• Closed • It's So Nice to be Wanted

[Kalortah]

14th of Cylus 722

Kalortah had decked out his gallery in all his favorite and most beautiful ornaments. From the jewels he owned, to the richest drapes and furniture, to the blade that hung at his hip, his adamantite rapier which he'd won from a singing tournament. For himself, he wore his best new outfit. He was wearing a smooth linen shirt of charcoal fabric, which fit snugly around his neck in a collar that rose to his cheeks. On top of the shirt he wore a velvet vest in deep purple with silver brocade and 7 silver buttons. The jacket was fit to his form exceptionally well with foxfur trim, which extended to the wing-sleeves at the back of the garment. It had an elaborate, royal purple and silver brocade houndstooth pattern. The five silver buttons of his single breasted jacket are all buttoned up with the exception of one.

The jacket was the same length all around, it had a vent at the back, there are two pockets on either side and there was a breast pocket which contained a canary yellow pocket square. He wore pants of smooth charcoal wool, tucked into knee-high riding boots. Around his waist he wore a belt with a wing-motif buckle. At the breast of his jacket, was pinned a exquisite bird-pin gifted to him by Delroth.

His own coloration was changed, as he learned he could do after the incident in Uthaldria. He had to admit that Zana was right about his being mortalborn. It explained so much. Yet that left him with many questions, questions that would wait for another day. For now, he peered into the mirror, and willed his coloration to change. His hair turned to the color of spun gold to compliment the rich purple of much of his outfit. His eyes became violet, and his skin a shade of peach. His head feathers took on the same violet as his eyes.

Thus, was he ready to beckon Devin to converse with the 'Voice of Calamity', Delroth's favorite person in Idalos, currently. It was true, as far as Kalortah knew. Although he'd had a deleterious effect upon his reputatino in Scalvoris, nobody really cared about that fetid backwater lump of dirt in the middle of the Hollow Sea. Kalortah's face screwed up momentarily as he thought about it with some bitterness. Remembering the moment that the little Cadouri cretin Bao Bao had pronounced him a wanted avriel.

He would have his revenge, but he could wait. He could exercise patience. For now, he wanted to show off to Devin about all he now possessed.

"Devin Thorne!" Kalortah intoned into the mirror, taking on a deep and impressive voice. "The Voice of Calamity beckons you to audience!"

Thus settling down in his favorite chair, which was decked in golden filigree and purple velvet cushions, he adjusted his posture there. He fidgeted for just a few moments, until someone appeared in the other side of the mirror.

[Devin]

When Kalortah decided to activate the mirror, Devin Thorn, High Priest of Delroth, Baron von Smooglenuff and Mortalborn of Zanik – and a few other truly amazing things – was just sitting in his salon in the manor. He was sitting in a plush red armchair in front of a fine marble fireplace where a fire roared and filled the room with pleasant warmth and a beautiful golden glow. In his hand was a crystal goblet with exquisite red wine, and on the table made of carved wood in front of him stood a porcelain bowl that was filled with all kinds of delicious cookies – because he planned on enjoying himself and spoiling himself a little bit before he worked again. Devin was someone who truly appreciated the finer things in life!

As Scalvoris’ premier cosmetologist and leading fashion influencer (He had decided to claim that title for himself; because he probably was that anyway.) he was appreciating the finer things in life in style, of course.

He was wearing a masterfully made suit made of the finest wool imaginable. It was snow-white and embroidered with fine thread made of silver, gold and violet (his favourite color). The vest that he wore had a subtle scale pattern. Dragons were in fashion that season, and he had decided to incorporate that trend into his look. His feet were encased in stylish golden leather boots that had a small heel, but were also very comfortable to wear and walk in (He was not one of those idiots that suffered in the name of fashion.). Rings made of Grave Gold rather than puny normal gold decorated his fingers, and his black hair was decorated with tiny hair ornaments made of silver and pearls that were reminiscent of snow crystals – snow-themed accessories were in fashion that season as well, because of him which was something that he was very proud of.

He was setting trends rather than simply following them now, as it should be!

