07.13.3013: Induction 3
Summary: Loree goes to Lord Aidan for guidance with her new abilities.
Date: 7-13-3103
Related: None
Lorelei Aidan 


Mountain Pass
High up in the mountains, the air gets thin and the views get spectacular. The forested plains stretch out below like the Gods' own carpet, and a narrow track winds its way along the shoulder of the mountain toward the entrance to Khar-Mordune. These gates are heavy, hewn from solid stone and inlaid with electrofilaments mimicking arcane runes. That track may not really be necessary for moving masses of people or materiel down into Khar-Mordune, but it is there for those who prefer to take the long way around. One side of the path falls away precipitously to a narrow canyon far below, while the other rises sharply up the face of the mountain. The path winds behind a waterfall just out of sight of the gates, and then down toward the forest far below.
IC date of RP

It's an amazing view; one Aidan doesn't see as often as he'd like. He should make the time but there's always other things to do. But when Lorelei asks to speak to him about being a druid and tells him she's claustrophobic so can't/won't enter the mountain… Well, what better place to talk about being a druid that on top of the world? And of course it forces her to travel on horseback for many hours just to get here. The price of leaving irrational fears untreat

Unfortunately for Aidan's price , Loree grew up on a horse farm. She loves riding. She even managed to convince(lie to) her brother to not escort her. The time alone has been good. The ride has cleared her head some. Lorelei is dressed in her best riding clothes, meaning they're not too fancy, but will do for meeting a Noble. She's left her horse with the stable, or what the use for one and will make her way up to where Aidan is. She's a bit wide eyed as she walks up, having just seen something very similar(and yet completely different ) on Oculus. Only slightly out of breath, "Lord Aidan, thank you for summoning me." she'll give a bow.

"Summoning you? If I recall right, it was you who requested we meet." Aidan points out. "How are you, Lorelei? And your brother? And more importantly, your horse. I hope you didn't need to put him down?"

Lorelei blink, "No, I meant, to here…" She'll blink, maybe her word choice wasn't the best. "I am well, well…as well, as I can be, I guess." She'll smile , "Chiron is well, and Hubert is doing very well. I'm hoping to be able to start walking him soon. He's getting spoiled on all the apples I keep bringing him, I think." As she glances out to the view, her smile softens, but it's in appreciation of what she sees, "Thank you for asking, my lord."

Aidan nods. "Of course. So your message said you Awakened. I heard something about an avalanche trapping some people but I didn't know you were involved. Why don't you tell me what happened from the beginning. Be precise."

Lorelei nods, but keeps her eyes outward, towards the horizon. "I know quite a few Awakened… I've always dreamed vividly,so I thought I was just re-dreaming things told to me, or…imagining things. Birds, Eagles, shadows…things digging into me… so, I ignored it." She'll let her eyes flicker over to Aidan. "Lady Iah had asked me to write a poem for her late mother, I'm assuming for a memorial. I was bringing it to her , to present it." She'll swallow, nervously and look back out over the mountain view, "On the way to her, the ground opened up and swallowed the snow cat. I was thrown out the windshield…I don't remember much else." She's frowning though, she remembers more than she's saying, that's clear. "Lord Nitrim was called in, and they found me in a ice cave, enclosed…. and awakened. He had to talk be down."

"I don't know anyone who's Awakened as an adult." Aidan says, though in this case he's talking more to himself than to Lorelei. "Most people slowly grow into their abilities as they get older, one mirroring the other. I'm glad you're drawn to druidism." Though given she's Arboren, he'd expect nothing else. "So what is it you want from me specifically?"

Lorelei winces slightly, she's yet to hear of anyone else either. She'll look up at him, "I…I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Can I even be trained? Am I too old?" Everyone she knows went off to go be trained….She'll take a deep breath, "Everyone that I've talked to said I should come to you…" She'll bite her lower lip, unsure how to say this next bit, "If…if you're not willing to train me…who should I go to? I don't want to endanger anyone…"

"Of course you can be trained." Aidan assures her. "I don't know if it'll be harder for you or easier because of your age but you can be trained. That's not a question. What is a question is how and I've never taught anyone. You said you've already done some things. What?"

