Taliesin

Taliesin ❧ Artifact Tracker

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❝ The only reason I can’t find something, is if it doesn’t exist.❞ Taliesin was a curious hatchling, always poking his snout where it didn't belong. There were so many interesting things to explore in his clan's lair: the weird glowing crystals, the abandoned and broken machinery from years long gone, the caches of items where the children were Not Allowed. Taliesin liked to wander alone where he knew he was Not Allowed. It made the adventure all the more rewarding when he found a small, easily missed knick knack. Bits of broken wires, an interesting rock, the glowing mushroom that smelled like magic. For the last, he had wondered if it tasted like magic too, and what magic really tasted like. He took a small bite of his secret mushroom and instantly regretted it. Everything was instantly so loud and overwhelming. And the worst part was, he couldn't shut any of it out. Few of his clan members were sympathetic to his plight. They called him too curious and troublesome. They were annoyed when he kept asking them to speak softer or when the strong scents around the lair would get to him and he’d feel so nauseous that he’d throw up. They didn’t understand that the migraines were debilitating and it wasn’t laziness that kept him to his bed. Even after he slowly started to adjust to his new, louder, and more invasive world, he still couldn’t find much sympathy. When he tried to tell them that they should speak up because the river was too loud, they wouldn’t be understanding because to them the river barely a murmur. They’d become offended if he covered his nose around them, not understanding that it wasn’t bad just too much. In those days, it was a daily struggle just to get by. As he slowly learned how live with his new, more powerful senses, he stopped having headaches and bouts of nausea. With his head clear he started finally learning what the smells and sounds actually meant. The day everything changed started out drizzly. At the time, he was being talked at by one of his clan members. He hadn’t been interested in hearing what they had to say and had been practicing tuning out voices as well as the deep drum of rain. Then, he heard it. Lub dub. A deep rhythmic beating pulse. Lub dub. It took him a moment to realize that he was hearing this dragon's heartbeat. This was the first time he conceived of these over-tuned senses, not as the bane of his existence, but as a potentially valuable ability if he could just learn to use them. He threw himself into learning what these sounds and smells were with a wild abandon. He embraced the migraines that came with repeatedly beating himself against his own limitation as a consequence that would be worth it in the end. And slowly but surely, he started to gain a reputation as someone who could find anything at all. The clan was highly appreciative of his new ability. They just had to ask Taliesin where their ring or wrench or familiar went and he would find it in minutes. However, he didn’t want to be a finder for this clan who hadn’t stood by him when he needed it. When the Reclamation Bureau agent came calling for recruits, Tali grasped that opportunity in both claws. Training was grueling. The Head of the Reclamation Bureau was known as a harsh but fair leader, and it certainly reflected in the training regimen. With his unique skills, he was fast-tracked to field agent. His first assignment? Track down two thieves who had stolen a dangerous bracer from an excavation site. He followed the sounds on the wind and the smell on the breeze all the way from the coast to the Shifting Emporium.

Basic Info » pronouns - he/him » hatch sign - nature » affiliation - reclamation bureau

Relationships » Fuse - friend » Dragon - relation » Dragon - relation » Dragon - relation

Thundercrack Carnival 2018

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Mayhem at the Mysterious Market ____Event Prize Dragon You arrived to join the festivities just before the sun set, draping the sprawling market in long shadows that never seemed to stay in the same place between one glance and the next. You didn’t know what expect out of the Shifting Emporium, maybe find a good deal on some magical items. Well, you certainly found a magical item, but this very far from a good deal.

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When Soleil's little spark of light landed on another clan at the edge of the Sunbeam Ruins, he couldn't suppress a sigh. Here he was trying to get away from home, to experience the world, and luck kept bringing him back! But his experience with Clan Paladin had turned out to be interesting enough, so away he went, to Scatterspark Outpost.

Gazing around now, he must admit... this is not what he expected. While most of Light territory tends to be broad, open plains and meadows, or sun-dappled woods, the outpost is settled in a canyon, right on the border between the Sunbeam Ruins and the Shifting Expanse. And that's the other thing-- he hadn't even considered the border with Lightning that the clan occupies. All around him, there's a mishmash of magic and technology, of tradition and progress. On one side of the town, there's a handsome library with stained glass windows, depicting scholarly scenes and beautiful flowers. And on the other side, there's a shining radio tower of steel and copper. Lightning spires rise out of the clifftops, catching the crackling energy of the stormclouds that roil through; but there are wide, flat panels, too, soaking up the sunlight that breaks through those stormclouds.

The town center is bustling with activity. There are little shops and stalls selling wares of all kinds, by dragons of all elements. There are even a handful of Beastclan people wandering about: Miths and Longnecks, even a Harpy or two. And though the Brightshine Jubilee may be half over, here in Scatterspark Outpost, the dragons are still jubilant. The marketplace is adorned with banners and strings of lamps, bright even in midday, and music rings out from radios placed here and there. There's so much to see! How can he fit it all into one day's visit?

