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Post by weirdsound on Sept 24, 2016 3:59:15 GMT
Queen Akileija of Magikarp Pass Current Lodgings -You currently make your home in a small but well furnished apartment typically reserved for female members of the Magikarp Pass Pokemon League. The apartment is part of a five room suite, but as two league members are male, and one a genderless Timeless, only two of the other units are occupied. The suit has a massive common area, but much of the space is dominated by the the possessions of your suite mates. Most of the mess comes from Elite Four Gōngzhǔ, a girl who is a year younger than you, who has carved out a makeshift Pokemon arena for pratice battles, and also keeps workstations for clothes making, leather work, and grooming in the common area. As the youngest and weakest of the Elite Four, Gōngzhǔ has a huge chip on her shoulder, and is more than willing to let you spar with her Pokemon so that they may grow stronger. She is also a clingy shut in with few friends, her father is the infamous Lord Governor Jiang Zhuān who's mere name reduced your court to jeers. Gōngzhǔ is always trying to spend time with you, which is a bit of a problem because outside of her love for Pokemon Battling, Gōngzhǔ is every bit the proper lady you are not; Gōngzhǔ would just as soon help with your hair or makeup, measure you for new clothes, or even doll up your spirit form like a fancy contest Pokmeon, as she would train with you. Bahay-gagamba, your other suite mate, is a drow: A short pale elf with red eyes, often depicted in lore as a demon worshiper. Bahay-gagamba takes the initiative to ease your concerns about her, explaining that most Drow from the tunnels below your kingdom gave up demon worship when Heatran slew the greater demons who ruled over them eons ago. She even takes the time to share some drowish stories and lore with you, which you find fascinating, as most of the protagonists are heroines in rebellion against their mother. It is only after taking these steps to put you at ease that Bahay-gagamba drops the bombshell that she is indeed a demon worshiper, explaining that a demon is merely a spirit who rejects the idea that the right to create and bless the living belongs to the gods alone, and that although some are indeed quite wicked, many have the best interests of the mortals they deal with in mind. Bahay-gagamba then explains that she is a master of the bug type and the strongest member of the Elite Four, the final test a trainer must pass before facing the Champion. She then shows you the two demons she keeps as both objects of worship and members of her Pokemon roster. One is a Zapdos who takes the form of a hornet instead of that of a bird, and the other is a fellow Latias warped into the shape of a dragonfly. Known Locations -In addition to any locations you have seen a map leading to, these are the places you know how to find and may preform actions in. Cragspur Citadel: Your childhood home is a massive fortress carved into the mountainside. It is home to the castle in which you grew up, the headquarters of a Blue Daughters sub-sect known for their militarism, several structures that are key to your father's military and intelligence networks, apartments for the lowborn servants, and a fighting type Pokemon Gym. There is also a libraryhere that Chronicles the history of your bloodline, and their many battles against bandits and Orcs, that can be searched with the general education skill or by commanding the family Archivist to do your bidding.
The Frost Valley of Cragspur: A good sized tract of land accessible only to those who can fly. The Frost Valley is covered in snow year round, but is home to hardy meadow plantlife, including ice aligned grass Pokemon, that can thrive nonetheless. The people who make the Frost Valley home are hardy and primitive tribes of both men and orc, several of whom are not even your father's vassals. This is where you would come to train in secret after first discovering your Latias form; Its isolation meant that it was unlikely your parents would find out, the various tribe elders were thrilled to have a spirit in their midsts, and the young warriors and old masters alike were more than willing to give you lessons in hopes of winning your heart or divine favor.
The City of Bluestone in Battlescar: The town in which Kazmir spent years training to join the Hyacintho Nocte, and where many other Spiritual Orders train their elite military sub-sects. Between bandits, hostile inorganics, powerful and aggressive wild Pokemon, and the machinations of Regigigas, there is no shortage of work for an up-and coming heroine such as yourself. Kazmir informs you that he owns a 1/3rd share in one of Bluestone's many mercenary companies, and that you should pay a visit if you are looking for adventure or like minded friends to adventure with.
The Screaming Manor of Registeel Gate in Spade: The lavish urban home of the Jiān Jiào bloodline - your mother's ancestors who rule over the city of Registeel Gate on your northern border. Although she technically holds no formal title, a powerful witch by the name of Jiān Jiào Mófǎ, who happens to be your maternal grandmother, still controls the family. Your cousin Shā tells you that Mófǎ would like to meet her long lost grandaughter, and that you are owed your share of the family fortune as well as the share belonging to your disinherited mother. The Screaming Manor is also famous for hosting jousts, archery contests, and other social gatherings for noteworthy knights of all orders.
