Atharen, A Fantasy Roleplay Forum

Posted: **Sat Nov 26, 2022 12:59 pm**

47th of Ash, Year 4622

Night loomed over Leiden, the moon's pale light filtering in through the window-pane. It was unusual for an employer to schedule an interview for the early evening, but the Covenant often acted in unusual ways — it was essential, they would argue, to be discreet. In the years that had passed since his induction, Taelian eventually learned, mastered and became an advocate of their shadowy modus operandi. He was a changed man, no longer the fledgling Sil'Norai he had been when first he met Eloise in Tyrclaid's woods. He was barely even a Sil'Norai anymore, and his culture, mannerisms and even his language had changed from back then: he wore the dapper suit of a Loric gentleman, he spoke with Lorien's cool, low accent and he carried himself less like a haggard Ebon Knight, and more like a member of the intelligentsia.

He supposed he was that, now — he rarely thought of the ways in which he had changed, but sometimes he did, and it was rarely not disconcerting. Sitting behind a desk, ready to interview another man for a position he wouldn't have even heard of half a decade prior... this was one of those strange moments in which he reflected again.

The room he found himself in was undoubtedly nice: it was paneled with excellent woodwork, the furniture a dark, lacquered brown with decorative patterns covering the cushions and accents. The marginally open window allowed for the cool breeze of Leiden's streets to roam through, filtering through the room in a heave before returning outdoors at the end of every solemn breath. Along each corner, save for the one with the window, was a painting of the most important members of the Covenant: Eloise was directly behind him, wearing an elegant green satin dress from Lorien's high society . . . flanking her was Regis, inevitably wearing a suit, and directly in front of Taelian — beside the entry door — was his own painting, appearing stoic as always. He placed his elbows against his desk, running his palms over his features and sighing between their gap.

The Celebrant reached into the small desk-drawer that was abdomen-level with him, pulling out a small box with dials and a glowing blue gem inside: a radio, forged with Resonance. The contents of the upcoming interview were sure to be recorded, if only for the amusement of Miranda, or Eloise.

A few knocks were heard at the door. "Come in," the man muttered, and a well-dressed woman quickly entered, closing the door behind her.

"Lord von Klade, the sociologist has arrived. Would you like me to send him here?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you, Hilden," Taelian replied.

With a nod, the woman excused herself, leaving the door parted open and disappearing down the hall. The man took a deep breath, scribbling down a header for the notes he would take as the interview progressed.

Posted: **Sat Nov 26, 2022 1:37 pm**

Traveling changes a person. When people began traveling, they had their morals, whimsical values, and the lessons learned from their originating society. However, things began to change when one traveled and began opening their eyes to other important details, especially how people interacted with other people outside of the confines of their homeland. Ford had been on the go for a few years, with rare but occasional trips back home. This mostly proved how he was still considered a blight on his family name, but at least some of his family accepted him. That was what was running through his mind as he idly pulled at the ends of a suit, a suit that was a little dated in terms of fashion but still acceptable. There weren't many places he had to keep fancy things, so there was just the one suit he kept for important occasions, and as reality would have it, this was one such event.

Normally, his nosiness and the question asked were met with one of two reactions. The first was people who pretended to ignore his questions and turned their noses up to him. There were those who were happy to answer his questions, sometimes with so much gusto, he had an exorbitant amount of information, some of which didn't even deal with his original question. No matter, questions, and conversation had brought him to a place, a person... Persons? That would give him a chance to do something he loved and get paid for it in some fashion. The person had told him enough that it sounded interesting, but he didn't know completely what it entailed. Nervousness was a factor as he waited for admittance. Naturally, he started fidgeting; maybe they decided he wasn't qualified enough to discuss the opportunity.

"I can't really afford to wind up in a dungeon again... Ford ol' boy, what have you gotten yourself into..."

As he began to second guess himself, Ford was about to turn tail and run when the well-dressed woman politely allowed him entrance.

