Do we want to know more about the goblin's fate? :D
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Victoria takes her Goblin back to the academy, it's fate probably quite grim.
"I have something to attend this evening, if you would have questions needing answers please inform me so I can divine answers" Victoria looks to the Goblin, "He will give me what I want." she smiles knowingly. - vic has some spells to cast and can commune... So anything you need to know. She also has another significant spell to use...
"We didn't choose it, and frankly 'chosen' seems to have very few privileges other than mark us as likely allies in every sob story. Never mind, there's forces of Evil to despatch, bit inside and outside the City"
"No. I don't think it has any good information, it is only fit to serve other purposes. Let us retire to the city proper and prepare ourselves for whats to come"
"In fairness, I would suggest that the average citizen of our fair nation has a bloodline about as pure as my mornings porridge, so perhaps worrying about who bred with what becomes rather pointless - we don't have to look too hard at any of our family trees to find some rather curious roots" "Good work with the Goblin, maybe not so much on the horse. When you are finished playing on the ground Sir Lori... oh that almost sounds like Solaric if you say it fast enough, are you twins? anyhow when you are done, perhaps we can talk in more comfortable surrounds rather than in a street surrounded by Goblins and coffins"
"We were clearing out a cellar, seemed like a bad portent to be leaving them around the city; the people are very easy to set off on a spiral of suspicion and superstition so best the things were carted well away" Victoria offers up. "Now we are discoursing with a Goblin about the horde out there, and I have a matter to attend to in the keep"
"A message indeed"
"I'll wager there will be no shortage of death or violence in the next little while, and both fame and glory will no doubt be quite abundant. Don't be sad, for this is the stuff honour and chivalry are born of - a chance for the very best in us all to shine forth, and a time for the tree of life to be trimmed of dead wood" "Now, what to do with the Goblin?" Victoria steps forward and appraises it, pulling on its sundry parts as she squints her eyes and looks it over - somewhere between a horsetrader examining livestock, or perhaps a butcher weighing the quality of meat, her eyes sit cold and sharklike in stark contrast to the pleasant frame of her face.
Victoria looks distracted momentarily, as if an inner dialogue is playing out "I need a few hours back in town, a job to be done"
Victoria leans over quietly to Krisaga. [spoiler=In Goblin]"Not a bad translation, very accurate if I do say. Your Goblin tongue is very good" Victoria offers assuringly. To the new arrival "Well met stranger, the pending battle draws many out who wish to seek fortune fame and glory, which is it you seek here?"
"Our new friend has her diplomatic talents too, what a boon"
Victoria chuckles at Solaric, "Perhaps you miss my meaning; no inference that you might be making judgments based on the appearance of our guest, but that maybe some of the population might in fact be making some cautious judgments about your fine self - not everyone has your confidence, and perhaps they might be unusually cautious - for no apprent reason - when one of rank and title is about that might be a bit curious about their vocational choices. Perhaps this fine woman might be met with a little less circumspection in her offers of assistance to those folk, who suspicious and cautious as they might be, we both agree are still citizens and our duty to protect... so not about you Solaric, but more about them. Well Krisaga, a nice day to meet you, perhaps there may be tasks you could lend yourself to." Victoria finishes with a smile once more.
"Turns out that the suns rays are a cure for vampirism, who knew?" Victoria offers with a look of naive surprise. "That being said, you no doubt saw the host of creatures ready to lay siege to this fair city and could deduce that a skilled physician or healer of magical means might be in great demand, so if it is service to the people that lights your way then I bid you not wander too far for we will need all the aid that can be mustered when it comes to providing help and assistance to the masses." Victoria looks at the woman and then slides her eyes towards the noble knight Solaric and back again "...and it can be a boon if that help doesn't come attached to certain, social standings" her eyes then slide to the shady Varisians, Sczarni the lot, then back to the stranger "If you follow" "Victoria, Countess to some, depends on who you talk to" Victoria offers formally, as though greeting a respected guest.
"Well at least we have something, a Frost Giant or the like perhaps?"
For Solaric - for no particular reason. Follow Victor to the sacred place,
"Too big a fire, too much heat - drives people from it's source. Nowhere shines brighter than the Worldwound to our North" Victoria looks at the Goblin "Oh what do we have here?" she offers gently, but the vague hint of a clinical undertone is clearly present and partly ominous.
