Imperia Voralius's page

Just busy lately. Working two jobs at the moment so my schedule is just a little slice of hell.

"If I am to understand correctly, only lumber of a certain grade must be brought in through your import offices. I assure you that the trade office is aware of the laws. If it will put your mind at ease, I will remind my commissioners to check the quality of and lumber coming through the docks," Imperia offers forward, quite happy that she has some level of deniability in terms of her knowledge of wood quality. "And I could hardly refuse a gift in the form of a symbol of our mutual cooperation."

Guess she'd have something to hang over the one safe now.

Imperia tilts her head to the side, considering all the possibilities. "You can do all that? Lock, for sure. Maybe trapped, but nothing too elaborate... last thing I need is to spring it on myself. A safe on the wall sounds good. Something I can hang a painting over perhaps. If anyone finds one poorly hidden safe, maybe they won't go looking for another." While speaking of this she keeps her tone low, not exactly wanting to advertise the planned safes to the world.

After crossing some Ts and dotting some Is with the contractor, the older gentleman approaches. She returns his formal introductions with one of her own.

"Imperia Voralius, and I suppose you know who I represent. I could spare a moment if you don't mind a severe lack of office space to host a meeting..." Imperia trails off, glancing around for somewhere she could potentially start taking meetings. Preferably something with some privacy, or at least a little quieter than where they currently were.

Imperia ponders the point for a moment before responding. "Well, I'd like my office to be a bit larger, of course, and on a corner if it's manageable. More windows. But... if you could also build a two by two by one compartment under the floor in that same office, I'd appreciate it. Er, a rather discrete compartment, I should clarify."

Imperia just nods along politely as he updates her, and when he winds down she gives him a pat on the shoulder. "I can see we've found the right man to head up the job. Things seem to be moving along. Do we have an expected finish date yet?"

"I'll make a mental note of that," Imperia said back behind her as she departed to go about her business.

She tells the captains and businessmen who were pestering her about meetings and the like to come by later once she'd had a moment to set up. She had a hunch she was going to need to pick up an appointment book for this job. If she was lucky, maybe she'd find some office supplies laying about.

The building that seemed to be the major hub of the temporary offices left something to be desired. Imperia would have to do something to keep that smell at bay if she planned on working in here. But her thoughts of bringing in flowers was disrupted when she was jostled by a large orc. It takes some effort to stay on her feet, but she manages, even if it was quite ungraceful.

"No, no. My fault for lingering in the door. Imperia Voralius. The pleasure is all mine, Master Anerso. I don't suppose you have a moment to update me on the progress of the new office? I'm trying to catch up and get my bearings around here."

Great. Someone was feeling sassy today. She looked about for the largest makeshift building and head towards it. If nothing else, she should orient herself to the temporary workplace and perhaps introduce herself around. She'd hardly met a soul besides Streve since starting here on the docks.

Oh, and please spread the word that I'd like the commissioners to check in with me at some point today," she added before she parted ways with the unhelpful clerk. "And the clerks. And could I get your name?"

Imperia looks about and vaguely wonders what exactly it was Streve did in his time here. It mostly seemed to be... well... not a lot. But, as the Minister said, the job was what you made of it. She would accomplish much more.

The confidence that she felt earlier wavered under the unfamiliar circumstances, but she made up for it by sticking her nose a little in the air. Not exactly a perfect fix, but hopefully she was still managing to come off as the confident, respectable boss she was hoping to be.

She approaches one of the nearest clerks and takes a quick look at what they were in the process of doing, if anything. "Good morning. I'm Imperia Voralius. I'm taking over Streve's position. Could you please show me where I can set up? And perhaps point out the head contractors working on the new offices?"

Imperia purses her lips, holding back an exasperated sigh at the continued prejudices. Not to mention the fact that their entire country is rife with political corruption and bribes. She settled for pulling her long hair forward and giving it a habitual tug rather than voicing any of this. Ugh, it was a soggy, tangled mess thanks to this dreary weather...

"Rigid adherence to lawful behaviour is beaten into the children across the border at young age, Captain," she assured him, hoping she wouldn't have to explain what border she meant. "You will be the first to hear should I see anything amiss."

With his nod of dismissal, she gets back to her new commute to her new job. It was exciting and nerve wracking, but she kept her chin up. Even if she was unsure of herself, she was going to feign confidence. A good boss never let underlings see weakness and demanded respect from day one.

