The Emperor's Pleasure - Introduction
Anguis Trigon, Phase One
Wordcount: 1050
Elata Spiritus perched high in the peaks of Tumunlu, the southern stretch of mountains surrounding Terminus. What began as a simple docking area for airships had blossomed into a small city in its own right, with its own industry, housing, and economy, and many airships were built right there by the skilled engineers who called it home. It was a city of steel and titanium, with broad metal plates forming the floors of the city, stretching out over open air with strong beams anchored into the mountains themselves. A constant dusting of snow gave Elata a sort of otherworldly glow, and on tranquil days the city of white arches and floating platforms truly embodied the 'Spiritus' half of its name, especially when looking out over the millions of tiny lights in Terminus, sparkling like the stars above.
The troubles of the world seemed so far and distant, even the war that currently plagued the oceans.
There were dozens of large airships currently docked or moored in the city, and uncountable numbers of smaller vessels, some as small as rowboats. Of all sorts of designs, from all corners of the world, it felt like every ship was unique, distinct among its peers. One stood out among the rest, however: a ship lined in pearlescent panels aligned in long, thin lines, with a deep well. Glimmering propellers near the rear of the ship suggested it was built with sea travel in mind. The upper decks boasted three large triangular sails, silver and glittering, very likely coated in bigatium pulveris and enchanted for strength. Wings swept out horizontally, with the airship's engines covered in spiraling shells. At the fore of the ship there was a figurehead of silver, in the shape of a woman's body holding a pitcher and pouring it. In reverence to the Arbiter, the familiar symbol of the Emperor's bloodline ended at the top of the neck, as it was believed no sculptor could capture the beauty of Serpens.
It was this ship, the Geamhess, that the heroes of the Black Portal were ushered onto, standing on its upper deck lined in treated planks of white wood. Along with them came many others who had performed admirably during the campaign or who had been drawn from other respected regimens within the grand metropolis. All told, the Magister -- and by extension the city of Terminus -- made a personal offer of four dozen of the city's best and bravest, to serve at Emperor Thadal's pleasure. With the heroes at the forefront, the selected men and women stood in six columns, each wearing a ceremonial half-cloak over their right shoulder, deep violet and gilded with the symbol of the city: an archaic symbol reminiscent of a ball of fire upon a circle, representing the protection from the cataclysm.
A young velen woman stood to greet the champions, her skin a gentle but warm pink, small patches of scales on her cheeks and down the gentle slope of her shoulders glimmering. Long ribbons of deeper red covered her scalp and swept backward, hanging midway down her back. She wore a sleeveless dress that hugged her figure, light turquoise; there was a barely visible seam down the center showing the legs were separate. Although she wore no crown nor other jewelry, as the young woman's gentle blue eyes looked over the men and women before her, they all recognized the royal bearing she carried. Uniformed guards, in armor of mother-of-pearl, stood to either side of her: though she was slim and delicate, she was slightly taller than either of her guards, perhaps taller than anyone else gathered there.
"Fair greetings to you all, brave and noble warriors," the woman called out in a bright yet refined tone, a small smile spreading on her cheeks. "We, feartu Grace et Neptunum, are honored to welcome you aboard our vessel, the Geamhess, and further to welcome you into our home in Pelagia, the city of our forebears." She placed a hand to her chest and gently inclined her head. "As your hostess, we shall ensure that you are provided every comfort available to us, that you may pass a pleasant journey. From the bottom of our heart, we thank you for your service in this time of great strife. Please, enter."
The oldest princess of the Pelagian Empire moved with balletic refinement, bowing her head once more before she turned and entered the airship, followed by her bodyguards. Led by two representatives of the Arcanum, familiar with the rules of decorum, the rest of the many men and women entered the airship. Once inside, all were struck with the opulence and beauty of the inside. This was clearly a leisure vessel, but a royal one besides. Artwork and finery lined every wall, much of it glittering in silver, some in gold, and all with a touch of the sea. The walls were pink, like the outside, and the floor was of a similar pale wood to the deck, covered in ornate carpets and rugs.
Princess Grace disappeared elsewhere into the ship while the crew led their visitors to the general quarters. Where other ships might have simple rooms with cots or hammocks, what greeted them was a lavish and open sitting room with cushioned chairs and couches, as well as several mahogany tables already lined with food, mostly fruits and cured fish.
It was easy to forget why they had come.
"They're here?!" a youthful voice shouted out. "They're here!"
"Get back here!" another yelled out, and then soon both speakers burst into the room. A boy and girl, siblings probably, tussled and shoved at each other. The girl, slightly younger, flashed a sharp, toothy grin as she ran from one warrior to another, gawking up at them. Her brother, barely a teenager, kept trying to grab her and slow her down, but wasn't having much luck. They both had light red skin, darker than Grace's, with short white rows of coral atop their heads, but all the differences aside, they shared the same striking blue eyes: these were two more of the emperor's children, prince Cordatus and princess Mitis.
Mitis rushed up to one woman in particular and let out a squeal of glee. "It's her! It's Elfeed! You are, right? Right?"
This is for the heroes of the Black Portal and for a selected number of additional characters. If your character is not one of the heroes, but you can point to deeds or connections that would get them in, you can do so. For instance, I am bringing Keydis into this with a combination of deeds (high-profile bounties) and a connection (her uncle being a ranking Conexus officer). If you're not sure, feel free to ask, but I don't plan to be strict about those guidelines, just want you to have something in mind for yourself.
You can respond here with turns or mini-chapters, or post a separate chapter tying into the setup. Interacting with each other or the NPCs is not required, and you are also welcome to write the NPCs shown based on the characterization displayed (one example being that Grace speaks using the royal we). There is no measure for success or failure at this juncture, this is about establishing your characters entering the plot.
The chosen will be given the royal treatment throughout their journey aboard the Geamhess, a leisure airship. There are 48 chosen, a dozen imperial guards, and four of the emperor's children aboard, along with assorted attendants and crew. The ship will leave Elata Spiritus at dawn and the trip will take four days, leaving Elata Spiritus and heading southwest to Pelagia, the underwater capital of the Empire.
Let me know if you have any questions.[/i]
You can respond here with turns or mini-chapters, or post a separate chapter tying into the setup. Interacting with each other or the NPCs is not required, and you are also welcome to write the NPCs shown based on the characterization displayed (one example being that Grace speaks using the royal we). There is no measure for success or failure at this juncture, this is about establishing your characters entering the plot.
The chosen will be given the royal treatment throughout their journey aboard the Geamhess, a leisure airship. There are 48 chosen, a dozen imperial guards, and four of the emperor's children aboard, along with assorted attendants and crew. The ship will leave Elata Spiritus at dawn and the trip will take four days, leaving Elata Spiritus and heading southwest to Pelagia, the underwater capital of the Empire.
Let me know if you have any questions.[/i]