The Eye of Anubis: Book One

[lostboy]

Khalil suddenly realises he has overstepped the bounds of accepted behavior. "Please forgive me, it was rude to presume I could intrude upon your conversation, I am at home in the wilds and not used to this arena."

With that he falls silent.Idiot, pay attention to what is happening, you are too easily distratced by plots and pretty women. He chastises himself silently...

[DocBeard]

"Hello...Charles, isn't it?" Tomas holds out a hand friendily, grinning a little. He blinks at the affections of the adowable puppy, and shrugs weakly at Guy, looking a bit embarrased even as he calmly pats the wolfhound's head, scratching behind the ears.

"I've always been good with animals." Tomas says, "Not really sure why. My sister used to say it was because we thought on the same wavelength!"

And, storytime. Tomas blinks at this, carefully considering the best way to respond to this slanderous account of his mentor's abilities as a monster hunter and supernatural investigator.

"...ah!" Tomas says, holding up a finger, "Well, I admit that such a method seems...eccentric, but did the hauntings stop, or did they not?"

[steveflam]

Allikhain and Ulsaon reenter the University. Sopping wet no less. "What were we doing outside, Allikhain?" Ulsaon asks as they walk back to the ballroom.

Allikhain stops and looks seriously at Ulsaon before speaking, trying to discern if she is trying to be funny or serious. Judging the latter she frowns. I wonder if our friend Lancaster had something to do with that. "We went out for a walk to get fresh air, Ulsaon. You know I don't like being among so many people, it irritates me and makes me nervous."

Ulsaon grinned at Allikhain. "You're so stuck up. You should learn to relax and live a little. And get used to people calling you Alli because that's what people do they give nicknames. Alli is much easier to remember than Allikhain you have to admit."

Allikhain agreed inwardly with Ulsaon. She'd have to apologise to Deiter and Tomas about her behaviour. I hate doing that, but we will be travelling together for a long period of time and I don't want any enemies on our trip. Now I must remember the guards I met. Yes perhaps Guy Benoit might know something of Lancaster or heard of him. I think he'd be the best bet about knowing of him.

"All right Ulsaon let's head back to the ballroom and I'll apologise to Deiter and Tomas."

Allikhain swallowed her pride and pushed past the door and entered the ballroom, surveying the scene. What a stroke of luck! Guy Benoit was with Deiter and Tomas, Michel and Charles. A bigger audience now I guess. Well chin up and go at it, old girl.


Allikhain walked towards the men, Ulsaon in tow. Once there she looked at the four men and ackowledged Loup with a smile. "Pardon the intrusion on your conversation" she said. "I just wish to apologise to Deiter here for my rude behaviour. I am in the habit of being around so many people and it makes me nervous. So Deiter" she holds her hand out to him " I apologise for my earlier behaviour."

Ulsaon nodded politely to everyone. Spying the big wolf she grinned. Approaching it she got down to his level and held her hand out to him, hoping he'd accept her.

[Rock of the Fraternity]

"This is your pupil?" The man gave Lia an appraising look. He was tall and elegantly dressed, and handsome in a severe fashion, though there was a singular absense of warmth in his pose.

[Akiri]
.Can you understand me when I say this? What is your name in this tongue?.

Behind the professor, the lanky graduate shrugged and rolled his eyes, smiling sympathetically at Lia.

Lia flinches back, her posture betraying consternation, but replies:

Akiri
"I can understand you quite well, sir. But before I divulge my name, I should like to know who is asking. The one who starts a conversation is generally first to introduce themselves, or so I have observed."

[NeoTiamat]

Lily shudders delicately. "I had to survive a few of Port-a-Lucine's winters when I emigrated here, something I could do well without. Probably why I became a foreign correspondant to somewhere warm first chance I had."

The reporter smiles at a memory. "We had snow once in Port D'Elhour when I was a girl. Light sprinkling of the stuff, but that was the first time we'd had it since my grandmother's day."

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"...ah!" Tomas says, holding up a finger, "Well, I admit that such a method seems...eccentric, but did the hauntings stop, or did they not?"

"You've got a point there, the hauntings did stop." Michel raised a few coppers. "Of course, he burned down the building in the process, but the hauntings did stop."

At this point the two women came by, Allikhain with her unusual pronouncement. Dieter listened for a moment, then nodded, grinning. "Sure, no big deal. Care for some cards?"

Loup meanwhile was reacting oddly. He snapped at Ulsaon's hand, wickedly sharp teeth slamming shut a few inches from the outstretched fingers, his hackles rising in the process. It occurred to those present that Loup was a very large dog, and was about the size of Ulsaon.

"Loup! Platz! Platz!" Benoit snapped the command in some a foreign language. Reluctantly, the Alsatian lowered itself to the ground, the ruff of fur around the shoulders raised and growling and snarling all the while. The wolfhound didn't take his eyes off Ulsaon.

http://www.searchingwolf.com/nkgrowl1.wav

[OOC: Those who can speak Falkovnian realize that Benoit spoke in that language to command Loup.]

