Victor: Victor wasn't able to find any direct references to flying ships in any historical record and while they did appear in myths, it was always some variation of a story about an Immortal making a ship fly to save it from disaster, frequently an irate Chrien or one of the Mer Leviathans. Most of these were in Common, with a few in Rakahi. The library didn't have any texts in the Ancient Language, sadly. There were more records of flying people, but these all turned out to be about the Avriel and maybe a few Blessed with special powers from their Immortal patron. There were, however, quite a few historical records that spoke of a flying castle, though that was always the old Seeker headquarters of Arcanis.
When he presented himself at the Imperial Palace, his information was taken by a captain who nodded at him. "The Empire appreciates your willingness to assist. We're expecting contact to be made up at the ramparts, so if you'll follow Private Callum here, he'll take you to the staging area. You'll be helping with social analysis." he said, gesturing to a private who saluted the captain, then turned to face Victor. "If you'll follow me, mister Amielle." he said, his tone polite.
Thaldan: Thaldan wound up speaking to a captain who gave him a slightly amused look at his reason for being there, but nodded. "Very well." she said, before pausing in thought for a moment and nodding to herself. "Your name, please?" she asked. Assuming he told her, she handed him a book of empty pages and a pen and inkwell before turning to a nearby private. "Private Cormag, take mister Carorithir to the staging area. He'll be assisting as a notary and scribe, recording the events." she said, before turning back to Thaldan and smiling slightly. "We'll have to make a copy of your records after, but you'll be allowed to keep the original. It should help with sharing the story later." she said. The private nodded at Thaldan. "If you'll follow me, mister Carorithir." he said.
Ulric: When Ulric and Helena arrived and offered to help, they were asked their name by a captain. "Very well. We're assigning people offering general aid to duty as aids or scribes." he said, before he gave Ulric a quick look up and down. "However, for citizens who look like they can fight but don't look like direct soldiers, we're offering positions in a security role. We're not going to have too many active soldiers on the ramparts during initial contact, so as to try and avoid accidentally provoking a confrontation. But we're keeping soldiers and fighters in plainclothes among the aids and scribes in case a fight does break out." she said, her tone cheerful. "Do you want to assist in such a capacity?" he said, his tone cheerful. Once he answered, he turned to a private and told them how they'd be helping. "Private Glenn will show you to the staging area."
Lorogh: As Lorogh's squad manned their ballista, a captain approached them. "You are correct, Corporal Lerake. Until such time as they show hostile intention, these strangers are guests of the Empire and will be treated accordingly. Their means of travel might be new, but that doesn't inherently make them a threat, and The Eternal Empire does not treat something with aggression just because it's new and unusual. Such things may prove to be a boon to the Empire, after all." he said, nodding slightly at Lorogh. The Cadouri themselves had, after all, once been new and unusual to not just The Eternal Empire, but to Idalos as a whole. "On that topic, Corporal Lerake, you are being assigned as part of the delegation meeting with these strangers. Marshal Regis wants a field officer present that is both competent and not outwardly threatening. In addition, as a siege officer, you may be able to identify any such weapons they have, even if they are do not immediately appear as such. Assign one of your squad to temporary command here and then follow me." he said, his tone making it clear that he was giving an order.
Cynwrig gave a wry look as they approached the massive black city. Of course their escort was taking them to the most ominous looking place in the area. It was at this point that he was very glad that he was a level headed man, as someone more skittish might assume they were being escorted to a prison or place of execution. But observation indicated that this place really was a real city, not some oversized jail, and that did relieve him. Of course, he'd had to calm down the more panicky members of his expedition, but their escort had, surprisingly, actually helped with that. At one point, despite the language barrier, they had delivered a supply of food and water to his Cargo Awyr. He, of course, hadn't been able to tell them that they didn't need it, or that he appreciated the gesture nonetheless. They hadn't been able to tell him if they were doing it out of generosity or to keep his people from ranging out in search of supplies, and it was impossible to tell with these people.
