Base Jumping

Log Info

• Title: Base Jumping
• Emitter: Aryia
• Characters: Aryia, Verna
• Place: Temple District
• Time: January 25th, 2022
• Summary: Striding back into the city after sleeping in, Aryia runs into Verna, who was coming down from the Temple of Vardama in the mountains. They check in on one another after the memory fishing. Talk turns to future plans as well as the ever present house hunt. The Mourner reveals an idea with some altitude included. The pugilist gives her two coppers on the idea, as well as mentioning leaping from such a height, citing having done it before. Boots are warned.

Temple District, Afternoon

It's a fair weather day. The sun is out in a cloudless sky, making last night's snow dazzle and the streets bright as can ever be. Even the cold doesn't stop folks and clergy from going to their respective places of worship. Even with the restriction had been lifted, there was still a back log of people needing their services, or guidance.

One that loved to go against such the grain of guideance strolls in with her verdant jacket buckled shut, a coil of rope looped over a shoulder and around a hip is that of a scarred mul'neissa woman, coming in from the north. She stops at the still-flowing fountain, rubbing her knuckles into her back as she stretches, eyeing the temples from behind her silver shades. Man, that was a loooong walk from the wilds...

The district, itself, does not contain every local temple, though it is a thoroughfare to the remainder. Verna may well not be the only Mourner arriving from the mountain road, yet may be one of the few with her hood doffed. The fountain is approached, first as a central feature and waypoint of route, then later directly as she notes the familiar fullblood. "Good day to you," she offers in greeting as she nears.

A grey ear twitches, and the mute's head turns slightly. An 'ah' comes from her lips before they twist into a light smile. She raises a hand in greeting, then gestures in a more understood manner. "Good day. How are you feeling?" she asks, eyeing the side of the Mourner's face. The pugilist did /not/ pull that slap in the slightest, save for not following through so there wouldn't be anything lasting. <Handspeech>

Verna does not bear any marks at this time, despite showing otherwise prior. Her intentions of a reminder, as she used in the past, may have been overridden by her superior... half. "I am well," she notes simply before, less characteristically, choosing to expound. "Weary and concerned, yet less so than before. Yourself?"

Aryia bobs her head, shifting her weight onto her back foot. The lack of evidence only made a brow quirk up, but she ignores it. "That's good. Glad to hear all of that yesterday helped allay some. I'm alright. Trying to wrack my brain for the next steps on something. Glad I only had to knock sense into you once, though." <Handspeech>

"I am glad that you were present to do so," Verna notes with a deep bow of her head, "and that only once was required." Her own curiosity is then piqued by the mention of brain wracking on Aryia's part. "Is there anything I might assist you with?" Her eyes shift to the coil of rope. "If you intend to scale the mountain, I strongly suggest utilizing the road."

Aryia gives a thumbs up. "Thanks for trusting me. Words only do so much, sometimes a little mental realignment requires something physical." She cracks her knuckles.

Her lips quirk off to the side, as does her gaze. "Uh... how to word this. I took a little peek at that list you gave your girlfriend during the questioning. It relates to something on that, so I'm not sure what exactly I should and shouldn't say," she explains, hooking a thumb into her belt loop. "And uh, I kind of slept in. Only just got back." <Handspeech>

Verna is certain that at least two of the four topics she noted relate to Aryia, one moreso than the other. A nod. "I understand. There will be no further in-depth consideration of those topics on my part. That does not mean that I can never speak nor hear of them, yet I understand your concerns. You are free to share, or not, as you feel comfortable, of course. Nor do I fault you in the slightest for extra rest. I consider it well-earned."

Aryia gives an uncertain nod. "Right...." A sigh leaves her, and she pinches the bridge of her nose. "Basically, as vaguely as I can put it, I have to trap a person is very dangerous with just their body. The issue is, well, in talking with the Harpist, I /sort of kind of/ traded my memories of training with this person. So not only do I have to trap this person, I have /no idea/ how they fight, or what they can do. I don't even know if I can go toe to toe with them. I try to think about it, and there's just a perfectly vacant hole of where it should be."

She spits off to the side. "Just my current quandary," she motions, all but dismissing another further than surface level discussion. <Handspeech>

Verna takes in the vague description, which is more than enough information to detail the quandry. She is aware of precise whom it refers to, but this is pushed aside. Aryia's concerns are no less valid even for an anonymous individual. "I regret the price which She claimed." Verna does not question her own Mistress, and knows that the barter was successful, but regrets the cost all the same.

