The Engagement Ceremony of Viatorus and Ingirun

[votivescholars]

Welcome to the world of the Durants...

Guests from the Nexus are met by an Isidor who is still dressed for business when she PINpoints them directly to the venue. She is on a mission and pleasantries are swiftly exchanged so that she can give instructions and explain how the day is going to go. The first thing to hit them is that it's hot, and bright. They are now in France, Isidor tells them, her narrative changes appropriately as she leads them from the small stone building, through immaculate gardens and towards a sprawling palace which she insists is small for what it is. This is the home of Gnonyma Durant, her grandmother. A 17th Century French palace once owned by royalty but was gifted to her family as thanks for 'a service' which Isidor says was so private that even the mage's journal doesn't detail what it was. 

The air is dry and still, which makes the cool shade of indoors a pleasant relief. Like the ornate facade, the interior of the building is lined with intricate mouldings; decorated with impressive portraits; painted in bright, colourful shades; and filled with flowers and draping fabric. There is plenty of space, a fact emphasised by tiled floors that amplify each step and word. It looks as though almost every room is being used, from the way all the doors are held open for the steady flow of traffic. They are, however, let through the building and out another door. It's the quickest way to where seats sit lined up to face a gazebo decorated with ribbons and flowers that stands in front of a pond that might as well be a lake. Some people might notice the air above them ripple slightly, which certainly has nothing to do with the perfectly ornate poles at each corner of the seating area. 

There are already plenty of people milling about. Servants stride from one place to another, expertly staying out of the way of the guests. There are some men and women who are dressed well for the occasion, but like the servants they stay out of the way and scan the area repeatedly, making no attempts to engage with the guests - security, judging by their earpieces. Members of the Durant family are easy to spot. They move in groups or pairs, often getting headed off by people looking to talk to them. A large majority of them also sport sashes of either red or purple with gold trim and ornate pins that vary from person to person. This, Isidor explains, is how you spot a patron and an accomplished scholar, based on the red or purple respectively. Viatorus is not yet an accomplished scholar, which is why they have no sashes. Members of Runa's family are equally easy to spot for those that know her. They would be the large group of tall, golden haired men and women with the distinctive Swedish accents happily talking to anyone and everyone.

After guiding them to their seats she tells them that the ceremony will be another twenty minutes and takes her leave to go and sort out the other numerous things on her endless list. Nobody bothers them while they wait. Everyone is too busy spotting old friends or making their way to their seats. It's a good time to enjoy the scenery. There is a small collection of musicians with harps, violins and flutes to one side. Even the breeze is smelling sweet with the perfume of the bouquets.

Within fifteen minutes Viatorus appears in a tailored suit of light grey and deep purple. He is closely followed by an older, stocky looking man in a black suit and purple tie, and sporting a red and black sash that is even more ornate than any others. Whatever the man is saying to him Viatorus barely gets more of a wave of recognition in to his friends before he's being guided to the gazebo and kept there. Shortly after he's joined by a young man and two women with tanned skin and black hair dressed in simple, but high quality clothes of purple, draping fabric. They look as serious as the man beside Viatorus. That is about the time Isidor reappears in more appropriate attire. She in turn heralds the appearance of a woman who shares her features, dressed in elegant gold and black, who is accompanied by a man whose black suit and purple tie are considerably more simple than his purple sash. Its intricacy matches that of the red one worn by the man standing next to Viatorus. The mood seems to shift at the appearance of these last two guests, becoming quieter, expectant. The Durants gather together, and Viatorus' fidgeting increases tenfold as they exchange words. The men with the sashes and the woman in gold take their seats, many of the guests follow suit.

The ceremony begins...

