View source for 2489/Welcome to Ul'dah, friends!

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/06/19
|Location=Hydaelyn Reborn <ARR>
|Synopsis=Landon and Cirra visit Ul'dah and meet two adventurers.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=642, 675, 815, 819
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:815|Alwyn Highwind (815)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Welcome to Ul'dah, a city in the desert!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Aetheryte Crystals, and Warp Gates, make getting here a fairless painless venture. The grand city of nearly-golden stone is aged and worn, but the red, black and red banners of the Immortal Flames depicting a scale balancing a diamond and a flame still hang high and proud above every building of note here.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The city is mostly perfectly round and heavily walled, with entry points guarded by sentries. Outside, countless tents, make-shift homes and people in ragged clothing wander about, some occasionally trying to beg their way into the city but being denied. People dressed in anything better than 'ragged hobo clothing' won't have any issue getting in, since the guards aren't being all THAT hardass about it.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As expected, with the Sun high up in the sky it's kind of hot here. The streets closest to the entrances are filled with merchants, traders and booths. One can find more or less anything they want here, if they have the means to pay or trade for it.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's near one entrance that one could find ALWYN HIGHWIND, spear on his back, not watching where he's going. The brown-haired, INCREDIBLY GENERIC HUMAN has his nose all up in a large map, trying to make head or tail of where he wants to be going. He is almost assuredly going to bump straight into someone.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:819|N'raha Tia (819)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ul'dah! City of prosperity and upwardly mob-wait no, it's a capitalist's dream, the wheels of finance and commerce grinding ever onward in the desert. And one of those with the futile dream of moving up in the world is one N'RAHA TIA, though call him a Tia at your own peril. Young Mr. N'raha is currently in front of the hut of a nice refugee family, currently trying to haggle his way down on the price of a miq'kabob, made from fish caught right over in a nearby stream. You know, where he might be going to make it himself if he wasn't in a hurry.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:675|Cirra Constantine (675)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I told you it was just like Ifrit here." Cirra Constantine says to the man next to her. "Rewind time a hundred years and it'd be hard to spot the difference." The Judge/Dark Knight says as the pair wait for the line to advance. THey shouldnt have problem getting in...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then Alwyn runs into her from behind, The Judge spins around, grasping at Highwind's shoulder without looking until she's already got a firm grip. "You there, what are you doing!?" Her mind immedaitly thinks of a cutpurse or pickpockt, using the old 'excuse me' trick.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:642|Landon al Cid (642)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Well," Landon admits, "Like the pre-Bonfire ruins, I guess? The clothing reminds me of the trips we took to the Bonfire when we were younger. Remember, the music? And Father actually let us drink alcohol, even though we were far too young, because if we didn't it would be rude? And-" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Landon is interrupted from his memories by Cirra's sudden reaction. He stops in mid-step, staring at her for a moment. Then his eyes flick between Alwyn and Cirra. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Now, now," Landon immediately soothes, "There's no need for that sort of reaction. I'm certain it was just an accident, wasn't it?" His eyes turn to Alwyn's, as if gauging for a reaction. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He also glances at the cat-man, mostly because, hey, cat-man. Never seen that before! The Extraverse sure is wild.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:815|Alwyn Highwind (815)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;In all likelyhood, the guards correctly ascertain Landon and Cirra to be royalty of SOME nature. They might think them important upper ups of the Flames, even; they're wrong, but they're not accustomed to off-world visitors yet. They've been warned! But change takes time.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Alwyn does bump into Cirra, revealing he actually has incredibly poor balance. He'd have tripped on his rear wholesale if she hadn't caught him by the shoulder so firmly.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"W-Whoa, wait, sorry! I was just looking at my map, and I kind of lost track of where I was walking. I don't remember all these tents and houses outside the city at all!" Thanks, Obamut. At least, Alwyn is in fact holding a map of the region, so verifying his claim isn't too hard. He also dresses more like a low-grade knight or warrior than a thief.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Accident, yes. Really, really sorry. Name's Alwyn Highwind, ah... I'm not from here, I'm from Gridania."