After several weeks of hard work across Charon, especially in Dragon’s Cradle helping refugees affected by the earthquakes, things have seemingly started to fall into a rhythm again in Sky Peak Village. With many people settled, there are still plenty of opportunities to make improvements, but there’s something else on Thadda’s mind.

Two of his particularly well-renowned locals have earned themselves quite the recognition from Sol City, enough so that the Baron has come to visit and deliver the approval from the crown for Count Thadda’s request. At this point, the only people who don’t know anything about what’s coming are the two who will be dubbed titles: Astrid Stormstone and Blue Raspberry (better known to the locals as Wolfe).

As with all invites, a courier is sent to deliver letters stamped with the official seal of Dragon’s Cradle. He knocks on the heavy wooden door of the manor and waits for an answer. As usual, Charles opens the door and greets him, something that this particular courier has gotten used to at this point. With the letters in hand, Charles calls out through the house. “Mistress Astrid? Conscript Wolfe? Report: You have received letters from Civilian Count Thadda.”

---

SPOILER: Click to show

Quest Name: Time for Court
Participants: Requires exactly two people (you and one other, if the other participant does not qualify, they will not gain the reward)
Location: Anywhere (Can be repeated for a different region)
Post Requirements: 5 post per person, 200 words per post
Reward: +10 Security for selected Region (+10 more if your home region)
Description: The most boring part of politics is, well, the politics. While most people like helping by being out in the field, it is just as important to attend court. Now as a notable member of your region, people value your opinion, giving you the chance to speak for the higher ups of the region. You can detail this however you like, attending a session of court, sitting on a council or making a speech at a dinner party. You are free to explore your creativity with this one.

Blue was standing in the kitchen, one of the two rooms in the house they probably spent the most time in, doing their favorite chore of taking out the garbage, which was what they called it when they ate the trash. They'd come up with this code so they didn't tell people in public that they ate the house's trash because that would have been a very strange thing to say to anyone that wasn't aware of the knight's true identity as an ooze.

The knock on the door caught their attention, but Charles was already on his way to answer it. They didn't have to worry about it. But, then they heard Charles announcement that they and Astrid had received letters from Count Thadda. Oh boy. Every time they got a letter from the leader of their village, it was always something about a patrol duty they'd need to go do or some court meeting they'd have to attend. They didn't really mind though. Patrol wasn't too bad. A little boring sometimes, but not awful. And, court meetings could even be fun. The last one had been a celebration with food and music. They liked Count Thadda. He was nice to them, and was even a bit of a role model for them as dignitaries of Dragon's Cradle.

Blue walked out of the kitchen and took the letter that Charles handed to them. They then stood there with it and waited for Astrid to come read it for them.

Charles waits patiently for Astrid to stop banging around in the workshop downstairs. With a thumping of footsteps, she comes up into the foyer and sees Blue and Charles standing there expectantly. Astrid pulls her goggles off her eyes and takes the letter, looking at the seal before breaking it open.

“Another letter from Thadda?” Astrid asks as she pulls the letter out and unfolds it. “I dunno why he don’t just send a letter fer both of us.” Her eyes scan over it then her eyebrows seem to pop off her head with how high they arch. She reads off the letter. “‘I offer ya congratulations on yer accomplishments an’ wish ta invite ya ta a ceremony of recognition fer yer deeds. Please join me in two days so I may bestow upon ya the title of Lady Stormstone of Dragon’s Cradle?!’ HUH!?”

She quickly looks at Blue’s letter when they unfold it, finding that it says something similar, murmuring over it while she reads. “...Bestow upon ya the title of Lord Wolfe of Dragon’s Cradle?!” Astrid looks absolutely flabbergasted. “The heck does that mean!?”

Charles pipes up and factually states, "Mistress Astrid, report: the title of Lord or Lady is usually granted to those of noble standing."

"We ain't no nobles!" she exclaims, looking down at the paper again. Does this letter say that Thadda is going to make them nobles?!

There's only one way to find out. 

"Nobles? Thadda wants to make us into those mean people from Sol City!?" Blue was confused and worried. They didn't want to be a jerk like the nobles they'd met. They liked being liked by the villagers in Sky Peak Village. Why would Thadda want them to be jerks? They thought he liked them helping out and stuff. Why would he want this?

