SilverPaw

Symphony of Espers

Jacqueline Leroux

“Life's full of surprises sometimes, huh?” was all Jacqueline said when Rottweiler interpreted her actions as motivated by pity. Honestly, she was just tired. That, and, well, she honestly would rather not risk Breacher’s death if it wasn’t necessary. Would it weight on her conscience if she’d decided to attack Rottweiler and he managed to snuff out Su before she disabled him? Some, yeah.

But there were also some other factors involved, such as: it may earn her a reputation for leaving her co-workers to die when she could have done something about it; the boss might look on her unfavorably if she thought Jacqueline had ‘let’ Breacher get killed; if she was going to get in trouble for something regardless, she’d rather it be throwing a bone to Rottweiler than bungling a hostage situation by getting the hostage killed via her actions.

So, when the boss complained about there being a hostage, Jacqueline immediately replied, “Yeah, neither did we, but it happened.” The implied ‘so you deal with it’ might not have been expressed, but could be heard clearly nonetheless. When Su claimed it was all fine, Jacqueline looked at her dubiously. She wasn’t convinced but if Breacher said she was alright risking this, then she’d go along with the attack after all.

However, Veronica changed her mind in the end. Somehow. For someone whose first words were basically ‘we don’t negotiate’ it sure was a quick change of tune, so Jacqueline was a bit mystified. Maybe it was a bluff to get Rottweiler to go peacefully? That seemed the most likely option to her; she might have done the same in the Doctor’s position. Make false promises to deescalate, save your employee, and get a chance to deal with both prisoners however you wanted later on. Win-win.

“Yup, done,” she casually affirmed as she accepted Rottweiler’s handgun.

Afterwards, Jacqueline helped Breacher herd the prisoners in their cells, and make final checks in the basement and first floor, which they’d been responsible for. There was a lot of bodies and injured all around, but the Gemini agents and hirees had come up on top. All was as it should be…for now.

Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa

Kiran Agnarsson

After his discussion with Shou and Lucretia, Kiran headed outside for a bit. He didn’t mind dancing, but nor was he especially fond of it, and seeing how he wasn’t missing physical activity nor was he interested in partying just then – he was, in fact, somewhat drained by all the conversing he did with all those people – Kiran headed outside for some fresh air.

He sat on the stairs leading to the Hall, canting his head up as he closed his eyes for a brief moment. It had finally cooled down now that it was evening, yet it was still so very warm. He’d likely have to set up some sort of coolers wherever he was stationed for the sake of his sanity. Maybe he could gradually get used to the temperatures here, but being exposed to the high degrees of the day may very well be too much of a shock to his body if he wasn’t careful about it.

When the crashing of the waves entered his awareness, Kiran glanced towards the sea – he didn’t see it from where he was, but could easily imagine it. Shou’d agreed to help with his project, so that was taken care of, more or less. The specifics would have to be planned later on, from when the other boy wanted to meet, how much time and energy he had to dedicate to another’s passion, how much knowledge Kiran would divulge to him…

He hadn’t forgotten the side project he, Kalil, and Valeriya had briefly discussed either. He wondered if they all would still feel eager to try their hand at brewing (and profiteering off of) alcohol. Though they had an initial interest, Kiran knew that it could wane over time. Perhaps Kalil would not remember at all; Kiran recalled how obviously inebriated he’d spotted the merchant boy at some point.

His comfortable lounging and various ponderings were brought to an end by the arrival of the trams. Kiran entered, and found himself as secluded a corner seat as he could. During the ride, he leaned against the glass, staring outside as they were driven from building to building, the students leaving in groups to wherever they were assigned. Kiran did the same when they stopped at his assigned apartment, eyeing the building appreciatively. It was somewhat familiar, and its style was definitely to his liking. This was somewhere he could feel at ease.

Entering revealed the first floor to be a tavern, rather than one of those fancy reception rooms, and Kiran raised his brows as a pleased smile stretched his face. Maybe the drinks offered at the party hadn’t been all that’d be allowed to them after all. Though Kiran was sure that if they wanted to find a niche for their own products, they could.

The next thing he saw was Shou Zheng, which was equally unexpected, as well as serendipitous. Kiran walked straight to him, calling, “Hey, Zheng,” as he did so. “Seems we were put in the same building,” he commented as he pulled a bar stool next to him and sat down. “Do you already know who you’re rooming with?” he asked curiously. “I didn’t think I’d see you so soon again, to be honest, but it’s a pleasant surprise for sure.”

