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expiationlogs2023-08-23 06:10 pm
feintofhart) wrote in expiationlogs2023-08-23 06:10 pm
[ OPEN GROUP LOG ] emergency planning & diplomacy
Who: Everyone! Please use this as an event log -- put up your own starters, and also tag around to your heart's content!
Where: Aldrip's neighbouring towns, the spooky forest, and throughout Aldrip.
What: The Chosen, reeling from the recent forest attack, decide to organize for future attacks, whether that's diplomacy with neighbouring towns, reinvigorating farmland, or getting some combat training in. Please see THIS OOC post for more information!
Warnings: None anticipated; please let me know if I ought to update it!
In the wake of destruction wrought by the strange beast of the forest, Claude and Marianne - both people far more well-acquainted with the ramifications of damaged farm grounds and unprepared civilians than they would like to be - have taken it upon themselves to try to prepare in advance for the next attack, whatever that may be. After discussion with the leads of Aldrip, they’ve come up with a list of what most needs to be done – and they can’t do it alone. With the community of the Chosen at their heels, new and old, for reasons of altruism and for reasons of simple exploration, they have set forth with the following tasks: an excursion through the eerie Pessiria Forest to get to Rumpitur to exchange goods and services for aid from the dubiously friendly naga-like people who live there, restoring life to the destroyed forest and farmlands so that nature can once again thrive, and to properly stock up safehouses with preserved goods, shelter, and weaponry.
What’s in it for you, you ask? Well, when the next attack comes, you don’t want to be the one going hungry.
EXCURSION THROUGH THE PESSIRIA FOREST
Rumpitur is a full day’s trek away, and not a straightforward one; in order to get to their destination, the Chosen must first hike their way through Pessiria forest. They meet with their packs and wagons at the entrance of the forest, a thick, lush wall of foliage greeting them along a winding, unsteady path. If you’re prone to listening to rumours, you may hear some of the locals buzzing about uncertainly: “no business being on that land, none at all”, “Did you hear? That’s where that Froste boy disappeared – when you go in, you never come back out”, “Going in there? They’ll be cursed!”.
No such dangers will greet the Chosen, but the more paranoid among them will be confronted with the grim reality of an entire day’s travel spent on edge, jumping at every flutter of wings from overhead and snapped twigs from the fauna skittering through the brush. During this trek, there will be ample time for the Chosen to stop and rest a while, replenish their flasks and perhaps share a story or two, but be careful; in forests this dense, it’s easy for someone to get lost. Wouldn’t it be a shame if someone was left behind?
To add insult to injury, once they arrive in Rumpitur, they’ll realize that there’s nowhere for them to stay, and the scaled denizens of the place will firmly - though not unkindly - refuse to let them into their homes. That means that to get anything done, the Chosen will need to make camp right outside, a great opportunity to swap stories around the fire, try to rustle up some dinner, go stargazing, or just complain about the effects of the hard ground on your poor old backs. Happy bonding!
DIPLOMACY OF RUMPITUR
Once diplomatic meetings have come and gone, the representatives of Aldrip and Rumpitur have come to an agreement: Rumpitur will provide its aid, but only at a cost. They have their own interests to protect, after all. But they’re flexible on how such a debt is repaid and ask only that the Chosen provide whatever they are able to – and you wouldn’t want to give Aldrip a bad reputation, would you?
Here, the Chosen can truly shine as they’re asked to give what they can. For some, this means sheer manual labour as they haul water from the wells, transport crops and goods from one place to another, or provide much-needed assistance to the smithies and shopkeepers of the land. For others, this means providing gifts, whether that’s their own handiwork of artisanal goods, of art, of culinary delights, of weapons and toys and trinkets that only the Chosen know of. Other civilians may yet yearn for entertainment; a fussy crowd they may be, but with the same people coming in day in and day out, they’re hungry for new music, new acrobatics, new shows.
Be creative in what your characters can provide – and have them ask for help too! This is a true group effort in showing Rumpitur the Chosen’s goodwill, and showing themselves as a steadfast community that can be trusted.
