CoyoteLovely

Ecetopia: Rzail: Karnorouri’s Pillar

Nakreyya hopped down out of the trees at the mention of her name. She was an elven woman with long red hair tied back in a ponytail, and equally long thin ears. An eyepatch with mechanical parts sat over one eye, the scars branching out from it indicating that the eye was missing. Her other eye was a startling green. She wore skin tight leather in dark colors, and a placid, sober expression.

She came up next to Fionn and bowed to the others, inclining her head as she did a sign of deference and respect.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," she said the words cordially, her voice lightly accented, her native language clearly lyrical and graceful. "Though I am sure you can assume which of Fionn's companions I am - my name is Nakreyya Valheelinen Bloodivy. Though you are welcome to simply call me 'Nak'."

@Silvan Haven @Hekazu @EchoesofOld @Mataus @Ciaran

Ecetopia: Rzail: Karnorouri’s Pillar

Nakreyya stood at the edge of the cargo doors as they opened. They were still landing, so her hair was blown by the disturbed air of the ship. She held onto a rail over the doorway, the added point of contact making her as stable as if she were standing on solid ground. She cocked her head to one side as they came down over the horizon, she could see something in the distance...

As they landed, Nakreyya stepped out onto the ramp, beginning forward in silence. Behind her, Anzu watched her movements with intensity, though no emotion. If he was worried about his companion he made no move toward it, but clearly he had some interest in her actions. She crouched down as they came to the floor, looking over the earth with keen green eyes. Her long ears perked as she listened around them.

"We are not alone," she said simply to her companions. She looked upward, touching her eyepatch and beginning to scan the area with slow, methodical movements. As she moved she made no sound, her toes touching the earth lightly before she stepped down with her whole foot, testing each place she stepped, masking the sound of her footfalls. "I cannot discern the total number of individuals, but they are a group - enough to speak to one another. Their tones of conversation do not make me think they mean ill, and I see no dark magics being cast."

Nakreyya's head stopped moving and she pointed toward the individuals she heard, "This way. They may be the people whom Grug saw in his vision."

Without waiting, Nakreyya slipped upward into the trees and began to move in the direction she had indicated.

@Silvan Haven @Hekazu @EchoesofOld @Mataus @Ciaran

The Magical Planet - Ecetopia - Open

"Thaucia..." Nakreyya said, in return to the question of what her homeworld was called. "Though they would not be pleased to see me, were I to return. I am simply curious as to how far I have gone... and wish to ensure I do not accidentally make my way back."

She followed after Fionn, walking the inside of the ship. Her fingertips touched the walls still, as though trying to memorize every curve. Most of the machines she'd worked on were, at most, large enough to sit on - she'd never been in a machine she could walk through. Somehow meandering the arteries of a massive construction such as this gave her a sense of belonging that she had not felt in a very long time.

That feeling only settled deeper into her soul when she was lead into the beating heart of the ship. Nakreyya stepped into the center of the room as Fionn opened the door for her, her one eye looking up at the spectacle before her.

"It is... breathtaking, Fionn, truly," she said, quietly. She turned her attention to the Drones, watching them buzz around like so much blood through the heart of the vessel. Tentatively, she walked forward, looking over the consoles, trying to see how much she understood - trying to know where her place in this vast universe was. "This is quite the marvel. I do hope your people are proud of all that they have accomplished."

@Silvan Haven@Hekazu

The Magical Planet - Ecetopia - Open

"I understand some of Thaumaturgy, my people do much with magic. I am... familiar with magnetism, however, I have not heard of the electromagnetic - I can only imagine they are related somehow," Nakreyya said as she followed along with him. She ran her fingertips lightly along the walls of the ship as she walked, her one eye somehow both focused on the world around her and far, far away.

"How long have your people been traveling among the stars? Is it possible to make a map over so much distance? I wonder if I could find where I came from... not that I wish to return."

She looked in any doorways that they walked by, just glancing in to see if she could discern the purpose of the room before continuing to follow. She was acclimated to walking large buildings - and this ship seemed to be fairly similar, though the space was utilized better than her old tower had been - less waste. She was impressed with the design of the hall and the room, making so much of the space without managing to feel claustrophobic.

"It really is a beautiful ship..."

@Hekazu@Silvan Haven

The Magical Planet - Ecetopia - Open

Nakreyya pushed off against the window with one hand and turned to face Fionn, "If you are pulling me away from a view like this one, then I assume it is for something even more spectacular. However, I must insist that you show me the stars at some point before our ways part."

She walked back to Fionn and allowed him to guide her toward the Engineering Section. She listened to the engine, the sound of their footsteps, the noises of the machinery. Her eyes would close briefly on the walk, as if trying to listen to every little sound, every moving piece.

"The mechanics of this ship are so silent. I am accustomed to gears turning, and the noises of things. Are there not moving parts within this vessel?" Nak asked with curiosity as they walked along.

