The Millennial Jubilee of the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos - 2004 IR, 2037 IC

[Elemental]

The Royal Palace of Harazan - Summer 2004, Ishtahn Reckoning

 

A thousand years. That was how long the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos had stood strong. All assailants had been laid low and all trials overcome. When the time for the Millennial came the High King and Government of Ishtahnos sent messages across Tekhum to their fellow Elect and to the Emperor to join with them in celebration and usher in a new age of prosperity for all. A grand gala was to be help in the Royal Palace and delegates and dignitaries from across Tekhum were escorted through the halls of the palace to the carved wooden doors of the Grand Ballroom.

Down a short flight of marble stairs was the parquet floor of the ballroom where a short list of the who's who of Ishtahn society whirled across the floor. Some were in human form, others in lupine. At the far end of the room an orchestra was set up that filled the room with room with music. Along one wall hung a grand tapestry depicting the Dawn that elevated the Ishtahn from darkness. The other wall was a series of doors that stood open to reveal a terrace and beyond that a flower-filled lawn surrounded by fruit trees. Nightmares could be seen calmly grazing and only occasionally looking over out of curiosity about the commotion. Above the doors were arched windows supported by carved wooden columns.

A substantial buffet had been prepared and alongside the usual Ishtahn fare it's clear that a great effort has been made to prepare a variety of non-Veehran foodstuffs using expensive imported ingredients. Whether these are any good was impossible for the Ishtahn cooks to verify, but they gave it their best.

An Ishtahn in lupine form announces each guest in a sonorous, deep voice as they stepped out onto a landing. The High King awaits at the bottom of the stairs to greet his guests with a friendly smile. He is dressed similarly to how he was at the enmaskenation of Nathan L'Othaire, but his heavy coat of fur and leather has been replaced by a much lighter one of cloth. His chain of office and bejewelled sun pendant hung around his neck, but the platinum and ruby crown had been switched for one of gold set with a large black star sapphire as the centrepiece and several other black gemstones carved with images of wolves and other beasts. An Ishtahn woman a few inches shorter than him with red hair stands at his side. She wears a midnight blue dress with silver embroidery and a silver tiara set with sapphires. Judging by her age and regal bearing it is likely she is Queen Isolde. Behind them both stands Ira in lupine form, as silent and menacing as always.

A day or so later, elsewhere in the palace...

Veehran delegates are invited to a meeting in the palace library to discuss matters of planetary importance. The walls are lined with shelves heavily laden with books and scrolls, predominantly in Ishtahn, though a sizeable amount in Low Imperial and the other Veehran languages are present also. A round table has been set up in the centre of the room beneath a crystal chandelier. First Minister Johnathon Royston Rageclaw presides over the meeting. He is of below average height for an Ishtahn and has long black hair with a prominent streak of silver and he has chosen to wear a black suit with a rust red neckerchief. Once everyone arrives he stands up.

"My fellow Veehrans, while I could spend the next ten minutes telling you all how great it is that we could have this meeting and how we're going to forge a bright future together. I know my people have a reputation for idealism that makes some of you roll your eyes hard enough to power a small town," he chuckles a bit at his terrible joke, "But unfortunately the picture's broadened quite a lot and its time to give that idealism a try. Even now Offworlder tyrants plot and scheme against us. They think themselves entitled to what is ours. The sands and soil of Veehra have been stained red with the blood of our ancestors and I for one will not give them even a mote of dust. The Ishtahn will bow to no Offworlder tyrant and I call upon those assembled here to join me in this pledge.

"Any who come here with the intent to steal our lands and subjugate us shall face our full might!"


A note: After the debacle at the Arkhive, the Ishtahn security for this event has politely searched any containers likely to hold a significant explosive or other inconvenient device. They do not take away melee weapons or sidearms, but they do politely insist any larger guns be unloaded. Anyone found to have brought a slave onto Ishtahn soil is immediately arrested and their "property" confiscated and taken away for psychiatric care.

