Meeting Hour: Old King Gilgamesh

Seated upon the throne within the City of Beginnings, Gilgamesh awaits a few Adventurers seeking to meet with him and ask him some questions.

OOC: For folk who have direct business with Gilgamesh only.

Gilgamesh
Alne - Main Square

But moments ago now, Wisteria was permitted beyond the massive doors that grant access to the throne room in which she steps now. But moments ago now, she was given very clear instructions by Chancellor Kaaya, advisor to King Gigalmesh. The three rules;

- Do not speak unless spoken to, or the king is looking at you direection. It is imperative you do not interject when others are speaking.
- Do not attempt to give the King any gifts, unless he asks for them.
- Remains at least twenty steps away from the throne, and remain kneeled before him. Do not rise unless dismissed.

The loud ticking of the clock-like device in the waiting hall is silenced, as the absolutely massive doors are closed behind her, Kaaya stepping inside, but remaining near the doors. There are no notably guards at all. There is nobody here but Kaaya, Wisteria, and the King himself.

The man bears a presence not easily ignored. Parts of this is in the architecture of this very chamber. The massive place showing various open 'portal' like windows which are set at such angles that the sun, when up, always shines upon his position - illuminating the man and his throne, bearing his beautiful and radiant golden armor.

The bearded man watches her with intensity as she steps forward, until she arrives at that 'twenty meter distance', indicated by a rounding out of the floor's accents. From there, she can hear the accoustics hit her, as the man speaks; "Welcome, Adventurer. Speak your name and your allegiance, and let me know of your intent." The man declares, remaining on the seat, one hand to his chin, leaning a bit to his right.
Wisteria
Alne - Main Square

    Wisteria follows the instructions and takes her place as indicated. The tall albino girl is in her human form, but nothing hides the were fang tattoo on her neck however. She smiles at the king when she's given greeting and asked for her information. "Greetings great king Gilgamesh. I am know as Wisteria, a knight of Odyssia. I've come seeking knowledge of the world and of the great tower so that my order and the Alliance we have formed can better climb the tower in search of greater answers. And a way home."
Gilgamesh
Alne - Main Square

The man watches the Were Fang approach without the usual reactions other Landers have had to her presence. That cursed tattoo has most certainly been the cause of many reactions amongst those. "I am aware of the Knights of Odysseia 'guild'." He comments to her. "It is part of the 'Scale Emblem Alliance'." He points out calmly, letting her know rather quickly that this man is very much in tune with everything that is going on, beyond the usual awareness of a Lander.

"I however admit that I do not have the secrets you require to find your way home. However, I can aid you in climbing the tower, if you have the right questions, and the right payment to fund my answers." Gilgamesh points out to Wisteria.
Wisteria
Alne - Main Square

    Wisteria smile "I didn't really think you'd know the way home, as far as we can tell that answer lies at the top of Aincrad." she says and pushes her bangs back from her face to tuck behind her ear, only to fall free again a few moments later. "We've managed to clear the boss, or rather bosses of the first floor, Sickfang and Illfang the kobold giants." she licks her lips. "I offer you the proof of that acomplishment." she produces the First Challengers' coin from her inventory holding it up between finger and thumb. "I have questions about the nature of what is a Root town, what makes it such what grants that protection to it's citizens, Lander and Adventurer alike. And the Lander Bank, they are only found in Root Cities but why? Is it the Bank that makes a city or the city that allows a Bank or is it just custom?" she smiles "I have so many more questions, but this is what concerns me... we are restoring the city of Tolbana and already the refugees of Ezzo are coming to help us rebuild and take up residence." she licks her lips

    "I may wish to go home, but I want those who are helping us to be safe while we struggle, and I want to make the journey up the tower safer and easier for my fellow Knights." she closes her hand around the coin. "And I can't think of a better way that making Tolbana a Root City if we can, a place were everyone is safe from violence and where the bank can help us transport all the things a city needs, and all the things a great military campaign needs." Her head is held high and she holds her body the same way she would if she were addressing judges or the press when she was climbing the national ranks as a Kendoka.
Gilgamesh
Alne - Main Square

"Many answers lie at the top of that tower, Knight of Odyseia. I wonder if you will like what you find." The man answers her with this deep droning heaviness to his voice as she toys with her hair. He then touches a finger along the length of his cheek and considers her as she mentions the first floor. At that proof however, the man lowers his hand away from his head and sits up for a moment, squinting in order to see the coin from where he sits. The sun catches it, casting a shining glimmer throughout the throneroom.

"When I climbed the tower, so many years ago, there was no City of Tolbana. It also held fewer floors. But I struck through the first ten floors on my own powe. Sickfang and Illfang, the Kobold Giants... yes, I remember them. They were felled rather easily beneath my blade." He points out, touching the pommel of the blade - sheathed - leaning against his throne.

It seems he is more keen to reminisce than to immediately answer her. "But I can tell you this. Tolbana is not, and will never be, a Root City. For neither you nor I have the knowledge, or power, that the ancient Alvs once had." He points out. "The Root Cities were raised within a day, it almost seemed: so goes the tale. Massive cities that held scale, scope, and magic unlike anything the other races ever held."

He looks at that coin for a moment, considering her words. "That coin is worth far more than such an answer however." He then declares, making true on the tale of Gilgamesh being a /fair/ King. "The Alvs were all defeated long ago. But their cities still run. But the Banks, they came after. Much like the cities, they appeared born from Superior Magic, well beyond even the Advanced Class magics. The ones who run it now, no doubt know far more. The Imps enjoy their ancient secrets - to which us Monkeys were never given access."
Wisteria
Alne - Main Square

    Wisteria smiles "Truely you climbed ten floors on your own?" She chuckles "I suppose some of our strongest might have managed something like that with luck before the Black Wave." she chuckles "I wouldn't know for sure, I came here originally as a way to speak with a distant friend and did not concern myself with adventure and the tower. I jumped from Root City to Root City to explore and see the sights and spend time with her." she chuckles softly "She was late, probably school... but she was lucky she didn't get caught up in the Black Wave and so she is back home still, likely worried about me, and my parents too... they're probably worried sick." she wipes at her eye to keep from crying infront of a king.