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;If anything, the commotion won't have any trouble luring the cat enjoying his meal.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:819|N'raha Tia (819)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;STOP THIEF cries always get the attention of N'raha, whose tail puffs out and ears flatten as he looks around to see if it's him being yelled at. But no, it's some poor lancer being accosted by a pair of... heavily geared Hyur. Well, that's not anything new really, but fancy gear like that... without military livery... Free Company or adventurers in general, no doubt. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The young Miqo'te's tail flicks again, and he starts moving in that direction, quietly placing the correct amount of gil in the nice hobo's hand as he tries to sneak closer and listen to what's going on. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;These guys were loaded and far be it from him to piss off loaded people. Bad things happen.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:675|Cirra Constantine (675)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Fortunatly Landon knows how to placate Cirra. The Judge looks down at Alwyn's map and at the state of his armor and gently removes her hand from it's vice like grip on his shoulder. "Pay attention to your surroundings, it'll do you more good then being distracted by a map."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cirra looks back at Landon. "You turned red as a Bomb when you drank that liquor."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:642|Landon al Cid (642)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "It was very strong," Landon replies primly as he turns to Alwyn. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "It's quite alight, Mister...Highwind," huh, "There's no problem. My companion is simply a little bit overly concerned on account of certain recent events. You seem a bit nervous. Is everything alright?" Landon's smile widens. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I am Ladon al Cid, Prince of Ramuh. This is my bodyguard, Cirra Constantine. If there's something the matter, I'd hope we can be of some service."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:675|Cirra Constantine (675)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cirra lifts her hand to her face as LAndon just goes and says he's a prince.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:815|Alwyn Highwind (815)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Sorry, sorry! I'm just really out of place right now. I haven't been here since... well, since the Calamity. I guess from my point of view that's just a month ago, ha... awkward." Joking, that's one way to cope with it, Alwyn's found.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;What are they talking about, anyway? Drinks? He wouldn't mind one. He's not sure he can afford what the fancy nobles of Ul'dah must drink, lord knows that must be more expensive than a week's worth of food. "I'm fine! Thanks. I mean, for asking. Not nervous, just... really, really... disoriented." He's honest, at least.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And far, far too oblivious to notice the approaching Miqo'te.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;WAIT.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Recordscratch noise.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"A-a prince?! A... am I supposed to kneel or bow, I've never actually talked to nobility befor-- wait, of Ramuh? You're the... prince of a... Primal?" Is that where he heard the name? He's pretty sure it is.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:819|N'raha Tia (819)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Prince of Ramuh. The guy doesn't look like a beastman and he's certainly not a Sylph so, that's... N'raha's brain is flickering a bit as he looks over to the panicking young lancer, and... Well, no time like the present. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And the young Miq steps over and slaps Alwyn on the shoulder, smiling at the newcomers. "Ah! Don't mind him, the heat's gotten to him, folks. It's always nice to see people here in Ul'dah. I mean, rich folks, that's who comes here, all the time. It's nicer that way than Gridania." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The guards hear the words 'prince' and 'Ramuh' and just... well, this is way abovetheir pay grade. There's furtive calls for the Brass Blades, but the guards just stand and watch for now.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Miqo'te's tail flicks a bit as he looks up to the tall lady and the 'prince' and smiles. "Hiya! I'm N'raha. Welcome to Ul'dah, the shining jewel of Thanalan!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:675|Cirra Constantine (675)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"A Primal?" Cirra looks back at Alwyn, "A primal what? Ramuh is a continent and a Kingdom where we come from." Then the Miqo'te steps over and introduces himself. This is snowballing, and the gaurds have heard them.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"We came here because of similarities to places in our... homeland." she tries not to use the term 'world'. "Nothing more."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:642|Landon al Cid (642)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Landon smiles politely. Yes, of course, that makes trouble for Cirra. Everything makes trouble for Cirra. She'll live. So will he. Probably! "No, sir. I believe that we're having a misunderstanding. I apologize. I am not the Prince of a Primal, nor, I'm afraid, have I ever heard of such a thing. As my bodyguard says, it's where we come from." