Heart of Artifice: Part I--Engineered Enigma

[Rystil Arden]

"Anvuss can affirm that there's a good reason why, but you will have to agree to this. If not, I can take those who agree to check and then since it is likely nothing, we can meet you back here, though if it is important, we do risk twice the travel, and I can't go there and back twice anyway tonight and still get home at a reasonable time. Can you trust me, on Anvuss's say-so?"

 

[Patlin]

"The probability of the location in question being key to our quest seem high. Probability of being attacked in the near future also seems reasonably significant, so it would be preferable to remain together. The blindfolds are to protect certain trade secrets, but if we were attacked we would remove them, of course."

 

[Velmont]

"Blindfolded now? What that mean? As I told earlier to Anvuss, if all you need is a sword arm, call the guards, they are better trained and will be happy to save four kids. Last time I got attacked, I had barely a chance to see my agressor come and I was downed quicly. If I'm blindfolded, I'll get killed even before I know what happen. If you want to play, go on and ask some else, but I am not a construct you can do wathever you want with. I'm a dwarf, and you want it or not, I have my pride!" tells Kharas, which seems that last request have insulted him.

 

[Patlin]

"I am a construct. Are you saying that different standards of behavior apply when dealing with constructs and your people? What would those differences be, exactly? Or perhaps more to the point, we should adress your concern about the blindfold and/or possible danger or combat that may await us. The blindfold is to protect the ladies honor and need for privacy in certain matters personal and of trade. It can be easilly removed should we suspect danger. While I suppose it is possible that danger could arise so quickly as to render the blindfold a hinderance, I do not recall anyone promising us that this mission would be easy. I had been under the impression that Dwarves were somewhat sturdy, for creatures of flesh. If, however, you do not feel prepared to face danger on behalf of the children we seek to rescue, I am certain they would not hold it against you. After all, what call of duty can any of them lay at your feet? I, however, wish to pursue this matter to a succesfull conclusion. While an unfortunate number of secrets are involved, I believe that this is our best lead currently. Do not Dwarves have an understanding of the need for secrecy and operational security? Is not House Kundarak, the foremost authority on security, Dwarvish? I do not fully understand your objections, but I do believe your skills would be usefull if you are willing to continue assisting in this quest."

Anvuss thinks for a moment, and then adds:

"Also, I would suggest to you that if you accompany us you may be in for an opportunity to observe one of the more fascinating examples of our art in existence. I myself would be loathe to stay behind for that reason alone."

 

[Erekose13]

"If it must be done, can we do our best to prepare ourselves should the worst come to pass and we are ambushed? As you've not mentioned it yet, I would most definitely prefer to be able to remove the blindfold myself in an emergency. In addition I would request that our time blindfolded be limited to as much as is absolutely necessary. I can enhance my hearing for a short period of time, say no more than 20 minutes at the outside." replies Aethelus, not linking where this is leading him.

 

[Rystil Arden]

"You may of course remove the blindfold as necessary," Elizabeth assures, "It will be longer than twenty minutes, but do not worry. We will be okay. I think I will hear anything dangerous before it becomes an issue if you could hear it, so you can save your infusion if you like."

 

[Velmont]

"You, a construct? You are a warforged, a living and sentient creature. You have similarities to a construct, but you can think by yourslef. You are a person like a human, a dwarf. You might have been build and not born, but in the end, you're the same. A construct is just unliving material that is animated by some outside power and can follow some order, that's my definition of construct.

Dwarves are sturdy, but they are also stubborn. And for the need of secrecy, I can keep a secret, and I don't ask more than what I need to know to do my job. Here, I feel like I do not know what I should need to know.

And if you think I can easily dispatch the opposition, in that case, either there you understimate the opposition or you overestimate me.

I can tell you, if the Lords of Blades is behind it (you tell me he is not, but you never give me any convincing argument), I want to have all my senses on my side, and his minion have a tendency to appear when you expect them the least. And his minion are to not be understimated. Oh, yeah, you told me the lack of ransom could be an argument that he is not behind... let me exposate my theory I have in mind.

The Lord of Blades want something that Elizabeth and Diggory have. To get it, he kidnap three kids and asks Lucy to fetch what he want for him. Lucy obeys. Some construct are suppose to get the item and free the kids, but instead, kidnap Lucy and take the item she had taken from our lovely couple, that way, she cannot speak about it and leave him free to act. And for the kids, if Elizabeth and Diggory find all about it, they can be a good garantee they would not interfer. But once his project finished, well, he never really cared about the livings.

And for 'one of the most fascinating examples of our art in existence', why do you tell me what it is now, instead to bring more mystery into all that and giving me more the feeling I am being manipulated and taken for a fool.

Elizabeth, I'm sorry to tell you like that, but if you think your little secrets value more than the live of four kids, it's your choice, but there too much thing to my taste that"

[SBLOCK=OOC]Sorry to slow down the progression of that story, but Kharas is not always an easy living dwarf.[/SBLOCK]

 

[Rystil Arden]

*Elizabeth shrugs.*

"I am sorry you feel that way. If so, then please stay here while we go check. I'll check it alone if you like. I would do anything if I was sure it would save Lucy, but I'm not willing to break my beloved's heart to bring one more person there when I'm not even sure this is the right place to look. As it is, I am violating his confidence because I am letting you take off your blindfolds once you get there...I don't think you realise just how hard it is to be a successful independent researcher of constructs in a world with a powerful and morally-ambiguous entity that wants to keep a monopoly on that--No offense to individual members of your house who are kind souls," she adds to Aethelus, "We have, for instance, been assaulted twice by House Cannith hired goons--they weren't trying to kill us either time, but they wanted to rough us up a bit while stealing or destroying as much research as possible. I don't want to be responsible for a third. How about this? A total nondisclosure agreement, including Aethelus agreeing to nondisclosure from House Cannith, which is the main issue here. I'll get it signed from you and dropped off somewhere safe. Does that sound better?"

 

[Patlin]

"It saddens me that I am unable to satisfy you in this, Kharas, but I can see my attempts at persuasion are only agravating you further. Hopefully, we will see you upon our return."

 

[Rystil Arden]

"It saddens me that I am unable to satisfy you in this, Kharas, but I can see my attempts at persuasion are only agravating you further. Hopefully, we will see you upon our return."

(OOC: Patlin, I edited above to have Elizabeth make one last try--this last bit may be more agreeable to Kharas and Aethelus, or it may not. Elizabeth likes this one better than the blindfolding, really, as blindfolding or not, Aethelus could just say "I saw X. I don't know how to get there because I was blindfolded, but they do. Go send in hired goons again to beat it out of them" )