![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] JWJAJI4](https://i.imgur.com/JWJAJI4.png){kind=small}
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] 0P2llqg](https://i.imgur.com/0P2llqg.png){kind=small}
- Job Info:
- Job Name: Fire in Mind and Belly
Job Rank: B Tier
Job Location: Southern Reim
Job Reward: 100 XP | 7,000 Huang | NoM Percentage
Job Prerequisites: Be Zubaidah
Job Overview: Zubaidah has realised that the trade-route between the Louve and the Osteri is fraught with danger, bandits and the local Luddi tribe. As she arrives in their lands, Zubaidah must first deal with a bandit attack, and then the Luddites themselves. Hear out the Luddites asking if they might join the trade bloc themselves, disillusioned with Reim’s over-automation, and consider their proposal in return.- Enemies:
Enemy Name: Bandit x 8
Rank: C
Needed damage to take down: 1 C-Tier
Description: An above-average group of bandits, skilled in martial arts, who have plagued the roads in southern Reim.
Abilities:
Feather Feet: The mercenaries are unarmed, yet are extremely skilled with their bare hands.
Back Scratch: Mercenaries attack using the back of their fist, dealing D-Tier Damage.
Twisted Strike: The mercenaries swung their arms up diagonally, striking C-Tier Damage.
ZUZU MANSUR
It had been a week since Denime had left her company, working with the Osteri so that the Louve's ideas for manufacture went smoothly. That did not afford Zubaidah any less work, however, for the Ash Company strategists had disclosed that the trade-routes between the Louva and Osteri were not ready for use. Of course, such a vague phrase meant little to Zubaidah. What did 'ready for use' mean? Well, once she went to check them out, she learnt the meaning very soon.
So when they said not ready for use, her strategists had meant 'ready for bandits'? It would have been useful to know that before hand, but hindsight is always more useful. Well, useful until faced with a group of bandits armed to the teeth at least. She would have to consider hindsight after she had knocked their teeth in.
As the bandits ran towards her, Zubaidah poured magoi into her shield and let loose a Directed Defence. It took out the first two with relative ease, but one bandit slipped through and met her with a Back Scratch. It was but an irritation, however, serving more to scratch an itch than to hurt. In response, Zubaidah back-handed him into the soil. The remaining five watched anxiously, keeping their distance, until one of them took a whistle from his pocket and let loose a high-pitched wheeeesh. On that signal, they all scurried away, leaving the other bandits on the wayside.
She had thought the bandits withdrew after seeing her in action, but Zubaidah turned to see a group of heavily-armed men that must have been the cause. At once, she was wary of them, but it seemed that they had arrived for the bandits and not for her. Indeed, based on their jokes and cheer, these men were not hostile towards her at all. They were content to chat then, perfect for Zubaidah, and so she struck conversation with the most heavily-armed of them all,
‘Who might you be?’
‘We're from the Luddi, demoiselle!'
‘Pardon if I have, but might have I crossed into your territory?’
‘You have indeed, but not to worry!'
‘I must apologise for doing so, and will take my leave then.’
‘We can't just let you leave without a drink! It's custom that we receive guests with a drink and a tale! And we have the finest drink in all southern Reim!'
‘Oh, really?’
‘Wow, that's real fine!’ As she threw back a canteen of red-hot whiskey, fire burning her tongue, a band of Luddites cheered and whooped. ‘What did I tell you, demoiselle!' The heavily-armed captain smacked on the back in a friendly manner, but it sent drink flying from her hand.
'Please treat our guest gentler, Laurence!' An older man, her host in this inn, reprimanded the man and he grinned back sheepishly. 'I am more surprised that you even managed to invite her back without consulting me.' The captain coughed and spluttered, but she was more curious that it seemed like her host Bernard had meant to seek her out.
'Madame, myself and Emil are guest-friends. For years, we have ensured relations between the Louve and the Luddi. And so, he thought it best to mention your venture into our territory, lest you fall prey to bandits. Laurence was sent to guide you through here safely.'
'No need, madame. We honour the code of guest friendship, that guests must be given hospitality. Instead, you can pay us back by listening to our story? I assure you that it is most interesting.'
At his behest, and Zubaidah's more than willing consent, a woman dressed in miller's clothes named Claudie handed him a lute and Zubaidah another canteen.
'Hand over your valuables if you don't want to get hurt, missy.'