The Underhamlet of Stun Spore Within Burial Shaft: A small community of lowborn drow in the Vassal Queendom of Yanmega Truth. The hamlet is ruled by Gutom, a vampire whom Pòsǔn protects. In exchange for his continued existence, Gutom raises weak undead for Pòsǔn's knights to practice against, as well as information on the underground movements of the Order of the Cracked Tomb. The Underhamlet is also home to a few well traveled drow who are well traveled and know your underground holdings better than any resident of the Crucible. NPC List -The following is a list of NPCs the GM considers to be in a mechanically significant relationship with your character. You are not limited to interacting with NPCs on the list; Feel free to manipulate or seek advice from any NPC you have met, or hunt for any NPC you have heard of. {Roomate} {Physical Instructor (6 Pokemon, 1 Trainer)} Elite Four Gōngzhǔ: Magikarp Pass League Member. Lives in the suites reserved for female members of the league. A proper and effeminate young lady with a burning desire to surpass the other members of the league. {Roomate} Elite Four Bahay-gagamba: Magikarp Pass League Member. Lives in the suites reserved for female members of the league. A benevolent drowish witch who both wields and worships insectiod demons. {Personal Lobbyist (Cult of the Blue Daughters)} Kazmir: A well trained guardian ninja with a silver tongue. Grew up with Akileija. Rents a bed from another Crucible resident. {Personal Lobbyist (Breath of Winter)} Lady Rugiabo Pòsǔn: Commander of the Blue Knights at Rugiabo Point. Splits her time between advising Akileija at Court, and lording over the castle that bears her family name. {Personal Lobbyist (Guild of Tutelage)} Lady Jiān Jiào Shā: A promiscuous socialite who teaches manners and outdoorsmanship to the local highborn population. First Cousin to Akileija. Splits her time between advising Akileija at court, and attending to various students, friends, and lovers at her house on the Gayrados Plateau.
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Post by weirdsound on Sept 24, 2016 4:01:26 GMT
The last few weeks have been a particularly welcome break from the reality of your situation. Your mother personally penned ‘your’ call for aid from the Guild of Tutelage, specifically requesting an advisor who lives in or near Magikarp Pass who might be willing to take you in early to teach you the etiquette of your new kingdom. To her shock and dismay, the reply instructed you to travel to the home of her niece, your first cousin Shā, on the Gyarados Plateau. You knew next to nothing about your mom’s family, as she generally refused to talk about them, but are aware that they are highborns from Spade: A nation that borders Magikarp Pass and is best known as the home of the Black Knights - The wicked villains in many of the stories you read growing up.
You were expecting some sort demon worshiping witch when you arrived at Shā’s mannor, but found only a friendly looking woman with a big smile. Shā’s appearance is almost identical to your own, save for the fact she possesses long jet black hair, is not quite as toned as you, and is ten years your elder. After determining that you knew the basics of social etiquette, Shā quickly decided to focus her instruction on the hobbies that the young highborns of the region practice - hiking, swimming, hunting, and pokemon battles. Although Magikarp Pass is even higher in elevation than Cragspur, a combination of your new Kingdom’s close proximity to the sea and the strange supernatural aftermath of Heatran’s self destruction millennia ago make for a much more mild climate year round.
After lessons are finished for the day, Shā is more than happy to let you spar with her Pokemon - she is used to it having been raised in a house with four brothers, all of whom went on to be black knights. Her team consists of a collection of very powerful grass types - she claims she had been a wandering Pokemon Trainer for a few years before her father had to sell her to the guild to pay off a debt. At night, Shā leaves to attend various parties and call upon multiple suitors (she boasts to know every highborn between the ages of eighteen and thirtyfive in the surrounding lands, and to have slept with at least a quarter of them), leaving you free to wander the thick pine forests and pristine lakeshores of the Gyarados Plateau after dark.
Today, Alas, is to be the last day of this reprieve, as tomorrow you travel to the Crucible and become queen. Cousin Shā allows you to sleep in as she prepares a hearty breakfast, and when you finally do rise to greet the morning, you find your two other advisors waiting at the table.
The first, Kazmir, is a familiar face. Rescued as an infant from a slave shipment busted by your father on the day of your eldest brother’s birth and raised by the household chef, Kaz has known you since birth. As a man of the lowest of births, he could not expect to become a knight, so like you he found combat training whenever he could, and would often wind up passing his knowledge along to you; His style in combat was always more focused on finesse and dirty tricks than your own, but you still managed to find more than a few of his lessons useful over the years. Four years ago he was sent away to join the Hyacintho Nocte, a group of elite Shadow Warriors within the Cult of the Blue Daughters tasked with protecting the most sacred temples and schools. At first you thought he had been banished from the household by your mother because he was training you, but your eldest brother later confessed to you in private that Kazmir was sent away because your father caught the two of them sleeping together.
