Niuttuc's Characters

[niuttuc-characters]

A story of stories

The library at the ancestral academy of Minamo wasn’t exactly open to the public, but rarely refused to let in people that wished to consult its scrolls in good faith - and subject themselves to the library’s securities. Vaalin had heard from another planeswalker that the academy wasn’t only a place of Kamigawan knowledge, but that through exchanges with planeswalkers also unknowingly contained lore from other worlds, under the cover of fictional stories.

Such a concentration of research and otherworldly knowledge was rare throughout the Multiverse, and even if it had taken him longer than it might have seemed to find some of the texts he was the most interested in, he’d managed to do so, and was now sitting at one of the numerous dimly-lit desks, a scroll unrolled in front of him.

@thetalesofthereneverwood

[thetalesofthereneverwood]

Theren has been on Ravnica for months now, minus the few jaunts to Theros to check in with his family. The urge to wander was itching from his spark, and could feel it as he walked down the fire colored avenues of trees that filled Precinct Three. I need to go somewhere new, he thought. Somewhere I haven’t been before. But where to find that, hmmm…. perhaps I’ll go to the library of Minamo on Kamigawa, Tamiyo has told me she has had some of her tales that she wrote stored there.

He began to hum the music he heard at Tamiyo’s house and as he walked down an alley, the music envolped him and he found himself at the library’s front doors as he finished humming the tune.

[niuttuc-characters]

The scrollkeeper at the entrance of the library had a stern face, but after looking Theren over to ensure no fire got on the grounds, let him in.

Inside, Vaalin was buried between two piles of scrolls, only briefly unrolling each from the one on his left before committing it to the other pile.

[thetalesofthereneverwood]

Theren walked in and his eyes widened at the amount of scrolls that the library had. As he began to walk in, he noticed the person buried under the scrolls and noticed he looked unusual for the typical Kamigawan so he decided investigate who they were. He walked up to the person and said, “Hello, just out of curiosity, do you know of any scrolls here that are fiction writing about different magical worlds?” As he said that he smiled and winked, hoping the person realized that he was trying to see if he was a planeswalker.

[niuttuc-characters]

Vaalin gave the newcomer a glance, and made a sign to talk quieter, before diving in the pile on his left and picking out six scrolls among the rest. “I am reasonably certain those are fictional,” he whispered in response.

[thetalesofthereneverwood]

Theren nodded his head as a thank you and quietly said, “I’m Theren Everwood, a bard who is enthralled by different magical worlds that are certainly fictional,” winking at the end.

[niuttuc-characters]

“Then you should find what you want in those. Their stories are a little too improbable to be real. I’m Vaalin. I’ll let you see for yourself. Certainly good material to recount and entertain.”

[thetalesofthereneverwood]

Theren bowed in greeting and in gratitude. “Thank you Vaalin. May I ask, was there a world that you seemed to enjoy the most?,” Theren enquired.

[niuttuc-characters]

"In these stories? Hmmm, there was an amusing parable on this one, " he tapped one of the scrolls he'd given to Theren, "about cows and magical beans. But I'll let you read it for yourself."

[niuttuc-characters]

A story of stories

The library at the ancestral academy of Minamo wasn’t exactly open to the public, but rarely refused to let in people that wished to consult its scrolls in good faith - and subject themselves to the library’s securities. Vaalin had heard from another planeswalker that the academy wasn’t only a place of Kamigawan knowledge, but that through exchanges with planeswalkers also unknowingly contained lore from other worlds, under the cover of fictional stories.

Such a concentration of research and otherworldly knowledge was rare throughout the Multiverse, and even if it had taken him longer than it might have seemed to find some of the texts he was the most interested in, he’d managed to do so, and was now sitting at one of the numerous dimly-lit desks, a scroll unrolled in front of him.

@thetalesofthereneverwood

[thetalesofthereneverwood]

Theren has been on Ravnica for months now, minus the few jaunts to Theros to check in with his family. The urge to wander was itching from his spark, and could feel it as he walked down the fire colored avenues of trees that filled Precinct Three. I need to go somewhere new, he thought. Somewhere I haven’t been before. But where to find that, hmmm…. perhaps I’ll go to the library of Minamo on Kamigawa, Tamiyo has told me she has had some of her tales that she wrote stored there.

He began to hum the music he heard at Tamiyo’s house and as he walked down an alley, the music envolped him and he found himself at the library’s front doors as he finished humming the tune.

[niuttuc-characters]

The scrollkeeper at the entrance of the library had a stern face, but after looking Theren over to ensure no fire got on the grounds, let him in.

Inside, Vaalin was buried between two piles of scrolls, only briefly unrolling each from the one on his left before committing it to the other pile.

[thetalesofthereneverwood]

Theren walked in and his eyes widened at the amount of scrolls that the library had. As he began to walk in, he noticed the person buried under the scrolls and noticed he looked unusual for the typical Kamigawan so he decided investigate who they were. He walked up to the person and said, “Hello, just out of curiosity, do you know of any scrolls here that are fiction writing about different magical worlds?” As he said that he smiled and winked, hoping the person realized that he was trying to see if he was a planeswalker.

[niuttuc-characters]

Vaalin gave the newcomer a glance, and made a sign to talk quieter, before diving in the pile on his left and picking out six scrolls among the rest. “I am reasonably certain those are fictional,” he whispered in response.

[thetalesofthereneverwood]

Theren nodded his head as a thank you and quietly said, “I’m Theren Everwood, a bard who is enthralled by different magical worlds that are certainly fictional,” winking at the end.

[niuttuc-characters]

"Then you should find what you want in those. Their stories are a little too improbable to be real. I'm Vaalin. I'll let you see for yourself. Certainly good material to recount and entertain."

[niuttuc-characters]

A story of stories

The library at the ancestral academy of Minamo wasn’t exactly open to the public, but rarely refused to let in people that wished to consult its scrolls in good faith - and subject themselves to the library’s securities. Vaalin had heard from another planeswalker that the academy wasn’t only a place of Kamigawan knowledge, but that through exchanges with planeswalkers also unknowingly contained lore from other worlds, under the cover of fictional stories.

Such a concentration of research and otherworldly knowledge was rare throughout the Multiverse, and even if it had taken him longer than it might have seemed to find some of the texts he was the most interested in, he’d managed to do so, and was now sitting at one of the numerous dimly-lit desks, a scroll unrolled in front of him.

@thetalesofthereneverwood

[thetalesofthereneverwood]

Theren has been on Ravnica for months now, minus the few jaunts to Theros to check in with his family. The urge to wander was itching from his spark, and could feel it as he walked down the fire colored avenues of trees that filled Precinct Three. I need to go somewhere new, he thought. Somewhere I haven’t been before. But where to find that, hmmm…. perhaps I’ll go to the library of Minamo on Kamigawa, Tamiyo has told me she has had some of her tales that she wrote stored there.

He began to hum the music he heard at Tamiyo’s house and as he walked down an alley, the music envolped him and he found himself at the library’s front doors as he finished humming the tune.

[niuttuc-characters]

The scrollkeeper at the entrance of the library had a stern face, but after looking Theren over to ensure no fire got on the grounds, let him in.

Inside, Vaalin was buried between two piles of scrolls, only briefly unrolling each from the one on his left before committing it to the other pile.

[thetalesofthereneverwood]

Theren walked in and his eyes widened at the amount of scrolls that the library had. As he began to walk in, he noticed the person buried under the scrolls and noticed he looked unusual for the typical Kamigawan so he decided investigate who they were. He walked up to the person and said, “Hello, just out of curiosity, do you know of any scrolls here that are fiction writing about different magical worlds?” As he said that he smiled and winked, hoping the person realized that he was trying to see if he was a planeswalker.

[niuttuc-characters]

Vaalin gave the newcomer a glance, and made a sign to talk quieter, before diving in the pile on his left and picking out six scrolls among the rest. "I am reasonably certain those are fictional," he whispered in response.

[niuttuc-characters]

A story of stories

The library at the ancestral academy of Minamo wasn’t exactly open to the public, but rarely refused to let in people that wished to consult its scrolls in good faith - and subject themselves to the library’s securities. Vaalin had heard from another planeswalker that the academy wasn’t only a place of Kamigawan knowledge, but that through exchanges with planeswalkers also unknowingly contained lore from other worlds, under the cover of fictional stories.

Such a concentration of research and otherworldly knowledge was rare throughout the Multiverse, and even if it had taken him longer than it might have seemed to find some of the texts he was the most interested in, he’d managed to do so, and was now sitting at one of the numerous dimly-lit desks, a scroll unrolled in front of him.

@thetalesofthereneverwood

[thetalesofthereneverwood]

Theren has been on Ravnica for months now, minus the few jaunts to Theros to check in with his family. The urge to wander was itching from his spark, and could feel it as he walked down the fire colored avenues of trees that filled Precinct Three. I need to go somewhere new, he thought. Somewhere I haven’t been before. But where to find that, hmmm…. perhaps I’ll go to the library of Minamo on Kamigawa, Tamiyo has told me she has had some of her tales that she wrote stored there.

He began to hum the music he heard at Tamiyo’s house and as he walked down an alley, the music envolped him and he found himself at the library’s front doors as he finished humming the tune.

[niuttuc-characters]

The scrollkeeper at the entrance of the library had a stern face, but after looking Theren over to ensure no fire got on the grounds, let him in.

Inside, Vaalin was buried between two piles of scrolls, only briefly unrolling each from the one on his left before committing it to the other pile.

[niuttuc-characters]

A story of stories

The library at the ancestral academy of Minamo wasn’t exactly open to the public, but rarely refused to let in people that wished to consult its scrolls in good faith - and subject themselves to the library’s securities. Vaalin had heard from another planeswalker that the academy wasn’t only a place of Kamigawan knowledge, but that through exchanges with planeswalkers also unknowingly contained lore from other worlds, under the cover of fictional stories.

Such a concentration of research and otherworldly knowledge was rare throughout the Multiverse, and even if it had taken him longer than it might have seemed to find some of the texts he was the most interested in, he’d managed to do so, and was now sitting at one of the numerous dimly-lit desks, a scroll unrolled in front of him.

@thetalesofthereneverwood

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

niuttuc-s-other-ocs‌:

journal-of-the-dreamwalker

Cylea turns pensive.  “Huh….  Spontaneous abiogenesis.”  She looks up at Baheel.  “Fascinatin’.” she says with genuine curiosity.

“Abio-what? I’m not fascinating, I am me. And your meal will be ready soon.”

