genessia | Warrior for Hire [Video/Action, OTA]

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Warrior for Hire [Video/Action, OTA]

[It's been a week or two since the end of the invasion, and someone's finally, finally gotten her feet under her. New world? The concept isn't alien to her. But the only people she's ever met who managed the feat had to give up their corporeal bodies to do it, and she'd know if she'd done something like that, even by accident - right?]

[Regardless, she's now decided it's time to reach out to people. Her linkpearl doesn't work, for whatever reason - odds are good it's waaaay out of range - so she's relying on the 'phone' supplied to her in that little care package. Here, citizens and prisoners of Genessia - have a tiny, blue-haired woman addressing you.]

This is really quite the charming place, when it's not being overrun by ghosts. If I were here by choice, I might even enjoy it.

My name is Aeslyn Blackrose; I doubt it means anything to anyone here, unless Garlemald's reach is far greater than any of us ever guessed. I haven't seen much call for my usual line of work, whether in the 'newspaper' or on this phone thing, so I'm guessing rogue godlings aren't much of a concern here. I am well and truly grateful for that.

That being said, I am at something of an impasse. There are bounty hunters here in plenty already, more than one escort service, and each city has its own Guardian already. There is no war to fight, no empire to overthrow, no god to cast down. Alphinaud would have a fit. [She smiles, but it doesn't last long.]

In short, I need work. I can do woodwork, tailoring, cooking, alchemy, leatherwork, goldsmithing, blacksmithing, and armorsmithing, and I'm quite capable of fighting if that's the only call for my talents. I am a fully grown adult of some thirty-three summers, and I am not above doing odd jobs for coin.

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Alphinaud has been here? How long ago?

[Considering she was talking to him just an hour before she arrived here, she finds this hard to believe - but stranger things have happened. Hell, she's done quite a few herself.]

Aye, I could help build a cabin - provided you supply the lumber. I don't particularly fancy going out to cut down a forest to build someone else a house, even if the pay would make living comfortable for a year or two. As to what I can make... well, you name it, really. If it can be swung at a foe in anger, I can make it, from daggers to greatswords and axes. I'm bloody awful with horseshoes, though - not much call for them, where I came from. I even have some stock materials already, if you have something in mind.

Oh, about a year. We spoke a little about where he came from. "Elezen" and "Hyur" were dropped, as well as places like "Ishgard" and some others. Are you one of or from one of those?

Ah, heh heh, maybe hold off on the logging, then.

[He knew a happy little tree, once, who would be very cross with him if he needlessly hacked away at a forest.]

Anything I can name!? What about Excalibur, or Durandal? Or some righteous blade yet to be forged! Not swung in anger, though. Wouldn't want wrath to taint it. Justice, perhaps, or something equally, spiritually meritorious.

[Maybe she's not the Lady of the Lake Ted hopes]

A year? Hmm... that's just about when I was wrapping up that mess with Nidhogg and his brood. No, I'm neither Elezen nor Hyur; I'm a Lalafell. I might come up to the average Hyur's belt, or a Roegadyn's knee. Don't mistake size for strength, though; the foremost Thaumaturges in Eorzea are all Lalafellin. As for where I hail from... Limsa Lominsa, island nation of pirates and rogues, and some damn fine people besides.

Durandal I've heard of, and Cortana, but I'm afraid those are a bit outside my skill level. I can forge a blade that will draw on your aether to enhance its power, but each individual's capacity is different - you may find that your aspirations outpace yours. I mean no disrespect - this is simply the truth of the matter. A truly powerful weapon requires a powerful hand to wield it.

Goodness, that's quite the task! Did you stop him from munching on Yggdrasil, perhaps? He must've had to do with that thousand year war Alphinaud told me about. He didn't tell me about Lalafell, though. He did say Elezen could be a bit snooty. I hope they didn't fall beneath his notice.

[Short jokes. He'll be here all week, folks.]

Haha, thank goodness for the fine people besides; sounds like damnation was near at hand for them. I might have to introduce you to someone who, paradoxically, may be a pirate and a fine person.

Ah, the sword of mercy! But then I suppose such legendary blades can't quite be made. Pity. What you can make is only as good as my...aether? What's that?

[Don't worry, she's raising her prices accordingly. She learned the business from some of the shiftiest bastards in Ul'dah, where money is quite literally life itself. 'For coin and country!' indeed.]

Someone had to make them. Think on this, before you cast further aspersions. Being a pirate or a rogue does not preclude one from possessing a pious soul.

[Tread carefully, Ted - you've come dangerously close to insulting several of her dearest friends and fellow Scions.]

