[Banquet Hall / Ballroom]
Nore ul'Alitoth, a Uelane woman of twenty, strode into the ballroom, having paid the entry fee in several gold coins already. She was short, but had a tough, wiry build that suggested a concerted effort to remain physically fit. Her skin was a dark sepia brown, and contrasted with her bright, sky blue eyes. Her hair, straight and trimmed short, was dyed the vivid aquamarine of tropical waters. She wore a toga-like garment of silk, tie-dyed with soft pastels to create the impression of a shining pearl, and fixed with a circular, silver brooch with a large pearl at its center. Underneath the wrap were simple clothes of pale grey silk: sandals, loose knee-length pants and a light, sleeveless tunic. She walked with the cat-like confidence of a woman whose mind and body alike were honed to a razor's edge. Depending on one's taste, this made her attractive in addition to or despite the sharp and angular features that were typical of her people. But there was also a certain nervous energy, though she was clearly trying to hide it under a mask of sophisticated boredom, a fascination with the new world before her, a curiosity and eagerness.
Shadowing her was Solin ul'Oriyith, a tall and gangly young man of perhaps eighteen, with skin almost as dark as obsidian, pale, ice blue eyes, and straight, messy black hair. Though he also wore silk, he was dressed more simply, in sandals, an embroidered pink tunic, and white pants. His eyes were constantly darting around at everybody, only settling when someone came close to Nore (or occasionally on a particularly attractive woman or meal). He held a notepad and a pencil, and was constantly jotting notes, though even a native Uelane would struggle to read his terse and scratchy shorthand. At his hip was a truncheon of dark wood inlaid with intricate patterns of ivory. Attempting to examine these patterns would result in a sense of nausea and discomfort, however, for while neither Solin and Nore were mages, the Magocracy had insisted the former carry an weapon enchanted with the power of the Void... in case things went wrong. (Both were fairly certain the bellicose Magocracy were secretly hoping they'd end up using it.)
edited 16th Nov '13 8:08:02 AM by KillerClowns
[Ballroom / Banquet Hall]
Shinako, a Japanese 20-something-looking woman, entered the ballroom as well, even feeling generous enough today to pay the entrance fee with gold coins, rather than just try to sneak in. She was about 5'6"/1.7m tall, with hip-length long brown hair with red blended highlights, brown eyes, and was wearing red and gold flowing fabric robes, much like the traditional Renesian attire. This time, she looked otherwise like a normal person, except that she had a miniature rabbit, Baster, on her shoulder. Baster was dressed in a miniature rabbit tuxedo, with a matching black and white top hat, and held on to Shinako's shoulder remarkably well, despite her rather animated way of walking around the room. One might have been able to detect magical energy present in both of them, and that they may be quite different that their appearance suggested, although their true nature was hidden for the moment. However, they clearly possessed no detectable magical devices, at least not right now.
"Ooo, free food," Shinako said, finding an appetizer station, and loading up a small plate with a variety of food. "So, who do you think we'll meet here?" she said to Baster, who didn't reply in any noticeable way.
edited 16th Nov '13 5:12:36 PM by Sonzai
Danger: Intense gravimetric distortions nearby. Please reverse the polarity on your deflectors now.
I'M SO SORRY I GOT DISTRACTED.
[Banquet Hall/Ballroom]
This was...not where they were suppose to go. And yet, this little mistake may benefit them for the time being.
After paying at the front door, two men stepped inside the banquet hall and looked around. The first man, Maël, was tall and had a lean built. His skin was light-brown, and he had piercing gray eyes. He wore a white, buttoned shirt, black pants, and black shoes. His long black hair stopped at his mid-back. Around his left eye was a black tattoo of a line.
The second man wore a cloak with a hood, concealing his face. He had much darker complexion than Maël, but wore almost the exact same clothing as he did. The only difference was his shirt, which was gray.
"Keep that hood on." Maël said quietly, his voice deep, "And if anyone asks for your name, tell them that it's unimportant. Got it?"
