[X] Your grimoire.
We're going to need something outside the scope of our standard skills if the signs are any indication.
We're going to need something outside the scope of our standard skills if the signs are any indication.
- Location
- Australia
I've been delaying this post for a while, trying to decide which option I wanted to end up running with. If I work purely on the number of votes, then [X] Grimoire has won with a fair lead; however, if I instead weight the argument towards whoever provides the strongest reasoning, [X] Weaponry pulls ahead with a fair margin. This has been troubling me for a while, because no matter what I end up deciding on, I'm sure I am going to alienate some people or dissatisfy myself with the thread.
In the end, I've decided to run with [X] Weaponry. I'd like to encourage people to think and discuss their reasoning, rather than bandwagoning behind a vote. I will certainly give weight to the sheer number of votes, but reasoned posts will hold more sway with me.
If this discourages anyone from voting in this quest, I am very sorry.
Lyen's End was a study in contrasts.
The lower city- the portion you had travelled through when you had first arrived, full of merchants and stalls, of beggars and refugees and exhausted workers with dead looks in their eyes- reminded you of the slums in Priydmor during Nicholais' rule. Brown and black were the predominant colours; skin and stone dyed black from ash, hidden beneath inch-thick dust, untouched for years.
Compared to the lower city, the upper city looked positively rich and vibrant. Things grew here, plants and shrubs and flowers, filling the streets and storefronts with deep greens and reds and violets. The people looked- not happy, but content, if fearful; even their clothing looked happier, clean and well-pressed, wools and silks dyed navy blue and canary yellow and blood red.
If it weren't for the sneers tugging at the corners of the merchant's lips, the disdain and contempt evident in the nobles' eyes as they eyed the guardsmen escorting you, you almost could have believed you were in another country entirely- but no.
On the outside, the upper city might look cleaner, but it was just as disgusting on the inside. Avarice still filled the hearts of the men and women of Lyen's End; it just had a different flavour amongst those who deemed themselves the upper class.
You retreated back into your carriage as the gates to the Duke's palace came into view, moving from the windows, just in case. It was unlikely the walls would afford you significantly more protection, as thick as they were, but taking precautions had rarely hampered you significantly in the past.
Then the guards were knocking on your door.
"Miss Hazel." The voice was gruff, deferential, with an undertone of condescension you ignored. "Duke Amaranth has deigned to grant you an audience. Please follow me inside."
This was it, then. As you followed the servant, ignoring the hard stares of the guard prickling between your shoulder blades, you sorted your thoughts.
The Duke would likely wonder why you had been chosen, of all the King's retinue. Your name and reputation alone would help, would carry with it its own weight- but that was fleeting, insubstantial. You would have to tell him of your skills themselves.
Not that such was challenging- you were far more skilled than any of his retinue, short perhaps Selene, after all. If you ensured to put a harmless spin on your skills...
[X] Tell him of your skill with chain-and-blade, your skill in combat. Tell him of your understanding of portents, of the flow of events and destiny that drives the world ever onwards. Speak to him of your ability to deal with creatures Fey and mundane alike.
- Increases Skirmish to 5.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
[X] Tell him of your wide-spanning knowledge, of your research, long extended into matters arcane and obscure. Tell him of your skill with knife and chisel, of your working with blood and bone- of your arcane rituals and occult lore.
- Increases Occultism to 5.
- Increases Observance to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
[X] Tell him of the breadth and depth of your knowledge. Tell him of the years spent studying as a child, from the moment you learned your letters and numbers; of nigh-on two decades learning of fey lore, of rituals and portents and bindings and charms. Impress upon him the extent of your knowledge, equal to that of the most learned of Sages.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Increases Occultism to 4.
- Increases Observance to 4.
In the end, I've decided to run with [X] Weaponry. I'd like to encourage people to think and discuss their reasoning, rather than bandwagoning behind a vote. I will certainly give weight to the sheer number of votes, but reasoned posts will hold more sway with me.
