Archmagus [Room 601]

[Skay Ravendi]

The main building which stood in the middle of the towers' square was one which was used for the reception, which was on the first floor. Higher up it had conference, meeting and various other rooms. It was a rather busy building, for many students came here to check the announcements which were hung on the board near the reception. This was also the building where the new Archmagus - Skay Ravendi - had set up her office and her living quarters. Though one had to climb all the way up to the sixth floor.

The stairs and the walls which led from the fifth to the sixth floor were all of white stone or wood. They ended with a small hall, to which's right stood a sofa by a large window and a thick, engraved, redwood door. Upon the door a dragon holding two orbs and a dryad were engraved, both interwined together, almost becoming one. Just as well, upon the door hung an ebony wood plate, with engraved white words announcing:

The office of the Archmagus of the Rainbow Towers
Skay Ravendi

Entering however wasn't as easy. The door simply didn't open and remained firmly locked if one didn't have an appointment with the Archmagus. Though the Masters and Skay were able to open it without greater effort, which meant that the door was guarded by a spell of sorts. Knocking without an appointment only rarely brought the desired outcome. However if one had it then access to the office was easily granted and the door wasn't locked. One thing was clear - this office took up the whole floor.

The Office

The door from the staircase led into a really large office of the Archmagus. There were large windows on both sides of the room. There also was a redwood desk, with a unique armchair behind it, clearly custom made for the dracon race, and two cushioned chairs in front of it. Next to the walls ornamented bookcases could be found, filled with various scrolls, books, vials, pots and other such goods. To the right there were three sofas surrounding a table upon which tea set and a plate with biscuits usually stood. Almost through the whole office there was a beautiful light blue carpet decorated with various patterns and ornaments. The windows also showed a beautiful view of the whole city and even the Northern Sea.

Usually the draconess was sitting in her armchair, with a book opened and a quill or a biscuit in her hand. There always stood a beautiful ceramic bowl upon her desk filled with sweets. With the position of the Archmagus came certain perks, free food was one of them, as such the draconess allowed herself to the often temptation of biscuits, cookies, pastries, pies, chocolates, candies and all other sweets, which came to her bowl from the best bakeries and most various cuisines.

There was something else interesting in that room. Usually an animal was walking around it. And they were of all kinds, ranging from a simple black cat to a pegasus. And quite often a tiger, who even had a set of pillows to the left of the room as his bed. There was also a light blue hand-wyvern on a certain perch, which stood between the desk and the right window. Other than that though, this was a normal office, there were no arcane vines, no glowing orbs or other such mage suited things. And there was also one more door which led to Skay's private quarters.

Private Quarters

The door from her office led to a few more rooms. They could be called offices of other kind. One was used for research and experiments of various kinds, the other was for classes. And then there was another staircase, this time no longer going around the tower, but a smaller spiral staircase which led to the seventh floor where Skay's home was located. It too took up a whole floor and had many rooms in it, as well as a rather large balcony, which Skay used as a landing pad when she came home in an aerial form.

Upon the seventh floor the rooms were spacious and expensively decorated. There was a kitchen, with its own large fireplace and a stove, a smaller table with two chairs. There was a whole dining room, which Skay rarely visited unless she had company over. There was a bedroom, a restroom, two smaller empty rooms and a whole huge living room. The living room took the biggest part of the floor. It was spacious, airy and had large windows filling it with light. This room got to see the first rays of the dawning sun. The room was also filled with all kinds of things, sofas, armchairs, tea tables, bookcases, a soft carpet and all kinds of other things that could be found in the mansions of rich merchants or nobles.

