บท 17: A Interesting Conversation
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With Gwen opening the gorgeously made double doors i stepped through into luscious chambers filled with the scents of incense and delicious foods. Sunlight suffused the entire room softly as shades were lightly draped over certain spots on windows to curtail the sheer immensity of sunlight that could enter.
In front of me there was a long table filled with various foods of all types and styles. Steaks served with mashed potatoes and vegetables. Stews that were sat within large bowls in the middle of the table, carved pork with crackling served off to the side. It was an alluring sight for me as most of this type of food were staples in Australia. I hadn't had proper food in a day or two now and my stomach was grumbling immediately upon sight of this feast. Before letting my stomach guide my mind however, I panned my vision upwards to the end of the table.
A man in his middle years sat in a comfortable looking undershirt and pants, made of silk from the looks of it and coloured white and gold. Laces were tied up just below his collar-line, tightening the shirt to cover his chest properly. Salt and pepper hair was groomed and brushed into a rather refined side sweep as his eyes, blue in hue, stared at me. He took a piece of pork and started chewing it as he looked to me in mild confusion, his eyes sliding off of me and being directed at Gwen who stepped forwards ahead of me.
"Father! 'Tis a joy to see thee. I beg pardon for interrupting thy luncheon, but I bring most urgent news that must be shared."
Her father stopped his chewing for a few moments and slowly lowered the pork in his hand, as if he was already tired and wanting to go back to bed. His facial expressions tightened somewhat however as Gwen got closer, his eyes latching onto me for a few moments.
"Daughter, 'tis good to see thee. Who is this thou hast brought before me?"
"That is the news, father! There was an attempt upon my life, which thou art likely already aware of, but this one did save me from the would-be assassin. She risked both limb and life for my sake."
His expressions turned odd, I couldn't understand them but they seemed a little strange. He was distanced from his daughter, not seeming surprised or worried for his daughter's well-being. Alarm bells were ringing in my mind at this point but I could not do anything, I was already rather deep and now a part of what i could consider a 'game'. A game for the family or something as such. It was clear as day.
"Ah, I see. Then she shall be rewarded for such a selfless act. What dost my daughter wish to bestow upon her?"
The tone was utterly unemotional, only the slightest twinge of frustration itching at the corners of his eyes as my mind was attempting to understand the undercurrents currently at work. Messages were usually hidden in common language and it seemed that his 'daughter' had won this round of the 'game' they were no doubt playing. That was why Gwen was happy with me, she had gained a new way of playing... Possibly, this was all conjecture, but it seemed more and more plausible as the seconds passed.
"Well, I would not wish to underpay her for such noble efforts, nor diminish the standing of our name... Mayhap two thousand gold coins and a position of honour as a named knight of the Ville family?"
A slight flex of his jaw showed that he wasn't the happiest with this outcome, still, he nodded along with her. A fake smile was plastered over his face as he locked eyes with me. I couldn't understand anything he was trying to convey but I could tell that I was now on his shit list and whatever was going on was most likely going to effect me in some way.
"Then it shall be so. She shall be granted the gold and the title, yet no duties shall be imposed upon her, and she may retain her freedom. I will also permit thee to spend time with her, shouldst thou desire it."
It was Gwen's turn to frown slightly for a moment until she too showed a fake smile, nodding along to the proposal of freedom for me and spending time with me. Sweating, wasn't even in my vocabulary at this stage as my tiredness was just radiating throughout my mind and body... I'd had so much bullshit happen already and now I was in a family feud between a gorgeous and alluring daughter and a wizened family patriarch.
"Of course I would desire it! We are in need of allies, and even the most singular of allies can make a difference, should we gather enough of them."
Eyes narrowing in his smile the man nodded, his eyes radiating anger at the mention of that particular fact. It seemed that he may have given up on allies in the past due to the lack of power or something they had. An insight that I was able to glean amidst the many that I was incapable of due to a lack of information. Iriaeboran politics seemed utterly complex and intricate.
"Woman, I thank thee for safeguarding my daughter. Thou shalt accompany her to receive the rewards of thy deeds. Continue to protect my daughter... if thou dost value thy life."
"I will."
His words were insidious. He was implying that If i continued I'd end up dead by those same assassins, but the way he said it made him sound like a doting father from an outside perspective... Wheels upon wheels and words on words, layered like a multi-tiered cake from a cake store. Politics was never my strong suite in my past life but somehow I was able to catch certain things now. Gwen walked away from her father, some pep in her step as she walked past me and whispered for me to follow her. I bowed slightly to her father before walking out, my brows furrowed as I strived to find a way out of this bullshit... Unfortunately the only solution came in the form of fleeing the city or becoming someone of sufficient power.
We traversed the inner workings of this floor until Gwen reached a singular room's wall and raised her right hand until her palm was pressed against a rune. She said a word that sounded like "Due-marris" before the entire wall shifted and I was brought to behold a bag of gold that when checked was exactly 2000 gold. Alongside that there was a symbol of a Wolf with a sceptre in its hands in the form of a broach.
"Here is thy coin, Lumina. This symbol shall mark thy honorary place among our forces. Thou shouldst wear it only when speaking with us or our soldiers... I must apologize for the earlier conversation; I did not prepare thee, for hadst I done so, it might have caused thee to speak, and in such a moment, he could have found reason to act against thee."
