[@Lucius Cypher][@Enkryption]
[hider=Enter: The Dragonmaid and Mirror Gunner]
At a certain point, even an immortal vampire, or at least half of one could feel as if he was about to have a heart attack. Poised upon his throne and waiting for his various underlings...no, underlings was far too demeaning of a term. His friends' children. That was at this point the only real way he could describe his anxiety at the prospect of looking after the entirety of the guild all by himself. The amount of love and care placed into creating each of them was tantamount to torturous to think about. Even Rodias' own NPC was now sentient, most likely. As such he would have to deeply consider how he would both present himself going forward, and consider the feelings of his subjects. 

Would he try and rule over them as some kind of cruel boss? No. He'd had enough of that in his own life. Humming to himself as he waited, he figured that he would try and come across as being considerate yet firm. Understanding of their needs, yet also making sure that they would understand that he was in charge. Maybe he'd even form a union for them to organize complaints and-

...He'd forgotten about her. The NPC that he should have thought to exclude until he was mentally prepared. He always hated going to Chapter VI, which was ironic given that Chuunitrixx was probably now only ever not going to shoot at him, as opposed to the other Lords in that area. Before he could even greet her, Chuunitrixx would eagerly deploy her sentry turrets within the throne room, a simple act that he understood as a means to ensuring his safety but...

[b][i]She was more than just a little bit extra.[/i][/b]

[b][i]*CRASH*[/i][/b]

...It was at this point that he was fairly certain that were he himself in body, he'd likely have jumped out of his chair and made a mad break for the door. After all, the sound of concrete smashing being followed by the click of iron boots across the ground was grounds for anyone versed enough in fiction to start running. But he supposed that now, he himself may be the most unusual person in the entire chateau. 

[color=f7976a][b]"Good to see you Mamoru and Chuunitrixx. As expected of the final Keeper to arrive first, but I'm amazed at your speed Mamoru,[/b][/color] Rodias would say to compliment the both of them. Maybe its because, as an MMO character, his current body had seen more combat than most beings would ever see in their lifetime, but the guns being waved around didn't scare him in the least in the moment. Fear didn't seem like a possible response, but he couldn't help but notice that prior to her entering he had the instinct to clutch at the daggers hidden within his coat pockets. He supposed that was "Rodias'" instincts and not his own. 

Mamoru was swiftly joined by the bestial gardener Zouyu, who, seeing that he had failed to get there first slunk his shoulders just a bit. [color=fff79a][b]"Crap...I was hoping I'd beat everyone here if I ran up the walls..."[/b][/color]

Zouyu's childishness would almost make him cute, if not for the fact that Rodias knew full well that he was little more than a tiger in man's form. This included their ferocity. If he weren't fed regularly and let to roam free, he couldn't help but imagine that Kaldorna would love to keep him within the Hunter's Lodge. He was never intended to fight, which worked out well back when he was a simple AI, but a real living, breathing thing could grow bored. Hungry. Angry.

Going over to Chuunitrixx, but retaining a small bit of distance, Zouyu would curiously eye her. [color=fff79a][b]"...Are you ovulating?"[/b][/color] he would ask, with all the innocence of a child. A really, really dangerous child. He would then turn to Mamoru and ask the same question, quizzically tilting his head to show his curiosity. 

[/hider]

[@DracoLunaris],[@Lugubrious]
[hider=Master of Beasts and Master of Industry]
	The next to arrive were those who whom were likely the easiest of all to find within their respective areas. Graft had the advantage of a network of information to rapidly pass along the message, and Kaldorna and her hunters were likely the first to notice the change in scenery outside...even before Rodias had. This time there were no surprises as the two who he would regard as the most "mature" of the NPCs his friends had created strode in. He felt a tad bit embarrassed that he didn't immediately recognize Athanar, but he was often too busy trying to make enough gold to make end's meet to keep the guild hall afloat by himself.

He knew that in particular as a knock against his Dhampir racial class, Sun200 had given each of the lower leveled vampires a special dialogue for when they were speaking to Rodias, a bit more dismissive and hostile in interactions due to his half-bloodedness. He supposed there was nothing to do but deal with it now, since he at least retained enough of his own rationale that killing over an insult was wrong. ...At least he hoped so. 

