[sub][indent][i][h3][color=d8cfbe]ℍarrow's 𝕋ower[/color][/h3][/i][/indent][/sub][hr]Harrow's Keep. Built on the border between House Reason and Young, the keep was constructed by Ishtar as a safeguarding point against Ateria. Tall stone walls line the outside of the town, protecting the bustling streets within.

While the keep no longer functions as a marker point between the two former enemies, it still remains as a lively and functional town. Harrow’s Keep is placed at one of the very few passes through the Jin mountain range, and as such a good amount of trade passes through it. The residents are able to make their livelihood off of farming and small-side manufacturing, passing off their goods to passing merchants and traders.

The real attraction of the town, however, is its namesake: Harrow’s Tower. Standing a full 40 meters above the rest of the town, the Tower remains as a symbol of the might of the Mage Queen. She constructed the Tower in such a way that the inside is far larger than the outside lets on, and special transportation portals are used to travel between the floors. The Brotherhood of Harrow’s manages the tower and maintains its upkeep. 

The Tower is divided into 6 stories, with a basement and large courtyard. The Talks themselves are held on the very first floor, a large, open room that is often used for feasts and other celebrations. 

The second floor of the Tower is split in two. One half is an effective alchemist's laboratory, constructed in order for Golovan Harrow to research chemical compounds in relation to magic, while the other is the Minor Library, a repository of Croanian history. While not as comprehensive as the collection under the House Reason manor, it still carries a few copies of books not found anywhere else.

The third floor contains the residencies. In a twist of unheard magical skill, the Mage Queen crammed 50 full-size suites into one hallway with magic. Each suite contains a living room, a bathroom, and a bedroom, fully furnished. The hallway outside is carpeted in luxurious red, and framed portraits of every Croanian King and Queen line the walls.

The fourth floor is the Major Library, larger and more comprehensive than its counterpart on the second floor. It contains numerous works of magical study and the sciences. Access is strictly forbidden to any without the Queen's express permission. Rumors said that there are a number of forbidden tomes contained in the library that were said to hold secrets to unlocking magical potential. The Brotherhood denies this, stating that all books in the Major Library are based purely on research and not speculation.

The fifth floor is an observatory, built in order to let Golovan view the stars at his leisure. It contains the most powerful telescope in Croania, as well as numerous star charts and models that Golovan himself created.

The final floor is actually the basement. Stores of food and drink are located here. The residents of Harrow's Tower (the monks that followed Golovan and defended the tower) also have their own residencies here. Some have said that there are stores of treasure hidden in the area under the tower.

Around the tower itself is a 40-meter wall, built out of reinforced stone. A single gate lets guests enter. Multiple ballistae line the top of the wall, and each is manned at all times. The security itself is managed by the Queen's Guard, elite soldiers that serve only the crown.

It is the 15th of Anais. The talks will begin the very next day. Each house representative approaches the Keep, to the future of Croania...

[color=2E2C2D]hello[/color]
[sub][indent][i][h3][color=d8cfbe]ℍouse ℕols[/color][/h3][/i][/indent][/sub][hr][color=d8cfbe]“Vector’s coming to the talks.”[/color]

Esmeralda looked up from her newspaper. That was real news. Not the watered-down, propaganda-spewing garbage in the papers. 

[color=d8cfbe]“Really? Since when?”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Yesterday, I think.”[/color] Wester stirred his coffee slowly with a spoon as he poured in some cream. The white gradually mixed into the dark, lightening the brown drink.

[color=d8cfbe]“That’s interesting. What could have possibly driven the coot to come? Not like he’s cared about internal affairs before.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Probably the Akeshan policies. You know how he is about them.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Interesting.”[/color] She looked around the Great Hall of Harrow’s. Esme and her husband had arrived early, opting to take a break from the daily bustle of economics in order to relax a bit before the talks. The two were currently alone, save for some servants bustling about.[color=d8cfbe]“To think that the eternal wanderer would dock here, the furthest place possible from the sea.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“You think he’s going to stay?”[/color] Wester sipped slightly at his coffee. [color=d8cfbe]“He is getting on in years.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“No chance. I wager that he takes one look at the stuffy room the Brothers prepared and weighs anchor.”[/color] She shook her head. [color=d8cfbe]“I don’t know how he does it, to be honest. To spend so much time away from family… I wouldn't be able to bear it.”[/color]

Wester scratched his chin. [color=d8cfbe]“Hmm. I can sort of see the appeal… Oh, don’t look at me like that! I would never abandon you and Carrey.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“You’d better not.”[/color]

Wester stretched slightly, stretching his shirt. He had been putting on a bit of weight recently. 

