[Game Thread] 02: The Light of Law and Earth

[Duderk]

"Ah. Yes. I wasn't clear earlier was I? You need to use the balance stone one the orbs after you have started the drain of light from the orb, but before it reaches total darkness, or balance cannot be locked into that orb until the next time warriors are chosen. No-one knows how to drain light or dark out of the Orbs, because only the warriors can create such a situation."

The man clears his throat, obviously embarrassed that he misspoke. He would appear to be used to being able to make himself understood clearly.

"As for maps, that will not likely be necessary; our scouts will guide you to a road near the edge of our domain, and from there you can travel to either the Fort or Minos with little confusion. There will be a branching road that our scout will explain, you should not need to worry about finding your destination, especially with your permits."

The man looks at Nyx again.

"I am sorry to say that most of our shops cater to food, drink, clothes, and a few general supplies; most of the people living here do so to avoid the troubles of the world."

[Darkling]

"A climber's kit and an adventurer's kit. Is that doable?" She asks politely as she half-heartedly continues with her meal, smiling at the mention of scouts. "Would appreciate the scout's assistance, Chief. Is there anything I can do for you or your people, while we are still here?"

[jbear]

Solomon wipes his face after stuffing it full of breakfast. Washing it down with some water he lets out a long sigh of satisfaction.

"I don't understand. Well, I think I do. But not all...

We have to find the Orb in Minos. We have to discover who is attuned to the Orb and kill them before we do anything else. Then we have to begin to drain the Orb of Light, right?

But no one knows how to do that? We have to figure that out as we go along? Chief ... that's not very helpful. It sounds like the most important part. Don't glower like that, I think it's a fair comment.

All right ... so if we figure out how to drain the Orb then before it drains too much we need to somehow use the Balance Stone to stop the drainage and leave the orb in balance. It will remain in whatever state we leave the Orb in for a year before anyone can attune themselves to it. And it will be unable to be changed, drained or filled before that time also?

How am I doing?"

Solomon seems quite lost in thought.

"Arming ourselves more ... is the risk worth it? Maybe it is. If we can think of a plan to get into the fort and take the guards unprepared. Can we take the wagoneers supplying the fort regularly upon the road, ride up to the gates and have them opened to us as friends?

In any case," Solomon looks deliberately at Balit, "Whatever we do there, we should do it quietly. We are not ready to make an announcement to our enemies that we are a threat. Let them wallow blindly in ignorance and take them unprepared. No man or woman can walk away from that place if we attack it."

The final comment seems directed at Nyx.

[Duderk]

"Yes, a climbers kit and adventurer's kit should be possible, you will have to speak with the shop-keeps in town to arrange that though. Our people are well off, and will not likely need any assistance, but feel free to ask around and see if anyone needs laundry carried or some other chore similar; we are peaceful, as I said, and for some reason the monsters in the region leave us be."

The man looks at Solomon as he speaks; a flicker of annoyance passing over his face as he comments on not know the most important part, but manages to regain his balance and stay calm through the rest of his comments.

"As for the Orbs, we cannot say how they are drained; there has never been any living soul but the warriors in the chambers as the light or dark are switched, and the secret has never been shared; the Balance Stone simply needs to touch the Orb while it is in flux. From what we know, you can drain the light from an orb, but not the dark; if you fail to balance the Orb it will not likely be able to be corrected for 500 years."

The Chief seems to think about your suggestion for entering the fort, either ignoring of not caring about the suggestion to kill everyone inside. "You might be able to take the wagon and enter as friends; but it will likely be a challenge. The wagoner's are always the same pair, you will somehow need to convince the guard that you are their replacements and the notification did not get sent to them, if you choose to take that route. It unfortunately does seem like the best solution I can think of, unless one of you can teleport?" His voice fades off in a hopeful manner, as he ponders each of you quickly, obviously wondering what you are capable of.

[TheNewGuy]

Having satisfied his immediate hunger, William leans back and pops an occasional morsel into his mouth as he listens to everyone's questions.

"Hm," William mumbles as he retrieves some of the papers he'd taken from the captain's office, "Let me see if I have anything appropriate here." William starts thumbing through the stack of papers to see if he'd missed any certification that might identify the bearer as a Coneria city official, or any other position that might reasonably have official business to conduct at the fort.

After a moment of searching through the papers, William lifts his head and asks, "Do we know how delicate this orb is, by the way? I imagine it must be quite resilient." William raises an eyebrow and gives Balit a sideways glance. "It might even survive, oh, say, the complete immolation of a building," he adds before turning his attention back to the stack of papers in his lap.

[Darkling]

Nyx smiles at Solomon, speaking perhaps a little bitterly. "Do not concern yourselves with me. You are all free to slaughter and maim those in the fort. Does that news embolden you, Mister Solomon?" She casts an eye across Balit. "Satyr? Happy to be free of my troublesome conscience?" Her words come across in jest, but her smile does not reach her eye, pausing to consider the two for a moment. "I will handle the orb," she gestures to her eye-patch "seems the Esper gave me the tool for the job. And if there is anything I know...it is balance."

