** spoiler omitted **
Hopefully without anyone noticing he jabs Sircot with his elbow. Before whispering.
"Do watch what you say. We don't need to add fuel to this fire."
Sircot was picking up bad habits from the city already. Like being sloppy, they didn't know who or what was in this place. It was best they kept it that way concerning themselves. No need to give anything away unless it was needed and something was being given in exchange. Still he took the distraction as a chance to scan the new rather confined area they had entered. Perhaps with some observation more could be gained.
"Right," was all he says instead, with a slight nod at Igdus. He starts walking towards the back room.
You and the woman approach the back door though Igdus pauses to scan the room and his friend stays near him.
As you approach you get a better glimpse at the three men the last man has a hat on his head and beady black eyes, his long black coat covers him to the floor. You wonder why he is wearing it considering the place is warm but you assume there is a reason why he does so.
You all regard each other silently until the woman blurts out to Valaronex, "You gonna open that door or what?"
He nudges Sircot while getting closer once they are on the other side of the door. He whispers to him.
"We were being watched, as were the others. Something may be coming, stay alert."
He did not find it hard to believe that information had leaked or someone had let something slip. Last thing they needed was a bunch of so called adventurers or city guards raiding the place packed with silver. This is why he hated the indoors, anything without an open sky above was asking for trouble in so many ways. Then again if things took a bad turn he would blast open a hole. The place was old, ill kept, and made of wood. Making an exit was possible. For now he would wait and keep watching how things unfolded.
Tobar looks like a wiry sort of fellow. His eyes seem intense and elapine. However, they are just about all you can see as the rest of his body is covered in fine silk. Shirt, pants, gloves, even to include a hood and wrap around his mouth. Rather than to be sneaky, as others that would cover themselves so, the vibrant coloration would lead one to believe that he desires to be seen, or perhaps to distract from his disturbing eyes.
"Yes, let's go in," Gerwyn agrees. He appears to be a tall, fit man with brown hair and brown eyes, dressed in rough traveling gear and armed like a hunter or woodsman.
Tobar nods his head, and follows them in.
Or losing yourself to the bloodrage and abandoning your injured son on a pointless mission of revenge.
Shaking his thoughts clear, Valar thanked the bouncer before striding over to the door. Opening it up and stepping part way though, glancing around to find Raze. He wasn’t expecting trouble, but being a little cautious in somewhat unfamiliar territory didn’t hurt.
Valaronex, you pause for a moment as one of the men who steps to the back alongside you was a passenger on the wagon that nearly struck you. The alluring woman though seems insistent about opening the door and you almost feel compelled to do so. Before you can berate the man for whatever role he played in the near collision you open the door.
---
Raze and Vaki, the door that leads back into the bar opens and four figures stand in the doorway. One Raze you recognize it's your cousin Valanorex! You have not seen him in years!
The rest are strangers to both of you. One is a pretty, well dressed human woman her features and movement possessed of a feline grace blond hair and blue/green eyes seem to glean in the torchlight. She enters and immediately sizes up the other female in the room. A man also enters quickly as well he wears a large long coat, too heavy for this time of year, he has a hat on his head and beady black eyes. His high collars obscure his exact race.
---
Likewise to those who are entering the room, except Valaronex who has finally found his cousin, all here are strangers. Within are three men and a woman.
The human woman already inside has long black hair and dark eyes she is dressed as a ranger would dress slacks and a long sleeved shirt. Prettier than the feline one but also seemingly rougher by the way she carries herself. The second man is middle aged human with a bald head and nondescript dress.
The gnome approaches you and whispers, [smaller]"Looks like the rumors are true. Our kind are gathering. You though don't seem to want to be here, I can see your... hesitation".[/ooc]
Igdus smiles at the gnome and gently places a hand on her shoulder. He whispers in turn to her.
