Click This

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

I've got one last collab to get on, but I guess I should also make a regular post soon-- probably sometime in the next day or so.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Collab with @ERode

---

Smiling, Duke Rhinecliff watched the children leave, escorted by one of his maids. He slipped a timepiece out from the folds of his cloak, observed the present time, then clicked the ornate piece shut again, sliding it back into his inner pockets.

“Well, Mirie,” he spoke, his tone sliding into a more casual manner now that there were only equals present, “Would you believe me if I told you that I was mostly clueless during all this?”

Glancing at his pocket watch for a moment, Duchess Agustria shook her head, with a light snort. “I would believe it. Masterfully played, nonetheless. I had to put the pieces together myself.” She glanced at the wine still on the table, and then sighed.

“I see the Queen is becoming far bolder. Does this change any of your plans?”

“She has always been bold; it changes little.”

The Glasic Fields still must be obtained, and the duchies must form a united ground. The influence of exterior forces wishing to take advantage of the chaos must be managed, while measures must be taken to counter the overwhelming power that the Seeds presented. Far too many pieces to be put into place. He reciprocated the Duchess’s sigh with his own, then managed a smile once more.

“Still, your thoughts on my double? I do hope he hasn’t done anything so dramatic as fling himself towards the Queen at first sight?”

Mirie chuckled lightly. “And that would not have been the most dramatic moment of the gala. No, ‘he’ has acquitted himself well. Beyond my expectations, in fact, but there will still be questions…”
Tapping the wine glass she brought from the gala, she changed the topic. “Much has happened in the past few hours. The Court Mage has a new apprentice, Duke Willowsteel has had too much to drink and is to be executed, and the Queen intends to travel to Athius for reasons I’ve yet to discern. Still intending to swap, Laurent?”

“That stupid boy…”

He allowed himself but a moment to furrow his brow, pinching the bridge of his nose. Odonfield and Nordor had warred against each other before. The late Arthur Willowsteel had been a brilliant lord and leader, even when all he held was human strength and common steel versus the spellwork of scholars and sorcerers. His only son, degraded in times of peace, seemed only fit to make trouble.

“With news such as that, I’ve no recourse but to make the swap, it appears. As for Athius, however…” The Duke contemplated that nugget of knowledge briefly. “The build up of an invading force, and the pretext to send them elsewhere. Considering the proximity of those wicked waves to the Grand Bank, could that not be a ploy to claim the sister port as the Queen’s own?”

His eyes met Mirie’s.

“If all it takes is a drunken episode to justify the execution of a duke, what more does Evelyn need to claim the head of a duchess?”

She frowned, contemplating the scenario Laurent raised. However, the pieces didn’t fit. Caelin was infamous for holding out against King Ludwig, after all– and she could do it far better than her father ever could.

“It’s unlikely. The forces she would need to muster to challenge both my fleet and the fortifications of the Grand Bank would require preparation months in advance. It would not be discrete, and frankly, she would have little reason to take a swing at little old me rather than you,” she said in jest, although the facts remained. “No, she has other designs, but Sev’s fate is just as pressing. He deserves better, but the words he spoke were treason. I fear my hands may be tied.”

“So long as you exercise due caution when she demands you let her ships dock at your ports, Mirie, I suppose a landbound duke has no grounds to give advice to a seabound one.” He gestured towards a servant, who stepped in to present a case of cigars. Taking one, the duke motioned for Mirie to take the other. “Sev’s words were only treasonous because he failed. If not, Evelyn would be hanging herself for what she’s done, no?”

Military might mattered in the end, no matter how much soft power one could project. An arcane sigil was drawn into the air, before a candleflame floated above his index finger, igniting the cigar.

“What value do you think Nordor has, in the coming conflict?”

Mirie inclined her head, and accepted an offered cigar. It wasn’t her usual choice of vice, but Laurant did have nice cigars. “Where it matters? An entire duchy’s worth of manpower. Nordor offers little in the way of location. It is annoying to get to, its resources are lacking, and its economy is simple and agricultural, with little else besides wine and crops. All things you are aware of, no doubt.”

Broken away from the Queen’s taxes, though, she knew that even a relative backwater like Nordor could still put a decent offering into a warchest, if it was needed. And, without a doubt, the levies from Nordor could make or break the difference in a coming civil war.

