Erekose's Savage Tide - Act 1: There is No Honour

[Velmont]

Jerrell salute the lady as she present herself. As she asks to take a seat, Jerrell follow her order and he sits down and look at Alix and Nathan who are arguing. He seems confused for a moment and don't understand.

Is it always like that in noble places? I though there had manner, but it seems listening to a lady is not part of them...

He continues to listen to the discussion of the two. But after a moment, he felt like being in front fo two drunk sailor in the drunken dolphin, arguing loudly and not listening to the barkeeper. Generally, it's take a moment to turn into a fist fight... "Stop arguing you too, and let the lady speak, she is the host and she didn't asked us to speak, she asked us to sit. Even a drunk sailor at the Drunken Dolphin would know to shut there mouth in front of a lady." He tells looking at the two with his mean look he use to intimidate the drunks. But it takes a quick moment to see he is not at the drunken doplphin and suddenly become shy, hoping he hasn't break an etiquette rules. "Sorry, mylady. I didn't mean..." not knowing what to speak, he felt silent and await for the lady to speak.

 

[Rystil Arden]

'That BASTARD!'

*Alix raises an eyebrow and directs a friendly but reproachful smile Jerrell's way.*

"Excuse me sir. I believe you are the one who is arguing and failing to keep to proper civility at the dinner table, so why not just wait for the Lady to speak instead of making such presumption, yes?"

'Not ideal, but......that BASTARD!

(OOC: Opposed Diplomacy check to make Jerrell look as bad as possible while making Alix and Nathan look good. I have +13)

 

[Velmont]

"Please, just let her speak instead of always taking the initiative of the discussion. She is the one with an offer." tells Jerrell with some assurance.

[SBLOCK=OOC]You call for that Diplomacy roll: Natural 20, for 21! Oh, Alix won't like Jerrell [/SBLOCK]

 

[Erekose13]

Lady Vanderboren waits patiently as Alix and Nathan begin arguing. She remains quite and does not take the offered flower. Once the others have all sat at the table she looks towards Alix, though she addresses everyone,

"Excuse me please. I am afraid that things are not entirely within your little picture Mr. Meravanchi. I have invited you all here to dine with me at my manor because I have heard good things about you all. Each one of you has done something which I had felt was heroic in their own way.

I am finding myself in doubt. I am not here to play games, I am not here to enhance my place amongst the Dawn Council, I am here to offer you a position working for me. Should that not suit you, Mr. Meravanchi, I am afraid our time here is through. I can summon Kora if you wish to leave now."

She blanches as yet again he presumes to put words in her mouth.

"Jerrel is not the one speaking out of turn, or patronisingly presuming that I need a saviour. I'll thank you to remember that within my home and that I was preparing to offer you employment."

(ooc: RA, opposed diplomacy checks like you are suggesting are PVP and I will not be rolling that.)

 

[Rystil Arden]

(OOC: Well, posts 81 and 83 are PvP too, though--if you don't roll, then it just puts the characters with no Diplomacy at an even ground with those who invested

And see, just what Alix hoped would not happen happens due to Jerrell)

 

[Velmont]

[SBLOCK=OOC]I think what Erekose meant, it is you have to roll your diplomacy roll against mine. He will not roll for you on that one.[/SBLOCK]

 

[Erekose13]

(ooc: lets stop for a moment and move this all into the OOC thread)

 

[Erekose13]

'Ah, brilliant--the flowers will match that dress!'

"Ah! Greetings my lady Lavinia. It is good to finally see you, my dear. Nathan, Julian, Jerrell, Tereg, and I did have a bit of time to talk outside while you were setting our places."

*Alix takes the seat right next to Lavinia, the better to engage in intimate conversation...as well as establish his social rank as on level with his host's.*

"We have much to discuss, but first, if I may be so bold..."

*Alix withdraws the exotic blue flower and presents it to Lavinia.*

"A flower for this lovely flower of Sasserine, and it matches that beautiful dress of yours perfectly, not to mention your eyes."

'Will that throw her off guard? No matter. If not, then this will!'

"So then, I'm ready to take care of your trouble with the Harbormaster over the Blue Nixie. Are the others to accompany me, and are they up to speed yet?" Alix gives Lavinia a winning smile.

Julian bows and kisses Lavinia's hand if appropriate. He sits wherever seems most convenient. "Nice place." he says casually.

