I have been sick TWO separate times this vacation it is the absolute worst
The gallery is built at steep enough a slant that any who sit on its seats - even someone as short as you - can see most of the floor below.
Alas, there goes the excuse to have Neianne sitting on someone's shoulders...
a small sea of mostly elven faces and colorful robes
*shakes fist* Elven privilege! Almost every fandom! Bloody elves!
It is yet another sign that Caldrein respects the commons
Or it's just pageantry and a sop to the commoners to keep them in line
But at the end of the day, it has always been known, after all, that Caldrans volunteer for their duties, that Caldrein honors its warriors, that Caldrein provides much higher pay for its trained and motivated soldiers than its neighbors.
*cough* Well, trained and well paid soldiers need to justify their salary also, so that's a double-edged sword.
Also, something something needs industry to support their efforts something something military-industrial complex something something
So, of course, you look imploringly to Sieglinde. Tragically, she doesn't immediately provide an explanation of what's going on, but what she does say is telling. "Of course," she mutters with muted frustration, "instead of having a dedicated budget meeting with the Confederated City of Stenard, which actually mints our coinage, confederate budgetary discussions are relegated to the realm of petitions."
You fidget uncertainly. "Is that...b-bad?"
"We share a common currency, have the same strategic imperatives, and are fighting the same war, yet a unified monetary policy seems to be beyond us."
TBF, unified monetary policy is somewhat beyond 'just' year to year budgetary concerns.
Coin has become not only a figurative but also a literal problem; costs are outstripping revenue, and with the mines in Elspar being constantly attacked or even outright annexed by the Tenereians, the ability of the Confederacy to mint coins has come under serious threat. Other regions have their share of mines, of course, but Elspar has always had the lion's share, especially of silver and copper.
Psssssst, the siren song of fiat currency calls to you~
"Agricultural produce," nods Countess Dalcan, almost as if her Elsparian counterpart needed a definition of the word. "Crops, mostly. Grain, wheat, barley. Different vegetables, meats, occasionally livestock. Produce of equivalent value would be offered as payment at reduced market prices to guards and soldiers. It was never a long-term solution, of course, and stopped as soon as Fulwaite moved onto local coinages, and then the confederate mark decades afterwards. But if the problem of coin and coinage is not something that can be solved this year, then perhaps we can make do with crops." She straightens in her chair. "Fulwaite has a modest surplus of produce that I am willing to begin shipping to Elspar, if only to reduce the burden of coinage and give ourselves more than just three years to readjust our finances and our economies. You are welcome to repay me in full when you're able, with no interest."
oh my god what is this, is Caldrein really having to devolve back to
koku? Ye gods, this war is ruinous.
Before you can answer, though, a familiar drawl interrupts your conversation, providing the answer to Azalea's question. "Why am I not surprised?" asks Elizabeth from behind you, and you jump a little as you turn around to face the tiny elf. "The moment I turn my back, you run off to be educated by Ravenhill instead of me."
I am not putting it past Elizabeth to simply stalk Neianne for her own amusement and interject when is most comedically appropriate.
Again Azalea curtsies to her sociopolitical better: "Lady Zabanya." And a moment later, she's pulling you by the hand through a throng of highborns, leading you through this maze of Caldrein's most powerful. "It's...a little surprising," she admits a moment later, out of Elizabeth's earshot, and you're weirdly glad the latter isn't an aseri, given your previous experience with Lilith, "seeing you with her. I didn't think she cared much about you."
'Or cared much about anyone' goes unsaid by basically everyone.
"The ranks were dominated by aseri and humans. Martial prowess may be a Caldran virtue, but there were more well-paying jobs with less sweat involved and just as much respectability for those more fortunate. Of course, elves who were down on their luck and looked to the guard or the army for work were more likely to be promoted to sergeants or officers relative to their aseri and human cousins. It was rarely ever outright malice or prejudice; elven officers and highborns had more opportunities to mingle with elven enlisted and sergeants, and thus more likely to think of them when matters of promotion came up.
ARGLBARGH I WAS RIGHT IT IS THE ELVES FAULT *gets sedated dragged away mid-rant*
Although you can't see her either, the next voice you hear is that of Aphelia's who speaks in a measured, almost incredulous voice. "Are you...robbing us?" she asks.
"That is such an inelegant word," the bandit tut-tuts. "But if you absolutely must insist on using it...yes."
There is a pregnant pause before something dangerous slips into Aphelia's tone as she remarks, "Oh."
Alas, poor Torchwick, what poor timing...
You actually feel a little bit rueful, having contributed practically nothing to this skirmish. Most of the others have weapons compact enough to keep on their person as they ride on the wagon, and were thus immediately armed when they leaped out of the wagon to confront the bandits.
:campaign for fist secondary weapon intensifies:
Suspiciously, it's around the moment that you free your buster sword from its strappings and strike a ready stance from atop your wagon that - entirely coincidentally - the remaining bandits either flee screaming or surrender. You have no idea how that happened.
Sorry Neianne, no Descending Mountain Smasher for you. :3
You are growing more confident.
You are developing out-of-the-box thinking.
You are nurturing a hatred towards Tenereians.
You are achieving competence with a buster sword.
You are developing strong relationships with Azalea Cherilyn Charmaine, Elizabeth Irivich Zabanya, Lucille Lorraine Celestia, Melanie Aster, Sieglinde Corrina Ravenhill, Stephanie, Vesna Rainer, and Wendy.
You are just as cute as the day you entered.
1. An entire year has passed in-game, to say nothing of more than two OOC years, and a tremendous amount of stuff has happened thus far. How am I handling the plot thus far? Is it still engaging and interesting, and am I managing the pacing alright?
The pace isn't slow enough. :3 I want more ten thousand word digressions and explorations into world building. I don't even need to vote. There's just so much cool stuff that seems to be off in areas Neianne has no information on (and so we as readers aren't even really aware of) that I'd love to see.
2. We've had a lot of time to hang around and build upon characters. How am I handling them? Is my character writing alright, or are there significant weaknesses?
Your characters are pretty well handled and I can see you've been trying to strike a balance between giving just winning voters what they want and trying to avoid mono-focusing down to only the same characters by making sure to keep having other faces pop up. At least the people who get screentime are all somewhat memorable and I can tell that everyone has at least something of their own story to tell, even if we may not get to see it.
3. Who are your favorite characters thus far?
Vesna, Mia, Melanie, and little sister :3
4. If you had to name something, what is one thing about this quest and/or my writing that you dislike the most, or you think is the weakest link?
I dislike that we have to choose between several interesting options for what to study or who to spend time with as a conceit to time, both OOC and IC. :3
We~ll, I wouldn't mind an/more occasional interlude(s) from another character's perspective to see what they think of either the current situation or of Neianne.
5. Similarly, if you had to name something, what is one thing about this quest and/or my writing that you like the most, or you think is the strongest link?
Cute Neianne doing Cute Things
6. What are your favorite scenes?
Neianne's trip into town where she had to boast about the wyvern
The infirmary aftermath of the attack
Elizabeth/Melanie flirting(?) after the attack
Neianne's hometown reacting to her after a year away
Happy New Year~
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