[Location] Citizen Registration Office

[Prophet]

PlayersThe terms of acquiring citizenship has been outlined in the first post of this thread. Please PM me if you have any questions.

BARAN

Tawny sat up in his seat a little when Baran approached. The young man with dark eyes was run through a gauntlet of smiles and scrutiny as was the equipment he carried. He eagerly took hold of the form and held it off to the side so he could read the words while continuing to stare at the self-proclaimed musician. Suddenly, his face went blank and no more emotion was visible as if he had become someone else or had lost all interest in the visitor.

“May you play well, fiddler… Rhysol is worthy of more than a few crying strings.” He stamped the card, copied down some pertinent information into a small black notebook which was thick and well-worn then handed the square of parchment back to Baran. “You’ll need this for identification purposes. Should you lose it, you lose your identity and are less than a slave. Rhysol show you mercy if you misplace this card for his city will not.” Tawny went back to smiling openly as if he had not just threatened someone’s life then shooed the thin fellow aside. Just before Baran could leave, Jill bounced up from another desk.

“Take these with you! They explain the terms of your probationary period.” The woman batted her long eyelashes and gave a pleasantly lingering stare to the handsome man. Her large eyes looked like black suns in their own right but it wasn’t scary or tragic like one might suspect. The junior registrar had the beauty of creation in her stare then she was gone; back to her duties.

“NEXT!”

~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~

LILITH

Jill looked up at the raven-haired woman and smiled. The broad grin was pleasant, warm and disarming. “Good afternoon!” The junior registrar was full of cheer that seemed to ooze from her pores as well as ring sickly sweet in her voice. “I see you filled everything out.” The big-eyed young woman leaned forward over the desk and lowered her voice so only Lilith could hear. “You’d be amazed at how many people can barely scribble their names…” This flash of orneriness passed and gave way to the return of an employee’s enthusiasm. “So… masseuse, eh?” She rolled her head to one side to stretch her neck. “I could certainly use a good rub once and a while…” The deep eyes cast an appraising look at Lilith’s hands as Jill copied down information into her ledger. “I bet your fingers are magical!” Jill’s tongue curled against her teeth as she pronounced the L to end her sentence but a quick side-glance saw Tawny taking interest. The friendly and perhaps playful Jill vanished.

Jill handed Lilith her application after a hard stamp. Her eyes remained down and her tone went flat. “Don’t lose this card. It’s your only record that proves you aren’t a slave.” The small woman pushed a small envelope over her desk to the woman with black hair. “This explains how your citizenship becomes permanent. Welcome to Ravok.” The registrar was instantly buried in her ledger and waving on the next person in line but should Lilith look back after turning away, she would catch the big eyes watching her leave.

~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~

NOMI

Tawny took the card without looking up. It had been a long day and he was on autopilot. The hand held his quill and scribbled away into his notebook as he went through yet another application. When he hit the part where the applicant listed her lineage, his quill snapped before it could print the D in her surname. The tired eyes surrounded by bags looked up slowly to take in the sight of the Konti. He wasn’t smiling nor was his expression one of sadness or anger. Matter of fact, the man was staring with pure curiosity. Tawny had been doing his job for a very long time and knew the names of almost every family in the city at least to point of recognizing it on paper.

After several moments, his face split like a piece of dry-rotted wood to reveal his unnerving grin. “Welcome to Ravok, Ms. Durand.” He handed back the card but paused to admire her handwriting. “Your skill with a pen is quite remarkable. Please don’t lose this card.” He began to rummage through a drawer until a new quill was produced and he finished scribbling the details of Nomi’s file. “That card is your temporary citizenship. Without it- well, you wouldn’t be the first Durand to disappear.” His eyes lifted to her and gave a knowing look but it passed and he was shoving another pamphlet towards the scaled hands. “This explains what you’ll have to do to gain full citizenship in Ravok.”

Tawny stood and used his hand to turn her away before she could ask questions about her family. The line of people was already moving to help facilitated the Konti’s exit. The man’s voice spoke plainly as he sat back down. “May Rhysol bless your search, Ms. Durand.”