RESTORING RAZED LANDS
Back home in Aldrip, the Chosen are faced with the farmland and lush forests that were decimated in the wake of the attack. Now that the bulk of rebuilding has been completed for the townspeople, it’s time to turn their attention to the abundance of the earth’s gifts that were ingloriously sapped. Here, the Chosen have been asked to replenish destroyed crops by irrigating and milling the land, planting new crops, and tending to the displaced animals that require assistance – though strangely enough, there seems to be some new flora and fauna that’s popping up. Are those plants glowing? Wait, is that a giant bird? It almost looks as though if you caught it, you could ride it… and the villagers of Aldrip seem just as familiar with them as you are, commenting that new life seems to be drifting into Aldrip’s territory on a regular basis.
Have your characters mill about on the farmland together, nurse wounded animals back to health, plant seeds, and help rebuild farms. Nothing says bonding like a good old-fashioned group activity.
Just watch out – those summer storms can be absolutely dreadful, and on more than one occasion, you may find yourselves taking cover in one of the abandoned old farmhouses to wait it out. Get out of those wet clothes, get underneath those (admittedly musty smelling) blankets and use the stove inside to put on some tea. Get nice and cozy – you might be here for a while!
STOREHOUSE SCRAMBLE
Last on the Chosen’s to-do list is to build up their stores so that if an attack of this scale happens again, they’ll be ready for it. The Chosen are to come together as a group to help dig out safehouses and cellars for citizens to hide in during the next attack, and to help bolster their stores. Now that some of their ranks have brought home goods from Rumpitur, it’s time to figure out what to do with it all.
Chosen may assist in hunting and gathering resources, working together to dry and pickle vegetables, dig out safehouses (careful – there are vermin and minor cave-ins aplenty!), and to solicit local smithies to shore up their stores of weaponry – just in case.
That said, weapons aren’t much good without the ability to use them. The Chosen are welcome to test out the wares in a nearby clearing set up specifically for training, especially if they’re from worlds where they weren’t stuck with swords and bow and arrows. There are scarecrows and targets set-up to practice on, but there’s really no replacing one-on-one combat – take a shot at it, and you may even gain a small audience! And are they placing bets…? Well, you’d better do your best, or else more than your pride might wind up bruised.
Where: Aldrip's neighbouring towns, the spooky forest, and throughout Aldrip.
What: The Chosen, reeling from the recent forest attack, decide to organize for future attacks, whether that's diplomacy with neighbouring towns, reinvigorating farmland, or getting some combat training in. Please see THIS OOC post for more information!
Warnings: None anticipated; please let me know if I ought to update it!
In the wake of destruction wrought by the strange beast of the forest, Claude and Marianne - both people far more well-acquainted with the ramifications of damaged farm grounds and unprepared civilians than they would like to be - have taken it upon themselves to try to prepare in advance for the next attack, whatever that may be. After discussion with the leads of Aldrip, they’ve come up with a list of what most needs to be done – and they can’t do it alone. With the community of the Chosen at their heels, new and old, for reasons of altruism and for reasons of simple exploration, they have set forth with the following tasks: an excursion through the eerie Pessiria Forest to get to Rumpitur to exchange goods and services for aid from the dubiously friendly naga-like people who live there, restoring life to the destroyed forest and farmlands so that nature can once again thrive, and to properly stock up safehouses with preserved goods, shelter, and weaponry.
What’s in it for you, you ask? Well, when the next attack comes, you don’t want to be the one going hungry.
EXCURSION THROUGH THE PESSIRIA FOREST
Rumpitur is a full day’s trek away, and not a straightforward one; in order to get to their destination, the Chosen must first hike their way through Pessiria forest. They meet with their packs and wagons at the entrance of the forest, a thick, lush wall of foliage greeting them along a winding, unsteady path. If you’re prone to listening to rumours, you may hear some of the locals buzzing about uncertainly: “no business being on that land, none at all”, “Did you hear? That’s where that Froste boy disappeared – when you go in, you never come back out”, “Going in there? They’ll be cursed!”.
