Legend of Ransera

The ascension of Karam Senue… It was no surprise that the city spared no expense for the event. Banners displaying the noble house’s insignia flapped gently in the wind. Red and golden lanterns were hung across the roofs, a staple in any celebrations. Nobles wrapped in all sorts of colors flocked to each other, their necks and wrists weighed down by jewelry that shone under the light.

Veriel had arrived with the other warforgeds earlier, but she excused herself in order to explore. The elf had firmly refused the guards that were offered to her. While the woman was visibly unarmed, she was not vulnerable. She ignored the quick glances thrown at her as she slipped through the gathering with ease.

Her silk white dress was lovely and flowy, but it was painfully simple in comparison to what most of the nobles wearing. The only thing of note was the golden belt around her waist. If Veriel had to guess, their attention was drawn to her for the amount of flesh the dress allowed her to reveal.

The siltori usually never shy away from the displays of skin. Their markings were their pride, a physical display of their potential. But being in hiding had forced Veriel to cover herself, to hide anything that might hint at her identity. She kept to robes with sleeves that fall past her wrist. No more.

For the first time in decades, Laveriel d’Revrinti flaunted her witchmarks for the world.

Her back was bare for anyone to see the intricate reaver’s rune traveling down her spine. The silvery markings that wrapped around her pale arms and legs were intricate, twisting and curling. Her raven black hair which was usually let loose was held up by pins of gold. The rune of affliction on the back of her neck would look not unlike a mysterious flower decaying almost imperceptibly - at least to those who dared to stare for long enough. With every step she took, the slits on her dress gave glimpses of ebony encircling her left thigh with graceful tendrils slithering out, making their way down her leg.

With no real destination in mind, Veriel found herself wandering aimlessly in the crowd, not even noticing that her body slowly gravitated toward the direction of her patron demigod.

---

龍 He would never be used to parties or events of this magnitude, always holding a small part of him as being inferior to others in attendance. He was fidgeting with the collar of his attire. It was an extravagant garment his aunt made by hand for him for such an occasion. He was adorned with jewels of blue, gold, and aqua and a dragon-shaped circlet on his head, only to be accented by his magical adornments, his reaving Halo hovering ever so slightly above the crown of his head.

His prismatic wings caught the sun as he hovered over the venue, the echoes of the last formal event he attended still playing in his mind, as he wasnt about to be caught off guard by another surprise assault. He would do a lap around the venue, catching the eyes of the sky guards who were also on patrol as well. He knew that he was here as a guest of Talon and as acting lord of the village given to him by the Iron Queen. The warrior in him however couldnt rest, however, that is until he was flagged down by his aunt. She was adorned in blue and silver, with accents of gold and black on her dress.

Upon landing his wings sent forth a wave of cold air, his spear coming into manifestation in his hands, its icy and frigid appearance releasing more of a cold aura around it. "There is no need for the warrior to be ever-present today." she chuckled, taking his arm as he escorted her through the crowd. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he knew he had to say something to Talon and the soon-to-be king. When he found Talon, he looked to the man in all his glory and found himself blushing at the demigod.

There were many who seemed to want the attention of Talon and Karam, but until there was a better time to speak to Talon, he would simply wait. 龍

---

There’s a certain measure of interest that Mino does have for this all. Coronations are big deals. Things to draw crowds and stir the nobles from the humdrum of their usual vices. The lord thief was no better, though his eyes did linger on all that glittered. A byproduct of occupation and just his general affect, chasing after them with his gaze and an itch at the tips of his fingers as he breathed out. An auspicious occasion for the whole of the city to enjoy and those welcomed foreign dignitaries. It shouldn’t have produced such a…less than pleased reaction from the head of house, but that might have been out of concern for their dealings and how they might be exposed with a change of hands in the rule of their proverbial — and literal — hunting grounds. There was already the issue of needing to expand where they picked up product that had the Lady Blue on edge, but this was something that could be fixed.

Something they had to fix.

But that was not what was on the rathari’s mind for the moment, falling to the wayside in favor of showing face as he was usually made to do. The perceived inheritor of the house, given how openly he’d been shown around when he came of age. Or, well, nearly been of age, but that was just the fine details of the matter. For now, he was focused on not dipping his fingers into the pockets of those around him. They were so close, really. Easy enough to slip his hands in with ease and back away with his spoils while they were none the wiser. Might he feel a little bad? Not at all likely, given the finery of the day. It wouldn’t hurt, would it, to just take a coin or two from those he could. Not their last, oh no — he wouldn’t do that to those undeserving. But there were plenty that were. Plenty that could go without a coin or two.

