Re: The Grand Battle S2G1! [Round Three: Water...place!]
01-07-2011, 11:10 AM
Originally posted on MSPA by Schazer.
The treant gave an askance look to the cowled individual running the summoning apparatus. “It would be preferable if we can-”
There was a disembodied noise of someone struggling with a doorknob, before a calm, agreeable voice chimed from somewhere behind the fir. “So this is where you were hiding, Sprocer.”
“Gable.” drawled the treant, not turning. “This is an interrogation room.”
“Yes, I've been listening. I think it's time we make it something a little more constructive.”
Gable, as it turned out after Sprocer sighed and let him through, was an old-world dragonfly of about the right vintage to court the Mayoress of Sk’va. Other than the unabashed hexapedalism, he and his muted electric colouration looked like he’d have fitted right in. The treant extended a limb and let the newcomer perch upon it as he peered short-sightedly at the captive.
“So you’re the new General.” The dragonfly had a pleasant tone, compared to the rasps and rustles of the fir tree, though it wavered from age or grief. Xadrez found it hard to tell, so just inclined his head a little. He was a warlord, not a counsellor.
What happened to the old one
The dragonfly sighed and thrummed his wings, like a Victorian lady fanning off a case of the vapours. “Killed in a stampede trying to catch a pack of disbanded recruits before they crossed the border. It’s bound to have the Virate up in arms once we’re out of this semi-declared state of emergency-”
do you not mean a declared state of semi-emergency-
“No.”
“Lord Sprocer is as cantankerous as I’ve always known him, but I did mean what I said, General. As I was saying, monkey-puzzle treants – no slur on treants in general, Sprocer, but you’d have to agree with me - are absolutely vicious. We all thought Her Majesty’s abolishment of the standard honour-execution for retiring military leaders was going to do away with senseless losses like this one.”
what
Gable continued patiently. Judging by his oratory tones, Xadrez hazarded he was an academic of some description. Perhaps a historian. “Well, before Her Majesty celebrated her first on the throne with a sweeping reform of the centuries-old Old Laws, appointment of the General’s Rank would mean the Place had a month off in memory of the old general and to officially invoke the leadership of the new. Nowadays the royal decree is that we all become far too intoxicated to remember who did what to the local gravity, but I suppose that’s progress.” The dragonfly twitched his wings as though flicking dew off them.
“Regardless, the Virate received the records of your dismissal a mere twelve hours ago, General. Since then it’s been a matter of finding all the troops who spontaneously disbanded without a head of military.”
Xadrez pinched the bridge of his non-existent nose. how hard would it have been to reappoint the old general
“Well, as soon as the dismissal came through, without a pre-appointed replacement I’m afraid the Armed Forces disbanded. Effective immediately.
“There was the implication that you were the general before your dismissal, even if our logs didn’t go that far back, so Retired General Mietzk was legally dead.” The dragonfly tilted his head, and crouched in his best approximation of a helpless shrug. “It’s all final unresolved hangovers from the Old Laws – they decree that the deceased cannot hold positions of power in the Place, although the Virate are set to discuss its repeal this coming June. In matters pertaining to defining the “people” of the Place, the matter falls to the Virate, not the Queen.”
The tactician was wishing he hadn’t asked. Fine
How would you like to me to assist in rethroning your dead queen then
If the advisor had noticed Xadrez’ jab at the contradiction, he ignored it and took it in his stride.
“The ascension of the new queen’s already been set into motion. If we can interrupt that or bugger her chances of completing it – and the steps are well-documented – then we should be able to stall her coronation.”
Xadrez tried to make his point clearer. How many months away is this talk of this repeal being raised
Gable raised a foot, hovered round to the cloaked magiteknician’s desk, and flicked through a few sheaths of paper while plotting a course across another with a compass. “Two months-”
Xadrez groaned.
“-which, if we can get a few people to pull some strings, will equate to three hours in Hydresther. There’s a forty minute window on your end after that, where ideally news of Jen completing the new queen’s Quest will turn the political tides in favour of her reappointment.”