[i]Well, I suppose I shouldn’t speak on it.[/i] The pregnancy fat had never quite left. Esme still considered herself a stunner, but it was a bit of a sore point. [i]At least I have an excuse.[/i]

[color=d8cfbe]“Anyway, mind handing me the paper?”[/color] Wester reached for the weekly edition in her hands.

Esmeralda tossed it aside. A servant rushed to pick it up. [color=d8cfbe]“It’s just the same things over again. I’m surprised people still read the same old things over and over again. Aureolin is getting lazy. At least change it up every once in a while.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Oh?”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Yes. Every week, a different petty crime, a new scandal, whatever. I’m surprised anyone still reads it.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Well, it’s the commoner’s edition, after all.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Regardless, it’s almost as if nobody has any brain cells at all!”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“That’s exactly what it is, though.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“I wouldn’t mind if they at least complained a bit about being treated like morons. Aureolin could certainly use the trouble. And look at them now, getting all up on their high horse just because they’ve gotten a modicum of influence. A good rebellion would certainly shake things up.”[/color]

Wester finished his coffee and handed the empty cup to a servant nearby, who scurried it off to the kitchens. The Tower, thankfully, had chartered a full set of staff along with whomever each lord decided to bring.

[color=d8cfbe]“Anyway, with Vector on the balance, he might swing the vote away. It’s… 7-7 right now?”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“6-6. Alarick’s not coming.”[/color] Esmeralda counted on her fingers. [color=d8cfbe]“And I'm not entirely sure if that Immolis child’s vote even counts.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]"What, the young one or the upstart?"[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“The new leader. Little Ruel is a lord, whether you like it or not.  No, I’m talking about Solaris. The crown still hasn’t formally recognized him. I don’t know if that means his vote doesn’t count, or if he can even attend at all. We [i]do[/i] know that he has a Akeshan assistant, though.”[/color]

Wester snorted. [color=d8cfbe]“I bet he’ll take on a Northerner next into his entourage if he’s willing to let a [i]beastman[/i] into his circle.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“It’s not as bad as House Reason, though. [i]Marrying[/i] your only heir to the North?”[/color]

The two stood up from their table.

[color=d8cfbe]“What [i]is[/i] House Reason up to nowadays, anyway?”[/color] Wester wondered aloud. [color=d8cfbe]“They’re usually first to the important events. History’s being made here.”[/color]

[color=2E2C2D]hello[/color]
[sub][indent][i][h3][color=d8cfbe]ℍouse 𝕐oung & ℍouse ℝeason[/color][/h3][/i][/indent][/sub][hr]The heir to House Reason was, in fact, stranded. He wasn’t by himself, of course. Reina, Alistair, and Christina Young were all stranded with him. But, in this instance, even in the presence of his beloved and soon-to-be in-laws, he felt very, very alone.

[color=d8cfbe]“No, Mother! It’d be better to substitute in the torque limiter from the back left wheel, because it’s the least damaged!”[/color] Tina’s voice floated out from underneath the car. A clang sounded, and then the smell of burnt metal and leather spread through the air.

[color=d8cfbe]“That rigid line of thinking is what got us here in the first place, Christina. If you hadn’t designed the car in such a way that a small bump would break the power coupling link, then we wouldn’t be here. Now, what I would do is disassemble the steering line, then wrap it around the input bar like this…”[/color] Reina spoke in the singsong, condescending tone she always took when she used to discipline Reason and Tina as children.

[color=d8cfbe]“You’ll break the whole control mechanism! And it’s not my fault! If you hadn’t set a two-week deadline, I wouldn’t have had to rush and make the designs as ‘shoddily broken’ as you’re implying!”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Now, now, let’s not go around accusing each other.”[/color] Alistair, Tina’s father, tried to cut in. [color=d8cfbe]“I’m sure that there’s a reasonable-”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“It’s your fault too, Father!”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Maybe for failing to teach our daughter basic mechanics. Shame, Alistair.”[/color]

Reason’s head spun. He still wasn’t used to the Young family dynamic, even after 21 years. Tina’s rivalry with her mother, Reina’s command of power, and Alistair’s well-intentioned but useless attempts at peacekeeping were all too much to handle, especially at such a time.

It didn’t help that it was an issue he had absolutely no experience with. Why couldn’t they realize just how wondrous the circumstances leading up to the current situation were? Build a car in two weeks? Reason couldn’t assemble a small puzzle given two [i]months.[/i] And what about their destination? Two and a half centuries worth of oppression were on the verge of disappearing into the past. It would truly be a privilege to be part of such a momentous occasion.

It would likely be a while before the car was fixed. He pulled his cape underneath him and sat down, using it to protect his suit from the dusty road. The fur cape was a gift from his father to the Young family for their troubles back when they had first met. They had refused it, and, seeing no other use, his father had given it to Reason. It sat in his closet for years gathering dust, until one day over ten years later when Tina dug it out and forced him to wear it.

