Walking into the Felvikdal House of Government was a very strange experience, at least on the morning I entered. Being a seat of government, even its waiting room had a requisite level of decor and furnishings, with patterned plaster walls and reception desks of fine wood and craftsmanship. The guards in ornate green and gold armor made to the highest standards served to drive home the grandiose impression of the place, and, at the moment, were very much necessary.
Why? Because at this time, the rather opulently decorated building was serving as the location for this region of the Felbeck Federation’s Ranger trials. And as such, it was stuffed full with every person who hoped to make a pretty penny by taming the wilderness on behalf of the state, leading to people from almost every walk of life being present. It was exactly this that was causing some level of dissonance, seeing what must have been close to a hundred people, wearing everything from rags to armor to finery, jamming into a room clearly meant to host those of a more… distinguished sort, to phrase it politely.
Unfortunately for most of those present, the Rangers were not an ordinary military unit, and they were not accepting of just anyone. Even if you were an incredible mage or warrior, if you were too lacking in other necessary areas, you wouldn’t make it in, though you would likely be able to make it through the preliminary evaluations. But fortunately for myself, I was quite certain I had the skills and abilities to make it through.
Having been given a wooden board with a number on it by a guard near the open doors, I went to rest against a wall at the front of the room, standing as clear as possible from the mass of humanity before me. While waiting there for my turn at the reception desks, I spent my time observing the chaotic proceedings around me and the people taking part in it. Certain patterns quickly appeared, with many younger or more intrepid individuals who came hoping for a chance at power or wealth promptly being turned away as it became apparent they had little to none of the required experience or skill. Some of the more ill-tempered among them even ended up being escorted out after they tried to start arguing with the clerks. It was actually fairly easy to guess who would make it through the initial screening, for if someone already had a decent level of weaponry and equipment, it was generally a sign that they were experienced enough to make a living using them.
People had all kinds of armaments, from swords and spears, bows and aether-rifles, to the countless forms a magic focus could take. Their attire was no less varied, with everything from scale and plate armors to enchanted cloaks and robes being accounted for. As for me, I was wearing my favoured cloak, a strange piece of gray fabric that seemed to shimmer despite reflecting little light. Having my hood up while indoors likely only furthered my unusual appearance, earning me many furtive glances, and while lowering my hood would likely serve to appease any suspicions those present may hold towards me, what was beneath it would probably cause issues of its own, so I choose to keep my head covered for the time being.
After at least an hour, my number was hollered out by one of the clerks, and I made my way to his desk. He was a rather nondescript individual, sandy blond and well into adulthood, but not yet middle-aged, and the moment I reached his desk he spoke to me without even looking up from where he was leafing through documents. “Your name is?”
My response was equally as short, no more words than necessary. “Jessica Wells.”
“Alright,” he pulled out a pre-formatted sheet and started writing on it, spelling my name in the phonetic script of the greater region, “and what are your abilities and background Ms. Wells?”
My response to this was twofold. I lifted my palm up in front of my chest and, as I spoke a single word, I brought a small fire into existence above my hand. Seeing him finally look up and have his eyes widen at my statement and actions did, admittedly, bring a bit of a grin to my face.
“Magicborn.”