He was living his best life, he was surrounded by nearly overwhelming luxury, and what more, people gave him expensive gifts, such as the brilliant golden and silver mirror that was decorated with amethysts and that hung on the righthand wall. It had been a gift from the Voice of Calamity and delivered to him by a prince from Nashaki. Said Voice of Calamity hadn’t contacted him so far which he was kind of disappointed about – he wanted to know who the man was – but it was still a very nice and expensive looking mirror that was worthy of being displayed here which was why he had recently moved it.

And what more, it seemed to have acquired the ability to …

… talk?!

His eyes widened for a moment when he heard a deep and impressive voice from inside the mirror, a voice that told him that the Voice of Calamity beckoned him to audience. A moment later, he abruptly set his drink down and moved over to the mirror.

“I’m here”, he said. Devin considered himself to be the best, or at least one of the best (Only certain Immortals were definitely better!), but considering that this man, whoever he was, was an Exalted of his patron, he thought that it would be prudent to address him with an appropriate amount of respect regardless. “It’s a pleasure to finally meet the Voice of Calamity. May I inquire as to what the reason for your contacting me in such a manner is though?” he continued as he removed the fancy cloth that usually covered the mirror. He couldn’t wait to finally find out who exactly that mysterious Exalted of Delroth was!

Not even in his wildest dreams had he expected to face him though!

He looked a little different from when he had last seen him, over an arc before – certain aspects of his appearance had changed - and he was surrounded by far more luxury than he should have been, but he recognized him regardless. The Voice of Calamity was none other than …

“Kalortah Satravial!” he stated and stared at the Avriel who was not only the former Foreign Affairs councilor, but also one of Scalvoris’ most wanted criminals and had a gigantic bounty on his head. “I didn’t know that you were the Voice of Calamity! Why are you contacting me?” he wanted to know. Once upon a time, he had been envious of him, even though the Avriel were one of Delroth’s failed creations. There had been a time when he might even have been secretly attracted to him and harbored thoughts of seducing him, but at the moment, he was mostly grumpy, even though he tried not to show it – he wanted to find out what exactly was going on first. This man was not only a traitor and a wanted criminal though, and he didn’t like being contacted by wanted criminals, or associating with them, very much, to be honest; he had also almost managed to single-handedly ruin the great reputation that Delroth had in Scalvoris.

He, Devin, had had to repair it again!

[Kalortah]

"Devin Thorne!" Kalortah returned, as Devin exclaimed his name. The look of surprise was everything he'd expected it to be, and then some. He did so miss their cat and mouse game, and the chase to reach the heights of Delroth's glory was a dizzying and entertaining affair. But the time had come for Kalortah to finally put Devin in his place. He would know now, that Kalortah alone among mortals and mortalborns was held in the highest esteem by their lord.

"Hmph." Kalortah said, not impressed at all with the decor of Devin's surroundings. Where were all his treasures, his things, his beautiful pretties? A bird, a starling flew onto Kalortah's shoulder just then. His name was Jack. Kalortah whispered to him, "Take a look Jack, at our friend Devin Thorne. A content flightless sort. A garden variety Chicken." Kalortah's lips twisted into a cruel smirk at the insult, which he spoke just loud enough for Devin to hear, but not too much. He didn't want to seem over-eager to take him down a peg. Afterall, part of being superior was lending a hand down to the poor and unfortunates.

"But I jest! I'm contacting you because I rather miss our tête-à-tête's and more public quarrels. Our rivalry is certainly a thing for the ages, is it not?"

Kalortah shifted in his seat, crossing his legs one over the other as his wings spread out behind him. He smiled then at Devin, his violet eyes shining with a reddish glint to them. A fracture scar. "Have you heard of Draithadir? A very important dragon, you know. I believe my servant has shown you my dragonling, Chryseus."

"Of course, not just anyone can earn a dragonling. It takes a very special kind of person." Kalortah's face hardened, as he tried to see how he was impacting Devin now. He wanted his fellow Mortalborn to squirm, to writhe in abject jealousy for the opulence that Kalortah surrounded himself in. "So what adventures have you gotten up to on the ground in my absence? Certainly it couldn't have been very interesting without me."