Interactions: @Zombehs

Kingmakers - The Throne Alone (GoT/ASOIF-like) (Noble Politics)

I might have a character I could apply for this. I'll have to take the time to rework some things and at least put together some nation info (I'll likely go for the short summary option, but still).

UNDERYNTH: The Light Below

Although don't expect the Mana Sensor to really work that well in the Underynth (since its probably not calibrated to the Underynth's ambient magic)

@ClocktowerEchos

Yeah, I didn't expect it to work well or at all, so that's fine.

Do you guys want me to include some major factions (namely the main antagonists) and important places you're likely to visit at some point in the lore? Do you want only like a name and general information or know nothing about any of the factions at all?

@ClocktowerEchos

Hm, I think it's fine if we either start with none or general info, and you can fill it out later on when the characters find out about it.

UNDERYNTH: The Light Below

Zenith

Z E N I T H

Link to the Artist

Name: Zenith

Age: 24

Description: Essentially, Zenith is a harpy. She is mostly human shaped, with large wings sprouting from her back and a feathered tail from her hind. She has feathers on select parts of her body, scaled forearms, hands, shins, and feet. Her skin is light brown, while her feathers and scales are dark grey to black. While her feet are entirely bird shaped, her hands are like a human’s, except with small sharp claws instead of nails. That makes running or holding things (without damaging them) a tad challenging, but not impossible. She came to the Undernyth wearing a black corset, cotton underwear, a mint green button-down shirt with some lace, a black leather jacket lined with wool, an aviator helmet with goggles, navy blue knee-high trousers, and a worn brown leather satchel.

Origin: Guidance Flier & Aerial Object Investigator (Scout)

Background: Zenith hails from an ocean world, where most of the landmass was in the form of floating chunks – those habitated termed Sky Islands, the rest considered as either debris or unstable – and a smattering of regular islands. It was a world of magic and dangerous natural phenomena; moving sea whirlpools which could swallow pieces of land, mana pathways in the air which were constantly in flux (and shifted even the positioning of Sky Islands as a result), and Wild Storms, tempests of violently discharging magic. Yet, it was not as if chaos reigned; there was an order to it all, and life was able to develop and persist despite the perilous environment. Among the skies there were winged humanoids, in the seas, a variety of merfolk, and humans both above and below. Besides these, who were sentient, there were also plenty of animals and beasts. All life was magical in some way, and in possession of passive abilities that ensured their survival. Those sentient and certain magical beasts also developed their own ways of manipulating mana actively. In the past few decades, magi tech has become not only viable, but the ‘hottest’ and fastest advancing field. Among others, it has or was in the process of revolutionizing energy development, production, agriculture, transportation, warfare, and more.

Zenith remembers the gist of what her old world and her personal life were like, but a lot of details are missing. She knows she was part of a large family, but can’t recollect her birth name or the name and faces of her parents, siblings, other relatives, or friends. She went through compulsory education, though her time there is all hazy. She recalls flying, the thrill of it, the feeling of wind ruffling through her feathers, which are some of her fondest memories. That despite the fact that one of her siblings was taken by a Wild Storm when they attempted a challenging flying course on a dare. That traumatic event was what led her to join the Advance Flying Corps, a company that, among other matters, worked on recording the positioning and patterns of shifting of all sky-bound objects. Zenith remembers they did that with the purpose of installing Stabilizers – technology that would either prevent all but the most minute movement of aerial objects or enforce them on a stable, predictable movement route. She thinks she was also in training for eventually becoming a navigator, because her reconnaissance work would eventually run out, but isn’t entirely certain if that was truly the case or not. The last thing she remembers before finding herself in the Undernyth, she was on what was supposed to be a regular, low-danger mission for the Corps.

Outlook: As a being of the skies, Zenith loved her home world, and misses it terribly. She would describe it as vast, open, and freeing. Undernyth on the other hand is so much darker, confining, drab, and incomprehensible in the worst of ways. If there was a way for her to go back home, she’d do just about anything for it. However, for now, she sees her time here as an adventure, determined to make the best out of the situation that she can. All the while, she is firmly ignoring that everyone she meets insists this is a permanent residence for anyone brought here.