"As you wish, my lord." The hooded man said, bowing slightly. "I will do as you ask with no questions."
Maël smirked. "Good." He turned his attention to the ballroom, "Now, let's see what we kind find here."
[Banquet Hall/Ballroom]
Nore and Solin studied the prominent figures. There was the woman, shorter than even Nore (though not by much), in the red robes. Her demeanor suggested that she was somebody of great importance, but Nore noted with approval that she did not bother with the gaudy accoutrements that some savage (i.e. non-Uelane) rulers decorated themselves in. She also noted the tall, pale man with the his large beast. She'd never seen a wolf before, but she did know a bit about Maurosian sheepdogs, and so pegged it down to a relative of such. Like most Uelane, she was justifiably wary of animals that could not be dispatched easily, and so made a mental note to give the dog-beast a wide berth.
Speaking of pets, there was the light woman with the tiny, tasty-looking furry creature in the tuxedo. The girl seemed a tad childish for the age, but that was typical of savages; without Uel to sharpen them up, they took longer to mature. (Of course, Nore herself was not as mature as she had convinced herself she was.)
The hooded man and the marked one seemed very suspicious and shifty. Likely thieves or bureaucrats; among the Uelane, there wasn't great distinction. The quality of their clothes and their simple presence here suggested the latter.
Nore had no particular preferences of where to go, but noticed Solin glancing eagerly at the same food that Shinako had found. Nore gave him an understanding nod and they headed over, carefully avoiding the cheeses and favoring the meats and fruits, Solin carefully noting the food and its presentation. Then Solin gave Shinako a brief, shy smile, before biting his lip and nervously returning to his notes. Nore just rolled her eyes and shook her head at this.
edited 16th Nov '13 3:59:49 PM by KillerClowns
Drummer Boy
[Ballroom/ Banquet Hall]
Lady Ren was slightly annoyed that her daughter was not here to greet the guests, but she decided not to go outside and fetch her. It took so much work to convince Seilaan to be present at all.
The richly dressed strangers with dark skin were likely from Shijou, but Lady Ren couldn't tell what ethnic group or clan they belonged to. She sensed an unfamiliar power emanating from them, or perhaps something they carried. The soldiers at the gates must have cleared them, so she wasn't particularly worried. Yet. The lady with the rabbit appeared to be a Renesian, but she could very well be Shijounese. And the last pair—Lady Ren told the first two guests she was honored to have them here and to help themselves to the food before approaching the two men, wearing a small smile. "Sir, this is not a costume party. Care to explain why your face is hidden? People generally do not attend parties for the express purpose of looking suspicious. I'm surprised the guards let you in like this." She said all this very lightly, but her eyes were steely.
A ghostly falcon appeared on her shoulder and swooped to the Uelane visitors, perching on a table. The Renesian guests that had begun trickling in didn't seem to find this unusual in the slightest. I apologize. Her mental voice sounded a bit like Lady Ren's own voice. She didn't mean to ignore you. I am Tempest, her Manifestation. What brings you here? Her gaze was clearly fixed on the man's notepad.
Balto was following the woman with the rabbit. Oh no. Lord Ren gave him a mental rebuke, but Balto sat next to the table where the woman was picking out her food and simply stared at the rabbit.
"Excuse me, ma'am." Lord Ren rushed over to the table and put one hand on Balto's head. Are you a Wolfram or a dog? Show some restraint!
I am showing restraint. The rabbit is alive.
And you ate already! Lord Ren bit his lip. "I'm sorry, ma'am. Er, are you from Ren? I apologize, but I can't possibly memorize every face. What is your name?"
A woman with a 26-stringed zither with movable bridges started plucking a tranquil tune, accompanied by another woman playing an egg-shaped ocarina. No one was dancing yet; they were busy with food, so this was just background.
[Palace Garden]
The politicians, their families, and other influential persons were finally arriving. They went inside to pay their respects to Seilaan's parents, but some planned to return to the garden, probably.
Seilaan noticed Lieutenant Feng among them and hoped that he hadn't seen her. He was in a ceremonial red uniform, and wearing all five of his medals on his breast.