At their formal greeting, Rodias would find himself smiling just a tad bit wider, straightening his posture. [color=f7976a][b]"I appreciate your coming. I know that you carry many responsibilities, and much as I hate to keep you from them, our current...predicament needs some explanation,"[/b][/color] the Sable Lord would say, wondering in the back of his mind how he could explain this. It wasn't as if he could easily just say: 'I'm stuck in this body now, and you all have to do as I command!'. He wasn't the Guild's Leader, so right now he needed something to unify them all under...or at least, establish his own competence as a leader. Seeing these two NPCs now come to life reminded him that people with actual leadership skills were lower on the ladder than him...so slipping up badly may mean a rebellion.
[/hider]

[@Archangel89][@Rockin Strings]
[hider=The Goblin Lord and the Dread Lord]
	Next to arrive was yet more commanders of the Chateau, the ones that would be most problematic to win over with words alone. After all, both commanded a not insignificant number of forces, more offensively oriented than the mostly defense oriented members of the Chapter Keepers. Respect was due to the strong, and these two together could likely overrun most other Chapters with sheer numbers, especially with Vae Dhayer's continual ability to create Undead warriors. 

From the time since Mamoru and Zouyu had entered, Rodias' posture had grown more and more serious, contemplative, and yet aloof in a strange way. As if his whatever plan hatching within his mind was sure to succeed. Amongst the key members of Bandersnatch, he had functioned as the Dungeoneer, a position relying strongly on one's ability to prepare for, adapt to, and overcome unknown obstacles. Indeed, the more that Rodias' brain racked over the possibilities, the more he became sure he could make this work.

[color=f7976a][b]"Vae Dhayer. Gromgard. Welcome, I'll begin to explain once everyone has gathered,"[/b][/color] Rodias would say as he stood up for a moment, going over to the center of the ten thrones and extending his ring towards the ground, causing the central gold plate of the floor cut free from the carpet began to rise. An ornate table gilded with ornaments, ten gems housed in the mouths of various animals pointing towards the respective thrones of their occupants. The one facing Rodias in particular was a serpent of some kind with a roughly cut piece of obsidian clutched between its fangs. Once the table emerged, smaller chairs than the thrones would follow, giving the Keepers and other high level npcs a place to sit. A table fit for the entire guild, usually intended to have the ten lords looking on from their thrones to oversee their lower ranking members. [color=f7976a][b]"Everyone, feel free to take a seat. I'm afraid we don't have room for your army at the table however, Vae,"[/b][/color] he would say, pointing out that a battalion of skeletons couldn't really squeeze around the table. They were however free to crowd around the outside of the room.
[/hider]

[@Guess Who][@Stern Algorithm]
[hider=The Dragon of Words and the Child of False Smiles]
The next twosome were the keepers of Chapters IV and I respectively, looking rather more lax and pleasant than most of the other Keepers were in their demeanor. That wasn't an insult to the seriousness of the others, it was indeed respectable. But the warmth of joy was something to appreciate. Kath was simple and enjoyed her work, and Salem...

Salem was...

...What was Salem?

Rodias faltered for a moment in his thinking when it came to the little eyeball that possessed that childlike frame. Salem was anything but joyful. Seeing Salem reminded him of a dear friend who, after one day simply...stopped logging in. He had a feeling as to why, but it didn't make Salem less painful to look at. In fact, the sheer isolation hadn't really hit him until just then, in his high of power and his scrambling to find a way to figure this all out. Rodias' heart began to ache, just ever so slightly as he smiled once more, able to fake it just enough to be convincing. [color=f7976a][b]"Welcome, Kath Erine and Salem. Feel free to take a seat with the rest of the Chateau inhabitants at the table,"[/b][/color] Rodias would say, perched once more upon his throne.

...He wished he could have said goodbye properly. To all of them. Maybe, in a way he still could. By promising to look after each of their creations. He didn't know if that would make his friends happy, but right now it was all that he had to hold onto.
[/hider]

[@Xaltwind][@Archmage MC]
[hider=Roaming Fox and the Vault's Abberation]
The final arrivals were the ones that were the most unusual within the Chateau for a few reasons. Ashara was designed with a Japanese aesthetic in mind, which meant that the only thing coming close to her visual flair was the Chinese inspired Zouyu, and even those similarities stopped at the animalistic bits. She was assigned the roal of being the "Roamer" of the Guild, functioning as a wandering miniboss meant to join in the fight at random intervals to catch people off guard, or pick them off between Chapters. And seeing her kneel, Rodias couldn't help but feel the slightest bit ashamed at seeing a girl kneel before him as if he was something incredibly important. But...he supposed that now he was. 

Next came the Vault's strangest treasure from the ceiling, the mixture of races and classes that had Rodias for the longest time wondering whether she was really a character a normal person could come up with in the world of YGGDRASIL Online. Virtually indestructible, incredibly resilent, capable of teleporting wherever she had prepared, needed no weapons, and yet acted like a bubbly happy-go-lucky airhead that wanted to make friends with everyone. He remembered the only time the Vault had ever been invaded and...well...Light made a lot of friends go bye-bye after her fight with them.