Edit: Forgot a thing... There are unmarried Ishtahn royalty present for those interested. In addition there are all sorts of people to talk to. Just ask and I'll have an appropriate Ishtahn there for you to talk to about whatever. Government policy, culture, horsies, whatever.

Edited February 18 by Elemental (see edit history)

[Lumaeus]

Entry and Royal Howdy

Rawlin Wilson the six hundred thirty-sixth and seven thousand five hundred thirty-five hundredths, has arrived dressed for a party. A well-tailored suit made of endless sheets of wax paperNot that kind, but just paper made with beestech from beeswax printed with all the most interesting pages of texts on Ishtanos and its history. His hair is up in a beehive hairdo, entirely for the pun, and in his breast pocket, a special paper sits, ready to be whipped out at the proper diplomatic moment. Rawlin was here because he'd wanted to be, but if his presence could serve the hive, all the better.

The initial meet and greet is not the right moment for any real diplomatic discussion. Here, Wilson has been taught, he has only one task. Holding a book bound in bee leather, which is impractically made of extremely tiny and chitinous bits, he bows low before the royals and holds extends the gift before rising.

"Your High Majesties, the Arkhive Æternal is grateful for your invitation and delighted to be able to celebrate with you a millennium of your enduring glory on Veehra. I would like to add that it is a personal pleasure to be in attendance. Please, we have little to offer, but to commend this meeting I have a new edition of Zaggy Moonsoil the five hundred twenty-third and forty-three hundredths' Encyclopedia Veehräum volume 8: The Kingdom of High Ishtanos with a new forward written in honor of this occasion by a joint committee of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Technicians and dedicated to you and your people."

---

Mingling and Plotting

The only problem was the table of food. Despite his best effort to stay on task, the Veehran delicacies caught and held his attention. All manner of description were very adjective, and he verbed at the tastesSorry, I'm not 100% on what Ishtahn food is, but he's here to try it. The Sansarian food was certainly one of the attempts of all time, and he makes sure to noncommittally appear to compliment it.

But there's one task before he can truly mingle. Rawlin Wilson seeks out the highest ranking diplomatic official he can expect to meet as the Arkhive's appointed representative. There's signatures to be sought.

[volthawk]

Not much was particularly known about the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos by the average citizen of Eilif Dhaoine - like any other Elect country, they'd heard the broad strokes from InterPlaNet chatter and such, of course, and in particular those that attended the last Arkhive somewhat remembered them having a representative there. Oh, and of course there was that denunciation of the elven practice of slavery that got some press, but with the Fiorid regime steadfastly ignoring them it hadn't been a particularly long-running thing in the Sansar news cycle. Still, an occasion like this piqued Scorcha's interest, and it was easy enough to make a gap in her schedule to travel offworld and attend the Millennial Jubilee.

This time, the Eilif Dhaoine delegation had managed to shake off the usual sealga hangers-on and keep their presence light. That didn't mean the lannan retinue protecting Scorcha (the same that was present for the Arkhive's banquet a few years ago) was absent of course - while there's a little reluctance at first to accept the Ishtan's rules on weaponry, Scorcha and the lannan commander quickly come to an agreement, and the commander accompanies Scorcha as she is escorted inside the palace, while the rest stay outside with the ship and stay armed...just in case.

They're a bit of an odd-looking pair as they enter the Grand Ballroom - Scorcha herself is again dressed in one of her sgiath-loinn, the glittering insect-scale longcoat being made of scales of a different colour than she wore at the Arkhive but clearly being the same kind of design, while the commander remains wearing the same full-body suit of armour seen at the Arkhive (although, having left his firearm behind, all he carries for weaponry is the sidearm blade that the lannan always carry). Nonetheless, Scorcha takes all this in her stride as much as possible - there is a certain level of...ceremony, and unspoken expectations, to these international occasions that she is increasingly becoming aware of, but slowly and surely she was learning more and more about it as she went and studied those around her.

