Stern Algorithm

Arknights: 5S

Sargon - Hisn-ul-Zahra City Plate - Police Station - Early evening

Polka looked concerned as her eyes darted from Jericho to Ash Girl, and back to Jericho, "If Victoria and Leithanien want to fight over this weapon, then wouldn't the pragmatic thing to do be to keep our noses out if it?" She was glad they didn't bring Baltasar along. "What happened to Nur is...regrettable, but opposing either nation could endanger not only Rhodes Island but this city."

"You do have a point, but I don't think we can avoid this. In fact, I think the old hag already knows. Minimalist, you have that picture your friend sent you?" Jericho held out his hand to the Durin. Minimalist looked confused, but pulls out the photo and hands it to the older Aegirian. Jericho holds it out for the group to see. The photograph seemed to show the inside of a massive, artificial cavern. A large, imposing, obsidian octahedron was suspended from the ceiling of the cave via enormous chains. Catwalks, scaffolds, and military equipment seemed to surround the object. "This was the last thing he sent you? What do you think this geometric object could be? It's large and mysterious, it's somewhere in Sargon, and some military power is investigating it. Stitch, I think your friend has been captured by Leithaniens for snooping."

Minimalist swallowed heavily but said nothing. A closed off and thorny individual, he rarely displayed friendliness or empathy, but concern for his friend's wellbeing was written all over his face.

"Dr. Kal'tsit definitely wants us to get involved in this," Jericho continued, "As the managers of Hisn-ul-Zahra's infected orphanage, we owe it to this city to bring Nur home. As Rhodes island operators, we owe it to Minimalist to save Catch. And from the sound of it, all three nations are operating in secrecy, so if we do go up against them, at the very least, they cannot openly implicate us without revealing their own undercover dealings." He turned to Polka, "But I've never been much of a dictator. If we do this, we do this together."

Polka looked conflicted, as if wrestling with some specter of the past. "No, you're both right. This is bigger than our clinic, bigger than this city."

At that moment, the Lady Ameera and her sentinel emerged from the observation room. "I've come to my decision, I hope Rhodes Island will be in agreement. When I founded this city, I wanted to be different from the other Lords Ameer who jockey for position with the Golden City while selling their dignity in exchange for foreign favors, who capitulate to the encroachment of colonial forces and sacrifice their citizens for modern luxuries." She shook her head, "Dr. Irving believes me to be naive for allowing a 'paramilitary corporation' to run a clinic, but my partnership with Rhodes island was fully intentional. I know what your pharmaceutical company is capable of. The diplomatic position that I wish Hisn-ul-Zahra to maintain, welcoming to the outside without succumbing to influence, is not easy without some force to back it up. To stand up to the might of Victoria, Columbia, and Leithanien is not possible, even if the whole of Sargon were to unite, let alone our young, isolated city. But I will not allow one of Hisn-ul-Zahra's children to be kidnapped, infected or not, nor will I allow Sargon's history to be defiled. So I would like to implore Rhodes Island to please save the child and prevent these foreign powers from resurrecting one of Sargon's most ancient sins."

"Then we are in accord," Jericho answered on behalf of the group, "This is not something we can turn a blind eye to. Of course, we will do our best to ensure that your fine city does not fall within the enemy's crosshairs."

Zainab nodded solemnly, then turned to Aisha, "You will go with them."

"My Ameera! What about the city?" Aisha protested.

"You trained your deputy personally, did you not? Then I will trust the safety of the city to him. But you I trust to aid our allies in this sensitive external matter."

"I... I understand," Aisha saluted, then turned to the group, "Please prepare what you need. I'll get the Victorians ready. Contact me when you wish to plan out the mission."

"Of course," Jericho didn't argue, "Your local expertise will be most appreciated."

The Rhodes Islanders headed back to the clinic office and began preparing equipment and supplies. As a catastrophe messenger, Earthspirit had a sizable van, though given the number of operators if they included Aisha and the two Victorians, they might need two vehicles. The Rhodes Island branch had a transport they could use, but Aisha likely had her own.

Arknights: 5S

Sargon - Hisn-ul-Zahra City Plate - Rhodes Island Oripathy Clinic - Late afternoon

Though Earthspirit often came off as emotionless, this was due to her collected and rational demeanor, and the natural guardedness that one needed to function in Leithanien high society. This does not mean that she was without empathy, and seeing the rise her words had gotten out of Aoife, she quickly tempered her words, "To be fair, everything I've said is merely conjecture. We do not know what their intentions are."