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"Carter I congratulate you, you've found a student with a backbone. And one who speaks perfect Akiri. I may just steal her away from you." The man bows deeply to Lia, considerably lower than a professor needs to acknowledge a student. He straightens and answers Lia, though he gazes speculatively at the veil she wore.

"Professor Sebastian Marchand-Renier, Miss. I'm the linguist for the expedition, and this is my assistant Remy Lessard. A pleasure to meet you." The vaguest hint of a smile touched the professor's lips. "Nineteen students out of twenty will fall over themselves bowing and scraping, and I really haven't the patience for that."

[Rock of the Fraternity]

Lia drops a polite - and proportionate - curtsy. "A pleasure to meet you, professor Renier," she says, sounding impressed. "My name is Lia Mournswaithe. I have heard of you! If I may be so bold - might I ask you for some instruction in Ancient Akiri during our voyage? None of my linguistics classes so far have covered the subject."

"My knees hurt," she thinks to herself, "from all these infernal curtsies. Still -- this man is a brilliant linguist. If I don't at least show good manners, I might miss a unique opportunity. There are only so many classes with each their own course load that a body can stand to take in one year! Ugh, now I'm even rambling to myself ... I need another drink."

Lia gives a brief nod to Remy, next. "A pleasure to meet you as well, monsieur Lassard. Are you hoping to prove yourself as a scholar by participating in this expedition, also?"

[steveflam]

At this point the two women came by, Allikhain with her unusual pronouncement. Dieter listened for a moment, then nodded, grinning. "Sure, no big deal. Care for some cards?"

"I've never tried cards. Too many people I've known have lost more than their shirts at it. I'd play if it wasn't for money. I was curious if any of you had heard of this Antique dealer Lancaster. I had a runin with him recently and he just rubbed me the wrong way."

Loup meanwhile was reacting oddly. He snapped at Ulsaon's hand, wickedly sharp teeth slamming shut a few inches from the outstretched fingers, his hackles rising in the process. It occurred to those present that Loup was a very large dog, and was about the size of Ulsaon.

Ulsaon backed off. "Excuse me but I only am trying to be friendly with the wolf, Guy" Ulsaon pouted. Passing it off to being a new person in the Wolf's pack she spoke again "Oh well. So what are we talking about?"

[Nathan of the FoS]

"You've got a point there, the hauntings did stop." Michel raised a few coppers. "Of course, he burned down the building in the process, but the hauntings did stop."

"Perhaps the building is now haunted by the ghost of the building it once was?" Charles said, his eyes flitting between the card players as he lays two silver pieces on the table. "Raise. I don't know how you'd ever detect such a thing, of course, but I'm sure Professor Devereux would have some ideas on that score."

As the two women approach the table Charles stands to take the hand of each, laying his cards face-down on the table. "Our fellow-travelers!" His greeting is cut short by Loup's angry reaction to the half-elven girl. As Benoit calms the wolfhound he steps between the dog and the women, kissing each's hand and smiling. "Our canine friend shows a regrettable lack of discrimination in his distaste for your company; it will never do to alienate a beautiful woman at a first meeting. I understand you are to serve as security, m'selles?"

[The Whistler]

"Please forgive me, it was rude to presume I could intrude upon your conversation, I am at home in the wilds and not used to this arena."

"Oh, do not worry about it; it was just as much my fault as it was yours!" Otto considered it for half a moment, but decided that battle-scarred wilderness guides--however pleasant company--were not necessarily the type to appreciate a jovial slap on the back. He abstained.

"Besides"--here he addressed the whole group--"I imagine that none of us will be so formal in our conversations once we have been on the road for a few weeks, eh? ...Although you--" --he pointed a mock-accusing finger at Kuzan-- "...You I will have to tell some stories about snow, if you want to be able to talk with a Lamordian for more than five minutes. This we will talk about later."

He turned a friendly smile on Lily. "Foreign correspondent, did you say? Where was it that you were?"

[DocBeard]

"Surely not, Mssr Martel!" Tomas looks approprately scandalized in that special, Lamordian 'Is he kidding or not?' sort of way. "Not to cast aspersions on your education, of course, but if the Professor had managed to create a house that haunted a haunted house..."

"...well, he'd have published the account by now, no?" Eisenwald grins a little, seeing the bet without raising and then oh snap angry dog is angry. "Golly!" Tomas says, leaning back a little and letting Guy do his thing. He's not /that/ good with animals.

[steveflam]

As the two women approach the table Charles stands to take the hand of each, laying his cards face-down on the table. "Our fellow-travelers!" His greeting is cut short by Loup's angry reaction to the half-elven girl. As Benoit calms the wolfhound he steps between the dog and the women, kissing each's hand and smiling. "Our canine friend shows a regrettable lack of discrimination in his distaste for your company; it will never do to alienate a beautiful woman at a first meeting. I understand you are to serve as security, m'selles?"

Allikhain blushed at Charles' lips on her hand. This was something she wasn't accustomed to at all. High Society was not something she frequented, nor was etiquette some she was readily familiar with.

"Thank you for your kind words" Allikhain smiled shyly. "Please do forgive me I don't usually associate myself with so many people and it will take some adjusting on my part, so do bear with me." She took a seat and observed the rest of the tables patrons, eyes lingering a moment longer on Guy then trying to look at everyone.

