(Casual D&D III) The Man in Black

[Festy_Dog]

Nurthk remains stone-faced and wary. Gazing down upon proceedings and paying particular attention to Fendric.

Don't know enough about this... I'll just back up Fendric on whatever choice he makes.

 

[Guilt Puppy]

Kester ignores the rest, and turns his attention solely toward Oliver for the moment.

"Fair points... But for my part, how do I know you aren't Thedoric? How do I know this Thedoric exists, for that matter? Anything you tell me could be a lie... You know how little I've seen of you, so I'd be easy to convince, and then you could get all of my answers at no cost to yourself." He shrugs. "I imagine you tell the truth, though, for the same reason I do: Because your success is mine as well. If you don't believe that to be the case... Then I invite you to play me for a fool. I can't imagine it pains you much to listen to what I have to say -- so give me that much, at least."

Shavah is unimpressed.

"It pains me," she says, turning toward Raven. "So, care to find an armory? The smith we met last night seemed fair..."

She glances toward Oliver as well, but doesn't move to leave until she's sure someone else will come along. Kester, for his part, looks away while you figure it out, absent-mindedly petting his own neck...

 

[dpdx]

"Yes, The message. We aren't actually privy to it, as they are but sealed envelopes as far as our undertanding goes," he sighs, "The contents are unknown to us." He stands, leaning against the wall with Astrule perched on the back of one of the chairs.

He raises one leg, bending at the knee to bring his foot within hand's-reach. He pulls a thin silver dagger, and says, "I have prepared a spell that would allow me to mend the seal after breaking it."

"Please, not here. Oliver is right, and furthermore, this man doesn't need to trouble himself with the contents of the letter, that is for the people to which it is addressed."

Fendric turns to Kester. "Our message, based on nothing but what we've heard from Sir Exantrius, and not having read the letters, is this: Do not let this man, Thedoric, seek to divide the citizens of your fair city against each other. Trust each other. Stand together. For otherwise will see the ruin of this city, and possibly your doom.

You seem to know a lot. Do you know of Hedrogura? It is presently under siege from Thedoric, his host, and whatever he could cobble together of the hateful and petty of Hedrogura, Oliver here can attest to that. We could have been back there ourselves, making a last stand at my home Temple, but instead, in giving his life to send us on this mission, Exantrius may have saved ours. And so, while we have not looked at any of the letters we are honor-bound to deliver, I pledge my life and my faith to the message I just gave you, May the Light See It True.

So begging your pardon, good sir, but my fellows and I fail to understand how a redheaded dullard, even with a ring of scrying and slavery, would live to see his next Dawn were he visibly arrayed against us. And I am not used to deciphering nuances and riddles about how such a ring might affect our mission. We are unbowed, and undefeated, as we must be. For to accept defeat, we would be no more.

So speak to us plainly, if it is in your nature, and you will see us continue to be worthy of that same request. We judge noone. We do not, at the moment, have time to consider petty schemes, lest they affect our decidedly UNpetty, 'scheme.'

And speak quickly, for we are restless and now overdue at our next appointment."

 

[Guilt Puppy]

"Trust each other. Stand together. For otherwise will see the ruin of this city, and possibly your doom."

"That is a good message, and one they would have done well to follow in Bethel, when we first met." He looks to Niccolo at that, seeming to think it a plain statement. "It's open war there, now, you know. Between the Knights of Heironeous and the secular guard... Before long, I imagine the same folks who took Hedrogura will be involved. They're an interesting topic -- a wide variety of militias united under no clear banner, with no clear leader. They're being paid well, that much is known, but who's paying? Yet to be determined. That has me suspicious, I assure you."

He smiles.

"And before you think me too all-knowing, I only know this because I've been visiting military folk on a regular basis lately, ever since the first signs of rebellion in Dalmar. I recommend you make a habit of the same -- it's quite a bit more informative than the common gossip."

