James

[center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/vincentavatar.jpg[/img] [/center] The rear of Vincent’s steamcar was filled with bags. He didn’t know how long he was going to be away, so he wanted to be prepared. His assistant, Audrey, was travelling with him. Audrey had been to New Czenoble many times on various assignments for Vincent and now he was glad he’d sent her. She assured him that everything would be fine. As the car pulled away from Vincent’s building, he reclined in the rear seat as Audrey leafed through paperwork. Vincent had a new driver assigned to him from the Guard, which still felt awkward. It wouldn’t be long before dusk arrived. The sun was starting to fall over the horizon and High Czenoble’s field of towers were bathed in a golden glow. It was a beautiful city, Vincent thought, but there were many dark secrets hidden underneath the sparkling skyline. ‘Do you think we are going to uncover anything?’ asked Audrey, breaking the silence. Vincent shrugged. ‘At this point, nothing is certain. I think Gaul has made a lot of assumptions about the Underdogs. I don’t know how much of it is really true.’ ‘I see,’ muttered Audrey. ‘Tell me,’ said Vincent, ‘what is New Czenoble like? I’ve heard the stories but I don’t really know. I’ve never been there and neither has Gaul.’ ‘You really want to know?’ Vincent raised an eyebrow. ‘Of course. Why?’ Audrey put her papers down. ‘It’s just that…the likes of Gaul Rosier would never visit New Czenoble. So many people in this city have never ventured outside its walls. At least you know something of the outside world, being a fellow Anovan.’ ‘Very true,’ Vincent nodded. ‘I’m sure that many of the stereotypes have an element of truth,’ Audrey continued, ‘but in reality New Czenoble is not what they say. It’s dirtier than High Czenoble and it’s not nearly as organized…but you know, it can actually be a pretty fun place. Most people who live there have ways of making their own fun, despite the poverty. And not [i]everyone[/i] there is poor – New Czenoble has plenty of middle-class citizens. It’s just that none of them really become major company owners or anything like that. Most work in middle management for companies owned by those who live in High Czenoble. After all, the owners here still need local managers there.’ ‘Interesting,’ said Vincent. ‘So there’s more to New Czenoble than slums, eh?’ Audrey nodded. ‘Oh yes, very much so. New Czenoble has a growing middle-class…I think that’s one of the reasons certain people in High Czenoble are afraid of it. These people are not like the typical poor. They are more educated and aware; they travel outside the city.’ ‘So do you think the Dynasts have an interest in casing New Czenoble as nothing but a slum?’ ‘I think so,’ said Audrey. ‘I suppose it makes it easier for the aristocracy in High Czenoble to treat New Czenoble as they do. It also probably creates some kind of fear; people think the only way to retain their quality of life is for the Dynasts to use their power to contain New Czenoble.’ ‘I think you’re right,’ said Vincent. ‘Gaul Rosier doesn’t even seem to care about the growing unrest in New Czenoble. To him it means nothing. I think he assumes that they could never have an organized rebellion.’ Audrey paused. ‘If he genuinely thinks that, he’s dead wrong.’ The car fell silent once again. As it wound through the city streets, it finally neared the Aerodrome. From there, the steamcar would be loaded onto a commercial freighter airship and ferried south over the sheer cliffs of Mt. Grail to the southern base, where New Czenoble sat nestled against the rock. Both Vincent and Audrey sat on the upper deck of the freighter as its enormous steam engines rumbled to life beneath them. Within a few minutes, they were above New Czenoble’s tallest towers, looking down over the mountain to the forest beyond. New Czenoble was impossible to miss. From the air, its buildings made an odd spiral shape – a grey spiral with a black interior. It was slightly intimidating, thought Vincent. Several large towers stood at the center of the city. Vincent pointed to them. ‘What are they?’ he asked Audrey. ‘A few are office towers,’ she replied, ‘and you see the very tall thin one? That’s the Shot Tower. It’s used to make ammunition for muskets. And then, just near that, you can see the Black Pipe. It’s a big stack that comes from a major power station below – it powers both New and High Czenoble.’ Vincent also saw a town beyond New Czenoble. It lay on the opposite side of a forest. From the air, it was barely visible. ‘I didn’t know there was another city so close by,’ muttered Vincent. ‘Oh yes,’ said Audrey, pointing at the city. ‘That is Muldova. It’s smaller than New Czenoble, but it’s still a pretty sizable town. It lies beyond the Forest of Tranquility. The Dynasts have a presence there, but I’d say the Muldovans aren’t too concerned with the politics of Mt. Grail. They live pretty independently.’ ‘Interesting,’ said Vincent. ‘I must visit it sometime. They must live a peaceful life, away from the big cities.’ ‘Possibly,’ replied Audrey. ‘It’s one place I’ve never been. But I hear they make wonderful ale.’ Vincent eyed Audrey suspiciously. ‘Well in that case, we [i]must[/i] visit!’

