Eliste gives Alenaya a flat look, her eyes barely narrowing. "I make no implications, other than I have named a task and have asked what price you would demand. What other 'proper channels' are there?"
Kage explains, "It's unusual for field agents to enter contracts on the guild's behalf..." Kage's unsettling crimson eyes regarded Eliste as he added, "Unusual, but not unheard of. I am seriously considering taking this job on. Once our business the King is concluded we have a very long journey ahead of us, up to the frigid north. Our price will be..."
"Time is pressing, but discretion is paramount. I'm sure you understand."
Eliste nods her head to Jon. "Of course." In response to Sa'Kage's demand, she considers. "That is a very long journey, but I expect I'll be able to find a suitable guide, and traveling supplies for your needs. It is agreed. I accept your terms. Kill the Herbalist's consort, and you'll have what you need."
She rises and takes her leave of the Mantises, giving them enough time to make a brief foray into the marketplace if they wish. After roughly an hour, she returns and invites them back to the Darkwind Trade House Tavern.
The day continues as business slowly picks up, giving the disguised assassin a chance to get used to her waitressing duties. She endures numerous leering gazes and aggressive solicitations as the tavern regulars are eagerly interested in trying out the "new girl."
The late morning's regular business is interrupted by Eliste, who strides in and barks several orders. Eris is rescued from a particularly amorous and grabby patron when the trade house mistress orders him and a few other strongbacks out of their seats and into the back. Eris hears the somewhat puzzling orders -- they are to load up a cart with several large casks of wine and ale, but three of them are to be empty.
Once the labor is complete, Eliste disappears from the tavern. A short while later, she catches a glimpse of the other Red Mantises outside near the loaded wagon with Eliste.
Returning to the tavern, the trio of assassins see a large cart hitched to a team of oxen out front.
"I've been planning on sending some additional casks to the festival. This way, I get both jobs taken care of," she says as the workers pry open the lids of three empty barrels. "Don't worry; there'll be no point in you riding in the barrels the whole way, just the last leg. This will get you nice and close to the king," she says with a smile.
Alenaya looks confusedly to her male companions, then to the three barrels, and back to them.
Should we mention we have a fourth? she ponders to herself.
Eliste arches an eyebrow at Alenaya. "Would you like some traveling companions? It'll be a few hours before we reach the festival," she offers.
Alenaya spots the flash of golden eyes, and smiles, seemingly at Eliste’s comment. ”Can we choose?”
Eliste smirks. "Certainly. You may choose whomever you wish." She points out Eris. "But that one has not yet been properly vetted," she cautions.
”Oh really?” she says as she walks over to Eris, looking her up and down as if studying her. She runs her hand along her body as she circles her, as if she were gauging whether or not she wanted to choose her. ”I always did like a little risk in my play. I suppose I can put her through the ropes for you, give her a thorough test run. I’ll take her.”
”What do you say, my little morsel? You going to be a good girl for me the next few days?” she asks Eris as she lifts her chin with the knuckle of her finger.
Jon looks at the barrels with some confusion. "If you could please tell me how do these barrels get us an Audience with his highness? As I said before, if we had other intentions we could get close to him on our own.
"I believe that Geri properly vetted me Mistress" Eris responds smoothly towards Eliste, before giving a coy smile as Alenaya approaches her, winding the alchemist's free hand around her body, drawing it behind her to her backside.
"I can be anyone you like, I aim to serve" Eris responds with a wink, have amused at the doublemeaning of her words.
Eliste's eyes narrow at Eris. "I'll decide when someone's been vetted,"
She then turns to Jon-Wyn. "I apologize. I mistook your meaning. I thought you wished to appear unheralded. This is the way to get you past his outer guards and into the royal grounds. Have you changed your minds about that?"
"No. We have not. However, a closed meeting, us, the king and any advisers and guards he deemed necessary, is what we had hoped for. Is that possible. And, of course, as little fanfare as possible. Can you arrange that? If not, then, I suppose, this" He waves toward the barrels. "Will have to do."
Kage eyes the barrels, he wasn't particularly enamored of the idea of being transported within. He gives Eliste an appraising look before saying, "If I have this right Eliste's idea is to allow us to arrive unannounced. It's the kind of thing that's expected of us, although I worry it could easily be misinterpreted... Anyway I think this all depends on the King's character."