---

Sargon - Hisn-ul-Zahra City Plate - Police Station - Early evening

The office of the Rhodes Island clinic received a call from Aisha who was at the police station, letting them know that 'Dr.' Irving was awake and ready to talk. This time, Jericho, Polka, and Earthspirit came, alongside Ash Girl and Minimalist, though they did not bring Baltasar. Jericho decided that a jail was no place for a child, but that they'd fill him in when they returned.

The team was greeted by officers at the station who escorted them inside until they arrived at a fairly standard looking interrogation room, complete with one-way mirror, a table, and a lamp. Both the Cautus, Dr. Warren Irving, and his bodyguard, the black-and-white female Perro, were there, sitting at the table handcuffed, while Aisha stood beside the table looking down on them. Polka, who preferred not to be too confrontational, opted to go into the observation room, where, surprisingly, the Archosauria Lady Ameera Zainab Nubani waited, hidden and watching.

"He said he wanted to talk to Rhodes Island members specifically. I was going to share any information I received with you anyways, so this makes things easy. Alright, Victorian, what's this all about?" She asked sternly.

Warren looked at his bodyguard for approval, and she nodded. With a sigh, he began, "Have you heard of the Lilium Tablet?"

"Oh no..." Earthspirit muttered to herself, "You're looking for the weapon of the Sun Kings." She pinched the bridge of her nose, as if suffering from a headache, but she was simply overwhelmed by people's stupidity.

"And why shouldn't we? After what the Sarkaz have done, Victoria needs strength!"

"Dr. Irving...now's not the time..." The Perro spoke up, interrupting him in a surprisingly calm and gentle tone.

He looked at her and seemed to soften, "Regardless, I understand your skepticism. The weapon may not even be real. But what if it is? Its power would be too great to leave in the hands of these sava..." Aisha's fist clenched audibly. Warren cleared his throat. "Study of the tablet was done jointly between Victoria and Leithanien. The tablet has more information on it than has been revealed to the public, and the Leithaniens have discovered where the weapon is. You may not trust us, but I assure you, Leithanien is not where you want an ancient superweapon to go."

"Sadly, I have to agree," Earthspirit added, "The spire casters are too reckless and unscrupulous when it comes to wielding arts, and many still long for the days of the Witch King."

"Right? Victoria would keep the weapon safe! There is another major concern though. The Tablet is written in three languages. Ancient Sargonian, which is so different from modern Sargonian that only specialists, like myself, can read it, Ancient Minoan, and..."

"Ancient Sarkaz," Earthspirit added with some solemnity.

"Exactly. What if the weapon is Sarkaz in origin? if this is true, then Victoria knows better than any other nation to keep this weapon protected and sealed away so that it can never be used. Unfortunately, the Leithaniens have already begun excavating the site where the weapon's final resting place is purported to be. But they will not be able to activate it. The tablet talks about the line of kings beginning with the first Sun King, Ozman the Third, styled 'Ozman Theos, The Builder'. The weapon only reacts to one of his blood. And that's where your missing child comes in. We...hired a group of mercenaries from the Columbian frontier to help us find anyone who may be descended from the Sun Kings. But as soon as they found him, they betrayed us. To stop them from leaving with the child, we had a confrontation at the gate. It seems Columbia has taken an interest in weapon as well. And that's where you come in. I know what Rhodes Island is capable of. I know you don't want anyone activating the weapon. I know you also want to save the infected child. Right now, the Leithaniens have the weapon, and the Columbians have the child, and I want them to have neither, so in this our goals are aligned. I only have Emma...I mean, Sargeant Huxley to help me," He referred to the perro beside him, "But I understand Ancient Sargonian and this weapon better than anyone and am therefore the most qualified to stop it should it become active. I am proposing a temporary alliance to: one, defeat the Columbians who kidnapped your orphan, and two, to defeat the Leithanien force currently excavating the weapon."

"NO! You don't get to negotiate, Victorian! You're under Hisn-ul-Zahra's jurisdiction yet you have the gall to go over our Lady Ameera's head!" Aisha turned to the Rhodes Islanders with a hint of unease and suspicion, but she kept it under control, "Please vacate the interrogation chamber." She tried to shoo everyone but the Victorians out, and Jericho obliged, leading the team into the hall.

