[Syliras Location] Recruitment Office

[Eldon Sunkiss]

Such a question was difficult to answer, yet it had been on his mind for days now. Yet, he ignored it, until it was asked by the Knighthood. Could he truly dedicate himself fully to them? He had never dedicated himself fully to anything. He had offered up his life countless times for Endrykas, risked his life for friends, and even sacrificed comfort for vengeance. However, he had never fully donated everything he was to a cause. He stood there for a moment, a long painful uncomfortable moment. He was a responsible man, and he would do anything he promised to do, but the question was, would this promise help him recover what he had lost? Or would it only trap him in disappointment and distress. Eldon, after a long moment, shook his head slowly. "I'm sorry, I have wasted your time. I need to think this over. A long, careful judgement. Please, give me time to see more of these lands, talk more to your people, and I'll return with my answer, someday." Eldon sighed, feeling that he had disappointed yet another pair of people, perhaps three if you counted his Drykas translator. So be it, he had to think about himself for now, else he wouldn't be able to assist anybody, needy or not, in anything. Slowly, he turned and exited the room, then without much more than an embarrassed smile towards the one-armed receptionist, left the building. He would return someday, perhaps with the desire to fully marry himself to the Syliran Knighthood, to honorable duty, but for now, he just couldn't accept that. Not until he was ready, and sure of it.

[Alexander Vasiliev]

Timestamp: Fall 87th, 511 AV Why was he here? Alexander kept asking himself this question. He had heard about the Knights from his friend, kindling an interest in his mind. Surely this was foolish, walking in and expecting to suddenly walk out and be a Knight of the realm. But this interest was strong, and had to see this through to the end. The prospect of becoming a Mage Knight was like steak hung in front of a dog's mouth, grabbing all his attention and focusing only on that one luscious piece. The ability to train magic within Syliras was like added candy for his sweet tooth. Alexander knew the Knighthood at risks associated with it, but didn't mind. He knew he could become a somebody, improve life in Syliras instead of just complaining about it. Certainly such power would have risks. He could get maimed, killed, sick and the list went on. Perhaps he would become a cripple, unable to take care of himself. That was his worst fear. The loss of his freedom due to some god-forsaken crippling blow. if that ever happened, he could kiss goodbye his freedom of living in solitude, of fending for himself. He would constantly be accompanied by someone always taking care of him to eat right, sleep well, yada yada yada. That would be the day he stopped living as he had lived since he was born, and that scared him, the change of habits formed so long ago. Realizing he was standing awkwardly in the doorway, he walked to a nearby knight, making sure to stand as tall as possible, back straight, and inquired where to apply to become a knight. The knight beckoned Alexander to follow him, leading him into a very old section of the building. He showed Alexander the door, and said he was to talk to the man inside to enter the knighthood. Alexander nodded to the knight as he walked away, having fulfilled his purpose. Alexander tried calming his rising heartbeat in his head "1 I'll be fine, 2 I'll be fine, 3 I'll be fine..." and so on and so forth until he was maintaining a calm, cool face. Once relaxed, Alexander knocked on the heavy wooden door, but the knock served no purpose. He walked in straight after knocking on the door, unable to contain himself. He noticed a man who had lost his sword hand, shuddering at the thought of that happening to him. Returning to the present, he stood up straight and tall, looking as proud as he could, gazing at the Knight without an arm, and said, "My name is Alexander Vasiliev ser, I wish to apply to become a mage-knight."

[Dusk]

Alexander Vasiliev The knight had been pouring himself a cup of tea, and was still standing by the sideboard when Alexander barged into the room. "COME... in," he finished, no longer needing to yell since he was already in. A bark of laughter ground its way out of his throat, and he went back to stirring the honey into his tea. "A warrior-mage, huh?" he said with a grin, waving the boy to have a seat in front of his desk before picking up the cup and circling the room to his own chair. "Well, we don't see many of those. Been, oh, at least two seasons I think since I saw the last one. Glad to have you though, and welcome. I'm Ser Erik," he said with another warm smile, which didn't do much to improve his looks, but it made him less intimidating. Even with all the garish wounds. "Well, Alexander, why don't you tell me a bit about why you've decided you want to join up with us. Do you practice magic now?"