They dressed so well, really. And he felt that while he might be among them, just as likely a target, he’d been rather smart in his coin carrying. Dispersing his money about his person. The large cloak that draped over his shoulders was enough of a deterrent. But — really all these layers everyone was wearing should have kept the urge at bay. He could distract himself with food, maybe. Plenty of people setting up shop to make use of the crowds. It would have been a solid distraction, if it weren’t for something familiar catching his attention. A scent he could just barely recognize scratching at one memory or another. He tipped his head to the side, sniffed. He knew this smell, most certainly.

Followed it all the way to who he thought it was. Placed a hand on the gentleman’s shoulder to catch his attention, all grins as she pushed the frames of his glasses further up his nose. But it was an unfamiliar face he saw. “Oh, apologies. Smelled like someone I knew for a moment there. Must be your cologne; might I ask where you got it?”

Earlier that day...

A great, winged shadow traveled quickly over the farmlands that fed the Kalzasi populace, heading northward into the mountains. It moved far faster than any of the airships that Karnor was known for, and as people looked to the sky, they would often find themselves temporarily blinded by a glinting as sunlight was reflected into their eyes. As it passed before the new black moon, it would be seen for what it was to the few that might recognize it. Or rather, him.

A large, adult Iron Dragon was soaring towards Kalzasi, with three people riding comfortably upon its back, as well as a winged man flying alongside the dragon, keeping pace. But as they approached Kalzasi's earliest defenses, no horns were blown, no shots were fired, no spells were cast, for they were expected. And the passed harmlessly through the hidden magic protections, the Glyph of Diplomacy sent to them by the Circle of Spells performing one of its many tasks flawlessly.

The dragon and his crew entered the city, led to a large palatial estate and disappeared from the curious eye.


In the current time...

The three Ecithian Senators and their two guards moved slowly through the crowds that were forming, guided by attendants, leading them toward the area designated for the foreign delegates. At the front, a large Orkhan man in open chested robes, his entire body nearly covered in tattoos, some moving and shifting, others not. His hands were carrying a beautiful ornate box, carved from an amethyst hued wood native to the Commonwealth of Ecith. Floating above it was a security glyph, installed by the Circle of Spells. The man carried a gruff expression as he looked out over the many native peoples he towered over, as did most of his companions, keeping pace with the minders.

Behind him, a blue skinned Orkhan woman, wearing ornate armor, bangles, and jewelry. She smiled brightly at each child they passed, many of them upon the shoulders of their parents so they could see better. As she went, she handed out small candies from a bag upon her belt to each child. These candies were called Dragon Eggs, and were fairly rare in the north, but all children in the Commonwealth knew them. They came in as man colors as dragons do, and started off shaped as little eggs. A small blow upon them would cause the jelly egg to hatch and change into a tiny little dragon that would walk around on one's hand for about thirty seconds until it stiffened into the candy that it was. There was a trail of delighted squeals left in her wake.

Bringing up the last of the Senators was a cloaked Awoken man. He kept his hood up but the cloak was open, and the vast intricacies of his mechanisms were visible to all, constantly adjusting and moving as he did. He looked around the beautiful city, wander obvious in how he would pause, how his shoulders would hang. He would often point at something, his robe fluttering open to reveal he carried a thick tomb, bound in a deep green leather. He regularly looked back over his shoulder at one of the guards, the Avialae with wings like the great flying pterodactyls in the south, and asked in a tinny voice questions about the town, to which the guard answered with a bright smile. On the guard's right, a human man elbowed him smiling, cracking a joke at which all three laughed heartily.

Weaving through the crowd, they were eventually brought to the pavilion reserved for the delegation from the Commonwealth of Ecith. The two guards stood in front of the Avialae guards provided by Kalzasi, and it wasn't long before the four of them were laughing, new friends formed in duty, as the Senators and the Kalzasi attendants slipped inside. In there, they would find the Ailos delegation waiting on them, and soon began to share refreshments and conversation with them.