“I’ mean y’ain’t bo’n, ya created.  And ain’t it a complimen’ t’ be attention grabbin’?”

[niuttuc-characters]

"It can be... But it's apparently not me that's grabbing your attention."

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

Shortly after my visit to Kaladesh, I alerted Cylea to the plane.  Only recently, though, did she find the time to visit.  Her first impressions surpassed the expectations I had set for her.

She marveled at the glistening structures and intricate filigree so much that she didn’t notice the people around her giving her weird looks.  As a Cheumon (mongoose-folk native to Yirridia), Cylea was as alien a sight on Kaladesh as a leonin.  Once she started getting hungry, however, her attention snapped to finding a place to eat.

After a few more streets of searching and finally getting directions from the bewildered Kaladeshi she tried to ask, Cylea found a small little restaurant run by what the locals called an “aetherborn”.  Cylea found the term a tad bizarre given what she know about magical constructs, but chalked it up to planar slang as she entered the building.

[niuttuc-characters]

journal-of-the-dreamwalker

Cylea turns pensive.  “Huh….  Spontaneous abiogenesis.”  She looks up at Baheel.  “Fascinatin’.” she says with genuine curiosity.

“Abio-what? I’m not fascinating, I am me. And your meal will be ready soon.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

Shortly after my visit to Kaladesh, I alerted Cylea to the plane.  Only recently, though, did she find the time to visit.  Her first impressions surpassed the expectations I had set for her.

She marveled at the glistening structures and intricate filigree so much that she didn’t notice the people around her giving her weird looks.  As a Cheumon (mongoose-folk native to Yirridia), Cylea was as alien a sight on Kaladesh as a leonin.  Once she started getting hungry, however, her attention snapped to finding a place to eat.

After a few more streets of searching and finally getting directions from the bewildered Kaladeshi she tried to ask, Cylea found a small little restaurant run by what the locals called an “aetherborn”.  Cylea found the term a tad bizarre given what she know about magical constructs, but chalked it up to planar slang as she entered the building.

[niuttuc-characters]

The room she entered seemed to encompass the whole of the establishment. A few tables surrounded a square counter against a wall, its edge softened by metal filigree. Inside the counter was a few tools and aether-powered devices, constituting the kitchen, allowing it to see and be seen from the tables. Inside the kitchen was a moving silhouette, black and seemingly rocky, with blue light and fumes coming out from holes in their head.

When they heard the door open, they stopped what they were doing and looked in that direction. “Oh? Hello?”

When they saw the being pushing it, they were surprised to say the least.

“Is this some sort of prank?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Uh, not y’ too!” Cylea exclaimed; whipping her head up in frustration.  “I keep tellin’ all ya’ll ‘I ain’t no freak.’”  She put her hands on her hips.  “I’m folk jus’ like ya; strange as y’are.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, you talk!” the aetherborn left the kitchen through and opening on the side. “Sorry, but I’ve never even heard of people like you! Come sit, come sit! Where are you coming from? What can I do for you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea ignored the blatant insult.  “Well,” she began as she moved to one of the empty seats nearest the counter, “obvious I ain’t no city folk; why, I don’t even think I ever seen a place this green otha than Jukai, let alone buildings this shiny.”  After she sat down, she continued, “Whe’e I’m from all we got is sand, ruins, sand, broken down vehicles, and mo’ sand.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh my, well, you definitely have the accent!” She made sure the visitor sat at one of the chairs made for dwarf customers’ comfort. “So, what are you doing in my restaurant? Want something to eat?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I know my drawl can be a bit thick it times, think no’in’ of it.  As for food:” Cylea emphasizes those last three words individually “Wha’ y’ got fo’ a feisty little ca’nuh vore like me?”  She point s to herself with her thumb.

[niuttuc-characters]

“Alright, soooooo, I’ve got some Ibex neck recipes that I’ve been wanting to try and I just got the meat for that! If you’d prefer though, I think I still got one or two eels I could cook you up, or…” They paused in time to go through their small inventory. “I could check, I should have a small bird or two that are just waiting for my touch to make them delicious.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oooo! Now tha’ sounds mighty fine.  I could go fo’ some pheasant righ’ now.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Ah, nearly the same thing, some peafowl! You’re alright with cream?”

Without waiting for an answer, she went back in her “kitchen” and started to turn on some devices, lighting a small fire here, moving the blades of a knife there… She opened a door on the other side of the counter and picked out two pieces of white meat, that she proceeded to cut with the knife after putting a large pan to warm up.

“So, while I prepare you that, why don’t you tell me more about you? How did you end up here, Miss…?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I’m mo’ int’rested in you!  Y’ain’t like no’in’ I never seen befo’.  They call y’ Aetha’bo’n?”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I can say the same about you! Well, not the aetherborn part, probably. And I’m cooking.”

The mechanized knife seemed to make quick work of the meat, and she quickly was able to put large dices of it into the pan.

“But if you want to know, I am an aetherborn indeed. It’s easy, it’s all in the name. Aether. Born. You really haven’t met any one of us on your way here?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Nah.  Maybe out o’the corner o’ eye, but never up close.  How does that happen?  Bein’ bo’n o’ aetha’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“When they refine the thing, mainly. There’s a lot of bits and pieces that aren’t useful to power whatever invention the people in this city come up with.”

She went to a shelf and started picking out the spices she wanted to use, put them in the counter, then shuffled around the peafowl in the fan.

“So, why come to Ghirapur?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Friend o’ mine recommended th’ place; said i’d be wondaful.  The’e expectation did not live up t’ th’ real thin’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She touched around the heating device, and added some of the spices she put out to the mix.

“Well, that’s what people say. I never left the city even with the revolt.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I heard ‘bout tha’ too; not like I ain’t seen worse.  Worse mai ev’y day.”  She pauses as she watch’s the aetherborn cook.  Quirking an eyebrow, she asks, “Again: I ain’t city-folk, so I ain’t use t’ all-y’all’s fine dinin’.  So do ek-scuse me if-in this rude, but ‘how lon’ this norm’ly take?’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, I’ll let this cook for some… twenty minutes now. It’s mostly a matter of spices from now on… And of not letting things burn.”

She covered the pan.

“But it’s interesting, I haven’t heard of anything worse than the revolt recently. I mean, there’s been some troubles around, but nothing like that? What happened to you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What hasn’t happened; Darlin’?  Like I said, ‘Ain’t seen no place this green or shine-eh; jus’ endless sand and the occasional ruined remains of civilization propa.’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Where did the sand come from? What does it look like?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What does sand look like?  Mai, mai; I’ve neva meet a soul who ain’t seen sand befo’.  It’s all those tiny little rocks and grit y’ can barely see.  It’s co’se, and ruff, and irritating, and it gets ev’ywhe’e.  I’d hate th’ stuff if-in it wasn’t so familia’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I’ve seen sand!” She pointed to a small hourglass in her kitchen. “But I never saw it, like, all over. How do you call it… A beach?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea stifle laugh, causing it to come out as an abourted snort of sort.  “Darlin’; a beach requires wata!  An’ beach sand is mighty-bit different from dese’t sand.  Though; I guessin’ i’d be jus’ as paw-scorchin’ hot eitha way.  Mo’ so, i’ bein’ so drai.”

[niuttuc-characters]

A flutter a blue light passed through the aetherborn’s face, before a word reminded her of something. “Right! Water! Drinking! What do you want to drink? Doesn’t have to be water!” She turned to leave her kitchen and come serve her client properly. Then hesitated, turned back to add some more spices to the cooking meal, then left. “Sorry! I generally don’t forget things like that but you surprised me.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oh, mai!  Well, no wonda this place is so vibrant, if y’ can give away wata like tha’.”  Cylea pulls a canteen off her belt.  “But the’e ain’t no need; I wouldn’t be he’e now if-in I didn’t carry mai own.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Uh? It’s just water… But maybe I could serve you a white wine with your peafowl?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea contemplates for a moment; her hand-like paw on her chin.  After a moment she looks back up.  “Tha’s fermented fruit, righ’?  Heard th’ stuff messes with y’ head; impa’s y’r judgement.  Maybe if I have no plans fo’ th’ next few days, but I do; sorry t’ say.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It does that to people who drink yes… But I’ve seen lot of people do it and be happy with it! Can’t be all that bad! Otherwise… I have some mango juice…”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Now tha’ sounds deligh’fully exotic!”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Exotic? Not really…” She went to a device, and took a small jug from it, coming back with it and a glass, that she put down on the table before her client. “It’s just mango juice.” The jug was way colder than anything around it, apparently, the juice had been kept cold by the device it was in.

She then went back to her kitchen once again to check on her cooking.

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Ain’t it fruit?  Fruit don’t grow in th’ dese’t.”  She takes a drink from the glass.  “Th’ stuff tas’ wondaful, though.”  While Baheel is focused on their cooking, Cylea pulls a stone loop from her belt pouch and looked at the aetherborn through it, seeing not the interaction with light, but with magic.  Removing the stone from her eye, she asks, “Musta done a po’ job cobblin’ y’ t’getha; ya practic’ly fallin’ apa’t.”

[niuttuc-characters]

She interrupted her cooking to look at her guest, not knowing if she should be insulted by the comment or not. “What?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I can see th’ magic holdin’ y’ t’getha barely ain’t, darlin’, and even tha’s dwindlin’ as we speak; clearly whoeva did made y’ didn’t ca’e ‘bout ya survival.  Scaly git if-in y’ask me.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Nobody made me! And I’m not dwindling, I’m living. Aren’t you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Clyea smirks; “Glad y’ain’t one o’ them ‘we live only t’ die’/‘life izza death-sentence’-folk, but did-incha say they use th’ left ova’s from purifai-in’ aetha t’ pucha t’getha?”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Nobody ‘Put me together’! They refined aether and I became me!”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea grimaces.  “Well, y’ defin’ly makin’ th’ best o’ ya sitchiation regardless.”  She looks away.  “Guessin’ now ain’t th’ best time t’ ask how tha’ happens, ain’t i’?”

[niuttuc-characters]

"How what happens? It's the Aether cycle. That's how it works." Opening back up the device she had took the juice from, she picked something and, with a spoon, took a white paste out of it and added it to her cooking.

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

Shortly after my visit to Kaladesh, I alerted Cylea to the plane.  Only recently, though, did she find the time to visit.  Her first impressions surpassed the expectations I had set for her.

She marveled at the glistening structures and intricate filigree so much that she didn’t notice the people around her giving her weird looks.  As a Cheumon (mongoose-folk native to Yirridia), Cylea was as alien a sight on Kaladesh as a leonin.  Once she started getting hungry, however, her attention snapped to finding a place to eat.

