Private Tertus Valley What makes a King's man?

[Aalam Abungu]

There was smoke, there was fire, and then there was Aalam sitting under the shade of a large tree. His back was pressed to its trunk, and the smoke was drifting from his pipe as he watched the field in front of him. The grass was moving just slightly in the breeze, enough that it looked like waves of water moving in front of him. The sun bouncing off the stalks was a wonderful sight; it was something to see even this far up. He was old, and he was only getting older; the wind still cut into his skin even though he was able to short himself up with a layer of moss to keep in the insulation. But the Valley was high up, and he was still just human. He had created this character to be human. It was one of the defining traits of being him. Then, in the end, he was just human. In a world of Beastfolk, Elves, Faerin, Magia, and everything else, he was just human, and as an old human, he had seen a lot of shit. He had been there when the kingdom had faced down a mad king with the help of a princess. He had been there when the kingdom had almost broken into civil war and sided with the kingdom against his old Baron, and had been given the position to look after the southern borders of the land. He had been there on the wall when an angel had come to break them, and he had been a general that day. And now he has seen that same palace that he fought to protect fall around him, taking tunnels that were made for a retreat, something that burned in him. Three times he had failed, three fucking times he had failed. He had been imprisoned, he had watched his wall fall, and he fought against his Baron in order to keep up the kingdom, and now it was burning around him. He had left the capital to get to his supply before the rest of the fighting came but his home had been razed and brought down around him as he moved to get people out of the building…..years of work up in smoke because he had chosen to remove himself from the politics of the wars that came and now his home was litter with mechanical bodies. FUCK.

So he had done something he never expected that he would have to do again. He had sent out a few messages to call a meeting with some people that he felt he would be able to work with. People that would be able to help make sure that this didn't happen again, the last time they were the best of the best-given duty by the crown. But the king had given up his rule to keep the kingdom together, so the kingsmen have been disbanded, and he won't try and start that up again. He had given his word to Astor when he had been a better man. But the kingdom needed something. The other guilds were made to fill other roles—the Lions were legends in the making, people who pushed the legend into reality. The MIT were nerds but nerds that were key to understanding things about this world that no one else was looking into. The League made sure that no one died when it could have been avoided; they made sure each place was mapped and explored, and recorded. In another life, a better life, he would have joined them, but that was not his calling; there was too much blood on his hands at this point. And last, there was the guild; the guild kept people alive. Things that were made to make life better, to make life easier, but there was a need for something different. They needed the advanced guard, the killers, the people with information, and people who could put that information together from all sources.

So he pulled up his UI and sent out this location to a few people with the same message to meet him in this location. Some might show up, some might not, but he would see if any might take his offer in light of everything, but they would all see his message blinking in their box. It would find its way to @Vina Skysong @Inari @Langley @Schilva Flasch @Wolfram Schwarzschild @Lilith @Harper @Attia Patal @Eva @Madison Freebird

Mail

Few of you know me, and few of you would care, but I have something to discuss with those who do. Recent events have caused me to rethink my position and actions, so I extend an invitation to meet and discuss an idea in the name of the kingdom and crown.

Aalam Abungu
Ranger of the southern border
Ex Kingsman

 

[Lilith]

If it were an ingame event, it wasn't by no means fun to the death knight herself. An invasion upon the capital city of Astorea felt out of place, and moreso the way the UI had glitched and forced not only herself but @Inari inside the game. Yet despite the madness that settled through the realms, an ominous message came through a spasming interface, and while it took considerable effort, she eventually nailed down the contents and set course, making sure to drag the fox herself least she got lost, or worse...

​

"Now Inny, don't you have any theories related to this mysterious little message from our host? Maybe about what's happening in the first place?" Lilith mused, trying to get some energy and final thoughts out of Inari's system prior to arrival, bicoloured eyes checking over to the lush greens that stretched out as far as one could see, the oceans of jade made up of blade grass danced and separated themselves at their approach. Her blade nowhere within her persona, and with only the very few bits of armor she wore and her regalia to protect her from the weather, but unfortunately, not from the sun.

The light did a terrible work on such a pale skin as hers...

Eventually they would cut the distance down with the Ranger himself, basking on the shade the tree behind him provided, and a guilty pleasure of his own apparently, given the smoke puffing out of his pipe. Gaze darted back to Inari, giving her a little wink, a sign the fox would already know from Elise herself.

Their equivalent of 'I got this'.