If this discourages anyone from voting in this quest, I am very sorry.
---------------------------------------
Lyen's End was a study in contrasts.
The lower city- the portion you had travelled through when you had first arrived, full of merchants and stalls, of beggars and refugees and exhausted workers with dead looks in their eyes- reminded you of the slums in Priydmor during Nicholais' rule. Brown and black were the predominant colours; skin and stone dyed black from ash, hidden beneath inch-thick dust, untouched for years.
Compared to the lower city, the upper city looked positively rich and vibrant. Things grew here, plants and shrubs and flowers, filling the streets and storefronts with deep greens and reds and violets. The people looked- not happy, but content, if fearful; even their clothing looked happier, clean and well-pressed, wools and silks dyed navy blue and canary yellow and blood red.
If it weren't for the sneers tugging at the corners of the merchant's lips, the disdain and contempt evident in the nobles' eyes as they eyed the guardsmen escorting you, you almost could have believed you were in another country entirely- but no.
On the outside, the upper city might look cleaner, but it was just as disgusting on the inside. Avarice still filled the hearts of the men and women of Lyen's End; it just had a different flavour amongst those who deemed themselves the upper class.
You retreated back into your carriage as the gates to the Duke's palace came into view, moving from the windows, just in case. It was unlikely the walls would afford you significantly more protection, as thick as they were, but taking precautions had rarely hampered you significantly in the past.
Then the guards were knocking on your door.
"Miss Hazel." The voice was gruff, deferential, with an undertone of condescension you ignored. "Duke Amaranth has deigned to grant you an audience. Please follow me inside."
--------------------------------------------
This was it, then. As you followed the servant, ignoring the hard stares of the guard prickling between your shoulder blades, you sorted your thoughts.
The Duke would likely wonder why you had been chosen, of all the King's retinue. Your name and reputation alone would help, would carry with it its own weight- but that was fleeting, insubstantial. You would have to tell him of your skills themselves.
Not that such was challenging- you were far more skilled than any of his retinue, short perhaps Selene, after all. If you ensured to put a harmless spin on your skills...
[X] Tell him of your skill with chain-and-blade, your skill in combat. Tell him of your understanding of portents, of the flow of events and destiny that drives the world ever onwards. Speak to him of your ability to deal with creatures Fey and mundane alike.
- Increases Skirmish to 5.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
[X] Tell him of your wide-spanning knowledge, of your research, long extended into matters arcane and obscure. Tell him of your skill with knife and chisel, of your working with blood and bone- of your arcane rituals and occult lore.
- Increases Occultism to 5.
- Increases Observance to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
[X] Tell him of the breadth and depth of your knowledge. Tell him of the years spent studying as a child, from the moment you learned your letters and numbers; of nigh-on two decades learning of fey lore, of rituals and portents and bindings and charms. Impress upon him the extent of your knowledge, equal to that of the most learned of Sages.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Increases Occultism to 4.
- Increases Observance to 4.
- Location
- The Hague
- Pronouns
- He/Him
This is tough. On one hand 'chain-and-blade' sounds exceedingly metal, like something you'd strap to Bayonetta's ankle. On the other hand, this is something of a detective story. It's a detective story involving dark arcane forces fucking up the local feng shui so part of me wants to be best equipped to handle that, but ...
It's a little cheap, but being a renaissance witch with a broad array of abilities has its strengths, too. Much as I said last time, we can't predict what we'll come across, so I'd like to have the ability to handle a wider array of matters pretty well. So ...
[X] Duke, the things I don't know could be written on one side of your handkerchief, in large letters.
It's a little cheap, but being a renaissance witch with a broad array of abilities has its strengths, too. Much as I said last time, we can't predict what we'll come across, so I'd like to have the ability to handle a wider array of matters pretty well. So ...
[X] Duke, the things I don't know could be written on one side of your handkerchief, in large letters.