“Being out of the way is its own benefit,” Laurent nodded. Battles could be won with magic, but wars were still reliant on people…so long as there wasn’t a Seed that invalidated that particular fact. Supplies were necessary then, as well as a fallback point if necessary. “It would have been good if Sev had kept his claws sheathed, but I suppose that would be too much to ask.”

A map of Arrowfell twisted and stretched in his mind, mental calculations of distances, of how quickly the word could get out, how many pieces he could move at once. To rouse and collar rebellious forces within Nordor, to have dialogue with the Tearmoon coven, to time everything in a way that would maximize the benefits…

“I don’t suppose you’d know of the Queen’s timeline for her voyage to Althius?”

The Duchess considered the Queen’s words at the gala. “In a few weeks. I’ll keep you apprised… the more I think of it, whatever she’s going to do will be of greater import than I originally thought.”

And that was already with the pieces moving on the mainland. Mirie’s influence was especially limited in the hinterlands like Nordor, but Caelin’s reputation for neutrality, feigned or not, depended on things like this. “Do you intend to make a move on Nordor, or mount a rescue?”

“That’d depend on Sev himself.”

Though he had his preferences, there was no point in being forceful at this stage.

“I reckon that there’s plenty of other things that can be done in the Queen’s absence, after all.”

That was enough of an answer for Mirie. “No doubt.” She pulled out her own pocket watch from within her pocket, briefly checking the time.

“Shall we?”

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Feeling a bit better now. Looks like a bunch has happened since I was indisposed, so time to catch up.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Hey guys, sorry about dropping off the face of the planet for a couple days during the middle of a couple collabs. Some kind of virus flat out hammered me and I've only just started feeling better, but hopefully I'll be good enough to write again in a couple more days.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

---

Éliane looked skeptically at Esben’s response. She debated for a moment whether or not to slap at his arm to make a point, but thought better of it. He might need still need it in the coming minutes, after all. Nonetheless, she watched him skeptically as the fellow Skaellan picked himself up. Raising an eyebrow at his unsteady gait, especially after using her shoulder as a crutch, she snorted.

“Yes. Don’t fall behind, okay?”

She strode forward, somewhat bewildered by his insistence that he was fine. Well, if he was fine, then, he would be fine catching up, right? She powerwalked away, making it in time to absorb most of the history lesson the elderly wizard was dumping onto her fellow party members.

She had some mixed feelings about the revelation that indeed, the Valheimians were absolutely behind the blight. She had been right all along! But all the same, it wasn’t as simple as waging war against the foreign invaders, as Cid was all too happy to tell. Given the importance of the information, she paid extra attention despite the fact that Esben was also around. Those reports would be vital, if the information could be corroborated.

Unfortunately, Éliane didn’t have a chance to ask any questions about the Crystals before they were so very rudely (and scarily, if she had to privately admit) interrupted by the revenant literally jumpscaring them.

Then, the world lurched and they were once again away. The pink-haired officer winced at the nauseating feeling of the teleport, her face of determination in the face of the new information very briefly being interrupted by the queasiness. After righting herself and getting it out of her system, she found herself nodding at Galahad’s words.

“Right! Locating and protecting the remaining crystals is paramount, but we must not let this knowledge leak beyond us.” She glanced at Esben, who was the true spy here, no matter how obtuse he was with it. “I do not want to lead them right to the prize.”

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Ey Est, there's a whole buncha stuff that I want to get done during the timeskipped phase; may take a week or so, if things are lucky. Straight off the top of my head...

Collab with Click serving as a post-mortem after the Skybound twins leave.

@ERode

Sure, hit me with it.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

<Snipped quote by Click This>

I wasn’t sure if I needed to get a Nyx post out or not (just cause it would be her playing observant/inner monologuing unless someone wanted to collab) but I can if you would like ^-^

@Donut Look Now

Honestly either works-- I'm kind of in a low muse moment and Mirie is in a somewhat similar position.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

I was thinking of waiting for @Donut Look Now to post first, but if not I'll post tomorrow.

Final Fantasy: Lightseekers

---

Éliane had already seen a lot of shit on this –technically still short—journey outside of Skael. But between the unexpected revenant that turned out to be Izayoi’s master, who had nearly killed everyone, and then the Valheimian airship returning and then blasting an hole in the sandy ground, revealing a cavern occupied by a hermit cleric…

Well, the Skaelan officer was just about as incredulous as Izayoi.

