of her kind approaching the funeral attendant looked up from her finished work, moving towards a small table nearby where she grabbed up and clean small hand towel. “Hello! Welcome to the Chapel of Rest/Unrest, how can I be of service.
Blaire remained in the door for the moment. One hand running the tips of three fingers through her hair over her ear. Something like a nervous tick. "Hey. Thanks." She said, slightly stiff but brushing right past it. "I was told I could come here if I wanted to apply for an apprenticeship in necromancy?" Half a statement, half a question. For a small woman, her voice was surpsiginly deep and a little raspy. As she spoke, she looked past Joan to the dead woman on the table.
Joan blinked her glowing lilac orbs as she drew up to her full height, her friendly kind welcome aura flared for a moment, shown by the chimney like smoke coming out from the corners of her eyes. “Yeah, this is one of the places to come to seek access and knowledge on the darker arts, our guild headquarters are normally up in Vailkrin, either at the Black Spire or the Black Library, you can also go to the Death Cult temple and seek out Lorkain.” Joan explains as she finished up clearing her plate icy hands before strolling around the table to head towards the other woman, “My name is Joan Blackheart and I’m a official guild member of the Necromancers guild.” Stopping near the other woman, Joan would politely offer out her hand for the general normal handshake greeting. If the other woman would take her offered hand Joan would give it a polite squeeze and hand pump of once-twice then let go. A pleasant smell of aloe and mint would linger on her icy skin, part of her own personal perfume and a mix of the departed. “I have just finished up back in here, if you would like, we can sit and take tea while I answer any questions you may have about membership and requirements to join.”
Blaire returned her focus to Joan as she approached, not out of wariness but the simple principle that whatever moves and talks draws attention. She took the offered hand, shook it. "Blaire. There's more to the name if you need the whole thing but it's a traditional tongue-twister and probably invokes the name of some kind of ancient spirit of pretentiousness." She returned. "Most just call me B." Once again she looked past Joan to the room at large. Then back over her shoulder. "... Sure." She said after a hint of hesitation. "I can do tea."
Joan nods her head, her amethyst colored hair moves with the motion as Joan makes a ‘after you’ gesture with her hand, as Blaine was rightly still standing in the doorway that lead to the more public area of the chapel. “B, charming, if you would?!” Joan would smile larger at the other woman’s hint of hesitation. “I take my tea with a ounce or two of spiked warm blood, it’s then more drinkable for those of us on a more liquid diet.” Her glowing orbs brighten with humor. She did notice Blaire’s glances towards the finished departed, she jerks her head towards the coffin the woman rested in, one of their good quality pine number. “Did you know the departed, or just curious about the work I completed on her? You can go look if you want.”
Blaire could read gestures and body-language well enough. She didn't quite lead but was quite familliar with the process of being lead along by someone walking behind her, as it turned out. "That's alright. I don't mix like that." She said with a seemingly onconcious almost courtly gesture with her hand of politely declining. "Oh, just curious. One thing at a time, though, right? I can always ask for a point-by-point exposition later." She gave a small, wry smile at that.
Joan moved around the other female once they drew up to the small round table with a few chairs scattered around it, there was already a plate set on the middle of the table with a arrangement of finger foods and snacks, near the round table was two different large pots set upon a severing tray, clean mugs scatter about with offerings of sugar, milk and herbal tea selections in tiny packs. Spoons where provided of course. Joan pulled out her own chair and slide into it before making her snack selections and then turning in her chair towards the Kraft table to make her cup of herbal tea. “Hmm, yes, back to the subject at hand, why would you like to join the necromancers guild? What do you think we can do for you? What are you hoping to learn and gain?” She fired off her questions rapid fire as she fixes her spiked tea, crinkling her spoon around in the porcelain China swirling the liquid with the warmed blood around to mix it well.