After a few more streets of searching and finally getting directions from the bewildered Kaladeshi she tried to ask, Cylea found a small little restaurant run by what the locals called an “aetherborn”.  Cylea found the term a tad bizarre given what she know about magical constructs, but chalked it up to planar slang as she entered the building.

[niuttuc-characters]

The room she entered seemed to encompass the whole of the establishment. A few tables surrounded a square counter against a wall, its edge softened by metal filigree. Inside the counter was a few tools and aether-powered devices, constituting the kitchen, allowing it to see and be seen from the tables. Inside the kitchen was a moving silhouette, black and seemingly rocky, with blue light and fumes coming out from holes in their head.

When they heard the door open, they stopped what they were doing and looked in that direction. “Oh? Hello?”

When they saw the being pushing it, they were surprised to say the least.

“Is this some sort of prank?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Uh, not y’ too!” Cylea exclaimed; whipping her head up in frustration.  “I keep tellin’ all ya’ll ‘I ain’t no freak.’”  She put her hands on her hips.  “I’m folk jus’ like ya; strange as y’are.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, you talk!” the aetherborn left the kitchen through and opening on the side. “Sorry, but I’ve never even heard of people like you! Come sit, come sit! Where are you coming from? What can I do for you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea ignored the blatant insult.  “Well,” she began as she moved to one of the empty seats nearest the counter, “obvious I ain’t no city folk; why, I don’t even think I ever seen a place this green otha than Jukai, let alone buildings this shiny.”  After she sat down, she continued, “Whe’e I’m from all we got is sand, ruins, sand, broken down vehicles, and mo’ sand.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh my, well, you definitely have the accent!” She made sure the visitor sat at one of the chairs made for dwarf customers’ comfort. “So, what are you doing in my restaurant? Want something to eat?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I know my drawl can be a bit thick it times, think no’in’ of it.  As for food:” Cylea emphasizes those last three words individually “Wha’ y’ got fo’ a feisty little ca’nuh vore like me?”  She point s to herself with her thumb.

[niuttuc-characters]

“Alright, soooooo, I’ve got some Ibex neck recipes that I’ve been wanting to try and I just got the meat for that! If you’d prefer though, I think I still got one or two eels I could cook you up, or…” They paused in time to go through their small inventory. “I could check, I should have a small bird or two that are just waiting for my touch to make them delicious.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oooo! Now tha’ sounds mighty fine.  I could go fo’ some pheasant righ’ now.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Ah, nearly the same thing, some peafowl! You’re alright with cream?”

Without waiting for an answer, she went back in her “kitchen” and started to turn on some devices, lighting a small fire here, moving the blades of a knife there… She opened a door on the other side of the counter and picked out two pieces of white meat, that she proceeded to cut with the knife after putting a large pan to warm up.

“So, while I prepare you that, why don’t you tell me more about you? How did you end up here, Miss…?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I’m mo’ int’rested in you!  Y’ain’t like no’in’ I never seen befo’.  They call y’ Aetha’bo’n?”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I can say the same about you! Well, not the aetherborn part, probably. And I’m cooking.”

The mechanized knife seemed to make quick work of the meat, and she quickly was able to put large dices of it into the pan.

“But if you want to know, I am an aetherborn indeed. It’s easy, it’s all in the name. Aether. Born. You really haven’t met any one of us on your way here?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Nah.  Maybe out o’the corner o’ eye, but never up close.  How does that happen?  Bein’ bo’n o’ aetha’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“When they refine the thing, mainly. There’s a lot of bits and pieces that aren’t useful to power whatever invention the people in this city come up with.”

She went to a shelf and started picking out the spices she wanted to use, put them in the counter, then shuffled around the peafowl in the fan.

“So, why come to Ghirapur?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Friend o’ mine recommended th’ place; said i’d be wondaful.  The’e expectation did not live up t’ th’ real thin’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She touched around the heating device, and added some of the spices she put out to the mix.

“Well, that’s what people say. I never left the city even with the revolt.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I heard ‘bout tha’ too; not like I ain’t seen worse.  Worse mai ev’y day.”  She pauses as she watch’s the aetherborn cook.  Quirking an eyebrow, she asks, “Again: I ain’t city-folk, so I ain’t use t’ all-y’all’s fine dinin’.  So do ek-scuse me if-in this rude, but ‘how lon’ this norm’ly take?’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, I’ll let this cook for some… twenty minutes now. It’s mostly a matter of spices from now on… And of not letting things burn.”

She covered the pan.

“But it’s interesting, I haven’t heard of anything worse than the revolt recently. I mean, there’s been some troubles around, but nothing like that? What happened to you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What hasn’t happened; Darlin’?  Like I said, ‘Ain’t seen no place this green or shine-eh; jus’ endless sand and the occasional ruined remains of civilization propa.’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Where did the sand come from? What does it look like?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What does sand look like?  Mai, mai; I’ve neva meet a soul who ain’t seen sand befo’.  It’s all those tiny little rocks and grit y’ can barely see.  It’s co’se, and ruff, and irritating, and it gets ev’ywhe’e.  I’d hate th’ stuff if-in it wasn’t so familia’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I’ve seen sand!” She pointed to a small hourglass in her kitchen. “But I never saw it, like, all over. How do you call it… A beach?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea stifle laugh, causing it to come out as an abourted snort of sort.  “Darlin’; a beach requires wata!  An’ beach sand is mighty-bit different from dese’t sand.  Though; I guessin’ i’d be jus’ as paw-scorchin’ hot eitha way.  Mo’ so, i’ bein’ so drai.”

[niuttuc-characters]

A flutter a blue light passed through the aetherborn’s face, before a word reminded her of something. “Right! Water! Drinking! What do you want to drink? Doesn’t have to be water!” She turned to leave her kitchen and come serve her client properly. Then hesitated, turned back to add some more spices to the cooking meal, then left. “Sorry! I generally don’t forget things like that but you surprised me.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oh, mai!  Well, no wonda this place is so vibrant, if y’ can give away wata like tha’.”  Cylea pulls a canteen off her belt.  “But the’e ain’t no need; I wouldn’t be he’e now if-in I didn’t carry mai own.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Uh? It’s just water… But maybe I could serve you a white wine with your peafowl?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea contemplates for a moment; her hand-like paw on her chin.  After a moment she looks back up.  “Tha’s fermented fruit, righ’?  Heard th’ stuff messes with y’ head; impa’s y’r judgement.  Maybe if I have no plans fo’ th’ next few days, but I do; sorry t’ say.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It does that to people who drink yes… But I’ve seen lot of people do it and be happy with it! Can’t be all that bad! Otherwise… I have some mango juice…”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Now tha’ sounds deligh’fully exotic!”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Exotic? Not really…” She went to a device, and took a small jug from it, coming back with it and a glass, that she put down on the table before her client. “It’s just mango juice.” The jug was way colder than anything around it, apparently, the juice had been kept cold by the device it was in.

She then went back to her kitchen once again to check on her cooking.

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Ain’t it fruit?  Fruit don’t grow in th’ dese’t.”  She takes a drink from the glass.  “Th’ stuff tas’ wondaful, though.”  While Baheel is focused on their cooking, Cylea pulls a stone loop from her belt pouch and looked at the aetherborn through it, seeing not the interaction with light, but with magic.  Removing the stone from her eye, she asks, “Musta done a po’ job cobblin’ y’ t’getha; ya practic’ly fallin’ apa’t.”

[niuttuc-characters]

She interrupted her cooking to look at her guest, not knowing if she should be insulted by the comment or not. “What?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I can see th’ magic holdin’ y’ t’getha barely ain’t, darlin’, and even tha’s dwindlin’ as we speak; clearly whoeva did made y’ didn’t ca’e ‘bout ya survival.  Scaly git if-in y’ask me.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Nobody made me! And I’m not dwindling, I’m living. Aren’t you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Clyea smirks; “Glad y’ain’t one o’ them ‘we live only t’ die’/‘life izza death-sentence’-folk, but did-incha say they use th’ left ova’s from purifai-in’ aetha t’ pucha t’getha?”

[niuttuc-characters]

"Nobody 'Put me together'! They refined aether and I became me!"

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

Shortly after my visit to Kaladesh, I alerted Cylea to the plane.  Only recently, though, did she find the time to visit.  Her first impressions surpassed the expectations I had set for her.

She marveled at the glistening structures and intricate filigree so much that she didn’t notice the people around her giving her weird looks.  As a Cheumon (mongoose-folk native to Yirridia), Cylea was as alien a sight on Kaladesh as a leonin.  Once she started getting hungry, however, her attention snapped to finding a place to eat.

After a few more streets of searching and finally getting directions from the bewildered Kaladeshi she tried to ask, Cylea found a small little restaurant run by what the locals called an “aetherborn”.  Cylea found the term a tad bizarre given what she know about magical constructs, but chalked it up to planar slang as she entered the building.

[niuttuc-characters]

The room she entered seemed to encompass the whole of the establishment. A few tables surrounded a square counter against a wall, its edge softened by metal filigree. Inside the counter was a few tools and aether-powered devices, constituting the kitchen, allowing it to see and be seen from the tables. Inside the kitchen was a moving silhouette, black and seemingly rocky, with blue light and fumes coming out from holes in their head.

When they heard the door open, they stopped what they were doing and looked in that direction. “Oh? Hello?”

When they saw the being pushing it, they were surprised to say the least.

“Is this some sort of prank?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Uh, not y’ too!” Cylea exclaimed; whipping her head up in frustration.  “I keep tellin’ all ya’ll ‘I ain’t no freak.’”  She put her hands on her hips.  “I’m folk jus’ like ya; strange as y’are.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, you talk!” the aetherborn left the kitchen through and opening on the side. “Sorry, but I’ve never even heard of people like you! Come sit, come sit! Where are you coming from? What can I do for you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea ignored the blatant insult.  “Well,” she began as she moved to one of the empty seats nearest the counter, “obvious I ain’t no city folk; why, I don’t even think I ever seen a place this green otha than Jukai, let alone buildings this shiny.”  After she sat down, she continued, “Whe’e I’m from all we got is sand, ruins, sand, broken down vehicles, and mo’ sand.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh my, well, you definitely have the accent!” She made sure the visitor sat at one of the chairs made for dwarf customers’ comfort. “So, what are you doing in my restaurant? Want something to eat?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I know my drawl can be a bit thick it times, think no’in’ of it.  As for food:” Cylea emphasizes those last three words individually “Wha’ y’ got fo’ a feisty little ca’nuh vore like me?”  She point s to herself with her thumb.

