#odyssey

Other fae seem to have taken up occupation in this hotel as well. A bellboy pushing a luggage cart has silvery hair, but looks right at home with the group he is escorting to the elevators. A stocky valet wearing with red hair and an emerald green headband is accepting keyfobs and parking cars.

It's not that Thistle doesn't know about all the kiths, or hasn't met any... but still, there is a novelty to seeing so many strangers with whom she shares a world. And now, not just as a fledge! Her spirals warm to a happy orange as she takes it all in.

There's a kith she should recognize! A shock of white hair, pale skin, and stark red swirls on his cheeks. The young man has a workbag lugged over a shoulder and leans on the front desk.

The sidhe receptionist hisses in an attempt at discretion, "You should come in the back way! There are guests present!"

A roll of eyes. "Either you want the furkin' elevator fixed, or your high and mighty guests can walk up the god-d*(&# stairs themselves with their luggage. Eh? I don't see YOU carrying any bags." Chewing gum pops as he talks!

"Oh um, thank you" Gwen says surprised

Thistle wavers. She's interested, but the yellow shift in her spirals indicates nerves.

Gladiola assures them "We're not offended by hard work or kind manners either , and thank you for letting us know the rules of the hotel. I'm sorry you've had a rough motley moment. Can you tell us a bit more about this place?" She asks that last to the sidhe

The Sidhe smiles again, and goes into a spiel. "You stand in the historic lobby of the Renwick hotel, once home to literary legends F. Scott Fitzgerald, John Steinbeck, and Thomas Mann. This artist residence was built in 1928 and has been a rich source of dreaming inspiration and musing ever since. We're located in Central Manhattan, and if you wish to view the Duke's Winter Residence, it can be seen here. Goblin Town is not, of course on the map OR Mapped out, but multiple entrances are marked. Do be sure to choose wisely."

She offers a folded paper map, which has a chimerical overlay! There are aspects such as "Bonecrusher Territory" marked on a neighborhood also known as Hell's Kitchen, the Central Park Zoo is noted as "under the protection of Big Jo", A large swatch of Central Park marked as "SHIFTERS - BEWARE". There are a few neighborhoods with blood-red X's marked over buildings. Chinatown has an unfamiliar glyhph over it.. and more.

Citrine, meanwhile, has flitted over to examine the nocker who is now planted just at the doorway to the elevator. She tinkles merrily, and lands on his head.

"ACK! Pigeons!" He flails and manages to swat himself in the ear. "(&(*!

Gwen takes the map

"Thank you"

Meanwhile, Art is talking to Vali, stepped aside a bit from the main walkway. "Have you experienced much... that is to say... do folk look upon you poorly, for your House? Were you reborn in this incarnation as a Dark Star, or did you take up the house oath in this lifetime?"

"Sure, let's talk" Vali makes sure things are quiet in the spot they're in and leads the lad to a seat near a nice fern in the spot in the 'lobby' such as it is, when Art sits he does too and says "To answer your questions though maybe not in the order you wanted. When I was a childling, I knew a sidhe fledge whose name was Small Anne, everyone thought she was going to be an Eiluned. She was inquisitive, she was bright, and a wee bit take charge. She was also adorable. I would have followed her and my other friends anywhere back then. And I did. But, let's get to her saining.. she came out as one of the FIRST returned Beaumayn. I mean that seriously, I think they didn't even number ten then. Instantly the lord of the hold she was at cut off contact. The lady of the hold was distraught for the 'loss'. Anne was nearly a pariah, though it must be said the Lady tried to provide for her covertly. Anne and our motley went out to establish a freehold for childlings, and went on a great ship.. it talked by the way. I will not speak of that journey in depth, but we followed her and we triumphed. But eventually choices had to be made. Anne stayed to rule a hidden island of forever young, and I? I went back to the autumn world. For my deeds in helping one of the first Beaumayn ,I was offered a chance to join the House, and I was among the first non sidhe to be invited. Our experences will not be the same then, for the boon came to me after, where as i imagine you have had visions long before you were sained. It is those visions I am here to question and test by the way. That and to instill in you the need for the Code of Jalendrel. But to answer your question about prejudices. Yes. For a time Gwydions saw me as a member of a traitor house. Unseelies House members who served the Shadow Court actively encouraged thallian to take me out. Only Liam, Fiona and I believe Scathach did more than 'tolerate'. But that was then, and fortunately for you, the instant scorn we once recieved have dimmed or even faded. Some Beuamyan refer to this as the 'Time of Twenty' when the century changed and with it a kind of dreaming jubilee occurred. I don't know about that , and it is still not easy being us. I imagine you'fe had several encounters with Thallian, and members of the Shadow Court of old... the new pretenders less so. You found yourself at odd battles with them . Well, they can find us, the Thallian. They hate us and we are enemies to them"

