A Compass Always Points North [Griffonstone, ask for invite]

[Aisede]

So... This is the newly revitalized griffon capital. Rose took in the decrepit structures and generally impoverished atmosphere of the place, and she felt... Pity. This place was in dire need of renovations and, if the state of its denizens were anything to go off of, no shortage of fatty foods.

 

she stopped the first actual pony she came across, assuming they may know the locals better judging by their casual gait. As luck would have it, she was exactly the guide she was looking for. It was less than an hour later that she found the newly crowned 'Emperor', seeking to rectify the grave sin that was their agricultural practice.

 

Whatever they're doing out here, she can do it better. The engorged saddlebags over her flanks agreed, rattling in excitement as she plopped her flank down to see how events would transpire

[Blueblood]

Though there was little in the way of intact structures in the old capital, most roofs being thatch or sticks woven over crumbling walls as a makeshift attempt at a hut, one section of the city would show a noticeable difference.  Here, the buildings had the look of being half-finished rather than half-wrecked.  Most of that had come through the clearing of rubble and bad stone, and off in the distance, one could hear new stone being cut.  The place had an overall cleaner look about it, and if anypony asked where to go, sooner or later they'd be directed here, either by a shifty-eyed local, or eager emigre.

 

For this was the seat of the Presumptive Emperor, Norton Breakbeak the First.  The locals were still not quite sure what to make of the mustachioed figure in borrowed finery, who showed up with a cadre of loyalists from an Aquellian city and proclaimed himself their rightful ruler.  Few could doubt his sincerity, though his sanity was often disputed.  Still, there were a few who had eaten that day that wouldn't if not for him, and that sort of thing buys loyalty.

 

In the center of this revitalizing district, an old building, half covered in tarps and emblazoned cloth, proclaimed itself the new seat of government, upon which was seated the emperor himself, deep in discussion with a rough-looking type who, by the looks of him, had just come out of a mine.  "You've cleared out the place?  No ambushes?  Capital!  We can get that new shipment built up.  Hopefully the workshop's working too; we'll want to send a couple of tool schematics over to Tenochtitlan to solidify our deal.  Right-o, back to work for us!"

 

When word of a newcomer outside reached him, he would get off his makeshift throne to come to the door, as those in his service had more important things to do than serve as heralds.  "Greetings, traveler from a far land!  We welcome you to Our Domain, as with all who come in peace!"  His voice was stentorian and unwavering, as military as his moustaches.  He owre what she might recognize as the officer's uniform of the Aquellian marines, absolutely bedecked with medals, both genuine and spurious.  Crowning the whole ensemble was not a crown, but an elaborately feathered shako, half as tall as the bird himself.  An unmistakable figure, easily turned into a comic caricature for the editorial cartoons of many nations.  But those eyes... there wasn't a speck of jocularity in his eyes.  He was taking himself seriously, as hard a task as that obviously was.

[Aisede]

Rose's ears flicked back as he addressed her, the full brunt of his voice a force to be reckoned with. However, she stood (or sat) tall, back straight, eyes front, with a cordial smile that would make an diplomat envious. 

 

Yes, she was used to dealing with difficult types, and she got the uncanny feeling this was going to be one of them. "I'm honored to receive your hospitality, Emperor Breakbeak." She nodded kindly, giving his ensemble a cursory scan.

 

She felt underdressed for the occasion. She knew she was meeting 'royalty', but the jocular sense in which he was named, and the general disposition towards Griffonstone had swayed her to a tune that seemed to be slightly offkey. She'll be sure to dress appropriately for future meetings. "I am Rose Compass, of Equestria. An alchemist and apothecary. I came to lend my aid in advancing your agricultural pursuits, if you would have me."

[Blueblood]

If the Emperor was offended by Rose's lack of formal wear, he didn't show it.  He could hardly afford to be, honestly, given how he was pretty much the only bird here who owned good clothes, and even he only had the one set.  They were dry-clean only, too, and the lack of such a service in this place would surely take its toll, eventually.  "Ah, a truly far place.  Are you here as an official emissary, or as a private citizen?"  He asked, mild interest in his eyes.  He didn't question the placename, perhaps feeling that the courtesy given by her in not laughing immediately in his presence warranted some reciprocation.

