Fantasy Veilbrand: Revolution

[GojiBean]

This RP is between myself (GojiBean) and OrangeFinch. Please do not post in this thread. Thank you!

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Log 2A.8

Date: Mundas, 23rd Day of the 2nd Laetal Moon

Sixteen days have passed since my previous Potential was approached about joining the Revolution. Despite my failed attempt to persuade them, they did show sympathy towards our cause and wished me well in finding the help we so desperately need. Perhaps there will come another time soon where I can try again with that one.

For now, I'm chasing a new lead. My fellow Scouts just alerted me to a sympathetic Potential in my area, the proprietress of a clothing company, named Edyth Alcibar. Evidently the company is named after the family which, after further investigation, seems to be a home-grown company started by Edyth's parents.

Providing she's as sympathetic as they claim then we may have a new clothing provider for the Revolution, which would be no small relief for many in our forces who've been wearing the same rags and shreds of yarn that pass for clothing for months on end.

Eurugon, please bless this encounter. We need this... Badly.

The pen lifted from the page and was set aside as a pair of lips floating beneath the hood of a cloak blew gently on the ink. As its reflectivity faded in the flickering candlelight, the leather bound journal slapped shut and tucked into a hip pouch. Standing slowly, the hooded owner turned their head to scan the room of the White Heron Inn. About a half dozen customers lounging in the lobby chatting the day away, two attendants cleaning the tables and wiping the floors, and one innkeeper standing behind the front desk towards the back of the room.

"Not a horribly unpleasant sit," the individual had to admit.

Turning on his heel, he walked out the front door and into the sunlit streets of Li'itua's main road which cut through the city from East to West.

His destination wasn't that far away. Just a block or two up the road, in fact. But what stole his focus and attention was the sheer liveliness of this city. Twelve long years in Veilbrand's dilapidated cities, towns and villages wrought with corruption and distrust had nearly wiped clean what the bustling hub of activity in a major city could look like. So many people dressed in bright, new, vibrant clothes with clean clear skin and well kept hair... And the smell. It was so clean. So... Fresh.

Everywhere he looked the buildings were either new or extremely well maintained. One could hardly tell where an "original" building from centuries past ended and a newer more "modern" building began if they didn't know what specifically to look for outside of any architectural differences. The clay shingled roofs, the

Standing here outside in the sun like this with such vibrancy and life all around him...

"Has it truly been so long that I'd forget..." He whispered, wiping the tip of one finger under his cloak near his eye.

No. Now wasn't the time for this.

"Time to work."

With that, he set off down the road in search of this new Potential.

 

[OrangeFinch]

“I’ll begin on this dress right away Kenelm. I expect it to take two weeks for me to finish it and walk it over to your home, but I’ll probably be stopping by later in the week anyways, so I’ll update you on my progress then. Have a good rest of your day and may Rok’tan be with you.”

Smiling evenly as Kenelm turned around, Edyth watched the woman walk to her door and leave. Kenelm was a nice woman, but Edyth disapproved greatly of her resistance to praying to Rok’tan. Edyth had taken to saying a small blessing whenever she was around for her own sake but had never mentioned it to Kenelm herself for fear of upsetting the woman.

No matter, I have work to do. There will be time yet to think about Kenelm.

Edyth walked around her small book counter and opened wide the curtains which had been warding off the bright late-morning sun. The light, which had been providing little help to clear the gloom from the corners of her workshop, now let her see every nook and cranny clearly. Reaching down under the sill of her window into a small cupboard, she pulls out two bolts of light coloured fabric. Tucking them under an arm, she walks back behind her book counter and sets them down on her primary workstation.

As she began to unroll one of the bolts, she pondered the odd request that Kenelm had given her. In the past few months, many of her customers had begun requesting odd fabrics and difficult to find colours. She imagined it mostly had to do with shifting fashion trends that had always waxed and waned in Li’itua, but a small portion of her mind whispered that it may be due to peoples fear of Veilbrand. With their increasing aggression, many of her friends and family had begun to buy expensive crafted goods that may appreciate to protect their money. Many were also buying such items to abate their fear of losing the ability to buy such luxuries during a period of conflict. Consuming to lessen anxiety had never appealed to Edyth, but she understood. It was difficult to fault people for their reactions to what could be an upcoming war.

“Ow!”

Jerking her hand away from the table, Edyth silently reprimands herself. Her preoccupation with circumstances beyond her control had led to her cutting her hand with her fabric shears. Holding her pointer to finger to her face, she watches as blood slowly drips down the length of her finger towards her palm. Cursing herself for such carelessness once again, Edyth sighs and stands up to go look for a bandage.

