[open] hydaelyn's house for wayward souls

[exarchal]

Who: Anyone!
When: All of November.
Where: The Haven, at the "classy" grade house maintained by some people from the FFXIV cast.
What: It's mingle time. Drop by for a visit, make your own toplevel, maybe ask who that weird old guy sleeping in the yard is. (It's probably crystal grandpa.)
Warnings: Mind FFXIV spoiler warnings in threads!

[ Located past the fanciest manor houses is something a little more modest. The most prominent thing one would notice about it is the front yard, which someone obviously spends some time in, though the cutting of certain bushes is a little close to amateur. More importantly, it looks a little messy but very inviting, and there's almost always the smell of something warm and delicious coming from inside the house. The lush and flowering garden in the back has a recently-scrubbed fountain and running water, as well as a near-permanent host of small birds. Is it magic? Probably. Most of the flowers are roses, though, which are a bit hardier than your usual flowers.

The interior is just as cozy, with a fire in the hearth that's almost always going, and plenty of books loaned or purchased from shops. Furnishings are occasionally sparse but the kitchen is fully-stocked, as is the family room where most people spend their time. The dining table exists and it's nothing fancy, but there's almost always a smorgasbord of fruit and other snacks left out for visitors.

New this month are tiny sigils drawn in faintly glowing paint along the windows and doors. Teleportation wards are in place, as well as soundproofing for each bedroom (ahem), so anyone teleporting directly inside the house will find themselves repelled.

There is a spare housekey under the mat, though, if someone gets locked out. ]

Comments

[omnicrafter]

[Though on the one hand, being brought down to their level is certainly a taste of his own medicine, it also seems unfair somehow. He's here just as willingly as the rest of them, which is not at all, and though some would call her crazy for it, she'd sooner deal with him in his natural state than stuck in a miserable circumstance like this.

Irhya's ears wilt, just a little. If the volume of the soul is connected to the body's arcane potential, there's nothing to say they didn't water his down to match the rest of them, so she can't even take the positive thinking route.]

What would berating you earn me? Personal satisfaction? I don't take pleasure in being cruel, even to my enemies. If anything, being in this situation is punishment enough.

[She leans her weight heavily against the door frame.]

Look... I know this isn't easy. And I more or less know your feelings on being allies, but can we not at least find a midpoint?

[unsundered]

[Her response comes as a small surprise, and the Ascian is silent for a time, considering. His fingers rap idly on a nearby desk as he thinks.]

I know it doesn't look it, but I am trying. [He closes his eyes for a moment; gods, his head hurt. He'd probably overextended himself with all the teleporting.] When you've lived as long as I, there's certain patterns that are... difficult to change.

[Emet-Selch looks up at her again, cautiously, and waves a hand in her general direction.]

What would you suggest instead? I'll at least consider any idea at this point.

[omnicrafter]

...I can imagine.

[And those habits probably die even harder in this case, having had so much time to take root. Her lips flatten.]

The thing to remember is that you can no longer manipulate everything to suit your goals here. If anything, you'd have to power through just as the Warriors of Light do. That in mind... perhaps taking a leaf from our books might serve you better? Spend some time observing, that sort of thing.

Unfortunately, I think the biggest problem you face is the one fundamental thing I know you don't want to address. I think the best you can do is put it in the back of your mind for right now, though. It doesn't have to be perfect, just... a little humility wouldn't hurt your case.

[unsundered]

[Well. He doesn't dismiss it outright, at least, though it's clear that he finds the suggestion somewhat distasteful.]

It's not as though I'm not conscious of the fact that I have little to back up my... [Hm, what was the best way to put it.] natural assumptions of superiority. My powers are minimal, my knowledge, likely irrelevant.

[The Ascian understood this; he was arrogant, not delusional. But it was a way of thinking that permeated all of his interactions; he's not remotely sure if he can break the habit. He's definitely sure he doesn't want to, but if it would be to his benefit? Ugh.]

Observation, if nothing else here, is something I'm familiar with. And I've no inclination towards manipulating the situation of this place. That was ever towards a particular goal back home- one that's impossible here.

[He sighs heavily; when he looks at Irhya, his expression is slightly too tired to be properly sarcastic.]

...well, I shall have no lack of excellent role models.

[omnicrafter]

I've no doubts you can adjust if you put in the effort... it just takes time.

[She closes her eyes, as if the prospect of that amount of time here makes her tired, too. Though whether it is that or a culmination of the day's stresses, it's hard to say.]

All of the Warriors of Light are so dissimilar, though... one would think it's only Hydaelyn that we have in common. We all approach our problems differently, at that; I've already had a mild disagreement with at least one other Warrior of Light thus far. So perhaps for both of us, it's time to figure out a new goal, besides crossing the rift again to where we belong. Killing time will get us nowhere, and I know you're not the type to sit on your hands and watch the world pass you by, either.

[unsundered]

I suppose we'll see how it goes.

[Non-committal, but... at least it's not an outright refusal? He'd think about what it would entail, anyway.]

...And you are a strangely variable group. [And strange that it was only the Warriors and not, say, himself or the Exarch. If one person could be different across timelines, why weren't all of them?] With a common flaw. But apart from finding a way to return with these memories intact- I can't say I've come across any worthy goals.

Not that I intend to be idle, but... I'm not going to waste time on anything that doesn't interest me. I never have.