The brief letter of introduction that Kazmir provides explains that since you last saw him, he has mastered the arts of ninjitsu and courtly intrigue, and that he has spent the last year guarding temples at Quin’s Leap, a town within Magikarp Pass famed for its temples and schools.
Your final adviser, Lady Rugiabo Pòsǔn, is perhaps the most hideous woman you have ever laid eyes upon. Stout, completely bald, missing her right eye, and covered head to foot in the most hideous scars imaginable, she adorns herself in the white and blue of the Winter Knights. Her letter of introduction states that she is a great granddaughter of the emperor, and as such can assume the form of Articuno. She lost the ability to fly, however, trying and failing to fend off the same assailant who cost her human form its good looks, fertility, and virginity shortly before her 14th birthday. Obviously no longer a candidate for marriage, she devoted herself to becoming a warrior, and presently serves as the Knight Commander of Rugiabo Point, a Winter’s Breath castle that answers to the monarch of Magikarp Pass and has been in her family for four generations.
Pòsǔn’s list of accolades is impressive. She holds the title of Knight Exemplar, the highest recognition of skill in combat given by any of the imperial knightly orders. She is also a recipient of the Platinum Tomb (awarded to a Winter Knight with 1000 or more confirmed undead destructions to their name), the Order of the North Star (awarded for saving at least ten lives in a single battle), and the Amber Feather (awarded for winning five or more sky-jousting tournaments).
The hideous knight looks you up and down several times before speaking. “I’ll be honest. I was expecting little more than some spoiled princess who fancied herself a fighter. But I can tell just by looking at you that you are the real deal. I think I can mold you into something capable of giving Heatran a run for its money, and perhaps even a decent queen as well.”
She rises, approaches your chair, and kneels to place her sword at your feet. “I will serve you as best I can m’queen, but The Crucible, where you will be living, is teaming with filthy people. I advise that you ask any questions you might have here and now, among those you can trust.”
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Post by Daedalus on Sept 25, 2016 17:40:20 GMT
Akileija was taken aback at Lady Posun's scarred features, but firmly tamped down any sort of reaction. Resisting the impulse to speak first, she looked over the advisers - her advisors, she corrected mentally - gathered in the room. Her nose caught the scent of freshly-grilled potato hash, biscuits, and well-smoked ham, and she silently blessed Sha in the name of every deity she could think of. Posun's words caught her off-guard, and a smile spread across her face at the lady knight's actions. "Thank you for your kindness and your service, but at the moment, the only question my mind will produce is 'why am I sitting here and letting this breakfast get cold?' I always think better on a full stomach anyway." She offered a hand to Posun, helping her to her feet, before taking her seat at the table. "Do I smell potato hash...? Ah, there it is." Dumping a heaping load of the browned shreds onto her plate, she took a bite, savoring the salt and oil. Swallowing, she asked "I do hope nobody minds if we talk over our meal?"
Serving herself a few slices of smoked ham with that curious long-tined fork, she continued "All right, there's a few worries I've had. What do we know of this Latios-blessed...his name is Kota, right?"
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Post by weirdsound on Sept 26, 2016 8:39:01 GMT
Kazmir and Pòsǔn sit at your request, but Shā hangs back near the entrance to the kitchen to supervise her Pokemon in the clean up effort.
Pòsǔn loads some ham onto her plate as she considers your question. "I know he is from Battlescar, and a member of the Royal Family. His is a great warrior bloodline honed by constant battle with the Fallen God Regigigas, but to my understanding the child himself is no fighter."
The scarred knight pauses to chew a mouthfull of food before continuing. "He is an engineer from that big university order they have up there, to the best of my knowledge. Fat lot of good that will do him here; Most of the infrastructure and fortifications were built by the Timeless. The way I see it, the less us humans muck around with it the better."
"I was at the University of Wounded Walls for a few months last year," Kazmir chimes in, "I've met Kota in passing and have a handful of mutual acquaintances. He is an arrogant man, but most of the claims he might make about his intelligence have at least some truth to them. His temper is at least a match for yours though - I get the bad feeling I'm going to have to pull you off of him once or twice."
Your old friend shoots you a smirk and haphazardly begins to cut his meal with his combat knife as he continues. "...Although if I recall correctly, his spirit form is attuned to the steel type, which might give him the upper hand if you can't keep your dust-ups to your human bodies."
"I'd be more afraid of his family than I would be of him,"[/i] Shā contributes, "His aunt is married to Lord Governer Jiang, a trainer strong enough to count the likes of Emperor Lugia and Mewtwo as sparring partners. That would also make him step-cousin to Gōngzhǔ, a woman about your age who is a member of the Magikarp Pass Elite Four."