Amazing what horror-style sanity drain effects can accomplish an MMO when players were unaccustomed to it. With virtually everyone assembled, Rodias would stand from his throne to walk to the table, pulling a large piece of parchment from one of the drawers and placing it down. Then, using his "Blood Drinker" class, he would draw from an item placed in his bag, a vial of beast's blood that he often kept on him to abuse the class' rather fluid rules on its own mechanics. Bending it towards a quill, he was surprised at how natural it felt to control as he said: [color=f7976a][b]"The Third Chapter's Keeper is occupied at the moment, so for now we'll begin."[/b][/color]
[/hider]

[hider=The Meat and Potatoes]
	With virtually everyone assembled, Rodias would stand from his throne to walk to the table, pulling a large piece of parchment from one of the drawers and placing it down. Then, using his "Blood Drinker" class, he would draw from an item placed in his bag, a vial of beast's blood that he often kept on him to abuse the class' rather fluid rules on its own mechanics. Bending it towards a quill, he was surprised at how natural it felt to control as he said: [color=f7976a][b]"The Third Chapter's Keeper is occupied at the moment, so for now we'll begin."[/b][/color]

[color=f7976a][b]"To start with, we are no longer on the same planet we once were. Wherever YGGDRASIL is, it is no longer where we are. Zouyu, I take it you saw the mountains surrounding our happy little home?"[/b][/color] he would ask, looking to the beastly gardener who at this point had asked every single woman in the room the question of whether they were ovulating or not. Saluting, he would say: [color=fff79a][b]"Y-Yes Mister Rodias! The uh...forest just kinda went away. Now there's just rocks. And I think I saw a people-place down at the foot of it all."[/b][/color]

Rodias would nod, having seen as much himself. Kaldorna's hunters had likely seen the same, but he wanted to make certain the others were made aware of this situation before he began. [color=f7976a][b]"I won't lie to you all. Wherever the other Sable Lords are, is far from here,"[/b][/color] he would state, beginning to draw out a rudimentary map of the chateau grounds and the area leading to the spotted human settlement. Circling it, Rodias would say: [color=f7976a][b]"Right away, our first priority will be to investigate the people living close by. We're lucky if no night owls have seen the Chateau, but we need to know if these people can be reasoned with. Going off experience, I will have to assume that they're Human, or Humanoid,"[/b][/color] which, despite being an assumption he couldn't back up, it at least made sense as a baseline for forming a picture in his subject's minds. 

[color=fff79a][b]"Mhm...so we eat all the humans, and then they can't try and attack us!"[/b][/color] Zouyu would say, his line of thinking dangerous. A quick shake of Rodias' head would immediately correct that misunderstanding, further being explained with: [color=f7976a][b]"No. Not unless we're certain that's the only way to deal with them. We're currently isolated without support. Without information, all productions within the Chateau will likely stop. Graft needs to know the natural resources to produce anything, and Kaldorna's hunters need beasts to feed their captured ones. Without information, we're stumbling in the dark."[/b][/color]

Rodias would pause as he laid out his plans, before standing straight up. [b]"I apologize. It now occurs to me that I'm acting in charge without listening to you all first. I haven't even given you all time to process the...absurdity of it."[/b] he would say, walking over to the opaque windows and putting his hand to a panel of it. [color=f7976a][b]"These aren't our skies, stars, or moons. But in the same vein, I am not your ruler,"[/b][/color] the vampire would say, turning about, and looking over all of them. His smile was one of dignity, and, as one knee sunk to meet the floor, a certain immediate feeling would overtake everyone.

Whether it be shock, disgust, or respect, each would see the act of one of their creators, their "Gods" in a sense lower his head, kneel respectfully, and say the words: [color=f7976a][b]"Please. Allow me to lead you all to the happiness my comrades intended for you all in their stead. I swear that I won't leave you all. This is my home, now. As it always has been."[/b][/color] This show of humility was, in all honesty, the greatest plan that he could think of in order to earn their respect. And it was meant with honesty, as he really did desire to protect each and every treasure left behind by his friends to the bitter end. 

Zouyu expressed very clear confusion, scratching at his cheek while nervously looking around at the other Chateau residents. [color=fff79a][b]"H-Hey...why's he kneeling? He's stronger than us, so..."[/b][/color] he would question, his mind that relied on Strength being an indicator of worth being baffled at the man over twice his strength bowing to everyone.

In a way, this plan was great for weeding out dissent. But that wasn't what was on his mind at that moment. What did come to him was a realization: 

He would rather die than lose his friends twice.[/hider]