Open Chronicles The Remnants of Elbion

[Phillipa Ebonheart]

-Headed Away From Elbion-
-Forested Area, off the beaten trail, Twilight-

The assault on the college. The destruction of Elbion. The mess of a city that it had been left in seemed an ample time for the former acquisitions expert to leave. The office she had kept set ablaze to destroy what little she kept there. Her home, likely claimed by her mother for the property now, cleaned of anything that could be sold without being traced. Her accounts emptied and all traces of her presence washed away as best she could manage.

Her outfit was nothing like the usual mantle of feathers and trim outfits of expensive import materials. The supple leather for her boots was missing, the soft feel of her garments were missing, replaced instead with the course textures of drab and plain clothing. A heavy cloak of wool across her shoulders and thick travelling boots adorning her feet as she wandered the back forests headed away from Elbion.

She was wandering in no particular direction, taking her time as she examined the flora for what she was looking for. Her daggers were neatly tucked away inside their holsters, her magic still properly working as the magic inside her chest kept her going.

The college had wanted to hold onto her only for their own gain. Had wanted to take that item from her and replicate it. To make it their own. And in the process kill her. Or maybe not, but in the end she would owe them for not killing her. Would owe them like she owed everything to her mother.

Which was something she refused to have weighing on her.

Delicate hands touched across an benign flower petal as she pondered where to set up her next camp. Wolves and the like had been keeping their distance given the threatening magical wards, but even they got brave.

 

[Varys]

His eyes narrowed at the figure from behind his cover of a low hanging tree branch. She had been wandering aimlessly through the vast expanse of forest that seemed to blanket the land for miles and into the horizon beyond, never looking back at what lie behind her once. Staying out of sight was one thing, but Varys grew tired of following her. Caution came before curiosity, and the steadyhanded nocking of his bow came before introductions.

He'd made the decision to finally leave the city he'd spent his whole life at on a whim. The whispers of adventure had teased his ears as well as his soul, calling him to leave behind that which had never held anything for him, and to seek something new. There were so many questions the young silver-haired elf had about his own existence, and a steady life of conning gullible tourists, spending his nights in whatever tavern was the cheapest, and torturing himself with such unanswered questions would only drive him to insanity with time.

He'd found the first transport out of the city, and stowed away in the back of a carriage underneath a pile of bagged wheat. When inevitably discovered, he would merely flee until he found another ride to sneak away on. From one vagabond lifestyle to another, it seemed his life was destined to be one of poverty.

So why was it then, that as he saw this woman in between trips, he knew there was something more to her? Why did her cadence and aura speak to a kind of person he'd never encountered, and why did he find himself intentionally missing her when he finally let the arrow fly in her direction?

"Stay where you are. Don't move."

His voice came before he emerged, bow replenished with another arrow as he approached from his cover. He was obviously not a pursuer from whence she'd came, dirtied gloves and a worn leather jacket covering the dark blue coat that he kept the only pristine thing about him.

"Who are you? Where are you coming from?"

He did his best to sound threatening as he pulled back the arrow in warning.

Phillipa Ebonheart

 

[PocketSizedFaye]

It had been a few days since Amelia had left her home, she had decided to visit Elbion first. Her reasoning for wanting to visit Elbion were the Elbion College and of course the library, there is no greater treasure than knowledge after all.

Her white cloak with golden rim had protected her well from the harsh weather conditions during her travels through the Aberresai Savannah. The closer she came to Elbion the warmer the air became, Amelia pushed back the cowl of her cloak and sighed in relief with a slight smile.

"Finally no more cold winds and horrible weather conditions, I can finally see Elbion so my travels should be coming to an end. Just a few more hours of walking, you can do it Amelia!"

Starting to walk again she realised something as she came closer and closer to the city, she saw smoke rising.. And not the amount you'd see from a Smithy or household, she started running now. Holding her bow tightly against her body and her quiver hanging from her hip, the quiver kept gently bumping against her leg as she ran. When she arrived she froze in terror, what happened? Why is the city burning? What about all of the wonderful books and the college?

She noticed people leaving the city, some were walking, some were running. She noticed a female wearing a heavy cloak of wool, Amelia could not stop her curiousity and decided to follow the woman. Something told her there was more to that woman than met the eye.
After a while the sun started to set as Amelia found herself in an open plain, she did not try to hide herself, she started walking up to the woman who was now looking at a flower lost in thought. That was when she noticed some movement a ways away from the woman.