"So, I gather you know exactly what is happening and are willing to share an explanation? Panic did a number out of people." Lilith opened the conversation with these words, arms folding under her bust as she gave Aalam a glance up and down, trying to get a full impression of the man. Calling him mundane would be an insult, for someone who clearly had their hands inside more than one set of pies in Terrasphere, or so she could assume.

No one looks this normal, this well fit to blend with the environment like him. It's easy to tell a player apart by their fashion choices, but the old man knew how to keep that from the faerin's senses.

"I can always wait until everyone arrives. Judging by the message that my little sis got over here, we are not the only ones who you called for."

@Aalam Abungu | @Vina Skysong | @Inari | @Langley | @Schilva Flasch | @Wolfram Schwarzschild | @Harper | @Attia Patal | @Eva | @Madison Freebird

 

[Langley]

Deciphering the in-game message Langley had received had taken some time as the UI glitching was still quite severe. Parsing the location had then taken even more. He'd never been in this neck of the woods before, and figuring out passage to get to the floating landmass had been a tricky challenge.

Still, he made it. Here he was. Responding to a dubious request from a strange message and going to an unfamiliar place to discuss... what exactly? Langley didn't really know. But really, what was the worst that could happen? Losing a limb? Been there, done that. Losing his life? ...Well, he'd wrestled his UI into some measure of co-operation, enough to read a message. He'd probably be able to finagle his way to the logout button if worst came to worst.

But, it appeared for now that he didn't have to consider any worst case scenarios. It just looked like a little gathering in a peaceful field beneath the shade of the trees.

He scratched his bandaged right arm. He hadn't known what to do with it, but just letting it hang out hadn't seemed like the best idea. So he'd wrapped it rightly in bandages, shoulder to fingers, so that no bone or horn was poking out.

It gave a little jerk in the direction of the two figures standing at the meeting spot. "ssnack...?"

"No, and shut it!" he whispered back.

This was a bad idea. A really bad idea. But why back out now?

He approached the pair with the bandaged arm behind his back, a man and a faerin (@Aalam Abungu @Lilith). "Uh, hey. I got a message to meet up here? Something about kingdom and crown? I'm not late, am I? Oh and, I'm Langley. Nice to meet you... Though I guess one... or both of you might know that already, considering the message...?" he hazarded a guess, looking between the two.

 

[Madison Mortiere]

Mail

On my way.

That's it. That's my reply. Three words, and a press of the send button. Any more would have been a waste.

Until the Dragonship woke, I had only heard vague whispers and rumors about Aalam Abungu. Mostly good things. Fiercely loyal to the crown, ruthlessly efficient with his bow. The kind of guy you contact to get things done. Someone who I would have hated dealing with back when I was a fresh-faced wannabe necromancer--but now that I am older and wiser to the ways of the game and the soft-hearted nature of most of its player base; someone who I think I can appreciate. Someone this world needs more of.

Pretty much because while a bunch of the others were screaming in comms about their shonen-ass dreams of saving the renegade magia who was behind this whole latest apocalypse-of-the-week or whatever, Aalam had joined up with my group that was all about bagging the motherfucker who tried to kill the Lord Commander of the Lions, and then turned the Dragonship's weapons on the allies of Astorea.

The will to do what needs to be done. Not a lot of people here got that.

I bleed out of the shadows unseen, like an oft-forgotten middle child. Aalam sits, back against a tree, a small fire crackling away before him. Two other faces I do not recognize are also there. I drift over, making a spot for myself next to the fire, its light dancing across my skull-painted face.

"Howdy."

 

[Ishtar]

Questing and a few small dungeons had gone well for Attia. While she still wasn't on the level of some of the titans out there in the world, she had gained enough experience to at least perform. She'd long since switched out her spear for a gleaming bardiche and instead of the sad starting robes she'd been given she now wore a far more sophisticated dress that ended at her chest, not rising over her shoulders. Dark separated sleeves stretched down just to the backs of her hands as she lounged at a minor merchant's estate.

Just one small connection she'd made out of many. So many small minds to slowly pull into her web. Connections that begat connections, whether they were coerced, drawn in by her charm, or turned obedient by other means. It didn't matter as long as they were useful to her in the end. She had just reached for her wine when the message came and her eyes narrowed. "This guy..." She hummed thoughtfully. Of course the first thing she had looked into was the names of the movers and shakers of the world. While there was only so much information one could get at her level, some names stood out.

