Havelyn's own assessment of the meeting is not much different than Errisaigh's: winning the Baron's cooperation, even begrudgingly, even temporarily, is a success for the group. That one of the Baron's soldiers will accompany them is something of a surprise, but not of an unexpected nature. When dealing in sabotage and heresy, after all, it is only prudent to ensure one's own safety. And knowledge is a much finer weapon and shield than any blade.
Outside the chamber, the knight barely pauses as Errisaigh speaks, waving for him to follow in step as he makes to return to the others. "Commands will be few if any, I suspect," he says, glancing to the others. "We've something of an alliance, a fellowship of honest necessity. Should you perchance to meet our benefactor, orders might arise, but naught comes of false loyalties and baseless authority." He pats the hilt of his sword meaningfully. "Strange bedfellows though we be, I agree to make the best. And if you know the ways of fear and blood, I've a feeling we may not be so strange, come what may."
Back at the Friar, Havelyn returns to those who stayed behind, and gestures to the newcomer. "Sir--" He pauses and turns to the other man. "Are you a knight, Master Varkain?" In any case, he introduces him: "Errisaigh Varkain, a faithful hand of the Baron, who has pledged his aid and the services of his most trusted servant."
The giant Mitran knight glanced up assessing the newcomer with the predatory disinterest of a lazy cat seeing something it might eat later, when it eventually decided to move.
He sat on the floor leaning against the wall, but was still almost as tall as either of the women in the group.
"Raaven gave us the gist." His voice sounded like a rock tumbler inside a bass drum.
Alice only spared the newcomer a glance. Nate was clearly getting into the game and he was beating her hard this round. There was still a chance for a comback however.
"Welcome back. Anyone fancy a round of cards when we finish this round? There are a lot more games we can play when we have more players."
Alice just didnt feel up for anything else. While they had scored a great victory up north, some of the proceedings still didnt sit right with her.
Nate doesn't even seem to notice the others enter. He stares intently at the cards, changing the order of a few around in his hand. I have an advantage but depending on her hand she could outplay me here...conservative or take a risk? He bites his lip, then lays down a card. To hell with it, don't give up your advantage.
Dammit, I dont have anything to beat that. Best I can do is hope to stall, hope he cant keep this up, that its all a bluff.
Alice puts down her own card.
”All will be as it should, blood willing.” Errisaigh replies to Havelyn.
Errisaigh shakes his head on the question of his nobility, and watches as the rag tag group “greet” him into their ranks. He is unsurprised by the welcome, sure that were their positions reversed he may be unsure of a newcomer injected into his group.
The ways of subterfuge and rebellion ever draw the alliance of rebels and knaves. In time we will learn which of us is which.
Still, without introductions, Errisaigh asesses them, the giant man and the card players seeming involved in their various activities. The direlock opts to drop his gear in an unattended area of the room, and sets about taking stock of his gear. Errisaigh then waits to see what the group will do,
"We got Nate. We got the map. We got the Baron," Sir Jack ticked off on his thick fingers.
"The way I figgure, next we need a den... uh, a base. This gonna be it? Or we goin' somewhere else?"
"Oh, an' are we meeting up with Elise's crew? They're supposed t' be here, right?"
"Just stay here, why bother moving when this is doing well?" Nate lays down another aggressive card.
Alice looked over her cards again. Dammit, he has me, I think. Only one thing left to try
Alice lies down a very weak card.
Only thing to hope for is that he falls for that.
"Honestly? This inn is fine. While maybe not the safest place, I can do with some luxury after having that journey."
Nate grins. She has nothing, let's wrap this hand up. He continues to lay down his cards quickly, assuming he has her by a landslide and not playing cautiously.
Farholde - [ooc] Newchurch the Wandering Friar /[ooc]
As "Sir Jack" discusses the state of the Knot's objectives, popping sound interrupts your musings and Alice and Nate's card games. The door to the room opens and Tiadora steps in, still wearing the same mask she was dressed in on the boat ride.