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Landon blinks at the Miqo'te after a moment, then his smile widens. "Why thank you very much, N'raha. It's a lovely place."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:815|Alwyn Highwind (815)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Suddenly, catman.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Thanks to his defusing of the situation, Alwyn manages to ease up a little, sighing his stress out. "I-I see. Communication error, I get it. So there are places named after the Primals... or the Primals were named after them, maybe. I bet those must be either incredible or deadly places. Maybe both. Probably both. Do you have adventurers there, too?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He figures, of all times and places, this probably isn't the one to pick to explain what a Primal is. Also he's... never fought one. So he has no idea what they're really like. He's heard the stories! From much better warriors than him.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To the catman he finally says hello. "Hi. Alwyn, Alwyn Highwind. Gridania isn't that bad. It's a lot more peaceful, I'm not sure how people who live here get used to all the noise. Do the merchants never sleep?" Well, they do, but then they set lights up and hire NIGHT MERCHANTS. It's a ruthless, cuthroat business world here. When an adventurer needs a sword and it's midnight, you want to be the guy charging extra for the time it is.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:819|N'raha Tia (819)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N'raha smiles as Alwyn slides right into the banter with him. "See? He knows what's up. And yeah, Gridana's a ways to the north. All plants and forests and stuff. Me, I'll keep my deserts. Much drier and then you don't have all that damp in your tail." <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He'll let the fancier looking adventurer explain primals. Though... Highwind is a name that even N'raha's heard of, and he looks up at the lancer with some interest. Huh.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:675|Cirra Constantine (675)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cirra is gong to get you back for this Landon, you wait and see. "As I was saying earlier, this place is like Ifrit. /Our/ Ifrit, a continent of sand and rock." She looks up at the city walls, "And the cities are much the same. Commerce and trade."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Ramuh is a land of rain, thunder and lightning. Dreadfully dreary if it weren't for the cities." She looks at the Migo'te again, "And we do have adventurers. Entire acadamies dedicated to their training and preperation."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:642|Landon al Cid (642)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Ah. So they don't know the vast world they've emerged into. Like Galianda before them, this world was undergoing the slow transition into understanding and awareness of the universes beyond their own. Landon didn't envy them the coming storm that they would have to deal with. If they were as close to his as it seemed... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I imagine it's simply a linguistic similarity," Landon offers politely, "Rather than being named for your Primals." That is in fact the safest way, Landon figures, as he looks between N'raha and Alwyn. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "As Cirra says, constant storms, cities, commerce and trade and so on. Personally, I love it. But I can see how a lot of people would find it dull."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:815|Alwyn Highwind (815)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Yeah, but... you get sand in your boots here. I feel like I need to stop every ten minutes to take them off and empty them," Alwyn replies to N'raha, evidently not a fan of deserts. Cirra gets his attention as she describes Ifrit and then Ramuh. "That sounds a lot like what the Primals do. I mean, Ifrit's supposedly a big fire monster and Ramuh's... he's the guardian of the Black Shroud, the Sylphs call him? It rains and storms a lot there."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Is that what being in the Multiverse is going to be like every day now? Confusing, but also really cool. In a weird way.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"A language thing... maybe. I'm not sure who named the Primals. It must have been a really long time ago, and that's totally outside my comfort zone! Ha... I'm not even sure what happened in the last five or six years yet, still catching up. Don't go asking me about the ancient people of Eorzea. The Arcanist's Guild in Limsa might have old history books though."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:819|N'raha Tia (819)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not sure? Missed the last five years? N'raha's cat eyes go a bit distant at that but.... not going to press the point, not right now. "Hahah! Well, maybe, I... uh." He looks at Landon and at Cirra, and his ears droop. "Well, I can't answer that one, I know what's happened in the last bunch of years but that's an awful long story, really. I mean..." <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Schools full of adventurers. "Wow, so... that's like... way past the guilds here, that's really cool. Though I'm not sure if i'd be all that cut out for it. I'm not a giant nerd like the arcanists, and I don't like setting the world on fire NOR am I a tree hugging Elezen, so." He snorts a bit at his CLEARLY AWESOME JOKE as he takes a bite of his cooling meat on a stick. Mmmmmm lunch.