Xanadu Weyr - Caverns
A massive cavern in it's own right, this one has been skillfully adapted for human habitation. The high ceilings have been painted a light, soft ivory, as are the walls where numerous tapestries hang to provide brilliant color and insulation from the stone. The floor has been left in its natural state, pale pink granite speckled through with glittering mica and dark flecks of basalt, leveled carefully but kept sufficiently rough to avoid slips.
The cavern itself is loosely divided into areas, each one set up to be suitable for some segment of the Weyr's population. The most frequently occupied area, however, is the one near the Kitchens where tables of varying sizes provide a place to sit down and eat or chat and a buffet of consumables is almost always kept stocked. Its plain that on most days, this area wouldn't accommodate anywhere near the full population of the Weyr and equally plain that on such occasions when a formal meal is laid out, tables are appropriated from all the other areas.
A big fireplace is set into the wall near the Kitchens as well, several comfortable chairs nearby providing haunts for elderly residents or riders who like a good view of all that happens. Rugs cover the floor in strategic spots, all of them abstract or geometric in design and most in the softly neutral colors of undyed wool.
Exits lead off in all directions, a big archway the largest and that leading outside. Shallow stairs to the west lead to the offices and administration area while tunnels to the east lead to the infirmary, kitchen and resident's quarters. Southwards, a sloping tunnel leads down to the hot springs.
Huzzah, Turnover Eve! The preparations of the last few days have turned to the customary fun and frolic, and here in the Caverns is the thick of it. Although it's getting to be quite late, cheerful chatter still rings from the stonework, and an only slightly thinned crowd is scattered throughout the area, drinking, eating, playing games, singing - the works. Off to one side, a trio of Harpers are entertaining a small group of dancers. So - fun times! And then there are the people who just can't get into the spirit of things. Like Thessily, for example: for all that she's dressed up for the occasion, there's not a smile to be seen on the Techie's face. There is, however, a camera to be seen in her hands. The bulky black and silver mechanism is currently being held aloft as she tries to angle herself to capture a good shot of the dancers. Her thumb moves, there's a click… and at the exact wrong time, a woman walks directly in front of her. "Oh come /on/."
Behind that woman is a dressed up Journeyman Woodcrafter, Datsun. The teenager blinks as three words are directed almost at him in close hearing, turning his head to see who said it. Catching sight of Thessily with her strange… object, Datsun ducks away unexpectedly, pointing a finger at the object, "What is /that/ thing?" He queries, backing up a few steps away from it. One hand drops to the hilt of his decorated knife, peering at the girl.
Hold up, Datsun, there's a /reckoning/ to be delivered here. "You well just ruined my photo!" Thessily complains, loudly, scowling at the unfortunate photobomber. Who is… actually totally ignoring her, possibly because she's walking in a way that suggests /conspicious/ amounts of booze. The apprentice is undeterred, and continues to speak, Nabolese accent rising above the music. "I best ought make you /pay/ for the film, are you s'posing it's cheap? And - /what/." /Now/ Datsun has caught her attention. And she proceeds to whirl on him in a way that probably won't put him at his ease, brows furrowing fiercely under her heavy bangs. "A /camera's/ what it be, thanks." Stare. "I've photos to be taking, what d'you s'pose it was?"
Datsun's eyes squint as he regards the teenager, traveling over that heavy makeup and her attitude in general. A brief glance is sent after the departing woman but he doesn't keep his eyes off Thessily for long, "And just what in Faranth is a camera?" Tilting his head slightly, suspicious of her, "Photos?" Until that Nabolese accent reaches his ears and a hint of recognition comes to his face, "You're Nabol, right?" The 'camera' is still eyed, however. It's clear he doesn't trust whatever that thing is.
Thessily regards right back, though the unfairness of height means she's required to tilt her neck back to do it thoroughly. The scowl doesn't waver. "A camera," she says, as to a particularly slow child, "takes photographs, surely. You're in Xanadu, the Techcraft be everywhere here, surely you'll have been seeing photographs before." Her scornful regard comes to rest on his shoulder, probably expecting to see some particularly unprestigious knot - and wavers when she realizes she's sassing someone who, uh, ranks her. Somewhat more politely, she adds, "I'm Nabolese, for sure."
Datsun's left eyebrow raises at the tone, stepping closer to Thessily in order to make her tilt her head back up even more in a small payback for her tone to him, peering downwards at her. "The Techcraft be everywhere, aye, but I ain't Techcraft." His eyes travel her gaze to his knot, bringing a smile to his lips as the realization comes upon her. "As you can see for yourself, I work with wood. I may be in Xanadu, but I'm not from Xanadu. Now explain what a 'camera' that takes 'photographs' is. The Nabolese were kinder to me when I traveled through that area, and it didn't require my knot for them to be."
Thessily may be tilting her head up further, and she may be moderating her tone, but that doesn't mean she has to /like/ it. Her voice is polite, now - but there's a distinct undercurrent of 'sulk' running through it. "A camera be using chemicals and special -" she pauses, obviously trying to decide how to phrase this, "- paper, of a sort, to be capturing images, sir." It's a little grudging, that 'sir' - possibly because she's a little jerk, possibly because they're about the same age, possibly both. "Like drawing but right away, yeah? So we take the film, that'll be the… special paper… and we can be printing out images from it, looking well real." She still has her hands securely in position on the contraption, and isn't making any move to set it aside or (Faranth forbid) offer to let him touch it. Judging from the angle of her skinny little arms, it's probably pretty heavy for its size. The bridge of the apprentice's nose wrinkles slightly at his comment re: the hospitality of the Nabolese, but she has no comment to make in response.