Best to start at the beginning. There's a banner there, beside the inn, which reads:


The dragon sitting behind the table doesn't look welcoming, though, so much as slightly uncomfortable: a violet Mirror with vividly-streaked red wings, bright orange eyes peering out from beneath his cap. As Soleil approaches, though, he brightens, straightening up. "Hey there! Are you an archaeologist? I could really use-- uh," he catches himself, coughs, and tries again, "I mean, welcome! To our glorious outpost."

He gives Soleil a sheepish grin-- as sheepish as a Mirror with a mouthful of jagged teeth can manage, that is. "Alright, so, I'm not exactly a native. I work for the Reclamation Bureau, hunting down dangerous artifacts. And, well, I'm on the hunt for one right now. It's at the site of a ruined old lair not far from here... but you know how cursed objects can be. Best to go with a friend, right?"

This is not really what Soleil had expected his first real archaeological expedition to entail... but he can't deny that he's a little curious. "Exactly how dangerous is this artifact?" he asks.

"Oh, well, it won't kill you or anything," the Mirror quickly assures him. "Not this one, anyway. It's a magical diadem that makes the wearer really, really beautiful."

"That doesn't sound like much of a curse," says Soleil, doubtfully.

The Mirror scoffs. "Yeah, that's why we need to take it into custody. One of the side effects is extreme vanity... you don't want to see what happens when an irresistibly pretty dragon gets it into their head to start making crazy demands from their poor admirers. That is, if they can stop staring at mirrors long enough to come up with demands."

Soleil pictures it for a moment, then has to admit, "...Okay, yeah. Maybe that is a curse."

"Right!" The Mirror nods. "I just need to pack it in a warded crate, and bring it back to the Bureau. As long as you don't put it on your head, you should be fine. What do you say?"

Sensing Soleil's hesitation, the Mirror quickly adds, "And if you help me with this mission, I'll show you around town, buy you a drink. Or take you to the library, and you can read some safe, cozy books 'til your eyes fall out. I, uh, sort of know my way around." His expression turns a little embarrassed. "I do sort of spend a... few of my off-hours here. And my off-days... It's just a real nice town, okay?"

Soleil can't help but grin at the other dragon's embarrassment. As if there's something wrong with having a place to call home! "Alright. I'll help you with the diadem. But then I want a tour. A good one."

The violet Mirror flashes Soleil a grin in return. "Great! Well, let's get going then! My name's Taliesin, by the way. What's yours?"

Together, Taliesin and Soleil make their way to the ruins of a long-abandoned settlement, a few miles outside of town. Despite his nervousness about the cursed artifact they're looking for, Soleil is excited to explore a real ancient ruin, even one that's been thoroughly picked over by other archaeologists and scavengers. While he and Tali search, there's plenty of opportunity to examine the fallen structures, the worn runes carved on stone, the shards of pottery and scraps of corroded metal half-buried in the dirt. Tali assures him that if he finds anything interesting, he's welcome to keep it (unless it's cursed, of course). Soleil does manage to find a couple of intact arrowheads, some kind of odd, curved metal tool, and several pieces of colorful pottery, which he stashes in his bag to study more thoroughly later.

The two of them spend most of the day digging in the ruined settlement, before Taliesin finally finds the artifact they're after. "Aha! Come on, come help me with this." The Mirror pulls on a pair of thick gloves and dark goggles. Soleil holds the warded container out at arm's length, watching warily as Tali carefully deposits the pretty, innocuous-looking diadem inside.

Once the container is sealed, and the pretty diadem safely locked away, Tali grins up at the Imperial. "Alright! Mission accomplished. Thanks for the help."

"No problem," says Soleil. "This has actually been a pretty interesting mission. I got some good things to examine later, myself. Now... how about that tour?"

Taliesin looks surprised, but only for a moment, before he agrees, "Right! Yeah, definitely. I didn't forget!"

Even as the sky darkens, Scatterspark Outpost is still full of light and activity. Taliesin makes good on his promise, showing the dark Imperial all around the little town. He's introduced to vendors and guards, and even the local mechanic, a personal friend of Tali's. He spends some time perusing the stall run by the leader of the local trading company, and can't help but buy a few interesting trinkets. By the time they make their way to the library, it's already closed for the evening, but Soleil promises himself that he'll visit for a few hours before he leaves again tomorrow. Not only are many of the books illuminated by a local artist, but they also have a small collection of historical artifacts and rare minerals. Soleil can't call himself much of a scholar if he doesn't make time to see that!

As the evening wears on, he comes to like Taliesin quite a bit. The smaller dragon is optimistic and good-humored, and despite his claims of being a career dragon, it's clear that he has a lot of fondness for the outpost and its citizens. Soleil and Taliesin end their evening at the Merry Marzal, where Tali keeps his promise of buying Soleil a drink.

"Hey, it was great hanging out with you today," Tali says, licking droplets of mead from his snout. "And I really do appreciate your help with the diadem. Maybe we'll get to work together again sometime."

"It's no problem," says Soleil, smiling. "I'll help you out again any time."