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Post by Daos on May 30, 2023 10:38:00 GMT -8
It's another day on the Radiant Citadel, although that term is a bit of a misnomer. As there is no day and night cycle there, as there is no sun, moon or stars. People tend to set up their own sleep cycles, usually based on those of their homeworlds. As a result, the Citadel never sleeps; no matter what time it is, there's always something going on. One such place on the Citadel that is always active would be the Palace of Exile. Originally founded by Socorro the Exile, a refugee of war from San Citlán, it is one of the most beautiful complexes on the Citadel. But this palace does not host the wealthy or the powerful. Rather, it is a home for those with nowhere else to go. Refugees who have fled their own worlds, those who have fallen on hard times, and those who--for one reason or another--have no place to call their own dwell here, where they are cared for until they can get back on their feet. But there is another group that calls this place home--the Shieldbearers. An organization dedicated to helping the helpless, keeping the peace and protecting not only the Citadel itself, but its fifteen satellite worlds. Currently, the Shieldbearers are meeting in the currently empty dining hall, which serves as a fine meeting room for large groups when needed. They sit and talk among themselves as they await their leader, Arayat, to arrive and give them their new assignments for the day. Among them are four rookies who have yet had the opportunity to prove themselves as they have only just completed their basic training. Today they hope to finally have that opportunity. The room is abuzz as the veteran Shieldbearers discuss their previous missions or just talk about the local gossip and happenings. A few examples among dozens: A human man, resplendent in fine plate mail, speaks to an aasimar woman about riding a dragon into battle. An orc warrior speaks to an aasimar cleric about the newest dish at the Elemental Plate. Two women, a shifter and and a human, argue about politics. Two other women, a hobgoblin and a drow, lament their respective dating lives. |
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Post by sarcastiksh0rtee37 on May 30, 2023 23:31:07 GMT -8
Vulpi sits kinda between the people talking about food and the people talking about politics, not engaging with either, but quietly listening for something interesting, a question to ask, a statement to make, anything. They are not really good at interaction and they don't mind being alone, but they recognize the importance of relationships within any warrior group. If they manage to learn something useful about politics in the region or a food to eat or avoid in an unfamiliar location while trying then all the more successful an endeavor. While sitting, they lay out a cloth riddled with wood shavings and the beginnings of a wood carving of a Kapok tree and continue shaping it careful to catch the shavings onto the cloth.
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Post by Animorte on May 31, 2023 5:22:41 GMT -8
Upon arrival, Livana lets down the disguise she had keeping her safe along the way. She had only been here a few times over the past couple weeks, but was told she would finally get the opportunity to speak with the Shieldbearer's leader, Arayat.
She nimbly makes her way through the room, making sure not to disturb anyone she's not familiar with, but offers up a joyful smile to each one that happens to look her way.
Eventually she notices a friend, and moves over to take a seat next to Vulpi. While she doesn't care much for the politics, she also hears the food conversation and resists the urge to ask them if they'd been to Zinda, for now.
She starts with a bit of excitement, "Hey Vulpi! I was hoping we could get in together. Sorry I'm a bit late. Any updates yet on a mission? Did I miss anything good?"
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Post by Igordragonian on May 31, 2023 14:18:58 GMT -8
ZZencho is a blue skinned tiefling of an average height, and a bit overweight.
He walk into the room with a wide smile, while smoking. His dark sideburns waved with each step.
Zencho was a bit wobbly and used his quarterstaff as a cane.
He pass by the people.
War? Eh. The dragon make it a bit intresting, but still.
The talk about a dish made him to pause near the orc warrior and aaismar cleric.
He laugh aloud.
"Chahaha. Maybe we should try it together someday, eh? My treat.";Zencho laugh and without commiting to this bit move on.
He probably didnt had the money, but he just felt like saying it at the moment. It was what was Zui Quan was about. Right?
He skipped his doubts. Pausing again, overhearing about the dating lives of the hobgoblin and the drow-
maybe he would hear something that might score him companionship- unlikely, yes- Zencho wasaware he wasnt a great catch- but one should keep an open eye and ear.
He take a notice of the halfling and high elf who seems to be friends already
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Post by Daos on May 31, 2023 15:25:36 GMT -8
Vulpi tries to divide their attention between the conversation on food and the one on politics, and only hears about half of either.