No such dangers will greet the Chosen, but the more paranoid among them will be confronted with the grim reality of an entire day’s travel spent on edge, jumping at every flutter of wings from overhead and snapped twigs from the fauna skittering through the brush. During this trek, there will be ample time for the Chosen to stop and rest a while, replenish their flasks and perhaps share a story or two, but be careful; in forests this dense, it’s easy for someone to get lost. Wouldn’t it be a shame if someone was left behind?
To add insult to injury, once they arrive in Rumpitur, they’ll realize that there’s nowhere for them to stay, and the scaled denizens of the place will firmly - though not unkindly - refuse to let them into their homes. That means that to get anything done, the Chosen will need to make camp right outside, a great opportunity to swap stories around the fire, try to rustle up some dinner, go stargazing, or just complain about the effects of the hard ground on your poor old backs. Happy bonding!
DIPLOMACY OF RUMPITUR
Once diplomatic meetings have come and gone, the representatives of Aldrip and Rumpitur have come to an agreement: Rumpitur will provide its aid, but only at a cost. They have their own interests to protect, after all. But they’re flexible on how such a debt is repaid and ask only that the Chosen provide whatever they are able to – and you wouldn’t want to give Aldrip a bad reputation, would you?
Here, the Chosen can truly shine as they’re asked to give what they can. For some, this means sheer manual labour as they haul water from the wells, transport crops and goods from one place to another, or provide much-needed assistance to the smithies and shopkeepers of the land. For others, this means providing gifts, whether that’s their own handiwork of artisanal goods, of art, of culinary delights, of weapons and toys and trinkets that only the Chosen know of. Other civilians may yet yearn for entertainment; a fussy crowd they may be, but with the same people coming in day in and day out, they’re hungry for new music, new acrobatics, new shows.
Be creative in what your characters can provide – and have them ask for help too! This is a true group effort in showing Rumpitur the Chosen’s goodwill, and showing themselves as a steadfast community that can be trusted.
RESTORING RAZED LANDS
Back home in Aldrip, the Chosen are faced with the farmland and lush forests that were decimated in the wake of the attack. Now that the bulk of rebuilding has been completed for the townspeople, it’s time to turn their attention to the abundance of the earth’s gifts that were ingloriously sapped. Here, the Chosen have been asked to replenish destroyed crops by irrigating and milling the land, planting new crops, and tending to the displaced animals that require assistance – though strangely enough, there seems to be some new flora and fauna that’s popping up. Are those plants glowing? Wait, is that a giant bird? It almost looks as though if you caught it, you could ride it… and the villagers of Aldrip seem just as familiar with them as you are, commenting that new life seems to be drifting into Aldrip’s territory on a regular basis.
Have your characters mill about on the farmland together, nurse wounded animals back to health, plant seeds, and help rebuild farms. Nothing says bonding like a good old-fashioned group activity.
Just watch out – those summer storms can be absolutely dreadful, and on more than one occasion, you may find yourselves taking cover in one of the abandoned old farmhouses to wait it out. Get out of those wet clothes, get underneath those (admittedly musty smelling) blankets and use the stove inside to put on some tea. Get nice and cozy – you might be here for a while!
STOREHOUSE SCRAMBLE
Last on the Chosen’s to-do list is to build up their stores so that if an attack of this scale happens again, they’ll be ready for it. The Chosen are to come together as a group to help dig out safehouses and cellars for citizens to hide in during the next attack, and to help bolster their stores. Now that some of their ranks have brought home goods from Rumpitur, it’s time to figure out what to do with it all.
Chosen may assist in hunting and gathering resources, working together to dry and pickle vegetables, dig out safehouses (careful – there are vermin and minor cave-ins aplenty!), and to solicit local smithies to shore up their stores of weaponry – just in case.