[Z'kron]

Early Spring of Era XVIII

[Prime Province]
"You mean *nothing* has been done about Paxia in my absence? NOTHING?"
The imperial high sage sat at his desk, his hands drumming furiously. Underneath his cap, his antennae twitched.
"Well very little."
"Good lord, I think I understand why Motito left the service. Where is Motito anyhow?"
"Ah, I really wouldn't know."
"Pity, he'd be perfect for transport right now. Food to Paxia. Now. Suggestions. Fire away Davis."
"Well we could muster some imperial magi-"
"Yes, well that would work for some transport, but such things take ages to work on, I ran that damned bueracracy for a while and it chugs. Other solutions."
"I heard rumors of a new magus in nexus of some power. Druid, they say."
"Oh really?"
"Ah, yes. Happened while you were... gone"
"You mean transforming it into a carrot?"
Davis did not respond, and Z'kron, thankfully for him, seemed not to want one.
"Well, can't you just... whoosh.. us there? You are a sorcerer, you know."
"Yes sir, but I'm only an adept. Such spells are rather draining.. and that distance is quite.."
"Oh, alright, just take me to the blasted grove then. Magic seems weaker than in the old days. I seem to recall I could teleport quite comfortably as an apprentice sorcerer. Zipping all about the place."
"You were a sorcerer my lord?"
"Yes indeed, reached your level before the aetherfracture wiped it all
clean... ended up a druid, long story. But I still remember the old ways fairly well. You can still call vision spells up, no?"
"Yes, of course"
"Well then, let's see if we can find him."
"Ah, apparently it's a her. And no need to scry. The new one is the Archmagus of Primus Gaudeo... we received reports of it.."
"Archmagus?"
"I think that's just a title. I think the Rainbow Academy calls all their heads Archmagus."
"Well then. It seems I have been deficient in my duties. Let's get moving."


[Secluria]
The pair arrived with a jolt, with Davis looking slightly winded. The trip through the enchanted glades had not been particularly difficult for the two, given Z'kron's competency and the assistance of those druids who were accustomed to his constant sojourns, but Davis's teleports had been something of a stretch for the man.
"Here. Have a carrot, Davis. Keeps you lucid." Absentmindedly, the druid drew one from his belt, stroking his chin in exaggerated thought. "This is Rainbow towers then?"
"Yes indeed sir."
"Those walkways don't look too sturdy. Rather gossamer, actually."
"I'm assured they're very stable, milord."
"I'm certain you are, I'm certain you are."
The druid tramped forward, his mouth in a set line, opening the front door with hardly a pause and affixing the attending clerk with a glare. His eyes softened ever so slightly as he caught her gaze, and his voice lowered.
"Excuse me, good miss. I'm the Imperial High Sage, member of the Emperor's cabinet. And I was hoping to meet with the archmagus of this college concerning the matter of Paxia."
The young girl swallowed before straightening her back and giving a surprisingly composed reply, considering Z'kron's peculiar appearance. While he bore the general form of an elf, several parts of him were distinctly plantlife. His hair, for example, was a pale green and looked rather like grass.
"The Archmagus tends to be in her offices, though it's sometimes hard to know. I'm certain she'd be happy to see you if she has the time. Room 601. Shall I call ahead?"
"Thank you, my dear"

[Skay Ravendi]

Quickly the clerk sent a student to check if the Archmagus was available. The student returned soon after bearing good news, which he stated to Susan Marie, who in turn smiled o Z'kron. "She's in her office now so she agreed to meet the guest now." Leaving such news the student departed with his own business, whereas the clerk got back to her paperwork if there was nothing else that Z'kron wanted from her.

Up on the sixth floor the door wasn't locked now and revealed a draconess sitting behind her desk, a glass of red wine close to her right hand on the desk. The office room was in the same condition as it always was. The hand-wyvern wasn't present, but there definitely was a more interesting life. A full grown tiger was lying in its bed, by the window. Apon seeing a new face it rose its head curiously, but then moments later lowered it down unalarmed and uninterested.