~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~

MINNIM

Minnim was not out of place in line nor was Jill on edge at his approach. She took his card and smiled then began to copy things down into her ledger. When she recorded the word ‘Nuit’, her eyes fluttered but her hand did not. She coughed once then went back to writing but coughed again and this time she got up. “Excuse me for a moment. I need a drink of water.” Holding her throat gingerly, the small thing stood from her chair and moved to a table where there was a pitcher and a pair of glasses. As she filled a cup for herself, Tawny came over and gathered the other glass into his hand. The duo didn’t seem to speak but there was an exchange of information.

Jill returned to her desk and continued with the normal formalities. She finished copying his card’s information and then stamped it but she used a stamp that was different from the small round punch which she had used on the previous four applicants. This stamp was a turn-click and the indentation was a triangle with a black sun in the center. She handed it back to him and also slid an envelope across her desk. “This card is your identification. Keep it with you at all times, okay?” Jill gave him a very genuine smile then tapped the envelope with her pen. “That explains your requirements to gain a full citizenship whereas this one is temporary for the next two seasons.” The small hands closed the ledger as the large eyes looks up to the older man. “Have a wonderful day, sir and welcome to Ravok.”

Nothing's as it seems...

[Karyk]

Summer 63, 517 Karyk was standing in line, Sharay next to him, standing close, still not having said a word since her mother and sisters died three days earlier. He was sent here by the suggestion of the keepers of the boarding house where he rented a room. There were other faces from the caravan in the line, but Karyk couldn't smile or nod at them as he would normally. This trip had been a nightmare. He'd managed to convince so many people to follow him, and so many did so. And all that got most of them was death. He'd never make that mistake again, that was for damn sure. This was to be his home now, and he'd been pleasantly surprised how nice it was here. He found himself constantly feeling lower class though. He was comfortable back in the poorer, hard working districts of Zeltiva. But here, everything, everywhere he'd seen so far, felt higher class than he could ever be. The twins were sitting nearby, drawing on opposite pages of a book. Karyk could see the glares and stares that many of the citizens cast toward this line of outsiders. Eventually, Karyk was close enough to grab four applications. He made his way over to a desk, and began reading over the forms, having to read the words aloud, slowly. He dipped the quill in ink and slowly began filling out the applications, making grunts of annoyance at this, several times making errors that he failed to notice, his handwriting atrocious. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Name: Karyk Southwind Race: Human Parentage: Katya & Derryk Southwind Place of Birth: Zeltiva Primary Trade: Shipbuilding, Carpentry, Woodcutting Known Magic: None Financial Holdings: 408 GM, 6 SM, 8 CM Please state your reason for being in Ravok: Migrant due to starvation courtesy of Morwen. Left Zeltiva for Syliras, was turned away. Came to Ravok. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Once the forms were filled out, he handed each of the children the one belonging to them. "Make sure ya do as I do. Nothin' else. Best behavior." When it was their turn, Karyk shepherded the kids into the registrar's office. He put on as good of a smile as he could muster in this time of grief, the lines in his face and his eyes showed the weight of the perilous journey they'd made just to reach this desk. "Hello." All three of the kids followed suit forlornly, before Karyk handed over his application, nervous that he got something wrong. He hated paperwork, but this might've been the single most important document he'd ever worked with. He hoped it worked out well.

[Prophet]

Jill watched the man come in with his childen. There was aphrension enough to fill a dozen ravosalas and yet she somehow found a way to smooth it over with just her expression. Each young face was met with kind, bright eyes and a warm smile. Once she brought her gaze up to the strong, bearded fellow, a sweeping cloud of sympathy washed over her face. It was obvious there was loss behind his eyes but she caught a glimpse of what she believed to be fear as well. Not one to twist the knife, she took the paper with a soft and polite response to his greeting.

"Welcome to Ravok." Jill's dainty features scanned the card and saw the reason for the application and a frown formed. "It seems you've been through a lot." The shining grin returned. "Everything will be better from now on. Rhysol protects us and we take care of one another." She handed the paper back to Karyk after copying down his information and stamping the application as processed. Her big eyes went right into his soul as she pushed a pamphlet forth across her desk. "This card is your registration and proof of who you are so don't lose it." Her tone was so nice it was almost a sickly sweet ringing like a bell made of candied berries. "The broshure explains how you can become a full-fledged citizen of this great city. Welcome to Ravok, family and may Rhysol smile upon you." With that she watched until they moved on then she began helping the next person in line with the same thick sweetness and charm.

