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Kingdom of Knights

Scene details

Setting: Our heroes return to Verdios bearing the treasure they intend to donate to the goblin village previously devastated by the eidola marauder they helped Anna to repel. Their port of entry is Suryle Kingdom, the Sentry on the Shore and the wayward princess's home. Though the party does not plan to tarry long, now that Reize has procured a proper disguise and has gathered his resolve, they decide to take the opportunity to visit the headquarters of the Vanguard Association, located in the chilly coastal city.

After a night of rest in one of Suryle's spartan (but free!) longhouses for travelers (so that Reize can get over his seasickness), our heroes will amble curiously through the city before paying a visit to the guild to check in, get a look at it, and see if there are any emergency requests they can take care of while they're in Verdios. If they are lucky, perhaps they'll even meet the High Guildmaster herself.

As it so happens, there will be an emergency request, one that is sure to catch the (probably also disguised) princess's attention: reports of aether sickness in the Queenswood, possibly caused by lurking eidola. Could her nemesis have reemerged? And, worse still, could it be aiming for the goblin village again...?

Log

For some moments, Ivo is only distinguishable by his blue cloak, swept to the side by the briny breeze, as he raises a wooden bowl large enough to obscure his face to his lips. When he lowers it at last, steam rises from his satisfied sighs, his cheeks faintly flushed and eyes lively.

"Delicious!" he pronounces. "Suryle's cabbage and beet soup lives up to its reputation. An exquisite blend of light and heavy flavors, at once nourishing and delicate. Note the faint acidity mingling with sweetness that balances the intrinsic heartiness of all its ingredients. You are a master of your craft, madam."

They stand outside the nondescript dockside longhouse where the party has spent the night, some of the free lodgings that Suryle offers to lure travelers and traders despite the hardy city's lack of luxury goods. The woman whom Ivo is addressing, standing at the food cart she owns and operates, looks rather stunned at how he describes the functional foodstuff.

"More potatoes, sir?" she finally asks, raising her ladle.

"Please," he replies gallantly, extending his bowl.

The Romancing SaGa, their small magitech-powered powered ship, is tied up within view, its fetching white and blue paint job reminiscent of Ivo's own outfit.

"Perhaps we should rename it Reizebane," he quips to his allies. Even the brisk sea breeze and fortifying cabbage soup struggle to help the boy overcome his seasickness from their journey. "Let's see if we can't find an interesting quest to accept at Vanguard Headquarters to raise our fearless leader's spirits. Perhaps there's something we can take care of on our way to the Queenswood."

Ruidosa La Crima hauled Reize to the longhouse last night in a princess carry, while sarcastically muttering 'My Hero' just under her breath and thusly, Reize has stayed to fight of the case of the seasicks. She has thusly, found herself by the foodcart with her bowl of soup.

"It's..."

"It's just soup..." she says to Ivo's description of it. "I mean. It's good soup but..." she SHRUGS as she sips from the bowl of soup. As she 'pffbts' into her soup at the name suggestion.

  • Character: Anna
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

Hah hah hahhhh back to Suryle.

This is awkward for Anna to say the least. The runaway berserker princess has largely kept quiet once off the Romancing SaGa and has kept the hood of her cloak up to hide her face for much of the trip, lest they run into someone actually capable of recognizing her.

That would be bad.

Right now, she too is having a bowl of soup though.

That is good. --No no the soup is good, it's a taste of home after all. Even if she doesn't want to be recognized in her own home.

Look, it's just awkward okay?

"Mmh, yeah."

She seems a little distracted though, considering her absent response to the notion of changing the boat's name. Or maybe she's agreeing with Ivo about the soup. Or maybe she agrees Ruidosa is the true hero of this story, carrying Reize to bed like that. Hard to tell.

"*Someone's* not getting extra potatoes," Ivo asides archly to Ruidosa, before grinning at the vampire girl as the cartowner finishes ladling more into his bowl. Without missing a beat, the woman turns to Rui and extends the ladle to her as well. If anything, it brims with even more potatoes.

