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PostPosted: Fri May 17, 2019 6:45 pm
by Phalanix
Ander offered a curt nod to the server, taking his sip in some effort to calm the nerves before proceeding into the conversation. After all civil wars were a thing his homeland knew a bit too well.
"Civil wars do tend to bring a bother of troubles with them if you're new to the ball. Insurgencies, back room dealings, maybe an assassin or two." Pausing for a moment to sip his glass, letting the whiskey work his nerves down before resuming, "All kinda blurs into a mix of bloodshed and instability, counter to what a new leader wants in their first few years. Sorry to jump in like that, bit of personal experience with the topic. Had more than a few back home."

((damn spellchecker changing his name on me :V))

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 5:38 am
by Rave Shentavo
Sigma Octavus

"Do you know how long it has been since humans have been represented within our government? They never have. This is more a matter of equality than anything else. Given we make up the majority of the nation, you can imagine how people are feeling at the prospect of being represented," he said easily. "And I suppose it's frightening to those who aren't humans at what a human Emperor would mean; one of the reasons why I've cultivated my strengths in diplomacy.

Phalanix

"We want to avoid a civil war," Eloanne replied. "It seems almost unavoidable - but that's a natural thing. People don't like change, and when they don't feel like they have a say in the change it's even worse. I think that is something that will happen with every candidate."

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 5:46 am
by Underaloz
Fishing is hard.

Every man, woman and child in the village called Kilran simple minded. So it is no wonder that things stopped making any kind of sense to him the Day of the Compromise.
Red Cove is by the ocean, you see, and Kilran has a boat he uses to show much better people around. They would pay good money for the service. To Kilran, it is because of his deep knowledge of the coast but every man, woman and child in the village would tell you it is because his socialite clientele likes talking business with no one smart enough to know what is truly going on.

But since the Day of the Compromise, Red Cove had been deserted. Gone were the fancy cars on the pier and gone was the line in front of Jumar's truck.

“Everybody's at the Spire now,” Jumar tried to explain to Kilran. “Nobody's interested in my blood-boiled Botuga anymore”

Kilran didn't understand, even less when a man came to the village the day after and told every boat owner he would pay triple for Botuga fish. Apparently, Somerset citizens were crazy about Botuga!

To Kilran, the equation seemed simple: he had a boat, he had no client and someone ready to pay an insane amount of money for those fish.

Thing is fishing is hard.

First, you need nets. Nets get messy when you have no clue how to throw them. Then you have to deal with the competition and, sometimes, the competition has fangs.

So Kilran decided to go further down the coast where it's full of rocks and the currents are bad. Sometimes, nets would crack on the rocks. Sometimes, they would go with the current. Of course no-one else was around
It was not all bad though. Everyday, when the sun rises and the sun sets, Kilran could see the top of the Spire turning bright red. Everyday, when the sun rises and the sun sets, he tried and imagined what the rest of the structure could look like. One day, maybe, he would go to the Capital... after he manages to catch at least one goddamn Botuga fish.

It was right after such a sunset musing that Kilran saw the man.

At first, he thought the rock was covered in some kind of goo. But, as he brought the boat closer, he quickly realized it carried a man lying face down.
He took upon himself to bring the body on board. It didn't take long for him to regret his decision. For one, having a dead body suddenly move in your arms is the scariest of experiences and it also meant he now had to lose his fishing spot and go seek help at the village.

He arrived at the pier in the middle of the night then walked straight through a dead silent Red Cove to where he knew he would find Jumar.

As expected, his friend was drunk as a lord. Since all the fish was funneled to the Capital, the cook had taken the habit of getting mildly drunk in the morning and then of proceeding accordingly through the rest of the day, right until he couldn't take it anymore. Kilran was pretty sure Jumar would be able to proceed from morning to morning in too near a future.
It took some convincing for Jumar to follow Kilran to his boat and the unconscious man on board.

“That does not look like a Botuga fish”, Jumar rightly pointed out before examining the stranger more thoroughly.