 

Her answer would indicate the latter option, and his eyes grew bright at the mention of her specialty.  "Indeed?  How fortunate!  We have not made much progress in that line, as the irrigation infrastructure has not yet been refurbished, but the more work we do beforeclaw, the readier We shall be when the sowing season begins."  He beckoned her to follow him, "First, though, your journey is long, and I believe you may be in need of rest.  The palace is also unfinished, but we have some guest quarters I hope you will find suitable."

[Aisede]

She followed along, dreading the condition of the palace as much as she would stepping hoof in a half-collapsed shipyard. Point being, she really wanted to refuse his hospitality here.

 

"Ah, that won't be neccesary. I have an unusually potent vitality." One of many modifications she'd made to her own biology. Why suffer lost time in slumber when every waking hour brings her closer to her true goals? "Show me what progress you've made. The lack of proper irrigation will be... Troublesome," she said, belying just how much that impacts her work. "But any hurdle can be overcome by hard work and the proper tools."

 

She punctuated this by shaking her rump, rattling her trademark tools as she looked back at them with a smile. "What would you say the climate here is like, exactly?"

[Blueblood]

Norton laughed in a booming voice.  "Ah, such youthful vitality!  Very well, We shall not restrict your eagerness."  He sighed shortly thereafter, probably in sympathy to her lament upon the current state of the irrigation system.  "If you don't mind following me to the top of the cliffside, you'll get a good view from there."  He spread his wings, taking off but keeping low enough to the ground to keep on a conversation with the herbalist.

 

"The local climate?  Mediterranean."  As the griffon spoke on the subject, Rose would be able to note a certain shift in demeanor.  That spark of madness in his eyes, that too-perfect royal posture, slipped into something that seemed a little more natural.  The tone of voice, also, was more modulated, professional.  "Long dry summer, short wet winters.  The soil drains easily, but the bedrock means that the ground water isn't too difficult to access given a properly done well.  It actually perfect grape country, you'll even be able to see the remains of the ancient vineyard terraces when we reach the top.  No vines remaining, sadly."

[Aisede]

She took all of this into account, adopting a thoughtful countenance as she envisioned the environment as a 3D model in her head, easily keeping pace with her airborne partner.

 

"Huh, as fate would have it, those are conditions I'm well aquainted with. If you are near a coast, I'd suggest situating a vineyard near there so they can absorb the morning sea breeze. I hear it adds a particular crispness to wines.

 

Fine drinks aside, this climate is actually ideal for a number of exotic fruits; many citrus, melons, and berries prefer looser soil, and if I can get my hooves on a few particular regeants that should grow around here," she actually paused to look around, as if expecting to find something, before moving on, "I can accelerate their growth and production. I believe there is a mine nearby as well, what kinds of crystals are harvested from it?"

 

[Blueblood]

Norton gave Rose a bit of an odd look at her suggestion.  "We're not anywhere near the coast; even the closest lake is somewhat beyond what one could claim is Rightful Imperial Territory.  Nonetheless, you'll note that not all of the cliffside is terraced; the vines that were originally grown here were adapted to terroir facing that sun angle.  It might not be possible to recreate those varietals, but if you recognize anything similar, I'd appreciate it.  It's not quite like a Clopton Coast vineyard, which I know best." 

 

The pair reached the clifftop now, where just as the griffon said, the terraced remains could be seen, stretching across and downwards to an impressive scope.  Not all the terraces remained intact, however, and many were still clogged with thistles and thornbushes.  "Going to have to fire-clean this place."  He muttered.  The idea of growth acceleration seemed to intrigue him.  "Indeed?  And here I was not sure if I would live to taste the firstfruits!  You are indeed a fortunate visitor."

 

As the talk drifted from agriculture, the old light seemed to spark back in his eyes, lower that before, but still present.  "General magicite, left unexploited, I believe, due to the fact that griffons don't have horns like unicorns, and thus little use for spell casting and spell storage devices.  Apparently surveys have also found industrial minerals in trace amounts, though there might not be much of them left.  Possible deposits of tungsten, lithium, and cobalt.  Most of the iron and nickel was cleared out along with the gold and silver in the Imperial days."

