[Game Thread] Chapter 5d: Faces and Masks

[Makenshi]

Just before ten in the evening, Morgan, Leon and Nevh (if she agreed to come, with Zilira having promised to pull her away at the first sign of trouble) meet at the Elven for "Young Elven maiden"Telalla Wen Tavern. It was a well known hub of activity in the Halvanna slums, not only because it was the favoured haunt and effective headquarters of Anorde and his ilk, but because it was probably the best quality tavern in the slums. It was also fairly hard to miss, it was the largest building in its area, near the centre of the largest market in the slums, and the fact that its sign was also of a naked Elven woman (albeit, with only her upper body shown) certainly helped as well.

Although Anorde was who made it famous, it was owned by a Moon Elf-touched woman named Eirti Lafesti, who's family were well known for having run the tavern for the last century or so, as well as for their Elven heritage. Eirti herself was the one who had started the tavern's relationship with Anorde and his mercenary company, mostly because having him and his men to act as muscle dissuaded most troublemakers to steer clear, but also because Anorde was very good at getting Eirti cheaper deals on her stock, allowing her to charge less than most taverns would. Not that Eirti was a poor negotiator or diplomat herself, as she possessed the immense presence and confidence most often associated with her Elven ancestors.

It had three stories, the first two of which one could find tables and a bar, while the top one was where Eirti and some of the people who worked for her lived. It was an old-fashioned wooden building with a large amount of exposed beams and, despite its size and how busy it typically was, was remarkably clean and 'unbroken'. Eirti herself often claimed that it looked "exactly as it did when my grandfather and great grandfather built it".

Eirti sent them through to the back rooms as soon as she saw them, obviously expecting them, and Anorde, sitting at his usual seat at the back waved them over to what turned out to be a magically silenced area at the back where he, Celi and a man in a featureless white mask were already waiting. The booth offered them not only magical silence, but obscuration from any lip readers that might have somehow snuck in.

The man, Mask, waited for everyone to arrive before speaking. "How's the new Hybrid then?"

~MTWC

[SpatulaOdoom]

The magus arrives plus one. Eloise Watson, a dark haired and pale skinned Halvan woman in a very lady like dress, arrives with him. She'd insisted on accompanying him, both because “you need someone watching your back, especially after tonight, and Rhys should get a little time off” and because she was curious to meet the infamous prankster.

It wasn't his favourite haunt but he wasn't unknown in the Tellala either. He waved comfortably at the proprietor, ordering a couple of glasses of Riven Red and some small food on the way to the back, where he slides into the booth and Eloise drags over a chair for herself.

”New.” Morgan shrugs in an off handed manner. ”By which I mean it's a little early to tell. No rampages or screaming crying fits, so I'm cautiously optimistic. The real test will come when he confronts Zera and the Blue Lady”
Morgan draws a large gold coin from his vest pocket and plunks it down on the tabletop, glancing between Leon and Mask expectantly. Just because he had a coin that looked like the Zodiac's, didn't mean it was actually one of Val'erin's.

[Battlechaser]

Léon felt like he needed the drink after the debriefing with Marcell. They've sat down for hours - well not actually sitting down, it involved a lot of walking to and fro, kicking stool and sometimes shouting out their frustation. Neither understood how Wade could have infiltrated that high and not been found out. Was he already changed when he started in the Elernan army or had he been turned in the process? Eventually they agreed that for now it was more important to continue with the mission at hand.

That was why he found himself two times in one day in the Tellala Wen tavern. Upon entering he winked at Eirti and went through to the back room. Greeting Anorde and his pixie on extasy, Léon also nodded to Mask. "Haven't met him, eh it... How do we call..."

[Blue]

Mrith hurried into the Telalla Wen Tavern with large steps that barely touched the ground. The slums reeked so much she felt a bit of vomit stuck in her throat all the way there.
Once inside she thought she'd have a break; the building made a strong contrast with its surroundings, giving her the impression that it was some kind of haven for those in the area that weren't so needy.
Turned out it was just a different kind of fetidness. The drunk still smelled of their own feces and the place tried to mask the horror it harbored with a generous application of perfume. She imagined it worked for most humans but the overload of olfactive information was offensive and almost unbearable. Mrith quickly covered her nose again with a piece of cloth she had brought for that very purpose. Speaking was difficult but fortunately she didn't want to say anything. People actually lived in these places and she didn't want to offend anyone.

