Curio

Svalg

Hook's Notes: Curio is a pyrotechnician. He makes all the fireworks we use in our various celebrations, and sells a few to other clans as well. He tries to play at the normal life, but everyone suspects him of doing secret rites and rituals. His mate, Calypso, is a psychic, and no one's really convinced that he's without magic, when she has so much. He creeps everyone out. He's always got weird face paint going on, which some of the hatchlings have asked about, and he's offered to paint them up too but their parents always whisk them away and serve him looks. He's from Light originally, but moved here to us from Shadow. How does one move from Light to Shadow? Everyone seems to think they'd rather not know. I've never seen anyone talk to Curio if they can help it, and everyone hates that Gloomwillow Guide that flutters around after him everywhere. They say he loves the Shadow too much. Some (Scarlett being of them) even dare to whisper that he communes with the Shade. I asked Four about it once; he humphed and said that if anyone around here was communing with the Shade, we would know about it. And between the psychics and the priestesses and priests, we'd probably know before. "Don't let them fill you head with stories, child," he'd said, more softly than he'd said the rest of it. "And don't let Curio convince you that he's more important than he is. That's his joke. He plays it on everyone. And he finds it endlessly amusing." Amusing enough to never break from it, not even once? I don't know. I think, if it is an act, Curio's been playing it long enough that he probably thinks that it's real.

Biography:
Curio is actually as mysterious as everyone thinks he is, though in different ways. He doesn't talk to the Shade, he talks to ghosts.

He's a Walker; that is, someone who can cross in and out of the spirit realm. It's easiest on Solstices and other special days, but if his mate and her fellow psychics really need some intel, he can actually come and go as he wills. It's just that one special days, it's effortless, and on other days, it's pretty tiring. Sometimes, relaying messages isn't enough. Sometimes, the psychics want to be the ones who do the talking with the ghost. This is especially draining, since he first has to convince the ghost to come with him, and then has to hold the Veil open while they have their chat, and then when they're done, escort the ghost back. He usually shuts himself up in his workshop for a few days after that, and is very grumpy (and endlessly hungry. And can't seem to get warm.) So they don't ask that of him very often.

When Curio was younger, his gift used to scare him. He grew up in Light, and he knew the magic he was gifted with was considered dark. He was also afraid that one day he would loose his way in the Spirit realm, and never find his way back out. When he was an adolescent, he ran away into the night, without ever telling anyone from his family about his gift or where he was going. He ran to the place where he knew his magic was honored and where there would be other dragons like him, who would be able to help him. To teach him how best to use it, the things not to do, how to not get lost.

But the Tangled Wood was so different from home; everyone was always lying, and he could never tell, having grown up with nothing but honesty, and so many of the dragons that he went to for advice tried to trick him and use him. He was just about to give up and move someplace else (if he could ever find his way out. Could he find his way out? The Wood was almost as bad as the spirit realm. Everything was a maze... Water has lots of magic users, doesn't it? Maybe he could go there...), but then he met Calypso.

Calypso knew her place in the world. She was sure of herself, and of her magic. She jested and flirted, but felt sorry for him when he couldn't keep up. She taught him the culture. She brought him to teachers that she trusted. She helped him learn the dark runes that the books that he wanted to read were written in. He found his place, he remembered who he was, he learned how to be a trickster, like the rest of them. He painted his face and lied through his teeth and loved Calypso.

And then they traveled the world. Calypso wanted to see magic in it's every environment. Curio wanted to read from more libraries. So they traveled, working their way into clans, and then working their way back out when things got boring. They had children, and sent them to the deities, so that they'd have a place. Have a culture they'd never have to relearn. Never be scorned for being the children of traveling, shadowy, magic users. They always extolled the virtues of exaltation, which was easy, because respect for the deities was always something they and their home clans had in common. Their children didn't have to try to compare what they learned at home to what they learned in their clan schools, because it was the same.

One child though, was uninterested in deity service. Danii. The lover and the thinker. They raised her in Wind, but she was never of the wind. She was too practical. She wasn't even interested in her parents' magic; she just wanted to live a life. To walk the earth. To travel, like they did.

So that's what she did. They had an agreement. They would meet back in Shadow, for Calypso's Grandfather's 500th birthday. It was a year away. Curio and Calypso had been planning on making their way back soon anyway; they'd lived pretty much everywhere that there was to live.

When they met back up in Shadow, Calypso found herself immediately wrapped back into family politics that she didn't want to be a part of. Finally a friend asked, "would you come help our clan? We're in desperate need of a psychic." Calypso said yes, relieved. Danii went with them, thought they tried to convince her to serve Shadow Mother. "You've traveled the world, my dear, what more is there to see?" "You two keep living life here on the ground, why shouldn't I?" She didn't stay long. She was pining for a lover, and left in search of one. And despite Calypso's insights, the clan eventually fell apart. "Well, that's done, and was seen coming," Calypso had said briskly. "Now, let's go visit our daughter." Curio agreed.

Which is how they've ended up here. And soon, they will have grandchildren, and then they know full well that they will not be able to bring themselves to leave.

They don't mind. They've seen the world. They've still got spiritual ones to explore. They're not as young as they used to be.

Might as well settle down for a century.