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

[cointosser]

[He laughs, and yes, it's genuine.] For reasons like that! Believe me, your whole demeanor is a breath of fresh air in some aspects.

[Besides, they clearly both think they're rather amazing, so it works out. Even if this is a whole look-don't-touch situation, Jaskier is more than happy to appreciate Gideon's... everything.]

Oooh, can you do that? I'm not saying I'd love to see, but --

[Perhaps the but says everything. And unfortunately he no longer has the funds to demand some sort of private room in a tavern somewhere, which -- you know, this whole not rich thing is really getting old already.]

Perhaps near the gates? There's traffic flow, but not so much communing. Though I'm not so sure the guards will be happy about your sword-waving.

[frontlinetitties]

[She's been called a lot of things - most of them not especially nice - but a breath of fresh air certainly isn't one of them. It's a nice change, to find herself properly appreciated rather than skirted around skittishly like something that can only be killed by a stake through the heart at midnight. It just makes her all the more willing to slope off with him somewhere, whether she's distracting him from the serious business of earning money or not.

She gives the question a moment of serious consideration, before nodding.]

I probably could. But maybe I shouldn't try it here, today, in the middle of the street and for no good reason. A training area or something would be a better place for that. Disappointing as it may be, I should probably keep the sword-waving to a minimum. Fuck only knows what would happen to my dark enchantress if I were thrown in jail. She's kinda relying on me to keep a roof over our heads at the moment.

[Which is an interesting turn of events, to say the least.]

[cointosser]

[Well, it was half a joke, but gods, he does miss watching those sorts of spectacles. Not that he'd have much coin to spend on them now. Unfortunately, she has a very fair point.]

This place could certainly use some sort of... of coliseum, maybe.

[She's being sensible about the sword-waving, at least. He hikes his lute onto his back, strap comfortably across his shoulder, as they make their way... well, somewhere. There's bound to be a quiet place in a pocket somewhere.]

Ah! A jobless enchantress, is she? [He snorts.] Are you one of those oddjobs sorts? No doubt you could help a few townspeople carry their goods across town.

[You know, with that whole. Physique.] I'm not judging, of course, but has she no... abilities?

[Since it felt like everyone he met in Thorne certainly had theirs.]

[frontlinetitties]

[She pushes after him through the press of the crowd, and somewhere on the edge of her senses there's that feeling again-- not quite panic, but a constriction in her chest, a wave of piercing discomfort at the utter difference of this place. All the sights, the sounds, the smells, the sheer number of people-- it's so much bigger and more all-encompassing than she ever could have imagined. She'll get used to it. One day. somehow. And for now she narrows down her awareness onto the sound of his voice, and that pushes back the encroaching otherness for a moment, allows the thrum of human noise to bleed off into the background.]

Oh, she has abilities. She's the best god-damned necromancer the Ninth House has ever produced, you should see what she can do with even the smallest bone fragments. Like, full-on constructs just from little splinters. Regenerating ash, all sorts. and she's good with like, science and shit. All those necromantic theorems, you have to be. She's also been running the Ninth House pretty much singlehanded since she was just a kid... but none of that really translates all that well here, you know? And on top of that she's still...adjusting, shall we say. This place is kinda overwhelming for me, and I hated Drearburh. Harrow loves all that dark, silent, creepy shit.

[Quite the opposite of the bright, noisy, bustle of Cadens. Gideon skirts around a rickety cart selling some kind of spherical fruit, narrowly avoids thwacking a man with her sheathed sword as she does so. Mutters a quick apology as she stalks after Jaskier.]

So for now, I'm doing odd jobs, yeah. It's not what I wanna be doing in the long run, but until Harrow and I have a game plan figured out, I'm just taking work where I can. Which...yeah. Has mostly been carrying heavy shit, or glaring at people and flexing in tavern doorways. I kinda feel like I’m getting type-cast here.

[Boring drudge work...even if the latter has at least a few perks.]

[cointosser]

[There's something to be said that, prior to his experiences in this plane, he may have shuddered a bit simply to hear the term necromancer. Now his eyes grow wide and interested, his stride broad and energetic to keep up with Gideon's much longer ones (though they are not quite as sure as he's used to, with Geralt) so she doesn't end up tripping over him.

What can she do with a bone fragment? Oh, mm, perhaps some things are best left to the imagination. Or for a place more secluded than a wide and busy street.

Oh. Nevermind. Gideon holds nothing back, apparently. Does this sorceress not fear others finding out what she can do? It's not that Hector is terribly afraid of bringing it up, but he shows a bit more hesitation than this.]

You know, I have a necromancer lover she might like to meet. [Showing off??? Never. Though he doesn't mention his name, yet -- Hector may like to stay a little undercover, so to speak.]

Ahh, so neither of you are used to the cities. That certainly explains... [Well, the deer-in-torchlight look. No offense meant.

In the slight disturbance, Jaskier grabs one of the oranges from the cart and tucks it in his pocket. Perhaps with the ease of a man who's been forced to steal before. (Look, it was a good opportunity.)] It does sound terribly boring if you're used to, ah, action. Not that I'm quite sure what Houses One through Nine offered you.

[That's sort of a joke.] My friend is the same. He's never been good at, er, not going about killing things. I did hear tales there's a bit of a bandit problem outside the gates. I daresay you may get a bounty or two if you don't mind a spot of murder.

[Said in a off-the-cuff way. The murder of bandits is hardly something to ruffle one's sleeves over.]