Pyr trailed after Aya like a particularly attentive shadow, silent but hanging on her every word. It hadn't taken him long in this realm to notice most of the animals did not have the ability to perceive him outside of his physical presence - they often treated him like an object in their environment, moving around him or perching atop him as they pleased. Those that were less mundane in nature tended to react to him as they did other demons, as either a threat or something to be wary of.
Given what he'd observed, he was rather glad that most beasts of burden (such as horses) fell into the first category - he had seen spooked animals toss their riders or dart off with carts full of items, and the mortals were always quite distraught at this behavior. He was glad not to trigger such reactions most of the time.

Their tour eventually complete, Pyr stopped next to Aya and surveyed the grounds he'd just been introduced to quite thoroughly. Offered a chance to ask questions, Pyr let his head tilt to one side as he considered this, the curtain of bangs sliding away to reveal the other half of his face. After a long moment of thought, he straightened and returned his gaze down to his guide. As usual, his voice was even and without inflection.
"I do. I am still working to understand the full breadth of magic in this realm, so I must ask - is the choice to build a physical atrium due to limitations in magical applications? Also, I have noticed that it is very common for the people in this world to have close relationships with various non-humanoid beasts, most often for companionship or physical tasks, however it seems that these creatures are physically contained in some way to keep them available. While Contracts do not seem to be a common avenue here, I have found that most beings will still adhere to the give-and-take concept of exchange, so I wonder why this is not used more often in these relationships?"

If there was anything Pyr had in abundance, it was patience - he quietly waited for Aya to process what she'd just seen and get her thoughts together. Luckily it seemed she did not have anything else that needed immediate tending to (though Pyr would have been happy to wait had she said otherwise) and so their tour would not be postponed.

"I will gladly follow your lead." Pyr bowed his head shallowly, then moved silently to follow after her. That half-lidded eye might seem somewhat tired or lazy, but it was laser focused on everything around him, eager as he was to observe everything about this place.

Though his expression didn't change, Pyr radiated an aura of contentment when Aya accepted his terms. Navigating interactions with the denizens of this world was not always easy, and while he endeavored to learn as fast as he could, the number of failures he still endured was disheartening. He could not blame the mortals for their wariness, fear, aggression, and hatred - he simply wished he could put them better at ease, so that he might not miss out on so many opportunities to know them.

"Wonderful, we have an accord. Just a moment." Lifting his hand slowly, he pointed his index finger up into the air - a needless gesture, but for some reason people seemed more unsettled if he exerted his power without any overt actions to show he had done so. There was a sort of humming pressure in the air, and then the entirety of the mess, spilled grains and all, was gone. The wall was whole and intact once more, all the barrels and sacks again perfectly stacked against it.

His side of the bargain thus completed, he let his arm rest by his side once more, that blue-on-blue eye trained back to Aya's face.
"I am eager to begin our tour, so if you have no other pressing tasks to attend to?"

At the reminder of their location, Pyr took a moment to again glance around at the destruction surrounding him. This, too, he was quite familiar with. Mortals tended to get quite upset when their environment was disrupted this way - he was quite prepared to be told to assist in cleaning it up. This would be acceptable as it was unlikely he'd suffer another 'attack' so soon, thus making his attempt at helping quite moot.

"Passing by. I thought to observe the beasts here, and the people who tend them. This realm is quite different from my own, so there is much to see."
Finally his expression changed, if only in the slightest way - his visible eyebrow twitched as he had a thought. He found that much like demons and their penchant for contracts, mortals too appreciated the concept of offering something in exchange for another.

"I understand it to be preferable to 'clean up' a mess like this. As I have inferred that you are likely familiar with this location, I have an offer: I will return this building, and everything in it, back to its state before the accident. In exchange, I would like for you to give me a...'tour' I believe it is called. I can learn much through observation, but it is still preferable to have the insight from those who live here. Is this acceptable?"

Once she had confirmed things for herself and stepped away, Pyr slowly straightened once more, lidded gaze watching her face as it moved through various emotions. The mortals of this realm had quite the varied number of reactions to the knowledge of what he was - it seemed to depend largely on the demographics of the area, though it just as often was dependent on the person's own experiences and lineage. Ultimately he couldn't accurately predict the outcome, but he could see no reason not to be honest about it, regardless of the responses he received.

"Greetings, Aya." Pleased to have finally completed the introductions, he was a bit surprised by her question. Not necessarily the question itself, but rather that she actually voiced it at all. Ordinarily those that feared his powers didn't bother to stay and question him - they were far more comfortable fleeing his presence instead.
Understandable, really.
"No, you need not. I have manifested in this realm of my own volition. I am under no contract with you, and you have not bartered your soul in return."

The tall man did not react to her approach or fretting, other than to continue watching her calmly - though he went somewhat cross-eyed as his gaze followed the tip of her finger when it pointed into his face.

"Ah. Your concern is kind, but you need not expend it on my behalf. The shoulder is already repaired. As others often do not immediately believe this, you may confirm it for yourself if you'd like."
To facilitate whatever manipulations she might need to do to assure his shoulder's good health, he leaned over a bit to compensate for their difference in height - the motion was slow and measured, as though he might startle her.

"When you are satisfied, I would like to continue the exchange of introductions so that I may know what to call you."