"I'd call that a liability, not an asset," Pòsǔn chuckles, "I'd call that a liability, not an asset, Jiang Zhuān is widely disliked in stuffy political circles, and he is hardly ever around anyway."
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Post by Daedalus on Sept 26, 2016 15:43:55 GMT
"Pull me off - Kazzzz!" Akileija swatted at him in mock outrage. "I know we're to be married, but still - it's political, and I've never met the man!" It really WAS good to see Kazmir again. It had been far, far too long since she'd been able to joke with someone like that - brothers were...different, sort of. Not in a romantic way - she knew who Kazmir liked to look at - but still.
"Hmm...so, a weak connection to some very high places. I don't know how useful that could be, but...one never knows." She took a bite of ham, enjoying the smoky flavor as she thought. "He'll have more connections than I do, but...hm. What does Magikarp Pass think of this whole affair?" She gestured vaguely with her fork. "Not the castle - though that's probably good to know - but the general populace? Are they going to be upset that the Emperor has just replaced King Bo so quickly?"
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Post by weirdsound on Sept 26, 2016 18:33:28 GMT
"Whaaaaaat?" Kazmir responds with a cheeky grin and a playful punch to your shoulder, "I never said anything about pulling him off you!"
Shā shoots the commoner a bemused look, before quickly changing the subject.
"I'd imagine the educated ones will be spooked about the prophecy and more than happy to have the leaders it calls for put in place." Your cousin shrugs, "I can only guess how the unwashed masses are going to feel about it. Just don't think you lack connections yourself. Between the Winter Knights Pòsǔn commands, and my family on your northern border, you have access to a good number of men that your husband does not."
"As for the Crucible, where you will be living, it is no mere castle, m'lady," Pòsǔn butts in, slightly changing the topic as she fishes a flask from her pocket, "It its a massive compound that serves as the governmental, military, and scholastic nerve-center for the Kingdom, and is also the home of the Magikarp Pass Pokemon League. It was originally a place of worship and study for the Timeless, who ruled these mountains before the first humans walked the earth. It is home to a couple dozen noble bloodlines, give or take. I'm sure somebody there will take offense to a new king being named so quickly."
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Post by Daedalus on Sept 27, 2016 1:40:10 GMT
Akileija shook her head at Kaz's banter, smiling widely. "Oh, go hug a Ferrothorn."
She shook her head at Sha's comment. "Well, speaking honestly, I'm almost more worried about the masses than the educated ones. After all, the well-educated aren't the ones most likely to be targeted by...the enemy if I make a mistake. And there's so many ways for a commoner to mess with royalty." A smile flitted across her face. "Hey, Kaz, remember that time that one group of boys decided to crash the Festival? You know, when they hid under the Steelix costume and danced it straight up around Fatger? I still think the only reason they got away with it is because Illas was leading them!" She giggled, before sighing. "But that's not very bad, really - everyone likes Father. I can only hope they'll feel the same about me."
A confused look flitted across her face, before she smiled and shook her head. "Right, I do have connections now, don't I?" She sighed, leaning back in her chair and playing with her fork as the dull metal caught the sun's gleam. "I suppose I'm just used to being nobody." Her voice took on an edge of bitterness as she added, "Mother made sure of that." She sighed again, rocking forward and setting her fork down next to her well-scoured plate. "Then again, I didn't really mind, so I suppose I can't be mad."
"A couple dozen...blood and shale, this is going to be like dancing across angry Geodude, isn't it?" She shook her head, making a wordless grumble of rage and resignation. "Maybe if I act like a madwoman, they won't take notice of me." She laughed humorlessly. "Then again, if I do that I'll probably say something horribly insulting in a language I don't even speak and give them all an excuse." A thought struck her, and she paused. "The Timeless? I thought I read about them in one of the stories Illas gave me. They're real?"
A loud squeaking interrupted her ruminations, and she looked down to see a small ball of orange fur chirping insistently at her. "Dib, you silly ball of fur, what are you doing here? Didn't they feed you enough?" The Dedenne stopped its impression of a rusty wheel and gave her a look that, despite coming from a fur-coated, buck-toothed pika, clearly suggested, "There is not enough edible matter in the universe to possibly constitute anything approaching enough," although perhaps not in so many words. Akileija laughed and tapped him gently with her foot. "Well, I'm all out. Go bother someone else." Dib slumped in utter despair for half a heartbeat, before sprinting over to Posun and doing his best impression of a begging, emaciated kit - slightly ruined by the fact that he was plump enough to nearly roll over upon stopping.
