The Phoenix Wedding (IC/FanT/Signups)

by **Notalien** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 5:37 pm

Outside The Palace

Thgasif-Mntud/The General/Thomas-Man

Interesting, so The Leader Savage known as Titus is not happy with the savage they are being contracted to? They mentally stored this information for later use. Besides that The General also learned that the foreign emissary, which they have been able to gather was a leader and their offspring. Seemed appalled by slavery. This brought The General the same type of amusement that one would get from seeing an animal in an law-enforcement uniform. The General kept quiet as they followed the party to The Primitive Control Center. Stopping at the balcony.

Inside The Palace

Sxdevik-Lhsdam/The Diplomat/Simon-Land

The Diplomat was sitting on the floor. They were angry, beyond angry. Angry that these atrocities where even allowed to exist, but The Diplomat needed to stay calm. They had to constantly remind themselves "stay with the mission, stay with the mission." They had to get in contact with The General. They mentally turned their link on and sent a message to The UTV, that would act a relay to Thgasif-Mntud. They may have to get outside for it to send. Something about this palace seemed to mess with their equipment. Then they began to hear voices, wait where were they in The Primitive's Control Center? They followed the voices, more.. emissaries had arrived it seems. The Diplomat began to fill rage. THOSE COMPLETE SAVA- remember the mission. They walked up. Remember the mission. So close, they could see it. The knife in their throat. Remember the mission. It would be so easy to order this palace to be leveled. Remember the mission. They would lose their Diplomat status, but at least it would be over. Remember the mission. Or this entire planet for that matter REMEMBER THE MISSION.
"Greeting: I am Diplomat Simon Land, emissary of The Council of Notalienia."

by **Phaenix** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 6:42 pm

Zhenshiwa wrote:
[spoiler]
Phaenix wrote:
Phaerix, Victory Gates

Colonellus Sextus looked at the Empress with a perplexed expression.
"An outrage? They were zealots, dangerous ones at that. They had already lynched a couple of innocent alchemists, and had threatened to do the same to you. To leave one alive to tell others of their 'noble sacrifice' would inevitably lead to more of these killings. This was for the greater good of the Empire."
Sextus sighed.
"But you are right. Perhaps it was unjust for us to shoot the fleeing commoners. But I made the decision. If you are displeased, you can take it up with the Emperor."
Sextus looked up and smiled.
"Speaking of the Emperor, here he comes."
Emperor Titus Helvius Venatius was in a foul mood. One of his guards had found a note in the Pater Vigilans' pocket, written by his betrothed, speaking of how there were "foul practitioners of magic" infecting the Empire. While he was happy that the mob was dealt with, he was infuriated that his legionaries had shown such brutality infront of a foreign leader. He marched forward at the head of forty Phoenix Guard and waited as his herald listed off his titles.
"You stand in the presence of Emperor Titus Helvius Venatius, Lord of Fire, Uniter of the Empire, Marshal of the North, General Excelsis of the Sixteen Legions, Holder of the Mandate, and Emperor of Phaenix by the divine will of the Great Phoenix. Long live the Emperor!"
Emperor Titus stepped towards the Empress.
"My apologies for the bloodshed. The wedding has...roused the common people somewhat."
Titus lowered his voice.
"No doubt the work of my betrothed."
Titus spoke up once more.
"But you have arrived just as the celebrations are about to begin. Come, allow us to drown away this horrible affair with some fine Imperial cuisine and music."

"Very well..." Fuyutsuki said reservedly, glancing about the dead commoners before once again shaking her head in disbelief. Her attention turned to one of their Honor Guards. "Return to the ship and instruct the Captain to be prepared for an immediate departure, just in case. Report upon what you have seen here, assure the Captain I and the Princess are in good health. Bring two further guards when you return..." She ordered in Zhenshiwanese, the guard bowed as deeply as he could given the armor he wore. "Forgive my bluntness, Emperor, but what I have seen and heard in the short time since my arrival does not fill me with confidence... I will be sending word of what has happened here to my vessel, to assure them of my safety. I request you send along additional forces to escort my messenger through the city... Lest he befall a similar calamity as what I have seen here."

The Empress and Shikinami began walking towards the palace gates, their previously relaxed postures appearing far less so. As far as relations between Zhenshiwa and this Empire were concerned, it was likely no further contact would be made aside from that which was necessary. The remaining delegations from other nations, however, remained a point of interest that the Empress could not afford to ignore. It was the only reason why she had not turned around on the spot. Shikinami would not have been quite so forgiving as her mother, but she was not about to question Fuyutsuki's decision in the presence of so many high ranking outsiders.

Kalmarnavia wrote:Neither Dontas or Argalaic had moved when the door had come practically off its hinges. Argalaic shook his head.

"Where are my guards when I need them...my apologies, my good men. I fear I may have been slightly overzealous in displaying my pride and the presence of House Wend in this place. The red banner is my own house's sigil, and has been for centuries."

Ser Gerold and Ser Jace reappeared at the end of the corridor. Ser Gerold went chalk white seeing the Prince's door caved in and two armed men within. He pulled his sword from it sheath, but caught Ser Dontas's eye over one of the men's shoulders. Don shook his head and raised a hand to calm Ser Gerold, who put his sword back in its sheath.

"Is everything alright, Your Grace?"
"Ah, Ser Jace. Yes, quite alright, it appears I inadvertently caused mild panic among a handful of the Emperor's guards by displaying our sigil from my window. I do apo- oh, rise, good fellows, rise!- I do apologise, it is common practise in the Six Realms for one to display his banner when in residence at another's keep. It is a sign to would-be foes that another has been granted the right of hearth, and to ward them off."

Argalaic filled two cups with water and handed them to the guards whilst Dontas picked up their fallen weapons.

Here, drink. Drink! It's incredibly hot outside, and you've had a panic. Go tell your men of the mistake, I shall speak to the Emperor myself and explain the faux paus on my part. If he deems it appropriate I will bring the banner in from the window."

Dontas handed the guards back their guns with a small smile.

"Do please accept His Grace's apologies, men. He is a proud fellow, and meant no harm. There will be no need to violence against your persons. In fact, we will personally commend you for your staunch and forthright action to His Majesty. Ser Gerold?"

The knight stood forward.

"Ser Dontas?"
"I would advise you escort these men back to their post, so that an equal may address their commander and explain the situation. It will no doubt save them for any ill-feeling."
"Of course, gladly. Ser Jace will accompany you and His Grace to the welcoming party, Ser Trevyn it appears has eaten something disagreeable and is currently abed."

Argalaic clapped both guards on the back.

"No harm done, gentlemen, you only did your job. Ser Gerold is one of the finest warriors in the Six Realms, and will speak to your credit to your commander. Go now, I must go to the Emperor now that more guests have arrived."

Ser Gerold smiled and gestured for the guards to follow him and Arge, Don and Ser Jace made their way down to the foyer to meet with the Emperor and the forthright new arrivals.

"Your Majesty," Argalaic said, nodding as Dontas and Ser Jace bowed low, "delighted to see you again- and in the fine company of fellow guests. I just had a run in with a couple of your guards- it seems by following the traditions of my own land in displaying my House banner from my window I sparked panic among your men. They arrived swiftly to investigate what they feared was an attempt against yourself, and whilst shocked at my door flying in I truly commend their zeal in defending your honour. I have sent one of my knights with them to speak to their commander on my behalf and thank them for their forthright action."

He turned to the new arrivals, without inclining his head this time. The Emperor had been gracious enough through his dealings and talks of potential alliance to be considered friend, but these were strangers. Ser Jace stood next to him, in front of the new arrivals.

"You are now in the presence of Argalaic, of the House Wend, Defender of the Dragon's Keep, Prince of Kalmarnavia, son of Jaeharys, of the House Wend, the First of his name, King of Kalmarnavia, Lord of the Six Realms, Ruler of the Skies and Defender of the Faith, descendant of Argalaic the Conqueror, of the blood of Eralia and the Blood of the Dragon."

Argalaic smiled at the newly arrived ladies.

"Well met."

The Empress looked to their remaining Honor Guard, then made a brief gesture with her hand. The man stepped forward and straightened, speaking for the first time since leaving the boat, he stood tall.