@Silvan Haven @Hekazu

The Magical Planet - Ecetopia - Open

Nakreyya listened to Fionn's explanation of these artificial intelligences. There were larger questions that his statement posed. The presence of a soul, and how to define one being paramount in her mind... however, she felt that this sort of philosophical debate was largely outside of her realm of knowledge, and did not need to be approached at this time. She was more interested in what was possible, and less so about the ramifications of those possibilities. Still though - it was amazing to see what other cultures and planets were capable of making.

All things that had been considered were real somewhere. The universe was vast.

As they entered the central hub of the ship - the nerve center and brain, as Nakreyya understood it, she found herself walking the edge of it, looking at the strange language that filled the screens and the interfaces that allowed an individual to interact with those screens. A smile crossed her features, though she dared not touch anything, not understanding what they were. Here and there an icon was simple enough to be clear to her - but on the whole it was a strange and fascinating new world.

Her attention was drawn by his voice, as he motioned her to the windows toward the front of the room. She walked over, and placed her hands on the glass as the ship began to lift off from the floor. She felt no odd movement, not like flight on the back of the Nightmare, where her stomach felt as though it were moving in her body. This was smooth, as though she were watching something on the screen that were not happening to her... Like a... television show, if she remembered the words correctly.

She looked back to Fionn after a moment. His expression was pleased at her reaction, and she laughed slightly, "I must seem as a child to you. All wonder and mystery... This is truly a stunning sight, however, to be so high up and yet feel none of the movement. I have flown before - but on winged or magical creatures. Not on a ship such as this one."

She let herself be drawn into the sight before her. Her eyes scanning upward to look for the stars, to see the edge of the horizon from so far above. She had little chance to see the worlds she visited as the pearls they were. Spherical places of life in a vast nothingness, so separated from everywhere else. Insular places, so different, and yet, so beautiful.

There was so much life. So many different ways of being... it was truly staggering if one allowed herself to think on it.

@Hekazu @Silvan Haven

The Magical Planet - Ecetopia - Open

"Artificial Intelligence. How intriguing," Nakreyya said, pondering the idea for a moment. "You say limited - inferring that there is some sort of unlimited Artificial Intelligence? Are there worlds where life can be synthesized within machines?"

She seemed to have an easy time with the constantly evolving nature of the ship, the strange room that seemed to serve as a magical portal between locations, and the changes in design and decoration from place to place. Though she was clearly awed, she showed no signs of distress or alarm. She was all too aware of how little she knew, and was unafraid of the concept of learning. She had been a model student in her years, and had the added benefit of this being a subject of personal interest to her.

"Ah yes, the difference between military and civilian vessels. That is admittedly similar, no matter the world. With a registration like KRS, I was curious if you were a military vessel. I have only seen such letter designations on the ships of fleets. Though, my understanding of such methods of transport is limited. I have been on military vessels only three times in my life, most often I traveled... well, in style. And when I was traveling with the military of my people, it was on sea - not within the stars."

She had been walking the edge of the room, her long fingers running over the construction, taking in the style of the ship, but she turned toward him as her last words finished, a sudden curiosity on her features, "Are there windows to see the stars when we travel? I mean... if I am on the ship when it takes such a voyage. I daresay our current trip will likely not take us so close."

@Silvan Haven @Hekazu

The Magical Planet - Ecetopia - Open

Nakreyya followed a few steps behind Fionn. She ran her fingertips over the plating, feeling the almost seamless construction of the metal plates. She knew it could not be carved from a single source, but the fitting of each plate was so perfect that it was difficult for her to see where one plate ended, and the other began. Her ability to build was rudimentary when compared to this ship, though she felt no shame at her lack of knowledge. She had lived on a world where the stars were places where Demons or Celestial beings lived, not where one could fly in a ship of metal.

She knew enough about sailing vessels to understand what 'the Bridge' was, and what function it served. She had not been on many sea vessels that required a Bridge, most using Quarterdecks, however - she had been part of a political envoy once in her youth, and the vessel in which they traveled had been large and luxurious enough to require a proper Bridge. As part of her journey, she had been invited to view it. At that time, she'd borne no interest for such machinery, and had squandered that opportunity to ask questions. She would not make that same mistake in this vessel.

"Engineering Degree? I suppose I should not be surprised that there are planets and places where such things are taught in school. My Formal Schooling was geared toward etiquette and culture. Perhaps my life would have been different if I could have specialized in Engineering from a young age," she commented with the hair of a regretful laugh. "I must ask - many seafaring ships I have been on have needed a retinue of at least a dozen men to operate. I do not see any crew aboard this ship. Is that accounted for by magic, or is it simply a matter of efficiencies built in to the machinery?"

@Silvan Haven @Hekazu

The Magical Planet - Ecetopia - Open

Nakreyya lead Anzu to the stable section before assisting Grug with his horse. Anzu was quite acclimated to technology, having seen Nakreyya work on a great many mechanical things. He settled himself into the stable area, and seemed to be taking in the ship with a bored sort of dispassion. He gave the other horse a bit of space, the creature being more spooked.

