the stewards (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
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agentleooc2019-02-07 07:00 pm
thestewards) wrote in agentleooc2019-02-07 07:00 pm
test drive 02
Can't move, can't grow When you've fallen on your knees
► All TDM threads may be considered canon provided both parties agree and are accepted into the game.
► Canon threads may be redeemed for influence and reputation depending on how you solve the issue at hand or how you engage with the prompt. They also count toward AC.
► Feel free to switch up your character's Jewel from thread to thread. Get a feel for how a Birthright Jewel may limit or enhance your character's abilities.
► Canon threads may be redeemed for influence and reputation depending on how you solve the issue at hand or how you engage with the prompt. They also count toward AC.
► Feel free to switch up your character's Jewel from thread to thread. Get a feel for how a Birthright Jewel may limit or enhance your character's abilities.
HOT UNDER THE COLLARD GREENS
The relationship between the Blood and the landens has never been easy anywhere, least of all Draega, and even less so now that the Strangers have arrived. Between Blood and landen, opinions on the Strangers vary wildly. Some Blood believe the Strangers were landen in their original worlds and thus cannot possibly have anything to offer, but some landens think this means that the Strangers will be more sympathetic to them—or that landens could gain the power of the Blood one day, too. Then there are the landens who think the Strangers have sold their souls to Queen Fayura to gain the Jewels and the Blood who think the Strangers have embraced what it truly means to be Blood. Whatever that means.
Tensions are high, and they're highest on the main street of the Old Town Bazaar, where two restaurants have an on-going feud. The Last Meal is owned by a Blood family, none of whom wear a Jewel darker than Yellow. Across the street from them stands the mockingly named Blood and Breakfast, owned by a landen family.
To say these two hate each other would be something of an understatement.
On this particular morning, Lord Harle, the Yellow Jeweled owner and chef at The Last Meal, comes storming out of his front door. "You've done it now, Laney Cook! Soured all my milk!"
Simultaneously, Laney Cook, who is the owner and chef at Blood and Breakfast, comes stomping out the front door of her establishment, brandishing a wooden spoon like a sword. "Aye, and you've replaced all my sugar with salt, you ripe old bastard!"
Without missing a beat, both turn to you and the Stranger at your side. Wrong place, wrong time, friend. The two chefs decide the two of you can be trusted to help them prove the other party guilty of sabotage because neither of you has a stake in this. And, well, if the Queen brought you here, you should be an independent party. Both Harle and Cook seem to think the Queen is pretty okay.
Truthfully, they're both equally guilty. Lord Harle and Ms Cook have been trying to ruin each other for years, but who knows what you'll find when you go searching for evidence. And even if you find evidence that decides one way or the other, perhaps you'll simply lie and manufacture a solution that suits you—or the Queen who brought you here.
TERRIBLE TWO(HUNDRED)S
You're not entirely sure how this happened, but you're starting to understand why Blood females constantly grumble about the caste of males they call Warlord Princes. Prince Loren has, somehow, managed to maneuver you to the place you're at now: the head of a classroom full of Blood children who all look like they're somewhere between the ages of eight and ten. It's hard to tell, and you're pretty sure one bossy little boy declared he was 203-years-old, so everyone else has to listen to him, thanks.
Regardless of how Loren managed to get you there, there you stand. Fifteen energetic elementary school children all wearing Jewels shriek and shout, using Craft to amplify already shrill voices. One girl floats near the ceiling, her face screwed up in concentration as she clutches a Rose Jewel. Two little boys are taking turns passing their hands through their desks, which strikes you as distinctly unsafe for eight-year-olds to be doing. (You're not wrong.)
At least there are two of you, and you only need to babysit these children for the morning. "They're here for Craft lessons. Surely, you can manage until Lady Sheera arrives," Loren had said before abandoning you to a battlefield full of powerful, pint-sized children.
There's a lesson plan on the teacher's desk, but maybe you should lead with the snacks.
REVENGE, SERVED STINKY
The air is crisp and cool; it's still winter, but it's not as chilly as it has been, and so you're out for a walk. You've made your way north through Old Town and now find yourself meandering down the roads in front of the landen Guild Halls. Even though they're all made of red brick, each building is entirely unique. The Hunter and Crafter Hall, the largest of all the buildings, has more in common with a hunting lodge than the university building it once was. The Elektriline Hall might be the smallest building, but it's covered in neon lights and impossible to ignore.
Equally impossible to ignore is Master Tinker Mari and her collection of landen young adults. They're clustered around a storm drain. When Mari sees you, she detaches herself from the group of landen students and bounds over to you. "Ahhah! Stranger! You have been brought here against your will and are surely sympathetic to our cause!" she exclaims.
That doesn't make you feel too great since, you know, you're aware that the Hunter Guild tried to kill all the Strangers maybe two or three weeks ago. They may have mellowed out, or they may just be biding their time. Thankfully, none of Mari's students bear the markings of a Hunter.
She pulls you to the group. Already, canisters have been lowered into the sewers. A handful of students have clambered down after the canisters. "The Blood wouldn't help us repair the damage in Old Town," she says, rubbing her hands together. "Our people's homes were unlivable. So we're going to make their workplace unbearable." She points at the canisters. "Stink bombs."
There's another Stranger in the group, and you make eye contact over the top of the storm drain. Are you of the same mind as each other? As Mari? The choice is yours: agree to Mari's plan and fill the buildings of the Ebon Council with untenable stench or try to convince them there's a better way.
AIR TIME
Whether you catch the news on a Far-caster in the city or you're spinning the dial on your own device, you'll hear…
etiquette with evandra and aren
[Evandra's voice is a little bit rough and a little bit husky, the kind of voice that gives bad ideas to young men and headaches to fathers.] Today we're talking about everyone's favorite subject.
