Written By Marian
July 1, 2016, 7:12 p.m.(11/28/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Eithne
A very pleasant young woman I shared a meal with on one of my trips to the Ward of the Compact. Saw her in the tavern and noticed some soot on her sleeves and the smell of the forge about her, and turned out she was in fact a smith, an armorsmith to be exact. Discussed a potential commission, but need to speak with her again. Thinking I might like to try trading some of my leather in for steel, the smaller pieces like vambraces and gauntlets anyways.
Written By Marian
July 1, 2016, 7:06 p.m.(11/28/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Morrighan
A young woman I met in the Traders Tavern. Fiery, and a bit wild, I was unsurprised to learn she was born and raised amongst Abandoned. Up north a ways from the Green March, near the Redrain lands and not the Valardin, but not so far away in the grand scheme of things. I don't know her story, but it seems she found her way into working for the Redrains, and now she's here in the capital with them, so I suspect she's found herself a good place. It'd be good to talk to her again sometime, and we even mentioned the possibility of a friendly little brawl in the future.
Written By Marian
July 1, 2016, 6:57 p.m.(11/28/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Alis
Little Alis, while I'd not call her that, it's hard to think of Valen's baby sister as anything else. Size isn't all that important, and Alis has a courageous heart as big as her brother's. No longer a girl, she's a woman grown now, even if still a young one. We're sharing a room in the Valardin estate here in the capital, something uncommon amongst nobles, I hear. But it warms my heart to be able to stay this close to a living, breathing piece of Valen. Not only will I do my best to protect his family, I will do everything I can to help them become what they are meant to be. Much was stolen from us, but I trust the family is in good hands with Edain and Alis.
Written By Marian
June 25, 2016, 12:31 a.m.(11/8/1003 AR)
Got around to testing myself some these past days. Lady Kima Saik managed to surprise me. Wasn't ready for her first strike at all, stupid of me, and I was on the backfoot for the rest of the bout. No excuse for letting it happen, and I lost fair and square. Was a good lesson that I apparently needed, though, and I'm grateful it came at a time where the only thing permanently wounded was my pride. Can't dismiss these Compact Nobles just because they sometimes make me want to roll my eyes. I'd say trounce them and /then/ dismiss them, but I've heard too many stories about daggers in the dark and poisoned wine. Don't dismiss them.
A few days later, a slightly more serious bout with Lady Viviana Pravus proved rather thrilling. There's a certain...thrill, in wielding Oathbinder. And no small amount of emotion. It reminds me of Valen. And it reminds me of how he died. Still, the feel of that draconic, bejewelled hilt in my grip just brings something to life. It makes me feel like I could take down a dozen men. Or, just one pretty, dark-haired master swordswoman from the Silk Isles. The Sword of Setarco is fast. Quite possibly the quickest I've seen. Anyone unarmored and not as quick as she or myself would likely find themselves run through before they realized what was happening. With that Alaricite sword, I suspect even plate might not save her opponents. I managed to keep up, in large part due to having two swords to her one and being no slowpoke myself. There is no doubt in mind that if it ever came down to a true fight, it could very easily go in her favor rather than in mine like our little exhibition did.
A few days later, a slightly more serious bout with Lady Viviana Pravus proved rather thrilling. There's a certain...thrill, in wielding Oathbinder. And no small amount of emotion. It reminds me of Valen. And it reminds me of how he died. Still, the feel of that draconic, bejewelled hilt in my grip just brings something to life. It makes me feel like I could take down a dozen men. Or, just one pretty, dark-haired master swordswoman from the Silk Isles. The Sword of Setarco is fast. Quite possibly the quickest I've seen. Anyone unarmored and not as quick as she or myself would likely find themselves run through before they realized what was happening. With that Alaricite sword, I suspect even plate might not save her opponents. I managed to keep up, in large part due to having two swords to her one and being no slowpoke myself. There is no doubt in mind that if it ever came down to a true fight, it could very easily go in her favor rather than in mine like our little exhibition did.