Art listens solemnly. "We have had encounters with Thallain. I didn't know that was my fault. My hold is Varich and Ailil. My friends will not abandon me... but I do not know if I will have a place among them on my return."

"It is not your fault. It is often your problem. Learn the difference. And do not assume hunting us is all the Thallian do. For example, I know spriggans went after puppies on Thanksgiving. That was not your doing, that was because Spriggans are child stealing A-Holes"

"They came back, and went after Thistle's brother. Ghasts sought out a childling. I believe a Lurk destroyed a library the night I took my host. Since my arrival, there have been beasties, bogies... I am no warrior. Am I drawing these dark creatures down on any hold I dare rest?"

"I did a little research, Squire Arcturus Sol-Eltanin. It was you who gave Dame Gladiola forewarning of the puppy theft was it not? And with all respect to your liege, his years of distraction before Dancingsnow meant that Thallian were thriving in his barony before you were there. They noticed you, but only because they were in great numbers there. That problem, I hear, has been largely reduced. I know, I got a bounty on an Ogre head. Like fighting a broken mirror made of muscle that"

Wide-eyed. "I am very glad of it. I do not know what I would do if attacked by an Ogre. Perish, most likely."

"I don't know, sometimes scrawny guys can get pretty darn innovative. Look, there's a lot of house history you don't know yet, a lot of details you need. But I do want to ask you about your visions. Check them for accuracy. Back when the Caul of Silence was strong it was the only way to be sure"

"I tried to force a vision once - when Thistle's sister was kidnapped. It did not go well." He hangs his head. "There was a... backlash, of sorts. And worse, I lost my mentor's faith in me."

"Forcing a vision can be tricky. It's not like soothsay which collects the threads of what is and tries to determine what will be. It's less bunk, more meditation, or even dreams. I am sorry you lost your mentor's faith in you. Maybe you can get it back. Maybe. There is a code about the visions you need to learn. I'll quiz you on it later. Ready?"

"Ready?"

"Oh, yes!"

He nods, trying not to be distracted by the hotel and other goings on.

Vali looks about making sure there's not a sluagh under the seats , or behind the fern, or little spiders prying

They seem to be alone!

And almost ritualistically, he says gently "One- Honor the Future and Remember its Secrets:
Ignoring our gifts of prophecy is denying what you are. You must honor and record all your visions and omens, no matter how terrible they may be, and warn others of our house when you see dire events on the horizon." Then less ritualistically, "I suggest you find a way to encrypt and hide it. "
"Two-Do not Burden Others with the Future, lest it Break them: Many others think knowledge of the future would solve all their problems, but the truth its hat it usually only makes them worse. After all, do you really want to know whether you and your love are meant to be or what day you're going to die? Others are seldom ready for all the consequences accepting a prophecy entails. Do not share your visions with those not of our house unless there is great need to do so." AN aside "You notice the code doesn't really define 'great need'. You'll have to find your own boundaries, but don't try to weasel out of that , Da'an hates hypocrites who flavor for convenience"
"Three- Accept Your Destiny and Leave Others to Theirs:
This applies to both the good and the bad we see; while we must fight to change what we can, there are some visions even we cannot alter, some events too great for one fae to master. When the future is in your grasp, learning when not to act is as important as learning when to take action, if not more so." A nod "That's the hardest one.. I know when someone very dear to me is going to die. I also know she's going suffer more if I don't let her and others will suffer with her. I've been carrying that knowledge for years. That's why so many of our House are melancholy. I hide behind jokes and humor to break the trend myself, but number three is a hard one to hold onto."