Personality: Zenith is curious, fun-loving, and daring. On her origin world, she enjoyed travelling, and discovering new locations was one of her favourite pastimes. Since being relocated, however, she has realized that one of the best things about exploration was the return upon home. Now, that she had no home to return to, that does detract from the appeal of being in another world. Even though Zenith prefers to be positive about things, that does not mean she is without her burdens. She’s the type to hide her pains and insecurities, usually, and will share them only with the closest friends and family. Despite being quite affable, it does take time for her to build that deep connection and true trust. Given that she doesn’t appreciate being unloaded on by those who aren’t close to her either, she may seem nonchalant to the issues of others. Of course, she’s fine with some casual venting, but anything other than that, Zenith doesn’t want to deal with for just anyone’s sake.

Though she can easily be mistaken for reckless given her willingness to face dangers, that is not true. Since her sibling’s death – a loss which she still feels keenly, despite not knowing the person who died beyond vague impressions – she has become much more risk-aware. She is practical, and prepares as much as makes sense given the situation. Zenith doesn’t mind retreating if that’s a viable option, but has a bit of a protective streak. So, if anyone else would face potential death by her escape, especially if they’re children or others who could not possibly be expected to defend themselves, Zenith is liable to attempt to protect them or at least help them escape. She is resolved to do good, though is somewhat flexible in her methods. She prefers cooperation when possible, but is not averse to conflict or even violence if it does occur.

Greatest Dream: If returning truly isn’t an option, then Zenith would want to make her life in the Undernyth as palatable as possible. Her goal is (or will be) finding a spacious location, where she could pretend that she isn’t underground, with an established civilization she could fit in. Basically, she’s looking for a second home, familiarity being a key quality she’s seeking. It won’t replace her origin world, but it’s a second best she could settle for.

Greatest Fear: It’s not so much being stuck where everything and everyone is an unknown that scares her, but rather that she could lose her sanity or who she is – and despite the gaps in her memory, Zenith believes that hasn’t changed – due to it. She doesn’t want the Undernyth to get to her, and is terrified it’ll alter her in ways she wouldn’t choose for herself.

Misc: Her personal effects (kept in the satchel) include: a bottle of ink stored in resistance-enhanced glass, quill with a metal nib and engraved wooden handle, two rolls of paper (one partially filled with field notes, the other empty), a grooved key-shaped item (Zenith’s ID, though she’s no way of discerning the information on it), a small pouch of mana crystals (the currency of her origin world), and a handheld sensor/recorder for mana flow.

Zenith has both passive and active magical abilities, all of which pertain to flight. The passive abilities use internal mana, and are instinctive. They work in sync with her physical capabilities to enable (relatively safe) flight. The active abilities use external mana, must be trained for, and require some focus. Zenith can manipulate air, however, the more chaotic/powerful the mana in the environment, the less control she has over it. Of course, if there is no mana in the environment, she cannot use her active ability at all.

UNDERYNTH: The Light Below

Here we go.

Zenith

Z E N I T H

Link to the Artist

Name: Zenith

Age: 24

Description: Essentially, Zenith is a harpy. She is mostly human shaped, with large wings sprouting from her back and a feathered tail from her hind. She has feathers on select parts of her body, scaled forearms, hands, shins, and feet. Her skin is light brown, while her feathers and scales are dark grey to black. While her feet are entirely bird shaped, her hands are like a human’s, except with small sharp claws instead of nails. That makes running or holding things (without damaging them) a tad challenging, but not impossible. She came to the Undernyth wearing a black corset, cotton underwear, a mint green button-down shirt with some lace, a black leather jacket lined with wool, an aviator helmet with goggles, navy blue knee-high trousers, and a worn brown leather satchel.

Origin: Guidance Flier & Aerial Object Investigator (Scout)

Background: Zenith hails from an ocean world, where most of the landmass was in the form of floating chunks – those habitated termed Sky Islands, the rest considered as either debris or unstable – and a smattering of regular islands. It was a world of magic and dangerous natural phenomena; moving sea whirlpools which could swallow pieces of land, mana pathways in the air which were constantly in flux (and shifted even the positioning of Sky Islands as a result), and Wild Storms, tempests of violently discharging magic. Yet, it was not as if chaos reigned; there was an order to it all, and life was able to develop and persist despite the perilous environment. Among the skies there were winged humanoids, in the seas, a variety of merfolk, and humans both above and below. Besides these, who were sentient, there were also plenty of animals and beasts. All life was magical in some way, and in possession of passive abilities that ensured their survival. Those sentient and certain magical beasts also developed their own ways of manipulating mana actively. In the past few decades, magi tech has become not only viable, but the ‘hottest’ and fastest advancing field. Among others, it has or was in the process of revolutionizing energy development, production, agriculture, transportation, warfare, and more.