The Lady Ameera waited in the hallway, brow furrowed, arms crossed, deep in thought, Polka stood next to her. She turned to the Rhodes Islanders and greeted them, "Peace be upon you. For those I haven't met before, it is regrettable that we meet under such unusual circumstances. I hope our city has treated you well?"

"Yes, My Lady, Hisn-ul-Zahra has been a beacon of comfort in these harsh climes," Jericho replied.

Aisha walked up to Zainab and whispered something. "Please excuse us, my sentinel wishes to speak with me in private." The two Sargonians enter the observation room and close the door, leaving the Rhodes Islanders in the hall. A few guards are there to keep an eye on them.

"Well, shit..." Jericho pulls out his specialized oripathy medicine atomizer that looks like an e-cig and takes a long, tired drag on it to soothe his throat. After exhaling, he says but one word, "Thoughts?"

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Sara, Daughter of Aliya

Interacting with: @Obscene Symphony as Jannick, @OwO as Hollyhock, @Abstract Proxy as Dominick, @Hero as Renata et al

Sara smiled gently at Renata. Having worked in a church, she had seen her fair share of people most would consider mad among the homeless and destitute. Contrary to popular belief, they were mostly harmless; victims of circumstance whose only recourse had been to dissociate from reality. Yet Sara couldn't help but wonder if, in a different time, in a different world, where faith had died young and skepticism masked itself as enlightenment, would not the prophets who shaped the history of Gaia have been regarded as mad? Certainly, such a claim had been leveled against missionaries that had been sent to other nations. A thought crossed Sara's mind to once again be disobedient of her station and turned to Dom.

"This may be irresponsible of me to suggest, but perhaps we can bring her along? Surrounded by two Scions and two Templars, I'm certain we should be able to keep her safe." 'Or perhaps, she can help keep us safe,' Sara thought, though she did not voice this last part. Sara knew that she shouldn't do anything to dilute her protection away from her Scion and muttered a quiet apology to Irina."I do not doubt that she will find a way to follow us should we head in without her, and I do not wish for her to come to harm." Sara looked at Jannick, understanding that, as the only one here who knew Renata, he would be the most torn.

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Sara, Daughter of Aliya

Interacting with: @Obscene Symphony as Jannick, @OwO as Hollyhock, @Abstract Proxy as Dominick, @Hero as Renata et al

The train ride had been expectantly pleasant as, it seemed, the least abrasive people would be the ones to show concern for the souls of the deceased. But although Sara agreed with, and even suggested that they come to Croia to resolve this spiritual phenomenon, she had to admit to herself that, despite being a devotee of the church her whole life, she knew nothing about exorcisms. In her time as a wilderness patrol knight, she had fought monsters, but never encountered any spirits. She simply hoped that they could be convinced of Incepta's grace and willingly pass on.

The fog was oppressive, and despite Scion Isabelle's open antagonism towards Kaudians, Sara wished she were here to deal with the encroaching mist. Sara didn't know if this fog was natural or if it posed any threat, and could not see how earth or metal could effectively deal with it.

Upon being greeted by the mayor, Sara listened intently to his explanation. His mention of a ghost warning the people of danger made Sara wonder if the danger came from the other spirits or if they were working together. Perhaps this mist was just their way of trying to get the people to leave. That would, unsettlingly, imply that there was some greater threat.

However, Sara's attention was soon drawn towards the commotion coming from the edge of the forest. Something about the quaint old woman was endearing to Sara, but then again, Sara had always had a soft spot for the elderly.

At Renata's question, Sara smiled, "Yes. Friends...and colleagues. And Officer Weber is kinder than he looks." Sara joked slightly. "But why do you say that the spirits will not harm you? Do you harbor Incepta's blessing?" Sara asked, partly out of genuine curiosity, and partly to indulge the older woman, knowing that playing along with those who seemed unreasonable was one way to de-escalate. The more you insisted someone was wrong, the more they tended to dig in their heels.

Arknights: 5S

Sargon - Hisn-ul-Zahra City Plate - Rhodes Island Oripathy Clinic - Late afternoon

Baltasar was distraught that Aisha had knocked out their only lead, but Minimalist was able to calm him down, admitting that he himself was here to search for a missing friend, but that it would be reckless to charge out into the desert unprepared. With that, the group returned to the Rhodes Island clinic. Baltasar went back to help out with the orphanage but requested to be contacted when Aisha invited them to confront the Victorians.