Blue Raspberry's understanding of what a noble was might have been a bit off. In their mind, all nobles had to be jerks. It was just what nobles were. They didn't really think maybe that was just how some nobles acted. They didn't even realize some people that had been nice to them were actually nobles, like Count Thadda himself. They thought Count was just his first name, and not a title of nobility. There were also a few other misunderstandings of what being a noble entailed to the ooze.

"I don't want to be a jerky noble. What if people want to steal my stuff to give to the poor!? I'd have to re-eat all the stuff in my room. I like having it on display in there! And we don't have anywhere to hold a ball! Or a fight! I don't want to accuse people of treason and make someone else fight for them to not be executed!" Blue rambled in a panic as they plopped down onto the ground and sat there, their hands on the sides of their head.

Them becoming a noble was the worst news they'd ever heard.

The glowing red eyes of the Pawn Model Blixtbot^TM Charles follow Blue Raspberry as the ooze collapses helplessly on the ground, then the metal man turns his attention to Astrid. “Mistress Astrid, report: Conscript Wolfe is exhibiting signs of emotional distress.”

“Aye, aye, this is a bit of a surprise, ya know,” Astrid says, exasperated. She reads over the letter again to see if she read it right then scratches her head before looking down at Blue. “Bein’ a noble don’t change who we are, I don’t think,” she explains. “I think it’s just… a fancy title.” Astrid recalls the conversation she had with Leandros recently about what it means to be a noble or a knight and the importance of upholding the values that you stand for to protect the people who rely on you.

“Bein’ a noble don’t make ya a jerk, an’... Well, I can’t say folks won’t try ta steal from us, but if we’re still good ta ‘em, then I don’t really see if bein’ much of a problem.” Her arms cross as she thinks. “Might mean we got more of a leg ta stand on ta defend folks from people like Baan, ya know?”

Still, the news is a surprise. “Let’s go talk ta Thadda an’ see what’s goin’ through his head. I dunno why he’d make a kid an’ an ooze nobles.” Offering a hand to Blue, she helps them to their feet then heads out the door with heavy footsteps full of purpose.

"A fancy title...?" Blue repeated, looking to Astrid. The distress that Charles had picked up on and informed Astrid of lessened a bit as she explained. So becoming a noble wouldn't turn them into jerks like Baan, or those jerks that try to skip to the front of the line or complain about stupid things? "We can be good nobles?"

Blue nodded and stood back up. Talking to Count Thadda about it sounded like a good idea. They would find out exactly what was sticking through his head that made him do this. Probably a stick or something. Maybe they could just pull it out. Blue had had sticks and stuff through their head lots of times, even some arrows and once a metal pipe they'd fallen onto. It did not occur to the ooze that anything sticking through the head of a human would mean they were most likely dead.

Blue put their armor on in an instant, the metal plates surfacing all over their body after their casual clothing was engulfed. They were ready to set out in their full knightly attire to confront Thadda about this mess. Then Blue thought of something Astrid had just said to them, and was confused. They looked down at her, their confusion obvious.

"Wait, do nobles have an extra leg? I didn't see one on any of them though. How would that help us defend people?"

“Aye, we can be good,” Astrid says. “Or at least the same as we always are, I think. Titles don’t change who ya are unless ya let ‘em. Far as I’m concerned, it don’t make a difference ta me.” She folds the letter and tucks it into her pocket.

“Huh? An extra leg?” she says, confused, looking over her shoulder at Blue as they trounce toward town. Realizing their confusion, Astrid laughs. “Nobles don’t get extra legs! Havin’ an extra leg ta stand on just means ya have a bit more support fer what ya wanna do. It’s another sayin’. Though I s’pose if ya want an extra leg ya could just make one outta yer ooze, couldn’t ya?”

They head to Sky Peak to town hall, sweeping right past the secretary and straight to Thadda’s office. Astrid doesn’t bother knocking, though she really should. When she barges in, she sees Thadda in the midst of a conversation with a well-dressed sun elf man with flowing white hair. The two men look surprised at her entrance, but Thadda’s expression relaxes into something a bit more amused while Astrid’s looks surprised to see someone else in here. Oops.

“Hello, Miss Astrid, Mister Wolfe,” he begins. “I see you’ve let yourselves in. How can I help you?”