"The brighter the light, the deeper and darker the shadows" Victoria gently cautions "It is not the great pyre that brings hope Solaric, it is the candle, hence why they put them in churches - and on cakes" "So what of the Horde? For that is now the great issue"
"We were just going for a lovely morning stroll after cleaning out an old cellar, had to dispose of these old coffins we found - burying them in town or burning them might have seemed alarming to the locals in such dark times so we decided to take them outside - imagine our surprise to find out they were full of ashes and old clothes..." Victoria feigns any understanding of what has taken place.
"So true that it would have been better if there was no alliance, but then things were looking dire and some days you just have to take power where you can find it. That is the nature of times like these, they find us unusual friends and fellows to cast our lot in with." "I am comforted by the thought that the losses were as minimal as I could manage, and that all of these men will return home safely, but we wont know the final tally until the Iomedites finish charring Lucretias lair down to ash. If she had somehow got wise at the last minute and double crossed us or used magic to escape the lunchtime sunrise she'd have succored to her lair and straight into the waiting arms of the Iomedites hell bent on her destruction, and" Victoria gestures to the mountain of ash "alone and without her friends" "Next we eliminate the Rag Man and his ilk, but I don't suspect that war will be won with honeyed words alone" "That's what these Iomedites will never understand. This isn't a place of light and happiness and we don't want it anyway - this is Ustalav, nd that pile of ash over there is the Ustalavian way"
"Gather what you can of the remains, they will be resettled in Jarovicha. If nothing else, I am a woman of my word" "Just one dirty chore after another, that was a tragic waste, a terrible loss and it would have been a great boon to Karcau if we were able to find an ally in Lucretia instead of a snake, but she is undead, they have no heart and they know not of love and people who don't know love are strangers to loyalty, respect, and honour; they don't understand family, they don't have a bond with people." "So, straight home for the lot of us, or did the boys get dressed and provisioned for a bit of business? There's a roaming war band out here, might be worth picking at the edges of and seeing how much loot they have swept up on the march, could be some gold laden targets..."
Victoria looks to the Sczarni gang guarding the wagons, then back to Cairn "I think it an honour to have so many fine friends I can rely on, especially in such harsh and confusing times. I meant what i said back there about the balance of power, we need to ensure the Iomedites stay in check or they will ruin everything, everything. Some day their Knights of Ozem will finally win, they will beat down the demon spawn of Mendev and come back and re-settle the Whispering Tyrant, and when they do they will be crawling all over the place enforcing their rule and bringing their version of ‘order’ to us all, but you know what, that isn’t today, that isn’t right now, and right now we need these Iomedites facing out at the enemy at the gates, they keep the scale balanced”. ”What isn’t balanced though, is having an extra group running around with no loyalties to anyone but themselves, no sense of honour or interest in our way of life...or life itself, they don't love and look out for the community, for family, not like these Sczarni, the Sczarni are good fellows. Pull into that open field off the road there.” The heavy sentimentality and sweet sorrow almost causes her voice to crack. Victoria looks across at one of the shady Varisians with his squeezebox ”Play me something sad” ”Cairn.” the word forms clearly, as though cut from steel, yet no emotion is evident – just a sound with a meaning, and that meaning is unmistakable. Naga takes flight, like a winged bullet heading with great haste back to Karcau, honing in on Solaric. General Info: important old post. Can you believe we have been waiting patiently since Aug 2012 to whack this chick?
"What a beautiful morning, the sun is so warming, one might even forget that there was so much Evil in the world" Victoria comments to Cairn with a wistful sentimentality.
"Most of these fellows packed their provisions for several days, but with a wagon load of vampires they worry that they will only see breakfast and lunch and will instead be dinner, so lets think about who put what faith where" Victoria signals the men. "When our guests are in their resting vessels we will move them carefully upon the wagons. I will inspect each vessel carefully to ensure it is well sealed and there are no cracks by using magical detection. When each wagon is full, ensure it is well covered again as added surety against accidents. If you are disturbed whilst loading up the wagons or on our first move, delay the inquirer, I will see what can be done peacefully to send them away, but if we can't win them over... they will simply have to come with us... one way or another" "Let's move quickly though, we don't know how soon before the Iomedites might come in force."
