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An imposing figure patrols the hallways, his Serrated Black armor clearly marks him to be a Hellknight of the Order of the Scourge.
He pays no heed to the many confused gazes aimed at him as he walks towards the briefing area.
As there is currently a briefing taking place, he sits down to await his time.
He retrieves a book from his satchel, it is a large tome that appears to be a compendium on the City of Almas, including it's laws and registered officials.
He sighs as his sunken green eyes begin to read through the tome with a dejected look on his face.
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"Oh stop Grrr." she scolds the fox. "We know nothing about this man. After all, judging others based purely what we see is what the people we fight against do, isn't it? This man could be infiltrating the hell knights in disguise. Or he could be here as an envoy, or maybe he is a hellnight but has a different perspective. I know the order of the torrent is supposed to be quite nice!"
She calms herself for a bit. "Honestly. You are so quick to judge, and have such little faith in Diplomacy that it is almost astounding. Have you never heard of hearing someone out?"
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She calms herself for a bit. "Honestly. You are so quick to judge, and have such little faith in Diplomacy that it is almost astounding. Have you never heard of hearing someone out?"
The fox has a surprisingly deep gravely voice "That is where you give them a gut wound so you can listen to the song of them dying for days on end instead of beheading them so they only gurgle for a few moments? "
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A scared halfling with a well waxed beard stands at a corner, running his whetstone across the blade of his greataxe. The look on his face was a bland neutral look, but the scars seemed to get redder as he watched the Hellknight.
The stone goes back and forth as he waits to see if anyone needed a hand. He watched the fox and actress but kept quiet.
After all, everyone has seen him at the grand lodge of Absalon sharpening his axe. It was his feverous tic.
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The Hellknight looks away from his tome, staring at the performer and the unexpectedly gruff fox.
'Well aren't we bloodthristy today.'
His voice is completely without energy and every sound he makes barely causes his mottled gray face to move, as if he is using no muscles.
'I suppose introductions are in order, I am Maralictor Harding of the Scourge, as a member of the Liberty's edge's I am currently awaiting my third mission to the gloomspires. And before you wonder, no it is not a disguise.'
He spares a look at the halfling before shaking his head and turning back to the pair.
'if you wish to talk without barely concealed threats, I would be willing to oblige, rarely have time to socialize nowadays.'
He then turns back to his Tome.
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"You'll be wanting to get the additions volume as well, seeing what has changed in the last year that hasn't been reprinted into the updatedrules that comes out in the fall before the next session of the council." The scarred halfling said in a broken voice that flips between smooth speaking voice and a whisper. He puts away the axe and moves to a smaller one
"Always good to know the rules." He in that same ragged voice
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Charlotte brings her hands up in a calming gesture. "Let's not jump to conclusions, I'm sure we each have misconceptions about each other, and grousing at each other isn't helping. If we are all on the same side, fighting does nothing but weaken us against our true enemies, like illegal slavers and pirates who press-gang people into servitude."
She sits down next to the hellnight.
"People tend to have assumptions about me, for instance, I am Charlotte of the stage. As a Varisian actress, and because of that some think me a pickpocket, gypsy, and thief. But really I'm a practicioner of magic who wants to share the joys of magic with the world. I think everyone should be free to choose their own course in life, that's why I joined the Liberty's Edge."
She pauses for a moment to consider her words carefully. "Maralictor Harding, if I may be so bold, what has brought you to the Edge? After all, most hellknights I see are drawn more to the dark archive, or occasionally to the silver crusade."
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"Oh he's most likely looking for an angle. Hell knight of the order of the scourge looking thru rules of the People's Council? He's like one of the Lumber Corstitum folks. look for an angle to work his way."
He continued going thru his weapons as he talked running his whet stone over an astonishing amount of blades.
"He's looking to twist things his way, like a good little hell knight does." The halfling shrugged as he worked. "Not that it's a bad thing. If you know the rules, do lots of things. Like kill your torturing master and earn your freedom."
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"Might work. If they followed the rules. Doesn't work when they're more like guidelines. On a good day" he ahems. "Unlike cheliax, where the rules are meant to make you do something evil, stupid, or cowardly the rules in andor are SUPPOSED to make you good and free. So if the rules don't do that, then you ignore the rules. And then usually hang the person who tried to make you do something evil stupid or cowardly. "
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"True, if I'd been born in Bellis, rather than axing my way to freedom in the pit back in Westfrown, I might trust the law a bit more. Fiveboars used to be a rcht family back in the day, brewers to the crown -Pre-Thrune of course-. Afterwards we were slaves on lands that once belonged to us." The halfling sets down the blade he was working on a pulled out a bottle of whiskey.