"How can I help you?" The black and gold scaled draconess asked first and then showed to the two chairs in front of her desk. She was dressed in her blue robe, which had golden patterns decorating it. She was in her true form, as always, wings resting by the armchair, which was specifically made on request for her race. Though whether she was informed of the matter that was going to be discussed or not was hard to tell, only her face looked unimpressed and unlarmed so far at least.

[Z'kron]

The druid blinked, then grinned broadly at the sight of the young female dracon sitting. His mouth twisted unusually to form words in draconic, rather than the more normal common tongue.
"A scalesister druid as the Archmagus of Nexus? How intriguing. I wasn't aware there were any others that share such a path with me in such positions, Mistress Ravendi. But to the issue at hand."
Despite his transformations, Z'kron remained a dracon at heart; and the strange, soft variant of the call that emanated off him would verify this if the other listened closely enough. The druid turned his head towards the tiger, absentmindedly sending off a slightly-arcanically-enhanced vibe of comfort to it. He'd done such things so often he didn't really need to think about them anymore.
"There is a food shortage in Paxia. Recovering from the war as it is, it holds very little ability to support itself. And without food, it will remain the ruins of a starving, scrapping city. Such a city could damage the whole region, turning itself into a pit like Imperia.
I have two main ideas on how food production could be improved. Either we enchant the land, in a temporary manner likely; or to somehow alter the plants via our magic so that they thrive in Paxian conditions. I was wondering if you might be willing to assist with the first."

[Skay Ravendi]

The draconess felt the Call echoing in the back of her mind while Z'kron still climbing the last steps. Now that she saw him and heard him in their true language, Skay got slightly more intrigued. She did however only nod to his... compliment, if it could be called that. There were others, she was sure. A slight thought traced through her mind. It spoke a single name. Darian. It sure has been a while since she had last thought about him. And he too... turned to be a Moraden. She didn't blame him, being Moraden was as natural as being Diantar, however... for him to turn to that path.

And then her thoughts were interupted by something else. She saw Mana being shaped right in this room, by the guest. She knew the spell. She knew it all too well. This was her sphere, these were her spells and she knew their every tiny detail to the core of her soul. The white wood which surrounded her left arm gave her the sight of the different world. The world of Arcana. She could see the flames of Ara licking everything. And the draconess was used to seeing the world in transparent flames as much as in the usual way. Her Aver Raa, her Staff of Arcana gave her such ability without any more effort.

A few moments before the spell's release it was completely destroyed by her Vis. The spell was simply Dispelled before it could reach its target, before it could take effect. "I must ask you to refrain from casting in my office or on anything that is mine in any other location." The tiger remained where it was, however its tail began to move, or rather its very tip, up and down, up and down. And the draconess could see it well, all the enchantments, all the spells and be at the ready through all the time, without putting the slightest effort into that.

When they got to the real topic though Skay listened and wasn't too happy to listen to it. Quite frankly she didn't really care about Paxia. Or many of the other cities. When the moraden was done speaking Skay nodded before speaking. "And tell me how exactly do you wish to enchant the land? I personally am unable to that at this time. The Rainbow Towers won't be able to help you much either, we only have mystics and sorcerers. They are no help in agriculture. As for altering the plants, again a temporary mean if done through simple spells and I alone won't be much of a help for you. Again, the towers do not have druids. You'd get much greater help from cities like Tirisfal or Natura, places which do have druids and or farm experience." And that was the truth.

[Z'kron]

The druid shook his head and chuckled. "Relax, Miss Ravendi. I'm just saying hello to your tiger. It's common courtesy to tell them we mean no harm, if we're wandering into their territory." That someone had bothered to destroy such a harmless spell came something of a suprise to Z'kron; who used it as much as a method of communication as anything else. A druid with a hair-trigger reaction indeed.
"I came to you, Mistress Ravendi, because you were close by and we supposed you'd be sympathetic to a population decimated by orcs and necromancy. And I'm planning to go to the other cities as well, and gather support. As much support as possible- we knew there was a scarcity of druids in this city, but it felt worthwhile to ask. The more support the better. We don't need your support, but we'd like it- and I supposed that, as a Master Druid, you would be very useful in any capacity you might choose. There are a plentitude of needs in Paxia since the slaughtering the orcs did- and we need all the arcane assistance we can get. If you have only sorcerers; we'd love to take them for assistance. Paid, of course. We've got half a population living in tents, and we want to do what we can."

