[ OPEN ] the river's overrun

[godshattering]

Who: Claude and various
When: July + August
Where: The Free Cities, the Horizon, TBA
What: Catch all for both months + open TL for Free Cities quests for July
Warnings: None currently, will add/mark as needed


( open + closed starters below | action, prose, and wildcards all welcome | find me at indech, by PM, or on discord to plot something! )

Comments

[godshattering]

[ The outburst is satisfying just as it always was every time he successfully needled Lorenz into losing his very noble composure over this or that. Even Lorenz would've been scandalized by someone daring to commit fraud right in plain view and joined in on this, Claude's certain, considering how offended the man now just in his memories would be.

Which is exactly why the smile on his face doesn't change even as the crowd around them sends glances towards the stall and the merchant realizes it then immediately levels a glare towards him, at which he calmly picks up his soil and moves along with Steve. ]

Well, maybe. I do like to keep my interests varied.

[ He says it lightly, but - even after they've stepped away and continuing on, he's making a point to glance backwards every now and then just to make sure the merchant didn't get any ideas about continuing. It doesn't seem so considering he's all but glowering at his wares on the last look, which is when Claude turns his attention back to Steve properly once more. ]

But I could say the same for you even if I sort of think I already did earlier since I'm far more used to finding you in Cadens. What brings you here? The - [ with a wave of his hand to their surroundings in case Steve would rather find somewhere decidedly less public - ] brief version of it for now, of course.

[assembles]

[ While it's unclear if that will be enough to make the merchant change his ways, they did at least sow a seed of doubt among a few nearby shoppers, and that sort of information is likely to spread like wildfire.

Taking advantage of people is never okay, and doing it when people are already down on their luck is even worse. Not that Steve thinks he needs to point that out to Claude of all people. Their work is done, and they can move on.

Still, while Claude is fishing for information about Steve's presence here, and understandably so, there isn't much he can share when they're out in the open like this. ]

Well, the portal makes it easy enough to come visit, and it does seem like it's been even busier around here than in Cadens lately. [ He shrugs, continuing down the path and mainly following Claude's lead in the event that he has some specific destination in mind. ] I like to be where the action is, so to speak.

[ And by "action," he means "military activity."

He glances over, keeping his tone and demeanor casual with his arms loose at his sides as he walks. ] And you? Here on business, I'm guessing?

[godshattering]

[ That's rather coy, and not in a way that's entirely unexpected given their rather public surroundings as they walk. It doesn't stop Claude from a flicker of a grin there and gone in a few seconds in amusement of Steve's proclamation of being where the action is. ]

Well, I wouldn't expect anything else. I think you and I are both prone to finding things to get into if the last couple of years are any indication.

[ Some less voluntary than others like walking through the portal to Aquila, but given it was also (sort of) how they met on that wagon ride not long after arriving Claude feels pretty comfortable grouping them together with that. Only fondly, of course, and he nods following that. ]

A bit of business in between figuring out what's changed in the aftermath of the attack here since it was as disruptive as it was calculated to be if I had to guess at Thorne's hopes. Though... I'm thinking it's a little warm out here today even for me, and I wouldn't say no to a drink.

[ There's a cafe right off to the left which was partially the inspiration to get out of the crowds for a few minutes. The remaining inspiration comes from it being a little older than the newer cafes around with fewer amenities and fewer patrons, conveniently enough. Claude reaches to hold the door open if it's their destination with a smile. ]

After you, my friend.

[assembles]

[ Steve doesn't mind that assessment at all. It's true that he doesn't do well if he doesn't have something to keep his attention or some sort of task to remain focused on, and Claude is definitely the same way. It's why they work together well and why they so often find themselves in the same place.

It does seem like there's a lot to figure out in the wake of the attack, especially for anyone who conducts any kind of business, and so Claude's answer make sense. Although then Claude quickly steers them toward a cool place where they can get a drink, and Steve can guess why. Claude is curious to hear more about Steve's motives for being here, and that will be easier to do when they have a table to themselves. ]

Neither would I. Thanks, Claude.

[ They get seated will little issue and then it's just a matter of what to order. Steve goes for some freshly squeezed juice rather than anything alcoholic since it's still a bit earlier in the day, though he won't judge if Claude wants something harder. Either way, their orders are put in and then they're offered a little bit of privacy. ]

So, what would you say has changed around here so far? Other than merchants taking advantage of people because they're getting desperate.

[godshattering]

[ For himself, Claude selects some spiced iced tea he's become rather fond of from stopping by on those other passing visits, and nods with a smile to the server as they depart. Genial enough though his attention focuses on Steve in the same instant they're alone - both because the server's left and since their corner has a lack of any other customers seated nearby.

As for that question, he hums while taking a second to think. ]

That's the biggest one in terms of the business - that and lots of businesses have closed down or combined to share a space to keep costs down to stay open. Things never seemed quite as rough, in a relative sense, as the businesses in Cadens operating on a smaller margin but Aquila's also feeling it for sure.