"They're called cinnamon fried honey ants, and they're amazing," the orc is saying. He is a powerfully muscled orc with thick grey skin, black hair, and brown eyes. He has a short beard that is well trimmed. He is short for an orc at 5’9”.
The aasimar woman he is speaking to makes a face. "They're not...actually bugs, right? That's just a name?" She has thick, silvery hair that falls around soft, rounded features and pale blue eyes. Her rich brown skin is dotted with freckles, and she is built somewhat sturdy—toned, in a way that is both elegant and grounded. Around her neck hangs some kind of foreign icon that resembles a clockwork gear of some kind.
Zencho walks up and suggests they try the meal together, before laughing and walking off. The orc, suddenly embarrassed at being overheard, clams up at that point. The cleric just raises a brow to the tiefling before he moves on.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the elf, the conversation goes thusly. "My understanding is Sholeh intends to find the missing twelve civilizations. I think she can do it, too; she's been at this for two and a half centuries, and she's found fifteen so far." The shifter woman speaking is 5’5” and 130 pounds, making her appear rather unassuming for a Shieldbearer. Her large eyes are hypnotizing—a bright yellow color that catches the light—and her pointed ears are constantly flickering about. Soft, reddish fur-like hair covers her face and arms. She is bristling with weapons that are well made and cared for.
The human woman she is speaking to appears skeptical. "She hasn't found anything since Tayyib and Umizu, and that was decades ago. It's entirely possible the twelve missing worlds are dead, and there's nothing left to find." She is a human woman of average height with a muscular build. She’s bearing a number of light scars on her face and hands. Her armor is is pristine and seems forged out of some kind of blue coral, and her hair is up in an elaborate style.
Zencho then moves over to eavesdrop on the drow and hobgoblin. The hobgoblin says, "I hear you. Things are so much more difficult on the Citadel. Back home, I had my pick of the tribe. Here, ehhh, things are more complicated." She is something of a runt for a hobgoblin, standing at only 4’9”, but she is almost entirely muscle. Her armor and clothing are androgynous, though her hair is ornately braided and decorated. Her rust-colored skin sports multiple scars.
The drow smiles ever so slightly. "Indeed, things were quite different back home for me, as well. Moving here was something of a...culture shock, to say the least. Many more rules and much more emphasis on...equality." Her deep blue skin is in sharp contrast to her straight white hair, which curls slightly at the ends. Her eyes are silvery-blue and sharp, and her rigid jaw is elegant and stubborn. She has a thin frame that speaks to dexterity but stands at a looming 5’9”, not including the heels on her boots.
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Post by sarcastiksh0rtee37 on May 31, 2023 16:32:46 GMT -8
"Not much, meeting hasn't even started yet. Although, apparently there are some pretty good sounding ant dishes on the elemental plane and not everyone understands just how good insects are. You know, insects can be quite popular among elves. With so many elves being vegetarian, alternatives to meat diets are common. I mean, the strict vegetarians still won't eat insects, but there are many who have expanded out of strict vegetarian diets into including insectarian practices."
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Post by Igordragonian on Jun 1, 2023 2:52:49 GMT -8
Zencho grin a bit.
He try to aporach the hobgoblin and drow.
He didnt had much of a plan, just a hunch-
People who are looking for fun and are strangers here as well.
"Things are complicated, only if you struggle to understand them." he drop, trying to mimic the right intonation, to sound like the wise monk he is supposed to be.
"The universe will give us, our wants, we just need to stop trying so hard."
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Post by Animorte on Jun 1, 2023 9:15:56 GMT -8
Since the topic has made its way to consumables, Livana feels absolutely no shame in embracing her nature, even though she knows she has a tendency to get carried away.
"You know what goes great with insects, and any vegetarian diet? The Jeli flower! You can take the berries and make a nice drink to go with it. Even add some crunch or juicy texture to the plate. Some of the crops can go with just about anything. They have all sorts of samples during the festivals, and many shops otherwise."
She begins trailing off, more to herself than anything else... "I wonder why they haven't set up more shops here. Maybe I just haven't seen them. They're a good export far as I know. Zinda is the only place they're found."