She raises from her seat carefully, making sure to tuck it back into its spot neatly, having only eaten enough to sate her hunger for the time being. Arms at her side, she gives a light bow to the Chief, her smile more real and genuine. "Thank you again, Chief, for your hospitality. I wish the best for you and your people. I go to purchase what I need." Her gaze sweeps over the party again, lingering particularly upon Rook & William as she adjusts the flower on her lapel. "Find me when you are all ready to depart."

With that, Nyx leaves, heading for the shops in town, ready to pay a fair price for her equipment. Afterwards, she can be seen lingering around the middle of town, children playing their games as she watches on in silence. She seems resigned, yet placid, mentally preparing herself for the lives she knows she will take.

[Duderk]

As William shuffles through the paperwork, he pulls one of the documents out of the stack and places it on the table, then returns to checking if anything else might be better; Permit for Inspection might work, but it also bears Coneria's seal, and the fort is not within Coneria. Reaching the end of the stack, William has not found any other documents that stand out as feasible, though the Permit to operate a wagon, as well as the Permit to transport government supplies seem like they might be relevant if Solomon's plan is chosen.

The chief watches curiously as William starts to sort through the paperwork, but is drawn away from his curiosity when William asks how resilient the Orb is; "We cannot say for sure how resilient the Orb is; but they have been around for centuries, and every around 500 years there is a massive conflict between the warriors and the Orbs guardians; usually within the same chamber as the Orb itself. I think it is safe to say nothing you do can break the Orb, short of calling a true God's full power onto it. That of course assumes that any God, or maybe the Esper, wished to destroy it, and even then, they might have to work together."

The Chief watches as Nyx stands and talks to her comrades, and gets up to leave the house; offering her a few parting words. "Thank you for your kindness, Warrior; I hope your journey is safe and conclusive."

 

I am going to suggest that if anyone wishes to have a few items purchased, feel free to give a shopping list in your Private threads, and I will tell you what they default price is. If you wish to try bartering, we can do a quick IC barter to see how things go; but some merchants will not barter with you.

[sammichweasel]

Balit almost looks sad as Nyx makes her joke. "No, not really, my Lady. If you are not to hold a conscience, who here will?" He looks genuinely concerned with the answer, but cannot contain the flicker behind his eyes as the discussion continues towards burning the building to the ground. He does not revel in death, merely killing when necessary; it is the destruction, the immolation, the tabula rasa he can create, that excites him.

He, too, nods to the Chief, then begins assessing their situation. "It seems like a ruse may be our best choice. It is a bit cliche, but two guards, say two humans, escorting three strange prisoners, being forced to make a stop at a training outpost due to delays in travel seems like a reasonable method for getting the gate open."

[jbear]

Solomon glowers at Nyx with an icy look.

"None of us are free, Nyx. That is why we are here. Do I need your permission to act upon my conscience? Does that make me bold in the face of the terrible things we know we must do? No, Nyx. Walk your own path. I will walk mine. Unfortunately they go in the same direction, straight towards a place of blood, death and shadows. If I could choose not to go there I would. Believe me, a part of me wishes to run and hide my head beneath a pillow and wish this all away. You are not the only one this is hard for."

Solomon sits back down when Nyx leaves, unconsciously having got to his feet in his indignation at her words. He listens to Balit.

"Our other option is Rook. Perhaps he can make it over the wall and open the gate from the inside under the cover of night. If we go in with a ruse we'll either need horses or a story to explain why we have no horses. And uniforms ... damn. I knew we should have grabbed a few uniforms."

[sammichweasel]

Balit smiles and points to William's pile of forms. "We take a cart, ride it up, and pose as a clandestine operation. But Rook could be effective as well."

[TheNewGuy]

William stops shuffling his papers abruptly and gapes at Nyx as she speaks, impressed and somewhat baffled by her sensibility. He inclines his head respectfully when Nyx looks toward him, a thoughtful expression spreading across his face as he follows her gaze toward Rook. He continues to gawk until Nyx has left, then quickly plucks a few pages from the pile of papers on his lap and returns the remainder to his pack. He pushes several plates and serving dishes away and, after quickly pulling out his writing case, begins hurriedly scribbling something on a blank piece of paper. "In a little while I'm going to need a private, well-lit spot to do some writing," he says flatly as his quil scrapes across the page. "If it'd be too presumptuous of me to ask to work in your parlor, Chief, then please let me know of someplace more appropriate." William rushes to put everything away, tucking the papers he'd pulled from among the stack neatly into his writing case

"I like the idea of scamming our way in," William says to Balit, "but I'm not sure escorting prisoners would be the best ruse to use. Introducing prisoners under mysterious circumstances will draw additional scrutiny, no? I prefer Sol's idea of ambushing the wagoners and posing as their replacements. Shouldn't be too hard to come up with a suitable lie to explain the sudden change of personnel, especially with the recent chaos in Coneria."

