[Game Thread] The Partisan Torch

[DukeofDellot]

It has been three weeks since Krya's disappearance, and with each passing day the citizens of Denthraw grow more worried. Without her light, the people were unprotected from the darkness that was consuming the land, and in time all would fall. It eventually became obvious that the Partisan Torch, a holy relic that could be used to locate Krya, would have to be deployed dispite warnings of its dangerous nature.

However when the archbishop retrieved the artifact, a thief took the opportunity to spring out and run off with the item. The creature, a lone goblin, immediately sprinted out of the city, holding the Torch as a prize above his head and was seen by an astounded audience as he fled south out of the city. It became the assumption that he was in league with a Conjurer by the name of Tristram Bloodtooth, who had set up camp in the ruins of Reathinsan, a city claimed by Dæmonic forces only a few months prior.

If Krya was to be found, the Partisan Torch must be recovered first.

The King's most trusted advisor, Glenn the Wise, gathered what champions he could find in the city, inpired by tales that would bring hope to the people. He called these individuals to his meeting room in the castle, explained the situation, and pleaded...

"Please, aid us. We need Heroes in these dark times to show us the light."

[KithKunabi]

Though the meeting room was well lit, Antony Re Albi, dressed in a brown cloak and sturdy traveler's clothing, held himself back in one of the shadier sections. His hood was down, and his familiar sat on his shoulder.

It wasn't that he was afraid of persecution... he'd been beyond that for years, and besides, he had an invitation and someone to back him up. Nor was he particularly shy or nervous. It was simply that he had developed a habit of sequestering himself from the spotlight, and he was more comfortable here, where the light wouldn't shine so brightly on the stains of his soul.

A slight smile tugged at his lips as the man who gathered them mentioned dark and light. How the words could so aptly apply to both the physical, and spiritual world, had long amused the witch.
"Laksha, ask him why they've made the assumption they have. Assumptions can be dangerous, after all." He whispers to the bright woman standing in front of him... another habit of his, speaking through his companion, instead of speaking for himself.

[Aosaw]

Kaia, in contrast, was at the group's front, her hands taut with pent up aggression. Torches and conjurers and ruins, she fumed. Waste of everyone's time. She considered storming out, or breaking Glenn the Wise's arms, or setting fire to everything in the room.

It had been a difficult week.

But she restrained herself. Deep down, some part of her recognized that her rage was better directed at the Daemonic army. Krya would be a powerful tool against that army, and therefore in the search for Kaia's lover. Which meant that, insipid though it might seem, the Partisan Torch was an essential step in her rescue plan.

It didn't mean she had to like it, though. "It sounds like a trap, an ambush waiting to be sprung. A conjurer hiding in Daemonic ruins? I don't imagine he's planning to use that torch to summon daisies and hummingbirds. What else can you tell us about this Partisan Torch? What might a conjurer want with it?"

[DukeofDellot]

"It most certainly is a trap, and that is why we cannot afford to send our own." Glenn gave Kaia a cold stare in desperation rather than malice, "The exact effects of the Torch are shrouded, it has been nigh on a century since it was last removed from the vault. It is mostly a weapon a flame that will burn any substance, however the smoke that flows from it cuts through the wind and floats toward those the holder values most."

With so many priests, monks, and other worshipers about, the smoke trail's effect could be obviously useful in finding Krya, however if someone else were to obtain the Torch, it could divine a trail to anything as long as you had someone attached to it.

"If there are other effects, they have been shrouded," he shook his head, "I don't doubt our foes have discovered them, however."

[shaderhedemon]

Nos stood a few feet back from Kaia, and off to the left. He simply listened, he was not used to people talking to those in power in such ways, even if he is just an advisor. He also wondered who this Krya was, his group having hidden themselves before Krya became the great power she was now. He also did not like the idea of heading into a trap but knew that sometimes it was needed. Gobaith however cared not for a trap.