Ford, what have you gotten yourself into? That door looks more expensive than everything you are wearing.

Thoughts instantly ran amok within the man's mind as he was welcomed and shown where to go. Offering a polite smile and bow of the head to the woman as he was shown to a partially opened door. Smoothing his hand over his clothes, making sure they weren't wrinkled or rather too wrinkled, Ford's knuckles attempted to rap twice against the door, but after a single rap of knuckles, the door opened more, and he was left to strike nothing but air with his knuckles. Taking a deep breath, either being shown in or entering himself, he stepped into the ornate room and politely waited for allowance to approach.

Posted: **Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:05 pm**

The shape of the shadow in the doorway was an unfamiliar one, and that prompted the man to immediately sit straighter in his chair, pulling his elbows off of the table's surface and clearing his throat. "Come in," he said in a low voice, looking up to see the man's features as he came in. Taelian observed him quickly, but with exceptional attention to detail: learning the Covenant's Customs had honed his eyes, and before long he felt he'd pegged the other fairly well. He was handsome — shockingly so — and well suited, but he was also incredibly nervous, something Taelian honed in on like a hound. The man stood up from his seat entirely, beckoning the sociologist inside.

"You may close the door behind you — thank you," he said, tipping his head to nod before re-seating himself again, once Ford was nearer to his own chair. Taelian eyed him with a faint, warm smile, his amber-colored eyes casting a stare some might have found uncomfortable. In Lorien, it was customary to maintain a constant, discerning stare, and though they were not in Lorien those customs still followed him. He slid over a set of documents for Ford to read and sign as they spoke: the first three pages entailed an agreement not to speak of the contents of their meeting, while another six requested his name and signatures verifying his certifications through his Griscian University.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ser Edevane. I am Lord Taelian von Klade, a Noble-Knight of Lorien and a Thespian of the Covenant of Magi. I am aware of your origin with the Griscian Commonwealth, and to that effect I must be clear before we begin: within this position, you will be working directly with a number of mages — including myself — to affect public perception of mages, their capabilities, and their liberties. I want to make this clear before we discuss anything at all, because if it is too much of a wrench for you, the rest of our interviewing process will be made meaningless. Is the nature of this organization something you are comfortable with?"

Posted: **Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:30 pm**

Oh, thank the stars that someone was there. He was worried he would be waiting alone in that room. Closing the door behind him, he turned to look upon the source of that voice, and for a moment, Ford felt intimidated. Not that he thought he was in danger, but it was often that when someone of authority was directly addressing him, his old Griscian teachings started to race back to the forefront of his thoughts. Almost immediately, his back straightened, his chest was raised, and he held himself with dignity. Although he was not of any form of royal blood whatsoever, it was commonplace to act as a gentleman, no matter what situation one found themselves in. The door closed, and Ford approached the other and paused politely from the seat as introductions were made. He took the seat only after the introductions had been made, and those bright blue eyes studied the other. During that moment of study, he found Lord von Klade staring... Was he staring at him or through him? Smiling politely, he nodded to him with a slight bow of his head. "Pleasure to be in your presence, especially for this opportunity. This is a beautiful building, and the paintings capture essences well." And just as he was surveying the paintings, he turned to see another painting, and there was a hitch in his swallow as he realized there was a painting of the person he was meeting.

Welp, don't do anything stupid, Ford. You got this.