With that in mind, she meets the High King's greeting with a smile of her own. "It's a pleasure to be here, Your Majesty. You have quite an impressive palace, I must say, and it's an honour to have been invited here - it is good to see that your problems with the Fiorids do not extend to the rest of Sansar."

[Elemental]

Rawlin Wilson of the Arkive Æternal

On 2/17/2024 at 11:46 AM, Lumaeus said:

Entry and Royal Howdy

Rawlin Wilson the six hundred thirty-sixth and seven thousand five hundred thirty-five hundredths, has arrived dressed for a party. A well-tailored suit made of endless sheets of wax paperNot that kind, but just paper made with beestech from beeswax printed with all the most interesting pages of texts on Ishtanos and its history. His hair is up in a beehive hairdo, entirely for the pun, and in his breast pocket, a special paper sits, ready to be whipped out at the proper diplomatic moment. Rawlin was here because he'd wanted to be, but if his presence could serve the hive, all the better.

The initial meet and greet is not the right moment for any real diplomatic discussion. Here, Wilson has been taught, he has only one task. Holding a book bound in bee leather, which is impractically made of extremely tiny and chitinous bits, he bows low before the royals and holds extends the gift before rising.

"Your High Majesties, the Arkhive Æternal is grateful for your invitation and delighted to be able to celebrate with you a millennium of your enduring glory on Veehra. I would like to add that it is a personal pleasure to be in attendance. Please, we have little to offer, but to commend this meeting I have a new edition of Zaggy Moonsoil the five hundred twenty-third and forty-three hundredths' Encyclopedia Veehräum volume 8: The Kingdom of High Ishtanos with a new forward written in honor of this occasion by a joint committee of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Technicians and dedicated to you and your people."

---

Mingling and Plotting

The only problem was the table of food. Despite his best effort to stay on task, the Veehran delicacies caught and held his attention. All manner of description were very adjective, and he verbed at the tastesSorry, I'm not 100% on what Ishtahn food is, but he's here to try it. The Sansarian food was certainly one of the attempts of all time, and he makes sure to noncommittally appear to compliment it.

But there's one task before he can truly mingle. Rawlin Wilson seeks out the highest ranking diplomatic official he can expect to meet as the Arkhive's appointed representative. There's signatures to be sought.

Free Book, excellent

The High King smiles as he takes the unusually bound book which he opens to the table of contents out of curiosity. Queen Isolde and Ira both take a look as well, Ira looming from above as his eyes scan the page.

"Your gift is very thoughtful Mr. Wilson, I look forward to reading it when there is a break in the festivities," he says politely as he gently closes the book, "I see you have also dressed for the occasion, I hope your time here will be very illuminating regarding our history, but there will be time for scholarship. Please, eat, drink and be merry."

Mingling by the buffet

The buffet was quite well stocked with traditional Ishtahn food, which to drop the facade for a moment is nothing that out there for a real world party. There's a lot of very lightly seasoned meat, mostly aurochs but with a decent amount of game meat as well, all cut and served to be eaten without need of a steak knife in the form of charcuterie, kebabs, meatballs, and so forth. In addition there are a wide variety of savoury pastries, both vegetarian and not, and plenty of freshly baked bread. For those looking for something sweeter there is an abundance of fruit on offer, either whole or pre-cut. The fruit is small and lacklustre by Sansarite standards, some of them even still having thorns attached, but they're surprisingly juicy. For drinks there are servers wandering about with trays of a sparkling golden wine as well as a large cut crystal punch bowl filled with a very alcoholic and very sweet smelling red concoction with flowers floating in it. Despite their large size the Ishtahn are only taking small cups of it and only filling them halfway at that. For the teetotallers there are several jugs of fruit juice.

In regards to the attempts at Sansarite food which may or may not be terrible, one stands that potentially shocks and/or appals Rawlin. They fermented the mead at the wrong temperature.

Horror aside, Rawlin is able to quickly locate Lauren Sanders Nighthowl, the Ishtahn Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is dressed in a grey suit and a long black coat and is in the process of helping himself to some punch. As Rawlin approaches he looks over at him. "Ah, the representative of the Arkhive! Mr. Wilson, was it? Have you had any of the flower punch?"
 