"You are sssaying that we are expendable? or iss thiss that you trussst usss enough to sssurvive?" Gobaith hisses out at the man in front of them from under Nos' dark hood.

[Aosaw]

"I'll do it," says Kaia abruptly. Something about the torch has changed her mind; but she says nothing more on the matter, for the moment.

[MCP]

A presence was known behind the group to one side. Dark, brooding, near-gaunt in his stature and slouched slightly with too-long arms that remained always clenched at his sides. A half-mask sat below his eyes to conceal his mouth but it did very little to muffle the raspy, lurching tone that wavered through the air to all those in the room. "What is the reward?" Should one have looked the figure's way, a trained eye would make him out to be a Half-Orc. One possessed of a dark stature despite his sickly appearance and a level of wiry muscle that doesn't show well from under his heavily-tattooed skin. Clouded gray eyes flitted from one pair of eyes to the next as he slouched against a nearby supporting column.

[Sakure]

Amongst all those present Laksha was certainly the most visible. Not cloaked or shrouded in any way she stood proudly with her back straight and her chest out. The short blond's armor didn't show signs of combat wear or even weathering, it actually shimmered with mirror like sheen that you could literally see your reflection in if you got close enough to inspect it. It's intricate designs in gold and jade etchings were masterfully done and occasionally seemed to flicker with their own internal light. Her entire body was covered in the plate armor except the top half of her neck and head. She wore her hair in a tight braid that circled her head once before plunging past the neckline into her armor, a single teal ribbon woven throughout the elaborate but practical style kept it all in place. All in all her diminutive stature and lavish armour made her look the part of a noble's daughter more than a hero, yet she stood amongst the brooding collective just the same.

One thing that was certainly out of place was the enormous fauchard she had strapped neatly against her back. The massive weapon looked like it could quite easily weigh as much as the knight that wielded it. A broad flat blade with a wicked looking eye was artfully surrounded by a decorative daemonic wing depiction. The eye seemed to be "bleeding" into the blade constantly in ever changing colors, whenever the curious fluid seemed like it was about to drop though it vanished instead.

Antony spoke softly to her from the rear and she didn't so much as blink or flinch. She had become accustomed to his calculating demeanor and was comfortable with making his ideas known. The man may be mistrusted but that didn't change the fact that his plans and solutions tended to be elegant and more importantly correct most of the time.

"Glenn, why do you assume that the goblin is in league with the conjurer? Is that just the most convenient foe?" The charming knight crossed her armored arms over her chest as she waited for his answers to arrive at her question. It didn't really matter to her, she had been relieved by a large number of the kingdom's soldiers to be here, she was more or less already committed, and by association so was Antony.

[KithKunabi]

Antony continues to stand his gaunt frame in the shadows cast by his brighter companion, and his eyes skitter back and forth, sizing up the others present.

None of them seemed as devoted to the forces of good as Laksha was... then again, most clergy had a hard time bringing forth the devotion Laksha had. No, these gathered seemed even less focused on altruism then he. One paranoid, and the other two with ulterior motives, one motive more apparent then the other.

Interestingly, the paranoid one had anther's voice hiding under his hood. Did that make him another arcanist? Desperate times... With the likes of these assembled, it was easy to imagine them being sent on a suicide run, with poor Laksha dropped in as a means to draw him out.

Antony shakes his head and gives a small chuckle. Seeing Laksha incline her head a bit, he smiles. "Overthinking things again, I'll explain later."

[Sakure]

Antony's voice captured Laksha's attention as he shared his thoughts with her. Her head turned a bit so that she could view her companion out of the corner of one eye as he spoke. Sometimes she had difficulty picking up his words so a little visualization often helped.

Originally Posted by KithKunabi

"Overthinking things again, I'll explain later."