Kalortah yawned, he was getting a little tired of this game already. But all the same, he waited to hear what Devin had to say. "Are you still floating like the curds that gather on a milk glass, in that little manor on Faldrass, then?"

[Devin]

Kalortah didn’t sound particularly impressed with Devin, or with the room that he was in, the young Mortalborn noticed, but he decided that he didn’t care. As far as he was concerned, Smooglenuff Manor was absolutely and indubitably wonderful; and besides, maybe his fellow Tarouz was just envious. Yes, he decided, that was probably the case here.

Devin was by no means an idiot. He knew what the comment that Kalortah had made to his starling meant. He knew that the Avriel wanted to insult him, but he decided to pretend that he had not noticed. Instead, of being offended, he replied in a bright tone of voice,

“Chickens are actually pretty great. I have a couple of glowing chickens at the manor, and one of them even lays rainbow-colored eggs. If you’d like, I can show them to you sometime”, he added in a generous tone of voice and assumed a relaxed pose, as if he were entirely in control of the situation and supremely comfortable and at ease.

Maybe he actually was.

“I miss our rivalry as well”, he replied in a softer tone of voice. There had been a time when he would absolutely have refused to admit such; he’d been really sad when he had thought that Kalortah had died though. His relative melancholy didn’t last for long though; before long, he was grumpy again because he had been contacted by a wanted criminal (and still trying not to show it). He didn’t need any problematic people in his life!

There was something weird about Kalortah’s eyes, Devin noticed, a reddish glint. He didn’t think much of it though, but came to the conclusion that it was either a trick of the light or some sort of mutation. Devin’s own eyes had mutated due to an encounter with a magical tree, after all; and besides, Kalortah’s next question was of much greater interest.

“I have”, he confirmed when Kalortah asked him if he had heard of Draithadir. “Delroth’s daughter told me about her. And I still remember your dragonling, of course. Those creatures actually seem to have become somewhat commonplace. I met at least one more person who has one”, he continued and smiled oh so gently and innocently.

All in all, dragonlings were probably still pretty rare, but he couldn’t resist putting Kalortah down at least a little, even though he usually refrained from such behaviour nowadays because he very much preferred playing the part of the kind and generous Baron. Of course, he kept the fact that Zana had talked about taking him to Draithadir to himself.

Devin was not someone who revealed every little secret!

As he might have a dragonling of his own soon – or at least meet a dragon – Kalortah’s comment about it taking a special kind of person didn’t affect him particularly.

He just smiled a bit more before he replied in a cheerful tone of voice, “Your presence would have made things much more interesting, but I had fun regardless. Do you already know that I’m a Baron now? I’ve come into possession of the rarest creature in all of Idalos – the amazing winged goat. I held a party that all of Scalvoris is talking about at the manor. And what more, I found out that I’m a Mortalborn. I’ll never grow old”, he proclaimed in an exceedingly happy tone of voice.

“Sure”, he replied, when Kalortah wanted to know if he was still “floating like the curds that gather on a milk glass in that little manor on Faldrass”. He realized that Kalortah wanted to insult him again, of course, but he decided that he didn’t care again. “Did you know that you can make all kinds of delicious foods with milk curds? You can even make skincare products with it”, he proclaimed, thus showing off his extensive knowledge and beamed at Kalortah. He couldn’t deny that he had missed this even though Kalortah was a nasty criminal that had, as he had concluded before, almost ruined Delroth’s reputation!

“So”, he asked a moment later, in a perfectly innocent and casual tone of voice, as if he were just making small talk. A part of him was actually trying to catch up with an old acquaintance. “What have you been up to recently, if you don't mind me asking? You left Scalvoris, I assume?”

[Kalortah]

The Fine Art of "How Dare YOU!?"

Kalortah’s face flashed with brief anger as Devin refused to be offended. Suddenly Kalortah was keenly aware of what made the other mortalborn so infuriating to him. He just refused to acknowledge that Kalortah was better, and that bled into every reaction. He even failed to notice that Kalortah had been, in fact, trying to insult him! It was horrid.

