Graded [Kirkwall Village] (Caelia Barony) – Kirkwall, Baroness who?

[conman2163]

Retili Loxinofican​

Character Sheet
Elvario DuckPrince Uasal TheTimePiece Rev IX

Retili found himself going deeper and deeper into the woods. The trees around him grew older and older as he passed by them, and for once he began to see the appeal that other Fae found in nature. As he walked the Zentail came to a ruined church. Stone columns that would have made up the main area of worship lay in broken pieces throughout the small clearing. Half an arched wall still remained in place, the glass of the windows were broken and the sills were half rotted. Light seemed to fall perfectly through the gaps in the trees to highlight form of an ancient tree that stretched skyward. It's trunk was many times larger then those around it, and it sat perfectly placed in a clearing. Retili found himself drawn to it. He wanted to sit below it's leafy boughs and close his eyes to rest. He hesitated a moment. Then as he stepped a little closer to the tree and felt the worry lessen in his mind his resistance to the idea began to slowly ebb away. Soon he found himself stepping closer and closer to the tree until he turned and placed his back to the trunk. He dropped slowly to the ground and nestled himself between two large roots that stretched out either side of him. He wondered faintly what he had been concerned about previously. All his troubles seemed so far away now....

 

[Elvario]

Regula Caelia
​

Mentions: Amanda Uasal

With Teuihua set on the task, she nodded. That was one thing that might be dealt with. Or so she thought... Amanda was quick to ruin her perception on it. She'd halt her step for a moment to consider Amanda's words. “I'd like for you to stop thinking I'd be angry at any criticism I get, it makes me feel like you think of me as some sort off tyrant. You're my advisor, it's your job to question me if you think I'm in the wrong.” She stated first and foremost. With that out of the way, she did think she wasn't necessarily wrong for sending Teuihua there. “Although I didn't know those specifics, I still think it won't matter much. You don't give Teuihua enough credit. He woke up in a world unfamiliar to him, yet adjusted and started aiding us as if it was nobody's business. Whilst it might be difficult for him to witness the type of sights you described, I believe he's able to face them and from what little I gathered, he's already seen his fair share of war zones and battles. We just need to be there for him when he returns, in case he needs someone to listen to him and see him for more than a war machine.” That was the conclusion she'd reached.

That left her with the Town Hall and mayors. She took note of the names. Kirk and Levin. Before she could reply to Amanda, one of those two mayors showed up. Instantly, she disliked the man. Why? Due to his brazen insult towards her. After all, he clearly stated he received the letter. It also meant that he was the one that hadn't informed the Hunters of her arrival. Him smiling like that and acting nice, was exactly the kind of filthy facade she'd dealt with in her previous life. Rage went through her mind, yet a smile adorned her face. She'd play this man at his own game.

With the sweetest voice she could muster and [Baroness' Word D] to try and figure out more about this mayor whilst pressing him a little with her words, she replied. “It's an honour to meet you, mayor Levin. As you suspected, I'm baroness Regula Caelia. I'm also glad to hear that Amanda's letter arrived, for it really looked like it hadn't. After all, the Hunters didn't seem to know anything about our planned arrival, which was highly disappointing to say the least. I'm glad it wasn't a lack of communication on our side that ended in an unfortunate first introduction with the village's heroes.” She said, smiling all the way through despite saying 'fuck you for not warning the guards about us' in no unclear terms.

She also heavily disliked the fact that he was trying to send away Amanda. “Troublesome as she might've been to you, she's been rather valuable to me. She's got ambition and talent, which I'd rather not leave untapped. I'll have her join as my advisor. After all, Kirkwall's agricultural successes are one of the things I wish to discuss and she's had no insignificant role in it.” She'd not allow this old man to take away one of her strongest 'weapons' in this town; an insider that was friendly towards her and had a good head on her shoulders. As she'd made her terms clear, it was up to the mayor to invite her to talk somewhere. Or to back off with his tail between his legs. Whichever her preferred.

Regula B-Grade CD: (4/4)
Regula C-Grade CD: (2/3)
Regula D-Grade CD: (0/2)
Baroness' Word – Character Grade D, Appraisal D, [Baroness of Caelia] title, Culture D, Etiquette D, Insight D, Leadership D, Persuasion D – Using her position as a baroness and her social prowess, Regula studies, convinces, inspires or otherwise engages in social conversation. - Grade D – 2 Post Cooldown.
Cloak C-Grade CD: (0/2)

Aileen

​

Spoiler: Full Image

Mentions: Ryan Rev IX

Aileen had been trying to hide behind Ryan and Cynthia a bit, not liking the attention. She wasn't entirely new to Kirkwall, but she didn't exactly feel at home here either. Aileen felt a little sympathetic with Cynthia, just enough to 'help' her. “Uncle Bart is the opposite of my dad.” She'd say, hoping that would clear stuff up.

She could only watch and stare in confusion as Ryan got pulled into a game of tug-o-war. Wait! That was it, wasn't it? This was her chance to checkmate her cousin once and for all. She was even asking for it! “It is a misunderstanding, uncle Bart, he's my b...b...” She'd started off so confidently, yet choked on the most crucial word. “boy...” … ”friend...” she ended up stammering. She really hoped to say it with conviction, not barely get it to pass her lips before feeling so embarrassed about it. Yet they were dating now, right? She'd shown him her secret mountain spot and he'd made her the necklace with that gem! However, with her sounding so unconvincing, it was likely that Ryan himself needed to back her up for any of this to be even mildly believable.

 

[DuckPrince]

Micah Ambrose​

Micah listened quietly as he sat, fidgeting with his fingers until the pint of ale was passed to him. He quickly shook his head. "I have no interest in making war mounts out of horses, they're far too fragile by design to do that.." He said. Turning prey animals into anything related to war was simply ridiculous. "Even if they can't be gentled into being companions.. I'd still like to see them." He said sincerely, tilting his head. "I'll get more to drink if that's what you'd like in exchange." He managed a small smile that wasn't too awkward. "I'm Micah.. I work as a stablehand in Stonewall." He introduced himself. "Making friends with wild horses is enjoyable in and of itself." He added. Horses were one surefire way to get Micah talking comfortably.

Uasal

 

[Rev IX]

Ryan Kylieth

Before he could take any action, Cynthia was already overheating. Ryan wasn’t able to utter a word when she grabbed his arm and pulled him along. He didn’t even get a chance to look back at Aileen, but he managed to process the tip she gave. As he was being dragged along, his hood shook off his head, so his face was now in full view. Filled with confusion.

That’s when Ryan’s free arm was taken. Cynthia pulled him, but so did the burly man that was Cynthia’s father. She tried to excuse herself by calling this whole ordeal a misunderstanding. Bart was having none of it. Pressuring Ryan with a cannonade of questions. Ryan was somewhat overwhelmed, so he took a deep breath to focus. ”You got it all wrong, mister Bart, sir. While, with all due respect, your daughter is charming, beautiful, and quite skilled at multiple things… My heart…”

Ryan stopped himself, since he heard Aileen trying to help. Though what she said was quite a shock, it held true… At least now that he knew Aileen felt the same. ”…My heart belongs to her” he finished his thought from before now that he was giving a warm smile to Aileen. With only a dash of red flushing his cheeks [Introverted Charisma F] his neck may hurt for it later, but he didn’t care. He wanted to sear Aileen’s reaction to his comment in his mind.

Elvario Uasal

 

[TheTimePiece]

Teuihua
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Mention: Uasal

Teuihua quickly noticed all the attention on him in the market, some of it arguably less friendly than other attention he got, but he couldn't assume that absolutely everyone who looked his way was bothered by him, even if that felt like the majority surely some of the gazes were out of curiosity or surprise. At least that's what Teuihua liked to think to himself, and while that was more likely it wasn't guaranteed by any means. Teuihua also noticed the prices but again, he wasn't really caught up with the modern economy so he wasn't entirely sure what to make out of them other than they probably weren't the best compared to what he had seen elsewhere in Ryken from what he understood so far from what he had learned. Unfortunately he had notice that some actually seemed frightned of him on the spectrum of reactions which made Teuihua a bit sad, when he was there to help.

