PLAYER PLOT ★ STORM THE CASTLE

[futurologists]

THE CASTLE ( NOV 7 ) Our resident warrior princess, Kidagakash Nedakh, has formulated a plan to investigate the castle and speak with the royals. (The OOC plotting post can be found here.) Now, it's time to put it into action. The castle itself is huge. From the outside, you can see a beautiful garden, a pond, and a statue commemorating Odette. You can also see several guards, some more invested in their job than others. A few are stony-faced, menacing men with looks that could kill. A couple just look like they'd appreciate a pretty girl or interesting guy to liven up their boring day. On the inside, all the halls look different, yet the same — different pieces of art, different wall fixtures, but everything else is identical. There's many portraits of the king and his late wife on the walls, sparkling chandeliers, and servants scurrying around. Odette's pale, smiling face and cascading blonde locks look somewhat familiar, but that might just be because of all the statues of her likeness around the city. The castle has pretty much every room you'd expect a castle to have. A library, a wine cellar, a dining hall, etc. Within them, characters can expect to find various things of interest — there are many books, fancy stationery, even some valuable coins if you look hard enough. There's also many letters to be found detailing the situation in Chantes; of course, there's also plenty of letters on far less official business. Some of them have quite steamy imagery. There are plenty of servants milling about inside the castle and out in the gardens. In the dining hall and their chambers are several of Chantes' most important nobles. And then, of course, there's you.

Comments

QUESTIONS

[futurologists]

Feel free to have your character find or take something non-plot-specific without asking; a book on botany or some food from the kitchen, for example. If you'd like to ask what a character would find searching a certain area, please keep it to 2 areas of the castle at most, partly for my sanity and partly so everyone gets a chance.

As for the distraction team, you can feel free to assume there are guards of many different personalities and, ahem, proclivities; you only need ask if a character is going to do something crazy, which I'm sure they will, knowing this bunch.

[evasively]

If my character were to search the library, what would he find? He'll be looking up anything magic-related, even if it's only a fable and not a real account. He'll also be interested to know if there's anyone capable of magic in Chantes.

And if he were to eavesdrop on the chatter of the important nobles, would he pick up anything of note?

Also!! Would it be plausible for my character to pose as a noble for just a short undercover thing? Like maybe take a peek at the guest list and steal someone's identity for the moment.

[dishearten]

Hmm can Graham search a bedroom and a personal office/quarters, if those are options? If so would he find anything there? He's looking mostly for information on the hostility, as well as info on the name of the missing persons Loki listed earlier!

[selfimage]

Hello! Loki will be checking out the library first and foremost, he's going to be looking for any information on the divine that he can find! That includes legends and religious texts about any of the gods.

He'll also be looking into finding Odette's quarters, if they're still available to snoop around?

Re: QUESTIONS

[of_her_own_accord]

This isn't about the raid itself, but I've gotta ask: if Phoenix pryed a bit with the goblin church elder about the whole going into the back room thing, how many psyche-locks would he probably get out of it?

[dailydouble]

If Ahad's searching the library for anything difficult to access, what would he find? By difficult to access, I mean anything locked in cases or hidden in offices/high on shelves. He's looking for stuff that the King might not want to be out there for anyone to get their hands on.

PREPARATION

[futurologists]

julius visconti | open

[viscontree]

1. [video/action - username : julius]

Hello everyone. My name is Julius Visconti. I'm the former captain of Fenrir's Special Forces Blood Unit.

[He pauses for a moment and then continues to speak. Julius sounds calm when he talks.]

We'll be making our next move as a group. That's why I want to form a strategy with everyone here. We mustn't act carelessly. I'll be at the Abel Inn if you need to speak with me in person.

That's all, thank you.

[Julius bows down politely and ends his message there. He's not going to say anything unnecessary. As soon he shuts off the feed he goes back to work. You can bump into him at the inn too if you like. ]

2.wild card

[Anything you want goes tbh. ]

kashuu kiyomitsu | action/commoner's district | open!

[hardtohandle]

[No killing! No bloodshed! If there was anything to put out Kashuu's enthusiasm for a good raid, it was that. Still, he wasn't the type to try and find a way around such a direct order. It was a habit he couldn't break. There would be a raid on the castle, they would nonlethally distract the guards, and maybe they'd get a step closer to... finding the sun? Creating peace? So long as their bosses were pleased, who cared.]