[Skay Ravendi]

"I'll appreciate it then if you don't say serale to my tiger. It's not an... ordinary tiger." And she cut it at that, the draconess didn't want to continue that subject. And the tiger was a delicate matter for her, for it was indeed not an ordinary tiger and any spells cast upon it could have brought disasters that only she knew of. But this druid reminded her of the common mystics. Break into other people's thoughts and memories, dig where you need, check where you need, heal or hurt what you want, check to make sure that you're safe - basically regard anything that your spells work on as your own free casting dummy.

"I am unable to help you. You can try and hire adepts or apprentices of sorcery if you can convince them. Should you find ones that accept, a single spell shall cost you from a hundred to a thousand. Some tend to do jobs for a lump of crowns so you might have some luck. You may leave a note for the secretary, she will hang it for you where our students shall see it, leave the address where you're staying and your name, or come back within a few brightenings and see how the winds are shining their luck on you."

The draconess scribbled down something onto her papers with her red-brown quill and then glanced at Z'kron again. "Is there anything else?" The draconess didn't really like this dracon. The way he acted and the way he requested of things was not to her liking. Then again maybe this was simply the first impression. Then again she was glad if this meeting came to an end, it just started off with an unpleasant tune so perhaps it was about time for it to end.

[Z'kron]

"As you will mistress Ravendi. If you choose to keep to your own insular ways while others suffer, so be it. The empire is made of all types, and if you do not wish to actively assist it, as long as you do not harm it there is no issue. And I've no doubt that you help those around you. I'm merely disappointed that you don't seem to care for anything more."
The druid gave a tired shrug. He had hoped for a better reaction, but heads of arcane schools did tend to be a stubborn sort. He turned his head to address the tiger, his words this time completely untinged by arcana and filled with a exhausted weight, before he left to continue his duties.
"Goodbye tiger. I apologize if I've made offence. And I'm disappointed that your mistress is daft enough she can't tell the difference between magic used to talk and magic used to control, and an error in judgement as opposed to one in intent, but perhaps some other day I'll have a chance to hear you say who you truly are, but by changing my ears and not yours."

[Skay Ravendi]

The draconess simply frowned her scaly eyebrows. She knew full well that Z'kron was well over his guest limit, but she resisted the urge to say anything else. He was bound to leave after his stupid monologue anyway. But there was a different reaction upon the tiger. After hearing the insults it rose from its bed and began to growl with the fangs bared. "It's ok, he's already leaving." Skay said to the tiger calming it, but the tiger remained loyal to the draconess as if he could understand every word that Z'kron said, just as well as Skay. And thus it remained in its position, though the fangs still visible to the Moraden.

Skay was not going to say anything else. She let those insults come from his lips and she said nothing back. And then she simply waited for him to leave. Yeah, the mage did one hell of a good job requesting help. If he was going to go about it the same in all places then no wonder Paxia was so messed up. What was up with his appearance anyway? Was he so arcanely contaminated? All the more reason not to lend mages to such a irresponsible moraden. And truly, no wonder people hated dracons, some were intolerable.

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

Mid-Melora, Era 14 PF
(OOC: From Rainbow Towers... Ravendi, Lynsdaughter & Co. : continuing grandfathered threads since 2007)

Amelia was glad, all things considered, that she did not have to climb the Tower of Sorcery again, what with her previous experience in the field. Stairs were stairs no matter where they lead to, however, and six floors since Susan Marie's permission to go and visit Skay in her office, the half-elf was standing in front of the door proclaiming this to be the office of the Archmagus.