Ziggip seemed to pick up on this vibe from Imperia and puffed himself up proudly on her shoulder.

It was hard to tell the time in this light, but she was sure she'd woken and left plenty early. Probably a good thing as she was going to have to figure out her new route.

:D NEW JOB! Woo! She has the power!

Imperia spends the better part of the evening nagging and nattering at the problematic imp who only agreed to keep his mouth shut around houseguests after a three hour hunger strike. Apparently that's as long as the little guy could go before deciding he was near dying of starvation and caved to his mistress' demands.

The meal was better than anything Imperia would have managed, and she was grateful to her new neighbours. Perhaps she could pick some cookies up at the bakery to bring over in thanks. She wouldn't try to subject them to her own baking... that would just be cruel.

The rest of her night was fairly uneventful and mostly consisted of some minor housework and laying out her clothes for tomorrow. The prospect of returning to work was quite exciting, especially with a new promotion of all things! She could still hardly believe it. She fell asleep dreaming of the things she'd accomplish: cleaner docks, more forms and paperwork, and a take-a-number system in the office waiting room...

"No such thing as a lowly member of the guard," Imperia said firmly, clearly really believing it to be true.

It was a little disappointing that they weren't staying but she could hardly blame them. She was comparatively odd next to the average Andoran citizen with her crazy Chelish accent and rogue imp flapping about.

"Well, don't be strangers. It's a pleasure to have met you both!" she replied chipperly, trying to sound jovial despite their ambiguous parting comment. She heaved a sigh and slumped against the door as she shut it behind them. That really could have gone better, but at least she got dinner out of it.

"Ziggip!" she shouted across the house sternly. She was going to have to have a serious talk with that imp about his behavior around company... and use food to bribe him into agreement.

"Oh no. Cat's might actually be the bane of his existence and he avoids them like a mouse," Imperia explained, glad to have avoided a big messy clean up. "And he's too lazy to do much more than sing vulgar songs at inappropriate times."

A member of the Watch... well, at least there was some law enforcement nearby. If she ever went back home for the holidays she knew who she was going to ask to house sit.

"I take it you're a member of the Watch," she tossed out, hoping to distract the man's wife from the topic of imps. "Judging from your outfit I mean. I could be wrong, I am new around here. Did you want to come in or...?" Ziggip might have scared them off, but she felt like a horrible hostess just having everyone at the door.

"Yes, an Imp. Quite trademark for the graduates of the Acadamae. This ones a bit young yet..." Imepria explained as Ziggip blew a raspberry before flying off to undoubtedly cause some sort of havoc in her room.

The difference in reaction between the couple was notable, and Imperia wasn't sure what to make of it. Clearly the wife wasn't so fond of the idea so she'd have to tread carefully. For all she knew, the woman might faint upon hearing she was at the door of a Chelaxian.

"Oh, uhm, let me help you with that," Imperia jumped in, moving to grab the casserole before it found its way to her floor.

"Oh, uh, well yes I am!" Imperia says. Social calls felt a little foreign after all the drama. "I'm Imperia Voralius. Would you like to come in?"

Imperia gestures in towards her home, cringing when she catches a glimpse of Ziggip flying around in circles near the ceiling. That alone wasn't awful, but the crude song he'd heard at the docks was. It was like every other word was a curse or slur.

"Ziggip go to bed and stay there," she hissed at the imp.

She looked back to the Gargins, cheeks a bit rosy with embarrassment. "So sorry he get's a bit excitable."

Money deducted. How much more to add that writing desk and a chair to go with it?

It was simple furnishings sure, but they were her simple furnishings. Decorations could come later as she acquired them. People had a way of simply accumulating junk to put on shelves and what not.

She flopped onto her new bed and stared at the ceiling for a bit. It had been a long, long day and full of unexpected little twists and turns. She wasn't really sure what to expect when she went back to work. Was the office already rebuilt? Or at least started? What exactly was Streve's job anyways? Mostly he seemed to sweat, eat, and play chess if she recalled correctly. At least she wouldn't have to clean out that disgusting old office of hers now that it was burnt out.

Imperia's pretty well done for the day and will just putter around the house moving things left and right until she likes the balance of the rooms, unless you have some more surprises for her lined up.

How much has this put Imperia out?