So
I must ensure her majesty completes whatever mission no matter how ludicrous has been set for the usurper
in the specific space of one hundred and eighty to two hundred and twenty minutes in hydresther
am i at least privy to information as to what this quest is
“I’m afraid not, because I can’t be certain of anything except that she must solve the labyrinth.”
I can only assume this is something you are not permitted to divulge as anything more specific than an irksome riddle
“Actually, yes. Moses was quite adamant, and his records are impeccable.” Gable uncoiled the thinnest scrap of paper from round his delicate foot, smoothed it out in front of him, and handed it to the tactician. Sprocer somewhat begrudgingly ordered Xadrez’ restraints be released.
Zahdris (sp?) cannot be given the answer.
“Conclusive enough, I hope.”
Xadrez would’ve snorted. The summoning circle was disbanding; Hydresther and a physical form were becoming less of a hazy memory.
“If my memory serves me correctly, at least half the Quest is scaly. That, for most Questants, is the easier half. There may be a specific parameter of at least thirty feet long, but I had other commitments this morning so couldn’t peruse the Royal Archives to read up on Quests past. Will that be all?”
Xadrez glared at Gable.
what in the shattering is wrong with your country
“I’ve grown rather fond of its wrongs and rights both. But that took me half a lifetime under Queen Jennifer’s rule. Best of luck, General. All of our thoughts rest with you and Her Majesty.”
The spirit nodded. Magenta forced its obnoxious way back in again. Xadrez gazed calculatingly up into Cyk’nl’s hideous faces, spotted the failing ruins of a Hydresthean restaurant, and shortly after caught the huge, nearly gelatinous bubble it relinquished as its roof gave way.
Xadrez unsheathed his dagger, hand sweeping over his flawless pitch tether, as he rose above the chaos of two shattered cities.
The treant gave an askance look to the cowled individual running the summoning apparatus. “It would be preferable if we can-”
There was a disembodied noise of someone struggling with a doorknob, before a calm, agreeable voice chimed from somewhere behind the fir. “So this is where you were hiding, Sprocer.”
“Gable.” drawled the treant, not turning. “This is an interrogation room.”
“Yes, I've been listening. I think it's time we make it something a little more constructive.”
Gable, as it turned out after Sprocer sighed and let him through, was an old-world dragonfly of about the right vintage to court the Mayoress of Sk’va. Other than the unabashed hexapedalism, he and his muted electric colouration looked like he’d have fitted right in. The treant extended a limb and let the newcomer perch upon it as he peered short-sightedly at the captive.
“So you’re the new General.” The dragonfly had a pleasant tone, compared to the rasps and rustles of the fir tree, though it wavered from age or grief. Xadrez found it hard to tell, so just inclined his head a little. He was a warlord, not a counsellor.
What happened to the old one
The dragonfly sighed and thrummed his wings, like a Victorian lady fanning off a case of the vapours. “Killed in a stampede trying to catch a pack of disbanded recruits before they crossed the border. It’s bound to have the Virate up in arms once we’re out of this semi-declared state of emergency-”
do you not mean a declared state of semi-emergency-
“No.”
“Lord Sprocer is as cantankerous as I’ve always known him, but I did mean what I said, General. As I was saying, monkey-puzzle treants – no slur on treants in general, Sprocer, but you’d have to agree with me - are absolutely vicious. We all thought Her Majesty’s abolishment of the standard honour-execution for retiring military leaders was going to do away with senseless losses like this one.”
what
Gable continued patiently. Judging by his oratory tones, Xadrez hazarded he was an academic of some description. Perhaps a historian. “Well, before Her Majesty celebrated her first on the throne with a sweeping reform of the centuries-old Old Laws, appointment of the General’s Rank would mean the Place had a month off in memory of the old general and to officially invoke the leadership of the new. Nowadays the royal decree is that we all become far too intoxicated to remember who did what to the local gravity, but I suppose that’s progress.” The dragonfly twitched his wings as though flicking dew off them.
“Regardless, the Virate received the records of your dismissal a mere twelve hours ago, General. Since then it’s been a matter of finding all the troops who spontaneously disbanded without a head of military.”
