• Graded • Ripples of the Past

[Elisabeth Black]

Arc 721, 27 Vhalar

Occasional trips from Haven to Scalvoris Town were needed for supplies and items that weren't readily available on Faldrass. When someone from Haven made the trip, they always had a list and nels from various others in the settlement for purchases, and Elisabeth was no exception. Having spent the morning zipping from one place to the next, she dropped everything off in her room at the Knight's Rest and set out again on a different mission.

Elisabeth walked along the street in Scalvoris Town and let her mind adrift, considering the main task she had set for herself that trial – finding information on her necklace. Having made an appointment with Chancellor Kristoff Manyon of the Scalvoris Campus of the Viden Academy, Elisabeth was hoping the man might have some ideas of places she could obtain information regarding the curious piece of jewelry and, in essence, tidbits of her past. Up to that point, the need to find information had always been pushed into the background, making room for more urgent matters, but as time marched on and the young woman felt more comfortable in the knowledge of who she was now, it felt important to pay respect to her past as well. All of it was a part of her.

Elisabeth had been approximately an arc old when abandoned outside the gates of Viden. The only possession found with her was a small locket necklace inscribed in a language no one had ever translated. It was a curiosity that had plagued her for arcs, hoping to find some small clue to where she had come.

Balthazar had tried to help using magic, but the pair gained more questions than answers in the process. In the Rynmere Labyrinth, the necklace responded to the dragonling eggs, but any hope of solutions lay buried in the structure's rubble. She knew some, but not nearly enough.

When Elisabeth was confronted with questions she didn't know the answer to, she often looked for someone that might. While Chancellor Manyon might not have concrete answers for her, she knew that academics loved a good puzzle, and she needed to start somewhere.

She arrived at the building and found her way to the Chancellor's office, smiling at whoever greeted her. "Hello. Elisabeth Angelus, and I have an appointment with Chancellor Manyon."

[Pegasus]

Ripples of the Past

Chancellor Kristoff Manyon of the Scalvoris Campus of the Viden Academy was, as he was most trials, in his office. He gave over time each morning for appointments and such, and the afternoons were research and administration. He was a busy many indeed, but he was very much of the opinion that he had the single best job in the world.

However, before Elisabeth got to see him, there was Felicia Du'Wintre. Chancellor Manyon's assistant and secretary, she was the gatekeeper to the place. When Elisabeth had enquired about a meeting, she had been more than willing to accommodate the young woman and she had been cool but pleasant and professional. There had been questions, of course; Chancellor Manyon liked to prepare for meetings, she informed Elisabeth, and so an indication of what the meeting was regarding would be helpful. She took Elisabeth's name and contact details just in case the appointment needed to be changed. Felicia was the very epitome of efficient and, when Elisabeth arrived on the allotted trial, she smiled at her. "Ah, yes, right on time. That's excellent news, the Chancellor is ready to see you. I'll be bringing him a cup of tea, would you like a drink?"

Whatever Elisabeth's response, Felicia would walk her to the appointment, tap on the door and introduce her to the Chancellor.

"Come in," came the voice from inside. Chancellor Manyon looked up as Elisabeth entered. His office was neat and clean, there was a single tray full of pieces of parchment on his left and another, more empty and with only a few pieces in it, on his right. His hair was white and he had an expression of polite interest on his face. "Elisabeth Angelus, you've requested a meeting, I understand. Not a current student or staff member," he had a piece of parchment he was referring to when he spoke to her. Then, he looked up and gave a brief smile. "How can I help you to-trial, Miss Angelus?"

During Elisabeth's answer, Felicia would bring in the drinks. Whatever Elisabeth had asked for, plus a cup of tea for Chancellor Manyon. She tapped the door gently before entering, giving Elisabeth a moment to stop talking if she felt the need to keep things private, but either way she carefully put down the drinks and then left, closing the door behind her.

[Elisabeth Black]

Arc 721, 27 Vhalar

While there was a bit of comfort in the surroundings, it also made the young woman acutely aware that she was no longer associated with those environments. Felicia reminded Elisabeth of many a profession she had encountered back in Viden at the Academy and even the Institute in Rharne. In unexpected and beautiful ways, her life had changed, and she carried the lessons from that time in her life forward, coloring and informing everything Elisabeth did.

Smiling, Elisabeth greeted Felicia warmly, nodding her head at the offer of a drink. “Tea would be lovely. Thank you so much.”

Felicia guided her quickly to the Chancellor’s office, where the man himself greeted her upon entering. The young mage approached, giving a warm smile and offering her hand gently in greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chancellor. Thank you for agreeing to see me.”