The young man in purple walks with his staff to stand at the head of the aisle and asks that everyone takes their seats. Exactly twenty minutes after the Nexus guests were shown their seats, the ceremony begins. The young man introduces himself as the high priest of Despoina and welcomes them to the union of the two families Durant and Nyström. As it is a ceremony to mark the union of two families with two sets of tradition and two sets of gods to honour, this will be a merging of these two cultures. It will be a handfasting ceremony of the Old Ways, he explains. This means that the couple will be as man and wife for a year and a day, and after that time they must choose if they wish to marry or separate. The guests now better informed, the priest stands back under the gazebo where a nervous Viatorus and patient Isidor stand waiting. On cue, the musicians start playing unfamiliar, but pleasant music to introduce the arrival of Ingirun dressed in white and accompanied by a rounded, red cheeked man, and followed by a woman who must certainly be one of her sisters. Once she was beside Viatorus, Ingirun's father sat down and the ceremony began. 

The priest talked of uniting the two families, naming the virtues of both, as he got the bride-and-groom-to-be to hold hands which he bound in ribbons. He then took them through their vows before invoking the gods and goddesses to bless the union. The mixture of Greek and Norse deities made for a complicated blessing that might have been compared to seeking the approval of two powerful families. With wishes given, the priest unwrapped their hands and had the betrothed drink from the same cup. All in all it was a short ceremony as ceremonies go. A few more blessings were given and then the couple were prompted to kiss to seal the pact, which a bright red Viatorus did, very timidly. Luckily that only made Runa beam more brightly than she already was.

Dinner was in a large hall with close family at the head of the room and everyone else seated at round tables. Every position was carefully chosen, of course. The inevitable speeches came from the father of the bride (who rambled joyously about how happy he was to see his daughter with such a fine young man) and the mother of the groom (who gently, warmly, welcomed Runa into the family and spoke of how proud she and his father were). Drinks were plentiful, as were the courses. There were six in total with a selection of each: Appetisers, soup, fish, the main course, dessert, and a palate cleanser. No one will be going hungry tonight, that's a certainty.

After dinner it's Isidor who stands to say a few last words. She thanks everyone for coming and instructs them to enjoy the evening and all the festivities which "will go on at least until dawn". With that, guests are bid to go and enjoy the entertainment filling the palace.

And now for the party...

There isn't a single place that isn't being used for the party. The gardens have pleasant music playing in them, chairs and tables laid out  with cushions and blankets for people to lounge in. One of the largest halls is set out for dancers and their spectators to enjoy live musicians that will play ballroom music for the first part of the evening and be replaced by a band that plays modern music for the second. There is a small room of bookshelves and leather armchairs where men congregate to sip whiskey. Rooms with couches and chairs have people moving in and out of them joining and starting conversations. The priest tends to three statues of goddesses that stand at the end of one room. Here he collects gifts and offerings for the couple's happy future. A man with a perfect smile enthralls a crowd with stories that are only exciting because of the way he tells them. A demure woman facilitates a conversation between straight backed men with chiseled features and shorter tanned men who look equally as disciplined. Servants are found throughout, bringing drinks and snacks to anyone who asks or so much as looks as if they're considering either.

((Feel free to backtag, threadhop, start threads, look for more NPCs, whatever you like! If you're unsure of something, looking for more details, or want to plot then you know the drill - Send a message my way and we'll chat!

Note about gifts: It will say on your character's invitation that gifts are optional and it is suggested that a gift to the gods/goddesses would be more than suitable instead.))

✣ · ✣ · ✣ · ✣

The Nyströms  |   Hephaestia  |  The Archon, Liselotte & Stathis  | The Priest  | Oraskis - The Seer  
Lieselotte or Stathis  |  Poenia & Sagyne  |  Harrowheart & Anna  |  Adia  | Felix & Jim | Evening Event | Isidor | Klaus

 

Comments

[votivescholars]

"They sound amazing," Runa breathes, eyes wide with curiosity and awe. She beams suddenly, looking between Viatorus and Adia. "I'll ask Gry for advice." She turns to Adia to explain, "She's my sister. She has an amazing gift with birds. She can talk to them and see through their eyes... She can teach me some bird manners so I can be on my best behaviour."

Very quietly Viatorus asks, "Would... Would I be able to see them too?"

He can't help but feel a little like he's piggy-backing on Runa's request, but...