[font=franklin gothic medium]To enjoy OB, I think you have to be prepared to make your own fun. The people who take that initiative tend to enjoy themselves.[/font]

[center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/vincentavatar.jpg[/img] [/center] Vincent sat behind his desk blankly. His office, which sat at the opposite end of the hall to Gaul Rosier's, was nondescript. He found it difficult to concentrate after the events of recent days. The silence was broken by Gaul's footsteps. He made a kind of hobbling sound and his sharp leather shoes click-clacked on the shiny wooden flooring. When he entered Vincent's office, he looked rather unconcerned - Vincent was half expecting Gaul to be furious over the security break down at the Circuit earlier in the day. Gaul casually sat down in the chair opposite Vincent's desk. 'So,' he murmured, 'I hear this morning was quite an event.' 'You could say that, Sir,' replied Vincent cautiously. 'It was supposed to be the most secure place in all of Czenovia - we had promised patrons that they were safer at the Circuit than anywhere else in the country. And yet, somehow, they got in...' Gaul snickered. 'And they achieved nothing.' 'Achieved nothing?' balked Vincent. 'I wouldn't quite say that. They caused a great deal of trouble.' Gaul looked over his glasses at Vincent. 'Really? My reports tell me that one jockey fell off her Chimaera due to an accident. And one of your cousin's Chimaera crash-landed into a stall - but this had nothing to do with the Und--' Gaul shuddered. 'I mean, it had nothing to do with criminals. It's part of the normal ebb and flow of the Cup.' Vincent didn't know what to say. He was amazed at Gaul's calm demeanor. 'Someone went missing,' said Vincent. He did not want to name Gadget, for fear of bringing him to Gaul's attention. Gaul raised an eyebrow. 'Missing? Hmph,' he shifted in his seat awkwardly. 'The list of the missing seems to be growing. I think it is time we elevate our response.' 'We have imposed a curfew in New Czenoble and we've amassed Guard forces in High Czenoble,' said Vincent. 'What more can we do?' 'Numbers alone are not what we need,' said Gaul casually. 'We need to know the causes of this movement. We need to seek out its leaders and bring them to justice; preferably in a public forum, for all to see.' 'So you want to catch the Starks?' Gaul shuddered again. Their infamous names seemed to make him uncomfortable. 'The Starks, yes,' he said quickly. 'But also, the movement's other leaders. Do you really think such a large movement could be controlled by only two people? Ridiculous! It must take a broad network of co-conspirators to even attempt to challenge the Guard's authority.' Vincent quietly doubted this. It was entirely possible for the Underdogs to be a small movement, especially as they were underground. The Guard had great numbers and strength, but they were a force intended for general public obedience and, on occasion, for fighting wars. Fighting a subversive internal group was not their specialty. More importantly, the Guard had so far achieved nothing in Vincent's eyes. Nobody had been "brought to justice" and the curfews had not made anyone safer - all they had done was anger the New Czenobles. It was not a good policy but from the relative tranquility of the Guard HQ, it didn't matter. Vincent also couldn't help but consider the pressing feeling that many Guard members were not even particularly interested in the current situation. It seemed to Vincent that fewer and fewer officers respected the word of Gaul Rosier. He was now a less imposing figure. In fact, he was increasingly coming across as a man desperate to maintain control, when that control was so obviously slipping from his grasp. 'So,' said Vincent finally, 'what do you want me to do? Sitting here will not accomplish anything.' Gaul nodded enthusiastically. 'Yes, well, I think it's time to move things to the next level. I'm sending you to New Czenoble. I no longer believe that our local officers there are capable of doing what's needed - none of them have the right investigative skills. I want you and your assistant to go and find out what you can. You'll need to report back to me regularly.' Vincent knew this day would come. It was not entirely unwelcome, though; he needed to get out of High Czenoble. He needed to get back into his work. At the very least, it would distract him from pressing personal matters. At the very most, he might find Gadget. Vincent stood up and shook Gaul's hand. 'I will have Audrey prepare everything for our journey and we will leave today.'