Blissfully unaware of Kyran's inner thoughts, Padca was instead rather amused at his apparent eagerness. Most people were not entirely pleased to be scrutinized, even in the name of learning, but it seemed the proverbial 'carrot on the stick' of learning more about himself was a great enough incentive.
It was actually a little charming how eager he was, a bit like an excited child or somesuch, and Padca's expression smoothed without his knowing into a small smile.

Naturally that didn't last long as Kyran immediately gave him a wink, earning him an unimpressed look that quickly fluttered into confusion.
"What? I...yes, I mean, two days is quite adequate. Just ask for me at the front desk and I will be notified. I...do enjoy stopping for the house noodle dish at the small shop down the road just south of here, if you required a recommendation. And I've not much thought of it, but I suppose the moon lily is nice enough, though I don't see the relevance."

The stranger watched her placidly with that blue, blue eye as she sputtered and spoke and fairly processed what she was seeing out loud. She narrowed in on him quickly enough, an expression of probable suspicion and irritation on her face. The humanoid mortals of this realm were fascinating in their ability to broadcast thoughts and emotions with these expressions - he was getting fairly adept at interpreting them too, which helped immensely in his attempts to interact with them.

"The wall collapsed. My name is Pyr. I am a demon who has come to visit this realm for recreational observation - ah, I believe the term is 'people watching'." His voice rumbled out in a perfect monotone again, that one visible eye blinking slowly.
"I hope I have answered all your questions satisfactorily. I am not opposed to meeting this 'stablemaster'. Also, I believe it is now your turn in the custom of exchanging introductions and greetings."
He moved to gesture at her with one hand, but the motion was jittered and incomplete. Turning slightly, he glanced down at his own mangled shoulder, that same neutral expression on his face.
It didn't even register as much of an injury, so his body hadn't yet bothered to correct it. Still, it was a bit inconvenient, so he reached up with his functional hand to shove it more or less back where it ought to go and let his repair functions do the rest.

Padca was beginning to note that Kyran had a spectacular talent for misspeaking. It was both mortifying and amusing, given the topics at hand, but Padca managed to hide both a small upturn of his lips and further blushing by turning his head and coughing into his fist.

"Yes, well, you're quite welcome I suppose. It is true I took risks, but I am not as defenseless as I might seem. In any case yes, you're correct in your understanding - there is nothing wrong with you. You are simply a Cambion, and whatever anyone else may feel about that, it is simple truth. Much as I am loath to admit it, the world in which we live is not black and white - that we long for things to line up simple and neat is a failing of our own logical minds I suppose. Would that I could buy into the concept that 'all demons are evil' with the accepted reasoning being 'because they are demons' - but frankly it's too easy to disprove."
His face was again in an impressively unimpressed frown, gaze flat. He appreciated knowledge and learning above just about all else, after all. It was exhausting being forced to play part in the farce that so many of his fellows liked to partake, especially in 'social events' where it seemed that was all they wished to talk about - most times it was all he could do to literally bite his tongue and perhaps grunt in response where necessary.

Gathering his notes and carefully aligning them in front of him for want of something to do with his hands, he glanced over the scrawling to double check his work.
"Well, I suppose I do not need to tell you that this is not something you should speak of freely here in the kingdom. I have a number of books I'd like to go through, most not housed here in a public library, to compile more detailed information about your bloodline. In return, I would like for you to allow me to study you - nothing strenuous, but I would hate to pass up the opportunity to learn more of Cambions from a direct source. If this is acceptable to you, then I would offer that we perhaps reconvene in a few days time - we can use this study again then, I should think."

"Hmmm..."
A mess indeed was to be found, along with the apparent cause. Pyr stood in the midst of the most recent 'bad luck' mishap, still blinking slowly at the shed wall - or rather, where it had been.
It had spontaneously collapsed, as these things tend to do, dumping the collected barrels and canvas sacks previously stacked against it directly atop Pyr's head. Hundreds of pounds of feed and their containers were now spread about him haphazardly, some not surviving their tumble and having split open to further complicate the mess.

The incredibly tall man was dressed very simply in all black - though of course it was now rather off colored with dust - with a long sleeved shirt that had a scooped neckline, the laces left mostly undone, and form fitted pants that disappeared into simple calf-hugging boots. It sat starkly against very pale skin, nearly paper white where it was visible. His long hair was the deepest ink-black, falling like a curtain over the left half of his face, the rest pulled back and tied at the nape of his neck. Here and there electric blue peaked through, which matched his half-lidded eye when it switched attention from the poor shed to the person come to investigate.

Entirely unperturbed, his face blank and placid, Pyr's towering form bowed slightly to the lady now witnessing the chaos for herself. His voice was deep and smooth and entirely without inflection.
"Good afternoon."
Straightening again, the strange man seemed yet to notice his visibly dislocated shoulder at all.

As Kyran slumped further into comfort, Padca unconsciously shifted some of his books and papers out of elbowing-range while listening to him speak, the pen in his other hand never stopping its note taking.
Chin again coming to rest on his knuckles, he nodded here and there to show he was absorbing the information even as his lids slipped a bit lower and his gaze unfocused into the middle-distance with thought. Padca had never particularly thought his own mind to be a strange one, despite most people's (often spiteful) commentary about it - processing information was simply what he did. Taking in what he was being told, analyzing and organizing it, cross-referencing with what knowledge he had at-hand in his own memory, making notes to find the information he knew to be found in various books and scrolls - for him this was his 'normal'.

