[Open RP] The Blue Boar - Britain

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Valonia
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[Open RP] The Blue Boar - Britain

Post by Valonia »

[Open tavern RP for anyone to join. Fluid time. May or may not be what people consider 'canon' for their character, but figured I'd throw this thread out there in case people wanted to post rp and interact with other folks. Feel free to bring randoms. Or not. You do you.]

The Blue Boar of Britain was one of the oldest drinking establishments in Britannia, and had supposedly been operating continuously since the days of Exodus. There were tales of storied rears polishing these very same wooden benches that filled the establishment in the present day. Regardless of the history, the bench polishing, and the distinct lack of comfortable seating, it was also an eatery of some renown. Though one had to awkwardly sit next to random strangers, the food was supposedly worth it.

An auburn-haired woman with a green druid's cloak propped an oaken staff against the wall behind her, adjusted her cloak so she didn't take up more space than she needed to, and took a seat on a free spot on one of the benches. Since Valonia was in Britain for business reasons, she had decided to see what this place had to offer. Glancing over at the chalk sign displaying the menu options, she picked the lamb. She heard they made a good sauce to go with it.
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Trithemius
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Re: [Open RP] The Blue Boar - Britain

Post by Trithemius »

She sat amongst the other travellers, positioned so as to see all of the coming and goings at tavern. Her demeanour was not haughty, not exactly, be there was a quality of aloofness that spoke more of other pressing concerns than of any sense of superiority. The other travellers did not involve her in the rough and tumble chatter; instead she took infrequent sips from a tall tankard and watched. Observed.

The young woman was dressed as a traveller, hardwearing boots and hose, and simple sturdy clothes. Close at hand. propped against the edge of the table, was a simple staff. This accessory, combined with the still-fastened cloak she wore - hood doffed - and the several books strapped up for travelling that sat beside might well have marked her as a Mage. A Mage she was not though, for all that she had lately arrived from Verity.

She needlessly adjusted her short-cut grey hair and watched the other Druid survey the Boar. As their gazes met, she offered her colleague a nod and a quick tap at the plain bronze brooch fastening her cloak. The design was the stylised scales familiar to all Britannians as the symbol of Justice.
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Siva the Younger (a magely and somewhat serious druid)
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Valonia
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Re: [Open RP] The Blue Boar - Britain

Post by Valonia »

While Valonia waited for the server to bring the food, she turned to offer a nod to the gray-haired fellow druid across the way that she had just-so-happened to have sat near to. Still, they were… diagonalish? from each other, and Val decided she could do better.

“Hey. Mind switching spots?” she asked to the person sitting nearest, an armored woman who appeared to also be waiting for her food. Since neither of them had plates of food to juggle, trading places would be relatively simple.

At the other woman’s shrug and nod of assent, Val swung her legs back over the bench, while the other woman was able to slide down one spot on the bench. Val scooped her staff from the wall as she passed it, then dropped herself back down on the bench in front of the gray-haired druid woman. She propped her oaken staff along the table next to her, and readjusted her cloak over her leather armor. Once adjusted, she turned back to the woman.

“There we go. Well met,” Val said simply.

She wasn’t surprised in the slightest to find another druid here in Britain. Many people had business in Britannia’s capital city. And while Valonia did not have a brooch like the other woman did, the golden scales sewn onto the green fabric of her cloak made it readily apparently what she was. It was not hard to figure out how the other woman had known. Still, Val's business here did not require her to dress any more formally than she normally did, so she wore the set of leather armor she was accustomed to, and her hair remained bound in a loose knot at the back of her neck.

As she studied the other druid, Val found she was still wary about dealing with others of her kind. (Though perhaps of her kind was an erroneous turn of phrase. There were many types of druids, after all, not just one homogenous monotype.) If she were being honest with herself, it was probably some remnant of insecurity from days when she was a client of the system rather than a member of it. Still, those days were long past, and it made little sense to dwell on them now. It didn't hurt to be friendly.
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Re: [Open RP] The Blue Boar - Britain

Post by Trithemius »

"Siva. Siva the Younger."