"Fiveboar's premium blend, crown exclusive stock, possibly the last bottle in existence. Everything after is brewed in Bellis." He said cracking the seal for a sip before tucking it away. "But what do I know? These days I'm a pathfinder message rider. I just read up in the unaltered history sections most days."
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Harding lifts his eyes from the tome.
'You may be so bold, I was an agent long before we were known as the liberty's edge, though I was a lot more free-spirited back then. In the name of freedom I crushed slavers, bandits, escaped hellknight's and worse, I payed for it though, I almost know the Boneyard as well as Almas itself, though it turns out, going between the living and the dead to many times has it's consequences.'
He sighs, twirling a small golden keepsake attached to his armor.
Before he can continue however, following the barely concealed insults Harding slams his tome closed and turns to the halfling and fox, an almost palpable killing intent readable on his face.
Every word he says is filled with venom, an enormous amount of hatred and contempt.
'What you are suggesting isn't Freedom, freedom is where every man,woman and child feel safe, where they are entitled to the sweat of their own brow and where integrity and a fair goverment works for the collective happines of it's people. I have seen the taint in my nation; corruption, favoritism, they all run rampent. People held for no reason, no chance of escape, even our leaders have secrets that defy everything we stand for and they keep it hidden rather than face judgement. Nobody is innocent, Nobody. True Freedom. Is. Not. Free.
He calms down after his tyrade
'Cheliax and Andoran are two sides of the same coin, Cheliax is brutally ruled to the point where it's population has to be ruthless to succeed, happiness is bought with the suffering of others. In Andoran, this lax legal enviroment has brought a pack of ravenous wolves, determined to ravage everything we hold dear. And we put these wolves in charge.'
He opens his tome before continueing.
'Feel free to live your lives, be a pair of good little puppets, the longer you help maintain this facade, the easier it is for you to be a pair of dogs on a leash, Look beyond the bravado and you can see the open festering wounds of our nation.'
He then turns back to Charlotte, intending to continue in pleasant conversation.
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if they're doing something you don't like, put down the book pick up your sword and kill them. If they're doing something you don't like to other people, show them how to pick up a sword and kill their oppressors. When someone fights with you, they are an ally. When someone fights for you, you have merely exchanged owners. Being able to take your destiny in your own hands, by your own blood and courage THAT is freedom. Anything else is useless paper.
His fur bristles up, actually coming to sharp points to rival the hellknights own. But call me a dog again and they'll be able to burry you in your gauntlet
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"Fair enough 'knight'." Mercer says. "You assume I'm a slave of any kind, you are wrong. Ol' Deadeye bids up protect family and neighbor. I go by what I see.. every time I see what you where? It's usually someone coming to take my family, my village or my life. You'll excuse me if I think you're games in council do more than our efforts at finding the abuses of the Lumber Consortium up in Bellis." The halfling doesn't quite spit as he walks to the door.
"You're judged by your actions and I'd say that armor says a lot in those actions. So, first impressions.. not so good." Mercer takes a deep breath. "Ol Deadeye also says we judge ourselves by our own deeds. You got us wrong. Can't help you with that but I can say that I'm wrong. This time. Your tone says not by much." He shrugs and looks to the Fox.
"If he wants to yammer, babble and try to talk around the tools in People's Council, he can learn the same lesson we did. Got to find ways to cut the rot out before reforming it." With that Mercer steps out.
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'Do not take Hellknights at face value, the only order licking the hooves of Cheliax is the Rack.'
'I do not place myself above you, not by any means, we have different methods but we have the same goal or we would already be trying to tear eachother apart at this very moment, admit it or not.'
He turns to the fox, completely fearless.
'I know that what I am doing is right, you have the freedom to do what you think is right, but should our ideals collide, I am a Hellknight of the Scourge, I root out the laws and leeches that feed on the earnest dutiful people and no man, beast, demon or otherwise shall stand in my way.'
What appears to be a smirk attempts to form on the Maralictors face.
'As for the gauntlet fitting, I would like to see you try. Who knows, maybe this time I might stay dead, Hell It might get my heart pumping for a change.'
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Charlotte turns to the Hellknight.
"Sorry for the halfling. I don't know him but I know his story all too well. From the few times I've been sent on missions in Almas I know that the council can and has been corrupted often. Tends to make people uneasy when you start looking into their affairs. Plus, you have to admit, there are many members of the scourge that see escaped slaves as 'stolen property' and want to 'right that crime.' Not you I'm sure, but you can imagine it would make some former slaves uneasy."