"Presenting Her Imperial Majesty Kashiwa Oboro Fuyutsuki, Empress of All the Zhenshiwanese Peoples." The guard announced loudly, his voice booming beneath his helmet. His hand then gestured to Shikinami, in the same passionate voice he continued. "Accompanied by Her Imperial Highness, Crown Princess Kashiwa Shikinami, Heir to the Throne and Future Ruler of All the Zhenshiwanese." With that, the guard stepped backwards to his original spot behind the Empress.

"Peace and Long Life to you..." Fuyutsuki said, bowing her head slightly in greeting. Shikinami likewise bowed her head for the briefest of moments, setting her jaw squarely as she looked at Argalaic's entourage. Her hand still rested at her waist beside her sword, as she was obviously still wary following the massacre, though she appeared far less inclined to draw the weapon. She was incapable of returning the King's smile, as her mood had soured considerably. While her mother was capable of hiding her remaining contempt for what had just transpired, Shikinami was not as well versed. Before she could go any further, however, a drunkard was apparently approaching.

Phaenix wrote:
Imperial Palace, Grand Foyer

Emperor Titus turned to greet Prince Argalaic, but was interrupted by a somehow even drunker Lord Brorgar.
"Swatch at aw th' taa folks. There's loch fifty ay ye!"
Lord Brorgar then saw the Empress and fell to his knees.
"Yer ladyship, Ah hae ne'er seen a mair bonnie hen. Please, allaw me tae grace myself in yer presence forever!"
The silence was ubeareble, but was broken by the sound of plated feet running towards Lord Brorgar.
"Nae! Nae, dornt tak' me awa' frae thes goddess! I'll skin ye alife, ye evil dogs, fur takin' me awa'!"
Lord Brorgar's guards huffed as they dragged the drunken diplomat away, while a red-faced Emissary Ironfall apologized profusely for Lord Brorgar's behavior.
"Forgife his lordship. He's hud tay much tae bevvy, an' disnae ken whit he is sayin'."
Emissary Ironfall quickly pulled out a golden amulet in the shape of two dragons breathing fire. In the center of the amulet was a red gem, which seemed to pulse with flames.
"Tak' thes, yer Imperial Majesty, as a gift frae th' legitimate government ay th' Kingdom ay Durikad."
Ironfall knelt down on one knee and presented it to the Empress. He also lowered his voice.
"An' also as an apology fur whatever 'at drunken sot said tae offend ye."

Fuyutsuki quietly looked at Ironfall and the offered amulet, to say her impressions of Phaenix had once again diminished would be an understatement. Drunkards, brutal massacres, slavery and violence...? It was no wonder the people of this nation wanted to revolt. To allow a member of the nobility to become so intoxicated was an insult, to then be accosted by said drunken 'noble'? Well... She'd already used the word outrage once that day. She viewed Ironfall, however, with a bit more favorability. Here was a man attempting to make up for the misdeeds of her disgraceful superior. Maintaining her mask of calm, the Empress accepted the amulet and examined its strange properties in closer detail.

"Your gift, and apology, are accepted..." Fuyutsuki said with a gentle nod, she glanced to her right at both Shikinami and the Honor Guard, both of whom had been placed on edge by Brogar's antics. "Fortuitous of you to arrive when you did..."[/spoiler]

Imperial Palace, Grand Foyer

Emperor Titus cleared his throat as Emissary Ironfall left.
"I would like to alert the Empress to the fact that Lord Brorgar is an ambassador from North Durikad, and is not an Imperial vassal."
Emperor Titus then turned to the Diplomat and hid his surprise. He was still not used to their appearance, but he smiled.
"Ah, Simon Land, good to see you up. You had us all worried when you fainted on the balcony. Anyways, I was about to begin the celebrations. Would you care to join us?"
Without waiting for the Diplomat to respond, Titus clapped his hands and slaves began to bring out food and wine to the tables. Musicians began a classic rendition of Victoria, a slow moving ballad about an Imperial hero fighting off the heathen elves. Titus turned to the Empress just as a contubernium of eight men left with her messenger.
"I would keep your guards close, Empress Fuyutsuki. I fear more blood may be spilled before the night is done. You have no reason to fear poison, for my magi have ensured that the wine and food are safe, but it is not uncommon for an incoming Empress to attempt a coup of the Imperial Throne during a wedding."
Titus laughed as a slave handed him a glass of wine.
"The Great Phoenix knows that my line came to power when my great-great-great-great grandmother killed her husband after the wedding."
Titus looked over the Empress shoulder as Antoniae Galvisia entered with her personal guard and Praefectus M'Salonino Dexsius, her adoptive father. With them, surprisingly, was Duke Friedger Wintersend and his Keirch knights.
"Enjoy the festivities, Empress. And to avoid being stingy, take this as a gift between Empires."
Titus handed the Empress a vigilium dagger. The black metal was harder than steel, and could cut through even dwarven plate. The hilt was gold and in the shape of a winged phoenix, while inscribed on the side was, "Morte Futura."
If any of the guests were paying attention, they may have noticed that some of the guards wore a black cloth around their arm and were looking for any who may pose a threat.

by **Shwe Tu Colony** » Tue Jul 28, 2020 6:47 pm

Notalien wrote:
Outside The Palace

Thgasif-Mntud/The General/Thomas-Man

Interesting, so The Leader Savage known as Titus is not happy with the savage they are being contracted to? They mentally stored this information for later use. Besides that The General also learned that the foreign emissary, which they have been able to gather was a leader and their offspring. Seemed appalled by slavery. This brought The General the same type of amusement that one would get from seeing an animal in an law-enforcement uniform. The General kept quiet as they followed the party to The Primitive Control Center. Stopping at the balcony.

"Mr. 'lijah sir, I finished it," Caleb said, showing off the dark blue of his silk dress. Though its design was relatively simple, there was a pair of channels of lustrous sky-blue Mikado silk that ran parallel to one another, one halfway to the dress's right and the other halfway to the left, both stretching down to its legs. Dazzling arrays of glassy crystals ran within these the parallel channels, exuding protecting magical energy, and the middle column was occupied by a flowing aqua, intentionally wrinkled to resemble the waves of the ocean. The soft silk flowed within one's vision, and the ends of it grew white like a wave crashing upon a beach. The waist was held by a band of deep indigo, with those same wave-like patterns where it met the middle column. For its legs, the dress had little pattern to note, but at each of its four sides, a little column of ethereal silk flowed down a few inches, shimmering with a different crystalline power. He said something in a strange, fractured language that conveyed everything emotional and said nothing logical, yet somehow it was understandable: it was something about having made a dress, that it was good, and that it was enchanted with the swiftness of the ocean waves.
"Wonderful work, Caleb." Elijah gave a little clap, his umbrella spinning on his wrist. "I think we might be able to give it as a gift.)

"Thanks, Mr. 'lijah sir." The Doll looked down at the chaos down below. "They seem kinda mad down there. Wonder what's up."
"Mad, Caleb? Well..." He looked around, and that aged piece of paper flew out of his pocket alongside those ghost-like dolls from before. "Ah, wonderful. I don't suppose you two could scout for me, yes?" Those items soared around him for a few seconds, then dove: the dolls went to inspect the slain mob's area, remaining just above it all and out of sight in little roof corners and crannies, whereas the paper left for where the demoralized one had been, flying around like any other scrap of paper that had been thrown in the wind. Neither exuded any moderate sum of magical energy, though perhaps one might be able to tell that there was something watching. Otherwise, the little things would remain, silent.
"Mr. 'lijah sir, do you think they'll need any help?" He tilted his head, and one of his four red ribbons ripped itself down the middle.
"Perhaps... perhaps that would be a good idea. But nothing much, Caleb."

"You got it, Mr. 'lijah sir." A hopped-salute, and the back-ribbon ripped off its split ends, which were briefly blown on the wind. Then, they stayed suspended in the air, unraveling towards their destinations as little more than single strands of red ribbon perhaps several feet in length, though a good amount stayed behind, and these pieces Caleb reclaimed with the ribbon that had just torn itself. "Those'll help, I hope. Should give them the time to get away."
"Delightful." Elijah looked over the balcony. "Ah, it looks like some other folks are heading in. Seems to me the celebrations won't be taking much longer — why don't we go say hello, Caleb?"
"Mr. 'lijah sir, their clothes look ama—"
"Hoo, now." Elijah grabbed his Doll his back ribbons as Caleb's hands began to decay into a writhing mass of ribbons. "Stable, now." His hand reformed.
"I'm sorry, Mr. 'lijah sir, but I always love seeing new fashion."

