Decisive Strike

[Faith Augustin]

26th Saun 718:

Head of the Order of the Adunih in Rharne. Faith still didn't quite believe it, but here she was. She had a meeting with Vig'tyrn, the head of the Lightning Knights this morning and this afternoon she was meeting Thaalia. the head of the Thunder Priestesses. The young Champion of Famula was nervous, anxious to get this right because she had an audience with Ilaren on the morrow and she wanted and needed to get the groups working together. This situation was approaching critical mass, she knew it was and if something wasn't done then things would come to a very unpleasant head.

They were being played, she was sure of it. And if she did not get both him and Thalia on board, then the Immortal Ilaren herself, Faith genuinely thought that Rharne would suffer. So, she came to this meeting having done as much background research as she could on this man. What she had found out had been interesting and would give her an 'in', but it was not one that she wanted to take. Faith sighed and was very aware of the feeling of the wood of the chair against her back, of her feet flat against the floor and her hands folded, unmoving in her lap. It hadn't been long that she was waiting there but it was long enough that she could feel her anxiety start to build. Not that anyone would know by her external demeanor, but then Faith was a very disciplined and controlled individual.

The man who opened the door in front of her just a few bits later was tall. Imposing looking, too and Faith look up at him with a smile. She lifted her head and had to admit that, when Tiori, who she worked with, had said he was tall ~ she was not exaggerating. It was exacerbated, of course, by the fact that Faith was a tiny person. Just short of five foot four, she looked up and then some. But her smile was most genuine and for all that he was a large and imposing man, Faith didn't balk or flinch. "Thank you so much for seeing me, Commander," she said and was pleased when his own expression turned to a smile.


"Faith Augustin. Come in."

And in she went. It was a relatively spartan office, although it had to it a hint of chaos hidden away. Faith wondered just how much chaos and, looking at the man, she suspected not much. He was carefully controlled and that meant that, in all probability, he wasnt given to letting things get out of hand. "Please, Mrs Augustin, take a seat." Faith nodded her thanks and she did as he bade her. Shaking her head no in response to his offer of a drink, Faith met Vig'tyrn's gave and he raised a single eyebrow. "Straight to business, then?" It wasn't a complaint, far from it. Vig'tym was a straight talking man.

"So, Mrs Augustin, what is it you want?" He asked and Faith breathed in.

"I want to try and find out what's actually happening with these attacks," she said. "I want to find out who is behind them bring justice to them. Because I believe, most strongly," Her silver and ruby eyes were unwavering as she looked at him. "That Rharne is in real danger. A decisive and intelligent strike is being made and I think our best hope is to work together to investigate." Her fingers tightened together as she spoke but there was no other indication of any emotion on her part. "Because I believe that there is more going on than meets the eye here, and I think we need to consider that."

He looked at her and asked, apparently calmly although Faith didn't believe it for a minute. "And what, precisely, do you mean?"

He didn't seem amused.

OOC

[Faith Augustin]

26th Saun 718:

What, precisely, did she mean? Well Faith breathed in and started to speak. "I heard about what happened in Azurewind Market. I've read all of the reports about the situation here, and I believe there's more going on. I think you and your people are being manipulated." He sat back and looked at her, motioning that she should go on. Faith didn't believe for a moment that he was in any way buying into what she was telling him. Looking at him, he didn't look convinced at all. Not one little bit. She breathed in and put to use every ounce of persuasion that she had. Faith had learned a lot about negotiation and the art of persuasion during her time on Scalvoris. In the Council, leading the relief effort. All of the things that she had managed to achieve, the persuading of the other Councillors to abolish slavery - all of these things had led her here, she knew that.

"I want to see Rharne be safe," Faith said, and Viq'tym looked at her dubiously. His voice was firm, not harsh when he spoke, but definitely disbelieving.

"I understand that you believe that Mrs Augustin, but you don't know Rharne."

Faith looked up at him. "Don't I?" He seemed surprised by that response, but he continued. "You've been here how long? I know of your deeds on Scalvoris, you're famous for helping people. Faith Augustin the philanthropist. I believe you believe you can help, but how long have you lived here?"

Faith sat back and looked at him, then answered, very calmly. "Not very long at all. But it isn't my first time here. When you looked me up, you researched Faith Augustin, I take it?" He nodded. He hadn't been aware that she'd been here before. So, when she spoke he listened. That had been what Faith wanted to happen, of course. "Rharne is the first place I think that I was ever truly free. We came from Andaris, but everyone there knew me, knew what I had been before my owner freed me." Her eyes met his and her lips lifted, just briefly. "I was born in Andaris. Bought at breaks old and taken to Athart where I was trained for seventeen arcs. Moseke healed the brands." He looked at her and it had to be said, he was genuinely shocked.