This whole situation has the Journeyman Woodcrafter smirking to himself. However, as Thessily launches into her explanation, Datsun tilts his head and listens. His brows furrows briefly, deftly moving to her side and places his left arm around the Apprentice girl's shoulders, bringing his head all the way down, down, down next to Thessily to see from her vantage point of view. "So… you mean…" A pause as his eyes glance around to take in the scene, his free hand lifting away from the hilt of his knife to motion at the people before them. "This… these people… are drawn on that little, tiny paper inside that thing?" The Crafter points down at the camera, turning his head to stare directly at Thessily's face.
There is absolutely nothing smirk-worthy here, Datsun! At least, /Thessily/ can't see anything funny about it. She stiffens at the close contact, but grudgingly permits it, and even so-graciously lifts the camera to an angle where he can see through the viewfinder. "Well, s' not paper, exactly - film's what it be, though this /here/ is made mostly of cellulose, which I'll be assuming you know about, being in the Woodcraft." Since cellulose is… planty. "And not drawn, exactly, but close enough." There's a pause, and then she carefully removes one hand from the camera, pointing towards the musicians on the makeshift stage several feet over. "So if I'm be wanting a photograph of them there up't stage, I lift the camera like so, and I put my finger here, and -" There's a click and a brief flash of light. "Like that. And then in the lab's darkroom I'll be taking the film and processing it, and then making the pictures so's people can look at 'em." As she's been explaining, there's been a subtle downgrade in the Attitude: the technical aspects of this obviously outweigh her irritation.
Datsun's eyes blink as the strange object is lifted to his eyes, unsure where to look. That is, until he notices that little rectangular piece of glass: the 'viewfinder'. The Journeyman teenager brings his eye closer to it, peering through the 'viewfinder' to see the scene, which is the stage, through it. "Aye, I know cellulose, that much at least." The Crafter moves his head around so that his eye's point of view changes. As the flash of light happens, Datsun jumps back, jerking his head away from it, eyeing the 'camera' warily for a moment until he looks around at the front of it, "Is there a glow in there? 'Darkroom'?" The teenager takes his arm off Thessily and offers her his hand, "I'm Datsun. You'll have to show me this whole process, if you're up to it." A genuine smile is offered to her, "And thank you for explaining." At least he has some manners.
"Bulb," Thessily corrects, with a small jerk of her head towards one of the electric lights overhead, supplementing the softer, familiar illumination of glowbaskets and fires. "A special lil' 'un. Film's well useless when the lighting's bad, y'see. The Ancients, they had ways 'round that, but us… no" There's a small sigh, here, that sigh you hear so often from Techcrafters when they muse on Oldschool Tech They Can't Duplicate. His hand is eyed for a moment, but she's reasonably quick to shift the camera and free up a hand to match his. "Datsun?" Just beneath her heavy fringe, her brow can be seen to furrow. "Not the journeyman what be helping Journeyman Jethaniel, then?" Is that a hint of an 'oh crap' on her face, there? It miiiight be. And that might be why she's quick to agree to his suggestion. "If you'll be wanting to be shown, I'll be willing. Thessily's who I be, only got posted here three days back."
Now it's Datsun's turn to tilt his head backwards, and he does, looking all the way up at the bulbs. "Ah. I noticed those but didn't know what they were." His eyes travel back to Thessily, "I've been hearing that from the Techcrafters." Indeed, that familiar sigh is known to the Woodcrafter, making his smile bigger, nodding a single nod to confirm her question, "Datsun." is his answer. A laugh is let out from his throat at her expression and words, "The Journeyman helping Journeyman Jethaniel, aye. Well met, Thessily." Another nod happens at her agreement, "Excellent, I'm from a small Hold, Far Cry Hold. Close to Lemos and the Woodcrafthall." Her hand is shaken and released, "Oh, well, in that case, welcome to Xanadu Weyr. I've only been here a couple of months myself. I'm still learning about things like that 'camera'. My Hold doesn't have advanced technology like that."
Thessily's newly freed hand makes an immediate trajectory for the camera. It's hooked onto a strap hanging around her neck, but she's still obviously Incredibly Careful with it; newfangled doohickeys are /expensive/. The apprentice is silent for a moment, listening. She's not exactly smiley, but at least her cordiality isn't /entirely/ forced anymore. "I be coming from the backend of nowhere myself," the girl admits, sounding like it's an embarrassing confession for her. "Never did see an electric light 'til I was well past ten. Well loved 'em the moment I saw 'em, though." Beyond, the dancers are preparing for another set, and her eyes flick in their direction. A particularly good shot presents itself, and she promptly mutters a "Beg your pardon", lifting the camera to take a shot.
Datsun shrugs, noting her tone about her confession, "Nothing wrong with that. I enjoyed Nabol well enough when I came through it." The Journeyman teenager watches Thessily with her camera, glancing at the dancers as she takes her shot, "I'll leave you to your picture taking. It was nice meeting you." A little bow is performed to her, "I'll be calling on you soon. Best of luck with your project." Then the young Woodcrafter turns away, disappearing into the crowd.