- Location
- UK
[X] Tell him of the breadth and depth of your knowledge. Tell him of the years spent studying as a child, from the moment you learned your letters and numbers; of nigh-on two decades learning of fey lore, of rituals and portents and bindings and charms. Impress upon him the extent of your knowledge, equal to that of the most learned of Sages.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Increases Occultism to 4.
- Increases Observance to 4.
This just seems the best long term. Missing out of the xp in exchange for a greater range of improvement.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Increases Occultism to 4.
- Increases Observance to 4.
This just seems the best long term. Missing out of the xp in exchange for a greater range of improvement.
- Location
- National Capital Region, USA
Telling him what a great academic we are won't impress the Duke as much as actual skills. I doubt the Duke is an academic himself. So we discuss our learning, but focus on how that gives us the skills to do something about the situation. The trouble hanging over things has an obvious arcane nature, and we're good at that area.
Plus Ford.
[X] Tell him of your wide-spanning knowledge, of your research, long extended into matters arcane and obscure. Tell him of your skill with knife and chisel, of your working with blood and bone- of your arcane rituals and occult lore.
Also: Oh Noes! I am discouraged!
Plus Ford.
[X] Tell him of your wide-spanning knowledge, of your research, long extended into matters arcane and obscure. Tell him of your skill with knife and chisel, of your working with blood and bone- of your arcane rituals and occult lore.
Also: Oh Noes! I am discouraged!
Night_stalker
Slava Ukraini!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Tell him of your wide-spanning knowledge, of your research, long extended into matters arcane and obscure. Tell him of your skill with knife and chisel, of your working with blood and bone- of your arcane rituals and occult lore.
- Increases Occultism to 5.
- Increases Observance to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
- Increases Occultism to 5.
- Increases Observance to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
- Location
- Singapore
[X] Tell him of your wide-spanning knowledge, of your research, long extended into matters arcane and obscure. Tell him of your skill with knife and chisel, of your working with blood and bone- of your arcane rituals and occult lore.
[X] Tell him of your skill with chain-and-blade, your skill in combat. Tell him of your understanding of portents, of the flow of events and destiny that drives the world ever onwards. Speak to him of your ability to deal with creatures Fey and mundane alike.
- Increases Skirmish to 5.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
For maximum synch with the weaponry we brought with us.
Quote: These materials synergize very well with your Skirmish and Malison skills.
Our Malison and Skirmish are currently both at lvl 3, so we getting Skirmish at lvl 5 would be very helpful.
The two first choices gives us a total of 23 XP, but the last one only 18. So it might be better to take one of the two and use the XP we got to raise other skills.
I choose this one for consistancy. Lets get some descent use for our weaponry.
- Increases Skirmish to 5.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
For maximum synch with the weaponry we brought with us.
Quote: These materials synergize very well with your Skirmish and Malison skills.
Our Malison and Skirmish are currently both at lvl 3, so we getting Skirmish at lvl 5 would be very helpful.
The two first choices gives us a total of 23 XP, but the last one only 18. So it might be better to take one of the two and use the XP we got to raise other skills.
I choose this one for consistancy. Lets get some descent use for our weaponry.
- Location
- Australia
Eh?
The first two choices give you a combined 20 XP- 12 XP to raise two skills from 3 to 4, and 8 XP to raise a skill from 4 to 5.
And + 3 additional which are not included in the last one.
[X] Tell him of the breadth and depth of your knowledge. Tell him of the years spent studying as a child, from the moment you learned your letters and numbers; of nigh-on two decades learning of fey lore, of rituals and portents and bindings and charms. Impress upon him the extent of your knowledge, equal to that of the most learned of Sages.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Increases Occultism to 4.
- Increases Observance to 4.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Increases Occultism to 4.
- Increases Observance to 4.
- Location
- Canada
[X] Tell him of your skill with chain-and-blade, your skill in combat. Tell him of your understanding of portents, of the flow of events and destiny that drives the world ever onwards. Speak to him of your ability to deal with creatures Fey and mundane alike.