"Eat, pretty one!" she exhorts. "You are a growing girl!"

"And by *someone*," he hastily corrects, "I mean An--"

"You too!" the woman says, beckoning toward Anna. "Look at you hiding in your cloak, you poor little thing! Potatoes will warm you up!"

"--uhhhh," Ivo concludes, before hiding his expression with his bowl as he drains his soup. "Yes, let's not spend too long out in the open. It is quite chilly in the north." He smiles lopsidedly at the nervous princess. She hasn't raised any complaints, but Ivo can guess at her predicament. Rather than pry into her business, he has opted for discretion, letting her decide if she wants to join them or hide until the party is ready to depart. But rushing from Suryle this very day isn't much of an option, what with their leader's current state. "Shall we take some side streets on the way to the Vanguards? Madam, do you recommend any sights to see along the way?"

The woman again seems confused by Ivo's touristic demeanor. While Suryle has a certain charm and is the capitol of a well-run nation, it is a city founded by a quasi-monastic order of knights in a country wealthy only in wilderness. And, well, cabbages.

"The knights look very fine when they are marching and training," she finally replies. "Perhaps you might like to stop and see their drills."

"Ah..." He glances sidelong at Anna again. "Anything else?" Staying in the vicinity of Suryle's knights overlong might not be ideal.

There follows a long silence.

"The prize goat is on display on the main street."

"Lovely!"

  • Character: Anna
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

Potatoes, right. Anna flusters, nearly choking on her soup when the woman calls out to her. "I'm fine, really. ... More potatoes please." She deflects as best she can. SHe'll just have to wait until the team leaves Suryle before she can actually relax, but until then she can deal with it.

Mostly.

With her soup finished, the runaway princess clears her throat.

"The side streets might be for the best."

And avoiding the knights would probably also be for the best.

...

"Prize goat...?"

  • Character: Priel
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

At the mention of prize goat, the sound of a sluuuuuurp next to the group picks up. "Ahhhhh~" A glance aside would reveal a..... girl? An elf with long, silver hair. She's got on a purple black capelet and a white blouse. A matching purple black skirt and thigh high white boots complete the ensemble. Her onw peculiar feature definitely would be the fact that she's missing an arm, holding the bowl of soup rather deftly with one hand.

"That goat is actually pretty impressive. The cheese made from its milk is amazing, and let me tell you, one time an envious rival farmer thought to steal the goat away. Can you guess what happened? She asks cheerily, looking towards Ivo and the others. One finger is raised while she still holds the bowl and smiles. "The goat kicked that man so hard that he went flying through a fence and rolling down a hill into the river, where he got swept away by the current! Ahahahahaha!"

.... Who the heck is this girl anyway?

Ivo's smile softens as he watches Anna finish her soup. Though he hasn't known the princess long, he's quickly grown to trust and appreciate her as a redoubtable warrior and a good-natured friend. Her berserker rage remains intimidating, but she has consistently directed it in a righteous manner, as much of a struggle as it must be to control it. And it is an oddly charming contrast with the petite blonde's typically demure demeanor. Idly, he recalls their entertaining fake date, remembering how fun it was.

Well, even so, demure women aren't really his type.

As if on cue, the elf's uproarious laughter jars him from these aimless reflections, the young man looking with interest at their unexpected guest. The woman running the food cart laughs loudly along with her, obviously familiar with the story, while Ivo is left glancing between the silver-haired lady and his companions.

"Doubtless it is the goat of all goats," he remarks at last. "Such power would be a marvel to behold, ideally at a safe distance." He grins. "I'm Ivo Galvan, and these are my companions. We're on our way to Vanguard headquarters. Shall we see this famed goat along the way," he asks, turning to Anna, "and see if we cannot acquire some of its famed cheese?"

He looks back to the woman.

"I hesitate to trouble such a beauty," he flatters without batting an eye, "but might you be willing to lead us to where this peerless animal is tethered? Only your charming presence could enhance my enjoyment, I'm sure."

"It's right on your way," the soupseller helpfully adds.

"Lovely!"