"Ah, of course, of course, Caleb. But, let's not displease them now — they don't look terribly happy. What with the violence over there." A beat. "I'm surprised we didn't attract any sort of big mob."
"Wouldn't have liked that, Mr. 'lijah sir. I dunno if people would like the way I do things." Caleb lifted his cotton-covered right arm to his mouth and started to eat off of it as they exited the balcony.
"Neither would I— oh, hello." Elijah planted his umbrella-cane as he noticed The General, and he smiled as Caleb continued to eat off of his arm. "You're the owner of that little spaceship, I'll take it? Rather bold of you to come right in like that, on that thing, in a place like this, but— ah, that's awfully dreary." This was one of the first times that Caleb had ended up close to someone else, and he peeked at The General over his cotton arm, his shivering eye like a deific judgment. Aside from that, he had his usual aura of almost familiar, like someone had tried to make some doll in honor of their bygone beloved and had done so with such obsessive vigor and skill that one could either shudder at the inability to move on or praise its devotion.

But Caleb's material was like none other, and simultaneously could be everything, as though he was made of imagination.

by **Kalmarnavia** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 1:45 am

Argalaic had done his best not to burst into a fit of laughter at the mess Lord Brogar had gotten himself int, but he had for once retained his composure.

The arrival of the soon to be Empress set him on edge, so he thanked the nearest cupbearer and walked off drinking deeply.

Dontas and Ser Jace hung back. Don was a noble, but not of a Great House. He was decidedly unsure of who to talk to, and couldn't see Malik or Aither in the room yet. He chose to chat idly to Ser Jace while nibbling food and sipping wine, all while watching Arge closely. He hoped there would be no repeat of the events of his cousin's wedding the previous Spring, when Don, Prince Aegon and Princess Helena had found Arge wandering around the halls of the Dragon's Keep utterly paralytic with a wine cask on his head challenging stone dragon statues to duels with a wooden spoon.

Argalaic waiting for the Emperor to finish speaking to the Empress and Princess Shikinami before approaching. He admired the gift he had given them, and smiled. He had as was the custom at Great House weddings in Kalmarnavia, brought nineteen gifts- one for each of the Realms and the Crown, and a further 12 to honour the gods. He was sure that the Emperor would appreciate them.

Once the Emperor had departed, Argalaic approached. He had dressed in his finest formal wear: his most highly polished black riding boots with gold accent, black breeches and black tunic with gold velvet doublet. A red undershirt, and a gold half cape secured at his neck with a clasp in the shape of a dragon's head. His black steel, ruby studded coronet was nearly balanced on his short, curly red locks and his beard had been freshly trimmed. He looked, in his own opinion, damn good. He inclined his head.

"Twelve blessings upon you, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness. It is an honour for me to meet you, and extend the greetings and felicitations of my father the King, House Wend, and all the Houses great and small and the people of the Six Realms. I hope our first meeting here at this auspicious occasion allows for future bounds between our kingdoms to be forged... Provided that we aren't maimed in any crossfire during rioting that is. I saw the unsavoury incident you were thrust into earlier, I hope that you are alright? Life here is beyond strange compared to my own realm, and I hope you haven't overly prejudiced against outsiders by events here."

by **Alegeharia** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 5:48 am

Malik:

Malik looked around the grand foyer and waved at the familiar faces looking around to check out new ones, he surveyed the room looking at the guards with black armlets curiously, that seemed out of place from the typical uniform. Why, last he saw something like that a coup was staged…

He shrugged at the idea and returned to looking around at the others, perhaps he could join arge and talk shop with others, the smell of alcohol though was making him a bit squeamish he never did care much for the stuff.

Aither:

Aither walked in putting the sword back in his sheath, much to the dismay of the guards he had previously walked in with it out, his mind still working out what had happened in the square, he pondered what was going on in this town as he felt on edge, with the guards staring everyone down, another powder keg was brewing, and he guessed these new guards would be the primer.

by **Notalien** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 7:24 am

The Balcony

Thgasif-Mntud/The General/Thomas-Man

The General looked at The Savages that spoke to them. Recognition hit them. The General also thought the need to confirm something. They were still outside The Primitive Control Center so they can likely link to The UTV. Yes, that makes sense. These two are the savages that got a hold of robotics technology. Or at least the psionic equivalent.
"Greeting: Greetings. Inquiry: You two are the ones who sent the string correct?""

The Grand Foyer

Sxdevik-Lhsdam/The Diplomat/Simon-Land

The Diplomat's hands began to tighten when they saw the slaves. They wanted nothing more than to... what? What were they wanting to do? The Diplomat kept thinking of stabbing a knife through The Emperor's throat but what next? Obviously they couldn't do what they wanted to do. But what The Diplomat want to do with the slaves? Free them? But they are the same species as their owners. If their owners are capable of such acts then so would the slaves. This is all very confusing, are all primitive species like this? The Diplomat began to think, all life comes from other life with the exception of abiogenesis either natural or artificial. All natural abiogenisis life starts as unicelluar organisms before occasionally passing the first filter and becoming multicellular. Then the second filter, sentience, and so on. The Diplomat then began to think... ancient. No... but it made sense. There is no evidence of a artificial abiogensis origin for their species. Eons ago, they must have a state of savageness. Did Thgasif-Mntud also come up with this conclusion?

by **Zhenshiwa** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 3:45 pm

Phaenix wrote:
Imperial Palace, Grand Foyer

Emperor Titus cleared his throat as Emissary Ironfall left.
"I would like to alert the Empress to the fact that Lord Brorgar is an ambassador from North Durikad, and is not an Imperial vassal."
Emperor Titus then turned to the Diplomat and hid his surprise. He was still not used to their appearance, but he smiled.
"Ah, Simon Land, good to see you up. You had us all worried when you fainted on the balcony. Anyways, I was about to begin the celebrations. Would you care to join us?"
Without waiting for the Diplomat to respond, Titus clapped his hands and slaves began to bring out food and wine to the tables. Musicians began a classic rendition of Victoria, a slow moving ballad about an Imperial hero fighting off the heathen elves. Titus turned to the Empress just as a contubernium of eight men left with her messenger.
"I would keep your guards close, Empress Fuyutsuki. I fear more blood may be spilled before the night is done. You have no reason to fear poison, for my magi have ensured that the wine and food are safe, but it is not uncommon for an incoming Empress to attempt a coup of the Imperial Throne during a wedding."
Titus laughed as a slave handed him a glass of wine.
"The Great Phoenix knows that my line came to power when my great-great-great-great grandmother killed her husband after the wedding."
Titus looked over the Empress shoulder as Antoniae Galvisia entered with her personal guard and Praefectus M'Salonino Dexsius, her adoptive father. With them, surprisingly, was Duke Friedger Wintersend and his Keirch knights.
"Enjoy the festivities, Empress. And to avoid being stingy, take this as a gift between Empires."
Titus handed the Empress a vigilium dagger. The black metal was harder than steel, and could cut through even dwarven plate. The hilt was gold and in the shape of a winged phoenix, while inscribed on the side was, "Morte Futura."
If any of the guests were paying attention, they may have noticed that some of the guards wore a black cloth around their arm and were looking for any who may pose a threat.

"Thank you..." Fuyutsuki stated, looking upon the dagger as the Emperor made his way back towards the festivities. The foyer was certainly what she'd expected a foreign palace to look like, over designed and decadently decorated, far less appealing to the eye than the rather plain entryway into the Imperial Palace on the outskirts Makinami. The Empress quietly offered the dagger two Shikinami, who hesitantly took the blade and examined its inscription for herself. "We shall have to eat when we return to the ship... I shall not partake in food that is delivered by the foulness of slavery." She muttered in Zhenshiwanese. "As if all that has happened already was not bad enough, now the Emperor treats the threat of a coup as a minor inconvenience... We are pilgrims in an unholy land."