Scorcha of Eilif Dhaoine

22 hours ago, volthawk said:

Not much was particularly known about the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos by the average citizen of Eilif Dhaoine - like any other Elect country, they'd heard the broad strokes from InterPlaNet chatter and such, of course, and in particular those that attended the last Arkhive somewhat remembered them having a representative there. Oh, and of course there was that denunciation of the elven practice of slavery that got some press, but with the Fiorid regime steadfastly ignoring them it hadn't been a particularly long-running thing in the Sansar news cycle. Still, an occasion like this piqued Scorcha's interest, and it was easy enough to make a gap in her schedule to travel offworld and attend the Millennial Jubilee.

This time, the Eilif Dhaoine delegation had managed to shake off the usual sealga hangers-on and keep their presence light. That didn't mean the lannan retinue protecting Scorcha (the same that was present for the Arkhive's banquet a few years ago) was absent of course - while there's a little reluctance at first to accept the Ishtan's rules on weaponry, Scorcha and the lannan commander quickly come to an agreement, and the commander accompanies Scorcha as she is escorted inside the palace, while the rest stay outside with the ship and stay armed...just in case.

They're a bit of an odd-looking pair as they enter the Grand Ballroom - Scorcha herself is again dressed in one of her sgiath-loinn, the glittering insect-scale longcoat being made of scales of a different colour than she wore at the Arkhive but clearly being the same kind of design, while the commander remains wearing the same full-body suit of armour seen at the Arkhive (although, having left his firearm behind, all he carries for weaponry is the sidearm blade that the lannan always carry). Nonetheless, Scorcha takes all this in her stride as much as possible - there is a certain level of...ceremony, and unspoken expectations, to these international occasions that she is increasingly becoming aware of, but slowly and surely she was learning more and more about it as she went and studied those around her.

With that in mind, she meets the High King's greeting with a smile of her own. "It's a pleasure to be here, Your Majesty. You have quite an impressive palace, I must say, and it's an honour to have been invited here - it is good to see that your problems with the Fiorids do not extend to the rest of Sansar."

Polite Greetings From Sansar

"Of course, it would be foolish and unfair of us to declare all of Sansar tainted by the sins of only one government," John says politely, though it's clear he's trying to judge Scorcha's response as he continues, "Doubtless you find the Fiorid's cruelty as objectionable as we do but it is easy for us to denounce them from the relative safety of Veehra, but do not mistake our denunciation for mere words and when the time comes we hope that the people of Sansar will stand with us when the time of-"

Queen Isolde lays a hand on her husband's arm before he can launch into a speech, "But that is not a trouble for today, today is a day of feasting and merriment. If your stay with us is long enough, my husband and I would be honoured if you would join us in a hunt Lady Scorcha. We're very impressed with your people's tenacity and wish for a chance to see it in person."

[Silent_Interim]

High Lady Petra enters unaccompanied, ignoring the herald announcing guests as they arrive. They pan their gaze across the room, and make a shallow, perfunctory bow before the High King. "Your highness," they murmur, in a soft, high voice. Another perfunctory bow to the Queen. "I am glad to see you both in good health." Their piercing blue eyes seem to be hunting for something, though it is unclear what. They fail to make eye contact with either of the royals, instead opting to continue roving their eyes about, flicking this way and that.

[Elemental]

High Lady Petra

47 minutes ago, Silent_Interim said:

High Lady Petra enters unaccompanied, ignoring the herald announcing guests as they arrive. They pan their gaze across the room, and make a shallow, perfunctory bow before the High King. "Your highness," they murmur, in a soft, high voice. Another perfunctory bow to the Queen. "I am glad to see you both in good health." Their piercing blue eyes seem to be hunting for something, though it is unclear what. They fail to make eye contact with either of the royals, instead opting to continue roving their eyes about, flicking this way and that.