"Did you find him?" Selim asked, but the look on everyone's faces told him all he needed to know.

Operator Polka had returned to the office by now and proceeded to treat Aoife with a mix of some soft music she played from her accordion and the use of some sonic equipment she borrowed from Selim. She could influence originium crystals with her musical arts, and could stabilize the volatile substance, slowing or preventing their further growth, but unable to reverse it. In this manner, she could stave off the impending progression of Aoife's oripathy, though she hoped one day that she would be able to cure it altogether.

A while later Earthspirit arrived. Her messenger duties brought her to Hisn-ul-Zahra, and she commented on how the gate security seemed particularly high-strung. Minimalist explained their encounter at the gate and the altercation that had supposedly preceded it. At the mention of a professor of Sargonology, Earthspirit's eyebrows furrowed. Sensing her concern, Minimalist pushed her to explain.

"I would hardly call the field of Sargonology a science as it is as much research as it is fiction, romanticism, and exotification. But it has become a very popular topic in Leithanien, which is troubling. A few years ago, a Sargonian tablet written in several ancient languages was discovered and brought back to Leithanien to be deciphered. The tablet regaled the rise to power and military exploits of a Sargonian dynasty referred to as the 'Sun Kings of Sargon'. Based on nothing but speculation, Leithanien poets and composers have been writing epic and fantastical operas about the 'Sun Kings', fabricating tragedy and drama, but it has captured the imagination and zeitgeist of the country. More concerning, however, is talk among the nobility that the power of the Sun Kings came from some ancient weapon, and if that is what the Victorians are here for, then either they're on a wild fowlbeast chase, or they have evidence to suggest that such a weapon is real."

Arknights: 5S

> Be me
> Saw an Arknights RP
> Join Status: Apply
> "Hoooo, nice! I can finally try playing as my favorite characte-"
> (Original Characters only)
> FML 🙃

Regardless, I'll be "participating" as a reader. 😏

@Izurich

So I might relax the 'OCs-only' rule, depending on who you intend to play as, since it would be nice to have more players.

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Sara, Daughter of Aliya

As Lucas called the meeting to order, Sara gave him her attention. Though he had referred to invoking prophecy as a sin, Sara had her doubts as most rules concerning scions were more a matter of church decree than scriptural, though she understood the need for prohibition against abusing one's powers. As the prophecy started, Sara clasped her hands together, quietly reciting along with the all too familiar words, but as Lucas continued well past the point of familiarity, Sara squeezed her eyes shut in an attempt to force her ears to concentrate and her mind to remember. She shuddered slightly as she listened, trying to interpret the prophecy on the fly. Part of her was inclined to reject it as Lucas making up prophecy, but she did not take him for a blasphemer, and the details in the language of the new part of the prophecy matched with the part that she was used to hearing. She could only see this as a powerful, revelatory moment that she was blessed to partake in.

Even after the prophecy finished, Sara kept her hands clasped, muttering prayers of thanks and forgiveness, letting herself live fully in the present to imbibe this sacred hour. Finally she looked up, staring at Lucas with conviction. "I have no questions, your Highness, but I did want to share the good word. Among the intel on our enemies that was revealed to us prior, there was mention of the name, 'Termina'. This apocryphal name evokes the fear of some dark goddess. But rejoice, my brethren! For the prophecy has made the truth clear to us. Termina's blood is red, like ours. She is mortal. A powerful mage, perhaps. A charlatan and deceiver, certainly. But mortal, nonetheless.

Your Highness, I will be the first to admit that I have misjudged you. As one mentioned in the prophecy as well, yours is a heavy burden indeed. I will lend you and this gathering what strength is in me. Incepta be praised! Long live her light!"

At this, Sara closed her eyes again, welling with tears as she lowered her head, reclasped her hands and seemed to resume praying.

Arknights: 5S

Sargon - Hisn-ul-Zahra City Plate - Main Gate - Early afternoon

The dark feline's stern demeanor softened when she recognized the Rhodes Island logo. Upon hearing Aoife's explanation, her ears perked up and she turned to one of the officers at the car. "Bring him over... but keep the other one restrained." Turning back to the Rhodes Island group, the feline introduced herself, "I am Sentinel Aisha Hafiz, Hisn-ul-Zahra's chief of police. We won't abide kidnappers."