That said, weapons aren’t much good without the ability to use them. The Chosen are welcome to test out the wares in a nearby clearing set up specifically for training, especially if they’re from worlds where they weren’t stuck with swords and bow and arrows. There are scarecrows and targets set-up to practice on, but there’s really no replacing one-on-one combat – take a shot at it, and you may even gain a small audience! And are they placing bets…? Well, you’d better do your best, or else more than your pride might wind up bruised.
claude von riegan | ota
[ A haunted forest. Great. As though Claude hasn't had enough haunted forests in his life. But as he and Marianne have been working on this project for quite some time together, he knows that it's their job to bolster their spirits as they head off into the unknown. As they gather in front of it, Claude claps his hands. ]
Hey, everyone! Thanks for coming along with all this. Not that I'm anticipating any more trouble, but if we run into it, Rumpitur's help should be invaluable in securing this place. Don't put too much stock in the ghost stories either. There were an awful lot of ghost stories where I used to live, and I promise you, I didn't run into a single one. Now let's get going and see what we can do!
[ Or perhaps you catch up with him as he calls for a break so that everyone can fill their waterskins in a nearby river, or just take a load off of their feet. In fact, he brought extra, and he's offering you some water too: ] Here, have some. And have some food too. We've got a long day's trek ahead of us if we don't want to camp in the forest. Which I'd prefer not to. My delicate constitution prefers to camp on nice, flat ground.
ii. diplomacy.
[ When it comes to the bulk of the labour in Rumpitur... Claude, who had been more than happy to lead the expedition through the forest, seems to have disappeared entirely! When he reappears again, now dressed in Leicester's finest, it's not to help, but to watch. True, he's the one who's been doing a lot of the chatter behind closed doors, but that doesn't mean he should be allowed to be nothing more than a layabout. Once he's done exchanging greetings with the townspeople, why not rope him into some work?
Or else, you may see him trudging back from Rumpitur to the camp they've erected just outside of town, well after everyone's already had dinner and most have gone to bed -- while others may have seen him with officials of Aldrip and Rumpitur alike throughout the day, deep in conversation wearing a far more serious expression than he usually does, it seems that talks went on deep into the night. He looks far more tired than when he came in, stretching his arms above his head and blinking blearily at the fires, just now dying down. ] Ugh. I forgot how much work all that talking can be, [ he complains to nobody in particular. ] You'd think they'd at least put us up in an inn... hey, is there any food left? I'm starving.
iii. caught in the storm.
[ Later on, Claude does in fact dally in a bit of farmwork to try to help out, but like everyone else, gets caught in the rain and takes cover in the nearby farmhouse. He flops onto the straw bed with a heavy grunt, taking off his boot and watching with great disappointment as he pours a good cup's worth of water from out of it. ]
Urgh, I knew I should have bought new shoes for this. [ He leans to the side, peering out the window. ] It's really coming down out there. Unless we want to make a run for it, we're probably stuck here for a little while.
[ He squeezes some more moisture out of his hair, typically neatly slicked back to make it look as straight as possible, but it's already drying in cheerful curls, much to his displeasure. He pulls one straight, then watches it bounce back into place. ]
I guess this is good for irrigating crops, at least. Probably. Maybe. I'm not much of a farmer.
iv. training.
[ While you can certainly find Claude helping out with the hunting and gathering - moreso the hunting - or being shooed away from everyone trying to work on food preservation - has this kid ever worked in food preparation in his life? - he is far more interested in training. This, at least, he's confident in. You can find Claude with his trusty bow strapped to his back as he looks in interest at all of the weapons laid out for them. He whistles, long and slow, as he looks them over. ]
We've managed to get quite the collection, huh? Man, it's been forever since I've used anything but my bow. [ The tips of his fingers skim across a sword. ] Maybe I should be brushing up on my close combat skills... [ Then, to you: ] Hey, are you looking to train too? What do you usually fight with?
v. wildcard.
[ Wanna do something else? Slap anything here, I'll roll with it! ]
diplomacy
Once the talks have concluded for the day and they've returned to camp, she spends some time winding down her nerves and tending to the packhorses that had accompanied them on the journey. Unused to so much socializing, Marianne remains quiet at the bonfire until a familiar face drops by. ]
Oh, um. I only have vegetables with me...
[ She says apologetically. In answer to his question, she extends her hand full of what are horse-catered treats. But if he would like a carrot? He can have a carrot. ]
How do you think today went?
