The Aedile and Prefect's Offices

[Nimh]

One of the strangest projects ever to be built in Vers was the Aedile's Office building, which was not actually only the Aedile's, but the Prefecture as well, and engulfing the Vaettir Gardens along its lenght. Usually referred to as simply the Aedile's Office, the main reason for it was because the entrance door stood on the Aedile's side, one that was a marble building of great beauty and design, while the Prefecture, an onyx building, could only be reached by first passing through the former.

Right at the entrance was some marble stairs, leading up to the second story. At the end of the stairs, a single heavy wooden door led within, from where two paths were available, and where the Vaettir Gardens could already be seen flashing through the windows from below. A stone walkway a little to the right led straight to the doorway of the Prefecture, passing above the Gardens, while a wide doorway to the left led to a well lit staircase going down once again, into the actual Aedile's Office.

Visitors heading to the Aedile's Office found that Erika Judith, the gnome Aedile, had not been in employment for many months before she resigned. Nobody really seemed to know her reasons, although rumours told of an accident of a very strange nature. Aubrey Llewelyn, a young half-elf, with flowing white hair, who had extensive experience as an assistant, was now working as a senior Aedile, with just the same spirit as ever. Promptly dropping his quill and organizing some parchments, Aubrey was always ready to attend the citizens in need.

"Serale. I am Aubrey Llewelyn. The Aedile of Vers. What can I do for you?"

Those with business meant for the Prefect often found themselves in a bit dilemma. With the most recent Prefect dead or missing and, with no one found suitable as of yet to replace him, the bumbling Assistant Prefect Esahdren Mithweather had usurped the position. Disorganized and rather unsure of what he was doing as of yet, the office of the Prefect was a mess, with papers scattered not only all over the desk, but the floor as well. The Assistant Prefect looked no better, his long brown hair disheveled and greasy, his face pock-marked, and his clothes rumpled and stained in more than just a couple of places. He rarely ever noticed when someone was standing in and the and, when he did, usually greeted them with a startled and nervous "What? What is it?"

Original concept by GM Kenaz, edited by Bladvyx and Tisiphone

[Rhyck Thralôm]

Timestamp: Hour 14 of Ioannolia, Brightening 3 of the Third Cycle of Cryxatum
Summer of Era II of the Celestine Mandate
Era XI Post Fractum in the Age of the Darkening, the Mageocracy of Julos the Mad.
Paradigm: Schism in the Church of the Faith

Rhyck walked towards the Vaettin Gardens, taking in the beauty as much as he could. He always made a point to absorb as much of life as he could, as there was only a limited amount of mortality, especially for humans. How Rhyck longed to be one of those long-lived elves; they got to spend entire centuries researching the mysteries of life. As Rhyck was a Kemite, he had to work fast to learn as much as he could in the meager decades that had left to look forward to. Even though he was still very young, Rhyck often found himself sorrowing in his bed for the lack of time. He wished there was some way to stop it... But the only thing he could ever think of to do was to make the most of it, which was why he was heading to the Aedile's Office that brightening.

After looking at the bulletin in the middle of the city countless times over the past months, Rhyck had decided that he would finally get involved and take up the offer that had undoubtedly been sitting there just for him. The Kemite would apply for the position of Assistant Aedile. He decided it would be a great way to kick off his political career. He could train under the present Aedile, learn how the internal movements of government worked, and hopefully be able to advance in politics very smoothly. Rhyck had wondered why the position hadn't been filled for all this time. Perhaps the requirements were strict, or not very many people had desired for the job. All of this was irrelevant to Rhyck, however, as he would be applying for the job today. And he wished with all of his heart that he could be able to obtain it.

Rhyck gazed at the opening of the building which led to both the Aedile's Office and the Prefecture. Like most Versian archetecture, it was ostentatiously built, obviously to try and impress those visitors who came here. Vers spared no expense when it came to showing off. Because of its small size, the city apparently felt as if it had to prove something. Therefore, everything about it was pretentious. Even the people, generally tall and clothed in fine attire, seemed to be demanding of all Telath the attention that they deserved. Unfortunately, it seemed the rest of the world didn't enjoy complying. Vers seemed ignored. It was, of course, isolated, but it at least demanded some recognition. Rhyck had dreams that would change that.