[quote name='femme fatale'][color=black][size=1]First off, what the hell were Ganondorf & Link doing for the first 20 seconds of that video? Dancing xD [/color][/size][/QUOTE] [font=franklin gothic medium]Oh yeah, that was so weird... [spoiler]I used to do that when someone would walk in and watch me play any of the Mario games, sometimes... :blush:[/spoiler] I personally thought Luigi's was nuts (not necessarily in a good way - he really [i]did[/i] look like he'd had one too many mushrooms). I think my favourite was Snake's. It was just way too cool. And I was disappointed that there were two Landmasters. One should definitely have been an Arwing. But yeah, there were a ton of great ones. Links' (i.e. both of them) were awesome. Oddly enough I never bought Melee (only rented it). I did own the original SSB and really loved it. Funnily enough I'm actually really looking forward to Brawl, even though I never really got into Melee as much as others did.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I think the main reason that I tend to prefer PM is because we have a lot of navel-gazing-type discussions in this particular forum. And I guess that's fine up to a certain point. But my main concern is to fix potential problems, rather than to just discuss them. If I receive a PM with examples of problems or issues, I'm very likely to nip them in the bud. I recently did this in a fairly obvious way in the Backstage area. And that involved a staff member. I don't want to continually bring it up, but it's an important point because it demonstrates that I do my job regardless who is involved - I'm more than happy to pull staff members up if they're causing an issue. Also just to agree with what Shy said earlier - I do believe that debates/discussions can be heated without us needing to stop them or pull them up. As long as there are no personal insults involved, a debate should be able to get a little fiery. If it ever crosses that personal line it should be looked at by a Mod, but generally, people need to be responsible for what they say - I have no problems with this.[/font]

[quote name='Shy'][size=1]That's fine by me. If someone can come up with an image I'll put it up. James, do you have any plans for Hugo Black? Perhaps this could give Henry something to do, seeking out revenge for the 'accident.' As for the day, I actually forgot that Malkav has an important post that he is still working to finish. He should have it up over the weekend, so until then I'm just going to shift things to the evening. I know Rach had some things he wanted to play around with, so maybe this will give him a chance to do so. -Shy[/size][/QUOTE] [font=franklin gothic medium]Cool, evening is okay with me (anything post-races is good). I have no particular plans for Hugo Black. At some stage I would like the chance to incorporate him a little bit here and there - to go into his character and stuff. He's sort of another NPC I'm thinking about using later on in the story. But certainly, for the immediate future, I have no plans for him. Edit: I've moved everything to late afternoon in my post. Vincent will leave for New Czenoble in the evening.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I think this just proves that it can be really difficult to interpet stuff the way it's intended on the Internet. I've deliberately stayed out of the evolution thread (partly because we've had a billion of them so far), so I haven't been aware of any of this until now. I know sometimes I might say something that gets taken the wrong way, or I'll read something someone else has said and I'll misinterpret it. It happens. I don't see a general trend on the site where people can't debate with Moderators, though. Unfortunately for Moderators it's difficult because they are charged with having to keep a discussion above board while still also being a participant. Striking that balance can be tough for anyone. If members have a disagreement with a Moderator though, it should generally be handled via PM. This forum is really used for either suggestions or site-wide issues (like a problem with a particular rule or something along those lines). Of course, if something can't be resolved, you can always speak to myself, Dagger or Desbreko and have it resolved. :catgirl: [/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I'm more than happy for the story to move to the following day, if anyone wants to do that.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I just wanted to comment that I'd planned for one of Gustave's Chimaera to win the Cup (at least, the air Cup - maybe not the ground version). Someone else can mention this if they like, so that I'm not holding things up. I figured that this would infuriate Hugo Black even more and could potentially cause him to want to get some sort of revenge. He has already visciously dispatched one of Gustave's three entrants. And of course, a win would also infuriate the Dynasts, which would no doubt make things more difficult.[/font]