Looking directly at Eliste he asks, "What is he like? Does he have a taste for melodrama?"
Eliste's eyes go wide. "Oh, he absolutely appreciates melodrama. He's a... curious sort. He's unconventional. And very much into a good show."
Kage considers this for a moment before replying, "Very well then. We shall endeavor to enliven his Majesty's day with a little surprise drama. Perhaps that one." Kage points at Eris, "Could dance or otherwise entertain him, while we find our way out of these barrels and say boo!"
"Then let's be off!" Eliste says.
The wagon laden with casks of fine wine is part of a small caravan of other wagons, carriages and riders. Eliste rides in one of the carriages, and the Mantises are given the use of another, along with their chosen entertainers. Namiko and Fiona are brought along, along with Eris. Guards armed with short bows and spears ride alongside the wagons.
The trip takes several hours which allows the Mantises to share the information they've learned with each other, and learn a little bit more about the Rushlight Festival. The first day of the event is given over to trading, feasting, a preview of the beasts of the traveling menagerie, entertainment and once the sun goes down, a planned fireworks display. The next three days will be much of the same, but the highlights will be the contests at the coliseum. A fifth day will be generally slow and restful, with muted celebrations, and the sixth day will culminate in a nightlong celebration of the winners of the contests. The traditional end of the festival is the Midnight Joust and the announcement of the final winners of the tournament.
=================
When the festival grounds come into view, Eliste and her crew knock on the carriage carrying the Mantises. "It's time. Ella, dear, go wait for me in my carriage. I need to discuss with our guests about your performance."
Assuming Eris obeys, Eliste eyes Alenaya. "So? How was the waitress? Did she satisfy you?"
”Absolutely marvelous, my dear!” Alenaya boasts. ”I may just keep her for myself!”
Eris nods to Sa'Kage (assuming noone else is present). "I was thinking of keeping my presence a secret, its a secret ace where they don't know there is an unaccounted for Mantis running around giving us a distinct advantage. Besides, if you ask him questions, I can attempt to mind read his answers. Failing that, I would consider myself relatively attractive, surely I could persuade some sort of satisfactory answers out of him should it be required."
"If Eliste is right, her unveiling might be what we need to persuade him of our 'good intentions'."
Keeping her face neutral, Eliste simply nods. "That's a relief. I'm not accustomed to allowing desperate girls to entertain valued clients the very day after they've walked into my establishment begging for work. Were I the mistrusting sort, I almost could say her arrival was a little... suspicious." She arches an eyebrow and a knowing smile grows in her face. "I wasn t sure if she was an enemy of yours shadowing you or another Mantis agent, but considering you chose her immediately to come along, I suspect it's the latter."
She holds her hand up in a placating gesture. "It's fine, I'm not going to blame you for attempting to infiltrate my organization. I can appreciate the efforts to ensure your investment is well placed. However, I have to warn you, that if her end goal is to gain a certain... intimacy with the king, then she may be in danger. I've sent many talented girls to his bedchambers. None have returned. So, shall I call Ella, or Raven, or whatever her name is, back here? Or would you like to continue her ruse?"
Kage doesn't blink at this reveal, in a way he was glad because it showed Eliste's organization to be competent. So he thought, 'The King likes to murder loose women... I'm going to have to bite my tongue here.' Of course it was far from the first time they'd have to deal with rulers with strange perversions and Kage couldn't help thinking back to the 'Emperor of Old Korvosa' and his collection of heads at the foot of his child like bed.
A moment passes and Kage replies deadpan, "Wouldn't be the first time we've dealt with rulers with disturbing personal habits... Still thanks for the heads up. I doubt there will be time for anything amorous although there most certainly will be entertainment by way of melodrama. Think of her more as a Magician's apprentice. I'm guessing a sudden entrance with the masks and everything would be... How should we put it. Up his street?"
Eliste grins genuinely at Kage's suggestion. "A flair for the dramatic, huh? I think he'll take a liking to you after all. Let me get my 'servant' and we can finalize our plans."
Eris is brought back to the Mantis' carriage. "I confronted them about my suspicions about you," Eliste explains to the infiltrator. "And your compatriots confirmed them. So we're going to change up the entrance a little bit. I'll secure an audience and make sure the king is in his pavilion, while you can be whomever you like. I'll make the introductions, then you can have them pop in however you like."