Nothing's as it seems...

[Sayana]

Summer 32, 517 AV

Sayana had only arrived in the city several days ago, but she was incredibly anxious about getting her citizenship. Both eager and nervous. Last time she was in Ravok she had been with Clyde Sullins. A blessing to combat her racial curse. Or rather, it felt like a curse in this city of Rhysol.

The previous day, the Eypharian had passed by the Citizenship Office nearly a dozen times. Sometimes just blending in with the crowd, other times snooping close to the intricate stained glass windows and around the sides to catch a peek. At all times wearing the cloak that marginally hid her abnormal figure. Abnormal here and most other northernly places.

Although she could see into the bustling waiting room filled with elegant pillars and young and old alike, there was no way to gaze into the office in which people entered and exited alone, presenting their piece of paper. It was that room in which her anxiety conjured images and fabrications as to what precisely would happen if she should enter herself.

The Eypharian loitered near the main doorway, but tucked around the corner and out of sight from most of the windows. She was still undecided, but then she heard a dark mutter from a man leaving the establishment.

“Nasty bureaucrats and their bribes…”

Of course. As she watched the man leave, it was all too clear that he had been on the ‘giving’ end of said bribe. Too long had she spent in Syliras and she had to keep reminding herself that this was not the honorable fortress on the coast. It was Rhysol’s city.

Hence, she arrived at the Citizenship Office laden with coin and dressed in a fine satin dress with a cloak about her shoulders. In some ways she was even more nervous about the papers now, knowing her method to get them through, but she had to trust that she had enough of an advantage as things were.

The Eypharian was about to walk up immediately to the front counter when she realized there was a set of forms that needed to be filled out. Her face twisted, as though being asked to eat a raw onion, but resolutely she grabbed the parchment and an appropriate writing implement.

At nearly all the blank spaces, she paused to consider what she wanted to fill out. But in the end, it was her heart that won out, wanting the opportunity to pass for herself as much as she possibly could. If it soon became evident that such was not feasible, she would consider the alternatives, but only if it came to that. In her neatest, yet somewhat sloppy writing, she provided the following information.

Name: Sayana
Race: Eypharian
Parentage: Prisha and Jelani
Place of Birth: Ahnatep

Primary Trade: Dancer, mercenary, gatherer of information
Known Magic: Reimancy and auristics
Financial Holdings: 4235 GM

Please state your reason for being in Ravok: Working in close contact with Clyde Sullins

Sayana had pondered her choice of wording in regards to her last statement. Had she used ‘association’, she was sure to have mixed up the spelling and despite their far distance, ‘contact’ was rather fitting. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she felt the acute absence of the mage.

Once she was allowed into the office, she stepped up to the large desk with the paper in her right high and a simple cloth bag comprised of a tied piece of fabric with fifty gold mizas clutched in her left high.

“I would like to become a citizen. Please accept this gift to Lord Rhysol and his blessed city.”

She itched to conduct some sort of hypnotism, but she restrained herself. She had no way to tell whether the person at the desk was versed in auristics or not. As such, she simply handed over the paperwork and the hefty weight of coins.

When asked for verbal confirmation, she would gaze unflinchingly at the statue behind the desk and speak the following:

“I hereby swear by the sun and stars, my heart and soul, that Rhysol will be my lord and ruler. And that I will follow the laws set forth by the Black Sun.”

Credit: Shimoje

[Kayak]

Jill sat behind the desk, maintaining her cool visage as the calm, soothing face of Ravok, while Tawny stood behind her. Today he decided that he'd be supervising the junior registrar. And it had been a most interesting day. And his charge had done well. With cold eyes, he watched as a dark skinned woman entered the room, form in hand. The guards that kept watch over the Office had already identified her for what she was, despite her simple attempts to conceal it.