[niuttuc-characters]

“Alright, soooooo, I’ve got some Ibex neck recipes that I’ve been wanting to try and I just got the meat for that! If you’d prefer though, I think I still got one or two eels I could cook you up, or…” They paused in time to go through their small inventory. “I could check, I should have a small bird or two that are just waiting for my touch to make them delicious.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oooo! Now tha’ sounds mighty fine.  I could go fo’ some pheasant righ’ now.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Ah, nearly the same thing, some peafowl! You’re alright with cream?”

Without waiting for an answer, she went back in her “kitchen” and started to turn on some devices, lighting a small fire here, moving the blades of a knife there… She opened a door on the other side of the counter and picked out two pieces of white meat, that she proceeded to cut with the knife after putting a large pan to warm up.

“So, while I prepare you that, why don’t you tell me more about you? How did you end up here, Miss…?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I’m mo’ int’rested in you!  Y’ain’t like no’in’ I never seen befo’.  They call y’ Aetha’bo’n?”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I can say the same about you! Well, not the aetherborn part, probably. And I’m cooking.”

The mechanized knife seemed to make quick work of the meat, and she quickly was able to put large dices of it into the pan.

“But if you want to know, I am an aetherborn indeed. It’s easy, it’s all in the name. Aether. Born. You really haven’t met any one of us on your way here?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Nah.  Maybe out o’the corner o’ eye, but never up close.  How does that happen?  Bein’ bo’n o’ aetha’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“When they refine the thing, mainly. There’s a lot of bits and pieces that aren’t useful to power whatever invention the people in this city come up with.”

She went to a shelf and started picking out the spices she wanted to use, put them in the counter, then shuffled around the peafowl in the fan.

“So, why come to Ghirapur?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Friend o’ mine recommended th’ place; said i’d be wondaful.  The’e expectation did not live up t’ th’ real thin’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She touched around the heating device, and added some of the spices she put out to the mix.

“Well, that’s what people say. I never left the city even with the revolt.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I heard ‘bout tha’ too; not like I ain’t seen worse.  Worse mai ev’y day.”  She pauses as she watch’s the aetherborn cook.  Quirking an eyebrow, she asks, “Again: I ain’t city-folk, so I ain’t use t’ all-y’all’s fine dinin’.  So do ek-scuse me if-in this rude, but ‘how lon’ this norm’ly take?’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, I’ll let this cook for some… twenty minutes now. It’s mostly a matter of spices from now on… And of not letting things burn.”

She covered the pan.

“But it’s interesting, I haven’t heard of anything worse than the revolt recently. I mean, there’s been some troubles around, but nothing like that? What happened to you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What hasn’t happened; Darlin’?  Like I said, ‘Ain’t seen no place this green or shine-eh; jus’ endless sand and the occasional ruined remains of civilization propa.’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Where did the sand come from? What does it look like?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What does sand look like?  Mai, mai; I’ve neva meet a soul who ain’t seen sand befo’.  It’s all those tiny little rocks and grit y’ can barely see.  It’s co’se, and ruff, and irritating, and it gets ev’ywhe’e.  I’d hate th’ stuff if-in it wasn’t so familia’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I’ve seen sand!” She pointed to a small hourglass in her kitchen. “But I never saw it, like, all over. How do you call it… A beach?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea stifle laugh, causing it to come out as an abourted snort of sort.  “Darlin’; a beach requires wata!  An’ beach sand is mighty-bit different from dese’t sand.  Though; I guessin’ i’d be jus’ as paw-scorchin’ hot eitha way.  Mo’ so, i’ bein’ so drai.”

[niuttuc-characters]

A flutter a blue light passed through the aetherborn’s face, before a word reminded her of something. “Right! Water! Drinking! What do you want to drink? Doesn’t have to be water!” She turned to leave her kitchen and come serve her client properly. Then hesitated, turned back to add some more spices to the cooking meal, then left. “Sorry! I generally don’t forget things like that but you surprised me.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oh, mai!  Well, no wonda this place is so vibrant, if y’ can give away wata like tha’.”  Cylea pulls a canteen off her belt.  “But the’e ain’t no need; I wouldn’t be he’e now if-in I didn’t carry mai own.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Uh? It’s just water… But maybe I could serve you a white wine with your peafowl?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea contemplates for a moment; her hand-like paw on her chin.  After a moment she looks back up.  “Tha’s fermented fruit, righ’?  Heard th’ stuff messes with y’ head; impa’s y’r judgement.  Maybe if I have no plans fo’ th’ next few days, but I do; sorry t’ say.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It does that to people who drink yes… But I’ve seen lot of people do it and be happy with it! Can’t be all that bad! Otherwise… I have some mango juice…”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Now tha’ sounds deligh’fully exotic!”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Exotic? Not really…” She went to a device, and took a small jug from it, coming back with it and a glass, that she put down on the table before her client. “It’s just mango juice.” The jug was way colder than anything around it, apparently, the juice had been kept cold by the device it was in.

She then went back to her kitchen once again to check on her cooking.

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Ain’t it fruit?  Fruit don’t grow in th’ dese’t.”  She takes a drink from the glass.  “Th’ stuff tas’ wondaful, though.”  While Baheel is focused on their cooking, Cylea pulls a stone loop from her belt pouch and looked at the aetherborn through it, seeing not the interaction with light, but with magic.  Removing the stone from her eye, she asks, “Musta done a po’ job cobblin’ y’ t’getha; ya practic’ly fallin’ apa’t.”

[niuttuc-characters]

She interrupted her cooking to look at her guest, not knowing if she should be insulted by the comment or not. “What?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I can see th’ magic holdin’ y’ t’getha barely ain’t, darlin’, and even tha’s dwindlin’ as we speak; clearly whoeva did made y’ didn’t ca’e ‘bout ya survival.  Scaly git if-in y’ask me.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Nobody made me! And I’m not dwindling, I’m living. Aren’t you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

Shortly after my visit to Kaladesh, I alerted Cylea to the plane.  Only recently, though, did she find the time to visit.  Her first impressions surpassed the expectations I had set for her.

She marveled at the glistening structures and intricate filigree so much that she didn’t notice the people around her giving her weird looks.  As a Cheumon (mongoose-folk native to Yirridia), Cylea was as alien a sight on Kaladesh as a leonin.  Once she started getting hungry, however, her attention snapped to finding a place to eat.

After a few more streets of searching and finally getting directions from the bewildered Kaladeshi she tried to ask, Cylea found a small little restaurant run by what the locals called an “aetherborn”.  Cylea found the term a tad bizarre given what she know about magical constructs, but chalked it up to planar slang as she entered the building.

[niuttuc-characters]

The room she entered seemed to encompass the whole of the establishment. A few tables surrounded a square counter against a wall, its edge softened by metal filigree. Inside the counter was a few tools and aether-powered devices, constituting the kitchen, allowing it to see and be seen from the tables. Inside the kitchen was a moving silhouette, black and seemingly rocky, with blue light and fumes coming out from holes in their head.

When they heard the door open, they stopped what they were doing and looked in that direction. “Oh? Hello?”

When they saw the being pushing it, they were surprised to say the least.

“Is this some sort of prank?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Uh, not y’ too!” Cylea exclaimed; whipping her head up in frustration.  “I keep tellin’ all ya’ll ‘I ain’t no freak.’”  She put her hands on her hips.  “I’m folk jus’ like ya; strange as y’are.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, you talk!” the aetherborn left the kitchen through and opening on the side. “Sorry, but I’ve never even heard of people like you! Come sit, come sit! Where are you coming from? What can I do for you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea ignored the blatant insult.  “Well,” she began as she moved to one of the empty seats nearest the counter, “obvious I ain’t no city folk; why, I don’t even think I ever seen a place this green otha than Jukai, let alone buildings this shiny.”  After she sat down, she continued, “Whe’e I’m from all we got is sand, ruins, sand, broken down vehicles, and mo’ sand.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh my, well, you definitely have the accent!” She made sure the visitor sat at one of the chairs made for dwarf customers’ comfort. “So, what are you doing in my restaurant? Want something to eat?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I know my drawl can be a bit thick it times, think no’in’ of it.  As for food:” Cylea emphasizes those last three words individually “Wha’ y’ got fo’ a feisty little ca’nuh vore like me?”  She point s to herself with her thumb.

[niuttuc-characters]

“Alright, soooooo, I’ve got some Ibex neck recipes that I’ve been wanting to try and I just got the meat for that! If you’d prefer though, I think I still got one or two eels I could cook you up, or…” They paused in time to go through their small inventory. “I could check, I should have a small bird or two that are just waiting for my touch to make them delicious.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oooo! Now tha’ sounds mighty fine.  I could go fo’ some pheasant righ’ now.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Ah, nearly the same thing, some peafowl! You’re alright with cream?”

Without waiting for an answer, she went back in her “kitchen” and started to turn on some devices, lighting a small fire here, moving the blades of a knife there… She opened a door on the other side of the counter and picked out two pieces of white meat, that she proceeded to cut with the knife after putting a large pan to warm up.

“So, while I prepare you that, why don’t you tell me more about you? How did you end up here, Miss…?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I’m mo’ int’rested in you!  Y’ain’t like no’in’ I never seen befo’.  They call y’ Aetha’bo’n?”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I can say the same about you! Well, not the aetherborn part, probably. And I’m cooking.”

The mechanized knife seemed to make quick work of the meat, and she quickly was able to put large dices of it into the pan.

“But if you want to know, I am an aetherborn indeed. It’s easy, it’s all in the name. Aether. Born. You really haven’t met any one of us on your way here?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Nah.  Maybe out o’the corner o’ eye, but never up close.  How does that happen?  Bein’ bo’n o’ aetha’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“When they refine the thing, mainly. There’s a lot of bits and pieces that aren’t useful to power whatever invention the people in this city come up with.”

She went to a shelf and started picking out the spices she wanted to use, put them in the counter, then shuffled around the peafowl in the fan.

“So, why come to Ghirapur?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Friend o’ mine recommended th’ place; said i’d be wondaful.  The’e expectation did not live up t’ th’ real thin’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She touched around the heating device, and added some of the spices she put out to the mix.