[Still, walking through the commoner's district eased his sullenness. Even a nonlethal raid was a chance to stretch and fight a bit. He was confident his body would kick back into gear immediately, but a little practice never hurt. And with a few days until the raid, why not practice in the alleys and backstreets, where there was always a willing partner looking after some coin?]

Ah. Sooooooo~rry. [He doesn't sound sorry at all, looking over another unfortunate thief. (Was that two today? Or three? They'd gotten a little more desperate.) The man was clearly out and so Kashuu did a brief pat-over.]

I outdid myself this time... plenty of bruises, but no cuts. [He grabs his fancy lantern (which now doubled as fancy thiefbait) with a big smile. Could he fit another one in tonight?...]

DISTRACTION

[futurologists]

gilgamesh | open

[babbylon]

[When Kida vowed to storm the castle, she probably didn't mean it like this.

Now, Gilgamesh had obeyed the spirit of the plan. When the order went out to blast through the gates, that's exactly what Gilgamesh did. Piloting his beloved Vimana, he rammed right into the front door as promised... though he made a point of not outright killing anyone or causing overt destruction, much as he would've found it funny. Maybe that was for the best, less clean-up on Vimana's poor paint job that way.

Once he got inside, though, everything went downhill.

Gilgamesh kept his seat aboard the Vimana and promptly debuted a set of loudspeakers on the wings, courtesy of his Gate. He took up a microphone, cast flashy spotlights on himself, and waved at his "audience", greeting them in a ridiculous leopard print suit that stood as a serious crime against fashion.]

Good evening, commoners! The magnificent Gilgamesh will be your host tonight, and I'm bringing you a very special show, so pay attention!

[Gilgamesh taps his foot on the Vimana's carpeting, and a song begins to play. A song some among ALASTAIR's ranks may find familiar. A song that Gilgamesh immediately treats like his personal karaoke number and belts out like he was born to do so.]

Dale a tu cuerpo alegria Macarena
Que tu cuerpo es pa' darle alegria y cosa buena
Dale a tu cuerpo alegria, Macarena
Hey Macarena~♪

[Gilgamesh belts out none other than the Macarena, complete with dancing. And so it was that the party's arguably greatest distraction came in the form of a King of Heroes rocking it to sweet, sweet '90s hits from his magical ancient aircraft that apparently doubled as a professional stage. You wanted a distraction, Kida? You got one.]

Sakura l Open

[keystaff]

[Distraction. It certainly seems like something she could help with. In theory, anyway. Sakura wants to help, somehow. And this seemed a better option then using the Cards to outright break in. Even if they might possibly be a little more lenient with her age if she were to get caught.

She sits, waiting, considering the options. Which Clow Card might be most effective in a distraction. Preferably without actually hurting anyone. Which something like Firey possibly just might, if not kept under control. Maze? Possibly. Maze, Mirror or Illusion seem to be the first ones that come to mind for her at least, as she goes through the deck of Cards that look rather like tarot ones used to tell fortunes.]

Hm. What do you think? I don't want anyone to get hurt, but we need their attention somehow.

[She asks the person nearest, as others make their preparations and watch the guards at their posts.]

Pearl | Open

[beyourrock]

Closed to Kida and Riza

[Pearl makes a clear path for Kida and Riza to safely approach the room. Knocking away a few more guards, she turns to face the two women, smiling, her chest heaving from all the adrenaline and running.

Maybe this would help. The king could listen to Riza and Kida. They were strong individuals, and Pearl was sure he could listen to them. And maybe this whole ordeal could blow over.

Pearl twirls her spear and and stands at attention before the two of them. Brushing her hair from her gem, she huffs heavily, throwing her shoulders back, proud.]

Alright. This is as far as I can go. I'm sure they'll be sending reinforcements. If anything goes wrong, you can reach me on the jewel commlink.

[Pearl bows her head a little.] I wish you both luck.

A

[So far so good. But when the guards start alerting others, it was time to come up with a different plan. With her sword at the ready, she turns towards a group of guards, whom of which were surrounding the gem, who had left a wake of their fellow guards just down the hall. Luckily, they were all unconscious.

Pearl narrows her eyes, backing up to assess the situation. to read the body languages of the guards. They didn't look like they were backing down. A few cat call at her, trying to coax her down from holding her spear so threateningly. But Pearl doesn't back down. If anything, her stance turns stern and confident, despite her slight furrowed brow.

