The Home of Zou, Mentor and Musician

[Jaspenellar]

The half-elf found herself grateful that Aura was both doing the talking and getting to the point without dancing around the question. She tidily finished her second helping and would have offered to help clear the dishes, but the noseless gentlemen seemed to prefer to take care of them himself. The unmistakable scent of goat remained as elusive in the close quarters of his home as it had been in the tavern. If it weren't for his odd mannerisms which continued to carry strangely subtle nuances that persisted to nudge the back of her memory, Lo'en would have convinced herself that there were stray goat hairs in her own clothing, even though her last close encounter with goats was over two years ago.

"You, miss, seem to dampen that influence. I wish, for purposes both academic and inquisitive, to know the details and peculiars of this dampening."

Lo'en almost coughed as that particular sentence caught her attention. She was about to retort when her mind belatedly focused on his conversation in its entirety- Zou was concerned about Aura, not her. The half-elf had a moment of indignation, not over the man fixing his attention on the younger, prettier girl-- the man gave off as much testosterone as a gelding or steer-- but because the characteristic she had always thought unique to herself was now, obviously, not. Although her close presence did not seem to affect Zou as cosmically as Aura's did (having touched her arm in the tavern with no ill effect), Lo'en did not doubt that standing within arm's reach of him would also dampen his magical abilities.

Her grey eyes reflected her inner conflict even as her demeanor remained as calm and collected as it had been all evening. Always aware of what her eyes spoke, the half-elf turned her gaze to the many volumes lining Zou's walls. This man was more academic than any she had encountered thus far- if he was as intelligent as he let on, perhaps he could answer the how of her, and Aura's, innate ability. Naris would be quite happy if I could control this, perhaps we could travel together again, Lo'en's face softened slightly as she thought of her sister.

And Koloque, he would be laughing his face off at this present, odd company, her mind wandered to her brother, inevitable as she thought of her sister, and she could not refrain from smirking, however inappropriate to the conversation at hand. Clearing her throat and attempting to put on a more attentive look, Lo'en looked pointedly at Zou.

"Don't you think attracting rain on such a clear night might also attract the unwanted attention of the authorities?" She had heard enough of Marn's reputation for being heavy-handed on magic users, both from her parents and in her widespread travels, to instantly be concerned for her own safety in the present company. "I don't think the city's guardians are too foolish to know that there isn't a hint of rain on the air... unless Marn is prone to sudden squalls?" She had not been to any place where, no matter how abrupt the weather shifted, precipitation appeared from nowhere. But then, she had never been to Marn before either.

[Aura Thesin]

If you were not aware of this dampening effect yourself, this little endeavour could prove to be a most beneficial use of time and energy for both of us."

Aura stared at Zou, comprehension slow in coming. "You... I ... What?!"

She couldn't quite fathom what he was saying. He could use magic to influence rain, and somehow she made it difficult for him to do that? How was this possible?

"Don't you think attracting rain on such a clear night might also attract the unwanted attention of the authorities?"

Aura nodded hastily in agreement, pointing towards Lo'en. "She's right. Don't the authorities around here try to keep magic use under wraps? It's one of the first things the guards ask when you walk across the bridge, and are obviously a stranger. Then they tell you that if you're caught using magic, you'll go before the judges."

She looked hesitantly at Zou again, waiting for a reply. She remained where she was, legs curled into her chest, and lowered her chin onto her knees, shivering as if she were cold.

For her to be drawn into things in this place, new to her, could be a very bad thing.

[Zou]

The ladies had valid concerns, to be sure, and Zou was quick to placate them. "Naturally, I would not, (and cannot,) simply make rain clouds appear out of nowhere, nor would I accelerate any precipitant process unto suspicious levels. What I will do is slowly draw what clouds are near, if there are any, in a movement that will appear perfectly natural to any skygazers. And I needn't bring rain in order to succeed with this experiment. Nay, I only need to make the attempt. Blue light will flash between my horns as I work my magic. This effervescence I plan to use as a yardstick. If the blue light vanishes, it means that the magic vanishes."

As he spoke, he shifted the table over a notch, and his beautiful horns began to spiral out of his mane. He turned to Aura and Lo'en, and smiled. "Of course, I understand perfectly if you do not wish to partake in this experiment. I would be just as content to share the joys of a storybook, or simply get to know one another better over some more tea. Or, indeed, if time is pressing, we can save it for another day. You know where I live, and are welcome in my home any time you wish to visit."

