(open | november log)

[fulgency]

Who: Ozymandias + you (some closed starters as well)
When: Noveuer
Where: Aefenglom (Residential, Aristocratic, and Entertainment Districts), Mhysadei (farmland beyond the Wall), & the Wilde
What: Ozymandias starts surveying and problem-solving for the issues of overcrowding in the Residential District, suffers tea time with old rich women, and tries to do his best taking care of a farm that was left behind. He also has some private 1:1 chats with some folks.
Warnings: Animal death (via hunting) with the Wilde prompt; will update as needed

residential district | aristocratic district | entertainment district (closed) | mhysadei + the wilde
((ooc: feel free to riff off any of the open prompts if you would like. if you need/want to run something by me before you do that, you can either pm this journal or shoot me a message on plurk [rebreather]. same goes with if you would like to have a private starter!))

Comments

[fulgency]

For her sake, it is certainly worth it, [Ozymandias says with a smile as he can relate to that desire. He would bring the Dorchacht refugee children to the festivals, after all. It's important for them to have the opportunity to be as children ought to be.] I am sure Leslie is also deeply appreciative of the time you spend together.

[unyieldingmarch]

I think so. She's a delight, and I count myself eternally lucky to have the opportunity to spend time with her.

[If anything could make her smile, it was her ward, the little girl that had seemingly wormed her way into even Hubert's heart.]

She's growing, but, as you've noticed...so is the town. Which is decidedly a matter for concern.

[fulgency]

Yes, it is, [Ozymandias says, nodding his agreement.] Although certainly no one's intention, the arrival of the Mirrorbound placed a significant amount of pressure upon the city itself to house each of us.

[And then the additional pressures of the refugees from Dorchacht while Mirrorbound continued to arrive in large numbers added yet another complicated layer of housing issues.]

I have never been particularly concerned regarding the displacement of the nobles themselves. I understand and am empathetic to their frustrations, but they will always have their own resources to successfully manage such a situation. It is those that were displaced as they moved into the Residential District that I am concerned for. Even what few landowners there are in that district struggle.

[unyieldingmarch]

Well, perhaps a solution similar to what we do in Enbarr would work.

[Edelgard has her thoughts, at least, and it'd been a long needed solution at home. So, why not attempt something here.]

We instituted public housing a number of years ago, to keep people within the protective walls of the city. Enbarr isn't often attacked, not like Aefenglom, but it is a fortress city.

That public housing, similar to apartments or barracks, is built upwards. That would keep people within the Bright Wall, at least.

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias thanks the waitstaff briefly as his hot chocolate is brought to the table and placed in front of him, although his attention remains squarely on Edelgard.]

I do believe something like that would begin to address the issue of overcrowding within the Wall. [The distinction is important. There's no need to delude either of themselves into believing that there would be any allowance for those currently living beyond it to be allowed within.] We aimed for something similar for the Mirrorbound once before, but I am hopeful that such a program with a focus on their own people may entice more of them to support the motion.

My concern, however, is that during the construction of this housing, we may still be displacing some of the population temporarily. Although one could hardly deem some of the buildings suitable for living in, those that have nowhere else to turn still make those abandoned buildings their homes. Tearing them down for the purposes of rebuilding would leave them with little reprieve unless we can identify somewhere else for them in the interim.

I did have the thought that perhaps some of the farms would be willing to exchange labor for shelter as Daenerys once did with some of the refugees from Dorchacht, but I do not know how many among them would be willing among both parties.

[The farmers could view it as a burden and those within the Wall may view it too risky to even temporarily relocate outside it.]

[unyieldingmarch]

[Edelgard nods several times, taking it all in quietly, pondering his words and giving them all their due weight.]

Then...perhaps we could lobby for some of them to stay in Dorchacht, in some of the housing there, assuming they are willing.

[She's certainly noted that a great many people died during those conflicts. And with the teleportation between the cities, it isn't exactly hard to get back to Aefenglom.]

Unless there could be some convincing on both sides. Or assurances made of safety on the farms, which Mirrorbound could likely provide.

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias wraps his hands around his hot mug as Edelgard speaks, leaving his hands there to bring about a little bit of warmth against the lingering chill from outside.]

Dorchacht will likely require cooperation from the Three. [Which he does not think will be particularly challenging in some aspects. Regardless of his opinions about the transference of power after the vacuum left behind Morgana, the Three appear to maintain a positive relationship with the Mirrorbound. But... ] The idea certainly has merit, but I would wish to spend more time assessing suitability before identifying Dorchact as a firm possibility.

In my opinion, Dorchacht is still quite unstable even with Morgana meeting her end, and the people are still recovering from yet another assault upon their freedom and welfare. They may not yet be in a position to offer that sort of support, and I would hate to sour the relationship by not demonstrating enough sensitivity to their plight.

Have you any contacts through your trades that could provide a fuller picture of what is happening there?

[unyieldingmarch]

I have not, as of yet, investigated that avenue. I could certainly look into it, and I do understand your concerns. There's certainly the possibility that the situation could be untenable but it could also work for the benefit of all involved.

[Namely eager hands to help rebuild for their hosts.]

I will see what I can discern. But, have you another solution in mind?

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias gives a small shake of his head.]

For now, those appear to be our primary options. [Either they need to work something out with Dorchacht or with the surrounding farmlands.] The only other potential solution that comes to mind is that the Mirrorbound house those displaced, but it seems difficult to believe that would be a welcomed decision.

[As much as he believes the Mirrorbound would perhaps be willing to begin a patrol of some sort, asking them to invite some of the natives into their homes might be pressing their luck. Never mind that the natives themselves might not feel pleased with the idea. Who knows yet where lies the resentment for their housing issue? Ozymandias thinks it should be at the aristocracy that has failed nearly everyone, but he would think the same of the Outer City and their opinion of the Mirrorbound is well-known by now.]

[unyieldingmarch]

No, I don't think that we could convince the Mirrorbound of that.

[She, certainly, would not be amenable to that. She and her friends are an intensely private lot, and she knows many others to be of similar mind.]

I suppose that we must suggest those then, and that...likely...is the best course given our general lack of resources.

[fulgency]

[Ozymandias nods.]

If you would use your contacts in Dorchacht to assess the situation further, I may be able to do the same in the farmlands. I still try to make frequent visits to Daenerys' former landlady.

[Sick as she has been lately, she is still part of that portion of the community. She will be a perfect avenue to begin exploring that without necessarily having to do so directly and receive no traction.]

One of my Bonded... Well, perhaps both of them. I can speak to them about the possibility of organizing some form of protection after I have time to assess the opinions of the farmlands.

[Sheva will likely take very little convincing, of that he is certain. Sheva is the sort of person who cares deeply for the well-being of those who are left behind by the powerful and wealthy because of how much her life had been spent as one of those. Fang, on the other hand... Well, it's not so much that he cannot see her aligning with those ideals, too. The trouble is that she may not be particularly motivated to assist in any of his ambitions so directly or really be willing to invest much in this world when there is so much not right with her family back home. Still, it seems worth proposing to her.]

[unyieldingmarch]

I will do that, and let you know as soon as I am able.

[She certainly has no objections to trying, that all seems very reasonable.]

And I can speak to my bonded as well about that. Hubert...probably will not be interested, but he has plenty of responsibilities. Byleth, though, may well be. She's very often bored and she is formerly a mercenary captain, so it may be a good fit.

[fulgency]

Is that so?

[Ozymandias seems to somewhat perk up at the mention of that, having raised his mug for another drink only to set it back down without it ever touching his lips.]

Has she seen a great deal of battle?