The girl was wearing a pretty sleeveless silken dress whose color more or less matched her light chestnut hair, her signature white hat and her favorite shoes that also happened to be the very pair she had almost thrown in Skay's face when they first met. She knocked exactly twice, not too softly and not too loudly, and then she opened the door, which would hopefully then obey the command since she had an appointment with the Archmagus... whether she knew it or not!

Amelia had lost much of her fear of Arcana from her previous dealings with it, and as such she did not look she would be fainting anytime soon. Still, she was clearly in the middle of a foreign element that she would never fully understand. She peered through the door tentatively, not wishing to enter unless given permission to. "Skay... are you in?" she asked softly, taking a look around. This was the first time she got to see the office of the Archmagus - and of course the question arose of what form Skay would pick to trick her one more time! Then again, she thought sagely, a sneaky Druidess was a Druidess without candied almonds.

[Skay Ravendi]

"You know... not everything explodes in arcanic blasts just because you're near mages." The draconess said half giggling half sighing as she observed Amelia's cautiousness towards Arcana. Quite surprisingly Skay was in her original form, in her usual clothing, with a... white wood staff looking thing around her left arm. The only scary thing within this room was a tiger which currently slept in its bed to the left of the room.

"So what brings you here?" Skay asked pointing to the sofas and the table with tea and biscuits upon it. Clearly though, in the biscuit plate there was something missing. Almonds. There were no almonds of any kind. Clearly missing due to some Telath misunderstanding. Skay took a seat herself there and poured some tea for the both of them. Which was neither hot nor cold at the moment.

She was quite interested about the purpose of the visit. Though it wouldn't be surprising if there would be no reason. After all they were friends right? They could visit each other without reasons. They didn't have to think up reasons just to see each other right? Skay wasn't quite sure as to what the answer was. They didn't see each other as often as she would have liked. And even when they did it usually was in those neutral environments. The draconess so far had not been to the home where Amelia lived.

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

"True," the girl commented, gently accompanying the door close, "sometimes they wait for me to step closer before they explode." She smiled at the Draconess, giggling back with a rare twinkle in her eyes. Skay was the only Mage Amelia had ever befriended, and she was pretty much the exception that confirmed the rule. The half-elf would never be fully comfortable around magic; and Skay's was the only kind of Arcana she trusted.

It was an interesting room. Amelia loved animals with both sides of her blood, though she tended to prefer those that were smaller than her and would not eat her in the wild. Still, her fascination with felines had deep roots and the sight of the tiger reminded her of it. Some brightening she would at the very least have a house and a cat. Not as many as Susan Marie, but a cat, sure. The girl admired Skay's beautifully embroidered robes, now with the slightly more experienced eye of one who did embroidery herself, and noticed a wooden item coiled around her arm. Some Mage thing, she assumed.

The young woman took a seat in front of Skay and noticed the absence of almonds. She poured a cup of tea for herself and produced a small pouch of candied almonds. "I come bearing gifts, as you can see. Made them early this morning." She made herself comfortable on her seat and considered Skay's question. What brought her to her office? "Well, it's been a while... I know I should have visited earlier, but my life has been on the hectic side lately. I've spent some time in Paxia with Viskyia among other things... we've put some dead souls to their rest."

The girl took a sip of tea. "What about you? I hope the Towers aren't giving you too much trouble..." Her lips curled into a teasing smile - the thing had been quite traumatic at first, but in retrospect Amy had been able to assimilate the experience and think of it of somewhat educational, if very embarrassing. "Did you, I don't know, turn into a man some time ago? It would be quite an ominous coincidence if we both did, don't you think?"

