In an out of the way table in the Drowning Wench, Adeya Evenar sits with a glass of cider and the little box that she had picked up as she had checked her mail on her way over here. Ignoring her drink for the moment, she smiles slightly as she opens the box without bothering to check who it was from, figuring that her little brother had finally remembered to send her a Starlight present. However, upon opening the package her face fell a bit as she laid eyes on what was inside, to be replaced by a look that was more confused than anything else as it became clear to her that there was no way that Kiht’a had sent this. For nestled inside the little package was a crimson gemstone, one with a scorpion somehow etched into the center. Still seeming puzzled, she reaches out a hand to pick up the gem—and then stops, her fingers hovering a few inches above it. Unless she was very much mistaken, there was aether contained within it.
“Hmph.†Hesitating for a moment as she studies the gem lying in the tiny box, she finally shrugs and reaches down to pick it up so that she could study it closer… and then freezes instantly, her eyes widening in surprise, as she feels the aether that she had sensed earlier stir. Before she had time to do anything about it, the strange aether was running along her own. It didn’t hurt or anything; in fact, if she had to compare the feeling to anything it would be the sensation when a bug crawls across your skin. But she certainly didn’t like it, and as the feeling went on she gritted her teeth as she fought against her instincts to drop the bloody thing (preferably into the sea). But with it playing around with her aether she didn’t dare; she had no idea what would happen if she interrupted it.
Still holding the stone, with her free hand she reaches back into the box, snatching up the piece of paper that had accompanied it. Holding it up to her face, her eyes narrow as she reads the words. Sisters of the Red Lotus? Who in the seven hells were they, and what did they have to do with this gem? Throwing the rather unhelpful letter down, she gives the gem another suspicious look. Something had changed in the aether around her; instead of just being everywhere it was almost as if it was moving with purpose. And in one direction too…
Glaring down at the gem and the letter, Adeya weighed her options. She could certainly try asking around about these “Sistersâ€, maybe even call in a few favors... but that would take time. For a moment she thought about trying to follow the trail of aether, but as she glanced out a window towards the night sky, lit by the lights of the city around her, she realized that there was a problem with that plan. Even assuming that she could avoid ending up in the drink, following a faint trail of aether through the general din of Lominsans going about their lives would be extremely difficult. Unless she could find a way to strengthen it somehow.
“I wonder…†she mutters under her breath as she weighs the stone in her hand, her thumb absentmindedly rubbing the carving in the center. If the stone was capable of drawing upon and channeling aether, what would happen if she deliberately added more to it? Pondering the question for a few moments, it didn’t take long for her mind to come up with several possibilities. As far as she could tell, the best case scenario was that it would increase the trail, making it much easier for her to follow it. Worst case, the stone wouldn’t be able to handle it, and it would break—although to be honest, she wasn’t entirely sure that would be a bad thing.
It was worth the risk. Holding the stone in her cupped hands, cautiously she begins to channel some of her own aether into it, treating the gem like she would a new staff or spellbook, one where she wasn’t quite sure of its capabilities. Without really noticing it, she began to hold her breath, as she waited to see what would happen.
“Hmph.†Hesitating for a moment as she studies the gem lying in the tiny box, she finally shrugs and reaches down to pick it up so that she could study it closer… and then freezes instantly, her eyes widening in surprise, as she feels the aether that she had sensed earlier stir. Before she had time to do anything about it, the strange aether was running along her own. It didn’t hurt or anything; in fact, if she had to compare the feeling to anything it would be the sensation when a bug crawls across your skin. But she certainly didn’t like it, and as the feeling went on she gritted her teeth as she fought against her instincts to drop the bloody thing (preferably into the sea). But with it playing around with her aether she didn’t dare; she had no idea what would happen if she interrupted it.
Still holding the stone, with her free hand she reaches back into the box, snatching up the piece of paper that had accompanied it. Holding it up to her face, her eyes narrow as she reads the words. Sisters of the Red Lotus? Who in the seven hells were they, and what did they have to do with this gem? Throwing the rather unhelpful letter down, she gives the gem another suspicious look. Something had changed in the aether around her; instead of just being everywhere it was almost as if it was moving with purpose. And in one direction too…
Glaring down at the gem and the letter, Adeya weighed her options. She could certainly try asking around about these “Sistersâ€, maybe even call in a few favors... but that would take time. For a moment she thought about trying to follow the trail of aether, but as she glanced out a window towards the night sky, lit by the lights of the city around her, she realized that there was a problem with that plan. Even assuming that she could avoid ending up in the drink, following a faint trail of aether through the general din of Lominsans going about their lives would be extremely difficult. Unless she could find a way to strengthen it somehow.
“I wonder…†she mutters under her breath as she weighs the stone in her hand, her thumb absentmindedly rubbing the carving in the center. If the stone was capable of drawing upon and channeling aether, what would happen if she deliberately added more to it? Pondering the question for a few moments, it didn’t take long for her mind to come up with several possibilities. As far as she could tell, the best case scenario was that it would increase the trail, making it much easier for her to follow it. Worst case, the stone wouldn’t be able to handle it, and it would break—although to be honest, she wasn’t entirely sure that would be a bad thing.
It was worth the risk. Holding the stone in her cupped hands, cautiously she begins to channel some of her own aether into it, treating the gem like she would a new staff or spellbook, one where she wasn’t quite sure of its capabilities. Without really noticing it, she began to hold her breath, as she waited to see what would happen.
