Arcaea/Dining Hall Late 08-09/Daimons don't bother with Red Tape
Arlian stepped off the boat, thankful to be on a surface that wasn't moving. So, this was the Arcaea Jenred had told him of...Not very impressive. Lots of repairs, which meant lots of damage. Lots of new paint, which meant lots of new tenants, which meant lots of missing old tenants. And people looked half-starved. During the harvest season. Arlian shook his head. No wonder Jenred had wanted him...
He nodded to one of the nearby carriage runners, and set off for Nocaneb. From what he'd been told, that was where he was needed. A quick look at the lord...Edara Kindon? Arlian searched his letters and blinked. Yes...The lady Jenred had mentioned...Hmmmmm...Jenred Bedwyr was going to own this realm outright if he kept this up...
Young, this Edara...Arlian just hoped she wasn't too bloodthirsty, and would accept his terms...
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Noble)
As he walked down the hallway of his new estate, he called for a scribe. He entered his study, and he sat down by the window, leaving his desk for the scribe. The scribe hesitated for a moment but then sat down at the luxurious desk.
'I want to write a letter to all my new realm members, to my new King and to all the new lords over here, but especially to my new liege. Listen carefully I do not want to have to say things twice.' 'Yes m'Lord'
'Dear King, Dear Lords, Dear fellow Nobles, Hereby I will introduce myself to you. I'm the former King of Svunnetland and the former Royal Treasurer of Svunnetland. Svunnetland is gone now, due mistakes made before my appiontment.'
He looked out of the window, and tears filled his eyes, while he thought back to the beautifull hills of Zolon, the fortifications of Ipsosez, and the city of Palnasos. He sighed, for he knew this letter would be very important for his further career.
'Go on with 'I have been driven away by the bastards of the Principality of Zonasa, Cathay and Greater Aenilia. After King Mortwyl laid down his Crown, Svunnetland was over. The hyena's knew the time had come to finish their prey. Even though King Boromir and myself have tried everything in our power to do something about that. But with all our nobles leaving like little childeren who are afraid of a fight, we were left with no power at all.
His thoughts ran to the few nobles who stayed behind with him, in a desperate attemt to save Ipsosez. He could do something back for them and introduce them with his letter.
'Listen very carefully know, scribe.' 'Yes m'Lord' 'I have also brought you two of my finest nobles, who stayed with me and Svunnetland to the bitter end. I may present to you, my former High Marshal Galdor Stormwind, a very loyal friend, and Tjard BattleHammer, a very brave young knight. Both of these men have fought with a great heart for the case of Svunnetland.'
Alright know all the information was given, it was time to finish this letter. The end would alsob e critical, if it was written well.
'We are all here to serve in your army for your greater good. Of course it would help if we knew where we were fighting for. To encourage our men for example. Therefore I ask only this for all of us, a little bit of golden pieces to pay our man and train them, and information to encourage them on the battlefield.'
He knew that the last sentence would be of greater inportance then the whole letter if people could be lured into friendship. 'Finish the letter with the following two sentences.'
'May Arcaea, give back our home, we lost at Ipsosez. May the Gods walk with you. Yours Sincerely, Tatham Aldaríon, Former King of Svunnetland (this will be hereby the last time I use this title)'
The scribe looked releaved after the last sentence, as his master had spoken rather quickly. 'I have still one task for you or actually there are two tasks to be done. Go and make a copy for all our new realm nobles. When you finished that, deliver a copy to all our new realm nobles. Go on then, why are you still sitting in my chair?' The scribe lifted himself out of the chair and left the room.
He looked around the circular room, and he missed his library, which he had left at Ipsosez, when he was leaving in a hurry.
Tatham Aldaríon (Knight of Lantzas)
Arlian walked, examining the city with the experience of long years repairing region after devastated region....And he concluded that this region was in far, far better shape than many he'd seen. Repairing it should not be too trying a task.
He scanned the message again. Tower...pond...trees...Well, what was left of the trees, anyway...This must be the place. Arlian showed the letter to the steward of the estate, and a runner was dispatched. Arlian wondered how much this Tagelied actually knew about their work...
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Noble)
"Stay here." Tagelied firmly shut the door on Fluff 'n Feathers, then turned both keys in the separate locks. That bloody monster was not going to escape this time. He was most determined, and had one of the servants stand guard in front of the door for good measure.
