2017-06-07: Veruni and Hyadean
- Log: Veruni and Hyadean
- Cast: Riesenlied, Ambrosius
- Where: Old Petra
- Date: 7th June 2017
- Summary: Riesenlied and Ambrosius convene, after their respective natures become clear.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
As has been informed by Lord Volsung, Old Petra is the base where the Metal Demons make their hideout at present in Ignas.
It was once a bustling colliery village, with a rich iron mine; however, when it dried up, so did the village around it. It did not help that there were allegations and rumours of something darker happening within the mine. For a long while, it only rested as one of the many ghost towns along the Frontier Badlands, up until now...
When Ambrosius approaches, he sees that it actually looks like a normal village -- with townsfolk roaming about doing their business. On closer inspection, though, these aren't normal townsfolk -- they're actually hard light projections made to look and behave like townspeople; several guards and Metal Demon soldiers look on suspiciously and call out to him, but it isn't long before Riesenlied appears, sweeping down from above on a soft bed of light emanating from her wings.
"Mister Ambrosius..." Riesenlied calls out, bowing her head. "Welcome."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
With the siege of Adlehyde, the situation had changed wildly for Ambrosius. His previous mission, to study and gather further information about Malevolence, was set aside in favor of a new one, from Lord Volsung himself(well, not directly, but that's how it often was) - to seek out and assist the 'Metal Demons' in their work.
The village he had been informed of...does not quite look as he imagined it would, though. He approaches quietly, but when he gets closer, he spots the deception - and it gets a chuckle out of him.
He does not seem altogether too concerned about the soldiers that called out to him. He only spares them a momentarily glanced before the person he came here to see appears before him.
It was a rather impressive entrance, really.
When she greets him, he removes his hat and places it over his heart before bowing politely towards Riesenlied.
"Miss Riiiesenlied..." He replies with a smirk and straightens up, placing the hat back onto his head.
"It is...a pleasure...to see you agaaain...without the need...for...deeeception..." He wasn't sure if she had already been informed of him, but assumes that even if she hadn't, she would likely have figured it out by his rather brazen arrival.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
There is a softly sorrowful expression from Riesenlied, but one of relief as well as she quietly smiles rises from her bow. "... indeed, Mister Ambrosius. I had my hunches, as you also did, I expect, but I admit I did not expect them to turn out this way. Still, I am relieved."
She gestures to the guards, who bow to her and step aside. "Please, shall we speak somewhere a bit more comfortable than the burning sun?" She steps towards a nearby house that serves as a tavern... of sorts. It's little more than a meeting place, but it's been cleaned to Riesenlied's somewhat meticulous standards.
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
"Iiindeed." Ambrosius replies with a nod. Though not unheard of, Drifters from Elru were uncommon. Any of them he might see were worthy of suspicion.
He had no objections to moving somewhere out of the sun...and in fact, he preferred it that way. He follows her into the building, and takes a moment to look around. By the looks on his face, he definitely approves.
There is a pause for a moment as he rummages through his poncho. Before long, his hands emerge once more, this time with a bottle. From the label, it appeared to be some of Gounon's famous apple wine.
"I haaave...brought with me...a toooken of...peace... You may...taaake it for...yourself...or give it to...whooomever...you feel...approoopriate..." He says, setting it on the nearest available clean surface.
This wasn't the main reason for his arrival, but he figured it could only help smooth things along.
"This wiiine is...a favorite...among my people..."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied walks towards a table and sits down gently, tilting her head to look towards the apple wine. "My... is this not Johnny Appleseed? It is famed, is it not? Thank you, Mister Ambrosius." She bows her head. "I have long keenly wanted to learn more about your people. Ever since our first skirmish, over a hundred years ago, I had always wondered what drove the Veruni's presence in Elru... and now I have some inkling, thanks to Sir Volsung."
She laces her hands together. "Then, you already know of some of our operations. You were there at Adlehyde as well, were you not, Mister Ambrosius? The Veruni are not yet well known to the Ignasian populace... but I thought that they must have had agents to keep tabs on what happens outside the Control Zone."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius chuckles goodnaturedly as she observes the wine. If she already knew about it, then this made things easier.
He was a bit surprised to hear that she wanted to know more of his people...but it does line up with the conversation they had before, so long before any of this had happened. It would seem she still carried that desire for knowledge.
It made him feel a bit better about the alliance that had been formed.
"Ah...so you haaave...met Looord Volsung..." He observes. "Our stooory...it is...not so diiifferent from yours...from...my uuunderstanding..."
He chuckles again, this time a bit ruefully.
"It is a shaaame...it has...taken us...this looong...to communicate..." He comments.
The conversation turns to the siege of Adlehyde, then, and he nods in confirmation.
