A Keep On The Borderlands: Arrival

[Shayuri]

(OOC - Sorry about the color change...it's reallly hard for me to tell from the big grid which color I picked last time sometimes )

If Arcata is taken aback by the spectacle, she hides it well. From her suddenly lofty demeanor, it almost seems as if she's welcoming the dwarf to her own hall, rather than a prisoner greeting another prisoner.

"Rexun," she says with a courteous half-bow, "I'm Arcata Dulat. Clearly we have much to talk about, but first I think we should find you arms. Are you well enough to fight?"

She glances over at the Brother getting into his armor. "Sh'aah, keep an eye out the window. We need to know when they're coming. Bastian, what do you think about getting the current tower guards to come at us before those reinforcements arrive? Small chance, but if we can take the tower we'll at least have a defensible position."

 

[jkason]

Bastian raised an eyebrow a moment.

"Are you saying you want me to ignore the care of diplomacy and pick a fight?" Bastian said. Before Arcata could answer, the young Lion's face broke out in a wide grin as he drew his greatsword from its sheath on his back.

"Milady, you have no idea how long I have waited for the chance."

[sblock=ooc]Wasn't sure if Arcata wanted to send Bastian to do the baiting, or if she meant the full party to go. Either way, he's up for it.

Question: is Bulwark (Bastian's mount) somewhere that he can come if called? I'm not sure if he's tied or shut in, or if the stabling is looser. Provided he's not blocked in some way, he does know the Come trick. I don't anticipate calling him right away, but once things get sticky and we're not trying to be quiet anymore, Bastian may do so. [/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

She gives him a fond smile.

"If he will just let us walk out, with our new guest in hand, then diplomacy may yet win the day. But I'm not going to count on that. He's been lying to us from the start. We're leaving...whether they let us or not."

 

[Dr Simon]

Rexun bows.

"My Lady," he says, "I would, the chance to fight this Haxmar, welcome much," he says. "Thanks to your priest I am much able to fight. But if you are wanting the talking to try, please, I can help with that also, I am herald to King Eisenbart."

 

[Dr Simon]

Fyfe has time to help Bastian and Comoray into their armour before the blue dwarves return. But soon Haxmar can be seen striding across the courtyard, with two of his dwarves flanking him. He stops at the foot of the tower.

"My Lady Dulat," he says politely. "I must ask you to return my prisoner. For your own safety as much as anything, he is a dangerous criminal." Rexun looks around.

"This is not true," he says with a worried frown.

[sblock=OOC]
Bulwark is not close - the animals are stabled in the further of the two large buildings - but he is not penned in particularly securely. The party is in the tower marked F6 on the map, the horses are in building F3 (well, you can see the horse markers there anyway). Ignore the other markers, that's on old map I've recycled from earlier.


[/sblock]

 

[Shayuri]

"He claims he's the herald of the king," Arcata calls down. "But we're not going to discuss this shouting up and down from the tower. Shall we meet at the door?"

 

[jkason]

Bastian grimaces as the dwarves seem to collect themselves more quickly than the party. He shrugs as Arcata suggests the door to their host.

"At least then we can bottleneck them if we have to," he whispers.

 

[Shayuri]

She nods.

"Holding the door is our only chance if this goes badly," she says quietly.

 

[Axel]

Sh'aah waited upstairs, double-axe in hand, keeping an eye on things out the window. Listening to the conversations, he thought it best to stay out the way for the time being anyway.

[sblock=ooc]
New baby came home on Thursday, so RP time is severely curtailed for the next few weeks. Don't let my absence slow things down, especially once we get to the (inevitable!) combat.
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[Dr Simon]

Shortly, the Dulat delegation meets Haxmar Schattenstein, flanked by two of his blue-skinned dwarves, at the door to the tower. Haxmar gives a significant look at Bastian and Comoray, dressed for combat.

"Lady Dulat," he says, "the dwarf you have with you is a spy and a traitor. Kindly return him to my custody at once, it would be a shame to fall out over such a trivial matter." He strokes the blue stone that he wears around his neck.

"He is traitor," retorts Rexun from behind Arcata. "He is this castle for his own taking, rather than for King Eisenbart."

[sblock=OOC]
You think that Rexun is sincere in what he says but although Haxmar is a slimy snake, you can't be sure that he isn't telling the truth.
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