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 Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:40 pm
For once - for just a moment - there was nothing to do and nothing to think about, and so Sisel entertained herself by idly scrawling miscellaneous shapes and symbols onto a piece of scrap paper with her quill. The office of the guild leaders was, for the time being, empty save for her; the Baradels were out at lunch and Auguste was probably minding his shop.
The door to the Leaders' Office had been left open because Sisel was expecting someone.
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Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 10:19 pm
Sisel Chaikin might have smelled her coming before she saw her. The Duszek had eerily accurate senses - or so they said on dark nights in darker taverns, when the doors were barred shut against dust of the badlands - and Franziska still carrie the faint aroma of brine and kerosene. There was nothing to be done about it. Her funds were limited, and her accommodations in town were passable at best.
In truth, the sea journey to Aschere had been a major shock to the Ejderha's system. The galley's cramped quarters and shifting floorboards had been tolerable, but the trade winds and salt spray had been entirely unlike Nasaja. Even here in Murzim, the tropical humidity was thick enough that Franziska felt as though she spent all day swimming.
Pity they hadn't thought to put that in the mission briefing. Her backstroke had never merited certification for amphibious operations.
"Ma'am?"
Franziska stopped at the door of the office, before giving the sole occupant a short, sharp nod. Her posture was loose and casual, and the battered rucksack she carried was slung haphazardly across her shoulders, but the clipped tone of her voice belied her body language.
"I'm here to report to Sisel Chaikin. Requesting permission to enter."
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Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 6:10 pm
Sisel set down her quill and pushed it and the paper away from her before looking up. "Franziska, yes?" She asked, finally looking up. A mere glance seemed to confirm her assumption, and the staid guild leader looked again to her desk, taking a packet of papers into her hand.
"I was expecting you. Was your trip a safe one?" She asked, attempting to make conversation. She stood and approached Franziska and, almost mechanically, stopped to give a quick, stiff bow - a typical greeting gesture of the Duszek. "We can begin your orientation, if you'd like?"
She was doing her best to sound welcoming and friendly. But social etiquette wasn't quite Sisel's forte, and what she did manage was decorous but cordial, at best - good enough, she tried to assure herself, mentally.
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Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:54 pm
"The journey was... wet. It is very humid here."
Franziska's brow furrowed, as though she had been talking about stale bread at a pub or a rude carriage driver. Whatever her feelings on humidity, it was clear that she did not approve of it, and that such unruly weather patterns had best sort themselves out quickly if they wished to conform to acceptable standards.
The Ejderha absentmindedly flexed her wings, careful not to scrape them against the door-frame. It was as though she were trying to flick droplets of moisture from their leathery membranes.
"I conform to my commander's schedule, of course."
She craned her neck to take in the sights.
"Is this the usual location for mission reports, ma'am? I expected guards."
Guards. Fences. Perhaps dogs. For Franziska, the Asterion League estate felt terribly open, no matter how effective the warriors who lived there might be.
Perhaps their security measures were merely extremely well-hidden. She would not underestimate these people.
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:08 pm
"Ah, the humidity." Sisel cleared her throat, surprised at finding something to relate to. "Yes, with any luck you'll get used to it." Even though she, herself, still hadn't.
She moved past Franziska and into the hall as she explained the lack of defenses, "We have night guards, but usually it's so very busy here that one cannot find a moment of privacy, let alone time to stage a surprise attack or steal something valuable."
Sisel moved down the hall and, assuming the new recruit was in tow, headed carefully down a flight of stairs, all the while talking in an informative but not very conversational tone about the guards and the history of the League and the current division leaders how, when and where they can be reached. She finished this as she reached the bottom of the stairs, saying "But this is all very basic information that can be read about in our book depository, if you wish. Now, will you be living on the property or do you have accommodations elsewhere?"
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Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 3:35 pm
"I'll remain here," Franziska rasped, jamming her hands into her coat pockets. The garment was obviously very well-loved, and her protruding collar-bones and slightly sallow eyes did nothing to give the impression that she was particularly well-fed. It wasn't hard to surmise that she'd been lodging in substandard housing.
If Franziska's financial situation caused her any shame, neither her bearing nor her tone betrayed it. The Ejderha spoke in the low, rough tones of a human who had spent thirty years nursing a tobacco habit.
"However, my condition may demand absences."
So this League was overconfident and their security was poor. That, or they were attempting to lull potential troublemakers into a false sense of security. In either case, there was no need for Franziska to obtain alternate housing, as she had every reason to wish to be present during her off hours.
