The Gilded Gates of Roque ~ Entrance thread

[Syra]

The Gilded Gates

The city gates lack any sort of truly fortified strength. Made up of ornately sculpted metal and climbing, flowery vines, they are clearly made more for ornament than for true protection. The safety of the city is, instead, left in the hands of the armored guards that patrol its streets, and stand at its gates. Five stand outside the quiet gates, no matter what time of day. They are always and uniformly dressed in blindingly polished metal armor bearing Roque's crest. They are silent as they watch visitors pass them by.

Up ahead one can see the city's plateaux rise slowly over the cliffs that touch the enchanting Mer de la Luna to the right. There is no sign of the harbour, save those imposing ships that are large enough to be noticed from here. Obviously the docks are well within the protection of the city walls.

From time to time a salty breeze carries the tolling of a bell, reminding the inhabitants of Roque of their duty to the One god, Dominicus. Other typical sounds of the Mer are drowned out by the busy city life, which starts at these very gates.

Just within the gates, protected from sun and rain by a matching overhang, sit two men at an obviously repaired wooden desk. From the looks of it this stury and expensive wood has seen quite some action. Quills and sheets of parchment sit in front of them. Another guard stands beside them, quietly watching any newcomers who approach. A sign above the desk - lettered in gold calligraphy - reads "Information" in Elvish, with its Common Tongue translation beneath it in smaller, less ornate script

[Maeve]

This thread is claimed for the Modding Seminar. All hail Morgan!

[Morg]

*bows deeply* Carry on as normal, people

[Guest]

'The water has broken,' her mother had told her, 'and immediately you must find someone to deliver the baby. Remember that, my daughter dear.' And the daughter had repeated the words thrice. She knew how to handle it. In Motella Lucretia Snivelda's life, two factors only had her go on day after day: the memory of her late husband, and their child - the child she carried. It was due soon. In these days, it was due.

Her journey had been long, but her only temporal landmarks were her love's death, 59 days ago, and the day on which her son - Brutus - was to be born. Apart from these, time was meaningless. Quite meaningless. Motella Lucretia Snivelda lived only for Brutus and for Brutus' father. And so she didn't know that these gates before her were those of Roque d'Ancourt. She had come from the desert, and for the half-giant Motella Lucretia Snivelda, every town looked alike, just like in the desert every sanddune was different.

She towered over the people around her, particularly large of course with Brutus inside her. He kicked. He had done so a lot lately. He kicked again. Then something else...something new...she drew her breath...

Husband, this is it! Now what was it mother had said?

"THE WATER HAS BROKEN!" Suddenly a hurricane of energy, the half-giant stormed towards the gates. "THE WATER HAS BROKEN!" she repeated, screaming. "IT'S COMING, IT'S COMING - BRUTUS IS COMING! HUSBAND, DEAR! HE IS COMING! SOMEONE, DELIVER ME THE BABY! DELIVER ME BRUTUS!"

Hysterical, nonsensical, frantic - those were adjectives some might find appropriate on her current condition and state of action.

Others might classify it as healthy, motherly concern.

[Morg]

Timestamp: Samheen 27th, MT

Those few that were ahead of the half-giantess in the queue before the gates, mostly country-dwelling tradesmen, scattered like grains of sand before her. Half-giants were a rare sight around Roque, and many of those in the queue with Motella had been made uncomfortable enough by her simple presence - so when she opened her mouth, they were only too glad to get themselves out of her way.

A different reaction came from the guards, of course. With the noise she was making, Robert's instinct was to draw his sword and prepare to repel all comers, and he nearly followed it. The young guard stood up hastily from his position behind the registration desk, knocking his stool over in the process. He couldn't avoid drawing breath sharply at the sight of Motella. He wasn't a small man, but she must have towered over him by several heads.

All five of the guards had similar reactions, hastening out from the shelter of the gate to meet the half-giantess storming towards them. Only the oldest among them, a middle-aged man with a stern, lined face, managed to do so with any sort of nonchalance. For a moment Robert thought that his colleague was going to calmly ask her the standard questions: "Name. Occupation. Reason for coming..."

The younger guard quickened his step to arrive at Motella's side first, reaching up and trying to take her arm in what he perceived as a comforting fashion. "Ssshhh, m'Lady..." he began. She truly seemed enormous to him. "You're safe here... Roque is a good place, m'Lady."

Once what she was saying registered with him, Robert inwardly cursed the fact that there wasn't a female guard present on this shift, because she'd surely know what to do. I'm just a young man... what do I know of such things? "Do not worry. We will take care of you, and of your child," he soothed, speaking with much more confidence than he felt.

He turned briefly to a worried-looking colleague. "Fetch a midwife," he said tersely in a low voice, then added "A good midwife". The other man saluted, then ran off, glad to be out of the danger zone, at least for the time being.

[Guest]

The water has broken...what I need, what I now need is somewhere to lay down! Motella Lucretia Snivelda never noticed the despair she caused around her. All she had thought for was her child: Brutus. And in her determination, she would let none hold her back!

Thus, when the interruptor tried grabbing her arm, she delivered him a decent rap (in human terms: a full blow) and raged on forward. For there, just within the gates, was a table. It would have to do as bed. Oh, how Motella Lucretia Snivelda run! Then...

DONG! Snivelda #AA302 ready for take-off immediately. Destination is Table. All passengers find your seats. Please seaten your fastbelts and have a pleasant flight.

Take-off:

Literally, the ground shook beneath her feet as her legs bent for take-off. There was no time to lose, the child could arrive any time. Her sinews stretch to the point of breaking as she for a moment sat in stance. Muscles flexed. Energy was canalized into the legs. Her arms waved in order that they enhance the jump. And off - she was in the air.

DONG! Below you can now see the the city of Roque d'Ancourt, a sprawling city at the shores of the Mer. Refreshments will be served very soon. Thank you.

Flight:

She twisted and turned in the air, her eyes locked on the target. The table - she must reach it as quickly as possible, with whatever means required. The jump was initially a dive, became a side somersault, became something quite impossible to name. It was dashing leap!

DONG! We are approaching Table. Please find your seats and fasten your seatbelts. We hope you had a pleasant flight! Thank you.

Landing:

CRASH! Motella Lucretia Snivelda - a pregnant half-giantess - landed with a blow at the table. For everyone but her it had all the way been inevitable, of course. That wooden platform, despite all its quills and papers and ink, could never hold a creature such as Motella. There was no way - and certainly not when she arrived the way she did: flying.

A flicker later everything was splattered ink, sheets flying in the wind, pointy quills - and a half-giant among it all, screaming her full lungs: "THE WATER HAS BROKE! IT'S COMING! IT'S COMING NOW!"

Hysterical, nonsensical, frantic - those were adjectives some might find appropriate on her current condition and state of action.

Others might classify it as healthy, motherly concern.