"As it turns out, yes both Ulsaon and I were hired by the university as guards. We will be spending a ridiculous amount of time together so I may as well get to know you all" Allikhain smiled at everyone.

"Is your dog always this unfriendly, Guy? Or does her perhaps not like half-elves?"
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Ulsaon perked at the mention of cards. "I'd love to play cards!" she sat and looked expectantly around the table with a grin.

" I hope I didn't offend your doggie, Guy. I only wanted to make friends with him. And Charles, yes we were hired as guards for the expedition."

Thinking a moment, she added. "Well thus far, Dementlieu is much more entertaining than the last country we were in I must say." Under her breath she mutters "At least here there aren't any rats"

[Kaitou Kage]

When Khalil returned, Kuzan relaxed. He flashed the guide a friendly smile to let him know the faux pas didn't make any difference to him. But the priest rapidly got lost in the conversation about strange words and references he just never understood. Frozen. Snow. Dusting? It was all so weird.

"I'd be glad to hear it," Kuzan replied to Otto, "One of the things that helps stave off the boredom of long sea voyages is the exchange of tales. Maybe I can tell some stories about the jungles of my homeland in return."

The priest grinned, golden eyes shimmering cheerfully. He relaxed even more. The people he spoke to now seemed much more congenial, far more open and easygoing. It felt more like home, more like the people he could just sit down and have a good time with. With any luck, it'd stay that way.

[lostboy]

"I thank you all for your kindness in excusing my error"

Turning to regard the exotic priest, Khalil flashes a quick smile "I would be very intrigued to hear of what you call jungles Afandi, I have seen deserts, plains, forests, mountains and cities, yet jungles remain beyond my sphere of expertise, you and I will have to converse on this journey."

He turns to regard the rest of the group, a serious glint in his eye "without disrespect I would ask if any of you have experienced the wastes of the burning sands before?"

[NeoTiamat]

As the conversation turned informal, Lily's notebook and pencil disappeared and her green-silk fan made its return. You noticed that the fan was decorated as if it was the tail of a peacock, with shimmering sapphire orbs placed upon the panels of the fan, greating a glittering and hypnotic image as the light sparked on the fan.

"I've never been in the desert before, but I was a foreign correspondant at Othmar Bolshnik's court in Nova Vaasa for a few years. That was about as fun as you can imagine." There was a slight tightening around the corner's of the Souragnien woman's eyes. "After I couldn't take it any more, I came back, and now I'm out traveling again."

Lily covered her sly smile with her fan. "Mother always did say I couldn't sit still."

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De Angelis shook his head. "Lancaster? I'm afraid I've never met the gentleman. Dieter, Guy?" Dieter shrugged and returned to his cards. Benoit meanwhile had grabbed Loup by the scruff of the neck and hauled the growling canine over to his chair, and with repeated commands, gotten him to sit and be quiet.

"An antique dealer? Never heard of that one, but crooked ones are thick as thieves around the Expedition." Benoit picked up his cards again, pausing frequently to stroke Loup and reassure the Alsatian, who was still gazing balefully at Ulsaon, though he'd stopped snarling. "Sorry about Loup. He's too well-trained I guess. His old master used to use him to hunt renegade slaves in Falkovnia, and seeing a half-elf or any kind of demihuman kicks up the hunting instincts in him."

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"I think that can be arranged." The barest whiff of a smile crossed Marchand-Renier's face as Remy made frantic 'no-no' movements behind his professor. "I warn you, Miss Mournswaithe, I am a stern taskmaster. And to begin with...hmmm..... I think a paper on the unique grammatical formations of modern Akiri as compared to Balok and Vaasi would be a good starting point, don't you think? If you do a satisfactory job, I'll take you on for lessons."

"Thomas, may I speak with you for a moment?"

The two professors moved on, leaving Remy and Lia behind. The lanky graduate grinned. "I tried to warn you. The Professor's alright, although he'll work you like a hound. I've a few books I'm taking along, I'll loan them to you."

[yalenusveler]

"I've never been in the desert before, but I was a foreign correspondant at Othmar Bolshnik's court in Nova Vaasa for a few years. That was about as fun as you can imagine." There was a slight tightening around the corner's of the Souragnien woman's eyes. "After I couldn't take it any more, I came back, and now I'm out traveling again."

Lily covered her sly smile with her fan. "Mother always did say I couldn't sit still."

"Your mother paid you a compliment. Travel broadens the mind. And nh..I can see why you'd dislike Nova Vaasa. Though I'm not one to call a faith outright pointless, the Lawgiver church comes as close as any I've seen. Though my own faith is, odd to some, I would take nigh anything but Zhakata over the Lawgiver. Even the Lord of the Dead holds more kindness." Andre says with a bit of a shudder...both at having to talk about the Lawgiver, and the Lord of the Dead. Andre tried to bring himself back to somewhere more pleasant "We're all going on this expedition together, I must wonder, if you could travel anywhere, where would you all wish to go? No requirements of job or duty, just travel for pleasure?"