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Post by weirdsound on Sept 27, 2016 21:29:14 GMT
Kaz smiles at the fond memory. "I don't think anything like that will happen here. From what I understand, The Crucible is very isolated, and there are not many common people around. The only human lowborns are the soldiers, and most of them are bastards with decent parentage on at least one side of the family. There is a chance I'll be the closest thing to a right and proper commoner there, and I was raised in a dang castle!"
"Even the servants and bureaucrats tend to be non-human rather than commoners from the kingdom," Shā adds, "personally I'd recommend regular trips to the proper towns and cities of your kingdom to maintain your sanity."
Pòsǔn chuckles when you suggest playing the madwoman. "I wouldn't go that far. If somebody gives you trouble, or you just want to be left alone, just ask me to handle the situation. Most o' the sheltered crucible residents are more than a little afraid of me."
As the ugly knight talks, Dib catches her eye. Pòsǔn takes a pinch of revolting Energypowder from a pouch on her waist and places it on a large and thin slice of ham. She begins to roll the ham up tight as she continues, clearly intent on teaching your Pokemon a cruel lesson on the cost of begging. "The Timeless are real, but there are not many left I am afraid. About a hundred and thirty in the Crucible, twenty five or so elsewhere in the kingdom, and another small handful wandering the roads of the empire and the tunnels below. Their means of reproduction was lost to them thousands of years ago, so they are slowly dying off, but the timeless do not age or fall ill, so it is not often one dies. Some of the famous ones you have read about still live at the Crucible; The Three Spirit Thieves, Rose Quartz the Mad Scholar, and Diamond Aurum the Creator all still remain, and it is suspected that some of their races other heroes carry on under false names to avoid attention."
Lifting the boobie trapped piece of ham off of her plate, Pòsǔn begins to tease Dab by holding it just out of the Dedenne's reach.
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Post by Daedalus on Sept 28, 2016 4:53:33 GMT
Akileija grimaced. "So I'll be living in a large citadel filled with people who avoid the daylight and normal interactions at all cost. This will be fun." Her sarcasm was so thick as to be almost tangible. "Well, it's probably best if I visit the populace regularly anyway. I believe they'll respect me as an appointed ruler, but if they like me too, it'd be ideal." She shrugged. "I'll probably get along with them better than those ramrod-assed diplomats anyway." A smile flickered on her face as she made a placating gesture towards Sha. "No offence, cousin. You don't count as one of them anyway."
She shrugged. "Thank you for the offer, Posun, but I think it might be best if I earned a little respect myself." She drummed her fingers on her sword's hilt, a smile growing on her face. "That said, a few highly visible sparring matches may be of use. I doubt I'll be able to stand up to you outright, but if people see me trying and holding my own..." She nodded decisively. "Yes, I think that would help quite a lot."
"What, really? Complete immortality? That's...intriguing." She drummed her fingers on the table, staring off at a point a bit to the left of a window. "I wonder if any of them have any memory of...of the demon's last rise?"
Dib stared dryly at the scarred warrior, his flattened ears and twitching tail seeming to convey "Really?" without saying a word. Akileija chuckled. "He doesn't eat meat, just plants and berries. And besides, his sense of smell is keen enough to scent a Persian from half a mile off - I think he smelled your little joke coming. Not that he would have minded, though; he chews Petayas for fun, and that stuff's got an energy kick enough that he wouldn't have cared. If you're trying to discipline him, you might want some Liechi. Yeah, I know it's a treat, he doesn't agree.
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Post by weirdsound on Sept 28, 2016 6:10:14 GMT
"No offense taken," Shā answers, "but the proper phrase would be ancient ramrod-ass diplomats. All the kids get out of that place as soon as they can, to wander as a trainer, join an order, study at Quin's Leap, or just live it up in their families' manor up here on the Gyarados Plateau. The only ones who come back are the weirdos who like living away from real people, and the 'lucky' young men who wind up inheriting their fathers' titles and apartments."
"The more experienced cadets at the Madrasa, your military academy, would be about the only people in your age group there, save your husband of course," Pòsǔn scratches her empty eye socket, and pauses for a second before continuing, "I might suggest sparring with them first before moving up to me. Until you can dispatch any of them with ease, people at the Crucible will correctly assume that I am holding back greatly if they see you holding your own against me."
The knight then looks down at Dib and shrugs, before popping the nasty concoction into her own mouth without even flinching. Once she swallows, she washes it down with the contents of her flask before continuing onto your inquiry about the Timeless. "A handful of them are many times older than our entire species - to those Timeless Heatran's detonation must feel like it happened yesterday. I know for a fact the Spirit Thieves crossed swords with the beast personally, and one of them was the sole surviving witness to the demon's detonation."