Bedroom
Bed, bedding

Kitchen
Small table, two chairs, pair of pots, pan, kettle, dinnerware, drinkware, utensils

Common Area
Comfy chair, side/coffee table, coat rack

That should cover the basic bits needed to enjoy a home. If there's anything glaringly obvious I've missed, please feel free to mention it.

Imperia bobs and bows as she thanks the minister and takes her leave.

As she strolled the streets of Almas, she realized just how good it felt to be carrying a piece of paper that granted her a fair amount of power. Granted it was centred on the docks, but trade was an important role within any society. She walked a little taller and a little prouder than she had since her graduation. Best not to think on how long ago that was.

She peeked her head into a few shops, some with things far to gaudy for her tastes and others with things far out of her price range. What she needed was quality basics of simple make, and a handsome man to carry it all into her house.

We can do a quick gloss over.

That about wraps it up with Rubi. Seemed in appropriate to pester the Minister about the job and then hunt down the arcane guy and do the same. Rubi seemed like an easier source of info for Imperia! And it made me think OOCly that the trade job might be the more interesting route to RP through. Play up Imperia's inner demons that tell her she's better than everyone else and should be in charge :P

"While I am sorry for having bothered you while you were busy, I do like that we finally found a moment to catch a cup of tea together," Imperia said with a grin from behind the rim of her own cup. "Though I suppose I should run off and inform the Minister that I accept the offer sooner rather than later. She doesn't seem the sort to like to be kept waiting long."

Imperia finishes off the last bit of her tea and sweeps her hand over her lap to get rid of the crumbs left behind by imp's poor eating habits. She wraps up any niceties with Rubi before heading back to the Citadel to give her answer to the minister. Then maybe send a messenger to the fellow from arcane matters explaining the change in situation and she'd have to decline their offer.

Once that's all taken care of she wants to go furniture shopping to at least get some basic things. Probably fairly simple and practical rather than ornate.

Imperia is slightly taken back by the sharpness of Rubi, but she should have expected it what with the anti-Chelish sentiments that run rampant through the country. It still surprised her every time. She just could not understand why people didn't like her country just a little more. As far as she was concerned, it was close to the greatest place in the world to live. She just couldn't openly practice her religion there. Nethys was a rather unpredictable god with many faces, and Cheliax frowned on anything unpredictable. Those Hellknights were... A shiver ran down her spine. Spooky, Hellknights were spooky.

"I've gotten used to that sort of reaction by now, I should be apologizing for the comment. You'd think I'd have learned to hold my tongue on such matters by now," she said back, holding back a cringe as the offended Ziggip bit down on the finger Imperia had placed over his mouth to keep him from speaking. He'd probably just practice all the swear words he was so fond of spouting off like a parrot when given a chance.

"The trade job makes the most sense. And from what the Minister said, there might be more opportunities to shift around later. Besides, I am still involved with the tracking on magical items with the trade ministry. A bit of a silver lining," Imperia explained. "And I suppose I'll need to take stock of my personnel. My position will need to be filled, but I don't know if they do a midterm lottery for that."

Imperia gives a slow nod as she listens, the gears in her head turning slowly. She could accomplish something in that trade job. She wasn't sure what exactly, but she was inventive and resourceful. Something would come to mind. If nothing else Rubi would probably have some ideas. And she'd be the boss, which counted for a lot in her opinion.

"There's no part of Andoran government that isn't buried under six feet of dirt, is there? It's as dirty as Cheliax, just more chaotic," she said with a sigh, the question more rhetoric than anything else. "Sorry to have interrupted your speaking but I didn't know anyone else who could give me some insight."

"I wonder how compliant the other commissioners are," she pondered out loud. "Corruption seems like a very real problem around here."

She would be in a good spot to implement her outline of the fees she'd planned out over her break. All in all it could work out well for her, in theory at least.

"What sort of connections would I need to make to be successful? Anyone you figure I ought to cozy up to?"

Yes, the Trade path was the more sensible. Of course it was. Sure it would be sad to give up on something as alluring as a position with arcane matters but she had to think about it from all sides.

Imperia sighed, she'd thought much the same thing. It was altogether too convenient for her liking, this whole promotion and transfer business. She'd wondered if this wasn't some trick herself. Andoran politics were a mess as far as she was concerned.

"Maybe just to bring in some more Chelish art," Imperia said thoughtfully about the Minister asking for favors. "Do you know much of what this job would entail? The trade promotion, I mean?"

