Life had been steadily getting those small increments of easier. Ever since she had first stepped out into the sunlight at Vitruvion's side, Stare had found herself gaining freedoms, trust and confidence from him. Of course, that did not mean that she would ever gain full independence from her master-god-employer-definitely-not-lover - and that point had been made very clear ever since he had given her immortality - but at least it was better.

She stared out across the academy grounds, this place as alien to her as another world. Alerar was, as they said, vastly different from it brethren country of Raiaera, where high fashion, elegance and decorum was the morals of the world. Here, the coal-skinned drow worked tirelessly, with industry and very little magic. They strove in a way that was more socialist than monarchist, that Stare found herself oddly attracted to. As she saw it, they worked as one here, valuing each other, savouring the importance of every cog in their mighty machine of industry.
She saw one of the great factories of legend in the distance, it's towers pricking the dusky sky. Plumes of smoke became clouds, wafting away on the natural breeze. Her heart began to race also as she noticed a glinting rounded object in the sky that could only be one of those airships; a floating vehicle of wonder that ran on energy of steam. It glinted in the sky, like a star eager to be chased, and if Stare had not a direction today she would have.

But the academy was where her purpose lay today, stretched out before her like a tumbling world of order. Buildings expertly crafted and suitably arranged for the few students here to wander past. Some of them naturally stared, as the kenku stepped away from their office building, but Stare was definitely used to being the odd species out.

She had come here seeking guidance, sent by the decision of Vitruvion to enact a new idea after their failed attempt to capture her undead brother Avin by any degree. There had been a series of adventures with a young girl called McKinley that had gained Stare more confidence in what could be achieved in terms of finding her brother who was enslaved by Vindrexis, Vitruvion's brother and both their ultimate enemy. But it had all eventually tumbled to naught, without success and so now Stare was here, in Alerar, where she had never thought to have been, all to gain information about how to kill.

The legendary academy of hunters was certainly a place to begin.

Now she strode slowly away from the office, where a grizzled man with tiny spectacles had told her that one of their greatest might be found in a pub. It did not fill Stare with the greatest confidence, but she walked anyway, hoping that this pub-goer was at least sober enough to give some advice. Briefly, she checked her mind, and detected the very faint connection of her god's mind mildly paying attention. Sometimes he was altogether gone, or just appearing to be gone and secretly watching - so it was delivered positive.

She rolled back her shoulders, adjusting her wings, set her hand on the hilt of the dagger at her belt and headed into the main forum of the academy. Her eyes (and feet) moved around the buildings until she found one on the outskirts that had enough people going in and out and a suitable name enough to register as a drinking house. Setting herself ready for whatever was to come she endured her wings were hidden beneath her cloak, shoved the door with her shoulder and barged in.

It was dark, medium sized and fairly empty. But it still had enough occupants to need to ask. All were drow here, and Stare didn't know how to properly spot 'a good Hunter’. And so she moved to the bar, where one patron was glaring at the woodwork, and a barmaid was delightfully cleaning.

“I am looking for … a Huntsman,” she said in a firm voice, “The office said that 'one of experience’ was here, without work?”