Written By Marian
June 25, 2016, 12:05 a.m.(11/8/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Eira
A common sellsword I happened to meet in the training grounds after she finished a couple of bouts. I say common only because she has no title. She seemed to be well above your usual soldier in terms of skill with the blade. No telling if she's truly seen battle or not, though. While a deft hand on the practice grounds doesn't necessarily a great warrior make, I doubt this particular mercenary will be looking for a patron for long before she finds herself employed by a Duke or something of the sort.
Written By Marian
June 24, 2016, 11:52 p.m.(11/8/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Viviana
The Sword of Setarco. Truth be told, not certain I understand that title. My knowledge of the Compact outside of Sanctum is pretty limited though, so I'm sure there's an explanation, and I just don't have it. Somewhere along the line, I'd come to think the whole 'Sword' business was something only the great Houses did. And the Lyceum House is the Velenosa? Eh. Anyways. These Lyceum women certainly seem to be of a type. All about having a good time and enjoying themselves. Viviana and Kima'd probably get on like sisters. Or stab each other in the heart for being competition. The Lady Pravus strikes the balance just a tad better though, I think. I couldn't mistake Viviana for anything but a swordswoman when we first met, and that was before I'd any idea who she was, or that she had an alaricite blade. Good to know all the Compact's noblewomen aren't soft damsels.
Written By Marian
June 24, 2016, 11:33 p.m.(11/8/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Barric
Alarissa's brother, we only happened to cross paths fleetingly when I first stumbled across the training center in the Compact Ward. The first fellow 'Sword' of one of the High Houses that I met since arriving here in the capital. "None greater than Grayson". Heh. He's big, quicker than he has any damn right to be, and I imagine my sister-in-law would be less than thrilled if I were to hurt him. So let's just hope I've never a reason to really put that saying of theirs to the test and have to truly cross blades with him. Pretty and charming, in the way so many of the Compact's Knights seem to be. How many of them have a heart like Valen, though?
Written By Marian
June 24, 2016, 11:22 p.m.(11/8/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Gustave
I'm used to fighting men bigger, taller, stronger than I am, but you've damn well got to draw a line somewhere, aye? That line is somewhere damn well below however big it is Marquise Gustave Blackram is. He's a Valardin vassal..I think? A vassal of a Valardin Vassal, anyways. Should amount to the same thing, if it doesn't. Damn nobles. Good to know the family has more allies here in the capital should the need of them arise, as it very well might in the near future. Especially good to know when they're the size of mountains.
Written By Marian
June 24, 2016, 11:18 p.m.(11/8/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Kima
I can recall a time where I'd have been angry about losing to a soft noblewoman who doesn't appear to take much seriously. Thankfully, I'm not a younger woman, and thankfully Lady Kima Saik isn't the fool she likes to present herself as. She knows how to use that blade at her hip, so I'm willing to ignore the attention seeking she seems fond of. Should make for a good drinking partner some eveninge. Next time we go a real round, she'll be going down.
Written By Marian
June 18, 2016, 8:37 p.m.(10/18/1003 AR)
It was pretty obvious there was a storm coming after the attack that took Valen and so many others. Now it's here, clear as day. With the attack on the King's retinue. Another Valardin dead, Dayne, one of Valen's uncles. I didn't know him well, but we'd met numerous times in Sanctum, and I know Valen respected the man completely.
Beheaded. The entire retinue, except for Alarix and Dayne. And then the entire thing sent back to Arx? The storm is here all right, but nobody knows if it's storming or raining or if fire is falling from the sky. How do these two attacks happen like this, without us knowing anything? I'd suggest somebody send some soldiers out in search of the bodies, but who knows if they'd find anything. Or if they'd even return.
One thing's for sure, though. If the Houses of the Compact can't put away their squabbles until this threat is found, the future seems dark. And with the King all but dead on his throne, every story I've ever heard about scheming nobles makes me worry the allure of that oversized seat is going to get them salivating and unable to focus on what's immediately more important.
Beheaded. The entire retinue, except for Alarix and Dayne. And then the entire thing sent back to Arx? The storm is here all right, but nobody knows if it's storming or raining or if fire is falling from the sky. How do these two attacks happen like this, without us knowing anything? I'd suggest somebody send some soldiers out in search of the bodies, but who knows if they'd find anything. Or if they'd even return.