"Aalam Abungu," She murmured, twining her silver hair between her fingers. She'd met him in passing during that horrific battle, even offering him the power of her magic to keep him alive. There hadn't been any intention behind it, she admitted, but she was pleased that the happenstance had leveraged her some good fortune. She slid out of the couch and set her glass down while the party around her droned on in an insipid waste of wealth and resources. She turned away from it, Decadence is for the powerful. She thought sourly, Enjoy it when no one can touch you.

She left the party in silence, not even bothering with the benefactor. He knew her temprament well enough and wouldn't be offended by her departure. She spread the great black wings on her shoulders and with a flourish, launched herself off the ground while following the coordinates provided. It wasn't long before she spotted the small gathering that had assembled next to a tree on a hill. She swooped down and landed delicately, crossing her hands in front of her and folding her wings with a simple bow.

"Ranger Aalam," She greeted in her gentle, melodic voice. She stood up and offered him a serene smile and fixed him with a kind stare. She didn't press him as to why he'd called, he would get to that. Annoying him would be counterproductive if she wanted to eventually use him as a contact or resource. So instead she scanned her surroundings. So far there were three others who had arrived. A curious bunch whom she hadn't met properly but given that they had been invited here as well, they obviously must have some use to them. Best to not be rude. She curtsied gently to the others, "Attia Patal, and yourselves?"

@Madison Freebird @Langley @Lilith @Aalam Abungu

 

[Eva]

Tertus Valley. That's quite a place to hold a meeting.

Interested to see what this was actually about, Eva set out towards the Star Bridge, hopping on a wagon to hopefully make it in time. The journey was long enough for her to review what was sent to the inventor.

She never heard of any Aalam Abungu, but from the way the message was structured, he potentially held an important position in the Kingdom of Astorea before. Why he decided to send her a message and for what, that's still not ringing any bell. The white-haired was not one to attract attention, let alone be a candidate in whatever project an ex-kingsman was building.

"Huh."

Looks like we already got ourselves a crowd. The man with a pipe, who she rightly assumed would be Aalam himself, a faerin, two beastfolks, and a well-dressed skeleton. Quite a peculiar group, but she had seen a lot of weirder starcalled up until this point. And also weird landers.

Eva still wasn't sure of the purpose of this meeting, so the woman trod carefully, both her white nano-pistols ready on harness holsters, hiding behind her black cloak for her to pull should anything unwanted happen.

"@Aalam Abungu?" She called out to the man as she walked closed toward the group, "Eva." The woman promptly introduced herself, not saying anything else and instead studied the others currently there, arms crossed.

 

[Schilva Flasch]

Relief set in quickly. So did hunger, thirst and exhaustion. The end of a war does that to one's needs.

Naturally, Schilva had been splurging and enjoying as much good food and drink as he could after his part in the Dragonship incident. That had been the most intimate experience with death since the beginning of his journey into Terrasphere, but had rather emboldened the man than anything else. Call him insane or a reckless glory-hound, and he'd probably wear it on his shoulder.

So, naturally, when Schilva received a summons that supposedly came from a 'kingsman' apparently recognising his value, he couldn't agree more that Astorea needed someone whose power could be lent towards protecting its sovereign lands. Scarcely wasting a second throwing down a tip to the tavern he had been drinking in, Schilva gathers up his equipment to set off for the rendezvous, armed with his most charming words and brilliant accolades.

Swaggering onto the scene as per usual, the recent exertions seems to have changed Schilva very little; at least, his enthusiasm in lauding himself to lavish heights hadn't diminished in the slightest.

GREETINGS, ALL! Arriving fashionably late, making your privileged acquaintance...

Striking a heroic pose with one hand to his chest and his other sweeping in address to the eclectic congregation already present, Schilva clears his throat with good reason.

...Veteran of Fever! Steelbreaker! Evil-Rending Blade! Divine Kengo! Master of the Godspeed Slash Technique! Fastest swordsman in the land that I am...THE GREAT SCHILVA FLASCH!

Perhaps it would have been more prudent for @Aalam Abungu to have conducted some background checks. Who let this clown in here?

 

[Fuxi]

"Now Inny, don't you have any theories related to this mysterious little message from our host? Maybe about what's happening in the first place?" Lilith asked Inari, whose tailed swished back and forth as they walked along. It had taken a moment for the fox-girl to get used to having tails and ears where in the real world she did not, but, much to her surprise, she'd become accustomed to them rather quickly.

"Hmm," Inari hummed as she tapped a finger to her lip, trying to see what she could come up with. "Oh! Maybe he's a battle-hardened general! Harrowed by the horrors of war, and eternally jaded, until he comes across the one person who can change, the love of his life! And then he'll finally be able to see the good parts of life, that everything isn't just blood and tears, or soon-to-be blood and tears." Well that was one theory.