"Both have their merits. The one with the trade offices has the upside of putting me in charge of the commissioners on the docks, and of course a higher pay scale, while the other with arcane matters offers me a position that has potential to be much more fulfilling on a personal level. Two very different sets of perks that both seem appealing," Imperia went on to explain. "And no time to make the choice. The Minister of Trade wants my answer by this evening."

In her lap Ziggip was doing his best to inhale a scone in as few bites as he could manage. He was getting crumbs all over her skirts, but he'd likely eat those up when he was done with the scone itself.

"I suppose I'm too embedded in the issue to see a clear choice. Surely one is better than the other in the long run. Things are rarely equal. And you might be able to give me more information on what I'd be getting myself into either way to clarify the choices in front of me."

"No fire, but I can't seem to shake all the excitement that keeps coming my way," Imperia says with a sheepish grin. "How much do you know about the various ministries? I've got a promotion waiting for me in trade, and an offer with arcane matters."

A sharp nip on her finger from Ziggip remind her of the most pressing matter currently at hand.

"I don't suppose you'd want to sit down and discuss this over some tea? Know anywhere nearby?"

Imperia rushes in that direction, coming out of her state of invisibility well out of reach of the guards lest she take them by surprise while in range of a sword. She approaches one of them and starts to explain the situation with the fanatical man and his crowd.

"Preaching more than petitioning," she stated with a huff. "Trying to set the crowd to boiling. Already started throwing literal stones."

Once she's brought the situation to the attention of the Knights, Imperia turns her attention to Rubi. She listens to what the woman has to say while trying to catch her eye.

Imperia cringed and rubbed her head where the rock hit.

"Seriously? I get run out of my own country for spreading the religious word of a whimsical deity," she says, gesturing to her hair which was dyed in honor of Nethys. "And come to Andoran to get rocks thrown at my head despite my opposition to the lack of freedoms in Cheliax. Andoran has fallen far indeed when the citizens have abandoned the country's values. You've turned into... well, a pack of riffraff Hellknights!"

Rather than stand about and wait for more rocks, Imperia scolded them briefly then moved right into casting a spell. She'd have to go find a Knight to send over and break up the mob before things got worse.

Casting vanish and using a point from her arcane pool to max out the duration to 5 rounds, giving her a total of 30 seconds to book it out of there.
Defensive Casting DC17: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28

In a blink of an eye Imperia vanished from sight and was moving away from the crowd as fast as she could.

As Imperia saw it, she had a couple options here. She could pretend to hear nothing and keep walking, or she could attempt to pacify the crowd. Both had its risk of further offending the already riled up crowd but one seemed more responsible than the other.

She stopped and turned to the crowd, pulling her long black and white split hair over her shoulder and giving it a nervous tug before she started speaking.

"I did not come here, I fled here," she started, making eye contact with the various folks in the crowd, hoping to lull the mob mentality. "To avoid religious persecution. I was under the impression that in Andoran one could live free of the harsh prejudices of Cheliax. Have I come to the wrong place?"

She turned her attention to the speaker, looking him up and down, trying to gauge if he was as much of a mad man as his appearance suggested. Crazy conspiracy theorists rarely get an actual audience.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10

"Have I simply walked away from one lynch mob and into the embrace of another? This country doesn't fall when Chelaxians walk among you, it falls when Andorans begin persecuting others for the conditions of their birth! And, well now, that would make you just like the Chelish, wouldn't it?"

She raised her eyebrows expectantly like a mother waiting for an unruly child to make the right choice.

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (3) + 13 = 16

Imperia gave a bob of her head then scampered out the door once it was made clear she'd been sent off. She closed the door with a gentle click behind her.

Ziggip, who had known well enough to sit still and quiet for that meeting, peered up at her from behind her leg curiously. Imperia knew well and good what job he'd suggest over the other.

She took off back down the maze of halls at a swift pace, forcing Ziggip to hitch a ride on her shoulder to keep up. She had no idea if Rubi would be out pitching her opinions on the Field of Concord today, but it was probably her best bet to find her there. She left the Citadel and peered across the Field to see if the petitioners had started to gather.

A small bite from Ziggip caught her attention before she finished her visual sweep, a sharp reminder that he was a bottomless pit that needed feeding. She gave him a bop on the nose, but included the side streets in her look over the Field, keeping an eye out for both a tiny figure that looked like it could be Rubi, and a cafe where one could get some tea and a bit of cake.