The Guest of Honour

His Royal Highness, John IV, High King of Ishtahnos, Lord of the Clans, Chief of the Silverfang, King of the Five Mountains, etc, etc, etc, bows gracefully and politely before the Emperor's representative. It was not the bow of an obsequious sycophant, but one of genuine respect from a loyal vassal to his liege's proxy. He definitely seems confused by High Lady Petra's apparent inattentiveness.

"High Lady Petra, we are honoured that you have graced us with your presence on this day," he says before turning to see where she is looking and seeing nothing untoward, "Is there something the matter Excellency? If there is anything you need, do not hesitate to ask..?"

[Silent_Interim]

The High Lady's gaze snaps to the High King, earlier distraction gone. "Nothing is the matter at all, your Highness. I simply find myself intrigued by your architecture." The lie is obvious- they had not been looking to the architecture at all, though it is hard to say what precisely they were looking at.

[Elemental]

High Lady Petra

21 hours ago, Silent_Interim said:

The High Lady's gaze snaps to the High King, earlier distraction gone. "Nothing is the matter at all, your Highness. I simply find myself intrigued by your architecture." The lie is obvious- they had not been looking to the architecture at all, though it is hard to say what precisely they were looking at.

The Most Honoured Guest

The lie is so obvious that John is unsure of whether to be impressed at the audacity or offended at his implied lack of intelligence. It doesn't take him long to decide to punish High Lady Petra for her mistake by pretending to believe her.

"I'm honoured my humble home is capable of impressing a member of the Imperial Court! This particular hall was built about three hundred years ago during the reign of John II and it incorporates improved techniques in glassmaking that allow for larger windows of clear glass, but overall it's a nod to the older Leonine style of architecture as evidenced by the sunburst design built into the windows and the use of pine instead of vale cedar for the columns. The floor, however, is not original. The marble tiles were removed and replaced by my great grandfather with the parquet you see now. It's better for dancing you see," he says in an enthusiastic tone of voice as though High Lady Petra had confessed a shared genuine interest, "I will have to give you a tour of the palace, the western loggia is particularly splendid and provides an excellent view of the city."

[EmBark]

Princess Tiyansi was short for a llort, standing midway between five and six imperial feet tall, with deep skin, a thinner but longer tail, two rows of small curved black horns, and silvery eyes and glow from her horns. As a young royal on the cusp of adulthood, she hadn't attended any major events far aspace yet, which made the Millennial Jubilee of the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos all the more exciting. There was a history that pervaded the very halls she stepped into, with a soft clack of high-heeled sandal boots that kept her feet somewhat free and exposed, the straps of leather wrapped a bound higher up her calves. She had tried to look up what the clothing styles of Ishtahnos for the nobility were, but their databases unfortunately had been lacking in the area of fashion. Tiyansi presumed that an outfit resembling a lupine form might be appreciated, but when thinking out loud about wearing a wolfskin, an older diplomat had told her that was exactly something she should not go for. In the end, she had opted for a simple silvery white dress with loose folds, complementing her eyes and horn-glow. Since the invitation had said certain weapons would be prohibited, but not melee weapons, Tiyansi had thought it rude to not at least carry one, and she'd strapped a knife to one forearm and wore a bladed ring on the opposite hand.

Tiyansi thanks the lupine Ishtahn who announces her to the guests already present, then descends the stairs. She spots High King John IV at the bottom of the stairs, alongside Queen Isolde. She had at least seen pictures and read a bit of data on them, even if not their dress. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, she curtseyed before them. "High King John, Queen Isolde, it is a great honour and an utmost pleasure to make your acquaintance."

[Silent_Interim]

2 hours ago, Elemental said:

High Lady Petra

 

The Most Honoured Guest

The lie is so obvious that John is unsure of whether to be impressed at the audacity or offended at his implied lack of intelligence. It doesn't take him long to decide to punish High Lady Petra for her mistake by pretending to believe her.