[Marcus Braeden]

7th of Winter, 511 AV

Two years ago Marcus arrived in Syliras with the aspiration to become a Syliran Knight, coming from Ravok, a city of corruption and fear. Marcus wanted bigger and better things and just about as his dream was to come true, it was snatched from right under his nose, or so he thought. He was kidnapped in the wilderness, while wandering the Kabrin Road; lots of travelers disappeared never to be heard of again. It was simply the reality of the world that they lived in, that it was dangerous. But Marcus got away, and returned to life as usual, but his mind was clouded by his experience. Revenge was the only thought that occurred to him for nearly a year. He no longer cared to become a knight. All that changed when he engaged in a sparring match with a young squire, a 16 year old boy by the name of Sighard. Something happened within Marcus during the fight that brought his head out of the clouds.

Now here we was, standing in one of the halls that the knights occupied just as he had intended to years before. His mentality had gone full circle, and this time, he felt mature. He still had his dreams, but they were accompanied by a more realistic view of the world.

Soon the man that Marcus was to meet appeared before him. A rush came over him, followed by nervousness which resided deep within his gut. Time seemed to slow down as Ser Erik approached. It felt like hours before Marcus spoke up.

"Hello Ser," his voice cracked slightly showing his nervousness. But he was determined, he locked eyes with the knight and continued "I wish to become a Syliran Knight."

[Chevalier]

The Sergeant and that man looked at one another for a long moment, and in the back of Marcus's head it would feel like this weathered, leather skinned man was learning everything about him with just a glance. Leaning back slightly in his seat Sergeant Rainstrom placed his one good arm across his desk, adjusting his position until he was comfortable. Just by seeing this man one could easily tell that the life of a Knight wasn't simply walking the city streets of Syliras, safe and sound within the stone walls that protected it's people. "Well, why don't you have a seat first and tell me your name. I am Sergeant Erik Rainstrom, 6th Wing, Gray Company, 5th Regiment, Silver Quadron."

After Marcus gave whatever introduction he could manage the Sergeant went on to continue, "In Syliras the Knights are the backbone of safety and security, but this means sacrifice." Those weren't just hollow words, as with pieces of his body missing from his person, Erik of all people understood the value of sacrifice for the cause of maintaining the peace inside of the province of Sylira. "Most come here with skills they've learned elsewhere, and by your hands I can tell you've worked with them, you don't have the smell of a hunter or a fisherman, though. Tell me then, what skills do you possess? This way I will have a better understanding of what we would need to impart upon you. A squire must know many things, including but not limited to how to ride, lead, follow, attack, defend, and must also be prepared to study and learn our history and the reason for our commitments. I've talked long enough though, now it is your turn." he gestured toward Marcus before laying his hand upon his lap, those eyes affixed upon the Human man as he awaited the answers.

[Harper]

21 of Winter, 511 AV Harper spent a large part of the morning staring at the supposed "Recruitment Office." She had been pondering joining the ranks of the Knights for many days now, and she was almost positive that it was what she wanted to do. Almost. She still had her doubts, of course. Was she right for the Knights? Would she fit in well with her ranks, and get along with other Knights and Squires? She also wondered if she was ready for the amount of training she had ahead of herself. There was much she needed to do and learn, things she wanted to learn. So finally, close to noon, she walked into the Recruitment Office wearily, nervous and fidgety. When she spotted the man sitting at the desk, she spoke: "Hello, Ser. I am Harper, and I wish to join the ranks of the Syliran Knights. So there stood Harper, doe-eyed and terrified, applying for a rank within the Knights. Something she thought she'd never do.

[Chevalier]

Harper

Ser Erik watched as the newest recruit walked into the recruitment office. This one was a slender bit of a thing, looked a bit sickly as well. He rolled his tongue about his mouth for a moment, an open palm gesturing to the bench near by, cushioned along it's length by a long red strip of padding. Finally he broke the tension by speaking, his tone and speech cordial enough, "Welcome Harper. I am Sergeant Erik Rainstrom, 6th Wing, Gray Company, 5th Regiment, Silver Quadron. You look nervous, even a bit unsure. That's fine, because now is the time to ask yourself that question and face that choice. Do you really want to become a Knight?"

Recently Ser Erik found himself dealing with an unusually large number of potential applicants, but this was not exasperating or tiresome, he looked forward to each new recruit the Knights obtained. Fresh blood to fill in the weary, tired, battered souls that made it to middle age. "There are plenty of reasons to join the Knights, of course. Sylira is the most prosperous province in all the world, if I do say so myself. The safest, the most bountiful, and the strongest both in it's economy and integrity. This is only made so by the men and women that uphold it's tenants and protect it's people. The largest, best trained, and most well equipped force since civilization sunk into the Suvan. Tell me a bit about yourself Harper. Did you grow up in Syliras? What skills do you have that might be useful in Knighthood? What sort of skills are you looking at developing should you join?"