William begins thinking aloud, gazing up at the ceiling as he becomes lost in thought. "Perhaps the wagoners have been detained in Coneria under suspicion of smuggling weapons to the perpetrators of the recent fire and raid. Perhaps the situation has called for additional forces--mercenaries or even recently deputized emergency auxiliary forces, given how thin Coneria's Captain must be on resources--to accompany the wagon as a temporary security measure until matters have been settled. Or perhaps a certain Coneria Compliance Officer and said retinue of mercenaries have been dispatched to examine the fort's inventory for irregularities that could either implicate or exonerate the individuals who's duty it is to guard the fort's cache of weapons--weapons that may or may not have been used in the other night's horrible, costly attack. Perhaps this Compliance Officer's next stop is to give a full report of his findings to the Inspector General in Minos, and perhaps any lack of cooperation among the guards at the fort will be duly noted."

Snapping suddenly from this reverie, William leans over the table to scoop up various chunks of hard cheeses, cured meats, and crusty rolls. "We can work out the details in a little while. For now I need to buy some supplies," William says as he drops the food onto a napkin. After wrapping the napkin up into a bundle and placing it gingerly among his belongings, William looks sheepishly at the Chief. "Thank you for your hospitality," he says with a solemn nod and a slight bow.

"Let's meet back at the pub a little later," William says to the group as he turns and makes his way back outside. Once on the street, he beckons a young boy to come over and they have a brief exchange before William hands him a slip of paper and heads back toward the pub.

* * *

Standing beside a barrel across the street from the pub, William watches as people walk by while he plucks three playing cards from his pack: the Queen of Cups, the King of Swords, and the King of Staves. "Gather 'round, gather 'round!" he shouts with a smile, "Come and hear the story of the hidden damsel, and the forces who would destroy her!" Deftly manipulating the cards between his fingers as props, William begins to rattle off a brief, allegorical story about a dark damsel who hides deep within a mountain to escape the machinations of Law and Order, using some local references he'd learned from his new acquaintances at the pub the previous night to give the story greater resonance. The story ends with the heroine predictably managing to elude her enemies but falling into danger, and as William concludes the show of legerdemain and sets two of the cards down atop the barrel, he holds the Queen of Cups aloft for all to see. "The damsel needs your help, and will reward you for your efforts," William intones as he produces a gold coin between his fingers and the card with a flick of his wrist, "but you'll have to find her first!"

Grinning at a well-dressed young man who'd been watching nearby, William starts shifting the three cards across the surface of the barrel. "How 'bout you, sir? Find the hidden lady to claim your reward, but be careful! Law and Order are never far behind." The man approaches and raises his arm to gesture at one of the cards, but William stops him. "Nah-ah-ah," he says with a grin, holding his palm out expectantly. "This quest's not free."

[jbear]

Solomon nods.

"Aye, we can work on the details. If we do decide to replace the wagoners ... well perhaps the story of their absence can be as close to the truth as possible. Killed by agents of shadow in their escape from the town after burning the mill and robbing weapons and uniforms from the armoury. Not a uniform left in town! Hehe ... which is why we aren't wearing any."

Feeling the need to clear his over charged head Solomon finds a quiet spot by his own. He gets down on his knees to pray but finds he lacks the words.

[Darkling]

The time passes idly as Nyx observes the children's games, before a commotion from near the pub begins to draw her attention. Slowly, she walks over to take a look at the disruption, taking care not to cross the paths of any of the townsfolk. Slowly the scene comes into view, and Nyx sighs as she sees William work the crowd. She politely makes her way to the fore of the crowd to get a better look at the rogue's antics, listening to the story he weaves, smiling in spite of herself at his skill with the spoken word. She almost imperceptibly rolls her eye as she sees the hooks put into the crowd, as William starts to prod for money from participants. Nyx quietly crosses her arms, quirking a brow as she watches the man intently, saying nothing as she continues to see where he goes with his games.

[sammichweasel]

Nodding at the mention of working out the details later, Balit follows to the tavern.

He watches closely as the cards begin moving, smiling grimly to himself. Diversions could help others to focus when it was important. He wouldn't complain. Instead, he sits back, watching the show, waiting for something interesting to happen.

[Duderk]

William manages to deftly manipulate the crowd, and no-one from the town seems to notice as a small child routinely approaches the table, a quick word or two are exchanged, and it seems like something is passed between, and the child runs off again.

It becomes clear that William is extremely able with spoken word, and deft maneuvering of the cards, allowing the players to win just often enough to avoid suspicion as he goes through his story. No-one is sure exactly how many coins he makes, as each time one of the towns people wins, the little pile of coin seems to deflate more then what he pays out, though no-one sees him take any coin off the table.