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[Nakoa Singh]

Honestly, Nakoa thought they'd dislike Dorin more than they did. The weather was actually pretty nice this time of year. Sure, a breath mask was needed, but at least it wasn't some horrible desert. Or another thrice-damned lava planet. Never again.

Between other more scholarly activities, the Wrean took the time to indulge in another of his usual habits when amongst new cultures: buying things at the local markets. Clothing, in particular. Masks aside, the Kel'dor had a certain style to them, it had to be said. Shame about the food situation, though. Apparently it was highly toxic and probably tasted gross for non-Kel'dor. Not worth the trouble.

Besides, they'd need something comfortable for this trip's final trek to the temple up in the mountains. They had a book they'd promised to return.

Arriving at the city's edge where the guiding monk would lead him back, they were surprised to find someone else: A.. human, maybe? It was hard to tell behind the mask. How interesting!

"Not a tourist, are you?" they said by way of greeting in a kidding tone as they walked up to the otherwise small and Kel'dor-centric group.

@Arcangel

 

[Mallory San Marca]

Mallory had spent the last six months studying the ways of the Baran Do Sages. The studying, the training, none of it was easy. Even convincing the monks of the sincerity of her desire to learn their ways had not been easy. Yes, she wanted to learn the inner peace and determined patience of the sages. No, she wasn't lying or seeking power. The spell to obscure and reveal her words as true had been useful in convincing them.

Days filled with quiet contemplation among the rows of Kel Dor monks who made the mountain temple their home. Studying the mysteries of the Guided Wind, and the Guided Lightning. Nights spent covered in bruises from head to toe after hours of training quarterstaff fighting with the weapons master. The little bit of extra Mallory she usually carried around on her body thanks to Chef's donuts had melted away in those months.

It was safe to say that she had earned her way into the Sage's trust, perhaps soon they may even find her worthy of beginning her study of the Guided Stream through which they perceived the great storms that wracked Dorin. For now it was enough that they had trusted her to guide a guest up the winding mountain path to the temple. Which had meant making the trek down from the heights, only to wait around before heading back up again.

No rest for the wicked.

Mallory wore the deep indigo robe of a Baran Do, trimmed with white and red triangle patterns along the hem that signified her as an initiate into the order. It had taken more than a few weeks to grow accustomed to the clunky breath mask she wore, and the heavy but compact oxygen that sat at the small of her back. She was in the middle of some standing, eyes open meditation… definitely not napping, when a voice broke her out of the haze of near unconsciousness.

”Hmm?” Mallory said, stunned for a moment while she blinked her eyes rapidly as she returned to the land of the living and conscious. ”No, not a tourist, not in the traditional sense at any rate.” She nodded and then yawned. She supposed it could be seen as a form of extended tourism, spending many months, possibly even up to a year or two on the planet to recreationally learn an entire religion and accompanying skill set. She would be leaving eventually, but she would burn that bridge when she crossed it.

”I take it I am to be your guide?” She asked him coolly as she cast an appraising eye over him, noting the book that clearly belonged in the temples library.

 

[Nakoa Singh]

An open look of amusement crossed Nakoa's face, though it wasn't visible through the mask. It was certainly audibly in their voice when they responded to the definitely-not-napping mountain guide. "A guide is a guide, no?" the Wrean responded breezily, unbothered by the human's cooler tones. Nakoa kinda-sorta looked like an enthusiastic tourist himself, dressed in a local style and all.

"Didn't expect them to send another foreigner. And an initiate. Most unusual." Their head tilted slightly. "You can call me Singh. What's it like living up there?" They immediately had curious questions about the whole thing and got right into it while indicating they were ready to get moving. No use standing around when there was trudging to be done.

That the human woman was side-eying the book was entirely missed, given the whole mask situation. She was probably wondering how he'd even gotten his hands on it. Well, Nakoa was persuasive and the rest could be a mystery.