"A tour would be lovely," Nakreyya said, looking back to Fionn. Her face seemed to light up a bit at the idea, a faint smile to her features, a light in her good eye. She waited until Grug and Anzu were settled before going back to Fionn. "I do promise not to touch anything, given my past experiences with vehicles such as this one. I do have a little experience with motorized locomotion however... I got the opportunity once to ride a motor...cycle... I believe that is what it was called. It was interesting - much smoother than riding a horse, but also much louder."

She would wait patiently if he had any procedures he needed to complete in order to take off. She didn't want to be in the way, nor did she wish to be a nuisance. She was excited to see the ship, however. She'd been so quick to leave the others she'd seen that she was looking forward to walking around one where her very presence wasn't paradoxical, or problematic.

@Silvan Haven @Hekazu

The Magical Planet - Ecetopia - Open

Anzu walked alongside Grug's wagon, Nakreyya on his back. She was comfortable riding, the reigns for her steed loosely in one hand, and largely for show. She watched Fionn as he walked ahead, showing them both the way. His expression and body language spoke to a desire to be alone, and Nakreyya was find affording him that luxury. After all, she and Grug would be invading his space for an indeterminate amount of time, and Nak knew that she could be... cranky... herself if she didn't get time to be alone.

For her part, she turned her mind to her curiosity about Grug. She had some experience with the loss of a body part, and subsequent replacement with something different. Her glass eye and eyepatch were not sapient, as such - but mingle them with the not so incongruous analogy of her relationship with Anzu, and Nak understood why Grug had correlated her steed with his arm.

"If you do not mind me asking - what happened to your arm?" Nak asked, not turning to look at Grug as she spoke.

The orc was surprised by the question and took a moment to blink and gather his thoughts. The elf had wanted to talk after all. "That is a long story. It was always a weak and feeble arm, but once upon a time I spent too long gazing beyond the Veil... and next thing I knew, I was back in my little home, everything on the shelves had been trashed about and my arm was even weaker", he began to share, stopping to take a breather.

"The... Veil?" Nakreyya did turn toward him this time, raising a delicate eyebrow as she considered his words.

"The Veil is what guards the future and past from mortal eyes. We are only meant to view the present... few of us can see beyond it. I see the futures that may come to be. As I have told you, they are many. Some good, some bad." The question asked of him drove his tale to a different track than it had been taking before.

"I see, my apologies for the interruption. Please continue," Nakreyya said with a nod.

"Ah, yes, where was I...", Grug gathered his thoughts for a second. "I should have understood the warning signs back then... but what the voice I heard next told me what it was. Gaze too long beyond the veil and the veil will make you its own. And so I have carried Slammy within me. They awaken at the three words of awakening... I hope that need not be done."

"Slammy... that is an interesting name for your arm. It is sentient, I gather? Has will of its own?" Nakreyya couldn't keep a hair of a smirk out of her expression as she said the name.

"If it has a name it has not told me. That's what I call it. It slams things. And yes, it very much lives on its own accord. As I've told, it understands not to attack me. But once it awakens, either it has to kill or be killed. And the cacophony it makes..." He tossed his arm through the reins so that he could hold onto them with his elbow joint while rubbing his eyes. Slammy's appearance was hardly pleasant for anyone involved and he had to be present every single time.

"Interesting. I thank you for sharing the story, and hope my questions were not too personal," Nakreyya said formally, she did hate to pry.

"You are welcome", Grug responded to the woman with a nod, flicking his arm to guide the reins back into his fingers. "I will find the time to ask you something similar, so we will be even in time. Worry not about it. An Oracle answers to questions for a living."

Nakreyya actually smiled, laughing lightly. The sound was genuine - borne of amusement from the joke. It was rare she laughed, but she enjoyed it all the same. Something about laughter felt light, and airy. It felt like the old her... the one who had dressed in slinky gowns of red silk and tapped goblets of crystal in celebration. "As you say," she said to Grug, shaking her head with amusement. She kept her horse near his cart, continuing the ride alongside him in silence.

Once they arrived at the ship, Nakreyya felt an overwhelming urge to crawl over every inch of the mechanics and breathe in an understanding of how the ship functioned. She knew they wouldn't be on the ship long, and now she sorely regretted that fact. She would love to crawl through every secret the ship had to offer. Fionn ascended to the top of the stairs and opened his arms magnanimously for the others.

"Welcome my friends, to the KRS Wandering Guardian. My home away from home," he said.

Nakreyya dismounted from Anzu, and began to guide him up the ramp and into the ship. She looked around inside, taking in the neat lines of the construction.

"She is lovely, Fionn. What do the letters 'KRS' stand for?" Nakreyya asked, walking Anzu to the corner of a large area where he would be out of the way, and stroking his head as she turned to wait for Grug to come up behind her, watching to see if he'd need help loading his wagon into the ship.

@Silvan Haven @Hekazu ((Transcript of Grug's conversation provided by Hekazu via Discord! Offered with permission!))