Click This

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Shipshape and Bristol fashion. ;3

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

---

Ultimately, Éliane was a bit conflicted to see Kayliss, especially here in Costa del Sol as a surprise. On one hand, it was partially her influence that had gotten Éliane out of the Garden and onto the track that had gotten her into the prestigious Household Guards and she tended to get along with the deputy director in that capacity. On the other hand, she had been annoyingly ripped right back and temporarily seconded to being back under the Garden—in other words, directly under the command of Kayliss, however temporary.

There was a reason she had left SEED, after all.

She sat right on the bed next to Esben and made herself comfortable. Glancing between the older woman and Esben as he made his greeting, she looked back at Kayliss. “It’s been a while, mom!” Stone faced as her delivery was, Éliane was clearly amused.

“At the very least, you should be having more coffee if you aren’t relaxing. The beans I picked up in Edren are fantastic.” She rummaged through her own bag, producing her ever-present thermos of coffee and holding it out. “Would you like some?”

It was obvious that most this arrangement was for Esben and his reports, but being a diplomatic envoy of sorts, as hawkish as she tended to be, Éliane had been writing her own reports that were generally for the Overseer’s eyes. She produced them now from her bag.

“No, we weren’t, but I was also supposed to be reporting directly to Overseer Baramoux,” she countered. She much enjoyed the freedom of that assignment and was still somewhat annoyed by the change, even if it mattered little in reality. “These reports are supposed to be for him, so I must protest.”

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

If it were ever possible to have a furball under water, this looks like it.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Mirie Agustria of the Grand Bank,

Duchess of Caelin

---

Grand Bank, Agustria House\\
@Estylwen, @Donut Look Now

‘Asteria’s’ suggestion immediately drew consternation from the leading maid, who narrowed her eyes as she looked between the two young nobles, knowing well what their instruction had been from the duchess herself. The older, more experienced Vauxhall, however, did not miss a beat and nodded at the twins’ request. “Very well,” replied the older man, “If you will follow me, we will show you to a guest lavatory.”

Another of the maids gestured for Mene to follow the steward, and as soon as he did so, she and another maid fell in behind him. If questioned, they would respond they would be helping to escort an honored guest—but the presence of three people did make it difficult for him to slip away in the hallway, even with the advantages of his ring. The ring did work; there were numerous distractions along the short way—a dapper butler in the hallway that briefly drew the admiring attention of one of the maids; a sneeze the steward; but each time, one of the three covered for the others until they made it to the bathroom. This was one of the lavatories afforded to guests for the sitting room. Like any proper room on an estate as large as this, it was large and well appointed. Particularly of note was the opaque frosted window that allowed light in, but little much else.

The two remaining maids meanwhile brought ‘Asteria’ directly to Mirie in her study without her brother. Filing in behind their guest, they stood at the ready. The duchess was sitting at her desk, frowning for a moment when she noticed the white-haired girl was alone. Then she decided that it was probably for the better. The absence of panic in her household staff so far meant that whatever was going on with her brother was under control for the moment.

“Viscountess Asteria, a pleasure to see you again. My maids’ welcoming party was not too jarring, I hope?”

---

Swiftsure, At Sea, Several Days Later, Afternoon\\
@Estylwen, @Irradiant, @The Otter

Hamilton, to an extent, had expected that the Swiftsure would become the ghosts’ latest punching bag the moment the ship had engaged them. Some of the fire had shifted towards the dragon at Callum’s hollering, and a few guns on the weather deck even opened up on it. Unfortunately, they were loaded with proper cannonballs, easily missing their airborne target despite its size. Jikoryss’s reply was far more devastating. The peal of lightning smacked against its upper gundeck, cracking wood and knocking back some of the guns peeking out from their ports, snapping their rope bindings and even fully dismounting a few cannons that landed on their unfortunate crews. The ship shuddered and shook, but shouldered on.

Faith’s attack was less materially damaging, but dealt the greater proportion of injury to the men as his lance slammed into the weather deck among the ranks of shooters and mages. A few were killed outright and the rest scattered, some being blown overboard or across the deck and forcing Hamilton and some of his officers to briefly duck for cover.

“Blast it all, this wasn’t the type of battle we prepared for,” he muttered, making a pained expression at the damage to his ship and his men. His captain immediately began calling for the injured to be brought below deck as the others rallied the men and began firing back again. The guns on the weather deck were the most equipped to shoot back, and this time with grape shot as they began to fire canisters of metal pellets at both Faith and the dragon.

It wasn't a good situation, but Hamilton was hardly out of resources. He might not have an angry dragon or monster fighters, but quantity was still quality on its own. “Signal the fleet. Form up defensively around the Swiftsure and the Minstrel and fire on that dragon!”

Sailing in line formation expecting a naval threat had been a mistake. With enough people shooting at the dragon and the toadies of the Ravenfell king, though, he reasoned it would be enough to drive them off.