[center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/maceyellen-chronicle.jpg[/img][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/gustave-avatar.gif[/img] [img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/victoriaann-chronicle.jpg[/img][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/catherinesaraavatar.jpg[/img][/center] The entire crowd gasped and stood up. Excited yelps and whispers ran among the audience as clouds of thick dust covered Morphia and her Chimaera. Several medical staff were running onto the field, but it would take them some time to reach Morphia. The racetrack was plunged into chaos, as several Chimaera slammed into one another, throwing their riders off. Macey covered her face and looked away from the track. 'I don't understand!' she cried. 'What is going on?!' Gustave put his hand on her shoulder. 'Don't worry, my lady. I'm sure the medical staff will reach them soon enough. Surely they--' The entire crowd cried out at once. Victoria Ann was standing in front of her mother, pointing towards the sky. 'Mister Achard! Isn't that one of yours?!' Gustave looked up. A giant winged Chimaera was barreling out of the sky, towards the Achard Marquee. 'Everybody, get down!' cried Gustave. A wave of people crashed to the floor immediately, many too startled to have any idea what was taking place. The injured Chimaera rocketed towards the Marquee at a brilliant speed. It screeched in pain as it clipped the Marquee's roof, causing a deafening [i]crack[/i]. Several people stood up and dusted themselves off. Catherine adjusted her hat and looked around worriedly. 'Where did it go? Did anyone see what happened to it?' Gustave knew who the culprit was. He looked up at the sky track. 'Black!!' he shouted. [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/vincentavatar.jpg[/img][/center] Vincent scrambled to his feet. Several Guard officers had entered the Marquee - Connel was among them. 'Sir!' they cried, saluting Vincent as soon as they saw him. Vincent dusted off his coat. 'You [i]certainly[/i] took your time!' Connel's look was one of barely-hidden disdain. 'Securing this event is a major task, Sir, we--' 'Don't give me excuses!' yelled Vincent as he pointed a finger in Connel's face. 'I'm tired of hearing why things [i]can't[/i] be done! I want you to secure the perimeter immediately. If there are any undesirables here, I don't want them to get out without being handcuffed. Do you understand?' Connel nodded reluctantly. 'Of course, Sir.' And with that, he led his squad out of the Marquee. Vincent suddenly realized he had lost Gadget. Vincent looked everywhere within the Marquee but could not find him. On top of everything, he now couldn't help but wonder if Gadget had fallen prey to the Underdogs - surely, he thought, this chaos was their doing.

[center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/maceyellen-chronicle.jpg[/img][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/gustave-avatar.gif[/img][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/victoriaann-chronicle.jpg[/img][/center] Macey Ellen positioned herself on the golden Griffon's leather saddle. She held Victoria Ann tightly. 'Careful, now. We don't want to give your mother a heart attack.' Victoria Ann put the reigns down. 'Mister Achard,' she said timidly, 'how do I get off?' Gustave winked. 'Oh, well, there's a trick to it. Just put your hand on the lower part of Lucy's neck - yes, that's it - and click your tongue.' Victoria Ann's face distorted as she tried to do her best Griffon click. Sure enough, though, Lucy had understood her - she carefully lay down on the ground and lowered her wings. 'Ah, you're an natural!' exclaimed Gustave. 'And look, she put her wing out for you.' Victoria Ann grinned. 'I won't hurt her, will I?' Gustave shook his head. 'Oh, no, definitely not. You can walk down her wing, she doesn't mind.' Victoria Ann stood up shakily and stumbled down Lucy's wing until her feet were planted firmly on the floor. 'Whew!' she wiped her brow. 'I did it!' Gustave and Macey clapped. 'Excellent,' said Macey, 'looks like you'll be a famous jockey in no time.' Victoria Ann giggled. She approached Lucy and stroked her neck (to which Lucy responded by cooing quietly and closing her eyes). 'Mister Achard, do you really think I'd be able to ride a Chimaera properly one day?' Gustave nodded confidently. 'Of course. Very few people have the gift you have - you were able to command Lucy without any trouble on your first time. That's very rare. She must like you! Some people never become proper riders, even after years of practice.' Gustave ruffled Lucy's feathers. 'I believe that your Chimaera has to like you before you can become a good rider. And clearly Lucy thinks she's found a new best friend.' Victoria Ann laughed and courtesied. 'Thank you so much for letting me sit on her, Mister Achard. I'm looking forward to bringing her home!' Gustave nodded. 'My pleasure. You should go and take your seat now, though; the races are going to be starting shortly! All three of my Chimaera are participating in the first race - so I have a lot riding on this one!' Victoria Ann nodded eagerly and trotted back to her mother. 'Three in the first race? Overkill, no?' Gustave turned and saw Macey scratching Lucy's chin. He raised an eyebrow. 'Even with three, my jockeys are going to be fighting an uphill battle to beat the Dynast entrants this year.' Macey nodded. 'I feel for your jockeys. Hugo Black is in the next race. He doesn't much like foreigners.' Gustave rubbed his chin. 'I didn't know Black was racing tonight. Looks like the Dynasts brought him forward specifically to beat Anova. What a nerve!' 'You don't seem very worried,' said Macey casually. Gustave simply shrugged. 'I am worried about my jockeys' health, of course. But we have a few surprises of our own this year. A little sprinkling of good Magitechnology ought to help defend against Black.' Gustave chuckled to himself. It made Macey smile; he had a devious laugh. 'Well,' said Macey, 'I know very little about these races. I've never been very interested.' She glanced at Gustave out of the corner of her eye. Gustave approached her and held out a gloved hand. 'Why don't you sit with me tonight, m'lady? I can explain the race as it progresses.' Not one to reject a gracious offer, Macey gave a faint smile and held out her hand. Gustave took it and let her out to the Marquee's balcony, where the other Almagests were sitting. From their vantage point, they could see all of the other Marquees, which sat in a semi-circular row around one end of the Circuit. The Dynast Marquee was on their left. There was another one their right; it was full of people Macey did not recognize. One man was sitting at the center and was surrounded by what looked like several subordinates. He was draped in gold and silk. 'Do you know who they are?' she asked, subtly gesturing to the strangers. Gustave grinned. 'Oh, yes, I know who they are. They are from the far west - a strange country well beyond the ocean. They're from Al Ahmar.' 'Al Ahmar? I've never heard of it,' said Macey. 'Czenovians never visit. Even Anovans really don't go there,' replied Gustave. 'I have been there twice. Once for a camel race and once for an expedition.' Macey covered her mouth and giggled. 'A camel race? I don't even remember the last time I saw one of those. I'm sure I saw one in a zoo as a child. Why haven't I heard of Al Ahmar?' Gustave shrugged. 'I don't know. I personally think that the Dynasts like to pretend it doesn't exist. I'm not sure exactly what their relationship with the country is, but I do know that you never see Ahmaris on our eastern continent.' 'So,' said Macey as they sat down together, 'who is the man sitting at the front? He looks rather important.' 'That,' said Gustave, 'is the Sultan of Al Ahmar. His name is Imran Mahid.' 'Well!' exclaimed Macey,' you certainly are a man of the world. I'm impressed.' Gustave looked away for a moment. To her surprise, it seemed as though Gustave were actually slightly embarrassed. 'Oh, I just travel. That's all,' he said casually. Macey smiled. She hadn't felt this interested in someone for a long time. Gustave was wordly, intelligent and kind. And yet he was not set in his ways; Macey found him to be wonderfully childlike in his own way. Tonight, she thought, would be a memorable night. As it happens, she did not know how true this sentiment really was.