  • Character: Anna
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

The fake date was pretty fun, though right now Anna seems to be off in her own world. She's doubtless worried pale at the thought of being found out and returned to the castle-- which is the last place she wants to be right now.

That's probably why she flinches at the slurp nearby, before her attention turns toward the elf. "Hah..."

The story about goat-thieves getting kicked into the river is fairly amusing.

"I'm... Sure it's a nice goat." She mumbles when Ivo suggests getting some cheese.

  • Character: Priel
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

"Ehehe...!" The girl laughs along with the lady that owns the cart, like they're privvy to something the travelers wouldn't understand. But after that moment passes, she settles down and hands the bowl back to the lady. "Ah, right! You can find the goat in the town center. I saw it when I was passing earlier." She smiles as she points the way, about to step forward and lead them. However, before she can do so in earnest, a distant voice catches her ears.

"Where are you? I know you're around here somewhere, so stop hiding and come out!"

The elven girl freezes up. Then she smiles and gives Ivo and Anna her most apologetic look, raising a hand to make a 'shhhh' motion with her index finger.... then she bolts.

Moments later, another figure rounds the corner. Another elf, it seems. A woman with long black hair, the right side of her face hidden by long bangs, she's got the most fed up look on her face as she marches closer to the group. Wearing what can be described as attire for reception work, she comes right up to the cart lady. "She was here, wasn't she?" The fed up woman asks bluntly while ignoring the travelers. "Which way?"

...Looks like something's happening here.

"Ahaha!" Ivo laughs along with the two women briefly, before glancing off into the middle distance. "I hope that farmer wasn't seriously injured," he deadpans, mostly to himself.

The punchline might well be that the would-be thief froze to death in the river. Humor in tough climates can be dark.

"Hmm?"

But the young man looks back only to see their new acquaintance fleeing the scene before she's even introduced herself, leaving the woman tending the cart to awkwardly stir the soup with her ladle, seemingly avoiding the gaze of the dark-haired elf sternly approaching. Only Verdios would one be likely to meet two elves in quick succession.

"I have customers," the soupseller tries to deflect. "I'm not sure--"

"If I might interject," Ivo says, stepping with a bright smile toward the dark-haired woman. "Might you be a Vanguard? Forgive me if I am mistaken, but your outfit suggests you might be employed at Vanguard Headquarters. We were hoping to make our way there. Ah, but I haven't introduced myself-- Ivo Galvan. Charmed, I'm sure."

He wants to help the shopkeep out after she was so generous with the potatoes. And as if he should assist the silver-haired elf, well, when in doubt, help a beautiful woman.

  • Character: Anna
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

Oh there goes the elf girl. Anna blinks slowly at the shhh motion before another elf comes and demands to know the wherabouts of the first from the stall owner.

"Um."

Nope. Nope she's not getting into this unless she really has to.

  • Character: Priel
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

"......."

Ivo gets a severe side eye at his interjection. But he does have the right of it. Pressing the shopkeeper clearly doesn't look like it's going to work, judging by the time wasting excuses that were starting to spill out of her mouth, so she turns her attention to the others

".... Elenne Wisteria. Vanguard Association." She answers concisely, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes to keep calm. Inner peace. Inner peace. Whooooo saaaaaah. Whooooo saaaaaah. Okay. Her eyes open again and she continues. "I'm looking for a silver haired woman. Wearing black and white. Missing her left arm. You can't miss her." She explains succintly while stepping back and crossing her arms.

A glance at Ivo, and then at the hooded Anna follows, with two or three seconds spent lingering on the incognito princess. "........" She looks away and says nothing, as if sensing a pain in the ass and deciding... nah, not going to open that can of worms. No sir.

"Have you seen her? She's got people waiting for her and I'm out of patience."

"Aha!"

Ivo takes some damage from that side eye, but he recovers valiantly. The keenness of Elenne's gaze is rather disquieting, but fortunately, there's no need to deceive her, because he truly wasn't paying attention when the silver-haired woman darted away.