"The only thing I wanna suck outta a guy is cu—"

Sadly he was brought out of his scholarly flow-state with a lurch, and no amount of trying to keep a scientific distance from the conversation could stop the immediate and aggressive return of his blush. Such crude language! His ever-eager mind quickly flung other tidbits from the conversation back to the forefront - about again and again and again - which was too lurid a concept with the man literally sitting right in front of him. It didn't help that Kyran continued (multiple times a day?? And a dry spell of only a week??) while Padca's flush raced across his cheeks and all the way to the tips of his ears. With a groan he finally just covered his glowing face with a gloved hand, mortified and praying for a cool breeze in the impossibility of a windowless study.

"I-I see, thank you. I did want you to be thorough, in the interest of research, but now I see that perhaps I should be careful what I wish for." Padca took a deep breath, held it a moment, and then released it slowly from his nose as he let his hand drop. He was still blushing madly, and looked properly annoyed about it (read: the frown-pout was back).
"Anyway, to address what you've told me - this all falls well in line with what I might have expected for a Cambion. On the topic of consent-" He had to stop, blinking rapidly as his jaw clenched and he was forced to swallow before being able to continue (how strange, these things - never did he point his considerable mind in their direction).
"As for consent, I am glad to know you are aware of it. As you were raised among mortals you understand and respect this concept. Your mother likely did not even consider it, as to her the interaction was a meal. This does not absolve her, but I believe it is important for you to understand it is not malicious intent - that you do not inherently have some kind of malicious intent coded into your blood. For your other concern, no I do not believe you are harming your partners inherently. It  is not...hmm, well, this is perhaps getting more into unproven theories and concepts, but essentially someone's lifespan is not a candle onto which you have applied more heat, thus burning it away quicker. Living things simply produce energy by their very nature, and it is some combination of this and other factors, such as sexual release and pleasure, that -cubus type demons feed upon. As I mentioned before, your kin's powers can only really cause death through extreme fatigue - eventually the body reaches its limit and shuts down if it is not given opportunities to recover. Similarly to people dying if you attempt to keep them awake indefinitely, or working them so hard for so long they simply collapse where they stand. For the average, healthy mortal, it would take more than a few rounds with a Cambion to be cause for concern. Hmm, on that note though it seems that you have conscious control over hypnosis and dream powers, which is good. That you suffer physical ailments when you have not fed means you do in fact need that energy, so it is not something you can abstain from."

His gaze flickered down to the offered hand, but before he could begin the process of politely-yet-firmly turning down the gesture, the man - Kyran - withdrew it. Either he was perceptive, or so nervous he was being fidgety - there was really no way of knowing which.

While he listened, eyes still politely locked in laser-focus on Kyran's face, Padca's hand never really stopped scribbling notes in that inscrutable short hand of his. He had long since mastered this particular skill - he needed to be able to keep track of his thoughts and notes while working, and he strove for efficiency in all things but most particularly in his work.

Just as Padca was taking a breath in anticipation of being able to respond, his guest lost the plot rather abruptly - instead of finding it again, he picked up a whole new one.
Entirely unprepared for the earnest compliment, a red flush bloomed rapidly across his nose as he jolted into, somehow, an even stiffer posture.
"W-Well, that's...I mean to say..." He cleared his throat, covering his mouth with a fist as he gathered his wits again. No need to get so flustered! Ah, and after all, if this is a Cambion, then perhaps such a comment is to be expected...?
Back on the solid footing that was academia, the burgeoning blush quickly faded as those 'pretty' eyes squinted slightly in consideration.

"Yes, well, thank you. And it is a pleasure to meet you as well, I suppose, though it certainly wasn't in my plans for the day. You needn't worry so much about your safety - were I truly an intolerant bigot, I would have caused a ruckus or simply turned you over to the Order. Instead I am making myself complicit at the very least, though I fully expect to be breaking whatever ridiculous laws there are around Demons and their kin soon enough."
He snorted harshly and waved a hand in the air with irritation, clearly not much impressed with the largely-inherent intolerance to be found.

"But enough about that - back to your problem, so to speak. I think it ridiculous to expect to feel different - you have always been a Cambion, how you are is how it is to be one. I believe it's more accurate to say you may yet learn what it is to not be a Cambion and compare it to your own experiences, that you may see what behaviors you thought 'normal' are in fact normal for you rather than the non-demonic population as a whole."
Resting his chin in his free hand, he continued to observe Kyran like he was a particularly intriguing puzzle.
"Hmm...well, I'll have to find the books I mean to show you, but that will be for later. You did mention quite a few things during your ruse, so I must know if those descriptions were based on yourself - increased sex drive, hypnotism, dream manipulation, and absorption of energy, if I remember it correctly. How many of these have you experienced? How often? What's the severity? Do you have conscious control over your abilities, such as they are?"