Jill curtly nodded, accepting her application and bag of coins. The offering she let thud upon the desk heavily, purposefully, to give off the weight of Sayana's action, as well as how little it truly meant to the registrar and Ravok. The application she held up and read silently, while Tawny spied from over her shoulder. He tutted, and pointed down toward the bottom, and Jill nodded.

"Yes, I'm sure you swear to Rhysol with all your heart and 'soul'. And Rhysol will not be your lord and ruler. He already is, and always has been. I don't know how you savages in the desert do things, but here, a ruler is always the ruler. You better learn our ways, Sayana. And most certainly our laws. Mister Sullins' name will not free you from guilt. Nor will your petty gifts."

With that, Jill stamped the papers, and filled out the appropriate probationary citizenship card, which she offered to Sayana. But with a glint in her eye, she dropped it to the floor before it could ever be grabbed. "Toe the line, southerner. It would be a shame to make Mister Sullins' sad that his pet be put down." Tawny chuckled a bit, "You may go now. Do not lose that card, without it you are even lower than you already stand."

Code courtesy of Prophet the swagnificent

[Loken]

Fall 1st, 517 A.V.

Travel was always a hassle. But Loken was fortuitous that it had been a short lived affair. Upon stepping foot into Ravok city proper early in the morning, he quickly obtained one of the cheapest rooms the Tarsin's Boarding House had to offer for the season and took a few hours to sleep off his road weariness.

Upon waking up, he'd left the confines of his new ‘home’ to discover that the sun was still up. It was a good sign, he hated wasting daylight. He had two things to do, the first was obtain a job and the second required him to apply for citizenship. He managed to obtain a job, meandering through the street in his newly bought skullcap; Apparently, now a 'Cherry' in the city guard.

Loken looked like he was ready to work dressed in his black leather armor, his tiger hook sword worn from its harness on his back, with newly acquired 'on-duty' carry short sword on his hip. He was a man of uniformity, so bought the short sword to blend in with the other cherries. But rather than work, he was advised to register for citizenship immediately.

When Loken walked through the doors of the Citizen Registration Office, he retrieved a form, and walked to one of the desks to fill it out. Loken's hand writing was legible, but nothing special.

Citizenship Application

Name: Loken
Race: Human
Parentage: Orphaned at birth.
Place of Birth: Presumably, Sunberth.
Primary Trade: Unarmed combat and swordsmanship; guardsman.
Known Magic: Flux. Severing mark of Gnora.
Financial Holdings: 36 gold miza. 1 silver.
Please state your reason for being in Ravok: Survival, sustainability, and self improvement.

He was honest about what he had written down, so awaited his turn to see the registrar. When he finally approached the large desk, he set the paper down onto it. When he was asked to verbal acknowledged Rhysol, it caused him to raise a brow as his mind raced. Searching for what contractual meaning a verbal agreement could mean in regards to future obligations.

It took him less than a tick to respond in a curt monotone.

"I swear that while within, and working for, his city. Rhysol shall be my current lord and ruler. I also agree to abide and uphold the letter of all laws established by the Black Sun."

[Kayak]

Jill watched the man that walked in with curiosity in her eyes. He was a good looking man, even with that ugly Cherry skullcap upon his crown. Very clean, neat, orderly. Jill gave him a soft smile, with just a hint of teasing eyes that might suggest more from her. Letting her eyes linger a bit longer upon him, she accepted his form and instructed him to pledge himself to Lord Rhysol.

Looking over the form, she could see he was succinct and to the point, a man that new paperwork well, and appreciated organization and efficiency. His oath was quite carefully chosen, clearly not a man to take oaths lightly. Clearly he wasn't a dedicated follower of their Lord, but he would certainly follow the laws set down by him.

Jill began to fill out the man's probationary citizenship papers, allowing her left hand to rest comfortably atop it as she wrote. Looking up at Loken once she was finished, she could feel the curse's magic passing through her hand and into the paper.

Too much order in this man's life.