The man's clothes seemed to have fallen apart and were all but unrecognizable. A grey, unnatural skin would show through the tears. His dark hair was long and sticky, surrounding a face covered with a raw, greasy beard as black as the night itself.

“So?” Kilran asked
“So you're a lousy fisherman,” Jumar replied.

At this very moment, the man moved ever so slightly and his right cheek emerged from the darkness. There was some kind of a symbol engraved on his skin at this very spot. Kilran was convinced he had seen the symbol before but he was too tired to recollect where he remembered it from.
Jumar, as drunk as he was, recognized the symbol immediately. He looked Kilran straight in the eyes.

“Call the mayor. Now.”

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 6:12 am
by Rave Shentavo
Underaloz
The man was sat in a chair, cuffed hands behind his back.

It’s cold in this room; colder than the rest of the building, and darker. The lights are dim as the chorus of visitors and guests within the Spire echo through the halls outside. Three officials bicker quietly back and forth in hushed tones.

“This is a sign that the Empress is still alive. We must find out what he knows; maybe he knows where she is now,” a red headed woman dressed in military attire remarked.

“This is no such sign. We don’t know when he received that mark, or how, or why. We can’t risk the vote not proceeding due to false hopes. The people expect a new successor. If he tells us she’s alive, we will be the ones punished for starting the selection process. We should just kill him and be done with it.”

“Kill someone with that mark?” the red headed woman points to the intricate arcane pattern etched into the man’s skin. It was perfect; utterly perfect. It had to have come from the empress. “Kill someone important to the empress? We can just keep him here for the duration of the event, but we aren’t killing him.”

Outside a servant passed Kilmar who was just outside the door. She looked at him for a brief moment before heading inside. The door creaked open, and the group turned wide eyed.

“Claudia, what are you doing here? We did not summon you,” the man quickly snapped at the servant who had entered unannounced…

“Vela sent me - eyes and ears everywhere, you know her well enough. If I know, how long will it take for the others to find out?” The woman carries a tray set with glasses of liquids and personal items. She brings it to the table beside the man and turns back to the officials. “Now you can let me at least make him presentable so the press doesn’t clamor at the idea that a corrupt government is torturing those who bear the mark of the Empress, or you can simply do away with me as well and you’ll have no one to help you avoid these disasters.”

Reluctantly, they agreed – with the stipulation his hands remain tied. She turns to get a better look at the man. She began tending to his unkemptness.

She tapped on her watch for a moment – and the message was sent. It is a legitimate mark. What does this mean?

No reply.

Virgo Room
Meanwhile in the Virgo room, Deliverance picks up her phone excusing herself from the conversation. Kilmar’s phone rings outside the door. I’d like to thank you for your diligence in obtaining the Botuga fish – but tastes have changed recently and I’d like to cancel. Thanks for all your efforts – please keep the deposit. She smiled softly to herself, and gets back to the conversation at hand.

“You know,” she remarked to her guests. “Some times fate is as fickle as tastes; sometimes there are multiple fates competing with one another – sometimes with nothing guaranteed…”

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 9:57 am
by Underaloz
Rave Shentavo

“... diligence... cancel... deposit.”

Kilran repeats the message over and over out loud, his voice echoing in the large corridor he was left in by the soldiers too many hours ago.

“Do you need anything, sir?”

Kilran lifts his eyes. The servant who spoke has stopped right in front of him. She leaves the tray she was pushing on the side, never breaking eye contact.

“Erm... no... I... don't know.” he mutters while shaking the hand the phone was in.
“You're the one who found the... the man?” she asks.
“Ah! Yes! Yes, ma'am.” Kilran replies. “Is he... is he all-right?”

Claudia looks deeply into Kilran's eyes, trying to read his very soul.

“I can't tell you that.” she says. Then, realizing his concern was genuine she adds: “He's alive. He seems very weak and has not regained consciousness yet.”
“Would you let me know when he wakes up?”
“Why?”
“He's the only thing I caught in a week.”
“Who the hell are you exactly?” Claudia asks in dismay.
“Kilran from Red Cove, ma'am.” he replies with the most honest and frank of voices. “I'm... erm... I was a fisherman!”