The fact that she was alive was nearly a miracle itself.

The fact that everyone, including herself, were still alive at the moment was incredible. Team Kirin was not a team of dragoons, after all, and while Éliane liked to think her skills at jumping were far better than the average person or fighter, it was still a long fall. It was still clear that others were injured, either from the battle or the fall—and she knew that Miina would have her work cut out for her.

The pink-haired woman heard Esben’s weak voice as he fumbled for his canteen, catching her attention. She frowned at his appearance. Éliane quickly decided that the others could do the talking for now, and a moment later, she was by her fellow countryman’s side as she knelt down.

She blinked as she realized what exactly he was asking.

Yes, it was misshapen. Broken, probably. But… really?

“Yes, it’s broken. Shouldn’t you be worrying about your arm, and the battle?” Éliane pointed at his shaking arm, which looked worse for the wear. “Lie down and wait for Miina to come back around to you,” she commanded.

ArrowFell: The Wizard Queen's Court

Mirie Agustria of the Grand Bank,

Duchess of Caelin

---

Hathforth\\
@Estylwen@Donut Look Now

Duchess Agustria agreed with Duke Grimhand. Willowsteel had been dealt a bad hand when it came to the geography and nature of his land, but it was clear that the current duke did not have the temper, nor the wits to properly take advantage of the advantages that he did possess. Gold-Touch Wine might be one mere product, for example, but its ubiquitous presence in nearly all noble households in the province, including as the centerpiece of the queen’s gala meant more than the shortsighted man might actually think.

With the duel that was but about to happen, and likely lose, and the calls for his imprisonment, Mirie began to suspect there wasn’t much more of a chance for him to turn things around.

Seeing the other duke trying to catch her attention, she smiled. “I would not be arrogant enough to agree, but as a host, I do make an effort to ensure my guests enjoy their time.” Mirie did actually have a high opinion of the parties that she herself threw, but this was the queen’s gala. Of course, her own parties had the same problem that royal galas and other functions suffered from, and that was the inherently political nature associated with any party that a high noble threw. She made a genuine effort to go above and beyond, but in the end, it was the same—it was always business or noble politics as usual, with the party as the façade. Her smile broadened at ‘Rhinecliff’s’ comment, which she kept when responding to Grimhand.

“It is business as usual, and I see little problem with that.”

-
Rhinecliff Estate\\
@Estylwen@ERode

Mirie nodded along at Laurent’s reply, reaching out to enjoy some more of the food that had been set at the table. “That is heartening to hear.” Her face shifted into a bit of a teasing smile as she spread a palm out. “Ah, but that is the beauty of business. If I do not pay them well, they would not come. With the city doing as well as it is, I would remiss to not be a generous patron.”

The topic quickly shifted away from their own cities, though, and naturally back to Hathforth. With Rhinecliff still on the edge of a break from the queen, no doubt he wished for all the information he could get from the Queen, and the state of her city. Mirie had restrained herself in the presence of the twins, who had a strong affiliation with her, but now that they had been caught in the act, they were being surprisingly honest.

“That does align with what I’ve seen,” she agreed, after some thought. The city did look better—even someone as paranoid at reinforcing her position would know to not neglect the appearance of her base of power. She raised an eyebrow and snorted as the duke once more shifted the topic away, but she internally shrugged.

They both knew the tax situation quite well, and she shared his look. Mirie, and thus Caelin itself were unusually shielded from the severe taxation levied upon most of the other ducal territories, but she was the exception, rather than the rule, and only because of the unique economic situation she cultivated. Even then, the Queen was getting her money, although in a way that benefited the Duchess of Caelin a little more than the way she taxed the other duchies.

Nonetheless, she was aware. In fact, being an almost neutral party to this, she was able to look at the situation with some proper detachment, and was all the more aware that the Queen’s policies would not be sustainable.

The question was when the music would finally stop, and who was left with the biggest hand to deal when it did.

She eyed the venison as Laurent cut into it. The aroma of the meat, cooked to perfection with its accompanying sauce was salivating, despite the so-called dreary topics—she had to suppress a chuckle at how casually the duke treated situations like this. It always amused her. The duchess turned towards the children, curious for their answer.