"So begging your pardon, good sir, but my fellows and I fail to understand how a redheaded dullard, even with a ring of scrying and slavery, would live to see his next Dawn were he visibly arrayed against us. And I am not used to deciphering nuances and riddles about how such a ring might affect our mission."

"To put it simply: If, through the ring, Dartath can read minds, then merely bringing it into your presence will reveal a great deal -- your intentions, your plans, and most importantly, the fact that you have met me. Which is bad for me, because at the moment, he's still leaving a number of things -- clues, if you will -- out in the open, under the assumption that I'm not looking.

But worse for you: If he knows you've met me, he's apt to decide that you are no longer useful or helpful to him, and possibly dangerous. In which case he will do whatever he deems necessary to neutralize you... Which might simply mean finding someone else to deliver the letters, or the message they contain, or whatever it is he wants for you to be doing. Or it might mean arranging your death -- I should note that the ring was sent out of Bethel on the hand of an assassin. I have a feeling that this had more to do with her non-lethal skills, that she might sneak up on you... But I expect that there was a contingency in mind, as well."

 

[DrZombie]

Shavah is unimpressed.

"It pains me," she says, turning toward Raven. "So, care to find an armory? The smith we met last night seemed fair..."

"We will go into town in a moment. I'm staying here for a little while more. this tapistry of truths half-truths and lies is very interresting, especially for an easily-confused country bumpkin like me." He turns a smile to the stranger. "Now tell me again, why is it that as soon as we mention waiting for the redhead that all of the sudden an assassin is mentioned? I mean, the knight was carrying the ring, then our elven friend burried the ring, and then the redhead takes it of a half-dead half- orc. Now, was the half-orc a female assassin, or is my simple brain messing up information?" Mockingly faking surprise : "Or no,... YOU could be withholding information. Gods, what a surprise."
"Mister, you're not bloody making a bloody good impression. My good friend Fendric there is showing remarkable restraint, but my much shorter supply is getting at and end. I'm not bloody impressed by the key in the mug thinghy, any cheap rogue could have done that. You've done nothing but telling us vague, double-sided views, things that could, by a good-willing man, be interpreted as help, but in fact it's all a puff of smoke."
He visibly tries to keep a rein on his temper, lowering his voice again, calming down a little.
"By your own mouth you're playing a game with your " mock imitation of teh strangers voice " old friend, or enemy, or rival."
"Well, because of these games there's a civil war going on, people are dying. Why would we believe you to be on our side? You've been spying on us, so you have told us yourself. Well, unless you start speaking plain truths, and start giving plain answers, you can go bugger your uncle with a big hammer, for all I care."


OOC : sorry, blew my will save

 

[dpdx]

"But worse for you: If he knows you've met me, he's apt to decide that you are no longer useful or helpful to him, and possibly dangerous. In which case he will do whatever he deems necessary to neutralize you... Which might simply mean finding someone else to deliver the letters, or the message they contain, or whatever it is he wants for you to be doing. Or it might mean arranging your death -- I should note that the ring was sent out of Bethel on the hand of an assassin. I have a feeling that this had more to do with her non-lethal skills, that she might sneak up on you... But I expect that there was a contingency in mind, as well."

Fendric looks back at Kester as if he begins to understand. "
Thank you for your forthrightness, but I now have three new questions:

First, how do you know that we are at all part of this game you play with Dartath? As far as is evident, we have only come to the aid of Exantrius, a Knight of the Radiant Order, on a mission of peace and solidarity. If you believe that Exantrius was Dartath, under false identity, I could understand, but the only evidence I have seen to support that claim is the attack of one shaman in the goblin village, which if you were scrying Exantrius at the time with that ring you would have seen yourself. As it was, the entire remainder of the village stood idly by in shock and horror, which if Exantrius were just some player of games disguised as a Radiant Knight, they would not have done. Before that he entered my Temple, which were he tainted, he could not have done.

