[Volta] The Search for the Illusion

[Red]

Saun 5th, 718
Auya stood in the center of Volta, gazing around at the colorful village. She wasn't really sure why she was here. Or rather, she was, but she didn't know what to do now. It seemed that some people here hated her for being a redhead, but not everyone. That was a vast improvement over Rharne. At least here, she could let her hair down, figuratively. It was always down, even if it got her into trouble.

She looked down the way, seeing the shop she'd visited the trial before, learning how to apply mirror dust to clothing. But what she hadn't learned was what mirror dust was? Where did it come from? She knew what mirrors were, polished silver behind a pane of glass. Would grinding that to dust do anything? Could just ground silver and glass without having been a mirror be effective? She needed to know more.

She walked over to the shop, only to see a closed sign on the door. She sighed, cupping her hands, and looking in the windows. There were lots of strange things in there, objects she didn't recognize, glassware, tools and other trinkets. Likely a tool or supply shop of some sort for an alchemist. She walked around to the side of the building, moving through the gate once more. She'd been here yestertrial when the man had put on the demonstration, turning the hat that currently sat upon her head into a mirrored object.

Strolling over to the cauldron, she peered inside. There was no liquid within. She reached a hand in, and summoned the smallest of Faldrun's flame to a fingertip, just enough to light up the innards. She saw shimmering in there, as well as the light reflecting off the upper parts. Glass. The cauldron was blackened glass. Odd. And then she remembered where she was. No metal. Made more sense. Wood would burn or heat too slowly, clay would crack, stone would be unwieldy and fragile. She couldn't think of anything else that genuinely would work.

Reaching in with her other hand, she rubbed her finger along the bottom, scraping up residue. Snuffing the flame, she brought her hands out, and held her fingers up in the light, squinting at what she saw. There was definitely a single type of shimmering in there. She was sure that if it was silver and glass, she'd be able to tell the difference. A single substance. Would just glass work? She assumed it would be too dangerous to get silver here, having already traded in her metallic nels for the local variation.

Mouth pursed in curiosity, she left the yard. Glass. She needed to find someone to talk to about glass. She needed to know if "silver glass" was a thing that existed, and if it did, could it be safely used in Volta. Walking back out into the center of town, she began scanning the faces of every person that was mulling about, minding their own business. She was looking for people who didn't appear to be too busy, as well as appeared nice enough so as to not accost her if approached. It was a busy trial, she was sure she could find someone.

[Braker Ironsides]

Braker had just finished up a contract in Volta. Travelling across the plains was a dangerous proposition even in the hot seasons of summer. Bandits, like every other being, tended to rest more in summer rather than running about. It was simply just too hot to move around in any sort of armor. Braker's trip had been uneventful, and he left his contract at the Conductivity Office after they had both turned in their metal items. Braker needed another contract, and soon. He needed to save up enough for a decent shield. He wasn't buying one in Volta, as the options were leather, rawhide, or wood. While those served in Volta they were a bit low quality anywhere else. Without his customary weapon he'd had to lower his prices quite a bit. He could improvise on the fly, and he was a large, muscular creature men thought twice about tangling with, but people tended to balk at a bodyguard without a weapon. His arm itched for a good shield. A burgeoning tower of iron that he could use to his advantage as both protection and weapon.

Volta was a bright city with good spirits. People tended to focus on the academic side of life here. Everywhere there were small bills posting lectures, debates, demonstration of some new equipment and promoting innovations to old ones. Braker stopped to peer at a lamp post absolutely covered with them. Conductivity vs. Ilaren; Worship or Manipulation? seemed to be a controversial lecture between two professors of alchemy. New! Lightning Rods, channel the Gift of Ilaren where YOU need it! proclaimed another, depicting a smiling figure with a large iron rod on his back and a lightning bolt striking it. Braker raised an eyebrow. Lightning was a way of life here, and it seemed to shape everything from how people started cookfires to how they lit their streets.

It was all, frankly, over Braker's head. He was no great brain, even though he could appreciate a decent book, and preferred the physical side of things. How could he begin to advertise his services as a bodyguard when the town seemed relatively peaceful? Even the guards seemed relaxed enough to chat with the townsfolk. Due to the large lightning rods outside of the city, the volatile nature of the town itself, and their burgeoning economy...there was little to worry about here. That, frankly, concerned Braker. How was he going to get to a more dangerous area where he was more in demand with people so...relaxed here? He stopped outside of a glassware shop, peering curiously inside. It was closed, and he was exploring. The young lady with her head halfway in a cauldron definitely seemed off. He raised an eyebrow at her. Everyone seemed a little off, even if they were out of danger.

[Pegasus]

Intervention

Hi!

This intervention applies to the PC Braker. As a veteran player you are well aware of the rules, which include NOT posting IC until you have submitted your PC for approval. Literally, your pc has gone up for approval now despite the age of this thread.

Therefore, this thread is LOCKED and NEGATED. The rules apply to all players.

Auya You are awarded 15xp for a collaborative thread which was locked because of circumstances outside your control. If you wish to request any knowledge, please PM me them, and I'll check then amend this post. Thanks.