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Post by opius on Apr 5, 2022 8:36:39 GMT -5
The Red Coat:
+It was, perhaps, best to let things blow over, Sae decided as she headed from the bath to her rooms. She closed and bolted the door behind her. What an idiot- of course the baths were gender separated, she'd known that. She just hadn't... realized how important that was. They'd also had half a dozen different types of forks at dinner, and she used the same one, and no one had batted an eyelash. Stupid stupid. How many times had she embarrassed her allies?
For the first time in maybe her life, Sae wished she'd paid more attention to her mother when it came to these subjects.
Sae moved to the bed, falling onto it to trance. It wasn't peaceful, but it was rest, and she'd take what she could get. She woke to the streaky hours of pre-dawn and gotten to work, finding the routine of it calmed her nerves. A little.
First, her gun. Taken apart, cleaned, oiled, and put back together. Then her armor- the same, more or less. Cleaned, oiled, and donned- she wouldn't bother in the castle, but she was planning on heading into the city, and the low profile leathers wouldn't be too conspicuous. Her sword and dagger were sharpened on the whetstone before being sheathed. The preparation was time consuming and required her whole attention.
Finally, she dragged a brush through her snarled hair, pulled it back into a leather thong, and left the castle to find the Demakos- first on her list.+
Ancelas:
The morning dawned with clearer skies than the day before, most of the rain clouds having been blown westward. The servants were prepared to bring he breakfast from the kitchens while she prepared for the day, and once she set out, a quick conversation with the guards provided her with some information that might point her in the right direction - she hoped.
Refugees from any trouble out west would likely congregate at the Westgate square or in Westmarket itself. Westmarket was a little further down the Tranquil Path than its northern counterpart, and it would take more time to continue on to Westgate than it had when she first set out to find the Gunslinger chapterhouse the day before.
Westgate looked much like it had the morning of their arrival, only... more so. The city guard were out in force, trying to keep order in a square that had quickly filled up with refugees from towns and farmsteads in western Astorea. They were spilling from the square into side streets and alleyways, and the local inns had hired ruffians on hand to reinforce what 'no vacancy' meant. Sae and her party had arrive on the crest of a wave, it seemed.
Asking around, none of the refugees seemed to know who she was looking for, but the guards were marginally more helpful. Those on duty did not seem to know what she was talking about, but inquiring at the local watch station on the corner of the square confirmed that a wagon carrying a tiefling family had arrived two nights ago, just before the gates had been closed, and proceed into the city. They did not know their destination, nor could they recall the tieflings with any detail, as they had not caused any trouble and seemed content to keep to themselves. They could not even hazard a guess as to where they had gone - the city had a dozen inns of varying reputations, but none that seemed more likely than any other.
The Red Coat:
+It had been a long shot. While disappointed that no one knew of the Demakos' current location, she would move on.... but still ask throughout as she ran her errands. Maybe she would have better luck in other districts. The next stop was Aelar Ofandrus- the Deori tailor. He wasn't too far away, and while probably busy, she felt like he knew the city well, and might be best able to give her some guidance as to the good shops.
Stepping into the shop, she looked around, waiting her turn to speak with the Elven gentleman.+
Ancelas:
Upon entering the Thread and Needle, Sae would find the shop fairly empty, it still being morning. There was one other person speaking with Aelar's wife while Aelar himself worked the loom in the back of the room. Aelar noticed Sae's arrival and quietly set his work aside, rose, and approached, folding his hands behind him and offering Sae a slight bow as he presented himself.
"Welcome back, lady Gunslinger. We have completed your request, although we will need more time to finish your companions' order."
The Red Coat:
+Sae blinked a little, upon finding out her order was completed- not that she should have been terribly surprised, but still- impressed was impressed.
"Oh- good to know. The clothes can stay with the other's- we can get all of those before they set out." She switched to Elvish- frankly, she was more comfortable in the language, and while she used Common in front of her compatriots to ease them, she missed speaking in her mother tongue. "Though I will take the sash, if that is ready as well? I've worn it since my presentation, and I feel a bit naked without it, to be honest."
Now, to move on to the real business.
"Please, call me Sae, by the way. I was actually hoping I might have a word. Not about the order." She waved off the thought. Truly, Sae trusted the Deori man and his wife to do better work than she could even imagine. This was their craft and their art- just as he would hopefully trust her to wield a sword, she would trust him with it.