He tilts his head seeing how art absorbs this

Arthur listens. He listens well, and he looks grave. "I remember."

"Now, please, tell me of your visions that have come to pass. What you dreamed, or foresaw, and how it turned out. "

He inhales, and carefully recounts his visions. The Thanksgiving vision that lead to the Spriggan-napping. The one about the hidden bookwyrm egg that was nearly extinguished by an Autumn person. A convoluted message that lead Art to find his colleagues fighting off thallain. They follow a pattern of often including astral aspects and visualizations, and some of the translations are a stretch... but they do make sense, in hindsight.

"He listens and stops as Arthur mentions among his other visions, a dark star. Then a nod "Well named are you, Star Seeker. I wonder if you were an explorer, a court astrologer, or both? You are a Beaumayn in all things but one. THere is an oath we all take -Noble or Commoner, we take the Oath of the Dark Star. After that, you will learn the fullness of our history and more"

A small smile as he glances over at where Gladiola is immersed in the map. "It was gifted by a friend."

"Ah, a name of double blessing then" A smile at that, geniune and warm "Friends will keep you sane"

"I will take the oath. I think I remember the words."

He pauses, inhaling, and then he goes down on one knee. No matter that they are technically 'in public', the Hotel is fae ground, more or less. And perhaps it looks like he is tying a shoe.

"This day, I swear once more, my loyalty to the Blade - To the Book, and the Blade. To... To the future that is my destiny, the present that is my duty, and the past that is my treasure." Stumbling a bit at first, but picking up the cadence as the words come back to him.

"I swear my loyalty to members and goals of House Beaumayn, and may the dreams of the damned forever haunt my mind if I should ever break this trust." He inhales, and finishes, "As the Dark Star burns above, so does my heart burn in service to thee. So do I swear, as Arcturus Sol-Eltanin..." He hesitates a bit, as though he lost his place, then catches up and finishes, "Squire, of House Beaumayn."

Vali arches a brow The Remembrance is strong in this one "If I had any doubts, that did it in."

Thistle is trying to inconspicuously watch the other nocker.

And Vali speaks quietly to Arthur, sharing secrets of the House history, and of it's great tragedy

Gwen is looking over the map but now and then glances at her cellphone, as if hoping for a text

Citrine zips away from the Nocker that flailed at her, giggling in a belling tinkle.

He opens up the panel and starts working on the wiring.. Citrine is creeping back in to peer curiously at his work.

Art listens, his expression grave as they discuss quietly.

"Imprisonment. I had remembered that much. I could not recall the skies in Arcadia."

"For me, it was different. Understand, the non sidhe of our house back then were not imprisoned, they were slain... a few escaped, or took haven in other houses. Fiona to this day we owe a debt to for that, but 9 out of 10? "

A sad shake of his head

Gwen can't hear this, but she can watch, she shakes her head and mutters to Thistle "Art looks good with a tan. Weird"

Art looks aghast. "Was there no way for us to prevent this from happening? How did our house not see..."

"We tried, but a weak man may see the fist coming for his face, and still not be strong enough to win a fight"

PINK cheeks.

"I... sure? The tan's not too bad. He's less likely to glow in the dark."

"Just saying" A snort "it's annoying. "

"#$&#!" Comes from the Elevator! "Do you WANT to get closed in the control panel as a backup battery? I can do it!" Citrine zips back into the safety of Thistle's hair!