 

[GojiBean]

The central market was abuzz with activity, as would be expected of such a place. It consisted of a mixture of full buildings and half-buildings, the latter of which were once one-story connections between the larger buildings flanking them until they were purchased by 3rd parties and separated via newly installed walls to isolate them as an individual sellers. The half-buildings typically were solid walls all the way around with the front having rectangular cutouts for the windows to speak with the seller, as well as having a metal sheet which fed through a slit in the ceiling that could be pulled down and locked into place with a padlock to keep people out when the store was closed. There were also standard wooden market stands in the more open areas between the buildings which were typically designed to come apart easily for transport in the event the seller needed to either change locations or cease sales for any reason.

Standing in the middle of the main road and soaking it all in, the cloaked individual noticed that his cloak was not at all uncommon among the populace here. Or, rather, having a cape/cloak flowing behind oneself was not uncommon. If anything it seemed that it was part of the traditional garb to have some sort of flowing cloak, scarf, or sash at the waist. Perhaps it had something to do with their religious beliefs? He'd have to make a mental note to ask about it some time. The only thing that made him stand out, if one could say it did so at all, was his hood. But even then it was a minor difference and one he didn't feel at all noticed for since nobody really gave him a second look.

"Interesting."

Turning around, he spied what appeared to be a sign made out of some kind of fabric with the word "Alcibar" on it on a two-story building. Wool, perhaps? He'd never seen a sign like that. Everything in Veilbrand was either a dark hard wood, stone, or metal. Making his way over to the door he gripped the handle and took a deep breath.

"... Here we go." He muttered to himself.

Turning the handle he entered the establishment.

"Excuse me. May I speak with the proprietress, miss Alcibar, please?" He asked aloud.

OrangeFinch

 

[OrangeFinch]

Edyth looked up from bandaging her hand when she heard the creak of her door opening. She had not been expecting any visits from customers around this time of day, but there was really no way of determining exactly when patrons would walk through her door. Family and friends, just like those who frequented her business for the purpose of utilizing her services, often showed up unannounced as well. On account of these facts, Edyth did not start at the man who approached her book counter.

“Good morning sir. I would be the proprietress of this establishment. My name is Edyth Alcibar. What may I do for you on this blessed day?”

Edyth gave a small smile as she spoke, trying to disguise the small tide of self-consciousness that had washed over her when she realized that perhaps this man may think she was a poor seamstress due to the cut on her hand. She quickly finished wrapping her hand and then laid both of her hands across her small book counter.

Odd, she thought to herself as she gazed at the man, people don’t often wear hoods indoors around here.

 

[GojiBean]

The man gave a light bow at the waist and approached slowly while looking left and right and taking in the sight of all the materials and clothing items which had been prepared or were still in the process of being completed for the customers who frequented the establishment. It was quite the sight. And it was a bit cramped. But then again, something about the pleasantly well-organized supply of items felt comforting and reminded him of home.

"Greetings, miss Alcibar. If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to request a few minutes of your time in private. Do you have a space where we can speak uninterrupted?"

OrangeFinch

 

[OrangeFinch]

Edyth was pleasantly surprised by the man’s bow. Very few who entered her shop had ever been so courteous in their introductions. Despite this, Edyth immediately felt a nagging pull of suspicion. No one had ever asked her for private chats unless they had a matter of great importance to discuss. In her personal experience, she knew that importance could occasionally be synonymous with trouble.

“Certainly. I have a sitting room upstairs that will be suitable. May I ask your name, sir? It isn’t often I get guests whom wish to speak so privately immediately after I meet them.”

 

[GojiBean]

The man glanced over his shoulder and checked the door and windows before looking back to her.

"My name's Jeralt, and I'm from Veilbrand. I apologize for how out of place this request for a private conversation seems. But if you would grant me this request I promise not to waste your time."

OrangeFinch

 

[OrangeFinch]

Of all the possible responses this man could have given, Edyth had least expected him to admit that he was from Veilbrand. She had been correct in her initial assumption; importance in this case was synonymous with some sort of trouble. Despite her shock, Jeralts candidness towards her question had immediately put her at ease, and his demeanor did not seem threatening to her. If anything, he seemed more anxious than anything else.

“Very well, Jeralt. I have no reason to believe that you have any ill intent towards me, so we can have a conversation. If you’d follow me, I’ll show you to my sitting room.”

Turning her back on Jeralt, Edyth commences her trek from her main workshop room towards her living quarters. She knew he would follow, so she did not slow her pace as she passed through a smaller back room filled with hundreds of small wall cupboards containing all manner of easily misplaced needlecraft supplies. Shifting right onto a narrow landing, Edyth pauses to hike her skirt before she begins to climb the stairs.