Blue was relieved that even if they did become nobles, it wouldn't change them. It sounded like all the other nobles they'd met had just been jerks. Maybe they became that way after getting the title. They might have let it change them like Astrid said. Or, maybe they were always like that. Who knew?

The extra leg to stand on also made a bit more sense. Sayings and stuff were always confusing to Blue. They took things too literally sometimes. They needed to work on that.

"Oh, I think I get it now. I've never tried growing another leg. Just a tail. More legs never sounded real useful. Not after getting used to walking on two, I mean. Maybe it would have been useful before then though, but it wouldn't have fit in my armor." Blue said with a shrug as they walked along with Astrid.

When they finally got to Thadda's house, they just walked right in behind Astrid as she didn't knock or anything. They went straight into Thadda's office with no warning. Blue was just as surprised as Astrid to see someone else in Thadda's office with him. He was usually alone, occasionally with someone from the village they'd recognize, but this time they didn't recognize the man at all.

The stranger was only surprised for a moment before grinning and confidently walking over to the two with a hand extended for a handshake. "Well, look whose here! They're just as energetic as you'd said, Thadda." He laughed. He didn't wait for either of them to pull themselves out of their surprise and extend a hand of their own. He cleanly and elegantly switched his offer of a handshake into clapping them both on the shoulder. "Captain Volariil Aedael! A pleasure to meet you both!"

In a whirlwind of movement, the fancily dressed sun elf man swoops over with hands offered for a handshake. Astrid barely manages to clasp the man’s hand with her grease-stained glove, but his hand quickly slips free to clap them on the shoulder. She looks past the man at Thadda who just has an amused smirk on his face. Astrid turns her confused expression back to the man.

“Uh… Nice ta meet ya, Mister Captain… Vola–?” Oh gods, she’s not great at longer elven names. She barely caught it.

“Volariil Aedael!” he repeats with a hearty laugh, giving each of them a shake before stepping back. “You must be Thadda’s prospective nobles.” He realizes he has grease on his hand from Astrid’s glove and wipes it on a handkerchief he procures from a lapel pocket. "I hear you've made quite the impression on him and the people of Dragon's Cradle!"

Astrid’s words come a bit cautiously. “Aye…” Then her eyes cut over to Thadda. “That’s why we’re here.”

“Don’t be rude, introduce yourselves properly,” Thadda says, motioning to his guest. “Captain Aedael is a baron of Dragon’s Cradle from Sol City. He’s come to deliver the good news that your promotions have been granted.”

“Erm… I’m Astrid Stormstone,” the girl says. But she still doesn't get an answer about the promotions yet.

“A little spitfire, I’ve heard!” Volariil laughs. “Hard at work when you received the message, by the look of it.”

“Aye, workin’ in me forge,” Astrid says. She did not expect to meet a nobleman who is so energetic.

“And you must be Wolfe!” Volariil says, his arms open wide. “Great armor! You wear it well! Any other name or are you only Wolfe?”

"Uh, I'm Wolfe...?" Blue responded, trying to be polite, but couldn't keep their lingering confusion out of their tone. They'd never heard of a Captain Vol- Volar- Vlardle- Huh? Whatever, they'd just think of him as Captain Voldy for now. They were just as bad with Elven names as Astrid was, if not worse. They were bad with any long words, really.

"Thanks. It's perfectly me-shaped. Astrid made it for me." Blue replied with a proud smile. Their impression of the man instantly rose. This guy could appreciate a great suit of armor! Blue took the man holding his arms wide at his side as an invitation to hug him. A little weird since the two of them had just met, but they didn't mind since the guy complimented their armor. They gave the Captain a quick hug and then stepped back again. For some reason, now it was Captain Voldy that looked confused while Blue's smile turned to a look of thoughtfulness.

"Other name?" Blue mumbled. Of course they had another name, Wolfe was just made up by them because people thought their original name was weird whenever they told anyone it. How did this guy know they had another name? Should they tell him it? Would that be alright? Everyone around the village knew the knight as Wolfe except Astrid and Cantio, and they just knew their real name because they also knew they were actually an ooze. Well, it should probably be fine. They trusted Thadda enough by now, and this guy seemed alright.

"My other name is Blue Raspberry."