"I will not say I told you so, but..." Shikinami trailed off flatly in her native tongue, trailing off as Fuyutsuki gave her a rather annoyed expression. The Princess examined the dagger a bit more closely, her eyebrows knitting together as she scrutinized its decorative embellishments. Shikinami wished she could've said it was a pleasant experience, as the blade was certainly well crafted, but that craftsmanship was overshadowed by the regime the dagger represented. "Surely this journey must convince you of the futility inherent to 'peaceful coexistence'..."

"Not yet..." Fuyutsuki countered, looking about the room. "One Empire does not an entire world make. There are still many other diplomats we have yet to meet."

Kalmarnavia wrote:Argalaic had done his best not to burst into a fit of laughter at the mess Lord Brogar had gotten himself int, but he had for once retained his composure.

The arrival of the soon to be Empress set him on edge, so he thanked the nearest cupbearer and walked off drinking deeply.

Dontas and Ser Jace hung back. Don was a noble, but not of a Great House. He was decidedly unsure of who to talk to, and couldn't see Malik or Aither in the room yet. He chose to chat idly to Ser Jace while nibbling food and sipping wine, all while watching Arge closely. He hoped there would be no repeat of the events of his cousin's wedding the previous Spring, when Don, Prince Aegon and Princess Helena had found Arge wandering around the halls of the Dragon's Keep utterly paralytic with a wine cask on his head challenging stone dragon statues to duels with a wooden spoon.

Argalaic waiting for the Emperor to finish speaking to the Empress and Princess Shikinami before approaching. He admired the gift he had given them, and smiled. He had as was the custom at Great House weddings in Kalmarnavia, brought nineteen gifts- one for each of the Realms and the Crown, and a further 12 to honour the gods. He was sure that the Emperor would appreciate them.

Once the Emperor had departed, Argalaic approached. He had dressed in his finest formal wear: his most highly polished black riding boots with gold accent, black breeches and black tunic with gold velvet doublet. A red undershirt, and a gold half cape secured at his neck with a clasp in the shape of a dragon's head. His black steel, ruby studded coronet was nearly balanced on his short, curly red locks and his beard had been freshly trimmed. He looked, in his own opinion, damn good. He inclined his head.

"Twelve blessings upon you, Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness. It is an honour for me to meet you, and extend the greetings and felicitations of my father the King, House Wend, and all the Houses great and small and the people of the Six Realms. I hope our first meeting here at this auspicious occasion allows for future bounds between our kingdoms to be forged... Provided that we aren't maimed in any crossfire during rioting that is. I saw the unsavoury incident you were thrust into earlier, I hope that you are alright? Life here is beyond strange compared to my own realm, and I hope you haven't overly prejudiced against outsiders by events here."

"I humbly accept your blessings, and wish upon you a long and fruitful life in return... I am quite alright, thank you for asking. Physically, at least." Fuyutsuki said, glancing at the new arrival with a slightly less dour smile. Shikinami meanwhile observed him, as she often did, with a healthy dose of barely perceptible suspicion. "It would be dishonest to state that what I have witnessed thus far has not colored the outside world in a negative light... While I had feelings the world would be different than I hoped, I had no idea a state could exist that seemed so openly brutal and unstable as the Empire is. Slavery...? Violence in the streets...?" The woman shook her head. "I am hopeful, however, that what I hear of your country is far less disquieting."

"I would not be so certain, Mother..." Shikinami mumbled in Zhenshiwanese, crossing her arms. "So, tell us more about your nation, what ideals does it stand for?" This time the Princess was speaking in the common tongue, her eyebrow quirking upwards. It was clear from her expression and posture that she was far less impressed with the world beyond Josai than her mother. "Do you share the twisted values of this... Empire?"

"Forgive my daughter's curtness." Fuyutsuki stated, glancing at Shikinami with another bothered look. "The Imperial household places little premium on indirectness, she is not accustomed to speaking with members of foreign royalty..."

"Do not apologize for me." Shikinami stated a bit more forcefully, glancing at Argalaic. There was a fire blazing beneath the Princess' calm displeased facade, one that had gradually been building since first stepping off the ship. "Well? Would you agree that if we are to coexist with the world, it is easier to say what must be said without couching the message in flowery language?"

Fuyutsuki did her best to keep from appearing annoyed, she didn't want to possibly alienate another foreign government... Then again, if it turned out Kalmarnavia had the same outrageous practices as Phaenix, was it a government Zhenshiwa would want to associate with at all?

by **Kalmarnavia** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 4:16 pm

"It's quite alright, Your Majesty." Argalaic smiled genuinely. The Princess has fight. He liked that. It reminded him of his sisters, and of his dear betrothed. A woman like this would fit in well within House Wend.

He turned to the Princess.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I was educated that public discussions are always formal affairs where true fawning comes in useful... But behind closed doors where true diplomacy happens, stick the bloody boot in and make no mistake. I will be honest- the Emperor seeks an alliance with my House. He has fierce enemies, and we have many princelings eager to win glory for themselves... And enough dragons to win every war going. But that alliance, well, would not be used purely to prop up a regime of slavery and frank brutality. I believe that alliances are a conversation- with trade flows ideas, with ideas come change. If, for example, the alliance went through and spices from here flowed in to the Six Realms while our industrial might traded here. We both profit. But say for example, our major traders abhor slavery and refuse to purchase slave made products. Well, if Phaenix wants a functional economy and peaceful trade, they would have to change that. Trade, diplomacy and openness even with nations one finds repugnant in many ways can be used to alter such nations for the better."

He turned to include the Empress.

"The Six Realms are... Well, not perfect. We have poverty, we have struggle... We have extremely wealthy nobles and industrialists. But no slavery. Not even serfdom. We have strong government aid for those who need it. We have doctors and medicine for all. We try to give all our common folk a fair chance in life. We aren't perfect, but we are not at all like this. In fact-"

Argalaic signalled to Dontas and Ser Jace. They approached cautiously.

"Apologies- Ser Dontas Greenbow of Oakdeep, and Ser Jace of the High Hill. Ser Jace, do you have that tome I had brought to donate to the Emperor's collection on you?"
"Yes, Your Grace."

Ser Jace walked over to a box in the corner of the room amidst the pile Arge had had brought down containing the gifts for the Emperor, and removed 4 heavy looking leather bound books.

"These are the complete volumes of the The Peoples and Stories of the Six Realms from The Conquest to the Reign of Argalaic VII. No more complete tale of the nation of Kalmarnavia in the whole time since my ancestors forged the Realms into one can be found. Please, accept these as a token of friendship. Along with my personal invite, Your Majesty, to the Princess to journey to Roskilde in person in the near future. I would be beyond honoured if you would grace our realms with an official visit, and you would enjoy hearth and health within the halls of my father the King."

Ser Jace bowed low with the books, as Argalaic smiled.

by **Phaenix** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 4:47 pm

Kalmarnavia wrote:"It's quite alright, Your Majesty." Argalaic smiled genuinely. The Princess has fight. He liked that. It reminded him of his sisters, and of his dear betrothed. A woman like this would fit in well within House Wend.

He turned to the Princess.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I was educated that public discussions are always formal affairs where true fawning comes in useful... But behind closed doors where true diplomacy happens, stick the bloody boot in and make no mistake. I will be honest- the Emperor seeks an alliance with my House. He has fierce enemies, and we have many princelings eager to win glory for themselves... And enough dragons to win every war going. But that alliance, well, would not be used purely to prop up a regime of slavery and frank brutality. I believe that alliances are a conversation- with trade flows ideas, with ideas come change. If, for example, the alliance went through and spices from here flowed in to the Six Realms while our industrial might traded here. We both profit. But say for example, our major traders abhor slavery and refuse to purchase slave made products. Well, if Phaenix wants a functional economy and peaceful trade, they would have to change that. Trade, diplomacy and openness even with nations one finds repugnant in many ways can be used to alter such nations for the better."

He turned to include the Empress.