"And I suppose you need an answer sooner rather than later," Imperia said more to herself than anything.

It was a lot to consider. She assumed the trade job would be the better choice financially and in terms of power,something she rather liked the sounds of. But the other position was in her field of study. Giving up a magical job was not something to be done lightly.

She wished Jorhan was here to help her navigate these political waters. Either choice she made would set her on a very different path. Ah, but Rubi may have some insight. Perhaps she'd have a seed of wisdom for Imperia.

"I'd like to take the day to think about it. I dislike making personal decisions without thinking them over first," she explained to the Minister."Would an answer by the end of the day be expedient enough?"

"If I may ask, and you'll probably understand why I ask, how does this position compare to oh... Let's say a low level job with the Ministry of Arcane Matters?"

Imperia shifted her weight nervously,she didn't know nearly enough about inter-ministry affairs. For all she knew she'd just offended every ministry in the building by being so open.

Imperia looked rather startled, her eyes widened and for a moment she just stood and stared. She'd have bet every penny to her name she was here to get in trouble, not receive a promotion.

"Well, I was not expecting such a generous offer," Imperia stated once she'd regained her composure. That was twice she'd been caught off guard today for similar reasons. Then, something hit her. "What about Streve? Where's he been put then?"

The words of the Councillor surfaced to the front of her mind. She'd be beside herself if others got pulled down in her own mess.

Imperia had expected to have to explain herself into such a fortified place, but she was waved through with no fuss from the guards. The paranoia tickling the back of her mind made her second guess anything and she watched to see if the guards were watching her, or seemed suspicious of her. She just couldn't kick the feeling like she was about to find herself knee deep in more trouble.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8
Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17

Imperia entered the Citadel, which had been quite impressive on the outside, and quite liked what she saw. There's something nice about more familiar architecture and the Chelish roots were obvious in the building. It was no small wonder they hadn't knocked the whole place down just to spite their old masters. Even Ziggip seemed more at ease here than he usually did anywhere else.

The fact that the place seemed to be a maze was offset by the helpful directions up to the correct office. It was as busy as could be, which was no surprise after her visit to the Trade offices in the People's Palace. Her destination was a nice office with a view, probably a perk that came with the Minister title.

Appraise: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (17) + 13 = 30

The artwork caught Imperia's eye more than anything else in the room. It was an interesting choice for someone in Andoran politics. Not that she could talk.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Trade Minister Isoldie," Imperia said, giving a low bow as she entered. "I find myself well, and I hope the same for you. The Citadel is... well impressive, to say the least. I appreciate the stone work. And your art." Imperia gave a nod towards the Chelaxian work on the walls. It was probably a bold statement, but surely she couldn't be prosecuted for liking things that reminded her of home. For all she knew, the Minister was Chelish, too.

Yeah, she will go there first to get that over and done with, then if there's time left in the day, attempt to go shopping.

Imperia's face had an absent grin across it, a remnant of the thoughts of a new job in her own field of study.

"Good to see you again," she said to the messenger boy, giving the top of his head a ruffling. "What have you got for me today... Oh."

It was probably just a summons to formally lift her suspension, if she had to guess, but it was still a rather intimidating summons. The Minister herself? No way she handled the trivial suspensions of the common commissioners like Imperia. And at the Citadel of the Supreme Elect... seemed like overkill. It gave Imperia a sinking feeling like perhaps she'd gotten herself into trouble again.

"Alright, well you tell them I'll be there, though I doubt they need a reply," she grumbled as she dug a silver piece out of her pocket. She handed the coin off to the boy then sent him on his way.

So, Imperia would like to pick up some stuff for the house. Sooner rather than later, if she could. Is there a place for furniture pricing? o.O

Imperia's mind was racing so fast she wouldn't have been surprised if smoke was coming out of her ears. A job with the Ministry of Arcane Matters was as close to a dream job as she could get. Working with the laws of magic was just... well, it could be heavenly. Of course, she'd been excited to uphold the law on the docks, too, and that hadn't gone well. At least she was better prepared for the dark underside of the law this time.

"I'd take this job in a heartbeat!" Imperia blurted out in excitement before she realized she'd opened her mouth. Her cheeks flushed red and she cleared her throat, taking a moment to compose herself.