The Kemite started up the marble steps and suddenly became more aware of his small height. These stairs were built for the long-legged giants that were the norm in Vers. Rhyck had to almost hop from one step to the next. He silently cursed his foul luck of being born with his mother's height, then threw out the negative thoughts. He had to look positive if he were to look good in front of the Aedile. The Kemite muttered "First Impressions, First Impressions" over and over to himself until he finally reached the summit of the stairway. He paused for a moment, hearing bustling and hustling from the left. He turned to stare at the onyx building for a moment, then shook away all suspicions. Of course the Prefect would be in a real mess. The last one had disappeared sometime around the Planar Shift.

Rhyck turned back to the left, opened the door, and hurried down the marble steps to the Aedile's Office. It was much easier than going up them, but he had to slow down once he got to the end else he feared he would run into something. Straightening out his vest, Rhyck stepped forward and, turning, noticed the Aedile. It was a pleasant-looking half-elf with white hair. The Kemite took one look at him and knew that he could get along with this fellow. Although he was terribly envious of all elves, this one looked amazingly jolly. It was certainly a big difference from the stoic elves he had met in the town before. Smiling wide, Rhyck addressed the Aedile.

"Serale, Mr. Llewelyn. How are you this brightening? My name is Rhyck Thralôm, and I was wondering if perhaps I could apply for the position of Assistant Aedile." Rhyck held out his hand to shake the Aedile's if it was offered. He tried his hardest to be as friendly as possible. As the Assistant Aedile, he would be spending an enormous amount of time with Aubrey, and the Kemite decided to get started off the right foot right from the start. A burning sensation in his bosom confirmed that he was well on the road to a successful political career.

[Nimh]

The sight of a rather moderately sized Kemite male--or was it a female? sometimes you could never tell with those little guys--caused a few fair-haired, long-legged Versians to pause and stare after Rhyck as he made his way through the building that housed both the Aedile and the make-shift Prefect. The fact that he was even muttering to himself as he walked onward by himself caused some quiet murmurs of their own as they edged out of Rhyck's path. Out-of-towners were so odd and what if this rambling, distractedness was catching? Nonetheless, Rhyck had a rather easy path to the top of the stairs, what with the amount of people that scooted out of his way.

This trend continued as Rhyck maneuvered rather quickly down to the level of the Aedile's Office, some people even uttering startled oaths as they nearly found themselves face-to-chest with a little kemite. But everyone came to their destinations without any harm, lucky for Rhyck, who wouldn't have wanted to appear at the Aedile's door with anything close to resembling a rumpled set of clothing.

"Here to apply for the job?" Aubrey repeated, startled, as Rhyck explained his presence. He quickly recovered his surprise and stood slightly to reach out and firmly grasp the kemite's hand. Sitting back down, Aubrey gestured to a mahogany chair cushioned with a deep red fabric in front of his desk. "Have a seat!" Aubrey waited until his new prospect sat down and got himself seated. As he waited, he leaned his elbows against the desk and laced his fingers together, studying the full-blooded human with a friendly, patient stare. He looked presentable, perhaps even respectable. Certainly not at all like some of the flighty artists that were really no good at keeping a job like this. "Why don't you tell me a little about yourself. Have you ever worked in an Aedile's Office before?"

[Rhyck Thralôm]

Rhyck didn't mind the stares he got through the Aedile's Office. It was just how people always treated him. He knew it was unfair, that it was uneducated judgement, but he had grown to accept that in the years that he'd lived in Vers. The Aedile himself was surprised that Rhyck was applying for the job, but that was probably because he had given up hope on obtaining an assistant, not because the Kemite was short. He seemed like a nice man, something Rhyck was happy to find out. He was afraid he would be spending time with a grumpy old man. It seemed that Aubrey was just as un-stereotypical as Rhyck was.