- Increases Skirmish to 5.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
We brought weaponry. If we are going to bring lots of weaponry we had better be competent in its use. I mean seriously, what would be the point of having weaponry without spending some XP on using it? Plus as an aristocrat in a pseudo-medieval setting, he would probably respect martial skill a lot.
- Increases Skirmish to 5.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
We brought weaponry. If we are going to bring lots of weaponry we had better be competent in its use. I mean seriously, what would be the point of having weaponry without spending some XP on using it? Plus as an aristocrat in a pseudo-medieval setting, he would probably respect martial skill a lot.
[X] Tell him of your skill with chain-and-blade, your skill in combat. Tell him of your understanding of portents, of the flow of events and destiny that drives the world ever onwards. Speak to him of your ability to deal with creatures Fey and mundane alike.
- Increases Skirmish to 5.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
Since people decided to go with weaponry, the ability to use our weapons well is definitely worth it. Further, a duke is far more likely to respect combat ability, which he understands, then how good our eyesight is.
- Increases Skirmish to 5.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
Since people decided to go with weaponry, the ability to use our weapons well is definitely worth it. Further, a duke is far more likely to respect combat ability, which he understands, then how good our eyesight is.
[X] Tell him of your skill with chain-and-blade, your skill in combat. Tell him of your understanding of portents, of the flow of events and destiny that drives the world ever onwards. Speak to him of your ability to deal with creatures Fey and mundane alike.
- Increases Skirmish to 5.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
- Increases Skirmish to 5.
- Increases Augury to 4.
- Gain 3 XP.
- Location
- Australia
[X] Impress upon him your practical skills.
The servant leads you to a small antechamber, designed and crafted carefully to impress upon those who sat in it a sense of gravitas, a sense of- imposition. Cut from dark slate and granite, the room- walls, floor and furniture alike- were cut to be jagged and angular. Uncomfortable, menacing.
"Please wait here," the servant affirmed, her eyes narrowing as she stared at you. "The Duke will see you shortly."
You inclined your head, smiling briefly at the woman, then moved to sit down on one of the chairs.
There was an art to attending to nobility, much as there was an art to receiving them. You had made your opening gambit, using the seal of the High King as a chip to ensure the Duke would see you immediately; a subtle gambit, relying upon the ill-willed nature of the guards' gossip to spread the word of the reason behind your visit. It had been an effective gambit.
Amaranth's response was clear. By making you wait, he was making his position clear; he held the power here, not you. He would be forced to attend to you, but it would be at his leisure, not yours.
If you had been near anyone else, the situation would have developed quite differently. A commoner, a merchant or minor noble, would have been summarily dismissed as inconsequential; perhaps the Duke would have seen them some days later, after they had been forced to spend hour upon hour dealing with servants and guards. It would be a simple matter to blame his servants for dismissing such wild claims. In turn, had you been a noble or merchant of some repute, the Duke would have seen you immediately; a mark of respect, of solidarity. A calculated move to avoid causing offense.
You, however- you were no commoner, yet neither were you a noble. A witch, a dark witch. You stood outside the paradigm; lacking the resources and cultivated alliances that ensured a noble's attentive audience, yet in turn holding far more power in your palms than an eminently ignorable peasant.
The stream of people moving in and out of the Duke's room was surely a calculated move, then. Each bore with them grace and poise, that same sense of self-assurance and self-importance that came with heavy responsibility; mentioning it would be a bad move- after all, the Duke must attend to the affairs of his own realm before a mere messenger, yes? (No- but neither could Nathaniel in turn afford to raise his voice about it; you know it, and surely Amaranth was not so ignorant to have missed it.)
Few of them bore any relevance to you, however. Most bore with them a casual ease, the sign of unconscious surety of their safety. Pampered nobility, servants with no true understanding of their precarious position here.
Only twp bore with them a wary stance, scars beyond the physical. It was to those two you paid attention.