Claudia decides to just shrug the conversation off. Without another word, she takes back the tray: after all, there is work to be done with all the samples she collected.

“Ma'am?” Kilran interrupts.
“What?” she replies with obvious frustration.
“Do you know where I could... you know... it's been hours.”
“First door on the left down the hall.”

“What does it all mean?” Claudia thought while leaving the fisherman behind.

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 10:32 am
by Rave Shentavo
The room was dark, illuminated by candle light. The normal halogenic lights turned off for a set of sensitive eyes. Claudia entered the room. “Vela?” she inquired hesitantly as she entered, moving further into the darkness.

“What were you able to obtain?” Vela pushed her sunglasses up over her face before turning around, the servant moving towards her slowly.

“I will be able to test the DNA and figure out the truth of it all, but it will take time. You could just go and see him…”

“I’d rather remain hidden in plain sight serving drinks to the guests…” she paused and began fixing her hair so it laid perfectly in the knotted bun. “I’m not sure how he would react either – I’m not sure I want to know, given the state I’m in – a state which I’m never going to recover from. Do you believe it’s a ploy by one of the candidates to draw me out?”

“Well, it could be. The mark seemed real though; even the cells wouldn’t budge when I tried to scrape them off.”

“Are they treating him well?”

“They haven’t harmed him, but they do have him handcuffed. He’s still unconscious but alive.”

“Handcuffed?”

“Perhaps it is best if it is an imposter, so long as they don’t go further than that. We can’t be certain. And if it is, what then?”

Vela sighed quietly. “I don’t know. I don’t know and I used to know everything. If it is him, someone has a lot of insight in to my life…or maybe I’m being paranoid and…I don’t know. Take some clothes, interrogate him when he wakes up but nicely. If anyone, anyone harms him…well…I’ll kill as many as possible until my frailty becomes too much of a burden.”

“You aren’t in any state to---”

“Then make sure no one hurts him,” Vela remarks before looking at herself in the mirror – seeing a reflection not quite matching her own. At least, in the main areas there were no mirrors. “Dominic is here as well. That complicates matters. He was always a clever student; and while I remained undetected prior, it doesn’t mean he won’t come searching. Hopefully the festivities and the candidates keep their attention.”

“Do you want me to keep an eye on Dominic as well?”

“No…no, just…look after him please.”

“Of course,” Claudia bows slightly. “Milady what is the end goal of all of this? Why not –”

“I don’t know – whatever the fates have decided…whatever the nation and our allies will – will be. Just take care of Vaughn…”

A half an hour later Claudia returns to the holding room with a set of clothes along with toiletries. With one look at his hair, she realized it was going to be a challenge. The three officials were seated across the room, speaking again in low tones. She passed them and sat by the handcuffed man and began attempting to clean him up as well as looking for any injuries.

Security became a little more heavy outside of the door, the only individuals allowed in were servants; unseen by any that were not in a position of servitude.

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 12:24 pm
by Underaloz
“How is this supposed to work?”

Kilran was looking at the tap, unsure how he could get water to flow.

As stunned as he was by how clean and luxurious the restrooms were when he entered them, he now found himself quite frustrated by how complicated everything seemed.

Looking closer, he could see where the metal tube was getting out of the wall but there was no mechanism to be found.

As he was righting himself, he saw his reflection in the big and shinning mirror and jumped immediately two steps behind. For the reflection was not his.

He rubbed his eyes and looked again but the same man who was not him was looking back.

“Hey Kilran.” the reflection said.
“What... what's going on?” Kilran asked as if to himself.

The reflection looked down.

“There's some kind of sensor below the tap itself.” it explained. “You need to bring your hands closer a little below the tap and the water will flow all by itself.”

By rote, Kilran got closer and obeyed the reflection. The water flowed instantly and Kilran proceeded washing his hands.

“See.” the reflection continued. “Nothing magical here.”
“Who are you?” Kilran asked.
“The name is Michael.”
“Are you the man I found?”

The reflection's tone turned somber.