"We welcome a man of such discipline and sense of responsibility to Ravok. These probationary papers will give you full protection of the law within our city. Return in two seasons' time to receive your full citizenship papers, assuming you've not done anything reckless or stupid. But an upstanding man as yourself would never give way to such... chaotic tendencies I'd imagine. Do not lose the papers, as without them, you'll be treated as nothing more than a foreign interloper and have no such protections."

She lifted the probationary papers up, feeling the humming of an object carrying the curse she blessed it with. He wouldn't notice, couldn't notice. But in three days time, he'd feel it. Every time he'd take a drink, be it water, wine, or the accidental swallow of the lake, his lips would dry out. And stay dry. And each drink would further dehydrate them until they split, until they bled, until it was so painful to drink, or speak, or kiss, or eat. And that would last a full seven days from once it started.

Maybe if it got bad enough, he'd beg their lord to free him from such pain. Jill was amused at that thought. Handing Loken the cursed papers she smiled brightly. She'd think about this man and the pain he'd go through soon while she lay in bed tonight. Such fun thoughts always stirred her up, and she knew she'd sleep so well after.

"Welcome to Ravok, Loken."

Code courtesy of Prophet the swagnificent

[Andral Mydrafi]

Q

Date, 
19th Fall, 517 AV

Q

Andral lowered the hood of his cape as he entered the Citizenship Office.

The arched hallways and intricate designs on the windows, coupled with the eerie murmuring of the occupants in the office set off a sense of uneasy forboding in Andral.

Still, It was something he had to do

When he'd heard about the laws surrounding Outsiders, or lack thereof, he ran all the way to the office, evading imaginary criminals and slavers who lept at him from the shadows.

Ha, take that criminals!

Picking up a form from the stack on the small table, he filled out the form briskly. His handwriting was well practiced, but his grammar was casual.

Hm. He wondered whether he should mention that he had no attachment to his father, a Syliran Knight, who died when he was just a baby.
Nah. Probably not important.
After all, how could being related to a Syliran Knight matter in his citizenship?

Name:Andral Mydrafi Race: Human Parentage: Sir Mydrafi, Mother unknown. Place of Birth: Sylira Primary Trade: Medicine. Known Magic: Projection Financial Holdings: 100 mizas. Please state your reason for being in Ravok: To start a new life. Get to know life in a city.

Was that enough? He wondered if the writing was too casual. Er, It would have to work, since he didn't know how to make it seem 'proper'.

He was tempted to retrieve another form and try to copy the writing style of one of the other applicants.
But he was worried that might count as stealing, or vandalism. Or some other crime.

He hadn't survived Criminals and Slavers this long just to go to jail, damn it!

He had only been in Ravok a short while, and although many of his misconceptions of a dark, crime ridden, distopian hell had dissapeared upon seeing the city firsthand, his naive mind still continued to conjure up threats lurking in the shadows.

A childish fear, borne out of his seclusion for 21 years. He hoped Ravok would help him understand his place in Mizahar.

Andral sat down and waited. People came and went into the singular office of the Citizenship Office. The fact that they had only one office, went to show the care they had for outsiders. He sighed to himself.

Finally, It was his turn. He stepped into the small room, paper clutched firmly in his hand.

He didn't know much about the Black Sun, or the Ebonystryfe. All he knew was that citizens get rights while Outsiders don't.
He had felt his skin crawl as people glanced at him with narrow eyes as he walked on the street. Atleast he was human, he thought. He wanted more than anything to be treated the same as everyone. To live a normal life in the relative safety of Ravok.

But for some reason, he didn't like the idea of being observed and recorded.
If this is how they observe the Outsiders on their first day of citizen ship, how would they observe them afterwards. How much more of his life will he have to divulge to the city? Will he ever not be under the suspecting eyes of the City Guard and the Ebonystryfe. Or for that matter, the citizens?

Shaking the thoughts free from his head, he handed the application and spoke some form of oath.
'In return for the favor of citizenship, I humbly pledge my loyalty to the Rhysol, his city and his laws.'

Probably just being paranoid.
Probably...

Q

[Casio]

10th of Fall, 517 AV |"I won't be a slave anymore!"