“Well, that’s what people say. I never left the city even with the revolt.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I heard ‘bout tha’ too; not like I ain’t seen worse.  Worse mai ev’y day.”  She pauses as she watch’s the aetherborn cook.  Quirking an eyebrow, she asks, “Again: I ain’t city-folk, so I ain’t use t’ all-y’all’s fine dinin’.  So do ek-scuse me if-in this rude, but ‘how lon’ this norm’ly take?’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, I’ll let this cook for some… twenty minutes now. It’s mostly a matter of spices from now on… And of not letting things burn.”

She covered the pan.

“But it’s interesting, I haven’t heard of anything worse than the revolt recently. I mean, there’s been some troubles around, but nothing like that? What happened to you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What hasn’t happened; Darlin’?  Like I said, ‘Ain’t seen no place this green or shine-eh; jus’ endless sand and the occasional ruined remains of civilization propa.’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Where did the sand come from? What does it look like?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What does sand look like?  Mai, mai; I’ve neva meet a soul who ain’t seen sand befo’.  It’s all those tiny little rocks and grit y’ can barely see.  It’s co’se, and ruff, and irritating, and it gets ev’ywhe’e.  I’d hate th’ stuff if-in it wasn’t so familia’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I’ve seen sand!” She pointed to a small hourglass in her kitchen. “But I never saw it, like, all over. How do you call it… A beach?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea stifle laugh, causing it to come out as an abourted snort of sort.  “Darlin’; a beach requires wata!  An’ beach sand is mighty-bit different from dese’t sand.  Though; I guessin’ i’d be jus’ as paw-scorchin’ hot eitha way.  Mo’ so, i’ bein’ so drai.”

[niuttuc-characters]

A flutter a blue light passed through the aetherborn’s face, before a word reminded her of something. “Right! Water! Drinking! What do you want to drink? Doesn’t have to be water!” She turned to leave her kitchen and come serve her client properly. Then hesitated, turned back to add some more spices to the cooking meal, then left. “Sorry! I generally don’t forget things like that but you surprised me.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oh, mai!  Well, no wonda this place is so vibrant, if y’ can give away wata like tha’.”  Cylea pulls a canteen off her belt.  “But the’e ain’t no need; I wouldn’t be he’e now if-in I didn’t carry mai own.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Uh? It’s just water… But maybe I could serve you a white wine with your peafowl?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea contemplates for a moment; her hand-like paw on her chin.  After a moment she looks back up.  “Tha’s fermented fruit, righ’?  Heard th’ stuff messes with y’ head; impa’s y’r judgement.  Maybe if I have no plans fo’ th’ next few days, but I do; sorry t’ say.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It does that to people who drink yes… But I’ve seen lot of people do it and be happy with it! Can’t be all that bad! Otherwise… I have some mango juice…”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Now tha’ sounds deligh’fully exotic!”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Exotic? Not really…” She went to a device, and took a small jug from it, coming back with it and a glass, that she put down on the table before her client. “It’s just mango juice.” The jug was way colder than anything around it, apparently, the juice had been kept cold by the device it was in.

She then went back to her kitchen once again to check on her cooking.

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Ain’t it fruit?  Fruit don’t grow in th’ dese’t.”  She takes a drink from the glass.  “Th’ stuff tas’ wondaful, though.”  While Baheel is focused on their cooking, Cylea pulls a stone loop from her belt pouch and looked at the aetherborn through it, seeing not the interaction with light, but with magic.  Removing the stone from her eye, she asks, “Musta done a po’ job cobblin’ y’ t’getha; ya practic’ly fallin’ apa’t.”

[niuttuc-characters]

She interrupted her cooking to look at her guest, not knowing if she should be insulted by the comment or not. "What?"

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

Shortly after my visit to Kaladesh, I alerted Cylea to the plane.  Only recently, though, did she find the time to visit.  Her first impressions surpassed the expectations I had set for her.

She marveled at the glistening structures and intricate filigree so much that she didn’t notice the people around her giving her weird looks.  As a Cheumon (mongoose-folk native to Yirridia), Cylea was as alien a sight on Kaladesh as a leonin.  Once she started getting hungry, however, her attention snapped to finding a place to eat.

After a few more streets of searching and finally getting directions from the bewildered Kaladeshi she tried to ask, Cylea found a small little restaurant run by what the locals called an “aetherborn”.  Cylea found the term a tad bizarre given what she know about magical constructs, but chalked it up to planar slang as she entered the building.

[niuttuc-characters]

The room she entered seemed to encompass the whole of the establishment. A few tables surrounded a square counter against a wall, its edge softened by metal filigree. Inside the counter was a few tools and aether-powered devices, constituting the kitchen, allowing it to see and be seen from the tables. Inside the kitchen was a moving silhouette, black and seemingly rocky, with blue light and fumes coming out from holes in their head.

When they heard the door open, they stopped what they were doing and looked in that direction. “Oh? Hello?”

When they saw the being pushing it, they were surprised to say the least.

“Is this some sort of prank?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Uh, not y’ too!” Cylea exclaimed; whipping her head up in frustration.  “I keep tellin’ all ya’ll ‘I ain’t no freak.’”  She put her hands on her hips.  “I’m folk jus’ like ya; strange as y’are.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, you talk!” the aetherborn left the kitchen through and opening on the side. “Sorry, but I’ve never even heard of people like you! Come sit, come sit! Where are you coming from? What can I do for you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea ignored the blatant insult.  “Well,” she began as she moved to one of the empty seats nearest the counter, “obvious I ain’t no city folk; why, I don’t even think I ever seen a place this green otha than Jukai, let alone buildings this shiny.”  After she sat down, she continued, “Whe’e I’m from all we got is sand, ruins, sand, broken down vehicles, and mo’ sand.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh my, well, you definitely have the accent!” She made sure the visitor sat at one of the chairs made for dwarf customers’ comfort. “So, what are you doing in my restaurant? Want something to eat?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I know my drawl can be a bit thick it times, think no’in’ of it.  As for food:” Cylea emphasizes those last three words individually “Wha’ y’ got fo’ a feisty little ca’nuh vore like me?”  She point s to herself with her thumb.

[niuttuc-characters]

“Alright, soooooo, I’ve got some Ibex neck recipes that I’ve been wanting to try and I just got the meat for that! If you’d prefer though, I think I still got one or two eels I could cook you up, or…” They paused in time to go through their small inventory. “I could check, I should have a small bird or two that are just waiting for my touch to make them delicious.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oooo! Now tha’ sounds mighty fine.  I could go fo’ some pheasant righ’ now.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Ah, nearly the same thing, some peafowl! You’re alright with cream?”

Without waiting for an answer, she went back in her “kitchen” and started to turn on some devices, lighting a small fire here, moving the blades of a knife there… She opened a door on the other side of the counter and picked out two pieces of white meat, that she proceeded to cut with the knife after putting a large pan to warm up.

“So, while I prepare you that, why don’t you tell me more about you? How did you end up here, Miss…?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I’m mo’ int’rested in you!  Y’ain’t like no’in’ I never seen befo’.  They call y’ Aetha’bo’n?”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I can say the same about you! Well, not the aetherborn part, probably. And I’m cooking.”

The mechanized knife seemed to make quick work of the meat, and she quickly was able to put large dices of it into the pan.

“But if you want to know, I am an aetherborn indeed. It’s easy, it’s all in the name. Aether. Born. You really haven’t met any one of us on your way here?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Nah.  Maybe out o’the corner o’ eye, but never up close.  How does that happen?  Bein’ bo’n o’ aetha’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“When they refine the thing, mainly. There’s a lot of bits and pieces that aren’t useful to power whatever invention the people in this city come up with.”

She went to a shelf and started picking out the spices she wanted to use, put them in the counter, then shuffled around the peafowl in the fan.

“So, why come to Ghirapur?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Friend o’ mine recommended th’ place; said i’d be wondaful.  The’e expectation did not live up t’ th’ real thin’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She touched around the heating device, and added some of the spices she put out to the mix.

“Well, that’s what people say. I never left the city even with the revolt.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I heard ‘bout tha’ too; not like I ain’t seen worse.  Worse mai ev’y day.”  She pauses as she watch’s the aetherborn cook.  Quirking an eyebrow, she asks, “Again: I ain’t city-folk, so I ain’t use t’ all-y’all’s fine dinin’.  So do ek-scuse me if-in this rude, but ‘how lon’ this norm’ly take?’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, I’ll let this cook for some… twenty minutes now. It’s mostly a matter of spices from now on… And of not letting things burn.”

She covered the pan.

“But it’s interesting, I haven’t heard of anything worse than the revolt recently. I mean, there’s been some troubles around, but nothing like that? What happened to you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What hasn’t happened; Darlin’?  Like I said, ‘Ain’t seen no place this green or shine-eh; jus’ endless sand and the occasional ruined remains of civilization propa.’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Where did the sand come from? What does it look like?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What does sand look like?  Mai, mai; I’ve neva meet a soul who ain’t seen sand befo’.  It’s all those tiny little rocks and grit y’ can barely see.  It’s co’se, and ruff, and irritating, and it gets ev’ywhe’e.  I’d hate th’ stuff if-in it wasn’t so familia’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I’ve seen sand!” She pointed to a small hourglass in her kitchen. “But I never saw it, like, all over. How do you call it… A beach?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea stifle laugh, causing it to come out as an abourted snort of sort.  “Darlin’; a beach requires wata!  An’ beach sand is mighty-bit different from dese’t sand.  Though; I guessin’ i’d be jus’ as paw-scorchin’ hot eitha way.  Mo’ so, i’ bein’ so drai.”

[niuttuc-characters]

A flutter a blue light passed through the aetherborn’s face, before a word reminded her of something. “Right! Water! Drinking! What do you want to drink? Doesn’t have to be water!” She turned to leave her kitchen and come serve her client properly. Then hesitated, turned back to add some more spices to the cooking meal, then left. “Sorry! I generally don’t forget things like that but you surprised me.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oh, mai!  Well, no wonda this place is so vibrant, if y’ can give away wata like tha’.”  Cylea pulls a canteen off her belt.  “But the’e ain’t no need; I wouldn’t be he’e now if-in I didn’t carry mai own.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Uh? It’s just water… But maybe I could serve you a white wine with your peafowl?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea contemplates for a moment; her hand-like paw on her chin.  After a moment she looks back up.  “Tha’s fermented fruit, righ’?  Heard th’ stuff messes with y’ head; impa’s y’r judgement.  Maybe if I have no plans fo’ th’ next few days, but I do; sorry t’ say.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It does that to people who drink yes… But I’ve seen lot of people do it and be happy with it! Can’t be all that bad! Otherwise… I have some mango juice…”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Now tha’ sounds deligh’fully exotic!”