"You made three mistakes my dear. One you allowed yourself to be seen. Two you said all the wrong things to me. And three, you let me touch you. I doubt you could walk away from what I can do at this range, whole. So take my friendly advice. Don't go looking for trouble or trouble may find you. Now do leave things you know nothing about well enough alone."
He golden eyes show more then an intensity, they have the look of a predator. Only enhanced by his sharp features and slicked back brown hair. As long as the gnome doesn't do anything foolish he lets her go and enters the room with Sircott. What nonsense, if the gnome knew she would be entering with the others. If she was a guard or look out of some sort then she would not be looking in but out. She was fishing and he was no fish.
557 CY - 1st Day of Coldeven - The Free City of Narwell -
Before the door closes two more human males and one gnome female enter. The gnome is scowling at the back of the men and she closes the door behind you all.
The first man looks quite well kept including his clothing, his eyes are sharp and his soft brown hair is short and slicked back with some sort of sap.
The last man in is Igdus.
The female gnome appears as any other gnome, as if her power is to not stand out.
"Valanorex!" Raze exclaims. "Here, saved you a seat." He pushes the chair next to him out from the table with a foot.
Gerwyn looks around the assembled group.
"Right, so... more of us than I'd thought there'd be. Ummm..." he glances at the door, "Are we sure no one can hear us out there?"
"They can hear you as well as you could hear them... if you were human." Raze replies. "Though the door is locked, and I'm sure with so many people around you'd able to scent a human lingering by the door."
"An Excellent Point."
When Valar saw his cousin Raze, his mouth began to stretch out in a smile, happy to see him once again. However, the words ‘saved you a seat’ made that smile rapidly vanish. Raze saved him a seat? Was he expected here then? But Valar had got no invitations to anything, he had just decided to come and visit his family after so long away from them.
As the others began talking whilst Valar made his way over to said seat, Valar’s fears were confirmed. It seemed the fact he was no longer a werewolf hadn’t yet been discovered, and he was amongst a group of them at this moment. Or at least a group of Lycan’s. The fact he wasn’t a lycan was something he felt best to keep hidden for now as he sat down, commenting. “Sure is quite a few of us here.”
He made note of those that seemed to know each other and took a seat with Sircott. Making sure the pair were a good distance from any window or door with a solid wall to their back. He also noted anything that gave away their kind.
"Yep. Knew with this many of us coming you had to be one of them." Raze replies. "Been a long while. How's things? You grow your hair out? Looks good."
-Posted with Wayfinder
557 CY - 1st Day of Coldeven - The Free City of Narwell -
The festive room inner door once closed cuts off the sounds of the Tavern though with the superior hearing most of you possess you have to work a bit to keep it from distracting you.
The room itself is well chosen. It seems there is one back door and no windows to be spied upon through.
Once everyone settles into a seat or a standing position the dark haired, dark eyed woman starts, "I am Marya Darkeyes, daughter of Lockjaw leader of my wolf pack. I know a few of you here but not many. Grandfather spider sent missives to many of our kind to meet here this night. Far fewer have come than I thought would. Introductions I think are in order so we know who each other are. I wonder if Grandfather himself will come or if one of you is part of his brood, or whatever you spiders call your progeny..."
"I am Gerwyn, of Mytzz's pack," Gerwyn states, simply. "I know little, just that there's a proposal we work together to all of our benefits."
Raze stands, popping his bull neck. "I'm Raze Redclaw." he glances in irritation at at Marya. "Lone wolf. I work here, so for f!*~'s sake, you gotta fight something out? Take it outside. The full moon's soon and I don't want to have to bounce family."
"I am Tobar, and it is I who have been sent in the old Webspinner's place. And what a web is indeed to be spun, each of us a thread. A web to ensnare those not of the blood, who do not know the moon's gift."
After he speaks, he pulls back his hood and mask to reveal his skin, slightly glistening with chitinous sheen.
If Sircott tries to speak any family names or cast names he elbows him hard in the ribs. Otherwise he lets him speak before he does.
"I am Igdus of the Gnarley Forest and Sky."