Despite his reception it felt nice for Teuihua to see that the Baroness would get to help so many people out in theory with her rule, he had faith that Regula was a good person so all he saw would be in good hands should they be people who lived within the confines of Barony or even just visiting, particularly when the transfer of power would be finalized.

Teuihua was a bit surprised to be contacted by a tall beastkin of all things first, as his head rotated toward her. He gave her a bit of a small wave with his dexterous hand, turning to face her and trying to reposition himself out of the way of anything important.

"Hello, my name is Teuihua, I am sorry to say that my original creators are long gone to my knowledge, however currently I am serving Baroness Caelia, looking around to lend a hand, Is there anyway that i may be of assistance to you?" Teuihua asked with a friendly intonation in his voice, in common.

Of course Teuihua knew better than to spell out his requested task that he was there to help people not feel so bad about constructs, instead he would speak of how he was going about address it. He also took notice of how nicely this beast seemed to dress, perhaps she was someone of importance? If Teuihua could help her it would be two birds with one stone so to speak, if someone of importance trusted him as a construct to help and others were witness it would make his job much easier and he could at the same time continue to fulfill one of his original intended functions his creators wanted him to fulfill.

 

[Uasal]

Retili conman2163


Retili would end up spending quite some time under the tree's leafy boughs, though he knew it not. What seemed like a mere couple of minutes to the man was in actual fact a half hour. The peace, the tranquillity, it was almost intoxicating. Daydreams of times well spent in the past would flood the Zentail's mind, faces and conversations long forgotten resurging in waves. Though just before Retili drifted off to sleep, a loud voice would echo from all directions, coming from seemingly everywhere all at once. Though stern the voice carried an obvious hint of concern "You there, you need to leave! Come out from under the tree, you know not what you're toying with! Slowly now, rise and walk in a straight line, do not look back. Do not under any circumstances look back! Just slowly and calmly, walk to the treeline ahead of you. Got it?"
​

---

Regula Elvario


Mayor Levin and Amanda Steelhaven

Mayor Levin was clearly on guard against the Baroness the moment she mentioned the fact the Hunters had already met with her and presumably caused some sort of 'unfortunate' interaction. Her words had a good effect on him and had successfully baited a response from the man, who was currently on the back foot. With a cough, Levin offered the Baroness a polite smile that was very clearly forced even to the untrained eye "Oh? You had a run-in with the 'Hunters' already, my my, how unfortunate indeed. It seems Mayor Kirk is to blame. He handles all things to do with the Hunters you see. And I most certainly informed him that we would be having someone visit us today. You'll have to excuse him, I'm sure he meant no harm."



Amanda visibly pouted at this revelation, clearly unimpressed with what had just been said, Regula was easily able to tell his words were misleading but truthful thanks to her skill. The man before her was most certainly the type to play dirty and had clearly already planned to use her to his advantage against the other Mayor. A disgustingly underhanded individual to say the least. "Now". Turning to face the town hall the man would guide the two inside and to an office, where he had seemingly already prepared some tea and baked goods. "Please make yourself at home."

Taking a seat at the table the man folded his arms and returned his focus to the Baroness, ignoring Amanda's existence completely. In particular, it seemed he had no interest in acknowledging her contribution to the current agricultural scene. "Let's get down to business then shall we? You're here to review the town no doubt. I've prepared all the necessary documentation as well as the tax for collection. You can take all of it with you when you leave. As you can see the Village is doing spectacularly well in regard to agriculture and our merchants have boosted our local economy well beyond that of the Stonewall."

With a grin, the man continued "I believe that puts us in quite the position, Lady Celia. Right now our humble village is holding the economy of this Barony upon its shoulders. Throw in the agricultural produce and well, you'd be at a loss without us hmm?". Leaning forward the man spoke softly "Of course, we're happy to help, honoured even. Though, as Baroness you can't expect us to keep on giving without any return on investment can you?". Leaning back the man locked his eyes with Regula "I'll put it simply, we want a percentage of the processed metal from Sootspire given to us at a discounted price and of course tax-free. The more metal we have the easier it will be to produce more artisan goods and further support the economy of your Barony. It's all of course for the greater good."

Amanda who had remained quiet up until this point spoke up, her eyes meeting the Mayor's. "That deal is unacceptable. I would advise against it. Stonewall will be able to meet the same level of crop production as Kirkwall in only four years' time. In five it should surpass it. To accept this deal now would be to cripple uniform development across the Barony. Kirkwall would gain far too much in the long term. Not to mention the huge loss to Sootspire!"

Cutting Amanda off the Mayor spoke down to the aid "Amanda, keep your nose out of this. The adults are speaking here. All that jargon is just wordplay, you have no idea what you're talking about. You're a farmer's daughter, how do you expect to advise the Baroness on economics? I won't have you misleading the noblewoman any further"
​

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Micah DuckPrince


???

"Horses huh, not really something I know all that much about but the cavalry would seem to disagree about them being too fragile for combat. Mounted foes can be quite frightening let me tell you. But hey, you tame them horses, you do what you want with them. That's how it goes, ain't no one got a right to tell you different then". Passing the drink to Micah and taking for it the Bartender disappeared for a couple of minutes to serve other customers before returning. Passing Micah a slip of paper the man laughed softly "That there is a map to where the horses were last seen. Normally I charge extra for such but in this case, I want to know something in return. Tell me." Leaning in closer over the bar the wolf-like man whispered in a hushed tone "Tell me about the war machine. Rumour has it, you wandered into town alongside that Valkerie and her war machine, if that's the case you must know about it. Who was that woman and why was such a monster let loose from its leash? Are they with the Eastern Empire? Can it shoot lasers from its eyes? What's the scoop? You tell me that and I'll get you a meeting with one of those Elves. They could tell you more about them their horses you're after."

Offering Micah another drink the barman smiled, his canines flashing "But first, spill it. What kind of danger is our little village in this time?"
​

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Ryan Rev IX Elvario


Bart

When Aileen spoke up and called Ryan her boyfriend, Cynthia immediately let go of Ryan's arm, sending him flying as a result. Being flung around in an arc Ryan was brought to a halt when Bart raised his arm up and into the air, holding Ryan firmly now. With no resistance from his daughter the tall man held Ryan on his tippytoes, leaving him little room to fight back with any real strength, not that it would have helped his case. Looking between Aileen and Cynthia and then Ryan himself, the man began to laugh softly, slowly letting Ryan back down onto his feet, but still holding him tight.

A soft laugh soon turned to a loud one and in a few seconds, the man had released Ryan and instead planted a firm smack on his back that stung quite a bit. "Ah ha ha! so you're shacked up with little Aileen is it? Oh ha, HAHA! They grow up so quickly. Look, haha you've got her as red as a hot iron! Ohhoho!". Turning to look for Cynthia to get her take on the matter the man was surprised to see she had vanished. "Huh? Now where did she scuttle off to?"

Moving to offer Aileen a hug Bart spoke kidly to the girl "You sure picked a good one, seems like a fine smith to me. That little brother of mine must be over the moon. I reckon he probably even spoke a sentence. Gah, look at you, all grown up. Your mother would be so proud Gahaha!".

Turning back to Ryan, his hand still on Aileen's shoulder Bart offered him a smile "Well then, shall we get you two to the forge?". Face going wide in surprise Bart spoke again in a hurried tone "oh, and I forgot. Brake my niece's heart and I'll break you! Oh and don't be calling my daughter beautiful you hear! She's adorable! Still just a kid!"​

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Teuihua TheTimePiece

Nekomia Twobell
Kirkwall Merchant

The woman offered a polite wave of her own in response to Teuihua's, covering her mouth with her free hand as she did so. The small raises of her shoulders though made it obvious she was trying to hide a few chuckles. Though after a few seconds, she revealed a smile from behind her hand and her expression softened, eyes wandering the construct's body, taking in the designs that decorated it. "Why, how well mannered, you truly are an interesting find. Mr Teuihua. I am Nekomia, a humble merchant. You may call me Mia if you so please.".

