The Luxian Succession [OPEN]

[Reiner Dornkirk]

"Mists, but to have never been unhappy?" Reiner's brow knitted in thought on these lofty philosophical matters at hand. The notion of a life without highs and lows blew his mind. How could such a person deal with something like what Zaichaer had recently experienced? How could they leave the bubble of their comfort, appended as it was by magical influence. Surely such a mind would break if faced with the realities of Reiner's own life and he'd known many who had it far worse.

"They can't hear us, right?" Reiner checked in again about their ward situation, before he delved into true candor.

"It's... condescending, I think. The elves here baby the humans like they don't know how to live on their own, but look what we've achieved elsewhere. Look what humans achieved here to benefit the elves, because the elves said it was in their best interest or forced them into servitude with their mind magic." His confusion was starting to be colored by righteous ire.

"It isn't fair. It isn't... natural. Not that all that is natural is good, but the more I think about it the more it feels... I don't know, perverse!" He pursed his lips.

"It's weird that a land devoted to the God of Ambition has placated his worshippers into such complacency." He sighed, softening a bit as Eitan got personal about his past.

"Yeah, I felt that way with Stefan when I met him and I asked for your opinion, didn't I? I just... I don't know, this place is very confusing to me. It makes me realize how sheltered I've been, even if it's a different sort of sheltered than the Vastians. I guess it's just weird to me that the elf mages are so much more powerful than the humans here who outnumber them. If the humans were in charge, it would make more sense to me."

[Eitan Angevin]

"They can't," he assured him.

They were warded against sound and he had even learned the trick of warding light just enough to make reading lips a problem. Still and all, he thought it better to continue when they were in their temporary home and it was easier to see to all the variables. And they weren't so far away from their lodgings, after all.

"For now, I would urge you to observe with an open mind. Judgment can come later. We will speak more when we are far from this madding crowd."

Later, they were fed and Angevin invited Reiner to a nightcap. He invited Kämpfer as well, but the captain opted out. Eitan wondered if the captain and the lieutenant were close as he had been close with Brenner back in the day, but he wouldn't ask. It wasn't his business. Such friendships were like night-blooming flowers, and mightn't survive the garish light of day.

Over their drinks, sitting on couches that were just different enough from Zaichaeri furniture to feel strange, he said more.

"Now they cannot hear us nor can they read our lips," he said. "I will endeavor to always answer your questions and to the best of my abilities, but I cannot always answer in the moment. You might remember that the Re'hyaean elves, considered apostates by their Hytori brethren, escaped to Ecith in order to practice their separate cultus. Well, the Vastian humans enslaved them at some point. Only natural, I suppose. I don't know all the details. Perhaps they were unpracticed at managing other races and were too harsh or too lenient or... out of balance in some other way, and the elves rose up and usurped their place. That it has lasted so long is likely attributed to the leaders of their rebellion allowing the shadows of former gods to inhabit them. Hence their nationalist religion.

"We are different from them. We always will be, always should be, but working with them will help us maintain our autonomy from the Imperium and perhaps allow us to eventually dominate the entirety of Karnor."

He considered over his drink for a moment.

"I will not tell you what to think. I am not Re'hyaean. But I will liken it to how I have tried to take you under my wing. I have ideas about how you might best achieve your goals, but I leave the choice of your goals to you, and while I offer aid, I do not seek to steal your agency over your own life. Even still, sometimes I think it were better you felt more free to rebuff me—in private, obviously—should it seem I am working toward my idea of your best interests rather than yours."

Eitan smiled and shrugged.

"All these philosophical questions that this adventure brings up, they are part and parcel to the realities of being a man. A man with sovereignty over his own life, you see? They are clever and silver-tongued, but remember that under a Solunarian regime, your uncle would never have risen so far, nor your cousins. Nor you. Nor I."

[Hilana Chenzira]

When he moved to pick them up, Kalor protested from his position in Athalia's arms, and she adjusted herself within Barakael's grip to ensure he didn't get squashed, lest, Founders forbid, any damage happen to his carefully crafted golem chassis. "Don't burn him," she tried to keep Kalor's little hands away from Barakael's arm. Sviras was jostled from his position around Hilana's shoulders, and the feathered snake with the white eyes let out a loud hiss - he was familiar with Barakael, Hilana wasn't necessarily on guard, but it was still a warning from the serpent. Hilana was honestly surprised that anyone would express such a thing aloud in public about Thalya Derelicta, even if this was the announcement over her grandson seceding her on the throne, but far be it for her to comment on her in public. Kor, while shorter than Barakael, stared at him when he scooped up the sisters, and Etzalal divebombed at the gladiator. He reached out a hand for Hilana when the young man set them down. The winged snake banked only once Hilana was released, sparks in their jaws.

