RP:Wrong 'City By The Sea'

Part of the I Write Songs Not Tragedies Arc

Summary: Pilar, searching for answers after her strange dream, goes to Cenril with Casandra. After getting some information from a bard (but not the kind they need), the two women go to the library. There, they find that they need to go to Chartsend.

Shrine to Daedria

Pilar never thought she was anything special. Still didn't. But when you have a dream and the Ascendi of music appears to you and tells you to go on a quest, well, what are you gonna do, say no? That's what had brought Pilar to Cenril today. She had questions, and she hoped the shrine had answers. After waking up at the inn and having a nice breakfast of giant's blood and waffles, Pilar and her lover made their way through the city streets and to the docks. Further up the coast was the shrine they were looking for. They two of them entered the sacred space and looked around. The instruments on display were all so beautiful, but none looked like Pilar's guitar. They were all golden. Hers was black with white filigree. Pilar looked to Cassy. "Do you think..." She trailed off. She didn't even know what she was asking. Or what she was doing there. She didn't know anything.

Casandra looked over at the girl for a moment and gave a soft shrug. She wasn't the one who had this dream but she was pretty sure that the instruments there weren't going to be anything different then what Pilar talked about. It wasn't like someone would make an elaborate ruse just to mess with the poor girl now would they? She would start to step forward towards them. Wanting to take a closer look at these interesting instruments. She didnt know how to play a one but she couldnt deny the allure to them

Pilar sighed softly and let Cassy inspect the instruments. She limped towards the fountain at the center, her silver leg gleaming as bright as the beautiful waters. Chocolate eyes roamed over the colorful fountain as her thoughts swirled in her head. 'Go to the city by the sea,' Daedria had said. 'Within the cliffside caverns you will find the key to saving yourself and those you love.' Well, she was here in the city by the sea. No caverns though. Unless she was speaking metaphorically? It was all so confusing. Pilar sat down on the edge of the fountain and peered into the water at her reflection. After a moment, another reflection appeared next to her. She startled and nearly fell into the fountain. A hand reached out to steady her. "Whoa there." The hand, and the reflection, belonged to an aging bard in blue robes.

Casandra hadn't known about much about the prophecy in a whole, just what Pilar told her, Leaning over the fountain herself, she failed to see the other person till looking up at Pilar as she stumbled. Gasping she went to catch her but was beat to the punch by the bard. Eyes flashing emerald for a moment, she nervously straightens before walking over to Pilar. "H-hello?"

Pilar looked nervously at the bard. She pulled her arm from his hand gently and got to her feet, taking a step towards Cassy. "Um... thank you..." she murmured. Again, she was nervous and mistrustful, when she had no reason to be. She took Cassy's hand and looked at her feet. "Um..." The old man, if he was put out by their behavior, didn't show it. "Hello, m'dears," he said. "You two seem a wee bit lost. Anything I can help ya with?" Pilar hesitated to say anything. She didn't want to be discussing her dreams with a perfect stranger. But then, maybe he could help in some way. "Uh... what can you tell me about... Daedria?"

Casandra looked over at Pilar as she asked that before looking back to the man and keeping quiet for the longest time. She didn't have much input on the whole situation. She was here to help Pilar and that was about it. However, she was kinda curious herself about this whole Daedria character. Was she a goddess or something? She was guessing something about music, but hey, gods are always confusing

The bard blinked. "Well. What do you already know?" Pilar shrugged. "Not much... They call her the 'Ascendi' of music, but... what are Ascendi? How are they different from the gods?" The bard nodded. "Ah. Well. The Ascendi are sort of like gods, but... less powerful than the likes of Aramoth and Xalious. Daedria was a beautiful maiden who tried to protect the realm during the Ascendi conflict. She also opposed Solaris in his war against vampires--" Pilar perked up at that. "--and she is strongly associated with the element of water. Those are the key points, I suppose. She did choose a champion, some time ago, but I can't quite recall the name..."

Casandra peaked a bit when she heard the thing about the goddess opposing agianst a war against vampires and looked down at Pilar right away after he said it. Was this why she was here? Was there something going on that needed her attention?

Pilar said, "I see..." She pondered this new information. What did it all have to do with her guitar? She wished she'd brought it. "Did... Daedria create or... enchant any instruments?" The bard hummed and stroked his beard. "I couldn't say for certain, but I would be surprised if she had not. Why the interest, if I may ask?" Pilar shifted uncomfortably. "I..." She should have thought of a cover story before prying. "It's... well... I want to be a bard, so--" The old man brightened immediately. "Oh! Wonderful! The realm can always use more music! Well, I'm not much of a teacher, but if you come here often enough you will probably find a member of the guild who would be happy to bring you under their wing!" Pilar offered a polite smile. She already knew a couple members, but she appreciated his advice regardless. "Thank you."

Cassy looked over to the bard as he started talking and looked him over for a moment before giving a small smile herself and moving over to Pilar. Placing an arm around her and giving her a gentle squeeze for a moment. She was glad Pilar could be feeling a bit better after all that's happened. Something to keep her focus. And Cas would be there every step.