The officer Aisha had called out to roughly pushed the cautus closer. "When you were being arrested, you mentioned something about a boy; was he infected?" Aisha asked.

"He was, but if you're looking for him, you've got the wrong people!" The boy struggled vainly against his captor as his eyes darted from Aisha to Aoife, Minimalist, and Baltasar, curiously analyzing the group.

A customs official arrived with a clipboard and handed it to Aisha, who flipped through it, reading parts out loud, "Let's see, Irvine, Warren. Country: Victoria... Reason of Visit: Cultural... Exchange...? Affiliation: Victorian Archeological Guild. Profession: Professor of...Sargonology?! You're looters!" Aisha almost threw the clipboard to the ground in rage. "Plundering ruins not enough for you, now you're stealing children!"

"We're not looters, and we didn't kidnap him! A group of mercenaries did; we tried to stop them!" Warren explained in exasperation.

"Who were they, then? What do they want with a kid? Ransom? He's an...orphan..." Aisha looked back at the group to confirm her assumption before continuing, "He doesn't have any parents."

Warren seemed tight-lipped, unwilling to reveal some secret. "Who are these people?" He gestured with his head at the Rhodes Island group.

"Rhodes Island Pharmaceutical Company," Aisha explained, "They run the infected orphanage and help us with other infected-related issues."

"Pharmaceutical Company?" Warren laughed, "That's a paramilitary organization you've allowed into your 'pristine' city! ...But... this might be an opportunity. Oi!" Warren addressed the Rhodes Island group, "You want to save the kid right? Let's work togeth...!"

The officer restraining Warren throttled him for his cheeky behavior. "You're going to have to do better than that!" Aisha warned, "Who are these mercenaries? What do they want with the boy? What's your involvement in all this?"

"You wouldn't believe me even if I told you!" Warren scoffed, "This whole thing is much bigger than your quaint little village is prepared for. All this ancient bounty buried in the sand beneath your feet! Potential...wasted! Pearls before burdenbeasts! You should just get out of the way and let us put it all to good use!"

At this outburst, Aisha reaches for the officer's baton and strikes Warren over the head, rendering him unconscious. "I'm sorry you had to see that, but I'm sure we'll get more out of him when he's cooled off and secure in a cell. I'll let Rhodes Island know when he's come to."

With that, the officers started wrapping up their operation and opening the blockade. Warren was dragged back to the car where his perro accomplice awaited him.

Scion: The Prophecy of Anani

Sara, Daughter of Aliya

Private message to Ionna

@Mcmolly
Dame Ionna, pardon me if this is unsolicited advice, but I wanted to tell you all I know about your new Scion so that my short time as the Templar of Fire does not go to waste. His Holiness can be a difficult man to deal with, though perhaps he will open up to you more as a fellow Rodian. It will be difficult to get him to rely on you as his protector because he trusts in his own strength alone; even the blessing of Incepta feels alien to him, and he rarely, if ever, uses his magic. He will see you not as his ally, but his captor, and though I gave him a wide enough berth during peacetime, his soldier's honor prevented him from disobedience. Unable to face this internal conflict, he will place the blame on your shoulders. He yearns for the battlefield, and in a way, I understand how it feels to be pulled away from my calling. I may not look it, but I was a teacher at an orphanage before circumstances led me to becoming a knight, and then a Templar. Feeling so lost, it is easy for faith to dwindle. But when faith diminishes, our hearts desire a 'goddess' to worship nonetheless and will seek a substitute. For some it is wealth, for others, pleasure. For myself, I lost my way, and instead of honoring my oath to The Mother, I sought instead my Scion's approval and abandoned my place at his side. With such distorted intentions, Incepta would not deign to grant me victory or success, thus Scion Nadine slipped from my grasp. As for Theobald, he has forgotten his reason for fighting. He no longer fights to protect the homes, lands, and lives of Incepta's believers. If he did, he would not spurn his gift. His new 'goddess' is glory. It is this, his soul, that I am most worried about, and it is my hope that you will succeed to bring him back to the light where I had failed. Despite his best efforts, I do not hate him; I have received worse under Dame Irina's tutelage, so I hope that you can face your new charge with an open mind and a magnanimous heart. He is not evil. He is merely lost. But The Mother is merciful. The Mother forgives.