“You do not have glowing chickens! The very idea is preposterous…” Kalortah was of course, not being entirely honest. It was entirely plausible given the strangeness of Scalvoris that chickens had begun to glow there. And suddenly, he was gripped by the throes of terrible envy and greed for those glowing chickens, those strange shores so full of beautiful and strange and wild things. It was the height of injustice that Kalortah had been banished! How dare they force him to leave Scalvoris. It was unjust. It was wrong. He had property and family there! Scalvoris was as good as his!

What right had they? He was better than them! Better by a lot!

“Oh do you?” Kalortah’s scowl twisted into a beautiful smile, as he resumed his graceful countenance. Finally, a sign of respect. That was Kalortah’s due, not this fakery about glowing chickens. The very idea…

“You’ve met Zana Delroth? I had quite suspected that Drathaidir had her zapped out of existence, rather than suffer her insolent refusal to do her bidding.” Kalortah rubbed his finger nails against his clothing, looking at them for a moment before turning his eyes back on the mirror, that held Devin’s image.

“So you’re saying she’s survived that affair.”

That was useful information. Idly, Kalortah wondered what she was up to, and whether she was after her father’s agenda, or still running rogue like the airy vagabond she was.

“Commonplace! How…” Kalortah’s face twisted in anger again, and he became suddenly very terrible to look on. While he couldn’t really do anything to Devin through the mirror, aside from talk to him, and show him things, he could be quite intimidating, and present a fearsome aspect.

Then, Kalortah realized that Devin might have been trying to get Kalortah to lower his guard, to stoke his anger. Yes, that must’ve been it! There was no chance that Zana had been gifted a Drathaidir. They were few, special, and important creatures. “Zana is a base whore, unworthy of such a grand and beautiful creature as a dragonling!” Kalortah said, quite pleased that perhaps he’d said something unkind about another who was perhaps close to Devin. He didn’t know if Zana was friends with Devin, but apparently they were on speaking terms. That was as close as Kalortah was like to get to attacking someone close to the Baron.

“I’m also Mortalborn, apparently. I received word from my parents, I suspect I’ll find out who my true parent is from my mother.” Kalortah said, fully expecting it to be one of the Immortals that was very beautiful and important, like Delroth.

Again, The other mortalborn refused to be insulted, but Kalortah knew that game already. If he decided that curds were a fine and wonderful thing, then so be it. Let him wallow in curds.

“Oh nothing too fantastic or unbelievable, other than single-handedly dispatching a group of Aukari who threatened your Baroness that you abandoned.” Kalortah decided to say, trying to twist a knife into Devin. “As for where… well…”

He trailed off, unwilling to tell Devin, but wanting to hear him ask or even beg to know. It would be good to hear Devin wanted something from him, even if it was to turn him in to the authorities.

“I’m in a place of great importance. Never you mind where!”

[Devin]

“I do have glowing chickens“, Devin retorted in a cheerful tone of voice and with a wide smile on his face. “And what more, I have a crow that turned rainbow-colored practically overnight. I even have a rabbit and a goat with wings!” he added because he couldn’t resist the urge to brag about his many winged pets a little, even though some of them weren’t capable of flying. Devin might not be as easy to anger as Kalortah, but he was definitely a vain young man and couldn’t resist the urge to show off a bit every now and then. He wanted to be loved and admired by everybody!

And he had actually done more than just “met” Zana Delroth. He had kissed Zana Delroth, but he decided to keep that fact to himself. While he definitely loved bragging a little, even to a wanted criminal, such things were something that should be kept private.

“She did survive the affair”, he confirmed with a nod and wondered what exactly had happened. For a moment, he was tempted to ask Kalortah, but then he decided that it was better not to let his rival know that he wasn’t aware of all the details. So, instead of asking him what he meant, he just proclaimed, “She’s in fact more alive than ever before!”

Kalortah was a wanted criminal and thus not someone that Devin would ever voluntarily associate with, but he could still be rather scary. So, when the Avriel’s face twisted in anger and suddenly became terrible to look on, Devin abruptly turned away. He didn’t want Kalortah to see that he was intimidated, and he didn’t want to look at his rival’s face at the moment either. Angry people often looked ugly.