Pulling her umbrella closer, the woman rested it upon her shoulder, arching her head just a little so as to gaze easier upon Teuihua and his frame. Her golden eyes clearly 'Appraised' him. "You work for the Baroness? My my, how very interesting. It would seem the rumours about her willingness to accept all kinds of people to work under her are true. How fortunate I am to run into you today. I do so enjoy when I can confirm something first-hand as opposed to through others.". Speaking with a soft and delicate smile the woman gave off a warm and welcoming aura that wasn't easy to resist even for a construct like Teuihua.

With the sound of bells lightly chiming, the woman's two tails swung lightly as she shifted her weight to one side. Allowing another merchant to uncomfortably pass the two by. Chuckling softly again the woman returned her gaze to Tehuia "You wish to offer aid. Well, then who am I to turn down such an excellent offer? Would you mind accompanying me to Border Hill? I have been tasked with providing goods to those stationed there but I'm afraid should I be attacked on the way there. Well, I wouldn't fair all that well would be putting it lightly."


​

 

[Elvario]

Regula Caelia
​

Mentions: Amanda Uasal

The first meeting in Kirkwall, with the Hunters, had been a bad one. This second one, with Mayor Levin, didn't seem like it was going any better. It was quite the disappointment, but she'd not let herself get discouraged so easily. She'd reply to his forced smile with an equally forced smile of her own. His words were clearly suspicious. After all, he said that someone was coming to visit, rather than The Baroness, which was extremely suspicious. She figured she wouldn't let him off the hook that easily. “The Hunters surely seemed to be waiting for someone to arrive, but it didn't seem like they knew it would be the baroness.” She said, not directly mentioning the foul play she suspected, but making it clear she was weary of it.

She was surprised by how little attention he paid to Amanda, not even recognising what she'd helped out with for this town's agriculture, despite later bragging about it. He was pretty darn foolish for letting such talent go to waste, but she guessed she should thank him for it. After all, that might be why Amanda came looking for better chances in Stonewall, which gave her the chance to hire the gal.

It was surprising for him to have so much ready, which took Regula off-guard. “Yes, the successes of this place's agriculture are undeniable.” It was difficult not to acknowledge that much, even though she disliked how he didn't mention Amanda's role in it. “Your preparations are also welcomed, you have my thanks.” It was the polite thing to say, even though she was slightly suspicious about his intent behind it.

That intent was revealed soon enough. Of course, a power play. She wasn't sure if she was disappointed or just tired. This man reminded her of Baron Highgrove and his antics. “Whilst I do not wish to diminish Kirkwall's contributions, its current position is only the strongest in the Barony due to Sootspire's goblin problems and the unfortunate downfall of Yemaya with the following backlash. Whilst history currently favours Kirkwall, there is likely to be a time where the rest of the barony shall need to jump in to aid Kirkwall, just like how Kirkwall now aids them.”

With that made clear, she could counter his attempted deal. “That is also why I cannot allow one place to benefit significantly more than another. Being responsible for the entire barony, I wish to ensure all of it is able to function well and stay strong, so that a set-back in one place doesn't cause the entire economy to cripple, like the downfall of Yemaya nearly caused to happen.”

The next part annoyed her. Amanda's words were helping her a lot, so she didn't wish them to be silenced. Besides, she liked her and she hated the people she liked being disrespected. However, that wasn't the only issue with Levin's reply, as it even disrespected Regula herself. “I've said it before and I will only repeat myself once more, I saw the value in her plans, schematics and insight, so I hired her as my Advisor. If you continue to question her presence and opinion like you are doing now, it is akin to questioning my judgement, which I do not take kindly to. I'm open to constructive criticism, but not to such an outright insult.” She spoke clear and strict with Baroness' Word B, wanting to once and for all get him to stop insulting her Advisor and her judgment.

“We can revisit the topic of tax cuts later, as I might be open to the idea of creating a form of them that would support both Sootspire and Kirkwall, but for now, I wish to address another matter. Why is it that this village has two mayors?” She figured she'd directly cut to the case on the bigger question, wanting to hear this story for the major himself. She'd make sure to keep a close eye (insight) on him to see if he was telling the truth.

Regula B-Grade CD: (0/4)
Baroness' Word – Character Grade B, Appraisal B, [Baroness of Caelia] title, Culture C, Etiquette C, Insight C, Leadership C, Persuasion C – Using her position as a baroness and her social prowess, Regula studies, convinces, inspires or otherwise engages in social conversation. - Grade B – 4 Post Cooldown.
Regula C-Grade CD: (3/3)
Regula D-Grade CD: (1/2)

Aileen

​

Spoiler: Full Image

Mentions: Ryan Rev IX

At first, Aileens face soured a little. Hearing Ryan compliment Cynthia all that much... it was making her a little angry. Her cousin wasn't that great. She might make great bread and fight well and probably look good to some, but like, she couldn't work a forge! Yeah. She also didn't know how to climb mountains... probably! Most of all, she was a boyfriend-thief! She wasn't worth all those compliments. She scoffed a little, but then Ryan started talking about his heart.

On a scale of 1 to 10, Aileen's level of flushed cheeks had easily reached YES. To hear Ryan not just acknowledge her calling him her boyfriend, but to go as far as to say it in a way as that his heart belonged to her? She had no clue what to even reply to that. His earlier sins were easily forgiven. She was a little uncomfortable with her uncle talking like that in front of Ryan, but returned the hug. She decided it'd be best not to tell uncle Bart that her father told her they should marry. Of course there was also the irony of Aileen being younger... She decided that none of it was something she was brave enough to mention right now. There was only one thing she did reply to, the topic of Ryan being a great smith, which felt like the safest thing to talk about. “He is, he made me this!” She replied, proudly showing her uncle the necklace that Ryan made her.

 

[DuckPrince]

Micah Ambrose​

He smiled lightly. Maybe his previous life was too kind to animals.. But at least this conversation made him aware of the issues he'd eventually face if he pursued horses as a source of profit.. He thanked him softly for the paper with the map on it, opening it to briefly glance it over. "I should've figured it would be something like that.. News travels extremely fast, huh?" He smiled sheepishly at the bartender. "There really isn't anything that dramatic.. from what I understand Teuihua helps the Stonewall guards and is currently protecting and working with the Baroness." He said. "And no.. I really don't think he can shoot lasers from his eyes. He prefers to use his body to protect." He said. "I'm sorry if this information isn't as exciting as you'd hoped. He's just traveling with her and helping pull a cart. What the Baroness is here for though, is none of my business nor do I particularly care.." He shrugged softly.

Uasal

 

[TheTimePiece]

Teuihua
​

Uasal
Teuihua was left pleasantly surprised by Nekomia's friendliness. 'Interesting' find was certainly a more positive comment than he had heard on many occasions before.
"It is a pleasure to meet you Mia, and thank you your words are kind." he said warmly, deciding he would call her what she said he could call her, feeling more comfortable at this point to say the least. For the time being Teuihua stayed rather still where he was, as he spoke to her, keeping his head turned toward her as well as his gaze on her. It was good to hear she was a merchant, one who appeared well off at that, perhaps she'd have some sway if this went successful in helping him achieve his objectives.

Of course Teuihua could recognize the reasons why she might feel the need to appraise him, it was something he did plenty himself when he was on the border and strangers approached the territories, hopefully that feature would return soon enough with time as his systems regained their full functionality.

"That does sound like an accurate evaluation, the Baronness has a variety of individuals working with her, from what I've witnessed I feel confident that she has a good sense of who she's had work for her." Teuihua vouched for Regula because he felt it was true as far as he could tell. Everyone in the group and who he'd met overtime all had strengths which they had brought to the table to help the barony out.

Teuihua felt a bit more at ease once more, with the soft delicate smile and welcoming aura, there really wasn't anything about her that suggested she was threatening, but even with this in mind, with Teuihua's experience of guarding borders, he knew that looks and initial impressions weren't everything, so he should still exercise some wariness when engaging with strangers.