Slowly, his gaze turned back to face Lord Taelian, and his gaze was a bit more attentive in realizing if someone was important enough to have a painting done of them in a place of business, then they were important enough to demand your full att-... Were those papers? Bright blues dropped to the documents that were slid over to him as he looked over them. The first few pages seemed standard. Don't talk about what you saw; if you saw anything and you mentioned it, you'd probably be dead. Before signing those, though, he began looking over the other documents requesting information. "May I?" Ford asked as he motioned to the desk so he could borrow something to sign with. Signing off at least on his promise to keep what he saw private, he began filling out the information on the other documents, slowing as he listened to the other speak. First of all, this guy had many titles, more than Ford did, which was none, but it was still impressive regardless.
The mention of mages and being immersed with them made his arms' hair follicles feel slightly statically charged. It had been something Griscian culture had drilled into him, to accept no magic user, aside from those allowed for governmental reasons within Grisic lands. It was a sickness. In the flash of a second, those thoughts rampaged through his mind, and he lifted his head from the document and offered a polite and almost sincere smile. "That will not be a problem, Lord von Klade. I have learned to accept that magic is much less taboo outside of the Empire. I am also quite a bit more open-minded than a typical Griscian."

The warmth Ford felt in saying that out loud within his soul was something he enjoyed. He had always questioned things, which got him into quite a bit of trouble here and there, but it also led to Ford's mind being open to change and to see things from other's perspectives without having a biased view of things. Once he had finished filling in the required information, he paused on the last bit and looked back up to Lord Taelian. "With all due respect, my Lord... But as long as you are not torturing innocent people and murdering children, what business is it of mine to judge you or this... Congregation of people? You are simply living your lives the way you are meant to. Far be it for one little people watcher to throw a wrench into anything." And with that, the last bit of information was filled out, the last 't' crossed and the last 'i' dotted.

Posted: **Sat Nov 26, 2022 2:54 pm**

Ford's response surprised him, but also didn't. He had left the Empire for a reason, and from Taelian's estimation, many of those who fled or otherwise expatriated from Grisic were those tired of the fascistic nation's imposing, black-and-white views. Anyone who would relocate from a nation with Grisic's living conditions to a smaller, poorer country was one far against the grain, and so he believed the man and his words as he spoke them. "We are not torturing innocents or murdering children, no," the man replied with a subtle, cool laugh. "I appreciate your open-mindedness. If you do not mind, I will..." Taelian paused, a brow lifting as Ford sprinted through the remaining documents, leaving them on the table with all signatures made and all sections filled. He was quick.

"A-ha, wonderful," he said, nodding enthusiastically and collecting the other man's documents. He cleared his throat, again. "But, yes. I will explain the Covenant to you. If you are not already aware, the Daravinic Empire is the heartland of new magical thought; the nexus from which mages have originated and mastered their Marks of Control for centuries. It is also an incredibly cruel, unequal land, one where millions are butchered at the hands of the Entente. The founder of our Covenant, Éloise de Lyonesse, was a Daravinic mage herself who believed that the Daravinic Empire unduly cast a shadow of stigma on our kind; that they tainted what is otherwise a tool, given to us by the Gods, to be wielded for the purpose of prosperity and growth." The man pulled his hands to settle back on his own lap, each palm spreading out over the muscular mounds of his upper legs.

"By forming the Covenant, she has helped to shift the foci of magic towards the edges of the continent, where it is used to do much more than murder and reave. In Lorien, we have used it to end a millennia of oppression by the Kindred; in Radenor, it is wielded to improve quality of life, and defend Vestria against the malignant Krish. We, in the Covenant, use it to communicate and share ideas, bridging all nations in a web of diplomacy that would not otherwise be possible. We have cut communication time between nations from months to moments, and have greatly improved the efficiency of the administrations that have embedded us within."

He hadn't really advocated for the Covenant as heavily as this in a while, but some part of him wanted to, to quiet what he could only imagine would still be a gnawing discomfort Ford might have. Upbringing was difficult to quell, regardless of education, regardless of exposure. Some things, embedded young, never fully went away.

"...And that's us," he continued. "What about you: is there anything you'd like to tell me about yourself, like why you've come to Radenor?"