He inclined his head at her.
Oh no.
Seilaan didn't hate him. Actually, he was perfect. Classically handsome, by Renesian standards. Very intelligent. His personality was enjoyable, and far more understated than she expected of such an accomplished person. And he was a military man. She had no military experience, so it was logical that—but maybe he was too perfect. She hoped he'd stay inside and suck up to her parents.
edited 16th Nov '13 5:59:52 PM by SnowyFoxes
The last battle's curtains will open on stage!
[Ballroom/Banquet Hall]
Solin dropped the pencil, and his hand flew to his truncheon, but Nore raised a finger and hissed, "don't." Solin sheepishly picked up the pencil and immediately started jotting down notes, now at a feverish pace. Then she turned to the falcon. "Apologies, my friend has had some issues with the spirit world before, and you startled him. I hope you won't judge him for this — it is his duty to be vigilant, after all."
Nore gently brought her fist to her chest in an urbanized variant of the traditional Uelane greeting, and said, in the manner of a standardized, formal greeting, "I am Nore of the Pearlescent Order, and with me is Solin, a trusted agent. We have come here on behalf of the Uelane Magocracy, a land under the blue sun and violet moon, in the name of the free people of the Uelane, and under the protection of Amu the Liberator, to ensure goodwill and understanding between the Magocracy and the peoples of the multiverse." Solin, to judge by his bored expression, had heard some variant of this spiel many times before, and was quite tired of it.
edited 16th Nov '13 4:35:56 PM by KillerClowns
[Ballroom/Banquet Hall]
Maël was taken aback by her statement. He blinked several times, his eyes large.
"...Costume?" he asked, before letting out a hearty laugh. "Madame! This is no costume. This is what my people usually wear in my country." He turned to the hooded man, who simply gave a nod. "I apologize for making us look suspicious. That certainly wasn't my intention."
He then gave a bow. "My name is Maël of Utona. An honor to meet you, madame."
edited 16th Nov '13 7:03:24 PM by Masterofchaos
Attitude is prohibited
[Outside Ren Palace]
She wore silken black robes with a silvery trim around the edges, wrapped around a light grey tunic and black leggings, complimented by a fine black belt and black leather boots with modest heels that went part-way up her lower-legs. Formal, but practical; sensible and elegant. A nice balance, she thought... And still quite expensive, so she hoped no-one would get clumsy with their drinks tonight. Tanis didn't often dress up like this, after all. A good-sized emerald hung from the ornate gold chain around her neck, and it went well with her stark, emerald-green eyes and the faint, gold streaks in her long, straight, light-brown hair.
She sat, alone in a crowd, upon a near-by bench as she waited for her companions to come back from the hotel. She sighed and looked down at the simple, silver analog watch on her wrist, also taking a moment to look at her skin. While it was still technically white, it was so nicely suntanned that some might find that difficult to discern. Nevertheless, she couldn't help but notice that she'd gotten some looks from the locals, and they weren't nice looks either.
She shook her head and started tapping her foot impatiently. Hopefully her companions would show up soon.
Not entirely dead.
[Ballroom / Banquet Hall]
Shinako saw Solin give her a smile, and she smiled back, before they were interrupted by the falcon. And the large wolf(ram). Baster stared back at Balto, not entirely sure whether this was the good kind of attention or not.
Apparently unfazed by the falcon or Balto, Shinako turned to face Lord Ren, her plate piled high with food into a pyramid configuration. "Oh no," she said, "just trying out the local flavor, that's all. I'm Shinako," she said, "and this here is Baster." She motioned to Baster, as he tipped his hat to the pair. She began eating the food off her plate from the top down, and said, "So... pretty nice party you have here - what kind of entertainment is planned for tonight?"
Danger: Intense gravimetric distortions nearby. Please reverse the polarity on your deflectors now.
