Beginnings - Outside of Dahngrest

[Yeager]

How unfortunate. Do you think they were attempting to kidnap you? That could explain why you woke up here.

[Garista]

*Garista shook his head.*

I can't really make any assumptions. *He couldn't make any because A) he knew what had happened. And B) he realized his memory from before his death was... fuzzy. He shifted in his seat. But what he did remember was his death in the library and he was far from forgiving. His research had been ruined and he had been murdered because of a tiny accident. His face scrunched into an angered expression momentarily, lips drawing into a thin line.*

[Yeager]

Hmm. [Either he couldn't or he wouldn't, and Yeager was leaning more towards 'wouldn't.' Best to let that subject drop for now.] So where are you from? You look rather like an imperialist to me, not that I mind.

[Garista]

*Shizontania would likely get some kind of issue going, so Garista went with his other option.*

Capua Torim. *He wondered how much it had changed since he had last been there so long ago.*

[Yeager]

Ah, Torim. Lovely place. I was just there last week to settle a contract. It is nice how the guild presence has gotten so strong there as of late--makes business much easier.

[Garista]

*The Guild presence? Hmm.. Maybe that was good. The guilds and the Empire didn't get along. Maybe if his parents' estate was still there, he could go there. Then again... What would he do? He sighed a bit.*

That's interesting. How far away from here is Capua Torim?

[Yeager]

About a day and a half by coach. Once we get into town, you can book a ride on one if you wish. The rates are pretty reasonable at the border.

[Garista]

*He nodded, rubbing his cheek lightly. It occurred to him that he was tired and still that he wasn't sure if his accounts were open. Wonderful. He could get somewhere but he wasn't sure if it was worth it. Well, he'd figure something out..*

Thank you. I'll figure something out. *He nodded.*

[Yeager]

[He doesn't want to seem like he's doing an interrogation, but a bit of a silence descends after that remark, so he continues with the questions]

What kind of work are you in? Personally, I'm involved in the arms trade. Pretty profitable part of the market right now.

[Garista]

*Work. That's right. He had a job as a researcher. He cleared his throat a bit.*

I do research on Blastia. *He rubbed his wrist, if only to make sure the purple hoplon blastia was still there. He'd have to make sure the blasted thing still worked sometime. So many things he had to check up on... Death really screwed things up. Not to mention he had to figure out what year this was and how long he'd been dead. That was a somewhat chilling idea.*

Arms trade? I suppose that would be profitable. *Given the amount of monsters and enemies everywhere.*

[Yeager]

Do you? [Oh, that is relevant to his interests.] Imperially funded research?

[Garista]

Y- *He stopped himself. His research had been imperially funded, but... Now he wasn't sure what to make of it. He decided to just say what he thought would be best.*

Well, I was. I'm unsure as to the status of that with my current situation. My ties with the knights aren't entirely strong. *At this point, that was kind of an annoyed statement. Truth was, for now, he had cut ties with anyone and anything to do with the knights or anything like that. Hell, he was only barely attached to the conversation.*

[Yeager]

Hmm. ['Ties with the knights aren't entirely strong?' Oh, this was sounding promising.] What exactly were you researching? I know the empire's taken a keen interest in microsurface refraction, and the university in Aspio just received that grant for multi-layer hoplon development...

[Garista]

*Multi-layer hoplon development? Oh, dammit... He'd been hoping to research it to better his own hoplon, but he'd quickly given up at the needs to tend to hi normal work at the ruins. He had things to do and pet projects had not been an option.

Well... Pet projects that would have taken years and years...

However. He should probably answer before he looked stupid or suspicious.*

I specialized in Barrier and hoplon blastia. Most of my research and testing went to the barrier, but my efforts in downgrading the size of hoplon blastia, without losing the hoplon's power or integrity, were... more successful.

[Yeager]

Oh, which barrier? Were you involved with the reshaping of Zaphias' blastia two years ago?