And said ugly things.

When Kalortah called Zana a “base whore”, Devin raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow and finally turned to face him again. He realized that his rival probably just wanted to anger him, but he didn’t appreciate those words regardless and felt the strange urge to defend the daughter of Delroth. He just couldn’t help himself. So, he pointed out in the same cheerful tone of voice as before, “I do not know if Zana ever worked in a brothel, but if she did, she would definitely not be a base whore, but the most sought-after whore in all of Idalos!” Having said that, he nodded in order to emphasize his statement.

“Oh”, Devin made when Kalortah claimed that he was a Mortalborn as well. For the first time since his rival had contacted him the son of Zanik was speechless, or nearly so.

“When did you find out?” he finally wanted to know. “And how? And why did your parents only tell you recently?” he added. There was an expression of genuine concern on his face, for just a moment. If Kalortah’s mother had known who his real father was for a long time, but just not told him, it would be pretty terrible, so Devin sincerely hoped that she hadn’t lied to him for arcs.

Devin said nothing to Kalortah’s accusation that he had abandoned Alyssia, because he knew that it wasn’t true. He had made sure that she would be protected. There was something else that he did react to though. Kalortah claimed that he was in a place of great importance, but he refused to say where. Devin really, really wanted to know though. He was quite curious about Kalortah’s life, even though he disliked that he felt that way, and besides, the man was a wanted criminal whose activities should be reported. He even had a bounty on his head!

“I would so love to hear more about that place of great importance”, he gushed and even batted his eyelashes a bit, in order to hopefully increase the effect that his words had on Kalortah. “What is it called? What exactly is your life there like? This is your chance to make me truly envy you – your chance to become famous, beyond the borders of Scalvoris and your current home", he told Kalortah in an almost overly enthusiastic and charming tone of voice.

His words even made sense - kind ofSocialization Capstone: Barely Logical: Devin can be quite a weird and eccentric man sometimes, but if he wants to, he can also be so charismatic and charming that people find it hard to resist him and are inclined to just go along with what he says. When it comes to persuading them or convincing them of his point of view, or of doing certain things for him, his arguments only have to make the tiniest amount of sense. He doesn’t have to carefully craft his arguments or think things through anymore. Barely logical does the job very well nowadays!

Should Devin fail at persuading someone of something, after all, they will be disinclined to be mad at him or feel offended. They are more likely to be amused or entertained instead! - if you had little common sense and were ruled by your vanity instead.

[Kalortah]

“You LIE!” Kalortah fumed, his face twisting beautifully as one who was so angry could. For though he was angry, he was also Exalted by Delroth. While Delroth didn’t promise beauty, he did promise constancy of one’s image. And Kalortah rarely projected himself as anything other than utterly sublime.

“Outrageous lies! Inconceivable!”

But for a few moments afterward, the rage subsided, and Kalortah resumed his sense of decorum. He didn’t want this moment to be spoiled by Devin’s lies. He was Exalted by Delroth. He alone, and Devin would not join him for a good long while, perhaps never! Perhaps Kalortah could wish to Delroth himself that Devin would always be flying in the avriel’s wake! Hah, as if he could fly… This human, albiet beautiful mortalborn.

“Oh?” Kalortah responded when he said that Zana had survived. “How could you possibly know that? Last I saw she was disappeared along with that shabby hobo.”

“More alive than before? Now you’re getting downright theatrical with the lies…”

Kalortah was beginning to lose patience for this discussion. And when he said that Zana Delroth was the most sought-after whore in all of Idalos, Kalortah had to stifle a snort of laughter. “How quaint.”

“My parents didn’t tell me. Zana herself deemed it so… although…” Kalortah turned to look out the window, wondering if his parents in fact did know. It only then, perhaps, occurred to Kalortah that this meant the horrid truth that he wasn’t a full avriel. But a wretched half-breed. At that moment, a fiery anger welled up inside Kalortah. One that the avriel could scarce keep from the surface.