__________________QUICK STATS
Name
Rheinallt
Age
38
Gender
Male (trans)
Species
Human
Ethnicity
Serenian
Height
6'2"
Occupation
Gryphon Keeper
Residence
Featherfall, Serendipity

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description Rheinallt is a big guy - he fills out his tall frame with wide shoulders and a broad back, all of him well muscled by way of genetics and a habit of physical activity. He definitely appears to take after some strong human blood rather than fae, though his features are attractive enough. His skin is naturally a peachy-pale, but often darkened to a tan thanks to a lifetime under an ocean sun, an abundance of freckles over his nose, shoulders, and thighs. He has bright sea-green eyes, ever creased with laughter, as his mouth is usually turned upward in a smile. He has a mane of hair that easily reaches his shoulders, all of it slightly wavy and generally windswept into disarray if he didn't have the forethought to braid it (and he often doesn't). It is a rich fiery red with streaks of orange and yellow, as if it were all made of flames. Unless he's being forced to attend a formal event, Rheinallt will always dress for comfort and durability over fashion - he's generally out getting into trouble anyway, so it's best to be outfitted with rugged boots, thick pants, and a rough top. He's also terrible about properly lacing/buttoning his shirts, so there's usually a generous swath of chest and a bit of curled red hair to be seen in his day-to-day wear. He even tends to go barefoot whenever indoors...basically he's a bit of a wild-man in appearance, oblivious to the whims of 'polite society'.
On another note, he does possess a few scars - large ones, at that. Mostly along his ribs, back, and thighs - large raking things, likely made by talons.

Personality Loud, bright, vivacious - Rheinallt is full of life and vitality. He brightens and warms any room he enters, usually smiling and brimming with good humor. There is hardly a mean bone in his body, and even in the face of antagonism, he can generally make them feel the fool by being even more friendly. Though he does not enjoy stiff formal events (and he's always anything but 'stiff' when attending them) he luckily has a natural wealth of charisma and an innate love of people. All the same, he is most comfortable outdoors, doing something with his hands. He can be considered laid back almost to a fault, though if a dire situation is explained as EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, he will buckle down and do what is necessary.
Sometimes described as a hyperactive child, he does often come across more like an overgrown youngster when excited or impatient. Otherwise he's a lot like a giant walking teddy bear - go on up and give him a hug, he'll likely hug you back!
He can turn on his charm when he wants or needs it, sometimes surprising those around him (as his default setting is something of an adorable doofus). And despite being big, loud, and energetic, he's very careful with lady-folk, children, and the elderly - he watches his language, and is always gentle and kind to them.

Magic/Abilities
Gryphon Taming - He's always had a knack for working with these animals, ever since he was a boy. He's not afraid to get in there and be physical with them (hence his scars) but he would never be cruel to these majestic creatures. He has a healthy respect, and an overabundance of love, for Gryphons.

Swordsmanship - Practices this daily, and relishes in the exertion. He's also gotten rather good at it, after so many years!

Water Magic - Ironic given his appearance, but Rheinallt is quite proficient in many types of magic involving water.

Relationships
Entirely open! Friends, coworkers, family, lovers, etc - come at me, Rheinallt has a bear-hug with your name on it!

He is of noble lineage, but he was raised with members of the family fairly removed from the main branch and so did not learn anything relating to 'high society' or 'proper bearing' and all that junk. Family members from the main family would likely not have a great opinion of him - he hideously embarrassed everyone the only times he was invited to attend events. His profession and free-loving lifestyle do not help this.
As for any family that lives with him near the coast, they are much more likely to be much more like Rheinallt himself, rather than tied up in politics and drama.

He's as gregarious a lover as he is a friend - he loves enjoying the company of others, and pleasure is a joy to give and receive! Unfortunately the fact he doesn't believe that companionship should be limited means he often upsets lovers who had expectations of monogamy - Rheinallt doesn't understand why people won't just say these things from the start so he can set them straight BEFORE things go south! (nevermind that he never thinks to do this himself, too much the type to 'go with the flow' instead of remembering consequences).
He's a loving, doting partner, but any of his relationships will be open and/or polyamorous in nature.

History
Born and raised in Featherfall, he spent more of his time roughhousing with Gryphons than bothering with most anything else. He is technically of lesser nobility, but having always lived away from the main family and any sort of political stomping grounds, he is pretty far removed both literally and figuratively. He was properly 'introduced' to society when he came of age, and attended one other event after that, but it went...uh....rather poorly. Well, not for Rheinallt, he had a blast poking around and eating fancy food! But his absolute lack of anything approaching 'proper' etiquette and behavior thoroughly scandalized high society, and he has NOT been invited back by his family since. He's considered quite the black sheep, fully a failure, to be at his age and unmarried, still tromping about with his Gryphons.

There was a moment where he worried his likely-demonic guest was going to try and back out - granted it wasn't as though Padca had any intention of forcing him, but this was a delicate situation he'd rather not have to bring attention to if he could help it. The less he had to outright explain the better, and so for a moment he feared this man was questioning his motives and he would be forced to do exactly that.

Luckily, it did not come to that.

Padca wrinkled his nose (a surprisingly cute expression when matched with the pouty frown) at the wink, a reaction he wasn't entirely able to stop himself from making. Honestly...
Following the other in, he closed the door gently behind them, though the frown deepened at the question.
"Soundproof? Why on earth would it be soundproof? I do not engage in anything particularly disruptive to warrant such precautions, and my study is removed enough from the library proper to avoid most stray noise."