One side of her mouth broke free of the knightly stoicism Laksha exuded, Antony was either deep in thought over the situation; or giving her a light jab for her action-first attitude. The paladin had heard enough from the others' inquiries so she receded back next to Antony. The holy warrior appeared as she often did, highly conspicuous next to everyone else even in the shadows, it was on purpose. Her intent was not to get attention from her peers, it was to draw the gaze of daemonic forces from less capable souls.

"Seems we're to look for danger instead of hiding from it for a change. I had hoped there would have been a more ...eminent collection of soldiers." Her gaze flashed to each person in the room before locking onto their host once more as if she was staring him down.

[shaderhedemon]

Nos looks towards the knight women. "Sometimes.. eminent as you call it is not the best people for the job. Sometimes eninent gets you killed. Regardless I am quite reputable within my people. However you humans seem to lack respect for those in power. Weather or not they deserve it or not you should show more respect." As he says this you can see his emerald eyes through his hood, and another pair of snakelike red eyes to the right of his own.

After talking to the women his head turns to Gobaith and he begins speaking in elven, "And you Gobaith also need to learn some respect." The serpent's head leaves the hood of the cloak it's black armor plated skin shinning in the light and it looks at Gobaith also speaking in elven, "Respect? I am merely trying to keep our besst interessst in mind."

"I can see that now get back in the hood," Nos continues in elven then the serpant returns to it's hiding spot.

[Sakure]

Sometimes Laksha wished she could turn the allure she radiated down a few notches. Now the riffraff were getting defensive that she didn't hold them in high regard. What was wrong with wanting some aristocratic soldiers that brought etiquette as well as the ability to end an altercation favorably?

"Eminent is more socially acceptable and aesthetically pleasing, getting defensive and bickering about your petty reputation is what will bring you harm."

Her gaze never faltered from Glenn as she spoke.

[shaderhedemon]

Nos smiles from behind his scarf, "Very well, not that I care much about my reputation among your people. Though I am representing my people so I must apologize to you. It just I feel you should not fuss about who comes to your aid, I mean you complain about most of the group not being eminent but nether is your companion behind you, that young lady is a double standard. Take what you have, as you are unlikely to get more."

[KithKunabi]

Antony raises an aristocratic eyebrow.

Banter on sociological roles? His territory.

"You seem to imply that those of higher station should be respected, simply because they are of higher station, and not from any of their own merits." Antony's mouse chitters in annoyance and busies itself with cleaning its whiskers. "Such arguments held more merit 90 years ago friend, but no longer does authority have the right to assume itself superior. I don't know how 'your people' run things. But in human lands.... which are most of them, the meritocracy has replaced most of the functions once held by lower level nobles."

What he does not say, is that given enough time it is likely to displace even the highest of nobles, the monarchs. For such talk, despite the social inertia to back it up, is still rebellious, and likely to earn him some strict reproofs from authorities... or, more immediately, a harsh word from Laksha.

"That said, I am a member of the eminent Re Albi familly, chartering family of the Re Albi guild. By your own logic, perhaps more respect is due to me?"

His tone is friendly, his words suggest overly familiar jibes... but his posture and subtext carry the edge of arrogance. It was a hypocriticism which Antony loved to play with, expressing both disdain for stations not earned through merit... whilst brandishing his own as if it meant something. One or the other sides of the dualism would usually end up furthering his case.

[Sakure]

Antony's comforting intervention was exactly the support Laksha needed to end the confrontation. Why her simple comment about wanting some scrupulous company for once ellicited such an abrasive response from the peanut gallery was beyond her. Antony was likely the only real noble here, so as long as he supported her, that was enough for her fragile ego to be confident she had the upper hand. The entire thing was absurd anyways, perhaps that confrontational attitude was what had garnered him a spot in this assembly, but it was already tiring for the young girl.

Laksha was now getting annoyed with the man. "If you didn't care you wouldn't hang on every word I speak, -even when I'm not speaking to you. Don't take text out of context, it is hardly befitting a representative. Your outburst is rudely interrupting our host so if you feel the need to get the last word in, do so now, our dialogue is ended."