The Golden Age. Act 2: Converging Paths.

[riariadne]

Apprentice Bookkeeper

"Okay, just being sure. My boss would be really mad if anything happened," the girl spoke, adjusting her glasses. Upon standing up, her youth was more readily apparent, notably with her being shorter than Kaya. "The Gifts and Fire Emblem... section C of the third floor, take the stairs up and head on right at the top. The Emblem is sub-section 3, which starts about midway through the second shelf. And for recent history, that's easy. It's right there." She pointed to a pair of shelves on her left, labeled "Modern History" by a card with fancy handwriting. "For magic, the entire left half of the fifth floor has a lot to say on it. There's a section for every kind of magic, with works both historic and recent. If you have other questions, there's a bell at the top of each floor. Or you can ask now too."

Modern Heroes

Albano watched curiously at the young man. "Perhaps so. The origins of heroes and legends are varied. Young Sierra was much the same, visiting often and saying how she would protect everyone and be here one day. With the conviction she spoke of, we may have been wise to have started the tablet featuring her even ten years ago! Then we could fill in the details." He chuckled, pacing in place a bit as he went on to explain more. "She's been here three times since this event, and many before. When she was a knight, she would always regale us with stories, and before then she would come help paint. An intriguing girl... I don't think she considered being Queen for an instant. She said it would be wrong for her to take the crown after stopping the wicked woman who wore it just before, an abuse of power. Instead she ventured off to Ibis, hunting thieves and evil mages that threaten the peaceful lifestyle there. She is fierce, but thoroughly optimistic, even to the point that it may be her greatest weakness. She thinks there is good in the hearts of all, and would rather spare people until proven wrong. The Black Queen was the only person I can think of she truly hated. Often left out is the dozens of other times she wanted to challenge Ursula, for as strong as she is fighting the many whose minds were tainted by evil magic would surely fail. Then finally, on that fateful day, the Queen was arrogant enough to accept."

He touched the painting, pointing at the scene. "In truth, Sierra's chances of losing the battle were almost nothing, but the Queen overlooked her as just a fed-up knight. Had she looked into her past, she would likely have been more wary. Sierra's rise to her rank before the battle was quick, due to her skill when she joined the Knights at 15 and her extensive training before. To date, she's never lost a duel, and considering she's not from a noble background, reaching Sergeant Major so quickly was nothing less than remarkable." After his explanation, he looked to Aaron. "What do you hope to do that would bring you here? Have you a goal in mind, or just confidence?"

[eclipse]

"Yep. Gonna need every last drop of what I bought," Kolmar said, handing the coins to the bartender.  "Ever since those rumors cropped up, it ain't surprising to see people bandin' together."  He let out a sigh, his mind wandering back to his first meeting with his current group, and the scuffle shortly afterwards.  "Can't complain too much about my group, though - they ain't the type to backstab each other, which means I can sleep at night.  Thanks for everything!"

Once outside of the bar, Kolmar quickly made his way back to the inn.  He had other plans, but they would be severely hampered by four bottles of alcohol.  He quietly dropped off his stash of cooking ingredients, before heading out again.  A shop of oddities was around here, somewhere.  Part of him felt that it would be a better idea to avoid the place, as such things had a bit of overlap with his old job.  His logical side prevailed, since those shopkeepers would be privy to any unusual items going in and out of Madrigal.  He sent a prayer to whatever deity happened to be benevolent and paying attention, before visiting MadrigalMart.

[Xinnidy]

It was as she entered the square and made an effort to make out the man's words that Raz froze on the spot. She stood there, her eyes more interested in scanning the man's armor than anything. So that's how they outfit... hopefully that's easy to spot out. Feeling a bit anxious as the commotion seemed to go on, Raz held the side of her arm uncomfortably, sneaking past the crowd to a small but specialized store on clothes. It felt better suited to her need, and she'd prefer the calm and quiet compared to something like MadrigalMart. Yeah... The Silver Lining would do.

