Nimceleb finally mews to remind Vai that he's there. Vai was so used to the weight on her shoulder she had forgotten about it. "Nevermind, I couldn't trust you anyway." Vai gives Nimceleb instructions to find Ephebe and ask her this: "Strange creature outside my room wants to get in. Tell me if this is okay." Nimceleb speeds off down the hallway, going straight for Ephebe.
Vai bends over to read the note around the aschen's neck.
"Well, I believe meditation classes can help your brother a lot. He's ability is manageable and I expect we can eventually have him talking again without being afraid he'll crack a wall."
"Well that is promising at least. Do you have rooms that we may stay here tonight or shall we travel back into the village and stay at an inn? Our arrival was somewhat unexpected, after all."
Scrawled messily in Ephebe's handwriting it says: "'Sima, This is an aschen. He's not very nice, but he'll help. We have a contract so he has to do what I say. Anyway, keep him with you until we get something more permanant figured out. He should keep the stone from functioning. He's a bad luck demon specializing in messing up machines and devices. And Kronos says the stone is a device of sorts. -Ephebe."
Vai reads the note carefully, but it does look like her big sister's handwriting. With Nimceleb already gone, Vai shrugs and opens the door to let the creature in, and follows in after him.
"Nasima?" she intones, seeing Nasima curled up with a pillow. "You okay?"
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"Well that is promising at least. Do you have rooms that we may stay here tonight or shall we travel back into the village and stay at an inn? Our arrival was somewhat unexpected, after all."
"There are rooms available here. Would you prefer rooms across the hall from each other or would you rather share a room? The shared rooms come with a sliding wall for privacy."
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Tyrrin glances almost imperceptebly at Ehos, pausing for a long moment before she says: "We'll take the shared room, if you please, Headmaster."
"Alright then." Pulling a desk drawer open, he hands a map to both Tyrrin and Ehos. "Here are maps of the school. If you don't want to use them, you can just touch the wall, think about where you want to go, and follow the flashing arrows that appear. Would you like to settle into your rooms(which are marked on the map) now or get your classes scheduled?"
Tyrrin examines the map for a moment. "I don't speak for Ehos, but I would prefer a bath and a good night's rest before I decide anything Headmaster. Is there a list of classes availible somewhere?"
::Yes, I agree with Tyrrin Headmaster. The journey was long. Our Mother insisted on mundane travel for some reason. There is... the matter of tuition though.::
With that Ehos steps forward and places a sack on the Headmaster's desk, then glares at Tyrrin who had looked hesitant. She produces a similar sack and also places it on the desk. Within each is 10,000pp.
"Ummm....Wyrd? Are you perhaps some sort of ranger or druid? It's just....especially with your, um, density...it's rather unusual that you don't leave any tracks."
Wyrd looks up at Ananda and responds gravely, though there is a look of mischevious amusement on his face.
Are you trying to say I am overweight?
The amused look fades and he continues more seriously.
I do not know. I do know that despite my great weight I leave no tracks of any kind. I have broken through some bridges that could not hold so much, but that is the only sign I have left. The heaviest of undergrowth is unmarred by my passing.
"It seems your mother, though reluctant, really wishes for you to make it in." With a gesture, the bags of money disappear. "Regardless, tell your mother she has my thanks. Here is a list of all the classes and the forms you need to fill out. They are fairly simple. In your rooms you will find a separate bath in each room and you can join the rest of the students for breakfast in the morning if you wish. There is still time to get some dinner too."
Ghalen heads to the room prepared for him. When he opens the door, he finds a simple, cavernous room with only 4 walls and a very high cieling. Along the back wall are various dummies, assumably for target practice.
'Well done. This will do nicely, Ghalen...now let us begin...'
Ghalen simply nods, and heads into the room as the doors close behind him...
Wyrd looks up at Ananda and responds gravely, though there is a look of mischevious amusement on his face.
Are you trying to say I am overweight?
The amused look fades and he continues more seriously.
I do not know. I do know that despite my great weight I leave no tracks of any kind. I have broken through some bridges that could not hold so much, but that is the only sign I have left. The heaviest of undergrowth is unmarred by my passing.
"Hmmm. Unusual. Well, we should definitely test to see if you have any nature related powers since those would certainly explain that phenomenon. Here, we are, come on in. No, don't worry about damaging the stone. It's reinforced. It'll hold your weight no problem even without your ability helping it out."
She leads him through the corridors to the Headmaster's office and knocks on the door.
"Ryo, I've brought a new student. We're going to have to make some special accomodations regarding his room. I'm not sure he can hold this smaller size while sleeping."
The pair bow to the Headmaster. Tyrrin replies: "Our mother will contact you in about a week. She wishes for the High Seer to meet. She believes there are foul magics at work in the world, and that is why the sky changed." Tyrrin is busy reading her map as she exits the room that she doesn't notice Aananda or Wyrd for a good few seconds. When she finally looks up she startles for a moment. Regaining her calm, she says to Aananda: "The construction of that golem is fascinating. Were you the one who built it?"
Ehos follows his sister out, noticing Aananda and Wyrd immediately. Ehos notes that the golem seems to be... well, not acting like a golem anyway. Ehos tightens the scarf around his face.