Snowy wanted to develop Feng, hence my very delayed major edit moving Proseda
[Ballroom/Banquet Hall]
After enough rounds of staring for the next year, Proseda finally makes it to the palace, dispensing a great number of silver coins to allow his entry. The incubus had done his best to adhere to norms, but there was little that could be done to make him less noticeable. The demon was tall, and his well muscled build if anyone cared to look at it closely enough, seemed to have been directly lifted from a study of ideal body ratios. His skin, the color of burgundy wine, contrasted drastically with his short black hair and tuxedo, which by all reckoning was as tight as could be before it got into the realm of being ill fitted. Other than his skin, five features set him apart from the other guests, oddly pointed ears, a fairly long muscular tail sticking out through the back of his pants, a smile revealing perfect white teeth including two slightly elongated excessively sharp canines, slightly clawlike black fingernails, and two very small black horns jutting through his hair.
Once inside he notes the people, a man wearing a tuxedo with an oddly non matching tie with a wolf, a few hooded men, people dressed in silk, and a women with a rabbit. The women dressed in silk was more than definitely a native he should speak to, but for now he makes his way over to the table of food some distance away from Solin and Nore. He browses the food with piercing red eyes, flicking his tail in a bored manner, before grabbing a plate and slowly selecting a number of intriguing meat dishes.
Plate loaded up, he takes a look around the room. Seemingly he should greet the hosts, but he could do that later. A women in the garden.... and a military man it would appear. Considering the former seemed less than happy with the latter's attention, she probably wouldn't mind him distracting the man.
He walks up into Feng's peripheral vision.
"Nice garden they have out there." He looks out at it. "Considering getting some fresh air?"
He smiles.
edited 16th Nov '13 7:57:09 PM by Aqueos
Bet you didn't see that coming
Drummer Boy
[Ballroom/ Banquet Hall]
"I was not referring to your general attire, simply your apparent need to wear something that conceals your face."
Lady Ren tossed some of her hair over her shoulder. "I'll give you fair warning, because you're not familiar with our customs. In Ren, it is generally frowned upon to hide one's face. Especially at a social event. You'll have a hard time making friends like that. If you'll excuse me, I have other guests to attend to. Please have a bite to eat."
She inclined her head politely at the two men and went to Lieutenant Feng and the monstrous stranger who was speaking to him. Feng seemed a bit alarmed by him.
"Hello, Lieutenant. Did you see my daughter in the garden?" She put a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "She's been a bit out of sorts lately. Perhaps you should—"
"Oh! Yes, of course." Feng turned red when he realized that he had just interrupted a superior. "I—I apologize. I will make sure Lady Seilaan is entertained. And, uh... sir?" He smiled nervously at Proseda. "I suppose that means you can follow me outside."
Lady Ren watched Feng walk off with a tiny smirk on her face before turning her attention to the other guests, primarily politicians.
Meanwhile, Tempest had begun preening herself. I am a spirit of sorts, I suppose, she said. But I cannot harm you unless my partner commands me to. Relax. I have not heard of your homeland before, but it would do us all good to learn more about each other. Ren has not yet needed to deal with interdimensional politics, but, well, just in case. You call yourself a Magocracy. That must mean mages rule over a population of non-mages, correct? I see no reason to make that distinction otherwise.
"Well, Shinako," Lord Ren began, still keeping one hand on Balto, "if you like dancing, you can do that once the musicians judge that enough people have finished their meals, and if you like eating, you can do that the whole time, which is my plan, actually. And of course, there's socializing. Liberation Day is a time for the Renesians to unite. Apparently that means it's a day for them to get stuck in a building and talk a lot. I understand some people are into that. I prefer the food."
As if on cue, cooks came out with platters of barbecued pork cut into thin slices, next to piles of small white buns. Bowls of sweet brown sauce were also set out.
"Ah, my favorite." Lord Ren placed a few slices of meat and a small spoonful of sauce inside a bun and handed it to Shinako. "Very sweet and succulent, with just the right amount of fat. I think you'll like it."
edited 16th Nov '13 10:06:58 PM by SnowyFoxes
The last battle's curtains will open on stage![Garden]
Ah, an alarmed human. Not too surprising, but he supposed he should probably try to calm him down a bit. He follows Feng plate in hand.