"I'm honoured my humble home is capable of impressing a member of the Imperial Court! This particular hall was built about three hundred years ago during the reign of John II and it incorporates improved techniques in glassmaking that allow for larger windows of clear glass, but overall it's a nod to the older Leonine style of architecture as evidenced by the sunburst design built into the windows and the use of pine instead of vale cedar for the columns. The floor, however, is not original. The marble tiles were removed and replaced by my great grandfather with the parquet you see now. It's better for dancing you see," he says in an enthusiastic tone of voice as though High Lady Petra had confessed a shared genuine interest, "I will have to give you a tour of the palace, the western loggia is particularly splendid and provides an excellent view of the city."

Oddly enough, the High Lady seems genuinely interested as the High King begins expounding on the history of the palace construction. "I would enjoy a tour very much, your Highness. I must confess, I am not much for dancing and socializing, but there are not many, I think, who can say they have received a tour of the Royal Palace from the High King of Ishtahnos himself. It would be both pleasure and honour." All trace of earlier dissemblance and distraction is quite gone; even through the layers of cloth concealing their face, a broad smile can be seen by the way it reaches their eyes.

[Elemental]

Princess Tiyansi

On 2/20/2024 at 8:00 AM, EmBark said:

Princess Tiyansi was short for a llort, standing midway between five and six imperial feet tall, with deep skin, a thinner but longer tail, two rows of small curved black horns, and silvery eyes and glow from her horns. As a young royal on the cusp of adulthood, she hadn't attended any major events far aspace yet, which made the Millennial Jubilee of the Kingdom of High Ishtahnos all the more exciting. There was a history that pervaded the very halls she stepped into, with a soft clack of high-heeled sandal boots that kept her feet somewhat free and exposed, the straps of leather wrapped a bound higher up her calves. She had tried to look up what the clothing styles of Ishtahnos for the nobility were, but their databases unfortunately had been lacking in the area of fashion. Tiyansi presumed that an outfit resembling a lupine form might be appreciated, but when thinking out loud about wearing a wolfskin, an older diplomat had told her that was exactly something she should not go for. In the end, she had opted for a simple silvery white dress with loose folds, complementing her eyes and horn-glow. Since the invitation had said certain weapons would be prohibited, but not melee weapons, Tiyansi had thought it rude to not at least carry one, and she'd strapped a knife to one forearm and wore a bladed ring on the opposite hand.

Tiyansi thanks the lupine Ishtahn who announces her to the guests already present, then descends the stairs. She spots High King John IV at the bottom of the stairs, alongside Queen Isolde. She had at least seen pictures and read a bit of data on them, even if not their dress. As she reached the bottom of the staircase, she curtseyed before them. "High King John, Queen Isolde, it is a great honour and an utmost pleasure to make your acquaintance."

Greeting the Space Princess

John bowed his head politely in response to Tiyansi's curtsey, "I am glad you were able to make it from Mekhala. Tell me, is this your first visit to a planet? I've been looking forward to a chance to go offworld myself, but my duties have kept me thoroughly surface bound so I must admit I'm jealous. Is it true the Llort are capable of interplanetary travel unaided by technology?"

Queen Isolde looked at John with a smile, "Forgive my husband, he has been following the Mad Dash with great interest when time allows him and the freedom your people possess is inspiring."

 

High Lady Petra

On 2/20/2024 at 9:17 AM, Silent_Interim said:

Oddly enough, the High Lady seems genuinely interested as the High King begins expounding on the history of the palace construction. "I would enjoy a tour very much, your Highness. I must confess, I am not much for dancing and socializing, but there are not many, I think, who can say they have received a tour of the Royal Palace from the High King of Ishtahnos himself. It would be both pleasure and honour." All trace of earlier dissemblance and distraction is quite gone; even through the layers of cloth concealing their face, a broad smile can be seen by the way it reaches their eyes.

A budding friendship based on mutual nerdy interests? Or a cynical political ploy?