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[ It's been nice, having Marianne by his side. It's different from his negotiations back home -- Marianne is different from back home, where she had been hidden away, not yet the representative of her adoptive family's house. Quiet and mild-mannered though she may be, he thinks that she's nonetheless an invaluable ambassador of their people. With one look at the likes of Claude, they can see him for what he is: a dyed-in-the-wool politician, good to barter with, but someone you can trust about as far as you can throw them. Marianne, on the other hand, has the sort of earnestness that Claude cannot even begin to fake. A figure of goodwill, if you will. ]
I think it went okay. [ Claude runs a hand through his hair, mussing his previously coiffed locks. ] As well as we could reasonably expect it to, all things considered. There was only so much that we could prepare for something like this, with how isolated we are in Aldrip. They didn't seem as distrustful as I'd feared, considering they won't even let us stay in their inns. What do you think? You couldn't have had the opportunity to sit in on many negotiations back home, not with the Margrave tending to most of those affairs.
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[ Marianne laughs lightly, smiling sheepishly. Though she knows Claude is only joking, she still feels like she should clarify.
Thinking back to the talks, she recalls the Margrave once saying never to show your full hand in a negotiation. Marianne feels there was something like that going on, with both sides holding reservations about one another. She's sure Claude would have a better read on the outcome than her, but from her earnest perspective... ]
I found them intimidating at first, but I think it's because they're protective of their village. I don't know if we've gotten them to trust us any more, but following through with what we agreed on will be a start.
[ Though they weren't welcomed to the inn, they managed to secure deals that could lead to a budding relationship between the towns. The naga may cut an imposing figure, but after watching the children playing outside the huts, Marianne thinks they aren't so different as people. ]
I've been given more responsibility since the war started. All of us have. I think my adoptive father is trying to prepare me for when the time comes.
[ It worries her whether she'll be capable when it does. ]
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Yeah, that makes sense. It's best to be prepared for every eventuality. I didn't know it was going to come to me so soon either.
[ His Grandfather had been here one moment, and gone the next. ]
Ah -- not to imply yours will come soon either! Last I saw, your adoptive father was in extremely good health. I don't think anyone in poor health could argue the way he does, [ he reassures her, flashing a grin at her. ]
This here, though, this is great practice too. Dealing with an insular people like this is no joke. It seems like it's only natural for people to distrust outsiders.
[ Here, too. What a surprise. ]
But if we can establish free trade, this may do better than provide us with goods. Free trade is the backbone to good relationships in this sort of context. We just had to show them everything we had to offer.
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[ Marianne replies thoughtfully. Instead of embracing her role, she's been pulled along by the wishes of other people. That had been fine by her. She would devote herself to her prayers and beg the goddess for escape. For a long time, she never imagined living to see the day she inherited her position, but now she's beginning to picture a future for herself sitting at the round table. The thought is frightening, but Claude, Lorenz, and Hilda have all stepped up, so she wants to as well.
Coming here was a start. ]
Both towns would prosper if they were closer. I wonder if it's because of that distrust that no one has ever tried. [ They seem to live isolated lives. It can be more comfortable that way, she would know, but connecting with others can bring along good things, too. ] Do you think there is more we can do?
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iv
I mean, I'm always looking for a good fight.
[she looks back over at him and grins.]
Bigger gauntlets than these is what I usually fight with. Unless I'm pounding someone's face in with my bare hands, at least.
[she'll do it either way.]
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Hah, is that so? Long time no see! It seems that whenever we meet, we're talking about fighting. [ He picks up one of the bows and a quiver of arrows off the rack, ignoring the fact that he's got a much bigger, much deadlier bow already strapped to his back. ] But this time, it sounds like I can make good on that promise of a fight. [ He crooks his arm, resting the bow on his shoulder, casual as can be. ] Have you had many opportunities to beat people's faces in since the last time we've spoken?
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[she makes a face.]
I wish. There's a guy who showed up here that I'd love to squash like a bug, but I can't do it.
