arsarcana | week 1

[Yesterday was, to say the least, an eventful time. 21 people waking up in an alarming kidnapping situation, tempers got heated, salt was thrown, the usual flavor of shenanigans.

Your Alchemist made his appearance, got into several arguments, scruffed a teen and nailed a god. All in all, a productive time! It doesn’t seem like he’ll be making any more public appearances this week but he did say to give him a call.

If you don't want to converse with the Alchemist, there's a whole tower to explore! Check out all the dusty nooks and crannies, read some smutty literature, try to build a death ray, take a cozy bath- the Montessori method of learning. Curiously, starting on Monday there are mysterious leaflet catalogs scattered in several rooms of the tower. There’s no shop name on it, but there are pictures of a variety of fun and fanciful items, just a preview of the many rare and/or exotic goods you could get from one of the shop's Grand Opening Sale blind boxes. There is also a large wooden chest that has appeared in the Entrance Hall right next to the grand entrance doors, despite the fact that they remain locked. A locked mailbox hangs on the wall above the box, along with several envelopes. The mailbox says "CATALOG ORDERS", and there is a handwritten note that adds: "Write your name on the envelope as well as your order. INCLUDE PAYMENT, or it's no deal. <3"

In related news, many of you will also be receiving mysterious gold coins on top of your trunk – maybe this is the payment referenced?

Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday

(( OOC: This will be the last mod post for this week! Feel free to start submitting catalog orders for any threads that aren't with the Alchemist. This is a peace week, so get all that CR while you can! ))

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Are you truly so foolish as to expect staff in a place such as this? Surely you can not be incompetent enough as to need everything done for you.

[Wu's head whips around to look at the man standing in the kitchen, eyes narrowing, bristling at that last sentence especially]

I would expect staff in any place that would house royalty! And anyway, I'm a prin--er, king! Why would I not delegate the less important things to others. That's what a king does!

[Luckily, he was still a few inches taller than Wu--which made it much easier to stare at him with the kind of look that made the room feel a few degrees colder.]

Is it, now.

[Unfortunately, looks like that are things that Wu often completely fails to notice, so when Wu begins his reply, it's almost as if it's talking to someone who is asking about something incredibly obvious]

Of course it--[but then he trails off because--

"Kuvira might be a power-crazed dictator, but at least she spent the last few years working hard to make the Earth Kingdom somewhat better."

--It's been a little over a day since Mako said that to him, and the thought of it makes him miss his bodyguard like an ache, bringing the whole situation into stark relief all over again. Wu's shoulders hunch a bit, and he's folding his arms around his waist a little] ...that's what almost everyone always told me.

[he huffs, waving a hand]

You sit on the throne and you have ministers to take care of the day to day ruling and the problems and staff that cook and clean and take care of the castle.

Edited 2022-03-21 21:30 (UTC)

False. A king may have his guard, his court, his advisors, but it is the king himself who must bear the greatest weight upon his shoulders.

[Somnus' voice was as cold as his eyes, steel blue and fixated on Wu like daggers of ice.]

A nation's people are flawed; such is the nature of mankind. The firm and just hand of a leader is necessary for a kingdom to develop strength; that the people might be kept safe from threat.

One so utterly helpless can not so much as protect themselves, never mind their people.

[this is the second time in his life that anyone's ever spoken to Wu like this. That someone has told him that there's a different way; that anything other than what he's been told his entire life might be necessary to rule. His brow furrows as he listens and when Somnus finishes with that, he lets out a small huff of a sigh, shoulders slumping a little.]

...that's probably why Kuvira's so popular. [he frowns, after a moment] What do you mean by a firm and just hand? How firm are you talking about?

You must be prepared to do what is necessary.

[With no argument in response (perhaps he had expected one?), Somnus' tone became less openly harsh but remained just as severe.]

Even if what would benefit the kingdom at length is something unpopular in the short term, it falls to the king to act in his nation's best interests. To pass harsh but needed judgment on the treasonous or seditious, to remove those who prove a danger to the nation and her people. Such things are no simple task, but they must be done lest the kingdom be weakened and its king be seen as a coward.

Edited 2022-03-21 22:18 (UTC)

[boy that seems like a big ask, and it makes Wu more than a little uncomfortable to even have to consider doing that sort of thing]

That seems like a lot of responsibility.

If it is beyond you to bear, then your kingdom is in need of a stronger ruler.

[that makes Wu's shoulders start to hunch up towards his ears]

Now you sound like Kuvira. [it comes out annoyed, starting to edge into irritation. Partially because it sounds right when this guy says it, and how awful is that?]

Anyway, what does any of this have to do with the fact that they don't have any staff here when they should?

Then this Kuvira may have a point worth listening to.

[local tyrant apologist somnus lucis caelum]

To return to the root of the issue, the point is that you would do well to learn to be self-reliant. From there, perhaps you may yet prove to be one upon whom others can rely as well.

[he doubts this]

Kuvira has no points worth listening to. [okay yeah THAT came out very sulky and annoyed. But...that last bit does make him pause, shoulders lowering slightly.

Learn to be self-reliant, huh?

Wu opens his mouth, maybe to start to ask an intelligent question, perhaps pursue that train of thought...]

[...except then his stomach growls, loudly, reminding him that he hasn't eaten yet today, and his arms go around his stomach again, and he makes an upset sound] Augh, but you can't eat self-reliance! I need breakfast first!

Edited 2022-03-21 23:34 (UTC)

[so close, and yet so far.]

Do you know anything about cooking?

[blink blink] I know what restaurants are the best in Republic City and which ones oversell and overcharge for subpar food. [he wrinkles his nose, annoyance coming over his features again] Like the dim sum place I ate at the other day. They did not live up to the hype.

[...shiva's mercy.]

Cooking for yourself, you dense fool.

[You brought this on yourself, bud, no mercy for you]

When would I have ever cooked for myself? I just told you that almost everyone has told me that kings don't do that.

Edited 2022-03-22 10:15 (UTC)

Edited 2022-03-21 22:08 (UTC)

[get out of the rafters, hubert. did jasper throw you up there.]

week 1

kitchen

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1/2

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/not here only totally here somewhere

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