Posted: **Sat Nov 26, 2022 3:25 pm**

Perhaps the thing he cared about most was not the fact of what they were or the goals they were trying to accomplish. It was who was hurt in the process or who would potentially be hurt if they achieved their goals. The reassurance that children were being allowed to live their vibrant youths and innocent people were not being harmed actually relaxed the other's shoulders and stature. It was so apparent that he leaned back in his seat as they continued their discussion. Watching the other as he continued to explain the Covenant's desires and their mission, Ford understood or at least could see the understanding of what they were attempting to change and remedy. Listening on, Ford would not interrupt the other as he seemed to grow a little more impassioned as Taelian spoke of the mission and how strongly he felt this desire was to paint these mages in a new light and bring a better understanding and acceptance to the realms. The Grisic male had to almost bite his lips to keep from allowing a smile to come to his features in response to the other, even watching when those hands were pulled back to rest and/or held to his thighs as he spoke so spiritedly regarding the subject. The situation wasn't funny, but seeing someone so strong in their beliefs to help others understand and see the truth was entertaining to him. Nothing like this would have happened back home, and experiences like this were why he ventured off in the first place.

"Lord von Klade. I understand that you are close to this new direction and show much passion regarding it, which is heartwarming." He wanted to start with that because a question was about to leave his mouth, and when he began asking questions, he got himself into trouble. "So why look for someone on the outside to help?" Sitting up a bit more, he held his hands before him and looked to the surface before both of them, allowing the question to linger before he added to it. "Are you specifically looking for someone who has no ties to magic to bridge this gap, or is there something more unique about the selection process?"

Either way, Ford was interested in the opportunity. It was just for his benefit on whether or not he knew that it was specifically because of his non-magic ways or if something else about the process had them interested in bringing him on. Either way... "Aside from that question... You know where I am from. I have traveled to many realms over the years and have experiences that have both enriched and emboldened me in my cause to be committed to my research. I've come to Radenor for a few reasons..." Well, how much did he tell him, and how much did he keep to himself? "There is a strength of the people of Radenor that I feel is personally admirable. Every realm has its deficits and benefits; many have submitted or gone into hiding. The people of Radenor and the land itself are stubborn. It's something that is attractive and interesting... I can not quite put my finger on it other than I have found Radenor to be..." He had to pause for a moment, the facade of trying to remain professional left his face, his brows attempted to knit together, and his mouth quirked to the side as he tried to find the right word. After a moment of silence, a smile and both brows went up as he looked the other directly in the eyes. "Alluring. There's an allure to Radenor that I can't quite identify, so I want to get my fingers in it and get my hands dirty while possibly finding out why."

And in that brief moment, he realized the professionalism he had been attempting to maintain had bled away, and the slightly more authentic Ford popped out in his innocence. And because of that, a red tint found his cheeks, and he figured he had instantly bombed the opportunity.

Posted: **Sat Nov 26, 2022 4:28 pm**

Throughout most of the other man's reply, Taelian remained relatively quiet, glued to his seat with that same discerning stare emanating from his irises. He would occasionally lift his lips into a faint, warm smile, largely because he found Ford's eagerness equally heartwarming. The man was correct in that Taelian had a wealth of passion where it concerned magic; it was the tool that his own people had used to break their chains, driving back the Dranoch from hundreds of kilometers across the interior of Sil-Elaine. The war was not done yet, and wouldn't be for some time, but ether had shown itself to be a Panacea, cleansing countless maladies that affected and stunted mortal prosperity and achievement. Passion was a light word for what he felt. Magic meant everything to him.

What followed was, actually, unexpected: Ford asked a simple "why me?", but the query was one he hadn't actually been faced with during any of his interviews on behalf of the Covenant. Most people were happy to be chosen, and did not ask questions; they felt, perhaps, that questioning the interviewer's decision might reveal how bland they in fact were, or shine a light on their mundaneness. Ford did not feel this way, and Taelian was glad: the reasons for his selection were, in fact, good.

"You are not a mage, yes," he nodded. Ford's assumption was on the money, there. "You are also Griscian: much of the anti-magic sentiment that stews in our world originates from the Commonwealth, and a man born to it is likely to be more effective at understanding and cutting through those messages. You are not meant to act as our spokesperson, but your insight and experiences will prove invaluable to the Covenant. We are all mages, you see, and few of us have ever even been to the Commonwealth. We want to understand that fear, and to perhaps even learn to assuage it. Not subversively, but through transparency, and action. That is our intent."