"I take it you're not used to my kind." Proseda's voice comes forth low, even in such conversation seeming almost seductive.
"We incubi don't get out much, but I swear, we mean you no harm. The name is Proseda, to whom do I owe the pleasure?" He examines his plate, taking aim at one of the morsels with his fork.
Bet you didn't see that coming
[Ballroom/Banquet Hall]
Nore nodded and said, "yes. Where I come from, magic is given by Amu the Liberator himself, to those who have the intellect to understand it, the morality to use it responsibly, and a willingness to devote their lives to service to the Uelane people." Well, in theory. In practice they're often self-righteous asses, but I'd be a terrible ambassador if I said that out loud. A nervous half-smile came to her lips as she predicted the inevitable next question. "Before you ask, I was not given this power because, frankly, the monastic life of a mage isn't one that would suit me." She sampled a fruit. "I am too fond of the finer things."
Solin continued to silently jot down notes.
edited 17th Nov '13 6:49:33 AM by KillerClowns
[Ballroom/Banquet Hall]
As soon as Lady Ren walked away, Maël's smile vanished and was replaced with a small scowl. He had literally just arrived on this unusual island, and already, someone had suspicions of him and his servant. He feared that others would begin to question them too. Now he really couldn't afford letting down his guard.
"Damn it." he murmured to himself, "No doubt she'll keep an extra eye on us. We probably stand out more than the other guests."
"My lord," the hooded man said, "It seems that as long as I have this hood, she will have questions for us. What should we do?"
"Don't worry." Maël placed a hand on his shoulder, "I'll handle this. I'll try to sway her away from us as much as I can. You just keep that hood on and let me do all the work, got it?"
"Yes, my lord."
"Good. Now, for the time being, let's eat." Maël took a small plate and filled it with some of the appetizers.
edited 17th Nov '13 7:06:24 AM by Masterofchaos
[Ballroom / Banquet Hall]
"Ooo, dancing - that sounds like fun," Shinako said, having almost finished her plate. Then, taking the meat Lord Ren had given her, ate that as well, and said, "excellent! You do have marvelous cooks, no doubt."
"And while I enjoy eating and talking as much as anyone, they are always much more fun with lively company," she said, "something I hope this party has in great supply."
edited 16th Nov '13 10:50:57 PM by Sonzai
Danger: Intense gravimetric distortions nearby. Please reverse the polarity on your deflectors now.
Drummer Boy
[Ballroom/ Banquet Hall]
Tempest had a feeling that Lord Pallone and the Uelane Magocracy would get along well. She should do her best to win over these two before they had a chance to meet any Pallonians. While she formulated a response, she peered at Solin's notes, declared them unreadable, and returned to preening herself. A ruler who can bestow magic upon his subjects. That's very interesting. She was actually quite alarmed. I think Lady Ren and her husband would like to meet this person. You call him a liberator... why? He may have something in common with Lady Ren. We're actually celebrating Liberation Day right now.
Lord Ren smiled at Shinako. "Renesians are kind of a reserved bunch. I don't blame them, given their history with the other Vesper states. Well, one state in particular. But be nice to them and they'll warm up to you soon enough."
Many of the guests were giving Maël and his companion suspicious looks. Balto began to follow them, showing no outward signs of aggression, hoping to listen on them and relay anything of importance to Matthias. He hoped that they wouldn't guess that he wasn't anything more than an animal.
[Palace Garden]
"N-no, I've never seen the likes of you before. If you don't mind me asking, what are you, exactly?" Lieutenant Feng picked up a plate from the one of the tables out in the garden. The selection out here was slightly more limited and the food would come out slower, but it was enough for him. Well, this person seemed interested in having a conversation, but Lady Seilaan—he had barely seen her since she returned from Geier, but he could tell that she was distressed these days. And she had trouble seeking comfort from anyone but that personal assistant of hers who just got sent on a trip, so she certainly wasn't doing well. Should he talk her now? No, she probably wouldn't appreciate it. With great reluctance, he tore his gaze from her.