"Right... I won't ask questions since that would implicate me even deeper into issues that I most likely have no support in entering into..."
"Thou art indeed correct... It is a shame thou canst not remain, for thou art such a beautiful woman. Yet, these are the sacrifices we must make in the pursuit of power..."
I blushed at the compliment and felt a little hurt that I was used like this, just to score a point against ones own father in a game of politics. The excitement she showed was most likely put on to convince me and most of her words were most likely sugar coated to get gains from the situation.
"Hmm. Well, good luck with your gains."
Before she could respond I walked over to a window and opened it. I was told my wings work and aren't just decoration, thus i wanted out of here as quickly as possible. Footsteps battered behind me as Gwen tried to run up to me and stop me but I simply jumped out and extended my wings. The flight was actually very easy as my wings immediately responded and turned as I wished, my instincts causing me to naturally guide my path down. I couldn't see much of the city amongst the towers but the view I did get was spectacular anyway. Towers bloomed upwards around me as I saw hundreds of people below me in the street. Horses ambled along calmly as various colourful tents and canopies were arranged on the edges of the roads, I was gliding back down to the merchant district.
Knowing that my display would cause some concern if I were to land in the middle of a densely populated area, I targeted some old alleyways that lay abandoned nearby and softly swooped down, my legs launching upwards as my wings flapped a few times to slow down. My feet dropped onto the cobbles below as I almost over compensated and fell face first. From the moment I went into the air I had stored the money and sigil of knighthood into my inventory. Anxiousness filled my heart a touch as I considered that i was now probably on the shit list of the richest man in Iriaebor and would most likely face assassins in the near future.
'For fuck's sakes... My luck really isn't that good...'
|>Ascendant Soul Framework<|
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Name- Lumin'ara'el | Species- Aasimar
Titles- EMPTY | Religious Connection- Ao, God of Creation
(No Class) LEVEL- 1 |200/1000|
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Status Sheet-
STRENGTH: 13
DEXTERITY: 14
CONSTITUTION: 15
INTELLIGENCE: 22
WISDOM: 20
CHARISMA: 10
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Proficiencies-
Bonus (+2)
Athletics : +3
Acrobatics : +2
Sleight of Hand : +2
Stealth : +4
Arcana : +6
History : +8
Investigation : +6
Nature : +6
Religion : +5
Animal Handling : +5
Insight : +6
Medicine : +5
Perception : +5
Survival : +4
Deception : -2
Intimidation: -2
Performance : -2
Persuasion : 0
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Quests-
1- Find and Learn Magic | Rewards: Intelligence + 4 , Charisma + 2 , Ring of Protection, 1000 XP
2- Lose Virginity | 1 Level, A happy ending?
3- TRAINING MONTAGE | Proficiency in Simple Weapons, Proficiency in Longbows, Quiver of Retrieving
4- The Bridge, it moves? | Knowledge on basic Mechanics, Magical Rune Knowledge
5- Find Meaning? I guess? | A Golden Star? , Charisma + 2 , A Random OP Magic Item
6- Runic Language, Cantrip Addition | Intelligence +1 , Knowledge of Basic Runes within Magic
7- Kill the Tyrant of Ash and Ruin | Achievement: Dragon Slayer , Strength + 4 , Constitution + 4 , Charisma + 10 , Knowledge on Ancient Red Dragons, The Dragon Hoard of Vermithraxxis , Levels + 5 , Sword of Dragon Slaying , Knowledge of Spells at a 9th weave level (Only the knowledge, not the capability) , Section Points + 40
8- Become a Mage | Section Points + 5 , Immovable Rod, Soul Bound Grimoire , Proficiency in all schools of Magic , Level of Wizard + 1
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Completed Achievements-
Stranger to the Lands
Survivor of the Tyrant of Ash and Ruin, Vermithraxxis
Iriaeboran Princess's Saviour
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Inventory (200m^3) - Map of Faerûn , Compass, Adventurer's Camp Clothes, Spell Book of Cantrips, 2000 Gold
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{ Discover Regional Info Complete- Rewards: Intelligence + 2 , Proficiency in History, Spell Book of Cantrips }
(Author: The rewards have been added to the status sheet above)
My mind was changed instantly as apparently understanding some of the knowledge about the Ville family counted for one of my quests and I now had 22 Intelligence. My mind became much clearer with this as I was able to pick out several points in the conversation that relayed information.
They were literally gathering their forces to fight each other. There was no outside pressure, it was infighting between the daughter who wanted power and position, and the father who wanted to maintain position. It was utterly fucking ridiculous. You'd think they'd be on the same side considering they were family...
I started to move through the streets towards the Emissary Inn where I would at least be able to stay without any issue. Gwen was never going to be a friend to me from now on, she was far too manipulative and even promised a night's stay despite having no intention to let me anyway. She was luring me in with comfortable offers until I agreed to come into the room with her and thoroughly embarrass her father... Showing that a mere commoner was able to stop his little plot. Disgust rose within me as the only thing that kept me understanding was the gold in my inventory and the possible power I could use as an honorary knight of the House Ville.
'Never mess with nobles unless its at the end of a fucking blade I guess... Poor assassin probably got lured by the promise of money as well.'
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