(OTA) Things are pretty, graceful, rich, elegant, handsome, but...

[nightflowering]

[A.]
When looking to buy or sell an unusual item, Kunstkammer is a small, but well respected shop that specializes in ephemera and curiosities. The lights are dimmed to protect the colours of the more delicate pieces, but should one wind their way through the somewhat maze-like cabinets and cases, they will likely find their way to a desk, a few chairs, and a circle of warm lighting. The proprietor, Lan, is most often found here reading or cataloging some new, strange find. She is a petite fae woman with smooth pale pink skin pebbled over with small scales more like a ray than a snake.

Of course, there is a back-of-shop filled with items of a more usual, occasionally salacious or dangerous nature. Should anyone have an interest, Lan is just as happy to sell or trade any piece from her collection. She has a particular weakness for anything that she classifies as 'beautiful', but her definition may not match the standard.

(Or you can continue from the TDM over here.)

[B.] Lan isn't one to be caught out on public transit, not when it's just as easy to slip slideways and walk along a more interesting shortcut. That isn't to say that she's not often seen out and about: there's always a gallery opening, a curious tasting menu, or some flavour of performance that's worth taking in. While she may be Seelie, she's more likely to be spotted at night and she certainly does nothing to hide who or what she is.

Comments

[nightflowering]

"I wouldn't say it's always intrinsic to the process, but it's not uncommon." Lan smooths out the linen of her skirt as she thinks through how to explain her methods. "And to just go out and break something, that's petty and pointless. That's not sacrifice."

"Think of Van Gogh. You know his work, you can probably picture a handful of them without any effort. Everyone knows his name, his art. How many paintings did he sell while alive? One. Just one." Just behind her, there's a small, faded photo of the 'The Red Vineyard' tucked into the frame of a mirror. In the image it is hanging on the wall and viewing it there are several humans in outdated dress holding little brochures in French. "How many great artists have died at twenty-seven? A flash in the pan. You all barely have the time to live, and yet some bargain away what little they have in order to grasp at fame or beauty or whatever they love more than life."

"I am not saying that to create you would need to die young or languish in obscurity, not unless you want to trade for something rare enough to be worth it."

[ghoulaid]

Ghoul flinches. This stuff is way more intense than he thought it'd be. What ever happened to regular old boring cash?

Obscurity isn't something that sounds so threatening, but other than that... "Well, I for sure don't want to die, or die early." ...Just a fucking minute. A thought comes to him and he looks up at her quickly, an uneasy look stuck on his face. "Hold on, do you know when I'm gonna die?"

[nightflowering]

What use would she have for cash? Can you buy talent with a few dollars? No, it requires sacrifice.

"Yes, of course. Why do you ask?" Lan isn't exactly smiling, but she looks calm. Practically serene.

[ghoulaid]

He's not sure what's more horrifying. The fact that she knows when he's going to kick the bucket, or the fact that she's so casual about it. Almost immediately, he pulls one of his hands out and gives her a half-frantic wave, like he's trying to stop her from spilling the details before she even gets started. "I don't want to know when it is." That's not likely something she'd share for free either, but he's not willing to chance it.

"What kind of a fae are you...? Do you all know stuff like that?"

[nightflowering]

"You know, I almost miss the days when a lady carried a fan," she says by way what appears to be a non sequitur. "We could rap the knuckles of anyone that got a bit too impertinent with their questions."

In other words: it's quite rude to ask what sort of creature she is. Watch it.

[ghoulaid]

It takes him a second to get it, but when he does, he at least has the sense to sound apologetic. "Oh, I'm not supposed to ask that? Okay, my bad." He's always thought fae were strange, but this is a whole new level. What's worse, all the half-answers, run-arounds, and scoldings aren't putting a damper on his curiosity. If anything, it's making it stronger. He feels a little like he's interacting with a living puzzle.

The biggest piece of that puzzle is, perhaps, finding a way for them both to get what they want without involving any untimely deaths. "Well, uh. Anyhow, I know you mentioned sacrifice and all, but I'm not really feelin' the giving-up-half-my-lifespan thing. Is that the only way this'll work?"

[nightflowering]

"No, there are as many ways to 'make this work' as there are humans and fae. In the past, I have made a great many arrangements with artists, writers, even a lawyer or two. So long as you seek to know, to see and learn, and to create, we can come to an understanding."

"Come, tell me what name to call you, and let us move forward." Lan isn't quite sure just what price she would like to exact, not yet, but she's starting to flesh out an idea or two. "I will not bind you to anything more dramatic than, say, an hour of time each week devoted to study."

For now.

[ghoulaid]

That's a relief. It's just a shame that he doesn't realize that there are, indeed, things worse than death.

He doesn't realize he hasn't even introduced himself until she mentions it, either, so he's got a pretty poor track record going here. "Oh, right. Just call me Ghoul, it's fine." Not his real name, obviously, but his birth name isn't something he willingly shares these days. "An hour a week, though? That's it?" Pfft, he can do that.