"The Six Realms are... Well, not perfect. We have poverty, we have struggle... We have extremely wealthy nobles and industrialists. But no slavery. Not even serfdom. We have strong government aid for those who need it. We have doctors and medicine for all. We try to give all our common folk a fair chance in life. We aren't perfect, but we are not at all like this. In fact-"

Argalaic signalled to Dontas and Ser Jace. They approached cautiously.

"Apologies- Ser Dontas Greenbow of Oakdeep, and Ser Jace of the High Hill. Ser Jace, do you have that tome I had brought to donate to the Emperor's collection on you?"
"Yes, Your Grace."

Ser Jace walked over to a box in the corner of the room amidst the pile Arge had had brought down containing the gifts for the Emperor, and removed 4 heavy looking leather bound books.

"These are the complete volumes of the The Peoples and Stories of the Six Realms from The Conquest to the Reign of Argalaic VII. No more complete tale of the nation of Kalmarnavia in the whole time since my ancestors forged the Realms into one can be found. Please, accept these as a token of friendship. Along with my personal invite, Your Majesty, to the Princess to journey to Roskilde in person in the near future. I would be beyond honoured if you would grace our realms with an official visit, and you would enjoy hearth and health within the halls of my father the King."

Ser Jace bowed low with the books, as Argalaic smiled.

Imperial Palace, Grand Foyer

As the Prince and the two royals were speaking, a man clad in bronze plate walked towards them. The plate had two crossed hammers surrounded by a circle on it's breastplate, and the man wearing it was easily six foot. He carried a bronze rod in his right hand and a small, bronze circle in his right. He smiled and stepped forward.
"Greetings, Your Imperial Majesty, Your Highnesses. I am Kennald the Steele, a constructor of the Conditor Forum. I simply wanted to welcome you to the Alabaster City, and give you a gift on behalf of the Emperor."
Kennald handed the Empress the small, bronze circle and gave Prince Argalaic the bronze rod.
"Your Imperial Majesty, if you press the button located on the construct's underside, you will be able to record anything. The Audientis can store limitless amounts of information, and you can easily access any recording by asking the Audientis what you wish to see."
Kennald then turned to the prince.
"And you, Your Highness, wield what I call the Firethrower! All you have to do is unfold the Firethrower, aim it at your target, and BOOM! Instant combustion!"
Kennald was practically bursting with excitement, almost dancing infront of the royals.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Are your men in place? If we muck this up, we'll all hang."
Duke Friedger said to Antoniae Galvisia. They were in a quiet corner off to the side of the Grand Foyer, attended to only by a few Keirch knights and Praefectus M'Salonino Dexsius. Antoniae laughed at Friedger, who grimaced in response.
"You worry to much, Friedger. The Union has sent its best. Even I was convinced that the infiltrators had failed, until I noticed their armbands."
Antoniae smiled once more, showing off her almost wolf-like teeth.
"I will avenge my father, that is all that matters. I can almost see Titus' life leave his eyes. His soul will make for a great servant. Perhaps as a footstool? No, a painting that is eternally suffering! Ha, I can already hear his screams!"
Duke Friedger was wide-eyed, but he was not looking at Antoniae. He was looking past her, at an elven slave who stared in shock, before turning to alert the party.
"Herr Reinhard, stop her!"
Friedger yelled to his knight, who nodded and swiftly caught up to the slave. He grabbed her by the hair and pulled her over to Antoniae, who smiled and knelt down.
"How much did you hear, little mouse?"
The slave whimpered and held up her hands.
"N-nothing, m-m-m'lady. I heard n-nothing at all."
Antoniae scowled and grabbed the slave by the throat.
"Do not lie to me, knave. For that, I will ensure your soul never passes to the afterlife."
The slave squeaked in terror, before going limp as Antoniae harvested her soul. Herr Reinhard shuddered, still unused to seeing a soul denied a place in the Forefathers' Hall. Duke Friedger cleared his throat.
"Er, yes, I believe we all are well aware of what you wish to do to that arrogant brat. But what of the digntaries? The dwarves will surely be against your rule, and the foreign Prince might attempt to help the Emperor."
Before Antoniae could respond, Praefectus Dexsius spoke up.
"I can see their souls burning from here. They will make great servants for the Inmortuae Dominus. Do not kill them, but allow me and my Cultus Autem Dei Aeterni to...work on them."
Antoniae smiled once more and turned to the back to the party.
"Reinhard, get rid of that body. Everyone else, it seems we have a party to attend to."
As the rest of the group returned to the Grand Foyer, Herr Reinhard dragged the elf's body up to the Tower of the Sun, hoping that no one saw him.

by **Alegeharia** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 4:55 pm

Kalmarnavia wrote:"It's quite alright, Your Majesty." Argalaic smiled genuinely. The Princess has fight. He liked that. It reminded him of his sisters, and of his dear betrothed. A woman like this would fit in well within House Wend.

He turned to the Princess.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I was educated that public discussions are always formal affairs where true fawning comes in useful... But behind closed doors where true diplomacy happens, stick the bloody boot in and make no mistake. I will be honest- the Emperor seeks an alliance with my House. He has fierce enemies, and we have many princelings eager to win glory for themselves... And enough dragons to win every war going. But that alliance, well, would not be used purely to prop up a regime of slavery and frank brutality. I believe that alliances are a conversation- with trade flows ideas, with ideas come change. If, for example, the alliance went through and spices from here flowed in to the Six Realms while our industrial might traded here. We both profit. But say for example, our major traders abhor slavery and refuse to purchase slave made products. Well, if Phaenix wants a functional economy and peaceful trade, they would have to change that. Trade, diplomacy and openness even with nations one finds repugnant in many ways can be used to alter such nations for the better."

He turned to include the Empress.

"The Six Realms are... Well, not perfect. We have poverty, we have struggle... We have extremely wealthy nobles and industrialists. But no slavery. Not even serfdom. We have strong government aid for those who need it. We have doctors and medicine for all. We try to give all our common folk a fair chance in life. We aren't perfect, but we are not at all like this. In fact-"

Argalaic signalled to Dontas and Ser Jace. They approached cautiously.

"Apologies- Ser Dontas Greenbow of Oakdeep, and Ser Jace of the High Hill. Ser Jace, do you have that tome I had brought to donate to the Emperor's collection on you?"
"Yes, Your Grace."

Ser Jace walked over to a box in the corner of the room amidst the pile Arge had had brought down containing the gifts for the Emperor, and removed 4 heavy looking leather bound books.

"These are the complete volumes of the The Peoples and Stories of the Six Realms from The Conquest to the Reign of Argalaic VII. No more complete tale of the nation of Kalmarnavia in the whole time since my ancestors forged the Realms into one can be found. Please, accept these as a token of friendship. Along with my personal invite, Your Majesty, to the Princess to journey to Roskilde in person in the near future. I would be beyond honoured if you would grace our realms with an official visit, and you would enjoy hearth and health within the halls of my father the King."

Ser Jace bowed low with the books, as Argalaic smiled.

Malik:

Malik walked over to Arge and the empress, “Hi hi!” He stated and smiled at them, “My name is Malik Velkari, it is nice to meet you!” Malik wagged happily, oblivious to the fact he might have interrupted something, just wanting to say hi to a new face. “From where do you hail from? I come from Alegeharia, as does my brother Aither, we’ve come to join the festivities here but alas it seems to be much more than one has bargained for hmm?”

Aither:

Aither had posted nearby. He waved as his name was mentioned but kept surveying the area, something seemed wrong and he couldn’t shake the feeling. He kept his eyes on the new guards studying their looks and behavior, for all intents and purposes, they could very well be normal guards, but some mannerisms and their leers seemed out of character for such a professional unit. He wanted to test this by causing something to happen, so he debated on stirring the tiniest of pots.

He leaned over to a nearby attendant and asked if they would be interested in a game, he said they would say the same sentence to each passerby and the goal was to bring the sentence to the guard in the black armband, he was in on it and said it was the guards idea, while he watched that chaos go on he scanned the area again, noticing something strange over by the stairs and went to investigate.

by **Phaenix** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 5:14 pm

Alegeharia wrote:
Kalmarnavia wrote:"It's quite alright, Your Majesty." Argalaic smiled genuinely. The Princess has fight. He liked that. It reminded him of his sisters, and of his dear betrothed. A woman like this would fit in well within House Wend.