The Chancellor got quickly to the point, and Elisabeth followed his lead. He had been kind enough to grace her with his valuable time, and she wished not to waste it, but she was also aware that there was long overdue gratitude.

“My visit is two-fold. The first matter, a professional one, as the settlement leader of Haven. The second is of a more personal nature.”

Smiling, she continued. “I wanted to extend a thank you to the University for the opportunity Haven was gifted with the university research outpost there. We are grateful for the relationship between Haven and the University. As for the other matter….”

Taking off the small locket necklace that hung around her neck, Elisabeth gently laid it on the Chancellor’s desk. “I was found outside the gates of Viden when I was barely an arc old. This necklace was the only thing I had, save the clothes on my back. Clues about what it is or where it came from have been scarce.”

Felicia knocked and entered the room, prompting Elisabeth to pause out of respect for the woman and so she could offer gratitude again for the tea. “Thank you, Felicia.”

After the woman departed, Elisabeth considered what other relevant information she had to share with the Chancellor. “It has an inscription in a language that none have yet been able to translate. I was hoping to ask for your assistance in locating someone that might be able to help me uncover a new clue as to the origins of the necklace or the language upon it.”

[Pegasus]

Ripples of the Past

Chancellor Manyon inclined his head politely when Elisabeth spoke of Haven and the academics there. It wasn't the main reason she had come here, so he did not say or do more than that, acknowledge it and wait quietly for her to tell him what she wanted to. It surprised him, he had to admit, when she handed him a necklace and explained what it was. He looked down at it and frowned slightly. "It isn't a language I'm familiar with, Miss Angelus," Turning it over in his hands, he examined it. "But it is very interesting. Hmm."

Sitting back he looked at her calmly and spoke again. "If you don't mind leaving it with me, I can have my people look at it. There may be something. If you give me a list of exactly what you've already done, so that we don't waste time duplicating and because it might suggest avenues of investigation, that would help." He waited then, and listened to what Elisabeth had to say. He answered any questions, spoke to her about any concerns, and was more than happy to change what they did if she'd rather something else.

Some time later in the Cycle....
(please provide a date stamp)

She'd received the communication saying that he had some answers and inviting her in to see him. When she got there she was shown in, offered tea and small biscuits. Chancellor Manyon shook her hand and handed over her necklace. There was, she might notice, a dossier on his desk; it wasn't thick but it had a fair amount in it and it was marked with her name. "It's a pleasure to see you again, Miss Angelus. I've been successful and unsuccessful all at once, I'm afraid." He smiled.

"I'll cut to the chase. I haven't managed to have the script deciphered, though we have some theories. We've got some ideas of how it reacts to magic, that's more clear." He gave a slight smile. "I've also found another example of the necklace. An exact duplicate as far as I can tell, although the person in question was working from memory. That led to some leads, as the second necklace was also passed down through generations and had a number of legends associated with it, through the family, as to its origins."

He gave a smile. "That led to us looking for more examples of it and I believe we've found two more, of different necklaces but identical to yours. However, those links are much more tenuous and rely on the written word. However, all of it gives you something to go on, I believe."

Pressing his hands together, he steepled his fingers and pressed the pads against each other until they turned white. "The reaction to magic, Miss Angelus, is a protection. It's a means of protecting the necklace from magical intrusion, stopping it's purpose from being discovered." He smiled slightly, but it was more thoughtful than anything.


"This leads me to believe that the person who created the necklace did not want it's history found out and so, I feel it is only right that I ask you if you want to know what we have discovered?"

And with that, he sat back and looked at her with earnest appraisal in his eyes.

[Elisabeth Black]

Arc 721, 27 Vhalar

Chancellor Manyon examined the necklace and determined that it perhaps would be best to allow his people to take an in-depth look at it, wishing her to leave it with him. Part of Elisabeth disliked the idea, owing to the necklace being in her possession for so long, but she was insightful enough to recognize the fact for what it was.

Beyond the initial desire to retain possession, Elisabeth realized that having an enchanted item, such as the necklace, required more knowledge than she had to safeguard it. Why it had been given to her, the mage hadn’t the foggiest, but it was her responsibility, and it seemed her current course of action was the responsible thing.

Nodding, she consented to his proposed plan, providing the information he asked for - including its reaction to what she now knew were dragonling eggs in the Rynmere Labyrinth - and, when the meeting concluded, thanked the Chancellor for his valuable time.