On that note, I am sure you have received the updates on our unknown assailants. I merely wish to remind you of this: Termina simply does not exist. There is only One Goddess and She has no shadow, for Incepta is not only the light, but she is All. Her divinity is shared by none. To even entertain the existence of such a shadow is to give power to disbelief. This does nothing but erode faith and weaken our resolve. The ability to cancel magic means nothing. It is true that magic is a blessing from The Mother, but is this entire world not a blessing? It is no secret that even nonbelievers can use magic, as much as the beauty and bounty of this world is available to all. Incepta is the Goddess of all mankind, not just of her believers. Incepta granted humanity with the privilege of delving into the hidden secrets of this world, which includes science as well as magic. The scholars of Doumercene are constantly finding new ways to use magic, so magic cancellation may merely be a new scientific innovation, and not necessarily an unholy affront to The Goddess. As for the ability for a non-Scion to use a Scion's unique element, while concerning, this should not shake our faith. As Templars, we can receive a portion of our Scions' blessings and, though an act of blasphemy, perhaps the blessing can be taken by force or through coercion. Though it is in the Church's best interest to speak of divine matters with certainty, the truth is that we cannot claim to fully understand the secret laws by which The Mother gives out her blessings. We have only past patterns to base our understanding off of, and perhaps the pattern can change. The attack struck at our heart; not only were Scions targeted, but it occurred deep within our territory. But the attack that strikes at our true heart, our faith, is the mention of this Termina. But it is here, in our faith, that we are strongest, and this strike should leave not even a scratch. Dark Goddesses are the stuff of delusion and fantasy, phantoms whispered by madmen, deceivers, or entertainers. There is only One Certainty, One Absolute. Take strength in the remembrance of Incepta, Our Mother, Our Goddess.

Being reassigned to Scion Dominic had been something of a shock for Sara, especially after Irina's vehement insistence that she stick to her Scion like glue. Perhaps Fyodor had overridden her decision; Sara hoped that Irina wasn't sore about that. Still, Sara felt that her reassignment was a sign of her inability to connect with Scion Theobald. She had failed to prove to him that her devotion meant far more than her blood. And though no longer having to deal with his petty hate brought some relief, Sara did not feel that this relief was earned, especially as it only compounded on her failure to retrieve Scion Nadine.

However, Dominic was a pleasant and amicable Scion to be assigned to. When told that Ionna had started to train Dom on self-defense, Sara decided to take up the mantle and continue her lessons, though Sara lamented that, compared to a Rodian duelist, her own form was little more than street thuggery once the veneer of knight training was removed. As for Sara, she had lost the fire magic that she had been practicing since two Scions prior and had to learn metal magic from scratch. Given the lurking danger, Sara needed to get up to speed as fast as possible and pressed Dom for any metal-bending pointers she could share. Fortunately, metal magic was much more Sara's style. She had found fire to be too chaotic and restricted herself to heating solid objects that she could more easily understand on a physical level. But she already viewed her armor and weapons as extensions of her body, tangible and certain. To mold and shape these as she saw fit was not as difficult as conjuring a flame from nothing and controlling its flow. Sara also appreciated that Dom took every opportunity to treat her like a friend, sharing meals and hobbies, which facilitated the proximity that Sara was obligated to maintain. But though Sara was grateful to The Mother for easing her path, she still felt it was not earned. If a trail fell into one's lap, it was one's duty to overcome it; if a blessing fell into one's lap, it was one's duty to share that blessing. How had she overcome the difficulty of being Theobald's templar? How could she share the ease of being Dominic's templar? The worst possibility though, was when Incepta blessed someone with excess in order to reveal their true natures, that of greed, hedonism, and pride; bringing them high before casting them down in shame as a lesson to others. Sara hoped that this was not to be her fate.

Though Sara attended the coronation with her Scion, as was proper, she had little interest on who sat upon the throne. Since royalty was hereditary, they didn't need to woo the public or promise any degree of improvement to citizen's lives. The crown would change heads, and the little people would carry on as usual. What did come as a blow was Kaspar's passing. The young Scion had seemed so gentle, and though Sara initially suspected foul play, she was sure the intelligence that they received was accurate, and reminded herself that their enemies would have made a show of it had they been responsible. To some it might seem meaningless for Incepta to grant him Scionhood only to take him away so soon, but to Sara, perhaps he was so virtuous that she wished to elevate him further before taking him back into her embrace. As some might say, perhaps he was 'too good for this world'.

