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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Naathez" data-source="post: 1966756" data-attributes="member: 17791">Introduction - Livia Cecilia MetellaThe sea breeze is more than cool on Livia Cecilia Metella's face as she leans over the rail on the ship's deck. There... that's Dresd. Her goal... or her starting point, she thinks with a little smile. The Phoenikan sailors are quickly working all around her and cheering - land's close, and so is some well-deserved rest. Bus as she wraps her cloak around herself tighter, shivering, Livia's thoughts are not of rest. Quite the opposite, after weeks on the ship, silently waiting, she'll finally begin her work as the first diplomat from Lian."More than a diplomat, Livia, you'll be an observer. The Senate has quite grudgingly accepted our plan of opening embassies in other countries... starting with Verlund. But they want...  reconnaissance, so to speak, before an official act like the opening of a formal Embassy." Her father's voice had been filled both with pride and with concern. "Those Northerners are ...barbarians. Not to mention...  not to mention The Woods, on their south border. Those, I believe I have no need to advise you to avoid if at all possible.""The Woods", Livia had thought. No Lianer would EVER call them by their true name, would ever call them "Oiralassie". "You say we look like the "Elves" in your legends? Oh, they have pointed ears too? How queer." was the proper reply any member of the bold Republic of Lian would give to anyone mentioning the resemblance. And right after that, the Lianer would proceed to point out the differences, their lifespans being long, yes, but surely not lasting thousands of years as in the legends regarding "Elves", not to mention their living in well built, orderly, bustling cities and not in dark, damp woods. Coincidence, coincidence of no importance, and in any case better left alone."You will leave tonight, on a ship which is in port already. Yes, there has been a change of plans" her father had continued, lifting his palm in anticipation of her surprised questions. "Here, take this tube. You'll read the scroll within as soon as you are safe in Dresd. It contains your orders. May the Lares aid you in your journey, Livia.""May they indeed, father" she mutters, looking around. The best advice the sailors she asked regarding inns and taverns have been able to give was "Well, the Two-handled Mug is quite good for a lady. Even has no rats!" to which another sailor replied "They ran outta rats? Wonder what they'll cook now, I do".The ensuing general laughter was quite disturbing, but she managed to find someone who gave her broad directions to the city's centre. There she imagined she might find a respectable inn, or at least one where people washed more often than once... in a lifetime? and a safe place where to read and then destroy her orders."But I definitely should NOT have gone right" she mutters. Or at least, the wall in front of her, closing the narrow alley, stacked with refuse , seems to suggest so. "I'll turn back and see if i can get back to the decumanus... er, the main avenue." she thinks. But when she spins around, already growing quite tired with this city of barbarians and its cold, and its narrow alleys, and its smell, and its steepled ridiculous roofs, the four eyes staring at her suggest, even more strongly than the wall, that she has indeed taken a very, very wrong turn.</blockquote>

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