"Greetings Ninth..." her voice trails off as she stares at
Errisaigh. "Who is this?"
Alice ignores Tiadora. Others could deal with her. Taking care of Nate was way more important.
She sighs. "Dammit Nate, you got me. I yield. This game goes to you. You got me completely beat."
She then gives Nate a big grin. "Well played"
Nate grins and sweeps up the cards. "I think that's the first hand I won that wasn't pure luck." He stacks the cards together and starts to straighten their edges in preparation for shuffling. He turns to see Tiadora, then looks to the newcomer. "Hmm, who indeed?" He inquires.
"'Nother stray," Jack shrugged. "The baron wants him with us."
"May I present Errisaigh Varkain," Havelyn announces, gesturing to the warrior. "A faithful hand of the Baron, to accompany us as part of our accord. The gift of an ally to represent our new alliance, as it were." He gives a thin smile and folds his arms. "Is aught the miss, that you join us so?"
Farholde -
Tiadora keeps her eyes locked on Errisaigh, "Very well. You are all picking up a lot of strays, watch out those not tied to you by duty".
She continues, "Remember the small clay tablet given to you by the Master, break it when you need to speak with the Master in dire circumstances. Be sure not to waste his time. He can be most unforgiving about that. The Seventh Knot is already close at hand.
They arrive tomorrow on a river barge named The Lucky Lady. You should probably meet them and come up with a plan for seeing our Master’s will done. It matters not to me of course. Not my problem. Goodbye, dearest, and good luck.”
That said, she teleports away once more.
Alice rolls her eyes and quietly to Nate "Who pissed in her tea this morning?"
Errisaigh blinks as the lady appears and then somewhat swiftly departs.
"And who is Tiadora?" he asks the group generally.
"The Cardinal's b&&@@," Sir Jack said.
Errisaigh's bottom lip purses as he consider's the giant's remark.
"Which makes me the Baron's bastard. Fair enough."
The newcomer begins to doff his armor and other equipment...
Farholde -
Soren releases her grip on her pistol as Tiadora disappears once more.
"Errisaigh, can we have the Baron provide us with a place to retreat to that is less conspicuous than this Inn after tomorrow?
I believe we should meet with the Seventh ad the day after begin to explore the Forest following the map the elf so kindly left behind for us.
Nate, have you heard from Aurex?"
"Nate, have you heard from Aurex?"
Nate freezes, then looks over to Soren. "No...I, uh, haven't heard anything." He licks his lips. "He wouldn't come into town, right?" He asks nervously.
Errisaigh nods to Soren.
"The baron owns a number of properties, and has made a few available to...agents in the past. A few are extremely non-descript, while others are going concerns that are more...lived in. What do you have in mind?"
"Given our current situation, I think that going for something less likely to draw attention is our best bet. No need to make ourselves more conspicuous than necessary. We might've scored an impressive victory, but all that's done is push the Mitrans onto their back foot. We're still fighting our way out of the corner." Soren frowns, not at anyone in particular. It seems something about recent events has left her head more clouded than you'd expect. She shakes her head, clearing the fog. "Some place large enough to house the lot of us might be better still though, if we can't do both. Having us mill about between two different areas seems likely to draw attention. I understand the others might like a bit of luxury, although I don't much mind more barren quarters myself."
Soren's raises an eyebrow quizzically at Nate. "I don't... think so, no. Aurex seems smart enough to realize that a dragon coming wandering into town isn't going to go over very well for our mission." She takes stock of his fingers for the first time, doing her best to hide the concern on her face. "Nate, why are you worried Aurex would come to town? Is there a problem? It's been a while since the two of you were together."
Soren's raises an eyebrow quizzically at Nate. "I don't... think so, no. Aurex seems smart enough to realize that a dragon coming wandering into town isn't going to go over very well for our mission." She takes stock of his fingers for the first time, doing her best to hide the concern on her face. "Nate, why are you worried Aurex would come to town? Is there a problem? It's been a while since the two of you were together."
"Yeah...been a while. Been a really long time." He looks down at his cards with a frown. "It's been...I don't know what he will think of me anymore. It's been so long."