When they met Mask, Mrith remained silent. Nevh (or her strange choker, whichever term was appropriate) had told her about him but the only thing that stuck was that he was a criminal by profession. She had nothing to say to him.

'Nevh', however, was intrigued by the situation. Last time she checked Mask had a pretty huge bounty on his head and having him sitting in the middle of the largest and most thriving mercenary headquarters in the country was puzzling.

[Makenshi]

"Well, assuming he didn't burn his privates off, I'd say him is still fine. As for names, that's too fluid for me to answer, though considering he hasn't been alive for long I expect he hasn't chosen a name yet." Mask gestures to Leon. "Do you still have the coin?" When Leon produces the coin again Mask holds out his hand for it, which he turns his hand once it is returned. Just like Morgan's coin, the face changes each time it turns - one side always a woman and one always a man, but otherwise ever-changing. He pushes it down onto the table directly in front of him with a finger, too close to himself for Morgan to have any chance of snatching it away. "But before we get to your seer's test, do you mind if I get a little more comfortable?" Not waiting for an answer, he grabs the bottom of his mask and pulls it off of his face, throwing it onto the table almost dismissively, revealing a man in his mid to late twenties with green eyes, pale brown hair and a shadow of a beard on his chin.

"Ah! You have no idea how stifling that thing is. Literally and figuratively." He places a finger on the coin and looks up directly at Morgan. "I'd have preferred you bring Nevh, but I can't say I'm surprised she didn't show up herself." He glances at Mrith with an apologetic smile. "Nothing personal of course, but your 'sister' has a particular knack for reading people that I've not seen in many people." He turns his attention back to Morgan. "For reasons that will, I hope, soon become obvious this is a one time deal. I won't be giving you something I've had in my possession for such a long time again, which means you won't be getting such an intimate look at me and my life. Any questions before we begin?" If not, then he slides the coin over to Morgan and sits back to wait and watch.

~MTWC

[Blue]

'Nevh' wasn't particularly happy that people were hoping to meet her. Mask was quite informed of things that had been shared but hours ago. As up to date as if he had been there himself. That he'd ask about the hybrid implied that he knew but wasn't there. Perhaps a deception.
Nevh was tempted to reply but she didn't trust Mask with the knowledge of her existence.
Should I tell him you...?
Hells no!
"...None taken. She doesn't really enjoy light conversation so there wouldn't be much to be said anyway."

She waved the handkerchief in front of her nose before putting it back against it.
The young dragon was surprised he knew so much. It was her first day in Halva, after all.

[SpatulaOdoom]

Morgan is feeling quite a bit better than before. Thanks to his ring a two hour nap is actually a good eight of rest. His patience however is still somewhat thin as he rubs the bridge of his nose and sighs disappointedly. Mask was doing a lot of talking without actually saying something.
”If you wanted specific people here or had need of certain skills perhaps you should actually try to arrange for that next time. All I was told was that you wanted to meet me, and to be honest I have no shortage of things to do either. So lets not waste time with meandering preamble and instead get to why you requested this meeting.”
Morgan gestures at the coin, which Mask seemed to think he'd require a reading of for whatever reason. The trickster slides across the table. The mage's hand snaps down to trap the disc of gold between flesh and wood.

Eloise watches Mask like a hawk, one hand hidden in the folds of her fine dress. She says nothing, but her dark eyes are thoughtful more than hostile.

[Makenshi]

Mask smiles. "Sorry, old habits die hard and most people like the preamble and small talk."

~MTWC

[Battlechaser]

When Mask decided to unveil himself, Léon arched his left eyebrow in silent surprise. Yet somehow he believed that even this might not be the thieves' real face - why give up a perfectly working cover? Still, Léon would not waste this opportunity and memorized Masks' "true" appearance.

"Me neither. So let's cut to the chase. We've still got a certain Council Member to surprise."

[SpatulaOdoom]

Morgan's brow knits as his hand presses down on the golden disc. Another vision passes through him, this one relatively mild compared to some he's had lately. It's almost a blessing in and of itself. Then, less than a minute later his consciousness resurfaces and he is back in the here and now.