Amelia stopped in her tracks, what was it that she had seen? She squatted down instinctively, shook her bow from her shoulder and knocked an arrow on the string. Holding the bow and arrow with one hand she pulled the cowl of her cloak over her head. She heard the male before she saw him since she was sitting down herself.

"Stay where you are. Don't move."

Slowly but surely Amelia rose from her position keeping the arrow pointed down, she could now see the male, he was wearing dirtied clothing over a dark blue coat. She noticed him drawing back his arrow and decided to step up closer. Her mind totally focused on what was happening she had not heard his last few questions.

"Wait! Do not shoot her, I need this woman!"

Phillipa Ebonheart Varys

 

[Phillipa Ebonheart]

An arrow sounded as it missed her, hands pausing over the neck of a purple topped flower. No frantic blithering at being attacked. No surprised yelps as he emerged from the place of his cover, lavender colored eyes still focused on the plant as another made to step in on her behalf.

A wicked smile forming as she still was half crouched, hand extended to the plant before looking at both parties. Amusement was alight in her eyes, wonder as to what both of these people were doing here. Both elves given their lithe figures, and the fact that their ears pointed. Silver hair also made it apparent, as her experience with a number of races had instructed her to notice the small details.

Lavender eyes looked over them both as her hand brushed against the flower and rose from her crouched position. She did not grab her daggers, instead choosing to smile at the male with the bow.

"Or what? You'll stick me with one of your arrows and keep asking questions?" It was a smug sound that came from her to the male, still not moving but choosing to speak. "I am Veronica. And I came from Elbion. Specifically leaving the place."

If either had spent anytime in the College of Elbion, they would know instantly that she was lying. No one else in the whole of the magic college had purple eyes. Lady Phillipa Ebonheart, one of the advanced magic professors and one of the more cutthroat protectors of the school stood before them. The one issue though seemed to be her lack of claim to the college now. Her interest went back to the flower with her own introductions out of the way.

"Do you either of you know what this flower is?" She asked, her tone losing the mocking nature while the smile grew faint. Her voice was that of a teachers now, asking a question without lording the answer over their heads. Genuine curiosity as to whether they knew or not.

Varys PocketSizedFaye

 

[Kara Orin]

Some time before Phillipa Ebonheart departed from what remained of Elbion, Kara stood before the front desk of the College of Elbion.

Unlike other structures within Elbion, the College of Elbion remained whole – even if it now floated in the air as its own island.

“Professor Ebonheart’s already left?!” Kara questioned a secretary.

The disheveled, scrawny man lifted an eyebrow and replied with, “Eh… yes. Her, em, resignation was turned in and she’s left the College not too long ago.”

---

And then some time after that, Kara readied a horse at a makeshift stable in the “outskirts” of the floating city. She checked to make sure she had everything: a College cloak, her arms, and a letter.

After hopping into the saddle of a horse, Kara began to ride toward a forested area…

 

[Varys]

Varys swore at the unexpected presence of a third party among them, cursing his singular focus on the cloaked woman. He hadn't even seen the rapid approach of this new female. She looked to be one of his kind, albeit much more well off and easy on the eyes than he was. "Who the hell...?" His body turned to aim at her instead, but he hesitated halfway through the movement. Damn, he'd lost the advantage, if he'd ever had it.

His bow slowly lowered, and cautious eyes narrowed as they scanned over both of them. His pointed ears seemed to perk in the briefest defiance of her tone. He'd heard of Elbion, but had never seen it with his own eyes. So he'd ended up close to said place? He truly had wandered far from home. For the briefest of moments, he felt a pang of regret shoot through his heart, but he dispelled it. He'd hoped to find Elbion at some point anyways. He'd heard tale it was a place of knowledge, and knowledge is what his heart needed most.

Growling slightly under his breath, the aggressive young elf kept his bow out, but it remained lowered. "Conveniently walking away from a smoke plume, too. Can't blame a guy for finding you a bit suspicious? How do I know you aren't just a bandit fleeing the scene?" He changed his angle a bit. He'd been planning to see if the woman had been carrying any valuables or consumables to keep him fed on his trip, but now there was a witness. He'd just have to play it off like he'd just found her suspicious.