[Jaspenellar]

As the strange gentleman sprouted horns, Lo'en got a more certain waft of the goatish smell. She was no authority on shifters, but she had heard stories of different types- mostly of the carnivourous sorts. Her grey eyes blinked opaquely, and she had a peculiar expression of consternation, as if she was miffed that she had not been able to put the goat puzzle pieces together.

Zou seemed harmless enough, especially if he was a goat shifter. She was willing to bet he was as placid and devious as any goat she ever met. Though not in the custom of explaining her null to strangers, she decided it would not do any harm to divulge to the gentleman and foreign girl. The half-elf shifted in her seat, sitting more upright and setting her elbows on her knees. "How odd the coincidence which brought Aura and myself to the same place. I, too, seem to have some kind of magic dampening effect, but it only seems to affect active spell-casting." She winced as she thought of her sister again and the growing frustration the gnome fought with toward the end of their time together. "I think the effective range is dependant on the strength of the mage. I've noticed that most of the time, an arm's length away is close enough to have effect. "

She paused to look at Aura and Zou, wondering what would come of the night.

[Aura Thesin]

Aura nodded thoughtfully, then slowly unfolded her legs and stood up from her chair. She tried not to shudder as Zou sprouted horns out of his head, and failed. Still trying to control her shuddering, she began walking towards the kitchen, slipping between Zou and Lo'en.

She paused as she reached the threshold of the kitchen, glancing back to Zou and Lo'en. Hope glimmered slightly in her eyes as she hesitated before asking her question.

"Couldn't if be possible... I mean, maybe it's not me that affects you this way, Zou. Maybe it's really just because of Lo'en that you can't do your magic ... stuff? I don't feel any different now than I did at home. And the only magic at home was all sleight-of-hand, not 'real' magic."

A tear coursed down her cheek from the corner of her left eye as she thought about home, and how nothing would ever be simple again. She turned to fully face Zou and Lo'en, waiting for their answer.

[Zou]

Zou found it rather necessary to take a seat and process the information that the two ladies had given him. He idly scratched the mane around his horns as his violet eyes seemed to gaze lucidly at nothing.

"Two dampers in one evening, at my home. That would, indeed, be a coincidence."

He turned to Aura and spoke even more gently than was his wont, seeing that the girl was in a state of mild distress. "Miss, Lo'en's revelation does still not explain what I felt when you touched me. I was not actively using magic at the tavern, so if what she says is true, there was nothing for her to dampen. But I see that some of these things are rather difficult for you. Please forgive a man's academic curiosity, and allow me to extend to you a more pleasant welcome to Marn."

With these words, he reached his arm up to a tidy shelf and took a kerchief from an exotic, witchwood box. He extended it to her from across the newly shifted table, and then settled back into his seat, retracting his horns. "Perhaps we can forgo these idle scientific inquiries? The hour is late, and I would not wish to keep you two, or distress you further merely to sate my thirst for understanding. Of course, there is room for you here if you do not wish to stay at an inn, but I understand it if you are disinclined to accept such a dubious offer from a stranger. I can, however, help you in finding a good inn."

[Jaspenellar]

The half-elf looked at the girl, the wet streak of her tear not going unnoticed. What, she's crying now... Lo'en thought, refraining from rolling her eyes. She tried to feel sympathy for her, so obviously lost in this city, but she felt Zou would undoubtedly be much better suited at comforting Aura. She couldn't remember the last time she had shed tears out of fear or frustration or anything else for that matter. Of course, her carelessly carefree attitude probably had something to do with that- why mourn something when one could just flex and adapt and turn circumstances to one's own benefit?

Looking slightly uncomfortable at the sad girl, Lo'en focused on Zou instead. A goat shifter! What a find, and a strange one at that. She'd never seen a goat with such strange horns, but it was now very apparent that he was of the cloven hooved breed. Her curiosity now slaked, she felt little need to linger in his home. His academic interest in her magic dampening might prove to be interesting and a good way to pass the time while she investigated why the city had such a pull on her, but in the meanwhile, she had hardly any bishani and she needed to find a way to earn a living in the city.

"I think she would benefit far more from your hospitality, good sir," Lo'en spoke suddenly as she rose from her seat. "The evening is late, but I would not presume to impose on you any further. Tomorrow I will need to be off to find some employment to continue living here in the city." She paused to give chance for him to interject, perhaps if he had any suggestions as to where she could find a job.

[Aura Thesin]

(I'm so sorry! I somehow missed Lo'en's post, and was perusing through the sight today and noticed she posted a week ago! Gah!)

Aura ignored the tear running down her cheek, absently taking the kerchief from Zou. She came back into the sitting area with the other two, finally taking the time to wipe the tear away with the kerchief, and blew her nose on it. She smiled slightly in embarrassment, folding the kerchief and hanging on to it for the moment.