 

Raz opts for the Silver Lining, sneaking past the crowd.

Edited March 20, 2017 by Xinnidy

[Juliette]

"Where are you going so quickly, Kolmar?" a familiar sing-songy voice came from just behind him as he left the inn, and a furred poke to his shoulder confirming Velvet's presence. "No patience to talk with me about anything that's been going on?" She made her way in front of him before he could get too far to his destination. "Headed off to shop? I've already picked up a few interesting things along the way here, maybe even a lance you'd be interested in... and where are you sneaking about so quickly?"

[scorri]

"Alright then. That's easy enough. Do you want to go look at your stuff while I look at mine? Or did you want to look together? I don't mind either way. I'm sure I could find plenty of things to read about in the magic section for sure. I've been meaning to look into dark magic more since I found out that's the source of my visions anyways. So it's up to you. I'm not in a rush either way. There's nothing else that I need to do today, so I've got all day here if that's what you want. Unless... Unless you had other things to do. Which would be totally fine." She half hoped they'd separate and half hoped they'd stay together. It was kind of nice being together without fighting, but that small voice in the back of her head couldn't help but point out that the majority of their interactions had ended in yelling. But this was good today. Things could stay good, they really could.

[SB.]

Aaron listened closely to Albano's tale of Sierra, eyes fixed on her tablet. The truth was often less glamorous and wonderful than the reality of things, but at the same time Sierra seemed like a larger than life figure. "I'd like to meet her some day. I think it would be interesting." he smiled. 

"I understand her sentiments, then. If she took the throne herself, perhaps some would question her intentions. Although by the sound of things, they would likely be mistaken." It certainly didn't sound like she would be a corrupt queen. Perhaps she wouldn't have what it takes, with her mentality, however. Could she make those difficult decisions?

"The throne has been empty for far too long." Aaron sighed, turning to face the elder. "It would take something exceptional by this point to unite the Dukes in support of a single candidate. Insurmountable proof of worth. But it needs to happen, and I believe I can be the man to do it." After a few seconds of pause, he sihged. "Perhaps this all sounds like hot air right now, but I will take control of my destiny."

[Bluedoom]

Joviana quietly walked as the girl dragged her to the fifth row. She was a little startled by her enthusiasm, as she was acting as if they had known each other for a long time. The two women quickly took their seats, waiting for the show to start. "So Layla, what do you do around here? Are you from Madrigal, or somewhere else?"

[riariadne]

A Refined Experience

The neatly-written sign was likely a good indicator for what Raz was to expect upon visiting the store. A sharp-eyed man in an equally sharp suit glanced at her as she entered, and he made a sweeping gesture with both hands towards the available clothes. "Good afternoon, mademoiselle. I am Sir Cornelius, and I welcome you to this establishment. Your clothing seems somewhat worn-down from travels. However, fear not- choosing here clearly shows that you have exquisite taste for fine dressing when the practicality of road-wear is not required. What may I interest you in on this day? Perhaps something for the upcoming Year's Beginning festival, or even just any given formal occasion?"

The Interregnum

"Well, if you seek her, she is not hard to find. There are countless tales of her exploits in Ibis, with criminals finding themselves injured or slain almost every day. And her style was always... distinctive. Yes, in all facets of her life, Sierra is certainly rather unique." Albano again gestured towards the painting. "You can see for yourself that her black armor and orange cape are certainly far from the whites and blues of the Knights. But as for battle, her two-sword offense is equally different. Others seem to always fail at it due to their lack of familiarity with the idea, but Sierra uses the two blades with both elegance and deadliness. Your own weapon... it does not seem standard issue, is it? We examine a great many here, with some of the originals preserved for historic reasons, though we do not often display them."