So when they said not ready for use, her strategists had meant 'ready for bandits'? It would have been useful to know that before hand, but hindsight is always more useful. Well, useful until faced with a group of bandits armed to the teeth at least. She would have to consider hindsight after she had knocked their teeth in.
‘Let's get this over with...’
As the bandits ran towards her, Zubaidah poured magoi into her shield and let loose a Directed Defence. It took out the first two with relative ease, but one bandit slipped through and met her with a Back Scratch. It was but an irritation, however, serving more to scratch an itch than to hurt. In response, Zubaidah back-handed him into the soil. The remaining five watched anxiously, keeping their distance, until one of them took a whistle from his pocket and let loose a high-pitched wheeeesh. On that signal, they all scurried away, leaving the other bandits on the wayside.
‘Yeah, run away like the cowards you are!'
She had thought the bandits withdrew after seeing her in action, but Zubaidah turned to see a group of heavily-armed men that must have been the cause. At once, she was wary of them, but it seemed that they had arrived for the bandits and not for her. Indeed, based on their jokes and cheer, these men were not hostile towards her at all. They were content to chat then, perfect for Zubaidah, and so she struck conversation with the most heavily-armed of them all,
‘Who might you be?’
‘We're from the Luddi, demoiselle!'
‘Pardon if I have, but might have I crossed into your territory?’
‘You have indeed, but not to worry!'
‘I must apologise for doing so, and will take my leave then.’
‘We can't just let you leave without a drink! It's custom that we receive guests with a drink and a tale! And we have the finest drink in all southern Reim!'
‘Oh, really?’
-----
‘Wow, that's real fine!’ As she threw back a canteen of red-hot whiskey, fire burning her tongue, a band of Luddites cheered and whooped. ‘What did I tell you, demoiselle!' The heavily-armed captain smacked on the back in a friendly manner, but it sent drink flying from her hand.
'Please treat our guest gentler, Laurence!' An older man, her host in this inn, reprimanded the man and he grinned back sheepishly. 'I am more surprised that you even managed to invite her back without consulting me.' The captain coughed and spluttered, but she was more curious that it seemed like her host Bernard had meant to seek her out.
‘What do you know about me?’
'Madame, myself and Emil are guest-friends. For years, we have ensured relations between the Louve and the Luddi. And so, he thought it best to mention your venture into our territory, lest you fall prey to bandits. Laurence was sent to guide you through here safely.'
‘I must thank you then! I do not have much on me, but I am sure that I can pay you back some - ’
'No need, madame. We honour the code of guest friendship, that guests must be given hospitality. Instead, you can pay us back by listening to our story? I assure you that it is most interesting.'
At his behest, and Zubaidah's more than willing consent, a woman dressed in miller's clothes named Claudie handed him a lute and Zubaidah another canteen.
‘Our land, my dear madame, hasn't always been the dead and alive place it is today. In the old days, it was a great textile centre, serving the farmers from many kilometres around, who brought their wool here to be spun into garments. The village was surrounded by hills covered in windmills to power the looms. On every side, above the pine trees, sails, turning in the mistral, filled the landscape, and an assortment of small, sack-laden donkeys trudged up and down the paths.
'You see, day after day, we would hear the shouts of the men at work, the snap of the sails, and the donkeys heeing and hawing. On the weekends, we used to go up to the weavers’ cottages in droves, and the workers thanked us with strong whiskey. The miller's wives looked as pretty as pictures with their lace shawls and gold necklaces. I took my lute, of course, and we would dance the night away. Those windmills, mark me, were the heart and soul of our world.
‘Then, some prospectors came up with the unfortunate idea of establishing a new steam-mill on the main road. People soon began sending their wool to the factory and the poor weavers and wind-millers started to lose their living. For a while they tried to fight back, but steam was the coming thing, and it eventually finished them off. One by one, they had to close down.’
‘No more dear little donkeys.’ She caught the hint of irony in Claudie's voice, as she interrupted the story from across the crowded room. ‘No more strong whiskey!’ Downing his canteen, Laurence looked less than pleased. ‘No more dancing…’
‘The millers' wives were selling their necklaces, just to help make ends meet. Even the mistral might just as well not have bothered for all the turning the windmills did. Then, one day, the prospectors ordered the destruction of all the run-down windmills and the land was used to plant vines and olive trees.’