Teuihua visibly stood up a bit straighter, as he listened to her mention the very place he needed to go himself; he would have tried moving out of the way of the merchant passing by but if he had tried he risked damaging property no doubt with his frame so he stayed put while Mia moved, as he listened. With Teuihua's judgment, he opted not to tell her he had been tasked with going there too, there was no reason to tell her, and it sounded like him going there was already a bit of a hot button issue to begin with with the possible danger that had been mentioned, that didn't mean that he wasn't going to accept Mia's request, since it put him closer to his goal of helping people understand while getting to fulfill the second request.

"Of course, I would be more than happy to escort you Mia, that is a task I can assure you I am experienced with, and as a result is a service that I feel more than comfortable providing." He replied. "I will do my utmost to ensure that you and your wares arrive there safely." Teuihua reiterated. Teuihua felt quite pleased Indeed that he was being asked to do something he was practically made for by his creators. It looked like he was ready to take further instruction from that point, as well as follow her where needed.

 

[conman2163]

Retili Loxinofican​

Character Sheet
Elvario DuckPrince Uasal TheTimePiece Rev IX

Retili sat under the tree with his eyes closed. Warmth danced across his face as he enjoyed the heat of the sun filtering through the trees. It was an odd experience as Retili could not remember ever having enjoyed the heat of the sun in this life. Visions of his old life came to him. Half dreams of his children, grandchildren, his wife, and the perfect life he had lived. The peaceful tranquility of that violence hating world. He was back on the porch of his farmhouse, his chair rocking slowly back and forth as he half dozed in the noonday sun. He wondered absentmindedly how his children and grandchildren were doing. The comfortable spot underneath the tree lulled him further and further into the daydreams. Then the voice of some stranger needled at his enjoyment. They wanted him to rise and walk towards them? He would have ignored it, but his innately keen senses caught the tone and his intuition told him there was something very wrong about this situation. (Insight F, Perception F, Empathy E) The little voice in his mind grew louder and more insistent as he considered just ignoring the stranger and going back to his daydream. With great reluctance he stood carefully from the spot at the tree and walked towards the tree line. He did as he was told and did not look back. As he walked forward he felt a mild burning sensation begin to grow on his face. It cooled as he stepped into the shadows of the treeline so he ignored it for now.

 

[Rev IX]

Ryan Kylieth

"Whoa!" Ryan exclaimed, not expecting the pulling game Cynthia and her father had with him to end so suddenly. Since he was not putting any effort himself, considering he was rather weak compared to these two, he would have been slammed to the ground. Bart was not quite finished, though. So he held Ryan's arm high, making him stand in a rather awkward position. Luckily, Bart was kind enough to restrain him on his feet after a few moments of processing what just happened. Moving his attention from Cynthia, to Aileen, to Ryan. The latter grimaced for an instant as the pat on the back hurt quite a bit, but decided to try his best to tough it out.

Bart's mood changed the instant he realized his child was not the one involved with Ryan... For the most part, but Ryan would rather not get into that topic. Ryan silently took the compliment with a nod. Now Bart wanted to lead them to his forge for some reason. Ryan took a step towards Aileen, but halted when he was threatened. "I'll try my best for that to never happen, sir" he said without missing a beat. The mutual confession had given him some degree of fearlessness. She simply made him feel more confident the more they opened to each other. And with a smile, he added "Understood, just a kid..." He could've sworn he heard at some point that Cynthia was older than Aileen, but again, Ryan wouldn't touch that topic with a twenty foot stick.

On the topic of smithing though, to which Aileen also jumped into, he was fine with. It was endearing to see her so happy with his gift... And her face when he heard his confession was driving him crazy, he wanted to hug her so bad. It must be tough for Cynthia though, but it had to eventually occur. He was not ready in the slightest for polyamory, or whatever Cynthia had in mind to make him side with her.

 

[Uasal]

Mayor Levin and Amanda Steelhaven

Mayor Levin didn't seem all that pleased when Regula and Amanda turned down his request but given the Baroness still seemed somewhat open to tax cut negotiation, an outburst was avoided. That being said the man was practically staring daggers at Amanda while Regula repeated her former stance on Amanda's utility. Something Amanda seemed all too familiar with given she didn't bat an eye at such behaviour nor falter in the slightest. In fact, her level-headedness in the face of such ridicule was almost comedic, it seemed the more worked up Levin got the more relaxed Amanda came to be.

That said, The Baroness' next question prompted an awkward silence from both parties. Amanda, in particular, moved to take the tea that had been prepared for the group and sip on it quietly. Clearly avoiding the question as best she could by keeping her mouth preoccupied. Mayor Levin, though clearly uncomfortable moved to answer in a convincing tone. "The Village is split between two opinions. Two futures if you will. I represent one and Mayor Kirk the other. With both of us having the support of different groups within the village, each of which supports our separate views and of course holds aspirations of their own. The two mayor system helps keep everyone happy to an acceptable degree. I keep the merchants happy, Kirk keeps the elves and farmers happy and we can all get on with our lives as peacefully and profitably as possible."

Regula would have no reason to cast doubt upon the man's words for her insight was more than enough to see the man had been speaking the truth, though any attempt to look at Amanda for reassurance would be met by a clear avoidance of eye contact which suggested the man had yet again spun the truth to suit himself. Moving to stand the Mayor offered Regula a hand to shake "Now if you'll excuse me I do have other matters to attend to. Mayor Kirk won't be available to see you today as he's away on business. I hope you enjoy your stay. Don't forget your documentation on the way out."

Placing her cup down on the table Amanda moved to stand first, taking the man's hand before Regula could with a painfully sweet smile. In a polite and charming tone she replied with "it's been an absolute pleasure. Do tell your wife... oh, apologies, It simply ran off my tongue. Do have a good day, Mr. Levin". Releasing his hand Amanda shot the Baroness a sly grin with her back to the man and moved to get the door for the woman "Baroness Celia, where would you like to go next?". Needless to say, the Mayor was livid and though he was able to bite his tongue, steam was practically rising from his head.
Elvario
​

---

Ash

The Bartender couldn't help but chuckle as Micah finished explaining the situation and his view on the Baroness' business in town. "Oh, it's a pack mule then? Seems a bit overkill for a mere pack mule wouldn't you say? That thing looks fit to demolish a building and the Baroness has it carrying around a cart? My my." Laughing to himself again the man began cleaning a tankard as he spoke "Guess if she can afford to do that she must really be something huh? A Hero some say. 'Tis what got her the gig. Can you believe that?". Leaning over the counter the man moved to whisper "Others say she's a criminal and a mad woman at that. Hard to tell which is the truth. But some folk around here would be willing to pay quite handsomely for some solid information on such. Think you're up for it?" [Persuassion E] [Seduction E]

Leaning back the man returned the tankard to the shelf and yawned "Either way, if it's the horses you're after and no extra fluffing about. It's the elves you'll want to see. That can be arranged like I said. Are you familiar with the Hunters? Ha, I know you are. The mage you ran into, Fiona, shes a half-breed. You're going to want to go see her. She'll be able to tell you where the horses are and the situation with them. Tell her Ash sent you, and compliment her hair. That should get you an in"
DuckPrince​

---

Nekomia Twobell

With Teuihua having accepted the offer for work from Mia the two were quickly on their way toward Borderhill. Teuihua had been entrusted with a large wooden crate to carry, the contents of which hadn't been disclosed nor were they identifiable by sound or feel. Though such contents were of no real concern by nature alone. However, one curious aspect that might have emerged from carrying such a crate was the question as to how exactly Mia had previously intended to transport the crate before Teuihua came along. It was clearly too heavy and big for the woman to carry herself without the aid of a cart.

The duo travelled along the route to Borderhill at a leisurely pace, Mia in no hurry at all to hasten her arrival. Indeed as the two had made it about have way down the path, Mia began to wander without a word. Crouching down near the road edge Mia began appraising a small flower, sniffing it gently before making it vanish into thin air with but a touch. Without [Appraisal] Teuihua would be unable to tell what had just happened for sure but there was most certainly either sleight of hand or magic at work. Returning to her feet the woman turned to Teuihua with a soft smile. "You should put that crate down Mr. Teuihua. It seems we have some uninvited guests approaching at a rather swift pace. Please prepare yourself for combat".