[chiron_survivor]

"Oh, wow..." Despite being at a party surrounded by mages, she forgot that everyone in Runa's family has magical powers, too. "That's incredible. Do you think she'd be able to talk to Bucky? He's a bird, but he's a pokémon, so he's not the same thing as a regular bird..."

Caught up in her musings on avian taxonomy and magical interaction, she almost misses Viatorus's request. "Hmm? Oh, of course you can." She smiles at him warmly. "Any time you want. You're always welcome. You too," she says, turning towards Oraskis, so he doesn't feel left out.

[votivescholars]

Her offer startles Oraskis out of his thoughts with a smile. "Oh, thank you very much."

"Gry would find a way," Runa says confidently, full of pride. "She's very smart. They can't be completely different, can they?"

Speaking of magical things... Viatorus bounces on the spot. "Will you be here for long? There will be performers doing magical displays later on." He smiles widely. "And I'm almost certain Isidor will do a fire dance later too."

[chiron_survivor]

"I don't know," she admits, returning her attention to Runa. "Pokémon are typically sorted by their abilities instead of their phenotype. So there isn't a bird type, Bucky is a flying type, and a normal type, but there are flying types that don't look like birds at all, like dragons, and bats, and some kinds of bugs."

Yes, she has done her research.

Her friend's excitement catches her attention. Truthfully, she had been planning on saying her goodbyes after delivering her well-wishes, but a magical performance sounds awfully tempting. "A fire dance?" She repeats in surprise. "From Isidor?"

[votivescholars]

Viatorus's hair bounces as he nods. "Klaus is here, so they'll probably dance together. He taught her fire magic, and he's the only one who'll dance with her with fire. She's never missed an opportunity for it. She loves dancing, and fire."

"It's quite a sight," Oraskis chimes in.

"There's a storyteller coming for the children, and an illusionist to put on a show for the band too," Runa adds excitedly.

[chiron_survivor]

"Who is Klaus?" she asks. She's fairly certain that Viatorus hasn't mentioned him, but with all the people she has met in a relatively short period of time, it'd be easy for her to forget a name or two. She's also still mildly reeling over the idea of Isidor doing a fire dance. That seems like such a carefree, spirited activity... but then again, it must take a great deal of control to dance with fire.

"I'll be sure to stay for that, then." She wonders belatedly if Isidor would get along with Steve's growlithe, but she can ask the woman herself later if she wants to meet a fire type pokémon. "A storyteller? Do they also perform magic?" She grins a little as a thought occurs to her. "I've been to parties where they hire a magician for the kids, but it was obviously never the real deal."

[votivescholars]

"Our uncle, on our mother's side," Viatorus explains, his words a little hasty. "He's one of the best fire mages in the world. All my mother's family are good at elemental magic."

Runa and Oraskis both giggle and chuckle respectively at the comment about magicians. As Oraskis puts it, "I think it would be strange to see a proper street magician, knowing what I know."

"The one we'll have today does magic," Runa confirms. "A bit here and there to make it more enchanting. I remember sitting for hours at parties like this watching storytellers when I was a child. I wanted to make sure the children weren't bored while their parents were enjoying themselves."

[chiron_survivor]

"Is that typical, or just a coincidence? That they're all good at the same kind of magic?" It would be an interesting piece of the genetic puzzle if it's the former. Also, how absolutely stressful it must be to be in a family where everyone is one of the best at something. It gives her a newfound empathy for Viatorus and his desire for a dreamwalking breakthrough.

Her smile grows when they seem to get the joke. "It's more about wondering how the magician pulled off his trick, although if the kids are young enough, they might think it's real... that was thoughtful of you Runa, I'm sure the children will love it." Maybe she'll try to catch a story as well, so long as she isn't the only adult listening.

[votivescholars]

"That's usually how it goes with these big old families," Oraskis confirms. "They like to become really good at one area." He nudges Adia gently with his elbow and grins. "Us Durants are just plain strange."

The joking gets a giggle from Runa, but Viatorus just looks thoughtful. "But we're different. We act as scholars, seeking out the unknown. Most families focus on their talents and building on them rather than looking for something new."

