WELCOME TO THE FREE CITIES!

[abraxasmods]

WELCOME TO THE FREE CITIES!

Welcome to The Free Cities! The portal exits outside the capital city of Cadens. The first impression of the city is its sheer size. It sprawls out across the landscape like a great hulking beast at rest. The wall that encircles it barely contains it, the buildings of Cadens practically bulging against its restraint.

The air here seems thicker somehow, tinged with a scent that’s acrid and smoky. Smog hangs high over the city, belched out by smokestacks that tower over the industrial district. The desert stretches out behind it, dotted with towers and dust clouds that disappear into the horizon. Multiple gates lead inside and each is staffed by soldiers in unfamiliar uniforms that wave a steady stream of people through without appearing to pay much attention. People are coming and going almost all of the time, to and from the outposts and areas of activity around the city proper. It’s difficult to tell just what’s out there beyond the impression of tall metal structures and a great deal of labor. Wagons carrying travelers to Libertas and Aquila roll out from the Travel Post outside the city wall.

Anyone who can sense magic will notice a much lower concentration here. No one will be stopped or questioned at the gate, even if the soldiers seem to take note of the fugitives from Thorne.

The activity and sheer number of citizens can be overwhelming. It’s crowded and loud and feels constantly in motion with everyone talking and yelling over each other. It’s easy to get swept up in the ever-moving throng or find oneself ducking into the mouth of a narrow alley just to breathe.

Anyone who’s willing to make their way to the northern part of the city and Portham Hall will find Prime Minister Marlo Reiner available to receive them.

Comments

[rehandle]

[ It's not so very long after they arrive that Stephen makes his way across the city to Portham Hall. Thorne's garments earn him looks that read from quizzical to critical and he sends those looks right back, but the city doesn't seem set to condemn him any more than it attempted to keep him from passing through its gates. So he arrives without altercation, a flourish of one hand righting any inexcusable wrong the hurry of the day might have done to the general visual state he's in before entering the Hall.

Generally speaking, courting authority isn't his thing. He and his keep to their spaces, free of the micro-management of beaureaucrats that have no idea what it is they're protecting them from. Wilson will be over here soon enough, no doubt. Much more his speed.

But this isn't a normal situation. They find themselves not just in a new city but a new city in a new world, a world where he doesn't already know the deal. If they're going to make the best of this, they're going to need to understand what they're working with.

Who they're working with.

Thornean authority hadn't mixed well with his temperament or his moral expectations, but they're not in Thorne anymore. Time to see if they stand any greater chance of meaningful collaboration here. ]

Prime Minister Reiner. [ A handful of hours in Cadens was time enough for him to at least do basic homework. He nods in greeting and thanks, a brief display of deference to higher office than he'll ever hold in this world that he hopes will tide him over for the rest of the conversation. ] Doctor Stephen Strange.

[ Time enough for reports to ripple back from the gates too, no doubt. Democracy or not, it's not as if any random citizen could walk into the White House uninvited and shake the hand of the President. Not that American democracy is really anybody's benchmark, but surely this is special treatment - which most likely means the conversation has worth on both sides. ]

I assume you've had word?

[abraxasnpcs]

Welcome, then, Doctor Stephen Strange. We're aware of the excitement your exodus caused, oh yes.

[The prime minister gestures for him to take a seat as she takes her own. Her tone and body language are friendly and seem open enough.]

If you're worried about retribution, don't be. We aren't friends with Thorne. We're happy to offer you shelter - as long as you don't make any trouble for us, of course.

[rehandle]

[ A good start. Decked out in military regalia she may be, but he's no stranger to uniform as an indication of tribe and purpose rather than a performance of might. So far, it doesn't seem to dictate her character or her intentions.

So he takes the offered seat, canting his head in wry acknowledgement. ]

Of course.

[ Every place has its rules. He's sitting in an office and not a jail cell, so he'll take that as a good sign. ]

An enemy of my enemy is my friend?