"Why, yes, now that you describe her, we did recently catch a glimpse of her. But we were so distracted by our conversation and this excellent meal--" The soupseller is still not making eye contact with anyone. "--that she slipped away before we could see where she went. Quite slippery, isn't she?"

He has a feeling Elenne will relate to that, at least.

"But as it happens, our party is led by a proud Vanguard, and I'm sure he would be glad to assist you once he catches word of this predicament. Why don't we help you find her so that you needn't waste your precious time?"

Setting down his empty bowl, Ivo smiles again.

"We would just need some basic information. This silver-haired maiden's name, what is it? Age? Family? Romantic attachments?"

This quest might be more interesting to Ivo than Reize, actually.

  • Character: Anna
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

Oh dear. With that keen gaze lingering on her, Anna clears her throat quietly and turns her head a bit. Awkwardddd.

But as long as Elenne doesn't press on the matter of that particular can of worms and cause everyone a headache, Anna won't look a gift horse in the mouth.

"..." Wait a second. "... What do her romantic attachments have to do with anything?"

Dammit, Ivo.

  • Character: Priel
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

Elenne lifts a hand to rub her temple, as if she could feel a headache coming on. No, it's not fair to immediately judge these people as useless nuisances. They need to hang themselves first before she can judge them. Her hand lowers and she returns to crossing her arms. "Slippery is one way to put it." She replies to Ivo's jest. Well, she's not any closer to nabbing that girl at this rate. Suppose it wouldn't hurt to rely on these people. Especially if, apparently, they had a vanguard in their company.

"Her name is Rufina. I have *no idea* how old she is. She's an elf. She's probably older than your grandma." A shrug. "She has a younger sister living in Granse at the moment. As far as I know, she's single." Wait, she actually answered that last one? "If you caught a 'gimpse' of her, then I'm sure you've seen how flighty and carefree she can be." A sigh. She looks up at the sky momentarily as if asking the stars why this nonsense was thrust upon her. Then she returns her gaze to Ivo. "What were you talking about before she left? That might offer a clue."

"Why, such attachments might provide places for her to hide, and thus clues as to where we might search," Ivo replies to Anna smoothly, as though he expected the question. Then he smiles. "Besides, I thought I'd try to make you a little jealous. Did it work?"

He might be having a little too much fun.

"A younger sister in Granse, you say? We've just arrived from there." Ivo wouldn't want to make (another) young woman dislike him from excessive teasing, and calling too much attention to Anna in Suryle is unwise in any case. "But alas, the only silver-haired beauty we know is no elf." He can't recall the last time they met a full-blooded elf, actually. Well, now that he thinks about it more, he did see a striking one in passing around the time the party first arrived. She's still in his mental Glossary of Babes despite all the question marks in her bio. Wasn't she connected to Argent somehow? He files that random thought away for later.

> The Glossary of Babes has been updated.

"Hmm, hmmm." Ivo is nodding sagely, committing all this vital information to memory, while electing not to ask if Elenne is also older than his grandma. "We were discussing this fine city's prize goat. The quality of its cheese is apparently matched only by the might of its back legs."

He has a feeling this sort of talk will prove in-character.

"I had the impression she might be willing even to take us to said goat en route to the Vanguard Assocation, until she abruptly darted away." Ivo smiles and shrugs faintly. "We want to pay our respects at headquarters, but adventure calls, after all."

Does seeing a prize goat count as an adventure?

  • Character: Anna
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

Smooth, Ivo. Sure. That's the exact reason for wanting to know about her romantic interests.

Anna's lips twitch downward. The princess is skeptical.

She just about balks when Elenne answers the question.

"I'm not jealous." Anna replies matter of factly.

Also seeing a prize goat totally does not count as adventure.

  • Character: Priel
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

"........"

Elenne pinches her brow.

"It's always that goat..." She murmurs under her breath. Then she sighs and nods. "Right. The goat. I feel like I know where this is going." Being the professional she is, she completely ignores their banter and proceeds right past them. "Come on. The square is this way." She says in a long suffering manner as she leads the pair away from the soup cart and up the street.