Catching up in just a few steps, Padca practically slithered around Kyran before he reached the other end of the hall, taking care not to brush up against him. This time when he opened the door he did not bother to wait and simply stepped through first, striding toward the impressively large desk that dominated the otherwise cozy space. It was absolutely covered in books and paper, a loosely-organized chaos if there ever was one.
"The point is that it is private from unwanted eyes and ears - speaking of your demonic heritage in front of just anyone is not recommended."

Hands on his hips, he looked around the familiar space a moment as he pondered how best to make someone comfortable when he did not often 'entertain'. Well, a place to sit for starters - he strode to the corner and carefully moved a few books from their resting place atop a very cushy armchair, placing them on the tower already on the side table, before hefting it up in a surprising show of strength to carry it back to its new home in front of the desk.
"There, now sit."

Satisfied with his attempts at playing host, Padca swung around his desk and took a seat in his usual chair, shuffling a few things around on his desk until he had a few blank sheets and a new pen and inkwell set up.
"I'm quite curious about the true details of your heritage - it is not exactly often one has the chance to directly converse with a Cambion, or any other demonic hybrid for that matter. I believe I have a few tomes at my home that I recall having pertinent information on Cambion, if I've understood your need to be information about yourself."
He was already scribbling notes to himself as he spoke, somehow managing to keep his white gloves ink-free despite the speed with which he was writing. As an afterthought, he finally flicked those silver-blue eyes back up to Kyran's face.
"Ah, I realize I was remiss in introducing myself earlier - I am Padca Heis, a translator of rare and ancient texts."

Watching the poor recipient of his explanation visibly pale as he spoke was certainly not encouraging, but Padca supposed he couldn't really blame the man. Finding out you were potentially being stalked by a literal sexual predator was an understandable shock. Padca was content to fall silent after his suggestion and give the stranger a moment to collect himself.

He might have been ready to launch into a in-depth lecture on the hypothesized behaviors of more obscure demon subtypes - had the man not frozen so abruptly it was impossible to miss. Padca's brows furrowed yet deeper in concern as he awaited some further hint as to the cause of the apparently spiraling horror. Clearly something had occurred to the man, perhaps several things come to mention it.

Puzzling over what might be affecting the man so, Padca began to answer the newly posed question automatically.
"That is quite possible, if not rare - ordinarily such a child would be called a 'Cambion' and-"
His jaw snapped shut as several small things slammed into the forefront of his awareness all at once. Sharp eyes darted to the hair slowly sliding from behind that pointed ear (elf, he'd thought), to the markings that he had (tattoos, he'd thought), then back up to meet his panicked gaze head-on (embarrassed, he'd thought).
In real time Kyran could watch the white-clad man piece it together in a matter of seconds, a terrible hunch - a terrible secret.

Padca opened his mouth again, paused, yet closed it. He let his eyes flicker coolly around them, nothing else in his ever-stiff bearing and stern face to give away he'd essentially stumbled into a veritable snake-pit of understanding. Finally he again spoke, sounding as unaffected as he ever had.
"-well, the specifics are largely irrelevant. It would necessitate some fine-tuning in whatever spells you might elect to use to boost their effectiveness - I think I have a good idea of where to start. If you might like to follow me."
He nodded his head to one side, but the severity in his gaze firmly conveyed this was a request best obliged.

He then turned on his heel, hands clasped ever at the small of his back, and made his way smoothly through the shelves toward the dimmer, even less-traveled section of the library. The one librarian that offered a small wave in passing received a sharp dip of his chin in response - this was apparently the norm, for the librarian didn't so much as blink at the two as they passed by, already forgotten as they went about their own work.
Tucked away was a nondescript wooden door, before which Padca paused in order to glance back and confirm whether or not his unexpected 'guest' was still following, before silently pulling it open to expose a short, quaint hallway lined with small square windows along one side to let in the light, another simple wooden door at the other end. He swept his free hand over his body in a polite 'after you' gesture.
"We shall find a much more conducive environment for our research in my private study."

Well, never let it be said that the intimidation factor wasn't effective - at least now they seemed to actually be getting somewhere. The longer the young man spoke, however, the more Padca began to understand why he seemed so reluctant to share the truth - and likely why he was so discomfited atop it all.

Sex was simply a fact of life - a biological imperative, if nothing else. Padca preferred, staunchly, not to think about it outside of its more rigid scientific definitions. The concept of engaging in sexual intercourse himself was...uncomfortable was rather an understatement, honestly.
Thus he shut down any reactions to this man discussing such things outside of a purely utilitarian need-to-know basis, managing to hold off any hideously embarrassing blushing. Truly, if only embarrassment wasn't nearly contagious...

"I believe I understand. I suppose broaching such a...'sensitive' subject would naturally illicit some reluctance. If all you suspect is accurate, then I should think the nearest guess is a -cubi of some kind. A sex demon, so to speak. Most frequently referred to by their 'gendered' names - Incubus, and Succubus - they are largely the same creature. Such beings are rarely constrained by such mundane, mortal concepts as sex and gender, and for demons such as these it is much more convenient to mold themselves into the form which best helps them lure their prey. I...hesitate to say they are not a threat to you, regardless of their behavior thus far."