You think back to your stories. You recall the Spirit Thieves were three timeless who somehow managed to break into Ho-Oh's divine realm and steal spirit forms for their own personal use. The one who took the form of Entei was most famous for its battles against Heatran, but the other two are typically cast as the villain in your tales; The thief of Raikou unsuccessfully lead a combined force of Magikarp Pass soldiers and Blue Front Orcs against Lugia when the God Emperor attempted to conquore Magikarp Pass, while the thief of Suicune was seduced by the power of necromancy and had to be defeated by one of the early Bo Dynasty kings. Thinking about it, you find the fact that Pòsǔn suggests that all three remain alive to be surprising, if not a bit unnerving.
You are jolted from your thoughts by Kaz, who, with a click, releases a giant purple bug to chase off Dib, who had moved on to bugging the ninja for food. "You remember Needles, right Dib?" He asks with a sly grin. You hadn't realized that the little Venipede Kazmir had claimed from the possessions of a contract killer your father had executed could grow into such an imposing Pokemon.
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Post by Daedalus on Sept 29, 2016 0:11:14 GMT
Akileija scowled. "Lucky them. At least I can go wandering occasionally..."
She shook her head, not in negation but to clear her mind. "Right, of course. I'm good, but I'm no knight - not yet. That'll take quite some time." She stretched, lacing her fingers over her head and rolling her neck. "Maybe I ought to get some more training in today."
She half-folded her arms nervously, suppressing a shiver. "Really? The Thieves? They're still around?" The Thief of Fire might be worth talking to, but the Thieves of Lightning and Wind seemed...dangerous. "Not in public, I'd imagine. But perhaps I should start by talking to some of them. Knowing the oldest traditions of the place could help me work with the more secluded villages."
Dib squeaked loudly, scurrying to hide under Akileija's chair as the Scolipede stared him down. "Like I could forget!" She laughed. "You're telling me that silly little bug grew into such an amazing beast?" She might not have known much about Pokemon in general, but she could recognize power when she saw it. Dib chattered angrily, and with a laugh she scooped him up. "Oh, stop it, you little bottomless pit. You know perfectly well you deserved that."
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Post by weirdsound on Sept 29, 2016 21:56:16 GMT
"You'd rather go out and train than have one more day of lessons with your dear cousin? I'm hurt." Shā replies with a clearly sarcastic sob.
"Oh. She is thoughtless. Dosn't give a damn about breaking her families' heart." Kaz smirks, "But yeah, my Pokemon and I are alot stronger. The training you have to go through to join the Hyacintho Nocte is straight up brutal. We should spar a bit sometime; It is likely that any assassin who comes for you will employ a style similar to my own."
The Scolipede swings its body around to look at you, and abruptly grows exited, twitching in place and chattering its mouthparts; It is fairly clear to you that the beast is holding itself back form lunging in your direction. Kazmir grins, "Getting Needles to grow big was actually the easy part, training him to know his size, not overturn the furniture, and think twice before handing out hugs was the tough part."
This comment draws a rare smile from Pòsǔn. "About a third of my trainee knights wind up getting hurt because they don't bother to teach their mounts to stop perching on their shoulders after the damn birds reach their final forms..." She pauses, and gets back to the topic you were discussing. "I'm sure you will meet the thieves though. At least two of them. I'll point em out for you - they wont introduce themselves as such."
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Post by weirdsound on Nov 1, 2016 4:34:18 GMT
2nd Day of Queen Akileija's Reign:
Being Queen has some perks. You wake up in the most comfortable bed that you have ever put your back to, and are within minutes greeted by two lizard-like Kobolds, each no larger than a Charmander, working in unison to haul a tray containing your breakfast to your seat. While you work on your meal (A large swinub cheese omlett, a generous loaf of sourdough bread, and the sweet juice of a fruit or berry you can't quite identify), you chat with the servants. This is your first time seeing a Kobold up close, your mother found them to be too 'distasteful' to keep as servants back home, and you are more than a bit nervous. In the stories, Kobolds are conniving blighters who selfishly worship their own draconian bloodlines, and view all other beings, up to and including Spirits and Gods, as inferior. You quickly find, however, that your servants are affable and respectful enough, although you get the feeling this has much to do with your title as queen and status as a Dragon Spirit.
You eventually get to asking them about Shàonǚ, as you hope to speak with her before she leaves the Crucible, and learn that the ranger is laid up for the next few days in the hospital wing reserved for low ranking royal knights as she managed to break her hip falling from the stage. One of your servants, an adolescent female named Souldew, adds that her father Bagontooth is in charge of Shàonǚ's care, and offers to take you for a visit once you are dressed.