While she can hold her own pretty well, the number of guards were a little intimidating. And they were closing in.]

B

[In the chaos of the distraction team, people may take notice of the multiple Pearl figures fighting against numerous guards. Of course, one may mistake one or two as Pearl herself, but upon closer inspection, they may notice that they are of a light blue hue. Luckily, Pearl is stationed nearby, hidden behind a nearby plant, holding her side with one hand while she leans against her spear for support.

None the less, she closes her eyes and supplies another hologram Pearl from her gem. The hologram perks up to attention and charges into the fight, all of them making sure to knock out what guards they could.]

C

[Wildcard! Choose or write a scenario you'd like to do!]

Korra | Open

[alphatar]

A.
[As soon as word comes for the distraction part of the plan to start is when Korra ripped the metal gates apart to make a big enough opening for Naga. Riding in on saddle felt like a good way to grab attention and she brings down a huge hole in the castle wall from that seat, earthbending it to rubble.]

Whack-a-badgermole, girl. [All Korra needs to say before leaping out of the saddle to get Naga to pounce on incoming guards. With the extra help from that, Korra's able to focus offering support. Making her way about the castle one elemental disaster at a time, or more.]

They're really not going to like having their banners on fire, will they?

B.
[Time to fall back and Korra's making sure everyone gets out first. She's on foot in case someone needs to ride her if they're too tired and is also seeking out any visibly injured parties.]

Do you need help? [Her hand's on the waterskin at her waist, she came prepared.]

SNOOPING

[futurologists]

Accord | Open

[of_her_own_accord]

[After some discussion -- and possibly a game of rock, paper, scissors -- A1 decided to stay behind and mingle around the market area in order to provide plausible deniability should it be necessary. Not that A2 really felt like they'd need it; Accord androids were designed to observe from far in the wings, and several thousand years of collective experience had proven them to be pretty competent at it.

She doesn't really restrict herself to a single area; she follows various people around in the shadows, and while she's not really learning anything too dramatic of yet, she's at least getting a sense of the castle politics.

More importantly, she might catch YOU in the middle of doing something. Ideally, it's just getting information, but if you've got sticky fingers for OTHER things, well...]

Ban | Open

[perma_banned]

[For the most part, the time Ban had lingered around during the planning phase of things--he was just trying to sober up. He was drinking water and taking slow bites of bread, gaming to get what he needed in his stomach to return his edge. By the time they were ready to start, Ban had recovered and stolen away his silence in a heartbeat. The distraction was suitable enough, lending everyone a chance to get in and do what they needed to do.

It was also adequate enough that, in the chaos, Ban simply slipped away and ignored the plan entirely. Contacting the king wasn't important to him and it wasn't an official order--but, for the sake of entertaining himself, he would play along with it. Ban slipped from the group without hesitation, turning through halls looking for things worth taking. Two sacks of loot were thrown after his shoulder eventually, holding clothing and food, with the occasional trinket here and there. The pantries were raided and closets rummaged through--for clothes he would have liked and raw ingredients to try in meals.

For the most part, Ban hadn't lost sight of the mission--he simply didn't care for it.

Loki | Open

[selfimage]

PINK PANTHER THEME

[ getting in is the easy part.

this isn't Asgardia, so there are no fancy-smancy illusion-based traps or sorcerous tricks in which to contend. last time he did something like this, he fell upon an unwanted prize: an evil version of himself from the future. this—thank the Norns—most likely wouldn't turn into such a damning ordeal, but the thought of King Loki and his meddling scheme to ruin his own life was always sitting like a swarm of hornets at the base of his skull. he wonders if he's walking right into it, and if this stupid multiversal detour was all part of the plan. damn him, that withered old coot, Loki snorts to himself as he slides behind a corner innocuously. his belly boils in defiance when he thinks of himself dancing into a trap. you're not the only one who can use something as an opportunity.

and that's that: he squashes down the bout of anger and focuses on the task. a little B&E never failed to cheer him up. this, of course, was a much larger ordeal than he had thought. Kida wasn't shy when she brought in almost all of ALASTAIR's prime stars into the fray. the commotion outside was beginning to roar, and Loki knew that Thor alone could hold down the fort, needless to say what the others would do. it was just racing against the clock until someone figured out what they were up to.