Seilaan was close to the gates, staring curiously at Tanis. That was some unusual clothing. It was tasteful, though. What was she doing there?
The last battle's curtains will open on stage!
[Ballroom / Banquet Hall]
"Sounds good to me," Shinako said, having finished her plate. "But that other state you mentioned - is that what this Liberation Day is celebrating? Freedom from them - or just more recent unrest?"
Danger: Intense gravimetric distortions nearby. Please reverse the polarity on your deflectors now.
[Ballroom/Banquet Hall]
Now Maël was just getting annoyed.
Part of him just wanted to grab someone at random and tell them to piss off, but he decided to do his best to ignore the stares. His servant was not going to remove his hood. He wouldn't allow it.
He looked down at Balto. Funny. A domesticated wolf. He knew one of his old friends that had one. He always believed that it was a bad idea to have one since they had an unpredictable nature in them, but it seemed that the hostess trusted it enough to let it inside a room filled with a large amount of people.
"What do you want?" he said, "You wanna question my country's customs too? ...Oh, what am I kidding? You're just a wolf." He sighed, then turned away, "You probably can't even understand a word I'm saying."
Drummer Boy
[Ballroom/ Banquet Hall]
"Ren was once a Kartalian colony, yes. And this palace used to be a winter vacation home for the Kartal family. Even when it stood empty, no Renesians were allowed to so much as touch the gates." Lord Ren was watching Balto carefully. "About thirty years ago the Renesians decided they had enough of racist authoritarianism and rebelled. My wife's family was appointed by Kartal to govern the island, but they ended up leading their people against them."
Balto tried to sniff the hooded man.
The last battle's curtains will open on stage!
[Ballroom/Banquet Hall]
Left to their own devices, Nore reflected, most Uelane would happily talk — nay, proselytize — about the Uelane Revolution. She knew better, though. Typically an outsider asked only out of polite curiosity, and perhaps a desire to find some common ground or talk about their culture. Which Nore was quite happy to let others do. So, trying to summarize without leaving anything vital out, she said, "I'm not a historian, so I can't tell you details. But..." she began to recount the classic tale, occasionally pausing to sample a trifle. "Countless ages ago, the god Elas decreed that his chosen people, the Elasane, were the true and rightful rulers of the South, and thus permitted to enslave and 'civilize' all other tribes and nations. Amu was born into this slavery, but five hundred years ago, through great courage and sacrifice, he brought together his fellow slaves, forged an alliance with the Free Peoples of the Xeqane, and uncovered the powers of magic the Elasane had sought to extinguish. With these, he overthrow the Elasane, slew their cruel god, and overturned the very order of the universe." She frowned, glanced briefly at Solin, and added, "some of the details are... uncertain. But that's the general gist of it." Then, of course, to give the spirit a chance to feed its ego. "I imagine the Renesians have a similar story?"
edited 17th Nov '13 2:00:37 PM by KillerClowns
[Palace Garden]
Clearly the human was both distracted and frightened, having not answered who he was.
"Oh me? I'm an incubus. A demon if you really need me to break the term down more. I do..."
He pauses, looking around the garden as if it might be hiding something he needed, "Well you could say I work in entertainment generally. We all ultimately work under a god, mostly worshiped by elves actually, and clean his palace, file his paperwork, and on occasions amuse ourselves."
He looks down at Feng, "I swear however, I mean you no harm. I'm here more on holiday than business in any case."
He glances over at the medals, "I take it you're a soldier of some kind?"
Bet you didn't see that coming
Palace Garden
Morgan le Fay was quick to enter the palace grounds soon after paying her fare. She did notice the odd looks that were cast in her direction, but she thought nothing of them. Given that she got here via a shadowy portal, she didn't think them too unusual. After all, such a display would have raised eyebrows even in Briton.