Zenith remembers the gist of what her old world and her personal life were like, but a lot of details are missing. She knows she was part of a large family, but can’t recollect her birth name or the name and faces of her parents, siblings, other relatives, or friends. She went through compulsory education, though her time there is all hazy. She recalls flying, the thrill of it, the feeling of wind ruffling through her feathers, which are some of her fondest memories. That despite the fact that one of her siblings was taken by a Wild Storm when they attempted a challenging flying course on a dare. That traumatic event was what led her to join the Advance Flying Corps, a company that, among other matters, worked on recording the positioning and patterns of shifting of all sky-bound objects. Zenith remembers they did that with the purpose of installing Stabilizers – technology that would either prevent all but the most minute movement of aerial objects or enforce them on a stable, predictable movement route. She thinks she was also in training for eventually becoming a navigator, because her reconnaissance work would eventually run out, but isn’t entirely certain if that was truly the case or not. The last thing she remembers before finding herself in the Undernyth, she was on what was supposed to be a regular, low-danger mission for the Corps.

Outlook: As a being of the skies, Zenith loved her home world, and misses it terribly. She would describe it as vast, open, and freeing. Undernyth on the other hand is so much darker, confining, drab, and incomprehensible in the worst of ways. If there was a way for her to go back home, she’d do just about anything for it. However, for now, she sees her time here as an adventure, determined to make the best out of the situation that she can. All the while, she is firmly ignoring that everyone she meets insists this is a permanent residence for anyone brought here.

Personality: Zenith is curious, fun-loving, and daring. On her origin world, she enjoyed travelling, and discovering new locations was one of her favourite pastimes. Since being relocated, however, she has realized that one of the best things about exploration was the return upon home. Now, that she had no home to return to, that does detract from the appeal of being in another world. Even though Zenith prefers to be positive about things, that does not mean she is without her burdens. She’s the type to hide her pains and insecurities, usually, and will share them only with the closest friends and family. Despite being quite affable, it does take time for her to build that deep connection and true trust. Given that she doesn’t appreciate being unloaded on by those who aren’t close to her either, she may seem nonchalant to the issues of others. Of course, she’s fine with some casual venting, but anything other than that, Zenith doesn’t want to deal with for just anyone’s sake.

Though she can easily be mistaken for reckless given her willingness to face dangers, that is not true. Since her sibling’s death – a loss which she still feels keenly, despite not knowing the person who died beyond vague impressions – she has become much more risk-aware. She is practical, and prepares as much as makes sense given the situation. Zenith doesn’t mind retreating if that’s a viable option, but has a bit of a protective streak. So, if anyone else would face potential death by her escape, especially if they’re children or others who could not possibly be expected to defend themselves, Zenith is liable to attempt to protect them or at least help them escape. She is resolved to do good, though is somewhat flexible in her methods. She prefers cooperation when possible, but is not averse to conflict or even violence if it does occur.

Greatest Dream: If returning truly isn’t an option, then Zenith would want to make her life in the Undernyth as palatable as possible. Her goal is (or will be) finding a spacious location, where she could pretend that she isn’t underground, with an established civilization she could fit in. Basically, she’s looking for a second home, familiarity being a key quality she’s seeking. It won’t replace her origin world, but it’s a second best she could settle for.

Greatest Fear: It’s not so much being stuck where everything and everyone is an unknown that scares her, but rather that she could lose her sanity or who she is – and despite the gaps in her memory, Zenith believes that hasn’t changed – due to it. She doesn’t want the Undernyth to get to her, and is terrified it’ll alter her in ways she wouldn’t choose for herself.

Misc: Her personal effects (kept in the satchel) include: a bottle of ink stored in resistance-enhanced glass, quill with a metal nib and engraved wooden handle, two rolls of paper (one partially filled with field notes, the other empty), a grooved key-shaped item (Zenith’s ID, though she’s no way of discerning the information on it), a small pouch of mana crystals (the currency of her origin world), and a handheld sensor/recorder for mana flow.