Fear. It had swallowed the whole being of the timid snake, as he entered the office. And it was quite obvious by the light trembling of the boys arms, startled eyes, that shot right and left, as well, as the small body, trying to take as little room, as possible. He really tried, as hard, as possible, but while knowing he could become a slave any moment, there was no way Casio could relax.

Upon reaching the waiting hall, the Dhani let out a small sight of relief. In the small bell's of the morning there wasn't that many people and most he recognized from the caravan he was traveling in. While driving, the boy had gotten few tips, what he should do first in the city. Some gave Casio weird glances for going to a town he knew almost nothing about, there being even those who thought the Dhani looked too young to travel alone, but none really gave the boy trouble along the way.

Citizenship Application

Name: Casio
Race: Dhani
Parentage: Unknown
Place of Birth: Unknown

Primary Trade: Philtering, basic medicine and brewing.
Known Magic: None
Financial Holdings: 470 GM

Please state your reason for being in Ravok: To advance in philtering.

While filling out the form there was that unpleasant feeling of dread. Did he do everything right? Will he get approved? What he should do, if not? Questions were swirling around his head with no real answers to them. With trembling fingers the boy finished the last sentences and arrived to the office, handing in his form with a downcast eyes. Along with it came a small leather pouch as one of the man in the carriage instructed. 50 gold mizas as an offering.
"I-I swear to serve...To serve my king and l-lord Rhysol. He protects me and I shall abide by his...By his laws." The frantic stuttering ended and the boys red cheeks had turned crimson red from embarrassment. He was sure to get rejected now.

[Shane Wallsly]

Timestamp: 2nd of Spring 518 AV

Weapons always made Shane nervous despite having only seen lethal combat on a handful of occasions and literally never upon himself. Shane had been lucky many times, and this bothered him. It bothered him more so as he attempted to look anywhere but the weapon of the armoured individual in the Citizen’s Registration Office. He couldn’t help but feel he was owed at least a partial weapon wound; perhaps a loss of digits or toes. Would today be the day?

Shane shook himself; not physically for fear that it would be taken as an aggressive gesture; and shoved his idiotic, animal fears to the back of his mind. The man, was a guard of some sort, and it was rational to assume that he wasn’t some unhinged maniac who went about plunging his steel into people at random. The man, he had to admit, cut a striking figure in his black uniform of brigandine armour; not wholly unlike the Knights of Stormhold Citadel though he wondered if the man would object to the comparison. He was tall and handsome with his cropped black hair and chiselled jaw. It was unreasonable to fear this man but, he feared, for some years now he had become unreasonable.

Shane looked back to his application form. He hated applications for the inevitable goal of each was to assess the most distilled form of a person’s identity. This form, however, he hated more than most. What was he supposed to put next to ‘Parentage’? ‘Dead’, perhaps? Mayhap he ought to put ‘Nobody Important’ instead. That way he could be officially logged and filed as an absolute nobody; a nothing, non-entity, one more stupid ‘citizen’ for the ranks. Shane could feel a sneer coming on and supressed it. For some reason, he didn’t think open contempt was the look that would get him residency here.

Then, there was what to do about the announcement of his magical skills. It was a gross violation of his personal principles and a rule for him to do so. Ought he lie? Shane had a sense that wouldn’t go down well. He knew that people were pulled in one-by-one into an office at the end of the hall perhaps for some kind of interview. It was entirely reasonable that the interviewers could all be Aurists or possess various truth-finding blessings. On top of that there were probably ways of magically and non-magically deducing truth that he wasn’t even aware of. The problem, he mused, was that he was never sure exactly what he was up against and a single mistake could make things very difficult for him. He decided to play it safe. He always decided to play it safe.

He looked over his application.

Citizenship Application Name: Shane Wallsly Race: Human Parentage: Richard and Fiona Wallsly Place of Birth: Stormhold Citadel Primary Trade: Clerk Known Magic: Auristics, Hypnotism, Reimancey [Air] Financial Holdings: 392 GM, No Holdings Please state your reason for being in Ravok: Employment

He could spot a number of flaws in it but the tight knot of suddenly expanding fear in his stomach prevented him from fixing it. The only thing to do now was wait to be called in and hope nothing murderous followed.