Pilar looked up at Cassy, smiling. "Now, what kind of instrument do you want to play? Or do you want to be a vocalist?" the bard asked. Pilar's eyes turned back to him. "Oh, um... I'm learning guitar..." "Oh, that's a very popular choice! Not my forte, but you'll have no problem finding a teacher! You might try Gash the orc, he's very good." Pilar nodded. "I will try to find him, thank you. But I think it's time we left. Errands, you see." "Yes, yes, you young people and your busy lives. Do come back sometime, however!" "We will!" With that, Pilar took Cassy's hand and started towards the exit. Once they left, she sighed.

Streets of Cenril

She'd look down at her when Pilar gave the sigh and tilt her head, "Are you alright love?" She's seemed a bit up and down about this whole thing. Honestly, Cas wasn't sure how she'd respond with getting a prophecy from a goddess. It would scare her to no end really, but then again, a lot of things would have scared her. Responsibility only being one of them.

Pilar looked up at Cassy. "I've been better... This whole thing is so strange. She told me to go to the city by the sea, and here we are, but there are no caves. It must be very well hidden. Or... did she even mean Cenril? Did she mean Lithrydel at all? I just wish I knew where to go."

Cassy looked to Pilar for a moment when she let out the sigh and offered as much of a reassuring smile as she could in this situation. She was just as lost as Pilar was. "I'm sure we can find out something." She mused as she looked out ahead of them. "Perhaps there's something or someone we can go to to find out more or something?" She asked, placing her hand in Pilar's and squeezing gently.

Pilar nodded. "Maybe. Well, there's nothing to be found here... Let's go back to the inn and think." They headed down the pathway, past the docks, and back onto Cenril's streets. They passed by a number of people, but Pilar didn't think any of them had any knowledge that she was looking for. They reached the northern part of the city, where the inn was, ans started that way when Pilar came to a sudden stop before a large building. She stared up at it. "Of course... The library!" She looked to Cassy. "They must have something here, right?"

Great Library of Cenril

Cassy could only give a small amused giggle when she suddenly realized that the library was there. She just found it cute was all. "I'd think so yes. Perhaps they might even know specifically what we're looking for." She mused gently as went to bring Pilar inside the building.

Pilar followed Cassy inside. The library was massive, and there were so many books, she didn't know where to start. Her eyes roamed across the shelves and eventually settled on a librarian. Walking towards the old woman, Pilar shyly murmured, "Excuse me..." The woman turned and blinked. She was not expecting to see a dragon in her library. But she was nothing if not professional, so she merely said, "Yes?" "I'm, um... looking for books on, uh... I'm looking for information on seaside caves."

Cassy noticed the strange look passed to her and looked down a bit awkwardly. As more outgoing as she was, she still wasn't used be being singled out. Even if it was just eye contact. The librarian muttered to herself softly as she thought about it before motioning them to follow her and walking off and through the maze of books. "They should just be right over here." She'd ask why they were looking for books on that, but you never know why anyone really does anything these days.

Pilar noticed the look on Cassy's face and squeezed her hand comfortingly. They followed the librarian to the shelves which housed books on geography, maps and illustrations nestled within their pages. "Thank you," Pilar said, and the librarian nodded and went back to what she was doing. Pilar looked at the shelf, then at Cassy. "Well... I suppose we ought to start looking."

Giving a nod, she went ahead and started pulling books from the shelves. Taking a few at a time that looked like they'd remotely have anything to do with the caves before sitting down and going right at it. Skimming through the pages looking for anything that stood out in the text she read.

Pilar did much the same. She looked for every book on the ocean-side cities of Lithrydel she could find. Many of the books were old, and detailed the early days of Cenril and Rynvale Island. None had what she was looking for.

After some time, Cassy's eyes began to hurt a bit blinking away some tears of strain, she shook her head before looking back to the books. Amber eyes now flecked with some emerald. She was leaning a bit on Sandra for some support. This was too important to Pilar to just give up on it so early. With a huff, she tossed aside another book. Well, more like a light toss. She wasnt about to damage public property. It was a newer book, she wasn't sure it would hold anything. But after a while, she finally found something similar to what Pilar was talking about and scooted over right away, "Love, is this what you were talking about?"

Pilar, conversely, was ready to give up, call the whole thing a bust, and go back when Cassy got her attention. She looked over at the book and her eyes widened. "I... I think so..." There was an illustration of a cliffside with a cavern overlooking the sea, up a precarious path. There was a small village in the background. "Where is this?" She looked at the text on the page. There, in the corner of the illustration, was a tiny bit of writing. "South of Dami's Beach, a cave overlooks the ocean," it said. Pilar turned a page back, and found more text, along with an article heading: "The Patronage of Chartsend."

She tilted her head to the side when Pilar said the name, "Chartsend? Where's that?" Coming to stand up, the dragon looked over her shoulder to look at the page herself in a little more detail. "So, are you going to be heading there next then Pil?" Looking to the vampire, she smiled lightly. At least she found what she was looking for. Well, the place she was looking for anyways. Whatever it was she was going to find probably wouldn't be as easy.

Pilar looked through the text. "It's... a village on the western side of Lithrydel. On the other side of Venturil." She looked to Casandra. "Probably. It's the only lead we have." Pilar reached out and cupped Cassy's face. "But first, I think we should go to the inn, and rest. Maybe do something fun."