[i][color=d8cfbe]“Here, what’s this? Reason, this cape is pretty nice. You should add it to your outfit.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“That old thing? It’s a little heavy, so I never bothered…”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Try it on!”[/color][/i]

He had done so, and a pregnant pause followed.

[i][color=d8cfbe]“How does it look, Tina?”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Oh, um… it looks… great…”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Okay, so it looks terrible, got it.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Wait, no! Seriously, it looks great! Um, you should wear it at all times!”[/color][/i]

Reason knew that it looked rather tacky and unfashionable. He suspected that Tina had him wear it to drive away other women. What was the point? It wasn’t like he could look at other women anyway. He banished the thoughts from his mind, opting to stare off into nothingness.

Some time passed before a second clang pulled him back to reality. A horrible grinding, clanking, crushing noise followed. The engine groaned, then began its dulcet hum once more.
 
[color=d8cfbe]“Ahaha! Success!”[/color] Tina said. [color=d8cfbe]“Our record’s even now, Mother!”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Well, this [i]was[/i] just solving a problem that was your fault in the first place, so I’d say that the record is still far from even.”[/color] Nevertheless, Reason could detect a hint of pride in Reina’s voice. He heard her open the car door and climb in. A second slam. Alistair.

[color=d8cfbe]“Come on, Reason. The car’s fixed. I even got the seats back into working condition.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Wonderful, Tina. It only took you several hundred tries.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Hey! I’ll have you know that it was my dogged persistence and unparalleled intellect that saved the day here.”[/color]

[color=d8cfbe]“Exactly. It’s why I love you.”[/color]

He could almost hear the blood rushing to her face. Tina took his hand. He could feel the grime and dust on her palm and fingers.

[color=d8cfbe]“Shut up. Let’s go.”[/color]

She pecked him quickly on the lips, then led him towards the car.

[color=2E2C2D]hello[/color]
[sub][indent][i][h3][color=d8cfbe]𝕆ff the ℂoast[/color][/h3][/i][/indent][/sub][hr]Total silence. Dead wind. Full cloud cover. A very light morning mist.

Tobias Graves, investigator and minor heir to the Graves family, gazed through the fisheyed lens of his spyglass at the far bend on the shore. He was waiting for pirates.

Finding the location hadn’t been easy. The pirates had made every effort to conceal their hideout, from dumping sharp rocks in the waters around it to snuffing the life of any local who so much as gazed upon it. It had taken a team of the best trackers and navigators on Croania to pinpoint the exact location, but the result would be worth it.

The pirate crew, while it had no official name, had been dubbed “The Blazing Irons” by terrified merchants and locals. The name came from their metal ship, as well as their particular style of burning and sinking ships after plundering them. It had been confirmed recently that a particularly strong fire mage lived in their midst, and Tobias had saved no expense in preparations against them. Three water manipulators. One water generator. A sand generator as a last resort. Along with the mages were over sixty navaliers, elite soldiers trained to fight on the rolling decks of ships. There would be no escape for the scoundrels.

The clincher, however, was the devious plan concocted by Tobias himself in order to capture the pirates. He had hired twelve of the nation’s best light manipulators in order to disguise the three ships he had taken to intercept the criminals. They now floated just outside the artificial shoals lining the entrance to the cove, completely hidden from view. Tobias stood on the deck of the main vessel, the [i]Kiana[/i]. He would lead the attack against the pirates. They would ambush, overwhelm, and capture as many pirates as possible. Justice would be served.

[color=d8cfbe]“Reckon they’re coming?”[/color] asked Yolack, the first mate of [i]Kiana[/i]. [color=d8cfbe]“‘s been an awful long wait.”[/color]

Tobias said nothing. The first mate had stood next to him the entire journey to the cove, likely to make himself seem more important. Tobias had no time for superficially-minded men like Yolack.

[color=d8cfbe]“‘Cause, the pirates, y’know, they mighta caught wind of what we’re doin’ an’ jumped ship,”[/color] Yolack continued. He scratched his stubble.

[color=d8cfbe]“No. The plan has gone perfectly thus far. The Blazing Irons attacked the specific merchants we were tracking six hours ago, like we predicted. They will be returning to the cove to unload their loot.”[/color]

Just as the words left his mouth, Tobias saw the [i]Ironmaw[/i] round the far side of the shore. He gave the signal to his men. The two ships nearby vanished, and, though he couldn’t see it himself, [i]Kiana[/i] was now invisible to anyone not on board.

[color=d8cfbe]“Should-should I git below deck?”[/color] asked Yolack nervously.

[color=d8cfbe]“No need. This battle will be over in a flash.”[/color]