"I have three nieces and a nephew. I couldn't leave them with nothing to do." Runa shrugs sheepishly then. "And, I admit, I couldn't resist. I love stories."

[chiron_survivor]

It's an interesting distinction, and she only belatedly giggles at Oraskis's joke, wondering what set into motion that difference between his family and everyone else's. Is that what made them the best? Diversifying? "You and I really need to talk shop again sometime soon," she tells Viatorus. She has so many more questions, but she's not about to bombard him at his own engagement party.

"I think I saw them in the garden," she tells Runa with a soft smile. "They're all very cute. Does a storyteller have their own style of magic, or do they pull from whatever field they're best at to put on a show?"

[votivescholars]

That's a question Runa has to think about. Judging by the silence from the other two, she has the most experience in these things. "I think it's whatever each storyteller likes to use." And her beaming smile reappears. "I remember one lady telling us stories and we saw things in bubbles she created. That was wonderful..."

Suddenly Viatorus jumps as a thought hits him. "Grandfather used to make potions," he says suddenly. "O-O-Or try to."

"He did," Oraskis confirms, looking as bemused at Runa.

Viatorus, however, grins broadly at Adia, anxiously excited. "Would you like to see his laboratory? It's not that big, and it's not modern, but since you're here..."

[chiron_survivor]

It sounds wonderful, creating images in bubbles, and she's about to ask more about it, when Viatorus blurts out his grandfather's potion making. Her expression turns just as bemused, but she waits patiently to see where he's going with this train of thought...

And, oh boy, would she ever like to see a magic laboratory. "Really?" she asks, her face lighting up with excitement. "Um, I mean... if that's okay? I don't want to take you away from your own party..."

[votivescholars]

Viatorus is quick to dismiss her concerns with a happy wave of his hand. "It won't take long."

"I will leave you to it," Oraskis says then. "There are still a few friends I need to seek out." He turns to Adia with a smile and gives her arm a small squeeze. "It was a pleasure to meet you, Adia. Hopefully we'll meet again soon if we don't meet again before the night is out." Runa and Viatorus get a smile too. "I'll see both of you later. Enjoy your trip to the laboratory."

"We will," Viatorus assures him excitedly. Once the Seer has shuffled off, humming to the music in the distance, Viatorus rocks on his heels and then starts moving down the hall. "Shall we? It's not too far."

"This building is a bit of a maze," Runa says quietly to Adia. "I'm lucky Viatorus knows his way."

Despite her hushed tone, Viatorus hears her anyway. Although he speaks to them both, his eyes are on the hall and the many paintings and sculptures that line it. "It feels small once you get used to it."

[chiron_survivor]

"It was a pleasure meeting you, too, Oraskis." She smiles and gives him a small wave before he exits the hallway. She does hope that they can meet again soon, but perhaps without anymore visions of problematic exes.

Her attention returns to Viatorus soon enough, falling into step with Runa as he leads them both. "It's beautiful," she declares, eyes also on the artwork. "It reminds me a lot of the old palaces on Leonis. Our government was a monarchy originally. Some royal descendants still lived in palaces, but most of them were turned into museums. There were even a couple that you could rent out for parties. I bet they were a lot like this one... minus the magic, of course."

[votivescholars]

Runa has her attention firmly fixed on Adia. She listens carefully, eyes wide and interested. "Oh that is fascinating! I wonder how much like this world it would be. Did the monarchies lose power in the same way, was the history very similar, was the art, the culture…?"

"It's down here," Viatorus tells them and brings them down a wide flight of stairs that level off to lead to a single wooden door. There are carvings in the doorframe which Viatorus does inspect briefly before opening the door. It clicks heavily when his hand touches the handle but opens easily.

Inside is dark, but Viatorus summons a pale blue orb that emits a soft light. There are a couple of flames burning from gems and even a few candles, one of which Viatorus takes to help him light lanterns. Once he's brightened up the room it's easier to see the shelves of books, the large, ornate cabinets, and the shelves filled with an assortment of traditional alchemic materials and objects. There are, of course, jars with things suspended in them. Most of which are plants, but there are a few small animals here and there. Next to all of this are more modern microscopes and sophisticated pipettes, as well as objects that look to alternative versions of modern laboratory equipment.