With no response forthcoming, Vai walks over and brushes the hair out of Nasima's face, glad to see the gemstone set in her forehead was clear. "She must be asleep..." Vai says mostly to herself, before turning to her bed. She didn't want to change with that... thing there... besides she had studying to do. So she sat down on the bed and conjured a light - a trick that Phaezeriel had helped her with - by which to study.
Aananda chuckled. "He's not a golem, dear. He's some sort of elemental as far as we can tell. This is Wyrd. He's a new student just like you. Although we do also have what amounts to a self-aware autonomous golem as a student. That's not exactly what Jim is, but it gets the idea across. The first thing you'll want to do here at Avalon is take whatever preconceived notions you have and toss them out the window," she said, with a wink. "It'll make your transition much easier."
Tyrrin didn't like being talked down to. She didn't like being called 'dear' by anyone who didn't know her. But instead of getting angry at this person, obviously a person of power, Tyrrin elected instead to be snarky. "While that is a epistemologically interesting way of doing things, our preconceived notions help us every day. To simply be rid of the pre-conceived notion - for example that 1+1=2 - is ridiculous. We don't even realize we use them most of the time. Thank you for teaching me though, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance Wyrd." After that, Tyrrin marched off in a huff.
Ehos looked apologetically at both Wyrd and Aananda, but doesn't say anything, unsure if he should follow his sister or stay behind to try to remedy whatever damage she did.
"Oh, she's going to be a handful. Please, please, please tell me you're putting her in Vakkler's homeroom," she said to Ryo, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"I wouldn't be that mean. To either of them. Those are the children of my colleague, High Seer Denulia. The boy, Ehos, can't speak because his voice is amplified to extremely dangerous levels. The girle, Tyrrin, creates auroras and comets in the sky. I'm not sure if she can make them any closer or not."
"Anyway, welcome to Avalon." He tells the new(est) student. "Professor Sunwake here mentioned you may not be able to maintain your size while you slept. Could you elaborate?"
::Denulia wants the High Seers to meet about why the sky changed. It is very hard to keep secrets from them, Aananda.:: Ryo sends, worry in his mental voice.
::Ryo, I think the time for secrets has passed. We're going to have to tell them the truth. It's their world too. They deserve to know,:: she said, her mental voice sounding resigned and a little worried. ::Can you arrange the meeting for after the Hunt you're planning? I'd like to reveal the truth to the students here first before we reveal it to outsiders.::
::I was told I'd be contacted in about a week. As long as I hold it before then, we should be fine.:: Ryo replies. ::I will do everything I can to make it very clear the amethyst dragons are not a threat.::
::I know, brother, but there are many prejudices out there. Including against you. It will likely get pretty ugly. I'm working on defenses to keep attackers away without harming them. I'll speed up my efforts. If we can keep things calm, get people talking, let them see the truth for themselves, then maybe there's a chance for a better future.::
Wyrd steps forward offering his hand in what would be a friendly greeting for any number of barbarian tribes. His grip, should Ryo accept the grasp, is careful but massively powerful.
Spirits keep you. You are the leader of this place? I am, for now called Wyrd. As I told Professor Sunwake?, I was not in this form until the day after the world turned inside out. I just discovered today, following Professor Sunwake's suggestion, that I could become smaller. I have difficulty keeping concentration on this size, and as Professor Sunwake does, I also think that if I relax completely, I will not hold it. I am normally much larger, and very much heavier. Also I have a tendency to light things on fire when I experience strong emotion.
::Thank you, sister. I hope for the best.::
Ryo shakes Wyrd's hand and gestures to a seat. Which now seems much sturdier than it did a moment ago.
"Please, have a seat. I am Headmaster Ryo. It's nice to have you here. I don't think any of that will be a problem. I can get a large room and proportionate furnishings set up for you, as well as fire proof everything in it. What can you tell me about yourself? Interests, hobbies, skills? All of those will help us get you into the classes you need."
"That blank look you're getting right now? Yeah, that's amnesia. He only remembered how to speak common a few minutes ago. Wyrd is a made-up name because he doesn't know his real name. We definitely need to put him in meditation. And I think he might have a touh of nature magic...other than that, well, give it time I guess."
Wyrd looks at the chair skeptically for a moment then very cautiously lowers himself into it, surprised when it does not turn into kindling.
To be perfectly blunt, Headmaster, I do not remember much about myself. During my journey here I discovered that I intense dislike of those who inflict suffering on others; I have some skill in healing others, though until today I have had to instruct smaller people in what to do; I have a deep love for natural, wild places; animals, even wild ones, are generally unafraid of me despite my metal form; and that the sound of a forge is very soothing. Beyond that I am as much a mystery to myself as I am to everyone else.
The temperature in the room rises by several degrees as Wyrd becomes slightly agitated talking about what little he knows of himself. Once again you can feel the heat coming off him, not yet enough to be uncomfortable, but enough to notice that he is the source of it.
"Good job, Wyrd! That's a lot more than you remembered a few minutes ago. You're already making progress!" she said cheerfully.