he strolls around the corridors like he owns the place, hands in the pockets of his obnoxious jacket, sliding around corners on his heels and moon-walking across the rafters. everything and anything that catches his interest gets touched. he fondles a few knick-knacks, turns them backward in rude positions, he tips a few pictures out of place, adds a mustache to a particularly charming portrait, and heads down to the wine cellar to pick a choice vintage. there are a few times that he disguises himself as a servant or a guard to eavesdrop, making sure that he gets pointed in the right direction of whatever it he may find of interest. he watches a few guards run past him, crouching between the ceiling and the wall.

that's not the only thing that he may come upon. ]

TO THE LIBRARY

[ like everything else in the castle, the library isn't hard to find. Loki turns as he fans out his jacket upon entry, turning a complete one-eighty as he swings in through the doors. ]

Ah—the smell of written words on paper. There's nothing more magical than the magic of books.

[ with that said, he goes to work. there's not much time to figure out the way the library is organized, and then to use it to find exactly what he's looking for. green eyes follow the paths of staircases and bookshelves, aware of the way that his near-silent footsteps threaten to echo. following one of the winding rows of books, he plucks one by the binding, a black fingernail to the spine, sliding it out and opening it to a random page for inspection. ]

the huntsman ➶ once

[dishearten]

ＳＮＥＡＫＩＮＧ ＩＮ

( apparently, some skills are like riding a bike. they come back to you, no matter how long it's been since you used them. no matter how long it's been that you believed you were someone else. despite decades as a sheriff of a sleepy town where nothing happened, the Huntsman is not so easy to be forgotten. at least, not any longer. it's funny how the curse ripped away who he was so easily, and now that he might not want those memories back, he can't shake them.

at least in some instances it's a good thing. sneaking around had once been for hunting. they had better hearing than most humans, so those skills translated perfectly. he can't quite go unarmed, yet he doesn't hope for a fight. if he does this right there shouldn't be opportunity.

if he sees someone else that intends to infiltrate, he might not be opposed... as long as you can keep up. )

ｔｈｅ ＳＴＵＤＹ

( it's not exactly as easy as knowing one royal and you know them all. even he can admit that the Queen had been a rarity of her kind. that was not a compliment. surely not all monarchs were as feverishly secretive and cruel as Regina Mills, yet he thinks at least the layout will be similar. he knew of a few of her majesty's hiding places, he thinks he can combine that knowledge with the knowledge the curse planted in his head about the proper way to investigate crimes that never occurred to have enough to help him find something.

he'll at least try.

his practice shows as he picks through things, barely ruffling the things he sorts through. his boots are soft leather that don't match the modern slacks he's wearing, but certainly keep his footsteps softened. he hasn't found anything, yet — and it's more than likely if he hears someone coming, he'll hide over assuming it's another infiltrator. )

fai d. fluorite | ota i swear i am taking this seriously

[evasively]

A: THE FAKE-MARRIED OPTION

[ The distraction team may be doing a fantastic job of keeping most of the guards below occupied, but with these many guards patrolling in the castle, it was impossible to go unnoticed for too long. As Fai and some of the other snooping ALASTAIR travelers rummage through the open room of one of the nobles, footsteps approach from the outside - these footsteps are heavy, and there's the sound of clanking metal accompanying them. It's clear to anyone that the footsteps belonged to that of two patrolling guards.

With no means to slip out of the room, Fai decides that there's only one other option available to him. Opening the closet, he pulls out two sets of clothing - a blue tunic with gold-lined tips for himself, and an equally fancy piece of clothing (whether a beautiful dress or another tunic) for the other person in the room. ] Here. Change into this.

[ And hurry, because the guards are approaching!

There's chatter outside as the guards discuss this fight they've had or this girl they fancy, and from how loud the voices were growing, it's clear that they were now only just outside. Finally, the door swings open, and the chatter stops. ]

"Halt! Identify yourselves!"

[ Immediately, Fai slips into character. He rests his hand over his chest, bowing his head in greeting. ] You may call me Lord Francis Wykeham. I have come to seek an audience with the King, but I appear to be a little lost. [ He's mostly making shit up but he does remember seeing such a name in one of the letters he's rummaged through!!! So!!! Maybe this might actually work!!