Zenith has both passive and active magical abilities, all of which pertain to flight. The passive abilities use internal mana, and are instinctive. They work in sync with her physical capabilities to enable (relatively safe) flight. The active abilities use external mana, must be trained for, and require some focus. Zenith can manipulate air, however, the more chaotic/powerful the mana in the environment, the less control she has over it. Of course, if there is no mana in the environment, she cannot use her active ability at all.

Underynth: The Light Below (What if everything was issekai'd?)

I'll likely lose intersted if it's too sandboxy, so my vote also goes for some sort of plotline. Also, making a harpy, occupation unknown yet.

Symphony of Espers

Jacqueline Leroux

Her plan had worked in its entirety for once; a prisoner was impaled instead of her, the blood mage was disabled but not dead. Jacqueline was even able to get a hit in on her with her weapon, and disrupt the salt circle as she charged through it. The blood mage was injured, dazed, and not dead. She was slowly dying, sure, but there was time enough to patch her up.

As the blood mage’s spell had been disrupted, the rest of the inmates were shaken out of their frenzy as well. They were confused, but willing to stand back, which was all that mattered.

Rottweiler was still going strong, though, and was at mutual gun-point with Breacher. “I take it your physical defenses aren’t that great,” she commented towards her worker.

When Rottweiler turned to her, she shrugged mildly. “So, you want some kind of deal or insurance? I can ask the boss.”

Jacqueline promptly did so, contacting Veronica via comms. “Hey, doctor, Rottweiler is asking for safety and better conditions for himself and the blood mage. Uh…Breacher’s head might be at stake, kind of. Oh, and we’ll need some medics for the blood mage if we want to keep her alive,” she reported.

---

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Havoc | Great Axe | Arcane | Pry
Eternal Knight | Perfectly polished
Forged Arsenal | Earth/Metal | Fissure
[Quake (2), Mass (2)] Damage X (6), Rain (2), Enhance (2), Powerful (0), Dispel (6), Shield (4)

DAMAGE: B | SPEED: D | SENTINEL: D | 500

[Bronze Beam][Damage X] = - 72 Mana

PHYSICAL: E | ARCANE: C | CHAOS: D | 192

Star Wars: Shattered Galaxy Roleplay

Shortly after Jin’s arrival, a fully concealed being showed up, insulted them, and urged them to move on – given how everyone was riled up already, they followed eagerly. Still, Jinaath wouldn’t have been surprised if their passions had also resulted in a bar fight at that point. But it seemed they were united in purpose, for now.

The gathered defenders then made their move, including Jinaath. A few others from all across the ship joined them as well, though most of the populace ignored the problem or was even starting to run away. That was unsurprising.

Given the crowd that had gathered, the lone guards stood no chance. Of course, the bridge was protected behind sealed doorways and a heavy repeating blaster. The ship’s mob was easily reduced by the blaster fire, suffering quite a number of casualties just from that. The rest, who’d been quick enough, or far enough behind, remained, and scattered to the sides, where the fire wouldn’t reach them.

The raiders were already throwing grenades at them, nonlethal for now, but that was sure to change. Jinaath sneaked close to one of the walls, hiding behind a pillar as he focused his Force Sight in an attempt to find a keypad. It’d likely be close to one of the doors – if there was any at all. If there was, the scramble key from Tisok may come in handy. Unless the old Chiss hadn’t given him an unfunctional one, that was.

Before Jinaath could confirm the presence of an electronic lock, or even a panel concealing electronics connecting to the doors, he was interrupted by an object being thrown his way. He’d heard the shout, certainly, but hadn’t realized it was meant for him. He was not a human, for one, and for another, it was rowdy enough to ignore any and all shouting. As the projectiles closed in on him, however, he instinctively extended a hand, and channeled Force to slow them down until he could easily pick the things out of the air.

That was how he found himself in the possession of a bottle of alcohol with a rag in it – someone had been smart enough to think ahead and bring some molotovs, apparently – and a flint and steel. Cradling the newly gained items, it was simple to discern what the other person wanted him to do with it, even without him shouting at Jinaath as if he were some imbecile. Thoroughly confused and also offended at the stranger’s insults, Jin’s first thought was What the hell is he talking about?!

What he said instead was, “Have you never heard of the Miraluka?!” Then, he turned his full attention towards the E-web. His timing of lighting up the Molotov was precise, and so was his throw – unlike the Tusken’s, Jinaath’s attempt would hit the enemy manning the mounted weapon. This action exposed his position, though, and he had to flee and hide elsewhere.

