Ask Onderon Convergence

[Zorya]

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C O N V E R G E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

Zorya took a moment to absorb the name—Riva. It possessed an aquatic resonance, rippling through her mind, reminiscent of concealed depths and enigmatic expanses. Could it be a nom de voyage, much like her own? Regardless, the name seemed to harmonize with the oceanic hue of Riva's gaze. Each moniker they shared, a token in an unfolding allegory, bestowed them with form, albeit enigmatic, in each other's narratives.

She detected the glint in Riva's eyes, the flicker of recognition upon beholding the pendant. A frisson of apprehension unfurled within Zorya, tempered by a burgeoning trust. Still, it was a fragile thing, easily shattered by the revelation of inconvenient truths. Her fingers once more danced across the parchment. "You've glimpsed this sigil before. Speak of its resonance within your realms of understanding."

The fountain beside them gurgled its timeless hymns, as though mimicking the flow of information between them. Its waters, akin to their dialogues, teemed with unseen profundities beneath a placid surface. Moonglow adorned the courtyard, each beam reflecting off the gentle water like fragmented truths awaiting union.

Her eyes settled once more upon Riva, mirroring her thirst for revelation. Every passing moment, every shared word, deepened her conviction that their clandestine expedition would be one for the annals, inscribed not just on parchment but on the very fabric of their beings. The stakes were significant, true, but therein lay the allure.

@LadyRen
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[Maeve]

Zorya. The name kept resonating in Maeve's head, the mystery, the untamed nature of the foreign name and the countless stories it promised to bear. She'd learn more, over time, she was confident about that, yet the current mystery still captivated her.

She presented the pendant, the sigil, yet it was somewhat different. An ancient version, perhaps? It sparked her insatiable curiosity further and a gasp escaped her slightly parted lips before the other woman asked a question. They were seemingly alone, yet Maeve knew such cities had eyes and ears everywhere, so an open conversation wasn't possible.

"You've spoken of ancient bridges now being dangerous and treacherous to cross. When I first came here, I had chosen to build new fundaments all across town. I've begun to weave my way in, yet I'm afraid there are too many pieces misses to offer a whole picture". As she had to keep a low profile at all time, she could only cut in every here and there, slowly picking up the pieces for the grande scheme, but knowing a way in was always the necessary first step.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

.
C O N V E R G E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

Under the shelter of moonlit arches, Zorya inhaled deeply, the city's mélange of scents weaving narratives of age-old secrets and clandestine intrigues. The aroma of freshly baked bread from a distant bakery mingled with the faint perfume of night-blooming jasmine, providing an olfactory backdrop to their covert conversation. The ambiance was dense, each sound and scent bearing an echo of untold tales, each shadow a reservoir of uncharted truths.

Riva's words, though oblique, held a gravity that wasn't lost on Zorya. Her fingers twitched, betraying an urge to pen down her thoughts, yet she restrained herself. Instead, she let her eyes convey a world of emotions — understanding, yearning, caution.

Nodding subtly towards Riva's enigmatic proclamation about bridges and foundations, Zorya touched her pendant lightly, the cool metal chilling her fingertips, reminding her of its lineage and the onus it bore. She then reached for her parchment and scribbled, "Shards of a mosaic. Together, perhaps the image forms?"

Eyes, as intense as a tempest yet as tranquil as a dormant volcano, met Riva's. The weight of histories and futures yet unwritten hovered between them, palpable in the very air they breathed. The unspoken hung thick, a gossamer thread of shared intrigue and potential alliance.

@LadyRen
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[Maeve]

Once again, Maeve's ocean eyes scanned the delicate notes, the enigmatic resonance of her words once again captivating. What did the stranger know? Would their pieces align? With the tension once again rising for her, Maeve reached for the woman's free hand.

"I know a way into the archives", this time, there was no veiled double entendre as she almost blurted that out, her voice, howeved hushed and only for her to hear against the nightly backdrop.. Maeve knew that under the townsquare, hidden underground, laid the city's archives. While the regular entry was through the townhall, there was also a non official one through the canals - an important piece of information she had overheard in the backalleys of Iziz.

Maeve was certain it was either used as a hideout or a temporary home for those who couldn't afford housing, but that meant they wouldn't just manage to get inside that easily. "The path might prove perilous...perhaps we'll meet resistance". She didn't pose the question openly, but she was curious about whether the other woman had means to defend herself. Maeve was fairly certain she carried countless secrets, and someone as enigmatic as her surely had her ways, yet she wondered whether she was ready to make the most out of this promising night right away.

@Aberforth

 

[Zorya]

.
C O N V E R G E N C E
Queen of Darkness

Z O R Y A

Zorya's fingers tightened slightly around Maeve's, not out of fear but acknowledgment of the unspoken partnership. She felt the weight of Maeve's words, sensing the gravity of the knowledge she had just shared. The dim light cast by the surrounding lanterns revealed the fine lines on her hand, each a silent witness to a story untold.

Her lips quirked in a half-smile, and though she chose to remain silent, her eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint. She released Maeve's hand and gracefully slipped back her cloak, revealing the slender hilt of a dagger secured against her hip, its surface engraved with intricate motifs that mirrored the pendant she wore.

With a dexterous movement, she unsheathed the blade, allowing the cold moonlight to dance upon its polished surface, then resheathed it with equal elegance. It was a simple gesture but one that conveyed an unspoken message: she was not defenseless.

Amidst the muted echoes of nocturnal life, Zorya allowed herself to be led through the labyrinth of Onderon’s streets. The celestial tapestry above, embroidered with innumerable stars, bestowed upon them a fragile luminescence, painting their path with whispers of silver. With Maeve's hand as a guide, Zorya’s steps were delicate yet determined. The shadows cast by ancient, towering edifices waltzed in the dim starlight, conjuring ethereal patterns upon the cobblestones.

As they approached the grandeur of the town square, Zorya's fiery gaze bathed in the sublime dance of a nearby fountain, its crystalline waters pirouetting with graceful exuberance, each droplet a jewel amidst the embracing arms of the cosmos.

@LadyRen
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[Maeve]

Once again, it was in the unspoken that Maeve found all the answers she needed. Even before she chose to reveal her dagger, there was something in her enigmatic gaze that just proved she was capable of not only defending herself, but generally prove herself as a fierce and strong ally.

Maeve's lips curled into a smirk once again before she reached for her hand, grasped it, and began leading her onwards. Alone, she hadn't yet made it in, but even if she usually prefered being by herself, for such an endeavor she simply needed help and Zorya's silent promises were more than she could ever hope for.

The chilly Onderon night air rustled through her hair as she walked, freeing a soon loose strand of her which she had to brush back behind her ear, before they approached the almost empty town square. Maeve's ocean gaze attentively scanned the plaza, briefly studying the half drunk strangers or love drunken couples that ended their date night right here before she navigated Zorya towards an old, rusty metal gate.

It was supposedly the entrance, and Maeve didn't even need any tools to get it open, as it immediately budged at her gentle touch. For now, silence was indeed their best friend, and so while she tried to help her eyes adjust to the dim light that lingered in the narrow alleyway, she let her free hand slide into her pocket, taking hold of her Vibro-Dagger.

The corridor led them pass between two adjacent houses, before it disembouged into a sharp left turn, that finally led them to a stoney stairwell. It continued into pure darkness, impenetrable without the right tool, but Maeve immediately reached for the burning torch that was fastened at its entrance. It was unmistakably a sign for the ones that usually used to tunnels to sleep, but it would now serve them well. As she threw Zorya another gaze, she didn't voice the 'ready?', but instead her eyes implied the question.

@Aberforth