He leaves it at that.
"I am Vaki Bloodfang, my uncle can introduce himself." He does not mention which tribe of were-creature they belong to.
Well, this was great. Just great. It seemed that whilst Valar had managed to free himself from the curse of lycanthropy, allowing himself to finally be human. Whilst turning his curse into something else entirely, other’s didn’t really know that... so the now human was stuck in the middle of a group of Lycan's, who seemed to have been summoned here for some reason. The fact that Valar was here... well, it was just wrong time, wrong place.
Life sure was a b$#%$.
“I’m Valaronex, Raze’s Cousin. Also a Loner.” No family beyond Raze being mentioned, whilst he did his best to keep a calm, expressionless face. Hoping no one would pick up on the fact that actually, he did not get a missive at all, and didn’t know what any of this was about.
Igdus was carefully looking at those that spoke in turn. When they fall on Valaronex his studying gaze picks up on his discomfort, that was putting it mildly. He would keep watching that one.
557 CY - 1st Day of Coldeven - The Free City of Narwell -
After you all introduce yourselves introductions spread.
The alluring blond haired green eyed woman is Lyneth.
The man in the large coat has a soft voice that emanates from his seat and calls himself Rhun.
The balding human man introduces himself as "Uncle" Bloodfang.
The human man standing with Igdus names himself Sircot.
Finally, the gnome woman names herself Raihn.
Marya growls softly, "It seems that either the messages did not reach all parties or some parties did not choose to attend or you individually represent a much larger collective".
Lyneth grins, "I suspect that the latter is the case. This meeting could turn out to be a disaster if it all goes wrong. The city watch uncovers the plot or some group of adventurers enters the place and fingers us for what we really are..."
Ruhn speaks up, "As any of those possibilities my well happen, how about the resident spider fills us in on Grandfather's game now..."
Tobar turns to the woman, nods, then turns to the others.
"Only recently there has been a shift in the politics and geography of the Forest not far from the Free City of Dyvers. A being I believe a malevolent Fey has taken up residence there. For the past few weeks it has disrupted travel to and from the Free City."
"Grandfather proposed that a group represented by members of the various interested factions accompany an important caravan through the forest to Dyvers as guardians. Upon arrival in that section of the forest, the group will eliminate the threat and propose to defend the area as a "group of adventurers" securing a writ from Narwell and Dyvers to do so."
"This way even if other factions of the forest attack us,we will have aid from these powerful human cities in defending ourselves. Once that has been accomplished, the true powers behind each faction can move into the area and settle in the territory claiming it for all Lycan kind or at least those who risked themselves for this opportunity. Of course we must maintain the ruse for some time until we grow powerful enough to ward off attacks should the true identity of those who now rule that area be revealed. This also means being on our best behavior and not raiding, a challenge we will have to meet when, and if, the initial prong of the plan meets with success."
Valaronex was... rather divided about the plan that had been presented before him. It wasn’t that it sounded like a bad plan at all. In fact, it was a well thought out plan, yet not excessively complex to a point that it was likely to fall apart under the weight of its own complexity. However, it was the preferred results of the plan going off that had Valaronex concerned. He would not lie and say he had no empathy for the lycan people. For the longest time, he was one of them himself after all. Yet at the same time, he understood WHY they were so feared by the common people. He understood what actions drove them to hunt out and destroy those that held the curse in their veins. And he understood personally, just what the curse could drive people to...
It was why he sought out a group of people who he rather disliked, and put himself into their debt. All in the name of ridding himself of the curse and transforming himself into something more.
So the idea of the Lycan’s basically taking over a large section of the forest in order to claim it as their own land. Weeeeeelll... Valaronex couldn’t help but have some trepidations about it, whilst at the same time he did want to actually support his family in this regard... “When you say no raiding. Are you meaning that until the Lycan’s become strong enough to defend themselves, or a permanent alteration to how they usually live?"