Qualia: Mission Sub Rosa

Kiran Agnarsson

Shou Zheng

Lucretia von Königsmähne

@SilverPaw @Zombehs @Izurich

---

Kiran departed from his former group, gaze raking over the remaining attendees. In the background, one Franz Steiner was called to perform with the maestro Ling-Ling Zamloch. Kiran found it incredibly pleasing, but didn’t focus solely to listening to it. He had a mission to tend to, and not much time remaining to make contact. Fortunately, his target was not too difficult to find. Approaching Shou Zheng, who was seated next to the Königsmähne heiress of all people, he prepared what he wished to say.

“Good evening,” he greeted them, nodding politely to them both, then promptly sat down next to them. “I apologize if I am bothering you during your meal, but I had meant to greet you, Zheng, all since I’ve realized you were also on board the Titania, though I did not get the opportunity to do so. You see, one of the things I was looking forward to doing during my studies in Bermuda was looking into cooperation with people of other Majors. I happen to believe that you would be the perfect candidate – if you are interested of course. I am working on making my mobile unit,” he patted the suit-case he was carrying, “viable for underwater exploration. I think you might have some valuable input in regards to that, and perhaps may be even willing to help me test it out?” Once he was finished with the explanation and request, Kiran flashed the other boy a hopeful smile.

With their conversation finished, Shou didn't attempt to bother Lucretia with any further idle chatter. Maybe in time the girl would be open for it, but for now he contented himself with finishing his meal in peace. That his ears were ringing from the rambunctious happenings on the dance floor was hardly a concern. He had experience and participated in worse during his sailing days after all.

It was even preferable to the more serious and refined performance that followed it. Ling-Ling was a name he knew, even if he didn't follow the music scene, and it made sense for the world's premier Academy to have the influence required to hire a man of such prominence. He raised an eyebrow as one of his peers was called out to duet with the man though. Truly Franz had the attention of many it seemed, and he supposed it made sense. He hadn't heard of another Mesmerist among the students, although it could be wholly possible they existed and were simply being a bit more clandestine about painting a target on their back.

Whatever musings he might have had on the matter were pushed aside as Kiran approached the table though. "Not to worry," he reassured the other student as he placed his chopsticks down and finished what was left in one of his glasses. He picked up another one and swirled its contents around as he listened. Kiran's work was somewhat familiar to Shou, if only due to its relation to Valeriya's.

"I'm not sure how applicable my knowledge might be to your constructions, but if you're in need of a safety diver for your tests I certainly don't mind," Shou replied with a polite smile of his own. While he knew of what adaptations had taken place to enable him to swim deep, Shou hadn't given any particular thought about how they might be replicated by a Technologist. "If you have any drafts or notes about these modifications, I'd be interested in taking a read."

After the mesmerizing performance, Franz handed full reign of the stage to Ling Ling as he rejoined the student body, thus also marking the end of Lucy's particular interest in the remaining violinists. Fortunately, the maestro's music would serve just as well as background entertainment for there was something else that grabbed her focus. Another young polymath was approaching the Chinese Egoist and for the first time since she arrived at this hall - excluding her deliberate approach to Franz - she could recognize the student even without prior introduction. "Hmmm? That's Kiran Agnarsson, the panzermensch engineer from Iceland." Mobile Unit, Panzermensch, these terms refer to the same concept anyway, just as with tank and panzer.

"I wonder what business does Mr. Agnarsson have with Mr. Zheng?" Lucy pondered silently, her green eyes shifted over to the two even as her lips remained silent. The silver-haired girl was all ears as the two older boys discussed Kiran's latest project, a mobile unit designed for exploration, including submerged operations. "Aaah... of course." She praised Kiran's resourcefulness to beeline for Shou's assistance as she did with Franz, these two were incredibly relevant to the next step of each Technologist's respective projects after all. In fact, this moment of thought enabled her to deduce that Shou's time would better be spent with Kiran, which in turn would make herself have more time with Franz, yes, that'd be the wiser move based on simple deductions of efficiency.

"I do agree as well, Mr. Zheng and Mr. Agnarsson," Lucy quipped in Latin at the two older students, "While I'd welcome having you to gather more data for Schwarzritter, I think you should prioritize working with Mr. Agnarsson's exploration mobile unit as its functions are more relevant to your expertise."