‘But even after this, one windmill has prevailed and managed to keep going, and still bravely turning on, right under their noses. That very windmill you can see from that window there.’
As he stretched out his arm towards the windmill in the distance, a round of applause broke out among the crowded inn that Zubaidah joined, whooping and hollering for an encore. As he handed Claudie his lute, Bernard hauled himself from his seat and took a small but thankful bow. A few men from the front row handed him a canteen and toasted him with warm words, before quieting the room to let him speak.
‘I hope you enjoyed my story, madame. it was not long, but it was honest. That said, however, it was for more than enjoyment.’
Certain of his meaning, Zubaidah responded with brevity, ‘What might I offer you?’ Bernard breathed a sigh of relief, scared that he had asked something too much of his guest. ‘We wish to join the security of your business venture.’
‘Did you not say that your windmills had been closed? What could you offer me without them?’
‘We have our skills.’ Bernard gestured towards the fields outside and the workshops lined in rows. ‘Our looms.’ As she said her piece, Claudie was interrupted by a great thud of canteen on wood, with Laurence shouting, ‘Our manpower!’
‘You saw how bandits plague the roadways, didn’t you? We have the manpower to deal with them!’
‘But, more importantly, we have connections.’
‘I’m listening?’
‘We have connections to farming communities where we can get wool and leather for low costs.’ Her interested guaranteed, Zubaidah leant forwards as Bernard continued, ‘Where you could get it for low costs.’
‘You have my full attention. But what do you want in return?’
‘Let us become part of your trade bloc. We want that security when we trade our goods. A security Reim hasn’t given us. We deserve more than Reim has been willing to give, but the Ash Company can give us that instead.’
Of course, it takes more than just discussion to create results. Zubaidah raised that, but Bernard knew that already. It seemed that he had come ready for action, drafts in hand. She was impressed, but Zubaidah was also wary of any negotiation that began without her instigation. If she was not instigating, then she was not in control. She needed her strategists, and strategists did she get.
After an evening of merriment and merry-making, the Ash Company sent her most trusted advisors, bar Batuttah, and they set about laying out their own drafts. Zubaidah was a skilful speaker, but she was not skilled at drafting trade-proposals. Her advisors Khalid and Hailanah were experts in that field, and skilled at all such business matters, finishing where Zubaidah started. She trusted them more than anyone to them, and their work proved that her trust was well-earned. Indeed, no sooner than she had called them here, they had earned even more.
For once the week was done, the Luddi were partners of the Ash Company.
'You see, day after day, we would hear the shouts of the men at work, the snap of the sails, and the donkeys heeing and hawing. On the weekends, we used to go up to the weavers’ cottages in droves, and the workers thanked us with strong whiskey. The miller's wives looked as pretty as pictures with their lace shawls and gold necklaces. I took my lute, of course, and we would dance the night away. Those windmills, mark me, were the heart and soul of our world.
‘Then, some prospectors came up with the unfortunate idea of establishing a new steam-mill on the main road. People soon began sending their wool to the factory and the poor weavers and wind-millers started to lose their living. For a while they tried to fight back, but steam was the coming thing, and it eventually finished them off. One by one, they had to close down.’
‘No more dear little donkeys.’ She caught the hint of irony in Claudie's voice, as she interrupted the story from across the crowded room. ‘No more strong whiskey!’ Downing his canteen, Laurence looked less than pleased. ‘No more dancing…’
‘The millers' wives were selling their necklaces, just to help make ends meet. Even the mistral might just as well not have bothered for all the turning the windmills did. Then, one day, the prospectors ordered the destruction of all the run-down windmills and the land was used to plant vines and olive trees.’
‘But even after this, one windmill has prevailed and managed to keep going, and still bravely turning on, right under their noses. That very windmill you can see from that window there.’
As he stretched out his arm towards the windmill in the distance, a round of applause broke out among the crowded inn that Zubaidah joined, whooping and hollering for an encore. As he handed Claudie his lute, Bernard hauled himself from his seat and took a small but thankful bow. A few men from the front row handed him a canteen and toasted him with warm words, before quieting the room to let him speak.
‘I hope you enjoyed my story, madame. it was not long, but it was honest. That said, however, it was for more than enjoyment.’
Certain of his meaning, Zubaidah responded with brevity, ‘What might I offer you?’ Bernard breathed a sigh of relief, scared that he had asked something too much of his guest. ‘We wish to join the security of your business venture.’