He slides Val'erin's coin back across the table.
"All right. You certainly have my full attention. Two questions to make sure I've got this arights. Cinn? And did you know a succubus named Silice?"
That last name brings Eloise's chin up.

[Makenshi]

"Ciin? I'm not sure what you mean by that question, though suffice to say I am not aligned with her by any stretch of the imagination. As for Silice, I know of her, but I had nothing to do with Nehrahk's creation." He frowns, looking down at the coin almost disappointedly before picking it up. "Evidently you didn't see what I'd hope you would, or it wasn't very clear." He palms the coin and then opens the hand again, showing it has disappeared, before resting it on the table and tapping with it in thought for a moment. With a twirl of the other, he produces it in the other hand and starts dancing it across his knuckles. It didn't look like he was trying to show off, almost doing it as a nervous or thoughtful habit.

After a few moments he looks back up at Morgan, and then to the others. "What did you see exactly? Perhaps sharing it with the others would give a new perspective to it?"

~MTWC

[SpatulaOdoom]

"On the alternative." Morgan says, now sounding truly annoyed. "If you want us to know something, you could simply tell me it. You'd be surprised how clear and efficient words can be if used correctly, especially in comparison to visions."
All Morgan had been hoping to get from the coin was whether or not it was genuine. He hadn't, but he was learning that Mask is frighteningly well informed.

[Makenshi]

He continues to dance the coin in his hand, frowning a little himself. "Unfortunately I can't tell you what I was hoping you'd see. True Magic prevents me from it, otherwise I'd have contacted you a while ago. As would have others I suspect." He gives a frustrated sigh, examining the coin again before looking back up at Morgan. "I can't tell you who I am exactly, nor can I tell you exactly what I'm doing. Only that I'm trying to save Aheka from a threat greater than Zera, which is another matter that I can not, directly at least, provide you with information on." He smiles. "Though I can tell you that I am not just some prankster who steals for the sake of it. It's a surprisingly effective way to gather information. People focus so much on the theatrics that they don't even worry about any sensitive documents they might have, especially if you don't actually take them with you."

~MTWC

[Battlechaser]

Mask's last remark made Léon laugh put loud. "Ain't that the truth." When the thief calmed down, he continued. "Worse than Zera controlling a hybrid? What is it? The demons coming back?"

[SpatulaOdoom]

”You might not be far wrong there Leon. I've told others that Zera is a temporary problem. He's making too many enemies too quickly to last for long.”
He turns his attention back to Mask. ”I see.” More of those shenanigans. Always such a pain, but some times necessary. ”No doubt why you wanted Nevh here.” On the up side he wasn't intentionally being obtuse. Unless it was all a lie and he wanted to see what was on a coin he'd “acquired.”
”I may be able to fill in for the Lady Yesterwind.” True enough. Eloise was no slouch when it came to ferreting out lies herself. The raven haired woman shoots Morgan an enquiring glance. The magus Thinks for a moment before snapping out three Heroism, insight of good fortune, and Owl's Wisdom. Eloise will already have Disobedience and Greater Magic Weapon on her gun as well.quick spells. That complete Eloise goes back to carefully watching Mask.
”Not much, but it's what I can do. Now. Here's what I have from the vision.
He's spent most of his life trying to avoid a powerful enemy. Dislikes his parents and the idea that he'd be associated with their image due to his parentage. Early on he spent much time training and fighting, wanting to make his own mark on the world. At some point that changed, instead wanting to make his mark with quiet actions, perhaps as a spy or assassin. He also made a mission of seeking out a dagger. A quest that took a very long time and he feared he'd never successfully complete. He eventually found that very specific dagger. But then despair, fear, and a sense of helplessness. Fire in the sky. Storms without warning. The ground shaking with such force that it destroys entire cities. People dead and dying all around. Then there was hope tinged with fear. And with a deep sense of loss and even, as if he had left someone, or some people, behind. That's where the vision ends.”
Morgan pauses.
”Ah. I think I see. The unknown group connected with the Children in the Dark. Like Aldamil's look alike, who spoke to herself.”

Eloise's Sense Motive roll