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Souldew leads you through the strange yet familiar world of the Crucible's military housing. You pass and assortment of small and mostly subterranean bunk houses, chow halls, rec halls, training yards, and Pokemon pens. Until you reach Bagontooth's hospital wing you encounter few soldiers; It is late enough for the day shift to have left to carry out their duties and for the night shift to have fallen asleep. A middle aged officer is far to busy swapping spit with a noblewoman half his age for either to notice as you pass, and a pair of red-eyed night watch an silent awe as their queen passes the table at which they are playing some sort of dice game.
Eventually you reach the hospital wing. Aside from Shàonǚ, who is resting on a cot in the far corner, the only other patient is a very pregnant looking drow who stands by a door in the back of the room consulting with a Kobold whom you assume must be Bagontooth when Souldew breaks away from your side and heads over to join them, allowing you to speak to the ranger in relative privacy.
Shàonǚ gives you a strange look as you approach. "Damn. I wish I knew which lords a lady had to kneel before to join the knighthood when I was your age." Clearly the ranger hadn't gotten a good look at you yesterday, or at least not good enough to recognize you outside of those ridiculous robes.
"Have a seat. Its going to be a long wait for you. The coldblooded apothecary is selling that poor pale-skin every hack elixir and cure in the book."
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Post by Daedalus on Nov 2, 2016 1:54:23 GMT
Akileija paused for a second, mind working. If she committed to the lie, she'd be able to talk to Shaonu as an equal for now; if she revealed herself, she risked making herself look like a pompous fool, but could get an accurate and complete report. She wavered between the options, before finally deciding to speak the truth. She wouldn't want to alienate the ranger, and the clever soldier would find out sooner or later. It would be best if it were sooner. "Ah...perhaps not. I'm not exactly here to talk to him." She pulled over a simple camp stool, sitting in the relaxed position of someone without a care in the world besides resting their weary legs. "I'm more here to talk to you. Your briefing was interrupted yesterday by that Slugma-brained general; this may be a little bit less formal -" a waved hand took in the clinical atmosphere, a far cry from the stony amphitheater of yesterday "- but I'd appreciate it if you could summarize the rest of it for me. Wouldn't do to have a new queen getting lost in her own kingdom, after all." She smiled widely, trying to put the young ranger at her ease.
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Post by weirdsound on Nov 2, 2016 22:05:40 GMT
Shàonǚ blinks, and stares blankly for a second as she figures out who you are, but makes a quick recovery. "Um... Yeah. Okay. I'm not sure were my maps went after yesterday. I can try to tell you a few things though."
She pauses, but cuts back in before you can respond. Clearly she has little practice in dealing with nobility. "We were following Quin's road West from Quin's Keep when I was interrupted, right? Well it runs all the way down past Magikarp Tower, which is were us rangers are headquartered, until it reaches the Town of Heatran's Crater on your western border."
Shàonǚ smiles, "that is my Hometown. Heatran's Crater. Built right on the spot of Heatran's detonation, which created a convenient slope that one might use to travel between the Magikarp and Gyarados Plateaus. Today the town is a modest trade port for luxury goods going up, and fresh meat and other hunting and fishing products going down."
The ranger shakes her head and drops her voice to a whisper, "Also, because the Bo Dynasty had a poor relationship with the Red Inquisition, and the town has some serious demonic history, Heatran's Crater is a pretty big hotbed of demon worship. All sorts of seedy spiritual orders are active there. Lord Governor Evander is a pretty good guy in all respects, but he don't give a damn in the demon department..." The ranger trails off in thought, only snapping back to attention when you clear your throat. "Right... ermm... The road does a U-turn after that, and heads back east to Quin's Leap, a quiet town of scholarship, apprenticeship, and prayer."
Shàonǚ closes her eyes and continues talking. "Most of the non-demonic orders keep temples in Quin's Leap, including the Temple of The Fang, who keep their headquarters in town. The mountain overlooking Quin's Leap, called naturally Quin's Peak, is the highest point in the world that cannot be directly attributed to an act of divine intervention, and its cliffs are home to Cloudlace and Cloudsong, among the most prestigious and influential Seductive Force and Righteous Force temples respectively.
The ranger offers you a sly grin. "You do have a Lord Governor who theoretically rules the town and surrounding lands in your name; Chǒujiǎo is a good person, and solid when it comes to leading troops, but he is to dumb to realize that he is a puppet. Real local power is divided between Archpsion Jie of Cloudsong, Archpsion Huānl of Cloudlace, and Master Fang who lords over the temple."
"The Road ends at Quin's Leap," The Ranger continued, "it used to continue on to Quin's Keep, completing a loop, but the locals got tired of all the noisy tourists making the quick journey and disturbing the peace, so they tore it down. So lets look at the other side of the kingdom, which is called the Blue Plateau. Magikarp Plateau and Blue Plateau are separated by the Riverserpent's Maw, which is the serise of peaks that houses the Crucible. The Maw largely contains whatever demonic energy keeps the rest of the kingdom warm, so the Blue Plateau is of a more traditional alpine climate."