"I am uncertain what surety you would like, and therein lies our problem. As it stands, we have put ourselves in a precarious position of coming here in the first place - on one hand you'll note that I bring only one companion and a group of associates, but we are no match for all your forces here, it is a lions den, and I had to take it on faith and goodwill that you recalled my fairness in our last meeting and wouldn't just use the lot of us as a bedtime snack, for the sun rises very soon" Victoria pauses to let that sink in "So far this whole venture leave me as the one exposed, to walk into danger and cut a deal to smuggle you from this place and earn the ire of the Iomedites, a witch with the taint of demons, oh how little I can afford their attention, and all this for a possible future payoff of maybe having a well placed ally should the time come - and future payoffs seem terribly unreliable, you'd never believe the efforts I went to in order to secure the County of Jarovicha, the work I had to do to try and claim the lands so that the people could finally be looked after by a just and even liege and then that callow and vapid Countess dithered around and died before signing the petition, I am livid! So where's my security? No, I don't think there's anything I can really give you, I have made an offer and its on the table - to smuggle you from this place and take you to Jarovicha, a new 'resting place' or whatever you call it" "Or, just after the guards have comfortably changed shifts again and we miss the dawn we'll have no way of getting you all out of here and you'll be trapped in this place as your final tomb - the kiss of Sarenrae will inspire the Iomedites to set upon this place in force, out of friendship I will look on in surprise and not give them any assitance in finding you, but they'll manage without our help... maybe during the burning we'll smuggle ourselves out, because once the rabid proselytisers are done with you it wont be long before they start on us, particularly with no liege in power here" "Take it or leave it"
Diplomacy "Let's do the smart thing, into your beds and smuggled out the gates before any of the guards or the Iomedians are any the wiser. Solaric and his fellow devotees will be mad for a while that you are suddenly beyond their grasp, but they will learn to forgive and forget".
”I don’t come on peoples behalf, I go where I please and under my own initiative – the same way I interceded when my colleagues struck a poorly thought out bargain with you in my absence. It is the detail of that bargain, amongst other things, that sees me here today” ”You are quite right, Solaric has gone quite spare, his normal earnestness replaced by poorly considered and ill tempred outbust at the loss of his Lady love, a doomed relationship marked by spectacularly poor choices and foolhardy actions if ever I saw one – it was only a matter of time before either he or she was killed as a threat to the Crown, and I suspect the odds were also likely they’d have both been killed. The Iomedian paladin, Count of Karcau? Perish the very thought and condemn it to the flames! Could you imagine such rulership in the lands of darkness, the lands walked by the whispering tyrant where the population keeps its guard up at all times to be wary of the monsters that dwell in the dark? The citizens that adhere to the strict social order and structure and keep to their place to ensure the machine of governance is always their to protect them from the even darker Evils? What would happen were he in charge – they’d be like tender lambs walking towards a light and forgetting that the wolves are between them and it, they’d be massacred by the score. They’d throw off the way things have to be and the social order we hold dear...and all..this” Victoria gestures broadly at her Sczarni friends ”These people would be hounded and run out of town as the new zealots moved in, of they call themselves Paladins, but you and I and these folk know that ‘Paladins’ are just ‘Hellknights in pretty armour with prettier manners’, and not long after they hunted you out of existence those Iomedians would be burning me and mine at the stake. At least the Hellknights don't pretend they do it out of love” ”So, ally and friend he may be, but ruler he may not. He could never be ceded control, and on that we both agree.” ”Where does that leave us all though, where indeed, perhaps let me illuminate you. I know you didn’t kill the Countess, and I have no doubt in my mind your offer to assist was most genuine. It occurred to me that nothing offers stability more than a long lived liege, and perhaps the kiss of unlife could hide many boons for everybody, and perhaps temper the two love birds in the same instant, but that’s not to be. I know the Ragman is the one behind her death, but as I have suggested there were likely many many daggers already closing so whether it was him or even Grand Prince Stavian having a bad day it is all beside the point. Solaric took it to blame you, and he has gone quite off the rails, I fear his emotional balance will continue its landslide and he will fall from the grace of Iomedae, but what will lead to that is when he finally ignores my pleas for calm and instead simply comes down here with the might of the Iomedians and the City guard and destroys you all with sword and flame... and for