The human took a seat in the fine mahogany chair. The cushion felt extremely comforting after years of only a hard wooden floor and a ragged old feather bed. Rhyck could see himself getting used to this. But, to keep hubris from taking over, the Kemite took a deep breath and listened quietly to the Aedile's question. It seemed a fair question. Aubrey would probably be looking for someone with experience. But, Rhyck reasoned that if he had been waiting this long for someone to apply, he would likely be eager for anyone he could find.

"I have always been an admirer of the respectable Aedile's position, but, no, I have never officially worked in an Aedile's Office before. I am a very quick learner, however, and can pick up just about anything you have for me to do." Rhyck reviewed his answer over in his head and thought he liked it. It told the truth, but still promised that Rhyck was a viable candidate. If Rhyck ever had to admit a weakness, he would definately butter it up to make it sound not so much of a weakness as a hinderance to excellance. The Kemite waited patiently for whatever the Aedile would say next.

[Nimh]

Aubrey picked up a stack of papers and tapped their edges against the smooth wood of his desk. A smile had popped up at Rhyck's gushing flattery about the respectability of the Aedile and Aubrey's idle movements were an attempt to keep him from allowing the chuckle in his throat to seep out into the air between them. It sounded like a blatant attempt to make the Aedile swell with pride, giving him the extra push to immediately accept this young man's attempts to find a job. Well, even if Aubrey was well aware of this sort of ploy, it didn't mean that he was going to push it aside and ignore it. The young man might have been desperate for a job, but Aubrey was certainly desperate for an assistant. Besides, it was always nice to get a confidence boost here and there, wasn't it?

"So you would be able to multi-task? File, help people, take notes in ledgers...all of that? You will be able to sit behind a desk for candlemarks on end until I say you can head off for the day?" Aubrey did not look completely serious, although his tone was deadpan. He maintained his open smile with the added arch of his brows. "Another responsibility of the Aedile and his...assistant...is to organize events and social activities throughout the town. Do you think you can manage that also?" Of course, Aubrey did not expect his assistant to do that completely on his own, but it was always good to test the waters and see how he would respond to a barrage of questions. The Gods knew how often customers came in and threw a multitude of questions at the person manning the desk before waiting for an answer to each and every one of them.

[Rhyck Thralôm]

OoC: Ack!! Hurry and post quick! Get that triple 6 out of here!

IC: Rhyck watched as the Aedile straightened some papers. Always working, wasn't he? Even through an interview. The Kemite admired his diligence in getting a job done. Rhyck knew he could learn quite a bit from the half-elf. He certainly hoped he could get this job so that he could learn to be as dedicated as Aubrey was. It was a quality Rhyck had always looked with awe upon, the ability to set yourself to a task and not be distracted until that task was completed. He enjoyed having things perfect, but frequently took breaks during the time because he knew it could wait. He hoped to become more devoted to work.

"Sir. I am extremely able at multi-tasking. I am quite a perfectionist myself, and cannot stand having anything of importance done that isn't recorded. I would work very well with entries in ledgers. I admit long candlemarks at the desk will be new to me, but I have spent candlemarks on end working on my family's farm in the past, so the principle will not be totally foreign." Rhyck paused for a second, trying to recall all the questions the Aedile had asked him. It seemed a bit much for one mouthful, so he tried to take it in pieces, organize every question and answer in his mind. "Organizing social events has always been a dream of mine, sir. You do not know how often I have attend such events and enjoyed them while at the same time recognizing where and how they could be improved upon. I would be honored to work with you in organizing them."

Again, Rhyck attempted to flatter the Aedile as much as possible. By now he could probably sense his buttered words, but he didn't care. People often said flattery got you nowhere, but that of course was totally untrue. Even those who have detected flattery enjoy it. It is simple nature to enjoy being complimented. Rhyck intended to get as many of his good qualities and as many compliments as he possibly could in this interview. With any luck, the Aedile would choose him to become his assistant.

