#patch 6.55

Third-Rate : extremely low in quality or value : worse than second-rate. —————— A hyur was staring at something over a table, frowning and making faces constantly…then sighing and walking around, it was more than clear he was frustrated, and as he hears a low chuckle to the side, he glares. “…What?”

Meteor was standing close to the door and couldn’t help but stare at Ardbert, amused and curious, “You seem upset about something…and all I see is a perfectly set of clothes in front of you.”

The former Warrior of Darkness and, currently, apprentice of famous fashionista Redolent Rose, was basically about to hit his head against a wall, “Is not perfect, it has around…a thousand imperfections and I cannot figure out where!”

Current, and eternal, Warrior of Light, couldn’t help but laugh at the precarious predicament his beloved shard was in, “Is that what he told you…?” said man came closer to the table and examined the pieces of clothing, they seemed fine to the absolutely untrained eye but… “Is this supposed to be the basis of a leather armor…?”

Ardbert huffed and finally decided to sit down, “It’s a stupid commission that, explicitly, asked for me to make this set…I have no idea why, I am not even that good at working with leather yet…”

Meteor couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow and then smile sideways, “What have you been up to…?”

At the question, said addressed shard couldn’t help but pout, looking sideways, “What does it look like…? Figuring out a job…I am sure being the Hero and Savior of everyone and everything in the Universe pays well…but we need to have a back up plan…y’know?” That made Meteor laugh, “I am right…!”

“You are! But I never imagined you’d like to take up crafting!” It wasn’t a mocking sound, it was an endeared one — after all, few things that Ardbert did were not adorable, or hot, or cute in Meteor’s eyes. “I also have odd jobs here and there…you don’t need to…”

“I want to.”

Both men stared at each other, with the one standing relenting first, smile still adorning his face as he looked to the set of almost made armor resting there. “…It looks fine to me.”

Ardbert rolled his eyes, “It’s barely third-rate and apparently, no respected Adventurer would be caught dead wearing something like this…” and then, to the utter surprise of the former resident of the First, Meteor grabbed the coat and started to look at it, “What are you…?”

The Warrior of Light then put it on, making Ardbert blink as he realized the piece of clothing — and eventual armor — fit his soulmate quite well, a bit too perfectly fine. And to see him moving around with it, and also going to grab his new swords…made him realize something, “You’re a bastard.”

As Meteor laughed he simply turned around and extended his arms, “Yes? I think I just lost all respect as an adventurer, since…personally, I plan to use what I commissioned, third-rate or not…” even if Ardbert wanted to argue, the damn idiot was smiling at him with one of those big grins of his…that made the shard and soulmate feel a twist inside his stomach and the need to kiss this man to death.

“…Tell that to Redolent Rose…”

Meteor shrugged, “I will make sure to point out that I commissioned my boyfriend for a very specific reason…now, stop pouting and let me watch you work…I like when you’re focused on making armor.”

Ardbert snorts and then shakes his head. “…I am making the entire thing again no matter what, if you’re the one who will wear it…I need to make sure you’re safe with it.”

“I will be safe anyway, I am gonna be with you.”

Wuk Lamat is fun. I look forward to seeing how she unfolds - she seems to have nuance and depth, which lend themself well to quite in-depth headcanons.

The first appearance of Pictomancer seems interesting. A bit bare bones, but it's something.

And then, of course, the plot.

And I have something to point out.

So I, curmudgeon that I am, have long been on the camp of "The Scions never ask us anything, they inform us and then bulldoze past any point where we may be recalcitrant or object". People have previously told me that this is a bad faith reading of the Scions.

However, I would like to specifically note, that in the latest MSQ as of this patch: We are asked, by an NPC, if we want to go on an adventure to Tural. In the same MSQ, multiple Scions very pointedly do not ask our thoughts on them inviting themselves on our adventure.

Even within the conventions of the story and what it demonstrably expects NPCs to act like when treating the WoL, even when other characters ask for your aid, your presence, the Scions do not. They assume, and you are expected to grin and bear it.