Xadrez pinched the bridge of his non-existent nose. how hard would it have been to reappoint the old general
“Well, as soon as the dismissal came through, without a pre-appointed replacement I’m afraid the Armed Forces disbanded. Effective immediately.
“There was the implication that you were the general before your dismissal, even if our logs didn’t go that far back, so Retired General Mietzk was legally dead.” The dragonfly tilted his head, and crouched in his best approximation of a helpless shrug. “It’s all final unresolved hangovers from the Old Laws – they decree that the deceased cannot hold positions of power in the Place, although the Virate are set to discuss its repeal this coming June. In matters pertaining to defining the “people” of the Place, the matter falls to the Virate, not the Queen.”
The tactician was wishing he hadn’t asked. Fine
How would you like to me to assist in rethroning your dead queen then
If the advisor had noticed Xadrez’ jab at the contradiction, he ignored it and took it in his stride.
“The ascension of the new queen’s already been set into motion. If we can interrupt that or bugger her chances of completing it – and the steps are well-documented – then we should be able to stall her coronation.”
Xadrez tried to make his point clearer. How many months away is this talk of this repeal being raised
Gable raised a foot, hovered round to the cloaked magiteknician’s desk, and flicked through a few sheaths of paper while plotting a course across another with a compass. “Two months-”
Xadrez groaned.
“-which, if we can get a few people to pull some strings, will equate to three hours in Hydresther. There’s a forty minute window on your end after that, where ideally news of Jen completing the new queen’s Quest will turn the political tides in favour of her reappointment.”
So
I must ensure her majesty completes whatever mission no matter how ludicrous has been set for the usurper
in the specific space of one hundred and eighty to two hundred and twenty minutes in hydresther
am i at least privy to information as to what this quest is
“I’m afraid not, because I can’t be certain of anything except that she must solve the labyrinth.”
I can only assume this is something you are not permitted to divulge as anything more specific than an irksome riddle
“Actually, yes. Moses was quite adamant, and his records are impeccable.” Gable uncoiled the thinnest scrap of paper from round his delicate foot, smoothed it out in front of him, and handed it to the tactician. Sprocer somewhat begrudgingly ordered Xadrez’ restraints be released.
Zahdris (sp?) cannot be given the answer.
“Conclusive enough, I hope.”
Xadrez would’ve snorted. The summoning circle was disbanding; Hydresther and a physical form were becoming less of a hazy memory.
“If my memory serves me correctly, at least half the Quest is scaly. That, for most Questants, is the easier half. There may be a specific parameter of at least thirty feet long, but I had other commitments this morning so couldn’t peruse the Royal Archives to read up on Quests past. Will that be all?”
Xadrez glared at Gable.
what in the shattering is wrong with your country
“I’ve grown rather fond of its wrongs and rights both. But that took me half a lifetime under Queen Jennifer’s rule. Best of luck, General. All of our thoughts rest with you and Her Majesty.”
The spirit nodded. Magenta forced its obnoxious way back in again. Xadrez gazed calculatingly up into Cyk’nl’s hideous faces, spotted the failing ruins of a Hydresthean restaurant, and shortly after caught the huge, nearly gelatinous bubble it relinquished as its roof gave way.
Xadrez unsheathed his dagger, hand sweeping over his flawless pitch tether, as he rose above the chaos of two shattered cities.
peace to the unsung peace to the martyrs | i'm johnny rotten appleseed
clouds is shaky love | broke as hell but i got a bunch of ringtones
eyes blood red bruise aubergine | Sue took something now Sue doesn't sleep | saint average, day in the life of
woke up in the noon smelling doom and death | out the house, great outdoors
staying warm in arctic blizzard | that's my battle 'til I get inanimate | still up in the same clothes living like a gameshow
clouds is shaky love | broke as hell but i got a bunch of ringtones
eyes blood red bruise aubergine | Sue took something now Sue doesn't sleep | saint average, day in the life of
woke up in the noon smelling doom and death | out the house, great outdoors
staying warm in arctic blizzard | that's my battle 'til I get inanimate | still up in the same clothes living like a gameshow