Moving behind the construct Mia shifted her parasol so as to shade herself and sat comfortably upon the box. Fanning herself the woman giggled to herself before speaking softly "Brace for impact".

No sooner had the words left her mouth did an arrow crash against the construct's arm. It didn't deal any serious damage given it had struck Teuihua's more reinforced appendage but it did chip the material as it was deflected. Looking up the path toward the direction the arrow had been shot from Teuihua would notice three adventurers. One archer, one swordsman and a spearman. The swordsman in particular already on the charge.



Prepare for combat. Action Economy Active
TheTimePiece ​

---

???

Having broken free from the Trees grasp Retili made it to the tree line and, in doing so, to safety. Looking back toward the tree Retili would find he had been sitting in what was a graveyard. All around the tree, unbeknownst to him at the time, lay several decomposed corpses of all types. The majority were of course animal in nature but an alarming amount of humanoid skeleton frames were identifiable with just a glance. With his insight, Retili would be able to deduce the tree's hypnotic nature had been luring in animals and the like only to ensnare them in a dream-like state so that they perished. The then corpses become valuable nourishment for the soil below.

A soft thud sounded behind him as an elf lept down from the treescape, bow in hand. The woman easily dwarfed him with her seven-foot stature and her slim yet toned build gave him the impression any attempt to flee would be futile. Though, thankfully that wouldn't be necessary.

With a soft sigh the woman seemed relieved to see Retili unharmed "I'm glad I found you in time. I'm glad to see you're unharmed. Though, any injury incurred would have been a result of your own ignorance"

Though her last phrase may have been somewhat harsh, the elf spoke true. The forest was off-limits and Retili very well could have died were it not for outside intervention. "Now, how about you tell me what it is you're doing in the Kirkwall forest? Were you unaware it's off-limits to outsiders? I assume you can see one of the reasons as to why that's the case now yes".
conman2163​

---

Bart

Moving to inspect the necklace Bart hummed and hawed as he did so. After a few seconds of humming and hawing, the man nodded in acceptance "A fine piece indeed". Turning back to face Ryan the man grabbed him by the shoulder and began walking him to the workshop. Once inside he sent Aileen to find Cynthia and then took Ryan to the forge where he produced for him a slab of processed steel. Then a metallic leaf Ryan could Appraise as Steel Leaf, a rare material type seldom seen outside of Elven workshops.

With a girn Bart set alight the forge "Here's the test. You got one chance. Make me a new hammer. Use the Steelleaf to reinforce the weakest point and then..." Producing a small gemstone the man's grin grew wider "Inlay this Catalyst.". Laughing to himself the man took a step back from the forge to allow Ryan full access. Grabbing himself a stool the man took a seat and made himself comfortable, ready to watch Ryan work should he accept the challenge. "My Brother and Niece seem impressed. And I don't doubt you're a great Blacksmith. But I have higher expectations than my brothers. I won't let you touch a single tool in this town unless you can pull this off, you hear."
Rev IX​

 

[Elvario]

Regula Caelia
​

Mentions: Amanda Uasal

At some point during the conversation, she'd ended up 'going through the motions' instead of having much hope left for this to work well. Whilst it turned out it'd been a good idea not to outright deny his idea of tax-breaks, it was clear he wasn't going to respect Amanda. It made Regula wonder if she was in the wrong here and if she'd made a huge error on trusting Amanda. After all, why in the world did this mayor hate the girl so much?

That moment of doubt was taken away by the mayor's explanation. To hear the village was split was troublesome, to hear that Kirk's side favoured farmers explained why Levin didn't like Amanda. However, she was surprised when the mayor suddenly shook her hand and simply left. She'd accept the handshake, but it certainly wasn't heartfelt. After all, this behaviour was disrespectful towards her at best and an outright challenge of authority at worst. “I'll have a look at it, thank you for having it prepared and I wish you a good day.” She managed to reply, albeit with some effort. She was already feeling very tired from the events of this day, despite it not even being evening yet.

When he was out of the room, Regula quickly checked to ensure nobody could listen in on her or watch her. Only then did she sigh deeply and let her shoulders hang a bit. “Well then...” She mumbled. That was a second first-impression in a row that'd gone to waste. This wasn't boding well. First impressions tended to last for a long time, so failing two in a row was a horrible start. Before going anywhere else, however, Regula had some questions. “Do you think it's true that the mayor Kirk is away? I'd rather speak to him as well, as to not seem to have a preference in whom I meet with and to hear the other side of this story.”

There was, however, also the bigger question. “Also, considering how carefully Levin avoided the topic of what exactly their ideological differences are, regarding the future he represents, would it be fair to assume that it's likely something that isn't necessarily in the favour of the barony as a whole, similar to his suggested deal with Sootspire?” That was the only conclusion she could reach.

As she said it, she looked through the paperwork, to see how much of it she could make sense off. She realised that wasn't all that much. “I'll need to look this over with you or Retili later, I'm afraid.” She'd admit Amanda, preferring to reveal her shortcomings rather than risking her pride getting in the way of a good analysis. Even so, having to admit that again was making her feel even more discouraged.

As for who to meet next, she honestly wasn't sure. “If the other mayor's not here, is there anyone else of authority I could meet with? Perhaps I could see if I can have a more favourable meeting with the other Hunters or some representative of the Elves or farmers? If none of that is an option... Well, this might sound weird, but meeting your family and learning more about your crop rotation by seeing it in practice might be nice. After these two botched first impressions, I'll admit I could use a bit of a break.”

There was another worry on her mind. “I'm sorry.” She suddenly stated. “Learning how flawed I am at these sort of things must be frustrating, after having already joined my employment.” She said, worrying about how it must feel to see the person you'd been hired by fail so badly at dealing with the people in your home-town. It was clear that Regula was losing her confidence on the one hand, whilst still wishing to try again and prove her own growing pessimism wrong on the other.

 

[conman2163]

Retili Loxinofican​

Character Sheet
Elvario DuckPrince Uasal TheTimePiece Rev IX

The small Fae turned to survey what he had left against his better judgement. Retili's stomach turned at the sight of the bodies. It did not help his mind one bit to see the number of skeletons that had obviously come from sentient beings. Some of the bones looked older then others. He had been nearly part of the corpse pile. A small soothing part of his mind made him wonder if that was such a bad way to go though. Lulled into a dream that would peacefully see them off to their eternal rest. At least the tree was not evil. It was quite clearly doing this solely for the nutrients. The soft thud that echoed behind him had Retili turning around to see who was approaching. She had about four feet on him and he had to tilt his head upwards to meet the eyes of the she-elf. At her words Retili glanced thoughtfully back at the tree and then back at the other Fae. "I apologize, I was merely wondering around is all. I knew I was in Kirkwall but I was unaware the forest was off-limits for any reason." A painful burning sensation started to spread across the skin of his face, and the Fae casually flicked up the hood on his cloak so that his face became awash in darkness. Now all that could be easily discerned was the yellow of his eyes. The sun had already done it's work however, and Retili was bound to have a large angry sunburn spread across his features. He would probably pay to see a healer once they returned to stonewall. It was by far the most convenient way to rid him of the condition. "Is there another reason this place is off limits?" Retili asked, now curious about the forest.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Teuihua
​

Uasal

Teuihua carried the crate without question, relatively easily with his size and strength presumably. He also didn't really think through the lgoistics of how she was expecting to move the crate without assistance. He was content with the idea that he was going to be able to hit two request criteria in one go if everything went well. Teuihua did not mind the gradual pace and did not speak too much since he figured that he'd be better off showing her that he could do his job well rather than try to make small talk with her, since she could intiate it with him if she so desired, his role of being deemed an outsider still apparent to him, so he wasn't going to push his luck too much there.

When Mia paused, Teuihua paused, as he watched her tend to the flower, briefly, but also keeping a vigilant look around for where they were, since he knew what the task at hand was and they were supposedly approaching dangerous territory. The first thing Teuihua picked up on was how lax Mia seemed in the face of this apparent danger which she was informing him of, so he gently put down the crate with his more dexterous arm before looking around to spot what she was speaking of. Did she just have this much faith in him or was there something else amiss?