"I - I haven't slept well in a few days, traveling the road to Marn. It's dry and dismal, and for the most part empty, and it's hard to sleep on the road like that. Being in a strange land doesn't help either." She smiled again, though it was clear she was still quite upset at whatever fates had brought her here.

"I need a place to stay, but ..." She glanced at both Lo'en and Zou, realizing that Lo'en would most likely be leaving, and then she would be alone with what people called a 'shifter'.

Her voice dropped as she looked down at the carpet underneath her feet. "I don't have many of these 'bishani', and I suppose a beggar can't really be a chooser. I hope you don't mind my staying here, Zou, at least for the night. I suppose you'll want me to help you with these experiments, and I guess that's only fair for allowing me to stay."

She glanced over at Lo'en again and offered her a sad smile. "Hopefully we'll see each other again soon, if you are leaving."

[Zou]

Zou would have been more than happy to play host to the half-elf a little longer, but indeed the hour was late, and his own inclinations of politeness went above and beyond the capabilities of his booze-wearied body. It was therefore with a slightly disappointed smile that he nodded to the half-elf, and did his best to extend to her one last courtesy.

"Employment, hmmm? Unfortunately, my social network is rather tightly knit, and rather small, at that, but it is varied. I would be happy to keep my ear to the ground for you. What, in particular, would you like to work with?"

"I hope you don't mind my staying here, Zou, at least for the night. I suppose you'll want me to help you with these experiments, and I guess that's only fair for allowing me to stay."

Zou smiled at the offer, but wouldn't consider it, certainly not at this time. "Please, think nothing of that. I would beg that you forgive the pressures of my earlier zeal, I do not make a habit of indulging in quite that amount of ale. It tends to make me a tad uncaring. You've had a good meal, now you need to rest. I shall prepare the cot for you. You just relax, help yourself to more tea, or browse the books at your leisure."

[Jaspenellar]

Lo'en gave a tip of her cap and a slight bow to Zou at his offer to listen for employment opportunites. She gave one more look around his home, observing the details and mentally confirming his admission of small circles- she doubted his scholarly contacts would have much use of a country-girl goatherd or a hunter. Moving without much ceremony, the half-elf let herself out into the street of the residential district of Marn, the cool, night air.

She took a deep breath, feeling both at ease on her own and slightly morose at not having a place to sleep. Her handful of bishani was not enough to pay for the rooms in this city, prices inflated beyond what she had been expecting. The half-elf wandered aimlessly from Zou's doorstep, deeper into the city without much thought to where her feet were taking her. Lo'en was tired, feeling slightly more worn than typical. She attributed her fatigue to having to deal with the different stresses of the city and the proximity and interactions with so many people at the same time. Her senses felt taxed, having to listen to multiple background conversations, maintaining a close watch on her purse and belongings, sifting through the different scents a city roils in.

Marn seemed to have fallen a bit quieter with the onset of the night. The few passerbys, stumbling or hurrying to their homes, paid the lone half-elf no attention, presuming her to be one of their numbers. Lo'en figured the hour to be just past midnight when she finally settled on a relatively clean alleyway between a plant shop and what appeared to be a pottery store, both of which were closed, shades drawn tight, but with no other outwardly obvious locks. Assuming the neighborhood to be fairly secure, she squeezed herself into narrow space between the two buildings, which gave her enough space to sit with her legs bent, feet against the one wall and her back against the other. Lo'en had slept in worse spots before- here was dry, the city was a bit warmer than the plains, as if the buildings were serving as a forest, blocking the chilling winds. Folding her arms on her knees and resting her head on her arms, Lo'en drifted into a fitful sleep.

A young girl raced down the street, never sparing a glance to the sleeping figure between two of the buildings. She was breathing heavily, her eyes rolling wildly as she tried to look behind her. Barefoot, smudged make-up, her dress torn, the blond daughter of some unimportant peasant was clearly in distress. She stumbled, rolling her ankle with a loud pop as she misstepped on a loose cobblestone, crying out in pain as she crashed to her side. The girl was too terrified to curse her earlier decision to disobey her parents' curfew and stay out late, carousing in a local tavern. Her mind was nearly shut down, only instinct prevailed, her flight from the men pursuing her was the only recognizable need.

Lo'en stirred but did not wake, instead slipping deeper into an unconscious state that held some semblance to sleep walking. She was aware that someone had passed, but her cognizance was not based on her five physical senses. Somehow she could sense something about the person- it... she was afraid of something. The girl's aura was nearly palpable and very tantalizing to the half-elf, more attractive than any of the fanciest spiced food she'd tasted. Almost unaware of what she was doing, she reached out to tug at that aura...

