Machiavellian, my dear

Sebastian · 12-24-2011, 03:41 PM

Sebastian was curious. Though he was unsure whether or not he truly wanted to join a pack, it made sense to check them out. He'd headed southwest from the city, across the broken rocks and the forest known as Ethereal Eclipse. It had taken a while longer than Sebastian would have preferred, but eventually he reached his destination; the pack borders in Ethereal Eclipse.

The lithe artisan had his bow and quiver slung across his back and his satchel slung over his shoulder. He wore his faded blue jeans and nothing else besides the small gold loop in his ear and the silver chain around his neck. His interest peaked as he reached the pack borders, his bright orange eyes glancing around inquisitively.

He stood a respectful distance away from the borders, threw his head back and howled rather quietly to announce his presence. The copper male leaned against a tree as he waited and put his hands in his pockets, his eyes and ears alert.

Orin Takekuro · 12-27-2011, 01:17 PM

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Orin Takekuro

:: 300+ ♥ Word Count ::
:: OOC You were looking a little lonely here! ::

So often lurking near the borders, Orin was close by when the call came. The singsong canine sound made her ears perk and she lifted her head, turning her gaze toward the noise and cocking her head in a very wolfish way as she tried to recognize the call. But despite her best efforts she could not place the voice, it must be someone she didn’t know. A visitor, perhaps. She returned the call so both the visitor and her pack would know that someone was seeing to this, and then began to make her way toward the call.

When she emerged on scene she was carrying a bushel of branches in her arms. Rather than being barren and dry the branches she collected were the rare bits of trees – mostly pines – that still had greenery. She was hoping to create a green pigment for her daughter to paint with, but she wasn’t sure how vibrant of an extract she would be able to get from these winter pine needles. A satchel was slung over her shoulder, too, crossing over her breast. Judging by its lumpy state it was likely full of a bounty similar to what she carried in her arms.

In light of the recent tragedy, the woman met visitors with extreme skepticism right now… never mind the fact that the danger seemed to always come from those already within their borders. She would have liked to welcome the foxy man with open arms and shower him with the wonders and hospitality of the old Cercatori d’Arte, but it just wasn’t possible now. Still, he was following the rules, and it would be unfair to react coldly to him.

“Afternoon, Traveler,” she greeted him. The fact that he was armed and she was not was not lost on her. “Who have you come to visit today?” She cocked her head, soon to find out if he is here to visit one of her pack mates or if he even knew what pack he was meeting, at all.

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Sebastian · 12-27-2011, 03:45 PM

Sebastian was not kept waiting for very long. It seemed no time at all before a petite woman appeared, her fur ivory except for her hair. Her hair was done in shocking pink. It was almost enough to make Sebastian jealous before he collected himself. Such brightness may impress every once in a while, but having no extra hair atop his head was a gift that gave eternally. It made his life so much easier. Still, if he ever found such a dye... Who knew. Perhaps he'd dye the snowy fur on his front bright blue.

Sebastian allowed her to speak before he took a single step towards her, ignoring the branches in her arms. The fox-like loner made a respectful bow to the brightly-coloured female, his accented baritone low and smooth. Almost seductive, but not quite. Sharp teeth flashed in a charming smile.

"Afternoon, madam," he said quietly, his orange eyes downcast. "I am Sebastian Auditore. I am not here to see anyone in particular; I was considering joining a pack, and wished to learn more about them." Sebastian rose from his bow and grinned crookedly, his smile leaning to the right side of his face. "Perhaps you could tell me something of the pack's history?"

Orin Takekuro · 12-27-2011, 05:06 PM

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Orin Takekuro

:: 300+ ♥ Word Count ::

She watched his movements closely, searching for a random twitch or some sort of “tell” that the man was about to do something wrong, but she saw none. Then again, knowing nothing about him she probably wouldn’t have noticed if there had been one since she didn’t know his usual mannerisms. He stepped forward and she wanted to step back, but they were still a fair distance away and there was no threat in his movement, so she held her ground. Acting skittish was not the way to deal with newcomers, hostile or not.

Her amber eyes watched the showy bow and a crescent smile dominated her muzzle. Orin was always a bit of a sucker for formalities like this. “Oh, I see. Well then, I am Orin Takekuro, and you have come to the right wolf.”

Without explaining further, she crouched and set down her bundle, then took the satchel in her hands and opened the pack. As its lumpiness foretold, it was full of all the greenery she could find, but only for a moment. Orin made quick work of dumping out the greenery until the only thing left in the bag was a leather bound book. She retrieved the book and stood up again, holding it aloft and flipping open the cover.