[she'd love nothing more than beat the shit out of Silco, but alas. Caitlyn and Jinx just wouldn't allow it.]
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[ Claude plants a hand on his hip, twirling one of the practice arrows between his fingers. ]
Who's the unlucky fellow that's earned your ire? I wouldn't want to be him.
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I bring it out in a lot of people, honestly.
[but then they start talking about that guy...]
Silco. He just showed up with this round of newbies... fucked up face, talks like poison? Messed everything up for my family back home.
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ii. but with a small twist so also v.
her eyes fall to his clothing more than his face, her upper lip quirking up in disgust at the design of it. ugh. it looks so much like a topsider get up and it almost makes her want to lose her appetite. as if having one enforcer here isn't bad enough. the girl's slender fingers pulls at a piece of the loaf again, but this time rolls it up in a little ball between her fingertips. .... and with a sudden impulse to cause trouble, she throws the small piece of food towards claude's head. who knows if he will see it coming or feel it happen or nothing will happen at all. after all, there is no weight to it to really leave a huge impact. )
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Well, waste not, want not! [ He's not sure what's incurred her wrath, but he wouldn't be who he is if he didn't walk directly towards someone who doesn't seem to like him very much. He loosens his necktie as he strolls over there, unwrapping the layers from his neck. ] Believe it or not, I've had ruder invitations to dinner than that.
cw: brief hallucination + a tiny bit paranoia
Like a gun to the head? 'Cuz that could be arranged.
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[ He finishes up folding up his necktie and shoves it into one of his voluminous pockets. While his expression remains cool and collected, his body language studiously neutral, he's stopped walking towards the girl; even Claude hesitates when someone has, out of the blue, decided to threaten to kill him.
Not that he's a stranger to threats on his life, but usually he at least knows the reason why -- and in this case, he doubts that she's just a violent racist. (Though she could be, he supposes. He's experienced it from stranger places. An unpleasant thought.) ]
I'm sorry, have we met before? I don't recall doing anything that warrants my bloody death.
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Well! — That depends, Pretty boy. Your get-up reminds me of a monster I'm not too keen about. On a scale one to ten, you use to work for the law. How close I am? Winner gets one item for free! No negotiations, no take backsies.
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iv
Still, as she's staring at the weapons, she's not even sure where to begin. She keeps glancing from weapon to weapon, having a hard time imagining herself really using any of them. It feels ridiculous - like something out of a fantasy movie.
The girl only glances up when she hears someone speak up, her facial expression still mostly a pokerface as she glances over at Claude. ]
None of these. [ She starts, managing to keep her tone relatively flat - even though it sure is, in all actuality, admitting to an insecurity. To vulnerability.
The exact sort of thing Ange hates. ]
We didn't really have to fight where I come from. I'm not even sure how to get started on it here.
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[ Sure, armies get conscripted, but they get hard labourers without a drop of training in them. It's the job of generals to whip them into shape. And even then, they only have reason to do so during wartime, trying to teach farmers how to use all the muscles they've built up while hauling hay and tilling the fields to go out and kill people instead. A tall order, for most. ]
That just means it's a good thing you're here. Unfortunately, it seems like we do need to know how to fight around here. [ His eyes flit over Ange, gauging her appearance. She's young and relatively slight, from what he can tell -- not a great candidate for something like an axe or a mace, he thinks. His hand hovers over the weapons as he skims past them, eventually settling on a training bow. ] The bow and arrow might suit you well. Unless you've got your heart set on getting up close and personal with whatever we might encounter next.
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I'd rather stay as far away as possible, thanks. [ Not that Ange is particularly scared. In fact, no part of her seems really scared at the idea of fighting here, even as she's picking up the training bow, holding it experimentally.
Instead, she sounds more.. well, the way your typical teenager might react to the idea of having to do anything, really. Half-bored, half-disgusted, and yet committed to doing the thing anyway, because it's necessary. ]
Especially if the next thing we have to deal with is gross.
[ She wouldn't put it past this place. Not at all.
At least the girl's mood seems to shift a little towards something slightly more serious as she looks over at him, asking: ]
Do you have a lot of experience with archery?
