=On a Ridge above Rachet=
Emilia pursed her lips when asked the questions, and weighed the goblin groundskeeper carefully with chestnut eyes. But she was unerringly aware that the tabard about her torso now meant being on the front-line dispatch to the skirmish of words that was building alliances, and the noble would not fail or falter. Enough of that had been done up north, and back at home.
“
De facto liaison and requisitions officer. My orders were first to rendezvous with the groundskeeper that had diligently kept all in outstanding order for Lady Proudmoore these so many years. One Fibbus Scuttleswipe.”
The paladin extended a mailed hand and forced her smile, as ever she had since leaving Stormwind.
“
Emilia, of the Argent Dawn.” The brunette paused, as though name, aspiring rank, and opening mission perimeters were more than sufficient. But the suspicion huddled in her mind like an archer behind bulwark that they were not enough to win this verbal engagement, let alone to her true standards. She had a duty to uphold the silver disk with gold rays covering her breasts, chest, heart. So further into the conversational breech she pressed. “
We lead incursions against the Scourge in Lordaeron. Undo monstrosities when they dare the line. Mine is but one of many coordinating with the Opal Collocation - you will hear more of them in time.”
Resting her hand comfortably at the standard issue longsword hilt at her side out of habit, Emilia looked up at the brick structure with grudging approvingly. This before she pointed to it's rooftop, and started tracing an imaginary half crescent line around the area with her other hand, in a slow quarter turn. Throughout she spoke in a manner business like.
“
The tower appears sturdy. We could house arcane equipment up top to reveal threats; launch projectiles. Add a few palisades around the perimeter. It would draw trouble away from Ratchet. Elsewise, provide emergency sanctuary. Even in royal gardens, a rose must cultivate thorns.”
Her tone took on a melancholy tinge, all for a saying that stuck from a mentor long lost. Lordaeron fell so spectacularly precisely because the threats had started so subtly, and the preparations been so inadequate. Had a few more holdings been established, a handful more garrisons been raised, and the granaries kept under thicker lock and bolt, the Lightbringer would not be dead, the Traitor would never have turned, and thousands would not have been butchered and raised to torment their neighbours and loved ones. To say nothing of the refugees or those that stayed in the failed kingdom. But it was near enough impossible to explain all that to civilians. Bracing for hidden evils that never rested appeared excessive or even paranoid to those kept safe by those exact same precautions. That little left justice as the only true answer to any of it.
It was the one bitter fruit that kept a society strong enough to break down all the subtle poisons before they accumulated to fatal ends. Lowborn schemers and power hungry monarchs, ancient demons or half-mad shadow priests; justice was the only way to win the war on behalf of those too naïve to know there was one constantly being waged around them. In the all, all things were Light, or Void.
Above them came lilting birdsong to raise Emilia above the ruin of her thoughts, although she couldn’t tell if it was from atop the tower or some nest in its highest room. She took a long drag from her brown leather flask, and was glad for once that she tolerated water in only half of it. The muggy heat would not take well to her habit for steel, wine, and work. A frown verged on Emilia’s lips as she considered the goblin’s limp then, the open doorway to the cooler interior within, and the flights of stairs that doubtlessly awaited beyond. She would have to double check everything to ensure her duty was truly done, and make it thorough that it exceeded standards. But she wasn’t overkeen on punishing the goblin for his injury. An easy mercy to grant.
“
I will not demand a tour, if your professional opinion sees no need. As you say, not much to it.” The decision most assuredly in Scuttleswipe’s corner, her eyes held him levelly. It would little do to be seen pitying him for a wretch. He could decide his own lot perfectly well. But as much as the reports had been read on the tower’s rooms and features – that is to say, six and none – it was best to hear from specialists when dabbling in their area. Reports were useful. But however closely matching, maps were still imposters to the realm.
“
So said, you know this tower as a prince does his capital. Comparatively. What can you tell me of the holding? Any issues or features to know of before attempting repairs or renovations? How did you end up being entrusted to the property?”
Spoiler: Routine Check/Skill Mastery on Persuasion (15), Well-Informed (20+), and Assessment (24)
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In story order....
Assessment/Evaluate-Insight check: 24. What can I tell about Fibbus as a person? More, with Assessment, can I make any informed guesses on his injury?
Persuasion: 15 (going to guess goblins could not care less about Very Attractive in humans, so no 20 for me). Simply to make a "good" first impression on behalf of the Argent Dawn.
Well-Informed/Investigation: 20 (+minimum+). What have any reports or trustworthy sources Emilia might have been allowed to read / hear from say about the tower itself? If she knows nothing about the tower (full disclosure: Well Informed only says about "When encountering an individual, group, or organization for the first time", so she probably heard about Burningblade warlocks, but the tower itself easily falls between the cracks of none of that.), what about Fibbus?
Spoiler: Equipment/appearance/duty
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I imagine Emilia is wearing exactly whatever passes for standard equipment for the Argent Dawn (recruit...?) when doing almost anything in their name, but I don’t fully know what ‘standard’ equipment is for them? Chainmail, longsword, tabard is my closest guess?
Essentially, she’s trying to do justice to the name and nature of their organisation. Expect her to heavily obscure her drinking (hence the leather flask where it’s only half/half) for the exact same reasons when in uniform or on assignment, and generally to keep herself lucid and capable enough. Outside the uniform and assignments though………