this is gospel

[scourgingstars]

Who: Ardyn, Jaune, a new companion, and otherwise open.
What: [muffled chocobo theme in the distance]
When: The 26th and onward, I can count.
Where: Islet #4, Storyteller's temple, and a wildcard!
Warnings: None apart from blanket XV spoilers, will update if necessary

[a; islet 4 shack 1]
[By the time Ardyn got back to the islets with Jaune in tow, his immediate rage at the situation had calmed into the usual undercurrent of fury he always felt. Gods were the same no matter where you went, even if this one had rightfully called out the Astrals as hilariously incompetent. Something would have to be done here as with Eos; that little white nightmare had made things personal as far as Ardyn was concerned, and he couldn't let that stand.]

So, we'll want to begin by experimenting with that sigil. Leaving it in various places, perhaps having it drawn on our hands in some measure, see if that produces any notable results.

[First things first; upon walking in he snapped his fingers to light the usual small fire only for nothing to happen. He frowned at his hand before holding it out; had he actually run out of fire magic? No--that wasn't it, the power just wasn't responding. Thunder next, then Blizzard; he tried both for the same lack of results. Held out his hand for the Blade of the Mystic...nothing.]

Side-effects indeed, you smartmouthed little-

[Whatever complaint he was about to lapse into under his breath was interrupted by the sound of sudden cracking from a corner of the barely-repaired shelter, followed rather swiftly by a telltale kweh that changed Ardyn's tune rather quickly.]

...My, isn't that late.

[b; storyteller's temple]
[Eventually, Ardyn's usual habit of wandering near sunset found him back around the Storyteller's temple; observing it as if he was examining for anything out of the ordinary or perhaps hoping to see a glaring weak point.]

[Perhaps breaking up the slightly menacing illusion was the softball-sized black bird sitting in the hood of his scarf like she nested there.]

[c; wildcard]
[anything else! Ardyn usually spends the brightest part of the day at home, coming out closer to sunset/night/early morning now with his round bird-shaped companion either in his scarf or following behind him.]

Comments

[scourgingstars]

They've rather fallen out of common use in more modern eras, but there was a time when chocobos were the best way for one to travel where I'm from.

[alittleditty]

Well, unless you're able to petition one of the leaders of the local city-states for an airship pass, it's either chocobos or go on foot. Unless you're a Garlean, I suppose.

[Given her scowl, that's not a compliment.]

[scourgingstars]

[Okay, so this one predated cars. Not too strange, considering he'd been there at some point.]

Airships aren't quite common for us either. Do tell, how do Garleans get around in that case?

[alittleditty]

They have a great fondness for advanced magitek devices. Though it's difficult to say how much is their own invention and how much is pillaged from Allagan ruins. They certainly don't have any principles on how they use it.

[Is she being particularly fair? Perhaps not. But after all the Garleans had done and tried to do, she'd challenge anybody to be fair.]

[scourgingstars]

...Hm. What an odd coincidence.

[Ardyn shrugged off that muttered remark, briefly glancing Tataru over; whether he'd seen stranger or not, she was definitely a little irregular for a world that sounded close to his own.]

How terribly unfortunate.

[alittleditty]

[The differences were bigger once you got down to the details, but if Ardyn isn't going to poke into those for the time being, Tataru won't think to herself. She sighs and shrugs.]

Well, that's all matters from back home, I suppose. [Back to happier things.] Have you picked out a name for your new friend?

[scourgingstars]

I've rather taken to calling her Hresvelgr, actually.

[alittleditty]

[It's her turn to give him an odd look while thinking about unusual coincidences.]

R-really? Well it's not a name I would have expected, but if she likes it, then that's all that matters, isn't it?

[scourgingstars]

...She doesn't seem to mind. Why, is there something wrong with it?

[alittleditty]

Oh no, not at all. It's just, um...

[There's really no other way to put this.]

It's an unusual name even by Eorzean standards. The only one I know with such a name would be a dragon.

[scourgingstars]

It's not quite a name one would often hear back home--just part of some ancient legend I've mostly forgotten. But a dragon, that's unexpected.

[alittleditty]

I see...

[Files that information away for later consideration, if it ever proves to be important.]

And I suppose I should add, quite an important dragon. One of the first ones, possibly one of the oldest creatures on Haedalyn. And as we've found out recently, quite an important figure in Eorzea's history.

I suppose if you have the time, I could tell the story.

[She didn't want to interrupt him if he was doing something important.]

[scourgingstars]

My dear, I've an abundance of time.

[this is as far from a lie as one can possibly get.]

[alittleditty]

[If only she knew.]

Well then, we may need to find a place to sit down.

I should probably mention in advance that on my world, dragons are as intelligent as you or I. Quite possibly moreso, given that they can live thousands of years.

[If only she knew.]

[scourgingstars]

...You don't say.

[imagine that.]

How fascinating.