“No, Kilran, that thing may look like me but it has nothing to do with me.”
“I don't understand.”
“I know.”
“I never understand anything.” Kilran said with a sad voice.
“I know. But it doesn't matter now. What matters is that I'm trapped right now and, for some reason, you're the only one who's able to see me.”
“But why?”
“Maybe because you don't understand things which makes you see them for what they are, not what you'd think they are.”

Kilran stared at the reflection, lost for words.

“Does it matter?” the reflection asked.
“I guess not.”
“Good. Because there are a lot of things I need you to do for me.”

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 12:48 pm
by Rave Shentavo
The man in the chair stirred ever so slightly; eyes flickering open as he stared back at Claudia.

“Oh, you’re awake,” she said quietly and slowly put the washcloth down upon the tray. “How are you feeling? Can you tell me your name?”
The man blinked, green eyes focusing.

“Michael Vaughn.”

Claudia took in a quick breath. “And…how did you end up being washed ashore?”

“I…can’t quite remember.”

“Do you know why you were her?”

“To find her.”

“Her who?”

“You know.”

“She’s been gone for quite a long time, Mr. Vaughn.”

“You know,” he repeated.

She swallowed. “Even if I did know, I can’t help you, no one can. If there is one thing she has always been good at, it is not being found if she doesn’t want to be found.”
“Are you saying she doesn’t want to see me?” he said with a hint of sadness.

“I’m saying that woman no longer exists…but after you convince the officials you are who you say you are, as an ally of the nation you’d be free to participate in the nominations.”

“So she’s spoken of me…”

“You are reading too much into my words. Convince the officials and they might let you out of those restraints. Excuse me,” she picked up her materials and hurried out of the room.

Vaughn had seemed to her distant, but perhaps it was part of the ordeal he went through. She didn’t know much about him besides that he was a close ally of Ravelyn’s; and the two often ended up in the other’s nation quite often. The mark on his face, at least, denoted him an ally… but would his presence here disrupt everything that had been set into motion?

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 3:24 pm
by Sigma Octavus
"A noble cause, to be sure, especially considering the civil war that this very selection put a pause to. However, the wrong leader would reignite the war, and this period of peace would have been wasted. Do you truly believe that you could avert further bloodshed to serve all of the people?"

Dominic briefly considered that he should have grabbed a drink on his way to speak to Halvar, as a strategically placed sip would have helped him put a cap on the sentence. That very bloodshed was how he had seen a majority of regime changes go, and too often they had come after a charismatic figure had moved in and stirred up division. Something about Halvar still seemed off, but Dom was unsure exactly what it was.

He realized he was still thinking about being watched, and it was putting him off of his game. Even with the expectation of being watched, something was still itching at the back of his thoughts about the feeling. Before moving to another room, he'd take a bit of a walk. Really take in the crowd. Get a drink.

His thoughts returned to the smooth diplomat in front of him. Halvar would have no problem convincing the people of his noble intentions, but did he truly hold those intentions? That was the question at hand, and Dom was sure he would not be able to find out through simply talking to the man.

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 4:26 pm
by Rave Shentavo
Sigma

"I think that there are more humans in this nation than of any other race. The most powerful family was wiped out, and few others are within the city. If anything there would be a majority behind me; which should avert a full out war. I suppose, we won't know until we try, however. I have several allies willing to come in and support me if necessary. Truly, my goal is to avoid further conflict and bring the nation back to an age of prosperity. With a human, politics can be normalized instead of relying solely upon one individual."

He takes a sip of his drink.

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 5:20 pm
by Underaloz
“Hello sir, how may I help you?”

Kilran looked around the room. It was smaller than he had anticipated: just some desks and a dozen persons all dressed like bureaucrats. The walls were adorned with yellow flags with strange red crosses and circles in the middle.

“Is this the Underaloz embassy?” he asked.
“Oh it's more of a small diplomatic enclave here in the Spire but it does serve as an embassy, yes.” the woman replied with a smile.
“Is there a Joshua here?”

Her smile slowly faded.

“What do yo mean sir?” she asked with a newfound tension in the voice. “Like someone called Joshua?”

Kilran tried to remember everything the reflection had told him.