Blaire slowly slid into her own chair. Not uncomfortable or suspicious so much as slightly she was very deliberate about what she said and what decisions she made at this point. That and the rather formal form of address always put her in a particular state of mind. A polluted kind of nostalgia. Still, she settled at the table easily enough. Folding one leg over the other in an almost regal way that couldn't be faked, the sort of thing that came from childhood conditioning. "I practice an unusual and highly specialized form of magic." She began, the slow emphasis behind her words serving to indicate this was going to be a longer form but still relevant explanation. "Passed down my family for... however many generations sounds impressive. It's not important. What is important is that I don't know anyone but me who practices or even understands this magic other than me." She held her own tea with a sort of subconcious, almost automatic quality. "It's called either Fateweaving or Soulweaving, depending on who you ask. And is... technically a form of soul magic, as far as I understand. Which makes it, by some defintion at least, necromancy."
Joan takes a slow sip of her blood spiked herbal tea as she watches the other over the rim of her mug, a long nodding of her head follows once she swallows down the liquid, “Interesting, go on.”
Blaire lost a bit of steam, there. Used to facing more questions at this point. "I was thinking, considering it connects to the soul to some degree and has something in common with curses that there might be more materials on it in the guilds possession. Or at least material I could use to improve. And in return I could record my research. Fill in the blanks on a rare school of magic." She'd barely touched her tea but balanced it on her palm like a master juggler.
Joan didn’t mean to not sound interested, only that she just recently reached the rank of Thanadule within the guild, this was the third tier and she’d finally be allowed to study the more advanced darker arts, soul binding being one of those advanced arts that Blaire was discussing in a way. “Sorry! I’m very interested, but I have only just recently earned the rank to study Soul magic. Eager to learn all I can.” Joan told the other before taking a long drink of her tea. “You most certainly will be a great addition to the guild!” Nodding the vampiric healer lightly places her half empty cup on the table between them, a quick smile flashed as she places her elbows on the tabletop and lean on them as her hands fold together and rest under her chin as she eyes the other vampire with real interest. “All of us start off at Novice level as we enter the guild, hope that is not an issue?” She ask before going on, “There are three people at the rank of Provectus Malus you should get to know, well besides Lorkain, Kyl'oriel, Rhaevyn, and Seymour. Everyone studies with them in the beginning. Our Umbracryaestor is Khitti, erm Khitt. Master of the Black arts. Next is Quintessa our Acerbitor, mistress of potions and poisons. Finally there is Bradyn our Luctisonus. Instructor of Curses, Incantations, and Arcane Sigils.”
Blaire nodded, finally sipping the tea now that she'd stopped talking. Though it seemed to be more by reflex than any actual taste for tea. She barely even noticed she did it herself. Not that she was spellbound by Joan exactly. It was simply an ingrained thing. Though she did listen attentively. Giving a nod so small it may not have been conciously done. "Novice is fine. I'm practically useless at any magic besides my specialty, so it's probably a good thing to put me through magical bootcamp." She agreed, readily. "Do I seek all these people out or just... go to whomever I'd rather learn from first?"
Joan offers a rolling shrug of her vested shoulder in a ‘don’t know’ manner, “Whoever you run into first, our main HQ is spread out between the Black Library and the Black Spire up in Vailkrin. Khitti also has a bakery shop here in Cenril. She is normally the easiest to reach first. Since you ran into me first I can pass along a note to Khitti to let them know you liked to chat with them, I can add you into our guild myself, but like I said I just earned my new rank so I’m not briefed on what I’m suppose to do besides a meet and greet and preinterview. I’d like to say you are in…by my own personal opinion.” She offers a dark chuckle here, a friendly hand is offered out towards the other after she leaned back in her chair and unfolded her hands. “Welcome B, it be a pleasure to work and learn with you!”
Blaire gave that same nod and put her tea away onto the table. As if associating the bewerage with the interview. "Alright. Thanks. I'll head to the necro-bakery next, then." She affirmed, taking the resolution in stride. "I'm guessing they're not going to let me at the big, extra scary books until I've proven myself or something. So don't expect too much yet. I've got a lot of bumbling ahead of me." She said with a fanged smile before slowly rising the her feet with the slight creak of leather and a fluid stretch. "So... that offer to show me your work still standing?"