When he expressed hope that the Founders would favour the Luxium, Hilana smiled. "They may. It is not for the likes of us to say what They will do. But I meant with the Palatium. Historically the Silver Sovereigns ruled from the Palatium Umbrarum, but it has been taken over by the House of Sol'Zalkyrion when they claimed the Umbrium," she explained. "Considering that, I expect Vraedyn will rule from the Palatium here, as his grandmother did."

When he offered for them to join him in a celebration, the women shared a look. Perhaps because they'd met in the Umbrium, he had thought that they lived down there, whereas this was Hilana's third year in the Luxium. "I expect the parties in the Luxium to be quite epic, though." When a Re'hyaean woman approached, though, both women bowed to her, as did Koraellon. "Domina," she greeted her, and offered a curtsy once she had finished since she had her hand. "All in a day's work, ma'am. But I thank you, you are very kind." She was not used to one of the Re'hyaeans being that polite to her. But she would put that favour away, because perhaps one day it might come in handy. It was not the place, either, to mention that the asp that had struck Barakael was ensconced in her apartment in a terrarium where it was milked weekly for its venom. She would smile at the lions, though she knew better than to touch without permission, considering she had three large cats of her own. "Your lions are breathtaking."

"That would be lovely," Lia smiled at him. "I'm sure there will be much going on tonight; and we can stay out for a bit, though we do need to work tomorrow. Sick people don't stop being sick because of such a joyous occasion."

[Reiner Dornkirk]

Reiner nodded at the temporary dismissal, understanding it to be born of their surroundings. He did smile inwardly, distracting himself from his worries by marking and pondering Eitan's phrasing. Reiner had never heard the term 'madding crowd' before he started hobnobbing with the upper classes and, it wasn't as though he didn't immediately understand it the first time he'd heard it thanks to the context, but it still pricked his ears funny. It still reminded him that he was swimming in different waters, even amongst his own people, let alone these Solunarians.

Much later, Reiner glanced up from the swirling digestif in his tumbler when Eitan brought their prior conversation back to the present.

"I'll be honest, their lore was pretty dense. I read the whole dossier, but I didn't really retain all of the nuances of the history bit..." Reiner enjoyed stories of Zaichaeri glories, but when it came to the history of other lands his interest was not as piqued. While it was true that he'd read through the materials presented him, his mind had wandered in places and there were bits he just didn't understand. He might have posed questions, but he figured unverifiable stories from thousands of years ago might not be the most important thing for him to comprehend to execute his duties as a security officer on this mission. Were he a proper diplomat, he'd have put more effort into understanding the material, but such as things were he hadn't been that, well... Ambitious.

He nodded.

"I used to think the Imperium was our ally, before they sent that fucking capital ship to loom over us during the Blight. They might have offered aid, they might have sent their Kathar down to battle the blight beasts, but instead they sat there surveying the land like they were window shopping, waiting for the Mistborn clean-up crew to wipe us out so they could move in." He snarled at the notion.

"That's exacty my point from before!" Reiner sat up sharply in his seat, placing his tumbler aside to better gesticulate as he spoke with newfound energy, now that Eitan seemed to vindicate his thoughts. "Like they decide what your place is and they make sure you stay there and from what I gather, the only way to rise above your station is if you happen to have a talent for fucking magic, which makes it all worse. And didn't they say at dinner the other night that they choose their Sovereign based on magical potential? This place is so tied up in all that shit, I don't know. It's tough to imagine an ally like that. Even if they protect us from the Imperium, who's to say they won't wind up being way worse? They certainly seem more focused and active in the outside world these days..."

[Barakael]

The Luxian Succession

47th of Searing, Year 125, A.o.S

ϟ Barakael smiled when Aya's lions nuzzled the vastian sisters. That was a very good sign, as the feline couple didnt take to strangers very well. He would look to his Domina for her approval of the two as well, catching her eyes and the slight nod. She liked them, as the elven woman was quite the judge of character. Pleased with what she saw, she called Barakael over, whispering into his ear and placing a pouch in his hands. He gave her a nod of confirmation and bowed to her, to which she smiled at the vastian sisters.

"They both were quite the pain to cultivate into the precise predators they are now, but well worth the time and love I've poured into them. They are my babies, and they seem to like you, which bodes well in your favor." she explained, making a clicking sound that put them both on alert. "I hope you three enjoy the revelries, but not too much that you cause trouble." she added, the last part mostly directed at Barakael. Turning, she left the crowded streets, which allowed the half-giant to relax a bit now that she was gone.

Turning to the sisters and their companions, he smiled. "Alright everyone, time to go celebrate, on me!!!" he cheered, holding up the pouch given to him by his Domina. "Any place you guys wanna go to first?" he said, gesturing for them to follow him, the half-giant still swimming in his induced giddiness and glee as he walked into the more packed places. ϟ

"Vastian Speech"
"Tallenese Speech"
"Vallenor Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"