The guard isn't sure if he fully buys the story, but he's cautious not to act rashly. There's always the chance this guy actually was a lord, and Fai's poised mannerisms did match up to what most would call 'nobility'. The guard then turns his eye to the other person in the room. He's about to question them when Fai intervenes. ]

And this one here is my betrothed! [ Since they're going undercover now, he might as well have a little fun with it!

If your character is significantly younger than him, he might call them his 'ward' or 'little brother/sister' instead. And if you'd rather not take the fake marriage route he can claim that they're his friend/brother/sister/servant. Anything works! ]

B: SOMETIMES THERE'S ALSO A SMUT OPTION

[ After the fifth letter, it's all starting to sound the same - nobles fretting about the missing sun, nobles berating the goblins and blaming them for all the strange happenings - they've read through letter after letter, and most of them contained information they were already aware of. It's all starting to look like a waste of time. Fai is about to close the wooden box of old letters they had found in one of the nobles' rooms when one particular letter catches his eye. It's only half-written, and addressed to a 'Lady Eleanor'.

His eyes flicker over the text, and the more he reads, the more his lips curl in amusement. Eventually, he decides to read it out loud. ]

"To my Beloved Eleanor, my Sun, my Moon, the Stars that guide me in my Darkest Night, it has been a long forty days since I have last laid eyes on your beautiful face, and there isn't a moment where I do not long for the touch of your soft fingers, and scent of your fresh, rosemary perfume ..."

[ There's a chuckle that Fai gives, but it's nothing malicious. He's mostly amused. Maybe a little endeared, too. ] Aww, isn't that cute? This person sounds so in love!

[ just as a warning ...this letter will probably get more nsfw as they go .....]

WILDCARD

[ My prompts are dumb ... if you'd like to do something else let me know. I can be reached by PM or capsu ]

Hellboy / ota

[hellshaped]

THE SEARCHERS: poking around.

[Hellboy's trajectory is downward, toward the basement, the logical conclusion to draw for somebody used to dealing with vampires. Not that he is really expecting to find vampires here, but there is a tiny voice in the back of his head telling him to check for a dungeon. Missing people might be in a dungeon, he thinks.

On his way down, he's looking for anything resembling an office to rummage through papers. It's probably pretty pointless to try and "be one with the shadows" or whatever, so mostly he's just trying to act like he belongs here and not draw any unwanted attention to himself. (No, it's not easy.) He tries for carpeting whenever he can, but sometimes there's none to be had and he just has to deal with the clack clack clack sound that his hooves make against the stone floor.

Whenever he finds letters of interest, he tucks them into the pockets of his coat, careful to leave any shiny things in their place. He's not really here to pillage, and he will make it a point to yell at anyone he sees taking advantage of the situation. He tries not to linger anywhere too long, since that's a good way to get caught, but the library is good for a distraction -- lots of places to tuck away papers in there -- so he spends a few minutes flipping through books until it's time to keep moving downstairs.]

HELLGATE: the wine cellar.

[This is not a dungeon.

Hellboy pauses at the door to the wine cellar, knowing that it's very likely the door to the dungeon (or basement, or whatever) is right around the corner. But he hangs there for a second, debating with himself, before muttering a quiet oath under his breath.]

Screw it.

[And then he just heads inside and starts pulling wine bottles off the rack.

He rationalizes to himself that this is nothing like stealing trinkets or coin from the rooms upstairs. Those are things that would be missed. Who would miss this wine? There's so much of it. It's really a victimless crime.]

THE HANGMAN: the dungeon.

[This is where Hellboy was intending to go in the beginning, distractions notwithstanding. The air is musty and stale, and he feels more at home here than he did in the rest of the castle. Dead things and sorrow and old bones. He breathes out hard through his nostrils to clear his head.

Cautiously, Hellboy enters the dungeon and begins to inspect cells and cages for clues. He's on high alert down here, since out of anywhere on the castle grounds, he's almost certain if he got caught here, he wouldn't be leaving.]

closed to kurogane.

[strictdiscipline]

[Even at night, the castle is a strangely bustling place, guards silently patrolling in full regalia and servants rushing from room to room to light fireplaces and place heated pans in beds. It becomes something of a game to avoid them and make her way to the upper levels, taking a careful sidestep here and backing into a dark corner there.