Arc 721, 40 Zi'da

The message had come to Haven saying that the Chancellor had news for her. She made arrangements, and a few trials later, Elisabeth found herself in his office once again. Not before, however, greeting Felicia warmly. The young mage was keenly aware of how academic institutes worked, and as Head Receptionist and assistant, Felicia Du'Wintre was an essential cog in the machine. Rule number one – always be nice to the receptionists.

Smiling as the Chancellor greeted her, Elisabeth took his hand, returning the warm sentiment. "The pleasure is mine, Chancellor Manyon, and you've managed to intrigue me with that opening statement." Softly laughing, she gracefully moved to the nearby chair and anxiously waited to see what was uncovered or not.

Notebook in lap and quill ready to document, the Chancellor took her through the assessment of the necklace. There were surprises and some not-so-surprising things. They had found other necklaces like hers? Remarkable!

Glancing across the desk at her, he had issued something of a warning, and it was a matter Elisabeth took seriously. Chancellor Manyon's final question was not just an idle utterance, and she gave it the attention it deserved.

Leaning back in her chair, Elisabeth considered what she knew of the necklace and what he had said. There were many ways to look at things, but the decision was hers when it came down to it.

After a few trills of contemplation, she had an answer for him. Looking at the Chancellor, Elisabeth gave him a nod and smile before beginning. "I appreciate that you offered me the choice. I fear most others would not have possessed such insight." There was something unique about the man in front of her, but she couldn't quite pin down the exact reason why she thought that. Elusive and fleeting, it was.

"Chancellor, you said that you found a second identical necklace and that generations had been passed it down. Through family with legends. I have none of that. I have a necklace that I know extraordinarily little of. The necklace was placed with me for a reason, even if that reason was simply to hide it. I feel that I can't safeguard something that I know nothing about, whether it's to protect the necklace or shield others from the necklace." Indeed, there were already two instances where someone could have gotten hurt due to her ignorance. "My quiet life up until about an arc and a half ago, I probably could have gone the rest of my life and never thought twice about the origins of the necklace, but now, my life is no longer quiet. I've been in situations where the necklace reacted, and I'm not sure if that was good or bad."

"I would very much like to know what you found, please, and I will treat that information with the greatest respect in terms of how I proceed."

A small smile found its way to her lips as she considered Chancellor Manyon. His reputation as a teacher's teacher was impressive, and she couldn't help studying how he interacted with her. He similarly watched her, she thought, like Saoire often did. Jacien, too, now that she thought about it.

The young woman's life, it seemed, was full of teachers.

[Pegasus]

Ripples of the Past

He nodded at Elisabeth's assessment and listened as she outlined her reasons for wanting to know. He didn't say anything about that, but there was a definite air of approval from him. Like he understood and thought she was being sensible. He waited until they were both settled and then he began to speak, slowly and carefully; there was very much the indication that he considered his words, thought about the message he was giving.

"Well, lets start with the language," he said softly. "It's ancient. Not the Ancient Tongue, it's older than that." He gave a slight, almost apologetic shrug. "We used to have a professor here, he was actually an astrophysicist, but by a long and circuitous route, he found himself beyond the barrier at the edge of the world, and on one of his trips, he ended up with some quite vivid images to share." He smiled absently, then continued. "Anyhow, from what we can tell, it looks rather like that. An ancient language. You should know, Miss Angelus, that beyond that barrier he found living dragons." He looked like he didn't expect her to believe him, and so he continued. "As strange as that may seem, I assure you they are quite real. The professor in question has been there a number of times now, with a fellow professor - his wife - and as far as I know they are there now, with the Dean of Viden Academy. I don't know if this is draconic script, per se, but it is definitely very, very old and in some way linked to something draconic, certainly."

He paused then, waiting to see if she had any questions. "The people involved in this are Padraig and Faith Augustin, Varlum Ornarmus and Doran Thetys. I should point out that this research is in it's fifth arc, so it is much more detailed than I am managing to convey here. Do you or your parents know any of those people, or would you need an introduction?"

Either way, he then moved on.

"Now, as to the magic of the piece," he said. "There are two main things we've discovered there. Hmm. Three, I suppose. Firstly, we believe it to be Divine magic, not Domain." He gave a slight smile. "Not surprising that, I suspect, but still an important point. The magic protects the necklace. Not the person wearing it. I believe you are probably not the first person to wear this. As I said, there are others, some of them will have been passed down, but there might be many others, and they might change hands by all sorts of means."

Tapping his fingers together, he went on to the third thing. "And there's a disparity in time, we believe. The necklace doesn't pre-date the Immortals, as far as we can see, but it is much older than the magic on it. Our best guess, in terms of our scholars here, is that this necklace and those like it, are probably maintained somehow. Maybe that's part of the magic that protects them, but it's ... well, for want of a better word, it seems like maybe it was 'topped up' somewhere along the line."

