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You have had time enough to be formally introduced to each member of the 43rd Talon before being seated. While you are told that your Palace and Drill Rota will see you intermingled with other Talons and Cohorts, when the Guard marches in earnest these are the men you will be sleeping, eating and fighting with during your service.
The 1st Lance, Marshall Jurand, you have already met of course. His second-in-command the 2nd Lance and firstborn son of the Duchess’ own sister, Sir Vladimir Romaine, is the highest ranked amongst you in terms of Cantonian peerage. He greets you politely as a vassal of his household, and his jest that finally the 43rd Talon can expect a bit more class about it with another trueborn Romani is greeted with good-natured ribald scorn from the other accomplished knights at the table more concerned with great deeds than good manners in front of their betters.
The 4th Lance Chimalma is no Cantonian, perhaps the farthest from it, his lamellar armour, feathered helm and facial features all confirming his origin as hailing from the land of Azir. You had read that the Azir travelled to serve in the Guard formed from units of sworn Blood Pact, and form their own separate Talons. That makes his presence here in the 43rd, a Cantonian talon, a rather curious one. But it is a topic you are advised by Sir Ibram to avoid.
The 5th Lance is even more of a mystery, referred to by the others present at the table as ‘Neach-Siubhail’ or ‘Sir Siubhail’. You wouldn’t have picked him out as a foreigner like Chimalma and the man seems to understand Cantonian, but he himself speaks only in the curious parse of signals and shorthand that constitutes the Battle Cant of the Guard which you are not yet versed in. His arms and armour are that of a knight of your homeland, but he carries no style or sigil you recognise. His three most distinct features are his mop of long red hair, his piercing emerald eyes, and the tattoos that you recognise to be inked fae runes that, like his armour, dot every inch of his face and arms.
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