"There are many magical means to entrap others with minimal or no permanent harm. I could provide or advise such means to others. I presume," Aryia receives a firm look, "that would not attempt this venture alone. As for yourself, you are far more knowledgeable than I with physical means of restraint, yet I expect that they are also valid. Difficult, or even temporary, restraint remain valid."

Aryia raises her hands, palms out and vertical and she shakes her head. "I don't regret it," she mentions. "Those memories can be replaced. They were... important to me, yes. But they can be replaced."

She shifts on her feet, nodding some. "Not going to do it by myself, fuck no. I just don't have a clue of what they are capable of. So maybe I could grab them? But..." she shrugs. "Yes, I know there is magic ways to restrain people. Some, even you, did it to that Ashwing a while back. Really, just going to have to chat with some people that don't have the brain bug more in depth about it." A pause. "Sorry," she adds with a weak smile. <Handspeech>

Verna takes a step forward and lifts her hands to clasp at Aryia's raised ones. Yes, she understands their halting intent; no, that is not how she chooses to make use of them. "You need not apologize. I wish you, and seek to grant you, the greatest success in your endeavor. If that means I must limit my involvement to limit the risk, then I shall do so."

She then lowers her hands to share a thought in gesture. "Perhaps I might work to repay some of your efforts on my behalf, and keep a mindful eye of V-I-O-L-E-T in your absence?"

Aryia blinks as her method of communication is temporarily stifled. Her shoulder sag a touch, and she nods with a sigh. "T-nks..." she hisses out.

Hands freed, she can't help but smile lightly and rub her neck. "Ah, you needn't do that. But I would appreciate keeping an eye on her. Though... not too much, she's a little paranoid with everything going on. But checking in on her every now and then wouldn't hurt." <Handspeech>

"I would not follow her every move, nor wish her uncomfortable," Vern assures with precise gesture, "only return some of the peace of mind which you granted me." A pause before she resumes, now verbally.

"I doubt my duties would permit me to follow another exclusively, and there is the continued search for a residence. As well, I would not risk impressions of impropriety or jealousy. I am already quite well acquainted with your fists."

Aryia nods, but then smirks and a "Pfft" comes from the mute's lips. "Trust me, I know you wouldn't try anything. I'm not the jealous type," her hands motion. "How goes that, by the way?" <Handspeech>

Verna nods. "You are correct, though that is also good information to know." At the inquiry, her lips purse. "After several walks and searches about the city for suitable options, we located many ... near-possibilities, yet nothing perfectly suitable."

" However," she adds with a gesture of one gloved back towards the mountain whence she came, "my descent, just prior, provided some insight and epiphany. I have sent an inquiry to the city concerning a new potential option."

Aryia tilts her head to the side, her gaze behind the shades looking up to the mountain in the near distance. She glances back to Verna asking a silent question with a raised brow.

"It seems unlikely that we will find precisely what we wish already constructed and available," Verna offers in answer to the unspoken question. "Thus, the logical option would be to construct our own. Of course, unoccupied space within the city is a rarity and a luxury... or so I belived." She directs Aryia's attention to the mountain rising above them, gesturing up to the air station, temple, and nobility district on the escarment above. Her hand then lowers partway down. "I see a great expanse of otherwise unused cliffside."

Aryia returns her gaze back up to the mountainside, puzzlement present in her features. "Uh, Verna? That's vertical rock. I don't see anything flat," she points out in her laymen manner. <Handspeech>

Verna nods. "Indeed it is. However, there are magical means to shape stone as well as conjure additional. Many structures in Rune were fashioned in this manner, to include a number of bridge spans. A buttressed platform should be a comparatively simple manner." For demonstration, she lifts one hand to hold it palm vertical. Her other hand is held horizontally and moved to join it at the level of the tips of her vertical fingers.

Brows lift in query. "What is your opinion? Do you believe she might enjoy the view?"

Aryia pauses for a moment, as if that method of deployment and construction never crossed her mind. She blinks twice, then sighs. "M-g-c -s s-ch b-sh-t..." she quietly hisses to herself, kicking an innocent pebble down the road a bit before looking back up to the mountainside. "Never been to Rune," she comments.

The mute takes a moment to consider the query, then shakes her head subtly. "A custom built house on the side of the mountain to oversee the airships, sea ships, and all the folk going about their daily lives and be able to watch the sunset every night?" she points out with a raised brow. "And you ask if she might enjoy the view?"

...

...

... the pugilist's old life is a teeny tiny bit jealous. <Handspeech>

"I recommend you visit at some point in time," Verna suggests, "though, be warned that it holds a large quantity of magi in residence, some assuredly... biased."