Not only that but before he could respond to her comment about bracing for impact was he apparently struck by an arrow which was thankfully superficial at worst, seeing the slight mark on the arm, he had been much more damaged than this so it wasn't anything jarring for him, nevertheless, Teuihua moved forward so that he was in between the armed group and Mia. taking up as much space as possible. Instead of charging in to assault them however, where the golem glowed increased with intensity, as a blue energy current began to encompass his entire frame, as he stood up as tall and wide as possible, before bringing his large pillar arm down hard into the ground for effect, creating a loud sound as it hit the ground to show that he was not messing around.These attackers didn't seem like thugs, robbers or assassins but more like people Teuihua saw around adventurer guilds prior. Maybe there was a misunderstanding?
First he would try his words, as many times he did on the border. Teuihua preferred to avoid killing or seriously injuring people. Hopefully they would listen to him and he would not need to attack.

He then spoke in a louder voice devoid of warmth but instead much like how a guard would speak "I am here on official business for Baroness Caelia. Halt your aggression or face the consequences." Using the ability Enforcer.

Actions:
1. Move between Mia and assailants.
2. and 3.: Use ability Enforcer to try to stop escalation of fighting. (2 actions)

Enforcer - Fighting Style Mictlantecuhtlian Mechanized Melee F, Electric Aura F, Intimidation F, - Grade F 0 post cooldown Actions: 2
Teuihua empathizes his size, strength and or harmful aura in order to keep order and intimidate targets into submission.

 

[DuckPrince]

Micah Ambrose​

He scratched the back of his neck. "I'm not really interested in that kind of money. Besides the fact that I'm an ant in comparison, she'd catch me immediately. Plus I'm an outsider." He shook his head. Micah was far too cautious to give in to tasks like gathering information about a powerful person. "But thank you for the information." He said. He didn't want to run around like a headless chicken trying to locate a singular redhead mage in such a mishmashed village unless he happened upon her. After finishing his drinks, he stood up to get going though.

"Another time, then." He nodded in farewell and slipped out. Looking at the little map he was given, he started to make his way towards the last sighted location of the wild herd he was told about. He was truly looking forward to at least seeing them.

Uasal

 

[Rev IX]

Ryan Kylieth

Bart appeared to like his work, making Ryan happy to have his work appreciated, as usual. Though now he was being led by a hand on his shoulder towards the local smithy, and away from Aileen. That bummed him a little, but it's not like she would be gone forever. Now, he focused back on what lied ahead. Just like his brother, in a more concrete manner though, Ryan was challenged. He silently glanced over to Bart, not wanting him to suddenly want to marry his daughter like before. Considering Bart's way of looking after Cynthia though, he deemed it highly unlikely.

"I don't see why not" Ryan enthusiastically declared as he pocketed the gem. He immediately started working the steel piece, placing it in the forge. And not on its own. Ryan placed the Steel Leaf above a certain spot of the steel slab after contemplating on it for a few moments. While the heat made the materials for the head of the hammer workable, he looked around through the smithy for a proper handle. He glanced at Bart's hands from time to time, trying to visualize how would the end product would work best for Bart. After some rummaging around, he found a suitable handle. He placed it in a table for the time being. The steel pieces were ready, so Ryan would take them out of the forge and started hammering the metals into shape at the anvil.

He hammered it in such a way that the Steel Leaf would stay at the very center of the piece, even after reheating it once to get in the more detailed parts of the new hammer. He also used the reheat to etch the place for the gem within the head of the hammer, as well as a notch for the handle. Both centered, placed within the confines of the Steel Leaf. After cooling it from the heat in oil a couple of times for a less brittle result. Now, the moment of truth. He fitted the catalyst with care. as he wasn't sure how resistant it was. After a couple attempts of making it fit with soft pushes, Ryan successfully inlaid the magic gemstone. The handle's notch was a bit too tight, but with the careful use of a knife, Ryan evened it out and all the pieces of the puzzle fit in, bordering on perfection.

He handed the finished product to Bart. "Veredict?" He asked, curious of what a more demanding judge, at least by his own word, would think of that hammer. Not even taking his gloves off or wipe sweat away, in case he was like Gobán and demanded more... Which he sincerely didn't want to happen.

 

[Uasal]

Amanda Steelhaven

Amanda listened to what Regula had to say, not speaking up until the woman had aired all it was she seemed to have stored up within. Being a Baroness was no easy job and Amanda knew such a truth well. In many of the games she had played in her former life, those given the title of Baron were suddenly tossed into a world of diplomatic sabotage. Many Barons were merely stepping stones or pawns for those of greater power. Those who weren't were either extremely powerful in their own right or simply hadn't met anyone who saw them of use yet. Amanda wasn't all too sure which camp Regula belonged to, but she was certain that the woman, though powerful, was well out of her depth when it came to governing.

That of course wasn't anything too surprising though, she was a war hero granted a title. If she knew how to govern a barony right from the get-go there were likely other forces at play. No, to Amanda, Regula was more than likely a pawn in someone else's game. A sacrificial one at that. One set up to fail or at the very least expected to. The Celia Barony was a border zone, one ransacked by monsters, and bandits and housing the epicentre of the cult's former activities, all be it in the form of a destroyed ruin. The new capital was a logistical mess, Sootspire was a powerful asset but poorly managed and Kirkwall, well Kirkwall was the worst of them all and it was about time Amanda came clean about the current situation.

"We should go and visit the leader of the Hunters then. Please come with me.".

Leading Regula out toward the farmland once again, the two left the town back down the way they had entered. It didn't take them long to reach the clearing in which they had been attacked prior and upon reaching such a point Amanda stopped and turned to the Baroness with a soft smile. "It's time we had a chat".

Folding her hands neatly behind her back Amanda stood up straight and her general aura turned quite serious. Her expressions were still relaxed and polite but her tone and body language suggested the woman was more serious about what she was about to say than anything else before. "Kirkwall is your biggest threat. And your most significant asset."

Letting those words sink in for a moment Amanda moved to expand on them. here focus unshaken "Kirkwall has the power and resources to solve a significant issue within the Barony. Kirkwall alone could feed your people until the Barony's other areas are back on their feet. Likewise, it serves as a beacon of commercial trade. Of course, that trade will take a hit if you begin sharing out the food that's normally sold but regardless, Kirkwall currently has what your other holds do not. A mercantile reputation. A good one at that."

"Sootspire has a fantastic mine and the potential to become an industrial powerhouse. Stonewall too has potential, as the new capital it will become a bastion, the centre of Celia Barony and it's economic and diplomatic power. But right now, both are struggling. Both are open wounds that are draining your resources. In actual fact, like Mayor Levin said they're draining Kirkwall's resources most of all."

Turning her back to the Baroness, Amanda moved to look at the bountiful fields in the distance, inviting her to do the same "You need Kirkwall for Celia Barony to survive. Without it, your Barony is doomed to fail."

Pausing for a second Amanda's tone became hushed, just loud enough for the Baroness to hear but just barely. "That is why it is also your greatest threat. Baroness Celia, the War Hero. Tell me, and do take your time to think about this. Why were you chosen as Baroness? And who, if anyone, would benefit from such an arrangement? What noble would benefit from your success?".
Elvario​

---

???

The Elf didn't seem all that concerned about Retili, her anxiety seemingly fading as he explained he was merely a wanderer who had gotten lost. Something that was not all too uncommon in the area given its nature. With a soft sigh, the woman returned her bow to her back and brought her hands to her hips, looking down at Retili with a half grin "Wow, you really aren't from around here are you, kinsman?". With a soft chuckle of disbelief, the Elf pointed toward a clearing in the distance "I'll answer your question, but then you're to leave. Get to that clearing and follow the marking stones northward to get back to town, got it? And next time you get lost, try not to get caught in a trap."

Moving to a tree and very quickly scaling it the woman, made her way up and onto a branch where she sat with a vantage "This Forest is off limits for a few reasons. First, as you are aware, there are several trees just like this one that all too many adventurers have met their fate against. Second, this is the domain of the elves, we keep to ourselves as does Kirkwall and its people. Third and most importantly, monsters make this forest their spawning ground and as such it is dangerous for those unaccustomed to their hunting patterns. That and should the east invade, the forest is the last line of defence after Boarder Hill. So the fewer people who know its ins and outs, the better. Does that satisfy everything?"
conman2163
​

---

??? ??? ???