Lorelei's shoulders drop some and she smiles in relief. "I think I sent a thought to someone, and then I moved an apple….but I scared myself and dropped it." she'll shrug , almost apologetically. "I've been nervous to try anything. I was afraid I'd burn down the barn or something…"

Aidan shakes his head. "Unlikely. Children don't burn down their houses by accident for the same reason you won't. It takes more skill than the new druid has. The stray thought and sporadically moving light things are about all you can expect till you develop your abilities more."

Lorelei nods slowly, but doesn't look completely convinced that she's not going to just blow up. "I know there's nothing to be done about the Dreams…but if there's a way to…" She'll wrinkle her brow, again not finding the word she's search for, "a way to understand? Deal? Lessen?" Lessen isn't right…Loree shakes her head, "I wake up so confused, with half thoughts and images. Only pieces to a puzzle…it's maddening."

"Oh, you shouldn't have to worry about dreams for a while. You'll be burning down houses before you start dreaming for real. At best you might get some hazy images that won't be at all helpful. But as for understanding them once you do start?" Aidan shakes his head. "Study. Study a lot."

Lorelei gives him a 'not helping' look. Giving a slightly frustrated sigh, "But what do I study? do I just sit around trying to move apples all day? I don't…" She'll reach up and rub her forehead slightly. "I don't even know where to start. Everyone keeps telling me this is a good thing, that I can help more, protect everyone more, but…I don't know how."

Aidan smiles, not unsympathetically. "It /is/ a very good thing. And you'll certainly be able to help fight the Hostile. Some day. At a rough guess? I'd say sometime next year. Longer if you don't really work at it, shorter if you do nothing but. How long do you think it would take you to learn to use a sword well?"

Lorelei blinks and will squeak out a mortified, "A sword?"

"A sword, a mace, a bow…" Aidan waves away the specifics. "The point is, it takes time to get good at anything. Being a squire takes many years. Maybe a craftsman requires school and apprenticeship. Becoming a druid is no different."

Lorelei lets out a small breath she had started to hold, afraid he was going to make her learn sword play. That would just end …poorly. she'll nod, "I understand that, my lord. I'm not expecting to come away from here being able to Borrow an animal or create weather. I'm just looking for…direction. Where to begin. " Although she'll make a slightly surprised face, like the idea of her actually becoming a druid had never really dawned to her before this moment.

Aidan nods. "Where to begin. Okay, easy enough. A spirit quest. You need to get in touch with the world around you. That should be pretty easy for you all things considered. You're an Arboren, you've been around Eilara and you grew up on a ranch raising horses. Here's what I want you to do: take your brother or one or two other people you trust and go find a place you feel safe. Since we just routed the Hostiles, now would be a good time but just in case, that's what the guards are for. Find a place that speaks to you away from the city whether it's in the forest, mountains or ocean. Fast for three days then go there at night with your guards far enough away you can't see them but they can see you. Get stoned. Then see what happens."

Lorelei nods, listening attentively to Aidan. She can do that. Forest, brother, guards. Fasting. All of these things are doable. Then Loree tilts her head, clearly puzzled by his last instructions, "Get stoned?" Is that why Nitrim send her to him? she doesn't sound completely mortified, more just…confused.

"Stoned." Aidan agrees. "High? Wasted? Drugged?" Is she that unworldly? "I can get you some herbs to smoke or some mushrooms you can eat. It'll speed your way to seeing things in another light."

Lorelei nods, she knows what he meant, was just surprised by it, "Uh…ok. Which ever would be better?" She's dealt with Keanen enough, she knows what being high does to a person…maybe that's what happened to him at his training? "Do I…I mean, should I keep practicing with the apples and such? Or just do this first?" She's willing to give it a try, she wants to understand this, be able to control the storm.