She then observes the follow-on opinion with great interest, nodding slightly at each point throughout. At the returned question, lips purse. Another nod. "I do not know if she would, aside from the sunset or moonrise..." A frown deepens. "It is ... too much?"

Aryia quirks her lips off to the side. "That doesn't sound very reassuring," gestures the mage skeptic. "But I'll consider it for future me to do in a century or so."

The mute stares at Verna. Blinks twice. "Fuck no. I /wish/ I could wake up to a view like that every day," she signs back. <Handspeech>

Verna gives a small nod at the former and then echoes on of Aryia's blinks back at her. "Ah. Well." A pause. Sarcasm and other contextual meanings are hardly her strong suit, and even less so in a medium such as hand gestures. "I will take that as strong encouragement, then. If approval is granted, and you were inclined, perhaps there would be room enough for more than one home?"

Aryia lifts her hand from her hip slightly to shoot a thumbs up, the pause making a corner of her lips twitch upwards. Though, the offer catches her flat footed. "Uh..." she wiggles her fingers aimlessly before there's a half formed 'no' on her hands. Though she halts, considers it more seriously, then shakes her head with a tinge of hesitation. "As much as I would like that, I think that might be a bit much for Violet and I. If it were just me, maybe. Thank you for the offer though. While this place is nice, I don't... foresee growing any roots here." <Handspeech>

"I understand," Verna accepts the decline easily enough. "I did not expect that you would wish to relocate after only recently becoming settled, moreso if you intended to travel elsewhere. Still, it would impolite not to offer."

She considers all of that for a moment before continuing. "Should all transpire as described, you shall ever be welcome to visit and observe whatever views you wish."

Aryia shrugs some. "I don't know the intended where, but here is... I don't know. It's kind of annoying to do honest work and then get spat on for being with the Guild."

The offer draws a smile to Aryia's lips. "I'll take you up on that for sure. Always wanted yo get up those mountains, but the damn city blocks my fun jumps that far out." <Handspeech>

Verna nods, echoing her concern with a brief tensing of lips. "It is not, but such bias should fade, in time, without the vile efforts feeding it. Still, it has brought into consideration ceasing my own random journeys for cause." She then moves on to the remainder. "So long as you do not leap off of the mountain. I am certain that Violet would not approve." None of her friends are 'work friends.' Given her duties as a Mourner, she has no wish to encounter any close to her in that context.

Aryia sighs softly and nods deeply. "Yes. Been trying to keep my hands clean to help speed that along."

The mute blinks, then looks off to the side. "I jumped off a cliff once to kick someone, it worked."

She totally would jump off the mountain. <Handspeech>

Verna opens her mouth. Pauses. Closes it. "I stand corrected. In that case, so long as you land safely, I suppose that the how and why of the leaping is of less concern."

Aryia adds, "I also jumped off an airship to land on a smaller one, wrestle the controls, and sent it into a downward spiral and jumped back onto the other airship." She grins. "It's pretty fun to fly through the air like that. Still hurts like a bitch when I land but these boots keep me from splattering." She shows her dark blue boots. A simple enchantment, really, but deadly effective in the hands of a daredevil.

"I suppose we can celebrate your new house should it come to fruition with an honorary 'first jump' from me, " she snickers. <Handspeech>

Verna's brows lift high at that recounting. "Intriguing. I shall not question your leaping nor landing abilities in the future. I merely wished to ensure that you were not harmed." Her eyes lower to the demonstrated boots, to which she offers the ultimatum, "See that she remains unsplattered."

Aryia rests on her back foot and smirks. "I have been properly chastised many a times for such maneuvers."

The boots say nothing in return, though they twitch a bit at the front as toes wiggle in them.

She thumbs up her nose and looks up at the sky. "Right. I have to unload all this stuff back home, I'll catch you later, alright?" she smiles, clapping Verna's shoulder. <Handspeech>

Verna did not truly expect a verbal response from the boots. Then again, there are intelligent swords and staves about, so such a thing would not be a stretch of logic, much less imagination. This does beg to question whether self-aware footwear possesses a sole...

"Of course. Do not allow me to keep you. That attempt is best kept for your visit. May She judge you justly, Aryia." A delay before she adds, "Though it could be said that She already did, in a manner of speaking."

Aryia bobs her head once, but pauses in a half turn away. A sigh leaves her, and she looks up to the sky. "I still find that whole thing fucking wild."

Heh.

"And She you."

The mute gives a lazy two finger salute, shoves her hands into her pockets, and strolls on westward. In no rush at all.

-End Scene-