"Iiindeed...though I...for the mooost part...kept to...the shaaadows...studying your people..." He admits. "Aaand...I hear you were...as well...and...you gaaave...a most...faaascinating...speech..." With that said, he watches her carefully to gauge her reaction.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied blinks once, before having a softer smile. "... indeed? I feel relieved, for I do not know how you would have taken it. As you can see..." she speaks in a slightly more hushed tone. "Even amongst my brethren, my opinions are not necessarily the majority's. I am not what you would call a celebrated person, Mister Ambrosius. I am Tainted, and treated as an underclass, disenfranchised and my fellows sent towards what we call the Gutter..."
A pause. "And I have only come so far on the basis of merit, but it is a fortunate situation I find myself in. To be able to influence how my brethren grow and learn, as they set forth outside our broken ship for the first time..."
"Please tell me, as truthfully as you feel comfortable, Mister Ambrosius." A pause. "What do you think of the Battle of Adlehyde? What are your thoughts on what happened?"
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius listens quietly with a frown. He wouldn't have expected that, judging from what he had seen. And...in a way, he feels as if he can relate to her a bit on that account.
"You haaave...my sympaaathy...Miss Riiiesenlied... My own plaaace...in our hieraaarchy...was always...faaairly low...before...Looord Volsung...took over..." He explains. Not as bad as her situation, but still. "Though...admiiittedly...it may be...becaaause of that..that I still liiive..." He chuckles ruefully.
And then the conversation turns to the battle of Adlehyde. He leans back with his eyes closed as he considers his possible answers. Eventually, he opens his eyes.
"Truuuthfully...? Very well..but...you maaay...not like it..." He says.
"I found it...waaasteful, and...diiisgusting..." He shakes his head. "The loss of liiife...among huuuman and...Hyaaadean alike...I...cannot heeelp but...feel that, to that amooount...was unnecessary..."
"A more...ooorganized and...formal plan...perhaps miiight have reduuuced it..."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
The winged woman looks rather curious about Ambrosius' comment. "I see... so Lord Volsung was a fairly recent replacement to your leadership? I would be curious to know more about your city, your culture... I have only heard the most scant details of your voyage across the stars..."
Riesenlied closes her eyes and places her hand to her chest. "... and you feel the same way I do, Mister Ambrosius. The plans I pitched forward could only do so much. I never wanted an all out assault on Adlehyde. The Golems and the Teardrop were our objectives, and there was no point in assaulting a city for it... that attack was led out of what I call an enmity that our people harbour with humanity and the Guardians, dating back to a thousand years."
She sighs very faintly. "But I can only affect so much..." A pause. "You mentioned my speech, Mister Ambrosius. Indeed, I wish to ensure that, moving forward, that we make our stance and our priorities clear. We are not a band of marauders, seeking to destroy all in our path."
She gestures with her hand. "I believe I can offer you that certainty. I do not work a bloody operation. You saw the Fairgrounds -- I prefer to minimise risks and unknowns by letting bystanders and civilians leave. I do not like wasting lives for the sake of vengeance. And..."
She glances aside. "I believe you may also find it easier to maintain your cover, if you prefer, under my wing. I have already found other sympathisers, and I seek to work with them outside of the Hyadean sphere to see this war in Ignas stopped."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
"Indeed...he is yoooung...but I...respect his streeength and driiive..." Ambrosius confirms with a nod.
"Perhaps sooomeday...you will get a chaaance...to visit... Until then...I would be...glaaad...to explaaain...whatever you wiiish..." He offers.
He then listens in. So, she had attempted to suggest a different plan? And it occurred due to a long-harbored hostility...yes, he could believe that. He had seen their actions.
He doesn't speak again until she has finished completely, and for a moment afterward as he considers her words and her offer. His hands are folded before him, tapping absentmindedly as he thinks.
"Yes...if left to...their own deeevices...deeestruction is a ceeertainty...from themselves...or from an outsiiide source..." He comments.
"I would...liiike to prevent that...if possible...therefore...our goooals align... You will have...my aaaid...miss Rieseeenlied..." He says with a nod.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
There is a very soft smile, and a nod from Riesenlied. "Thank you, Mister Ambrosius. I will share with you our upcoming plans, and I will contact the guard posts and let them know that you are welcome here. There isn't much, but Old Petra is in a way special, as a first home for many of my brethren, who have never seen anything outside of the walls of our home..."
She reclines gently. "If I may, Mister Ambrosius... tell me a little more of yourself, then? I had inclined that you were quite curious about the Ruins -- we have been on several Digs together, after all. You've an inquisitive mind when it comes to lost technology, I presume?"
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
"And thank you... if there is...aaanything you would...ask of me...do not...heeesitate to let me know..." Ambrosius replies with a nod. "You haaave done...well for yourselves....here...I must say..." He observes, looking around. If the rest of the place was like this building, then it would likely be a fairly comfortable place to live.