“Oh, yes, having you as a safety diver would be greatly appreciated. I do have notes, though they’re in my native tongue, so I’ll have to translate them before handing them over to you,” Kiran replied. “Well, thank you for the endorsement, Ms. Königsmähne,” he briefly turned to the other conversation partner, slightly befuddled at her agreement, but nonetheless polite as he spoke to her.

“You do have me curious, however - did the two of you intend to cooperate as well, then?” If that was the case, it seemed he was not the only one who was interested in drawing from the experience of differently Majored polymaths. But Lucretia also withdrew from what had likely been an offer on Zhou’s part - given her current proposal and the fact that he was aware that Zhou’s expertise would not pertain to her own project. So, she might have someone else in mind to work with, or perhaps she’d rather work on her own, after all. Either way, he was rather keen to find out.

As Lucretia suddenly chimed in, Shou raised an eyebrow as he looked at her. A few words danced on his tongue for a moment before he snorted instead. The attempt likely would have fallen flat on the German heir. "I suppose that's German efficiency for you," he remarked with a slightly overblown shake of his head, "but I shan't insist."

"Training more specifically," he explained to Kiran as he turned his attention back towards the older boy. "As with your request, there's not much I can offer her on the technical development of her Schwarzritter. Given the little incident with the chandelier earlier though, I figured she could use more practice with him and I offered myself as a training partner." That pretty much summed it up and he took a moment to drink from the glass in his hand before he continued. “I had a similar offer with Jeanne. … Possibly, the details weren’t exactly ironed out.” Given her specialization though, it probably involved a fair bit of fire and heat.

In Lucretia's mind, it was an elementary deduction that she was sure everyone here would agree with. Sure, if she had unlimited time and resources, she'd love to have both Shou and Franz to assist with her projects, but as things stood, there was no reason for Shou to pick her over Kiran, the Icelandic prodigy was working on an oceangoing panzermensch for Paracelsus' sake, they were a match made in heaven. In fact, she'd honestly feel uneasy if she knowingly hindered a fellow Occident Polymath's passion project. Of course, the bit about Kiran and Shou's slight befuddlement went way over her head.

"Indeed, Mr. Zheng intended to help me hone my own ability to control Schwarzritter as in his mind, it'd help prevent me being caught unprepared by sudden threats, such as the falling glass earlier. I can see where he's coming from, especially as an Egoist whose major focuses on the development of one's own body." The silver-haired girl elaborated, then directed her next statement at Kiran in particular, "However, as I've told Mr. Zheng before, my vision for Schwarzritter will entail that he can protect me even if I'm fast asleep." Perhaps Kiran would immediately get what she implied, perhaps not, nevertheless, the younger polymath would curl a confidently ambitious smirk, "Automaton, a self-thinking, self-learning machine, and I believe Herr Steiner's major will make this concept feasible to be realized." She concluded with a little silent huff.

Jeanne, that was a name she also knew, Jeanne du Bordeaux, ja? The French Technologist focusing on the design of blast furnaces, a device for rapidly converting potential energy into heat among other things, but her specialization had little to do with Lucy's passions so she had nothing to say about her, thus say nothing she would.

“Ahh, I see,” Kiran nodded alongside the explanation, satisfied at getting the answers so easily, and pleasantly engaged besides. “As I understand, you wished to train against Ms. Königsmähne’s Schwarzritter, correct? While my mobile unit is not militant in design, it can function in hand-to-hand combat, and I could easily add some weapons to it for the sake of such a competition.” He assumed the Egoist had wished to test himself against Schwarzritter, and while he was aware he likely wasn’t seen as an equivalent recompensation for Zheng’s ‘loss’ of Lucretia’s assistance, he nonetheless offered to do what he could. It was only proper that if one gained something, they were prepared to give another thing in recompense. Otherwise, he would be indebted to Zheng, which he did not wish to be.

Kiran could also understand why Zheng as an Egoist would recommend training of one’s own body. And for projects such as Valeriya’s and his own, he wasn’t even all that far off the mark. As the Russian had commented, soldiers using power-armour required sufficient training, and so did pilots of mobile units. Even Lucretia could have benefitted from heightened reaction speed - if it wasn’t for her self-stated mission that was. As a Technologist himself, something the likes of automation would be preferable to himself as well, of course. However, he believed that before that happened, it couldn’t hurt to be better physically conditioned. He made a mental note to perhaps do so himself, if he found the time for it. He had quite a few other priorities after all, but if was to work with Zheng, well, maybe physical activity would find a way into his life somehow or other anyhow.