"I mean to say, assuming that the perks and finer things are as enticing as you seem to make them..." Imperia was backpedaling and she knew it, Carell probably did too, but she didn't stop. " Then of course I would be a fool to turn away such a job. Assuming it is being formally offered to me."

Sorry for not posting yesterday! D:

"Well, if you've had tabs on me you know I've studied at the Acadamae and dedicated my life to magic since. I'd never overlook such an offer from your Ministry," Imperia explained, feeling rather bad she had no tea to offer. "But you of course know I need all the details first. What exactly would my job be? And what they pay would be? You seem rather keen to keep highlighting that particular aspect."

"Well I'd never considered it seeing as I was appointed my current position through lottery," Imperia said with a quirked eyebrow. She was suspicious of everything and everyone these days. "Is there a particular reason your Ministry has been keeping tabs on me?"

She gestured for the man to come in. If this wasn't some set up then she'd be a fool to be rude in the face of such opportunity. And on the chance this was some set up to get her away from her current office, then she could learn more by getting this man to talk.

"You'll have to forgive the lack of... well, most things. I've just moved in. But do please come in."

I thought it was pretty cool and a neat way to set Imperia down an interesting path.

What Imperia learned about Kronwaer was reassuring but also quite infuriating. It confirmed that he was every bit as rotten as she imagined, but that he was sly enough to get away with it for so very long. It'd take quite a bit of doing to corner that particular beast, but she was determined to ensure he got what he had coming. A weak man was not a man who should have a place of power.

A barren wall in a barren room snapped her out of her thinking and she tilted her head to the side trying to imagine what she could do with the place. But even those thoughts were swept under the rug (a metaphorical rug as she had still yet to purchase a rug) when she heard a knock on the door.

She moved to the window to take a peek at the caller and frowned. he was quite unfamiliar but that should hardly surprise her. She'd just moved in perhaps it was a neighbor coming to introduce themselves.

"Coming," she called as she scurried to the door. She opened it and flashed a big smile she hoped seemed welcoming. "Is there anything I can do for you, sir?"

Hell of a post! And honestly no one spends more time at the library than me since reading in there beat waiting outside for my train. I used to work as a library page at my high school and it was actually a lot of fun and oddly relaxing. I'd kill to get a library job now as an adult but the positions NEVER come up here in my city. It's ridiculous how long those old ladies keep those positions...

Imperia felt like she'd looked into a thousand homes up and down Almas before she narrowed it down to three very distinct houses. Each of them had their perks but in the end her pragmatic side won out and she selected the place that balanced her location needs. It was close enough to work without being in a dingy neighborhood.

With her housing situation dealt with and ample time to spare before her return to work, Imperia went about her research. Books were far easier to deal with than people but she did have to admit Mathis ended up being a great resource. Andoran law seemed overly complicated so it was nice to have a local to give her some perspective on the matter.

Next on her agenda was laying out her plans on how she was going to bring a little of home into her work life. Almas' trade seemed to be run on bribery of officials which wasn't an unfamiliar practice to Imperia. Cheliax did it better of course with a well known and organized system that was fully within the law. With how often she was offered a bribe, it didn't seem like it'd be an issue to start accepting them in accordance to the Chelaxian system. And if her experience was any indicator, it wouldn't take long before word got around to the captains which would make things simpler. And of course she'd never call it a bribe because that was classless and offensive even by Cheliax's standards. The captains would be paying a fine voluntarily and Imperia would simply be there to accept it.

The bit of Cheliax that never left Imperia was bubbling to the surface. She missed home dearly in these times of uncertainty.

I don't know if you have access to the Pathfinder Companion book Cheliax, Empire of Devils but on page 6 there's a side bar all about their bribery system. If you don't, I'm sure I can dig up an online resource for it.

To summarize it, bribes are not illegal in Cheliax at all. The ammount offered as a bribe is determined by the severity of the crime meaning the rich can get away with worse than the poor (which of course suits the Chelaxian social structure). Oddly enough the commoners feel this is an okay system (except the blasphemous radicals). Offering too little as a bribe is an insult, and offering too much is an even bigger insult. Calling it a bribe is a big no-no so the offender making the bribe usually asks what the 'fine' is and pays it on the spot, or uses some other subtle method of payment. A portion of the bribe is passed up to superiors.

"Glad to know I was of help... And that it was noticed," Imperia said with a slight grin.