[Nimh]

Aubrey listened carefully to the man in front of him, hoping that he was being truthful and not simply spouting out what he believed the Aedile wanted to hear. Sometimes people did that, funny as it was. Didn't people think that their lies would catch up with them once they actually got the job? Sadly, Aubrey had seen it several times before and was wary of new applicants for whichever job people were applying to. This man, however, seemed relatively honest despite the flattery he was blatantly inserting into his interview. The Aedile was far from bothered by this little habit, knowing that sometimes the rough days needed a little praise tacked in somewhere.

"I think you and I would work well together," he decided after a moment. "There are a few other things the Aedile is responsible for here in the town, but we can go over those as they come and as I train you. The pay is seventy crowns a cycle, which I hope is acceptable to you, otherwise..." He trailed off with a shrug. "When would you like to begin trainning? I would love to have you start tomorrow, if you will, but if you need a few days, that is fine also. I open the office early during the morning and expect that you would be here at a reasonable hour." Aubrey had seen the type before. Late-night revellers who preferred to spend their coin and darkenings in brothels and taverns only to arrive the next morning completely unfit to work. "What do you say?"

[Rhyck Thralôm]

"Oh, why thank you very much Sir! I am not bothered by wages at all. It was not the prospect of money that brought me to your office this brightening, if you know what I mean." True. If Rhyck had been searching for money he would have been out in the wilderness digging for gold or salvaging loot. The Aedile's office was one place he knew he would not be getting a terribly high wage. Still, it was better than other jobs. In fact, Rhyck considered himself lucky seeing how this was his first job in the Office. "Indeed, I would be thrilled to work with you starting tomorrow. When is a logical candlemark for me to arrive? And is there anything you would have me bring?"

Rhyck was ecstatic. He hadn't believed he could start work this early! Just the prospect of being trained by the Aedile was enough to give him splendid shivers. He promised himself to get a good night's rest to be ready for the next brightening. He wondered what the training would consist of. Probably a run-down of the government functions and whatnot; a lecture on how things ran in the Office: where everything was, where he would be working, etc. Rhyck had no doubt this training could help him get a leg up in political affairs. He was eager to learn how the inner circle worked. How things ran in the civil administration. He knew for sure that he would be delighted.

[Nimh]

Aubrey's expression was rather satisfied upon hearing that the job was what was important and not the wages. Had Aubrey been a katta perhaps someone would suggest that he had been in the cream, but being half-elven, he merely retained the content and eager smile of the fur-less--and scale-less--humanoids. Or perhaps he really was in the cream. Had he managed to select the cream of the town? His discussion with Rhyck, however brief, had shown the young man to be open and minorly knowledgeable about the tasks he would be taking on. He was eager to work and just as eager to flatter and be kind to his employer. Being polite was one thing, but this...this was an enthusiasm that some people seemed to lack on job interviews. Many were usually nervous. Rhyck, however, did not seem to be too afraid of not getting this job. Confidence was not to be shunned.

Nodding with a firmness that suggested he was pleased with the progression of their meeting, Aubrey extended his hand to his new assistant. "Great. Be here around the tenth candlemark, if you can. That will give us plenty of time to test your abilities. Vers has not had many tourists this season, so we should not be particularly busy, which means I'll have plenty of time to show you what needs to be done." Stacking some papers on his desk, shifting through others, he worked on arranging the space in front of him for a better feel of organization. Clutter was all right for a short while, but after a while it got to be a little frustrating and cumbersome. He would have to stress neatness to his new assistant during his training session. "Just bring yourself and a positive attitude. You could bring a few slices of parchment with you tomorrow if you feel you'll have a hard time remembering things. I have plenty of quills and ink around here for you to use, but parchment is pricey and we need every inch of it for the documents themselves." He smiled and leaned back against the headrest of his chair. He hoped this worked out. He had gone through plenty of assistants in the past few cycles and none had struck him as bright, organized, or quick enough to handle the variety of different things he would throw at Rhyck. "I hope to see you tomorrow, then."

ooc: go ahead and start a new thread for some training. I'd rather keep the training separate from the main thread. Just keep in mind that you can respond to people in this one...it's just easier for me to not clutter this one It won't be a very long thread at any rate.

