mercenarius

Pursuit of Power

Just wanted to pop in and say I'm still here, but between being sick and preparing for a new job I haven't had much time/energy to write.

I'll try to get a post in before the end of the weekend

Pursuit of Power

@Lord Zee @Aamaya

Pursuit of Power

The Father & The Mother

Looking around as they approached the palace, Angeline couldn’t help but make a face of disgust at all of the pomp and extravagance surrounding them. It all seemed to her like a bloody waste of time and precious money… but then again, Exodus had more money than they knew what to do with. She twirled her sickle around one hand as she turned to Avidan. “Really looking to impress, aren’t they,” she mumbled. “Must be nice having money that isn’t better spent elsewhere.”

Avidan slowly caught up to Angeline after a ways, now walking beside her, the large man standing like a mountain. He saw the look upon her face and knew exactly what her thoughts would be. She had come to the same conclusion he had, and her words were his clarification. As they loomed closer towards the festival, strange aromas wafted towards them, making his nose slightly burn. Try as he might, Avidan was not use to this at all. His gruff voice then broke the silence between them, "Entire place reeks of privilege and greed." he paused, watching Angeline twirl her sickle a few times, "Think it would have been bad if I had brought my sword?" he finished with a slight chuckle, before returning to a scowl. He had left his weaponry upon the boat, not because he cared about making a good impression, he just didn't need it to kill someone.

“Ha!” She snorted out a short, smileless laugh. “You, carrying that thing? You would’ve scared them all back to the holes they crawled out of. No, it's probably best. Besides," she added, her eye caught on a particularly colourful banner, "if need be, I'm sure you could find something that would do just as well. One of the palace's pillars, perhaps." To that Avidan let out another chuckle.

As the neared the festival, he could hear the large crowd, all the royals and nobility. He hated these people. Avidan looked to Angeline again, "Don't do this... Fucking festival shit. You do the talking?" Avidan asked in what sounded like a question but probably came off as a command. An event such as this, was one thing Avidan had never thought he would be apart of, and he absolutely despised it. But he had a responsibility, for his people, for a future he would never see. The Mother was more then capable to be his voice, and the voice of Luthra, even without knowing his plans. She was a smart woman, and he could respect that, being Thanatos and all.

Angeline didn't respond, but gave a short nod. She expected nothing else - and she preferred this more than anything. The fewer voices in Luthra's conversation, the fewer chances for someone to say something gravely wrong. And besides, she had spoken for her kingdom more or less alone for years before Avidan took his place as Father. What was one festival? As out of her element as she felt, she was sure this would ultimately be no different than any other negotiation.

As they entered the palace courtyard, Angeline carefully hooked her arm around Avidan's, posing herself as she had seen other queens do so with their king. As much as she hated putting herself on their level, she knew that it would only help for them to look the part. She picked up a glass from the tray of a passing server; examining it carefully, she realised the drink contained blood. Pausing hardly a moment, she sipped at the drink, and wondered what other uses human blood had for the body. Perhaps there was more to Exodus's youth than just bathing in the stuff.

Then a young woman dressed in what Angeline could only assume was the highest of Exodus fashion approached them. She spoke first to Avidan, picking him out as Father, before turning to Angeline and addressing her as Mother. The woman introduced herself as the kingdom's princess, and Angeline opened her mouth to respond - but before she could the young princess was already on her way. “Why invite us if they are so afraid," Angeline mumbled.

But she wasn't as worried about it as her words might have implied; of course they were afraid of Luthra. The Thanatos worked hard to earn that reputation. But the fact that they were invited in the first place showed that the fear could be overlooked, and that relations could be mended.

Avidan looked down upon the girl who had the courage to speak to him, low and behold it was the Princess of Exodus. The girl knew who he was, very surprising, but he supposed it wasn't at all hard to guess. He heard what Angeline mumbled and shook his head in agreement, before saying, "Too pretty." and then following Angeline's lead, by grabbing another drink from a passing server. He didn't pay it much head before downing the contents. He grimaced, "Tastes like piss." He wondered if they were serving anything stronger, but then he shook his head. These people didn't know alcohol like Luthrans did.

Pursuit of Power

I've had a very busy few days, but I'm still here. I'll try to get caught up and working on my other post either tonight or tomorrow.