He looks at the female elf, eyes seeming to size her up for a moment. "Friend of yours? Are you from this Elbion place too?"

As much as he hated it, the arrogant young elf couldn't afford to make two enemies at the same time. If they indeed knew each other, then he would likely end up embroiled in something much bigger than him. Phillipa's question interrupted his thought process, and he turns back to the flower. "Unless it grows in Falwood, the answer is no. This is my first time here."

Phillipa Ebonheart Kara Orin PocketSizedFaye

 

[PocketSizedFaye]

Amelia relaxed a bit more when she saw the male elf lower their bow, she shoved the cowl of her cloak back so that now her face would be vissible too. She took a moment as she too sized up the other people around her. Amelia took a few more steps towards the female she had followed here so she could see the flower the woman was talking about.

"It seems like a herbal flower, I can't say I've read about them in the scrolls and books back home, either way I need you to tell me if the college and library are alright."

She now turned to face the Elven male and took her time taking another look at him.

"I am not a friend of them, it is my first time seeing a human. My name is Amelia Rheinhart and I've traveled here to Elbion to visit the college and library. I am in search of information on who it was that attacked Fal'Addas one year ago."

She hoped the name Rheinhart would ring a bell with the Elven male, Amelia's father was a high ranked elf after all so perhaps they'd known each other.
It was right after she had finished her sentence when she could hear it, the soft rumbling noise of a horse coming toward them in full gallop. Amelia was not used yet to situations such as these so she made the fatal mistake of turning her back on the two that were with her there to face the upcoming rider.

Phillipa Ebonheart Varys Kara Orin

 

[Phillipa Ebonheart]

Her eyes switched back and forth between the pair. The male wondering if she were a bandit, the latter wondering if the college was alright. An amused look settled across her features as both admitted to not knowing the flower.

"Firstly, the college would not let a bandit flee the scene. Secondly, it was my property I burnt to keep it out of other peoples hands." She addressed Varys before looking to PocketSizedFaye and speaking.

"The rest of the college is fine. The fire was contained to one room. It couldn't spread, but they are likely airing out the place. And given the vaulted ceilings, spacious areas for practice...it might take a fortnight to get the smoky smell out." She finished speaking, looking back to the flower in question.

"This flower poisonous. The root is medicinal. Problem is that trolls absolutely love this little bloom as they are relatively resistant to the toxin and it help regulate their...stomach. It's known as Bard's Folly, or more commonly as Belly Ache. Rather short story about how it got it's name if you care to listen." She went on her own little tangent of knowledge, keeping an eye on the pair.

Kara Orin

 

[Varys]

He scoffed dismissively at the name the other elf provided. Amelia was a fine name, but Rheinhart? "You're the daughter of a wealthy high-up, huh?" Varys was little more than a street urchin in Fal'Addas. He had no love for the wealthy and powerful, as they had certainly done nothing for him. "Your last name will earn you no points with me. I wasn't so lucky to be among the respected and praised of our kind in Fal'Addas. It explains the... elegant aura you have about you, though." The steely expression on his brow softens, just a sliver. Despite his cold words, it did bring him some comfort to have somebody from home in his presence. He reaches behind his back and hooks the bow into place there.

He wasn't sure if this 'Veronica' woman had bought his bandit bluff or not, but if she hadn't she didn't seem to dwell on it. Stepping forward, his boots crunching softly against the forest floor, he eyes the flower she'd pointed out a bit closer. His stomach turned a bit at the mention of trolls, and the wince on his face was obvious.

"Trolls... Had a nasty run in with one of them not too long ago. And I thought the city smelled."

Turning his head, he brushes the few strands of silver hair that had fallen across his face out of his vision, sizing up the back facing Amelia again. "So, this Veronica's important to you? Why don't you come and take care of your business then?" He'd heard the horse too, but it wasn't coming in too fast. This was perhaps a subtle way of offering to cover for his fellow elf while she did what she needed to do. Veronica's current tangent about the flower didn't truly interest him. He interrupts her with a cough and nods to Amelia. "Some other time, maybe. I think this girl's been looking for you."

Kara Orin PocketSizedFaye Phillipa Ebonheart