[niuttuc-characters]

"Exotic? Not really..." She went to a device, and took a small jug from it, coming back with it and a glass, that she put down on the table before her client. "It's just mango juice." The jug was way colder than anything around it, apparently, the juice had been kept cold by the device it was in.

She then went back to her kitchen once again to check on her cooking.

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

Shortly after my visit to Kaladesh, I alerted Cylea to the plane.  Only recently, though, did she find the time to visit.  Her first impressions surpassed the expectations I had set for her.

She marveled at the glistening structures and intricate filigree so much that she didn’t notice the people around her giving her weird looks.  As a Cheumon (mongoose-folk native to Yirridia), Cylea was as alien a sight on Kaladesh as a leonin.  Once she started getting hungry, however, her attention snapped to finding a place to eat.

After a few more streets of searching and finally getting directions from the bewildered Kaladeshi she tried to ask, Cylea found a small little restaurant run by what the locals called an “aetherborn”.  Cylea found the term a tad bizarre given what she know about magical constructs, but chalked it up to planar slang as she entered the building.

[niuttuc-characters]

The room she entered seemed to encompass the whole of the establishment. A few tables surrounded a square counter against a wall, its edge softened by metal filigree. Inside the counter was a few tools and aether-powered devices, constituting the kitchen, allowing it to see and be seen from the tables. Inside the kitchen was a moving silhouette, black and seemingly rocky, with blue light and fumes coming out from holes in their head.

When they heard the door open, they stopped what they were doing and looked in that direction. “Oh? Hello?”

When they saw the being pushing it, they were surprised to say the least.

“Is this some sort of prank?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Uh, not y’ too!” Cylea exclaimed; whipping her head up in frustration.  “I keep tellin’ all ya’ll ‘I ain’t no freak.’”  She put her hands on her hips.  “I’m folk jus’ like ya; strange as y’are.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, you talk!” the aetherborn left the kitchen through and opening on the side. “Sorry, but I’ve never even heard of people like you! Come sit, come sit! Where are you coming from? What can I do for you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea ignored the blatant insult.  “Well,” she began as she moved to one of the empty seats nearest the counter, “obvious I ain’t no city folk; why, I don’t even think I ever seen a place this green otha than Jukai, let alone buildings this shiny.”  After she sat down, she continued, “Whe’e I’m from all we got is sand, ruins, sand, broken down vehicles, and mo’ sand.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh my, well, you definitely have the accent!” She made sure the visitor sat at one of the chairs made for dwarf customers’ comfort. “So, what are you doing in my restaurant? Want something to eat?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I know my drawl can be a bit thick it times, think no’in’ of it.  As for food:” Cylea emphasizes those last three words individually “Wha’ y’ got fo’ a feisty little ca’nuh vore like me?”  She point s to herself with her thumb.

[niuttuc-characters]

“Alright, soooooo, I’ve got some Ibex neck recipes that I’ve been wanting to try and I just got the meat for that! If you’d prefer though, I think I still got one or two eels I could cook you up, or…” They paused in time to go through their small inventory. “I could check, I should have a small bird or two that are just waiting for my touch to make them delicious.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oooo! Now tha’ sounds mighty fine.  I could go fo’ some pheasant righ’ now.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Ah, nearly the same thing, some peafowl! You’re alright with cream?”

Without waiting for an answer, she went back in her “kitchen” and started to turn on some devices, lighting a small fire here, moving the blades of a knife there… She opened a door on the other side of the counter and picked out two pieces of white meat, that she proceeded to cut with the knife after putting a large pan to warm up.

“So, while I prepare you that, why don’t you tell me more about you? How did you end up here, Miss…?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I’m mo’ int’rested in you!  Y’ain’t like no’in’ I never seen befo’.  They call y’ Aetha’bo’n?”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I can say the same about you! Well, not the aetherborn part, probably. And I’m cooking.”

The mechanized knife seemed to make quick work of the meat, and she quickly was able to put large dices of it into the pan.

“But if you want to know, I am an aetherborn indeed. It’s easy, it’s all in the name. Aether. Born. You really haven’t met any one of us on your way here?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Nah.  Maybe out o’the corner o’ eye, but never up close.  How does that happen?  Bein’ bo’n o’ aetha’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“When they refine the thing, mainly. There’s a lot of bits and pieces that aren’t useful to power whatever invention the people in this city come up with.”

She went to a shelf and started picking out the spices she wanted to use, put them in the counter, then shuffled around the peafowl in the fan.

“So, why come to Ghirapur?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Friend o’ mine recommended th’ place; said i’d be wondaful.  The’e expectation did not live up t’ th’ real thin’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She touched around the heating device, and added some of the spices she put out to the mix.

“Well, that’s what people say. I never left the city even with the revolt.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I heard ‘bout tha’ too; not like I ain’t seen worse.  Worse mai ev’y day.”  She pauses as she watch’s the aetherborn cook.  Quirking an eyebrow, she asks, “Again: I ain’t city-folk, so I ain’t use t’ all-y’all’s fine dinin’.  So do ek-scuse me if-in this rude, but ‘how lon’ this norm’ly take?’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, I’ll let this cook for some… twenty minutes now. It’s mostly a matter of spices from now on… And of not letting things burn.”

She covered the pan.

“But it’s interesting, I haven’t heard of anything worse than the revolt recently. I mean, there’s been some troubles around, but nothing like that? What happened to you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What hasn’t happened; Darlin’?  Like I said, ‘Ain’t seen no place this green or shine-eh; jus’ endless sand and the occasional ruined remains of civilization propa.’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Where did the sand come from? What does it look like?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What does sand look like?  Mai, mai; I’ve neva meet a soul who ain’t seen sand befo’.  It’s all those tiny little rocks and grit y’ can barely see.  It’s co’se, and ruff, and irritating, and it gets ev’ywhe’e.  I’d hate th’ stuff if-in it wasn’t so familia’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I’ve seen sand!” She pointed to a small hourglass in her kitchen. “But I never saw it, like, all over. How do you call it… A beach?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea stifle laugh, causing it to come out as an abourted snort of sort.  “Darlin’; a beach requires wata!  An’ beach sand is mighty-bit different from dese’t sand.  Though; I guessin’ i’d be jus’ as paw-scorchin’ hot eitha way.  Mo’ so, i’ bein’ so drai.”

[niuttuc-characters]

A flutter a blue light passed through the aetherborn’s face, before a word reminded her of something. “Right! Water! Drinking! What do you want to drink? Doesn’t have to be water!” She turned to leave her kitchen and come serve her client properly. Then hesitated, turned back to add some more spices to the cooking meal, then left. “Sorry! I generally don’t forget things like that but you surprised me.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oh, mai!  Well, no wonda this place is so vibrant, if y’ can give away wata like tha’.”  Cylea pulls a canteen off her belt.  “But the’e ain’t no need; I wouldn’t be he’e now if-in I didn’t carry mai own.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Uh? It’s just water… But maybe I could serve you a white wine with your peafowl?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea contemplates for a moment; her hand-like paw on her chin.  After a moment she looks back up.  “Tha’s fermented fruit, righ’?  Heard th’ stuff messes with y’ head; impa’s y’r judgement.  Maybe if I have no plans fo’ th’ next few days, but I do; sorry t’ say.”

[niuttuc-characters]

"It does that to people who drink yes... But I've seen lot of people do it and be happy with it! Can't be all that bad! Otherwise... I have some mango juice..."

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

Shortly after my visit to Kaladesh, I alerted Cylea to the plane.  Only recently, though, did she find the time to visit.  Her first impressions surpassed the expectations I had set for her.

She marveled at the glistening structures and intricate filigree so much that she didn’t notice the people around her giving her weird looks.  As a Cheumon (mongoose-folk native to Yirridia), Cylea was as alien a sight on Kaladesh as a leonin.  Once she started getting hungry, however, her attention snapped to finding a place to eat.

After a few more streets of searching and finally getting directions from the bewildered Kaladeshi she tried to ask, Cylea found a small little restaurant run by what the locals called an “aetherborn”.  Cylea found the term a tad bizarre given what she know about magical constructs, but chalked it up to planar slang as she entered the building.

[niuttuc-characters]

The room she entered seemed to encompass the whole of the establishment. A few tables surrounded a square counter against a wall, its edge softened by metal filigree. Inside the counter was a few tools and aether-powered devices, constituting the kitchen, allowing it to see and be seen from the tables. Inside the kitchen was a moving silhouette, black and seemingly rocky, with blue light and fumes coming out from holes in their head.

When they heard the door open, they stopped what they were doing and looked in that direction. “Oh? Hello?”

When they saw the being pushing it, they were surprised to say the least.

“Is this some sort of prank?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Uh, not y’ too!” Cylea exclaimed; whipping her head up in frustration.  “I keep tellin’ all ya’ll ‘I ain’t no freak.’”  She put her hands on her hips.  “I’m folk jus’ like ya; strange as y’are.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, you talk!” the aetherborn left the kitchen through and opening on the side. “Sorry, but I’ve never even heard of people like you! Come sit, come sit! Where are you coming from? What can I do for you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea ignored the blatant insult.  “Well,” she began as she moved to one of the empty seats nearest the counter, “obvious I ain’t no city folk; why, I don’t even think I ever seen a place this green otha than Jukai, let alone buildings this shiny.”  After she sat down, she continued, “Whe’e I’m from all we got is sand, ruins, sand, broken down vehicles, and mo’ sand.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh my, well, you definitely have the accent!” She made sure the visitor sat at one of the chairs made for dwarf customers’ comfort. “So, what are you doing in my restaurant? Want something to eat?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I know my drawl can be a bit thick it times, think no’in’ of it.  As for food:” Cylea emphasizes those last three words individually “Wha’ y’ got fo’ a feisty little ca’nuh vore like me?”  She point s to herself with her thumb.

[niuttuc-characters]

“Alright, soooooo, I’ve got some Ibex neck recipes that I’ve been wanting to try and I just got the meat for that! If you’d prefer though, I think I still got one or two eels I could cook you up, or…” They paused in time to go through their small inventory. “I could check, I should have a small bird or two that are just waiting for my touch to make them delicious.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oooo! Now tha’ sounds mighty fine.  I could go fo’ some pheasant righ’ now.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Ah, nearly the same thing, some peafowl! You’re alright with cream?”

Without waiting for an answer, she went back in her “kitchen” and started to turn on some devices, lighting a small fire here, moving the blades of a knife there… She opened a door on the other side of the counter and picked out two pieces of white meat, that she proceeded to cut with the knife after putting a large pan to warm up.