She looked to be in her mid-twenties, and mostly European in ethnicity. She was not particularly tall, but her musculature was that of someone who was quite active. Her dark brown hair was pulled back and held in place by a vaguely bat-shaped black hairclip. The robes she was dressed in resembled those of the populace, but were dark green with the light green fanciful swirls that were signature of Celtic design. They went well with the bright green that was her eye color.
Outwardly, she seemed harmless enough. However, anyone who tried to scan her magically would notice the presence of an incredibly powerful entity, or more accurately a piece of an incredibly powerful entity, that seemed to have bound itself to her very soul. Thankfully, it was mostly inert for the time being.
Remind me again why we are here, my Lord, Morgan communicated, The lack of your physical presence here is questionable.
The voice that responded back was in her own, but she was able to feel that it was something else that was speaking. We are here to scout, and for that my presence is not necessary. It would be counterproductive, in fact, for the suspicion that it might arose. You are much more ordinary, and more personable.
And what are your interests in this world?
This fair appears to be a mass meeting. Surely, among the beings here are several who have ambition and desire, and therefore interest in what I have to offer. From there, it should a be a simple matter to spread my influence across multiple worlds. You need not to worry yourself about that now, however. Your goal now is to gather further information about this world.
As you wish, my Lord.
With that, Morgan started making her way across the garden and towards the palace.
Icon by Civvi the Civilian!
[Ballroom/Banquet Hall]
The hooded man looked down at the wolf as it sniffed him, but otherwise, showed little reaction to it. The first thing Balto would notice that the man had some kind of strong, unusual presence around him. As if there was some sort of magic involved.
Maël immediately stood in front of his servant and shot a glare at the wolf. "He doesn't have any food if that what's you're wondering. I believe that you should be pestering your owners instead of my companion." He waved his hand, "Now shoo."
For a moment, Maël considered leaving and heading outside, but he knew that there was a possibility that even more people would begin to question him. Was there really no way he could get by without drawing unwanted attention to himself? So far, that seemed to be the case.
[Ballroom / Banquet Hall]
"Man, those Kartalians sound Evil, with a capital E and everything," Shinako said to Lord Ren, "I don't suppose there's going to be a reenactment or anything, that sounds like it'd be fun."
Danger: Intense gravimetric distortions nearby. Please reverse the polarity on your deflectors now.
Welcome to the latest installment of the Character Development Threads! These shared story exercises allow you to bring your own characters to the thread's designated setting and have them interact with other author's characters. You don't need to sign up anywhere—simply check the last few pages of the thread and jump in. Got questions? Need a recap? Visit the discussion thread
and remember to keep an eye on it, since it's our primary method of communication and coordination.
This CDT is the first where the setting is from work of one of the writers. The wiki page can be consulted for basic information about the setting and maps of certain areas, as well as tropes and a list of the characters in the thread. Because of the nature of the thread, I, the setting host, would like you to review the following guidelines that I have put together to save my sanity and make this thread a success.
Without further ado, let us begin.
[Current Time: Evening]
This afternoon, Ren Island's sky harbors are busier than usual. Most of the arrivals are Renesians returning home to celebrate Liberation Day with their families, and they are quite late—the three-day celebration is just about to begin. This year it seems that outsiders have somehow found their way to Ren's small seaport, the tiny island where travelers leave their water ships to board flying ships that will take them to the Sky Islands. With so much chatter about the Liberation Day festivities, it's no wonder that some of the outsiders grew curious enough to come along.
After less than an hour of flying, the ship docks at the sky harbor. If relatives haven't come to meet a traveler and take them home, he or she can take a carriage to the city. Traffic isn't very problematic. Because the distance between the Sky Islands and the continents, the number of tourists is generally quite modest. As a result, the soldiers at the city gates have enough time to briefly stop each carriage, attempt to detect magical devices, inspect the devices, and return them to the owner once it's clear that the item is for self-defense or some other mundane purpose, and isn't a doomsday device. You're bound to notice that none of the soldiers are white, and if you're white, they curtly ask for your country of origin. If the answer is not Pallone, Kartal, or the Republic, they will let you on through.
