OUR HEROES: Tira Wolfsdaughter Hank Woodman Haiku Odsdottir Gustav Mahler Persia


 

3. Settling In, Part 1

The characters leave their audience and return to the Columbia to gather whatever belongings they have. The characters go to Persia's small house in the Beast Quarter. After making plans to rendezvous every Marketday if not sooner, they go their separate ways.

Hank escorts Tira and Haiku to the Hall of Art, where they are given separate interviews. Haiku is enrolled in a language class, while Tira is evaluated by the Headmistress, a sharp old woman named Halifax. She is examined by a deep psychic probe and told that she has exceptional potential and aptitude. Her first assignment however is to learn to read. She is allowed to use a copy of the Book of Standing Stones penned by the Archon himself. The book is charged with psyche so that the meaning is clear to any with Sight. With the help of a young novice named Farralon, she learns to decipher the book. She realizes that she has a long way to go. She also meets a trio of girls who giggle at her and make fun of her clothing and appearance. The next morning, she encounters General Hannon in the library, studying maps. He gives her a lecture on her place in society, and how an adept is expected to behave.

Haiku's experience at theTower of Art is much more brief. She to is touched by the Headmistress, but in this case, Halifax uses her art to impart language to Haiku. The grafting of Anglish is temporary, but will allow Haiku to function within the city while she learns the old-fashioned way.

Hank is given a tour of the city by the Architect, a man named Yale. He discovers that he remembers working on some buildings that were completed over 75 years previously, reinforcing the conclusions he drew from his discussions with the River Master. Yale shows him Little Tallon, and Hank offers some solutions to the problem of wall-building to suggest to the Archon. The Architect offers to let him work on a problem in the Beast Quarter, some kind of street collapse. He is given tools, but not much in the way of supplies. He will have to improvise.

Persia takes Char on a tour of the Beast Quarter. On the way back, they see Tomba, a dog who leads a pack of bullies in the Quarter. She convinces Char that he must avoid Tomba, for the Rottweilerish beast will undoubtedly challenge him

Mahler searches for a new home for himself and Sanyo, his riven friend. Too many questions are being asked at the Wyvern's Roost. He finds an inn called the Kraken's Head. The proprietor asks few questions, yet seems genuinely friendly. Before Mahler moves Sanyo, he is contacted with a job by Tip, an otter aboard the Columbia. He moves Sanyo that night, and is nearly discovered by the man who was asking questions. The man has an odd speech impediment and appears to be asking more about half-breeds than riven. Nevertheless, Mahler smuggles Sanyo out and secures him in the Kraken's Head before leaving on the Columbia.