"Eh. I can see what you're saying, Val."Raze says. "It would be nice to not be hunted everywhere we go, right? I mean I never thought we'd have to establish a nation to do it, but who'd want to attack a nation of badass shapeshifters, amirite?"
He chuckles. "Hell, we get set up like that, we wouldn't even need to raid anymore. Well, cept for fun, I guess. Meh."
"that is a little beyond step one, but if we are set up in a good enough position, as Raze said, then it would merely be a matter of controlling the base urges in order not to invite doom upon ourselves. We can't move forward by walking the same roads that got us here."
He had waited at first to see where this was going, sadly it was going the way he thought it would. Not in a very good direction. It was not as simple as they were making it seem and even if everything went ideally their would be more problems with themselves then before any outside source was addressed.
"While some of us have no need or inclination to raid, that does bring up a point. If all goes well, who will answer to whom. How will the territory be divided, and frankly how do you expect us all to get along so perfectly. Regular humans don't get along with each other and they have less pointed differences then we do."
He looks directly at Raze as he continues.
"As for who would attack us should we be exposed as a nation, that remains unchanged. Their are nations of humanoids, considered monsters by humans for the most part, they still suffer. Only on a much grander scale, instead of small groups you will see armies. I suggest you don't forget the reason you are hunted, numbers don't change that. They simply grow accordingly."
Leave it to a wolf to get worked up once their numbers increase. More then most it's that sort of thing that gets them hunted in the first place. As Tobar chimes in he responds by nodding his head.
"Agreed, we should not count our eggs before they hatch as it were. I would hope that such things are considered less we find ourselves in a worse position then we started."
The relations between the lycans did not need to get worse and they did not need to provoke the humans into some sort of grand hunt.
“I ain’t thinking that far ahead actually. The reason I brought it up is because I have no intention of displacing one raiding person or group, just to see another group move in and start raiding as well.” Valaronex said, deciding to explain just why he had brought up the issue in the first place. Not because he jumped that far ahead when it came to planning and expectation. But because it was important to whenever or not Valar would actually be willing to lend his aid to this mission at all.
"As no one seems particularly interested in raiding once we got the land through, I don't see any reason why I won't lend a helping hand."
"In order to preserve peace, each clan would need to elect its own leader, the leaders form a council of equals. It is as the humans do in some places. If we are a force for stability, admittedly against some of our natures, we will not be attacked. If we are a safe place for commerce, our coffers fill and the merchants make money for their homelands, which then may see fit to defend us against those who attack us simply for the blood in our veins."
"It is easy to tear down an idea, try nothing new, and remain where you are. It is difficult to improve your station in life. Woe be the man or beast that sought to remain apart from a fledgling nation of moon children. Any remaining apart for their own love of the squalor of familiarity would be a threat. Rather than doing our best to fit in to the fringes of society when we need something we cannot make, we could have a city with no need to hide who we are. A city our children could improve upon. Anything men can do, we can do better."
557 CY - 1st Day of Coldeven - The Free City of Narwell -
Lyneth speaks, "A malevolent fey eh? A dangerous creature to be sure. What if by the time we arrive another group of interlopers has stolen our thunder already?"
Marya replies, "No one has... yet. I happen to have just agreed to defend a caravan that is heading to Dyvers in the next few days. A caravan guard was my initial cover in coming here so I have built up some good faith with the pathetic wretch of a merchant I traveled with".
After listening to the others go back and forth, Vaki chimes in "I'm not so sure about having a place to call our own, but I'm all for what basically amounts to stealing an entire city, if not a whole nation.
As for the rest, maybe that all should wait until we've actually pulled off this heist, hmm?"
He looks to his uncle "What do you think?"
Igdus shakes his head, speech making was the symptom of idealist and politicians. He cared for nether.
"I support ideas, as they are well thought out. I do not support dreams and delusions, that is the stuff of fools and madmen. Do not presume that we all share the same "station" as you put it. The bears, which I find absent, are proof enough of that. Spare me your fancies and give me knowledge. That has value, what is known of this fey and how many of us will be attending to it or the caravan and such?"