"Or! He's a disgraced Kingsguard! Kingsman, whatever, and he's trying to recruit people to his cause, to usurp the throne and-!" Lilith gave her the eyes.

Inari finally looked ahead of them and spotted the man she was talking about, and suddenly, her face felt very very warm with embarrassment. "Y-you don't think he heard me talking about him being a rebel leader or something, right? Or the bit about...actually any of it?"

Slowly, more and more people trickled in to the impromptu meeting, and all with a relatively similar question on their lips. "So, what's this id-"

"GREETINGS, ALL! Arriving fashionably late, making your privileged acquaintance..."

"...What's this-"

"...Veteran of Fever! Steelbreaker! Evil-Rending Blade! Divine Kengo! Master of the Godspeed Slash Technique! Fastest swordsman in the land that I am...THE GREAT SCHILVA FLASCH!"

"WHATSTHISIDEAABOUTMISTERABUNGUSIR!?"

@Lilith | @Aalam Abungu | @Schilva Flasch

 

[Vina Skysong]

Vina had been enjoying the calm after the battle to determine the fate of Vintergard (and possibly the whole world: who knows what Szofrit might have done if victorious?) when she received a message from a source she never would have expected, leaving the vixen quite puzzled as she read the contents. It wasn't a long message, yet it managed to make her immensely curious.

She knew of Aalam. Somewhat. It wasn't like they'd spent a lot of time together before the four-year shutdown, but she'd been around for long enough that she'd caught the names of most people who'd managed to make an impact. Aalam was never at the forefront, but his efforts were still recognised by his fellow Starcalled, especially given that he was a lot more invested in the well-being of Astorea than most.

Not that other Starcalled didn't step up when there was a crisis, but Vina was all too aware that for most Starcalled such crises were game events rather than disasters. She wasn't an exception to this, even if she took a more supportive and protective role.

So if Aalam was messaging her with an invitation the least she could do was go meet him and see what he had to say. If he'd thought of a way to help the inhabitants of Astorea better she'd want to do her best to assist. Pushing herself up from the large stone which had once been part of Vintergard's city wall the songstress set off to where she was supposed to meet the ranger, humming to herself as her tail swayed behind her.

---

Whether it was due to a difference in distance or a difference in speed, Vina saw that several people had already gathered under the shade of a large tree, the thin line of smoke that crawled its way upwards from the campfire that had birthed it a beacon which drew her in. It wasn't the first time she'd been in Tertus Valley, but it was still interesting how even in the midst of winter there were patches of green to be found here.

She was dressed as usual, her clothing better suited for the warmth of summer as she instead relied on her mastery over the winds to keep the worst of winter's chill from touching her. Her pale hair almost shone as it caught the sun's bright rays, making it easy for those who'd arrived before her to notice her even before she was within yelling distance. For her part she could hear them introducing themselves and asking after the purpose of this gathering even from that far away, her vulpine ears aimed forwards to best catch every sound.

Once she was close enough to be heard she didn't hesitate to speak up, smiling brightly as usual as she raised one hand in greeting.

Sorry if I'm late~! I didn't miss anything, did I?

Her lyrical voice heralded her entrance into the conversation the others were holding, the songstress stepping up until she was close enough that she could talk to the others without having to raise her voice. She recognised everyone by face if not by name, although it mattered little in the long run. A stranger was just a friend you hadn't talked to yet.

I second my fox friend's question, but are there still others that we're waiting for~?

She didn't know how many people @Aalam Abungu had invited, but since they were out here in the open with only a large tree to provide some shade she doubted that the ranger was expecting dozens of individuals to come.

 

[Aalam Abungu]

Music ( ♬ )

He let that smoke pour from him as he watched them show up, each turning up in a way that spoke to a person's style. It would take time for all of them to get there as war tends to turn a few things around. It managed to make a person slow or tired, but it also cracked up the energy a few tick until you couldn't sit still until you needed to do something until you needed to move, and he was going to capitalize on that. So he pulled some more smoke into his lungs as his eyes fell on the first one, and it seemed that he was right about the woman, a bloody walking hand, but she had something in her actions. A drive to kill was rough, not as well honed as it could have been, but it was there; she just needed a bit more of an edge, a way to use her skills that would make her deadly in a way that no one would be able to stop. She would have made an excellent doctor if he had been a better man, but he needed a killer. "A bloody blade from a pale hand." That was one. He motioned with his finger, and one of the roots pushed out of the ground. That was one of the reasons he had back the valley, big trees.

