Of Service and Brotherood [Closed, OOC Welcome]

[Coatleque]

(( Starting off with a picture. I'll be posting more as I write up the log. This was the first Paladin trial for the new Sultansworn initiates. ))

 

[Coatleque]

The sun began to break through the clouds as the last rays fell upon the sands of Eastern Thanalan for the evening. The line of Sultansworn stood at the fork of the road just beyond the Sungate, the remnants of rain just moments before causing their silver armor to glisten even at this late hour. Coatleque stood resolute, unflinching from the rain while the initiates lined up before her.

 

Romy Leonhardt, who's hair color seemed to change daily to match her personality. Roysia Stone, still fidgeting under the weight of her freshly smithed cuirass. Anita Aezantia, quietly squinting to try and see through the water drops that now clung to her glasses. Off to the side was Shas Tarry and Nyalie Lizeh who had come along to offer aid and guidance for the new blood.

 

"Thank you all for answering my request for aid. I shall not mince words as we have a task to perform. The Sultana's court Thaumaturges, in combination with the Alchemist's guild, require our services. Tell me, how many of you are familiar with the Burning Wall?"

 

Silence.

 

"Well, you see those large, glowing yellow crystals that spiral to the heavens behind me? They are over-aspected wind crystals."

 

"Sounds wonderful.", Anita commented flatly. Romy merely stood silently grim-faced.

 

"What does this have to do with us?" Crofte continued. "Nothing. Not a thing. However, as you spend your days standing for hours on end in service to Her Grace you may have noticed the Palace is not nearly as swealtering as the surrounding city. The reason is due in part to those crystals behind me. The other part being the Thaumaturges that thought up the whole system."

 

She paused for a moment as she paced in front of them, trying to remember exactly how it had been explained to her beforehand. This sort of science was way beyond her, but she owed them at least an explanation as to why they would be risking their lives for a bit of cool air.

 

"You see, by combining ice crystals with wind crystals, they keep cool air moving through the Palace all day. I do not know how it works, and I do not care, so long as it continues to do so."

 

She paused once more to regard the initiates before her. Flat stares, a blink, someone groaned as the realization began to sink in of what they would be doing.

 

"Her Grace agrees, as you can well imagine, as do most of the nobility." Coatleque continued her speech. "Fortunately for the mages who operate this system, and unfortunately for us, they are not hearty enough to gather the materials they need on a monthly basis."

 

And there it was. Roysia looked down at her boots as Anita spoke up. "I can understand being hired to protect the Miner's Guild while they deal with it, but please don't tell me we have to gather them ourselves!"

 

Coatleque turned to face her before responding. "If we were merely mercenaries for hire, that would be the case. But we are more than simple mercenaries. We are Paladins of the Sultansworn. As a Paladin, it is our lot to serve."

 

Anita looked down quietly muttering. "And the nobility's errand girls, apparently."

Roysia simply looked back up to Crofte while Romy remained silent still.

 

"Not the nobility. The Sultana. And by extension, her subjects. Many of the citizens we protect look up to us as if we are some sort of untouchable figureheads, leaders of men even. In truth we are but servants to our liege."

 

"I know as much, but this... seems a job ill-suited for us, is all." Anita replied.

"Yet our job it remains." Roysia chided her fellow initiate.

 

"Ours is not ta question why... ours is ta do an' not die." Shas had spoken up from her position to the side at hearing her underlings questioning.

 

"Well said." Coatleque continued. "Ill-suited it may well be, but it is not for us to question."

 

"And it rhymed! Bonus points, Ser Tarry.", Roysia quipped.

"Zip it, Stone." came the response from the left. She grew silent after that, shifting on her feet.

 

"So are we supposed to just swing our swords at some over aspected crystals and hope we can gather enough?" Anita continued her questions.

 

Coatleque began her pacing once more. "The benefit of them being over aspected. I don't remember all the... technicalities of how it was explained to me, but it was something about 'more bang for the gil'." She paced a few more steps to be sure there were no further questions.

 

"Now, as I was saying. As the Sultansworn we serve Her Grace. As Paladins we serve each other as well. The bonds of the Order transcend the mere pay checks of the Brass Blades, or the bestowed honor of rank that the Flames use. This is why we are here together now, and not just one of us. We are shield brothers and shield sisters, and we all serve together. You may have noticed I said nothing about over-aspected ice crystals? Another group has been assigned to collect them. Now then, if there are no further questions, we must move through Amalj'aa territory and to the Burning Wall. There is a rather large crystal growth towards the center of the spire."

 

Sers Tarry and Nyalie had walked up beside Coatleque as she finished her speech. "I'd say they're ready ta start." Shas nodded approvingly.

 

"Aye then, onward. The sooner we get this done, the sooner you can all be back in the Quicksand."

"And if they die you will help me to carry the bodies back?" asked Nyalie.

The three of them smirked to each other as the procession started on its way.