He stopped talking then, and looked at her. "I suspect there may be a few questions, Miss Angelus, so I will stop there. Do you have any thoughts?"

[Elisabeth Black]

Arc 721, 40 Zi'da

Elisabeth sat in the chair and listened intently to the Chancellor's information. There was a sense that he was careful with how he said things, although she wasn't entirely sure. Perhaps he simply wanted to make sure he relayed the information correctly.

Older than Ancient? Elisabeth stretched her memory, trying to recall Vin saying anything about languages older than Ancient, but nothing came to mind. It was a surprising turn of events, to say the least, but it made sense why she had never come across someone that could translate the inscription.

As the story about the inscription unfolded, Elisabeth began to piece together the clues. The man mentioned didn't ring any bells, but things started sounding familiar when Manyon told her of the man's wife and the Dean of Viden Academy. Doran? Well, that was interesting, but things were about to get a lot more so as the pieces of the puzzle began sliding into place.

Dragons. Elisabeth's heart started racing at the mention of them, remembering Rynmere and her brief encounter with one. It had destroyed the Labyrinth and flown off to parts unknown. The Chancellor was telling her about dragons beyond the 'barrier,' but she knew of one that, if she was putting together the context clues correctly, was in Idalos.

Making a mental note before he moved on, she responded in her mind. Oh, I believe you, Chancellor. More than you know.

Arlo and Faith. Of course. It seemed fitting that they were involved, and although Elisabeth hadn't gotten to know them well, she knew enough to know they were good people. Manyon confirmed Doran's involvement and that of someone else she knew but was surprised to hear – Varlum. He briefly stopped to ascertain if she needed introductions made, to which Elisabeth smiled, shaking her head. "I know all of them, odd as that may be. Please continue." There was more to say, but she decided to wait for a more fitting moment.

They suspected the necklace was of Divine magic, not Domain magic. Domain magic was related to sparks – that she knew. Divine magic….Immortals? Another question to ask when the moment presented itself. Did that mean that the Immortals and dragons were involved? Ethelynda was involved with dragons – Elisabeth had seen the vision – but what he said seemed to imply a connection. The language was possibly draconic, but the magic protecting the necklace, for whatever reason, was of Immortal origin? Maybe. She was a little fuzzier on that.

Elisabeth gave the Chancellor a grateful smile when he stopped and asked if she had questions. "A few yes, but first, I must thank you for the work that went into this. This is far more information than I've ever had, and I truly appreciate your team's effort." She would, of course, offer something for their time looking into the matter for her.

On to the questions. "First off, could you explain to me about the barriers you mentioned? I've never heard the term before."

That question led her to confess what she knew of dragons.

"Chancellor, I believe you. I was in Rynmere during the events in Saun. I saw what I now know to be a dragon, although it was a fleeting thing. I've been surprised to hear of more, though. We were rather insulated, so we didn't know about others until we got back." Now, she knew of the one Woe spoke of and what Kisaik had mentioned. In addition, Praetorum and Arlo had encounters of their own, so that was five total that she was aware of.

Another question came to mind, although it was more of a wondering than an outright question. "Divine magic – is that from Immortals? I know of Domain magic, but I'm not sure I've ever heard of Divine magic, or at least not called that." Frankly, within the past few cycles, she had been in the presence of several Immortals and marked by two, so if it was Immortal magic that protected the necklace, could just being near them have 'topped off' the magic surrounding the necklace?

"Due to circumstances of the Forging and other matters, I've been around a variety of Immortals. Is it possible that's enough to do what you say, or do you think it required a conscious effort to 'top off'?"

Another related thought came to her regarding Ethelynda. She had seen the Immortal with the dragons, and Elisabeth had spoken to her after the Forging. Did Ethelynda perhaps know she had a necklace, and it was topped off then?

"I saw Faith Augustin just recently in Rharne. I'll write to her promptly."

Her mind was buzzing with excitement and thoughts, but Elisabeth simply smiled and waited to see how the Chancellor responded.

[Pegasus]

Ripples of the Past

She asked about the barriers and he nodded. "At the edge of the known world, there is a barrier. Padraig discovered this when charting the movement of the second sun in Saun, and he noted an anomaly. After calculation, he ascertained that the sun seemed to be being obscured by - or even tapping against - a physical thing. He worked out where that 'thing' was, and he made his way there." Professor Manyon smiled slightly. "And what he discovered was that there is an enormous barrier which seems to emanate a ... field, I suppose ... which disrupts reality. A number of people died, that first voyage, when the waters went from calm to chaos in the blink of an eye. No magic works, no Immortal granted powers, no items. They travelled, limping along in their now-broken boat for days, and they were plagued by vile nightmares. Eventually, they found the barrier and it was impenetrable." Chancellor Manyon told her this so that she understood just what she was talking of here, and didn't rush off to try and find it.