It's not overlong before they clear the next block or two and finally step out into the city center to find.... Well, it's a pretty modest fountain square. Probably funded by some noble to show off his wealth in this backwater kingdom. Benches dot the square with people sitting down, socializing, giving various food stalls their attention. And right there, in the center... is the fabled goat.

With a shimmer coat of white fur, the most magnificent curled horns, only the finest of beards, and clear blue eyes. It stands there, chewing aimlessly and doing nothing in particular... yet there are a number of locals ooohing and aaahing over it.

And among them, they certainly can spy their quarry. Bent down partially, a girl in black in white, with long silver hair cheerfully pets the goat. "Ehehe, aren't you just the most adorable goat? Yes you are, yes you are~"

"......."

Elenne just stares. 'This is my life. This is what I deal with.' At least, that's what her face says as she contemplates how she's going to haul this pain in the ass back to HQ.

You roll 1d20.

Comment: Rolling to see if Reize's bad luck has rubbed off on Ivo

Roll(s): 8. Total result is 8.

"Your words chill me as northern Verdios never could," Ivo exclaims at Anna's blunt response, placing a gloved hand to his chest with a wounded expression, before his mirth shows itself in his eyes, a smile creeping across his lips again. "But the fault lies with my own insufficient charms, not your noble heart. I will warm myself by redoubling my efforts to delight you."

He's talking even as he follows Elenne at a short distance, only stopping once they reach the square, whereupon Ivo makes a grand and sweeping gesture toward the glorious goat of legend.

"What do you think? Do you like it?"

He's acting like the goat is a gift from him to Anna.

"Oh?"

Then, having seen Rufina, he glances between the two elves before striding past the gathered townsfolk to the magnificent creature, and also the goat. With a smile, he looks toward Elenne and points at Rufina, standing just a meter or so from her.

"Quest complete!"

He didn't do anything, though.

"Pardon my pursuing you, but I simply could not get you out of my mind. Now, to return to Vanguard Headquarters and collect our reward. If I might be so bold," he says, offering Rufina his very best smile, "once your business at headquarters is concluded, Rufina, might my reward be a date? I--"

Feeling an old tug, Ivo's smile wavers for a moment and, blinking, he glances down. The ultimate goat, having finishes chewing its cud, has turned to chewing on the hem of his cloak instead, its blank expression unchanged.

"Hmm."

  • Character: Anna
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

And so the party moves on, following Elenne to the square in search of Rufina. Or the goat. Or both. Anna isn't quite sure at this point, she simply gives a quiet word of thanks for the soup and leaves the cart lady to her business while following Elenne, just after Ivo.

Well there's Rufina.

And there's the goat.

The glorious and legendary goat of myth that kicked a goat thief all the way downriver. What DOES Anna think?

"It's um. A nice goat?"

But the quest is complete!

"... You didn't do anything." The Suryle princess points out matter of factly.

  • Character: Priel
  • 1 year, 9 months ago

"Hmmm...?" Rufina can sense someone is addressing her, and she looks up from her goat petting to find... "Oh it's you! From the soup stand." She stands herself up and laughs at his invitation. "Ahahaha! You're hitting on me? Is this a joke? But then again..." She ponders for a second. "Not a lot of people have the gall to just walk up and ask for a date. Maybe I wi-" Pause. "Wait, what's this about quest complete?"

"You didn't do anything." Elenne retorts, alongside Anna.

But of course, her voice makes Rufina freeze and her face pale. Woodenly, she leans aside to look around Ivo's side and sees. "Ack! Elenne!" She turns tail, right about to bolt again, when a swift hand darts out and grabs her by the scruff of her collar. "I don't think so."

Elenne nods to Ivo and Anna. "You said you were headed to HQ, right? It's up this way. Come on." She says, dragging away a comically tearful Rufina. "Noooooooo! My precious freedooooooom!" She reaches out tragically. "Save me, radiant goat of legend!" She calls out for the prize goat.

It continues to chew on the edge of Ivo's cape blankly.

Fission Mailed.