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:675|Cirra Constantine (675)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Cirra tilts her head slightly at N'raha as he describes the Classes. She glances at Landon briefly. "Ywe well, the Schools also train mages, all kinds of combat styles and other less combat oriented rolls like Calculators."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You guilds, what do they do?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:815|Alwyn Highwind (815)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"The Elezen aren't THAT bad," Alwyn comments idly, though he'd have to admit of those who live in Gridania they certainly love the Shroud the most. "The guilds? Oh, they... well, the Adventurers' Guild was made to give sellswords jobs, because... I think the story goes, back when the city-states replaced sellswords and adventurers by armies, the now-jobless adventurers turned to crime instead. So the Adventurers' Guild posts all sorts of jobs and requests, like... dozens of them a day. Someone somewhere always needs something done for them! The other guilds..."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He taps his chin. There's quite a bit.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I'm from the Lancers' Guild. We learn to use spears and fight dragon-like monsters, and we study Dragoon lore. There's the Marauders' Guild, they... uh... axe things, mostly. Problems, usually. The Gladiators' guild teachers sword and shield combat. There's a guild for every big fighting style, I think. Magic too! Conjurers' guild for healing, for instance. It's all very split up! The idea of a school where everything is taught sounds incredible, but I bet the man in charge has to like paperwork."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:819|N'raha Tia (819)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;N'raha's tail lashes a bit as Alwyn starts describing the guilds, and smiles. "Ah, andthe Adventurer's Guilds have linked up with the Syndicate so we can take jobs from the rest of the Multiverse and they can come here and do the same." <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A fangy grin from the catman, as he shifts his gear a bit and pulls up a weathered pair of Hora, heavy knuckle dusters. "Me, I'm a punch miq and I also do some Gladiateinening. Mostly though I've been doing bum around leves lately. Something big's goin' on and I think there's a bunch of folks wandering out into the multiverse now."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The miqo'te smiles though. "There's a bunch of fellas what'll teach you how to shank people for the good of all, I hear tell, but you don't... uh. You don't go lookin' for them."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:675|Cirra Constantine (675)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Considering as she listens tot he descriptionof the guilds, Cirra nods once. "That seems largely simiilar to what our schools teach." The bit about the Adventurers guide stops her though. "THe sellswords were not offered places within the armies? Are these sellswords still criminals, or does this Adventurer's guide work legitimetly?"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Then she looks at N'raha with a stoicly flat expression as he uses words that have no meaning to her, "Leves, Miq?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:815|Alwyn Highwind (815)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Well, some of them joined the city-states' military, but not every adventurer and sellsword wanted to be tied up like that. That happened a long while ago so I don't have the whole story, just what the guild tells you about its origins." A good reason to pick at any holes in his story. "The city-states back the guild now, because if you keep adventurers happy then you're not only stopping them from becoming criminals, you're getting to pay them to take care of criminals and monsters for you too!" Overall it's a very good deal for everyone involved.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On the subject of leves, Alwyn'll let N'raha explain.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"So how did... one really big school come to be? I mean, that must have taken a lot of time and work, to find every discipline in the world, a teacher for them, and put it all in the same place."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:819|N'raha Tia (819)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;LEVES. Right, people don't... right. N'raha's ears flick forward and he holds up a fingr in anexpository manner. "So, the Guilds run off a system called Leves run by Levemetes. They gather up all the sorts of requests for help that people send off to the Guild, cause everyone needs help these days, and then they sort them out and you go in and pick from the ones that need help. Stuff like 'help i ran out of cookies for a big dinner' to 'oh, Twelve, a goblin ate my baby' to 'I don't like all those bees over there, go knock their hives over'."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;His everything droops at that one. "That was a shitty job."<br> <br>

}}