The second he had expected to be honest, he had seen the man in action, and well someone willing to allow their body to do that was one he could use. It would take time and effort to get him into the proper position, but it was something that he could use. Besides, he could hear that need coming from his body, the whispers on the wind that could be controlled with a steady diet of flesh and work. He turned his eyes off Lilith and stared at his arm for a full second before returning to the field before him. "No, you are not late, and I know. Someone whispers your name once, and I do not forget when someone can be useful." Another ring of smoke pushed its way out of his mouth and hovered there in that air, twisting around it before he moved another finger, and the second part of the root pushed its way out of the ground. That was two: the blood and the parasite. The third, he didn't even bother to look in the eye because she was one of the few left; after Ezra, Vivian, and Lucia, few left could bring that chill to his soul. Few could carry that feeling. "Madison, glad to see I still carry a measure of something." He still did not make eye contact with her but pulled a flask from his pocket and poured a single shot of a transparent liquid before resting it on the ground. Broken as he was, he could still recognize an old killer. That was three, and wind told him of the fourth. He heard her long before he saw her, he heard them all except Madison, and there was a still in that. The sounds of silk sheets and wings, a mixture that few would put together and one that makes her sound unique. There was a chance he could finish his smoke before the lot of them arrived. "Silk wings."

Blowing out another long trail of smoke, watching it break apart in the air, he would have been content to watch it for a while, but someone had called his name, so his eyes dropped back down to look at the newcomer, and it seemed that his little plan was still working. The numbers were growing, and he had collected another. This was something new, one of the newer player races that had been allowed, and she was one of the newer ones to the game. Most were faces he didn't remember before the civil war, but each had helped keep the kingdom from falling apart. That was good. It showed him that there was something he would be able to work with. And even before he could let that thought rest, he heard the other one. Because the other one was loud, he had been loud; someone hadn't died just as yet in this world. Someone that hadn't felt that pain made everything just a bit more realistic, but he had fought back and done it well, and a man could respect that skill even if the mouth attached to it were a bit loud.

Shaking his head, he reached into his pipe and pulled out two seeds before knocking out the ash, flicking each one under the two new people that had arrived, making a small bush spring up under them. Damn, he loved the valley. It always made things exciting and was so far removed from each kingdom that no one tried to send spies. Pointing his pipe at Schilva, "You are loud, but we can work with that." He took one more long pull from his pipe until the ash in one end burned bright enough to illuminate his face before he blew out a long trail of it, and the tree that he was sitting under moved, the branches reaching out and covering the last few of the gathering the last of the people who showed up to his call and that seemed to include someone who was fashionably late to an event.

There were people like that, and they were helpful at times. "I would work on the volume, or I would learn Aeromancy or Harmonic, that way, you can cover your word and make it so that no one hears you. If you are going to say things like that." Knocking his pipe to the tree trunk as the leaves started to fall, it was a screen that kicked up enough noise to kill anyone that might have been listening, and with his range, he tends to know when someone is trying to listen in. And there would be another meeting. He didn't believe most of them would see his logic at the moment. After all, it was a grey view of the world. And in his life, he had only known a few people willing to act in a way unless their hand was forced; few made a choice ready, but he could wait for that to happen. Things were changing in the world too fast, and the game was changing too quickly, and he didn't have a picture of any of it. The old teams were gone, broken up. Most of them retired or wised up and left this world behind, but he was a fool of a man and still here.

"So how many of you died in a mess to save someone and keep the place you live around? And how many of you had thought that if we had been more proactive, we might have been able to weaken this mess that brought so much pain? Because this isn't the first time something like this has happened in the game, hell, in this player-made place, but it has kept happening. Twice there was a force made to look into those dark places and report back to higher channels to move things into place to put people where they needed to be; I have seen the order rise twice and fall twice as the leadership rose and fell. But with this....mess that has burned the palace to the ground, I decided to try one more time as an old soldier, this time linking it to the country. You might wonder why I have not worked with the other guides, but they cannot do what I ask or what I will do because they are for legends. What I ask of you is for soldiers—a way to do more if you are willing. You have had the first taste of pain. I am not a good man, I once might have been, but I need to handle things, so we are not blindsided again. So I need people willing to see the world in grey."