Charlotte frowns and turns to Grrr.
"Grrr, why, I had no idea you were so Chelaxian in your attitude. After all, killing anyone who disagrees with you seems like a VERY Chellaxian attitude. Quite dictatorial in fact. Meanwhile this Mr., sorry, Marelictor Harding here seems to be striving to let people live their lives as they see fit, a very Liberty's Edge sort of attitude, I dare say." She slyly smiles at her barb as she turns to the hellnight again.
"I'm going to go get myself a drink from the establishment next door. Care for one? They have some non-alchoholic stock over there if you are the kind that doesn't regularly take libations."
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'I completely understand, however the idea that the Scourge hunts down escaped slaves is completely false. The Order of the Scourge is dedicated to stamping out corruption and organized crime, we might apprehend bandit raids on the border, we even arrest nobles for whom crime has become a business, laws are not just by virtue of being laws, all most strive towards progress and the greater good. Even Nobles and other Hellknight orders are not exempt from our scrutiny, in fact.'
Harding grabs a small black notebook from his satchel and opens it.
'About 3 months ago I was investigating the Order of the nail, it turned out that a member of their ranks was damming prisoners to Hell without due process to trade them in for Hellhounds. He was apprehended, and sentenced to jail were he serves the labor force, every soul he dammed was considered a count of murder for his jailtime. My companions at the time simply suggested killing him, but that would get him off easy.'
Harding sighs before putting the notebook away.
'For a man called Boneclaw, you would expect him to have a better grip on things. The image of the Hellknights is however, mostly shaped by people such as him, true to his cause but not considering the consequences.'
Hardings stance perks up at the suggestion.
'Why certainly, it will most likely take some time for briefing to start, I see no reason not to indulge a bit.'
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Nice try biped. A citizens Killing government officials without any pomp or ceremony is about the most UNchelaxian thing around. it's not the killing that makes something chelaxian, its the paperwork. And citizens killing government goes against the "natural order" of the government killing citizens.
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'Paperwork? Paperwork!?'
The thing that follows can only be described as the most wheeze-like laughter you have ever heard.
'Oh when an official wants someone dead over there, they dont need papers. The Rack will just bash open the door right there and you will be on the flaying rack by noon!'
The laughing fit settles down and Harding Reafirms himself.
'Well done! I haven't had a laugh like that in years!'
An occasional chuckle can still be heard.
'Paperwork?! Can you imagine! Ha...no seriously, if they want something to happen over there, most procedures will either be waved or the report will be so blatently copied it's absurd.'
'Gods I remember the last time I saw one of those ; The sentence regarding CRIMINAL will be carried out POSTHASTE, due force applied by ENFORCER, Legal sentence is DEATH. Signed by ADMINISTRATOR.'
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'The sad thing is, they probably would.'
'Listen, the only thing you are going to get out of me for bashing the Chelaxian legal system is chuckles and agreement.'
'I'd rather have a drink before my briefing instead of going on with this, gods know I am going to need it, probably going to have to handhold a group of fresh faces through the Gloomspires AGAIN.'
Harding sighs.
'So apologies for the rant earlier, it got us off on the wrong foot.'
Harding's composure turns back to normal, but his expression is notably lighter.
'You want to join us? You might find that Hellknights aren't all that bad.'
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"Did. Twice. Didn't once
The fox offers a picnic basket. Inside is a potion labled "exlir of fox comprehension"
"I doubt that"
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"A DRINK? THAT IS THE FIRST SMART THING YOU HAVE SAID ALL DAY! COME WITH THUNDERLIPS! TO THE LAND OF MALODOROUS'S PRIVATE COLLECTION! HE GAVE ME THE KEY AFTER I HAD MS. QUICK STEAL IT FROM HIM SEVERAL TIMES. NOW INSTEAD OF SPENDING MONEY ON LODGE RENOVATIONS, that's a good looking new wall over there, MALODEROUS NOW SPENDS THAT GOLD ON BOOZE! JUST THE THING TO REMOVE ANY LINGERING NOTIONS OF GLOOM (HA!) ABOUT THE GLOOMSPIRES. THEY ARE NOT SO BAD, A LITTLE GLOOMY A LITTLE DOOMY BUT ALL AROUND AN OK PLACE TO SPEND AN AFTERNOON."
"COME, THUNDERCOCK! LEO VIRGINING HERE NEEDS REFRESHMENT!"
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"SQUAWK!"