Alice puts down her cards. "As long as where ever we end up is not another freaking boat. I'm veto-ing a boat."
Jack raised an eyebrow at Nate, confused. "It's been... What? a couple days. How long you think you were out of it?"
"Oh, no. I mean he hasn't seen me for a long time." Nate says as if that clarified the matter. "I can't imagine he will be very happy with me. But what's he gonna do, kill me?" He suddenly gives a sick grin. "A rich bit of poetry I suppose."
My earlier suggestion still stands, Raaven's sardonic, telepathic voice whispered into the minds of everyone present.
Jack was obviously confused, but he felt that way a lot, so he decided not to pursue it. He just shook his head in frustrated bewilderment and returned his attention to Soren's suggestions.
"Maybe we meet up with the Seventh Knot and get rooms wherever they're staying? Doubt we'll be here much, so having allies watch our den seems good."
"Nathanial, what exactly do you mean?" Havelyn looks between the man and the others, unsure if they might know something he doesn't. "I was under the impression the two of you were partners of a sort."
To Jack's suggestion, Havelyn nods. "Safety in numbers, always a prudent choice. Should that prove untenable, however, I agree with Lady Marsaille's thinking. Better to skirt under scrutiny than draw attention in public places. We've much yet to do, and none of it viewed kindly by the powers that be."
"Partners? Well, I suppose, although not by choice. Something has to keep this shattered head together." He says with a shrug.
Errisaigh nods again.
"Well and well. We can wait to see the Seventh Knot's abode which will give me more time to find something suitable should we require it..."
Alice glances at Nate. "Aurex is a dragon, and not one with a sunny disposition. I would suppose he would see Nate's current state as a weakness. And potentially a liability."
Errisaigh listens attentively, gradually understanding just what they were all talking about with regard to the bleeding one named Nathaniel.
Nate stiffen. "He wouldn't kill me, because I fuel his growth, but yes." He says to Alice.
Its alice turn to shrug. "I would not expect him to, but he could be a royal pain about it. We got a bit of a taste of that up north."
Farholde -
The conversation burns itself out and the rest of the night passes by uneventfully.
---
Early in the morning there is a knock on the door of the middle of the three rooms, the common room. A soft but insistent knock.
"Go 'way. Sleeping."
Farholde -
"My employer would be most displeased if I did that. Somehow, I think that displeasure would find its way in your direction but if that is how it will be..."
"Ugh."
Alice drags herself out of bed and cracks the door open to look trough the gap. Still half asleep: "Wassit."
Errisaigh stirs and also wakes. He sits up, but does not intrude. The folk he is with have no reason to trust him, better not to give them any reason to distrust him either. He runs his hands through his hair and stretches his shoulders a little, then sits and waits for events to unfold.
Glaring in the direction of the noise and groaning at the conversation. Crawling out of bed and heading towards the newcomer, "Who is your employer?"
Being naturally nocturnal, Trying to sleep at night never felt right to Jack. He spent most nights reading in the pitch black, having silent, telepathic conversations with Raaven about things in his books that he didn't didn't understand. At midnight he offered his prayers to Asmodeus. Usually he rested from dawn to whenever the rest of the Knot decided to get up, and found other times to catch a nap throughout the day when they weren't doing much.
Tonight was no different. He was awake. He set his book down, stood up from where he was leaning against the wall, and picked up his hammer.
Farholde -
Alice opens the door and she and Morana can see a pretty brunette standing about 5'1" in the hallway. He face crinkles in disgust, "I have no code word, do I really need to spell this out for you? Fine. Something we can all relate to, Tiadora is a b&*!!".
The next day though you feel, well, you feel what you always feel when Nate is not, riding the cart, so to speak.
Disconcerting to say the least.
Raising an eyebrow and smiling, "I suppose that is as good as any."
Stepping out of the way and calling out, "Jack? Jack we have company." Are you gonna kill him? No, but if he has to die Grumble should be able to do it really quickly.