The first- a grey-haired man, hair cut short and tidy. His body was lean, taut; as his eyes fell on you, his fingers twitched subtly towards his sleeves, no doubt searching for hidden knives. A man who had known combat, then. His skin was scrubbed clean, his hair was straight and well-neatened, his clothes were neat and pressed free of wrinkles.
The Guard-Captain, then; only someone with a job as public as it was necessary would take such care to present themselves so neatly. He was the first to arrive, and still had not left by the time all others had taken their leave of the Duke.
The second- a white-haired woman, hair long, allowed to flow freely down her back, yet carefully secured with artful decorations. Not someone who saw combat often, yet someone who had seen it, who knew it well. She nodded at the Guard-Captain, stared warily at you.
The Sherrif, no doubt; odd- few countries had both a Guard and a peacekeeping force. Fewer still would allow a woman in such a prestigious position; the outcry would have been loud and fierce, especially in a town like this.
Curious.
A servant approached, pace deliberate and controlled as she walked towards you. You stood and stepped towards her.
"I will head in now," you tell her. "Thank you."
Her wide-eyed look of fearful awe forces a stifled chuckle out of you.
The Sherrif and the Guard-Captain. A statement, then; you may be state-sanctioned, but you were still beholden to the law.
Ineffective- if arrested, Selene would force Nathaniel to have you released.
Effective- you understood the statement. Opposition, then; blatant, yet understated.
What could cause a man to be so obstructive without even hearing of your investigation's particulars?
No matter. You must plan how to take this conversation.
(This would be far easier if you know at all what sort of people the three were. Present yourself wrong and you may set them against you forever more.)
[X] Be aggressive, confrontational. He must know his place. The Duke must help you; he may act against you, but his obstruction must stay in the realms of plausible deniability. That gives you a great deal of room to maneuver.
[X] Be calm and- well. Play down your superiority as much as you can. Seek the Duke's aid; if you might win his support, your investigation here shall go a great deal smoother.
[X] Be forceful, charismatic. Override their objections, bull your way through theconversation, and secure their co-operation regardless of their wishes and attitudes. You have the authority here; they do not.
[X] Write-in. (Be warned; demeanours and attitudes that run counter to Hazel's natural demeanours and attitudes will be far less effective than demeanours and attitudes that work from an in-character perspective.)
-------------------------------------------
The servant leads you to a small antechamber, designed and crafted carefully to impress upon those who sat in it a sense of gravitas, a sense of- imposition. Cut from dark slate and granite, the room- walls, floor and furniture alike- were cut to be jagged and angular. Uncomfortable, menacing.
"Please wait here," the servant affirmed, her eyes narrowing as she stared at you. "The Duke will see you shortly."
You inclined your head, smiling briefly at the woman, then moved to sit down on one of the chairs.
There was an art to attending to nobility, much as there was an art to receiving them. You had made your opening gambit, using the seal of the High King as a chip to ensure the Duke would see you immediately; a subtle gambit, relying upon the ill-willed nature of the guards' gossip to spread the word of the reason behind your visit. It had been an effective gambit.
Amaranth's response was clear. By making you wait, he was making his position clear; he held the power here, not you. He would be forced to attend to you, but it would be at his leisure, not yours.
If you had been near anyone else, the situation would have developed quite differently. A commoner, a merchant or minor noble, would have been summarily dismissed as inconsequential; perhaps the Duke would have seen them some days later, after they had been forced to spend hour upon hour dealing with servants and guards. It would be a simple matter to blame his servants for dismissing such wild claims. In turn, had you been a noble or merchant of some repute, the Duke would have seen you immediately; a mark of respect, of solidarity. A calculated move to avoid causing offense.
You, however- you were no commoner, yet neither were you a noble. A witch, a dark witch. You stood outside the paradigm; lacking the resources and cultivated alliances that ensured a noble's attentive audience, yet in turn holding far more power in your palms than an eminently ignorable peasant.