Teuihua's actions did little to halt the advance of the swordswoman but it did seem to make both her companions re-evaluate their own plans of attack. The archer for one had opted to watch on as his ally charged, seemingly trying to gain any insight he could from how the construct would react to her attack. While the spearman, well the spearman seemed to be facing quite a mental dilemma. "Did it just talk? They could do that?"

"It said something about a Baroness. Did we have a Baroness before?"

"I'm pretty sure we got a new count, but I heard nothing about a baroness"

As the other two conversed the swordswoman would reach Teuihua and using her momentum to great effect, swung her claymore in an arc to strike the construct's mighty arm with a heavy slash. The sword, unlike the arrow, would deal noticeable damage to the construct's arm, leaving a clear but shallow cut along its path. By no means was this damage serious but it was noticeable and as such two or three more attacks of the like would likely accumulate into something more serious.

That said the swordswoman was in a similar boat, though she had taken little damage from the aura it too would accumulate into something more serious if given the chance. And so with a hop backwards, the woman brought her Claymore back behind herself clearly ready to counter should Teuihua try to press the attack. "You two, less chatting. This constructs no joke. It's not like the others we've faced thus far."

Actions: Attack received from Swordswoman, 0 damage, TheTimePiece
​

---

Micah had made his way to a clearing near the fae forest and as promised, there he found what he had been searching for. A herd of horses were grazing, numbering ten in all the herd was mighty impressive to gaze upon. Indeed, as discussed, one horse, in particular, emanated great power and was quite the fine animal to see. Though, the herd was still some distance away that very horse was already following Micah's movements like a hawk it peered toward him. Any attempt to get too close would be met with a warning and a very serious one at that. This horse was not in the business of making friends and Micah's current riding skill was not going to persuade it otherwise. That much was clear.

That said, Micah would notice a familiar sight in the distance, Retili, seemingly talking to himself. Though the man was hard to make out being so far away, the man dressed in a very particular way and was of a particular height that made it obvious with even the distant observation.
DuckPrince
​

---

Bart

Bart didn't move or show many tells during the forging process but once Ryan had presented his finished work, the man was all action. Rocketing up from his stool the man took hold of the hammer quickly and like an adult child, began swinging it around as if it were a toy. Flipping it, swinging it, bouncing it and dropping it multiple times in many different ways the man seemed to be enjoying himself. The hammer Ryan had worked so delicately on though, well it was being given a run for its money. Eventually, though the man would bring it to the anvil and set it down. With a grin, he'd raised it and strike it against the cast iron with a loud twang. Repeating this five times he seemed satisfied and moved to take a hot iron billet from the forge.

Placing the billet on the anvil he'd begin working the piece quite hard, obviously not intending to actually work it into anything useful but more as a test in and of itself. When the Iron had been thoroughly flattened out and worked beyond any real use, the man began to chuckle. "Flames, engulf this hammer and grant me strength". With the focus on the hammer sparking to life the hammer was indeed engulfed in flame and with a few more strikes the blacksmith quickly worked the metal back into a solid slab. Like a magical eraser, the blacksmith was undoing his damage to the metal.

Looking back to Ryan with a toothy grin the man nodded "It's well made. Definitly. You really are an ace kid. I personally would have put the steel leaf to use on one of the hammer's faces but I like your style. You pass. You can use my forge as if it were your own. Got all the tools stocked out back already. You'll be here all night Gahaha!"
Rev IX ​

 

[Elvario]

Regula Caelia
​

Mentions: Amanda Uasal

Amanda didn't answer the question as to what mayor Levin's purpose was. In fact, she didn't even react to Regula's guess. Was this Amanda's way of testing her? Likely so. Perhaps that was also why she didn't tell her about the Hunters or double-mayors prior. All in all, her guess was correct. Amanda was likely already regretting her decision to work for her. Whilst she did suggest to meet with the leader of the Hunters, which Regula simply nodded to, Amanda was soon to start up another conversation.

Although Amanda gave her a smile, but the fact she'd led her to exactly where she'd been attacked prior and the fact that Amanda hadn't really said much of encouragement or answered the lingering question made Regula feel like she was going to be put on trial. That turned out to be correct. She silently listened to Amanda's talk about Kirkwall. It aligned fairly well with the first impression Regula had been forming about this place.

That's when she started to get what Amanda was hinting at. If Amanda was stressing how much the barony needed Kirkwall... was there a chance of losing it? Were they planning to go rogue? Split off from them just like how Sol County had split off from Ryke? Something along those lines seemed very far-fetched, but after being attacked by Hunters and so openly disrespected by mayor Levin, it was definitely not beyond the scope of possibilities.

She was, however, confused when Amanda addressed her as a War Hero. It hadn't been Ryke's war and the See Inquistor position she'd been granted wasn't exactly something she'd done much with, especially not publicly. What was the relevance? That was somewhat answered soon enough, namely be a question.

“Hero is a big word after a failure.” She grimaced, but then she started thinking on the actual question. “I could think of several reasons for being chosen. For one, this barony and county were in turmoil, so I doubt the position of ruling a barony with many issues, bordering two warring nations and having a considerable risk of sparking more civil unrest, was something others were eager to take on. Second, they know I was on good standing with both Michael and the late lord Light, including his Order. Considering they wanted to excommunicate Michael and execute lord Light, they might've considered giving me a barony to rule as the best way to keep me and those with me, like Aria and Pierre, pacified after those events. Thirdly, I know count Sadek was chosen in the hopes of getting better relations with the See. Considering my background, they might've chosen me for a similar reason. It might even be as a provocation towards the East Empire for the same reason. Finally, someone might want me to pursue my heritage and start stirring up trouble for the ruling nobles by climbing the ranks. In the latter case, the nobles that would benefit most success are the ones that haven't aligned themselves with the Duke from the royal family, but the ones aligned with the other Duke. After all, taking down Royals is historically done by using a bastard from their own branch.”

Still, she figured there was another dimension to it. “Then again, there's many who would also benefit from my failure. The royals might, although I doubt they'd fear me or my claims at this stage. I also know baron Highgrove has ambitions to become a count and isn't above playing dirty. I'm still wanted in the East Empire as a whole, but perhaps I might have some supporters among the rebels there or among the few that know the truth about who caused that attack with the bugs. Of course that also means that I might have some supporters from the See, who see me as a way to increase their influence in Ryke.”

She'd been talking a whole lot, hopefully enough by now. “Is that a satisfactory answer?” She'd say, attempting, yet failing, to put up a smile. She didn't mind working hard or struggling to obtain what she wanted, but she did feel a growing desire to have someone to lean on whilst doing so. With Amanda taking the offensive as well (at least in Regula's perception), Aria being on her mission and even Retili having ran off... She really felt like she was put on trial in solitude right now. Then again, she knew loyalty had to be earned, so she'd try to pull through and show Amanda that, despite her inexperienced self, she was at least smart enough to learn and adapt quickly. She'd shown her weakness, so now, for both her own sake and Amanda's, she was hoping to at least have shown some strength.

 

[DuckPrince]

Micah Ambrose​

Micah knew when to back off, even before the wild stallion made his boundaries clear. Just being able to observe the wild herd made him happy. He spend some odd minutes simply sitting in the grass, watching them from a safe distance before he noticed the fey from his travelling group.
Not wanting to make the lead stallion any more uncomfortable with his presence, he gathered himself and took the walk to reach Retili. Ultimately he did also hope to be able to give the fey an apology after having given it some thought.
"Sir?" He called, still a slight ways away. He wasn't going to come closer on the off chance that Retili just wanted nothing to do with him.
Uasal conman2163

 

[conman2163]

Retili Loxinofican​

Character Sheet
Elvario DuckPrince Uasal TheTimePiece Rev IX

A weary look settled over the features of the Zentail even as the other Fae spoke. "I'll keep it in mind in the future." Retili normally would have pressed the situation further to find out more information but he wasn't feeling himself and he didn't exactly have his troops here with him to press the issue even if he wanted to. The attitude of the other Fae left much to be desired in his eyes but he held his tongue. He had already lost all taste for pursuing a census with these folk. He would go to town and do the minimum of work needed to lay a solid foundation that he could go out and complete furth down the line. Retili would return in his own time to complete the census here later. He had more than enough troops to be able to travel the roads safely on his own. He turned and waved goodbye to the Fae and walked out the way he had been directed. He was deep in his own thoughts when Micah spoke. He looked up, yellow eyes slitted against the sun underneath the cowl. "Oh it's you." His voice displayed signs of only mild surprise. "I'm heading into town now, do you need something?"