With his cool, steady voice, he sounded a bit like if someone were reading an encyclopedia entry out loud. Still, he pressed his lips together and allowed his gaze to drop away a moment as he collected his thoughts. To say the kingdom had a 'negative view' of demons truly lacked the fervency of their distaste - after all, the Order existed with their full blessing it seemed. That being said, Padca was a man of knowledge, of truth - he thrived on learning, and his career translating ancient, unknown texts obviously lent him a great deal of information that the majority of people would simply never encounter.
It helped his master had always preached the benefits of an open mind (and rapped Padca's knuckles more than once when he got too stubbornly short-sighted).
Knowledge truly was power, and it truly was dangerous. Saying the wrong things to the wrong people had gotten many a man of more consequence than himself into terrible trouble.

That said...he returned his attention to the hapless man, his mind made up. It was fortuitous that the corners he liked to work were far removed from foot-traffic, and well known to have a 'grumpy librarian' occupying them.
"The demon you are likely encountering is not, comparatively, that dangerous. It, like all beings, can be dangerous - however I do not believe it is in their nature to kill humans. We are their source of food, but unlike where man must slaughter the pig to partake of its flesh, the -cubi style of demon needs only our essence. At times that can be...literal, but often it is only the energy one produces - thus many such creatures will simply put you to sleep and manipulate your dreams. A dead human gives no energy, no essence, and thus it does not benefit them to cause permanent harm. That said, long-term exposure and feeding does have adverse affects, namely in the way of extreme fatigue and lethargy. You can die from this, though so far as I've read it ordinarily only occurs when dealing with particularly inexperienced or starved demons. Unfortunately I do not know of any guaranteed deterrents for this sort of encounter - I would expect beginning in our section on blessings and protection spells to be the most likely to produce results."

Padca knew himself well enough, he'd like to think. There were many lurking shadows, that was true, but he was at least observant enough to know the way his presence often affected others. He was not lying when he said he was aware of his own expressions - even if he did not do so consciously, those around him had not been remiss in alerting him to it. This was not the first time he had someone pinned with the intensity of his stare, forced to watch them squirm with growing discomfort and nerves under the weight of his undivided attention.
While it often squeezed the lies right out of a person, Padca had to admit it was tiresome to witness - it wasn't as though he were trying to be intimidating!
Suddenly reminded of his old master's jokes about what a 'good teacher' Padca could make - that none of his students would dare slack off for fear of his disapproving glare! - Padca's face twisted a little with disgruntlement.

At the end of the truly abysmal attempt at a lie, Padca's breath escaped him in a gusty sigh, finger and thumb coming up to pinch at the bridge of his nose right between his eyes. Do not get frustrated, Padca. You have offered your help and you need follow through on your words. Or, more likely, you need dissuade this man of whatever poorly conceived plan he has come up with that involves demons of all things.

On a deep and calming breath, Padca returned to his stiff 'parade rest' like pose, and this time consciously chose to frown at Kyran with his full disappointment - suddenly his neutral expression seemed almost friendly in comparison.
"I'll ask you to not insult my intelligence, sir. You are lying to me at the same time as you are asking for my assistance. Knowledge is power - knowledge is dangerous. Do you understand? If I furnish you with information on something as volatile as demons, and you or others are harmed as a result, then the responsibility for that is mine as well. Being tricked is not the same as failing to do my due diligence."

Finally, he eased up on the visible disdain, and sighed a little once again. Really, the man didn't exactly seem dangerous, just...in over his head, perhaps.
"Now then, if you are being visited by an entity of indeterminate nature that you think is a demon, that is quite alarming. That you did not immediately go to the Order for its eradication would lead me to believe you are not being harmed by this visitor, at least not that you know of."

His eyes narrowed with the sharpening of his gaze, taking stock of Kyran's appearance again, slowly from head to toe.
"Hmm, I cannot say I'm an expert, but you do seem healthy enough. Describe your problem to me with more detail. I will be able to narrow your search. This library contains vast amounts of knowledge - as your concerns are quite pressing, it would behoove you not to waste days trawling through the sections on the occult."

Well.

Mundane topic it was not.

Padca attempted to parse the relevant pieces of information from the veritable flood of words coming out of this man's mouth - sadly, Padca was not exactly unused to this sort of verbal hemorrhaging. It was a distressingly common phenomenon, but not without its uses - he was smart enough to realize people tended to say more than they meant to when they were nervously chattering away.

His frown was growing more pronounced as a suspicion began to solidify - that this man surely did want information about demons but was likely being less than honest as to why, which was a dangerous enough prospect on its own and-

I'm sorry, your face is really distracting!"

-it was a bit like getting suddenly struck over the head. So utterly caught off guard was he that he actually rocked back slightly, and his face broke into a look of pure surprise. The unfurling of that perpetual furrow let his eyebrows arch high, eyes wide, and the frown relaxed as his lips parted slightly - the sharp contrast left him looking more the young man that he was, open and unguarded for one long moment.

Pale lashes fluttered as he visibly attempted to wrap his brain around the sudden change in topic, before his face slowly pulled back into its usual expression - albeit a much more confused version. Bewildered, one gloved hand unconsciously came up from behind his back, fingers just barely brushing his own jaw as he frowned down to one side.
"My...face...??" His voice was quiet, clearly puzzling to himself aloud.
He had been told on many an occasion that he often had a 'sour expression' on, or that he was too 'stern in countenance', but he wasn't sure anyone had ever insinuated his face itself was the problem. Was it a problem?? Or perhaps he truly had simply meant his expression...yes, surely that was more likely.