“So, while I prepare you that, why don’t you tell me more about you? How did you end up here, Miss…?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I’m mo’ int’rested in you!  Y’ain’t like no’in’ I never seen befo’.  They call y’ Aetha’bo’n?”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I can say the same about you! Well, not the aetherborn part, probably. And I’m cooking.”

The mechanized knife seemed to make quick work of the meat, and she quickly was able to put large dices of it into the pan.

“But if you want to know, I am an aetherborn indeed. It’s easy, it’s all in the name. Aether. Born. You really haven’t met any one of us on your way here?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Nah.  Maybe out o’the corner o’ eye, but never up close.  How does that happen?  Bein’ bo’n o’ aetha’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“When they refine the thing, mainly. There’s a lot of bits and pieces that aren’t useful to power whatever invention the people in this city come up with.”

She went to a shelf and started picking out the spices she wanted to use, put them in the counter, then shuffled around the peafowl in the fan.

“So, why come to Ghirapur?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Friend o’ mine recommended th’ place; said i’d be wondaful.  The’e expectation did not live up t’ th’ real thin’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She touched around the heating device, and added some of the spices she put out to the mix.

“Well, that’s what people say. I never left the city even with the revolt.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I heard ‘bout tha’ too; not like I ain’t seen worse.  Worse mai ev’y day.”  She pauses as she watch’s the aetherborn cook.  Quirking an eyebrow, she asks, “Again: I ain’t city-folk, so I ain’t use t’ all-y’all’s fine dinin’.  So do ek-scuse me if-in this rude, but ‘how lon’ this norm’ly take?’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, I’ll let this cook for some… twenty minutes now. It’s mostly a matter of spices from now on… And of not letting things burn.”

She covered the pan.

“But it’s interesting, I haven’t heard of anything worse than the revolt recently. I mean, there’s been some troubles around, but nothing like that? What happened to you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What hasn’t happened; Darlin’?  Like I said, ‘Ain’t seen no place this green or shine-eh; jus’ endless sand and the occasional ruined remains of civilization propa.’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Where did the sand come from? What does it look like?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What does sand look like?  Mai, mai; I’ve neva meet a soul who ain’t seen sand befo’.  It’s all those tiny little rocks and grit y’ can barely see.  It’s co’se, and ruff, and irritating, and it gets ev’ywhe’e.  I’d hate th’ stuff if-in it wasn’t so familia’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I’ve seen sand!” She pointed to a small hourglass in her kitchen. “But I never saw it, like, all over. How do you call it… A beach?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea stifle laugh, causing it to come out as an abourted snort of sort.  “Darlin’; a beach requires wata!  An’ beach sand is mighty-bit different from dese’t sand.  Though; I guessin’ i’d be jus’ as paw-scorchin’ hot eitha way.  Mo’ so, i’ bein’ so drai.”

[niuttuc-characters]

A flutter a blue light passed through the aetherborn’s face, before a word reminded her of something. “Right! Water! Drinking! What do you want to drink? Doesn’t have to be water!” She turned to leave her kitchen and come serve her client properly. Then hesitated, turned back to add some more spices to the cooking meal, then left. “Sorry! I generally don’t forget things like that but you surprised me.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oh, mai!  Well, no wonda this place is so vibrant, if y’ can give away wata like tha’.”  Cylea pulls a canteen off her belt.  “But the’e ain’t no need; I wouldn’t be he’e now if-in I didn’t carry mai own.”

[niuttuc-characters]

"Uh? It's just water... But maybe I could serve you a white wine with your peafowl?"

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

Shortly after my visit to Kaladesh, I alerted Cylea to the plane.  Only recently, though, did she find the time to visit.  Her first impressions surpassed the expectations I had set for her.

She marveled at the glistening structures and intricate filigree so much that she didn’t notice the people around her giving her weird looks.  As a Cheumon (mongoose-folk native to Yirridia), Cylea was as alien a sight on Kaladesh as a leonin.  Once she started getting hungry, however, her attention snapped to finding a place to eat.

After a few more streets of searching and finally getting directions from the bewildered Kaladeshi she tried to ask, Cylea found a small little restaurant run by what the locals called an “aetherborn”.  Cylea found the term a tad bizarre given what she know about magical constructs, but chalked it up to planar slang as she entered the building.

[niuttuc-characters]

The room she entered seemed to encompass the whole of the establishment. A few tables surrounded a square counter against a wall, its edge softened by metal filigree. Inside the counter was a few tools and aether-powered devices, constituting the kitchen, allowing it to see and be seen from the tables. Inside the kitchen was a moving silhouette, black and seemingly rocky, with blue light and fumes coming out from holes in their head.

When they heard the door open, they stopped what they were doing and looked in that direction. “Oh? Hello?”

When they saw the being pushing it, they were surprised to say the least.

“Is this some sort of prank?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Uh, not y’ too!” Cylea exclaimed; whipping her head up in frustration.  “I keep tellin’ all ya’ll ‘I ain’t no freak.’”  She put her hands on her hips.  “I’m folk jus’ like ya; strange as y’are.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, you talk!” the aetherborn left the kitchen through and opening on the side. “Sorry, but I’ve never even heard of people like you! Come sit, come sit! Where are you coming from? What can I do for you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea ignored the blatant insult.  “Well,” she began as she moved to one of the empty seats nearest the counter, “obvious I ain’t no city folk; why, I don’t even think I ever seen a place this green otha than Jukai, let alone buildings this shiny.”  After she sat down, she continued, “Whe’e I’m from all we got is sand, ruins, sand, broken down vehicles, and mo’ sand.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh my, well, you definitely have the accent!” She made sure the visitor sat at one of the chairs made for dwarf customers’ comfort. “So, what are you doing in my restaurant? Want something to eat?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I know my drawl can be a bit thick it times, think no’in’ of it.  As for food:” Cylea emphasizes those last three words individually “Wha’ y’ got fo’ a feisty little ca’nuh vore like me?”  She point s to herself with her thumb.

[niuttuc-characters]

“Alright, soooooo, I’ve got some Ibex neck recipes that I’ve been wanting to try and I just got the meat for that! If you’d prefer though, I think I still got one or two eels I could cook you up, or…” They paused in time to go through their small inventory. “I could check, I should have a small bird or two that are just waiting for my touch to make them delicious.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oooo! Now tha’ sounds mighty fine.  I could go fo’ some pheasant righ’ now.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Ah, nearly the same thing, some peafowl! You’re alright with cream?”

Without waiting for an answer, she went back in her “kitchen” and started to turn on some devices, lighting a small fire here, moving the blades of a knife there… She opened a door on the other side of the counter and picked out two pieces of white meat, that she proceeded to cut with the knife after putting a large pan to warm up.

“So, while I prepare you that, why don’t you tell me more about you? How did you end up here, Miss…?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I’m mo’ int’rested in you!  Y’ain’t like no’in’ I never seen befo’.  They call y’ Aetha’bo’n?”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I can say the same about you! Well, not the aetherborn part, probably. And I’m cooking.”

The mechanized knife seemed to make quick work of the meat, and she quickly was able to put large dices of it into the pan.

“But if you want to know, I am an aetherborn indeed. It’s easy, it’s all in the name. Aether. Born. You really haven’t met any one of us on your way here?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Nah.  Maybe out o’the corner o’ eye, but never up close.  How does that happen?  Bein’ bo’n o’ aetha’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“When they refine the thing, mainly. There’s a lot of bits and pieces that aren’t useful to power whatever invention the people in this city come up with.”

She went to a shelf and started picking out the spices she wanted to use, put them in the counter, then shuffled around the peafowl in the fan.

“So, why come to Ghirapur?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Friend o’ mine recommended th’ place; said i’d be wondaful.  The’e expectation did not live up t’ th’ real thin’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She touched around the heating device, and added some of the spices she put out to the mix.

“Well, that’s what people say. I never left the city even with the revolt.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I heard ‘bout tha’ too; not like I ain’t seen worse.  Worse mai ev’y day.”  She pauses as she watch’s the aetherborn cook.  Quirking an eyebrow, she asks, “Again: I ain’t city-folk, so I ain’t use t’ all-y’all’s fine dinin’.  So do ek-scuse me if-in this rude, but ‘how lon’ this norm’ly take?’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, I’ll let this cook for some… twenty minutes now. It’s mostly a matter of spices from now on… And of not letting things burn.”

She covered the pan.

“But it’s interesting, I haven’t heard of anything worse than the revolt recently. I mean, there’s been some troubles around, but nothing like that? What happened to you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What hasn’t happened; Darlin’?  Like I said, ‘Ain’t seen no place this green or shine-eh; jus’ endless sand and the occasional ruined remains of civilization propa.’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Where did the sand come from? What does it look like?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What does sand look like?  Mai, mai; I’ve neva meet a soul who ain’t seen sand befo’.  It’s all those tiny little rocks and grit y’ can barely see.  It’s co’se, and ruff, and irritating, and it gets ev’ywhe’e.  I’d hate th’ stuff if-in it wasn’t so familia’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I’ve seen sand!” She pointed to a small hourglass in her kitchen. “But I never saw it, like, all over. How do you call it… A beach?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea stifle laugh, causing it to come out as an abourted snort of sort.  “Darlin’; a beach requires wata!  An’ beach sand is mighty-bit different from dese’t sand.  Though; I guessin’ i’d be jus’ as paw-scorchin’ hot eitha way.  Mo’ so, i’ bein’ so drai.”

[niuttuc-characters]

A flutter a blue light passed through the aetherborn's face, before a word reminded her of something. "Right! Water! Drinking! What do you want to drink? Doesn't have to be water!" She turned to leave her kitchen and come serve her client properly. Then hesitated, turned back to add some more spices to the cooking meal, then left. "Sorry! I generally don't forget things like that but you surprised me."

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

Shortly after my visit to Kaladesh, I alerted Cylea to the plane.  Only recently, though, did she find the time to visit.  Her first impressions surpassed the expectations I had set for her.

She marveled at the glistening structures and intricate filigree so much that she didn’t notice the people around her giving her weird looks.  As a Cheumon (mongoose-folk native to Yirridia), Cylea was as alien a sight on Kaladesh as a leonin.  Once she started getting hungry, however, her attention snapped to finding a place to eat.

After a few more streets of searching and finally getting directions from the bewildered Kaladeshi she tried to ask, Cylea found a small little restaurant run by what the locals called an “aetherborn”.  Cylea found the term a tad bizarre given what she know about magical constructs, but chalked it up to planar slang as she entered the building.

