Blood from Stone Chapter #1: A Simple Message

[DEFCON 1]

"You will learn, Dardungren, that the Sentinel Marshals, unlike the Defenders, require their mercenaries be equiped with a brain as well as a blade. Or a still tongue at the very least."

With the young man's spittle flying out of his mouth during the dressing down and splattering across Massif's face, he immediately drops his eyes as to avoid the gaze. When Kuven has finished, the dwarf nods once and remains silent, obviously a bit taken back and chastised. As the Sentinel Marshal walks back around the desk, Massif thinks... 'Bloody Marshal. Holier than thou, ain't he? I knew this was going to be a horrible assignment.'

As the map is dropped and Moravec immediately grabs it and looks it over, Massif takes a step over to look at it as well. As a few questions form in his mind and he tries to determine the best way to ask without sending the young buck into another tizzy, Eldrago goes on a shpeil so fast that the dwarf is hard-pressed to actually understand what in the heck he actually said. Rather than look even more foolish than he already has after the dressing down, he just nods once in Eldrago's direction.

"Yeah. What he said."

 

[SecondTime]

Moravec scooped up the map, examining it in order to determine if he did have any questions. The job seemed straightforward enough, based on the brief description they had just been given, but he wouldn't mind knowing more. Where are these bandits supposed to be hiding? What about their prisoner is so important to Deneith? How many are there? How far away is their lair, and are we on our own for supplies?
These questions swirled through his head as he looked over the map, picking out as many details as he could.

Moravec and Massif: The map is abstract, but relatively specific, with a number of mines and mountain villiages dotted over what is clearly a map of the easter Blackcaps. One is marked with a blot of red die, obviously the hill in question. The map gives a straighforward route from Cragwar to the mine.

 

[TeleriMage]

Moravec nodded as he looked over the map. Between it and Eldrago's stream of questions, nearly all the points he had wanted to bring up were addressed. Offering the map for Massif's perusal, in case he still wanted to look the thing over, he decided to wait until some or all of the questions were answered before making any move to fill in whatever gaps might still remain in their information.

 

[SecondTime]

"Questions? But not all are relevant to the discussion at hand! I see we are forced to concentrate on the mundane first and foremost. Does the kidnapped personage perchance have a name? Perhaps a description? Could we obtain a copy of this person's travel documentation, in order to facilitate a correct identification? How many bandits are we talking about? What weapons were they carrying? Would it be possible to interview the survivors? Will we be given proper documentation to legitimise our operation, or are we to operate under more..."

and here Eldrago pauses to risk another predatory glance at the beautiful shifter,

"... shall we say "restrained" circumstances?"

Kuven allows only a hint of impatience to show as he responds to Eldrago's rapid fire set of questions, "You have no need to have his name. Let that be an incentive for you to find him. As to his appearance, he looks like a man of the North, of Aundair. He will speak with with such an accent. He should be able to confirm his own identity once you find him. There were atleast a dozen bandits that initiated the raid, probably more, given the size of the caravan guard. The survivors are over 100 milestones to the west and time is of importance, so, no. And here is your documentation, " he throws another scroll and Eldrago's feet, obviously fed up.

"Any other questions?" He follows the rogue's eyes to Leona.

Eldrago: The hints given by the Deneith combined with your own knowledge of Breland leads you to strongly suspect the hostage is Daen d'Vadalis, son of the patriarch of House Vadalis, and leader of the House's enclaves in Breland. It was rumored that he was attacked outside of the village of Shavalant as his entourage was headed east towards the trade road. No one in northwest Breland has been said to have seen him in recent days, and all Vadalis have been notably silent on the rumors.

 

[DEFCON 1]

Massif looks back and forth from the map to Kuven as the House member answers Elgrago's questions. It becomes obvious to the dwarf that d'Deneith is not at all inclined to make things easy for them, or else needs to keep things close to the vest because there's more of a vested interest in this problem with other more important parties. In any event, realizing that they'll have to make due with the minimum amount of intelligence into the situation, Massif rolls the map back up and prepares to leave.

"As you 'aven't mentioned it, I'm guessing we're either walking or finding our own horses, right?"

Not really expecting a polite, let alone an affirmative answer, he waits for half a second before motioning to the others to get going. They've got a long walk ahead of them.

 

[TwistedMindInc]

Leona listened to the questions roll of the Rogue's lips, remaining silent until everyone else had addressed Kuven. Arms unpretzel'd from one another and she ran nails through those locks. ``Bandits leave a bad taste in my mouth, and I've no problem ridding the world of their worthless souls. As I'd prefer legal rights to cleaning up this filth, my faith alone provides me with ample approval.`` Her head bobs in Kuven's direction; feeling Eldrago's gaze upon her.. Leona doesn't make eye contact. Work before pleasure, as it always should be. ``Kuven, M'lord, would it not prove advantageous to provide us with means of transportation. You do wish a hasty retrieval of your kidnapped friend, aye?``

(Going to try to use diplomacy here. Would you like to roll it, or me?)

 

[green slime]

Eldrago listens intently first to Leona, nodding his head in agreement with her words, and then to Kuven's response. (attempting Sense Motive check).

 

[SecondTime]

Leona listened to the questions roll of the Rogue's lips, remaining silent until everyone else had addressed Kuven. Arms unpretzel'd from one another and she ran nails through those locks. ``Bandits leave a bad taste in my mouth, and I've no problem ridding the world of their worthless souls. As I'd prefer legal rights to cleaning up this filth, my faith alone provides me with ample approval.`` Her head bobs in Kuven's direction; feeling Eldrago's gaze upon her.. Leona doesn't make eye contact. Work before pleasure, as it always should be. ``Kuven, M'lord, would it not prove advantageous to provide us with means of transportation. You do wish a hasty retrieval of your kidnapped friend, aye?``

(Going to try to use diplomacy here. Would you like to roll it, or me?)

Kuven, his eyes fixed steadily on Leona as she makes her plea, nods in agreement, "Yes, yes of course. I'm not a fool, young lady. Four riding horses are fixed to a post outside the compound. Please bring them back intact, because as of now, they are worth more to my family than the lot of you...." (i.e. you rolled a 10, but that wasn't horrible, and he was going to give your the horse anyway. )

Eldrago: You sense some tension in the 'Deneith (as well as Leona, but that is another story!). While his manner is dismissive and apathetic, that is simply hiding his conscern over whether the four people his House has sent him are up to the task, a task he clearly cares about. He doesn't seem to means any ill will, and is quite sincere. If he is hiding something, you sense it is for a good reason.

OOC: Unless there is anything else, I'll probably set you guys off on your epic quest either tonight or tommorow (i.e. scene change). So if there is anything else, let it be known now.

 

[TwistedMindInc]

"Much appreciated, I thank thee." Smiling, content with his response. Leona remains posted with her arms at her side, fingering the hilt of her weapon as she awaits any further orders. Eyes purposefully not lifting from Kuven so as to avoid eye contact with any one else, for now.

 

[green slime]

"Thank you, indeed. Let us make haste, and rescue this poor soul. "

Bounding ahead for the door, he holds it open for the others.

" After you, my friends."