“I have something to tell Joshua.” he simply said.
“Are you a citizen of Underaloz?” she insisted.
“Oh! No! I'm Kilran, from Red Cove.” he answered candidly. “It's like twenty miles west of here.”

It seemed to the failed fisherman that more and more people were looking in his direction and he was feeling more and more uncomfortable.

“Then I don't understand...” the woman started.
“I need to talk to Joshua!” Kilran interrupted a bit too loudly for his own taste.

All of the embassy was staring at him now and he was pretty sure the two big guys at the entrance had stepped in his direction.

The woman was obviously pondering the situation. Nevertheless, she picked up the black phone on her desk and dialed a number before handing it to him.

After a few seconds, Kilran heard a gentle, polite voice:

“Hello?”
“Is this Joshua?” he asked.
“Yes.”

Kilran closed his eyes so that he would say the words as exactly as the reflection had instructed:

“One doesn't have to play well, it's enough to play better than your opponent.”

Several seconds of silence passed.

“You are not Michael Vaughn.” the voice on the phone finally stated.
“Erm... no.”
“Then, how do you know his prompt?”
“He told me... in the restroom.”
“But he's been dead a very long time. Dead people have no use for restrooms.”
“You're Joshua, right?”
“Yes.”
“But in fact you're Mister X, right?” Kilran whispered so as not to be heard by others.

Another silence ensued.

“Correct.” the voice said. “How may I be of assistance?”
“I need a... err... package. A diplomatic package.”

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 5:39 pm
by Sigma Octavus
Dominic nods lightly at that. "Perhaps. Only time would tell. Bringing in outside forces though, that's a bold move. Though, it is not that different from what brought this very convention together."

It could bring stability, but in Dominic's experience it was never good for foreign troops to intervene in a nation's private matters. He had done it himself too many times to really count, when he was a soldier. Dom had to wonder if Halvar was being used as a front for an invasion. Perhaps he wasn't, and he genuinely did have the nations best interests in mind.

"Now if you'll excuse me. I find myself quite parched, and I don't want to tie you up for too long. This is a meet and greet, after all."

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 5:51 pm
by Rave Shentavo
Sigma Octavus
"Of course, I hope you have a chance to sample everything that the nation has to offer," Halvar says with a warm smile. Maybe it was genuine, maybe it wasn't - only time would tell.

As Dominic leaves the table he is approached by a young woman with blonde hair; one of the servants. "Hello sir, my name is Claudia. Is there anything that I can get for you? We have quite the selection, as the spire is a hub for multinational gatherings." She averts her eyes as a sign of respect.

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 6:10 pm
by Phalanix
Ander nodded understanding the sentiment, "Of course you want to avoid those. They're bloody, costly, and they leave a lasting mark in a national psyche."
The whiskey was finally loosening his nerves.
"You can look at the isolationist styling of Phalanix as a result of how deep those scars run. There is little trust for the government and most people live outside the cities now in the frontier wastes. That's generations after the shadow wars and the feuds of the Maxwell brothers, one who actually studied here and became a close friend of the empress."

PostPosted: Sun May 19, 2019 9:00 pm
by Sigma Octavus
Dominic smiles at Claudia as she approaches. "Ah, yes indeed Claudia. A whiskey on the rocks. Thank you."

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 4:58 am
by Rave Shentavo
Phalanix

"I've heard that she's been known to have the habit of making allies and getting into trouble. I was always uncertain whether she found trouble, or trouble found her. I'm really saddened I never got the chance to meet her. From how people speak of her, she was really loved here," Eloanne commented. "I think that the biggest shortcoming was that there was no succession plan - that, we became so reliant on her that we couldn't pick up where she left off. There is simply no system in place - no contingency plans. I think she thought she would be here forever, and didn't want to burden others with the task. Unfortunately that puts us at the situation we are in now."

"I wish that there were more of her allies here; so I could pick their brain about her vision - about what exactly she wanted to do...it would really help."

Sigma Octavus

"Of course, sir," she says and returns shortly with whiskey, on the rocks, as requested.

