Ask Umbara Annoyance

[Zorya]

Cloaked in umbral secrecy, Zorya sat in the hushed cavernous sanctuary of the Umbaran National Library, enrobed in shadows and arcane text. Her raven-colored skin matched the dim lighting of the environment, only her eyes flickered with a cold luminescence as they traversed the labyrinth of symbols that was the Umbaran caste system. A voluminous holobook flickered in front of her, emitting a soft, ghostly light, which limned the meticulous features of her face with intrigue. Upon this stark hierarchy, the Rootai, the ruling class, towered ominously, casting their formidable shadow over the umpteen strata below.

Nearby, O'bog, her faithful Ximpi, was entangled in a skirmish of his own. A clutch of children, as ill-behaved as they were curious, circled him, eager to pet his rare form. O'bog's voice trilled, a grating melody laced with defiance, "Sod off, ye squishy little rugrats! I ain't yer fluffy womp rat to fondle!"

Zorya, unperturbed, maintained her silence, her gloved finger tracing over the cryptic glyphs detailing the cryptocratic reign of the Rootai. As the echoes of the children's disappointed whimpers reverberated through the shadowy alcoves of the library, she allowed herself a moment of inward reflection. The distant hum of their receding footsteps, the rustle of papers echoing like distant thunder, and the intoxicating scent of ancient tomes-- everything conspired to whisper a single thought: children were to be seen and not heard. A soft sigh escaped her, barely noticeable, an ephemeral testament to her inner sentiments.

Unruffled by her stoicism, O'bog continued his banter. "Blimey! Yer mums would feed ye to a gundark if they could hear ye yammering!" he chortled, dodging a chubby hand aimed at his wings. Despite the tumult, he remained near Zorya, fluttering protectively around her enigmatic figure, a beacon of vibrant energy against the quietude of the library and the enigma of his companion.

@Logan

 

[Irelia Veld]

Libraries were a place that always seemed to call to Irelia. She'd been to a fair few, though not as she would have liked, but none of them held a candle to the one on Umbara. She wasn't sure if it was the atmosphere or the collection here that always seemed to entice her to return, but either way, Irelia was never disappointed when the force circled her back to this place.

As she moved through the stacks, Irelia's attention was miraculously pulled away from scanning the tome spines looking for something to the muffled shouting coming from a little ways deeper in the library. Quirking an eyebrow, Irelia went towards the source of the voices and couldn't help but be perplexed by the scene unfolding before her.

Her first question was why in the world were there weird animals allowed in the library. Could the thing even read? Though she quickly moved off of this question and onto more pressing matters.

Hey, get a move on! She said to the instigators, her voice carrying the tone and authority of someone who worked there. Go on, find something to do or I'll have you escorted out of here.

Obviously Irelia didn't have the ability to do that but, as she figured, the kids weren't willing to challenge her commands even if they held absolutely no weight at all. Once they'd dispersed, Irelia moved her attention to the little creature and the woman it seemed to be.. guarding? Hanging out with? Hard to say, really.

Hopefully those kids weren't annoying you too much. She said to the little creature before sliding into a seat next to the girl.

Reading something interesting?

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

In the quietude that followed the expulsion of the rabble, Zorya cast a glance of silent gratitude towards the newcomer. The delicate balance of knowledge and silence within the library had been restored, and Zorya reveled in the tranquility.

O'bog, hoisted aloft on wings of mischief, fluttered down, landing with a saucy flip on the table, "Oi! Ye best be lookin' down 'ere, love. I'm the 'ead, she's the 'ands," he jabbed a thumb towards Zorya. A glacial stare from Zorya sliced through the space between them and O'bog visibly deflated, his impish bravado shriveling under the weight of her icy regard.

Without a word, Zorya flipped back a few pages on her holographic book, a translucent monolith of information that now gleamed with details on the Rootai. The cryptic lines of text, hieroglyphs, and statistics swam before her eyes, casting a faint glow on her striking profile.

"Zorya 'ere's lookin' to tango with the Rootai, ye see," O'bog confessed to Irelia with an exaggerated sigh. "She thinks she can bend 'em, break 'em even. Wants to haggle a deal with the head honchos of Umbara. But, if ye ask me - and nobody ever does - we're just barking up the wrong tree, we are."

Despite his words, O'bog remained perched beside Zorya, a pixie-like sentinel, flickering between playful defiance and fierce loyalty. His tirade hung in the air, casting a cryptic veil over Zorya's silent form.

@Logan