[quote name='Shy'][size=1]Hm. Could be... Great posts everyone, but [b]James[/b], your post is stretching out the page! Put the posting avatars on different lines. >_

[font=franklin gothic medium]Yes, purebred Chimaera are usually pretty intelligent. I'm thinking that Lucy will become pretty protective over Victoria Ann. If anything serious happens, she may be able to fly her to safety... And she will possibly be aggressive and/or suspicious of those who threaten her owners. Hopefully Bavaria doesn't hate Lucy too much...after all, she's priceless and irreplaceable. I can't imagine how Victoria Ann would feel if anything happened to Lucy.[/font]

[quote name='Neuvoxraiha'][COLOR="DarkOrchid"][FONT="Times New Roman"]Is this before or after Gustave greets all the Almagests? Or will that be included?[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] [font=franklin gothic medium]That'll be included. Should be up shortly. [b]Edit:[/b] Done! Sorry for the length, guys. Hopefully everything makes sense. If there are any issues please let me know. :catgirl: I've used this post to outline what the Chimaera races are and how they work (as well as some of the more underhanded stuff related to them). I've also introduced Thames Dreadnaught. And I've introduced a particularly nasty and infamous Chimaera jockey called Hugo Black. He's employed by the Dynasts. And I've introduced Gustave to the family. He will know some of the older members because he met them at Vincent's wedding. But he won't know everyone well. Please feel free to mix with him as you see fit. Oh, also...I imagine that Lucy will almost become Victoria Ann's pet. I think she'll become quite defensive of her too. Hopefully that is okay. :catgirl:[/font]