"Once my hosting duties allow it I would be glad to do so," he says, genuinely pleased at finding some sort of common ground with the normally aloof Imperial Ambassador, "I hope I don't sound too boastful when I say there's no better way to be immersed in the history of Ishtahnos than a tour of the Palace. So much of our people's history is recorded in the stones here, sometimes literally. I think you'll find the Royal Gallery particularly interesting. Have you ever seen the skull of a slaver demon?"

[EmBark]

12 hours ago, Elemental said:

Greeting the Space Princess

John bowed his head politely in response to Tiyansi's curtsey, "I am glad you were able to make it from Mekhala. Tell me, is this your first visit to a planet? I've been looking forward to a chance to go offworld myself, but my duties have kept me thoroughly surface bound so I must admit I'm jealous. Is it true the Llort are capable of interplanetary travel unaided by technology?"

Queen Isolde looked at John with a smile, "Forgive my husband, he has been following the Mad Dash with great interest when time allows him and the freedom your people possess is inspiring."

Tiyansi gave a small smile. Honest, kind, polite, but above all, mysteriously restrained.

"Thank you for your kindness, honoured Queen, and you for your interest, High King. It makes me happy to hear our freedom is inspiring and that an event like the Mad Dash has come to have such a reputation even planetside."

She folded her hands together, her deep red tail looped around one arm so it wouldn't be in the way of people around her.

"It is indeed my first visit planetside. My parent, the Consul, wished for me to visit the other planets as I came of age and before I should ever take the reigns of rulership. Perhaps it is that same freedom that inspired me to come a little early, just to be present for such a grand occasion such as this. Our people have powerful wings--to use a figure of speech--but yours have deep and powerful roots. Your duties may have you planetbound, but for no less inspiring reasons than the freedom that brings me here."

Tiyansi makes a gently sweeping gesture with her free arm, as if to indicate the entire hall and all who were present for the Jubilee.

"As for the capabilities of the llort, well," she lifted a hand to her mouth almost conspiratorially, "some of it is certainly true."

[Elemental]

Princess Tiyansi

1 hour ago, EmBark said:

Tiyansi gave a small smile. Honest, kind, polite, but above all, mysteriously restrained.

"Thank you for your kindness, honoured Queen, and you for your interest, High King. It makes me happy to hear our freedom is inspiring and that an event like the Mad Dash has come to have such a reputation even planetside."

She folded her hands together, her deep red tail looped around one arm so it wouldn't be in the way of people around her.

"It is indeed my first visit planetside. My parent, the Consul, wished for me to visit the other planets as I came of age and before I should ever take the reigns of rulership. Perhaps it is that same freedom that inspired me to come a little early, just to be present for such a grand occasion such as this. Our people have powerful wings--to use a figure of speech--but yours have deep and powerful roots. Your duties may have you planetbound, but for no less inspiring reasons than the freedom that brings me here."

Tiyansi makes a gently sweeping gesture with her free arm, as if to indicate the entire hall and all who were present for the Jubilee.

"As for the capabilities of the llort, well," she lifted a hand to her mouth almost conspiratorially, "some of it is certainly true."

The Space Princess and the Wolf King

"That is truly a wise decision of the Consul, those who lead must have a good grasp of foreign relations and other cultures to best guide the caravan of state," said John with a nod, "I hope the deep roots of the cultures here on Veehra, not just that of the Ishtahn, help to inspire you to soar as high as an eagle and shine as brightly as the Sun itself."

He smiled at the conspiratorial gesture and leaned in just a bit, almost theatrically so. The sheer height difference between the two would have made the gesture seem at best patronising and at worst deliberately intimidating, but John's face is anything but patronising or intimidating and his demeanour is still as friendly and amiable as it has been since meeting the Princess. "I hope you won't mind if I ask that you humour me and give me a small demonstration?" he pauses and collects himself and adopts a conciliatory tone, "If it's not rude of me to ask, you aren't here to perform for me despite my curiosity."

[EmBark]

53 minutes ago, Elemental said:

The Space Princess and the Wolf King

"That is truly a wise decision of the Consul, those who lead must have a good grasp of foreign relations and other cultures to best guide the caravan of state," said John with a nod, "I hope the deep roots of the cultures here on Veehra, not just that of the Ishtahn, help to inspire you to soar as high as an eagle and shine as brightly as the Sun itself."