Thadda’s face is thoroughly surprised when Blue just embraces the Baron with little warning. Astrid looks distressed, but despite his confusion, Volariil laughs a bit, patting Blue on the back as the embrace releases. “I must say you are a bit of an odd one, Wolfe,” the Baron chuckles. “Very nice work on the armor, Miss Astrid.”

“Oh, um, thanks Mister,” Astrid says sheepishly. But she’s watching Blue puzzle over the name thing. Then they say it. Blue Raspberry. Oh gods. Pivot. Pivot!!

“Blue Raspberry?” Volariil says with some confusion. “An interesting name, for sure.” He rubs his chin thoughtfully. “I see why you go by Wolfe!”

Astrid lets her instinct to cover for Blue take over. “Aye, yeah, Wolfe’s their real name. G-Geoff Wolfe. Geoffery Wolfe!” Blue mentioned something about someone calling them Jeff before, and they took on the face of some guy named Geoff when they found the mob, so this is fine. Right? Right? “Blue Raspberry’s just a nickname cause they uh… Well, they like blue an’ their hair’s blue, annnn’ they smell like fruit lots of times.”

Thadda just looks perplexed in the background. He wondered why he sometimes caught wind of Astrid referring to Wolfe as Blue in the past.

Volariil looks between the two of them with an appraising look then nods. “Geoffery Wolfe makes plenty of sense to me. Well met.”

“Um… So why did ya send us letters sayin’ yer makin’ us nobles?” Astrid asks, trying to change the subject.

Recollecting himself, Thadda steps in front of his desk. “In a short amount of time, you two have gained much renown around Charon and in Dragon’s Cradle. If anyone has earned a proper title for their deeds, I think you two are befitting it. Time and time again, you’ve shown how much you care for Dragon’s Cradle, and the people in it. You’re well-liked and respected, and a title gives you the opportunity to represent your home more effectively.”

He leans against his desk with his arms crossed with an amused smile. “So if you’ll accept the titles, I’d like to bestow them upon you this week at a celebration. Mizzi and Baan are invited, of course.”

"Uh, yeah! Geoffrey Wolfe. Well met!" Blue nodded. If there was one thing they were good at doing in a conversation, it was going along with whatever Astrid said to cover for them. Geoffrey Wolfe sounded like a fine name to them and Voldy said it made sense, so it must have been a good name.

Blue could have blushed from all the praise Thadda was giving them. They were well liked and respected? Gosh. Getting a title for that didn't sound so awful. They did do a lot of good deeds around the village, and all around Charon. Maybe this really was a good thing. Blue crouched down to whisper with Astrid.

"I think we can accept it. It sounds like a good thing, doesn't it? Being a noble and having a title. We could have extra standing legs, like you said before. I think we should accept it. Ugh, I just wish Baan wasn't invited."

It never really occurred to Astrid that titles could be granted for great deeds. The only ones she thought of would be something akin to a hero or a knight, but never a noble title like Lord or Lady. She looks at the paper in her hands while Blue whispers in her ear then she looks at Thadda and Volariil.

“Well, if ya really think we deserve somethin’ like that, I guess… it’d be rude ta turn it down?” she says with an unsure tone.

Thadda meets her expression with a smile. “I’m happy to hear that. And this will give you more resources for doing good, and we can continue to practice your ability to make decisions and delegate tasks over time – if that makes you feel any more confident.”

Volariil chimes in with his voracious voice. “Chin up, you two! Stand tall! Welcome to the nobility of Dragon’s Cradle!” He lets out a laugh, clasping them each on the shoulder again. “I look forward to officially announcing your position in a few evenings!”

---

And a few evenings later, Captain Volariil Aedael does exactly that. With the other leadership of Dragon’s Cradle gathered, the Baron – considered an esteemed guest for the event – happily announces the promotion of Lord Geoffrey Wolfe and Lady Astrid Stormstone as recognition for their deeds and the good will they’ve spread across Charon.

Some of the merchant nobility in the crowd seem a bit surprised, perturbed, and worried upon realizing that these are the two ruffians who robbed them of their tables only a few weeks ago. Baan seems especially annoyed about the whole situation. These are the two they need to treat as equals now? Well, that won’t be very fun for them, and maybe that’s exactly what Thadda wants.