Picking up his hat from the table and setting it onto his head, Tag stepped through the broad front doors and down the lawn, avoiding the holes in the cobbles from the beginning of the Sartanian occupation. The house, at least, was relatively undamaged - the previous Sartanian lord had been honorable enough as to restrain his people from disturbing the home of a fellow noble.
"Sir Arlian," Tag said with a bow, approaching where the front gates had been. "I am Tagelied Hayes, of the family that owns this, uh..." he looked at the great swatches of tree stumps around the lawn. "Formerly great estate. It's an honor to meet you - Lord Jenred has always spoke highly of you and your abilities. Come, this way - we'll make our circuit around the east wall first."
Tagelied Hayes (Knight of Sasat)
Arlian nodded assent and followed Tagelied.
"Ah, tis a pleasure to meet you as well, Sir Tagelied. I've heard that you've been trying to keep the whole realm from falling apart single-handedly. Not an easy job under the best of circumstances, and trying to rebuild conquered regions on top of it must make it very trying. Tell me, though, how long have you been a Bureaucrat?"
Arlian kept his eyes constantly moving, assessing the state of what he saw...The peasants shied away in fear from Arcaean insignia, but they did no more. Obviously well controlled. Arlian winced, hoping that they hadn't been hanging rebels...Worked well in the short term, but was gods-be-damned difficult to fix later...
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Noble)
Tagelied tipped his wide-brimmed hat to cover his eyes a little at Arlian's words. "I wish I could take credit for that, but I've really only had to carry Sasat for a couple weeks while Lord Goffrey recovered... aside from that, I've just been shuttling memos and things of that sort."
"I've been at this work for... maybe a season, or two, now, and I've taken up the mantle a couple times in the past just to take care of loose ends." Tag his head turned a little, watching Arlian's eyes dart from person to person and across the buildings. "Tell me, what are you looking for?"
Tagelied Hayes (Knight of Sasat)
Arlian pulled his attention back. He'd seen enough, and had a good idea of what was needed for Nocaneb.
"Oh, just examining things. This really should be much easier than much of what I've done...Having a decent sized populace is a godsend. Will never forget when I walked into a region the Daimons had been occupying...Used to have several thousand inhabitants. I think we managed to find two or three hundred."
Arlian shook his head and shuddered a little at the memory.
"So, how much support are we likely to get from the rest of the realm in repairing Nocaneb? Are we going to be handling this with the Duchess and her knights and ourselves? Or will we be getting support from the main army?"
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Noble)
Tag looked up in surprise, at the young man turning away from the city and back towards him. This man was not much older than - from the looks, only five, maybe ten years his elder, yet he'd seen such things with the eyes that stared back at him? "That's terrible... Only a few hundred? That's just horrible... I'm glad we've not seen a daimon attack here..." He trailed a little, then snapped back to it.
"As for the support we'll be seeing here, I think that the current occupation forces will be staying until the city is back to form, or at least close to it. I myself don't have much time left in the city - Lady Marle has ordered me to Saex to oversee administration there. I've asked my men to pack slowly, so that I might have this opportunity."
Tag slowed his pace a little, spotting a small pub that looked promising. Nestled next to "Sartan's Den" (which really ought to have been torn down, or at least renamed), sat "The Little Lion." True to its name, it was quite small, but it looked like a place business had been kind to. Tag gestured. "Shall we take a drink here?"
Tagelied Hayes (Knight of Sasat)
Arlian nodded. He could use a drink...
"Well, with the support of the army, this should indeed go well. And while I'd hoped to work with you here, I can understand the needs of other regions. Having two of us would be easier...But I'll manage."
Arlian continued dryly as they strode in...
"I'd better manage. If I can't knock this region into shape with a decent Duchess, a full army, and plenty of time...Then I should throw in the towel. I've been considered a Master of bureaucracy since before the Third Invasion began, I ought to be able to handle one region with all this support. I've kept regions in worse shape stable all on my own, once or twice. While the damn place was being overrun by Daimons...There's a piece of advice for you, don't try to sit in an occupied region with a unit. If you go in without one, they almost never catch you. Worked wonders for keeping regions from going rogue while we organized half the continent's armies to try and oust the blasted things..."
Arlian trailed off as they sat in the private room and made their selections.
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Noble)
"Things can be easier on one's own sometimes, can't they?" Tag said, taking a seat across from Arlian. "At least if they don't keep well coordinated." Tag tapped the table, beckoning the waiter. "I don't think I'm up for any kind of ale or beer today - get me just a little wine."