The elder man nodded at his story. "You are correct. Commander Thalia has been considered to be appointed Queen several times, but the Grand Council find her unsuitable, unfortunately. She has the approval of three of five Dukes, which is the most that can be reasonably expected of anyone. Duke Argalian and Duchess Eliza both grow weary of the interregnum, and approve of most candidates so long as they have passable standards. Meanwhile, Dukes Bereen and Galivor are both too self-centered to put their egos aside for the good of the nation, and deny almost anyone. Lastly, Duke Mazzarin considers people on an individual basis- but those he agrees are fair-handed enough do not suit the wants of the Councilors, who also act out of self interest. At the same time, Reid refuses to compromise his principles. He believes a second poor ruler, especially after such a long period of deliberation, would send Titan even further into despair. Most people seem to agree with him and find the Council's attitude incredibly distasteful. Rightly so, if you ask me. The six Monarchs chosen in the Heroic age barring Ursula were all fine leaders, and there are good people like them that could lead our nation. The refusal of the Council to agree with the people is abhorrent behavior. And yet it seems unlikely they would ever support a kind-hearted leader barring someone who has done great feats- like Sierra. I doubt even Bereen and Glaivor would be able to deny her. If you believe your destiny is to pursue such righteous feats as her, then pursue them. I will certainly not be the man to tell an optimistic youth they have no chance at heroic deeds. There is potential in us all for greatness."

Amped at Music

"Yup, I'm from the city!" Layla responded loudly enough that a couple in front of her turned to give an unpleasant look, an expression she seemed to completely miss. "There's so much to do here that I don't leave a lot. Sometimes I visit Fordright with my family, though, it's very pretty there too, and I love the boats on the river. My parents are both musicians themselves, they played instruments in a famous song! It's where I got my name from. When I'm done with music school, I hope my skills are good enough that I'll get to play here plenty. I may not look it, but I'm pretty good at the cello. What about you? You look kind of strong, but you haven't been here when everyone totally should, so are you a Knight?"

[eclipse]

"I'm a busy man," Kolmar said cryptically.  "Though your timing's perfect.  What kind of lance didya find?"

[Nanami Touko]

"Yeah... Sure. So right here, a-and... Fifth floor. Okay." That was Telmara's set of things figured out. But then-- "H-Huh? Look together...?" She stammered, shrinking just a bit, but nodding. "Y-Yeah, sure... I don't m-mind... Dark magic, and... Emblem stuff. Sounds interesting." Why can't this just be the way it is all the time? Why do you have to get overprotective to the point of freaking out whenever something goes just a bit wrong in a fight situation? What's wrong with you... Isn't this nice? Isn't it? So shouldn't you just... Be able to live with this... "Which do you w-want to look at first?" If there was anything she was going to stick with doing, it was going to be keeping her inner arguments below the surface, at least while she was calm like this.

[Juliette]

"That's all you have to say? Not even willing to have some nice conversation... how rude of you, Kolmar." Velvet made a clearly false pouting face at him, but reached to her bag to retrieve the lance nonetheless, twirling it around. "It's called a Parity Lance. Good at negating the effects of other special weapons, though some are enchanted too well for it. Even then, it's a good all-around weapon for your stabbing needs! If you want it, it's 875 gold, which is nice for a weapon like this! Interested?"

[scorri]

"Oh, uh, well, since magic is something we both have an interest in, why don't we start there? It seems as good a spot as any after all." Wait, that's the one on the fifth floor. Is she going to be able to handle stairs? Is that something I can ask her? Kaya hesitated, before deciding to just go for it. "Uhm, are the stairs going to be a problem? I mean, I know you can move well enough, but stairs are a different story and I've never actually seen you use them before..." Hopefully this wasn't going to make her upset. That'd be unfortunate... She smiled hesitantly, trying to make it clear it wasn't meant as an insult.

[Xinnidy]

"Good afternoon." Raz smiled, taking a step inside and looking at the wares. It was nice to take a break and indulge in vanity, at least while they were only passing by the town. "Why... yes, I've been out of the city for quite a while, I think I'd appreciate a new piece in my wardrobe." With a finger on her chin, she glanced past the formal dresses curiously. "I'm looking for a dress, for formal occasions, though I suppose I can look at the Year's Beginning pieces you might have. Maybe one will catch my interest."

