Open Chronicles Fame & Fortune [Cintria]

[Douglas Haley]

The Great City of Vintou
Cirqa 369, Age of Chronicles
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Where giants rampaged through the east, naga in the south, and politics in Vel Anir; the Kingdom of Cintria recovered from back to back wars, and ever focused on the future. Expansion had become the name of the game, mostly on the back of the legend that was Ysira Anireth. An adventurer of near unequaled renown, the entire continent had learned of his accomplishments, though which were fact and myth remained unknown. Not that it mattered to most, as bards across the world sang songs of praise speaking of the time he ‘punch a bear into domestication’, or the Dragon that apologized for upsetting him.

In the end, the story of Cintria and its accomplished unification war under Ysira inspired the common folk to head to Cintria with their own future in mind. As the Kingdom looked to expand to the southeast, it needed loyal subjects offered gifts of land, noble titles, and salary under a professional army unlike much of the world had ever seen; at least since the days of Greckan and his crusades. The source of one such recruitment drive was in the capital city of Vintou, the greatest of the cities in Cintria led by Ysira himself, and the spymaster known as Artorius Et Orion, Baron of the city.

A line had formed outside one of the buildings outside the walls, inside a few black-clad warriors stood with pikes in hand to ensure the crowd remained in order. Every few moments, a man would come out and call yet another into a private room to be interviewed, but the process was slow. Most in the group couldn’t wait to being a life in the steps of Ysira, and yet many more came to these lands in hope of being given lands from conquered realms. It was cruel, but the realms that rebelled were nearly dismantled at their core, with their people enslaved and the rest kicked off their land, only to be replaced by those who saw the kingdom in a greater light.

Only achievable by the absolutely massive military owned by Ysira, it seemed. A retinue of some of the greatest warriors in the world, though finding most of its strength from his leadership.

Today however, with the soft murmuring of the crowd, sitting out twiddling their thumbs, a scholar of some weight came out of a side room and glanced over the room. Spectacles hung low on his hooked nose, and his gaze seemed colder than the energy of the room; forming a stark contrast of intimidation, but as his eyes settled on a group of people he called to them as a whole;

“You few, come with me.”, he said, motioning the group into the room he wandered back into.​

 

[Vigil]

I loathed having to deal with people in such a close vicinity to me. Having so many people close together would lead to the few to come through a pick a pocket or two that was left unattended. To keep mine filled, hands shoved deeply into them to prevent hands that were not allowed. A deep Red hood held over the top of my head kept most of my face hidden from those around me. Attempting to keep my head low.

I had heard of a large scale recruitment within the nearby villages. I at first, did not want to go anywhere near here. However, my purse was empty of any coin that I may need. Seeing as how the last bit I had to spend on a really expensive stay at an Inn due to my blood, I was more than happy to be out of their hair. Moreover, I felt the slightest bit smug as I had been forced to sleep outside in the stables, when I woke early to ride here.

I won't lie. Yes, the Innkeeper would be missing a horse for a few hours. Having reached close enough to walk the rest of the distance to the sprawling walls of Vintou, I had turned the horse around and sent it along it's way. Knowing that a Horse would remember it's way home, the worst that would be done, is that the Innkeeper would believe his horse had gotten loose, and escaped into the forests.

The time spent getting here was a task in of itself. Entering the city, there were quite a number of people who were checked for bounties by the patrols of guardsmen, and soldiers. Luckly I had avoided them with a purchase of some fruit. Speaking of..

I took another bite from said fruit. I had no knowledge of its name, but the bright red spherical surface shone brightly in the sun. The juices sticking to the corners of my lips. Sweet, but a tang as I heard more names called out for the mass hiring procedure. Likely taking the cream of the crop. I continued to chew at the food. Savoring every bite I could when a fairly rotund man produced himself from the doorway and called upon the group that I was in. The mix of us began to slowly walk in. As much as I would hate to waste the food, and I didn't have the coin to spare that, I reached down and broke the fruit into some pieces and ate them as fast as I could.

Licking my fingers as I crossed the threshold of the establishment, I awaited further orders, and make sure to keep my head down, and hood up.

Just as always.

Douglas Haley