[niuttuc-characters]

The room she entered seemed to encompass the whole of the establishment. A few tables surrounded a square counter against a wall, its edge softened by metal filigree. Inside the counter was a few tools and aether-powered devices, constituting the kitchen, allowing it to see and be seen from the tables. Inside the kitchen was a moving silhouette, black and seemingly rocky, with blue light and fumes coming out from holes in their head.

When they heard the door open, they stopped what they were doing and looked in that direction. “Oh? Hello?”

When they saw the being pushing it, they were surprised to say the least.

“Is this some sort of prank?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Uh, not y’ too!” Cylea exclaimed; whipping her head up in frustration.  “I keep tellin’ all ya’ll ‘I ain’t no freak.’”  She put her hands on her hips.  “I’m folk jus’ like ya; strange as y’are.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, you talk!” the aetherborn left the kitchen through and opening on the side. “Sorry, but I’ve never even heard of people like you! Come sit, come sit! Where are you coming from? What can I do for you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea ignored the blatant insult.  “Well,” she began as she moved to one of the empty seats nearest the counter, “obvious I ain’t no city folk; why, I don’t even think I ever seen a place this green otha than Jukai, let alone buildings this shiny.”  After she sat down, she continued, “Whe’e I’m from all we got is sand, ruins, sand, broken down vehicles, and mo’ sand.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh my, well, you definitely have the accent!” She made sure the visitor sat at one of the chairs made for dwarf customers’ comfort. “So, what are you doing in my restaurant? Want something to eat?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I know my drawl can be a bit thick it times, think no’in’ of it.  As for food:” Cylea emphasizes those last three words individually “Wha’ y’ got fo’ a feisty little ca’nuh vore like me?”  She point s to herself with her thumb.

[niuttuc-characters]

“Alright, soooooo, I’ve got some Ibex neck recipes that I’ve been wanting to try and I just got the meat for that! If you’d prefer though, I think I still got one or two eels I could cook you up, or…” They paused in time to go through their small inventory. “I could check, I should have a small bird or two that are just waiting for my touch to make them delicious.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oooo! Now tha’ sounds mighty fine.  I could go fo’ some pheasant righ’ now.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Ah, nearly the same thing, some peafowl! You’re alright with cream?”

Without waiting for an answer, she went back in her “kitchen” and started to turn on some devices, lighting a small fire here, moving the blades of a knife there… She opened a door on the other side of the counter and picked out two pieces of white meat, that she proceeded to cut with the knife after putting a large pan to warm up.

“So, while I prepare you that, why don’t you tell me more about you? How did you end up here, Miss…?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I’m mo’ int’rested in you!  Y’ain’t like no’in’ I never seen befo’.  They call y’ Aetha’bo’n?”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I can say the same about you! Well, not the aetherborn part, probably. And I’m cooking.”

The mechanized knife seemed to make quick work of the meat, and she quickly was able to put large dices of it into the pan.

“But if you want to know, I am an aetherborn indeed. It’s easy, it’s all in the name. Aether. Born. You really haven’t met any one of us on your way here?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Nah.  Maybe out o’the corner o’ eye, but never up close.  How does that happen?  Bein’ bo’n o’ aetha’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“When they refine the thing, mainly. There’s a lot of bits and pieces that aren’t useful to power whatever invention the people in this city come up with.”

She went to a shelf and started picking out the spices she wanted to use, put them in the counter, then shuffled around the peafowl in the fan.

“So, why come to Ghirapur?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Friend o’ mine recommended th’ place; said i’d be wondaful.  The’e expectation did not live up t’ th’ real thin’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She touched around the heating device, and added some of the spices she put out to the mix.

“Well, that’s what people say. I never left the city even with the revolt.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I heard ‘bout tha’ too; not like I ain’t seen worse.  Worse mai ev’y day.”  She pauses as she watch’s the aetherborn cook.  Quirking an eyebrow, she asks, “Again: I ain’t city-folk, so I ain’t use t’ all-y’all’s fine dinin’.  So do ek-scuse me if-in this rude, but ‘how lon’ this norm’ly take?’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, I’ll let this cook for some… twenty minutes now. It’s mostly a matter of spices from now on… And of not letting things burn.”

She covered the pan.

“But it’s interesting, I haven’t heard of anything worse than the revolt recently. I mean, there’s been some troubles around, but nothing like that? What happened to you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What hasn’t happened; Darlin’?  Like I said, ‘Ain’t seen no place this green or shine-eh; jus’ endless sand and the occasional ruined remains of civilization propa.’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Where did the sand come from? What does it look like?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What does sand look like?  Mai, mai; I’ve neva meet a soul who ain’t seen sand befo’.  It’s all those tiny little rocks and grit y’ can barely see.  It’s co’se, and ruff, and irritating, and it gets ev’ywhe’e.  I’d hate th’ stuff if-in it wasn’t so familia’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

"I've seen sand!" She pointed to a small hourglass in her kitchen. "But I never saw it, like, all over. How do you call it... A beach?"

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Journal Entry: Cylea on Kaladesh, Part 1

Shortly after my visit to Kaladesh, I alerted Cylea to the plane.  Only recently, though, did she find the time to visit.  Her first impressions surpassed the expectations I had set for her.

She marveled at the glistening structures and intricate filigree so much that she didn’t notice the people around her giving her weird looks.  As a Cheumon (mongoose-folk native to Yirridia), Cylea was as alien a sight on Kaladesh as a leonin.  Once she started getting hungry, however, her attention snapped to finding a place to eat.

After a few more streets of searching and finally getting directions from the bewildered Kaladeshi she tried to ask, Cylea found a small little restaurant run by what the locals called an “aetherborn”.  Cylea found the term a tad bizarre given what she know about magical constructs, but chalked it up to planar slang as she entered the building.

[niuttuc-characters]

The room she entered seemed to encompass the whole of the establishment. A few tables surrounded a square counter against a wall, its edge softened by metal filigree. Inside the counter was a few tools and aether-powered devices, constituting the kitchen, allowing it to see and be seen from the tables. Inside the kitchen was a moving silhouette, black and seemingly rocky, with blue light and fumes coming out from holes in their head.

When they heard the door open, they stopped what they were doing and looked in that direction. “Oh? Hello?”

When they saw the being pushing it, they were surprised to say the least.

“Is this some sort of prank?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Uh, not y’ too!” Cylea exclaimed; whipping her head up in frustration.  “I keep tellin’ all ya’ll ‘I ain’t no freak.’”  She put her hands on her hips.  “I’m folk jus’ like ya; strange as y’are.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, you talk!” the aetherborn left the kitchen through and opening on the side. “Sorry, but I’ve never even heard of people like you! Come sit, come sit! Where are you coming from? What can I do for you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

Cylea ignored the blatant insult.  “Well,” she began as she moved to one of the empty seats nearest the counter, “obvious I ain’t no city folk; why, I don’t even think I ever seen a place this green otha than Jukai, let alone buildings this shiny.”  After she sat down, she continued, “Whe’e I’m from all we got is sand, ruins, sand, broken down vehicles, and mo’ sand.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh my, well, you definitely have the accent!” She made sure the visitor sat at one of the chairs made for dwarf customers’ comfort. “So, what are you doing in my restaurant? Want something to eat?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I know my drawl can be a bit thick it times, think no’in’ of it.  As for food:” Cylea emphasizes those last three words individually “Wha’ y’ got fo’ a feisty little ca’nuh vore like me?”  She point s to herself with her thumb.

[niuttuc-characters]

“Alright, soooooo, I’ve got some Ibex neck recipes that I’ve been wanting to try and I just got the meat for that! If you’d prefer though, I think I still got one or two eels I could cook you up, or…” They paused in time to go through their small inventory. “I could check, I should have a small bird or two that are just waiting for my touch to make them delicious.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Oooo! Now tha’ sounds mighty fine.  I could go fo’ some pheasant righ’ now.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Ah, nearly the same thing, some peafowl! You’re alright with cream?”

Without waiting for an answer, she went back in her “kitchen” and started to turn on some devices, lighting a small fire here, moving the blades of a knife there… She opened a door on the other side of the counter and picked out two pieces of white meat, that she proceeded to cut with the knife after putting a large pan to warm up.

“So, while I prepare you that, why don’t you tell me more about you? How did you end up here, Miss…?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I’m mo’ int’rested in you!  Y’ain’t like no’in’ I never seen befo’.  They call y’ Aetha’bo’n?”

[niuttuc-characters]

“I can say the same about you! Well, not the aetherborn part, probably. And I’m cooking.”

The mechanized knife seemed to make quick work of the meat, and she quickly was able to put large dices of it into the pan.

“But if you want to know, I am an aetherborn indeed. It’s easy, it’s all in the name. Aether. Born. You really haven’t met any one of us on your way here?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Nah.  Maybe out o’the corner o’ eye, but never up close.  How does that happen?  Bein’ bo’n o’ aetha’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“When they refine the thing, mainly. There’s a lot of bits and pieces that aren’t useful to power whatever invention the people in this city come up with.”

She went to a shelf and started picking out the spices she wanted to use, put them in the counter, then shuffled around the peafowl in the fan.

“So, why come to Ghirapur?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“Friend o’ mine recommended th’ place; said i’d be wondaful.  The’e expectation did not live up t’ th’ real thin’.”

[niuttuc-characters]

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She touched around the heating device, and added some of the spices she put out to the mix.

“Well, that’s what people say. I never left the city even with the revolt.”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“I heard ‘bout tha’ too; not like I ain’t seen worse.  Worse mai ev’y day.”  She pauses as she watch’s the aetherborn cook.  Quirking an eyebrow, she asks, “Again: I ain’t city-folk, so I ain’t use t’ all-y’all’s fine dinin’.  So do ek-scuse me if-in this rude, but ‘how lon’ this norm’ly take?’”

[niuttuc-characters]

“Oh, I’ll let this cook for some… twenty minutes now. It’s mostly a matter of spices from now on… And of not letting things burn.”

She covered the pan.

“But it’s interesting, I haven’t heard of anything worse than the revolt recently. I mean, there’s been some troubles around, but nothing like that? What happened to you?”

[journal-of-the-dreamwalker]

“What hasn’t happened; Darlin’?  Like I said, ‘Ain’t seen no place this green or shine-eh; jus’ endless sand and the occasional ruined remains of civilization propa.’”

[niuttuc-characters]

"Where did the sand come from? What does it look like?"