Daybreak }{ Open to anyone

[Laughing Man]

The Harlequin's face was soft, as usual, but had tattoos running from just underneath and around his eyes, all the way down his face, neck, and disappearing into his clothing. His hands also had tattoos on the back of them which wrapped around his wrist, like a sleeve, and disappeared further inside as well. He spoke softly, only because it was a library, but the smile never left his face,
"Ahh.. Well perception is a gift. Some perceive demons, and spirits.. Others dead people and magic... You perceive your world... I perceive Gentry and Dreams." he laughed softly and shook his head,

"I did not mean to bother you, in fact, I didn't expect to run into you at all." he said truthfully, with a thoughtful glance at the title of her book, "Are you interested in goddesses of the past? I'm sure I can tell you a lot more about a certain Goddess than that silly book. It's much to broad a subject to jam so many magnificent beings into a few pages." He mumbled.

[indigo]

"Goddesses are never truly gone, so how can they be of the past? However I am interested in a few, none of which are mentioned in this book. I didn't want anything heavy, though, just some light reading to spend my time," she replied, thinking that the book wasn't very informative or interesting, and she had begun to grow bored before the stranger had shown up. Then she realized she couldn't keep thinking of him as 'The Stranger' when surely he had a name.
"What are you called?" she asked after a moment's silence.

[Laughing Man]

Minh smiled, 'What an interesting way to ask for a name. Accurate, though' Thought the Harlequin before responding,

"An apt question. I'm called many things. 'The Harlequin. The shadowdancer. That weird, butterfly-obsessed tatooed man... " He chuckled at the last one, "The kids like that one... You can call me Minh. Minh Kaizu, Harlequin Shadowdancer of Desna." he said as he fluidly fell into a bow, one hand behind him, the other curled in front of his waist formally before raising himself once more,

"And I suppose there is something with which one can identify the curious woman before me?"

He asked with another smirk. He then went on to answer her questions, "True, Deities to not grow old, and do not truly die. But some are more ancient than others... Which ones were you looking into? Perhaps I've heard of them." he said with a winka nd a soft laugh.

[indigo]

Nissa debated on whether she should say her full name or not. In the end she decided it was safer to not.
"I go by Nissa," she told Minh, but did not stand. Instead she tipped her head in a respecting nod before looking up again.

She smiled. Tora already seemed jealous, though Nissa was only speaking with Minh in the manner of acquaintances. Perhaps it was because he was a polite man, a rare thing to be found in her experience, though Nissa was paying more attention to him than to the shadowy tigress's consciousness vying for some of her attention. "I am close to Diana and Nyx," she told him.

Nissa glanced out of a window behind Minh, hoping to see evening light. But of course it was still afternoon, with a few hours left until the sun disappeared for another night. Nissa sighed in suppressed impatience.

[Laughing Man]

Minh smiled, "Ahhh. It seems I cannot help you after all.. or I know very little of either of them... Probably no more than that book." He admitted, "I don't claim to be a scholar of deities. At least not all of them." e said, gesturing to the pile of books he chose that almost all involved Desna.


He shrugged sightly, "So Nissa, if you don't mind my asking, what brings you to such a.. Busy.. City." he asked with a bit of a pause at the word 'busy'

[indigo]

She smiled again; she rarely found anything of her goddesses in things as trivial as books. Any information she needed came from elsewhere.
"It seems you are most drawn to but one goddess; it makes sense that you would know the most about her, rather than others."

Nissa thought over Minh's question a moment before answering.
"I usually avoid cities, but this is one I've never been to. I can't say it's been very entertaining, though. I thought it might be good to mingle with civilization, if only briefly. It reminds me of why I avoid them."

[Laughing Man]

Minh shrugged slightly but gave a nod of admittance, "True I am much drawn to Desna, but I do know a thing or two of Erastil, and much of the Elven Pantheon..." he responded. He then nodded,

"Cities like this are not my forte. Growing up as a wagon brat, most views of cities like these were from the outside... And I'm not regretting that. It seems I wasn't missing all that much."

He laughed softly and noticed her lookin outside every now and then, "Waiting for someone?" He inquired innocently, then added, "Or something?"

[indigo]

"I spent the first part of my life on a farm closer to small towns and villages than any city. It was so peaceful..." Nissa closed her eyes for a few seconds.

"Yes, actually. I don't particularly like the daytime. I feel much more comfortable at night," she told him. It wasn't the whole truth, but it wasn't a lie, either.

[Laughing Man]

Minh shrugged, "Daya nd night have their beauties and uses. Daytime casts long, dark shadows to hide in. While at night, one adjusts to the darkness, however shadows are everywhere. They both are nice." He admitted.

"So what brings you around here anyway?" He asked and began picking up his books again, scanning them casually but not really reading them. Just to busy himself, really.

[indigo]

The day may cast shadows, but my shadows only live in the night, Nissa thought to herself.
"True," she agreed simply.

"I don't usually travel with a particular destination in mind. I just...go," she replied. "I don't really have a reason for being here. Do you have a certain reason for lingering in the city?" Nissa smiled.

[Laughing Man]

Minh shook his head but smiled, "So then we are partially of the same kin. In that respect, anyway." He started softly, keeping his eyes outside the window, watching random people walk by and he chukled as a small child made faces through the window and pointed at his brightly-colored robe before his mother dragged him away.

"I caravan-hopped my way here. It just happened to be the closest settlement at the time. I had found a book and was trying to get rid of it. Normally, I don't have direction. I wander from forest to forest, finding shrines to Desna, or beautiful spots to make one myself. "

He didn't mention that he makes visits to the Gentry, either. But that could go both good and bad ways, and he wasn't prepared to risk that.

"I suppose you could call me a wanderer... But my professional title is Harlequin. Though from my current attire you wouldn't assume such, I'm sure." he laughed softly

[indigo]

"I have never spent much time around other people. I usually avoid most roads, though small villages offer welcome entertainment" she commented, grinning as she remembered some of the chaotic entertainment, mostly what she had caused. "I think I have seen a few of the shrines you speak of; they were in the most beautiful places," she smiled, remembering the times she lingered around those areas just for the sheer joy of discovering things so marvelous as what that part of the forest contained.

[Laughing Man]

The Half Elf nodded slightly and smiled, "They are usually in the most beautiful spots, or the best spots to gaze at stars... There are rarely actual churches or temples." He explained bit further, then flipped through another book, "So what of Diana and Nyx? It's always interesting to hear of other's beliefs..."

[indigo]

Nissa smiled, happy to speak of such a safe topic as her goddesses.
"Dian is a goddess of the hunt and the moon. She is an emblem of chastity, known as a virgin goddess and looking after mainly virgin women, but other women as well. Oak groves are especially sacred to her. She is also often depicted with a stag or some other deer. Nyx is a primordial goddess of the night. She can be helpful or hurtful to humans, but she is a guardian for travelers in the night."

Nissa looked outside again and saw the deep golden light of evening, slanting shadows slowly lengthening. This lifted her heart and her smile stayed in place.

[Laughing Man]

"Interesting. They sound like friends of Desna." he laughed, "She's the Goddess of Travel and Dreams." He explained, lifting a book with the symbol of Desna etched onto it's cover. It was a moth with celestial symbols, "So you worship two deities at the same time?" He asked, then followed her gaze out the window, wondering why she seemed excited until he noticed the sky, "Ahh, it's about that time, is it?"