The Ascent [O]
Oct 20, 2014 3:24:18 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2014 3:24:18 GMT -7
The Ascent was what the Ishi no Kuni populace and denizens of St. Azazel's Academy had, for lack of any officially given title, dubbed the climb to the cliff-mounted institution. Most often ringing the outside of the mountain, though ducking into cavern systems here and there, the Ascent takes many hours from start to finish, though significantly less if one is horsed. Fortunately, the Academy and the town of Nascon at its base have stables set up for just such a purpose, with beasts available for hire at only a small fee; free of charge, if one is an Academy resident.
[/b] What Be It That Troubles You?Rank: C
IIC Length: 2 days
Difficulty: Easy-Moderate
Description: The small town of Occindale within the limits of Ishi no Kuni recently had one of its outlying housing estates go completely quiet; when a party of two was sent out to investigate what had occurred, they did not return. The village thereafter gathered to investigate as a whole, finding warning symbols drawn from what appears to be blood within sight of the house. Hearing of this disturbance, the Academy has decided to rule in the possibility of the impure being at work, and has asked that the citizens of Occindale refrain from further inspection till Venator agents have scrutinized the scene for themselves.
Objective: Recon the establishment and its surroundings. Note that extermination is not a part of the objective; hostiles may be present and are of unknown capacity.
Reward: 8,000 Ryo
[ Approval Required ][/ul]
At the peak, Lucrezia Accosi waited patiently. Only yesterday she had gone through the anticlimactic stalemate that had been the bout she had been destined to have with the partner the Academy had chosen for her, and already she had been delivered a note by one of the messenger boys that went around in white delivering commands and tasks from the Academy's principals and taskmasters. The words she had read upon the parchment had stirred a haven of butterflies within her stomach; for true? The very first task she got to undertake outside of the Academy, without patronizing supervision? The day had finally arrived?
She would not be alone, however. Her aforementioned partner, Victor Vestaldt, would have received a similar letter, and would hopefully arrive at the Academy's only Ascent-bound exit soon as well. Lucrezia had had ample time to reflect on the other Venator and the Academy's decision to pair them together. The girl had thought of the fact that, traditionally, such duos were composed mostly of the same sex - so then, why the exception? Lucrezia had been a little miffed after that thought occurred to her. She thought she very well would have preferred a female partner - they would likely have been easier to bond with, there naturally being fewer innate social barriers. Plus, they might have been more attractive. Though Lucrezia supposed that judging Victor to be unattractive would have beena little cruel.
Certainly, an upbringing at St. Azazel's had tamed the girl's rampant teenage desires, leaving behind relative chastity, so the Academy should have been confident that a male/female partnership would not necessarily cause a problem. Ironically, Lucrezia was rather wishing she was not part of said male/female partnership to increase the chances of her causing a problem.
Still, Lucrezia would likely never voice her complaints, and certainly never to a superior. She had long ago been taught not to bemoan her circumstances. Speaking of complaints and superiors brought again to mind how Lissandra and Bartolo Accosi had taken the - honest - report of what had occurred between Victor and Lucrezia on the first day of their meeting, which, to their credit, had not been a problem, but to Lucrezia's apparent discredit, had not been a satisfactory display of dominance.
"He is but a farm boy, is he not?" Lissandra had demanded over her fork once Lucrezia had completed her report, frowning in acute displeasure. Lucrezia knew it was the same expression she used whenever something irksome was presented to her. "Bah. Our own daughter couldn't even beat a stable boy. You'll never be half the agent your mother is if you keep that up. How are we meant to be one of the principal families if you get shamed by a common boy, Lucrezia? Tell me now!"
The rest of it had all blurred together. Fortunately Lucrezia's siblings had been staying out to classes that night and had not been present for dinner, else they would likely have piled on board the bandwagon, taking up any excuse to shame their older sister and most direct competitor. The girl had had little answer for her parents, and had fallen asleep that night with a rare note of bitter resentment; why had she been meant to shame Victor anyhow? Would the true test of her worth not come with the career she was meant to spend alongside him, rather than the very first day, which was meant to be a mere introduction? Overall, she had cared little for that particular lecture night.
But it was a new day, today, and as per usual, the girl had cleared her mind of such distractions. She had changed out of the default white and black attire of the Academy into her own clothes, and now stood with one leather-gloved hand to the cheek of a chestnut colt she had borrowed from the stables, with the other hand clinging to its bridle. She patted the tame beast idly, wondering what its large black eyes made of the red glasses that covered her eyes as it nonchalantly stared back. Lucrezia was not a particularly experienced rider, but she had been taught to be comfortable around horses quite some time ago. She had brought the beast quite a bit closer to the main gate, so that Victor might spot her on his way out. As she watched the horse flick its ears for whatever purpose, she wondered if he would bother again with his full plate; 'twas to be quite the journey, and she imagined the armor quite a burden. It would slow them down, she imagined. Still, perhaps that would be his preference, regardless.
Perhaps one reason she was paying such close attention to her animal companion was because of the uncertain fear that lay deep within the pit of her stomach; true, she had been training her entire life to deal with the threat of what hid in the dark, and had been made to examine countless images and even some bodies of the wretched, but she did not quite think that would adequately prepare her for the first real horror she would encounter, if that encounter happened to occur today.
Still, at least she would have a companion when she came across it. Hopefully, she could keep him alive, and vice versa. The girl almost chuckled, understanding on a new level just why it was that the Academy had adopted such a system.[/div][/font]