[Nanami Touko]

"Stairs? Stairs are fine... Have you never seen a snake move before?" Telmara tilted her head some. It wasn't that weird... She started towards the stairs, remembering, fifth floor. It was a bit slower than one would expect, but one step at a time, Telmara ascended the staircase towards the fifth floor. "It's not very awkward... It used to be. But I've gotten used to how this thing moves... Just, watch your feet. I know this trails behind me a lot..." Four flights though... It'd take her a moment to get all the way up them.

[scorri]

"I've seen them move around but... never up stairs? I mean, it seems like it wouldn't work quite well." She watched Telmara start to make her way up the stairs and nodded. "Huh, I guess it does just work... I guess when you're bigger than the steps it's easier. I just thought you'd have a problem with sliding back... I'm sounding really dumb, aren't I?" She blushed, glad that she was behind Telmara right now. "I guess I don't know a whole lot about what things are like for you... Maybe some time you can tell me some about it?" That's stuff I should know after all. I need to know how things are going to affect her and such...

[Nanami Touko]

"I can't see why a snake would need to go upstairs in the wild, so it doesn't surprise me that much," Telmera answered, trying to speak more calmly. "You don't sound dumb... It's something y-you're seeing for the first time. Don't worry about it." Anyone would be curious... Most would be repulsed. At least so far nothing bad's happened. "Uhm... If you want... Th-Though I, can't promise that it's all pleasant." In fact, very little of it is pleasant. Most of it is just terrible times and trying to figure out how to move. Not the most enjoyable... Even arguing with you has been better than some moments.

There, fifth floor. Telmara collected her tail from the steps with a huff, pausing to let Kaya catch up and also to catch her breath. "So... Uhm. Dark o-or anima, first?"

 

[Bluedoom]

Joviana watched awkwardly as the couple in sitting in front of them glared at Layla, before gritting her teeth upon hearing her mention Fordright. I seem to hear that word often, these days...I just hope that my past doesn't catch up to me.

"I'm a magician, and I'm part of a group of travelers. You know, going to all sorts of places to learn new things. Before that, I used to teach magic at Vespen, but I soon got bored of that life. What about you? When do you finish music school? Have you always wanted to live here, playing music?"

 

[scorri]

"I guess... I just feel like I'm saying stupid personal things, that's all. And cool, I think I'd like that. Uhm... If there's anything you want to ask me, feel free. I know it's not exactly the same but still." She shut up as they made their way up the rest of the stairs until they reached the fifth floor. And then Telmara was asking about which type of magic. While she would have preferred dark magic, she knew that Telmara wanted to look at anima magic more than anything so she figured that wa a good place to start. "Well, anima magic is what you're looking for, right? So lets start there. It's as good a place as any."

[Nanami Touko]

"Ask you anything?" Do you have anyone you like? Are you into women at all? Do you want a partner? Do you hate me? How upset do I make you? On a scale of one to ten, how likely is it that I can fix everything and we can actually be friends and maybe more?? She didn't have the courage to ask any of this, but her face grew in color as she continued to think, shrink down further as the seconds passed. "Can't... Th-Think of anything, right now..." Dammit...

"A-Anima, okay... Just... W-Wanted to see what's been researched, since I've been... G-Gone." All that collected chill was gone now, unable to look Kaya in the eye as she spoke. "Entire, left side..." That meant there was a lot to look through... But, best place to start as any, was-- "Fire magic... Here we go." A recent volume on the latest and greatest fire magic produced by Jotun. Hopefully this helps... I'm so damn close to casting that spell again.

[scorri]

"Ok, well, if you come up with something, just let me know." She smiled and nudge the woman's shoulder and she moved to walk near her instead of behind her. She seemed somewhat distracted, and seemed to not be willing to look at Kaya. Maybe she was just looking hard for whatever books she was looking for?