The stream of people moving in and out of the Duke's room was surely a calculated move, then. Each bore with them grace and poise, that same sense of self-assurance and self-importance that came with heavy responsibility; mentioning it would be a bad move- after all, the Duke must attend to the affairs of his own realm before a mere messenger, yes? (No- but neither could Nathaniel in turn afford to raise his voice about it; you know it, and surely Amaranth was not so ignorant to have missed it.)
Few of them bore any relevance to you, however. Most bore with them a casual ease, the sign of unconscious surety of their safety. Pampered nobility, servants with no true understanding of their precarious position here.
Only twp bore with them a wary stance, scars beyond the physical. It was to those two you paid attention.
The first- a grey-haired man, hair cut short and tidy. His body was lean, taut; as his eyes fell on you, his fingers twitched subtly towards his sleeves, no doubt searching for hidden knives. A man who had known combat, then. His skin was scrubbed clean, his hair was straight and well-neatened, his clothes were neat and pressed free of wrinkles.
The Guard-Captain, then; only someone with a job as public as it was necessary would take such care to present themselves so neatly. He was the first to arrive, and still had not left by the time all others had taken their leave of the Duke.
The second- a white-haired woman, hair long, allowed to flow freely down her back, yet carefully secured with artful decorations. Not someone who saw combat often, yet someone who had seen it, who knew it well. She nodded at the Guard-Captain, stared warily at you.
The Sherrif, no doubt; odd- few countries had both a Guard and a peacekeeping force. Fewer still would allow a woman in such a prestigious position; the outcry would have been loud and fierce, especially in a town like this.
Curious.
A servant approached, pace deliberate and controlled as she walked towards you. You stood and stepped towards her.
"I will head in now," you tell her. "Thank you."
Her wide-eyed look of fearful awe forces a stifled chuckle out of you.
---------------------------------------------
The Sherrif and the Guard-Captain. A statement, then; you may be state-sanctioned, but you were still beholden to the law.
Ineffective- if arrested, Selene would force Nathaniel to have you released.
Effective- you understood the statement. Opposition, then; blatant, yet understated.
What could cause a man to be so obstructive without even hearing of your investigation's particulars?
No matter. You must plan how to take this conversation.
(This would be far easier if you know at all what sort of people the three were. Present yourself wrong and you may set them against you forever more.)
[X] Be aggressive, confrontational. He must know his place. The Duke must help you; he may act against you, but his obstruction must stay in the realms of plausible deniability. That gives you a great deal of room to maneuver.
[X] Be calm and- well. Play down your superiority as much as you can. Seek the Duke's aid; if you might win his support, your investigation here shall go a great deal smoother.
[X] Be forceful, charismatic. Override their objections, bull your way through theconversation, and secure their co-operation regardless of their wishes and attitudes. You have the authority here; they do not.
[X] Write-in. (Be warned; demeanours and attitudes that run counter to Hazel's natural demeanours and attitudes will be far less effective than demeanours and attitudes that work from an in-character perspective.)
wdango
Storyteller
- Location
- Bali, Indonesia
- Location
- UK
[X] Be calm and- well. Play down your superiority as much as you can. Seek the Duke's aid; if you might win his support, your investigation here shall go a great deal smoother.
Calm shows competence and control. Its the attitude we should be presenting to these people.
Being forceful and arrogant about our authority is the best way to get their back up. It will force their co-operation but it will be grudging.
Calm shows competence and control. Its the attitude we should be presenting to these people.
Being forceful and arrogant about our authority is the best way to get their back up. It will force their co-operation but it will be grudging.
[X] Be forceful, charismatic. Override their objections, bull your way through theconversation, and secure their co-operation regardless of their wishes and attitudes. You have the authority here; they do not.
He's making a show of power, and belittling our importance, but our connections are stronger than his. He's trying to underplay that.
He's making a show of power, and belittling our importance, but our connections are stronger than his. He's trying to underplay that.
Night_stalker
Slava Ukraini!
- Pronouns
- He/Him
[X] Be forceful, charismatic. Override their objections, bull your way through theconversation, and secure their co-operation regardless of their wishes and attitudes. You have the authority here; they do not.