what, misplaced vengeance? Stupidity we cannot afford. He can’t afford the loss, the city doesn’t want the loss, and you, you certainly don’t want that. So I am here to offer a way out”. ”Solaric and his allies were reading to come in here and lay waste to the place, and on my request he afforded me the chance to come broker peace between you that we may all save ourselves from the monsters at the gates – you survive, and we survive, however I suspect that he’s likely going to insist on taking out his vengeance in an act of misplaced passion and double cross you the minute the opportunity arises. You can’t survive the full weight of what he can bring, we both know that. He’s only going to be inclined to strike whilst you are a tempting target, we both know that as well. But what if you weren’t here when he arrived? His forces will be here soon, very soon, and they will mark comings and goings, but I have an out for you” ”These men” Victoria once again gestures to her Sczarni ”they are of the old ways, they understand blood debts, they understand honour, they understand famiglia. I respect these people and they respect me in return. They are here to help me, unquestioningly and loyally, and in turn they are here to help you. You asked for a new place to settle as part of your deal, well the old deal looks well and truly broken now but I seek to make as good as I can – the lands of Jarovicha will be your new place of rest and respite, and the people there will mark your presence well. Jarovicha will thus always remain a retreat for me should times turn to witchhunting... it serves my interests for the future. My stalwart and blood loyal men have readied a convoy and a good cover story to smuggle you out right on dawn, we have the right connections to ensure you safely depart the city gates, and they will do...what has to be done should any Iomedians come poking around asking questions” ”The offer is only good for right now, it is almost dawn, Solaric has been off with his clergy who have no doubt been pouring the sweet nectar of war into his ear, and when the sun comes up they will corner you, and eventually crush you... so please, I ask you, accept this offer. Fill your coffins now and allow us to evacuate you form this place so that reckless and needless losses are avoided. It’s in everyones interest” ”The men here are well packed and provisioned for several days journey, we will have no need to stop anywhere for supplies so the ruse is almost perfect – it only becomes less so with each minute you delay in doing the smart thing. If not, I walk and we all die. You, these men, your people, me.” "Let's get this done whilst we still have the chance, the wagons await" Victoria offers with a smile.
"Traitors?" Victoria looks about questioningly "Have we been joined by another party I am unaware of? If you speak of Solaric, then he could arguably be considered your betrayer, but he has not heralded traitorous or mutinous thoughts to Karcau, but you'll note by his absence that we are not here as the bargaining agent of the Iomedians, but rather as interested parties in a bargain that was struck... before I continue though, you perhaps have something you wish to get off your chest?"
Victoria strides forth with her men following on, looking like a queen in command sweeping into a formal occasion.
"We go as guests, Lucretia will be interested in what we have to say, so we need not sneak about or go poking where we are not invited. We just need to find her or her henchmen and simply be invited"
"Once we locate the lair of Lucretia we will need to move our...cargo...from there"
Victoria appraises the collection of ruffians. "We may, may, draw the attention of the guard, but is my intention to get the cargo we might be hauling well past the city gates. If we are stopped our story is that we are carrying coffins back out to Jarovicha for proper burial, that we know the risk presented by the horde at the gates but we have corpses of those killed by the plague and so we cant open the coffins and must make haste - just the mention of us being a convoy of plague ridden bodies should put most inspection off, but should there be a persistent guard, then they shall be dealt with - but I ask them not to be harmed any more than needs be for us to achieve our purpose. Be prepared for a day or two journeying to Jarovicha and back, make sure you have food, I shall cover the cost of incidental accommodation and meals" With that Victoria prepares to go meet with Lucretia. "Cairn, my hope is that Lucretia will see reason and let us ferry her far from here. She wished for a new home on the Kronstein Ridge, and until that can be arranged, she needs to be safe. Solaric has gone somewhat mad at the loss of his love, a terrible tragedy, but I fear his oathbreaking and acting out of impulse instead of disciplined temperament might see him lose the grace of Iomedae. I shall see to it that this woman is not a temptation within his reach, and safe from his hands. I will not see him doomed by his over gushing heart. Lucretia will see reason, she will need to withdraw ahead of the full might of the Iomedians coming down upon her leading to her being crushed or left limping. Our way is the least bloody, just be prepared to do what we must for the greater good, even if some of the Iomedians howl at the injustice" "The things we gotta do eh? One dark sh%^^y deed after another"