“I was here for the founding, and was the pack’s historian, once upon a time,” she chortled. “And maybe one day will be again.” She gazed at the tome, wondering where to start. It held a wealth of information but looking at it was merely a formality, for she knew all that was written within these pages. She would not hand it over to him, though, for there were plenty dark moments in d’Arte’s history that it was not her place to tell.

“We are a pack of artists and merchants. When we formed in October last year we celebrated in our art. When we got too much of it-“ she giggled “-we began to sell it. So now we are a band of merchants, too.”

Her eyes turned to Sebastian, inquisitive. “I’m not fully convinced you made it here by mistake… none of us did. What’s your calling?”

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Sebastian · 12-27-2011, 06:34 PM

The woman introduced herself and without further ado, abruptly started flinging out the objects in her satchel; which seemed to comprise entirely of plant life. Sebastian raised a brow at this strangeness, but made no comment beyond an interested gaze. Orin seemed to get more excited as she pulled out a leather-bound book and explained that she had once been the pack's historian. Sebastian very much wanted to read the entirety of the book she held in her pale hands. History fascinated him; an interweaving web of connections that created the present. He had never read an entire pack's history before.

The next titbit was even more interesting. Artists and merchants, eh? It sounded as though he would fit right in. Then again, did he want to be part of a pack where he served precisely the same purpose as everyone else, or at least the same pastime.

Orin's question was unexpected, to say the least. Sebastian took a step back and leaned against the tree once more, gazing at the vibrantly-coloured woman with interest. "You are either perceptive or psychic," he commended her. "I too, am an artist. I was a merchant before I travelled to this new land."

Sebastian scratched an itch on his shoulder. "What is the pack's name?" he asked breezily, relaxing against the tree.

Orin Takekuro · 12-27-2011, 07:40 PM

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Orin Takekuro

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She smiled a little wider when he recognized her for her accurate guess. She nodded slightly. “It’s like everyone who comes here are kindred, led by some invisible force that draws us all together.” She liked the idea of some divine element looking over them all, connecting the talented by some ethereal force. It was dark now for Cercatori, the pack needed to cling to every last tendril of light they had.

“I am a writer… clearly…” she said as she motioned to the black handwriting that sat in stark contrast to the sandy pages. “I used to be the caretaker of the book store as well, but that ended a while ago. I shifted rank myself, actually, after having my children. I guess caring for things suited me, so now I am the lead animal tender here.”

“We’re called Cercatori d’Arte… the Seekers of Art… because we like to bring the beauty back into the world.” There was a veiled sadness in her eyes when she spoke, as though she didn’t really believe in these words anymore. But it wasn’t exactly that, it was just that with all the beauty they also seemed to usher in decay. It was inevitable.

“Skye’s territory – that is our Capitana, Skye Collins – ranges from Clements Park all the way up to just about ten miles out from Wolfville. You probably traced a lenth of it on your travels, no doubt. So I guess you’re not from around here, are you? Where then?”

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Sebastian · 12-29-2011, 04:14 PM

Sebastian, though placing little faith in unseen forces, appreciated Orin's sentiments. The vibrant lady continued to speak, explaining herself as a writer and many other interesting things. A bookshop owner, a mother, an animal tender... The biggest question was why she wasn't a bookshop owner now as well, and why she had changed rank. But he didn't pry just yet. That could wait.

The Seekers of Art, Cercatori D'Arte. A pack named in his own native tongue, no less. Bringing beauty back into the world. As if the world needed it. No work of art could compare to the world's natural beauty, in his opinion. Not even the human wonders he had seen. Still, it was an honourable goal.

Skye Collins, some unfamiliar names... Yes, he had skirted around the borders before. And then, at last, a new question for Sebastian.

A charming, slightly bashful smile stayed on his muzzle as he spoke. "The city of Sabini," he said fondly. "Where the humans called Italy, or Italia. It was quite a different place." Sebastian levelled a look into the territory, peering into the trees.

Unsure of how to continue, Sebastian glanced to the ground before his eyes returned to Orin's face. "Perhaps you could teach me some of Cercatori D'Arte's history, or something about the leaders?" It always helped to know a pack's history, and it never hurt to have some knowledge of the leaders. Play it safe, Sebastian.

Orin Takekuro · 12-31-2011, 06:56 AM

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OOC I am assuming that Sebastian walked with her when she offered. If you would not like that to happen, just let me know via PM and I'll revamp my post to say she told the story while hanging out in that spot. Smile I hope this isn't terribly boring, it's her version of some of their history. If he has more questions, she'll answer, or if you wanted her to call Skye regarding possible membership I can get to her offering in the next post.