He turned to the Princess.

"Forgive me, Your Highness. I was educated that public discussions are always formal affairs where true fawning comes in useful... But behind closed doors where true diplomacy happens, stick the bloody boot in and make no mistake. I will be honest- the Emperor seeks an alliance with my House. He has fierce enemies, and we have many princelings eager to win glory for themselves... And enough dragons to win every war going. But that alliance, well, would not be used purely to prop up a regime of slavery and frank brutality. I believe that alliances are a conversation- with trade flows ideas, with ideas come change. If, for example, the alliance went through and spices from here flowed in to the Six Realms while our industrial might traded here. We both profit. But say for example, our major traders abhor slavery and refuse to purchase slave made products. Well, if Phaenix wants a functional economy and peaceful trade, they would have to change that. Trade, diplomacy and openness even with nations one finds repugnant in many ways can be used to alter such nations for the better."

He turned to include the Empress.

"The Six Realms are... Well, not perfect. We have poverty, we have struggle... We have extremely wealthy nobles and industrialists. But no slavery. Not even serfdom. We have strong government aid for those who need it. We have doctors and medicine for all. We try to give all our common folk a fair chance in life. We aren't perfect, but we are not at all like this. In fact-"

Argalaic signalled to Dontas and Ser Jace. They approached cautiously.

"Apologies- Ser Dontas Greenbow of Oakdeep, and Ser Jace of the High Hill. Ser Jace, do you have that tome I had brought to donate to the Emperor's collection on you?"
"Yes, Your Grace."

Ser Jace walked over to a box in the corner of the room amidst the pile Arge had had brought down containing the gifts for the Emperor, and removed 4 heavy looking leather bound books.

"These are the complete volumes of the The Peoples and Stories of the Six Realms from The Conquest to the Reign of Argalaic VII. No more complete tale of the nation of Kalmarnavia in the whole time since my ancestors forged the Realms into one can be found. Please, accept these as a token of friendship. Along with my personal invite, Your Majesty, to the Princess to journey to Roskilde in person in the near future. I would be beyond honoured if you would grace our realms with an official visit, and you would enjoy hearth and health within the halls of my father the King."

Ser Jace bowed low with the books, as Argalaic smiled.

Malik:

Malik walked over to Arge and the empress, “Hi hi!” He stated and smiled at them, “My name is Malik Velkari, it is nice to meet you!” Malik wagged happily, oblivious to the fact he might have interrupted something, just wanting to say hi to a new face. “From where do you hail from? I come from Alegeharia, as does my brother Aither, we’ve come to join the festivities here but alas it seems to be much more than one has bargained for hmm?”

Aither:

Aither had posted nearby. He waved as his name was mentioned but kept surveying the area, something seemed wrong and he couldn’t shake the feeling. He kept his eyes on the new guards studying their looks and behavior, for all intents and purposes, they could very well be normal guards, but some mannerisms and their leers seemed out of character for such a professional unit. He wanted to test this by causing something to happen, so he debated on stirring the tiniest of pots.

He leaned over to a nearby attendant and asked if they would be interested in a game, he said they would say the same sentence to each passerby and the goal was to bring the sentence to the guard in the black armband, he was in on it and said it was the guards idea, while he watched that chaos go on he scanned the area again, noticing something strange over by the stairs and went to investigate.

Imperial Palace, Grand Foyer

The courtier he was speaking to, a fat, dull man by the name of Fadio Placus Pictoris, smiled and laughed a hearty laugh.
"A game of sentences, you say? And that grim fellow over there is in on it? Count me in!"
The fat man giggled and jumped with glee, a disturbing sight, considering his gelatinous rolls bounced with each movement.
"I'll go first. You there, short fellow, come over here!"
The "short fellow" was none other then the slightly less drunk Lord Brorgar. Upon being called short he walked quickly over to Fadio and Aither, face red with anger.
"Who're ye callin' cuttie, fat cheil!? I'll hae ye ken, Ah am th' laird of-"
Fadio shushed Brorgar, much to the dwarf's anger, and continued on.
"I don't remember calling you a 'cutie,' but me and my friend here are playing a game. We tell people a sentence and they bring it over to that grumpy guard with the black armband."
Brorgar, who was admittedly still angry about being called short, was immediately suspicious of the guard.
"Ah dornt recognize heem, an' I've bin in thes palace since th' days ay ole' Emperur Gaius. Whit dae ye want wi' heem?"
Fadio, annoyed with someone questioning the game and not actually having a sentence to tell Brorgar, turned to Aither.
"Friend, tell this man that sentence you wanted to so we can continue the ga-Friend?"
Fadio looked about confused, wondering where that furry man he had been talking with went.

by **SF n F** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 6:02 pm

No one seemed to want to try the whiskey, so Damnage had just put it back into the purse and started taking in the--what did they call it? Oh, yes, fellowship.

A lot of it was boring. One of the world leaders had rattled off a list of titles so long that it almost made the rafters bend. Some of it served to remind the erstwhile diplomat that cultural differences could mean a lot. Someone had put the wrong banner in the wrong place and it had almost started a sword fight. This seemed to be a level-headed group, though. Ruffled feathers on both sides were quickly plucked.

Malik walked into the middle of a conversation and introduced himself. He was just brimming with enthusiasm. The only thing he didn't do was hump the leg of the woman he was talking with.

And the group's first Damnage Name was born.

Mind you, Damnage never told anybody about the mocking names he made for everybody*--but that didn't stop him from making up things like...future leg humper.

The thought was extinguished as Damnage felt something in the near vicinity. He'd never felt a spell quite like it before. It was death magic, but not; necromancy, but not. Whatever it was, it was strong enough that he almost fell over backward as it passed through his system.

Stares greeted him as he shook his head clear. All he could do in response was look around himself and say, "Somewhere nearby. Strong bad mojo."

OOC: He felt the soul-harvesting. He doesn't know that's what it is. His mojo sense isn't that good.

* The Damnage name for Damnage is Brimstone Breath.

by **Phaenix** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 6:14 pm

SF n F wrote:No one seemed to want to try the whiskey, so Damnage had just put it back into the purse and started taking in the--what did they call it? Oh, yes, fellowship.

A lot of it was boring. One of the world leaders had rattled off a list of titles so long that it almost made the rafters bend. Some of it served to remind the erstwhile diplomat that cultural differences could mean a lot. Someone had put the wrong banner in the wrong place and it had almost started a sword fight. This seemed to be a level-headed group, though. Ruffled feathers on both sides were quickly plucked.

Malik walked into the middle of a conversation and introduced himself. He was just brimming with enthusiasm. The only thing he didn't do was hump the woman's leg.

And the group's first Damnage Name was born.

Mind you, Damnage never told anybody about the mocking names he made for everybody--but that didn't stop him from making up things like...future leg humper.

The thought was extinguished as Damnage felt something in the near vicinity. He'd never felt a spell quite like it before. It was death magic, but not; necromancy, but not. Whatever it was, it was strong enough that he almost fell over backward as it passed through his system.

Stares greeted him as he shook his head clear. All he could do in response was look around himself and say, "Somewhere nearby. Strong bad mojo."

OOC: He felt the soul-harvesting. He doesn't know that's what it is. His mojo sense isn't that good.

Imperial Palace, Grand Foyer

Praefectus M'Salonino and Antoniae Galvisia both stopped dead in their tracks upon reentering the Grand Foyer. The blinding light of Damnage and Malik's souls almost incapacitated the two, and Antoniae briefly felt fear. Not for herself, but where she would put two souls as bright as these. Dexsius pulled Antoniae aside and whispered into her ear.
"We must pretend that nothing is the matter. These two may or may not be demons or angels. From the way the small furry one is acting, he is possibly an angel, or even an archangel. The other creature, however, is...different. It is certainly not human, not by the light of its soul. But it is similar to a demon of sorts, though its soul is purer than the average demon's. Perhaps a reformed demon."
Antoniae licked her lips. A reformed demon's soul was a delicacy she had enjoyed but once, when the poor creature had been waylaid by demon hunters and was weakened. She could still hear its agonized screams as she slowly pulled its soul from its body.
"I will introduce myself to it."
Dexsius looked at Antoniae in horror.
"What if it sees through you? What if it alerts Titus? What if-"
Dexsius stopped when Antoniae glared at him, before she walked over to Damnage and smiled warmly.
"Hello there. I do not believe we have had the pleasure of meeting. I am Antoniae Galvisia, soon to be Empress Venatius. You are?"

by **Notalien** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 6:18 pm

The Balcony

Thgasif-Mntud/The General/Thomas-Man
The General heard it too. Like a primitive locomotive, it was loud and irritating. The General was getting a feeling. A tingle in the back of their skull... something wasn't right. No, something was terribly wrong.