“Seeing as you have sought me out, I imagine you already know that I own this business. I’m a seamstress by trade, but I’ve worked with all sorts of materials on many interesting projects. It’s a booming industry, but the work I do keeps a roof over my head and keeps food in my stomach.”

Many times, Edyth had walked up and down these stairs, but the odd nature of this situation made her notice for the first time how smooth her once rough stairs had become. Softened grooves were visible at the edges of the steps as if someone had taken carved away at them. At the top of the stairs, she produces a key from the pocket of her skirt and unlocks a light oak door with sloppy leaf and vine engravings. Once she swings the door open and steps inside, she gestures for Jeralt to come in, and once he enters the room, she closes the door behind him and locks it once again. Spread out before them is a large open living room with 3 small cushioned chairs and a low dark wood table. Underneath the furniture in the center of the room, a large rug depicting many bright yellow and orange suns and stars sits humbly. Bookshelves of a dark wood similar to the table line the length of the right wall, and the left wall holds a series of frosted windows which let warm light into the cozy room. A kitchen is visible from the door they had just entered, but Edyth’s bathroom and bedroom are out of sight.

“Please, sit. We can talk here.”

Striding towards her favorite of the three chairs, a plush number with burgundy upholstery, Edyth sits gently and crosses her legs. Folding her hands in her lap, she patiently waits for Jeralt to sit as well.

 

[GojiBean]

Following Edyth up the stairs was an all-too familiar feeling for him. He'd done this dozens upon dozens of times for all manner of different people. Some, like Edyth, put him at ease. Others, like a non-mentionable a few weeks back, made his skin crawl and wonder what the Intelligence leads saw in them.

Entering the room behind Edyth and taking in the sights, he approached one of the chairs and felt the material before taking a seat. And as he sat down, he shifted his weight and leaned back.

"By the Gods, I'd forgotten." He sighed.

Quickly though, he cleared his throat and sat up straight.

"Apologies. It's uh... It's been a long time since I felt such comfort in a chair. But right to the point, miss Alcibar. You know of the Revolution in Veilbrand, correct?"

OrangeFinch

 

[OrangeFinch]

Edyth got the feeling just by watching Jeralt that he had not seen prosperity for a long while. Even the way he sat in his chair exposed the simple fact that Veilbrand had stripped him of all that made life comfortable. After realizing these things, Edyth felt it would be safe for her to speak honestly to this man about her feelings toward Egruus, the ruler of Veilbrand.

“Do not apologize, they are quite nice. I upholstered the myself. Anyways, I have heard of it, yes. If you don’t mind me saying, I hope Rok’tan will take divine pity upon those who would wish to wrest power from Egruus and give them the ability to have him removed permanently. He is an afront to all things good.”

 

[GojiBean]

Jeralt smiled with a nod.

"Indeed he is... And much, much worse." He muttered.

Jeralt shifted in the chair again and smiled as he felt the fabric shift under him as he got a bit more comfortable.

"Anyway, miss Alcibar, I'm a Scout for the Revolution. You and your establishment were scouted for your sympathy for our cause and your ability with these fabrics. In truth, the Revolution could use someone with your talents if you're willing to lend your aid. These clothes I'm wearing are the only clothes I have. And many within the Revolution have even less to call their own, or at least in lesser condition."

He shifted somewhat uncomfortably as he cleared his throat.

"So, miss Alcibar. I realize this is an incredible request out of the blue. But would you consider lending the Revolution your aid?"

OrangeFinch

 

[OrangeFinch]

Jeralt was right, Edyth thought, it was an incredible request. She knew that being favorable towards a revolution is Veilbrand would probably make her an enemy of the aristocracy of Veilbrand, but never in her most fantastical conceptualizations of her life had she imagined that her beliefs would make a political opposition seek out her expertise. Despite her extreme reservations at the prospects of leaving her home, she swelled with pride at the thought of being valuable to a cause, though her pride was dampened by an overwhelming feeling of revulsion at her own conceitedness.

“Jeralt, I understand the gravity of the circumstance in which you find yourself. At the same time, I imagine you would also understand how unbelievable this all sounds. Please, tell me why I should regard your offer as truth, and not a sly ploy to trick me. I am not trying to cause you trouble, but you must grasp my hesitance.”

 

[GojiBean]

Jeralt sighed with a nod.

"Yes, I understand your hesitance. And in all honesty if you didn't have some sort of desire to see the truth of my words I would most likely consider simply walking away. Those who are too trusting die far too quickly in this world."