[Rhyck Thralôm]

Rhyck's heart jumped. He couldn't believe he was actually hearing what he was hearing. Well, he had been confident on getting the job, but just hadn't thought about what it was going to be like to actually have the job. It was a strange feeling, of fulfilling responsibility. He would be sure to do anything and everything the Aedile said. He did not want to mess up this chance he had been given. Few were given the title of Assistant Aedile. Not perhaps as few as were given Aedile, or Prefect... or Thane! But few enough to make Rhyck proud of what he had accomplished.

Rhyck figured Assistant Aedile would be all he could really accomplish before gaining more expertise in the Arcane. Before he could command the respect of respectable positions, he would need a mastery of the Astral Plane. That was how things went in Vers. Only the city council held any sort of power (a psuedo-power even) without needing Arcane wisdom. And of course, that was the reason the city council was so looked down upon. Yes, it could make some very annoying decisions and actually alter what more enlightened people had ruled, but its power was much too weak for Rhyck. He would consider it quite an insult to himself if he actually joined it. No, the Arcane path was the path to go.

"Thank you so much, Mr. Llewelyn. I will be back on the tenth candlemark. Serale!" Rhyck stood up and offered to shake Aubrey's hand once again. Then he walked casually out out the room and up the staircase, bearing a wide grin that seemed to just stick to him. It seemed nigh impossible to get rid of it. He Llewelyntried not to look so conspicuous, but it was inevitable. He had gotten the job of Assistant Aedile. Somehow that meant something. Rhyck looked around at all the giant humans and elves, and almost laughed. To the surprise of many, the Kemite walked a wee bit taller that day.

OoC: Sure thing, Tisiphone. I'll make the thread once I get back (points to the OoC thread)

[Lohrtar Silvermoon]

Afternoon of Thera, Brightening 16 of Imperos
Summer of Era II of the Celestine Mandate
Era 11 PF in the Age of the Darkening
Paradigm: Schism in the Church of the Faith

Lohrtar trudged into the building. He was almost overcome with fatigue, but had not a place to spend the night. The easy solution would be to go to the nearest inn, find a room, and sleep for fourteen candlemarks straight. Lohrtar, however, did not have that much in terms of funds though, and still needed a less temporary solution. It was due to this that he found himself in the Aedile’s office, hoping to find a job and a place to stay. ”Serale, my name is Lohrtar Silvermoon”, he said, presenting himself. As he scratched his beard, he became aware of his appearance, which was not the best at this particular moment. A few cycles of travelling had not made a pleasant mark.

”Excuse my current state, I’m not usually in a condition as this”, said Lohrtar, the prospect of having a conversation draining what little energy he had left. ”I have a problem though, and I think you might be able to help me. I have been travelling for a long time, ending up in Vers. But I have little money and no place to stay. Would it be possible for me to do some work for you, in return for a place to sleep?”, he asked, using what persuasion skills he had learned during his class in political oration. This all seemed so far away now. Ieffreon had so quickly become his past, and he would be lying if he did not admit that he missed the friendly people, the beautiful vista and the white beaches. But fate, or whatever force it was, had brought him here, and there was naught to do save make the best of it. ”I am not asking for much. The humblest of hovels, and perhaps a few crowns to keep me going, and I will work in return. I read and write perfectly well, though I do not mind physical labour either. Can you help me, kind sir?” His politeness had quickly become something reminiscent of grovelling, very unlike Lohrtar’s nature. But such was his desparation that he would do whatever he could just to find somewhere to sleep. Indeed things had been brighter for the young Ikonomancer and Priest. He could only hope that Rak was not watching him in this moment of weakness.

[Nimh]

Aubrey was alone in the office when Lohrtar walked in, having given his Kemite assistant an assignment that stretched beyond the walls of the confining Aedile's Office. Mulling over a document that a citizen was claiming to have been written by Aubrey himself, when Aubrey knew that it had been forged, he was a little distracted himself when the Ikonomancer entered. When he did finally take notice of Lohrtar, he jumped slightly. "Ah, serale." He cleared his throat, shifting in his chair to get comfortable as he set the paper down on the desk in front of him. He'd have to worry about that later.