"We are travelling to Ilia in a few days time with Alain. I was wondering if you'd heard anything of the man? I know you get some business from the castle, and anything of note... or not of note...I could get about the man would be appreciated. You know Mareki- we're a paranoid bunch." She threw in the lighthearted joke, knowing it for what it was.
Truth.+
Ancelas:
Aelar inclined his head politely. "Then you may call Aelar. And yes, I made certain that your sash received our attention first. I've seen such ornamental fashions before and can understand the importance behind them." He gestured for her to follow him to the front counter at which point he crossed beyond it. He did not invite her further, which was not unusual. A Deori craftsman's workspace was revered nearly as much as a proper shrine to the gods.
"Unfortunately, I do not know of whom you speak. We cater primarily to the castle staff, providing affordable finery while the Astorean nobles purchase their garments from a... different... source."
He then turned and headed back past the visible workspace to duck into the back workroom, returning in moments with Sae's sash, which he laid out carefully on the counter between them. Blood red silk, with a single bar of gold running along one edge. "You were lucky it was not more heavily damaged. We were able to fix the tears with minimal impact on the overall weave of the fabric, although there may be one or two areas where the stitching may be more obvious due to the nature of the cut. We also took the liberty of cleaning the fabric and applying an additive to bring out more of the color of the silk and the shine of the gold. It should prove somewhat more resistant to everyday wear and tear for a few months, provided you treat it with care. Silk is a temperamental fabric to work with."
The Red Coat:
+Sae followed behind him to the counter, stopping there. She knew better than to enter his work space- it was nice, to be familiar with a custom. The thought brought back memories of the night before, and she had to fight back a blush at the thought.
"It's more sentimental, than anything at this point. Most my age... don't really bother." She blushed again, before her mouth fell agape at the beautiful, nearly brand new sash that was laid in front of her. Despite herself, she felt tears prickle her eyes as her hand ran down the length of silk, the stitches so clean and precise as to be invisible- at least, to her untrained eyes. It was as beautiful as it had been when it was new- perhaps even more so.
Her hand lightly ran over the gold band as she bit her lip, unsure of what to say- truly, she had been struck speechless by the craftsmanship.
"Thank you." Her voice was thick as she took the sash and carefully laid in the pleats, wrapping it around her waist and tying it off to best show it's beauty, so that the gold band striped it properly. She let the moment fade naturally, regaining control of her features once more.
"Obviously, these Astorean nobles are lacking in taste for true quality and art." She said, giving Aeler a small, true smile. "Perhaps you can recommend another shop to me- I am looking to buy a good bottle of wine- preferably Illyrian, if I can get my hands on it. I... have some apologies to make."+
Ancelas:
"You're very welcome, my dear," Aelar said with a faint smile. "It is my pleasure.If you are satisfied, then I am." He folded his hands lightly on the counter between them. "Most drinks can be bought at a tavern or general good store, but there is a vintner in the temple district I would recommend. There is a red wine that may be suitable for your needs called Giftmouth. A bottle sells for ten gold, and it is a short sweetwine that tends to sharpen mental acuity - until you drink too much of it, of course."
He then gave her directions to the vintner in question.
The Red Coat:
+Sae smiled brightly at Aeler. "Thank you- perhaps a little mental acuity might be just what we need to get past this... rough patch." She said, giving him a bow of the head. "Lissenen ar’ maska’lalaith tenna’ lye omentuva." She said in farewell, ducking out of the shop.
It felt better to wear her sash again. It meant nothing to anyone- just a signal to other Mareki that she was a Mareki... and frankly, her skin would do that without any sashes, scarves, daggers or swords. It didn't even mark her as an especially accomplished Mareki- second class was nothing to sneeze at, and she'd worked hard for it, but first was the important one.
Making her way through the city, she didn't make a bee line for the Chapter house, instead circling around the longer way to get a feel for the city, and how it might hold up if the threat came close. The legionnaires on the walls were a comforting sight, and she was happy to see they were well armed and patrolling regularly. The walls were of good construction, kept in good repair. Overall, she didn't see much to worry about- unless the threat came from inside.
While she walked, she kept her eyes peeled for the Demakos, but knew it was likely a lost cause. ((Perception: 11)+
Ancelas:
Sae did not see very many tieflings at all as she moved through the more residential district of Astor City. There were fewer shops and more houses, and what shops she did pass seemed to be small, local things that catered to the neighborhood rather than travelers. She also saw more humans and halflings in the northwest portion of the city, along with a scattering of elves - these neighborhoods were less of a metropolitan melting pot and more of a home to native Astoreans.