[Skay Ravendi]

The draconess snickered at Amelia's explanation about arcane explosions. Ah, that was fun. Just the idea, the thought of this. She thanked the girl when she poured tea for the draconess. "We'll be sure to devour your gifts then." Candied almonds, Skay remembered them very well. They were a part of their first meeting. How long ago was that already? Time flew indeed. But maybe that was a good thing. For the draconess at least, she had aaaaages in front of her, unlike the softskin in front of her.

Amelia's explanation about the overdue visit wasn't met as it would have been by a normal person. "You've been on a journey... I dare say on a whole adventure, and you didn't take me along?!" She pouted. It was obvious that she wasn't really mad and was just pretending. But nonetheless, the fact was a fact, they had left her out! From a journey! An adventure! To a whole new town! "And I here thought we were friends... tsk... tsk..." Skay shook her head, arms crossed.

"As for me... I don't know. I'm settling in. Calming myself down completely. Heh... never been to one city for so long before. Maybe it's a good sign though. I needed this kind of a simple life. As simple as it can be living in such an arcane place. But, even with all the Initiate created havoc, even with Adept created disasters, I still feel like... something close to home. So while the towers do give a lot of work, never imagined there's so much paperwork, meetings, discussions, idiotic other meetings and all that, it's keeping me busy and stops me from wandering off." And she was glad. Wandering off usually gave her experiences that were too big. The only place that Skay wandered off to now was Arcadia, and that was making a really bad influence on her. But... this was kept a secret more than many other things.

Skay picked up the tea cup and was about to drink when the question which was the purpose of this meeting came. Due to which Skay almost choked. And then almost started snickering. "We're still not sure which mage... if it was a mage, did that. Probably some mystic, but... that was one powerful spell so... eh... well... anyway..." She gulped down some tea and took an almond. "As for me... I was away, flying when that happened. So... eh... I misssed the... fun." The draconess was really glancing sideways and not looking at Amelia's eyes and atop of it, she was barely able to hold down a snicker behind the tea cup.

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

Amelia took a short sip from her cup, careful not to spill any droplet of liquid on the porcelain saucer. "Um... indeed, we forgot to ask you if you wanted to come along," she apologized, recognizing the playful tone in Skay's word but still addressing the protest as if it had been real, "but it was mostly Viskyia's business leading her to Paxia... she was looking for some military officer person on behalf of a friend. I just tagged along because there are more dead people in Paxia than there are live ones. They say a Necromancer did it... but anyways, there's no nature to see there, only rubble and dirt. Knowing you, you'd either have turned around as soon as you saw the place, or grown greenery all over the place."

And there was a nonchalant flicker of her hand and suddenly there was one less almond. "You've got yourself a nice office," Amelia remarked, though the place was certainly not her style - but at least it looked magic-free enough for her not to worry about what strange devices were ready to play tricks on her. Truth be told, she had no idea what kind of meetings mages held and what they had to discuss, but it sounded important enough... "You do what you love doing... seems like an ideal bargain to me." The girl was rather curious to know what kind of 'nomadic' life Skay had lived before her coming to Nexus, but did not ask. These were things that had to be shared, not requested.

"What a fortunate coincidence," the half-elf smiled imperceptibly as if remotely implying that Skay not being present at the time of the incident could be no coincidence after all, "see? I'm starting to use your vocabulary. Co-in-ci-dence," she spelled out, "doesn't sound as good as omen does, but it will do in this case. Well, I can only hope the mage responsible, if it was a mage," (as if there were any doubts!), "will be found and coerced into spending half a candlemark as a warty old she-Orc."

Yes, now that sounded like an appropriate punishment to hand out. Especially if it was a Mystic. "Then again, I'm biased. A Mystic mind-read me some time ago, and it wasn't a pleasant experience at all. I was... furious, embarrassed and scared all at once. The more I cross paths with Arcana, the more it looks like you are the only trustworthy mage I will ever meet." Amelia poured herself some more tea. Materna, but the Archmagus got some really nice tea. She probably received the best of the best, and the stuff they served at the Ablutos' was a bit too Ariumite for her tastes.