"Listen, Dominic..." she says quietly. "I need to ask you a favor, and I was told not to ask you. It might sound strange, but if you could just trust me and not ask too many questions that would be great." The girl looked hopeful.

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 5:30 am
by Rave Shentavo
Underaloz
The woman at the front desk stared back at Kilran and blinked as a notification popped up on the screen in front of her. She slowly inhaled and exhaled. “I do not get paid enough to question these sorts of things,” she remarked to herself, and handed over a small box to Kilran along with a key card. “I believe you will find everything you need in room 16052 and will be your quarters for the majority of your stay. One floor below the Empress,” she cleared her throat stopping herself from having a witty remark. She didn’t get paid enough for wit.

“Genevieve will direct you as it looks like you need help finding it….” She stared at the blank faced Kilmar in front of her. Why would this pathetic excuse for a human being be an ambassador?

“..Thank…you?” Kilmar responded and was quickly whisked away by Genevieve who’s expression didn’t change and whose gait was so regimented she could have been a shoulder. To be frank, most of the spending in the country was on the military; and military service was compulsory for individuals who could pass the extreme physical requirements.

Kilmar was taken into the elevator, and as he had once looked at the top of the red spire, he was now travelling to the top – the absolute top – save for the restricted floor above. That was the Empress’. He wondered if anyone had been up there, and what it was like – but he was soon distracted by the beauty of the landscape as the elevator quickly ascended. He could see back to his home village and the sea beyond. The lights and the people – from up here it looked like paradise.

He hadn’t even noticed the elevator had stopped until Genevieve gently nudged him out. Slack-jawed, he stared at the massive amount of space. It was like an entire living complex in one floor. He had never seen so much marble. Or so many…things. This was extravagant. This was too extravagant. Did they treat all the ambassador’s this well?

“You will be staying here for your time with us. It has been many years since we’ve had an Ambassador from Underaloz – however, the empress liked to play favorites – and the former ambassador from Underaloz was certainly a favorite. You should remain undisturbed here. As you can see, there is a conference room if you have a need to host meetings, bathrooms in the east side – the bottom floor with a shower and sauna, the top with a 12-person jacuzzi. There are several bedroom choices depending on your mood. The one rule is don’t touch the roses.” She points to a vase of dried flowers long since dead. Dust hadn’t collected, but…they were most certainly dead. “Apparently those were important – that was the only rule the cleaning staff was given. Speaking of room service, you won’t have it unless you request it. There was a note on the account to keep this area closed off from anyone but an ambassador or the empress.”

“You will find suits in the closet in any of the bedroom, and dresses if that is more of your thing. Evening wear, accessories – you name it, it’s there. In addition in the small box you were given you will find your pin that will identify you as a member of the Underaloz embassy and it will be coded to your DNA when you put it on. You will have access to any and all events as well as the voting procedures. I hope these accommodations are to your liking. Do you have any questions?”

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 8:46 am
by Underaloz
Rave Shentavo

“Do I?” Kilran asked back with the most clueless expression Genevieve had ever seen.
“I'll leave you to it, then.” she said in way of a reply before stepping back into the elevator.

He stood there, like paralyzed, as the sliding doors closed on her.

“How the Hell did I end up here?” he wondered.

Then he slowly made his way through the gigantic hallway, searching for his room.

To Kilran, home was a cabin, a cramped space of which he knew the smallest of details. It was reassuring in a sense. He always had little possessions and not enough room to lose them, or to lose himself. 16052 may as well have been a dragon. A big, cold hearted, frightening beast that wanted nothing else but devour him.

He stepped in nonetheless as he felt deeply that he had no other choice.

It was one big loft. In front of him, on the other side of a vast, seemingly empty space were tall and narrow windows framed by black metallic bars. From there, they felt like the teeth of an opened mouth. Behind them was the east where all he could see were buildings and land with no familiar coast to be found.

It took him a good minute to find his bearing and walk to the bathroom. It was as big as the restroom this nightmare started in. He felt somehow re-assured though as the tap had the little black squares below the tubing. Getting water would not be an issue.