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Post by Daos on Jun 1, 2023 11:40:17 GMT -8
"Things are complicated, only if you struggle to understand them." he drop, trying to mimic the right intonation, to sound like the wise monk he is supposed to be. "The universe will give us, our wants, we just need to stop trying so hard." The hobgoblin and drow share a look, and raise their brows. "Things are complicated because there are more rules in place," the drow says in response. "Where I come from, we took what we wanted. Men were our servants, not our equals. It's...a lot to get used to." |
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Post by sarcastiksh0rtee37 on Jun 1, 2023 12:15:13 GMT -8
"I haven't tried it. Will have to sometime." Tilting their head back to look at the orc and aasimar: "Hey, have either of you tried the Jeli Flower? Livana here seems pretty enthralled by it."
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Post by HorizonsDream on Jun 1, 2023 12:28:24 GMT -8
Ooc: Sorry guys. I'm sick, so posting is erratic for me at best right now.
Ic: Ha- Yun comes running into the meeting area while pulling her long black hair up into a ponytail. Today was an important day, so like any normal person she stayed up later than she should have because the excitement kept her up. As a result, she slept longer than she should have, but she was relieved to see the meeting hadn't started yet. Letting out a sigh of relief, she looks around at all of those gathered. She was still new to the Citadel, so she didn't have a firm grasp on its politics, so she shyed away from those conversations. Food on the other hand, well, she could talk about food all day. "Jeli flower?" She asks curiously. "What's that?"
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Post by Igordragonian on Jun 1, 2023 14:27:25 GMT -8
"Things are complicated, only if you struggle to understand them." he drop, trying to mimic the right intonation, to sound like the wise monk he is supposed to be. "The universe will give us, our wants, we just need to stop trying so hard." The hobgoblin and drow share a look, and raise their brows. "Things are complicated because there are more rules in place," the drow says in response. "Where I come from, we took what we wanted. Men were our servants, not our equals. It's...a lot to get used to." Zencho has scratched his sideburns. "I am sure you can find men who would find it attractive and easy. Especialy at location where people drink."He gulp from the gourd witha loud. "Ahhhh." sound. "The sage turtle knows, I wont mind. Also, in Umizu, usually women are in charge too... where are you from?" |
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Post by Daos on Jun 1, 2023 15:24:43 GMT -8
"I haven't tried it. Will have to sometime." Tilting their head back to look at the orc and aasimar: "Hey, have either of you tried the Jeli Flower? Livana here seems pretty enthralled by it." The orc shakes his head. "No. Fought an ochre jelly once, though. Is it something like that?" The aasimar says, "I haven't heard of it, either. It sounds sweet. Is it sweet?" Zencho has scratched his sideburns. "I am sure you can find men who would find it attractive and easy. Especialy at location where people drink." He gulp from the gourd witha loud. "Ahhhh." sound. "The sage turtle knows, I wont mind. Also, in Umizu, usually women are in charge too... where are you from?" "I come from a world called Toril," the drow responds. "The underground kingdom of Menzoberranzan." "I'm from a world called Amtar," the hobgoblin adds, pointing a thumb at herself. "A place called Bloodtooth. You've probably never heard of it, though." |
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Post by Igordragonian on Jun 2, 2023 5:49:17 GMT -8
"Underground kingdom. Eh? I guess not much of sunlight over there?" He comment to the drow.
He take a breath with the pipe.
"Amtar? No, but it just means, I can learn of it! Ha!"
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Post by Animorte on Jun 2, 2023 10:06:18 GMT -8
Livana is astounded that so many people have yet to be introduced to the jeli flower. She begins talking with a bit of excitement, almost as if presenting a sales pitch.
"Why, it's the pride of Zinda! It's a flower that comes in many colors and can be included with any dish, mainly as a wine. Then some people even use it to make clothes and dyes. It seems somebody finds a new use for it every day and there's all sorts of different shops. Not to mention the March of Vice festival that you've must have heard about."
She takes a deep breath and looks around at everyone who cared to listen, hoping that somebody else would appreciate just how interesting it truly is.
"It's a wonder it hasn't become a major export yet, not that I know of."
Then she thinks to herself that Zinda would probably have a lot more luck with that if they made a greater effort to protect the field hands and crops... But that's a story for another time.
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