The titration equipment on the main table is set up in a complex arrangement to hold up an ongoing experiment. A slightly metallic, earthy smell hangs in the air, but it isn't as heavy as the old furniture and underground setting initially suggests.

"Oh." Viatorus blinks at the beakers and flasks. "Someone's using it." However, this doesn't seem to concern him. Quite the opposite, in fact, as he looks around for the nearest notebook and flicks it open.

Runa turns her eyes from the room to the inquisitive mage. "Should we be in here?"

"It's all right. We're not going to touch anything." He frowns a little at the pages and then closes it over before straightening and shrugging. "It's probably an apprentice. Sometimes we let people use our facilities to help their research." It's then that he smiles sheepishly at Adia. "Though this is probably nothing compared to what you're used to."

[chiron_survivor]

"i've only read a little on French history and culture," Adia admits, her gaze returning to Runa. As much as she loves to learn about Earth, there are so many hours in a day and more practical things to research. "But their revolution sounded rather bloody. Our monarchy abdicated peacefully." She smiles wryly. "With a little pressure from the people, of course, but it was a smooth transition."

But further musings on French and Leonisian culture will have to wait, because all of Adia's attention is now on the laboratory. It's a lot to take in, but she's surprised by how much of the equipment she recognizes. She immediately gravitates towards the microscopes, then starts examining the titration equipment, instinctively trying to puzzle out what sort of experiment is being done.

When Viatorus comments on not touching anything, she guilty snatches her hand away from where it had been hovering over some elaborate glass tubing. "Ah, it's... different, yes, but only in the sense that there's a greater variety of equipment. Do you know what this person was working on?" She looks over at the samples in jars and remarks thoughtfully, "They might want to invest in a cryogenic freezer, it would preserve their samples better..."

[votivescholars]

Adia's suggestion sends Viatorus spinning as he looks around the room. "He might have one here, but ice magic isn't the easiest..."

"It comes very naturally to some of the mages at home," Runa says, a little surprise in her voice.

Viatorus smiles sheepishly at her. "That doesn't mean it isn't difficult magic..."

That vaguely complimentary response seems to sit well with her as she returns to beaming brightly and inspecting the room.

"I think they were looking to isolate some part of this plant," Viatorus says, returning to Adia's question.

This catches Runa's attention again and she appears next to Viatorus where velvety leaves sit in a small bundle with some tools. "Daggkåpa." Viatorus blinks at her and she laughs gently. "Lady's Mantle."

This name Viatorus recognises, and he gives an understanding 'ah' as he nods. "Well, they were working with Lady's Mantle and some of my father's research. I'm not sure what exactly they're doing, though. They're looking for something from the plant. I... haven't really done research like this. It's difficult for me to say any more than that."

[chiron_survivor]

"Why is ice magic typically more difficult?" Adia asks curiously, before returning her attention to the plant. She's never heard of Lady's Mantle, but she doubts she's familiar with it under a different name. She's not a botanist, and her extent of plant knowledge rests in flowers she thinks are pretty and herbs that she likes to cook with. "So, is there a part of the plant that's magical, or is it necessary for some type of potion? Oh, what kind of magic does your father do? I don't think you ever told me."

Despite being full of questions, her eyes on the equipment before her, she hadn't missed the gentle way Viatorus and Runa have with one another. It's a politeness, but it isn't cold or distant. That's good. She wants her friend to be happy. He deserves to have a chance at love, even if it's not the way he had initially hoped.

[votivescholars]

"People find it difficult to connect with ice. Earth, air, fire, water, even metal and spirit are elements we can understand and feel close to." He stops, hand hovering above a bottle, head tilted while he thinks of how to explain. "Ice is… It's water, emotion, but frozen, still, dead."

"Not dead," Runa says suddenly. She flattens her dress and smiles gently between them both. "Not dead. Just… sleeping."