The Chimaera Circuit was perhaps the ultimate show of Czenovia's wealth. Not only did much of the Dynast family attend, but so too did the vast majority of Czenovia's wealthy elite. The upper mezzanine contained the various private marquees. This year, the Achard Marquee sat right next to the Dynast Marquee. Even though the two were essentially separate, there was no barrier; guests were able to come and go as they pleased. This was perhaps the only dampener on the evening for some in the Almagest family - at least, for those who were not fond of the Dynasts. This was the very first year that a foreigner had paid for a private Marquee. Generally, foreign guests - even wealthy ones - were relegated to the lower decks on the interior of the Circuit. In truth, the Chimaera Cup - the largest event on the racing calendar - was primarily for show. The nations of the Old Globe were invited to attend, but without question, it was only Czenovian Chimaera who won the Cup each year. In fact, in the Cup's 80 year history, Czenovia had won 76 times. This was partially because most of the Chimaera entered on behalf of Czenovia belonged to the Dynast family. The Dynasts could afford to enter more and better Chimaera than anyone else. The official rules also restricted foreign nations from entering more than three participants. Also there was the occasional rumor about a Chimaera having an "accident" just before the race. Most Czenovians knew what this meant; only the most die-hard Dynast supporters denied the hushed accusations. Nevertheless, various breeders from across the Old Globe continued to participate. For them, the race was a matter of prestige. It was also an opportunity to promote their nation and its wares. Gustave had arrived at the races earlier in the afternoon, to inspect his treasured Chimaera. This year he had brought four, even though he was only allowed to enter three. He paid particular attention to this last Chimaera; he had special plans for it. During the afternoon, Gustave's various staff had filed into the Marquee. Several of them had already begun mixing with those Almagests who had already arrived; much to the annoyance of the Dynasts, who could hardly believe that "the staff" were allowed to sit with the privileged. [center][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/vincentachard-chronicle.jpg[/img][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/gadgetgerrault2avatar.jpg[/img][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/catherinesara-chronicle.jpg[/img] [img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/beatrist-chronicle.jpg[/img][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/victoriaann-chronicle.jpg[/img][img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/gustave-avatar.gif[/img] [img]http://i228.photobucket.com/albums/ee132/Runaway511/almagest/daedalusavatar.jpg[/img][/center] Vincent sat down close to the front of the Achard Marquee. From this vantage point, he could see the entire Circuit. The center of the Circuit contained two distinct levels. On the lower “ground level” was a wide track with no discernable markings on it. Above it, several large rings floated in mid-air. The rings above mirrored the lower track’s configuration. Gadget leaned over to Vincent. ‘I’ve never been to a Chimaera race before. How do they know who wins? The track looks awfully complicated to me.’ The Chimaera tracks resembled a tangled knot of wide path, which, in some cases, criss-crossed (Gadget wondered how passing Chimaera travelling at high speed could possibly avoid running into each other). ‘Well, the Cup actually consists of two simultaneous races,’ said Vincent as he pointed to the upper and lower tracks. ‘Chimaera are divided into two main groups; flying and non-flying. Flying Chimaera use the upper track and non-flying Chimaera use the lower track.’ ‘At the same time?’ Gadget’s eyes widened. Vincent nodded calmly. ‘Yes. The non-flying Chimaera are divided into two sub-classes; one for those with two legs and another for those with four. But the two tracks are used at the same time.’ Vincent pointed to the lower track. ‘There are only three laps. But coming first is not the only concern a Chimaera jockey has.’ Gadget raised an eyebrow. He suspected there was going to be some catch. ‘Oh?’ ‘Well, how can I put it…there are few rules in Chimaera racing. Coming first is one thing, but surviving is something else. A number of famous jockeys have either died or been badly injured on the track.’ Gadget gasped. ‘What?! Why would anyone race without rules?’ ‘I suppose people find it more entertaining,’ said Vincent with a shrug. ‘Most jockeys are pretty good, but there are some bad apples in the pack. For instance, there’s a jockey called Hugo Black. Have you ever heard of him?’ For a moment Gadget paused, but then he nodded slowly. ‘I think so, actually. Even in New Czenoble I’ve seen reports in the papers about him.’ ‘Well, he seems to have been awfully close to some of the jockeys who have died in recent years. When you watch a race, there is so much activity that it’s hard to see exactly what is happening. We usually rely on the Circuit Announcer to keep us informed. Unfortunately he often refers to incidents on the track as “awful accidents”.’ ‘I suppose he wouldn’t dare say anything negative about Black, if what you’re saying is true,’ commented Gadget as he tried to get a better look at the track over the railing. ‘Right,’ said Vincent. ‘It helps that Hugo Black is the Dynast King’s number one jockey. He wins nearly every year.’ Gadget was surprised at exactly how much he did [i]not[/i] know. The politics of aristocratic life sometimes seemed far too complex. ‘So,’ sighed Gadget. ‘What about the upper track?’ ‘Ah, well, as you can see the upper track pretty much mirrors the lower track. But the rules are different. Not only do you have to win, but you have to pass through those floating rings. If you miss three rings within the same lap, you are automatically disqualified.’ ‘Seems easy enough,’ said Gadget casually. ‘Well, there are often about twenty flying Chimaera in one race. Those rings aren’t very big. Can you imagine all twenty trying to race for the same ring at once? That’s when things get nasty.’ Gadget shook his head. ‘If Czenovia always cheats, why do the other countries bother?’ Vincent shrugged. ‘I don’t know. This is the biggest race in the world though, so I suppose Chimaera enthusiasts still love coming here. I personally think most of them have a death wish…’ Just as Vincent finished his sentence, he heard a loud cheer coming from behind him. All of the Almagests were standing and facing the rear of the Marquee. Vincent and Gadget stood up and looked over the shoulders in front of them. The rear of the Marquee contained a large area that was roped off. A strange figure was standing behind the rope with his arms in the air. Vincent squinted to try to get a better look. It was a very tall, broad-shouldered man. He was dressed entirely in black. His shoulders carried large emblems with silver writing on them; it was the logo of the Chimaera Circuit. As the Almagests fell quiet, Vincent heard the man’s raspy deep voice. ‘Welcome to the Circuit, everyone. I have been visiting each of the Marquees and yours is lucky last.’ Vincent heard several quiet grumbles in the crowd. The man looked slightly awkward; perhaps he, like the Dynasts, was not fond of foreigners. ‘My name is Thames Dreadnaught. I am here to officially announce the arrival of Mister Gustave Achard.’ And with that, Gustave appeared from behind a large curtain nearby. The Almagests clapped, which seemed to bother Thames – it was as if the clapping were hurting his ears. ‘Welcome everyone,’ said Gustave as grinned broadly at the family. ‘I am so pleased to have you all here tonight. I have only met some of you before and I wish that I were meeting the rest of you under more pleasant circumstances.’ Gustave paused for a moment, as several family members shuffled in their spots. ‘I decided to bring all of you a present, on behalf of myself and the entire Achard family.’ Gustave glanced at Catherine, who was standing near the front of the crowd. She looked particularly glamorous tonight, Vincent thought. Catherine took the queue and walked over to Gustave. She held out a gloved hand, which he kissed while he bowed. ‘My lady,’ he said with a smile. ‘Thank you for inviting us,’ said Catherine, ‘but this lavish Marquee is surely enough of a gift for our family. You have brought us together in a time of great difficulty…’ Catherine paused for a moment to regain her composure. The memories of recent events were still more than clear in her mind. Gustave waved a gloved hand. ‘No, really, I insist. I wanted to give you something very special, something to brighten all of you up when times become difficult.’ Gustave snapped his gloved fingers and the curtain behind him rolled open. The entire crowd gasped. There, standing just near Gustave, was what looked rather like a large bird. At least, it somewhat resembled a bird; the creature was almost twice as tall as Gustave and had four legs. Its feet looked like lion’s paws, yet the entire animal was covered in rich golden feathers. It had longer, sharper feathers around its face and large, majestic eyes. A leather saddle sat upon its back and its enormous wings were folded at its sides. Catherine covered her mouth with a gloved hand. ‘Oh my,’ was all she uttered. ‘Gustave! This is a [i]racing[/i] Chimaera, isn’t it?’ Gustave smiled. ‘Yes, it is actually a purebred; it is a native Anovan Griffon. The golden feathers are especially rare.’ Gustave walked over to the Chimaera and ran his hand through its thick plumage. It closed its eyes and cooed airily. ‘Good girl,’ he said softly. ‘Her name is Lucy, but you can give her a new name if you like. I thought perhaps we could organize to build a stable for her at Rosengard.’ Vincent glanced at the other Almagests. Most were apparently in shock. Vincent himself had seen several Chimaera races before, but had never laid his eyes on such a beautiful creature. Even Daedalus, who was not particularly a Chimaera fan, seemed to be in a trance. Catherine could not hold her emotions in any longer. She leapt forward and wrapped her arms around Gustave. ‘You don’t know what this means to us!’ she exclaimed. ‘Thank you so much!’ Gustave embraced Catherine warmly. ‘My pleasure, Lady Catherine. I hope Lucy will bring all of you happiness during the dark hours ahead.’ There was something oddly prophetic about Gustave’s comment, but nobody seemed to notice. Gustave seemed to spy Victoria Ann in the crowd. ‘Oh! I must not have been back for such a long time, I do not believe I have ever met this young lady.’ Victoria Ann blushed and held onto her mother. Beatriste smiled. ‘This is Victoria Ann. She’s a very lucky to be here tonight – this is her first ever Cup.’ Gustave gasped. He hopped over to Victoria Ann and knelt before her. ‘Really? This is your first cup?’ ‘Yes,’ she said shyly. ‘Ahh!’ Gustave pointed to Lucy. ‘Perhaps you’d like to try sitting on her back? She loves children. I’m sure she’d let you ride her, if you like.’ Victoria Ann looked up at her mother, her eyes wide with excitement. Beatriste sighed. ‘I suppose you can sit on the saddle, but be careful! I don’t want you to become a Chimaera jockey overnight.’ Gustave laughed and held out his hand. ‘Shall we? I’ll show you how to steer, just in case you ever need to know.’ He winked at Victoria Ann, who giggled excitedly. As the pair headed over to Lucy hand-in-hand, Gustave called out to the other Almagests. ‘The race is due to start shortly, so please, eat, drink and be merry! Tonight nothing else matters – I want everyone to have fun!’ The Almagests cheered loudly at this. ‘Oh, Vincent!’ Catherine called to him from nearby. ‘Please thank your cousin again for his precious gift. We have never received anything like this.’ ‘Of course,’ said Vincent. ‘I just hope…’ Catherine looked around at the Dynast Marquee. ‘I just hope that Lady Bavaria does not have a problem with Lucy being on the premises.’ ‘Surely she wouldn’t deny everyone such a gift?’ asked Vincent. ‘I can’t imagine she’s [i]that[/i] cold-hearted. Just look at little Victoria Ann; she’s already in love with Lucy!’ Catherine looked at Victoria Ann, who was leaning against the giant Chimaera’s neck; she was in the middle of a deep embrace. Apparently she’d decided that Lucy would be staying around for a while yet. ‘Well,’ Catherine sighed. ‘With Bavaria, you just never know.’