Cool, but not unfriendly, eyes returned the assesment. "What brings you Britain comrade, if you do not mind my asking it?" As she speaks Siva moves the books at her side minutely, a little further away from the chattering travellers. There are three books: Select Precedents, 341-455, Ethical Hedonism, and blue book marked only with the S-rune.
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Re: [Open RP] The Blue Boar - Britain

Post by Valonia »

“Well met, Siva. I am Valonia. But 'Val' is fine.”

The S book was a spellbook, Val guessed. Blue and runed? Given that mages tended toward the Virtue of Honesty, it seemed to follow that they’d brand such things with the color representing it. Then again, not everything had to be color-coded. Perhaps Val was just making assumptions based on her own preconceived notions? Or ignorance? Valonia didn’t have any official training in such things, after all.

Through being around others, she’d picked up a smattering of magical rudimentaries. For example, she could cast a basic Light spell, but she didn’t find it very cost effective. Sulfuric ash was less readily available --and more expensive-- than simple wood. And while she’d also even managed a magic arrow once when someone had given her the reagents, the spell had been weak to the point Valonia preferred the simplicity and directness of lobbing a rock. Of course, even now, she didn’t know whether it was the spell that was weak, or her own abilities. But she did know it was ludicrous to waste a black pearl in order to assuage her own curiosity.

Still, perhaps in other circumstances, she might have been interested in testing such things. But it seemed impractical for her conditions. She was too accustomed to need and desperation, not mashing together rare items in order to create a tiny spark. And sometimes one’s path was determined by circumstances, not desires.

But such thoughts were unimportant, and out of place here.

“I will be meeting with some merchants and their guards before heading east,” she explained to Siva. “Had reports of disappearing caravans, and someone was blaming… lizardmen?”

She shook her head skeptically.

“I have not heard yet what the merchants have to say on the matter. But if the reports are true --which I have yet to verify-- then I would likely have to determine whether these lizardmen are hostile or were provoked, whether they are capable of being reasoned with, how-where-or-whether this falls under Britannian laws… the usual.”

She shrugged. “Though… if the reports do end up being true, it is likely a matter for more than mere road justice. Determining whether a species is sentient enough to follow law is a little too important for my jurisdiction, I think. I will likely have to consult with Yew before I proceed.”

Val took off her gloves, tucked them into her belt, then kept her arms off the table to make room for her food which was being brought. Once the plate was set down, she paid for her meal, nodded politely at her server, and turned back to Siva.

“How about your own business in Britain?”
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Jurisprudence: COMMENCE

Post by Trithemius »

Siva followed the words closely, her face showing no expression. Her eyes took in more details about her colleague as she explained her task.

"I am in Britain for more prosaic reasons I am afraid. I must buy a sword and do some paperwork," Siva's expression seemed to finally gain some life, "I am more interested in this question of lizardfolk though."

"While I am given to understand that they are both sentient and sapient, the lizardfolk do not to knowledge respect the rule of law as established by the King and maintained by his Courts. I am honestly not sure if the lizardfolk consider the King as their sovereign and ruler. I am therefore unsure if their activities or person fall under any Britannian jurisdiction. Still it is an interesting question..."

A slight frown of concentration creases Siva's visage and then, abruptly it is gone.

"I would imagine that these matters are usually dealt with by the Valiant, who practice some of this...road justice you mentioned."
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Re: [Open RP] The Blue Boar - Britain

Post by Valonia »

“True enough. And I agree that if even a human were to attack another on the road, slaying them would be clear self-defense,” she said, slightly uncomfortable but no less honest about her assessment.

It would have applied to her, after all. And by those very same standards, she probably should be dead now. That fact was inarguable, and she refused to allow herself the mercy of dishonesty. Still, as she was not dead, the least she could do was balance out the past.

“But I am curious about the why of the situation,” she continued, diverting her thoughts. “Was this attack -- if indeed an attack it was-- an ambush to claim goods? Was it a result of encroachment on territory? If so, my research indicates they were originally a subterranean race. What could have changed to bring them? it? to the surface? Or was this a matter of a wandering individual that got lost? Exiled from its community, maybe? Killing tends to limit the ability to ask them questions. And there are too many unanswered ones.”