The girl would never realize that the men pursuing her had long ceased their chase. Her mind's eye saw, heard the mob of men she had angered at the bar, close behind her, shouting, screaming obscenities at her. Why didn't some of the sleeping residents waken? How could noone came out to her aid? She sobbed helplessly and tried to scramble to her feet but pain shot up from her ankle and she promptly collapsed again. The pain only heightened her fear, the sense of loss and panic flooding through her, rooting her to the spot.

[Aura Thesin]

Aura waited until Lo'en left, giving the other woman a little wave. She seemed a decent enough sort, for a being that had only been spoken of in the deepest fantasies written on her world. She almost snorted a laugh at that, as she considered her host. A 'shifter'! And one that could shift into a goat!

There were tales of werewolves where she had come from, but they were just that; tales. But here, it seemed that shifting from humanoid to creature was commonplace, to the point where could almost choose the animals they wanted to shift it. This brought her thinking to the various native tribes that lived on her world, and their talk of animal totems and people being able to change into those totem animals.

All the while she had been thinking this, she had grabbed her mug and wandered into the kitchen. After a brief moment of searching, she found the brewed pot of tea and poured herself another glass. Faint steam rose from the mug, and she smiled.

"Would you like another mug of tea, Zou?" she called, loud enough for him to hear in the next room, but not too loud if he had followed her into the kitchen. She was completely unaware in either case, so caught up was she in her thinking and searching for the tea pot.

[Zou]

Zou had meanwhile plodded over to the bed, which boasted a nicely upholstered, expansive cushion nestled in a sturdy, intricate, wrought-iron frame. It was probably by far the most luxurious piece in Zou's house. The old goat shifter placed a great deal of importance on the role of rest and repose in a healthy and happy daily life, and so it was with care and thoroughness that he changed the sheets, swept the dust from underneath the frame, drew up an ornate and tasteful little teak night-table at the head of the bed, and lit upon it a long, tapered candle.

When Aura asked if he would like some more tea, he looked up from his host duties, and smiled. "Yes, I would like that very much, Aura. Shall I perhaps set on another pot, or were you thinking of sleeping soon?"

As he spoke he moved over to the corner by the door, opened a simple pine cupboard, and removed a hammock, the ends of which he proceeded to fasten into the corner to the right of the bed, under the L-shaped bookshelf reserved for tales of fiction.

[Jaspenellar]

(You guys did see my post in the PC forum about skipping me until morning arrives, right?)

[Aura Thesin]

Aura quickly turned and wandered from the kitchen area back into the main area to grab Zou's mug. She paused to watch him as he arranged the sleeping arrangements, shifting nervously at the proximity of their situation.

She smiled at Zou as he glanced at her. "No, there's enough tea left to fill your cup, and it's been a long day for me. I could use the rest."

Aura paused as she was about to turn back to the kitchen, noting that the forbidden titles in the corner behind the bed. It was smart of him to do that, to keep any curious visitors from going over the books he didn't wish them to peruse.

She was back in the kitchen area and pouring Zou another mug of tea. She found a bit of sugar and added some to her tea, just to take off the bitter edge. She grabbed the mugs and headed back towards Zou, who seemed almost finished preparing the sleeping arrangements.

Aura held out the mug of tea for Zou, taking a sip as she dubiously eyed the sleeping arrangements. Pointing to the hammock, she asked, "Is that thing sturdy?"

[Zou]

"Is that thing sturdy?"

Zou eyed the hammock, then turned a gentle smile to her. "It will be quite sturdy enough for one of my diminutive frame, I assure you. For such a resilient fighter as yourself, I have prepared a bed with a frame capable of handling whatever punishment you might mete out upon the opponents of your dreams."

Zou then indicated the candle he had lit upon the nighttable. "You will find the sheets clean, and the light accommodating. I obtained these candles from a client with a rather interesting wax-spinning method; they burn quite brightly, without penetrating too far, or becoming unpleasantly sharp to the eye. The perfect reading light, you may take my word for it!"

He sipped his tea absentmindedly before plodding over to the curtained entrance into the one-room house. "If you wish to change into some nightclothes, you will find a comfortable cotton gown in the drawer here. I will wait outside and smoke the last pipe of the evening while you complete your evening rituals in private."

With that, he was out the curtained door, and his soft footfalls could be heard fading down the street, followed by the faraway hint of a match being struck.