Lavinia takes the flower and smiles. She waves to Kora to take it and put it in some water. "Thank you all for coming. Indeed Mr. Meravanchi, you are correct in a fashion. I have invited you all here to dine with me at my manor because I have heard good things about you all. Each one of you has done something which I had felt was heroic in their own way. And what I will request does indeed have something to do with my ship, the Blue Nixie, though the trouble is not quite with the Harbormaster himself."

As the others take their seat around the large table, Lavinia continues her story. Kora has already retreived a small vase and places Alix's flower in the center and begins pouring drinks.

"As you may have heard, I recently inherited my parent's estate. Along with this fine house, unfortunately, came a fine amount of debt owed to the Dawn Council, the harbormaster, and quite a few guildhalls. It seems my parents, for all their success as adventurers, were not as skilled at finance as one might expect. If I'm to get these taxes paid I'll need to access my family's vault under Castle Teraknian.

"And that's the problem, you see. The vaults are magically locked - keyed to special signet rings. Both of my parents had these rings, at least, until recently. My mother lost hers a few months ago. She arranged for a replacement, but it won't be done for another month or so, too late for me. Which leaves my father's ring. He never wore it - he had a thing about men wearing jewelry. He kept it hidden somewhere on his ship, the Blue Nixie. the problem there is that the harbormaster's seized the ship until someone pays for the last four months of mooring. I've paid the fines to the man the harbormaster's put in charge of my ship, a brute named Soller Vark. Yet when I went to claim my ship, Vark's men wouldn't let me board, claiming that I hadn't yet paid the fines. I spoke to Vark again and he denied ever receiving my payment. My complaints to the harbormaster have fallen on deaf ears - he's a doddering old fool who trusts his man and won't relent.

"Vark and his men are up to something on my ship, I know it. What I need is to find out exactly what they're up to. Unfortunately, Vark's not the type to react well to dpilomacy or logic. I need someone who speaks his language... which is where you come in, I hope. If you can find out what he's using my ship for, or even better, recover the money I paid him, I'll pay each of you 200 gold in return once I've access to my vault." she finishes.

Once finished you see that Kora has brought you all drinks and there is an assortment of fruit that has been placed on the table as an appetizer.

 

[Rystil Arden]

'Hmm...so Vark is using the old man as his puppet, a pawn in some larger game...no doubt a dangerous game that involves the holdings on the Isle of Dread...and perhaps the burning of the other ship...Lavinia wouldn't have done that herself if it would put her in debt.'

"Hmm...I see. A most interesting case, my lady, though the payment...if the others would like their 200 they are welcome to it, but I understand that you are strapped for cash at the moment and 200 is a trifling sum. I will not deign to impose upon you now when you have so many other debts to fulfill. I shall offer my services to you for free, fair lady, as a personal favour...and it is my dearest hope that later, when I need a favour, I will have the blessings of a newly healthy and vigorous House Vanderboren, and of my lady as well."

*Alix smiles gently. The message is clear--she's offering them a worthless pittance because she can't afford to pay more right now, and she knows it, but Alix is willing to take an investment in her future. His other option was to cajole for more cash, but that could leave him looking greedy if the others start to shout that 200 is enough for them in a foolish business fashion, and either way, this comes out leaving him with better footing. He will be a partner, not a hired goon.*

 

[Verbatim]

~So the old man has sunken so far as to stubbornly trust those he appoints, even when he must know they may play him false. If he admits his mistake, he will lose even more strength than if he argues that he was tricked as wickedly as she was.~

Listening and nodding his head in agreement with the Meravanchian's words, Nathan knew that entering into a long range deal with the foundling House could open many doors for the church if the rumors of Farshore were true.

~If I can show her the aide the Church can bring her, then it will be a profitable deal for all parties.~

Taking a glass of wine that was offered by Kora, Nathan spoke from the far side of the table.

"To share Master Meravanchi's sentiments, I am not without my own means at the moment, and in the spirit of goodwill and the prospect of a future kindness from your House, I offer the aide of the Merchant's Friend. While our numbers may not rival the Cudgels, we seek to assist those we can. If I may ask, have you brought your case before the Cudgels? If this Vark must be spoken to in a less civilized manner as you have hinted at, it would help if you, and those acting in your interests, were seen as the innocent ones should there be questions."

Nathan glanced over to the large sailor and understood all too clearly why she had sent for him, but the others eluded. Alix would bring the backing and standings of another noble house, he would provide the presence of a neutral party church to witness the transaction, and Master Rivers would be there to strong arm persuade Vark if needed. What then did the others bring to the table?

~She has already proven to be resourceful with her limited resources, but how far ahead has she thought?~