She did not see anyone she might recognize, unfortunately. Just residents going about their business.
The Red Coat:
+Sae wasn't surprised, but was disappointed as she made her way to the Chapter house. Checking in with Ferrick, she would head upstairs to the library. For once, Sae was looking for books. She scoured the shelves, looking for information about Illyria, about the tribes, about the Alurani.
Frankly, anything she could find about how to make sense of Tali's sudden turn, anything she could find to make him feel more at home. He'd asked for Alurani clothing- what did that even look like? Food, drink- any of it?
Sae bit her lip as she searched. Research really wasn't her thing.+
Ancelas:
Sae was not one for patient research, so it was not long before she appealed to Archivist Jordani to assist her in her quest for information. The graceful tiefling was happy to assist, and quickly produced some texts referencing the Alurani and the Unification War fought by the Naithrani for control over Illyria.
This particular chapterhouse had materials on the war itself and some earlier observations on the Alurani, but not much in the way of true information. The Alurani tribe were often casually referenced as Wood Elves, but it was overly simplistic term for a culture intricately tied to the forest in which they lived. They were more spiritual than any of the Illyrian tribes, were closer to the mysterious Feywild than any of the other tribes, and lived simple, honest lives in an area of the Illyrian forest known as the Deepwood.
They were also dangerous hunters and fighters who were peerless ambushers and woodland skirmishers. They could blend seamlessly into their environments and move rapidly and silently across the most difficult of terrain. They had close relations with the Deori tribe and had been on good terms with the Naithrani until the Naithrani began pushing for control over the country under the idea that a unified nation presented a greater bulwark against influences from other countries. The debate had raged across Illyria ever since Astorea had secured its independence, until finally the Naithrani secured the allegiance of all the tribes except for the Alurani. Knowing that the refusal of one tribe could shatter their alliance, the Naithrani went to war with their neighbors, eventually ending in the genocide led by the current warlord of the Maraki, Maith’ir Cayne.
Informative, but not helpful when it came to food and customs.
Sae would then speak with the Archivist about other things, eventually bringing up Alain. Jordani confessed to knowing nothing of the man – the gunslingers did not hold court with the king or his council unless there was some issue between them, and she knew only the official members of his council. Alain was a mystery to her.
Bringing up the contract, the Archivist volunteered to write out a formal writ under the purview of the king’s general request. She was reluctant to send Sae out alone, but given that Taliesin had accompanied her thus far and that she’d be working with a group – and because the gunslingers needed to know as much about these enemies as the king – she agreed to inform the Black Tower about the exemption that would apply in Sae’s unique predicament. The Archivist assured her that she would have the writ sent up to the castle later that day for Duchess Choris, while another copy was registered with the chapterhouse and still another sent to Black Tower.
The Red Coat:
+Sae hated research. She hated research for many reasons- the biggest of which, was that half the time you found the answer you already knew and no actual, new information. Of course the Alurani were good at ambushes- any Mareki who had ever moved in a phalanx or squadron knew that. Of course they moved silently in the woods- she'd heard her instructors harp on it many times, usually when she fell into a practice trap.
She was the worst at seeing pit traps, despite being the one 'closest to the ground'. A fact that was pointed out to her often, and led to a fair amount of duels.
Graceful enough, she did thank the Archivist for her help in the research- after all, it wasn't the Archivist's or the Chapter house's fault that the Alurani didn't have recipe book or something of that nature. She did find out that they were close with the Deori tribe- intertribal politics had never really been an interest to her... so that was something, at least.
She also found that Alain was not an official member of the King's Council. Good to keep in mind- a man who had the King's ear without any sort of official title was... intriguing, and perhaps not in a good way.
Sae penned a letter to Pyria as the Archivist wrote out the formal writ. She wished she could speak to her sister- almost desperately so- having to edit her letters in case her mother found them, she couldn't write much about her near constant fights with Tali, and could barely touch on Ruin, for fear that the letter would fall into the wrong hands.
Finished by the time the writ was properly done, she bid both of her fellow gunslingers ado and pocketed her letter, making her way through the city once more.
She used her time on the outskirts to eye a few cartwrights, their prices and the sizes of the carts they had with them, before heading into the temple district. First to the temple, to say a proper thank you to Talos for protecting her, her friends, and her wards on the harried flight from Nordyn. A small offering was left (5g), and she visited the vintner in the same district. As Aeler recommended, she picked up the bottle of Giftmouth before heading back to the castle as the sun set on a day made useful.+
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