Aether is the force which makes life possible. Some call it chi, others mana, still others prana; I merely use the term I am most familiar with, as a scholar of arcanima. It's the latent energy of the soul, and it flows through all living things, including the ground beneath your feet. One's capacity can be raised through diligent training and fastidious living, but there are natural limits which vary by the individual. Unfortunately, one need not be noble in nature to have natural aptitude, though you do need the ability to sense aether in order to wield it. Were that the case, ancient Allag would never have risen to the heights it did, nor Mhach's voidmages achieved the power they wielded.

Do not, however, make the mistake of believing that only a blade forged of adamantite in the fires of Ifrit is capable of killing - I know many, many people who get by just fine with weapons of brass, bone, and even stone. Some have even made it their trademark - the Brass Blades of Ul'dah, for example, are best known for the brazen scimitars they wield.

Edited 2017-07-08 15:47 (UTC)

Someone had to make them...what, turn to piracy?

[He might've missed something]

Nonetheless, I pray you're right. I'd love nothing better than to marry those two things in a friend.

[After sounding more sincere and hopeful than he ever has, he gets right back into his normal, lightly humorous mode]

"Goodness, I hope the ground beneath our feet has the same sort of feeling you felt back on...what was your world called, again?

Hah, 'brazen' blades. That's great."

[But he's a little materialistic and has his heart set on Neat Stuff]

"But I see what you mean; swords don't make the Lalafell, but the reverse, as you're so eager to demonstrate.

Say, why not advertise? Boast about the impressive wares you can make. I don't mind listening; I'm sure to have more definite desires once you tell all. That alchemy business sounds especially fantastic."

Someone had to make the blades. [She is giving you a look, Ted.] Or did you mayhap think they sprang from the primordial aether?

The name of the planet? Hydaelyn, though few who live there use it. To them, it is the only world - and, indeed, they're probably happier that way. A smaller world is... comforting, to most. I was disabused of that notion, however, very early in my career as an adventurer, by Hydaelyn herself.

[Advertise? Why the bloody hells should she do that? Her wares speak for themselves - though, if she's to find her own place in this world, a bit of upselling might not be amiss.]

I have slain gods with the weapons made by my own two hands, everything from brass and iron to mythril and adamantite. I have bested in fair competition every competitor in Eorzea, my wares against theirs. I have forged plate that can stop Titan's wrath, sewn robes that will not burn in primal hellfire, brewed potions and elixirs that can bring a man near dead back to full fighting strength, and strung bows that can pierce the eye of a dragon in flight.

[If only he were detail-oriented enough to notice said severe looks. His teacher gives him them all the time, to no avail.]

Haha, well spontaneous generation from crude matter would explain a lot about some pirates, certainly.

Oh, a female planet eh? Mine too! 'Mother Earth', we'd sometimes call it.

[He listens raptly to the pitch. He can already feel his wallet growing lighter.]

Haha, suppose I did ask for boasting. May God forgive me for inflaming pride, if I've done. Those elixirs sound especially fine; I've a friend who seems to sleepwalk always. I'd pay handsomely for some tonic that could rouse his eternal half-slumber. Well, so long as there's nothing illicit in the substance, of course.

[Performance-enhancing drugs get a bad rap outside of the MMO world]

Goodness, all of that sounds lovely. Say, do you ever work in reverse? I mean, the usual way is to commission a product and leave you to the materials, but could it work the other way around? You mentioned bone weapons, right? I've some wondrous teeth I've acquired that I'd dearly love to fashion into a longsword, if at all possible.

Hydaelyn is both the planet and an entity - we call her the Mother Crystal, because that is the form she takes when she speaks to us.

[She ponders his request - she's done similar work before, so it's certainly not a new idea to her.]

It isn't boasting if it's true. I can work with provided materials, but you should be aware that they might not be up to the task. What sort of teeth have you acquired?

Hah, such a vocal planet too! Ours was, alas, more subtle than that. Suppose when something falls it either stops singing altogether or...makes noise.

Haha, the teeth of a pirate! You might be familiar with the material. A magician pirate, at that. Which is to say I'll be very disappointed if you can't suss out something mystical in them. They've even got the blood dried on; that ought to lend something.

[The look she is giving you now, Ted, is best translated as 'What the fuck?' except she's at least enough of a lady not to use that particular word.]

...Aye, I could probably work them in somehow. How large are they?

[His hand shoots to his bag and digs. Expression triumphant, he produces a tooth, an inch-and-a-half tall, then flourishes in front of the screen. Not even Roegadyn have chompers that large.]

"Yea high. I'm due for seven of them altogether."

Edited 2017-07-12 04:13 (UTC)

[Seven teeth. Presumably magical, bloody. Blood stained by this point, she had no doubt.]

I can work with those, yes. Would you prefer them kept whole, or can they be cut and shaped?

