For imperial_saga happy Valentine's Day, box!

[escapeskarma]

1. [Action]

Aaah...

[ Having finally found someone to translate the ancient document that went with the magical artifact his underlings discovered, Yuna's making a valiant effort to understand how it works. Whether you're a fellow scholar, the translator, or an underling, or... whatever... he seems to be tuning you out. ]

Abandoned due to a tendency to end the lives of its users, what a shame. Just the time spent training replacements... but the concept is good, yes, it could be improved upon.

2. [Video]

[ The view is of a laboratory. It's the kind of organized chaos that one would expect from an absent-minded genius, and the muttering coming from off-screen seems to consist entirely of words that only a scholar would even recognize.

After a moment, a slender figure steps in front. ]

Oh my my, apologies. I set it down to speak and then I was distracted by an important message, and now I've forgotten... oh! I remember now. I was wondering... I have many documents and tomes on the subject, but if there are any experts on the ancient Belkan Empire in possession of these crystals.

3. [Action]

[ His lab has been infiltrated! He can't have any of that, not by someone who would rat him out to the empress or - heaven forbid! - the Church! Even if they haven't seen too much they very well might have...

The skinny robed figure appears from seemingly nowhere, standing a few feet in front of you. ]

Excuse me... but I believe that you're trespassing where you don't belong, and I can't stand for such flagrant violation of the law.

Comments

2

[greyerrant]

What would you like to know?

[escapeskarma]

Ah, my.

[ ...that get up. Is this really... one of the servants that he's trying to deal with? ]

I'm a scientist, not a historian, but the magic and technology are simply fascinating. As of late I've been involved in military research, and I was wondering which battles an expert would feel display especially potent displays of Belkan technology.

[greyerrant]

Istvaan, Prospero, and Calth.

[escapeskarma]

[ Yuna nods, writing those down. ]

Might I ask where your experience with Belkan history is derived from?

[greyerrant]

You may.

[escapeskarma]

...and what would your answer be?

3

[nomen_est_numen]

"Oh, but I've found so many useful things..."

There is a giant Peacock in your lab, holding up something terribly illegal and smiling a pointy, birdish smile.

[escapeskarma]

Oh dammit. He's never been a fan of these peacocks, always so showy with their... their feathers and such. "That is my property... and, in turn, the property of Rome as well, you know. Neither are to be made an enemy of lightly."

[nomen_est_numen]

"Yes, but does the Monarch of Rome know that you have this?" Shen asks innocently. Whatever it is, he's casually tossing it from one wing to the other. His tail is dangerously close to knocking over a few other delicate things and he seems perfectly aware of this fact if that smile is any indication.

[escapeskarma]

Yuna flinches. "Nero has no need to know what goes on here. It is ultimately for the benefit of Rome, whether she would realize it or not. The senate my clash with her, but they both have the same goals." He tells a fairly blatant lie with a straight face, actually a little worried about the possibility of blackmail if the bird escapes.

[nomen_est_numen]

Ahah. Hmmmm. Well, I'm not usually so altruistic, but I do believe I might want to make an exception this time. I feel... a stirring in my soul...." he tosses the thing back and forth a few more times. "...information longs to be free, after all." He slips the thingee into his robes and gives a great leap, narrowly clearing the table with those wings and that tail. He lands on the windowsill, metal talons gouging the wood.

[escapeskarma]

"Ah!" BAD BIRD where in the world are those guards? Oh, well, there ARE some waiting outside that window with bows aimed upwards at it, as a few more stumble into the room with swords drawn. "Get that... that... that thief! That criminal!"

[nomen_est_numen]

Shen rolls out of the window, tail flashing open to distract the guards, and then slides under a railing. Arrows thunk into the wood of the balustrade. Knives cut through the air in response. Shen darts across the grass, guards with swords following. Then he runs in the other direction, stark white against the barely moonlit grass.

[escapeskarma]

"You! Get back here yoooou!" Oh damn it, damage control is not going to be fun with this one. The senators are not going to be happy, and happy senators are senators willing to fund his research.

[nomen_est_numen]

There's a huge fracas going on on the lawn over there, knives and arrows sticking out of everything, guards beaten and sliced and Shen running into the distance, cackling. He gives a shrill, trumpeting cry that echoes across the property as he leaps over the wall, wings and tail spread and making a very fanciful silhouette before he vanishes over the wall.

1

[burnlikelivestock]

All I can say is that they were too weak to handle it. They're finding that power isn't so easy to handle.

[escapeskarma]

They tested it on quite a few of their stronger warriors. A weapon that only one or two men in an entire army can withstand is a troublesome one... so perhaps I should work on strengthening the wielders, rather than altering the weapon.

[burnlikelivestock]

Heh. You might kill more men experimenting than that weapon would ever in its time. Go ahead. It sounds interesting enough to try.

[escapeskarma]

I'm going to kill men experimenting anyways, so I can look into tacking it onto other tests if it won't interfere.

That's assuming I can't convince you to give it a try. Being able to see it in action with someone capable of using it might be just the inspiration I need.

[burnlikelivestock]

Then what would that make me, Yuna? Another one of your test subjects. Your experiments are interesting, but I'll cleave that thin neck straight off your shoulders if you make me a part of them.

[escapeskarma]

Ohoho, of course, of course. I suppose you don't need the extra power anyways.

[ Sweating a little for a moment, but he can just command the bastard if it comes down to it. ]

There are so many people in Dagaria, a few missing individuals won't matter to anyone important.

[burnlikelivestock]

Nobody bothers to remember all the names of livestock anyway. But careful, Yuna. Someone might try to come after you one day. If you choose the wrong pig.

[escapeskarma]

I have my ways of dealing with such incidences. I've been lucky in not needing terribly specific samples though - it will take a bit more work should I require one of those 'wrong pigs' as you so tactfully put it.

[burnlikelivestock]

Hmph. Either way, the only thing livestock can expect in their futures is to be slaughtered and burned alive. If you want a sample so badly, I'll give you one of those other Servants. I just hope you don't mind her sent to you with some damages.

[escapeskarma]

A servant! Would you really keep one alive for me like that? Oh, no amount of damage will matter if I get to experiment on a specimen like that.

[ The prospect seems pretty exciting to him. ]