[Aisede]

It would seem her assumptions were unfounded optimism, although the mosaic that spread out below her was just as impressive as any pearly coast. How they managed to make the earth fold in layers was a mystery to her, but she still knew what was under those earthy stacks.

 

"Fire-cleaning, while swift, isn't the most efficient way to go about weed removal. Alchemy can account for that as well, but it'll take a considerable amount of time for the process to complete. If you're plagued by famine, the quickest method may suffice, otherwise I'd suggest clearing plots of land with weed killers... Hmm... But that still depends on available resources..." She tapped her chin, brows furrowing as she looked beyond the grassy plates.

 

"As for magicite, I could use that to keep your crops free of pests. There are certain enchantments that repel nuisances, but doesn't negatively affect larger, more complex organisms. The only challenge there would be upkeep, but a few unicorns on rotation could handle that." She mused. 

 

 

 

[Blueblood]

"At the moment, we are importing food.  We are not currently in danger of starvation, but the lack of food security is troubling to any Sovereign, don't you agree?"  A claw reached up to stroke Norton's moustache.  "Please understand, We are for the most part reliant on resource extraction profits and support from Our grateful burghers in Breakbeak city; We owe it to those who have been so generous with Us to stretch their bits as far as they will possibly go.  Fire is cheap and local; alchemical weed killer must be imported with bits that we may need for investment."

 

He did seem interested in the magicite pest repellant.  "Indeed?  Unfortunately, We have no unicorns amongst the local subjects, few Equestrians are interested in being emigre's.  However, We do have friends from Tenochtitlan who may be willing to help.  Yes, and perhaps to use such enchantments for themselves.... a deal could be struck there.  We shall have to bring this up with Cemmoyāhua at the earliest opportunity"

[Aisede]

Rose nodded. "I understand, and you have my commiserations. Believe it or not, but I'm actually new to this position; I've never encountered any society in its infancy, and did not take your available currency into account." Her ears flicked down, and she seemed genuinely upset at having overlooked that. She was, after all, only here to help those she could.

 

Speaking of... "So who is this Cemmoyāhua character? I take it she is one of these Tenochtitlan?" A small smile formed on her muzzle, clearly humored as she looked over at him. "Some ponies actually thought I was one of them. Is it my accent, mi amigo?" Nothing wrong with some friendly idle chatter.

 

[Blueblood]

"Ah, so true!  How rarely does destiny find us with experience in what is to be Our Greatest Task.  I am fortunate, in that my political exile was spent fruitfully in Breakbeak city, working with Civic cleanup and revitalization projects, with no small amount of success, I should say."  He visibly preened at those words, and he genuinely had something to be proud of.  However, to go from respected eccentric in local politics directly to Emperor betrayed the fact that it had all gone to his head somewhat.

 

"Ah, yes, Cemmoyāhua is indeed from Tenochtitlan, their emissary, as a matter of fact.  A mare of fine fettle, I'm sure you shall get along famously!"  He grinned, as much as one could with a beak.  "And yes, your accent is remarkably similar."

[Aisede]

"Huh." So many words, so little said. She wanted to press the topic of 'political exile', but she felt that may be stepping over a few boundaries, considering their familiarity. She could probably gleam more accurate accounts of his actions from others asides, so there was little need to press him on the subject. 

 

"Well then, shall we go convene with this equine emissary? I'm certain it'd be an honor to introduce her to such a fine mare as myself ~" she gave him a sly look with a hoof to her chest, a little of her swagger shining through that humble facade. They'd exhausted the previous topic, more or less; flame the fields, possibly secure them against pests, and invigorate them via alchemy. 

 

"Ah, and worry not about the growth serum, the ingredients are fairly easy to obtain in abundance. I should have the... List of ingredients somewhere..." She grumbled the last part, twisting to nose around the various flaps in her saddlebags. "If you would care to review them, of course. It's alright if not."

