02-16-2016, 02:49 PM
The city streets were crowded and, despite his unfamiliarity with the specifics of the culture- Paul knew it well. He had a mentat’s mind and stores of information on governance and policy the likes of which this universe had seldom seen. By the number of beggars or poor he could discern financial patterns, from the make and prevalence of weapons and armor he could discern military’s disposition. All this was extrapolation, but extrapolation and projections were what a mentat was best at. He was learning the rules of this universe- technology seemed immaterial and one’s status as a prime or secondary seemed far more important. Here “omnilium” was king and he knew that power dynamic well- omnilium, spice- it was all the same. Omni held all the omnilium and doled it out so, since Paul could not influence Omni directly, those who had the most had the most power in this world. He was sure Primes had the most and the more powerful the Prime, the more omnilium they must have. It was a vicious cycle, but one he understood well from his own experiences.
“Paul... what is this place?” Gurney asked in his rough, sandpaper voice. The squat man in the Atreides military uniform was regarding a number of alien lifeforms who sported odd technology who were talking next to what might have been a knight from old Earth. Such a contrast still struck Paul as odd as well but when one factored it into the larger rules of this universe- it made perfect sense. There was a logic to this unlogic- a tapestry lesser minds couldn’t see. He was... good at that however and he imparted what knowledge he could to his secondary.
“I see... I’ve seen few stranger places...” The burly little man said, chewing over the information when Paul had finished. He’d related the information Omni had imparted to him and even tested a few of his theories on the Warmaster. He’d agreed with him and even challenged a few. Paul could say one thing about Gurney- he was nothing if not sharp.
“So, m’lord, this is why you came here. If this omnilium is not unlike spice- it will be centralized in major cities like this.”
Paul nodded slowly, his blue-in-blue eyes appreciating his man’s aptitude, “And I intend to meet with the man who has the most. He will be the one who I will have to understand to understand this land and it’s people. A people reflect their leader and I can see that he leads them well, if not with an unpracticed hand.”
He had noted, as he and Gurney had walked the streets, that the people were well cared for within the means of the city. You couldn’t fake happy people. Forced or false smiles were easy to see though and he didn’t see any of those here. Genuine contentment came from opportunities, from fulfillment, and from a sense of security. Paul did not read this on everyone’s face but he did read this on enough to give him the notion that the citizens of Minas Tirith were not lead by an absolute tyrant.
Paul’s entirely blue eyes came to rest upon a sickly looking man and they narrowed. Without a word he knelt and drew a little water from the mouthpiece of his stillsuit.
“Drink, you are not well.” Paul said, giving the man a gift that others would consider simple but Paul regarded more highly than life itself- water.
The man looked up, a huddled form of rags and bones. He wasn’t sure what to make of Paul and Gurney but took the succor anyway.
“T-thank you.” He said with cracked lips, his voice a low growl.
“How did you come to be like this? Is there not a place of aid nearby?”
The beggar looked confused, but finally made up his mind to speak to Paul.
“Yes... but I was turned away. It is overcrowded with wounded secondary soldiers and primes.”
Paul’s face did not stir. He had seen death and understood that the needs of the strong outweighed the needs of the weak in the desert. Still, there seemed like there might still be something he could do for the beggar.
“I’m no healer but I know of a great many things. You simply seem to be wasting away from malnutrition and from thirst. It would be best if you got yourself some food.” He explained and then seemed to be lost in thought. If one could make people what would a simple bit of food take? He couldn’t image it would be difficult so, he held up his hand to the beggar.
“I... may be able to help.” And, after a long minute of concentration, produced a small packaged meal. He had... created what he needed. Checking inside he unfolded the lid of the nutrition ration he had produced and inhaled.... Spice. There was just a touch but every cell in his body knew the cinnamon odor and reacted. This would restore the man, even though the amount of Spice was only the lightest dusting. He’d seen it perk up men on their deathbeds so what was a little malnutrition?
“Eat this.” He said calmly, offering the food to him. In response the beggar pushed back like a scared cat.
“Y-y-you’re a Prime!?” He said shakily, waving his arms to express his refutation of the food.
“And what of it? Can a Prime not help a man like you?”
The beggar considered this for a minute. Those Primes he had meet hadn’t paid any attention to him except for a wicked one who had treated him badly. He seemed to consider this for a long moment before finally seeming to give in and took the offered food. Gurney gave a huff as if to say “finally” but waited respectfully behind Paul.
The man ate slowly at first but gained in vigor once he saw that it was not tainted. He wolfed down the last few bites and even lickedh is fingers.
“That was... what was that?” The man asked with confused amazement.
“A gift. A gift for the people of this city from Muad'dib.”
The beggar nodded but clearly was a little confused. Was the name supposed to mean something?
“Tell me, who is the lord here?”
“You mean Omni?”
Paul realized that he had perhaps used the wrong term. The man had taken “lord” to mean “god”.
“No... I mean who is the Prime in charge of this city?”
To this the beggar responded, licking the inside of the wrapper with gusto, “Oh- that’d be King Aragorn. He holds court on the highest level of this city.That great hall up there.”
Paul’s blue eyes followed the ragamuffin’s finger as he extended it up to the highest point of the circular city.
“Then that is where I must go...” Paul said quietly but Gurney heard him.
“Is that where the wind is blowing you m’lord?”