The man leaned slightly forward, listening closely as Ford described his reasons for coming to Radenor. Taelian found them very... sweet, those reasons: Ford appeared to be a good-hearted fellow, and that made him all the more appealing as a candidate. Taelian did not mind that he was coming out of his shell at all; in fact, he seemed to be magnetized by it.

"You are absolutely correct," he said. "This nation and its people are alluring, in their own way. Honestly, Ser Edevane: I've heard enough. You are an excellent person for the position, and I'd love to work with you. Since your paperwork's already been signed, and I'm the officer present, I'll extend you an offer. We will pay you thirty farthings a day, based on your qualifications, during each ninety-one day season. Lodging at the Covenant office will be provided; you will sleep in room 216, second floor, right down the hall from my own room at 220. If you ever need anything, I encourage you to knock on my door," Taelian added.

The man stood up, extending a hand to the other, a bright smile accompanying the offered shake. "Assuming you accept, I'd happily have a drink and a meal with you in the quarter commons here. I need more mates around, and you seem like a charming bloke. What do you say?"

Posted: **Sat Nov 26, 2022 4:56 pm**

Way to go, dummy.

This was the initial thought as he had finally finished babbling on that he had felt he had bombed the interview. If he were back home, he wouldn't have been professional enough, and the fact he showed emotion during a business transaction showed he had no control over his psyche. So when he blurted out his questions and reasonings for coming to Radenor, he had been waiting for the new boot to land on his backside and send him on his way out. However, there were words, not words of deterrence, to send him off. They were words answering his questions. Both brows perked up in honest surprise, and his back straightened as he sat up, instantly attentive. Part of him knew that his upbringing and bloodline traces back through the empire had given them the notion of looking to him. The honesty of the yearning for understanding had a single brow reaching even further in question as Taelian continued talking. Part of him felt this was some sick joke, and he was about to be thrown in a stockade or something. A slide of his gaze one way, then the other while Taelian spoke and double-checked to make sure he was not about to be assaulted. Instead, the conversation turned slightly, and when he looked back to the Lord before him, he found him leaning forward and... Wait, someone agreed with Ford?

The blonde had plenty of dealings with others who had accepted him, but many people were so attached to their ways he was mostly kept at arms reach and only allowed to study, not get involved, so most of his commentary was in writing or his head. Once more, the conversation turned, and it was to the acceptance of the position and an offer. That single-pitched brow lowered, and instead, the slack went to his jaw as his lips parted slightly. Ford was shocked. Was Ford getting something for being himself and offering his truth? Wait, did he say thirty farthings a day? Not only was his jaw slightly agape, but his brows were back up in curiosity, and he was even being afforded lodgings. "Uh..." What? It was difficult for Ford to maintain his excitement. Slowly, blonde brows rested back, his jaw closed, and a genuine smile spread across his face. "I promise I won't be a bother!" Taking the other's extended hand, he clasped it and shook. "Thank you! Thank you very much! " He was remaining polite; he didn't want to shout in glee or thank every deity in existence for affording him the opportunity.

...Oh, he did have a question, though. "When do I start, and who do I report to?" There had to be an order to things, right? A direct chain of command or something.

Posted: **Sat Nov 26, 2022 5:10 pm**

The sheer shock and awe of the offer — of Ford being given something nice, or that he wanted — was incredibly endearing, and resulted in a boisterous, hearty laugh from the interviewing man. Taelian clutched the other man's palm and gave it a firm shake, his own degree of redness plastering to his cheeks. The entire ordeal was strange, but welcome, and he quickly found that his lips were glued into a big grin, something unusual for him of late. Lorien was so filled with drab bureaucracy, everyone so flat and restrained... it was pleasant to experience something other than that. Maybe Radenor was the source of that, too: it did seem to imbue a certain liveliness in whoever stepped through it.