He took a deep breath.

"Unfortunately, it's all but impossible for me to prove my words unless you see first hand what I'm talking about."

He removed his hood to reveal his face. His skin was heavily sun-kissed, his blonde hair deep and almost brown, and a pair of gray eyes with a small yet horrifically deep scar above the left eye caused by a large bladed weapon which had clearly cut through the bone above the eye socket. The fact he still had an eye was nothing short of a miracle.

"I would like to request that you to accompany me to Helinksa Village which is just outside the entrance to the Southern Pass in Veilbrand territory, The territory is controlled by Egruus, but we have a small outpost there which is about as well equipped as the rest of the Revolution is. If you're unsatisfied by what you see, you have my word you'll be granted free and safe passage home. It would take but a few days each way."

OrangeFinch

 

[OrangeFinch]

When Jeralt removed his hood, Edyth was appalled. He was a handsome man behind the scar, but the defacement of his appearance was impossible to ignore. Images of blood and split flesh filled her vision, and for a moment Edyth’s breath caught in her lungs. It was dastardly to inflict such an injury on someone, whether it was in the heat of battle or not. She could hardly stand to conceive of the pain and horror of what had happened to him. Within her a voice told her to reach out and touch his face, to trace her fingers along the ridges of his scar. Instead, Edyth twined her fingers together, and placed her interlaced hands into her lap to discourage herself from the action. No matter her intentions, it would seem boorish to attempt to convince him of her compassion for his affliction.

When her initial shock at his appearance had faded, Jeralt’s words began to filter through her mind. Edyth knew that it was no small task to attempt to recruit for a resistance, especially if those who are being sought out are subjects of a nation which is not their own. It seemed to her that circumstances must be extraordinarily dire if this man and his organization sought out a national of Gweynura. In spite of her wariness, Edyth felt unreasonably curious at the prospect of what could be a terrific business opportunity, or an adventure only heroes could dream of participating in. On the other hand, she had many duties to attend to every day, ones which were necessary for Edyth to maintain her business and personal life. Her siblings often required help with their children and homes, her projects were time sensitive, and her friends needed shoulders to lean on and spiritual guidance at practically all hours of the day. The thought of unhooking herself from these things seemed impossible. There was also no telling how dangerous this mission could be. Edyth realized that she could die in Veilbrand, far away from everything she knew and loved. There was a chance that if that happened no one would ever know, and then the people from her home would believe she had shirked her duties and disappeared. That thought horrified her.

Through Edyth’s dismay, a long-forgotten memory broke from deep within her subconscious into her conscious mind. When she was a younger woman, no more than twenty, a client who was cherished by her parents had pulled her aside to ask her a serious question. For the first time in her life, with a voice no louder than the knock of a tree branch against a window, Edyth was asked if this was the life she wanted to live. I have seen you in this shop since you were no bigger than a sapling, and you have always been so good to your parents, but their life is not your life darling. That evening, after The Alcibar had closed its doors to the public, Edyth pulled on a cloak and started out into the fading light. She had no idea where it was she planned to go, but there was a whole country beyond the small area in Li’itua that she frequented. Somewhere out there, she would carve out a niche for herself, somewhere where she could feel satisfied with herself. Those words coming out of a respected individual in her life had been the push she needed to break the seal on her silent dream to travel and explore. In her moving feet there was a promise to herself that from now on her duty would be to fulfill her aspirations. So sure was her stride that Edyth did not hear the quiet footsteps that had been following her since she had left the sight of her home. That night, before she had even made it a dozen streets away, she was robbed at knifepoint. On her walk home, her bag empty of all her possessions, Edyth cried silent tears. If Rok’tan had decided that she should be stolen from for following her heart, then she must have been wrong. Clutching her cloak to her chest, and turning her head to the stars, Edyth vowed that she would never follow the urge to leave her responsibilities, her home, again. This memory, one which had left her many years ago, cleared all doubts from her mind. It was time for her to decide, regardless of the consequences, what she wanted to die doing, whenever that might be.

”Jeralt, I will accompany you to Helinksa Village. Do you mind if I do a few things before we depart? It will only take a few hours, probably less.”

 

[GojiBean]

Jeralt let out a quiet sigh as he swept his hand through his hair and flipped his hood back up over his head. And rising from his seat, he knelt down on one knee and bowed his head.

"Words fail to convey my gratitude, miss Alcibar. Please, tke your time. And I will await you at the West Gate."

As he stood he gave her a true bow at the waist before turning towards the door and holding it open for her with a gesture for her to please go ahead.

OrangeFinch