Culture Shock


 * Tempest Spire: Outer Ring (Ground Level) 


 * As intimidating yet beautiful as its name suggests, Tempest Spire tests the eye's strength with a strenuous squint into the lofty heavens with its height. The interior of the base is fairly vast itself and divided into two pillar-partitioned chambers - an inner and outer. The stone of walls and floor is radiantly pure, a snowy white marble inset with slender, gold veins which, if studied closely, seem to all creep towards the center of the Inner Ring.


 * Upon entry into the Spire, one has four choices: to turn and go hence from which they came, turn to left and pace the dark pillar-lined corridors, turn right and mount the black marble staircase which spirals up into the abyss, or step forward into the illusory shining light of the inner ring. The latter option will bear you through four black marble pillars, two on either side, and into the mist-veiled glory of the Inner Ring.


 * The Outer Ring is lit by gold sconces on the wall, each designed to look like human hands. Eventually, this ring leads to the opposite side of the entrance (north) where a small alcove has been dug into the marble. In this alcove, measuring roughly five feet in height, a white marble statue of a dragon stands, surrounded by stout candles in obsidian sconces.

The Blood Guard.. guards. Imposing figures in armor of purple steel, they stand impassive at the foot of the spiral stair, and in points around the room. Yet not all here is impassive faces and guard duty - replacing a torch in a sconsce on the west wall is the blackscale, Aeseyri, resplendent in the unmistakable glean of Argentite - the moonsilver glowing and flickering as the torch gutters.

A heavy crossbow of horn and the same metal is on his back, his coils shifting and turning as he sets the torch above in place.

A rather filthy and foul-smelling redhead sort of stumbles from the inner ring, steely grey eyes clouded with tears as they look around the entirely unfamiliar area. The girl is shaking as she walks, not seeming to be injured in any way. The emotion is quite clearly a form of shock, mingled with an uncertainty and laced with fear. Kallyn merely moves along, her legs seeming to go on some sort of autopilot yet at the same time threatening to drop the woman. Even though he's in argentite, Aes is not noticed.

Would that Kallyn were. Unnoticed, that is.

Instead, the blackscale turns at the sound of boot on stone, twisting, impossibly flexible - and then moving across the floor with a hiss of scale against stone, the jingle of mail.

"I do not know you." A curious baritone - "You are different."

Quick - fast as .. well.. a striking snake, he closes on her, circling her - if she does not step quickly, he'll surround her, personal space a nonexistant thing.

Kallyn has seen an image of Aes's kind before, and knew of their existance, but the speed with which he approaches and the girl's current shock mingle in an unfavorable way. The girl squeals, attempting to back away from the Syladri and gripping hard on a katar she has been carrying. Regardless of whether or not there is snake tail in her way, she stumbles, landing on her rear and trying to back away, shaking harder. And crying harder. Her jaw moves as if to speak, but no words come out.

Yet her rear doesn't land on stone. It.. lands on coils - an abrupt laugh, warm and low and excited - and the Syladris ... catches her, in coil and arms - "You musst be careful - the floor isss hard and cold and would hurt I think and .." He pauses. Sniff. Sniffsniff. "... you sssmell very bad." His nose wrinkles... and he holds his breath.

"I've..." Kallyn stops trying to get away and tries to calm herself instead, "I've b-been... in the Imperial dungeons, for about a month..." She is still shaking and crying, "They wouldn't let me bathe, it's... I..." Her grip loosens on the katar, although the fear is still there and the girl starts babbling, "Can't... can't go back... h-home..." The crying worsens. Apparently she's had enough of what she's been going through.

And Aeseyri just - for now, heedless of the smell, gathers the crying girl in his arms - yes. The argentite is cold, yes, he's careful not to crush her against it, and that makes it not the hug it should be, but, regarldless, the blackscale simply surrounds her, hissing softly, reassuring - "You are sssafe. I will not let anyone harm you. It isss warm here, and if you are lossst, you are ssstill sssafe."

"I wanna go home..." Kallyn wraps her arms around Aes and plants her face on his armored shoulder, "I wanna see my family, I want to see Kael... and Meian and my other friends..." Full-out sobbing erupts from the redhead now, the katar being dropped to the ground, "I never hurt anyone, I'm n-not a bad person... why won't they let me go back home?"

The syladris comforts her there, for a moment - hissing softly still - and then he simply reaches to pick up that blade... and then hoists /her/, scooping her up in strong arms .. not that it is much of a transition. Coils move away.. and she is carried. "I do not know. Hsss - all will be well; /her/ breath blowsss usss all asss we musst go - " His nose wrinkles - and even as he lifts her, he offers, with a touch of humor - "All will cssertainly feel better after you bathe, yesss?" That's more hopeful than it has a right to be.

Entirely unfazed by the shift, Kallyn merely hangs onto the snake man. The bit about bathing actually manages to get a weak chuckle out of her, "Actually, that's not a half-bad idea. I feel about as bad as I smell..." A sniffle and she wipes her face, before looking Aes up and down, "You're... you're one of those... snake-people... Like the window of Tshepsi at Night's Edge..."