 

[Rev IX]

Ryan Kylieth
​

Ryan silently observed as his finished product was being thrown around by Bart. He did not show any signs of nerves either. His craft was something he was proud of, and he felt no different about the hammer. Working on a forge, Ryan acted like a much more confident person, this is where he truly shined. He'd wish was that confident outside of that bubble of his, especially in Aileen's presence. The smith's eyebrows raised with Bart's final test. So that's the catalyst in action, he thought, fascinated by the combined means of a work tool and a magic catalyst.

When Bart was done, he was impressed by Ryan's work, complimenting him and all. "Thank you, sir" Ryan said, taking the compliments with a modest smile. Bart said he could use the place if he so wished, and even offered it for all-nighters with a laugh. Ryan smiled again "Thank you, sir... But I need to look for Aileen, do you think she'll come back here, or I'm better off looking around Kirkwall for her?" the young man asked while taking the smith equipment. Neatly placing it where he found it

Depending on Bart's answer, he'd either patiently wait for Aileen, or thank Bart for his time and start wandering around Kirkwall looking for Aileen.

 

[TheTimePiece]

Teuihua
​

Uasal

Something definitely wasn't right here Teuihua immediately thought when he heard what this group of armed people were saying. He heard their dialogue about not knowing who the Baronness was which was a problem, but what their reaction did tell him was that they were not criminals since he doubted they would care about that factoid if they were in fact hostile criminals. Thankfully for Teuihua the damage from the sword was superficial at best, but it was rather unfortunate to get defaced like this yet again when his systems were not fully operation.

Teuihua decided to take a more neutral but guarded stance instead of trying to strike the one who hit him back, feeling bad that she had been shocked since it sounded like this was a misunderstanding.

"My objective is to follow Baroness Caelia's wishes and protect Mia whose cargo I am ensuring the safety of. If you are not here to harm her or others or commit criminal activity then I do not wish to fight you. Baroness Caelia is the person who is assuming authority over Kirkwall only recently, which may explain why you have not heard of her. I am aware I may seem suspicious from what I have heard about the current situation, but what I speak is true I am here on business of the Baroness as I have stated, so please let us through."

He spoke loud and clearly. the suspious bit referencing the issue with Empire constructs going around. Under other circumstances Teuihua may have attempted to counter, but he thought maybe if he explained yet again, and showed that he wasn't trying to be aggressive, they'd understand what he meant. He couldn't fault them if they thought he was some Empire construct or something that was coming to cause trouble but that was far from the truth, and now he just felt bad that his attacker had been hurt by his aura unnecessarily it sounded like. Of course this was just his 'gut' reaction but none of this people seemed ill intentioned or like they were marauders and criminals, if only his appraisal function was working normally, that could have helped him quite a bit understand better.

Actions:
(Teuihua didn't move or counter, he simply shifted his standing stance and spoke)

 

[DuckPrince]

Micah Ambrose​

Micah shook his head a little. "I just.. wanted to apologize about earlier. I overstepped and I shouldn't have said anything." He said, scratching the back of his head before he glanced back at the herd in the distance. "Are you heading back to the village? ..Do you mind if I tag along? I won't speak." He asked and assured. It seemed like they were headed in the same direction and it would feel kind of weird to just walk while entirely ignoring each other's existence. At least that's what it felt like to Micah anyway.
conman2163

 

[Uasal]

Amanda Steelhaven


When Regula had finished answering Amanda's question the woman was in no way quick to respond. Had Regula answered Amanda's question satisfactorily? Well, it wasn't as though her question could have been answered in any other way. No matter Regula's answer, Amanda would gain insight into what and who the Baroness saw as a possible threat or boon to her name. To the Barony as a whole. Though one thing the woman had said, quite honestly left Amanda quite stunned. A very important detail was just openly shared with her and said detail changed quite a lot. Regula was of noble birth? The bastard daughter of a royal no less.

It seemed Amanda would need to reconsider her list of possible threats to the Barony far more thoroughly. Regardless, right now, regarding Kirkwall, Regula's heritage was of little concern. Moving a hand to her hip, Amanda turned to gaze at the Baroness with a soft smile. It was somewhat forced given the sudden revelation but for all intents and purposes, it was most certainly genuine. Nearly two minutes had passed since Regula put forward her question, and now Amanda was ready to answer "It was.". Short and sweet, Amanda let her words hover for a moment before returning her gaze to the golden fields.

"Everything you spoke on was well thought out. You seem to have a decent understanding of the position you're in. Any one of them could be true and right now all we can do is make a guess as to which is in fact the main reason. Perhaps they all are. However, Baroness Caelia, there is one possibility you failed to mention. You claim, and rightly so, that no individual would be eager to take on the duty or title this barony holds. It's in a terrible state and position, the amount of work needed to turn around the economy alone is staggering. It's a mess, production is at an all-time low, morale is shattered and I have no doubts that among noble circles the barony itself is a laughing stock. No one wants it. Yet you were given it."

Pausing for a second Amanda's smile vanished, her expression blank. It brought her no pleasure to speak of her own home this way but it was the truth. "Baroness Caelia, do you happen to know what the easiest way to handle a public scandal is?" The question itself was rhetorical but Amanda's expression being so blank may have given the impression the question was genuine, that is until she answered it moments later. "It would be to cause another.".

Turning to the Baroness, Amanda's expression didn't change. Her eyes were devoid of any strong emotions but her tone carried a seriousness that could not be ignored "Right now, Ryke is going through a lot. They exiled Michael, executed the lord and retook the land they lost. But still, no matter where you go in the kingdom, talk of the cult. The giant blue hand, the destruction of Yemaya. It cannot be escaped. The nobles have lost face, the guild's money, holy orders' reputation. And all of it stems from this County. Specifically your Barony."

"Regula, the reason you left out is that you're very likely meant to fail. And I'm sorry to say it but Kirkwall... Kirkwall is the first step toward that end. Without Kirkwall all hope of reviving your Barony efficiently and without loss of life is mute. And as you surmised earlier, Kirkwall may flip allegiance, The people Mayor Levin represents... They are in favour of officially joining the Highgrove Barony"
Elvario ​

---

??? and Nekomia Twobell

At the mention of Mia the swordswoman would peer behind the construct to find he was indeed protecting the merchant. The very same merchant who was waving joyfully toward the trio. Sheathing their weapons the group gathered closer to the construct and the leader of the group, who happened to be the archer, offered forward an apology. "Miss Mia, we were unaware you had employed a construct as a guard. You should have really sent word. You know there's a hunt on at the moment, bringing another construct here is just asking for troub... ahh never mind".

It seemed the man was all too cognizant of the fact such words would only fall flat when it came to Mia, who was still sitting upon her crate with a childlike smile plastered upon her face. Teuihua had successfully defused the situation and avoided further combat. Though it was apparent Mia herself had contributed to his persuasion of the trio, this was a great feat. With but a scratch to serve as a reminder, Teuihua had escaped unharmed.

"Mr. Teuihua. These three are adventurers from the guild. It would seem they mistook you for the construct that had been spotted roaming the area the past few days. Tsk tsk tsk. This was a very unfortunate happenstance. No one could have seen this coming!". Obviously teasing the woman hopped from her box and tapped at it a few times before turning to the construct with a cunning smile "Okay. honestly, I wanted to see you in action. But I had no intention of seeing you or anyone else harmed. I'll be sure to compensate you accordingly, so won't you forgive me?"
TheTimePiece ​