His people were not overly pragmatic but they were watchful. They had seen what others had done and did to themselves. They would not gamble what they had by over reaching or moving to empty promises. The hawks had a home, mostly peace, and few enemies. Mostly because they were out of reach, he would not provoke others into making the effort of reaching for them.
"The bears? Hah! Traitors suckling at the teat of man. As for the fey, only clues, no sight of the creature itself. That will either come in time or it won't, but my money is on it becoming apparent once more caravans start coming through."
Gerwyn spreads his hands slightly. "I'd rather at least try than die someday to fire and silver. It'd be nice to know more about the fey, sure, but we can handle that, right? I'm sure some of us are good scouts. I am, for one."
557 CY - 1st Day of Coldeven - The Free City of Narwell -
Uncle chuckles, "I take it Tobar that those of us who do not engage in this experiment will not be invited to reap the work sown?"
Sircot remains silent seemingly happy to nod in agreement with whatever Igdus has to say.
Lyneth smiles, "Too many of us in one group could lead to problems, perhaps if we do agree to this, we should split our forces and try to arrive near Dyvers at the same time. I for one heard this rumor as well. The fey, whatever it is is said to be malevolent".
Raihn shakes her head, "My people lurk on the outskirts of societies, I imagine the same would be the case here. I will get back to my people on this before I agree to anything".
Ruhn replies, "I'll join with the second group. I am not one used to guarding anything..."
Marya states, "I have six positions to fill. Raze is coming with me as are you Valaronex, long lost cousin..." Her eyes gleam as she looks Valaronex up and down. "Four others can come with me, you pick among yourselves who those four would be though I imagine that Grandfather's spider emissary should be one".
Igdus spares a look at Sircot, but not deliberate enough to draw attention. Scanning him to see if anything was amiss.
"I will go. I wouldn't ask of other what I wouldn't risk my neck for."
"I'll go," Gerwyn says. "I'd rather be in on the start of this."
"I don't care which group I go with, so long as we both are after the same goal"
557 CY - 1st Day of Coldeven - The Free City of Narwell -
Marya sniffs at Gerwyn, "Wise to stay with your own kind I think. Fine bat boy, you come with the first group, we can always use fliers..."
“What, don’t I get a choice?” Valar said when he was nominated for being part of the first group without his say so. Admittedly, the way her eyes glittered whilst talking about him, the long lost cousin... it filled him with dread and made Valaronex wonder just what this Marya knew about him... he was pretty sure he couldn’t remember anything about her though...
Shaking his head, Valar sat back, trying to play it off as cool and relaxed, saying. “Ah, don’t worry about it. I would want to go in the first group anyhow.”
Igdus gives him a look. He wasn't going to let these people escape his sight in case they did something foolish. He replies by whispering in turn.
"We should at least keep an eye on this whole thing. If it goes badly it's best we deliver the news rather then find hunters at our doorstep."
Speaking clearly he states.
"I suppose I will join the first group."
557 CY - 1st Day of Coldeven - The Free City of Narwell -
Marya's eyes gleam and the smile reminiscent of the tales of terrible wolves crosses her face, "Good, two fliers...It is settled then".
She turns to Tobar,"I hope that this endeavor will bear fruit little spider. As this is your Grandfather's plot you will be in charge of how and what we do, I assume that our true natures should not be revealed to the caravan unless all is lost.
The caravan heads out of town in two days time. Tomorrow let us meet back here so that I can introduce you to the merchant who is funding this trip and you can all gather the supplies you need. As for the second group, I care not what you do so long as you do not reveal your natures. For now we should be autonomous from one another.
I have a hunger that cannot be sated within these walls, I will take my leave for the night". With that she exits.
The second group, or the proposed second group begins to huddle together to strategize how they will head through the woods to the vaguely appointed rendezvous point. Leaving the six of you on your own side of the room...