He smiled at the conspiratorial gesture and leaned in just a bit, almost theatrically so. The sheer height difference between the two would have made the gesture seem at best patronising and at worst deliberately intimidating, but John's face is anything but patronising or intimidating and his demeanour is still as friendly and amiable as it has been since meeting the Princess. "I hope you won't mind if I ask that you humour me and give me a small demonstration?" he pauses and collects himself and adopts a conciliatory tone, "If it's not rude of me to ask, you aren't here to perform for me despite my curiosity."

"You honour me with your hopes, High King."

Tiyansi dipped into a curtsey again before him. Then, nodding in response to his request, she rose, and she rose and she rose. Her feet lifted off the ground as a soft silvery glow came around her, not just her eyes and horns. Her eyes came to be at equal height with the High Kings', though their positions were anything but. One with great power and great responsibility, the other yet to grow into the same but for now with great freedom. She demonstrated that freedom, flying in a slower circle around the High King and the Queen, but not rising higher.

"I do not consider it rude of you to ask me to demonstrate a skill I am proud to have cultivated. You'll forgive me however if I keep it to a modest demonstration."

A flight in full abandon would be too much of a show for a princess. More importantly, doing so while wearing a dress, even with standard llort athleisure space travel undergarments, was not a thing most in the Empire would consider proper. At least, so the princess assumed. She finished her circle around the royal couple and twirled in mid-air, lowering herself and landing on one foot before setting the other down with a clack of her heels. She smiled proudly. Despite her best efforts to maintain decorum, she was still a young adult, eager to show what she was capable of.

"...and I'm afraid even our magic is not quite ready yet for solitary interplanetary travel, although across Mekhala has been quite doable."

[Elemental]

Princess Tiyansi

14 hours ago, EmBark said:

"You honour me with your hopes, High King."

Tiyansi dipped into a curtsey again before him. Then, nodding in response to his request, she rose, and she rose and she rose. Her feet lifted off the ground as a soft silvery glow came around her, not just her eyes and horns. Her eyes came to be at equal height with the High Kings', though their positions were anything but. One with great power and great responsibility, the other yet to grow into the same but for now with great freedom. She demonstrated that freedom, flying in a slower circle around the High King and the Queen, but not rising higher.

"I do not consider it rude of you to ask me to demonstrate a skill I am proud to have cultivated. You'll forgive me however if I keep it to a modest demonstration."

A flight in full abandon would be too much of a show for a princess. More importantly, doing so while wearing a dress, even with standard llort athleisure space travel undergarments, was not a thing most in the Empire would consider proper. At least, so the princess assumed. She finished her circle around the royal couple and twirled in mid-air, lowering herself and landing on one foot before setting the other down with a clack of her heels. She smiled proudly. Despite her best efforts to maintain decorum, she was still a young adult, eager to show what she was capable of.

"...and I'm afraid even our magic is not quite ready yet for solitary interplanetary travel, although across Mekhala has been quite doable."

Space Magic Show

The High King and Queen of Ishtahnos watched, fascinated as Tiyansi so effortlessly told gravity to sit down and shut up. They applauded once she returned to the ground and clacked her heels together, as did about half the people in the ballroom. Whether it was her intention to create a spectacle or not, Tiyansi had managed to do so. Even Ira, the King's normally stoic and intimidating body guard seemed genuinely impressed which ruined the air of menace he worked so hard to achieve.

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant! And in a planetary gravity well as well!" Isolde said with her hands clasped together in delight, "Forgive my enthusiasm, but our people are incapable of such feats of magic, but that was effortless. How is it done? Is it through some means of artifice like the sorceries of Kildora or Narsai? Or is this power an inborn trait of the Llort? But where are my manners, you are here for a party, not to give lessons on the intricacies of the arcane. Please, eat, drink, dance. Perhaps if time permits it we can discuss it privately?"