"I was trained in Athart, too," he said and Faith nodded. "I know," she replied. There was no point to lying about it, after all.

He sat back and looked at her. If half of what he had heard about her was true, that fact, that revelation surprised him enormously. Yet, there was a look in her eyes which he did not doubt. She would have been there long after he had escaped, of course, but from what she had just said, she did not escape. Eventually, she was freed. It wasn't enough to persuade him, it wasn't enough for him to believe that she was anything other than deluded, but it was enough to make him pause, make him listen and that was what Faith had banked on. She had to.

"Let me explain to you what I think," she said with a soft but firm tone of voice. "and more importantly, why I think it. Then, please, whether you believe me or not, lets talk about what we can both do here?" Sighing, Vig'tym nodded his head. But he wasn't going to believe her, he was quite sure of that. He simply felt that he should afford her the courtesy of listening to her.

From one former slave to another.

[Faith Augustin]

26th Saun 718:

"It is the Aukari. It is all that makes sense! I don't see why you can not see that! It is as obvious as the nose on my face." He was frustrated and he came close to shouting at her but as his voice rose, Faith's softened and yet, she did not back down, did not deviate from her argument.

"It is too obvious. It is turning Rharnian against Rharnian and it is distracting you. You will never deal with the disease while you fight a symptom." She really needed to stop using medical analogies, Faith thought and she looked at him with a solemn expression. "You are playing into their hands and they are pulling you along. What did the attack in Azurewind achieve? What is any of it achieving?" It was making the Lightning Knights look bad, look inefficient she said. It was building up anti- Aukari feeling. There were many examples of people with red hair being harassed or even attacked because of their hair. "In Ilaren's city, people with red hair are being attacked? It is a tragic irony." It truly was. He shook his head stubbornly, but Faith spoke again.

"What are they doing? They are attacking but with what purpose? They are turning the people against the Lightning Knights, you are being undermined." There was no doubting that, surely? He nodded, they could agree there and so Faith followed that. "So, let us take it to the logical conclusion, then. What if I am right and there is something else behind this? Why do the Aukari care what the people think of the knights? If this is Faldrun's doing, why is it not the Priestesses and Ilaren herself who is being attacked? This is drawing your attention away from something. Something big."

Faith did not doubt that when she said something big, it really was. "Charity events being sabotaged, names of political figures being branded into those attacked? They are seeking to destabilize the government, to make people afraid. Why? Why would they do that? We do not know what they want and we do not know anything about them. Why would those people, so closed about what they want and what they hope to achieve be so open about who they are if it was not to deceive?"

He looked at her and he frowned. What she said made a potential sense. He didn't believe it, and he wanted this situation resolved. But on the off chance that she was right? "This is all well and good, but what is it you want to do with it?" He asked and Faith leaned forward.

"I want to find what they're hiding," she said. "We're all focusing on what they show us, but what are they hiding? Where are they? They are making us look inwards. I want to work together to investigate these attacks. With the aim of finding where they are basing themselves." Faith looked at him and he sighed.

"You are very clear about what you want, for a former slave." He seemed deadpan serious but she saw a slight spark of mirth in his eyes.

"I am," she replied. "And you are very set in yours for one. Maybe we can teach each other something?" She smiled, relieved that she had, as far as she could see, at least gotten him to listen. "I'm speaking to the head of the Thunder Priestesses later and tomorrow I have an audience with Ilaren." she said and his eyebrow shot up. Faith seemed not to notice. "I would like to meet the three of us, tomorrow afternoon at Isonomia HQ. Is that appropriate?" He considered and nodded.

"Thank you," Faith said, genuinely. "What I'd like you to bring is all the tactical and investigative details you have on every attack involving this Ring. Every bit of information." He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. She was, apparently, serious.

"Would you like me to arrange refreshments and bring copies of all that information?" His question was entirely sarcastic but Faith failed to see it, considering it seriously.

"There is no need to bring refreshments, but copies would be most useful. Thank you. I must go. It has been a pleasure to meet you, Commander. Thank you for your time." With which she stood, shook his hand and exited. It must be said that he watched her leave with a nonplussed expression and he sat back down and wondered just what in Ilaren's name he'd just gotten himself into.

[Zip]

faith

Knowledge.........

intelligence: Research people under as many names as you have
Negotiation: Shared experiences set common ground in negotiation
Negotiation: Sometimes, it's best just to assume they said yes
Politics: Building alliances requires some common ground
Politics: Ensure that you get your point across, but there's no need to shout.

Loot....................

None

Consequence......

None

Renown..............

Like you need it

Experience...........

10

Not sure why the commander claimed he had some dark and shady slave stuff in Athart when he was clearly from seagate prison. 'Vig'tym'. Ya right. Better watch out for that one. Anyway, this is clearly the first part of something huge and it's looking like a promising start to it. Enjoy your points.

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