[Blueblood]

"Of course!  I think you've seen as much as you can from this view anyway.  I may put up a gazebo here in the future; it is a good view now, and will be better in the future.  It's just that the sun beats down."  Norton Breakbeak was not the sort of griffon that could condemn swagger without incurring a truly staggering level of hypocrisy, so he let Rose preen herself as much as she liked.  Making an about-face, he spread he wings and began to glide down the cliffside.

"I can review the price sheet with my assistant Treasurer, when you find it.  Again, however, I'm not sure if things 'abundant' in Andalusia will necessarily be abundant here."  The trip down, assisted by gravity as it was, proved easier than the climb up, and in no time at all they were at the cliff base by the palace.  "I'll just go see where  Cemmoyāhua is off to, alright?"

[Aisede]

"Ah... Very well. I had hoped to accompany you, but I will make due here." She gave him a friendly wave, hiding her disappointment. She really didn't get out enough as it was, but she could still make due with current circumstances. 

 

She returned to nosing through her bags soon after, eventually resorting to removing elements of her bag one at a time. She really needed to organize that thing better sometime. "In the meantime I shall take samples from the local soil, just to verify a few things." She paused, then, and looked up at him one more time, her expression inscrutable. "Thank you, by the way."

[Dunder]

Cemmoyāhua followed Norton, her jewelry of gold and silver inlaid with precious stones jingling lightly with each step. She had a worried look upon her face as she followed alongside Norton, "Are you sure? This pony could be a spy for Ridge." She said, just out of earshot of Rose. AS they trotted along, she saw the pony Norton had described. She appeared completely innocent, exactly what one would expect!

 

She shifted to a neutral expression, trotting up to Rose as she sized her up from close. "Greeting. I am Cemmoyāhua Tletl, representative of my city of Tenochtitlan." She also spoke very formally, professionally. Though she did have a distinct accent.

[Blueblood]

The Emperor was laughing at the suggestion that Rose could possibly be a spy.  "You concern for Us is appreciated, but I received no such sense from her.  Ignorance is hard to feign, and there is much she did not know that spoke of her genuineness!"  Not perhaps the most flattering endorsement, but a statement of confidence nonetheless.  Once there, he decided to let Rose introduce herself as he stood aside, taking out a little brush to get the dust off his uniform.

[Aisede]

Rose looked up from her work as the pony approached, one of her ears twitching as she picked up on a very familiar accent. It was quite uncanny, if she was being honest with herself. The likelihood of speech developing in such a parallel fashion was... Low.

 

"Ah, a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" She beamed at the mare, then looked down at her hooves, stained in dirt and mysterious fluids. "Forgive me if I do not shake your hoof. I've been testing the properties of the local soil, and I must say, they do not disappoint!"

 

Her packs must have been bigger on the inside, because the workspace she had created in Norton's brief absence could not possibly fit in such a limited space, even if they had been fit to burst before; beakers, vials, measuring tools and other miscellanea surrounded her like her own person entourage, bottles containing what looked like soil samples and one with a wildly wriggling worm in it were just a few of the notable things in her setting. "I actually wished to discuss something with you, if Emperor Breakbeak hasn't informed you already."

[Dunder]

The crimson unicorn raised an eyebrow as she walked along Norton. Though, she couldn't say any protest as it was too late.

 

She kept her posture straight, only taking a glancing look at Rose's hooves as she mentioned shaking them. She gave Rose a knowing nod, "We do not carry the same traditions as the Equestrians." She stated.

 

She trotted past Rose, looking to the bottles, beakers, soil collected that were hauled in. Did she bring in all of this? She scrutinized a beaker before being spoken to. "Emperor Norton mentioned this." She said and turned to face Rose. "Speak and I will hear you." She gave a neutral expression and gaze back to Rose. She wanted to hear it from the horse's mouth.

[Aisede]

Rose giggled with a glimmer in her eye. "Oh, neither do I." 

 

She watched the strange pony for a moment as she studied her setup, but as soon as she verified no untoward hostility was to be expected, she returned to her work, taking the vial of submerged soil and dumping it into another, larger bottle. As soon as the contents made contact, the fluids took on a dramatic shift in color, and the dirt appeared... Richer. This made Rose's smile widen a little more. 