"Fire magic, huh? That seems to be your forte, huh?" She seemed to care solely about it to be honest. "What attracts you to it? I mean... All anima magic comes from the same source, right? So you're not necessarily stronger at, say, wind magic than you are fire. So it's a choice. What's so interesting about fire to you?"

[eclipse]

Kolmar put a hand to his chin.  On one hand, starting off the interaction by being negative really shouldn't be rewarded with a sale.  On the other hand, that was a nice lance.

"Ya got a big advantage over me, an' that's your natural charm.  You're a good deal cuter than me, so you shouldn't waste it by callin' your potential customer rude," he said slowly.  "Good eye on the lance, though.  Should help if we wind up runnin' into anyone that relies on magic weapons to get by.  I'll take it."

Kolmar attempts to buy the Parity Lance for 875 gold (assuming Velvet doesn't rip his throat out)

[Nanami Touko]

Telmara paused a moment, slowly closing the book. "Fire is... What I taught... Back in Jotun. It's destructive, but it's passionate. It can create, and take away. People use it all the time, take it for granted... Its power isn't something to be trifled with. Yet, here I am, trying to do just that, and get back what I've lost." She smiled, wryly, at least, leaning forward towards the book case some. "It's everything I'm not. Strong, straightforward, leaving nothing to the imagination... So I figured that if I could harness it, maybe I could get some of that. Maybe not be so meek... So cold. My face doesn't help. Look like I'm scowling all the time..."

"And maybe... I'd be able to say what's on my mind. Instead of arguing with myself in my head, over and over..." She'd started staring off into the distance, or she looked like she was. "So many things I want to say that get stuck in my head... Most of its rude, probably good that it gets stuck. But sometimes someone asks you to ask them questions, ten pop into your head, and you don't have the courage to ask one of them. Funny, that..." Her eyes finally rolled towards Kaya, which promptly brought her out of her momentary trance, shrinking back down. "F-Forget, it..."

[scorri]

"I don't think I'd really classify you as cold. Or meek to be honest. I mean, you seem perfectly willing to speak your mind. And you clearly have passion. Maybe you just need to stop hiding it, you know? I don't think that your face makes you more cold. I like your face! It's a nice face. I mean, it's less nice when it's yelling at me but I'm pretty sure that'd be true of any face..." She trailed off as she managed to stick her foot in her mouth again.

The next bit confused her though. "What do you mean? You don't say things that are on your mind? All the time?" Was that why she was so distracted after Kaya's questions? Maybe that was it! Well, maybe if she pushed a bit, she could get the demihuman to start opening up a bit more. "What sort of questions? Was it something I said? If there's something on your mind, I want to know. I want to get to know you better, ok? I want to know more so that we can get along better. That'd be nice, right?"

[Nanami Touko]

Kaya needed to do one thing right now. And that thing was stop. Too many question and comments all at once were overwhelming the poor snake, who'd turned to face her fully and shrunk down considerably. "But, I-- th-that's-- There's no, questions... I... Sh-Shut up-- Why can't you just-- s-stop...!" T-Too much! Dragons be damned, how does she managed to motor off so much so quickly? And she expects me to answer it all!? I-I can't do that! I won't! I--

"D-Do you have anyone you like!?" Telmera suddenly blurted out, eyes wide, staring her down, quietly huffing to herself. That had, luckily, stopped her tirade of questions. It had given her a break. Even if she realized that, after having asked what she did, it was just going to open up more questions...

[scorri]

And now Telmara was very flustered. Apparently she'd struck a nerve. "Uh, oh I'm sorry." And then that question. "What? Someone I like? I don't...I mean, not exactly? There wasn't anything like that for me with the Order. Well, I mean once, but that was a long time ago and I haven't seen her in a couple of years. And wasn't anything serious really. I mean, I was young, you know? Is there someone you like?" This wasn't exactly the way she'd expected this conversation to go, but this was good, right? It was opening things up, right? Letting them connect and get to know each other better. That was the goal of this after all. Getting to know her better, connect, and get closer to each other. That's what Raz wanted her to do, right?