The Queen of the Citadel

[bnw_void_npcs]

[The feed from the Warp Band flickers and focuses briefly on the face of an unhappy looking young man with his hands bound behind his back before it rotates back around. A severe looking woman is seated upon what seems to be a throne...]

What a curious device. I can see the use though. Am I speaking to the people of Union and Caldera? I am Frea, Matriarch of the Valkyrie tribes of the Citadel. Some of my girls said you gave them a run for their money. Good. It keeps them on their toes.

Anyway, here’s the deal. I've got… about twenty of your people. They’re getting a bit homesick and I don’t really want to keep them. Fact of the matter is, I've got a bit of a situation and they were ripe targets with all that food they were carrying. There’s an enormous Pokémon that’s been thrashing around our territory and burning just about everything it can get to. It’s driving the game away and has messed up a few of our tribes already. My people need food, and this sucker doesn't seem keen on leaving. So here’s my thought. First, I’ll return your people and their equipment to you. Can’t give back the food, already got eaten, sorry about that. If you can help us drive off this Pokémon, though, we can work it off. You scratch my back, I scratch yours, you know how it goes. We've got some things you guys might find interesting and valuable, but I can’t exactly part with any of it while I have an enormous monster of flame and steel beating down my door. Sound good?

[Those who have penetrated far enough into the Rolling Plains have made visual contact with something interesting. Far to the north at the end of the plains, there is a single tree, enormous in size. Frequent flocks of large flying types with mounted female riders can be seen coming to and fro, and the more keen-eyed among you can see that there appears to be an entire city built into the tree. The tree itself, clearly this “Citadel” Frea mentioned, seems to touch the sky, not even fully visible due to the cloud cover.]

Comments

[Audio]

[outtahere]

I think I can speak for all of Union when I say that we really wish you hadn't stripped that Councilor when you robbed him. We really could have done without seeing a naked, overweight old man.

[Audio]

[bnw_void_npcs]

You know, my girls expressed the exact same regret.

[Audio]

[outtahere]

I take it they were in desperate need of impractical clothing at the time?

[Audio]

[bnw_void_npcs]

He kept screaming about how they couldn't do this to him. They took it as a challenge.

[Audio]

[outtahere]

[There's a soft snort, and his smile is audible in his voice.]

Never bet anything you aren't willing to lose. He would've learned that if he'd started at the bottom instead of near the top.

I'm sure he's learned a thing or two from this. Maybe it'll even stick.

[Audio]

[bnw_void_npcs]

If you're lucky. He's your leader, not mine.

[Audio]

[outtahere]

Unfortunately.

You at least sound like you might get your hands dirty from time to time. Or at least have a good idea what's actually going on with your people.