One thing's for sure, though. If the Houses of the Compact can't put away their squabbles until this threat is found, the future seems dark. And with the King all but dead on his throne, every story I've ever heard about scheming nobles makes me worry the allure of that oversized seat is going to get them salivating and unable to focus on what's immediately more important.
Written By Marian
June 18, 2016, 8:29 p.m.(10/17/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Victus
Where to start? Truth be told, it's not hard to see why Alarissa felt a little uneasy around this man. He seems the sort who'd have been perfectly at home during a bonfire with my father's tribe after a successful raid, with a few severed tongues and ears and fingers hanging from his belt. Maybe moreso at home than he is surrounded by silks and titles. Lord Victus Thrax is an entirely different beast from every sort of noble I've thus far encountered. ...Granted, I've less than a decade of dealing with nobles under my belt and all of that limited to Sanctum until recently...still. Going from just hearing stories about soft Compact nobles and fighting shiny-plated Valardin Knights, to life with Valen in Sanctum, surrounded by everything Valardin and chivalrous...To the capital, where I'm just now getting my first real taste of the Compact's diversity, Victus is a sort of beast I'm unfamiliar with. And..yet /am/ familiar with. If he's half as hard as he seems to be, maybe the rest of the Compact isn't as utterly soft and hopeless as I'd feared.
Written By Marian
June 18, 2016, 8:17 p.m.(10/17/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Hadrian
A Lord of the Lyceum, I met Duke Hadrian Malvici alongside Lady Kima Saik. The pair of them together seemed intent on making me believe every off-handed comment and rumor I've ever heard about the people in their corner of the Compact. Her with the blatant attention seeking and hip-swaying, him with telling me I need to worry about protecting my family from poison and backroom plots here in the capital more than any other sort of threat. Very curious to discuss such a thing so openly, but maybe it is commonplace in the Lyceum.
Written By Marian
June 18, 2016, 8:10 p.m.(10/17/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Kima
A knight of the Lyceum. Met her in the Ambassador, where she stood out due to her fashion choices. She appears to be a fan of garnering attention, unsurprising based on what I've heard of the Lyceans. Lady Kima Saik might make for entertaining company if I stumble across her path again. Certainly need to make a point of seeing if she has any clue how to use that sword she was carrying. I find myself hoping she's not the incompetent noble playing at knight she came across as. Something about her made me think the aura of incompetence was feigned. Or maybe I'm just wishing it was.
Written By Marian
June 18, 2016, 8:02 p.m.(10/17/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Alarissa
My sister, by marriage. She was wed to one of Valen's younger brothers, Vance, a few years after I'd married into the family myself. I've not had much opportunity to get to her know her as of yet, as it feels like the Tragedy happened not long after their marriage and I wasn't in much of a state to get to know her after it. We've both come to the Capital now, so perhaps that can be remedied. Alarissa seems a sweet woman. Young, very young still. Or am I just getting old? Certainly too young to have lost her husband in that fashion. She seems to know the Capital and the 'dance' of politics and etiquette that all the nobles are so fond of, so perhaps she can help me learn what to expect in that arena. Another family member that needs to be protected from the coming storm.
Written By Marian
June 18, 2016, 7:22 p.m.(10/17/1003 AR)
Relationship Note on Aurelian
One of Valen's family members, a cousin to the Valardin main line. Very pleasant, easy company. He's a fair example of the way I used to think of soft Compact nobles, once upon a time. A scholar, he'd rather than have his nose in a book or be examining some ruin than doing much of anything else. I no longer think of, or view that as an insult or weakness of character, but it does make me worry. Worry for him, and for other members of the Family who aren't trained for war. There's a storm coming. It's here, already, and very obviously so, between the attack that killed Valen and so much of our family, and now the tragedy with the King, Valen's uncle Dayne, and everyone who was with them. I will give everything I have to protect the Valardin family, but there is only one of me, and I can only be in one place. Will have to ensure Edain sends plenty of guards with Aurelian should he decide to go out on another scholarly excursion.
Please note that the scholars may take some time preparing your journal for others to read.