@Lilith @Attia Patal @Eva @Madison Freebird @Inari @Langley @Schilva Flasch @Vina Skysong

 

[Eva]

With each puff of smoke, and each word that escaped his mouth Eva knew well that this man had a lot of something that she doesn't. Experience.

He began to tell his side of story. The numerous falls and rises of the nation, and the countless people around it. The inevitable death of an order, and of those who live. The once-determined man, now trying to make sure things does not crumble apart by his own means.

No, she couldn't empathize with any of it.

"I think you have the wrong person, @Aalam Abungu." The white-haired inventor shook her head, eyes locked on the rugged man while keeping her expressionless face unmoving. "I am not a soldier. Nor do I feel the slightest attachment to the king, the country, or the people. Landers or not."

She shrugged, walking toward the large tree slowly as she explained, but then stopped and leaned on the tree. "However," Eva quickly added to her previous statement, while crossing her arms. "Your story, and what you envision is... intriguing, to say the least."

The woman's eyes scanned the others, gauging their reaction and interest after she threw the bone. Perhaps this would be the start of something new; revolutionary or evolutionary.

After all, stagnation is death. A slow, boring death.

"So I'd like to see this world 'in grey', as you offered. If you would tell us more."

 

[Vina Skysong]

The comment @Aalam Abungu made about using Harmonic Magic to hide your words made Vina's ears perk up, the vixen's late arrival preventing her from hearing what @Inari had said.

If someone here wants to learn either Aeromancy or Harmonic Magic I'd love to teach them~

Fortunately it sounded like Vina was still on time to join the gathering proper, as Aalam used the tree which offered them shade to create a screen against anyone who might listen in. The druidess looked around as the branches and the leafs were altered by the man's whim, an intrigued expression on her face. It was an interesting application of Nature Magic, but it also meant that whatever it was that Aalam had to say wasn't something he wanted outsiders to hear.

Which meant she was listening very closely as Aalam began to explain why they were here and what he was expecting from them. A story about all the struggles Landers and Starcalled had already endured, and the many attempts made to make things a bit easier for everyone. However, a frown adorned her face as Aalam's words suggested that he was looking for a more... proactive approach to dealing with problems.

Once the ranger's initial speech had come to an end Vina looked around at the others, wondering who'd speak up first. Eventually that turned out to be @Eva, which meant she had the privilege to have her response be on the forefront. The songstress nodded along as Eva declared herself to be no soldier, although obviously the inventor wasn't planning to walk away just yet.

I'm no soldier either: I do my best to help people where I can, but I prefer to heal and entertain over fighting~ (She followed up after Eva had finished saying her piece.) If you think we can do more to help people I'm willing to listen, but what do you mean with a world in grey?

She did have an idea what Aalam meant, but she hoped he could clarify a bit further. The desire to protect the people... that she could definitely understand, but she wasn't sure Aalam's methods would suit her. She looked at the ranger expectantly, her usual friendly smile replaced by a curious gaze.

 

[Aalam Abungu]

Music ( ♬ )

He took a long pull from his pipe before pushing that smoke into the air and looked at the two women in front of him, it seemed that they had been bold, or at least they were quick. Either way, he wasn't sure, and either way, it didn't matter; in the end, all that mattered was the answer that he would give them—shifting his position on the root and leaning back into the tree the bark of that old thing bending inward to accommodate his form, curving and flexing around his cloak into the shape of a chair as he sunk further into its rings. He stopped short of disappearing into that bark as he looked at the first one to speak. Looking at the woman that was a mixture of machine and flesh, there was a time he had fought to kill that race, and there was a time he had worked to make sure they had a place in each section of the kingdom on word of the King. It was something to be loyal in that way, to do one thing that would cross your morals and then to the other in service of someone else's morals. Maybe that was why the Nights fell apart. It had too many stars that understood the light and why the King's guard broke. There wasn't enough light to keep them going. But that was his life and his failing to carry, not theirs, and so those brown eyes rested back on the two of them. "No, you are not a solider, not in the way I would have been or how I could have been. I doubt any of you are, but maybe one because that type of soldier is dead, and we kill them. I helped kill them." He leaned back, looking at those falling leaves, a work of magic that he would have never used before. He would have let someone else take the lead. Someone would have done recruitment with more charisma, or they would have reached out to those who already carried a name. "But it is enough to know that you don't carry in a way because if you don't see them as people, it makes it easier to leave them in a hole."