[font=franklin gothic medium]I'm currently writing my post and I'll have it up shortly, guys. I'm including some description about what the races are and all that, so hopefully it'll give everyone something to work with.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I could add a few games to this list, but the most recent game I've spent a lot of time on would have to be Super Mario Galaxy. I'm now almost up to 120 stars with [spoiler]Luigi[/spoiler]. I don't know if it'd equal anywhere near 100 hours, but sometimes it sure feels like it! I'm loving every minute of it, anyway.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]I think Desbreko was referring to Gecko rather than yourself, sothis. The banner is a good idea and having different sizes would definitely be a good option.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]You can look up Wikipedia all you like - my definition of bipeds is accurate, if that's what you're referring to. Look it up in a dictionary. In my opinion we can go with anything. I think it would be great to have a variety of creatures. This way people are free to have a creature with feathers, scales, claws, hooves, etc etc... I figure that since there hasn't been a standard definition put down, we should just go with the guidelines we've discussed here.[/font]

[quote name='Gavin'][SIZE="1"]I think she was referring more to Chimaera who stand vertically Sandy, like humans, as opposed to the examples you gave. Still, quadrupeds would definitely have the advantage if there's ramming and shoving involved.[/SIZE][/QUOTE] [font=franklin gothic medium]In any case, being bipedal has nothing to do with standing upright. Bipedal just means an animal with two feet (this can include birds, primates and other groups). I don't see why we couldn't have bipedal Chimaera. My mind first runs to Chocobo-type creatures. Of course, they could be in their own class. So you could have Bipeds, Quadrupeds and Winged classes. This should also allow a lot of scope if anyone wants to use pictures.[/font] [quote]Now whose nitpicking? Gavin's absolutely right in his interpretation of what I meant. Please don't misinterpret what I say merely to disagree or make yourself feel better. I wasn't anticipating arguing over figments of our imagination.[/quote] [font=franklin gothic medium]To be fair, we were talking about quadrupeds. So Sandy's comments were right, in the sense that quadrupeds do not have to stand upright - the same being true for bipedal animals, which is a group that includes birds. As for flying Chimaera...I'm sure that's still possible. After all, this is a fantasy RPG. I'm sure a little Magitechnology can be incorporated to keep the Chimaera from simply flying off or whatever.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Desbreko's solution seems pretty good to me. This way we all get what we want. Can you feel the love?

[font=franklin gothic medium]I've edited some stuff out of that post, Rach. I'm sorry, but I think it is pretty clear that we've now moved past the debate with Sandy. I think all the various points have been made. Anyway, I actually like the idea of different classes. You could always have a simple distinction of quadropeds versus bipeds. I am not too worried about unfair advantage, just because we're already dealing with somewhat magical creatures anyway. If everyone else is okay for Chimaera to be put into these two categories, then we'll all be pretty free to create mixtures that we like. This way if any of us talk about them in future we won't be too restricted in terms of the kinds of animals we can create.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Well yeah, I was sort of thinking about mythical creatures too. I was thinking about horses with wings and various combinations of animals. I assume that since chimaera can be specifically engineered/bred, there would be many combinations. I just wasn't sure if there were any specific "rules" about them (i.e. do they all have to be quadropeds? A Chocobo-like creature could be bi-pedal for instance). So yeah. I just didn't want to step on any toes when it comes to creating these things. Since I guess this will be the first time we really specifically look at them as a major part of the world.[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Sandy, it's not the sex itself that bothers me. It's the the way it unfolded and the fact that the post itself did nothing to develop the plot or the characters. I just felt that Vincent was being mis-represented. Anyway, I really only have one question. There has been some discussion of Chimaera...but I still really don't know exactly what they are. Can they be pretty much anything? (i.e. some sort of hybrid animal) Or are there any features that are typical of Chimaera?[/font]

[font=franklin gothic medium]Okay, we're all wrapped up now aren't we? Good. Let's move on, guys.[/font]