"What about if the occupation force is human, rather than Daimon?" Tag leaned forward a little. "Does it make any difference? They tend to be better about hunting you out."
Tagelied Hayes (Knight of Sasat)
Arlian ordered some of the wine as well, and slipped a silver into the server's palm when he ordered a plate of the best they had before turning back.
"Yes, having too many working at the same time just gums things up. Two usually works, but never have three buros working the same region, unless one is policing. It never works. And as for human occupying forces...I can't say I've ever faced those. I've worked against undead, monsters, and Daimons...But never human occupiers. I doubt they can be any worse than Daimons which can read minds, teleport, fly, charge faster than any cavalry, and can be stabbed through with a hundred spears and still keep fighting. The mind-reading I'm not sure about, but sometimes it sure seemed like it..."
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Noble)
"That sounds terrifying," Tag said, lifting his hat off his head and setting it on his chair's peg. He didn't like to take it off, but he figured it'd be best to be somewhat polite.
"We've only had undead, monsters, and peasants in this area, at least as far as I remember. I spent more time swinging a blade than shuffling around the office, but -- Thank you." Tag took the glass of wine from the server and set it down in front of him, while the young woman passed Arlian his own.
Tag waved a hand. "Well, all in all, it's not quite the brawl that I'm sure you must've seen back in... Was it East Continent? Beluaterra? I'm sorry."
Tagelied Hayes (Knight of Sasat)
"That sounds terrifying," Tag said, lifting his hat off his head and setting it on his chair's peg. He didn't like to take it off, but he figured it'd be best to be somewhat polite.
"We've only had undead, monsters, and peasants in this area, at least as far as I remember. I spent more time swinging a blade than shuffling around the office, but -- Thank you." Tag took the glass of wine from the server and set it down in front of him, while the young woman passed Arlian his own.
Tag waved a hand. "Well, all in all, it's not quite the brawl that I'm sure you must've seen back in... Was it East Continent? Beluaterra? I'm sorry."
Tagelied Hayes (Knight of Sasat)
Arlian blinked as he thought back on it.
"Terrifying...I suppose it should have been...But...I was just doing my duty. So many horrible things happened in that war, you just...It just didn't matter anymore. After you'd heard of whole cities being turned into charnel houses, of half the island being taken by the Daimons...Anything else is just...Background noise. Beluaterra was an interesting place..."
Arlian paused to take a sip of his wine, his eyes far away...
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Noble)
Tag looked down at his hands, not yet touching his drink. "My sister lives in Beluaterra... my cousin as well." He pulled a face, and laid his hands flat on the table. "I hope such things don't happen again -- or at least, that they be spared it." He started to drift off a little too, but caught himself.
"Aline is a fair hand with a sword. I'm sure she'll be fine." He cleared his throat to cover up the awkward little interlude. "How have you enjoyed Arcaea so far? You've only been here a day, I realize, but I'm sure you must've had some impressions...?"
Tagelied Hayes (Knight of Sasat)
Arlian nodded.
"Mostly, things have settled. The Daimons have...Assimilated. One of them proclaimed himself a God-King. They seem to act more or less as humans, nowadays. I have a feeling many a crusade will be fought, but the worst is over. As for Arcaea...I think I like it, so far. I've heard you're an old realm, but you don't act like it. Very young, vibrant...interesting, in short."
He smiled. Yes...Interesting...
"I think I'll enjoy it here..."
Sir Arlian Bedwyr (Noble)
"'tis a relief... My sister's more than capable of handling herself, but I still worry about her, especially since we've not seen each other for the past four years. We've always been very close -- she's my twin, you see, and..." he stopped, realizing that he was talking too much. "I don't seem to be able to keep a lid on myself today. I'm sorry." He lifted his glass and took another sip of the wine -- it wasn't very good.
Tag looked towards the wall, pensieve. "I suppose it has, though it's hard to imagine with the way things have been going lately. We've all been standing on a knife's edge these past few years, only a centimeter to either side from annihilation. It's wonderous that we've been able to hang on... maybe that's why we're so lively? I wouldn't think that a realm able to stay on its feet for years at a time would exactly be 'sleepy.'"
At the sound of a few crashes and muffled thumps from the other side of the wall, Tag jumped a little and stared harder at the woodwork. "It sounds like something interesting is going on over there," he remarked, finishing his wine. It really was quite awful stuff.
Tagelied Hayes (Knight of Sasat)
The RP is concluded in Brawling for Beginners