‘Did you not say that your windmills had been closed? What could you offer me without them?’
‘We have our skills.’ Bernard gestured towards the fields outside and the workshops lined in rows. ‘Our looms.’ As she said her piece, Claudie was interrupted by a great thud of canteen on wood, with Laurence shouting, ‘Our manpower!’
‘You saw how bandits plague the roadways, didn’t you? We have the manpower to deal with them!’
‘But, more importantly, we have connections.’
‘I’m listening?’
‘We have connections to farming communities where we can get wool and leather for low costs.’ Her interested guaranteed, Zubaidah leant forwards as Bernard continued, ‘Where you could get it for low costs.’
‘You have my full attention. But what do you want in return?’
‘Let us become part of your trade bloc. We want that security when we trade our goods. A security Reim hasn’t given us. We deserve more than Reim has been willing to give, but the Ash Company can give us that instead.’
Of course, it takes more than just discussion to create results. Zubaidah raised that, but Bernard knew that already. It seemed that he had come ready for action, drafts in hand. She was impressed, but Zubaidah was also wary of any negotiation that began without her instigation. If she was not instigating, then she was not in control. She needed her strategists, and strategists did she get.
After an evening of merriment and merry-making, the Ash Company sent her most trusted advisors, bar Batuttah, and they set about laying out their own drafts. Zubaidah was a skilful speaker, but she was not skilled at drafting trade-proposals. Her advisors Khalid and Hailanah were experts in that field, and skilled at all such business matters, finishing where Zubaidah started. She trusted them more than anyone to them, and their work proved that her trust was well-earned. Indeed, no sooner than she had called them here, they had earned even more.
For once the week was done, the Luddi were partners of the Ash Company.
330/340 mag | 1514/1500 | 390/390 stam
❅- Khalid and Hailanah:
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] E6d76010](https://i.servimg.com/u/f32/19/83/39/39/e6d76010.jpg)
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] E6d76010](https://servimg.com/r/3219833939/e6d76010.jpg)
- Sper Dansh:
- Name: Sper Dansh - سپر دانش
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] IWsTh5u](https://i.imgur.com/IWsTh5u.jpeg)
Tier: B-Tier
Type: Magic Weapon - Trick Weapon Buckler
Magic Type: Magnetism - Lightning Sub-type
Appearance: A 35 cm wide buckler made from a magnetic wood with scales of metal placed in a mosaic on both sides it is a separate piece from the base which is a small 10 cm disk with an arm brace to allow it to be worn.
Weapon Tricks:- Bound Shield (B-tier)- Made from magnetic materials this shield is a separate piece to its base allowing the buckler to be thrown and reattached, both faces being magnetic for ease. This magnetic field is strong enough to allow a single metal item on the front, but isn't strong enough to disarm enemies.
Function:- Directed Defense- Filling both pieces of shield with magoi the magnetic properties are both increased as the shield grabs metal from the surrounding environment becoming a 100 cm in diameter that can be controlled by the base within 50 meters of the user as it moves at B-tier flight speeds. This 10 magoi to cast | 5 to sustain
- LOCKED- This will be unlocked after completing the equivalent of three a-tier jobs with this weapon. (Six B-tier, so on and ect)
- Bound Shield (B-tier)- Made from magnetic materials this shield is a separate piece to its base allowing the buckler to be thrown and reattached, both faces being magnetic for ease. This magnetic field is strong enough to allow a single metal item on the front, but isn't strong enough to disarm enemies.
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] K0vgJDn](https://i.imgur.com/k0vgJDn.png)
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] Iq6jtf0](https://i.imgur.com/Iq6jtf0.png)
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] QYjNqdk](https://i.imgur.com/qYjNqdk.png)
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] FKPyrP1](https://i.imgur.com/fKPyrP1.png)
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] QNjkWt8](https://i.imgur.com/qNjkWt8.png)
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] S05VXeW](https://i.imgur.com/s05VXeW.png)
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] MF1oJbw](https://i.imgur.com/mF1oJbw.png)
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] XqXAOzw](https://i.imgur.com/xqXAOzw.png)
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] >](https://i.imgur.com/Z0o67Cd.png<br />)
![A Luddite's Mind [Fashion/NoM] QLDAWMF](https://i.imgur.com/QLDAWMF.png)