Glancing over the man, Aubrey took note of his fatigue and his apparent scruffiness. It didn't take too much of a genius to figure out that Lohrtar had been traveling, although he could just as easily be a man without a home that had come in to beg some scraps and some money. It wasn't as if it hadn't happened before... But Lohrtar did not seem unreasonable or even like he was a liar. "There really isn't too much work I personally could give you to do, but..." he trailed off, obviously not wanting to turn the man away when he was trying to be helpful."But I can come up with something, I'm sure, as long as you don't mind doing some more...mundane things, I suppose."

Aubrey stood and strode across the room, retrieving his assistant's chair and pulling it across the room to place it in front of his own desk. "Have a seat, sir." He gestured to the proffered chair and moved to retake his own seat. "Like I said, it would be hard for me to find a job for you in this office, unless you would be interested in filing papers or sweeping and otherwise cleaning the place. It wouldn't be a job that would offer a lot of crowns...perhaps thirty crowns a cycle and we could come to some arrangement about housing. If that doesn't interest you, I could always set you up with one of the store owners here in town. I'm sure they'd gladly house you and pay you a small sum to help them look after their shop. How long do you plan on staying in Vers? That might be helpful in trying to determine what you'd like to do." He smiled his best people-pleaser smile.

[Lohrtar Silvermoon]

Lohrtar smiled, and sat himself down, his legs weary from travel. It was a pleasant feeling to relax for a while, something he had not allowed himself to do much during the last few days of his journey. Though he was filthy and tired, there seemed to be hope that he would soon be back on his feet. Right now, any job would suit him, so long as he could get a hot bath and a place to stay. But, keeping the near future in mind, it seemed prudent to get a better paying job. After all, he had some experience in shopkeeping, and such occuption would probably pay more than a lowly floor-sweeper. ”I thank you for your help, sir”, he began, with his trademark politeness. ”Well, I’ve had some experience in shopkeeping. Back in Port Constantine, I assisted in a pet shop, and I served as assistant to the aedile of Ieffreon, the Ikonomancer said.

”Perhaps my experience would be better put to use in a shop than here. Although any job would suit me fine at the moment, it might be better to find a job as a shopkeeper, if I am to think long-term... And it is likely that I will be staying here for a good amount of time”, he said. ”An arcanically inclined city is exactly the place I need to be, to further my studies”. He half-regretted the last remark. The Aedile might inquire as to what his sphere of study was, and Lohrtar knew that Ikos was frowned upon, and considered heretical in most places. But then again, Ikos was offered at the Imaden school of magic, so Vers was probably among the more tolerant cities to this particular sphere. After all, these people were far more enlightened, at least by Lohrtar’s standard, than most of the rest of the empire. It seemed likely that the individual would have a greater understanding of Ikos than most other places in Alleria.

”Do you know of a shop that could use a hand, in return for a few crowns and a place to spend the night?”, he asked, finally, and gave a friendly smile again.

[Nimh]

Aubrey listened with what appeared half-an-ear as Lohrtar explained his prior experience in both the aedile's and shops. He pushed around a few papers, his eyes focused anywhere but on the man in front of him. His mind was clearly distracted by something else, although he was not blatantly ignoring the Ikonomancer, as he nodded at a few statements the man had made. "Ah, if I had need of an assistant, I'd hire you in an instance," he assured the man with a quick smile. [b]"Fortunately for me, the position has been filled. Unfortunately for you, it is filled,"[/b ]he added after a moment, the statement fading away as he reached its final words. No, it probably wouldn't be well-received.

Clearing his throat, Aubrey pushed away a few papers that were drawing his eyes down to the script. "There are quite a few shops here in Vers without any help to their counters. Not that there's an awfully large flow of customers, from what I gather, but perhaps that will change... Yes, maybe. Let's see..." He pushed his chair out and twisted to grab at a small stack of books perched on a table behind him. They were bulky and unawkward piled together, but he managed to pull the one he needed and place the others back on their makeshift home. "All right...what do we have."

He pursed his lips, opening the book and flipping a few pages. "There's an opening at the Furries and Featheries Pet Store. Not sure if you're interested in getting back into that business again, but it's available