Holding onto his tentative interpretation, Padca cleared his throat and quickly pulled his hand back to rest with the other behind him, gaze again firm and in place on Kyran's own. Moving on then...there were far more pressing matters than a handsome stranger's opinion about his own appearance.
"You need not apologize, for I am aware of my own expressions. Regardless, I must ask that you be honest with me about why you are searching for such information. If you wish to learn how to hunt demons, you would be better off availing the Order itself. If you want to know how dangerous demons can be, any common folk story will serve its purpose as a cautionary tale - simplified and exaggerated, but easy to remember. Anything beyond that speaks to a personal interest, of which there are only so many options, a few of which it would not be prudent for me to enable or encourage."

Despite the impressive frown and deeply furrowed brow, this was Padca at his most content - tucked into a corner of his library, hunched over a fascinating tome. To one side sat a haphazard pile of papers, the nearest one trapped under his wrist as his hand hovered above it with a pen clutched in gloved fingers - periodically he would scribble something down. Whatever he was scrawling was entirely illegible, not necessarily due to the fact he was writing without looking, but rather due to using a shorthand he created himself. The books he handled were far too precious to even think of writing into directly, so the notes helped him track his thoughts and notate where specific passages were that he wished to go back over in more depth later.

So engrossed was he that he did not notice the approach of one of the library's mundane visitors, until the brush of pressure against his shoulder sent a harsh chill down his spine. Padca snapped upright like he'd been shocked, and that furious frown was quickly aimed up at the stranger, sharp silver-blue eyes flashing.
This is what gave people such a poor first impression of him - he looked quite pissed, but the truth was he simply didn't know how to relax his face...and the emotion brightening his gaze was genuine surprise...
Sadly, his interpersonal skills didn't exactly help his situation.

He blinked once, hard, at Kyran as he tried to gather his thoughts after being so abruptly pulled out of his focus, the phantom of touch lingering - luckily it truly had been a light tap. He then stood in one quick motion that swept his chair back silently and saw his pen rested carefully, everything graceful and smooth, until he turned to fully face the other man and his posture locked, arms held stiffly behind his back (to keep his hands out of awkward 'handshake' range, a habit he picked up).

Despite being a few inches shorter, Padca practically stared down at Kyran with a sort of imperious air, frown still firmly in place and his brows just as deeply furrowed as before. Of course, unbeknownst to his poor caller, Padca was simply giving him all of his attention and that...well...his face was just Like This.
"Yes, as I am employed here. I am not, however, one of the librarians - which is who you should ordinarily bring these queries to. However, as you have already asked me, I will endeavor to help. What do you require assistance finding?"
His tone was curt and cold, no unnecessary inflection placed on his words. His intense gaze did not waver away from Kyran even once as he awaited a response, brain already trying to anticipate what this man might require help finding.

In a detached sort of fashion, he did a quick catalogue of the man in front of him - his clothes were clean but simple, so likely nothing so distasteful as nobility, and he seemed young...though if those were the pointed ears of an elf or similar, there was no telling the truth of his age by appearance alone. His assessing glance did trip slightly over the tattoos under his eyes - something about them itched the part of his brain crammed full of old, esoteric information - but he chose to move on from them; it was not his business where or how people chose to alter their bodies. Overall his assessment was thus - a commoner of some description, but with the sort of fine, flawless features that spoke of one with good geneology, and most likely with at least basic education if he was actively seeking books.

Padca fully anticipated having to find some perfectly mundane tome or section.

__________________QUICK STATS
Name Pyr
Age Unknown
Gender Agender, he/him
Species Demon
Ethnicity N/A
Height 6'7"
Occupation Tourist Wanderer
Residence N/A

__________________IN-DEPTH STUFF

Physical Description Tall and broad shouldered, Pyr tends to attract some attention when first walking into a room. He's very pale skinned, with straight ink-black hair that's roughly shoulder length - almost all of it is pulled back and tied at the nape of his neck, while a large chunk falls over the left side of his face, hiding his eye. The underside of his hair is bright blue, so it shows through here and there. His eyes are a similar shade of intense, rich blue - however his pupils are actually a darker shade of blue rather than black. Both of his upper and lower canine teeth are bigger and sharper than typical in humans. The only other remarkable thing, though usually covered, are the large scars that spider out across his back.
Overall he looks remarkably human-adjacent, easily passing as many humans have non-human ancestry to account for odd hair or eye colors. His facade can slip up at times when he's exerting his demonic powers, generally causing the whites of his eyes to turn black, his blue irises to glow, and for his pupils to become white. If he really lets himself go, the demonic energy begins to coagulate over his head in a ring of dripping blue-black ichor.