“Indeed Gurney. I feel that it is where it is my fate to go...” Paul said prophetically before offering the man on the ground a nod and passing onward.
Now he had a name and a location. All that lay between him and a meeting with the king was the rest of the city and many social barriers. Perhaps he could leverage his status as a Prime to gain an audience...
“Paul... what is this place?” Gurney asked in his rough, sandpaper voice. The squat man in the Atreides military uniform was regarding a number of alien lifeforms who sported odd technology who were talking next to what might have been a knight from old Earth. Such a contrast still struck Paul as odd as well but when one factored it into the larger rules of this universe- it made perfect sense. There was a logic to this unlogic- a tapestry lesser minds couldn’t see. He was... good at that however and he imparted what knowledge he could to his secondary.
“I see... I’ve seen few stranger places...” The burly little man said, chewing over the information when Paul had finished. He’d related the information Omni had imparted to him and even tested a few of his theories on the Warmaster. He’d agreed with him and even challenged a few. Paul could say one thing about Gurney- he was nothing if not sharp.
“So, m’lord, this is why you came here. If this omnilium is not unlike spice- it will be centralized in major cities like this.”
Paul nodded slowly, his blue-in-blue eyes appreciating his man’s aptitude, “And I intend to meet with the man who has the most. He will be the one who I will have to understand to understand this land and it’s people. A people reflect their leader and I can see that he leads them well, if not with an unpracticed hand.”
He had noted, as he and Gurney had walked the streets, that the people were well cared for within the means of the city. You couldn’t fake happy people. Forced or false smiles were easy to see though and he didn’t see any of those here. Genuine contentment came from opportunities, from fulfillment, and from a sense of security. Paul did not read this on everyone’s face but he did read this on enough to give him the notion that the citizens of Minas Tirith were not lead by an absolute tyrant.
Paul’s entirely blue eyes came to rest upon a sickly looking man and they narrowed. Without a word he knelt and drew a little water from the mouthpiece of his stillsuit.
“Drink, you are not well.” Paul said, giving the man a gift that others would consider simple but Paul regarded more highly than life itself- water.
The man looked up, a huddled form of rags and bones. He wasn’t sure what to make of Paul and Gurney but took the succor anyway.
“T-thank you.” He said with cracked lips, his voice a low growl.
“How did you come to be like this? Is there not a place of aid nearby?”
The beggar looked confused, but finally made up his mind to speak to Paul.
“Yes... but I was turned away. It is overcrowded with wounded secondary soldiers and primes.”
Paul’s face did not stir. He had seen death and understood that the needs of the strong outweighed the needs of the weak in the desert. Still, there seemed like there might still be something he could do for the beggar.
“I’m no healer but I know of a great many things. You simply seem to be wasting away from malnutrition and from thirst. It would be best if you got yourself some food.” He explained and then seemed to be lost in thought. If one could make people what would a simple bit of food take? He couldn’t image it would be difficult so, he held up his hand to the beggar.
“I... may be able to help.” And, after a long minute of concentration, produced a small packaged meal. He had... created what he needed. Checking inside he unfolded the lid of the nutrition ration he had produced and inhaled.... Spice. There was just a touch but every cell in his body knew the cinnamon odor and reacted. This would restore the man, even though the amount of Spice was only the lightest dusting. He’d seen it perk up men on their deathbeds so what was a little malnutrition?
“Eat this.” He said calmly, offering the food to him. In response the beggar pushed back like a scared cat.
“Y-y-you’re a Prime!?” He said shakily, waving his arms to express his refutation of the food.
“And what of it? Can a Prime not help a man like you?”
The beggar considered this for a minute. Those Primes he had meet hadn’t paid any attention to him except for a wicked one who had treated him badly. He seemed to consider this for a long moment before finally seeming to give in and took the offered food. Gurney gave a huff as if to say “finally” but waited respectfully behind Paul.
The man ate slowly at first but gained in vigor once he saw that it was not tainted. He wolfed down the last few bites and even lickedh is fingers.
“That was... what was that?” The man asked with confused amazement.
“A gift. A gift for the people of this city from Muad'dib.”
The beggar nodded but clearly was a little confused. Was the name supposed to mean something?
“Tell me, who is the lord here?”
“You mean Omni?”
Paul realized that he had perhaps used the wrong term. The man had taken “lord” to mean “god”.
“No... I mean who is the Prime in charge of this city?”
To this the beggar responded, licking the inside of the wrapper with gusto, “Oh- that’d be King Aragorn. He holds court on the highest level of this city.That great hall up there.”
Paul’s blue eyes followed the ragamuffin’s finger as he extended it up to the highest point of the circular city.
“Then that is where I must go...” Paul said quietly but Gurney heard him.
“Is that where the wind is blowing you m’lord?”
“Indeed Gurney. I feel that it is where it is my fate to go...” Paul said prophetically before offering the man on the ground a nod and passing onward.
Now he had a name and a location. All that lay between him and a meeting with the king was the rest of the city and many social barriers. Perhaps he could leverage his status as a Prime to gain an audience...
Quote:TL;DR: Paul and Gurney meet a homeless man and feed him. The man is surprised that a Prime would help him. Paul learns of King Aragorn and is now heading to the inner city to try to gain an audience with him.
![[Image: AXsJ8wI.png]](http://i.imgur.com/AXsJ8wI.png)