---

Interacting with: Basically everyone at this point

Arriving at Castle Lucania with Dom, Sara followed her Scion inside, nodding to Duchess Patricia who ushered them in, though Sara could not remember who she was. Sara thought she may have recognized her and assumed she was a noble, but if she was watching the gate for Prince Lucas, then perhaps she was just the top maid. Inside the meeting room, the sounds of argumentation assaulted Sara's ears. Hearing the topic was that of war with Kaudus, Sara felt immediately unwelcome, and muttered a quick, 'Incepta, give me strength,' before proceeding deeper into the room.

Noticing that Hollyhock's gift had gone largely ignored, Sara thought of a way to hopefully deescalate the situation. "May I?" Sara asked Scion Holly before gathering some plates and utensils and proceeded to cut slices from the large ham. With two plates, she walked over to the head of the table where most of the arguing was. "Her Holiness, Scion Hollyhock was gracious enough to bring a gift; it would be a shame not to partake of it." Sara placed the two plates in front of Lucas and Rosemary. She was sure they were the two highest ranking nobles in the room, so it was only proper to serve them first. She returned to the group later with two more plates, this time for Belle and Maya who were together; Belle first because she was also a noble, and then Maya because she was nearby. "We should speak calmly," Sara said to no one in particular, "after all, we're all friends here." She did this to make her presence apparent to those who wished for war in the hopes that they would perhaps stop discussing their plans within earshot of one they might consider an enemy. The next two plates were for Dom and Theobald, Sara decided to serve the Scions first before their templars. As she passed by Dom, Sara gave her a pat on the back, offering strength and encouragement for the conversation that she was currently embroiled in. She offered Theobald a sad smile when giving him his plate, but otherwise said nothing. Next was Justinian and finally, the newest arrival, Renault (Sara assumed Hollyhock would happily serve herself).

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, your Holiness. I am Sara, Templar of Metal," Sara greeted him, hoping to make him feel welcome before offering him his plate of ham. Though he dressed like a noble, something in his demeanor implied to Sara that this was not the case. She did not know who he was nor of his past crimes, so she approached him with an untainted earnestness.

Next she served the Templars, in no particular order, other than prioritizing those furthest from the ham to those closer. Finally, she offered Ionna a plate while taking a cookie for herself, complimenting her Scion in exchange, "Her Holiness Dominic is determined, always, to improve herself." With a plate of ham and a cookie, Sara took her place at Dom's side and proceeded to eat quietly.

Arknights: 5S

Sargon - Hisn-ul-Zahra City Plate - Main Gate - Early afternoon

The group headed towards the north edge of the city plate and took one of the many service elevators down to the lowest level of the city where the main gate was. As soon as the elevator doors opened, they were greeted by a cacophonous crowd being cordoned off and asked by security personnel to return to the top of the plate in an orderly manner. From murmurs and the sound of argumentation, it was clear that there had been an incident at the gate, and a disgruntled trade caravan destined for Acahualla was being delayed as a result. The group pushed their way to the edge of the blockade for more information. Though the guard was reluctant to divulge too much information, he was aware of Rhodes Island's relationship with the city and shared that there had been an explosion at the gate following a firefight. Minimalist pushed on, asking for more information, such as whether the explosive had been an originium detonator and if there were any injured. This line of questioning allowed doubt to creep into the guard's mind and, fearing that his comrades might become infected, he decided to let the Rhodes Island group through the barricade to help with originium containment and treatment of the injured.

As the group approached the gate, bullet holes and scorch marks could be seen in the surrounding architecture. There were a few guards and customs officials being patched up, but nobody seemed seriously hurt and it didn't appear that any of the weapons used in the fight had been 'dirty'. Off to one side, what appeared to be a young Cautus boy and a severe-looking perro woman in a military uniform had been detained and were being shoved into a police car. A dark-furred feline saw the Rhodes Island group and walked over.

"Who let you through the blockade?" she asked, clearly peeved that one of her underlings wasn't doing his job right.

"You're letting them get away!" the Cautus yelled in a noticeable Victorian accent before the security officer handling him pushed his head down and into the car. The dark feline looked over at him and shook her head in annoyance.