"I remember mysssself asss Aessseyri." He offers her a bright smile - "You are in Tssshepsssi'sss home, though I do not think ssshe would welcome you. You really do ssssmell very bad." His.. teeth are pointed. Sharp. "it will be cold - we mussst go outssside. But it will not be far." And he starts for the door, the movement smooth, easy, strange .. and very swift. "The tresss are very nicsse here, and will not eat you." Very important information, that.

Another chuckle, "I didn't think they would, but thank you for the reassurance." Kallyn manages a weak smile, "It's nice to meet you, Aeseyri, even under the circumstances. My name is Kallyn." The movement makes her yes widen a bit, and her stomach jump, "Light, you're... fast..."

"Yesss - " Aes has that as a point of pride, apparently. "I am almossst fasster than whisssper but Keiressa isss fasster than me and it isss not fair becaussse she isss alwaysss sssneaking up on me but it isss alright." He actually laughs, lightly - the cold doesn't seem to trouble him in the slightest. "You are a Kallyn - it isss a good word for you."


 * The Bathhouse 


 * Decadence made manifest, this bathhouse consists of a large, open chamber, built entirely of polished white marble. The center of the chamber features four pools of varying size and temperature, from the smallest, coolest pool, to the largest, warmest one. Flower petals float on the surface of the water, and gentle perfume mixes with the steam in the air, creating an irresistable atmosphere of calm and relaxation.


 * The bathhouse's small staff, both human and Syladris, unobtrusively caters to the needs of their customers. Dressed entirely in white, they move around the edges of the room, bringing fruit and wine upon request, and bartering payment with customers as they depart. Massages, oils, and other luxuries are provided for those who are willing to pay their steep price. During most of the day, at least one musician is present, filling the bathhouse with soft harp music.


 * The customers of the bathhouse are mostly Syladris, though a few humans can typically be found here in the evening. The baths are unisex, and of course, clothing is not allowed. The Syladris do not seem to mind, or even notice. Screens have been set up in the far corners of the room, allowing patrons to change with at least a bit of privacy.

"I sss-erm, I see," Kallyn blushes, apparently already having listened to too much snakey speech. She seems to remember something and becomes rather grim, "You wouldn't happen to know how Taran Songbird is doing, would you? I heard he got hurt..."

"He fell down a hole and isss now resssting and being very grouchy." Aeseyri ducks into a low building - into decadence personified. "Yessss - much better.. " Only after the door is pulled to does the blackscale say, softly - "I musst put you down - and then you will take off thossse thingsss?" Not that he moves to put her down yet.

"Erm...," the redhead blushes again, more deeply, and looks around at the bathhouse. The lack of privacy (other than the changing screens in the corners) seems to make her a bit uncomfortable, "I, um..."

He does set her down, then - "You are lucky I am not Keiresssa - ssshe would jussst throw you in." Aes grins, then - looking across to an attendant, gesturing the human wildlander woman over to help. "After you are well and your clothesss are clean I will take you to Sssandrim'sss home and you can resssst - I think it isss that he hasss eggsss? I think. I am not sssure."

"S-Sandrim?" Kallyn brightens up a little bit, "I was wondering why I hadn't seen him around Northreach... Eggs?" The redhead looks confused at that, but merely shakes her head as if to forget it. Her legs don't seem too happy about regaining her weight, but the girl does manage to stay up, "Thank you, Aeseyri... Although I wouldn't recommend you approach other people that fast who've not met one of your kind before... Startled the Light right out of me, you did..."

"Your eyesss did get very big, yesss.." Mischevious and bright - and Aeseyri starts helping with the whole clothing thing. "If you know thessse two, you are from the landsss behind the great Wall?"

Kallyn takes a large step back and holds up a hand, "I threatened to remove the hand of the last person who tried to remove my clothes." She keeps a wary eye on Aes and then continues with the conversation, "Yes, I am from Fastheld... Not that it matters, I'm not..." Depressed again, "I'm not a citizen, anymore. They kicked me out tonight."

Aes eyes her.. then shrugs. And - quite promptly moves to scoop her up - doing his best to hoist her over his shoulder a bit like a sack of potatoes.

"Hey! you know, where I'm from people usually /ask/ before doing things like this!" Kallyn is caught between laughter and struggling as she's scooped up, "Put me down, I just don't like the idea of undressing in front of other people. I'm an Imperial, I was raised with a vague sense of propriety, now put me down, please."

He carries her to the largest pool - the warmest one - and without much ceremony? Drops her in it. With a bright smile, the blackscale lowers himself to be 'laying' on the edge of the pool, tailtip twitching - he's keeping an eye on her, yes, but there's a point being made.

Kallyn pops her head out of the water and sputters a bit, wiping the water from her face. She looks at Aes for a bit, then down at herself, and starts laughing, "Well, my clothes needed to be washed anyway..." She pulls up the sopping wet pouch from her hip and tosses it to the edge of the pool, apparently unconcerned for whatever was in it. And then the cloak is given the same treatment, followed by a signet ring and her shoes. Trousers and blouse? They remain on, "So what exactly was that for, anyway?"

"You are not leaving until you are clean." Aes sniffs, peering across at her, head propped on hands. "If it will make you feel better, I will bathe with you. I am very good at wassshing hair." He winks. "If you asssk them, they will clean your clothing - and I will take care of the barter, yesss? Be /clean/, Kallyn - and I will come and get you sssoon, yesss?"

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