Once inside the city of white stone, the first thing a newcomer probably notices is the abundance of plants that give the place its color. Not a single building is without a well-kept front garden or rooftop garden. Once the carriage has taken its passengers close enough to the street fair, the driver will politely recommend some hotels before dropping you off and returning to the sky harbor. When you finally start walking on the street, you'll see virtually no one without tan skin. Once the Renesians notice a white person, they may narrow their eyes ever so slightly in suspicion or avert their gaze, but they'll speak to you politely enough.
Once the sun sets, the fireworks are set off, and the festivities truly begin.
[Street Fair]
Food stalls, rigged games, a few open-air plays, souvenir vendors, street musicians, and plenty of art for display—street fairs were street fairs no matter where you were. Each booth was bedecked in red and gold. Paper lanterns of the same colors were hanging everywhere, and they were lit now that the sun was setting.
I may send a character here later.
[Phoenix Park]
The powerfully built young man with black hair and a fine suit idly tapped his silver-tipped ebony cane on the grass, occasionally missing and hitting the surface of the pond in front of him and startling the fat calico goldfish. He was slouching on one of the stone benches, feeling the bandages wrapped over his eye sockets, as he was wont to do when looking for something to sulk about. Because his eyes were gone, he needed to read another's mind in order to see, but there was no one near, and he was totally blind. The gardeners knew that he was familiar enough with the pathways within the park not to trample on any of the orchids, so they simply left him alone as they made their rounds of the park to feed the goldfish in the ponds and ensure there was no litter anywhere.
Taiyin Ren did not believe that he could ever be bored. Certainly not when he was forced to drown under the surface thoughts and memories of everyone around him. He certainly wasn't bored now, sitting on a bench in the middle of the park. The mental silence was pure bliss.
[Ren Palace Garden]
Seilaan Ren was bored. The gala was starting in a minute, and she was already eating. She stood in the garden with a plate of appetizers—pickled vegetables and cold cuts. That was held in her right hand. She was picking up morsels with a small fork sticking out of her left index finger. When Cyrus built her metal arm, he had really thought of everything.
She didn't really want to be outside. There were a few tables of food in the garden, but most of it was inside, so that was where most of the people would be. But if she was inside, she'd have to watch everyone dance, and she couldn't dance because she wasn't comfortable enough with her new metal arm to do it. But Lieutenant Feng would probably ask her to dance anyway and ugh. So she decided to just stay outside, where she wouldn't have to look at what she was envying.
At least there was a nice breeze. And the garden was a very nice place. She just wished it would be just as lively as the banquet hall and ballroom.
Seilaan watched the gates, wondering who would come to pay the price to enter the palace grounds. The first to come would be the legislators and other Renesian socialites, but there was always someone different....
[Banquet Hall/ Ballroom]
Everything was fine, according to Lord Ren, but Lady Ren was still fretting over the arrangement of the tables, of all things. What was there to criticize? Lord Ren leaned against the wall and sighed. He had lived in Ren for over twenty years and married into the noble family, but he was not comfortable enough to wear traditional Renesian attire, even at such an event. He had a simple black suit, with a red bowtie, for patriotism. His wife, on the other hand, was wearing the typical flowing silk robes. They seemed to emphasize her lack of height more than anything else. At least she kept her hair simple. It flowed loosely behind her with no adornment whatsoever. Lord Ren tried to use his faint reflection in the marble floor to check on his own hair, but it didn’t work very well.
The quite-a-bit-larger-than-average wolf next to him whined with sympathy. Balto, Lord Ren's Wolfram companion, was just as uneasy in Ren as his friend.
Oh, now she just rushed into the adjoining ballroom to check on—he didn’t even know. Something stupid, probably. Maybe to check on the miniature orchestra and make sure they knew the program order.
Finally, she appeared next to him. “Done?” he asked.
“Yes. Time to greet the guests.” Lady Ren smiled at him and they locked arms before heading to the entrance hall, followed by Balto.
edited 28th Dec '13 9:36:16 PM by SnowyFoxes
The last battle's curtains will open on stage!