@Arcangel

 

[Mallory San Marca]

Mallory just looked at the person she was supposed to be guiding for a moment as they simplified the question of whether or not she was their guide down to… what? She wasn't quite sure.

”I bow to your wisdom.” She said, giving a mock half bow. His further comments and introduction drew an amused look from Mallory as she considered how to answer.

”Initiate Mallory, but you may just call me Mallory.” She introduced herself, holding out her gloved right hand for a lackadaisical shake. ”And you will find that I am anything but usual.” She said with a wink before turning to begin the trek up the mountain.

”Its..” Mallory struggled to fill in the rest of the sentence in regards to what it was like living up on the mountain among the monks. ”Decidedly lacking in creature comforts. The accommodations aren't exactly set up with humans in mind.” She said while checking the hose on her air supply. There was a long hike ahead of them and it would be a shame to asphyxiate in the toxic Dorin atmosphere.

”What drives a tourist to ascend to the temple?” She asked as they started on the trailhead at the outskirts of town. It was easy going for the time being, the path was wide and paved and only beginning to incline up towards the steeper sections.

 

[Nakoa Singh]

Nakoa responded to the human's bow with a similar but more theatrical bow. "Your glowing praise humbles me," he said playfully before straightening back up for the lazy handshake. "Have to ask. Are the rumors of stone beds true, or not?" Only the most hard-hitting questions from this Wrean, yes ma'am.

They shrugged at Mallory's return question. "Wouldn't know. Not like they'd get let in. Tourists enjoy many strange things, no?" It wasn't clear whether Nakoa had misunderstood Mallory's implication or was just messing around. They elaborated a few seconds later, regardless. "I'm here to study the culture. Something of a scholar, me." They waggled the book before placing it securely in their satchel.

The climb became steadily steeper and the Wrean foreigner seemed mostly unbothered by it and kept to idle conversation like the two were just taking a midday stroll through the woods. "And the weather patterns. Unpredictable stuff, isn't it?"

@Arcangel

 

[Mallory San Marca]

Mallory smirked at the even more pronounced bow that Singh leveled on her, their words dripping with a friendly sarcasm. Apparently Mallory had met her match.

”True, unfortunately.” She frowned beneath her breath mask as they walked. It had been something to grow accustomed to, though she supposed one didn't particularly care where sleep fell upon them after long days of training and meditation. ”Nothing quite like a stone bed to lay your back down on after hiking up and down the mountain path."

The path was already beginning to steepen. Well tread, but narrowing and growing rockier by the minute.

”A sentient after my own heart.” Mallory's words beamed as the being spoke on being a researcher and not a tourist. She walked easily as well, having traversed the trail many times a week by this point in her time on Dorin. When she had first arrived the hike had been murder, but the human body acclimated well.

”Unpredictable, yes. Not unknowable however.” She said. Technology had largely made the Baran Do order obsolete, but with the continued development of the planet came more unpredictable weather systems. The Baran Do didn't predict. They knew. ”Unfortunately as a mere initiate, I am not privy to the methods by which the senior monks know the pattern of storms.”

 

[Nakoa Singh]

"Unfortunate indeed." Stone beds? No thanks.

They listened, both to Mallory's conversational reply and, to some degree, the nature around them as they continued along the upward, steepening trail. Mallory was, obviously, at least familiar with the Force. Baran Do would not accept an initiate otherwise. Nakoa neither hid their proficiency nor waved it around, not finding any need to conceal a fragile ego. Speaking of the Force, Nakoa wielded the same tones as someone commenting on an interesting rock formation or pattern of stars.

"Don't think it's foresight," they commented. Shamanson Wrea far outnumbered the Baran Do, and it took large groups of them to predict weather and current patterns, potential trouble, or distant enemies. By all accounts the Baran Do knew immediately whenever something changed. The Force was powerful, but it was rarely so reliable and convenient as that when it came to visions.

"Ah, a fork. We go left, or right?" Left appeared easier, but more roundabout, at least from their current perspective.

@Arcangel