[Hey, they're only a little bloody cause they came from someone's gums! That's it!]

"Mm, well I certainly won't have you forging some ghastly serrated blade! As there's only so much point to go around on a longsword, the pointy ones, I fear, will have to be altered and changed into edge."

[If one can do that. He's not a smith. Still, he is getting visibly excited at the prospect of a Build-a-Blade workshop.]

Ah! Could this medallion

[He says, unwrapping it from his neck]

be worked into the crossguard? Indeed, the sword must make a cross when you hold it the wrong way. A blade straight and narrow as the path every soul should walk! 'Tis a medallion of St. Christopher, patron saint of travelers and, haha, toothache. I got it from a priest! That, haha, should suffice to make it a sacred sword; a blessed blade.

Oh! So long as we're about bones, I may be able to secure the blessing of Death himself and get some of his. Hopefully that doesn't hold up the process too much.

Any other materials you'd like me to procure? I suppose we've still the hilt and the pommel to contend with. Oh, I can't wait, this is going to be delightful!

[Someone's a sword enthusiast]

Edited 2017-07-15 02:33 (UTC)

[Hmm... A blade shaped base, channels cut into what should be the cutting edge, and these teeth cut and shaped to form the actual cutting edge. Seven teeth wouldn't make for much of an edge, though... Ah well. They could be used to make the tip and about six inches of the edge on either side, leaving the rest to more traditional materials. The only other option would be something like a macuahuitl...]

Do you want the medal itself worked in, maintaining its form? Or do you want the material it's made of worked in?

As for other materials, I think I have most of what I'll need.

Ah, tough one. I'll leave that to your own caprice, or expertise. I believe whatever its accidental attributes, its essentials will remain the same. So long as that endures, all's well.

All right! I'll seek straightway to gather every favor, and drop off all the materials for you. Make it immortally sturdy, now! I plan on inspecting the blade and conducting a singular torture test of my own, if you don't mind.

You'll not want for a sturdier blade, of that I can assure you. Before I construct it, however, I would like to take your measure - is there a place in these cities where combat is permitted, or perhaps can even be simulated?

Certainly! There's the arena in Attleton, where even death is thwarted should the bout prove too brutal. There's also the Holodeck in Nova City, which is fake.

[Hold on, he'll think of a more flattering description soon.]

That is, none of its foes are real, but...hard light projections, or something. Very like; a sinister simulacrum.

Now, in taking this measure, what's allowed and necessary?

[Just so he knows how much cheating to do.]

I'm familiar with simulation battles. [No, she's not going to go into detail there. Suffice to say, Allagans were probably involved.]

You may use whatever equipment and abilities you possess. I wish to see the limits of your capabilities, not hamper you with unnecessary rules.

Ah, all right...

[The holodeck, distasteful as its felt falseness was, is probably best. No one but himself could get hurt, and its privacy was preferable. Assuming no recordings were kept.]

To be clear, you can make a better blade if I've performance to match, right?

[He had to weigh his desire for cool stuff against his dislike for that uniform. Decisions, decisions.]

I can. Provided my ability is not exceeded by your own, of course.

[Best not to assume that the uniform will impress her, Ted. She knows a bad deal when she sees one, and life fibers have bad idea written aaaaall over them.]

If you really want to impress me, do it without using anything to enhance your personal abilities. Potions, drugs, machina, or other performance enhancers will only hide what is really there, and that's what I need to see.

[In a way that's a relief. He did, upon consideration, want something that'd be useful even when he wasn't wearing that thing. It'd be a waste of a perfectly good sword if only life-fiber arms could wield it.]

Au naturale it is! [Lalafells know French right?]

It's a date then. Afternoons work best for me. Next Saturday, perhaps?

Aye, Saturday works. I'll meet you there.

[They do not, but the Echo knows no lingual boundaries.]

[The sword she's going to end up making him will be pretty impressive, a melding of macuahuitl and single-edged longsword. All that remains to be seen is the materials she will need to use in its crafting.]

((OOC: Quick question. What actual shape are the teeth? I'm assuming they're not human...))

Wonderful! Until then, go under the Mercy.

[Not too macuahuitl-ish, he hopes. He'd refuse a weapon as cruel as that. If she has to break the teeth down to dust, so be it, but a nice, clean, double-edged longsword is all he asks. And it has to make a cross. And white as can be. Okay, so he asks a lot.]

((OOC: He got them from some weird shark-human hybrid so...your imagination can probably take it from there. I'm not picky. Wanna just go to Action from here or make another thread?))

May you ever walk in the light of the Crystal.

[Well, there goes the dragon's tail idea, then. Maybe she'll use them in the guard?]

((OOC: We can drop back to a new thread in this post for it.))

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Warrior for Hire [Video/Action, OTA]

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