And then Riesenlied asks about himself. He chuckles, and glances down to the table.
"There is...not much...to saaay...I'm afraid...." He admits.
"While I...do have an...iiinterest in...lost teeechnology in how it...may be usefuuul to us...I was not lying when...I said...I had an intereeest...in hiiistory..." He explains.
"We have...very liiittle...infooormation...on the people of...Fiiilgaia...so...I haaave...taaaken to...caaataloguing eeeverything I can...from taaales of the past...to the eeevents of the preeesent..." He explains.
"That pooottery we fooound...it was...very heeelpful...and I must...thaaank you again, for allooowing me...to keep it..."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied laces her hands together as well -- Kalve's unguent had been helpful, and restored some feeling and function to her left arm... though it's still quite tender, and she'd best not aggravate it so soon after. "I, too, have an interest in history, Mister Ambrosius. And you are welcome."
She gestures and says, "We have been told many stories of how our Holy Mother was struck a thousand years ago, when our people first touched down upon this planet. But..."
She bites her lip. "There are very few records in our databases of what actually happened. Most everything has been filtered through countless layers of hearsay, opinion and bias. And this is part of what has perpetuated such hatred amongst our people... and it is part of why I search the Ruins fervently -- and this venture will continue even as we continue our conduct in Ignas."
She sighs and says, "That pottery holds unbelievable value, for instance; even at a glimpse, it offers an insight, a window into the past of what our ancestors experienced. What did they experience, and what mistakes did they make? If we do not learn... I am afraid we may be doomed to repeat them."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
Ambrosius nods in understanding.
"Perhaaaps, then...we will somedaaay...fiiind something that...will sheeed some light on...what happened...so many years ago... I would...be glad to...assiiist you..." He comments. After all, it was relevant to his own interests, as well. He might as well help.
She explains the usefulness of the pottery, and he nods.
"Iiindeed...that is my beeelief, as well..." He says, with a nod and a smile. "For those who...seek it...there iiis...much to be...leeearned...from the endeavooors...of the past...hiiistory, waaarnings, and...thiiings that were...fooorgotten, that should haaave...always been remeeembered...it is...rather faaascinating..." Noeline (noe) pages Seraph Ragnell and Riesenlied: sorry back but yes I am game, Noeline needs to get caught up
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied chuckles, bowing her head. "I'm so glad we find plenty in common. I am myself a wanderer of the Northern Steppes, so having that many encounters along the borders of the Control Zone have always made me curious as to what lie beyond them... sometime, if Lord Volsung permits, I would also like to see your cities, and learn."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
"Iiindeed...it does maaake me...feel more at ease...in regaaards to...our alliiiance..." Ambrosius replies with a nod and a smirk. And then she comments about wanting to see their cities. He nods.
"If our...reeespective taaasks...bring us to...the reeegion...then I will...see whaaat...I can do...about that..." He says with a nod. "I would ceeertainly like...to spread fuuurther infooormation...abooout my people's cultuuure...to...my alliiies...in paaarticular..."
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied nods in turn, and expresses, "And I would like to speak whatever you are curious about, of our people. About Hyades, about our migration here..." A pause. "Admittedly, my perspective comes from the bottom of our hierarchy, but that in of itself is not a bad thing. History, as they often say, is written by the winners... but a lot of inspiration and tales are woven amongst them, hidden in works others dismiss as trivial, by those that cannot."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
"That sounds...faaascinating...I will...haaave to taaake you up on...that offer...sooometime..." Ambrosius replies on a nod. "I would imaaagine...you and your feeellows...would have a peeerspective on...Hyaaadean sooociety...that I would not receeeive...from anyone else..." He observes.
"Cultural exchaaange...it is a wonderful thing..." He says, chuckling good-naturedly.
<Pose Tracker> Riesenlied has posed.
Riesenlied laughs very softly. "Indeed, it is so. I have learnt much since coming here to Adlehyde, in ways I did not even expect. To learn of the Lunarians and their struggle, and to now be branded as wanted by the Althenan Guard... to learn of Malevolence and the Shepherd... there are no end of surprises, and it is why I fully expect that we must remain open-minded and flexible in how we approach our business."
<Pose Tracker> Ambrosius has posed.
He didn't know too much of the Lunarians or the Guard, admittedly. He hadn't had many notable run-ins with either...perhaps fortunately so. It was for the best that he go about his business with some manner of subtlety, and if he became openly wanted before the proper time came then there might be problems.
"Indeed...if only our...peers feeelt...the saaame way..." He replies with a nod. At the very least, he expected whoever else Riesenlied recruited to be the sort who would be cooperative.
He had seen it among his own people, as well, he was hesitant to admit.