[abraxasnpcs]

Something like that. This all used to be their land, our ancestors were their people. Until they got sick and tired of Thorne's refusal to change. That place still run things like it was a thousand years ago. You know, you've been living there. What did you think of them?

[It's a casual enough question but the prime minister leans forward, clearly interested in the answer.]

[rehandle]

Between the tendency to jail potentially problematic abductees before they had a chance to cause any problems and the use of aforementioned prisoners as labourers in dangerous conditions with limited resources, they're not ranking that highly on my admittedly limited list of preferred local powers.

[ The volunteering of more information than she's technically asked for is as easy as it is intentional. Best that a door swings both ways if the conversation is to be productive, and he has no need to shelter Thorne's faults from the prying mind of a person seemingly already familiar with the kingdom's capacity for them. ]

How often do you get refugees from inside the castle?

[abraxasnpcs]

Sounds like they were treating you like a resource, not people. What do you mean 'potentially problematic'? They give you all a poll to fill out and look for strange answers?

[Marlo's voice stays friendly and conversational but both parties know this isn't a casual conversation.]

And we don't get many refugees but we've had immigrants from Thorne. They'd come for a vacation and like what they saw and then they'd stay. Become one of us. Of course it's been a while, with borders the way they are.

[rehandle]

[ A nod of acknowledgement in response to the mention of borders and the political situation it alludes to. We don't get many refugees is answer enough to cover his curiosity for now. ]

No poll. Ambrose consulted a tome, found his verdict, and if you made the cut you got a four-poster and a hot meal. If you didn't you got a cell.

[ They know what this is, they're finding their rhythm with it. Might as well drop the set dressing and go for the direct questions. ]

Did you have any idea we'd be coming? Before we arrived on your doorstep, I mean.

[abraxasnpcs]

You're telling me they've got some magic book that tells them to lock people up or not?

[The prime minister doesn't seem very impressed.]

Let's just say we've had bigger surprises, but there's a reason no one met you at the gates. If you're asking how much we know about what's going on in Thorne right now.... Well we'd like to know a lot more than we do. I'll hear anything you'd like to share.

[rehandle]

[ There's a moment of quiet from Strange, weighing up what he's just been told. Then: ]

I'm an outsider here. I don't have any intention to keep secrets for Thorne, but I also don't plan on fuelling any fires I can't put out.

[ Reiner seems to have a level head on her shoulders, and between her and Rhett he knows who he'd rather be sitting down for these kinds of discussions with - but he's only been here a handful of hours. It's not a time to act like he's new to being a stranger in another world. ]

If you or any of your people in a position to use it are looking for a spark, I'd appreciate it if you let me know now.

[ He can't guarantee her honesty, especially not when the very request for it no doubt makes the withheld information seem all the richer, but he can at least ask. ]

[abraxasnpcs]

I'm not trying to start any fires right now. But I need to protect my people so I need to understand what it is Thorne's doing. I don't need to know anything about their military strength and I'm not going to ask you if you heard anything about future plans or politics while you were there. I'm just asking about the magic they're utilizing.

[The prime minister holds open her hands as though to emphasize she isn't hiding anything.]

[rehandle]

[ Right now is about as good as it's going to get with warring factions, isn't it? At least she's not trying to cover that up. More interestingly: the magic.

The magic Thorne used to bring them here is relevant to more than just themselves. And ultimately, she's going to find out from somebody sooner or later. A nod of his head - acceptance, for now, of her frankness and her request. ]

I'd be careful what you're dismissive of. That magic book we mentioned a moment ago seems to have been instrumental in allowing the High Mage to draw individuals from across the multiverse to utilise as tools in his intentions for the Singularity.

[abraxasnpcs]

I'm not dismissing anything. I'm just trying to work out what's going on. Whatever Thorne is doing is playing with things man probably shouldn't. So they found the spell in a book? Or it's a magic item that facilitates things?