[Aren's voice is chipper and bright. He sounds more like an eager boy than the full-grown man he is.] Food?
[A laugh from Evandra.] No, Lord Aren. Sex and flirting. Culturally, the Blood don't consider it rude to flirt quite blatantly with each other, even when one or both of the parties is married. Isn't that right?
[Aren:] That's exactly it, Evandra. Older males allow young witches to flirt because it's understood that the male isn't interested or available. He becomes a safe partner for her to practice on, and his approval lets her know what is and isn't acceptable.
[Evandra:] What does it mean if a married male or witch flirts with you?
[Aren:] Casual flirting means that witch or male thinks you're safe. It's their way of telling you they feel comfortable around you. Of course, it's always acceptable to ask them to step back! [He laughs.] As we all know, just because you can flirt with a Warlord Prince's lady doesn't mean you should!
[Evandra:] Let's take a look at casual flirtation between different Blood castes…
the weather
[A soft-spoken man's voice rumbles out of the Far-caster. He's pleasant to listen to, with a soothing cadence to his voice.] Warmer temperatures will see melting snow over the next week. Be careful around the Heartsblood River, as the heavy snows will result in flooding along the banks. Need flood insurance? The Transport Guild is looking to expand into…
the news
…amusing to hear that Grand Master Niall blames the Blood for the fires in Old Town. It is my understanding that members of the Blood, these so-called Strangers, went out of their way to rescue both Blood and landen during the fires set by the Grand Master's Hunter Guild. [The man speaking has a slow, clipped cadence to his voice. It's very posh and polished.]
[Another voice, presumably an interviewer:] The Council counts the Strangers as Blood, Lord Grejor?
[Grejor:] What else can they be? They wear the Jewels, therefore they are among our number. [He laughs, and the sound is cold.] The Council is pleased to welcome our new brothers and sisters.
a
Frederick can't quite stop himself from raising a dubious eyebrow as his assigned partner for the day starts reaching for the weapon at her hip. She looks the picture of grace and justice, but the limits of his trust only reach so far, especially when it comes to strangers. ]
Surely we need not resort to violence so soon, milady?
[ Emmeryn might be dead and buried in the ground but he can still uphold her ideals!! .....As he stands around wearing a suit of full armor with a lance strapped to his back, it's fine. ]
no subject
That is not my intention. This is the Lasso of Hestia. A person bound within its ropes is compelled to tell the truth, and only the truth.
[she says, as reassuringly as possible now that she realizes the weirdo looks she's getting!! She gives Fred a grateful look like "thanks for calling me out on how sketchy this looks!!']
It may feel warm at first, but I promise that it will bring you no harm. [pauses] Though I cannot promise your safety if you choose to lie.
[these store owners STILL DON'T LOOK CONVINCED DIANA!!! uhhh]
Perhaps, if it may ease concerns... I could demonstrate its effects for you first?
[then... she turns to Fred, with hopeful and imploring eyes.... still with the suspicious whip in hand. let her wrap this around u... buddy]
no subject
Fred, naturally, is always eager to keep the peace in whatever land Naga sees fit to send him to, and the explanation of Diana's magic lasso!!!! fills him with much curiousity and pique. And admittedly also some more concern because he's never been the type to simply let a stranger do as they wish to him, but he can't find any hint of malice or impishness in Diana's eyes that would prompt him to otherwise say no.
So!! He dips his head and takes a step forward. Fred volunteers as tribute!! ]
Need it touch any part of my skin for the effects to work?
[ He's gonna have to like....disrobe a little bit if that's the case. ]</small
no subject
okay it's true she's seen a naked man before but that was just the one and you know... comparisons would be interesting........I MEAN NO!!!There's no hint of malice or impishness in Diana's eyes, true, and she also looks grateful for Frederick's acquiescence. But there's (sadly) no reason to ask him to strip at all considering that the lasso of Hestia is very flexible, so she answers him with a quick nod of her head.]
Simply looping it around your wrist will be enough.
[ALAS.... bondage for next time... She'll approach slowly, holding a couple of coils out for Frederick to either take or slip his hand into.]
no subject
As requested, he holds out his wrist, letting her loop the lasso around his gauntlet and wrap it firmly around. It's hard to tell through the layer of metal if there's any particular feel to the lasso but it does glow warm and soft around his wrist. ]
What would you ask of me?
[ Is it time for....TRUTH OR DARE? Except the options are truth and truth. ]
i tried to think of the most embarrassing questions
Diana takes a moment to think about it, then]
Tell us your name -- and what you fight for.
[The second part is pretty vague, though Diana asks the question with a genuine desire to know what exactly drives her current stalwart companion. Also, it’s
an excellent icebreakera question that should serve as a clear enough example for the lasso’s effects.Then, Laney Cook from the side –
“Tell us what kind of women you prefer!”
And then, from Harle
“And men!”
Diana gets a look on her face that’s both dismayed and also amused, but like DANG DON’T PUT FRED ON BLAST LIKE THIS THE LASSO WILL MAKE HIM ANSWER BOTH OF THESE QUESTIONS???]
YOU DID GOOD
An ordinary man whose brows pulls down at the sudden barrage of questions aimed at his person. The kind of women he prefers? The kind of men? Surely that's personal information he has no need to give out?
Too bad the lasso thinks otherwise. The longer he stays silent the brighter it glows (or however it works, am I butchering canon yet Yaywon), though he is at least quick enough to answer Diana's question. ]
My name is Sir Frederick, a knight of Ylisse and deputy of the Shepherds. I fight for the honor of my country and my Lord Chrom.
[ Aaaaaand he's going to pointedly ignore the other questions, please don't make him answer them. ]