before the black city III

Attikias had been back and forth once he'd talked with the Blacksmith, nearly a cycle ago. He was anxious, too- waiting, pacing, worried more over this than his own child. He didn't even know who was stuck down there, but the Blacksmith was desperate, and he was a good man. The Collector thought so, anyways. (Well, was the Collector good-? No, he was good.) Shaking his head, Attikias let out a small noise as he laid a hand on the stone door, pressing into it gently. It was huge, and he peered up to it, idly thinking.

He needed to set up a place to wait. He'd been back and forth, bringing some supplies (mostly, a tent and some extra leather, just in case) and placing it by the door. He'd be able to catch people on the way in, and he could ask them about enchanting, maybe, or help them if they decided to check up.

And so, he set out to make himself a secondary little home, something temporary for now. He needed a small vacation, anyways, from the camp- he'd been in place for so many cycles and Fornax was something different, at least. Wet, but it was close enough to Eridanus if he needed anything.

It took some time to get everything set in place, but soon he had his can of titanium nearby, the torch laid inside the tent, and leather coverings set in place to protect him from the wet and cold. It was hard getting the strings set up but it would work, it would hold for long enough, he hoped.

He worried about how he'd get a fire to keep going, but he'd worry about that later.

For now, he settled in, working on organizing the pelts he'd brought over and laying them down to keep dry in the tent.

Cerilaine rushed to Fornax after the interaction in Leo. She was ahead of the others- she was hoping they'd come to Fornax, anyways, but she put the memory out of her mind for now. Right now, she had a place to report to.

She stopped when she recognized Attikias's form. "Attikias..?" Her voice was low as she slowed down, approaching. "... What are you doing?" She looked over the spread, squinting with her ears forward. "Crafting..?"

As Attikias turned back, Cerilaine's fur puffed up in realization. "OH. I learned water-breathing magic. It doesn't work very well, yet, though, so I might still need to enchant the earring." She raised one paw up to point, the one on top still glowing as strong as ever.

The first customer. Attikias spun on his heel when he recognized Cerilaine's voice, perking up with a smile. "Cerilaine!" He remembered her name. Good. She was looking at his tent, and Attikias glanced back. "Setting up a place, to wait for people who're gonna help." He threw a thumb to Fornax proper, nodding. "And, crafting. I figured people'd need protection in there, so."

He paused when Cerilaine added the next bit. "Ahh- about that-" he paused, looking at Cerilaine's earrings. His craft. "It might be better to make a bead. A bracelet for you-- are you gonna wear the glasses down there?" He tilted his head, stepping back to retrieve a small pouch.

Within was a bundle of cord and a wooden bead, ready to be tied around someone's wrist or other part and tightened up. "This way, you can enchant the earring with something else? Something you're gonna use constantly." He nodded, pulsing magic into the bead and gestured it forward for Cerilaine. "It'll still need a proper cast of water-breathing, though."

(doing solos with yourself kinda sucks)

Cerilaine's gaze looked between Attikias's face and his offered hand, studying the bead. But-- "I guess it'd be good to leave the glasses with you," she spoke, reaching up to knock them off from their perch. She rarely took them off- but, she didn't want to lose them down there. "You're making armor? Do you need any... Spells, for weapons?" She cocked her head as she gently lowered her spectacles between them, sitting down.

But, the bead. "I guess a bead would be fine. I only have so much room on my ears," she rumbled out, shrugging. "Would I be able to keep it?" One claw pointed out to it as Attikias lowered it between them.

"Let me know when to cast, I guess."

Attikias tilted his head one way, then the next. "I guess weapons would be good? I think I brought my hunting knife- I'm not sure if it'd be good for people without hands, though." He shook his head. Squatting, with one hand he reached for the glasses and brought forward the bead, placing it down and perching his hand over it. Magic invisibly pulsed from hand to object, and he rocked back, watching.

"It's ready. I think you can keep it? I mean, it's you bringing it in, and you didn't get it from the Blacksmith, so." He shrugged. "Besides, it's worth it for payment for all this. Do you think you'll help..?" He paused, before- "Actually, did you look for that key?"

Cerilaine waited for Attikias to think. "Ice?" She offered, leaning forward. "I... think, someone will help. I hope, at least." She did want to see Indigo again, and she let out a quiet breath, glancing away. She'd told Indie about this, but it was up to the naga if she wanted to come or not.

Shaking her head, Cerilaine placed her paw near the bead, stretching forward and willing her magic to draw forward. Slowly, she let out a breath, closing her eyes. "Nothing's coming. Let me-- try again." Attikias nodded, and she glanced up, letting out a small hum.

"But-- yeah, I'll try to help. And the key's coming, I hope-- I found it, anyways, and it should be on its way."

Cerilaine resumed concentrating on the bead, shoving her magic through her body and towards it. There- she felt the feedback, and she nodded, withdrawing her paw. "It's enchanted." She shook out her pelt and settled back in, drawing her paws in tight.

"Maybe someone could hold the knife in their mouth? I've never used one, but I imagine it'd be useful. Or maybe you can enchant armor with something." Her shoulders rolled as she glanced to the leather.

"Will that even keep up in water? It won't get too soggy and heavy, will it?" She gestured with a point of her muzzle, looking up to Attikias.

i always feel like i make these posts too short :/ i swear im not gaming the system i genuinely am trying to enchant

"Ice might be good. It'll work well with the water down there." He rumbled in thought, waiting for Cerilaine to enchant. But- if someone was coming, and they had hands, then that would be good. He wouldn't need to go down with the torch-

"Oh. Uhh- I don't know if the predators down there will see your light and try to attack. I've got a thing- hold on." He reached forward and took the bead in his hand, holding it carefully and turning back for the tent. He'd put the torch in here to keep it safe, and when he pulled it out, he flicked the wheel up and down to showcase the air vent -styled shades. "I was hoping someone who could hold this'd go down, help light up the path and hide light when things are still going through."

He offered it for Cerilaine to see. "It works better in the dark," he explained. "And-- for the armor, it should be fine. I can give it some dye on the outside to make it sturdier, but, uh- I only have so much of that, so it'd have to go on important parts."

He waited for Cerilaine's response before reaching out with his magic and attempting to alter the Bauble, dimming it into a nothing or removing it completely.

pulling teeth is better than soloing with yourself. im trying to minimize posts so there's a little powerplaying between my characters
i promise the quality will get back to normal if people join

Cerilaine nodded. "I can do that," she responded. She planned on fighting with her magic, if need be- she had the cold frost, and she could probably freeze the water in a monster if she had to. That would be painful.

Her ears folded back at the mention of the bauble. "You want to take it off? You were the one who wanted it on there," she pointed out, one side of her lip drawn up for a moment. "But--" She calmed. "Fine. If you put it back on afterwards."

The torch was offered, and she looked over it, reaching forward to grab it. It was unwieldy in her paws, and she huffed, placing it back in his offered palm.

"If you could make armor, I would be grateful. As long as I can still move in it." She didn't want to get caught locked up in some thick chest armor, unable to move and ready to be prey for some unsuspecting sea creature.

"It's for the best." She was hesitant, but he didn't want to be sending her to her death, not in any of this. "I'll wait around until people come back, if I don't go down." Pulling back his hand, Attikias reached back and put the torch back in place, turning back to Cerilaine.

He focused on that earring. He needed the bauble gone, since they had a better alternative. But- it still glowed, and he frowned. "I can't get the magic out," he explained, looking to his palms. Was it even possible? "... Let me try again."