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[ He grabs a quiver as well, handing it to her so that she can sling it around herself. Despite her distaste for the whole thing, she seems at least begrudgingly willing to give it a shot, which is the most Claude can ask for. And honestly? Just this short conversation reminds him of another prickly young lady he had the pleasure of meeting, back home.
If she's anything like Lysithea, she's going to be a spitfire on the battlefield given the proper training. ]
And the great thing about archery is the fact that if anything gross does appear, we get to shoot at it from a distance. It'll give you a headstart on running away too. There's no shame in that either.
Wanna give it a shot? I can teach you.
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[ It's not like she's got many alternatives. Imagining herself with a sword or something is even harder than with a bow, and it doesn't feel like her magic is good enough to actually rely on just that to fight here.
And it has got to at least be easier to learn how to use a weapon than to learn how to suddenly pull new magic abilities out of nowhere. So she might as well commit, even if it's not the most enthusiastic commitment ever.
Besides, even if she won't admit to it, Claude is being kind here to go out of his way to offer to teach her. ]
How hard would you say it is at the start? [ She grabs one of the practice bows to get ready. ] .. If you can remember that far back, mister expert.
[ At least those last two words don't really sound like an insult - look, Ange isn't dumb enough to insult the person who offered to teach her, alright! - as much as it just sounds very deadpan and dry.
She's mostly trying to get an idea of what to mentally prepare herself for here, without any experience. ]
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i'm so sorry for how late this is, i must have lost the notif!
no worries, this honestly doesn't even register as late to me!!!
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II
He had largely kept quiet for the diplomacy, though he had spoken quietly with one of the local leaders to discuss their future plans for such a place. Their hopes, their dreams, the needs of their people beyond food, shelter and socializing. He had kept the conversations cordial and pleasant, and he made no effort to disguise that he had the gift of the gab and could offer little tidbits of advice for city expansion.
He had remained to the outskirts of camp, keeping to himself as he pondered but more importantly, he was looking up at the stars. Those were rare unless one specifically went travelling to find them in the Undercity.
He noted their intrepid leader returning, and his mutilated eye glowed orange in the faded light. "Diplomacy is hardly simple talking. You're under constant pressure to produce results without bankrupting yourself."
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Most people he's met here have been, much to their own credit, a straightforward sort, better with a sword than they are a roundtable. It made Silco's efforts, quiet as they were, stand out all the more. This was a man who was used to talking in some capacity, capable of making nice for the sake of making nice. Bluntness is all well and good, but it doesn't get you far in affairs like these.
He grins at Silco, planting a hand on his hip. ]
You've got that right. Though in this case, it's not myself who'd be bankrupt, but our intrepid leaders. Still, I'd be awfully embarrassed to bring everyone all this way and have to walk away empty-handed. [ He nods at Silco, like recognizing like. ] You seemed to know what you were doing in there too.
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He was not a fighter in the physical sense, though he could defend himself. No, his weapon was the word and being able to inspire people of the Undercity. People might not have liked him or his policies, but they feared what he could do should they become enough of a threat to earn neutralization. Most also respected him, given how untame the Undercity was, and it took a certain drive to drag a whole city into the light.
He shrugged his shoulders, sitting up from his previously relaxed leaned over position.] We've gathered information, and no matter how little progress is made otherwise, that has value. [He made a soft hmmm noise and reached into his inner coat pocket. He produced a silver case.] That was mild compared to most negotiations I've been in. No one was stabbed this day. You've also done this before, I see. Larger or smaller scale?
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No, no stabbings. Though I wasn't sure when we came if it would come down to that. Large scale, if you must know -- there's no hiding it after helping arrange this whole thing.
[ Nobody in their right mind would want to arrange for a diplomatic mission. That's the realm of politicians. Narcissists and masochists, the lot of them. Claude fancies himself a little bit of column A and a little bit of column B. ]
Back home, I'm a Duke. But that means I can rely on my bloodline during negotiations. Here? Not so much. [ He nods at Silco, glancing curiously at the silver case in his hand. ] And yourself, Sir?
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