    "But now I'm a Knight of Odyssia, and I explore dungeons, and lost places, and I find those things that are lost and I bring them forth. I force steel to hold my magics." she stands taller. "I'm a Knight of Odyssia now, and I will climb the tower, and I will find my way home." She licks her lips "So we'll find the history of the Alvs... and we'll talk to the Imps and get them to raise another Bank, or we'll find the magics they used." she seems to almost be psyching herself up.

    "I thank you for your answer, and your candor, King Gilgamesh." she smiles, somewhere between confidence, and the toothy feral grin of the Caerbannog "You say you fought Illfang and Sickfang... but that is not what we Adventurers remember... when we climbed the Tower before the Black Wave, it was just one great kobold guarding the floor not two... and many other things about the World do not match with our memories. Enchanting and other crafts work without menus and more powerfuly when done that way, and we have more freedom to speak and interact with you the Landers." she shakes her head "It's all terribly confusing for us... but you remember things as they ARE not as they WERE..." she gazes at the king her red eyes sometimes unsettling for people even before they see her beastmark. "You do don't you your Highness? You remember things as they are..." she chews her lower lip having some uncomforetable thoughts.
Gilgamesh
Alne - Main Square

Gilgamesh makes a thoughtful sound, raising his hand to stroke through his rounded beard while she speaks of the time before she came to This World. Considering her words, it isn't hard to tell that she was nothing but a commoner, before becoming a warrior here. A tale he's heard many times now.

He points out she is incorrect however: "The Imps did not raise the Banks. You will find that Alne has a bank, but it is not... the same as a bank in a Root Town. Still, you can probably make a contract to found a small constituent bank there." Gilgamesh points out, before adding onto that, that "~The Imps help manage the banks, so going to them is still a worthwhile endevour."

There's a long hum from Gilgamesh as she mentions that there had only been one Kobold when the Adventurers used to run it. "Most certainly, it would have been both in my time, and after that. The Tower would need to have been changed by an outside influence for it to have been any other way." He points out, before nodding his head.

"I remember things as they are, and how they could have been. Unlike some of the others who seek to rule this world, and try to remember the world as it once was to become."
Wisteria
Alne - Main Square

    Wisteria nods "We have been exploring the second floor... we take risks because we return from death." she says "We have found the master of the second floor. The Tauren, he sits on his throne. However we remember him armed differently, now he carries a scepter and not the weapon he did." she licks her lips "I do not wish to waste your time as you've already answered the question I've come with... however if you would be willing to tell me of what you remember of how he battles... as I expect your memory of him is far better than our own, and more accurate." she chews her lips "I am a Kendoka back home... I fight with a sword for sport, and I led my Angel in duels and he was more than just a puppet, no matter what people say about them... so I know conflict and duels and I know just how important foreknowledge of your opponent really is." she chuckles just this side of a girlish giggle and covers her mouth with her hand. "Sorry... I ... I just realized I'm talking to a king like I would my sensei. Expecting ... I don't know what, a pep talk... details on my next match... someone who knows the rules and expectations better than I do and can push me to my best so that I can again climb to the top." she shakes her head "Sorry your Majesty... Thank you for your answers." she says giving a deep bow.
Gilgamesh
Alne - Main Square

"Hrrrm, yes, your Resurrection ability is most useful - you can just charge at the problem without worry of consequences." The King answers her as she speaks on the matter, before he kind of just seems to blank at her mentioning 'angelis in duels' and puppets. Raising his brow a little as she carries on.

"I am not your 'Sensei'. But I can forward you of once thing. The Tauren has access to Advanced Magic - and does not only use it to create temporary aid to ward off assailants. If you do not clear away their aid in time, they will no doubt use their Advanced Magic to annihilate their chamber." He explains to Wisteria. "Beware of the Purple Eyes."

The man then leans back in his throne, laying both hands to the arms of his throne, and motions his hand to the coin. "You will leave the Coin with my Advisor."
Wisteria
Alne - Main Square

    Wisteria nods and bows again "Thank you, that will no doubt save many of my Order the pain of death, even if we do not stay there it is from all descriptions unplesant." she gives another of her half feral grins, not quite cocky and perhaps practiced to intimidate opponents in her fighting. She bows deeply again, as she would to any judge at a match. She grips the coin and nods "If it saves even one of us from respawn it is well worth the cost." she says looking to the advisor to make sure she's been properly dismissed she doesn't want to do anything wrong after all. If she's given the go ahead she'll leave as she came, giving the coin to the advisor as instructed.
Gilgamesh
Alne - Main Square

The King nods to her. "You are dismissed." He remarks, before looking to his Advisor for a moment. There seems to be something going unsaid between the two of them, before he looks upon Wisteria again. "Return to my castle tomorrow. And my Advisor will hand you papers to contract with the Imps and the normal Banks." He tells her. "There is little I can do to touch the ones behind the Root Banks, but the Imps will heed my requests."
Wisteria
Alne - Main Square

    Wisteria bows deeply "I will do so your Majesty." she says "I can't thank you enough this will greatly assist our climb." she says before turning to the Advisor and holding out her hand with the coin as she walks to them. She seems genuinly to apreciate the information and help more than the mark of glory she's trading away for it.