Also, Sxdevik-Lhsdam was probably awake now. The General couldn't spend much more time up here.

They sent a message to The UTV to focus all survellance on The Primitive Control Center and the surrounding area. Keep all cameras and all analysis on the immediate area.

The General was still mad that they didn't have a weapon on them.

The Grand Foyer

Sxdevik-Lhsdam/The Diplomat/Simon-Land

Remember the mission.

The Diplomat couldn't spend much time to contemplate on the implications of something that they couldn't even confirm.

They noticed at The Emperor was surrounded by multiple other emissaries. As much The Diplomat wanted too... as much as The Diplomat wanted to slice the savage's throat open, as much as they wanted to call in a attack to level this planet of filth and misery to nothing but a memory... The Diplomat knew you didn't always get what you want.

And The Diplomat knew that they likely weren't in the best state of mind to call for the destruction of a planet.

The Diplomat also realized that they purposely been putting off speaking to The Emperor with all of this contemplation.

The Diplomat thought about their cloths, a mix of all of the natives around The Primitive's Control Center. They noticed that their was major differences in clothing to match the physical differences split amount The Natives. But The Diploma- remember the mission.

There would be no more delay. The architectur-. No. More. Delay. The Diplomat walked forward. Each slave caught in the corner of their eye filling them with rage before they brought it down again.

Remember the mission.

They stopped near The Emperor and the other emmesaries.
"Greeting: I am Simon Land. Emmesary of The Council of Notalienia. Retorical Inquiry: I beleave we met earlie, correct?"

by **Phaenix** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 6:26 pm

Notalien wrote:
The Balcony

Thgasif-Mntud/The General/Thomas-Man
The General heard it too. Like a primitive locomotive, it was loud and irritating. The General was getting a feeling. A tingle in the back of their skull... something wasn't right. No, something was terribly wrong.

Also, Sxdevik-Lhsdam was probably awake now. The General couldn't spend much more time up here.

They sent a message to The UTV to focus all survellance on The Primitive Control Center and the surrounding area. Keep all cameras and all analysis on the immediate area.

The General was still mad that they didn't have a weapon on them.

The Grand Foyer

Sxdevik-Lhsdam/The Diplomat/Simon-Land

Remember the mission.

The Diplomat couldn't spend much time to contemplate on the implications of something that they couldn't even confirm.

They noticed at The Emperor was surrounded by multiple other emissaries. As much The Diplomat wanted too... as much as The Diplomat wanted to slice the savage's throat open, as much as they wanted to call in a attack to level this planet of filth and misery to nothing but a memory... The Diplomat knew you didn't always get what you want.

And The Diplomat knew that they likely weren't in the best state of mind to call for the destruction of a planet.

The Diplomat also realized that they purposely been putting off speaking to The Emperor with all of this contemplation.

The Diplomat thought about their cloths, a mix of all of the natives around The Primitive's Control Center. They noticed that their was major differences in clothing to match the physical differences split amount The Natives. But The Diploma- remember the mission.

There would be no more delay. The architectur-. No. More. Delay. The Diplomat walked forward. Each slave caught in the corner of their eye filling them with rage before they brought it down again.

Remember the mission.

They stopped near The Emperor and the other emmesaries.
"Greeting: I am Simon Land. Emmesary of The Council of Notalienia. Retorical Inquiry: I beleave we met earlie, correct?"

Imperial Palace, Grand Foyer

Emperor Titus turned to the Diplomat, completely ignoring Margrave Reimar Broldwoul's story about how he out drank Lord Brorgar.
"Ah, yes, good to see you've fully recovered. I'd invite you to drink with me, but I get the impression that you do not like me. At all."
Titus frowned slightly, but after taking a sip of wine he composed himself once more.
"I assume you find our practice of slavery barbaric. I have seen the other guests share your view. I do not fully agree with the institution of slavery, but it is to firmly entrenched to get rid of it. Even the major religions require slaves for sacrifices, and the Great Phoenix knows that the nobility will be loathe to pay for servants."
Titus took another sip of his wine, but sadly his glass was empty. He set it down on a table and looked down at the Diplomat.
"But I am rambling. I have not heard of this...Council of Notaliena. From your ship, they must be quite advanced, yet it troubles me that my spies have not heard a whisper of such a nation."

by **Shwe Tu Colony** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 6:27 pm

Notalien wrote:The General looked at The Savages that spoke to them...

Caleb looked up, a piece of cotton fluff still in his mouth. "Yea— hold on." He swallowed his meal. "Yessir, the string was mine. Sorry if it surprised ya, but Mr. 'lijah sir doesn't want to spook the normal people too much."
"We have been told," Elijah said, "that this land is not receptive to my constructs. Which, might I add, I find to be quite unfortunate. As the Dometic Dollmaker and Golemancer—"
Caleb's red back ribbons twitched. "Mr. 'lijah sir, I don't think he knows what most of those words mean." That drew a gentle chuckle out of the Dollmaker, whose gentle voice belonged to a bygone era of crackling microphones and audio quality. He tapped his umbrella-cane on the floor, standing on one foot with the other perpendicular to the floor, crossed behind it. "Sorry for the word salad, ah, who are you?" He'd wait for a response. "Well, delighted to meet you. I'm Elijah Phee Loew, and I make Golems — magical robots, so to speak — and Dolls, like the little boy here." He patted Caleb's cap, which fell to his head, floated in the air, glitched like some odd visual, and then fell back down.

"Oh, and Dolls are Golems with Souls. Gives them a proper personality, much more so than any old Golem, which I have to wait some..." He looked to his free hand around and waved it around, rubbing his index and thumb together, thinking. "Ah, I think the process for sapience can take upwards of a few or several decades, depending on activity levels. And even then—"
"Mr. 'lijah sir, I don't think this man is all that interested."
"Oh, come now, Caleb, I'm sure..." Elijah paused, covering his mouth as he chuckled. "Oh, maybe you are right. Ah well. Be warned, good sir, that I really don't care about anything beyond my work as Golemancer and Dollmaker." Indeed, he seemed outright uninterested in the conversation, not really noticing that The General had noticed something else nor sent a message.

by **Alegeharia** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 6:55 pm

Malik:

Malik smiled before looking around realizing Aither had walked away, he noticed a guard moving to deal with an argument that had broken out and gave a quirky face, was that his brothers doing? He wondered why but he was sure Aither wouldn’t cause random pranks for nothing. He returned to looking at the others seeing alien boy join them. “Hey grey matter! You feeling better friend? I was concerned about you.” Maliks tail wagged in idly as he chatted, he felt weird, something was staring at his soul and he could feel the invasive energies. His eyes flashed blue as he scanned the area.

Aither:

Aither was almost at the stairs at this point, the clattering sound louder, he stayed back some hiding in the crowd, looking at the stairs, seemed someone needed help, no more sinister, someone was being taken? He stayed hidden in the crowd, watching closely, he would need to study what was happening before he acted.

by **Notalien** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 7:04 pm

The Balcony

Thgasif-Mntud/The General/Thomas-Man

The General couldn't stand here and just talk about simulacrums.

Unlike The Primitive's assumption, the conversation was actually quite interesting and yielded some useful information.

But the noise was getting louder and the feeling was getting stronger.

After it had been verified that The Primitive Control Center was under full surveillance they stated.

"Adieu: I must go now. Have a nice day."

With the feeling almost bursting their skull they opened the doors with way more force than necessary. Oh.

The Grand Foyer

Sxdevik-Lhsdam/The Diplomat/Simon-Land
How did The General know their thoughts?