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He was from Italy? Her eyes brightened when he told her this. She knew little about the country save what she had come across in her readings – which wasn't much, nor accurate seeing as much of her time had been spent reading fantasy novels – but she did know that much of d'Arte's ranking structure was borrowed from the language, if not the culture entirely. Just one more check on the docket of his fitness for this pack.

“Wow, you come from far away. I traveled myself to get here, but not nearly as far as from across the seas. Not like that, anyway.” She thought she might end up telling the newcomer her story, but the topic on the table right now was still d'Arte.

She nodded slowly. “I would be happy to tell you more.” Her eyes looked him up and down once more as a decision was made. “Would you like to come with me? I will show you some sights while I tell you our story.” He might like to be shown around, a little. Of course, he was still a stranger and she would not take him fully into the land to learn their layout or the intricacies of their territory. If that were to be done, she would let Skye give that order. But there were a few ambiguous places within d'Arte that she could take him.

“Our founding Captain was Shawchert Menue,” there was a pang of emotion in her voice when she said his name. The woman herself had children by this man, and the wound of her recently broken engagement with him was still fresh. “The second in command being Skye Collins. Originally there were five founding members, including the leaders, and I was one of those five.” Assuming that he might like to see one of the foremost symbols of her pack, she began walking, leaving the bushel of plant yield where she had set it. She could come back to collect it later.

“Our first months we were met with a harsh winter, but we were happy and full of hope. If there is one thing I can say for d'Arte it is that it has never lost it's spirit, even through a trying first year. Our numbers grew quickly but on the cusp of the pack's birth we were hit with a vicious snowstorm. We all took shelter together in a few of the more well equipped houses to wait it out. Our houses almost became our tombs. By the time the storm was over we were buried in snow and had to dig our way out. Recovering our town from that storm was hard.” She shook her head slowly as she led him through the trees, just a short way inside d'Arte's territory, and tracing the length of the borders. “Shortly after, we were met with our first true tragedy.” Her eyes went dark as she remembered the evil that had been unleashed upon her pack.

“A devil in wolf's clothing... a man kidnapped one of... the pack's puppies and killed him. He terrorized the pack for weeks before finally being found out and run off. We were broken from it.” Her eyes cast down in an attempt to hide her grief. There was more to the story that she was not telling. The story of Argul was a blemish on d'Arte's history, but one that only served to make them stronger in the end. As it was no great secret, she saw no err in telling the man about this. “But d'Arte banded together and with each other's support we grew strong again.”

They stepped into a place of power then, and the immensity of the thing near them had Orin's amber eyes peering upwards once more. Her expression changed instantly, the darkness melting out of her eyes to be replaced by reverence and love as she looked at the adorned Border Tree. A smile came to her as she turned to look at the foxy one. “Here it is – our Border Tree. It was our great work of art, just after our founding. We all had a hand in it.”

Before them towered the largest tree in the territory, adorned with all things fanciful. Painted, written on, and ornaments and works hung from its branches. It was a true symbol of the heart of d'Arte. She searched his face, desperate to see his reaction to their greatest monument. She became silent for a moment, leaving many questions open in her story should Sebastian choose to ask. She liked the man for his inquisitiveness, and he seemed a fateful match for the pack. She decided then that should he want, she would happily call Skye to speak to him about possible membership.

Sebastian · 01-05-2012, 01:21 PM

Eeep, so sorry I neglected this! Anyway, Seb isn't looking to join just yet. He'll want to scout out a few more packs.

Sebastian followed her unquestioningly, only an indulgent smile and a bow offered as she began her speech before his face relaxed calmly. He didn't interrupt with his own judgements, but stayed quiet until she had finished. Shawchert Menue, founding members, a vicious blizzard, and the death of a child. For a moment, the sun seemed cold. Could he stay where such a tragedy took place? It had been long ago, certainly, but still. Tragic events left marks.

But then, so did good ones.

The Border Tree. A thing of power and beauty, like a far-off lightning storm. It was a huge tree, adorned with all manner of art. Paint, carvings, ornaments, pictures. Ranging from heartfelt to abstract. A faint look of awe was clear on his face as he took a step closer to the tree, crossing his arms in front off his chest and looking up at the immense landmark. It was quite a sight.

"It is beautiful," he said simply, gazing at the work of art for another few seconds before he turned back to Orin and bowed sincerely. "Thank you for taking the time to show me this, Orin. I deeply appreciate it. Though I will check and see if any other packs suit me better than this one, I think I will return here." Sebastian flashed a disarming smile at the pink-haired lady, clearly very grateful.

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