"Solaric, no need to trouble yourself with the Sharkpool, take a rest or spend time doing research... we need to talk business, all very dull. We meet with Lucretia in the darkest of night, just before the Dawn if all goes well. Should things work out well, we shall be kissed by Sarenrae herself as the dawn flowers." chase cutting/DM VoV & Cairn:
We simply need a few good Sczarni who are prepared to drive a few wagons out of town without getting too fussy about the cargo of corpses 'freshly deceased from plague being moved to a burial plot out of town'. We also want handy men who aren't afraid of getting a little dirty either, the sort who might have used a blade for more than just woodcarvings...no squeamish men, and we need them to meet us when and where we tell them to collect the cargo from at dawn. The real meeting we need to get to is with Lucretia, forget the garlic, take the cabernet. "Cairn we need to settle this situation before it gets any untidier and out of hand, we need peace here, we need a truce so that business can resume as usual, and I trust you as the sort of man well suited to such enterprise... no shooting things until we need to, but if we need to, we are probably vamp food"
"We have a few conversations to put in place first. The Sharkpool and our friends, the colourful Varisians...we have business before business"
"Cairn and I are to speak with Lucretia, the others do what research you need to identify the leaders and other important targets in the enemy host and how we might remove them, possibly during the confusion of the battle. We can leave the defence of the City to those best suited and familiar with it whilst we concern ourselves with simply decapitating the enemy horde."
"Thank you Boris, it seems that things are as I had hoped, and not as worrying as I had feared. Any last thoughts before I carry out my plan?"
"That is delightful news, we hope you recover to your past glory... perhaps you could indulge us, but we have a lot of questions" * Who is now in charge of Karcau?
* Has Lucretia been sending her patrols? * Is there any direct hard evidence that Lucretia has broken her deal (prior to Solaric trying to knife her)?* Has the City delivered on all of its terms? That should get us started...
Pitr was always a romantic at heart. So is Vic, hence why the one eyed Captain was left dead on the docks. That's just how it goes.
"I would be shocked and horrified to learn that the truce and contract of an Iomedian Paladin can be thrown out the window when it suits them based on their personal petty desires - that their word is no more their bond than exhaled air upon a breeze. You made a deal, and now you are breaking it - the reason that this woman is running loose in this City is because you recruited her into the cause and entreated with her, lets not make this situation any worse by adding even further rash actions that make a complete mockery of the faith - Paladinhood? Shining Knights? If this full story ever found the light of day then how would the people see you other than as just more of the same of what they always had - another leader who preaches one thing and does another who cannot be trusted." "Proof, undeniable first hand proof, that I what we require. We don't have any authority here, and if this is a grand conspiracy then you can bet Karcau to a brick that Sassandras replacement is a firm ally of Lucretia" "Like the tournament, you still think that charging in with a sword is the winning move. It's not. You could have been a man with his own title by now, a man ready to deal with the insult to your family and well placed to become a Count, but instead here you stand with no title, no justice, and a dead woman who now only brings you tears... that is why you don't go down to the Lair, because that is no quick ending, that is a short approach to even bigger problems" "You need to look to the enemy at the gates, and the idea that a new enemy could be sitting on the throne here within days."
"And when that time comes, may your sword strike true"
"well then, we need to get that election sorted out so that our loyal and good actions do not get 'confused' as a coup by suspicious relatives" "I also think it's time we met with Lucretia and brokered a truce, its not in her interests to pursue a fight at this stage either, even if she wins she loses, she is not an unintelligent fool. I have met with her before, I am sure she will meet with us again. Cairn can come as my escort, I have no fear of the vampires for I have not trespassed against them"
"Wander the streets? Who is wandering streets? I am looking for answers at the Academy. We cannot act unless we have our answers, Johenric always speaks to knowing the finer details and I agree..."
"I don't need any assistance, I just need my answers. Once I have those we can plan, until we have those we have only danger and uncertainty"
M'lord, I have sent small groups of Nightscarves into each and every corner and dark place of the city, Lucretia will be found...soon. "Until then I will be in the library finding out who is next in line to be running this place - who will be ruling Karcau now the Countess no longer graces us, and who will be leading its defence against that army out there... important questions."
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