[Harper]

Harper was a tad overwhelmed by the multitude of questions given to her by Ser Erik. She hadn't prepared any kind of formal speech before entering the Office, so she was at a tad loss for words. She struggled around in her head, trying to think of things to say. Did she really want to join the Knights? She thought she did, but wasn't completely sure. What skills did she have? Only some in the arcane arts; would those be of any use to the Knights? Harper wasn't sure at all. "Well, Ser," She started. "I am nervous, and unsure. This is a large step in my life, one I never thought I'd be taking. But I want to do something with my life, something good and worth-while, and I think this is the right step." She paused momentarily, taking a few seconds to collect her thoughts again. "I did not grow up here; I was raised in Zeltiva and I have been traveling for a few years, never quite finding a place to settle in. But I've taken a great liking to Syliras. "As for skills, I am proficient in Voiding, the arcane art of opening portals to the Void. And also .." Harper trailed off, looking at Ser Erik in the eyes. Should she tell him about her Leeching? Could that affect her entrance into the Knights? Harper was indecisive, but she decided that honesty was the best policy. "I am also skilled in Leeching. It isn't something I boast, nor do I use it on a day-to-day basis; only in dire situations. It has it's usefulness, but also it's disadvantages. It takes a rather large toll on my body, you see," Harper said as she motioned to herself. Ser Erik would see the effects first hand; exhausted look, pallor skin, constant cough ... Yes, he could see the poisoning of the Djed she leeched. "But what I lack in physical strength, I make up for in magical skill and cunning. I am smart, that I will say; no genius, but I can think clearly. I've been educated, and I am ready to learn even more to become the best Knight I possibly can. I am an open book, and I know there is much knowledge to be obtained. I know of the hard work ahead of me, if you'll have me in your ranks, but I am ready to work." Harper found herself panting slightly and her heart racing from the overly-long, passion-filled speech she had just given. She hadn't been this excited over something in a really long time, and quite frankly, she loved it. Something to be excited for! So she looked at Ser Erik, awaiting his reply, praying to the gods that he would allow her to join the ranks.

[Chevalier]

"Voiding and Leeching...?" the man asked, his one good hand rubbing the growth of his beard and mustache. Indeed Ser Erik knew of the disciplines, and he also knew just how dangerous they were if used without discipline and restraint. The Void itself was a place of great horrors, locked away by mages throughout the ages. A warehouse of the strangest and most dangerous creatures that could escape if given the opportunity. And then Leeching, the sacrifice of ones own body for the ability to process the Djed of others. "...yes, I know of them both. They are skills that not many practice, due to their potential in causing harm to the user. They can also be extremely potent tools if given the right nurturing, it's a great thing you've come to us as you have."

The Knight continued to listen on to the girl's speech, she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. She understood both her strengths, and her weaknesses, and that was a fair sight more than some brash youngsters that thought the world owed them everything. Reaching into a large basket at his left, the Knight thumbed through some paperwork with surprising dexterity, something gained after years of working with only one arm, "A Mage Knight then, hmm? Syliras does have some of the most power and competent mages, after all. I never touched the stuff myself, though. I would need to refer you to a man, a Mage Knight of ours whom can further evaluate your magical prowess and focus on what needs work the most. You've got some determination in your eyes, so I'll put in my recommendation for your acceptance. We'll have to find you an appropriate Patron to sponsor you as well. What other skills would you be interested in perfecting? It will help me sort out just who to put you under, assuming the Grandmaster gives his approval."

[Harper]

Harper listened carefully as the man spoke, trying to be as attentive as possible; she had to make a good impression. A Mage-Knight! Harper thought with excitement. She loved the idea of being called such a thing. "Refer me? Just tell me where to meet him and I shall go," Harper replied. "Other skills?" Harper asked in response to Ser Erik's question. She hadn't really thought about what else she needed to learn because she was so focused on perfecting the arts she already knew. "Well," She said. "I'd like to learn Glyphing. I've heard it can be an extremely useful branch of magic and I think it's very worth-while. I don't think it would hurt for me to learn some type of weapon, either, seeing as I shouldn't rely strictly on magic." Harper paused again, trying to think of what else she would be good at, something she could hone well and show that she was a good student. "I need to learn to properly ride a horse, also. I've hardly ridden the beasts in the past, and I think it's high-time I learned. Anything the Knights can teach me, whether it be magical in nature or mundane, I am willing to learn, Ser."