He stepped straight to the mirror but the damn thing would only reflect his own image. He scrubbed his eyes, somehow hoping it would make the reflection reappear but nothing happened.

“Now what?” he asked out loud staring at his own white as a sheet face.

He resigned himself to open the box he had been given at the front desk.

The pin was there and Kilran clipped it on his fisherman's shirt.

Forgetting he had proper clothes waiting for him in the many closets around him, he got out of the room, walking aimlessly from one hallway to the next.

Like a butterfly keen on burning onto a flame, he went when the sound seemed the loudest. There was a rumor, a whirlwind of voices, glass ringing like bells and music finding its way to his ears in the most erratic of echoes.

Dressed like he was when he found the man on the rock, not having slept nor showered, he enters Leo Room.

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 9:51 am
by Rave Shentavo
Underaloz

Kilmar finds himself out of place in the Leo room - mostly because he is out of place. Halvar is seated at the table making chit chat with other guests. There are servants about the room with drinks and varying foods to try - elaborate, expensive - as if the wealth of the nation was centered in this place alone. The room was full of chatter and noise, and intrigue. Full of possibilities and uncertainty.

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 11:18 am
by Sigma Octavus
Dominic arched an eyebrow at the request as he gave the whiskey a small sip. "No questions? That always leads to trouble."

He looked down into the liquid, and smiled. "...And sure, this is a good whiskey, but not trust gaining whiskey. I assume you're not just a simple server, knowing my name and requesting trust, so I must ask what this is about."

Over her shoulder, he spotted what appeared to be a fisherman. He certainly smelled like a fisherman to Dom's enhanced senses, even through the smells of the food, drinks, and people filling the room. He stuck out in every way Dom could sense. Even his heartbeat betrayed that he was lost. The pin on his chest though, that meant he was in the right place.

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 11:33 am
by Rave Shentavo
[Sigma Octavus]

"Perhaps not; but I am a simple server - my job is all in service," she remarks. "I have been told you are quite capable..." She struggles as she tries to find the right words, choosing carefully. She then noticed the fisherman. That was a problem; he brought in the individual in question. She turned her head back towards Dominic.

"Anyway, if you are interested in making some coin while you are here, come find me - I've been told you manage to find trouble, so that in and of itself won't put you off. I have two jobs - you can take your pick and I'll bring out the top shelf whiskey. Please consider it."

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 12:13 pm
by Sigma Octavus
Dominic smiled widely, the shark grin he normally hid in polite company. Capable. "Well, I am at that."

The fisherman was drawing more and more attention, and the look on Claudia's face after seeing him wasn't one of disgust like so many others in the room. Disappointment, or surprise. A mix of the two. She was definitely an operative of some fashion, and represented exactly the kind of trouble that he always found himself involved in.

"Thank you for the drink, Claudia." He lifted the glass and tipped it towards her slightly, then lowered his voice. "I'll come find you. Don't worry, you've piqued my interest."

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 3:35 pm
by Underaloz
Kilran stood right at the entrance, unsure of what he was supposed to do for a long moment. Of course, he was blocking the way and frustrated attendees had to go around him to enter and exit the room.

Finally, he spotted a familiar face. He rushed towards Claudia. Interrupting the conversation she was having.

“Oh! Hi!”

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 3:36 pm
by Phalanix
"Unfortunately the one you'd gain the most from chose not to come and sent myself in his stead. The fact the empress isn't returning on top of past incidents here would be too much I'd assume." Offering a small shrug he continued with an extended hand, "Sorry I'm not used to such formal events, Ander Hale. Representative of said awful wasteland."
"As for that lack of a succession plan well immortal leadership has a tendency to not nail down that one aspect, no one likes planing for their eventual death though more should have least something to keep the transition of power smooth. Again another point of why the homeland is a wasteland these days with more interest in the off world facilities."

PostPosted: Mon May 20, 2019 3:40 pm
by Rave Shentavo
She nods and moves to depart from Dominic - but is stopped abruptly by Kilran.

"H...hi....you--" she looks at the pin. "You are from Underaloz? But I thought you were a fisherman."