Devin continued to speak, but Kalortah could only hear the buzzing of his words. Their meaning was lost on him, so consumed by anger was he, his ears buzzed with the rush of blood.

‘Your chance to become famous, beyond the borders of Scalvoris and your current home…”

He did catch that part. “How dare you suggest I am some sort of insignificant unknown! I’m the Voice of Calamity! When I ascend I shall sit at the right hand of Delroth himself! And when I return at the head of a mighty armada, I will only regret that it took me that long to sink that wretched dung pile of an Island.”

So saying, Kalortah finally lost his temper, and grasped the mirror by the frame. As he moved it, Devin would note a lonely mountainside outside the window, with many buildings upon it. But before he could take in the full details, Kalortah flung the mirror out of the window, and it crashed to the ground into a thousand pieces. Thus was their connection and mirror-fellowship ended.

Kalortah held his claws against the frame of his window, looking out over the shattered remnants of that very expensive mirror. It was nothing, truly. And it felt good to finally put Devin in his place.

Because yes, that’s exactly what had happened, or so Kalortah would tell himself.

[Avalon]

Review & Rewards

Kalortah

• XP: 15
• Knowledges:
  • Cosmetology: Dressing up and changing one's colors to accentuate ones features.
  • Intimidation: Bragging is a form of intimidation
  • Leadership: Summoning an inferior Tarouz to attention
  • Etiquette: A simple greeting without pomp or circumstance
  • Intimidation: Bragging about your pets which are really one of a kind
  • Intimidation: Attempting to threaten a person from afar
  • Intimidation: Exclaiming and accusing another person of dishonesty to rattle their nerves
  • Intimidation: Angry and beautiful make for a devastating combination for the purposes of impressing fear upon another
  • Discipline: Losing one's temper badly enough to destroy one's own belongings, takes a lot of prodding

Devin

• XP: 15
• Knowledges:
  • Detection: A voice from inside a mirror
  • Etiquette: Treating an Exalted of Delroth with respect
  • Detection: Noticing that someone is not impressed with you
  • Deception: Pretending not to notice that you’re being insulted
  • Deception: Pretending that you are supremely comfortable
  • Deception: Pretending that you are just making small talk
  • Etiquette: The details of your romantic life should be kept private
  • Socialization: Barely Logical: Persuading someone with an argument that only kind of makes sense

Skill Review: Appropriate to level.

Notes:

So here we are! I get to apologize to you lovely people again for the tardiness of this review. So, so, so sorry!

Tarouz!! Grumpy Devin! I'm not sure I've ever seen Devin grumpy before - truly a feat! It's like Scalvoris' favorite ranger not scowling in a thread.

I know a bit about the background of Kal and Devin's relationship over the arcs. What I enjoyed most is how very different these two characters are, and yet they are both high level Tarouz, encompassing different aspects of Delroth's domains. It's quite fascinating to see them in a collab together and have that comparison.

Until Devin mentioned it, it didn't occur to me that there are two Draithadir dragon bearers at the mansion! I thought it rather clever of Devin to use that as a device to irritate Kal. Also, the way he shifts the conversation is delightful. I particularly enjoyed the milk curds deviation.

Kal, on the other hand, is a clever bird. He used the meeting as a way of obtaining information. I feel like he might have missed his calling as a spy - he's so great with that type of skill. Intimidation and acting with a wee bit of investigation thrown into the mix when he sees an opening. If he ever wants to shift careers....

And the 'hobo' reference survives!

Goodbyeeeeeee mirror!

The great thing about these two is that they know how to get under each other's skin, and you two wrote that beautifully. It was a fantastic read - start to finish. I actually wanted more but well, Kal kinda took care of that.

I think focusing on their differences was a smart move. Both see the other as inferior in different ways, and that it's up to them to restore the shine to Delroth's crown, so to speak.

The maneuvering each pc did was fantastic. Both Kal and Devin have unique ways of dealing with information and their emotions, and it was enjoyable to read how they pivoted when unexpected information came along.

Great writing! I look forward to finding out if these two ever meet up again!



P.S. At Kal's request, the two requested deception knowledges were removed.

Avalon