Eris stares directly at Eliste, with a look of confusion on her face. "What do you mean, be whomever I like? What you see here is what you get" she responds, steadfastly underplaying her abilities in a smooth tone.
Eris stares directly at Eliste, with a look of confusion on her face. "What do you mean, be whomever I like? What you see here is what you get" she responds, steadfastly underplaying her abilities in a smooth tone.
[dice=Bluff]1d20+20+5
Eliste studies Eris's confused face. Finally, she shrugs. "Then you must be insane, because I know you are Mantis, and you have admitted, albeit not to me, that you can change your appearance. But no matter. Either you appear this way before the king or you will do something else. My services are paid for. What you choose to do with them is not for me to decide."
================
Once all preparations are made, the three Red Mantises are placed inside the wine barrels and the lids hammered shut. Eliste grows silent as the procession of carriages and wagons make their way through the festival grounds. They pass a massive tent with a painted, "Duclarion's Menagerie" in large letters on its side. Many smaller buildings and tents dot the grounds in haphazard rows with all sorts of signs advertising the various wares they offer. The procession moves through the crowds that part to avoid the large draft animals and creaking wheels. A bridge crosses a picturesqe creek running through the grounds causing a bottleneck at both ends as crowds wish to get from one end of the festival to the other. The carriage finally crosses the bride and passes by more temporary buildings. The coliseum looms behind the rows of shops. Once past that, the royal pavilion sits high upon a knoll overlooking the rest of the festival grounds, the flag of Pitax flying high.
"Come along," Eliste says to Eris as she exits the carriage once the line of wagons pulls up near the pavilion. Several guards wearing full plate armor and wielding greatswords stand at attention, while a few more lightly armored individuals approach Eliste.
"Greetings, Eliste Strocalle! His majesty had inquired whether he would get a chance to sample your Rushlight Special Reserve."
She smiles brightly in response. "I have promised him the first glass, and I keep my promises," Eliste says.
The wagons are moved to rest alongside the royal pavilion on the north-facing side to stay in the shade while Eliste has Eris unload a small cask that can contain around five gallons at most.
When the heavy flaps of the tent are drawn open, initially the only thing Eris can see within is a dark, foggy mass. However, once she steps through, the illusion of fog is lifted and the interior is revealed to be a lush, ornate affair. Plush red carpets cover the ground and a dais supporting a carved and gilded chair evoke the feeling of a throne room. A haphazard collection of pedestals bearing sculptures and mounted paintings of wildly varying quality and realism suggests an art gallery. A small raised stage supporting numerous large musical instruments sits to one side of the pavilion. Several attractive ladies are dreamily plucking a tune on some of the instruments.
King Irovetti sits in the throne, a handsome, muscular man wearing deep red velvets and with a crown on his dark hair. His belt is thick with tools, weapons and pouches, and an elegant cloak rests on his shoulders. Two unusual pieces of equipment are noticable: a long staff of unusual metal, with one end fitted with thin blades and a spike that periodically shifts with a strange whirring noise. The other device is a thin, short rod of strange metal with a single spike at the end. Small, circular lights periodically flash along the length of the rod.
He smiles -- a deeply charismatic and handsome smile -- when he sees Eliste enter. She steps forward and kneels in reverence before him.
"It's been a while, Eliste," he says with a rich baritone. It sounds like he'd be an excellent singer. "Where have you been keeping yourself?"
"I've had many duties and preparations for the festival, my lord," she responds, rising. She gestures to Eris, holding the cask. "Including making sure that this year's Rushlight Reserve is the best yet."
A bit of unimportant small talk is conducted while the cask is tapped and the first glass is drawn. A royal taster is actually the first one to sample the wine, but soon both Irovetti and Eliste are enjoying a glass.
After a few moments, he eyes Eliste over the rim of his glass, then flicks a glance over to Eris. "What is it? Is there some business you wish to attend?"
The trade family head nods, smiling at the king's astuteness. "Indeed. But it's actually business that I must conclude." She turns her head to Eris. "My dear?"
When the Mantis team slips from their hiding spots, they see the side of the royal pavilion. The entrance is guarded, and there is no sound at all coming from inside the tent, as if the interior was completely empty.
