(Private) Late Interview

[Matamune]

Lesingnon

Honestly, if someone told Alfar that he was going to be appointed the Provost of Thyrsoi within a week of coming to Sacramento, he would have laughed them in the face. Because he was new. It was strange, to change your life completely when you’ve already turned thirty, when the career and private life seemed so solid, but it was also exhilarating. Both becoming a Shaman and starting anew. He couldn’t afford to be easy-going about his Awakened life: others had advantage over him in experience despite being younger and he had to remedy that. That was why he pitched for the job of Provost. Alfar wasn’t really expecting it to be turned over to him. If it had been his decision, he would have chosen Idun. She was the only one whom Triquetra knew.

Thinking along these lines Alfar waits for his Councillor in a small café which has a chef who barely uses any seasonings. Exploring the natural taste of food was something the shaman learnt from his Master. The concept was much broader though. It was about being honest with yourself, about trying to sense the natural flow of events, about earning your position not through trickery, but through work.

Triquetra called him a while back and offered Alfar to choose a place. The doctor thought that it may have been a test, but he didn’t mind. A Provost was a serious position with plenty of responsibility. She deserved to know as much as possible about him as possible. And he had some questions of his own.

So he booked a table in a semi-private alcove at this place he discovered a while back. This isn’t a private booth, but there are no tables near them and, as long as they don’t speak when the waiter comes, they should be able to converse freely.

[Lesingnon]

It wasn't too long after Alfar's arrival that Triquetra wandered in through the doors. She stands near them briefly as her eyes sweep across the restaurant, eventually picking Alfar out in his corner table. And once she does she picks her way over to him. Her eyes wander around a bit as she moves, taking in the place and the decor. And by the time she slides into the seat opposite of Alfar there's a slight, perhaps almost even teasing, smile ghosting across her lips. "Nice choice."

[Matamune]

When Alfar sees Triquetra he stands up and doesn’t sit before she does.

“Thank you, I like the food here: it has less spices in it than most other places and is cooked well. The atmosphere and privacy are nice too. We can speak freely, the other customers are quite far away. Still, I’ll call you simply Triquetra without the ‘Councillor’ part…” – he contemplates something for a moment and then adds with a smile. – “Actually, you don’t look like someone who enjoys having her title being there in front of her name every time someone speaks to her.”

He relaxes in his chair and gestures the waiter to come to their table.

“I’ll have a simple vegetable salad, soup with salmon, boiled potatoes and roasted beef. And a pitcher of apple juice.”

After Triquetra makes her order and the waiter leaves he smiles apologetically:

“Old habits die hard. I’ve lived in South Africa for quite a while, and keeping hydrated almost equals staying healthy there.”

He continues after a small pause.

“I imagine you’d like to know more about me, considering the importance of the position. I don’t want to bore you with my entire life story, so would you like a very brief biography and a run-down of skills?”

[Lesingnon]

"Oh, don't worry about all that standing until I sit stuff." Because she certainly tended not to care all that much about all those intricate social niceties. They'd just seemed...less important since awakening. The time she'd just spent wandering away from civilization with only her magic to sustain her might've had something to do with that.

"Hmm...I'll just go for the grilled salmon. And whatever juice is supposed to go well with it for a drink, I'm not picky."

Any concerns he may have had over what she thought of him ordering an entire pitcher are simply waved away. "Don't worry, I've wandered through some pretty harsh places too. They have a way of teaching people habits."

And at his question at the end she simply nods, "Sure, sounds good."

[Matamune]

Alfar smiles broadly at her reaction to social courtecies:

"Great. I have been away from America for far too long, and after Kite I simply don't know what to expect from people"

He nods to the waiter as he returns with the juice for both him and Triquetra. Alfar gulps down a glass of it and makes sure no one hears them before continuing speaking:

"Well, Sacramento is my home. I grew up here, but got my medical degree in San Francisco. After becoming a doctor I moved to Cape Town to start working as an infectiologist at a hospital providing assistance to the poor. Hard work, but quite fulfilling. The occult grasped my attention at the time as scientific theories seemed... insufficient to explain all the marvels of biology. I got my answers when I awakened as a Shaman and became an apprentice to an Arrow Thyrsus."

Alfar pauses for a moment remembering those times and smiling:

"Hell of a time. Africa is full of places where ancient practicioners hid their knowledge. Lots of Seer attention, lots of combat a good focus for whatever anger one might have bottled up inside."

The Shaman continues with a somewhat apologetic expression:

"I had some anger problems in my youth. Got into fights, beat people up and got beat up myself. Now that I'm older it seems irrelevant, but I still feel like slamming something into someone's face when they really piss me off. Anyway, I completed my apprenticeship and spent quite a bit of time fighting with the Arrows: healing, protecting and kicking ass when it was needed. I decided to erturn home some time ago, got a job at a local hospital and, well, here I am. As far as my skills go, I won't lie to you. First and foremost I'm a healer and fighter. When the latter is conerned, I favor hand-to hand and bows. Special skills: Disciple of Life, Apprentice of Spirit and Initiate of Prime. I have plenty of experience with combat, but I'm not too great in a boardroom. I also posess a fair amount of expertise with the occult. I think that about covers it. I understand that I'm not very qualified, but I'm prepared to learn any skills required to become more adequate."

He goes slightly, awaiting Triquetra's response. As he watches her he cannot help, but notice that the girl was hot. And good-looking. And smart. And with a temper to match. Still, he's not fifteen anymore so he manages not to leer. At least he doesn't need to ask himself what Animus sees in her.

To hell with this, they were both Shaman.

