<strong>The streets of Point Respite: a scoundrel and a sorceress</strong><br/><br/>As the maligned lieutenant had suggested, finding the quartermaster's office was a fairly straightforward affair. If anything, he had been understating its central location: three of the town's largest streets, including the only two with any paving, originated from the large, brick-laid square in front of the three-story wooden building.<br/><br/>Unfortunately, this also meant that, even early in the day like this, it took a little bit of time to make cross the busy intersection. An improvised market had developed here, with even few wooden carts and horses even helping prevent any meaningful traffic. However, these were noticeably in the minority compared to wheelbarrows, hand-carts, and small, wooden booths.<br/><br/>Using the lieutenant's description, the quartermaster could easily be recognized from across the square where he stood opposite another man, speaking animatedly. He truly was a bear of a man, tall and wide, with massive, muscular arms and a grin almost as large. As the oddly matched pair approached, he apparently finished getting the better of his haggling partner. Ending the conversation with a firm handshake, he turned the other man and pushed him lightly on his way as though he weighed no more than a feather.<br/><br/>He seemed to sense Reliyian and Ulan, glancing about until he finally caught sight of them. His grin didn't falter as they approached, and he stepped away from his office, taking two gigantic steps to close the distance between them. "Good morning to you both," he said, his voice predictably basso. "I can't say I recognize either of you, which means that you just arrived with the Second Fleet. It also means that your visit probably isn't a social one. What can I do for you?" Despite the lieutenant's claims, he didn't seem particularly suspicious of them. Perhaps he was measuring them up for their potential for thievery, but trusted in his own ability to deal with that, should it come up? Or perhaps Graft had simply been slandering the man.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">My apologizes, Magi, Robyn. I should have moved things along a bit more quickly.<br/><br/>Feel free to make a Resources roll to purchase a weapon. Alternatively, you could use a social skill to try to bring down the price by Creating an Advantage (giving you a +2 on a subsequent Resources roll), or to gather information about the possibility of stealing one. Note that Nils will defend against any Create Advantage rolls with own Will or Rapport, depending on the tack you take. Purchasing is a static action, but will also depend on the quality of blade that you want.</div></div><br/><strong>Point Respite Magna Femina Sophia chapter house: Eshalu</strong><br/><br/>As it always did, the ritual helped Eshalu ignore the distractions of the world and become aware of the Great Mother's presence, once more. If anything, the effect was more pronounced in this dreadful place, pushing back the land's sinister aura and reassuring her that she had made the right choice in coming to this place. For a few moments, she could simply bask in certainty of her purpose.<br/><br/>Then, without warning or ceremony, another presence joined the first, overlaying and mingling with the Great Mother's distant, but reassuring approval. To call it "mad" or "awful" would do disservice to its true depths. Despite the quick, informal nature of her invocation, she could almost hear it inside of her skull, like the echoes of threats screamed in a foreign tongue. It wanted her dead and gone. No, worse than that, it wanted her to never be.<br/><br/>Helpless rage, sadistic glee, and mindless nihilism all pressed against her mind for a brief, searing moment.<br/><br/>Then, mercifully, she was once more alone in the room.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Spoiler: Click to Show/Hide</div><div class="spoiler_body">Despite being unpleasant, the contact was brief enough none of this will have any permanent effect on Eshalu, except for however she changes her decisions knowing that something around here really <em>hates</em> (and I do mean that in the most general way possible). And it can pick up on her communing with the land, or so it'd seem.</div></div><br/><strong>On the streets of Point Respite: Lazerette</strong><br/><br/>Who to trust, indeed. In theory, Lazerette's mother could easily discipline (or depose) anyone in her army who wasn't serving the crown to their fullest. In practice, of course, she had little power here. Getting a message back to the mainland would be difficult. Persuading Queen Enra of nearly anything was, notoriously, even more difficult and arguably more dangerous.<br/><br/>Even reporting what she had discovered would likely carry its own risks. An open air market of sorts was visible not far away. Perhaps she could look for allies there? If not, her former passengers might be willing to lend an ear or even a hand. Given their similarly recent arrivals, she could probably trust them to not have any allegiances to the Commandant, couldn't she?