Secondly, I visited the Holy Judgement of My God on these very letters, and He did not reveal them to be tainted, which they must have been if they were crafted with malevolent purpose. In any case, if you have your suspicions that these letters we deliver are entirely counter to our stated mission, would you care to accompany us to our next delivery, forthwith?

We can converse on the way there, and if you could risk being seen with us, you could sate your own curiosity and speed us on our way out of Eivanrach, both. But I do not believe us to be led by the hand of a 'trickster'. As Raven said, the pestilence that plagues this land is not a mere parlor game, lest you believe yourselves to be Gods. Nor do I believe Exantrius was compelled by evil to deliver the letters that he entrusted to me, whether he wore the ring or not. In any case, I believe our next recipient shall give us the truth about that, and again I extend my invitation for your presence at the dawning of our understanding.

And finally, what is this madness of which you speak, regarding the ring leaving Bethel on the hand of an assassin? You see before you the man who sent the now recovered ring out of Bethel." Fendric sweeps his hand to indicate Aerda.

"He is no more an assassin than I am for having slain enemies in the course of defending myself. I have meditated under the same stars as he. Our only argument did not come to blows; I've had worse relationships among certain of the acolytes of my Temple. "

Fendric slumps back in his chair. "Aerda, do you have anything to add?

 

[wings]

Huh.

With a shrug he slips the dagger back to it's place, continuing to watch the affairs of men and their conversation. Fendric speaks well and on points he can agree with, so he let's the cleric speak without interruption.

When he is called on, Aerda shakes his head, "The ring was buried, but I am sure it's possible that it's made itself discovered once more. I thought I had done well enough, but I suppose that is not the case."

 

[Festy_Dog]

"It pains me," she says, turning toward Raven. "So, care to find an armory? The smith we met last night seemed fair..."

"We will go into town in a moment. I'm staying here for a little while more. this tapistry of truths half-truths and lies is very interresting, especially for an easily-confused country bumpkin like me."

Hmm, Raven's quite capable should anything arise. If he's going to keep an eye on proceedings that frees me up...

Nurthk shuffles over to speak quietly with Shavah.

"My presence is somewhat redundant, so if you're anxious to go now I could tag along," he suggests.

 

[Guilt Puppy]

Raven: The man twists uncomfortably, but patiently, as you let loose at him. "That sort of attitude won't help us much here, but I think it will do wonders for your survivability out there, so I can't fault you for it. In response to your question, I've been perfectly consistent, and the only information I've 'withheld' is the stuff that hasn't been relevant. If you feel I'm being unclear, then ask for clarity; I have nothing to gain by confusing you." He scratches roughly at a blemish of his cheek, looking back over to Fendric.

Fendric: In response to your questions,

First, how do you know that we are at all part of this game you play with Dartath?

"I can only assume that if you wore the ring -- if he let you wear the ring -- then he must have had some plan for you. The fact that he's sent it out toward you in this city, now agrees with that assumption."

would you care to accompany us to our next delivery, forthwith?

He seems uncomfortable with the idea at first, but doesn't answer; instead, he sucks at the air in his mouth, plays with it, plays with it... "Yes, I could do that. It would be fun."

regarding the ring leaving Bethel on the hand of an assassin

"I was simply too broad with that term -- by leaving Bethel, I meant that area, after it had been buried. Your friend is a good sort. I like him."

Aerda: "You've done quite well... That we're having this conversation is proof of that. The ring is not something I'd worry about, especially once you get out on a less predictable course... You know it's coming, so just step out of the way. You'll be fine."

Nurthk: Shavah wordlessly exits with Nurthk (and anyone else who wants to visit a blacksmith), closing the door behind her.

"To Gilter's? Or do you have another idea?"

 

[Festy_Dog]

"To Gilter's? Or do you have another idea?"

"Gilter's sounds good," he agrees with a nod, and gathers his things.