Berhound was right in saying that some time off would do her some good. Rubi had said she may want to improve her relations of the docks and maybe some time spent there off duty would help with that. And she could peek around at houses, lay low from the eyes of politics... It all sounded rather perfect.

But that wasn't mean she was giving up. Oh no, these last couple days had lit quite a fire under her rear. Luckily that wasn't literal, her office was quite enough fire for one day. As she made her way back out of the charred remains of her office the gears in her head started turning.

Andoran was supposed to be about living free, but this wasn't living free. This was chaos! Criminals ran around unchecked, unchallenged, and unpredictable (the worst offence, in her opinion). At least Cheliax had a system. A system that had worked fairly well for a long time. Sure, there were elements of Cheliax that she'd come to despise but the fundamentals of law and order were at least there.

She gave her head a shake. A new order in Andoran was a tall order. For now, she'd settle for finding a place to live.

Other than house hunting she'd like to do some research on Andoran and Chelaxian laws (this is primarily fluff as I do some reading myself), as well as gather some information on the Councilor Kronwaer and any of his political allies. She's looking for other shady connections or indiscretions, or even just plain embarrassing things!

When (if?) she does get back to work, I'm thinking she's going to implement Cheliax's system for dealing with crime: bribery! Which, I realize she's rejected before but this is an organized bribery system. Much more her style. Organized crime is much less dangerous than these Andoran shenanigans in her opinion. I figure she could use to get a little more dramatic and a few threats, an office on fire, a job suspension, and some time off to reflect on it all seems like a decent enough catalyst.

Imperia frowned in slight confusion and eyed the man up curiously. It seemed... odd to her that her duties would be suspended when she'd done nothing wrong and had been nothing but cooperative. That said, Almas hadn't been at all what she expected and their laws, rules, and customs were just baffling from her point of view.

"Very well," she conceded. "Suppose that just leaves me with more time to house hunt. I'll forward any change of address through the proper channels."

She paused and looked about the ruins. "Has Streve ever come back about?"

"Well I'm certainly not saying I know what happened, I'm just recounting the unusual circumstances that I've experienced leading up to this moment. I'll leave the pondering and dot-connecting to you," Imperia explained. "The threats, notes, and timing are really all I have to offer up from my end. And I didn't want to leave anything out of course."

As he showed her the wax remains of a time delayed candle, her mind wandered back to Mathis' explanation of the art of arson. She felt like he'd have done a better job covering his tracks.

"Attacking me didn't seem like the plan I suppose... Maybe just an attempt to ruin the records in my office. I'm none to popular with some of the captains on the docks. Actually..." Imperia taps her finger on her cheek. "It seems to trivial in comparison to the other events in my life, but there are handful of captains I've had to write up and a couple who I've rejected bribes from."

Imperia then goes into an explanation about her troublesome dealings with a few of the ships on her docks, including the one earlier today. She's probably talking the poor man's ear right off, but she either doesn't care or doesn't realize she's doing it.

"Where would you like me to begin, Investigator Welles? It's a rather long story at this point," she said with a sigh. "It all started when I looked into a ship who was smuggling in someone from Cheliax at the wish of a Councilor. I've been finding notes and getting threats ever since."

Imperia looked about at her 'office' before continuing. "The Councilor came to see me here just yesterday. Told me to hand over the ledger despite the fact that he holds no claim to it and when I refused he, in short, told me I'd be sorry and he'd ruin the lives of the people around me. And mine of course. And here we stand. In the ashes of my office. I'll allow investigators to connect the dots. Oh, and uhm... What's it called.... the Black House? I was told they are the ones who get their hands dirty for the important folk around here. Oh and someone passed this note off to me. There've been other notes as well, if you figure any of it pertains to all this mess."

Imperia finished with a smile. While some people had an issue with those that upheld the law, Imperia adored them. She almost seemed to enjoy giving up every scrap of information she could. After all, the law-keepers were the backbone of civilized lands.

[ooc]Sorry for the midnight post >.<[/b]

It was a relief to not come back to chaos. It seemed things had really settled down as much as they could be considering the circumstances. The crowd was gone, probably thanks to the continued Eagle Knight presence. Of course the building itself still looked like chaos. Never mind the paperwork... Imagine the clean up.

She glanced over towards what she figured was her office and sighed when she recognized the man who was waving her over. It wasn't that she was upset to see the man, just upset to have to get into the mess. She carefully lifted her skirts and set about picking her way through the soot and ash.