"You don't have to thank me," he said, warmly. "Your qualifications got you the job, not me. As for when you start, ah... hm. Hilden?" Taelian called out, the woman from before quickly shuffling towards the doorway.

"Yes, Thespian?"

"Can you get the document from Melina regarding our need for Ford's services? Please, and thank you."

The woman nodded once, before disappearing back down the hall. As she did, Taelian brought a hand back to remove his tie, opening the top button below his collar and laying the fabric on the desk. He didn't seem to care about being nearly so formal, now that Ford was one of them, per se. "In the Covenant, we have a unique hierarchy. All Members are equal, and our leader — the Umpire — is chosen by the Thespians, who are chosen by the Members. This is only the format for mages, though: you are one of our only non-mages, and all of the others like you have been brought in to fulfill specific roles, with little oversight. Given that, you are to act essentially as the head of our sociological inquisition in Radenor: you do not have a direct overseer with similar qualifications. I am the officer of this branch, though, so I have the ability to ask you to alter your focus," he said. As he concluded speaking, Hilden returned to the room with a document, which she handed to Taelian before quietly leaving.

"Ah, excellent," he muttered, scanning over the paper. "Tomorrow at the earliest, though you can take a few days to relax before beginning your position, if you'd like. For the purpose of communication, you are expected to provide us a rough daily itinerary, and to receive leave from me before leaving the city. I am very excited to have you on board, Ser Edevane. May I address you just as Ford, as if we were friends?"

Posted: **Sat Nov 26, 2022 5:29 pm**

It wasn't easy to control his face at this point. Once in a while, he would watch or study someone, and his inner thoughts or feelings displayed on his face. He had been coached before leaving the Empire about controlling his face or checking it often. When Taelian began to laugh, he didn't quite know how to react, so he just laughed politely alongside him until the interaction was finished. He didn't have to thank him? Furrowing his brows, the blonde looked at the painting of the other as he thought about that gratitude. "You may not think so, sir. But I am very thankful for this opportunity. Few places would allow outsiders to work with or for them." His smile remained, and his gaze turned to the door where the woman came through the doorway in response to her being called. Offering a polite smile in her direction, he turned back to regard Taelian once more. "What?" There was a rushed flutter of blinks from the man's eyes as he realized he was heading this little endeavor of theirs, and he took a moment of pause, staring blankly at the Lord before him, trying his best not to look too idiotic. It did not compute to him not to have someone or a rigid structure with oversight and everything meticulously planned. Sure, on his own, he had flown by the seat of his pants, but the last time he was part of anything organized, it had so much structure the foundation could not crack. "I... Of course, Lord von Klade."

For a brief moment, he panicked at the start date being too far from then or that he had gotten that excited for no reason. But when the Lord had confirmed for the next day at the earliest, blues watched the tie come off and lingered on the material as it was set aside. "Daily itineraries... And request leave when I leave the city..." He repeated it all softly to ensure he kept note of it somewhere in the back of his mind; this way, he would do his best not to forget. Nodding, he was standing and ready for things to finish when he was asked a question he had not been prepared to answer. "...You want to call me by my name as if we are friends?" The simple repeating of it made it sound like he was questioning the man's desire to be a friend or call him by his given name, and that realization hit quickly, and his eyes went wide. "Oh, no. Ford is fine; call me whatever you want."

Stupid, that's what he will call you, Ford.

The thought ran rampant through his mind at that moment, and a nervous chuckle was given in response to his blunder. "My apologies Lord von Klade. Ford is perfectly acceptable. And how may I address you?"

Atharen, A Fantasy Roleplay Forum

The Reception

The Reception

Re: The Reception

Re: The Reception

Re: The Reception

Re: The Reception

Re: The Reception

Re: The Reception

Re: The Reception

Re: The Reception

Re: The Reception