"I am not a good man Vina…..well, not anymore because good people join guilds, the look to make a difference in the light where others can see and be inspired. I am not a good man because I have killed both good and bad people for stability. To make sure that the world doesn't try and kill itself and to make sure some people don't kill it without letting people have the information to work to stop it." Tapping his pipe and knocking out the ash before reaching into that coat and pulling out a fresh set of leaves. "It's a cliché, you know? The moral grey hero does the things the protagonist can't do out of angst or trauma, but it's still something you need—the person who is wrong but is wrong for the right reasons. The last event burned most of the Capital to the ground. It broke what little trust they had in us and reset everything that was done. It might not seem like it, but having a country to call your own and a place to hang your head when the job is done is important. I need help to keep it a place that works by any means; sometimes, you kill a person that lived a good life, sometimes, you help a cult amass power, and sometimes you make sure the people believe in the lie that you protect them. But I won't blame you if you want to leave; there was a reason we were a small force before. Morals."

@Eva @Vina Skysong

 

[Eva]

The woman just nodded when Aalam mentioned that it's easier for her since she doesn't see people as... well, people. Morals were never good for anything, anyway. It's just a superficial concept that slowed the progress of humans as intelligent beings.

"I agree. For players who keep logging in and out, the existence of this country is indeed important." With the current shaky political climate just right after the events surrounding the magia, there's a high probability that other countries might take advantage of this situation and try to make a move, whatever it is.

Falderen already sort of did that thing by accepting refugees and banning magia, a decision that pretty much looked politically driven. A country with a supposedly 'really good' relationship with Astorea now acts tense around it.

Only time will tell.

"Interesting, interesting." Eva took out her notebook, clicking her pen multiple times before opening a fresh page, and logging things on it.

"For the stability of the country, anything? Preferably in the easiest, most effective way?"

Leaving a big question mark at the end of a paragraph she just wrote, the woman then closed the book and put it back in her inventory, more or less content with what was explained to her.

"So, what's the first plan moving forward, @Aalam Abungu? Assuming you have one after trying to establish some kind of a group." She turned back to him, after @Vina Skysong expressed that she will do things to help people.

 

[Aalam Abungu]

Music ( ♬ )

"There are a number of problems that currently exist within the country at the moment. The number of nobles that had left the area because of the recent event, an issue before the star-called's power, seemed to be insurmountable, but now? Now we are called into question. We need to change the idea of the nobility and make them understand that being in the country is better than leaving it. It must be made dangerous to leave and seem safe to work with. I am sure work will be done to make the Capital safe, but that must be expanded and pushed further. The people have lost some faith in the old guilds, which must be rekindled, but that will take time." He took that long steady pull from his pipe, almost sinking into the ground for a second before he pushed that smoke back out into the air, watching it break apart before him as he turned his eyes back on the woman. He had seen the issue that was coming with the number of refugees that would be leaving and coming into the country; they would have to rebuild the strength of the nation. If he had been quicker, they might have been able to mitigate some of the damage the city took during the event and stem the loss of life.

"We need to get as many magia/magitech into the kingdom; right now, it's the only safe place for them, and the more we can round up and direct into the city, the more we can put them to work. While I am not a fan of one blowing up the Capital, the benefits outway the cost and the moment, and we need goodwill. MIT needs to be back up and running as soon as possible with this mess happening." He took another long pull from his pipe, letting that smoke sink into him this time before blowing it back into those leaves.

"And yes, anything but nothing that can be traced back to you. We need results but not results that will cause a mess further down the line. We don't stop an infection by cutting off the arm. But I do have a plan. Before drop-off points, people in locations reported what they saw, and that information was funneled to the guard. The country is blind that needs to be corrected, we need people who will be our eyes, and we need locations to gather that information and safe houses."

@Eva

 

[Eva]

"I see," She nodded, putting her fingers on her chin. "Things might be too late if we wait for the King's next action."

There's no indication of when King Astor Balthas is going to make another drastic action again, considering the strained relationship with Falderen now. The smarter way would be doing this without any connection to the government itself; an independent movement.

Of course, there's always a risk of getting caught, with no one covering your back. "And how will we achieve this? Preventing things to be traced back to us." She genuinely asked @Aalam Abungu, as it would be near impossible to create such an impact without getting noticed at all. Sooner or later, they'll be painting a target on themselves.

"I assume you already have a plan for a network, or a cell,"

If they wanted to be covert, they have to do it from the start, or else there will be no point in doing it. They'll need an independent base of operations, reputable sources, and connections to people high up there. Relying on existing guilds would be a very bad idea.

"Infrastructures. From what I could see, you're no stranger to these kinds of things."