"Master Berhound, if I recall?" she asked as she got closer. She quite near toppled over as she stepped over something or another that was burnt beyond recognition. "What brings you to my office?"

She offered him a sincere grin. From what she remembered about her night at the Succulent Eel , she quite liked this fellow. If nothing else he saved her from bad company.

"Glad to be working with you," Imperia said to Rubi. "And you as well, Mathis," she added.

Truly it would be nice to have more allies than just Jorhan around, especially with him leaving for his own constituency soon. She wasn't quite sure how she'd fit into Rubi's plans, but the woman seemed to have some faith in Imperia.

"I think I'll be alright. The Trade Office will be swarming with officials, I don't think I'll have much to worry about there," Imperia said as she prepared to leave.

"I irritated a local captain this morning by favouring a foreign ship at the docks. And annoyed a few more by rejecting bribes. But I'll try to work on my relations on the docks. Or at least talk some sense into anyone who tries to give me trouble."

Imperia thanks Rubi again for all her trouble before taking her leave of the safe house. Today had been a little more eventful than she had planned for, but at least some of it felt productive.

Assuming nothing stops her, she'll take the quickest route back to the fire and check back in.

Imperia cocks a concerned brow at Mathis. "Best keep those thoughts to yourself while they investigate the fire at the Trade Offices or you'll have every guard and knight on you in a moments notice," she said with a shake of her head.

Hearing Rubi's words, Imperia couldn't help but puff up a little when she started explaining how useful Imperia could be to them. None of it sounded out of line, and most of it were things she could support. Accountability in government was certainly a movement she could get behind, especially at this moment.

"I could see myself participating as such. Passing along appropriate information... I mean, wrong doing in government has been all I've seen before. Hardly an example to the citizens. If the people making the laws can't even manage to partially toe the line..." Imperia trailed off with a sigh. It was all very maddening from her perspective.

"I'll do it."

Imperia relaxed when Rubi assured her that her organization was not one of criminal intent. She listens thoughtfully as Rubi goes into more detail about what they do, nodding along while considering what her own role could be in such an undertaking.

"So... Where do I fit into all of this?" she asked. "I have no influence or resources. And as it turns out I just seem to rally up trouble everywhere I go. And get buildings set on fire to boot."

Imperia gives a grin at Mathis' enthusiasm. She came off much the same way when she was fresh out of school, she was almost sure of it.

"Well, good to know I'm not likely to get burned out of my own home. I hope, anyways. Perhaps I'll actually get some sleep tonight!" She wasn't likely to sleep to easy, but maybe enough to get by without being a zombie the next morning.

She listened carefully to Rubi's quick pitch of her organization and Imperia's initial thoughts were likely easy to read on her face. Her brows furrowed and she seemed to sink in on herself. Radicals? Sounded... illegal. And risky.

"I can't say either way without more information," she said cautiously. She owed Rubi, that was certain, but she wasn't willing to throw herself into anything without all the facts. "What sorts of, uh, things does your organization actually do?" She chose her words carefully, trying not to sound ungrateful or suspicious.

Imperia cringes at the use of her full name. It reminded her of the way her mother spoke to her when she was in trouble as a young girl. She hadn't intended to put Rubi out, but she was certainly grateful. She had a hunch she'd be working off this debt for the rest of her life.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to put you out. Any of you out," she added, nodding towards Mathis. "I think I may have gotten in well over my head. Apparently sticking to one's convictions isn't well received around here."

She looked about the room they were in curiously, wondering what made a safe house so safe. Maybe she could pick up a few pointers for her own apartments while she was here.

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Sorry for the late reply. Got busy! All fun stuff. Gotta love Fridays.

Imperia gave a snort and eyed up the damage. "Least it wasn't Jorhan's house. Or any building I was actually in at the time. I'll just go check out and we can head over there."

She considered asking why Rubi needed a safe house, but figured that was a question better asked in private. Besides, Almas was a rough place and even Imperia wondered if she ought to have one.

Assuming no one protests her checking out with others or her leaving

Gesturing for Rubi to wait just a moment, Imperia headed back towards the ruined office and found the closest guard. "I need to clear my head a moment. I'll be back shortly," she explained. Last thing she needed anyone thinking was that she was trying to hide and it was better to keep people up to date on her doings.

"All set," she said, offering Rubi a hand up from the crates when she returned.