Things you see at Eas

Yeowang is, particularly recently, a habituee of Eas more than Shibuya or Seeker's Landing, where she used to stay. Back when things were going on there. But now things are going on in Eas, and here she is, close to the center of the maelstrom. Not the center, that's Wake, but she is an advisor, at least, and controls the pursestrings. She has bankrolled, or managed the bankrolling, of much of the progress here, and it is in that capacity she is usually employed.

But she's an adventurer first and foremost. Not really in her own mind, but by class and skillset. And she does the adventure thing in between wishing Jayu would spend some time with her. Right now, her training involves not being hit. This is a complicated training, because it involves people attempting to hit her while she goes about her everyday business. This is not typical for a work environment, but this is a game, and allowances have to be made. There's no helping it, you have to take a few punches, sometimes. But she's seeing to it that she takes as few as possible as she sits at a desk in a small pavillion and checks paperwork for the many projects running simultaneously.

Someone needing help and inspiration in training? That's an easy way to attract the attention of an Adventurer Muse... Okay so the cross-class titles don't really mean a lot, but some people like to play into the role when it suits what they want to do. Plus, you're in Eas. You're going to attract the attention of one of the more eccentric ones.

Not that most people would notice. For once, or at least for now, Kauchemar wasn't being a bombastic attention whore. Because there's surely been enough people like that, just barging in and trying to whallop Yeowang. Who, even if they don't partake of all of the Adventurer aspects intentionally, is still a skilled martial artist. A bumrush is only going to help in giving her plenty of forwarning to practice avoidance.

So instead the Nightmare Bard is being extra stoic and somber, drawing on her darker side to try and actually sneak up on Yeowang while she works...

Yeowang is, it seems, hard at work on some piece of paper or other, checking off things on a list on one page against things on three other lists on three other papers, because organizationally, large projects with many moving parts are complicated. There's not much that could make it simpler until we invent computers, and silicon doping is probably still a long way off, even with the technical advances we're made. So, she's working on paper, with a quill pen and the local ink, though maybe a woodworker will invent pencils, which are probably the bleeding edge of tech that's developable. She does not seem to note the huge figure sneaking up on her workspace.

Having a strong attunement with darkness and mysteriousness helps at times like this. Otherwise an amazonian equestrian probably would not be nearly as stealthy. But it works as it does, until Kauchemar gets right up behind Yeowang and jabs her fingertips at the woman's back in a mimicry of a stabbing motion. "Surprise!" The abrupt shout up close might be more startling than the actual 'attack', truth be told.

Yeowang jumps up in her chair in surprise, and of course with the pain dampener, it doesn't really hurt, but her surprise reaction is a very real punch to the face, which given Kauch's size, is more at shoulder height, and she pulls it at the last minute when she realizes that this is not some actual attack, but training. She failed this one, but she's been doing well so far. "Ah," she says, smiling as she catches her breath. "You got me there." She looks over the paperwork, sighs, asks, "So what have you been up to?"

Kauchemar leans back a bit as Yeowang reacts with a jump and readying a punch, as she was likely expecting that sort of response. Not that she couldn't take it, but she's not going to complain as Yeowang catches herself. A lazy smile curls across equine lips. "I thought maybe a more subtle approach would mix it up a bit from the people wanting to just run up and smack you. But with that reaction time, you're training is apparently going well. I may of gotcha successfully, but I probably would not of been able to dodge that counterstrike very easily."

With that over she draws her staff from her back, using it to lean on casually as she tends to. "Was over at the mine, putting the rock moles to work for a bit. The new section for the ore veins has been completely cleared and accessable now."

Yeowang nods slowly about the training. "I took my little brother's advice in character creation, but his ideas are a bit different than mine. The phrase 'The best defense is a good offense' probably sums his perspective best, at least as far as I've worked out. But yes, while I can do a stand-up fight well enough, I am subject to the sneaking thing and being taken by surprise much more than I was in real, life. It confuses me sometimes," she admits.

She hrms, but ohs about the mine. "I'm glad to hear that. Have you got any more projects lined up, or are you looking for work?"