"On a completely unrelated note: I think you are a hell of a woman, Triquetra. I don't know this city very well, but our Path appears strong, with Animus and you. Radiating health and power, and posessing a matching character, that's how Shaman should be. Glad to be a part of it."

[Lesingnon]

"Kite was just...ugh...I've never seen a grown man throw such a fit because he didn't get his way."

And that's apparently all she wants to say about the other Thyrsus. So she sits still for a bit and listens intently to Alfar's accounting of his past. "Ooh...Africa sounds like it was an awesome place. I've never really been out of the country much. But after my awakening I spent a bunch of time just wandering through the Rockies. Life magic made that a lot easier, I guess. But it was just...neat, being some place a bit less civilized. You know?"

"And I wouldn't worry about problems that you had as a kid. I...wasn't exactly a model child either." Something that had very, very nearly cost her a great deal. And undoubtedly would have if she hadn't awoken when she did. "But our awakenings change us, we're all different than we were. But still," she flashes a conspiratorial grin, "I bet the thought of slamming something into Kite's face crossed your mind at least once?" She'd been thinking more along the lines of putting him in his place with a Duel Arcane herself...but the sentiments were probably the same.

"Fighting and medicine are still good skills to have here, this place can still get crazy. I'm decent at hand to hand, I guess. But nothing like Animus. He can just shred people." Literally, when he used those claws of his. He was probably the most dangerous person she'd actually witnessed in a fight. Though there were a few other people she'd met over the years who seemed very dangerous who she hadn't seen fight. If she was lucky it'd stay that way.

After his last statement...well, she just flushed red a bit. Apparently she wasn't quite used to such direct compliments. "Oh...umm, thanks..."

[Matamune]

While Triquetra talks, Alfar slowly eats his soup carefully listening to what she has to say. When she mentions his desire to slam something into Kite he starts to nod, but then nods himself.

“Well, yes and no. A duel would have been more appropriate if it ever came to that. But I’m not too big on escalating conflicts out of proportion.” – he winces as he remembers some of his past mistakes. – “I’ve had my share of meaningless fights. Seers and Banishers are enough, without infighting inside the Pentacle.”

He cocks his head slightly at the mention of awakenings changing people and takes a moment to think about the proposition.

“I awoke late, Triquetra. Perhaps, it seems that way to those who were lucky enough to travel to their Tower at a younger age, but… The Awakening changed my priorities, gave me a new purpose and made me feel complete, but it didn’t really change who I am. Apprenticeship and running with the Arrows did that. It helped smooth the hard edges.”

Or cut them off in some cases…

He cannot help but flash a playful smile at Triquetra when he sees her reaction to the compliment:

“You are welcome. I believe in polite honesty, it’s the way to go for a Shaman, I think.”

The doctor nods slowly at her comment about Animus’s fighting prowess:

“He certainly looks like he can do that. That predatory gleam when he believed you were attacked… I wouldn’t want to cross the man. Still, he seems troubled somehow… But I don’t mean to pry into private matters.”

Having finished his soup he puts the spoon away and asks the question that has been on his mind for some time now:

“So… What exactly will I be expected to do? Ensure that the Consilium’s edicts are carried out? Mediate conflicts? Kick some sense into unobedient Thyrsoi? Uphold the general peace?” – smile fading from his face, he continues – “You understand, I want to pick some skills I don’t have, so I want to know what’s needed.”

[Lesingnon]

"I came about this close to rhrowing down the gauntlet for a duel. When he pretty much called me an idiot for picking you for about the umpteenth time I was getting real sick of him." Her fingers tighten ever so slightly around thefork as she talks about the Libertine. Obviously the mere memory of it still grates on her a bit.

"And I guess it was a bit different for me. It took years for me to join an Order. But when I awakended? I dunno, maybe it was becuase of how old I was, it was right before I graduated high school. So all those worries about going to college, being able to support myself in sleeper society and all that, just like that they all didn't matter. So instead of having to go to college and all that stuff I could just wander around and do what I wanted to."

"And what I want you to do as a Provost...well, learn whatever you think you need to be Councilor someday, I guess. I don't think I'm really cut out to be a good Councilor, and I don't really want to be a Councillor. But I don't want to step down until I'm certain there's another Thyrsus that can handle it. And Animus is Hierarch, Idun doesn't want it, and Kite's...well, you were there too."

[Matamune]

While Triquetra eats, Alfar starts consuming his potatoes and beef. He eats slowly, chewing his food well, taking in the taste. But all the time his eyes are on his Councillor and he listens attentively.

He spends some time thinking about her words when she is finished before replying:

"Yes, wandering around is easy with our talents. We can survive in the desert without any water or food..." - Alfar smiles broadly before continuing - "That's handy, actually. But more to the point: contrary to our free-spirited friend Kite I believe that a good Provost or Councillor should want the job, have common sense and be fair. So I'll try to establish this kind of reputation before anything else. Perhaps, you have some advice regarding skills or Arcana? I'm working on basic psychology and investigation skills right now. I find myself lacking in a conversation... Perhaps some Jedi tricks would be more useful, though."

[Lesingnon]

"Well, I don't really think that should matter. I mean, how good you are with Arcana probably does. I mean, there's always a bit of respect given to Masters, and it helps with Duel Arcanes and all that. But I doubt anyone's going to say you're not fit to be a Councilor because you're an Adept of...I don't know, Prime instead of Mind or Time or something." She shrugs, "I mean, it's not like your Arcana become public knowledge just because you're a Councilor or anything. I've flashed some Adept-level Life stuff, so there are people who probably know I'm really good at that. But I bet most of the Consilium would never be able to guess the one I'm second-best at."