She's at the top of a flight of stairs when trouble strikes. A shadow looming from around the corner, from the exact direction she needs to go. Just one though, and she decides to risk it, pulling out her gun and holding it in front. She waits, watching it come closer and closer until there's a hair of a person emerging—

—and then she moves, stretching her arm until her gun's pressed hard against someone's midsection. Except when she looks up, she finds a face all too familiar and her eyes widen in recognition. How ironic, a near mirror of their first encounter. Riza lowers her gun, sighing, but the flickering lamplight from the hall reveals the faint upward curve of her lips.]

We really need to stop meeting like this.

CLOSED TO KIDA & RIZA

[futurologists]

[Should Kida and Riza find themselves near the king's chambers, they won't be alone. There are two guards posted outside the door that will need distracting. Two beautiful girls might do the trick, or some convincing lies about something going on elsewhere that they need to check out.]

[adlantisag]

[ Loki gets her in and Pearl clears the way. The royalty will be where it is best protected, so to that end, she goes inwards and upwards. She takes time to pass by the kitchen, slipping inside just long enough to swipe a tray, some food, and some work-appropriate starched shirt. Loki was good enough to disguise her face: her hair is black, her eyes brown, her skin unmarked. She looks like a Chantean, and that's a funny thing to see in her own reflection. He'd been categorical after setting the spell, though: come into contact with another illusion, and mine'll vanish. Poof!

She'll have to make the most of it. No-one looks twice at a serving girl in a castle.

This deep in the building, it's quiet enough that one might never guess most of the staff was preoccupied with a breach at the gate. For that, she's grateful: it means her 'people', as it were, haven't let her down yet. Finding the king's chamber is made difficult by the winding passageways. Despite the complex geography, her sense of direction has always been excellent, and this is not her first time navigating a sprawling palace. Portraits line the walls, and she can determine how warm she's getting with how needlessly opulent the frames get. She feels observed by them, but the weight of ancient history has been one she's borne her whole life. If anything, it gives her more respect for the place.

She calls Riza in discreetly once she gets close enough to spot the guards. She wants to avoid death at all costs, but the men will need to be dispatched somehow. If she wants to knock them out quietly, she'll have to get close. With an internal sign, she unbuttons the two top buttons of her tunic and tells Riza to come in from the other side of the hallway.

Walking up with casual purpose in her step, her platter of food held out in front of her--laden with fruits and cheese--she offers the two men a disarming smile. Even without her pale hair, she knows she's still pretty. The men of Odette are weak. ]

Food was sent for his majesty. [ Her tone isn't exactly flirtatious, but it is warm, demure. The more difficult part for her is dissimulating her Atlantean accent, but she's been in Odette long enough that she can manage. ] But I might be persuaded to share with two hardworking gentlemen.

[ Riza will have to use the other side while the pair's attention is on Kida's...fruit platter. They don't need to get close--only close enough. ]

Closed to Ban -- small timeskip (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

[digophelia]

You again?

[ It's the same freckled little boy that insisted on sitting on Alice's lap a night before, dashing out in front of her. Her first worry is that she's hallucinating; it's too perfect to see the same little boy wandering about, after all of this. He skids to a stop, running up to Alice, tugging on her dress, just as enthusiastically as before, tugging her along, urging her to come with him. ]

What is it, what's the matter, are you alright?

[ He seems happy enough, gleefully tugging her along, nearly causing her to teeter over, surprising her with how excited he seems to be. Alice can't really bring herself to say "no", as much as she wants to. She would have loved to duck out and curl up with a book than deal with anyone tonight, to wallow in her grief.

But wallowing in her grief costed more pain and suffering for children, she can't do that now, not again. ]

[perma_banned]

[There had been a grill pit set up outside, out in the boonies. The city itself was unwelcoming to goblin children, so Ban couldn't set things up and let those kids come by. It was an exclusive bunch of kids who had no one to look after him that had followed him, but he hadn't invited a single one of them. Ban fed one child after the other just as they came, while busily making work on his makeshift grill with a startling amount of skill.

In a baking pan, he had made bread--pheasant and venison prepared with surprisingly good materials. It was all properly spiced and the smell was getting to some of the orphans who were dizzy, a few huddling in little packs. He was a scary giant to be around, so none of the kids lingered by Ban for very long as he worked--simply reaching out to take food from him and running to different parts of the field. A few of the children wore exceptionally bright and gaudy clothes, a few sizes too big for them that looked more the part of something worn by nobles in court than even the nobles of the town.

He didn't say a word the entire time.]