-

Underwater, Mirie and Minuette were having a much better time. Valor’s intervention had been unexpected, but a somewhat welcome one. In a way, she was a hindrance to the duchess’s plans, with the queen and her allies in battle further below, but Valot was also an unambiguously obvious enemy and threat for her to target immediately. Being underwater hindered communication, though, and she had to signal the countess to spread out as Valor attacked with a golden light, whipping up the water around them into a frenzied whirlpool.

Mirie countered with a storm of her own, gathering the vast quantity of bubbles and air in the churning waters into a turbulent wave to counter Valor’s swirling water. Stepping out from the turgid currents, she charged at Valor, cutting out at her with bolts of air that sliced towards the ghostly woman. At the same time, Minuette came in from another angle, slashing out with her sword while Valor was forced to dodge Mirie’s spells.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

---

Éliane had been delighted to hear Galahad back up her words with his own threats, if somewhat more polite and veiled than her own. With all the bravado of a jingoistic Skaelan, she admirably faced down the combined stone-faced stares of her own companions and the outraged faces of the grovemasters.

Almost immediately after the grovemasters spoke, she thought that it would come to conflict after all. It was clear to her that two of them still had their heads in Drana Asnaeu’s cursed sand, but somehow, and with a small degree of disappointment, the third actually seemed to possess the single braincell shared among them and actually seemed to listen to both her party’s words—and her and Galahad’s combined threats.

Still, half an hour later, Éliane couldn’t help but to remain annoyed after the grovemasters returned their ‘decision.’ No outright cooperation, but completing a trial for worthiness? What sort of barbaric foreign ritual was that? Even worse, their judgment would rob them of a companion and their only healer to boot. Unfortunately, this was entirely within their sovereign right, as unworthy Éliane thought it was, and even she doubted that Skael would go to war with these concessions, as barebone as they were.

“I’m glad you were able to see some reason,” Éliane finally replied, using her diplomatic voice. Her disdain showed through anyway before she last a look of sympathy towards Neve. “However, Galahad is right. Without her, this decision is tantamount to sabotage, at best, without a healer on this journey…”

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

I'll try to get up a post for both scenes later tomorrow.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

---

So the behavior of the city guard was not an isolated incident and was indicative of the attitudes of the leadership of this country after all.

Éliane should have expected it, but somehow she was still disappointed. The grovemasters were clearly sticking their heads in the sands of Costa del Sol, comfortable in their ignorance as the rest of the realm continued to fall apart around them as they preached their unique brand of morality and insufferable attitudes. At a time when a great external enemy threatened Ibros, the four nations should have been uniting as one (under the aegis of Skael, of course) to eject the Valheimian foothold on the continent and to rid them of the blight.

Yet wherever the Kirins went they were met out outright hostility. First it had been Galahad’s foolish father, and now it was the stubborn pride of the grovemasters. Osprey, occupied as it was by the enemy, had been a breath of fresh air, at least.

Éliane had to be held back by Esben from immediately biting into the attitudes of the grovemasters before her. Just by observing, she could tell that if Drana Asnaeu kept on the same course, they would be the next to fall under the Valheimian thumb, and the blight.

When Esben finally leaned back in, she was already ready to go. Nodding at him briefly, she cut in once the others had said their piece, deciding to act once more as the big stick of the party.

She adjusted her uniform, now properly laundered and properly looking the part. “As the representative from Skael,” the pink-haired officer began, “I in part speak for the government of Skael when it comes to the investigation and persecution of those perpetrating or facilitating the spread of the Blight… intentionally or inadvertently.”

The unamused Skaelan stared direct in the eyes of the second grovemaster that had called Izayoi a warmonger.

“My government has been historically uninvolved in things as petty as war, but with the news that my fellows here have relayed, we are preparing for the worst. The pacifistic Skael will be tripling its war budget, and if Drana Asnaeu is the weak link on the continent, if by the inaction of this very council it provides a foothold for Valheim and the Blight to further take hold on Ibros, then we will not hesitate to preemptively move to remedy such inaction and unpreparedness.”

The threat was obvious. Do nothing, or worse, hinder the cooperation of Kirin and the nations, and Skael would force the grovemasters to be ready. It was a bluff, in the sense that she was definitely not authorized to speak on this type of policy, but she doubted the Overseer would split the details when it came to matters of national security and the Blight. She paused, considering an extra line. Fuck it…

“Warmongering? If Drana Asnaeu is invaded, you will have to commit yourself to defense regardless, no matter who it is. Alternatively, if you are occupied by a country that isn’t the enemy, then you will also be ready…”

In other words, if Skael invaded, they would have to stick their heads out of the sand anyway or they would be occupied. But if they were occupied then Drana Asnaeu would also be safe. Win win.

Éliane thought it was a perfect argument if she said so herself.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Alright, time to invent the depth charge

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Oops