Shadows Withal (June Catchall)

[chiefkeyward]

WHO: Lahabrea & Whomever joins him! {Open & Closed Prompts}
WHAT: So what happens when an millennia old sage-like Ancient decides to explore the city? Random hijinks, of course.
WHEN: Mid-June onwards
WHERE: Various places in Nightwake City
WARNINGS: Possible 6.4 Raid spoilers among other things, will change accordingly.


I. Amberfall Library

[He’s a becoming a regular around here. The Amberfall Library has seen its far share of guests over the course of the last few months, most of which are newcomers seeking whatever answers they could find here. Lahabrea is no different in that regard but the man has made it a habit to visit the library every three days in search of a new book. He’s always been an avid reader but the man is known workaholic prone to burning the midnight oil.

Between scouring the shelves or sitting at his favorite table by the window, Lahabrea can be found spending most of his day combing through archives for whatever slivers of information he can find about Ellipsa. While his dedication is quite admirable, the man is starting to look noticeably more and more haggard as he continues with his pressing research. His eternal war against insomnia continues anew even here in this world.

However, Lahabrea eventually loses the battle as he closes his eyes and falls fast asleep with his chin perched upon his hand. Thankfully, he doesn’t snore. Just the rhythmic sound of him breathing is heard over the comforting silence of this tranquil library. ]

II. Window Shopping

[Sometime later in the day, Lahabrea could be found in the middle of town staring longingly into the window of a random clothing boutique on the boulevard. He strikes a rather imposing figure out here in the middle of town, especially since he’s still dressed in those billowing black robes. While he has grown used to the stares he receives from others, Lahabrea decides it’s high time for him to blend in with the culture of Nightwake City. However, he doesn’t seem to know where to begin. That explains why he’s just window shopping today. He noticed that many of his colleagues have adopted the fashion and mannerisms of this bizarre little metropolis, so he decides to do the same.

However, Lahabrea is a bit picky and he doesn’t know the first thing about fashion. He could honestly use some help picking something out but who could he ask? Certainly not Emet-Selch since that man is a walking disaster even on a good day.]

III. Meet The House Mates
Closed - Hythlodaeus, Emet-Selch & Megumi

[It’s a little awkward to share a house with an associate from another department and the spiritual successor of your longtime work colleague but for some oddity, Lahabrea agreed to it. After annexing another bedroom to this lovely home in Blossomcrown using creation magicks, Lahabrea now has a cozy place to lay his head.

His home away from home is quite decadent in a art-deco sort of vibe. He pretty much recreated his apartment in Amaurot here using little bits and pieces here and there to get the desired aesthetic. That explains why there’s a lot of black and golds along with a mixture of ivory and marble here and there. He kept the color scheme relatively simple while adding a hint of green with the many houseplants he purchased from town. His bedroom comes with a small little office on the side, the perfect place for him to work in peace. However, peace will not be forthright within this lovely den. Not while the two gremlins plot to ruin his peace however they may.

Unfortunately, Lahabrea is none the wiser. He’s too exhausted to care about anything right now. That explains why he’s stretched out across his black and white sofa listening to dulcet tunes of whatever jazzy song playing on the radio. Clearly this is the perfect time to pester him. Clearly. If not, maybe they catch him while he's in the middle of reading this new book he purchased from the local bookstore. Lahabrea loves to read but even he needs to let his eyes rest sometimes.]

IV. Beauty of the Well - (cw/tw: spiders)

[This isn’t the first time that Lahabrea has volunteered his services to assist others. However, this might be the last time he does so without full comprehension of the situation at hand. There were sightings of a “beautiful woman” wandering around an abandoned well. While no one knows the woman’s identity, many of the locals are worried about her safety after she was seen climbing into the well. Several hours have passed and the woman has yet to return. A bill was made in hopes of having someone investigate her mysterious disappearance, one that Lahabrea himself decides to take.

Now standing before the abandoned well, Lahabrea gingerly glances over the edge with a curious hum. He could hear the faint groaning and creaking of something deep within the well but he can’t decipher whether or not its human. The sorcerer lingers there for a time with his arms crossed upon his chest, clearly debating whether or not he should venture down there. While he wants to solve this mystery, Lahabrea isn’t foolish enough to do so alone. He can only hope that there’s someone else willing to take this quest.]

V. Wildcard

(ooc: if you have anything else in mind, please feel free to contact me on devillady or hit me up on discord.)

Comments

[chiefkeyward]

[Lahabrea was halfway asleep when a familiar presence captures his attention. While the aether of this realm is a bit different than it was on Etheirys, it’s familiar enough for him to sense it. Ellipsa is a strange world governed by a peculiar magic that he has yet to master. Nevertheless, he can still sense the presence of energy well enough to know that it’s Emet-Selch wandering into his humble domain.]

To what do I owe the pleasure?

[He mumbles with his eyes closed. While something feels slightly off about Emet-Selch’s aether, Lahabrea can’t tell whether or not his senses are just out of whack.]

I hope the music isn’t too loud.

[unnecessaryflourishes]

It isn't.

[Unexpected, yes. But not in the least bit too loud.

He sounds much the same as he ever has, too - if there'd been any doubt as to who he might be, there certainly isn't any now. And yet, if he is aware of the fact that there's something off with his aether (and he, of all people, would almost certainly be aware of such) he is not saying anything about. Which also raises the question as to why he has not resolved it, assuming it's not Lahabrea's senses being slightly out of true, in this strange new.

Questions that Lahabrea himself will likely have to answer, since Emet-Selch is clearly not about to.]

It's simply something I had not expected to hear.

[...It might also be faintly nostalgic, but given that explaining why would involve needing to explain more history than he cares to, he's not about to admit to that.]

[chiefkeyward]

[He snaps his eyes open once he hears Emet-Selch's voice. Silence lingers between them as Lahabrea studies his new form with a hint of confusion in his gaze. This is undoubtedly Emet-Selch, isn't it? Everything from his usual tone and candor gives that away, but why does he look so...different? It's a bit jarring, especially since the man seemed like himself the other day.]

Contrary to popular belief, I do enjoy music on occasion.

[He's fully aware that some of his colleagues think of him as an expressionless golem at times. However, that couldn't be further from the truth. Just because Lahabrea is a bit stern doesn't mean that 'Hephaistos' is some humorless beast. No, he isn't.

He sits up from the sofa, his carmine gaze focused upon Emet-Selch's shockingly pale, almost lifeless eyes. His eyes lack that familiar golden glow. It's almost as if all the color has been stripped from them. How unsettling.]

What is all...this?

[Lahabrea questions why studying Emet-Selch's new diminutive form.]

[unnecessaryflourishes]

[It is most definitely Emet-Selch, though there's a slump to his shoulders that had certainly not been there the last time Lahabrea had seen him. Though whether that's an effect of the form he has taken or something else entirely is something that Emet-Selch is leaving just as unaddressed as the fact that he looks vastly different to his normal appearance.]

Far be it for me to deny you such pleasures.

[Or any pleasures at all, given that the Lahabrea he has been most familiar with of late had certainly not done much to suggest that he'd been particularly interested in any sort of hobby that wasn't sowing assorted chaos in Zodiark's name.

And then comes Lahabrea's question, and Emet-Selch meets his gaze unflinchingly.]

Does it bother you to see me like this, Speaker?

[Even absent the glow his eyes might otherwise have, his golden gaze is no less piercing and he waits for Lahabrea's answer almost as if daring Lahabrea to say that it is, in fact, a little concerning to see him in this form.]