Personality
To put it simply, Pyr is deeply curious and intrigued by all manner of life on earth - although it's not easy to tell at first. His default expression is completely blank, as if he were not thinking or feeling anything - it's incredibly rare for him to show anything on his face. This isn't to say that he doesn't experience emotions, he's just terrible at expressing them (Emote who? Not him!).
After one gets over his often intimidating stone-faced appearance, it becomes very apparent that Pyr is incredibly gentle and passive. He takes great care not to hurt others, and expresses earnest concern over them in his deep monotone if they should get injured. He most often observes those around him, quite happy to just watch all the various creatures go about their daily life. Children in particular seem to be a favorite - from their tantrums to their playing, he never grows tired of watching them. He seems to find all personal interaction with others to be very precious, and he tries very hard to do it "properly" - it often becomes apparent that he doesn't quite understand what that means though, and generally things turn out awkward thanks to his complete inability to properly convey emotion and follow general social norms.

Basically he is perpetually either confused or curious, while blank-faced the entire time.

Despite being almost entirely unflappable, with the world's strongest case of stoicism and a monotone that has never met inflection before, Pyr has a really, really, really long fuse on a really, really, really bad temper. It's VERY hard to bring out of him, but once you have, it's 0-to-100 in about three seconds. Protip - if he sweeps his bangs back against his head, you should probably get the hell out of dodge because that is the only outward indication that you've managed to piss him off.

Pyr has another interesting...trait. He has horrible "luck", which likes to manifest in bodily harm. Generally things are constantly falling on him, impaling him, exploding near him, etc. Being nearly indestructible however, Pyr seems to have gotten quite accustomed to this - his usual reaction is to just blink, and then continue on with his day. As one might expect, this causes those around him a great deal of surprise (and possible trouble) - though if you hang around him long enough, you'll grow used to it quite quickly due to the frequency of these accidents.
This "bad luck" is actually more of a curse, one that he chose to bear as a payment of sorts to be able to pass into this realm - he is not meant to exist here, and like a thorn in the side of reality, the world itself seeks to reject him.

Magic/Abilities
Superhuman strength - He's a demon, it's pretty standard fare. He takes great pains to keep his strength in check though, so that he does not accidentally hurt others or break things.

Superhuman speed - Again, demon, he can move faster than the eye can follow...if he really needs to, which he generally doesn't.

Nigh-indestructible body - He can be injured in a number of ways, but never mortally it would seem. It's as if his body has a 'damage threshold' and once that level is reached, his body rejects further harm. An example would be an explosion - he'd likely become burned, suffer shrapnel, and potentially even lose a few bits, but he would not be blown completely to pieces or die. He also begins to heal almost immediately, generally within seconds of the initial injury. His body will also reject all foreign objects, such as pellets or knives, and force them back out of his flesh as he heals.

Flames of hell - If he needs to use his powers, he generally just summons blue-black flames and turns everything around him into fine white ash. The flames are incredibly intense, far worse than any sort of flame one could find naturally or through most magic on earth.

Reflexes of a dead cow - It may just be due to the fact his body is basically death-proof, but the man does not know how to duck or get out of the way, despite his speed and strength. Throw something at his face and he'll...probably take it to the face, blink, and then ask why you did that.

Relationships
He sometimes ends up with a traveling companion, should they not mind traveling with a demon (and yes, he's quite upfront about that fact, even though he is careful to maintain a 'human' form). Unfortunately, if one travels with him for any length of time, his "bad luck" seems to rub off on them. Slowly but surely they will begin to experience all manner of mishaps and misfortunes, and it only grows steadily worse the longer they stay with Pyr. Eventually, if they do not leave him themselves, Pyr himself will disappear to spare them from reaching his level of "bad luck" - having a house collapse on you tends to be fatal to those with normal bodies.

Should he come across someone who is largely immune to his "luck", it would be quite the find! Pyr genuinely enjoys the company of others, and it would be quite welcome to have a companion he did not have to leave behind for worry of harming them inadvertently. Please come be friends with the walking brick walk, he can offer awkward hugs and cuddles!

For other sorts of relationships, Pyr is asexual but otherwise has no preferences regarding sex - though in deference to his carefully controlled strength he would rather be a more passive partner with anyone he was not entirely sure of being unable to hurt. He doesn't bother to manifest genitalia most of the time, though if he is going to be nude he'll default to traditionally 'male' - that said, his body is a construct and he can change it at will!
Romance is something he is (probably) capable of, but it's not a concept he fully understands due to the culture he comes from - and in a similar vein love has a different definition and weight for him. Of course this means he is fascinated by the many ways people of this world "love" one another and the relationships they form. Fall in love with him at your own risk - he'll most likely treat it like a school research project in his attempts to understand.

Also if anyone wants to try playing one of the other "Princes" from his realm, please hit me up for brainstorming!

History
Pyr is a demon from the recesses of hell, who has only recently come "topside" in this world for reasons entirely his own. His true name is hidden, and he is one of the Seven Princes of his realm - the most powerful once-angels who now rule over all other demons.
He refers to the other princes as his "brothers", and seems to hold some amount of respect for them. Other than that, he just worries one or more might come looking for him, and that they will not be as 'subtle' as he was when emerging in this realm - they would likely cause a great deal of destruction as collateral damage, unaware or uncaring for the fragility of the earth and its mortal creatures.
Still, he will maintain that he did not run and he is not hiding, so there's a good chance his brothers know where he went, if not why. Though he's very open about being a demon, it would be very difficult for anyone to learn who he really is, as he would rather his identity remain a secret.

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