 

"So I am to understand you and yours may be able to assist Norton in any matters magical. Asides from employing growth stimulants, I've the mind to use magicite from the local mines to repel pests from their crops as well." As she talked, that mirthful tune quickly have way to a more appropriate conversational tone. She scribbled down a note and... Teleported the contents of the bottle away. "It's a rather simple enchantment. All it would require is some moderate upkeep."

[Blueblood]

Having stepped back to watch the exchange, Norton only stepped in once the proposal to aid in the enchantment was put forward by Rose.  "Of course, in exchange for the aid given in setting up these crystals, we will undergo the testing of them to ensure their safety and effectiveness.  After which, Tenochtitlan can also benefit from them.  I have little doubt that garden pests represent as large a thread to produce in your country as they do anywhere else."

[Dunder]

The mare looked to the other for a moment, then cast her gaze down to bottle as Rose performed the experiment. She did notice the shift in color of the soil, and her eyes went wide for a moment before resuming her previous expression.

 

"Yes, the exotic resources here are interesting. They will be useful." She said, "Your technique is promising, if it works." She moved over to Norton who she stood next to. "Yes, keeping pests away would be useful. Increasing our food supply could help Griffonstone." She turned to face Rose once again.

 

"Have you done this before? What do you know about it? Does it affect the food at all?"

[Aisede]

"An inquisitive mare, this one ~" Rose sounded more than a little amused as she began mixing up another concotion, using the base of one of the previous mixtures with a new very white fluid. Still clear, but somehow white. "A good trait to have for any leader."

 

"Yes, I have done this before. I frequently modify the soil of my own personal garden to yield the best possible results. Fruits, vegetables, roots, anything that grows, really." She deposited some dirt from the small pile she had on-hoof into the clear white fluid, then combined it with the second. Instead of a healthier sample, it instead blackened. Rose frowned, scribbling down a note and blindly floating it over to her fellow mare. "Do not mix this in with the stimulant unless you want a famine on your hooves."

 

She didn't seem to bothered by the results, however, simply wishing it away as well before folding her hooves in front of her and actually turning to look at her guests. "Anything grown using my formula will be of the highest quality, but it will still need to be cared and tended for as a usual member of its genus. I can't make plants grow without water, after all."

[Blueblood]

"Indeed."  Emperor Norton agreed with Rose's assessment.  "And a good leader makes for a good ally, just as a strong nation makes for a strong ally."  He listened with interest to the alchemist's explanation, though the experimental display of blackening sample caused his eyes to narrow.  She would be able to see the gears turning in his head, and he would not be long in enlightening the pair of mares as to his thoughts.

 

"Interesting... it seems that such innovations as would increase productivity are but one step away from that which would devastate it utterly.  That mixture would make for an extremely potent weapon... in the claws of one who had no sense of honor in war."  His expression was troubled; he was a military officer, schooled in the art of war, but also well acquainted with its potential for horror.  The responsibility of an army was not only to win a war, but to prevent its escalation to the point of total devastation.  After all, any weapon you brought to the field was one which your enemy was justified in bringing against you.

[Dunder]

Cemmoyāhua grinned as she was complimented. Though, only for a moment. She went back to watching the mare work, not wanting to be taken off guard.

 

As she saw the mixture with the white fluid not work, her eyes went wide. That definitely didn't look good. "Was that alum and water?" She asked, looking to Rose. The crimson mare herself knew that there were many white crystals that could be dissolved in water. Cemmoyāhua floated the note over and opened t between herself and Norton so they could both see. She looked at the writing once and remembered quickly that reading non-type face Equestrian was difficult.

 

She looked over to Norton who gave his harrowing opinion of the concotion. To it, Cemmoyahua nodded. "Yes, this flaw is too critical and simple to make." She said, "We cannot rely on it in the long term, and perhaps should only use it for emergencies."

 

After her own two bits she looked to Rose. "What about it? Can you configure it to not be so potential dangerous?"