“I appreciate the offer, but you needn’t go out of your way,” Shou reassured Kiran as he set the empty glass down. “If you had no intentions of militarizing your designs to begin with, I’d rather not impose such modifications. It can be somewhat of a slippery slope if people get the wrong idea about the purpose of your creation after all.” Perhaps it was a bit of an unfounded assumption on his part given how little he knew of Kiran, but Shou did not mind offering his assistance without an immediate return. The ocean’s depths were vast and nigh unfathomable for just one person to tackle, no matter how great of an Egoist they might be.

“I did not intend to do so, no, but then again, I’d like it to be as adaptable as possible. Adding or removing weaponry as necessary would not be too difficult. Nor am I too worried about people’s assumptions as to why I do what I do. Simply making a mobile unit such as my own is seen as too much in the minds of some,” Kiran told Shou. “But we can discuss the particulars at a later time. In any case, I would simply like to repay your kindly offered aid,” he revealed.

Turning his attention to Lucretia when she revealed her ambition, he nodded thoughtfully. “Automation is quite the admirable goal, I’m not surprised you are attempting it,” he admitted. “I do wonder if Mesmerology is advanced enough so as to enable that? Though, I suppose even if it isn’t at that stage yet, your collaboration with Steiner might change that,” he commented. Privately, he was divided between doubt that the newest and most unlikely of Majors could accomplish such a feat and the thrill of possibility that Lucretia’s goal, if attained, would bring. He would certainly have to reserve a portion of his time for gathering intel on the Königsmähne-Steiner business partnership. Perhaps the German polymath may even be willing to offer that information willingly. However, while he was intrigued by her project and its results, the opposite might not be true.

“I realize it is a delicate matter, but would you be prepared to exchange some basic findings of yours?” he asked this with the slightest hesitances, though as he continued speaking, his voice and offer were both firmer. “I would reciprocate, of course, if you decide to do so. However, I will also understand if you decline. I know that those of us working in the same or adjacent fields can be rather secretive and competitive, after all,” he concluded with a playful smile.

Lucretia's T-shaped drone wasn't exactly designed for exclusive military use either and that's the beauty of it, it's a versatile floating drone that can be customized to fit one's needs. It could be used for personal transport, item storage, general heavy-duty tools, and of course, weapons platform. As of right now, it didn't even have dedicated weapons because all students were required to hand over any tools of war to be kept for safekeeping, including Schwarzritter's arm-mounted assault turrets. However, she was content to just listen to Kiran and Shou's conversation at the moment, not feeling the need to interrupt them. She definitely didn't share Shou's slippery slope sentiment, why should one care about the opinion of uneducated plebeians?

As for Valeriya, ja, that's one of the few students here that she had prior knowledge about, the Engineer of War from the Holy Tsardom of Russia. Now she was a straightforward militaristic polymath with a specialization focused on the construction of tools of war. Definitely a prodigy worth keeping an eye on, her progress could prove crucial to the Occident.

Now that Kiran addressed her again, the white-haired girl felt it was prudent to reply, "Indeed, true automatons are only thought as a myth even now, but I aim to push the boundaries of progress, turning this myth into fact." Mesmerology would just be the thing she needed! A new major to realize an old 'mythical' concept, "Hmmm?" She perked up as the Icelandic Engineer-Polymath dropped into a more careful wording, one that's so obvious that even Lucy could pick it up, "Basic findings regarding...?" If it was about Mesmerology, then he was asking the wrong person as if she knew, she wouldn't need Franz's allegiance.

However, Kiran wasn't one of those aforementioned plebeians, he must be asking about her drone, "Of course, Mr. Agnarsson, gladly." It wasn't everyday that she could converse with individuals that could keep up with her, "Mutual cooperation in the name of technological progress isn't something to be avoided, ignorance and irrationality are." Lucy surmised confidently.

“Ha, right you are!” Kiran exclaimed with a bark of laughter. “I am relieved to know you are one of those unafraid to share knowledge. It is the path to advancement, as you say. I will be looking forward to our future discussions, then,” he concluded.

With a nod, Shou let the matter drop after that and the two Technologists have their brief exchange. As he drained the last of his glasses and looked out over the dance floor, he raised an eyebrow and stood somewhat abruptly for a better look. “And I to ours,” he remarked in conclusion with Kiran, “but for now, I’ve got another person to greet.” He excused himself with a polite nod to the two other students before he gathered up his dishes and left the table.