At least her nominal superior seemed professional.
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Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2007 10:23 pm
"Your condition..." Echoed the division leader in a flat tone. She pondered for a moment, but quickly assumed that 'condition' meant that Franziska suffered from one of the many illnesses the Ejderha were said to ail from. "It's quite alright."
"Now," She started walking again, this time toward the windowed front door. "At the moment we are in the mission processing building. As I mentioned, the guild leaders keep office here, although we all have our own places of residence either on or off the property. When a hunt is issued, it comes through here first to be processed - hence the building name."
Sisel pushed the door open, ushering her underling through first before leaving, herself. "The main hall." She gestured to a grand building to the north, "That is where all hunts will be announced and posted. It's Guild policy that you sign up for a hunt, and not run off to take care of it yourself." Sisel's paused momentarily; she cleared her throat. "We...don't want to have to deal with an avoidable death, or mark-stealing. Usually you can come directly to me, or one of the other division heads if I am not available, if you are interested in a hunt."
She pivoted suddenly, now facing the entrance to the league property. "To the west are the housing facilities, and to the east are the guild registry, banks and several other shops." Sisel finally made eye contact with Franziska again. "We'll need to go to the guild registry first to get you your living arrangement information."
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Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 3:19 pm
"Understood," Franziska nodded brusquely, ignoring the tightness in her chest that always came with a great deal of walking around. Sisel Chaikin had a fair degree of stamina for someone of her build.
"I gather that we assign ourselves to hunts where we feel our skills would be useful. It will familiarize myself with the capabilities of potential squadmates." She cocked her head to the side. "My experience lies in urban combat. However, I hope to expand my range of techniques."
She scanned the building, mentally dismantling the wood and stone.
"Are there secured practice yards?" Franziska said, distantly, as though she were staring at something Sisel couldn't quite see. Then her eyes snapped back into focus, and she returned her full attention to her squad leader.
"I am an elementalist," she explained. "My pyrokinesis cannot be honed without causing a degree of collateral damage."
The opportunity to exercize her skills in an unrestricted area would be... interesting. In Sovya, Franziska had only been able to deploy her magic after weeks of careful planning and subterfuge.
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Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 3:51 pm
"The Asterion League has connections to the farthest reaches of Aludra." Sisel informed her. "You'll have no problem obtaining combat experience in non-urban settings."
They were headed south-east, now, toward a long, L-shaped building. "We have combat training facilities behind the main hall. I'm afraid I don't spend much time there; I'm a better guide for our library."
A number of people were gathered in the courtyard outside of the L-shaped building. Some were headed to a smaller building in the back - the bank - while others merely sat around talking.
Just to the right of the large wooden doors of the L-shaped building was a sign post. It read "Guild Registry" in large, intricately carved letters. Just below this, the same words were written in several other languages.
Sisel pushed the large door open. The registry was surprisingly busy. "Take these." She instructed, handing Franziska the pile of papers she had taken from her own office. "Up to the front desk, there, and they'll help you out."
((I can RP the desk clerk, if you'd like XD))
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Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 9:56 pm
"Very well." Franziska relieved Sisel of her papers. Dozens of people of unknown origin around her, and every one of them armed. This would take some getting used to. Franziska felt as though there were a target painted on her back. She-
Needed to keep herself together.
"Thank you for your assistance, ma'am."
Franziska shuffled the papers so that all the edges fell together evenly.
Dozens of people of unknown origin, and this frail whisp of a Duszek allegedly one of the most powerful. Franziska wished she could have seen her in action. She had never before encountered an ancient one, and this one appeared as though a stray breeze might carry her away.
"I will not have significant use for the library." Franziska lied, knowing full well that she would seek out any novels they might have there, the first time she found herself laid up.
This was one of the few falsehoods she allowed herself. Masks cracked. Performances faltered. Other agents, dead agents, thought of their jobs as acting, but Franziska knew this was a flawed methodology. The best way to avoid being accused of deception was to be yourself as much as possible.
"However, we'll see one another elsewhere."
With a respectful bob of the head, she turned on her heel, to make out the location of the League file clerk. She was intrigued by the contents of the buildings, the workings of the missions, and if she had thought about it, she might have concluded that she was excited.
But she didn't. So she wasn't. And there was work to be done.
(It's up to you, XD. Franziska will just go ask him a bunch of rapid-fire questions, and silently stare him down for not being organized to her standards. Then do.. reigster-y stuff. She shows less deference to people who aren't her superiors.)
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