"Would I need to do anything? Bring anything? Or just... show up, and that's it?"

[nightflowering]

"That's it, and you can call me Lan." Her skin flutters with soft colours, gentle shades of robin's egg and a bioluminescent green that make her appear lit from within. "All I ask is that you show up, be brave, and I'll guide you towards learning something new. I don't promise that it will always be easy to understand, nor untroubling, but you will learn, grow, and experience a great deal."

From behind the teapot on the little table, Lan pulls out a small glass vial with a mouthful of some milky liquor and holds it in the palm of her hand. "If this sounds fair to you, then take this and one evening, when you have the time, drink it. Next week, come and tell me what you learned."

[ghoulaid]

He's briefly startled by the color change- it's unexpected, but... pretty, honestly. He's not sure if it's appropriate to comment on it, or even sure what it means, but he settles on assuming it's probably harmless and probably something he needs to keep his mouth shut about.

The vial is something he feels even less confident about. He stares at it as it rests there in her hand, looking as safe as can be. Everything sounds fair enough... She's not asking for much of his time, and while he's aware they never did outline exact terms of payment, he feels as though he made his limits pretty clear.

Still, he hesitates a bit longer, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. After a quick glance up at her face, he finally reaches out slowly and plucks it from her palm, gingerly examining it like he's afraid of breaking it.

"The lesson's not something like 'never drink strange liquids', is it?" Yeah, maybe a joke will settle his nerves.

[nightflowering]

According to her rules, they've outlined payment perfectly: one hour a week of his time, during which he will learn something. There are so many things she could teach him, so much he doesn't know or hasn't experienced. It's bound to be interesting for them both.

"In part." But that doesn't matter now, he's taken the gift from her own hand and the deal has been sealed. "But, not as a whole. Tell me, Ghoul, have you ever taken sort of hallucinogen?"

[ghoulaid]

Things are shaping up to be pretty interesting already.

"Just a couple times," he answers automatically as he tilts the vial this way and that, watching the liquid inside, before he abruptly stops. "What?" His eyes widen a bit, his free hand coming up so he can cup the vial inside both of them and hide it from view. He even shoves his hands back under the table, in his lap, as if it needs to be buried further. "You gave me drugs?"

[nightflowering]

With a lazy wave of her hand, Lan dismisses his concerns as if they weigh nothing. "You could refer to what's in there as a drug. It does have a similar effect on humans."

Contained in the vial is a potent magical mixture that acts as an oneirogen, a drug that creates an immersive dream-like experience, in much the same manner that ibogaine or fly agaric can do so. Should he choose to take it, he will likely experience two hours of deeply altered consciousness followed by several hours of lingering disassociation and flickering hallucinations. Or maybe he's just seeing magic around him in the way one of the fae would. Who can tell?

[ghoulaid]

"Is this one of those things where I need somebody to sit in on me in case I try jumping off a roof?" He's never personally seen a trip go that badly, but then again, he's never watched anyone take magical drugs peddled by fae either. Maybe these play by a different set of rules.

He's concerned, sure, but evidently not enough to refuse it.

[nightflowering]

"That's your choice." It couldn't hurt to have a trip sitter, but Lan isn't going to tell him what to do beyond 'take it and learn'. He might also want to have a big glass of water nearby. No one likes dry mouth.

"You may wish to have a journal nearby to record what you learn, but that's not mandatory. All in all, it should help open your eyes, maybe begin the process of inspiration."

[ghoulaid]

"Okay..." Psychedelics aren't exactly his flavor of choice or anything, but hell, he's come this far. It's not like it's a completely new concept, besides. He knows the gist of what to expect, or at least he thinks he does. What could it hurt?

Everything, some tiny part of him chimes in- the part that remembers he hasn't taken any sort of substance at all since his curse activated. That's a voice he's going to have to make sure is well-smothered before letting that vial get anywhere close to his mouth. Taking it while feeling anxious will only be setting himself up for a bunch of bullshit.

"I'll try it, but you're probably gonna be super disappointed. I'm real boring," he says with a nervous little laugh while slipping the vial in to one of his pockets. "That all we need to cover for now?"

[nightflowering]

He might be boring now,but she can wait. Lan has an abundance of time and deep reserves of patience.

"I think so, my apricot." Congratulations, you've earned a pet name, Ghoul! It's not as evocative of the name he usually goes by, but Lan thinks it suits him. "Go forth, learn, and then return. Easy as can be."

[ghoulaid]

While he moves to stand, he ducks his head and silently mouths the word apricot? He's been called a great many things, but that one is... different. It's cute, actually. He doesn't come across as cute, does he? What an identity crisis.

"All right, then. Better let you get back to your business." He gives her a small smile. One hand slides inside his pocket, resting protectively over the tiny vial inside, while the other lifts just far enough to offer a loose little wave. "I'll see you soon." Once he's said his goodbyes, he takes his leave before he thinks up four dozen more questions.