"They went back, three times, before they found a way through - and when they did they found that behind that barrier is a world where dragons are." He gave a sligh shrug "But that world is one that kills us slowly - ether does not exist there, there is no ambient ether at all. " And people from Idalos needed ether to survive.

The term Divine Magic caused a question and he nodded. "Domain Magic is the acceptance of the Spark into an individual - the mage and the spark bond souls and feed one off the other. It is not natural to the mortal, hence mages have mutations and witchmarks. Divine Magic is the acceptance of some of the Immortal's power into an individual - the blessed and the immortal bond souls and the Immortal is granted devotion as the mortal is given power. It is not natural to the mortal, hence blessings carry marks. "

As for the presence of Immortals topping up the necklace, he half-shrugged, half-shook his head. "I don't think so, I think it is a specific thing. It seems far too planned and organised and specific for that. But, that is what I think not what I know. And I might be wrong." Gesturing to the necklace he said what he believed was obvious. "It's a mystery, and that's for sure. I suspect there is more yet to find out about it, but we have done the best we can." Looking at her, his gaze was calm and leve. "Speaking of which, we would very much appreciate it if you would keep us informed? It is an interesting artefact and we'd like to be involved." That said, alongside his question there was an offer.

"And if we can help with further research, I trust that you will not hesitate?"

[Elisabeth Black]

Arc 721, 40 Zi'da

Elisabeth listened with rapt attention as Chancellor Manyon explained about the barriers. Long had she been away from academics, and while her research skills were still valuable, sometimes she just missed being in that setting. Being back at the University reminded her of that.

Dragons were on the other side of the barrier. Huh. She needed time to digest what she was being told and reconcile with what she knew from her experience in Rynmere. It was all very fascinating from a research perspective and Elisabeth longed to know more.

The man was patient with her, explaining about the expeditions and ether, adding to her own knowledge. For that, Elisabeth was grateful. There was a subtext to his words that she understood to be a warning, but he needn’t have worried. Life threw her into enough interesting situations without her running off to jump into them independently without proper planning and much more information than she had currently.

The information regarding magic was exciting and further cemented some of what she had heard about during the Forging. Elisabeth hadn’t found the time yet to explore more about sparks, but the pieces of knowledge he gave her were valuable. She’d find the time.

Blessed carried marks, just like she did. As he explained it, the blessed traded devotion to the Immortal, in simple terms. That was something she hadn’t heard before, but it didn’t surprise her. Oddly enough, it made her think of all the Immortals that she actually found herself devoted to, although to varying degrees. As time went on, she began to explore what spirituality meant to her and saw the Domains of many Immortals reflected in her soul.

As the meeting wrapped up, Chancellor Manyon expressed the University’s interest in being involved in further research, and Elisabeth had no issues with that. “I absolutely will keep you informed of any developments, Chancellor. I plan to write Faith as soon as I leave here, and we will go from there. There will be no hesitation in coming back if the need arises.“

She, of course, had more to say. One should always express gratitude. “Thank you, Chancellor, and please pass along my sincere gratitude to your research team. This is no small thing you and the University have done for me. I understand the time spent researching, and I am beyond appreciative. If there is any way I can repay you for this, please let me know?“ The offer was sincere, spoken by a young woman who understood and valued what the University did.

They said their farewells quickly. Smiling and eager, Elisabeth stepped out of the office, armed with more knowledge and a path forward.

[Pegasus]

Your Review

Elisabeth

Overview

I enjoyed this thread a lot - Elisabeth's attempts to understand the necklace are fascinating - she has an incredibly enquiring mind but I think what I particularly enjoyed about your writing here was how very much she was about the personal relationship - and not just with the Chancellor, who was helping her, but with the woman who brought them tea, who Elisabeth made sure to thank. It's those kinds of small details which make your writing come to life. Well done well done - enjoy your rewards!

Points Awarded - please check your UCP

XP: 15
Renown: 5

Loot

Chancellor Manyon approves a 1 time round trip to Rharne for Elisabeth to follow up these issues - using the Eclipse Portals!

Knowledge

Etiquette: x3
Intelligence: x3
Investigation: x3
Psychology x 3
Socialisation x 3

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this review - drop me a PM.