It was probably why she’d been sent, rather than just a contingent of guardsmen. Anyone could go in and fight what was on the road. Not everyone bothered to stop and ask (possibly needless) questions about such things.

She shrugged again, then picked at her food with the provided fork.

“And perhaps this is more speculation than is warranted,” she added. “But if these beings have a society of some sort, could they be considered a separate culture or civilization, akin to the gargoyle people? As you say, these lizardpeople are reportedly both sapient and sentient. At one point in Britannian history, people believed gargoyles to be mindless monsters as well. And now… well, things are different.”
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INITIATE: Comparative Study!

Post by Trithemius »

Siva's serious facade is tested by Valonia's comparison with the gargoyles. Approval reaches her eyes and there is a feeling that she is almost about to nod in enthusiastic agreement but... she does not. Instead she speaks.

"I think you have struck upon the same line of argument as I have Val. The interaction of two authority structures and, quite probably, two varying value systems makes both jurisdiction and interpretation most difficult. To say nothing of language issues."

"Given that I very much doubt that we have the power to arrest and try one of the lizardfolk - and that even if we were within our responsibilities to do so it would be more a theatrical farce than an act of law - we are compelled to think of something else. Justice is, I believe not, not only the law and the courts though - in fact these things explicitly seek to bring about or to sustain the balance of Justice. Perhaps thinking about the notion of Justice an idea will help us. The gargoyle virtue of Balance has some similarities with our Britannian virtue of Justice and so can be thought of as a point of common ground: is there something that could serve the same purpose for the lizardfolk?"

The young Druid seems to come to some conclusion, and the flicker of a frown returns again.

"Practically though - how would we determine if the lizardfolk have similar ideals?"

At least Siva takes another drink from the tall tankard.
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"Do you even sword, bro?"

Post by Valonia »

"I... uh... have not entirely figured out that part yet," Valonia admitted, grimacing. "Besides. All this assumes that there are in fact lizardmen on the road."

She cleared her throat, somewhat embarrassed.

"Still... if such claims end up being true, I have considered pictograms drawn in the dirt, actually. Or subduing one if it tried to attack me and then, uh, talking at it? Or trying the aforementioned pictograms once an individual has been successfully contained. I imagine food and fellowship are concepts most beings can agree upon. Perhaps some images representing those things might be a way to start."

She shrugged, half-wincing.

"Though detaining a sentient being of another culture, regardless of the intentions, may bring up some ethical questions."

For a moment, she sighed, picked at her food, and chewed contemplatively. Once she had properly finished the bite of her food, she spoke once more. "The gargoyle virtue of Balance that you brought up is quite relevant here, actually. Given that in my own life, I have tried to find a literal balance between self-control and my own passions, it might be quite applicable to the situation. After all, it seems my idea of communication involves clubbing the other party with a large heavy stick. Perhaps I should opt for 'self-control' this time rather than do as my passions would motivate me."

Though... all things considered, it would be far simpler to solve the situation by repeatedly beating the lizardpeople with a stick. Not exactly the most ethical solution, but a solution nonetheless.

"Yes... it is best I no longer carry a sword," she mused.

That would only be messier, and have few of the trappings of defense. Not the way she tended to use them.

"...not that swords are bad, mind you," added Valonia quickly, sensitive to the fact the woman said she had been searching for one here in Britain. "Which makes me wonder. Why a sword, if you do not mind answering? Are you not, ah, magely?"

She nodded toward the blue 'S' book on the table, which she had assumed was a spellbook.
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3/4 or 1?

Post by Trithemius »

Siva looked at the small pile of books beside her.

"I suppose the simplest answer is that I am not a Mage," Siva said with a small smile, "I am a Druid with some... magely inclinations. It is something of a family tradition I suppose. My workbook was a gift and I think the colour was meant be a reminder of some sort. Even if it clashes a little with my cloak." Siva touched the spine of the book as if feeling the shapes of the runes there.

"At any rate, I am looking for a sword because I... broke my last one."
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