Not to say that they were any better at hiding their curiosity than any other surface dweller he had encountered, but they were disciplined and kept to their focus. Even if some of them, he figured likely lower ranked ones in what he assumed was their military, snuck gawking looks at his people and their ships from the backs of their beasts. Several of his people, annoyed and bored at the lack of ability to go exploring, had noticed these looks and had taken to doing arial acrobatics above the Awyr. In truth, he approved of their initiative, as it did a few things for them. It relieved their boredom, gave them some exercise, and it gave a show for their curious watchers, hopefully showing that they were not there for nefarious purposes.
But as they approached the city, he'd called his people back to the ship. It was time to start getting ready for any meetings they might have. Hopefully, they'd be able to work out a common language or establish some form of communication quickly. That had been a problem for some of the retinues, from what he'd heard. Still as the ship started over the city, he and his people readied themselves for what he hoped to be a good meeting.
Victor, Thaldan, Ulric, Helena, and Lorogh were all lead to a staging area in a supply room just below the ramparts. There were a few scribes, what Lorogh would recognize as members of the Mage Corps Agents in plainclothes, and a very few soldiers in official armor. None of these latter were from the more visually imposing races, such as the Ithecal. They were mostly human, plus one Tunawa that outdid even Lorogh in the department of being non-threatening. That said, Lorogh would recognize from her uniform that the Tunawa was by far the highest ranking of those soldiers, being a major while Lorogh was the only other immediately visible command rank among them.
There was a bit of time for milling around and greetings before the door opened again and admitted two more people. The first through the door was Marshal Caelan Regis of Korlasir, the military governor of the Korlasir region and commander of all military forces in the region. The second, however, outranked even him. Empress Raskalarn, the supreme authority of The Eternal Empire, entered the room and was immediately identifiable. Raskalarn wore no crown or fancy robes, nor any other symbol of rank. The aura of power and command that accompanied her was enough to tell everyone in the room who she was. It wasn't just the way she caried herself or the way she moved, though. Everyone in the room could feel the gathered power of the Immortal of Conquest in her own Dominion, as though even the very air of The Eternal Empire knelt to its Empress.
As was proper, Marshal Regis stepped to the side as Raskalarn took the floor. "First, thank you to all our volunteers. It is always a pleasure to know that both our citizens and our guests are willing to offer aid to the government and the military." she said, her tone showing she sincerely meant that. "Now, as to the matter at hand. The visitors aboard the ships are strangers, a people we have not yet seen here in the empire. There was an attempt at communication when they crossed into our borders, but they do not speak common. Consequently, it will be our job to try and establish communication with these visitors and determine who they are and what their purpose is. From there, I will be able to determine what course of action The Eternal Empire will take in dealing with these strangers." she said, her voice showing that she genuinely hadn't made a decision regarding the visitors yet. It wasn't confusion, however, nor any real indecision. More that it just wasn't yet time to make such a decision.
"For this first contact, Marshal Regis will be heading the direct first contact. I will be nearby, of course, but since it's quite possible for me to accidentally compel obedience in those not familiar with my powers, my presence could spark an engagement if one of them gets even temporarily pulled in by my power and the others take offense to it." she said. None of the Imperials in the room would likely be surprised by this announcement. It had, after all, been the reason Raskalarn had not been directly present at the summit that the empire had recently hosted. Moreover, Raskalarn's ability to command obedience with just her gaze was a common story in the empire, and it would likely be noticeable that Raskalarn took care to never make direct eye contact with anyone in the room as she spoke.
Once she finished, she stepped aside and allowed her Marshal to take the floor. "As the Empress said, I will be taking point. The visitors are due to arrive shortly. I encourage everyone take this opportunity to familiarize yourself with the others and make any final preparations you need. If there are special supplies you need, speak up now, and we will make sure they are retrieved. There will not be very many obvious soldiers on the ramparts with us, but we do have several members of our Agents among the aids and scribes to assist should the meeting turn hostile. In addition, if there are any questions, either myself or Empress Raskalarn will answer them now." he said, his tone firm.