"Practice makes perfect." Aidan intones but the grin he gives her shows he's not being too serious. "Whichever you want but I'd suggest snmoking the herbs. It's easier to control how much of it you take since it acts more quickly than the mushrooms. One puff, two puff, wait. Three puff if you don't feel anything yet. You can even just toss it into a campfire and breath int he smoke that way. The point of it all is to really experience where you are and be aware of it all. Not just the little bits and pieces you walk through every day without really noticing."

Lorelei gives the noble a soft smile and nod, "Ok…herbs then."She'll look to the sun, "I guess I can start now. I'm sure Chiron will come, if Lady Agnes doesn't need him. If not I can find some others." She'll let out a soft giggle, and rub her cheek where there's a faint pink scar from the ice moon accident. "I'd think the camp fire would be harder to control…or I'd end up with a ton of stoned owls all around me."

Aidan cocks his head to one side as he consider Lorelei. "Why'd you say owls?"

Lorelei tilts her head back, "I…don't know? Because it would be night?" she'll furrow her brow, like she's trying to make sure she's not remembering something on accident.

Aidan shrugs a shoulder. "All right. I was just wondering why you picked owls and not a different night bird, bats or one of the nocturnal animals. It could be because you have an affinity to them and your aura will manifest that way somehow."

"My aura is a storm…I didn't see it the first time, but in the barn…it was a thunderstorm." Lorelei shrugs, "Someone said it was because I was in a storm…or that I was a storm?" she doesn't sound to sure on that.

"Okay." It's not an answer and Aidan's not going to try to come up with one. Maybe the Archdruid would. "I'll have some herbs sent to you. Take the next day or two finding the perfect spot. Since your aura is stormlike, you might want to consider waiting for a storm. Just make sure you have shelter."

Lorelei tries to hide her disappointment with a nod and smile, "Ok. I'll see if I can find a decent spot. I know of a few, but I'm sure Chiron will want to scout them to make sure they're safe." She'll let out a soft laugh, I might do better, in the rain, if that's the case." Taking a deep breath, she'll turn to face him, "Thank you, Lord Aidan. I appreciate you taking the time to speak to me on this. I…Lady Eilara's been so busy, and I know no other druids I'm comfortable asking this off."

Aidan shrugs a shoulder. "If you want to be in the rain, go ahead. Do what feels right to you. That's kind of the point. I'll also send you a book on druidism. Read a little here and there. It might explain some things."

A smile forms and Loree nods again, "ok." It's not a clear going to go sit in the rain nod, but …maybe? She's not sure what feels right yet. "A book would be nice. thank you. even if it's things I know already. this is all a bit…scary."

"Yes. And no. There's nothing to be worried about but it is all going to feel very strange. Is there anything else you want to ask?" Aidan asks.

Lorelei rubs her face, another soft laugh escaping her, "I don't think so? I'm not in any danger of hurting anyone. Practice what I can. Go on my spirit quest…should I tell people? I mean, only a hand full of people know, is that important?do I tell my parents? And T-my friend said that the Hostiles were targeting Awakened, is that true? Do I need to be more careful?"

"I don't know if they are. When I was in battle, they didn't seem to concentrate on the Awakened more than the other so that might have been a mistake." Aidan shrugs again. "But who knows. Whichever, unless you use your abilities where they can see you, they're not going to just appear out of thin air and capture you. And tell who you want."

Lorelei bows, sensing this meeting is coming to a close, "Thank you, my lord. I will send word once I have completed the spirit quest."

"And I'll send you the book and herbs. Take the time to find the perfect spot. Or as close to it as you think you'll get." Aidan reaches out to pat Lorelei's shoulder. "Call me if you need anything and don't be afraid of it."

Lorelei tries to not roll her eyes, and will smirk lightly, "Easy for you to say, you've done this your whole life." It's not said mean, in fact she seems relieved at what he's offered. "I should get going, so I don't lose the rest of the light going home…thank you, again."

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