 

[Aalam Abungu]

Music ( ♬ )

He was old, and he was tired, but the benefit of being of those things in this game meant he had seen a great deal of the messes that came about when you were too slow to act on something, and that was what he was working on changing and working on making sure that if something like this happened again, there would be things in place to stop it from getting to the capital. "I have plans in place, but for the moment, information is the most important thing; we need more of it. We were so unprepared for the last disaster compared to the others we faced because we were caught unprepared for something this big. That means we need to have more information networks working." He took another long pull from his pipe as he leaned back into the tree and turned his eyes to the woman; she was right. This was going to take time if he wanted to keep his eyes off of them, and that meant they were going to need to get a few things done in a short amount of time. The longer they took, the more chances that something would happen that they had no information on. Damnit, it was days like this he missed the old information network the city had. It made his job a whole lot easier.

"But a lot of that is long-term planning things that must be worked on over time. The first thing at the moment is we need to get two things completed; we need safe locations around the country. We can stash people and information for pick up, and we need to work on getting people in places and locations willing to sell information to us. And the moment we are operating blind and in the open, that needs to change. But that only starts once I am sure you are in."

@Eva

 

[Eva]

"Hm."

Eva nodded in agreement regarding the unpreparedness of Astorea against the magia threat and the Dragonship weaponry even though they have years to prepare for these exact things.

"Also manpower, trustable manpower." Probably the ones who couldn't be swayed by money, as impossible as it sounds, they should exist in some capacity.

If they were to build an information network though, they'll need sources from all the neighboring countries. And the Starcalled-Falderen relationship isn't exactly the best right now. But guess @Aalam Abungu would think of something regarding that, or use his existing connections, if there are still any.

"Alright," The woman crossed her arms, leaning on one leg. "Then I'm in," Eva declared. She has to see this interesting plan through, after all. "Just like that? Or there's some kind of loyalty test that I'm missing here?" Her head tilted slightly, curious if it was easy like that.

"What's the first move?"

 

[Aalam Abungu]

Music ( ♬ )

"We are blind." He took a second as he sunk into the tree, letting the earth hold his weight, he was tired, and he was old for his game, but that meant he needed to keep working because there were things out that were moving in the world. He had felt those strings before the war event at the capital and hadn't acted on them, and now the kingdom needed to be rebuilt. They needed information, they needed to know what was happening out in the world, and they needed a place to compile all that information; back in the old days, he would have been able to call on the nights or the guard to make that possible, but those systems had been disbanded. "So we need to reestablish old networks, old contents that might be willing to work for a group like this again. Some might still be in operations, so that I will look into that, but we need new ones. People who are willing to spy on their neighbors for coin and others that are willing to do it out of loyalty. "

Reaching into the trunk of the tree and pulling out a single golden coin, one with a stylized N stamped on one side, the other side blank. It wasn't special by any means. No wasn't shaped differently from a normal coin in any way. It just had that N. Running that coin over his fingers as he looked at her. "Just like that, I don't bother with loyalty tests. They don't work or matter in the long run. No, knowing that your actions might keep the people you care about alive just a bit longer and stop them from ending up trapped in this place is enough." Flicking the coin at her. "This is your, a relic that I know by heart, something that I can pick out in a thousand fakes. Keep it.

First things first, we need safe houses in each of the main locations of Falderen. "

@Eva

 

[Eva]

"I can handle the expendable contacts,"

She spoke, tossing a suggestion to the man. "I have a friend in the Adventurer's Guild. I know some of the people there would be willing to do anything for some extra coin from outside the guild."

However, for internal matters, they have to start looking for people they can trust. Probably the hardest thing, since a lot of good people simply stopped playing after the last incident with Szofrit, realizing that such a powerful being could just straight up lock them out from their UIs and possibly trap them inside the game forever.

A commendable choice, but now the nation is weaker than ever, with the neighboring nations waiting in the shadows.

Catching the glinting, small object, Eva opened her palm to reveal what it was. It's a coin; nothing peculiar about it except the letter N on it, but probably one or two details were hidden somewhere. It'll be perfect for verifying her identity. After inspecting it, she inserted it into one of her smaller pockets. "Alright." Like one of those, spy-assassin movies? Cool novelty.

"Safe houses. Now... how are we going to get those?" It'll take money, manpower, and both have to be provided discreetly. "We're not exactly sponsored. Well, not as far as I know. Are you?" She would assume he has some inner connections to Falderen to make it possible somehow.

@Aalam Abungu