Shàonǚ sighs, shakes her head, and opens her eyes again before continuing. "The Blue Plateau is a wild and sparsely populated place. A good number of bandit groups opperate in the area, and us rangers can't do anything about it. The entire region is occupied by two corrupt forts full of Blue Knights who answer directly to the Imperial Court rather than to the Crucible. They don't like us rangers operating on the Blue Plateau, and will 'mistake' my men and women for bandits whenever we try to operate over there."
"The town you have over there, Last Inn, is pretty fun," the ranger admits, perking herself up almost instantly. "It gets its name from the fact that it is the last real outpost of imperial civilization before you pick up the Blue Mountain Path... But you'd know that, right? I hear you come from the other end of that."
You are indeed familiar with the Blue Mountain Path, which is a long and perilous route that alternates between poorly marked hiking trail and and gravel road. The path runs the length of the Blue Mountains, the region of wild peaks and Plateaus between Magikarp Pass and Cragspur, and is dotted by towers and fortresses owned by bandit lords, blue front rebels, and various unaligned primitive tribes and clans. The town on the other end is also named Last Inn.
"The real neat thing about Last Inn is the trade fair, which runs from the middle of summer to the first snowfall. All the dirtbags along the path gather in town to sell their ill gotten goods to legitimate merchants, who bring them to market at Quin's Keep." Shàonǚ blushes a bit, "I usually schedule my leave so I'm free to spend some time at the fair, because you can meet some interesting people and buy some interesting things there. The whole thing is organized by the Lord Governor, who by tradition is little more than a glorified Bandit Lord who buys the title from the crown. The current model is Lord Governor Tūjiù, who just started the job two years ago."
"That wraps up your above ground holdings. Below ground you have the Vassal Queendom of Yanmega Truth, which is more or less a bunch of highborn drowish refugees and their underlings." The ranger closes her eyes again, and continues. "The 'Queendom' is pretty much just a medium sized town called Weedle's Feast, which guards the entrance to rather haunted tunnel called the Burial Shaft. The Burial Shaft is a rather chaotic place where fungus farmers, fossil hunters, and necromancers all compete for space and resources; I try to keep the rangers out of that mess as best I can. The Leader of the place and your vassal, Queen Manunukso, is rather enigmatic and rarely seen in an official capacity, but I've met her a few times."
Shàonǚ offers an egotistical smirk before continuing. "She is 52, which is very young for a drow, who reach... um... womanhood sometime around sixty. She has designs on being a great wandering Pokemon trainer, but her elder sisters, including that witch in the Pokemon League, keep her locked up with the crown on her head for reasons that are beyond me. She sneaks out and makes it to the surface every so often, at which point it falls to the rangers to hunt her down and sent her back home. I caught her twice personally, which is how I got promoted to my current position."
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Post by Daedalus on Nov 7, 2016 22:48:13 GMT
Akileija nodded, thinking furiously as she tried to store all of the information in her head. She doubted she'd be able to keep it all straight, at least right now, but she was confident she'd get the hang of it soon. She became aware that Shaonu had finished speaking, pulling her out of her reverie. She blinked, processing the ranger's last comments. "Caught her...? Hm. Does that mean she's running away from her duties, or is she going out to visit someone, or what?" Regardless, I may have to talk to her at some point. Sounds like me, and it'd be nice to talk to someone in the same situation. Well, besides Kota, but I don't know what's up with him.
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Post by weirdsound on Nov 7, 2016 23:11:16 GMT
The ranger pauses for thought. "Well, I don't know. She usually isn't keen on talking while I have her trapped or hogtied. First time she got out, she tried to adopt a false identity and train at the Temple of the Fang, but Master Fang recognized her and alerted the rangers. Since then she usually hangs out around Heatran's crater when she gets out, and does have a circle of friends that she deals with while she is in town. I suppose I could find out more if I wanted - some of them are people I know, but I'm content just hunting her. I'm a ranger, not an expert on demons or drowish politics - the less I have to deal with that stuff, the easier my job is."
Shàonǚ scratches her head and shoots you a smile, "That said, if one queen wants to slip out and investigate another, I can tell you where to start. In Heatran's Crater, there is a ruined sandstone building on the edge of town, similar to the big tower where the timeless live here in the Crucible. In the basement there is a small shop that pedals supernatural artifacts run by a foreign woman named Mabby. I'm like... pretty sure Mabby is a witch of Heatran's Harem, but she is one of the people who looks after Manunukso when she gets loose."
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