[ It's made finding places to deliver things a bit harder as he's had to search for locations and not all of those searches were successful. But that question could be answered multiple ways, couldn't it? And as he's already pointed out himself, it's (probably) not commerce that's brought Steve here when Claude's far more used to seeing him around Cadens. So really, there's another important observation to include in there. ]

I've heard plenty about how the leaders here should strike back yet again for the murders here as more fuel for the fire of war. Many more have joined the military according to some of my merchant friends who've heard a bit more about the recruiting.

[assembles]

[ It made sense that businesses would have to get creative when it came to staying open, if they didn't just have to throw their hands up and close down entirely. It's yet one small example of how an ongoing war, even one that's still on the brink of starting, has a ripple effect on everyone. ]

That must mean they're being pretty strict with who they're buying from too.

[ Which means that Claude has probably struggled with conducting business in general, but Steve suspects that he'll find a way to continue to work effectively even under these circumstances. Claude is crafty that way.

But it doesn't take long for the conversation to shift to the military fallout, and Steve nods, yet again taking a careful look around them before he speaks up. ]

Yeah, I've noticed that soldiers have been mobilizing to Aquila too, which is definitely new. I'm not surprised that there's already talk of retaliation. [ And they'll just go back and forth with it until more and more lives are lost. Just the thought of it is exhausting, and Steve takes a moment to heave out a sigh. ] I can't help but wonder if there's more to it, though. There's a base in the mountains near here, and I have reason to believe they're developing some new tech there. That's why I've been trying to keep an eye on things.

[godshattering]

I'd say some of their purchases are a little more... targeted than before, shall we say.

[ Everyone selling things which aid the military - those are a premium, of course, what with having a guaranteed buyer as the forces expand and need supplies to support the added recruits. Certainly not a thing he wants to take any part in even if it wasn't for Viktor's matching feelings on not giving even the tiniest bit of help.

Steve's sigh is something he feels down to his bones; it matches the feeling settling in there. One that had made its home in Fodlan's war and never quite left as if the fates could've known he'd end up here watching something unfold which feels so unfortunately similar. A humorless smile rests on Claude's face temporarily with no attempt to bend it into some other believable emotion.

The server bringing their drinks back gives another reason for pause as he gets out the coins needed to pay, then picks up his glass to absently swirl it gently in his grasp. ]

A base. [ Ominous, and Claude doesn't bother to hide the foreboding he feels as it seeps into those two words. Another couple of seconds go by where he contemplates his friend's expression, what was said, and then what else was said between it. ] Keeping an eye on it from around town or with a different kind of visiting?

[assembles]

[ Now that they're getting down to brass tacks, Steve once again lets his gaze travel around the tavern, keeping an eye out for anyone who might be military. He isn't just looking for uniforms, but also bearing. A soldier tends to have a certain way they carry themselves and he'd like to think he could pick them out, even if they were off-duty.

Nothing immediately sets off any alarm bells, which makes sense given that it's the middle of the day. It's pretty quiet in here.

He returns his attention to Claude and gives a casual shrug of one shoulder. ]

I took a trip up into those mountains once before, but didn't get to see much. I basically just confirmed that there is a base out there, and that it's probably where they took a certain something.

[ He pauses to take a swig of his drink, then asks: ] When all those things were coming through the rifts, did you hear about the one that was a massive war machine? [ It's not something Claude himself would be familiar with, based on the type of world he comes from, but that might be all the more reason that the Thunderjaw stood out to him. ]

[godshattering]

[ For his part, Claude remains the picture of casualness despite their talk. Steve keeps a more pointed gaze on who else is here while he observes from senses honed to track what's going on around him. Between the two of them, he's certain they'll sense if something is off. In the meantime, he's grateful the conversation continues - even if a base in the mountains and Steve's confirmation of it gets a grimace from him he's quick to disguise with a sip of tea. ]

If I've learned anything from war, it's that concealed bases with equally secret things rarely lead to good things. But... a war machine.

[ He repeats that thoughtfully, a placeholder for giving Steve an actual answer while he searches back in his mind to what'd come through the rifts. Much of it he'd compartmentalized away after Hilda's near death after they'd fought the dragon where as unexplained as it was, there were no answers to be found. Not even for what happened with Steve as he remembers that resonation with the monster they'd fought together in something he's not seen since.

Those and a handful of other things are his major recollections, and it's not until Claude opens his mouth to say as much that one more memory hits him. Of something he'd not seen before but which reminded him of the robotic guards beneath Garreg Mach - of the machines that were powered by magic but still had weaknesses when the one he'd faced down with Dean seemed to have none at all.

Suddenly that nonchalance is dropped as his full focus turns on Steve without shifting his posture to alert anyone else around. ]

More like saw it rather than heard about it when it was outside the quarantined city. It disappeared not long after I arrived, though from the sound of it didn't disappear completely.