Kauchemar shakes her head, glamrock mane swaying with the motion. "Other than the working on more techniques of my own not really. I've got an eye on things but not much needing my immeadiate input other than a helping hoof or summon here and there. And helping keep Wake informed." Still doing the Messenger thing, it's her fallback for when her more elaborate skills aren't required it seems. At least it's a job almost always in demand since Landers can't use chims and so-forth.

Yeowang probably makes use of Kauch and other messengers also in communicating with Landers. Her recently assumed status has garnered her more subordinates, but talking to people on projects several hours away is not as simple as a phonecall. Not here. "If you feel bored, feel free to help out with the building projects in the harbor and I think there is something going on in the mines also." She admits, "I am currently helping iron out a trade agreement with Westelande for Wake that will bring in more gold. That lets us do more at once, which is Wake's big effort. She would do everything at once if she could."

"Yes, yes she would... and fortunately has enough of use she doesn't need to." Kauchemar hmms. "Sweeping past the mines probably wouldn't hurt. Check in, make sure everything is going okay. Put some moles or slimes to work depending. Uta's cleaning slimes are good for tidying up after larger labor projects." And like her rock moles can be feed a lot of scrap refuse others don't want.

Yeowang nods about the cleaning slimes, and laughs. "I don't see Uta as much anymore, lately, IU'm sad to say. I think there has been a bit of malaise lately. It does seem a daunting task, but that's what life is like. When it throws you a challenge, you charge at it. When it throws you nothing, you go out and reach for what you want." The Alpha personality type, to be sure. "But yeah, I don't know that they need help mining, but the railway to bring things here from the mines is always looking for fresh lumber, and Wake is entirely committed to not using up resources, so any trees we cut have to get something planted behind them."

"Renewal. Not making the same mistakes the real world industry did." Kauchemar remains leaning on her staff, but rubs her chin thoughtfully with a hand while doing so. "I bet, if I could find the right kind of monster with the right attunement to nature, it would help with those replantings take hold... but not a Treant. They can be highly territorial... and spiteful. Wouldn't help with the later lumbering down the line if one gets too attached to the regrowth." She huffs through her nostrils and dismissively waves it off. "Something to investigate a bit more thoroughly. Rylen would maybe have some better ideas."

Yeowang nods about renewal, but says, "It's also much easier here than in the real world. Technology is limited. Magic does not seem to have limitations. But Eastal has so much heavily forested wilderness, we couldn't change it much if we tried. I had proposed using that as a renewable source, and we can plant behind our lumberjacks there as easily as here. But it seems like there's enough locally for our immediate needs." As to Rylen and Treants, she can only shrug. She knows about as much about either.

"Oh Magic has limitations. Just not in the same way... and as this world exists with magic as a key part, they're more buffers than stop gaps." Kauchemar flicks her hand in the air, making little whisps and glimmers of darkness ripple harmlessly about. "Range and energy requirements mainly. The latter mostly coming up when there's not one of the natural elements to pull from. Silence and Mana Drain statuses are still a bitch, too." Muting magic must really suck for a spellcaster that's also a bard. "Just idle musings." As Muses do. "Never know what might spark an idea with someone."

Yeowang listens about magic limitations. Clearly a thing she knows very little about. "I suppose I technically have some skill at magic," she admits. "As I say, by little brother, who games constantly, helped me build the character. He probably thought it would be useful. Or perhaps the game just leans into a more wuxia flavor? I don't understand it at all, myself, and the whole thing with elements I don't get, either. But it sounds like you're talking about different limitations than I am. I'm speaking of flexibility and versatility, not the degree of power you can apply."

Kauchemar aaahs. "It would seem so." She shrugs her shoulders. "Would not surprise me there's a leaning towards the Wuxai and Sentai styles. People like to look cool while they're kicking monster butt around."

Yeowang smirks about looking cool. "I think there's a considerable following for ordinary fighters," she claims confidently. "But perhaps not among gamers." She sounds quite sure of herself. "But thank you for talking for a while, I won't keep you from the things you need to do."