Salem - Witches and Holy Men

tentative interest~

Pursuit of Power

Mel: Boys will be Boys

^{@Sol Grim}

As Mel approached the Frozen Candle, he heard the sound of skirmish from within. He couldn't help but laugh. "Just like home," he said, turning toward the guard who had insisted on following him. "Yes, this will do just fine. Carry on."

"Your Highness, I really don't think--"

Mel threw open the door, took two steps in, and thew a left hook at the first guy he saw, immediately entering the fray. The other fighters thought little of the new face as they continued their wild brawl, those on the edges of the tavern cheering wildly for their friends and betting on who would go down first. This went on for not more than another minute before a voice boomed through the tavern.

"INTRODUCING HIS MAJESTY'S ESTEEMED GUEST, PRINCE MELCHIOR OF LUTHRA."

The brawl stopped. Everyone began looking around wildly, and gazes quickly settled on the one-eyed newcomer. Mel froze; his face went red, partially from embarrassment and mostly from anger. He turned his attention to the guard, who had climbed up onto the nearest table to the door before making his announcement, and was now staring Mel down.

"And what a grand welcome I've received. Thank you for your kindness." He kept his tone as regal as he could, but couldn't prevent bitter sarcasm from leaking through. "Now, if you don't mind--"

"His Majesty requires the attendance of all foreign royalty at the palace."

"Of course. And I will--"

"Immediately, so that he may welcome you personally."

Mel inhaled sharply. Glancing around, he spotted someone who looked a lot like his friend Dalious; thinking quickly, he grabbed the man's arm. "I mean no disrespect. I am simply here to meet up with my personal bodyguard, who required alternate travel." He glanced at the man, Mel's eye begging for him to play along. "Now that we are reunited, we shall be on our way."

Pursuit of Power

@Sol Grim drinkin buddiez

Pursuit of Power

Luthra's Grand Entrance

---

---

“So kiss meeeee, I’m shitfaaaaaced, I’m soaked, I’m soiled, and br--”

“Melchior!”

Mel stopped singing, but didn’t stop strumming. Leaning back in his chair, his feet propped on a barrel, he stared at Angeline, who stood cross-armed and scowling not three feet away. ”Any requests?” he mumbled flatly.

“Do you know a single song that isn’t about alcohol?”

“Oh, sure.” Mel cleared his throat and began playing a different tune. “There’s a place your mother goes when everybody else is soundly sleeping--” He stopped as Angeline’s hand shot forward and caught the neck of the instrument.

“We are almost in the harbour, and your voice travels on the wind.”

“And everyone loves a good shanty.”

“Melchior!”

Mel stared at the woman, clearly disinterested in what she was saying. He waited for her to finish her lecture, telling him about how important this trip is, how important it is that he doesn’t screw this up, how if he does screw up he won’t have a home to return to, and everything else he’d heard a thousand times over the past few weeks.

“Do you understand?”

Mel blinked.

“Melchior!”

“Yeah, got it.”

She released the instrument and started walking away. He began strumming again.

“Cause the gentlemen are calling and the snow is softly falling on her p--”

Angeline spun on her heel and once again seized the instrument, this time ripping it from her son’s hands. As she stormed off, she hurled it over the side of the ship into the water below.

Within the hour they were disembarking in Exodus. Angeline went first, demanding the first official-looking person she saw tell her how to get to the palace, her sickle twirling between her hands. A nervous guard escorted her as he welcomed her and her kin into the kingdom.

Mel emerged quite a bit later, after he was certain Mother was long gone. He stretched widely, as if he hadn’t the space to do so on the ship, and asked the nearest official-looking person where he could find a cheap drink. Another guard pointed him in the direction of the Frozen Candle, but cautioned him that, as a member of foreign royalty, it might not be the best--

Mel didn’t bother to hear him out as he made a beeline in the tavern’s direction.

Pursuit of Power

@Aamaya if I could make a suggestion you could even implement guns as a strong cultural taboo, a "coward's weapon", so to speak. That way they could be a thing, but tightly restricted (especially in more lawless areas such as Luthra, the taboo would prevent people to defaulting so such weapons).
It's up to you tho

Pursuit of Power

runnin dat criminal enterprise legitimate kingdom like nobody's business