Viatorus shrugs and nods, bowing to Runa's experience. He's not going to debate with a woman whose country is so often so cold. "Sleeping then. Inactive. Most mages are passionate about their work and talents. It's hard not to have emotion intertwined with it."

With that explained, Viatorus looks back to the experiment thoughtfully. "It doesn't look like he's making a potion. The other things he's using wouldn't make any potion I've ever heard of… And the plant is magical. I don't know that a part of it is magical…" His hands come together and fidget. He looks from Adia to Runa and then to the experiment again. "Um, he… he studies magic. His research centres on using magic in its purest form. People say it's the most powerful magic in the history of magic… but it's mostly very good for casting more efficiently."

[chiron_survivor]

She listens to his explanation with a studious expression, although she can't help but smile a bit at Runa's gentle correction. "So it's psychological, then? You need to feel a connection with a particular element in order to excel at it?"

Ooh, a magic plant. She looks over the small bundle of leaves, vaguely disappointed that they aren't sparkly or otherwise unusual in appearance. "Oh, I was wondering because it looks like he has a titration system set up. Do you think it's possible to distill the magic from it? That could be why he's interested in your father's research."

[votivescholars]

"It helps a lot if you do," Viatorus confirms with a nod. "Which is why most mages who use ice magic are from icy countries, I suppose. It's like home." A sentiment which has Runa nodding in agreement.

At her questions, Viatorus blinks once at her and then turns to reconsider the set up. "I... don't know. I've never heard of anything like that being done before..." He tilts his head. "But until the Archon's research, people had never used pure magic, or even heard of such a thing. Not within living memory, at least... Hm. Yes, that... that could be what they're trying to do. I don't know if it's possible, though."

[chiron_survivor]

"Is that only for elemental magic? What about dreamwalking? Or, um..." She trails off, realizing that she doesn't know what kind of magic Runa practices, or at least doesn't remember. Shoot. "Does your type of magic require a connection with a particular element?" she asks Runa instead. "Or is it more a matter of general willpower?"

She takes another thoughtful look at the lab equipment. "Whoever set this up must be eager to find out. Your father's research could be the start of a paradigm shift. Sometimes a key discovery will throw older theories out the window." She grins. "It's an impressive effort at least. I'm glad I got to see it."

[votivescholars]

"I think so," Viatorus says with a nod. "It certainly helps to understand emotions."

"I need a connection to my family, and the world around me. My magic isn't very elemental." Runa shrugs sheepishly, but smiles. "But I was raised with that connection. I didn't have to learn it."

Viatorus smiles weakly and shifts on the spot while Adia talks about the potential wider impact of his father's work. "I'm glad you like it. I thought it might be interesting for you to see a laboratory from my world. I didn't expect there to be an experiment going on. That was a bit of luck. Now you can see how it's used."

"Perhaps we should head back to the party," Runa suggests softly. "I don't want to interrupt any of this person's work."

[chiron_survivor]

"That's a good idea," she tells Runa. "Will you tell me more about your magic while we walk back?" She doesn't want to interrupt anything, either, and she also doesn't want Viatorus to feel like he's standing inside his father's shadow, especially at his own party.

As she heads for the door, she pauses and gives him a warm smile. "It was very interesting, thank you. When you're not so busy, we should sit down and talk shop again. I have a lot to learn from you."

[votivescholars]

Viatorus nods in agreement and closes over the journal. He waits until the other two are out before closing the door behind them, the lock clunking heavily as they leave.

"I'd like that," he says with a bright smile. "It's fascinating to hear what strikes a chord and what is unfamiliar. I wish I knew more about healing magic to compare with your work."

"My magic isn't as flashy or big as Viatorus', or his family's," Runa tells Adia, but the look she shoots Viatorus is warm. "My sisters and I are volur, Norse shamans. We do things like divination and natural magic. I use my magic to bring happiness and protection to my friends and family." She bounces on the spot and beams at Adia. "I could make you a protection charm, if you like! I've finished warding Viatorus' office, and I'm baking more cakes than anyone can eat."