The tent appears to be warded with mage's private sanctum.
"Of course, the king would have some protections. This one wards the area against spying and scrying. It doesn't prevent intrusion, but there will surely be other defenses. Remember, keep your weapons sheathed no matter what and, if it comes to conflict, do not target the king." When everyone is prepared, let's drink the potions and go wafting into the pavilion.
Alenaya nods and readies her own prepared extract.
Kage nods and waits... When the time was right, he intended to drink the potion and waft through the tiny cracks in the barrel in search of King Irovetti. They had agreed that they would get close but not too close and bow respectfully before making their offer.
Eris eyes the king carefully, tilting herself to one side, acknowledging his slight interest, before bowing her head slightly.
"Eliste is quite correct, it is, in fact, business of mine own that I would like to discuss" she remarks in a relaxed tone, drawing on her magical gifts creating a flash of light and then a white mist, filling the air and allowing her allies to drift into the building unseen.
Irovetti's eyes narrow slightly but he otherwise remains at ease while Eris begins her spellcasting. Eliste falls back a few steps, allowing the Mantis to take center stage.
"And that would be...?" the king asks, dubious.
"Since everyone is ready, let's go impress a king." Jon puts on his mask.
Jon would like to use the Potions of Gaseous Form to get into the kings chamber.
If we had to use them to get out of the barrels, then we'll just walk in, dodging around any guards.
Either way, just inside the area, we'll strike a pose before kneeling down. "Good king, we request an audience."
Alenaya shrugs, dons her own mask, and drinks down her extract before her gaseous form wafts into the pavilion alongside the boys.
Kage like Jon and Alenaya was dressed in full regalia, mask and all. He figures they'd
make an impressive sight, perhaps even an intimidating one. When Kage heard Eris speak he too downed the his potion and wafted thought the cracks, following Jon's ghostly form. Kage mirrored Jon's pose and actions before adding, "Because your Majesty, we have it on good authority that our services are needed..."
Most of the Mantises had appeared, albeit briefly, before the self-styled Emperor of Old Korvosa and likely remember him as a crazed man with delusions of grandeur. The tales of Castruccio Irovetti and his penchant for drama and art may have had them expecting someone in the same vein as Pilts Swastel. Standing before the king, however, the Mantises see everything that Pilts dreamed he could be.
Irovetti was powerfully built, wearing fine clothes and his eyes possessed a keen intellect. Though the works of art were of middling quality or of questionable subject matter, the man himself commanded attention.
The Mantises appear in suitably dramatic fashion, right on cue. He reacts, sitting up and grasping his strange decide with the blinking lights, but quickly processes the arrival of the mysterious assassins.
A contemplative frown touches his mouth, but an inquisitive eyebrow arches soon thereafter.
"The Red Mantis, appearing before the crown and requesting an audience. Intriguing," he speaks, mostly to himself. He makes a show of thinking, effecting the classic thinker's pose, then sits back and waves a hand.
"Indeed! I grant your request! Speak of this 'good authority' that brings you here and what it is you can do for the crown."
From behind the mask Kage studies Irovetti impassively, this was a man used to power and command. One who according to Jon's vision had the knowledge they needed not that he wanted to pass with it. Kage decided that some of the truth was perhaps the best way to handle this situation, no doubt the deific attention would be flattering. "Your Majesty, we where granted visions from Lord Achaekek himself. Visions that will ultimately send us far from here, but for now he feels we are needed here. No target was mentioned which I believe puts us at your disposal..." Kage almost added, for a price, but somehow that felt terribly gauche.
Jon nods his agreement with Kage's statement.
Alenaya maintains silence as the others handle the negotiations. She more than realized her own flippant nature was not going to be beneficial to the situation.
Kage finds the king inscrutable. He regards each Mantis in front of him, eyeing their strange masks one at a time.
"I believe I understand. You are here to... kill for me? Whomever I choose?" A sly smile grows on his face. "For example, if I were to tell you I wished dead the con artist who started that whole 'minimalist' movement, you would do it? Honestly, if I see one more 'air sculpture,' heads will roll. I've decreed the style passé, but I still see a piece now and then. How do I know it's state approved when it relies upon the observer's imagination to interpret?"
Irovetti shakes his head. "I digress. Lay it out for me. Why does your Lord Achaekek believe I have need of you?"