Their thoughts would be difficult to secure while in the palace but did what they could and hoped that would be enough.

What was a religion? Who was this Great Phaenix? Why did religion require such savagery to maintain?

So many questions, so little answers.

Though, for The Emperor's question they had already come up with an answer before they got here.

"Informational Statement: To put it simply, we are very far away."

They weren't technically spreading an untruth.

The Diplomat turned to The Furred One.

The Diplomat recognized them, they weren't sure how to feel.
"Informational Response: I am feeling better, yes." Informational Statement: My designation is not 'Grey Matter."

Being ragefull is better than being unconscious.

They took this opportunity to study the other emmesaries.

One was rambling something that The Diplomat had no context for.

There were also two similar looking emmesaries. The first thing they noticed about them was the oculus organs. They were more covered than The Emperor's.

For some reason, The Diplomat could picture the slightly smaller one being a leader. Perhaps in an alternative timeline. They weren't sure why.

by **Phaenix** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 8:11 pm

Notalien wrote:
"Oh, come now, Caleb, I'm sure..." Elijah paused, covering his mouth as he chuckled. "Oh, maybe you are right. Ah well. Be warned, good sir, that I really don't care about anything beyond my work as Golemancer and Dollmaker." Indeed, he seemed outright uninterested in the conversation, not really noticing that The General had noticed something else nor sent a message.

The Balcony

Thgasif-Mntud/The General/Thomas-Man

The General couldn't stand here and just talk about simulacrums.

Unlike The Primitive's assumption, the conversation was actually quite interesting and yielded some useful information.

But the noise was getting louder and the feeling was getting stronger.

After it had been verified that The Primitive Control Center was under full surveillance they stated.

"Adieu: I must go now. Have a nice day."

With the feeling almost bursting their skull they opened the doors with way more force than necessary. Oh.

"But I am rambling. I have not heard of this...Council of Notaliena. From your ship, they must be quite advanced, yet it troubles me that my spies have not heard a whisper of such a nation."

The Grand Foyer

Sxdevik-Lhsdam/The Diplomat/Simon-Land
How did The General know their thoughts?

Their thoughts would be difficult to secure while in the palace but did what they could and hoped that would be enough.

What was a religion? Who was this Great Phaenix? Why did religion require such savagery to maintain?

So many questions, so little answers.

Though, for The Emperor's question they had already come up with an answer before they got here.

"Informational Statement: To put it simply, we are very far away."

They weren't technically spreading an untruth.

“Hey grey matter! You feeling better friend? I was concerned about you."

The Diplomat turned to The Furred One.

The Diplomat recognized them, they weren't sure how to feel.
"Informational Response: I am feeling better, yes." Informational Statement: My designation is not 'Grey Matter."

Being ragefull is better than being unconscious.

They took this opportunity to study the other emmesaries.

One was rambling something that The Diplomat had no context for.

There were also two similar looking emmesaries. The first thing they noticed about them was the oculus organs. They were more covered than The Emperor's.

For some reason, The Diplomat could picture the slightly smaller one being a leader. Perhaps in an alternative timeline. They weren't sure why.

Imperial Palace, Tower of the Sun

Herr Reinhard looked at the grey skinned creature in surprise. He had thought that no one was up here, but obviously he was wrong. Without waiting for the General to speak, he drew his longsword and swung at the General.
"Nothing personal, just can't have you telling anyone, can I?"
Herr Reinhard said, as he swung for the General's neck.

by **Notalien** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 8:35 pm

The General backed up as soon as the savage's hand reached for their blade.
While the blade missed their neck it did hit their General's collar.
Barely thinking The General leaped forward. It was rare for them to see actual ground combat, and The General preferred it that way. But they didn't earn their position by being helpless without a weapon.
It was only after they slammed into their legs they realized their own tactics. The savage was wearing heavy protection, disoriented with a failed sword swing and a tripping hazard right behind them.
This was probably going to hurt either way.
Falling down stairs typically does.
Savage or not underneath you.

by **Phaenix** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 8:41 pm

Notalien wrote:
Herr Reinhard looked at the grey skinned creature in surprise. He had thought that no one was up here, but obviously he was wrong. Without waiting for the General to speak, he drew his longsword and swung at the General.
"Nothing personal, just can't have you telling anyone, can I?"
Herr Reinhard said, as he swung for the General's neck.

The General backed up as soon as the savage's hand reached for their blade.
While the blade missed their neck it did hit their General's collar.
Barely thinking The General leaped forward. It was rare for them to see actual ground combat, and The General preferred it that way. But they didn't earn their position by being helpless without a weapon.
It was only after they slammed into their legs they realized their own tactics. The savage was wearing heavy protection, disoriented with a failed sword swing and a tripping hazard right behind them.
This was probably going to hurt either way.
Falling down stairs typically does.
Savage or not underneath you.

Imperial Palace, Hallway

Herr Reinhard landed on his head with a sickening crack. Blood pooled out of his helmet, and the body he had been dragging was crushed into paste under him. The sound of running boots came from down the hallway, and two guards, Wulfgar and Alfred, came upon the seen. Alfred vomited on the spot, while Wulfgar stared at the mess before looking at the General.
"Wha-what happened here? How could this happen within the palace?"
Neither Alfred not Wulfgar had black armbands.

by **Notalien** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 8:49 pm

OW, that really hurt.

What, were those two asking?
Oh, why there is now a savage underneath them with a cracked skull.

Whatever, they need to go get The Diplomat.

"Informational Response: The reason that this could happen in the control center is due to gravity pulling their head towards the ground. Elaboration: It appears they tried to murder me with the intent of covering up another murder they have committed."

by **Phaenix** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 8:54 pm

Notalien wrote:
Wulfgar and Alfred, came upon the seen. Alfred vomited on the spot, while Wulfgar stared at the mess before looking at the General.
"Wha-what happened here? How could this happen within the palace?"
Neither Alfred not Wulfgar had black armbands.

OW, that really hurt.

What, were those two asking?
Oh, why there is now a savage underneath them with a cracked skull.

Whatever, they need to go get The Diplomat.

"Informational Response: The reason that this could happen in the control center is due to gravity pulling their head towards the ground. Elaboration: It appears they tried to murder me with the intent of covering up another murder they have committed."

Imperial Palace, Hallway :?:

Alfred checked the coat-of-arms on Herr Reinhard's armor and scowled.
"He's one of Wintersend's men. Wulfgar, go tell the Emperor what has happened. Sir, if you will follow me, I will escort you back to the Grand Foyer."
Wulfgar nodded and left to earn the Emperor, but as he was passing an open door, he thought he saw something black flash past the door. He slowed down and went to investigate, only to be pulled into the room. There was a brief scream, and then silence.

by **Notalien** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:05 pm

The General was suspicious, even if they are not working with the murderer if they just killed what they beleave to be an innocent person they may decide to in act some "justice".
"Response: I will let you escort me to The Grand Foyer. Request: Before we go I wish for you to take note of the dead body beneath the armored murderer."
They needed to get to The Diplomat more than ever. As they were being escorted they looked around, noting any places where an attacker could jump out. They would not be caught off guard the next time,

For the tingle in their skull did not cease.

by **Phaenix** » Wed Jul 29, 2020 9:11 pm

Notalien wrote:
"He's one of Wintersend's men. Wulfgar, go tell the Emperor what has happened. Sir, if you will follow me, I will escort you back to the Grand Foyer."

The General was suspicious, even if they are not working with the murderer if they just killed what they beleave to be an innocent person they may decide to in act some "justice".
"Response: I will let you escort me to The Grand Foyer. Request: Before we go I wish for you to take note of the dead body beneath the armored murderer."
They needed to get to The Diplomat more than ever. As they were being escorted they looked around, noting any places where an attacker could jump out. They would not be caught off guard the next time,

For the tingle in their skull did not cease.

Imperial Palace, Hallway

Alfred looked at the paste under Reinhard's body and grimaced.
"Well, there certainly was a body there once, but there's little more I can do than tell the Emperor that this man killed someone and attempted to kill you."
Alfred shrugged and motioned for the General to follow him.
"Now, sir, I really recommend that we leave now."

The Phoenix Wedding (IC/FanT/Signups)

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